Chapter 63 Breaking through the fog to the car door, a familiar man stood tall and straight...
Behind the door flapping in the wind and snow, Cui Yiluo gripped the window frame. The charcoal brazier burned fiercely, its warmth covering her back. A gentle kiss made her feel as if she were in a raging fire, a fire she herself had started.
"Aro".
A deep male voice murmured in her ear, and she trembled upon hearing it, letting out a muffled groan.
She didn't like him calling her that at all; it was too intimate. But tonight, he did it on purpose, always whispering in her ear and occasionally making her call him that too. He didn't like her calling him "husband," as if he was constantly trying to confirm something.
Her snow-white skin was tinged with rosy blush as her small face was lifted and turned, falling into a long, misty kiss.
As night deepened and the fourth watch gong sounded, Cui Yiluo declined, saying haltingly, "Weren't you supposed to set off at 3:45 AM?"
It was already past midnight, and Cui Yiluo began to regret it. She didn't know why she had grabbed his sleeve back then, and then she couldn't stop herself. Although his cold and resolute face was softened by the flickering candlelight, it did not detract from the rest of his charm.
His deep, dark eyes were fixed on her, as if turbulent waves were surging within them. This feeling was extremely strange to Cui Yiluo, making her want to escape, yet she was held captive and trapped.
In the end, Cui Yiluo wouldn't even lift her hands, but Jiang Yunjin still held her tightly, as if they were inseparable. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, gently kissing it. He carried her into the bathroom after what seemed like an eternity.
After leaving the bathhouse, Cui Yiluo quickly fell into a deep sleep.
In her hazy sleep, it must have been the hour of Yin (3-5 AM). Jiang Yunjin gently pulled his arm away from hers. Cui Yiluo was still awakened by the warm pull away. Her long eyelashes blinked slowly, and her eyes were misty, as if she was still dreaming.
His handsome, pale face was bathed in moonlight, giving it a cool, jade-like hue that was both gentle and refined. He lowered his head and gently caressed her slightly swollen lips.
"I will finish my official business as soon as possible and come back."
-
After Jiang Yunjin left, only Cui Yiluo remained in Jixuezhai. Jiang Zhaoyue and the other two seemed afraid that she would be lonely, so they would come to invite her out from time to time. However, after thinking about it carefully, Cui Yiluo felt that life was not much different from before. She had not spent much time with Jiang Yunjin to begin with, and now that he was no longer restricting her from following the rules, she could not only use pastries when looking at the account books, but she could even continue to take a nap after paying her respects to the old lady.
Without Jiang Yunjin, her days were clearly much easier. The sudden loss of one person made no difference to her, Cui Yiluo thought. But thinking about it, he should have arrived in Yunzhou long ago; three days had already passed.
Cui Yiluo stared blankly at the account book when she suddenly heard a light knock on the door. It was a maid from the Jade Bamboo Courtyard.
"Young mistress, the eldest son has sent a message."
Cui Yiluo paused for a moment before ordering Lilan to fetch it.
The envelope was addressed to "To My Wife". Only when she saw the familiar, flowing handwriting on the envelope did Cui Yiluo begin to feel a sense of reality.
Why would Jiang Yunjin send her a message? Perhaps there's something in the household that requires her attention. If it weren't related to household affairs, he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of sending her a message.
Cui Yilu reluctantly tore open the envelope, and the letter unfolded, revealing only eight characters.
"Arrived in Yunzhou, all is well."
The date on the cover was the day before yesterday.
Cui Yiluo paused. Just those eight simple words, and he had gone to the trouble of sending her a message. Was he trying to let her know he was safe? Well, he was always prudent in his actions; sending a message to the household to let her know he was safe wouldn't be inappropriate. He would probably send one to the old lady as well.
Cui Yiluo sent someone to inquire, and indeed learned that the old lady had also received Jiang Yunjin's letter this morning.
Upon hearing the news, Cui Yiluo slowly folded the letter, put it back in the envelope, and set it aside.
It was just an ordinary letter to let everyone know that I'm safe.
She deliberately avoided thinking about Jiang Yunjin and lived her days in an orderly manner. Occasionally, she would enjoy flowers and watch plays with Jiang Zhaoyue and a few others, and the days passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.
Early that morning, Cui Yiluo got up and, through the carved window covered with thick silk, saw snow falling all around her. It seemed the last time it snowed was just over ten days ago that night.
She stared at the snow-white outside the window for a while before changing her clothes and doing her makeup.
During breakfast, Old Madam Jiang actually sent someone to come through the snow to urge her to pay her respects as soon as possible.
"But what urgent matter is it?"
The maidservant in Madam Jiang's courtyard said, "Miss Wang from Gunzhou has arrived and is already sitting in Madam Jiang's courtyard."
The Wang family of Gunzhou is the family of Jiang Yunjin's maternal grandfather, so this Miss Wang should be Jiang Yunjin's cousin. The Wang family has come, but the Jiang family has not received any prior notice, so they must have come in a hurry. Why is the old lady in such a hurry to call her over? What could be the matter that would make her so anxious to find her?
Cui Yiluo's heart sank.
Madam Jiang sent someone to urge her, and Cui Yiluo rushed over in the snow after having breakfast.
Upon entering the hall, they saw Old Madam Jiang sitting at the head of the table, leisurely sipping her tea. Below her sat a slender and graceful young woman with delicate features. Her apricot-colored embroidered bird dress accentuated her elegant and refined demeanor, clearly indicating that she came from a prestigious family. She must be the Wang family girl mentioned by the maid sent by the old lady.
After Cui Yiluo took off her cloak and handed it to Lilan, she bowed to Madam Jiang and said, "Granddaughter-in-law greets Grandmother."
Madam Jiang gave a lukewarm "hmm," then smiled and looked at the woman sitting below, saying affectionately, "Ah Heng, this is your cousin-in-law, Cui."
The speed at which Old Madam Jiang changed her expression and the stark difference in her attitude towards the two women surprised even Lilan, who was used to dealing with Madam Yao.
Wang Yuheng responded and stood up with a smile to exchange greetings with Cui Yiluo, saying, "Aheng greets her cousin-in-law."
Wang Yuheng exuded an air of nobility in every gesture, without a single flaw. Even the smile on her face was just right, neither obsequious nor cold. It was clear that she was extremely well-mannered and a true lady from a noble family.
Cui Yiluo smiled back and said, "Hello, cousin."
After exchanging greetings, Madam Jiang took another sip of tea, put down her teacup, and cleared her throat. Cui Yiluo knew that Madam Jiang was about to get straight to the point, which was the real reason she had urged her to come over.
"Yi Luo, a few days ago, A Heng's father, who was also Shen Zhi's maternal uncle, unfortunately fell seriously ill and passed away suddenly, without having time to arrange A Heng's marriage," Old Madam Jiang briefly recounted the events, then sighed and said, "Shen Zhi's mother loved her niece A Heng very much. A Heng's mother passed away early, and now her father has also passed away suddenly, and the funeral had to be hastily arranged. A Heng is the only daughter in the family, with no one to rely on. It's really pitiful that she has to face such a situation at only eighteen years old, so I took the initiative to bring A Heng here."
Cui Yiluo lowered her eyes slightly. No wonder she and Jiang Yunjin hadn't received any news before. Otherwise, when Jiang Yunjin's maternal uncle passed away and was seriously ill, he would have sent a message to tell them to prepare to go to Gunzhou. Only in cases of sudden illness would it take more than ten days to receive a message.
Although Madam Jiang only said half of what she meant, her meaning was already quite clear.
Actually, she had already guessed it the moment she entered the room, hadn't she? Cui Yiluo didn't understand why a heavy feeling welled up in her chest again. She pinched her palm to make herself appear calm.
Madam Jiang seemed quite satisfied with her attitude. Her faint smile deepened, and even the wrinkles on her face appeared more pronounced. She continued, "Aheng's parents are both deceased, and there's no one to arrange her marriage. I wasn't comfortable entrusting her to the rest of the Wang family, so I took it upon myself to handle this matter. Aheng and Shenzhi have a childhood bond, and Shenzhi's mother was also thinking of Aheng before she passed away. The Wang and Jiang families are old friends, and they're a good match. In my opinion, arranging Aheng's marriage to Shenzhi is the most reassuring and appropriate choice."
Sure enough. Cui Yiluo loosened her grip on her palm.
Outside the window, wind and snow were raging, and even through the thick curtains in the hall, the sound of the wind and snow could be heard clearly.
After the old lady said this, there was a moment of silence in the room, and everyone's eyes turned to Cui Yiluo.
Cui Yiluo still smiled, "Grandmother, the family rules are strict. How can your granddaughter-in-law make this decision alone?"
“The family rules do indeed stipulate that concubines are not allowed. With such a high social standing, beautiful appearance, and outstanding talent, Aheng is even less likely to become a concubine. Shenzhi certainly does not want to wrong Aheng. Aheng should marry Shenzhi as an equal wife.”
Madam Jiang's tone was smiling, yet it carried an air of oppressive and unyielding strength, leaving no room for refusal.
Sitting on the opposite side, Wang Yuheng covered her face with a handkerchief with a hint of shyness and said bashfully, "Madam thinks too highly of me. It is my good fortune to be able to marry my cousin."
In their back-and-forth conversation, the two seemed to have reached a conclusion. It appeared that they had summoned Cui Yiluo not for discussion, but merely to inform her.
Even the maidservants around the old lady looked at Cui Yiluo with a hint of sympathy and pity, but Cui Yiluo disliked being looked at like that by others.
Cui Yiluo said calmly, "This matter is beyond my control. It would be better to wait for my husband to return from Yunzhou and make a decision."
Upon hearing this, Madam Jiang's smile faded, and she looked at Cui Yiluo with some displeasure, as if she were disgusted by her lack of understanding. Her voice also turned colder: "Shenzhi will naturally agree. Aheng is his own cousin, and now she is all alone and helpless. How can he, as her cousin, just stand by and do nothing? Besides, it is already somewhat of a compromise for Aheng to be his concubine, but there is nothing that can be done about it."
Cui Yilu couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Old Madam Jiang was implying that she was unworthy to marry Jiang Yunjin.
Madam Jiang continued, "The wedding ceremony will have to wait for Shenzhi to return to arrange. However, in the meantime, Aheng can stay at Yuzhu Courtyard. It's good for the engaged couple to cultivate their relationship. By the way, Aheng has been taught to manage the household since she was a child. After Shenzhi's aunt passed away, Aheng managed the Wang family. She managed such a large family business with great efficiency. Yiluo, after Aheng enters the family, you should hand over the affairs of the main branch to her. She has experience and can get up to speed quickly. I think it won't be long before she can take over the affairs of the entire Jiang family."
With Wang Yuheng's brilliance preceding her, Cui Yiluo and others, who had never managed affairs in the eyes of Old Madam Jiang, became mere rubble.
Cui Yiluo knew why Old Madam Jiang was so eager to arrange a marriage between Wang Yuheng and another family. Ultimately, she feared that the Jiang family's vast fortune would be ruined in her hands. That's why she was exploiting a loophole in the family rules to force Jiang Yunjin to marry Wang Yuheng as a secondary wife. Once Wang Yuheng entered the family, the Jiang family, including the eldest branch's fortune, would not be handed over to her to manage.
But now that things have come to this, what can she say, or what room does she have to refuse?
Cui Yiluo replied, "Since Grandmother has already made all the arrangements, I think there is nothing more for me to add."
When Madam Jiang saw that Cui Yiluo had agreed, the displeasure on her face eased slightly, and she gave a slightly satisfied, drawn-out "hmm," and said, "Then you should have someone move Aheng's luggage over there later. Also, make sure the courtyard you arrange for Aheng is well taken care of and close to Jixuezhai, so that Aheng doesn't have to travel too much on the way."
The people in the room looked at Cui Yiluo with a mixture of pity and contempt. This young mistress came from a humble background, and the eldest son was indifferent to her. Now, her cousin had come and moved into the courtyard before they were even married. She even had to hand over all the household affairs. What kind of place would she have in the mansion in the future?
But Cui Yiluo remained calm and composed, nodding with an expression of nonchalance, seemingly not taking the matter to heart at all.
The servants were somewhat surprised, feeling that the young mistress was as calm as ever. However, looking at the old lady's expression, they were somewhat displeased. The old lady had said so much, but the young mistress seemed not to understand the sarcasm in it. It was as if they had punched cotton.
Before leaving the house, Cui Yiluo looked at Wang Yuheng and smiled calmly, "Cousin, come with me."
Wang Yuheng bowed and said, "I will be troubling you from now on, cousin-in-law."
Cui Yiluo quickly supported her by the forearm, saying, "No need for such formalities."
The two walked out of Madam Jiang's courtyard side by side. The snow was still falling outside and seemed to be getting heavier. A layer of snow had accumulated on the road, and they walked with uneven steps. Lilan and Wang Yuheng's personal maids were on either side, holding umbrellas to shield them from the snow.
In the wind and snow, Cui Yiluo heard Wang Yuheng speak softly: "When my cousin got married, I was far away in Gunzhou and couldn't make it. I was quite disappointed at the time."
Wang Yuheng's maid immediately comforted her, "Miss, don't be disappointed. Once your cousin returns to the capital, he will arrange your wedding as soon as possible. Then you will be able to see your cousin in his wedding attire again."
Cui Yiluo lowered her eyes slightly, staring at the snow-white expanse on the ground. The whiteness stung her eyes in the bright sunlight, and she remained silent. She couldn't quite recall the details of Jiang Yunjin's wedding attire. But he never wore such vibrant colors on a normal day, and his pale complexion made him appear dazzling and exude an air of nobility.
Wang Yuheng glanced shyly at the maid, then turned to Cui Yiluo and asked worriedly, "Cousin-in-law, you won't mind, will you?"
Cui Yilu smiled and said, "Cousin, you're overthinking it."
Wang Yuheng smiled relaxedly, as if sighing, "Actually, the last time I saw my cousin was six years ago when I came to Shengjing to mourn my aunt. At that time, my cousin was only sixteen years old, but he was already handsome and elegant. I thought then that whoever could marry my cousin in the future would be truly blessed. To be honest, when I first heard that my cousin's wife had married my cousin, I envied her for a long time. I never thought that I would be so fortunate to serve my cousin now."
Wang Yuheng's voice was somewhat intermittent in the wind and snow, but it was clear to Cui Yiluo's ears. Cui Yiluo listened calmly as Wang Yuheng described how much she admired Jiang Yunjin, while looking at the flowers and trees covered in snow as she passed by.
Walking in the snow, Cui Yiluo, despite holding a hand warmer, still felt her palms were cold.
The servants in the main house dared not neglect Wang Yuheng. Cui Yiluo's instructions were swift and thorough, and before long, Wang Yuheng moved into the Jade Bamboo Courtyard. The small courtyard was less than half an incense stick's distance from Jixue Studio, making it the closest courtyard to Jixue Studio. The servants all knew that Cui Yiluo had truly arranged things according to the old lady's instructions.
Inside the bedroom, Lilan pushed open the door and entered. "Miss, Commander Yuan just sent a message saying that he has found the list of those who went on the southern tour back then. He said that with that list, you should be able to guess most of it."
"Wasn't he going south to investigate a case?" Cui Yiluo remembered Yuan Ling saying that last time at Baoming Temple. In the past ten days or so, Yuan Ling hadn't sent her any more messages, so he must have been busy preparing for his trip south.
"Yes, Lord Yuan said in his letter that he would set off in the afternoon, but this list is very important, so I have to ask you to pick it up in person. Lord Yuan will be waiting for you at Wanglonggang, the place of departure, at noon."
Wanglonggang was where their southward marching group assembled, so it seems Yuan Ling was indeed extremely busy.
Cui Yiluo looked at the account book, her hands never stopping as she worked on the abacus, the beads clattering crisply. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Okay."
After speaking, Lilan remembered something, and her expression turned indignant again: "Miss, Miss Wang has already made all the arrangements."
Cui Yiluo happened to see the last page of the ledger, closed it, and seeing Lilan's sullen expression, smiled and said, "Why are you so unhappy? Haven't we seen many of these things before?"
Old Madam Jiang was a lady from a prestigious family, and she valued appearances. Yao's words and actions towards her were far more unseemly than those of Old Madam Jiang. Cui Yiluo knew she shouldn't waste her energy on these matters.
Lilan responded sullenly, her expression not improving.
Cui Yiluo placed the keys to the accounting room on a stack of ledgers in front of her. "I'll send these to Miss Wang's courtyard in a little while."
Lilan was shocked: "But Miss Wang hasn't even started learning yet..."
Cui Yiluo calmly replied, "What difference does it make whether it's earlier or later?"
Anyway, it won't be hers sooner or later.
Lilan was indignant: "Are you really willing to hand over the accounts that you've managed for so long to her?"
She was by Cui Yiluo's side, unbeknownst to Jiang Yunjin and the Old Madam Jiang, but she knew better than anyone how much effort and time Cui Yiluo had devoted to the affairs of the eldest branch of the family, managing them so well in just two months. Yet now she had so easily handed them over to someone else.
Cui Yiluo looked at the account book without saying a word.
Reason told her that she shouldn't give up the power she had already gained in managing the household. Wang Yuheng was not yet married into the family, and Jiang Yunjin was far away in Yunzhou. She still had a lot of time to plan for the future. She was just a concubine. Although noble families did not easily take concubines, it was common for the young masters to have concubines or concubines.
She had schemed for so long; she shouldn't end up with nothing. But in Jiang Yunjin's eyes, she was just a pawn. Once he had used her to suppress Xiao Zheng, her status would be so awkward. For the sake of the Jiang family's business and reputation, and with a cousin like Wang Yuheng from a prestigious family around, Jiang Yunjin naturally wouldn't keep her around anymore.
In the past, she would have immediately thought about how to solidify her position and how to prevent her from being taken over as head of the family. But now, at this moment, she has no desire to get close to Jiang Yunjin anymore.
He will be back from Yunzhou in half a month. Although Old Madam Jiang has entrusted him with the wedding arrangements for him and Wang Yuheng, she must already be making preparations. She expects that within two months, she will be able to see Wang Yuheng move into Jixuezhai.
She had no interest in this situation and no desire to fight for control of the household anymore. But she was already married to Jiang Yunjin, and she couldn't escape it.
The room fell silent. Seeing Cui Yiluo looking down and lost in thought, Lilan understood the situation and refrained from speaking up to defend her.
After a long while, Lilan heard Cui Yiluo say, "Go pack your bags."
"ah?"
Cui Yiluo remained calm, as if she were making a very ordinary decision: "Go pack your bags, take the official documents, and bring the guards. After we meet Yuan Ling and get the list, we will go to Qingzhou to visit relatives."
Lilan immediately looked puzzled: "Miss, what relatives do we have in Qingzhou?"
Cui Yiluo said, "Yes, we certainly have no relatives in Qingzhou, as the old lady knows, and Jiang Yunjin knows even better. Therefore, this is just a pretext."
She simply didn't want to stay at the Jiang residence. Old Madam Jiang was even more pleased that she was leaving briefly, and Jiang Yunjin probably wouldn't mind either, since with Wang Yuheng around, her presence or absence made little difference.
She also wanted to use this time to figure out what path she should take in the future and how she should handle her relationship with Jiang Yunjin. She needed to calm down and think things through, and make a rational decision. She hated being controlled by her emotions, and clearly, what she needed was not some vague and ethereal romance.
Lilan immediately understood, responded, and went to prepare.
Cui Yiluo was left alone in the bedroom again. The snow outside the window was falling heavier and heavier, and it seemed that she probably wouldn't be able to walk for long today.
Cui Yiluo stared at the Xuan paper on the table. After a while, she finally picked up the pen and wrote a letter to Jiang Yunjin, telling him that she needed to go to Qingzhou to visit relatives and that the affairs of the mansion had been arranged.
After finishing writing, she wanted to take out a blank envelope from the drawer, but instead she saw the letter Jiang Yunjin had sent a few days earlier to let her know she was safe.
Cui Yiluo picked up the letter, opened the envelope, and took out the letter. The familiar handwriting came into view again, flowing smoothly and powerfully. After looking at it for a few moments, Cui Yiluo carefully folded the letter and put it back into the envelope, then lit it near the candlelight.
The flames quickly licked at the envelope, engulfing it along with the letter. Within moments, most of it was burned to ashes.
A crack appeared in the window at some point, and a biting wind blew in, suddenly sweeping away the letter that Cui Yiluo hadn't been holding tightly.
Cui Yiluo snapped out of her daze and reached for it, but she didn't know where the half-burnt letter had gone. She looked at it for a while and guessed that it might have been rolled outside. The letter was only half-burnt, so she figured it wouldn't be worth much, and she didn't bother with it.
In the afternoon, after bidding farewell to Madam Jiang, Cui Yiluo and Lilan left the mansion by carriage.
As soon as she left the mansion, Old Madam Jiang sent someone to check on Cui Yiluo and Jiang Yunjin's bedroom.
"Madam, we only found a letter left by the young mistress for the eldest son. What do you think?"
Minggu presented the letter; the envelope was empty, with nothing written on it.
Madam Jiang, who came from a prominent family, disdained to peek at someone's letter. She glanced at it and said indifferently, "Keep it. There's no need to put it back."
"yes."
-
Wanglonggang is a few miles outside Shengjing City. Cui Yiluo happened to be going to Qingzhou, so she didn't find it troublesome.
The carriage left the city without incident.
As Cui Yiluo sat in the carriage, she suddenly heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves outside the window. Most people leaving Shengjing were in a hurry, but given the heavy snow, the fact that they were riding so fast suggested that they were in a real hurry.
She never paid attention to other people's business, so she didn't take it to heart.
Unexpectedly, the sound of hooves stopped abruptly, and the carriage came to a sudden halt. Cui Yiluo almost fell off her seat and hurriedly grabbed the side of the carriage for support.
The car door suddenly opened, and Cui Yiluo's heart skipped a beat.
Outside the carriage door, a familiar man sat upright on his horse, his cold and resolute face filled with icy indifference. His dark eyes were churning with a fierce, turbulent energy, and his entire being exuded a low, oppressive aura as he stared at her intently.
Author's note: It's over! [doge][heart emoji]
To briefly explain the grandmother's motives, she had a very bad impression of A Luo from the beginning (see Chapter 6 for details). She never believed that A Luo could manage the Jiang family well. She also had a strong sense of social status and cared a lot about face. In addition, her cousin kept breaking the rules and taboos because of A Luo, so she wanted Wang Yuheng to enter the family.
Thank you to all the little ones who watered with nutrient solution! [heart emoji]
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