Chapter Twenty
Page 1/3
“There are always people cleaning the courtyard; just send them straight over,” he paused, then added, “If it gets late, let them rest there overnight. There’s no need to rush back.”
The guard quickly nodded, determined not to disappoint his lord’s benevolent fatherly concern, eager to mention it before the two young masters.
Silence returned to the tent. Xie Zongwei absentmindedly traced the carved crane patterns on the armrest.
His grip was firm, the raised designs rubbing into a dull ache, yet his mind had never been clearer.
Halfway up the mountain stood the hot spring villa.
Only one person had ever been there with him. Not even Uncle Zhong, who managed his estates, knew of it.
Besides himself and the old mute servant who kept the villa tidy, only one other person knew.
That person, by worldly reckoning, had fallen off a cliff and been missing for ten years.
His wife. His first wife. His deceased wife.
What was the most fitting way to address her now?
Xie Zongwei suddenly smiled. The bloodshot webs in his deep phoenix-shaped eyes seemed to weave over his heart, tightening in an instant, nearly suffocating him.
Amid such intense and concentrated pain, he gripped the armrest harder, connecting the subtle anomalies he had sensed over these days.
Xie Zongwei was a man of utmost rationality, but at this moment, he trusted his intuition and the mysterious pull from beyond.
“You won’t come into my dreams because you’re living freely outside, isn’t that so?”
His voice was hoarse and trembling, as faint as a wisp of smoke, yet in the empty, silent tent, it echoed with a stirring resonance.
He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the redness at the corners had vanished.
The guard stationed at the chief minister’s tent doorway saw his master suddenly step outside and instinctively tried to follow, only to be startled by Xie Zongwei’s chilling, terrifying expression.
“No need to follow.”
He went to the twins’ tent.
There was no light inside, pitch dark, but he didn’t ask for lamps to be lit. He walked straight to one of the beds.
It was strewn with belongings—an ox horn bow, a quiver, and several pieces of clothing.
Clearly, it was Xie Junting’s bed.
Taking something without asking was theft—but Xie Zongwei cared little for propriety at this moment; he only wanted an answer.
The tall figure froze at the bedside for a long moment before finally lifting the pillow and slipping his slender, jade-like fingers underneath.
Should he be thankful that Junting had kept the habit of hiding his treasured things under his pillow since childhood?
A flattened hawthorn cake, the nine-linked ring puzzle pressing painfully against the back of his head.
And then—
Xie Zongwei slowly drew out a soft handkerchief from beneath the pillow.
Pressing his fingertip gently on the cloud embroidered at the lower right corner, feeling the slightly raised texture of the stitching, he closed his eyes briefly, swallowing the sting in his heart.
It was her.
It really was her.
When newlywed, during their third day’s visit to her mother’s family, his mother-in-law had smiled and told him that she had learned needlework as a child. At first, she could concentrate, but toward the end of sewing, she often grew impatient and pricked her fingertip with the needle.
Over time, she developed a habit: when finishing, she always embroidered one extra stitch to change the thread’s end.
Xie Zongwei traced the nearly imperceptible, grain-of-rice-sized raised stitch.
The handkerchief he had left in his study was just like this, and so was this one.
This discovery made the doubts in his heart fall like a heavy stone.
It was as if a fire had been thrown into his bloodstream, igniting suddenly and completely consuming his reason in a blink.
Outside the tent, the metallic clinking of armor echoed as the guards patrolled.
The emperor was at the hunting grounds; by now, Lishan mountain was under a curfew, not even a bird could fly out freely.
Just one more night. Just one more night to wait.
Page 2/3
Xie Zongwei clenched the handkerchief tightly. He had waited ten years; one more night was nothing unfamiliar.
He stepped out of the tent, gazing at the ink-dark night sky, suddenly wondering why Houyi had shot down the other nine suns.
Tonight truly felt endless.
...
Unaware of being watched, Shi Lingyao was cheerfully admiring herself in the mirror, making sure her appearance and attire were perfect before happily preparing to go out.
Green Qiao, watering flowers in the courtyard, caught sight of the young lady dressed in green and red and felt her eyes brighten.
“Madam, are you going out? Shall I accompany you?”
Shi Lingyao was going to meet Zhou Jun—first, to receive her share of the profits, and second, to discuss future cooperation.
“Peach Blossom Cheek,” unexpectedly popular among young women and brides in Bianjing, had prompted Zhou Jun to seize the opportunity to launch new fragrant powders and cosmetics, specially inviting Shi Lingyao to a teahouse for detailed talks.
After some thought, she nodded, “You may come with me.”
Though she had explained to Dabao and Xiaobao about the transaction with Zhou Jun that allowed her to save some silver, the two children had never dealt with Zhou Jun and might feel uneasy; having Green Qiao along was better.
Green Qiao happily gave a soft “ah.”
Zhou Jun had recently been on a winning streak, not only turning the tide in a crucial battle, but also securing a foothold for his business in Bianjing. Establishing a long-term partnership with Madam Shi would surely smooth his path ahead.
Shi Lingyao had her own considerations after all she’d been through.
She loved jade and pearl jewelry, loved wearing different dresses every day, loved buying things for her children.
All of these depended on one thing—having money in hand.
In the past, she had been cherished by Ye Niang, and after marrying into the Xie family, she had never worried about food, clothing, or expenses.
But times had changed. Even after reuniting with Ye Niang, Shi Lingyao would never shamelessly rely on her mother and brother for support.
She occasionally enjoyed the twins’ filial piety, which felt good, but relying solely on the children made her feel foolish, like the self who had relentlessly pounded flower petals in Shanshui Village.
When Zhou Jun heard Shi Lingyao wanted him to open a fragrance and powder shop, his thick brows raised. His recently overheated mind cooled as he studied the young woman seated before him.
She was young and beautiful, with a fresh and elegant face, showing no signs of nervousness, as if certain he would agree to her proposal.
Zhou Jun smiled. He recalled when they first met, Shi Lingyao had confidently claimed she could help them make a fortune across the twenty-three provinces of Dayu.
Who would have guessed this gentle woman might actually make that come true?
He nodded. “Madam Shi, I look forward to a happy collaboration.”
Shi Lingyao’s meaning was clear: she would open a shop in Bianjing, and outside the city, her fragrant powders could only be purchased through Zhou Jun’s channels.
A mutually beneficial arrangement like this was impossible to refuse.
With his clear affirmation, Shi Lingyao’s slightly tense heart relaxed.
Peach Blossom Cheek had made a great start. With her freshly earned profits and further discussions with Zhou Jun, she left and headed toward Chunsha Street with Green Qiao.
Now that she had money, she would finally buy that pair of earrings she had admired last time!
At Manyu Pavilion, Shi Lingyao gazed at the earrings made of pink tourmaline and jade, admiring their beauty. Just as she was about to ask a servant to wrap them and pay, a timid female voice came from nearby.
“I like this pearl flower. What do you think, cousin?”
Shi Lingyao glanced casually and recognized the woman—one who had come with Xie Yongxi to buy jewelry, intending to meet Xie Zongwei.
The man beside her... was none other than Liang Yunxian, Xie Yongxi’s husband!
Liang Yunxian with his cousin?
Shi Lingyao looked again, then around them, but saw no sign of Xie Yongxi, finding the situation amusing.
“Cousin and cousin” was an intriguing relationship.
Moreover, Liang Yunxian was always aloof for reasons unknown, yet extremely kind to his wife, who had a fiery temper; he never argued with her.
It seemed that those who remained unchanged over ten years were the rarity.
Shi Lingyao sighed but decided to mind her own business—especially since the matter involved the woman she disliked, Xie Yongxi.
Green Qiao dutifully led her out of Manyu Pavilion, and as soon as they stepped outside, moist raindrops fell on her face.
Page 3/3
“Madam, it’s raining.”
Green Qiao was a bit troubled. Their carriage was parked at the far end of Chunsha Street; walking back would mean getting soaked.
She recalled the cold, jade-like young master’s reminder to take good care of Madam because she was delicate.
“Madam, wait here a moment. I’ll go next door and buy an umbrella.”
Shi Lingyao watched the raindrops fall swiftly from the eaves, pattering onto the bluestone slabs and gathering in shallow puddles.
Hearing Green Qiao’s words, she nodded and took the things from her hand. “Go ahead.”
Green Qiao hurried off with quick, small steps. Shi Lingyao, hoping to avoid Liang Yunxian and the others, stepped aside to quietly brood, thinking that once the fragrance shop was settled, she would set out for Jiangzhou to see her parents and younger brother.
Her brother had been only fifteen when she fell from the cliff, not much older than Dabao and Xiaobao now. The next time they met, he would be a young man in his twenties.
She dared not imagine how old Ye Niang would have grown from the news of her death.
Shi Lingyao sighed, feeling fate’s strange twists.
Perhaps rainy days always dampened one’s spirits, for she felt a rare melancholy in her brows and eyes as the cold raindrops touched her face.
She knew that after reuniting with her two children and opening a shop in Bianjing, she would inevitably encounter people from her past.
Including Xie Zongwei.
...But honestly, she was not yet ready to face him.
He always seemed aloof, like a dead, still lake, not stirring even a ripple. And she? She still fell ill from anger over his dealings with others.
It wasn’t fair at all.
It had always been like this. Between them, she cared far more.
Green Qiao returned, lowering her head to open the umbrella.
Seeing Shi Lingyao about to step into the rain, Green Qiao hurriedly grabbed her arm. “Madam, you have to use the umbrella.”
Shi Lingyao paused, letting out a reluctant “oh.”
Seeing her low spirits, Green Qiao wisely stopped nagging, only pulling her aside when the heavy sound of hooves clattering on the bluestone caught their attention.
Green Qiao struggled juggling both umbrella and belongings, so Shi Lingyao took the umbrella to continue shielding them.
The umbrella tilted slightly, scattering a string of sparkling raindrops.
Beneath its oiled paper canopy appeared a face as fresh and rosy as a spring peach.
The sound of hooves abruptly halted.
Shi Lingyao felt a chill sweep over her, the back of her neck growing cold.
It was as if... she had been locked onto by a wild beast long starved.
Frowning, she looked toward the source of the unsettling gaze.
Her eyes met a pair of deep, profound pupils.
The rain grew heavier. The man on the tall horse wore nothing to shield from the rain; large drops slid down his exquisitely handsome face, his clothes soaked, yet he appeared utterly unruffled.
It was Xie Zongwei.
Shi Lingyao’s heart tightened sharply.
This time, there was no hiding. Their eyes locked.
Suddenly, she felt an urge to flee.
In fact, she did.
Watching that familiar figure turn and climb back onto the carriage, Xie Zongwei tasted the bitter sting of a shattered heart after a long time.
“Shi Lingyao, you dare run?!”