Chapter 353: Chapter 352: Your Innocence Was Ruined by You
In recent days, Cui Yun came back later and later, the study in Sui Courtyard was brightly lit, Ji Xin paced back and forth in the courtyard, her eyes lighting up when she saw someone.
"Sir."
She strode forward: "Old Master has been waiting for a long time."
Cui Yun paused, as if he guessed something, and quickly dismissed the stunned look on his face.
He instructed Ji Xin lightly: "Tomorrow at the Zou Residence’s celebration, I will go. Make a trip to your sister-in-law; it will suffice if someone from the Cui family goes, she does not need to tire herself out by going."
Having said that, he then walked inside.
In the study, Old Master Cui was looking at the calligraphy and paintings on the wall. Hearing the movement, he turned around.
"These days you have indeed been quite lazy, seldom visiting the main courtyard. Your grandmother has mentioned you many times."
Cui Yun greeted as usual.
"Occupied with official duties, I will definitely apologize to grandmother later."
"Is it really the official duties that kept you busy?"
Old Master Cui looked at him: "The time at the tea house, you went, didn’t you?"
"I guess you did."
"I also realized later, it was a trap set by the Third Prince for me."
Cui Yun’s expression became subdued. He met Old Master Cui’s gaze.
Old Master Cui said: "Your grandmother and mother still do not know, and I always thought I could hide it day by day. Perhaps a lifetime could pass this way."
"I never thought the Third Prince could return alive. After his return, seeing his miserable state and thinking he could hardly protect himself, I feared once I was gone, the Cui family’s decade-old secrets would be buried with me. Unexpectedly, he turned out promising."
Even, unexpectedly so.
Cui Yun’s lips trembled slightly, being raised by Old Master Cui, he naturally understood the underlying meaning. His voice lowered, his whole body showed dejection.
"Grandfather wants me to join hands with him to overturn the Dragon Chair in the palace?"
"Both your fathers died unclearly, and that night the Princess Huai’an fought to give birth to you. It was only then that she and Prince Huai’an were willing to commit suicide together. Shouldn’t you do the same?"
"I know you are also thinking of this."
He looked at him, a serious face with tears glittering in his eyes.
"But you wouldn’t dare."
He stepped forward.
Cui Yun is no longer taller than him now.
Even he has already aged much. His spine could no longer stand as straight as a pine.
He had been too comfortable for too long.
Yet hatred remains a thorn, hanging on the heart, stinging daily. Reminding him how difficult it is to seek justice for wrongful deaths.
Yet some people should not die. While those who should die are still alive.
The infant who once tenderly held his thumb, is now a towering tree, silently protecting the Cui family for many years.
"Child, regardless of others, your grandmother and Mama truly care for you from the bottom of their hearts."
He spoke with bitterness: "As long as you are willing, you are always the Second Young Master of the Cui family, in the past and forever."
His voice lowered, with self-mockery.
"If this is accomplished, you should finally acknowledge your ancestry. Grandfather actually... also wouldn’t dare."
How could he bear to?
"But you must do what you must."
"For the Shao family, isn’t it also for the Cui family?"
The twilight deepened.
The night was deep, and Shen Hua didn’t sleep steadily.
Her body was intensely hot. She also struggled to catch her breath.
She drowsily wanted to kick off the covers, only to be covered up again quickly.
She kicked again, and was covered up again.
She kicked several times, but her mischievous leg was held down, and the girl, extremely annoyed, opened her eyes. It was pitch dark in the room, the cold frost from outside the window was blocked by the curtain.
She couldn’t see, but she was accurate.
A punch landed on Cui Yun’s chest.
Cui Yun grunted, yet just smiled, pressing his lips to her forehead: "Dare to use a bit more strength?"
She was bewildered.
"You are sick."
Shen Hua gasped: "Is it because you’re in a bad mood?"
"Hmm."
"Ha."
"But I am fine."
Shen Hua brazenly told him: "I am going to infuriate you to death."
Cui Yun’s Adam’s apple moved, and he responded nasally. His mind was filled with the words from Old Master Cui.
He held the golden lock which was not very exquisite, unbeknownst to Cui Yun, that commanding yet tender Prince Huai’an had personally made this lock.
It is said that Prince Huai’an and his wife loved each other deeply, sharing a love as lasting and ardent as the legendary mandarin fish couple.
As he closed his eyes, scenes of carnage unfolded before him.
Hundreds of lives were lost, none spared but him. The final fire cleansed all sins thoroughly.
Only four words remained.
——Rebellion shall be punished.
Besides this golden lock, they had left him nothing.
That year, Cui Bai clearly didn’t want to part from Qiao Si, yet he still went to Chi City, as he had once said.
——Weizhen, I dislike the smell of gunpowder and the hardship of battle, but someone has to do it. In the end, brother is just an ordinary man, hoping only for peace and prosperity, for lights to shine in every home at night.
He lowered his gaze.
The next instant, the girl who just hit him buried her head into Cui Yun’s chest without any shame, as if it were just like any other night, tiny hands clutching his clothes, body twisting restlessly, almost as if she had a tail.
"Quiet."
She mumbled, and her head rubbed against him softly again.
"I am so sleepy."
Cui Yun’s heart softened hopelessly. Listening to her shallow breathing, he finally felt a long-lost sense of drowsiness.
The moon rose above the willow treetops, the black of the night gradually swallowed by daylight.
Ji Qing’s household began searching everywhere. They ended up at the East Courtyard.
"Is the master here?"
Ningzhu shook her head and said, "Our Miss Shen hasn’t even gotten up yet."
"Impossible, I searched the whole estate."
Ningzhu found that statement unreasonable.
"A fine master like yours, and you still lost him. The Marquis is a man who takes on significant tasks, perhaps you got up late, and he might have gone to the Ministry of Justice."
"Today is his day off, he should be visiting the Zou Residence with Miss Shen."
Ji Qing speculated, "After thinking it over, I fear he might be here."
"Impossible, I’ve been here in this courtyard all morning; if someone from the East Courtyard came, how could I not know?"
Then, with the sound of ’creak’, the door was opened from inside. Cui Yun appeared, dressed in an impeccably tailored ivory robe, adorned with exquisite patterns that enhanced his noble features.
However, he still looked as distant as the Jiao Jianyue moon.
"Quiet down, she hasn’t woken up yet."
Shen Hua indeed had not gotten up, but she was awake.
She was even a bit confused – why, upon opening her eyes, was Cui Yun lying next to her.
Lying... just lying. The two had never slept together before, yet he wasn’t embarrassed about being caught; how could he still have the nerve to go out and ask others to speak softly?
Saw Cui Yun closing the door again and pacing towards her.
Elegantly to the bone. The noble aura unmistakable.
Yet, with a slightly raised tail of his eye revealing familiar, enticing laziness, "Your hands have ruined all my purity."
What are you talking about?
Who ruined whose?
Shen Hua’s rage flared as she noticed the robe he wore after scrutinizing the details.
She remembered sewing the fine, hidden patterns, each stitch tightly put together, using the cut needle technique to achieve fully rounded stitches.
Maybe it’s because she hadn’t seen Cui Yun much these past few days.
Maybe it’s because he looked too stunning in that attire.
Or maybe it’s because of what Cui Rong said last time about the girls of Shengjing being infatuated with Cui Yun.
So much so that Shen Hua found the person before her eyes increasingly irksome.
She leapt up from the couch.
Shouting in pain.
"Flaunting your charms, you don’t look at all like a good family!"