Fourteenth Return to the Capital

  After having breakfast, Bai Xin's face was already showing signs of fatigue as she prepared to head home. It wasn't that she didn't want to sleep, but rather that in all her years, she had never slept with anyone before, and suddenly there was this man beside her; it would be strange if she could still fall asleep!

  Just as she was about to bid farewell and leave, a guard suddenly arrived, whispered a few words in Yanmo's ear, Yanmo's face sank, briefly instructed her to wait for him in the tent before hastily leaving with the guard.

  Bai Xinzhi knew he was going to do something serious, and she couldn't wait for him to leave quickly. When she was left alone, she hurriedly untied the cloth strips that were tied around her legs. After exercising her legs, which had been bound for a day and night, she slipped out of the house, avoiding the patrolling guards, and ran straight towards the road back home.

  Last night I stayed with him for a night and at least gained something, knowing what the village chief did and that the village chief's wife and her two children would be fine.

  She returned home and didn't go to sleep immediately. She wiped her face with cold water several times, then went to the kitchen to pack some of the rice from the two baskets into a carrying pole. Looking at the dead rabbit on the stove, although the meat was no longer very fresh but not yet spoiled, she found a relatively clean piece of cloth and wrapped it up. Then, carrying the pole, she headed to the village head's wife's house.

  The village head's wife was somewhat surprised by her arrival.

  Bai Xin Dye smiled foolishly at her, quickly putting down the basket, opening his mouth as if to speak, placing the basket at the feet of the village head's wife, and then lifting the cloth in his hand to present the dead rabbit to her.

  Looking at the white rice in the small basket by her feet and the dead rabbit in Bai Xinzhuang's hands, the village head's wife finally understood that this mute girl had come to deliver goods to their home.

  At home, something like this happened, she didn't think that at this moment the deaf and dumb girl would still think of her and even deliberately send these things over. Her eyes were a little moist, she nodded, took the dead rabbit from Bai Xintong's hand.

  Perhaps seeing the unexpected look in her eyes, Bai Xintian opened his mouth again and drew a tall figure in the air with his finger, then pointed to the white rice in the basket on the ground and the rabbit in the village head's wife's hand.

  The village head's wife nodded at her, seeming to understand that all these things were gifts from others.

  She pulled his wrist with her white hand and walked towards her home door.

  Bai Xin struggled free from her grasp, shook his head, made a silly sleeping gesture and then turned around and ran off.

  "Alas..." Watching her small running back, the village head's wife wiped away the moisture from the corner of her eyes and let out a sympathetic sigh. This child has always been unwilling to have much contact with others...

  She ran all the way back home, Bai Xin changed her expression only after she got home, and with a tired body, she fell asleep as soon as she lay down.

  For several days after that, unexpectedly, she did not see the so-called 'prince' coming to her house. It was only in the middle of the night that she clearly heard the sound of someone passing by the door and the sound of wheels rolling, which continued for several nights.

  As usual, she didn't bother to take a look and continued sleeping on her broken bed, waking up at dawn.

  Several large wooden boxes outside the courtyard, she had never opened them before, just in case of rain, they were moved to the eaves and stacked.

  Those officials from Beijing suddenly disappeared one day, and Maoshan Village returned to its former peace and tranquility.

  The days when the man didn't come, Bai Xinzhen returned to his usual life, except for sleeping in at home and going to the ground to dig soil, passing the time.

  Sweet potatoes and carrots are getting tired of eating, she will carry a bamboo basket to the river bank, roll up her pants legs and catch some small fish and shrimp back home, which is considered an improvement in life.

  Although life today can be described as extremely poor, there is no noise of the city, no intrigue and struggle between people, except for loneliness and having no one to rely on, it's actually quite comfortable and free.

  As for a man who would never come back, Bai Xinzhi had thoroughly cast him out of her mind.

  As the officials came and went, the villagers of Mao Mountain Village found that the largest courtyard at the foot of the village suddenly became empty overnight. No one knew where the owner who liked mint had gone...

  Bai Xin was also curious, after all, the yard had a patch of mint that no one wanted now and couldn't be exchanged for anything good to eat. Helpless, she could only collect these mint leaves herself, dry them in the sun, and keep them to make tea for herself.

  ……

  Shu Xia State Capital

  Cheng Wang rushed into the palace overnight to report back, presenting the people he had caught and the large number of weapons seized. After reporting, Emperor Xia Gao ordered the Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of War to take over the handling. After finishing talking about the destruction of the arsenal in Maoshan Village, Yan Mo Yu finally left the palace and returned to Cheng Wang Fu.

  The next day, Yan Mo was informed of his leave and rested in the government office.

  Qiu led two concubines from the Wang Mansion to the main courtyard.

  In the study, Yan Mo gave a cold glance at the two women following behind Qiu Shi and said with an icy face, "Get out!"

  "Son!" Madam Qiu scolded, clearly displeased. "Li Rong and Cui Ping came all the way to see you. You've been absent from home for so long, as your wife, don't you care about their feelings at all? As your mother, I thought of how hard you work for the Emperor, tired and exhausted...I just wanted them to come and take care of you...Are you going to drive me, your own mother, out too?"

  The two women were both beautiful and elegant, upon hearing Qiu's words, they both looked embarrassed, with a pitiful expression, lowered their heads.

  Yan Mo's expression turned gentle, and his eyes gazed at Qiu Shi with a deep, mysterious light. In a low voice, he said: "Mother, you also know that I am on an errand for the Emperor. This study is a place of great importance; how can it be allowed to be casually entered by anyone? I appreciate your kind intentions, Mother, but I have been tired lately and wish to rest more, without being disturbed by too many people. If there's nothing else, please return now, Mother. Later, I will go to pay my respects to you."

  Qiu glared at the two somewhat incompetent women beside him, feeling indignant but not knowing how to refute them. He could only put on a serious face and say sternly: "Work is urgent, but you also need to take care of yourself. Let Liren and Cuiping stay here, if you're worried that they'll disturb your rest, I'll have them wait outside the door for your instructions."

  Having said that, he gave a wink to the two women and left the study without waiting for their response.

  Two women lowered their heads, twisting the silk handkerchiefs in their hands, obviously somewhat nervous.

  "Get out!" A cold and piercing glance was shot over, the man showed no mercy at all.

  "Your Highness..." The two women's eyes were filled with tears, like two delicate flowers that needed to be pitied. The man in front of them had a gloomy and frightening aura. The two nodded simultaneously and said "yes" in unison, then retreated from the study room, looking back three times with each step.

  Yin Du, who was standing outside the door, watched as the two women came out, then walked into the study and heavily closed the door.

  "Sir, should I have someone apply two medicinal plasters to them?" This old madam is getting more and more outrageous, bringing women into the study in broad daylight, no wonder sir got angry on the spot.

  Yan Mo's face was stern, seeing the door closed, only then did he gradually collect his cold intent and replied: "No need. In broad daylight, I still don't want to be gossiped about."

  It's best to take that medicine at night. During the day, if you're not careful and reveal your weakness, it would be a loss...

  He furrowed his brow and suddenly asked Yin Du, "Is there another way to make them leave? I really don't want to see them."

  Before, he thought he still had some patience to accompany those women 'to play' and let his mother feel at ease. But since returning from Maoshan Village, not only did he look at women with disgust, wanting to solve one with a single sword, but even his own mother, he also felt repulsed.

  Whose mother only cares about introducing women to her son but never asks about having children?

  His mother was worried about what he didn't know yet, but he knew that none of these women were good!

  Fortunately, he had never had such thoughts...

  Nowadays, his mind is filled with the image of that woman, and he doesn't even have the heart to consider other people's feelings...

  If he let his mother continue to urge him like this, he thought, did he need to pack up and go to Maoshan Village to be with her?

  Digression

  The plot is slowly unfolding, don't worry girls~