Song Xun excitedly ran out of the house, only to stop abruptly at the threshold.
Her second sister was now the young master of the Lan Yong Xie clan, the Marquis of the South Sea enfeoffed by His Majesty. Even if she ran over now, they wouldn't be able to acknowledge each other.
But she was still so happy. Her second sister was finally home, even if it was in this manner, she was home after all.
Song Xun gazed at the void in the sky, feeling her eyes gradually grow warm.
The person before her vanished almost instantly. Xu Shuyao was stunned for a moment before reacting, getting up with a wry smile and walking to the corridor, "Are you that happy that Marquis Xie paid a visit?"
"Who wouldn't be happy to see Marquis Xie? Last time, my brother and I went to Ninghe, and she even took us to tour the Glazed Tile Factory..."
Song Xun, holding up her skirt, climbed onto the rockery with the best view in the courtyard, looking around as if she could see something.
The Duke of Qian’s mansion and the Marquis of Yongchang’s mansion were allied with the Duke of Dingguo’s mansion. Yue Lin and Xu Shuo were not outsiders. It wouldn't be considered too much for Song Xun to even show her face in the garden at this moment.
However, Song Xun still had reservations, afraid that her eagerness would be too obvious...
In fact, her current behavior was already a bit eager, but with the identity and appearance of the young master of the Xie clan, why would it be strange for girls to flock to him?
She was no exception.
Song Xun felt her behavior was quite common.
Xu Shuyao stood below, looking at her, and couldn't help but tease, "I know, I know, your admiration and praise for Marquis Xie are almost written on your face."
"Be careful, don't fall..."
"The starry bracelet you wear every day and refuse to take off, the one you bought at the Glazed Tile Factory that time, Marquis Xie is kind and generous, right?"
At least, in Xu Shuyao's eyes, Song Xun's behavior was not unusual. Chasing after beauty and good things was something no one could resist.
Moreover, Xie Jiang was her savior, and had recently become close with her grandfather and brother, so she naturally viewed Xie Jiang through a favorable lens.
"Marquis Xie is indeed kind..."
A maid who had gathered information told Song Xun that Marquis Xie and the other three were in the pavilion by the flower house. Song Xun tiptoed and looked towards the pavilion.
As expected, she couldn't see anything from the rockery. Xu Shuyao smiled and shook her head, offering Song Xun a suggestion, "Since they are in Yizhan Pavilion, wouldn't it be clearer if we went to Hongchun Pavilion?"
"Right! How did I not think of that!"
Thinking about the distance and direction between Yizhan Pavilion and Hongchun Pavilion, Song Xun realized, and then jumped down from the rockery with joy.
"Sister Yao is so smart!"
Song Xun took Xu Shuyao's hand and ran out, "It's a pity it's getting late, otherwise we could have invited Marquis Xie for a simple meal."
Xu Shuyao said, "There will be plenty of time in the future. There will be opportunities."
Song Xun had always comforted herself this way.
Walking past a stage that hadn't been used for many years, Song Xun led Su Zhu to the second floor of Hongchun Pavilion and walked to the second-floor railing facing Yizhan Pavilion.
"I see them!"
In fact, she could only see the flowers and trees outside Yizhan Pavilion, and occasional figures glimpsed between the dense foliage. She couldn't even distinguish which one was Xie Jiang.
But just being able to see them from afar like this made Song Xun very happy.
Looking at her eyes shining with joy, Xu Shuyao couldn't help but say gently, "Actually, it's quite easy for you to see Marquis Xie."
Song Xun said, "I know it's not far from Yizhan Pavilion, and I can find an excuse to go over, but I don't want to disturb Marquis Xie..."
Xu Shuyao winked at her, "It's not disturbing. You can escort me out later."
Song Xun stared at her blankly, then suddenly understood!
Since Brother Xu Shuo had also come, he would definitely be returning home with Sister Yao. When she escorted Sister Yao out, she would be able to see Marquis Xie who was accompanying them!
Song Xun was overjoyed.
Xu Shuyao said, "It's not the first time you've seen Marquis Xie, is it worth being this happy?"
Song Xun feigned confusion, "Then it's not the first time Sister Yao has seen my elder brother, isn't Sister Yao unhappy today?"
Xu Shuyao glared at her, then turned to look towards Yizhan Pavilion. Although she could only vaguely see a few figures, she seemed to know that the person just now must have been him.
Song Xun leaned on the railing and gazed, suddenly thinking that her mother must also know about her second sister's return, and her mother had always missed her second sister...
Not long after, a servant girl delivered a message, saying that the eldest young master Xu and the other two were preparing to leave and asked the third young lady Xu to return with them.
"So soon?" Song Xun understood that they had to leave so soon after arriving, but she was reluctant.
She was also reluctant to part with Xu Shuyao.
She was the only girl in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.
"I'll come to play with you again in a few days, and I'll invite my fourth and fifth sisters then. As long as Second Aunt agrees, you can also come to our mansion to play anytime."
Xu Shuyao held Song Xun's hand and walked forward.
Xie Jiang and the other three were chatting happily beside the carriage, waiting for the servants to load two pots of two-colored lotuses. Xu Shuyao and Song Xun stepped forward to greet the four.
"We came in a hurry today and didn't prepare anything. Fortunately, there are still two osmanthus branches..."
Xie Jiang took out two osmanthus hair ornaments from her purse, "...They are not valuable items. If Third Sister Song and Second Aunt Song don't mind, you can keep them for play."
"Marquis Xie's kind intentions, my mother and I are too happy to dislike them."
Song Xun happily accepted the osmanthus, held it carefully, and praised it sincerely.
"Such beautiful osmanthus. If I hadn't smelled them, I would have thought they were real flowers. Marquis Xie has excellent taste!"
Xie Jiang then turned to Xu Shuyao, "The osmanthus for the Xu sisters and aunts have already been given to Brother Xu Shuo."
Xu Shuo smiled and said, "Marquis Xie sent out dozens of osmanthus branches today. I expect that in a few days, a fragrant breeze of osmanthus will blow through the capital."
Yue Lin could already predict how cherished the osmanthus would be by the sisters, aunts, and his grandmother when they received them.
It wasn't the osmanthus itself that was cherished. No matter how exquisite and lifelike the osmanthus was made, such craftsmanship was not hard to find.
What was cherished was the person who sent the flowers, Xie Jiang.
If he had bought them himself and given them to the female members of his family, the reaction would have been lukewarm.
But the ones sent by Xie Jiang were different.
In any case, the female members of his family lost all reason when they mentioned Xie Jiang.
Xu Shuyao smiled and thanked Xie Jiang.
Such small gifts were easy for anyone to accept.
The method of calmly having the male members of the family re-gift the presents would not cause any negative impact or trouble.
Given Marquis Xie's appearance, no matter how old the female guests were, they all liked him.
However, with Marquis Xie's disposition, even if he looked more ordinary, he would still be very likable.
On their way back to the capital with such a large group, only Marquis Xie noticed the osmanthus sold by a woman by the roadside and thought of buying them to distribute to the female members of various families.
Caring about everyone in subtle ways, how could such a Marquis Xie not be liked?
After leaving the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, Xu Shuo intended to bid farewell to Xie Jiang and Yue Lin and return directly to the Marquis of Yongchang's mansion.
As for the books left at the Marquis of the South Sea's mansion, he still had to go to the Marquis of the South Sea's mansion to guard them tomorrow. He didn't need to stay up all night reading them tonight.
The three of them had just come out onto this street in front of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion when they received news.
The imperial edict enfeoffing the Regent King had finally been issued.