Cui Miao He originally thought that she would not be able to sleep after everything that had happened, but the sound of his steady breathing was like a lullaby, and calmed her down.
In the haze, the stillness around them was suddenly broken by noise and disorder. She startled and immediately got up from the bed, her indistinct train of thought gradually becoming clear.
They’re coming?!
The panic which filled her heart unexpectedly vanished in that moment, replaced by an inexplicable calm. She tried to look around, and although her movements were sluggish, she was not powerless like last night. The effects of the drug had faded.
She sat up slowly, and realised that she was not wearing clothes. Her thoughts suddenly came to a stop.
She promptly looked around, but as far as she could see, there was nothing she could use to cover herself, and the noise gradually got closer. She hurriedly jumped off the bed, and turned the room upside down, and with great difficulty, finally found some clothes in a drawer.
She immediately put the clothes on, and out of the corner of her eye, saw the still sleeping Chai She Xia. She paused for a moment, then hurriedly dashed forward. “If you suffocate, don’t fly into a rage. Even if it’ll be difficult for the two of us to escape Stepmother’s trap, I have to try.”
And with that, she took a blanket and covered him, still sound asleep. With a toss of her hands, the veil in front of the bed lowered, and in this crucial moment, Liang Yu Xia burst inside at the head of a group.
Cui Miao He sighed inwardly, and the nervousness on her face disappeared without a trace, the calmness on her face as if the chaos of yesterday had never happened.
“Miao He, Mother has finally found you.” Liang Yu Xia’s expression was frantic, like she was really a mother who was worried because of her disappearance. So Stepmother could act this well. Inhaling deeply, Cui Miao He put on a smile. If she wanted to act, then Cui Miao He wasn’t going to lose.
She took a few deliberate steps towards her stepmother, and warmly took Stepmother’s hand. “Mother, why have you come searching for me so early? Disturbing someone’s business, weren’t you blocked from coming in?” She acted like she didn’t know anything, her lips moving slowly.
Even the best plan had faults, and as long as she could even plant a thread of doubt, then it would benefit her.
“You didn’t come home night, how could I not be worried, especially as your father has been sent to Zhejiang by the Emperor. If a mishap happened to you during this time, how could I face your father? I had people search through the night, and finally got news that you were here. I was so anxious, how could I care whether or not I offended anyone?”
“Hm, how about the brothel owner?”
“Blocked downstairs by a servant I brought.”
Actually, the brothel owner had already accepted her bribes, and would naturally go along with her bursting in.
“What were you anxious for Mother, don’t I look fine to you?” Although she was fretting on the inside, the smile on Cui Miao He’s was bright.
That composure made Liang Yu Xia nervous, just what was that girl plotting, with her impatient personality, how could she remain so calm after something like this happening, it couldn’t be something had happening in the night that she didn’t know about?
She was suspicious on the inside, and although she wanted to implement her plan in a spurt of energy, Cui Miao He’s confidence made her hesitate.
But that hesitation was only a moment, when she remembered that if she didn’t kick out Cui Miao He, that thorn in her side, in a single move, then it would become hard for her to do things in the Cui Family from then onwards.
So today, she could only take a chance that her calm and composure was only a bluff.
Her eyes circles the veil, knowing that Chai She Xia was within it. If she could go forward and lift it, then she could push Cui Miao He onto him, and achieve her goal.
“He’er, did you stay here by yourself last night?” Liang Yu Xia asked as she calculated inside.
“Of course not!” Knowing that Stepmother wouldn’t give up so easily, and even though her heart was about to jump out of her chest, she still spoke calmly.
“Is there still someone on the bed?”
“Of course!” She nodded her head without a thread of hesitation.
“Who is on the bed?” Liang Yu Xia asked, she had already taken a large stride forward, wanting to lift up the curtain.
Reaching out to grab her stepmother’s hand, Cui Miao He was still smiling, and said into her ear gently, “Mother, you should understand whether or not you can bear the consequences of lifting up the curtain.”
Because she couldn’t think of a way to escape this situation, she could only delay it, moment by moment.
Hah! She had almost been scared off by that girl, if she hadn’t seen her tremble, then she really would have thought that her plan went wrong.
She leant over to say in Cui Miao He’s ear, “He’er, if Mother hasn’t guessed wrongly, then it should be Chai She Xia inside. If I lift up the curtain now, then he has corrupted your innocence. You’re an unmarried wealthy girl, how could you not marry him?”
“Do you really think that the grant General Char is so easy for you to manipulate?”
After hearing that, Liang Yu Xia’s hesitated again, but then thinking again, she had already agreed upon with the brothel owner, and seeing as it would benefit her so much, she wouldn’t let it go and would have arranged everything properly.
And her people had already stood guard outside for many hours, and didn’t see Chai She Xia leave, so the person inside the veil must be him.
With confidence, she looked towards Cui Miao He with a smile, her tone like victory was within grasp. “Daughter, this is the most important integrity, you are a maiden, and stayed overnight in a brothel, don’t you think that this will make people criticise?” Insincerely gently reprimanding her daughter in front of an audience, Liang Yu Xia threw off her arm and slowly reached towards the veil.
“Yesterday I just came to find a courtesan jie jie to chat, and I forgot about the time and fell asleep here.”
Seeing the decorative items and this secluded location, it was unlikely to the maiden who could use this building was unheard of, but she didn’t know who the owner was, so she could only make up nonsense.
“When and how did you strike up a friendship with Miss Ruo Ban, and how did I not know?” Not thinking that Cui Miao He would be able to hold her in a deadlock for so long, Liang Yu Xia almost couldn’t up up the act of a caring mother anymore.
“Mother has always reminded me that if I were to strike up friendships, then it should be with useful people. This Ruo Ban jie jie‘s identity wouldn’t be permitted by Mother, so I didn’t dare to tell you.” She already started to lie, so these words which implied that Liang Yu Xia was snobby came smoothly out.
“Is that so? Then I can overlook your rudeness, and see this famous Miss Ruo Ban.”
Liang Yu Xia was someone who had seen these aspects of society, Cui Miao He was stalling, what could she do?
Anyway, she was determined to let the Chai-Cui marriage reach the point of no turning back, and didn’t want to hear Cui Miao He talk nonsense to her anymore, so with a large stride, she pushed away Cui Miao He roughly.
“Mother?!” Not thinking that Stepmother wouldn’t consider her status, and push her aside in such an uncivilised manner, Cui Miao He shouted out suddenly, and stabilised herself with great difficulty.
The waves of discussion came wave by wave, and Cui Miao He couldn’t help but close her eyes. She wanted to escape, and a sort of feeling that everything was about to be destroyed enveloped her.
“Wow, this Ying Liu Pavilion is so lively so in the morning.”
Suddenly, a deep voice penetrated through the audience outside the room and into Cui Miao He’s ear. She was stunned, and swiftly raised her head–
He… How was he there?!
Seeing Chai She Xia’s unrestrained expression, Cui Miao He’s heart was securely lowered down from it was hanging in midair. Although she didn’t know what method he had planned, but his appearance has saved her from an abyss of suffering.
This was the first time she felt infinitely grateful towards him, even if he was looking at her with those smiling yet unsmiling darkeyes.
“You…”
She was about to ask questions, but he was one step ahead.
“Madam Cui, why have you brought so many people to rush into Miss Ruo Ban’s rooms?”
Being the Emperor’s favoured General, who dared to be rash around him?
“General… General, please quell your anger, I tried to stop Madam Cui as well, but all of my men have been blocked, if we alarmed the General, I hope that you can be forgiving.”
The previously missing brothel owner finally came out to apologise, and although the bystanders didn’t notice anything, Cui Miao He thought it was strange, but couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
“Then we should ask Madam Cui why she disturbed me.”
“I… came to find my daughter.”
“You came to a brothel to find your daughter. Madam Cui, do you deliberately not want your daughter to have a reputation anymore?”
Chai She Xia’s indifferent few sentences pointed out the contradictions between the mother and daughter, and caused the audience to whisper.
“I… was just anxious. Miao He didn’t come home for the night, I thought something had happened and was really panicked, so didn’t think about what I was doing. I hope that the General can please forgive me.”
As Chai She Xia listened, the smile on his face became knowing, causing Liang Yu Xia to become scared inside.
“Then Madam Cui is quite good at searching, rushing so boldly into Miss Ruo Ban’s rooms. Unless Madam Cui thought that Miss Ruo Ban kidnapped Miss Cui?”
“I…”
Don’t look at Chai She Xia’s violent personality, if he became calm, then it really made one tense all over. To be swept over by his gaze which was as cold as ice, the originally calm Liang Yu Xia immediately got panicky.
“Yesterday, it was I who invited Miss Miao He and Miss Ruo Ban to dine together with me. We didn’t notice that it had become late, and Miss Ruo Ban who got along with Miss Miao He at first sight was afraid that it would be dangerous for her to go home alone, so invited her to stay for the night. Madam Cui, your rude actions put Miss Miao He in an impossible situation.”
“General Chai, I… I was only worried?”
Trying hard to squeeze out a stiff smile, Liang Yu Xia no longer had the aggressiveness she had just then, she even unconsciously looked over at Cui Miao He, wishing that she’d say something in defence of her.
At Stepmother’s pleading gaze, Cui Miao He felt delight in her heart. The way that she had been tossed aside last night, she remembered it well, so she pursed her lips and didn’t say a word, until she saw that Stepmother’s face was deathly pale, and she didn’t want the matter to spread so that her father in Zhejiang would worry, so she said, “General Chai, I think that Stepmother was just panicked which is why she forgot her manners. You are an important person so be generous and don’t bother with her.”
“Seeing as Miss Cui has spoken, how can I be unreasonable.”
Anyone with ears could hear the protectiveness in his words, and then he looked towards the brothel owner, and the brothel owner immediately dispersed the crowd.
Although they hadn’t actually seen anything, but after that uproar, Cui Miao He knew that within half a day, the streets would be full of gossip about her.
The daughter of an official setting foot in the pleasure district, being friends with a courtesan, important families probably wouldn’t want her to marry into them now.
Although a faint sense of loss floated into her heart, but… it was actually good this way. A smile burst onto her smooth white face.
“Many thanks to General Chai for helping me out just then, but… how did you do it?”
Although she had escaped that disaster, Cui Miao He was still full of questions, she had been certain that he who had been deep asleep had been hidden within the veil, how had he appeared at the door?
“I actually knew about your stepmother’s plan yesterday.”
Towards her distrust, he was honourable, that and towards that honest attitude that did not flee or avoid, she had changed her voice.
“When your stepmother came to find the brothel owner, I unintentionally heard her plan. At that time, I was angry at your rejection of me, so I didn’t want to pay attention, and take the opportunity to let the brothel owner take the money, I wanted to let her taste the bitter results of trying to plot against me. But then… I saw that you were really carried in, and I didn’t have the heart, so…”
Actually, he maybe shouldn’t have said that, his following plans would go more smoothly if she was full of gratitude, but he remembered that she knew clearly that the circumstances were bad, but still tried to project him against being used by others in that sort of underhand scheme.
This was a secret that only his good friends and the Emperor knew, but he didn’t know why, he told her without hesitation.
In the Imperial Court, he was an important general, unfailing when he took soldiers to war, but in the dark, he was in charge of collecting intelligence for the Emperor, and the mingling of snakes and dragons at Ying Liu Pavilion was the best place to collect information.
“So my stepmother finding this brothel owner to plot against you was just her putting herself on a road to disaster!”
Hearing this, Cui Miao He finally came to a realisation, and a satisfied feeling suddenly filled her chest.
So it turned out that this man who looked tall and sturdy had this sort of meticulous thoughts, and thanks to his secret helping hand, she wasn’t trapped into a situation with no retreat.
Remembering Stepmother’s deathly pale face just then, pleasure rushed into her thought.
“You were right!” She was an intelligent maiden, understanding with only a hint. A few threads of contemplation added to Chai She Xia’s gaze upon her. This girl’s performance really exceeded expectations.
“But even if it was like that, how were you able to come in from outside? When I put down the veil, you were still sleeping on the bed.” Like an eager to learn student, she asked the questions in her mind at once.
Laughing brightly, Chai She Xia pulled her hand very naturally, and took her over to the bed, lifted the veil, and showed her the smooth bed.”
“Hm, there’s nothing different!” Her eyes were full of life and opened wide, full of curiosity, but from she start she hadn’t noticed his actions, and had only looked at the bed. She peered at it for some time, but couldn’t get a clue.
She then raised her head to look at Chai She Xia, to see a smile on his handsome face. He pulled at the top of the bed with his right hand, and the bed started to shift open at the two sides, and the space was just big enough to fit a person.
“Oh… So…” She didn’t think that there would be such an elaborate mechanism in Miss Ruo Ban’s house, Cui Miao He was dumbstuck.
“That’s right, it’s all thanks to My Lord, but you don’t need to be so grateful, I saw that he had a lot of fun with this.”
After those words sounded, a women who was charming from head to toe walked in confidently.
Cui Miao He’s mind was quick, and quickly realised that this maiden was the master of the house, the famous courtesan, Miss Ruo Ban.
“The disturbance yesterday may have disturbed Miss Ruo Ban, I’m apologising to you now.”
Saying this, Cui Miao He sincerely paid her respects, and the Miss Ruo Ban, who always treated other cooly, liked her.
Maidens who were brought up to the Confucian code of ethics usually scorned prostitutes, but Cui Miao He’s eyes sincere without the slightest amount of distain.
“So this is the maiden that General Chai went to great troubles to protect. The General really does have good judgement.”
Living in this place, she had seen every sort of person, and she felt familiar at first sight with Cui Miao He, and in a rare gesture, she took a few steps forwards took Cui Miao He’s hands, pulling her towards a table to sit. The two women began to talk, and chatted for an hour, and their talk was all interesting things about Chai She XIa.
Whenever something interesting came up, the two maidens would laugh brightly. At the side, Chai She Xia didn’t try to hurry them up, but whether intentionally or not, his gaze were concentrated on Cui Miao He’s face…
With the remnants of a smile, Cui Miao he followed Chai She Xia out of Ying Liu Pavilion. When she stepped out, she paused and called out to him, and raised her clasped hands.
“Thank you for today, if not for you, then Stepmother’s plan may have succeeded.” Thinking of her own circumstance, a layer of cold sweat covered her back.
Her behaviour once more exceeded all expectations, and let Chai She Xia have a whole new level of respect for her. Even if others did not know, but but he knew clearly in his heart, that in all honestly, just that act from last night had already ruined her innocence.
But not only did she not bother him about it, but defended him, and now thanked him with sincerity.
The Chai She Xia who never saw women in a good light couldn’t help but pay a lot of attention to her.
“You don’t mind the consequences of what happened today?”
Even if they weren’t caught in the act today, but it still damage her reputation. And what’s more, which daughter of a rich family would be involved with a famous courtesan?
Hearing him speak of that, Cui Miao He’s smiling eyes darkened for a moment, but immediate cheered up again, and said, “It’s even better if my reputation is harmed, I don’t want her trying to sell me for a second time. Once I have no reputation, let’s see where she tries to find me a buyer.”
“You… really think this way?”
Was she naive? Although this had thwarted Liang Yu Xia’s evil plans, but it had also thwarted her future.
“Thinking this way… is pretty good.” That tone was quite grudging, she didn’t just seem naive in appearance, but she really was!
If even the servant closest to her could betray her, then it was likely that the entire Cui Manor had long been under the control of her Stepmother.
Ruining her reputation could stop her from plotting again her for a while, but it still could not be considered a good thing.
Seeing soft concern appear on Chai She Xia’s face, her heart felt heavy, but this was her own problem, how could she involve others.
That he could save her from danger, that was already an enormous virtue.
If she had believed even a thread of those rumours before, now she disbelieved them without exception.
This sort of man definitely could not have done things like that, those rumours must have been falsehoods which had been exaggerated as they spread!
“General Chai, looking at the time, I should go.”
Even though she clearly knew that once she went home, Stepmother would not let her off easy, but it was still her home. In the past, she would still have her two jiejie, Ji Jun Yin and Che Yuan Yu to lean on, but unfortunately, Uncle Che had angered the Emperor lately, and their house had been searched and possessions confiscated. The Ji Family had more or less been implicated, how could she go and add to their troubles? She could only hate that she hadn’t been born a boy, otherwise she could travel all over the world as she pleased.
“You’re not afraid that once you go home, Madam Cui will make trouble for you?”
“Don’t worry, General. Don’t judge me on my light age, I’m not someone who is easy to deal with.”
Chai She Xia couldn’t help but smile at her words of self-praise. If she wasn’t hard to deal with, would she have really been carried here and almost have had a serious mistake happen?
But merely seeing the crafty smile on her face, and remembering the courage she had displayed just then, he knew clearly in his heart that her courage could not be compared to other maidens.
Seeing her unhesitant and determined footsteps, Chai She Xia said, “I’ll take you back, so Madam Cui doesn’t make things difficult for you.”
“There’s no need.” Faced with his warmheartedness, Cui Miao He was a little at a loss. The times she had seen him before, she didn’t feel like he was such a warmhearted person. What had happened?
“It’s no trouble, just a walk for me.” Chai Shi Xia disregarded her refusal, and grabbed her arm, and she had no choice but to walk next to him.
“General Chai, this isn’t proper.”
There were many people street who gossiped. They had just escaped that pit, but immediately walked into another.
“You didn’t care about your reputation just then, isn’t it ridiculous that you care about this?” Seeing her embarrassment at the impropriety, Chai She Xia couldn’t help but laugh.
“I acted like I didn’t care earlier so you wouldn’t get dragged into it. Now that I have a choice, why would I willingly jump into a pit?”
Cui Miao He was not happy at being teased, and her cheeks became tinted with red, giving her the look of a charming little girl.
“Little girl, you’re actually pretty sincere.” Under her stare, Chai She Xia wisely let go of her hand, but his eyes could not leave her pretty face.
To be surrounded by politics, he had seen many people who only pretended to be polite. Cui Miao He’s behaviour was really a breath of fresh air for him. Furthermore, she wasn’t like the typical delicate daughter of an official’s family, and it really made him take notice of her.
Walking down the street, Chai She Xia couldn’t help but open his mouth and ask, “Little girl, let’s negotiate a deal.”
“What deal?” Thinking that she didn’t really have any deals to make with him, like a child she had already been distracted by the row of brightly coloured snack stalls on the side of the street.
“I’ll send someone to your house to discuss to bride price. How’s that?”
In a moment, a dumbstruck expression replaced the originally pleasant and dainty manner. Cui Miao He’s mouth fell open, unable to believe what she had heard. “You… What did you say?!”
“My meaning is, after what happened today, the important families in the city will not accept you as a wife, so why don’t you marry me?”
“You’re insane!” She stared at him, but could only spit out those words.
He had escaped with his life with much difficulty, and now he was willingly wanting to go die. In her opinion, Chai She Xia the great general wasn’t as amazing as other’s said if he could say something as stupid as that.
“I need to wife to put to an end my mother’s crazy methods of forcing me to get married. You’re not happy living in the Cui Manor, so why don’t you come to the General’s Manor and live a comfortable life. This way… don’t we both get what we want?”
Originally, Ju Su Sheng had suggested that he trick her, but unfortunately he had always been a bold person, and dishonourable methods did not agree with his character, so he decided to get straight to the point and ask her. After all, this girl was worth that sort of treatment.
That was not good, not good at all!
“Don’t joke like that!” Cui Miao He reprimanded with a roll of her eyes.
Although after associating with him these two times she did not despise him as much as before anymore, but it was one thing to not despise, and another to marry.
He was a grand and important general, and she was an insignificant girl with a predatory stepmother lurking in the shadows. He had no need to lower himself, and she didn’t want Stepmother to get what she wanted.
“I’m not joking!” He turned his eyes to stare earnestly at her. From the two times that they had met, he knew this this woman was a good woman. Although she looked innocent and naive, when it mattered, she was still able to act.
“You must have drunk too much last night, and still be drunk now, to say something so foolish. I don’t need you to see me back, you should hurry back home and rest!”
His gaze sent shivered down her spine, and her instincts told her to slip away, but her movements weren’t as agile as Chai She Xia, who practised martial arts. Before she had gone two steps, he had grabbed her collar.
“I said that I’ll see you back home, and so I will. As for my proposal, I won’t force you for the time being, and give you some time to think about it.” He hadn’t become angry because of her rejection, and hadn’t even asked the reason behind it. He was in no hurry, and it wouldn’t hurt to wait a little longer.
“I…”
Cui Miao He opened her mouth to tell him that she didn’t even need to think about his proposal, but his clear eyes swept over her. She didn’t know what happened inside her, but she was unable to voice it out.
“I’ll take you home now.” Afraid that she’d slip away again, although the hand holding onto her collar loosened, he didn’t really let go.
“You’re an important general, and must be very very busy. I can take care of a small matter like going home by myself.”
She originally thought that there was no harm in having him see her home, but his words just then had shocked her, and now she was eager to but distance between them in case it stirred up trouble.
“I’m not busy!” A smile slowly came onto his determined but as Chai She Xia spoke lightly, but there was a heartwarming care in his eyes.
Cui Miao He thought to herself, Stepmother had almost made a huge mistake today, she would probably lay low for a while, so she smiled politely to decline. “You really don’t have to trouble yourself, General. If you really aren’t busy with military affairs, then find yourself a wife to ease Lady Chai’s mind.”
At those words, the veins on Chai She Xia’s forehead quivered. Of course he understood that she was evading him, but how could he give up so easily?
“But your stepmother…” After thinking carefully, he was still not reassured. Even if he knew clearly that it was none of his business, he still wanted to protect her.
“It’s nothing. After this, I’ll be more careful. Actually, after my mother died when I was young and Stepmother entered the household, she treated me well. She only started to plot against me these last few years because my younger sister Yun Xiu has grown up in these last few years, and Stepmother fears that I would affect her changes at a good marriage, and that I would seek the family wealth as I’m older.”
As the saying went, it was every man for himself. Stepmother originally couldn’t be criticized too harshly, but she never in a thousand years should have used a method as lowly as drugging her to deal with her.
She was heartless, so why should she speak up for her?
She had originally said that so he would not be too concerned for her, but as she said it, her mood became worse.
“If that’s the case, then you should accept my help even more and use my power. That way when she does anything in the future, she will have to keep my reputation in mind.” In any case, he was still a general, and Liang Yu Xia wouldn’t provoke him rashly.
“General, you shouldn’t have been dragged into this mess in the first place. I appreciate your kindness, but you should go back home quickly!”
Although her thoughts on Chai She Xia had changed, the moment she thought about Stepmother’s predatory gaze, she didn’t want her to get any information which could be used against her, so still declined in the end.
Besides, they could both now be considered people with bad reputations. If they associated too closely, people would talk.
Repeated rumours become fact, and after escaping today, she didn’t want to be strung up by rumours, and have no choice but to become his wife.
“You… are seriously going to stay well away from me?”
He had never understood how to care about people, especially women. She had managed to reach his bursting point. He was never someone with a good temper, and after being thoroughly declined by her, he couldn’t hold down the displeasure inside any longer, and his eyebrows furrowed.
“Take care of yourself, General Chai.” Cui Miao He seemed to ignore his anger, and turned to bid him farewell before walking off. Looking at her gradually disappearing figure, Chai She Xia had never liked to mind other people’s business, and the first time he did so, it was not welcomed at all. Whatever, there were so many maidens, and even if he had to find one to get Mother to get off his case, it didn’t have to her!