Chapter 26 The Promise Shattered Xu Congjing kissed her fiercely and imprisoned her...
The room was dimly lit by candlelight. Xu Congjing kicked aside the round stool, turned around the screen, and placed Lou Yanxu on the bed.
She squinted, her eyelashes fluttering, and clung to his neck, refusing to let go. Helpless, he reached for her delicate hand behind his neck, but she pulled him down with a sudden force, and their gazes met, their feelings growing stronger.
A few scattered barks drifted in from outside, their breaths mingling, the faint scent of wine intoxicating. Xu Congjing's breathing grew heavier, his eyes sweeping over Lou Yanxu's parted red lips, her fair neck, her rosy earlobes, and he began to feel somewhat disoriented.
He wiped away the remaining moisture from the corner of her eyes with his thumb, then pressed it against her alluring lips, gently stroking and rubbing.
Lou Yanxu gripped his collar with both hands, her moist lips glistening, and he leaned down uncontrollably.
A purple lacquered folding fan with floral and bird motifs lay open on a small table beside the bed. The handle was engraved with the character "柔" (gentle), which he made himself.
The memory returned in an instant, and Xu Congjing was struck dumb. He straightened up and retreated repeatedly, not daring to look Lou Yanxu in the eye again. He fled in a panic as if escaping a disaster.
Lou Yanxu was suddenly left empty-handed, her mind clouded with doubt, and as she stared blankly at the top of the tent, her eyes gradually cleared.
She felt that something was wrong.
But after thinking it over and over, exhaustion overwhelmed me, and I fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Lou Yanxu went to Huiju Temple to burn incense and pray. When she reached the gardenia tree, she heard a male voice calling, "Lady Lou!"
She turned around and saw Lu Hengzhi running towards her from afar. She bowed respectfully and said, "Your Highness."
He carried the jade dew ball in one hand and gestured for her to get up with the other. He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and asked, "I heard you got divorced. Do you have somewhere to go today?"
He had never liked attending these banquets and often pretended to be sick to avoid them. Unexpectedly, he actually developed a high fever on the day of the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. As a result, he suffered in the mansion for two days before he learned about her divorce. He felt a little regretful.
He should be there for her when she needs him most.
The fragrance of gardenias wafted through the air. Lou Yan and Xu Xunli smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. A place has already been decided."
"Is your injury any better?" He looked at the smile, somewhat stunned, and asked again.
"She is out of danger."
"If you need anything, feel free to come to the Duke of Ying's residence to find me." As he finished speaking, a gentle breeze blew, and a few petals drifted down, lightly landing on Lou Yanxu's hair. He reached out and picked them up, his skin brushing against her earlobe, sending a warm sensation through him. "Survival in Chang'an is difficult. If you need someone to rely on, I can..."
"Your Highness!" Lou Yanxu interrupted hurriedly.
She lowered her gaze to the gardenia petal he held in his hand, and took a half-step back. Given this ambiguous gesture, she could almost guess the unspoken words he was about to utter; it was hard not to sense the unspoken feelings he was determined to suppress.
They could barely be considered friends, nothing more.
Thinking this, she curtsied and said, "It's getting late, I have to go back now."
Lu Hengzhi stared blankly at her retreating figure, how could he not realize her rejection? Yet he gritted his teeth and caught up with her, "Madam Lou, this Jade Dew Dumpling is a new improved product from Yunxiangzhai, I think you will like it."
Before Lou Yanxu could even react, he had already hurriedly left, leaving her no choice but to accept his kindness.
Upon returning home, a servant informed him that Xu Congjing had arrived and was in the kitchen making glutinous rice balls.
It's strange, but most men in the world, when they're angry, will either have a fight, eat something, or take a nap and then calm down. But Xu Congjing always makes glutinous rice cakes when he's feeling sullen.
Lou Yanxu knew his temperament well, so she went straight to the kitchen. Steaming hot glutinous rice balls were already laid out on the counter, and she saw him taking another batch and wrapping fillings. She put down the rice balls and teased, "What's wrong? Who made our Minister Xu angry?"
Xu Congjing didn't look up, scooped up a piece of glutinous rice and spread it out, his voice muffled but stubborn, "Why am I angry?"
She handed me the red bean paste filling, counted them, and said, "Look how many translucent glutinous rice balls you made, I can't possibly eat them all."
“You have jade dew dumplings, so naturally you can’t eat any more.” He placed the steamer basket on the table and responded stiffly after a long while. Lou Yanxu looked him up and down a few times and covered her mouth to tease him, “I wondered why these translucent rice dumplings had a sour smell today. Turns out, they were made with vinegar.”
This vinegar is no ordinary vinegar; it must be a thousand-year-old aged vinegar. She didn't even wonder how he knew the origin of the Jade Dew Piece; she only secretly thought that she had no other thoughts about Lu Hengzhi. However, seeing Xu Congjing so embarrassed was rare, and she smiled so hard her lips almost twitched, unable to explain anything.
He took down a basket of steamed glutinous rice balls, slammed them heavily on the table, and said threateningly, "You dare to laugh at me? You've grown bold, haven't you?"
"How dare I..."
"Dare not? You dare to stick a hairpin in your own hair, what else would you be afraid of?"
This was a premeditated act, intended to prevent his disapproval. He didn't bring it up again, and Lou Yanxu thought it was over. But unexpectedly, the old grudge was brought up again. Lou Yanxu scratched the back of her neck and suddenly felt a little guilty.
Fearing she would scratch and break out in a rash, he stopped her, but gritted his teeth, "I told you I would help you, but you don't believe me this time..."
“It’s not that I don’t believe you!” She hooked her fingertips around his, looked up at him with a serious, bitter smile, “It’s just that I don’t want to rely on you for everything. I have to fight for myself once in a while.”
"Don't be angry." She gave him a thumbs-up three times to coax him, then picked up a piece of translucent rice cake and handed it to him, "Have a bite of translucent rice cake to calm down."
Xu Congjing took off his robe and washed his hands, then leaned against the table, looking at the item without taking it. "Trying to curry favor with me? I won't."
"Then what do you want?" She turned the plate around, and before she knew it, a hand was on her waist, her nose brushing against his chin, and she blushed.
this……
How could you be so reckless in broad daylight!
"Let me go, someone's watching!" She glanced around shyly, afraid that a servant might jump out and laugh at her, but he had already chased them away, and there was no one in sight.
"Where is anyone? There's clearly no one."
Xu Congjing was unwilling to let go, so he cupped the back of her head in his palm and pressed her closer, leaning down. His cool lips brushed against her delicate eyebrows, her eyelashes trembled and tickled, moving lower and lower still.
Lou Yanxu unconsciously closed her eyes, her hair stood on end, and her hands, hanging at her sides, crumpled her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).
But then came the sound of clattering footsteps. Yun Lu appeared in front of the door and called out, "My lord!" Seeing his master embracing, he stopped abruptly, his shoe hitting the threshold. He turned around and dared not move an inch.
"Please forgive me, my lord."
Someone actually saw us!
Lou Yanxu blushed furiously, her eyes bulging with embarrassment. She wished she could dig three feet into the ground and bury herself in it. She jumped back, covered her eyes, lowered her head, and fled in small steps.
Xu Congjing's arms suddenly felt empty. He glared at Yun Lu from behind, then sighed helplessly, turned around and extinguished the stove fire. "What is it?"
"I have investigated and found out that when Lady Weng was attacked for no reason in Suzhou, Prince Sheng blamed Lady Lou and thus intended to kill her." Yun Lu knew that he had ruined the plan, and turned around to touch his nose with some guilt. "I had already chased him to the city gate, but suddenly a carriage appeared and rescued her. Now her whereabouts are unknown."
Xu Congjing's eyes flashed with a cold light, causing Yun Lu to tremble. He had originally shown mercy to Sheng Yan, but this man had repeatedly harmed Lady Lou, and his crime deserved to be punished.
Setting down another basket of translucent glutinous rice balls, Xu Congjing remained silent for a while before asking, "Did you find the person I asked you to find?"
"Everything has been arranged. We're just waiting for your wedding day to ruin Madam Sheng's reputation."
Sheng Jin secretly committed acts of harming women for money, believing he could deceive the world, unaware that everything was under his control. The Zeng mother and daughter, who thought themselves clever in scheming against him, never imagined that they would end up shooting themselves in the foot.
Xu Congjing sneered inwardly, looked up and saw a gloomy sky overhead, as if it were about to rain.
For several days, a light drizzle fell, and Lou Yanxu, feeling drowsy, stayed home idly. On this day, the rain cleared, and she accepted Wan Qing'an's invitation to go to Yunxiangzhai.
Wherever the carriage passed, the cries of vendors rose and fell, and the aromas of teahouses, taverns, and pastry shops filled the air. When the carriage passed the Chenghua Marquis's residence, the vermilion gates were tightly closed, the plaques were peeling, and it looked somewhat dilapidated.
Lou Yanxu, expressionless, lowered the gauze curtain and sat quietly in Yunxiangzhai. She chose a corner to sit in and asked the waiter to bring tea and wait.
By noon, the sun was shining brightly on the threshold, and people were coming and going. Lou Yanxu waited and waited but no one came. After sending someone to inquire, she learned that "Young Master Wan is terminally ill, and Madam Wan only returned to Chang'an yesterday. Today, General Wan is forcing her to marry. She refused and ran away. The servants of the manor are searching for her in the streets and alleys!"
Her brow twitched, and she instructed Qingrui, "Take some copper coins from my account and send beggars throughout the city to search. Report back to me immediately if you find any news."
They waited until dark without any news, so they had no choice but to return home.
The moon shone brightly in the dark night. The carriage sped through the empty streets. A commotion came from the alley entrance. The sound of hurried footsteps reached Lou Yanxu's ears. She lifted the curtain and saw a woman suddenly stop and run into the depths of the alley.
Who else could it be but Wan Qing'an?
She hurriedly got out of the carriage and ran away. One after another, hurried footsteps swept past her ears. There were nearly a hundred servants in the manor. It was clear that General Wan was determined to force his daughter to marry.
At the end of the alley, Wan Qing'an was cornered and had no choice but to fight back. However, the enemy outnumbered her and she couldn't break free for the time being. The longer it dragged on, the more the outer guards would swarm in, and she feared she would have no chance of escaping.
Lou Yanxu followed the sound and looked over with the dozen or so beggars huddled in the alley. They saw Wan Qing'an fighting against the crowd, and the situation was unfavorable.
In her anxiety, Lou Yanxu had a sudden inspiration. She took out a string of copper coins, broke them apart, and scattered them into the crowd. The beggar's eyes widened instantly, and he charged headlong at the coins, sending the general's servants flying. Lou Yanxu took advantage of the chaos to pull Wan Qing'an away.
The two men kept running cautiously, the wind gusting in one after another, making their ears hurt. Gradually, their inner shirts were soaked with sweat, and their legs felt like they were filled with lead, making each step increasingly difficult.
Fortunately, this place was only a few steps away from Jinggongfang. Before long, Lou Yanxu leaned against the door, panting heavily, her throat burning as if it were about to explode. Wan Qing'an was also exhausted, her limbs weak and she sat down on the ground.
After resting for a while, Lou Yanxu led her inside and checked her over. "Are you injured?"
Wan Qing'an shook her head, sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, and glanced around. "Where is this place?"
"It's a house under Xu Congjing's name. They don't dare to search this place for the time being. You can stay here without worry."
Wan Qing'an asked suspiciously, "He'll let me stay?"
Turning around abruptly, she saw Xu Congjing standing at the door, his expression cold and displeased. Fearless as she was, she raised her voice and shouted, "Mr. Xu, please forgive me, but I'm afraid I'll have to keep Lady Lou for the night!"
The two didn't get along very well. One thought the other was too calculating, while the other thought the other acted without considering the consequences. So, whenever they met, they would glare at each other and look down on each other.
Xu Congjing was secretly displeased, but he couldn't abandon Wan Qing'an in this predicament. Lou Yanxu was anxious, so she pulled him aside to explain, "Qing'an is being forced into marriage, and the guards in the General's Mansion are searching everywhere for her. I certainly can't abandon her. Let her stay for a while, okay?"
He neither responded nor refused, his brows furrowed as if he were deep in thought. She glanced over and saw that Wan Qing'an had his back to her, so she clenched her fist, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his lips.
A clash of cool and hot, the tenderness fleeting. Lou Yanxu was too embarrassed to look at him, her face flushed as she lowered her head, but he forcefully lifted her head to meet her, giving her a hard kiss. She pushed him away abruptly, all the blood in her body rushing to her face, turning it as red as New Year couplets.
"I'm going back to the Xu residence." After saying this, he placed a flower and bird hairpin in her hair and left.
Lou Yanxu raised her hand to trace the pattern on her hairpin, then came to her senses and saw the person behind her propping his head up with one hand and smiling at her.
Wan Qing'an travels every now and then. He only heard about her divorce yesterday when he returned to Chang'an. He had expected her to stay here, so he didn't say much. He only asked, "Are you sure about him for the rest of your life?"
"I've made up my mind." Lou Yanxu smiled shyly.
I've made up my mind, I made up my mind a long time ago, I've been convinced of it since I was young.
My wish has finally come true, and I am all smiles.
However, some words are cruel to say, but it must be said: "He has not yet broken off the engagement with the Marquis's mansion."
Lou Yanxu felt a chill run down her spine, her smile vanishing as she momentarily forgot about the matter. Her mind wandering, she pinched herself until it hurt, her lips trembling but her eyes resolute, "He promised me he would break off the engagement."
Finally, she nodded to herself, trying to reassure herself that she had done the right thing.
Wan Qing'an hesitated, knowing there were some things she couldn't say, hoping she was just overthinking it. "If you don't regret it, I'll definitely support you."
Lou Yanxu suppressed her unease and asked another question, "Does your cousin know about this?"
Speaking of Wen Jie, Wan Qing'an hadn't seen him for a long time. He wouldn't think of him if she didn't appear, so she gave a bitter smile, "In any case, he won't do anything for me." She would rather he didn't know, at least leaving her with some hope.
Upon hearing the painful memory, Lou Yanxu felt remorse and dared not say anything more. She covered her chest with her hand, feeling inexplicably panicked. She was suddenly awakened by a sharp pain in the middle of the night, her back already soaked with sweat. Unable to fall back asleep, she remained awake until dawn.
While she was having breakfast, she listened with a smile as Wan Qing'an told her some interesting stories about the martial arts world, when Qingrui rushed in and shouted, "Wife!"
Lou Yanxu was startled, and the silver spoon in her hand clattered against the rim of the bowl. Seeing Qingrui hesitate, she straightened her back, feeling uneasy. Qingrui belatedly realized she couldn't bear it, and after a long silence, she finally hardened her heart and said, "Minister Xu personally went to the Marquis of Chenghua's residence today to set the wedding date. It's all over Chang'an!"
Lou Yanxu shuddered and suddenly felt dizzy.
Under the pear blossoms that year, he gave her a token of their love, blushing as he promised, "Wanwan, once I obtain an official position, I will return and marry you in glory."
Now, he has achieved great success and has set a wedding date.
He was getting married, but the bride wasn't her.
Her promises were shattered, and her sincere feelings were misplaced. Her heart ached as if it were about to explode, and she was speechless for a long time.
When she learned on her return visit that he had already married and had children, she was even more heartbroken and devastated.
But then Wan Qing'an slammed her hand on the table and stood up, her gaze sharp as a blade. "What a heartless bastard who started something and then abandoned it! I'm going to settle accounts with him!"
"Don't go!" Lou Yanxu stopped her. "The servants are looking for you everywhere. Don't go."
"Can……"
"I will definitely find out the truth." A tear rolled down her cheek, which Lou Yanxu wiped away forcefully. Her eyes gleamed with a cold light as she stubbornly gritted her teeth. "I'll wait for him here and find out the truth."
She couldn't eat another bite, stumbled back into the house, and sat quietly in front of her dressing table, waiting. On the table lay the jade pendant that symbolized their love. Her face was reflected in the mirror; tears had ruined her makeup, leaving it mottled and sticky, making her look utterly disheveled.
The last rays of the sunset faded, the bright moon shone, and night fell.
The room was pitch black, and Lou Yanxu remained motionless. With a thud, the outer curtain fell heavily, and Xu Congjing lit a lamp. The sudden light startled her, making her close her eyes. Silence followed. Without turning her head, she spoke in a muffled voice, "Don't you have anything to say?"
There was a rustling sound behind me, followed by his nonchalant voice, "What did you say?"
His indifference only made her seem ridiculous. Tears streamed down her face, which she wiped away with her hands. The fire in her heart burned brighter and brighter. Unable to contain herself, she slammed her hand on the altar, stood up, and asked him through gritted teeth, "Why didn't you annul the engagement?"
He was the one who begged her for a divorce, and he was also the one who cruelly abandoned her. She trusted him unconditionally, how could she distinguish between a villain and a gentleman?
Past events flashed before her eyes, and she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She trembled uncontrollably, her cheeks flushed red, and all she wanted to ask him was, "Why have you treated my sincere feelings so cruelly?"
Why treat her like this?
The man's shadow stretched long as he approached, forcing her to retreat again and again until she was cornered against the wall.
The scent of cypress filled her nostrils, followed by a storm of possessiveness. He wantonly crushed her warm lips, his tongue barely touching her teeth before he frantically plundered her delicate fragrance, like a hungry wolf wanting to devour her whole.
Lou Yanxu couldn't stand and trembled all over. She struggled and pounded on her chest hysterically. She didn't know how long it had been before the storm finally subsided. She had no strength left, so she slid down and squatted down. She looked up and saw him sneer, "It was just a joke. It's ridiculous that you took it seriously."
Charming and cruel.
Her hands and feet immediately turned ice cold.
"Brother Zizheng, are you my brother Zizheng?" He has changed; he is no longer the young man she deeply loved.
Lou Yanxu stood up with tears in her eyes and staggered towards the door, but was stopped by Xu Congjing. "What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving." She stared at him, her heart filled with despair.
But he picked her up and carried her to the bed.
Unable to break free despite her struggles, she hardened her heart and bit down hard on his shoulder. The deeper her love, the harder she bit, until blood flowed and the pain pierced to the bone. But Xu Congjing laughed heartily, as the pain released three years of bitter resentment.
"Let her go!" Wan Qing'an suddenly burst in. Lou Yanxu was overjoyed, but then she saw that she was being entangled by Yun Lu, and the two were wrestling together.
The fist in front of her abdomen stopped, Yun Lu withdrew his hand, and Wan Qing'an propped herself up and gritted her teeth, "Yan Xu! I'm fine."
But Lou Yanxu could not hold her back.
With a deathly pale face and her eyes closed, Lou Yanxu finally relented, "I'll do as you say, let her go..."
Yun Lu took Wan Qing'an away, and she lay on the bed, her heart as cold as ashes.
The wedding was set for a month later, and Xu Congjing confined her to his residence.
She was in a daze every day, repeating the same meals, baths, and sleeps like a puppet, without showing any grief, just staring blankly without saying a word.
That day, a heavy rain fell, and the pear blossoms in the courtyard seemed to weep, about to fall in the wind. When Xu Congjing arrived, Lou Yanxu stood alone in the rain, her thin and frail back bent by the wind and rain, as if she were facing death.
"What am I to you now that I live with you? Are you some shameful mistress?" Rain and tears seeped from the corners of her mouth as she gritted her teeth and shook her head repeatedly. "I, a woman of the Lou family, would rather die alone than be a mistress!"
"You go back first..." Xu Congjing was uneasy, but the words he was about to say stopped halfway. He saw her pull out the hairpin from her hair and hold it to her neck. Her heart was in so much pain that she was too weak to speak. "I am the only one left in the Lou family. What is the point of my life?"
That hairpin was the very same flower and bird hairpin he had given her a few days ago. The hairpin meant to please her had become the weapon she used to commit suicide—how ironic!
Xu Congjing's veins bulged, and his brow twitched wildly. He hated her so much, he clearly hated her to death, but now her resolute determination to die was tearing his heart apart.
His expression was cold and stern as he stared intently at the man in the rain. "If you dare to die, I will immediately go to Suzhou and dig up your brother's grave."
Lou Yanxu's hands trembled, unable to believe what he said. She closed her eyes and her brother's voice and smile were still in front of her. Tears streamed down her face and she cried out hoarsely, "He was so close to you, how could you do this to him!"
"He doesn't deserve it," Xu Congjing said coldly, his shoulders straight.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, her body swaying unsteadily, her voice sharp with anger. "What did my brother do to make you so angry with him?"
Xu Congjing approached step by step, gripping her shoulders firmly with both hands to steady her.
Just as he was about to speak, Yun Lu urgently reported that he needed to rush over.
He gave her a warning look, ordered someone to keep an eye on her, and then turned and left.
Her eyes were swollen and painful, her head throbbed with a dull ache, and Lou Yanxu collapsed to the ground, her soul adrift. Now, she couldn't even die—what kind of logic was this?
When Qingrui bathed and cleansed her, she looked listless. Before long, she was startled to see someone barge in; it was Wan Qing'an.
"I've taken those men down, let's hurry up and leave."
Lou Yanxu was stunned for a while, then quickly packed some important items and fled.
For a moment, she was still somewhat dazed inside the carriage, watching the house grow smaller and smaller in the distance, and her heart grew increasingly tense.
With a gust of wind, the carriage whizzed through the streets and alleys. Through a corner of the curtain, Lou Yanxu saw the Chenghua Marquis's Mansion, Panlou, and Yunxiangzhai—the bustling and prosperous city of Chang'an. She thought she would never set foot there again in her life.
A horse galloped past, and Yunlu's face gradually loomed larger. She immediately pulled down the curtain, her heart pounding.
The city gates were almost closed, and the carriage drew closer. Lou Yanxu covered her mouth, her heart pounding with joy, tears welling in her eyes. Firelight blazed outside the city; once she crossed this gate, she would be free!
Author's Note: Go, baby heroine! [Pleading emoji]
Updates will be posted tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that! Come on, come on! [shy]
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