After a while, Shu Xiaoxiao came over laboriously with a basin of water. Her small face was flushed red, and the fine hair on her forehead had been dampened by sweat and stuck together.
"Master, I'm here!"
"Mm!" Jiang Yuan nodded slightly.
After washing with Shu Xiaoxiao's assistance, Jiang Yuan said to her, "Today, come with me to Yunyan Tower to listen to some tunes!"
"Ah! Master, am I going with you?"
"Mm!" Jiang Yuan nodded as he dried his hands.
"Do we need to call Uncle Ma and the others?"
"No need!"
On the way, Shu Xiaoxiao was full of excitement.
Her curious eyes were constantly looking around.
Everything in Lin'an County was extremely fresh to her.
When she first came to Lin'an County, she was sold by her parents to Yunyan Tower.
At that time, she felt only darkness in her heart and had no time to care about anything else.
Now her mood was completely different. Being with Jiang Yuan, she felt secure.
Her heart was at peace!
Just as the two of them were halfway there, a voice suddenly came from behind.
"Master Jiang, please wait!"
Jiang Yuan turned around and saw a rich-looking old man smiling at him.
"Who are you?" Jiang Yuan was a bit puzzled.
At this moment, the curtain of the palanquin next to him was suddenly swept open.
"It's me!"
An old and steady voice reached Jiang Yuan's ears.
"So it's Teacher Xia!"
Jiang Yuan saluted, "I wonder what Teacher Xia wants to tell me?"
The person was the teacher of the county government office, who handled almost all the affairs of the office.
He could be regarded as one of Li Hong's true confidants.
Teacher Xia looked at Shu Xiaoxiao, then looked at Jiang Yuan.
"Where are you going?"
"Yunyan Tower!" Jiang Yuan said.
Upon hearing these three words, he immediately frowned.
Then he said, "Jiang Yuan, you are still young and talented, why don't you practice instead of wasting your time in such places?"
"Do you know? The county lord is very disappointed in you recently!"
Jiang Yuan: "."
Jiang Yuan looked at him speechlessly.
Then he said indifferently, "Going to Yunyan Tower is my practice."
"You-" Hearing Jiang Yuan's words, he was momentarily choked.
Then he sighed, "Well, it's up to you. I'm leaving now! I hope you take care of yourself in the future."
With that, he returned to his palanquin.
His voice contained a hint of anger, "Steward Lin, back to the mansion!"
"Yes!"
The slightly plump middle-aged man bowed his head in response.
Then he raised his voice and said, "Let's go!"
After watching the palanquin of the county teacher leave, Jiang Yuan faintly heard a sentence.
"He is truly incorrigible!"
A moment later.
Shu Xiaoxiao whispered, "Master, did you have a conflict with him?
Jiang Yuan smiled, "What conflict? He was just well-intentioned, but a bit arrogant!"
After saying that, Jiang Yuan shook his head.
"Let's go!"
Seeing this, Shu Xiaoxiao hurried to follow.
A moment later.
Yunyan Tower.
Jiang Yuan had just stepped through the front gate.
Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded in his ear.
"Oh, isn't this Young Master Jiang?"
"I was wondering why I kept hearing the sound of magpies. Turns out Young Master Jiang is here!"
The previous old woman greeted him with a face full of smiles.
Then, she approached Jiang Yuan with some embarrassment: "Young Master Jiang, it's just noon now, the ladies are all resting."
Jiang Yuan waved his hand: "Get me Suxin to play a song for me."
Upon hearing this, she instantly beamed: "Her? Alright, alright!"
With that, she quickly scurried to the backyard.
A moment later.
Room No. 1.
Just as Jiang Yuan started sipping some wine, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!"
Creak!
The door was slowly opened.
A young girl appeared in front of Jiang Yuan, around nineteen years old, dressed in plain white.
"Little girl Suxin, greets Young Master Jiang!"
She bowed respectfully.
[Name]: Bai Suxin
[Realm]: Not entered
[Innate Destiny]: Voice of the Heavens (White), Master of Melody (White), Scholarly Family (White)
[Voice of the Heavens]: Possessing an outstanding voice, her singing can soothe the soul.
[Master of Melody]: Exceptional at the piano, her music can reach the heart.
[Scholarly Family]: Born into a scholarly family, she possesses an outstanding talent for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
She then sat down with poise.
"What would Young Master Jiang like to listen to?"
"Anything you're good at, something gentle."
She nodded slightly.
Then, her slender fingers fell onto the strings.
In an instant, soft sounds flowed like a clear spring, with the ripple of water droplets.
It was as if a breeze was blowing through the mountains, with a hundred birds singing in the forest.
A comfortable feeling appeared in Jiang Yuan's mind.
The faint pain in his brow was greatly relieved.
Not bad!
Jiang Yuan nodded slightly.
His guess was correct, her piano music indeed had the effect of soothing mental trauma.
Then, Jiang Yuan laid his head on Shu Xiaoxiao's leg.
Shu Xiaoxiao instantly understood and placed her fingers between Jiang Yuan's temples, gently massaging.
That day.
The piano and singing from Room No. 1 on the second floor lasted the whole day.
In the evening.
Jiang Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
He saw the young girl in white biting her lips in front of him, tears falling from her eyes.
Blood was seeping from her fingertips.
Jiang Yuan said, "Do you hate me?"
As Jiang Yuan spoke, the music slowly stopped.
Suxin shook her head and wiped her tears with her sleeve.
"Are you afraid to hate me, or do you not hate me?"
"Neither afraid to hate, nor do I hate."
Jiang Yuan said, "You're quite honest."
Then he asked, "I heard your father is the governor of Qinghe County?"
Suxin nodded but didn't want to say more.
Jiang Yuan looked at her white clothes and said, "You've observed mourning for three years, that's quite dutiful of you!"
"It's what a child should do."
She pursed her lips and said.
Jiang Yuan smiled: "I heard you only want to be a regular singer?"
Suddenly, she looked at Jiang Yuan with wide eyes.
Jiang Yuan smiled: "You played the piano well today, it helped me, so I will fulfill your wish."
As he spoke, Jiang Yuan pulled a red rope.
When the red rope moved, a bell would ring downstairs.
They would know someone upstairs needed them.
Hearing Jiang Yuan's words.
Suxin instantly knelt on the ground with gratitude.
"Thank you, Young Master Jiang, for your kindness!"
No one knew how much torment she had endured to maintain her innocence till now.
Because her father committed a grave crime, dozens of people from her family were either exiled or beheaded.
She was reduced to a prostitute, but they remembered she was the legitimate daughter of the former governor of Qinghe County and respected her father's remaining influence, so they didn't dare to pressure her too much.
If not for these reasons, her struggle would have been in vain.
But now, with Jiang Yuan's word, she knew she was safe and could preserve her innocence.
Jiang Yuan said calmly: "No need to thank me. This is something you earned yourself by insisting on playing the guqin all afternoon."