For today’s outing, Wei Xun had arranged four or five attendants and two maidservants for her, even Granny Zheng from the outer study was included.
A’Yuan feared that today’s incident would reach Wei Xun’s ears and implicate Zhou Yan, so she suppressed her panic and urged the coachman to leave quickly.
Zhou Yan still wanted to stop them, but was pushed aside by an attendant nearby.
With many carriages and horses on the street, the blue-cloth carriage soon disappeared into the crowd.
Zhou Yan felt as if a cold wind had pierced his chest, staring blankly into the distance for a long time. He absolutely could not be mistaken—that was A’Yuan.
The person he had dreamed of night after night for over a thousand days and nights.
“…Find out whose carriage that was.”
…
Dafo Temple was located on Longshan Mountain in the outskirts of the capital. It was said to have been built by the founding emperor of the dynasty and had stood for over two hundred years. As a royal temple, it enjoyed a thriving incense offering.
A’Yuan put on her cloak, wearing a bamboo hat with a veil, yet her graceful figure remained difficult to conceal.
Granny Zheng and Chun Tao stood by her side, protecting her as the master and servants entered the temple.
The main hall was crowded, so A’Yuan gave Chun Tao a meaningful glance, signaling her to distract Granny Zheng.
Although she had used offering incense for Biwu as her excuse today, the more important task was to light eternal lamps for her parents.
Over the years, her monthly allowance combined with the money earned from selling embroidery work had saved up just over a hundred taels.
After offering incense, A’Yuan went to the back hall and found a young monk. Though only eight or nine years old, the young monk conducted himself with remarkable poise while attending to visitors.
He clasped his hands together, his still-youthful face carrying a solemn expression.
“Benefactor, please come this way.”
Many people lit eternal lamps in the temple. After the passing of loved ones, family members often sought a token of remembrance, praying for their smooth passage in the next life.
When A’Yuan’s parents passed away, she was only five years old. Their appearances had long since faded from memory, yet she could never forget the intimacy of her mother holding her and calling her “darling,” the joy of her father carrying her on his shoulders, and the tanghulu her brother bought her with the pocket money he had saved.
In her eighteen years of life, it was only those brief five years of sweetness that had helped her endure thirteen years of hardship.
A’Yuan lit two eternal lamps and knelt prostrate on the ground. “Father, Mother, A’Yuan will live well… Please also protect Brother and let him live, alright…”
When she emerged from the back hall, her eyes were red.
Chun Tao and Granny Zheng were waiting for her outside. Having served in the Marquis Manor for so many years, Granny Zheng understood Chun Tao’s intentions perfectly well.
Since Miss Xie wanted to send her away, she would simply pretend not to know.
However, she still had to report today’s incident on the road to the Young Master.
After offering incense and lighting the eternal lamps, A’Yuan returned to the manor.
Wei Xun allowing her to go out was already an exception. After all, even married women needed permission from their in-laws to return to their maiden homes, let alone someone like her—a purchased “skinny horse” bought by the Marquis Manor.
Once she entered those towering gates and grand courtyards, there was no chance of leaving again. Whether she could live peacefully depended entirely on fate.
A’Yuan smiled bitterly at the corner of her mouth. As lanterns began to glow in the evening, pedestrians on the street gradually made their way home. A child who had come out to greet her father was lifted high above his head, playfully tossed a few times, and then held in his arms as he fed her a piece of malt candy.
The child covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes sparkling brightly. Faintly, A’Yuan could hear her say, “So sweet.”
Father and daughter chatted and laughed as they hurried home, and A’Yuan couldn’t help but smile as well. Through the long street at dusk, she seemed to catch a glimpse of her younger self.
If her parents hadn’t died, perhaps she would have been this happy too.
…
The group returned to the Marquis Manor as darkness had completely fallen.
A’Yuan and Chun Tao went back to the Yuqing Courtyard, while Granny Zheng headed to the outer study to deliver her report.
Standing by the window, Wei Xun listened to Granny Zheng’s words, his expression remaining impassive on his pale face.
Granny Zheng trembled nervously, unsure what the young master was thinking.
He cared so deeply about Mistress Xie; if she truly had any entanglement with another man, those who served her would also suffer.
“Go.”
After a long pause, Wei Xun spoke. Granny Zheng felt as if pardoned from a death sentence and hurriedly pushed the door open to leave.
Listening to the hurried footsteps of the old woman, Wei Xun’s eyes darkened.
He hadn’t known that his little concubine had such entanglements.
…
In the Yuqing Courtyard, Chun Tao asked the servant to fetch hot water, preparing to help A’Yuan bathe.
Having been busy all day outside, not only had she sweated profusely, but she was also exhausted.
A’Yuan removed her clothes and stepped into the bathtub, her lovely and ample figure sinking into the water.
Chun Tao picked up the soap to scrub her back, but A’Yuan waved her hand, “You’re tired today too, I can do it myself.”
She wasn’t accustomed to being served; nine out of ten times she bathed herself. Chun Tao didn’t insist, placing the towel, soap, hair oil, and other bathing items down, then tested the water temperature for her. Only after confirming it was fine did she leave.
“Although it’s spring, nights are still chilly. Don’t soak too long, mistress.”
“I know, go rest quickly.”
The room filled with steam. A’Yuan half-closed her eyes, leaning against the tub wall.
Today, she had lit eternal lamps for her parents, fulfilling a wish of hers. However, encountering Zhou Yan had left her somewhat panicked.
Especially since Zhou Yan had stopped her while servants from the Marquis Manor were present. If this reached Wei Xun’s ears…
A’Yuan suddenly felt a chill on her back, even failing to hear the sound of the door opening.
A scorching palm landed on her shoulder, causing A’Yuan to tremble involuntarily. She turned to look and met the man’s dark, intense gaze.
Wei Xun was deep and complex; A’Yuan had never been able to understand him. But seeing his current demeanor, she knew he was suppressing anger.
In the past, she would have anxiously tried to appease him.
But now, she didn’t want to.
A man’s affection was like fleeting smoke, merely illusory.
A’Yuan crossed her arms to cover herself, sinking entirely into the water.
Seeing the guarded look in her eyes, Wei Xun sneered coldly.
He grabbed her wrist, pressing it against the tub wall, forcing her body to arch backward.
“Who is he?”
The man’s cold, stern voice came. A’Yuan shook her head helplessly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir… Ah!”
The man exerted force fiercely. A’Yuan cried out softly, but he wasn’t planning to let her go.
“Speak!”
“There’s no one, I don’t know him!”
A’Yuan stubbornly insisted she didn’t know Zhou Yan. Her relationship with Zhou Yan was entirely innocent; if Wei Xun vented his anger unjustly, it would only harm him.
But she didn’t realize that this lie, falling into the man’s ears, only fueled the fire.
He already despised this feeling of being out of control—the previous pouch incident was one, and now there was another man she fiercely defended.
Wei Xun’s eyes turned crimson at the corners, “A’Yuan, you’re not behaving.”