Chapter 117: Every Cause Has Its Reason

An Yi wore a veiled hat, her expression hidden behind the dense veil, making it impossible for Bai Wuming to discern her emotions. He walked slowly toward her, but after five steps, he had not yet reached her side when the An family carriage arrived, stopping between them.

Xiang Qin helped An Yi onto the carriage. Standing across from the carriage, Bai Wuming looked at her and silently mouthed, “See you tonight.”

An Yi furrowed her brow, lowered her head, and stepped into the carriage. Xiang Qin and Tao Ren followed her inside. The coachman climbed up, cracked the reins, and urged the horses forward.

Bai Wuming remained where he was, watching the carriage fade into the distance. Lin Ximin, fanning himself with a painted fan adorned with images of beauties, approached him. “Xiao Bai, is she the woman you like?”

Bai Wuming cast a sidelong glance at Lin Ximin. “Which eye told you I like her?”

“Both left and right eyes saw it,” Lin Ximin answered seriously, wiping the playful smile off his face.

“You’ve drunk too much; your eyes are deceiving you,” Bai Wuming said as he turned and headed toward Willow Alley, where a splendid carriage awaited.

“If that’s the case, then I don’t have to worry about betraying my brother,” Lin Ximin raised an eyebrow.

“That joke isn’t funny,” Bai Wuming replied.

“I’m not joking; I’m serious.”

Bai Wuming snorted twice. “If you want to die from poisoning, be my guest.”

“Come on, Xiao Bai, you’d actually poison me just for her?” Lin Ximin asked, stunned.

“You should know the name Ji Fanyi.”

“Of course.”

“She’s Ji Fanyi’s last disciple.”

“Xiao Bai, are you telling me this to make me back down?” Lin Ximin’s eyes gleamed. “I’m telling you, I won’t retreat. As the saying goes, to die under the peony flower, even as a ghost, is a graceful death.”

“Enough. There’s no need to put on airs in front of me,” Bai Wuming said.

“What do you mean by ‘put on airs’? I’m clearly a dashing gentleman.” Lin Ximin waved his fan. “Every day a light drink and a soft song, every night a bridal chamber with candles, how many joyful times I’ve had!”

Bai Wuming gave him a sharp look, uninterested. He quickened his pace.

Lin Ximin smirked mischievously and staggered along behind Bai Wuming. The two got into the carriage; the coachman drove off, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

Back at home, An Yi first went to Well Fence Garden to see Mrs. Luo, who was worrying over a brocade box on the table. Upon seeing An Yi enter, Mrs. Luo anxiously asked, “Xier, how much silver did you spend on these flowers? Have you paid? Do we even have that much silver at home?”

“The silver’s already paid, not much,” An Yi smiled, opening a brocade box. “Mother, this is for you. Do you like it?”

“Mother is old; no need to wear these. You keep them for yourself,” Mrs. Luo laughed.

“Mother is not old at all. When we go out, strangers mistake us for sisters,” An Yi teased.

Mrs. Luo playfully spat at her. “You child, always talking nonsense.”

An Yi removed the jade hairpin from Mrs. Luo’s hair, picked out a gold-plated hairpin set with a sapphire from the box, and fastened it into her mother’s hair. She examined it for a moment. “Beautiful.”

Shanyao and the others chimed in with compliments, coaxing Mrs. Luo into a smile that wouldn’t fade.

An Yi spotted two sets of clothing and a cloak sent from the Satin Pavilion and realized it was a subtle apology. She instructed Shan Zha and Xiang Qin to return the items to the Pearl Pavilion and took Tao Ren to Shunyi Hall. “Ask the Guan family to send 1,000 silver taels to the Satin Pavilion tomorrow.”

An Yi had never intended to hold a grudge against the Satin Pavilion nor to take advantage of them.

“Yes,” Guan Erjia responded.

After handling family matters, An Yi returned to Well Fence Garden. An Qing and his sons had not yet come home. After dinner, the mother and daughter chatted briefly, then An Yi went back to Pearl Pavilion.

After bathing and changing, An Yi pretended to go to bed and sent four maidservants away. After about half an hour, she quietly got up, went downstairs to a room, and used a soporific to put the four maids to sleep. Returning upstairs, she lit a candle, left the door ajar slightly, and read a book while waiting for Bai Wuming.

The night was deep and silent, only the rustling of bamboo leaves stirred by the evening breeze. After reading half a travelogue, she heard a faint knock. She set the book aside and said, “Come in.”

Bai Wuming pushed open the door, dressed in white as pure as snow, smiling broadly. “Nineteen Sister.”

“Aren’t you supposed to have left the capital? Why are you still here?” An Yi asked.

“It was Han Xuanye who left the capital, not me, Bai Wuming.” Bai Wuming produced a treasured sword from behind his back. “For you.”

An Yi did not take the sword. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she asked in a low voice, “Did you watch me practice martial arts yesterday?”

“I happened to pass by, overheard your maid asking why you weren’t practicing swordsmanship, and learned you lacked a sword. I had nothing to do yesterday, so I found one for you. Take a look, do you like it?” Bai Wuming smiled.

“To pass by and end up in someone’s private courtyard—you’re quite capable!” An Yi shot him a sharp look, then took the sword. On the hilt were two seal script characters: “Liuguang.”

An Yi examined them but couldn’t recognize the characters. “What do these say?”

“Liuguang.” Bai Wuming sat on a round stool opposite her, smiling.

An Yi drew the sword. In the candlelight, the blade gleamed coldly. She flicked it with a finger; the clear ring was the sound of a fine sword. She sheathed it and laid it beside her, speaking calmly, “Not bad at all.”

Bai Wuming asked with a smile, “When did you get to know Zhuang Manru and the others?”

“Today,” An Yi replied.

Bai Wuming was taken aback. “You just met them today and already went with them to the tavern?”

“What’s wrong with that?” An Yi raised an eyebrow.

“Tang Qinian’s aunt is Consort Li, who bore the Fourth Prince and the Third Princess. Earlier this year, the Emperor betrothed the Third Princess to Zhuang Chengru, Zhuang Manru’s second elder brother. Zhuang Manru’s eldest cousin married the eldest cousin of Liang Xiaoyue, whose third cousin married Tang Qinian’s maternal cousin. Zi Wei’s father is a Grand Academician of the Wenhua Pavilion, trusted by the Emperor and one of the tutors for several princes.”

An Yi sneered. In this world, there was no such thing as kindness without reason. “How do you know all this so clearly?”

“Lin Ximin told me.”

An Yi’s eyes flickered. “Does Lin Ximin know about your two identities?”

“Yes. We’re comrades in hardship. He knows my matters; I know his.”

“Why does one of you pretend to be disabled and the other pretend to be a rake?” An Yi asked out of curiosity.

“Nineteen Sister, you hurt me deeply!” Bai Wuming’s handsome face twisted in a painful expression.

“Huh?” An Yi looked at him in confusion.

“We’ve known each other so long, and you’ve never asked why I pretend to be disabled.” Bai Wuming looked at her with a pitiful gaze, feeling wronged.

An Yi turned her head away to avoid his eyes. “Sorry, just pretend I didn’t ask.”

“You don’t want to know?” Bai Wuming asked, surprised.

“No.”

“Why?” Now it was Bai Wuming’s turn to be confused.

“It involves your secrets. People who know others’ secrets don’t live long.” An Yi smiled. “I want to live to a ripe old age, not die young.”

“It’s really not much of a secret. If you stay in the capital long enough, you’ll find out.” Bai Wuming smiled bitterly. “We both have a father who doesn’t know respect, a scheming stepmother, and a favored concubine pampered by our father who forgets her place. If we want to survive, this is the only way.”

A trace of sympathy flashed in An Yi’s eyes. “The Marquis of Linchang has a title to inherit, so his stepmother tried to kill him. Your family has no title, and you’re not the eldest son. Why would your stepmother want to kill you?”

“Though I rank seventh in the family, I’m the eldest son of the fifth branch. The eldest sons get the largest share of the family fortune.”

“Power and wealth make the world covetous. People stain their hands with blood to obtain them,” An Yi sighed.

“So be careful when you befriend them,” Bai Wuming said seriously.

“Thank you for telling me all this. I will keep my distance from them,” An Yi said sincerely.

“Nineteen Sister, with a relationship this good, you don’t need to be so formal with me,” Bai Wuming teased.

“It’s late. You should leave now,” An Yi said sternly, signaling him to go.

Bai Wuming leaned closer. “Nineteen Sister, before—”

An Yi grabbed the sword and pressed it against his neck. “Want the blade to draw blood?”

“No,” Bai Wuming shook his head but didn’t back away. He pulled back slightly but remained close enough that An Yi could smell the faint scent of osmanthus on his breath.

An Yi tilted backward. “If you don’t want that, then obediently leave.”

Bai Wuming extended his right index finger. “Let me say one more thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“On October 15th, the Lower Yuan Festival, let’s go boating and admire the moon,” Bai Wuming invited.

“In the freezing cold? Go boating and admire the moon?” An Yi shook her head. “No.”

“Nineteen Sister, rejecting me so decisively hurts my feelings,” Bai Wuming clasped his chest melodramatically.

An Yi shot him a sharp look. “Your heart hasn’t been uninjured before. After enough wounds, you get used to it.”

Bai Wuming sighed. “Such a heartless Nineteen Sister. My heart is riddled with scars.”

“Go find your courtesan sister to comfort your wounded heart,” An Yi said with a sneer.

A glint flashed in Bai Wuming’s deep eyes. “Nineteen Sister, those women have nothing to do with me. They were brought by that rake Lin Ximin. Don’t misunderstand me; I’m quite chaste.”

“I don’t,” An Yi replied. “It’s late. You should leave. Tomorrow is the start of winter, and I have a lot to handle.”

“Understood. I’ll go now.” Bai Wuming stood. “I’m currently living in Pingliang Alley on Heng’an Street. If you need me, come find me there.”

“All right.”

Bai Wuming left, and An Yi bolted the door, went to bed, and slept soundly through the night.

The next day, the start of winter, according to custom, the Emperor personally led the high officials, civil and military ministers, to the northern outskirts to hold the welcoming winter ceremony. An Qing and his sons dressed in official robes early and followed the Emperor to the outskirts.

In the north, dumplings are eaten on the start of winter. Though the An family originally came from the south, they had adopted this custom over the past two years.

After lunch, Mrs. Luo, who was good at making dough, took An Yi and the maids to make dumplings together, chatting and laughing.

At the hour of Shen, An Qing and his sons returned.

“What fillings did you make for so many dumplings?” An Qing asked.

Mrs. Luo smiled. “Pork, lamb, beef, chicken, and fish.”

“Thank you, madam. Thank you, Xier. Make sure to cook five of each for me later,” An Qing said with a smile.

“All right. You should go change clothes now.” Mrs. Luo wiped her hands clean. “Boning, go to the side room to change. Your sister sent over a set of clothes through Chucao so you don’t have to run back and forth.”

“Thank you, sister. It’s great to have you around,” An Kang said happily as he went to change in the side room.

This novel is first published by Xiaoxiang Academy. Please do not repost!