The Cannon Fodder and Villain's Happy Ending

Chapter 248

So, early the next morning, Qin Jiu visited the Duan Wang Mansion again.

“Xiao Jiu.” As soon as Duan Wang Fei Duan saw Qin Jiu, she just smiled happily and asked her to have tea and snacks.

Qin Jiu smilingly answered “yes” and ate whatever Wangfei told her to eat at the same time, she also looked at Duan Wang Fei calmly and found that her complexion was much better than last time and was secretly relieved.

Qin Jiu asked not battling an eyelid, “Wangfei, are you feeling better?”

“I’m much better.” Duan Wang Fei said with a smile, feeling very flattered by her future daughter-in-law’s concern.

Qin Jiu smiled, “That’s good.”

“The physician from Jishitang really lives up to his name, the medicine he prescribed is very effective. Wangfei was fine after she drink it in a few days.”

“Those imperial physicians only prescribe medications that stabilize wangfei but did not dare use permanent solutions causing wangfei’s illness to prolong instead.”

Seeing that their wangfei was already in good health, the servants serving wangfei in her courtyard were relieved, and all of them were in good spirits

Qin Jiu took a sip of tea, smiled, and said, “Duan Wang Fei, I was reading the Imperial Incense Manual recently, it is said there that many incenses have the effect of calming the mind, particularly Jiuhe incense. So, I used it for several days, and felt that I slept better at night.”

Speaking of this topic, Duan Wang Fei Duan became enthusiastic.

“This Jiuhe incense was obtained by a monk from the state of Bogo whom I met occasionally when I went to offer incense once in September. Once upon a time, I had only heard of its name but never used it, and it was only by chance that I got three boxes.”

“This incense is fresh and exquisite. I also like it so much that I lit it day after day.”

Qin Jiu was momentarily stunned, and then mentally estimated how many sticks were in a box.

If Duan Wang Fei Duan had previously used it day after day, then that means one of the three boxes of Jiuhe incense had already been used, and only two boxes were left.

And since wangfei gave the remaining two boxes to her, that means in the past few days wangfei should have used fewer sticks in a day or none at all.

The smile on Qin Jiu’s face deepened.

She continued to chat with Duan Wang Fei, talking about some well-known incense, and later even patted her chest and promised Duan Wang Fei that she would let her try her handmade incense next time.

Seeing that it was almost lunch, Duan Wang Fei smilingly said to her. “Xiao Jiu, would you like to accompany me for lunch today? Zezhi will be back in a moment.”

Qin Jiu naturally agreed.

The last time she came to pay her respects, Duan Wang Fei Duan had inadvertently said that Gu Zezhi would return to the mansion during lunch, and this was actually what she planned from the beginning, to meet Gu Zezhi.

After all, she couldn’t just run into Siyi Hall and find Gu Ze Zhi, right?

Gu Zezhi’s timing was very good, Duan Wang Fei and Qin Jiu had just finished lunch when he came back.

Duan Wang Fei did not say a word nor move, hinting her son that he came back too late!

But she still had a smile on her face and suggested, “Zezhi, the snow is clearing today, plum blossoms are most serene after the snow, just right for a few cups of plum blossom tea to drink, why don’t you and Xiao Jiu go to the garden and pick some plum blossoms.”

Of course, if it was just picking plum blossoms, she didn’t really have to ask Gu Zezhi and Qin Jiu, but she wanted the two to be alone and everyone could see Duan Wang Fei’s intention

Qin Jiu stood up as if it was the most natural thing to do and said with a smile.

“I haven’t had plum blossom tea before.”

Qin Jiu took a small basket made of bamboo and went out with Gu Zezhi. As for the servants, they were very considerate and followed the two masters from a distance.

Today’s weather was very good, the sky was transparent blue, and thick snow was piled on the corrugated walls, wall piers, treetops, and grass outside. Under the reflection of the sun, the crystal white snow shines around for a few minutes like a piece of silver.

Qin Jiu took the opportunity to turn the corner and looked back, after confirming that the servants were far behind, she felt relieved. She then took a purse from her sleeve pocket and handed it to Gu Zezhi.

Gu Zezhi guessed that Qin Jiu had something to say from the slight changes in her expression and immediately took the purse, then slightly pulled the drawcord of the purse, and a somewhat familiar smell came to his nose.

Qin Jiu thought about her words and then said, “This is the Jiuhe Incense that Duan Wang Fei gave me last time.”

“I tried to use a few nights, and after breathing those, I felt dizzy as if I had a cold. So, I stopped using it for two days, and strangely enough, I got my strength back and was refreshed.”

“Not long ago, didn’t Duan Wang Fei was also not feeling well, but she has been in good spirits recently. So, I asked wangfei casually and found out she only has two boxes of Jiuhe incense left and gave them to me, meaning that she must have fewer incense left or none at all to use recently.”

Gu Zezhi’s thin lips pursed slightly and said nothing.

Qin Jiu gathered up her thick cloak and said, “Actually, maybe I’m just being too suspicious.”

Truth was, Qin Jiu just thought that this was a bit too coincidental, so she just asked about it in a roundabout way, and didn’t tell Duan Wang Fei Duan about her guess directly, lest Duan Wang Fei would think too much about it and told Gu Zezhi instead.

Gu Zezhi put the purse into his sleeve pocket and said in a low voice: “I’ll have someone check it out later.”

After hearing him say this, Qin Jiu was not so worried anymore and walked with lighter footsteps and a smile appeared in corner of her lips.

Since her golden thigh said he would handle this, then she could rest assured!!

As they spoke, the two had arrived at the entrance to the garden of the Duan residence.

Once in the garden, a plum forest appeared at the end of the cobblestone path, and a large continuous white plum, pink plum, and red plum stood wafting the surrounding with plum fragrance, there were also blossoming pink-carved jade-like flowers on both sides of the path.

“The plum blossoms in wangfu’s mansion are blooming so well!” Qin Jiu praised sincerely.

The plum forest of the Duan Wangfu was at least twice as big as the Qin family’s plum forest, reflecting the small lake next to it and the surrounding snow-capped mountains that were as beautiful as a painting.

Qin Jiu stepped forward in two to three steps and stood on tiptoe as she raised her hand to grasp the red plum on the branch, and her little face leaned up slightly as if to take a whiff.

However——

“Crack.”

She snapped the red plum branch off neatly.

Her movements affected the entire branch causing the snow that was covering the branch rustled down, and the blossoming red plums on the branch trembled slightly as if shivering in the cold wind.

Gu Zezhi: “….”

Du Ruo: “….”

Du Ruo looked at Qin Jiu from afar and could hardly bear to see Gu Zezhi’s expression at the moment.

“Brother, are these plum blossoms blooming well?”

Qin Jiu plucked a red plum twig and gave it to Gu Zezhi, thinking that even if it couldn’t be used for tea, it would be good to put it in a vase.

“Well, it’s blooming well.”

Gu Zezhi nodded with a smile and took the red plum, coincidentally the wind blew, and the faint scent of plum burrowed into his nose.

Qin Jiu smiled even more cheerfully, feeling as if she had been praised, and happily carried her little basket and continued to pick plum blossoms.

She picked the flowers to her liking, and when she saw the plum branch that looked good with its flowers she would carefully break the branch into smaller ones, so after breaking five to six branches her basket was already full.

The two returned to the house.

***