Li Kan showed no surprise and smiled faintly.
"Third Brother, what exactly caused Tang Ye to cast the Forget-Me-Not spell on Wuyin back then?" Li Kan suddenly asked.
Upon hearing this, Li She lowered his gaze slightly and said, "It concerns his mother." That was all he said, and Li She said no more.
Li Kan paused, but seeing Li She's expression, he knew his third brother wouldn't reveal anything more. He smiled. Even though his third brother didn't say anything, he had guessed a little. Before his eldest brother's wedding, his third brother had intentionally reminded him that Wu Yin had come to Luoyang. He knew then that his eldest brother's wedding would not be smooth sailing. His third brother had secretly done many things to ward off a lot of trouble, but some unexpected things still happened, but fortunately, they all ended without serious consequences.
He put down the wine pot and said to Li She, "Today we were fortunate to escape danger. It's late, Third Brother, you've been working hard for so many days, you should get some rest."
Li She smiled and said, "Seeing that my elder brother has finally married my sister-in-law, all the hard work is worth it. You should go and rest first."
Li Kan smiled and left without a care.
Watching Li Kan turn and stride away with a light smile, his clothes swaying slightly in the night, still carefree as ever, seemingly having truly let go of his earlier confusion, Li She sighed softly, gazing at the ever-lonely bright moon in the night sky. Under the moonlight, the smile on his lips remained, but turned into a desolate mockery.
After that day, the Li family used some means to prevent the assassination from spreading. Since Hua Wuduo did not return to the wedding that day, he naturally did not know about the assassination attempt on Li Kang by the fake Li Dao.
That day, when Tang Ye returned, he saw Hua Wuduo, who had eaten and drunk his fill, waiting in the courtyard. When he saw him return, Hua Wuduo hopped over to him, seemingly in a very good mood. His mask was gone, and he said to him with a grin, "Give me the antidote."
He nodded. She then smiled broadly, walked around him into the house, sat down, poured him a cup of tea, placed it in front of him, and then spread her arms out in front of him.
This was the last time he would administer acupuncture to her.
He had been studying that arm for half a month, and he could accurately insert needles into the acupoints even with his eyes closed.
She seemed very happy and asked, "Was the feast delicious?"
He did not answer.
She didn't seem to care much, and asked again, "What happened to the old man later?"
Tang Ye still did not answer her.
Hua Wuduo finally realized something was wrong, so he dared not ask any more questions. He would ask after the acupuncture was finished.
It didn't take long for the acupuncture to finish. Hua Wuduo withdrew her arm and looked at her palm. The last trace of strange red had disappeared. She couldn't help but feel a little smug, as if a bird that had recovered from its wounds could once again spread its wings and soar in the sky. That feeling of freedom made her both proud and overjoyed.
She had long forgotten her previous questions and said to Tang Ye, "Thank you for taking care of me all this time. I'm leaving now!"
Tang Ye did not respond, and did not even glance at her.
She went back into the house in a very flamboyant manner to get the package, which had been prepared in advance.
A moment later, Tang Ye heard her shout loudly at the door, "No need to see me off, goodbye forever..." Her voice faded into the distance.
She just left like that, and he just let her go.
In the darkness, a person knelt at Tang Ye's door; it was none other than Fang Yuan, who had disappeared long ago.
Fang Yuan knelt on the ground, remaining motionless for a long time without Tang Ye speaking, until he heard Tang Ye utter a name: "Wu Yi".
Fang Yuan said, "Yes." His figure suddenly rose and disappeared into the night in an instant.
Not far from the Qinglin Inn, Hua Wuduo saw a familiar figure at a street corner. She stopped in her tracks, hesitated for a moment, and then called out, "Father."
Fang Zhengyang turned around and saw her smile gently.
The crescent moon hung high in the night sky, seemingly shy, its color tinged with red. Inside the Liu residence in Luoyang, Young Master Xiu lay drunk on a stone table in the courtyard. He was alone in the entire courtyard, his voice very soft, as if speaking to someone: "You are indeed not suitable to be by my side. How can I selfishly demand that you stay? My life is fraught with danger; one wrong step could lead to utter ruin. I myself live on thin ice, filled with resentment and pain. I cannot even control my own preferences or my own marriage. How can I drag you into this, bind you, and subject you to endless humiliation?"
He staggered to his feet, gulped down a mouthful of wine, and a sudden gust of wind swept through the courtyard, sending fallen leaves flying wildly before they instantly scattered back to the ground. Under the cold moonlight, his figure appeared desolate and lonely. Suddenly, he clutched his chest, seemingly in excruciating pain, staggered back a few steps, and crashed into the stone table behind him. The wine jar shattered on the floor, and he couldn't help but groan in agony.
Before he went against his heart and accepted the Empress's arrangement, he encountered her again in Luoyang. Was it fate? If so, should he give himself another chance?
He didn't care about his identity or status... he could give it all up, yes, he could abandon it all! He was almost ready to do just that!
But... what does he have left without all of that? What does he still have?
He was horrified to discover that the answer to the question terrified and frightened him.
He gradually calmed down. He lay face down on the cold stone table in the courtyard, letting the cold night wind dispel the helplessness and turmoil in his heart.
After bidding farewell to her father, it was already late. Even if she left the city, she would have to spend the night in the wilderness. Hua Wuduo originally planned to find an inn to rest for the night before leaving, but suddenly remembered something. She turned around and headed towards the west city.
At this moment, Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi were playing chess under the moon. Gongzi Yi said, "Hua Wuduo actually refused to travel with me so decisively. It's really infuriating."
Gongzi Qi smiled and said, "You know her nature. Once she's made up her mind, it's hard to change it. Even if you capture her and take her away, she'll run away halfway."
Gongzi Yi snorted and said, "She was very dedicated to being Tang Ye's maid, truly devoted to her duties until her dying breath."
Gongzi Qi laughed again and said, "That sounds a bit sour."
"Is there?"
"have."
Gongzi Yi snorted again, pondered for a while, put down a piece, and suddenly said, "Xiu's feelings are so obvious, I wonder how that budding flower will respond."
Gongzi Qi was taken aback at first, then realized that Hua Guduo was Hua Wuduo. Gongzi Yi hadn't called Hua Wuduo by that name in a long time. "So many people chased after her today, only Xiu didn't come back. You and I both understand Xiu's thoughts. How could Wuduo, who is so smart, not understand? However, even if it's just a thin layer of paper, it's definitely not Wuduo who will break through it." Thinking of the look on Gongzi Xiu's face when he chased after her today, she couldn't help but laugh. "You don't need to worry about Wuduo. Although you always say she's a fool, and she does seem a bit silly at times, you and I both know that Wuduo isn't really stupid. In fact, she's quite clever."
Gongzi Yi snorted again and said, "Yes, she often pretends to be stupid, making it impossible for us to understand her thoughts. She's not a fool, she's just wise in disguise!"
When Gongzi Qi heard Gongzi Yi angrily utter the phrase "great wisdom appears as foolishness," he found it apt yet quite amusing, and couldn't help but laugh. Knowing that Gongzi Yi was still upset about Hua Wuduo refusing to travel with him, he said, "Although you often say she's foolish, you and I both know that Wuduo isn't truly foolish. She's just using this to deceive us, concealing the truth behind her. She's a mystery, a mystery we've never been able to solve. If I didn't know her so well, I might even suspect that she's Fang Ruoxi." In Gongzi Qi's impression, Hua Wuduo was greedy for money, gluttonous, and fond of sleeping, and had no regard for the boundaries between men and women, often referring to herself as a chivalrous woman—naturally, she didn't resemble the second young lady of the Fang family, who came from a prominent family. Not only Gongzi Qi thought so, but Gongzi Yi, who had also suspected this, thought the same way. If Hua Wuduo were Fang Ruoxi, they would both be utterly astonished.
"Let's not talk about her anymore, it makes me angry." Gongzi Yifu placed another piece on the chessboard and then said, "I thought I would see Fang Ruoxi today, but I didn't expect that she didn't even show up at my sister's wedding."
Gongzi Qi placed a piece and said, "Tang Ye's smokescreen was quite large, attracting so many princes and nobles."
Gongzi Yi placed a piece and said, "Fang Zhengyang refused to see any guests as soon as he arrived in Luoyang, and even the banquet was only held for a short while. He is showing no respect to the Li family."
"He's probably worried that some hot-tempered young men will keep asking about his second daughter."
"That's right. No matter whether Fang Ruoxi looks like a human or a ghost, there will always be people vying for her."
"And what about you?" A third voice suddenly asked from above their heads.
The two were playing chess when suddenly a head, tilted upside down, poked its way in through the window. The head stared intently, asking with a puzzled expression. The two looked up and were startled, wondering who this person was. Then, Gongzi Yi noticed the gold ring on her finger, which was gripping the windowpane. He exclaimed, "Wudu?!"
As soon as Hua Wuduo climbed off the roof, he was surrounded by four people. Gongzi Yi quickly waved his sleeve, and the four quietly retreated and disappeared into the courtyard. Hua Wuduo looked around, opened his mouth, but swallowed the words that were about to come out.
Gongzi Qi opened the door and let her in.
Seeing them playing chess, Hua Wuduo sat down among them, looking them over from left to right, and said, "What's so good about Fang Ruoxi that you're all fighting over her? She's just a young lady, isn't she? Chu Tianxiu is also quite good, as are Xu Qingcheng, Song Ziyin, oh right, and Liu Yu, the daughter of the Prince of Jin. Oh, I forgot the most beautiful one, Qi Xin! Which one of them isn't a lady from a respectable family? Why do you all say that Fang Ruoxi, who looks so good, is being fought over?"
Gongzi Yi glanced at her as if she were an idiot.
Gongzi Qi said patiently, "What we're trying to steal isn't Fang Ruoxi, but the support of the Li and Fang families."
"Would marrying Fang Ruoxi guarantee the support of the Fang and Li families?" Hua Wuduo was skeptical.
Gongzi Qi said, "It's hard to say about the Li family, but the Fang family... Fang Zhengyang will certainly not mistreat his daughter."
“Hmm, that makes sense,” Hua Wuduo nodded in a serious manner.
Gongzi Qi said, "What's strange is that Fang Ruoxi didn't show up under these circumstances, which can only mean one thing."
Gongzi Qi thought Hua Wuduo would follow up with, asking, "What's the problem?" But to his surprise, Hua Wuduo only thought for a moment before saying, "I know! She's already dead."
Gongzi Qi looked at him with a disappointed expression.
Gongzi Yi couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Hua Wuduo patted Gongzi Qi and said, "Then what question did you ask?"
Gongzi Qi blinked her slightly sore eyes and analyzed, "Fang Zhengyang loves his wife dearly. She has given him two daughters, who are naturally his most precious treasures. The eldest daughter is, needless to say, incredibly beautiful, and the younger daughter is probably no less stunning. However, this younger daughter has always been shrouded in mystery, and few people have ever seen her. Fang Zhengyang protects her so much, which shows how much he cherishes her. I don't think her absence today is because she's ashamed to be seen; rather, I think Fang Zhengyang is intentionally preventing us from seeing her. On the other hand, even if Fang Ruoxi really has a defect, like being mentally challenged or idiotic, would the Fang family mistreat whoever marries her? And the Li family, naturally..."
"Fool and idiot"—this was the first time Hua Wuduo had heard someone talk about him like this behind his back, and he felt quite uncomfortable.
Gongzi Yi replied, "I believe it's the former."
Hua Wuduo was startled, realizing that they had guessed the truth pretty accurately. However, he looked disdainful and said, "You're actually thinking the best. Maybe that Fang Ruoxi really does look like a ghost. But let's not talk about that. I'm here to tell Yi that someone might be trying to harm you. You need to be careful."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi smiled faintly and said, "I understand."
She was taken aback, but didn't ask him what he knew. After saying what she needed to say, she got up to leave. But Gongzi Yi grabbed her sleeve, and when she turned around, she heard him say, "It's so late at night, where are you going with that bundle on your back? Staying at an inn is not as good as staying here, you can save some money."
That's right, Hua Wuduo readily agreed.
Qinghua Residence wasn't very large. Besides the living quarters for Young Master Yi, Young Master Qi, and the servants and guards, there was only one guest room. After the servants cleaned the room, they invited Hua Wuduo inside. Just as Hua Wuduo was about to change his mask and go to sleep, he heard someone knocking on the door. He called out, "Who is it?"
A voice came from outside the door: "It's me."
He brought in a pot of warm wine and poured a cup for each person. Hua Wuduo raised his cup and said, "Cheers!" The two drank together, and Gongzi Yi refilled their cups. And so it went, cup after cup.
Gongzi Yi asked, "Are you really not coming with me tomorrow?"
Hua Wuduo said, "Yes, I have my own place to go. However, I have already promised Xiu that I will go to the capital to see you next spring when the flowers bloom."
"So where are you planning to go?"
I want to go to Jiangnan.
"Why?"
"It's to escape the cold, and the Jiangnan region is peaceful, unlike other places that are so chaotic."
“There is also Song Zixing in Jiangnan.”
"Ha, he's nothing to fear."
Why aren't you afraid of him anymore all of a sudden?
"He and I have put aside our past grievances and become friends. Once you have a friend, you have nothing to fear."
Do you believe he genuinely wants to be your friend?
"My intuition tells me he's sincere. By the way, Yi, did you also come to Luoyang this time to propose to Fang Ruoxi?"
"Fang Ruoxi is dispensable to me."
"Then why did you come?"
The young master smiled lightly and said nothing.
"Actually, you're doing this for Fang Ruoxi, aren't you? What if she really looks like a ghost or is mentally challenged?"
Gongzi Yi shook his head and laughed, "The latter is absolutely not an option. As for the former, it depends on the situation. If she is really unbearable to look at, I can't accept her either. I'm very picky, you know that."
Hua Wuduo then asked, "What if she is both beautiful and intelligent?"
Gongzi Yi gazed at her, a complex expression flashing in his eyes for a moment. He then softly called out, "Wu Duo?"
"Hmm?" Hua Wuduo suddenly dared not look at him any longer and looked away. Then she heard him say softly, "I have always regarded you as my brother. You know, clothes can be changed frequently, but brothers cannot."
Hua Wuduo was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and patted Gongzi Yi's shoulder heartily, saying, "You are also my brother."
"Don't use your internal energy." Young Master Yi smiled, swatting away her claws that were wreaking havoc on his shoulder like a fly. "Let's drink!"
The candlelight flickered, the wine jug was empty, and it lay slumped lazily on the table, unnoticed.