Chapter 54

In addition to Liang Yu Rong, many unfamiliar people had also come.

Liang Yu Rong had waited in the reception pavilion for a while without Wei Luo returning. She thought that Wei Luo had gotten lost in the villa, so she had prepared to go look for her. By lucky coincidence, the young men had come from the receiving room to invite the young women to go to the rear courtyard’s octagonal pavilion to admire the moon and play wine-drinking games. Liang Yu Rong was worried that she wouldn’t know the way either, so she followed these people here. Just as she had arrived at the rear courtyard, she saw that there were two people at the lakeside. She recognized that one of the people was Wei Luo and walked forward to greet her.

She didn’t expect that she would see such scene!

Without any explanation, Li Xiang had pushed Wei Luo to the ground, cursed at her, and was even raising her hand to hit her.

Liang Yu Rong didn’t know what had happened, but just from this scene, she could tell that Li Xiang’s upbringing wasn’t good! Nothing could have happened between two young women that would justify her actions. Even if Wei Luo had intentionally offended her, she still couldn’t curse her with “wretched girl!” After all, Wei Luo’s status wasn’t inferior to hers. Even if Li Xiang was very angry, she should still forgive or at least privately resolve the issue since Wei Luo was a member of Duke Ying’s family instead of coming to blows with Wei Luo in public. This action would not only damage other people’s impression of her moral character, but it would also show her lack of intelligence.

Liang Yu Rong wasn’t the only person who thought this. Everyone else at the scene also thought this.

Unfortunately, Li Xiang had been angered by Wei to the point of losing her reasoning and couldn’t think so logical at the moment. Seeing Wei Luo on the ground and pretending to be pitiful, she couldn’t help but feel angrier, “Older brother, don’t stop me! Do you know what she did? She’s a person that harbors evil intentions. She deliberately lured me here. She… She’s too shameless…”

Before she could finish speaking, Li Song had severely slapped Li Xiang!

Li Xiang was suddenly silenced. She clutched her cheek and incredulously looked at Li Song.

Li Song’s face was ugly. He put down his hand and clenched his fist inside his sleeve, “You’re too outrageous! Where did you learn such foul language? You must not be used to this new place and became muddle-headed.” After saying this, he said to Li Xiang’s servant girl, Qiong Zi, “Your Miss has become muddle-headed. Why didn’t you stop her instead of bring her here? Bring her back to her room first. I’ll deal with you when we get back home!”

Qiong Zi’s face was distressed. She held onto Li Xiang and nervously said, “Miss, let’s go back…”

Li Xiang had grown up in the shelter of her parents’ palms and had never suffered any injury. Now, her older brother had slapped her without holding back. Her ear felt as if it was buzzing and her cheek felt as if it was burning. She bitterly bit her lip. Her eyes were full of tears, “Older brother is the one who’s confused. You would help an outsider instead of your younger sister. I’m going to go home and tell mom so that she’ll teach you a lesson.”

She didn’t dare to say that Wei Luo had tricked her. She would rather bear such a big grievance than tell the matter about the letter in front of everyone else. After all, even if Wei Luo was the one who wrote that latter, she would still be showing that she had thoughts about a private meeting with a man by showing up here. No matter what, she wouldn’t be able to defend her innocence.

When the two things were compared, her reputation was naturally more important.

But if she chose that option, she would bear the negative reputation of an uncivilized and arrogant person that caused trouble without reason. This would also have a very negative effect on unmarried girls.

She fiercely glared at Wei Luo. She hated her so much that she was gnashing her teeth. Wei Luo had truly designed a good play that had her jumping into her trap and left her with no way to explain herself!

Li Xiang unwillingly turned around and left. She was so angry that her eyes were red.

——-

At the lakeside, Wei Luo had originally only wanted to pretend she had fallen. Unexpectedly, she hadn’t been mindful enough when she was falling. Her foot had stepped on a pebble that was sticking out on the ground and her ankle twisted. It had been hurting until now! There had been too many people before, so she couldn’t check her injury. Those people had now left and the only people left were Liang Yu Rong, Liang Yu, Li Song, and Chang Hong.

She couldn’t resist touching her ankle that had already swollen. It was piercingly painful even if she touched it slightly. She couldn’t resist gasping. It seemed that when she did something bad, she would have to pay a price. But, this price was a bit too ruthless. Her ankle hurt so much that she wanted to cry.

Chang Hong and Liang Yu had also come with Liang Yu Rong. Chang Hong had been protectively standing in front of Wei Luo. His handsome face had been twisted and sunk into something scary. It was only because Li Xiang was a woman that he didn’t strike her in anger.

He heard Wei Luo’s gasp and quickly turned around to face her. He anxiously asked, “Ah Luo, are you okay? Are you hurt from falling?”

Wei Luo pointed at her ankle and tearfully said, “My ankle twisted.”

Hearing this, he became angrier. Li Xiang caused it all. He shouldn’t have let her off so easily! He turned around to fiercely glare at Li Song with extreme disgust, “If something happens to Ah Luo, I definitely won’t let you off.”

Li Song didn’t seem to care about his threat. He looked at Wei Luo with an unclear, contradicting and complicated meaning. After a long time, he said with difficultly, “My younger sister was wrong tonight. I’ll apologize to you on her behalf…”

Wei Luo didn’t appreciate his words. She coldly said, “No need.”

His face changed and he suddenly glared at her in anger.

Wei Luo continued, “You probably know about our families’ intention to become related by marriage. But after today, I discovered that Duke Ying’s residence can’t afford to have a young lady with Li Xiang’s temperament. I’ll speak to daddy when I go back. Chang Hong and Li Xiang’s potential engagement will end here. Chang Hong is soft-hearted and won’t be able to bear her unreasonable behavior.” After she said this, she turned her head away from him. She stretched out her hand towards Chang Hong and said, “Chang Hong, carry me to the eastern courtyard…”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Hearing her words, Chang Hong leaned over to carry her. Who would have expected that someone would be quicker than him? Before he even touched her clothing, the other person’s hand was supporting Wei Luo’s back and his other hand was beneath her thighs. The person’s voice was calm and mellow, “This prince will carry you back.”

Chang Hong stood up and saw that other person’s slanted eyebrows and indifferently cold, thin lips. It was Prince Jing.

Startled, Chang Hong watched him pick up Wei Luo in a bridal carry. With furrowed eyebrows, Chang Hong said, “Men and women should keep their distance from each other. Let me carry her instead.”

Zhao Jie pretended to not hear him. As he walked, he said to Zhu Geng, “This prince’s room has medicinal wine. Bring it over to fourth miss’s room.”

Zhu Geng agreed and immediately disappeared into the dim light of night.

Fortunately, the lighting was dim here. Most of the people were in the octagonal pavilion admiring the moon, playing wine-drinking games, and composing and reciting poetry. They weren’t paying attention to the situation over here. Zhao Jie couldn’t resist picking up Wei Luo and firmly walking away from this troublesome place.

Wei Luo didn’t expect that he would suddenly appear. She dazedly looked at him and could only see his chin and thin lips. She uneasily shifted around and said in an anxious tone, “Big brother let me down. It won’t be good if anyone sees… Chang Hong. Let Chang Hong carry me.”

Zhao Jie didn’t let go of her. Instead, he held her tighter. “Does your foot not hurt anymore?”

She couldn’t tell what he was feeling from the sound of his voice.

The hollow of his palm felt scalding hot. Only a layer of clothing separated her skin from his. It made her feel somewhat uneasy.

Her eyelashes trembled and raised her eyelids. Her teary eyes gave off the feeling of innocence, “It hurts.”

Zhao Jie’s face finally became slightly milder, but his steps didn’t stop. He carried her all the way to the eastern courtyard. He entered her inner room and placed her down on her rosewood arhat bed.

How could he enter her inner room so naturally? Although she had been close to him since her childhood, she was grown up now. Shouldn’t they avoid doing things that would arouse suspicion? Wasn’t he the one that said to not allow men to freely enter her courtyard?

As Wei Luo was puzzling this out, Zhao Jie had already crouched down in front of her. He took off her red shoe that was embroidered with golden tree peony flowers, and then took off her white silk sock, “Let this prince see your injury.”

A tender white foot was exposed in front of a man’s eyes. Her toenails were an attractive pink and appeared smooth and delicate. At the moment, because she was nervous and ill at ease, her five toes were slightly curved inwards. It was both shy and cute. Zhao Jie’s eyes turned and became darker. Without a change in his expression, he held her foot and checked her injury.

Wei Luo shrunk backwards. She wasn’t used to his touch, “Let me do it…”

Zhao Jie looked up at her. At the same time, his fingers gently pressed down on the spot that she was injured, “How can you do it yourself? Does this hurt?”

Wei Luo whimpered. Her tears almost came out of her eyes. She curled up and her forehead unconsciously came to Zhao Jie’s shoulder. She pitifully said, “Big brother, be a little more gentle. It hurts…”

Her sweet milky voice was right at his ear. Zhao Jie felt that half of his body had become numb. He turned around to look at the side of her small face. Her white teeth were biting her pink lip. Teardrops were hanging on her thick and long eyelashes. This pitiful appearance really made it difficult for him to maintain control.

Zhao Jie slightly lowered his head. His thin lips wiped her soft cheek. With a hoarse voice, he said, “Hug me if it hurts. Ah Luo, be obedient. Don’t flail about.”

Sure enough, she was guilelessly obedient. Her arms went around his neck and she hugged him without resisting.

This alluring body was in his embrace. Her cheek was next to his neck. Warmth was suddenly scattered on his skin. It was as if countless bugs were crawling on him, climbed into his heart, and slowly bitten away all of his rationality. Zhao Jie closed his eyes. His palm was placed on her lower back, near her waist. He restrained himself and didn’t go any lower.

Jin Lu and Bai Lan looked at each other in dismay and saw the other person’s uneasy.

Soon, Zhu Geng arrived with the medicinal wine. Zhao Jie had put a towel on Wei Luo to make a cold compress on her ankle. Then, he personally spread the medicinal wine on Wei Luo. His actions were very careful and gentle as if he was caring for a priceless treasure. After the medicine was applied, Zhao Jie put on her sock and shoe for her.

After he washed his hands, he went back to her side and said, “Don’t walk at all tomorrow. After the hunting ceremony is over, this prince will come to see you and apply medicine one more time. You’ll be fine the day after tomorrow.”

She wasn’t seriously injured and the effect of that medicine was good. As long as she properly rested, the injury wouldn’t be a problem.

Wei Luo sat on the edge of the bed. Her hands were holding onto the bedframe as she looked at him. Her tender little face was imbued with gratefulness, “Thank you big brother…”

Zhao Jie was standing in front of her. Although the expression on his face was warmer than when they were at the lakeside, there still wasn’t a smile.

Wei Luo remembered that they had parted on bad terms yesterday. She guessed that he was still angry about her words. Actually, she didn’t have any other meaning. She only wanted to tell him that truth. Who would expected that his face would become so ugly? She tilted her head and said to his dark eyes, “Is big brother still angry? In fact, you’re not other men either. Your kind treatment towards Ah Luo, Ah Luo remembers it all in her heart.”

There was only a tiny ripple of change in Zhao Jie’s stubborn eyes. He didn’t respond.

Seeing that he wasn’t speaking, Wei Luo gripped his sleeve without thinking and continues looking at him. Just when Wei Luo thought that he wouldn’t speak, he raised his hand, stroked her head, and asked, “Do you want to marry Song Hui?”

Wei Luo blinked. She didn’t know why he would ask this question. There didn’t seem to be any reason for bringing it up.

She didn’t really want to marry Song Hui. She only thought of Song Hui as an older brother and didn’t have any romantic feelings towards him. And, whenever she saw Song Hui, she would think of his engagement with Wei Zheng in her previous life. She hated Wei Zheng too much, so she couldn’t accept Song Hui who had once been engaged to Wei Zheng, even if it was something that had happened in her previous life.

But, she wouldn’t tell Zhao Jie these things. She looked down and said, “This is the engagement that my parents arranged. My opinion isn’t important.”

Zhao Jie’s thumb went down to cover the small red birthmark between her eyebrows and he quietly asked, “If you didn’t have this engagement, would you want to marry him?”

She looked up with a startled expression.

His thin lips curved up into a faint smile. He patiently and systematically guided, “Ah Luo, what kind of man do you want to marry?”

Wei Luo pursed her lips. After a while, she finally said, “A person that treats me very very well.”

Zhao Jie gazed into her eyes and slowly asked, “Like the way that this prince treats you very well?”

(Note: It’s interesting/strange that there are other people watching them during this private conversation. But, I guess as nobility, they’re used to always having servants in the background.