Chapter 126: A Moment of Heartbeat

Righteous words easily win favor, especially when spoken by a strikingly handsome youth, which only doubles the effect. The young women watching were deeply moved, casting flirtatious glances at Bai Wuming.

The thugs felt quite the opposite. Their leader, clutching his bleeding hand, shouted, "Beat this brat to death! Damn him, how dare he ambush me!"

His underlings hesitated for a moment before rushing forward to surround him. But what were such riffraff to Bai Wuming?

"Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack!" Six consecutive sounds rang out, and the six thugs were piled up like an arhat statue in front of the street stall.

Bai Wuming’s movements were nimble and elegant, making the young women and matrons watching swoon with admiration. Even Xiangqin and Taoren looked on with lovestruck expressions.

The thug leader, possessing some sense, realized he was no match for Bai Wuming. After blustering and shouting a few empty threats, he prepared to slip away, just as the patrolling yamen runners arrived.

"You scoundrels, making trouble again! Arrest them!" After scolding the thugs, the head runner turned to Bai Wuming and cupped his hands, saying, "Many thanks, young hero, for helping us capture these ruffians and ridding the people of this menace."

Bai Wuming gave a mocking, cold laugh. "I only hope I won't see them back on the street in a few days."

The head runner smiled awkwardly. "No, no, that won't happen."

Usually, the runners only offered verbal warnings to these thugs and accepted a few bribes before letting them go. But today, having been called out in public, they had no choice but to take them away and lock them up for a few days to let the matter blow over.

Once the thugs were taken away and the crowd dispersed, Bai Wuming walked gracefully toward An Yi and bowed elegantly. "The young lady has been frightened."

"Why are you here?" An Yi asked.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone knew they were acquainted, and the story of the hero saving the beauty abruptly ended.

"I saw you were in trouble, so I came to help," Bai Wuming said with a smile, flipping his robe as he sat down opposite her.

An Yi snorted, staring at him with cold eyes. Unless he had been following her, it was impossible for things to be such a coincidence.

Bai Wuming brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "I came to this area to find someone and happened to see you in trouble. Knowing you didn't want to get your hands dirty, I took the initiative to help. But why are you here?"

"To eat dumplings," An Yi replied.

Bai Wuming laughed and called out, "Boss, cook me a bowl of the same dumplings as this young lady."

"Coming right up!" the boss shouted back.

An Yi looked around; there were too many people to ask directly about the Liuguang Sword. She asked indirectly, "Will you return to the Inner City today?"

"I will."

"Before the curfew?" An Yi emphasized the word 'curfew'.

Bai Wuming’s gaze flickered, and he smiled. "I'll be back before evening."

"It gets colder after nightfall," An Yi hinted again.

"I’m not afraid; I have a strong constitution. Coming and going won't make me cold." Bai Wuming’s eyes brightened, and he felt a thrill of secret joy. This was the first time An Yi had taken the initiative to invite him for a late-night visit.

An Yi knew he understood, and her clear eyes swirled with a bright, radiant smile.

Just then, the dumplings ordered by An Yi and her servants arrived.

"Are you going to eat standing up?" An Yi looked around and frowned.

Xiangqin and Taoren glanced at Bai Wuming and gingerly perched half of their bodies on the stools.

"I'm going to eat now," An Yi said.

"Go ahead." Bai Wuming looked at her with a soft gaze, a doting smile playing on his lips.

An Yi lowered her head, blew on the steaming dumplings, and took a small bite. A while later, Bai Wuming’s order arrived.

After finishing the meal, Bai Wuming asked, "Where are you going next?"

"Continuing to eat here." An Yi wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and looked at the street food stalls. If she tried to taste everything, she’d likely burst. She would try a few more places before returning to Botao Pavilion, waiting for another opportunity to return.

Bai Wuming asked in surprise, "You came here just to eat?"

"Yes." An Yi nodded. Was there a problem with coming specifically to eat? Food is the primary necessity of the people.

Bai Wuming laughed. "Let's continue."

"Don't you need to find someone?" An Yi asked.

"No rush. One needs a full stomach to have the strength to work. Come, let's go eat fish-thread noodles." Bai Wuming was even more enthusiastic than An Yi.

An Yi chuckled and followed him to the next food stall. To save room for more, the four of them ordered only two bowls of fish-thread noodles and requested two empty bowls from the boss.

After finishing the noodles, just as they were about to head to the next stall, the sharp-eyed Bai Wuming spotted An Kang walking toward them. "Your older brother is here."

"My brother?" An Yi stood on tiptoe and looked around, seeing no one. "Where?"

"He's coming this way." Bai Wuming winked with his left eye. "I'll take my leave now."

With that, Bai Wuming’s figure flashed and he vanished into the crowd.

An Yi stood in place, waiting for An Kang to arrive.

"Little sister! Little sister!" An Kang spotted her and pushed through the crowd to reach her side. "Little sister, you nearly scared me to death."

Li Guyu did not walk over; he smiled at An Yi and turned to leave.

"You were the one who went back on your word! You promised to bring me to eat delicious food, but instead took me to that Botao Pavilion to listen to people talk about things I didn't understand," An Yi complained with a pout.

"Little sister, the reason I took you to Botao Pavilion was..." An Kang looked at his pouting sister and smiled helplessly. "Never mind, let's talk about it later. Come, big brother will accompany you to eat."

A flash of cunning amusement crossed An Yi’s eyes. She already knew why An Kang had taken her to Botao Pavilion, but she would play dumb. She had to pretend she didn't know, lest An Kang ask her which one she liked and force a marriage arrangement upon her—that would be a major problem.

Once the four of them were too full to eat another bite, An Kang remembered his long-term attendant, Geng Tian. He hurried to hire a sedan chair for An Yi, and the four returned to Botao Pavilion.

Geng Tian wasn't entirely stupid; after failing to find An Yi outside, he had returned to sit by the roadside with the carriage driver, munching on flatbread.

Opposite Botao Pavilion was a bookstore. An Kang went in and picked out five volumes of poetry, three of song lyrics, a book on rhyming, and a dictionary of lyrics for An Yi.

An Yi watched An Kang carry all those books into the carriage and was speechless. Was he planning to mold her into a talented woman? But writing poetry and lyrics wasn't just about reading a lot; it required an intuitive gift, which she seemed to lack.

Unaware of her thoughts, An Kang set the books aside and smiled, "Make sure to study these well when you get back."

"Oh," An Yi replied listlessly.

By the time the siblings returned home, it was past five in the afternoon. Winter days grew dark early, and lanterns were already hung at the main gate. After visiting their parents in Jingli Garden and chatting for a while, An Yi returned to Mingzhu Pavilion after dinner.

"After you left, Master went to see Concubine Huang," Fangrong whispered.

An Yi gave a soft sneer, leaning against the couch and closing her eyes.

"As soon as Master entered, Concubine Huang complained to him, claiming you were mistreating her. Master remained silent the whole time. Once she finished, he told her that if she felt unhappy here, he would immediately have someone send her back to the Huang family. If she didn't want to go back to the Huangs, she only needed to name a place, and he would send her there. Concubine Huang burst into tears, crying that he was heartless and had no affection for her."

"Affection?" An Yi gave a disdainful snort and opened her eyes. "What did Master say?"

"He said he had no grand ambitions and never intended to enjoy the 'blessings of a full house.' Taking a concubine wasn't his original intention, and he regretted taking that step. He also said that the reason the Madam nearly cried her eyes blind wasn't just because of your disappearance, but also because his taking a concubine had broken her heart."

"Regret is useless; the damage is already done." An Yi could not forgive An Qinghe’s remorse. She had been missing for over two years, but Madam Luo’s eye condition had only worsened in the last few months. This showed that while her disappearance was a trigger, what truly drove Madam Luo to despair was An Qinghe taking a concubine. Madam Luo’s friendliness toward Concubine Huang was perhaps merely a compromise.

"After Master said this, Steward Guan’s wife came to report a visitor. Master left, and only then did he find out it was Concubine Huang’s parents. They wanted to see her and intended to leave behind two matrons they had brought to serve her."

An Yi’s face darkened. "Did Master agree?"

"He let them see her. When they saw her sitting on the floor with disheveled hair and crying, with bamboo baskets piled in the room, the woman surnamed Chang scolded Master for treating her that way. Concubine Huang claimed it wasn't Master's intention, but yours. Master interrupted her, saying it wasn't your intention—it was his. He warned that if she kept causing scenes and didn't behave, he wouldn't be able to keep her and would have her parents take her back."

An Yi opened her eyes in surprise. "Did Master really say that?"

"Yes, he did. Concubine Huang’s parents were stunned. Her father pulled Master aside and asked to speak in private, and they walked out. They talked in the courtyard, and I couldn't follow to hear what was said."

"What they said doesn't matter. The important thing is, did they take her away?"

"No. Concubine Huang apologized to Master, promising to get along with you and the Madam, promising to respect you both, and begging him not to send her back, saying if she left, she would have no choice but to die. Her parents also persuaded him, so Master kept her."

An Yi wasn't surprised by the result, nor was she disappointed. "What about those two matrons?"

"They were left in Zhuijin Courtyard."

An Yi was speechless and leaned back against the couch.

"Young lady, should I...?" A cold glint flashed in Fangrong’s eyes as she made a throat-slitting gesture.

"No need. If you kill two, they'll just send two more. Just mix some bone-softening powder into their meals every day. No matter what they plan to do, they won't be able to accomplish it." An Yi said coldly.

Fangrong chuckled. "That's a good method, young lady."

"You've worked hard today. Go rest, and tell the others to rest as well. There’s no need to serve me; I’ll read a few pages and go to sleep." An Yi dismissed Fangrong.

Fangrong bowed and stepped out, closing the door behind her.

An Yi picked up the poetry book An Kang had bought for her and flipped through it casually. After half an hour, she put on a cotton robe and crept downstairs. Finding the four maids asleep, she blew some sleeping powder into the room before returning upstairs.

It wasn't until the first quarter of the Hai hour that Bai Wuming arrived. The curfew in the capital during winter was at the third quarter of the Hai hour.

"I’ve kept you waiting, Nineteenth Sister!" Bai Wuming laughed.

An Yi looked at him, her face as calm as water. "What is the story behind the Liuguang Sword?"

Bai Wuming’s eyes flickered. "What story?"

"Don't play dumb. I heard about its history from my Second Senior Sister. Why give this sword to me?" An Yi stared directly into his eyes.

"You needed a sword, so I gave you one. What’s wrong with that? It’s just a sword. No matter how extraordinary its origin, if no one uses it, it’s nothing but scrap metal," Bai Wuming said earnestly.

"Did you have no other intentions?" As soon as the words left her lips, An Yi wished she could take them back. How could she ask that? It would only make Bai Wuming misunderstand.

Bai Wuming leaned in close to An Yi, grinning. "Nineteenth Sister, what kind of 'other intentions' do you think I have?"

An Yi leaned back, creating distance between them. "The night is deep. You can go now."

"Nineteenth Sister is so cruel, chasing me away the moment I arrive." Bai Wuming put on an aggrieved expression.

An Yi turned her head away, ignoring him.

"Nineteenth Sister, a guest is a guest. You could at least give me a cup of hot tea to warm my body and heart." Bai Wuming didn't give up, leaning in again.

"There is no hot tea, only a pot of cold water. Do you want it?" An Yi raised an eyebrow.

"I do. If it’s from you, Nineteenth Sister, I’d drink it even if it were arsenic," Bai Wuming laughed.

An Yi’s eyes shifted. She took a pill from her bracelet and handed it to him.

Bai Wuming took the pill and asked, "Poison?"

An Yi nodded.

Bai Wuming popped the pill into his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed. A moment later, he clutched his stomach and collapsed into a chair, looking like he was in agonizing pain and on the verge of death.

An Yi glared at him. "Enough, stop acting. It’s not poison."

Bai Wuming sat up straight, laughing. "I knew Nineteenth Sister wouldn't be so heartless as to poison me."

"If you don't want to be dragged off to jail by the night patrol, you’d better leave quickly." An Yi looked at his white clothes and frowned slightly. In the dark of night, white was the most conspicuous color; he was far too flamboyant.

"If you need me, have someone send a message to Pingliang Alley." Bai Wuming stood up to leave, then paused and looked back at her. "Don't forget the date on the fifteenth."

An Yi pressed her lips together and remained silent.

"There is no curfew in the capital that night. I will come to pick you up." Bai Wuming pushed open the window and flew off into the night.

The wind blew in, causing the candlelight to flicker. An Yi walked to the window, watching the white shadow recede. Her gaze shifted, deepening and then lightening, eventually settling into a calm, profound stillness like a cold, clear lake.

The next day, An Yi prepared the bone-softening powder and had Fangrong sprinkle it into the food sent to Zhuijin Courtyard. The people there, having consumed the spiked food, all became weak-limbed; they couldn't even leave their rooms, let alone cause trouble.

In the afternoon, Han Songyan paid an unexpected visit.