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Глава 20

Upon hearing this, Mei Ziqi frowned in confusion.

“When I prayed to the Celestial Fox, this was what I was thinking.” Di Xiu smiled bitterly. “I have long since given up all hope… so, that’s enough.”

Mei Ziqi suddenly felt a pang of sadness and was speechless for a moment.

Di Xiu suppressed his emotions slightly and said, "Sir, what cannot be obtained will never be obtained. My place to settle down and make a living is not here. I have already wasted too much time, and I cannot delay any longer..."

Upon hearing this, Mei Ziqi pondered for a moment and asked, "What is your purpose in wanting to return to Yuchi Manor?"

A cruel glint appeared in Di Xiu's expression, and his tone was icy cold. "I have already said that I will not sit idly by and wait for my death."

Mei Ziqi frowned, slightly surprised, and asked, "You want to deal with Yuchi Siguang?"

Di Xiu smiled but did not answer, only saying, "Sir, if you are an outsider, then stay an outsider forever."

"If that's the case, I can't let you go back!" Mei Ziqi said, and then grabbed him.

Di Xiu nimbly dodged, stepped aside, and raised his hand to blow a whistle.

In the stillness of the night, faint footsteps could be heard. In a short while, dozens of men in black appeared before Di Xiu and stood respectfully.

Upon seeing this, Mei Ziqi was only momentarily shocked. He suddenly realized what was happening and said with a helpless smile, "As soon as I left Yuchi Manor, I noticed someone secretly following me. It turns out it was one of your people."

Di Xiu's face also showed helplessness, "They don't know my plan, so naturally they dare not show themselves rashly."

"It seems I can't stop you today." Mei Ziqi sighed softly and shook her head.

Di Xiu remained silent for a moment, then clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said, "Sir, farewell."

After the words were spoken, the crowd dispersed and disappeared into the night.

Mei Ziqi stood there for a moment, then finally sighed and turned back.

Chapter Twenty-Three

When Mei Ziqi returned to the Nanling Prince's mansion, it was past 7 PM. The mansion was brightly lit and bustling with noise. Servants and guards were busy running around. Inside the main hall, the Nanling Prince was roaring angrily, terrifying everyone into silence.

Mei Ziqi didn't need to listen closely to guess what the roar was about. He shook his head, walked around the hall, and headed towards Yu Chi Mingyue's bedroom.

A group of maids gathered at the door of Yu Chi Mingyue's room. When they saw Mei Ziqi arrive, the maids rushed forward, their faces showing distress.

Mei Ziqi nodded knowingly, knocked on the door, and went inside.

Upon seeing the state of the room, he couldn't help but frown. Tables and chairs were overturned, bottles were shattered, and cups were spilled. Hairpins and ornaments were scattered, and cosmetics were strewn about. The sandalwood and beaded curtains were torn to shreds. The blue gauze curtains were ripped to shreds... Amidst the chaos, Yu Chi Mingyue sat on the floor, hunched over the edge of the bed, weeping bitterly.

Mei Ziqi walked over and gently patted her shoulder.

Yu Chi Mingyue looked up, her voice choked with emotion as she called out, "Sir..."

Seeing her face streaked with tears, Mei Ziqi felt a pang of sadness and said softly, "Little Si, don't cry. The master made a mistake today, but next time he will definitely tie him up and let you beat him up to vent your anger."

"Don't mention him!" Yu Chi Mingyue cried out in anguish. "Don't mention him again! I don't want to hear his name again! I never want to see him again in my life!"

Hearing these words, and recalling what Di Xiu had said earlier, Mei Ziqi became even more melancholy. He sighed softly and said, "It's all the teacher's fault. He should have told you about his recovery sooner..."

"I told you, don't mention him!" Yu Chi Mingyue covered her ears, her voice trembling with tears.

Mei Ziqi, feeling helpless, stopped trying to persuade him. He stood up, smiling faintly, and recited as if to himself: "You think of me, lifting your skirts to wade across the Zhen River. You do not think of me, are there no other men..."

Upon hearing these words, Yu Chi Mingyue stopped crying and stared at him blankly.

Mei Ziqi said no more and turned to leave. As soon as she stepped outside, she saw a group of maids standing respectfully against the wall, completely silent.

Ming Shuangchen was standing outside the door. When she saw Mei Ziqi come out, she frowned slightly and said, "Mr. Mei."

After Mei Zi bowed seven times and addressed the princess as "Princess," she took her leave.

Ming Shuangchen stopped him and asked in a cold voice, "Sir, you knew all along that the kid was pretending to be stupid, didn't you?"

Upon hearing this, Mei Ziqi sighed and said, "Yes."

“Meigu and my Nanling Prince’s Mansion have always been on good terms. I really don’t understand why you would collude with that boy and deceive Mingyue.” Ming Shuangchen asked with displeasure.

"What do you mean by deception?" Mei Ziqi asked.

Ming Shuangchen frowned and said, "Are you saying that I wronged him?"

“Princess, you are not wrong. I am wrong.” Mei Ziqi sighed again, “I always thought that as long as the feelings were genuine, there would be a way out. But I never imagined that even with true love and devotion, even with the willingness to risk one’s life, there would still be a little bit of foolishness and folly. The clearer one is, the more desperate one becomes. How tragic…”

Upon hearing this, Ming Shuangchen interrupted him, saying, "Sir, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Mei Ziqi laughed, “Princess, I’ve known for a long time that what you’ve been most concerned about all these years isn’t ‘you don’t think of me,’ but rather that ‘you’ have never ‘lifted your skirts to wade across the river.’”

Ming Shuangchen's expression changed slightly, and she fell silent for a moment.

“A single thought of giving up can lead to estrangement.” Mei Ziqi sighed with a smile, then brought the topic back to the present. “I’m not in cahoots with that boy, I just don’t want to see such helpless things happen again…” Mei Ziqi glanced at the maids beside her and laughed, “Princess, it’s a pity you don’t know how cute that boy is when he’s being silly.”

Upon hearing this, laughter erupted among the maids.

Ming Shuangchen frowned, looked at Mei Ziqi, and said with dissatisfaction, "This is inexplicable."

After saying that, she turned and left without saying another word.

Mei Ziqi watched her leave with a smile, but a trace of melancholy lingered between her brows.

After dawn, the Nanling Prince's Mansion returned to calm. The stack of arrest warrants for Di Xiu was never issued and remained piled up in Ming Shuangchen's study...

...

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, the Yuchi Manor remained peaceful.

More than three months have passed since the "pot of treasures" was stolen. Despite a continuous search, nothing has been found. Yuchi Siguang, however, seems unconcerned, further fueling speculation.

It was the Qingming Festival, a light drizzle fell, and a slight chill permeated the air. The peach blossoms and willows, red and green, were tinged with a pale gray, creating a picturesque scene.

At the hour of You (5-7 PM), the deputy steward arrived at the entrance of the manor and instructed the guards to light the lanterns.

At that moment, someone came with an umbrella through the rain.

The deputy chief steward took a closer look and was astonished. The guards beside him also recognized the person and their faces showed fear. The deputy chief steward steadied himself, took a few steps forward, and shouted in a stern voice, "Di Xiu, you still have the guts to come back!"

Di Xiu gently raised his umbrella and glanced at the deputy chief steward. He smiled slightly and said, "It's been several months since I last saw you, Deputy Chief Steward. Your courage has become even more outstanding. I admire you."

Upon hearing this, the deputy steward was greatly alarmed. He was usually all bark and no bite, and now he couldn't even feign a fierce expression. He hurriedly stepped forward, forcing a smile, "Uh... Steward Di, please don't misunderstand..." He lowered his voice, glanced around, and said, "Steward Di, I was just worried about your safety on your return..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly heard Yuchi Siguang's voice behind him:

"Steward Di, you're back."

Di Xiu closed his umbrella, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Di Xiu greets the Master of the Manor."

Yu Chi Siguang smiled gently and said, "It seems you have recovered."

"Thanks to the Lord's good fortune," Di Xiu replied.

"That's good." Yuchi Siguang stepped forward, patted Di Xiu's shoulder, and said with a smile, "You are my right-hand man, the manor cannot do without you. Come in quickly."

Di Xiu nodded in agreement. He stepped into the manor, but upon reaching the entrance, he turned back and glanced at the deputy head of the manor.

The deputy head of the manor was suddenly thrown into suspense again, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Di Xiusheng smiled slightly, ignored him, and turned to enter the manor.

After he changed his clothes, Yuchi Siguang prepared a banquet to welcome him. His eldest son, second son, second daughter, and third daughter were all present. Everyone chatted and laughed as usual, enjoying a harmonious atmosphere. But beneath the smiles, their thoughts were hidden, unfathomable.

After a few rounds of drinks, Yuchi Siguang asked, "Chief Steward Di, my four daughters are unruly and willful. It must have been difficult for you to be with them these past few months."

Di Xiu remained calm and said, "You flatter me, Master. These past few months, the Fourth Miss has taken great care of me. It is thanks to her that I have been able to recover from my illness."

"Oh, I wonder who this expert is, possessing such medical skills?" Yuchi Siguang asked.

“The Recluse of Plum Valley,” Di Xiu replied.

Yuchi Siguang laughed and said, "I have long heard that the Hermit of Plum Valley is a highly skilled physician and also proficient in talismans and incantations. Chief Steward Di's illness is strange; could it be some kind of curse or incantation?"

Upon hearing this question, Di Xiu looked up and glanced at the Second Miss, Yu Chi Cai Yao, seemingly unintentionally.

Yu Chi Caiyao was slightly startled, but she remained expressionless.

Di Xiu said unhurriedly, "This subordinate dares not deceive the master. That night, the 'Suppressing Pot' was stolen, and this subordinate was ordered to pursue it..."

Upon hearing these words, Yu Chi Caiyao was shocked and had to lower her eyes to hide her emotions.

Di Xiu said, "Unexpectedly, in his desperation, the thief opened the 'suppressing pot'..."

Upon hearing this, Yuchi Siguang frowned slightly.

"I know nothing about what happened after that. I suppose my illness was caused by the Heavenly Fox," Di Xiu said calmly.

Yuchi Siguang frowned and sighed, "The Heavenly Fox is not something that ordinary mortals like me can control. Its loss is probably the will of Heaven. Very well, from now on, no one is allowed to mention this matter again."

Although Yuchi Caiyao did not understand the details, she was somewhat relieved.

Yu Chi Siguang raised his hand and poured a cup of wine for Di Xiu, and said with a smile, "After all the twists and turns, it almost ruined a good thing." He glanced at Yu Chi Caiyao and said, "Chief Steward Di, I have always kept your marriage with Caiyao in mind."

Di Xiu smiled, picked up his wine cup, and said, "You flatter me, Master."

“Steward Di, please don’t be modest. You and Caiyao are a perfect match, a match made in heaven,” said Yuchi Siguang. “Now that you have returned safely, let’s choose an auspicious day to hold the wedding.”

"I will follow the master's arrangements," Di Xiu replied respectfully.

Yuchi Siguang nodded with a smile, his expression full of satisfaction. Seeing this, everyone at the table raised their glasses in congratulations.

The banquet lasted until around midnight before it ended.

Filled with doubt, Yu Chi Caiyao dared not linger and went straight back to her room. She dismissed the maid and closed the door tightly before finally letting out a slight sigh of relief.

Just then, she suddenly sensed someone in the room and hurriedly turned around. She saw the beaded curtain move slightly, and the person who lifted the curtain to step out was none other than Di Xiu.

"Second Miss," Di Xiu greeted her respectfully with a smile.

Yu Chi Caiyao frowned, suppressing her alarm, and said, "Steward Di, how dare you break into my room?"

Di Xiu sat down at the table and said, "Second Miss, now that we are engaged, why be so distant?" He gently rubbed his right hand and added, "...Not long ago, Second Miss also took good care of me."

Yu Chi Caiyao looked at his right hand, recalling how she had attacked Yu Chi Mingyue earlier, fought with him, and even stomped on his right hand. She frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "You didn't expose me in front of the Manor Lord just now, so I would owe you a favor. How do you want me to repay it?"

Di Xiu lowered his eyes and said, "It's very simple, just obediently marry me."

Yu Chi Caiyao smiled dismissively and said, "Impossible."

“Second Miss…” Di Xiu’s voice was slightly cold, “I am not discussing this with you.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Chi Caiyao fell silent.