Chapter 35 Frosty Dawn (Part 5) Coaxing her.
Wen Kong coughed lightly. He hadn't expected that Ye Mu would so openly reveal such a private and secretive old story, without any attempt at concealment.
She kept her clear, bright eyes open, asking him questions.
"Master, is this what you mean by 'movement'?"
"……yes."
"Which room in the Marquis's residence are they in?"
"...I don't know."
"Did Master listen to the whole thing?"
"……No."
"How old was Master back then? How did he know that they were doing that kind of thing inside?"
"..."
Wen Kong coughed even more violently. He suddenly put his hands together and chanted the Buddhist mantra, "Amitabha, Benefactor Ye."
His voice was like the deep tolling of an ancient bell, and his gaze pressed down heavily on her. Ye Mu's heart skipped a beat. When he looked at her like that, she was always a little afraid, as if he had trapped her, making her timidly stop talking.
"Alright, alright, I won't ask anymore."
Ye Mu could only suppress his overt curiosity for the time being and carefully sort out his thoughts.
She pondered for a moment and said, "Master suspects that Zhou is afraid that her affair with Mr. Chen will be exposed, so she has the intention to kill Grandmother? Grandmother is old. If she finds out about such a shameful thing, she will definitely expel her from the mansion. Most importantly, all the hard work she has put into managing the family property over the years will be for naught."
Ye Mu sat down again, pulled the blanket up to cover herself, and frowned slightly. "But something's not right. She hasn't been afraid for so many years, why is she suddenly afraid?"
“Because I’m back,” Wen Kong said. “After I visited the old lady that day, Zhou asked me a question alone to test whether I still remembered this matter, because she was afraid I would tell the old lady.”
Ye Mu looked at him and suddenly realized.
"That makes sense. As long as Master is in the capital, this hidden danger will exist. Therefore, she must strike first and eliminate the threat before Grandmother learns the truth."
Ye Mu said, "No wonder she sent her servants to chase and beat you so relentlessly back then. Now that I think about it, it wasn't just because she was afraid you would reveal their secret meeting, but also because you caught them in their dirty business."
Wen Kong nodded slightly, agreeing with this.
Ye Mu then leaned forward slightly and said, "The one she most wants to get rid of is always you, Master. It's just that she doesn't dare to act rashly because of your current status and position."
She has always been quick-witted and can grasp the whole picture with just a little guidance, but she is always a bit clueless in certain matters, which is frustrating.
For example, right now.
She knelt on the couch, naturally towering slightly above him as he sat in the chair. As she leaned forward, he glanced up and caught sight of a slender, fair neck. The pearl buttons on her collar trembled slightly with her breath, shimmering with tiny sparkles. Further down, her collarbone was faintly visible through the slightly open collar.
He suddenly lowered his eyes, and his fingers, which had been loosely clasped on his knees, suddenly tightened. His wrist bones protruded slightly beneath his gray monk sleeves, like cold jade buried in the snow.
“I suddenly remembered something else,” Ye Mu said, oblivious to his surroundings, as he crawled forward another half inch, his waist lifting slightly without his notice, “that year’s Dragon Boat Festival competition…”
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Kong suddenly stood up and pushed open the west window.
"Why is Master opening the window?" Ye Mu asked in surprise, interrupted by this abrupt action.
"It's a bit stuffy."
Wen Kong stood by the window and did not approach.
"Aren't you cold?" Ye Mu wrapped the thin blanket around herself tighter, watching the pages on the scripture table rustle in the wind. "The door is open, so how can it be stuffy?"
"Go on, how was the competition that year during the Dragon Boat Festival?"
Ye Mu was completely absorbed in unraveling the mystery and did not notice Wen Kong's sudden change in behavior. She continued, "That morning, my grandmother suddenly felt dizzy. I suspect that it was at that time that someone tampered with the prayer beads she often used and mixed lead powder into them."
Although the coroner Liu said that lead powder requires prolonged exposure to damage the mind, it is understandable that the grandmother would experience dizziness and headaches upon initial contact if she had never touched it before.
Wen Kong's gaze met hers, confirming his guess.
“These things must have been done by Zhou. She caused my grandmother to be bedridden for years, suffering from recurring headaches and endless torment. When she saw you return, she was afraid that her affair would be exposed, so she conspired with Granny Li, who was in charge of preparing medicine, to poison my grandmother on the day my mother was attending to her, causing her to die suddenly.”
Ye Mu said indignantly, "Such a vicious scheme not only aims to take lives, but also to ruin my mother's reputation!"
“And the matter of Sister Xia spreading rumors in the manor,” Wen Kong said, “is probably related to this matter.”
When the Marquis's household loses its virtue, calamity descends from heaven.
Ye Mu murmured these eight words, then gasped, "That's it! That's it! The so-called loss of virtue must mean that someone has done something immoral. Sister Xia must have stumbled upon their shameful affair and was so angry that she spread rumors on the estate."
All the scattered clues finally came together seamlessly at this moment.
"But there's one thing that doesn't make sense."
Ye Mu frowned. "Why did Sister Xia choose to spread rumors on our third branch's estate? The second branch's land is right behind Zhoujia Village. Logically, she should have spread the rumors on the second branch's territory."
Silence fell over the small house, as light streamed in inch by inch from the window, landing precisely on Wen Kong's right hand, which was casually resting on the windowsill, revealing its distinct knuckles.
Ye Mu stared at the hand in thought. It was long and slender, with clear bone structure and faint blue veins visible under the skin. The nails were trimmed very short with neat edges, and there were thin calluses on the tiger's mouth.
Ye Mu's gaze was fixed on the interplay of light and shadow, his thoughts drifting back to the scene of him washing his hands, shaking off the water droplets, wiping between his fingers, and folding the handkerchief.
She couldn't calm down in front of these hands, and she really wanted to...play with them, really wanted to...squeeze them.
The thought startled her for a moment.
No, no, what's going on, Ye Mu!
These are the hands that hold scriptures! The hands that hold prayer beads! The hands that clasp hands together when chanting Amitabha!
How dare you desecrate it!
Ye Mu suddenly snapped out of his daze, looked away, and cursed himself for being so foolish. How could he have become so distracted by these hands at such a crucial moment in sorting out the evidence?
She threw off the covers, got out of bed, put on her shoes, and said, "Master, I should go back now. In any case, I must inform my aunt about this matter as soon as possible."
She straightened up and straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes. "At that time, I will have to ask my master to come forward as a witness."
Verbal testimony is not enough, but if there is a witness of his status, the weight will be much different. I'm sure Auntie will immediately send someone to find Sister Xia and ask her for the truth.
Ye Mu turned and left, her delusions swept away in the dust with her decisive steps.
"Wait," Wen Kong's voice came from behind him. "I have something for you."
Ye Mu turned around and saw him walk towards the elm wood sideboard by the wall. After a moment, he took out a bulging black cloth bundle.
“I went to the village a couple of days ago, and the pest infestation has been completely eradicated.” He handed over the bundle. “The villagers are grateful to you and asked me to bring this to you.”
Ye Mu took it; it felt quite heavy. "What's inside?"
As she spoke, she began to untie the knot.
"They said it's some snacks like dried sweet potatoes and fried beans." Wen Kongxu paused for a moment, then coughed lightly. "Let's open it when we get back. If we open it here, it'll probably spill all over the floor."
Seeing that she was struggling to carry the bundle, he naturally took it back from her hands, saying, "I'll see you out of the temple."
The two walked side by side on the bluestone path in the temple. The autumn sky was clear and blue, and the occasional drifting clouds made the sky seem even higher and the air even fresher.
"The Zhou family is in for a lot of trouble now," Ye Mu said sternly. "But why didn't Master tell me sooner?"
"We have not yet found the right opportunity."
These words caused Ye Mu to think differently. She avoided him for several days, and if they bumped into each other in the corridor, she would immediately put on a stern face and ignore him. It was because his words were too cruel and hurtful.
Another thought popped into Ye Mu's mind: Did he think she was angry, which is why he didn't have a chance to speak?
Does he care whether she gets angry or not? He must be troubled too.
I wanted to talk to her, but her cold attitude blocked me.
Ye Mu's features softened, and even the swaying ginkgo leaves on the branches seemed to lose some of their melancholy, as if they were dancing gracefully.
But then Kong Xia explained, "During the days of the ritual, Zhou sent people to keep a close eye on us, and there was always someone around."
He even asked her if she remembered that day when they invited her to inspect the medicinal herbs, and a short while later, a servant asked him to go and look at the incense sticks under some pretext.
"I remember." Ye Mu slightly curled the corner of his mouth. "It was Zhou who invited you. She really keeps a close eye on things."
So that's how it is. The fact that she didn't get a chance to speak was just the literal meaning; she was being watched by the Zhou family, rather than them noticing her avoidance.
Her eyes were lowered, and she knew that he was a monk who was pure and detached from worldly desires, whose eyes were on all living beings and whose knees were on the Buddha. How could he notice her insignificant joys and sorrows?
Another autumn breeze swept by, and the ginkgo leaves twirled and fell at Ye Mu's feet. Looking at them now, it was not dancing at all, but just a desperate, pretentious struggle made by taking advantage of the autumn wind.
The horse-drawn carriage waited quietly at the foot of the stone steps of the temple gate.
Ye Mu helped Zijing step onto the footstool. As the curtain was lifted, she turned back and whispered, "Master, please wait."
She bent her slender waist and disappeared into the shadows of the carriage without saying another word.
Wen Kong handed the bundle to Zijing, but his gaze remained fixed on the slightly swaying carriage curtain. He had clearly seen a smile in her eyes when they left, but how could she have looked so down in such a short time?
His greyish-blue monk's robe fluttered in the wind as he finally took two steps forward and stood outside the car window.
Through the half-rolled curtain, Wen Kong looked at her profile and said, "The Winter Solstice Dharma Assembly is on the sixteenth of next month. The temple will set up a thousand lotus lantern array by the release pond. It will be very lively. Would you like to come?"
Is this an invitation to her?
Ye Mu's heart stirred, and he was about to turn his head away when he feared that he was just being presumptuous. What if the other person was just inviting every pilgrim he met?
"There are also dried fruits, candied fruits, sesame cakes and sweets to accompany them."
Ye Mu's ears twitched, but he still deliberately acted nonchalant, saying, "That depends on how busy I am at that time. My mother's illness hasn't fully healed yet, and it's harvest time on the estate, so the accounts also need to be checked..."
"I'll reserve a seat for you by the west window of the prayer hall."
"Then I'll do it."
Ye Mu looked at him, her eyes crinkling with a smile that she could no longer hide. "I don't think I'm that busy. It's okay to look at the ledger a day later."
He can't possibly be so considerate to every believer, reserving a special seat for each one, can he?
The carriage started moving slowly.
Zijing teased, "Have you and Master Wenkong reconciled, young lady?"
"We've never argued."
"That means the young lady is sulking all by herself. I don't know who in the manor is, but she avoids Master whenever she sees him."
"Who's angry with him? Humph, even if they were, so what? He wouldn't even notice. He's a complete idiot."
"But I think Master doesn't seem like a blockhead. Wasn't he just coaxing the young lady?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Mu was taken aback, then shook his head. "Come on, his manner doesn't really qualify as coaxing. Just standing there and saying a few nice words is coaxing? Then wouldn't the government posting notices be coaxing the entire city?"
She slowly untied the bundle, revealing it full of roasted melon seeds and dried sweet potatoes. Ye Mu, with the air of an experienced man, said, "Ah Jing, you're still too young and haven't seen enough men. How can this be considered flattery? It must be something the abbot told you to do to welcome more guests, so he just mentioned it casually."
Zijing chuckled at her words. In terms of youth, wasn't her mistress younger than her? But her mistress always put on such a worldly-wise and mature air; she wondered who she took after. "Then tell me, young lady, what constitutes 'coaxing'?"
“You don’t necessarily have to use words to coax someone,” Ye Mu said, taking a bite of dried sweet potato. “Take the time when it was my third sister’s birthday, for example. I booked the music with Mo Shang Wu Jun more than a month in advance. After accepting the invitation, the musician specially visited musicians in Jiangnan and played my third sister’s favorite piece, ‘Spring River Flower Moon Night,’ with several layers of artistic conception. That’s what it means to coax someone with your heart.”
"Isn't this just a case of spending money? It can't be considered genuine either; it's ultimately just a show built on money."
"In this world, spending a little money can get you to put in effort, which is much more real than empty words of sincerity. How many women spend their dowries and trousseaus only to have to smile and coax their husbands, only to end up with neither sincerity nor money."
Zijing laughed, "What kind of foolish woman is this?"
Ye Mu, chewing on a sweet potato chip, didn't reply for a moment. Zijing wasn't married yet and didn't know the hardships of marriage. There were many women like that in the world, and she had been one of them once.
How long can those vows of eternal love last? It's really better to be happy in the present.
"Hey, girl, what's this?"
Ye Mu looked into Zi Jing's hand and saw that Zi Jing had taken out an indigo brocade pouch from under the pile of roasted melon seeds. The stitches on the pouch were not very fine, and it could be described as extremely ordinary, but the materials used were exquisite.
Ye Mu took it, her fingertips touching a slightly hard object inside. She untied the silk ribbon, and a warm, smooth jade pendant slid into her palm. The jade was translucent, and the bamboo joints were carved with lifelike detail.
She sniffed it; the crisp sandalwood scent was exactly the same as the scent on Wen Kong's body, on his blanket, and in the small house. In addition, there was a faint, warm, sweet fragrance, which was very pleasant when combined with the sandalwood.
Deep inside the brocade pouch was a plain note with only two words in ink: "Sleep well."
It's obviously written by Wen Kong.
Sleep well.
The jade pendant gradually warmed in Ye Mu's palm. How did he know she hadn't been sleeping well these days?
Actually, Ye Mu was quite familiar with this jade pendant; he had given an identical one to someone in his previous life.
At Jiang Ling's 100th birthday banquet, Wen Kong, who was already the Imperial Advisor, arrived amidst the vibrant spring scenery.
At that time, the mother-in-law was holding the baby wrapped in a gold swaddling cloth, moving among the guests to receive congratulations. She and Jiang Si were entertaining this distinguished guest in the flower hall.
"The presence of the Imperial Preceptor is already an honor to our humble abode; there is no need for gifts," Jiang Si greeted with a smile, but his gaze remained fixed on the palm-leaf scripture box. The sandalwood box was inlaid with mother-of-pearl and eight auspicious symbols, and the lid alone was worth a hundred gold pieces. Upon seeing the hand-painted "Eight Auspicious Symbols" letter paper inside, his joy was even more evident. "My son is a burden; how can he accept such a generous gift?"
Wen Kong clasped his hands together, his expression calm. "It's just a small gift to celebrate the young master's 100th day."
Jiang Si was overjoyed and personally went to the banquet to bring the baby to Wen Kong to see. After he left in a hurry, the flower hall suddenly became quiet, with only a few birds chirping outside the window.
Wen Kong's gaze then turned to Ye Mu.
She wore a newly tailored crimson dress with a hundred children pattern, the neckline densely adorned with South Sea pearls. She was dressed very appropriately, but the makeup could not hide the dark circles under her eyes, which were particularly noticeable against her porcelain-white skin.
"Has Madam Jiang been unable to sleep well lately?" Wen Kong asked softly.
Ye Mu smiled helplessly, “Master noticed. I have to take care of the baby at night, and I have to get up two or three times every hour. Just when I’m about to close my eyes, I’m woken up by the crying. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in months.”
"Is there no one to help me at home?"
“My mother-in-law said that children are only truly loved by those you raise yourself.” Ye Mu was too soft-hearted at the time, and having given birth, she was powerless to resist. Staring at the hem of her skirt, she said, “I think things will get better when the child is older.”
While she was recuperating at Baoxiang Temple, he took such good care of her that her skin became radiant and her face as beautiful as a peach blossom. But after only three months back home, she had become extremely thin, and even her newly made hundred-child dress looked somewhat loose.
"Madam Jiang should also take better care of her health."
Wen Kong took out the bamboo-shaped jade pendant from his sleeve and placed it in her palm. "Being a new mother is the most exhausting thing. This jade pendant is soaked in bergamot and chamomile. Place it by your pillow at night and you will sleep peacefully."
Even after Jiang Si brought the baby over, Ye Mu could still feel Wen Kong's gaze falling on her from time to time, carrying a hint of worry.
He also heard his earnest tone as he said to Jiang Si, "Lord Jiang, this humble monk once examined the lady's pulse. She has always been a light sleeper with many dreams, and now she gets up frequently at night. If this continues, I fear it will damage her health."
Jiang Si waved his hand dismissively and smiled, "Women are just taking care of children, why are they so delicate?"
Knowing that it was inappropriate for Wen Kong to interfere too much in other people's affairs, he made a point of walking up to Ye Mu before leaving and giving her a deep look, saying, "Madam, please don't do everything yourself. You should take good care of yourself."
After that day, the next news I heard of him was that he had gone to the Western Regions to spread Buddhism, and I heard nothing from him since.
In her past life, Ye Mu only considered the bamboo-shaped jade pendant as an ordinary gift. All the guests in the hall were giving gifts to their children, and she was the only one who received this thoughtful gift, which was an unexpected joy.
She always thought it was just a coincidence that he bought it casually from a jade shop and that the character "暮" (dusk) was carved on the bamboo joint.
Right now, Ye Mu held up the jade pendant in his hand and examined it carefully in the light coming through the car window. The smooth bamboo surface was empty except for the patterns.
There was no trace of the word "dusk" that she remembered.
The same jade pendant, one with the character "暮" (dusk) on it, the other without.
Ye Mu stroked the jade body; the carving was simple yet unique, and there was only one possibility.
This jade pendant must have been carved by Wen Kong himself.
The jade pendant engraved with the character "暮" in his previous life was also made by him, but in this life, perhaps because of her sudden visit, he had not yet had time to put it down.
When is he planning to give it to her?
Ye Mu glanced at the dried sweet potatoes, melon seeds, and peanuts in front of her, smiled, and guessed that if she hadn't come today, he would have brought all these gifts from the villagers to her residence in a few days.
Ye Mu shook the jade pendant. It seemed that this dull monk was not completely oblivious to her aloofness.
She gently gathered the jade pendant into her palm, letting the cool sandalwood scent envelop her fingertips.
It turns out that this seemingly dull master wasn't incapable of coaxing people after all.
What kind of status do you think you're using to coax her?
Apprentice? Old friend? Or a... woman?
-
After seeing Ye Xingjian off at the dock in the morning, some people went to Baoxiang Temple, some returned to their high-class residences, while Zhou's green-curtained carriage went back to the Marquis's mansion, and an hour later it quietly turned into Madao Street in the south of the city.
"Let's stop here." Zhou suddenly spoke up, lifting the carriage curtain with her slender fingers and looking at the narrow alleyway that could only accommodate two people side by side. "The alley is narrow, and it's inconvenient to turn around."
The driver took the string of coins she handed him. The copper coins felt heavy in his palm, about 20% more than usual. He couldn't help but ask, "Second Madam, in previous years, wasn't the rent for this whole street collected by Manager Qian?"
Zhou's gaze wandered through the alleyways, then she glanced at him and said, "When did you become so talkative?"
The driver shut up at the right moment.
"Go and rest at the teahouse at the street corner. There's no need to rush back, and you don't need to wait for me at noon. I'll just have something to eat at Aunt Zhang's soup noodle shop."
The coachman agreed. He rarely saw the Second Mistress eating on the street, and today she said she was going to collect rent and debts, but she didn't have any maids or servants following her. It was really strange, but it was inconvenient to ask too much about the master's affairs.
Seeing him walk away, Zhou turned and walked into the depths of the alley. An inconspicuous black lacquered wooden door was ajar, with a faded red cloth strip tied to the door knocker. She looked around for a moment, and when no one was around, she reached out and gently pushed the door open.
"Is Young Master Jiang here?" she asked in a high-pitched, affectedly soft voice.
The words had barely left her lips when a shadow fell over her. A bamboo clothesline pole was already positioned against her neck, pressed against her throat. "Looking for death?"
Jiang Si stepped out from behind the door, squinting at the uninvited guest before him with a cold gaze. He had only met Zhou Shi two or three times and clearly had no recollection of her face.
"Young Master Jiang, I am Wen-ge'er's mother, the second mistress of the Marquis's mansion." Zhou Shi never expected to be treated like this as soon as she entered the door, and her legs went weak with fright.
When Xingwen brought him to see her, he was clearly a gentle and refined scholar named Mo Yang. He was very courteous when he came to pay his respects to the old lady. How could he be so shocking in private?
Jiang Si thought for a moment, then remembered. He dropped the bamboo pole and made no move to let her in. "What brings you here, madam?"
Big, big... aunt?
After returning home today, Madam Zhou specially changed into a brand new lake-blue Hangzhou silk jacket. However, she was still in mourning, so she only applied a little makeup and her lipstick was not applied so brightly. How come he called her "Auntie"?
But she subconsciously touched her neck, where the pain was still there. After what had just happened, she was already afraid and dared not act rashly again.
"Young Master Jiang, please don't misunderstand..." She forced a smile, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes clearly visible in the sunlight. "I just happened to be passing by and wanted to see if you're settling in comfortably here?"
As he spoke, his gaze secretly drifted into the courtyard. "If you need anything or anything, just let me know."
"No need."
"The autumn imperial examinations are just a few days away," Zhou Shi said, still unwilling to give up, taking another half step forward. "Have you prepared enough writing materials? Or are you short of money?"
Jiang Si glanced at her coldly.
At first, he hadn't considered the woman's intentions. He thought she was there to collect rent, but she never mentioned it and kept giving him seductive glances.
Jiang Si, after all, had served as the Grand Secretary in his previous life and was used to seeing all sorts of monsters and demons in the court. Hearing her seemingly concealed concern, he could easily guess the real reason behind it.
Is this because they see him as a poor student they can manipulate at will, and want to bestow some small favors upon him?
Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhou took another step closer to the courtyard, "I see that you are dressed in thin clothes. In another month or so, winter will be coming. How about I take your measurements and make you some winter clothes?"
Jiang Si sneered, his voice lowering, "In the eighth year of the Kangding era, the Zhou family's rice business colluded with the canal transport officials, using moldy rice that cost three qian per jin to replace the one liang and two qian of new rice transported from Jiangnan to the official granary. They then resold the good rice at the market price, making a net profit of 90,000 taels of silver from the purchase and sale. The canal transport department, from top to bottom, all benefited from keeping quiet."
"Afterwards, the colluding officials recorded the 100,000 shi of new rice in the accounts as 'damaged by dampness during the journey, partially moldy, and sold at a discount,' perfectly balancing the accounts."
"Second Madam couldn't possibly be unaware of this, could she? Those private accounts must be in her possession, right?"
Zhou's face turned pale instantly, her knees buckled, and she knelt down by the door. How could he know her family's secrets?
She had contacted the canal transport official through Ye Erye's connections. Several years had passed, so how could a scholar like him know about it?
“If you dare to harbor even the slightest wicked thoughts towards me, by this time tomorrow, the soldiers of the Provincial Surveillance Commission will raze every shop of the Zhou family to the ground.”
His words pressed down from above, their calmness chilling, sending a shiver down Zhou's spine.
Jiang Si looked down at her. He had found this account book when he searched the Marquis's mansion in his previous life. Now that he knew Ye Mu and this poisonous woman were sworn enemies, he naturally wanted to help Ye Mu get rid of this thorn in his side as soon as possible. However, he had not yet achieved fame and success, so keeping her around for the time being was also useful.
At the very least, he needs to use this woman to pull Fourth Sister out of the murky waters of the Marquis's mansion and bring her closer to him. Otherwise, with the mansion so deep and secluded, how can he have the advantage of being close to her and pursue her?
Using Ye Xingwen as an excuse is always inconvenient.
Jiang Si turned and walked into the courtyard, coldly saying, "I have something for you to do."
"Come in and kneel."
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Author's Note: Thanks for reading and adding to your favorites! [cheering emoji] Well, wait, I mean, let's have some sweet moments! [hug emoji]
One day, our Fourth Sister will play with that monk's hands! She'll play with them wildly! Play with them recklessly! Play with them without any manners! Until Fourth Sister's fingers are oozing juice like an orange...
Huh?! Huh?! How did I end up cooking here?!
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