While the household manager was still crying bitterly, a woman coldly interrupted her: “This happened suddenly, and Lady Teng must have her reasons for such arrangements. The Crown Prince of Cheng is Grand Master Qingxu’s martial grandson – with him here, surely your lady can be saved. Where is Lady Teng now? She’s still young and must be frightened by such an incident. Quickly lead us inside – I need to see her with my own eyes to be at ease.”
Duan Wenyin’s words were carefully measured, showing outward concern for the Teng family while actually reminding her brother not to be swayed by Manager Dong’s emotional display.
Duan Ningyuan indeed composed himself and changed the subject: “Your Highness, are the injured inside?”
Madam Du’s previously puzzled expression finally relaxed upon hearing this.
Lin Chengyou responded with a sound of acknowledgment and asked the palace servant: “How are they arranged inside?”
“Following Your Highness’s instructions, the five injured women have been placed on one couch with thick curtains screening them, leaving only their feet visible for identification.”
“The Duke An’s wife need not be placed with the other injured. She has been possessed by the demon for so long that her survival through the night remains uncertain. Prepare hot soup inside and prepare an ox cart at the front. Once she takes the first dose of medicine, immediately transport her to the Azure Cloud Temple.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Teng Yu, anticipating the visitors’ entrance, had risen with her aunt. The black gauze veil remained over her face, making it unnecessary to avoid their gazes.
There were many visitors, including Lin Chengyou and the people from the Marquis Zhenguo’s mansion, as well as several noblewomen in elaborate hairstyles and fine clothing.
Duan Wenyin was the first to enter.
Recently, Chang’an women had taken to wearing Hu-style men’s clothing, and Duan Wenyin was passionate about this fashion. Though attending a banquet today, instead of traditional women’s attire, she wore Hu-style clothing with a gold-embroidered hat and black boots with gold thread. With her naturally tall and straight posture, the outfit suited her perfectly, giving her a bold and heroic bearing.
After entering, Duan Wenyin glanced around before striding toward Madam Du and Teng Yu: “Forgive our late arrival. His Highness the Prince was busy dispersing the crowd at the front, but we insisted on coming to check on you. Madam, I hope you weren’t too frightened. Is Yu’er well? How are the injured members of your household?”
Madam Du led Teng Yu forward to meet them, smiling as she said: “Thank you for your concern, Madam. Everyone is fine now.”
Teng Yu displayed a sweet smile and performed a proper courtesy.
Duan Wenyin drew Teng Yu close to examine her. In her goose-yellow half-sleeve jacket and single-layered cyan silk gauze skirt, the black gauze veil might block distant gazes but couldn’t prevent scrutiny. Upon careful observation, she sincerely praised that this child had eyes like clear pools and skin as white as frost – truly a peerless beauty.
“It’s been three or four years since we last met. The last time our families gathered, Yu’er was still a little child, but now she’s grown so tall. I heard a few days ago that Yu’er was coming, and since I’m also in Chang’an, I had planned to invite you to admire the flowers at Ximing Temple. Who knew such an incident would occur right after your arrival? Fortunately, your aunt was here, or you might have been terrified.”
Madam Du warmly replied: “This child has a strong spirit – she wasn’t really frightened, but that demon was terrifying. We should properly help her recover from the shock later.”
After speaking, Madam Du introduced Teng Yu to the other ladies, including both relatives of the Marquis Zhenguo’s family and wives of colleagues who had served alongside Teng Shao.
As they spoke, Madam Du glanced toward the area behind Duan Wenyin, where a young lord stood at the entrance. In his brocade clothes and jade crown, with a posture straight as a pine tree, it was none other than Young General Duan.
Madam Du’s heart and eyes filled with joy – this marriage arrangement was excellent, and the boy had grown increasingly outstanding.
The Young General Duan was quite courteous. After entering, he lowered his eyes and cupped his hands in greeting: “Junior pays respects to Madam.”
Madam Du nodded with a smile: “Good, you are thoughtful.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Madam Du casually glanced outside. If not for the Crown Prince of Cheng’s jade-like presence, all the brilliance in the room would have shifted to Ningyuan. Strangely enough, though the Crown Prince of Cheng maintained a carefree demeanor, he drew even more attention than Young General Duan.
Lin Chengyou refused to enter, instead lounging sideways in a foreign-style chair in the outer room while they conversed, his fingers carelessly tapping the armrest. When the palace servants brought tea, he placed a talisman over the teacup and instructed them to quickly serve it to Duke An’s wife.
Manager Dong from the Dong household had been following Lin Chengyou since entering. Seeing him finish his task, she quickly knelt before him: “Your Highness, saving lives is urgent – please give this servant another pill of that life-saving medicine.”
“None left,” Lin Chengyou answered straightforwardly.
The room fell silent as everyone’s attention turned toward them.
After paying respects to Madam Du, Duan Ningyuan had been standing quietly to the side, his face calm and composed though unable to hide the worry in his eyes. Hearing this, he forced a smile and said: “Your Highness loves to jest. The Azure Cloud Temple possesses rare treasures from all Daoist schools across the world. Not to mention just a bottle of pills – even the art of raising the dead is within their means. Please give it to this servant woman, lest her crying and wailing disturb everyone’s peace.”
Lin Chengyou replied unhurriedly: “That medicine is called the Six Elements Pill. Its ingredients are extraordinarily rare. My master expended considerable effort to refine this bottle of pills. He wouldn’t even use them himself, giving them to me for protection instead. The previous dose used them all up. Getting another bottle is possible – just need to wait a few years.”
Duan Wenyin and Madam Du exchanged startled glances – so it was the renowned Six Elements Pill. They had heard that ordinary people could take it not only to cure illness and extend life, but women could use it for beauty as well.
However, refining this medicine required perfect timing – one might not obtain a single bottle in ten years. Due to its rarity, it was considered as precious as heaven’s treasures.
Many in Chang’an had heard of the Six Elements Pill, and all coveted it. In anyone else’s possession, it might have already invited disaster, but because it belonged to Lin Chengyou, no one dared to scheme for it.
The household manager was stunned for a moment before breaking into loud sobs: “Years? Does this mean my lady can’t be saved? Poor lady, she just came of age last month, beautiful as flowers and jade, yet fate is so cruel to her.”
She wept while prostrating herself: “When the master arrives later, he will surely be heartbroken. With the madam bedridden, if she hears this tragic news about the young lady, I fear she won’t survive either. It’s all this foolish servant’s fault. Even three servants from General Teng’s household were saved, but my young lady can only wait for death.”
Though her words sounded tragic, they subtly accused Teng Yu of being selfish and heartless.
Duan Wenyin’s expression grew uncomfortable, and Madam Du instinctively shielded Teng Yu behind her.
Yu’er had never judged right from wrong when taking action and was most protective of her own. Duan Fu had served Yu’er’s side for many years with unwavering loyalty – even if the earlier events were to happen a hundred times over, Yu’er would make the same choice.
This certainly couldn’t be blamed on Yu’er, but Second Lady Dong was indeed in the flower of youth – if she lost her life now, it would truly be a tragedy. Now they could only hope the Crown Prince of Cheng had other methods, otherwise-
While everyone’s attention was drawn to the household manager’s crying, Teng Yu secretly observed the curtain before the couch. Just as Duan Ningyuan was speaking with Lin Chengyou, there was a slight movement behind the curtain, so subtle it might go unnoticed without careful attention. She understood the situation and discreetly withdrew her gaze.
Lin Chengyou was also watching the bed curtain. Seeing the slight ripple before the bed, a hint of mockery appeared on his lips. As he was about to rise, Duan Ningyuan tried to negotiate with him again: “Your Highness, besides the Six Elements Pill, are there any other methods?”
Lin Chengyou glanced inside the room and simply sat back down: “No. This demon has a grassy body and a wooden heart. Today the Shangsi Festival is its day of transformation into a demon. Its magical power is already beyond ordinary demons, and as we approach the midnight hour, its evil energy grows stronger. If someone hadn’t preemptively cut off one of its arms and wounded its vital energy, even the Six Elements Pill might not have saved the victims’ lives. Since Second Lady Dong couldn’t take the medicine, I have no solution.”
Duan Ningyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he enunciated each word: “Truly no medicine can save her?”
“No medicine can save her.”
Juesheng and Qizhi couldn’t help saying: “Young General Duan, our senior martial brother is injured himself. If there were any Six Elements Pills left, why wouldn’t he take one himself?”
Only then did everyone notice the bloodstains on Lin Chengyou’s robes and that his complexion was much worse than before.
The palace servants had been too frightened earlier to pay attention to Lin Chengyou’s clothing. Seeing this now, they became alarmed and rushed forward in a group, hurrying to attend to him: “Your Highness, shall we send someone to summon Imperial Physician Yu from the Imperial Dispensary?”
Lin Chengyou impatiently raised his arm to wave them away: “Stop making such a fuss.”
The household manager continued weeping mournfully: “Such a sudden calamity! With the madam ill, the Second Lady has been attending her bedside daily. She rarely comes out to celebrate festivals, and now she’s lost her life like this. It only needed one pill, why be so hardhearted—”
Duan Ningyuan stood rigid as a wooden statue, his intense grief having nowhere to vent. Thinking of what had happened earlier, he glared at Teng Yu.
This was his fiancée? Though her face was hidden behind a veil, this woman was undoubtedly the most detestable person he had ever met.
“She was laughing and talking on the way here, and now she’s gone.” The household manager sobbed breathlessly. “My Second Lady had the heart of a Bodhisattva, she wouldn’t even harm flowers and grass normally. What sin did she commit? Why did it have to be Second Lady…”
The lines of Duan Ningyuan’s cheeks flickered visibly as he clearly gritted his teeth, finally pierced to the heart by these words. He suddenly spoke: “Lady Teng, since the medicine came to your hands, I’m not asking you to be selfless, but with four pills in total, why did the Teng family take them all, not sparing even one for others?”
His voice had grown hoarse, clearly having lost his rationality due to anger.
Duan Wenyin sharply rebuked: “Ningyuan!”
Madam Du said: “Young General Duan, when Yu’er distributed the medicine to Mingzhu and the others, she didn’t know there were only four pills in the bottle. If she had known beforehand there weren’t enough, she certainly wouldn’t have arranged it this way.”
“Surely she knew when it came to the last pill? Yet she still gave it to her servant, showing she only thinks of herself, treating others’ lives as worthless as grass. Sister, now you see clearly – how can such a selfish and domineering woman be a good match for the Duan family?”
The ladies were dumbfounded. Lin Chengyou looked up at Duan Ningyuan with some surprise in his eyes.
Duan Wenyin was stunned for a moment before erupting in anger: “What nonsense are you talking!”
Teng Yu performed a courtesy and calmly looked toward Duan Wenyin: “Madam has heard it – Young General Duan wants to break off the engagement because I saved the Teng family’s servants.”
Duan Wenyin shot her brother a fierce glare before gently comforting Teng Yu: “Ningyuan drank quite a bit at the banquet, his mind is muddled and speaking nonsense. Yu’er, please be understanding – don’t take these drunken words to heart.”
Teng Yu nodded: “If Young General Duan’s drunken slip needs others to be understanding, who should we ask to be understanding about our encounter with the demon in the forest?”
Duan Ningyuan choked for a moment.
“We barely escaped from the forest when the demon pursued us to Purple Cloud Tower. At that time, Lanxia Pavilion was in chaos, my cousins were critically ill, and I feared missing the crucial moment for treatment. Before using the medicine, I couldn’t estimate the number of pills. Only upon coming out did I realize just one remained. Young General Duan, what would you have done?”
Duan Ningyuan said angrily: “Since the Teng family had already received three pills, for the sake of fairness, the last one should have been given to others.”
“But Duan Fu isn’t just a Teng family servant.” Teng Yu’s tone turned icy. “If not for Duan Fu holding off the demon for a while, we would all have died in the forest. Now that his life hangs by a thread, if I had medicine but didn’t save him, wouldn’t that make me an ungrateful wretch?”
Duan Ningyuan gritted his teeth – she was twisting logic, but with so many people present, he couldn’t openly refute her.
“In your eyes, Duan Fu is just a lowly servant, but how is he not also our lifesaving benefactor? If a person won’t even care for their benefactor, what right do they have to save strangers? Let me ask Young General Duan – do you view me as an enemy because I saved my lifesaving benefactor, or because I could not save Second Lady Dong? If I had given the medicine to Second Lady Dong and abandoned Duan Fu, would you still berate me for being unfair?!”
Duan Ningyuan froze as if slapped across the face, shame burning on his features.
The ladies, being experienced in life, looked between the thick curtain by the couch and the household manager, slowly understanding the situation.
Earlier in the courtyard, the palace servants had mentioned that Second Lady Dong’s entry to Purple Cloud Tower was thanks to Duke Yong’an’s wife’s care. Young General Duan’s hurried arrival, his disregard for the Teng family’s servants, his accusations against Teng Yu – it seemed less like he came for the Teng family and more for Second Lady Dong.
The more Madam Du thought about it, the more her heart grew cold. She glared at Duan Ningyuan: “Yu’er has suffered several frights tonight. It’s one thing for Young General Duan to show no concern, but how can you blame Yu’er without understanding the situation? Though she’s young, she remained calm in crisis and helped save so many people – Yu’er deserves half the credit. If it were any other child, forget about distributing medicine to save people – they would have fainted several times already.
“If Young General Duan had any heart, he would understand with just a little thought. Running out of medicine wasn’t Yu’er’s fault. Our Yu’er doesn’t deserve words like ‘selfish and domineering,’ and as for whether she’s a ‘good match’ – Young General Duan has no right to speak such nonsense!”
Duan Ningyuan’s face was full of shame. Earlier, his mind had been in chaos and he had misdirected his anger. Now that he had calmed down, he knew he had gone too far. In front of everyone, knowing he had no defense, he simply lifted his robes, intending to apologize.
Teng Yu laughed coldly in her heart. At this point, how could she give him a chance to explain himself? She bowed with tears in her eyes and spoke again: “Young General Duan is a man of honor whose words cannot be taken back. Since Young General Duan himself spoke of breaking the engagement, I ask all the ladies present to bear witness.”
Duan Wenyin’s expression changed drastically. Teng Yu’s words meant to turn the tables – she should have known that a child of the Teng family would be strong-willed and wouldn’t suffer grievances without striking back. She hurriedly laughed it off: “Yu’er has misunderstood. The Dong family’s manager’s endless crying naturally made people uncomfortable. Ningyuan asked those questions merely to make this confused woman understand the reasoning herself. He intended to resolve the misunderstanding, not to question his own family. Ningyuan, I’ve always said you’re too straightforward – you had good intentions, but your drunken words only caused Yu’er to misunderstand. You must be feeling extremely regretful now, so why are you still standing there? Quickly apologize to Yu’er and Madam!”
Teng Yu shook her head “dejectedly”: “Whether Young General Duan is drunk or heartbroken, I can’t quite tell. Tomorrow I’ll write to Father about this matter and ask him to make a decision. The ladies present have much experience and see things clearly – please help make a fair judgment of tonight’s events.”
The ladies originally didn’t want to get involved in the dispute between the two families, but hearing that Teng Yu insisted on informing Teng Shao, it was clear this child wouldn’t let the Duan family brush it aside. Teng Shao was a formidable figure, and Young General Duan’s behavior tonight was truly disheartening. They couldn’t continue pretending not to understand, so they hurriedly said: “Poor child, encountering so much trouble right after arriving in Chang’an. We all understand – Yu’er has been wronged.”
Duan Ningyuan’s face alternated between pale and flushed. Duan Wenyin felt both angry and helpless – Yu’er appeared unworldly, yet her character was so decisive. In just a few exchanges, she had managed to cement the breaking of the engagement.
What could be done now? With Ningyuan making such a blunder in front of so many people, there was no way to cover it up. If it came to breaking the engagement, the fault would lie entirely with her brother. Once they left Purple Cloud Tower tonight, tomorrow the rumors would spread throughout Chang’an.