Chapter 29: Serving with Beauty
Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Serving with Beauty
Liang Wan endured the pain and looked on. This was all a trap to give them a legitimate reason to keep her in the Sikong Mansion.
She slowly climbed to her feet by herself, completely ignoring the gossip around her. "I, Liang Wan, was not up to the task and have ruined everyone’s enjoyment. I hope Lord Sikong can forgive my inadequacy."
Her voice was soft and delicate, and laced with a pained, tearful tremor that would stir pity in anyone’s heart.
Wang Su glanced at Liang Cheng’s eager expression, a knowing smile playing on his lips. He feigned hesitation before saying, "Fine. Send the young lady to be looked at."
Liang Cheng’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he was overjoyed. ’As long as Wang Su is willing to keep Liang Wan, my situation is bound to change! And then there’s the matter of Liang Jiao...’ "My lord, your humble subordinate—"
Wang Su cut him off mercilessly, his eyes showing a trace of impatience. "What’s the hurry? We’ll know everything after the household doctor has a look, won’t we?"
Liang Cheng timidly shut his mouth. He was all too aware of Wang Su’s predilections. ’Looking at the injury is just an excuse. The real purpose is to inspect her body.’
After he spoke, two maids half-dragged, half-pulled Liang Wan up from the ground. The corners of her downcast eyes were red. Just before being led away, she raised her watery eyes and gave a pained smile, a sight that left a bitter taste in one’s mouth.
’If I’m not mistaken, the Liang family has just given her away,’ Zhou Yun thought, his gaze drifting toward the gate in contemplation.
’Compared to this Wang Su, who has one foot in the grave, it’s no wonder she’d cling desperately to that other man. But then again, if he weren’t willing, who could get within half a foot of him?’
’But why isn’t he here today? It looks like this little lady’s fate is sealed...’
Zhou Yun sighed softly.
The Guanglu Doctor beside him heard the sigh and looked over, his gaze filled with confusion. "What is it? Could it be that Young Master Zhou has taken pity on the fair maiden—"
Zhou Yun paused for a moment, then suppressed a laugh. He jutted his chin toward the person beside the Guanglu Doctor. "If anyone’s taking pity, it shouldn’t be me!"
They had long heard rumors about the private affairs between Lu Xiu and Liang Wan. The Guanglu Doctor turned to his own wife.
The matriarch of the Lu Family smiled knowingly, looking unconcerned. "He’s always been mischievous. His Majesty is in the process of selecting a good marriage for him, is he not?"
The Lu Family was the most noble in all of Daqi; how could they allow a woman with such a sullied reputation to marry into their household? Besides, everyone knew the Grandmaster doted on this son of his old age to the heavens.
Zhou Yun looked at the Lu matriarch’s polite yet distant expression and said no more. ’Her profile looks so much like the Empress Dowager’s. They truly are sisters.’
Liang Wan felt miserable being dragged by the maids. She shot them a quick glance from the corner of her eye and asked in a pleading tone, "Could you let me walk a little slower?"
It was unclear who let go first, but her body lurched to one side, and she stumbled onto the stone path. The new pain compounded her old injuries, and tears instantly streamed down her face. Her trembling shoulders, slender waist, and soft sobs made her look utterly wronged.
"What are you crying for? You were the one who wasn’t careful. Are you going to blame us now?"
The maid stood with her hands on her hips, a look of bewilderment on her face, her tone filled with blame and impatience.
"What are you doing?"
A deep voice came from behind them. The two maids hurriedly bowed. "This servant greets the General of Cavalry."
Cao Jun was about twenty-five or twenty-six, with a stately and imposing bearing. Years of leading troops had given him a more formidable aura than the average person. His rugged features and powerful voice commanded a sense of awe from all who met him.
His face was cold. "Do the servants of the Sikong Mansion all bully others by relying on their master’s power?"
The maid stammered an explanation, "You misunderstand, General. We wouldn’t dare."
Liang Wan quickly wiped her tears before raising her reddened eyes and forcing a smile. "I injured myself and am having trouble walking. It has nothing to do with them."
Her eyes were as red as a rabbit’s, and her gaze was both timid and stubborn. She was even more pitiable now than she had been with her earlier smile.
"You don’t have to cover for them. I saw everything."
Cao Jun’s brow was furrowed. He did not step forward, and his tone was just as cold and hard.
He was deliberately keeping his distance from her. Liang Wan knew he was trying to avoid suspicion. He had been at the Peach Blossom Banquet, but even if he hadn’t, the rumors alone would be enough to make him wary.
’He may be a military officer, but he’s quite perceptive. Very good.’
Liang Wan said to the maid beside her, "Could I trouble you to help me up?"
With Cao Jun watching, the maid reluctantly extended a hand.
Liang Wan struggled to grab the hand and pulled herself to her feet. Before she could even utter a word of thanks, she lost her balance and her body tilted backward. Resigned to her fate, she closed her eyes, bracing for a hard fall.
But she did not meet the hard ground. Instead, she fell into an embrace of arms that were almost excessively firm. Liang Wan slowly opened her eyes, and upon seeing where she was, her face immediately flushed red with shame.
"Great General, please keep your distance from me, lest I implicate you and tarnish your good name."
Cao Jun was no inexperienced youth. He had been a widower for a year, his late wife being Princess Shaoyang, the tyrant’s Imperial Sister.
After speaking, Liang Wan gave a bitter smile and tried to shrink back. Unconcerned with whether she was steady on her feet, she lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him directly. Her cheeks were flushed like ripe peaches, a tender, beautiful pink.
She was so eager to pull away that she kept backing up, and was about to fall into the lotus pond when Cao Jun grabbed her.
Liang Wan’s cheeks burned. She trembled, not daring to speak. The fragrance from her hair stirred a restless heat within him.
Cao Jun’s throat was dry. "The lotus pond is behind you."
He glanced down and saw the woman in his arms, her pale neck slightly bowed, respond in a delicate, sweet voice.
Seeing this, the two maids hurried forward and took Liang Wan from his arms.
Cao Jun stiffly released the weightless woman in his arms. She was like a flower petal carried away by the wind, leaving only a lingering fragrance behind.
Liang Wan’s eyes flickered. Enduring the pain in her ankle, she gave him a cursory bow and, without another word, turned to leave with the maids.
"Wait."
She had only taken two steps when she heard him call out from behind.
Liang Wan couldn’t help but let a small smile touch her lips. When she turned back, her cunning eyes held only confusion. "Does the Great General have any other instructions?"
He took a step forward and held something out to her. It was a sachet embroidered with peach blossoms.
Surprise flickered across Liang Wan’s face. She quickly looked down at her waist, which was bare. It had indeed fallen off. She frowned as if annoyed, but the upturned corners of her lips held a hint of innocent charm.
Cao Jun averted his gaze and explained, "You dropped it while you were dancing at the banquet."
Liang Wan carefully took it, retied it at her waist, and nodded her thanks. "Thank you, Great General."
With that, she leaned on the maid’s arm and began to walk forward slowly, with some difficulty.
As she reached the corner, she could still vaguely see his silhouette. ’Cao Jun isn’t just the General of Cavalry, he’s also Chancellor Cao’s only son!’
Not only did she fall in front of him during her dance, but she also "happened" to drop her sachet. And then there was that smile. Liang Wan lowered her gaze to the sachet and her lips curved upwards.
In reality, when were there ever so many coincidences?
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP!
A person suddenly appeared up ahead, clapping their hands and shouting their approval.
Liang Wan glanced at the two maids beside her. "You may go about your business. I know where I need to go."
"Truly brilliant!"
Wang Tingyue stood his ground, shaking his head, the disdain in his eyes unconcealed. "What, was one Grand Commandant not enough? Now you’re trying to entice the Great General?
"If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that the proper granddaughter of the Imperial Tutor could stoop so low! I wonder what the late National Sacrificial Officer Liang would think if he knew of this from the great beyond?"