Chapter 44
◎Did you invite me?◎
After returning to the room, Ci Ying turned her back to the door for a while, then looked down at her shoes and socks.
I felt a cold sensation from the soles of my feet. On the way back, I didn't pay attention and stepped into a puddle. This time, I was really soaked by the snow water.
The charcoal fire in the room was burning brightly, and a window was open to let in air. Ci Ying refused the maid who wanted to come forward to serve her, and sat on a wooden stool to slowly take off her wet shoes and socks.
The candlelight slowly silhouetted the girl's profile. She glanced in the direction she had just returned from, then lowered her eyes. As she stepped barefoot onto the ground, Ci Ying didn't feel the cold, but something struck her, and she called the maidservant outside.
Clean shoes and socks were brought in quickly. Ci Ying put them on, stood up, walked to the window, and reached out to push it open a little.
After her serious illness, the charcoal fire in the house always burned brightly, warm, but always feeling stuffy. She leaned against the window for a while, thinking about what Xie Huaijin had said today, and then thinking beyond Xie Huaijin, thinking about Xie Ran and Li Sheng. The things she had sent two days ago had not yet received a reply from Jiangnan. When the reply came, she would probably see the poems and essays Xie Ran and Li Sheng had sent.
Ci Ying calculated that in about three months, she would need to go back to Jiangnan.
Their previous plan to use her as "Jiang Wei" was definitely not going to work anymore. Xie Ran wasn't suitable either... They had to find someone else. Ci Ying picked up her pen and wrote another letter, just a few short lines. After putting it in the envelope and sealing it, she realized that it was already getting dark outside.
She glanced at the hairpin she had bought at the Treasure Pavilion during the day, and thought about looking for Ru Zhen tomorrow.
......
Mobei.
Yuwen Fu was in a difficult situation himself, and when he heard the news about Ru Zhen, he was stunned.
He had just escaped a chase and was pulling at the bandage on his chest when the secret guard reported. Hearing the news that Ru Zhen had fallen insane, he exerted force on his hand, and the wound opened again.
"Prince!" The attendant hurried to help stop the bleeding and heard Yuwen Fu say, "It's okay."
It was dry in Mobei and it hadn't rained for two months. The place where they were was a wilderness with yellow sand everywhere.
Yuwen Fu gritted his teeth, endured the piercing pain, and stood up, cursing loudly: "You bastard Xie Huaijin, you are really not a human being."
The secret guard dared not speak, but only looked around vaguely.
Yuwen Fu put on his clothes and said to the people in the dark around him, "You've been following me all the way, so come out now. If you don't want my life, we can talk about it. What does Xie Huaijin want?"
But there was silence all around, not a single person in sight.
Yuwen Fu gritted his teeth but there was nothing he could do. He thought of Ru Zhen, feeling both love and hate. In the end, he could only utter the word "liar". Those who said they loved him, loved only him in the world, and would accompany him for the rest of their lives were all lies. They were all bastards and liars, just like his disgusting father, who was born to deceive people.
Under the bright moon of Mobei, Yuwen Fu climbed up from the yellow sand and said coldly, "I still don't believe it. A small military token, after several attempts, I can't find it."
......
The next day.
Ci Ying took Zhu Guang to Ru Zhen's yard.
Originally, she wanted to bring Ru Zhen to her yard, but she was afraid of upsetting Ru Zhen, and she had been ill before, so although Ru Zhen was not living in her original place, it was not her yard either.
Ru Zhen was very happy to see her, and Zhu Guang took the opportunity to put the pearl flowers under the table not far away.
Ci Ying did not guide Ru Zhen, and when Ru Zhen discovered it naturally, her eyes lit up.
"Ciying!" Ru Zhen picked up her skirt and ran over, bent down to pick up the pearl flower, and ran back to hand it to Ciying: "Found it, the hairpin!"
As she spoke, Ru Zhen wiped the pearl flowers with her handkerchief and whispered, "It's a gift for Ci Ying."
Ciying's eyes suddenly turned red, and she asked, "What gift?"
Ru Zhen immediately stuffed the clean pearl flower into Ci Ying's hand: "This, I always couldn't find it before, but now I found it. I was planning to give it to you after the flower viewing banquet..." At this point, Ru Zhen's eyes widened: "Ci Ying, hasn't the flower viewing banquet been over for a long time?"
Ci Ying said with red eyes: "Well, it's good that you found it."
At this moment, Ciying suddenly didn't care what the truth was.
She originally wanted to know the whole story. According to the imperial physician, knowing the truth might help alleviate Ru Zhen's condition.
But at this moment Ciying hesitated.
No matter what the truth is, something that drives Ru Zhen crazy must be filled with endless pain.
Will Ruzhen really get better if she lets him recall the past again?
Ci Ying held Ru Zhen's hand, hesitating, and was about to talk to Ru Zhen about going to Jiangnan.
But before she could speak, Ru Zhen, who was leaning on her, suddenly laughed and whispered, "Sister, are you curious about where I got the money?"
Ciying said, "Yes."
Ru Zhen leaned over to Ci Ying's ear and whispered, "It's the Third Miss who's been tricked, haha."
Ci Ying looked at Ru Zhen with complicated eyes. After sorting out the timeline and learning from Yun Xia that the pearl flower came from the Treasure Pavilion, Ci Ying probably guessed that it was bought with the bag of silver that Xie Anyun gave to Ru Zhen in Xiaowan's mouth.
Ru Zhen was completely unaware and snorted softly, "Miss Third is so mean. She deliberately gave me money in front of others. I wanted to refuse... but then I thought, if she doesn't give it to me, then she has to give it to others. It's better to give it to me than to others."
There was a hint of pride in Ru Zhen's tone, and Ci Ying understood that she was wrong, everything was wrong.
If Ru Zhen had not been bribed by Xie Anyun, what happened at the flower viewing banquet would not be what she had always imagined.
Ru Zhen looked at the tears on Ci Ying's face and said softly, "Ci Ying, why are you crying? Don't cry... I want to return the silver. But I've already bought the hairpin. Don't you like it? You sold all your jewelry for me. I... feel bad."
Ci Ying pinched the pearl flower and shook her head: "No, I like it very much. Thank you, Ru Zhen, thank you..."
Ru Zhen then smiled foolishly, then took Ci Ying's arm and rested her head on her shoulder: "Don't cry, don't cry. When I become the prince's concubine, I can buy you many hairpins and redeem all the hairpins you sold. No... let's buy new ones, more expensive ones..."
Ciying listened to Ruzhen quietly, and Ruzhen's memories seemed to be mixed together again.
"It's so hard, it's so hard to make Yuwen Fu like me. Do these young masters like to humiliate others? They have cold faces all day long, their smiles are not smiles, their tears are not tears, and their tears are actually warm."
Ci Ying felt that she was getting closer to the truth.
She asked softly: "Why does Yuwen Fu like you? Do you like Yuwen Fu?"
Ru Zhen's eyes widened immediately. "How is that possible? Who would like someone so moody and unpredictable? He even beats people up, a lot of them. Everyone in the mansion is afraid of him. He's a million times more hateful than the rumors out there."
"Then why does Yuwen Fu like you?"
A look of confusion appeared on Ru Zhen's face. She looked up at Ci Ying, then lowered her head again, as if she was a little embarrassed about what she was going to say next.
Ci Ying waited with gentle eyes. Ru Zhen turned her back and whispered, "When we were little, I said I would protect you. I... I don't have the strength I had when I was little. I can't save you with that strength... If, if Yu Wenfu could like me, I would have the strength again, the strength to save you."
Ru Zhen's voice became softer and softer, as if she remembered something, and she began to apologize to Ci Ying again.
Ci Ying held Ru Zhen in her arms with trembling eyes, never having imagined that the truth would be like this.
Ru Zhen's memory seemed to go back to before she escaped. Holding her hand tightly, her eyes turned bloodshot. Ci Ying leaned over and cried, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Ru Zhen."
Ci Ying's body was trembling, and every word on the file emerged clearly in her mind.
She cried and hugged Ru Zhen tightly. Ru Zhen only whispered: "We seemed to have run away, how come we are back again, Ciying."
Ci Ying shook her head: "No, Ru Zhen, let's go."
"Going to Jiangnan?" Ru Zhen asked loudly, as if she had forgotten what had just happened, and stood up in surprise.
Ci Ying turned sideways to wipe away her tears, then looked at Ru Zhen with a smile: "Well, it will take some time. We need some time to pack our bags. When we get to Jiangnan, I'll introduce you to new friends."
Ru Zhen sat next to Ci Ying again: "Okay."
After Ru Zhen took the medicine and fell asleep, Ci Ying covered her mouth and walked out of the yard. She walked for a long time before she dared to cry. Zhu Guang followed her silently and was also a little silent after hearing the whole story.
Ci Ying squatted beside the stone table and cried, no longer caring about her image.
Fortunately, it is located in a remote area and few people pass by.
After calming down, Ci Ying was helped up by Zhu Guang. Zhu Guang whispered, "The imperial doctors have bad habits brought over from the palace. They always like to exaggerate the severity of patients' illnesses. I've also heard of cases of hysteria being cured when I was on duty before. Chang'an isn't a good place for recuperation. Maybe Ru Zhen's illness will heal on its own once she goes to Jiangnan."
Zhu Guang said seriously: "In fact, many things are just a matter of thought. If you think it through, it may be fine."
Ci Ying was comforted. She looked at Zhu Guang and said, "Yeah."
......
In the evening, the maid from yesterday came again and asked Ying to go to Zezhi Courtyard for dinner.
Ciying refused, so the maid knelt down without forcing Ciying to do anything. But Ciying looked at her for a few seconds and felt that she should not make things difficult for a maid.
Probably because she said her shoes and socks were wet yesterday, and there was a sedan waiting for her outside today.
Ciying didn't want to sit down, so the maid knelt down again. Zhu Guang couldn't stand it anymore and pulled the maid up: "Enough!"
The maid shivered, and Ci Ying couldn't bear it any longer, so she said softly, "Sit down."
In the sedan chair, Zhu Guang said softly, "Ciying, don't be too soft-hearted. If you keep doing this, you will always be manipulated."
Ci Ying shook her head: "She was just following orders."
Zhu Guang wanted to say something but stopped himself, and Ci Ying squeezed his hand in a flattering manner.
Later, Zhu Guang was stopped, so Ci Ying went in alone.
The guard at the gate was someone Ci Ying knew. Zhu Er had a cold face, as if the words "never see each other again until we die" were written on his face. Ci Ying lowered her eyes.
A few days ago, Xiaowan wrote to her, in which she said that she had married in September last year and married a hunter whom she met by chance while collecting herbs in the mountains.
Ciying didn't ask any further questions, but just sent someone to deliver a dowry.
Xiaowan replied, saying that she had too many items and only kept a jade pendant carved by Ciying herself. She returned the rest. In the letter, Xiaowan said, "I live with him in the mountains, so I don't need these fine items. He treats me very well, so don't worry, madam."
Ci Ying looked at the word "Madam" for a long time without saying anything.
I had already forgotten it, but now that I saw Zhu Er, I remembered it again.
Ci Ying walked past Zhu Er. The maid knelt on the floor and pulled the door open. Ci Ying sighed softly and walked to the table. It seemed as if her words were always unheard. She stood in front of Xie Huaijin and whispered, "I told you yesterday that I don't want to dine with you anymore."
"But ordinary couples would eat together." The young man stood up and said in a gentle voice.
As the two looked at each other, Ci Ying silently compromised.
What she learned today had a profound impact on her. She said softly, "Okay, let's eat."
The servants brought the dishes one by one. Ci Ying found that both yesterday and today's dishes were her favorites. She picked up a lotus root ball and said softly, "I want to drink fish soup tomorrow."
Xie Huaijin was startled, as if he hadn't expected Ci Ying to accept it so quickly. He smiled gently and said, "Okay."
"Would you like anything else?" The young man used his serving chopsticks to pick up a thin piece of bamboo shoot and passed it to Ciying's bowl. "This is what the people in the mansion picked in the mountains today. Give it a try."
Ci Ying took a bite and said, "No, the fish soup is enough."
After finishing the meal, after hesitating for a while, Ci Ying said softly, "I want to go back to Jiangnan in May. After I settle Ru Zhen, I will return to Chang'an. If you feel it is not appropriate, you can let Mo Yu go with me."
The young man handed over a cup of tea. Without the resistance Ciying had imagined, he simply said gently, "Okay, when? If I have time, I'll go with you."
Ci Ying simply ignored the latter part. She was relieved not to be rejected, and even her tone became lighter: "Mid-to-late May, should be gone for about half a month."
"Well, okay, after you come back from Jiangnan, we will go to Mobei." The young man said in a gentle voice.
Ci Ying whispered, "I was sick a few days ago. I heard that the desert in northern Taiwan is very dry with yellow sand everywhere."
"Don't want to go?" Xie Huaijin asked directly, with a warm smile in his eyes.
Ci Ying nodded: "If I don't want to, can I not go?"
The young man shook his head: "No."
After Ci Ying returned to her yard, she clenched her fists and touched the cushion.
This person did it on purpose.
Things have been getting worse since she exposed the study that day.
After a while, Ci Ying opened the door to her study and began to carefully examine the geological map of the Mobei region. She had previously looked at it when she and Xie Huaijin went to Anhuai, and now she carefully examined it again.
In Mobei, Xie Huaijin wants to go to the territory of Northwest King Yuwen Shu. Why?
Thinking that Yuwen Fu was also in Mobei, Ci Ying's first reaction was that she didn't want to get involved in this mess, nor did she really want to see Yuwen Fu.
The next day, she selectively told Xie Huaijin her thoughts.
The young man looked at her with gentle eyes: "No, I can't see Yuwen Fu."
Ci Ying subconsciously asked, "Why?"
A cup of warm tea was handed to Ci Ying. "Yuwen Fu and Yuwen Shu have fallen out. All the soldiers in Mobei are hunting Yuwen Fu. We are going to see Yuwen Shu. It is difficult to meet Yuwen Fu in the palace."
Ci Ying frowned: "Why do you want to see Yu Wenshu?"
This time, Xie Huaijin didn't hesitate to tell Ci Ying. He took the girl's hand and whispered under her puzzled gaze, "Go get some things back."
Ci Ying looked at the young man's beautiful eyes. There was clearly a smile in them, but she felt a little cold.
She asked, "What is it?"
"Military talisman."
As Ciying's eyes suddenly widened, the young man spoke calmly.
Ci Ying was filled with suspicion. Seeing that Xie Huaijin showed no sign of refusing, she pressed on, "The King of the Northwest commands the Northwest Army. Can he issue orders with just a military token?"
"Not enough." Xie Huaijin seemed to see the girl's interest and began to teach generously: "If the Northwest Army was led by Yuwen Shu himself, a military token would not be enough to command them. But the Northwest Army is called the 'Yan Family Army' before the prefix 'Northwest'. Have you heard of General Yan Fei?"
Ci Ying shook her head. Mobei was too far away. She grew up in the Jiang Mansion and most of the people and things she came into contact with were related to Chang'an.
Xie Huaijin's voice dropped for some reason. "Yuwen Fu's mother, Yuwen Shu's first wife, was named Yan Lian. She was the only daughter of the previous generation of the Yan family."
"Yan Fei is Madam Yan Lian's brother?"
Xie Huaijin shook his head: "He is the child adopted by the now deceased Lord Yan. He is considered an adopted son of the Yan family and is slightly younger than Madam Yan Lian."
Ci Ying pondered, "Are we going there to persuade General Fu Yanfei to obtain the military token so that we can command the Northwest Army?"
Before she knew it, it had darkened. When the candles were lit by the servants, Ci Ying was distracted for a moment, and the next moment she heard the young man's calm voice.
"General Yan Fei died ten years ago."
Ci Ying frowned, feeling that Xie Huaijin was always hiding something, but she couldn't get the answer after asking so many questions. It was probably something Xie Huaijin didn't want to tell her.
"Is Yuwen Fu going to die?" This was Ci Ying's last question.
It’s not that she cares about Yuwen Fu, but because of Ru Zhen, Ciying is not sure... But if Yuwen Fu died, she subconsciously felt that she must keep this news secret forever.
Xie Huaijin smiled gently: "I don't know."
Ci Ying raised her eyes and glanced at Xie Huaijin, muttered "liar" in her heart, then stood up and prepared to leave.
The young man followed her and said, "I'll take the lady back."
Ci Ying was already so frightened by the mere mention of these two words that her hair stood on end. When her hand was held, she heard Xie Huaijin gently say, "I'm afraid Madam might step into a puddle again and fall, getting her dress soaked with the snow."
Ci Ying was speechless: "No way."
"Well, no." Xie Huaijin smiled softly.
Ci Ying's face turned red, not sure if it was out of shame or anger.
The two of them walked in the corridor, and even Ci Ying didn't notice. She didn't lag behind Xie Huaijin. The two of them walked side by side holding hands, occasionally talking about other unimportant things.
After arriving at the yard, Ci Ying did not go into the room immediately, but stayed in the yard for a while.
The bitter cold winter had passed without anyone noticing, and the moon was hanging slowly on the branches again. Ci Ying no longer looked up at the moon, but quietly placed herself under the moonlight. She sat on the swing in the yard, which swung slowly and leisurely.
Ci Ying thought that this was actually not bad.
Apart from Xie Huaijin, she seemed to have gained her freedom.
The identity of the mistress of the Xie family allows her to protect the people around her and save the sad souls like Yunxia who pass by her. She may be able to do more in the future.
if only......
As long as we don’t talk about Xie Huaijin.
No more talk about Ciying.
Somehow the sandstorm from Mobei blew into Ci Ying's dream. In a trance, she saw Yuwen Fu's bloodstained body. She woke up suddenly from her dream, not knowing what the palpitations in her chest were.
Moonlight slowly streamed in through the window. Ciying got up and closed the window. The weather had warmed up and there was no charcoal fire burning in the house. When she returned to bed, it started raining outside.
*
Jiangnan.
"Li Ci" has become famous far and wide. For a period of time, scholars in the nearby thirteen states regarded his articles as the standard. The views expressed and ideas promoted in them were discussed repeatedly. Naturally, there were also voices of opposition, ridicule and criticism, but they were all suppressed.
It's time for "Li Ci" to take a break for a while.
Everything was going according to their plan. Xie Ran wrote to Ci Ying, his pen whirring with energy. Li Sheng watched from the side, waving his new fan: "Aren't you afraid that Ci Ying won't understand?"
Xie Ran laughed, and his handwriting straightened up a little. After he finished writing, Xie Ran looked at Li Sheng and said, "Do you have anything to say to Ci Ying?"
Mr. Li was stunned for a moment, then shook his head slightly.
Xie Ran had read hundreds of storybooks, so if she couldn't see through these romances, she would be foolish. She hesitated, and finally handed the pen to Li Sheng: "Write a few words. Ci Ying must have missed you too."
"Miss me very much?" Mr. Li was forced to hold the pen.
Xie Ran made up for it, "I miss us very much, you and me. I miss you too."
Li Sheng then wrote two lines. Xie Ran peeked at the letter as he was sealing it, only to see the three words "May you be well." Xie Ran remained silent, sealing the letter with a lighter touch.
It rained again in Jiangnan that day.
When Xie Ran returned with an umbrella, she saw several guards standing at the door. She was startled to see someone coming up to greet her: "Miss Xie."
Xie Ran looked inside and saw Mo Yu, who always appeared only with the eldest son, standing in the lobby. The young man was dressed in black brocade clothes and had a calm expression. It was obvious that he had inherited some of the eldest son's true skills.
Xie Ran stepped forward, wanting to find out if it was related to Ci Ying, and heard Li Sheng say goodbye to her: "Miss Xie, I need to go to Chang'an."
Xie Ran hesitated and asked, "Is it related to Ci Ying?"
Mr. Li coughed twice, neither nodding nor denying.
Xie Ran looked at Mo Yu, and Mo Yu explained, "Young Master, please come to Master Li's house for a chat."
...Xie Ran: "Did you invite me?"
Li Sheng coughed loudly, his back hunched. Mo Yu hesitated for a moment, "Probably not."
Xie Ran didn't know what they were up to, but he was worried about Ci Ying's situation. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I want to go too."
Mr. Li started coughing violently and hunched over. Mo Yu beside him hurriedly handed a cup of tea to Mr. Li. Xie Ran watched this scene with wide eyes and for a moment thought he was hallucinating.
She hesitated and said, "Should I... have a cup of tea too?"
If Xie Ran was conscious, she would definitely realize what nonsense she was talking about, but she had seen Mo Yu personally pouring tea for Li Sheng, and her mind was no longer clear.
Mo Yu also handed her a cup of tea. Xie Ran took a sip and found the water temperature was just right.
It was raining outside. Li Sheng finally stopped coughing and whispered, "Didn't Miss Xie always want to avoid going to Chang'an?"
Xie Ran explained, "That was the case before. Now that Ci Ying is here, I'm willing to go and take a look. After all, I won't run into anyone I don't want to see in the Xie Mansion."
She spoke frankly, but Mr. Li started coughing again.
Xie Ran put down the tea in his hand, feeling that Mr. Li really didn't have much time left.
I coughed several times in a short while!
【Author’s words】
Xie Ran: Wasn’t I invited? [Spreading hands]
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