Chapter 55 Dust and Light (Fourteen) I have something to say... only to you. ...
This is where the old Marquis used to store his weapons. After the old Marquis passed away, Xu Yueqing ordered people to clean and tidy up the place. Since no one lived there, there were very few people coming and going. Only on the day of cleaning would servants come.
Zhi Rou was dragged into the house by Wei Yuanzhan. The door closed, and his shoulder blocked her way. His shadow loomed high above her, so she couldn't see his face, but she felt an inexplicable pressure.
From childhood to adulthood, she and Wei Yuanzhan had often played and joked together, and spent a lot of time together. She had long been used to him being by her side, and no matter how close or intimate they were, she rarely felt anything was amiss.
The situation was different now. Perhaps it was the light, but the infinite senses were stirring her nerves, gradually creating an uncontrollable hallucination: "What are you doing? Third Sister and me..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wei Yuanzhan said in a low voice, "I have something to tell you."
As soon as he spoke, Zhi Rou's tension dissipated. She could tell that his tone was normal, so she relaxed and tightened her grip on his wrist: "Let go of me."
Wei Yuanzhan did as he was told and let go.
In the courtyard, Song Hanjin hesitated outside the house, not approaching.
The space was enclosed, without even a single light. Zhi Rou pulled Wei Yuanzhan aside and touched the door frame with her fingertips: "Let's talk outside."
The door hinges turned, opening only a crack, when suddenly a pair of hands pressed the door shut from behind, his breath enveloping me from behind, forming a confining posture.
"I have something to say... I'll only say it to you." His voice was low, somewhat stubborn, somewhat submissive, yet his behavior was domineering and tyrannical, like two extremes.
That strange feeling rose again, Zhi Rou's heart beat a little faster, and she pressed her hand tightly against the door panel.
A moment later, she turned her back, her fingers tucking together inside her sleeve: "What do you want to say?"
The girl's sweet fragrance enveloped him. Wei Yuanzhan paused for a moment, then took two steps back and turned his face to the side.
The dark room concealed the boy's slightly flushed face. He swallowed hard, the words that were lingering in his heart but could not be uttered when they reached his lips.
Zhi Rou waited for a while before he quickly and hastily said a few words: "I'm sorry."
As low as a mosquito's hum.
Zhi Rou was somewhat puzzled. Had he just... opened his mouth? She took a step closer and asked, "What?"
She stepped forward, and he seemed to frown awkwardly, taking a step back.
“I said,” Wei Yuanzhan coughed twice as if to make a sound, but what he said after that was like a kite with a broken string, and Zhi Rou didn’t hear a word he said, “I’m sorry.”
After this happened repeatedly, Zhi Rou almost thought he was teasing her. Unwilling to give up, she moved closer, slightly raising her chin, her eyes fixed on him, searching for his face in the darkness.
"I'll be going now, my third sister is waiting for me."
Wei Yuanzhan had never been in such a predicament.
He originally only wanted to take her to a secluded place and sincerely apologize to her, but Song Hanjin relentlessly pursued him, showing no tact whatsoever, and forced him into this room.
The atmosphere was wrong; how could he possibly bring it up? He wasn't familiar with this kind of thing either.
Zhi Rou approached step by step. Wei Yuanzhan moved slightly but did not retreat. He glanced at her face with a distant look and said, "Your hair is still wet."
You called her over just to say this?
Zhi Rou was slightly taken aback. After a short while, she scoffed, "You're the one who's crazy." She turned her back to the door, opened it, and walked to Song Hanjin's side.
Upon seeing her come out, Song Hanjin immediately glanced at her several times. Although she knew Wei Yuanzhan wouldn't do anything more impolite, her eyes were filled with coldness when she looked at him.
"Let's go." Song Hanjin took Zhirou's hand, remembering that the way they came had turned onto the passageway.
Zhi Rou turned around and glanced at Wei Yuanzhan.
Under the bright moonlight, he stopped in the courtyard, his whole body relaxed and composed, his figure upright and dignified.
"What does he want with you?" Song Hanjin asked.
Zhi Rou turned her face away: "He said my hair wasn't dry."
Song Hanjin glanced at Zhi Rou's black hair. It was indeed not fully twisted; a few clumps were still dripping water, which could only be observed with great care.
Even so, Song Hanjin couldn't help but mutter, "Is he sick?"
After Zhi Rou and the other person left, Chang Huai emerged from the darkness and strolled to Wei Yuanzhan's side.
After returning to his residence, he passed by the banquet garden and happened to see Wei Yuanzhan, whom he followed. When he saw his master take the Fourth Miss's hand, he covered his eyes and silently retreated to the back, only revealing himself at this moment.
"Master, it seems I'm a step too late," Changhuai reported in a low voice.
Wei Yuanzhan raised his eyebrows slightly, staring at his face.
He continued, "A Lord Chen arrived at the He residence first. I had just presented you with your invitation when He Jinshan invited me inside. He spoke in a complex manner, and from what he said, it seemed... he was begging you for forgiveness."
Wei Yuanzhan paused for a moment: "Which Lord Chen?"
“I heard He Jinshan call him Chen Zhuo, which seems to be someone from the Ministry of Rites.”
Chen Zhuo. Wei Yuanzhan murmured to himself, vaguely recalling him. Was he someone from Her Majesty the Empress's faction?
The fact that the Empress sent someone over today truly surprised him. In the past, on his birthday, His Highness would only mention it briefly and bestow some rare gifts upon him when he entered the palace.
"Did you see your sister when you came over?" Wei Yuanzhan suddenly asked.
Chang Huai was taken aback for a moment: "The young lady isn't at the table?"
Wei Yuanzhan shook his head.
He had initially thought his sister didn't want to see her maternal grandmother, but now he wondered if it was his father's idea.
"I'm going to find her." His robes swayed slightly, but he stopped after taking a few steps and instructed Chang Huai, "Go to the waterside pavilion and find something for me."
He was in such a rush that he dropped the birthday gift Song Zhirou gave him without even having a proper look at it. Her handiwork must be quite interesting.
As the night wind blew, Wei Jingfan escorted the Song and Xu families to the corridor. Wei Yuanzhan was then summoned by Lan Ye, and together they saw the guests off.
The two Xu boys had already seen Zhi Rou at the banquet, but they were too far away to see her clearly.
Now that they were closer, Xu Chengce glanced at Zhi Rou for a moment, and when he saw her looking at him coolly, his heart skipped a beat and he immediately looked away.
Zhi Rou didn't really remember the grudges that had been settled long ago. She just felt that Young Master Xu was strange, staring at her from the moment they sat down. What was so interesting about him?
Zhi Rou raised her eyebrows, and her strength, which she had just exhausted, was quickly restored after a good meal. Like a vigorous plant, she stood out conspicuously amidst the weariness of those around her.
"What are you looking at, Fourth Sister?" Song Hanjin felt her gaze sweeping across the room and looked back as well.
Apart from his cousin Xu, there is nothing else noteworthy.
Zhi Rou snapped out of her reverie and said, "No." Turning her head, she asked, "Will you be riding in the same carriage with me later, sister?"
As she stepped out the stairs, Song Hanjin's gaze fell on Song Qiyu's back: "You ride with Mother, I have something to ask my brother."
After leaving the Marquis's residence, the two families got into their respective carriages. Zhi Rou lifted her skirt and took a step, when suddenly a voice rang out behind her: "Miss Song, please wait!"
Turning around, I saw a young woman walking briskly from the west.
Zhi Rou stared intently for a moment, and the person who had come up to her said, "Miss Song's life-saving grace is as heavy as Mount Tai. If there is anything I can do to help you in the future, I will do my best to assist you."
After saying this, he curtsied to her, saying, "Please accept Wei Yi's bow, Miss Song."
"This is too much!" Zhi Rou quickly grabbed Wei Yi's arm and helped her up. "No need for that, it was just a small favor... Sister, you're making me feel so bad."
Wei Yizhan raised her eyes and saw her troubled expression. She couldn't help but glance around and saw that there were indeed many people watching.
"It was my abruptness..." Wei Yi felt a little ashamed, but the girl in front of her smiled and said, "It's alright."
Zhi Rou looked around and casually asked, "Sister, how are you going to get home?"
The people from the palace were already gone; they left before the banquet was over. Isn't this lady also from the palace? Doesn't she need to stay with them?
Zhi Rou hit the nail on the head. Wei Yi was slightly taken aback, then parted her thin lips slightly: "They... are waiting for me up ahead. I've come to thank you, Miss."
Zhi Rou nodded after listening: "Oh, then go ahead, sister, I need to go back too."
Xu Yueyuan was waiting, knowing that Zhirou shouldn't stay too long.
Wei Yi lowered her eyes and stepped aside. Only after the Song family's carriage had gone far away did she slowly raise her eyelashes.
The moon was high in the sky, its silvery light streaming through the window. Wei Yuanzhan lifted his robe and sat down in the chair, with the birthday gift that Chang Huai had found for him beside him.
Recalling the events by the pond, Wei Yuanzhan's eyes turned slightly cold.
The palace maid who fell into the water was surnamed Zhang and named Wei Yi. She had been a close friend of Wei Mingying. Two months ago, her father was convicted of a crime, and Her Majesty the Empress took pity on her and took her in as a maid.
She came to the residence today on behalf of Her Majesty the Empress to see Wei Mingying.
Lan Ye brought in tea and saw Wei Yuanzhan playing with the wooden rabbit with an inscrutable expression. She asked, "Is Master unhappy?"
Upon hearing him approach, Wei Yuanzhan gathered the rabbit in his palm, did not drink the tea, and got up to sit on the bed: "You may leave, there is no need to serve me."
Lan Ye, unaware of what was going on, stepped onto the porch and nudged Chang Huai with his shoulder, glancing into the room out of the corner of his eye: "What's wrong? Isn't it a joyous occasion that Lord Chen is helping to deal with the rumors?"
"What joy? We've gathered all the evidence, just waiting for that guy surnamed He to come knocking. Letting outsiders interfere is really..." Chang Huai sighed sullenly, thinking of his eldest daughter. Although she often tormented him when they were young, deep down, he naturally hoped for her well-being.
The news about the Yining Marquis's residence that night reached Jiayang's ears the following morning.
Wei Yuanzhan refused her congratulatory gift, which was entirely expected, and Jiayang was not angry. What puzzled her was that Her Majesty the Empress had actually sent someone to the Marquis's residence, and even more strangely, there was the Fourth Miss Song.
Unable to infiltrate the Marquis's residence, Jia Yang's men could only spy from outside. Upon hearing reports that Fourth Miss Song had connections with a palace maid serving the Empress, Jia Yang's heart tightened, suspecting that Song Zhirou would reveal what happened that day.
"Didn't the county princess say she was a smart person? Why should she interfere in your affairs?" Qing Tang, who was serving tea, noticed Jia Yang's unclear expression and made a comment.
Jia Yang picked up his teacup, but remained silent.
Why would someone close to the Empress have contact with the daughter of a foreign official? Could it be that the Empress discovered something about what happened that day, and therefore sent someone to see Song Zhirou?
The more she tried to reason with it, the more confused she became; she couldn't understand it at all. This was probably what it felt like to have someone hold something against you. She couldn't sleep a wink until the marriage alliance was settled.
Jia Yang slowly closed the sunflower-shaped cup in his hand, took a sip, and quickly put it down, annoyedly scolding, "It's too hot."
Qingtang bowed and apologized. Yanliu waved her fan lightly toward Jiayang and gave Qingtang a wink, signaling her to step back.
A gentle breeze brushed past her ear, carrying the soft, melodious voice of Yanliu Chanyu: "Although Prince Wei has rejected your congratulatory gifts, there may still be room for maneuver. Why doesn't the County Princess try to befriend Prince Wei? If a marriage alliance can be formed with the Marquis of Yining's family, who could possibly say a word against it?"
Jia Yang disagreed: "Wei Yuanzhan is so arrogant, treating my Prince You's Mansion as nothing. Do you expect me to lower myself to beg for his favor?"
What did she, a county princess, lack compared to him?
"If it doesn't work the first time, and I try to please him again, it will only annoy him. Since he is so arrogant, he probably won't interfere in my affairs."
Yan Liu glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The languid sunlight cast a dim light on her face, but from her tone, it was clear that she was not particularly angry when she spoke of Prince Wei.
After pondering for a moment, Yanliu realized that the woman was worried about Miss Song: "Why don't you invite Miss Song to the mansion again for another question, Your Highness?"
"She had just seen the palace maids around the Empress. If I then summoned her to my residence, wouldn't that be an open question of whether I suspect her?"
"The news of the marriage alliance hasn't spread yet, so perhaps Miss Song is unaware of it?"
Jia Yang sneered, "So what? Have you forgotten that we still have thirty bodyguards sent by the Empress in our residence?"
Those people acted silently, and without her saying a word, Yanliu almost forgot.
"The county princess gave a gift to Prince Wei yesterday..."
"It's not surprising that a young man would admire someone so much. Even if it reached Her Majesty the Empress's ears, it wouldn't be surprising. Besides, he didn't accept it, did he?" Jia Yang said nonchalantly.
Just then, a voice announced from outside the door: "Princess, the Prince requests your presence at the front to watch the variety show."
Upon hearing this, Jia Yang immediately frowned, looking quite impatient.
If her father hadn't been ill, why would the Empress have chosen her? She pushed aside the silk fan that Yanliu was waving beside her, and walked to the couch with her hips bent: "I won't go."
By late afternoon, the sun was blazing.
Wei Yuanzhan had spoken harshly to her yesterday, and his apologies had been fruitless, so he thought Song Zhirou would distance herself from him for a while. Unexpectedly, after school today, she rushed up to him, waving a bag of dried peaches: "Want some?"
Her voice was light and cheerful. Before he could answer, she tossed the question to Lan Ye, then, with her hands behind her back, she chattered, "Didn't you say there's a training ground behind Tingsong Academy? I want to learn to ride horses. Can we go there?"
Wei Yuanzhan glanced at her, and she looked at him expectantly and intently, her eyes like a galaxy, without the slightest hint of resentment.
He paused for a moment, then his gaze shifted slightly, settling on Lan Ye's hand: "Is that the tuition fee?"
Zhi Rou raised an eyebrow: "No." She hadn't expected Wei Yuanzhan to ask her for tuition fees.
"Then why did you give it to me?" Wei Yuanzhan lazily stepped onto the bridge, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.
He arrived late in the morning, and Song Zhirou didn't speak to him, leaving him feeling somewhat empty. But seeing her acting as usual, his usual smugness returned, and he adopted a completely composed demeanor.
Zhi Rou remained silent.
After returning home last night, she thought about it carefully for a long time. Wei Yuanzhan's stammering in the dark room was probably an attempt to apologize to her. It must have been difficult for him to actually say an apology, right?
She was indeed angry at first, but then she remembered that her mother had also scolded her sternly in the past, but it was only because she loved her dearly that she was angry.
Wei Yuanzhan was worried about her.
As the shadows of the trees faded in front of her, Zhi Rou lifted her eyelashes, strolled down from the scenic bridge, and said playfully, "I don't think you'd mind, so feel free to eat it."
Wei Yuanzhan glanced at her with a light laugh: "Do you still want to learn?"
“Go ahead and learn,” she said, quickening her pace to catch up with him, “Do you need to fetch a horse from the manor?”
"Today?" Wei Yuanzhan stopped and scrutinized Zhi Rou for a moment. "So soon?"
Zhi Rou nodded.
She had never gone on the autumn hunt in August; her father always had many reasons to keep her at home. Her older brother had been hunting in the autumn every year since he was fourteen, and now that she was fourteen, why couldn't she go with him?
Once she masters horseback riding, her father will have no more excuses.
Wei Yuanzhan raised an eyebrow: "What are you up to now?"
"Never mind that, can you teach me?" Zhi Rou blurted out. But in her heart, she thought: If he can't, she'll have to muster up her courage and go to her older brother.
Wei Yuanzhan smiled and deliberately looked at her, saying, "You can't hire someone as a teacher like this."
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