Chapter 81

Recently, while Wei Luo was idly staying at home, Wei Chang Mi had been very sticky. He was always coming over to look for her and she couldn’t brush him off. If he wasn’t bothering her to go water flowers in the greenhouse together, then it was to go fishing in the back courtyard. There was even one time when he asked her to go with him to the lotus pond to collect lotus seeds.

A few days later, Wei Luo became sick. The doctor said she had gotten sick from the cold weather. She would be fine after a few days of bed rest.

Her sickness was related to collecting the lotus seeds. Her hands and feet had felt sore after she spent the day accompanying Wei Chang Mi collecting lotus seeds, so she didn’t have the energy to dry her hair after taking a bath at night. On the next morning, she had felt dizzy when she woke up. Because Wei Chang Hong thought this was related to Wei Chang Mi, when Wei Chang Mi came over to play with Wei Luo a few days later, Chang Hong blocked the doorway and wouldn’t let him come closer to Wei Luo.

Wei Chang Mi was young and had a pure heart. When he found out that he was the reason that older sister Wei Luo got sick, he immediately felt guilty. When Chang Hong was away, he secretly snuck into Wei Luo’s inner room. Standing next to her bed, he saw that Wei Luo was still sleeping, so he didn’t saying anything at first to avoid waking her up. He stroked her forehead and pulled her blanket up. “Older sister Ah Luo, you have to be good and drink your medicine. If you drink your medicine, you’ll get better quicker.” Then, he lowered his head and murmured, “I’ll never ask older sister Ah Luo to gather lotus seeds again… I’m sorry. Older sister Ah Luo, get better soon.”

He thought that Wei Luo was sleeping. But Wei Luo was awake, she only had her eyes closed to rest.

This little fellow actually said sorry to her… She thought that he didn’t understand anything. It really made her take notice of his improvement.

Wei Chang Mi continued to chatter for a while at her bedside. She didn’t know where he had learned this behavior from. He was so young and he already had the bad habit of rambling. In the end, he didn’t leave until Chang Hong heartlessly took him out of the room when he saw him standing here. Chang Hong had just come by to bring a bowl of medicine.

Chang Hong forced him out to the verandah. He hugged Chang Hong’s leg while crying, “I don’t want to go. I want to keep older sister Ah Luo company…”

Chang Hong thought he was very bothersome. Without sparing his feelings, he told him, “Ah Luo only needs me to keep her company.”

As soon as he heard there was no hope, his cries became more pitiful sounding. It disturbed Wei Luo to the point that she couldn’t peacefully rest in her room. Fortunately, a short while later, Qin-shi appeared and used every means possible to coax him into not crying. While sniffling, he left with Qin-shi.

While lying down in her room, Wei Luo thought little kids were too horrible… Chang Hong never bother anyone like this when he was a child, right? What was wrong with Wei Chang Mi?

But, since he acknowledged his mistake, she would reluctantly forgive him this time.

As Wei Luo thought about this, she drowsily fell asleep.

——–

Today was Liang Yu Rong’s father, Marquis Ping Yuan’s birthday. Wei Luo couldn’t go, so she asked Chang Hong to bring her gift to Liang Yu Rong.

But, after thinking about, she was still worried. She urged him, “Tell her to remember the words I told her a few days ago.”

Chang Hong held the box of tea and asked, “What did you tell her?”

She didn’t tell him and just told him to remind Liang Yu Rong.

As for what those words were about… Of course, it was the thing with Zhao Jue and Xiang Xuan that she had told Liang Yu Rong about in the carriage. Fortunately, Chang Hong wasn’t a curious person. He didn’t continue asking. He said he would do what she asked and left.

She hoped that with her reminder, Liang Yu Rong would constantly pay attention to Xiang Xuan’s actions, so that Xiang Xuan wouldn’t have an opportunity to get close to Liang Yu and there wouldn’t be a scene of “illicit sexual relations due to drinking”.

As expected, the next day, Liang Yu Rong impatiently came over to talk to her.

At this time, Wei Luo had already mostly recovered. She had just finished drinking a bowl of medicine and was eating the red bayberries preserved in sugar that Chang Hong had brought her.

Liang Yu Rong lifted her hanging curtain made of precious gems, energetically walked into her inner room, sat down across from her, and enthusiastically praised her, “Ah Luo, you truly have incredible foresight! That Xiang Xuan really did have evil plans of wanting to seduce my older brother!”

Today, she was wearing a crimson top with a rose pattern, an olive green crepe skirt, and a thin layer rogue on her face. She looked bright and beautiful.

Wei Luo chewed on her candied fruit and pushed the enamel plate with a lotus pattern towards her. Without any surprise, she blinked her eyes at her and cooperatively asked, “How did she try to seduce your older brother?”

Liang Yu Rong had stomach full of words she had been waiting to say to her. Now that she asked, she naturally didn’t hide anything from her. She systematically narrated the story in full details, “Yesterday was my father’s birthday banquet. My older brother was in very good mood and had drank a lot at the urgings of other people…”

Although Liang Yu was tall and valiant, his alcohol tolerance wasn’t very good. After he had continuously drunk several cups of wine with the guests, he couldn’t tolerate the alcohol well and felt muddle-headed. He bid everyone good-bye and prepared to go to his room to rest for a while. On the way to his room, he coincidentally met Xiang Xuan coming out of the bathroom.

Seeing that he was drunk and wasn’t accompanied by servant boy, Xiang Xuan’s mind inevitably turned to improper thoughts.

She approached him and with the excuse of helping him to his room, she followed him to his room.

After they went to his room, Liang Yu immediately lied down to sleep and wasn’t aware of anything else. Seeing that he was unconscious, Xiang Xuan decided to take off her clothes and sleep next to him for a night. When other people discovered them the next morning, she could falsely accuse him of raping her and threaten him into taking responsibility for her.

Unexpectedly, when she had taken off half of her clothes, Liang Yu Rong had lead Marquis Ping Yuan’s wife and several servant girls here and pushed open the door. She was caught red-handed!

Liang Yu was deeply asleep and properly dressed. She was awake and her clothes were disorderly. A single glance told them what was happening.

Liang Yu Rong couldn’t help feeling indignant as she told her story. She angrily held a white porcelain cup with a lotus pattern as she said, “I didn’t expected that such a proper-looking young lady would secretly act so base! If I didn’t get there in time, my older brother might have been forced to marry her!” She flattened her mouth. Her anger still hadn’t faded. “Later, Prince Rui’s people came. They continuously apologized to my parents and said they would properly disciple Xiang Xuan at home. Who knows if they would really disciple her? For the sake of my older brother’s reputation, my parents were planning on hiding what had happened. I don’t know who spread this news out, but after the birthday banquet, everyone already knew what had happened…”

Who spread out this news? Of course, it was Prince Rui’s heir’s wife, Xiang Wu.

Xiang Xuan seduced her own brother-in-law. Xiang Wu hated her to the bone. Since she didn’t restrain herself and ruined her own reputation, Xiang Wu definitely wouldn’t hide this information for her.

Anyways, after this matter, Xiang Xuan’s reputation was completely destroyed. There probably wasn’t any good family that would want her if she wanted to marry later. What family would want a woman that had ruined her reputation and lost her virginity? It would only bring shame to their family!

As a result, Liang Yu was able to escape from Xiang Xuan this lifetime.

Wei Luo and Liang Yu Rong talked for a while about other topics. In the end, seeing that it wasn’t early, Wei Luo stood up to send Liang Yu Rong off.

The two of them walked outside. They hadn’t been walking for long when they saw two people at Pine Courtyard’s entrance.

They saw Wei Zheng first. She had meticulously dressed herself with a peach pink outer robe embroidered with colorful flowers and a pleated white skirt. There was a pair of jade birds in her hair. Behind her was Song Ru Wei. Song Rui Wei was Song Hui’s younger sister. She was fifteen years old this year. She was wearing an autumn color robe with scattered flowers and her hair was arranged into two loops on the top of her head.

Since Song Hui had the appearance of a flawless immortal, then logically, as his younger sister, Song Ru Wei should also be an exceptional beauty. Unfortunately, she was a disappointment. Her face could only be considered delicate and pretty. Compared to an average girl, she was barely superior. But, when she was standing next to Song Hui, she immediately looked inferior to her older brother. But, her body type was pretty good. Although she was only fifteen years old, her body had already developed to match a seventeen or eighteen year old’s. It made Wei Luo envious. Her chest was still faintly sore from developing.

Song Ru Wei had a good relationship with Wei Zheng. They were as close as sisters and often talked to each outside of public gatherings. So, it wasn’t strange for Song Rui Wei to appear here.

The strange thing was that Song Hui was with them today.

Song Hui was wearing a silk, sapphire blue robe with a pattern of two lions. He looked tall and thin and his bearing was noble and proper. It seemed that Song Hui had brought them home. He had stopped at Pine Courtyard’s entrance.

Wei Zheng turned around, smiled, and asked, “Older cousin Hui, would it be okay if older cousin Ru Wei stayed here overnight? I’ll order people to send her back early tomorrow morning.”

After considering for a moment, he nodded and said, “Then, I’ll have to bother you with Ru Wei. I’ll come over tomorrow morning to pick her up. I won’t trouble young sister Ah Zheng with sending her back.”

Wei Zheng nodded and the two of them said a few more words. Her smile had the charming attitude of a young girl. She looked most lovable in this moment. Seeing that Song Hui was walking away, she hurriedly stopped him by saying, “Older cousin, I’m going to go burn incense in worship at Baoci Temple with older cousin Ru Wei in a few days. Will you come with us?”

Song Hui stopped walking and didn’t say anything.

Wei Zheng asked again, “Older cousin Hui, will you go?”

Before he had the chance to shake his head, Song Ru Wei, who understood her older brother the best, tried to persuade him, “Older brother, could you come with us? Baoci Temple is in the capital. It’s not far from here. You already finished the court examination and you haven’t been busy lately, right? You should go out and walk around to relax.”

Their voices weren’t loud, but they also weren’t deliberately keeping quiet, so Wei Luo and Liang Yu Rong could clearly hear their conversation from the verandah.

Wei Luo just remembered that Song Hui had taken the court examination a few days ago! During that time, she had been sick and Wei Chang Mi had been bothering her. She actually completely forgotten, much less asked him how his exam had went.

While Song Hui was thinking about a reply, he looked up and saw that Wei Luo and Liang Yu Rong had walked down from the verandah. His body froze for a moment. Soon after, he smiled and said to Song Ru Wei and Wei Zheng, “Ru Wei and younger sister Ah Zheng, go without me. I’ll have Du Yu follow you two just in case you meet any danger.”

Wei Zheng’s face showed her regret and her heart felt disappointed. Seeing that he was looking somewhere else, she followed his gaze and her face immediately changed.

Wei Luo held up the edges of her skirt and leisurely walked to their side with Liang Yu Rong. With a well-behaved and lovable smile, she greeted them, “Older brother Song Hui, older cousin Ru Wei.”

When Song Hui looked at her, his gaze showed a gentle desire to pamper that wasn’t there when he had been looking at Wei Zheng and Song Rui Wei, “Younger sister Ah Luo.”

Song Ru Wei was fairly polite. She nodded and said, “Younger sister Ah Luo.”

They were all standing at the entrance. Although they were blocking it completely, it was still slightly inconvenient. Wei Luo tilted her head and casually asked, “I’m going to walk Yu Rong out. What about you two? It’s not early. If you don’t leave now, it’ll be dark soon and it won’t be easy to walk.”

Although she didn’t say much, Song Hui understood the meaning behind her words. He didn’t want her to misunderstand, so he explained, “Ru Wei and younger sister Ah Zheng went to buy rogue together today. I coincidentally met them while they were shopping, so I brought them back here. I was just about to leave.”

Wei Luo pursed her lips and faintly smiled, “Why is older brother Song Hui telling me this? Should I be concerned with who you decide to bring back here?”

Song Hui realized that he had been too impulsively. He also smiled and said, “Younger sister Ah Luo is right. My words were wrong.”

On the side, Wei Zheng didn’t say anything, but she tightened her hold on the silk handkerchief inside her sleeve.

Wei Luo didn’t stay here for long. After saying a few words with Song Hui, she left Pine Courtyard with Liang Yu Rong without looking back.

——-

During the next few days, Duke Ying’s residence was very peaceful.

After Wei Luo fully recovered from her cold, she wasn’t idle. In the morning, she went over to Mister Xue’s to listen to his lectures. In the afternoon, she went over to Han-shi‘s to fiddle with perfumes and other fragrances and learn etiquette. If she still had free time in the evening, she would talk a bit with Wei Chang Hong. Her days were fairly fulfilled.

She hadn’t forgotten what she had promised Zhao Jie. She would seriously consider their relationship. When she had free time, she couldn’t help thinking about their previous conversations and interactions. As she thought about this, the ball of thread in her heart seemed to get messier and messier until it had completely wrapped up heart. Her mind was filled with thoughts about him. The more she thought, the more chaotic her mind became.

Without her noticing, over a month had passed. The temperature had become hotter.

Today, a carriage came to Duke Ying’s residence to bring her to palace at the request of Zhao Liuli.

Wei Luo didn’t have any suspicious. She changed into a thin summer yellow top, a green skirt embroidered with an eight treasures pattern in golden thread, and hu tou shoes. She led Jin Lu and Bai Lan out of the Duke Ying’s residence and into the green canopy carriage that had stopped outside of the entrance.

The carriage slowly departed and moved forward.

She thought she was only going to meet Zhao Liuli, so she wore thinner, more refreshing clothing that wouldn’t be suitable if she was meeting an elder. Even so, she still felt it was very hot. Summer had just started. She didn’t know how she would survive the hottest period of summer from mid-July to mid-August.

Jin Lu and Bai Lan were holding ivory fans and fanning her. Soon, the carriage stopped.

Jin Lu asked in confusion, “This is strange. Why did we arrive so quickly today? It usually takes half an hour to enter the palace. Today, it only took fifteen minutes.”

Wei Luo also felt doubtful. She held Bai Lan’s hand as lifted up the carriage’s curtain that was embroidered with golden thread and stepped down from the carriage. As she stood at the side of the carriage, she saw the residence in front of her and was stunned.

There were vermillion lacquered doors and two magnificent stone lions in front of the doors. The doors were open and she could see the vermillion roof tiles inside the residence.

When she looked up, she saw the three words majestically and horizontally inscribed on the board, Prince Jing’s residence.

This was Zhao Jie’s residence. She hadn’t come to this place in a long time. She only remembered coming here when she was a child.

But, why did the carriage driver bring her here?

Prince Jing’s residence’s doors were open. Had Zhao Jie already returned? Was Zhao Liuli looking for her or did he… use Liuli’s name to meet her?

Thinking of this, Wei Luo retreated half a step. Just as she was about turn around, go inside the carriage, and order the carriage driver to bring her back to Duke Ying’s residence, she suddenly saw Zhao Liuli coming out from the inner part of the residence.

Zhao Liuli was holding her skirt as she arrived in front of Wei Luo. Seeing that she was about to leave, she hurriedly grabbed her. While crying, she persuaded her to stay, “Ah Luo, don’t go. Don’t be mad… I didn’t lie to you intentionally. My older brother came back today. He’s injured and currently resting inside. Come inside to visit him!”