Chapter 45 Refined and Elegant
Meng Qingci took the letter, casually flipping it between two fingers, a faint smile appearing on her face: "Still calling me Miss, now I should call you Crown Princess."
Xia Guang raised her hand and lightly patted her forehead, then laughed in realization, "That's right! Look at my memory." Seeing Meng Qingci casually toss the letter on the table again, Xia Guang asked in confusion, "Isn't Madam going to open it and take a look?"
"What she wanted to say was nothing more than that, it's all very boring." Meng Qingci casually glanced at the gift list from yesterday's wedding banquet, then put the booklet on the table and said indifferently, "Make a list as usual and put it in the storeroom."
After Meng Qingci married Fu Heng, she still frequently visited Qingyun Temple, sometimes sitting quietly listening to the Dao, sometimes discussing alchemy. Fu Heng thought she was just going there to relax and didn't take it to heart.
A little over a month passed quickly. On this day, Fu Heng had a little free time and personally went to Qingyun Temple to pick up Meng Qingci.
Master Xuanming had known Fu Heng for a long time. Upon seeing Fu Heng, he suddenly noticed that Fu Heng's complexion was profound and his divine light was contained within. He couldn't help but concentrate on observing Fu Heng's face, lowering his eyes and flexing his fingers to carefully deduce. After a moment, he said in a deep voice, "How strange! Today, upon observing him, the light of the Ziwei Emperor Star has gradually faded and become dim and unclear. However, the great fortune of our lord is about to arrive, which shows that the Heavenly Pivot has already turned."
Fu Heng had always admired Xuanming Zhenren's magic, and was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. Fu Heng asked with some surprise, "Is this true? But last time, Zhenren clearly told me to proceed slowly and not to rush things! He said that there would definitely be a benefactor to help me in the dark, and that I should just wait for the right opportunity."
Master Xuanming's gaze seemed to pierce the heavens, a smile playing on his lips, as if he had already glimpsed the secrets of the world. He said slowly, "The mandate of heaven has appeared, and the phoenix has descended upon the world. Whoever obtains this noble person will find the empire to be nothing more than a possession in the hands of the lord. I believe that your wife is destined to be a phoenix, and is the heavenly assistance destined for the lord."
Upon hearing this, Fu Heng's expression suddenly hardened. He never expected that the opportunity he had been waiting for would be his own wife. His gaze suddenly deepened, like a stone falling into a cold pool, instantly stirring up a thousand silent ripples.
Master Xuanming lightly flicked his whisk and said with a smile, "I admire your wife. She is wise and quick-witted, with eyes that gleam with wisdom. She has a vision of the world in her heart, and what she sees is extraordinary. Such a character and demeanor are not comparable to ordinary women. It is truly a blessing from heaven that my lord has such a virtuous wife to assist him."
Fu Heng, however, was puzzled. He frowned and pondered, saying, "Aside from the concept of fate, I have not seen any extraordinary abilities in Madam. She is just a weak woman. How could she be connected with the general trend of the world?"
Master Xuanming stroked his beard and smiled mysteriously, his expression unfathomable: "The mysteries of creation and the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed."
Fu Heng knew that asking any more questions would be pointless, and not wanting to say more to Master Xuanming, he was about to turn around and look for Meng Qingci.
But then Master Xuanming chuckled softly from behind, saying in a teasing tone, "This humble Taoist observes that the auspicious star of love is shining upon my master, yet his spirit is hidden in melancholy and his breath is constricted. Could it be that my master has yet to be able to understand his wife's heart?"
Seeing his disrespectful and gloating appearance, Fu Heng glanced at him coldly and said in a low voice, "My relationship with her is very deep, it's none of your business!"
Xuanming Zhenren watched Fu Heng's departing figure, a half-smile playing on his lips. His sharp eyes seemed to hold the movement of stars as he stroked his beard and chuckled silently.
Before Fu Heng even stepped into the alchemy room, he heard a joyful shout from inside: "It's done! It's done! Madam is truly a divine being!"
Fu Heng pushed open the door and entered, and saw a disheveled Taoist priest with dirty hair and an old Taoist robe, the sleeves of which were covered in dust. He was holding a strangely shaped glass bottle and dancing around as if he were in a trance.
Meng Qingci sat calmly to the side, drinking tea, her expression serene.
Fu Heng's gaze fell on her face, and he asked gently, "What's done?"
When Meng Qingci saw Fu Heng arrive, a hint of guilt flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and simply said, "Nothing. What brings you here?"
"I've come to take you home." He stepped forward and took her hand, only to find her fingertips icy cold. He frowned involuntarily: "Why are your hands so cold?"
Meng Qingci didn't want Fu Heng to stay any longer, so she said perfunctorily, "Perhaps he's been sitting for too long. Since you're going back, let's go. I'm also a little tired."
Fu Heng glanced at the Taoist priest, who was still engrossed in his work, but ultimately didn't ask any more questions. Since she became pregnant, her emotions had been volatile, she was prone to tears, and she was sensitive and thoughtful. He didn't want to upset her over trivial matters. He simply took out a cloak and carefully fastened it for her, coaxing her, "The mountain breeze is starting to pick up in the evening; be careful not to catch a cold."
Meng Qingci smiled and did not refuse. The two bid farewell to Master Xuanming and descended the mountain together.
In the carriage, Meng Qingci leaned on his shoulder and soon fell asleep. Fu Heng put his arm around her thin shoulder.
He recalled the way she first slept peacefully in his carriage. She woke up in his study that day in a panic and almost fled.
Little did he know that when he saw her dancing gracefully at Princess Le'an's residence, he had already resolved never to let go. Now, with Master Xuanming's words revealing the secret of fate, he was even more convinced that the two of them were a match made in heaven, and that she was meant to be his woman, Fu Heng's woman.
That night, in bed, Fu Heng was unusually clingy, his warm, firm chest pressed tightly against hers, unmoved no matter how much Meng Qingci tried to push him away. Meng Qingci's eyes reddened, and she grew increasingly resentful of him.
Fu Heng, however, refused to give up. He gently kissed her, lingering on her sensitive spots, his hands teasing her relentlessly, while his words seemed to be a plea: "Madam, please be gentle with me."
Between the brocade quilts, passion burned intensely. The silk curtains swayed gently, their friction nearly shattering her thoughts. She lost control until her beautiful eyes glazed over and her hair was damp with sweat. She could only cling to a tall tree like a vine, or moor in a harbor like a boat.
Fu Heng adored the way she was completely devoted to him at this moment, as if their souls were one. Her lips were slightly parted, and she was breathing softly. Fu Heng could never get enough of whispering sweet nothings to her.
Meng Qingci felt that his methods were becoming increasingly difficult for her to resist. She felt weak and powerless, as if she had turned into a puddle of water. She was exhausted to the extreme and was having violent spasms, but he still refused to let her go.
Fu Heng embraced her with satisfaction, feeling content with the warmth and softness of her body. He gently stroked her hair and whispered softly, "There are bandits causing trouble in Zhejiang. I need to go there personally to quell the rebellion. I must set off tomorrow."
Meng Qingci felt an almost imperceptible surge of excitement, but she quickly relaxed, suppressing her pounding heart, and asked worriedly, "How long will it take? Will you be back in time for our child to be born?"
Fu Heng chuckled softly, his chest trembling slightly, and gently stroked her back with his warm palm: "Don't worry, it will take at least half a month, or at most a month. I will definitely be by your side when you give birth."
Meng Qingci seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and said in a soft but solemn voice, "Swords have no eyes, you must take care of yourself. My child and I are counting on you."
Upon hearing this, Fu Heng felt a sudden warmth in his heart. The young girl had always been aloof and stubborn, and never liked to rely on others. Perhaps because she was pregnant and her mind was fragile, she was occasionally willing to be close to him. Even though he knew perfectly well what was going on, he felt an indescribable sense of joy.
Fu Heng gently kissed Meng Qingci's forehead and soothed her softly, "You can rest assured and have a safe pregnancy at home."
Meng Qingci's throat moved, and she leaned closer to Fu Heng, pretending to obediently agree, little did she know that Meng Qingci's heart was already soaring.
The next day, Meng Qingci reluctantly saw Fu Heng off, her eyes even wet with tears. Fu Heng felt a lump in his throat, and even before setting off, he was already eager to return home, thinking only of how to win this battle quickly.
Two days after Fu Heng left, Meng Qingci still frequently went to Qingyun Temple.
Mo Song's eyelids have been twitching incessantly lately, his mind is in turmoil, and he can hardly sit still. Every time he accompanies his wife to Qingyun Temple, Mo Song is left bewildered, unable to understand what Meng Qingci is up to.
Although he was full of confusion, he remembered his master's instructions before leaving: if the lady wanted to go to the Taoist temple, he was told not to stop her, and he could only comply.
At this moment, Xia Guang approached lightly with a plate of pastries, handed the snacks to Mo Song, and asked with a smile, "What are you thinking about? You seem distracted?"
"It's nothing." Mo Song shook his head, took the pastries, and asked, "Why aren't you serving Madam?"
Xia Guang pouted and complained to Mo Song, "Don't even mention it. The alchemy room is such a mess that there's nowhere to step. Bottles and jars are piled up everywhere. That old Taoist priest is always talking nonsense and treats those things like precious treasures. He won't let anyone near except Madam. He won't let anyone else get close to Madam. Just now, Madam asked me to prepare some food first and said she would be here shortly."
Before they could finish speaking, a deafening roar erupted, like a thunderclap, leaving their ears ringing and the ground trembling beneath their feet. Xia Guang screamed in fright and instinctively gripped Mo Song's arm tightly.
Mo Song's heart skipped a beat, and he felt a sudden, inexplicable panic. He quickly scanned his surroundings and discovered that the loud noise was coming from the alchemy room.
Mo Song shouted, "Not good!" Without caring about anything else, he rushed away like lightning.
When he rushed closer, he found that the entire alchemy room had collapsed, and there was still a fire burning, billowing thick smoke. The pungent smell of burning filled the air, and the horrific scene before him made his blood almost freeze.
Just then, the usually eccentric old Taoist priest suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Upon seeing the situation, he beat his chest and wailed, "It's all over! My precious treasures! It's all gone!"
Xia Guang was so frightened that her voice cracked as she rushed forward, shouting, "Madam! Madam!" Her eyes reddened as she yelled at Mo Song, "Quickly put out the fire! Madam is still inside! Please save Madam!"
Mo Song clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth, and forced down the panic surging in his heart. He sharply commanded his guards, "Quick! Fetch water to put out the fire! Be quick!" He grabbed a full bucket of water, poured it over his head until he was completely soaked, and plunged headfirst into the raging inferno. The heat wave, carrying thick smoke, rushed towards him, almost suffocating him.
Mo Song's heart sank: the main beam had collapsed, the surrounding walls were completely crumbling, and all he could see were charred remains and raging flames. If his wife was inside, she was likely doomed.
Master Xuanming rushed over upon hearing the commotion, grabbed his still incoherent friend, and demanded sharply, "Qingxuzi, where is Madam?"
The mad Taoist priest named Qingxuzi pointed at the alchemy room, his face filled with a complex mix of regret and unease: "I just went to the outhouse, who knew, who knew..."
Master Xuanming asked again, "What was that loud noise from?"
Qingxuzi was also taken aback, and shook his head, saying, "How would I know? How did things turn out like this?"
Master Xuanming's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and he was greatly alarmed. He knew how much Fu Heng valued this woman, and if anything were to happen to her, Fu Heng would likely raze Qingyun Temple to the ground.
Suddenly, Master Xuanming felt a sense of awe and wonder. A thought flashed through his mind, and he seemed to have realized something. He muttered to himself, "No, no, it shouldn't be like this, it's absolutely impossible!"
At this moment, Mo Song staggered out of the billowing smoke and ruins, his face covered in dust and his expression solemn. First, there was a loud bang, like thunder, and then a huge fire. He had searched desperately, but apart from charred wood and broken tiles, fragments of clothing and a damaged embroidered shoe, he had not found a single trace.
Master Xuanming strode forward, grabbed Mo Song's arm, and said in a hurried but resolute voice, "Quickly send people to search the mountain! Hurry, be quick."
Mo Song was stunned at first, but he quickly rallied his spirits and immediately ordered his guards to seal off the mountain and conduct a thorough search. He then led a few trusted men, climbed over the mountain, mounted their horses, and rushed down the mountain road like an arrow.
Mo Song galloped along on horseback, but could not find Meng Qingci anywhere. When he reached the forest at the foot of the mountain, he suddenly saw an old woodcutter, about sixty years old, with a hunched back, carrying a bundle of firewood on his back, walking unsteadily.
He suddenly tightened the reins, and the horse neighed loudly, stopping the woodcutter and asking, "Old man, have you seen a woman of about sixteen years old pass by?"
The old woodcutter was suddenly stopped by Mo Song. He was so frightened that he trembled and his face was full of surprise. When he heard the question, he could only make incoherent gestures, his cloudy eyes full of bewilderment.
The subordinate observed for a moment and whispered, "He's mute. He means he didn't see anything, so we probably won't get anything out of him."
Mo Song was unwilling, but he could only grit his teeth and leave. He lashed out with his whip, and the horse's hooves kicked up a cloud of dust. The group of figures quickly disappeared into the forest.
The old man, still carrying the bundle of firewood, walked slowly and steadily, his back hunched, until he finally made his way to the dock.
At night, Meng Qingci removed his disguise and changed into a silver-gray round-necked robe with dark patterns. His black hair was tied up with a jade crown, making him look like a refined and elegant young nobleman. However, he had changed his appearance and was completely different from before.
Upon seeing this, Zhu Youyi exclaimed in amazement, "You look so elegant, yet you don't resemble a woman at all. You are graceful and refined, with an air of noble grace. I never imagined you possessed such talent."
"A mere trifle." Meng Qingci chuckled upon hearing this, his plain folding fan swirling open and closing with a "whoosh." He gently lifted the fan ribs and slowly lifted Zhu Youyi's chin, his voice low and mellow: "Then, Madam... should you call me husband?"
Meng Qingci thought to herself: Fortunately, she had learned cross-dressing and disguise before she transmigrated because of filming. Otherwise, even with Zhu Youyi's help, she probably wouldn't have been able to escape today.
Zhu Youyi grasped the cold fan ribs, but her gaze remained fixed on her face. She asked again, "Once you leave, there's no turning back. Are you really willing to give up the immense power of the governor's mansion?"
Meng Qingci pulled back her folding fan and casually tucked it into her waistband. Instead, she took out the marriage certificate from her sleeve and lit it in the flickering candlelight. The paper curled and charred along the flames, the flickering light reflecting her aloof and cold eyes. "From this day forward, Meng Qingci will never exist again."
Zhu Youyi sighed and said, "Your fragrance seems different. In the future..." She hesitated, but couldn't bear to hide it from her: "In the future, you will probably be unable to feel affection for other men."
Meng Qingci's gaze narrowed slightly as she looked at Zhu Youyi with a hint of confusion.
Zhu Youyi bit her lip and hesitated for a moment before saying, "This 'fragrance' technique originated from my mother's clan. It was created so that lovers could be together forever. Its original purpose was to allow them to feel each other's affection, to achieve unity of body and soul, and to hope that lovers would grow old together."
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