Seeing her angry actually put Li Jingyun in a better mood. He propped the back of his head against the carriage wall and said with a snort: “Seems like Miss Han doesn’t want to marry into the General’s Residence either.”
Huayue glanced at him, thinking to herself that given how infatuated Miss Han was with him, she probably thought day and night about nothing but how to marry into the General’s Residence.
Unless something had gone wrong, there was no way she wouldn’t come.
A sense of unease tightened in her chest for no clear reason. Huayue lifted the carriage curtain and instructed the driver: “Head toward the Han residence.”
“Yes.”
Li Jingyun was displeased: “She’s not coming, and you’re still rushing to fetch her?”
“Young Master, this servant is worried something may have happened to Miss Han.”
“Right under the Emperor’s feet in the capital, what could possibly happen?” Li Jingyun scoffed. “She’s probably just unhappy with the family’s arrangement and making an excuse not to show up. This young master knows this trick well.”
Do you think everyone is as much a troublemaker as you? Huayue smiled outwardly while seething with anger inside.
Born a favored child of heaven, doted on since birth, doing whatever he pleased without any regard for right or wrong, without a shred of basic decency.
Retribution would catch up with him eventually.
The carriage fell quiet. Li Jingyun toyed with the pendant at his waist, glancing sideways at the person next to him without much interest.
Yin Huayue sat turned toward him, the corners of her mouth stiffly curved upward, though there was no real smile in her eyes. She looked cold and distant, like morning mist rising on a day of frost.
Most servants carried an air of humility and timidity, trembling with caution—but she was different. Her deference was thoroughly false, just like the fake smile she wore now, which grew more unpleasant to look at the longer one studied it.
She said nothing more, and he too was too lazy to speak, the carriage swaying onward.
The area near the city gate was usually bustling, but heading toward the Han residence, the roads grew emptier the farther they went. The wheels rolled over a bluestone bridge, and suddenly a carriage appeared at the bridge’s opening.
A lantern bearing the Han family’s mark hung from the carriage eaves, but there was no sign of the horse, nor the driver—only the carriage body, tilted and left abandoned by the bridge.
Sensing something was terribly wrong, Huayue had their carriage stop and hurried over to look.
There were sword and blade marks on the wheels, one lantern shattered—clearly there had been a struggle. The carriage interior was empty, though scattered about were various items: beads from a hairpin, a crumpled handkerchief, and a tuft of dark brown fur.
Just as she picked up the strange tuft of fur to examine it more closely, she heard the troublemaker behind her urging her on.
“Done looking?” Li Jingyun sat on the carriage shaft, yawning. “Get back here, we’re returning to the residence.”
Huayue turned around, seemingly muttering something under her breath.
Li Jingyun raised an eyebrow with interest: “What did you say?”
The figure in the distance smoothed her skirt, seemingly calming quickly, and returned to stand before him, hands folded, bowing slightly at the waist: “Reporting to Young Master, this servant said Miss Han has run into trouble—we should send word to the Han residence.”
“Did I cause her trouble?”
“Reporting to Young Master, no.”
“Well then, that settles it.” Li Jingyun snorted with a laugh. “Her standing me up has already put this young master in a bad mood—now I have to run errands for her too?”
Huayue slowly raised her head, her gaze gradually filling with suspicion.
Li Jingyun rolled his eyes: “Don’t jump to conclusions. This young master isn’t so despicable as to lay a hand on a woman.”
“Young Master also said that right under the Emperor’s feet in the capital, nothing could possibly go wrong.” Huayue looked around. “This place may be sparsely populated, but it’s not entirely without passersby either. The carriage has been abandoned here for a while now, yet no officials have come. Doesn’t Young Master find that strange?”
“Strange, very strange.” Li Jingyun nodded in agreement. “But what does that have to do with me?”
“…”
“You’re just a servant—you should simply listen to your master. Why do you worry about so much?” Li Jingyun reached out and pulled her back onto the carriage, then lazily instructed the driver, “Back to the residence.”
As the curtain slowly fell, Li Jingyun glanced outward as if by chance, seemingly casual.
The lone lantern was swept up by the sand, its torn paper rustling. On the tilted carriage body, the sword marks were chaotic, but layered together, each stroke’s tail consistently curved to the left.
He withdrew his gaze.
Huayue stumbled as she knelt back down inside the carriage, on the verge of scolding him but holding back, finally saying gently instead: “Miss Han has admired Young Master for a long time. Even for the sake of that affection, Young Master shouldn’t be so cold-hearted.”
“Oh?” Li Jingyun leaned back against the soft cushion, too lazy to even lift his eyelids. “Which eye of yours sees her admiring me?”
“A young lady’s feelings are plain to see. If she admires and adores someone, her eyes will never leave him. Miss Han, in front of Young Master, has always had a focused gaze—even from far away, she is certainly looking at Young Master.”
“Whatever Young Master likes, she takes to heart. When Young Master was injured once, she was so anxious she paced the main hall several times over.”
Huayue explained to him calmly: “This is what it means to admire Young Master.”
Li Jingyun was unconvinced: “She admires me, so I have to take that into consideration? Any sensible person, once rejected, should know their place. Persistent pestering never wins favor—that much shouldn’t even need thinking about.”
“…”
Huayue laughed in exasperation. She knew this little brat was heartless, but she hadn’t expected him to be this cold. Though the marriage between the two families hadn’t been formally settled, rumors had long circulated outside. Miss Han’s fate now hung in the balance, and yet he couldn’t spare even a shred of sentiment.
Li Jingyun narrowed his eyes, displeased: “Are you blaming me for this?”
“Reporting to Young Master, this servant wouldn’t dare.”
“Then stop waiting around, head back to the residence.”
Swallowing her frustration, Huayue lowered her head obediently and lifted the carriage curtain to instruct the driver.
Something having happened to Miss Han was in no way beneficial to the General’s Residence—it might even bring disgrace upon them. Li Jingyun might be cold-hearted and ungrateful, but the General’s Residence couldn’t simply stay out of it.
But the Han family was, after all, a prominent household with ties to no small number of court officials. Who would dare target Miss Han right in the capital, and do so without leaving a trace?
Huayue puzzled over it, unable to find an answer, and couldn’t help glancing at Li Jingyun again.
Li Jingyun’s face darkened.
He had never met such a bold and unrestrained servant. What did she take him for? If he’d really wanted to do something, there wouldn’t even be a carriage left behind, let alone anything else.
He really felt like sending her back to the steward’s courtyard for another beating, to turn that single-humped camel into a double-humped one.
“Young Master, we’ve arrived.”
The carriage stopped at the small east gate of the General’s Residence, and Huayue suddenly became attentive, bringing over a footstool for him and helping him down.
Li Jingyun brushed her hand away in disdain: “This young master knows the way.”
“Young Master may not be aware, but many areas of the residence are currently under renovation, with plenty of debris about. It would be more proper to follow this servant.” She led the way for him, her posture respectful.
Recalling how even scaling the wall the day before had gone badly, Li Jingyun figured she had a point, and followed her, winding this way and that through the residence.
But as they walked, they ended up walking straight into the place he disliked most.
“Madam, something happened on the road today. Young Master, worried you might be concerned, has come specially to pay his respects.” The moment they crossed the threshold, Huayue’s cheerful voice carried through the entire main courtyard.
Li Jingyun’s steps froze; he turned to leave.
Huayue grabbed hold of him, her strength suddenly several times greater than before—no matter how he planted his feet, she dragged him along, leaving two winding trails scraped into the ground.
“…”
Li Jingyun felt that as long as Yin Huayue remained in this world, his resentment would never be settled.