In the early morning, a thick fog shrouded the bright moon peak.

Hongqinju is shrouded in dense fog, like a pavilion in the air, fluttering, and a fairyland on earth.

Last night, Liu Ruyan was greedy for a few more glasses at the banquet and got drunk. In the middle of the night, the two maids made a bed for him to change the quilt, and after taking care of it, they helped him into the west wing room to rest.

At the wine table, he was in a daze, and soon fell into a deep sleep as he lay on the bed.

By the time he opened his eyes, it was already dawn.

He just remembered the scene at the wine table last night: he was in love with love, and suddenly remembered his long-lost family, and he couldn't help but feel sad from it, and felt uncomfortable for a while, so he unconsciously greedy for a few more glasses.

Thinking of his drunken gaffe last night, I couldn't help but feel a wave of shame and chagrin in my heart. And whether he was drunk or not, he didn't remember at all.

Thinking that he was going to leave for home with Hua Mei today, he hurriedly got up and dressed, and tidied up his clothes.

Pushing open the window, it was already dark outside, he paused, then pushed the door open and walked out.

When he came to the lobby, several servants were cleaning, and when he saw Liu Ruyan coming over, they greeted him one after another, and he responded with a smile.

At this time, Xu Lengyue and Chu Menghua were also walking over from the east wing. They walked down the corridor and came close to each other laughing and laughing.

Xu Lengyue saw Liu Ruyan standing in the hall, so she greeted him with a smile: "Young Master Liu, morning!" She showed the appearance of everyone's ladies and sat down in the hall generously.

Liu Ruyan saw Leng Yue coming over with Menghua, and returned the salute with a smile: "Miss Leng Yue, you are also early!"

He hadn't fully woken up from last night's hangover, and he only felt dizzy and aching. He stroked his forehead with his hand and sat down abruptly.

Menghua also said good morning to Liu Ruyan, and then asked again: "Brother Liu, you were drunk last night, is it very uncomfortable to be drunk? I see, you must not have slept last night, right?" she said with concern.

Liu Ruyan was asked by her, smiled a little embarrassedly, and said: "I lost my temper after drinking last night, I was really confused, let you laugh!"

Chu Menghua was about to talk, but Xu Lengyue smiled first: "No, no, my father was happy last night, I just want you to have a few more drinks with him." Daddy has always been an alcoholic, but I'm afraid few people can drink him. She said, smiling dumbly.

Liu Ruyan listened, feeling even more embarrassed, and said with a smile: "Uncle's good amount of wine, I have long heard the master say that I have finally seen it when I came this time." ”

After that, he looked up at the courtyard and said, "Why don't you see your uncle and aunt?"

Leng Yue also looked out of the courtyard, and then said: "Young Master Liu, you don't know, Daddy gets up very early every day, and he has to go to the back mountain to practice every morning." Ten years is like a day, rain or shine, maybe I'm practicing at this time!"

Liu Ruyan nodded, and said thoughtfully: "Oh, I see! No wonder Uncle Xu looks energetic, not like a person who is about to reach the age of a sixtieth year!" He secretly admired Xu Feng's treasure sword.

At this time, two maids came over with morning tea in their hands, each holding a disc in both hands, which contained steaming eggs, soy milk, fried dough sticks, steamed buns and steamed buns.

came to the front of everyone, leaned over and said, "Young Master Liu, Miss Chu, eldest lady, morning tea is ready, please use morning tea!"

Liu Ruyan had a hangover last night, and at the moment she felt empty in her stomach, so she reached out and took soy milk and fritters and ate them. Leng Yue and Menghua also took eggs and buns and ate them slowly.

Menghua was eating, and suddenly glanced at Liu Ruyan, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile. Seeing this, Liu Ruyan and Xu Lengyue were surprised in their hearts, and they didn't know what to say, and looked at her suspiciously.

Liu Ruyan thought that there was something wrong with herself, which caused Hua Mei to laugh, and she hurriedly looked around her body, and asked with a smile: "Hua Mei, what are you laughing at?"

Chu Menghua blinked and said leisurely, "When I think of how you were in a daze at the wine table last night, I can't help but want to laugh!" she simply giggled.

Leng Yue was noncommittal on the side, looking at Menghua, looking at Liu Ruyan, and eating by herself.

She didn't seem to find it funny. He secretly said in his heart: "Last night, Liu Gongzi suddenly was in a daze at the wine table, but I don't know why, which scared everyone. Could it be that he has some ulterior secret in his heart, or something sad?" she wanted to ask in person, but suddenly she thought about it, how could she ask casually about the secrets in other people's hearts?

Liu Ruyan was laughed at by Chu Menghua, gave her a blank look, and felt even more embarrassed in her heart, and her face was burning with a burst of heat.

He frowned and asked, "Did I look ridiculous last night?"

Chu Menghua said heartlessly: "Brother Liu, you sat there last night, as if you were asleep, you didn't know it yourself, it was so funny." She looked at him and smiled at her.

Xu Lengyue glanced at Chu Menghua, shook her head, sighed, and said in her heart: "Menghua is really, what's the fuss about." This sister is really funny sometimes. "Chu Menghua's cute girlish heart, even Leng Yue, who is one year older than her, loves it.

It is said that girls' feelings are always poetry, and it seems that it is true!

Isn't a woman's most beautiful years old sixteen or seventeen?

Liu Ruyan felt more and more that her sister Hua had become different from before, she had grown up, and she was not as crying and noisy as she was when she was a child, but a little more eccentric.

He secretly vowed in his heart that he would protect Huamei for the rest of his life, so that she would not be bullied and wronged a little.

But he was faintly worried in his heart: he grew up with Hua Mei since he was a child, and he only loved her brother, but it was impossible to give birth to the slightest love between men and women. But Hua Mei didn't seem to think like this in her heart.

He noticed that Hua Mei always showed her admiration for him intentionally or unintentionally, and when she was with her, her words, her eyes, and her inadvertent small movements all revealed her love for him, Brother Liu.

And this kind of liking is not just the attachment of the sister to the brother, but the kind of emotion that a woman loves a man in her heart.

In the face of Hua Mei's extraordinary enthusiasm, he was a little at a loss.

If she resolutely reveals her attitude to her, it will inevitably hurt her crystal-like girlish heart, and if she doesn't make it clear to her, I'm worried that she will fall deeper and deeper.

If she refuses categorically when her love is deep-rooted and she can't extricate herself, it will really hurt her.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt entangled, and he really didn't know what to do!

At this time, Xu Lengyue finished eating breakfast and said to Chu Menghua: "Sister, are you and Liu Gongzi going back today?"

Chu Menghua glanced at Liu Ruyan, with a hint of melancholy on her face, and muttered: "I came out this time, it's been two months, I haven't seen my father for two months, he misses me very much, and I miss him too." ”

She put down the food in her hand and came to Liu Ruyan's side: "Brother Liu made a special trip to pick me up and go back to celebrate my father's birthday." No, we suddenly had something like that again, it seems that we can't accompany my father's 60th birthday. With that, he pouted and showed a sad expression.

Then her eyes suddenly lit up, she looked at Xu Lengyue and said, "Sister Leng Yue, why don't you go on the road with us and go to Wolong Valley to have fun?"

Xu Lengyue smiled and said, "The injuries on my body have not fully recovered, and my father will definitely not let me go." There was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Well, no, I'll go and talk to Uncle Xu, didn't he say he was going to visit Daddy, why don't we all go together?" she said to herself.

He turned his head to look at Liu Ruyan again and asked, "Brother Liu, do you say it's okay?"

Liu Ruyan got up and paced, thinking about it and said, "Sister Hua, don't make trouble, Uncle Xu still has something to deal with, how can he go with us!"

"Who said I wouldn't go?" Xu Feng's voice suddenly came from outside the door.

Xu Feng and Shangguan Hongqin were already standing at the gate, looking at the three young people with a smile.

With an iron sword in his hand, he took off his cloak and handed it to the maid who was wiping the table, who took it with both hands and went to the screen in the middle to hang it.

Shangguan Hongqin also smiled and said, "Fang Cai, I discussed it with your Uncle Xu, and we will set off for Wolong Valley now!"

When the three of them heard this, they were deeply surprised and couldn't help but look at each other. They didn't expect that Xu Feng and Shangguan Hongqin would go to Wolong Valley with them.

Immediately, all three young people were excited.

Xu Lengyue was stunned for a long time before she calmed down and said happily: "Daddy, mother, aren't you joking, are you really going to Wolong Valley?" she couldn't believe her ears. When she was sure that what she heard was true, her excitement was palpable.

Chu Menghua thought that she could continue to be with Sister Leng Yue again, and she was so excited that she almost jumped up. She danced and cheered, "Oh, great, I can be with my sister again." "She was excited like a child.

Xu Feng slowly walked into the lobby, sat on the main seat, and suddenly said with a serious expression: "The two people who came yesterday were indeed invited by Dai Yushan for a lot of money, what I didn't expect was that ten years have passed since the bloody case in Tangjiabao, and they are still haunted." However, these two people are not to be afraid, Dai Yushan invited them to come, not to kill me, but to find out my truth. He stroked his beard, and his eyes flashed with determination.

At this time, two maids brought tea and put a cup in front of each of them.

Liu Ruyan looked at Xu Feng and said in a deep voice: "In this way, then Tangjiabao will definitely not give up." Uncle Xu, what are your plans?"

Everyone's eyes looked at Xu Feng, and when they mentioned this matter, everyone's mood became heavy.

Xu Feng's eyes flashed, and he said slowly: "Don't worry, I have my own way to deal with it." Dai Yushan is ruthless, insidious and cunning, we have to guard against him, we must not underestimate the enemy, we ignore it for the time being, just wait and see what happens. ”

He looked around and suddenly asked, "Why didn't you see the horse steward?"

He immediately ordered a maid to quickly go and find Cuilian, and the maid answered, turned around and ran towards Cuilian's room in the other courtyard.

After a while, Cuilian walked quickly to her, bowed to Xu Feng, and said with her head bowed, "Master, what are your orders?"

Xu Feng sighed and said quietly, "Cuilian, you have been following me for almost ten years, right?"

Cuilian was shocked when she heard the old man say this, and she didn't know why the old man suddenly asked like this, so she hurriedly replied softly: "Well, go back to the master, Cuilian."

I've been following the master for nine years and six months. Why did the master ask like this?" she was stunned, her heart was uneasy, and she didn't dare to come out. I'm afraid that I have made something wrong and upset the master.

Xu Feng stroked his beard, nodded, and suddenly smiled: "You came to the Xu family at the age of eight, and you have always been diligent and hardworking. ”

When Cuilian heard this, she was stunned, and said in a whisper: "Don't say that, master, Cuilian was born poor, and when she was eight years old, there was a famine in her hometown, if she wasn't fortunate enough to be taken in by the master, Cuilian would have starved to death." When the master said this, he was going to torture Cuilian. She lowered her head and said in a trembling voice, her voice choked up.

Xu Feng laughed, walked in front of Cuilian, and said in a deep voice: "Yes, time flies so fast, it's been almost ten years in a flash, and you have grown from a little girl to a big girl." ”

He paced in place, looking at Cuilian: "I have an idea, I wonder if you want to?"

"Master, what's the matter, please tell me!" Cui Liandai frowned slightly, and listened respectfully.

Xu Feng paused, thought about it and said, "You are eighteen this year, right?" He looked at Cuilian kindly.

"Back to my lord, Cuilian is turning eighteen this year. Her eyes rolled as if she had thought of something.

Xu Feng smiled and said slowly: "You have also reached the year of talking about marriage, I discussed it with my wife, and it is time to find a mother-in-law for you." I wonder if you'd like to?"

When Cuilian heard this, her face fluttered, and a red cloud rose in an instant, and she was so ashamed that she didn't dare to raise her head. A few strands of jet-black hair fell down, covering her eyebrows and eyes, and I couldn't tell what kind of expression she was.

After being silent for a long time, she whispered tremblingly: "Cuilian has followed the master since she was a child, and she was loved by the lord and kindly taken in, so that she has Cuilian today, the old lady is Cuilian's reborn parents, Cuilian was born in a humble manner, and she has nothing else to ask for, but to serve the old lady and the eldest lady in this life, and the rest, Cuilian dare not think about it." As he spoke, his eyes turned red and he almost wanted to shed tears.

At this time, Shangguan Hongqin smiled slightly, and suddenly said: "Cuilian, vulgar speaking, men should marry and women should marry, you see, you are not young anymore, it is time to find a kind in-law, become a biological child, and live a good life." ”

She stood up, slowly walked to Cuilian's side, reached out and stroked her shoulder, stared at her, sighed, and said quietly: "You are what we grew up watching, you are only one year older than Leng Yue, to tell you from the heart, for so many years, you have been busy with the Xu family, and your master and I like you from the bottom of our hearts and treat you as our own daughter, but when the woman is married, I can't let you serve us for a lifetime, you should have your own life!" She stroked Cuilian's hair, just like her own daughter.

This warm scene between master and servant made everyone present feel emotional.

Liu Ruyan said in her heart: This Cuilian can meet such a good person, which can be regarded as her blessing. Uncle Xu's family treats people with kindness and kindness, which can also be seen from this treatment of their own servants.

Thinking like this in my heart, I couldn't help but be full of admiration for Uncle Xu's family.

Cuilian was so ashamed that her face was flushed, although she was a maid, she was also born with beautiful eyebrows and beautiful eyes, quite a bit of beauty, after listening to Mrs. 's words, she was even more mixed in her heart, standing there stunned, not daring to raise her head, and not knowing what to say.

Xu Lengyue saw her embarrassed, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and snicker.

Cuilian is quiet and introverted by nature, cautious in her work, and gives people the impression of being an honest and kind girl. Because she is diligent and sensible, the Xu family likes her very much.

Leng Yue and her have nothing to say, and they are like sisters. The two grew up together and were close in age, and the two often played together, almost inseparable. Cuilian is like her follower, Leng Yue goes there, and Cuilian follows there. So, their feelings are extraordinary.

Now, Leng Yue saw that her father and mother were going to give Cuilian a personal family, she was surprised at first, she didn't know why her father and mother were so anxious to marry Cuilian, and then thought about it, this was also a great joy, and she couldn't help but be happy for Cuilian in her heart.

It's just that for a girl of her age, talking about marriage is a shameful thing to talk about, so she can't help but feel funny on the sidelines.

Everyone smiled and looked at Cuilian, seeing that she was shy and reserved, and thought that talking about such a thing in this public was too embarrassing for a girl in the prime of her youth.

Cuilian couldn't help muttering in her heart, I don't know why the old lady suddenly mentioned the matter of marriage to her, although they were kind, but she has followed the Xu family since she was a child, serving the old man's family for so many years, and the old lady treats her well, she wanted to serve them for the rest of her life, and never had the idea of leaving.

Xu Feng saw Cuilian bowing his head and was silent, so he felt that the atmosphere was a little embarrassing, hehe coughed twice, and said in a round: "Cuilian, this matter is not in a hurry, you should think about it slowly yourself, if you don't want to, this matter will be stopped!"

He smiled, and then ordered: "Cuilian, you go and ask the horse steward to come over!" He walked to the main seat and sat down slowly, taking a sip of tea.

Cuilian agreed, then turned around and walked out of the lobby, walked quickly through the corridor, and walked towards the horse steward's room in the backyard.

When she came to the steward's room, she saw that the door was closed, so she stretched out her hand and knocked a few times, but no one opened the door.

She knocked a few more times, but no one answered. His heart became even more puzzled, and while knocking on the door, he opened his mouth and shouted, "Steward Ma, are you there...... Steward Ma, are you there?"

She screamed a few times, and when she saw that there was no movement inside, she couldn't help but wonder in her heart: Normally, at this time, Steward Ma got up early to arrange all kinds of logistics affairs, but today is so late, why is there no one in sight, is he going out early in the morning? Is he happy last night, greedy for a few more glasses, and slept this morning?

Thinking about it, he knocked on the door a few more times, but there was still no movement inside.

At this moment, seeing two servants walking by with a smile, she hurriedly stopped them: "Have you seen Steward Ma this morning?"

A tall servant replied, "I haven't seen the steward of the horse." He frowned and thought about it, and suddenly his eyes lit up, as if he remembered something, and said hurriedly, "By the way, before closing the door and turning off the lights last night, I saw the horse steward standing in the backyard, looking at the moon fixedly, as if he was preoccupied, I saw him looking at the moon for a long time, and what was he still muttering?"

He recalled the scene he saw when he passed through the corridor at the first watch of last night, when he was about to go to the hut to relax. This kind of thing was not unusual, and he didn't think much of it at the time. Looking back on it now, it seems a little strange.

Cuilian stared for a while, sighed, and then hurriedly ran towards the lobby.

Before the person got closer, the voice had already come: "Master, master, I didn't see Steward Ma." ”

When she arrived at the front of the hall, she hurriedly said: "Just now, I went to the front of the housekeeper's room, and I knocked for a while, but no one opened the door. She looked at Xu Feng in a panic.

Everyone was shocked, and they didn't know what was going on.

Xu Feng looked puzzled, frowned and muttered, "What, he's not in the room, could it be that he has something to go out?" He stroked his beard and looked around at everyone.

Cuilian said: "Just now, I asked a housekeeper, and I also said that I didn't see Steward Ma this morning. He said that when he went to the thatched house last night, he saw Steward Ma standing alone in the courtyard in front of the corridor in the backyard, saying that he was looking at the moon and was distracted. ”

When Xu Feng heard this, he was surprised, and said in a lost voice: "Oh, he was in a good mood last night, and he drank a few more glasses, but it didn't look like he was drunk, and after the banquet was over, he went back to the room." So what is he doing alone in the yard in the middle of the night? Is it so late, just to watch the moonlight?"

Shangguan Hongqin interjected: "Master, could it be that he drank more last night and fell asleep, maybe he is still sleeping in the room at the moment? ”

Xu Feng waved his hand and said, "Let's go!" ”

With that, he strode towards the steward's room. The crowd followed.

The door to the steward's room remained closed and locked. Obviously, if the door is locked, then he will not be in the room.

Where will he go if he is not in the room?

Usually, he will take three or five family members down the mountain every week to buy some daily necessities, this kind of thing, the horse steward does not need to report to Xu Feng, he can arrange it himself, he and Xu Feng have been friends for many years, they are like brothers, Xu Feng naturally has complete trust in him, and even many affairs of Hongqinju's logistics management, he can be in charge.

Cuilian said that the day before yesterday, Steward Ma went down the mountain to buy goods. It stands to reason that in such a short period of time, it is impossible to buy again.

Shangguan Hongqin said: "Last night, although Steward Ma also drank a lot, he didn't seem to be drunk, maybe he just went out for something, maybe he will come back in a while." Let's not be in a hurry, let's wait and see!"

Xu Feng's face was solemn, as if he was thinking about something.

Steward Ma has always been loyal to Xu Feng, they have been friends for many years and know each other very well. Sometimes it only takes a look to understand what the other party is thinking, such a tacit understanding, if you are not a confidant, how can you do it?

Recently, I haven't seen anything unusual about Steward Ma, he is still diligent and thoughtful for ten years, taking care of all the logistics affairs of Hongqinju in an orderly manner, within the scope of his duties, he has never let Xu Feng worry about it, Xu Feng has always been very satisfied with his performance.

Everyone waited in front of the room for a while, but they still didn't see Steward Ma come back. I thought that he would oversleep in the morning because he slept too late last night, but when Xu Feng knocked on the door hard, there was still no movement inside. You know, this kind of situation has never been like this before.

In recent years, he has paid more and more attention to health and wellness, and his usual routine is regular, and if there is no special matter to deal with, he almost always goes to bed early and gets up early.

His daily work process is almost step-by-step: the first thing he does after getting up every morning is to go to the toilet, then he washes, goes to the kitchen to inspect, presides over the morning meeting, explains the day's work, then eats early, goes to the backyard to exercise in the forest, and after the morning exercise, he will go to meet Xu Feng and report the work of the previous day.

Once this was done, he would lock himself in his room and check the accounts. He has always been extremely strict with himself and strives for perfection in everything he does. He is so meticulous and thoughtful that even Xu Feng sighs to himself.

When Xu Feng called a group of family members to ask if anyone had seen the horse steward this morning, everyone shook their heads, saying that they had not seen the horse steward this morning.

This has never happened before. It was only at this moment that Xu Feng realized that this matter was full of strangeness, and there must be some hidden secrets in it.

Just when everyone was full of thoughts, he couldn't bear it anymore, and immediately decided to break open the door of the steward and go in to find out.