151: A Promise in the Morning Light

After breakfast, Situ Jun stood up and prepared to set off.

Su Yunniang gently adjusted his lapels for him, her movements tender and practiced; that meticulous care was hidden in every movement of her fingertips.

Her eyes were full of concern:

"Be careful on the road. Qiu Lan and I will wait for your return in the manor."

"Don't worry. With your husband's skills, could I possibly suffer a loss?"

Situ Jun smiled and squeezed her hand, his smile confident and warm.

Then, he turned to Qiu Lan, a different kind of deep affection in his gaze:

"Qiu Lan, take good care of the Madam. Wait for my return."

Qiu Lan hurriedly curtsied, her voice firm:

"Yes, please rest assured, Manor Lord. Qiu Lan will certainly serve the Madam with all her heart."

Situ Jun gave her a deep look, his eyes carrying the tenderness of a first romantic encounter and a hint of promise. It made Qiu Lan's heart race and her cheeks flush red.

Situ Jun said no more, turning and striding out of the Yunxiang Courtyard.

The courtyard gate slowly closed, isolating his figure outside. Only Su Yunniang and Qiu Lan remained in the courtyard.

The early morning sunlight grew brighter, spilling into the courtyard. The dewdrops on the flowers and grass were crystal clear under the sun, like brilliant pearls.

For a moment, the surroundings fell silent, save for the rustling of the breeze through the leaves.

Su Yunniang supported her waist and walked slowly to the porch, sitting down on the beauty's lean-to.

Her gaze fell upon a jasmine plant in full bloom in the courtyard. The white flowers swayed gently in the wind, emitting an elegant fragrance. She spoke softly:

"Qiu Lan."

"Madam?"

Qiu Lan immediately took a step forward and stood with her hands down, her posture upright yet carrying a hint of restraint.

"Come and sit."

Su Yunniang pointed to the seat beside her.

Qiu Lan hesitated for a moment but sat down obediently. However, she only dared to sit on half the stool, her body tense and straight.

Seeing her nervous state, Su Yunniang couldn't help but let out a mock scolding and reached out to take her hand.

Qiu Lan's palm was slightly cool and had thin calluses, traces of her past hard labor.

"You silly girl, why are you still shy? Last night... you were wronged."

Su Yunniang's voice was very soft, carrying the complex emotions of someone who had been through it—both heartache and understanding:

"The Manor Lord... was he good to you?"

Qiu Lan's face instantly turned red as if it were about to bleed. Her head hung even lower, and her voice was almost inaudible:

"The Manor Lord... the Manor Lord treated Qiu Lan... extremely well... very... very gently..."

"That's good then."

Su Yunniang patted the back of her hand, her gaze distant:

"He is a man who values sentiment and righteousness. I am at ease entrusting you to him. From now on, we are truly one family."

She paused, her tone becoming somewhat solemn:

"Qiu Lan, remember this. I let you follow the Manor Lord because I pity your sincere heart, and also because I hope you can help me take care of him and share the burden. The Manor Lord is no ordinary man; his future achievements will be limitless. It's impossible for him to have only the two of us women by his side. Rather than letting outsiders of unknown origins take advantage, it's better to have our own people close to him. You have a gentle nature and a pure heart. No matter who else is by the Manor Lord's side in the future, we sisters must be of one mind to guard this home and guard him. Do you understand?"

These words were both a reminder from the mistress of the house and a heart-to-heart between sisters, and they even carried a faint planning for the future.

Qiu Lan's heart shook as she listened. She looked up, meeting Su Yunniang's clear but slightly tired eyes, and nodded vigorously:

"Madam, Qiu Lan understands! Qiu Lan's life was given by Madam; this kindness will never be forgotten. In the future, Qiu Lan will certainly prioritize Madam and the Manor Lord in everything, and would never dare to have even half a divided heart!"

Seeing the sincere gaze and firm expression in Qiu Lan's eyes, the last bit of unease in Su Yunniang's heart dissipated.

She smiled, stroking her protruding belly, her tone soft:

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. In the future, don't always call me Madam. When there are no outsiders, call me Sister."

"Madam, that won't do!"

Qiu Lan looked overwhelmed by the favor, her eyes full of fluster.

"You girl, have you stopped listening to me after just one night?"

Su Yunniang glared at her helplessly, but her eyes were full of smiles.

"Thank you, Madam, but that won't do. I'm still used to calling you Madam."

Qiu Lan's small face grew anxious as she stood up, her expression serious and persistent.

Su Yunniang gave a bitter smile and shook her head gently:

"Fine, as you wish. When the Manor Lord returns, I'll let him deal with you!"

Hearing this, Qiu Lan felt relieved, and a sweet smile appeared on her face.

In the courtyard, the morning breeze blew, bringing the fragrance of plants and trees, dispersing the remaining awkwardness in the air and the faint lingering ambiguity of last night... In Zhu Changpo's courtyard in the South Courtyard.

Situ Jun's finger tapped the tabletop rhythmically. After a while, he glanced at Zhu Changpo and spoke softly:

"Those Western Region Merchants, have they been handled properly?"

Zhu Changpo's expression turned solemn as he cupped his hands and said:

"Rest assured, Manor Lord. They have already been interrogated; they are just some bandits and can't cause any trouble."

Situ Jun nodded and took out several pill bottles from his robes, placing them on the table:

"These are Medicinal Pills for breaking through cultivation. Cultivate those loyal servants in the manor well—their cultivation is too low, not even enough to explore a secret realm. Additionally, your cultivation should also be raised."

As he spoke, he took out an exquisite porcelain bottle from his Storage Pouch and tossed it to Zhu Changpo.

"The Medicinal Pills inside are very precious, exchanged at a great cost. They have no side effects and are enough to help you reach the Mid Golden Core Stage; if you're lucky, the Late Stage is also within reach. Take them well."

Zhu Changpo caught the porcelain bottle. It felt slightly heavy in his hand. He couldn't hide the surprise on his tense face. After taking a deep breath, he bowed solemnly to Situ Jun:

"Thank you for the reward, Manor Lord! This subordinate will certainly not fail your cultivation!"

Situ Jun nodded, his eyes flickering slightly:

"Yun Niang is pregnant. Take more care of the matters in the manor. Although she is a Golden Core Cultivator, her current strength is not even one-tenth of what it was. If there is any movement, you can send a message to the other Golden Core Cultivators. You must protect the safety of the manor."

Zhu Changpo's expression stiffened as he said in a low voice, "This subordinate will certainly not fail the Manor Lord's trust!"

Situ Jun pulled out another Jade Talisman from his Storage Pouch and handed it over:

"This is a Breath Concealment Technique. After cultivating it, you can conceal your cultivation at will; those below the Nascent Soul stage won't be able to see through it. If you can advance to the Late Golden Core Stage, then practice it, lest interested parties see your cultivation rising too quickly and bring unnecessary trouble. Yun Niang has already learned this technique. Once you learn it, destroy it immediately; it must not be passed on."

"Thank you, Manor Lord! This subordinate understands!" Zhu Changpo bowed in thanks again.

Situ Jun nodded and stood up, saying:

"Everything that needs to be explained has been explained. I should also set off."

As he spoke, he was about to circulate his Cultivation Technique to teleport away.

Seeing this, Zhu Changpo hurriedly said:

"Manor Lord! Madam Lin has already prepared a carriage for you; it's waiting outside the manor."

Hearing this, Situ Jun's brow furrowed slightly:

"A carriage? I didn't say I wanted to take a carriage."

After speaking, he shook his head and turned to walk toward the main gate of the City Lord's Manor.

Zhu Changpo watched Situ Jun's figure walking toward the manor gate without hesitation. He opened his mouth but finally swallowed the words "Madam Lin specifically instructed."

The Manor Lord had his own way of doing things; it wasn't for him to interfere.