Chapter 25: A Moment of Indulgence, A Moment of Restraint

When Jiang Yinyue woke up early in the morning, she was startled to find that a section of the roof of the east wing had collapsed, and a wisp of morning breeze was sneaking in through the crack.

Originally going the same way as her husband, Jiang Xiaoniang stood with her hands on her hips under the crack, taking on the responsibilities of the head of the household, "I need to find a tiler to repair the roof, you go and get on the job."

My husband, father-in-law, and elder brother-in-law all need to be on duty and can't be late. Uncle Song, who serves as both a doorman and housekeeper, isn't a craftsman and can't do delicate work, so we have to find a bricklayer outside.

Having changed into his official robes, Wei Qin glanced at her sideways. "Over there with Qi Bao?"

"Go over later, it's fine."

After seeing her husband and two elders off, Jiang Yinyue took Dujuan to the market and found a bricklayer, a young man.

"Don't worry, young mistress, leave this to me. I'll make sure it's as good as new."

The young man climbed onto the roof, quickly plugged the crack, and replaced the film.

She's quick and efficient, but she's also a chatterbox.

"I used to be a long-term worker in the household of Manager Xie of the jade shop. Later, Manager Xie sold the house and lived in the shop, so I had to find another way to make a living."

"Manager Xie?"

"Yes, he's known as Old Xie with the hunchback."

Jiang Yin arrived in Yangzhou at the beginning of the month and had never heard of this person before. Upon hearing this, he simply smiled.

**

Early in the morning, the chirping of birds and the twittering of swallows created a lively scene, attracting Qi Bao to peer out the window.

Wei Xichen, having fastened the jade belt, went over and checked its wound, confirming that it was unharmed.

Today, Wei Xichen is to have a private conversation with an old salt merchant who is quite senior but has lost a lot of business to his peers because he dislikes networking. Perhaps he can get some new clues. Wei Xichen attaches great importance to this.

The two last met at the old salt merchant's home. The old man had caught a cold and was bedridden.

Wei Xichen couldn't help but think of his maternal grandfather, who had caught a cold that had been difficult to cure and whose health had deteriorated significantly.

The pillar of the Dong family cannot be allowed to collapse, but apart from the Crown Prince's side, the other forces in the court are probably waiting for this Grand Secretary Dong, who is second only to the emperor, to step down from his position as chief minister.

Wei Xichen extended his hand, letting Qi Bao lick his palm as she leaned in.

Are you waiting for her?

Qi Bao stayed close to Wei Xichen, relying on him most when Jiang Yinyue wasn't around. This morning, Jiang Yinyue didn't arrive as expected, nor did she send a message.

Wei Xichen was still bothered by the phrase "Your Highness, please have some self-respect" and did not send anyone to inquire about it.

He sat on the embroidered stool, waiting with Qi Bao for someone.

When the man arrived, his expression remained indifferent. He patted Qi Bao, got up to wash his hands, and left silently.

Jiang Yinyue, who brushed past him, was a little confused. Was this person sulking?

His capacity for tolerance is getting smaller and smaller.

Too lazy to speculate, Jiang Yinyue hugged Qibao and apologized, "I'm late today, are you angry?"

Qi Bao grabbed her skirt and pulled her away.

I'm about to go stir-crazy from being cooped up indoors.

Jiang Yinyue led Qibao down the second floor and happened to run into Yan Zhuyi, who had come to pay her respects.

Qi Bao wiggled her big butt and walked to the other side of the passageway, not forgetting to whimper twice to urge her master on.

Jiang Yinyue and Yan Zhuyi ignored each other; one went to the small courtyard with Qibao, while the other watched the Crown Prince's carriage disappear into the distance.

Since the elderly salt merchant was recovering from a serious illness, he should not drink alcohol, so Wei Xichen chose a quiet and elegant teahouse as the meeting place.

Originally, the crown prince didn't need to do this. His sincerity surprised and flattered the old salt merchant, who was already prepared to fight to the death, and he opened up.

"Therefore, in the past three years, the Salt Transport Office has handed over some of the sales rights to salt merchants outside the official business. These people have risen rapidly, and some have already become market merchants or general merchants."

"Exactly."

According to the laws of Da'an, only salt merchants registered in the "Shang Gang" were qualified to practice, and local salt transport offices were required to strictly enforce this rule.

The wisps of tea steam swirled around Wei Xichen as he looked out the half-open window.

The bustling traffic outside the window painted the scene with streaks of light, which converged in the man's gentle amber eyes, condensing into icy threads.

After Yan Hongchang took office, he authorized all the things that the previous salt commissioner dared not do.

Wei Xichen suddenly smiled, "You should know that Yan Hongchang's daughter is my concubine."

A pointed remark elicited a raised tone from the old salt merchant: "Your Highness is first and foremost the sovereign, then the son-in-law. I believe Your Highness knows the weight of this matter."

He then added, "Besides, Your Highness is not Yan Hongchang's son-in-law."

The businessman, who had been ostracized and targeted by Yan Hongchang for three whole years, was full of grievances and dissatisfaction. His words were sarcastic and mocking.

Wei Xichen also grasped the psychology of the old salt merchants, cutting into the cracks in the conflict between salt merchants and salt officials, hitting the nail on the head, and achieving twice the result with half the effort.

Now all that's missing is concrete evidence to identify Yan Hongchang, which can be obtained from that group of merchants and general managers.

Initially, the Grand Secretary and the Empress joined forces to shatter Yan Zhuyi's dream of rising to prominence, and then gave her a slap followed by a sweet treat, promoting a lowly eighth-rank official to Salt Commissioner. However, Yan Hongchang was ultimately incompetent and, for the sake of immediate gains, engaged in rampant corruption, causing such a huge mess in just three years.

This is also why Wei Xichen was unwilling to meet with Yan Hongchang privately.

Sooner or later, things will fall apart.

**

Around noon, Manager Xie, who had just finished negotiating a big deal, leisurely returned to his shop. Just as he was about to reward his employees, he was startled by the appearance of his master and servants in the shop.

"Oh, what a rare guest! Come, quickly serve tea to Lady Liangdi."

Sitting in the rosewood chair, Yan Zhuyi's face turned cold, clearly indicating that she had come to interrogate him. "South Sea pearls are priceless, why haven't I heard Manager Xie mention them?"

It made her lose face in front of the guests.

"You managers conspired to avoid mentioning South Sea pearls at all, didn't you?"

Shopkeeper Xie laughed until his eyes disappeared. "South Sea pearls are in demand but priceless, a rare find. They only whet the appetites of wealthy customers. Why bother if they can't have them?"

"No merchant is honest; they are all cunning and flattering."

"Your Majesty's words are..."

"Cold letter".

Manager Xie's heart leaped into his throat as he watched the demon-like warrior approach him. Leaning on his cane, he took a step back, his face all smiles. Just as his heel touched the threshold, he leaped out and slipped away.

Han Jian chased after him.

The two men, several feet apart, weaved through the crowd one after the other. The hunchbacked man with the cane moved with incredible speed, almost as if he were about to throw away his cane.

Running into an alley, the man turned around and shouted, "Yan Liangdi doesn't treat you like a human being, so why are you so loyal to her? Why not come with me? I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury."

Han Jian remained silent, relentlessly pursuing Xie Zhanggui. Suddenly, he stepped onto a section of the wall, leaped away, and kicked Xie Zhanggui in the calf.

Manager Xie lay on the ground, hissed, rubbed his calf and got up. Just as he was about to angrily berate the other party, an iron fist came crashing down on him.

It hits the face directly.

With a "bang," loose soil rose up all around.

Han Jian stepped back, her feet moving uncontrollably.

After catching the heavy punch, Manager Xie threw away his cane, put his hands behind his back, straightened his back, and said, "Kid, you've dislocated your finger. You need to see a doctor right away."

Han Jian clenched her aching right hand and stared coldly at the person opposite her, as if she were looking at a fox that had cultivated itself into a spirit. The other person's palm strength was not like that of a middle-aged man. "The shopkeeper is hiding his true strength."

"You flatter me. Go see a doctor quickly, or you'll have to rest for a long time and become worthless to the Empress."

A dislocated shoulder is no small matter and cannot be delayed. If the sparring continues, the right hand may be crippled. Han Jian turned around with a cold face and endured the pain to set his own bone.

When the alleys returned to calm, Manager Xie, who had stayed behind, clenched his left hand, wincing in pain. He cursed as he went to a nearby clinic and found a doctor he knew.

"Old Zhao, set the bones."

"Shopkeeper, please wait a moment."

While examining the woman's pulse, Dr. Zhao asked, "How did this happen?"

"I ran into a brute."

Manager Xie bypassed Miao Die, the maid who was accompanying her young mistress for her follow-up appointment, and sat down on the other side of the examination table. She glanced unintentionally at the pale-faced woman, then leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to regulate her breathing.

Wei Ying glanced over furtively, then quickly looked away. When it came to recklessness, this person was second to none.

There were women in the consultation room, and he walked in casually without any attempt to avoid suspicion.

Miao Die bent down and whispered in her ear, "Miss, this is Manager Xie of the jade shop, Xie Jincheng. I heard he's a shrewd businessman."

The name is quite elegant, but the person is too rude.

Upon hearing this, Manager Xie shrugged and smiled, "Let me introduce myself. My surname is Xie, and my given name is Jincheng, as in 'exquisite and naturally beautiful'."

Miaodie blushed deeply when the person involved overheard her soft cricket chirping.

Wei Ying also felt ashamed, realizing she shouldn't have spoken ill of people in front of others.

"I have long admired your name."

The woman's voice was so faint it was almost inaudible. Xie Jincheng picked at his ear and asked, "Does Miss know me?"

"I don't know him."

"...You don't know me, yet you've heard so much about me?"

Wei Ying was just being polite, but she didn't expect this person to ask so many questions. She lowered her head, not knowing how to deal with a stranger.

The doctor surnamed Zhao withdrew his hand and wrote a prescription for her: "Miss, your body is too cold and damp, making you prone to drowsiness and lethargy. You should go out for walks every day to warm up your body's yang energy."

"Understood."

After seeing the master and servant to the door, Doctor Zhao returned to his consultation table, grabbed Xie Jincheng's left hand, fumbled for a moment, and then forcefully pried it open.

"alright."

Xie Jincheng didn't even frown, his starry eyes sparkling.

Since Yan Zhuyi holds a grudge against me, I can forget about going back to the shop tonight.

He even sold the house himself...

He shrugged and let out a soft sigh, his voice like a clear spring, slightly different from his usual tone.

**

As evening fell and a light rain began to fall, Jiang Yinyue, after waiting for Wei Xichen to return for a long time without success, fell asleep against the wall while holding Qibao.

In the midst of the chaos, she heard footsteps and groggily opened her eyes.

"Hmm... Wei Qin."

Wei Xichen, who was about to drape a thin blanket over her, stopped and slowly straightened his slightly bent back.

A thin blanket was placed over Qi Bao.

Jiang Yinyue, now fully awake, coughed and awkwardly patted the heavy Qi Bao in her arms. She had been half asleep and had mistaken the man who had draped the blanket over her for Wei Qin.

Now, besides her father and brothers, only Wei Qin takes good care of her.

"This humble woman takes her leave."

She let go of his hand, stood up, patted the wrinkles on her dress, gave a perfunctory bow, and made as if to leave.

"Wei Qin has not arrived yet."

After two days of silence, the person finally spoke.

Jiang Yinyue said "Oh" and walked past the inn.

She was just going back; she didn't necessarily need anyone to accompany her. However, it wasn't far from Wei Qin's office, so on a whim, she rode the "Wind Chaser" westward.

Wei Xichen watched the woman ride away on horseback, his gaze merging into the setting sun.

The setting sun, like blood, shone on his clothes.

Before Wei Qin had even finished his shift, as his colleagues peered out of the office window, he quietly folded the note in his hand, twirled it between his fingers, and hid it in his sleeve.

His colleague, with a mocking grin, said, "Someone's here to pick up Brother Wei."

Another colleague squeezed to the window, saying, "What good fortune you have, Brother Wei."

The two were Wei Qin's former classmates, sitting in the same private school, one in front of the other. They had a good relationship with Wei Qin and were the only two people in the entire Salt Transport Bureau who were willing to get close to him.

Wei Qin guessed what was going on, quickly tidied his desk, got up and left the office.

When Jiang Yinyue was waiting outside the government office, the two people's banter could still be faintly heard behind her.

"With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

The woman stood in the twilight, her willow-leaf eyes and plum-blossom cheeks radiant and beautiful, as dazzling as the setting sun.

Wei Qin walked over, not caring about other people's opinions. He never thought that his wife should be confined to the inner quarters and not see outsiders, nor did he think that his wife should show her face in public and be in the limelight. She was who she was, and she could do whatever she wanted.

"It's late today."

"Hmm." Jiang Yinyue nodded slowly, holding Zhuifeng's hand behind her back, her beautiful eyes smiling. "So I came to pick you up. Let's go, Lord Wei."

The two walked side by side in the twilight, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, passing by the waterfront they passed every day.

The willows by the Bixun River sway gently in the warm breeze.

As they crossed the water's edge, they heard the sound of horses' hooves, accompanied by melodious whistles.

Jiang Yinyue turned around and saw Cui Shihan running towards her, bathed in the glow of the sunset.

Lately, Jiang Yinyue has been going back and forth to the post station to take care of Qibao, and has had less contact with this confidante she has only recently met. Jiang Yinyue smiled and waved her hand, just thinking about whether to "abandon" her husband and keep her little sister company. Just then, she saw a merchant carrying a shoulder pole suddenly fall down, and the ornamental walnuts in the pole rolled all over the ground.

This startled Cui Shihan's mount.

The walnuts used for collecting and playing with are exceptionally hard; even a galloping horse would slip on them, neigh, and fall to one side.

Cui Shihan thought to herself, "Oh no!" and her body flew out uncontrollably, falling into the water.

"Oh no, someone has fallen into the water!"

Pedestrians near Bixun gasped and rushed toward the water's edge, some nearly stepping on walnuts.

The fallen vendor, disregarding everything else, hurriedly crawled to the shore and offered his hand. The water was deep, and he dared not go into the water easily.

The girl who fell into the water hit her head and became unresponsive. As the water receded, her body sank.

In a mere instant.

When Jiang Yinyue and Wei Qin returned to the shore, the girl was no longer visible on the water, and all around them were screams from passersby.

A young man skilled in swimming hesitated. Men and women should not touch each other. If he touched the girl's body, would he be accused of something? He dared not gamble his marriage on a strange girl, but saving a life was better than building a seven-story pagoda.

Just as the young man hesitated, another figure jumped into the water without hesitation and sank to the surface.

The blue robe floated on the water for only a moment.

Jiang Yinyue stared intently at the water, which was gradually losing its ripples, her face filled with worry. She didn't know how well Wei Qin could swim, nor did she know if Cui Shihan had already suffocated.

Her tightly clasped hands grew icy cold, and her heart pounded like a drum. She squatted on the bank, using the light of the sunset to search for two figures underwater, but the sunset reflected a bright red color on the water, obscuring her vision.

"The water here is extremely deep, and the bottom is covered with algae; you might get entangled..."

Upon hearing this, passersby also became nervous.

Jiang Yinyue remained silent, but as time passed, she could no longer contain herself and got up to plunge into the water.

Perhaps the swimming skills I developed as a child will come in handy.

Before she could make a move, her shoulder was grabbed tightly.

"Wait a little longer."

Wei Xichen suddenly appeared and stopped Jiang Yinyue, holding her shoulder tightly.

In a moment of desperation, Jiang Yinyue tried to swat the guards away, her face showing impatience, but then she saw several guards plunge into the water.

Without Wei Xichen's authorization, they were only responsible for protecting their master and would not act on their own initiative.

Jiang Yinyue calmed down, twisted her shoulders to break free from the man's grasp, and stared intently at the water.

Standing diagonally behind her, Wei Xichen unconsciously frowned. Just now, she really wanted to jump into the water to save people. That impulsiveness was driven by her concern for her family and friends, and she was fearless and disregarded the consequences.

Without a strong physique, it's difficult to save two people, let alone a man and a woman.

Would such a brave woman have abandoned him back then? Or is it that Wei Qin is now much more important to her than he was three years ago?

Wei Xichen fell into deep thought, staring intently at the woman's profile.

Jiang Yinyue didn't pay attention to the gaze behind her; every ripple on the water made her heart beat faster.

The guards surfaced one after another to breathe, and one of them shouted "Knife!"

One by one, knives were thrown into the water; there were not only the guards' swords, but also sickles, kitchen knives, and small knives.

Cui Shihan was entangled in seaweed and needed to be cut, but due to buoyancy, her sword was difficult to control. The guards grabbed the usable knives and sank back into the water.

But Wei Qin never came up to get some fresh air.

Jiang Yinyue became even more nervous. Her pretty face turned pale, and her mind went blank. She was unable to think about the current situation, or she could not accept or believe what was happening.

Wei Qin...

She silently repeated Wei Qin's name over and over again, but received no response.

I was suffocating myself.

Just as the suffocating feeling made it hard for her to breathe, a splashing sound hit her eardrums. A man in a jade-green robe was swimming towards the shore, carrying the unconscious woman.

"Wei Qin, over here!"

Jiang Yinyue breathed heavily and reached out to grab it. When a large, wet hand grasped her empty palm, all her anxiety and tension vanished.

She gripped that hand tightly and pulled the person ashore.

Without offering any words of comfort to Wei Qin, she laid Cui Shihan flat and forced the water that had been poured into the girl's body out.

Seeing this, Wei Xichen raised his hand and gestured for the guards to face outwards and form a human wall to shield the unconscious girl from the view of passersby.

The passersby dispersed upon seeing this, fearing they might offend this unfamiliar important figure. Some people recognized the prince's identity and whispered among themselves.

Wei Xichen didn't linger and left silently.

The rest of the guards followed closely behind.

Since His Highness the Crown Prince didn't bring it up, the guards dared not say a word. His Highness had originally been secretly seeing off Jiang Yinyue, who was riding alone, and should have left after Jiang Yinyue met Wei Qin, but he still followed and unintentionally witnessed this scene.

Upon hearing the girl's cough, Wei Qin asked a guard for a dry garment, pushed through the crowd, wrapped the shivering Cui Shihan in his arms, and lifted her up in his arms.

"Chasing the Wind".

A gleaming black horse galloped over at the sound of the call.

The couple took the girl to the clinic.

When Cui Shihan was fully awake, she sat blankly on the wooden bed in the clinic, her silent demeanor suggesting she carried a thousand unspoken thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Yinyue asked with concern.

"Shameful."

"What's so shameful about it?"

"Falling into the water and passing out immediately, isn't that shameful?" Cui Shihan, wrapped in a blanket, looked annoyed. "I'm a great swimmer!"

Wei Qin leaned to the side, ignoring her.

Jiang Yinyue chuckled and patiently stayed with them until the nanny from the county princess's residence arrived. Then the couple took their leave.

The gentle breeze dried their wet clothes, and the bright moon cast long shadows. The two walked silently in the night, neither of them breaking the silence. When they returned to the back alley of the house, Jiang Yinyue suddenly stopped, looked around for something, moved a stone, and placed it in front of Wei Qin.

Wei Qin didn't ask her what she was doing, and quietly waited for her to continue.

Jiang Yinyue stood on the rock, still not as tall as Wei Qin, and could barely keep her eyes level. Without explaining, she suddenly leaned over and wrapped her arms around Wei Qin's neck, holding him tightly.

Wei Qin froze, his only agitation being in his heart. He slowly raised a hand and placed it on Jiang Yinyue's back.

Jiang Yinyue had nothing to explain. She moved the stone to reduce the size difference so that she wouldn't be unable to reach it and make a fool of herself. The reason she wrapped her arms around Wei Qin was out of kinship, not romantic love.

Her mother once held her like this when she was almost swallowed up by the scolding. Her father once held her like this when she was crying bitterly after losing her mother.

She had also hugged her brother, who was guarding the border, in the same way, not knowing whether he would return safely.

In the quiet alley, the lights were dim, and the two embraced each other silently.

A light drizzle began to fall from the dark sky, gradually turning into a downpour. Back in her room, Jiang Xiaoniangzi stood with her hands on her hips, staring at the leaky roof, grinding her back teeth with a forced smile.

That boastful bricklayer was most likely driven away by the manager Xie he mentioned.

The craftsmanship is lacking.

After changing out of his official robes, Wei Qin picked up his tools and climbed onto the roof in the pouring rain to repair the cracks.

Jiang Yinyue sat to the side holding an umbrella, half of her body getting wet in the rain.

Wei Qin's hair showed no signs of being wet.

When Wei Qin finished his work and turned around, he found that his wife's clothes were soaked, and even her long, loose hair was matted and dripping with water.

Jiang Yinyue smiled and said, "It's alright, a wipe will do."

She wiped her face and was about to get up when she suddenly felt light.

Wei Qin picked her up and carried her down the stairs, then went straight back to the side room.

The roof no longer leaks, but a puddle of rain remains on the ground.

Wei Qin turned and closed the door, then placed the soaking wet person on the table.

A single candlestick, its small sliver of light, did not illuminate the space between the two.

In her blurred vision, Jiang Yinyue belatedly released her hand from Wei Qin's neck. "Take a bath."

"I'll go fetch water."

The response was especially low and muffled in the darkness.

Jiang Yinyue looked up at Wei Qin, who was standing motionless by the table, and felt an indescribable embarrassment. She avoided eye contact, lowered her head, wrung out her dress, and squeezed her wet hair, pretending to be very busy.

Wei Qin's hand was still on her waist, as if it were covering a piece of exquisite jade.

What you feel in your palm is the woman's graceful waistline.

While she pretended to be busy, her waist swayed unintentionally in his palms, dancing lightly and gracefully.

The darkness amplifies the ambiguous, soft threads, which climb and entwine the bewildered men and women.

Jiang Yinyue was unaware of what Wei Qin's gaze meant. His pupils were as dark as ink, adding a touch of depth to the darkness, unfathomable.

What she truly didn't know was that the flickering lamplight beside her cast a glow on her damp body, highlighting her curvaceous figure.

Even the shape of her legs, which are usually hidden by the hem of her skirt, is faintly visible under the wet silk.

Straight and symmetrical.

"I want to take a bath."

Jiang Yinyue murmured something, not daring to look at Wei Qin's face. She remembered clearly that Wei Qin had feelings for her, but this woman, who had always been bold and decisive, was now terrified and timid.

"water......"

"Um."

Wei Qin responded, remaining standing by the table without moving, but the hand on the woman's waist moved slightly.

Jiang Yinyue swallowed hard, her breathing unsteady, and her lips trembling.

Those large hands withdrew at the opportune moment.

He is a restrained person and couldn't bring himself to force her.

Wei Qin turned around and walked out of the room.

Outside, the rain was pouring down, but it was unclear whether it had extinguished the flame in their hearts.

One moment of indulgence, the next moment of self-control.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Updated! [pats head]