Xiao Jingxi's words caused Ren Yaoqi to pause in surprise. She looked at Xiao Jingxi, who gazed back at her with a faint smile at the corner of his lips, his eyes holding a warmth that felt slightly intoxicating.
Suddenly, Ren Yaoqi sensed that Xiao Jingxi seemed to understand all her current worries, anxieties, and meticulous planning. Yet, in a lighthearted manner, he told her she could control others' ambitions in her own hands, as if all the troubles that had kept her awake since her rebirth were truly nothing significant.
Ren Yaoqi subtly shifted her posture slightly, blinking hard to suppress the sudden, overwhelming warmth in her eyes that had caught her off guard.
She raised the corners of her lips slightly, lowering her head as she whispered softly, "Thank you!"
Recalling the way her eyelashes had trembled like butterfly wings moments ago, Xiao Jingxi felt an unprecedented surge of impulse within him. He didn't know what this impulse was. He moved his fingers slightly, suddenly sensing a subtle emptiness somewhere in his heart—a peculiar feeling that wasn't exactly uncomfortable nor pleasant, but rather as if something was missing.
Xiao Jingxi had lived a painful childhood. Every time the poison in his body flared up, it was torment. At first, he would cry and fuss, but as enduring pain day after day became his habit, he learned to smile. By the time he grew older, almost nothing could shake him anymore.
Now, it seemed, that wasn't entirely true.
"It's getting late. I should go," Ren Yaoqi said with a smile to Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin.
Xiao Jinglin nodded. "If I have time, I'll visit you in White Crane Town."
Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. She then bent down to pat Silly Girl's head. Silly Girl stuck out her little tongue and licked Ren Yaoqi's palm, letting out a soft "Awoo—"
Finally, she gave Xiao Jingxi one last smile before turning to board the carriage with Pingguo's assistance.
Once inside the carriage, Ren Yaoqi lifted the curtain and waved to Xiao Jinglin. Xiao Jinglin, ignoring Silly Girl's feeble protests, raised the dog's paw and waved back.
The Lin Family's carriage slowly began to move, soon disappearing from the sight of the Xiao siblings.
Xiao Jingxi turned to Xiao Jinglin and asked with a smile, "Shall we ride back in my carriage?"
Xiao Jinglin glanced at Xiao Jingxi's carriage and replied expressionlessly, "I walked out of the city earlier, and my shoes are covered in dust. Would you throw me out of the carriage?"
Xiao Jingxi's smile remained unchanged. "It's fine. I had someone prepare shoes for you before I left. You can change into them once you're inside."
Xiao Jinglin frowned, then turned away without hesitation. "Never mind. You ride alone. I can tolerate it, but Silly Girl can't."
Xiao Jingxi raised an eyebrow and looked at Silly Girl.
Silly Girl twitched her ears, lowering her head submissively as she began licking her paw.
Xiao Jingxi: "..."
Xiao Jinglin placed her fingers to her lips and whistled. Soon, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from a hidden path, and moments later, a black and a red horse trotted out.
Xiao Jinglin effortlessly picked up Silly Girl with one hand and swung herself onto the black horse with practiced ease. Hongying hurriedly bowed to Xiao Jingxi before mounting the other horse.
"Weren't you the one who specifically escorted me out of the city to meet a friend? Now that I'm done, take me back. Hurry up and follow!" Xiao Jinglin turned her horse around before looking down at Xiao Jingxi from her elevated position.
Xiao Jingxi: "..."When boarding the carriage, Xiao Jingxi’s gaze shifted slightly, narrowing as he glanced toward a distant small hill.
Tong He noticed immediately and said, “Young Master, I’ll send someone to investigate.”
Xiao Jingxi, however, smiled faintly. “No need. Haven’t I already instructed? As long as he doesn’t appear before Fifth Miss Ren, he can go wherever he pleases. It’s not as if there’s no one to clean up the mess.”
Tong He glanced at Xiao Jingxi. “Understood, Young Master.”
Without looking back, Xiao Jingxi stepped into the carriage and casually ordered, “Follow the Commandery Princess’s horse.”
Xiao Jingxi’s carriage followed the two galloping horses, leaving only a cloud of dust in its wake.
Tong He, who was dutifully driving the carriage himself, inwardly lamented, “Commandery Princess, you did this on purpose! My mouth is full of dust! I don’t even dare to imagine Young Master’s expression when he steps out later!”
On the opposite low hill, Yun Wenfang glared at Yun Wenting. “Yun Wenting, do you have nothing better to do all day? Wherever I go, you follow!”
Yun Wenting replied calmly, “If you were willing to behave and hide properly, why would I need to look for you?”
Yun Wenfang paced restlessly, arms crossed. “I won’t cause trouble now! Do you think I want to be caught by the Wu Family?”
Yun Wenting remained unmoved. “Oh? Then explain to me what happened with Fourth Miss Ren. Was it not you who sneaked out in the middle of the night to play tricks and cut someone’s hair? Is this what you call ‘behaving’?”
Yun Wenfang sneered at Yun Wenting. “You’re criticizing me? Isn’t Fourth Miss Ren the romantic entanglement you stirred up? And if she hadn’t foolishly tried to frame Ren Yaoqi, why would I bother scaring her?”
Yun Wenting frowned. “I have no involvement with Fourth Miss Ren. As for Fifth Miss Ren, why should an outsider like you meddle in the disputes between sisters? You’re being utterly reckless!” Yun Wenting couldn’t fathom it—while the Old Princess Consort and Xiao Heng’s people were searching everywhere for Yun Wenfang, nearly overwhelming the Yun Family, Yun Wenfang still found the time to sneak into someone else’s backyard and torment a young girl. He truly couldn’t understand what went through Yun Wenfang’s mind.
Yun Wenfang shot Yun Wenting a sidelong glance. “If you think I’m reckless, just let me go to Jiajing Pass!”
“You make it sound so simple. The generals at Jiajing Pass are all from the Xiao Family’s direct line. No other family can get a foothold there. Do you think anyone can go just because they want to?”
Seeing Yun Wenfang’s stubborn silence, Yun Wenting sighed and softened his tone slightly. “General Ge has some ties with our grandfather. I’ve already written to General Ge. Endure a little longer at the villa. Once we hear back from General Ge, I’ll arrange for you to go to Jiajing Pass.”
Hearing this, Yun Wenfang finally perked up. “Do Grandfather and Grandmother agree to let me go to Jiajing Pass?”
Yun Wenting smiled bitterly. “What else can they do? Do you think the Wu Family is easy to deal with? Not to mention Xiao Heng. Neither the capital nor Jiangnan is safe for you. It’s better for you to lie low at Jiajing Pass for now.”
With his demand satisfied, Yun Wenfang finally calmed down and even tried to console Yun Wenting. “What’s there to worry about? I’m not a child anymore. Who knows, I might even bring honor to the Yun Family.”Yun Wenting thought to himself: Any family's child is easier to deal with than you, this ancestor. But aloud he said: "Although the elders have agreed to let you go to Jiajing Pass, there is one matter you must first promise."
Yun Wenfang raised an eyebrow.
"Your engagement with the Jiang Family's Eighth Miss will be settled this year. You are not to interfere anymore!" Yun Wenting declared.
Upon hearing this, Yun Wenfang snorted with laughter and waved his hand: "Got it, got it. Settle it then. I won’t cause trouble."
Just as Yun Wenting was about to say something, his attendant hurried over: "Young Master, the Wu family has already found the courtyard in Guidong Lane and turned the place upside down."
Yun Wenting replied calmly: "Understood. Find another place for Second Young Master to stay. I recall I still have a residence in Treasure Vase Alley near Yunyang Academy. Let him go there."
Yun Wenfang laughed upon hearing this: "They say a cunning rabbit has three burrows. Brother, you certainly have plenty of houses. Even after they’ve ransacked one after another, it’s impressive you’re not angry."
Yun Wenting ignored him and only said to the attendant: "The house in Treasure Vase Alley hasn’t been lived in for a long time, and no one has been arranged to clean it. Who knows how much of the furniture and bedding has been eaten by moths. Take some people to check it first, clean it up, and replace anything that’s missing."
"Then where do I go today?" Yun Wenfang raised an eyebrow.
"Return to the Yun Family first. Grandfather still has matters to discuss with you. The Wu family won’t come back for another round so quickly. You can go to Treasure Vase Alley in the evening." The Yun Family residence had just been surrounded by Xiao Heng on Old Princess Consort’s orders.
Yun Wenfang didn’t mind either way and, unusually obedient, followed Yun Wenting home.
Old Master Yun was not at home, so Yun Wenfang didn’t see him. However, after paying respects to Old Madam Yun and returning to his own courtyard intending to take a nap, his head maid Jinzhu immediately rushed over.
"Second Young Master, you’ve finally returned," Jinzhu said joyfully.
Yun Wenfang extended his arms for Jinzhu to help him change clothes. Jinzhu glanced around and, seeing no one paying attention, immediately leaned close to Yun Wenfang and whispered: "Young Master, this morning I went out, and that little maid came looking for me again."
Yun Wenfang curled his lip: "Oh? Sent by her again? What does she want you to relay this time?"
"Yesterday, First Madam sent someone to visit Madam Jiang and the Jiang Family’s Sixth Miss. The old maidservant who went secretly inquired about the Sixth Miss’s illness."
"Oh? How did the Jiang family respond?"
Jinzhu whispered: "That little maid said the Sixth Miss praised the Eighth Miss extensively and claimed her illness was due to her own greed—eating some triggering foods that caused a rash. The Sixth Miss did not reveal the true cause of her illness to the maidservant sent by the Yun Family."
Yun Wenfang sneered: "She’s clever, knowing it’s not yet the right time."
Jinzhu asked curiously: "Then when will be the right time?"
Yun Wenfang ignored Jinzhu’s question. He stretched his limbs: "Next time you go out, if you meet that little maid again, tell her to inform her mistress. As long as she can wait, what I promised her still stands. I’ll be leaving Yunyang City for a while."
Jinzhu quickly asked: "How long will you be gone, Young Master?"Yun Wenfang fell silent for a moment, then lazily and somewhat bewilderedly curled his lips into a smile. "Who knows? Maybe one or two years, maybe two or three. But I’ll definitely return before Jiang Yuan Niang marries into the Yun Family."
Two updates today. The next one will be around two o’clock.
Have you seen the author’s sincere, pleading eyes asking for votes?
Begging for pink votes〒_〒.
OpenNovel