Eternal Night - Chapter 97
Li Yannian was stunned.
"The Valley Master said that Youli Valley will no longer interfere in your family's affairs. Considering your loyalty over the years, Yingyu Hongyi and Riguang Society will help you before the new emperor ascends the throne."
"Why?" Without the support of Youli Valley, the chances of winning this battle are too slim. Emperor Yujia could depose the Crown Prince with a single edict. Beads of sweat were already soaked on Li Yannian's forehead. After planning for more than ten years, Youli Valley was actually going to withdraw at this crucial moment.
"Do you intend to let Youli Valley be completely destroyed for your own selfish reasons?" Mo Yu's gaze suddenly turned icy. "You can't even tell if Li Yongye is a man or a woman, yet you want to control her to seize the power of the Prince of Duan. Li Yannian, you made a grave mistake many years ago!"
The madam looked at the empty courtyard, yawned again, and went to the kitchen.
This is the only place in the Peony Courtyard where someone works 24 hours a day. No matter when, as long as guests come, the Peony Courtyard can provide the finest tea, the most delicious snacks, and the most exquisite dishes. This is the rule of the Peony Courtyard.
Just as she turned a corner of the corridor, she saw a bamboo basket filled with glutinous rice flour dough drying in the kitchen courtyard, while the errand boy, Little Pockmarked, was sleeping under the basket. The madam put her hands on her hips and scolded, "I've been busy since early morning, and you dare to sleep in like this, you brat?" She rolled up her sleeves and was about to beat Little Pockmarked.
Little Pockmarked Boy was thin and his face was covered with yellowish-brown pockmarks. Hearing the madam's scolding, his eyes snapped open, and he cleverly crawled out from under the bamboo basket. With a forced smile, he hid behind the basket and said, "Master Chen told me to keep an eye on this basket of glutinous rice flour, in case birds pecked it or ants crawled on it. Thank you for your hard work, Madam. I won't do it again!"
He quickly brought over a stool for the madam to sit on, and while watching her expression, he also brought over the steamed pastries and tea that had been prepared in the kitchen.
Seeing that Little Pockmarked was clever, the madam snorted, smelled the aroma of food and felt hungry, and began to chew without any politeness. Little Pockmarked watched, swallowing hard.
The madam's gaze drifted over the courtyard of Young Master Moyu not far away. She stood up and instructed, "Send the chicken soup that I simmered all night to Young Master Moyu when it's ready."
"I've got it."
The madam glanced into the kitchen and, seeing that only Little Pockmarked was there, her face lit up again: "Work hard, you have a bright future!"
Little Pockmarked Man bowed and scraped as he saw her off, a smile playing on his lips. A promising future? With her looks and age, she was no match for a top courtesan. Was being a pimp manager a good future? After thinking for a moment, she went into the kitchen, ladled out some chicken soup, packed it into a food box, and carried it toward Young Master Moyu's courtyard.
Just as they were about to reach the courtyard gate, they lightly touched the ground with their toes and used an extremely skillful lightness technique, drifting like a piece of willow catkin blown by the wind onto a cherry blossom tree outside the Moyu Courtyard.
She smiled. Young Master Moyu greeted guests with a smile after 11 PM, but he might not have been catching up on sleep before that time.
In the courtyard, the young master Moyu was playing chess with someone.
Wearing a snow-white brocade robe and exuding a noble air, he still retained his dashing demeanor despite being middle-aged. Who else could it be but Li Yannian?
No wonder Young Master Moyu chose the most remote spot in the Peony Courtyard. It's separated from the outside world by only a wall. Visitors don't need to enter or leave through the main gate.
When Yongye returned to Kyoto from the valley, he took the opportunity to disguise himself and enter the Peony Courtyard as Xiao Mazi, a kitchen helper.
As long as Peony Courtyard remained unchanged, Wandering Valley remained inactive.
She observed Mo Yu Gongzi from the tree more than once, and finally she witnessed Mo Yu receiving a guest early in the morning, who was none other than her master, Li Yannian.
"...within ten days..."
The voices drifted on the wind. Ten days? Did it mean within ten days or after ten days? Where were the eagle feathers and rainbow robes that Master Qingyi spoke of, and the sunlight, lurking? What would Li Yannian do next? A multitude of questions swirled in his mind. Yongye looked up, squinting at the sky. Sunlight filtered gently through the green leaves; this comfortable spring was about to pass in the blink of an eye.
"who?"
Yongye was startled. He floated down to the courtyard gate with the food box in his hand. Just as he was about to knock on the door knocker, Moyu Gongzi opened the door.
"Young master, here's some chicken soup for you." Yongye smiled憨厚ly and handed over the food box.
Mo Yu still wore a gentle smile, but her eyes were full of suspicion: "You mean you smelled the aroma of chicken soup early this morning? Thank you for your help." She then took the food box.
Yongye turned around normally, and a gust of wind came from behind her, but she neither dodged nor avoided it.
Mo Yu's hand almost touched her head but then withdrew. He watched Yong Ye leisurely walk back to the kitchen before picking up the food box and returning to the courtyard: "It's the servant who brought the chicken soup. Steward Li, would you like a bowl?"
Li Yannian stood up and shook his head: "Thank you for your guidance, young master."
"Sigh, go ahead. Things have come to this point, and this is all the valley can do for you. Leave the rest to fate."
Li Yannian left dejectedly, his departing figure resembling a flower petal swollen in a pool, pale and lifeless. Mo Yu poured a bowl of chicken soup, blew on it, slowly drank it, closed his eyes to think for a moment, put down the bowl, got up, and left the courtyard.
Yongye returned to the bamboo basket in the kitchen courtyard, listlessly waving his fan to disperse the poplar catkins that had fallen onto the basket.
When Mo Yu appeared at the courtyard gate, he saw Xiao Mazi with his eyes half-closed, yawning and looking tired and sleepy. He approached quietly and struck down with a sudden palm strike.
Yongye suddenly lowered her head, carefully picked up a bit of poplar fluff stuck to the glutinous rice flour and threw it away. Moyu's palm missed its mark and he loosened his grip, patting her back instead.
"Ah!" Yongye seemed startled, turned around and saw Young Master Moyu, quickly bowing, "When did you arrive, Young Master? Do you want more chicken soup?"
Mo Yu looked at her and smiled slightly: "Yes, the soup tastes good. I'd like to have another bowl."
Yongye put down his fan and walked towards the kitchen, saying as he went, "Why did you have to come in person, sir? You could have just sent someone to tell me."
She skillfully ladled soup from the stove pot and packed it into a container, but instead of handing it over, she said solicitously, "This humble servant will carry it over for you, young master."
Mo Yu didn't refuse and smiled, "Thank you for your trouble."
"Young master, you're too kind. I'm ugly and don't meet the standards of the other young masters, so I can only do odd jobs in the kitchen. It's my good fortune to be able to work for you." Yongye grumbled as he walked ahead carrying the food box, his bare back exposed, seemingly without any concern.
Mo Yu looked at Xiao Mazi, a strange feeling welling up inside her, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Upon reaching the courtyard gate, Mo Yu took the food box and smiled gently: "Go back now."
Yongye said solicitously, "Young master, please just let me know if you need anything." He then bowed and left.
Mo Yu stared at her retreating figure for a moment, then shook her head, thinking she was just imagining things. Could her intuition be wrong? Was Xiao Mazi not a spy? If she was, she wouldn't have been so unguarded with her back exposed.
He glanced around the courtyard. He'd spent seven years here, and tomorrow he'd be leaving. A pang of reluctance struck him. A purple figure, bathed in the setting sun, walked down the long street, and the jealousy in his heart couldn't be concealed. "Li Yongye!" he murmured, his eyes suddenly burning with fervor. "When I catch you, I'll make you stand there waiting, make you serve wine, and teach you to endure!"
Scarlet Heart
As night deepened, the flower market was brightly lit. The long night had covered the daytime, leaving two free hours in the evening. For the lowly servants, these two hours were the perfect time to catch up on sleep.
Exhausted, she and the fat boy from her class returned to their room and collapsed into bed. Soon, the fat boy's snoring filled the air, and Yongye's breathing became long and even. She tried to control her breathing, but quietly opened her eyes. She glanced at the sleeping fat boy, and was about to tiptoe out of bed when she suddenly sensed someone approaching. Yongye immediately closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.