Chapter 28: A Piece of Good News (Part One)

Chapter 28: A Piece of Good News (Part One)

In October, even the brightest sunshine could not dispel the biting cold winds.

Inside Ruo Xiang Pavilion, the fireplace crackled warmly with premium golden ink and silver thread charcoal, emitting a subtle freshness that soothed the senses.

Su Rao, recovering from her injuries, had been tutored by Su Er for a month, but he could no longer continue teaching her as October was drawing to a close. With less than three months until the New Year, Su Er, being an officer, had to return to his duties, as the military affairs would be particularly busy before the festivities.

With Su Er gone, Su Da spent most of his time at the Military Affairs Bureau. Su Rao thought she would finally have some respite, only to find out that her father had arranged for Su San and Su Si to take over her tutoring.

Unlike Su Er and Su Da, Su San and Su Si had yet to join the military; instead, they were preparing for next year's imperial examination to enter the civil service.

Though their martial skills were not insignificant, General Su did not wish to see all his grandsons in uniform. It was enough that this generation of Su grandchildren had Su Da and Su Er serving in the military. He wanted to preserve the family line for the old Su clan.

Warfare was unpredictable, and one day's safety was never guaranteed for the next. Three generations of the Su family had served in the military, and while it appeared that only Uncle Su Er had sustained injuries rendering him weak, Father Su had also narrowly escaped death once. The Old General Su had cheated death several times.

Their survival up to this point relied on their resilience and determination. They knew that without the pillar of the family, the Su lineage would crumble. Thus, they had earned such glory and distinction, with Yun Lang serving as a respected figure in both reigns.

Su San and Su Si, with their gentle demeanor and warm-hearted charm, were infinitely more considerate than Su Er. At least, they no longer shot her ominous glares, relieving Su Rao from the constant fear of being detected by Su Er.

Patiently, Su San and Su Si taught Su Rao calligraphy and painting, making each day enjoyable. Su Si even instructed her in playing the zither and flute.

Su Rao had some exposure to these arts in her previous life, given her high-born status as a refined lady. She had private tutors for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age, though she had mostly forgotten them now.

The only exception was painting, which she continued to study due to her love for intricate makeup designs. As for her six years as a princess in this life, she did learn these skills, but her young age and her parents' protectiveness prevented her from overexerting herself.

After becoming Su Rao, she never touched a zither or flute again.

While Su San and Su Si tutored her, Su Wu would occasionally join them, sharing amusing anecdotes from his outings.

This simple warmth and familial harmony was a first for Su Rao, lightening the weight on her heart. If not for the distressing matter of her marriage, her current peaceful existence would have been her parents' ultimate wish before they passed away.

The afternoon breeze was less biting than the morning's. After lunch in a side pavilion, Su Rao, Su San, and Su Si moved to a pavilion by the pond in the backyard.

Su San and Su Si showcased their sword dancing, their snow-white shirts billowing as they moved elegantly. With bamboo swords in hand, they danced against the gentle afternoon wind, every move and gesture a delight to behold.

Su Rao sat in the pavilion by the waterside, still adorned in her vibrant red dress, its hem emblazoned with proud roses. Her delicate fingers danced across the strings, playing a melody of "High Mountains and Flowing Water" that lingered in the air, stirring the gentle breeze and bright moon, creating an ambiance that seemed to last for three days.

In the pond within the pavilion, fish leaped joyfully at the sound of the music, splashing back into the water, sending ripples radiating outwards.

As Su San and Su Si finished their dance, Su Rao felt an itch in her palms. A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She grabbed a bamboo sword from the table, her movement graceful as she swayed her sleeves and leaped out of the pavilion.

"Third Brother, watch the sword."

The bamboo sword darted forward, and Su Rao's eyes sparkled with amusement as she pirouetted elegantly.

"You little sister, you're ambushing me!"

Despite his words, Su San wore a warm smile. He parried the sword horizontally and retreated smoothly.

"Third Brother, this is called catching you off guard."

With abandon, she retracted her sword and swiftly kicked, leaving no time for Su San to react.

"In that case, let Fourth Brother contribute a musical accompaniment."

Su Si also wore a delighted expression, leaping out of the battlefield and landing on a pavilion.

He walked over to the guqin table, lifted his robe, and sat down, strumming the strings. A sharp, resonant note rang out, evoking a sense of mighty armies clashing, a grand and vast spectacle of charging soldiers.

The melody accelerated from slow to fast, from calm to urgent, mirroring the intensifying battle between Su Rao and Su San.

A sudden gust of wind rose.

"Bravo!"

A figure soared through the air. Su Wu applauded, praising the performance. He watched as Su Rao was about to be slashed at her waist by Su San's sword, which then swiftly approached her. Su Rao retreated quickly, causing him to exclaim, "Sis, why are you retreating? Dodge to the side and counter with a spinning slash!"

"Su Yuyuan, shut up!" Su Rao had planned to do just that, but Su Wu's callout prompted Su San to alter her attack, turning a direct strike into a sweeping motion.

Anger flashed across Su Rao's face. With a quick tap of her toe, she spun around and lunged at Su Wu with her bamboo sword. "Su Yuyuan, it seems you need another lesson. Don't you know that silence is golden when watching a martial arts display? Keep your mouth shut."

Seeing this, Su San halted, shook her head, and twirled her bamboo sword in her hand, holding it upside down on her back.

"Hey hey hey, little sister, Fifth Brother is just kindly reminding you! Otherwise, you'll lose."

Su Wu leaped onto a nearby artificial mountain, exclaiming in concern, but with an expression that suggested he was doing this out of love, yet being repaid with ingratitude.

"I don't need your reminders," Su Rao paused, retracting her sword stance as she looked up at Su Wu with a glare. "Aren't you supposed to be out with your gang of so-called friends? It's not even the usual time, yet you're back so early today. Fifth Brother, have you gotten yourself into some trouble?"

In her last sentence, Su Rao cast a suspicious glance at him. Normally, Su Wu wouldn't return until his appointed hour was up. The sun was still high in the sky, indicating it was around noon, the time when he should have been outside.

"What 'gang of so-called friends'? Little sister, watch your words. Those are my close buddies, brothers."

Su Rao stopped walking, and Su Wu immediately jumped down from the artificial mountain, wrapping an arm around her shoulder in a friendly manner. He blinked mysteriously and said,

"Little sister, I came back early to bring you some good news."

"How can there be any good news coming out of your mouth?" Su Rao said, clearly unconvinced, slapping away Su Wu's hand before turning towards the pavilion by the waterside.

"Sigh, little sister, don't underestimate your brother's gossip! Fifth Brother knows all the ins and outs around here. There's no news in Langjing big or small that escapes me, from trivial matters to the most insignificant details."

Su Wu hurriedly caught up with her.

Su Si also paused his playing.

Yi Su served the tea.

Su Wu plopped down beside Su Rao, a secretive glint in his eyes.

"Little Sister, the news I brought today is absolutely fantastic. Do you want to hear it? If you don't, don't say I didn't warn you."

He guzzled down his tea, staring at Su Rao with an expression that said, "If you really don't want to listen, I'll leave, but don't regret it!"

"I'm listening," Su Rao sipped her tea in response.

"Ha ha..."

Su Wu chuckled immediately but maintained his enigmatic demeanor.

Su San and Su Si exchanged a glance, each silently shaking their heads in mutual understanding.

Every time Su Wu came to share anecdotes about the outside world with Su Rao, he always had to build up the suspense first.

Su Wu shifted on his intricately carved sandalwood stool, moving closer to Su Rao and cupping his mouth, ensuring their conversation remained confidential.

"Sis, let me tell you something! Yun Luoling killed a peasant girl and even dumped the body in a mass grave outside the city. Yun Muyi helped her, very secretly – no one knows about it."

What...

A crease formed at the corner of Su Rao's brow.

Yun Luoling had murdered someone?

"Brother Fifth, where did you hear this? If no one knows, then how do you know? Who told you?"

Su San and Su Si also raised their eyebrows slightly.

Smiling enigmatically once more, Su Wu replied, "Of course, it's from my good friend Eighth Brother. Believe me, Sis, this is absolutely true."

"Brother Fifth, none of us have heard anything about this," Su San promptly interrupted, "Sis needs peace and quiet to recover from her injuries."

The 'Eighth Brother' Su Wu mentioned was the Eighth Prince, Yun Muyue. If the news came from the royal family, the truth behind it could be complex and twisted.

Su Rao also knitted her brows. Yun Muyue was Su Wu's closest friend; they shared a similar mischievous and playful nature, having grown up together.

Yet, behind the harmless facade of royalty often lurked numerous intrigues and schemes. Who knew if the Eighth Prince's demeanor was genuine? Could one casually divulge such a matter as a royal daughter committing murder?

"Brother Fifth, none of us were aware of this," Su Rao said with a serious expression.

Though she despised the Yun family and had an even more strained relationship with Yun Luoling, the truth or falsehood of her killing someone was unrelated to her. She wouldn't seize this opportunity to act on her hatred.