“Master!” Young Madam Yang rushed over in fright, turning her head to call out, “Mother, please summon Imperial Physician Gu to examine the Master!”
Madam Yang was startled at first but quickly regained her composure: “Eldest Son is just overwrought, he’s exhausted from speaking too much. Don’t panic, let him rest quietly. If his condition worsens, then we’ll call for Imperial Physician Gu.”
He had been recovering for a month now; even at its worst, it wasn’t as dire as when he was first carried back. Seeing the Young Madam still crying incessantly while lying across Yang Jingshan, ignoring her words completely, Madam Yang said angrily, “Yingying, help your eldest sister-in-law out!”
Not many people knew about Ji Yingying’s involvement in weaving the brocade. To avoid disturbing Yang Jingshan, only Madam Yang, Young Madam Yang, and Ji Yingying were in the room.
Young Madam Yang watched her husband’s pale face, terrified something might happen to him, and refused to leave. When she saw Ji Yingying reach out to pull her away, an inexplicable anger surged up. As she shook off Ji Yingying, her hand swept across, landing a sharp slap on Ji Yingying’s face. With her anger dissipating through that slap, Young Madam Yang came to her senses. She hurriedly stood up and reached for Ji Yingying’s hand that was covering her face: “Sister-in-law, I’m sorry, I was just worried…”
Ji Yingying lowered her hand and forced herself to say, “It’s fine.”
If only the Young Madam’s eyes hadn’t held such sharpness in that moment of turning back, she might have believed it was truly unintentional…
Madam Yang, completely unaware of Young Madam Yang’s complex feelings toward Ji Yingying, truly believed it was unintentional. She sighed and said, “I was too hasty. Let’s discuss this with Eldest Son when he’s better. Yingying, you should return to Mingyue Residence now.”
Ji Yingying silently curtsied and withdrew.
Mingyue Residence faced Bailu Hall across the lake. It had five rooms facing north, with three wing rooms on the left side. Behind were the servants’ quarters. Standing on the spacious corridor outside the main room, the lake was visible without obstruction. By the lake stood a massive yellow-bark tree that would take several people’s arms to encircle. Ji Yingying thought of her small courtyard back home.
“Third Madam, when the Master was home, I managed Mingyue Residence. If Third Madam needs anything, please instruct me. I live in the rear quarters of the front courtyard. I serve in the courtyard during the day.”
After Yang Jingyuan left, Xiangyou had become a masterless servant. Fortunately, with the Third Madam’s arrival, Xiangyou was like withered grass revived by spring rain, showing renewed vitality. He was especially attentive in welcoming Ji Yingying back.
“From now on, Mama Ji will manage Mingyue Residence. If I need anything, I’ll send a maid to find you. It’s getting late, so you may go now. Return to serve in the courtyard tomorrow.”
After dismissing Xiangyou, Ji Yingying returned to her bedroom and sat dazedly before the dressing table.
This dressing table was bought from the Sheng family’s woodwork shop. Before the marriage was completed, they hadn’t waited for Young Master Sheng to find a crystal mirror, so they had installed a copper mirror carved with peach blossoms. Every piece of her dowry had been carefully selected by her mother. Would a mother who loved her so dearly force her into marriage for her brother’s sake? Ji Yingying looked at herself in the mirror and said softly, “Mother, you must have done this to protect me, right? Zhao Xiuyuan went mad again on my wedding day. You must not have wanted him to hurt me again, right?”
What did it matter to the Ji family whether Yang Jingyuan returned to the Yang family or not? Even without marriage, she could still help the Yang family weave the champion brocade. Madam Yang’s words were so direct that Ji Yingying couldn’t help but believe them.
For the Ji family’s sake, she should marry.
For her own sake, she should marry too.
But she felt like she was trapped in a tightly sealed room on a hot day, suffocating, unable to breathe.
“My lady, Sister Xueqing has boiled eggs. Let me apply them to your face.”
Observing proper distance, Xueqing had dutifully boiled the eggs and placed them in a cloth bag, but didn’t approach herself, instead handing them to Xianger.
Ji Yingying rose, letting Ying’er help her remove her outer clothes and undo her hair before lying down.
The warm eggs rolled across her face. Ji Yingying closed her eyes and said, “The Young Madam didn’t use much force, and I’m not that delicate, it’s nothing.”
A tear fell on her face. Xianger choked up: “How could they treat you like this? If it had been the Madam they were helping, would the Young Madam still struggle so hard and accidentally slap the Madam?”
Let it be humiliating then. What else could she do? Accuse the Young Madam of doing it intentionally? And then what?
Ji Yingying mumbled, “Just ten more days.”
In ten more days, Yang Jingyuan would surely return.
The Elder Madam must have known that she knew Yang Jingyuan’s whereabouts. But she hadn’t asked a single question. Could it be that she already understood that even if she knew where he was, she couldn’t make him come home?
“Where are the dragon and phoenix candles?”
Xianger made a surprised sound, taking a moment to remember: “Mama Ji put them away. She said they’d be brought out when the young master returns.”
“Take them out and place them on the table.”
Xianger agreed.
Ji Yingying continued: “Tell Uncle Ji Fu to return home. Tell them I won’t be coming back for the third-day visit.”
Why had she changed her mind about the traditional third-day return home?
She didn’t want to hear unwanted words from her mother’s lips. Since the Yang family would keep the Ji family safe, what was the point of going back? Ji Yingying turned to her side, facing inward: “I’m tired. You may all go. I won’t have dinner, I need to catch up on sleep. Don’t wake me.”
She hadn’t slept at all last night. Today’s family recognition ceremony and long conversation with Madam Yang had exhausted Ji Yingying.
She fell into a deep sleep.
“Click, click, click!”
The flint and steel struck together, making small rhythmic sounds. An orange flame ignited. After several more clicks, another candle was lit.
The sudden light in the room startled Ji Yingying awake from her drowsy state, and she turned over.
Beyond the translucent green gauze curtains, someone had lit the dragon and phoenix candles on the table. A tall figure stood before the candles, facing away from her.
“Who’s there!” Ji Yingying suddenly pulled aside the curtains.
Yang Jingyuan turned around.
The familiar striking eyebrows, handsome features… but his eyes were so strange. Ji Yingying’s heart contracted, and she gripped the gauze curtain tightly.
He had returned. On her second day as a bride in the Yang family, he had returned.
If he had come back one day earlier, she wouldn’t have married into the Yang family like this. If he had come back one day earlier, she wouldn’t have spent a sleepless night, afraid of his blame and hatred.
Yang Jingyuan’s gaze swept over the plain white mourning clothes on the clothes rack, which he took down and threw to her: “Put it on.”
Those two emotionless words made Ji Yingying shiver. She quickly put on the clothes and looked at him, saying, “There was no news from you…”
Her waist suddenly tightened as Yang Jingyuan grabbed her.
Ji Yingying’s eyes filled with tears as she reached out to wrap her arms around his neck.
In an instant, her body was lifted into the air as Yang Jingyuan hoisted her onto his shoulder. Ji Yingying didn’t want to cry out and suddenly closed her mouth. Her teeth bit her tongue, making her furrow her brows in pain.
Being carried like this was truly uncomfortable; she felt like she might vomit from the jostling. She knew Yang Jingyuan must be angry. Only when angry would he be so inconsiderate of her comfort. Ji Yingying tried her best to relax her body, watching the ground scenery quickly retreat and disappear beneath her.
Yang Jingyuan easily avoided the night patrol servants, carrying Ji Yingying to Yuefeng Court. The courtyard gate was locked. After Concubine Liu’s death, there wasn’t even anyone left to clean or guard the place. Yang Jingyuan coldly glanced at the lock, then leaped over the wall with her.