After seeing off Lady Xu.
Lanyin originally planned to continue brewing tea in the courtyard. Unexpectedly, the weather was as changeable as a baby’s face. Although it wasn’t exactly clear and blue earlier, there was still some brightness. Who could have imagined that in the blink of an eye, the sky suddenly darkened.
Gloomy and oppressive, as if a torrential downpour could begin at any moment.
“Why has the weather changed so quickly?” Fearing that the fine tea left outside would be ruined by the rain, Ting Yun hurriedly instructed people to bring the items inside. Shi Yu also wanted to close the windows to prevent the rain from splashing in later, but Lanyin stopped her.
“Leave this window in front of me open.”
Shi Yu turned back.
Lanyin gazed out the window without looking at her. Despite the dark clouds, she seemed to be beholding a radiant sunny sky. “It’s been a long time since I’ve properly watched the rain,” she murmured softly.
As the wife of the heir, Gu Lanyin had to manage the household, host guests, visit relatives and friends, and even find time to visit her in-laws at the estate. She was busy from morning till night, with barely a few hours to sleep. How could she have the leisure to watch or listen to the rain?
She couldn’t even remember the last time she had quietly read a book.
Seeing the longing on her face and the smile in her eyes, Shi Yu’s heart ached. Suppressing a sob, she softly acknowledged and stepped back, discreetly wiping her moistened eyes when Lanyin wasn’t looking.
After the maids outside had tidied up the courtyard, Ting Yun and Shi Yu rearranged the tea table for her. They also moved a cloud-patterned crabapple stand near the window aside. On it stood a celadon plum vase holding a few freshly picked peach branches that Shi Yu had brought in that morning. They were in full bloom, vibrant and delicate, swaying at the mouth of the vase, utterly charming.
Just as everything was set.
A loud rumble echoed outside, and raindrops as large as beans suddenly poured from the sky. Spring thunder rolled, and in an instant, a spring rain shower descended upon the earth.
Ting Yun, who was arranging snacks, was startled by the thunder. Covering her chest, she said, “That thunder is truly frightening.” She exhaled lightly, glanced at the jasmine outside, and turned to ask Lanyin, “Mistress, should we have someone cover those flowers outside?”
“They’re wild mountain flowers. They thrived without care before, so there’s no need to fuss over them now,” Lanyin replied casually, without any hidden meaning. However, her peripheral vision caught the hesitant expressions of the maids in the room. After a moment’s thought, she understood.
She smiled, placing the account book and personnel register she had casually picked up onto her lap. She addressed them with a smile, “I know what you’re thinking, but my mind is made up. No one can change it.”
Seeing her so content now, Shi Yu, though still unclear about why Lanyin had been so decisive this time, said nothing more. Only Ting Yun sighed, hinting, “I’m afraid the days ahead won’t be easy for you.”
The mistress couldn’t stay at the estate forever.
She would have to return to the city eventually. Once back, wouldn’t the gossip be relentless? And what about the Xiao family? The heir was too angry to care about her now, but he wouldn’t ignore her forever. When that time came, how would she face him?
Even if the Xiao family could be disregarded, what about the Gu family?
If Madam Gu found out that Lanyin had divorced the heir because of the second young lady… she would surely blame Lanyin again.
Just thinking about these matters gave Ting Yun a headache and filled her with worry for her mistress.
Gu Lanyin, however, was not as troubled. She had already endured the hardest days alone, and the current situation was far better than in her previous life. A few idle rumors were nothing to be concerned about.
Since she did not rely on those people for her livelihood, what they said had no bearing on her.
But—
There were some letters she needed to write personally, lest someone spread false rumors and worry her grandmother.
If there was one thing that brought her the most joy in this second chance at life, it wasn’t the fact that she could so quickly rid herself of Xiao Ye, but that her grandmother was still alive.
Thinking of her grandmother, her expression softened involuntarily.
She rolled up her sleeves and picked up a brush.
There was so much she wanted to say, but when she put pen to paper, she didn’t write about herself. Instead, she inquired about her grandmother’s health and shared some trivial matters. Only at the end of the letter did she briefly mention her divorce from Xiao Ye.
It was as if it were a matter of little importance, less significant than deciding what to have for lunch.
“Find someone fast to deliver this to Jinling,” she instructed Ting Yun after finishing the letter.
Ting Yun quickly acknowledged and took the letter. Seeing that Lanyin had no intention of writing more, she exchanged a glance with Shi Yu and ventured, “Shouldn’t we write one to the family as well?”
Shi Yu added, “Yes, if you don’t explain things first, and the Second Young Lady gets ahead of you, who knows how Madam will blame you.”
Lanyin, however, remained unperturbed.
She took the silk handkerchief Shi Yu handed her, wiped her hands, and continued flipping through the ledger she had been reading earlier. Without looking up, she said, “Father is at Yanmen Pass. There’s no need to trouble him with such trivial matters. As for the family, Grandmother doesn’t involve herself in these affairs, and as for that person…” These two words, light yet dripping with distance, referred to her birth mother, Madam Wang.
She turned a page of the ledger, and in the rustling of the paper, her tone was as calm as the surface of a still lake. “Even if I wrote to her in advance, to her, I would still be the one at fault, the one who ruined her beloved daughter’s reputation.”
“Since that’s the case, why should I waste ink and breath?”
Her voice was calm, but the maids in the room couldn’t help but recall the events of those years—Madam’s endless scolding and her favoritism toward the Second Young Lady. Their eyes reddened with indignation on Lanyin’s behalf, and they didn’t press further.
The room fell silent.
Only the sound of the rain outside continued to pour, unceasing.
Lanyin flipped through the ledger. The dim light worried Ting Yun, who feared it would strain her mistress’s eyes, so she had someone light the lamps. Soon, the room was illuminated. A painted lantern depicting court ladies sat on the table, its orange glow casting a warm light on Lanyin’s face, as if adding color to a piece of jade. In the days before she had been disillusioned with the world, Lanyin had been free of worries. Now, with newfound hope, her eyes curved with joy, and a smile played on her lips. Sitting quietly by the lantern, she was even more captivating than the court ladies painted on it, making it all the more difficult to disturb such a serene scene.
After finishing the ledger and understanding the resources and personnel she now had at her disposal, Lanyin instructed, “Tomorrow, gather all our people, including those from the estate. I have a few matters to address.”
Once they acknowledged her orders, she added, “Send a servant to inform Madam Sheng as well, so she doesn’t end up in the wrong place.” After a pause, she continued, “Also, send someone clever into the city to look for a house.” Her shops were all in the city, and she couldn’t stay here forever.
Ting Yun replied, “Shan Xi, who came with us, is quite clever. He used to work in the procurement office and knows many people with wide connections. I’ll have him handle this matter.”
Gu Lanyin nodded, having no further instructions.
Shi Yu, worried that her mistress might grow bored and recall unhappy memories, quickly thought of something. With a smile, she said, “While tidying up the chests earlier, we found a guqin. I remember this was a gift from the Old Madam for your thirteenth birthday when you were still in the inner chambers. Would you like to play a tune?”
Lanyin hummed softly, thought for a moment, and then nodded. “Bring it out for a look.”
“Of course!”
Shi Yu responded cheerfully and immediately turned to lead someone inside to fetch the instrument.
Seeing Shi Yu’s eager demeanor, the smile in Lanyin’s eyes deepened. When the guqin was brought out and placed on the table, she obliged their wishes. Supporting herself on the edge of the table, she stood up and knelt on the cushion. Just as she was about to test the strings, someone came to deliver a message.
It was Song Yue.
He stood outside the curtain and reported, “Mistress, a group of travelers has arrived outside. They say the rain is too heavy to continue their journey and are asking if they might take shelter here until the rain stops.”
Before Lanyin could respond, Shi Yu stormed out, her voice clearly audible even through the curtain. “Are you out of your mind? If they need shelter, they can go to the estate. If you don’t know the people there, just call for Chen Fu. How dare they come here? Do they think they’re that important? And you—don’t you know the mistress is here for quiet cultivation? How could you even consider letting these random people in?”
Song Yue, who usually wore a cold expression, stammered when faced with Shi Yu’s anger. In a softened voice, he coaxed, “Don’t be angry. I originally intended to have Chen Fu take them elsewhere, but the person leading them… is Lord Qi from the Dali Temple.”
Lanyin, who had been smiling at the couple’s interaction, froze at these words. Her fingers, still on the guqin, slipped, and with a sharp zheng, the string vibrated violently. Shi Yu, thinking her mistress was displeased, quickly lowered her voice and urged, “I don’t care who he is. Send them away. Don’t let them disturb the mistress’s peace.”
Just as Song Yue was about to agree, Lanyin’s voice came from inside the room. “…Song Yue, invite them in.”
“Mistress?”
Shi Yu lifted the curtain, her face furrowed in confusion.
Lanyin kept her eyes downcast, quietly retracting her slightly reddened fingertips. With her head bowed, no one could see her expression, but her voice was calm. “He is a good man. We should treat him with courtesy.”
Remembering the debt she owed him from her past life, Lanyin closed her eyes, her voice softening. “Take them to the guest room to rest, and prepare tea and pastries. Do not neglect them.”
At her command, Song Yue acknowledged and left. Shi Yu, though puzzled, said nothing and instructed the maids to fetch tea and snacks from the kitchen.
None of them noticed the subtle change in Lanyin’s demeanor.
—
Outside, under the pouring rain, Tianqing stood by the carriage holding an umbrella and wearing a raincoat. Spotting Song Yue approaching with an umbrella, he softly alerted the person inside the carriage. “Master, they’re coming.”
“Hmm.”
A deep voice came from inside the carriage.
No further words were spoken.
Only when Song Yue arrived and relayed Lanyin’s message did the man inside finally speak. “Thank you for your trouble.”
Song Yue quickly expressed his humility. Although he had never met Lord Qi in person, he had heard many stories about him. One such story was from half a year ago, when Lord Qi was passing through Duanzhou during the rainy season. A flood had breached the dam, causing severe damage to several villages. The local officials had tried to cover up the disaster, but Lord Qi happened to witness it. He immediately sent a letter to Bianjing to report the incident and personally stayed in Duanzhou to help resolve the flood crisis. He only returned after the situation was under control.
The people of Duanzhou were so grateful that they erected a longevity tablet in his honor.
Song Yue, too, felt indebted to him.
Duanzhou was his hometown. Although his family was no longer there and he hadn’t returned in many years, it was still his homeland. Moreover, his parents’ graves were there.
Because of this, when he learned of Lord Qi’s identity, he had mustered the courage to inform his mistress.
Fortunately, his mistress was kind-hearted and did not reprimand him.
As the carriage curtain was lifted, Song Yue first caught sight of a plain blue robe, adorned only with a few water ripple patterns. Then he noticed a hand—strong and firm, lacking the delicacy often associated with scholars. When his gaze fell on the small sandalwood prayer beads on the man’s wrist, Song Yue was surprised. It was rare to see someone of Lord Qi’s age wearing prayer beads.
He didn’t dwell on it. Seeing the black-clad young man step forward with an umbrella, Song Yue stepped aside and greeted, “My lord…”
But his voice trailed off as his eyes landed on Lord Qi’s face.
Song Yue was a guard given to Lanyin by the Wang family. He had followed her from the Wang family in Jinling to the Gu family in Hangzhou, and then to the Xiao family in Bianjing. All three families, whether men or women, were known for their exceptional looks. Yet, when he saw the legendary Lord Qi, Song Yue couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned.
The spring rain cast a hazy veil over the man’s features, but it couldn’t obscure his jade-like, coldly elegant appearance. Lord Qi stood tall and straight, like a snow-covered pine on a mountain. Sensing Song Yue’s gaze, the man turned his head slightly. His dark, stone-like eyes calmly met Song Yue’s, wordless and expressionless, yet they caused Song Yue’s heart to tighten involuntarily.
“Brother?”
It was the black-clad young man calling him.
Song Yue looked up and heard him say with a smile, “Please lead the way.” Only then did Song Yue snap out of his daze. Chiding himself inwardly, he lowered his eyes and gestured, “My lord, please come in.” As they walked, he explained, “There are women in the household, so we can only offer you a place to rest in the outer courtyard.”
Initially worried that they might ask too many questions or look around too much, Song Yue discreetly observed that neither Lord Qi nor his attendant seemed to glance around. He felt slightly relieved. As they approached the Tingyu Pavilion, he was about to remind them when he noticed the black-clad young man looking at something.
“What is it?”
Following his gaze, Song Yue saw a plainly dressed young man in a raincoat, staring dumbly in their direction.
This was someone Chen Fu had sent over that morning. Song Yue assumed he was simply surprised to see male guests and didn’t think much of it. He turned to Lord Qi and said, “My lord, this is where you’ll rest. Please come in.”
Lord Qi gave a faint hum, his tone indifferent. But when Song Yue wasn’t looking, he cast a glance at the plainly dressed young man with the clear, bright eyes.
That glance was dark and seemingly devoid of emotion, but Zhu Qing understood it as a warning.
He quickly retracted the step he was about to take and lowered his head, retreating to the side.