She knew what he wanted. If she refused, he might not take her out of the manor the next day if he was unhappy, and all her efforts would be in vain. Therefore, she had to compromise and accommodate him.
Thinking of this, Su Yushan did not refuse. She turned her face away and pretended to be shy, giving a soft "hmm". The drawn-out ending sound was soft and ethereal, which made his bones melt!
The fragrance emanating from her was more intoxicating than any precious perfume. Hongli couldn't help but bury his face in her neck and inhale deeply, sighing in a hoarse voice, "Yushan, are you a fairy or a demon? You bewitch people to the point of death!"
Words of love are always just fleeting sensations; no matter how moving they are, they can't be taken seriously. Su Yushan ignored them, emptying herself and detaching herself. He fell deeper and deeper into it, but she remained clear-headed, unlike before, no longer swayed by emotions.
That night, Hongli took her three times without tiring. In the end, Su Yushan couldn't take it anymore and was so sleepy that she couldn't even keep her eyes open.
She had important business to attend to tomorrow; how could she travel far with him tormenting her like this? Fearful, she could only helplessly complain.
"Can't you take a break? You have to attend the morning court session tomorrow! If you keep causing trouble, it'll be dawn soon."
Hongli was fearless. "The morning court session only lasts an hour. If there's nothing important, I can come back and catch up on my sleep."
Upon hearing this, she immediately became nervous. "Didn't we agree that you would accompany me to Lingguang Temple tomorrow?"
“Going the day after tomorrow is the same.” In his opinion, it didn’t matter whether it was sooner or later. However, Su Yushan had already made her plans and didn’t want to wait any longer, fearing that things might change if she waited too long.
But she didn't dare show too much anxiety; she gently tugged at his inner shirt with her small hand, and against her will, she coaxed him.
“That won’t do. You must be sincere when you worship gods and Buddhas. If you agree on a time, you must do so. If you change your mind, the gods and Buddhas will think that I am not sincere and will no longer protect me.”
His fingers gently brushed past her temples, lightly stroking her stray hairs, and he asked curiously, "You really want a child that much? I remember you said you didn't really like children."
Feeling guilty, she could clearly hear her own heartbeat. After a moment of silence, Su Yushan had a flash of inspiration and said, "You like children, so of course I want to fulfill your wish."
It turned out that she could also think of him. Her sudden understanding made Hongli inexplicably uneasy, because after the two reconciled, she had never mentioned the matter of Kim Min-jung. He wanted to ask her if she was really no longer angry with him, but he was worried that if he brought it up, he would reopen her wounds and hurt her.
Concerned about the consequences, Hongli ultimately didn't bring it up again, continuing to cherish this rare period of harmony.
The night seemed exceptionally short; it felt as if I had just closed my eyes for a short while before I opened them again, and it was already dawn.
Hongli still had to go to the palace to attend to state affairs, so Su Yushan got up early to do her makeup. She had to wait in the room until he finished his work and returned before they could leave the mansion together.
After everything was prepared, she secretly prayed that nothing would go wrong today and that everything would go smoothly so that she could escape the capital.
Upon his return, Hongli casually plucked a flower. "The asters in the courtyard are in full bloom; the profusion of flowers paired with a beautiful woman is a feast for the eyes." As he spoke, he tucked the small purple flower into her hair, his gentle eyes revealing a hint of expectation.
"It has been a year since we met. I hope we can enjoy the purple garden together every year."
That patch of aster was planted by him for her. The flowers will bloom again after they fall, but if the heart dies, can it come back to life?
Faced with his prayer, Su Yushan remained silent, then looked away and smiled faintly, "I've finished dressing, you should go change quickly."
She was always overjoyed when she was about to leave the manor. Hongli understood her feelings and replied loudly, "Alright, wait a moment, I'll be there soon."
Men can change clothes much faster than women. In less than a quarter of an hour, Hongli changed into a violet-colored robe and a belt adorned with jade plaques and cat's-eye stones, which made him look even taller and more slender.
If she were just an observer, seeing such a noble and wealthy man, Su Yushan would probably feel a bit of admiration and fantasies. But after she got to be by his side, she truly realized how difficult it was to be his woman.
Only those who are as magnanimous and forgiving as the Fujin can live a carefree life; those who are as meticulous as she are easily trapped in their own little world.
Ultimately, it wasn't Hongli's fault; it was her own mindset that was the problem. She couldn't let go of things, so the only option was to leave.
With their minds racing, the two had already arrived at the gate of the mansion.
Based on past experience, whenever Hongli went out of the manor, he would bring Hongzhou along. Although Hongzhou had no bad intentions, having an extra person could easily lead to accidents. To prevent any mishaps, Su Yushan instructed him as soon as they boarded the carriage:
"Shall we leave Fifth Master out today?"
Hongli raised an eyebrow at her, a deep smile in his eyes, "What's wrong? Did he offend you?"
"No, actually it's because..." If you give me any other reason, Hongli might not believe you, but if it's related to him, his heart will soften and he will let his guard down.
With a slight shift in her gaze, Su Yushan feigned shyness, lowering her eyes and whispering, "Because I want to be alone with you and don't want anyone to disturb us."
As she expected, Hongli was in a great mood after hearing this. He had originally planned to bring Hongzhou along. Last time, Hongzhou had treated everyone, so it was his turn to reciprocate. Since Yushan didn't want to be bothered, they could do it another day.
They traveled in silence; even the most beautiful scenery could not dispel her melancholy. The carriage moved slowly and steadily, and it took an hour to reach their destination.
Lingguang Temple was very popular with worshippers. Su Yushan said she wanted to have a child, so she had to go to the hall to burn incense and pray to Buddha.
With her hands clasped together and eyes closed, she did not pray to the gods or Buddhas for a child. She had already decided to leave Hongli and sever ties with him, so a child was not what she hoped for.
Then Hongli suggested that she draw a lot. Su Yushan didn't believe in these things, but since he asked, she did as he suggested.
Unfortunately, I drew a bad fortune slip, which read: "The phoenix departs from the Qin Tower, and the clouds disperse over Wushan."
The old fortune teller, upon seeing the fortune slip, looked rather grim, stroking his beard and sighing, "The phoenix departs from the Qin Tower, signifying that the beloved has gone. The clouds over Wushan gather, representing that the beloved is as easily dispersed as smoke and clouds, disappearing without a trace. This fortune slip indicates that the bond between the two is broken, unable to last, and it is time to choose another suitable partner."
Startled by the revelation, Su Yushan feared that Hongli would become suspicious, but to her surprise, he didn't take it seriously and directly dismissed the old man's nonsense.
"My wife and I are deeply in love, our love is stronger than gold, and it is absolutely impossible for us to break up!"
"I was just reading the interpretation of the divination slips, I wasn't talking nonsense. This is the will of Heaven, you have no choice but to believe it." The old man defended himself, but Hongli felt only annoyed and wouldn't listen anymore. He put his arm around Su Yushan's shoulder and turned away coldly.
Li Yu tossed the old man a tael of silver, then scoffed at his poor manners, saying, "Who told you to upset my master? This is all the reward you can get, take it!"
The old man had spent half his life interpreting fortune sticks and was not a sycophant. "I only tell the truth. Whether he believes it or not, he'll know I didn't lie when something happens."
Hongli had already walked far away, but the old man's voice carried on the wind to Su Yushan's ears. Her heart was beating faster and faster, as taut as a string. She marveled at how accurate the fortune was. At this moment, Hongli's expression was solemn, and he held her hand tighter and tighter. Surely he didn't suspect anything?
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