After a journey filled with stops and starts, the convoy finally returned to Beijing at the end of December.
Qing He led the convoy to unload the goods from the back door, with Zhou Xiaosi standing beside her to help. "I thought you wouldn't be able to make it back for the New Year. Did you have a smooth journey?"
Qing He held the ledger in her hand, her eyes fixed on the bags of medicinal herbs, and casually remarked, "Smoothly... just a little slow."
Zhou Xiaosi laughed, "Isn't that obvious? With so many medicinal herbs, the horse can't go fast even if it wanted to..." He paused for a moment, "Um... Sister Qing Yang, are you alright..."
Qing He mentally counted the number of medicinal herbs, and replied aloud, "Okay, you even asked me to bring you a set of acupuncture needles."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiaosi exclaimed with delight, "Where is it? Let me see..."
Qing He was speechless. "Couldn't you have waited until I finished handing over the medicinal herbs? If the accounts don't match, will Shopkeeper Qin scold you or me?"
Zhou Xiaosi's face flushed red. "You're busy, you're busy, I'm not in a hurry..."
In the study.
Meng Anzhi recounted the events in Qingzhou Prefecture to Jin Shanyao, finally mentioning Shi Chong, "Young Master Shi truly lives up to his reputation as a spy; every glance and every word is filled with probing. Fortunately, we parted ways at the city gate, otherwise chatting with him would have been exhausting."
Jin Shanyao chuckled, "Don't dwell on people who aren't important. You've been away from home for so long, you must be homesick, right?"
"Yes, I think about you every night, Auntie, do you miss me?" Meng Anzhi hugged Jin Shanyao's arm affectionately and looked up at her.
Jin Shanyao caught her, preventing the young girl from losing her balance and falling. "I miss... when you're not home, the food doesn't taste good at all."
Meng Anzhi chuckled, "I miss Auntie too. Oh, by the way, Uncle Xie asked me to bring you a few bags of roasted mushrooms, saying he made them himself."
The Jin Shanyao, "How is he? Is he alright?"
"That's great. I was just asking when you're going back."
Meng Anzhi pestered Jin Shanyao to recount the events of Qingzhou Prefecture until Meng Anci returned from court.
This was the first time the siblings had been separated for so long. Although they didn't say they missed each other, Meng Anci Meng Anzhi wherever she went. Meng Anzhi didn't find it annoying and even chatted and laughed with him.
On the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, Anzhi Hall closes its doors for the rest of the year, and on the 28th, Meng Anci for a day off! And so the years pass by!
The first day after the imperial court's annual holiday.
That evening, Meng Anci returned from court to the palace. Sitting down and picking up his bowl, he casually remarked, "Sister, Shi Chong, the one you saved half a month ago, has been given an official position."
Meng Anzhi paused, her chopsticks still. "What official position?"
"Director of the Ministry of War Military Operations Bureau, Ministry of War, Principal Sixth Rank." Meng Anci picked up some food with his chopsticks. "Don't underestimate this low-ranking position; he's a favorite of the Emperor, and everyone treats him with utmost respect."
Jin Shanyao to the side, asked, "What does the Military Operations Bureau do?"
"In charge of military intelligence and border spies."
Jin Shanyao her head and chuckled, taking it as just a topic of conversation at the dinner table. Little did she expect that Shi Chong would appear in the Anzhi Hall the very next evening.
" Miss Meng, we meet again."
Meng Anzhi looked up and saw him standing in front of the desk in his official robes. Feigning surprise, she stood up and bowed, "Young Master Shi, what brings you here?"
Shi Chong looked at her with a smile, " Miss Meng, let me reintroduce myself. My name is Shi Chong, and I am currently the Director of the Military Operations Bureau of the Ministry of War."
In Qingzhou Prefecture, I was unfortunately surrounded by enemies. Thanks to your help, young lady, I was saved. Otherwise, I would probably be dead already.
As he spoke, he took out a bulging purse and gently placed it in front of Meng Anzhi. "This is the consultation fee. Thank you, Miss Meng, for saving my life."
Meng Anzhi breathed a soft sigh of relief and said gently, " Lord Shi is a lucky man, but the consultation fee is too high."
"The double consultation fee was something I had agreed to beforehand, and besides, Miss Meng's medical skills are worth the price."
Shi Chong paused, his tone becoming more sincere, "Concealing my identity in Qingzhou Prefecture was my fault. I wonder if you could give me a chance to apologize? I would like to invite you to dinner."
Meng Anzhi smiled. "There's a reason for this, Lord Shi, you don't need to take it to heart. As for the meal, there's no need. If you feel unwell in the future, you can always come to the Anzhi Hall to find me."
Hearing her say this, a trace of loneliness flashed across Shi Chong's face, and he said softly, "I have been away from home for many years, and I didn't have any friends when I was young. Now that I have returned to my hometown, I don't know a single person."
"I said I was inviting Miss Meng to dinner, but I actually had an ulterior motive. I wanted Miss Meng to show me around the area so I wouldn't feel so lonely."
Upon hearing this, Meng Anzhi looked up at the sky, and remembering the hardships he had endured over the years, she smiled and replied, "Wait for me a moment."
After saying that, he turned around and went to the backyard to greet Jin Shanyao, and soon came out wrapped in a cloak.
Let's go.
Shi Chong's eyes lit up instantly, and he quickly followed her footsteps, walking outside together.
At this moment, the lanterns on Vermilion Bird Street were lit, and the warm yellow light gave the street a hazy beauty. Shi Chong glanced at Meng Anzhi from time to time.
"I haven't asked yet, how old is Miss Meng?"
"It's exactly fifteen this year."
Shi Chong an "oh," his smile deepening. "Have you passed your coming-of-age ceremony?"
"Not yet... My birthday is in June..."
"Be careful." Shi Chong reached out to protect her and switched places with her to prevent her from being bumped by the crowd.
He spotted a candied hawthorn vendor ahead, his gaze sharpening slightly. He smiled and said, " Miss Meng, please wait a moment."
Before Meng Anzhi could react, Shi Chong had already run off, returning with two strings of candied hawthorns and two fox masks.
Shi Chong handed the mask to her, "I've heard that young women in the capital like to wear this when they go to the night market."
Meng Anzhi didn't answer, and instead asked with a smile, "Who told you that?"
Shi Chong was taken aback. "I guessed it myself."
Meng Anzhi stepped aside, her refusal was crystal clear.
She pointed ahead, "The moat is just around the corner, and further in is the road to the palace to meet the emperor. You should be familiar with this route."
Shi Chong pushed the candied hawthorns and masks forward a little further, "No need to explain this part of the road, let's go explore other places..."
Meng Anzhi smiled. She suddenly found Shi Chong to be a very interesting person, from deliberately calling her by the wrong name when they first met, to the candied hawthorn waiting for her to take it.
He appears gentle and accommodating, yet he subtly draws people to his side.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to lead the way, Meng Anzhi walked forward. Shi Chong, seeing this, was not annoyed, and followed behind with his things, listening attentively to what she had to say.
The two of them strolled around for less than half an hour before returning to the Anzhi Hall.
Shi Chong bowed to Meng Anzhi in thanks, "Thank you very much for your company today, Miss Meng. I will certainly repay you handsomely another day."
Meng Anzhi smiled and said, "Young Master Shi, you're too kind."
After the two separated, Jin Shanyao quietly approached and asked, "Where did you two go?"
Startled, Meng Anzhi turned around abruptly, "Auntie..."
Jin Shanyao stared at her for a while, then said seriously, "The way he looks at you is like a hungry wolf looking at a bone."
Meng Anzhi:...
As Shi Chong walked around the corner, he casually threw the mask and candied hawthorn on the ground and stepped on them.