Palace Corner Banquet
Wen Youqing took the letter, opened it, and looked at it carefully, stopping the tapping of her fingers on the table.
After he finished reading it, he held a corner of the letter up to the tip of the candle flame. The flame immediately circled around the letter, and the flame slowly climbed upwards. A touch of tenderness appeared on the man's face as he said softly, "Take her with you to the banquet at the palace corner tomorrow. Remember not to let anyone hurt her."
Yu Shu readily agreed, replying, "Yes." With that, she lowered her head and stepped out of the door, closing it quietly as she crossed the threshold.
Once she was completely outside, she took a deep breath and calmed herself down. She was still afraid of the young master. No matter how many years she had followed him, she could not forget that rainy night, that rainy night that no one wanted to mention anymore.
On a rainy night, the rain fell softly, large raindrops hitting the ground with overlapping "patter" sounds, splashing water and gradually wetting the base of the wall.
The ancestral hall was dimly lit, and the candlelight flickered in the wind, casting long shadows on the ground. The young man stood tall and straight, kneeling upright, his eyes fixed ahead, devoid of any emotion, only indifference.
The memorial tablets were arranged neatly, the newly drawn characters were soaked with moisture, and red liquid flowed from the oversaturated characters, making them look like weeping blood.
The raindrops became denser, with layers of water overlapping, disappearing one after another, and the splashing water soaked the long corridor.
The rustling of the gray roof tiles was continuous and chaotic, like a broken beaded chain, with all the beads falling to the ground at once.
The air was humid, yet there was no coolness; the breeze brought no relief. The air was so humid it was almost sticky, clinging to the skin and causing discomfort. The breeze brought not coolness, but heat, leaving one feeling only irritable.
A candle was blown out by the wind. The candle was blown about and swayed a couple of times before it rolled to the ground with a "thud" and landed next to the boy kneeling on the prayer mat. The boy remained calm, as if he hadn't seen it.
The man remained motionless, the sound of rain could be heard all around, the stone tablet in the hall seemed to weep blood, and the air itself seemed to mourn.
As the candlelight in the ancestral hall dimmed on a rainy night, she yawned, took the candlestick in her hand, and walked towards the ancestral hall.
The moonlight was dim and hazy, like a dream, making it feel very unreal.
As she walked, she noticed that the shadows on the ground were getting darker, even darker than the shadows elsewhere. Without thinking much of it, she held up the candle and walked forward in a daze.
But as she stepped over the puddle on the ground, the firelight illuminated a slightly dim red.
She walked at a leisurely pace. The road became somewhat sticky, making it a bit difficult to walk. She assumed that someone had spilled something there, and had spilled it all the way.
A breeze brushed her face, ruffling her hair and carrying away some of her drowsiness. She yawned, then opened her eyes wide and stared at the pool of blood in front of her. Her pupils dilated instantly, and she froze on the spot, standing in front of the ancestral hall, holding her breath, not daring to exhale or utter a word.
The people kneeling in the ancestral hall heard the footsteps stop, and the young man paused his movement of turning the prayer beads in his hands. He said calmly, "Aren't you coming in?"
There were still traces of blood on the prayer beads, and there was also blood on the boy's long, slender fingers.
The candlestick in Yu Shu's hand illuminated a corner of the ancestral hall in front of him. The ground was covered with cold, gray human faces, as well as neatly arranged and categorized human bones, all neatly arranged into small mountains.
Seeing this scene, she was shocked, and her heart was in turmoil. She wanted to shout but was speechless.
Her hand holding the candlestick trembled involuntarily, yet she remained standing in place.
Upon seeing this, Wen Youqing stood up and turned around. His face showed no fear or sadness, only an eerie calm.
The dim candlelight illuminated the handsome young man's face. He smiled slightly, stepped closer, and the dagger in his hand landed in the young man's hand.
Startled, Yu Shu knelt down abruptly and threw the candle into the drizzling rain.
First, the world turned white, then a purple thunderbolt flashed across the sky. Yu Shu trembled all over, looking down at the blood seeping into the ground with the rain, the thick smell of blood filling her nostrils.
Seeing her like this, Wen Youqing was not angry, but said calmly, "Raise your head and look at me."
Yu Shu looked up shakily and met Wen Youqing's probing eyes, which made her heart skip a beat.
Wen Youqing stared at her eyes and brows for a long time before asking, "What's your name?"
Yu Shu lowered her head and answered in a trembling voice, "This servant's name is Huan Shu."
"Huan Shu," Wen Youqing murmured, then smiled and said, "From today onwards, you will be called Yu Shu, and you will guard Zhizhu Pavilion for me, how about it?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Shu breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, the young master had spared her life. She felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She kowtowed, her forehead touching the blood. The smell of money lingered in her nose. The air was humid and stuffy, and her wet clothes clung to her body. Despite the discomfort, she said to Wen Youqing, "This servant is willing to follow my master to the death."
The same rain, but a different night. The air was neither stuffy nor bothersome. She hadn't dared to look at Wen Youqing the whole time because he had left her with too much of a shadow. Seeing his face would easily remind her of the past, and Yu Shu was afraid.
She now began to doubt her own idea that Miss Li and her young master were a good match. Was her young master really destined for Miss Li? But even though she thought this way, she always felt that Miss Li and her master were essentially the same kind of people.
Her master's mood was unpredictable, but Miss Li was unusually calm... The more she thought about it, the more confused she became, so she walked quickly and decided to stop thinking about it.
The moon is not hazy, but lonely, hanging high alone, like a plate, like the moon.
The night passed quietly, the silvery light faded, the sun rose, and the smog dissipated. After the rain, the branches and leaves, glistening with dew, swayed gently, then rolled down and fell to the ground, moistening the soil.
Early in the morning, Yu Shu quietly pushed open the door of Zhizhuxuan and then quietly closed it, so as not to make any noise that would disturb her peaceful sleep.
As soon as she turned around, she met Li Yin's eyes. She was startled at first, but she didn't show it on her face. This unexpected event was just like the feeling her master gave her.
"You're awake so early, young lady," Yu Shu said. Li Yin replied, "It's a habit to get up early."
Yu Shu placed the clothes she was carrying on the table, then took the jewelry box that was on top of the clothes and gently opened it for Li Yin to see. Her eyes were bright and full of smiles. She said, "Miss, do you like it? This is an item bestowed by a noble lady in the palace. It is worth a thousand gold pieces and is something that can only be encountered once in a lifetime."
Li Yin looked over and saw a set of novel designs, somewhat resembling the style of the Hu people, with four hair ornaments that could be braided into the hair, pendants, and head ornaments, mostly made of crystal and jade.
Jade and crystal, polished into regular shapes, are connected by gold chains. The gold-inlaid jade and gemstones are covered in gold, sparkling and dazzling in the sunlight. The fire and brilliance alone are captivating.
Li Yin asked, "Is there something you need today?"
Yu Shu nodded and said, "Yes, at the palace banquet, Your Majesty thinks you should make some friends, relieve your depression, and integrate into the circle of young ladies in the capital."
Upon hearing this, Li Yin reached out and touched the garment. The dress was entirely purple, adorned with a few gemstones, and tucked into the hem. The dress was outlined with gold thread and embroidered with bamboo and flying birds.
The stitches were so fine that not a single stitch was visible, and the workmanship was exquisite. The symmetry was perfect, and Yu Shu was delighted to see it. Miss Li really liked this piece.
So she picked up the clothes and pushed them into Li Yin's arms, pretending to urge her, "Miss, change into them and let me see." As she spoke, she winked, looking very playful.
Li Yin took it, and seeing Yu Shu wink playfully, he suddenly smiled and said, "Okay."
After speaking, she took the clothes, went around behind the screen, changed out of the one she was wearing, and quickly put on the purple dress. With her graceful figure and slender beauty, she walked around the screen and stepped out.
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon Li Yin, making her skirt shimmer and sparkle. Her clothes fit her perfectly, and her appearance was flawless. Combined with Li Yin's ethereal face, she truly looked like a fairy from a painting, a god from heaven.
Yu Shu was stunned again upon seeing it; it was so beautiful. Then she murmured, "Young Master, you will definitely like it."
Li Yin stretched out his hand in front of her and waved it gently, saying, "Yu Shu?"
Yu Shuyun's wandering spirit returned instantly, and she smiled awkwardly, saying, "You are too beautiful, young lady. I was stunned for a moment."
Li Yin smiled faintly upon hearing this and said, "You're exaggerating a bit."
Unable to contain her excitement, Yu Shu praised Li Yin, "Young lady, you are naturally beautiful. Even without makeup, you are as beautiful as a goddess. My master will definitely like you very much."
Upon hearing this, Li Yin suddenly asked, "Who is the Goddess of the Luo River?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Shu was startled, and a slight panic appeared on her face. She said, "Luo Shen is the goddess of peonies in Luoyang. Legend has it that she is as beautiful as a fairy, and men are infatuated with her, while women are jealous of her."
Li Yin smiled and said, "Is that so?"
Yu Shu smiled and took Li Yin's hand, saying, "Miss, come and try on these pieces of jewelry."
Li Yin was led by her to the dressing table and sat down as Yu Shu arranged. Yu Shu took out a few small brushes and began to apply some powder and rouge to Li Yin's face, not too much and not too little, only applying it to the necessary areas.
Li Yin's appearance is like that of a divine being, graceful yet aloof, possessing a unique coolness that is tempered with a touch of humanity when she smiles. After Yu Shu applies a touch of makeup, her aloofness diminishes, but her cold beauty remains undiminished; she is still beautiful, breathtakingly so.
Yu Shu was quite satisfied with her masterpiece. After the makeup was finished, she placed a cinnabar mole between Li Yin's eyebrows and exclaimed sincerely, "Beautiful, she surpasses Xi Shi by seven points and Luo Shen by three points."
Upon hearing the unfamiliar words, Li Yin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yu Shu, and who is Xi Zi? Where did you hear about these things?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Shu paused slightly in her action of taking out the jewelry. She smiled awkwardly and said, "Xi Zi is a lake, but I feel it is like a person, with a jade mirror and a field of fine jade, and skin as smooth as solidified jade."
Li Yin listened, looked at Yu Shu in the mirror and smiled, "But, this is too much of a coincidence."
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