Chapter 59 "Curious about which deity Cousin Zhi's deceased husband was..."
Having entered Qiyun Residence on impulse, Cui Lizhu only then remembered that she needed to find a suitable excuse.
But when he looked up and saw Cui Huai under the eaves, he no longer needed any excuse.
Cui Huai was holding a moon-white dress in his hand.
There was a bloodstain on the dress, which happened to catch Cui Lizhu's eye.
Her mind went blank for a moment, and she stood there stunned for a long time, unable to come back to her senses.
Instead, Cui Huai calmly asked, "Does Li Zhu need something from me?"
With difficulty gathering her thoughts, Cui Lizhu pointed blankly at the clothes in Cui Huai's hand, stammering, "Big brother, what... what is this?"
Cui Huai replied calmly, "The clothes are dirty and need to be washed."
Choi Yeo-joo felt her ears ringing.
She wondered if she was dreaming, and also suspected that she had misheard Cui Huai's words, and her whole body felt dizzy and disoriented.
"Whose clothes are they...?" Choi Yeo-joo asked again hesitantly.
Cui Huai: "Cousin Zhi."
Cui Lizhu swayed, taking two steps back in shock, her eyes instantly filling with tears. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from screaming, but her heart was still pounding with fear: "Was Physician Ge also invited for Zhi Niang?"
"Um."
Cui Huai nodded, without any intention of denying or concealing anything.
Choi Yeo-joo felt that her brother had truly gone mad.
She didn't press further, gently touching her chest to suppress her shock, and hurriedly left Qiyun Residence.
Cui Huai didn't care much.
After personally washing Shen Yunzhi's clothes, he went back to keep her company.
Although Shen Yunzhi felt unwell, she vaguely heard Cui Lizhu's voice inside the room, so she forced herself to wait for Cui Huai to return and asked him, "Was that Lizhu just now? I think I heard my cousin talking to her."
"Yes." Cui Huai took off his outer robe, climbed onto the bed, and embraced Shen Yunzhi.
He placed his palm on her lower abdomen: "Are you still uncomfortable?"
"It'll be alright if you just hold on a little longer," Shen Yunzhi said weakly, then asked, "Did Lizhu need to see her cousin about something?"
Cui Huai said calmly, "She saw your dress and asked whose it was. I told her, and then she asked me if Physician Ge had been invited for you."
"So how did my cousin answer?" Shen Yunzhi nestled affectionately against Cui Huai.
Cui Huai lowered his eyes: "Of course I will tell you the truth."
He moved his hand away from Shen Yunzhi's lower abdomen, pinched her chin to make her look up, and smiled: "Cousin Zhi asked me to send someone to invite Physician Ge, isn't that why? As soon as Lizhu saw Physician Ge, she sensed something was wrong and came looking for me anxiously. Cousin Zhi, I went along with your wishes and told Lizhu that the clothes were yours and that Physician Ge was invited for you, so you have to repay me."
Shen Yunzhi frowned and turned her face away, weakly patting the back of his hand: "Cousin, you're joking again."
Cui Huai did not argue with her, but only said, "Li Zhu doesn't quite believe it."
"Cousin, don't frighten Li Zhu."
"She genuinely loves you as her brother; how could she possibly treat you like this?"
Cui Huai did not respond to Shen Yunzhi's words.
After letting go of her, he turned and hugged her again, putting his arm around her back and gently patting her back, his tone softening: "Sleep for a while."
Shen Yunzhi gave a soft "hmm" and stopped the topic.
She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, but in her mind she was thinking about what Cui Huai had said about Cui Lizhu.
Cui Huai is right; she did bring up Physician Ge with the hope that Cui Lizhu might notice this matter.
But she knew that Cui Huai could handle it.
If there was any miscalculation, it was probably that Cui Huai's bluntness was unexpected.
Such an absurd situation, even if true, is hard to believe.
This would only make Cui Lizhu think that Cui Huai has truly gone mad.
Cui Huai didn't care at all.
However, Cui Huai didn't really understand Cui Lizhu.
Suspecting her brother of being insane is only a temporary feeling; once she calms down, Choi Yeo-joo will re-examine the matter.
It was not a fabrication for Physician Ge to examine her pulse.
At least, Cui Lizhu knows that there really is a young lady at Qiyun Residence.
...
Shen Yunzhi finally felt some relief after three days of suffering from her period.
In the following days, Cui Huai was unusually well-behaved, treating her with utmost care and tenderness.
Until she felt no more discomfort.
Cui Huai could no longer remain calm; in the dead of night, he began to stir with restless thoughts.
"Cousin Zhi, do you want to?" As Cui Huai's kiss landed, Shen Yunzhi pushed his face away with her hand, slightly out of breath, and asked, "Cousin, are you being too indulgent and pleasure-seeking these days?"
Cui Huai grabbed Shen Yunzhi's hand and kissed her fingers, saying, "I'm just feeling a little unwell."
He paused for a moment, then asked, "Does Cousin Zhi really not want to?"
Shen Yunzhi: "..."
She was thinking about Cui Huai's promise to take her out, and even though she had no intention of indulging in romance with him, she could only helplessly ask, "Cousin, do you need my help?"
Cui Huai had never tried it before, but he did not refuse when Shen Yunzhi suggested it.
He then realized that the feeling of being seduced and controlled by her did not annoy him at all, but was even full of pleasure.
“You’re right, Cousin Zhi.” Cui Huai, his clothes disheveled, sat half-on the bed, watching Shen Yunzhi washing her hands in front of the wooden shelf. His voice was low and hoarse. “But as the sage said, ‘Time flows on like a river, never ceasing day or night.’ In that case, it’s not wrong to indulge in pleasure occasionally.”
Shen Yunzhi turned to look at him.
Seeing Cui Huai's open collar revealing his well-defined chest, and the slight redness in the corners of his eyes, yet spouting sage-like words, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Cousin, why don't you put your clothes on properly before spouting your high-sounding principles?" Shen Yunzhi mocked mercilessly. Cui Huai replied, "Everyone is born naked; there's no need to be so fixated on that."
Shen Yunzhi just smiled.
Cui Huai slowly got off the bed, straightened his clothes, and said, "Cousin Zhi, get some rest. I'll come pick you up early tomorrow morning."
"Pick me up?" Shen Yunzhi asked, puzzled.
Cui Huai nodded: "I promised to accompany you on your trip, and I will go with you tomorrow."
Shen Yunzhi was quite open about her anticipation for this trip.
She got up early and was already dressed up and made up when Cui Huai came to pick her up, making herself look glamorous.
Is it pretty?
Cui Huai walked to the dressing table. Shen Yunzhi looked at him through the bronze mirror as he bent down and asked with a smile.
Cui Huai looked carefully at the young woman in the bronze mirror: "Beautiful."
Shen Yunzhi then stood up with a smile, twirled around in front of him, and unusually took his hand, saying, "Let's go then."
The two then left the Chu King's residence by carriage at dawn.
Cui Huai had breakfast prepared in advance and placed in the carriage, so they could eat together on the way to Changjie.
From the moment she boarded the carriage, Shen Yunzhi noticed the veiled hat and saw the steaming breakfast, confirming that Cui Huai had no intention of letting her appear in public. This was a common occurrence, and she had no particular expectations, so she wasn't disappointed. Only before putting on the veil and getting off the carriage did she say to Cui Huai, "Next time, cousin, please don't make me hide anymore, okay?"
However, Shen Yunzhi did not expect Cui Huai to take her to choose clothes and jewelry.
The shopkeeper was instructed to send all the valuable jewelry to the private room. Once it was just the two of them, Cui Huai helped her remove her veil: "Take a look and see if there's anything you like."
Shen Yunzhi wasn't in a hurry to choose, and asked Cui Huai with a smile, "Cousin, do you want to dress me up beautifully?"
"But it's a bit of a shame that it can only be shown to my cousin."
Cui Huai took out a red-gold twin lotus hairpin from the box and helped her try it on: "Soon it won't just be for me to see."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yunzhi paused in her movement as she reached for the bronze mirror: "What does this mean?"
"I need to go to Jiangnan to handle a case for His Majesty."
"I'm also quite curious to go and see where my cousin Zhi has been living for more than half a year."
Cui Huai's casual words stirred up a storm in Shen Yunzhi's heart. She couldn't hide her joy and excitement: "Cousin, you're taking me with you?" Cui Huai nodded, and she smiled again, "But what are you curious about, cousin?"
"I'm curious about which deity my cousin Zhi's deceased husband was."
Cui Huai smiled, took the bronze mirror from Shen Yunzhi, and asked her, "Do you still like it?"
Shen Yunzhi: "..."
She glanced at her stiff smile in the small bronze mirror, then glared at Cui Huai after regaining her senses. She picked up the mirror, looked at herself, and ignored him.
Choi Yeo-joo was on the other side of the long street.
Watching her older brother and the young woman alight from the carriage, even though the woman was wearing a veil, she immediately suspected that this person was indeed Shen Yunzhi. Even though she couldn't see her face, this person's figure and temperament were too similar to the person in her memory.
Choi Yeo-joo was incredulous.
She witnessed Shen Yunzhi's departure and burial, just like her brother; there's no doubt about it.
How can a person be brought back to life after death? Isn't that utter nonsense?
The young lady who appeared next to her older brother today... could it be that her older brother found a substitute for Zhi Niang from somewhere?
Cui Lizhu felt a lump in her throat and tears welled up in her eyes.
If only she hadn't abandoned Zhiniang and gone back to the mansion first.
Overwhelmed by self-reproach and guilt, Cui Lizhu wiped away her tears. Thinking of how Cui Huai had become like this, and how he had trapped an innocent young woman by his side, she could no longer ignore or turn a deaf ear to it.
But this matter must not be made public, Choi Yeo-joo thought, otherwise her brother's madness would surely become known to everyone.
The only thing to do is to find a way to make my brother come to his senses and face the truth about Zhi Niang's death, so that he can stop deceiving himself.
Having made up her mind, Choi Yeo-joo glanced in the direction of the jewelry shop.
She didn't follow them, but instead returned to the Prince's Palace first.
After carefully selecting clothes and jewelry, Cui Huai accompanied Shen Yunzhi to watch a play.
It was already afternoon when the two returned to Qiyun Residence.
Cui Huai escorted Shen Yunzhi back to her room and didn't leave until she had rested before heading to the study. Lin Yue followed behind him and reported, "Today, the princess followed His Highness to the main street, and the Fifth Prince's men were following His Highness just like before."
"The Pearl?"
Cui Huai was slightly surprised, but then he realized that Cui Huai must have suspected something was amiss, which was why he had been following him.
It was caused by what happened the day before.
He said that his cousin Zhi was with him, and Li Zhu wouldn't believe it, but with a little confirmation, it wouldn't be hard to know that there was indeed a young lady at Qiyun Residence.
So that's how it is.
Cui Huai suddenly understood and couldn't help but smile: "She understands Li Zhu better than I, her older brother."
Not long after Shen Yunzhi woke up from her afternoon nap, Cui Huai came over. She sat by the bed and watched Cui Huai walk to the bedside, calmly kneeling in front of her, holding her ankle, and helping her put on her embroidered shoes: "Li Zhu followed me today, and just now she came to find me again, saying that she wants me to accompany her to your grave tomorrow to see you."
"My cousin Zhi is smarter than I thought."
"Li Zhu may already be suspicious, and who knows when she will find out that you are still alive."
Shen Yunzhi's face paled.
Cui Huai knew everything; this time, she lost her gamble.
"Will my cousin go with Lizhu?" Shen Yunzhi asked Cui Huai, ignoring his other questions.
Cui Huai said, "I won't be free tomorrow."
After helping Shen Yunzhi put on her embroidered shoes, he got up to wash his hands, then returned to the bedside, took Shen Yunzhi's hand, and asked with a smile, "Lizhu is also concerned about me. Why don't we tell her everything? What do you think, Cousin Zhi?"
Shen Yunzhi asked, "Then how will my cousin explain this?"
"No matter how you explain it, Father will be furious, while Mother will probably be happier because you are still alive. Huo Ming, Chen Zhaoyu, and Cui Hong will all be happy for you... Cousin Zhi, which of them do you hope will come to save you?" Cui Huai smiled coldly, slowly bringing up old grievances, "Your travel permit was given to you by Huo Ming, wasn't it? At that time, you said you were going to ask for a peace charm for me, but in reality, you were going to see him. In fact, he always knew you were alive."
"Cousin Zhi really believed him like that?"
"Trust him to protect you and keep your secret."
Cui Huai's fingers traced Shen Yunzhi's slender white neck, but Shen Yunzhi calmly grasped his hand and held it in her palm: "I don't believe Huo Ming, I believe that my act of saving Huo Yuan in the water wasn't in vain. In their eyes, I have done them a favor."
Why is my cousin always jealous?
Shen Yunzhi asked softly, "What about my cousin and Miss Liang? Did my cousin really never consider marrying her?"
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