Ch 693: “ugh!” Disgusting!

Jing Chunxi’s return to the capital was on August 18th, the third date Jing Changjiang had set.

Although the return date had been postponed repeatedly, and Jing Chunxi was eager to return home, when the day finally arrived, she still felt a little emotional. But looking at the carriage full of tree gum soles and blocks, and more than ten sets of plastic wheel hubs, she felt it was worthwhile.

These achievements not only embodied their hard work in Shiba’ao, but also represented the reward for their efforts. They could be likened to a gold mine, providing the necessary wealth for the reinstatement of her maternal grandfather’s family, for the Yan Wang lineage, and for the great cause of the Daqing Dynasty.

“Miss, the carriage rides so much more comfortably with the tree gum hubs,” Hongfen said, her face beaming with excitement she couldn’t hide.

Her face was filled with a satisfied smile, her eyes full of pride in their harvest. Although she had lived happily in Shiba’ao and could be with the Miss every day, to be honest, she still longed for Qingshan Manor, feeling that it was their true home.

Everything about Qingshan Manor, from the familiar surroundings to the warm atmosphere, made them feel nostalgic.

“Don’t get too excited, we’ll be going to Jian’an County in a few days, but…” Jing Chunxi deliberately paused, her tone mysterious.

Chun Tao just smiled, her lips pursed. She was used to the Miss’s little tricks, but Hongfen anxiously blurted out, “I want to go with Miss; Tang Shuang has been to Jian’an County once.” Hongfen’s tone held a hint of dissatisfaction, as if afraid of missing the opportunity.

“Older Sister hasn’t spoken yet, and you’re already jumping in,” Chun Tao teased, laughing. Older than Tang Shuang and Hongfen, she wouldn’t fight over things in front of the Miss. She always did her duty as a servant, adhering strictly to obedience.

Chun Tao’s personality was steady, always prioritizing the bigger picture, never competing for anything.

“Then I’ll go with Chun Tao Older Sister.”

Jing Chunxi looked at Hongfen’s relatively immature face and her insistent desire to follow, simply smiled and said lightly, “We’ll talk about it later.”

She knew these girls were loyal, but Chun Tao and Hongfen didn’t know martial arts. Because of her past life experiences, she wanted to protect them and didn’t want to show favoritism. She had her own plan, but it wasn’t time to reveal it yet.

The journey home always felt like an eternity, even though the carriage, with its new hubs, was faster. Along the way, Jing Chunxi kept looking out the window, longing to return to the familiar Qingshan Manor.

Ten days later,

“Miss, we’re almost to the Yiyang border,” Kuaijiao’s voice finally came from outside the carriage at twilight.

Jing Chunxi quickly lifted the front curtain to respond. She already saw the tall gate tower of Yiyang City in the distance. The towering city gate seemed to beckon her, filling her with anticipation.

“Finally, no more staying in small towns!” Hongfen also looked outside, her face brightening.

On the way back, to save time, they stayed at official post stations along the official road, and even spent two nights outdoors. In this weather, they couldn’t even take a comfortable hot bath, and even Jing Chunxi felt a little aggrieved.

She secretly thought, how delightful it would be to soak in a hot bath. Without anyone to cover for her, she couldn’t enter her space.

But as the Master, she was far more comfortable than Chun Tao and Hongfen. Although she couldn’t bathe, she could still use hot water to wash herself daily, while the others could only use cold water. Thinking of their hardship, Jing Chunxi felt a pang of guilt. If she could, she would really like everyone to enjoy themselves in her space.

“Everyone is exhausted from the journey. Chun Tao, later you tell Kuaijiao Uncle that we’ll rest here for two days to let everyone relax,” Jing Chunxi said gently, her tone full of concern. She knew how hard the journey had been and wanted everyone to have a good rest.

“Yes, Miss,” Chun Tao replied respectfully.

Jing Chunxi then remembered that she hadn’t given everyone their silver for the trip, and quickly said, “Tomorrow morning, give everyone twenty taels of silver, tell them to use it without worry, the thirty taels upon return remain unchanged.” She hoped to show her appreciation in this way.

She never treated her servants poorly. This round trip was exhausting, and they had encountered dangers along the way, causing her much anxiety. Their hardships were evident, and they deserved proper compensation; the only thing she could offer was silver.

“Miss, you’re so kind! I’m going to get rich!” Hongfen immediately hugged her arm, shaking it incessantly, her face full of surprise and gratitude. Her eyes sparkled, as if she already saw glistening silver ingots.

“Stop shaking, stop shaking!” Jing Chunxi leaned in and made a kissing gesture; Hongfen quickly shrunk back, her arms loosening their grip on Jing Chunxi’s arm.

Hongfen’s flustered appearance made Jing Chunxi burst into laughter.

“Hahaha!” Chun Tao laughed. During the Miss’s last trip back from exile, for some reason, she’d been overly excited, hugging and kissing Hongfen, leaving Hongfen with a psychological trauma. Recalling the scene, Chun Tao found it both funny and irritating.

“Miss, why do you always do this?” Hongfen stomped her foot in annoyance, wanting to hug her arm but afraid to, shifting her bottom to the side. Her eyes held a hint of resentment, but she dared not express it.

“What’s wrong with me doing this?” Jing Chunxi found it incredibly funny, changed her position and sat next to Chun Tao. Then, like Hongfen had done, she put her arms around Chun Tao’s arm and said in a sweet voice, “Chun Tao, I adore you!” Her tone was teasing. Chun Tao pretended to be nonchalant, leaning her head against the Miss, appearing extremely intimate.

“Ugh!” Hongfen shyly hugged herself, vigorously rubbing the goosebumps on her arms, finally covering her eyes with her hands. “You… you…”

She found the scene a little disgusting, but dared not say so, expressing her displeasure in this way. Her actions made Jing Chunxi and Chun Tao burst into laughter.

“Miss, we’ve arrived.”

Kuaijiao Uncle’s voice outside was untimely, but it finally stopped the laughter between the mistress and her servants.

The carriage stopped slowly, and Jing Chunxi adjusted her clothing, preparing to get off.

This journey, though arduous, was filled with both harvest and joy.

『To be continued…』