Chapter 15 Catching Adultery: I was the one who stole their love and interfered in their relationship...
It's better to act openly and honestly than to be secretive; that way, people won't be too suspicious.
Therefore, Zhu Xuanning arranged to meet at a restaurant. This way, even if someone saw them, she would have something to say. Besides, both of them brought servants into the private room, so it wouldn't be considered a man and woman alone in a room.
The entire first floor of Tianxiang Pavilion was booked out. The private room where the two met had a window open, so that people would know that it was bright and spacious inside, without any "private feelings".
"Cousin Mei." Zhu Xuanning greeted him as she entered, her voice still as soft and gentle as before, but the way she addressed him with his surname sounded more distant than before.
Mei Jiashan's hand trembled slightly as he poured tea for her, before he looked up and smiled, "Your favorite milk tea is at the perfect temperature. Sit down and have a taste."
Zhu Xuanning thanked her quietly and took a seat, sipping her tea slowly.
Mei Jiashan looked at her quietly, and only then did the emptiness in his heart slowly feel filled with emotion.
The room fell silent for a moment, until Mei Jiashan finally broke the silence, cautiously asking, "Is it good? Does it suit your taste?"
Zhu Xuanning put down her cup, tucked a lip to her lips, smiled sweetly, and said crisply, "It's delicious, thank you, cousin."
Her smile was as beautiful as ever, as if nothing had upset her, but Mei Jiashan felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.
"I'm glad you like it." Mei Jiashan smiled and pulled her reddened fingers back.
"Why did Cousin Mei call me here?" Zhu Xuanning asked softly, but her distant attitude caused Mei Jiashan's heart to ache.
"It's nothing," he forced a smile and said in a low voice, "I just wanted to see you again."
Zhu Xuanning lowered her head slightly, looking at the tea in her cup, concealing the fleeting restlessness in her eyes, but her voice was soft and low: "Cousin has already seen it all, and I've already lingered here for a while, so I'll leave after I finish this cup of tea."
The wooden chair crashed to the ground with a groan. When Zhu Xuanning looked up, Mei Jiashan was looking at her with reddened eyes.
"Ah Ning, don't call me so formally, and don't leave so soon."
"This is clearly the last time I'll see you."
She returned the token of their love without ever seeing him, and then fled from his sight as if her life depended on it. These two actions combined were enough to cause the young man, just beginning to experience love, a pang of heartache.
Mei Jiashan's long-suppressed emotions poured out at this moment, almost to the point of begging her.
He knew he needed to draw a clear line, knew his demands were excessive, but his absurd emotions had already overwhelmed his reason. He just wanted to grab some warmth in his final moments, so he could get through the rest of his life without Aning.
Their servants had already tacitly withdrawn, and Zhu Xuanning stared at him, lost in thought for a moment.
Mei Jiashan clung desperately to Zhu Xuanning's silence, as if it were a lifeline for him when he was drowning.
So he walked in step by step, and with a sorrowful and trembling expression, he tightly grasped Zhu Xuanning's hand. The young man did something beyond propriety, cupping Zhu Xuanning's soft hair in his hands and kissing it with tears in his eyes. His gaze did not look at her, but it was full of pleading.
So low as dust.
That's enough.
Zhu Xuanning couldn't ignore the emotion deep within her heart, so she could only sigh softly, indulge her emotions, raise her fingertips, touch the boy's reddened eyes, and gently grasp Mei Jiashan's hand in return.
Even such a faint response was enough to bring joy to the person before him. He raised his tear-filled eyes, and joy broke through the heavy sorrow, his eyes shining as if filled with starlight.
At that moment, Zhu Xuanning caught a glimpse of the figure outside the window out of the corner of her eye.
The young man was handsome and elegant, dressed in flowing robes and a wide belt; his attire and appearance were both exquisite and luxurious.
He noticed that the girl in the inner room smiled slightly when her gaze met his.
Zhu Xuanning felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. All her emotions vanished in an instant. She brushed the hand that was stroking Mei Jiashan's eye back across the boy's temple, pretending to straighten the jade hairpin for him.
The door suddenly opened, and Song Zhaohan took out a handkerchief and wiped the hand that had just opened the door. Her beautiful peach blossom eyes looked down at the two people in the room, who were in an ambiguous posture, and smiled: "Did I disturb your reminiscing?"
His tone was lighter than the wind, yet it carried the terror of a sudden storm.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
But some people just added fuel to the fire.
"Song Ming, I told you this adultery drama was quite entertaining, didn't I?" Yan Hengdan's lips curled up, but her eyes were cold.
The moment Mei Jiashan saw Yan Hengdan, he realized what was going on.
He stood in front of Zhu Xuanning: "My cousin has already rejected me. It was I who overstepped my bounds by inviting her here. It has nothing to do with her."
Mei Jiashan assumed that Yan Hengdan was targeting him, which unfortunately implicated Zhu Xuanning. He suppressed his pain and tried his best to distance himself from Zhu Xuanning with every word.
Song Zhaohan was taller than Mei Jiashan and could see Zhu Xuanning, who was completely hidden by him, through his body.
Her shoulders were trembling slightly. Song Zhaohan couldn't see the girl's expression hidden under her black hair, but she knew that she must be crying pitifully at this moment.
Yes, it was all wishful thinking on the part of this scoundrel. He saw that his Ah Ning had been keeping her distance the whole time. Even when her hand intimately touched the corner of his eye, it wasn't intentional. She just wanted to straighten out this scoundrel's crown.
Nothing happened between them. His Aning was innocent and clean, and he was not cheated on.
Song Zhaohan kept trying to convince herself, but the anger and resentment still wouldn't subside.
"Who knows if you two would have been entangled if we hadn't come? This private room is so spacious, you could take off your clothes and cover yourself with them, it could be used as a huge bed!" Yan Hengdan crossed her arms, sneered, and uttered vicious words. The last half of her sentence made Song Zhaohan's eyes redden.
"Shut up!" Song Zhaohan turned her head, and her emotions finally broke through, pouring out completely.
Instead of targeting Mei Jiashan, he lashed out at Yan Hengdan, which caused Yan Hengdan's expression to change. She opened her mouth to scold Song Zhaohan, but Yu Xuan forcefully stopped her.
Song Zhaohan withdrew his gaze from Yan Hengdan. He stepped forward, grabbed Mei Jiashan by the collar, and pulled her out. Mei Jiashan did not resist. Instead, she turned her face away, smiling to reassure Zhu Xuanning, afraid that she would worry or be frightened.
The sound of someone being beaten could be heard outside, but there were no shouts or curses, only muffled groans from gritting teeth.
Zhu Xuanning instantly stopped crying, lowered her head, touched her chest, and revealed a hint of mockery in her eyes.
She knew that she and the Mei family had spies, and that this matter was inextricably linked to Yan Wu.
You forbid Song Zhaohan from liking me, but I'll still hold him in my palm and play with him, just to make you sickly weakling furious.
But why did Mei Jiashan look at Yan Hengdan first?
Zhu Xuanning pondered this question, feeling that it was crucial information that might even help her take revenge on Yan Hengdan later.
Mei Jiashan was beaten up, but afterwards all he wanted was for Zhu Xuanning to return safely.
Enraged, Song Zhaohan beat the person up again.
In the end, Zhu Xuanning returned home safely.
Mei Jiashan was then quickly escorted back to his residence by his servants, lying horizontally.
"When will he and Wei Mingzhu get engaged?" Song Zhaohan asked in a cold voice.
Yan Hengdan's expression turned grim: "What are you going to do?"
Song Zhaohan's eyes flashed with malice as she glanced at Yan Hengdan and sneered, "I want my uncle to grant them a marriage, so they can get married the very next day."
Why bother picking an auspicious day? If he weren't concerned about propriety and life, he would have already given the two of them a bowl of medicine and sent them to their bridal chamber to become husband and wife.
Yan Hengdan lost his temper and threw a punch, but Song Zhaohan countered and restrained him, saying sarcastically, "Since you dared to plot against me, you know my temper and my methods."
"Song Zhaohan! Do you even know how to appreciate kindness?"
Yan Hengdan's sickly pale face flushed an unnatural red with excitement: "I only brought you here so you could see through this woman's fickle nature, and you call that scheming?!"
"Could it be that I, Yan Hengdan, orchestrated this, making it possible that they, a lone man and woman, were alone together in a room?!"
Song Zhaohan was still angry, but he had at least regained some of his composure. Seeing Yan Hengdan's anger, he sneered: "Fine, let's not talk about this for now. I don't believe you didn't have other intentions. Otherwise, why didn't you answer my question directly just now?"
It was only for my own good that they wanted to keep Wei Mingzhu around.
You useless coward! You don't dare to stop Mingzhu's marriage, you prevent her from marrying, and you even try to push away the one I love! I'm telling you now, I won't grant your wish!
Yan Hengdan finally lost her temper and hit her: "Song Zhaohan! You're crazy enough to be with someone who's two-timing you, so you'll have to suffer the consequences! If you dare to make Mingzhu do the same, I'll beat you to death!"
Song Zhaohan pressed down on his arm and slapped Yan Hengdan so hard that he turned his face away in embarrassment.
"Shut your mouth! They are both innocent! I have never been cheated on! I know that Aning likes him; I also know that he likes Aning!"
"I've always been the one stealing their love! I'm the one who came between them, understand? Ah Ning broke up with him a long time ago! You're just a coward who can't have the person you love, so you want me to live like you, neither human nor ghost, is that it?"
"You're dreaming!"
Song Zhaohan abruptly released Yan Hengdan, completely disregarding his injuries, and left in a harsh tone: "If I find out again that you plotted against Aning and me, I will sever all ties with you."
Yan Hengdan coughed up blood, and Yu Xuan went to help him, but was pushed away.
Upon hearing Song Zhaohan's last words, he trembled and coughed even more violently.
“There’s no need to sever ties now. From this day forward, I’m cutting all ties with you!” Yan Hengdan’s hands trembled as she struggled to untie the jade pendant hanging from her waist and smashed it down with all her might.
Jade shattered on the ground, severing Yan Hengdan's brow, and thick blood mingled with his tears as it fell.
While calling for help, Yu Xuan took a clean cloth and covered his wound.
Song Zhaohan paused for a moment, but did not turn around: "Whatever you want."
In that instant, the breath that had been holding Yan Hengdan up vanished, and his vision was plunged into darkness.
Yan Hengdan's servants rushed up and, while leading their master away, did not forget to thank Yu Xuan.
Yu Xuan accepted the thanks without complaint. He brushed off the dust that had settled on him as he knelt on the ground, his eyes filled with contemplation. After thinking for a long time, he called over his personal attendant and whispered a few words to him.
The attendant looked shocked, glanced at Yu Xuan, and after seeing him nod in acknowledgment, he withdrew and hurriedly went to handle the matter.
As night fell, Zhu Xuanning received a peace charm secretly delivered by the Mei family to avoid being noticed.
After reading it, Zhu Xuanning thought for a moment and then placed it on her bedside table.
She bathed and washed, put on a soft, scented undergarment, and applied a touch of inconspicuous pink rouge to her eyelids and the corners of her eyes; she even dabbed her lips with ointment, giving them an alluring sheen, like a dewy crabapple.
After instructing the ink-splashing team, Zhu Xuanning snuggled into bed, hugging her knees as she waited.
Several days later, strange noises came from Zhu Xuanning's room again, and Song Zhaohan climbed in through the window.
The still-lit lamp made him pause. The girl sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up turned her face to the side, the soft light illuminating her beautiful face like the bright moon emerging from the clouds.
"Ah Zhao." She raised her eyebrows slightly and smiled faintly, but her gaze was cautious.
Even if Song Zhaohan had a lot of jealousy, it was extinguished at this moment.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and felt agitated by his uncontrollable emotions.
"Don't think you can get away with this so easily." When she opened her eyes again, Song Zhaohan revealed a fierce expression and strode forward.
He had barely extended one hand when Zhu Xuanning obediently moved closer, clutching the blanket, and nestled against him like a little raccoon, her snow-white face pressed against Song Zhaohan's well-defined hand.
"Ah Zhao," she called again.
Song Zhaohan's heart trembled, and she couldn't maintain her composure. She could only grit her teeth and flick her forehead in frustration.
Zhu Xuanning groaned, covering the red mark on her face, her watery eyes looking at him accusingly.
Song Zhaohan calmed down a bit. He stopped talking about what happened during the day, pulled her into his arms, stroked her fair face, and whispered, "The imperial family is going to bestow a marriage upon Mei Si. Is Aning happy about it too?"
After what happened during the day, he hurriedly went to the palace to ask his uncle to issue an imperial decree to grant him a marriage.
Although the uncle had doubts, after consulting with the General and the people of the Rongguo Mansion, he agreed to the matter with satisfaction.
As Song Zhaohan spoke, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, her eyes fixed on her without blinking.
Zhu Xuanning unconsciously pursed her lips, her face smiling, her voice rising slightly like a little oriole: "It is an honor for the imperial family to bestow a marriage upon me, how could I not be happy for my cousin?"
Thinking this, Song Zhaohan lowered her gaze, pressed her index finger firmly against Zhu Xuanning's slightly pursed lips, and said in a low voice, "But I'm not happy."
“I’m unhappy if you have even the slightest connection with Mei Si; I’m unhappy if you show any expression because of Mei Si.” Song Zhaohan pressed her lips harder, her eyes filled with gloom.
He recalled what he had seen during the day, and his suppressed emotions surged even more intensely.
Suddenly, a dagger appeared in his hand.
Zhu Xuanning's face turned pale, and a barely perceptible fear appeared in her beautiful eyes.
Song Zhaohan glanced at her, then laughed: "Scared?"
Zhu Xuanning didn't answer, but tugged at his sleeve and gently rubbed her cheek against his palm, like a cub seeking security.
"Such a coward, yet you dared to be alone with Mei Si behind my back." Song Zhaohan snorted, pinching Zhu Xuanning's soft cheek, but no longer trying to scare her.
Song Zhaohan lowered her head, hooked a strand of her hair around it, a flash of cold light, and the black hair was suddenly severed.
“I will come when Mei Si gets married, Aning. I hope to see you at the banquet.”
Song Zhaohan sheathed the dagger, looked at her with deep eyes, and spoke softly but in a way that left no room for refusal.
Zhu Xuanning's fear hadn't faded, but she nodded obediently.
This expression pleased Song Zhaohan, and he finally smiled, hugging and kissing her repeatedly, his expression one of satisfaction.
After Song Zhaohan left, the smile on Zhu Xuanning's face, who had previously allowed him to kiss her, gradually faded. She stared blankly, clenching her fingertips, until her face became wet, and she realized that tears had fallen without her noticing.
Suppressed sobs echoed in the room. Song Zhaohan watched quietly through the window, his fingers slowly clenching into a fist. His lowered eyelashes cast a shadow, obscuring his turbulent emotions.
Jealousy burned like swarms of ants, gnawing at his heart, but Song Zhaohan could only endure it and could no longer lose his temper.
After a long while, there was finally no more movement in the room.
Song Zhaohan then quietly climbed out the window and went back inside.
The girl who had been crying on the bed had fallen asleep.
He silently picked her up, put her in the quilt, tucked her in, and while arranging the brocade pillow for her, Song Zhaohan noticed a red peace knot.
The small safety buckle, made of high-quality materials, appears rough, as if it were made by a clumsy beginner.
Song Zhaohan gripped the safety buckle, her eyes flashing, and then tied it to her jade pendant.
"I took this safety amulet myself as an apology gift from you." Song Zhaohan wiped away the tears on the girl's face.
Then, he leaned down and kissed the girl's adorable little beauty mark on her earlobe, his tone restrained and calm: "Ah Ning, I'll be unhappy if you have even the slightest connection with Mei Si."
"I hope there won't be a next time, otherwise I don't know what I might do."
Only when the girl could not hear did Song Zhaohan dare to reveal her true feelings.
He has been trying his best to restrain those dark thoughts that are about to erupt, abandoning his old tricks of manipulating people, and seriously treating this person who has touched his heart.
After Song Zhaohan had truly left, Zhu Xuanning opened her eyes. She chuckled and got out of bed to slowly pick up the broken hair that had fallen to the floor.
She was heartbroken if even a single strand of her hair fell out, so she couldn't let it go to waste. She had to ask Po Mo to straighten each strand of her hair, so that it might be used as a token of their love in the future.
Anyway, there was no name written on the hair, so it was impossible to tell whose it was.
After a good night's sleep, Po Mo brought a note when he came in.
"Miss, this is the note that was given to me at the side gate this morning. Please take a look." Po Mo was skilled at winning people's hearts. Fearing that Zhu Xuanning would be bullied, she had already taken control of a small number of servants for her mistress.
Zhu Xuanning assumed it was a message from Mei Jiashan's people, so she unfolded the note.
Zhu Xuanning glanced at it, then got up, lit a lamp, and burned the note to ashes.
The flickering flames reflected in her dark eyes, and Zhu Xuanning's lips pressed down slightly.
The next day, the imperial decree of marriage arrived in a grand procession before the Mei and Zhenguo mansions, sealing the marriage for the two without any further complications.
Despite his injuries, Mei Jiashan accepted the imperial decree and sat in his room all night, calmly accepting the outcome.
A note from the author:
Song Zhaohan (shaking her cousin's shoulder): Do you understand?! Do you even understand?! I'm the third wheel! I'm the other ship trying to take over!
[Thumbs up][Thumbs up] Yan Hengdan is a hypocrite, but her attitude towards Meibao will definitely change later!
I've already updated 11,000 words! One more chapter tomorrow and I'll reach the word count limit for the rankings! [Let me see][Let me see]
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