Chapter 6 Forsythia Branch, Cousin, My Foot Hurts
"Madam, Miss Cui has come to pay her respects."
Madam Jiang glanced at her grandson sitting at the lower end of the table.
The man seemed oblivious, not even raising his eyes, calmly sipping his tea.
Madam Jiang noticed his absent-mindedness today, so she looked away and said, "Please come in."
Before long, a slender figure came into view, walking with a delicate, graceful gait.
Before even stepping inside, Cui Yiluo saw the man sitting upright. She knew that no matter how busy Jiang Yunjin was, he would always pay his respects to Old Madam Jiang after returning home every day; it was his rule.
The twilight cast a slant of light on his profile, outlining his high, straight nose, while the other half of his face was shrouded in shadow. The interplay of light and shadow made his features appear even more angular.
He wore a moon-white robe, having taken off his bright purple official robe; he resembled a distant, snow-capped mountain, unapproachable.
Cui Yiluo entered the room, and with a gentle smile, she bowed and said, "Yiluo greets the old lady."
Her movements were slightly hesitant when she bowed, so Madam Jiang quickly ordered someone to help her sit down.
When Cui Yiluo sat down, she secretly glanced at the person opposite her, who still had his eyes downcast.
From the moment he entered until now, he hasn't looked up at her once, as if she didn't exist at all.
The matriarch of the family, Madam Jiang, addressed her as "Yi Luo".
"yes."
"Since you have injured your foot and this matter is related to Yun Jin, Yi Luo, you don't need to come to pay your respects every day until you recover."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunjin immediately replied, "It is my fault."
Madam Jiang replied, "You are the head of the Jiang family, so your mistakes are ultimately our family's mistakes. In that case, Yiluo, if you feel unwell these days, just let someone inform me."
Old Madam Jiang smiled kindly, but in what seemed like an apology, she shifted the blame for Jiang Yunjin onto the Jiang family, severing any connection between Jiang Yunjin and her.
If Cui Yiluo feels unwell again in the future, it is not appropriate for her to seek out Jiang Yunjin again.
She heard clearly and her face showed a flattered expression: "Madam, how could I accept such a favor? It is only because the Jiang family is so generous that Yiluo is allowed to stay temporarily. Moreover, my cousin saved me, and my foot injury was just an unintentional mistake. If Yiluo uses this as an excuse to even skip paying her respects to Madam, wouldn't that be too willful?"
Madam Jiang was slightly pleased with her obedience. "Yi Luo, you are A Hui's niece. This is too formal. Fine, since you are so kind, then you can skip the evening greetings."
He was supposed to pay his respects to his parents morning and evening, but Jiang Yunjin went to court at dawn. Considering his busy schedule, Madam Jiang excused him from the morning greetings.
But now, Old Madam Jiang has exempted her from the evening greetings, clearly because she is afraid that she and Jiang Yunjin will run into each other during the greetings and does not want them to have any more contact.
Cui Yiluo did not show it on her face, but instead said gratefully, "Yiluo thanks you for your consideration, Madam."
Madam Jiang smiled and then brought up another matter: "I heard that Supervisor Cheng just came to visit you? Yiluo, your husband cares about you a lot. It's clear that getting older has its advantages. He's more mature and knows how to be more caring."
"Are you more caring now that you're older?" Cui Yiluo's smile remained unchanged, but inside her stomach churned, and she felt like vomiting.
That Supervisor Cheng isn't much younger than Old Madam Jiang, is he? Yet she brought it up without batting an eye, clearly trying to put her in a bad light.
Incidentally, she emphasized to Jiang Yunjin that she was engaged and would soon be getting married.
But appearances must be maintained. Those so-called wealthy families value appearances the most. Even if they hate someone inside, they will still be polite and amicable when they meet.
Madam Jiang was clearly well-versed in this matter, and she changed the subject to chatting about everyday matters.
Throughout the entire conversation, Jiang Yunjin simply sipped his tea slowly, his movements calm and steady. He seemed not to be listening to their conversation at all, nor did he even glance at Cui Yiluo.
After chatting for a few minutes, Madam Jiang said, "It's almost time for dinner, Yiluo, I won't keep you any longer."
Old Madam Jiang asked her to leave, but not Jiang Yunjin.
Cui Yiluo knew her intention and had no intention of staying. She bowed and withdrew.
Only then did he slightly raise his eyelashes, his gaze lightly sweeping over her lightly powdered face and delicate light blue dress, before quickly lowering his eyes again and bringing the teacup to his lips for a small sip.
Seeing this, Madam Jiang said after Cui Yiluo left, "Shenzhi, you have just been promoted. Although the Emperor trusts you, you must remember to be careful in your words and actions and not become arrogant. Don't get distracted. It is important to keep your mind on the right path."
Jiang Yunjin quickly lowered his head and agreed.
Madam Jiang sighed again: "The Fifth Prince did a good job in disaster relief a few days ago, and I'm afraid there will be another controversy over the matter of choosing an heir. The situation in the court is becoming increasingly tense. Now that you hold a high position, various forces will definitely want to win you over, but our Jiang family has always only known loyalty to the emperor. Do you understand what Grandmother is saying?"
Jiang Yunjin lowered his eyes and said, "Grandson understands."
"Don't blame your grandmother for being nosy. Your parents had high hopes for you when they were alive, and even after things turned out that way... Never mind, let's not talk about these things anymore."
Jiang Yunjin lowered his eyes and remained silent.
Mentioning the painful matter immediately dampened Madam Jiang's spirits considerably. Seeing that her grandson had been absent-minded all day, she also felt bored. Estimating that Cui Yiluo should have returned to her own courtyard, she waved for Jiang Yunjin to leave.
Jiang Yunjin returned to the courtyard with a calm expression, but bumped into someone at a corner near the courtyard.
"cousin."
Cui Yiluo stood under the crape myrtle tree, a few crape myrtle petals falling on her slender shoulders, contrasting with her light blue dress.
A few petals had fallen into her hair; it was unclear how long she had been waiting there.
Jiang Yunjin's expression changed slightly when he saw it was her: "What is it?"
Cui Yilu hesitated before saying, "Cousin, this afternoon... Supervisor Cheng didn't make you angry, did he?"
She looked uneasy; it turned out she had come for Cheng Feng. Jiang Yunjin looked away.
In the afternoon, Cheng Feng bowed and scraped before him, but he didn't listen carefully; it was just the usual sycophancy. Of course, he wouldn't let this affect his official duties.
He is not the kind of person who uses his position for personal revenge.
"I didn't hold it against you."
Cui Yiluo immediately said, "Cousin, you've misunderstood!"
Her reaction was so intense that Jiang Yunjin looked at her with a puzzled expression and met her gaze directly.
Under the cool moonlight, her eyes were slightly bright and clear, her gaze straightforward and sincere.
“Cousin, I’m not here to defend him. I just don’t want you to be unhappy.”
The atmosphere around them suddenly became subtle.
Jiang Yunjin paused for a moment, then frowned. Cui Yiluo seemed to have misspoke in her excitement, clutching her handkerchief awkwardly. Neither of them spoke for a while.
Finally, Jiang Yunjin spoke first, "No need."
She doesn't need to worry about him, and he doesn't need anyone's concern.
Cui Yiluo nodded dejectedly: "It was Yiluo who overstepped her bounds."
Jiang Yunjin's tone was somewhat decisive: "Now that the matter is settled, I'll be leaving."
Cui Yiluo quickly stepped forward to stop him, but suddenly her body went limp and she fell against the man.
The slender figure was instantly enveloped in darkness by the tall man.
"open!"
The whistling, chaotic wind carried the man's low, husky voice. Cui Yiluo seemed not to have come to her senses yet, staring blankly at her hand that was tightly gripping the man's arm. The grip was so tight that it pulled the perfectly pressed sleeves into messy marks. The muscles under her palm were hard, and the veins throbbed.
She looked up, her eyes reddening, and when she met his gaze, she seemed startled. Her hand suddenly tightened, gripping his arm even tighter.
Jiang Yunjin's eyes darkened, and he awkwardly raised his hand to pull away.
Cui Yiluo quickly let go of his hand, biting her lip like a child who had done something wrong:
"Cousin, my foot hurts."
Jiang Yunjin, who was straightening his wrinkled sleeves with a stern face, paused slightly upon hearing this.
"No medication used?"
He had injured her foot, so naturally he couldn't hold it against her for almost falling into his arms earlier. Cui Yiluo pressed down on her lips, maintaining a guilty and aggrieved expression: "I used it. Perhaps I stood for too long today while looking for the silver elixir I brought from home."
"If the medicine runs out, let Wenfeng know."
Cui Yiluo responded, "Cousin, I specifically found the Silver Elixir Grass because I wanted to give it to you."
She took out the chrysanthemum petal patterned covered jar from her sleeve, and her sleeve slid down slightly with the movement, revealing a section of her snow-white wrist.
Jiang Yunjin refused without hesitation: "No need, take it back."
Cui Yiluo offered her prepared explanation: "Cousin, don't worry. It's just a jar of silverwort, nothing rare. You're busy with official duties day and night, so it's understandable that your eyes are tired and strained. The book says that silverwort can clear the head and eyes and relieve fatigue. I often add it to my tea when I read at night, and it really makes my head feel much clearer. Why don't you give it a try?"
Jiang Yunjin still refused: "No need."
Seeing that he remained unmoved, Cui Yiluo was extremely disappointed. She pursed her lips slightly and said, "This herb is abundant in my hometown of Ningzhou and has excellent effects. Perhaps others think that my cousin has a bright future and is destined for great things. But I only saw him rubbing his temples occasionally in the old lady's courtyard just now, which made me even more eager to give him the Silver Elixir Herb."
Jiang Yunjin slightly raised his eyes to look at her, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Cui Yiluo pretended not to notice and made a move to put away the porcelain jar and leave, but then she heard him suddenly say, "Ningzhou?"
Despite her confusion, Cui Yiluo replied earnestly, "Yes, cousin, don't you know I'm from Ningzhou? It's a beautiful place with clear waters and beautiful mountains, a very pleasant place. If you'd like to go, I can point you to a few good spots."
Jiang Yunjin did not answer, but remained silent, his expression making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.
A few moments later, he held out his hand: "Give it to me."
Cui Yiluo placed the porcelain jar in his palm, her fingertips inevitably brushing against his, the soft surfaces touching, the warmth dissipating upon contact.
He grasped the porcelain jar, said goodbye, and left.
Cui Yiluo stood there watching him walk away, and chuckled silently.
As she expected, he would accept it. The silver elixir was neither valuable nor a token of intimacy, so it wouldn't break his rules. Most importantly, he certainly didn't want her to use it as an excuse to seek him out again.
But wasn't his act of accepting her a form of indulgence? Indulging her step by step closer to him.
His eyes are always calm as a lake, devoid of emotion or desire. What would they look like if they were filled with longing and struggle? What would they look like if the emotions in his eyes, hidden by his long eyelashes, were fully exposed to the sunlight?
Cui Yiluo really wanted to see.
But why did he suddenly ask about Ningzhou?
His aunt wasn't from Ningzhou, so it was normal that he didn't know she was from Ningzhou. Cui Yiluo thought about it for a while, but couldn't find anyone in Ningzhou who might have any connection to him.
But she was certain that Ningzhou held a different meaning for him.
-
Meanwhile, Jiang Zhaoyue finally welcomed her mother, who had left the palace.
"Mother, why have you been gone for so long?"
Lan Hui smiled somewhat awkwardly, "The Imperial Concubine asked me to discuss the Lotus Banquet. She's unsure about some things and wants my advice."
Jiang Zhaoyue nodded: "By the way, Mother, I was thinking of taking my cousin out of the manor these past two days to buy some jewelry for the Lotus Banquet. I only found out today that my cousin's stepmother..."
She kept talking, but Lan Hui seemed slightly taken aback.
She asked in confusion, "What's wrong, Mother? Weren't you originally planning to bring my cousin along...?"
Lan Hui snapped out of her daze, shook her head and smiled, "Of course I'll bring them. I just didn't expect you to have already told Yi Luo. Go ahead, just put it on my tab, and remember to bring plenty of guards."
Jiang Zhaoyue beamed with joy upon hearing that she wouldn't have to pay: "Thank you, Mother. You're right. We haven't caught those bandits yet, but it's broad daylight, there are many of them, and the city guards are patrolling. I doubt they'll dare to make a move. I will bring my cousin back safely."
“Yes, they wouldn’t dare to make a move,” Lan Hui said.
Jiang Zhaoyue, after deciding what to wear, left happily. Lan Hui's smile vanished completely, her eyes filled with exhaustion.
-
As the moon rose above the willow branches, in the quiet courtyard, a tall figure stood like a stone statue under the forsythia tree, the moonlight stretching the shadow extremely long.
Wen Feng stepped forward with concern: "Young Master, you've been standing for a long time. I'm worried you'll catch a cold. But is it something the Second Prince instructed you about today that's causing you trouble?"
He could vaguely sense that the young lady's feelings for the young master were not simply those of cousins, and that they weren't actually cousins in the first place. The Second Prince's order for the young master to protect her was something the young master would certainly not be happy about.
Jiang Yunjin remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.
Wen Feng stood quietly, and seeing that Jiang Yunjin showed no intention of speaking for a long time, he was about to leave when he suddenly heard Jiang Yunjin speak:
"Is there such a thing as coincidence in this world?"
Wen Feng didn't understand why he suddenly asked this, but he still answered honestly: "Young master, as the saying goes, 'no story is complete without coincidences,' there are just too many coincidences."
Jiang Yunjin lowered his eyes and stared at the tree roots, then said softly, "What about fate?"
Wen Feng paused, then said, "You mean...?"
Jiang Yunjin interrupted him directly: "Step down."
A note from the author:
Silver Peppermint
A Luo: [Shrugs]
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