Chapter 34
At Dayun Temple, Madam Zhang, upon hearing from the guest monk that Lu Huaying and her companion had already left, still smiled broadly and turned to the steward, saying, "We've come at a really bad time. I wonder if the injuries in the carriage are serious. Go back and pick out a few gifts to send to Governor Wei. We can't be impolite."
The person in charge should acknowledge this.
A young woman in a red dress standing beside Madam Zhang scoffed disdainfully, saying, "Mother, the person in the carriage must be Lu Sanniang. She left as soon as we arrived, clearly deliberately avoiding us. She's just a lowly woman, without any official status, yet she doesn't respect the Zhang family at all. And you even sent her gifts, Mother? I can't tolerate this!"
"Even if we don't care about the monk, we should care about the Buddha. Lu San Niang's identity is not important. She used to know Governor Wei. She should have been sent back to Liucheng, but Governor Wei kept her and even sent his confidants with her. Your father asked Governor Wei to see you twice but received no response. Starting with Lu San Niang is the most dignified way."
Mrs. Zhang's smile faded as she looked at her daughter with a hint of reproach in her eyes.
"Hengniang, you will be getting married next year. Like our Zhang family, the Ma clan has members who entered officialdom through literature. We used to assist the King of Gaochang, and now we assist the Governor. As the matriarch of the Ma clan, you will not only be a good wife and mother and manage the household affairs so that your husband has no worries, but you will also assist your husband and son so that their official careers can go further, more steadily, and more smoothly. Remember, the battlefield for men is in the court, and the battlefield for women is in the inner courtyard."
The young woman blushed and lowered her head, saying, "I have learned a lot."
Madam Zhang then gave her some earnest advice on how to be a good wife and mother, and how to socialize with other officials' wives. The young lady listened respectfully as the mother and daughter gradually walked away.
Inside the dormitory, Lu Hongbi, his face cold and gloomy, pushed open the window.
Lu Huaying left in a hurry. When Chai Yong was about to send him and Wang Yu back, he was pulled away by several companions to the Wuzhe Assembly. They were in low spirits and did not want to participate in the Dharma Assembly, so they waited for Chai Yong to return.
Wang Yu glanced at Lu Hongbi, knowing that he had overheard Madam Zhang and her daughter's conversation. When they spoke of Lu Huaying, their tone was one of undisguised contempt.
They treated Lu Huaying as Wei Mingsu's concubine.
"Second Uncle, I think Feifei looks better than when she was in Liucheng."
Wang Yu suppressed her sadness, smiled, and said.
Just now, Lu Huaying said that Wei Mingsu had not tortured her and had cleared her of the suspicion of murder. Now she no longer has to live in fear all day long. She gets up at dawn to write alchemical texts and goes to bed at night. Her appetite has even improved.
Wang Yu knew that Lu Huaying always reported good news and never bad. She never mentioned being beaten by the guards, tortured by Zhou Qin, or nearly losing her life. She only talked about happy things to reassure her brother and sister-in-law. However, her complexion was indeed much better, and her eyes were brighter.
Seeing is believing, Wang Yu said with emotion: "We have misunderstood Governor Wei. He is indeed a gentleman, at least to Fei Fei."
Four years ago, Wang Yu was shocked that Wei Mingsu had never overstepped his bounds in the face of Lu Huaying's self-destructive and unrestrained behavior. Four years later, when they were at each other's mercy, Wei Mingsu was still the same as before. Wang Yu was impressed by his magnanimity and demeanor, and a thought flashed through her mind: Although Wei Mingsu came from a humble background, Feifei had not misjudged him.
After this thought came to her mind, Wang Yu felt increasingly uneasy.
If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have helped Lu Yujin break them up.
Lu Hongbi sneered, "How does sister-in-law know that Feifei isn't forcing a smile?"
Wang Yu lowered her head and wiped away her tears, saying softly, "Second Uncle, I haven't seen Fei Fei smile like that in a long time."
No matter how tired she was or how much she suffered outside, Lu Huaying always had a smile on her face when she returned home, but there was a deep weariness between her brows. She smiled because she didn't want her brother and sister-in-law to be sad.
When Lu Huaying smiled just now, there was a smile in her eyes as well.
From fifteen to nineteen, an age that should have been the most carefree, Lu Huaying suffered endless hardships.
Lu Huaying used to love to laugh.
Wang Yu was lost in memories, a touch of melancholy appearing on her face: "Second Uncle, I watched Feifei grow up. Four years ago, you drove away Governor Wei, and Feifei felt very guilty. She said the person she feared seeing most was Governor Wei… Actually, I could tell that the person she most wanted to see was also…"
Governor Wei. I remember when we were exiled to Qianzhou, it was all deep mountains and forests, we were rained on every day, everyone fell ill, and there was no food. We were starving to death, and Feifei, in a daze, was calling out Governor Wei's name.
Lu Hongbi looked at the snow in the courtyard, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "On the way to Xizhou, Wei Mingsu mocked me for being a dejected and dispirited brother of Feifei, saying that I not only failed to protect Feifei and shield her from the wind and rain, but also made Feifei silently shoulder all the responsibilities."
Wang Yu was slightly taken aback.
Wei Mingsu wasn't mocking the Lu family's current predicament, but rather Lu Hongbi's inability to pull himself together.
Is he feeling sorry for Fei Fei?
The thought that had just arisen resurfaced, and Wang Yu said with a wry smile, "Fate is cruel."
Lu Hongbi asked, "Sister-in-law, if you were Wei Mingsu..."
"Will you forgive Philip?"
Wang Yu pondered for a long time, then sighed.
Since Wei Mingsu was willing to sacrifice his self-respect to propose marriage to the Lu family for Lu Huaying, he wouldn't care about being humiliated by the Lu family. The person who truly hurt Wei Mingsu four years ago was neither Lu Yujin nor Lu Hongbi, but Lu Huaying.
He will not forgive Lu Huaying.
“We are now powerless to do as we please. Feifei can’t even stay with us a little longer.” Lu Hongbi’s lips curled into a self-deprecating smile, his eyes clouded with gloom. He was fed up with this life of being at the mercy of others, but he was powerless to do anything about it. “Only when Wei Mingsu lets us and Feifei go back to Liucheng will we be able to see what he really wants.”
Wang Yu looked up at the gloomy sky outside the window.
"Second Uncle, I really regret it."
She said suddenly.
Lu Hongbi asked, "Does your sister-in-law regret driving Wei Mingsu away four years ago?"
Wang Yu shook her head: "No, I regret that six years ago, when your father and your older brother tricked Feifei into coming home, I didn't help Feifei. They ruined Feifei, which is why Feifei gave up on herself."
Lu Hongbi lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on his hands.
That was the thing he regretted most in his life.
The Lu family ruined Fei Fei.
...
"arrive."
The carriage stopped, and Tong Jin lifted the curtain.
A cold wind carrying a few snowflakes blew into the carriage, jolting Lu Huaying out of her daze. She picked up her pen and paper and got off the train.
Is Governor Wei in his quarters?
She asked the attendant at the door.
The attendant shook his head and said, "Young master has gone to see the governor."
Tong Jin turned to look at Lu Huaying and asked with a smile, "Do you need something from your husband? Is there something you need?"
Lu Huaying shook her head.
She wanted to ask Wei Mingsu why he specifically bought that particular courtyard house when there were so many other houses in Xizhou.
It was a very remote place, far from the Protectorate and the market. The courtyard was small, and there were no windows in the walls, so it was pitch black inside even during the day. She fell several times at the entrance when she lived in that courtyard.
Lu Huaying returned to her room, poured some water into the inkstone, picked up the ink stick and began grinding the ink in circles, gradually calming down.
Wei Mingsu didn't want to see her. She should stay away from him instead of bringing up his past, which he didn't want to revisit, and stirring up his pain.
She hesitated.
A light footstep sounded at the door, and Afu entered the house carrying a bowl of medicine. He placed it on the table and said with a smile, "Third Sister Lu, it's time to take your medicine."
Lu Huaying put down the ink block, said thank you, and picked up the bowl.
Afu looked at her with a kind smile and said, "I have good news for you. The young lady who is engaged to our young master may have already arrived in Xizhou! Our young master has already sent people to pick her up."
Lu Huaying was stunned.
Some of the medicine in the bowl spilled out and dripped onto my finger; it was very hot.
Ah Fu turned and left happily.
Lu Huaying lowered her eyes, looking at the medicine in the bowl, and completely gave up the idea of seeing Wei Mingsu.
Wei Mingsu deserves a fresh start.
She had acted impulsively once; she couldn't disturb his life again.
Lu Huaying took a breath, calmed herself down, drank the medicine, wiped her fingers clean, and picked up her pen to write the alchemical text.
...
In the afternoon, snow began to fall again.
The North-South Avenue was still bustling with people, with crowds of people from other places streaming towards Dayun Temple.
Wei Mingsu came out of the Protectorate and handed the official document to an attendant: "Send it back to the capital."
The attendant immediately mounted his horse and headed out of the city.
Wei Mingsu instructed another attendant: "The Chief Secretary and the Xu family members should all be detained separately, and they must be separated on the way back to the capital."
The attendant acknowledged and asked, "Young master, the evidence is conclusive, and the chief clerk and the others have confessed. There's no way to overturn the case. What are you still worried about?"
Wei Mingsu raised his head, looking north with a solemn expression.
Where did you capture those members of the Xu family?
"In a valley a hundred miles outside the city, they were unaware that we had discovered their whereabouts. They thought they were safe as soon as they left the city and did not urge their horses onward."
Wei Mingsu asked, "Which tribe is on the other side of those mountains?"
The attendant paused for a moment, then said, "It seems to be a Turkic tribe."
Wei Mingsu pondered for a moment, then said, "Go to the market and find the market manager, give him three..."
"I need the lists of goods traded by the Turkic tribes this year, within a few days."
The attendant's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately obeyed the order to go to the market.
Wei Mingsu's gaze followed the crowded flow of people and looked toward Dayun Temple.
Men, women, and children walked in groups on the wide avenue, with melodious chanting and recitation carried on the north wind.
Snowflakes drifted down and landed on Wei Mingsu's temples, turning his black hair, which was interspersed with silver strands, white.
He withdrew his gaze and returned to his quarters in the temple.
Afu and Tongjin stood by the window whispering to each other. When they saw him return, one went to pour tea, while the other went forward to take the coat he had taken off.
Wei Mingsu looked at Tong Jin and asked, "When did you get back?"
"My lord, Madam Lu was worried that Madam Zhang would misunderstand that we were your family members, so we came back ahead of schedule."
Tong Jin then recounted how Lu Huaying had to leave Dayun Temple in a hurry that day.
Wei Mingsu frowned: "You fell and got hurt?"
Tong Jin was speechless for a moment, then said, "His head hit the car wall, and it's a little swollen. I took a look, and it wasn't a serious fall. It should go down in two days."
Afu walked over, placed a bowl of hot tea on the table, and interjected, "Young master, you're not married, and Lu Sanniang lives so close to you, people in Xizhou will misunderstand you and Lu Sanniang!"
Wei Mingsu did not drink the tea; he lowered his eyes and remained silent.
Tong Jin said, "Brother, shall I send Lu San Niang and the others back to Liucheng? I'll go to Liucheng to pick them up after she finishes writing the alchemy scripture."
Wei Mingsu shook his head: "It's not safe to send her back now."
He remained silent for a moment.
"Let's talk about it in a few days."
They nodded in agreement.
As they were talking, footsteps sounded at the door; the attendant who had been sent out that morning had returned.
The attendant entered the room and reported, "Young master, Xiao Si Niang has indeed come to Xizhou. Besides her, there are two other young masters named Xiao. They are traveling with monks from Da Ci'en Temple. They just entered the city today and are on their way to burn incense at Dayun Temple. I found them at the post station. They were very surprised and said they didn't know that you, young master, had also come to Xizhou."
Upon hearing this, Afu was overjoyed.
Wei Mingsu calmly said, "Take away their belongings, and after the Wuzhe Assembly ends, let them return to Shendu."
The attendant asked, "Young master, are you not going to see them?"
"not see."
The attendants went out.
Afu's smile turned into confusion. Tongjin gave him a look, pulled him outside, and, remembering the courtyard they had visited earlier that day, turned to ask, "Alang, should we send someone to clean up the courtyard in the east of the city?"
Wei Mingsu shook his head.
He sat down to apply medicine to himself and picked up the official documents.
A figure entered the room and lit the half candle that had been left over from last night.
Wei Mingsu raised his head.
It was pitch black outside the window; it was already night.
His eyes were bloodshot. He instructed his attendants to send out several letters he had written, then stood up, walked out of the courtyard, and looked north.
Tong Jin followed him out, glanced to the north, and asked in a low voice, "Should I go and invite Lu San Niang over? She's still writing alchemical texts."
Wei Mingsu shook his head and looked back.
His gaze was stern: "Don't act on your own."
Tong Jin replied solemnly, "Yes."
Wei Mingsu watched for a while longer, then turned around, put on a white robe, and mounted his horse.
Tong Jin and two other attendants rode up to him.
The group left their quarters, crossed the north-south avenue, arrived at the east of the city, and entered a narrow alley, stopping in front of an inconspicuous courtyard.
Wei Mingsu dismounted and walked towards the courtyard.
Tong Jin, holding his horse, looked thoughtfully at his retreating figure and gestured to the others, "Let's not go over there, let's wait here."
Wei Mingsu stood with his hands behind his back in front of the courtyard gate, but did not go in.
He had been standing there for too long when a head popped out from the courtyard next door. An old man with a Central Asian appearance held a lantern and shone it in his direction, asking in broken Heluo Mandarin, "Who is this young man looking for?"
Wei Mingsu heard the familiar voice and raised his eyes.
The light illuminated his face.
The old man paused for a moment, then took a few more steps closer, lantern in hand, a surprised and delighted smile spreading across his face: "Young Master Mu, you've returned to Xizhou?!"
He walked up to Wei Mingsu, looked up and around.
"Young Master Mu, where is your wife?"
Wei Mingsu stood in the swirling snow, looking at the courtyard before him, without answering.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
