Cuando el amor se acerca, es como la nieve

Capítulo 14

Thinking of this, I felt a surge of warmth in my heart, a feeling that flowed from my core to every part of my body. Finally, I was no longer alone and destitute in this world; Guiyun Manor had unknowingly become my home.

"Yiyang—" I shouted as I ran toward Guiyun Manor. Yun Yiyang heard my shout, his body jolted, and he looked up in disbelief as I ran quickly through the woods. In no time, I was in front of him, smiling at his dumbfounded expression.

"Ah—" Yun Yi's mouth gaped open, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. After a long pause, he finally managed to utter a single sentence:

"Yun... Sister Yun... you... you... how did you escape..." Seeing him staring at me with an idiotic look, I couldn't help but chuckle and teased, "If I hadn't come back, wouldn't half of Guiyun Manor's assets, which you've offered a bounty for, have ended up in someone else's name?"

A joyful smile slowly spread across Yun Yiyang's dark face. Suddenly, he shouted, "Sister Yun is back! Sister Yun is back!!" He suddenly reached out and hugged me, spun me around twice, and then gently put me down. His face was a little red as he said, "Sister Bai, come with me quickly to see my mother. She hasn't eaten or drunk anything yet and is worried about you."

I patted Yun Yiyang on the shoulder, a warm feeling I hadn't felt in a long time slowly rising in my heart. I couldn't help but smile gently and say, "Alright, let's go back." Then I walked into the manor.

Sitting in my simple little house, it was already past midnight. I sat by the oil lamp, almost unable to believe what had happened that day. From discussing business with Meng Qing, to Shang Shaochang's appearance, then his kidnapping, and finally my escape… But what I found most unbelievable was that Shang Shaochang was actually the man in the blue robe who played the flute that night! I could hardly connect this terrifying assassin in other people's eyes with that dashing gentleman from that night… But why did he want to kill me?

No! Young Master Shang didn't want to kill me at all!

If he wanted to make a move, that night when I was drunk would have been the perfect opportunity. But not only did he not make a move, he also put me in bed…

"Sister in white, it's so good to see you back safe and sound!" I turned around, and Youhua pushed the door open and came in with toiletries in her hands, her eyes full of concern.

I smiled slightly and said, "It's alright, I'm back safe and sound. I feel bad for making you all worry about me like this."

Youhua put down the copper basin, ran over and grabbed my hand, saying, "Sister Bai, please don't say that. My heart was pounding when you were taken away by that assassin surnamed Shang! ... If it weren't for Sister Bai, how could Youhua have such a carefree life? Back then, Youhua really wished she could go in your place..." Her voice choked up, and she couldn't say anything more.

Seeing that Youhua's eyes were brimming with tears and her hands were trembling uncontrollably, as if she was about to burst into tears, I quickly took a handkerchief to wipe her tears and said softly, "Don't cry, don't cry, it's not as terrible as you think." I thought for a moment, then suddenly tugged at her sleeve and teased, "You know what? It was the first time I'd ever flown so high and so fast. That black horse was really tall, and riding it was like riding the wind. That feeling... was really great!"

"Really!?" Yu Hua wiped away her tears, her eyes immediately filled with anticipation and longing. "Is it really that good?"

"Of course!" I chuckled slyly and lowered my voice, "Think about it, how many people would encounter a real assassin, and be led by one while galloping on horseback? And that horse would be a top-notch steed? I'd be afraid of such good fortune, why would I be afraid?"

Youhua nodded repeatedly, then suddenly blushed, lowered her head, and whispered, "But...but he really held you...he carried you as he leaped across rooftops and galloped away on horseback..." Youhua stammered for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a sentence: "But...Sister Bai, do you really want to marry him?"

"What?!" I spat out the tea I had just taken a sip of, a few drops choking me, and I coughed for a long time. Youhua quickly patted my back to help me catch my breath. I took a breath and shouted angrily and embarrassedly, "I'd never marry him!" After saying that, I coughed again.

“But…but he hugged…hug…” Youhua pointed at me, repeating the word “hug” several times. I waved my hand, interrupting her, and said, “What a joke! He thinks he can hold me for a lifetime just because he hugged me for a little while? What a ridiculous joke!”

Youhua stared at me, speechless, as if I had said something terrible. I snapped out of my daze and suddenly remembered that the Song Dynasty placed great importance on a woman's chastity. Unmarried young women were not allowed to have their hands and feet seen by men, let alone be held by a man! I quickly smiled wryly and said, "Youhua, well... I'm tired today and I need to rest soon. You should rest early too, okay?"

Youhua glanced at me again, then nodded and left the room, leaving me alone in the room lost in thought. The moon was high in the sky outside the window; it was almost midnight.

I was toying with a yellowed bamboo flute in my hand, but I still couldn't fall asleep.

Young Master Shang, you didn't want to kill me, yet you kidnapped me. What is the reason for this? You said I have divine eyes, but why can't I see you clearly with these eyes?

I walked up to the bronze mirror and gazed into the eyes of the person reflected there. A deep, clear voice involuntarily echoed in my ears: "Your eyes have a faint sky-blue hue; they're beautiful. I love them!"

Is it really that beautiful?

Almost no one has ever praised my beauty, whether in ancient times or in modern times! I shook my head slightly. In modern times, many people respect my talent, but no one pays attention to my appearance.

Before my eyes, I couldn't help but see Shang Shaochang's smiling black eyes.

Although the figure in the mirror was blurry, I could still see a pale blue hue in my eyes.

My pupils are black, but the area around them is a pale blue, like the sky. It's said this is a sign of poor health. My eyebrows are also said to be thin and arched for the same reason. And indeed, my heart has always been weak.

As I touched her heart, a mischievous smile involuntarily crept onto my face, as I recalled the "Heart-Corroding and Bone-Corroding Pill" I had given Yan Hong:

I have to go to Rendatang again tomorrow. It was such a waste to give Yan Hong the last pill of Bai Zi Yang Xin Wan.

"Sister Bai...you...you really want to come with me?" Yun Yiyang looked at me, hesitant to speak.

I frowned and said, "I've been back for a few days now. You told me to rest well the other day, and I did. But today you're going to select silkworms, which involves a lot of money. How can I feel at ease if I don't go with you?"

“But…but…” Yun Yiyang looked troubled, but still stammered and couldn’t speak. I couldn’t help but feel suspicious, and slowly said, “You don’t mean to say something, or is there something difficult about you? If there is, I won’t force you.”

Yun Yiyang gritted his teeth and pondered for a long time, then suddenly stomped his foot and said forcefully, "Fine, I'll say it! Now... now the whole of Jiangzhou City is talking about it..."

I had a bad feeling about this, and slowly asked, "What are we talking about?"

Yun Yiyang said, word by word, "The White-Robed Prime Minister is actually a woman!"

"Ah—" Suddenly, a black mist appeared before my eyes, and it felt like a thunderclap exploded above my head. The secret I had tried so hard to keep was now known throughout the city! What happened? How did it come to this? My mind went completely blank.

Seeing that I was swaying unsteadily, Yun Yiyang quickly helped me sit down under the osmanthus tree and stammered, "When I first heard the news, I was terribly panicked. Later, I sent people to secretly investigate and found out that Young Master Shang had taken you... riding at full speed on horseback, and many people had seen it. Then... then..."

I took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Then it spread like wildfire, until everyone in the city knew, right?" Seeing my pale face and somber expression, Yun Yiyang thought for a long time before slowly nodding. I shuddered at the sight and slowly closed my eyes. My heart, however, was like a stormy sea, my thoughts churning uncontrollably!

I opened my eyes and said, word by word, "Young Master Shang, what a fine Young Master Shang!"

"Hahaha--" A deep, hearty laugh suddenly came from above, and I swear I will never forget that laugh for the rest of my life!

Shang Shaochang was standing on a poplar tree not far from us, still wearing the same clean blue robe as when we first met, but without a mask. He held a freshly carved bamboo flute in his left hand, his arms crossed, watching us with a leisurely air. "Little Yiyi, why did I hear you calling me?"

“You…Young Master Shang…” I strode to the poplar tree and said angrily, “You actually dare to come here?”

Shang Shaozhang revealed a leisurely smile, and without any visible movement, he slowly floated down from the poplar branch and stood in front of me, laughing, "Why didn't you dare to come?"

"You...you..." To hell with the world's number one assassin! My anger blazed, and I suddenly grabbed Young Master Shang's collar, my face flushing red and then pale, gritting my teeth as I said, "You bastard, do you know? -- Do you know? --"

I said "Do you know?" several times in a row, but I couldn't say anything more.

Shang Shaozhang did it on purpose! He absolutely did it on purpose!

He deliberately carried me through densely populated towns, avoiding side streets and hidden paths. His conspicuous passage was meant to attract attention—to my black attire and long hair! To draw attention to my identity as a woman. Coupled with Yun Yiyang's impulsive carrier pigeon message and Meng Qing witnessing Shang Shaochang split open my bamboo hat, my white-clad identity as a woman was revealed to the world!

His knife not only ripped away my veil, but also shattered my identity as a "man"!

Because he carried me through the streets, I could no longer appear in the world as a man.