Li Hong Yuan’s estate wasn’t considered far away. After exiting the city, it was also just two hours before arriving. Of course, it was mainly because they weren’t traveling fast. When they arrived, it was more or less time for the afternoon meal. And just as Jing Wan predicted, someone had arrived first to arrange everything. Not only that, but the people that returned to the qinwang manor to pack their luggage actually arrived ahead of them. Shi, Ci, Ge, Fu, these four servant girls, their abilities, as expected, were incredible, once again letting Jing Wan’s own first-rank servant girls have a sense of crisis of ‘losing their rice bowl’.
They didn’t rush to go see how the estate was; one was because they were hungry, and two, because Jing Wan was slightly a bit dizzy, needing to rest for a while before being able to continue with the following big plans of playing around.
Li Hong Yuan right now just followed his wife’s lead in everything. Alright, even in the past, the days he lived were actually quite monotonous too. Because his abilities were outstanding, and also because he had ‘foresight’ for quite a few things, matters that made him feel thorny, needing to exhaust energy day and night to handle, simply didn’t exist. His work efficiency was high beyond reason, and in addition to believing ‘the ones at the top worked the people’, that’s why, he had a lot of free time. This wasn’t necessarily not one of the reasons why ‘no one suspected him to be causing trouble in the dark’. People considered others to be the same as oneself. They were busy all day like a dog, so how can someone who’s idling about in high spirits be in the same field as oneself.
Probably precisely because Li Hong Yuan on normal days spend too much time outside, it made others feel that even the sickly fifth wangye was seemingly even more worthy of suspicion than him. Although it was his true nature, his acting was also adequately Oscar-worthy.
After resting for a while, and then filling the stomach, Jing Wan was just fully revived again.
And after appropriately helping with digestion, Jing Wan just began exploring this estate.
This estate was an imperial villa, and the occupied area was more than several thousand mu[1]. Setting aside the villa built at the waist of the mountain, it was certainly all Jin Qinwang’s usual ‘rich style’, refined and peerless, stacked out using money.
Moreover, this weather in the third lunar month was precisely when hundred of flowers collectively bloomed. The various kinds of plants and flowers were more than enough for Jing Wan to have a feast for the eyes.
However, exploring an even wider territory was what Jing Wan wanted to do right now, so her most beloved flowers can be set aside for now.
Because the area was too big, Li Hong Yuan directly took Jing Wan on horseback, and moreover, it was riding together on one horse. Jing Wan had witness Li Hong Yuan’s riding skills before, so regardless of how rugged the road was, she didn’t worry in the slightest. He won’t let her get injured or fall.
Towards this kind of trust, it naturally made one happy, but for a certain mischievous someone, it also lacked a kind of amusement.
Jing Wan secretly rolled her eyes at him.
The chief steward of the estate followed along the whole way, explaining to Jing Wan the estate’s structure and layout.
The estate had mountains and waters, the scenery just beautiful to begin with, even growing various kinds of plants and flowers. In the estate, the profession with the most of was precisely flower growers, yet in terms of layout, it wasn’t just large areas of flower fields. It similarly further approached the villa’s structure, tiered by layers, different styles for the four seasons, having a kind of picturesque perfect blend.
Although under the current backdrop, with agriculture as the capital, this was practically a bit wasteful of natural resources, however, this place very much matched with Jing Wan’s desires. How to put it, this place was practically just like it was specifically created for her. Of course, Jing Wan knew this was impossible, because this estate taking shape at such a scale wasn’t something that can be achieved in a year. This was probably just a wonderful coincidence, her preferences just happening to coincide with a certain someone’s. This kind of coincidence was also a kind of indescribably wonderful experience.
Jing Wan saw in the distance a patch of red that was like fiery red clouds, “That’s red maple?”
“Correct, red maple forest.” Li Hong Yuan nodded his head.
“Quickly go over for a look.” Jing Wan somewhat excitedly urged.
“This road is relatively flat, Wan Wan can ride over on your own.” Li Hong Yuan said as he flipped off the horse.
Sitting on horseback, Jing Wan grinned at him. This man was truly too considerate. “Hiyaa……….”
Shaking the reins, the horse just began running. The speed wasn’t particularly fast, but it was more than enough to let Jing Wan experience the joys galloping.
Hei Mei and Bai Shao hurriedly followed after on horseback. Additionally, there were also two female bodyguards that seemingly were just from the estate originally. Then, it was just the other servant girls that were serving at the side, a rustling large crowd.
And the people following by Li Hong Yuan’s side, seeing their master get down from horseback, naturally can’t continue to sit upright on their own.
Speaking of which, the horse that wangfei rode away on was master’s mount. On normal days, aside from master, no one else was able to handle it. Otherwise, it was also just the horsekeeper in charge of looking after it that was able to touch it. They originally thought that with master leading, wangfei was able to ride together, but unexpectedly, wangfei was even able to ride alone on her own. Really makes one can’t help but suspect whether or not animals also understood acting according to someone’s look.
Seeing Jing Wan run far, Li Hong Yuan extended his hand. An Yi had a small cylindrical tube deferentially placed in his hand.
Li Hong Yuan had the small cylindrical tube snapped in half, taking out the paper roll hidden inside and unfolding. He quickly skimmed over once, then rolled it into a lump, casually tossing aside. An Yi accurately and unmistakably caught it, taking out a lighter and having it burned to nothing.
Since Li Hong Yuan didn’t have any orders, An Yi and them also just quietly waited.
Li Hong Yuan neither quickly nor slowly walked towards the maple forest, unable to see either happiness or anger from his expression. No one knew what he was thinking about.
When Jing Wan entered the maple forest, the horse slowed down, neither quickly nor slowly going forward. Although it wasn’t autumn, not having the extremely beautiful scenery of maple leaves floating in the wind, what was present before one’s eyes was still beautiful beyond imagination. Because this place had been meticulously taken care of, one didn’t see withered leaves left behind from last year, and the verdant meadow would just occasionally be decorated by a few new leaves blown down by the wind. On the trees, one also didn’t see dried up leaves, only that ‘burning’ maple leaf.
Afterwards, Jing Wan also discovered a few branching little streams among them, slowly flowing. Walking closer, she discovered, the streams really weren’t deep, the deepest area probably just reaching the lower calf. Not only that, the bottom of the stream was also spread with small and large pebbles. It was very obvious, this stream was also cut out by manpower, exhausting all of one’s thoughts.
Jing Wan slid down from horseback, removing shoes and socks, having her dress lifted and tying a knot, and then stepping into the water.
The feeling of pebbles pressed against the foot was actually very comfortable. Because she frequently got acupuncture points under her foot pressed by Gong mama, she didn’t feel it was painful. Jing Wan walked a lap around. Seeing the crowd guarding by the edge, she originally wanted to called them over, but after thinking about it, she gave up. Even if she opened her mouth, nine times out of ten, the answer she will receive will be ‘not conforming with the rules’. In the entire estate, the only one that will mess around together with her was probably just a certain someone.
As expected, it was still that line, having fun alone wasn’t as good as having fun with everyone.
Probably because seeing Jing Wan wading in the waters barefoot, of the people that came afterwards, only Li Hong Yuan went forward.
Jing Wan smilingly beckoned at him.
Li Hong Yuan didn’t refuse, directly walking over. The water very quickly soaked his shoes and socks.
Jing Wan lifted her brow, but didn’t stop him either.
Li Hong Yuan held Jing Wan’s hand, pulling her along as they slowly move forward.
Jing Wan cheerfully used her feet to stir up the water, the smile on her face never once disappearing.
“Send invitations back, inviting your sisters and good friends over to play.” Li Hong Yuan suddenly opened his mouth.
Jing Wan blanked, lifting her head to look at him. This man really did know everything. “Thank you, Ah Yuan.”
“No need for words of thanks. You and I are husband and wife. Whatever I do for you, it’s all what one should do.”
[1] 亩 – Mu, unit of area equal to one fifteenth of a hectare, I was too lazy to do conversion math
