Chapter 342
Chapter 342 The Sound of Slaughtering a Pig
"A letter? Who sent this letter?" Lin Wanrong asked in puzzlement, gently tearing open the envelope. A faint, delicate fragrance filled his nostrils, and inside the envelope lay a pair of red handkerchiefs and a flawless white sheet of paper.
He unfolded the paper, and several lines of graceful, small characters came into view: "A thread and a line grow white hair; half-shy, half-resentful washes the years away. Last winter I asked the south-flying geese, when shall I pick apricot blossoms with you?"
This poem, written with a lady's longing, was gentle and affectionate, filled with a wistful melancholy and yearning. Unfolding the handkerchief, he saw embroidered with golden thread a pair of mandarin ducks, their appearance so vivid and lifelike.
Lin Wanrong stared blankly for a moment, finally smiling and shaking his head. Qiaoqiao softly asked, "Big brother, do you know who sent you this letter?"
Lin Wanrong said with a smile, "Qiaoqiao, when did you go to see Luo Ning?"
Qiaoqiao, startled, her face full of smiles, replied, "Big brother, how did you know I went to see Luo Ning?"
Lin Wanrong pinched her little nose, "Silly girl, from this poem alone I knew it was written by Luo Ning; no one else could capture this flavor. Is Miss Luo doing well in Jining? How are Lord Luo and Luo Yuan? Last time when I was in a hurry on my way to the capital, I even bypassed Jining; it was truly regrettable."
"Luo Ning is doing very well," Qiaoqiao said wistfully. "She's just a bit lonely there. When Madam and I were traveling to the capital, we stopped in Jining for two days. You wouldn't believe how happy Luo Ning was, chatting with me all day, afraid I'd fly away. She wanted to come to the capital as well, but Lord Luo said the situation was complex and asked her to wait a while longer. She had no choice but to write this letter for me to give you, along with these mandarin ducks, which she embroidered herself. Big brother, Luo Ning has deep affection for you, you must not let her down!"