As Lin Qiao walked into the house, a maid in a cyan gauze dress approached her. "Madam, the finest Tieguanyin tea and some desserts have been prepared in the front hall. Please follow me, Madam."
Lin Qiao nodded and gracefully followed the maid.
In front of outsiders, Lin Qiao always maintained a proper image.
... The rare times when Lin Qiao couldn't hold herself together were usually when Luo Nanchen tempted her with his good looks.
The cyan bricks and tiles, the marble - patterned tables and chairs, and the shade of the trees blocking the scorching sun. As she walked in, the beautiful scenery was all around, making her feel refreshed.
It didn't seem like an ordinary family's residence at all. Was this what he meant by "making do"?
... Was Luo Nanchen going to worship her like an ancestor?
Although as the empress dowager on this southern tour, her treatment couldn't be too shabby. Otherwise, if the officials along the way saw it, they might think that the relationship between the emperor and the empress dowager was not good, or that the emperor deliberately treated the empress dowager badly...
But...
They couldn't be too ostentatious, right?
She had to discuss with Luo Nanchen another day to be more low - key. Although Lin Qiao knew that in Luo Nanchen's eyes, this was already quite low - key.
Thinking of the draft before, when there were so many beautiful women but Luo Nanchen remained unmoved, Lin Qiao sighed. Luo Nanchen was really a prodigal.
When she walked into the house, Lin Qiao began to feel something was wrong, but she couldn't tell exactly what. She just felt a bit creepy.
The house was overly luxurious.
The outer yard was already extremely luxurious compared to an ordinary family. It didn't seem like a place an ordinary person could afford.
And this house was even more luxurious than the palace.
Due to Luo Siyuan (Luo Nanchen's father) being a spendthrift, the national treasury was empty. To set an example for the officials, the palace had become very thrifty.
Although the palace was large, the furnishings were all very old. In Lin Qiao's opinion, the furnishings were just old - fashioned equipment.
... However, with Luo Nanchen's secret support, Changle Palace could still manage.
And this "secret" support was so secret that even Lin Qiao didn't know about it.
Lin Qiao asked Zou Lvrui, "Hey, don't you think this place is a bit eerie?"
Lin Qiao took a deep breath. She felt a bit panicked. There seemed to be something blocking her chest, and she even felt a bit suffocated.
After a while, there was still no response from Zou Lvrui. When Lin Qiao looked back, she found that Zou Lvrui was acting strange.
Just now, Zou Lvrui was walking beside her, chattering about the scenery and even teasing Luo Nanchen for being a prodigal.
Lin Qiao casually replied, "Even if he is a prodigal, he is the character you created."
Then, she got distracted.
The chatter didn't seem very meaningful, but Zou Lvrui's voice had always been around Lin Qiao.
Although it really didn't seem to have any substance and was just nonsense.
But even after Lin Qiao got distracted, Zou Lvrui's voice was still there.
But just now, Zou Lvrui went silent.
Even when Lin Qiao asked her a question, there was still no response. When Lin Qiao looked back, she saw that Zou Lvrui's eyes were blank and dull.
Even her limbs were stiff, and every step she took seemed to be guided by a string.
She was like a puppet.
The house was very luxurious, with blue bricks and green tiles, pink - painted walls, dark - red tables and chairs, and floors paved with blue bricks.
A gust of wind blew, and the candle flame flickered.
Lin Qiao suddenly felt a chill on her back.
"Xiaolin."
Lin Qiao was startled.
This voice wasn't Luo Nanchen's.
It was eerie.
Normally, no one dared to call Lin Qiao "Xiaolin" except Luo Nanchen. Unless they didn't want to stay in Yunjin anymore.
Moreover, an incense stick ago, Luo Nanchen had taken Mo Xiujie and the others into the city to investigate the situation inside Zhouzhou.
He had lingered around Lin Qiao for a long time. Finally, Lin Qiao kissed him, and only then did Luo Nanchen reluctantly set off.
Lin Qiao watched Luo Nanchen leave with her own eyes before following the maid into this mansion.
The voice came slowly, as if teasing Lin Qiao. "Xiaolin, long time no see."