Qushui Garden.
Upon hearing the maid's words behind her, Wang Wan suddenly coughed, and the shocking bright red stain on her white handkerchief was frightening to see.
"Are you really gone?"
The maid sighed, "Yes, he won't even listen to the old master and insists on going to the Northwest to lead troops."
Fighting in such a harsh place as the Northwest must be incredibly difficult.
Wang Wan stared blankly at the incense burning in the burner on the couch, her expression dazed for a moment.
"Alright, you can go now."
The maidservant respectfully withdrew.
Wang Wan lay on the small couch, her mind drifting back to that bright and cunning face she had first met. She sighed and closed her eyes.
It had just rained in Yandu, and the sky cleared afterward, making the villa a picturesque place.
Seeing that her daughter was always cooped up in her room, Madam Wang urged her to invite a few friends to visit the villa, compose poems, play music, and enjoy themselves.
Unable to disobey her mother, Wang Wan went to the estate to hide for a few days.
There were only so many noble ladies from prominent families in Yandu. Xie Ling, the youngest daughter of the Xie family who was pampered and raised by the family, was a close friend of Wang Wan and would also be her future sister-in-law. So she talked to her about the happy events in her family.
The lotus flowers on the farm were in full bloom. It had just rained, and a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of crabapple blossoms from the lake, along with the damp, fresh air. The two men sat at the table playing chess and drinking tea.
Before Xie Ling could finish speaking, the girl opposite her froze, and the chess piece in her hand fell to the ground with a thud.
"Ah Wan, what's wrong?"
Wang Wan was momentarily lost in thought, but upon hearing the call, she quickly snapped back to reality and smiled gently.
"fine."
"You scared me to death! I thought you had a heart attack." Xie Ling breathed a sigh of relief and said with a playful smile, "Speaking of which, you vomited blood all over my third brother when you came of age."
"Oh dear, I never thought that such a stingy person would get married now, and to the eldest daughter of the Long Kang Heng family. He's really lucky."
Wang Wan lowered her eyes, picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and said nothing.
"A couple of days ago, Miss Heng and my third brother went to admire the lotus flowers in the suburbs. I took a peek from afar and she was truly beautiful."
"Ling'er, didn't you want to drink that fragrant beverage? Aunt Wang should have it ready by now. Go ahead, I'm a little sleepy and want to rest for a while."
Upon hearing this, Xie Ling immediately stood up and laughed, "You understand me best. My family is too strict, and the rules are so annoying."
"Go."
"Oh, by the way, my mother said she wants you to go to the manor in a couple of days because she has something for you."
Wang Wan paused, her hand gripping the handkerchief tighter. "Just have someone from the manor send it over."
Xie Ling scratched his head. "Mother said she would give it to you herself."
She paused for a moment, then said, "Okay, I understand. I will pay a visit to Auntie."
"Then you should rest well. I'll stay at your estate for the night while I'm out."
Wang Wan knew what she wanted to do and reminded her, "Don't stay out too late, take your attendants with you, and come back early tonight."
Xie Ling smiled and agreed, then obediently closed the door behind her as she turned to leave.
Once the person left, the room became quiet.
Wang Wan felt a sharp pain in her heart and coughed violently a few times. Bright red blood seeped out from between her fingers, staining her clothes.
She propped herself up on the couch, took out the pills from the porcelain bottle and swallowed them. Her pale face eased a little, and she leaned back on the couch, weakly closing her eyes.
On the fifth day of the sixth lunar month, auspicious for banquets, the Xie family hosted a flower-viewing banquet. The young ladies from prominent families in Yandu dressed elegantly and gracefully to attend the banquet, hoping to find a good husband at the banquet.
After Wang Wan arrived, she first went to the inner hall to pay her respects to Madam Xie.
Lady Xie was born into the Lanling Yan clan and had three sons. Xie An and Xie Xuan were her biological sons, inheriting the lineage of the eldest son's branch.
She really liked her daughter-in-law Wang Wan, and would try to find an excuse to see her every few days. Recently, she got a box of pearls from the East China Sea, made them into a necklace for her, and asked her about it.
Wang Wan has recently regained her health and looks rosy. Her smile is gentle and elegant, which makes Madam Xie beam with joy.
A burst of laughter erupted inside. Xie San had heard the laughter from the inner room when he arrived. A cold glint flashed in his deep eyes, but when he entered, he put on a polite and refined demeanor.
"Mother."
When Madam Xie saw him, her smile deepened.
Her two sons are about to get married and start their own families, so the eldest son's family line will continue.
"Come and sit down."
Xie Xuan, dressed in a flamboyant red robe and holding a folding fan, lazily sat down, not even glancing at the person opposite him.
Wang Wan sat in the chair, her butterfly-like eyelashes fluttering twice. She subconsciously picked up the teacup on the table to hide the emotions in her eyes.
"Call someone! What are you standing there for?"
Madam Xie glared at her son with displeasure.
Xie Xuan raised her eyes, casually glanced at the people drinking tea opposite her, and said in a low voice.
"Sister-in-law."
Wang Wan smiled and nodded in response, without saying anything.
Madam Xie, however, seemed completely oblivious to the awkwardness, and jokingly pulled the two of them along with a smile.
Xie Xuan leaned back lazily in his chair and spoke slowly.
Your aunt wants you to go to the front hall to greet the guests.
"---"
Madam Xie was taken aback, then stood up and scolded, "You brat, why didn't you say so earlier?"
It must have been the Marquis's wife who brought her the peach blossom powder.
"By the way, take Awan to visit your second brother's courtyard."
Xie Xuan didn't speak, and Wang Wan quickly stood up to refuse.
"No need, Auntie, I'll be leaving soon."
Madam Xie knew that this young lady from a prominent family in Yandu was very disciplined and kept her distance from men and women. She assumed that she was afraid of being gossiped about and comforted her.
"It's alright, your wedding day with Erlang is coming soon, no one will say anything."
Her son stayed in the yard all day and never went out. She would never see him when she went to check on him. Whenever Awan came to visit him, she would always come out to see him.
Did you hear that?
Xie Xuan patted his robe and lazily got up. "I know."
After Madam Xie left, only the two of them remained in the room, and a deathly silence filled the air.
Wang Wan licked her lips, her hand holding the handkerchief tightening slightly.
Xie Xuan wasn't embarrassed at all. He casually said "Let's go," then lifted the beaded curtain and strode out.
After leaving the house, the two walked around the long corridor towards the West Garden.
The Xie family's ancestral home was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Wei. It occupies a huge area, with pavilions, waterside terraces, winding paths and corridors, and towers with upturned eaves and gilded dragons everywhere, inlaid with glazed tiles.
Everywhere you look, there are red walls and black tiles, courtyards arranged in a staggered pattern, and behind them are artificial hills and ponds. There is an artificial pool connecting to the moat outside the city by a white jade carving platform, which is extremely luxurious.
Maids occasionally passed by on both sides of the corridor. They walked along the bluestone path in silence, and no one spoke.
He walked quickly, and Wang Wan, clutching her handkerchief, followed behind, panting and exhausted.
Just as she was about to say something, a clear, crisp voice suddenly came from ahead.
"Thank you, San."
She looked up and recognized the person at a glance.
Hengzhi Yan, the legitimate daughter of the Longkang Heng family.
"What are you doing here? I've been looking for you for ages."
The newcomer, dressed in a light purple moon-like dress, was tall and slender with bright eyes and brows. She gracefully walked towards them, exuding youthful vitality and captivating charm.
Xie Xuan glanced at her, raised an eyebrow and teased, "You've got some nerve, coming all this way?"
"Of course I came to the banquet to find my fiancé," Hengzhi Yan said, giving him a disgruntled look. She wrapped her arms around his and looked back, asking, "Who is that?"
Xie Xuan glanced back casually and said, "Call her sister-in-law."
"Oh, I remember now, she's your second brother's fiancée, isn't she?" Hengzhiyan said with a smile, then immediately turned to the back and said, "Hello, sister-in-law."
Wang Wan watched the two being intimate, her hands, which were clutching the handkerchief, turned white, but she smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
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