CH 38

Every year at this time, Wei Chiyu would be waiting for her here. She would always complain to him all night about trivial matters, her grandmother’s favoritism, the hardship her legitimate sister put her through, she used to tell him her every smallest matters.

Ming Zhu ran outside on an impulse, but she didn’t regret it. Later, when she would have fled far away, there were some words that she would never have the chance to ever say again in this life.

The candle flame in the paper lamp shone on the faces of the two people, illuminating his skin texture which was as delicate as white jade. Ming Zhu tilted her face to look into his dark eyes as she said, “That year, I prepared a birthday gift for you, but I didn’t have the opportunity to give it to you.”

Wei Chiyu felt pain in his throat, “Mmh.”

When Ming Zhu spoke up those words, she appeared as if she was relieved of a burden, as if she had solved a troubling concern, “Don’t you want to ask me what it was?”

Wei Chiyu smiled at her, it was the first time she saw him smile these days, his tone was the same as before, “What was it?”

Ming Zhu also smiled along, “A jade crown that was not very valuable.” She sighed reluctantly again, “It’s gone now, I lost it.”

Wei Chiyu wanted to walk up and hug her so badly, but he kept the hands in his sleeves under firm restrain, and he said softly to her, “Zhu Zhu.”

“Mmh?”

“I’ll take it as if I received that birthday gift from you that year, thank you.”

The carriage stopped at the entrance of the back alley, a man was sitting in the vehicle, quietly listening to the conversation between the two of them. The window curtains blocked the light coming from the outside, in the dark night, one couldn’t see clearly the man’s face. A long time later, there was only the sound of an almost inaudible cold laugh.

He had left the palace banquet early which made him able to actually witness such a wonderful picture.

(14.1)

The overcast sky seemed to be forewarning sign it was soon going to rain heavily as the branches sticking out of the high courtyard were swaying with the wind. The man in the carriage was frighteningly silent, his jaw was taut and his face expressionless. He quietly fiddled with the buddhist beads in his hand.

The guards didn’t dare to make any move without permission.

Ming Zhu who hadn’t yet sensed the danger incoming, was felling much more comfortable after the words she held in her heart were spoken.

She gave a salute to Wei Chiyu, and then turned around to go back to the courtyard.

It was nearly midnight, the house was lit up and the main hall was still bustling with activity. The masters and the ladies were staying in the old matriarch’s courtyard to wait for the New Year. The old maidservant beside the old matriarch came over to give Ming Zhu a red envelope.

“Fifth Miss, the old matriarch has instructed you to recuperate at ease.”

Ming Zhu took the red envelope, put it in her palm and weighed it, it wasn’t light, “Thank grandmother on my behalf.”

The old maidservant laughed, “The old matriarch also wanted to ask you, when is the crown prince coming to take you back?”

The fifth young lady was also a pitiful person, her mother died early, and her marriage was caught up in a series of twists and turns. What happened between the girls in the backyard of the residence, the old matriarch had always turned a blind eye to it and never got involved, as long as it wasn’t a big deal, she wouldn’t care nor ask about it.

The fifth young lady still had some luck in her marriage, the concubine-born young lady ended up with the crown prince, it could be considered a good fortune.

It was just unknown how long that fortune would last.

Ming Zhu said, “I also don’t know.”

The old maidservant had a clear picture in her mind, “Then this old slave will go back first, fifth young lady, get some rest early.”

Ming Zhu asked Ah Ruo to accompany the old maidservant back. She opened the red envelope and counted, there were ten taels of silver, which wasn’t a small amount.

Fearing that she might catch a cold, Biying draped a warm cloak over her shoulders, “Miss, are you going to wait for the New Year tonight?”

Ming Zhu, who wanted to earn some luck, thought for a moment before she said, “Yes.”

Every year, when her mother was still alive, she would sit with her on a warm soft couch before a small table full of snacks to fill her cravings, and they would both wait for the New Year. She was very young and couldn’t endure the sleepiness, so she leaned over her mother and asked in a baby-like tone, “Mom, I want to go to bed, I don’t want to wait for the New Year.”

Her mother’s voice was warm and soft, “Mom will hug you, only if we keep watch for the New Year, will the New Year be peaceful and successful.”

Biying had prepared some fruits and pastries for Ming Zhu.

Everywhere in the city people began to set off fireworks. Firecrackers sounded for more than half an hour before they stopped. One could smell the scent of firecrackers and paper flowers just by opening the window.

Ming Zhu couldn’t help but look out the window where fireworks erupted in the night sky with a loud sound. Lights and shadows shone on her white flawless face.

Biying asked in a low voice: “Miss, do you want to set off fireworks? This slave will have someone go buy some for you. ”

Ming Zhu withdrew her gaze and then closed the window, blocking the cold wind outside. Taking a sip of hot tea, she shook her head, “No need.”

She did want to set off fireworks a little, but at this hour, the stores had already closed their doors and weren’t open for business.

Ming Zhu who held the hot cup of tea in her hand, had her palms pressed against the scalding heat as she asked, “Biying, do you know how to play cards?”

Biying nodded, “I do.”

Ming Zhu had nothing else to do, except reading folklore books, she didn’t like reading other type of books, so she had Biying and Ah Rou play cards with her.

Ming Zhu’s luck at cards wasn’t good today, she lost several rounds in a row and, as they kept playing, she got more and more sleepy.

Normally at this hour she would have already been asleep, and right now, she was forcing herself to stay awake, trying to keep her eyelids, which were about to close, open.

Biying put down the cards in her hand, hesitated for a moment and then suggested, “Miss, how about resting for the night now ?”

Ming Zhu endured her sleepiness and shook her head, “No.” She continued, “I won’t be sleepy anymore if I eat something.”

Biying asked in a low voice, “What would you like to eat? This slave will instruct the people in the kitchen to prepare it.”

Ming Zhu thought seriously about it, she wanted to eat something sweet, “I want to eat sweet soup dumplings.”

“This slave will go handle it now.”

When Biying went to the kitchen to ask the cook to make a bowl of sweet soup dumplings, as soon as the the old cook heard it was something the fifth young lady wanted to eat, he was very unwilling, he kept his head lowered as he cut vegetables, ignoring her, “Then you wait, I haven’t finished making the other ladies’s evening snacks yet.”

Biying held her temper and asked, “How long do we have to wait?”

The old chef raised his eyelids, his tone was very bad, “Just slowly wait.”

Biying at this point really had her belly full of anger, she said coldly, “Fine, I’ll cook for my miss myself.”

The old cook didn’t bother to pay attention to her.

Biying sat in front of the stove and lit a fire. When the fire grew stronger, she put the dumplings she had prepared into the pot of boiling water.

Before the dumplings were done being boiled, the old cook asked her to move aside. Biying had to stand aside and wait for the sweet soup dumplings to finish cooking.

Ming Zhu was so sleepy she could fall unconscious. Lying on the table, her breathing became soft and slow, and she was about to fall asleep.

She didn’t even notice when the door was pushed open. When Ah Ruo saw the man who walked into the room, she couldn’t help but widen her eyes. She was about to speak up to warn Ming Zhu.

Zhao Zhi coldly glared at her and ordered her to get out.