In the bamboo forest on the back mountain of Anshan Temple.
Lush and green, a gentle breeze blowing.
Cui Yunfeng and Zhou Yuanmo sat across from each other in the pavilion.
Neither of them spoke, making the atmosphere rather stiff. Cui Yunfeng pursed her lips, her head slightly lowered as she twisted the handkerchief in her hands.
Finally, Zhou Yuanmo broke the silence. Second Miss Cui, your complexion doesn't look too good. Have you been feeling unwell lately?
... Cui Yunfeng didn't quite know how to respond to this. No, perhaps I just haven't been sleeping well at night and feel a bit tired.
Zhou Yuanmo nodded, his gaze falling upon Cui Yunfeng's hair bun.
Adorned with floral hairpins and jade ornaments, it was clearly of great value.
Remembering the simple wooden hairpin he had given her previously, the tips of his ears couldn't help but turn red.
Soon after, another bout of silence fell.
Cui Yunfeng had never felt time drag on so agonizingly. She could only pick up the teacup from the table to hide her awkwardness.
Zhou Yuanmo's hands, resting on his knees, tightened slightly as he tried his best to find topics of conversation. Cui Yunfeng answered them one by one, yet she felt that talking was somehow even more awkward than remaining silent.
It was incredibly uncomfortable.
Cui Yunfeng looked around, just wanting to leave.
Zhou Yuanmo asked, Regarding my family's situation, I wonder... has Prime Minister Cui informed you of everything?
Cui Yunfeng was slightly taken aback and turned her eyes to look at him.
Zhou Yuanmo lifted his robe and stood up, bowing formally with his hands clasped. My family is poor, and my father passed away early, leaving only my widowed mother who needs care. If you do not disdain my background, I will certainly treat you with all my heart, respect you deeply, and stay by your side for a lifetime.
He had handsome and upright features. When he said these words, it naturally carried a convincing power, making people believe him without a doubt.
For someone from such a poor background, especially one who had struggled through hardships to finally escape poverty, the thing they would be most reluctant to mention should be their past destitution.
Yet, when Zhou Yuanmo brought it up, there was not the slightest hint of shame or embarrassment.
Just as her grandmother had said, he was indeed a good man, at least upright and open-hearted.
Cui Yunfeng opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Then she heard Zhou Yuanmo continue, Although my salary is meager, I will hand it all over to you in the future. My mother raised me, so the duty of filial piety should be borne by me alone. I will absolutely not let you suffer any grievances.
Cui Yunfeng remained silent for a long while before she softly said, Please, stand up.
Zhou Yuanmo's honesty inexplicably made Cui Yunfeng feel ashamed, making her feel like a terrible hypocrite.
Lord Zhou has the talent of a top scholar; you are being too modest.
Zhou Yuanmo smiled faintly. I did indeed once take pride in my learning, but in the capital, talent seems important yet is also the most insignificant thing. If not for Prime Minister Cui, I wouldn't be where I am today.
Ultimately, it is you who are being wronged by settling for me.
His little bit of knowledge was nothing but an ant in the face of a century-old noble clan.
Prime Minister Cui's great kindness, I will keep in my heart for this entire life, and I shall never forget it.
Cui Yunfeng pressed her lips tightly together, the discomfort in her heart reaching its peak at this moment.
Such a gentleman would make a perfect husband. How could she... ruin him?
My father is the Prime Minister, the head of the scholars in the world. To him, helping Lord Zhou is simply his duty, something he ought to do.
Zhou Yuanmo lowered his eyes, looking at the young girl's pretty face, his eyes filled with a gentle smile. Prime Minister Cui said the exact same thing.
His gaze was too fervent and gentle, making Cui Yunfeng feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.
It's getting late. I still need to go to the hall to pay respects to my aunt's spirit tablet, so I won't sit here chatting with you any longer.
Let me walk you back, Second Miss. Zhou Yuanmo stood up and politely fell half a step behind Cui Yunfeng as they walked toward the main hall together.
The covered corridor was winding and long, with many pilgrims coming and going. The statues of the gods in each hall were solemn and towering, and the scent of incense filled the air.
The two walked forward in silence. At the end of the corridor, a black silhouette entered Cui Yunfeng's line of sight without warning.
Her whole body instantly froze, a chill slowly spreading from the bottom of her heart.
Immediately, she looked around, wanting to find a hidden place to take cover, wishing she could simply vanish on the spot.
Lord Zhou, you don't need to walk me any further. I can go alone. I'll take my leave now.
Without waiting for Zhou Yuanmo to respond, she left the corridor at a very fast pace, walking into the crowd and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Zhou Yuanmo had not quite recovered his wits when he felt a sharp, cold, and ruthless gaze fall upon him.
That gaze was too piercing, like a knife wanting to slice open his flesh...
It made one feel cold from body to soul, their scalp tingling with dread.
Following the sensation, Zhou Yuanmo looked over and met the eyes of a tall man standing at the end of the corridor, his hands behind his back, dressed in a black brocade robe.
Cold, gloomy, tyrannical—any dark word would not be an exaggeration to describe His Highness Prince An standing ahead.
Those peach-blossom eyes that usually carried a wicked smile were still half-squinted at this moment, but the curve was sharp and chillingly cold.
As the top scholar, Zhou Yuanmo had naturally interacted with Prince An before, so he prepared to step forward to bow and greet him.
Eunuch Liu bent his waist, lowering his eyes to glance at his master's hands clasped behind his back, the knuckles white from gripping so tightly. He feared that if this fair-skinned top scholar came over, his neck would be snapped in an instant.
Your Highness, don't look anymore. The Second Miss has left. Our business is more important.
The words Second Miss seemed to instantly call back his sanity. Xiao Yi completely withdrew the murderous intent from his eyes, turned around, and left the covered corridor.
Zhou Yuanmo watched the person vanish in an instant, furrowed his brows slightly, and halted his steps.
Cui Yunfeng ran all the way toward the main hall, only wanting to return to her cousin and eldest sister.
Only a short distance remained to the main hall, just one more bluestone path to cross. But the moment Cui Yunfeng stepped onto it, an arm grabbed her wrist, and immediately after, wrapped around her entire waist, pulling her into the newcomer's embrace.
Cui Yunfeng's suspended heart finally died completely. Xiao Yi, let me go.
Why are you running? The man's breath lingered around her ear, deep and bone-chilling. Feeling guilty? Afraid of me?
Cui Yunfeng's body was imprisoned by him, unable to move. It is the order of my parents and the words of the matchmaker. Why should I feel guilty?
Yunfeng, Xiao Yi cupped her chin with his hand, forcing her to look up and meet his eyes. Don't provoke me. You know I can't bear to hear these things.
Those words about parents' orders and matchmakers' words would never apply to him and her. It was his sore spot, the legitimacy he craved the most.
It was you who said you wouldn't stop it. You said you'd let me cooperate with my father and grandmother.
Xiao Yi closed his eyes, his voice hoarse. But I never said I'd let you meet him privately.
Cui Yunfeng was about to say something, but Xiao Yi wrapped his arm around her waist, turned her around, and locked her tightly in his arms.
Are you alright?
Cui Yunfeng was slightly stunned. What?
She tilted her head up to look at Xiao Yi, who lowered his eyes, trying his best to hide the panic in them.
I mean, that Zhou Yuanmo didn't do anything to you, did he?
He is an honorable gentleman, Cui Yunfeng said.
If it were in the past, Xiao Yi would most likely have flown into a rage over this compliment. But today, as if weighed down by something on his mind, he responded rather absentmindedly, his breathing noticeably heavier.
Cui Yunfeng breathed a sigh of relief. Why did you come to Anshan Temple?
Didn't he always disbelieve in gods and Buddhas?
To find you. Xiao Yi's eyes flickered slightly as he barely maintained his composure. My men received news that you and your sisters came to Anshan Temple to pray for blessings. I wanted to see you, so I came.
His back was still covered in a lingering thin layer of sweat, and his heart felt as though it was being tightly crushed in someone's grip. It was only when he saw her bounding away, alive and well, that he could finally catch his breath, feeling as if he had just been brought back to life.
"This is a temple. What would people think if they saw us? Let go of me right now."
Surprisingly, Xiao Yi was very obedient this time. He released his grip immediately, but then suddenly braced himself against a nearby tree trunk and began to retch uncontrollably, looking as if all the strength had been drained from his body.
His wickedly handsome face still seemed to carry a heavy, unyielding shadow of fear.
"Xiao Yi, what is wrong with you?" Cui Yunfeng was startled.
She took out her handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, only to realize that the sides of his nose and his palms were also drenched. His entire body looked as if he had just been fished out of a river.
Standing to the side, Eunuch Liu knew very well that his prince had simply been terrified out of his wits. He slowly stepped forward and said, "Second Miss, please do not worry. His Highness was likely in such a rush to come see you that he traveled too fast and swallowed the cold wind. He will be fine after he catches his breath."
Thank the heavens for their protection. If something had truly happened to the Second Miss in that carriage, his prince would not have been able to live on either.
Eunuch Liu could not help but recall the look on his prince's face when the manor guards reported that the Second Miss had boarded the Tang family daughter's carriage and left the city.
Even the collapse of heaven and earth could not compare to that expression.
"Your Highness," Eunuch Liu stepped forward to gently rub Xiao Yi's back. "Just take a moment to breathe and you will be alright. The Second Miss is right here."
Right at that moment, Yun'er's frantic and anxious calls reached their ears. Listening closely, one could even hear a crying tone in her voice.
Cui Yunfeng's heart sank. She let go of Xiao Yi and walked out. "Yun'er, I am over here."
"Second Miss." Yun'er stumbled forward, nearly tripping and falling several times. She cried out, "M-Miss, something terrible has happened. The Eldest Miss... the Eldest Miss is gone."
