In the night, she slept poorly, waking at the slightest sound. At dawn’s first light, she heard rustling. The lady in the bed turned over, disturbed by the light outside.
Through bleary eyes, she suddenly saw a man’s figure bending down through the curtain. She gasped sharply, startled awake. Her gasp was so loud it made the man pause. Through the hazy blue curtains, she saw him lift his face to gaze at the lady lying on her side inside.
His face was white as a ghost, not like jade.
Luo Lingyu: “…”
She saw Lu Yun already wearing the blood-stained gray robe from last night. In his hand he held a silver ingot, about to place it on the wooden table outside her bed curtains. Her sudden awakening startled not only Luo Lingyu, but Lu Yun was also taken aback by her sharp gasp. After a pause, he put down the silver ingot.
Luo Lingyu glanced at the silver and anger flared inside her. Her fingers clutched the brocade blanket as her beautiful face tensed up. She forced her voice low: “…You try to buy me off with one silver ingot? Am I worth so little in your eyes?!”
Lu Yun: “…”
He curved his eyes in a smile, keeping his voice equally low: “Sister Luo is worth a thousand gold. I simply don’t carry money when I go out. This is all I found on me… Surely sister doesn’t expect me to leave you my jade pendant?”
Luo Lingyu thought: …Hmph, who’s your “sister”?!
That Lu Third Master’s jade pendant couldn’t be sold on the market anyway. Noble families kept careful count of their belongings, and jade pendants were precious items – even if she wanted to sell it, no one would dare buy it. If the pendant couldn’t be sold, its only use would be for pledging love… Lu Third Master pledging love to Luo Lingyu?
Luo Lingyu’s face turned cold, her mouth twitching unwillingly.
Her heart was actually very conflicted – she could barely tear her gaze away from the silver, desperately wishing Lu Yun would try to buy her off with more money.
Noble ladies weren’t supposed to love gold and silver, but Luo Lingyu was simply too poor. Lately she worried the silver wouldn’t even last half a year…
When Lu Yun ran into her praying at the temple that day, he must have realized she had no money.
For this reason, the shame, discomfort, embarrassment and resentment she felt toward Lu Yun eased slightly.
As he said, Lu Yun truly wasn’t very lecherous. Though his face appeared frivolous, his gaze remained lowered. From start to finish, he didn’t peek into the bed curtains once.
The young master’s manner was proper and noble, giving no chance for misunderstanding. After putting down the silver ingot, Third Master Lu straightened up, truly about to turn and leave.
Inside the curtains, Luo Lingyu had already sat up. She stared at the young master outside the curtains for a while. As he stood straight, the dim light once again drifted across his face, illuminating his pale, haggard features…
Both for the sake of the poison, and for the silver ingot he left. After hesitating, Luo Lingyu reached out her hand: “Wait.”
From within the curtains extended the lady’s slender jade hand, catching his sleeve from behind and giving it a tug. Third Master Lu lowered his eyes, looking back to the side.
He heard Luo Lingyu inside the curtains say concisely: “Your complexion looks so weary today, it will raise suspicion. Wait a moment, let me help you apply some powder to conceal it.”
Lu Yun stiffened, his expression somewhat uncomfortable. He said gently: “Then many thanks to Sister Luo.”
Soon after, Lu Yun returned to sit briefly on the couch where he had spent the night. Behind the screen, a lamp was lit. Luo Lingyu hurriedly put on an outer robe, tightened her undergarment ties, and casually pinned up her long hair with a jade hairpin. She carried a makeup box to the couch, set up a small table, and opened the box. Pearl powder, flower powder, kohl, rouge, nail polish and other feminine cosmetics were arranged in small round boxes of different colors as she laid them out.
She dabbed a bit of fragrant powder with her pinky and reached toward Lu Yun’s face.
Lu Yun leaned back somewhat resistantly.
Luo Lingyu lifted her eyes: “Don’t move.”
She said: “This is pearl powder…”
Lu Yun was surprised and whispered: “Ground from pearls? Luo Lingyu… are you rich or poor after all?”
Luo Lingyu’s bright eyes lifted mockingly: “It seems Third Cousin truly knows nothing of women’s matters. Pearl powder isn’t ground from pearls – it’s made by steaming the crushed seeds of purple four o’clocks. After it’s done, it’s called pearl powder.”
Unusually, Third Master Lu’s thick lashes trembled. Luo Lingyu saw his face stiffen slightly with embarrassment.
The lady mixed several different colored powders together. Her cool fingers gently smoothed them on his face, helping change his complexion. Watching her actions, Lu Yun relaxed a little. Luo Lingyu wasn’t mocking him – her technique was skilled, clearly something she did often. Lu Yun stared at her bare face without makeup. Though his wounds still sent waves of pain, his mind wandered chaotically: Perhaps all beautiful women were skilled at makeup?
Luo Lingyu was especially masterful at it.
After coating her hands with powder and rouge, they became cool as ice as she freely applied them to the young master’s face.
In the dim early morning light, they sat very close to see his features clearly.
Their breaths mingled in the small space between them.
Deliberately, casually, their gazes crossed, wide sleeves touching, fingers brushing near and far, their scents drifting faintly to each other.
Lu Yun lowered his gaze to see her light spring robe’s long sash – her clothes in varying shades of green, the white jade sash hanging from her chest, clinging to her full bosom, trailing past her waist to rest on her skirt…
Her eyes suddenly lifted up, crashing into Third Master Lu’s deep ocean-like eyes.
The fingers on his face froze instantly, forgetting to move.
Lu Yun’s gaze grew dark as he stared at her steadily.
The atmosphere grew subtle. Outside, the sound of maids turning over was faint. Bird songs and insect calls drifted softly through the window. Inside the room, man and woman sat silently, breathing close… Luo Lingyu suddenly jumped back, nearly knocking over the incense boxes on the table.
She turned away hastily: “That should be good enough, you can go now!”
After a long while with no movement behind her, she felt a cool breeze blow across her face and clothes from behind. Slowly turning back around, she saw the window lattice by the couch had been pushed open. Outside, peach blossoms were falling in fluttering waves. A few pink petals scattered inside, drifting with the wind into the jade box holding the powder cases. It was hard to tell if it was peach blossom pink or rouge red.
The young master who had been sitting on the couch was gone.
Luo Lingyu lowered her eyes and stood quietly for a moment before tidying up the area and returning behind the screen to sleep more.
When she woke again, it was to the maids Lingyu and others calling her. Lingyu helped the lady get up and dress, directing the other maids to change the incense in the room. Before opening the windows, Lingyu took a breath and said delightedly: “Miss, the air here is so nice. Even without opening the windows all night, it doesn’t feel stuffy – there’s still a hint of freshness.”
That’s because someone had already opened the window earlier.
Thinking of sharing a room with Lu Yun, breathing the same air all night… After a moment’s silence, Luo Lingyu deliberately changed the subject casually: “Is everyone awake? What are the young ladies doing?”
Lingyu told her honestly: “The Prince of Hengyang came and said he wanted to do archery. The ladies all supported it. Miss Han thought it looked fun and suggested the ladies try archery too…”
Luo Lingyu first wondered: Prince of Hengyang? Could Lu Third Master’s injuries from last night be related to him? Otherwise she couldn’t imagine why Lu Yun would need to hide in her room.
Then she was shocked: What? Archery? I can’t do that!
She hurriedly asked: “All the ladies agreed?”
Lingyu made an affirming sound, not noticing Luo Lingyu’s stiff expression. She remembered something else: “Oh right, haven’t we not seen Third Master Lu for two days now? Earlier when bringing breakfast to the young masters and ladies, I heard some maids say they had seen Third Master Lu.”
Lingyu sighed curiously: “Third Master Lu really appears and disappears like a ghost.”
Luo Lingyu’s fingers picked at the table as she fell into thought without speaking.
After all the ladies were properly dressed, since they wanted to watch the men do archery and try it themselves, it wasn’t convenient to stay at Peach Blossom Cove anymore. Luo Lingyu dragged her feet among the group of ladies, hearing them suggest going to a wooded hill for archery. From what they were saying, they hoped to hunt some rabbits or wild boars if possible.
The Prince of Hengyang laughed heartily – they had spoken his mind.
Prince Liu Mu’s eyes swept over the two Lu brothers and their servants. There really weren’t many men on this trip to Mount Zhong. Even counting the carriage drivers, there were barely over twenty people total. To find last night’s assassin among these twenty-some people… Liu Mu stroked his chin, his sinister eyes narrowing. Either it would be extremely easy to find them, or his subordinates had analyzed things wrong.
But if the analysis was wrong, it meant the assassin’s background was even more significant… Liu Mu’s expression grew even darker.
Seeing his own brother again after two days, Second Master Lu was at a loss for words. Lu Yun had changed out of his blood-stained robe into a white garment. Lu Xian noticed Lu Yun’s complexion was fair and his appearance seemed even more striking than usual, making him look twice. Lu Yun was like a cool breeze and bright moon, his face without a trace of smile, appearing very aloof. When even Second Master Lu couldn’t help but look at him twice, the ladies naturally could hardly take their eyes off him.
The Prince of Hengyang still wanted to do archery.
Lu Yun’s eyelashes trembled lightly: Since the ladies’ gazes were constantly on him, this archery might be hard to fake… But with his severely injured arm, if he actually shot arrows, any small issue with his technique would reveal his injury to the Prince’s skilled subordinates. To test him, they might even have to…
Lu Yun worried internally: Would the emergency help from Prince Chen arrive in time…
He walked up the mountain deep in thought. While he was lost in contemplation, Second Master Lu glanced at Luo Lingyu, then at the Prince of Hengyang. After some inner struggle, Lu Xian made up his mind and walked toward Luo Lingyu. Third Master Lu casually followed his second brother as they approached the ladies, going directly to Luo Lingyu’s side. Luo Lingyu was frustratedly holding a small bow, looking it over. Under the pressure of everyone’s gazes, Lu Xian smiled at the distracted Luo Lingyu: “Cousin, do you remember the Prince of Hengyang?”
Luo Lingyu looked at him puzzled. Lu Xian smiled and turned to wave the Prince over, but saw the Prince staring intensely at his third brother Lu Yun without looking away.
Lu Xian: “…”
As Second Master Lu stumbled over this, Luo Lingyu noticed Third Master Lu standing behind him.
Her expression became strange: Lu Third Master’s face… it seemed she had applied too much powder, making his features even more handsome than usual.
Luo Lingyu felt guilty for a moment. As she was about to turn away, she heard Lu Yun’s voice: “Cousin, how is your archery?”
Luo Lingyu: “…”
Her heart stirred.
With the Prince of Hengyang behind them and the archery threat looming, Lu Yun was deliberately striking up conversation with her… Luo Lingyu stared steadily, ignoring Lu Xian’s voice introducing who the Prince of Hengyang was, and met Lu Yun’s slightly lowered eyes. He mouthed the word “poison” and smiled at her. With mutual understanding, their glances exchanged an agreement. The Luo lady took a deep breath and said softly: “Archery? I don’t understand it, can’t do it, don’t know anything about it.”
Someone among the ladies snorted: “You actually don’t know how?!”
A noble lady actually didn’t know this?
Lu Yun’s peach blossom eyes narrowed affectionately as he said: “Then I’ll teach cousin how to shoot.”
Luo Lingyu readily agreed: “Alright, thank you Third Cousin for the trouble.”
Lu Yun: “It’s no trouble.”
The two immediately walked off together, separating from the group of ladies. Lu Yun lifted his sleeve to point in a direction, Luo Lingyu nodded and smiled up at him, then followed him that way. From behind, when the Prince of Hengyang immediately sent someone to ask where Third Master Lu had gone, after learning he was just playing with Luo Lingyu and hadn’t left the mountain, Liu Mu stopped caring. Liu Mu sneered: You can escape the monk but not the temple – in today’s martial arts competition, any man would have to try.
Lu Xian: “…”
He stared dumbfounded, having wasted effort explaining about the Prince of Hengyang while Luo Lingyu completely filtered it out. His third brother had only said one thing and walked off with Luo Lingyu. From behind, the two looked like an immortal couple. Even though he had never dreamed of his third brother having any connection with Luo Lingyu, Lu Xian couldn’t help doubting himself now:
Had he dreamed wrong?
Could Lady Luo really not hear or see the Prince of Hengyang? The young noble in his fine clothes and spirited horse – her future husband – was walking slowly right behind her. And the Prince… why hadn’t he fallen in love with Lady Luo at first sight? Among the ladies, Luo Lingyu’s beauty stood out – why had the Prince spent the whole time just staring at his third brother?
…And why was he half-believing and half-doubting an insubstantial dream?
Meanwhile the ladies were equally dumbfounded: “…”
What? Just because Luo Lingyu said she couldn’t do archery, Third Master Lu kindly went to teach her? Why her? So Third Master Lu was actually this caring – would he teach any lady who couldn’t do archery? Heavens, what had they missed? If they had known earlier, they would have said they didn’t know how… For a moment, all the noble ladies questioned their learning, asking themselves: If I knew nothing, would I be the lady Third Master Lu called away today?
So why did they have to know everything?
Was this perhaps why living at the Lu residence for several years still couldn’t get them married to Third Master Lu?!
For a time, Second Master Lu and the young ladies were all somewhat gloomy. Princess Ningping Liu Tang carefully observed their expressions. After weighing things, she still went to stand by the Prince of Hengyang’s side. Only when Liu Tang quietly emerged did Liu Mu notice her, somewhat surprised. This niece was so lacking in presence…
Liu Tang called out with a red face: “Uncle.” This uncle was only a few years older than her…
Liu Mu: “Hmm, what are you doing here? Did you notice anything unusual last night?”
Liu Tang spoke in a tiny voice: “I came here to play, brother told me to go out and have fun more. I didn’t notice anything unusual.”
Liu Mu made an acknowledging sound. He walked a bit further and found Liu Tang still following him. Liu Mu raised an eyebrow and looked at this niece who was not much younger than him. After some internal struggle, Liu Tang’s voice was still very soft: “Sister Luo asked if I wanted to participate in this year’s Flower Goddess selection, I want to join…”
Liu Mu paid no attention to whatever Flower Goddess in Jianye, casually encouraging her: “Oh, that’s good. Work hard!”
Liu Tang: “So will you give me your vote then?”
Liu Mu remained very casual: “Sure.”
Liu Tang immediately became happy, not expecting the vote to be so easy to get. And she had so many brothers, uncles, grand-uncles… there were quite a lot of imperial family members. Just compared to the noble families… she hoped her brothers would help her compete.
They left Peach Blossom Cove and entered the forest. After walking a while, everyone stopped to set up the grounds, moving targets and barriers to begin the archery competition. The Prince of Hengyang had lazily followed these nobles on their mountain excursion just waiting for this moment. Finally persevering until archery could begin, the drooping-shouldered, heavy-lidded, nearly-asleep Liu Mu came back to life, full of energy as he rolled up his sleeves and shrugged off Princess Ningping: “I’ll go first! Warm things up for everyone!”
The ladies enthusiastically welcomed him: A handsome and mighty young man was very popular!
Flowers and fruits were thrown to show love!
“The Prince of Hengyang is so handsome. A young hero!”
“Liu Lang is so dashing… ah, marrying to Hengyang wouldn’t be bad.”
His face darkened at the ladies’ bold teasing: … The noble ladies of Jianye were really frightening.
Since there weren’t many men, the archery competition wouldn’t take long to complete one round. Liu Mu’s sharp eyes, along with his attendants, kept watching the nobles on their mountain excursion, but truly couldn’t find anyone seriously injured. They did discover a carriage driver with a twisted ankle, but that was completely different from last night’s assassin!
Finally, even the scholarly Second Master Lu Xian went to draw a bow. Liu Mu’s eyes were twitching from staring so hard, but he still hadn’t found that person. Liu Mu’s eyes swept over the crowd: “Where’s Third Master Lu? Still not back?”
A servant ran over to Second Master Lu’s side and said a few words to him. Lu Xian’s expression showed slight surprise. After pondering, he turned to relay the message to the Prince. With more people spreading the word here, the ladies’ side also heard: “Third Master Lu is teaching Lady Luo archery at a peak not far from here.”
Liu Mu: “They’ve been at it for an hour now, right? Still not done teaching?”
His eyes narrowed as all sorts of schemes ran through his mind. His probing gaze glanced at Second Master Lu, wanting him to give a suitable explanation. After brooding for a long time, Lu Xian forced out: “Perhaps cousin Luo is a bit slow to learn?”
Liu Mu: “…”
On the ladies’ side, Miss Han had been eagerly anticipating Third Master Lu, but he still hadn’t appeared even now. Growing impatient, Miss Han simply suggested: “Let’s go see how Third Cousin teaches Sister Luo archery.”
Liu Mu thought about it and nodded.
The large crowd noisily followed a servant’s lead up the mountain. Halfway up, as the sun climbed higher and higher, sweat slowly appeared on their foreheads. As everyone grew tired, someone suddenly exclaimed and pointed: “Look over there!”
The Prince of Hengyang, Second Master Lu and others all raised their heads to look in the indicated direction. The mountain path wound upward, with layer upon layer of indistinct greenery.
A hill jutted out diagonally from the lush mountain road, with clothes wreathed in mist and floating clouds in the sky.
They saw the young handsome nobleman standing behind, completely enveloping the beautiful lady in his embrace.
Standing at the peak, longbow in hand, the lady’s archery posture was being corrected into the most proper form by the nobleman supporting her hands and shoulders from behind.
It was as if Lu Yun was embracing Luo Lingyu from behind.
Long robes fluttering like clouds, surrounded by green trees and misty sunset clouds, the two stood at the height shooting arrows, like immortals.
Everyone below was stunned by the sight.
At the peak, after resting for over an hour, when the crowd came to watch, Lu Yun finally got up to help correct Luo Lingyu’s proper archery posture. He held her loosely from behind, their breathing synchronized, the two seemingly intimate like lovers. Luo Lingyu’s hands were on the bow as Lu Yun gripped her hands. The bow gradually drew to full tension, forming an arc pointing straight at the blue sky above.
Luo Lingyu lowered her eyes, her lips curved in a smile as she softly said to Lu Yun: “Is this alright now? The Prince of Hengyang won’t suspect you anymore?”
While outwardly seriously teaching her archery, Lu Yun laughed quietly: “He’ll still be suspicious… but whether I’m injured or not, he won’t be able to tell now. I must thank cousin Luo for helping share the force – if I drew the bow alone, my wound would tear open again.”
Luo Lingyu sneered: “No matter. Just remember to give me the antidote afterwards.”
Amusement flashed in Lu Yun’s eyes as his grip on her hands tightened. He corrected her into the standard posture, drawing the bow together with her. The bowstring stretched to its limit as their eyes stayed fixed on the sun’s direction. Luo Lingyu’s hair dampened with sweat beading on her forehead. The nobleman behind her still hadn’t released her hands. After waiting what felt like forever, nearly making Luo Lingyu zone out, Lu Yun suddenly shouted: “Release—”
Startled by his sudden cry, Luo Lingyu’s hands trembled. As the arrow was about to loose, Lu Yun steadily pushed up with the bow. With a zing, the black arrow flew from their fingertips toward the sky.
The crowd below craned their necks, watching the pair at the cloudy peak finally shoot their arrow. The arrow flew fierce and powerful. Two wild geese burst out of the forest below, wings flapping as they circled in the air with loud cries. But with a flap of wings, the black arrow arrived, piercing straight through.
The nobleman and lady’s clothes fluttered on the mountaintop, dazzling like a flash of light. Sunlight burst forth brilliantly, shining on the two and making them appear otherworldly. Surrounded by clouds and trees, talented man and beautiful woman, drawing bow and shooting arrows… The crowd below watched entranced. The two geese plummeted with shrill cries!
Standing at the peak, Luo Lingyu was overjoyed: “I hit it — I actually hit something!”
She never imagined she’d have a day when she hit a target!
Lu Yun bent down, seeing the lady’s bright eyes made his heart skip. Luo Lingyu was so shocked and elated that she forgot the very annoying Third Master Lu was behind her. She happily turned her head, and her red lips brushed against something soft and cool.
Luo Lingyu’s body stiffened: “…”
What had her lips touched?!
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