Chapter 8: Speculation

About half an incense stick of time later, the two people below finally left in exasperation.

Seeing this, Feng Bai Su encircled Wei Jing Mo with her long, powerful arms and flew down from the tree with him in her embrace.

Wei Jing Mo had been hanging his head the whole time. Feeling a tightening around his waist, he instinctively reached out and hooked his arms around Feng Bai Su’s neck.

His thin body unconsciously pressed against her chest, instantly enveloped by a rich, intense floral fragrance that made his cool and indifferent ink-black eyes flutter involuntarily.

After Feng Bai Su landed steadily, seeing the person in her arms still dazedly hanging onto her neck, she said in a teasing tone, “What’s wrong? Reluctant to get off this princess?”

Hearing that lazy and casual voice, Wei Jing Mo instantly came back to his senses, releasing his arms and retreating from her embrace.

The early autumn day was already somewhat cool. Earlier, he had been in Feng Bai Su’s arms and was too nervous to feel the cold. Now as the cool breeze hit him, his snow-white clothes, completely soaked, clung tightly to his slender body. The chill instantly penetrated through the thin garments and into his bones.

He couldn’t help but shiver slightly, his already pale thin lips becoming even more transparent.

Wei Jing Mo stood there somewhat at a loss, just about to open his mouth to say something when a red brocade robe enveloped in rich floral fragrance was draped over his head.

A light tsk sounded by his ear, the voice still characteristically lazy: “What a delicate and pampered young master indeed.”

By the time he pulled the brocade robe off his head and draped it over his body, the woman’s figure had already disappeared.

Wei Jing Mo’s pale, translucent fingertips tightly gripped the red brocade robe in his hands, his light eyes staring at where the woman had been standing, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

——

After leaving, Feng Bai Su did not return to Red Maple Garden, but went directly back to Clear Breeze Palace.

When Cong Bai hurriedly returned, as soon as she stepped in, she saw her mistress lying on the soft couch, idly flipping through a book in her hand.

Seeing this, she felt relieved.

Looking up and noticing Feng Bai Su was only wearing an inner robe, she asked in surprise, “Your Highness, where is your outer robe?”

Feng Bai Su saw her but didn’t move her eyes from the book. She replied in a flat tone, “It went to do a good deed.”

“Huh?” Cong Bai was confused, not understanding. “Your Highness, what good deed?”

But Feng Bai Su didn’t answer her again, instead changing the subject: “Why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen?”

Hearing her ask this, Cong Bai suddenly remembered. She slapped her forehead, “Oh right! Your Highness, something big happened at Red Maple Garden!”

“Oh?”

Cong Bai said excitedly, “Just after you left, the Male Empress also left early. Only a few noble gentlemen remained. Everything was fine at first, but suddenly a palace servant burst in, saying that the young master of the Northern Garrison Marquis’s mansion had fallen into the water. Everyone immediately rushed anxiously to the lakeside, but when they arrived, there was no one to be found. Just then, the young master Wei suddenly appeared, asking a few questions to the crowd gathered by the lake. Only then did everyone realize they had been tricked. The palace servant who had falsely spread the news was caught on the spot before he could run away!”

“And then?”

Cong Bai caught her breath, then said meaningfully, “Do you know whose person this palace servant was? He belonged to the Fourth Princess who is currently under house arrest.”

As she said this, she suddenly shuddered, as if thinking of something frightening.

“Your Highness, don’t you think this incident is very strange? How did someone from the Fourth Princess’s household suddenly appear?”

After hearing her words, Feng Bai Su thought of the two figures she had seen by the lake earlier, and couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

It seems someone had been the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind! They thought they were the hunter, but ended up becoming someone else’s prey.

The person who appeared by the lake today was actually the Fourth Princess, who was nominally still under house arrest.

She must have developed some ulterior motives towards Wei Jing Mo, and thus set up this drowning act. Then she had someone notify the people at Red Maple Garden. At that time, in front of everyone’s eyes, the two would have had intimate contact. In this era where male-female boundaries were so strict, even if Wei Jing Mo was the young master of the Northern Garrison Marquis’s mansion, he would have no choice but to marry her.

Unfortunately, this good show was disrupted by her!

And what’s more interesting is that there was actually someone else waiting to take advantage, making the messenger become someone from the Fourth Princess’s palace. This way, anyone with a bit of sense could figure out that she had orchestrated this whole act herself.

Feng Bai Su couldn’t help but curve her red lips, quite curious about who this person was behind the scenes, wanting to both frame the Fourth Princess and ruin Wei Jing Mo?

This tactic of killing two birds with one stone was played quite well!

——

Northern Garrison Marquis’s Mansion

Wanyue Pavilion

Because Wei Jing Mo had fallen into the water and been frightened, he developed a low fever after returning to the mansion.

Shen Ke sat by the head of the bed, changing the wet cloth on his forehead, his eyes full of pity: “My son, you have suffered!”

As he finished speaking, a hint of viciousness flashed through his gaze: “Don’t worry, father will definitely seek justice for you.”

Wei Jing Mo’s delicate eyelashes trembled lightly as he slowly opened his ink-black eyes. Perhaps due to his illness, his usually clear and transparent eyes contained a hint of moisture, making him look somewhat fragile.

His voice was also a bit hoarse: “…Father, although the Fourth Princess cannot escape responsibility, there should be others behind this, wanting to kill two birds with one stone by setting up both me and the Fourth Princess.”

Hearing his weak voice, Shen Ke felt even more pained.

Wei Jing Mo was his youngest son. His two daughters had not been by his side since childhood, only this youngest son was raised by his own hands. Wei Jing Mo had been weak since childhood, always raised in this inner chamber for over ten years. Although he seemed cold and aloof on the surface, he was actually the most innocent inside.

Whenever he thought of his son’s temperament, yet could only watch him marry into the imperial family, Shen Ke felt utterly resentful.

Because of this, he always felt somewhat guilty and pitying towards this youngest son.

Shen Ke’s emotions got the better of him for a moment, and he couldn’t help but start weeping softly: “My poor child, it’s your father’s uselessness, only able to watch helplessly as you marry into that imperial family that devours people without spitting out bones. And now before you’re even married, you’ve already suffered such hardship!”

When Wei Yun, the Northern Garrison Marquis, entered the room, she heard sobbing sounds coming from inside.

Her sharp sword-like eyebrows furrowed slightly as she strode in: “What’s going on here?”

The servants attending on the side saw her and immediately knelt down in greeting: “Marquis.”

Wei Yun waved her hand to dismiss them, walked around the screen and entered. Seeing Shen Ke sitting on the edge of the bed wiping tears, her usually harsh voice softened a bit: “Why are you crying out of the blue?”

Shen Ke saw her and glared, his face full of reproach: “What do you mean out of the blue! Our Ink child has suffered such a great wrong, and you as his mother don’t seem to care at all. Now you won’t even let me, his father, feel distressed?”

Seeing him suddenly become angry, Wei Yun looked a bit sheepish. She glanced at their son lying in bed, trying to get him to say something to placate Shen Ke.

But Wei Jing Mo pretended not to see, remaining unmoved. She glared fiercely, then had no choice but to step forward and take the handkerchief from Shen Ke’s hand to gently wipe his tears.

She coaxed him somewhat helplessly: “How can you say I don’t care? Ink is my son, of course I won’t let him suffer in vain. You can rest assured about this matter! Leave it to me, alright?”

Shen Ke just snorted lightly at her without saying anything, which counted as agreeing to her words.

The two of them had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, so their feelings were naturally deep. Apart from the side husbands forced on them by the old Madam in the early years when she was still alive, and those bestowed by the Emperor, the Northern Garrison Marquis’s household was relatively simple compared to other high-ranking noble families.

After all, in this era, having three husbands and four side husbands was normal. It could even become a woman’s capital for showing off, proving her own powerful capabilities.

Wei Jing Mo lay in bed watching his mother console his father. Her deep and sharp eyes turned to look at him: “Besides seeing the Fourth Princess by the lake, did you see anyone else?”

Hearing this, an indolent figure immediately flashed through Wei Jing Mo’s mind.

His light eyes flickered slightly as he bit his lip and shook his head: “No. I only saw the Fourth Princess appear by the lake with a palace maid.”

Wei Yun looked at him inscrutably for a few moments, then said slowly: “Alright, rest well! Don’t worry about these things anymore.”

With that, she took Shen Ke’s hand and walked out.

As they walked, she said: “Let him rest well, we shouldn’t disturb him here anymore.”

Shen Ke couldn’t help but look back a few more times, but finally left with Wei Yun.

After the two of them left, Dong Qing and Dong Gua immediately entered the inner chamber.

Seeing Wei Jing Mo sit up in bed, they quickly placed pillows behind his back so he could lean back comfortably.

Dong Qing looked at Wei Jing Mo’s somewhat pale and weak complexion with concern: “Young Master, how are you feeling now?”

Dong Gua also looked at him with a worried expression.

The two felt very guilty in their hearts. They felt it was because they hadn’t stayed close enough to the young master that villains had found an opportunity.

But Wei Jing Mo looked at the two of them and smiled faintly.

His cool ink-black eyes flickered slightly as he suddenly asked: “Is that red brocade robe still kept?”

Dong Gua immediately replied: “It’s kept, Young Master.”

Then he turned to retrieve the robe that had been put away.

Dong Qing was not as simple-minded and oblivious as Dong Gua. Looking at this robe that was clearly a woman’s outer garment, he carefully observed Wei Jing Mo’s expression and asked softly: “Young Master, this brocade robe is…?”

He had grown up by Wei Jing Mo’s side since childhood, naturally having seen many fine things.

This red brocade robe had a smooth and delicate fabric, embroidered with gold thread. One look was enough to know it was valuable.

Dong Qing had some vague guesses in his heart, but didn’t dare to speak them out loud.

Wei Jing Mo reached out his slender, delicate fingers to lightly brush over the brocade robe, not concealing anything: “It was given to me by the person who saved me. Keep it safe, so I can return it to her next time.”

As he spoke, he handed the brocade robe to Dong Gua.

Dong Gua hurriedly and carefully took it, then ran to put the brocade robe away.

Although he was usually carefree, even he could tell this brocade robe was a woman’s garment. His young master was still an unmarried gentleman, if it was discovered that there were women’s clothes hidden in his room, it would likely tarnish his reputation. He had better hide it well.

——

Jinhua Pavilion

After Shen Ke and Wei Yun entered the room together, the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was off. He couldn’t help but look at Wei Yun sitting beside him and ask: “Why do I feel like something’s not right with Ink? It’s as if he’s hiding something.”

Wei Jing Mo was raised by his own hands, so Shen Ke was naturally familiar with his emotional changes.

Seeing his worried expression, Wei Yun poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to him. A trace of amusement flashed through her black eyes: “Haven’t you noticed that Ink never mentioned who saved him from beginning to end?”

Hearing this, Shen Ke was stunned, finally realizing. A strange look flashed through his clear beautiful eyes: “Then why is he hiding it from us? If it’s truly his lifesaver, we should go and thank them properly!”

Seeing his confused appearance, the amusement in Wei Yun’s eyes deepened: “Who do you think can move freely within the imperial palace, and yet make Ink keep his mouth shut?”

Shen Ke’s pupils dilated slightly as he looked at her and guessed: “You mean a princess?”

Wei Yun had a composed expression as she picked up her teacup and took a light sip. She spoke slowly: “It’s almost certain.”

But Shen Ke frowned, “But who could it be? Could it be the Fifth Princess?”

He had also seen her at the husband selection banquet today, she had indeed changed quite a bit!

Compared to her previous frivolous appearance, she had become much more restrained, her whole aura becoming cold and severe. Her manner of speaking also seemed steady and reserved. It was quite surprising to him.

But Wei Yun shook her head: “It’s still uncertain, but if it really is her, judging from Ink’s demeanor, marrying her would be acceptable.”

“Then when I have time, I’ll try to sound out Ink’s thoughts.”