Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 724: Little Lanzi’s New Article, Please Collect, Digging for Treasures to Farm (2)
Yueyue immediately put on a smiling face and mechanically lowered her head to look at her sister before turning to their brother, who had been silent all along. In a flash of realization, she quivered the corner of her mouth, cleared her throat, and said ingratiatingly, "Sister, our big brother’s qinggong is really unparalleled. You’re right to have him try the medicine; there’s no mistake."
Qiqi, feeling a surge of irritation, retorted with a bitter laugh, "Yueyue, among the three of us, your sister has the best qinggong, and she’s quite skilled in handling poisons too. Letting her try the medicine is definitely the right move."
Yueyue almost had her nose bent out of shape by anger, shot him a disgruntled glare, and then, trying to curry favor again, said, "Sister, you mustn’t listen to your big brother. If his mouth ever...,"
"Spits out ivory, wouldn’t we all be rich?" Xiaoyu happily finished the sentence for her sister.
Yueyue sighed, sat down next to Qiqi with her head drooping, and then Xiaoyu smiled, "Big sister, can’t you change your lines? I’ve been poisoned by the way you two argue ever since I was young. This one sentence has been repeated for two whole years non-stop. If I couldn’t recite it by now, that would be strange." She snorted disdainfully and even curled her lips.
Qiqi and Yueyue exchanged glances, and in a spark, both pressed their feet to the ground and used their full strength to burst into a dash, employing all their martial arts.
Xiaoyu blinked her big eyes, touched her chin with her hand, and let out a few odd chuckles. Haha, are they performing for themselves? Ah, so that’s how it is. Shaking her head with a smile, she took small steps out of the garden. Looking at her walk, one wouldn’t see a wobbling gait; she walked with a brisk, stable stride. And how many were blinded by appearances?
The two of them made a big loop around the perfectly kept Imperial Palace, and only after making sure Xiaoyu was no longer pursuing them did they stop by the fishpond in the Cold Palace, gasping for breath.
"Hehe, big brother, how was my acting just now?"
"Hmm, not bad, the child has potential."
Yueyue rolled her eyes, unable to stand her big brother’s adult-like demeanor—acting all profound when he was still a child.
"I heard that Mother and Father are planning another inspection tour," she said, twirling a lock of fine, ink-black hair at her chest and idly kicking pebbles with her feet while glancing sideways at her brother.
Qiqi silently nodded. He had heard about it from their father long ago; only the date had not been set, supposedly awaiting some good news.
Seeing her brother like a silent gourd, Yueyue pinched him and complained, "I’m talking to you. Can’t you make a sound like you heard me? You look as if someone owes you eight hundred taels."
"Indeed, they’re planning it, but the date hasn’t been set yet. It probably won’t be long though."
"Really? That’s great! Big brother, do you know where the inspection will take us this time? Are we visiting Grandma’s or Uncle’s place?" she asked hopefully.
Qiqi twitched his mouth a few times: "I don’t know. The way Father talked about it, this inspection might take a long time, so the exact destinations haven’t been decided yet."
"Oh!" She was a bit disappointed, but then thought that the longer duration balanced things out. She hooked her arm, nudged him and asked, "Hey, are you going?"
Qiqi looked askance with a hint of irritation and sarcastically retorted, "I’m not as lucky as you. Father has left me behind to ’broaden my horizons’ with court affairs, huh." He huffed after saying this, clearly dissatisfied with their father’s arrangements. He too longed to go out, to roam. It had been several years since he last left the palace, and now he could hardly remember what the world outside the palace was like.
Yueyue looked at her big brother with sympathy. It was a relief that she was born a girl; otherwise, he wouldn’t be the only one suffering. She silently laughed to herself.
After resting sufficiently, they got up to head back. Instead of returning to their own living quarters, they ran to where several aunts and guards resided.
Swinging the lock of hair in her hand, Yueyue entered a courtyard. Although it was small, compared to where the other palace maids lived, this place was quite luxurious.
Yueyue furrowed her brows, having walked a long way without seeing a single aunt. That’s odd, today was Aunt Baihe’s shift, and the other aunts should be here. Why is it so deathly quiet today?
Having checked several rooms to no avail, Yueyue eventually left out of boredom and happened to bump into her older brother as she was leaving. "Big brother, are none of them around?" Seeing her big brother also out and about, she guessed there must be no one in the yard, otherwise, he wouldn’t have come out.
"Yeah, how come none of the aunts are here?"
"Hmm, I bet they’re with mother."
"Let’s go have a look."
Just as they reached their mother’s sleeping quarters, the Yangxin Hall, they saw several aunts and guards, all with rather unpleasant expressions—even despondent—as they came out. Qiqi and Yueyue exchanged a glance, and after everyone had left, the two went in to pay their respects to their mother.
"Mother, the aunts didn’t look so well just now, what on earth happened?"
Qiqi didn’t speak, but her eyes shone brightly with anticipation and curiosity, eager to know what had transpired.
Feng Xuxu smiled gently. These two children, deserving of their twin status, always stuck together except for when answering nature’s call or sleeping.
"Oh, mother, you’re killing me with suspense. Out with it, what happened?" Yueyue, seeing her mother had not spoken, impatiently waved her sleeves and asked again.
"Hehe, it’s good news. On the fifth day of next month, they are all getting married." Feng Xuxu’s lips curled up; her mood surprisingly joyful. After such a long wait, it was indeed time for their wedding ceremonies.
Dugu Chen, who just entered, was taken aback: "Who’s getting married?"
"Father, it’s..." Yueyue pounced towards her father, starting to speak swiftly but Mother interrupted after just two words.
"I’m arranging a selection for you, to give you a second chance at bloom."
Dugu Chen’s face darkened in an instant. Putting down his eldest daughter, he narrowed his eyes and gave a devilishly charming laugh: "Is my wife unsatisfied with my nocturnal efforts perhaps?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Xuxu’s face flushed red, and she protested coquettishly: "That’s not true."
"Oh~ really?" He drew out the word suspiciously while scanning her from top to bottom with ill intent.
Feng Xuxu felt her heart flutter under his intense gaze and confessed without thinking: "Ah, it’s for Xuan Yue and the others’ weddings. The date is set for the fifth of next month."
Dugu Chen’s brows twitched as he pinched her cheek gently, whispering into her ear: "Next time I hear talk of taking a concubine for me, await my punishment."
Squinting her eyes malevolently at Dugu Chen, she opened her red lips: "You wouldn’t dare?"
"Hehe, I wouldn’t dare, but I could ensure you won’t be able to leave the bed for seven days and seven nights."
"You...shameless." Her face blushed with embarrassment, and she glared at him. How could he, with the children still present.
