The wind sounded lonely in the dark night. It was another starless night. The weather did not look good, and it was a little rainy. The autumn wind suddenly rose. It was cool and swept away the leaves that had fallen earlier, making a whooshing sound.
At the back door of the yard, an old maid came back in a hurry.
Seeing the comer clearly, the old maid who guarded the gate put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, and asked with a smile, “Nanny Qian, it is so late. Did you go out to buy snacks for Miss Yun?”
“No, not today. Old Madam is in poor health these few days. Our miss wanted to embroider a headband for Old Madam, so she especially asked me to go out and pick out a few silk threads for her,” Nanny Qian replied carefully. The previous occasions when she used the excuse of going out to buy snacks did not arouse suspicion, but it was not a good excuse for her to come back at night. Her miss was muddle-headed. Why was she so interested in entering the manor!
After saying goodbye to the old maid guarding the door, Nanny Qian went to the yard of her miss.
Yun Ya lived in the courtyard next to Second Madam’s. It was late and it was about to rain again, so Nanny Qian didn’t meet anyone on the way. Looking at Second Madam’s courtyard from a distance, she noticed that the lights were still on. Not everyone in Second Madam’s yard had slept yet.
Nanny Qian carefully avoided people and came to the door of the courtyard. She knocked on the door and opened it quietly. The person who guarded the door was Yun Ya’s personal maidservant, Ning Cui. The two looked at each other and did not speak. Nanny Qian entered the courtyard directly. She turned around and looked outside. When she saw that no one was around, she heaved a sigh of relief and followed Nanny Qian to the main yard.
A lamp was burning in the room. All the young and old maids sent by Fu General Manor were sent out. Yun Ya sat under the lamp alone, holding the jade pendant in her hand in a daze. There was an exquisite tassel hanging on the jade pendant and she could not help but smile. The man was as handsome as a god. He had saved her when she was at her most helpless point and had rooted himself in her heart since then.
She had to be with him. No matter what, she would definitely be with him!
Thinking of the scene when he rescued her from the thief’s hands and held her over, and thinking of the tenderness in his cold eyes, Yun Ya felt that she was infatuated. This time, she was more anxious than ever. She thought that she finally met the person she was most willing to hold hands with in her life.
In order to be with him, she was willing to do anything!
At this time, her heart was burning, and even her eyes were rippling. In any case, she only wanted to be with him. This man was the good person she had been waiting for her whole life. Of course, the elopement with other men before, at this time, was like floating smoke in her heart. As long as she was really good to You Yuecheng, he would definitely be moved and spend the rest of his life with her.
As for some trivial things, Yun Ya thought that there was no need to care too much about them.
She grew up in the doting care of her parents, who gave her everything she wanted. Even if it was about her marriage, her father couldn’t do anything to her without her approval.
“Miss, Miss…” When she was in a daze and felt happy, she suddenly heard someone calling her in a low voice. Then she found that Nanny Qian had come back. She stood up hurriedly, grabbed Nanny Qian’s hand, and asked, “Nanny, have you seen His Excellency?”
Hearing her loud voice, Nanny Qian covered her mouth in a hurry and said in a low voice, “Miss, lower your voice. You… you really don’t want to live.”
They were in the capital, not somewhere else. If Miss was found to act indecently, she might be sunk into the fish pond.
“Okay, okay. Nanny, don’t worry. I won’t shout. It’s so late, and the young and old maids are asleep. Don’t worry.” Yun Ya broke away from Nanny Qian’s grip and said discontentedly. It was late at night, and she had asked people in the courtyard to go out to rest. Who would keep an eye on them? She thought Nanny Qian had lived so many years in vain. If it weren’t for the fact that she was her nanny, she wouldn’t have taken her out this time.
She didn’t have any courage.
“Okay, okay, okay. Miss, you’d better lower your voice and don’t disturb others.” Nanny Qian had always been timid in front of Yun Ya, so she didn’t dare to blame her. She could only remind her in a low voice.
“Nanny, tell me quickly. Did you see His Excellency? Did you… give him the letter?” As she spoke, Yun Ya even looked shy. It was not because sending messages was unreasonable. Anyway, she had sent messages not only once or twice, and she had done something even more unreasonable. She had always been a bold person.
She remembered that cold and handsome man’s slightly heated look in his eyes and he had personally tied his jade pendant to her. It meant that he was sincere to her, so she would never let him down. Both her heart and body belonged to that person.
“Miss, isn’t His Excellency of Fu General good? Wouldn’t it be better if you find favor in his eyes? Furthermore, your aunt is here as well. She can take care of you once you marry into Fu General Manor. Old Madam is a kind person and the population here is simple. It’s much better than that manor.”
Seeing how infatuated her miss was, Nanny Qian could not help but try to persuade her. His Excellency of Fu General looked like a kind person who had a good temperament and usually smiled at others. And he showed respect to Yun Ya. When they came to the capital, Madam had also mentioned in private that it would be best if Yun Ya could stay in Fu General Manor.
In their hometown, Yun Ya’s reputation could not be any worse. Even if she were to become a concubine, others would not like her. Madam did not expect her to be His Excellency’s wife of Fu General. Now that she was close to Luo Wenyou, it would not be hard for her to be a concubine. In a noble family like this, even if she was to become a concubine, it was way above Yun Ya’s station.
Hearing that Nanny Qian had the intention of slandering the man she liked, Yun Ya was unhappy. She slammed her hand on the table and said angrily, “Nanny, what are you talking about?” She had been spoiled in her own family and no one dared to go against her will. At this time, she was in a bad mood and put on a straight face.
“Yes, Miss, I…” Nanny Qian was startled.
“Nanny, hurry up and tell me if you’ve seen him!” Behind her, Ning Cui helped her out of the situation and tugged on her sleeve, hinting that she should not go against Yun Ya’s wishes.
Yun Ya’s attention was attracted by what Ning Cui said. She leaned over and said anxiously, “Yes, tell me quickly. Did you see His Excellency? What did he say to you?” Since Nanny Qian went out, she had been waiting, and she was very anxious and uneasy.
“Yes, I saw His Excellency. This is his reply. His Excellency told you to burn it after you read it.” Nanny Qian did not dare to say anything else at this time. She swallowed and said anxiously as she took out a letter from her inner pockets. Before she could hand it over, Yun Ya had already snatched it away impatiently.
Having no time to scold Nanny Qian, she turned back to sit on the couch, opened the envelope, pulled out the letter from it, and read it carefully. At first, she looked happy, and then her face became serious. She held the letter in one hand and frowned.
“Miss, what did His Excellency say? Is there anything difficult? Miss, do you want to say it and discuss it with us? Here, only we are loyal to you.” Ning Cui was good at talking, so she served a cup of tea for Yun Ya and asked with a smile.
These words hit Yun Ya’s heart, and there was really something that she couldn’t say it aloud. She nodded and asked, “Ning Cui, have you found out any information about the empty courtyard in the backyard?”
In the beginning, there were still a few words of concern for her in the letter, which made Yun Ya very happy. Later, You Yuecheng mentioned that he wanted to take her into his manor. He also said that he was married now, so she could only be his concubine, which would be hard on her. However, he wanted to do something that would make his family think highly of him, and it would be better if Yun Ya could help him. Then, when Yun Ya got married into his manor in the future, his family would also think highly of her. Maybe she could be promoted as a co-wife…
The letter was full of affection and faith. How could Yun Ya not be happy and vexed when she read it? She was happy that he valued her so much and wanted her to help him do a few things so that the people in his manor would think highly of her. In the future, when she married into the family, she could still be promoted to be a co-wife. This was something that Yun Ya did not dare to think about before. When she thought that she could be valued by such a man, she was naturally excited.
But what troubled her was that she really couldn’t think of anything to help him. At this time, an idea flashed through her mind, and her mind instantly became clear. She suddenly remembered what You Yuecheng had asked her to inquire about before. She learned that it was an important matter. If she could help him do it, she might be able to become his co-wife. With such a temptation in front of her, how could Yun Ya not be emotional? She stared at Ning Cui with anticipation.
She had been on good terms with Old Madam of Fu General Manor recently and had behaved coyly in front of His Excellency of Fu General Manor. In fact, she had done this for this matter. No, she had to do it well. She had to help You Yuecheng settle this matter. No matter why he investigated this matter, in Yun Ya’s heart, since he had investigated it, there was a need to investigate it.
“I haven’t figured it out. It’s said that it’s empty for many years. All I know are young maidservants, and they said that was the way it was when they came. As for whether someone died there or not, they only echo the views of others. Everyone said so, and of course, they believe it.”
Ning Cui answered cautiously. From time to time, she would sneak a peek at her master. Serving such a master, she had to be more careful, or else she would not know how she died. As her master was incompetent and had ruined her reputation, she, as her maidservant, would not have a good reputation either. Now, Ning Cui just wanted to live a normal life. After Yun Ya married someone, she could gain some favor depending on her appearance, and maybe she could give birth to a son and a daughter.
“After all this time, why haven’t you found out yet? Are you dead? You’re really useless.” Yun Ya immediately became angry when she heard that Ning Cui still did not have any clue. She pointed at Ning Cui and scolded her. She really did not like Ning Cui who was charming and she would know what she was thinking at first glance. If this girl had not played tricks on her, she would not have ended up like this.
She blamed Ning Cui for her several elopements with different men. If Ning Cui knew what she was thinking, God knew if she would help her wholeheartedly.
“Miss, do you want to go to your aunt to ask about it? Your aunt seems to want you to marry into Fu General Manor. In actuality, as long as you marry into Fu General Manor, is there anything that you won’t know about? You can learn the matters that happened in the inner residence with a proper reason.”
Just now, Ning Cui had helped Nanny Qian, and to return the favor, Nanny Qian also helped her.
There was give-and-take!
On the surface, Yun Ya looked gentle, but in fact, she was hot-tempered and impulsive. Nanny Qian had a good relationship with Ning Cui, and at least there was a connection between the two so that they would not be punished by Yun Ya.
