Chapter 6

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Fu Cang sighed silently and ordered his men to carry the box intercepted from the back alley in front of Xie Yan. “Young master, look, this was quietly moved out of the mansion by that old rascal Jing Zhen!” Fu Cang opened the box to reveal an array of gold and silver jewelry, dazzling with pearls and gems. Among them were scented sachets and leather straps inlaid with gemstones and gold threads—intimate personal items. It turned out that Jing Zhen’s purpose in connecting Jiang Yunchan and Gu Huaizhou wasn’t merely to arrange a marriage; more importantly, she was skimming off valuable possessions. Knowing full well that Gu Huaizhou had disappeared, Jing Zhen still told Jiang Yunchan he was gravely ill, hoping to make her anxious and spend more silver. Jing Zhen also knew it was only a matter of time before the affair between Jiang Yunchan and Gu Huaizhou came to light and she was investigated. Her plan was to empty Jiang Yunchan’s family fortune and flee with the household goods. Unexpectedly, Xie Yan had already detected this and intercepted the goods. The young lady was a guest in the house, with hardly any silver to be scammed. Fu Cang inwardly scoffed, “If only the young lady were closer with the young master, negotiating matters openly, it wouldn’t have come to this…” Halfway through his words, Fu Cang caught a glimpse of Xie Yan’s cold expression and fell silent. After all, this young lady was strange indeed—she had been in the mansion for ten years, always aloof to everyone. Whether joyous or tragic, she never involved herself. Even when the young master, who had always treated her kindly, was nearly killed by a falling beam in a fire months ago, she only offered polite condolences. People assumed she was cold by nature, but no one knew that to outsiders, she was willing to bare her heart and soul, even willing to give up her entire fortune. Fu Cang dared not say more and only asked, “Young master, how shall we deal with these items?” Xie Yan picked up a sachet, gently stroking the three gold-embroidered characters: “Gu Huaizhou.” The stitches were fine and tender, obviously made by a devoted woman. “Burn them.” “Yes, sir.” Fu Cang tossed a firelighter into the wooden box, watching the flames devour the exquisite items with a crackling sound, sighing, “This must be most of the young lady’s fortune.” “Someday, she will sew them again, stitch by stitch.” More sincere, more devout than these now… Xie Yan relaxed his fingers, and the sachet fell into the fire. The name “Gu Huaizhou” vanished in an instant, and a flame leapt three feet high, obscuring the inscrutable emotions behind Xie Yan’s eyes...

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“At your humble servant’s risk, if the young lady has offended the young master, there’s nothing much to worry about. But if she has crossed the elder lord, I’m afraid his restless spirit will haunt her endlessly!” At this moment, inside the Wen Zhuxuan chamber, Xia Zhu bathed and wiped Jiang Yunchan’s back, choking back tears as she looked at the bruises. An hour earlier, Jiang Yunchan had overheard that the elder lord was searching for Jing Zhen at the Compassionate Heart Nunnery. Fearing trouble, she had sneaked back to the mansion via the muddy back mountain path in the pouring rain. The fearful journey caused her to stumble several times, leaving her battered all over. Xia Zhu felt heartache, but what worried her more was whether the elder lord, if he woke, would remember Jiang Yunchan kicking him in the water—and if he would intensify his abuses. Xia Zhu could barely bear to look at the reddened slender waist and slightly averted her gaze. “I thought in three more days she’d be free, but now, with Master Gu gravely ill in bed, what can we do?” Jiang Yunchan patted Xia Zhu’s hand resting on her shoulder, “Don’t say Master Gu is gravely wounded. Even if... he were gone, I must marry into his family and remain a widow for life if necessary!” “Miss, please don’t speak such ominous words!” Xia Zhu spat. “You are so young—why bind yourself to that whirlpool for a lifetime? If I may advise…” “Why not wait a little longer, until Master Gu is better before marrying?” Xia Zhu, as Jiang Yunchan’s maid who accompanied her to the Marquis mansion, always thought of her mistress’s welfare. After Jiang Yunchan returned and mentioned that her fiancé had been attacked by bandits, Xia Zhu had secretly inquired around. The household and neighbors all said the same: Master Gu was severely injured by bandits and had shut himself indoors. With doors closed, one could imagine how serious it was. Why should the young lady suffer? Xia Zhu pursed her lips and tentatively said, “Miss, why not ask the young master to postpone the wedding?” “Xia Zhu! If no one else understands my heart, don’t you?” Jiang Yunchan lifted her damp long lashes to meet Xia Zhu’s gaze. Mist swirled above the bath, accentuating the gentle, passionate expression on the small face barely palm-sized. At the age of youthful longing, her heart for Master Gu was unwavering. But beneath the tender look, only Xia Zhu knew there was another layer of meaning. Once in Gusu, Jiang Yunchan’s family had been prosperous merchants—loving parents, a harmonious home. But unexpectedly, the Marquis of Dingyang had approached her mother, reminiscing about childhood affection. Though the Marquis did nothing improper, government officials in Gusu were all too eager to please him. To avoid persecution, the family fled far away, only to be attacked by bandits en route. Her parents were killed by them. Villagers and relatives blamed her mother as a femme fatale who brought ruin upon the Jiang family. Who would take in a “little troublemaker”? Jiang Yunchan was only six years old then, with nowhere to turn but to rely on her mother’s connection to the Marquis of Dingyang’s mansion. Outwardly pretending ignorance, she never forgot that the old Marquis was indirectly responsible for her parents’ deaths. She refused to be entangled with anything in the mansion and only wished to leave as soon as possible. Every day was torture. Xia Zhu knew her mistress’s thoughts well and shook her head, “But the elder lord may not let go so easily!” “Indeed.” Jiang Yunchan’s heart turned cold. She leaned on the bath’s edge, “What must I do to make him give up?” This elder lord was a man blinded by lust—he already had eight beautiful wives and concubines, not to mention numerous unknown girls who had died mysteriously in his courtyard. He didn’t even listen to the young master’s words, how would he heed her pleas? Emotional appeals wouldn't work; how to make him abandon his desire willingly? Perhaps, just perhaps... A sudden idea flashed in Jiang Yunchan’s mind. “Xia Zhu! Go prepare some boiled cow’s milk for my bath!” “Cow’s milk?” Xia Zhu’s face stiffened. The young lady had been unable to tolerate cow’s milk since childhood—any contact caused large red patches and blistering rashes, resembling scalds. Summer was approaching, and Jiang Yunchan’s delicate constitution was vulnerable; if the skin became damaged or scarred, what then? Xia Zhu shook her head repeatedly, “Miss, you can’t harm your own skin just to avoid the elder lord.” “Once I’m out of the mansion, I’ll take better care of it,” Jiang Yunchan said calmly. The elder lord only desired her appearance; if he thought her skin was ruined beyond repair, he surely would stop pursuing her. Later, she could heal slowly—after all, it wasn’t a true burn, and the rash might subside. Even if she were disfigured, there would be nothing to regret. For the lowly, to cut off a tail to survive was already fortunate. “Go prepare it!” “Miss...” Xia Zhu knew her mistress was resolute and could only lower her head, holding back tears as she left. At the door, Jiang Yunchan suddenly called her back, “Xia Zhu, never mind—don’t go yourself.” After a moment’s thought, she signaled toward the window, “Send Old Liu to boil the milk.” “Old Liu is a formidable figure. If you ask her, she might bully you!” “It’s fine.” Jiang Yunchan bit her lip and lowered her voice, “Go to the Compassionate Heart Nunnery and discreetly inquire if there is any reply from Master Huaizhou. Be careful not to draw attention.” “Miss!” “Go.” Jiang Yunchan waved her hand and sank back into the water to soak peacefully.

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Xia Zhu had no choice but to stomp away. Jiang Yunchan, feeling tired, leaned on the tub’s edge and fell asleep unknowingly. After an unknown time, the door was suddenly kicked open, and a basin of boiled milk was poured over Jiang Yunchan’s head. “Such good milk wasted like this—does she think herself some noble miss?” Old Liu spat. Jiang Yunchan was drenched, hugging herself, milk dripping from her chin. “It’s so hot!” she whimpered softly. “What nonsense?” Old Liu rolled her eyes. The milk had only been boiled for the length of a tea cup—how hot could it be? It was the young lady causing trouble at such a late hour, with no sense at all. Old Liu glanced at the ambiguous bruises on Jiang Yunchan’s waist and kicked the bath bucket. “She can withstand rough men’s care but can’t handle an old woman’s basin of water?” The tub wobbled and suddenly toppled, and Jiang Yunchan fell to the ground, utterly disheveled. “It burns, it burns so badly!” Jiang Yunchan cried out intermittently, her delicate body trembling in the puddle, unable to rise. Old Liu suddenly sensed something was wrong and looked closely. Jiang Yunchan’s once-frosty white skin had turned completely red, like a ripe apple. Especially on her cheeks where the milk had touched, shiny blisters had formed in clusters, nearly bleeding. Old Liu’s face went pale instantly. Though they looked down on their mistress and often bullied Jiang Yunchan in secret, none dared truly harm her. Besides, the young master would intervene, and even the elder lord wouldn’t spare them. Panicked, Old Liu rushed out, “Aunt Zhou! The young lady has accidentally been scalded! Call the mansion doctor! Call the doctor!” “The mansion doctor is ill, and it’s dark and windy—gates are closed. Where would you find a doctor? She’s just making trouble!” Aunt Zhou yawned slyly, and the courtyard erupted into noise. Jiang Yunchan lay in the puddle, unattended, growing hotter by the minute. Soon, more blisters appeared on her body. Having suffered blisters from milk once as a child, she had avoided it ever since. No one knew how severe her reaction would be now, not even herself. She felt burning and itching all over, as if countless insects crawled beneath her skin. She instinctively scratched her neck and cheeks, but no matter how she scratched, it was like scratching over boots—useless. It seemed only by breaking the skin could pain relieve the itch. “Miss, don’t scratch anymore or your skin will rot!” Jiang Yunchan heard Xia Zhu’s sobbing and felt someone dressing her. Bound and restrained, her inner fire only grew stronger, making her want to tear off her clothes. Suddenly, a cool hand gripped her wrist tightly, almost crushing it. She frowned and gasped. Then she was pulled into a strong embrace, though feeling miserable and dazed, unable to see who it was. She only felt a deep, steady heartbeat and cool fabric against her skin. It was the coolness she longed for most. Her skin instantly eased, and her arms instinctively clung to the neck of the person holding her, desperate to be closer to that cool touch.