Ich denke an dich, wenn der Wind weht

Kapitel 101

Qinglan spoke eloquently and passionately, but Xie Yunshu had no choice but to interrupt her.

"Don't listen to his bragging, it's not that exaggerated."

"What bragging? I saw it with my own eyes," Qinglan protested, then sighed. "You can't imagine it if you haven't seen it. It made me dream about mountains of treasures for the next few days."

Xie Feilan snorted. "The Jun family is really wealthy."

"Father said the same thing." Their tone was exactly the same, and Xie Quheng chuckled.

"To be honest, Jun Suiyu is being far too cautious. He's throwing out rare treasures just to show how close he is to his sister. Isn't he just afraid of mistreating Miss Jun? The Xie family isn't snobbish, so why is he being so wary?" Xie Feilan himself felt that his words were a bit excessive, but he couldn't help it.

Xie Jingze was taken aback, while Xie Yunshu glanced at him without saying a word.

Qinglan didn't understand. "What Fourth Brother said isn't entirely the fault of the Jun family, after all..." She trailed off, her words turning into an awkward laugh.

“After all, I strongly opposed the third brother marrying her back then,” Xie Quheng said calmly. “Although she comes from the Jun family, she grew up in the Demonic Sect. She is ruthless and bloodthirsty, cold and aloof, and also suffers from a serious illness. She is definitely not a good match. So I have always opposed it. It was only out of necessity that she was married into the family.”

Xie Feilan was stunned for a moment because he didn't expect his elder brother to be so direct. He looked at Xie Yunshu, who was calm and composed, without any gloom, as he propped his head up and poured wine.

"But now that we're family, let's not talk about anything else." Xie Quheng sighed. "Now that she's my third brother's wife, the Xie family must protect her in every way and not allow outsiders to say a bad word about her. Fourth brother, you must remember that too."

“Brother is right.” Xie Jingze rarely spoke. “We can say whatever we want among family members, but we should be careful with what we say to outsiders. Besides… Sister-in-law, despite her difficult background, is extremely intelligent, and Mother likes her very much.”

“I think Third Sister-in-law is quite good. Although she’s a bit cold, her demeanor and actions are superior to most, and few can match her.” Qinglan said with a hint of indignation. “On the contrary, Sister Fengge didn’t say a word when she saw Third Sister-in-law, not even a word of thanks.”

When Bai Fengge was mentioned, Xie Yunshu's expression changed slightly.

"Fourth brother really wants to marry her? Father's plans are another matter. What do you think?"

"Me?" Xie Feilan smiled indifferently, true to his usual carefree nature. "Women are all the same to me. She's not bad looking. As long as she's obedient and easy to manage in the future, marrying her won't be a bad deal."

Xie Yunshu frowned slightly. "Marriage is a major life event. Your parents won't restrict you since you've lived in Quanzhou for a long time. You can choose someone you like."

"Not everyone is as lucky as Third Brother, who happened to marry a stunning beauty." Xie Feilan smiled lazily, tapping his cup, not understanding why he had become so sarcastic. "It's just a pity she's a sickly beauty."

Xie Yunshu paused for a moment.

"Fourth brother, I know you don't like third sister-in-law very much, but she is my wife now. Give your third brother some face and don't speak to her like that. I don't want her to feel bad."

Xie Feilan felt a pang of regret, but continued to tease him without restraint.

"Is Third Brother afraid of being punished by his wife when he goes back? I've heard she's quite the femme fatale."

“I would prefer it to be this way.” Xie Yunshu was not offended, his handsome face gentle. “But she is proud by nature, and she will mostly keep her grievances to herself and would never tell me.”

"Then you have even less to worry about." The more Xie Feilan saw this, the more a sour feeling arose in her heart. "Third Brother may not understand, but women cannot be spoiled too much. The better you treat her, the less she will take it seriously. If you keep your distance, she will come back to you on her own. If you continue to indulge her like this for another three to five years, she will climb all over you."

“I married her so that she could be happy.” Ren Sidi spoke with absolute certainty about his nonsense, but Xie Yunshu did not refute him, remaining calm and composed. “She suffered too much in the past, and I only wish to do my best to make her a little happier.”

Xie Feilan didn't know what to feel. The fine wine tasted like vinegar, and he couldn't utter a word.

Author's Note: 555~~~~~~ There was indeed a major bug in the previous text, what a mistake!

Revising it is too difficult, so please ignore this post. I'll post an extra chapter as an apology. (I'm running away in tears.)

Jealousy

Sunlight streams through the treetops, warm and gentle, and the leaves sway in the breeze, creating a truly pleasant scene.

Lying among the branches with his arms as a pillow, he could no longer find a good mood. Even the beautiful woman's smile couldn't lift his spirits. The past romantic moments and intimate pillow entanglements had lost their charm, and he felt utterly bored.

Her gentle, joyful smile appeared repeatedly, making everything else pale in comparison.

Having seen countless beautiful flowers, I could only remember that fleeting smile, as if I were under a spell, unable to extricate myself. I cut myself off from thinking about it any further, forcing my mind to turn to the bird's nest on the branch, where the baby birds peeked out, trying to snatch food from their mother, chirping noisily. Below, I could vaguely hear laughter drifting closer and closer.

Second sister-in-law Su Jinrong, arm in arm with Bai Fengge, sat down with Shen Mingzhu on the stone bench under the tree.

Xie Feilan glanced at Bai Fengge but then lay back down without much interest. He had met with her a few times recently, maintaining the proper etiquette for children of noble families, being polite yet reserved. His elders nodded in approval, but who knew what the two of them were really thinking?

She... probably hasn't given up yet.

A woman's thoughts are not hard to guess. A glance is enough to discern whether she is moved by passion, shy, or feigning affection. Bai Fengge appeared gentle and composed, but her eyes were still fixed on her third brother. He was simply curious: given that his third brother's deep affection for his wife was obvious to everyone, what was she still hoping for?

Not wanting to show themselves or spy, the dense shade of the trees couldn't block out the sounds.

"Did you enjoy the boat trip on the lake yesterday? Miss Shen seems to know all the legends and stories, even better than I do," Su Jinrong said to Bai Fengge with a smile. "You really can't tell this is your first time in Yangzhou."

"This is all because Yangzhou is famous for its beauty. I read through all the legends about its mountains and rivers before coming here, and Mingzhu already knows them by heart," Shen Mingzhu said with a smile. "It's a pity that the Third Young Mistress couldn't come along. What a shame."

Su Jinrong gave a slight snort. "She rarely shows herself, and her health is extremely delicate, so it's better if she doesn't come."

“The Third Young Mistress is too frail to go out, so it should be my turn to visit her.”

Bai Fengge gently advised, "I advise you not to worry about this, sister. She is a young lady of the Jun family, and her status is extraordinary. I heard from Sister Su that she rarely interacts with female relatives after she married into the family, which is enough to tell you what kind of person she is. I'm afraid that if you go there, you will be seen as trying to curry favor and be looked down upon. Why bother to make yourself unhappy?"

Shen Mingzhu was taken aback. "The Third Young Mistress is not that kind of person. That day, I saw that although she spoke little, she responded politely. She must be sickly and weak, and there must be no other reason for her to have less contact with me. Sister Bai has probably misunderstood."

“Miss Shen seems to have a good impression of her.” Su Jinrong sneered. “No wonder, she is quite beautiful. No man who has seen her has not been smitten. I didn’t expect that even a woman would be no exception.”

"I did want to get closer to the Third Young Mistress, but not for that reason." The girl blushed. "Back then, I heard some stories about her from my second brother, and I admired and longed to see what kind of extraordinary woman she was..."

"Extraordinary?" Su Jinrong scoffed.

“Miss Shen probably doesn’t know her background, which is why she has such wild imaginations,” Bai Fengge said with a smile. “You should know that she was born into a cult with a long history of bad deeds. In that filthy place, she used her looks to climb the social ladder and curry favor with those in power. She killed people like grass with blood on her hands. She married into Yangzhou entirely because of the Jun family’s coercion, and she abused her power to run rampant in the Xie family. She is not worthy of your admiration at all. Perhaps I shouldn’t be the one to say this, but seeing how much my sister has been deceived, I have to be blunt and say it.”

Shen Mingzhu was stunned for a long time, staring straight at Bai Fengge until the other party could hardly suppress a smile.

"Miss Shen doesn't believe me? Why don't you ask Sister Su? She knows everything."

Just as Su Jinrong was about to agree, Shen Mingzhu suddenly stood up, her pretty face very serious.

“It is indeed inappropriate for Miss Bai to say such a thing.” The clear, sweet voice startled the two of them. “Although I am young, I have heard about what happened back then. If it weren’t for Miss Jun’s protection, the Bai family in Hangzhou would have been wiped out long ago. She saved the entire family. How can Miss Bai show no gratitude at all, but instead speak ill of others behind their backs?”

Never before had Bai Fengge encountered such a direct accusation, and her face suddenly flushed red.

"That was...that wasn't her doing; it was all thanks to Young Master Xie's arrangements..."

“Even though it was Young Master Xie’s request, it was Miss Jun who risked her life. As the saying goes, saving someone in distress is worth a thousand pieces of gold, let alone such a great favor.” Shen Mingzhu was very young and straightforward, disregarding etiquette, leaving Bai Fengge speechless. “Miss Jun’s entrapment in the Demonic Sect was not of her own volition. After finally escaping, she still remembered to send my eldest brother’s remains back to his hometown. My sister-in-law buried her alive but was released and sent back to Luoyang. She did not hold a grudge against my second brother for repaying kindness with enmity. How many people can have such a magnanimous heart? Everything she does is based on loyalty and righteousness. How is she any different from the righteous people? Why is she criticized so much?”

Seeing Bai Fengge's pale face, Su Jinrong forced a smile to defuse the situation. "Miss Shen is young. Has she considered that her actions are merely a pretense of goodwill to gain a good reputation and praise, and to deceive Yunshu into feeling grateful and guilty towards her?"

Upon hearing Su Jinrong's explanation, Shen Mingzhu was extremely dismissive, her anger flaring even more. "Young Master Xie has known her for a long time; how could he not know her character? Why would he resort to such a near-fatal scheme? Even if it was truly a scheme motivated by love, saving someone is a fact, and it cannot be dismissed so easily. I, Mingzhu, have come to Yangzhou and have been warmly received by the Second Young Madam. Being young and inexperienced, I have some doubts and have presumptuously sought your advice. I hope Madam will not blame me for my recklessness."

“Miss Shen has a pure heart and always thinks the best of everything.” Su Jinrong reluctantly changed the subject. “This is a good thing. There are some things I can’t say. Perhaps I will have a different perspective when I have more time to spend with her in the future.”

Bai Fengge finally recovered her composure. "Miss Shen seems to have misunderstood. I have not forgotten Miss Jun's kindness. We were old friends in Hangzhou back then, but I later found it difficult to accept her character, so we stopped being close to each other."

"Poor character? Could Miss Bai elaborate?" Disliking vague and ambiguous insinuations, Shen Mingzhu simply asked directly.

“She…” Bai Fengge’s cherry lips parted, and she gave a stiff smile. “Now that we are in the Xie family, how can we talk about the shortcomings of the people in the mansion? It’s best not to mention it.”

"Feng Ge is right. At least consider my feelings as your master and change the subject to some irrelevant gossip."

The two women finally managed to escape the entanglement and chatted absentmindedly about trivial matters. However, they couldn't agree on anything, and the atmosphere was no longer as harmonious as before. Seeing the awkwardness, Shen Mingzhu realized she had offended the man and made an excuse to leave first, which relieved the two women.

Xie Feilan listened quietly from the tree, and seeing Bai Fengge's dazed and embarrassed expression, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He remained motionless for a long time, hoping that the people under the tree would leave as soon as possible. However, after chatting about this and that for a while, Su and Bai changed the subject.

"...Fourth brother is young and handsome, witty and talkative, and a local leader in Quanzhou. It might not be a bad match for you. You two would be a perfect couple. What do you think, Fengge?"

“His eyes are devoid of sincerity, he is a womanizer all day long, and even knowing that I am in the Xie family, he still does not change his ways. Such a man…” Her resentful words were filled with self-pity. “I know that Uncle Xie pities my wasted time, but no matter how unbearable it is, I am unwilling to accept such an arrangement.”

“Men are all like that; they settle down once they get married,” Su Jinrong advised, drawing on her own experience. “Jingze used to frequent brothels, didn’t he? Look at how he behaves after marriage; it all depends on how you handle him.”

His words were full of smugness, and Xie Feilan secretly felt sorry for his second brother.

“Sister Jinrong, Father only cares about the Xie family’s long-standing friendship and doesn’t care about what I think. Only you understand that from the moment I met him, there has only been one person in my heart.”

Su Jinrong sighed. "Of course I know, but my third brother is already married. What good is your deep affection? Listen to my advice, stop thinking about that blind man. He's already so infatuated he can't tell east from west."

"That woman..." The sorrowful words choked with sobs. "She used to rely on her martial arts skills to act arrogantly, looking down on everyone. Now she uses the Jun family's name to oppress people, making him run around like a slave..."

“She’s nothing like you, but fate played a cruel trick on her and she ended up marrying into this family.” Su Jinrong pulled out an embroidered handkerchief and handed it over, feeling deeply sorry for her friend, and sighed and complained. “Third brother protects her like a treasure, and there are plenty of aunts in the family who are unhappy with her, but what can they do about it?”

Xie Feilan sneered inwardly. It was nothing more than Jun Pianxian's impatience with gossipy women, which gave her a reputation for being aloof and arrogant. However, the Jun family's status and prestige were enough to suppress any criticism, and being envious was futile.

"Who can do anything to her?" A hint of ruthlessness flashed across her pretty face. "But heaven has eyes, no matter how arrogant she is, she won't live for more than a few years."

Her friend was consumed by hatred and resentment, and Su Jinrong felt inexplicably uneasy. "Fengge, I know you are deeply devoted, but my third brother has brought back a miraculous medicine from Qiongzhou..."

"Sister Jinrong." Her voice suddenly softened. "Yunshu will definitely be the steward of the Xie family in the future, won't she?"

"It can't be wrong, you..."

"In her early years, she recuperated at the Xie family home. Sister Jinrong had a verbal conflict with her, and that witch must have harbored a deep grudge for a long time. When she becomes Aunt Xie's wife, you can imagine what Sister Jinrong's life will be like. Yunshu was deeply bewitched by her, and Second Brother Xie prefers the tranquil and non-competitive path of medicine, so he is no match for her."

As Su Jinrong thought about the future, a chill ran through her heart.

“Sister Jinrong comes from a prestigious family, yet she has to submit to a witch. Even outsiders feel it’s a pity.” Bai Fengge sighed subtly. “It’s a pity I’m not fortunate enough to be related to you, sister. Otherwise, we would definitely be of one mind and share the same fate.”

"What can I do if Father has made such arrangements?" Su Jinrong was bewildered and at a loss.

"Was the Sea Nether Silk that Yun Shu brought back made by Second Brother Xie?"

"You mean..." The soft, gentle words made Su Jinrong shudder, and she vaguely understood something.

"Jun Suiyu searched the whole world and only found this one spiritual herb. What if it's gone?"

"No!" Su Jinrong jumped up in shock, spinning around twice before calming her wildly beating heart. "Third Brother went to so much trouble to get this. If I destroy it, he'll hate me to the core. Absolutely not! Besides, she's Jun Suiyu's own sister. The Junwang Mansion is not to be trifled with!"

"Sister, you're overthinking it. It's just an accident, and there's always a way to cover it up perfectly. Uncle Xie opposed this marriage from the beginning, and Brother Xie didn't like it either. Now that she's dead, the whole Xie family is relieved. Who would care? Even if Yun Shu has suspicions, he won't investigate further because of brotherly affection. The Prince's Mansion is thousands of miles away from the Xie family. Even if Jun Suiyu has eyes and ears everywhere, she won't find any clues. If she uses a baseless accusation to question them, she'll just become a laughing stock in the martial arts world."

Her unhurried words were incredibly persuasive, and Xie Feilan applauded her. He hadn't expected the Bai family's young lady to have such a cunning mind; she was truly impressive. He wondered if his second sister-in-law would be fooled by her friend and follow her orders.

Su Jinrong thought it over and over, but ultimately dared not.

“Fengge, you don’t understand. You saw with your own eyes the grand ceremony Jun Suiyu put up when he married her into the family, but you don’t know that since she married into the family, the profits of all the businesses under the Xie family’s name have soared, and money has flowed in like water. The family’s living standards have also risen dramatically, far beyond what they used to be. This is all thanks to Jun Suiyu’s secret efforts. He loves this younger sister to the core. If anything were to happen to her in the Xie family, it would be no exaggeration to say that war would break out between the north and south.”

Before the other party could speak, Su Jinrong continued.

"You've never been to her residence. That area encompasses several gardens, with pavilions and towers meticulously crafted at great expense, all designed to please the eye. Father even had my eldest brother personally oversee its construction, which shows how much he values her. Mother, pitying her for her youthful orphanhood, frailty, and frequent illnesses, not only exempted her from the morning and evening greetings but also personally inquired about her meals, instructing all the women in the household not to disturb her lightly. My third brother was ordered to decline all the servants' trivial tasks and spend all his time reading documents in his room, never leaving her side. When she lost her appetite due to excessive medication, my third brother coaxed her little by little, trying various methods to get her to eat; when she had difficulty walking, he carried her in and out every day without getting tired of it. The servants all know that the third young master protects his wife like the apple of his eye."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that she's married off to Yangzhou and has no relatives to rely on. Jun Suiyu has sent a large number of close attendants with her as dowry, each one shrewd, capable, and shrewd, managing everything flawlessly. There's almost no room for Xie family servants to interfere. Although her residence is in the Xie family's area, it's practically the Jun family's residence. No one knows how many eyes are watching. Normally, things are peaceful, but if there's any trouble, Jun Suiyu will know instantly. She won't tolerate any deception." Su Jinrong rattled off a long string of words, becoming increasingly alarmed as she spoke, and couldn't help but look around.

"Take my advice, sister. Don't entertain any more dangerous thoughts. Otherwise, you'll not only get yourself into trouble, but you'll also implicate the Bai family."

The Bai family will be implicated... but the Su family will be implicated as well, that's the most important thing. Bai Fengge suppressed a cold laugh and obediently lowered her eyes. "Sister is right, I was confused."

Hearing this, Su Jinrong felt slightly relieved and comforted her with a hint of guilt. "I know Feng Ge is wronged. Next time I see her, I will stand up for you and make sure that witch doesn't get away with it."

Bai Fengge frowned and sighed, "Forget it. She is now a young lady of the Jun family. If she offends her, her sister will have a hard time. With such a family background, who can do anything about her?"

"So what? At least I'm superior to her in terms of status. Why should I be afraid of her turning against me? Feng Ge will see what happens then." Already dissatisfied with her in-laws' favoritism, Su Jinrong became even angrier upon hearing this and said resentfully.

What a clever, subtle provocation! She provoked her best friend to step forward and challenge her, while outwardly remaining unscathed... Fortunately, her second sister-in-law knew better than to do what she was told and didn't steal the medicinal herb. Although Su Jinrong was arrogant, she was simple-minded and was completely manipulated without realizing it. Xie Feilan couldn't help but shake her head.