Chapter 64: A Moment of Madness

Chapter 64: A Moment of Madness

"Young Master Wei!"

Chang Yuan hurried to support him, but Wei Xun pushed him away. He struggled to mount his horse, his hands trembling as he gripped the reins.

A Yuan can't be in trouble; it must be a mistake made by the servants!

The hooves clattered against the snow, splashing snowflakes on both sides, blending with the man's vivid red robes.

"What... the groom ran away?"

Wei Xun moved too quickly, and the onlookers were left in shock.

Chang Yuan, worried about his master, told a servant to bring another horse. He was about to chase after him when Chun Tao, hearing about A Yuan's accident, was frantic and insisted on coming along.

Unable to refuse, Chang Yuan lifted Chun Tao onto the horse, and the two galloped after Wei Xun, leaving the wedding party at the Marquis's gate bewildered.

"What do we do now? Without the groom, we can't just go and fetch the bride."

"Ah! What a disaster!"

"..."

Outside the Marquis's residence, people were buzzing with discussions, while in the backyard, Madam Wei almost fainted when she heard the news.

"That unfilial son! That unfilial son! Send someone to fetch him back right away!"

Just as the wedding was about to take place, a sudden problem at the last minute infuriated Madam Wei. She couldn't stand the thought of the Marquis's household becoming a laughingstock.

Madam Wei leaned back in her chair, struggling to breathe.

Zhao Wan gently patted her chest, a glimmer of joy hidden in her eyes. If Wei Xun didn't marry, she wouldn't have to relinquish her authority over the household.

"Mother, don't be angry. San Lang didn't mean to flee. He must be worried about A Yuan..."

"Bah! Who knows if that little vixen is really in trouble or just pretending? She must be unwilling to let San Lang marry and deliberately stirred up this trouble. It's a shame San Lang is so infatuated with her that he can't see through her clumsy schemes."

Madam Wei grew angrier as she spoke. If A Yuan were in front of her, she would teach that little seductress a lesson, making sure she never dared to compete for favor again.

"Mother, should the wedding go on?"

Wei Jin was anxious. With San Lang gone, who would fetch the bride? Missing the auspicious time would be a disaster.

Madam Wei was also anxious, but the Marquis's household had no one to replace Wei Xun. Wei Cong's frail body would likely fall off the horse before he even mounted it.

Their worry was pointless.

"Wait for that unfilial son to return!"

...

Wei Xun spurred his horse toward the hot spring villa, cutting the half-hour journey in half.

At the villa, the servants waited at the gate.

Nanny Liu, seeing Wei Xun dismount, quickly recounted the details of A Yuan's disappearance. After finishing, she dared not look at the man's fierce expression, trembling as she handed him the embroidered shoe she had found.

"Young Master Wei, this is the shoe I found by the river. It's definitely the one Lady Xie was wearing."

The embroidered slipper was exquisite, with a cluster of irises embroidered on the toe, clearly A Yuan's handiwork.

However, the slipper was now covered in mud, staining the irises as well.

Wei Xun's vision blurred as he trembled and took the slipper, his chest pierced with pain.

"Where is the riverbank where A Yuan went missing? Take me there!"

A search party had already scoured the riverbank that morning, and the snow was trampled with footprints, making it impossible to trace where A Yuan might have fallen into the water.

"This is the place. Yesterday, Lady Xie wanted to take a walk, and we thought it would be safe within the estate, so we didn’t follow her. We never expected..."

Nanny Liu was torn between grief and fear. If something had happened to Lady Xie, they, as servants, would bear the blame. But if they concealed it and Wei Xun found out on his own, the consequences would be even more severe.

Nanny Liu could only hope that A Yuan was safe and that Master Wei could find her quickly.

At this moment, Chang Yuan arrived with Chun Tao. As soon as Chun Tao dismounted, she stumbled forward, limping.

She knelt by the riverbank, tears streaming down her face, "Master, why didn’t you wait for me..."

The mute girl stared in shock at the person who had suddenly come to life, "Ah ah!"

She waved her hands and shouted, only to be grabbed by Chun Tao.

"Mute girl, you served the mistress. You must know where she is, right?"

Chun Tao still refused to believe that A Yuan was dead, looking at the mute girl with eager eyes.

The mute girl was bewildered. She had always been simple-minded and mute. Today, everyone was looking for Lady Xie, but Lady Xie had clearly told her to wait here.

How could she just disappear...

"Ah ah!"

The mute girl pointed frantically toward the riverbank, her face filled with panic.

Chun Tao knew she wouldn’t get any answers from the mute girl and her legs gave way as she knelt on the ground.

"Master..."

Wei Xun felt a lump of blood rise in his throat, the metallic taste making him lightheaded.

He was teetering on the edge of madness, struggling to keep his composure.

"Chang Yuan, gather men and drain the river!"

He wanted to find A Yuan, alive or dead... he had to find her!

The guards from the capital and the marquis’s household searched the estate for seven days and seven nights, only finding A Yuan’s fox fur cloak and outer robe.

Deputy Prefect Qi, who had known Wei Xun for years, had never seen him like this before.

He stepped forward and placed a hand on Wei Xun’s shoulder, whispering softly, "I’m sorry for your loss."

Wei Xun hadn’t slept for seven days and seven nights, his eyes now bloodshot. Hearing Deputy Prefect Qi’s words, he stared at him fiercely, his voice hoarse and low, "A Yuan isn’t dead! She’s not dead!"

His A Yuan was so obedient, how could she be dead?

Tears of blood streamed down Wei Xun’s face, his heartache suffocating him.

Deputy Prefect Qi realized he was losing his mind and quickly called for Chang Yuan, "Hurry! Get your master out of here!"

A Yuan was gone, and Wei Xun couldn’t afford to fall apart too.

But Wei Xun refused to leave. His A Yuan had not been found yet, and he dared not go.

Chang Yuan, desperate, threw propriety to the wind. He grabbed Wei Xun's arm and struck the back of his neck with the edge of his hand.

"Master, I beg your forgiveness."

Wei Xun was dragged back to the Marquis’s estate, where Madam Wei and the others had been waiting for a week.

Wei Xun’s abrupt wedding escape had made the Marquis’s estate the talk of the town, especially since he had fled for the sake of a concubine. Madam Wei was beside herself with frustration.

"Is this all you’re worth? To throw everything away for a woman, ignoring the rules and honor of the Marquis’s estate!"

"Tomorrow, you’ll go to the Shen family and make a proper apology, seeking forgiveness from Madam Shen and Mrs. Shen, and then bring Mrs. Shen back as your wife."

Madam Wei sternly commanded. Wei Xun lay on the bed, his gaze fixed vacantly on the bed curtains.

At his mother’s words, he let out a bitter laugh.

"Rules? Honor? It was my obsession with these that cost me A Yuan..."

"Mother, I will not marry again until A Yuan is found."

He had failed A Yuan too many times; this was his punishment from the heavens.

Wei Xun’s eyes were empty, as though life itself had drained from him.

Madam Wei, frantic and furious, pointed a trembling finger at her son, "Say that again!"

Wei Xun turned his head, his cold, empty eyes meeting hers, and he spoke word by word, "A Yuan is the only one I’ll ever call my wife."

"Wei Xun, are you trying to ruin the Marquis’s estate! Marrying a concubine? Do you want the Marquis of Anning to be the laughingstock of the entire capital?"

Madam Wei felt dizzy and lightheaded. If not for the maids supporting her, she would have collapsed.

Wei Xun turned his head and remained silent. If he could find A Yuan, rules and reputation meant nothing.

None of these things were as important as his A Yuan.

Only, he had realized it too late.