Chapter 26: Night Visit
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If she caused trouble with Yuwen Chu, Yuwen You would probably be even more furious, and Yuwen Chu’s life wouldn’t be easy either. Both of these brothers were not good people. Letting them stir up some trouble would be quite satisfying. Mingzhu smiled contentedly, “Rest assured, this won’t become a scandal unless Yuwen Chu wants to confront his brother and upset the Changxing Marquis’s family. Otherwise, he’ll cover for me.”
Su Lan’s advice fell on deaf ears, so she could only remain silent.
In fact, Mingzhu’s residence was not far from Yuwen Chu’s, and it only took about the time to brew a pot of tea to walk there. Although it was late at night, there were still lights on the second floor. Mingzhu felt her throat tighten inexplicably as she carefully chose a secluded spot, instructing Su Lan to go and inform, “Be careful. It seems that Yuwen You also lives here. Don’t let him find out.”
Su Lan obediently went out. Mingzhu watched as she knocked on the courtyard door, whispered to the people from Ying Wang’s residence, and then disappeared behind the courtyard door. She knew this night visit should go smoothly, but she couldn’t help but feel a thin layer of sweat on her palms. Despite her boldness, she had never done something so crazy. Even when she liked Yuwen You the most, she hadn’t done anything like this, fearing he would dislike her frivolity and like her even less.
As for Yuwen Chu, she didn’t care much about his opinion of her. She didn’t have any personal feelings for him; she was forced into this situation by him. So Mingzhu regained some confidence, standing proudly and waiting quietly for the people from Ying Wang’s residence to welcome her in.
Zhu Changsheng soon came out with Su Lan, smiling joyfully as he bowed deeply to her and respectfully ushered her in, “Tea is ready, awaiting the distinguished guest. Please come with me.”
It seemed as if she had come to drink tea, and the host invited her, so she accepted the invitation. It was such a simple matter. Mingzhu tried to find any hint of disdain, contempt, or curiosity on Zhu Changsheng’s face, but all she saw was a smile that seemed to come from the bottom of his heart. She gave up on the idea of having any conflicts with him and followed him into this secluded cottage hidden among the bamboo forest and pine waves.
There were only a few dim lanterns hanging sparsely in the courtyard, and no one else was visible. Mingzhu looked around nervously, afraid of being seen by Yuwen You. Zhu Changsheng led her upstairs and stopped in front of a room with a slightly ajar door. He made a gesture of invitation and then naturally stopped Su Lan, who wanted to follow Mingzhu inside.
Su Lan hesitated, tightly holding onto Mingzhu’s sleeve. Mingzhu couldn’t think of anything Yuwen Chu could do to her with this face of hers. If he really wanted to harm her, wouldn’t the night before last have been the most convenient time? She signaled for Su Lan to let go, “It’s okay. There are no bad people here. Wait for me outside, and I’ll be out soon.”
She emphasized the words “bad people,” afraid the people inside the room wouldn’t hear.
Su Lan reluctantly let go and stood aside, while Zhu Changsheng, with his hands crossed, also stood to the side with a smile.
Mingzhu took a deep breath and politely knocked on the door.
A low, pleasant voice, tinged with a hint of hoarseness from not speaking for a long time, came from inside, “Come in.”
Mingzhu pushed open the slightly ajar bamboo door in front of her with force.
The indoor lighting was just right, with a bright moon outside the window, and below the window, there was a low bamboo couch, on which rested a simple bamboo table holding a teapot and two tea cups. Yuwen Chu wore a loose, white robe, lazily reclining on the bamboo couch, silently gazing at her with eyes as tranquil as water, unfathomable.
Mingzhu was so nervous that she couldn’t speak. All her ambitions and disregard for everything before were thrown out of her mind. She only remembered one thing: Yuwen Chu, this person, could also exude such a lazy, elegant charm… and beauty.
Through the veil of green gauze hanging down from the brim of her hat, Yuwen Chu couldn’t clearly see Mingzhu’s expression. Yet, he sensed her posture standing there was akin to that of a brave warrior facing death with resolve. So, he smiled faintly, gesturing for her to come and sit: “The tea is just right. Miss Fu, come and see if you like the taste?”
Mingzhu stiffly shuffled over, displaying an unusual solemnity as she adhered strictly to decorum, bowing first in greeting before carefully kneeling on the other side of the bamboo mat where Yuwen Chu was reclining. She positioned herself as far away from him as possible. “I snuck out, so I don’t have much time. If you have anything to say, please be direct.”
Yuwen Chu leisurely poured her a cup of tea, his long and graceful fingers handling the teapot with elegance. However, his words lacked charm: “A lady should be modest and gentle. Was this not taught to you by your mother? Even if this is how you feel, it should be expressed in a more tactful and pleasing manner. Being too direct can come off as rude.”
Mingzhu suddenly felt her ears burning with anger. “Of course, I understand the principle of being modest and gentle, but I also understand the principle of adapting to different people. If you have nothing important to say, I’ll leave.”
Yuwen Chu smiled generously. “Don’t be hasty. I just want to discuss a deal with you.”
“A deal?” Mingzhu frowned. “What kind of deal could we have?”
Yuwen Chu calmly smiled. “I happened to come across a silk shoe.”
As expected, he wanted to make a fuss about the shoe, without any hint of originality! Since he wanted to use this shoe as leverage, she wouldn’t hesitate to call him out. Mingzhu arrogantly replied, “I must confess, I was robbed yesterday morning and happened to lose a pair of shoes. It’s quite urgent, yet here you are bringing me this ‘good news.’ If I may, I assume Your Highness has also apprehended the thief?”
“No, I haven’t seen any thief,” Yuwen Chu denied solemnly, then went on to threaten her bluntly, “But this thief is quite an elegant one, only interested in your shoes… People are so idle, they love gossiping about romantic affairs, and it often becomes more scandalous with time. Miss, you should warn people not to speak carelessly, otherwise it could greatly affect your reputation.”
This person had a solemn face but spoke nothing but nonsense. Mingzhu had never encountered such a person in her past and present lives. She couldn’t help feeling offended and pressured, ready to retort. But before she could, Yuwen Chu coolly continued, “Of course, I know Miss Fu is brave and fearless. Not only did you dare to ask the late Emperor for marriage, but you would also dare to break off the engagement without hesitation. You are not someone concerned with mere reputation. However, if it’s confirmed that these shoes were stolen, then it won’t be good.”
“What’s the matter with these shoes?” Mingzhu was initially puzzled, then she realized what he meant. The item was in his hands, so he could frame her however he liked. He clearly knew she valued the shoes and wanted to use them to coerce her.
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