Chapter 272: Chapter 273: Departure

When Li Si talked about these things, it was obvious he was showing off. He tilted his chin up, waiting for Shanmoi to either praise him or quickly ask him something.

But he was clearly disappointed, as Shangmei didn’t look at him at all and turned away. Li Si wanted to call out to her, but upon seeing Hailan emerge, he quickly shut his mouth and slinked away.

Hailan glanced at Li Si briefly without speaking much, but once inside, she looked at Shanmoi with an obviously teasing expression.

Shanmoi felt her face heat up slightly, not understanding why she felt guilty.

Lin Youning, on the other hand, didn’t notice their actions as she was distracted by all that had happened since she woke up this morning.

However, she was relieved that her elder brother left after waking up and didn’t stay for breakfast, so the two of them avoided meeting, thus bypassing any awkwardness from this morning and any uncertainty about how to converse.

Mrs. Dong heard that the Marquis had gone to stay at the East Mansion again and said nothing. But Jingfu felt uneasy about the Madam’s recent actions; the Madam had changed so much suddenly, especially during her recent visits to the Dong Mansion, where she shut everyone out and only conversed behind closed doors with the old Madam.

It had been nearly half a month since Lin Youning’s kidnapping, and it was now mid-November, with the weather in the Capital already turning cold.

Gu Yifeng had received an imperial edict from the Emperor, commanding him to head to the Northwest.

Everything had already been packed long ago, and the day after receiving the edict, Gu Yifeng and his group set off, with Gu Yifeng riding a horse and Lin Youning sitting inside the carriage.

Aunt Wu and the others, including Li Si, traveled slowly with the convoy heading Northwest.

Not until leaving the Capital did Aunt Wu learn of this decision. After hearing Li Si’s report, Aunt Wu was stunned for a long while before waving him away and retreating into her carriage.

Aunt Wu sat in her carriage, lost in thought, while Yangtao sat beside her, unsure of how to console her. Initially, they left the mansion envied by two other aunts, but who would have thought they’d end up left behind after exiting the Capital?

If the Madam from the East Mansion had stayed with the aunts, it would have been understandable. But the Marquis claimed he was worried about delays, taking the Madam from the East Mansion along and leaving them behind.

Such excuses and reasons were hardly believable.

Aunt Wu sat thinking for a long time, and in the end, she felt that since the Marquis treated her this way, she wouldn’t believe that enduring it slowly like this wouldn’t eventually make the Marquis, seeing her virtue, feel touched or even guilty over time?

Fueled by this determination, Aunt Wu managed to bear with everything along the journey.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Lin Youning thought about how her brothers would soon set off as well, and her smile deepened a bit more.

“Once we arrive in the Northwest, let’s learn to ride horses. It’ll be convenient for getting around, and I’ve heard that in the Northwest, the locals are open-minded, with women not having to wear veils on the streets and being able to ride freely like men.”

Upon hearing this, Shanmay and Hailan were naturally pleased.

Hailan teased Shanmoi, saying, “I think Li Si rides quite well. When the time comes, I’ll stay by Madam’s side, and Li Si can teach Shanmoi.”

As soon as Hailan said this, Shanmoi pounced to hit her, while Hailan dodged to the side, giggling all the while.

Lin Youning was a bit taken aback, looking at Shanmoi incredulously before thinking it over and bursting into a smile herself.

“Madam should punish Sister Hailan. Her courage is growing, making such jokes in front of the lady.” Shanmoi’s face flushed deeply.

“Please spare me, Mistress! I was just afraid this pair might miss out.” Hailan, who just finished laughing, still had a rosy tinge on her cheeks. “When I followed the Mistress, I only thought about marrying into the mansion someday and overseeing the household. You mentioned that if we found someone, we should speak up. I haven’t taken a fancy to anyone yet, but I think Shanmoi has found someone.”

Lin Youning had long since guessed what was going on, feigning ignorance. “Oh? Who is it? Tell me, and I’ll see if he’s suitable for our Shanmoi.”

Early on, when Hailan was speaking, Shanmoi tried to cover Hailan’s mouth, but being in front of the lady, she didn’t dare make too big a move and could only watch as Hailan spoke. After being directly asked by the lady, her shame was such that her face reddened to the point where she seemed about to bleed.

“My lady,” she called out sweetly.

Li Youning didn’t say anything, exchanging a look with Hailan. Both women laughed.

Shanmoi then realized they were teasing her, shooting Hailan a shy glare before turning away in silence.

Outside the carriage, deliberately kept at a distance, faint giggles could be heard. Mei Jiatian couldn’t help but smile too.

In the ivory Python Robe, Gu Yifeng, already tall and striking, looked even more regal on horseback.

His usually cold and expressionless face of years now bore a faint smile, his sword-shaped brows slightly arched and his deep eyes hinting at laughter, making him even more dazzling.

The guards who served closely around Gu Yifeng had never seen a smile on the Marquis’s face before. Witnessing him casting a glance at the carriage, still smiling, left them stunned.

Yet, inside, they could only think that the Marquis was fond of the lady inside the carriage.

This affection seemed to surpass that for the Marquis Mansion’s Madam.

With this understanding, they treated Lin Youning with increasing respect in the days that followed.

Lin Youning didn’t know, and it wasn’t until noon that the group stopped at a post station. Having experienced something like this once before, Lin Youning felt accustomed to it, not feeling constrained.

Shanmoi and Hailan, being there for the first time, served attentively by Lin Youning’s side but couldn’t help but let their eyes wander around curiously.

During meals, Lin Youning opted to eat in her elder brother’s room and allowed Shangmei and the others to dine separately.

Naturally, the two girls responded gladly, happy to step aside. Raised in the Marquis Mansion, they hadn’t interacted much outside the noble household, making everything intriguing to them.

The two maidens, already striking in appearance, might not have stood out in the Marquis Mansion but looked no different from noble young women among the common folk. As they descended, they attracted the attention of passers-by dining nearby.

When they sensed the gazes of others, despite their excitement, they sat primly and properly.

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