Chapter 14 Heng Niang: I Must Be Bound to You

Chapter 14: Heng Niang Must Be Tied to You

Hearing this, Qing Lan let out a couple of quiet sobs, and a wind picked up, making the secluded spot feel colder.

Jiang Yueyi wiped Qing Lan's tears from her face and then led her out.

For a while, both were down in the dumps, lost in heavy thoughts, walking slow.

After much deliberation, Qing Lan said, "Why don't I think of something? Maybe I can still abort the child after all."

Jiang Yueyi sighed deeply, suddenly feeling utterly exhausted. She pulled Qing Lan to a sheltered spot to sit down, then said, "Forget that taking such strong medicine might harm my own body—if I actually did that, do you think the master, smart as he is, wouldn't see right through me? Right now, he just wants me to behave. If I don't act obediently, he'll become even more suspicious that I'm up to something, and in the end, he might still end up having to spill the beans."

"So there's really nothing else we can do?" Qing Lan's eyes were even redder than when Jiang Yueyi had met with Zhou Congshen.

Jiang Yueyi said, "No. But don't worry, I've got a handle on things. If anything goes wrong, I can handle it myself."

The second Jiang Yueyi found out the truth from Zhou Congshen, she admitted she had thought about getting rid of the baby. But she quickly talked herself out of it—not only for the reasons she gave Qing Lan, but also because she needed to keep an escape route open. Even at the very least, this child is Qi Hao's flesh and blood. If Qi Hao really wanted to kick her out, it wouldn't be that easy.

Jiang Yueyi had always had a mind of her own, not some weak woman who could be pushed around. With her words, Qing Lan's emotions gradually calmed, though she sighed again. "I thought Madam Feng was a proper woman and ran a tight ship, and the earl's mansion had a simple family—the only drawback being the master's weak health. I never imagined the residence was such a snake pit. If I'd known, miss should have married into the Yan family instead..."

"Qing Lan," Jiang Yueyi interrupted flatly, "you are my most attentive and steady maid. What's gotten into you today?"

Though her tone was light, her face started to show sorrow, and soon she looked crushed.

Seeing this, Qing Lan added, "Miss feels the same way deep down, doesn't she? Although Young Master Yan's family circumstances were humble, he was raised in our household from childhood at our master's behest, and as the child of our master's old friend, his character and family background were above reproach. He and miss... at that time, Madam Wang did everything to sabotage miss's marriage. Young Master Yan learned of it and said he wanted to marry you, even coming to see you in person. But who would have thought miss had your heart set on marrying into the earl's mansion."

This time, Jiang Yueyi was silent for a long while.

Yan Shuo was the person she least wanted to mention. Having married into this household, she had hardly ever thought of him again, almost convincing herself she had forgotten him.

But how could she ever forget? To Qing Lan and the others, he was just "Young Master Yan," but to her, he was simply Yan Shuo.

He was orphaned at five or six and was taken in by Jiang Chao and raised in the Jiang house. He and Jiang Yueyi were the same age, so they naturally grew up playing together. As they grew older, when the elders tried to separate them, they always found ways to get together again to play. The initial marriage agreement between the Jiang family and the earl's mansion was only a verbal promise, strictly speaking not binding. For a long time, everyone in the Jiang family, including Jiang Yueyi herself, assumed she would marry Yan Shuo.

But then Wang Shi appeared, and Jiang Yueyi chose to give up Yan Shuo to fight for a better future for herself and Concubine Gu.

Jiang Yueyi could not forget the disappointed look in Yan Shuo's eyes at that time.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yueyi let out a light, lingering laugh and murmured, "What's the point of talking about this now? I can't exactly kill the master and then go marry him, can I?"

Everything was her own choice—she could not blame anyone, not even Qi Hao.

Qing Lan knew she had said too much and should not have brought up Yan Shuo, so she said, "It was my mistake. The wind is strong outside; let's go back."

Jiang Yueyi allowed Qing Lan to help her up. The chilly autumn wind blew against her skin, sending a chill deep into her flesh.

Feeling she had been a bit indiscreet, Jiang Yueyi glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before heading back to Xingyun Courtyard.

After parting from Jiang Yueyi, Zhou Congshen had intended to go straight to his own courtyard. He did not want to get involved in Qi Hao's affairs, but now that he was already entangled, he had no choice but to continue the charade with Qi Hao.

Still, Jiang Yueyi seemed truly innocent and pitiable in his eyes, stirring his compassion, which is why he had told her so much.

***

That was the only thing he could do; it was not appropriate to say more.

But no sooner had he returned and sat down than a servant reported that Qi Hao was looking for him again.

Zhou Congshen's temples throbbed; he felt as if his head had doubled in size. Jiang Yueyi didn't look stupid enough to, despite his repeated warnings, go back and confront Qi Hao directly, did she?

There was no avoiding it, so Zhou Congshen had to make his way to Xingyun Courtyard.

Once inside the study, Zhou Congshen first studied Qi Hao's expression. He knew Su Hengniang was the one Qi Hao treasured most. Before Su Hengniang married, Qi Hao had never stopped fighting for her. Now, it was only because of the obstacles in the earl's mansion and Su Hengniang's recent widowhood that the matter was kept under wraps.

Qi Hao seemed fine, with even a hint of a smile on his lips. So it wasn't that Jiang Yueyi had come to cause trouble.

Zhou Congshen had just breathed a sigh of relief when Qi Hao said, "I need to go out."

"Go out then. Do you need me to come with you?" Zhou Congshen was puzzled.

Qi Hao stood up and walked over to Zhou Congshen, pointing to his own seat, and said, "You sit here for me. If Mother or anyone else comes, just go lie down on the bed."

"Qi Hao," Zhou Congshen frowned, "you want me to pretend to be you and cover for you here? Why not let your servant do it?"

"They're not clever enough. If Mother comes in, I'm afraid they'll slip up." Qi Hao smiled.

He was obviously in an excellent mood today. Zhou Congshen wished he could gouge out his own eyes for not noticing earlier, and break his own legs for actually coming to see him.

Zhou Congshen asked, "Are you going to see her?"

"Yes." Qi Hao answered bluntly.

"You'd better not act rashly for now," Zhou Congshen drew in a cold breath. "I know your mind is made up, but now is not the time. At least wait until Jiang Yueyi safely delivers a legitimate son, or else let Auntie..."

"We've already met many times," Qi Hao interrupted Zhou Congshen. He had no intention of hiding anything from him, but after a moment's thought, he continued, "I've been trapped by illness for years. Now that I'm finally better, I don't want to restrain myself anymore."

Zhou Congshen was stunned by his frank words. After a long pause, he nodded. "Actually, you've always craved freedom since childhood. I just never expected you to be this stubborn. Even I am ashamed."

Qi Hao had been frail and sickly since birth. Zhou Congshen, as his elder cousin, often came to play with him, but many times, he could only watch the other children play. Seeing the disappointed look on Qi Hao's pale little face always saddened Zhou Congshen, but a child was still a child—he couldn't give up his own fun to keep Qi Hao company.

Qi Hao coughed lightly into his sleeve and said, "I truly didn't want to trouble you earlier. Having a servant play my part was fine. But now that Yueyi has become suspicious, I'm afraid if she gets angry and causes a scene, it won't end well."

Zhou Congshen was silent for a moment. "So you're not going to tell Auntie at all?"

"Mother originally looked down on Hengniang for being a concubine's daughter. Now that Hengniang is a widow, given Mother's temperament, she will never allow her to enter this house again. Besides, I don't want her to be a concubine. She can only be my wife."

"Jiang Yueyi is pitiable."

"I'll give her everything I can. Beyond that, I cannot. I'm sorry to her."

Zhou Congshen said nothing more. After a long while, he waved his hand. "Just go. Come back early."

"Thank you, cousin, for your understanding." Qi Hao smiled and made a bow to Zhou Congshen. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left.

With Xing An leading the way, Qi Hao easily slipped out of the Earl of Chengping's mansion.

Once on the main road, surrounded by the clamor and noise of the streets, Qi Hao felt refreshed. Because he had always been weak, Feng Shi was very afraid that any disturbance would startle him, so the entire household was perpetually cautious. Qi Hao never complained, but he was the first to feel stifled. Only when he was outside did he feel alive—a pity that Feng Shi also kept him under close watch and seldom allowed him to go out.

Qi Hao bought some trinkets from a street vendor. Only when Xing An urged him did he reluctantly head toward the southern part of the city.

Familiar with the way, he entered a residence. As soon as he passed through the main gate, a soft, fragrant bundle pressed itself against him.

Qi Hao's heart softened instantly. He tightly grasped the newcomer's hand, and with his other hand, handed over the candied hawthorn stick he had just bought on the street.

The person had already spotted Qi Hao's arrival, her eyes curving into crescent moons. Taking the candied hawthorn, she burst into laughter like silver bells, her round face flushed red, just like the hawthorn berries coated in sugar on the stick.

Qi Hao patted her head.

This is his younger cousin Su Hengniang. Su Hengniang was born to a concubine of Qi Hao's uncle (his father's brother-in-law), and in fact shares no blood relation with Qi Hao. Yet, as a child, she would often accompany her legal mother to the earl's residence. Over time, she got to know Qi Hao well. She was clever, lively, cheerful, and bright. While other children of the same age looked down on Qi Hao for being frail and refused to play with him, Su Hengniang treated him no differently, always hanging around him, calling him "big brother."

Su Hengniang was the ray of light that cut through the gloom of Qi Hao's childhood and youth.

Whenever he saw Su Hengniang, his heart was filled with nothing but joy.

Qi Hao walked inside with Su Hengniang, arm in arm, and noticed she had already bitten into the top hawthorn on the stick, crunching it in her mouth. Softly, he said, "Eat more slowly."

Su Hengniang turned her head to look at him, a tiny bit of sugar stuck at the corner of her mouth. Qi Hao reached out and gently wiped it away.

Embarrassed, Su Hengniang tightened her grip on Qi Hao's arm and whispered, "I've been craving something sour lately!"

Hearing that, the smile in Qi Hao's eyes grew even brighter. After they sat down inside the room and dismissed the attendants, Qi Hao said, "Just be patient for a few more days."

"Still have to wait?" Su Hengniang made no attempt to hide her disappointment, which only made Qi Hao's heart ache more. But then she quickly added, "That's all right. I've waited this long; in the end, I'm sticking with you no matter what."

Qi Hao sighed helplessly, but his tone held not a trace of blame or reproach. He simply said, "Don't worry. I'll arrange everything."

"What about her?" Su Hengniang blinked.

Qi Hao immediately responded, "I'll give her what she wants, but nothing else."

Su Hengniang laughed again. "I trust you."

Then they went into the inner room to talk in private, dropping all those worrisome topics.