As Xie Jiang’s feet crossed the threshold of the Southern Sea Marquis’s estate, large raindrops began to pelt down, and Tian Kangtai rushed forward, holding a massive umbrella.
“The imperial decree to enfeoff Prince Regent has arrived. Should we prepare a gift list to send over?”
On the way back to Fuyun Xuan, Tian Kangtai inevitably brought up Yi Yanguan’s enfeoffment.
“You handle it. But Yi Yanguan has many quirks. If I send him gold and jewels, he might think I’m insulting him and turn on me.”
“Young Master Yi doesn’t wish to treat you as an outsider…”
“How about I pack myself up and send myself as a gift to insult him for a couple of days?”
“Ah? This…”
“He wouldn’t be pleased?”
The Prince Regent would only be overjoyed. “I’ll have someone prepare the carriage. Is Young Master planning to go after dinner, or a little later?”
“My waist can’t handle a full day of bouncing on horseback. I need to rest for two days. If I stumble out leaning on a wall, how will you all hold your heads up in front of Feng and the others?”
“Then, should I ask the kitchen to prepare a more nourishing dinner?”
“Yes, please.”
That night, Xie Jiang tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
He Gu, who was on night duty, heard the movement and came in to check. She saw Xie Jiang had gotten up and was even reaching her hand out the window to catch raindrops.
“Oh my, it’s so cold outside with the rain. What’s all this excitement about…”
He Gu was so startled she almost jumped out of her skin. She quickly placed the lamp in her hand on the table and rushed over, pulling Xie Jiang back and slamming the window shut. “Didn’t you say you were exhausted and wanted to sleep early? Why are you sneaking out to play with water! You’re all grown up, can’t you even roll up your sleeves when you play with water? Look how wet your sleeves are…”
“Change your clothes, change your clothes, or you’ll catch a chill…” He Gu chattered on.
Xie Jiang lay on the bed, too lazy to move. Seeing her in such a state, as if her limbs were broken and she couldn’t even move a finger, He Gu gave up on expecting cooperation. She nimbly peeled off Xie Jiang’s upper garment and quickly changed her into a clean one.
“Weren’t you tired and sleepy? Why can’t you sleep now?”
“It must be that the nourishing dinner made me restless. It feels much better to open the window and let the cold wind blow in.”
“Then, how about inviting Young Master Su…” Seeing Xie Jiang’s warning gaze, He Gu immediately changed her words, “How about inviting Young Master He?” Wouldn’t that be more comfortable than feeling the cold wind?
Young Master He is outstanding in every way, and most importantly, he is proper and guaranteed not to annoy Young Master.
Xie Jiang had no interest in He Zhifei. “I’ve rarely found someone so useful under my command. You should stop thinking about He Zhifei.”
“What intentions could I have towards Young Master He? I’m thinking of *your* intentions towards Young Master He.” Seeing that Young Master seemed to have no intention of sleeping, He Gu casually added another layer of clothing.
Xie Jiang said, “Don’t you already have enough to worry about?”
Hearing this, He Gu immediately launched into a torrent of words. “Young Master knows I worry a lot! Don’t you see what time it is? It’s deep autumn, and the nights are so cold! If you’re feeling restless, why don’t you call someone? Opening the window to the cold wind in the middle of the night, and letting the rain drench you…”
“It’s not that cold…”
“Yes, yes, yes, you’re not cold. You’re not cold at all…”
He Gu said sarcastically, “Whose ice-cold hands and feet are these? They certainly aren’t yours…”
He Gu pulled on her socks, then casually pulled the quilt over, covering half of her body.
Leaning against the fluffy soft pillow, Xie Jiang was lost in thought. Suddenly, she asked, “Where have the two vats of twin-colored lotuses brought back from the Dingguo Duke’s estate been placed?”
“In Green Courtyard,” He Gu replied.
“Then I’m going to Green Courtyard to admire the flowers.”
“What?”
Admire flowers in the middle of the night?
He Gu wanted to stop her, but the words didn’t come out. After all, those two vats of twin-colored lotuses held such significance for Young Master…
Xie Jiang threw off the quilt, stood up, put on her shoes, and walked out.
“With such heavy rain, you should wear an extra layer of clothing…”
He Gu hurried to the top of the stairs, but Xie Jiang had already gone out alone, holding her umbrella, and disappeared into the cold, driving rain.
Yan’er stopped He Gu, who was about to follow. “Young Master left word that we don’t need to follow. She probably worried that Auntie would fall on the slippery road in the dark.”
He Gu flung an arm over a thick coat. “If Young Master goes out like this, her clothes and shoes will be soaked through.”
Yan’er said, “Auntie, don’t worry. The lights in Green Courtyard are still on. Young Master He is there.”
He Gu then relented.
If Young Master He is there, there’s no need to worry.
~
The study door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. The late autumn wind, carrying fine rain, drifted in, causing the lamp beside the desk to flicker violently.
He Zhifei, who was engrossed in his work, frowned and looked towards the door. He was taken aback when he saw who had entered.
A drop of ink fell from his brush, staining the nearly finished paper, but he was oblivious.
Xie Jiang stood there with her hair disheveled, wearing her sleeping clothes. She had likely not intended to go out, and her feminine features were not concealed as they usually were.
Exquisite and captivating.
After his initial surprise, He Zhifei didn’t know where to look.
“Marquis, have you… already gone to bed and gotten up again?”
He Zhifei finally noticed the ink splotch on the paper. He sighed inwardly and quickly put down his brush.
Xie Jiang’s every movement was as casual as ever, completely unaware of the impact her disheveled appearance had on He Zhifei the moment she appeared.
“Mm, I couldn’t sleep, so I came to look at the flowers. You carry on with your work.”
Xie Jiang waved her hand at him, signaling him not to mind her.
Because of the rain, both vats of twin-colored lotuses were placed in the open space in the center of the study. Xie Jiang took off her soaked shoes and socks and walked over, circling the two vats of twin-colored lotuses with her eyes fixed on them before stopping.
He Zhifei picked up a fresh sheet of paper to recopy the text. With every character he wrote, the image of her wet hem seemed to flutter in his mind.
He Zhifei put down his brush again, stood up, took the cloak draped over the rack, and walked over to drape it around Xie Jiang.
“Does Marquis wish to change her clothes?” He Zhifei remembered there should be clothes and spare shoes and socks in the inner room.
“No need.”
He Zhifei was tall and slender. The large, thick cloak enveloped her entirely, and she quickly felt warm.
He Zhifei looked down and saw her smooth, rounded toes peeking out from beneath his cloak…
He Zhifei quickly averted his gaze.
Thinking that she wouldn’t have come all the way to Green Courtyard in the middle of the night, braving the wind and rain, just to glance at the twin-colored lotuses, he brought over two cushions and placed them between the two vats.
He watched as her feet moved from the cold ground onto the cushions.
Xie Jiang bent down, gazing at the water lily, half snow-white and half rose-red, her fingers unconsciously playing with the leaves floating on the water.
He Zhifei knew the origin of these two vats of twin-colored lotuses and roughly understood why she was restless tonight.
He Zhifei had intended to quietly retreat to his desk, but he caught sight of her unbound long hair, the ends of which had somehow fallen into the water vat.
He Zhifei wanted to remind her, but seeing her lowered eyebrows and eyelashes, he ultimately did not speak to disturb her.
From his perspective, beneath the shadows cast by her thick eyelashes, there seemed to be a hint of melancholy.
He Zhifei quietly moved two steps closer, reached out, gathered her long hair, dried it with his own sleeve, and then helped her tuck it behind her back.
Xie Jiang seemed completely unaware of his approach.
He Zhifei quietly withdrew.