Chapter 50

Liang Lingyue walked down the narrow path. His senses were sharper than ordinary people, so he noticed early on that someone was following him.

However, noticing that the footsteps behind him didn’t sound like someone skilled in martial arts, he relaxed. The path was already remote, and there weren’t many people around. After walking a bit further, the number of people became even fewer. Liang Lingyue realized the person behind him was still following at a steady distance, so he decided to turn into another narrow path that branched off to the side.

Shen Wei didn’t know what was happening to her.

At this time, she should have already been in the carriage heading home, but after seeing that man’s figure, she had inexplicably followed him.

She didn’t know what she was doing, nor did she know what she would say if she actually caught up with him. Yet, she continued to follow the man at a steady pace. However, to her surprise, in just the blink of an eye, the man in front of her had disappeared. Shen Wei looked around, unsure which of the two narrow alleys he had gone into.

Before she could move, a cold jade flute was pressed to her throat from behind, accompanied by a voice: “Madam, why are you following Liang so hastily without knowing the reason?”

Although the man’s voice was gentle, there was a coldness to his tone.

Shen Wei was about to speak, but Shui Bi had already found her. She had originally intended to call someone to find Li Da, but after a moment of looking, she realized Shen Wei was gone. It took her a while to find her, and when she saw the scene in front of her, she couldn’t help but frown.

Although Shui Bi didn’t like the Lady of Rongguo Gong, since the Lord had sent her here, the Lady of Rongguo Gong was technically her superior. Seeing her treated like this, Shui Bi naturally felt displeased.

With that thought, Shui Bi’s expression darkened. She looked at the man behind Shen Wei and coldly ordered, “Let go of my lady.”

Liang Lingyue hadn’t expected this woman to have such a capable maidservant. Originally, he had only wanted to test what this woman was up to, but now…

He gripped the jade flute tighter, his expression more serious, though his tone remained light. “There’s no need for concern, miss. My jade flute is a refined object, it rarely sees blood.”

“But I am genuinely curious…”

His gaze shifted to the woman in front of him, whose dress was finely embroidered, with long and fair fingers visible at her sides—clear signs of noble birth. Even though Liang Lingyue couldn’t see her face, he had already realized this woman could be from a prominent family.

A noblewoman would not have such a skilled maid. For a moment, he couldn’t tell if the woman was an enemy or an ally.

Shui Bi noticed the man’s skills were not to be underestimated, and she hesitated, not wanting to injure Shen Wei.

The situation stagnated until Shen Wei broke the silence: “Young Master Liang, it’s me.”

Her voice was slightly hoarse due to the flute pressed against her throat, but it was still calm. She could tell the man behind her meant no harm; if he intended to kill her, he would have done so already.

And… for some reason, she wasn’t afraid of him.

Perhaps it was because of his face; even though his identity was unclear, she wasn’t afraid of him.

Hearing her voice, Liang Lingyue was startled. He withdrew the jade flute and watched as the woman turned around and slightly lifted her veil. When he saw her face, his expression shifted from surprise to a smile, then to an apologetic look.

He took two steps back and bowed solemnly. “It turns out it is Madam. I apologize for the earlier misunderstanding. Please forgive me.”

Shui Bi had already approached when Liang Lingyue withdrew the flute. She supported Shen Wei again, her back stiff, still wary of Liang Lingyue.

Shen Wei didn’t say anything. She allowed Shui Bi to help her adjust her veil and then turned to Liang Lingyue. Seeing his demeanor, she spoke, “Young Master Liang, there’s no need for such formalities. One is not to be blamed for ignorance. You didn’t know it was me earlier.” She then glanced around and added, “This place is rather remote, Young Master Liang, how did you come here?”

She was indeed curious about who this Liang Lingyue was.

The place was secluded, appearing to be a common residence. Yet, based on his attire and manner, Liang Lingyue surely came from a good background, possibly a family of scholars or officials. Given that, why would he come to such a place?

Liang Lingyue straightened at her words. He looked through the thin veil, observing her clear and calm features, though he didn’t comment. Upon hearing her question, he smiled gently and said, “Though it’s a bit remote, there’s a fine restaurant nearby. If Madam isn’t in a hurry to return, would you allow me the honor of hosting you there?”

“Actually, I should properly thank you for earlier,” he added.

Before Shen Wei could respond, Shui Bi quietly spoke, “Madam, it’s getting late, we should return now.” Although she didn’t know how the Lady of Rongguo Gong was acquainted with this man, he was mysterious and powerful. She was genuinely concerned.

Shen Wei listened but didn’t speak.

She knew Shui Bi was right. It was indeed getting late, and they should go back.

But for some reason, despite knowing this man was not the one she feared, Shen Wei still couldn’t bring herself to refuse him. She nodded and replied, “Then thank you, Young Master Liang.”

Shui Bi couldn’t help but frown. In the Rongguo Gong manor, the Lady of Rongguo Gong was always careful with her actions and speech. Why had she so easily accepted an invitation from a stranger? Didn’t she realize how scandalous this could become if others found out?

She lowered her voice and called softly, “Madam…”

But before she could finish, Shen Wei looked at her and calmly said, “When that person asked you to come, did he ever mention that I require someone loyal to me?”

Shui Bi felt an odd chill, though the Lady’s voice was as calm as ever. It was a feeling she only ever had when facing her mistress. No matter what, Shui Bi didn’t dare to argue further, simply lowering her head and quietly replying.

Liang Lingyue didn’t pay any attention to the conversation between the two, and in fact, had stepped aside when they began talking. When the noise finally stopped, he turned back to Shen Wei and, seeing her looking in his direction, smiled and said, “Madam, please follow me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead and walked ahead.

Shen Wei, with Shui Bi supporting her, followed him. The alley was narrow and winding, and Liang Lingyue reminded her to watch her step while guiding her forward. After about fifteen minutes, they stopped in front of a residential house.

The house looked no different from others around it.

Liang Lingyue asked Shen Wei to wait for a moment before stepping forward and gently knocking on the door. After a short while, a voice came from inside, and then the door was opened by an elderly man, who looked kindly. Upon seeing Liang Lingyue, he smiled and said, “Young Master Liang, you’re here early today…”

After greeting him, the elderly man glanced at the two people standing behind Liang Lingyue and asked, “Who are these two?”

Liang Lingyue smiled and replied, “These are two new friends I’ve made. I brought them here today to try Aunt Cheng’s cooking…” He then led Shen Wei inside, casually speaking to the old man, “Uncle Cheng, please make sure Aunt Cheng prepares extra good dishes today.”

The old man smiled broadly at his request and said, “I see, I’ll go tell her.” As they walked inside, the old man asked, “Young Master Liang, do you wish to eat inside or outside today?”

Liang Lingyue paused, knowing that those from noble families often followed proper etiquette. He turned to Shen Wei and asked, “Madam, what do you think?”

Shen Wei followed his gaze and saw a table and chairs placed under an old apricot tree. It seemed that the “outside” the elderly man had mentioned was this area. The sun was still bright, and she found the setting particularly charming. She smiled and said, “Let’s eat outside.”

The old man smiled and led them to the table. After setting the utensils, he said, “Please sit for a moment. I’ll have my wife prepare some good food for you.”

Once the old man left—

Shen Wei, supported by Shui Bi, sat down in one of the chairs. Seeing Shui Bi still standing to the side, she spoke, “You can sit down too…” After her words, she didn’t pay any attention to Shui Bi’s gaze but looked at the man in front of her. Then, she asked, “How did you know about a place like this, Young Master Liang?”

Liang Lingyue replied, “Uncle Cheng’s son happens to be a friend of mine. Now that I’m in Bianliang, I sometimes come by to visit them…” He poured her a cup of tea and added, “I forgot to ask earlier, Madam, do you have any dietary restrictions?”

Shen Wei took the teacup from him and thanked him, then replied, “No, I can eat anything.”

It had been a long walk, and she was feeling a bit thirsty, so she took a sip of the tea. She had expected it to be old tea, but to her surprise, though the tea was a little bitter, it left a sweet aftertaste. It was even better than the tea she had received the other day.

Thinking this, she took a couple more sips.

Liang Lingyue, watching her, was somewhat surprised. The Duke of Rong came from a prominent family, but she was different from the delicate noblewomen he had seen before.

It made sense, though—

If she were like those women, she would have fled the moment she saw him lying in a pool of blood. How could she have saved him then?

Thinking of this, his smile became even warmer than before.

Uncle Cheng, seeing the two of them sitting under the apricot tree, smiled even more broadly. Without saying anything, he brought two pots of wine and handed them over, saying, “This wine was brewed from green plums picked last year. It’s quite rich in flavor. If Young Master Liang hadn’t brought his friends here today, I wouldn’t have taken it out.”

After he spoke, he added, “Please enjoy. The dishes will be ready soon.”

Shen Wei smiled and said, “Thank you, old man.”

Uncle Cheng smiled and waved his hand in response. He asked them to sit and then went back inside to help with the preparations.

After they left, Liang Lingyue spoke, “Uncle Cheng isn’t used to entertaining nobility, so don’t mind him, Madam. Although this wine smells fragrant, it has a strong aftertaste. It’s better for you to stick to tea…” He was about to get up and take the wine back, but before he could move, Shen Wei smiled and said, “I can drink wine. Besides, it’s a kind gesture from the old man. If you take it back, he might be disappointed.”

After saying this, Shen Wei reached for the wine cup and poured herself a drink. The cup wasn’t very large. She lifted it to her nose and took a light sniff of the fresh fragrance before sipping the wine. The scent of the green plums mixed with the sharpness of the liquor, and she couldn’t help but cough.

Shui Bi quickly patted her back in concern…

Liang Lingyue hurriedly poured her another cup of tea, saying, “Madam, drink some tea to soothe your throat.”

Shen Wei waved her hand and put the wine cup down. Looking at him, she said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had wine. You don’t need to worry.” After saying this, she set the wine cup aside, took Shui Bi’s hand, and added, “It’s fine, I’m okay.”

She hadn’t expected the alcohol in ancient times to be so potent. Perhaps it was because her original self didn’t drink, which made the green plum wine feel especially strong. Fortunately, her veil had fallen back down, so her face, flushed from coughing, couldn’t be clearly seen.

Shen Wei looked at Liang Lingyue through the veil, smiling at the concern in his eyes, and then said, “Really, there’s no need to worry, Young Master Liang.”

Liang Lingyue saw her reaction and didn’t press the issue further, but he did move the two pots of wine from the table closer to her. Watching Shen Wei glance his way, he thought for a moment before finally speaking up, “Actually, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you for some time, Madam. Do you have a friend who looks similar to me?”

When these words fell—

He saw Shen Wei’s hand, which had been resting on the table, unconsciously curl a little. Her expression became slightly subdued, but she still smiled and responded, “It’s just that whenever you look at me, your gaze always seems to be looking past me, as if seeing another person. That’s why I’ve asked you this today…” He paused for a moment, then added, “If it makes you uncomfortable, Madam, please disregard my question. I was just a bit curious.”

Shen Wei listened to his words, but her hand on the table remained tense.

After an unknown amount of time, she finally raised her face and looked at Liang Lingyue, then replied, “Young Master Liang does resemble a former acquaintance of mine. When I saw you that day, I was indeed startled.” As she spoke, she picked up her cup and drank the last of the wine.

The wine was still sharp, with a fragrant plum taste, but this time, she drank it slowly. After swallowing, she continued, “But I know Young Master Liang is not him.”

Her voice had become a bit hoarse by the time she said this, and even her expression darkened slightly… Now, the distance between her and that person was no longer just the space of a city, but an entire era—an era that even she couldn’t pinpoint.

Liang Lingyue, naturally, noticed Shen Wei’s odd behavior. He was about to ask something, but before he could open his mouth, Shen Wei had already raised her face again. This time, she had returned to her usual calm demeanor, and even her voice had regained its former tranquility: “I know, even though you resemble him, Young Master Liang, you are not him.”

The sudden shift in her mood almost made Liang Lingyue think that the earlier look of sadness on her face was a mistake on his part. But before he could process this, Cheng Bo had brought over the dishes, and the two of them fell silent and began eating.

—-

As the evening drew near, Shen Wei, with the help of Shui Bi, stood up, preparing to take her leave.

Before she could speak, Liang Lingyue said, “Let me see you out.” By this time, the workers who had been out were returning, and with so many people around, some might not be very observant.

Shen Wei didn’t respond but nodded in acknowledgment and said, “Thank you.”

When they reached the end of the alley, Liang Lingyue stopped. He looked at Shen Wei, and as the last remnants of the setting sun lingered in the sky, he lowered his eyelids slightly, still gazing at her through the veil. Even from behind the veil, he could make out some details of her face. He watched her silently and said, “Madam, my surname is Liang, and my name is Lingyue.”

When these words were spoken—

Both Shen Wei and Shui Bi showed signs of shock.

Shui Bi, of course, knew who Liang Lingyue was, and Shen Wei knew of him because of the book The Minister which mentioned that Liang Lingyue was the young master of Qiyun Mountain Manor. Though young, he was renowned for his martial skills. However, the book mainly focused on Lu Qihuai, so the world of martial arts wasn’t discussed much.

Shen Wei thought about this and then looked at Liang Lingyue again, realizing… he was indeed Liang Lingyue.

Liang Lingyue saw her look at him and smiled. He didn’t say anything more but instead turned toward the waiting coachman and said, “Madam, it’s time for you to return.”

Shen Wei didn’t say anything else, simply nodded in agreement. With Shui Bi’s assistance, she began to walk toward the carriage under Liang Lingyue’s watchful gaze.

She could sense that Liang Lingyue had not yet left, still watching her…

But Shen Wei’s steps did not falter as she continued toward the carriage with Shui Bi’s support.

Li Da had been searching for them for a long time, and now that he had finally found them, he hurried over to greet them, his voice anxious. “Madam, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for quite a while.”

“Madam just ran into an old acquaintance and spoke for a moment…” Shui Bi said this as she glanced toward the alley where Liang Lingyue had disappeared. Even though he was no longer there, Shui Bi, after helping Shen Wei into the carriage, pulled down the curtain and coldly said to Li Da, “Watch your mouth and think carefully about what you can and can’t say.”

Li Da, hearing this, immediately stiffened. He lowered his voice and quickly responded, “I understand, I understand.”

Once Shui Bi lowered the curtain, Li Da started the carriage, and they began the steady journey toward the Duke of Rong’s residence. Shen Wei had already taken off her veil. Leaning against the carriage, she closed her eyes, not saying a word as she listened to the sounds outside.

Shui Bi looked at her, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something but ultimately keeping quiet.

—-

When the carriage arrived at the Duke of Rong’s residence, it was already the hour of You. Shen Wei, with Shui Bi’s help, alighted and began to walk toward Tao Ran Zhai. After walking a few steps, she heard a voice calling from behind, “Mother.”

It was Lu Qi huai.

Shen Wei paused at the sound of his voice. She turned to look at Lu Qihuai, who was walking toward her in his dark robes. She remembered that today was his day off.

When Lu Qihuai greeted her as usual, she simply responded, “You’ve returned.”

Lu Qihuai smiled and replied, “Today I went to the Crown Prince’s residence. Mother, did you just finish honoring Father?”

Shen Wei gave a soft “Mm,” and, with her mind occupied with other matters, she didn’t wish to converse further with Lu Qihuai. She merely nodded to him and then looked toward Shui Bi, saying, “Let’s go.” Had she been paying closer attention, she would have noticed that ever since Lu Qihuai appeared, Shui Bi had been lowerng her head, her expression and demeanor more respectful than usual.

But today, she truly wasn’t in the mood for this—

After finishing her previous words, Shen Wei continued walking forward. However, after taking only a few steps, she accidentally tripped, possibly because she stepped on a stone.

Lu Qihuai saw that Shen Wei was about to fall. Before Shui Bi could act, he quickly caught her. Likely because he was standing so close, he naturally smelled the plum wine on Shen Wei. Although the scent had faded over time and wasn’t as strong, Lu Qihuai still detected it. His expression darkened slightly, and even the hand that was holding Shen Wei’s wrist tightened a little more. “Has your mother been drinking?”

His voice was no longer as gentle as before. It now had a slightly deeper tone.

However, Shen Wei didn’t notice the change in his tone. She only felt the pain from her wrist and furrowed her brow. She didn’t say anything but simply withdrew her hand from Lu Qihuai’s grasp. Looking at the marks on her wrist, she raised her gaze to meet his and said, “It’s fine, nothing happened.”

After saying this, she no longer paid attention to Lu Qihuai. She simply called out to Shui Bi and allowed her to support her as they continued walking forward.

Lu Qihuai watched Shen Wei’s departing figure, then glanced at his hand still hanging in midair. His brows furrowed slightly, and he eventually placed his hand behind his back.

At this moment, the stars and moon hung high in the sky. He stood there for a while, waiting until Shen Wei was out of sight, before he began walking toward the outer courtyard.