Любовь сквозь время

Глава 2

Less than a few days after the family banquet, rumors spread throughout the mansion that the Huan family's most favored sixth young master had fallen for Xie Weiying, who had defeated all the "heroes" at the banquet.

It is said that the Sixth Young Master is dashing and debonair, a rare beauty among the nobility, and also known as the "White-Robed Gentleman" among the Five Gentlemen of Jiankang (often seen wearing a moon-white robe to seduce women). Countless beautiful young ladies have fallen at his feet, captivated by his moon-white robes, and countless socialites of the capital have been mesmerized by his gentle, ethereal smile, as warm and inviting as a spring breeze. Rumor has it that he has fallen for the obscure Fourth Miss of the Xie family, and the malicious gazes of his devoted fans seem intent on tearing this unknown young lady to shreds.

Whether she's beautiful or not, I dare not comment. But I'm certain she's a rare and monstrous creature. It's bad enough that she's a monster herself, but she's dragged me down with her, making me a scourge.

Book 1, Chapter 3: Encounter

In the days that followed, I stayed in my villa, never venturing out, just to avoid Huan Wen, the sixth young master who would occasionally appear at my home and send me elegant love poems and gifts.

Yunying was sent out to buy a large quantity of fine fabrics and silks, and she returned to her old trade, making clothes and decorating the room. Using the gold and silver jewelry that the patriarch had given Xie Weiying, Yunying was gradually persuaded to purchase items from a list she had made, transforming the room into a modern space.

The boudoir was covered with a down carpet, and several pairs of slippers were made from scraps of cloth for walking on after taking off shoes. Fortunately, the body was still small and the feet were not bound, otherwise, those deformed, small feet would have been terrifying. No one paid attention to the growth of this unloved young lady, so her jade feet were natural, fair and slender, and very beautiful.

She also used pink gauze to make floor-length curtains throughout the room, changed the bed to a modern Simmons style, replaced all the bedding and sheets, and even used transparent gauze curtains like modern ones. She made a natural ceiling with fine floral silk, bought some sandalwood furniture, and put it on the ceiling, as well as a specially made long desk to facilitate drawing design drafts and making clothes.

Sigh, it's good to be rich. You can decorate your house like a princess room or a modern five-star presidential suite. Anyway, you have plenty of time and money. You can change the style every month or two. Why not?

Besides, the patriarch said in front of everyone that no one is allowed to trespass into Qulan Garden without my permission. This kind of secluded life is what I really want!

In my spare time, I made myself several beautiful modern long dresses, short skirts, little dresses, shirts and trousers, and so on. To Yunying's astonishment, I made her several adorable lace maid outfits from Japanese manga, based on my memory. The style was very Rococo, and I forced her to wear them when she wasn't going out. Haha, life is so pleasant! Life in ancient times isn't so bad after all.

Later, I asked Yunying to have the best tailors in the capital make dozens of beautiful ancient costumes so that I could understand the clothing style of that era and combine it with modern styles.

At this time, it was fashionable for scholar-officials to wear loose robes and wide belts, and to wear wooden clogs and straw sandals. They were comfortable and convenient.

As the saying goes, hard work pays off. I quickly figured out the preferences of the ancient people here, and combined that with my unparalleled creativity, I made many beautiful clothes that almost dazzled Yunying. My idle heart, which had been restless since arriving here, finally settled down, and I felt a sense of accomplishment, realizing that I wasn't entirely useless here.

After several months of hardship, looking at all the gorgeous clothes in my wardrobe, a bold idea suddenly popped into my head. Since I had no hope of returning to the modern world, why not use this time to complete the ideals I couldn't achieve in the modern world in this feudal ancient era? Besides, there are so many free resources around me now, why be content to hide in this courtyard, wasting my life in mediocrity, waiting for the patriarch to casually marry me off to a stranger? Since that's the case, why not go out and make a name for myself?

Doing business and getting into design are exactly my strengths.

But before that, the best course of action is to quickly recover your health and improve your martial arts skills. The outside world is treacherous; you need to learn how to defend yourself.

During these months of seclusion, only my third brother, Xie An, came to visit me. Because of that unwritten rule, anyone who wants to enter Qulan Garden must get my permission. Those who don't care about me naturally won't come here to be turned away, so very few people come here.

To be honest, I was really looking forward to the arrival of this kind-hearted third brother. He treated me like a child in an ordinary family, often bringing me fun things. He was the only family I felt in this unfamiliar place.

However, what makes me uneasy is that this third brother often stares at me with a dazed, infatuated look, like he is now.

I sighed inwardly and whispered, "Third Brother, Third Brother..."

"Oh...!? Fourth Sister. What, what's wrong?" He looked at me with a confused expression after regaining consciousness.

"It's nothing. Your sister just wanted to remind you that your milk tea is getting cold."

My precious third brother, who initially showed surprise when I first brought him to my modernly decorated living room, has gradually become accustomed to everything. He's no longer even frightened by the various strange drinks I invented. It seems he dotes on his young sister quite a bit, even to the point of being infatuated. He puts her first in everything.

"Fourth Sister, why don't you come out with me for a walk once in a while? You're always cooped up in the house by yourself, I'm worried you'll get bored." Oh dear, has this silly brother forgotten that women are supposed to stay at home, learning needlework, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and know nothing about the world?

"Third brother, have you forgotten that we girls are not allowed to go out casually?"

"Ah, sorry, I forgot for a moment," Third Brother's face flushed slightly. "I meant, it would be nice to stroll around the manor. This Prime Minister's manor is so big, we don't even have time to go out and explore it properly together." This Third Brother who blushes is so pure and cute.

"Really?" I thought to myself. I've been here for so long and haven't even visited this ancient, free garden yet. Why not take this opportunity, and with my third brother as a shield? With that in mind, I smiled and said, "Third brother, today the sky is clear and the breeze is gentle. It's a rare sunny day. Why don't we go now?"

"Good, good, that's for the best." His joy was evident on his face. He then took my hand, and I couldn't help but frown. This third brother really had a lot of habits. I heard that he used to love holding my hand like this and running around everywhere. I took a deep breath and let him lead me away.

Before leaving, I specifically instructed Yunying, and she understood and locked all the rooms with special locks. This was a safety lesson I had given her long ago, because there are countless people in this mansion who want my life.

Wandering aimlessly through this enormous maze, I was surprised to discover that this mansion was truly a luxurious villa. The upward-curving eaves and the gilded swirls of the porch complemented each other, creating an impressive atmosphere. The winding paths were paved with bluestone and dredged with water, and the shadows of the trees along the way were lush and refreshing, making the journey a delightful and pleasant experience.

Despite my advice to have my third brother wander around remote, sparsely populated areas, we still inevitably ran into my fifth aunt and fifth brother.

However, after we paid our respects, she walked away gracefully with a group of maids, as proud as a peacock. As she passed by me, she still couldn't help but give a disdainful "humph".

However, I didn't take it to heart. What surprised me was the sinister look on Xie Wan's face as he passed by me, the bloodthirsty glint in his eyes, and his innate hostility towards me.

After walking for a while, the beautiful scenery before me made me forget all about the "whys." My attention was quickly captivated by the natural bridges and flowing water, the lotus ponds and lotus blossoms, the black tiles and white walls, the flying eaves and latticed windows, and the pavilions and towers. Just then, the faint sound of a bamboo-colored zither drifted from afar. Who was gently tapping the bamboo strings, who was playing the flute? It sounded like the chirping of swallows and the singing of orioles. It was melancholic and wistful, like a lingering whisper of longing... I couldn't help but follow the music, imagining that a peerless beauty had appeared in that new world, or perhaps some kind of family secret.

Unfortunately, the result disappointed me. In a stone pavilion amidst the winding lotus pond, a handsome man and a beautiful woman were mostly composing poems and drinking wine, occasionally reciting lines like "Let us drink and sing, for how short is life?" Boring.

Even though I was thinking that, the person responsible for holding my hand had already dragged me in front of those young men. Third brother, third brother, a child should behave himself. How could you ruin someone else's good time?

When I got closer, I realized it was my older brother and second sister, and a man I didn't recognize who had been staring intently at me since I arrived. I instinctively touched my face, wondering if there was something dirty on it.

Seeing my reaction, the man grinned and chuckled. Only then did I notice his appearance—another handsome man from ancient times! If I hadn't come from the modern world and seen so many handsome men on TV, and if I didn't have good self-control, I would have been blushing and swooning like my beautiful, affectionate second sister.

After thinking it over, I casually looked away, but unexpectedly I saw my older brother looking at me with a complicated expression. What was wrong with him? I'm a 12-year-old child, after all. Why are people looking at me like they're looking at a child? Is it because I'm usually too calm and composed, not like a 12-year-old girl? It seems I should be more careful.

Without further ado, I flashed a sweet smile and coquettishly said, "Big brother, second sister, you two really have some free time today, coming here to enjoy yourselves. Why didn't you invite me? I love admiring the scenery on the lake the most, right, third brother?"

"Yes, I saw that Fourth Sister was bored in the villa. The weather is nice today, so I came for a walk. By the way, Brother Huan Wen, how come you have the leisure to come here to drink and compose poetry?" Just as she was applauding her silly brother's answer, his next words startled her.

Huan Wen?! That troublesome playboy!

I looked up at him in surprise, only to meet his amused gaze. Please, I'm just a 12-year-old girl. You don't need to look at me like that, with such a teasing, predatory gaze. You'll give me a heart attack sooner or later. I silently mourned. My desire to stroll around the yard vanished completely.

Huan Wen smiled slightly and said to his third brother, "I was looking for you, but I couldn't find you all morning. I happened to run into Brother Yi and Sister Nuanwei, so we came to the pavilion to enjoy the lake together."

Oh, I forgot to mention, Yunying once tutored me when she talked about that white-robed young master. This shy and adorable third brother is actually one of the Five Young Masters of Jiankang, the famous "Young Master Anshi." It's said that my third brother possesses an ancient zither made of extremely precious cold-green jade. At the age of sixteen, he caused a sensation throughout Jiankang with his rendition of "Anshi Han," and thus the name "Young Master Anshi" spread throughout the capital. It's truly unexpected that my blushing third brother is so influential.

Third Brother was still in high spirits. "Is that so? Wen, I'm so sorry. I went to Fourth Sister's place this morning. Wen, this is my sister, Wei Ying. Fourth Sister, this is Huan Wen. You must have heard of his talent."

I rolled my eyes and looked down. I'd never heard of his talent, but he certainly had a reputation for being a womanizer.

Alright. Everyone's eyes are now on me. I have this feeling that this playboy Huan Wen is looking at me as if he's probing something, which makes me very uncomfortable.

But I still pretended to be shy, took a step forward, bowed slightly, and said in a sweet voice, "Young Master Huan."

Secretly, I gave Yunying a wink. Yunying didn't disappoint me. She stepped forward, bowed to everyone, and said, "Miss, it's almost time for you to take your medicine. The doctor instructed that you must take it on time so that your weak body can be cured. You can't delay." Ah, it wasn't for nothing that I taught her the thirty-six stratagems for dealing with emergencies.

"Dear brothers and sisters, and Young Master Huan, I have some matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. Please enjoy yourselves here; I'll be leaving now."

Just as I was about to take my leave, my third brother came over, took her hand, and asked with concern, "Fourth sister, what's wrong? When did you get sick?"

I tried to pull my hand away without making a sound, but I couldn't break free. My third brother's arm strength was too great. I noticed that Huan Wen frowned as he looked at the hands that were clasped together with my third brother, his expression restrained.

Just as I was feeling a little awkward, my eldest brother, who had always disliked me, suddenly walked over with a calm expression. He skillfully slipped past my third brother's hand that was holding mine and said with a calm face, "Yes, fourth sister, when did you get sick? Should I go and find a good doctor to treat you?"

My third brother accidentally knocked my hand away, looking somewhat annoyed. Sensing the awkward atmosphere, I took a few steps back and said with an innocent smile, "Brothers, don't worry. It's just a lingering cold constitution from falling into the water last time. The doctor said it'll be fine after a few more doses of medicine. I'll take my leave now."

As I left, I noticed my second sister's expression became somewhat unnatural when the topic of falling into the water came up. Could it be that my falling into the water wasn't an accident, but rather that there was more to it than that? Sigh, it's all so complicated. I can't worry about that now. I'd better go back and take a nice rose bath. I chatted and laughed with Yunying all the way back to Qulan Garden.

I didn't notice that a burning gaze had been fixed on my departing figure the whole way.

"Xie Weiying, we have a long future ahead of us."

Volume 1, Chapter 4: The Bond Between Master and Disciple

As Xie An watched Wei Ying leave and Huan Wen with his strange expression, he suddenly felt inexplicably depressed, as if he was very unwilling to let others see his beloved treasure.

After saying goodbye to his eldest brother and second sister, he left the mansion with Huan Wen and went to "Hongliaohuashu" as usual. That was where the five brothers gathered.

Upon entering the garden, one sees a handsome, aloof young man intently practicing his sword in the lush bamboo grove. Every move he makes exudes coldness and sword energy, radiating an overbearing aura.

Xie An and Huan Wen watched intently from the side. Xie An's eyes were full of admiration, and he clapped his hands and laughed with a hint of excitement, while Huan Wen simply stood quietly to the side, watching them with a faint smile.

At this moment, a handsome man with a refined appearance, wearing a light gray brocade robe, slowly walked out from the end of the corridor. His eyes, as black as glass, shone brightly, and he was dashing and upright.

He smiled slightly upon seeing the two of them, "You've arrived."

Xie An still smiled shyly, "Guide."

At this moment, the boy who had just been practicing his sword in the bamboo forest also stepped out of the bamboo forest and walked over steadily.

"Go in, Changsheng has been waiting for a long time."

"Xun Nan, have you been here all along?"

The boy remained silent when questioned. Director Wang casually fanned himself with his exquisite folding fan, smiled elegantly, and said, "Let's go."

As the group ventured deeper into the area, they discovered several corpses lying on the ground. The group remained calm, as if they hadn't seen anything.

The man named Changsheng sat in the pavilion, gulping down tea with a furious expression. His movements were rude and crude, yet he seemed completely at ease. His handsome face was contorted with rage. It was a bit of a waste.

"What, those suicidal people are here again?" Huan Wen said with a nonchalant attitude, clearly gloating.

"Damn it, they always make me get my hands dirty. These people have some nerve to mess with us. I'm so angry—" Changsheng was still indignant.

"It was done by Yizhu," Director Wang stated simply.

Xie An blinked in confusion, "Why? We haven't offended them." He looked like a well-behaved child asking a question.

Director Wang patiently explained, "Yi Zhu is the most notorious assassin group in the martial arts world. Logically speaking, they have nothing to do with us. I think the ones who are going to cause trouble for us are not them, but the people behind them who are trying to bribe them with money."

"But—" Before he could finish speaking, he was coldly interrupted, "Didn't a new, large-scale brothel recently open? I don't think it's anything but simple." Xie An looked at the owner of the voice, which was Xun Nan.

Huan Wen took a sip of chrysanthemum tea and smiled calmly, "Alright, let's not bother with those trivial matters. Why don't we go for a stroll at the newly opened Yichun Garden?"

“Is that so?” Su Xunan sneered. “I think I heard that our young master Huan has recently become quite interested in An’s teenage darling and is thinking about how to get his hands on her. How come he wants to find someone else so soon? Did he run into trouble with Miss Xie?”

Huan Wen's usually unchanging, devilishly handsome face changed color. "You—"

"Wen," Xie An asked softly, his eyes lowered, "Do you truly love Fourth Sister?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Fourth Sister is different from other girls. If you're not serious and just want to play around like before, then please don't provoke her. She is my most beloved sister, and if anyone dares to betray her, I will absolutely not let them get away with it. Even you are no exception." At the end, Xie An raised his head and looked firmly at Huan Wen.

This young lady is truly remarkable. Even the usually mild-mannered An is protecting her like this. Thinking of Xie Weiying, who has always kept him at arm's length, Huan Wen couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "I still don't know if she will accept me, An. It's too early to say such things. I promise you, no matter what, I will not hurt her, alright?"

"Alright, alright, we're all brothers, why are you saying all this?" Yu Changsheng quickly stepped in to smooth things over. He was a straightforward and impatient person and didn't understand why Wen was always wandering among those women. Although he, the "Flame Prince," also had many suitors, fighting and killing were more interesting.

"I'm really curious, what kind of girl is Xie Weiying that even our invincible playboy Huan Wen is troubled by? An, bring her here in a while, I'm really looking forward to it. Right, Xun Nan?" After saying that, Director Wang gave another smile as elegant as spring water.

The boy being talked about remained silent, his face expressionless, a poker face.

The person in question blushed and paled in turns, finally exclaiming helplessly, "Stop talking. Let's go to Yichun Garden, let's go."

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Damn you, you shameful woman! You've made me a laughingstock! I'll make you mine, Xie Weiying!" Huan Wen thought bitterly.

In the afternoon, I cooked a delicious meal in my homemade kitchen and enjoyed it with Yunying.

This fourth young lady has an exceptionally low status. Aside from Yunying, whom she grew up with, she doesn't even have a single servant to attend to her. What's worse, no one even takes care of her meals. In the past, the two of them would just make do with whatever food they could find in the dilapidated kitchen, often going hungry, which is why I'm so thin and pale. Now that I've become the master of this body, I must take responsibility for my own and Yunying's health.

Fortunately, I, An Jin, am not a pampered girl who never lifts a finger in modern times. My father trained me to be independent from a young age, and after I went to university, I even learned how to cook delicious food so that I wouldn't neglect my stomach. So now I can do it without any problems.

I still remember the first time I cooked a simple home-cooked meal for her, Yunying ate it with tears welling up in her eyes. She sobbed and said she would follow Miss Yunying for life. In my eyes, she was also a pitiful child, so from then on, I treated her with the tenderness of a younger sister, never treating her like a servant to be bossed around. Yunying seemed to understand my kindness towards her, and we became even closer, with Yunying obeying my every word.

Nighttime is when I start my exercises. Although I drink slimming herbal tea, I still need to exercise to maintain a perfect figure. Life is about movement, after all.

As usual, I first practiced running around the yard, then began meticulously practicing the moves I remembered, daring not to be careless in the slightest. You see, this concerned my personal safety in the future. If I were to go out to do business, I would inevitably need to have the ability to protect myself.

I don't know why, but I feel uneasy today, and I have a bad feeling.

Sure enough, my premonition came true in no time. I was practicing my family's palm technique, but because of my weak body, I didn't have enough power yet; it was just a passable imitation.

Just then, my keen senses, honed through years of martial arts training, made me realize that a powerful palm strike had brushed past my ear. I moved my small body to dodge it awkwardly, then stood up and glared fiercely at the culprit who had ambushed me, coldly saying, "What kind of hero are you, relying on your martial arts to bully the weak?"

In the dim moonlight, I couldn't see the other person's face clearly at all. I only saw the person pause for a moment, and then burst into loud, hearty laughter. Just as I was worried that his laughter might wake the sleeping Yunying, the person stared at me with the joy of a child who had received candy and said, "Not bad, not bad, a good prospect. I'm determined to be his master."