Chapter 88 Reunion (Part 7) Rumors and Gossip
When Cui heard that Yan Ning had planted the symbiotic Gu on Li Yunru, she was not surprised.
From the moment he openly refused to marry her and broke off all ties at the wedding, she knew that a man would do anything for Liyang.
She's alive, and people will stop at nothing to keep her.
"well."
Madam Cui sighed, twirled the prayer beads in her hand, and said calmly, "I understand."
Yan Sheng was quite surprised by her mother's nonchalant attitude. She asked, "Aren't you afraid something will happen to my brother?"
Cui said, "This is not something that you or I can control. Your brother has always had his own ideas."
She's come to terms with it.
"Since you know about this, if you have time, go and see him, or ask your master if there's any way to alleviate the situation?"
If there were a way to remove the curse, he certainly wouldn't want to.
Yan Sheng looked at her; she was kneeling quietly on the prayer mat, holding sandalwood prayer beads, her eyes lowered, truly resembling a bodhisattva who was detached from worldly affairs.
"Mother, you've changed."
Regarding Yan Sheng's evaluation, Cui Shi's expression remained largely unchanged. She merely curled her lips slightly and said, "In the past, I always wanted you and your brother to shoulder the family's responsibilities, to have a prestigious status, and to stand above everyone else. So I forced you to learn all sorts of poetry, classics, etiquette, and rules... I molded you into exemplary ladies and gentlemen of a noble family, but I forgot what you truly wanted. I imposed my own ideas on you, and the final result was only pushing you and your brother further and further apart..."
Madam Cui still remembers that when Yan Ning was born, everyone said that she had given birth to a legitimate son, and this time her position was completely secure. She no longer had to worry about her husband's heart being stolen by other women.
Each person was telling her how precious this pregnancy was, but at that moment, gazing at his exquisitely sculpted face, his soft, boneless little hands and feet, and those large, glass-like eyes…
He chuckled and spat at her, and at that moment, all she thought was that her child could grow up healthy and safe.
When did your mindset change?
It was probably during the month that her husband favored one beautiful concubine after another, and even her personal attendant was in his room.
He said that the rise and fall of a family depends on the number of its members.
He had to be responsible for the Yan family and ensure its continued growth and prosperity.
Having only two or three children is far too few.
At that time, Yan Jun was only a few years old, and Yan Ning was only a few months old. They were both at the age where they needed to be taken care of and raised. Moreover, there was also a concubine named Yan An who was about the same age as Yan Jun. However, her husband did not think about these things. He said that everything was handled by the servants and nannies, and there was no need to worry too much.
So he slept with one after another.
Some tactless people even went so far as to confront her, claiming that they were also from a prestigious family and that as long as they had a lover's heart, she would replace them one day!
What does a legitimate son count for?
Who knows if a baby will live past its first birthday?
There are too many women in the household, and many of them are ambitious.
So she could only force herself to stand up, consolidate her position, and protect her child.
None of those women ever had another child.
She gave birth to another daughter, and only then did her husband calm down a bit.
Later she learned that most of those women looked the same as the women her husband had secretly painted.
He found one stand-in after another, but none of them really looked like the real person, so he used her to get rid of them one by one.
They hadn't even made any major mistakes.
It's just that my husband doesn't like me anymore.
She knew then that their fate might one day be her fate as well.
She never placed her hopes on her husband's affections; all she wanted was to be a good wife in this prestigious family and ensure that her two children would always maintain their current status.
Unfortunately... too much of a good thing can be bad.
Cui didn't want to think about the past anymore. She took a deep breath, calmed all her emotions, and said, "Go down. You must be tired after two years away. Go back and rest early."
"yes."
Yan Sheng stood up. "Then Mother should also get some rest."
...
Yan Ning played their hometown tunes for each of them as requested, and without lingering, she came to say goodbye.
"Liyang, I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow."
Li Yunru: "..."
There's nothing wrong with the words themselves, it's just that the occasion was inappropriate.
When the person arrived, she and Du Sanniang were pouring out their hearts to each other, and in the heat of their emotions, they embraced.
As he said this, he stared at Du Sanniang with a look that was neither malicious nor friendly.
She thought he had misunderstood something.
She just didn't want to explain.
If he gives up because of this, she will go along with it...
Um.
That's it!
She's adopting a bit of an ostrich mentality now.
"Okay, let's go."
She waved her hand, signaling him to leave.
"good."
He responded in a muffled voice, his knuckles turning white and trembling. His gaze gradually shifted from Du Sanniang, and he said in a trembling voice, "You should rest early. You are deficient in qi and blood and need to recuperate more."
This is a ailment she developed after her father's death. In the past two years, she has been traveling with Du Sanniang. Although they have been exposed to the elements, she is in a good mood and her health is much better than before. However, she is not completely cured and still feels tired easily and needs more rest.
It's impressive that he still remembers.
"good."
She agreed and left, her steps neither fast nor slow, but her much thinner figure appeared so lonely and desolate in the layers of corridors.
He seemed...very sad.
Did she break his heart?
Li Yunru's gaze followed him involuntarily until his desolate figure completely disappeared into the night before she looked away.
"Then I'll go back to my room. You should also get settled in as soon as possible."
"Um."
With both of them gone, Du Sanniang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Just now... she almost died.
Perhaps it's a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder; she didn't see anything good about this man. When he wasn't speaking, he was extremely cold, boring, fierce, and terrifying.
...
After that day, Yan Ning became a regular customer of the caravan, often coming over and occasionally bringing her food.
Everyone knows he came for people.
But since the boss didn't say anything, they didn't feel comfortable commenting.
However, the frequency of these events led to a lot of rumors and gossip.
Rumor has it that three years ago, Xiao Yan, who was observing mourning for the Li family and had fallen out with his family, took a fancy to a merchant's wife. This time, he returned to Jiankang for that purpose.
With the tragic story of Yan Jia Dalang and Mei Ji before them, everyone suddenly felt sorry for the merchant's wife who had been targeted.
"Alas, no matter how much affection there is, it can't withstand the test of time."
"It's been three years. For a young man to do this much is truly touching. There's nothing wrong with this. If I were that merchant, I would have offered my wife up to him to gain the greatest benefit. Who knows, I might even have gotten a government official position and escaped my current lowly status. Young Master Yan is now a close advisor to the emperor; he can definitely do it."
Power and position always give one an edge. Despite the unreliable rumors, Yan Ning, who should have been portrayed as a villain, gained a lot of support, while they appeared to be the weaker party.
At first, no one took it too seriously, but as rumors spread, discord began to arise among the neighbors and members of the caravan.
Dissatisfied with Li Yunru's flirtatious behavior, when Du Sanniang returned, someone pulled her aside and whispered a warning, "Then, husband, you have to be careful of that woman in your house. Don't be busy outside all day long, or you won't even know what's growing on your head."
Du Sanniang simply smiled and said, "I know what kind of person Ruilin is. Don't say such damaging things again."
She said this, but when she got back, she still told Li Yunru about it.
"The batch of goods intercepted by the Yang family has been returned one after another. Moreover, I have reached a cooperation agreement with the manager of the Treasure Pavilion in the city and need to purchase another batch of goods. I may be leaving Jiankang soon. I'm afraid you can't delay this matter any longer."
"Then I'll go with you."
Li Yunru answered without even thinking.
Du Sanniang said, "Ruilin, this is not the answer you want."
So what if it is?
Yan Ning, fearing the rumors, no longer dared to come, so why should she persist?
Her initial thought was that if Yan Ning gave up, she would give up too, achieving the best of both worlds.
She's unlikely to take the initiative again.
"well."
Du Sanniang sighed and said, "Think it over carefully. If you still have the same answer in three days, then we'll go together."
...
Three days later will be April 15th.
In the blink of an eye, Yan Ning has been missing for seven days...
Li Yunru became increasingly angry. Just a few days ago, she had mentioned celebrating their wedding day with her, saying that she hadn't behaved well and was very regretful.
And then what happened?
When the appointed day arrived, they vanished without a trace, leaving no word behind.
She wouldn't tell Du Sanniang that she had secretly inquired about the situation while shopping in the city, but apart from these rumors that seemed to have come from nowhere, she hadn't found out any useful information. It was as if he had suddenly disappeared.
Just as he appeared without warning in the peach garden, appearing before her.
She didn't think he was afraid of those nonsense comments; he had never cared what others said.
She thought he might be held up by something, but even so, he should have left her a message. What kind of behavior is this?
Li Yunru was so angry that she swept away all the things Yan Ning had recently sent her. No, the wooden carving fell with the sound, but it was not dismembered or scattered.
Looking at the lifelike statues of the two bodies, Li Yunru felt a pang of sadness.
How could he do this!
He wanted to be kind to her, but he came over like a robber without even asking her opinion. She gradually got used to it and began to waver, but then he just left without a word.
That's outrageous!
She picked up the wooden carving of the two of them, poked his forehead hard, and began to curse under her breath. As she cursed, she could no longer hold back her tears.
"Yan Changjun, if you don't show up soon, I'm not going to want you anymore, I really won't!"
Unfortunately, the only response she received was the gentle spring breeze and the fragrance of fallen leaves wafting from the courtyard.
Li Yunru waited for two more days.
There is still no news about Yan Ning.
Despite saying she wouldn't take the initiative, she even went to the Lu and Yan families to inquire, but the answer she received was that they didn't know.
He really just disappeared.
Li Yunru originally thought she would go along with him if he gave up on her, but she found that she couldn't do it. As long as he got a little closer, she couldn't help but walk towards him.
Even knowing that there might be a cliff ahead, they remained fearless.
But she couldn't wait.
She continued on with the caravan.
As soon as they left the city, they saw a luxurious four-horse carriage approaching them.
"Where is Miss Li?" someone asked.
"It's me."
Li Yunru peeked out of the carriage and saw a long-lost old friend.
"Liyang, it's been a long time."
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