CHAPTER 033
"By the way, where's Juzi?" Liu Lan suddenly turned back as if remembering something and asked, "I didn't see it. It's raining outside; it should be back home, right?"
Lu Yun'er’s expression tightened as she frowned slightly, "Follow me."
"Who did this?" Liu Lan knelt beside Juzi, raising her eyebrows slightly.
Lu Yun'er recounted the situation and her suspicions to Liu Lan.
Liu Lan looked up at her and asked, "So, you suspect someone from the Guozijian did this?"
"Yes." Lu Yun'er nodded, deep in thought. She continued, "There are generally two possible reasons for hurting Juzi: either Juzi ate or took something important from someone."
After all, Juzi had a habit of picking up things, and it had brought her quite a few treasures before. She had seen them—just some useless toys that it found interesting.
"But from what I know of Juzi, it would never steal someone else's food. Moreover, weapons are not allowed in the Guozijian. The only places where knives could be used are the dining hall and the martial arts hall. If it did take something of great importance to someone, then using a knife to hurt it would be inevitable. However, if it really took something important, we should wait until Juzi recovers to investigate further. By then, Sister Nianzhi will be back, and we can plan our next steps."
Liu Lan, with a serious expression, asked, "So, Yun'er, do you have any thoughts on what to do now?"
Lu Yun'er's eyelashes fluttered as she leaned close to Liu Lan’s ear and whispered.
After a while, Liu Lan understood Lu Yun'er’s plan and left. The room fell silent, with only a man, a woman, and a dog inside, accompanied by the sound of the rain pattering outside.
With the rain pouring down and nothing else to do, Lu Yun'er hesitated as she looked toward the screen. In the end, she chose to sit cross-legged beside Juzi, her eyes full of pity as she gazed at it, feeling increasingly distressed and troubled.
In any era, safety is the primary concern. The rules of survival in this world cannot compare to modern society.
"Fishing is a leisurely pursuit, yet it holds the power over life and death; playing chess is a light-hearted game, yet it stirs thoughts of war. Clearly, it is better to avoid trouble than to seek it, and it is better to be incompetent than to be overly skilled."[1]
Striving for fame and fortune in the court can blind one’s eyes, while only in the rural areas, amidst mountains and rivers, can one find some semblance of peace.
Suddenly, the sound of a porcelain bowl breaking came from behind the screen.
"What happened?" Lu Yun'er snapped back to reality, her eyebrows knitting together as she walked toward the screen, a faint worry in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Sister Yun'er, I accidentally broke the bowl," Su Qingwan avoided Lu Yun'er’s gaze, his eyes dodging as he tried to lift the bedcovers to get up.
Lu Yun'er quickly stopped him, "Young Lord Su, you should stay lying down and not catch a cold, especially during your time of the month. Your body is weak, and you mustn't be careless."
"Besides, it’s just a bowl. I’ll take care of it," Lu Yun'er said as she dealt with the broken pieces by the bedside.
Su Qingwan lowered his eyelashes in embarrassment; he had lied again.
Indeed, he had knocked over the bowl on purpose.
Ever since Liu Lan had left, he had been watching Sister Yun'er’s every move, but when she didn’t speak or come to check on him, he couldn’t help but create some noise.
He wanted to draw even a little attention from Sister Yun'er, but seeing how genuinely she cared for him, he felt incredibly uncomfortable and guilty for using such tactics.
While cleaning up the pieces on the floor, Lu Yun'er said, "Once the rain stops, I'll see you off. For now, you should try to get some rest."
"I can't sleep," Su Qingwan admitted. He had tried, but with Sister Yun'er’s scent all around him, he was too excited to fall asleep. Now that it was just the two of them in the room, he didn't want to waste a single moment.
"Are you in too much pain?" Lu Yun'er finished cleaning up and stood up, looking at him. She made a suggestion, "If you can’t sleep and are bored, I can bring you a book to read."
Su Qingwan clenched his fists tightly and, after a long hesitation, slowly said, "Sister Yun'er, can you chat with me for a while?"
"Chat? Sure!" With the rain still pouring outside and nothing else to do, Lu Yun'er quickly agreed.
Hearing her immediate response, Su Qingwan’s lips curled into a brief, fleeting smile.
The two of them chatted until the rain stopped near dusk. Only then did they finally stop. Lu Yun'er realized that Young Lord Su was quite talkative. Afterward, Su Qingwan felt better, and the two took separate carriages back to their homes.
Today was the Qingming Festival.
In the morning, a fine drizzle fell from the sky, and it wasn’t until noon that the sky briefly cleared.
"Qiu Yi, is everything ready?" Lu Yun'er stood by the window, dark circles still visible under her eyes.
"Master, everything is ready; we can depart now," Qiu Yi replied, standing by her side and sneaking a glance at her master’s expression. "Master, did you sleep poorly again last night? Did you have another strange dream?"
Lu Yun'er sighed softly, "Yes, I’ve been having these strange dreams lately, and they’ve been keeping me from getting a good night’s sleep."
Qiu Yi’s eyes widened with curiosity, "What kind of strange dreams?"
"Just…" Lu Yun'er turned to look at her, seeing her serious and curious expression. She changed her tone, "It’s nothing. Maybe it will pass after a while. Let’s set off."
She was curious to see if this incense would actually work.
Qiu Yi, briefly disappointed, then expressed concern, "Master, why don't you skip the tomb-sweeping this year? I can do it for you. I’m worried that you might suddenly…"
"That won’t do. As the only legitimate daughter of the Lu family, tomb-sweeping and ancestor worship are important duties I cannot skip. Besides, I know my own condition. We’ll go early and return early."
Qiu Yi didn’t press further, "Alright."
About half an hour later.
Lu Yun'er sat in the carriage, watching the scenery outside. Green mountains and clear waters, with peaks rising and falling, and wildflowers blooming on the slopes. The calls of birds occasionally echoed through the woods, providing a soothing contrast to the bustling capital city.
"During the Qingming Festival, peach and plum trees smile, while wild fields and desolate tombs naturally evoke sorrow. Thunder shocks the heavens and earth, dragons and snakes hide; rain nourishes the countryside, making the grass and trees tender."[2]
Along the way, they encountered many commoners out for tomb-sweeping and ancestor worship, with the roads already bustling with activity.
After another short while, they arrived at the Lu family’s cemetery.
After setting up the sacrificial offerings, Qiu Yi and another servant, Xiao Chun, cleared the weeds around the tombstones. Lu Yun'er began burning incense and paper, bowing and paying her respects with utmost sincerity. As she looked at the tomb in front of her, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
They say that once one enters the grave, they embark on the journey home.
So, could she find her way back home?
After about another half an hour, the tomb sweeping was completed, and they set off to return to the residence.
Inside the carriage, Qiu Yi noticed that the master didn't look well and asked, "Master, are you feeling unwell?"
"No, I'm fine," Lu Yun'er replied, looking out the window. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure and instructed the carriage to stop.
Qiu Yi followed her gaze out the window and asked, "Master, what's the matter?"
"I'll step out for a moment. You wait here," Lu Yun'er said as she got up and lifted the curtain to leave.
Lu Yun'er walked towards the spot where the figure had disappeared. As she got closer, she saw it was a grave. The area around it was free of weeds, indicating that someone regularly maintained it. When she saw the inscription on the tombstone, her expression suddenly changed.
A while later...
"Master, why did you go over there?" Qiu Yi asked curiously as Lu Yun'er returned.
Lu Yun'er lowered her eyes, hiding her emotions. "I just saw someone I knew paying respects at a grave and wanted to greet them. It's nothing; let's head back."
Just as Lu Yun'er was about to lift the curtain, continuous cries for help came from behind her. "Miss, please save my husband! Save him, please..."
"What happened?" Lu Yun'er turned towards the voice and saw a woman dressed in simple clothes rushing over, her face drenched in sweat. She was in a panic as she said, "Today is Qingming Festival, and just now, my husband, who is almost eight months pregnant, suddenly started having stomach pains. It seems like the baby is coming! Please, save my husband!"
Qiu Yi frowned and said, "What? Aren't pregnant men supposed to avoid Qingming Festival and tomb-sweeping?"
The woman looked flustered and explained, "I'm just a concubine. My husband and his father have been close since childhood, but his father passed away not long ago due to illness. My husband misses him terribly, so..."
"Alright, saving lives is what matters most," Lu Yun'er understood the woman's plea and immediately got off the carriage, instructing, "Qiu Yi, take the carriage with this woman and her husband to the city to find a doctor and a midwife. Be quick and don't delay."
Qiu Yi hesitated and asked, "Master, what about you? What if something happens..."
"Don't worry. There are plenty of people coming and going on this road for tomb-sweeping, so I can easily find a ride into the city. Besides, it's not far from here, and I know the way. You go ahead and take this woman's husband onto the carriage. Let Xiao Chun take them to the city, and you can come back to find me."
Seeing Qiu Yi still hesitating, Lu Yun'er added with a hint of sternness, "Qiu Yi, go quickly! Lives are at stake, and there's no room for error."
These were two lives at risk, and the small carriage they had taken out today could accommodate three people, but a pregnant man counted as two, so there was no room for error.
The woman, moved by Lu Yun'er's compassion, was in tears as she repeatedly bowed in thanks, "Thank you, Master, thank you..."
"It was just a small effort. Go now, quickly!" Lu Yun'er urged.
Qiu Yi, looking serious, said, "Yes, Master, I'll come back for you." She handed an umbrella to Lu Yun'er as she spoke.
"Hurry!" Lu Yun'er took the umbrella with a slight smile, indicating that she was fine.
After watching the carriage leave, Lu Yun'er began walking quickly.
On another mountain path...
"Young Master, please put on this coat so you don't catch a cold." Xiao Yuan stepped forward and draped the coat over the Young Master's shoulders, even adjusting the collar to keep out the cold wind.
The Young Master stared blankly out the carriage window, saying nothing, his expression calm and distant.
Today was Qingming Festival, but unfortunately, the Young Master was having his period, so he couldn't personally attend the tomb-sweeping. He could only watch from a distance, which surely made him feel a bit sad.
Suddenly, Su Qingwan's eyes lit up, and he eagerly ordered, "Huaying, stop the carriage!"
Huaying, usually calm, immediately tightened the reins at his command.
Xiao Yuan was puzzled, "Young Master, what's the matter?"
Su Qingwan excitedly lifted the curtain and hurriedly got off the carriage, running towards a figure ahead, "Sister Yun'er! Sister Yun'er!"
Xiao Yuan smiled when she heard this.
So it's Dr. Lu! No wonder the Young Master suddenly became so lively.
Lu Yun'er was walking with an umbrella when she heard a familiar voice from another path. She turned to look back and smiled, "Su Qingwan, are you here for tomb-sweeping today?"
She suddenly remembered that the royal family had a special cemetery in the outskirts.
"Yes," Su Qingwan ran up to her and stopped. Seeing that she was empty-handed and it was lightly raining, he moved the umbrella to cover her.
Suppressing the smile tugging at his lips, Su Qingwan asked cautiously, "Sister Yun'er, why are you here alone?"
Lu Yun'er replied, "I just finished tomb-sweeping. Qiu Yi had some urgent matters to attend to, so she'll be back to pick me up soon."
Just as she finished speaking, a sharp pain suddenly hit her. Lu Yun'er tightened her grip on the umbrella handle, her face turning pale.
Lu Yun'er was so composed that Su Qingwan didn't notice her change. He carefully suggested, "Why don't you ride in my carriage and we'll go back to the city together?"
At that moment, a deafening thunderclap resounded through the air, "Boom—"
Lu Yun'er suddenly felt as if her heart was being tightly squeezed, making it hard to breathe. Her vision began to blur.
Finally, Su Qingwan noticed something was wrong with Lu Yun'er. As the umbrella slipped from her hand, Su Qingwan caught it and quickly supported her, alarmed to see cold sweat beading on her fair forehead. "Sister Yun'er, what's wrong?"
Author's Note:
[1] "Fishing is a leisurely activity, yet it holds the power of life and death; playing chess is a peaceful pastime, yet it stirs the heart of war. It shows that simplicity is better than complexity, and that true purity lies in the absence of skill." —From "Cai Gen Tan" by Hong Yingming of the Ming Dynasty.
[2] "On Qingming Festival, the peaches and plums smile, while the fields and tombs grow melancholy. Thunder shakes the heavens and earth, the dragons and serpents wake from their slumber; the rain nourishes the wild grass and tender plants." —From "Qingming" by Huang Tingjian.
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