Chapter 7 Jin Hezhuo is someone she just can't kill.
Two days later, the weather was fine and sunny, a perfect day for going out. Cui Yiluo's foot injury had improved considerably, and she was almost painless when walking, so Jiang Zhaoyue took her out.
"My mother had the clothes made to your measurements before you arrived. We can pick them up after we finish looking at the jewelry. Cousin, since you're new to the capital, let's go to Baoyue Pavilion, which I frequent."
Baoyue Pavilion is located in the most prosperous area of the capital. It usually receives high-ranking officials and nobles. Therefore, in addition to the Jiang family guards they bring, there are also many guards in the building.
"Take your time choosing your benefactors; only call upon your humble servants when you need something."
The innkeeper led them into the reserved private room, ordered the delicacies to be presented, and then brought out some fine tea and fruit platters before leaving.
Jiang Zhaoyue picked up several hairpins, looking distressed: "Why do I feel like they all suit you?"
My cousin is so beautiful that she looks good in anything.
Cui Yiluo obediently let her gesture. After the two of them had been looking around for a while, Jiang Zhaoyue drank a lot of tea and then led her people to the privy.
Cui Yiluo looked at the table full of jewelry, her smile vanished, and she showed no trace of her earlier interest as she calmly picked up her teacup.
Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a black hem.
Is someone in the corner?
The private room wasn't very big; a screen displaying a myriad of flowers was placed against the wall for decoration, but it actually made it easy for thieves to hide.
The guards stood at the door, and only she and Lilan were inside the room.
Cui Yiluo gestured to Lilan with her eyes. Lilan was startled when she saw the corner of the dress, nodded slightly, and slowly moved towards the door.
Cui Yiluo reached for the dagger hidden at her waist, pretended to get up and walk around, and closed the window next to the screen.
Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind blew. Cui Yiluo swiftly drew her dagger.
With a muffled groan from the man, the dagger fell silently onto the thick carpet.
"stop."
These words were spoken to Lilan, who turned around and was immediately horrified upon seeing them.
The man in black held a sharp longsword to Cui Yiluo's throat.
The man's other hand, which was not holding the sword, was stabbed by a dagger and was bleeding profusely. Drops of blood fell slowly onto the carpet, leaving deep marks, but the man seemed oblivious.
His eyes were sharp and cold, and he exuded a terrifying murderous aura, like a hawk gripping its prey.
The man's voice was grim: "If you open the door, I will kill your master."
As he spoke, he pressed the sword even deeper into Cui Yiluo's neck, leaving a red mark on her fair skin in an instant.
Lilan, suppressing her panic, hurriedly said, "I won't open the door, young master, please release my young lady first!"
The man acted as if he hadn't heard.
Cui Yiluo lowered her eyes and stared at the dark cloud pattern on his sword blade. This sword seemed to be stained with the blood of many people. Even after being wiped clean, it still exuded a faint and unpleasant bloody smell.
She calmly asked, "Who are you? Knowing that my guards are outside the door, you still chose to make your move inside the room. Isn't that a bit too audacious?"
The man glanced down at her, surprised that a woman from a wealthy family could remain so calm even when being held hostage.
That makes sense, though. She wasn't some ordinary noblewoman. What noblewoman would carry a dagger around when she went out? And to discover someone hiding in the room and still calmly instruct her maid to notify the guards while she herself calmly closed the windows to prevent the person from escaping?
Not to mention the ruthlessness with which this person attacked, revealing their sinister nature.
He spent too little time observing her in the room, which led him to be deceived by her easygoing appearance and choose her as his helper. Little did he know that beneath her gentle exterior lay a thorny flower.
If he hadn't reacted quickly, he would have been trapped long ago.
The man said, "I don't want to kill you, I just want to ask you for a favor."
Why should I believe you?
The man sneered: "Do you have any room for negotiation with me now?"
He couldn't see the expression on Cui Yiluo's face, but he heard her chuckle softly: "That's not necessarily true."
He frowned slightly, subconsciously sensing that something was wrong. Just as he was about to ask again, he suddenly felt his whole body go limp, and the hand holding the sword also became weak.
There's medicine on the dagger!
He stumbled backward, nearly collapsing to the ground, before finally regaining his balance by leaning against a low mahogany cabinet by the window.
He curled his lips into a sinister smile: "I underestimated you."
The situation instantly reversed; Cui Yiluo picked up the dagger she had dropped and pressed it against his Adam's apple.
"Your physical condition is quite good, yet it took you so long to administer the medicine. Tell me, who sent you?"
The man looked at the woman's sharp features, forcefully pulled at the token at his waist, and sneered, "Miss, I wonder if you can bear the charge of delaying an important case?"
Looking at the dragon and cloud totem on the token in front of her, Cui Yiluo's expression changed slightly.
However, in an instant, she regained her calm expression and deftly sheathed the dagger.
"It turns out you are a lord from the Yunyi Guard. I mistook you for a thief and that's why I accidentally injured you. It was all a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" The man lifted his narrow eyes and scoffed, "You injured me and drugged me, delaying an important case. What is your punishment?"
Cui Yiluo's eyes turned cold.
The Yunyi Guards were imperial guards personally selected by the emperor, directly obeying his orders and serving him, demonstrating their considerable power. Although the man before them was not wearing official robes, his simple black clothing indicated that he held a high position.
Cui Yiluo took a porcelain bottle from her sleeve and tossed it to him: "The antidote."
The man wasn't surprised by her behavior; his face still held a hint of mockery.
Seeing that he had taken the medicine, Cui Yilu put on a beautiful smile and said, "Just now, you asked me for help, and I am happy to help you."
"However, I hope that you will not hold a grudge after this."
The man regained his strength, used his sword to brace himself as he stood up, and watched Cui Yiluo calmly change her attitude, a hint of amusement flashing across his cold expression.
He neither confirmed nor denied it, but instead said, "Do you see the maid next to the shopkeeper? The one with the small mole on her forehead."
Cui Yiluo has had an exceptional memory since childhood. "I remember."
"Find a way to bring them in."
Cui Yiluo immediately turned around. The man wanted to add that the person was cunning and that she shouldn't notice, but then he thought that Cui Yiluo was even more cunning, so there was no need to give her any more advice.
Cui Yiluo instructed Lilan: "Tell her I want to see some jade pendants, and ask someone to bring some up."
She remembered that the maid was always responsible for serving jewelry and never served fruit platters or food. She must be the manager's right-hand woman. The jade pendant was not as valuable as the jewelry on the table, and it was she, not Jiang Zhaoyue, who called for someone. Such a small matter would not have bothered the manager.
Before long, the maidservant indeed came alone, carrying the jade pendant.
As soon as she entered the room, the maid was silenced and captured by the man. She raised her hand to retaliate against the man's chest.
The two exchanged a few blows, but she was clearly no match for the man. After he completely subdued her, he left through the window.
Before jumping out of the window, the man glanced back at Cui Yiluo, his dark eyes holding a profound meaning.
Cui Yiluo, who stood far away, only responded with a faint smile.
Only after the person had completely left did Li Lan collapse to the ground, exhausted. Cui Yiluo's tense body also relaxed noticeably, but her face remained ashen.
"Miss, what bad luck to have run into Yun Yiwei today! And he even mistook him for the assassin who tried to kill you before. What should we do? Won't he take revenge on you in the future?"
Cui Yilu recalled the look the man gave her before he left, and said with a dark look in her eyes, "After all, I helped him. If he still had any integrity, he wouldn't have made things difficult for me so openly."
Upon hearing this, Lilan looked even more troubled. How could she keep her word to Yun Yiwei?
Cui Yiluo cautiously instructed, "What happened today is between you and me, and must not be told to anyone else."
Lilan, still shaken, nodded: "Yes."
After all, apart from a few drops of blood left on the carpet, there were no signs of a struggle in the room, nor had anyone been alerted.
It was as calm as if nothing had happened.
Cui Yiluo's heart sank.
Her true self was revealed, and ironically, she was someone she couldn't kill.
-
The following day was the Lotus Banquet. Clusters of lotus flowers bloomed in Qingyue Lake, with the lotus and leaves intertwined. The banquet was held in the Shuizhi Hall by the lake.
This was Cui Yiluo's first banquet after arriving in Shengjing.
The lotus banquet was grand, and all branches of the Jiang family were invited. The banquet was ostensibly for appreciating lotuses, but in reality, it was a social gathering for prominent families. A number of people had already gathered in the side hall, and the Jiang family's daughters and sons dispersed spontaneously.
Lan Hui couldn't help but exchange pleasantries with the official's wife, and could only instruct her daughter to take good care of her niece.
The palace was heavily guarded, so Jiang Zhaoyue wasn't worried about Cui Yiluo being in danger. She was just afraid that Cui Yiluo would be reserved because she was unfamiliar with the place and the people, so she introduced Cui Yiluo to several noble ladies and gentlemen.
Because Jiang Zhaoyue was there, the noble ladies and gentlemen all appeared very enthusiastic towards Cui Yiluo, but some of them still couldn't hide their contempt in their eyes.
"Such a lovely cousin has come, and we've kept her hidden until today before finally bringing her out."
The noblewoman who spoke had a delicate and elegant face, a calm temperament, and wore a green dress that made her look like a lotus in the rain. She had a faint and pleasant herbal scent around her and seemed to be very familiar with Jiang Zhaoyue.
Jiang Zhaoyue laughed and joked, "It's clearly because you haven't come to look for my brother for so long that you haven't seen your cousin."
Upon hearing this, the other noble ladies and gentlemen couldn't help but tease the noblewoman a few times. She immediately blushed slightly and glared angrily at Jiang Zhaoyue.
Cui Yiluo also realized that before going to the capital, she had memorized the family relationships in Shengjing several times. The person she was engaged to Jiang Mingxun was her childhood sweetheart who grew up with him. The two were well-matched in terms of social status and affection, which made people envious.
Sure enough, Jiang Zhaoyue said, "Yi Luo, this is Jing Ling, the daughter of Physician Yang."
Yang Jingling and Cui Yiluo smiled and nodded at each other, thus officially becoming acquainted.
“Miss Cui is from Ningzhou? Everyone says that Ningzhou is a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. Although I have never been there, I know that this is true as soon as I saw you.”
It was the noble lady beside Yang Jingling who took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Cui Yiluo. She had a gentle and kind face and seemed very easy to get along with.
Jiang Zhaoyue whispered a reminder: "This is Xie Xiyun, the daughter of Grand Commandant Xie."
It turned out to be her, the daughter of the Grand Commandant, who was sincere and gentle, but had a philandering fiancé.
Grand Commandant Xie was upright and selfless, and his children were also straightforward and honest. Therefore, even though the Xie family was very dissatisfied with Xie Xiyun's fiancé, since the marriage was arranged by Old Master Xie, they would not take the initiative to break off the engagement, much less use any means to scheme to do so, unless the other party did something outrageous.
The information Cui Yiluo received was superficial; how could the secrets of a grand mansion be so easily known? The hidden truth was gleaned during a casual conversation with Jiang Zhaoyue.
She smiled at Xie Xiyun.
Xie Xiyun paused for a moment, seemingly stunned by her bright smile. After regaining her senses, she realized she had been somewhat impolite and stammered, "Yi Luo, are you here to visit relatives? How long do you plan to stay in Shengjing?"
Some people who knew the inside story showed a hint of mockery on their faces.
Jiang Zhaoyue's expression froze for a moment, just as she was thinking of how to smooth things over, when she heard Cui Yiluo calmly say, "I will probably be staying in Shengjing for a long time in the future. I came to Shengjing to prepare for my marriage."
The noble ladies and gentlemen present were all from prominent families, and would not have paid special attention to Cheng Feng, a mere supervisor, unless there was a connection. Those unaware of the inside story were immediately intrigued, and the gentlemen who had developed feelings for Cui Yiluo showed their disappointment.
Ichiro asked, "I wonder which family's young master is so fortunate?"
Cui Yiluo replied calmly with a faint smile, "It is Cheng, the supervisor of the Imperial Academy."
This matter couldn't be kept secret anyway.
In an instant, surprise and astonishment, regret and mockery mingled on everyone's faces, each with a different expression. Xie Xiyun felt she had touched a sore spot and felt guilty.
Yang Jingling said, "This... if I remember correctly, Supervisor Cheng seems to be over sixty years old?"
Jiang Zhaoyue looked at Cui Yiluo with concern, but she seemed oblivious to the contempt or regret in everyone's eyes, and simply nodded.
My cousin is putting on a brave face. Who would want to marry an old, lecherous man?
The noble ladies and gentlemen present all thought the same thing, feeling that although Cui Yiluo appeared calm on the surface, she must be experiencing unspeakable bitterness in her heart.
Cui Yiluo naturally noticed the pity in everyone's expressions.
But she no longer needed such things when she was young. Pity is the so-called empathy that people in high positions bestow upon the weak. It cannot change her situation, nor can it bring her any comfort.
A sudden commotion broke the oppressive silence from nearby.
Cui Yiluo followed the crowd and saw a handsome man being escorted by several people. He was wearing a snow-white round-necked brocade robe, and his black hair was neatly tied up with a jade crown.
Perhaps for ease of movement, Jiang Yunjin wore wristbands today, which accentuated the strong and neat lines of his arms, revealing a calm yet powerful aura that made him stand out in the large crowd.
Jiang Zhaoyue exclaimed in surprise, muttering, "Big brother rarely attends occasions like this. Why did he suddenly show up today?"
Cui Yiluo, however, stared intently at the person next to Jiang Yunjin.
It's that person from Baoyue Pavilion. How could the two of them be together?
"Cousin, is the person next to my eldest cousin a member of the Yunyi Guard?"
Jiang Zhaoyue looked over and saw that the person was not wearing the Yunyi Guard's official uniform. She didn't know how Cui Yiluo recognized him. "That's Yuan Ling, the commander of the Yunyi Guard."
"Is he close to his older cousin?"
Jiang Zhaoyue didn't detect the barely perceptible tension in Cui Yiluo's tone, and shook her head, saying, "I haven't heard of it, I just happened to run into it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the man seemed to sense something and looked over.
The moment their eyes met, Yuan Ling clearly recognized her and smiled knowingly.
Cui Yiluo was about to lower her eyes to look away when she saw Jiang Yunjin also turn his gaze to look at her.
His clear eyes remained emotionless, yet Cui Yiluo inexplicably felt something was off about him. Nevertheless, she skillfully flashed a gentle and bright smile.
Before the corners of his mouth could fully curve into a smile, Jiang Yunjin looked away.
On the contrary, Yuan Ling, who was standing next to him, had witnessed the whole process and raised his eyebrows meaningfully.
Cui Yiluo felt a surge of irritation. He was actually the commander of the Yunyi Guard, one of the emperor's trusted ministers, making the situation even more difficult than before.
But she had no time to plan, because Jiang Zhaoyue was already trying to drag her to pick lotus flowers.
The lotus banquet begins at the end of Shen Shi (3-5 PM). Consort Qiong has placed several small boats on the lakeside for the noble ladies and gentlemen to use for picking lotus flowers and boating in the afternoon. To add to the fun, Consort Qiong also sets up some lucky draw prizes every year, hidden deep in the lotus flowers, and they are given to those who arrive first.
Consort Qiong was deeply favored, and her private treasury was filled with rare treasures. She was also very generous, so everyone tried their best to win the prize every year.
Jiang Zhaoyue was an impatient person. Seeing that others had boarded the boat first, she also wanted to pick lotus flowers.
The intense sunlight reflected off the lake, scattering it into seven colors that beautifully complemented the red lotus leaves and green foliage. A small boat parted the lotus blossoms, its stern leaving a long trail in the calm water.
Three women sat at the bow of the boat, holding bamboo umbrellas to shield themselves from the scorching sun. Jiang Zhaoyue chattered on and on about the lucky draws from previous years to Cui Yiluo.
"Last year's prize was truly amazing. It was a five-colored jade, a tribute from the Western Regions. Its colors were brilliant and it was a rare find in the world. The youngest daughter of the Minister of Personnel found it. Ah, it's truly enviable! I also won a prize a few years ago, but it was never as precious or beautiful as that five-colored jade."
Yang Jingling said helplessly, "What's wrong with the red agate that Kucha presented as tribute? If you don't want it, you might as well give it to me."
"I'd be willing to give it up, but I'm worried my brother will scold me for stealing his thunder."
Cui Yilu listened with a smile.
Suddenly, a lotus flower flew through the sunlight and landed straight in Cui Yiluo's arms.
The lotus flowers were freshly picked and still had water droplets on them. The cool water droplets splashed onto the faces and clothes of the three people, startling them all. Jiang Zhaoyue almost screamed.
The three of them instinctively looked into the distance.
A small, exquisitely decorated pleasure boat was moored about half a mile to their northeast. A woman stood at the bow, smiling at them.
She was about sixteen years old, her head adorned with magnificent jewels that shimmered in the sunlight, and her slender neck was also adorned with pearl necklaces, but what shone even brighter were her eyes, sparkling with lively intelligence.
"It is Princess Hejia."
Jiang Zhaoyue reminded Cui Yiluo.
Cui Yilu had already guessed it. After all, in the palace, especially at the lotus appreciation banquet held by the Imperial Concubine, who else could be such a young woman dressed so elegantly but He Jia?
Princess Hejia, Xiao Ying, was the only daughter of Consort Qiong, who had been favored by the emperor for over a decade. She was also the emperor's youngest daughter and was deeply loved. This little princess always loved to wear brightly colored jewelry and her clothes were also gorgeous and eye-catching.
The little princess gave an order to the eunuch who was holding an umbrella to shield her from the sun. The eunuch responded and gestured to the eunuch in charge of the boat on Cui Yiluo's boat.
Before long, Cui Yiluo and the other two's boat docked at the painted barge.
She had just instructed the eunuchs who had come to the boat to hand the umbrella to the other palace servants, and walked to the side of the boat with a smile.
"Ladies, His Highness invites you."
With Princess Hejia's invitation, how could the three of them refuse? They exchanged a glance, then one by one lifted their skirts and carefully stepped onto Xiao Ying's painted boat.
Cui Yiluo walked at the back, holding a lotus flower in her hand, lifting her skirt, and holding a bamboo umbrella in her other hand.
Suddenly a gust of wind blew by, and Cui Yiluo's bamboo umbrella shook violently, causing her body to sway unsteadily like a kite in the sky.
"Miss Cui, please be careful."
With a flick of his whisk, the eunuch swiftly used the whisk to brace Cui Yiluo's arm.
The force supporting her was as steady as a rock, and Cui Yiluo couldn't help but look up at the eunuch.
The eunuch smiled politely. He wore a maroon eunuch robe, indicating he was a high-ranking personal eunuch who served him closely. His hair was already graying at the tips, and his skin was pale to the point of being bloodless. The kind smile on his face was somewhat eerie.
Jiang Zhaoyue and her companion were already bowing: "Greetings, Your Highness."
Cui Yiluo subtly withdrew her gaze and bowed to Xiao Ying along with her.
Xiao Ying smiled, her eyes crinkling, and waved her hand, saying, "No need for formalities."
Xiao Ying and Jiang Yang already knew each other. After exchanging greetings, they looked at Cui Yiluo, who was holding a lotus flower, and asked, "Are you a relative of a newly appointed official?"
With a graceful smile, Cui Yiluo revealed her identity and concluded by saying, "I haven't yet thanked Your Highness for the lotus flowers."
Xiao Ying did not look down on Cui Yiluo because of her humble status. "I saw you at a glance just now, but you were quite far away, so I used the method of throwing a lotus leaf. I hope I didn't scare you?"
Of the three, Jiang Zhaoyue was the closest to Xiao Ying. "Your Highness is still the same as always."
Xiao Ying's smile widened. "Eunuch Xu, just now Miss Cui said she came from Ningzhou. Is Ningzhou in the south? I vaguely remember that my father passed through here during his southern tour."
Eunuch Xu was the same eunuch who had come to invite them earlier. He said helplessly, "Your Highness, you have never left the capital, and neither has this old servant. Aren't you making things difficult for this old servant?"
Xiao Ying then looked at Cui Yiluo. Just as Cui Yiluo was about to answer, she heard Eunuch Xu say with a smile, "Your Highness, it's hot outside. You're sweating. Why don't you take the ladies inside to sit down?"
Xiao Ying snapped out of her reverie: "It is indeed a bit hot. Miss Cui, there is tea and snacks prepared inside, why don't we go in and talk?"
"yes."
Xiao Ying's painted boat was naturally much larger than their small boat, and it even had an inner room. Their small boat was completely open, relying only on bamboo umbrellas for shade, which was far less cool than the painted boat.
When they sat down, Xiao Ying specifically instructed Cui Yiluo to sit beside her.
Jiang Zhaoyue and Yang Jingling exchanged a glance, both understanding that Xiao Ying really liked Cui Yiluo.
Although Xiao Ying was warm and hospitable, she rarely took such initiative towards any noble lady. Given her status and the favor she enjoyed, people would be too busy trying to please her.
Sure enough, after sitting down, Xiao Ying pulled Cui Yiluo aside for a chat. Jiang Zhaoyue and the other girl spoke very few times, but they didn't mind and chatted about other things on their own.
"Ah! Someone's fallen into the water! Help! Miss Xie has fallen into the water!"
A note from the author:
Alu: Annoying
[Poor thing] This chapter is almost 6,000 words. To be on the rankings, I need to control the word count, so there will be no update tomorrow. The next chapter will be on Thursday (July 17th) at 9 AM.
[Kiss] My darlings, don't forget to bookmark this page!
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