Chapter 75
After refining the Mandarin Duck Warmth, Cui Wuyang took his leave.
Before parting, he truthfully told her, "Miss Bai gave me a precious sword, so I should help her secure her position as head of the family. Then I will set off for Lanyue Tower immediately."
Qin Yuan possesses exceptional talent in pharmacology, but his martial arts skills are mediocre. The road ahead is fraught with danger, and if she were to follow, she would only hold him back. The girl turned away, wiping her tears: "Brother Ye, are you going back to the capital after this?"
Cui Wuyang sighed, "Yes."
“Young Master Ye, I will wait with her.” Leng Mingyue glanced at her senior brothers and sisters chatting and laughing with Master Shangguan below the steps, then curtsied to Cui Wuyang. “After today’s parting, I fear we will never meet again. I wish you well.”
Qin Yuan's tears flowed even more after hearing this, but she already knew Ye Ning's true identity, and she knew that romantic love would be a burden to him.
Moreover, although she loved Ye Ning, she couldn't bring herself to leave her hometown for a man and become a bird in a luxurious prison in the distant capital.
She glared at Leng Mingyue resentfully: "Why aren't you sad?"
Leng Mingyue lowered her eyelashes, whether unwilling to answer or feigning composure, it was unclear. But the arrogance Qin Yuan was familiar with was gone from her brows, making her seem less repulsive.
Junlan prepared the carriages and horses, and called to the children: "Be good and go back with your families. Come over anytime you have free time. Just one thing, don't hide it from your families, understand?"
The woman spoke softly, and Qin Yuan sobbed, "I miss my mother, I miss my father, I miss my brother."
Leng Mingyue pointed eastward: "Look, someone's here to pick you up."
Seeing that the Qin family and the people from Medicine King Valley had all arrived, Cui Wuyang had no more worries. He mounted his horse and clasped his hands in a fist salute to the crowd, saying, "Until we meet again."
"Until we meet again."
...
Zhou Bo successfully obtained the blood edict and traveled for several days before finally catching up with his young master in the Dongguan area.
The secret guards planted in various places have gathered, and the letter has been sent to the frontier. Cui Wuyang is just waiting to kill Meng Jing with his own hands to avenge his deceased parents before he returns to the capital.
He chuckled softly, "Unconsciously, two years have passed since I left Beijing, but it feels like I've lived half my life."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Zhou hesitated and said, "If it's young master..."
Cui Wuyang waved his hand to stop him from speaking: "I have teachers and friends in the capital, and I have responsibilities that I have not yet fulfilled. How can I be greedy for a moment of pleasure and put them in danger?"
The young man's gaze was firm, showing a greater sense of open-mindedness than when he first entered the martial world.
Zhou Bo was pleased when Lu Yu, one of the bodyguards, spurred his horse forward. He had once taught Luo Yan the soft sword, and upon hearing that his cousin had come back to life, he suddenly asked, "Why is there no sign of your cousin? Doesn't Your Highness intend to take her back to the capital?"
"..." Uncle Zhou's brow twitched, and he secretly regretted that he had forgotten to tell them this when he came.
After she had strolled back and forth among the flowers a few times, smiling broadly, Zhu Yun interrupted, "How about riding a horse around for a bit?"
Luo Yan picked an unknown wildflower and pinned it in her hair. She wrapped her arms around his sleeve to steady herself and said breathlessly, "But I can't ride a horse."
"It's alright." Zhu Yun raised his hand to straighten her hairpin, a look of doting affection appearing in his eyes. "I'll teach you."
He helped the man onto the horse: "Let me lead the horse and take you for a slow ride."
Luo Yan nodded vigorously.
Since it was still far from noon, it wasn't very hot to begin with. In addition, the valley was lush and green, with birds flitting around the branches, and a cool breeze carrying the fresh scent of grass brushed against our faces, making it extremely pleasant.
Luo Yan couldn't help but glance at the young man beside her. He was tall and handsome, his features in no way inferior to the surrounding scenery. It was a pity there was no camera present. She said regretfully, "A-Yun, are you skilled in painting?"
Zhu Yun could not answer that he was "good at" it, otherwise it would be considered boasting. He only said, "I have learned all six arts and eight arts in a general way."
She had heard of the Six Arts, but what were the Eight Elegances? At the third quarter of the hour of Mao (5:45 AM), the sky was already bright, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares filled the streets.
Luo Yan sat up as if in a trance, scooped up a handful of water to wash her face, and the cool touch made her a little more awake.
Since she was going horseback riding today, she chose a simple dress. After dressing herself, she opened the door and welcomed Zhu Yun in.
Logically speaking, he waited quietly in the corridor for more than a quarter of an hour, yet he showed no signs of anxiety, his expression remaining calm and composed.
"Let me do your hair."
She gave a muffled reply, sat down in front of the bronze mirror, and closed her eyes to rest with a clear conscience.
Long, slender fingers ran through her cascading hair, sending waves of subtle, tingling sensations through her. Luo Yan relaxed comfortably, her shoulders hunching, a smile playing on her lips, looking like a lazy cat being stroked.
Zhu Yun restrained himself from looking away, his raven feathers drooping slightly, and said in a clear voice, "The Lin family will arrive in Conglan by tomorrow at the latest, and the day after tomorrow, we will officially set off for Kaiyang."
Just as Luo Yan was about to nod, her broad palms clamped down on her chin, as if they were tenderly cradling her face.
"?" She opened her eyes blankly. "Newlywed wife."
Those four short words were like a blazing flame burning the tip of his tongue, making Zhu Yun's voice tremble slightly.
Luo Yan paused, glancing at his flushed cheeks while still holding the soup spoon in her mouth. She was puzzled as to why he suddenly had such a shy and timid expression, which made the beautiful landscape painting hanging in the room seem less impressive.
Fearing she might overthink things, Zhu Yun cleared his throat and calmly explained, "Miss, you are exceptionally beautiful. It would be hard for anyone to believe you would dress up as a maid. Besides, Young Master Lin got married just a month ago, and he is both close and distant with his new wife. Therefore, it is safest to impersonate both of them. You and I just need to stay true to ourselves to 'get into character'."
Before their marriage, Lin Chengyu and his wife Wang Xizhen had only met once, during a matchmaking meeting, and were practically strangers to each other.
After marriage, they suddenly have the most intimate relationship in the world, yet they know nothing about each other's character, likes and dislikes, or habits, and are far from being familiar with each other.
In this sense, they sound remarkably similar to the two of them.
Luo Yan pondered the phrase "both intimate and distant," and after a moment's understanding, replied lightly, "Okay."
Seeing her agree, Zhu Yun's face turned even redder, and he lowered his eyes, remaining silent for a long time. He couldn't help but feel a secret joy, but he also knew that this was not the way of a gentleman.
Is it really necessary to go this far?
No.
But he actually followed the plan in Lin Chengyu's letter.
Zhu Yun had a vague idea of the reason, but as he was new to this field, he was inevitably confused. Therefore, he decided to act according to his heart for the time being, taking it one step at a time, until he could control it with ease one day.
Luo Yan quietly admired the beauty's shy expression. Seeing that his face had returned to normal, she deliberately teased, "Since we're husband and wife, you absolutely can't keep calling me 'Miss Luo' all the time, can you?"
yes.
Whether addressed respectfully as "Madam" or called by her maiden name, Zhu Yun was too ashamed to utter the words.
His lips moved slightly as he abruptly changed the subject, "Try this chilled glutinous rice ball."
Luo Yan: "......"
But because Zhu Yun's embarrassed appearance was so appetizing, she ate until she was about 70% full before stopping, and said considerately, "You can go on your business now, there's no need to take me back to the inn."
After speaking, she glanced lightly at Qing Jiang sitting below her and said, "When it gets cooler, I'll go to the clothing store."
Zhu Yun followed her gaze, feeling inexplicably annoyed, but said casually, "Then let Qingyan accompany you. He comes from a family of servants and is very thoughtful."
But then she thought again, Qingyan was indeed a loyal servant, and since he was biased towards him in everything, he would inevitably have some complaints about Luoyan.
Ultimately, he couldn't bear to wrong her, so he took a deep breath and said with difficulty, "Let's go with Qingjiang."
Luo Yan: "......"
Why make such a fuss over sending just one person?
Zhu Yun's ears burned, and she withdrew her hand as if she had been electrocuted, saying helplessly, "Be careful."
If they continue to move around recklessly, who knows how many strands of hair they will tear off.
Now, Luo Yan was completely awake. Her cheeks flushed, she picked up her newly bought jewelry and awkwardly changed the subject: "Does it look good?"
For her, the quality of gold and jade was unimportant, since she couldn't discern their significance anyway. But the kingfisher feather butterflies were so lifelike, seemingly fluttering in the wind, that they were enough to capture the heart of a modern "country bumpkin."
However, as the Crown Prince, Zhu Yun's food, clothing, and daily necessities were all the finest of the finest.
He glanced at the mediocre silver hairpin, nodded against his conscience, but thought to himself that once they arrived at his uncle's fiefdom, he would first need to get her some decent jewelry.
As she spoke, her hair was styled into a bun. Luo Yan cautiously asked, "A-Yun?"
"It's me."
As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps sounded from near to far, indicating that Qingyan had gone back to his room first.
She hurriedly removed the latch, and the faint candlelight behind her rushed into Zhu Yun's eyes. His dark pupils instantly shone with a cold, star-like light, breathtakingly beautiful.
Luo Yan pursed her lips and looked him up and down to make sure he wasn't injured before she breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing this, Zhu Yun smiled faintly.
"Why aren't you resting yet?" he asked.
They were only half an arm's length apart, so Luo Yan had to strain her head to look up.
The first thing that catches the eye is the high-hanging gauze lantern, which, due to Zhu Yun's tall stature, blocks a large portion of the glaring light. His face, as white as jade, is half-hidden in the shadows, making his refined features appear even more striking, while his naturally smiling peach blossom eyes are slightly curved, their depths seemingly filled with a thousand tender emotions.
She was captivated and answered blankly, "I'm waiting for you."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yun first curled her lips into a smile, then suddenly leaned closer, her brow furrowing slightly: "Have you been crying?"
Warm breath gently brushed against her face.
Luo Yan felt a burning sensation on her lower lip and nervously replied, "No."
In fact, she had just yawned several times, her long eyelashes were wet, and her eyes were bright and sparkling after being washed by tears.
Judging from Zhu Yun's expression, she hadn't just quietly cried. Zhu Yun looked at the memorial and said to the two men standing opposite him, "These past few months have been hard on you both."
These two men, Zhang Xian, an assistant director of the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Department, and Wang Lang, a director of the Ministry of Justice's Comparison Department, were both meritorious officials behind the suppression of the Zhang Yu Rebellion.
In the twenty-fourth year of the reign of Emperor Chaoqing, Zhu Yun was ordered by the emperor to lead the Ministry of Personnel in rectifying corrupt officials in the court.
In addition to Zhang Yu, who fled and caused trouble, more than twenty powerful and influential families, including Zou Qi and Fang Yu'en, were to be dealt with, with the lesser offenders imprisoned and the more serious offenders exiled.
Zhang Xian laughed and said, "It was only because I led the troops to kill Zhang Yu as a warning to others that the rest dared not act rashly due to the emperor's authority."
After saying that, Zhang Xian secretly gave Wang Lang a wink. The other party thought seriously for a moment and could only come up with one word: "Yes."
Finally, he added: "Among those involved in the bribery, there are still cronies roaming around. I have interrogated them, and they are all vicious and ruthless, and I fear they may harbor thoughts of revenge. We must be careful."
Zhang Xian was speechless at his friend's actions. He quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "With the protection of the nation's fortune and many guards and followers around him, he will surely turn misfortune into good fortune."
Zhu Yun smiled faintly and closed the memorial: "I understand your intentions. Thank you both in advance."
Zhang Xian and Wang Lang both said they dared not.
His throat tightened slightly. He lowered his head and soothed him gently, "I wanted to make time to take you out of the city tomorrow, so I decided to take care of some trivial matters first, which is why I'm back late."
His tone was filled with undisguised concern, which made Luo Yan feel a little aggrieved. She sniffed and said, "I... am not used to it."
Before she could finish her sentence, Zhu Yun felt a slight sting in her heart, as if she had been stung by a bee. Her original intention was simply to make the maid suffer the consequences.
All eyes in the courtyard turned to this spot, and Luo Yan couldn't hide in time; her ears turned red.
Her heart started pounding again. As if sensing something, Luo Yan slowly looked up, and sure enough, it was her.
Zhu Yun, who was originally about to be invited into the house, turned to the side and looked at her.
Simply because this "habit" is closely related to oneself.
Instantly, his peach blossom eyes curved into a noticeable smile, softening his imposing aura. He awkwardly comforted her, "Go to sleep early, and don't oversleep tomorrow."
She calmly withdrew her hand, turned and went inside, the whole sequence of movements flowing smoothly.
Zhu Yun suppressed her inappropriate daydreams and turned her gaze to the hair ornament on the round table: "Did you go to the pawnshop today?"
"Hmm." She handed over the light blue purse, smiling as she said, "This is for you!"
Zhu Yun smiled and took out a thin piece of paper from his sleeve, getting down to business: "It concerns Grand Tutor Wen, would you like to hear it?"
She immediately sat up straight and nodded vigorously, saying, "Listen."
Luo Yan caught a glimpse of azure blue at his waist in the mirror and realized that Zhu Yun was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit today, all in black, with subtle gold thread embroidered on the cuffs and hem, while the money bag she had given him was bright and eye-catching.
She blushed inexplicably and, trying to make conversation, asked, "Where's the jade pendant?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yun opened his money pouch: "It's inconvenient to reveal your identity, so I put it away."
Luo Yan stared blankly at the sleeves that were so close to her.
Embroidered with flowing gold cloud patterns, it clung tightly to his forearm, outlining sharp lines that conveyed power. His finger bones were distinct, and his skin was as white as jade, making one feel that he was truly suited to wield a sword with the grace of a rainbow.
It's a different kind of fierce and heroic spirit than before.
Zhu Yun looked at her suspiciously and asked, "Is there something wrong?"
"No." Luo Yan covered her face, trying to cover up her misunderstanding, and said in a muffled voice, "Go to the outer room and wait for me."
Just then, the horse's hooves startled a cluster of butterflies. Luo Yan reached out to catch them, her sleeve shimmering, her fair wrist as white as snow. She turned back with a smile, her tone light and cheerful: "Don't you think it's beautiful?"
Zhu Yun gazed at her intently and answered without hesitation, "Very beautiful."
"It's a pity I've never studied painting, otherwise I could have painted this scenery."
Upon hearing this, he realized he had misunderstood, and with a slight blush, he looked away, revealing only his ear tips, which were as red as dripping blood: "After returning to the capital, I will have the painting sent to you by a messenger."
Upon hearing this, both of them were stunned.
Lost in the beauty before her, Luo Yan blushed and wrapped her arms around his left arm, pretending to be calm as she said, "I'm holding on tight."
Feeling the slight pressure on his arm, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down heavily. He clenched his flanks, protecting Luo Yan as they galloped around the long bank.
The whistling wind tousled their hair, which intertwined intimately, and their robes gradually overlapped.
The girl's carefree laughter rang out like silver bells. Zhu Yun, his eyes half-closed, gazed intently at her profile. He felt that even the most vibrant summer flowers could not compare to her beauty.
The melancholy didn't linger for long. Soon, the gates opened, and Zhu Yun returned. Behind him were Li Zhiying and Zhou Huanshan. The two seemed to have simply brought Zhu Yun back and had no intention of sitting for a while; they both stopped outside the gate.
However, the flickering candlelight under the eaves illuminated the woman's graceful figure, one blue and one purple, adding a few streaks of color to the night.
Li Zhiying had seen Luo Yan's appearance up close before, and he was still trembling with fear at the sight of her, let alone Zhou Huanshan, who was seeing her clearly for the first time.
Noticing their absent-mindedness, Zhu Yun turned around and saw Luo Yan standing not far away, equally stunned. Perhaps she was panicked, as her face was paler than usual, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly, adding to her captivating beauty.
"Is it...good-looking?" Zhu Yun said, emphasizing each word.
Zhou Huanshan shuddered, suppressing his amazement, and lowered his head: "Young master, please rest early. Your subject and we will come to bother you again tomorrow."
Li Zhiying gave a bitter smile and bent down to tell Yun.
As the heavy gates of the mansion slowly closed, Luo Yan dared to approach, bowing respectfully and saying, "Young Master, you haven't met Yu Rui yet, I—"
Zhu Yun lifted her up in his arms, his handsome face dark and gloomy, radiating an aura that kept strangers at bay.
Luo Yan had never seen him angry before, and she immediately fell silent in fright, curling up helplessly.
Upon entering the house, Zhu Yun went straight to the inner room and sat on the headboard of the carved Luohan bed. Luo Yan was positioned to lie face down on his lap. Before she could react, she was struck hard on the buttocks, the sound of which was extremely loud in the quiet room.
Luo Yan: "..."
She genuinely didn't understand the thought process of the villains.
"Where are you taking me? My cousin is injured; could Songtian treat him?"
Zhu Yun said cheerfully, "Go see the guest off."
He led Luo Yan straight to a temple where the Wei family army was already stationed. A short while later, Cui Wuyang and Uncle Zhou appeared, having received basic treatment for their injuries.
Zhou Bo could not hide his joy: "General Wei has arrived."
The soldiers knelt down, and the middle-aged man leading them quickly approached, cupping his fists towards Cui Wuyang: "Greetings, Your Highness."
Cui Wuyang offered a helping hand, but before he could speak, Zhu Yun urged, "Hurry up and go. You can talk about it on the way."
General Wei choked, while Cui Wuyang rubbed his temples and introduced in a gentle voice, "My cousin and her husband."
Everyone hurriedly exchanged greetings.
But Zhu Yun's words were true; they could not delay any longer. Now that Lan Yue Lou had withdrawn from the scene and the Bai family was in turmoil, and with the Wei family army escorting him, it was time to deliver a heavy blow to the Ninth Prince.
Zhou Bo first lifted the carriage curtain. Cui Wuyang took two steps toward the carriage, then stepped back and looked deeply at Luo Yan: "I'm leaving."
Luo Yan suddenly felt sad, and just as tears were welling up, Zhu Yun sneered and tickled her.
"..."
She sniffed: "Take care."
"When you two get married in the future, you must have him come to the capital to propose marriage," Cui Wuyang instructed. "Wherever I am, that will be your maternal home."
Zhu Yun had no objection to this: "Cousin, don't worry."
Cui Wuyang frowned in disgust and bowed as he entered the carriage. He forced himself to look at the thin register and the glaring blood-stained edict; he wanted to reclaim everything and protect everyone he wanted to protect.
The mighty Wei family army escorted the carriage away.
Zhu Yun lifted Luo Yan's face and saw that her eyes were red. He thought to himself, "What's there to cry about?" But the words that came out of his mouth were: "When that Cui fellow ascends the throne, I can take you to the capital. He will give you a title, grant you a mansion, and return all your private property to you."
Luo Yan chuckled, settled herself firmly on the horse, and turned back to ask, "And what about you? What do you want?"
“Me?” Zhu Yun said matter-of-factly, “I am a child groom, and I will only be supported by my wife after she becomes rich and powerful.”
The ice and snow on both sides of the road have melted, and green grass is gradually sprouting, showing signs of life. The young couple on horseback are still chatting about everyday things.
Luo Yan: "What do we do next?"
What do you think?
"Let me help you settle things upstairs first, then we should go see your grandmother and introduce her to your parents. After that, we'll go back to Qingyuan Village. I promised Qingcao I'd bring her some landscape paintings. How's Youyu's injury? Is she able to paint for me now?"
"Anything else?"
"And also, it's about being with you every day."
The story has ended; in the world of the book, both she and he are free. They can watch the flowers bloom and wither, the sun rise and set together. Although people come together and part, the two of them will stay together through life and death.
Zhu Yun gently kissed her ear: "How about we try it tonight—"
"..."
And then there's the shameless marital life every night.
(End of text)
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