Сhарtеr 2: Falling into thе Wаtеr
Тhis Рlum Fragrancе Сourtyаrd was originаllу а disusеd librаrу of thе Сhаnсellor’s Мanor, housing no fеwеr than sеvеrаl hundrеd оld boоks.
Оvеr the pаst thrеe mоnths, aside from еxеrcising and cаring for hеr skin, the уоung lady hаd spent her dауs hоlding bоoks to rеаd, аlsо teaсhing Fuling to rеad and writе.
Over thеse months, Fuling hаd learned quitе а fеw chаrаcters. Hоwevеr, shе still couldn’t quitе understand lоng pаssаgеs of tеxt.
“This sеrvant doеsn’t undеrstаnd… It seems to be saying there’s sоmеthing in the lake?”
Jiang Сhuji sаid, “The boоk sаys there is a type of grass that grows at the bottom of the lake, capable of curing all illnesses. But ordinary people cannot find it; only those with sincere hearts can see it at the lake’s bottom.”
Upon hearing this, Fuling remarked, “Such folk tales are clearly deceptive. This servant doesn’t believe there could be such a miraculous grass in the world.”
Jiang Chuji gently curved her lips. “It’s good that you don’t believe it at first glance.”
Fuling was confused. “What does the young lady mean?”
Jiang Chuji did not answer, standing up instead.
As for grooming, she only had Fuling simply comb her hair, wearing no jewelry at all and applying no cosmetics to her face. Even her dress was the simplest and plainest.
Fuling didn’t understand. Given the young lady’s current appearance, since she was going to defy orders and show her face before the master and Old Madam today, why not dress up carefully to outshine that Jiang Luowei?
But she dared not speculate about the young lady’s thoughts.
“Let’s go,” Jiang Chuji said.
Just as they were about to leave, Fuling remembered the most important matter: “Young lady, the courtyard gate is locked. How are we going to get out?”
Jiang Chuji turned around, smiling gently. “Fuling, have you ever climbed over a wall?”
“…Climb over a wall?” Fuling was somewhat apprehensive.
Regardless of how high that courtyard wall was and how one could possibly climb it, for young ladies to engage in such activities as wall-climbing and tree-scaling was truly improper.
But seeing the young lady go to the courtyard and personally move a table, steadily propping it against the wall, Fuling had no choice but to accept the fact that the young lady truly intended to climb over the wall to leave.
Jiang Chuji remained calm. “I’ll go over first, so when you jump down later, I can catch you.”
As a modern person, she naturally had no concerns about propriety or decorum. Moreover, after exercising daily for these months, climbing a wall posed little difficulty for her.
“But young lady…” Before Fuling could finish her sentence, she saw her young lady already lifting her skirt without hesitation, raising her leg, stepping onto the table for leverage, and smoothly climbing onto the top of the wall.
Since arriving in this world, Jiang Chuji had indeed been confined to this Plum Fragrance Courtyard for nearly three months. Now sitting atop the wall, she finally got a glimpse of the scene outside the courtyard.
However, the next second, her pupils suddenly contracted.
A sense of crisis abruptly arose in her heart.
Under a tree not far away stood a man dressed in a black brocade robe woven with gold. The upper half of his face was covered by a mask, gleaming with a deep luster. His jawline was cold and aloof, his aura exuding an innate nobility.
A subordinate clad in night attire quietly approached and said, “Sir, we couldn’t find it.”
This was not someone from the Jiang family.
Jiang Chuji noticed the direction from which this subordinate had come—it was the study where Prime Minister Jiang handled important affairs.
Before she could withdraw her gaze, the man had already sensed her presence, suddenly looking in her direction.
His gaze seemed to carry a biting cold wind, flashing with a chilling sharpness, so piercing it felt as though it could penetrate one’s heart.
Their eyes met across the distance.
Jiang Chuji’s heart sank.Instinct told her the other party was dangerous, and she had stumbled upon something she shouldn’t have seen. But the man wore a mask, and for the moment, she couldn’t match him to anyone she knew in this world.
“Miss, what’s wrong?” Inside the wall, Fuling, seeing Jiang Chuji suddenly freeze, asked foolishly.
On this silent, deserted night, it just so happened that two people—one searching for something in the study of the current Prime Minister, the other climbing over the wall of a locked courtyard—had run into each other.
Jiang Chuji took a deep breath.
She didn’t avert her gaze. Instead, she looked straight at the man from a distance and made a gesture of sealing her lips with her finger.
Perhaps the man understood her meaning, or perhaps her current predicament of being forced to sit atop the wall looked rather “pitiful.”
In an instant, the look in his eyes changed.
The dangerous glint gradually faded, replaced by an intrigued amusement, as if he had seen something interesting.
The subordinate in black also noticed Jiang Chuji and his expression changed sharply. “Master, should I—”
“No need.” The man withdrew his gaze and spoke casually, “Who is that?”
The subordinate glanced at the location, somewhat uncertain. “I heard that Prime Minister Jiang’s legitimate daughter made a mistake and was punished with confinement in a side courtyard.”
The Jiang family’s legitimate daughter?
She certainly doesn’t follow the usual path.
…
It seemed the other party didn’t intend to cause her trouble.
Jiang Chuji also withdrew her gaze. Since they had a tacit understanding not to disturb each other, she would just go about her own business.
Carefully, she jumped down from the courtyard wall. After landing, Fuling, who had struggled to climb up after her, steeled herself, gritted her teeth, and jumped down as well.
By this time, the birthday banquet at the Chancellor’s Manor was nearly over. The noise from the front courtyard gradually faded away.
By the hazy moonlight, Jiang Chuji, relying on her memories, led Fuling to the lakeside in the rear garden of the Chancellor’s Manor.
The early autumn night carried a slight chill, and the lake shimmered under the moonlight. The water gleamed with a cold, dark luster. Squatting down, she reached out and felt a coolness seep into her skin.
Jiang Chuji gently shook off the water droplets from her hand.
Calculating the time, it was about now.
Fuling didn’t understand why her young miss had specifically climbed over the wall. Not only had she not hurried to the front hall to make an appearance before the banquet ended, but she had come to the lakeside at this moment.
She couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, what are you planning to do?”
Jiang Chuji didn’t answer.
Instead, she lightly raised her hand, placing her index finger against her lips, signaling Fuling to be quiet and lean closer. She whispered to her about what would happen next.
A gentle breeze brushed past, causing the young girl’s sleeves to flutter in the wind, like a white lotus blooming in the night. The next moment, under Fuling’s gaze, Jiang Chuji leaped without hesitation into the icy lake.
A moment later, her figure swayed in the water.
Fuling immediately became “panicked.”
“Miss! Miss, what’s wrong with you!”
Fuling seemed on the verge of tears, and since she couldn’t swim herself, in her panic, she could only cry out desperately for help, “Someone, come quickly! The Second Miss has fallen into the water!”
Jiang Yanchuan couldn’t handle much alcohol, so after the banquet ended, he had left early with his servant to return to his courtyard. And the path to his courtyard happened to pass by the lake.
At that moment, Jiang Yanchuan, who was on his way back, heard the cries for help. The effects of the wine instantly faded, and he sobered up completely.
He frowned in the direction of the sound. The maid calling for help by the lakeside looked somewhat familiar.He couldn’t help but quicken his pace, his voice unconsciously carrying a hint of chill as he demanded sharply, “Who did you say fell into the water?”
Through tear-blurred eyes, Fuling saw Jiang Yanchuan’s figure and immediately knelt before him with a “thud.”
As if clutching at a lifeline, she tightly grasped the hem of his robe, crying out through tears, “Young Master! It’s our Second Miss who fell into the water. Please, save her quickly!”
Jiang Yanchuan’s brow furrowed even tighter.
Second Miss… that would be Jiang Chuji.
Wasn’t she confined to Plum Fragrance Courtyard by their father as punishment for stealing Old Madam’s jade bracelet? How could she have run out during Old Madam’s birthday banquet and fallen into the lake?
As the legitimate eldest son of the Jiang family, Jiang Yanchuan’s birth mother was also Chen Shi. Yet he resented his mother for her disgraceful actions and held little affection for this younger sister who had been sent to a temple since childhood.
Especially since Jiang Chuji had just been brought back to the Chancellor’s Manor and immediately committed the theft of Old Madam’s jade bracelet, making him even more averse to this sister, believing her to be of poor character.
Nevertheless, she was after all his only legitimate younger sister, sharing the same bloodline. He couldn’t simply stand by and watch her die before his eyes.
Jiang Yanchuan looked at the struggling figure in the lake, decisively ordering the servant beside him to call for help before taking a swift step forward and jumping into the lake himself.
The news of Jiang Chuji sneaking out of her courtyard and falling into the lake reached the front hall.
Just as the birthday banquet had concluded successfully, Prime Minister Jiang and Old Madam Jiang were seeing off guests with beaming smiles. Upon hearing the news, everyone present changed expressions.
Prime Minister Jiang’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a face full of anger. “Who allowed that girl to run out on her own?”
Upon hearing that Jiang Yanchuan happened to pass by, saw Jiang Chuji fall into the water, and had already jumped into the lake to rescue her, Old Madam Jiang beside him nearly fainted on the spot.
Jiang Chuji, this legitimate daughter, was born with a fate that clashed with the Chancellor’s Manor. Mediocre in talent and dishonest in conduct, she had earned Old Madam’s disdain. But Yanchuan—he was the Jiang family’s most intelligent legitimate eldest grandson, the future hope of the Jiang family.
How could she not panic upon hearing that Jiang Yanchuan had also jumped into the lake?
Concubine Zhou hurried over to comfort her. “Old Madam, you have a cough condition and must avoid agitation. Please don’t let anger harm your health.”
Jiang Luowei also immediately stepped forward to pat her grandmother’s back, speaking softly yet urgently, “Yes, Grandmother, your health comes first.”
Catching her breath, Old Madam Jiang leaned on her cane and spoke tremulously, “This is the troublemaker that Chen Shi gave birth to! Quick, take me to the lakeside. Yanchuan must not come to any harm!”