Chapter 43 Chapter 43 She threw herself into his arms
In the side room, Nan Xu listened to the noise inside through the screen.
From time to time, there could be heard the rustling sound of scissors cutting clothes, the doctor's exclamation, and basins of blood being carried out.
Nanxu was sitting there, but his heart was flying somewhere else.
Sometimes it was under the dazzling lights of the Lantern Festival, sometimes in a warm greenhouse, and sometimes on the long street in the autumn wind, a young man in an elegant robe tied his cloak on her...
In a trance, Nan Xu stood up and tried to go around the screen, but was stopped halfway.
"Ah Xu, he's a husband, and you're a wife. The doctor is treating him now, and he's naked. Ah Xu, if you go in now, how will you face Huaizhou, and how will you face the rest of your life?"
The Marquis's wife gently pulled her arm, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible.
Nan Xu's eyes moved, but she still stared inside. "Husband?"
"Mother, have you ever seen someone wielding a sword to kill his own wife? Or have you ever seen someone desperately trying to protect another man's wife?"
That night outside Fengyu Bridge, he had clearly made it clear that he and Princess Jingyi were in love with each other, but why did his beloved want to kill him with a sword?
Because he blocked the sword for her, the princess was jealous? But why did he block the sword for her?
Wouldn't it be better if she died?
Even if the princess is jealous, does she have to kill the man she loves?
There were so many things she didn't understand, and she wanted to ask him why.
"Ah Xu," Madam Hou sighed. "Your father and I have been married for over twenty years. People say we live in perfect harmony, but who knows the torment I've endured day and night for those twenty years?"
"Ah Xu, there are so many things we have to do in life. Even if you ask for the answer, it's already happened. You're just asking for trouble."
It seemed as if the wound was being sutured inside. The breeze rushed in from the open window, carrying with it the man's faint cry of pain. Nan Xu's gaze slowly moved downwards. The jade bracelet on her hand was light pink and frosted white, completely different from the green one Li Zhan had given her before, which seemed to be dripping with ink.
She slowly and dejectedly fell into the chair, looking at the landscape painting on the screen with a wry smile. The mountains were his eyebrows, the water was his eyes, and the pavilions were his smile like a spring breeze.
But it was too late.
It's too late.
He is him, but not him; she is she, but not she.
Things have changed and people have changed. No matter how clearly you explain it, it’s useless.
*
Aunt Zhou has been in the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion for so many years, and although she hasn't had many connections, she still has a few very weak ones.
But sometimes even the most insignificant connections are not completely useless.
For example, now, she was wrapped in a thick cloak and followed Fu Lai, the servant of Yong'an Marquis, into the study of Yong'an Marquis.
Before entering, Fulai stretched his head and looked around for a while before turning around and closing the door.
He didn't see a figure flash by behind the rockery not far away.
Yong'an Hou was already restless because of Princess Jingyi's outburst today. He finally managed to calm down and read his favorite poetry collection, but was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Thinking it was Fu Lai coming in, he casually ordered, "Pour a cup of tea. Send someone to the backyard to check on Li Zhan's condition. As long as his injuries are stable, send a message to the Li Mansion immediately to take him back. He has no place in our mansion. It's very unlucky!"
He didn't dare send anyone to the princess's residence to deliver the message. After much deliberation, he decided it would be safer to send the message to Li's residence.
No one answered. I only caught a glimpse of a figure moving out of the corner of my eye. A moment later, steaming hot tea was handed to me.
Yong'an Hou was reading intently. He reached out and took a sip. Suddenly, his eyes fixed on a certain part of the poetry collection. "This taste..."
He looked up and met a pair of eyes full of affection. Those eyes smiled at him, just like they did back then.
"Snap"
The teacup in the hand of Yong'an Hou fell to the ground. He suddenly came to his senses and said, "Who let you in? Get out!" He was about to stand up and move away from her, but he was no longer young and had experienced what happened to Princess Jingyi. His hands and feet were too weak to stand up.
Aunt Zhou covered her lips with a smile and tenderly took the arm of the Marquis of Yong'an. She tried her best to make her voice sound pleasant, "Master, I will support you."
There was no one else in the room, and although Marquis Yong'an still felt disgusted by the attentions of his former concubine, he was happy to accept it.
Leaning in close, smelling the rich fragrance of Concubine Zhou, Yong'an Hou's mind went blank for a moment. He subconsciously said, "After all these years, you are still using the fragrance I gave you."
Recalling his relationship with Aunt Zhou, it was also a wonderful fate.
At the beginning, he was the eldest son of the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion, a hereditary family, a handsome and elegant young man. However, his family had arranged a marriage for him. He knew his wife, who was not yet married. She was a famous lady from a prominent family in Kyoto, and it could be said that they were a good match.
But he was not very happy. He was a fun-loving person by nature and just wanted to be a rich and idle man and find an interesting and beautiful wife. He had no interest in ladies from wealthy families. So he simply went out for an outing one spring afternoon. It was on that day that he met Aunt Zhou who was singing in the teahouse.
She played little tunes and sang lingering southern songs. All the men were attracted to her. Some wanted to tease her, but she smiled and resolved them one by one. Some wanted to touch her slender waist, but she slapped them away.
She is beautiful, smart, and can sing, and she scratches people's hearts like a hook.
At that time, he was completely fascinated by her...
"How dare I forget the fragrance that my master gave me?" She spoke with deep affection, and even her face, which did not look old at all, lowered its head shyly, which was really pitiful.
Marquis Yong'an looked at her and gradually moved closer to her. The woman in front of him often appeared in his dreams. He and her had not slept in the same bed for almost ten years. The desire of her body was stronger than the desire in his heart.
Just when the two were about to become intimate, Aunt Zhou suddenly covered her mouth and coughed lightly.
This cough, rough and hoarse, brought back an old illness and old memories.
Yong'an Hou felt as if he had been pricked by a needle, and that silent disgust filled his heart again. He let go of Aunt Zhou and sat on the other side. "Tell me, why are you looking for me at this time?"
Seeing that his attitude had become cold again, Aunt Zhou knew that she could no longer arouse his sympathy. She gathered up her hair that had been deliberately hanging down and sat down opposite Marquis Yong'an.
"My Lord, I know what Madam will do to Ayun. I have no other requests. I just hope that you will let Ayun and I go for the sake of our past friendship."
"Leave?" Yong'an Marquis frowned, looking at her like she was a fool. "Nan Yun is my daughter from Yong'an Marquis Mansion. If you leave just like that, how can I stop the gossips from the world? Besides, the girls in the Marquis Mansion are all useful. If she leaves with you, not only will I have to worry about her safety outside, but I'll also lose a daughter who could be my match for marriage. Zhou Mei, have you become stupid after being locked up in the yard for so many years?"
Aunt Zhou hated his condescending attitude the most. She had tolerated it for the sake of the Marquis's wealth back then, but now that things had come to this, how could she continue to tolerate it?
She said calmly: "Since the Marquis is unwilling, then I have nothing to say.
There are many ways to leave her, but she just wants to use his help to save herself some trouble.
She put on her hood, stopped looking at him, and stood up to leave the study.
Yong'an Hou sneered twice and said coldly behind her: "Who gave you the right to come and go as you please? Zhou Mei, you are too presumptuous."
"Come, take this criminal woman and put her in her yard."
Someone outside the door responded and came in. Aunt Zhou keenly heard that there was more than one person. Alarm bells rang in her heart. She immediately pulled out the dagger hidden in her sleeve, turned around and arrested the Marquis of Yong'an, taking him hostage.
Sure enough, the person who pushed the door open was a guard from the mansion, followed closely by the marquis' wife, who was surrounded by several old maids.
When the rivals met, they were extremely jealous of each other. Aunt Zhou gritted her teeth and moved the dagger in her hand closer to the neck of Marquis Yong'an.
"Madam, either hand Ayun over to me and prepare two fast horses for us, or you can wait to collect the Marquis's body."
Seeing that the Marquis's wife remained silent for a long time, she said fiercely, "Ever since I killed that bitch, I no longer expect to have any loving relationship with this old man. He means nothing to me. Killing him is the same as killing that bitch."
The Marquis' wife was well aware of her cruelty, and besides, at this critical juncture, Marquis Yong'an could not die.
The man in the palace was worried that he had no chance to deal with these annoying nobles. If Marquis Yong'an died, he could use it as an excuse to take back the title, which would be a loss.
"Come here, prepare the horses."
"Mother Lu, go and bring the third girl over."
Aunt Zhou was very satisfied with the Marquis's wife's ability to see the situation. She pushed Marquis Yong'an down and walked slowly out.
When she passed by the Marquis's wife, she clearly saw the wrinkles on the face of the woman she hadn't seen for many years, and she laughed heartily.
"God is still kind to me after all."
The Marquis's wife ignored her.
Nan Yun was quickly brought out. She had been locked up for several days and had lost a lot of weight. She hadn't figured out what was going on yet when she suddenly saw her biological mother holding her father hostage. She was horrified and frightened. She frantically called out to Aunt Zhou, "Aunt, what are you doing? Let my father go!"
Aunt Zhou looked at her for a moment, and seeing that she was not injured, a look of joy appeared on her face. She also hurriedly said to Nan Yun, "Good child, come here quickly. Today, I will take you away from here. The world is big, and we, mother and daughter, will find a happier place."
Nan Yun didn't quite understand. She murmured in disbelief, "Leave? Hou Mansion?"
The Marquis's wife explained to her in a good mood, "Your aunt is holding your father hostage so that I can hand you over to her so that she can take you away from the Marquis's Mansion. Third girl, you will be free soon."
free?
Nan Yun found it ridiculous.
The luxurious life she has now is all thanks to her status as a daughter of a marquis’s mansion. Without these, how can she still be free?
Did Aunt Xue go to teahouses and restaurants to sing southern songs?
That's ridiculous.
She pursed her lips and shook her head at Aunt Zhou, "Aunt, I won't leave. Mother has already promised me that as long as I sincerely repent and stay at the farm for two years, she will find a good marriage for me." Then she persuaded Aunt Zhou, "Aunt, you are old, and the outside world is different now. Let father go, and we can live a good life in the Marquis' Mansion. As soon as I marry a good family, I will take you out, and we can be together again..."
"Shut up!"
Aunt Zhou was furious. Her already hoarse and unpleasant voice sounded even more like a leaky bellows. "You spineless thing, it's a pity that I raised you once."
"I told you to seize the title of Marquis of Weiyang, but you killed a maid and leaked the news. I told you to persuade your third brother, but you ended up getting close to your eldest and second brothers. Everything I gave you over the years has been thrown away!"
She pointed at the Marquis' wife and said angrily, "Do you think this woman will find you a good marriage? Naive! How could she treat you well if she hates me so much? Do you think being the young lady of a wealthy family is easy? Then look at me." She slapped the dagger on the Marquis of Yong'an's dazed face. "I was deceived by his sweet words into becoming his concubine. He said he would spoil me forever, but in the end, he just turned his back on me when he saw me killing someone. Men are totally unreliable!"
After saying so much, Nan Yun still looked at her with disapproval, and Aunt Zhou stopped trying to persuade her. She had been struggling in this mansion for so many years, and it was time for her to live for herself.
She quickly threw Yong'an Hou forward, jumped on her horse, and ran towards the downtown without looking back.
Nan Yun called out loudly behind her, and Aunt Zhou felt relaxed both physically and mentally.
For the sake of her two children and for the wealth that she still felt she could pursue, she had endured for so many years, but the result was all bullshit. They were all useless and had to rely on themselves.
Nan Yun was also a fool. After treating Nan Xu like that, it was strange that woman would let her go. Fortunately, she was free now. As long as she left the capital, nothing in the world could hold her back anymore...
With a "whoosh" sound and a flash of silver light, Aunt Zhou, who had not run far, fell to the ground.
Seeing that she had only hit the horse's leg, Nan Xu continued to draw her arrow with an expressionless face. Yong'an Hou, who had just recovered from his shock, saw that she was aiming at Concubine Zhou and hurried forward to stop her, "Ah Xu, that's enough. She didn't hurt me... Her crime is not punishable by death."
Nan Xu said calmly, "I want to avenge Aunt Huan."
The Marquis of Yong'an remained expressionless upon hearing this unfamiliar name. He continued to stand in front of her, "Nan Xu, how dare you disobey your own father! How dare you be so unfilial!"
The Marquis's wife sneered, "If you can forgive a murderer, then it's not a sin for my daughter to be unfilial occasionally."
"presumptuous!"
Back then, when the Marquis's wife wanted to punish Concubine Zhou according to family rules, Marquis Yong'an also said the same thing.
Even though he knew that Concubine Zhou didn't love him at all and was only after the splendor and wealth of the Marquis's mansion, and even took him hostage in order to escape, his father still couldn't let go...
Nan Xu suddenly felt bored.
She took back the arrow in her hand and said perfunctorily, "It's up to you." After that, she no longer looked at the Marquis of Yong'an and his wife, and walked back numbly.
She heard the sound of the wind and followed out quietly without disturbing Duan Wenpei. At this moment, she suddenly wanted to see him, very much.
She walked quickly, her feet feeling like the wind. Turning around the corridor in the front yard and passing the moon-shaped archway, she could see the soaring eaves of Jiahui Hall. She almost broke into a jog, the scratchy gravel beneath her feet making her feel both painful and happy. It was almost there, almost there. Just had to turn around the lake and she would be at Jiahui... Hey, there seemed to be someone standing in the flower garden...
Duan Wenpei watched the woman come towards him gracefully and throw herself into his arms almost like she was running wild. At this moment, he felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction in his heart.
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