Chapter 14 Drawing a Circle on the Ground to Imprison the Moonlight (Part 4) The Ritual of a First Wife, He Investigates...
This explanation did not completely dispel Ye Yixiang's doubts.
The proper rites for a principal wife... Was he unintentional, or...?
Her fingertips twitched as she hesitated, wondering whether she should take this hot potato.
"My lord, this little beggar is too stubborn. No one wants him, and keeping him is a waste of food. He's always trying to escape, and the brothers guarding him are fed up. In my opinion, we should just kill him and throw him into the mass grave, so we don't have to bother guarding him anymore." A man who looked like a steward stepped forward to report to the richly dressed man on the platform. His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone around to hear.
Upon hearing this, the man in fine clothes glanced coldly at the small figure on the stage and nodded slightly.
No! Ye Yixiang was shocked and could no longer care about etiquette, rules, or the separation of men and women!
How could that vibrant life be so easily crushed like a blade of grass?
She suddenly reached out and snatched the gold hairpin from Chu Huaili's outstretched palm!
My fingertips inevitably brushed against his warm palm, which was slightly calloused.
Without even glancing at Chu Huaili's expression, she quickly lowered her head and, with trembling fingers, forcefully pried open the joint of the twin lotus hairpin. With a very slight "click," the hairpin separated, and she tightly gripped one end in her palm.
The golden hairpin she held aloft shimmered dazzlingly in the light, and her clear voice, delivered with unwavering conviction, even drowned out the noise of the audience.
"I'll buy it!"
At that moment, she cast aside all pretense of propriety, suspicion, and her status as the widow of a deceased husband. All she knew was that she had to save the child.
"Tsk, where did this sucker come from?"
"That little beggar is clearly part of a scheme set up by Qiankun Workshop, designed to fool soft-hearted fools like him!" A shrill voice said, filled with undisguised sarcasm.
“She looks unfamiliar, not a local. But that gold hairpin on her hand… tsk tsk, it’s no ordinary item. The ruby on it alone is priceless!” Another slightly wealthy-looking middle-aged merchant squinted as he appraised it.
"The person standing behind her... looks so familiar," someone whispered in confusion.
"Huh?! Isn't that... General Chu?!" Finally, someone recognized the man standing with his hands behind his back, exuding a cold and aloof aura, and their voice was filled with astonishment.
"General Chu? Which General Chu?"
"Who else could it be! It's none other than our Northern Army's commander, General Chu Huaili!"
"It really is General Chu! What is he doing here?"
"And this woman..." The wealthy merchant's gaze swept back and forth between Ye Yixiang, who was tightly embracing him, and Chu Huaili, whose face was cold and stern. A knowing yet somewhat ambiguous expression appeared on his face. He lowered his voice and drew out the words meaningfully, "I'm afraid she is... General Chu's... confidante?"
"How could a close female friend bear to give away a gold hairpin? She must be the general's wife!"
"No wonder they're so generous!"
"Judging from the situation, it seems like the young couple had a quarrel? Mrs. Chu is quite agitated..."
The whispers around her, like fine needles, constantly reached Ye Yixiang's ears, making her cheeks slightly flushed. The reckless courage she had just felt faded, replaced by a sense of embarrassment and unease.
She became the center of attention alongside Chu Huaili, right before everyone's eyes.
"I'm sorry, everyone has misunderstood. The general and I are just..." She was about to explain to avoid ruining his reputation.
"Madam, why waste your breath on outsiders?"
A deep, steady voice sounded from her side, interrupting her unfinished explanation in a measured tone.
Chu Huaili had taken half a step forward without her noticing, and stood right next to her. His posture seemed casual, but it formed a protective stance.
His gaze swept casually across the surroundings. His eyes were not sharp, but they carried an undeniable air of authority that immediately silenced the previously noisy discussions.
He turned his head slightly, looked down at Ye Yixiang, and his voice seemed to soften a little compared to when he spoke to her earlier, carrying an indescribable, almost indulgent meaning: "A few idle words, don't worry about them. Since you like that girl, just buy her."
These words, when heard by others, seemed to confirm that the two had a close relationship, and even more so, that he tacitly approved of her "willful" behavior.
Ye Yixiang suddenly looked up at him, her eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.
Instead of clarifying the situation, he allowed everyone to misunderstand.
What exactly is their intention?
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but when she met his unfathomable eyes, all the words stuck in her throat. Beneath his seemingly calm gaze, it seemed as if a turbulent undercurrent was hidden, making her inexplicably uneasy.
A more enthusiastic murmur erupted from the surrounding area.
"Look! General Chu admitted it himself!"
"I knew it! What kind of lady could casually produce such a precious gold hairpin? It turns out it belongs to the General's Mansion..."
"The general is truly doting, indulging his wife's whims even on such an occasion."
Ye Yixiang felt the heat that had just subsided on her face surge back up, this time burning even to the roots of her ears.
His casual remark was more damaging than any explanation, firmly pinning her to the identity of "Madam Chu," from which she could not escape. She instinctively wanted to distance herself from him, but as soon as she took a step, he seemingly casually flicked his sleeve, precisely blocking her retreat.
They were only inches apart, and the crisp, herbal scent emanating from him, mixed with a hint of chill, enveloped her. Unable to advance or retreat, she stood frozen in place, feeling the gazes—a mixture of envy, curiosity, and even jealousy—cast from all directions, as if she were being roasted by an invisible flame.
A handsome male waiter dressed in flowing white robes stepped forward gracefully, took the gold hairpin from Ye Yixiang's hand with elegant movements, examined it carefully, and then nodded slightly to the elegantly dressed man on the stage.
Two male servants immediately dragged the "little beggar" roughly to Ye Yixiang and shoved her to the ground like a piece of cargo.
The child staggered, barely managing to steady himself. He raised his head, and his unusually bright eyes, hidden among his dirty hair, stared intently at Ye Yixiang. They were filled with a wild beast-like wariness and vigilance. He even bared his teeth and let out a low, threatening whimper, like a young animal trapped in a snare, determined to die rather than submit.
Ye Yixiang felt a pang of sadness, unsure if she could understand Mandarin, but she softened her voice and tried to comfort her: "Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."
The handsome waiter, with a gentle yet almost fake smile on his face, explained to Ye Yixiang, "Miss, you are kind-hearted. However, to ensure that the 'goods' you purchased do not escape on their own, we have already implanted a special Gu worm in her body beforehand."
With a wave of his hand, someone immediately brought forward a lacquered tray covered with velvet, on which were placed two small and exquisite porcelain bottles, one white and one blue.
“The white porcelain bottle contains the mother Gu,” the waiter said, pointing to the white bottle. His voice was still gentle, but his words sent chills down one’s spine. “If this woman dares to escape, you only need to destroy the mother Gu, and the offspring Gu in her body will take effect. At that time… she will naturally disappear from this world.”
He paused, then pointed to the blue porcelain bottle, "This blue porcelain bottle contains the antidote to alleviate the poison. Just give one pill every ten days."
"If it's delayed by three or five days, it's no big deal. It'll just mean she'll suffer a little more excruciating pain, but she won't die."
Ye Yixiang took the two small, cold bottles, her fingertips trembling slightly, her heart filled with horror.
The woman standing on this platform had her life and death completely in the hands of others, like a puppet on a string!
"Is it possible to completely remove this curse?" she asked, clinging to a sliver of hope.
The handsome waiter's smile remained unchanged as he gently shook his head: "I don't know. The secrets of Gu magic are known only to the shop owner. We were just following the rules."
"The shop owner? Is that the one on the side of the stage?" Ye Yixiang's gaze passed through the crowd and landed on the man in fine clothes.
"That is Lord Yun, merely the steward of the first floor." The waiter still smiled, his tone carrying a hint of mystery. "Our master is elusive, appearing only briefly and never seen. Even when he does appear, his face is always veiled, making him quite mysterious. Servants like us have no chance to see his true face."
At this moment, a richly dressed lady in the audience asked in a low voice, "Waiter, when will the bidding for the handsome men 'commodities' begin?"
"Distinguished guests, please be patient," the waiter said, turning to the audience with a polite smile. "In three days, our workshop will be presenting a batch of top-quality goods. We welcome you to come and select them."
Perhaps it was because Ye Yixiang's earlier soothing words had some effect, or perhaps it was because of the waiter's threatening words about the Gu worms, that "little beggar" became much quieter, no longer baring his teeth and growling, but still standing beside Ye Yixiang with his head down and his whole body tense, like a taut string.
"Let's go back," Ye Yixiang said softly, instinctively reaching out to brush aside the messy hair obscuring the girl's vision and to see what she looked like.
The girl abruptly turned her head, nimbly dodging her touch. She raised her head again, her dirty little face now filled with wariness and resistance in her eyes. She bared her teeth and made a disgruntled gurgling sound in her throat, looking exactly like an enraged little beast trying to protect itself.
Ye Yixiang's hand froze in mid-air. She sighed inwardly but did not force the issue.
Chu Huaili stood silently to the side the whole time, coldly observing everything. He glanced at the hostile girl with a sidelong look, said nothing, and turned to walk away.
Seeing this, Ye Yixiang quickly signaled the girl to follow, and she also quickened her pace, closely following behind Chu Huaili, leaving this noisy and suffocating place of right and wrong.
Stepping out of that bustling building, the crisp, cool air of the long street outside washed away the previous gloom and oppression.
The sun was low in the sky, and scattered lights flickered in the wind.
A simple yet stylish carriage had quietly stopped by the roadside, with two lanterns hanging under the eaves emitting a warm, dim glow.
Ye Yixiang was secretly hesitating, unsure how to bring up the topic of avoiding sharing a carriage with Chu Huaili; the thought of that cramped space made her feel suffocated. Suddenly, the tall figure in front of her stopped.
She quickly stopped, barely an inch from his back. She could almost smell the faint herbal scent and a very faint trace of blood on his clothes, and her heart began to pound uncontrollably.
"How do you plan to deal with this trouble?" The deep voice of the person in front of him sounded calmly, revealing no emotion, as if he were asking about a trivial matter.
Ye Yixiang knew he was referring to the girl she had just bought.
She took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound calm and natural: "I... my former maid has unfortunately gone missing. Now that... since she is your wife in the eyes of the foreign envoy, she needs someone to serve her so as not to arouse suspicion."
"There just happens to be such a person right now. I wonder... what does the general think?"
She knew that this argument was so clumsy and unconvincing that even she herself couldn't convince herself.
But she really couldn't bear to watch the girl be beaten to death. Even if she were bought by someone to be a plaything or a bodyguard, her heart would not be as clenched as it is now.
If her younger sister, who was captured by the rebels on the day the city fell, were still alive, she would probably be around this age too.
“The price you offered,” Chu Huaili slowly turned his head, his deep gaze falling on her face, his eyes seemingly able to see through people’s hearts, “is enough to buy a courtyard full of maids.”
Ye Yixiang's cheeks flushed, and she instinctively wanted to retort. Her lips moved, but she found herself unable to find any compelling words to defend herself. He was telling the truth. The value of that half-gold hairpin far exceeded that of a prickly little girl of unknown origin.
Just when she thought he would make sarcastic remarks or refuse outright, he simply shifted his gaze indifferently, looking at the dark sky in the distance, and said casually, "Well, whatever. Whatever."
Upon hearing this, Pei Hong, who had been silently following behind, couldn't help but show a hint of surprise on his face.
He secretly glanced at his general, thinking to himself: The general seems to be in a good mood today? Despite such a major event as the assassination attempt, he is not as furious as usual, rushing to investigate the mastermind behind it, but instead has the leisure to... indulge this Miss Ye's "mischief".
Ye Yixiang was also taken aback, not expecting him to agree so easily.
Without another word, she lifted her skirt and carefully stepped onto the footstool placed beside the carriage shaft, preparing to board. Before bending down to enter the carriage, she couldn't help but glance back at Chu Huaili one last time.
The twilight and lamplight intertwined, outlining his sharply defined profile; his expression remained indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.
“I don’t like riding in carriages,” he said calmly, seemingly noticing her gaze, without turning his head. “You and that ‘troublemaker’ can sit together.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Yixiang felt a slight sense of relief.
She truly didn't want to be in the same cramped carriage as him; the mere thought of it made it hard for her to breathe. She responded softly, "Yes."
Chu Huaili nimbly leaped onto the horse led by a nearby guard, his movements swift and fluid. Seated atop the horse, he instructed Pei Hong, "Pei Hong, you personally lead the men and escort them back to the Nie residence."
"Your subordinate obeys!" Pei Hong replied with a fist salute, and then directed the soldiers to guard the carriage.
Ye Yixiang bent down and crawled into the carriage. The interior was more spacious than she had imagined, simply furnished with thick soft cushions that dispelled the chill outside.
The girl she had bought was also half-pushed and half-forced onto the train. She huddled in the shadows at the far corner of the carriage, still hugging her knees and burying her face in her hands, exuding an aura that kept strangers at bay.
The carriage started slowly, the rumbling of its wheels particularly clear on the quiet street.
Ye Yixiang leaned against the carriage wall, closed her eyes wearily, and tightly clutched the remaining twin lotus hairpin and the two cold porcelain bottles in her hands, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
Everything that happened today is like a dream, yet it feels so real it's unsettling.
Outside the carriage, the cold, handsome figure riding alongside her on horseback only added to her turmoil.
A note from the author:
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Did any of you accidentally unfavorite this? *crying emoji* Please don't abandon me, my darlings! [starry eyes]
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