The candlelight burned brightly, with wisps of incense smoke rising from the ancient bronze Bo Mountain censer. Curtains hung like mist, and a jade-colored embroidered mat lay atop the ivory platform. The hall was spacious and quiet. As the night breeze gently lifted the bamboo blinds, Jin Yue and a line of maids entered the small curtained chamber carrying silver basins of water. In the dim candlelight, Jin Yue saw Miss Luo Lingyu still unconscious on the mat, with their young master kneeling beside her. Third Young Master Lu had white gauze covering his eyes, his jet-black hair falling loosely around his cheeks. He was slightly hunched over, appearing casual as he used an already-cool cloth to wipe the sweat from the unconscious lady’s brow.
Though he couldn’t see, his mood seemed entirely unaffected. Jin Yue watched as he wiped left and right with the white cloth. He then discarded the cloth and directly used his fingertips to touch the lady’s luminous skin. Finding it delicate as snow and rather to his taste, Lu Yun’s hands caressed the lady’s cheeks, pinching and kneading her face…
Seeing the young master behave this way, Zhi Yue, the maid following behind Jin Yue, felt her chest tighten and lowered her head dejectedly.
It was Jin Yue who finally chided: “Young Master, stop toying with Miss Luo… What will you say when Lady Luo wakes and finds her face all red from pinching?”
Third Young Master Lu replied with utmost innocence: “How am I toying? I can’t see anything, how is this my fault?”
Luo Lingyu had merely fainted from fright at her potentially tragic fate. Lu Yun had carried her to rest on the cool ivory platform, while Jin Yue and the other maids massaged her chest and wiped away her sweat. Finally, the lady let out a soft moan and opened her eyes. The moment she awoke and sat up, Lu Yun paused, withdrawing his hand from her cheek with evident disappointment.
Jin Yue smiled: “The lady has finally awakened. Our young master was very worried.”
Luo Lingyu shielded her eyes from the candlelight, and upon opening them saw Lu Yun sitting beside her, his “gaze” lowered. Jin Yue and the other maids tactfully withdrew after a brief word, though Zhi Yue was reluctant to leave and had to be dragged away by the other maids with a hand over her mouth. Having just awakened, Luo Lingyu didn’t notice the discord among the maids, focusing only on Third Young Master Lu.
Lu Yun’s robes hung loose, his posture graceful as jade. His profile, partially hidden by his long hair, was refined and handsome – elegant eyebrows, high nose bridge, and crimson lips. He had always been exceptionally good-looking, with the only difference today being the white gauze covering his eyes. Upon seeing the gauze over his eyes, Luo Lingyu’s earlier memories came flooding back, and grief suddenly overwhelmed her.
She sat up and frantically grabbed his sleeve, her hand wanting to touch his face but feeling it improper, finally just resting awkwardly on his clothing. Luo Lingyu asked urgently in a trembling voice: “Your eyes… your eyes… are they alright?”
Lu Yun paused for a moment.
Then the eyes beneath the gauze narrowed slightly, understanding what Luo Lingyu was thinking.
The young master who had been sitting so casually a moment ago now, under Luo Lingyu’s intense gaze, lowered his face and revealed a bitter smile at the corner of his lips. He let out a long sigh… As he sighed, the color drained from Luo Lingyu’s face once more. Seeing Third Young Master Lu’s face turned toward the window, covered in gauze, with that bitter smile, he appeared dejected, fragile, and pitiful. Luo Lingyu’s heart clenched as she heard Lu Yun say: “If I were to… go blind, what would become of me?”
Luo Lingyu: “…”
She placed her hand on top of his, forcing herself to remain calm while extracting useful information from her chaotic memories: “No, that won’t happen… The aunt told me earlier that your eyes would be fine…”
Lu Yun sighed again: “That was before. When the physician came back later, that’s not what he said.”
Luo Lingyu: “…”
Lu Yun spoke softly with melancholy: “If my face is ruined, if I lose my sight… will little sister Yu’er still stay by my side?”
Luo Lingyu’s entire body trembled heavily.
Lu Yun had ended up in this state because he saved her, and she was very worried about his injury. But at the same time, she worried about her fate. Third Young Master Lu’s status was not something she could afford to offend – if he really… she wouldn’t be able to stay in Jianye anymore. Not only would she be unable to stay in Jianye, but in the Lu family’s eyes, ten cousins and sisters weren’t worth as much as Lu Yun’s eyes. She had come to Jianye seeking marriage prospects, yet this was the result she got…
Having already fainted once from fright, this time when the painful matter was brought up again, Luo Lingyu showed more resilience. After a long silence, she finally managed a trembling, forced smile and said: “I will stay with you… If Brother Xuezhen hadn’t stepped forward, it would have been my face that was ruined today. Even if the Lu family doesn’t mention it, I know how much you’ve helped me. If you do lose your sight, if your face is ruined, I will surely stay by your side as your servant, caring for you for life.”
Tears rolled down from her eyes.
Her fingers trembled lightly where they rested on his clothes.
When she spoke these words, it was as if she could see her ideal husband and happy marriage growing wings and flying away from her. Her bright future had suddenly dimmed, falling from the daughter of a noble family to such a fate… becoming a servant was the only way to appease the Lu family’s hatred and repay Lu Yun’s kindness…
Lu Yun suddenly reached out his hand, placing it on her face, feeling the tears there.
Lu Yun asked with neither warmth nor coldness: “Staying by my side, does it pain you so much?”
Wiping her tears, Luo Lingyu sobbed continuously, “I too am from a noble family. Other noble daughters all have proper marriages, but because I have no parents to protect me, I must become a servant, losing all face. My younger sister will also be looked down upon because of me… I am considered a peerless beauty, I’ve practiced music, chess, poetry, and painting for over ten years and excel in all of them, and I’m not behind anyone in cooking, dancing, or women’s work… My fingers are full of calluses, even my index finger pad has been worn rough. I gather flower dew at dawn and grind spices at night… yet I must, I must…”
Lu Yun leaned in closer, his face almost touching hers, instantly forcing back her tears. Luo Lingyu held her breath, watching the white gauze before her eyes grew larger. Lu Yun’s hand caressed her wrist: “You must what? If you had shown me even two or three-tenths of the attention you’ve shown other young masters, you wouldn’t be in such a miserable state.”
Luo Lingyu: “Nonsense. I’ve never paid attention to any other young masters.”
Lu Yun was startled, then laughed. He knew she was a heartless person, but hearing her admit it still made him feel pleased. Lu Yun lowered his gaze, his fingers pressing against hers, because he could feel that she had indeed paid attention to him. The young master laughed softly, his breath intermingling with hers. Perhaps because his eyes were covered by gauze and he couldn’t see, his face lightly brushed against hers. His hot breath came closer, making Luo Lingyu’s cheeks flush red, tears still glistening in her eyes, while her heart began to race.
Lu Yun laughed by her ear, his lips almost touching her earlobe. Trembling, Luo Lingyu tried hard to resist the urge to cover her ears. Her face and ears were red, and her beautiful eyes turned to look at him, responding to his teasing. Seeing his face gradually flush pink as well, feeling his heated breath, as his lips and ears pressed against hers, seemingly aroused… Luo Lingyu said softly: “If you really can’t recover, I’m willing to serve you for life. But since I am so beautiful, why can’t you give me the proper status I deserve, to make me more willing?”
Lu Yun paused, then smiled gently: “Give you thousands in silver?”
Luo Lingyu’s eyes lit up.
Lu Yun tilted his ear to listen to her reaction, hearing her breathing quicken. He paused, then continued: “And give you a golden house to keep you in.”
Luo Lingyu nodded happily.
Lu Yun’s hand entwined in her hair, his lips curving in what seemed both mockery and amusement: “Fine fields and mansions, thousands of shops, the title of principal wife. Everything I have, I’ll share with you, how about that?”
At this, Luo Lingyu was truly overjoyed, nodding repeatedly and laughing out loud.
Lu Yun was amused by her, and couldn’t help pinching her face again, laughing as he scolded: “How can you be so fond of wealth and power?”
Luo Lingyu covered her cheeks, making whimpering sounds as he pinched her face. Her soft voice was like a cat’s mewing, and after she made two such sounds, Lu Yun’s expression changed subtly. Suddenly, he wanted to tear off the gauze from his eyes, wanted to press her beneath him, wanted to look closer, to see what expression she wore, what she looked like right now. His heart stirred with desire, but reason reminded him that his facial wound hadn’t healed, barely managing to pull back his uncontrolled emotions. But when Lu Yun spoke again, his voice had already become somewhat hoarse and tense: “…Lingyu, let me ask you.”
Luo Lingyu: “Hmm?”
Lu Yun: “Since you know I can give you everything you want, why did you treat me that way?”
Luo Lingyu’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she lifted her eyelids, her beautiful eyes like rippling waves as she gazed at his handsome face. His voice was neither high nor low, and perhaps because his eyes were covered by gauze, that soul-consuming pressure wasn’t bearing down on her, allowing her some breathing room under his beauty. Third Young Master Lu hadn’t spoken explicitly, but it was understood – they both knew he was referring to the earlier incident with the glass bracelet being sold.
Luo Lingyu lowered her eyes: “…”
He still couldn’t let it go, couldn’t reconcile with it. Even though he had convinced himself to give her a way out, wanting to reconcile with her, the glass bracelet remained a thorn in his heart. As proud as Lu Yun was, he couldn’t convince himself until this thorn was removed.
Luo Lingyu’s hand trembled slightly in his grip. There were many things she might never say in her lifetime, and would never admit to. If things had developed normally, she would certainly never have shown weakness before him. But if Lu Yun was ruined like this, and she had to compensate him for a lifetime… she would have to show weakness, ah, had to make him feel that she was the one who was wronged.
Luo Lingyu spoke the truth: “Because… you are different.”
The eyes beneath Lu Yun’s gauze contracted slightly.
Luo Lingyu looked up at him: “I both fear you and don’t fear you. I feel it’s just this way, yet know it won’t just be this way.”
Lu Yun remained silent.
Luo Lingyu: “If other young masters gave me bracelets, I wouldn’t necessarily sell them. Because I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare give others such leverage over me. I fear that if it came to light, people would know how cold and heartless I am, and how poor. But with you, it doesn’t matter. You already look down on me, you know I would do this no matter what. When you gave me the bracelet, it was just because you were attracted to me. How much thought could there be in attraction based on looks? Indeed, you never asked about me afterward. Lu Xuezhen, you didn’t care yourself, how can you blame me for not caring?”
Lu Yun’s jaw tensed slightly: “I’ve never thrown away anything you gave me.”
Tears welled up in Luo Lingyu’s eyes again, glistening: “But I’m poor!”
Lu Yun: “…”
Luo Lingyu: “I couldn’t sell others’ gifts, so I could only sell yours. You just feel angry, you never thought about how difficult my situation was. Other ladies are noble in character, neither corrupted by wealth nor bent by power, they would maintain their integrity even if poverty killed them. But I am a person without integrity. You knew this from the start, why are you settling accounts with me only now?”
Lu Yun immediately pinched her face again, making her cry out in pain.
Lu Yun said teasingly: “Little sister Yu’er is still so eloquent, turning black into white. But remember, with me, you must maintain your integrity. The things I give you, what I give you, I don’t want you returning them to my face. If I discover you playing tricks on me again…”
His voice lowered.
His breath intertwined with hers.
Their noses touched.
He gripped her shoulders and suddenly pushed her down, pressing himself on top of her. At an inch’s distance, Luo Lingyu looked up at his face, his hair falling onto her face. Luo Lingyu’s breathing quickened, her limbs going weak. Knowing he couldn’t see, she cast a coquettish glance, her voice becoming several degrees more tender than usual: “What will you do?”
Lu Yun laughed softly, his face pressed against hers, and whispered a few words that made her blush and push him away.
Because he had whispered in her ear: “…Make you unable to get out of bed.”
As the two were engaged in this playful moment, their lips about to meet, Luo Lingyu flushed and powerless from his teasing, the maid Zhi Yue’s voice called from outside: “Young Master, your medicine is ready. The physician said to apply it as soon as it’s prepared, otherwise if the gauze is left on too long, the scar at the corner of your eye might leave a mark, and it wouldn’t be good to further damage your eyes?”
Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu inside the chamber: “…”
Lu Yun’s face instantly darkened like a black pot.
Luo Lingyu blinked, suddenly laughing: “Brother Xuezhen… your maid seems very… hmph.”
Luo Lingyu abruptly pushed him away and sat up, calling out loudly: “Lu Xuezhen, you tricked me? Your eyes weren’t injured, and your face wasn’t ruined?!”
So she didn’t need to become a servant and sacrifice herself?
Zhi Yue had simply been unhappy about the flirtatious Miss Luo being alone with the young master at night, their laughter unceasing. As she listened outside with a heart full of jealous fire, as soon as the medicine was ready, she rushed to deliver it. The next moment, she saw Luo Lingyu hurriedly leave the room without even looking at her, leading the courtyard maids away like the wind. Zhi Yue had no time to see Miss Luo’s expression. She anxiously entered with the medicine, only to be met with Third Young Master Lu’s unpredictable expression on the ivory platform.
Lu Yun asked thoughtfully: “Zhi Yue, how old are you?”
Zhi Yue’s heart stirred, and she answered shyly: “Young Master, your servant is already fifteen.”
Lu Yun: “Fifteen already, old enough to have your ideas, old enough to marry.”
Zhi Yue spoke urgently: “Your servant doesn’t want to marry! Sister Jin Yue hasn’t married yet, your servant wants to serve Third Young Master for a few more years…” She looked up, suddenly seeing Lu Yun’s cold expression. A cold wind blew, and she suddenly came to her senses, remembering who her young master was. Zhi Yue bit her lip and hurriedly declared: “Your servant… your servant wants to stay by Third Young Master’s side, to serve Third Young Master for life, to serve… to serve the future madam for life.”
Lu Yun smiled ambiguously: “Whether the future madam likes you is another matter. You still want to serve me for life?”
Zhi Yue: “Yes…”
Lu Yun: “How would you serve?”
Zhi Yue didn’t understand his meaning.
Third Young Master Lu smiled: “Serve me in my bed, how about I raise you as a concubine?”
Zhi Yue was shocked, suddenly realizing he was truly angry. As she trembled in fear, Lu Yun coldly said: “Kneel.”
She fell to her knees with a thud, the medicine bowl spilling, cold sweat running down her back.
…
In truth, Luo Lingyu hadn’t taken the maid Zhi Yue’s little thoughts to heart. Like her and Lu Yun, they both had many admiring servants around them. If Lu Yun couldn’t handle such small matters well, he wouldn’t be the renowned Third Young Master Lu of Jianye. She returned to her quarters with an unsettled mind, checked on her already sleeping younger sister, and left some instructions with the maids.
Ling Xi seemed to want to say something, wanting to tell Luo Lingyu about the news that Madam Qin seemed to have arrived in Jianye.
Unfortunately, Luo Lingyu was preoccupied and didn’t notice Ling Xi’s expression, turning and leaving.
Luo Lingyu had no desire to sleep, her emotions were too stirred up to rest. Her mind was full of the playful moments with Third Young Master Lu in the “Clear Courtyard” earlier, his smile, his lips, their ambiguous yet never explicitly stated relationship… Still maintaining that air, seeing who would admit it first, who liked the other more.
Love, once spilled, cannot be gathered back, but for someone as proud as Lu Yun, he needed to clarify the initial source, to explain the reasons clearly… Was her pride any less than his?
Luo Lingyu sat heavily at her desk, grinding ink for a long while before finally lifting her brush, and two lines of poetry appeared on the paper: “Through a thousand autumns I ask for one word from you, Willing for love to be as unchanging as mountains.”
She stared at these two lines for a long while, deep in thought, when Second Young Master Lu’s voice came from outside the door: “Cousin, are you asleep? I’ve come to check on you.”
Second Young Master Lu had already been led to the door. Luo Lingyu casually used a paperweight to hold down the paper, then went with a smile to open the door. The moon was bright like autumn water rippling across waves, shining in front of the house as Lu Xian was led inside by Luo Lingyu for a cordial chat. Lu Xian looked her over: “About today’s events, is cousin alright?”
Luo Lingyu found it strange that he would come in the middle of the night to ask about this and gave a perfunctory answer.
Lu Xian watched her intently: “Third Brother is injured and having difficulty moving about, you should take good care of him.”
Luo Lingyu was surprised: “Of course…”
Although Lu Yun had tricked her, frightening her into thinking he would never recover, while she secretly resented this, she also knew she should take care of Lu Yun.
Lu Xian gazed at her, very worried: “Don’t ignore him just because his injury is minor…” As in the dream, Cousin Luo hadn’t cared about Third Brother’s wrist injury, only having eyes for the Prince of Hengyang, not caring about Lu Yun at all.
Luo Lingyu: “…”
Her chest heaved slightly in anger: “What do you mean by that, Second Cousin? After what happened to him… how is that a minor injury?”
Seeing his cousin question him with a “you’re heartless” look in her eyes, Lu Xian wasn’t angry but rather smiled with pleasure. With his heart at ease, Lu Xian had time to scan the room, and in doing so, he saw the still-wet ink on the desk. Second Young Master Lu walked over, smiling: “Cousin still has the mood to write…” Luo Lingyu couldn’t stop him, and her writing fell into Lu Xian’s hands.
Lu Xian was about to compliment her fine handwriting, but when he saw these characters, he suddenly froze. Lu Xian remembered that he usually didn’t pay attention to Cousin Luo and didn’t recognize her handwriting. But the writing he saw now was familiar to him—because in the dream when Jianye city fell and the Taichu Palace was destroyed, Lu Xian had vaguely seen this handwriting.
“Through a thousand autumns, I ask for one word from you, Willing for love to be as unchanging as mountains.”
At that time, Lu Xian had thought this was written by Cousin Luo for His Majesty Liu Mu, and people believed it was the Empress’s declaration of love to His Majesty. In the dream, Luo Lingyu had never explained… If Luo Lingyu had written these words at this time… then even at the moment just before she was to be named Princess of Hengyang, she had been in love with Lu Yun, hadn’t she?