Chapter 52 Knowing Water

"Then give it to my second brother!" Xie Wuqi suddenly pointed at his half-brother who was watching the fun, "Isn't he shouting every day that he wants to be a general?" The young man hiding behind Aunt Zhang shrank his neck in fear.

Madam Xie suddenly tumbled to her knees and said, "Master! Wuqi was coughing up blood last night." Before she could finish her words, General Xie had already turned around and said, "A loving mother often spoils her son!"

These words were like a red-hot iron stabbing into Xie Wuqi's heart. He grabbed his mother and turned away, his official boots treading over the broken porcelain on the ground, making a crunching sound like chewing bones.

Aunt Zhang exclaimed at the right time: "Oh, Madam Xie's pearls." The South China Pearls rolling all over the ground shone coldly under the sun, just like Madam Xie's broken dignity.

"Stop!" General Xie roared, "Once you leave this door, don't even think about coming back!"

Xie Wuqi suddenly stopped.

Mrs. Xie couldn't hold back and bumped into his back. She saw her son take out a brass token from his arms. The seal of Prince Duan's Mansion made her eyes go black.

"My mistake was taking you too seriously." Xie Wuqi rubbed the indentation on the token with his thumb. "Prince Duan extended an olive branch last month. You taught me that a wise bird chooses the right tree to roost in."

He deliberately raised his voice and said, "This useless boy who is neither good at literature nor martial arts will not bother you anymore!"

"Wuqi!" Mrs. Xie chased out of the courtyard with her skirt lifted up, not even bothering to pick up the pearl hairpin that fell.

Xie Wuqi walked very fast, and his black cloak fluttered in the wind like a torn battle flag.

At the second doorway, his mother finally grabbed his sleeve.

Mrs. Xie was panting so hard she couldn't speak. Her embroidered satin handkerchief was crumpled into a ball. "Mother... Mother saved this for you..."

"Can't you see clearly?" Xie Wuqi pried open his mother's hands, revealing the bruises on her wrists. "Dad has been bewitched by those vixen!" He suddenly caught a glimpse of the silver hair on his mother's temples, and his throat choked.

"No! Without your father, you won't be able to take a single step forward!" Mrs. Xie shook her head desperately.

Xie Wuqi suddenly snapped the jade pendant from his waist and said, "If you stop me, mother, I will pretend that I never gave birth to this son!"

The mutton-fat jade fell on the bluestone slab and broke into three petals, startling the sparrows on the treetops and sending them flying in panic.

Xie Wuqi's brows knitted together, and he grabbed Madam Xie's sleeve. "Mother, what on earth did you do? Father just slammed the table in the study, saying that you set up Sister Wu Yu! What does this have to do with Miss Luo?"

Before she finished speaking, a chaotic sound of footsteps could be heard from the end of the corridor. Four servants came panting and ran after them. The leader bowed and said, "Madam, the master has ordered you to return to Bitong Garden immediately."

"How dare you!" Madam Xie pushed her son away, the pearl tassels on her gold hairpins rustling. "After I finish handling the household affairs with the young master, I will return to Bitong Garden to be punished. Is it your turn to come and demand my death?" The old women were swept by her glance and retreated to the pillars with their necks shrank and stood with their hands hanging down.

Seeing them retreat, Madam Xie dragged Xie Wuqi behind the rockery, her nails almost digging into her son's flesh. "It's all that little bitch Liu Yueli's fault! She instigated me to set up a scheme at your father's birthday banquet, saying that if Xie Wuyu could be convicted of having an affair with a man outside her family, Concubine Zhang would definitely fall from grace!"

Xie Wuqi pulled his hand back abruptly, leaving a half-shoe print on the bluestone brick. "Impossible! Yueli is the softest of hearts. She almost cried when she saw the little bird's wings broken the other day. How could she be like this?"

"Do you think she's the reincarnation of a bodhisattva?" Madam Xie slammed the white marble railing in anger. "I originally thought I'd make her a concubine after the deed was done, but now it seems this vicious woman is clearly trying to doom us, mother and son! Think about it carefully, wasn't there something strange about her falling into the water last time?"

The spring breeze blew willow catkins against his face, and Xie Wuqi suddenly remembered March 3rd. By the Qujiang Lake, Liu Yueli's embroidered shoes had clearly slid down towards the thickest part of the moss. Luo Zhaohan was closest at the time, and he plunged into the water. Unexpectedly, Liu Yueli clung to her like an octopus, nearly sinking them both to the bottom.

"When I rescued her that day..." Xie Wuqi's Adam's apple rolled, "She really did hold my neck tightly, choking me..."

"My silly son!" Mrs. Xie shook out a piece of letter from her sleeve. The wax seal had long been torn off. "I cut this off the other day. Look at the handwriting. Isn't it exactly the same as the 'Thank You Letter'?"

The yellowed letter was covered in small calligraphy with flowery characters, and it began with "Qilang's personal letter." When Xie Wuqi read the line "After the matter is completed, I will sweep the bed to welcome you," her ears suddenly burned, and Liu Yueli's shy face appeared before her eyes.

"You're so good at pretending!" Madam Xie snatched the letter and crumpled it up. "That girl named Chun Xing from Concubine Zhang's courtyard stuffed Xie Wu Yu's handkerchief into the guard room because she accepted Liu Yue Li's jade bracelet. Now they've been caught red-handed, and your father is interrogating her in the front hall!"

Drops of water seeping from the fake cave hit the back of Xie Wuqi's neck, making him shudder. In the distance, the muffled sound of family discipline hitting flesh could be heard, mixed with the hoarse cries of a young girl. It must be Xie Wuqi being tortured.

"And Luo Zhaohan." Madam Xie suddenly lowered her voice. "I saw her with my own eyes coming out of Concubine Zhang's courtyard, her arms bulging with things. In my opinion, breaking off the engagement was the right decision. I don't know when this girl got in touch with that side."

Xie Wuqi's mind buzzed. That day, when Luo Zhaohan came to break off the engagement, he had indeed brought a red sandalwood box. At the time, his mind was so preoccupied with Liu Yueli's tears of grievance that he hadn't noticed the emblem of Concubine Zhang engraved on the corner of the box.

"Master, this is the third time the master is urging us." The maids poked their heads out tremblingly.

Madam Xie adjusted her crooked headband and suddenly grabbed her son's wrist. "Remember what I said, Liu Yueli is a beautiful snake! Go to the western suburbs camp and do your job well. I'll stay in this mansion..." She paused, a cold smile forming at the corner of her mouth. "As long as I'm still the mistress, Xie Wuchen will never get ahead of you!"

Dusk spread over the eaves. Madam Xie walked towards the depth of the corridor with her back straight, and the hem of her pomegranate-red skirt swept across the lingering water stains on the blue bricks.

Xie Wuqi looked at his mother's back and suddenly found a few silver threads in her hair.

…

As dusk fell, Xie Wuqi staggered out of the threshold of Wuwei General's Mansion.

He leaned against the vermilion door frame to calm himself down. The hem of his clothes was stained with the tea that had just been spilled on him. The night wind blew it in, and the chill penetrated deep into his bones.

Three hours ago, he had just changed out of his silver armor for duty.

The bronze mirror reflected the young man's high-spirited features, and he thought that today he would finally be able to move back to the general's residence. Unexpectedly, his father threw the teacup at his feet in front of everyone in the room: "Since you are so capable, you should stay out here until you figure it out!"

And Yueli...

Xie Wuqi's Adam's apple rolled as the scene by the lotus pond resurfaced before his eyes. That day, he was on duty and passed by, and he clearly heard Yue Li's panicked cry for help.

His black hair was disheveled in the green waves, and his lilac-colored shirt was rippling. He jumped into the water without even taking off his armor.

The person in his arms was shivering, his soaked clothes clinging to his chest. He dragged and carried him ashore until he heard a splash on the water.

It was Luo Zhaohan struggling in the center of the pool!

Later, Yue Li explained tearfully that she was so frightened that she forgot to call for help.

When Zhao Han choked on the water, she comforted her, "Don't be afraid, sister." Now that I think about it... if it's true as her mother said, Yue Li is naturally good at swimming...

"Gee!" Xie Wuqi gave his horse a hard shove. Normally at this time, he would be heading to the East City Villa.

But tonight, looking at the official roads that stretched in all directions, I didn't know where to go. The black-maned horse seemed to sense its master's mood. It took two quick steps, circled in place, and finally galloped towards the night outside the city.

…

In the west wing of General Fuyuan's Mansion, the candlelight illuminated the window screen.

"Young lady, look!" Chunxi came in holding a bulging envelope, the pearl flowers in her hair jingling with her steps. "It's from Concubine Zhang. It's seven or eight pages long."

Luo Zhaohan opened the sealed wax letter, and the smile on his lips deepened the more he read. The letter said that Madam Xie had been stripped of her power as head of the household, and General Xie had ordered Xie Wuqi to "reflect on his mistakes" while away from home, and even his monthly allowance had been cut off.

"It's done." She held the letter close to the candlelight, watching the flames lick the ink. "Chunxi, come with me to the Imperial College tomorrow."

The little maidservant was packing her dressing box. When she heard this, her eyes widened: "You want to send food to the young master? You just sent him some Poria cocos cake the day before yesterday."

"Send me some knee-length coats." Luo Zhaohan took out an indigo bundle from a box. "Jin Ce kneels every morning while studying at the Imperial College. I'm afraid his knees can't bear it." He stuffed two more pairs in the box. "It's always good to have more."

Chunxi looked at the bundle that had bulged like a mountain, and after trying to contain herself, she finally spoke: "Miss, there are already twelve of them."

"What do you know." Luo Zhaohan paused with her fingers tying the bundle, "There are many classmates in the Imperial College, it would be good to share some of them." In fact, she knew it very well - she still remembered the envious look in Jin Ce's eyes when she wrote in the letter some time ago that Miss Xie Wuyu of the Xie family gave her brother a knee-length shirt.

The candle wick crackled and burst. Luo Zhaohan leaned against the soft pillow and thought: Xie Wuqi is now trapped both internally and externally, and must be at his wit's end. In his previous life, it was at this juncture that he hooked up with the Third Prince and rose to prominence thanks to his success.

Counting the days, the eldest princess’s welcoming banquet will be held in ten days!

She turned over, and the quilt rustled.

Xie Wuqi showed up at the welcoming banquet and since then he has been favored by nobles.

"I have to find a way to sneak in," Luo Zhaohan muttered, staring at the tassels hanging from the tent ceiling. His fingertips unconsciously twisted the corner of the quilt.

The sound of night watchmen was heard outside the window, and Chunxi came in quietly to add some incense.

When the scent of agarwood spread, Luo Zhaohan had already made up his mind.

As the night deepened, Xie Wuqi was still speeding along the official road.

The cold moon stretched the figure out long, and the sound of horse hooves startled the birds in the forest. He suddenly pulled the reins, and the black horse raised its front hooves and stopped just before a cliff.

The roar of the river below the cliff was very much like his surging emotions at the moment.

Liu Yueli's gentle and considerate look was alternately accompanied by her mother's cold and stern questioning: "When that girl fell into the water, the Liu family girl's feet were clearly treading water!"

"Impossible!" Xie Wuqi punched the tree trunk, sending dead leaves scattering across the ground. But a voice in his heart wondered: If she really could swim, why did she pretend to be drowning? Why did she forget that Luo Zhaohan was still in the water?

As the night deepened and the dew thickened, he untied the wine pouch from his waist and took a swig. The acrid liquid went down his throat, but it couldn't quench the burning in his heart.

The howling of wolves was heard in the distance. The young general mounted his horse and finally turned back towards the city where the lights were dimly lit.

Meanwhile, in the west wing of General Fuyuan's mansion, Chunxi was worrying about the mountain of bags: "Miss, do you really need to bring so many tomorrow? I'm afraid the carriage won't have enough space."

"If you can't put it down, just hold it." Luo Zhaohan took off the hairpin in front of the bronze mirror, "My classmates Jin Ce are all from noble families, we can't let people look down on us." The girl in the mirror had curved eyebrows and eyes, and she didn't look sick at all.

The clepsydra struck midnight and the whole city fell into a deep sleep.

Only the sound of the night watchman's clapper shattered someone's dream.

…

The morning mist had not yet dissipated when Luo Zhaohan, wrapped in a silver fox fur cloak and holding a green cloth bundle in his arms, got into the carriage.

Chunxi followed behind, holding a hand warmer, muttering, "Miss, why did you have to go so early? The morning classes at the Imperial College haven't ended yet."

"You're the only one who talks too much." Luo Zhaohan lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the steaming pancakes on the street. "I'll buy you some candied chestnuts when we pass by the East Market later."

The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, and in the main hall of the Imperial College on the other side, a copper stove was smoking with agarwood.

Luo Jince held the wolf-hair brush in his hand, his eyes fixed on Pei Ji in the front row.

The man sat upright beside Mr. Chu, his dark official uniform making his features look picturesque. Even the way he turned the pages of a book looked like he was reviewing memorials.

“Pah—”

The ink dripped onto the rice paper, leaving a black blob.

Ye Yiheng nudged him with his elbow and lowered his voice: "Have you been seduced today?"

Luo Jince was about to speak when Elder Chu suddenly closed his copy of the Spring and Autumn Annals and tapped the table with his fingers, like dry branches. "It's already three quarters past midnight. Everyone, go back and copy the Li Yun Chapter ten times."

The whole room was filled with the sound of people getting up, but Luo Jince seemed to be nailed to the cushion.

Ye Yiheng packed up his inkstone and turned around to see that he was still in a daze. He reached out and tugged at his sleeve, "Let's go. Didn't we agree to go to Fanlou for a feast?"

"You go first." Luo Jince suddenly jumped up and rushed to Pei Ji in two steps. "Master Pei, please stay!"

Sun Honglei, who was about to step out of the door, suddenly stopped. Several of his followers were unable to stop in time and fell into a pile.

A young man in a bamboo green robe leaned close to his ear and said, "I heard that the Dali Temple sealed off Zuixianlou yesterday."

Sun Honglei's face suddenly changed and he walked out.

A few gray sparrows were startled from the corridor and flew over the gargoyles on the roof of the hip-and-gabled hall.

In the blink of an eye, the school was mostly empty. Old Chu slowly stroked his white beard, his eyes flickering between Luo Jince and Pei Ji.

Pei Ji lowered his eyes and sorted out his bookcase. His jade ring knocked against the rosewood with a "click" sound.

"Ahem, I need to go to the library to find a copy..." Old Chu suddenly stood up and stretched out his hand to pinch Luo Jince's shoulder as he passed by him. "Good boy, you have the same temper as your father when he was young."

Pei Ji coughed lightly, and Old Chu withdrew his hand awkwardly, muttering to himself as he walked out.

Sunlight filtered in through the carved window lattices, making the gold-painted cloud patterns on the table flicker.

"Master Pei." Luo Jince took a deep breath and pulled out an oil-paper bag from his sleeve. "This is the Poria cocos cake my sister made."

"Master Luo." Pei Ji took a half step back, his eyes sweeping across the swaying tree shadows outside the window, "Your sister's craftsmanship should not be given to others easily."

Luo Jince was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks, and simply went all out: "What do you think about Prince Duan's matchmaking?" Before he finished speaking, a dead branch broke outside the window with a "crack".

Pei Ji turned suddenly, his black cape blowing in a cold breeze. He stared into the boy's bright eyes, his Adam's apple moving. "Who told you that?"

"That day when Prince Duan's mansion sent out New Year's gifts, I hid behind the screen..." Luo Jince suddenly remembered his sister's warning look and trailed off, "Don't be angry, I just felt..."

"Master Luo," Pei Ji interrupted, tapping his knuckles on the clasp of his bookcase. "A girl's reputation cannot withstand even the slightest speculation." He walked towards the door, his black boots making a dull sound as they stepped on the blue bricks. "I, Pei, will pretend I didn't hear what you said today."