isolated
After the memorial service for Madam Wen, Wen Tingyun began to arrange his return to the south. The servants in the mansion were either dismissed or accompanied him, and the once scholarly Wen residence grew quieter day by day.
Xuanji began packing her bags. She meticulously organized and cataloged the valuable jewelry, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings given to her by Li Yi. She only took her own clothes. Most importantly, she took the boxes of manuscripts and poems, along with the lessons annotated by Mr. Wen, the embroidery patterns given to her by her teacher's wife in her spare time, and even the little trinkets Xiang'er secretly slipped to her… These were the foundation of her life, the truly warm imprints of her past.
On the eve of his departure, Xuanji spread out a sheet of plain paper, dipped his brush in ink, pondered for a moment, and then wrote with the speed of the wind:
To Mr. Li:
I entered your court in the past to fulfill my promise of freedom. But times have changed, and my heart and soul are now divided. The past is behind me, and it is truly difficult to continue.
Now that Xuanji has decided to leave, let us part ways amicably and each find our own happiness.
Yu Xuanji's handwritten letter
She folded the letter and gently placed it next to the broken jade hairpin on the dressing table.
The next day, she summoned Pomegranate and Green Apricot.
“I wish to leave the Li family and find a house to live alone.” Xuanji looked at them, her tone calm and firm. “The road ahead may not be smooth; it may be poor, or there may be rumors and disturbances. If you are willing to come with me, I will treat you as family and share your joys and sorrows. If you wish to stay or find another way out, I will make proper arrangements and will never force you.”
Upon hearing this, Qingxing immediately knelt down, her voice not loud but exceptionally clear: "If my wife doesn't find me a burden, then I will follow her for the rest of my life. I'm not afraid of hardship or toil."
Shiliu struggled internally, but showed no sign of it on her face, and knelt down as well: "My lady has been so kind to me, so of course I will follow her. But... my lady's departure will be arduous, and I am truly heartbroken..."
Xuanji had no doubts. Seeing that the two were willing to follow, he felt relieved and bent down to help them up: "Alright, then let's leave here together."
In April of the tenth year of the Tianqi reign, Xuanji left the Li residence.
She chose a clear morning, when the sky was just beginning to lighten and the thin mist had not yet dissipated. A simple blue-canopied carriage silently pulled up at the side gate of the Li residence. Xuanji had only brought a few trunks filled with manuscripts and clothing, which Shiliu and Qingxing helped carry onto the carriage. Shiliu looked around, intending to secretly inform Li Yi, but upon learning that Li Yi had gone to court that day and had already left the residence, she had to give up the idea.
Madam Pei immediately learned of this from the gatekeeper. She was taken aback at first, then clapped her hands and laughed: "Good! What a wonderful way to ask to be divorced! It saves me the trouble of dealing with her."
Overjoyed, a wicked thought welled up in her mind. She summoned her trusted maid and whispered, "Go find a few gossipy old women, give them plenty of money, and have them spread rumors outside—say that Yu Shi is morally flawed, jealous, arrogant, and has repeatedly contradicted her mistress. Moreover, she has been having improper correspondence with other men, which is why her husband has rejected her and she has asked to be divorced out of shame and indignation."
The carriage drove away from the Li residence, its wheels rumbling monotonously over the bluestone pavement. Xuanji lifted a corner of the curtain, glancing back at the receding vermilion gates and high walls, but felt no lingering attachment.
She rented a small, quiet courtyard near Qujiang in the southwest corner of Chang'an. An old plum tree and several clumps of bamboo in the courtyard perfectly suited her mood. She named it "Wangji Caotang" (Hall of Forgetfulness), hoping to forget her scheming thoughts and find a moment of peace there.
However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease.
Xuanji had only been away from the mansion for a few days when Li Yi's "entanglement" began to follow him like a shadow.
At first, the gifts came in various forms: sometimes precious ancient books, sometimes fine writing implements. The servants delivering the gifts were very respectful, saying, "My lord is concerned about my wife's lonely and hardship, so he specially sent me to deliver these gifts to express his heartfelt wishes." The implication was nothing more than, "My lord knows there were many misunderstandings before, and he deeply regrets them," and "My wife is all alone away from home, and my lord is truly worried about her," and so on.
Xuanji didn't even glance at it, and simply said to Shiliu, "Return it as is. Tell him that I have everything I need here, and there's no need for Lord Li to trouble himself."
Meanwhile, the rumors spread by Pei spread like wildfire. Within a few days, numerous unsavory versions emerged, such as "Yu's private morality is flawed and she is arrogant and conceited" and "Yu Xuanji and Wen Tingyun have an ambiguous relationship and are still connected."
That day, Madam Pei sat beside the cradle, teasing the infant with a rattle drum. Listening to the maid's report, a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. She was determined to completely crush Yu Xuanji's lofty reputation, leaving her with no place to stand in Chang'an.
Upon hearing this, Xuanji simply said in a calm voice, "The innocent are innocent, there is no need for explanation."
She thought that as long as she ignored it, Li Yi wouldn't be able to do anything to her. But one day, Qingxing discovered a man loitering and spying at the alley entrance. Although he didn't hurt anyone, it was like a dark cloud hanging over her head, making Xuanji restless all night.
Xuanji pondered for a moment, picked up his pen and wrote a letter, then handed it to Shiliu: "Quickly send this letter to Senior Brother Wenjue in the Jingzhao Prefecture. Just state the facts and don't add anything."
The pomegranate responded and left.
Wen Jue received Xuanji's letter and read it carefully. In the letter, Xuanji recounted his various experiences while renting a place called "Wangji Thatched Cottage" after leaving the manor. At the end of the letter, he wrote: "...Xuanji has made up his mind to leave the manor and does not wish to cause any more trouble. However, the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease. I fear that petty people will take advantage of this and tarnish the reputation of our sect, as well as disturb the peace of the deceased. I earnestly request that my senior brother, in consideration of our past friendship, if you can deter such behavior within the bounds of the law, Xuanji will be eternally grateful."
Earlier at the Wen family's mourning hall, Wen Jue had sensed a conflict between Li Yi and Xuanji, but he never expected Xuanji to choose to live alone away from the mansion. He recalled Xuanji's slender figure, suppressing her grief and managing the household affairs before the coffin, and remembered his mother's love and concern for Xuanji before her death. Now, with his mother gone and his father gone to Wuzhou only two months prior, Li Yi had driven Xuanji to this point.
"Well done, Li Yi!" Wen Jue muttered angrily, a sharp glint in his eyes. He knew that if he intervened directly in his official capacity, it might give his opponents a handle against him, which would be even more detrimental to Xuanji. After a moment of contemplation, he summoned two trusted followers.
"You all go to 'Wangji Caotang' near Qujiang immediately and secretly protect Lady Yu Xuanji," Wen Jue instructed in a deep voice. "First, ensure her personal safety and drive away any spying with ill intentions; second, if people from the Li family come to harass her, do not confront them, just reveal your identities and state that this is an area under the surveillance of the Jingzhao Prefecture, and ask them to behave themselves; third, if there are any trivial matters that require your help, you may assist when the opportunity arises, but unless necessary, do not appear to disturb Lady Yu's peace and quiet."
He paused, then added, "To the outside world, we say that the Jingzhao Prefecture has increased patrols in this area because there have been occasional appearances of unauthorized individuals in the vicinity recently."
The two attendants understood the intention, clasped their hands in greeting, and left.
Wen Jue then replied to Xuanji with a short letter: "I have received your letter. I have arranged for people to patrol the vicinity. Junior Sister, you can stay here with peace of mind. Take care. Your brother, Wen Jue."
The reply arrived the following morning along with two "patrol" personnel in their uniforms, and Xuanji finally felt a little relieved.
Shi Liu secretly told Li Yi's confidant about Xuanji writing a letter to Wen Jue. Li Yi was indignant, but he had no choice but to suppress his anger for the time being.
The small courtyard by the Qujiang River finally gained a brief but superficial period of peace.
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