Chapter 2: Slow Sound

The next day, Luo Jinyan did not see his father, Luo Shao. In the afternoon, a servant named Cui Qi arrived instead.

Luo Shao's wife, Li, had passed away while they were in Jiangxi. Worried about his daughter, Luo Shao did not remarry or take a concubine, nor did he even have a mistress.

Luo Jinyan's wet nurse was from Jiangxi and had resigned when Luo Shao was transferred to Xingtang. During their time in Xingtang, Luo Shao had hired two maids to help with the household chores.

Now that they had moved to Longxi, the two maids had businesses in Xingtang and couldn't accompany them. The older maids who had been with Luo Jinyan had all been taken back by their families to get married before leaving Xingtang. The only one who could accompany them to Longxi was Xia Zhi, whom they had bought from a toothless old woman.

Although Luo Shao had several male servants, Luo Jinyan had never seen Cui Qi before.

Xia Zhi also didn't know Cui Qi. Seeing the confusion on their faces, Cui Qi explained, "I am from Changping Zhuangzi. It's natural for the young lady not to have seen me before. My father is Cui Lao Si, who used to drive the carriage for the old master."

Luo Jinyan nodded slightly, feeling that it was understandable, but she didn't know why her father had sent him.

Seeing Luo Jinyan nod, Cui Qi continued, "The master was worried about the young lady and set off early in the morning. However, it snowed last night, and the road was too slippery. Two riders came rushing towards us, and our carriage couldn't avoid them, so it overturned into a ditch. The master broke his leg."

Upon hearing this, Luo Jinyan's face changed drastically, and she let out a low, almost inaudible cry.

Xia Zhi exclaimed anxiously, "The master is injured? What should we do now? Have you seen a doctor?"

Cui Qi looked at Luo Jinyan and, seeing tears welling up in her eyes, wiped his own eyes with his sleeve, saying, "Luckily, there was a medical clinic by the roadside. The doctor, a well-known figure in Changping, said that the master's injury is not serious, but he won't be able to walk for a while. The master is worried about the young lady, so he sent Lin, the steward, to bring me to the capital to fetch you. We can't go to Longxi for now. We'll have to stay in Changping for some time."

Luo Jinyan felt a sense of relief. It was fortunate that it was just a broken leg. However, with a hundred days needed for a bone injury to heal, not only could they not go to Longxi, but Luo Shao would probably have to report to the Ministry of Personnel for leave. Fortunately, Longxi was not a desirable place, and there would be no rush to go there. They could wait until her father had recovered from his injury before going to take up his post.

Luo Jinyan asked, struggling to speak, "Lin..."

She had to exert a lot of effort to utter a single word.

Xia Zhi, understanding her, asked Cui Qi, "Didn't you say you came to the capital with Steward Lin? Where is Steward Lin?"

Cui Qi replied, "The road was slippery with snow, and Steward Lin was worried that it would be even more dangerous to travel at night. We missed the inn, so he sent me ahead to Meihua Lane to fetch the young lady. He went to the Ministry of Personnel with the master's letter of leave. Since we can't go to Longxi for now, we need the Ministry's approval. It's my first time coming to Meihua Lane, so it took me a while to find it after asking around and circling a few times."

Luo Jinyan furrowed her delicate eyebrows. Her father held Steward Lin in high regard, not only because Steward Lin was her mother Li's foster brother, but also because he was astute and reliable.

Why would such a person send Cui Qi to fetch her?

Although Cui Qi was a family servant, he had always been at Changping Zhuangzi, and Luo Jinyan didn't know him.

Unfortunately, she couldn't speak, so she could only say to Xia Zhi, "No..."

Before she could finish, a commotion erupted in the courtyard, and a sharp voice of a young girl could be heard, "Didn't you say you came to fetch her? Why hasn't the mute boy left yet? Is he planning to stay in our house?"

This must be the fourth miss of the main branch, Luo Jinping. She was eight years old and was greatly favored because she was born to the main wife when she was thirty-five.

Perhaps due to her inability to speak, Luo Jinyan had better hearing than most people. She could remember a person's voice as long as she heard it once. Not only people's voices, but also bird calls, dog barks, and even the sound of a vase breaking, she could accurately distinguish what kind of porcelain it was.

Being unable to speak, the young girl had no playmates, so in her free time, besides reading and practicing calligraphy, she passed the time by guessing voices. It was a game she enjoyed and one that belonged to her alone.

Next, she heard the voice of the main wife, Mrs. Liu. Although she was scolding, there was a hint of indulgence, "Shut your mouth. What mute boy? This is your cousin. Hurry and come inside with me to bid farewell to your cousin."

Luo Jinyan sighed softly and sat back down.

Mrs. Liu, the main wife, was in her forties, wearing a dark purple brocade jacket and a rabbit fur headdress. A piece of amethyst the size of a fingernail was embedded in the black fur, and in the dim light of the room, it looked pitch black. It seemed that she didn't have anything more suitable at hand, so she had chosen the amethyst.

Luo Jinyan remembered that her mother had also left behind a rabbit fur headdress, made of high-quality silver fox fur and embedded with a cat's eye. When the sunlight shone on it, it emitted colorful rays.

Knowing which fur matched which gemstone was a matter of sophistication, and Mrs. Liu, who had lived in the capital for a long time, would certainly know this. It was just that she was tight on funds and couldn't produce anything better.

Thinking of this, Luo Jinyan expressed understanding for the main branch's need to economize on charcoal. Life in the capital was not easy, and the main branch's days were probably not very comfortable.

She got up and bowed to Mrs. Liu, who then took her hand with a smile and said, "Look at this beautiful girl, the more I look at you, the more I like you. Even though you followed your father to his post and can't come back, you might have the chance to come to the capital after getting married. Don't forget to visit our home when that time comes."

Luo Jinyan smiled. Everyone had already assumed that Luo Shao would stay in Longxi forever. But what was wrong with that? Her father wouldn't have to get involved in the political struggles of the capital, and she wouldn't have to see those people from her past life again. It would be a joy to serve as a benevolent official and live a peaceful and stable life.

She kindly smiled at Mrs. Luo, and in return, Mrs. Luo had the maidservant bring out two boxes of pastries, saying, "Your father is an official and has land. You have no worries about food and clothing. These pastries are famous products from the capital. You won't be able to taste them elsewhere. Keep them for the journey."

It seemed that she couldn't continue to stay here. Luo Jinyan smiled bitterly in her heart. This was just human nature. Given her father's current situation, it was already rare for the main branch to let her stay here for a few days.

She solemnly bowed to Mrs. Luo, who was satisfied and smiled with sincerity at Luo Jinyan.

Several maids and servants quickly loaded the luggage onto the mule cart brought by Cui Qi. Xia Zhi wanted to stop them, but it was no use.

Mrs. Luo, accompanied by Luo Jinping and her niece Luo Jinxiu, personally escorted Luo Jinyan to the Drooping Flower Gate. She even had the trusted maidservant lift Luo Jinyan onto the mule cart, and she watched until Cui Qi drove the cart out of the Plum Blossom Garden before returning to her duties.

"That niece of mine is truly a beauty, it's a pity," the maidservant sighed.

She was Mrs. Luo's maidservant who had been brought as part of her dowry and later married into the Luo family as a stewardess. Only someone of her status would dare to say such things.

Mrs. Luo snorted, "She's only seven years old, and she already has such looks. There probably isn't another one like her in the entire capital. It's a good thing she's mute, otherwise she would be a disaster when she grows up."

Luo Jinping, who was confused, asked her older sister Luo Jinxiu, who was two years older than her, "Third sister, what is a disaster?"

Luo Jinxiu, who was ten years old and already knew some things, replied, "Someone like the deposed Empress Dong is a disaster."

Empress Dong was the second empress of Emperor Tongde. It was said that she had an unparalleled beauty and was favored in the harem. Her family gained power because of this, and they rose to prominence. Later, when Emperor Tongde personally led a military campaign, he appointed the son of the empress as the crown prince and regent before leaving. Empress Dong was furious and had someone poison the 12-year-old crown prince. As a result, Empress Dong was given three feet of white silk as a death shroud, and her entire family was executed.

The maidservant laughed and said, "Third Miss is right. Empress Dong was indeed a disaster."