bookcurios Chapter 342 Seeing the flowers is like meeting you in person; I hope you are well too.
Chapter 342 Seeing the flowers is like meeting you in person; I hope you are well too.
Mu Qingcheng and her two siblings, Su Qingyan and her brother, finally arrived in Shouchun after a long and arduous journey.
Shouchun is an ancient city, and its scenery is quite different from that of Jiangzhou. On the day I entered the city, the sky was grayish-blue, and a light drizzle was falling.
The collateral branches of the Su family had already received the news, and several elders personally waited outside the city gate. The leading elder, Su, had white hair and beard, but his eyes were still sharp. He stepped forward shakily, grasped Su Chenxi's hand, and said in a choked voice, "The main branch of the Su family has finally... finally had a descendant return!"
It was a long-awaited expectation that had lasted for decades! It transformed into burning passion at the moment of reunion.
Upon entering the city, they were not taken to an inn first, but were instead led directly to the Su Family Ancestral Hall. The ancestral hall was solemn and dignified, with incense burning continuously; it was the foundation of the Su family for centuries.
In the presence of the elders of the clan, Su Chenxi and Su Chaoyang's names were solemnly recorded in the yellowed family genealogy, below Su Yi. It was not only about the attribution of two names, but also the continuation of a bloodline.
Su Qingyan also witnessed this moment. She was happy for her grandfather, as this was his lifelong wish, and it also fulfilled her uncle Su Yi's wish!
Afterwards, the crowd escorted the coffins of Master Su and his children to their ancestral cemetery on the outskirts of the city. Paper money fluttered and incense smoke swirled, as the wandering souls, after many years, finally found peace and returned to their homeland.
Later, the clan elders led them to the Su family's old residence!
A weathered vermilion gate stood prominently before us. The door knocker was rusted, and the stone steps were covered in moss; this was the old Su family residence.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the dust of time rushes in. The courtyard is deep and the buildings are layered. Although the beams and pillars are rotten, the window frames are broken, and vines climb freely, the flying eaves, brackets, carved railings and painted beams still silently tell of the former glory and splendor.
Su Qingyan stood in the center of the overgrown courtyard, looking around with tears welling up in her eyes. Was this her grandfather's former home?
She led her two younger brothers to place their grandfather's memorial tablet in the main hall, and then they kowtowed three times and bowed nine times.
Su Chenxi’s voice was deep and firm: “Grandfather above, your grandson will do everything in his power to ensure that the Su family’s reputation is restored to new life.”
Mu Qingcheng then helped them settle down in Shouchun, and repairing the old house was the top priority!
The Su brothers personally handled everything, from clearing rubble to selecting timber. They shed their last trace of rural naiveté and gradually developed the composed demeanor of someone in charge of the household.
Mu Qingcheng and Su Qingyan walked through the Shouchun market. On the most bustling street, a Jinyuhe Embroidery Workshop quietly opened.
On the opening day, Mu Qingcheng's several novel backpacks, clothes and accessories attracted a large number of women in the city to come and see them. The store was bustling with customers, and business was even more booming than expected.
Several months passed in a flurry of activity, and the old house was finally dusted off, regaining its solemn grandeur!
But what path should the Su family take in the future? To this end, Mu Qingcheng handed over the business of making refined salt to the Su brothers, Chenxi and Chenxi.
The Su brothers were stunned and stood there dumbfounded when they received Mu Qingcheng's unique salt-making recipe, while Su Qingyan remained calm and composed. She then carefully explained to her two younger brothers the ways of being a salt merchant!
The two brothers were even more shocked. The enormous profits before them did not cloud their judgment. They knew that behind this generous gift lay the tacit approval of Crown Prince Yun Qing. This was not just a business deal, but a weighty trust and support.
Now, having endured many trials, Su Chenxi's perspective was vastly different from before. He knew that salt production was no small matter. After discussing it with his sister, he sought an audience with Mu Qingcheng once more.
Su Chenxi earnestly said, "The Su family dares not be greedy and is willing to accept only 30% of the profits. We hope that Sister Mu will accept the remaining 70%."
Looking into his sincere eyes, Mu Qingcheng knew that they were no longer the same as before. This action was both an expression of gratitude and a prudent way to protect themselves, firmly linking the greatest benefit with the reliance behind the risks.
The 70% profit was for Yun Qing, and she didn't refuse, nodding in agreement. Thus, a business that could significantly impact the salt industry of the Great Qi quietly took root in Shouchun, waiting to flourish in the future.
Everything went smoothly. The Su family's old house was completely renovated. The Su brothers were studying while taking over the salt-making business, and things were going very well!
Mu Qingcheng and Su Qingyan then prepared to set off for Changling, hoping to find some unique fabrics for "Jin Yuhe".
Thousands of miles away, in a side room of an inn facing the street, the lights were just coming on.
As soon as Mu Qingcheng and her entourage unpacked, a travel-worn guard quietly arrived and presented them with a letter that carried a familiar scent.
Even Mu Qingcheng was a little dazed, and muttered with a smile, "This guy, could it be that he really installed a locator on me? How come his message arrived just as we arrived?"
Su Qingyan, who was sipping her tea, smiled and said, "Sister Cheng'er, I think we don't need to go to Changling anymore. Let's go back to Jiangzhou as soon as possible!"
Despite her words of disdain, Mu Qingcheng eagerly unfolded the letter: "Why aren't we going to Changling?"
Su Qingyan: "Sigh! I'm just feeling sorry for the little black dogs and the horse, aren't I? If you don't feel sorry for them, you should at least feel sorry for His Highness's hand that holds the pen! - One letter a day, his fingers must really be getting calluses."
"Sister Yan is teasing me again!" Mu Qingcheng's cheeks flushed slightly, but her eyes were filled with sweet tenderness: "Why don't you talk about your Ning Lang? Doesn't he also write a letter every day without fail?"
Su Qingyan lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, her fingertips tracing the rim of her cup, her voice soft: "Him... he was just passing by and asked a question casually. He wouldn't dare steal the Crown Prince's thunder!"
"Oh! So it's because you think your brother-in-law doesn't talk much! Then I can have the messengers tell Young Master Ning to write more next time he delivers a letter. The Ning family shouldn't be short of paper!"
Su Qingyan blushed immediately and turned to leave: "You tease me again, you little brat. I'm not talking to you anymore. If I delay you from reading the letter any longer, you'll kick me out!"
Mu Qingcheng watched her figure disappear through the door with a smile before carefully taking out the letter and reading it carefully.
The moment the familiar handwriting came into view, my heart felt as if it were being gently washed by warm water. In the blink of an eye, several months had passed since they parted. All the unspoken longing was hidden between the varying shades of ink, quietly seeping into my heart.
The letter still bore Yun Qing's composed and powerful handwriting, mentioning trivial matters of the court and some everyday musings. Yun Qing knew that his beloved Nuan Nuan disliked classical Chinese literature, so his letters became increasingly colloquial. Every time Mu Qingcheng finished reading his letters, she couldn't help but laugh. A prince of such stature, writing letters so devoid of any affectation—it was more like the rambling diary Mu Qingcheng had written as a child! Yet, she never tired of reading them!
The letter today was thicker than usual; it turned out something had happened to the Ning family in Jiangzhou. Yun Qing met Ning Hao Chen's mother, and it turned out that this Hui Niang was actually Yun Qing's mother Yuan Zhi's maid...!
After reading the letter, Mu Qingcheng was deeply moved and couldn't calm down for a long time. It turned out that behind those truths lay a cruel reality. But no matter what, his parents still had a glimmer of hope, and they couldn't give up on that hope.
Mu Qingcheng was happy for Yun Qing. At the end, she found a few lines of small writing in the corner of the letter, as if it had been added casually: "It rained lightly in Jiangzhou this morning, and the first crabapple blossom in the courtyard has opened. Seeing the flower is like seeing you in person. I hope you are well."
A few words were enough to make Mu Qingcheng's fingertips tremble slightly. She could almost see him standing in the courtyard in the drizzle, holding a pen, his clothes damp with morning dew, and a deep longing in his eyes.
As dusk settled outside the window, lights began to twinkle along the distant street. Mu Qingcheng gently pressed the letter to her chest, and after a long while, she moved to her desk, ground ink, and picked up her brush.
The candlelight flickered, illuminating her gentle profile and the slight upturn of her lips. This time, she didn't just recount her travels—at the end of the letter, she wrote earnestly:
"After the Changling matter is finished, I will return. The crabapple blossoms are in full bloom; let them not wither alone, but wait for us to see them together."
Once the ink had dried, she carefully sealed it and summoned her bodyguards.
As she watched the figure disappear into the night once more, Mu Qingcheng leaned against the window, her heart filled with a gentle and clear feeling.
Though a thousand miles apart, a letter can still reach us. This long journey no longer seems so long because we have each other's light.