Two months ago? The Third Young Master?
Huaiyu lowered her head in thought, suddenly recalling Jiang Shen’s teasing from before: “Little Sister, you don’t know, when you were injured before…”
When she was injured, she was in the Bai residence. How could Jiang Shen know anything? Unless Jiang Xuanjin, in a state of panic and urgency, took all the medicinal ingredients from the Jiang residence, alarming the Bai family and inviting such teasing.
But Jiang Xuanjin had never said a word to her.
Standing in front of the medicine room for a moment, Huaiyu pursed her lips and began to walk towards the estate’s gate. She hadn’t realized anything when she opened her eyes half-dead in the Bai residence and saw Jiang Xuanjin. But now, thinking back, Jiang Xuanjin had sincerely taken care of her at that time. He even gave her the Buddhist beads he had worn for many years. He cared for her, cherished her, though he hadn’t said anything. And what about her? She claimed to like him, yet she didn’t even notice when he was injured. Who wouldn’t feel chilled by that? Even if it was just acting, she hadn’t played her part well.
Feeling a bit remorseful, she shook her head, hastening her steps as she crossed the Jiang residence’s main gate to find the external pharmacy.
However, she hadn’t been gone long when Jiang Yan stood beside the gatekeeper of the Jiang residence.
“What instructions do you have, Young Master?” The gatekeeper smiled and bowed.
Watching Huaiyu’s figure receding into the distance, Jiang Yan narrowed his eyes and murmured a few words to the gatekeeper.
“Isn’t this… inappropriate?” The gatekeeper looked alarmed. “After all, it’s Third Madam…”
“This is Little Uncle’s wish,” Jiang Yan said sternly. “You weigh it yourself.”
The gatekeeper frowned, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded. Jiang Yan nodded in satisfaction, huffed lightly at the distant figure, and then turned and returned to his courtyard.
Jiang Xuanjin’s injuries were severe, the wound bleeding continuously, leaving his lips pale. Watching beside him with great concern, Cheng Xu suggested softly, “Master, why don’t you sleep for a while? It might ease the pain.”
Half-closing his eyes, Jiang Xuanjin shook his head.
Cheng Xu asked quietly, “Are you waiting for someone?”
“No,” he frowned, then paused before saying, “The pain keeps me awake.”
Cheng Xu glared at Yufeng angrily and pulled him aside, whispering, “Why do you keep talking nonsense? Master is angry right now, how could he possibly want to see Madam?”
Yufeng pursed his lips. “Every time Master gets angry, isn’t it Madam who soothes him?”
“Fool, it’s different this time!” Cheng Xu said. “Madam is the one who angered Master this time. Why would he want to see her? Don’t bring it up again, it only upsets Master when you do.”
“Oh, I see,” Yufeng nodded. “Then I won’t mention it.”
As the sky grew darker, the Emperor returned to the palace with great effort. As he left, he sent a message, assuring Jiang Xuanjin not to worry, that he would claim to have encountered an assassin outside the palace gates, unrelated to the Jiang family.
Jiang Xuanjin nodded faintly, glancing at the sky outside before pursing his lips.
During dinner, Cheng Xu and Yufeng helped him back to the main house. With the Emperor gone, the house had been tidied up again. Jiang Xuanjin glanced around, furrowing his brows slightly.
Sensing his gaze, Cheng Xu whispered, “Master, rest assured. The sheets and blankets have all been changed, every corner has been cleaned again, and the room has been scented.”
“…Mm.”
Indeed, everything had been changed. When he lay on the bed, apart from the usual scent of incense, there was no other smell. Jiang Xuanjin leaned against the bed and finished his dinner. After some thought, he said, “Lock all the doors of the guesthouse.”
“Huh?” Cheng Xu was puzzled by the command. “Why?”
“Lock them,” he repeated.
Helplessly, Cheng Xu could only bow and comply, “Yes.”
Why lock the doors of the guesthouse for no reason? No one in Moju understood. But once the doors were locked, His Highness didn’t want to sleep anymore. He sat by the bed with his eyes closed for an hour.
As the night grew deeper, there was still no movement outside. Gradually, a hint of irritation appeared between his brows. He coughed lightly twice and finally lay down on his side, closing his eyes. However, the thick anger lingered in the room, making Cheng Xu’s scalp tingle. Unable to bear it, he slipped out to the doorway for some fresh air.
Lingxiuo paced back and forth at the door. Seeing Cheng Xu come out, she hurried forward and whispered, “Lord Cheng Xu, Miss hasn’t returned yet!”
Hearing this, Cheng Xu became annoyed. “Madam is quite nimble, isn’t she? With people seriously injured in this house, she still has the mind to wander around.”
“No, Miss…,” Lingxiuo tried to explain, but Cheng Xu didn’t give her a chance, impatiently waving his hand. “Since she hasn’t returned, take some people and go find her, but don’t disturb His Highness’s rest.”
With that said, he pushed the door back into the room.
Lingxiuo felt a bit at a loss. Biting her lip, she called two servants and headed towards the direction of the medicine room.
It was a moonless night, and everything was pitch black. Huaiyu sat by the Jiang family’s main gate, holding several packets of medicinal herbs. In front of her was a gatekeeper, also squatting down.
“Third Madam, it’s not my intention to inconvenience you; it’s the Third Young Master’s decision,” the gatekeeper sighed. “Find another place to rest for now. Tomorrow morning, I’ll let you in.”
Jiang Xuanjin’s decision? Huaiyu blinked, then sighed, touching her forehead with her hand. “Is it?”
“It’s true, I promise. I wouldn’t lie,” the gatekeeper assured her. “Just go about two miles in that direction; you’ll find an inn on the main street. Why don’t you go there first?”
If it were anyone else stopping her, she would choose to climb over the wall. But if Jiang Xuanjin didn’t want her to go in… Huaiyu sighed, handing all the medicinal herbs to the gatekeeper. “Take these to Moju. I won’t go in.”
Taking the herbs, the gatekeeper watched her cautiously.
Huaiyu waved her hand. “Don’t worry.”
Carrying the herbs, the gatekeeper went to find a servant to deliver them. After finishing, he looked back and saw that the Third Madam had indeed not entered the house. However, seeing her squatting outside the threshold with her head down, illuminated by the lantern hanging from the eaves, she looked lonely and pitiful.
“Are you going to stay here?” the gatekeeper ran back and asked in a low voice.
Huaiyu chuckled softly. “Do I have to? If the little wife is angry and doesn’t trouble me, he’ll find it even harder to calm down.”
Who was the little wife? The gatekeeper was puzzled. Wasn’t she supposed to be the Third Young Master’s wife? How could she still have a little wife?
Unable to understand, he shook his head, apologizing sincerely, “I have to close the door now.”
“You go ahead,” Huaiyu waved her hand with a smile, then simply sat down on the ground. Leaning against the door would save her some effort.
The night wind was chilly, and there was no one on the deserted official road, only the trees on either side swaying in the wind, making a rustling sound. Sleeping was out of the question, so Huaiyu opened her eyes and looked at the sky, waiting for it to light up.
At the hour of the Rabbit (around 5–7 AM), Jiang Xuanjin woke up in pain. Feeling someone changing his bandages, he was slightly stunned and propped himself up to look back.
“Little Uncle, don’t move,” Jiang Yan urged anxiously. “The wound hasn’t scabbed over yet; how can you be pulling at it like this?”
“…It’s you.” Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze and laid back on the pillow, his voice hoarse. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the Ministry of Justice?”
When he returned from his patrol, Jiang Yan had been promoted to Left Supervisor at the Ministry of Justice. Although his duties were not many, he still had to go to the Ministry of Justice every day.
“At this hour, Nephew should be back,” Jiang Yan said. “Mr. Liu heard about your injury early this morning and sent Nephew back to take care of you properly.”
Mr. Liu Yunlie knew too? Jiang Xuanjin frowned. “Is there any talk in the court?”
Jiang Yan shook his head. “Nephew only heard that His Majesty encountered an assassination attempt outside the palace gate. Several old ministers went to the study and knelt there for three incense sticks, forcing His Majesty to write a self-condemnation decree, promising not to leave the palace casually in the future.”
A self-condemnation decree? Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “That’s going too far. His Majesty is already ruling in his own right; how could they still force him like this?”
“You’re in such a state, and you’re still worrying about these things?” Jiang Yan shook his head, “Since His Majesty has granted you a long leave, you should rest well.”
Resting was indeed necessary, but… glancing at the still quiet doorway, Jiang Xuanjin felt extremely stifled.
What was Bai Zhuji thinking, to not even come and see him after so long? Even if he said she couldn’t enter, wasn’t she the kind of person who would climb through a window? Did she not know how serious his injuries were, or was she still worried about His Majesty?
“Speaking of which, when Nephew came back just now, he encountered Second Uncle and his concubine, and it seemed they were arguing in the courtyard,” Jiang Yan muttered, “It was quite a fierce argument.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Xuanjin snapped out of his thoughts, responding quietly, showing some interest.
So Jiang Yan gestured as he spoke, “Nephew eavesdropped for a while. It seems that the Second Uncle has set his sights on a girl from someone’s family and intends to take her as another concubine. The previous one was not pleased, crying and accusing the Second Uncle of being unfaithful. She said that when Second Uncle wanted to marry her, he said all kinds of sweet words, but once he got her, he started to lose interest and look for someone new.”
Thinking of his Second Uncle’s embarrassed expression, Jiang Yan found it quite amusing. “Everyone knows what kind of person Second Uncle is, right? He’s used to being flirtatious; he can sweet-talk anyone into believing they’re his eternal love. But with all those concubines in the courtyard, has any truly won his heart? Only a fool would believe him!”
Jiang Xuanjin was taken aback.
Not noticing his expression, Jiang Yan continued, “The more flowery someone’s words are, the shallower their thoughts. If one day I like someone, I won’t be willing to use sweet words to deceive her. I’ll be sincere and treat her well.”
Is that so? Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze and pondered for a moment. It seemed like that was the case. Bai Zhuji always said to him, “I like you,” and “I want to pick the stars for you,” but what was the reality? Did she not take those words seriously?
It was like picking up a person at random, finding them attractive and to her liking, then teasing them a bit. He foolishly fell for it, while she remained clear-headed, watching him lose control and sink into her trap with a smile on her face.
How silly. No wonder she always looked at him with a smile. In her eyes, he must be incredibly foolish, right? Saying he wouldn’t believe it, yet still falling into her trap, unable to climb out.
The image of that carefree smile floated in Jiang Xuanjin’s mind, causing a sharp pain in his chest. He couldn’t help but let out a stifled groan and closed his eyes.
“What’s wrong? Is the wound bothering you again?” Jiang Yan asked anxiously, reaching out to support him.
Jiang Xuanjin furrowed his brows, exhaling after a while. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, trailing down his nose and falling onto the pillow, staining it.
“It’s nothing,” he said hoarsely. “Just a momentary lapse.”
“How can you be so careless?” Jiang Yan grumbled.
Jiang Xuanjin paused, then chuckled bitterly. “Indeed, too careless.”
Jiang Yan was taken aback, feeling something was off about his response. He was about to ask if his little uncle was trying to tell him something, but then Cheng Xu entered from outside, murmuring reluctantly, “Master, Madam has brought the medicine.”
The herbs brought last night had been brewed in the backyard for an hour. Despite feeling uneasy, Cheng Xu softened a bit when he saw how exhausted Madam looked. He thought Master might want to see her, so he came to inform him.
However, the person in bed responded coldly, “Just bring the medicine.”
Cheng Xu was surprised, hesitating before asking again, “Won’t Madam be allowed in?”
“You go bring it,” came the curt reply.
Blinking, Cheng Xu looked at his master and realized this wasn’t just an angry outburst; he genuinely didn’t want to see Madam. So, he nodded quietly and started to leave.
Li Huaiyu hadn’t slept all night, her eyes bloodshot as she stood at the door holding the medicine. She had planned how to coax him, from sweet words to acting cute and even playing stubbornly. She was sure she could make Jiang Xuanjin forgive her.
However, after waiting for a while, Cheng Xu came out again, closing the door behind him.
“Madam, please give the medicine to your servant,” he said. “Master is resting.”
Li Huaiyu blinked. “If he’s resting, can’t I go in?”
“Yes.”
What kind of “yes” was that? After not letting her in all night, he refused to see her even now. Li Huaiyu felt both angry and somewhat aggrieved. “I just want to go in and talk to him for a bit. Can’t I?”
Cheng Xu shook his head firmly.
“Then how about this, I won’t say anything. I’ll just look at him, and see how he’s doing. Is that okay?”
Still shaking his head, Cheng Xu took the bowl of medicine from her hand. “Madam, please leave.”
“Where should I go?” Li Huaiyu frowned. “This is my room too!”
That’s true… They hadn’t separated rooms since they got married. Cheng Xu felt a bit embarrassed. Glancing to the side, he remembered that even the doors to the guest house had been locked by the Master.
He couldn’t understand the purpose of this action before, but now Cheng Xu had a faint idea – Master didn’t want Madam to stay at Moju.
That seemed a bit too much. Despite being angry, they were still husband and wife. Where could Madam go if she left Moju? Cheng Xu furrowed his brows slightly, then after a moment of thought, he said, “Madam, why don’t you go elsewhere for a while? When Master calms down, he might be willing to see you.”
“Go elsewhere? Huaiyu chuckled, recalling how she had sat at the gate all night yesterday, covered in dust. She hadn’t even been able to come in and change when she returned, looking quite disheveled. And now she was being asked to go out again?
Where to go? Out on the main streets?
She felt a little unjustifiably aggrieved. Dropping her gaze, she murmured, ‘Your master always behaves like this. Whenever he’s angry, he ignores everyone and insists on sending them away. I may have thick skin, but no matter how many times he drives me out, I always come back to pester him. But does he show even a hint of concern for me?’
After speaking, she felt it was pointless to say such things to Cheng Xu. Pouting, she turned around and looked around aimlessly.
Cheng Xu pursed his lips, glancing at the medicine in his hand, feeling it would be better to take it into His Highness first.
Jiang Yan was still sitting by the bed, muttering. When Cheng Xu brought in the medicine, he raised an eyebrow slightly. ‘Oh, you found it?’
‘Found what?’ Cheng Xu looked at him puzzledly.
‘Nothing.’ Jiang Yan waved his hand, took the bowl of medicine, sniffed it, tasted it, then said, ‘Little nephew, drink the medicine and then sleep.’
Seeing no response from him, Jiang Yan blinked and couldn’t help but add, ‘It seems like your aunt personally went to find the herbs and brewed it herself.’
Jiang Xuanjin remained quietly with closed eyes, unmoving.
So Jiang Yan understood. His little nephew wouldn’t just calm down because of a bowl of medicine. Then… something stronger?
His eyes darted around, and he got up to leave.
Huaiyu walked into the courtyard, kicking pebbles along the way, consoling herself as she went. It was she who didn’t behave well at first, so it was unreasonable to expect others to still care for her. She could wander around for a while; after all, Jiang Mansion was so big, she could wander for quite some time.”
However, just as she reached the central courtyard, she suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps nearby, indicating a considerable number of people approaching.
She raised an eyebrow and looked up to see Xu Chuniang leading a group of servants toward her.
“Younger sister,” Xu Chuniang greeted her, appearing somewhat flustered as she grabbed her hand and asked, “Did you not return home yesterday?”
“Huh?” Li Huaiyu pondered for a moment. “Indeed, I didn’t return home. I’ve been outside all this time.”
“You…” Xu Chuniang frowned and shook her head, squeezing her hand slightly. “His Highness is still recovering from a serious injury. How could you not return home? Even if you couldn’t make it back due to some reason, you shouldn’t let anyone know.”
The last sentence was whispered into her ear. Huaiyu blinked in confusion. “Let anyone know what?”
“Grandfather!” Xu Chuniang sighed while shaking her head. “He’s quite upset. He instructed me to take you to the Buddhist hall to transcribe scriptures and pray for His Highness.”
She spoke gently, and Huaiyu, glancing at the servants behind her, understood. Grandfather intended to punish her.
Compared to the Bai family’s disciplinary measures, the Jiang family’s were relatively lenient. Huaiyu chuckled lightly. “Do I even have a chance to explain this time?”
“What do you want to explain?” Xu Chuniang looked at her. “Should I… should I convey something to you?”
“…Forget it.” Huaiyu waved her hand, recalling the position of this person in Jiang Mansion. “It’s not a big punishment anyway. Let’s go.”
The servants behind her didn’t move to restrain her. Xu Chuniang walked beside her, whispering as they went, “What’s going on? How did your clothes end up like this? Why are you here at this hour instead of Mo Residence?”
Li Huaiyu shook her head, truly too lazy to say more. She just smiled lightly. “Consider me deserving of punishment.”
Her smile seemed carefree, but Xu Chuniang looked at her with worry.
The Buddhist hall was located within Mo Residence, a place Jiang Xuanjin used to frequent. Huaiyu knelt on the cushion as the servants placed a writing desk with ink and paper in front of her, along with the Buddhist scriptures to be transcribed placed nearby.
“Grandfather said to finish transcribing this stack before having a meal,” Xu Chuniang sighed, squatting down beside her and whispering, “You transcribe one book first; I’ll go to the kitchen and arrange something for you to eat first.”
Huaiyu felt a touch of gratitude. “Second sister-in-law, you’re so kind.”
Xu Chuniang waved her hand. It was rare for her to find someone she could talk to in Jiang Mansion, so naturally, she wanted to treat her well. But seeing her sister-in-law like this, she felt a bit stifled.
Were all the Jiang family members so indifferent? They were fine just a moment ago, and now…
As Li Huaiyu opened the Buddhist scriptures and was about to write, she realized something was wrong and hastily smudged the ink, turning it into a mess.
“What’s wrong?” Xu Chuniang asked. “Did you make a mistake?”
“…No.” Huaiyu rubbed her temples in frustration. “I can’t transcribe.”
The words she was about to write, Jiang Xuanjin had seen before. How could she show him this?
Xu Chuniang was getting anxious. “Just transcribe any section; otherwise, I won’t be able to help you.”
“Thank you, second sister-in-law.” Huaiyu put down the pen and forced a smile. “I’ll just kneel here. I didn’t get to sleep last night, so I might as well catch up on some sleep now.”
Panicking, Xu Chuniang covered her mouth and glanced nervously at the servants standing behind them. She whispered, “If you want to sleep, don’t say it out loud. I’ll take them away, and you can rest.”
Huaiyu nodded, watching her leave and close the door behind her, feeling that this girl from the Xu family was innocent and lovely.
The Buddhist hall was filled with the same incense as Jiang Xuanjin’s main room. A wooden Buddha stood in the middle of the shrine, surrounded by curtains, creating a perfect place for meditation. However, there was only one round cushion, so she could only sit; lying down was out of the question.
She had intended to rest her head for a while, but the scent in the air reminded her too much of Jiang Xuanjin. She frowned deeply and sighed heavily.
When it was time for lunch, Jiang Xuanjin sat up on the bed, frowning at Jiang Yan in front of him.
“What’s wrong?” Holding the food, he intended to feed him, but upon meeting his gaze, Jiang Yan withdrew his hand timidly. “Don’t want to eat this?”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “I’ll do it myself.”
“You still have injuries on your hands,” Cheng Xu frowned. “If you don’t want the young master to feed you, should I do it?”
Jiang Xuanjin also shook his head, his face still bruised. Being fed by a man while lying in bed… the feeling was quiet…
“Third brother?” Jiang Shen sauntered in from outside, seeing him having his meal, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Why didn’t you let sister-in-law do this kind of thing?”
Glancing at him, Jiang Xuanjin asked in a deep voice, “Is the matter of selecting officials resolved?”
Bringing up this topic, Jiang Shen looked a bit troubled. “We’ve lost face, but at least we didn’t lose the top position. I heard His Majesty ordered Liang to be transferred to an idle position, penalized with a few years of salary reduction, so that matter is settled.”
“Only a transfer?” Jiang Xuanjin’s gaze shifted slightly. “What about Bai Ai?”
Jiang Shen sighed. “His Majesty reviewed the examination papers again and placed him sixth in the second class. It’s uncertain what his future arrangements will be.”
It sounded somewhat unfair, but Jiang Shen could understand. After all, Bai Ai had no official position or background. With just an examination paper, he had overturned the authority of the academic officials. Those officials who were previously close to Liang Si Xian, and even those officials Liang Si Xian had promoted to court, were dissatisfied. Even if Bai Ai was not at fault, they would hinder his career.
That’s just how the world works.
Jiang Xuanjin was a bit dissatisfied, but he didn’t say anything, just lowered his eyes and pondered quietly.
“Oh, by the way,” Jiang Shen changed the subject, “I heard Grandfather got angry and sent sister-in-law to the Buddhist hall to transcribe scriptures. What’s going on?”
There was a slight pause, and Jiang Xuanjin frowned. “When did this happen?”
“This morning,” Jiang Yan hurriedly replied. “Grandfather blamed Aunt for not taking care of you and instead running around everywhere, so he asked her to meditate in the Buddhist hall to pray for your well-being.”
“No need,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “Release her. If she wants to go wherever, let her go.”
Jiang Yan was astonished. “But how can we do that?”
“Oh, you little brat, what are you meddling in here?” Jiang Shen pulled him up and pushed him aside. “Let your second uncle talk to your little uncle about these matters. Your second uncle is the most experienced in handling these things.”
That was true, Jiang Yan nodded. But when he glanced at his uncle’s expression, it seemed like he didn’t quite appreciate his second uncle.
“Sister-in-law was just mischievous and made you unhappy, right?” Jiang Shen sat on the bed. “Being angry alone won’t do. You have to figure out a way to make her obedient and not make you angry in the future.”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at him coldly.
“What? Don’t believe it?” Jiang Shen smirked. “Look at how obedient your second sister-in-law is. It’s been so many years since she entered the family, and she has never once made me angry. Doesn’t that prove I’m adept at managing my wife?”
Xu Chuniang was indeed… not to say she was exceptionally obedient, but her heart seemed entirely devoted to Jiang Shen, enduring so much grievance. Every day when she saw him, her eyes still sparkled.
Jiang Xuanjin lowered his eyes in silence. After a while, he whispered, “Go on.”
“Your biggest problem is that there are too few people in the courtyard!” Jiang Shen said. “Sister-in-law inevitably feels that no matter what she does, there’s only you to answer to, so she’s fearless! Why not marry a few more…”
Before he could finish, Jiang Xuanjin gave a cold laugh.
Seeing his reaction, Jiang Shen quickly changed tack. “Of course, with your temperament, it’s impossible to marry more than one, but you still have other ways. You have to make your sister-in-law care about you, afraid of losing you. That’s when she’ll obey you!”
“Second uncle,” Jiang Yan frowned, “I feel like your ideas are a bit off.”
“You, someone who hasn’t even married a proper wife, what do you know?” Jiang Shen shook his head disdainfully. “In matters of the heart, you can’t even catch up to me, let alone surpass me. Just listen to the advice of your elders; it’ll be beneficial.”
Jiang Yan rolled his eyes and muttered to Jiang Xuanjin in a low voice, “Uncle, don’t listen to the second uncle. Aunt…”
“Both of you, do you think I have so much time to spend on these matters?” Jiang Xuanjin’s face darkened. “Get out, both of you.”
Jiang Shen and Jiang Yan looked at each other, and upon careful consideration, it made sense. Everyone knew Lord Ziyang was deeply concerned about the country and its people, but he wasn’t particularly attentive to matters of family affection. Asking him to put effort into disciplining his wife would indeed be difficult for him.
It might be best to let things take their natural course.
After the two left, Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze and coughed lightly, asking Cheng Xu in a low voice, “Was she locked in the Buddhist hall?”
Cheng Xu nodded. “Second Madam personally had her escorted in.”
“That’s a place of tranquility, not suitable for someone like her,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “Release her.”
Was he concerned about the Buddhist hall or the person? Cheng Xu quietly glanced at him but saw no expression on his master’s face, unable to discern what he was thinking.
So, he went to release her, vaguely saying to the people in the Buddhist hall, “The master has softened his heart. Madam should go and coax him nicely!”
Li Huaiyu, who had been feeling listless, brightened up as soon as she heard this. Grabbing a few sheets of paper from the table, she rushed out. But in her rush, she didn’t watch her step and tripped over a stool leg, falling heavily beside his bed.
The commotion was quite loud, and Jiang Xuanjin furrowed his brows, opening his eyes.
“You… you finally consented to see me!” Grinning awkwardly, Huaiyu lifted her head. “Is your injury better?”
The room was very quiet, with only her voice echoing, soon fading away.
Seeing him ignoring her, Huaiyu blinked, spreading out the sheets of paper she held in her hands in front of him with a smile. “I know you’re angry, so isn’t this my way of apologizing? Look, I drew this!”
On the long sheets of paper were several pairs of crude figures. The first pair depicted a short figure angering a tall one, the second showed the tall figure ignoring the short one, the third pair depicted the short figure running around to pick stars for the tall one, and finally, the fourth pair showed the two reconciling as before.
“How about it? Do we look like us?” Huaiyu grinned. “I still have some talent in painting, right? When I was little, I even dreamed of becoming a painter when I grew up…”
“Get out.”
Those two icy words made her scalp tingle.
Huaiyu shut her mouth, silently gathering up the paper. “You don’t like it? Well, then don’t rush to kick me out. How about I feed you lunch? Look, the food’s right here, and you haven’t touched any of it.”
He stared at her with ink-black eyes, filled with impatience. “Can’t you understand words?”
“I can’t!” Huaiyu chuckled. “Except for kind words. I can’t understand anything else.”
Saying so, she picked up the bowl Jiang Yan had placed nearby and reached out to help him up. However, as her hand touched him, there was a sharp “crack.”
Startled, she quickly withdrew her hand, blinking. It took her a while to feel the numb pain where she had been struck.
Jiang Xuanjin squinted at her. Those eyes were indeed very beautiful, but unfortunately, there was not a trace of friendliness in them. Looking at her was like looking at something filthy.
“I…” Her throat moved slightly, swallowing twice before Huaiyu couldn’t force a smile anymore, staring at him blankly. “Am I so annoying to you?”
It seemed like it wasn’t just anger anymore; even his gaze was repelling her. Huaiyu couldn’t quite understand. She didn’t mean to cause trouble, and she was genuinely willing to let him vent his frustrations. Why was he even angrier now?
“It’s best if we stay unrelated to each other,” he said.
Huaiyu was stunned for a moment before chuckling lightly. “Here we go again. You’re angry, so you don’t want to play with me anymore? If you want us to stay unrelated, why don’t you just give me the divorce papers?”
“Family members would worry.”
“Oh, I see…” Huaiyu nodded. “So, if it weren’t for them, you’d give me the divorce papers now?”
Why couldn’t he? He had no place for her in his heart; according to the seven principles, wasn’t it enough to justify a divorce? Jiang Xuanjin wanted to nod and say yes, but looking into the eyes of the person before him, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
They had already gone through the wedding ceremony, they were already considered true husband and wife, and yet, just because of a misunderstanding, this person wanted to divorce her. Huaiyu couldn’t help but nod and smile wryly. She didn’t know why she nodded, or why she smiled, but at that moment, besides these actions, she couldn’t do anything else.
“You are the pride of heaven, the pearl cherished by everyone’s hands. You are a bit wilful, I know.” Nodding as she stood up, she grinned. “I was wrong, and I admit it. If you don’t forgive me, I can’t force you. Since you want us to live separately, then let’s live separately.”
As she uttered the last sentence, her throat suddenly choked up, and her voice carried a hint of tears.
Feeling a pang in his chest, Jiang Xuanjin frowned at her.
Huaiyu didn’t cry, her nose didn’t even turn red. She calmly stood up, rubbing her sore knee from the fall, and limped slightly as she walked out.
“Madam?” Cheng Xu stood at the door, staring at her face, wide-eyed with astonishment.
Jiang Xuanjin pushed himself up, watching her calm departure, and calmly said, “Take care of your master.”
Then he walked out without even glancing back.
His expression darkened, and Jiang Xuanjin leaned against the head of the bed. The faint hint of color on his lips vanished once again. When Cheng Xu came in, his expression was complex as he sat on the edge of the bed and asked, “Are you still unwilling to forgive Madam?”
“Don’t you also hope that I won’t forgive her easily?”
“Subordinate…” Cheng Xu sighed, “Subordinate does think Madam has truly made a mistake and should be given some punishment. But… given the current situation, shouldn’t you give Madam a way out?”
“How is she?” Jiang Xuanjin looked up, his eyes filled with mockery. “I haven’t even punished her yet, I’ve only said a few harsh words. What’s her reaction?”
She was the one who made the mistake, yet she showed no sincerity in apologizing. Instead, she acted like she was the one who had been wronged.
Hesitating, Cheng Xu glanced at his master and murmured, “Madam’s reaction… is somewhat understandable.”
“Why does this seem reasonable?” Jiang Xuanjin frowned at Cheng Xu, his expression one of utter disbelief.
Swallowing hard, Cheng Xu hesitated before speaking, “Yesterday, Young Master Xun helped you out. He deceived Madam into going to the pharmacy to fetch some nonexistent herbs. Madam was worried about your injuries, so she went to the medical hall. But Young Master Xun had her locked outside; she supposedly sat at the gate the entire night.”
Locked outside? Jiang Xuanjin was taken aback.
So, she didn’t come to see him yesterday. Could it be because Jiang Yan locked her out, preventing her from entering?
Cheng Xu continued, “Today when Madam came in, she went straight to brew medicine for you. She brought the medicine and asked if she could see you for a moment, say a few words… I was instructed to stop her, and she looked quite upset.”
“I don’t know who reported to the old lord, saying that Madam didn’t take good care of you, didn’t return home at night, so Madam was locked up. If I remember correctly, from the time you were injured yesterday until now, Madam hasn’t eaten a single meal.”
One sleepless night, no food, tirelessly preparing medicine for him, even drawing and entertaining him to cheer him up, all she got was a cold response. Indeed, it was somewhat unfair. Even if she was at fault initially, Cheng Xu felt that there was no need to be so harsh as to drive her away like that. When he saw Madam’s eyes just now, they were red.
Sitting up slowly, Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes were filled with disbelief, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”
Cheng Xu lowered his head guiltily, “You’ve been wronged too. I couldn’t just speak up for Madam, could I? I thought you would just be a bit angry with her, but who knew…”
Who knew you’d react so strongly, directly driving her away?
Thinking of her expression just now, Jiang Xuanjin’s heart sank suddenly. He pursed his lips and after a moment of silence, he muttered, “Go find her and bring her back.”
It’s been so long, would she still be around? Cheng Xu led a search party, but there was no sign of her in Moju or anywhere in the Jiang Mansion.
Finally feeling frantic, the man on the bed, despite his injuries, got up, throwing on his clothes to leave.
“Master!” Cheng Xu hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, “We’ve already sent people out to search. Please don’t rush. You can’t sit in a carriage or ride a horse in your current condition!”
Jiang Shen and Jiang Yan rushed in upon hearing the commotion, each restraining him from one side, puzzled, “What’s going on?”
Jiang Xuanjin frowned at Jiang Yan.
Realizing it had something to do with himself, Jiang Yan braced himself and said, “If it’s about Xiaoshen’s matter, I have something to say. I wanted to tell you that I’ve already avenged you. You didn’t need to be so angry… but you didn’t let me finish.”
The carefully bandaged wound began to seep blood again. Jiang Xuanjin clenched his fist, breathing heavily, and asked him coldly, “Who told you to handle this?”
“That’s right!” Jiang Shen chimed in from the side, reaching out to push Jiang Yan towards the door. “Go back and deal with your paperwork. Stop meddling unnecessarily.”
Although his words were scolding, his actions were protective. Jiang Yan felt he couldn’t withstand his uncle’s sharp and cold gaze any longer, so he quickly followed his second uncle’s gesture and ran outside.
Jiang Xuanjin stared fixedly at the door.
“Hey, don’t take your anger out on the younger generation.” Jiang Shen sighed. “Has your sister-in-law gone missing? She couldn’t have gone too far. Just send someone to find her. Look at your injuries. Don’t let them worsen while people search for her. It’s worrying.”
“That woman of hers.” Jiang Xuanjin gritted his teeth. “If she truly wants to leave, who knows how far she’ll run.”
“Well, as long as she still cares about you, she won’t get too far,” Jiang Shen reassured, gently pushing him back onto the bed. “Relax.”
Cares about him? Jiang Xuanjin couldn’t confirm it before, and now he was even less sure. And her health— the doctor had advised her to take good care of it. Could she endure all this?
Li Huaiyu could endure it, but Bai Zhujie would slow her down.
When she climbed over the wall and left the Jiang Mansion, she felt a bit dizzy. At first, she thought it was hunger since she hadn’t eaten. But after walking for the time it took to burn three incense sticks, her legs began to weaken.
The streets were bustling with people, and she occasionally caught someone glancing back at her, murmuring. She overheard them, knowing it was probably about some fallen noblewoman or something, with no one realizing she needed help.
After walking half a street, she suddenly heard the sound of a carriage rushing from behind. The people on the street cried out in surprise and made their way.
Huaiyu also sensed the danger, but with everything spinning before her eyes, she was simply moving forward out of habit. Trying to control her body to step aside was incredibly difficult.
“Watch out!” someone nearby exclaimed.
The coachman held onto the reins tightly, the horse neighed, its hooves striking the ground forcefully. Amid her confusion, Huaiyu only felt a sharp pain behind her, then everything went dark as she fell to the ground.
This carriage must have been sent by Jiang Xuanjin, Huaiyu thought bitterly before losing consciousness.
However, when she woke up and opened her eyes again, she found herself facing Lu Jingxing.
“Are you out of your mind?” he shouted, fanning himself vigorously. “You have a high fever and don’t even know it. You were wandering around the streets as if you were a ghost. If the horse had been a bit faster, you would have met Yama, do you realize that?”
Frowning at being scolded, Huaiyu rubbed her ears and retorted, “Have you lost your mind? How dare you speak to your ancestor like that?!”
“If my ancestor had been like you, I wouldn’t exist in this world!”
“If I weren’t around, the world would be missing a dishonest merchant!”
“Who’s a dishonest merchant? The imperial decree conferring me the title of ‘Exemplary Merchant’ is still in the Yizhu Pavilion. Do you want to go check it out?”
“Damn it! That was only issued because my father decided so. Have some shame!”
Their back-and-forth shouting left the onlookers dumbfounded.
Just waking up, Huaiyu’s throat was parched, and she struggled to raise her voice, reaching out to the side and shouting, “Water!”
Wu Lian quickly handed her a cup of water.
Gulping down two mouthfuls, Huaiyu glared at Lu Jingxing by the bed. But as she continued glaring, her nose started to sting, and her eyes welled up.
“Why am I here?” she pouted. “Did you bump into me?”
Feeling a twinge of guilt, Lu Jingxing put down his fan and picked up the bowl of congee beside him, scooping some to her lips. “Who bumped into you for no reason? I was just checking out the shops on that street and happened to run into you, playing the hero to save a beauty.”
As she swallowed the congee, Huaiyu muttered with red eyes, “You saved me? But why do I feel like I was knocked down and fainted?”
Lu Jingxing coughed lightly.
Not every hero’s rescue comes with flowers falling from the sky. There could be unexpected situations, like not being able to rush up in time, only managing to push her away, but misjudging the force and knocking her unconscious instead.
In this situation, speaking out would surely earn Lu Jingxing a scolding from his ancestor, so he chose to remain silent.
Huaiyu didn’t press further either. She just swallowed her porridge in silence, tears welling up in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Jiu Wu couldn’t help asking. “Who has offended you?”
“No…” she shook her head. “I just regret not tying up my hair before leaving.”
She wasn’t stopped when she left, but when she tried to tie up her hair, someone blocked her at the door and refused to let her go. Huaiyu felt that Jiang Xuanjin was truly a deeply calculating person. He appeared unguarded, but he was cautious at every turn.
Lu Jingxing glanced at her sideways. “Why did you leave the Jiang Mansion? Were you wronged?”
“Yes.” Huaiyu nodded honestly. “As you said, I played with fire and nearly burned myself. So, I came out to calm down.”
Slightly surprised, Lu Jingxing put down the bowl. “You…”
“Why are you so surprised?” she grinned, wiping her face with her hand. “To make a deception believable, you have to believe it yourself first. I didn’t handle it properly for a moment and forgot to withdraw, so I felt wrong.”
Jiang Xuanjin’s indifference came unexpectedly, she hadn’t anticipated it. If she had, if she had reminded herself beforehand that it was just an act, she wouldn’t have been truly hurt.
This path was indeed not easy to tread.
With a serious expression, Lu Jingxing said, “Don’t stay at the Jiang Mansion. Come to my place. Li Fengxing and Liang Sixian have both been ousted, and your goal has been achieved.”
In the court, Li Fengxing and Liang Sixian were the only two scheming officials that Danyang hadn’t managed to deal with yet. Now that they had been taken care of with Jiang Xuanjin’s help, there was no point in her staying at the Jiang Mansion.
“No.” Huaiyu shook her head. “There’s still one person I haven’t found.”
“Who?”
Rubbing her head, she said weakly, “Jiang Xuanjin isn’t the one trying to harm me. There must be someone else. Don’t you want to know who it is?”
Of course, he wanted to know, everyone in the room did. But did they have to stay by Jiang Xuanjin’s side to find out? Lu Jingxing was puzzled, and Jiu Wu frowned.
Huaiyu didn’t say anything more. Her eyes were half-closed, as if she was about to faint again.
Jiu Wu quickly helped her lie down properly, covered her with a blanket, and then pulled Lu Jingxing out.
“I believe, Your Highness, that you have done everything in your power. There’s no need to continue toiling in this muddy water,” he frowned, asking, “Does Master Lu have any method to make Your Highness give up?”
“Give up?” Lu Jingxing opened his fan and chuckled, “Jiu Wu, you’ve been by her side for quite some time. When she has made up her mind, have you ever seen her give up?”
“But…” Jiu Wu interrupted, “Seeing her like this, one can’t help but wonder how much grievance she has suffered in Jiang Mansion.”
Even in the past, when she was framed or blamed, she never shed a tear. But now, her nose and eyes are red, crying like a little girl.
Lu Jingxing’s eyes darkened. After thinking for a while, he beckoned for Zhao Cai and ordered him to inquire.
Time passed. Neither ChengXu nor Yufeng had found anyone. Jiang Shen glanced at the person on the bed, then whispered, “Should we report to the authorities?”
“Do you want the whole family to know that she’s missing, only to find her and then send her off to the Buddhist hall?”
“What should we do then? The capital is so big. We can’t rely on a few secret guards and slaves from the family to find her, can we?”
Jiang Xuanjin remained silent, his face turning grim. Jiang Shen teased him, “Why don’t you post a notice, telling her you’re not angry, maybe she’ll come back when she sees it?”
Ridiculous. It hasn’t been long since she left, and he wants to post a notice. And such a notice… Would it not make him seem overly concerned about her?
Though he thought this way, he still pinched a few sheets of paper and handed them to ChengXu.
“What’s this?” Jiang Shen curiously glanced at it, then frowned, “What a mess.”
Ignoring him, Jiang Xuanjin whispered to ChengXu, “Find some painters and make several copies of this. Post them around.”
“Yes.”
“What good is this?” Jiang Shen shook his head directly. “Who can understand it?”
ChengXu didn’t bother explaining either. He just took the paintings and went about his business. By the third hour of the evening, three hundred crude sketches of figures covered every street and alley.
However, before half an hour had passed since these drawings were put up, they were swiftly covered by the imperial notices spread from the palace.
“Assassins to be captured?” Onlookers murmured, pointing towards the imperial notices.
Yufeng, wandering the streets, saw it and squeezed into the crowd, feeling a shock in his heart.
“The Emperor was attacked outside the palace, a substantial reward for capturing the assassin… Those with clues should report to the yamen for a reward…” Wasn’t this matter supposed to be suppressed? Why was there a public bounty now?
Without time to find the mistress, Yufeng turned and rushed back to Jiang Mansion, intending to report this matter to His Highness. However, Jiang Xuanjin had been in such distress that his wounds had reopened, and he had developed a high fever, rendering him unconscious.
“How could this happen?” Jiang Shen was puzzled. If he remembered correctly, his siblings had appealed to His Majesty. With His Majesty’s friendship with the third brother and the third brother’s merits in protecting the emperor, His Majesty wouldn’t let this matter escalate.
However, the imperial notice only mentioned capturing the assassin and didn’t specify that the Emperor was attacked near Jiang Mansion. So, perhaps it wouldn’t be a big problem? Holding onto a glimmer of hope, Jiang Shen only sent word to Jiang Chong and continued to care for Jiang Xuanjin.
By the third hour of the night, Jiang Xuanjin’s fever finally subsided, and Jiang Shen breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to go back to his room to rest, he saw ChengXu and Yufeng rushing into the main hall in a panic.
“Young Master, you must come out quickly!”
With a sense of foreboding in his heart, Jiang Shen stood up and followed them. As soon as he opened the main gate of Moju, countless torches greeted him, momentarily blinding him.