Chapter 20 He really likes eyes like this. Yun Yang fell to the ground dizzy...
Yun Yang got off the carriage in a daze, his face flushed and his eyes sparkling. It was obvious that he had drunk too much. He returned to Xue Mansion with the help of a maid.
After returning to Jinxiang Pavilion, Yun Yang could no longer walk, so she lazily leaned her head on the soft pillow. The maid brought hot water for her to wash her hands and face.
She squinted her eyes and looked at the full moon outside the window. It was a gentle and light color, light yellow with a bright halo. The moonlight and the evening breeze came in through the window, carrying a melancholy of homesickness.
Fanyue Tower is really a place full of glitz and glamour. Inside the elegant entrance, the dancers in gorgeous costumes have large areas of snow-white skin exposed on their chests and arms, and they are plump and beautiful. The rings on their waists jingle while they dance, and even the golden bells on their ankles are dazzling.
It wasn't just women who could dance; there were even Hu people wearing hats adorned with jeweled feathers, dancing the Huxuan dance at the wine table...
In such a situation, she couldn't help but blend in. After a few glasses of warm wine, she started to sing a big show with the actors who came from nowhere.
She had the impression that the voice of the "little ghost" who sang with her sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had heard it.
But even with such hustle and bustle, Yun Yang still felt empty inside, especially now that he was back at the Xue residence, leaning against the window alone, feeling a sense of loss and sadness.
Mid-Autumn Festival, reunion.
Where is my sister?
This is the first Mid-Autumn Festival that my sister is separated from her family.
Sister. Brother-in-law...
Yun Yang suddenly sat up, realizing that she had not yet given her brother-in-law a gift!
Her parents had instructed her to prepare a Mid-Autumn Festival gift for the old lady and her brother-in-law Xue Yu. The old lady's gift had already been given during the banquet, but her brother-in-law was surrounded by a group of people at the time, so she thought she would give it to him after the banquet was over. Unexpectedly, Xue Jin took her out of the house and went to Fanyue Tower, and now...
Yun Yang opened his dazed eyes and asked Rong'er to change the cool towel and wash his face. The two blushes on his cheeks faded a little. He took something from the dressing table, stood up and went to Fushan Pavilion.
I walked quickly onto the water corridor, and the sound of a piano came gently from the other side of the water.
Entering the gate of Fushan Pavilion, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus fills the air, and a tall figure can be vaguely seen playing the piano.
The breeze was gentle and the moon was bright, the whole courtyard was filled with moonlight, the sound of the guqin was faint and sparse, the person under the moon was handsome, elegant and gentle, Yun Yang could only feel the alcohol rising up again, his face was hot and his heart was beating, he was mesmerized for a moment.
The music of the piano stopped abruptly. Xue Yu turned his head and looked her up and down, then asked calmly, "What brings you here so late?"
"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I haven't given my brother-in-law a gift yet." Yun Yang said.
Xue Yu smiled faintly, but there was no smile in his dark eyes. "No need for formalities, just have fun. Go back."
But she refused to move. Her palms were sweating and the sachet she was holding was becoming more and more uncomfortable.
He looked at her for a long time and saw that her clear eyes did not show any sign of drunkenness, but the smell of alcohol on her body was indeed lingering around him.
Xue Yu raised his eyebrows and asked, "Is the wine good?"
Yun Yang pursed her lips and said nothing, feeling as embarrassed as if she had been caught by her family elders, but her mind was in a mess and she didn't know where to start explaining.
Seeing that she was silent, Xue Yu stood up and walked into the room with a cold face, "You are so drunk that you can't even speak. Go back."
"Hey, brother-in-law!" Yun Yang quickly caught up with him and grabbed his sleeve. "Don't go yet. I have something to give you."
As she spoke, she pulled out a green sachet embroidered with a white rabbit gazing at the moon and presented it with both hands. "This is a Mid-Autumn Festival gift for my brother-in-law. I thought he's well-informed and wouldn't be interested in ordinary things, so I embroidered one myself..."
Xue Yu lowered his eyes and saw that there was still some powder on Yun Yang's face that had not been washed off, as if it had been smeared randomly, revealing a clear base complexion.
When did you learn how to dress up? Or was it because you were going to see the prince that you dressed up so carefully?
This mischievous girl is quite ambitious... but there are many concubines in the Eastern Palace, so she will have to bear the pain of sharing the spoils with others by herself!
Xue Yu's narrow eyes shone coldly. He didn't look at the sachet, but only lowered his gaze to the drunken Yun Yang, smiling slightly. "Is it just for me, or does everyone else have it?"
"Of course, only my brother-in-law has it!" Yun Yang looked up and said seriously, "I spent several nights embroidering it, specially for my brother-in-law, the white rabbit looking at the moon, and I'm waiting to give it to him during the Mid-Autumn Festival. And it's not just spices in it, it's life-saving herbs. You're always injured, and if you're stranded in the wilderness one day, if I have this on hand and can use it, it will be a good deed for me."
He took the sachet and sniffed it.
The bitter aroma of medicine dispelled the sweet aroma of wine. He half-closed his eyes and nodded, "Thank you very much."
Seeing that he was no longer angry and his expression had softened, Yun Yang dared to speak, her words tinged with distress: "I knew that giving him something practical would please my brother-in-law more than gold and silver. But the smell of this medicinal herb is not as pleasant as the fragrance of flowers and spices, so it is not convenient to wear it on a daily basis. But if you don't wear it from time to time, how can you know when danger will suddenly occur..."
"I accept the gift. Thank you." A faint smile appeared on Xue Yu's face. He didn't say anything, but calmly put the sachet into his sleeve.
He seldom smiled on weekdays, but when he suddenly did, Si Qing beside him was stunned.
After Yun Yang came to the Xue Mansion, she had given snacks to people and done some small things for each room within her ability, whether to please or to repay them, but those people had never thanked her. Xue Yu's thank you was serious and she was really thanking her.
Yun Yang suddenly felt that it was all worth it after staying up all night and having his fingers pricked by needles several times. He felt an irrepressible joy and sense of accomplishment in his heart.
When Xue Yu found that Yun Yang was happy or recognized, her eyes sparkled with the clarity and innocence unique to girls of this age.
True happiness cannot be hidden at all, and he likes eyes like this.
Does the prince like it too?
Xue Yu asked casually, "What do you think of the prince?"
Yun Yang raised her eyes in confusion. "Crown Prince? Crown Prince... the heir apparent to the throne, he must be a chosen and excellent young man. Why is my brother-in-law asking this?"
"It's getting late, let's go back." Xue Yu said, motioning to Si Qing, "Send the second young lady back, and ask the kitchen to make some hangover soup."
Seeing the gift delivered, Yun Yang felt that he had finally accomplished something important in his heart, so he stopped disturbing her and turned around to say goodbye.
After Siqing sent her out of Fushan Pavilion, Xue Yu sat alone on a stone bench in the courtyard, her jade-like fingers gently stroking the autumn green. It was not as delicate as the green of spring, nor as lush and ostentatious as the green of summer. It was quiet and elegant, with a sense of autumn loneliness.
The white rabbit is round, with fluffy fur and fine stitching, and it's obvious that it was embroidered with great care.
The young man raised his hand and sniffed the bitter medicinal scent. Somehow, he tasted a faint sourness.
*
It rained after the Mid-Autumn Festival. The rain was so heavy that it didn't stop for seven or eight days. Fortunately, there were not many water systems in Shangjing.
Yun Yang was about to say goodbye to Old Madam Xue, but was delayed because of the rain.
After the rain, the weather became completely cold. Rong'er changed all her summer dresses into autumn clothes and wanted to cut a few more sets, but Yun Yang quickly refused.
If you are leaving, there is no need to waste time.
But who knew that he still couldn't go back to Youzhou as he was delayed by something.
Xue Yu hadn't seen Yun Yang for quite some time. He had just joined the Ministry of Justice and had a heavy burden on his shoulders. He was always busy with cases and only returned home late at night.
Especially the recent case of the murder of the entire family of the Baizhou County Magistrate. The case had already been sentenced, but because the county magistrate had repeatedly suppressed bandits, the bandits took revenge by sneaking into the mansion at night and slaughtered the entire family of the county magistrate.
Unexpectedly, a few months later, another woman came to Beijing to appeal for justice, saying that the county magistrate's illegitimate son instigated bandits to go down the mountain and kill people.
This case should not have fallen into his hands, but the "illegitimate child" who was the key to the case turned out to be a newly-minted Jinshi.
It was late at night and the wind was clear. After taking a bath, Xue Yu saw the autumn-scented green sachet and remembered that he hadn't seen Yun Yang for a long time.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, he asked the Crown Prince indirectly, but the Crown Prince had no intention of taking a concubine. He stood in front of him properly and said that he had no interest in romance and that marrying a Crown Princess was the priority.
That being the case, he felt relieved.
The future Crown Princess was not an easy person to deal with. If Yun Yang followed the Crown Prince, she would inevitably suffer some losses. Even the Xue family would not be able to interfere in the affairs of the Crown Prince's harem.
"Second Miss Yun has been out of the house a lot lately. The accountant said she even withdrew some money." Si Qing reported the complicated affairs of the mansion. "Apart from that, there's nothing unusual."
Xue Yu's fingertips stopped on the rice paper.
The expenses that the Xue family gave to Yun Yang were no different from those given to the young ladies of the Xue family, and were enough for an unmarried woman to spend.
"Go and find out." Xue Yu said.
Within a day, Si Qing found out.
Xue Yu had a day off today, but his writing hand never stopped, and the documents on his desk piled up like a mountain.
"Sir, Miss Yun and Miss Yun used all the money they withdrew on the black market." Si Qing spoke slowly, as if he was thinking about what to say next.
"Go on." Xue Yu said, his face calm and without any emotion.
Some foreign items in Shangjing are rare, and merchants hoard them at high prices. Some girls' favorite things can only be purchased at high prices on the black market, which is normal.
"The Second Miss bought all the Young Master's calligraphy works circulating on the market at a high price, and then... then... put them together and found a buyer," Si Qing whispered. "I didn't believe it at first, so I went to the black market to inquire. Someone actually saw the calligraphy work that the Young Master had lent to the Second Miss. The shopkeeper said it was sold by a young woman wearing a bamboo hat. I paid him some money, and the shopkeeper drew a picture of the woman. It was definitely the Second Miss."
Looking out the window at the warm afternoon sun casting shimmering light on the lake, Xue Yu thought of Yun Yang's bright eyes and innocent face, and felt extremely complicated and indescribable emotions in his heart.
It was like the expectations that were already on thin ice were dashed.
The daughter of a minor official from the countryside has been disguised for so long, but has her true identity been revealed?
"Sir, the ink has stained the paper. I'll get you a new one." Su Qing said hurriedly.
The next day, Xue Yu went to the old lady's place and had breakfast with her.
Yun Yang was indeed there, sitting next to the old lady, wearing a newly made autumn outfit. The intricate collar had a circle of fluffy white fox fur, and the hem of her water-red skirt completely dragged on the ground. There were no hairpins or rings on her black bun. She was not wearing any makeup, but her skin was snowy and her lips were cherry red, giving her a pure and beautiful look, as if she had been cleansed of all worldly desires.
Seeing him coming, she stood up and greeted him. She was graceful and elegant, and she looked even softer and more beautiful than a young girl. She smiled charmingly, "Brother-in-law."
Yun Yang did not notice any changes in Xue Yu. She always felt that Xue Yu was not easy to approach. He had a handsome appearance, but his personality was dull and serious. He had the majesty of an elder, which made people feel awe.
Xue Yu sat down, greeted his grandmother, ate a few mouthfuls of porridge, and then left the house.
After finishing her breakfast, Yun Yang counted the money she had on her and found that it was not enough. She had to grit her teeth and go to the accounting office of Xue Mansion to withdraw more money. Fortunately, the accountant never stopped her and never asked what the money was for, which saved her from the shame of living under someone else's roof.
But this time, the accountant waved his hand and said with a half-smile, "Miss, you have withdrawn enough money this month, and the master won't allow you to pay more."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com