Сhарtеr 1 (2/15)
A grand mаnsiоn stооd оut conspiсuоusly amоng the rows оf whitе-wаllеd, grау-tiled cоmmon houses. The Yun familу wаs cоnsiderеd а рrоminent hоusеhоld in thе tоwn, yеt for the pаst fеw daуs, they had kеpt their gаtes shut, refusing visitоrs. Тhе sеrvаnts within thе еstate арpеаrеd anхious аnd fеarful, and thе сourtуard felt lifelеss and still. Only оn thе windоw of оne side roоm соuld faint trасеs оf rеd silk аnd the сhаraсter fоr "double hаpрinеss" bе glimpsеd, indiсаting thаt the master's fаmily was celebrаting a joyоus ocсasiоn.
Аt daуbreak, a maidservant pushed open the door of that side room and entered, carrying a set of bright red wedding attire.
Inside the room, an elegant woman was combing her daughter's hair. The young girl sat with her back to the door, motionless, so others could not see her face—only her glossy, jet-black hair.
After the maidservant placed the wedding attire on the table, the woman turned to ask.
"Was it sent by the Gong family?"
"Yes, it arrived just as the sky brightened this morning..." the maidservant replied cautiously, adding, "They also said... we must depart immediately."
Hearing this, the girl who had remained with her back turned finally spoke, her voice clear and gentle, tinged with a hint of complaint.
"Even taking a bride must be done so secretively? Can't it be done openly and honorably?"
The comb in the woman's hand trembled slightly. Her expression was restrained, her eyes filled with tears and guilt. She could only continue combing the hair while whispering softly, "Wufeng's influence is too great... It's better to be cautious, better to be cautious..."
The girl's shoulders slumped as a bone-chilling wind seeped through the crack in the door.
"It's snowing... This winter has come so early..."
The woman took a deep breath. "When the snow stops, spring will come." She seemed to murmur to herself, "Things will get better... Life will get better."
"Will it?" The girl's pale wrists drew together, tucking into her sleeves as if resigned to fate.
Suddenly, a howling gust sounded from behind, and the window burst open, letting in a rush of icy wind.
"Ah?!"
Before the mother and daughter could turn around, a man dressed in a black tight-fitting garment darted into the room like a ghost, swirling with fine snowflakes. His movements were incredibly agile—in the blink of an eye, he had sealed the acupoints of both women. Then, with two fingers, he picked up the comb from the table and swiftly shot it out. The maidservant, who had been screaming and running toward the main door, fell to the ground with a thud. The snow on the intruder's shoulders had not yet melted by the time he accomplished all this.
Han Ya Si lowered his cold gaze, looking at the three figures now collapsed on the floor. He rose briskly and walked to the door, sliding the bolt shut from the inside. Simultaneously, another woman in black tight-fitting garments leaped through the window into the room.
Yun Weishan, covered in wind and snow, lifted her head and met Han Ya Si's equally dangerous eyes.
Both were dressed in black, spoke little, and seemed mysterious and inscrutable, their auras strikingly similar. The gray light from outside the window filtered in, revealing Yun Weishan's face free of makeup. She appeared almost as pure and cold as the snow, her features gentle and picturesque, her lips brightly colored, yet her gaze was as icy as winter stars. She glanced at the three fallen figures and frowned slightly.
"Don't worry, they're not dead." Han Ya Si stood with his arms crossed. His face was stern, with sharp, chiseled features that gave him a captivating yet intimidating air of menace when he looked down at others. "I only sealed their acupoints. They'll be released shortly."
Yun Weishan withdrew her gaze without a word, as if indifferent. She raised her hand and untied her hairband, letting her long, dark hair cascade freely. Then, as if no one else were present, she began to remove her own clothes, preparing to change into the wedding attire beside her.
Her outer robe, belt, and undergarments fell to the floor one by one.
Han Ya Si was somewhat taken aback by her lack of inhibition and gave an awkward, embarrassed smile."You really don't hold back at all. I am, after all, a man."
Yun Weishan replied nonchalantly, "My body belongs to Wufeng, not to myself. What is there to avoid?"
OpenNovel