kingnovel Chapter 43, Ying's Eight Trigrams (1)
Chapter 43, Ying's Eight Trigrams (1)
Time flies, and lunchtime arrived in the blink of an eye. Banxia stopped what she was doing, looked up at Qin Yaoyao, and said, "Miss, it's almost noon. I'll go to the kitchen to prepare today's lunch." Qin Yaoyao and the other maids also put down their items and looked up at the sky together. Yingchun couldn't help but sigh, "Yes, time really flies!" Qiuye echoed, "Yes, indeed." Dongxue nodded in agreement. Qin Yaoyao then said to Banxia, "Now that you mention it, I am indeed a little hungry. You can go now." With permission, Banxia left.
Qin Yaoyao turned to everyone and said, "Stop embroidering, take a break, everyone get up and stretch." After she finished speaking, the mistress and servants all got up and strolled around the courtyard. Before long, lunch was ready. Banxia had someone set the dishes on the table, and Qin Yaoyao warmly invited everyone to sit down and eat. Everyone obediently sat down; they were already used to this scene. Whenever Qin Yaoyao was in her own courtyard and no outsiders were present, she was always this easygoing and friendly.
At first, the group seemed very uneasy, constantly muttering things like "this isn't the proper way." However, each time they voiced their opinions, nothing substantial changed. The young lady always insisted on her explanation, stating that she simply found dining alone too monotonous and boring, which was why she invited them to keep her company. In reality, the young lady considered them true friends and family, and they understood this perfectly well. Therefore, they all hoped to make the young lady happy and comfortable.
Shortly after lunch, a servant came to report that Cheng Ying had arrived. Qin Yaoyao immediately told Banxia and the others, "Sister Ying is here! Quickly go and fetch the golden needle eyebrow tea that Brother Yanxi just gave me." Yingchun replied, "Yes, Miss." Then, Banxia added, "Miss, I'll go prepare some of Miss Cheng's favorite snacks." Qin Yaoyao nodded in agreement and added, "Also, bring some sweet watermelon while you're at it." Banxia responded, "Okay." Afterward, she and Yingchun left together. Qiuye and Dongxue remained where they were, waiting quietly.
Not long after, a graceful and beautiful woman slowly entered. It was Cheng Ying. She walked lightly to Qin Yaoyao's side and sat down. Before she was even fully seated, her maids Yingchun and Banxia brought in tea, snacks, and fruit. After exchanging pleasantries, Yingchun and Banxia gently placed the items down, bowed to Qin Yaoyao, and took their leave to attend to their own business.
Qin Yaoyao personally poured Cheng Ying a cup of fragrant tea, smiling as she handed it to her, and said softly, "This is a fine tea I recently found. Why don't you try it?" Cheng Ying politely accepted the cup, took a small sip, and instantly, a glint of light flashed in her eyes. Seeing this, Qin Yaoyao quickly asked, "How is it? Is it good?" Cheng Ying nodded slightly, praising it highly, "Mmm, it's really delicious! The texture is smooth and mellow, the taste is refreshingly sweet, perfect for a girl." Hearing her friend's praise, Qin Yaoyao beamed and replied, "Right? I think so too."
Curious, Cheng Ying casually asked, "Did Fifth Brother Qin give you this tea?" Qin Yaoyao gently shook her head and giggled sweetly, "No, not at all." Seeing Qin Yaoyao's radiant smile, Cheng Ying understood immediately. A smile appeared on her lips as she teased, "Then it must have been He Yanxi who gave it to you." Qin Yaoyao looked surprised and asked doubtfully, "How did you know?" Cheng Ying chuckled and teased, "You, your joy is practically written all over your face." Qin Yaoyao blushed and shyly retorted, "Is it that obvious?" Cheng Ying nodded in agreement.
Qin Yaoyao proudly boasted, "Yes, this was a gift from Brother Yanxi! Not only that, but he also gave me these fruits! Brother Yanxi really gave me so many good things!" Cheng Ying responded with a hint of teasing, "Okay, okay, I know, your Brother Yanxi is the best to you, alright?" Qin Yaoyao replied with a haughty expression, "Of course!"
The two exchanged a smile, their laughter echoing in the air. Cheng Ying picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and asked curiously, "What kind of tea is this? The taste is so unique; I've never tried it before." Qin Yaoyao smiled and introduced, "This is Golden Needle Eyebrow Tea. How does it taste?" Upon hearing this, Cheng Ying's eyes widened in surprise, her hand trembling so much that the tea in her cup spilled out instantly. She was heartbroken.
Cheng Ying exclaimed in a trembling voice, "You mean, this is the legendary Golden Needle Eyebrow Tea? I heard that just one ounce is worth a thousand gold pieces, and it's very hard to find!" Qin Yaoyao looked at Cheng Ying's surprised expression, nodded proudly, and said, "Yes, Brother Yanxi gave me a lot."
Cheng Ying looked at Qin Yaoyao, her eyes revealing a hint of surprise and envy. She slowly said, "He Yanxi is so good to you! I've heard that this tea is extremely rare, and the price is incredibly high. It's also in high demand and short supply. Many people want to buy it but can't get their hands on it. I didn't expect you to have so much here."
Upon hearing Cheng Ying's words, Qin Yaoyao's face beamed with pride and smugness. She raised her chin and chuckled, "Aren't you envious? If you like, I'll give you some later."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Ying immediately responded with a beaming smile, "Really? That's wonderful! I must drink a few more sips of this precious tea." With that, she picked up the teacup and savored it carefully once more.
Seeing this, Qin Yaoyao couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Look at you, so pathetic."
Cheng Ying winked mischievously and retorted, "I'm just useless, what can I do if I don't have a fiancé as amazing as you?" Before she finished speaking, she deliberately bumped into Qin Yaoyao lightly.
A blush instantly spread across Qin Yaoyao's cheeks, and she whispered, "That's true... hehe." Her words were filled with shyness and sweetness.
Looking at Qin Yaoyao's shy expression, Cheng Ying couldn't help but laugh: "You two are really quick! You just went horseback riding at the racecourse a few days ago, and in the blink of an eye, the imperial decree of marriage has been issued. The decree has only just been announced, and the betrothal gifts have already been delivered to your residence today. You are truly amazing!"
Qin Yaoyao replied with a smile, "Of course! If you meet someone you like, you should definitely make your move! Otherwise, there are so many girls around eyeing them! What if someone else snatches them away first? You'll regret it then!"
Cheng Ying said nonchalantly, "If he's so easily snatched away by someone else, it just means he's not someone I can entrust my life to. I'd rather not have a man like that." After saying that, she turned her gaze into the distance, seemingly not caring much about the matter.
Qin Yaoyao kept staring at Cheng Ying with a smile on her face, but she didn't say anything. This silence made Cheng Ying feel uneasy, even a little creeped out. Finally, Cheng Ying couldn't help but ask, "Yaoyao, why are you staring at me like that? It's kind of scary."
Qin Yaoyao smiled mischievously, then hugged Cheng Ying's arm and said, "Hehe, Sister Ying, after hearing what you just said, could it be that you already have someone you like?" Upon hearing this, Cheng Ying quickly shook her head and denied it, saying, "No way, don't talk nonsense! How could I possibly have someone I like?" Her tone sounded a little flustered, as if she wanted to cover something up.
Qin Yaoyao said skeptically, "I don't believe it. How could you have such thoughts if nothing like this happened!" Cheng Ying looked helpless and replied, "I'm your older sister, much older than you. You know this, how could I not know anything? I'm not stupid." Qin Yaoyao then said, "Actually, sometimes we can't completely blame those men. Outstanding men are often very popular, and some women will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. What if we get tricked by them? Therefore, it's best to bring these men under our control. That way, we'll have a legitimate reason to manage them." Cheng Ying joked, "Aren't you afraid that if you're too strict, you'll scare them away?" Qin Yaoyao immediately replied, "If that's the case, then as Sister Ying said, it's better to be without such men. Besides, this is a marriage bestowed by the Emperor. If there are any problems later, I can go to the Emperor for judgment!"
Cheng Ying gave Qin Yaoyao a thumbs up, her face full of admiration, and sincerely praised, "You're really amazing!" Qin Yaoyao was slightly taken aback at first, then suddenly realized that Cheng Ying had changed the subject. She gave a light scolding, her beautiful eyes sparkling, and said sweetly to Cheng Ying, "Oh dear, Sister Ying, we were talking about you, how did it get to me? Tell me!" Cheng Ying looked blank, blinked, and asked in confusion, "Talk about what?"