"Once you're married, you can't be as willful as a young girl anymore. You have to think about your husband all the time, and not always think about eating, drinking, having fun, and showing off. Don't just think about your own feelings. You're too impetuous and self-righteous. You're always making a fuss over nothing. Who can stand a temper like that? I'm afraid only your brother Fenglang can stand you. What else are you dissatisfied with? Tell me, why don't you get married? I think your temper is just like your sister's. You're both troublesome!" Ruan Yun was in a daze and brought up all the words she used to teach Yin Wuxiao.
"Marrying a man who will cherish and love you, and living a simple and peaceful life, isn't that better than anything else? What more could a woman ask for in life?"
Yin Wuxiao covered her mouth, feeling that tears were already flowing uncontrollably. She hugged Ruan Yun, letting her tears flow freely.
She didn't see the growing melancholy in Ruan Yun's eyes.
After leaving Ruan Yun's room, Yin Wuxiao locked himself in his own room for three days and three nights without eating or drinking. On the fourth day, when he went out, he saw Qiao Fenglang anxiously waiting at the door.
"Xiao'er." Qiao Fenglang looked at her haggard face and suddenly grabbed her: "Xiao'er, you haven't changed your mind, have you?"
"How could that be? When have I ever gone back on my word? I've never broken my promise to you."
Qiao Fenglang finally calmed down, thought for a moment, and then said, "I'm always afraid that things might change if we delay. How about we move the wedding date forward by three days?"
Yin Wuxiao smiled quietly: "Whatever you say."
After being missing for three years, Yin Wuxiao, the most talented woman in the world, is finally getting married.
Qiao Fenglang sent out wedding invitations to heroes from all over the world, as if to announce to the world that he, Qiao Fenglang, had finally gotten what he wanted.
The leaves of the paulownia tree fall, and the dew is cold. The Yin mansion, which has been desolate for many years, seems to have ushered in a spring.
Yin Wuxiao had no heart to manage the wedding arrangements, and Ruan Yun was unwell, so Qiao Fenglang asked a group of women from the Qiao Gang to help with the preparations. Every day, some ladies would keep Yin Wuxiao company and talk about nothing more than teasing and ambiguous matters of the bedroom.
However, most respectable women couldn't stand her behavior and her experiences. They might disapprove, but they'd still eagerly follow her around, waiting to see what would happen, occasionally offering a word to stir things up, as if they themselves were so virtuous and noble.
The young mistress of Deputy Chief Sun's family had known Yin Wuxiao for three years and was a shrewd woman. She took Yin Wuxiao's hand and whispered in her ear, "Miss, don't take these gossipy old women's words to heart. Chief Sun only has eyes for you. They're just jealous and that's why they're saying these things to make you feel bad."
Yin Wuxiao knew she meant well and smiled slightly. Having come through so much hardship, how could she not bear these few words?
She remained calm, regardless of what they said, as she picked up a handful of melon seeds, leaned against the railing, and gazed at the pond of withered lotus flowers.
People and things have changed, and even the lotus flowers have withered.
Perhaps in three to five years, she will be just like these young wives, with nothing to do all day except cook some dishes for her husband, secretly exchange secret recipes for having children, or boast about her proud methods of keeping her husband away from brothels.
That's roughly the case.
Madam Sun stood at a distance, watching her, secretly sighing. She had never seen a bride-to-be like this before.
Three years ago, she was a cheerful and lively young girl, but now she seems to have seen through the ways of the world and is much more weathered than a young woman. Everyone says that the eldest daughter of the Yin family is precocious, but this isn't the kind of precociousness she's shown. Indeed, experience can change a person. I wonder what she has gone through in the past three years.
At this moment, someone came to report that Cen Lü, the head manager of Huanyi Study, was requesting an audience.
The women in the room began to whisper among themselves. Yin Wuxiao had been missing for three years, and the Yin family's businesses had all fallen into Cen Lu's hands. Far from declining, they had flourished even more. Now that Yin Wuxiao had returned safely, getting Cen Lu to obediently relinquish power would be extremely difficult. This marriage was merely a pretext. Now that Yin Wuxiao was the wife of the leader of the Qiao Gang, how could she possibly have the mind to manage her own family's affairs?
However, the women were aware of Yin Wuxiao's past ruthlessness. With only her remaining member of the Yin family, how could she possibly relinquish such a vast fortune to someone else?
So they all adopted a spectator's mentality, waiting with amusement for Cen Lu to appear.
Yin Wuxiao glanced at the expressions on everyone's faces and smiled lazily: "Please invite Manager Cen to the study to talk."
She straightened her skirt, then left behind the ladies who had "kindly accompanied" her.
Upon entering the study, Cen Lu sat down beside the table with a furrowed brow, staring at a sprig of laurel in a vase on the table, lost in thought.
When Yin Wuxiao came in, he was still taken aback, even though he had been prepared.
After a long while, he stood up somewhat awkwardly, bowed his head, and said, "Young Miss."
Yin Wuxiao didn't stand on ceremony and found a seat to sit down before saying, "You still remember the old customs." It's really strange. Back then, he pretended to strangle her in Huanyi Study, and later he said in front of the Baili family that she was dead. Why haven't he remembered the old customs during these times?
“The young lady has returned as the young lady, so Cen Lu should naturally observe the proper etiquette.”
The implication was that since she had concealed her identity, he no longer recognized her as a young lady.
Yin Wuxiao didn't seem to care: "Is everything alright at home?"
"All is well. In the past three years, the Yin family's annual income has increased by two million taels of silver. Thirteen new antique shops, study rooms, and stationery shops have been opened in Hubei, Jiangnan, and Shandong. Twenty managers and forty-one deputy managers have been replaced." Cen Lu replied respectfully.
Yin Wuxiao chuckled: "Why do you need to report back to me in such detail?"
"That's how I used to repay the young lady."
"The past is the past. I haven't been involved in affairs for a long time now, so what good would it do me to tell me?"
“Now that the young lady has returned, she should naturally take over the reins again.” Cen Lu neatly placed a stack of account books, keys, and various tokens and seals on the desk.
Yin Wuxiao's face turned pale: "Alu, you still hate me."
"I wouldn't dare," Cen Lu said, still bowing his head. "If the young lady is to take charge again, she not only needs to familiarize herself with the affairs, but also needs to find a way to establish her authority. The new managers don't know the young lady's methods, so they will naturally look down on their lord."
"Since you're going to be a hands-off manager, why bother telling me all this?"
“This is Cen Lu’s duty.”
Do you even remember your duty?
“Of course I will serve the Yin family like a dog or a horse,” Cen Lu replied fluently. “But Miss, don’t forget that the sixteen-year contract of servitude will expire in a little over a month. At that time, Cen Lu will be free and no one will be at your beck and call.”
Cen Lu raised his head, his piercing black eyes fixed on her, his cold pride now fully revealed. How could such a person be willing to submit to slavery?
Yin Wuxiao was taken aback; she had forgotten about that. Then, she smiled and stuffed everything except the account books back into Cen Lu's hands: "Since there's still over a month until the due date, let's talk about it next month. I'll keep these account books for now; it won't be in vain that you've put in so much effort."
Cen Lu's cold and hard expression finally changed.
"Yin Wuxiao, are you really going to squeeze every last drop of blood and sweat out of me?"
Yin Wuxiao raised an eyebrow: "You know I'm getting married soon, how can I have the mind to care about these things? You're just abandoning me like this, what am I supposed to do? Besides, even if you want to leave, shouldn't you talk to Mansi first?"
Cen Lu snorted: "She's probably having fun somewhere right now, maybe even having a great time. Why would she care about me?"
Yin Wuxiao's face twitched; Cen Lu's choice of words was truly merciless.
Cen Lu gave her a cold look and suddenly said, "If you want to elope, I can help you."
"..." Yin Wuxiao coughed violently from being choked by him.
How did you know I was going to run away from the wedding?
"You didn't marry willingly."
Yin Wuxiao curled her lips, but there was no smile in her eyes: "How do you know I married unwillingly? I believe that Brother Fenglang and I are a match made in heaven."
Cen Lu was silenced by her rebuke, but a vein bulged on his forehead.
"What I hate most about you is your self-righteousness." He didn't say anything more and turned to leave.
Yin Wuxiao, however, asked with a smile from behind, "Alu, you really don't hate me? Don't you hate me for ruining your life's position with a childhood joke? If it weren't for me, you might be sitting in that position today."
That unique position, possessing the world and all the wealth.
“It’s my fate, what’s the use of hating you?” Cen Lu’s back stiffened, and he walked straight out the door.
Chapter Nineteen: The Brocade Zither's Startling Strings Shatter the Dream (Part Two)
It is said that every face reflected in the mirror is like a painting.
Today is her wedding day.
She refused the elaborate dressing-up offered by the maids, choosing instead to do her makeup alone in front of the mirror. The bright red gauze wedding gown would make any woman wearing it stand out from the crowd.
The radiant face reflected in the mirror reminded her of her elegant and refined demeanor in the Cloud Pavilion. These memories, now, were like fleeting shadows of blossoming flowers, like raindrops falling on empty steps. She, Yin Wuxiao, though born with pride and a life of carefree joy, would today, like countless other women in the world, become a wife.
She gently brushed her hand over the crimson veil spread on the table, finally making up her mind to pick it up and gently cover her head with it.
The door clicked open, and Yin Wuxiao stopped what she was doing, lowering her veil.
"What's up?"
"This servant has come to deliver a lucky charm."
Yin Wuxiao frowned and answered loudly:
"Come in."
A maid in plain clothes pushed open the door and entered, carrying a round apple.
"Miss, Madam Yun said this is a lucky charm, bringing peace and safety. You must hold it in your arms until the ceremony is complete, and you can't let it fall." The maidservant respectfully relayed the message.
"knew."
Yin Wuxiao casually took the apple, but his eyes widened suddenly when they fell on the maid's pretty face.
"you……"
The maid smiled and was about to speak when she heard the door open again.
This time, it was Yuwen Cuiyu who walked in.
Yuwen Cuiyu didn't even glance at the meek little maid, and went straight to Yin Wuxiao.
"Miss Yin, the young master in blue is right outside. Do you... really want to continue the wedding?"
Yin Wuxiao glanced at the maid's trembling back, seemingly unintentionally, and said coldly, "You can go out now."
"Yes." The maid obediently stepped out the door.
Yin Wuxiao turned to face the mirror.
"So Miss Yuwen came to observe the ceremony with the young man in blue?" Her fingertips wandered among the neatly arranged ornaments, finally landing on a phoenix hairpin.
He's right outside.
The hairpin was held tightly in her hand, almost bending it.
"You really don't care? Don't you care that I have the Azure Robe Absolute, and that the Azure Robe Young Master will marry no one but me?" Yuwen Cuiyu's aura was tinged with a hint of impatience.
Yin Wuxiao shouldn't be like this. She should be greedy, proud, and arrogant, but she shouldn't be submissive.
“Oh right,” Yin Wuxiao smiled gently, “I forgot to ask, where did Miss Yuwen get that Qingyi Juejue?”
“Naturally, it was my own opinion.” Yuwen Cuiyu’s face froze.
"Oh?" Yin Wuxiao's lips were still curved, but a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.
“That man in blue was definitely the one I was facing.”
“You…” Yuwen Cuiyu looked at her in disbelief. She had expected her to say this, but she couldn’t believe she would actually say it.
"Hmph, do you think only you, Yin Wuxiao, deserve to be called a talented woman, and only you, Yin Wuxiao, can compose couplets?" She suddenly turned her face away, her breathing disordered.
Yin Wuxiao smiled, her smile as beautiful as a spring flower.