15. Men and women should not touch each other.
◎Return to Beijing◎
Since then, Hua Yao has never looked at Cui Xun properly.
It wasn't that she blamed him for her unhappiness, but she should have known that someone like Cui Xun wouldn't trust others so easily without any scruples; he certainly had his own calculations in mind.
It was because she was preoccupied with the thought of returning home that she lost her guard.
After resting for a few days, most of Hua Yao's illness had dissipated.
In the past few days, as she recalled Mr. Bai's words, she vaguely thought of Hua Yanbo. His eyebrows, nose, and even the way he frowned were almost identical to her father, Hua Ce.
Is this a coincidence? Or is it like her relationship with Hua Er Guniang?
The medicine and breakfast had already been delivered, and after she finished eating, she went to the courtyard.
In the courtyard was an artificial pond. Half-withered lotus leaves floated on the surface, their edges curled into a sallow yellow, their stems leaning crookedly in the water. A few carp swam by, swaying their tail fins, stirring up fine ripples on the water, and duckweed rose and fell with the ripples.
Hua Yao's eyelashes fluttered slightly. The fish in the pond seemed free, but in reality, they were trapped in this small space. The duckweed floated on the water, but in reality, it was floating and rootless.
She was no different, like catkins drifting in the wind...
As she approached the courtyard gate, she saw Qin Yan standing at the entrance.
Around dawn, before daybreak, she heard intermittent whispers coming from the courtyard. It was Cui Xun and Qin Feng and Qin Yan. Then came the dull thud of weapons clashing, but only one sound, followed by the sound of footsteps fading into the distance.
It was already past 9 AM, and he still hadn't returned. She hadn't expected Qin Yan to stay at the manor.
Upon seeing her approach, he immediately clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, saying, "Second Miss, please wait. The Lord has ordered that you rest quietly in the courtyard."
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, her face expressionless, and she simply hummed in agreement.
Hua Yao bypassed the main house and walked towards the corner of the side courtyard. The storage room the servant woman mentioned should be over there.
After a short while, she stopped. The door in front of her was ajar, and she could vaguely see some scattered objects piled up inside.
She spotted the old wooden ladder immediately.
At the foot of the east wall, Hua Yao struggled to drag the wooden ladder over. There was a tree outside the courtyard with branches extending into the courtyard, and now she was fiddling with it and propping it up on the wall.
Once she was sure she was on her feet, she took a breath before lifting her skirt and stepping onto the steps one by one.
She climbed to the top of the wall, intending to use the trees outside the courtyard as a stepping stone to descend, but the moment her gaze fell upon the ground, her expression froze.
Cui Xun stood outside the wall, a slight smile playing on his lips, watching her with a leisurely air.
She stopped what she was doing, her tone curt, "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen someone climb over a wall before?"
Cui Xun chuckled helplessly, remaining silent. The next instant, he used his toes to brace himself against the stone pier by the wall, and in the blink of an eye, he landed steadily on top of the wall.
Before Hua Yao could even gasp, her waist tightened, and in a dizzying moment, she was pulled back into the courtyard. His arm was still around her waist, and he lowered his head slightly, his voice low, "Your illness is completely cured?"
Hua Yao pushed him away, saying, "No need for the Duke to trouble himself."
--
The return to the capital was scheduled for three days later. Hua Yao never expected that Cui Xun would ride in the same carriage as her.
The carriage occasionally bumped along.
Cui Xun twirled a bronze waist token between his fingers. He looked at Hua Yao, who was turning her face away from him, and said, “You haven’t been in Daze long, but you’ve already offended quite a few people.” He handed the bronze token to her. “The person who tried to shoot you that day was a death squad member from the Princess’s mansion in Ningzhao Kingdom.”
Hua Yao was shocked. After she transmigrated, she had only been to Luozhou and Kyoto. How could she have gotten involved with a princess from another country... Could it be the Second Miss Hua?
Seeing that she didn't take it or say anything, as if her mind wasn't on it, Cui Xun put away the bronze token and looked at her furrowed brows. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you."
Hua Yao glanced at him and said, "Your Excellency, there's no need for this. We've only gotten what we needed from each other. As you said, I didn't help you achieve your goal, and you didn't help me return home. Let's just call it quits now."
"Aren't you afraid I'll reveal your identity?" he asked in a very soft voice.
"Please do as you see fit, Duke."
...
They remained silent the entire way.
When the Kyoto gate tower came into view, the tiny spark in Hua Yao's heart finally died out completely.
Now, if Miss Hua Er doesn't want to come back, she can't go back. But even if Miss Hua Er comes back, she can't go back. Then... what will she do?
--
More than two months have passed since I returned to Beijing, and New Year's Eve is just around the corner.
Before dusk had completely fallen, lanterns in each courtyard of the Prime Minister's residence were lit one by one. Servants occasionally passed by under the eaves, carrying bulging silver bags and stacks of silver notes. Outside the courtyards, sporadic fireworks exploded, scattering sparks like stars, creating a lively scene.
Hua Yao stood in front of the window, gazing absently at the crabapple tree in the courtyard, when she faintly heard footsteps outside the gate.
"Second sister, second sister!" Hua Ling's voice rang out before she even arrived.
Hua Yao looked in the direction of the sound and saw Hua Ling running in front, followed by Pian Zhu and a woman in pink.
This person is Hana.
Unlike Aunt Fang, who saw her as a thorn in her side, she would secretly slip lotus-shaped pastries into her sleeve pockets during the two months they spent together. When Aunt Fang was subtly criticizing her, she would tug at her mother's sleeve and try to change the subject. She would tell her about the interesting things that happened in Lingzhou and say that it was a pity she hadn't been to Lingzhou last time, otherwise she would have taken her to many secluded and interesting places.
The group entered the house with smiles on their faces, and Hua Yao also turned around from the window.
Hua Yin placed the brocade box on the table, Pian Zhu placed several scrolls of calligraphy and paintings beside her, and Hua Ling looked at Hua Yao with a playful expression.
Looking at the three people standing by the table like soldiers at attention, Hua Yao asked with a smile, "Have you had enough fun so quickly?"
“Of course not,” Hua Yin smiled, revealing two small dimples. She walked to Hua Yao’s side and took her arm. “In another hour, fireworks will light up the entire East Street. Second Sister, come with us to see them!”
Pianzhu smiled and chimed in, "Miss, you've been cooped up in the courtyard lately, why don't you go out and have a look around today?"
“That’s right, that’s right, Second Sister doesn’t like playing with crickets anymore.” Hua Ling pouted, still remembering the last time she ignored him.
Looking at the enthusiastic group of people in front of her, Hua Yao was actually envious of their lively atmosphere. But a feeling of heaviness settled in her heart, like a wad of waterlogged cotton, making her feel listless.
She shook her head and said softly, "You guys go ahead, I won't go."
Then he looked at Pianzhu and said, "You're afraid of the cold, so bring a heater with you."
Pianzhu said that if the young lady wasn't going, she would stay and keep her company. Eventually, after being persuaded by Huayao, the group left.
...
Hua Yao walked to the desk by the window and sat down. On the desk was a map of the capital city, with several areas outlined by a brush.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she heard a very faint sound from the corner of the wall, and a dark figure leaped down from the top of the wall.
She didn't flinch, only slightly lifting her eyelids to watch Cui Xun approach slowly. She hadn't seen him since returning to the capital. Aside from the broken alliance, there seemed to be no other interaction between them.
I only occasionally heard Hua Yanbo mention that he had personally overseen the case of treason in the imperial court during this period. The case was closed before the new year; the main culprit was the Vice Minister of Revenue, who was sentenced to beheading, and all the female relatives were exiled three thousand miles away.
“I thought that with your personality, you would have already run to East Street to watch the fireworks.” Cui Xun walked straight in through the door, his gaze falling on her face, his voice low.
Hua Yao didn't reply immediately. After a moment of silence, she slowly opened her mouth, "Does the Duke think he knows me very well?"
“I wouldn’t say I understand you, but I didn’t think you were the type to be depressed and downcast just because you can’t go home.” Cui Xun stopped in front of her.
She chuckled lightly, "Duke, did you come here today just to utter such a sarcastic remark?"
She was indeed depressed for a while because she couldn't go home, but she wouldn't act like she was going to die because of it. Since she couldn't go back, she would live her life well, and these past few days she had just been thinking about what to do.
However, at this moment, she didn't think that Cui Xun's climbing over the wall was simply to hurt her feelings; she was afraid that he was up to something else.
His gaze fell heavily on her face. He knew all too well the emptiness in her smile. His Adam's apple bobbed silently, and the surging emotions were instantly suppressed.
After a long silence, he spoke in a low voice, his tone tinged with a barely perceptible apology and a hint of hoarseness that he himself was unaware of: "I didn't expect that I couldn't help you get home."
Hua Yao was stunned.
She never blamed him for not letting her go home. The way home was already impossible to find; what did it have to do with him?
She was only a little angry because she felt he had taken advantage of her desire to go home. But wasn't she the same way? It was just a matter of each getting what they wanted.
Hua Yao didn't get up; she remained seated, looking up at him. He had his eyes downcast, his long eyelashes concealing his emotions, and he seemed no different from usual.
Her voice was calm. "I have never blamed you. This matter is long in the past, so please don't hold it against me, Duke."
Fireworks exploded in the night sky, illuminating the two people standing by the window...
“Perhaps… you’ll like this.” Cui Xun hesitated, touching his cuff before finally taking something out of it.
After Hua Yao saw what it was, she was stunned for a moment. She wasn't stupid; she had noticed everything he had done during their time together in Luozhou—his gaze, his subtle care. She just couldn't understand why someone like Cui Xun would so easily give his heart away.
It's probably another scam.
Looking at the hairpin in his hand, she didn't take it. "Is the Duke out of his mind from investigating cases all day?"
The air went silent for a moment after he said that.
Cui Xun's eyes were deep and thoughtful. He leaned closer to her, bringing the two of them very close.
His breath brushed against her ear. "I've never fainted," he paused, his gaze falling on her neck, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, before continuing, "It's just that lately my vision has been clearer than usual."
Hua Yao understood, but she didn't want to understand.
She reached out and touched his shoulder. "I don't understand what you mean, Duke."
As she spoke, she stood up and stood by the window, her back to him. "This hairpin is far too precious for my daughter to accept. Moreover, men and women should not touch each other. If word gets out, it will damage the Duke's reputation."
Every word she uttered was a clear demarcation.
Watching her retreating figure, a bitter feeling welled up in his throat. Cui Xun did not insist. He put away the hairpin and said, "It was my oversight."
--
At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), the night was deep, and no New Year lanterns were hung in the Duke's mansion, with only a single lamp burning in the study.
Cui Xun looked at the hairpin on the table, and the image of Hua Yao trying to distance herself from him lingered in his mind.
Previously, when I tried to reason with her, every word I uttered was a test, but she was clever enough to always evade it with ease, her eyes carrying a hint of cunning wariness.
He had initially thought this woman was special, but from some point onward, he kept thinking about her eyes, which were clear and bright, without a trace of flattery.
Back in Luozhou, he didn't want to take her back to the capital; he wanted to hide her away.
He frowned. It was clearly a contest between two people with their own agendas, so why was he so annoyed by those eyes?
A gust of wind blew through the window, causing the candlelight to flicker and casting his long, thin shadow.
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