braving the rain
Jiang Yan ultimately wore the wide-sleeved dress embroidered with dark green patterns, and as always, she had Huang Ying do her light makeup.
Huang Ying's makeup skills were truly remarkable; in just a few quick strokes, she looked radiant and beautiful.
"Huang Ying, where did you learn your makeup skills? They're so good, you could practically make a living from it," Jiang Yan asked with a smile as she examined her reflection in the bronze mirror.
"You flatter me, my lord. My makeup is just so-so."
"You call this just so-so? You're being too modest! I don't even know how to do makeup yet!"
"Don't the women in your hometown wear makeup, Master?" Huang Ying began to style Jiang Yan's hair.
"How could it not turn? It does turn, it's just that I don't know how to turn it. I've tried to learn, I've studied it very seriously for a very long time, but I still haven't learned it."
Not only did she not learn how to use it, she eventually lost track of which foundation to match her skin tone.
"You did your Miss Ruyi's makeup before?"
"Yes, but not often. Miss can do her own makeup." Huang Ying said while tying Jiang Yan's hair into a bun.
Jiang Yan: "You taught yourself?"
Huang Ying smiled sheepishly: "I didn't know how to do makeup before, it was Miss who taught me."
"Oh, your Miss Ruyi must be very good to you."
"Yes, Miss Ruyi is kind-hearted and treats every servant well. She rewards them with anything—good food, nice clothes, and valuables. She also helps the servants in the manor. There was a maid who often helped Miss Ruyi with tailoring. When her mother was seriously ill and they had no money for medical treatment, Miss Ruyi gave her one of her gold hairpins so she could pay for her mother's treatment. There was also a servant who cleaned the stables. When his brother couldn't raise enough money for the dowry, Miss Ruyi helped him."
"Now that you mention it, your young lady is indeed kind, like an angel."
"What is an 'angel,' my master?" Huang Ying glanced at Jiang Yan in the bronze mirror.
"Angels are... very kind and compassionate people, like Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves people from suffering."
“But Miss couldn’t save herself,” Huang Ying said sadly.
Jiang Yan was also feeling bad and frustrated. He sighed and said, "Don't worry, Huang Ying, I will definitely keep my promise to you! I will definitely help your young lady get justice!!"
Huang Ying finished applying makeup to Jiang Yan before 3:00 AM, and they chatted for a while longer before setting off at 1:15 AM.
However, the day never seemed to be getting any brighter.
"Look, even the heavens aren't on my side! It's a cloudy day!!"
"Master, this is good. We won't be discovered along the way!"
"Haha, that makes a lot of sense, but why do I feel like it's raining?"
"Is it raining?" The oriole stopped, lifted its face to feel the rain, then blinked and exclaimed, "It's raining! Master, it's really raining!!"
"This is terrible, what do we do?"
Going back to Pear Blossom Residence will definitely result in getting soaked, and going forward to Cloud Pavilion will also result in getting soaked. So where should I go?
"Let's find a place to shelter from the rain!" Jiang Yan hurriedly pulled the stunned Huang Ying into the nearby woods. However, they had only been inside for a short while when thunder rumbled in the sky, accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning.
"Oh no, we can't take shelter from the rain here!" Jiang Yan hurriedly pulled Huang Ying outside.
This rain is a thunderstorm; it comes on very suddenly, turning into a downpour in the blink of an eye.
As soon as Jiang Yan and Huang Ying stood in the rain, they were soaked to the bone, as if they had just been pulled out of the water.
"Master, let's go back first."
"No! Go to Cloud Pavilion."
It's getting late. If she goes back to change her clothes, she'll definitely miss Shangguan Zeyu. Wouldn't all the time she stayed up last night have been for nothing?
She didn't want to wait another day in fear.
Furthermore, she thought that if she went to greet him in the rain and begged him, he would surely agree readily when he saw how pitiful and miserable she was, so she wouldn't have to waste her breath on him.
“Your Highness, you’ve been caught in the rain. Your demeanor is not good. The Prince will be displeased.”
Let them blame me then, let's try it out first!
Jiang Yan just kept pulling Huang Ying along as they walked forward in the rain, without saying another word.
In fact, they were closer to Yunxiao Pavilion than to Lihua Residence, so they arrived at Yunxiao Pavilion in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
The courtyard gate was ajar, and Jiang Yan didn't know if Shangguan Zeyu had gone out. Without thinking much about it, she pulled Huang Ying inside and stood on the steps under the eaves to shelter from the rain.
Achoo! Achoo!
Achoo! Achoo!
Jiang Yan and Huang Ying couldn't help but sneeze twice in a row.
"Master, you've caught a cold."
Jiang Yan quickly made a shushing gesture, looked into the room behind her in alarm, and when there was no reaction, she whispered, "Speak softly."
Huang Ying nodded repeatedly, still shaken.
Jiang Yan: "Are you still inside, or have you already left?"
Huang Ying, unaware of the situation, looked towards the house with a puzzled expression.
Jiang Yan thought for a moment, then quietly walked to the door and listened carefully. But no matter how hard she listened, she heard nothing but the torrential rain.
Have they already left?
So early?
Really?
How can we get into the palace in such heavy rain?
They're definitely still inside; they probably haven't gotten up yet.
Jiang Yan felt a little better after thinking about it, and beckoned Huang Ying with his right index finger.
The oriole quickly ran to her side.
"He should still be asleep. I'll go wake him up. You wait here for me." Jiang Yan said, and was about to run off when Huang Ying hurriedly grabbed her by the back of her clothes, saying fearfully, "Master, disturbing the Prince's rest is a serious offense!"
But Jiang Yan ignored her, forcefully broke free from her hands, and ran to the window.
The oriole watched all this and paced anxiously in circles.
How could Jiang Yan not be terrified? She was so scared that her mind went blank and her legs went weak. But with the knife already at her neck, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and go for it!
Jiang Yan took a deep breath, tried to regulate his breathing, and used his tongue to wet his right index finger before poking a hole in the window paper.
She thought that doing this would definitely expose the truth, after all, that's how it was done in the TV dramas and novels she watched.
But why is it that when it comes to her, this blank sheet of paper can't be pierced?
Is it because she doesn't spit out enough saliva?
Jiang Yan hesitated for a moment, then put her right hand entirely into the rain before poking it again.
But it still can't be broken!
She tried her best! But she couldn't pierce the paper, which was as thin as a cicada's wing.
Jiang Yan refused to believe it and poked at the window paper with her left hand again. She poked and poked, almost breaking her fingers, but still couldn't break the window paper.
Damn it! Is this window covered with paper instead of paper?
Since it wasn't paper and couldn't be punctured, she couldn't see what was happening inside the room, so she didn't dare to make any rash moves!
Jiang Yan was extremely frustrated. With a sullen face, she walked back to Huang Ying's side.
"Master, you've scared me to death! Please don't do this, let's go back." Huang Ying was so frightened that her whole body tensed up, and she grabbed Jiang Yan's hand to leave.
Jiang Yan saw that the rain was still pouring down and she was cold. The thought of getting soaked for most of the day when she returned to Pear Blossom Residence made her even more resentful.
"Yingying, we've put in so much effort for this moment, we can't give up so easily!"
If he's still asleep, then she'll wait!
She refused to believe he wouldn't be up by the time it was broad daylight! Unless, fate was playing a trick on her, and she got up early but not as early as him, or he hadn't actually come home last night at all!
Jiang Yan stood quietly at the door, staring at the tightly closed door.
Inside the room, Shangguan Zeyu stood upright in front of the desk, leisurely drawing.
Zhang Qin stood at the corner of the table to his right, glancing outside every now and then.
Shangguan Zeyu drew a chubby, adorable rabbit. As he was about to draw red eyes for the rabbit, he looked up and gazed outside.
"Is it still there?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Shangguan Zeyu chuckled, "Such perseverance is truly rare." He then added, "Did you tell the palace I'm not going today?"
"Your Highness, I already told you this a long time ago."
"Alright, then I'll tease her a bit today." Shangguan Zeyu's eyes were full of mischief as he smiled and glanced at the door before continuing to paint leisurely.
Jiang Yan was getting impatient and frustrated.
She was soaking wet, and her clothes were sticky and clinging to her body, like a sticky liquid, which was very uncomfortable.
Her legs were numb from standing, and even the slightest movement caused a sharp pain. Fortunately, she didn't have a fever or any other discomfort, so she could continue waiting.
Huang Ying was filled with fear and worry, and had probably forgotten about her physical discomfort. She just kept looking at Jiang Yan anxiously.
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