25 Twenty-five
◎Swallow. ◎
Yu Wenfu took three steps back in disbelief, looked Xie Huaijin up and down, hesitated for a moment and blushed, and left after saying "Let Mo Yu go get the person himself" and slammed the door.
The maid bowed and closed the door. Mo Yu appeared in the study like a ghost. Xie Huaijin put down the white handkerchief he cherished so much and glanced out the door. Mo Yu lowered his eyes and said, "Yes."
The blush on Yuwen's face gradually faded after he left the Xie residence. He lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the closed door. He rubbed the patch of flesh between his index finger, and when he tasted a hint of blood in his mouth, he told the coachman, "Go back home."
The Prince's Mansion is located in the best location on Chang'an Street. Unlike the solemn and elegant Xie Mansion, which is a century-old family, the Prince's Mansion only has the words "luxury and splendor" written on its face. Entering through the high gate, you will see carved beams and painted buildings, and it is magnificent.
Its walls are inlaid with tens of thousands of night-shining pearls, which shine as brightly as the moon at night. People who have witnessed it have said that even the imperial palaces of past dynasties were like this.
There are many rumors among the people about Prince Yuwen Fu of Mobei. He is a playboy who flirts with cats and dogs, is arrogant and licentious, has many concubines, and all the maids in his mansion are slender and beautiful, covered with light gauze and brocade, kneeling to welcome him and waiting for his favor.
News of his evil deeds spread throughout Chang'an, and countless ministers filed impeachment petitions, but all were suppressed. One minister even died by hitting his head against a pillar in the main hall. The emperor, beyond a sigh of regret, failed to punish Yuwen Fu. Over time, Yuwen Fu's immense favor became known throughout Chang'an.
......
It was dark as Yuwen Fu walked through the corridor. The secret guards silently opened doors for him one by one. Yuwen Fu walked all the way to the darkest part of the prince's mansion. Surrounded by layers of gorgeous and luxurious scenery was a simple courtyard.
It wasn't even simple, it was rudimentary. Aside from the high exterior walls, everything inside reeked of old age. There was a swing hanging from a rope, an abandoned well, and an old tree that had been dead for who knows how many years.
The dead branches and leaves on the ground still had some traces of age, and for some reason no one had cleaned them up in all these years. The secret guard stopped behind Yuwen Fu, and Yuwen Fu stepped forward and opened the door. The outside looked old, but the inside was clean.
The door was pushed open with a creak, and Ru Zhen, who was tied to the bed, looked over with resentment.
Yuwen Fu stepped forward and held her in his arms. Ru Zhen had been fasting for five days and no longer had the strength to resist. Only a pair of stubborn eyes remained. Yuwen Fu did not look at them. Instead, he picked up a tray of tea and said gently, "Drink some tea first, and then we'll have some mild food."
Ru Zhen didn't say anything, and Yuwen Fu didn't care much. His madness was suppressed a little after he came back, and his voice was unusually gentle: "Ru Zhen, if you don't want to eat, I will let that maid eat it."
Ru Zhen opened her eyes wide, tears streaming down her face. When she opened her mouth, Yuwen Fu heard...
"Please..."
Warm tears fell on Yuwen Fu's hand and flowed down his hand into a trail of water. Yuwen Fu poured the tea into Ru Zhen's lips and whispered, "Be good, and I won't touch her."
Ru Zhen shook her head and cried, "Please, let us go."
Yuwen Fu pinched Ru Zhen's chin. The girl tilted her head back, her eyes full of pleading. The young man had a face so beautiful that it was almost evil, but at this moment, his peach blossom eyes were filled with a cold smile that could not reach the bottom of his eyes: "Zhenzhen, even if you starve yourself to death today, I will not let you leave my side."
Under Ru Zhen's horrified gaze, Yuwen Fu said word by word: "When you die, I will let that maidservant be buried with you. I will grant Zhen Zhen's wish and bury you in the same grave so that you can be together every day."
As Yuwen Fu spoke, the hand that was pinching Ru Zhen's chin tightened little by little. Naturally, these were threatening words. Not to mention that he would not let Ru Zhen die, even if Ru Zhen died, with Xie Huaijin around, she would not be able to touch Ci Ying.
But Ru Zhen obviously took it seriously. She didn't know where she got the strength from, snatching the tea from his hand and drinking it all in one breath. She drank it too quickly and choked on it. Tears mixed with the tea made her fall into his arms.
Yuwen Fu didn't care about the mess on his clothes. He touched the head of the girl in his arms and said to the door, "Serve the food."
......
It was already dusk when the carriage arrived at Xie's house.
After the soldier apologized to her, he returned to the barracks, leaving only Ciying, Lingyue, and Xiaowan. The coachman finished packing and parked the carriage at the side gate of the Xie residence. Ciying was helped down by Lingyue and Xiaowan.
The guard at the side gate saw her and hurried forward to greet her: "Hello, Madam. Would you like me to help you park the carriage?"
The expected difficulty did not come. The guards' attitude seemed as if they were still unaware of the separation. Ci Ying shook her head: "No need."
As she spoke, Lingyue gave the coachman a few instructions and walked forward.
Entering the mansion from the side door, there is still a long way to Zezhi Courtyard. Along the way, the servants bowed to Ciying when they saw her.
Xiaowan whispered, "Could it be that the Master hasn't returned yet?"
Lingyue didn't say anything, just looked at Ciying.
Ci Ying stopped at the foot of the corridor, listening to Xiao Wan's words, and recalled Yu Wenfu's words at the post station that day: "Tell me, should I call you Ci Ying or Madam Xie..."
At that time, Ci Ying was worried about Ru Zhen's safety and didn't think much about it. Now she thinks about it, Yuwen Fu knew from the beginning that she had written a divorce letter with Xie Huaijin.
The sky was dark and it wasn't raining, but Ci Ying felt her nose was filled with the earthy smell of a rainy day, which made her feel dizzy and nauseous even when she held on to a pillar.
What role did Xie Huaijin play in this?
He must have seen the divorce letter, but if he hadn't gone to the government office and made it known to everyone, how would Yuwen Fu have known about it?
If Xie Huaijin took the initiative to let Yuwen Fu know, why did he do that and what was his purpose?
She had clearly stated in her letter to him that separating from her would be beneficial to him. That day, when he spoke with Yuwen Fu, according to Yuwen Fu, Xie Huaijin had already obtained what he wanted from General Wei, so why...
Ci Ying was puzzled and couldn't figure it out no matter how hard she tried.
The lights were on in the courtyard. Ci Ying composed herself and approached with Ling Yue and Xiao Wan. The guards opened the door for her as usual. The other maids in the courtyard saluted her as usual. Ci Ying pinched her palms and walked all the way to Xie Huaijin's study. The guards at the door had become two unfamiliar guards.
When Ci Ying was about to step forward, she was stopped. The guard said respectfully, "The young master is not in the mansion."
But the light in the study was brightly on. Ciying looked inside and saw only layer upon layer of reflections of doors.
Lingyue was about to say something but was stopped by Ciying. Ciying looked at the guard and said, "I just want to go to the study to find a book." In the past, she could go in and out when Xie Huaijin was not in the study.
While waiting for the guard's reply, Ci Ying clenched her handkerchief tightly.
She felt that Xie Huaijin was inside.
The guard's tone was still respectful, but he still stopped Ci Ying and his group, lowering his head and saying, "The young master has given instructions. Please don't embarrass us, Madam."
......
Ci Ying looked towards the light burning in the study and said gently, "Could you please go in and get that book for me? It's on the top shelf of the second bookshelf, the second one from the right to the left."
The guard's tone remained unchanged: "Without the master's order, we cannot enter the study."
"Really?" Ci Ying lowered her voice.
The guard nodded: "Yes."
The silver hairpin, gleaming with a cold light, rested against the guard's neck. The guard, who had bowed, suddenly stiffened. He heard the lady in front of him say, "Let me in. If Xie Huaijin blames me for today's mistake, I will take the blame alone."
The silver hairpin was so sharp that blood suddenly flowed down the guard's neck. However, the guard neither resisted nor tried to dodge. Instead, he repeated in his usual respectful tone, "Madam cannot enter without the Master's order."
Ci Ying gritted her teeth, and just as she was about to lose control of the silver hairpin in her hand, the door of the study was opened from the inside.
A maid came out holding two volumes and whispered, "Madam, please take a look. Are these the two volumes you wanted?"
Ci Ying shook her head and said no. The maid paused for a moment and said with a smile, "Then which two volumes does Madam want? I'll go look for them again."
The door of the study was open and the lights were dim inside. Ci Ying could not see what was going on in the inner room, so she pushed away the maid's hand and ran inside.
The guard was about to stop him, but the maid stopped him with a glance: "Okay."
The two guards at the door immediately lowered their heads. The two men who had remained calm when the silver hairpin was placed against their necks just now now had deep fear in their eyes.
In front of them, the maid flipped through the two volumes in her hands calmly.
......
After pushing the maid away, Ci Ying ran all the way to the inner room. There were two servants at the door but they did not stop her.
Ci Ying clenched her hands and slowly pushed open the door. A faint scent of cedar wafted out from inside. Under the soft light, a young man in plain clothes sat in front of the desk, supporting himself with one hand and looking at the book in front of him.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the young man raised his eyes and looked towards her.
He wasn't surprised to see it was her, and there was no other emotion in his eyes.
There was a faint smoke burning in the incense burner. It smelled good on normal days, but at this moment it was a little unbearable for Ci Ying. Mixed with the earthy smell of impending rain at the tip of her nose, it irritated Ci Ying's nerves.
Ci Ying wanted to open her mouth to talk about Ru Zhen, but her hands and feet began to tremble. Cold sweat flowed down the girl's forehead, staining her hair on her cheeks. One of the hairs brushed against the girl's pale lips, which were pale and wrinkled without a trace of color. The next moment, a white light flashed before her eyes, and Ci Ying fainted.
It wasn't a sudden loss of consciousness. Before she completely passed out, the last thing Ci Ying saw was the young man's face, which suddenly changed color. When she woke up in her familiar bed, the young man was standing behind a screen, listening to the imperial physician's instructions.
"Yeah, I understand."
"good."
In a trance, Ci Ying's consciousness returned to the study that day. Her eyes became complicated. Xiao Wan helped her up and said, "Madam."
This voice made Xie Huaijin turn his head. After a while, after sending the imperial physician away, the young man in plain clothes walked to Ci Ying's bed, and Xiaowan retreated appropriately.
After the door was closed, Ci Ying lowered her head. Her weak body made her mentally tired. The room was dark with only an oil lamp on. When she looked up, everything she could see was a little blurry.
The faint scent of cedar lingered around her, and along with the medicinal fragrance in the room, it flowed into Ciying's nostrils.
Then, a soft sigh was heard in the room.
Soon, the young man returned with the medicine from the table and said gently, "Drink it first. The imperial physician said that you have not eaten for many days, which has caused hunger and dizziness. Although it is not serious, you must be careful in the future."
As he spoke, he blew on the medicine lightly and put it into Ciying's mouth.
The bitter taste spread between Ci Ying's lips and teeth. She looked up at Xie Huaijin, then lowered her eyes. Xie Huaijin saw all of this, but he didn't say anything. He just gently fed her the medicine spoonful by spoonful.
After putting down the bowl, Xie Huaijin didn't turn around. He said softly with his back to Ci Ying, "The kitchen will send over some easily digestible meals in a while. Remember to eat them. I'm leaving now."
Gentle and distant, yet extremely indifferent.
He did not give Ci Ying a chance to stay, so when the door was closed, Ci Ying could only say "Xie Huaijin".
Ci Ying's eyes trembled. She felt that she might have misunderstood Xie Huaijin, and perhaps this matter really had nothing to do with Xie Huaijin.
Yuwen Fu was able to get the news so quickly, probably because he had people monitoring their whereabouts. Although Yuwen Fu's hand was not so far as to reach Zezhi Courtyard, it was possible that he had spies in the Xie Mansion.
She hadn't initially thought of hiding it, so if Xie Mansion's spies reported what she had done in the past few months, Yuwen Fu would not be able to guess it.
The sky was dark and it looked like it was going to rain again. After Xie Huaijin left, the earthy smell became stronger, choking Ci Ying's nose and making her lie on the bed uncomfortably. After she retched twice, Xiaowan ran in from outside: "Madam, Madam..."
Ci Ying wanted to say don't call her that, but when she met Xiao Wan's eyes she couldn't say it.
Lingyue also came back quickly with food and said softly, "Master, please have some first."
Ciying ate some quietly, then fell asleep because she was so tired.
Xiaowan stayed behind to keep watch, while Lingyue went out to find out about Ruzhen.
But most of the people Lingyue knew were in the Xie and Lin residences. Apart from that, there were also merchants outside. Naturally, these people had nothing to do with the Prince's residence. After all, she was just a servant, so how could she reach into the Prince's residence?
Even after spending a lot of money, no information was found.
Ciying's illness improved a lot the next day. It was just an acute illness.
She waited for a whole morning, but Xie Huaijin didn't come to see her, so she took Xiaowan to the study again.
It was the same two guards from yesterday, but this time they didn't stop her and just said, "The young master is indeed not here."
Ci Ying pushed the door open and went in. There was indeed no one in the room. She sat on the soft couch beside her, looking at the empty space in front of the desk, and recalled the look Xie Huaijin had given her yesterday.
......
Ci Ying was a little dazed. Warm incense was burning in the house and it was really raining outside. When she felt sleepy, Ci Ying fell asleep again.
When she woke up again, she was covered with a small quilt. She raised her eyes and met Xie Huaijin's phoenix eyes.
The young man had just returned from outside, and despite having ridden in a carriage, his body was inevitably damp with moisture. When he leaned over, the girl could just sense the slight chill.
The cold wind blowing from the window made Ci Ying crave warmth. Although the moisture on Xie Huaijin's body was still cold, Ci Ying still couldn't help but hug him.
She wrote a divorce letter and decided to leave. Tears shouldn't have flowed.
But Ci Ying couldn't help herself. She didn't know how to express the shock she'd felt these past few days. She didn't know when Xie Huaijin had become her backer. Even though she knew it was a crippling dependence, even though she'd realized it and taken action to escape, habit was a terrifying thing.
She knew everything, but at this moment, as she hugged Xie Huaijin, she felt shamefully at ease.
She couldn't describe the confusion she felt when Xie Huaijin looked at her like a stranger yesterday. What rose in her heart was not grievance, but a sense of bewilderment that the world had abandoned her.
"Xie Huaijin..."
Ci Ying cried and whispered the young man's name.
But he did not respond to her. When Ci Ying's body gradually stiffened, he took her hand off his waist, handed her a clean handkerchief, and then got up and went to the inner room.
Ci Ying held the handkerchief tightly, and the small quilt covered most of her body. Although the weather in May was not that cold, she could still see her trembling hands even though she was wrapped up so much.
There was a rustling sound from behind the screen not far away. The young man took off his rain-soaked robe and changed into a plain dress. His long hair hung down, and he came out after a while.
He didn't even glance in Ciying's direction, but spread out the book on the desk.
The sound of raindrops could be heard outside, and Ci Ying felt a little helpless. She had thought of many reactions from Xie Huaijin, but this one was the only one she hadn't thought of.
The maid from yesterday came in quickly. She glanced at Ci Ying and walked over to Xie Huaijin. "Why hasn't my master come back yet?"
The young man said calmly, "He was injured last time."
"Tsk, how many more lashes?" His tone was very familiar to Xie Huaijin. Neither of them avoided Ci Ying when they spoke, or rather, no one even looked at Ci Ying.
Ci Ying clutched the quilt tightly. Shame made her turn around and want to leave, but she had to stay because of Ru Zhen's matter.
Xie Huaijin must know why she came back...
As the two were talking, the maid took a book down from the shelf, flipped through it, found it boring, and put it back.
Xie Huaijin continued flipping through the book and said calmly, "If you flip through one more volume, Mo Yu will punish you with ten more lashes."
The maid cursed softly, "Stingy," but obediently put the scroll back neatly. "I'm leaving now. Tomorrow I'll place the head you want in front of the study. Dear Master, could you please let my poor Master out of the dark room a few days earlier? He's old, after all, and I'm afraid he can't bear it."
Xie Huaijin responded indifferently.
After a while, the maid went out and the room returned to silence.
Ci Ying strolled to the desk and looked down at Xie Huaijin. The candlelight cast the girl's shadow on the desk.
Further back is the book in the young man's hand, his body in plain clothes, and his face with indifferent eyes.
Ci Ying knelt down, looked Xie Huaijin straight in the eye, and said softly, "I'm sorry."
The candlelight flickered, and the young man put down the book in his hand and looked up at Ci Ying. At that moment, Ci Ying thought that Xie Huaijin was probably a little angry about her leaving without saying goodbye.
Sure enough, the next moment, the young man said in a gentle voice: "I am sorry for you."
"That day, when I came back from outside, I happened to run into Yuwen Fu visiting. During that period, he and I had a lot of interactions regarding Mobei, so he went straight into the study with me."
As he spoke, Xie Huaijin raised his eyes, and Ci Ying's heart trembled.
The young man smiled gently. "I never imagined that my wife was so determined to divorce me that she even placed the divorce papers directly on my desk. In the study, I instructed Zhu San, the maid you just saw, to handle the Anhuai Liu family's case of murdering royal relatives. Have someone bring Yu Wenfu in first to wait."
Something flashed through Ciying's mind and she understood everything.
Xie Huaijin was still talking, and there was no emotion on his face, but one could tell that he was very angry.
There was a hint of helplessness in Ci Ying's eyes. She had never seen Xie Huaijin like this.
Gentle and polite yet aggressive.
The girl clenched her hands. As the candlelight flickered, the young man's gentle voice completed the rest of the sentence: "It must be my fault, and it must be Tongtian's fault. If I wasn't wrong, why would my wife divorce me without saying a word?"
Ci Ying wanted to say something, but swallowed it back. She suppressed the emotions surging in her heart, ignored the cold and disappointed look in the man in front of her, and said softly, "I'm sorry."
No one spoke for a long time. Xie Huaijin stood up and left, but was pulled back by Ci Ying. Ci Ying lowered her head but still said something pleading: "Yuwen Fu took Ru Zhen away, can you..."
Ci Ying's voice was ruthlessly interrupted by the young man. Xie Huaijin seemed to sigh, took Ci Ying's hand that was holding the corner of his clothes and then let go. The young man's movements were very gentle, and when he let go of Ci Ying's hand, the last trace of anger in his eyes also dissipated.
He seemed to have returned to his usual self, his eyebrows were indifferent, and he looked at Ci Ying with a faint look.
Ci Yingxin couldn't help but feel flustered.
The next moment she heard the young man say softly, "Ciying, am I your husband only when you need me?"
Ciying couldn't answer.
But the white sleeve slipped through Ci Ying's fingertips again. Ci Ying thought of Ru Zhen's panic-stricken face and bit her lip and said, "Yes, even if it is, Xie Huaijin, just treat me as if I really am. I beg you, help me, I beg you..."
As Xie Huaijin's face gradually turned cold, Ci Ying burst into tears.
The young man's cold, slender hand brushed across the girl's cheek, wiping away her tears bit by bit, and said softly, "Ciying, say it again."
Ci Ying: "I beg you..."
"The previous sentence?" Xie Huaijin's voice was so soft that Ci Ying could hardly hear it.
Ci Ying's eyes trembled as she recalled the past. She could not repeat what Xie Huaijin had just said. She simply rested her forehead against Xie Huaijin's hand, her warm tears wetting the young man's slender white finger bones, and whispered, "Husband."
Ci Ying didn't know why things turned out like this, but when she was picked up and kissed, she remembered the aphrodisiac incident. The young man pushed her against the wall and kissed her, just a kiss.
Ci Ying's tears fell down her cheeks. She looked at the roof with pleading eyes. There was naturally no one on the roof. Her pleading looked through the roof to the endless sky.
So she turned around and hugged Xie Huaijin. His kiss had stopped. She kissed his thin eyelids lightly. Ci Ying's tears flowed into Xie Huaijin's eyes. From a distance, the young man seemed to have tears on his face as well.
After a period of intimacy, Ci Ying lay on Xie Huaijin's shoulder. She put her arms around the young man's slender neck. Her plain clothes were stained with tears and something else. The incense burner was emitting faint smoke, and the atmosphere in the room was ambiguous and sticky.
Ci Ying was unable to shout out those two words when she was conscious, so she could only shout "Xie Huaijin's" name.
The young man touched her head with his hand. Although she still looked a little angry, she was able to speak properly.
"The day you came back, I sent people to find out about Ru Zhen." The young man said in a low voice.
Ci Ying was stunned and held Xie Huaijin's hand tightly.
In Ci Ying's expectant eyes, Xie Huaijin asked in a low voice: "Do you want to hear where Ru Zhen is or why Yu Wenfu is so obsessed with Ru Zhen?"
Ciying wants to know.
Xie Huaijin handed the things Zhu San had just brought to Ci Ying. Ci Ying opened the box with trembling fingers, afraid to see the news that Ru Zhen was seriously injured or dead.
But fortunately...
Ci Ying breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the next page to read it carefully.
"...Is this really what Ruzhen did?" Ci Ying asked doubtfully.
Xie Huaijin took a look and said softly, "Zhu San has never made a mistake."
"But Ru Zhen doesn't like Yu Wenfu at all. Why would she do so many things for Yu Wenfu..." Ci Ying looked at the paper again and again, and finally raised her eyes to look at Xie Huaijin hopefully: "Knowing that she is still in the Prince's Mansion, can we take Ru Zhen back?"
Thinking of something, Ru Zhen took out Ru Zhen's slave contract from her sleeve and handed it to Xie Huaijin.
The young man took it, a faint smile flashing in his eyes. He said gently, "Ke Ciying, have you ever thought about what would happen if Yuwen Fu refused to admit that 'Ru Zhen' was 'Ru Zhen'?"
Ci Ying pointed at the fingerprints on the slave contract: "There are fingerprints on it."
"What if Yuwen Fu had someone burn off all of Ruzhen's fingerprints?" the young man asked casually.
Ci Ying was stunned: "How could he treat Ru Zhen like this..."
Xie Huaijin: "Can't Yuwen Fu do it?"
Yuwen Fu could do it, so Ciying's hand trembled as she held the Nuqi. It wasn't the first time she realized that it was just a piece of paper, but...
Ci Ying raised her eyes and looked at Xie Huaijin. She didn't say it out loud, but her meaning was obvious.
Xie Huaijin, even you can't do it?
Xie Huaijin could certainly do it, but in Ciying's expectation, he only shook his head lightly: "The emperor has no real power, but Yuwen Fu has troops and horses, and a father who is entrenched in Mobei."
"The most important thing is," Xie Huaijin touched Ciying's head and whispered, "The Prince's Mansion is Yuwen Fu's territory. Yuwen Fu is unpredictable. I'm not sure if they forcefully take Ruzhen back and Yuwen Fu gets angry and embarrassed, will they be able to bring back a person or a corpse?"
Ci Ying sat down completely dejectedly, and the moment she let go of Xie Huaijin's hand, the young man gently held her hand.
"But if Ciying doesn't want to see anyone, but just wants to ensure Ruzhen's safety, I have a way."
Ci Ying looked at Xie Huaijin and was carried to the desk by him. The young man handed the brush soaked in ink to her, opened his hand and wrapped it around Ci Ying's hand to help his still trembling wife hold the brush.
The young man's voice was gentler than ever, somewhat soothing the fear Ciying had felt since Ru Zhen was taken away. "It's difficult to rescue her intact, but it's easy to send a letter. Ciying, you know Ru Zhen best. You know what to write to make her wait until Yu Wenfu makes a mistake and we can rescue her."
Ci Ying looked at Xie Huaijin with red eyes, and the young man nodded to her gently.
Later, every time Ci Ying thought of this moment, she felt stupid. How could she believe that the powerful head of the Xie family could not rescue Ru Zhen who was trapped in the hostage house?
But at this moment, Ci Ying carefully wrote a letter that made her regret for the rest of her life.
In the letter, she first told Ru Zhen about her and Lingyue Xiaowan's situation, telling her that they were safe. Then, as Xie Huaijin had said, she advised Ru Zhen to be patient for a while, and when Yuwen Fu let down her guard, she would send someone to rescue her.
At the end of the letter, Ci Ying couldn't help shedding a tear. She wrote that Lingshuang's house in Jiangnan had been decorated. She heard that there were large gardens planted with pink crabapples that Ruzhen liked. When the flowers bloomed in the future, they would definitely go to see them together.
When the letter was folded, Ci Ying lost her strength. She looked at the young man who was giving orders to Zhu San in the distance with some helplessness, not knowing how things had turned out like this.
Ru Zhen still wanted to stay with that crazy Yuwen Fu, so she returned to Xie Mansion.
The screen behind the desk was embroidered with a bird, and the candlelight cast a shadow of Ci Ying. The girl looked at Xie Huaijin not far away, and could no longer tell the real from the fake.
Some of the things she had believed in before were overturned. Everything was like a fog that covered her eyes, making her unable to see clearly. How could the passionate kiss and the thing that happened that day when he left her in a plain dress happen to the same person? How could the gentle and affectionate eyebrows and the light indifference that she secretly heard come from the same person?
Ciying closed her eyes.
Life seemed to have returned to the way it was before, yet it also seemed different.
Ciying did not let Lingshuang come back. There was also property left by his wife in Jiangnan. Since Lingshuang had already gone there, she was simply responsible for taking care of it on a daily basis.
Ru Zhen wrote her a letter before the Chinese New Year, saying that everything was fine with her and asked Ci Ying not to worry. She also told Ci Ying that the weather was cold recently and she must take good care of herself.
At the end of the letter, Ru Zhen seemed to want to write something, but crossed it out. Ci Ying looked at it carefully under the light, but only saw dots of ink.
Ci Ying felt a pang of fear in her heart. When the young man knocked on her door with a lantern, she opened the door and threw herself into Xie Huaijin's arms. The young man smiled gently, raised his hand and gently stroked her hand. Ci Ying closed her eyes like a cat that felt safe.
Since what happened to Ru Zhen, she has become more and more dependent on Xie Huaijin.
In the past, Ci Ying was constrained by many things. She hesitated to move forward or backward step by step towards Xie Huaijin. She compared him to colorful clouds and the moon, and she always looked up to him, which was restricted by her own personality and self-esteem.
But that rainy night, with lightning and thunder, Yuwen Fu pushed her away, the candlelight scattered to the ground, and the dim light outlined Ru Zhen's image with red eyes tied to the bedpost. The slave contract she took out was contemptuously brushed away by Yuwen Fu, and it fell to the ground, but she picked it up carefully later. Tears mixed with rain became her gradually turbid heartbeat.
Looking at Xie Huaijin, looking at the heartbeat of power.
Even though this is her lover for many years.
Ci Ying hugged the person in front of her, calling out "Xie Huaijin"'s name over and over again. The young man had a gentle face and touched the girl's head again and again.
On the east side of the courtyard, Zhu San put away her sword. At the end of every year, she would compete with Mo Yu. Since she was fifteen years old, Mo Yu could no longer beat her.
It was another victory without any surprises. Zhu San said indifferently, "Master, another year has passed."
Mo Yu looked at Xie Huaijin and Ci Ying hugging each other not far away: "Well, another year has passed."
Zhu San pursed his lips, looked in the direction where Mo Yu was looking, and snorted, "Young Master, you'd better make a wish to deceive her forever."
Mo Yu said nothing and opened Zhu San's hand.
"Where are Zhu Yi and Zhu Er?" Mo Yu asked.
"Sir, tell me when they can defeat me, I'll come out of the dark room." Zhu San wiped his sword and said complacently, "Maybe I'll be locked up for life."
lifetime.
There is no lifetime.
Later, whenever Ci Ying thought of the past six months, she felt that it was the darkest time in her life.
Love and hate seemed to be extinguished. Her love and hate turned into a light in the dim light. When she put her ear close to it, she could hear the "crackling" sound of the wick exploding. She moved forward in the dim light, and the wick that never went out kept her going until the daylight broke.
The moment the sky brightened, hatred surged like a tide, wetting Ciying's eyes as she looked at that man.
......
After the beginning of the new year, Xie Huaijin told Ciying that she could go and see Ruzhen.
Ci Ying was overjoyed: "Does that mean Yuwen Fu has let down his guard? We can rescue Ru Zhen soon."
The sun shone on the young man, and Ci Ying felt very warm. She placed her head on Xie Huaijin's shoulder greedily. After a long while, she heard the young man in the snow-white coat say, "Maybe."
In her excitement, Ci Ying didn't care about the meaning of "maybe". She prepared and asked Xie Huaijin: "Can Xiaowan and Lingyue go with me?"
"Okay." Xie Huaijin said.
Ciying was very happy and told Lingyue and Xiaowan, and they were also very happy.
It was not until February 2nd that Ru Zhen and Ci Ying had agreed to meet.
The sun was shining brightly that day, and Ci Ying saw Ru Zhen at a glance, but the smile on her face only lasted for a moment before disappearing.
Not for any reason, just because there was another person beside Ru Zhen - Yuwen Fu.
Although she knew that Yuwen Fu was most likely at the Prince's Mansion, the smile on Ci Ying's face gradually faded when she saw him. Everything that happened on that rainy night replayed before her eyes. She subconsciously grabbed the sleeve of the person next to her. Xie Huaijin kissed her back from top to bottom.
Yuwen Fu was not very happy to see her, but Ru Zhen lowered her head and whispered something in his ear, and Yuwen Fu suddenly became happy and greeted Ciying with a sullen face.
Ci Ying felt cold all over.
Obviously... it was obvious that Ru Zhen was coaxing Yu Wenfu very well, and Ru Zhen was also smiling. Yu Wenfu also smiled when he saw Ru Zhen smiling, but Ci Ying could not smile at all.
She brushed away Yu Wenfu's hand and held Ru Zhen's hand.
Ru Zhen's hands were as soft as before. Seeing the two holding hands, she smiled happily. Ci Ying raised her hand to wipe Ru Zhen's smile and said softly, "Don't smile if you are not happy."
Yu Wenfu, who was behind him, heard this and hurriedly stepped forward with gritted teeth, but was persuaded back by Ru Zhen's eyes.
Ci Ying felt her hair stand on end, and her eyes turned red the moment she looked at Ru Zhen. This time, it was Ru Zhen who held her in her arms and whispered, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine."
"Ciying..." Ru Zhen said, "Ciying, I'm sorry."
Ru Zhen looked at Ci Ying. She never understood Ci Ying and the young lady before. She didn't understand why the two of them supported each other and walked around the wall, watching the swallows outside the high wall. She didn't understand the freedom in their chattering. She didn't understand the emotions that suddenly fell when they were smiling.
It was not until now that Ru Zhen understood what a mistake she had made at the flower viewing banquet.
Ru Zhen took off a bracelet from her hand and handed it to Ci Ying. It was a very plain silver bracelet, the simplest one compared to all the jewelry Ru Zhen had worn before and now. But even when Ru Zhen was at the age when she loved beauty the most, she never took it off.
This is the silver bracelet that Ruzhen's parents had blessed at the temple when she was born.
It is very precious, and Ru Zhen has never taken it off over the years.
But now, Ru Zhen placed the silver bracelet in Ciying's palm with a smile, and she said softly, "It's my birthday soon, Ciying, I'm giving you a gift."
Ru Zhen forcefully put the bracelet on Ci Ying's hand, rubbing the area around her wrist until it turned red. But what was worse than the pain was Ci Ying's panic. She felt like she was about to lose something and held Ru Zhen's hand. However, Ru Zhen just stared at someone far away and whispered to Ci Ying, "Run."
She didn't actually say it out loud, she just made the shape of "escape" with her mouth.
Ci Ying was startled and squeezed Ru Zhen's hand tightly.
Ru Zhen waved and called Yuwen Fu over.
Yuwen Fu smiled at Ru Zhen like a puppy, and looked at Ci Ying with disgust.
Ru Zhen let go of Ci Ying's hand, held Yu Wenfu's hand, and said to Ci Ying with a smile: "We are going to get married in April. Ci Ying, I hope you can come to our wedding banquet. I hope...sister, you can bless us."
Ci Ying felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave. She looked at Ru Zhen, and Ru Zhen looked at her.
Ru Zhen said, "Sister, I want to ask you to return my slave contract. Only after I go to the government to cancel the slave contract can I marry Yuwen Fu. To be able to go from a maid to the wife of the prince, sister... it's a huge pie. Even when we were young, we never dreamed of such a big dream."
Ru Zhen added, "Sister, I've already brought my mother here. She said I'm really promising."
Ci Ying was still dazed when she was pulled away, until Xie Huaijin called her name softly. She looked at Xie Huaijin with infinite bewilderment and asked, "Why did Ru Zhen marry Yu Wenfu?"
She crushed the note that Ru Zhen had secretly slipped to her. Part of her clothes was embroidered by Ru Zhen, so there was no hidden button there. Ru Zhen knew it very well. When she told her to "escape" just now, she had slipped the note into her sleeve.
Xie Huaijin didn't answer her, but just held her in his arms.
The faint scent of cedar filled Ciying's nostrils. Her tears seemed to have dried up on that stormy night half a year ago. Her heart was still beating "bang bang", and she felt like she was trapped in a dried-up river.
The touch of the note touched Ci Ying's fingertips, but for some reason, she didn't take it out in front of Xie Huaijin.
When they returned to the yard, Xiaowan and Lingyue fell silent.
They looked at Ci Ying. She didn't understand what Ru Zhen had unfinished, but strangely, she made both of them understand. Ci Ying was too soft-hearted, so even though Jiangnan was just around the corner, Ci Ying could still turn around and come back, and still allow herself to be trapped, like the bird embroidered with gold thread on the screen.
Never fly out.
And Ruzhen...
Ru Zhen realized that she was stuck in a quagmire from which she couldn't get out.
Ru Zhen knew that there was no hope.
Ru Zhen doesn't want to be Ci Ying's weak spot anymore.
Back in the room, Ci Ying opened the note Ru Zhen had handed her. It contained only a few words: "Sister, be a swallow from the south of the Yangtze River, and fly towards your spring."
......
When she was young, the young lady was sickly and always looked at the sky.
Ciying pushed the young lady's wheelchair, while Ruzhen held the young lady's books beside her.
When the sun was shining, they would often look up at the sky together. Miss and Ci Ying liked to watch the swallows outside the high walls, while Ru Zhen looked up at the beautiful buildings high up.
The young lady was sick and weak, and she would occasionally talk about the afterlife. When a swallow flew by in the distance, the young lady would say, "Let's be swallows of Jiangnan together in the next life."
Ciying always says "yes", but Ruzhen never does.
Because Ru Zhen didn't want to, she wanted to be a lady more than a Yan.
She possessed countless luxurious jewels and clothes, a string of servants who followed her everywhere, and Ciying's ever-bright and shining attitude and care.
Ru Zhen thought, now, she seemed to have it all.
As long as she loves Yuwen Fu.
She only loves Yuwen Fu.
Ru Zhen thought that she could love Yuwen Fu.
Although compared to all that, what she wanted most was actually only Ciying.
But Ru Zhen thought that she had actually had it countless times.
She stroked Ciying's tears on the letter, and vaguely remembered that since the pearl hairpin, Ciying had been cleaning up her messes.
Now I have to stay in Chang'an for her, and stay with Xie Huaijin.
Ru Zhen actually couldn't understand it, but she could understand Ci Ying.
She thought that her sister Ciying wanted to be a swallow from the south of the Yangtze River, just as they had said to each other when they were young. She didn't want to do that, and she never wanted to be a net that trapped her sister again.
She hopes Ciying is free.
......
The candlelight ignited the note, slowly, slowly, Ci Ying bit her fingers until they bled.
swallow.
It was very cold in Chang'an in February. Ciying was so sleepy and tired. She walked under the high wall with an umbrella, but there were no swallows in February.
So she walked step by step towards Xie Huaijin's study. She pushed open the door of the inner room. Xie Huaijin was not there, but the books were still there and the tea was still warm. He must have just been out for a while.
She walked to the bookshelf and flipped through the books one by one with her slender fingers. When her eyes stopped at a place on the bookshelf, her fingers stopped.
It was a wooden box painted red and dark red. Last time she saw Xie Huaijin take out the divorce papers from it.
Ci Ying's hand rested on the wooden box. The color of the lacquered wood made her hand look particularly white. Ci Ying turned her hand over and opened the wooden box. A neatly folded white handkerchief was quietly placed on the divorce certificate.
It's the kind that Xie Huaijin always uses.
Just as Ci Ying was about to put her hand on it, the young man's gentle voice came from behind her.
"Ci Ying."
【Author’s words】
Does it count as a small explosion? Hehe, happy Children's Day babies, kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss, there will be small red envelopes dropped in the comment area, everyone has a happy holiday hehe~
Ciying will run away several times. After all, Xie Huaijin is so powerful that it is not normal for him to run away in one go.
The update time will be around 0:00 every day from now on. If I don’t update, I will ask for leave. Hehe, 啾咪~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
