Chapter 29 Wei Zhang was lost in thought...
Xue Lanyi walked to the rocking chair, looked at the scattered petals on the ground, and her eyes welled up with tears.
The most sacred lily in her heart should not be treated like this.
She crouched down and picked up the petals one by one, carefully wiping away the dirt, placing them in her embroidered handkerchief, tucking it close to her heart, and then lightly pushed open the door.
The cold moonlight shone on her, and also revealed a pair of gloomy eyes behind her.
The door closed again, and those eyes fell into even deeper darkness.
On the bed, Wei Zhang's abyss-like gaze remained fixed on the rocking chair swaying back and forth for a long time.
As the fourth watch of the night approached, the darkness deepened, and the beasts hidden in the southern mountains growled and howled, as if trying to break through the wilderness.
The terrifying sounds from afar only subsided slightly as the moon climbed over Nanshan and the sky began to brighten.
Wei Zhang opened his sleepy eyes.
Smoke curls from the Boshan incense burner, rising vertically.
The inner room was empty and silent; he was all alone.
All night had passed, and Xue Lanyi still hadn't returned.
Wei Zhang slowly sat up, fiddling with the ring on his knee.
"Madam, the young master has woken up!"
At this moment, Qingyang's voice rang out from outside.
Immediately afterwards, the beaded curtain was lifted, and the glass beads clattered together with a crisp sound.
A teacup was offered to Wei Zhang. "Why did you wake up so early, Your Highness? You don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Wei Zhang took the teacup with a sullen expression and rinsed his mouth.
Lifting his eyes, he saw Xue Lanyi standing in front of the couch as if nothing had happened, with a bright smile.
Wei Zhang's expression grew even more somber. "With such noise, how can anyone sleep peacefully?"
There was no sound from anyone else in the room.
He was naturally giving Xue Lanyi some pointers.
Xue Lanyi's hand, which was about to hand over the towel, froze awkwardly in mid-air.
Behind them, six old women and servants carrying washing utensils looked at each other and lowered their heads.
"Your Highness has misunderstood your aunt." Seeing the young lady's awkward situation, Qingyang stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your aunt steamed red bean buns this morning, but because she was afraid they would be too cold to eat, she instructed me to wait for you in the outer room and inform you when you wake up."
Wei Zhangfang sensed the everyday life in her.
Steamed buns need to be prepared at least one or two hours in advance. Judging from the time, she must have gone to the kitchen after leaving last night...
Wei Zhang slowly pulled the towel over, and out of the corner of his eye he noticed the deep dark circles under her eyes.
Instead of sleeping in the middle of the night, he went out into the kitchen and started messing around.
Wei Zhang's Adam's apple bobbed. "Is the Duke's mansion unable to afford a cook?"
These words were clearly a accusation that the people of Chong'an Hall were inconsiderate and lacked manners and propriety.
All the old women and servants knelt down.
Xue Lanyi also remained silent and pursed her lips.
Normally, she would be heartbroken if she heard such cold and harsh words.
But now Wei Zhang was just an insignificant person to her, so she didn't feel sad. However, being reprimanded in front of everyone was inevitably embarrassing.
Fortunately, this emotion did not cause any real harm, and Xue Lanyi quickly calmed down, putting on an innocent look: "I thought that today is the first day of my marriage with the Prince, and I wanted to cook a meal for him myself without much thought."
"I know I was wrong," she said, kneeling down.
Without thinking, Wei Zhang stopped her arm.
The two looked at each other for a moment.
Wei Zhang opened his mouth, but in the end he only said, "Pour the tea."
Xue Lanyi gave a hesitant "Oh," straightened up, took the pre-Qingming Longjing tea from the tray, poured a cup, and handed it to Wei Zhang.
When their fingertips touched, Xue Lanyi noticed that his complexion had improved considerably. Taking advantage of the moment she bent down to serve him tea, she whispered in his ear in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I specially steamed a basket of rabbit buns. Yun Jian will definitely like them when he sees them."
"Cough!" Wei Zhang almost choked on his tea. He glanced at her and met her wet eyes.
Wei Zhang was speechless for a moment, and most of the gloom on his face disappeared.
He shook his head, got up, and went to the clothes rack to get his court robes.
Xue Lanyi gazed at his slightly reddened ear tips, a strange thought flashing in her eyes.
Last night, Xue Lanyi went out for a bath and some fresh air, which made her head feel much clearer.
Recalling her behavior yesterday, it was all too abnormal, no wonder Wei Zhang became suspicious of her.
Xue Lanyi could no longer waste her energy getting caught up in this vortex of doubt and self-justification.
Therefore, she kept telling herself: she had to like Wei Zhang, and even more importantly, she had to make Wei Zhang fall hopelessly in love with her.
Only when he completely lowered his guard would she have the chance to push him into the abyss.
She and Ah Xuan weren't without a chance; there was another crucial person who could help them out of their predicament.
Soon, very soon...
After figuring it out, Xue Lanyi went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for him as usual.
She remembered that Wei Zhang often held a white cat or a white rabbit when he was a child, and thought that he must have secretly liked fluffy white things.
Xue Lanyi deliberately prepared rabbit-shaped buns to tease him.
Wei Zhang is human too, and he always has a soft spot. As long as Xue Lanyi discovers it, she can make use of it.
Xue Lanyi thought to herself, and walked silently to Wei Zhang's side, reaching out to take the court robe from his hand.
Wei Zhang handed her the clothes as usual, and spread his arms.
She knelt down to straighten his clothes.
The morning light streamed through the window, bathing her in the light pink collared gown. Her black hair, styled in a bun, remained perfectly in place, adorned only with a single silver hairpin, making her look elegant yet radiant.
They seemed to be doing the same thing as every day, but she seemed a little different.
Wei Zhang couldn't figure out what was different, so he simply looked away, his gaze falling on an empty space in front of the desk.
That place was originally used to house bamboo rocking chairs.
The chair has vanished.
He frowned, and as Xue Lanyi looked up to fasten the jade pendant for him, she caught a glimpse of his puzzled expression.
“I think that gold-inlaid jade bamboo rocking chair is very valuable, and it wouldn’t look good if it got dirty, so I asked Mama Liu to take it to be cleaned and dried. Is there anything wrong with that?”
Wei Zhang lowered his eyes and met her bewildered expression. "No problem."
Xue Lanyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Last night, after she picked up the lilies and went out, she felt like there was a pair of eyes watching her from behind, which made her feel uneasy.
Wei Zhang was such a perceptive person that if he discovered that the flowers had been secretly kept by someone, he would inevitably become suspicious.
So Xue Lanyi simply took the rocking chair out to be cleaned as well.
Even though everything is cleaned up, he can never quite find fault with anything.
However, she forgot one thing...
Wei Zhang lifted her chin, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable."
After saying this, he left the inner room with his hands behind his back.
Xue Lanyi stood there for a moment, half-squatting, when she suddenly realized that the gold-inlaid jade bamboo was a royal item. It was nothing special to Li Zhaoyang, but it was something that Xue Lanyi, who was confined to the courtyard all day, could never come into contact with.
How could she possibly know him?
She only said something casually, but he caught her out again.
Xue Lanyi felt a chill run down her spine, filled with lingering fear, but she dared not delay any longer and lifted the beaded curtain to follow him out.
Breakfast was already laid out on the table.
Xue Lanyi naturally went over and ladled out a bowl of porridge, handing it to him with a smile, saying, "What knowledge could I possibly have? It's just that an official just sent me a set of gold-inlaid jade bamboo incense burner and incense holder. I thought it was exquisite, so I couldn't help but ask about the material."
"oh?"
Wei Zhang had just intentionally given her some pointers, telling her to act more convincingly and not to give herself away.
Surprisingly, she didn't panic when she was exposed; instead, she managed to smooth things over without changing her expression.
That's much more interesting.
Wei Zhang was happy to continue playing along and asked, "What a coincidence? Where did this official come from?"
"Qingyang said it was the Vice Minister of Rites who came to deliver gifts." Xue Lanyi handed the porridge to him and shook her head in confusion. "Qingyang is also strange. He asked me what to do with the gifts from the Emperor."
The gifts sent by the Ministry of Rites were neither too large nor too small, and Qingyang could not make a decision on his own; he usually had to ask Wei Zhang's opinion first.
But now, Chong'an Hall has a female master.
For such a moderate matter, one should simply ask Xue Lanyi.
Wei Zhang suddenly realized that something about her was different today.
Her hairstyle and clothes were all in the style of a married woman, lacking liveliness but possessing a gentle and graceful demeanor befitting a wife.
It seems yesterday's advice was effective; she should now understand who she belongs to.
This act of admitting and correcting her mistakes pleased Wei Zhang, who reached out to stroke a stray strand of hair from her bun.
Xue Lanyi instinctively wanted to shrink her neck, but ultimately she held back.
As Wei Zhang tucked the stray hairs into the jade hairpin, he asked her, "Have you taken care of it?"
Xue Lanyi nodded. "I've had the incense burner sent to the Old Madam."
Wei Zhang paused, his fingertips pausing.
The chill sent a shiver down Xue Lanyi's spine as she explained, "The old lady has been seriously ill for many days. If the young master doesn't offer his condolences, people will inevitably gossip. Sending the incense burner over would shut others up. Does the young master... think it's inappropriate?"
How could it be inappropriate for the Prefect of Zhaoyang to be in charge of affairs?
She was even capable of attending court.
With her temporarily managing the affairs of the manor, Wei Zhang was spared some trouble. "If anyone sends gifts in the next few days, you can handle it as you see fit. You don't need to ask me."
Xue Lanyi nodded, then looked surprised, "People kept sending gifts in the following days?"
Although Wei Zhang was a favorite of the emperor, it's unlikely that he received gifts from officials every day.
Seeing Xue Lanyi's confusion, Qingyang interjected, "In seven days, the heir will inherit the title. Won't people be sending gifts in droves?"
Xue Lanyi suddenly realized what was going on, and quickly stood up, curtsied, and said, "Congratulations, Your Highness."
"No, congratulations, Your Excellency!"
Her eyes sparkled, her lips curved upwards, and a pair of dimples appeared on her slightly flushed cheeks.
I was truly overjoyed.
Wei Zhang has been promoted several ranks over the years, and each promotion involved nothing more than expressing gratitude, receiving gifts, and hosting banquets.
After doing it many times, it just feels tedious, and I no longer feel much joy.
Seeing her beaming smile now, I could almost taste the joy of her promotion.
A joyous occasion is something that needs to be shared to truly appreciate.
No wonder those people like to keep bringing women into the house.
Having a woman by your side definitely makes a difference.
Wei Zhang stared at her, somewhat lost in thought.
Xue Lanyi waited in vain for the order to get up, and her slightly bent knees trembled.
He stumbled and nearly bumped into the table.
Wei Zhang helped her up. "What's wrong?"
Xue Lanyi, with one hand covering her lower abdomen and the other supporting Wei Zhang's arm, slowly sat down on the round stool.
I tried several times before I could sit comfortably.
She gasped, "I'm fine, I'll be alright after sitting for a while. You don't need to worry about me, just make sure you don't miss court."
Seeing that it was already dawn, Wei Zhang didn't want to delay any longer. He ate a few mouthfuls of porridge and then got up.
Xue Lanyi quickly got up to see her off, but Wei Zhang pressed her shoulder and instructed Qingyang, "Find a doctor to examine your aunt."
After giving his instructions, he turned to leave.
A hand, still trembling with pain, gripped his black cloak.
Wei Zhang turned around and met Xue Lanyi's upward gaze. "Has Yun Jian forgotten something?"
Xue Lanyi always addressed him as "Your Highness" in public, so her sudden use of his nickname clearly indicated that she had something private to say.
Upon hearing this, everyone withdrew.
"What is it?"
"You know that."
Three days ago, when their affection was at its peak, Xue Lanyi had begged him to kiss her before going to court each day.
Wei Zhang did not agree, but she would still kiss him every day.
But today, she felt unwell and couldn't get out of bed.
But since I need to get along with him without revealing my true intentions, I naturally can't skip any of the things that need to be done.
She gently swayed the hem of his shirt, looked up at him, and puffed out her cheeks slightly.
The meaning is clear: let Wei Zhang take the initiative.
Wei Zhang was in a hurry to go to court, but she clung to him so tightly that he couldn't leave the house.
Since it was a trivial matter, Wei Zhang didn't argue with her. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. "Alright, stop making a fuss..."
Before he could finish speaking, the girl parted her red lips and kissed his lower lip.
Wei Zhang's words were blocked between her teeth by her soft, sweet upper lip, which spread in his mouth, leaving him frozen in place.
Xue Lanyi craned her neck to reach him, but lacking the strength to stand up, her kisses were intermittent, like a dragonfly skimming the water, lightly sucking on his lips.
The feeling of wanting to kiss but not kissing is what makes it even more tantalizing.
The beast in his chest, which had just calmed down, seemed to be awakening again.
Wei Zhang subconsciously lowered his body, bracing his arms against the sides of the round table to make it easier for her to kiss him.
She stopped kissing him, her clear, watery eyes fixed on the man in front of her, whose breathing was slightly disordered.
She cupped his face and lightly pecked his cheek, which was tense from dissatisfaction. "It's too late now. Come back to be with me earlier today."
"How about I give you honey-glazed cheese tonight?" A damp, slightly sweet breath wafted into my ear.
Her bright red lips parted and closed before Wei Zhang's eyes, her pink tongue and white teeth seemingly playing hide-and-seek with him, luring him deeper.
Wei Zhang's eyes were fixed on the nimble tip of the tongue, a "good" on the tip of the tongue.
He suddenly grabbed the back of her head and took her tongue into his mouth.
But it wasn't a kiss, it was a bite.
"Ouch!" Xue Lanyi gasped.
Wei Zhang didn't let go; instead, he bit down hard enough to break the skin.
The smell of blood wafted out, which Wei Zhang swallowed before separating from her.
A silver thread still connected their lips.
Wei Zhang took a half step back. "If you know it hurts, then don't act recklessly in the future."
Matters of the court are of utmost importance; there should be no farewell kisses, much less indulgence in women at this time.
Women are like flowers to be cultivated in one's spare time; they shouldn't be neglected in order to get things done.
Wei Zhang, with a solemn expression, gathered his robes and left.
As Xue Lanyi gazed at his aloof and desireless back, a sense of dejection rose in her heart.
She had hoped to use the kiss to find out some details about his schedule for the day, and also to deduce what was going on with Ah Xuan.
However, Wei Zhang remained unmoved by desire, making him extremely difficult to defeat.
I wonder how Ah Xuan fared that night?
Xue Lanyi sighed dejectedly, her lips curving downwards and turning cold.
"Auntie."
At this moment, Qingyang knocked on the door from outside, "Which doctor would you like to see, Aunt?"
Xue Lanyi tensed up for a moment, then quickly put on a smile again, "I'm fine with anything."
"However, the Duke's mansion has been busy lately, so I'd like to trouble you to find a doctor you know in the mansion. We mustn't let any strangers be brought in before the heir inherits the title, or it would cause trouble."
"Auntie's consideration is correct!"
"Could you also procure some Lingnan longan, golden thread jujubes, and milk?"
"This is not difficult, please wait a moment, Aunt." Qingyang accepted the order, bowed, and withdrew.
Xue Lanyi dared not show any more disappointment.
In Chong'an Hall, one must be careful at all times. Even when Wei Zhang is not around, one cannot let down one's guard and risk being caught doing something wrong.
Xue Lanyi forced herself to stay alert, feeling extremely tired, so she instructed Granny Liu to prepare water for a bath.
On the other side, Wei Zhang quickened his pace, left Chong'an Hall, and stood by the rockery for a while to enjoy the breeze before the scent of sandalwood faded from his nose.
But a slight itch clung to his fingertips, seeping into his veins and drilling into his heart.
Wei Zhang raised his hand, revealing that his hand still had a little bit of her saliva on it.
The words "honey-glazed cheese" were softly uttered from her moist red lips and then drifted into my ears.
She said it was just a dish name, but he couldn't help but let his imagination run wild, and he almost got her to reveal something.
This shouldn't be the case.
He rubbed his fingertips in circles, trying to crush and eliminate the lingering fragrance.
"Your Highness, the carriage is ready."
At this moment, Qingyang caught up and, seeing that the young master was staring blankly at his fingertips, quickly handed him a handkerchief.
Wei Zhang did not accept it, but instead rubbed all the water into his body, hummed in agreement, and headed out of the mansion.
Away from the crowd, Qingyang followed closely and reported: "Last night, the old man at the old house lost too much blood and almost died, but fortunately he is holding on to his last breath. I don't know how much longer he can hold on."
“My brother has many friends; no one will let him die. There’s no need to worry about it,” Wei Zhang said coldly.
Qingyang did not know who this "other person" was.
Wei Zhang's mind wasn't on his elder brother's health either; he changed the subject, "How's the investigation of the fire signal tube going?"
"Your subordinate is incompetent!" Qingyang bowed and clasped his hands in thanks.
The eldest son is very meticulous in his work. He could not find out who had the evidence of Prince Qi's murder from a single fire tube.
However, if left unchecked, that person might present the evidence to the Emperor at any time, which would undoubtedly be a guillotine hanging over the Crown Prince's head.
Unfortunately, the Dali Temple and the Embroidered Uniform Guard could not be asked to assist in the investigation of this matter; Qingyang could only lead his trusted confidants to investigate it slowly.
I have absolutely no clue what to do.
"Your subordinates will intensify the investigation!"
Wei Zhang showed no sign of anxiety.
What's meant to happen will happen; we'll always deal with whatever comes our way.
Wei Zhang lifted his robe and boarded the carriage, gesturing to Qingyang that he didn't need to come along. "From now on, let Yingqi follow me. You can go and lend a hand to Aunt Xue for now."
After all, the Duke's mansion is full of complicated matters, and Xue Lanyi cannot immediately get started, nor can she be allowed to do everything herself.
Qingyang responded and then relayed Xue Lanyi's words to Wei Zhang: "Aunt Xue said that any doctor would be fine to examine her, but she didn't specify who she wanted. Young Master, who do you think would be suitable to treat Aunt Xue?"
Wei Zhang sensed something was amiss with her illness last night, so he deliberately went along with her wishes and found her a doctor to see what she would do next.
Unexpectedly, she did not specify which doctor she wanted.
That's strange.
Wei Zhang sat upright in the carriage, silently turning the thumb ring.
Qingyang couldn't understand Xue Lanyi's intentions either, so he simply relayed the rest of what the young master had said: "Aunt Xue also said she wanted some Lingnan longan, golden jujubes and milk, I wonder what she's going to do with them."
"How about I make you some honey-glazed cheese for dinner tonight?" The woman's sweet and sticky voice suddenly entered Wei Zhang's mind again.
Wei Zhang's thoughts were in turmoil, and he frowned slightly: "Let her be."
It's just a matter of making a fuss in this square courtyard.
If she keeps causing trouble, things will inevitably come to light; she should know the consequences of disobeying.
Wei Zhang rubbed the remaining warmth between his fingertips and raised his hand in a gesture of greeting.
The carriage moved slowly forward. Inside, in the dim light, Wei Zhang leaned back against the carriage, his eyes slightly closed, and tugged at his slightly tight official robes.
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Author's Note: Two more chapters will be updated at midnight tonight!
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