Chapter 17 She really isn't Yunxi

A large expanse of fair skin suddenly appeared before his eyes, and Xiao Shenjing was stunned.

In just a moment, he frowned and examined it carefully inch by inch.

In the warm golden light, the woman's skin looked as if it were coated with a layer of translucent white glaze.

Like a perfect piece of porcelain, without a single flaw.

Not a single scratch?

Xiao Shenjing's expression changed, and he remained silent for a long time.

"Young master, please spare my husband."

Zi Shu choked back tears as she spoke slowly, her thin back trembling like a leaf adrift in the wind.

"Get out!" Xiao Shenjing suddenly roared in fury.

Is she really not Yunxi?

What about Yunxi?

Where is Yunxi hiding now?

Zi Shu quickly buttoned up her clothes, hugged her soaked upper body with both hands, and walked out of the cabin without looking back.

She didn't breathe a sigh of relief until she stepped out of the cabin. Wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, she walked up behind a very tall man and said, "Brave man, your young master has agreed to release my husband. Please come with me to the prison."

The guard who was called a brave warrior quickly shook his head.

How could a mere guard like him manage such an important matter?

"But your young master has already agreed!" Seeing that no one was paying attention, Zi Shu held the handkerchief embroidered with locust flowers and began to sob. "Husband, what should I do?"

A weak and helpless voice was carried into the cabin by the wind.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering porcelain came from inside.

More than a dozen people were so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe.

"Young Master," only the bewildered Zi Shu sobbed, "You clearly already know I'm not the person you're looking for, yet..."

"Dao Er." Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Shenjing interrupted her, "Take her away!"

His demeanor was cold and ruthless, as if hearing her utter another word would instantly kill her.

Dao Er stared at the cabin, his expression surprised, and asked in a low voice, "You're really not Miss Yunxi?"

Zi Shu wiped away her tears and said softly, "I really don't know the person you're looking for."

Seeing her delicate, tearful appearance, Dao Er nodded. "You are indeed unlike Miss Yunxi. I have known her for so long, and I have never seen her cry."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Hurry up and take your men there." Dao Yi glared at him fiercely.

"That's obvious!" Dao Er muttered. "Tell me, would Miss Yunxi cry like this? She'd only beat others up like this!"

Dao Yi couldn't help but glance at Zi Shu, whose eyes were filled with tears, and couldn't find the words to refute her.

Zi Shu ignored their thoughts and was only worried about her husband's safety, urging, "My lord, please come with me to the prison now."

She changed to a handkerchief embroidered with lilacs and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

He followed Dao Er off the ship.

"Stop right there!" Just as Zi Shu was about to step onto the shore, Xiao Shenjing's voice suddenly rang out behind her.

Zi Shu's body jerked with fear, and she gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to walk away.

Seeing this, Xiao Shenjing behind him sneered.

Startled, Zi Shu immediately withdrew her toes and turned around.

She didn't dare to look at Xiao Shenjing, but just lowered her head, revealing a large portion of the back of her neck.

Obedient as a lamb.

They are cowardly and lack any integrity.

How could such a person be Yunxi?

Yunxi is rebellious by nature; if the heavens are unjust, she would even dare to tear a hole in the sky.

Xiao Shenjing threw the cloak in his hand onto Zi Shu.

He turned around, flicked his sleeve, and looked at the river.

"Thank you, young master." Zi Shu hesitated for only a moment before tying the cloak around her waist. After thanking him, she couldn't wait to disembark.

The moon-white Taoist robe was tossed about by the river, its hem fluttering like waves.

His figure was as tall and slender as a sharp sword, cutting through the sky.

He glanced at Zi Shu on the shore.

She walked anxiously into the crowd by the river, never once looking back.

"You also think she isn't Yunxi?" Xiao Shenjing suddenly asked.

It was incoherent, like someone talking to themselves.

Gu Wenqian walked out from the side, fanning himself, and glanced at the figure that was about to disappear into the crowd before slowly replying, "Miss Zishu seems to be made of water, so delicate that I feel sorry for her as she sways in the breeze, while Miss Yunxi is a heroine who wields a sword."

Vastly different.

"Pack your things, we'll set off tomorrow." Xiao Shenjing said this and turned to enter the cabin.

As if afraid that Xiao Shenjing would regret it, Zishu didn't even have time to go back and change her clothes.

As you walk, water drips from your feet.

Fortunately, it was summer, the sun was blazing, and she was dressed lightly. By the time she reached the county jail, her clothes were half-dry.

While Dao Er went in to bring people in, she kept pacing back and forth outside the gate.

He looked anxious and uneasy, as if he was afraid that something had happened to Xu Yuansi.

Fortunately, Dao Er came out with some familiar people shortly afterward.

The sunlight was too bright, and he couldn't adjust to it for a moment, so he covered his face with his hand.

Before he even saw Zishu, she had already rushed into his arms, crying, "Brother Xu!"

"Zi Shu!" Xu Yuansi's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately lowered his eyes to look at Zi Shu.

Seeing the worry on her face, he couldn't help but hug her tightly. "Zishu, I'm sorry for making you worry."

"No, I'm fine," Zi Shu shook her head repeatedly, wiping away her tears as she checked on Xu Yuansi's condition. "Brother Xu, are you injured? Have you been mistreated in prison?"

Looking at Zi Shu's current appearance, Dao Er couldn't help but wonder what Yun Xi looked like when she cried.

After thinking for a long time, all I could come up with was the scene of Yunxi chasing people around with her sword, causing chaos and confusion.

He couldn't help but shake his head, becoming even more certain that Zishu was not Yunxi.

Zi Shu is not Yun Xi.

Does that mean the real Yunxi is dead? After all, how could someone survive falling from such a high cliff?

Thinking of Yunxi's former energetic and lively days, climbing on the roof and tearing off tiles, Dao Er couldn't help but sigh.

Where in this world can you find a woman like Yunxi again?

On the way back, Zi Shu held Xu Yuan Si's hand tightly and refused to let go, as if she was afraid that he would leave her again.

The smile on Xu Yuansi's lips never faded.

It wasn't until halfway through the journey that they noticed Yunxi's straight-collared, front-opening brocade cape.

The cloak, with its base of brocade and its core of crimson gold, was clearly not a style that ordinary people could afford.

Just thinking about the man who imprisoned him, not to mention his clothes, even the guards following him were not ordinary people.

This cloak must be related to that man.

They fabricated a pretext to imprison him, but today they released him.

Could it be...?

Xu Yuansi's smile faded; she didn't want to think about it anymore.

He wanted to speak several times, but when he saw Zishu leaning against him, he could only shut his mouth in the end.

Zi Shu was clearly very happy.

He instructed the cook to prepare all of Xu Yuansi's favorite dishes.

Then he went back to his room to change his clothes.

When Xu Yuansi came out after taking a bath, he had changed into an indigo brocade robe, which made his handsome features stand out even more.

"Brother Xu, come quickly." Zi Shu was increasingly pleased with him and waved him over. "You must not be eating or sleeping well in prison. Come and eat something before you rest."

She had changed her clothes and taken off that unsightly cloak, and Xu Yuansi breathed a sigh of relief.

After sitting down, he picked up his chopsticks and placed a slice of beef on Yunxi's plate.

"Thank you, Brother Xu." Zi Shu smiled and said with a hint of complaint, "I don't know what's wrong with that young master, he insists on calling me Yun Xi."

Xu Yuansi paused in his act of adding food.

He was afraid she would overthink things and didn't want to ask, but he didn't expect her to bring it up herself, so he listened carefully.

"That Miss Yunxi doesn't seem to be able to swim. After I jumped in and swam a few laps, she realized I wasn't the person she was looking for, and that's when she let you go." In the carriage, Zishu had noticed Xu Yuansi's distraction.

She didn't intend to say anything else; what had already happened couldn't be changed, and talking about it would only add to her suffering. She just wanted to live a peaceful life.

"So that's how it is?" Xu Yuansi breathed a sigh of relief, completely at ease.

"Yes." Zi Shu nodded. "I just hope he leaves soon and never appears again."

Knowing that Zishu must have been unable to eat these past few days and that she still had to find a way to save her, Xu Yuansi felt even more distressed.

He put down his chopsticks, got up and walked to Zishu's side, embracing her in his arms. "You've suffered these past few days."

"Brother Xu, as long as you're alright, that's all that matters." Zi Shu leaned against him reassuringly.

Xu Yuansi simply sat down next to Zishu and fed her with chopsticks.

He wasn't the only one worried about Zi Shu; Zi Shu was too.

So he fed her, and she fed him.

At first, Xu Yuansi didn't think much of Yi Ni, but when he saw Zi Shu's small mouth slightly open and her pink tongue moving nimbly, he couldn't help but feel a surge of lust and his heart fluttered.

Then he thought that if it weren't for this man-made disaster, the two of them would have already consummated their marriage, and his thoughts became even more uncontrollable.

Zi Shu had no idea what Xu Yuansi was thinking. Seeing that his face was a little red, she asked in surprise, "Brother Xu, what's wrong with your face?"

After she finished speaking, puzzled, she exclaimed in surprise, "Did you catch a cold and have a high fever?"

As she spoke, she reached out to touch Xu Yuansi's forehead.

Xu Yuansi leaned back slightly and quickly said, "No, I'm not sick."

"Then your face?" Zi Shu remained suspicious and unconvinced.

He coughed lightly, and his eyes caught sight of the wine pot on the table.

"Zishu, things happened so suddenly that day that we didn't have a wedding ceremony. I really owe you something." He poured himself a full cup. "I will definitely make up for the wedding later. Today, I apologize with this wine."

"Brother Xu," he said, picking up the glass to drink, when a slender hand stopped him.

Zi Shu took the wine pot from his hand, picked up another upside-down wine cup on the table, and filled it herself.

She raised her wine glass and looked at Xu Yuansi, saying, "How could what happened be your fault? Even if we haven't had a wedding ceremony, I'm already your wife." As she said this, her cheeks flushed slightly. Holding her wine glass, she didn't dare to look at Xu Yuansi. "Today, let's drink a toast together, and that will complete the ceremony."

The cicadas chirped noisily, and the green locust trees outside the gauze drawer were lush. Sunlight filtered through the crackled window lattice, casting a thin, translucent peach-pink glaze on Zi Shu's face, making her look delicate and lively. Xu Yuansi was deeply moved by her beauty, so how could he bear to refuse her?

The two drank the nuptial wine while gazing at each other.

Unable to contain his emotions, he pulled her into his arms again. "Zishu, I, Xu Yuansi, will take good care of you for the rest of my life and will never let you suffer the slightest grievance."

"I believe you, Brother Xu." She buried her face in his arms.

Her shy demeanor made Xu Yuansi want to tease her, "You've already drunk the nuptial wine, why are you still calling me Brother Xu?"

"My husband"

Xu Yuansi's heart trembled, and he tightened his grip on her wrist, saying, "My wife."

Newlyweds, deeply in love, naturally have endless things to talk about and wish they could be together every single day.

But summer heat eventually wears people down, and Zishu, who was enjoying the cool air in the backyard, unknowingly fell asleep.

Xu Yuansi, who was about to pick her up, paused and couldn't help but move closer and closer.

Until his lips landed on her porcelain-white face.

The young man's eyelashes trembled slightly, and they parted after a fleeting touch.

He seemed to feel some remorse for his frivolous and dissolute behavior, yet he couldn't resist the satisfaction of having his beloved in his arms.

Finally, with a smile, he carried Zishu into the room.

They moved with utmost care, as if handling a precious treasure.

I took off her embroidered shoes and covered her with a thin quilt.

After setting down the wooden hook and mosquito net, Xu Yuansi quietly left.

The wooden door was slightly ajar.

The room was mostly dark.

Zi Shu slowly opened her eyes inside the light mosquito net, and couldn't help but reach out and touch her cheek, as if the soft coolness still lingered there.

An irrepressible smile crept up to the corners of his eyes and brows.

Little did they know that someone on the roof beam had witnessed the entire scene.