Xu Changling invited everyone back to the yamen to rest. Upon seeing Lin Moyuan descend from the carriage, his eyes widened.
Before Xu Changling could speak, Lin Moyuan cupped his hands towards him and said, "Senior brother, have you been well?"
Senior brother?
Lin Qingge suddenly recalled something.
Since Lin Moyuan and Xu Changling were both students of Pavilion Elder Su, wouldn't her supposed elder brother be Lin Moyuan's junior?"
Feeling her seniority instantly diminished, Lin Qingge rolled her eyes. With one hand holding Lin Zimo and the other holding Leng Ningyue, she strode into the yamen.
However, even though Xu Siyun had been found, the news had still leaked.
The next day.
News of the Prefect’s daughter being kidnapped spread like wildfire, becoming known throughout the city.
"Who would be so wicked as to try and ruin Siyun's reputation!"
Xu Changling, enraged, slammed his hand on the desk.
"Esteemed teacher, the yamen is full of eyes and ears. It's understandable that the news leaked.
After all, from the guards to the laborers, any of them could be remnants of Wei Dongting's loyalists. Therefore, for safety's sake, this student advises you to rectify the situation as soon as possible and replace everyone with your own people."
Xu Changling nodded, realizing he had lost his composure, and looked at Lin Moyuan beside him. "I've made a fool of myself in front of you, junior brother."
"Senior brother is too kind,"
Lin Moyuan repeatedly shook his head. "As senior brother's family suffered such a calamity, this junior brother feels ashamed for not having been able to help more.
As for Siyun, you can let her accompany us back to Changzhou County to relax."
"This..."
Seeing Xu Changling hesitate, Lin Moyuan smiled. "You don't need to worry about safety, senior brother. Yongning is also in Changzhou County.
She originally wanted to come along, but she was delayed due to other matters.
If she knew Siyun was coming to find her, she would be overjoyed."
Hearing Lin Moyuan's words, Xu Changling, who felt that leaving the rumor-ridden Fengtian Prefecture temporarily might not be a bad thing for his beloved daughter, gratefully cupped his hands towards him. "Then I'll trouble junior brother to take care of it."
Meanwhile.
Xu Siyun, the person involved, was playing chess with Leng Ningyue in the backyard. Lin Zimo, who was watching from the side, clenched his fists and pouted. "Mother, why did you lose again?"
Leng Ningyue raised her hand and stroked Lin Zimo's head. "Miss Xu's chess skills are superb. Mother is no match for her."
However, Xu Siyun, who had won several games in a row, showed no joy of victory. She said faintly:
"What's the point of having excellent chess skills?
In the end, I'm just a bird in a cage.
But after this incident, I'm afraid I won't even have the qualifications to be a bird in a cage..."
"Mother, the pretty sister is clearly a person, why should she be a bird?"
"Whether human or bird, everyone yearns for freedom and loves to be unrestrained.
So, the pretty sister doesn't really want to be a bird; she just wants to live her own life."
After Leng Ningyue finished explaining softly to Lin Zimo, she turned to look at Xu Siyun opposite her. "You are clearly an eagle soaring through the skies, why do you want to be a caged bird that has lost its freedom?
Are the opinions of the world so important?
As long as you are happy, let others say whatever they please."
"Yes! Father said that Mo'er is not real gold or silver, so it's impossible for everyone to like Mo'er. Therefore, when Mo'er encounters bad people who criticize and question Mo'er, Mo'er just ignores them.
If anyone is particularly excessive, Mo'er will tell Father, and let Father deal with them!"
"Then have you encountered anyone particularly excessive?"
"Yes, Xiao Xuxu from our village always bullied Mo'er. He said Mo'er was an orphan without parents, and he even pushed Mo'er!"
"And then what happened?"
"Mo'er told her aunt. Aunt not only found Xiao Xuxu's parents and made Xiao Xuxu apologize to Mo'er.
The next day, Aunt took out more than a dozen lifelike sugar figurines, saying that Father bought them for Mo'er, and let Mo'er share them with the children in the village.
When the children received the sugar figurines, they were all very envious of Mo'er!
Xiao Xuxu bullied Mo'er and wasn't Mo'er's friend, so Mo'er didn't share the sugar figurines with him.
Mother, you don't know, Xiao Xuxu was so tempted that he cried at that time.
Later, he said a whole basketful of nice things to Mo'er, and only then did Mo'er reluctantly share one with him.
However, Aunt clearly brought those sugar figurines out from Uncle Wang's house next door. Why did she say Father bought them from the capital?"
Vaguely understanding what was happening, Leng Ningyue continued to play along with Lin Zimo's aunt's lie. "Your Father was worried that if they were kept at home, you would eat them all within a day, so he specifically instructed them to be temporarily kept next door."
Although Xu Siyun was meeting this Madam Lin for the first time, she often heard her father mention her and Madam Lin's affairs. She also knew that Master Lin had a sickly sister in his hometown.
Although it was someone else's private matter, she couldn't help but ask, "Everyone says children are born from their mothers' flesh. Why did Mo'er live with her aunt since childhood?"
Unexpectedly, Xu Siyun, who seemed indifferent to everything, suddenly asked. Before Leng Ningyue could come up with an explanation, Lin Zimo had already spoken first:
"Aunt said that Father is burying his head in his studies in the capital, in order to let our family live in a bigger house and eat better food.
And Mother has to take care of Father, so she doesn't have time to take care of Mo'er.
But Aunt also said that the separation is only temporary.
Mother is standing right in front of Mo'er now, within reach."
After saying that, Lin Zimo buried his head in his mother's arms and acted spoiled.
At lunch.
Xu Changling told his beloved daughter about visiting Changzhou County. Lin Qingge took the opportunity to invite Xu Siyun to be a tutor at the Women's Academy.
According to the well-informed Hua Jinrong, Xu Siyun not only served as a royal companion but was also a renowned talented woman in the capital. Otherwise, the Second Prince wouldn't have been so infatuated with her.
And how could Lin Qingge let go of such a ready-made female tutor proficient in everything from zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting?
She had initially thought she would need to do some persuasive work to convince the other party.
Unexpectedly, Xu Siyun agreed readily without even considering it.
Since Xu Changling and Lin Moyuan, two senior brothers, had matters to discuss, Lin Qingge and the others took the opportunity to stay at the yamen for two more days, touring the rare visit to Fengtian Prefecture.
The night before their departure.
Leng Ningyue tucked in Lin Zimo, who had fallen into a deep sleep after a day of tossing and turning, then got up and sat at the table.
The next moment, a figure flashed into the room through the slightly ajar window.
As if knowing someone would come, Leng Ningyue neither threw a dagger nor flicked chopsticks, but simply sat there with a indifferent expression.
The newcomer didn't dare to approach at all. He stood obediently by the window and complained in a voice filled with three parts grievance and seven parts resentment, "I say, my dear aunt, you actually poisoned me!"