Hua Wuduo, who was bored, lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and said, "If you let me ride a horse, I will wear a veil."
Song Zixing said, "It's not difficult to let you ride a horse, but we're about to switch to waterway. If you like riding a horse on the boat, I'll allow it."
Hua Wuduo glared at him fiercely and said, "If you like riding horses on a boat, I'll accompany you."
Song Zixing chuckled, shook his head, and said, "I don't like it." After saying that, he handed over a silk handkerchief, as if he had prepared it in advance.
Hua Wuduo did not refuse, reached out and took it, and put it on his face.
The journey from Suzhou to Hangzhou was not long; they traveled by water for a portion of the journey and arrived in Hangzhou before evening.
Song Zixing chatted with people along the way. There were so many people in Hangzhou who knew him. Hua Wuduo heard him chatting with at least ten people in the car.
Amidst the whispers of women's breaths, she peeked out from behind the curtain and saw two young women standing beside her carriage, watching Song Zixing's retreating figure on horseback. Their faces were flushed, and their fists were clenched, as if they were incredibly nervous. This scene reminded Hua Wuduo of Suzhou, where the mention of General Song would elicit such bright eyes and blushing cheeks from the young ladies, who seemed utterly naive. She wondered to herself, how could Song Zixing, so popular in Jiangnan, still be unmarried? In Suzhou, she had heard that over a hundred matchmakers had come to the Governor's Mansion to propose marriage for Song Zixing, but he had rejected them all. Even when young ladies wanted to become his concubines, he refused them all, saying he was devoted to his love. Hua Wuduo, however, wondered, could it be that Song Zixing had some hidden ailment? So, at his age, he was still unmarried—could it be…impotence?!
Hua Wuduo was having some malicious thoughts in the carriage when she suddenly felt the carriage stop. Outside, Song Zixing got out, walked to the side of the carriage, lifted the curtain for her, and smiled, "We've arrived, Ruoxi."
Hua Wuduo paused slightly, glanced at Song Zixing's outstretched hand, flicked her sleeve, and stood up, lifting the carriage curtain and jumping out. As soon as she steadied herself, she realized this wasn't the main entrance and said, "You always go home through the back door?"
Song Zixing said, "There are too many people at the main gate right now, so it's not very convenient. We should use the side gate instead."
Hua Wuduo looked up at the high wall and said, "Actually, I prefer jumping over the wall."
Song Zixing chuckled. Hua Wuduo was about to step inside when Song Zixing stopped him. Song Zixing frowned and said, "No, we still have to go through the main entrance."
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo became quite impatient and said, "Why are you making such a fuss today? Are we going through the front door or the back door?"
Song Zixing said, "I originally wanted some peace and quiet, but since this is your first time visiting my Song family, it's not quite right to sneak you in through the back door." He then tugged at her sleeve and said firmly, "Get in the car first."
Hua Wuduo got back into the car. "The mailbox? It's just meeting a few people, what's there to be afraid of? Besides, this is going back to the Song family. Why is Song Zixing so hesitant? Song Zixing is really strange today."
The wheels creaked and groaned as Xu Qing drove the carriage. Song Zixing rode beside him on horseback, asking hesitantly, "Do I look troublesome today?"
Xu Qing was taken aback, and replied somewhat hesitantly, "General, you are indeed a little different today." After saying that, he saw Song Zixing glare at him, and immediately shut his mouth and stopped talking, looking like he was concentrating on driving the carriage.
The car stopped again shortly afterward.
This time, before Song Zixing could even lift the carriage curtain, Hua Wuduo got up and jumped out. Looking up, she saw a large group of people standing before her, at least a hundred men and women. All eyes were on her; they were initially startled by her jumping out, but then fell into a silent, unspoken silence. The enigmatic Song Zixing smiled and walked to her side, saying, "Don't be nervous, they're all eager to see you."
Hua Wuduo, who was originally careless, slow to react, and not nervous at all, suddenly felt a bit parched after Song Zixing's deliberate prompting. She couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, "I think we should go through the back door."
Song Zixing smiled and said in a low voice, "We'll meet sooner or later, don't be afraid, come with me."
Song Zixing, who had already taken several steps, suddenly heard Hua Wuduo mutter to himself, "Which foot should I step with first?"
Song Zixing chuckled, turned around, walked back to Hua Wuduo who was still hesitating, stretched out his arms, suddenly picked her up, and laughed: "You don't need to take a step with either foot."
Hua Wuduo cried out in a flustered voice, "What are you doing? Put me down quickly, so many people are watching." Because there were so many people watching, although Hua Wuduo was angry at his actions, he did not dare to struggle too much. He just buried his head on Song Zixing's shoulder and threatened him through gritted teeth.
Unexpectedly, Song Zixing said, "I'm going to show them."
What? Hua Wuduo was stunned, and for a moment she was so embarrassed and speechless. After staring at her for a while, she stammered, "If I ultimately cannot fall in love with you and leave you, how will you feel then?"
Upon hearing this, Song Zixing paused, then replied softly, "I have no regrets."
Hua Wuduo was taken aback upon hearing this. After a long while, he said, "I won't care then. I'll just consider it your own fault, you deserve it!"
Hearing this, Song Zixing gave a bitter smile. Having lived this long, he had never imagined that one day he would be so anxiously worried that a woman didn't like him. Yet, facing her, he was helpless, and all he could do was offer a bitter smile. Now he was at his wit's end, with no way out. If one day she truly abandoned him… it wouldn't be as simple as just feeling sorry for her.
Amidst the astonished, wide-eyed, and enigmatic gazes of the crowd, Song Zixing calmly carried Hua Wuduo into the Governor's Mansion. The steward, who had been waiting at the gate, only seemed to snap out of a daze and followed after Song Zixing and Hua Wuduo once they had entered.
Although Hua Wuduo wore a veil, preventing everyone from seeing her true face, everyone present unanimously agreed that she must be a stunning beauty. As for just how beautiful she was, it wasn't until the Song family's banquet that the Song family members finally saw her true face.
At the banquet, Hua Wuduo sat next to Song Zixing at the same table, surrounded by the men and elders of the Song family. The women dined in a secluded area on the side of the hall, separated by beaded curtains. Clearly, Hua Wuduo's status was different. However, Hua Wuduo never dwelled on such details and readily accepted the arrangement. During the meal, dozens of kinds of pastries were laid out on each person's table, along with four or five kinds of tea and fruit wine. Song Zixing introduced each to her, placing a little of each in her bowl and dish. Hua Wuduo didn't stand on ceremony and tasted them all. Then she heard Song Zixing say, "Eat a little less; there will be a more elaborate main course later." Hua Wuduo nodded.
Hua Wuduo, a martial arts practitioner, had just finished a few teas and snacks when he heard a woman whisper from behind the beaded curtain at the back of the hall: "Is she Fang Ruoxi, the second daughter of the Fang family? She is indeed very beautiful."
Another woman whispered, "Of course, otherwise how could such an arrogant young man be so infatuated with her?"
At this moment, Song Zixing put some food into Hua Wuduo's bowl and said to Hua Wuduo, "With so many eyes staring at you, don't you feel a little uncomfortable?"
“It does feel a bit awkward. Originally, I planned to be myself from now on and not wear a mask anymore. But now it seems I'd rather wear one,” Hua Wuduo replied. “Yeah, you should wear it from now on,” Song Zixing agreed.
Song Zixing's mother died early, and his father, Song Chen, had several concubines but none of them bore him any children, except for Song Zixing and Song Ziyin, the children of his first wife. Song Chen was an old friend of Hua Wuduo's father, Fang Zhengyang, and naturally favored Hua Wuduo. Furthermore, because she had once saved Song Ziyin's life, the entire Song family treated her with even greater warmth.
Song Chen, a former soldier, was quite unpretentious. Hua Wuduo exchanged a few words with him and, finding a resemblance in temperament to her own father, relaxed. Hua Wuduo naturally remembered Song Zixing's uncle, Song Yan, vividly recalling their conversation in the tent. Today, however, he appeared as a somewhat dignified old man, though he was remarkably kind and gentle towards her.
The Song family treated her with such courtesy that Hua Wuduo couldn't say she liked it, but she didn't dislike it either. After all, it wasn't a bad thing for them to be kind to her and like her. However, when she saw Song Yan and thought about what he had said about her and Song Zixing, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.
Song Zixing understood perfectly well, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he talked to her about other things.
During the banquet, Song Zixing deflected some of the social engagements and answered some of the questions for her, leaving only eating to focus on the food. Hua Wuduo ate her fill and was quite satisfied by the end of the evening. Song Zixing hadn't lied to her; from appetizers to main courses and fruits, the banquet featured at least fifty different kinds of Jiangnan cuisine, truly delighting her. Song Zixing said that the New Year's feast would be even more lavish, and Hua Wuduo's eyes lit up with anticipation.
During the banquet, Song Yan's seventh wife volunteered to play a tune to enhance the atmosphere, and Song Chen readily agreed.
As the zither was set up, a woman emerged from behind the curtain. She wore a flowing long dress, her waist so slender it could be encircled by a single hand. Her demeanor was elegant yet somewhat haughty, young yet alluring. She gracefully walked to the front of the hall, first offering a polite curtsy before sitting down to play the zither. Hua Wuduo, who knew little of music, couldn't tell whether her playing was good or bad, but it was certainly not unpleasant to listen to.
As the song ended and the crowd applauded, the woman rose to leave, only to hear Song Yan say, "Come and sit down." He patted the seat next to him. The woman raised an eyebrow, her expression not particularly pleased, but she still went over and sat down next to Song Yan, right opposite Hua Wuduo.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, she glanced at Hua Wuduo with a seemingly casual look, and suddenly asked during a lull in the conversation, "I've heard that Miss Fang once single-handedly disrupted the wedding of the current Imperial Uncle, and was even slapped in public by the Imperial Uncle's wife and dragged out of the mansion. I wonder if this rumor is true or false?"
Song Zixing slammed down his wine glass, spilling the unfinished wine onto the table. The woman's gaze sharpened slightly, but she remained fixed on Hua Wuduo.
For a moment, everyone in the hall turned their gaze to Hua Wuduo, and all was silent.
Song Chen, seated at the head of the table, lowered his gaze slightly but remained silent.
Song Yan glared at the Seventh Madam.
Hua Wuduo smiled faintly until the woman opposite him's smiling lips began to stiffen before he said, "Seventh Madam is absolutely right. I lost all face that day, and when I think about it later, I feel like I want to die."
Upon hearing this, the woman smiled subtly and meaningfully, and the hall fell even quieter. Then, Hua Wuduo continued, "That day, I went to the capital to visit a friend. My friend, in high spirits, gave me a bottle of 'Thousand Drunkenness.' I've loved fine wines since childhood, and 'Thousand Drunkenness' was probably only found in Na'er's collection. I was overjoyed and carefully carried it with me. That evening, I went to the Imperial Uncle's residence for the ceremony. Suddenly, I remembered I hadn't tasted the wine I had, and on a whim, tempted by its allure, I took a small sip. I knew, of course, that 'Thousand Drunkenness' was no ordinary wine; even a sip would leave an ordinary person drunk for three days. Relying on my high tolerance, I only took a tiny sip, thinking it would be fine. Who knew that when I stood in the hall for a while and saw the Imperial Uncle leading his bride before me, I mistook the Imperial Uncle for him at first glance." Hua Wuduo looked at Song Zixing, who, knowing Hua Wuduo was fabricating a story, didn't expose her, only returning her gaze with a meaningful look. Hua Wuduo continued, "At that time, I was bewitched, drunk, and unsteady on my feet. I thought he was the groom, so I rushed out with the courage of alcohol, wanting to snatch him away in public. It's really shameful to say, but the emperor's brother-in-law was not willing to go with me..." At this point, she lowered her eyes, as if she was ashamed and regretful, but she felt a faint pain in her chest.
Then Song Zixing interjected, "Don't say anymore. It was my fault back then. I will never let you down again." Song Zixing held her hand tightly in front of everyone, confirming that Fang Ruoxi admired him and that he had betrayed her deep affection, causing her to lose her composure after drinking.
The smile on Madam Seven's face could no longer be maintained, but Song Yan said, "It was my wife who spoke out of turn. I will punish her when I get back."
Unexpectedly, the Seventh Madam seemed unconcerned, her face still bearing a faint smile as she said, "Qianzui, all those who love wine know its name. It's a wine with a very distinguished history; it's said that one sip can make one drunk for three days. It's just a pity that this wine is extremely rare in the world. Those who appreciate wine treasure it like the back of their hand. If one is fortunate enough to obtain it, what does it matter if it keeps one drunk for three days? I just wonder, Miss Fang..."
"Did Mother carry this wine with her? It would be a pleasure for us connoisseurs to even have a whiff of it."
That day, Hua Wuduo drank half a bottle of Qianzui in one gulp. Afterwards, Song Zixing returned the rest to her, but because she had drunk and spilled some, there wasn't much left. Hua Wuduo carefully stored the remaining Qianzui in a palm-sized porcelain bottle and carried it with her. She always carried it with her, thinking it might be useful as a sleeping potion in an emergency. A few drops of Qianzui mixed with wine could intoxicate a group of people, more effective than ordinary sleeping potions, and undetectable even with a silver needle. Hua Wuduo always held this thought in mind, which is why she carried Qianzui with her on Liu Xiu's wedding day.
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo smiled, took out a porcelain bottle from his bosom, and said, "Since Seventh Madam is also a person who enjoys wine, how can Ruoxi refuse Madam's request?"
When the maid handed the porcelain bottle to the Seventh Madam, she brought it to her nose and sniffed it lightly. Just one sniff made her feel dizzy and her cheeks flushed. She even felt drunk just from smelling it. She said, "It really is a thousand-fold intoxication."
Song Yan's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He reached out, took the porcelain bottle, and smelled it. He exclaimed in surprise, "It really is Qianzui. I wonder, who gave it to Miss Fang?"
Hua Wuduo said, "It was given to me by the third young master of the Li family in Luoyang."
Li She, the third son of the Li family in Luoyang.
Song Yan's eyes lit up upon hearing this.
Upon hearing this, the people in the hall exchanged glances, their eyes revealing profound meaning.
At this moment, Song Chen, who was seated at the head of the table, suddenly said, "Zixing, you must not let down Miss Fang's feelings."
"Yes, Father," Song Zixing replied respectfully.
Song Yan raised his glass first and congratulated Song Chen, who was seated at the head of the table, saying, "Brother, Zixing has found such a good match. I am very happy for you and for Zixing. I would like to toast you."
After Song Yan's performance, the Song family members paid their respects to Song Chen and Song Zixing one by one.
After a flurry of red chips being exchanged, Song Zixing looked at Hua Wuduo, who seemed lost in thought and had a half-smile, and said, "I know what you're thinking."
Hua Wuduo was taken aback, and a pang of guilt suddenly welled up inside her. But then she heard Song Zixing say softly, "Ruoxi, you've made everyone think you love me deeply, that you're worried I've wronged you, and that you've given me face. Even if you leave me in the future, people will only think that I didn't want you, and at most you'll be branded as a heartless and fickle lover. But Ruoxi, don't always think about leaving me."
Hua Wuduo lowered her eyes and whispered, "Wasn't I doing it all for myself...?"
Song Zixing gripped her hand tightly.
The way Song Zixing and Hua Wuduo whispered to each other appeared to be very affectionate to others.
From then on, a different version of the story emerged regarding Fang Ruoxi's disruption of the Emperor's brother-in-law's wedding. The protagonist of this new version naturally changed from the original Emperor's brother-in-law, Liu Xiu, to General Song Zixing of Annam. Now everyone is saying that the Fang and Song families' wedding is imminent.
The next morning, as soon as Hua Wuduo got up, she was overwhelmed with gifts, one after another. The Song family was incredibly hospitable to her. Only now did she truly understand the kind of treatment her identity would bring her. What would have happened if Liu Xiu had known her identity all along? Thinking of this, the initial joy in Hua Wuduo's heart vanished.
Song Zixing wasn't lying to her. During the New Year, Hua Wuduo felt guilty accepting so much lucky money. She thought about how she had little relation to the Song family and felt embarrassed to accept the money, but each elder in the Song family gave her a reason she couldn't refuse. They said it was their family rule, custom, and a must; refusing would be disrespectful, it would be disrespectful to them, it was wrong—in short, she couldn't refuse. Even Song Ziyin, who was watching her accept the lucky money while her mouth twitched, laughed at her, "Sister, you should just accept it. Why make it so difficult, like you're being tortured?" Actually, although Song Ziyin was the same age as her, she was three months older, so she called Hua Wuduo "sister."
Song Ziyin was unaware of her identity until Hua Wuduo saved her life by fighting Chen Dongyao. She then learned her true identity and understood the additional layer of relationship between Hua Wuduo and her elder brother, Song Zixing, growing even closer to her. In Hangzhou, when Song Zixing was away, it was Song Ziyin who kept Hua Wuduo company.
There were a few minor incidents in Hangzhou. Since she was new to the city, many young ladies from prominent families sent her invitations to enjoy music and visit gardens, but she declined most of them, earning herself a reputation for being unapproachable. She didn't really care about the invitation, but she couldn't refuse the invitation from Song Zixing's aunt, Song Lan, since she was an elder. So, Song Ziyin took her along.
Hua Wuduo disliked these people's hypocritical social niceties, but he wasn't afraid of them either.
She and Song Ziyin arrived at the Fan residence where Song Lan lived. Song Lan had married a former brother of Song Chen, but unfortunately, he had died young, leaving behind two children. The three of them, Song Lan and her children, relied on the care of her brother, Song Chen. The Song family had always been protective of their own, and the two brothers, Song Chen and Song Yan, had taken good care of their younger sister since childhood. Now that her husband had passed away, they took even better care of her.
Although the Fan residence wasn't as large as the Governor's mansion, it was still very well-maintained. The Song family held a very high reputation in Jiangnan, and Song Lan, from the Song family, was naturally very popular with the young ladies of prominent families in Jiangnan, frequently visiting the residence to hold garden parties for women. Previously, Song Zixing also often visited her aunt. It is said that every time Song Zixing appeared at the Fan residence, the beautiful women who frequented the residence...
The people were even more beautiful and dazzling than the flowers blooming in the mansion.
When Song Ziyin and Hua Wuduo arrived at the Fan residence, before they even entered the backyard, Hua Wuduo could hear the voices of many women and the sounds of laughter rising and falling.
From afar, Hua Wuduo heard a voice: "When she arrives, you frivolous girls must not speak carelessly. Offending her is like offending Zixing. If he never comes to see his aunt again, I'm worried that all the flowers and plants in the yard will wither away."
That voice… Hua Wuduo suddenly remembered that at the banquet that day, a woman behind the curtain called Song Zixing “Young Master Song.” It turned out to be Song Zixing’s aunt.
Another person said, "Does Madam also fear that Second Miss Fang?"
Song Lan said, "I wouldn't say I'm afraid; we'll just keep to ourselves."
Another woman said, "Didn't you see how much my cousin cared about her that night? He would have done it even if the moon and stars fell from the sky for her."
One person scoffed, "You say that woman is beautiful? Could she be even more beautiful than Sister Qingfei? Sister Qingfei is the undisputed number one beauty in Jiangnan. I don't believe that a shameless woman who gets drunk and disrupts someone's wedding could be better than Sister Qingfei, who is proficient in all the arts."
A woman said gently, "Ning'er, don't talk nonsense."
Another woman said, "We've invited her several times, but she hasn't come. She's so arrogant. Today, I want to see what kind of woman she is that has Brother Zixing so infatuated with her."
Song Lan said, "You can look all you want, but don't say anything that makes you uncomfortable."
Song Ziyin, not knowing how much she had overheard, glanced somewhat awkwardly at Hua Wuduo before even crossing the second threshold of the backyard. Seeing Hua Wuduo listening intently with an amused expression, she coughed lightly, then stepped over the threshold and smiled at the group talking under the veranda by the pond not far away, saying, "We're late."
All eyes turned to Song Ziyin, and they saw a woman step across the threshold behind her. When she looked up, everyone was stunned.
That night in the main hall, Song Lan hadn't seen her clearly; she had only caught a glimpse of Hua Wuduo's general appearance from behind the beaded curtain. But now, in the sunlight, she was momentarily stunned. She seemed to have reached the pinnacle of beauty, radiating naturally from within. Her beauty was like sunlight entering the heart, like a clear spring entering the mouth, like morning dew entering the eyes. When she smiled, Song Lan's heart tightened, and she heard Hua Wuduo say, "I was invited by Madam. Ruoxi is late; please forgive me."
Upon hearing this, Song Lan quickly closed her eyes, stood up, took Song Ziyin's hand with one hand and Song Ziyin's hand with the other, and said with a smile, "It's good that you came. Come and sit here."
Five young women, some standing and some sitting under the corridor, were still in a daze. Song Lan took Hua Wuduo's hand and walked towards the corridor. Hua Wuduo saw that Song Lan was about thirty years old, with a charming and elegant appearance, and her appearance was somewhat similar to Song Zixing.
Hua Wuduo had just sat down when he heard a cry of "Ah!" from afar. Looking up, he saw two men standing on the branches of a large tree outside the courtyard. They were swaying precariously, pulling at each other, and it looked as if they were about to fall off the tree together. Song Lan, seeing this, also stood up with some concern. Hua Wuduo noticed that neither of them knew martial arts.
Seeing Song Lan's anxious expression, Gong knew that the two men who were peeping at her must have some connection with her. He gathered his strength and leaped up, grabbing one or two of them and standing on the tree before they fell.
The two men, already terrified, were now completely stunned upon seeing Hua Wuduo up close. Their eyes widened, they held their breath, and it seemed their last remaining senses were about to vanish. Just then, Hua Wuduo smiled sweetly at them and said, "Stand still this time, gentlemen, don't fall again." With a flick of her sleeve, she turned and flew into the courtyard, landing lightly on the ground.