Chapter 8. It's time to let go.

On the drawing paper, Lu Cang's smiling face stood out starkly against the deep twilight.

Lu Yuan's gaze slowly rose from the self-portrait, finally settling on Ming Wu's face. He was exceptionally handsome, with eyebrows and eyes as sharp as if carved by a knife.

What was once breathtakingly handsome now only sends chills down one's spine.

Those unfathomable phoenix eyes seemed to hold the promise of an impending storm.

The surroundings were deathly silent, except for the rustling of the wind through the leaves, which sounded exceptionally clear in the stagnant air.

"Prime Minister...Prime Minister...this painting..."

Chunnan was so frightened that she fell to her knees with a thud, her voice trembling uncontrollably.

Lu Yuan swept a cold glance over him, and Chun Nan, like a bird with its throat choked on a branch, suddenly fell silent, leaving only suppressed sobs of fear.

He said nothing, but simply gazed at Mingwu silently and intently.

Without uttering a single word, the invisible pressure was more suffocating than a thunderous rage.

Mingwu's throat tightened, and her heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand. It stopped beating abruptly, then began pounding wildly again, almost shattering her sternum.

Lu Yuan took a step, his black official boots treading on the still-wet cobblestones, making a faint, sticky sound. The sound was amplified infinitely in the deathly silence.

Every step he took was a nerve-wracking experience for everyone.

The air seemed to be compressed together, so heavy it looked like it was about to drip water.

Chunnan trembled and lowered her body, not daring to breathe.

Mingwu knew he was angry.

Her lips moved silently a few times; she wanted to say that the painting wasn't hers, but that Song Yuxuan had dropped it...

But the words caught in my throat.

Song Yuxuan is still unmarried. If the secret portrait of a man she possesses were to be leaked, her reputation would be completely ruined.

Mingwu knew all too well what it felt like to be gnawed to the bone by those rumors and gossip.

Those lurking spyings and those open contempts are like poisoned needles, piercing the body until it is completely wounded.

She couldn't bear to see such a vibrant and bright girl ultimately drowned in public scorn and nailed to the pillar of moral shame because of this incident, losing all her luster.

In this world, it is already difficult for women to live.

Moreover, Song Yuxuan was one of the few people who genuinely treated her after she married into the Prime Minister's mansion. Having grown up neglected and unloved by her parents, Mingwu cherished every small act of kindness.

And... even if she tells the truth, will Lu Yuan believe her?

Mingwu's silence was undoubtedly interpreted by Lu Yuan as tacit agreement.

A faint, cold smile curved his lips, the smile not reaching his eyes, yet it instantly lowered the temperature around him to freezing.

The leaden-gray clouds hung low, heavy overhead.

The sunlight was completely swallowed up, leaving only a sickly pale white layer that leaked through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the roof tiles with a cold, glazed blue hue.

It's going to rain.

"Heh." A very soft chuckle. "Madam is quite... concerned about my third brother."

"I don't!"

Mingwu's eyes instantly turned red, and tears welled up uncontrollably, stubbornly refusing to fall.

"Nothing?" Lu Yuan took a step closer.

His towering figure, imposing like a mountain, completely engulfed her in deep shadow, cutting off the last ray of light from the outside world.

The cool, ebony scent emanating from him now felt icy and bone-chilling.

It carries a chilling aggressiveness.

He suddenly raised his hand, his cold fingertips pinching Mingwu's delicate chin, forcing her to tilt her face up.

She met his deep, abyss-like eyes, where a fleeting, blood-red glint seemed to flash in the darkness.

"Did you not meet him privately? Or did you... not have any improper thoughts about him?"

Mingwu's already pale face became even more bloodless. She trembled violently, like a candle flickering in the wind, and almost couldn't stand up.

How could he... say such a thing about her?

Did he not notice even a fraction of her feelings for him during their days and nights after their marriage? Or was he simply...?

They just don't care at all?

Based on just a portrait, he's going to pin such a terrible crime on her!

That's right, his sweetheart has entered the household. Naturally, he has to pave the way for her. This merchant's daughter, who has taken the title of his wife, has become an obstacle he can't wait to eliminate.

Mingwu trembled all over from the pain, but she still gritted her teeth and stubbornly refused to utter a sound.

She tried her best to hold back the surging tears, but the water in her eyes kept thickening, blurring her vision.

It also blurred his cold, aloof features.

“Prime Minister… how can you slander me like this? I married into the Prime Minister’s household, so I am your person. How could I… how could I have any other thoughts?”

"Is it that you dare not, or that you don't want to?"

Lu Yuan's rough fingertips rubbed heavily against Ming Wu's delicate chin.

The force was so great it almost left bruises, carrying an irresistible strength, leaving glaring red marks on her snow-white skin.

Mingwu lowered her eyes, trembling.

A tear finally rolled down his cheek and landed heavily on the back of Lu Yuan's hand. The scorching heat made his fingertips curl up almost imperceptibly.

A fierce undercurrent surged within his dark eyes. After a few breaths, they returned to a calm, still state.

Lu Yuan released his hand.

"Remember your place. Help the lady back." The last sentence was spoken to Chunnan, who was kneeling.

Chun Nan felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She hurriedly got up and helped Ming Wu leave.

Lu Yuan glanced sideways at a wisp of moon-white robe peeking out from behind the lush green bushes not far away, his eyes churning with unspoken emotions.

As he left, his official boots inadvertently stepped on the drawing paper on the ground, and the footprint landed squarely on the face of the person in the drawing. That handsome face was instantly covered in mud.

It's completely unrecognizable.

Only after Lu Yuan's figure disappeared from sight did Lu Cang emerge from behind the bushes.

He picked up the portrait from the ground, which had been trampled into the mud.

His pupils contracted slightly, and his heart pounded uncontrollably.

When he arrived, he witnessed Lu Yuan approaching Ming Wu step by step. He also gleaned the reason for the argument from those few words.

My elder brother is extremely possessive and cannot tolerate the slightest flaw; he should have destroyed the drawing.

But somehow he hid it in his clothes.

It's like hiding a delusional thought that shouldn't exist.

-

Back at the courtyard, Mingwu sat quietly by the window, holding the embroidered sachet for the four seasons. Suddenly, she picked up a pair of scissors, as if to cut it.

Chunnan was startled and quickly reached out to stop him.

"Madam, this is something you've spent half a year painstakingly embroidering."

The seasonal flowers on the sachet were all designs that Mingwu had searched for among the great calligraphers in Lin'an to create. She carefully copied each stroke, and only began to draw them after confirming that they were correct.

After seeing Chunnan's entry, Mingwu lost the urge to cut any more, as it represented a significant investment of her time and effort. She remained silent for a long while before finally putting down the scissors.

"Madam, please don't blame the Prime Minister for his anger. Any man who witnessed that scene would likely have had his doubts. Perhaps... you could explain things to the Prime Minister later?"

Mingwu shook her head: "No need, he won't believe it."

"Madam, please hit me. It's all my fault."

If she had been quicker to put the drawing away, the Prime Minister wouldn't have seen it, thus avoiding this unnecessary misunderstanding.

"It's not your fault."

He didn't believe her.

-

As evening approached, Chunnan brought in a bowl of medicine: "Madam, it's time to take your medicine."

Mingwu frowned subconsciously: "My foot is healed."

“Madam, this is not medicine, but ginseng soup. The steward just sent someone to deliver it, saying that the Prime Minister ordered it to nourish your body.”

Mingwu's eyelashes trembled slightly.

Is he slapping me and then giving me a sweet treat?

Chunnan beamed with joy: "The Prime Minister was so angry, yet he still sent someone to deliver ginseng soup. It's clear that the Prime Minister is thinking of his wife."

Mingwu took the medicine bowl and looked down at the brown ginseng soup inside the white porcelain bowl, which was gently rippling.

“This servant knows that Madam is not happy. But now that the woman from Lan Courtyard has already entered the inner quarters, if Madam and the Prime Minister were to have further discord, wouldn’t that be playing right into her hands?”

“This servant is uneducated and does not understand grand principles. This servant only knows that if Madam and the Prime Minister miss each other, Madam will be heartbroken. This servant does not want to see Madam heartbroken.”

Mingwu flicked her fingertips, causing the ginseng soup to sway slightly, with a few strands overflowing from the rim of the white porcelain bowl, leaving a faint brownish stain on the bowl.

Chunnan exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly took the medicine bowl from Mingwu's hand, placing it on the table. She then took a dry towel and wiped Mingwu's fingertips, which were stained with some medicine.

"It was my fault, Madam..." Chun Nan said, about to kneel down.

Mingwu helped her up.

No, you're absolutely right.

From childhood to adulthood, she had always passively accepted things and never dared to fight for what she wanted. This time, she wanted to fight for it one last time.

If he is still... at least she tried her best, and she won't have any regrets in the future.

Mingwu went to the small kitchen herself and made some plum blossom cakes that he liked to eat.

There are no plum blossoms at this time of year. These petals were picked by her last year in the freezing cold and sealed in a jar to preserve until now.

As I went out, a light drizzle began to fall.

The rain in early spring comes quietly, unlike the torrential rain of summer or the biting cold of winter. It simply falls in a fine, dense drizzle.

Mingwu, holding a wooden oil-paper umbrella and carrying a food box, walked towards the east courtyard. The bluestone pavement was wet from the rain, making it sticky and slippery underfoot.

On the bare branches of the peach tree, tiny dark red buds have appeared, like congealed scabs, stubbornly clinging to the withered branches.

As soon as the wind blew, the buds began to tremble.

When they arrived at the East Courtyard, they were stopped by the guards at the gate.

"The Prime Minister has ordered that no unauthorized persons are allowed to enter."

Chunnan was furious: "What do you mean 'unrelated people'? Open your eyes and see clearly, this is Madam!"

The guard glanced at Mingwu but remained unmoved.

Clearly, in his view, the lady was also irrelevant.

Mingwu felt a tightness in her chest, and a sour taste welled up in her throat, instantly overshadowing the sweetness of the plum blossom cake that lingered on her tongue.

She pulled Chunnan back from arguing further and spoke gently to the guard.

"These are some snacks; please pass them on to the Prime Minister."

The guard took the food box and hurried into the courtyard.

The rain gradually intensified.

Raindrops pounded on the roof, making a dull thud.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the guard came out and handed the empty food box back to Chun Nan, his expression somewhat strange.

"The Prime Minister is busy, Madam, please return."

Mingwu nodded slightly, thanked the guard, and turned to leave.

Just as I turned the corner, I saw several old women gathered under the eaves, sharing a plate of snacks.

"Huh? Where did you get these pastries? And plum blossom cakes at that."

"The Prime Minister just gave us some, and everyone serving in the courtyard got a share. I managed to snag this plate of pastries. I heard from Guard Lin that it seems to have been sent by the Madam."

"Speaking of which, the lady is also pitiful."

"Indeed, who doesn't know that the Prime Minister's heart is set on that one? Now that she's entered the household, the Madam's future... sigh..."

Mingwu stopped abruptly as rainwater slid down the ribs of her umbrella, splashing tiny droplets on the bluestone slabs.

Those words were like a dull knife, slowly cutting away at the dignity she was trying so hard to maintain.

"lady......"

Chunnan hurriedly tried to help him up, but saw that her master's back was straight, and the lotus pattern painted on the umbrella was stained with dark watermarks in the rain.

The old women's expressions changed when they saw Mingwu. They stammered their greetings and hurriedly dispersed.

The sky had completely darkened, and the lanterns under the eaves in the distance had been lit, their faint lights swaying in the wind and rain, as if they might go out at any moment.

"Madam..." Chun Nan called out carefully again.

"Let's go back."

Perhaps there are some things that we should really let go of.

Mingwu's voice was so soft it almost disappeared into the rain. She took a step and realized her skirt was soaked, clinging heavily to her ankles.

The chill seeped into my bones, but it couldn't compare to the cold in my heart.

"Madam, it's the Prime Minister!" Chunnan excitedly tugged at Mingwu's sleeve. "The Prime Minister has come to see you, Madam."

Mingwu tightened her grip on the food box and looked in the direction of the sound.

Lu Yuan walked out of the courtyard with an umbrella. The lanterns under the eaves swayed in the wind, and the dim light and shadow fell on the lower half of his face, outlining his deep and cold features.