Chapter 11 Drawing a Circle on the Ground to Lock Up the Moonlight (Part 1) Ye Yixiang tightened her cheeks...
At dawn, as the sky began to lighten with the first hint of white, the majestic outline of Liangzhou City finally emerged from the end of the snowstorm. The group of people and their horses were exhausted, but they all forced themselves to stay alert.
Just as Pei Hong was about to knock on the door, a muffled thud came from behind him! He turned around abruptly and saw that Ye Yixiang had fallen straight off her horse and was now stuck in the thick snow by the roadside, motionless.
Before her hazy consciousness sank completely into darkness, she seemed to hear someone anxiously calling "Night Maiden," but the voice quickly faded away.
She didn't know how long she had been asleep when a clear, melodious girl's voice, like a spring breeze breaking through the ice, rang in her ears:
"Oh? She's awake! Miss, she's awake!"
Ye Yixiang struggled to lift her heavy eyelids, her vision gradually clearing from blurry.
What comes into view is the face of a pretty and bright young girl, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with her hair styled in the currently popular double buns, and her big, dark eyes darting around, full of curiosity and vitality.
Her clothes weren't made of the most luxurious material, but they were well-tailored and elegantly embroidered, perfectly highlighting her status as someone different from ordinary people.
Ye Yixiang was wondering who this girl was when the girl seemed to see through her thoughts and said with a smile, "Sister, please don't be offended. My brother is worried about affecting your reputation."
"Since the young lady moved into this villa, he has been staying at the city garrison headquarters and has not returned."
"My name is Nie Zhaoxue, and Nie Huaizhang is my older brother."
Ye Yixiang suddenly realized, and with her weak body, she nodded slightly in greeting. She looked around and saw that it was an extremely elegant bedroom, with simple yet tasteful furnishings, and all the items were of high quality, showing the owner's attention to detail.
The lively and radiant young woman before me must be the younger sister of the Nie family that my late husband, Lu Qingyuan, occasionally mentioned. It is said that Lord Nie doted on this sister, allowing her to live a pure and innocent life under the protection of her father and brothers, untouched by worldly affairs.
She opened her mouth, wanting to ask about Chu Huaili's injuries, but swallowed the words back.
As a widow, it is still improper for her to show such eager concern for a man outside her marriage, even if he is her deceased husband's blood relative, and it may cause controversy.
On second thought, Liangzhou was an important border town of the Southern Dynasty, and its medical facilities must be well-stocked with medicines. Since Lord Nie and Chu Huaili were sworn brothers, he would surely do his best to treat him. He should be... alright now.
“Sister Yixiang,” Nie Zhaoxue leaned closer, her face beaming with undisguised anticipation, “Do you still remember me?”
Ye Yixiang searched her memory carefully but couldn't recall when she had ever crossed paths with this Miss Nie. However, looking at her bright eyes, she couldn't bear it, so she smiled weakly and said in a hoarse voice, "Of course... I remember, but you were still young back then."
"Haha! That's right, that's right!" Nie Zhaoxue immediately jumped up and clapped her hands, "It's the Princess Consort of Lin'an..." She said these four words, then suddenly realized she had misspoke, and quickly covered her mouth, stamping her foot in annoyance, "Oh dear, I misspoke again! It's the current Empress Dowager, the one who held the Hundred Flowers Poetry Gathering in the palace six years ago! I went to the palace with my mother back then, and I even praised my sister as a celestial being!"
Only after her reminder did a vague impression surface in Ye Yixiang's mind.
It seems there was indeed such a poetry gathering, but back then... the Prince of Lin'an was still alive, his eldest son had not yet raised the banner of "purging the court of corrupt officials" to start a rebellion, and the capital was still a scene of peace and prosperity. Things have changed, it's like another world.
"It's so good that Sister woke up today!" Nie Zhaoxue quickly recovered from her annoyance and suggested enthusiastically, "Today happens to be the day that Liangzhou City opens its market to trade with the Northern Di merchants. The West Market is so lively!"
"I heard there's a Tocharian acrobatic troupe! My sister has been unconscious for days, she must be so bored. Shall we go check it out and cheer her up?"
Ye Yixiang had no intention of sightseeing, but seeing Nie Zhaoxue's expectant eyes, she couldn't bear to refuse her kindness. In addition, she did need to stretch her stiff body, so she nodded gently: "Okay, but I'll have to trouble you to wait a moment, Zhaoxue, while I wash up first."
Nie Zhaoxue immediately agreed happily and turned around to instruct the maid waiting outside to come in and serve her.
The maids brought out a brand-new plain silk dress, made of moon-white fabric, with sparse orchid patterns embroidered only in silver thread on the collar and cuffs, elegant and refined.
Ye Yixiang felt a slight warmth in her heart upon seeing the clean, plain color. Her husband had recently passed away, and she shouldn't wear bright colors. This Nie Zhaoxue, though seemingly innocent and carefree, possessed such delicate and thoughtful consideration; she was truly a considerate person.
After changing her clothes and slightly tying her hair up, Ye Yixiang and Nie Zhaoxue boarded a carriage bound for the West Market.
The wheels rumbled over the cobblestones. Nie Zhaoxue chattered away, telling stories of the city, which eased Ye Yixiang's heavy mood somewhat.
After walking for a while, Nie Zhaoxue suddenly smiled mysteriously and whispered in Ye Yixiang's ear, "Sister, let's not go to the West Market first. I'll take you to a more interesting place!"
The carriage did not stop at the bustling entrance to the West Market, but continued onward, passing through several streets, and finally stopped in a particularly noisy and bustling place.
Ye Yixiang was helped down from the carriage by Nie Zhaoxue. When she looked up, she saw a towering building with a vermilion gate, upturned eaves, and an extraordinary presence.
Even standing outside, one could clearly hear the cheers and music coming from inside, creating a lively, almost frenzied atmosphere.
Several burly waiters stood at the entrance. When the carriage stopped, they did not shout like ordinary waiters, but simply bowed slightly, their movements uniform and their attitude neither humble nor arrogant.
Where is this? A sense of unease rose in Ye Yixiang's heart.
Judging from the scale and atmosphere, this is definitely not an ordinary teahouse or tavern. It's more like... more like a secret entertainment venue where high-ranking officials and nobles gather, drink, and have fun in private.
Why would Zhaoxue bring her to a place like this?
Before Ye Yixiang could even process the lingering thought of retreat in her heart, Nie Zhaoxue had already enthusiastically taken her arm and, without a word, pulled her through the magnificent gate.
The view inside the door opened up dramatically, a world apart from the bitter cold outside.
The moment I stepped inside, a warm breeze, a mixture of fragrant aromas, the scent of tea, and the heat of the crowd, rushed towards me, accompanied by a wave of sound. The building was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside, with ornate beams and painted rafters, and brightly lit. In the center was a sunken hall, where the noise of people seemed to lift the roof off.
"Brother Zhao, you've really struck gold this time!" A hearty laugh came from behind the beaded curtain in a private room on the second floor. "That batch of spices from the Western Regions will make three times the profit in a single transaction!"
"Brother Li's luck is on fire, he's going to win big this round!" The crisp sound of dice hitting the cup could be faintly heard from the other side, mixed with an excited whisper, "Open! Four, five, six, big!"
The waiter nimbly weaved through the crowd carrying a tea tray, calling out, "Excuse me! Excuse me! Be careful, the hot tea is hot—" Before he could finish speaking, he almost bumped into a drunk customer, quickly stepping aside to avoid him, causing a few drops of water to splash from the teapot.
The musician plucked the strings, but the melodious music was always drowned out by the clamor of voices.
"I heard that the batch of fine horses that came from the north yesterday was auctioned off by Wang's Trading Company for a high price of a thousand gold pieces!"
"Tsk tsk, how extravagant! But if you ask me, the items in the auction hall on the second floor are much rarer. The little slave girl from the Western Regions the other day, that's the real treasure!"
"Brother Li, how was your luck today? I won big over there, haha!"
The surrounding laughter and chatter blended together. Ye Yixiang, who had long lived in seclusion and had experienced many changes, had never seen such a noisy scene before. She felt a tightness in her chest and shortness of breath, and subconsciously clenched her sleeves.
"I think I should go back," she said softly to Zhaoxue, a hint of discomfort in her eyes. "It's too noisy here, it's suffocating."
Nie Zhaoxue gripped her hand tightly, her clear eyes revealing a wisdom beyond her years, and whispered, "Sister, she is gone, but the living must go on. Those who are alive should always be optimistic and look forward."
“Look at the men in this world, how many of them would be so grieving for their deceased wives that they would stay at home? Most of them would be arranging for a new wife even before the seventh day after death has passed.”
She paused, her tone becoming increasingly serious, "The doctor said that my sister's illness is so severe not only because of a cold, but more so because of emotional distress and excessive worry. Mental illness requires mental medicine."
She suddenly lowered her voice and leaned closer mysteriously: "Sister, do you know that there's a peculiar soup on the basement floor of this building? It's said that if you drink it, you'll see the person you most want to see. Sister...would you like to try it?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Yixiang immediately shook her head. Having studied Confucian classics since childhood, she never believed in such supernatural tales. Any medicine that could bring the dead to life was nothing more than a trick used by charlatans to bewitch people and swindle money.
"You have to try to know!" Nie Zhaoxue insisted, pulling her towards the stairs on the side. "Just consider it as accompanying my sister to broaden her horizons!"
As you descend the softly carpeted staircase, the environment suddenly changes.
The imagined dark and damp place did not appear; instead, there was a marvelously crafted underground garden.
The dome, made of some unknown material, allowed light, similar to that of the heavens, to filter through, illuminating the rugged artificial mountains and flowing streams, with a misty atmosphere pervading the space, making it almost indistinguishable from reality.
Exotic flowers and rare herbs dot the landscape, and the occasional clear bird song can be heard. Compared to the hustle and bustle upstairs, this place is so quiet that it feels like a fairyland.
After crossing a small covered bridge, she arrived at an extremely elegant room. Zhaoxue gently knocked on the door, and a gentle, melodious female voice came from inside: "Miss, please come in."
Nie Zhaoxue nudged Ye Yixiang, signaling her to go in alone.
The room was elegantly furnished, with a faint, calming incense burning in the incense burner. On the table sat only a white jade bowl filled with clear soup. Ye Yixiang hesitated for a moment, but remembering Zhaoxue's kindness, she finally picked it up and drank it all in one gulp.
It tastes sweet and has no abnormalities.
Behind the screen, the gentle female voice sounded again: "Miss, you may wait in the courtyard. The person you wish to see will appear soon."
Ye Yixiang pushed open the door as instructed, expecting Zhaoxue to be waiting outside, but instead saw a maid standing with her hands at her sides, who said softly, "The second young lady said she wants to go upstairs to see the excitement. Please make yourself at home, Miss Ye."
Ye Yixiang smiled to herself, thinking that Zhaoxue was ultimately a playful little girl, so she told her maid not to follow her, as she wanted to take a walk in this wonderful garden.
She was surprised to find that the trees and flowers here were real, and she wondered how they could grow so lushly in this dark underground place.
"It's quiet here, more convenient for discussing matters than upstairs." A gentle and familiar male voice, so warm it made her heart tremble, suddenly came from not far away.
Ye Yixiang shuddered and abruptly looked in the direction of the voice! That voice... was it Qingyuan? Was it really him?
If Qingyuan saw her now, so thin and haggard, he would surely hold her hand with heartache and sigh in his usual tone, tinged with helplessness and full of pity, "My wife has suffered so much while I was away."
He was always so gentle and considerate. He remembered that she was afraid of the cold, and he would always prepare her hand warmer in advance in winter.
I remember she liked osmanthus cake, and every time I came back from a trip, I would magically bring her a bag of it.
If she kicks off the covers at night, he always wakes up, carefully tucks her in, and then gently pulls her into his arms...
Memories flooded back, instantly bringing tears to her eyes.
She walked forward without thinking, crossing a stone bridge over a babbling brook. In the misty air, she could see several tea tables set up on both sides of the stream, where a few people were discussing things in hushed tones.
Among them, a tall figure dressed in a sky-blue robe with his back to her was so familiar, as if he were a phantom that had come out of her countless midnight dreams!
Qingyuan...it's Qingyuan! It really is him!
Overwhelmed by joy and longing, Ye Yixiang lost all reason and restraint. She no longer cared about etiquette and rules. At this moment, all she wanted to do was tell him how much she missed him and how much she regretted not being able to see him one last time!
She lifted her skirt and ran towards the figure, wrapping her arms tightly around his strong waist from behind with all her might.
The familiar scent, with its faint, refreshing medicinal aroma, instantly enveloped her; it was Lu Qingyuan's unique scent!
His body stiffened noticeably as she hugged him, seemingly quite taken aback.
Ye Yixiang pressed her cheek tightly against his broad back, tears soaking his clothes. Her voice choked with sobs, filled with endless longing and grievance, she murmured, "I really... have been waiting for you for so long..."
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