Chapter 14 Golden Lotus "He has a new lover?"
At night, Lotus Village is so quiet that you can hear a pin drop. The village is located in a mountain valley and is rarely visited by people. The locals even close all their doors and windows at dusk and do not go out to avoid being killed by bandits.
But tonight, Jinlian and her family stood in front of the fence, watching Ning Xian and his party leave. They had stayed here for seven days; the horses were well-fed, and the people's injuries had healed. In the blink of an eye, it was time to set off.
Jinlian watched Ning Xian mount his horse, her fingers tightening around the hem of her clothes. After hesitating for a long time, she ran back to the house, grabbed a knee pad she had embroidered herself, and ran to Ning Xian. Her cheeks were flushed as she said, "Young master, it's not safe tonight. Why don't you stay another night and leave tomorrow?"
Ning Xian tightened his grip on the reins and glanced at Jinlian sideways: "Something has come up at home, so it's not advisable to stay any longer."
Jinlian's eyes betrayed her disappointment: "These are knee pads that my daughter made for you. I hope you won't find my hands clumsy..."
Ning Xian frowned, staring at the item in the girl's hand for a long time without making a move. Although the embroidery on the knee pads was exquisite, it was far too ordinary and uninteresting compared to Ruan Yang's centipede-like stitches.
He said, "I have quite a few at home. You can give them to Brother Wang; he has a leg ailment."
Jinlian was delighted to see that he had still managed to accept it in a roundabout way: "Then I'll take it to Brother Wang right away."
Wang Zhong was overjoyed to have received a pair of leather knee pads from the beauty.
Ning Xian turned his horse around and said loudly to Wang Zhong, "I'll go meet up with everyone first. Once you've settled the accounts for the money you spent at Miss Lian's house these past few days, come with me."
"yes!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of horses' hooves echoed in the darkness not far away, and soon, gusts of dust rose up and almost hit them in the face.
While everyone was still suspicious, Jinlian said anxiously, "Everyone, stop! The bandits are coming! Let's go inside and hide!"
Wang Zhong snorted dismissively. How could mere mountain bandits possibly resist a well-trained imperial army?
He said, "What's the use of hiding in the house when bandits come? Jinlian, don't be afraid. We're here tonight, and we'll definitely help Lotus Village wipe out these wicked people who are doing evil!"
Wang Zhong drew his sword and said to Ning Xian, "It's not safe here. You go ahead first. I'll take the rest of my brothers, wipe out those bandits, and then we'll catch up!"
Ning Xian was a little annoyed that he had been blinded by beauty, but she didn't stop him from doing this virtuous deed, so she took another route and left the place first.
The masked bandits set fires and committed murder, and soon many wronged souls were floating above Lotus Village. Wang Chong told Jinlian to hide by the haystack, and led everyone out to kill the bandits.
With each "ring," the masked men's vital points were filled with blood and foam.
"Mother!"
A hunched village woman fell in the fight. Jinlian, hiding behind a haystack, watched as her elderly mother was fatally wounded, blood splattering from her neck onto her pale face.
"Mother, wake up!"
Upon hearing the crying, Wang Zhong sheathed his sword and immediately knelt down on one knee to check the woman's breath with his fingertips.
His hands trembled as he said with deep remorse, "Miss Jinlian, she's already dead..."
Jinlian was perhaps too heartbroken. She held her mother's body and cried her heart out for a long time until she finally collapsed from exhaustion.
Wang Chong felt extremely ashamed upon seeing this. Although the group of thieves were lying motionless on the ground, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be another group of accomplices. So, after hesitating for a moment, he took it upon himself to lift the man onto the horse.
The next day, the weather was fine and the fragrance of flowers in the air masked the stench of blood from the previous night. The girl on horseback awoke amidst the jolting.
In the height of summer, the scorching sun beats down, old locust trees along the roadside scatter golden dust on the ground, and cicadas chirp incessantly.
When Jinlian heard that Wang was about to hand her over to someone else, she knelt down and cried, "Brother Wang, I don't want to be someone else's adopted daughter and have to be subservient to others. I just beg you to take me in!"
"I can cook and do laundry for you and Young Master Ji, and I'll do anything for you, without asking for a single penny in salary!"
Wang Chong frowned. He certainly didn't want to bring a strange woman to the military camp, especially since he didn't know Ning Xian's intentions...
"this……"
Seeing his hesitation, Jinlian suddenly kowtowed: "My mother is gone, and I am all alone. I don't know how to live."
Wang Zhong already felt guilty for not protecting the mother and daughter. He sighed and said, "Alright, but the road ahead is dangerous and not suitable for a weak woman like you to go. I will send someone to escort you home, where you can wait for a head maid named Lan Rong to give you instructions. Is that alright?"
"Don't worry, once things are settled, you'll naturally be able to see me and the young master. Before that, you absolutely must not speak carelessly to a girl named Heng. Can you promise me that?"
Jinlian didn't think much of it, figuring that the girl named Heng must be a maid who was difficult to talk to. She was overjoyed: "Thank you, Brother Wang!"
...
Prayer flags fluttered in the wind beneath the west window.
The sound of a wooden fish being struck could be heard not far away, sometimes mixed with the gurgling sound of water from the mountain stream.
Ruan Yang untied her apricot-colored cloak and slowly sat down at the table.
Since being informed of her pregnancy, Ruan Yang has been preoccupied with the unborn child, temporarily forgetting even the child's father.
Perhaps it was her overflowing maternal love, or perhaps it was because Ning Xian had argued with her about the child last time, but after several sleepless nights of contemplation, she decided to keep the child.
These days, she has been trying to prepare baby clothes, guessing whether it is a boy or a girl, and even writing down several names with good meanings on paper.
"Lan Rong, has Yuan Bao told you when he's coming back?"
She couldn't wait to tell Ning Xian the good news.
Seeing Ruan Yang's innocent and pure appearance, Lan Rong, filled with worry, felt a pang of unease. She didn't know whether she should tell the truth to a pregnant woman.
Why aren't you saying anything?
The truth will out eventually. Lan Rong took a deep breath and hardened her heart, saying, "Miss... we're sorry, the young master won't be coming back."
Ruan Yang was taken aback: "What do you mean?"
Lan Rong lowered her eyes, not daring to look Ruan Yang in the eye. She said, following the instructions in the letter, "Young Master... is gone."
That's it?
Ruan Yang swallowed hard: "...Does it mean she's dead? Where's the body?"
Lan Rong's heart pounded violently. He sighed, "The body can't be found. The battlefield is dangerous. We haven't heard from the young master for a long time. We heard from them that he has probably died."
In the middle of the night, Lan Rong was not surprised to hear Ruan Yang locking her bedroom door alone, sobbing silently under the covers all night long. Until dawn, she could no longer hold on, clutching the jade ring Ning Xian had left her, and completely fainted.
...
The maids serving Ruan Yang outside were all negligent in their duties. Even after they knew their mistress had fainted, they didn't call a doctor to come and see her. Ruan Yang woke up on her own the next day at noon.
The afternoon sun dappled the courtyard and the clusters of wild orchids in the flowerbed, and these orchids, baked by the sun, emitted a slightly bitter fragrance.
Ruan Yang has not yet recovered from the pain of losing Ning Xian. These days she has been staying at home, and the meals she prepared have hardly been touched.
She rubbed her swollen eyes, forced down a few clumps of rice, and then felt thirsty, so she got up and went to the kitchen to ask for some water.
Cui Nong was in charge of Ruan Yang's daily life. It was mealtime, and as she yawned and was lazily about to deliver vegetarian food to Ruan Yang, another maid opened the door to the woodshed, her face revealing an undisguised gossip.
Cui Nong chuckled: "What's wrong with you? You can still pick up a cute guy in a Buddhist temple?"
The maid looked around at the other maids who were still cooking and sighed, "Stop making fun of me! I think you should all stop serving that Miss Heng here; there's no future in it!"
Upon hearing this, Cui Nong said in a low voice, "Shh! What if you disturb that person who spends all day fasting and chanting Buddhist prayers? What happened? Tell me in a low voice!"
Seeing Ruan Yang's daily dejected appearance, the maids all guessed that she intended to isolate herself from the world, would not remarry, and would spend the rest of her life as a Buddhist nun after giving birth to her child.
She cleared her throat: "You absolutely mustn't tell Miss Heng about this, otherwise she'll make a scene and we'll all be in deep trouble."
"Actually, the young master didn't die at all. Lan Rong told that person about his fake death, so the young master was deliberately avoiding that person!"
Everyone exclaimed in surprise, "How...how did you know? I saw that the young master really liked her!"
She continued, "Men are all fickle. Even a poor and ugly man can pick wildflowers outside, let alone a handsome young man from a wealthy family? Who knows how many women are chasing after him."
"Oh? Miss Keheng is pregnant. Does the young master not even want the child in her womb?"
"Sigh, what's a child? It's not like she's the only one in the world who can give birth."
She said, "I received a message from Lan Rong that I will be going to welcome the new lady to stay here tomorrow morning. By the way, you must not let Miss Heng know that the young master is going to take a new lady, otherwise she will be in a terrible mood and cause chaos in the temple!"
"Is that girl as beautiful as an angel?"
"She's so beautiful. When I went there today, I even saw her wearing the young master's shawl. She looks a bit like Miss Heng. I guess this one is the real one, and she's probably just a stand-in..."
Ruan Yang's mind exploded with a sudden realization, and she didn't know whether to be happy about the news that Ning Xian was still alive or sad about the fact that she had been abandoned.
She slowly squatted down against the wall, burying her chin in her knees, and gradually could no longer hear what they were saying.
No, how could Ning Xian possibly abandon her? How could he possibly abandon her...?
Ruan Yang heard footsteps and slowly came to her senses. She quickly got up and hid behind a pillar. Only after Cui Nong and the others left did she return to the house.
She clenched her fists, guessing there must be some misunderstanding. Everyone said Ning Xian had a new wife, but she would only believe it if she saw it with her own eyes tomorrow.
...
After several days of travel, the carriage finally arrived in Danzhou. Jinlian looked at the beautiful scenery along the way, which she had never seen before in her life, and her heart was filled with excitement.
The street stretched for ten miles, its hustle and bustle filling the air.
The cobblestone road was bustling with carriages and horses, their red wheels and ornate carriages mingling with the clatter of hooves. Nearby, the banners of restaurants and teahouses fluttered in the breeze, and the aroma of roasted mutton wafted through the air from time to time.
Jinlian had been raised in the countryside since childhood, and had never seen such a bustling market scene before. In front of the shops, there were piles of valuable Shu brocade, which shone like flowing clouds in the sunlight.
The carriage was spacious and comfortable, with a fresh and pleasant scent of pine. Jinlian stroked the mink carpet on the seat, as if she could feel Ningxian's unique aura.
Jinlian wondered, is this where she will be living from now on? No need to herd cattle or plow fields, no need to go up the mountain to chop firewood, and there will be endless good things to eat?
Her face suddenly turned red. Since Wang Zhong allowed her to ride in Ning Xian's carriage, it must have been with his permission, right?
The carriage stopped in front of the temple. Jinlian lifted the curtain and saw several elegantly dressed girls standing at the entrance. The one in the lead looked older, and she guessed that she must be Lan Rong, whom Wang Zhong had mentioned.
Lan Rong received Wang Zhong's letter and had some doubts in her heart, but since Wang Zhong was a confidant of the Crown Prince, it was probably the Crown Prince's intention for him to bring a strange girl back to live, so she didn't ask any more questions.
Jinlian had never seen anything like this before. She led Lanrong out of the carriage and smiled, saying, "My name is Jinlian. We both serve the young master. I hope you will take good care of me in the future."
Lan Rong also said kindly, "Miss, you are too polite. How can you be the same as us maids? It's windy here, please come inside."
Upon hearing this, Jinlian realized that these people seemed to regard her as their master.
From afar, Ruan Yang saw all of this. She stiffly withdrew her gaze, looked at the piercing sunlight in the sky, felt a little dizzy, and even her breathing began to hurt.
The woman arrived slowly in her husband's carriage, supported by Lan Rong, with a cloak draped over her shoulders that she had personally made for Ning Xian.
However, Ningxian never lets anyone touch her carriage.
How could Ning Xian casually give away something she had painstakingly made to another woman?
Is her skill and dedication just as worthless as her place in Ning Xian's heart, so lowly that she can be easily given away to someone else?
"Who are you?" Jinlian walked to the door and saw Ruan Yang hiding behind the pillar.
Upon hearing the sound, Cui Nong and her group looked over, their faces instantly turning as black as ink.
“I am…” Ruan Yang suddenly stopped.
Who is she? Is she Ning Xian's mistress, someone who satisfies his physical needs?
Cui Nong wanted to get rid of Ruan Yang as soon as possible, so she said to Jin Lian, "She is also a maid here. She's just a little slow-witted. You don't need to worry about her."
Jinlian was suspicious; could such a beautiful and noble-looking person really be a servant?
As soon as Jinlian arrived, everyone surrounded her and flattered her, even the monks. The meditation room next door suddenly became extremely lively after Jinlian's arrival.
At this moment, Ruan Yang sat alone in the room, looking dejected. She sat on the bed where she and Ning Xian had been intimate, her fingertips turning white as she pondered something.
She felt like a concubine who had fallen out of favor and been banished to the cold palace, never to be seen again.
She sat blankly on the couch, her eyes lowered, and slowly raised her hand to touch her lower abdomen. After a while, the seventeen-year-old girl mustered up her courage and made another decision.
"Alright, alright, quiet down, this is a temple."
In the next meditation room, Cui Nong, catching her breath, said with a smile, "Miss Lian, good news! Young Master is coming back tonight!"
A note from the author:
----------------------
Oh no, we're going to have a fight! [crying emoji]
I can't wait...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com