Chapter 103 - 102: Drunkenness (150+ Monthly Votes)
Many times, no matter the season, standing under that Chastity Arch, Du Yunluo quietly gazed at those memorial tablets.
She clearly remembers the location of Mu Lianxiao’s tablet, and even with her eyes closed, she can point it out.
That was her Princely Heir.
Someone she could never forget, even in the lifetime after this.
In the realm of dreams, the pain remained.
Tears slipped down her cheeks, soaking half of the pillow.
In her dreams, there were Yunluo Flowers.
She stood under the Yunluo Flowers planted for her by his own hands in the courtyard, looking up at that expanse of purple, reaching out to pick them, but alas, she couldn’t reach, just like she couldn’t reach the person who had already left.
Du Yunluo curled her body, then suddenly opened her eyes.
Her tearful eyes were blurred, and her heart ached so much it was hard to breathe.
Related to Mu Lianxiao, she remembers everything, cherishes it in her heart, unwilling to forget a single moment, except for one thing, which she hadn’t wanted to recall over the decades.
𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
That thing is Mu Lianxiao’s death anniversary.
In the blink of an eye, it was that season again.
At the end of September in the 25th year of Yong’an, her Princely Heir died in battle.
When the news reached the Capital, it was already the end of October, Mrs. Zhou fainted on the spot, and she stared at the Yunluo that had already passed its season, standing there for a whole night.
Recalling the state of mind at that time, Du Yunluo raised her hand to her face, wiping away the tears.
Jin Rui sat by the bed, eyes full of worry.
Du Yunluo took a breath, gave Jin Rui a smile: "It’s okay, it was just a dream, only a dream. I know, it’s just a dream, you’re still here, Jin Ling is still here, you’re all still here..."
Perhaps Du Yunluo’s sobbing was too sorrowful, or perhaps her tears tugged at the heartstrings, Jin Rui’s nose was sour, her eyes red, tears flowed non-stop: "Miss, this servant is here, this servant is right here, this servant accompanies you..."
Du Yunluo nodded, gently embraced Jin Rui, though inside she still felt empty.
She wanted to see Mu Lianxiao, wanted to confirm if the person at Fa Yin Temple truly appeared, these days of restless dreams were making her a little dazed.
A bit frightened.
These thoughts, Jin Rui certainly couldn’t guess.
She wiped her tears and said: "This servant will fetch water for Miss to cleanse her face, otherwise when Madam returns, she will be worried."
Jin Rui stood up and walked to the outer room, about to open the door to call someone, when suddenly there was a commotion outside.
The people that came to Qinglian Temple were not many, all were Zhen Family servants, Jin Rui couldn’t speak with them as casually as in Anhua Courtyard, so she opened the door, asked politely: "What’s going on?"
Before she finished speaking, Jin Rui met a pair of reddened eyes directly, her body shivered, it belonged to Zhen Wenqian.
Purely on instinct, Jin Rui felt Zhen Wenqian was very dangerous, completely different from his usual gentlemanly image, his eyes seemed to be spewing fire, almost subconsciously, Jin Rui slammed the door shut, and dropped the latch.
Outside, the voices of the old women came through.
"Master, the cousin is resting, you absolutely cannot go inside."
"Master, you’ve had wine, let us help you back."
Jin Rui pressed against the door, her heart pounding furiously.
She knew drunkards behaved very differently from usual, but who could tell her, in this Buddhist sacred place, who gave Zhen Wenqian the wine!
Outside, Zhen Wenqian was still struggling, his strength was great, the several old women couldn’t hold him back at all.
His mind was filled with Zhen Wenting’s taunts and mockery, those words crashed into him, dizzying him.
"So, now you regret it? When Grandma brought it up before, weren’t you resolute in your refusal?"
"You thought she was like when she was little, spoiled and lawless, but now, Du Yunluo is vastly different from what you imagined, isn’t she?"
"You scorned her disposition, thinking a girl not wanted even by her maternal family wouldn’t have a good husband’s family, but now she’s blossomed like a celestial being, honored with an imperial decree to enter the Marquis Mansion, and you can’t let go of her?"
"You feared Grandma’s utter favoritism toward her, worried she would suppress you later, but didn’t you consider if you married her, you wouldn’t have to worry about the second branch surpassing us? Second Aunt is from Langya Wang Family, even if she doesn’t vie or fight, would Langya let Second Brother lead an ordinary life? You don’t marry Du Yunluo, once Second Brother rises to prominence, what can you, the first grandson of the first branch, compete with him?"
"Now you think she’s precious, what were you doing earlier? Waning moon? Did you oversleep and miss the moonlight? You didn’t want to look at all! Whether that moonlight was bright or dim, you simply didn’t care! Until daylight dazzled your eyes, hearing us say last night’s moonlight was enchanting, then regretting and lamenting! She’s already betrothed, remembering her now, for whom are you showing it?"
Zhen Wenting’s voice echoed repeatedly, Zhen Wenqian, agitated, fueled by wine, sought out Du Yunluo, yet was intercepted by several old women.
He rushed fiercely, relying on brute force to break through.
Jin Rui heard the commotion outside, tremblingly called Du Yunluo.
Du Yunluo threw on her coat and came out, glanced out the window, her brows tightly furrowed.
"Miss..." Jin Rui struggled to remain calm, "There are still mammas at the door, it’s alright."
Du Yunluo had just been crying, her mood wasn’t settled yet, seeing the situation, she grabbed Jin Rui and said: "Move the chair to block the door, then we’ll go out the back window."
"Go out?" Jin Rui’s eyes widened.
"Stay inside and wait passively? Du Yunluo snorted, "He’s drunk, what reasoning is there with a drunkard? Mother and others went to fetch spring water, who knows when they’ll return, the people staying are few, all are Zhen Family’s old women, who among them would dare use all their strength to stop him? If he breaks in, will he sit down and talk nicely to me?"
Jin Rui bit her lip, knowing Du Yunluo was right, but she couldn’t help but be afraid.
The mistress and servant moved chairs to block the door, then at the back window set up a stool, Jin Rui helped Du Yunluo climb out, when she herself was about to crawl out, she heard a thump, the door was slammed open.
Jin Rui’s eyes tightened suddenly, her heart leaping to her throat, she glanced at the door.
Zhen Wenqian kicked the chair away, ignoring the old women’s tugging, rushed inside.
Jin Rui couldn’t spare time to think, she said: "Miss go first, this servant will hold him back."
Having spoken, the back window snapped shut.
Du Yunluo stood under the window, listening to the old women’s voices persuading and pulling inside, took a deep breath, turned around, and left.
She knew Zhen Wenqian was seeking her, Jin Rui staying there wouldn’t suffer too much.
If matters took a turn for the worse, those old women weren’t stupid, they would use all their strength to hold him back.
As long as she avoided him, once Mrs. Zhen and the others returned, everything would be alright.
Du Yunluo turned and left, before her the bamboo grove deepened, step by step she walked inside.
The commotion far away, sunlight partially blocked by bamboo leaves, all around silent.
Du Yunluo shivered, this was just like her dream, her lonely dream.
Almost instinctively, she ran a few steps forward, the rustling bamboo leaves, rounding a corner, suddenly she saw a person standing in the distance.
Posture tall and straight, the back like a pine.