Chapter 79: Spicy Pot (Part 5)
This person had no martial arts foundation nor lightness skill to rely on. Leng Yue had already detected his presence when he was eavesdropping outside the inner chamber window earlier. Seeing him now standing in the snow, she wasn't the least bit surprised deep down.
Had she not sensed his presence, she would have said even more to Jing Yi.
But if she didn't act surprised now, the safety of the person lying inside the room would be uncertain. So Leng Yue quickly feigned shock, widening her beautiful eyes and taking half a step back while sharply inhaling a cold breath.
She regretted that sharp inhale before she even finished it.
Breathing in cold air on such a snowy day was truly quite chilling...
Leng Yue coughed helplessly a couple of times, carefully gripping her sword as she approached the person in the snow. Only when she was almost right before him did she put on an expression of sudden recognition, relaxing her entire body and slightly curving her phoenix eyes. Amid the swirling snow, she revealed a brilliant smile as vibrant as red plum blossoms and politely greeted him.
"It's Steward Qi, isn't it?"
Three months had passed, yet Uncle Qi's appearance remained unchanged. His usual attire and demeanor were the same as ever - when standing still, he still properly clasped his hands in front, shoulders slightly hunched, his expression naturally carrying a humble yet dignified smile. He still maintained the standard appearance of a wealthy household's steward, though his tone when speaking to her had somewhat changed.
"I am the steward here... Which official invited you?"
Maintaining that brilliant smile, Leng Yue replied as deferentially as if speaking to her own superior, "Chief Guard of the Crown Prince Manor, General Leng Yan."
Uncle Qi nodded with apparent understanding, slightly narrowing his eyes as he carefully scrutinized Leng Yue from head to toe, not even sparing her sword scabbard. He sighed softly as if talking to himself, "No wonder... Sent by her own elder sister, no wonder it worked..."
Hearing Uncle Qi's sigh, Leng Yue found it somewhat amusing.
Three months ago, she had lived under this man's watchful eye for over a month. Yet now, after just a change of seasons, this person who could previously recognize her from far down the street couldn't distinguish whether she was real or fake even when standing face to face.
While feeling amused, the tip of Leng Yue's nose also felt slightly sore.
Before leaving for Suzhou, she hadn't had time to clarify why Jing Yi had inexplicably appeared at Rouge Lane. She had specifically warned Jing Yi to be careful of people in his household. During her time in Suzhou, she had repeatedly pondered this matter. Though she had no leads, she felt an underlying worry - she wasn't afraid of anything else, except that the person might be Uncle Qi.
Uncle Qi had watched Jing Yi grow up. Whether he would harm Jing Yi for reasons like fame and fortune, Leng Yue didn't know. But if it really was him, then exposing him would be truly cruel for Jing Yi, who had grown up with him.
Leng Yue suddenly remembered a question she had asked Jing Yi during her first few days after marrying into the family.
If she and Uncle Qi both fell into water, what would Jing Yi do?
Wasn't the current situation exactly Jing Yi's answer to her casual question that day...
Just as Leng Yue's smile was beginning to stiffen, she heard Uncle Qi clear his throat softly and ask, "Where are you headed now?"
"General Leng is waiting for me outside..." Leng Yue casually fabricated, "Waiting for me to collect my payment from her."Uncle Qi was momentarily taken aback, then smiled kindly. "There's no need to find General Leng. Return to your room and continue your duties. I'll settle your payment and guarantee you won't be short a single coin."
In her heart, she truly wished to stay here with Jing Yi. But remaining here would only allow her to keep him company, whereas if she left, there was a possibility she could free him from this half-human, half-ghost existence.
Whether he was her husband or ex-husband, as long as he was Jing Yi, she couldn't stand idly by.
So Leng Yue exaggeratedly furrowed her brows at Uncle Qi. Without a mirror in this place, she couldn't see how her frown looked, but she still strove to embody the image of a foolish girl. "Continue my duties? What duties? General Leng only said to make Fourth Young Master Jing acknowledge that I'm Constable Leng Yue, and she'd pay me three hundred taels. I just had to tell him what she told me. She never mentioned any other tasks..."
The smile in Uncle Qi's eyes stiffened slightly. Through the swirling snowflakes, he regarded the simple-minded woman before him with skepticism before sighing silently.
Perhaps Jing Yi had only confessed under this woman's influence because the drugged wine had finally taken full effect...
"Did General Leng truly instruct you like this?"
Leng Yue raised her delicate brows slightly, conveying a snowflake-like hint of cold displeasure. "She's waiting right at the main gate. If you don't trust me, Steward, you can go ask her yourself."
"No need, no need..." Whether it was due to Leng Yan's current authority in the capital, Uncle Qi politely stepped aside to let Leng Yue pass. "The wind and snow are heavy tonight, miss. Do take care."
"Thank you, Steward."
Leng Yue walked openly all the way to the main gate. The soldiers she encountered along the way all looked at her with what seemed like well-rehearsed sympathetic gazes, as if she weren't heading toward the main gate but rather the gates of hell.
Leng Yan had been waiting at the main entrance. By the time Leng Yue emerged, the golden armor on Leng Yan's shoulders was covered with a thick layer of snow, appearing fluffy at first glance and adding a rare touch of gentleness to her demeanor.
Leng Yue hurried toward Leng Yan. Before she reached her, she stretched out her hand. "Fourth Young Master Jing already believes me. Can I have my three hundred taels now?"
Leng Yan was utterly stunned.
Three hundred taels... What three hundred taels?
Fortunately, having served in the Crown Prince Manor, Leng Yan was accustomed to far more convoluted conversations than Leng Yue. Recovering quickly from her surprise, she replied calmly, "Very well. Come with me first. Once I verify it, you'll get what's owed to you."
Thus, the guards at the gate watched helplessly as Leng Yan mounted her horse with the only woman in nearly half a month who dared claim she had fooled Fourth Young Master Jing, and they rode off into the snowy distance, kicking up dust in their wake.
Leng Yan brought her all the way to the Crown Prince Manor. By the time they entered, it was already late. The Crown Prince was dressed in mourning attire, sitting cross-legged opposite the Crown Princess, who was similarly clad in plain clothes, by the bedroom window. They were watching the snow while playing Cat's Cradle. When they saw Leng Yan passing through the courtyard with Leng Yue, the Crown Princess enthusiastically waved at the two sisters, leaving Leng Yue utterly bewildered.After all, he is the true Son of Heaven, with a bearing and magnanimity beyond ordinary men—even the way he expresses grief after his father’s death is different from common folk...
Leng Yue swore this was the first time she had witnessed the Crown Prince and Crown Princess playing Cat’s Cradle, yet for some reason, the moment she laid eyes on the scene, she felt an indescribable familiarity.
Leng Yan didn’t take her to see the Crown Prince, nor did they linger in the courtyard. Instead, she led Leng Yue straight through the vast garden into a side room. With a strike of a firestarter and the lighting of a candle, Leng Yue saw the room’s furnishings clearly in the flickering light and immediately realized this was Leng Yan’s residence within the Crown Prince Manor.
Leng Yan closed the door behind her, shook the accumulated snow off her golden armor, and before she could even finish a sigh of relief, Leng Yue buried her face in her chest.
"Second Sister..."
That was all Leng Yan heard before the sound of sobbing rose and fell. Leng Yan could tell that Leng Yue had been holding back these tears the entire journey, mustering every ounce of self-control to keep them at bay until now.
Leng Yan, too, had someone in her heart. If the suffering Jing Yi was enduring were to befall that person, regardless of who was right or wrong in the eyes of the law or morality, she couldn’t guarantee she would be any calmer than Leng Yue was now.
So she let her cry for a full twenty counts before gently patting the back of her head and saying with a hint of exasperation, "If you keep crying, don’t call me sister anymore."
Leng Yue, still buried in her chest, didn’t look up. Between sobs, she replied in a tearful voice, "Just call you ‘Second’ then..."
The hand patting her head stiffened for a moment. Before Leng Yan could decide whether to forgive her due to her grief, the person in her arms added between sobs:
"That works too..."
"...Works your ass!"
Without mercy, Leng Yan pulled Leng Yue out of her embrace. Reluctantly, Leng Yue grabbed a corner of her cloak to wipe her tears and snot, sniffling as she retorted:
"As if your ass isn’t my ass too..."
"..."
If not for Leng Yue’s pitiful, tear-streaked face, Leng Yan would likely have drawn her sword already.
Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Leng Yan shot her a glare and said irritably, "You’ve learned to be a smart-mouth from that scoundrel, but why haven’t you picked up lying? Three hundred taels... Do I look like someone who could produce three hundred taels?"
"Why not..." Leng Yue sniffled, raising her tear-filled eyes to glance at Leng Yan’s frosty expression. She pursed her lips and silently took a few steps back before adding, "With your looks, spending a night at the Sparrow Nest Brothel would easily fetch three thousand taels..."
"...Come here, and I won’t kill you!"
After teasing her second sister and being chased around the room by her with a drawn sword, Leng Yue had cried her tears and worked up a sweat. She felt much better overall.
Of course, Leng Yan wouldn’t actually strike her with the sword. In the end, she just grabbed her by the neck and shook her a couple of times before letting go. Turning away, she poured Leng Yue a cup of hot tea, her face full of concern as she watched her younger sister, who now seemed completely calm and unruffled after the chase, flickering in the candlelight.
"So... has Jing Yi already told you everything that happened in the capital?"Leng Yue shook her head while holding the warm teacup, letting out a light scoff as she watched Leng Yan's slightly furrowed brow. "He doesn't even have the strength to get up from the ground," she said calmly, "and you expect him to say anything to me?"
Her words carried a faint trace of resentment—subtle but unmistakable. Leng Yan heard it clearly and only furrowed her brow more deeply, making no attempt to defend herself. After a moment of thought, she said gravely, "He's in serious trouble now..."
"Mm," Leng Yue nodded, bringing the teacup to her lips for a delicate sip. She sighed with detached indifference, as if the two sisters were casually discussing a character from some storybook. "The Crown Prince has abandoned him, Prince An has abandoned him, even his own Old Master has abandoned him. How could his troubles be anything but serious?"
Unconsciously, Leng Yan had knitted her brows into a tight knot. For some reason, she found this composed Leng Yue even more unsettling than the one who had just been weeping bitterly in her arms.
"Xiao Yue..."
Leng Yue took a slow breath, the corners of her lips lifting slightly as she cut off Leng Yan's words. "He gave me the divorce letter," she continued unhurriedly, "probably hoping I'd abandon him too. So why should I waste his thoughtful gesture?"
OpenNovel