Chapter 193: A Snowy Night

Outside the window, snowflakes are drifting.

In the room, Luo Zijun is sitting on a chair in front of the window, flipping through the exquisite pictures in his hands.

At this moment, the Copper Mirror in his Storage Bag suddenly receives a message.

No need to guess, it is from that "Fairy of the Jade Pool" again.

He takes it out and glances at it.

He thought it would be that "I can't sleep" again, but who knew it would actually be "It's snowing."

Luo Zijun replies casually: 【Yeah, it's snowing.】

A moment later.

Fairy of the Jade Pool: 【I can't sleep.】

Luo Zijun ignores her, puts away the Copper Mirror directly, and continues looking at the exquisite pictures in his hands.

At the same time.

On another street, in a certain pavilion.

In a room, a young girl wearing a snow-white fox fur coat is standing quietly alone in front of the window, gazing at the snowflakes drifting outside, lost in a daze.

That head of jet-black hair, like black silk, hangs down softly to her waist behind her; in front, a pair of towering, upright peaks almost break free from the lapels of her clothes, standing proudly; further up, that pure yet charming face, set against the white snow outside the window, is beautiful to the extreme.

She stands there, motionless, as if a sculpture.

Outside the window, the night grows deeper.

Chujian Bookstore.

When Liu Chujian finishes bathing and enters the room wearing a light gauze robe with a blushing face, in another room, Jia Yingchun is sleeping with three Young Maids, keeping each other warm while whispering.

Having left the Jia Mansion, although there was some melancholy for a time, her heart finally feels much lighter.

"Young Miss, we still need to buy a house of our own to live in. Living here, it always feels a bit uncomfortable."

"Yeah, we don't even know what we should do."

"Although Liu is very kind, living here always gives one the feeling of being a dependent."

Jia Yingchun is silent for a while, then says: "Hmm, tomorrow when I see Tanchun, I will go and tell her. If we can buy a residence outside, that would naturally be best."

Siqi holds back for a moment, but cannot help herself, and whispers: "Young Miss, what are you considered to Young Master Luo now?"

Jia Yingchun falls silent and does not answer.

Xiuju says: "Young Master Luo is getting married to Bai Daxiaojie tomorrow, and he is even marrying into her family. I don't know why he is staying here tonight and not returning home."

Jia Yingchun is startled and asks: "Young Master Luo hasn't left?"

Xiuju whispers: "No, when this servant came in earlier, I saw him go to Liu's room, and the shop downstairs has already been locked."

Jia Yingchun is dazed and says nothing more.

Lianhua is the youngest and whispers: "Young Master Luo is so bold, isn't he afraid of being discovered by the Bai Family?"

Jia Yingchun suddenly remembers what Daiyu said that day.

"The Crown Prince proposed marriage, and Bai Daxiaojie suddenly had an accident... I think Young Master Luo is only doing this to repay a debt of gratitude and to help. I expect that when the time is right, he will separate from Bai Daxiaojie. After all, he is deeply in love with that Liu, and would never let her be a concubine..."

"Young Master Luo can write such moving love stories; he would never be someone who abandons the old for the new. For him to risk such a bad reputation for being fickle and to suffer the indignity of marrying into her family, there must be some unspeakable hardship..."

She finally understands.

"So Young Master Luo marrying into the Bai Family was not voluntary, but a compromise, a temporary measure... The one he loves has always been Liu, which is why he stayed here on the eve of his wedding to keep her company..."

"Ah..."

At this moment, a sound suddenly comes from next door.

Jia Yingchun is startled and says: "Did you all hear a sound just now?"

Siqi and Xiuju say nothing.

The youngest, Lianhua, quickly says: "Young Miss, this servant heard it. It seems to have come from the room next door. It was that Sister Liu's voice; perhaps she was frightened by a mouse."

"Pfft..."

Siqi and Xiuju giggle under the quilt.

Jia Yingchun is confused and wants to tell Siqi to go and check, but suddenly remembers that Young Master Luo seems to be there, and seeing Siqi and Xiuju hiding under the quilt giggling, she suddenly vaguely guesses something.

Her cheeks instantly heat up, and she keeps her eyes open, pricks up her ears, and holds her breath, as if wanting to hear some more movement, but she hears nothing more.

"Young Miss, are we never going back to the mansion again?"

Xiuju asks.

Jia Yingchun is silent for a while, then says: "Occasionally go back to see Grandmother, and see Baoyu and the younger sisters."

Siqi snorts coldly and says: "That kind of place, it's better not to go back."

She naturally knows that her Young Miss was almost sold by the master, and the other party was a person who was full of evil and extremely cruel.

"Following Young Master Luo is quite good."

She adds another sentence, because she knows her Young Miss's heart.

"Ah..."

"Xiuju, don't touch me randomly!"

"Hee hee, I touched you by accident."

Lianhua suddenly says again: "Sister Liu seemed to have called out again just now."

Siqi laughs and says: "That was me who called out just now, Xiuju bumped into me."

Jia Yingchun, however, whispers: "The room next door called out too."

Siqi says nothing more.

At this time, suddenly a "creak, creak" sound rises again.

The room is quiet for a moment.

Siqi spoke up again: "The wind outside is so strong, it feels like the little building is swaying from the gusts, and the snow is so heavy too; I reckon it won't be easy to walk tomorrow."

The three young maids couldn't help but start chatting again.

Jia Yingchun, however, pricked up her ears and remained silent.

Having just left the mansion today and arrived in a strange place, the group naturally felt no sleepiness at all.

They chatted with great interest until nearly dawn, only then falling asleep while yawning incessantly.

The entire little building suddenly became quiet.

Jia Yingchun's cheeks burned, and she closed her eyes too; after a moment, she quietly got up, changed her clothes, and then crawled back into the warm quilt.

Outside the window, the wind and snow continued all night without stopping.

The flat streets and the towering rooftops were already covered in white snow.

In the narrow alley below the building, thick snow had also piled up, extending all the way to the entrance of Chujian Bookstore, almost burying the entire shop door.

Some were happy about this heavy snow, while others were worried.

People in the city could have snowball fights and build snowmen, each one full of joy; but outside the city, many people were starving or freezing to death, countless in number.

The sky was just beginning to brighten. Xiao Lan got out of bed to open the shop door, but no matter how she pushed, it wouldn't budge, so she had to go upstairs to find Bi'er for help.

Bi'er got up rubbing her two dark circles, yawning repeatedly, her spirit listless.

On the floor, the undergarments she had changed out of were still scattered about.

Xiao Lan asked in confusion: "Sister Bi'er, didn't you sleep last night?"

Bi'er hummed, glanced at the room next door, said nothing, and went downstairs with her.

The two of them pushed hard against the door and finally managed to force it open.

As soon as the door opened, the two were startled by the snow outside.

The thick snow had piled up above the threshold, and the narrow alley next to it was packed full, white and bright, almost completely blocked.

Moreover, the sky was still fluttering with snowflakes.

"What a heavy snow!"

The two clicked their tongues, hurried to the backyard to get tools, and began to clear the snow at the entrance.

!

If they didn't clear it, there would be no way to walk out later.

And at this moment.

The people in the two rooms upstairs were still sleeping soundly.

Just as Bi'er and Xiao Lan had swept a small path through the snow at the entrance, a carriage suddenly turned in from the street on the right.

Seeing this, Bi'er hurriedly threw down the shovel in her hand and said: "Xiao Lan, you go have the young ladies from Jia Mansion drink tea downstairs first, I'm going upstairs to call the Young Mistress and the Young Master to get up."

After saying this, she hurried into the house.

Xiao Lan agreed, then suddenly realized: "Young Master? Who is the Young Master? Isn't it Young Master Luo?"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

As soon as Bi'er went upstairs, she knocked on the door immediately and shouted: "Young Mistress, get up quickly, the young ladies from Jia Mansion are here!"

Then she shouted again: "Young Master, get up quickly! It's time to return to the mansion to get married!"

Luo Zijun and the person in his arms were startled awake from their dreams, only then remembering that they had to return to the mansion today to perform the wedding ceremony, and hurriedly got up to dress.

Liu Chujian's body was soft and weak; after he got out of bed, she hurriedly took the white cloth from the bed and folded it up.

"Brother Zijun... hurry back, don't let anyone see..."

Luo Zijun finished dressing, immediately walked to the window, pushed it open, took a look at the backyard, and then leaped down in one bound.

"Ah!"

Liu Chujian was startled and hurriedly went over to check.

Luo Zijun landed steadily on the ground.

However, the awkward thing was that Xiao Lan was just coming out of the kitchen carrying a water pot and happened to see him jump down from the second floor.

The Young Maid immediately widened her eyes and opened her little mouth.

"Shh... you are not allowed to tell anyone else, otherwise, I'll make you serve in my bed tonight!"

Luo Zijun threatened her, and while tying his belt, he jumped out over the side courtyard wall.

Xiao Lan stood dazed in the backyard for a few seconds, then looked up at the window upstairs, seeing her own Young Mistress standing inside the window, wearing a bodice, her hair disheveled, her face flushed, also holding up an index finger toward her: "Shh..."

Xiao Lan nodded, her cheeks burning, and carrying the water pot, she went into the house.

No wonder, no wonder Sister Bi'er called Young Master Luo Young Master...

In the room next door.

Jia Yingchun and her three servants were also awakened by Bi'er's knocking; seeing that it was already bright outside, they hurriedly got up.

The three maids worked in cooperation, some helping to dress, some putting on socks, and some combing hair.

Bi'er hurriedly went to fetch hot water and entered the room to help her Young Mistress wash up.

Looking at the messy sheets in the room, as well as the skirts, bodices, and silk socks thrown on the floor, and then looking at her Young Mistress's rosy face, appearing shy yet happy, and thinking back to the movements throughout last night, she thought to herself: That guy is so hateful, just finished bullying my Young Mistress, and is immediately going to perform the wedding ceremony with another woman...

But it's so high here, how did that guy jump down?

She walked to the window and took a look, feeling puzzled.

At the same time.

Luo Zijun traveled quickly, taking a shortcut, and soon arrived at the alley of Anguo Mansion.

He first pressed against the wall to listen to the movements inside, then jumped over the wall to enter.

When he came out yesterday, he had also jumped over the wall.

Fortunately, at this time, the front should be busy, and there were no guards or servants here.

Walking along, he left the garden and began to encounter guards and servants.

He took the initiative to greet them, explaining, "I woke up early this morning and went for a stroll in the back garden."

Everyone assumed he hadn't slept well due to the excitement of getting married today, and they responded very enthusiastically.

When he returned to Junzi Residence, Xiaohuan and Zhiyuan were already up and pacing about in a panic; seeing him return in time, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Young Master, hurry and wash your face; this servant will comb your hair, as you need to change into the wedding robes in a moment."

"Doesn't it start in the evening?"

"Guests will arrive in the morning; according to the rules, you must change into the wedding robes early, and a nanny will come to inspect you later."

"Inspect the wedding robes?"

"No, to inspect if the Young Master has any illnesses on his body."

"Huh?"

Luo Zijun's mouth twitched, and he said, "Xiaohuan, who did you hear that from?"

"Sister Zhiyuan said so."

"Zhiyuan, who did you hear that from?"

"Nanny Liu said so; for a matrilocal marriage, this rule has always existed."

Luo Zijun asked, "How do they inspect?"

Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Young Master, don't be afraid; it's just taking off your clothes to check if there are any obvious sores, rotting spots, or the like on your body."

Luo Zijun was dumbfounded: "Who inspects? The nannies?"

Zhiyuan said, "Yes, two nannies will inspect. One is Nanny Sun, the estate doctor, and the other is Nanny Chu, the Eldest Miss's wet nurse."

Luo Zijun: "..."

"Can I choose not to be inspected?"

It was over; last night he had been intimate with Chujian, and there should still be marks left on his body.

That girl's fingernails and teeth had indeed attacked him.

Zhiyuan said, "Of course not, you must be inspected."

Luo Zijun suddenly had the urge to run away from the wedding.

(End of this chapter)