The heavy stone that had weighed on Rong Tan’s heart finally landed, and all his recent anxieties melted into a gentle warmth.
He had imagined countless times what he would do if the truth ever came to light.
If Wu Ciyun, for the sake of their past relationship or in consideration of his devoted care for the two children, decided to show him mercy, it would be a stroke of great fortune.
He would certainly do everything he could to make amends and never let her worry about it again.
If, however, she truly severed all ties with him over Xiao Boming’s death, he still had other plans.
But unless it was absolutely necessary, he didn’t want to risk their past feelings.
Yet Wu Ciyun’s words today were truly beyond his expectations.
Joy surged in Rong Tan’s heart, so much so that he gave Liu Zhi an extra generous reward.
When Liu Zhi left the mansion, he was grinning from ear to ear, inwardly praising his own sharp judgment for betting on the right person.
There was plenty of oil to skim in the prison, but Rong Tan’s generosity was incomparable; the silver he casually handed out was enough for ten years of work.
People used to say the Pingnan Prince’s Heir, Xiao Boming, was generous, but by Liu Zhi’s reckoning, Rong Tan was even more so.
His thoughts were simple: Rong Tan was just a mere housekeeper, so this money must surely have come from his mistress, Wu Ciyun.
But why would Wu Ciyun give her own housekeeper so much money for no reason? The reason behind it was truly intriguing.
To offend Wu Ciyun’s new favorite for the sake of a former Pingnan Prince’s Heir who had already lost her favor—only a fool would do such a thing.
Today, Rong Tan had truly experienced a great sorrow followed by great joy. Now that all his worries were gone, he felt completely at ease.
Lately, he often recalled the grisly scene of Xiao Boming’s death, and would frequently wake up in the middle of the night, startled from his dreams.
Sometimes he dreamed of Xiao Boming’s resentful, unwilling eyes; sometimes, Wu Ciyun’s cold, indifferent face; sometimes, he even dreamed he had become Xiao Boming, locked in prison.
Since childhood, he had been taught to be upright and self-restrained, to be disciplined and return to propriety.
This was the first time he had killed someone. Had he not experienced it himself, he might never have believed he could be so ruthless.
But he never regretted what he had done that day.
He had endured Xiao Boming for as long as he could, wishing he could tear him apart to vent his hatred.
Wu Ciyun was extremely busy and could only spare a little time for him. Every moment they spent together was precious to Rong Tan.
But ever since Xiao Boming appeared, Wu Ciyun had devoted most of even that little time to him.
He watched helplessly as the person he loved spoke gently and patiently endured Xiao Boming, that lowly wretch, in every way.
But Xiao Boming was never satisfied, even taking away the dagger he’d given Wu Ciyun as a token of their affection, then flaunting it in front of him.
Rong Tan went from feeling wronged, to indignant, and finally to overwhelming hatred.
He felt disgusted whenever he saw Xiao Boming smile seductively at Wu Ciyun. The sweet scent of osmanthus wine on Wu Ciyun’s body made him restless and irritable.
Even hearing the words “Xiao Boming” or “Pingnan Prince’s Heir” made him grit his teeth in anger.
Rong Tan recalled the blood-stained prison floor. He thought he should have been afraid the first time he did such a thing.
But when faced with Xiao Boming’s eyes that refused to close in death, all he felt was utter satisfaction.
He even thought, since Xiao Boming liked to steal from him so much, he might as well let him have a taste of just how sharp that dagger was.
“Housekeeper Rong!”
A crisp child’s voice interrupted Rong Tan’s thoughts.
He turned around instinctively and saw Wu Mingzhu tugging Wu Liangyu along, both of them panting as they ran over. He couldn’t help but smile.
The two had grown bored of playing pitch-pot and must have gone to make trouble in the kitchen again.
Their noses and cheeks were dusted with flour.
Rong Tan bent down and carefully wiped them clean with a handkerchief, speaking gently, “Did you two go make mischief in the kitchen again? It’s smoky and full of fire in there—be careful not to get hurt.”
“We weren’t making mischief.”
Wu Mingzhu tugged at his sleeve, acting spoiled.
“Housekeeper Rong, Li Granny said she’s making Plum Blossom Soup Cake today but won’t let us help. Go talk to her for us—we want to make it for Big Brother.”
Most matters in the mansion were managed by Rong Tan, so the siblings were used to seeking his help when they ran into trouble.
Rong Tan hadn’t expected this reason and couldn’t help but chuckle, his tone gentle.
“You can, but don’t run around in the kitchen, and don’t touch the knives or the firewood, understand?”
Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu nodded repeatedly at his words, then eagerly pulled Rong Tan off to the kitchen.
There was already plenty to do in the kitchen, and having to watch over two children made it even more troublesome.
But since Rong Tan had spoken, Li Granny, who managed the kitchen, couldn’t refuse.
She assigned a careful maid to watch over them.
Whether or not the soup cake turned out well didn’t matter much—so long as these two little ancestors didn’t get hurt.
Rong Tan thought the same, so he didn’t leave but rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands, and patiently accompanied the siblings.
They busied themselves in the kitchen for nearly an hour, hurrying to finish just in time to serve a steaming bowl of Plum Blossom Soup Cake at dinner.
“Big Brother, try it! My sister and I made it ourselves.”
Wu Liangyu presented the soup cake to Wu Ciyun like a treasure, eyes shining as he awaited her praise.
Wu Ciyun glanced at the plum blossom-shaped noodles in the bowl and smiled.
“Whose idea was this? It looks so delicate—it must have taken a lot of work.”
“Li Granny said it’s the season when plum blossoms are in full bloom. All the big families in Ning Prefecture are eating this now—she says it’s very refined.”
Wu Mingzhu urged, “Big Brother, hurry and try it, or it won’t taste as good when it’s cold.”
Wu Ciyun smiled and agreed.
Though she had little appetite while ill, she made an effort for the siblings’ sake and ate half a bowl.
Since Wu Ciyun fell ill, Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu had been worried sick.
Now, seeing her eat so little, they kept trying to serve her more food, so attentive that even Rong Tan, who usually took care of serving her, couldn’t get a chance.
Being ill already made it hard to digest, and Wu Ciyun ate even more than usual today, so when she returned to her room, she felt bloated and quickly asked Rong Tan to prepare some Six Harmonies Tea for digestion.
Rong Tan knew all her habits by heart.
By the time Wu Ciyun finished her bath, the Six Harmonies Tea was ready at just the right temperature.
Wu Ciyun was still not fully recovered from her illness. Seeing her sip the tea so slowly, Rong Tan grew worried.
“Perhaps we should have the Court Physician take a look, just in case your stomach is hurt.”
“It’s nothing serious, don’t make a fuss.”
The physician sent by Chu Mingyi was still in the mansion.
If she called the Court Physician, it would surely alert him, and who knew what trouble might arise.
Wu Ciyun was well aware of the dangers of disguising herself as a man.
When she was young and money was tight, she had to bind her chest and lower her voice every day, living in constant fear of being discovered.
Later, she risked cheating some money from a noble and took some unconventional medicines.
Though her chest never shrank back, at least she grew taller and developed an Adam’s apple, and even her voice became hoarser, so she didn’t have to worry about being found out every time she spoke.
The system had once told her that one couldn’t tell gender just by feeling the pulse, but Wu Ciyun always worried there might be a mistake—especially since the Liang Dynasty physician sent by Chu Mingyi kept giving her strange looks and had insisted several times on taking her pulse again.
Afraid he would discover something, Wu Ciyun found an excuse to send him away.
Thinking of that Liang Dynasty physician, Wu Ciyun’s expression grew a bit unhappy.
If it weren’t for the fact that this man was sent by Chu Mingyi, she would have found a way to silence him for good, to eliminate any future troubles.
Seeing Wu Ciyun so insistent, Rong Tan didn’t press the matter. Instead, he took up a comb and gently smoothed her still-damp hair.
As the saying goes, “black hair wraps softly around the fingers.”
When Rong Tan’s fingertips touched Wu Ciyun’s hair, he paused, then couldn’t help recalling what Liu Zhi had said today.
Wu Ciyun truly cared about him, and people like Xiao Boming couldn’t compare in the slightest.
Rong Tan’s heart softened, and for a moment, he felt as if he and Wu Ciyun were truly a married couple.
But this sweet happiness didn’t last long.
Staring at the neatly severed lock of Wu Ciyun’s hair, Rong Tan’s expression suddenly froze.
“A-Yun, this is…”
“Cut off by that mad dog Chu Mingyi.”
Thinking of Chu Mingyi’s actions, Wu Ciyun frowned again, then casually asked, “Chu Mingyi’s elder brother—do you know him?”
“…No, I’ve only heard that Chu Mingyi’s elder brother is named Chu Zhilin, the Duke Who Stabilizes the Nation’s Heir of the Liang Dynasty.”
Rong Tan pursed his lips, hesitating a little.
“Why do you ask all of a sudden?”
“Today, Chu Mingyi must have gone mad. He suddenly cut off a lock of my hair and said that if I dared betray his brother, he would never let me go…”
“Impossible!”
Before Wu Ciyun could finish, Rong Tan suddenly interrupted her.
He was rarely so agitated.
Even Wu Ciyun was surprised and looked back at him instinctively.
Rong Tan realized he’d lost his composure and steadied himself with effort.
“A-Yun, Chu Mingyi must be lying to you.”
“Why?”
Wu Ciyun raised her eyebrows and retorted, “Even I don’t know if I’ve ever met this Chu Shizi, yet you seem even more certain than I am?”
“Chu Zhilin, the Duke Who Stabilizes the Nation’s Heir of the Liang Dynasty—he used to be an imbecile.”
“…What?”
Rong Tan’s expression was complicated as he explained, “When Chu Zhilin was ten, he fell into the water and developed a high fever. When he woke up, he was an idiot. Even though the Duke Protector of the Nation’s Mansion searched the world for famous doctors, Chu Zhilin’s mind was like that of a five- or six-year-old child, until a year ago when he accidentally fell from a rockery and suddenly returned to normal.”
Not only did he return to normal, but it was as if he were possessed by another soul.
Though he’d been foolish for so many years, his knowledge and learning were in no way lacking.
Rong Tan was so sure Chu Mingyi was lying for two reasons.
First, Chu Zhilin had never left the Liang capital, and Wu Ciyun had never left the Sheng Dynasty—they couldn’t possibly have met.
Second, he had been by Wu Ciyun’s side for nearly a year, and apart from Xiao Boming, had never seen any other love interests, which only confirmed his belief.
Chu Mingyi had cut off Wu Ciyun’s hair and lied on purpose—clearly wanting to keep her for himself.
It was just like the old saying: “Tied by hair as husband and wife, their love never doubted.”
Xiao Boming had just died, and now there was Chu Mingyi.
These madmen were utterly shameless!
Rong Tan was so angry his hands trembled—he wanted nothing more than to stab Chu Mingyi to death right now.
Wu Ciyun, however, seemed thoughtful after hearing Rong Tan’s words.
She looked up at the furious Rong Tan, suddenly took his hand, and smiled, “Maybe he was just trying to threaten me. I’m not worried, so why are you?”
Rong Tan wanted to argue, but Wu Ciyun’s cool fingers slid from the back of his hand upward.
He watched Wu Ciyun slowly rise, the distance between them shrinking.
Suddenly, Wu Ciyun gave him a gentle push, and he fell onto the couch.
“A-Yun, the doctor said…your body isn’t fully recovered yet.”
Rong Tan still had a shred of reason left, but in the next moment, Wu Ciyun cupped his face and kissed him, her lips like a fish swimming into his heart.
Their breaths mingled.
Rong Tan felt as if he were dreaming—he’d forgotten what he wanted to say.
He simply acted on instinct, pulling Wu Ciyun onto his lap, their lips and teeth entwined, clothes growing disheveled.
After a long while, Wu Ciyun finally pulled away, breathing lightly.
Seeing Rong Tan’s evasive gaze, she kissed his cheek again and softly asked, “Don’t like it?”
“No…”
Rong Tan’s ears were red as he whispered, “I like it very much.”
Wu Ciyun was rarely this gentle with him.
Though she sometimes kissed him when passion ran high, it was usually more like biting and venting, never so loving and tender as tonight.
Xiao Boming, Chu Mingyi—all irrelevant people and matters were cast from his mind.
Right now, all he could see was the person before him.
“A-Yun, can we… do it again…”
Rong Tan felt his heart brimming with love, lost in this moment. He leaned in again, seeking another kiss from Wu Ciyun.
Wu Ciyun did not refuse. Her lips brushed his ear, and she asked softly, “Rong Tan, who are you, really?”
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