Chapter 21 Universal Love
Even though Rong Si was sitting outside the carriage, his strong presence was still very close.
It relentlessly invaded all of Yu Wanyin's senses.
The torrential rain and the carriage seemed like an unshakeable constraint.
She was trapped here.
Yu Wanyin was utterly taken aback by his words and stammered as she tried to refute him, "You...you...I will remain chaste for him for three years!"
Rong Si laughed and simply said, "Naive."
Yu Wanyin gleaned a deeper meaning from his two arrogant words.
She was at a loss, feeling as if she were a caged bird under his gaze.
“Didn’t you just tell me that you didn’t want to marry him, and that coming back with him was just a last resort?” Rong Si said slowly. “What, you’re already planning to remain chaste for him?”
Yu Wanyin's lips were taut.
Rong Si asked her leisurely, "Which statement is the one that's lying this time?"
"It's only been a few days, but you two are already so close that you can't bear to be apart."
Yu Wanyin wanted to avoid such gazes, but she couldn't avoid them at this moment.
She could sense that if she truly admitted to his claim that their marital relationship was good, it would only provoke this beast to do something despicable in retaliation.
Yu Wanyin was in a predicament, caught between a rock and a hard place.
A fierce wind was blowing outside the carriage; I wonder how Qing Song is doing.
I hope nothing goes wrong with Qing Song, or she'll really fall into his hands.
As Yu Wanyin was pondering this, another clap of thunder sounded.
With a "crack," the layers of dark clouds were cleaved apart.
The rain was swiftly washing over the area around the carriage.
The strong winds even made the carriage shake.
Rong Si's attention had shifted from her at some point, and he was now looking up at the mountaintop above.
A slight tremor came from below.
Yu Wanyin sensed something was wrong and was about to get up to check when the light and shadow in front of her suddenly dimmed!
His wrist was grabbed and he was pulled over at the waist!
"wait……"
Before Yu Wanyin could react, her body was pinned against his chest.
Rong Si moved too fast. By the time Yu Wanyin came to her senses, she was already on horseback, completely covered up.
He quickly cut the ropes that had been tethering the horses.
The reins were pulled, and the whip suddenly lashed out, knocking the horse off its back.
The horses neighed and he turned them around to run away!
Almost simultaneously, huge boulders mixed with broken tree branches rolled down the mountain!
After they left, they smashed the carriage with its broken axle!
The sharp branches of trees broken by the wind pierced the carriage, a sight that sent a chill down one's spine.
Yu Wanyin was trapped in front of the man, and the tremor she had just felt was covered by the hot and powerful heartbeat of the man behind her.
One after another, soil and boulders fell from the mountaintop down the mountain.
They almost brushed past each other.
Even the horse beneath him was restless, sensing danger.
Large raindrops pelted down in her face. Yu Wanyin couldn't see the road clearly and frantically grabbed the man's strong arm that was holding the reins.
Rong Si wore a large straw raincoat, but the difference in their sizes was too great, and the raincoat couldn't hide Yu Wanyin at all.
They were covered by the carriage curtain that had just been torn down, which served as makeshift raincoats, enveloping both of them.
Yu Wanyin had no choice but to pull up the curtain they were wearing, completely covering herself so she wouldn't get wet.
Rong Si's chest was bulging, and she managed to distract him a bit.
They certainly know how to find good spots.
The mountains and forests were in turmoil, battered by wind and rain.
Occasionally, even the horses would slip in fright, nearly throwing the two people off their backs.
Yu Wanyin's heart was pounding, and she wasn't focused on looking at the situation outside.
Seeing her won't change anything.
But it was humid and hot under the curtains and drapes.
That's strange.
*
Qingsong was trapped in the temple on the mountain and could not get down.
Hearing from the young monks in the temple that the path down the mountain was completely buried by rocks, soil, and branches, Qing Song turned pale with fright.
If anything were to happen to the lady, her life would be in danger as well.
Qing Song was so anxious that he paced back and forth.
At this moment, many people were trapped in the temple. The Lady of the Guard saw Qing Song from afar and exclaimed, "Isn't that the maidservant by the Prime Minister's wife's side?"
The maidservant beside the Commandant of the Guards watched for a while and said, "Yes."
Lady Wei asked in confusion, "Why are there only maids here? Where is the Prime Minister's wife?"
Chu Yu was busy in the city until dusk when the rain had just stopped.
Wu Zhou went to inquire, "Prime Minister, are you returning to the residence tonight?"
Chu Yu held the scroll in his hand, lost in thought for a moment, then asked, "How is she today?"
Wu Zhou knew this awkward situation had been going on for a long time. "I heard that Madam went to the temple to burn incense today."
Chu Yu sneered silently, "Could it be that you think I've committed too many murders?"
He closed the scroll, picked up the military dispatch, and said, "I'm not going back."
He didn't want to see her hate him.
Just as Chu Yu was about to continue his business, Chao Yue rushed in from outside, "Prime Minister, something terrible has happened!"
"What is it?"
"The lady went up the mountain before the storm today and hasn't returned yet, but I heard that the mountain road is buried."
Chu Yu's movement of flipping through the military documents suddenly stopped.
*
After traveling for a long time in the mountains, Yu Wanyin felt the horses' hooves slow down and their speed gradually came to a stop, at which point she peeked out.
Yu Wanyin looked outside for a while and realized that she was in a completely unfamiliar environment.
It's not Shang'an City, it's in the mountains.
The weather in these mountains is quite strange.
On one side is a storm, and on the other side is a gentle breeze and drizzle.
It looks like the sun will shine after we cross just one more mountain.
Yu Wanyin frowned and looked up at him. "Where did you bring me?"
Rong Si sat on his horse and looked down to see the person emerging from his chest. He questioned him with a mixture of anger and fear.
He replied in a deliberately irrelevant way, "What do you think?"
His answer easily sparked the imagination.
Rong Si put the straw raincoat on her head, dismounted, and walked towards the rural courtyard ahead.
Yu Wanyin sat alone on the horse, holding the reins loosely. She looked around but gave up the idea of getting off.
Rong Si knocked on the gate of a house.
An old voice answered him, asking tremblingly, "Who is it? We just paid our taxes."
"We encountered a landslide caused by torrential rain on the way, so we came here to take shelter."
Upon hearing this, the people inside the courtyard quickly opened the gate.
The old woman sized up Rong Si, then looked at Yu Wanyin; she was indeed quite soaked.
The old woman exclaimed, "Oh dear!" and said, "Come in quickly."
She stepped aside from the courtyard gate, turned back and called into the house, "A-Zheng, boil some water, we have guests."
A clear, resounding response came from inside the room.
It looked like a grandmother and grandson at home.
Rong Si turned back, stood beside the horse, and looked at Yu Wanyin.
Yu Wanyin's lips tightened, and she stared at him for a long time.
Then, she forced herself to maintain her status as the mistress of the house and said, "Help me down."
When Rong Si heard her say "help," he only extended one hand.
How can one hand go down?
Yu Wanyin knew he was doing it on purpose, but she didn't want to go along with it.
She begged him to carry her down.
Yu Wanyin braced herself and climbed on, trying to use the momentum to dismount.
Perhaps she used the wrong strength, because the horse beneath her became restless. Yu Wanyin, who was already unsteady, was even more frightened and dared not dismount.
Immediately afterwards, a large hand landed on her waist, easily lifting her up and putting her back on the ground.
Yu Wanyin's heart was suspended in mid-air and then pulled back. After landing and being released, the force still lingered on her waist.
The area that was pinched felt hot and burning, and there was a faint tingling sensation around the tailbone.
The boy who was about to boil water came out of the house and happened to see this scene. He froze in place as he was about to draw water.
When Yu Wanyin looked over, the boy immediately covered his face and ran away.
Rong Si cursed under his breath and stepped forward. "It's you, kid."
"It wasn't me!" the boy shouted as he ran. "Go to another house, it's not convenient at my house."
The old woman who had just entered the house heard this and pulled the boy out again, saying, "A-Zheng, how can you be so rude? Go and boil some water."
"Grandma~" The boy struggled for a moment, but was scolded by the old woman.
When they came out again, they seemed much more docile.
A-Zheng, dejected, fetched water and changed her strategy, pretending she had never seen them before.
Rong Si tied the horse under their awning, and Yu Wanyin stood under the awning, looking curiously at the boy who was almost burying his head in the ground. "You live here?"
"What? My home is here?" The boy blinked. "My home has always been here."
Yu Wanyin nodded, "You ran back pretty fast. If you had been an hour or two later, you would have been soaked on the mountain."
The boy stretched his neck and said, "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't been up the mountain today."
As he spoke, he carried the bucket into the house.
Yu Wanyin asked him, "Didn't you go up the mountain to sell ginseng?"
Hearing her speak, the boy rushed out again, shouting, "Keep your voice down, don't let my grandma hear!"
He warned menacingly, "If you dare utter a single extra word today, watch out..."
The young man had only uttered half of his harsh words when he suddenly caught sight of a tall man behind Yu Wanyin, who was watching him intently with his arms crossed.
He looked down at his thin arms and legs and swallowed his words back.
Yu Wanyin repeated his words, "Be careful of what?"
"Fine, I guess I'm just unlucky." He ran back to his room, took out the hidden purse, and said, "Here you go!"
Yu Wanyin took it.
The boy hesitated for a moment and said sullenly, "I'm short ten taels. I'm going to buy medicine."
"Ah Zheng," the old woman called to him from inside the house, "where did you get this ginseng?"
The boy's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly grabbed Yu Wanyin's sleeve, "You mustn't tell my grandma, I'll pay you back these ten taels later."
After he finished speaking, the old woman came out.
The boy went back and explained to the old woman, "I dug this up from the mountain."
The old woman looked on in disbelief, her face full of astonishment.
The grandmother and grandson went back and said a few more words, and the old woman seemed to be persuaded.
When she came out and saw that they hadn't gone inside yet, she quickly said, "It's raining so hard, come inside quickly."
The courtyard in the countryside is small, but the house is very clean.
Yu Wanyin went inside and sat down. The old woman poured them water, saying, "The weather in these mountains is unpredictable."
Seeing that her hand was trembling as she poured the water, Yu Wanyin figured she couldn't control it, so she took the water from her and said, "It's already too much trouble for you, let's do it ourselves."
The old woman sat down beside her, feeling embarrassed.
Yu Wanyin pushed the purse in her hand over, "I'm afraid there are still many places where I need your help."
The old woman quickly waved her hand, "You're too kind, it's just a matter of making room for me."
Ah Zheng boiled water and came in from outside when she saw this scene.
He paused, glancing at Yu Wanyin a few more times.
"If it weren't for you, we probably would have had to spend the night in the mountains." Yu Wanyin handed it out and showed no intention of taking it back.
The old woman hesitated for a while, but upon seeing the amount of money, she immediately stood up, "This..."
Rong Si chimed in, "If it's from the madam, then take it."
This time, it was the old woman who thanked her repeatedly. She turned to A-Zheng and said, "Go quickly and kill a chicken for your husband and wife."
Listening to the old woman's words, Yu Wanyin vaguely sensed that she had probably misunderstood.
"Rongsi" is a respectful term, not...
A-Zheng agreed, got up, and went out of the room.
The old woman's gaze swept back and forth between them.
They were truly a perfect match; the lady was dressed simply and elegantly.
Although the man had a fierce look between his brows, he still managed to exude an extraordinary heroic aura in his simple black outfit.
Broad shoulders, narrow waist, strong and muscular.
Yu Wanyin moved her lips, wanting to explain but finding herself unable to.
She was going to worship Buddha today, so she dressed simply and didn't wear anything that would reveal her status.
If you say no, how do you explain the two of them, a man and a woman, appearing here alone on a horse?
Saying it will only make things more complicated.
She thought for a moment, then decided to say nothing.
Anyway, they won't know who she is.
After making the arrangements, the old woman turned to look at the sky outside, saying, "I reckon it won't clear up until tonight."
Actually, it was already getting dark by then.
Hearing the time, Yu Wanyin turned to look at Rong Si, "Is the mountain road still passable at night?"
"It just rained, and the roads are just like they were when we first arrived."
Once Yu Wanyin thought about why they had just hidden, she knew that they couldn't cross this mountain path anytime soon.
“It’s alright,” the old woman gestured to the room. “This room belongs to my son and daughter-in-law. If you don’t mind, you can stay here tonight.”
The old woman went to the cabinet to get something, and took out a quilt and placed it next to her.
Yu Wanyin subconsciously looked at him.
Rong Si glanced at her and walked straight towards the old woman. "I'll do it."
The old woman smiled sheepishly, "There's only one quilt, please make do with it."
She put it down, not wanting to bother them any further, and went out to check on the hot water.
But she also has physical limitations.
Ah Zheng was busy running around when her grandmother called her, and she suddenly realized that doing something wrong in this world really has endless consequences.
He cheated out of money this once, and now he's exhausted like a grandson.
Ah Zheng finally managed to cook the prepared chicken and bring the hot water into the room. She had only been sitting for a short while when her grandmother urged her to hurry up.
"The lady's clothes are a little wet, go and bring her some clean ones quickly."
Ah Zheng had no choice but to accept her fate and went to help, dejected.
Yu Wanyin's outer garment was wet this time, and she was wondering whether to change it when there was a knock on the door.
A-Zheng came in from outside, carrying several clean clothes in her hands. "Here, these are for you."
Yu Wanyin noticed the clothes were girls' and asked, "You have a younger sister?"
Azheng frowned slightly. "Grandma bought this for me before."
She stood tall and proud, declaring, "I'm a girl!"
Yu Wanyin's gaze swept over her flat body, and she paused for a moment, "I'm sorry."
A-Zheng looked down at the key area in frustration and muttered to herself, "Is it really that hard to spot?"
Ah Zheng was about thirteen or fourteen years old. She was thin and somewhat malnourished, and for convenience, she mostly wore coarse linen clothes.
She had never worn any of these beautiful and neat clothes.
Children in the countryside don't need it.
Yu Wanyin only changed her light green outer garment, returning everything else to Azheng as is.
Ah Zheng doesn't wear these things anymore. "Leave them here, Madam. I'm going back now."
Yu Wanyin called out to her, "Where is your room?"
A-Zheng didn't expect her to ask this, so she stopped and turned to look at her.
Yu Wanyin explained, "I want to sleep with you tonight."
"Why?" A-Zheng scratched her head. "Don't you sleep with your husband?"
After much deliberation, Yu Wanyin realized that Azheng had seen him carry her off the horse, making it even harder to explain. "I just had a fight with him and I don't want to sleep with him."
A-Zheng looked at her blankly for a moment, then said, "Okay."
Yu Wanyin breathed a sigh of relief without showing any emotion.
Finally, there's a way to avoid spending another night alone with him.
Yu Wanyin was still afraid.
Especially since he said those things during the day.
If he truly hates her and hates Chu Yu.
Forcing her into marriage would be enough to make her live in constant fear in the Prime Minister's residence.
He didn't even need to wait for Chu Yu to die to coerce her into going with him.
When she's in the bandit camp, he can torment her however he wants, but she'll be helpless.
Azheng helped Yu Wanyin carry the things over.
Yu Wanyin bumped into Rong Si, who was guarding outside, at the door.
Rong Si's tall figure blocked her way. "I heard that Madam and I had a fight."
Yu Wanyin's ears went numb in an instant.
At this moment, it's unclear whether his wife is a respectful title or not.
Yu Wanyin kept her distance from him warily, stopped talking to him, and quickly walked past him to leave.
She even let half of her body fall into the rain, raindrops landing on her shoulder.
Rong Si noticed that the outer garment was too small.
The clothes felt a little tight on her, which accentuated her soft curves.
Yu Wanyin felt much safer in Azheng's room.
"What are you arguing about?" A-Zheng asked, confused. "Weren't you two fine today?"
"It's a family matter," Yu Wanyin said succinctly, brushing it off.
Ah Zheng recalled, "My father and mother used to argue all the time."
Yu Wanyin looked up at her, "And now?"
"He went out to do business."
"In Shang'an?"
“No, the taxes on Shang’an merchants are too high,” A-Zheng couldn’t remember where they went. “It seems they went to another country. They’ve been gone for many years and may never be able to come back.”
"Grandma's heart disease is getting worse and worse; a single ginseng sip can keep her alive. We've sent out several letters, but they haven't replied."
Yu Wanyin listened for a while and then remained silent.
Ah Zheng seemed to dislike the silent atmosphere. "Madam, please sit down. I'll go check on the soup."
Yu Wanyin responded.
After A-Zheng left, Yu Wanyin removed the purple pearl bracelet from her wrist and placed it in A-Zheng's cabinet.
Sure enough, the rain outside stopped after dark.
In the summer, rural farmers like to eat outside, setting up a small table, which is cool and comfortable.
Yu Wanyin had just stepped out when she saw Rong Si riding back on horseback.
He was carrying several wild rabbits in his hand.
His hunting methods were cruel; he would sever branches and pierce through the heart with swift, clean strokes.
The old woman was very surprised and quickly stepped forward to take it, saying, "What is this...?"
Rong Si replied gruffly, "I saw them when I went out to feed the horses, and just grabbed two of them."
Yu Wanyin sat down next to him and glanced at him a few more times, pretending she hadn't seen anything.
Rong Si dismounted and tied his horse to the side. As he adjusted the saddle, he caught a glimpse of Yu Wanyin's empty wrist.
The purple pearl bracelet is gone.
Only a string of Buddhist prayer beads remained.
After quickly tidying up, Rong Si stepped forward and casually asked, "Where's the bracelet?"
Yu Wanyin gently pressed down on her wrist. "Perhaps it fell down the mountain."
Rong Si didn't expose her.
Silence reigned for a long time.
Yu Wanyin was thinking about how to get back now.
After having dinner in the mountains, the night grew darker and the mountains became increasingly cold and gloomy, so they all returned to their rooms.
Rong Si suddenly called out to A Zheng, "Little brat, come here."
A-Zheng forced a smile, but still had to step forward. "What?"
Yu Wanyin stood by, somewhat uneasy, waiting.
She watched them exchange a few words before Ah Zheng returned.
Yu Wanyin asked, "What did he say to you?"
“He said he’d take you to the temple tomorrow first,” A-Zheng repeated truthfully. “He’ll leave in a couple of days.”
A-Zheng was very surprised, "Did you two have such a fierce argument?"
We can't go home together.
Yu Wanyin paused for a moment, then remained silent.
She couldn't quite figure out what this man was thinking.
If they went back together, and the household knew they had spent the night away, he could easily achieve many of his goals.
They could return separately to avoid suspicion.
Let people know that they are not together.
Yu Wanyin thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out.
The next morning, Yu Wanyin came out of the house and understood what was going on the moment she saw Rong Si.
He was probably just trying to scare her.
It felt like being in Jiangling.
That scared her so much that she told the truth honestly.
His goal was to stop playing along with him.
A-Zheng tidied up their car, preparing to take Yu Wanyin to the temple.
Yu Wanyin walked up to him. "When are you going back?"
Rong Si raised an eyebrow, finding her very strange. "Madam's concern for me might make me misunderstand."
"Don't always say things like that to scare me."
Rong Si suddenly chuckled, "Which part of what I said do you think was meant to scare you?"
Yu Wanyin felt that every word he said had an element of intimidation, especially the nonsense he said yesterday.
It's simply that he doesn't like empty talk and wants to hear the truth.
"It was indeed not my wish for me to marry Chu Yu. What I told you before was all true."
“I admit that you’re no different from him to me, and I didn’t really want to marry you. It was my mistake to lie to you, and I never expected things to turn out that way.”
Now that I'm married, I just want to live a peaceful and quiet life.
Yu Wanyin lowered her voice a few decibels, "He is my husband now, and it is perfectly reasonable for me not to want him to die. Please don't say those kinds of things to me anymore."
She paused, then added, "Besides that, I don't want you to die."
Rong Si listened silently.
“I argued with him because I felt that you two didn’t deserve to die, and it had nothing to do with personal feelings.” Yu Wanyin felt that she had made herself clear enough. “You should go back to Jiangling as soon as possible and pretend that you never knew me.”
Rong Si remained silent.
A-Zheng called out to her from the side, "Madam, we should go."
Yu Wanyin turned and walked away.
Rong Si leaned against the side, listening to the car that was taking Yu Wanyin further and further away.
The old woman, seeing him standing there in a daze, couldn't help but smile and say, "You can't bear to part with your wife, can you?"
"Then why don't we walk together?"
Rong Si did not reply.
The old woman stood to the side, watching them leave for a while.
No wonder he was so absent-minded after she left. "The lady has a beautiful face, like a goddess in a painting, or a little fairy in heaven."
After a long silence, Rong Si clicked his tongue lightly, making a sarcastic remark with an ambiguous meaning, "The goddess's life is also hard, yet she sees everyone as pitiful."
Her logic for all actions is very simple: for herself and for others.
Protect yourself first, then protect others.
It's so simple that it seems out of place in this chaotic world.
So much so that it's always hard to tell what's real and what's fake.
It also makes it hard to tell whether when she feels sorry for someone, she feels sorry for you or for everyone.
Just like when she and Chu Yu argued about suppressing bandits.
He pondered for a long time, wondering if it was because of him, but she even used "you all" to explain.
She can indeed easily arouse people's selfish desires, making them want to possess this compassion for themselves.
In the end, you discovered that in her eyes, you were no different from anyone else.
The goddess is both loving and heartless.
The old woman's voice came from afar, "That's how little immortals are."
Rong Si looked over.
So why is she so sure that he's just trying to scare her again?
Since she said that he and Chu Yu were no different.
Does that mean that Chu Yu wants her to?
He can have her if he wants her.
*
On the way to the temple, A-Zheng couldn't help but keep talking bad about Rong Si to Yu Wanyin.
"It's no wonder you argued with him, he has a terrible temper."
"He even threatened me!"
Yu Wanyin listened attentively, "How did he threaten you?"
"He told me not to talk nonsense and to take you to the temple properly."
Ah Zheng was furious when she mentioned this. "He even said he would take care of my grandma at home."
"Is that to help me look after my grandma? It's clearly because you're afraid I'll sell you, and you're using my grandma to threaten me."
Although the threat was unethical, it worked.
A-Zheng pouted, "I already promised, so I'll definitely deliver it to you."
Yu Wanyin leaned back beside her and said, "He was just saying that."
Azheng chattered on and on until she finally delivered Yu Wanyin to the temple.
Yu Wanyin got out of the car, turned around and said goodbye to Azheng, "Thank you for seeing me off."
After hesitating for a moment, A-Zheng still bowed to her and said, "Thank you, Madam, for giving me the money to buy medicine."
After saying this, A-Zheng got into the car, saying, "I have to hurry back to see Grandma."
After all, the old woman was still quite intimidating to Rong Si.
Yu Wanyin watched her leave, then turned and went up the temple steps.
Yesterday's torrential rain left many people stranded at the temple seeking shelter from the downpour.
Yu Wanyin entered the temple, but unexpectedly Qing Song ran towards her, "Madam!"
Yu Wanyin was slightly surprised, "Qing Song."
As soon as Qing Song saw her, all the emotions she had been holding back all night surged out instantly. "Madam, you scared me to death!"
When Qing Song spoke again, her voice was trembling with tears, "Are you alright? Where did you go? I thought you were buried on the mountain."
Yu Wanyin smiled and said, "We encountered a landslide. Later, I got separated from the coachman and met a child who was gathering herbs on the mountain, so I went with her first."
Seeing that Yu Wanyin indeed had no signs of injury, Qing Song cried even harder, "I shouldn't have left you all at the foot of the mountain. What if the Prime Minister asks..."
“Then we just won’t let him know we were separated,” Yu Wanyin said gently. “We’ll just say that you and I came up here to find the carriage, the coachman went to fix it, and then we got stuck on the mountain.”
Qing Song looked at Yu Wanyin with teary eyes, "By the way, where is our groom?"
"I got separated from him, and I don't know how he is now."
Qing Song sighed, "I hope nothing happens to him, otherwise I'll be harming him by choosing him to go up the mountain."
“I’m fine, so he’s probably fine too. He might just be stuck on the mountain.” There were many people staying at the temple, so Yu Wanyin chose a quiet corner and led her to sit in the temple for a while. “Maybe he can go back in a few days.”
Qing Song probably agrees.
They waited in the temple for Qinglu to come down the mountain.
With nothing to do, Yu Wanyin picked up a scripture and started reading.
She sat in a corner of the pavilion in the temple courtyard, and before noon, the sky became overcast again.
A light drizzle enveloped the temple, and the people around were filled with anxiety, fearing that another heavy rain would trap them there.
For a moment, the air was filled with a cacophony of mournful sounds.
Yu Wanyin sat quietly in the pavilion. As long as Qing Song saw that his wife was there, he didn't have to worry about anything else.
Until someone shouted, "The road is open! The road is open! We can go down the mountain now!"
Everyone beamed with joy, exclaiming, "That's wonderful!"
A mountain breeze rustled through the pine treetops, carrying a light drizzle into the pavilion.
Many people were preparing to descend the mountain, so Yu Wanyin wasn't in a hurry to leave. She wiped the raindrops off her scriptures and was about to find another place to take shelter from the rain when she looked up and saw an oil-paper umbrella tilted to shield the pavilion from the drizzle blowing in from outside.
Beneath the umbrella ribs, slender, white fingers clenched, revealing clearly defined knuckles.
Chu Yuru looked at her quietly with her beautiful eyes.
Yu Wanyin, clutching her books, never expected that he would appear alongside the news of the road being cleared.
It seems like she's wherever he can find her.
He always shows up immediately.
Someone came to express their gratitude, saying, "Thank you for facilitating this passage, Prime Minister."
Wu Zhou and Chao Yue, standing to the side, directed the people in the temple to descend the mountain in an orderly manner.
Yu Wanyin stood up and awkwardly asked, "Why are you here?"
Chu Yu lowered his eyes, "You don't want me to come?"
"No," Yu Wanyin said truthfully, "I didn't expect you to come."
Chu Yu remained silent, his heart heavy with sorrow.
He thought that in a situation like this, she should think of him first and wait for him to come to her.
But he couldn't bring himself to say it.
He seemed to have a vague feeling that Yu Wanyin had never waited for anyone to come and save her.
But why couldn't she just look forward to him?
Yu Wanyin returned the scriptures and went down the mountain with him.
Chu Yu asked Qing Song to ride with her, while he rode alongside her on horseback to escort her down the mountain.
Wu Zhou and Chao Yue looked at each other, thinking that they had finally found a wife and that the couple must have some affection for each other, but now it seemed that they were no different from before.
Was that argument really that fierce?
Qing Song could sense something was amiss, but Yu Wanyin acted as if nothing was wrong. "Madam, you didn't exchange more than a few words with the Prime Minister today?"
Yu Wanyin leaned against the carriage and pondered for a moment, "I think the Prime Minister must be tired."
Actually, she didn't know what to say to Chu Yu.
It had been several days since we last met, and it was still a little awkward when we first saw each other.
She was afraid that if she said too much, she would make a mistake.
I'd better not say anything more.
As soon as they returned to the manor, Yu Heyue in the backyard received the news.
Granny Lai rushed off to deliver the message, "Miss, they're back."
Yu Heyue looked at her, "Did the Prime Minister bring my elder sister back?"
"Yes," Granny Lai said furtively, "but I noticed they were still quite distant; when they came back, one rode a horse and the other rode a carriage."
Judging from this, the relationship doesn't seem to be very good.
"Good girl, you'd better hurry these next few days." Granny Lai stuffed a packet of medicinal herbs into Yu Heyue's hand. "This is a good prescription that I got from my own hands. It's great for strengthening the body and providing excellent nourishment. You can bring the soup to her later..."
Yu Heyue's ears turned red upon hearing this.
"Girl, don't be shy. You can only get the best deal if you're open-minded. Your mother must have her reasons for making this arrangement."
Yu Heyue nodded.
Yes, she listened to her mother and started seducing her brother-in-law.
What need is there for a woman to maintain her dignity?
"I see."
Chu Yu escorted Yu Wanyin back to the Prime Minister's residence, then summoned Qing Song for questioning.
Qing Song, trembling with fear, repeated the words Yu Wanyin had taught her: "My wife and I have been together, trapped in the temple, but we haven't heard from the coachman who went to repair the carriage. We don't know how he is now."
Chu Yu asked, "Which groom did you call out?"
Qing Song replied truthfully, "Brother Rong."
Upon hearing this name, Chu Yu's brows furrowed, and a sense of wariness emanated from him. "Rong Si?"
"yes."
"You chose it, Madam?"
“No,” Qingsong explained, “I chose a mountain road after all, and my wife is afraid of bumpy rides, so we need someone with good horsemanship.”
"Even someone with good skills can get lost," Chu Yu asked casually. "Does he get along well with his wife?"
"Get along?" Qing Song pondered the word. "Madam didn't talk to him much."
Chu Yu scrutinized Qing Song, "He's gone. What was your reaction, Madam?"
"Madam didn't react much and told me not to worry."
It certainly didn't sound strange.
Chu Yu harbored selfish motives. Since it was that person who had disappeared, he thought it best if he died out there and never came back to be an eyesore.
Unfortunately, Rong Si returned the next day.
Chu Yu didn't bother to pay any attention.
At this moment, news arrived from Shang'an City that the Northern Chi tribes were making trouble on the border.
The palace was in a state of panic. Several ministers requested permission to enter the palace but found no imperial edict. They could only turn to Chu Yu.
Chu Yu had a token that allowed him to freely enter and exit the palace, so he could bring them in.
"It's good that we have the Left Prime Minister. I wonder if the King is busy. Why is there no movement on such an important matter?"
Chu Yu knew exactly what King Jiang was doing.
After all, he had just sent a new batch of actors to King Jiang.
When they arrived at the palace's backyard, King Jiang was leaning back on his throne enjoying a theatrical performance. He was quite surprised to see them and asked, "Chu Qing, what brings you here?"
Several senior ministers rushed forward, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened."
King Jiang rolled his eyes when he heard this explanation.
These old folks are always talking about something terrible happening, it's so annoying.
The old minister truthfully reported the unusual activities of the Northern Chi tribe on the border.
King Jiang frowned. "Then keep an eye on them and don't let them break in. What about the tens of thousands of elite soldiers I've raised?"
"The Northern Chi's military strength should not be underestimated..."
King Jiang's attention shifted back to the opera performance halfway through the conversation.
Several senior ministers were in a panic. "Your Majesty, we should discuss whether we should send troops to war."
King Jiang suddenly smashed the teacup in front of him. "Another troop deployment! What about the bandits in Shang'an City? Have you caught them?!"
"Capture the bandits first, ensure my safety, then mobilize troops!"
"Otherwise, the bandits will invade before the Northern Chi tribes even get a chance to do so!"
The ministers exchanged bewildered glances. Chu Yu raised his hand, signaling them to step back.
They all sighed and could only take their leave.
Chu Yu spoke up, "Does Your Majesty like this piece?"
"I like it, it's just that those old fogies ruined my mood."
Chu Yu gestured, "Then Your Majesty should continue listening and need not concern yourself. If a subject fails to perform his duties properly, he should be punished severely, rather than causing Your Majesty any worry."
King Jiang rested his hand on his forehead. "You really understand me. By the way, how's the capture of the bandits going?"
"We're still trying to figure something out."
"Useless trash," King Jiang cursed. "If we don't catch them in three more days, they'll all be fined half a year's salary."
Chu Yu accepted the order and went out, while a maidservant picked up the teacup that King Jiang had smashed.
Chu Yu stopped her and picked up a shard of metal.
Before leaving the house, he made a bloody cut on the back of his hand.
Fresh blood dripped down the back of his hand.
The ministers outside were extremely surprised, "Prime Minister, what is this...?"
Chu Yu waved his hand, "I only said a few words to the king, and he got angry and refused to listen anymore, only wanting to watch the play."
The group was shocked and indignant. "How could the King be so reckless!"
"yes!"
"Will he only realize the seriousness of the situation when the enemy is at the gates?"
Chu Yu said to them, "The king also said that the bandit suppression was ineffective and that you will be fined half a year's salary."
"I'll take care of it for you; I'll make up for your salaries this time."
The military officers were both surprised and ashamed. "Prime Minister, this..."
"The most important thing right now is for us to discuss countermeasures against the Northern Chi uprising as soon as possible."
Several military officers hurriedly said, "Prime Minister, tell us what to do, we'll all listen to you!"
After Chu Yujiang and his generals became estranged from King Jiang, it was only natural that Chu Yujiang would accompany them to the military camp for a meeting.
Killing King Jiang is easy, but relinquishing royal power is difficult.
What he needed to do was gradually transfer King Jiang's people to his own use.
Make them willingly obey his orders and get used to them.
Chu Yu spent another two days in the military camp.
They incorporated their own plans to relocate the capital into the scheme as a backup, arranging it seamlessly.
After the Imperial Guard Commander, who had been with him in the military camp, finished handling everything and was resting, he remembered something and asked, "How is your wife doing these days?"
Chu Yu nodded and poured a cup of tea. "It's alright. Why?"
The Imperial Guard simply expressed his concern: "Two days ago, my wife went to Fengtian Temple to offer incense and got stuck on the mountain. She ran into your wife's maid who was trying to go down the mountain to find you. I thought your wife had encountered some trouble, but it's good that she's alright now."
Chu Yu's action of pouring tea suddenly froze, and the tea overflowed from the teacup.
Seeing the water overflowing, the Imperial Guard hurriedly tried to stop him, "Prime Minister?"
Chu Yu casually put down the teapot. "You just said that my wife's maid wanted to go down the mountain to look for someone, but they weren't together?"
The Imperial Guard laughed and said, "If my wife saw them together, she wouldn't ask me anymore."
Chu Yu smiled and said, "But everything was fine afterward, and I'm home now."
"Yes, I heard that you cleared the road, Your Excellency."
Chu Yu calmly put away the letter, saying, "I left something at the manor; I need to go back."
After Chu Yu finished speaking, he left the military camp directly.
His gentle face began to crack the moment he stepped out of the door, revealing a dark and gloomy expression!
The words Qing Song uttered still echoed in my mind: "My wife and I have always been together."
We've always been together.
Who was Qing Song going to find after descending the mountain?
Qing Song and Yu Wanyin separated.
Who was Yu Wanyin with during that time?
That coachman?
There are usually hidden reasons for lying.
When Wu Zhou saw his master come out, he was about to step forward, but stopped when he saw Chu Yu's dark expression.
Chu Yu's voice, hoarse and sharp, was low and stern: "Go back to the manor and bring that coachman to me."
It took Wu Zhou a moment to realize which coachman it was.
He received the order and went to find the person.
Chu Yu's return to the manor was so sudden that none of the servants expected it.
Only after the guards at the door bowed did they realize that beneath the Prime Minister's calm and composed exterior lay a chilling sense of ruthlessness that could skin a person alive.
Rong Si was stopped by Wu Zhou in the stable in the backyard. "The Prime Minister wants to see you."
Rong Si gave a perfunctory reply, then put down what he was doing and went to the front yard with Wu Zhou.
He was immediately pinned to the torture bench.
Wu Zhou tied his hands behind his back!
Rong Si looked up and caught a glimpse of the elegant and refined figure with his back to him.
Rong Si's face showed a hint of casual impatience, probably finding this charade boring. "What is the meaning of this?"
Chu Yu picked out a jar before turning around, speaking in a gentle, spring-like voice, "Why did you return two days late that day when Madam went up the mountain?"
"The carriage broke down, and I went to find a place to repair it, but I got stuck on the mountain."
Chu Yu then asked, "How did you end up trapped on the mountain, and with whom?"
Rong Si replied curtly, "The rocks are blocking the way, I'll handle it myself."
Chu Yu suddenly chuckled, "To be honest, you're actually in a better position."
"Then I'll tell you whatever you want to hear, Your Excellency."
Chu Yu raised an eyebrow and slowly walked towards him. "How was Madam that day? Was she with you?"
"My lady went to worship Buddha, and I went to repair the car. Later, a rock fell and hit me halfway down the mountain. If my lady had been with me, she would not have survived. I know this is impossible, Prime Minister."
"So, you must have quite a few bruises on your body. If not..." Chu Yu stepped forward and, without warning, tore open Rong Si's collar!
Rong Si's collar suddenly opened wide, revealing fresh wounds on his firm, muscular chest caused by broken branches!
There were even some bruises and welts from being hit by stones, scattered across the man's throbbing chest.
It pulsates with the rise and fall of his breath.
Chu Yu coldly examined the injuries on his body.
Rong Si tilted his head slightly, glancing down at the man in front of him. "How could there not be?"
The two were extremely close, exuding an air of provocation and impending conflict.
Chu Yu lifted his eyelids and stared at him for a long time.
He straightened up, his slender fingertips gliding over Rong Si's wounds, pinching his shoulder, his thumb suddenly pressing against the wound, "You look pretty much right."
Chu Yu subtly increased the force of his blows!
A sharp, piercing pain shot through my shoulder!
Rong Si frowned, only then realizing that the jar he was holding contained chili powder.
Chu Yu appreciated his reaction and said leisurely, "You'd better pray that Qing Song's punishment in a while will be just as you said..."
Suddenly, Yu Wanyin's voice came from outside, "The Prime Minister is back?"
"Madam, the Prime Minister is here..."
"It's alright, I'll leave as soon as I put my things down." Yu Wanyin went straight in, but unexpectedly saw a shirtless man inside.
"Ah!" Yu Wanyin was startled, and the food box in her hand fell to the ground.
The soup and other liquids spilled out, staining her skirt.
Chu Yu frowned, and Wu Zhou immediately pulled Rong Si's clothes up.
Yu Wanyin seemed at a loss, "I'm sorry, I don't know..."
Chu Yu composed himself and gestured for Wu Zhou to take Rong Si away.
Rong Si glanced at the people inside the room a few more times, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally sweeping over Yu Wanyin.
Chu Yu stepped forward and helped Yu Wanyin over, deliberately blocking Rong Si's view.
He remained as dignified and refined as ever, saying, "Just have a servant deliver the gifts."
"You even came here in person."
Yu Wanyin was helped to sit down to the side, her skirt stained with spilled soup. "Does the Prime Minister not want to see me again?"
"Why do you say that?"
Yu Wanyin lowered her eyes, still not mentioning their previous argument. "This is a white fungus and lotus seed soup I made. The Prime Minister has been in the military camp for the past few days and has been too busy to come back. When I heard that the Prime Minister had returned, I wanted to give him this to help him cool off in the summer."
"It's my fault for being careless and clumsy, causing trouble for the Prime Minister for no reason."
Chu Yu used a handkerchief to wipe the soup off her skirt, and hearing that it was made for him, asked, "Does anyone else have any?"
The servants cleaned up the food box and other items that had been thrown on the ground.
Yu Wanyin paused for a moment, then said, "I've never cooked for anyone else."
Chu Yu lowered his eyes, "Then tomorrow, Madam, please make it for me again."
Yu Wanyin agreed, "Okay."
"Did you frighten Madam just now?"
"I just didn't expect to disturb the Prime Minister's official business." Yu Wanyin looked annoyed. "Next time I won't come in like this, I'll just wait outside."
Chu Yu heard that Yu Wanyin did not mention Rong Si, and her words were extremely frank: "You can come in anytime."
He noticed that Yu Wanyin hadn't brought any servants with her. "Qingsong didn't come with you?"
Yu Wanyin explained, "I occupied the small kitchen for half a day today, which delayed me from preparing the nourishing meal. Qingsong is preparing the nourishing meal for me right now."
Chu Yu pondered for a moment, "Your own nourishing meal is more important. This soup can be made anytime."
"It's alright. Qing Song is very quick and efficient. She's familiar with my nourishing diet, so she should be better soon."
Listening to Yu Wanyin's words, Chu Yu asked, "How did she take care of you at the temple that day?"
“That day I was afraid of getting sick from the rain, so I stayed in the side room and didn’t come out. She was busy trying to find a way to get down the mountain.”
"I'm not afraid of anything else, but I'm worried that the Prime Minister will be anxious if we can't get back to the mansion. Qing Song has prepared a carriage and is waiting outside, but it's just not easy to get down the mountain."
Her words were concise and to the point, cleverly covering up all the doubts.
Chu Yu did not ask any further questions.
Yu Wanyin was still sticky from the spilled soup, and she would have to go back to her room to change soon.
She came out of Chu Yu's study and breathed a sigh of relief without making a sound.
Chu Yu sat in the room, and Wu Zhou went to ask, "Prime Minister, is Qing Song still being brought along?"
Chu Yu changed his mind, "Never mind."
Yu Wanyin returned to her room alone.
As we walked into the backyard, the light on the path ahead suddenly dimmed.
A pair of riding boots came into her view.
Yu Wanyin looked up and was somewhat surprised to see the person who had come. She immediately turned around to see if anyone had followed her.
But right now they were in the dense woods and rocks in the backyard, with no one around, only the noisy chirping of cicadas and the warbling of orioles.
Rong Si walked towards her, his steps steady and firm. "Young Madam."
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