The voice at the door sounded like a thunderclap to Concubine Yao and Jiang Jinyue.
Concubine Yao hurriedly stood up and anxiously urged, "Hurry! I have to go out and have a look!"
Her son finally came back in time for the New Year's Eve vigil!
In his heart, she, his mother, was still important to him!
Jiang Jinyue's heart was pounding wildly. She always felt something was amiss, but Concubine Yao's urgent urging left her no time to think. She had no choice but to support her and rush towards the main gate.
Just as they reached the gate, they saw a magnificent warhorse galloping from afar. The strong wind kicked up by the horse's hooves blew away the snow on the ground, and the snowflakes danced in the air.
Song Yinghuai was riding on the horse in a moon - white brocade robe. The wind fluttered the corners of his robe, making it seem that he had traveled a long way in a hurry.
The smiles on Concubine Yao and Jiang Jinyue's lips had just begun to form when they were immediately wiped away by the person wrapped in the large black fox cloak on his chest.
Although the person in the cloak didn't show their face, everyone knew for whom Song Yinghuai had made such a grand effort and skipped the New - Year reunion at home.
Coming back in time for the New Year's Eve vigil and holding someone in his arms, who else could that person be?
The smile on Concubine Yao's face faded, but she managed to hold back her emotions.
At least, he had rushed back despite the long journey.
It was the New Year after all. His thoughtfulness was enough. As for that Caiyu who had survived a great disaster, she could deal with her later!
Jiang Jinyue's complexion was far worse than Concubine Yao's.
Her face turned pale and then red. She was both panicked and felt a tightness in her chest that made it hard to breathe.
She was panicked because Song Yinghuai had actually found Caiyu!
She wondered if Dong Yurong would betray her.
What panicked her even more was that after these days, she had seen clearly.
As long as Caiyu was around, Song Yinghuai's eyes would probably never fall on her.
Was she really doomed to be buried with the emperor in the palace?
What made her feel suffocated was that Song Yinghuai, such a handsome and noble man, had actually taken a fancy to a lowly maid like Caiyu!
He had even wrapped his own cloak around her while braving the freezing wind on horseback!
What was she inferior to Lan Caiyu in?
Was the fate of her, the third young lady of the Jiang family in Jiaodong, really no better than this lowly maid?
Jiang Jinyue watched the rapidly approaching warhorse. Unaware of it, the fingernails hidden in her sleeves dug deeply into her own flesh!
She was not willing!
She was absolutely not willing!
She, Jiang Jinyue, would not accept her fate and would never allow herself to lose to a lowly maid!
The warhorse galloped to the front and suddenly stopped. Song Yinghuai pulled the reins, and the horse's front hooves rose up. After a neigh, it stopped.
Song Yinghuai dismounted and lifted the person on the horse down with one hand.
Caiyu revealed a charming face from the cloak, which made Jiang Jinyue feel as if thousands of ants were gnawing at her heart.
That face... was as gorgeous as a begonia flower moistened by the spring rain!
She had been missing for a whole seven days.
Didn't Dong Yurong say she would throw Caiyu into a brothel to be defiled by countless men?
Did this look like someone who had been ravaged?
She probably had been pampered by her cousin instead!
What a useless Dong Yurong!
Song Yinghuai said, "It's freezing cold. Mother, why bother waiting at the door?"
Concubine Yao's face showed displeasure, but Song Yinghuai seemed oblivious. His tone was as calm as usual.
Concubine Yao secretly took a deep breath and told herself in her heart not to be fussy on this New Year's Eve, so as not to affect the good fortune of the coming year.
She said in a slightly reproachful tone, "My son doesn't come home to celebrate the New Year with me. The mansion is so deserted. I just came out to enjoy the snow scenery and relieve my melancholy."
"It's my fault, Mother." Song Yinghuai apologized unhurriedly. "I've rushed back to keep the New Year's Eve vigil with you. Please calm down, Mother."
Since childhood, Song Yinghuai had been highly regarded by the emperor and had been trained in the army all year round. He had very little time to spend with Concubine Yao. So whenever Concubine Yao had different opinions from him, he always stuck to his own ideas and never obeyed his mother.
The greatest respect he showed to Concubine Yao was only in terms of food, clothing, shelter, transportation and reputation.
Today, he suddenly accepted her reproach and even apologized. Concubine Yao's anger suddenly disappeared, and a sincere smile appeared on her face:
"I know you've been busy these days. General Zhu told me that you hardly rested during the city search a few days ago. Why are you still standing here in the cold wind? Hurry into the house and rest!"
"There's a warm stove in my room. Hurry up and warm yourself up to get rid of the dampness on your body!"
Song Yinghuai responded and then turned to Caiyu, who was standing still, and said in a harsh tone:
"Don't you hurry back and change your clothes to serve me?"
On the way back, Caiyu had time to think and suddenly realized how inappropriate her clothes were.
So she had been tightly wrapped in Song Yinghuai's cloak.
Hearing the order, she quickly excused herself from Concubine Yao and Jiang Jinyue and left through the side door.
Song Yinghuai's gaze seemed to show no reluctance. He lifted his steps and strode into the mansion through the main entrance.
He didn't even give Jiang Jinyue a single glance, but it also seemed that he had no intention of holding her accountable.
Jiang Jinyue's heart was in a turmoil. But finding that Song Yinghuai didn't seem to be blaming her, she finally couldn't help but follow him tentatively and said:
"Cousin, didn't you say you were going out to search for the remaining members of the Dong family? Why is Caiyu with you? By the way, Aunt said she was missing. It turns out she's been working with cousin! She's really... a capable maid!"
Song Yinghuai's steps paused slightly. He turned to look at her. His black eyes were sharp and deep, like lightning, making her dare not look directly at him. Her heart stopped for a moment.
Did cousin... know something?
Did that stupid Dong Yurong really betray her?
It was she who had provided Caiyu's time, route and accompanying personnel when she went out to the shop on the Little New Year!
If she was betrayed by Dong Yurong, would Song Yinghuai embarrass her for that lowly maid Caiyu?
She was just a lowly maid. Would he embarrass her for her?
Jiang Jinyue felt extremely cold under Song Yinghuai's gaze, and her body trembled slightly involuntarily.
Unexpectedly, Song Yinghuai suddenly gave a gentle smile, nodded and said:
"She... is indeed a capable maid. She served me day and night during these seven days when I was out. She did an excellent job. I'm very satisfied... and really fond of her."
Song Yinghuai's tone carried a faint ambiguous air. Jiang Jinyue felt dizzy and her body swayed. The heat on her head seemed to be rising.
She felt that there was more meaning behind cousin's words than met the eye.
Seven days...
He was going to completely silence the scandal of Caiyu being kidnapped and sold to a brothel.
Serving day and night...
Really fond of her...
The sourness, annoyance, anger and unwillingness...
All these emotions intertwined, filling her heart with an indescribable feeling. She could hardly breathe.
She felt as if she was being hanged on the gallows, unable to escape.
"Really..." Jiang Jinyue's head was buzzing. She forced a smile and said, "Then cousin and aunt... should really reward her well!"
Concubine Yao would never reward Caiyu. She wished Caiyu would disappear from her sight. Hearing this, she just coughed lightly and didn't respond.
But Song Yinghuai was unexpectedly in a very good mood. Usually he ignored Jiang Jinyue, but today he answered her every word:
"She really deserves a good reward. I'll reward her after the New Year's Eve vigil tonight."
Jiang Jinyue's head buzzed even louder.
Tonight... What kind of reward?
Even as a virgin, she could understand the ambiguous meaning. She felt as if thousands of ants were biting her heart.
Concubine Yao really couldn't stand listening anymore and said, "It's the New Year's Eve vigil tonight and the first day of the New Year tomorrow. Why do you want to reward a maid on such an important day?"
"I think after the New Year's Eve vigil, you should accompany me and Yue'er to play pai gow in the Wanxiang Hall!"
Hearing this, Song Yinghuai's eyes flickered slightly. He smiled and said, "Mother is absolutely right. But I'm really not interested in pai gow. How about I accompany cousin to the street to watch the fair?"
"Really, really?"
Jiang Jinyue was stunned. Her mood soared from hell to heaven.
Was Song Yinghuai inviting her to go out and play on the street?