The sobs coming from Caiyu's arms were different from her usual charming cries. Instead, they were like the mournful wails of an animal, dull, hoarse, and unbearably bitter, as if soaked in bitter herb water.
Song Yinghuai felt a sudden uneasiness in his heart upon hearing them. It was as if a hemp rope had tightened around his heart, constricting it tightly and causing a suffocating dull pain.
His anger subsided, and his mind cleared. Looking at the black lotus on her snow - white lower back, his mind went blank.
This fragrant - lasting ink was originally found by Ji Ming at his request after much painstaking effort.
Since he was afraid that the girl would feel pain if the tattoo was on her skin, he specifically found this rare and precious fragrant - lasting ink.
He had planned to find an opportunity to draw one lotus flower on each of their bodies with Caiyu as a token of their love.
However, he never expected that in a fit of anger, this token would be left under such circumstances.
"Yuer." Song Yinghuai reached out his hand again remorsefully, wanting to stroke her trembling back.
However, as soon as his fingertips touched Caiyu's skin, she sensitively dodged.
She finally got up from the position of lying on the table. Her eye sockets were red, and tears welled up in her eyes. Although she was completely naked, there was no trace of embarrassment on her face. Instead, she looked at Song Yinghuai hatefully.
Meeting her cold gaze, Song Yinghuai retracted his hand for the first time. He stared blankly into her eyes, wanting to say something but not knowing how to explain.
But Caiyu spoke first. She raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face, and her expression was colder than ever:
"Your Highness has already written the wrong character on this servant's back. Why not write a poem?"
Song Yinghuai stared blankly at her. Seeing her pink and white lips part slightly, she said, "A heart is not wood or stone; how can it be without feelings? I choke back my words and hesitate, not daring to speak!"
As soon as the words fell, Song Yinghuai's face visibly paled.
A heart is not wood or stone; how can it be without feelings? I choke back my words and hesitate, not daring to speak.
A human heart is not made of wood or stone. How could it be without feelings? One wants to speak but holds back, hesitating and not daring to express one's true feelings.
Caiyu was telling him that she had lived with Sheng Jiangli for so many years. She was not made of wood or stone and couldn't simply ignore Sheng Jiangli. There were many kinds of feelings in this world, and she had already expressed that her feelings for Sheng Jiangli were those of family, but he just refused to believe it.
From now on, she would never express her innermost thoughts to him again.
Looking at Caiyu's cold expression, Song Yinghuai knew that when this girl got serious, even he couldn't match her.
If she said that from now on she dared not express her feelings to him, then she probably really wouldn't...
The dull pain in his heart suddenly turned into a sharp knife churning. Song Yinghuai felt the pain was so intense that he could hardly breathe.
He took a step forward and held Caiyu's hand, which began to tremble slightly. He opened his mouth to explain, "This fragrant - lasting ink, I, I intended to..."
But Caiyu suddenly pulled her hand out of his palm. She pressed her chest hard, bent over, and gasped for air. Her vision went black, and she fell into endless darkness amidst Song Yinghuai's panicked cries.
---
Blood spattered everywhere, flesh and blood flew in all directions. In the pit filled with the stench of death, the wails of women echoed through the mountains and forests.
Caiyu was back in the nightmare of that year when they were massacred during the exile.
Some were wailing, some were begging, and some were protecting her under their bodies, allowing the dirt to fall on their backs...
Elder Sister Jinxiang hugged her tightly. The blood oozing from the corner of her lips made Caiyu's eyes turn scarlet.
"Don't sleep! Don't sleep! Open your eyes!"
She heard Elder Sister's hoarse voice calling out to her continuously in her ear, making it difficult for her to distinguish between reality and dream.
Caiyu slowly opened her eyes because Elder Sister told her not to sleep and to open her eyes.
Her hazy beautiful eyes were blank. A figure was approaching her. The scenes of those cruel officials in the dream, looking like hungry wolves, suddenly flashed through her mind.
Without thinking, she swung a slap!
"Slap!"
The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the bedroom, resounding in the spacious and empty room.
Master Guangzhi calmly looked at the bright red handprint on Song Yinghuai's face who was sitting on the head of the bed. He chanted a Buddhist mantra, "Amitabha."
Song Yinghuai pursed his lips tightly. With a handsome face that was beaten red, he gently pulled the dazed Caiyu into his arms and asked, "Are you awake? Where does it hurt?"
Caiyu's gaze shifted between their faces. Her mind gradually cleared.
"Master Guangzhi..." she said in a hoarse voice, filled with confusion in her heart.
For a moment, she couldn't tell whether she was in Shangjing or Yanjing.
Master Guangzhi saw her confusion and smiled, "This is Shangjing. I set out from Yanjing and came to Shangjing while begging for alms. As soon as I entered the mansion, I heard that Miss Caiyu had fainted."
So that was it.
Song Yinghuai's voice sounded above her head, "Yuer, where does it hurt?"
A hint of annoyance flashed in his eyes.
When Caiyu was unconscious, Master Guangzhi took her pulse and found that her lower abdomen had been severely hit.
Only then did he suddenly remember that when he had thrown Caiyu towards the table, he might have hit her.
This time, he had really angered the little ancestor. The girl was probably really going to be furious, and she had even slapped him.
However, Caiyu didn't struggle as violently as Song Yinghuai had expected. Instead, without looking back, she calmly and politely propped herself up.
She slowly turned around, knelt on the bed, and in Song Yinghuai's stunned gaze, she lowered her head and replied softly:
"This servant thanks Your Highness for your concern. This servant doesn't hurt."
"You..." Seeing her like this, Song Yinghuai felt as if something was stuck in his throat. It was painful and uncomfortable. He pursed his lips tightly, and there was pain in his eyes.
He knew that Caiyu, as she had said before she fainted, was no longer willing to express her feelings to him.
But she was still sick. Song Yinghuai really couldn't bear to pester her and force her to change her mind.
If Caiyu didn't want to talk to him, he didn't dare to provoke her either. So he said to Master Guangzhi, "Master, how is her health?"
Master Guangzhi had already taken Caiyu's pulse again and said, "It's nothing serious. It's just a fainting caused by extreme anger and the pain from the impact on her lower abdomen. I'll prescribe a few doses of medicine for her to take for a few days, and she'll be fine."
"However, as the Buddhist scriptures say, without desires, one will be strong; without worries, one will be at peace. The gentle breeze caresses the face, and the still water flows continuously. One will find tranquility and contentment. Miss Caiyu should broaden her mind. Otherwise, excessive worry will harm her body!"
"Thank you for your advice, Master." Caiyu replied listlessly.
She also wanted to be care - free, but reality didn't allow it.
The things that worried her came one after another. Now, besides the matter of the Lan family, there was also the unclear direction of her feelings.
Seeing that she still refused to talk to him, Song Yinghuai could only say to himself, "The guards in the courtyard have been withdrawn. You can rest in the mansion for a few days. When you feel better, you can go for a walk on the street... Whatever you like, just ask the shopkeeper to put the bill under my name."
Was he lifting the house arrest and planning to make amends with gifts?
Caiyu still didn't look at him.
She wasn't a cat or a dog that could be appeased with a stroke after being provoked.
So what if he lifted the house arrest and gave her gifts?
The faint fragrance of the fragrant - lasting ink on her lower back wafted into her nostrils, constantly reminding her that she had once been humiliated by this man like a canvas.
Song Yinghuai sighed. Looking at the cold and stubborn side face of the girl with a headache, he really didn't know what to do.
Forget it.
Let her recover first and calm down for a few days before talking.
Song Yinghuai and Master Guangzhi left the bedroom and went to the council hall.
Xiao Rencheng was waiting there. Master Guangzhi would come to Shangjing every year under the guise of begging for alms to gather information. He was also familiar with Xiao Rencheng. After a few words of greeting, they got to the point.
Xiao Rencheng said, "Qiner revealed a new clue to me last night. There is finally a chance to reverse the verdict in the case of the Lan family!"
He suppressed his excitement and said, "That day, Qiner took advantage of the pretext of bringing Peilan into the mansion and went with her to Lanfangju to look for clues. Although Wen Zilong was cautious and didn't leave any extra writing, Peilan showed off something to Qiner when she was feeling proud - "
"Peilan said that Wen Zilong could paint with his left hand!"
Song Yinghuai and Master Guangzhi glanced at each other, and their eyes showed a sudden realization.
Song Yinghuai twirled the Buddhist beads on his wrist and slowly said, "So... the secret letter that framed the Lan family for rebellion was written in imitation by Wen Zilong with his left hand?"