22 Paranoia
He wanted an answer.
The night is dark, and the stars in the sky have all become dreams.
Cui Huaifeng sat leaning against the headboard in his middle coat, glancing at the door. Occasionally, faint noises could be heard from the courtyard, perhaps a slight movement of the wind or a servant passing by. Beyond that, there was nothing else.
Seeing Cui Huaifeng like this, Zheng Pu sighed deeply, leaned over to tuck in the corner of Cui Huaifeng's quilt, and advised, "Master, you've been waiting for several hours since the prince left. Don't wait any longer, and rest early. Even if you don't consider your own health, you should at least think about the young master."
Cui Huaifeng's hand touched her flat belly, caressing it gently. After a while, he couldn't help but ask, "Is Jiang Yan not back yet?"
Zheng Pu was embarrassed and didn't know how to start.
Cui Huaifeng seemed to have sensed something. "Go ahead."
Zheng Pu couldn't bear it and said, "Master, Shi Liu said that the prince should not stay in the study anymore."
This was the first time since their reunion that she wasn't by his side.
Cui Huaifeng paused and said calmly, "Got it. Turn off the lights."
"Hey." Zheng Pu helped Cui Huaifeng lie down, lowered the bed curtains, trimmed the candle wick, and quietly left.
As soon as Zheng Pufang left, Jiang Yan arrived at the door.
As the candlelight went out, night fell inside and outside the house, leaving Jiang Yan with only the silent darkness.
Jiang Yanjing faced the closed door, wanting to see him but afraid of disturbing his rest. She pondered for a moment, but ultimately did not go in and turned back to the study.
Cui Huaifeng in the house was unaware of anything, but he was not sleeping well. In a daze, he dreamed of returning to the age of eight.
That year, he was about to go to the main hall to look for his mother and father, but was stopped by a servant. He heard a commotion outside the hall and felt uneasy. After thinking about it, he walked around to the side of the hall and stood on tiptoe to the window to see what was going on.
The scene inside the house was divided by the window lattice: his father's sad questions and his mother's loud rebuttals. Young, he hadn't yet grasped the gravity of the situation; he was only subconsciously frightened and distressed, helplessly watching the confrontation between his mother and father.
In his memory, his mother and father were very loving and never quarreled. But now his loving mother was frightening, and his father, who was so gentle and calm, actually broke down in tears.
The reason for the quarrel seemed to be that the mother wanted to take a concubine, but everyone else said that the mother loved the father with all her heart, and before getting married, the mother swore to marry only the father in this life, so how could she take a concubine?
The dream shifted, and a bright red "囍" character filled his vision. Like lingering ghosts, he heard the sounds of boisterous laughter and desperate sobs.
Before waking up from the dream, everything returned to the depressing world. Cui Huaifeng was very familiar with it. It was his father's room. The silence in the room made the light coming in from outside pale in comparison.
When Cui Huaifeng looked up, he saw his father hanged from the beam of the house.
————
Rumors have been swirling in Prince Yi's mansion lately, with servants often gathering to discuss them in quiet conversations during their free time. Rumors spread vividly, like a scent, permeating the air once picked up by the wind. But when the masters and officials pass by, these traces disappear silently, as if washed away by rain.
Cui Huaifeng had been plagued by dreams last night, waking earlier than usual. He sat in bed, gazing out the window at the vibrant light. It was a stark contrast to the oppressive glow of his dreams; it was vibrant and full of life. A sudden thought struck him, and after a quick wash and dress, he left the bedroom and strolled through the house, gradually calming down.
When passing by the rockery, several servants who were supposed to sweep the floor gathered together, yawning and whispering.
Cui Huaifeng pretended not to see it. It was indeed hard to get up early and work, and it was human nature to take a break from the tedious and trivial tasks. He was about to turn around and walk out of the rockery.
"Hey, have you heard? It seems that our palace is going to have a new master."
Cui Huaifeng paused when he heard this. The meaning of this sentence was very straightforward, but his first reaction was that he had misheard. After all, he was trapped in a dream last night and his mental state was not very good.
"I heard something different, but it's pretty close. It says the prince has a new lover in Shuilan Pavilion."
"That place sells art but not bodies. But because of this, those with a clean character and some talent are more suitable to be taken in as servants."
"But hasn't our prince always been to Zhengjun..."
"Which woman doesn't have three husbands and four concubines? Besides, hasn't our prince been in conflict with Zhengjun recently?"
"Is it because of the prince's anger towards Zhengjun?"
"It's not impossible, but if the fake play becomes real..."
“…”
Listening to the servants gossiping in hushed voices, Cui Huaifeng felt a chill run down his spine, his mind a blur. The intertwining of his mother and father's past with Jiang Yan's rumors had left him unable to distinguish between dreams and reality, and he was terrified.
Cui Huaifeng didn't want to and didn't dare to continue listening, so he hurried away and returned to his bedroom.
Inside, Shi Liu and Xiang Jin were chatting and laughing as they cleaned and arranged the ornaments. Zheng Pu, who had just returned from changing the water for the pear blossom branches, occasionally chimed in with a smile. Seeing Cui Huaifeng return to the house, the others bowed.
Cui Huaifeng ignored the three of them and sat on the couch in silence. Shi Liu and Xiang Jin knew that Cui Huaifeng had a cold temper, so they didn't think much of it. Zheng Pu had grown up with Cui Huaifeng and could detect some of his subtle mood swings.
Cui Huaifeng waited until he had calmed down a bit before glancing sideways at the three of them. While he rarely inquired about trivial matters within the palace, he knew that information would be shared among the servants. While Shi Liu and Xiang Jin were sincere in their service, they were ultimately members of Prince Yi's palace. So, he dismissed them, looked up at Zheng Pu, and inquired, "Did you know about Jiang Yan's visit to Shuilan Pavilion?"
Zheng Pu, who was originally smiling, froze when he heard this, and his eyes were vague, as if he was thinking about how to make up his mind.
Cui Huaifeng trembled in disbelief and said, "You're hiding this from me too?"
Zheng Pu was so anxious that he knelt down before Cui Huaifeng and hurriedly explained, "I didn't mean to hide anything. I have always been loyal to my master! These rumors may not be true, but my master is pregnant with the young master. If she gets angry after hearing these things..."
Cui Huaifeng closed his eyes and didn't want to listen anymore.
Cui Huaifeng took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to his usual cool demeanor, though with a hint of loneliness.
————
After the court session, Jiang Yan went straight to the study. Unexpectedly, Cui Huaifeng was already waiting there, probably waiting for her.
Jiang Yan was surprised and didn't know what to say. She thought Cui Huaifeng was still mad at her, but now that he'd taken the initiative to find her, it meant his anger had largely subsided. She was touched and embarrassed, embarrassed because she didn't know how to face him after their argument a few days ago.
Cui Huaifeng looked at Jiang Yan with mixed feelings.
No matter what others think, the most important thing is how Jiang Yan reacts, he just wants an answer.
So Cui Huaifeng asked directly:
"I heard that you want to take a maid?"
【Author’s words】
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2024-05-13 23:52:08 and 2024-05-15 23:52:08~
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: 10 bottles of Nanqin Yuke;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
