Chapter 33: Subtle Fragrance
When Yun Yuan opened her eyes again, she saw the familiar green gauze tent at the head of the bed.
"You're finally awake!" Ruyue's voice came from the side. Seeing Yunyuan struggling to get up, she hurriedly held her shoulders and said, "My dear Yuan'er, please don't move. The doctor said that this medicine will only heal the wound without leaving scars...but it won't stop the pain."
Yun Yuan was still in a daze, and Xi Ran's resolute eyes appeared before her. She subconsciously wanted to ask Xi Ran, but before she could open her mouth, she suddenly woke up - she was not supposed to know this.
She changed her words and said, "When I was in the slave house... I vaguely heard that the young master had woken up. But is that true?"
Ruyue suddenly smiled upon hearing this, her red and swollen eyes narrowing into a line. "It's true, it's true!" She excitedly shook Yunyuan's hand, "Everyone is saying that it was the ancestors who showed up to protect us!" As she spoke, she laughed again, "You didn't see it. The young master suddenly opened his eyes, and everyone in the room was shocked..."
Ruyue wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, "But he acted as if nothing happened, and even smiled and said he had a good dream..." She pursed her lips and smiled, "Also, the first thing the young master asked about was you. When he heard that you were taken away by the young master, he rushed out stubbornly, but his legs were not in good condition, and he fell on his back as soon as he got out of bed!" Ruyue giggled.
Yun Yuan's heart moved slightly, and she lowered her eyes.
"Luckily, the mistress arrived in time," Ruyue continued, wringing out a hot handkerchief to wipe Yun Yuan's face. "She brought you back personally." She pointed to the neatly folded new clothes at the head of the bed. "The mistress specially ordered your clothes to be changed. She even appointed the doctor herself. He is the best doctor in the entire Feng family, and he uses the best medicine." She suddenly choked up: "But... when I changed your dressing, I saw..." She stopped moving her hands, "Those injuries really scared me to death again!"
Yun Yuan said softly, "I don't know how I offended the young master, and whether I have implicated the young master."
Ruyue sighed, "Everything turned upside down the day you were unconscious. Now that we no longer have a young master, you can just call me Master Hao from now on."
"Why?"
"Do you remember Xi Ran from Haofengyuan?"
"Is she the young master...Master Hao's favorite concubine?"
"She broke the family rules during the martial law, not only trespassing into the forbidden area but also killing a guard. I heard she was a spy. The head of the family reprimanded the young master for his poor judgment of people and ordered him to reflect on his mistakes, temporarily relieving the young master of his burden."
"Where's Xiran?"
"Naturally, he was executed according to family rules."
Yun Yuan's heart tightened, and he asked again, "How was he executed?"
Ruyue frowned. She didn't ask for details, only saying, "I don't know how she was executed. But she was a favorite concubine, better off than slaves. According to the law, she couldn't be killed privately. The master of the family never caused trouble, so according to the old rules, he probably gave her a white silk or poisoned wine to force her to commit suicide. Her body has already been sent to the mass grave and burned."
Yun Yuan was stunned. She didn't know if Xi Ran's last plan had succeeded, or what this "30% chance" meant. Perhaps it was just a word of comfort. Suddenly, she thought of her face under the moonlight, sighing, "I'm really tired too." Her heart ached.
Ruyue had no idea what Yun Yuan was thinking, but was surprised to see her seem so sad. She held Yun Yuan's hand and said, "I didn't realize Yuan'er still had feelings for her. I was surprised at first, and then a little sad, after all, we've known each other for many years. Although she often relied on Master Hao to intimidate Yuanfeng Court, she didn't do anything bad. Ultimately, we're all the same, pitiful people."
Yun Yuan heard Fang Jue lose his composure and said, "There's no love between me and her. I'm just feeling sorry for myself. If the young master hadn't woken up, I'd be the one burning to ashes in the mass grave. Back then, Young Master Hao was forcing me to confess."
"Don't worry, it won't happen again." Ruyue whispered in her ear, "This matter caused quite a stir. Not only did Master Hao refuse to take on the position of Young Master, he was also banished by the Patriarch to gain experience in the martial arts world. Now, some of the Haofeng Guards followed Master Hao, and those who remained have all been taken in by the Patriarch." Ruyue smiled happily, "From now on, our Yuanfeng Courtyard will finally be peaceful."
A hint of deep thought flashed in Yun Yuan's eyes.
According to Xi Ran, Feng Yanhao had originally agreed to let the poisonous snake out of the cave, and then he would probably find someone to take the blame - framing some witnesses and evidence would not be difficult for him.
But Xiran was a spy and disrupted all his plans.
Now Feng Yanhao couldn't argue. Feng Die was his subordinate, and Xi Ran was his concubine. If the Feng family leader really didn't want the venomous snake to come out of its lair, then Feng Yanhao's so-called "experience in the martial arts world" was probably just a way to make up for his mistakes and go hunting snakes.
However, Feng Yanhao and the poisonous snake were in cahoots... Was Feng Xiaotian kept in the dark, or did he have other intentions?
She thought again: Feng Yanyuan had died of poisoning just as Feng Xiaoming was about to leave. How could these two events be just coincidences? If the person who poisoned the Third Young Master was Feng Xiaoming...
Her heart trembled slightly.
"Do you want to go see the young master?" Ruyue turned around and put the basin away. "Although the young master is still sick, he is in a very good mood. He has been looking forward to you waking up and has asked several times."
Yun Yuan smiled and said, "Young Master must be in a good mood. I can tell from looking at my sister."
Ruyue beamed with joy, "Yes, yes, I'm in a really great mood. I don't know if it was to appease the young master or for some other reason, but the patriarch actually built a cenotaph for Madam Yu Rong amidst the flowers on the back hill. The young master just told us to remember to pay our respects every year! For so many years, he and the patriarch have been extremely secretive about Madam Yu Rong, and for some reason, it seems like everything has changed today!"
When Yun Yuan approached Feng Yanyuan's bed, he was still asleep. As was his habit, there were no maids in the room. Yun Yuan saw that his breathing was steady and that he had indeed recovered. There was nothing more she needed to do.
He was different from the Feng family she had in mind. She wondered what he thought of Feng Xiaoming. Perhaps he...
When this thought clearly passed through her mind, she suddenly frowned again.
She still couldn't figure out the twists and turns of this. But, of the Feng family she knew, was there a single one who wasn't good at scheming? Besides, the Feng family always put their own family first. If that venomous snake had communicated with the Feng family head, wouldn't she be at the mercy of the chopping board if she stayed?
No matter what, it was meaningless for her to stay in the Feng family. She had to leave as soon as possible.
Her heart sank, and she turned to leave.
Feng Yanyuan suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Yun Yuan turned around and met his half-lidded eyes. Under the flickering candlelight, a dark current seemed to surge in them, but it quickly faded into silence. His lips pursed tightly, his knuckles tightening, pinning her to the edge of the couch.
"Master, are you awake?" Yun Yuan leaned forward. "Would you like some porridge and some side dishes?"
Feng Yanyuan moved half a foot inward, leaving just enough space for one more person. Inside the cloud-lined tent, his movements brought with them a whiff of amber-colored fragrance, which washed over him with body warmth.
Yun Yuan stared at the empty space in a daze, and suddenly her heart began to beat like a drum.
"Lie down." He said softly.
The lessons Taoyao had taught her about the inner life suddenly surfaced in her mind, and Yun Yuan's ears were instantly tinged with a rosy glow. Before she could gather her thoughts, she felt a sudden force at her wrist—Feng Yanyuan suddenly pulled her towards the couch.
She stumbled and fell onto his chest, scrambling to hold herself together. The warmth of his breath brushed against her brow, his deep, unfathomable eyes millimeters close. Yun Yuan tried to retreat, but he held her back.
Feng Yanyuan suddenly leaned close to her neck and sniffed.
Yun Yuan froze, not daring to move, his eyelashes trembling like a frightened butterfly. When he lay back down, he realized a thin layer of sweat had formed on his back.
He looked at her nervous expression and laughed, "When you had a fever that day, you held me tightly and refused to let go, so I stayed with you." There was a hint of teasing in his smile, "Now it's my turn to be sick, and you're so reluctant?"
Yun Yuan was startled when she heard this, and her tense shoulders relaxed slightly: "Sir, you just... want me to accompany you?"
Feng Yanyuan's warm breath brushed across her cheek: "What else? You and I are both hurt, what else do you want me to do?" The ending tone rose slightly, with a bit of intimacy, clearly seeing through her shameful thoughts.
Yun Yuan's ears were burning so much that they were almost bleeding. She was annoyed at Tao Yao for stuffing all that nonsense into her head, which now filled her mind with ridiculous images.
"Is your injury...feeling better?" He suddenly changed the subject, his fingertips lightly stroking her gauze-wrapped wrist.
Yun Yuan nodded hurriedly.
Feng Yanyuan sighed softly, "It's just that the smell of this medicine is really choking..." He paused, and his voice suddenly became tinged with regret, "It's covering up the plum fragrance on you."
"Plum fragrance?" She looked up in surprise, only to meet his smiling eyes. So, when he leaned in close and sniffed, he was searching for the Hanmei powder on her body?
"They all said that the Feng family's ancestors in heaven saved me, but I think it was you."
Yun Yuan's heart trembled.
"I had a dream," he whispered, his voice a bit hazy. "The fragrance of plum blossoms was rich in my dream, but when I woke up, it was gone." He tilted his head slightly, his eyes landing on her face. "I remember you had a faint fragrance, almost imperceptible." He paused and sighed softly. "Unfortunately, now that I'm closer, I can only smell the bitter smell of medicine."
He suddenly reached out, hooked his fingertips at her waist, and gently picked up the plain sachet. He sniffed it, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly: "Yes, it's the plum scent of this sachet."
Yun Yuan whispered, "Before the young master took me away, I was guarding you the entire time... At that time, the medicine hadn't been applied yet. Perhaps the scent of this sachet followed you into your dreams."
"It's more than just a dream." Feng Yanyuan stared at her, his eyes darkening. "It was that faint fragrance that led me to the light."
He had more to say. At the end of the dream, he saw a hazy figure standing deep in the plum forest, thick with flower shadows. He could never make out her face, but he was inexplicably certain it was her. He chased after her, following the faint scent. The light grew brighter, until he suddenly opened his eyes.
He still remembered the urgency in the dream—he wanted her to stop, wanted her to turn back. He didn't know how to think about this dream.
The night wind blew through the window lattice, and the tent was completely silent.
Yun Yuan could hear his breathing, which was slow and controlled, and it inexplicably made her heart feel warm.
This was the first time she had seen him so closely and carefully.
His features were sharp as a knife, with prominent brow bones and a hard jawline. Even when he wasn't smiling, he always had a sense of sharp oppression. But he had a pair of affectionate eyes, with the corners of his eyes slightly drooping. His eyes were as clear and moist as black jade soaked in water. At this moment, reflected in the candlelight, they actually rippled with a gentle feeling.
She seemed to be bewitched, staring blankly, and even had the illusion that she was about to drown in it.
The two looked at each other silently, and the air seemed to be stagnant.
It was unclear whose breathing became disordered first, or whose gaze shifted. Feng Yanyuan's Adam's apple moved slightly, while Yun Yuan quietly tightened the corner of her sleeve, and both of them suddenly felt uneasy.
Feng Yanyuan frantically examined the sachet again and asked, "Why...why is there a feather embroidered here? Why...not a bird?"
"I don't know how to embroider birds." Yun Yuan replied, "Feathers are also from birds, but they are much easier to embroider."
Feng Yanyuan suddenly laughed out loud, his eyes slightly curved. "You are really good at being lazy." He deliberately put on a serious face, "I will punish you by making you embroider a complete bird for me."
Yun Yuan was confused by the punishment and frowned, "Why would you punish me, sir?"
"Because you're lazy!"
Yun Yuan was speechless for a moment. Why did this person suddenly become so unreasonable?
Feng Yanyuan seemed pleased with her reaction, his lips curled slightly as he slowly and methodically tied the sachet back around her waist. As the red string wound around her slender waist, his fingertips brushed against her belt, causing Yun Yuan's ears to burn.
"No rush," he whispered, "there's plenty of time to go." After tying the sachet, he patted it gently and said, "When your injury heals, you can learn slowly."
The words "There's a long way to go" were like a feather, gently landing on Yun Yuan's heart, stirring a subtle shudder. She looked at Feng Yanyuan's downcast brows and suddenly remembered the question that had been hanging in her mind - was it Feng Xiaoming who had poisoned him yesterday?
"Young Master..."
"Hmm?" Feng Yanyuan looked at the sachet knot he had tied with satisfaction.
"Young Master's martial arts skills are unfathomable, how could he be injured like this?"
Her tone was one of concern, like a servant's concern for her master. Ruyue would surely ask the same question. But Feng Yanyuan's bright smile suddenly dimmed after she finished asking. He was silent for a long moment, so silent that Yun Yuan began to feel uneasy, thinking she had asked something she shouldn't have.
"It was my second brother who hurt me." Feng Yanyuan finally spoke.
"Mr. Xuan?!" This was far from the result Yun Yuan had expected.
When Feng Yanyuan lifted his sleeves, his eyes fell on the crescent-shaped scar on his arm - it was the wound he got when he was a child and disobeyed his eldest brother with a slave torture device. He should have been branded with the Feng family's double-eared halberd's whale mark, but his second brother blocked it with his arm. The smell of burning flesh still lingered in his nose.
He could never accept that his second brother, the only one he was willing to open his heart to since childhood, wanted to kill him.
Feng Yanyuan pulled out a yellow stick from his sleeve and examined it. "I can't believe it either. But whether it's his appearance, words, actions, or swordsmanship, it's undoubtedly my second brother."
Yun Yuan frowned.
Feng Yanyuan handed the yellow slip to Yun Yuan. It had a rough edge and was slightly stained. Yun Yuan carefully removed a wrinkled, almost brittle piece of yellow paper from the slip. On it lay three small characters: "Shouchun Meeting." The handwriting was barely legible, as if it had been written in a hurry.
"This letter was left in the private room of the second brother in Baihua Tower. Although the handwriting is illegible, it still has his style." Feng Yanyuan said, "He has disappeared without a trace now. The guards only found this one clue."
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