Two months ago? Third Young Master?
Li Huaiyu lowered her head in thought, suddenly recalling Jiang Shen’s teasing: “Sister-in-law, you don’t know when you were injured before…”
When she was injured, it was at the Bai residence. What could Jiang Shen possibly know? Unless Jiang Xuanjin, in a fit of panic, took all the medicinal herbs from the Jiang residence, alarming the Jiang family and prompting his jest.
But Jiang Xuanjin hadn’t said a word to her.
Standing at the door of the pharmacy, she was lost in thought for a moment. Li Huaiyu pursed her lips and stepped outside the Jiang residence.
Previously, when she had barely opened her eyes at the Bai residence and saw Jiang Xuanjin, she hadn’t realized anything. Now, recalling it, Jiang Xuanjin had genuinely cared for her at that time, even giving her the Buddhist beads he had worn for many years. He cared for her and felt sorry for her; although he hadn’t said anything, his actions spoke volumes.
And what about her? She had repeatedly claimed to like him, yet she hadn’t even noticed when he was injured. Who wouldn’t feel heartbroken? Even if it was just a pretense, she hadn’t played her part well.
Feeling a bit frustrated, she pounded her head lightly and quickened her pace, heading to find the pharmacy outside.
However, she had barely stepped out when Jiang Yan appeared beside the gate of the Jiang residence.
“Does the young master have any instructions?” the gatekeeper asked with a smile, bowing slightly.
Watching the figure of Bai Zhujing grow further away, Jiang Yan narrowed his eyes and pulled the gatekeeper over to whisper a few words.
“This… isn’t very appropriate, is it?” The gatekeeper was startled. “After all, she is the Third Madam…”
“This is my uncle’s intention,” Jiang Yan said sternly. “You should weigh the consequences yourself.”
The gatekeeper, looking troubled, hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded in agreement. Jiang Yan nodded in satisfaction, flicked his sleeve, and hummed lightly as he turned back to his courtyard.
Jiang Xuanjin was seriously injured, with blood seeping from his wound, causing his lips to remain pale. Cheng Xu, watching from the side, anxiously said, “Master, you should sleep for a while. It will be better if you can fall asleep.”
Half-closing his eyes, Jiang Xuanjin shook his head.
Yufeng asked quietly, “Are you waiting for someone?”
“No,” he frowned, pausing before adding, “It hurts too much to sleep.”
Cheng Xu glared at Yufeng in annoyance and pulled him aside, whispering, “Why do you always say such nonsense? The master is angry right now; how could he want to see the Madam?”
Yufeng pursed his lips. “Every time the master gets angry, doesn’t he rely on the Madam to coax him?”
“Fool! This time it’s different!” Cheng Xu said. “This time, it was the Madam who angered the master. Why would he want to see her? Don’t keep bringing it up; every time you do, the master gets unhappy.”
I see. Yufeng nodded. “Then I won’t mention it.”
As night fell, the Emperor returned to the palace, and before leaving, he sent a message to Jiang Xuanjin, telling him not to worry. He would say that he had encountered an assassin outside the palace gate, and it had nothing to do with the Jiang family.
Jiang Xuanjin responded with a faint “Mm,” glancing at the darkening sky, and pursing his lips.
During dinner, Cheng Xu and Yufeng helped him back to the main room. The Emperor had left, and the room had been tidied up again. Jiang Xuanjin glanced around, frowning slightly.
Noticing his gaze, Cheng Xu whispered, “Master, don’t worry. The sheets and blankets have all been replaced with new ones, and everything has been cleaned thoroughly, with incense burned.”
“…Mm.”
Indeed, everything had been replaced with new items. Lying on the bed, aside from the usual fragrant incense, there was no other smell. Jiang Xuanjin leaned against the headboard and had dinner, contemplating, “Lock all the doors to the guest building.”
“Ah?” Cheng Xu was confused by this order. “Why?”
“Lock them.” He repeated.
Helpless, Cheng Xu could only bow and respond, “Yes.”
What was the point of locking the guest building? The people in the Ink residence didn’t understand. But once the doors to the guest building were locked, the master didn’t want to sleep anymore, just staring blankly at the headboard for an entire hour.
As night deepened, there was still no sound outside.
Gradually, anger crept into his features. He coughed lightly twice and finally lay down on his side, closing his eyes. However, the thick anger filled the room, making Cheng Xu’s scalp tingle, and he couldn’t help but slip out to get some fresh air.
Lingxiu was pacing at the door. Seeing Cheng Xu come out, she hurriedly approached and whispered, “Lord Chengxu, my young lady hasn’t returned yet!”
Hearing this, Cheng Xu became angry. “The Madam is quite nimble; the people in this house are seriously injured, yet she has the mind to run around.”
“It’s not that, the young lady…” Lingxiu tried to explain, but Cheng Xu didn’t give her a chance, impatiently waving his hand. “If she hasn’t returned, then take someone to find her. Don’t disturb the master’s rest.”
After saying that, he pushed the door back into the room.
Lingxiu felt a bit helpless, biting her lip, and went to call two servants to search in the direction of the pharmacy.
The night was dark and moonless, and everything around was pitch black. Li Huaiyu squatted at the entrance of the Jiang family, holding several bags of medicinal herbs, facing a gatekeeper who was also squatting.
“Third Madam, it’s not that I’m making things difficult for you; it’s the Third Young Master’s orders,” the gatekeeper sighed. “Please find another place to rest. I’ll let you in first thing tomorrow morning.”
Jiang Xuanjin’s intention? Huaiyu was taken aback, reaching up to support her forehead with a bitter smile. “Is this for real?”
“I wouldn’t lie,” the gatekeeper said. “If you walk two miles that way, you’ll reach the main street where there’s an inn. Would you like to go there first?”
If it were someone else stopping her, she would choose to climb over the wall, but Jiang Xuanjin wouldn’t let her in… Huaiyu sighed and stuffed the medicinal herbs into the gatekeeper’s hands. “You take this to Moju; I won’t go in.”
Taking the herbs, the gatekeeper looked at her warily.
Huaiyu waved her hand. “Just go.”
The gatekeeper turned back, glancing over his shoulder three times as he took the herbs to find the servants. After delivering them, he turned back to see that the Third Madam truly hadn’t entered. However, she was squatting there with her head down, illuminated by the lantern hanging from the eaves, looking a bit pitiful and lonely.
“Are you going to stay here?” the gatekeeper returned and asked quietly.
Li Huaiyu chuckled softly. “What else can I do but stay here? The little wife is angry and wants to make things difficult for me. If I don’t endure it, how can he calm down?”
The little wife? The gatekeeper was puzzled, thinking, isn’t this the Third Young Master’s wife? How could she still have a little wife?
Unable to understand, he shook his head, apologetically saying, “I have to close the door now.”
“Go ahead and close it.” Smiling, Huaiyu simply sat down on the ground, leaning against the door to save some energy.
The night wind was cool, and the empty official road had no one on it. Only the trees on both sides swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound. It was impossible to sleep, so Huaiyu opened her eyes and stared at the sky, waiting for dawn.
The next morning, at the hour of the rabbit, Jiang Xuanjin was awakened by pain, feeling someone changing his bandages. He was slightly stunned and propped himself up to look back.
“Uncle, don’t move,” Jiang Yan said urgently. “The wound hasn’t scabbed yet; you can’t pull it like this!”
“…It’s you.” Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze and lay back on the pillow, his voice hoarse. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the Court of Judicial Review?”
After returning from patrolling the city, Jiang Yan was promoted to the left supervisor of the Court of Judicial Review. Although there weren’t many affairs, he still had to go to the Court every day.
“It’s already this hour; I should be back,” Jiang Yan said. “Lord Liu knew about your injury early this morning and sent me back to take good care of you.”
Lord Liu knew? Jiang Xuanjin frowned. “Is there any discussion in the court?”
Jiang Yan shook his head. “I only heard that His Majesty encountered an assassination attempt outside the palace and that several old ministers knelt in the imperial study, crying for three incense sticks, forcing His Majesty to write a self-criticism edict, promising not to leave the palace without permission in the future.”
A self-criticism edict? Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “That’s a bit excessive. His Majesty has already taken control; how can he be forced like this?”
“You’re injured like this, and you’re still worrying about these things?” Jiang Yan shook his head. “It’s rare for His Majesty to grant you a long leave; you should rest well.”
Resting was indeed necessary, but… Glancing at the still quiet door, Jiang Xuanjin felt very stifled.
What was Bai Zhujing thinking about not coming to see him even after such a long time? Even if he said not to let her in, wouldn’t someone like her just climb through the window? Did she not know how serious his injury was, or was she still worried about His Majesty?
“By the way, when I came over just now, I ran into my second uncle and his concubine. They seemed to be arguing in the courtyard,” Jiang Yan muttered. “It was quite intense.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Xuanjin came back to his senses, responding softly as if he were somewhat interested.
So Jiang Yan gestured, “I eavesdropped for a while. It seems it was because my second uncle has taken a liking to some girl from another family and plans to add another concubine. The previous one was unhappy, crying and shouting that my second uncle was unfaithful, saying that when he wanted to marry her, he said all sorts of sweet words, but once he had her, he became fickle.”
Recalling his second uncle’s embarrassed expression, Jiang Yan found it quite amusing. “Who doesn’t know my second uncle? He’s used to being flirtatious; he can sweet-talk anyone into believing he’ll love them forever, but which of the concubines in the courtyard has truly captured his heart? Only a fool would believe him!”
Jiang Xuanjin was taken aback.
Not noticing his expression, Jiang Yan continued, “The more pleasant the words, the shallower the thoughts. If one day I also like someone, I definitely wouldn’t want to use flowery words to deceive her; I would pour out my heart and treat her sincerely.”
Is that so? Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze, contemplating. It seemed to be true. Bai Zhujing always told him, “I like you,” “I want to pick the stars and put them in your arms,” but what was the reality? The things she said, did she ever take them to heart?
It was like casually picking someone, thinking they were good-looking and to her liking, and teasing them a bit. She teased him into being foolishly taken in, while her eyes remained clear, watching him lose control and sink deeper.
How foolish. No wonder she always smiled at him. In her eyes, he must seem utterly foolish, saying he wouldn’t believe it while stepping right into her trap, unable to climb out.
The image of her carefree smile flashed in his mind, and Jiang Xuanjin’s heart tightened, unable to help but close his eyes and groan softly.
“What’s wrong? Did the wound tear again?” Jiang Yan exclaimed, reaching out to support him.
Jiang Xuanjin frowned deeply, taking a moment to catch his breath. Sweat beads rolled down the side of his nose, falling onto his eyes and spreading across the pillow.
“It’s nothing,” he said hoarsely. “Just a moment of carelessness.”
“How can you be so careless?” Jiang Yan muttered.
Jiang Xuanjin paused, scoffing lightly. “Yes, too careless.”
Jiang Yan was taken aback, feeling that something about this sounded strange. Just as he was about to ask his uncle if he was referring to something specific, Cheng Xu entered from outside, reluctantly saying, “Master, the Madam has brought the medicine.”
The herbs sent over last night had just been boiled for an hour in the backyard. Although Cheng Xu still felt uncomfortable, seeing the Madam’s sleepless appearance, he felt a bit soft-hearted, thinking that the master must want to see her, so he came to inform him.
Who would have thought that the person in bed would coldly say, “Just bring the medicine.”
Cheng Xu was taken aback, hesitating to ask again, “Shouldn’t the Madam come in?”
“You go and bring it.”
Glancing at his master, Cheng Xu hesitated for a moment before realizing this wasn’t just anger; the master truly didn’t want to see the Madam. So he quietly agreed and went outside.
Li Huaiyu hadn’t slept all night, her eyes bloodshot, holding the medicine at the door, already thinking about how to coax him, from sweet words to acting spoiled, even to being unreasonable, anything to make Jiang Xuanjin forgive her.
However, after waiting for a while, Cheng Xu unexpectedly came out again and even closed the door behind him.
“Madam, let me take the medicine,” he said. “The master is resting.”
Huaiyu blinked. “If he’s resting, can’t I go in?”
“Yes.”
What a “yes”! She had been kept outside all night without being allowed in, and now he wouldn’t even let her see him? Huaiyu felt both angry and a bit wronged. “Can I just go in and say a few words to him?”
Cheng Xu shook his head firmly.
“Then how about this? I won’t say anything; I just want to see him and check on his injury. Is that okay?”
Cheng Xu still shook his head, reaching out to take the medicine bowl from her hands. “Madam, please go back.”
“Where should I go back to?” Huaiyu frowned. “This is my room!”
This was indeed the case… Ever since they got married, they hadn’t separated their rooms. Cheng Xu felt a bit troubled, glancing sideways and suddenly remembering that the doors to the guest building had also been locked by the master.
Earlier, he hadn’t understood the purpose of this action, but now he had a bit of clarity—was the master not wanting the Madam to stay in Moju at all?
That seemed a bit excessive. He could be angry, but they were still husband and wife. Where could the Madam go if she left Moju? Cheng Xu frowned slightly, thinking for a moment before saying, “Why don’t you go for a walk elsewhere? When the master calms down, he might be willing to see you.”
Go for a walk elsewhere? Huaiyu chuckled, having sat at the gate all night, covered in dust, unable to return to change clothes, looking quite disheveled. Now she was being told to go for a walk?
Where should she walk? On the street?
Feeling inexplicably wronged, she lowered her eyes and said, “Your master is always like this. When he gets angry, he ignores people and insists on driving them away. I have a thick skin; no matter how many times he drives me away, I’ll come back to cling to him. But doesn’t he feel a bit sorry for me?”
After saying that, she felt it was pointless to say these things to Cheng Xu, grimacing and turning around, looking around in confusion.
Cheng Xu pursed his lips, glancing at the medicine in his hands, feeling that he should still take it to the master.
Jiang Yan was still sitting by the bed, chattering away. When he saw Cheng Xu bring in the medicine, he raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh? You found it?”
“What?” Cheng Xu looked at him in confusion.
“Nothing.” Jiang Yan waved his hand, taking the medicine bowl, smelling it, and tasting it before saying, “Uncle, drink the medicine and then sleep.”
Seeing he didn’t respond, Jiang Yan blinked and couldn’t help but add, “It seems the little aunt personally went to find the medicinal herbs and boiled them herself.”
Jiang Xuanjin quietly closed his eyes, remaining motionless.
So Jiang Yan understood that his uncle wouldn’t calm down just because of a bowl of medicine. Then… should he try something more intense?
His eyes turned, and he stood up to go outside.
Li Huaiyu was kicking small stones in the courtyard, comforting herself as she kicked, thinking that she had behaved poorly first and had no reason to expect him to feel sorry for her. She wandered around, knowing that the Jiang residence was so large that she could wander for a long time.
However, just as she reached the central courtyard, a sudden sound of footsteps came from the side, and it sounded like there were quite a few people.
She raised an eyebrow and looked over, only to see Xu Chuniang approaching her with a group of servants.
“Sister-in-law,” upon meeting her, Xu Chuniang appeared somewhat flustered, grabbing her hand and asking, “You didn’t return to the residence yesterday?”
“Ah?” Li Huaiyu thought for a moment. “Indeed, I didn’t return; I was outside the whole time.”
“You…” Xu Chuniang frowned and shook her head repeatedly, squeezing her hand slightly. “The master is seriously injured and hasn’t recovered; how could you not return? Even if you had matters to attend to, you shouldn’t let anyone know!”
The last sentence was whispered close to her ear. Huaiyu blinked in confusion. “Who found out?”
“Old Master!” Xu Chuniang sighed and shook her head. “He was very angry and sent me to bring you to the Buddhist hall to copy scriptures for the master’s blessing.”
She spoke gently, and Huaiyu glanced at the servants behind her, realizing that the old master intended to punish her.
The Jiang family’s rules were much gentler compared to the Bai family. Huaiyu chuckled lightly. “Am I not going to have a chance to explain this time?”
“What do you want to explain?” Xu Chuniang looked at her. “Should I convey it for you?”
“…Forget it.” Thinking of Xu Chuniang’s position in the Jiang residence, Huaiyu waved her hand. “It’s not a big punishment anyway; it doesn’t matter. Let’s go.”
The servants behind her followed but didn’t come up to push her. Xu Chuniang walked beside her, whispering as they walked, “What exactly happened? Why is your outfit like this? At this hour, why are you here instead of at Moju?”
Li Huaiyu shook her head, truly too lazy to say much. She smiled and said, “Consider it my just desserts.”
She smiled lightly, but Xu Chuniang looked quite worried.
The Buddhist hall was in Moju, a place Jiang Xuanjin used to enjoy staying. Huaiyu entered and knelt on the mat, while the servants set up a long table in front of her with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, placing the scriptures she was to copy beside her.
“Old Master said to finish copying this pile before eating,” Xu Chuniang sighed, squatting down beside her and whispering, “Just copy one for now; I’ll mix it in the kitchen and bring you some food.”
Huaiyu felt a bit touched. “Sister-in-law, you’re so kind.”
Xu Chuniang waved her hand. She rarely had someone to talk to in the Jiang residence, so she naturally wanted to treat her better. However, seeing her sister-in-law like this, she felt a bit gloomy.
Were the people of the Jiang family really so heartless? Things had been fine before, but in the blink of an eye…
Li Huaiyu opened the scriptures, and as soon as she put the brush to the paper, she sensed something was off and hurriedly smudged the characters into a mess.
“What’s wrong?” Xu Chuniang asked. “Did you write it wrong?”
“…No.” Rubbing her forehead in frustration, Huaiyu said, “I can’t copy.”
The words she wrote seriously had been seen by Jiang Xuanjin; what would happen if he saw this written down?
Xu Chuniang became anxious. “Just copy any passage; otherwise, I can’t help you.”
“Thank you, sister-in-law.” Putting down the brush, Huaiyu forced a smile. “I’ll just kneel here; it’s just right since I didn’t sleep last night. I can take a nap here.”
Hastily covering her mouth, Xu Chuniang glanced nervously at the servants standing behind them and whispered, “Even if you want to sleep, don’t say it out loud. I’ll take them away so you can rest well.”
Huaiyu nodded, watching her leave to close the door, feeling that this Xu family girl was truly innocent and lovely.
The Buddhist hall burned the same fragrant incense as in Jiang Xuanjin’s main room. A wooden Buddha stood in the shrine, surrounded by Buddhist curtains, making it a suitable place for quiet reflection. However, there was only one round mat; she could only sit, not lie down.
Originally intending to prop her head up for a short nap, the scent of Jiang Xuanjin filled her nostrils, causing her to frown and let out a long sigh.
When it was time for lunch, Jiang Xuanjin leaned against the bed, frowning at Jiang Yan in front of him.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Yan asked, holding the food, wanting to feed him, but upon meeting his gaze, he timidly withdrew his hand. “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 Young Master Jiang to feed you, then let me do it.”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head again, his face dark and bruised. Being fed by a man while lying in bed felt…
“Third Brother?” Jiang Shen strolled in from outside, seeing him eating, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Why not let your sister-in-law do this?”
Glancing at him, Jiang Xuanjin asked in a deep voice, “Have the matters regarding the officials been resolved?”
Speaking of this, Jiang Shen felt a bit of a headache. “It’s embarrassing for our family, but at least we didn’t lose the top position. I heard His Majesty ordered that Lord Liang be transferred to a lesser position and had his salary reduced for several years. This matter is considered settled.”
Just a transfer? Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes flickered. “What about Bai Ai?”
Jiang Shen sighed. “His Majesty reviewed the examination papers again and placed him in the second class, sixth place. I don’t know what arrangements will be made for him in the future.”
This sounded somewhat unfair, but Jiang Shen could understand. After all, Bai Ai had no official position, no background, and a single examination paper had overturned the academic officials. Those who had previously been close to Liang Sixian and even those officials sent to the court by Liang Sixian would surely be very dissatisfied. Even if he was innocent, they would obstruct his career.
Such is the world.
Jiang Xuanjin felt somewhat dissatisfied but remained silent, lowering his eyes in contemplation.
“By the way,” Jiang Shen changed the subject, “I heard the old man was angry and locked your sister-in-law in the Buddhist hall to copy scriptures. What’s going on?”
Pausing slightly, Jiang Xuanjin frowned. “When did this happen?”
“This morning,” Jiang Yan quickly said. “The old man was upset that the little aunt didn’t take care of you and instead ran around, so he sent her to the Buddhist hall to calm down and pray for you.”
“There’s no need for that,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “Go release her; she can go wherever she wants.”
Jiang Yan was astonished. “How can that be?”
“Hey, you little brat, what are you meddling in?” Jiang Shen pulled him up and pushed him aside. “Let your second uncle talk to your little uncle. Your second uncle has the most experience in these matters.”
This was indeed true, and Jiang Yan nodded. But when he turned to look at his little uncle, he felt that he didn’t seem to be very fond of his second uncle.
“Your sister-in-law has been mischievous and upset you, hasn’t she?” Jiang Shen sat at the edge of the bed. “You can’t just be angry; you need to find a way to make her obedient so she won’t upset you again in the future.”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at him coldly.
“What? Don’t believe me?” Jiang Shen scoffed. “Look at how obedient your second sister-in-law is. After so many years, she has never once upset me. Doesn’t that prove I know how to manage my wife?”
Xu Chuniang was indeed… not to mention how obedient she was, she seemed enchanted, her heart entirely on Jiang Shen. Despite enduring so many grievances, whenever she saw him, her eyes would still light up.
Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze in silence. After a long while, he softly said, “You speak.”
“Your biggest problem is that there are too few people in the courtyard!” Jiang Shen said. “Your sister-in-law inevitably feels that no matter what, she is the only one, so she is fearless! Why not marry a few more…”
Before he could finish, Jiang Xuanjin scoffed coldly.
Jiang Shen, sensing the mood, quickly changed his tone. “Of course, with your temperament, it’s impossible to expect you to marry more, but you have other ways. You need to make your sister-in-law care about you, fearing she might lose you; only then will she obey you!”
“Second Uncle,” Jiang Yan frowned. “I feel like your suggestion is a bit rotten.”
“You, who haven’t even married a proper wife, know what?” Jiang Shen shook his head. “In matters of love, you can’t catch up to me; it’s better to listen to the advice of an elder; it will be beneficial.”
Jiang Yan pouted, whispering to Jiang Xuanjin, “Don’t listen to Second Uncle; actually, the little aunt…”
“You two. Do you really think I’m so free that I need to spend so much effort on these matters?” Jiang Xuanjin’s face darkened. “Get out.”
Jiang Shen and Jiang Yan exchanged glances, realizing that it made sense. Everyone knew that the Prince of Ziyang was concerned about the country and its people, and had never been very invested in matters of love. For him to spend effort teaching his wife was indeed asking too much of him.
Then it was better to let things take their course.
As the two left, Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze and coughed lightly, quietly asking Cheng Xu, “Was she really locked in the Buddhist hall?”
Cheng Xu nodded. “The second madam personally brought people to send her in.”
“That’s a place of tranquility; she doesn’t belong there,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “Go release her.”
Was he concerned about the Buddhist hall or the person? Cheng Xu secretly raised his eyes to assess him but saw that his master had no expression on his face, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
So he went to release her, half-guessing and half-uncertain, saying to the people in the Buddhist hall, “The master has softened; Madam, go and coax him well!”
Originally, Li Huaiyu, who had been listless, brightened up upon hearing this and grabbed several sheets of rice paper, rushing outside. When she dashed into the main room, she didn’t pay attention to her feet and stumbled over a stool leg, crashing heavily in front of his bed.
The noise was quite loud, causing Jiang Xuanjin to frown and open his eyes.
“You… you finally want to see me!” She grinned, looking at him with starry eyes. “Are you feeling better?”
The room was very quiet, with only her voice echoing, and there was no response.
Seeing that he was ignoring her, Huaiyu blinked and unfolded the rice paper in front of him, smiling, “I know you’re angry, so I came to apologize! Look, I drew this!”
On the long sheet of rice paper, several pairs of crude little figures were drawn. The first pair showed a short one angering a tall one, the second pair showed the tall one ignoring the short one, the third pair showed the short one running around to pick stars for the tall one, and then the fourth pair showed the two reconciling.
“How about it? Does it look like us?” Huaiyu grinned. “I still have some talent in painting, right? When I was young, I thought about becoming a painter when I grew up…”
“Get out.”
The cold, icy words struck her like a blow.
Huaiyu fell silent, quietly putting away the rice paper. “You don’t like it? Then don’t rush to drive me away. How about I feed you lunch? Look, the food is right here, and you haven’t touched it.”
Mo Tong stared at her, his eyes filled with impatience. “Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”
“I can’t understand!” Huaiyu laughed. “Except for sweet words, I don’t understand anything else.”
Saying this, she picked up the bowl Jiang Yan had placed beside her and reached out to help him sit up. However, as soon as her hand touched him, there was a loud “smack.”
Startled, she quickly withdrew her hand, blinking in surprise as she felt a cold, numbing pain on the back of her hand.
Jiang Xuanjin narrowed his eyes at her. Those eyes were truly beautiful, but unfortunately, they were not friendly at all. Looking at her was like looking at something dirty.
“I…” Her throat moved slightly, swallowing a couple of breaths. Huaiyu couldn’t smile anymore, staring at him blankly. “Do I really annoy you this much?”
This seemed to be more than just anger; even his gaze was rejecting her. Li Huaiyu felt a bit confused; she hadn’t meant to, and she sincerely wanted to let him vent his anger. Why was he even angrier?
“It’s better for you and me to remain unrelated.”
Huaiyu was stunned for a moment, then laughed lightly. “Here we go again. When you’re angry, you don’t want to play with me? If you really want to be unrelated, why don’t you just give me a divorce?”
“Family members will worry.”
“Oh…” Huaiyu nodded. “So, if it weren’t for them, you would give me a divorce right now?”
Why not? In her heart and eyes, she had no place for him, which already counted as a violation of the seven out of ten rules for divorce. Jiang Xuanjin wanted to nod in agreement, but looking into her eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
They had already consummated their marriage they were already a real couple, yet this person wanted to divorce her over a misunderstanding? Huaiyu couldn’t help but nod and laugh. She didn’t know why she was nodding or why she was laughing, but at this moment, aside from this action, she couldn’t do anything else.
“You are the pride of heaven, a pearl cherished by everyone. You’re a bit willful; I know.” Nodding and standing up, she grinned. “I admit my mistake. If you don’t forgive me, I can’t force you. Since you want to live our own lives, then let’s live our own lives.”
As she spoke the last sentence, her voice suddenly choked, carrying a hint of tears.
Feeling a tightness in his heart, Jiang Xuanjin frowned at her.
Li Huaiyu didn’t cry, nor did her nose turn red. She stood up calmly, rubbing her painfully bruised knee, slightly limping as she walked outside.
“Madam?” Cheng Xu stood at the door, his eyes widening in shock as he looked at her face.
Jiang Xuanjin propped himself up, watching her peaceful back as she calmly said, “Take good care of your master.”
Then she walked out without even looking back at him.
His expression darkened, and Jiang Xuanjin leaned against the headboard, the little color he had regained in his lips disappearing completely. Cheng Xu entered, his expression complex as he sat beside the bed and asked, “Are you still unwilling to forgive the Madam?”
“Don’t you also hope I won’t easily forgive her?”
“Subordinate…” Cheng Xu sighed. “I think the Madam truly made a mistake and should be given some lessons. But… given the situation, you should also give her a way out.”
“What has happened?” Jiang Xuanjin raised his eyes, his gaze filled with sarcasm. “I haven’t even given her a lesson; I just said a few harsh words. Look at her reaction.”
The one who made the mistake was her, and she didn’t even show a hint of sincerity in her apology, yet she acted as if she was the one wronged.
Hesitating to look at his master, Cheng Xu whispered, “The Madam’s reaction… is also somewhat understandable.”
How could it be understandable? Jiang Xuanjin frowned at Cheng Xu, his eyes filled with confusion.
Swallowing hard, Cheng Xu hesitated and finally said, “Yesterday, Young Master Jiang took revenge for you by tricking the Madam into the pharmacy to get nonexistent herbs. The Madam was worried about your injury and went out to the pharmacy, but Young Master Jiang had people lock her outside, and she sat at the door all night.”
Locked outside? Jiang Xuanjin was taken aback.
So that was why she hadn’t come to see him yesterday; it was because Jiang Yan had locked her outside and wouldn’t let her in.
Cheng Xu continued, “When the Madam came in today, she didn’t say a word and went to make medicine for you, asking me if she could see you for a moment to say a few words… I followed your orders to stop her, and she looked very sad.”
“I don’t know who reported to the old master that the Madam hadn’t taken good care of you and didn’t return to the residence at night. The Madam was locked up, and if I remember correctly, since yesterday when you were injured until now, the Madam hasn’t eaten a single bite of food.”
A night without sleep, not a single bite of food, busy making medicine for him, even drawing to cheer him up, and all she got in return was the words “Let’s live our own lives.” It was indeed a bit unfair. Even if she was at fault first, Cheng Xu felt that there was no need to drive her away so harshly. He had just seen the Madam’s eyes, which were already red and swollen.
Sitting up slowly, Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes were filled with disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”
Cheng Xu lowered his head, feeling guilty. “You’ve been wronged too; I couldn’t just help the Madam speak well, could I? I thought you would just vent your anger on her, and it would pass. Who knew…”
Who knew you would react so strongly and directly drive her away?
Recalling her expression just now, Jiang Xuanjin’s heart sank, and he pursed his lips, thinking for a moment before saying softly, “Go find her and bring her back.”
It had been so long; where could she still be? Cheng Xu took people out to search around, but there was no sign of her in Moju or anywhere in the entire Jiang residence.
The person in bed finally panicked, stubbornly putting on his clothes and getting out of bed to head outside.
“Master!” Cheng Xu and Yufeng hurriedly came up to stop him. “Someone has already been sent out to search; don’t worry. You can’t ride a horse or sit in a carriage like this!”
Jiang Shen and Jiang Yan rushed over upon hearing the news, each grabbing him from either side to push him back, asking in confusion, “What’s going on?”
Jiang Xuanjin frowned at Jiang Yan.
Realizing it was related to him, Jiang Yan braced himself and said, “If it’s about the little aunt, I have something to say. I wanted to tell you that I’ve already avenged you, so you don’t need to be so angry… but you didn’t let me say it.”
The bandaged wound had started to seep blood again, and Jiang Xuanjin clenched his fists, breathing heavily as he coldly asked, “Who told you to meddle in this?”
“Exactly!” Jiang Shen chimed in, pushing Jiang Yan toward the door. “Quickly go back and write your documents; don’t meddle in this.”
Though he was scolding him, his actions were protective. Jiang Yan also felt he couldn’t withstand his little uncle’s sharp and cold gaze, so he hurriedly followed Jiang Shen’s actions and ran outside.
Jiang Xuanjin stared intently at the door.
“Hey, don’t take your anger out on the younger generation,” Jiang Shen sighed. “Is your sister-in-law missing? She won’t run too far; just send someone to look for her. Look at your injury; don’t let it worsen while waiting for her to return; it’ll only worry people.”
“That person…” Jiang Xuanjin gritted his teeth. “If she truly wants to run, she wouldn’t know how far she could go.”
“Hey, as long as she still cares about you, she won’t run far,” Jiang Shen said, pressing him back down onto the bed. “Don’t worry.”
Caring about him? Jiang Xuanjin hadn’t dared to be certain before, and now he was even less certain. Moreover, with her condition, the doctor had said she needed to be well taken care of. Now that she was being tossed around like this, could she still endure it?
Li Huaiyu could endure it, but Bai Zhujing would drag her down.
When she climbed over the wall to leave the Jiang residence, she felt a bit dizzy. At first, she thought it was because she hadn’t eaten, but after walking for a while, her legs began to weaken.
The street was bustling with people, and occasionally someone would turn to look at her and whisper a few words. She heard them, mostly talking about a fallen noblewoman, completely unaware that she needed help.
After walking halfway down the street, she suddenly heard the sound of a horse-drawn carriage rushing behind her, and the people on the street hurriedly shouted and dodged.
Huaiyu sensed the danger but was now seeing everything in a blur, relying solely on instinct to move forward. It was extremely difficult to control her body to step aside.
“Watch out!” someone nearby shouted.
The coachman pulled hard on the reins, and the horse neighed loudly, its hooves raised high. In her dazed state, Huaiyu felt a sharp pain in her back, and then her whole body was thrown forward, crashing to the ground. In that instant, the world suddenly went dark.
This carriage must have been sent by Jiang Xuanjin, she thought resentfully before losing consciousness.
However, when she woke up and opened her eyes again, she found herself facing Lu Jingxing.
“Have you lost your mind?” As soon as he saw her open her eyes, he shouted while holding a fan. “You’re running a high fever and don’t even know it, wandering the streets like a ghost? If the horse had gone any faster, you would have met the King of Hell!”
Being yelled at made her frown. Huaiyu rubbed her ears and retorted, “Did you eat a bear’s heart? How dare you speak to your ancestor like that?!”
“If my ancestor acted like you, I wouldn’t be here!”
“If you weren’t here, it would just mean one less illegal merchant in the world!”
The two exchanged shouts, leaving the onlookers dumbfounded.
Huaiyu had just woken up, and her throat was extremely dry, so she was at a disadvantage in the shouting match. She reached out and shouted, “Water!”
Just Wu quickly handed her a cup of water.
Gulping down a couple of mouthfuls, Li Huaiyu glared at Lu Jingxing beside the bed, but as she glared, her nose began to feel sour, and her eyes turned red.
“Why am I here?” she pouted. “Did you knock me down?”
Her heart ached, and Lu Jingxing put down the fan, picking up the porridge beside her and bringing it to her mouth. “Who would knock you down? I was going to check on the shop on that street and happened to run into you, so I heroically saved you.”
Swallowing the porridge, Huaiyu sniffled, “You saved me? But why do I feel like I was knocked to the ground and passed out?”
Lu Jingxing coughed lightly.
Not every hero saves a beauty with petals floating in the air; there could be unexpected situations. For instance, if he couldn’t rush over in time, he could only push her away, but he hadn’t controlled his strength well and ended up knocking her down and causing her to faint.
If he said this, he would be beaten by his ancestors, so Lu Jingxing chose to remain silent.
Huaiyu didn’t press further, swallowing the porridge, her eyes filling with tears.
“What’s wrong?” Just Wu couldn’t help but ask. “Who bullied you?”
“Nothing…” She shook her head. “I just didn’t bring my hairpin when I came out, and I feel a bit regretful.”
When she came out, no one stopped her, but if she had brought her hairpin, she would have been blocked at the door and not allowed to leave. Li Huaiyu felt that Jiang Xuanjin was truly a scheming person; he seemed unguarded, but in reality, he was always on guard.
Lu Jingxing glanced at her. “Why did you leave the Jiang residence? Did you suffer grievances?”
“Mm.” Huaiyu nodded honestly. “As you said, I played with fire and almost burned myself, so I escaped to cool down.”
Slightly startled, Lu Jingxing put down the bowl. “You…”
“What are you so surprised about?” She grinned, wiping her face. “If you want to act, you have to make it believable; first, you have to take it seriously. I didn’t grasp it well for a moment, and the fire burned up, so I felt wrong.”
Jiang Xuanjin’s indifference had truly caught her off guard. She hadn’t expected it; if she had anticipated it and reminded herself that this was just acting, she wouldn’t have truly been hurt.
This path was indeed not easy to walk.
With a serious expression, Lu Jingxing said, “Don’t stay in the Jiang residence anymore; come to my side. Li Fengxing and Liang Sixian have both been taken down; your goal has been achieved.”
Among the treacherous officials in the court, only Li Fengxing and Liang Sixian were the ones that Danyang hadn’t managed to deal with. Now that they had been resolved through Jiang Xuanjin, it didn’t make sense for her to stay in the Jiang residence any longer.
“No.” Huaiyu shook her head. “There’s still one person I haven’t found.”
“Who?”
Rubbing her head, she weakly said, “Jiang Xuanjin isn’t the one who wants to put me to death; the one who wants to harm me must be someone else. Don’t you want to know who it is?”
Of course, he wanted to know; everyone in the room wanted to know. But did she have to stay by Jiang Xuanjin’s side to find out? Lu Jingxing was puzzled, and Just Wu frowned as well.
Huaiyu fell silent, her eyes half-closed, looking as if she might faint again.
Just Wu hurriedly helped her lie down, covering her with a blanket, then pulled Lu Jingxing outside.
“I think His Highness has done everything he can; there’s no need to tire himself out in this murky water,” he frowned and asked. “Does Young Master Lu have any way to make His Highness give up?”
Give up? Lu Jingxing opened his fan and smiled. “Just Wu, you’ve been with her for several years; have you ever seen her give up on something she’s determined to do?”
“But…” Just Wu said, “You see her like this; you don’t know how much grievance she suffered in the Jiang residence.”
In the past, even if she had to take the blame or bear the infamy, she had never shed a tear. Now, however, she was red-nosed and red-eyed, crying like a little girl.
Lu Jingxing’s expression darkened. After thinking for a moment, he waved his hand to summon Zhao Cai, instructing him to find someone to inquire.
The hour of the dog passed. Cheng Xu and Yufeng still hadn’t found her. Jiang Shen glanced at the person’s face on the bed and quietly asked, “Should we report it to the authorities?”
“Do you want the whole family to know she’s missing? When she’s found, will she be locked in the Buddhist hall again?”
“Then what should we do? The capital is so big; we can’t rely on just a few hidden guards and servants at home to search, can we?”
Jiang Xuanjin fell silent, his face darkening. Jiang Shen observed him and teased, “Why not post a notice saying you’re not angry anymore? Maybe she’ll see it and come back.”
Absurd. It hadn’t been long since she left, and now he was supposed to post a notice. And a notice like that… wouldn’t it make it seem like he truly cared about her?
He thought this way, but he still crumpled a few sheets of rice paper in his hand and handed them to Cheng Xu.
“What is this?” Jiang Shen curiously glanced at it, then frowned. “What kind of nonsense is this?”
Ignoring him, Jiang Xuanjin quietly instructed Cheng Xu, “Find some painters and have them draw several copies of this to post around.”
“Yes.”
“What use could this possibly have?” Jiang Shen shook his head. “Who can understand it?”
Cheng Xu didn’t explain to him, taking the drawings to get it done. At the hour of the pig, three hundred crude little figures were plastered all over the streets and alleys.
However, these drawings hadn’t even been up for half an hour before they were quickly covered by the imperial edict that came from the palace.
“Catch the assassin?” The common people gathered around, pointing and discussing the imperial edict.
Yufeng, wandering the streets, saw this and squeezed into the crowd. Upon seeing it, he was shocked.
“The Emperor was attacked outside the palace and is now offering a reward for the capture of the assassin… Anyone with clues should report to the yamen; there will be a generous reward…” Wasn’t this matter supposed to be suppressed? Why was it being publicly announced?
There was no time to find the Madam; Yufeng turned and ran back to the Jiang residence, wanting to report this matter to the master. However, Jiang Xuanjin had been through too much, and his wound had burst open, causing a high fever. He was already unconscious.
“How could this happen?” Jiang Shen was puzzled. If he remembered correctly, the sister-in-law had pleaded for the Emperor. Given the Emperor’s relationship with the Third Brother and the Third Brother’s contributions in protecting him, the Emperor wouldn’t let this matter escalate.
However, the imperial edict only mentioned capturing the assassin and didn’t state that the Emperor had been attacked near the Jiang residence, so it should be fine, right? Holding onto a glimmer of hope, Jiang Shen only sent a message to Jiang Chong and continued to take care of Jiang Xuanjin.
At the hour of the rat, Jiang Xuanjin finally broke his fever, and Jiang Shen let out a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to return to his room to rest, Cheng Xu and Yufeng rushed into the main room in a panic.
“Second Young Master, you should go out and take a look!”
Feeling a bad premonition, Jiang Shen stood up and followed them. As soon as he opened the door to Moju, countless torches greeted him, dazzling his eyes.