Chapter 28
“You have the scent of cosmetics on you,” Yuli said, turning her head away, unwilling to look at Xie Yao.
“It’s been there for the past two days. If Husband has another girl outside, you can take her as a concubine. There’s no need to hide and rush back and forth. I’m being considerate of you. If you want to maintain the current situation, I have no objection either. I won’t mention it again in the future.”
After Yuli finished speaking, she thought he would either explain the scent of cosmetics or let the matter drop, as if it had never happened.
But she heard Xie Yao ask in a cold voice, “Is it just because of this?”
Yuli felt his imposing presence and couldn’t guess what he was thinking. She hummed in agreement.
Xie Yao carefully examined her expression, not missing a single detail.
Yuli didn’t even look at him, her brow slightly furrowed. She said in a low voice, “Let go of me, it hurts.”
Xie Yao let her go as she had said. His eyes were deep, with no intention of saying another word.
Yuli got off his lap.
So be it. Whether he kept the person in another residence, took her as a concubine, or even, in his true identity as the regent, married her as his wife, she could not interfere in the slightest.
Xie Yao was different from the people Yingniang had spoken of. He was the regent, and she was just an orphan girl. She couldn’t put on the airs of a legal wife.
Yuli suddenly thought of why Yingniang had told her the story of the mistress. Perhaps in Yingniang’s eyes, she was just a mistress with no name or status.
Yuli was suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of sadness. Without looking back at Xie Yao again, she walked into the bedroom.
Xie Yao watched her departing figure, his eyes filled with a gathering anger that he could not suppress.
Today, someone had sent two women to the outside of this residence. He had smelled a strong fragrance, but he hadn’t even looked at them before having Song He send them to the Duke’s Residence.
Yuli had smelled it. She didn’t question, didn’t accuse, but the first thing she thought of was for him to take a concubine.
What a devoted one.
Xie Yao stood up and walked out. When he reached the hanging flower gate, he called for Jingyu to follow.
From the crack in the window, Yuli saw his departing figure. The fingers on her lap clenched and unclenched.
*
Wangyun Courtyard.
The sky was completely dark. The courtyard was cold and hard, with no scenery. Only a single lantern was lit in the main room, casting a very small halo of light, a world of difference from the brightness of Mingyue Residence.
Jingyu already knew what this was about. After entering the room, she knelt down and kowtowed to Xie Yao.
Xie Yao’s face was cold and deep, his hands clasped behind his back. “These past few days, what did she say? Did she mention that person even a single word?”
Jingyu recalled for a moment and replied, “The Mistress did not mention anyone else. But today, the Mistress and that songstress spoke alone for a while. When this servant arrived, I only heard her mention an old story.”
Jingyu paused, then recounted the story of the reformed prostitute that Yingniang had told, word for word, as she had heard it from outside the door.
The room was already dark enough. After the story was finished, Jingyu felt as if she were about to be swallowed by the darkness.
“What else did she say?” Xie Yao asked.
He seemed very calm, his tone deep, his words slow, and could be said to be gentle.
Jingyu prostrated herself even lower. “This servant did not hear the beginning of the conversation.”
“Xiyun?”
“She was sent away by the Mistress.”
Xie Yao suddenly sneered. “Prepare the horses.”
*
Pingkang Fang, Chunxiao Tower.
The music and dance of a peaceful and prosperous age came to an abrupt halt.
Yingniang was invited down from the stage, went around the backyard, ascended to the second floor of the backyard, and entered a quiet room.
When Yingniang was led in, she saw the owner of the Chunxiao Tower kneeling on the ground, trembling like a leaf. In front of him sat a person whom Yingniang did not recognize, but she already had a guess.
She didn’t dare to look at him and quickly walked over, kneeling beside the owner.
Yingniang was wearing heavy makeup, her chignon like a cloud, adorned with flowers and jade, and her clothes were brightly colored, as gorgeous as a splendid sea of flowers in summer.
The person at the head of the table lowered his eyes to look at her and said with an ambiguous tone, “Miss Yingniang’s singing voice is the best in the capital. I only learned today that you speak better than you sing.”
He referred to himself as “I.” Yingniang immediately confirmed his identity and prostrated herself on the ground.
Xie Yao’s eyes were cold, like a frozen lake, but his voice seemed gentle.
Beside him stood Song He and several shadow guards. Jingyu had also come along.
Xie Yao signaled. A shadow guard covered the owner’s mouth tightly and dragged him out silently.
Seeing this, Yingniang trembled slightly and didn’t dare to say a word.
“Speak. What did you say to my wife alone today?” Xie Yao said.
Yingniang did not speak immediately. She guessed that Yuli must have said something to him, perhaps had a tantrum with him. Since he had come here, he must not want Yuli to be at odds with him. But he had other women outside, yet he controlled Yuli so strictly. What did he want…
“The more you think, the faster you die,” the person at the head of the table suddenly said.
Yingniang shivered.
“Speak. Word for word.”
Yingniang began, “Madam Song took out some incense for this servant to identify. This servant identified it as the finest agarwood…”
“This servant asked the Mistress if she cared about chastity. The Mistress shook her head. This servant said, since the Mistress does not care about chastity, why bother with this… to make him feel guilty, gain a good reputation, and get some practical benefits. That is the foundation of our women’s standing.”
After Yingniang finished speaking, she suddenly felt that she had made a huge mistake. Although she was doing it for Yuli’s good, if the regent was in the midst of his passion for her, this would be considered instigating their relationship. And how deep her mistake was depended on how deep the regent’s feelings for her were.
“How did she reply?” Xie Yao asked, his voice still calm.
“Madam Song just frowned and didn’t speak.”
“Continue.”
Yingniang then recounted the old story in detail. Compared to what Jingyu had said just now, there were only a few words of difference.
Xie Yao was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Where did you hear this story?”
Yingniang: “This servant heard it from the people in the tower when I entered the Chunxiao Tower. I don’t know where it came from. The Mistress was very surprised and couldn’t believe it. This servant said it was a rumor, that the people in the tower spread it to scare us.”
Xie Yao sneered.
Although Yingniang did not know the regent’s temperament, this laugh made her shiver all over.
She heard the person at the head of the table say slowly, “Then do you know where the child of that mistress is now?”
Beside him, Jingyu and Song He’s breath hitched. A trace of panic flashed in Jingyu’s eyes, and Song He’s brow also twitched.
Yingniang shook her head. She naturally did not know.
Xie Yao finally asked, “You probably already guessed my identity. Did you ever reveal it to her?”
Yingniang said, “This servant does not know the Young Master’s identity.”
Xie Yao stood up and was about to walk out. “No need to keep her.”
Yingniang was still in a daze.
Jingyu suddenly knelt down. “Master, the Mistress has an appointment to see her again tomorrow.”
Xie Yao did not stop walking.
Jingyu said again, “The Mistress is very happy when she is with her. This servant has never seen her smile so happily.”
Xie Yao stopped for a moment and chuckled. “Not even when she is with me.”
Jingyu froze and shut her mouth. After tonight, some things would probably be difficult to undo.
There was nothing Jingyu could do. Song He had already taken out a black silk cloth, and Xie Yao had also reached the door.
“Are you, like me, bowing your head under the sun…” Yingniang suddenly began to sing intermittently, her voice choked with sobs.
Xie Yao suddenly stopped. This song, he had heard Yuli sing it many times during those three days in Xihe County three years ago.
The black silk was wrapped around her neck, and the singing stopped.
“Song He,” Xie Yao suddenly said.
Song He immediately stopped. Yingniang fell to the ground, panting heavily.
Jingyu also let out a huge sigh of relief.
*
Mingyue Residence.
Besides the two lanterns under the hanging flower gate, the courtyard was pitch black again.
Xie Yao walked slowly into the courtyard. There were too many landscapes blocking his view, and he couldn’t see into the room at a glance.
He stood under the gate, looking at where the bedchamber should be. It was mostly blocked by the lush camellia tree.
It was his forceful methods that had made her, when she smelled the scent on him, not even dare to ask a single question, but directly believe the words of others and generously offer to let him take a concubine.
It was that she was still thinking of her old flame, and thought it was good that he had someone else, so he didn’t have to just look at her.
It was that she cared about too many things. In her heart, he was not even as important as a songstress, a beast, or flowers and plants.
Xie Yao’s chest was bleeding.
A person who had grown up in darkness and blood, once bathed in the moonlight, thought he had been reborn, only to find that the moonlight shines on all things, and he was just an insignificant one.
Was he insignificant?
All things could be insignificant, but not him.
Xie Yao’s lips curled up on one side, and he walked down the steps.
He couldn’t kill that songstress, but that beast could die without a sound.
Xie Yao went around the east side covered walkway. The lights behind him gradually grew distant. He pushed open the last door and walked slowly, silently approaching the cat’s nest.
The cat’s nest was empty. Xie Yao turned his head and saw the cat beast half-lying by the door, its head raised, staring at him.
Xie Yao slowly turned around and walked out the door. When he reached Xuemi’s side, he suddenly squatted down at lightning speed, his claws like the wind, but he caught nothing.
Xuemi cried out in shock and anger, its voice echoing through the darkness. It leaped up, and after landing, it darted out at high speed.
Xie Yao had not caught it. He paused, then chased after it.
Xuemi was nowhere to be seen. He went down the east wing and, after a few steps, his shoulder was caught by a branch of the camellia tree.
He caught a glimpse of a flower hoe flashing with a cold light in the darkness. He pushed the branch away and was about to bend down to pick up the flower hoe.
Suddenly, a warm light slowly lit up. It was Xiyun’s bedchamber.
Xie Yao froze. Almost at the same time, the light in the main room’s bedchamber also lit up.
The main door of the main room was pulled open from the inside, and Yuli, in a thin nightgown, walked out quickly.
“Xuemi?” Yuli called out to the courtyard.
Xuemi darted out from under the rockery, jumped to her feet, and then quickly went to the small pavilion, climbed up the flower trellis, and stopped on the flying eaves, watching everything in the small courtyard.
Yuli walked down and saw the black figure by the trees, and was startled.
Xie Yao was hidden by the camellia tree. The faint, warm light from the bedchamber cast a mottled brightness on his face but could not illuminate his eyes.
Yuli stood for a moment and greeted him, “You’re back.”
She didn’t call him Husband, and her tone was cold.
The person in the shadows of the trees didn’t move. Yuli didn’t go over either, but turned and went into the room.
Xiyun came out and saw this scene, her heart almost stopping.
Yuli went into the room but didn’t close the door. Xie Yao stepped into the room and closed the door. Xiyun also retreated into her room, blew out the light, but didn’t close the door, waiting by the door.
Hearing Xie Yao enter and close the door, Yuli had already gone around the screen and was walking towards the bedchamber.
Just as she entered the door, she was suddenly held with great force. Then, after a spin, she was pressed against the door.
Yuli let out a low cry and spread her arms out, wanting to break free, but she couldn’t budge Xie Yao’s arms at all.
“I have something to say—” Yuli began, but her voice was instantly drowned out, her lips and tongue sucked numb.
Xie Yao’s scent was strong, but even stronger was the complex scent of cosmetics, which was different from what she had smelled in the evening.
A fire rose in Yuli’s heart, and she pushed him forcefully.
In the past, when she pushed him, he would stop. Tonight, he seemed to have gone crazy. Not only did he not let her go, but he pressed her even tighter, as if to press her into the door.
Her sash tightened and then loosened. Xie Yao freed one hand, pulled down her collar, and her snow-white shoulder was revealed.
Xie Yao let go of Yuli’s lips, moved to the side of her neck, and gently bit her neck vein.
Yuli held back a sound, unable to move, but her lips and tongue were free. She panted, but her tone was firm. “What I said in the evening was not from the heart. I’m telling you now, if you take a concubine or touch any other woman, then divorce me, or never touch me again.”
Xie Yao stopped and looked up, turning Yuli’s face to face him.
Yuli looked at him without flinching.
Xie Yao’s expression was chaotic, but still normal.
Yuli pushed his chest forcefully, and this time she pushed him away.
Yuli’s eyes held a fierce spirit. It was the first time Xie Yao had seen her like this.
He thought of how she had once defied her parents, and last time had even wanted to pick up a porcelain vase to hit her father. It turned out that under her gentle and kind nature, she had a rebellious bone.
In order to resist what she didn’t want, she could go against the world.
And now she was defying him, disregarding the worldly talk of that filthy person, because she wanted to possess him exclusively.
“I’ve said my piece. Do you have anything to say?” Her hair was disheveled, her collar half-open, but her eyes were clear as she looked at him.
Xie Yao’s chest heaved, as if a thousand emotions were intertwined, about to burst out. He leaned down, pressed her against the door again, held her lips, and completely tore off her nightgown, kissing his way down.