This was the first lazy morning Jiang Xingyan had enjoyed since marrying Huo Ci.
By the time she woke up, the morning was already half gone.
She sat dazedly on the bed, looking at the little maid, Xiao Ya, still fast asleep beside her, and sighed deeply in her heart.
There was a time, back in her own home, when she had been just as free and unrestrained.
Once she completely severed the shackles of the past, she would be able to be herself again.
Before she could get up and get ready, she heard the sound of a hushed argument outside.
“Try waking the young lady up, I dare you!”
“Hmph, it seems to me that you’re the one with ill intentions. If she sleeps until noon, she won’t be tired when it’s time to sleep at night. Wouldn’t falling into such a vicious cycle harm her health in the long run?”
“Are you a doctor? Since when do you know these things? Do you have any idea how late the young lady was working last night? Oh, I forgot. You went back to rest early. How would someone as thoughtless as you know anything about that?”
“I… I was just trying to keep A-Yan’s body in good health!”
“Right. Just focus on maintaining the young lady’s body properly. How dare you expect the young lady to specially take care of that rough, thick-skinned shell of yours? You order the young lady around like that, and still dare to talk about repentance?”
“…You! That’s clearly not what I meant!”
Jiang Xingyan felt helpless.
Ever since the three of them had laid all their cards on the table, these two had stopped pretending.
Huo Ci, being the one at fault, was no match for Yun Chunfeng in an argument. Thinking about how they used to bicker like this even in the imperial court, Jiang Xingyan suddenly understood why all the officials looked horrified whenever Yun Chunfeng spoke up for Huo Ci.
She regretted exposing them. She feared peaceful days were a thing of the past.
“What’s all the noise about?” Jiang Xingyan stepped out of the main room, and the two men instantly fell silent.
Today, she was wearing a narrow-sleeved, round-collared robe of white jade-colored Song brocade with auspicious cloud patterns, over which was a black and gold woven cape with paired bird motifs in roundels, lined with vermillion beads and rosefinch patterns. This ensemble amplified Huo Ci’s originally tall, slender figure and fair complexion several times over.
Even Huo Ci himself was wide-eyed, unable to believe he could look so handsome.
In contrast, what he had put on ‘Jiang Xingyan’ was clearly just a randomly thrown-on turquoise cross-collared blouse, a licorice-yellow pleated skirt, and a slate-blue linen over-garment. The hairstyle was even still a man’s topknot secured with a jade hairpin.
The dreadful color combination was only saved by her natural, stunning beauty. Otherwise, it would have been truly unsightly.
Jiang Xingyan closed her eyes for a moment. She immediately wanted to go back inside, change into any randomly matched set of simple clothes, and swagger out the door just to embarrass Huo Ci!
“Young Lady, Xia Feng and Dong Yang have returned. Also, the two Wang brothers are requesting an audience outside.”
“Qiu Yan, bring them all in to join us for the meal. Chun Xue, go pick out an outfit and have him change into it.”
Chun Xue looked back and felt her vision darken. Since when had her young lady ever looked so rustic? Even the combinations the old mistress forced on her were never this awful! She turned and ran off quickly.
Huo Ci scratched his head, feeling quite embarrassed. Just as he was about to say something, Yun Chunfeng cut in ahead of him, “Young Lady, how about Yun’s attire today? Does it meet with your approval?”
Jiang Xingyan took a careful look. Yun Chunfeng was wearing a moon-white ‘kesi’ gauze robe with assorted treasures and cloud patterns, over which was a light blue-green cloak woven with gold cloud and thunder patterns. His hair was tied up with a Hetian jade five-ridge crown, presenting an aura of sublime elegance.
The difference between him and Huo Ci was immediately apparent. Jiang Xingyan’s gaze towards Yun Chunfeng held appreciation.
Huo Ci was anxious but helpless, as he was utterly clueless about such matters.
Jiang Xingyan led Yun Chunfeng to the main hall for the meal first. The Wang Fu and Wang Qi brothers absolutely refused to eat at the same table as their masters, so she didn’t press them, letting them pay their respects and leave.
With only those in the know remaining at the table, Jiang Xingyan informed Xia Feng and Dong Yang that the State Preceptor was on their side.
Yun Chunfeng was delighted: I’m the Young Lady’s ‘one of us’!
Dong Yang was shocked, “The State Preceptor kept that hidden remarkably well.”
Jiang Xingyan chimed in, “Indeed, he did.”
Yun Chunfeng smiled faintly and picked up a piece of red date cake for Dong Yang with his chopsticks: Can’t the food shut your mouth?
Dong Yang shivered and immediately buried her head in her food, not daring to say another word.
Jiang Xingyan rapped Yun Chunfeng’s hand with her chopsticks, “Stop scaring them!”
Yun Chunfeng lowered his head in feigned grievance, “If I do it again, may Yun be struck down, his body torn asunder, never to be reincarnated.”
“Hey, you!” Jiang Xingyan used her chopsticks to stuff a red date cake into his mouth. “Just eat!”
The way Yun Chunfeng’s eyes suddenly went wide made Xiao Ya giggle. But when he reached out to hold her, she twisted away, humphed, and wouldn’t let him touch her at all.
Yun Chunfeng chuckled wryly. It seemed the little girl was still holding a grudge over yesterday’s events. He felt deeply gratified. The Young Lady’s child should be the one protecting her like this.
“Oh, by the way, State Preceptor, what exactly happened with the ghost in the main courtyard last night?” Jiang Xingyan had used Huo Ci’s voice to call him ‘Yun’ yesterday, but thinking back, it felt strange, so she reverted to calling him State Preceptor.
Jin Zhu’s corpse had been left alone in the backyard for a whole night. Why did the ‘ghost’ only appear to trouble the old mistress after she brought Yun Chunfeng home? Since he had known about the soul swap all along, it must have been his doing.
Sure enough, Yun Chunfeng readily admitted, “The Young Lady is as astute as ever. It was indeed my doing.”
Xia Feng and Dong Yang didn’t know what had happened yet, so Qiu Yan began narrating the events vividly beside them, making it feel like they were right there.
“…So, Baozhu, not daring to disobey the Old Madam’s order, was just about to open the window, when suddenly, the window—”
Creeak.
The door to the main hall suddenly swung open, making the three maids shriek and huddle together.
Jiang Xingyan looked at them, amused, “Why are you recreating the scene?”
Chun Xue, looking slightly confused, ushered Huo Ci inside. After Chun Xue’s efforts, all the advantages of ‘Jiang Xingyan’—her exquisite figure, bright eyes, white teeth, and soft, dark hair—were fully displayed.
Yun Chunfeng was in agony. He genuinely didn’t know whether he should let a look of admiration show in his eyes.
Both Jiang Xingyan and Huo Ci were also extremely awkward.
The atmosphere became subtly tense.
“Ahem,” Jiang Xingyan began, “The Old Madam has asked me to find a master who can exorcise ghosts. Might the State Preceptor have a recommendation?”
Yun Chunfeng understood immediately. Since it was a man-made affair, they needed to find an acquaintance to help pull the wool over the old woman’s eyes. Furthermore, the Young Lady had said yesterday that they needed to create the illusion that the money was being spent quickly, to force that old hag to bring out all her savings.
To hasten the process of restoring the Young Lady’s soul to its rightful place, Yun Chunfeng had a sudden idea. He lightly fanned himself with his feather fan, adopting an inscrutable expression. “The situation is grave. It seems we have no choice but to invite my Fifth Senior Brother to emerge from seclusion.”
Before anyone else could react, Huo Ci exclaimed in shock, “You have a senior brother?!”
A faint smile played on Yun Chunfeng’s lips. “Not just one. I have eight.”