sbdcsierra Chapter 213 Returning to Beijing
Chapter 213 Returning to Beijing
Sheng Junyao had already seen the box of candied fruit.
He looked at the innocent yet nervous girl in front of him, took the candied fruit from her fingertips, and bit into it. The sweet taste was somewhat unfamiliar.
He was self-disciplined and respectful of propriety from a young age, and rarely did anything out of line.
He must have been possessed by some strange impulse to tease her, and even he found his childishness somewhat laughable.
Sheng Junyao couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Li Duan hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? Is it not tasty?"
She frowned seriously, then reached out and pinched a piece, stuffing it into her mouth. One cheek bulged out, making her look like a little rabbit.
While eating, he muttered, "It's pretty good, but it's definitely not as good as the ones in Beijing. It's a bit too sweet. It needs a touch of sourness so that it doesn't overpower the aroma or become too cloying."
She was a little dissatisfied.
Sheng Junyao's eyes lit up with laughter again; she really was still a young girl.
“Thank you for your help these past few days, County Princess. The situation in Yangguan City will soon stabilize, and there’s no need for you to stay here any longer. I’ll have someone prepare to send you back to the capital in the next few days,” Sheng Junyao said.
Li Duan froze, and before he knew it, he swallowed the candied fruit he hadn't finished chewing, letting out a burp.
She quickly raised her hand to cover her mouth.
Then he burped again.
She blushed with embarrassment. She wanted to say something, but under Sheng Junyao's gaze, she couldn't utter a word. She quickly got up, covered her face, and ran away.
Sheng Junyao chuckled softly.
He looked at the medicine bowl on the side, reached out with his other hand to pick it up, brought it to his lips, and gulped down the medicine in a few mouthfuls. His gaze fell on the small box of candied fruit, and as if possessed, he reached out and picked up a piece.
……
Despite their reluctance, after a few more days, once it was thoroughly confirmed that Lu Yangyang's method of vaccinating against smallpox was indeed very effective, with the cooperation and assistance of the doctors and military physicians in Yangguan City, the people and soldiers of Yangguan City were further vaccinated with cowpox.
With the twelfth lunar month approaching, Lu Yangyang and Li Duan had no choice but to leave Yangguan City and return to the capital.
Sheng Junyao's injuries had also healed considerably. He arranged for people to pack a lot of things for them, including the New Year's gifts that were originally intended to be sent back to the capital. He loaded them into several carriages and personally escorted the two of them out of the city.
Lin Feng, who had been waiting outside the city for a long time, also rushed back.
He should have quietly followed after receiving the letter, but in order to find out the whereabouts of the person behind it and prevent them from discovering Princess Liduan, he led his men to circle around several nearby counties before pretending to return to the capital and sending people to search elsewhere, while he himself led his men to Yangguan City.
The lockdown on Yangguan City had not been completely lifted. After receiving Lin Feng's letter, Li Duan simply told him to wait elsewhere. He only came to meet them today after they left.
Li sat comfortably in the warm carriage, unable to resist lifting the curtain again and again to turn her head and look back, only to see Sheng Junyao standing at the city gate getting further and further away.
She sighed somewhat sullenly.
Lu Yangyang cracked open a handful of sunflower seeds, teasing her with a hint of amusement, "In two years at most, my brother will be back in Beijing. We'll see each other many more times in the future, so why do you look so heartbroken?"
What she cared about most was her elder brother's near-death experience this year. Now that the near-death experience has passed, things will surely go smoothly from now on.
She had asked her elder brother about the situation in the Northwest. In fact, it had already shown initial results and would be able to stabilize completely in the next year or two. As long as trade and markets continued to open steadily, it was not necessary to go to war. With these years of recuperation, the people who had suffered from war for years could gradually recover their strength and live a peaceful life.
Li Duan leaned listlessly against the window and replied in a muffled voice, "I never felt that way before, but once I see someone, I want to see them again, and even more. But I also worry that once I see them this time, I don't know when I'll see them again. My mind is in turmoil and I can't find peace."
After saying that, she held out her hand to Lu Yangyang: "Yangyang, can you take a look at me? Do I have some kind of illness?"
Lu Yangyang's lips twitched slightly. She cooperated by pinching her hand and gently squeezing her fingertips. The pain made her grimace and her facial features contort. She angrily lunged at Lu Yangyang, "Fine, you did that on purpose!"
Lu Yangyang calmly dodged her, saying, "I just want to wake you up!"
Neither of the two, caught up in their playful banter, noticed that outside the carriage, Sheng Junyao had ridden up on horseback. But upon hearing the laughter inside, he couldn't help but shake his head with a smile, turn his horse around, and head back.
After traveling for almost half a month, they finally returned to the capital. Lu Yangyang first accompanied Li Duan to the Princess's residence.
When the Princess saw Li Duan jump down from the carriage, she waved to her with red eyes. Li Duan rushed over and threw herself into her arms.
The eldest princess waved to Lu Yangyang again, and Lu Yangyang walked over. The eldest princess then embraced both of them.
"You've all lost weight, how are you? Did you have fun on this trip?" The princess reached out and pinched Li Duan's little face: "Did you win over your sweetheart? Our little Li has made something of herself, even chasing after love from afar!"
Li Duan glared at her in annoyance: "Mother, what are you saying? I, I..."
The eldest princess asked curiously, "You didn't confess your feelings, did you?"
Then she turned to Lu Yangyang and asked, "Yangyang, is she really that lacking in courage?"
Lu Yangyang blinked: "Let me think, she seems to be..."
Li Duan quickly reached out to cover Lu Yangyang's mouth: "Don't talk nonsense!"
The princess laughed heartily, putting her arms around the two little girls who were now almost as tall as her, and urging them as if they were old friends: "Come on, come on, I've warmed up some wine for you. Let's drink and talk, and celebrate the return of our hero!"
"Mom, you have no idea how amazing Yangyang is! I was terrified, but I'm amazing too, I wasn't scared at all!"
Li Duan muttered to the eldest princess about the things that had happened along the way, with Lu Yangyang occasionally chiming in.
Lu Yangyang stayed at the Princess's residence until evening before returning to the Duke of Sheng's residence.
She first comforted Sheng Yunjiao, who had been waiting for her for a long time, and then packed up her things, took the things that Sheng Junyao had prepared, and went to Lan's place.
Since Lan Shi's health was damaged last year, it has been poor, especially in winter. Therefore, she rarely goes out during the winter. Lu Yangyang did not want her to worry, so before leaving the capital, he asked Sheng Yunjiao to help Lan Shi lie and say that she was busy with her studies and would not be returning to the mansion.
All told, they hadn't seen each other for about two or three months.
Lu Yangyang walked into the courtyard and heard laughter coming from inside. It sounded somewhat unfamiliar, yet familiar.
She walked in with a puzzled look on her face and saw the long-lost aunt of the Sheng family, Madam Sheng, as well as her daughter Zheng Hui and Sheng Yunzhu.