Chapter 51 One Accident After Another
Wei Yuewu didn’t dare to move an inch. She complained in her heart, wondering if she was discovered. She really did not want to be involved with this heir-apparent of the Duke of Yan State because that would be the same as asking for hatred from other girls toward her. Judging from the situation on that day, it was clear that he was using her as a shield.
Well, she had no other choice except accepting this unpleasant fact of being used as a shield by him that day.
However, he couldn’t just keep using her as a shield endlessly. That would put her life at risk.
Therefore, Wei Yuewu made up her mind to cope with changes by maintaining the status quo.
Who knew who this heir-apparent was talking to? His guards might be near him. Perhaps his words were directed to his guards and he didn’t discover her here…
Suddenly, there was a light sound from beside Wei Yuewu. When she regained her senses, she saw that handsome figure appearing at the lifted curtain in front of her.
It was as if Yan Huaijing reached here after a casual stroll and there was no trace about him at all of the roughness of jumping over the barriers between the building and the pavilion. He still appeared so spotless and looked even more handsome in his white fox-fur cloak, and his eyes were just glittering.
“Wei Yuewu, it’s impolite to eavesdrop on others like that.” Yan Huaijing walked in slowly and warned Wei Yuewu in a gentle tone, as if it was an act of civility for him to jump over the barriers.
Wei Yuewu took a few deep breaths before she stood up helplessly. She dragged her numb legs and curtsied to him deeply, “Greetings, Your Heir-apparent.”
Yan Huaijing nodded and leaned against a pillar on the side. He looked at Wei Yuewu with interest, and after a short while he asked meaningfully with a smile, “Did you hear the conversation clearly?”
Wei Yuewu replied helplessly with a bitter smile, “Your Heir-apparent, I came first.”
She didn’t intentionally listen to their conversation. Really, she had hardly been seated when they went up to the adjacent building.
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t mind your overhearing. At least you can tell that there’s nothing special between me and the Third Princess, right?” Yan Huaijing said smilingly.
Wei Yuewu bit her lips and raised her watery eyes. She replied with cooperating seriousness, “Yes, I can testify for Your Heir-apparent that there is nothing special between you and the Third Princess.”
“I don’t need you to testify for me. I just want you to know that and don’t get angry with me about it.” Yan Huaijing nodded naturally and uttered those words smilingly, as if suggesting they both knew what he meant.
Wei Yuewu wanted to grind her teeth upon hearing those words. She clenched her fists fiercely to warn herself that the person in front of her was the heir-apparent of the Duke of Yan State, the most powerful vassal state.
Although she had been remaining in her boudoir all along without having anything to do with politics, she had read history books. She was aware that the current situation of the country was most complicated and confusing, and that beneath the surface of his gentle appearance, this heir-apparent of the Duke of Yan State was in truth a dangerous person that she couldn’t afford to provoke.
“Please don’t joke about me, Your Heir-apparent.” Wei Yuewu had no choice but to lower her head and replied.
Yan Huaijing felt it very amusing when he looked at the little girl in front of him putting on a grieved expression. A smile flashed across his handsome eyes as he asked, “Was it your second elder sister who was tripped into the water by you?”
Wei Yuewu, however, was shocked. Could it be that he was already in that building? If so, he might have seen clearly what she had done to Wei Yan.
Although she was disturbed in her heart, she remained calm outside. “Your Heir-apparent, you must be mistaken. My second elder sister fell into water by accident when she was having an argument with the Fourth Princess.”
“By accident?” Yan Huaijing looked at Wei Yuewu and suddenly laughed loudly. His eyes were filled with an unfathomable thoughtfulness. “Yuewu, you’re really smart. I need a smart person like you. How about coming to work for me?”
He spoke with such a gentle voice and looked down at Wei Yuewu with such a pure, handsome face as if he would bestow all his tenderness to her once she said yes.
Which girl in the world could escape from this trap that he specially made for her under the guise of tenderness?
“Your Heir-apparent, Yuewu is just a weak unmarried girl. I don’t dare to ask for such an honor.” Wei Yuewu took two steps back without looking at his extremely handsome face. Speaking of which, how could a man be so handsome that she didn’t even dare to look straight at him? No wonder there were so many people watching him on the street that day. His appearance alone was enough to stir up the restless hearts of girls.
“Good. Keep this way of thinking, because we will meet frequently in the future. Your mentality could save me a lot of trouble.” Yan Huaijing gave a refined and gentle smile and said meaningfully!
Suddenly he was struck by some thought and raised his head to look down the artificial hill, below which he saw Jin Ling hurrying toward this place.
“Your Heir-apparent, Jin Ling is coming here.” Wei Yuewu followed his gaze and saw Jin Ling. She immediately said quick-wittedly, “May I go and see what it is about?”
“Sure!” Yan Huaijing did not stop her this time. He nodded with a smile to indicate that she could leave.
With Yan Huaijing’s permission, Wei Yuewu hurriedly picked up the corner of her skirt and walked down. If she had known that she would meet Yan Huaijing at the pavilion, she wouldn’t have come up.
“I think you didn’t hear the conversation between me and the Third Princess, right?” Wei Yuewu heard the heir-apparent’s gentle voice as she walked past him.
Wei Yuewu stopped. She raised her face at Yan Huaijing with an assuring look and promised, “No, I didn’t hear anything. I came up alone and left when I saw my maid coming to me. I didn’t see anyone or hear anything.”
“Good.” Her expression seemed to have pleased Yan Huaijing. He reached out and gently stroked Wei Yuewu’s hair before smilingly indicated that she could leave.
However, seeing the hairpin hanging on his finger, Wei Yuewu somehow felt depressed. The hairpin was swinging on his slender finger as if it was on the very point of falling but did not really fall. She was truly fearful that the hairpin would fall to the ground and break in the end.
“What, is there anything else?” Seeing that Wei Yuewu stopped to look at the jade hairpin between his fingers, Yan Huaijing turned his head curiously and asked in a gentle voice.
“No, nothing!” Wei Yuewu gritted her teeth. This heir-apparent of the Duke of Yan State was truly too difficult to deal with. Anyway, it was just a jade hairpin. Furthermore, it was a jade hairpin without any special meaning to her, nor did it carry her personal mark. She wouldn’t care!
With this thought in mind, she ignored Yan Huaijing and turned around to leave decisively.
Seeing Wei Yuewu’s slim figure that left decisively without reasoning with him, Yan Huaijing’s handsome lips curled into a smile that was as elegant as jade. She was really different from ordinary girls. Her intelligence far surpassed her age and appearance. She could stand difficult situations patiently and was ruthless when she attacked.
Somehow, he repeatedly recalled the scene in which she struggled for survival on that day in such coldness as if only her clear eyes were left intact.
It looked like he was intrigued by the prospect of including her as part of his plan…
“Young Master.” A guard silently appeared in front of him.
“Follow her.” Yan Huaijing ordered with a smile as he looked at the dress that was visible now and then under the artificial hill.
“Did you see clearly that it was Mo Huating’s servant?” Below the hill, Wei Yuewu’s eyes grew cold as she asked Jin Ling in a low voice.
“Yes, I saw him clearly. He was Marquis Jing Yuan’s servant. The lad servant spoke a few words to an old maidservant and hurriedly went to Marquis Jing Yuan. I was a little far from them, but I saw Marquis Jing Yuan looked in the direction of the backyard when the lad servant finished his words with him. Then the marquis left the banquet that was held in the outer yard with his servants.”
“I followed them from afar. When I saw them coming this way, I went back right away.” Jin Ling had run in a hurry. Cold as it was, sweat could be seen on her forehead.
She had been following behind Mo Huating, but she reached here ahead of them.
Mo Huating was coming this way? And it seemed like he was going to the place where Wei Yan was resting? Wei Yuewu pondered for a moment and understood that Wei Yan’s previous letter for him worked. The corner of her lips quietly revealed a trace of cold mockery.
“Let’s go, let’s get out of here.” Wei Yuewu said calmly. Now that she was apt to get into trouble in this place, she must leave.
“Miss, that room…” Jin Ling pointed at the room afar where Wei Yan was resting. “Do you want me to keep an eye on it?”
“No need of that!” Wei Yuewu shook her head decisively. No matter what happened later, since Mo Huating was also plotting against her, she was sure that Wei Yan’s room wasn’t safe for them now!
If her maid went there and was discovered accidentally, she would easily become the focus of people’s attention.
Just let them bite each other…
The birthday party of the heir-apparent of the Prince of Nan’an was destined to be unpeaceful. It was said that the reason was related to the Second Young Lady of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. Speaking of which, she was the sister of the wife of the heir-apparent and she was once a young lady with a good reputation as well.
Nevertheless, today, successive accidents happened to her.
First, she argued with the Fourth Princess and accidentally fell into a river. Then, she framed up the Sixth Miss Wei of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, who had just entered the capital. This Sixth Miss Wei, by contrast, was said to be a generous and decent young lady despite her young age. After she revealed the true character of the Second Young Lady, she surprisingly asked the Fourth Princess to forgive the Second Miss Wei.
Finally, after everyone had left, a few aristocratic young masters somehow blundered into the room where Wei Yan was resting and so many of them actually saw Wei Yan sitting in bed dressed only in underclothes. That really ruined her reputation.
It was said that the servants of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang escorted their young ladies back before the banquet finished.
After such scandals occurred to the family of the mother of the wife of the heir-apparent—and more importantly, the victim was her very own sister—some sharp-eyed ladies and young ladies knew that what had happened in the backyard was true when they saw the unnatural smile on the face of the usually smart wife of the heir-apparent as well as her loss of composure.
After they got off the carriages, Lady Zhang hurriedly took the young ladies with her to the Tranquility Pavilion where the Madam Dowager lived. As the supervisor who took the young ladies to the banquet, it was impossible for her to shirk responsibilities after this kind of thing happened. Therefore, she must report to the Madam Dowager as soon as she could.
“Mother, Fifth Younger Sister and I had better not go with you.” Wei Qiufu stopped at the intersection leading to the third branch’s courtyards and said softly.
“Alright, then you two go back first.” Lady Zhang did not have the mood to care about them at this time. This matter had nothing to do with her daughters, so it was fine if they did not go.
It was more appropriate for an indoor young lady not to hear stories about ruined reputation.
“Second Elder Sister, Sixth Younger Sister, Fifth Young Sister and I will go back first.” Wei Qiufu said politely to Wei Yan and Wei Yuewu.
Wei Yuewu returned the courtesy with a smile. She glanced at Wei Yan and sneered in her heart. This time, Lady Li and her daughters plotted against her in the darkness at first, and then Mo Huating took advantage of the opportunity to harm her. However, it turned out Wei Yan became the victim of all their plans in the end. She would like to see how they would deal with the consequences!
In the current situation, it was impossible for anyone to get away unharmed.