Laifu heard the voice and hurried to open the door, while also telling someone to quickly call the young master.
The door opened, and a young lady in a pale blue long dress stepped inside, followed by four or five maidservants.
She wore a veil over her face.
The wind stirred gently, making the veil flutter.
Changming watched quietly. She had seen countless beauties before, but one so otherworldly was still rare.
Laifu bent at the waist and invited her in.
The woman’s voice was soft and delicate. “Is Brother Yichu at home?”
Laifu quickly answered, “He is. Young Master has been at home this entire period.”
The woman took out a piece of silver and pressed it into Laifu’s hand. “Has he not been going to the academy to prepare for the examination lately?”
Laifu thought for a moment. “Young Master is still quite confident about the palace examination.”
“Lately, it is mainly because the household has truly been in too much disorder. Young Master cannot get away.”
Just as the woman was about to ask more, Yun Yichu hurried over.
A gentle smile rested on his face. “Sister Jingshu, what brings you here?”
When the woman saw him, she properly curtsied. “If I had not come, I fear you would have forgotten me.”
She pinched her silk handkerchief, a shy blush spreading across her face.
Yun Yichu led her toward the west wing. “There have been many matters at home recently, and I have been unable to get away, so I forgot to visit you.”
“I just had the west wing cleaned up.”
“Please sit here for a while.”
Shen Jingshu stared at Yun Yichu. “Brother Yichu, are you not going to keep me company?”
Yun Yichu raised his brows slightly. “I truly…”
Shen Jingshu reached out and placed a finger on Yun Yichu’s lips.
“You need not say it. I understand.”
“Go and attend to your affairs. I will wait for you.”
Yun Yichu nodded and said, “All right.”
He poured her another cup of tea. “Before the sun sets, I will be sure to send you back to the Shen residence.”
After walking out of the west wing, he bowed to Changming. “There truly is no clean place left in the house.”
“I can only…”
Changming waved her hand. “It does not matter.”
To outsiders, it seemed she lived here, but in reality, she had created a barrier for herself and was temporarily living there.
So this noble young lady would not have any effect on Changming.
In the Yun family ancestral hall, Feng Xing stood where he was, holding a jar of ashes.
Yun Yichu hurried over. “A distinguished guest came to the house today, so I went to receive her for a while. I have made you wait, sir.”
“Sir, are you here to pass on some message from my eldest uncle?”
Feng Xing gently placed the ashes into his arms.
At the same time, he handed him a pouch as well.
A petty official beside Feng Xing stepped forward to explain, “Last night, Yun Rong was suddenly bitten and torn at by several rats as if they had gone mad.”
“By the time we discovered him, he had already contracted the plague and breathed his last…”
When Yun Yichu heard this news, his legs immediately went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.
The ashes fell, but fortunately Laifu was quick-eyed and quick-handed, catching both the jar and him.
Yun Yichu looked at Yun Rong’s ashes, hardly daring to believe it. “How could this be?”
“Eldest Uncle was perfectly fine yesterday. How could…”
The petty official continued explaining, “Because the corpse had been infected with plague, in order to prevent an outbreak, we could only burn the body first before sending it over.”
“We are truly sorry.”
After saying this, he bowed deeply.
Then he bowed several more times.
Feng Xing’s gaze fell on Changming. He looked at her for a while, then turned his head and said to Yun Yichu, “The Yun family has not been peaceful these past few days.”
“The county magistrate has considered that the Yun family is a prominent household.”
“He specially ordered me to remain stationed at the Yun residence.”
“To ensure everyone’s safety.”
Yun Yichu had already been struck speechless by one funeral after another.
Laifu spoke up to smooth things over. “If officers are stationed here, that would naturally be best.”
“The Yun family still has several guest rooms. I will take you there, sir.”
Feng Xing said coldly, “No need.”
After hearing this, Laifu did not know what to say.
Changming slowly walked over and patted Laifu on the shoulder. “He is just a block of ice. No need to mind him.”
“First see how Yun Yichu is doing.”
Laifu fed Yun Yichu some water. After a while, he finally recovered somewhat.
He grabbed Laifu and instructed him, “The fewer people who know about Eldest Uncle’s matter, the better.”
“Especially Eldest Aunt. She absolutely must not be allowed to know.”
Laifu nodded vigorously and immediately followed Yun Yichu’s instructions, suppressing the news of Yun Rong’s death.
Changming asked, “Are you afraid she will take her own life?”
Yun Yichu blinked several times. “They were husband and wife for more than twenty years. Though they had their disagreements, their feelings were deep.”
“If Eldest Aunt learns of this, she will certainly do something to end her life.”
Changming looked at Yun Yichu for a while, then placed a finger between his brows. A wisp of spiritual power gradually flowed into his body.
Yun Yichu immediately felt much better.
On the other side, Shen Jingshu sat by the window, waiting quietly.
The maidservant beside her advised, “Miss, we should hurry back to the residence.”
“If it gets any later, I fear there will be even more gossip in the streets.”
Shen Jingshu did not take it seriously. “He and I were betrothed long ago.”
“Idle talk and rumors are nothing but passing clouds. What is there to fear?”
“I said I would wait for him, so I will certainly wait.”
About two hours later, Yun Yichu finally knocked and entered.
The maidservants beside Shen Jingshu were tactful and withdrew one after another, standing guard outside the door.
Yun Yichu sat down and drank a cup of tea. “Have you rested enough? It is getting late. I will send you back.”
Shen Jingshu pressed down on his shoulder, then used her handkerchief to wipe his forehead. “I have not properly spoken with you yet.”
“You have looked much thinner lately.”
Yun Yichu gave a faint hum. “The weather has turned hot, so my appetite has not been very good. I have not eaten much either.”
“You came today because there is something you wanted to ask me, isn’t there?”
Shen Jingshu slowly sat down and straightened her dress. “Yes.”
She looked into Yun Yichu’s eyes. “There is something I want to ask you.”
Yun Yichu drew in a breath and looked at her with a smile. “What is it?”
Shen Jingshu pondered for a moment. “I came to ask you about our wedding date.”
“A few days ago, my father already had the matchmaker come to ask.”
“At that time, you said Grandfather had just passed away and that you had to observe mourning.”
“You told me to wait.”
Yun Yichu’s eyes darkened. “Yes.”
“But even if you ask today, I can still only tell you to wait.”
Shen Jingshu’s eyes reddened. “Why?”
Yun Yichu answered her firmly, “Because I must observe mourning.”
There were tears in his eyes as well. “You do not know that in these few short days, I have successively lost my grandfather, my eldest uncle, and my second uncle.”
“They were all my closest kin.”
“If I do not observe mourning, then who will fulfill filial duty?”
Shen Jingshu’s tears fell with soft patters. “So I can only wait, is that it?”
Yun Yichu wiped away his tears and stood up. “I have wronged you.”
“It is getting late. I will take you home.”
Shen Jingshu finally could not hold back and began to cry. “Why is it that your eldest aunt can remarry during the mourning period, yet I cannot marry into the family?”
Yun Yichu froze in place because of these words. “Who told you such nonsense?”
“When did she ever say she wanted to remarry?”
After hearing this, Shen Jingshu said nothing more and curtsied to Yun Yichu.
Then she dried her tears.
“I only felt wronged in my heart, so I came to find you. I meant nothing else.”
Yun Yichu gently embraced her for a moment, then quickly let go.
In the weather of April, the nights were still very cool. He took a white fox-fur cloak and draped it over her.
By the carriage, when Shen Jingshu was about to leave, she looked back at him. “Brother Yichu, no matter how long it takes, I will wait for you.”
After saying this, she left in the carriage.
Yun Yichu watched the carriage go farther and farther away, until it disappeared completely.
He silently swore in his heart, I will never let you become like Eldest Aunt.
A gentle breeze caresses the willow; the willow will never betray spring’s affection.
Early in the morning, a shrill cry shattered the silence. “First Madam has hanged herself!”
A little bookworm left me an encouraging comment. I saw it, but because their phone number was not linked, I could not reply, so I can only say thank you here.
【90-degree bow】Thank you truly for your encouragement.