Chapter Fifty-One: Lingering Clouds
The leaden-gray clouds hung low, and the eaves of Muxiyuan Garden were only vaguely visible in the mist.
Yun Yao was forced to stay in his room and could not go out. His mood was as gloomy as the sky outside the window. Even in this situation, he couldn't help but worry about his wife's condition. He didn't know if he would ever see her again.
These days, he was kept under guard in his room and couldn't get much information, only knowing that the eldest young master and his entourage had returned ahead of schedule in a grand procession. The garden seemed to have found its anchor, gradually calming down from the chaos. But there was no news whatsoever about the madam, and even Steward Xing had disappeared without a trace.
Yun Yao guessed that the outside world had probably changed drastically by now, and how could someone as insignificant as him protect himself without his wife's protection?
On the third day of his house arrest, Xing Yu somehow managed to sneak in disguise as a servant delivering meals. Yun Yao then learned from Xing Yu that Butler Xing had been taken away for investigation by the young master's men, but had now been released. However, he was no longer in charge of the management of Muxi Garden, and the new managers were all people brought by the young master.
As for information about the lady, Xing Yu couldn't find out much either. But he comforted Yun Yao, saying that the lady held a pivotal position in the clan, and even if there were a "change of dynasty," her influence and authority would not diminish. After all, a figure like the lady would only ever be a symbol of the family's eternal glory.
Moreover, the eldest young master has always been cultivated and promoted by the madam. Even though the eldest young master has already taken control of the power, he would never and dare not take any fundamentally rebellious actions against the madam.
Therefore, Xing Yu analyzed with Yun Yao that the fact that there was no news about the lady at the moment was probably good news. He guessed that the lady was probably being protected in some secret medical institution for treatment.
However, the lady has probably not regained her self-awareness yet, or her condition is not very good; otherwise, the garden would not have undergone such drastic changes.
After listening to Xing Yu's analysis, Yun Yao nodded and finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Deep down, Yun Yao hoped that his wife would be alright, but he also couldn't help but wonder if he could leave Muxi Garden and regain his freedom if she could never come back.
Two more days passed in the waiting, and finally, one evening, a man who appeared to be the new manager came to invite Yun Yao to the front hall. Yun Yao knew that they were finally going to question him.
Yun Yao never expected that the person waiting to "interrogate" him in the hall would be the eldest young master—now the new owner of Muxi Garden—who had come in person.
The ambergris in the gilded bronze beast incense burner was burning at its strongest, the smoke rising straight up and swirling in a flamboyant arc under the gilded dome.
As the young master strode into the main hall bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the hem of his military cloak swept across the white marble threshold, causing the servants standing on either side to lower their eyes in unison. The buckle at his waist was newly made, its dragon relief gleaming coldly in the light, as if proclaiming the power and prestige of the new ruler.
He stepped into the inner room and saw Yun Yao sitting in a chair. He then raised his hand to the servants and officials on both sides, and the crowd, who had been standing with their heads bowed, immediately bowed and withdrew. In an instant, only the two of them remained in the large room.
Yun Yao slowly stood up, glanced at the man who was completely different from the one he remembered, lowered his eyes and calmly called out, "Young Master."
Yun Yao felt the man's gaze burning intently on her ever since he entered. But when he heard Yun Yao's address, the man chuckled softly. His tone was exceptionally gentle, as if he were teasing her, and he said, "Yun'er, you should call me General now."
Yun Yao was quite surprised to hear the man call him "Yun'er." Before, when the madam was still alive, they always addressed him directly as Yun Yao. This change startled Yun Yao; he felt something was slipping off course…
Seeing Yun Yao remain silent, and the man still calm and composed, he calmly sat down in the central armchair and looked at Yun Yao with concern, saying, "Yun'er, how have you been these past few days? I haven't been able to visit you because I've been too busy with the new matters I've taken on. I hope they haven't made things difficult for you?"
The more Yun Yao listened to the man's words, the stranger they seemed. He suppressed the unease rising in his heart, calmly looked up and replied, "General, since I came to Muxi Garden to serve the lady, I have not done anything against the rules. You may investigate as you see fit. I think I have no reason to be placed under house arrest."
The man's gaze was deep. He stared at Yun Yao for a while, then slowly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said slowly, "Of course I believe you won't do anything foolish. However, these are special times, and the matter is of great importance. I can only ask you to make do for now."
He looked down at Yun Yao's expression, his eyes filled with an unreadable meaning, but his tone was as gentle as his wife's: "Yun'er, don't worry, just be good, and everything will be fine."
Yun Yao avoided the man's gaze and couldn't help but ask the question he had been wanting to ask: "General, how is Madam... how is Madam now? Is she... is she alright?"
The man frowned upon hearing this, his gaze growing even deeper. After a long while, when Yun Yao couldn't help but look up at him, he slowly spoke, his voice low and deep: "Yun'er, we cannot reveal anything about Aunt's condition right now."
His vague words made Yun Yao even more uneasy.
Seeing Yun Yao's worried frown, the man suddenly stood up and walked towards him. Under Yun Yao's surprised gaze, the man stared at him intently, leaned close to his ear, and whispered firmly, "Yun'er, Madam will not be coming back."
Yun Yao's eyes widened in that instant, and he slumped back into his chair. The young master's words seemed to hint at some ominous situation, yet they didn't say anything definitive, only instilling greater unease and fear.
Just then, a cautious knock came from outside the door, and the young master's subordinate reported the sudden emergency in a low voice.
The man glanced at Yun Yao with a hint of regret and said in a low voice, "I have to go take care of things first, Yun'er, we'll talk later."
However, before the man could leave, Yun Yao called out to him, "General, I have a request. If you have verified that I have done nothing wrong, and if Madam... if she really is not coming back, could you... could you let me out?"
The man was surprised for a moment, but his expression quickly became inscrutable. He left Yun Yao with only the words, "Yun'er, you don't need to worry about anything," and hurriedly departed.
Yun Yao was taken back to his room, but this time, the guards treated him with even greater respect, even bordering on obsequiousness. This puzzled Yun Yao, and at the same time, a greater unease began to rise in his heart...
The next day, the newly appointed steward came to Yun Yao again. He was very attentive and told Yun Yao that he had been ordered to take her to a new residence.
Yun Yao had no choice but to follow the people out of the lady's main courtyard, but the further they went, the stranger he felt. These people, with their attendants surrounding him, led him to the West Garden, past the high platform from which he had fallen, and all the way to a magnificent pavilion in a more secluded location.
Under the eaves of this magnificent pavilion hung a plaque inscribed with the words "Liuyun Residence." Upon seeing this plaque, Yunyao remembered that her mistress had once said she wanted to build another pavilion deep within the West Garden, also named "Liuyun Residence." She had envisioned that once the pavilion was completed, Yunyao could freely dance her favorite dances there, and it could become their new love nest.
But ever since Yun Yao's accident and his wife's illness, no one has mentioned Liu Yun Residence again. Yun Yao never expected that the pavilion planned by his wife was actually being completed quietly, and built so magnificently.
But now that the lady is no longer in the garden, what are they bringing him here for?
Looking at the words on the plaque and then at the unfamiliar faces around him, Yun Yao felt a sudden surge of panic and fear.
At this moment, the new steward eagerly invited Yun Yao into Liuyun Residence. Under the watchful eyes of many, Yun Yao took a heavy step and slowly walked into this overly magnificent new building.
The carved moon gate, draped with curtains, was pushed open, and Yun Yao looked up to see the eldest young master sitting in the inner hall. However, unlike his usual serious and dignified demeanor, the eldest young master now displayed an unusually relaxed and leisurely attitude.
"Yun'er," the man said with a gentle smile upon seeing Yun Yao, rising to walk to her. He gazed at her and said softly, "I've been thinking about this day for a long time…"
The young master unconsciously swallowed, raising his hand as if to touch Yun Yao's cheek.
Startled, Yun Yao took a step back, avoiding the man's touch.
Only at this moment did Yun Yao finally understand what those strange and unsettling looks and words meant. He simply couldn't believe it! He was a man, and his aunt's lover at that! How could he have such absurd and immoral thoughts about him?
"Yun'er..."
"Please don't address me like that, young master." Yun Yao took a few steps back, looking at the tall man in front of him with some wariness, and hinted, "Young master, I am the madam's person, only the madam can address me like that."
The man raised an eyebrow and said in a low voice, "But Yun'er, Madam won't be coming back."
“Then let me go,” Yun Yao looked back at the man, no longer backing down, “You have no right to lock me up and let me go.”
Upon hearing this, the man smiled noncommittally. He looked at Yun Yao with a leisurely air and said calmly, "In this world, no one can just leave in front of me."
His gaze at Yun Yao was condescending and aggressive, and his words were no longer concealed: "Yun'er, didn't I tell you to be more obedient? You should be more sensible. What your aunt can give you, I can give you even more of."
Yun Yao was so angry he laughed. He didn't even care about the fear in his heart and said with a hint of sarcasm, "I don't understand what you're saying, young master. How can I, a man, be obedient? Young master, don't forget that your wife and daughter are still waiting for you at home."
“Yun’er, you don’t need to worry about that.” The man stared at Yun Yao and slowly said, “They won’t appear in Muxi Garden; they live outside.”
At this point, the man took a step closer, gripping Yun Yao's wrist firmly like an iron clamp, but his words were like a gentle coaxing: "And you, Yun Yao, you can become half a master of Muxi Garden..."
Yun Yao tried to pull his wrist away in fear and disgust, but his strength from dancing since childhood was no match for the tall man.
Indoors, dewdrops on lily petals resembled teardrops, and the hazy scent of sandalwood mingled with the damp, cool fragrance of flowers, enveloping everything...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
