Le paysage est comme une peinture

Chapitre 15

After having some vegetarian noodles at the temple at noon and giving Wenyan a good talking-to, the two of them prepared to go down the mountain.

As Fang walked to the temple gate, he suddenly heard a commotion outside. One voice was Huiying's, and the other was... Youtong's expression changed drastically.

"What's going on? How can you make such a racket in a quiet place!" Wen Yan said angrily, pulling You Tong out the door, intending to teach the intruders a lesson.

The woman at the temple gate suddenly saw two women dressed in silk and satin emerge. Knowing they were the people she was looking for, she didn't bother to examine them closely. She lowered her head and knelt on the ground, saying, "Ninth Miss, it's me, I—" A few tears welled up in her eyes. She slowly raised her head, about to start crying, when she suddenly caught sight of You Tong. She jumped up from the ground as if she had seen a ghost.

She knelt at the very top of the steps, but because she jumped too fast, she lost her footing, stumbled, and fell down the steps...

Visiting late at night on the 30th

This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard. They all stood frozen in place, speechless. Finally, Youtong was the first to react and quickly called for help. Bai Ling, who had been accompanied by a maid, was now terrified and slumped to the ground, her legs weak. No matter how Youtong called out to her, she just stared blankly at Youtong, unable to utter a word.

Wen Yan impulsively tried to rush down the steps, but You Tong stopped her. As the saying goes, "a plum tree in a melon patch or under a plum tree," and besides them, the area was deserted. If anything happened to Bai Ling, they might turn on them. It was best to avoid suspicion as much as possible. As long as they had never been close to Bai Ling, they weren't afraid of rumors.

After thinking for a moment, Youtong instructed Huiying to go to the temple and summon some monks to help. Huiying hurriedly agreed, and soon returned with four young and strong monks. When the monks saw Bai Ling lying unconscious at the bottom of the steps, they were all shocked, uttered "Amitabha" in unison, and then rushed down the steps to rescue her.

The monks, being in a hurry, disregarded the traditional separation of men and women and carried Bai Ling back to the temple for treatment. You Tong stood by, observing coldly, and only whispered a reminder when the monks carried Bai Ling past: "If the injured person doesn't wake up, Master, just take her to the Shen family in Songzhi Lane."

Having said that, without looking at anyone else, she turned her head, straightened her body, and walked down the mountain step by step. Seeing this, Wen Yan glared fiercely at Bai Ling, who was already unconscious, stomped her foot, and followed after her. The two maids followed closely behind.

You Tong's face was ashen. Wen Yan assumed that she was troubled by Shen San's "concubine" and said indignantly, "That woman is shameless. She's not even as good as a concubine. She's always showing her face and running around everywhere. She even keeps coming to see Ninth Sister. She really thinks she's someone important. Shen San is blind to have put such a woman on his wife and bring shame upon himself."

You Tong seemed not to hear her words, lifting her skirt and walking down the mountain without stopping, her expression calm and solemn. After a long while, she slowly said, "This marriage is going to fall through anyway, so why bring it up again?" She understood clearly in her heart that Bai Ling would not only not reveal her identity to Shen San, but would even try her best to prevent her from meeting Shen San, and would do everything in her power to persuade Shen San to break off the engagement.

The reason was simple: Bai Ling was deeply in love with Shen San. From her repeated visits to "Miss Cui Jiu" to plead for him, it was clear that she had long planned to become Shen San's concubine as soon as he got married. If it were Yu Youtong who had married into the family, given her personality and methods, she would never have allowed Shen San to take a concubine.

So—she's pregnant! A thought flashed through You Tong's mind. She immediately realized a possibility: if Bai Ling wanted to instigate Shen San to annul the engagement, she would most likely start with the incident of You Tong falling down the slope. Then, all the aggrieved party had to do was claim that You Tong had pushed her; even with Wen Yan and the maids from the Cui family present, it would be useless. Although You Tong didn't care about the Cui family's reputation, she absolutely couldn't tolerate suffering such a loss in silence.

"Did Fifth Brother go to the palace today?" You Tong suddenly turned around and asked Wen Yan.

Although Wen Yan didn't understand why she had suddenly switched to talking about Cui Weiyuan when they were just talking about Shen San's "mistress", she quickly replied, "Fifth Brother is off duty today and is at home taking care of Mother."

The first thing You Tong did upon returning to the Cui residence was to have Hong Yun invite Cui Weiyuan over. Unexpectedly, Wen Yan, despite being exhausted and nearly collapsing, followed closely behind her, looking quite interested. You Tong couldn't shoo her away, but there were certain things she couldn't say to Cui Weiyuan in front of her, leaving her in a dilemma.

Cui Weiyuan arrived quickly and saw Wen Yan in You Tong's room. He frowned slightly and said, "Why didn't you go to pay your respects to Mother after you came back? She hasn't been feeling well all day and hasn't eaten anything."

Wen Yan was shocked upon hearing this. She didn't even have time to say goodbye to You Tong before rushing out. After she had gone far away, You Tong shook her head and smiled bitterly, "You really have a way." After saying that, she dismissed the servants in the room, looked around, and then closed the door. She turned around with a serious and earnest expression.

Seeing her like this, Cui Weiyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he asked in a deep voice, "What happened? Why are you being so mysterious?"

You Tong smiled wryly and recounted the entire story of the White Spirit Staircase, explaining not only Bai Ling's identity but also sharing her own thoughts, only omitting her own true identity and name. Cui Weiyuan listened, his brow furrowing. After a moment's thought, he said, "You mean—"

"Instead of waiting for her to spread rumors, it's better to strike first."

Cui Weiyuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood what she meant. Then he shook his head and said, "Indeed, it is only women and petty men who are difficult to deal with."

You Tong glared at him, and Cui Weiyuan quickly raised his hands to show weakness, saying, "It was my fault, I talked nonsense, I deserve to be hit, I deserve to be hit." You Tong was too lazy to argue with him, she just gave him a few instructions, and then waved him away.

Cui Weiyuan walked to the door and couldn't help but turn back to look at her one last time. He saw her sitting lazily in the armchair by the bed, leisurely and content, not even thinking of looking back at him. A bitter feeling welled up inside him, and he felt utterly helpless, but he couldn't say it.

Early the next morning, the Ninth Miss Cui was bedridden. At the same time, news spread throughout the capital that she had fallen ill from anger, and the culprit was none other than her future husband, the Third Young Master of the Shen family, who had secretly taken in a mistress. It was said that this mistress was a complete vixen, unreasonable and utterly lacking in manners, who had bribed the Cui family servants to cause trouble while the Ninth Miss Cui was burning incense and praying at the temple. This sacred Buddhist place could not tolerate her outburst; as if by divine intervention, she slipped and tumbled down, ending up unconscious…

The people of the capital loved hearing such private secrets from the mansions of the powerful and wealthy. What's more, these stories included ghosts, gods, Buddhas, and supernatural beings. In no time, the whole capital was abuzz with the news. Some people condemned the third young master of the Shen family for his shamelessness, while others sympathized with the ninth young lady of the Cui family for her bad luck in marrying the wrong person. Many more people applauded and cheered that retribution was justified.

Regardless of how lively the rumors were outside, You Tong was now free and idle, spending her days in her room pretending to be ill. When the Second Madam heard the news, she specially sent someone to deliver some supplementary books, and instructed You Tong to handle the matter properly according to the Cui family's autobiography.

Don't overthink it.

You Tong, of course, didn't think much of it. She only praised her when Cui Weiyuan came to "visit" her, and at the same time asked him to find more miscellaneous books, because it was really hard to pass the time by staying cooped up in the room all day.

You Tong heard nothing more about the Shen family's reaction or Bai Ling's injuries. Rumors, however, circulated in the capital that the Ninth Miss Cui had pushed the Shen family's mistress off the mountain, but these rumors quickly faded and died down.

It disappeared without a trace in just two days.

Rumors also circulated that Miss Cui, the ninth daughter of the Cui family, had already declared that she would rather cut her hair and become a nun in a castrated hall than marry into the Shen family and suffer such humiliation. Therefore, the marriage between the Shen and Cui families could not continue under any circumstances. The two families quietly dissolved the engagement.

It is impossible to verify which side made the suggestion. However, according to some researchers, there seem to be several officers surnamed Cui in the Southern Frontier Camp where the eldest son of the Shen family is stationed.

Now that things have progressed to this point, You Tong can almost retire gracefully. Once the storm has subsided, the Ninth Miss Cui will pass away peacefully, and from now on, there will be no more Cui Wenfeng in this world.

When Cui Weiyuan abducted her, he didn't search her body, so he didn't know she had hidden a huge sum of money in her undergarments. Adding to this the various jewelry and ornaments she'd acquired at the Cui family home over the past year, the gifts from the elders, and her monthly allowance, Youtong had...

She does have a considerable sum of money, enough to buy a courtyard in the capital, hire two maids, and live a quiet life for several lifetimes. She can then tend to flowers and plants, and perhaps even bring back Abbess Jingyi. The two of them would live an incredibly leisurely life.

But Xu Wei's situation—You Tong felt a headache coming on when she thought about it. Although Xu Wei's family was only a branch of the Northern Xu family, and their family background might not be as prestigious as the Cui and Shen families, as Xu Wei's official position grew, the Xu family gradually became more powerful. Coupled with his own excellence, countless officials and families in the capital were eyeing him, eager to push their daughters into the Xu family.

She used to be the eldest daughter of the Yu family. Although her family wasn't particularly high-ranking, her mother, Cui, and Madam Xu had been close friends since childhood, which led to their engagement. Even so, it was considered a step up for the Yu family. But if she were to truly leave the Cui family, how could a commoner like her be worthy of the renowned General Xu? Even if Xu Wei didn't care about these things, how could Master Xu and Madam Xu tolerate it?

Of course, there was something even more important: Madam Xu had actually met her before. Back when the Xu and Yu families were discussing marriage, Madam Xu led Xu Wei all the way to Qiantang to personally arrange the marriage between the two. Although many years had passed and You Tong's appearance had changed a lot, her facial features were becoming more and more similar to her deceased mother, Cui Shi. How could Madam Xu not recognize her?

I should have known...

Had she known Xu Wei cared for her so much, why had she staged her fake death and attempted to escape the marriage? It had backfired, leaving her in a difficult situation. Unable to discern whether it was frustration or regret, You Tong remained listless and dispirited all day. Hui Ying and Hui Qiao dared not disturb her, acting with extreme caution. Knowing You Tong's preference for peace and quiet, they made her tea and then tactfully excused themselves in the evening.

Unable to sleep, You Tong picked up a travelogue that Cui Weiyuan had given her and sat down on the edge of the bed to read. It was late at night, and all was quiet. Hui Qiao, who was keeping watch outside, was already fast asleep, emitting soft snores. There was a breeze outside the window, which occasionally rustled the leaves in the yard, then stopped, and it was so quiet that one could almost hear the barking of dogs in the distance.

Youtong's mind was in turmoil, and she couldn't concentrate on her book at all. In a fit of anger, she threw the book aside and prepared to get out of bed, blow out the lamp, and go to sleep. After changing her shoes, she suddenly heard the faint sound of clothes rustling outside the window. Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately became alert. She grabbed the unlit candlestick beside her and tiptoed to the window.

A moment later, the window indeed opened a crack, and a hand quietly reached in. Just as You Tong was about to strike with the candle, she suddenly heard a low, slightly puzzled voice from outside the window, "You Tong?"

You Tong was startled, her hand loosened, and the candlestick fell straight to the ground with a muffled groan.

31. Expressing their true feelings to each other

Oh my god, why is he here! You Tong first glanced at Hui Qiao outside, and seeing that she had just turned over and continued to sleep, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. She then carefully opened the window and pulled the thief Xu Wei inside.

Xu Wei was dressed in a black outfit, but he had gotten a lot of dirt and grime on his clothes, which were covered in stains. His hair was also a bit messy, making him look rather disheveled. If he were to wear a mask, he would look no different from a notorious bandit.

"You—" You Tong lowered her voice, angrily scolding, "Why did you come here so late at night, dressed like this? If someone sees you, how will you explain yourself?" Yet her tone was familiar, as if the two had known each other for a long time, without the slightest hint of awkwardness. She had already guessed that Xu Wei knew her identity, so she wasn't shy at all, and generously led him to sit down on a stool to the side.

Xu Wei just chuckled, his eyes never leaving You Tong's face since he entered the room, seemingly ignoring her reproach. He said with a smile, "I heard you weren't feeling well, and I was very worried. I came to the manor several times to ask about you, but Fifth Prince always stopped me, saying you were recuperating and wouldn't see outsiders. That's why I was so anxious."

Ever since the day the rumor spread in the capital that Miss Cui Jiu was bedridden, he had been restless. Although he knew You Tong's abilities—she was always scheming against others and was not easily schemed against—he was still somewhat uneasy. He found an excuse to come to the Cui residence, hoping to see her. But Cui Weiyuan seemed to be deliberately going against him, always finding a way to keep him occupied, and in the end, he politely saw him off. He couldn't even see Wen Yan, let alone You Tong.

Recalling this, Xu Wei felt a sudden jolt in his heart. Some things that had been lingering in his mind suddenly jumped out, clear and distinct.

Perhaps it was because Youtong now bore the identity of the ninth young lady of the Cui family that he unconsciously overlooked some things. Looking back now, he realized he had been too careless. Cui Weiyuan was always arrogant and haughty. Aside from his own sister, Wenyan, whom he showed some affection for, when had he ever seen him show any kindness to other women? Yet, he was extremely protective of Youtong, sometimes even treating her better than Wenyan. They had known each other for over ten years; when had they ever seen Cui Weiyuan be so attentive to a woman with whom he had no blood relation…

Previously blinded by a single leaf, he now understood, and everything made sense. Xu Wei couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly. If he were to propose marriage at the Cui residence tomorrow, the first person to object would likely be his brother. However, Xu Wei still had a legitimate claim, while Cui Weiyuan had effectively cut off his own escape route. If the person caught in the middle wasn't You Tong, Xu Wei might have felt deep regret for him, but now he only felt fortunate that even with Cui Weiyuan's advantageous position, he couldn't win her over.

Of course, he didn't intend to tell Youtong about these emotional entanglements. He stared at her intently and said seriously, "My mother went to stay at the villa outside the city for a while and will be back in the middle of this month. Once she returns, I will tell her about your situation and ask her to send someone over to propose marriage. Is that alright?"

You Tong was surprised that he would bring up marriage so suddenly, and she was a little shy. She didn't know where to look, and she looked down, glancing here and there. After a long while, she bit her lip and murmured, "How do you plan to tell Auntie about me? She... might recognize me."

Seeing her unusually shy demeanor, Xu Wei felt an indescribable fondness. He couldn't help but stand up and take two steps towards her, stopping only when he was closer. He tentatively reached out to take her hand. Seeing that she didn't refuse, he felt relieved and quickly grasped it. His heart began to pound wildly, and he was so happy that he didn't even know where he was, only able to smile foolishly.

After a while, seeing Youtong glaring at him with annoyance, he remembered Youtong's question and smiled and said, "It's alright, I'll put in a good word for you with Mother. Hmm, I'll just say that you were rescued after falling into the water, and later met Lao Wu, and eventually came to the Cui family."

In his excitement, he raised his voice a little too loudly. Huiqiao, who was sleeping soundly outside the screen, seemed to be startled. She uttered a soft murmur, turned over, and mumbled "Miss" as if she was about to get up at any moment.

You Tong hurriedly replied, "It's nothing, you should go to sleep." After saying that, she quickly withdrew her hand and pretended to punch Xu Wei.

She didn't use much force; when she hit Xu Wei, it was like tickling him. Xu Wei was actually hoping she would hit him a few more times, and he squinted and laughed with great enjoyment. However, he restrained himself a bit, trying hard to suppress his laughter until his face turned red.

Although Xu Wei's idea had many flaws and was not good at all, You Tong couldn't think of a better solution for the time being. After thinking for a while, she said with difficulty, "I originally planned to say goodbye to Cui Weiyuan in a few days. I'm not comfortable staying in this Cui residence."

Putting aside everything else, she was always surrounded by people, and she had to be extremely careful in her words and actions, for fear of being seen through.

Besides, if she were to enter the Xu family as the ninth young lady of the Cui family, she would be forever bound to the Cui family. It would be one thing for her to be a girl, but the Xu and Cui families would be like a brand, inseparable forever.

As Xu Wei listened, he nodded and said, "You did well. The military strategy of striking first is exactly what this means. Otherwise, if rumors spread over there, it would definitely tarnish your reputation." After thinking for a moment, he whispered to comfort her, "Don't take it too seriously. This time, she betrayed her master for personal gain and let you down. There's no need to dwell on such a despicable person."

He comforted Youtong verbally, but his mind was preoccupied with Shen San's affairs. Of the three young masters of the Shen family, the second young master was frail and sickly, spending most of his time recuperating at home. The eldest and third young masters, on the other hand, were exceptionally intelligent from a young age and were even hailed as child prodigies in their early years. However, the eldest young master was the oldest, having served in the army since the age of sixteen. At eighteen, he devised a plan to capture the leader of a rebellious tribe in the southern border region. Subsequently, he repeatedly distinguished himself in battle, rising rapidly through the ranks to become a renowned "God of War" in the southern border.

With the eldest son of the Shen family shining brightly, the third son of the Shen family seemed much less impressive. Apart from orchestrating the downfall of a bandit gang outside Huzhou City last year, he didn't seem to have accomplished anything significant. However, Xu Wei knew very well that this was not because the third son was incompetent, but rather because of his aristocratic family background.

Since the late emperor, the imperial family had been wary of powerful clans, vigorously promoting commoner generals and gradually forcing aristocratic scions out of the army. Xu Wei was able to be given important positions because he was only from a collateral branch of the Xu family and had almost no connection with the Xu family of Guangbei. As for the eldest son of the Shen family, it was because the southern border was always restless, and he was simply too outstanding. Since the eldest son of the Shen family held military power in the southern border, how could the imperial family tolerate another general from the Shen family? Therefore, they suppressed Shen San very much. Although he was given a position, it was a nominal one, with only a hundred or so soldiers under his command, equivalent to a mere colonel.

Xu Wei knew You Tong's vengeful nature, and he never saw anything wrong with it. Besides, Shen San had instigated the enemy to burn down the manor, almost causing deaths. Not to mention You Tong, he himself would never let him get away with it. He considered teaching him a lesson, but he quickly dismissed the idea. First, You Tong would definitely not like him interfering in her affairs; second, she might already have a plan in mind, and if he rashly intervened, he might ruin her grand scheme.

After thinking it over, he decided to proceed with caution. He earnestly advised, "Shen San is a very cunning man and will not fall for a trap easily. If you intend to seek revenge, remember to be extremely careful."

You Tong smiled and said, "Of course I know he's cunning. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to fool me back then. But I'm not in a hurry to take revenge. As the saying goes, a gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. Even if I do nothing, just hanging around him every now and then will make him suspicious and restless."

Xu Wei nodded in agreement. He trusted You Tong completely. Besides, even if You Tong did have some oversights, he was there for her.

The two talked for a while longer until the sound of gongs came from outside. Before they knew it, it was already past midnight, and You Tong finally yawned. Seeing this, Xu Wei had no choice but to reluctantly take his leave.

Before leaving, Youtong suddenly remembered something, grabbed him, hesitated for a moment, and then stammered, "How...how did you...recognize me?"

Xu Wei just smiled and didn't speak. Just when You Tong thought he wouldn't answer, he suddenly stepped forward and hugged her tightly. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and he buried his head in her neck, breathing softly. His warm breath brushed against You Tong's ear, making her weak and unable to move.

It was as if the world had shrunk to just the two of them, and they could only feel each other's heartbeats and breaths—his brows, her eyes, his fingers, her earlobes…

"I'll tell you when we get married," Xu Wei whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse and restrained. You Tong let out a soft "Huh," and was about to speak when suddenly she felt a release as the man in front of her swiftly flipped out the window. She quickly peered out and saw the dark figure in the courtyard tumble down several times before disappearing from sight.

I slept without any dreams.

When she woke up the next morning at 3:45 AM, Huiying and Huiqiao came to update her, smiling and saying, "Miss, did you sleep well last night? Look how beautiful you look today."

You Tong touched her cheek blankly, smiled, and looked at the mirror on the dressing table. She saw that the woman in the mirror had bright eyes, a spring-like smile, and a gentle face. She was clearly a charming little woman. Not to mention Hui Ying and Hui Qiao, even she herself noticed that something was wrong.

32. Meeting between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law

May 20th is Wen Yan's birthday, and the manor has been busy preparing for it for a long time.

According to the Second Madam, it seems that she intends to make a good impression. Firstly, they haven't held any gatherings in the nearly half a year since they came to the capital. Secondly, Cui Weiyuan is getting older and it's time for him to get married. Taking advantage of Wenyan's birthday, they can invite the famous ladies and daughters of the capital to have a good look at him.

Of course, only Wen Yan dared to tell You Tong what followed. Cui Weiyuan seemed to be in a bad mood these past few days, and he had a stern face with everyone. Not to mention the maids and servants in the mansion, even the second madam didn't dare to bother him with these matters.

You Tong was also thinking about what to give Wen Yan as a gift. She wasn't good at embroidery and her needlework was only so-so. However, there were a few decent pieces of jewelry in the box. After picking and choosing for a long time, she finally found a kingfisher feather pendant with butterfly and flower design. The craftsmanship was exquisite and it was decent enough to give.

Ever since Xu Wei sneaked into the Cui residence that night, he seemed to have taken a liking to this gentlemanly way of meeting, sneaking in every few days, making You Tong anxious and afraid that he would be caught. Fortunately, he was skilled in martial arts and had been trained in the military camp, so he could easily move in and out of enemy camps, let alone a small Cui residence.

But just to be on the safe side, Youtong used the excuse of needing to concentrate on painting that evening to send the maids away, leaving herself alone in the room. Seeing this, Xu Wei came even more frequently. The two of them somehow had so much to talk about, from the customs and culture of Qiantang to the magnificent scenery beyond the Great Wall, and then to the turbulent waves of the capital. Often, before they knew it, it was already dawn, and Xu Wei would reluctantly climb out the window, yawning. Naturally, there were occasional sweet moments, like holding hands and hugging. Xu Wei even wanted to kiss her several times, but he restrained himself for fear of frightening Youtong.

On the evening of May 19th, Xu Wei only came to see You Tong briefly before leaving, saying he had official business to attend to. He also mentioned the marriage between the two, saying that he had already reported the matter to his mother and received her approval. He said he would come to see Wen Yan the next day on her birthday and then come to the mansion to propose marriage.

Xu Wei spoke casually, but You Tong was still very uneasy.

To be honest, she acted dishonestly, faking her death to escape the wedding without a word, causing Xu Wei to travel a thousand miles for the funeral and lose weight from the exhaustion. Now that he has finally recovered, she suddenly wants to reconcile with him. If she were Madam Xu, she probably wouldn't be kind to this daughter-in-law either.

She hadn't slept well all night and woke up early the next morning, staring blankly at her haggard reflection in the mirror. Huiying and Huiqiao came in to help her wash and dress. Seeing her sitting blankly in front of the dressing table, they exchanged a glance and asked softly, "Miss Jiu, are you feeling unwell?"

You Tong shook her head, took a deep breath, and said, "It's alright, go and find that silver-red silk embroidered long dress in the cabinet."

Huiqiao was taken aback, slightly surprised. "Miss, you're wearing this today?" The dress was extremely exquisite, adorned with simple white flowers from the hem to the waist, and lotus branches embroidered on the cuffs and collar. The style and fabric were both exceptionally rare. It was brought back from Jiangnan by Cui Weiyuan last year. He brought four dresses with him; two plain ones were given to the Second Madam, one vermilion one to Wenyan, and Youtong received this silver-red long dress. Because Youtong usually dressed plainly, and hadn't even been seen being this meticulous when she went to the palace last time, her sudden decision to change into this dress today inevitably surprised the two maids.

You Tong hummed in agreement, but after a while, she suddenly felt something was amiss and turned to Hui Ying, saying, "Go and see what the Tenth Miss is wearing today?" Today is Wen Yan's birthday, and even if she wanted to leave a good impression on Madam Xu, she could only surpass her.

After a while, Huiying hurried downstairs and replied to Youtong with a smile, "Miss Ten is wearing a vermilion satin dress with gold-embroidered butterflies and flowers that was just made a few days ago." Vermilion is even more vibrant than silver-red, and Youtong finally felt relieved. She nodded to Huiqiao and said, "That's fine."

Huiqiao, being quick-witted, swiftly retrieved the dress from the wardrobe, also bringing over Youtong's jewelry box. "Miss's usual attire is too plain. This dress is exquisite, vibrant yet elegant, charming and lovely. Let everyone see that our Ninth Miss is a rare beauty; it's all because that Third Young Master Shen is blind." Huiqiao's voice trembled with righteous indignation as she spoke the last sentence.

Regardless of who first brought up the annulment of the engagement, it was unsavory for the Cui family's "Ninth Miss" to have been jilted before. Some jealous people outside seized the opportunity to say whatever they wanted. Although Huiqiao was in the manor, she had heard many strange things said by the maids and felt deeply sorry for Youtong. Since guests were coming today, they were determined to dress Youtong up nicely, to see if those gossipy women outside would dare to spread rumors.

Then, she specially summoned Hongyun, who was serving outside, and had her style Youtong's hair into a beautiful "Nine-Ringed Immortal Bun," adorning the back of her head with a newly acquired glass hairpin, and selecting two lotus-shaped gold hairpins to cover her temples. At the top of the bun was a long carp-shaped hair ornament. With a light application of powder and a touch of rouge on her lips, Youtong in front of her suddenly seemed like a different person. The original heroic spirit in her eyes was concealed by the makeup, leaving only her delicate charm and dignified appearance.