Chapter 86 if·Yuan Shuyun (9)
Yunxi Prefecture, suburbs.
Bai Yiyi helped Cui Wuyang sit down, and exchanged a glance with Leng Mingyue, who had come to help: "Thank you for your help, Little Fairy Doctor."
He had only been taking the Mandarin Duck Warmth for a short time and intended to move to a safer place before the poison took effect. However, a skilled tracker was dispatched, and the group found themselves nowhere to hide.
The young man's ink-wash robes were stained with blood, and his hair was slightly disheveled, but his tone was calm: "It's not just Lan Yue Lou and the Bai family who are coming, but also people from the army. I'll be responsible for holding them off. You two should meet up with Luo Xia Manor as soon as possible."
Bai Yiyi ignored them, drew her sword, and solemnly looked at the dark mass of people in the distance.
“Young Master Ye, we won’t leave.” Leng Mingyue took his wrist and said while taking his pulse, “Senior Brother has already found Qin Yuan, and Uncle Zhou should have met Master Shangguan as well. They should both be on their way.”
"But with just Miss Bai..."
Cui Wuyang took a deep look at the girl who stood unmoved in the biting wind, knowing that she had made up her mind. He simply took out the brocade pouch, inside which, in addition to a note, there was also a bottle of bone-corroding water.
He handed it to Leng Mingyue, saying, "Don't worry about me."
Upon smelling the aroma, Leng Mingyue's eyes widened in surprise: "This isn't from Lan Yue Lou?"
Named "Bone-Corroding Water," it actually corrodes weapons, but it's perfect for use on horseshoe nails to slow down some people.
“Yes.” Cui Wuyang smiled bitterly. “She seems to have the ability to foresee the future.”
Cui Wuyang was surrounded by many talented and extraordinary people, so Leng Mingyue simply assumed it was "him" and stopped asking questions. She then took the porcelain bottle and went to discuss it with Bai Yiyi.
He leaned back against the tree trunk, his gaze falling on the brocade pouch, inevitably recalling the girl's gentle voice.
Every word she spoke was for her husband.
Indeed, among the Lan Yue Lou disciples encountered in Yunxi Prefecture, apart from Ting Chan, there were no other familiar faces, confirming the growing estrangement between the Lou Master and the Young Master.
Was her painstaking efforts to resolve her feud with Bujian Chun simply a matter of placing her hopes on him, or...?
Regardless, the fact that Luo Meimei helped him brought Cui Wuyang a long-lost sense of warmth.
Luo Yan returned to the courtyard and had just finished changing and washing when a servant announced that the Second Madam had arrived.
The second wife was her aunt, her only relative on her mother's side. What comforted Luo Yan was that her aunt, who had married into a wealthy family, did not act like a noblewoman. Every year on her birthday, her aunt would send her a gift.
Luo Yan still remembers the amazement she felt when she received that exquisite ruby headdress at the age of seven. It was the first time she had ever received such precious and exquisite jewelry. Each ruby was as rich and vivid as blood, clear and with distinct patterns.
The seven-year-old stroked each bead, thinking that her decision to use all the money she had to prepare a birthday gift for her aunt was absolutely the right one.
She carefully stored the set of jewelry in her bedroom, taking it out from time to time to check on it and confirm its existence. At that time, she was still too young, and there were many Yao family members in the courtyard. If she had left it in the storeroom, it would probably have disappeared for various reasons within half an hour.
For several years, the birthday gifts sent by her aunt were the only things she could afford to give away—until she schemed to take back the few shops under her mother's name, and then she had much more money.
Her aunt became the only person she could use to escape the Luo family, but when she was seventeen, she learned that her stepmother had begun to look for a marriage for her. With a glimmer of hope, she wrote to her aunt, hoping that she could take her to the capital.
Her aunt politely declined, which was within her expectations, since her aunt was not her mother after all.
But after Yao arranged her marriage, her aunt unexpectedly brought her to the Zhu family mansion to prepare for her wedding.
Perhaps it was out of pity for her, but ultimately it was out of genuine kindness towards her.
A tall, elegant woman walked in through the door, her jade pendants jingling softly. Her well-maintained face was filled with worry, her brows furrowed. Upon closer inspection, her features bore a resemblance to Luo Yan's.
A beautiful woman was beside her, and she also looked somewhat nervous.
Luo Yan called out, "Aunt, Cousin."
Lan Hui quickly walked over and carefully examined Luo Yan inside and out. Only after confirming that she had only injured her ankle did she feel relieved and put her hand to her heart.
Lan Hui was still shaken: "Luckily you're alright. How did you run into bandits? You almost scared me to death. When I received the news yesterday, the city gates were already closed, otherwise I would never have left you alone at Baoming Temple."
Luo Yan's eyes were also slightly red: "Aunt, thanks to my eldest cousin, otherwise I don't know if I would ever be able to see you again."
Lan Hui held Luo Yan's hand with heartache and sighed, "Shenzhi is indeed a good child who knows manners and righteousness."
Luo Yan lowered her eyes.
At this moment, the woman beside Lan Hui interjected, "It's good that my cousin is alright. Those bandits are really audacious, daring to rob the Zhu family's carriage! But the appearance of bandits in the outskirts of Shengjing, I wonder what the Prefect of the Capital will do..."
Lan Hui interrupted sharply: "Zhao Yue, you must not discuss state affairs!"
Zhu Zhaoyue realized she had said the wrong thing and shut her mouth in embarrassment.
Lan Hui then turned to Luo Yan and asked with concern, "Luo Yan, tell your aunt what was so special about those bandits from yesterday? Although Shen Zhi sent people to investigate, your aunt is still worried."
"That group of people are highly skilled in martial arts, ruthless in their moves, and well-trained. Other than that, there's nothing special about them."
Lan Hui's face grew increasingly grim, her lips drooping tightly. After a few moments of contemplation, she patted Luo Yan's hand and said, "Luo Yan, if it's not necessary, don't leave the Zhu residence these days. Even if you do go out, be sure to bring all the guards with you. I'll assign you some more guards from my courtyard later."
Luo Yan obediently agreed.
Lan Hui gave Luo Yan a few more instructions on how to care for her foot before turning to her daughter beside her and saying, "Zhao Yue, Luo Yan was frightened yesterday, so stay with her a little longer."
Zhu Zhaoyue responded, then asked, "And what about you, Mother?"
Lan Hui smiled at the two of them and said, "I have an appointment with the Imperial Concubine and need to go to the palace."
The Imperial Concubine mentioned by my aunt was none other than Consort Qiong, who had enjoyed the Emperor's favor for many years, even surpassing the Empress in popularity.
This favored concubine seemed to have a very good relationship with her aunt, and they often gathered together. Luo Yan had heard about this even before she came to the capital.
Because of her appointment with Consort Qiong, Lan Hui was in a hurry when she left.
Before leaving, Lan Hui said earnestly, "Luo Yan, with your aunt here, I will definitely not let anyone hurt you."
Luo Yan had never seen her aunt so solemn, as if making a promise. Feeling somewhat at a loss, she squeezed Lan Hui's hand tightly in return. "Aunt... Luo Yan thanks Aunt."
Lan Hui smiled slightly, but the smile was extremely forced.
After Lan Hui left, a doctor invited by the servant Zhu Yun arrived, bringing with him medicine for his injuries.
Luo Yan had anticipated that Zhu Yun wouldn't come in person.
After examining the patient, the doctor said that she needed to rest for a few days and prescribed an internal medicine formula.
After seeing the person off, Zhu Zhaoyue looked at her delicate cousin and sighed, saying with pity, "Poor thing, she ran into this kind of thing as soon as she arrived in Shengjing. Fortunately, her injuries are not serious, so it shouldn't delay the lotus banquet in a few days."
"A lotus banquet?"
“Her Highness the Imperial Concubine holds a banquet every summer. You’ve come at just the right time this year, so Mother will definitely take you to the banquet.” Seeing Luo Yan lost in thought, Zhu Zhaoyue asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to go?”
Luo Yan smiled and shook her head: "I couldn't be happier to attend the small banquet personally hosted by the Imperial Concubine. How could I dare to have any objections?"
Zhu Zhaoyue looked at her bright smile, hesitating to speak.
"cousin?"
Zhu Zhaoyue opened and closed her mouth, but finally couldn't help but say, "I only dare to say this to you in private, you mustn't tell anyone else."
Zhu Zhaoyue only spoke up after Luo Yan repeatedly assured her that only the two of them knew about this: "When you first entered the manor, I thought to myself that your smile was somewhat similar to that of the Imperial Concubine, but it wasn't just a resemblance; it was more like... a spiritual resemblance."
Luo Yan was taken aback. So that's why her cousins had been staring at her face in a daze these past few days.
She immediately smiled and said, "I've heard that the Imperial Concubine is a first-rate beauty. If I could resemble her in some way, it would be my good fortune."
Zhu Zhaoyue disagreed: "My cousin is being a bit too modest."
Having said that, she thought of her beautiful cousin, who was going to marry such a man in two months. Zhu Zhaoyue didn't like Supervisor Cheng very much, and her smile faded.
Luo Yan understood what she was thinking and showed a hint of worry and vulnerability: "Cousin, may I come with you to the lotus banquet?"
With the thieves still at large, the younger cousin was understandably frightened and needed someone to keep her company. Zhu Zhaoyue felt even more pity for her, and her gaze became even more compassionate.
"Of course, even if you didn't say it, that's what I think too."
Luo Yan smiled sweetly and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, cousin."
Zhu Zhaoyue was always the one being taken care of and worried about by everyone, so she thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being relied upon. Being trusted so much by her beautiful and delicate cousin made her extremely satisfied. She added, "Luckily, my elder brother happened to be passing by yesterday. Don't let his cold demeanor and seemingly unwillingness to say a word to anyone fool you; he's very reliable when it comes to times of crisis."
People always praise Zhu Yun for being polite and composed.
When he was about to collapse yesterday, he did his best to protect her behind him.
Luo Yan rolled her eyes and asked, "Cousin, has my eldest cousin always been like this since he was little?"
Zhu Zhaoyue said, "My eldest brother is the only son of the main branch of the family. From a young age, my uncle and aunt repeatedly told him that he bore the honor and disgrace of the family and could not slack off for even a day. As far back as I can remember, my eldest brother always got up to study before dawn and didn't rest until midnight. He rarely even went out with his classmates. You could say he never had a day off. Even after he became an official, he maintained this schedule. But my eldest brother must have gotten used to it. If it were anyone else, they would have been exhausted to the point of illness, but he never got sick even once a year."
“When I was young and didn’t know any better, I went to find my older brother to play with me during the day. But when I turned around, I was met with my uncle’s stern face. I was so scared that I had nightmares for several days after I came back. I dreamed that my uncle was chasing me with a book and a ruler!” Zhu Zhaoyue touched her chest and shivered. “It almost scared me sick. After that, I never dared to go to my older brother’s yard again.”
Zhu Yun grew up under such strict Confucian discipline.
"No wonder my older cousin has been well-behaved and polite since he was a child, but has he never rebelled?"
Zhu Zhaoyue shook her head subconsciously, then suddenly remembered something: "There was one time, but... I can't tell you about it."
Luo Yan hurriedly grabbed her hand and acted coquettishly, but to her surprise, the usually easygoing Zhu Zhaoyue was unusually firm this time, refusing to utter a single word.
"Cousin, no one in the Zhu family is allowed to mention this matter. If I tell you, and Father and Grandmother find out, they will definitely punish me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall!"
Zhu Zhaoyue's words were solemn, so Luo Yan had no choice but to temporarily abandon her plan to pry this matter out of her.
"However, why is my eldest cousin still unmarried, without even a hint of engagement?"
Most men in this dynasty marry after the age of eighteen, and even those who marry later are usually engaged. Zhu Yun holds a high position and is responsible for the prosperity of his family, so his marriage is naturally a matter of great concern. However, he is now twenty-one and there is still no sign of engagement, which is rather strange.
Zhu Zhaoyue replied, “My elder brother was already nineteen when he finished observing the mourning period for our parents. After he finished the mourning period, my grandmother started arranging marriages. At first, there were quite a few noble ladies in the capital who were interested, but my elder brother himself had no intention of getting married. He was busy with court affairs all day long and never attended any of those matchmaking banquets. Those girls all came from high-ranking families and had other choices. Seeing how indifferent my elder brother was, they naturally sought other suitable partners in the long run. In addition, my grandmother was picky and strict, and she was worried that if my elder brother did not like the wife she chose, it would only cause unrest in the household. Seeing that my elder brother’s position in the court was becoming more and more stable, she let him be. That’s why it’s been delayed until now.”
Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully.
Zhu Zhaoyue slowly realized something was amiss and observed Luo Yan's expression: "Why are you asking these questions? Could it be that..."
Luo Yan stared at her without blinking.
Looking into Luo Yan's clear eyes, Zhu Zhaoyue realized she was overthinking things. Her cousin was innocent and gentle; how could she possibly have such feelings for her older brother?
Zhu Zhaoyue immediately felt guilty for misunderstanding her cousin. To make up for it, she offered to take Luo Yan to choose some jewelry to wear at the lotus banquet, and despite Luo Yan's repeated refusals, she made the decision.
The two chatted happily. Zhu Zhaoyue felt that she and her well-behaved cousin Wanrou got along very well. Although her cousin tried to cover up the fact that her stepmother mistreated her, she could keenly hear the clues from the details.
My cousin's life has been so tragic, it's truly pitiful. Zhu Zhaoyue sighed inwardly. Fortunately, now that we're in the capital and my mother is here, things will be a little better.
It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that Zhu Zhaoyue reluctantly left to have lunch.
The Zhu family has four households, and except for festivals, each household eats separately. Luo Yan's foot injury makes it inconvenient for her to go to the dining hall, so these past few days she has not eaten with the others, but instead had her meals delivered to her room.
However, Luo Yan didn't care, since she didn't see Zhu Yun during the meal anyway.
Zhu Yun was left alone in the main house, and he always ate alone. However, he was busy with official duties and his return to the mansion was unpredictable, so eating alone was quite convenient.
Luo Yan recalled what Zhu Zhaoyue had just said about Zhu Yun's past transgressions, which surprised her. Moreover, Zhu Zhaoyue's refusal to speak of it indicated that the matter was so outrageous that if it were known to outsiders, it might ruin Zhu Yun's or even the Zhu family's reputation. It would be quite difficult for her to extract information about this matter.
But what exactly did Zhu Yun do that was so serious?
Meanwhile, on the other side, a man exuding an aura of refined elegance sat beneath a lush tree, sunlight filtering through the dappled branches and casting dappled shadows on his handsome nose. His slender fingers slowly picked up a teacup, his thin lips taking a sip. Behind him, the cold mountains were shrouded in mist and clouds, their ethereal peaks blending seamlessly with the man's cool demeanor.
“According to you, it must have really been them who did it.” Another man sitting opposite him spoke up. He had a noble yet gentle and composed demeanor. He looked to be only in his early twenties, but his manners were exceptionally mature and steady.
He sneered, "It seems your cousin poses quite a threat to them."
Zhu Yun put down his teacup. "What are your plans, young master?"
Xiao Jing didn't answer his question, but instead looked regretful: "Your cousin has had a tough time. Her stepmother arranged for her to marry someone old enough to be her grandfather. She traveled a thousand miles from Ningzhou to prepare for her marriage, and then..."
Zhu Yun remained expressionless until the last word, when he paused almost imperceptibly, "Ningzhou?"
Xiao Jing looked at him with a hint of doubt. “Yes, don’t you know? Yes, I’m afraid you wouldn’t pay attention to this young lady either. This Miss Luo’s father hasn’t been promoted in many years. His second wife appears virtuous and generous on the surface, but secretly she mistreats her stepdaughter and has given birth to a son who is only five years younger than Miss Luo. Miss Luo has a stepmother who treats her poorly, a father who doesn’t care about her, and a younger brother who has been domineering since childhood.”
Xiao Jing sighed and said sympathetically, "It's obvious that she's having a hard time."
Across from him, Zhu Yun lowered his eyelids, obscuring his pupils, and stared at the green tea in the porcelain cup, seemingly lost in thought.
Seeing that he had only asked about Ningzhou briefly and then remained silent, Xiao Jing guessed that he didn't care about the matter given his personality, so he didn't continue talking.
He placed his hands flat on the stone table, his tone solemn with a hint of pleading: "Shenzhi, she is useful to us. Now that she is staying at your residence, we are afraid we will have to trouble you to mediate between us."
Zhu Yun's expression betrayed no hint of willingness, but he calmly nodded in agreement: "Your subject understands."
Xiao Jing's tense body obviously relaxed, and he smiled and said, "I originally thought you wouldn't agree."
After all, Zhu Yun was known for his cold and aloof nature, and he was even more reluctant to get close to women.
With a weight lifted from his heart, Xiao Jing's smile broadened. "It's almost lunchtime. I've planted some vegetables in this farmhouse courtyard. Would you like to try some?"
"Your Excellency is of refined taste, but I have other official duties to attend to, so I will not disturb you any longer."
After speaking, Zhu Yun stood up and bowed, his every move displaying the demeanor of a noble young master raised in a prestigious family.
Xiao Jing didn't mind and casually waved his hand, saying, "I knew you were only focused on official duties. Never mind, go ahead."
"Your subject takes his leave."
Zhu Yun walked out of the farmhouse and heard that Wen Feng had already led the horse and was waiting by the side. He hurriedly stepped forward and handed over the reins.
But the man hesitated to answer, staring blankly at the distant green mountains.
He called out in confusion, "Young Master?"
Zhu Yun seemed to snap out of her daze and took the reins.
Let's go.
After lunch, it was time for a nap. The Zhu residence became quiet under the blazing sun. The servants worked in silence, and the cicadas that used to sing were all caught in the early summer. The surroundings were peaceful.
Luo Yan was not asleep. She was rummaging through the trunk she had brought with her, and then placed a jar with a chrysanthemum petal pattern on the table.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from the courtyard. Lilan entered the room with an expression of undisguised irritation, and Luo Yan immediately guessed what it was about.
"Miss, Supervisor Cheng has arrived."
The starlight outside the square window flickered into afterimages, its tail trailing long, just like her rhythmic voice.
After a long while, Zhu Yun breathed out "I love you," and they embraced, trembling, amidst their racing hearts.
Luo Yan clung weakly to his arm, sweat and tears mingling and streaming down her face. After resting for a moment, she looked back into Zhu Yun's bright eyes and softly said:
"I love you too."
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