Chapter 44: Obtain

Chapter 44: In the Bag

Having made up her mind, Xin He became even more attached to Wei Mingjin.

Every day, as Wei Mingjin attended to matters in his study, Xin He would feign boredom and seek him out.

Wei Mingjin never turned her away. Instead, he would pick up his brush, write a book title on a piece of paper, and hand it to her: “If you’re so bored, go find this book for me on the shelf.”

Xin He retrieved the book as instructed, but Wei Mingjin then said, “This book is for you. If you find anything you don’t understand, jot it down and we can discuss it later.”

Xin He: “…”

She was here to steal his private seal, not to read!

But since she couldn’t make her intentions too obvious, Xin He had no choice but to accept her fate. She picked up the book and settled at a nearby desk to read.

The book Wei Mingjin had chosen for her was a travelogue.

At first, Xin He read it half-heartedly. But the author’s writing was humorous and engaging, and gradually, Xin He became engrossed.

Wei Mingjin glanced her way, but Xin He didn’t even notice, so he simply returned to his own work.

For a while, the study was silent, broken only by the occasional rustle of turning pages.

The travelogue was so captivating that Xin He lost herself in it. It wasn’t until her neck began to ache that she put the book down to rest, finally remembering her true purpose for being there.

Xin He glanced at Wei Mingjin, who was still busy, then closed the book and tiptoed toward him.

Before she could get close, Wei Mingjin sensed her presence: “Is there something you don’t understand?”

“No, I’m just a bit tired from reading. You’ve been busy for a long time too, Young Master. Why don’t you take a break?”

Xin He also had someone bring hot tea and pastries.

Wei Mingjin set down his brush, took a few sips of tea, and asked Xin He, “Where have you read up to?”

Xin He told him, and after a brief moment of thought, Wei Mingjin recounted the content she had just read.

“Yes, yes, that’s exactly it! You remember it so clearly even after reading it so long ago. You’re truly amazing, Young Master.” Xin He massaged Wei Mingjin’s shoulders while flattering him.

Wei Mingjin leaned back in his armchair and chuckled, “It has its advantages and disadvantages.”

“Why?” Xin He didn’t understand.

“I have a photographic memory, but my classmates don’t.”

Xin He instantly understood. He meant that others couldn’t keep up with him. In the academy, the teacher’s pace was set according to the comprehension level of most students.

Half-consoling, half-flattering, Xin He said, “I think it’s a good thing. With your photographic memory, you can read extensively and always stay ahead of your classmates in your studies. Oh, no—not just one step ahead, but many steps ahead!”

Xin He beamed, her dark eyes sparkling.

But Wei Mingjin’s gaze fell on Xin He’s lips. As she spoke, her lips parted and closed, occasionally revealing her pearly white teeth.

Suddenly, Wei Mingjin seized Xin He’s wrist and pulled her down.

Caught off guard, Xin He felt the world spin before she tumbled into Wei Mingjin’s embrace.

“Your mouth is as skilled as ever at sweet-talking.”

With that, Wei Mingjin pinched her chin, lowered his head, and effortlessly parted her lips, his tongue sweeping in to intertwine with hers.

Xin He was too stunned to react, her mind completely blank.

Wei Mingjin, dissatisfied with her distraction, pinched her waist as a playful punishment. Only then did Xin He snap out of it and slowly respond to him.

Although their relationship was practically an open secret in Wei Mingjin’s courtyard, what happened behind closed doors was one thing, but doing it out in the open was another.

At that moment, the doors and windows of Wei Mingjin’s study were wide open, and servants could occasionally be seen passing by in the corridor.

Even though she knew they wouldn’t dare to look in their direction, Xin He couldn’t help but feel nervous. Especially when she noticed that Wei Mingjin’s kiss was growing more intense and his hand was moving toward the hem of her skirt, she quickly grabbed his hand.

Wei Mingjin, who had been lost in their kiss, pulled back slightly and looked down at her with displeasure.

If Wei Mingjin had looked at her like this on any other day, Xin He would have been frightened and immediately begged for mercy.

But today, although Wei Mingjin’s face was full of displeasure, his lips were slightly red, and his eyes were restless with desire, which made him seem less intimidating.

So Xin He wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzled his nose affectionately, and pleaded softly, “Young Master, it’s still daytime, and the doors and windows are open.”

“Then go close them.”

Xin He: “…”

Is that the point?

“Young Master, it’s daytime.” Xin He had no choice but to remind him bluntly. “Such daytime indiscretions are improper.”

Wei Mingjin lifted Xin He by the waist, placed her on his desk, leaned in close, and sneered, “Haven’t we done it plenty of times during the day before?”

Xin He’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively reached out to cover Wei Mingjin’s mouth, but he caught her wrist instead.

“Don’t worry, no one would dare gossip behind our backs.”

Xin He was still struggling desperately: “Young Master, it’s not about gossip, it’s…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Chi Yan’s voice suddenly came from outside the door: “Young Master, a message has arrived.”

Wei Mingjin paused, and Xin He seized the opportunity to jump off the desk, standing behind him as she quickly straightened her dress.

Wei Mingjin closed his eyes and called out to the door, “Come in.”

Chi Yan entered and handed the message to Wei Mingjin. Just as he was about to leave, Wei Mingjin suddenly said, “Go clean the stables for a month.”

“What?!” Chi Yan’s eyes widened. What had he done wrong?

Wei Mingjin’s expression remained cold: “Two months.”

Chi Yan was utterly bewildered but didn’t dare say another word. With a pained expression, he acknowledged the order and left looking utterly devastated.

When Wei Mingjin turned back and saw Xin He looking at him timidly, his earlier amorous mood largely dissipated. He no longer looked at her, simply flicked his sleeve and sat back in his armchair, burying himself in his work again.

Xin He naturally noticed Wei Mingjin’s displeasure. After straightening her dress, she walked slowly to his side: “Can I help you, Young Master?”

Wei Mingjin remained silent, his face cold.

Undaunted, Xin He rolled up her sleeves and began grinding ink for him.

Wei Mingjin continued to focus on his work.

After writing for a while, Wei Mingjin suddenly put down his brush, rubbed his wrist, and said to Xin He, "Open the drawer in front of you."

Xin He immediately obeyed.

"Take out the box inside."

She handed the box to Wei Mingjin.

"Open it."

When Xin He opened it and saw what was inside, her heart skipped a beat.

The box contained Wei Mingjin’s personal seal.

Wei Mingjin asked, "Do you know how to use the seal?"

"Yes," Xin He nodded quickly.

Wei Mingjin then pushed a stack of reviewed documents toward her. "Stamp the bottom right corner of each page."

Having said that, he lowered his head and resumed his work.

Xin He held Wei Mingjin’s personal seal, her hand trembling slightly.

Now she had the seal, but under Wei Mingjin’s close watch, how could she secretly stamp a blank sheet of paper?

As she stamped the documents, her eyes involuntarily drifted toward Wei Mingjin and the pile of blank xuan paper beside him.

Wei Mingjin seemed completely unaware, entirely absorbed in his work.

Seeing this, Xin He shifted slightly and, taking advantage of his distraction, deliberately mixed up the order of the reviewed papers. While pretending to straighten them, she quickly slipped a blank sheet of xuan paper into the stack awaiting the seal.

After doing so, she instinctively glanced at Wei Mingjin.

Seeing that he was still focused, Xin He’s heart pounded and her palm grew sweaty.

Without hesitation, she pressed the seal onto the blank xuan paper. Then, using her wide sleeve to conceal the motion, she rolled up the paper and slipped it into her sleeve.

After completing everything and seeing that Wei Mingjin remained unaware, Xin He silently exhaled in relief.

Another servant arrived to report—this time it was Feng Mo. "Young Master, Xin Youzhi is here again. This time, he requests to see the concubine."

Xin He, having obtained what she wanted, was looking for an excuse to leave. Upon hearing this, she immediately said, "Then I’ll go see him."

Wei Mingjin nodded, and Xin He seized the opportunity to leave.

Wei Mingjin, who had been busy at his desk the entire time, watched Xin He’s retreating figure for a long moment before finally turning away.

After leaving, Xin He did not go directly to the main hall to meet Xin Youzhi but instead returned first to Cuwei Courtyard—her residence.

Upon her arrival, she dismissed all her maidservants and retreated into the inner chamber. Drawing the stamped xuan paper from her sleeve, she carefully unfolded it.

On the blank sheet of xuan paper was a bright red seal.

It was done.

Xin He raised her hand and gently touched the imprint on the paper, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

With this seal, she could later write her own Concubine Release Letter and finally free herself completely from her status as a concubine of the Wei family.

From then on, the world would be wide open, and she could go wherever she pleased.

Xin He pressed the paper to her chest, holding it tightly for a moment in excitement before carefully folding it and placing it in a hidden compartment of her vanity.

After finishing all this, she headed to the main hall.

Truthfully, she had no desire to see Xin Youzhi. But since she had used him as an excuse earlier, failing to go now would arouse Wei Mingjin’s suspicion.

When Xin He arrived at the main hall, she saw Xin Youzhi pacing back and forth like a cat on hot bricks.

Seeing her enter, Xin Youzhi rushed over as if she were his last hope, his expression urgent. "He Niang, help your uncle!"

In the past, whenever Xin Youzhi and his wife visited, they would first exchange hollow pleasantries with her. They had never directly pleaded for help like this.

Clearly, something serious had happened.

Xin He calmly sat down in the armchair and said coolly, "What’s wrong, Uncle?"

"Your uncle owes someone twenty taels of silver. That person said if I don’t repay the debt, he’ll chop me up and sell me for parts. He Niang, your parents passed away early, and it was your uncle who raised you. Now you’re living in luxury here in this mansion, while your uncle is being hounded to death by creditors. Please, have mercy and give me some silver."

Xin Youzhi spoke through tears and sniffling, but Xin He only laughed.

Setting aside how Xin Youzhi and his wife had treated her like a servant in the past, just this year, after Master Wei took a liking to her, he had given them a considerable sum of money.

But when Xin Youzhi and his wife had bound her and sent her to the Wei family, they hadn’t given her a single coin. All the money Master Wei had given them had been pocketed by their family.

Now, Xin Youzhi’s household was among the wealthiest in the village—or at least lived comfortably. How could they be driven to such extremes over twenty taels of silver?

Later, from Xin Youzhi’s account, Xin He learned that his youngest son had come to the city seeking work but had instead picked up gambling.

At first, he had a lucky streak and won several times. But then, for some reason, his luck suddenly turned, and he began losing heavily.

"Now he owes the city gambling den hundreds of taels of silver. Not only do the gamblers come to our house every day to cause trouble, but they’ve also seized all our valuable belongings. Your aunt is threatening to leave me. I refused, so she took the children and returned to her parents’ home. Your eldest brother resents me for favoring the younger one, and now, even though we live under the same roof, he won’t even call me 'Father.' Your second aunt is also ill from anger. He Niang, your uncle has nowhere else to turn. Please save me."

Xin Youzhi sobbed and sniffled, but instead of sympathy, Xin He felt suspicion.

Xin He asked calmly, "Uncle, why did you borrow twenty taels of silver?"

"Well..." Xin Youzhi hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Sigh, it was to pay off your cousin’s gambling debt. I borrowed the money from someone. He Niang, even though you lost your child, Young Master Wei still treats you with respect and said the Wei family would support you for life. You must have plenty of silver. Please, for the sake of our family, help your uncle this once. I’m begging you."

After saying this, Xin Youzhi made as if to kneel before her.

"Uncle, given our relationship as uncle and niece, I shouldn’t refuse if you ask. If it were due to some disaster or misfortune and the family needed silver, I would help without hesitation. But this debt is due to my cousin’s gambling addiction. If I help, wouldn’t I be encouraging him—and you—along the way?"

Hearing this, Xin Youzhi grew anxious. "He Niang..."

But Xin He didn’t let him continue.

"Besides, if I remember correctly, it was right here in this hall that you and Aunt angrily scolded me, calling me an ungrateful wretch. You even said you wanted to cut ties with me?"

Xin Youzhi’s face stiffened.

He hadn’t expected Xin He to bring this up.

He quickly tried to make amends. "He Niang, at that time, your aunt and I had come to see you many times, but you always ignored us. We were so upset that we said those things in the heat of the moment. Your uncle apologizes sincerely. Please don’t hold it against me."

Using people when needed and discarding them when not was Xin Youzhi’s usual way, and Xin He had long been accustomed to it.

"But Uncle, I’ve already taken it to heart," Xin He said, looking directly at Xin Youzhi.

Xin Youzhi was stunned, not expecting Xin He to say that. But in an instant, he thought to pull that same old kneeling trick again to pressure her: "Then I'll kneel and apologize to you, He Niang."

Xin He knew Xin Youzhi was just putting on a show, so she just stood there watching coldly.

Xin Youzhi looked at Xin He, slowly lowering his knees. He was certain Xin He wouldn’t let her own uncle truly kneel to her.

Sure enough, just as his knees were about to touch the ground, Xin He finally spoke.

"Uncle, let’s not keep up this charade between us. It’s exhausting."

Xin Youzhi’s face stiffened, and then he heard Xin He add: "Let me be blunt today. Since you and Aunt think I’m an ungrateful backstabber, don’t come around in the future if you have no business. And definitely don’t come if you have business. After you tied me up and sold me to the Wei family, there’s been no relationship between us."

Having said that, Xin He didn’t give Xin Youzhi a chance to respond and stood up to walk out.

By the time Xin Youzhi reacted and tried to chase after her, two burly maids at the door had already reached out to stop him.

Xin Youzhi hadn’t expected Xin He to be so heartless. He was so mad he was hopping mad, and pointed at her retreating back, angrily shouting: "You ungrateful wretch! If I hadn’t raised you after your parents died, who knows where you’d be right now—"

Before he could finish, Feng Mo, who had rushed over, directed two servants to gag him and drag him out.

That night, Wei Mingjin came to stay with Xin He for the night as usual.

Before bed, Wei Mingjin suddenly said out of nowhere: "It seems you’re not completely clueless."

Xin He, who had been pulling up the quilt, turned to look at him.

"After your miscarriage, your uncle suddenly came to see me, begging for my grace to issue you a Concubine Release Letter so they could take you home. Do you know why?" Wei Mingjin, wearing only his inner robe, rested his hands behind his head, looking every bit the rakish young master.

Xin He had a sneaking suspicion.

Xin Youzhi and his wife never did anything unless there was something in it for them. Their sudden desire to take her home surely had an angle.

"They’ve already found a new husband for you—the Hu butcher from your neighboring village—and have accepted twenty taels of betrothal silver from him."

Xin He’s head spun.

Everyone in the surrounding villages knew of the neighboring village’s Hu butcher. The man was a notorious brute—not only large and ugly, but also prone to drunken rampages. His first two wives had been beaten to death by him. Any family with daughters steered clear at the mere mention of his name.

Her own uncle had already sold her into the Wei family as a concubine for money.

Now, while she was still recovering from her miscarriage, knowing full well what kind of man he was, he had accepted twenty taels of betrothal silver and planned to sell her off again.

"Over my dead body! I’d rather shave my head and join a convent than let him sell me again."

Seeing Xin He trembling with anger, Wei Mingjin pulled her into his arms to comfort her.

"Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, I won’t let your scheming uncle succeed."

As he spoke, Wei Mingjin lifted a strand of Xin He’s hair, twirling it around his fingers while gazing down at her. Casually, he added: "But, He Niang, my protection comes with one condition: that you remain loyal to me."

Xin He’s stomach dropped. Had Wei Mingjin discovered something?

But she didn’t dare show it. Instead, she leaned against him like a helpless dodder vine, softening her voice: "How could I ever be disloyal to you? I’ve sworn never to betray you in this lifetime."

Wei Mingjin let out a low chuckle at her words and lifted her chin with his hand.

Forced to meet his gaze, Xin He maintained a cool exterior, though her heart was pounding. For a moment, she even began to think about how she might talk herself out of it if Wei Mingjin truly knew.

But instead, Wei Mingjin lowered his head, brushed his nose against hers while staring into her eyes, and said: "Then you must mean what you say, He Niang. If you dare break your promise…"

He left the sentence unfinished, suddenly kissing her instead.

The bed curtains hung low, enclosing them in their own little world.

Wei Mingjin kissed her while easing her down onto the bed, his fingers deftly undoing the ties of her robe, continuing what had been left unfinished earlier in the study.

Xin He’s vision seemed to blur. The candlelight fell through the bed curtains, casting a shimmering, rippling glow inside.

As the lamplight flickered, the ripples within the curtains swayed with it.

Lying on the brocade quilt, Xin He initially wondered what Wei Mingjin had meant to say after "If you dare break your promise."

But soon, as the ripples on the curtains stirred into waves, she couldn't focus on anything else.

And the long night had only just begun.