At the time, she thought that as long as she was a little more obedient and sensible, she would eventually be liked by others.
Less than half an hour later, Bi Fan knocked on her door, "Miss, my mistress would like to see you."
Sunlight filters through the trees, the morning mist hangs low, and the pomegranate blossoms are fragrant and vibrant. She stands there at the door, bewildered. The light, filtered through layers of leaves, falls on Jiang Yuan, casting a gentle, shimmering glow.
Then she saw her smiling and waving at her.
He probably likes her.
"Rong'an? Rong'an?" Jiang Yuan asked a couple more times, and when she didn't respond, he called her name twice.
Seemingly still lost in her memories, Sui'er, seeing her mistress in a daze again, disregarded the distinction between mistress and servant and hurriedly stepped forward to shake her arm, quite exasperated, "Miss, Madam Song is asking you a question."
"What?" Tang Rong'an was brought back to her senses by Sui'er's swaying, and asked with some unease, her big black eyes wide open.
"It's nothing, I was just asking about your situation in Huaizhou." Jiang Yuan didn't think she was being impolite. She patted the back of her hand to reassure her, and then said to Sui'er, "I'm not very familiar with Huaizhou, and I don't know your young lady's preferences. You can tell Bi Bifan about it later."
"Yes, Madam." Sui'er replied, then stepped behind Tang Rong'an. The group chatted about some interesting things before dispersing.
Bi Fan was a smart woman. With a glance from Jiang Yuan, she followed Tang Rong'an out of the room. There were some things that Rong'an couldn't see, but her maid might.
"That's all." That evening, Zhu Chuan helped Jiang Yuan untangle her hair and then carefully applied passion fruit honey to her hands. The frostbitten wounds on her hands hadn't healed after all these days. They were usually hidden under her sleeves, but now that they were exposed, Zhu Chuan felt like crying again. Her young lady had always been pampered like a piece of fine porcelain; she had never suffered like this before.
Seeing that Zhu Chuan's eyes were about to redden again, Bi Fan quickly jumped out and continued to talk about the important matter, "I think Miss Biao is a bit dim-witted. Fortunately, our master brought her here. I didn't hear a single bit of what Sui'er was saying about how good our family was."
"Did the master bring the person over?" Jiang Yuan keenly caught this information.
“That’s what they say.” Bi Fan recalled Sui’er’s words, “Didn’t Miss Biao observe three years of mourning for her mother? As soon as the mourning period ended, Master’s men came, saying that it caused a great commotion and even alarmed the prefect.”
Chapter 41 A Song with Two Preludes
Jiang Yuan had just taken the tea from Zhu Chuan and was stirring the tea leaves with the lid when she heard Zhu Chuan's words. She stopped abruptly, her brows furrowing into a small knot. "Have you fallen out?"
"Don't even mention how ugly it was." Bi Fan glanced cautiously out the window, deliberately lowering her voice, "Our patriarch, a grown man, went to our family in broad daylight to snatch someone, and she was a virgin at that. You can imagine what kind of mess it caused."
This is so unlike Song Yansi's usual style. It's not a pleasant thing to say, but even if he really wanted someone, he could have just secretly taken them out. It would have been a trivial matter for him. Why make such a big fuss? "Didn't they say anything over there?"
“I told you!” Bi Fan cleared her throat, then, in a high-pitched voice, reenacted the scene that Sui’er had performed for her for Jiang Yuan, “Even if Miss Tang is Master Song’s cousin, she is still a cousin of our Song family. How could she run off with a man so ambiguously?”
"It really sounds awful," Jiang Yuan blinked. "And then?"
"Then the master's men stepped forward." Bi Fan gave Jiang Yuan a strange look and continued to act in a high-pitched voice, "Who said it was our master who invited them? It was our mistress! Our mistress said that there is absolutely no reason to put our own relatives in someone else's house, so the master sent us to invite them!"
A huge pot fell from the sky.
Jiang Yuan was so shocked she couldn't close her mouth. "I told you?"
"Yes," Bi Fan nodded. "Apart from Miss Biao and us, everyone else thinks it was you who said it."
Jiang Yuan stood there, holding her teacup, stunned: What exactly is Song Yansi trying to do?!
People can't stand being talked about behind their backs. Just last night, Jiang Yuan finished grumbling about it, and this morning, at the crack of dawn, a large number of military horses entered the city, the clatter of hooves waking up the entire city of Chaisang.
"Madam! Madam!" Bi Fan was sweeping leaves at the door when she saw Song Yansi's chestnut horse in the distance, clad in silver armor. She quickly rubbed her eyes: It really was Song Yansi! Only when the horse was almost at the door did she remember that her mistress hadn't gotten up yet!
Thinking it best to just throw the broom aside and stop sweeping, he didn't even bother to greet Song Yansi. He opened his mouth and ran into the house.
Unexpectedly, Song Yansi was much faster than her. Bi Fan had just run to the door and hadn't even touched the wooden door when a white figure flashed past her. The door was pushed open and then closed in an instant.
"Get up..." Bi Fan called out weakly, the three words drifting away in the wind. She guessed that the madam probably hadn't heard her.
"How..." Bi Fan's sudden shouts startled Jiang Yuan from her sleep. She had just groggily gotten up when she was pulled into a pair of arms.
The icy armor seeped through her inner garments onto her skin, causing Jiang Yuan to shiver and immediately snap out of her daze.
Her face was quickly lifted up by a pair of large hands, and Song Yansi's face, which she hadn't seen for a long time, appeared before her eyes. His skin was much darker, and the gentle aura that used to surround him had long since vanished under the influence of his battle robes.
He gazed at her calmly, and just as Jiang Yuan felt increasingly guilty under his gaze and was about to lower her head, he suddenly smiled. Unlike his usual inscrutable demeanor, his smile was like a mountain spring bursting forth, clear and bright, much like her appearance in Yongming's dream.
"A-Yuan".
"Um?"
"You're back."
"Um."
"It's good that you're back." He held her in his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder. His hands were warm, while his armor was cold, the contrast of warmth and coldness pressed tightly against Jiang Yuan.
Suddenly, Jiang Yuan's tears fell in large drops. She had held back for so many days, but finally she couldn't hold back anymore. Jiang Yuan despised herself for this. Whenever Song Yansi was by her side, she was like she was under a spell. She knew it was wrong, she knew it would hurt, but she still couldn't help wanting to rely on him.
Her small, delicate face was gently lifted, and she desperately tried to suppress her sobs, only whimpering softly. This sight, reflected in Song Yansi's eyes, was exceptionally endearing. "Why didn't you save me?" Yes, why didn't you save me, every single time?
"I'm sorry, A-Yuan." Song Yansi's eyes darkened slightly, and he gently kissed her lips.
What she got in return was Jiang Yuan bursting into tears, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
He wiped away her tears with his fingers, closed his eyes, lowered his head to her forehead, and sighed softly. He knew the pain in her heart, but what about his?
"Song Yanji is not a god, he can't save you every time." He said that, but she forgot it, completely forgot it.
She was such a smart person, how could she never understand? Suffering arises from excessive desires, and the human heart is unpredictable. Yet, she seemed to be blinded, placing the knife in those people's hands, the tip of which was pointed at his heart.
"Why is she crying like this?" Tang Rong'an was already in the courtyard with Qingping and the others. The door was tightly closed, and she had no idea what had happened inside. "My cousin is always very fierce. Will he bully my sister-in-law again?"
Zhu Chuan and Bi Fan exchanged glances but didn't dare to say anything. They were even more anxious and could only pray that Song Yanji wouldn't pursue the matter of Jiang Yuan's disappearance too much.
Qingping glanced at the anxious Tang Rong'an, then at the slightly panicked Zhu Chuan Bi Fan, and then at the tightly closed door. Finally, she took a deep breath. Jiang Yuan had an accident because of her, and now that she was back safely, she absolutely could not let Song Yanji bully her again!
"Watch me!" Li Qingping said, rolling up her sleeves and striding menacingly toward the door, hands on her hips. But the more she walked, the more uneasy she felt. She turned back halfway and saw Tang Rong'an tugging at her handkerchief, giving her an encouraging gesture. Not wanting to back down any longer, she gritted her teeth and continued walking, knowing full well the dangers, yet determined to face them head-on!
"Open..." Li Qingping's voice was crisp. She had just lifted her skirt to kick the door when she heard a "creak" and the door was opened from the inside.
Backlit, she stood there with her legs raised, and came face to face with Song Yansi. Her body trembled involuntarily as she saw Song Yansi frowning in displeasure.
"What is the county princess trying to do?"
Jiang Yuan, who had been following behind Song Yansi with tears in her eyes, saw him stop to ask questions, turned her head, and happened to see Qingping's dazed look. She burst out laughing.
The laughter clearly displeased Song Yansi. He reached out and lifted her chin. Jiang Yuan had just finished crying, and her eyes were red and swollen. Her smile looked awkward no matter how you looked at her. He snorted, "How can you make fun of others looking like this?"
That's outrageous! Just because she cried, does that mean she doesn't even have the right to laugh at others?!
"Cousin." Seeing that Song Yansi was clearly in a bad mood, Tang Rong'an quickly stepped forward and gave a half-bow, turning to the side.
"Hmm." Song Yansi saw Tang Rong'an pause for a moment before a smile appeared in his eyes. "It's been a long time. Rong'an has grown so much. Are you getting used to living in Chaisang?"
"It's a habit." Tang Rong'an felt relieved when she saw the smile on his face. She smiled and said, "My sister-in-law treats me very well and has taught me to draw many new flower patterns."
"Hahaha." Song Yansi reached out and pulled Jiang Yuan out from beside him. He put one hand on her shoulder and smiled as he pointed at Rong An. "A Yuan, take good care of her. When we return to Lin'an, we'll find Rong An a good husband."
Jiang Yuan had been trying to sort out everything that had happened to Tang Rong'an in her past life, but the matter was like a tangled mess of yarn, getting more and more complicated the more she tried to pull it apart. Now that the words about getting married had actually come from Song Yanji's mouth, she was so shocked that she almost jumped up.
"Biao..." Rong An took a step forward, but before she could speak, Sui'er behind her tugged at her sleeve. The little girl looked at her and shook her head almost imperceptibly.
She swallowed her words, bit her lip lightly, and quickly lowered her eyes.
In August, darkness falls slowly. After dinner, Song Yanji, wanting to stay in Chaisang for a few more days, got up and went to his study to write a letter for Xu An to deliver to Mu Qing.
After Jiang Yuan finished her bath, she sat in front of the mirror and had Zhu Chuan dry her hair. The woman in the mirror had a neck like a cicada's, a beautiful face and eyebrows. She hadn't seen Song Yanji for a long time, and seeing her like this made her feel a little embarrassed.
Da da—
There was a knock at the door, and Tang Rong'an's voice rang out from the entrance, "Sister-in-law, may I come in?"
"Miss Biao?" Zhu Chuan opened his mouth but no sound came out. "What is she doing here?"
Seeing Jiang Yuan nod, he then spoke, "Please come in."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a figure dressed in a peach-colored floral robe darted into her room and rushed to her like the wind. Jiang Yuan was startled, and before she could speak, she saw the figure kneel down abruptly.
Rong'an stared at her with tears welling up in her eyes.
"Miss Cousin." Zhu Chuan glanced quickly at the door and immediately reached out to pull her. If others saw this, who knows what rumors would spread!
But she just wouldn't get up. Seeing her like this, Jiang Yuan knew she had something to say, so he could only say to Zhu Chuan, "Go and keep watch outside."
"Yes, Madam." Before leaving, Zhu Chuan glanced worriedly at the two people inside the room before closing the door.
"Now it's just the two of us." Jiang Yuan didn't help her up, but instead carefully looked at her own nails, which were painted brown. Since she wanted to kneel, he would let her kneel. "Speak."
"Sister-in-law, I don't want to get married." Tang Rong'an knelt down and took two steps, gently hooking Jiang Yuan's skirt with her fingertips. Sui'er had been trying to stop her from coming, but she always felt that her sister-in-law would help her. "Could you talk to my cousin?"
"Do you know how many years it will take us to get back to Lin'an?" Jiang Yuan looked at her calmly. "You might be twenty by the time you get back."
“But there are also many people who don’t marry, aren’t there? Lady Xuan Shui, Miss Su San…” Tang Rong’an thought for a long time with tears in her eyes.
"But do you know how many people will gossip behind a woman's back if she doesn't marry?" Jiang Yuan's eyes darkened, her fingertips lightly twirling a strand of hair hanging down her chest. "Or is it that Rong'an has found someone she loves?"
Tang Rong'an seemed to have her thoughts exposed. She bit her lip, lowered her eyes, and her hand, which was gripping Jiang Yuan's skirt, gradually slipped away. The room fell silent.
After a long pause, Jiang Yuan spoke, his words mumbled and devoid of emotion, "If Rong An wants to marry your cousin, I'm afraid her children will..."
Marry my cousin? What? Marry my cousin? Tang Rong'an looked up abruptly upon hearing her words, her eyes widening in horror as if she had heard something unbelievable. Before Jiang Yuan could finish speaking, she hurriedly interrupted her, "Why do you want to marry my cousin? I don't want to marry my cousin!"
Chapter 42 Red Silk Canopy
Jiang Yuan's words were cut off midway. One didn't want to marry, and the other didn't want to be married—what was going on? Her mouth opened slightly, and after a long while, she finally managed to utter, "Then who is Rong An's sweetheart?"
Two blushes rose to her ears, and Tang Rong'an glanced quickly out the window, then said shyly in a low voice, "Second Master Fu."
"Fu Zhengyan?!" How could it be Fu Zhengyan? Jiang Yuan looked at the little woman kneeling in front of him, and goosebumps instantly rose all over his back. "When?"
"A long time ago."
Tang Rong'an remembered the first time she met Fu Zhengyan when she was a child. At that time, he was already a handsome young man. He used a clay figure to comfort her when she was crying, asking, "Little dumpling, whose daughter are you?"
However, Rong An's eyes gradually darkened. "It's a pity that my surname is Tang, and his surname is Fu."
So what? Given the rapid rise of the Fu family after Song Yanji became emperor, Jiang Yuan naturally didn't believe there was any estrangement between him and Fu Zhengyan in their love. So what exactly went wrong?
At this moment, Zhu Chuan stood anxiously outside the door with his mouth tightly covered by Du Shui. Song Yansi sat on the stone platform next to him, supporting his forehead with one hand and looking at the crescent moon in the sky. Every sound from inside the room reached his ears.
After they had finished talking inside, he got up, straightened his robes, and kindly reminded Zhu Chuan as he passed by, "The most valuable thing about a person is self-awareness. If your abilities are far inferior, it's better to speak openly than to talk behind closed doors." As he spoke, he tapped her eyes, "At least you can see."
The door was pushed open, and Tang Rong'an, who was still kneeling, was quite startled when she saw Song Yansi enter. She jumped up like a rabbit. Their eyes met, and there was a bit of awkwardness. Tang Rong'an carefully moved her feet closer to Jiang Yuan, looking serene and obedient.
"Rong'an." Song Yanji's voice was unreadable, "What are you doing here at this hour?"
"I came...I came to see my cousin-in-law..." Tang Rong'an saw Song Yansi call her and quickly bowed halfway, her voice trembling. She glanced quickly behind him, "But it's getting late, so Rong'an won't disturb my cousin-in-law's rest." After saying that, she didn't care about anyone else, and with a shrug, she ran out timidly, waving her little handkerchief.