Chapter 40 Ripples (18) Wei Yuanzhan looked down into her gaze...
The sky was overcast, as if it were about to rain. Zhi Rou stepped out of her room; she had gotten up later than usual, and her eyes were slightly pale, as if she hadn't slept well.
"Is Mother's surname Lin, meaning 'two trees in the forest,' or Ling, meaning 'standing in the snow'?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the room seemed to freeze instantly, as if she had returned to that snowy, cold night. Lin He shivered to the bone, and a crack appeared on her face, which had never shown any emotion for years.
She rested her hands on her knees, paused for a moment, slowly composed herself, and calmly asked Zhi Rou, "What did you just say?"
"Is it fake? My mother's surname isn't Lin."
The candlelight in the room was dim, making it impossible to see Zhi Rou's face clearly, but her voice was incredibly clear, carrying an interrogative tone.
Lin He paused for a moment, then asked coldly, "Who's talking nonsense to you?"
Noticing Lin He's tone suddenly turn stern, Zhi Rou shut her lips and lowered her head a few inches.
The room fell silent abruptly. Lin He stared at her, his gaze seeming to penetrate from her skin to her very core, as if dissecting her, but he remained silent.
The Ling family of Qinyang moved away from the capital overnight. If my mother's surname is Ling, and she is a member of the Ling family, why were they in Luozhou instead of Qinyang?
With a thousand thoughts swirling in her mind, only her mother could give her the answer.
“No one, I just happened to see a painting… The woman in the painting looks somewhat like my mother, especially the scar on her earlobe.” Zhi Rou pondered for a while before speaking, then raised an eyebrow and whispered, “Her surname is Ling, the Ling of Li Xue.”
"Is that so?" Lin He seemed to be asking, but it didn't quite feel like she was asking her.
Zhi Rou said, "I will not deceive my mother."
The voice from the couch was calm and indifferent, but upon closer listening, it revealed displeasure: "In front of your elders, you speak without regard for rank, and your answers are hesitant and ambiguous. Is this not deception, nor is it considered presumptuous?"
Knowing that she wasn't trying to intimidate her, Zhi Rou still sounded aggrieved, gritting her teeth with a sour tone: "...I was wrong."
"If you made a mistake, go back and reflect on it. You don't need to come back tomorrow."
Because she angered Lin He, Zhi Rou didn't sleep well all night. She thought about it for a long time and realized that she was really wrong, but she was still very unwilling to accept it.
That morning, Zhi Rou claimed to be ill and did not go to the family school, nor did she attend the morning greetings. She instructed Xing Hui to arrange for a carriage to be prepared outside, and went straight to the Ling residence.
Ling Hewei was in her study with her wrist suspended in the air when a servant came in to announce that Miss Song had arrived. She smiled slightly and said, "Please ask her to sit in the pavilion for a while, I'll be right there."
When Zhi Rou saw Ling Hewei, she looked somewhat embarrassed. She patiently put on a cheerful expression, stood up and greeted her, saying, "I apologize for this sudden visit, Miss Thirteen."
"It's alright, I get bored alone in the manor. Your arrival will keep me company." Ling Hewei was much more generous than Zhi Rou, and sat down on the stone bench. "Do you know how to play chess?"
"I have a rudimentary understanding."
The servants set up a chessboard on the round table, and the two played a game of chess, with Ling Hewei taking the white piece. She made her first move, raising an eyebrow and saying, "It seems you received the painting I sent. What do you think? Doesn't it resemble you?"
Zhi Rou's gaze fell on the chessboard: "Five or six points, after all, it's not me."
Ling He smiled: "Yes, it's not you. Have you ever seen the person in the painting?"
Zhi Rou gripped the chess piece tightly and raised her face. Ling He glanced back at her for a moment: "I was just asking casually."
Zhi Rou is quite wary of strangers.
He quickly composed himself and said naturally, "To be honest, Miss Thirteen, I'm not very good at recognizing people. If I look closely, I'm fine, but I forget them after a while. If you ask me if I've seen anyone before, I'd have a hard time answering."
"Really? How do you usually judge people?"
"Hands, and incense."
Zhi Rou looked at her for a while, and then began to make up a lie without the slightest panic.
"The Thirteenth Miss's hands are well-proportioned, with slight calluses on her fingertips and a thin layer of cardamom on her nails, which is not conspicuous, but this is a habit that only daughters of military families have. It seems that Young Master Ling's statement that the young lady is martial is not entirely untrue, and the Thirteenth Miss must often associate with families of military officers."
After a pause, Zhi Rou added, "The perfume you're wearing is very expensive."
Ling He glanced at her twice, his smile widening: "Interesting. Have you been to many places?"
The incense he wore was a specialty of the north, and when it was sold to the capital, it was even more precious than sandalwood and agarwood.
Zhi Rou shook her head: "From Luozhou to the capital, this is the farthest I've ever traveled. What is Qinyang like?"
Ling Hewei was playing a fast game of chess. Upon hearing this, he didn't look up again, but kept his eyes on the chessboard: "It's your turn."
Zhi Rou raised her hand and placed her move without seeming to think. Ling Hewei was momentarily distracted by her move before slowly replying to her.
"Qinyang... I didn't stay there for long. In spring, when the peach blossoms bloomed, I would go to the river to take a boat to admire the flowers; in summer, my ninth brother would come back and bring me many unique little trinkets from the places he had been; in winter, I would stay at my maternal grandmother's house."
"Qinyang has strict rules and regulations, but it lacks flavor. It's not as good as the capital," Ling Hewei concluded.
Zhi Rou came today to test the intention behind the painting. After listening to Ling Hewei's explanation, she asked, "What is your aunt like?"
The wind lifted the gauze curtains around the pavilion, and the sound of the girl's voice reached his ears, causing Ling He to pause slightly and look up at her for a long time.
She then said, "I have never met her. I have only heard my maternal grandmother mention that my aunt is skilled in archery and horsemanship. She excels in everything that other young ladies disdain to learn. Back then, the number of suitors who wanted to marry her could fill the entire Ling family, but she looked down on all of them."
Her voice trailed off slightly, as if she were muttering to herself, "But I ended up marrying General Chang."
The voice was extremely low, and Zhi Rou remembered hearing it somewhere before. She couldn't help but open her mouth and say, "General Chang..."
"You can't say any more, or you'll lose your head." Ling Hewei cut her off in time, glanced at the chessboard, and couldn't help but glance at her again, "Who taught you to play chess?"
"My master, who taught me martial arts, loved playing chess."
Ling He smiled silently, offering no comment. Only after the game was over did he say, "Next time, let's not play chess. Let's go fishing instead."
This means they think she's bad at chess. Zhi Rou never hides her shortcomings, and responds with a frank smile: "Okay."
When Wei Yuanzhan arrived at the Song family school in the morning, Zhi Rou was not there. He glanced at her seat several times, but she still hadn't appeared when Teacher Du came in. He suppressed his doubts and called Song Qizhang after school.
"Why didn't she come?" Wei Yuanzhan said, glancing at Zhi Rou's desk.
Song Qizhang replied, "It seems he is ill."
"Sick? How did you get sick?" Wei Yuanzhan raised an eyebrow.
"I heard it's a cold snap in early spring, and she caught a chill. I'll go see her this afternoon. Does Cousin Wei want me to give her any message?"
Song Qizhang stood and waited for him for a while, but heard him say, "No need."
"Oh." Song Qizhang turned around and walked two steps away. Wei Yuanzhan's voice suddenly sounded behind him. There was no emotion in his voice, but he could still detect a hint of worry in his expression.
"Tell her to get better soon."
Song Qizhang smiled and waved his hand: "Okay, I'll talk to Fourth Sister."
Upon reaching the front courtyard, a flash of light and shadow appeared under the eaves, and then Changhuai hurriedly walked up to Wei Yuanzhan: "Master, something terrible has happened, the young lady... she has entered the palace."
Wei Yuanzhan didn't quite understand the somewhat unrealistic question. Only after he repeated it did Wei Yuanzhan's face tighten slightly: "Say it again."
"This morning, the young lady stayed in the courtyard, sulking with her mistress, refusing to come out or eat. Half an hour ago, her mistress sent Ma Niangzi to buy some fried dumplings for her, and that's when she realized the young lady was missing. When the Marquis returned from court, he encountered his colleagues congratulating him..."
Chang Huai frowned and recounted the whole story. Then, glancing at Wei Yuanzhan's expression, he whispered, "Now I know that you went to the palace, Miss."
How is Mother?
"Madam is very angry, but with the Marquis here, things have calmed down considerably. There will be no problem, so please rest assured, Your Highness."
How could he feel at ease? Wei Mingying's ideas are too ambitious. What could she possibly be so angry about that she would hide in the palace?
Wei Yuanzhan clenched his fists, unable to wait a moment longer: "Return to the manor."
Changhuai stopped him, saying, "Master, you can't go back."
"What?" He stopped, his expression cold.
"The lady said...you have a responsibility for not reporting what the young lady did today. If the young lady is ruined in the capital for the rest of her life, then I...will never have to go back."
Wei Mingying and Madam Hou were arguing because of that "beloved person".
Xu Yueqing somehow learned of Jiang Yun's name and asked her servants, only to find out that Wei Yuanzhan had also interacted with him. The siblings had always had a deep bond; they would bicker over small things, but on important matters, they were of one mind and always looked out for each other.
Wei Yuanzhan indeed did not tell Lady Hou about Jiang Yun and Wei Mingying's affair.
He gave a wry smile, his eyelids drooping downwards, a look of anger on his face.
Wei Mingying, oh Wei Mingying, what a good sister she was. And their mother, Wei Mingying was the apple of her eye, what was he to her?
Chang Huai looked at him, unsure of what to say to smooth things over. Then he saw him slightly raise his proud face and coldly snort, "Fine, I won't go back then. Is there no place for me in this vast world?"
Having said that, he lifted his brocade boots and strode towards the gate of the Song residence.
Changhuai and Lanye walked together, and Changhuai advised, "Madam is angry, sir, please wait a little longer, wait for Miss..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wei Yuanzhan glared at him and said, "What are you waiting for? Bring me my horse."
Chang Huai had no choice but to fall silent. He ran to get the horse, handed the reins to Wei Yuanzhan, and cautiously asked, "Where are you going, sir?"
Wei Yuanzhan mounted his horse, glanced down at them, and said, "Don't follow me." He spurred the horse and galloped away, raising a cloud of dust.
It was still early, and the city was sparsely populated, making it much cooler than in the evening.
After about six or seven miles, Wei Yuanzhan urged his horse to slow down, and the sharp wind gradually subsided.
I still feel dissatisfied, frustrated, and wronged.
He had heard his father say that when his mother was still living in the Xu family, his maternal grandmother treated her and his aunt differently.
My maternal grandmother was biased.
Wei Yuanzhan bit his cheek and rode his horse slowly down the street.
As he approached the West Gate, he changed streets and saw a dessert shop, which inexplicably reminded him of Song Zhirou.
She is still sick.
Wei Yuanzhan frowned slightly, spurred his horse to a pharmacy, and asked the shopkeeper to prepare some medicine for treating colds.
Zhi Rou and Ling Hewei got along very well. They had lunch together at the Ling residence and then read books in the library for a while in the afternoon.
The two chatted about everything from military strategy to strange tales until half past 3 PM, when she finally bid farewell to Ling Hewei and was led outside by a servant.
As soon as he came out, he ran into Ling Ziheng, who had just returned to the mansion, at the gate.
“Miss Song.” He seemed surprised, the setting sun reflecting in his eyes, before a bright smile appeared on his face.
"I thought Miss Song wouldn't come again."
"Young Master Ling." Zhi Rou returned his greeting, still holding a grudge about what happened last time, and was not very willing to say more.
She said, "The Thirteenth Miss gave me her painting, and I have come to express my gratitude. Now I will be leaving."
His robes swayed slightly as he walked towards the steps.
"Wait a minute."
"Song Zhirou?"
Zhi Rou raised her eyelashes, looked straight ahead without turning around.
On horseback, Wei Yuanzhan held the reins, the horse's hooves still pacing back and forth below the steps, making a "clattering" sound.
"Song Zhirou?" Wei Yuanzhan looked down at her with surprise in his eyes.
He glanced lightly behind her, then quickly looked away, his gaze lingering on her.
His tone was casual, but the final chuckle revealed his sarcasm: "Aren't you sick?"
Before she could respond, Wei Yuanzhan suddenly threw a stack of things off his horse. She caught it; it was a bundle of brownish-yellow paper packages.
"Take medicine if you're sick," he said expressionlessly.
Author's note: Wei Yuanzhan: She's not sick, she's just surrounded by more women.
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