lcionline Chapter 310 Lost and Heartbroken
Chapter 310 Lost and Heartbroken
Chapter 310 Lost and Heartbroken
Chapter 310
Perhaps it was her expression that was so calm and indifferent that Ye Yunzhou's instinctively extended hand froze in mid-air. He looked incredulous and repeated her words, "What do you mean by 'just consider the past a moment of confusion'? And 'I'm worthy of being your brother'? How can I be worthy of that? Are you asking me to marry you off someday?"
He had considered that, given their previous arguments and the changes they had gone through, Luo Shuiyao might harbor resentment towards him. He had also intended to find an opportunity to have a proper talk with her and clear up the misunderstanding. He had also reflected that he was at fault in this matter and shouldn't have been angry with her. But he had never expected Luo Shuiyao's expression to be so resolute.
She'd said something similar before, but her expression wasn't nearly as calm and resolute as it was today. Luo Shuiyao was far too calm today, so calm that it made Ye Yunzhou a little uneasy. Ye Yunzhou stared directly at her, his gaze locked firmly in hers, carefully examining her expression. But he realized, to his dismay, that there wasn't even a hint of joking in her words. This stung his heart, making him even more unable to accept it.
Luo Shuiyao secretly exerted force, her nails practically digging into her palms, trying her best to remain calm. She met Ye Yunzhou's gaze and stared back. Ye Yunzhou's face was filled with a rare loss of composure, his eyes filled with unconcealed heartache. Luo Shuiyao felt a mixture of emotions. Although she felt a little uncomfortable, she also felt a sense of relief.
She had never believed in repaying evil with kindness. Ever since she'd traveled through time, Ye Yunzhou had repeatedly harbored prejudices against her. Though he might not have realized it was her at the time, he ultimately distrusted her. Just like this time, Ye Yunzhou had blindly believed those slanderous words based on mere hearsay. Wasn't this because he harbored a deep-seated prejudice against her? For Luo Shuiyao, no matter how deeply she'd loved Ye Yunzhou, she didn't want someone who had no trust in her.
Luo Shuiyao knew that Ye Yunzhou's affection for her was genuine, but what good was that? In her eyes, such sincerity was too easily swayed, cheap. While their feelings were deep at the moment, who could predict the future of love? There was no guarantee that their love would fade. Then, Ye Yunzhou's distrust of her would become a sharp knife stabbing her in the back. With this thought, Luo Shuiyao's desire to completely abandon this relationship grew stronger.
Ye Yunzhou's gaze remained fixed on Luo Shuiyao, desperate to catch even a glimmer of pity in her eyes. However, he was ultimately disappointed. Luo Shuiyao's expression was calm and resolute, unwavering. Ye Yunzhou leaned back in the carriage, somewhat dejected. His usually upright back relaxed slightly as he stared at her, his eyes filled with loss and heartache.
Although the house Yang Wei had found was located in Kyoto, it was still inferior to the wealthy and powerful, such as the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery's Mansion. It was located at the intersection of Osmanthus Alley and Jingque Street. It wasn't close, but it wasn't far either.
There was silence in the carriage. Just then, the carriage slowly stopped, and the driver quietly announced outside: "Miss, we're here." Hearing this, Luo Shuiyao's thoughts were pulled back from the chaos. Without even glancing at Ye Yunzhou's expression, she got off the carriage.
Luo Shuiyao stepped down from the carriage with a swift and decisive motion. Ye Yunzhou subconsciously reached out, trying to grab the hem of her clothes, but his fingertips only grazed the hem in vain. At that moment, he felt an inexplicable sense of loss, just like the relationship between them, which could never reach an equal state.
Ye Yunzhou was no tongue-tied person. In court, he could hit the nail on the head, and in military meetings, though he spoke few words, each one was powerful and to the point. But when it came to matters of the heart, he seemed to lose his composure. The more he tried to explain, the more he misspoke. At this moment, despite feeling extremely unwilling, he lost his courage as he watched Luo Shuiyao's resolute departure.
After Luo Shuiyao dismounted, seeing Ye Yunzhou had no intention of following, she turned and headed for the carriage behind. Chuntao and Chunxing had already hopped off. Chunxing moved swiftly, carrying Nanny Sang on her back and entering the house. Luo Shuiyao walked over to Chuntao, took a bundle from her shoulder, opened it, and pulled out a few items. Then she turned and instructed the driver to carry the bundle into the house with Chuntao.
Luo Shuiyao clenched her hand and boarded the carriage again. Ye Yunzhou heard her familiar footsteps and a glimmer of anticipation welled up in his heart. He hurriedly looked up at the carriage curtain. When he saw Luo Shuiyao pull open the curtain and walk in, an indescribable joy instantly appeared on his face. He was convinced that Luo Shuiyao had changed her mind and was willing to reconcile with him and have a good talk.
After Luo Shuiyao boarded the carriage, she didn't sit down. Instead, she placed the few things in her hands next to Ye Yunzhou, looking directly at him and saying, "I got some of these things from your mother, and some were found by my maid in the corner of Qiuli Courtyard. As the Inspector of the Hidden Dragon Guards, you have outstanding case-handling ability. I'd like to trouble you to personally investigate the origins and uses of these things."
Ye Yunzhou's heart, which had originally leaped with joy at her getting on the bus, was instantly extinguished by her cold and indifferent words, and it sank straight down. He stared blankly at the things beside him and nodded silently subconsciously.
Luo Shuiyao ignored him and lifted the curtain again and got off the carriage.
Ye Yunzhou sat in the carriage and vaguely heard her voice instructing the driver to take him back to the Marquis' Mansion. He was the only one left in the carriage. Ye Yunzhou looked at the things beside him and gradually suppressed the feeling of loss in his heart. He lifted the curtain and looked at Luo Shuiyao's back as she walked into the yard. His eyelashes trembled slightly, and he narrowed his eyes and quickly opened them. The loss in his eyes was gone. How could he, Ye Yunzhou, be easily defeated by such a setback? He was unwilling to give up. They say that a forced melon is not sweet, but he felt that the method of twisting it was wrong. Since the two of them had talked about the past, wasn't this a new beginning? If they could do it again, without so many barriers between them, he didn't believe that there was no possibility for the two of them to be together.
The carriage began to shake again and gradually drove away. Ye Yunzhou calmed down, reached out and picked up the items beside him, and began to examine them carefully. He found that the headband looked very familiar, it should be something his mother usually wore. Then, he looked at another wrapped handkerchief, opened it, and gently pinched the contents with his fingers. He immediately determined that it was drug residue, even mixed with some dirt. In an instant, countless thoughts surged through his mind. But at this time, these were just speculations, and to determine the truth, he needed to investigate. He carefully sorted these things out and did not linger any longer.
Upon returning to the Marquis' residence, Ye Yunzhou immediately beckoned his subordinates, who were hiding in the mansion, to come over. He tossed the two items to them and said, "Go and find out what secrets this Qiuliyuan is hiding and what this medicine is used for. Also, check if there's anything unusual about this headband. Go and do it as soon as possible. Come find me when you've found the answer."
"Yes." The subordinate in black responded promptly, took the things, turned around and left quickly.
Ye Yunzhou stared at his departing figure for a moment, then walked towards the Marquis's wife. He had already figured out who had drugged His Majesty a few days ago, so he'd probably be busy for a while. He could let Luo Shuiyao cool down first, but he had to make things clear with his mother; he couldn't let her delay his work.
The Marquis's wife, frightened by the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery's words, began to ache again. She called over to Nanny Sang and put the things Luo Shuiyao had sent back into her private vault. She stared blankly at the gold and silver mirror Luo Shuiyao had given her. Her reflection, still elegant but slightly weary, made her lose her composure. Could it be that she had done something wrong? Shouldn't she have targeted Miss Yao and forced her to leave? And now, even her husband wasn't on her side.
The more the Marquis's wife thought about it, the more she felt her headache flare up, the more intense the pain. Just then, she heard the servant announce the arrival of the eldest son. She stood up, holding onto the edge of the table, and gently placed the mirror on the table, fearing to damage it. The mirror was so exquisite and clear that even though she was still a little angry with Yao, she couldn't bear to damage it in the slightest. Unexpectedly, the girl even gave her a gift before leaving.
Seeing Ye Yunzhou come in, Madam Hou raised her hand to rub her swollen forehead, and with some effort, she said, "Son, what's the matter with you looking for me?"
It wasn't that her tone was distant; it was simply that the child had been intelligent and precocious since childhood, and rarely came to her courtyard unless it was something important. Seeing her eldest son come to visit her today, the Marquis's wife was both delighted and secretly worried, fearing he might have run into some trouble.
Ye Yunzhou walked into the house and bowed politely. He looked up and saw that the Marquis's lips were pale and her brows were slightly furrowed. He remembered his mother's old illness and secretly suspected that the events of the past two days had caused a relapse. He couldn't help but sigh slightly, and his originally hardened heart softened a little. However, he remained calm and pretended not to notice the Marquis's unusual behavior. He said, "It's nothing serious. I just came to tell you a small matter."
Hearing that it was a small matter, the Marquis's slightly tense heart relaxed a little, "Then tell me, mother is listening."
Ye Yunzhou didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Mother, I'm already over twenty years old. People my age in Beijing already have grown up children, but I've never been able to get married. I'm sure my father has explained some of the reasons to you."
The Marquis's wife nodded and motioned for him to continue.
Seeing this, Ye Yunzhou continued, "Mother, I've actually made up my mind to live alone for the rest of my life. My family is a distinguished and respected member of the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery, and His Majesty values me highly. However, this also makes the higher-ups wary of me. He doesn't want me to marry any noblewoman from a high-class family. If I marry someone of a lower status, it would be a disgrace to the Marquisate. I've decided not to marry in the future, and mother, please don't worry about my marriage anymore."
"No."
The Marquis's wife was so anxious upon hearing this that she ignored the discomfort caused by her headache and objected repeatedly, "How can that be possible? How can we let you sacrifice so much for our family? Your father and I already feel guilty enough, how can we let you not marry? If you don't marry, you won't have anyone who understands you and cares about you, and you won't have children. How can I face the ancestors of the Marquis's Mansion in the future? How can I be worthy of your grandmother and grandfather? Absolutely not. I don't agree!"
Ye Yunzhou raised his eyebrows secretly, but his face still showed a resolute refusal. He said in a deep voice, "What if you don't agree? If I marry a noble lady, it will definitely arouse that person's suspicion. If then, my mansion will lose the emperor's favor and be attacked by everyone. Maybe even my body will be lost. Have you considered the consequences?"
The Marquis's wife took a few steps back and slumped down in her chair, clutching the edge with both hands, her fingertips turning white from the strain. "Son, do you know how much your words hurt me?"
Her eyes were red, and her voice was choked with sobs. "The century-old foundation of the Marquis' Mansion is certainly important, but you are also the apple of my eye, the apple of my eye. How can I bear to let you die alone?"
Seeing the Marquis' wife's deeply shocked expression, Ye Yunzhou felt a little uncomfortable, but when he thought about why he came here today to convince his mother, he continued, "It's okay. Ah Xing will marry and have children in the future to continue the Marquis's bloodline. As for whether I have children or not, it's really not that important."
"No."
The Marquis's wife refused again, "You said you can't marry a noble lady, then what about marrying a girl from a humble family? We can choose a girl from a scholarly family with a clean background and give her a generous betrothal gift. This way, she won't be tainted by the imperial court and can continue the family line."
At the end of her words, her voice gradually lowered, as if she was afraid to shatter this ethereal hope. The magnolia tree outside the window rustled gently in the wind. She suddenly grabbed her son's wrist, her fingertips burning with warmth. "Look, how about this?"
Ye Yunzhou heard this and seemed to think carefully before asking, "Then what kind of girl from a humble family would you like to marry, mother? Besides the merchants and common people in the capital, there aren't many minor officials who meet your requirements. So, I'll have to trouble you to think about this."
"Okay." Hearing her son's agreement, the Marquis's wife nodded, "Don't worry, I'll go check it out in the next two days and will definitely take care of it."
Upon hearing this, Ye Yunzhou raised the corners of his lips slightly and said, "Then I'll trouble you, mother. It's getting late, and I have things to do, so I'll take my leave now."
The Marquis's wife nodded, and surprisingly, she felt that even her headache was no longer so painful. After watching him leave, she beckoned for Nanny Sang to come in.
Ye Yunzhou left the mansion and whispered a few words to his entourage. The accompanying subordinates were puzzled, but as subordinates, it was their duty not to disobey their superiors' orders. So they nodded and dispersed.
That night, all the minor officials in the city with daughters of marriageable age received a warning. Under the pressure of the tyranny, each family, though confused, nodded in agreement. A few, sensing something unusual, acted even more cautiously. After all, they felt they couldn't let their daughters get involved in the struggles between these powerful figures. Death was all too common among the wealthy, and these minor officials were powerless to prevent it. With the world now stable and easy, and their own daughters easily supported, why take such a risk?
(To explain: the hero is as brave and skilled in battle as his father, and holds a high prestige in the army. The emperor employs him, but is also wary of him, unwilling to let him marry a noblewoman, yet unable to bring himself to point out someone with a poor family background. This also applies to the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery and his wife. For the same reason, the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery married his wife, who is unremarkable except for her appearance. Now that the hero has nominally left the Marquisate and established his own family, he has essentially severed his legacy, but the emperor still has some concerns. It's just that the hero exaggerated a bit, knowing that the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery wouldn't expose him.)