Zhen Shu said, "She has been gone for ten months, and there has been no news of her at all."
Jung-won hesitated before revealing, "I overheard Mother mention once that Jung-soo was pregnant when she left. Did you notice?"
Zhenshu was shocked. After thinking for a long time, she shook her head and said, "I couldn't see it at all. But she's a bit chubby, so even if she had a belly, you wouldn't be able to tell."
Zhenyuan said, "That money that the Dowager Consort had was originally hidden away, and she didn't dare to make a fuss about it. But no matter what, I'm afraid she won't be allowed to swallow it all by herself. And Zhenyu, is she still keeping an eye on the shop?"
Zhen Shu said, "Keep an eye on them. The two servants take turns working shifts, one in the morning and one in the evening. Thanks to them, there are far fewer bad people in our area now."
Two constables and two servants stood guard from morning till night, making Song's mounting shop a place that even thieves in the East Market dared not trespass upon.
Zhenyuan shook her head with a wry smile and said, "Last time Mother and Zhenyi came, I thought Zhenyi seemed to like your little apprentice. Did you keep an eye on them?"
Zhenshu then spoke frankly: "Xiuer is an honest and clever child. She is good at accounting and diligent. Although you can't see her talent now, she is bound to be good at it. I plan to hand over the shop to Zhenyi in the future and have Xiuer manage it for her. The two of them can run the shop together, which will be a family business. It will be good for your mother to take care of you in your old age."
Jung-won asked in surprise, "Then what are your plans?"
Zhenshu lowered her head and sighed, "Among us sisters, although your marriages have all turned out badly, just as Father and Mother said, I am the most unruly and restless. I don't plan to take over the household, so I'll leave the responsibility of taking care of Mother to Xiuer and Zhenyi. I have no intention of running that shop to make a living; I have my own plans for the future."
Jung-won grabbed her hand and asked, "Are you still thinking about that eunuch?"
Zhen Shu remained silent, withdrew her hand, and said, "That's not it."
Zhenyuan whispered reproachfully, "You still dare to say no. Although we are isolated here on this estate, we know that he is a wicked and evil man who has killed many good officials in the court. Many people wish they could skin him alive and eat his flesh. Do you really want to follow him and become a fake couple to be scorned by everyone?"
Zhenshu got up and got off the kang (heated brick bed), saying, "I'm going to sleep. You should go to sleep early too."
Seeing that her advice was ignored, Zhenyuan followed and blocked her way, saying, "You must never follow that bad person. Look at how difficult things are for your sister now that she took one wrong step."
People can always see the mistakes of others, but they are stubbornly clinging to the same mistakes when it comes to their own.
Zhenshu nodded perfunctorily and then instructed Zhenyuan, "People say that a first marriage is based on the father's wishes, and a second marriage on one's own. Just pretend that Zhang Rui is dead, and call Brother Liu over to be your husband. As for Zhang Rui, I will find a way to make him give up on the idea when I return to the capital."
Zhenyuan had long harbored this intention, but she hadn't dared to openly discuss it with Liu Wensi for fear of Zhang Rui causing trouble. She knew that Zhenshu had some connections in the capital, and that Zhang Rui was completely under Zhenshu's thumb. With Zhenshu's words, she felt relieved and nodded, saying, "I know, go to sleep early."
Zhenshu left the room but didn't go back to sleep. Instead, she knocked on the small door and called out, "Brother Liu?"
A moment later, Liu Wensi came over with a shirt on and opened the door, welcoming Zhenshu into his small courtyard. Zhenshu saw that the other courtyard was well-maintained, while this one was overgrown with weeds and dilapidated. The house was also empty except for a bed. He picked up a clean chair and sat down, saying, "Brother Liu, you've had a hard time."
Liu Wensi was in a hurry to make tea and tidy up the messy things. She was sweating profusely and said awkwardly, "It's tiring taking care of the child all day. My place is a mess. Please excuse me."
Zhenshu said, "How could that be? Please sit down and talk to me. If you keep being so busy, I'll leave."
Liu Wensi had no choice but to sit down. She asked a few questions about the situation in the capital, and seeing that Zhenshu only gave perfunctory answers, she knew that Zhenshu had something to ask, so she sat down and waited. Zhenshu hesitated for a while before asking, "Do you still have any contact with your godfather?"
Liu Wensi had heard Zhenyuan mention Zhenshu's insistence on marrying Yu Yichen. Hearing her bring it up, Liu Wensi didn't know what she meant, so she nodded slightly and said, "I've met her once."
Zhenshu asked, "Do you also think he's bad?"
Liu Wensi said, "It's hard to say since we don't know each other well, but it's true that he has a bit of a strange temper. As for the rumors circulating outside, there are probably some true and some false ones."
Zhenshu added, "If Brother Liu still doesn't give up, why don't you move over there and become a real couple with my elder sister? It would be better than what we're doing now."
Liu Wensi said, "The only thing I'm afraid of now is her husband in the capital."
Zhenshu said, "They have neither a matchmaker nor a proper ceremony, so what is there to fear? Just move over there, and I will take care of the rest."
Liu Wensi nodded happily and said with great joy, "Thank you so much, Second Sister."
After Zhenshu took her leave, Liu Wensi followed her to the courtyard gate. Suddenly, Zhenshu turned back and asked, "Do you know who let those Tartars into Huixian County three years ago?"
Liu Wensi shook his head and said, "I don't know. If I knew, I would kill him without hesitation."
His eyes reddened as he whispered, "My poor sister was frightened to death by the mere mention of the Tartars' arrival."
Miss Wenxiang appeared unharmed, but her face showed signs of terror. She died at a young age and her body was hastily dissolved without any examination. Therefore, everyone in the Liu family believed that she had been frightened to death by the Tartars.
When Yu Yichen arrived at Liu Zhang's residence, he did not inform Liu Zhang of his purpose. Everyone, including Liu Wensi, understood that anyone who allowed the Tartars into the pass must be killed without hesitation.
After a good night's sleep on the kang (heated brick bed) in the main room, Zhenshu still got up early to cook porridge and prepare dishes for breakfast. She added some chopped fish and ginger to the porridge, which smelled delicious and tasted wonderful. Xi'er ate a whole bowl. After feeding her, Zhenshu carried the child outside to the courtyard for a walk. She saw that some of the neighbors recognized Xi'er and were all eager to play with her. It turned out that the child was precocious, kind-hearted, and beautiful, so everyone loved her.
She turned around, picked up the child, and returned to the Liu family's courtyard. Just as she handed the child to Zhenyuan, Huang'er came in and said, "Manager, someone outside the village is looking for you."
Zhenshu thought it was Du Yu causing trouble again, and fearing that Zhenyuan would become suspicious, she didn't dare tell Huang'er to say anything more. She went out and walked towards the village entrance. Outside a grove of trees at the village entrance was the place where Yu Yichen had waited for her. When she arrived there, she looked around and saw that there was no one there. She thought that Du Yu was playing tricks on her again, and was about to start cursing when someone behind her pulled her hand and led her into the grove of trees, pinned her against a tree, and kissed her on the lips.
Zhenshu, feeling dizzy from his kisses, pushed him away and asked, "Why is it you?"
Yu Yichen wiped her mouth with his thumb and asked, "Are you waiting for someone else?"
Zhenshu turned her face away and said, "No, but why are you here?"
Yu Yichen gently wiped the corners of her mouth, saying lightly, "Just passing by, nothing more than business."
Seeing Zhenshu looking around as if she were waiting for someone, and with a very uneasy expression on her face, he pressed down on the tree trunk with one hand and teased her lips with the other, saying, "But I heard that the young manager is waiting for someone else."
Zhenshu raised her eyebrows and asked, "Who said that? I didn't."
Yu Yichen deliberately provoked, "I heard that Du Yu, the son of Duke Du, is being asked by the deputy inspector of the Censorate to marry the young shopkeeper. I've come to ask how long the young shopkeeper's vow can last?"
Zhen Shu was aroused by his teasing, yet she resented his provocation. She opened her mouth to bite his finger, but he dodged. She pressed herself against the tree for a breathless kiss, and after their lips and tongues had intertwined, Yu Yichen asked again, "Where did he go after following you here?"
Zhenshu's face was flushed, she was panting heavily, her chest heaving, and she shook her head, saying, "I don't know, I wish he were dead right now."
Yu Yichen stared intently at her and said, "I don't believe it."
Zhenshu lifted his arm and said, "Whether you believe it or not, I just wish he were dead right now."
Yu Yichen was overjoyed, but he suppressed his excitement and refused to show it on his face. He waved to a eunuch to bring a horse, picked up Zhenshu and threw her onto it, then mounted himself. Zhenshu hurriedly asked, "Where are you taking me? My sister will be worried if she finds out."
Yu Yichen said loudly in her ear, "I will have someone inform them."
He rode his horse to the market, followed by a large group of people who surrounded the only inn. Seeing the inn empty, Zhen Shu angrily asked Yu Yichen, "Did you chase away your guests again?"
Yu Yichen said, "No, it's just that they all happen to not want to stay anymore."
Although Zhenshu was furious, she had no choice. She went upstairs and saw an unfamiliar eunuch serving at the door. She then asked Yu Yichen, "Where did Sun Yuan go?"
The junior supervisor ran over and said, "I am Sun Yuan."
Zhen Shu said, "You're talking nonsense. I have met Sun Yuan."
The young eunuch bowed without speaking, while Yu Yichen said calmly, "They are all called Sun Yuan. The original one fell ill, so this one took his place."
Zhen Shu didn't even enter the room. She glared at Yu Yichen and asked, "Did you kill him because he didn't keep an eye on me last time?"
Yu Yichen acknowledged her words, but showed no sign of it on his face. He stared at Zhenshu earnestly and said, "No. There are no chains on the doors of my mansion, so why would I be afraid of you seeing them? And why would I kill him for this? Come inside quickly, don't think of me as some kind of devil."
He pushed her into the house, and before Sun Yuan could close the door from the outside, he had already grabbed her sash from behind. Zhen Shu covered her undergarment, and her skirt was already off and on the ground. He stripped her down to only that undergarment before carrying her into the bathroom. He took the wooden hairpin from his hair and tied her long hair up on his head before reaching out to gently massage her hair.
☆、103|Chapter 103
Zhenshu secretly cursed herself for her weak will, for being coaxed here again. She thought to herself that if she always acted like this, where would she find any standing? Seeing him still intently massaging her body with his lowered gaze, she loved his eyes and the way he was acting, and gazed at him with eyes full of longing. Yu Yichen knew Zhenshu was looking at him, and a smile crept onto his lips. He deliberately rubbed her breasts in circles, pushing them together and then releasing them, then pushing them together again. Zhenshu tilted her head back and hummed softly in the bathtub, completely captivated by his teasing.
Seeing the flush gradually spreading across her face, Yu Yichen loosened his grip and began to tease her from below. Zhenshu, having already tasted this pleasure, climbed over and kissed Yu Yichen's lips, seeking a share of satisfaction. The two entwined on the bed, Yu Yichen leaning down to elevate himself, his lips only touching her thighs. His movements were subtle, not reaching her genitals. Zhenshu waited anxiously, unable to bear the urge, and after a long while, when he made no move, she whispered, "Please."
Yu Yichen climbed up, took a finger and whispered in her ear, "I thought you didn't want to."
Zhenshu grasped his hand and pressed it down. Yu Yichen whispered in her ear, "Was it Du Yu who was bothering you?"
Zhen Shu thought to herself that it wasn't that simple, but she nodded and said, "Maybe he'll get tired of it after a while and leave."
Yu Yichen asked, "Do you like him? For most women, he would be considered a good match."
Zhen Shu suppressed the turmoil in her stomach and pried Yu Yichen's hand away, saying, "I once loved someone, and my father died with regret because I wanted to marry him. I didn't mind his disability or his strangeness, and I still love him from the bottom of my heart. But I can't accept that he let the enemy burn my hometown and hurt my people..."
Yu Yichen silenced her with a kiss, and after a long while, he whispered in her ear, "Little shopkeeper, I'm sorry!"
He still refuses to admit his mistake.
This time, he slid down and earnestly fed and held her with his lips, tongue, and hands. Zhenshu felt waves of tingling and numbness bursting from her lower abdomen as he stirred her, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. She could only helplessly sigh and respond to him, still asking him to take her to that place that made her feel tingly and comfortable all over.
Zhenshu, satisfied, fell into a deep sleep. Yu Yichen got up, took off the water-soaked robe, changed into a plain round-necked robe, fastened his belt, and stood by the window with his hands behind his back. He still couldn't understand why Du Yu would suddenly chase after Zhenshu. How long had he been back in the capital? Moreover, just a few days ago he had been discussing marriage with Miss Dou of the disgraced Marquis of Beishun's mansion, and they were about to get married. Why would he turn around and chase after Zhenshu?
Was it really love at first sight?
Zhenshu's reaction was somewhat excessive. Women, regardless of whether they like or dislike the person pursuing them, will usually show some kindness towards them out of a sense of gratitude. She wasn't like that; the disgust on her face and the anxiety between her brows were genuine. She had a hysterical urge to see Du Yu dead immediately. But it was precisely this intense anxiety that frightened him. He feared she might fall in love with Du Yu out of hatred—a young, vibrant, and sunny man, the complete opposite of him, the kind of masculine, real man that any woman would love.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and gently touched her face with his hand. When she was content, there was always a smile on her lips as she slept soundly.
He assumed his young shopkeeper would continue selling calligraphy and paintings in the framing shop every day, patiently waiting for him. He figured that once he finished this busy period and put in some effort, she would still become his wife. Little did he know that the moment he relaxed his guard, his rival would arrive at his doorstep. Yu Yichen frowned, his fingertips lightly touching her slightly spirited brow. Suddenly, an arrow shot in through the window; he ducked, narrowly avoiding hitting the bedpost.
Yu Yichen leaped up, wrapped Zhenshu up, and carried her to the corner of the bed. Zhenshu opened her eyes and asked, "What was that sound?"
Arrows shot in one after another from outside the window, embedding themselves in the bedposts, the floor, the table, everywhere.
They were hiding in a blind spot, out of reach of any arrows. Zhenshu was still naked, her clothes scattered on the floor. Seeing a wet robe draped over the bed, she quickly reached out, grabbed it, and pulled it on, her voice trembling with fear as she asked Yu Yichen, her teeth chattering, "Have your enemies come seeking revenge?"
Seeing her flustered appearance, Yu Yichen laughed and said, "Yes, stay hidden and don't move."
He spun the quilt into a large net and threw it out, then leaped down to retrieve his sword. After obtaining the sword, he first slashed at the incoming arrows and then slammed the window shut. The sounds of shouting and fighting could already be heard outside.
Seeing that Zhenshu had already put on her robe and was picking out trousers to put on, and that she had somehow gotten a hairband to tie her hair up, Yu Yichen whispered, "Follow behind me, we'll rush out together."
Zhen Shu didn't have time to put on her clothes before throwing off her pants. Looking around and seeing nothing to defend herself, she put a jade ruyi on the table in her hand and nodded, saying, "Alright. But my robe is a bit long, so I might walk a little slower. If there's any danger, just throw me away and run. Your enemies are after you, so they probably won't kill me."
Yu Yichen pulled her behind him. Hearing a series of banging noises outside the door, he locked the door, pushed the table shut, and quietly opened the small door to the washroom. He saw a group of people banging on the main door and pulled Zhenshu downstairs. He only had constables from the Inspectorate and a few of his personal men with him; he didn't have any experts with him and dared not linger. Mei Xun had already brought his horse outside. Seeing the people banging on the door turn back and chase after them, he shouted, "Be careful, Eunuch!"
Yu Yichen scooped up Zhenshu from afar and tossed her onto his horse. He then leaped onto his own horse, turned it around, and rode off. Unexpectedly, a group of men wielding knives rushed towards him from the road ahead, while arrows flew incessantly from behind. These men didn't look like they were from the Central Plains; they were likely from Sun Yuqi's tribe, whom he had previously surrounded and annihilated, seeking revenge. He had left in haste yesterday with few men, and now they had targeted him.
Yu Yichen jumped off his horse and called Mei Xun over, saying, "You escort Miss Song away first, I'll hold them off."
Zhen Shu still had the jade ruyi in her hand, which she hadn't used yet. Seeing Yu Yichen dismount to go fight the enemy, she shouted, "Yu Yichen, come back quickly!"
Sun Yuqi's old troops tightened their encirclement, while Yu Yichen and his men gradually dwindled in number as they surrounded them. Zhen Shu, having been escorted by Mei Xun, fought her way out from a distance, reined in her horse, and stood watching from afar.
Yu Yichen occasionally glanced back and caught her gaze. She stared at him intently, her eyes devoid of joy or sorrow, as if she had known this day would come.
Just as Yu Yichen was on the verge of despair, a sudden shout rang out from afar, causing a stir among the crowd surrounding them. Du Yu, wielding a spear, charged forward from a distance. With outstretched arms and immense strength, his movements were so swift that the enemy could not defend against him. His spear danced with dazzling skill, and in an instant, he had carved a bloody path to Yu Yichen.
Du Yu protected Yu Yichen out of the encirclement. He saw Zhen Shu holding a jade ruyi in her arms, looking at him from horseback. Du Yu glanced at Zhen Shu and then rushed back to fight the enemy. People say that one can take on ten or even a hundred enemies. Although Du Yu usually acted like a rogue, once he got into position, he had the aura of one against a hundred. He fought with his long spear, which flew through the air, and none of the roughly one or two hundred Tartars could get close to him.
When the Tartars saw that it was Du Yu of Liangzhou, who was feared by all, they lost their will to fight and most of them scattered and fled for their lives.
Du Yu, holding his long spear, staggered to Yu Yichen, cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Inspector! I'm late."
Seeing that his head was almost drooping to his chest, Yu Yichen wondered what he was up to and commanded, "Raise your head."
Du Yu lowered his head even further, took two steps back, and said, "I wouldn't dare."
Yu Yichen found him increasingly strange, but still ordered, "Lift it up quickly."
Seeing that he couldn't dodge any longer, Du Yu slowly raised his head. Although the situation had been dangerous and many people had died, everyone still couldn't help but laugh when they saw Du Yu's appearance. His lips were swollen as if he had been stung by bees, and his face was covered in red and purple patches. His face was also covered in some kind of greasy ointment, which looked black and oily.
Seeing his expression, Zhenshu, on horseback, covered her mouth and turned her back, unable to suppress her laughter. Yu Yichen glanced at Zhenshu before asking, "What happened to you?"