Reborn: Revenge of the Concubine's Daughter

Chapter 30 Love fell like leaves and rain

“Master Zhen Zhu, when will the Third Miss come out? It’s already been an hour since Ding Rong’s wife and I informed you. And our sedan costs 1 string of 1,000 qian every 2 hours. Could you…” Gao Dashan’s wife pouted her chin towards Ding Rong’s wife who was not far away, and told Zhen Zhu in a very low voice, “She’s the eyes and ears of Second Mistress Luo, and she would tell her everything she knew.”

Under her guidance, Zhen Zhu saw a woman about 50 years old, thin and white in decent clothes.

Ding Rong’s wife looked at the gate of Shui Shang Temple with full attention. Seeing someone coming out, she asked, “Has Miss He prepared yet? When can we set out? You know I’m a busy person.”

Zhen Zhu turned around to see Gao Dashan’s wife, “Biddy Gao, forgive me. That day you left in such a hurry and I was clumsy to retell Miss He’s original words. It’s all my faults! Miss He said she planned to stay here until the 17th this month. However, today is the 13th, so she can’t leave now. I apologize for the time you wasted.”

Gao Dashan’s wife stood there in amazement and turned to look at Ding Rong’s wife.

Ding Rong’s wife sneered, “She can’t leave? Well, that’s weird. Who does she think she is? Madam Luo mentioned her every day, saying that Miss He is polite and dutiful and she’s waiting for her return with all her heart. However, knowing the arrival of our sedan, you told us she’s going to stay a couple of more days? How dutiful is that? I think she’s not even half better than our Second Miss.”

Zhen Zhu just smiled and ignored her. She dragged Gao Dashan’s wife inside the gate and whispered a few words. Then she gave 2 strings of 1,000 qian to her.

Gao Dashan’s wife nodded and received the money with chortle. Zhen Zhu greeted and left.

Gao Dashan’s wife walked out of the temple, telling those 3 porters who were smoking, “You’re no longer needed here, just go down the mountain. As for the 1 string of 1,000 qian I gave you before, just buy some drinks with that.” Seeing Ding Rong’s wife confused, she derided her, “It won’t help for you to stare at me. The Third Miss is not willing to leave. Don’t tell me we can just tie her up. Besides, she wanted to listen to more Scriptures, which is beneficial to cultivating. It’s early now. Let’s hit the road then.”

※※※

Inside Ku Qiao Yard, He Danggui came out, followed by Tai Xi.

He Danggui stopped at the gate and smiled, “Master, here is fine.”

“Bless you.” Tai Xi waved her hossu to her back, and bowed deeply, “Miss He, you’re kind and blessed. The thing depends on you then. Thanks a lot.”

He Danggui smiled, “Master, you’ve been very helpful. How can you thank me back? Please rest assured that I will do my best in this. And don’t bother to see me out.” He Danggui said as she walked out of Ku Qiao Yard. Tai Xi watched He Danggui’s back until she turned to a corner and disappeared from her sight.

He Danggui was very happy, and her steps became much lighter.

She didn’t anticipate that things would go so well and she even accomplished two things at once. Now she just needed to find a few porters, because she couldn’t give orders to the nuns in the Taoist Temple. In this way, tomorrow she could fulfill her promises, inviting Zhen Jing to eat Stewed Pork Ball in Brown Sauce and roast duck, and buying some clothes and accessories...

He Danggui turned to a courtyard next. When she was crossing the bamboo forest, she saw a scarlet figure and stopped immediately. A strange feeling occurred to her.

Not far away beside a green bamboo, a person leaned against the bamboo, and turned sideways to face the way she came, but was in her way as well. He was as gentle and handsome as always. But his usual bright smile was now replaced by a gloomy and cold expression.

The moment He Danggui hesitated, Duan Xiaolou suddenly turned his head and fixed his eyes on her.

They were speechless.

The autumn wind blew, and the leaves fell like rain, blowing their cheeks, shoulders, clothing, and long hair, with an almost timeless gesture to stop at the side of the world.

Within a second, Duan Xiaolou disappeared and then showed up in front of He Danggui. She was slightly surprised, and involuntarily backed a half step. But he caught her left shoulder and came a half step, stooping slowly and drooping his head.

She was so short that she only came up to his chest;

She was so delicate that she seemed unable to bear the autumn wind;

She was so clever that she let people pity and cherish her;

She was so tough and stubborn that she let people love and hate her;

She was so young that she was born 13 years later than him.

Duan Xiaolou lowered his head and picked a few bamboo leaves for her. He gazed tenderly at the wary girl and spoke bitterly, “Leaves, caught by your chignon.”

At this moment, she didn’t move her head. Because she saw her dark eyes in his eyes.

Duan Xiaolou backed a half step imperceptibly with a hidden smile. While He Danggui drooped her head and whispered thanks. Duan Xiaolou said nothing. There was a long silence.

“You—” “I—”

They both wanted to say something but didn’t continue at the same time. Their eyes met, and Duan Xiaolou made a sign that she could speak first. Her lips opened twice and she found her voice eventually, “Can you put an end to the fire case that broke out last night? And can you forget it had happened? Master Tai Xi sent me to ask you about this.”

Duan Xiaolou looked at her thoughtfully, and then answered slowly, “I can’t say no to anything you said.”

He Danggui felt relieved. She noticed Duan Xiaolou was playing a jade folding fan with dark green color. His slender fingers matched the jade in a graceful sheen perfectly. He Danggui looked away and gazed a bamboo shoot on the ground, then bid farewell to him, “It is late now. I have to get back to my room.”

Duan Xiaolou nodded, “I’ll send you there.” He didn’t give her time to react but walked first. His shoes were “crunching” on the fallen leaves. He Danggui hesitated for an instant and followed him.

“Oh, your mother wrote back.” Duan Xiaolou took a letter from his clothes to pass her while he said, “The sunstreaker arrived this morning. He said your mother meditated in seclusion in Sanqing Temple all the time. Whatever he said, the Taoist nuns there refused to send the message in. He couldn’t do anything but lived in Sanqing Temple for a few days until your mother ended her meditation, then he delivered your letter to her.”

He Danggui looked glad. She held the letter with both hands and expressed her thanks again and again. She didn’t notice that Duan Xiaolou was overhead, staring at her face in a daze. She kept thinking about the letter those days and couldn’t wait to open it. So, she stopped and tore the niveous envelope open.

There were a painting and a small embroidery bag with a strand of hair in it. On the washing painting, there was a big house with a yard and a mulberry, where the autumn breeze drove the fallen leaves away.

There was a poetry in the painting, “Before the mulberry sheds its leaves; how green and fresh they are! Ah, turtle-dove; do not eat the mulberries!”

He Danggui read it carefully for a few times, and she felt disappointed. She thought to herself, “Mother, why are you continually always on the rack to those unworthy? Even if other people are not sincere to you, you still have me, your daughter! Mother, your daughter came back hurriedly to see you from the other world, why don’t you write any concerned words to me? Do you know your daughter misses you very much? When I finally got rid of the hell and misery that happened 18 years later, the first thing occurred to me was to better your life!”

Seeing He Danggui was upset and almost cried, Duan Xiaolou felt something must be wrong. He looked down at the painting, but was still confused. Then he turned to her and asked with concern, “Are you okay? Is there only a painting inside? Did your mother handwrite to you? Don’t worry. If you still want to write to her, I’ll send people to deliver.”

He Danggui shook her head, “No, thanks.” Duan Xiaolou sighed silently.

They walked a stretch of road in silence, and He Danggui put the painting and the small bag back into the envelope. She gradually held back her sadness. When they were passing the gate, a huge crowd gathered in hustle and bustle. He Danggui concentrated on the scene, and found most of them were the Taoist nuns in grey and a few officials in blue. They were in a continuous wrangle.

He Danggui was astonished, “What are they doing?”

Duan Xiaolou was about to answer her, but Tai Shan threw herself in messy clothes to kneel He Danggui, not Duan Xiaolou. Tai Shan held He Danggui’s shank and cried, “Miss He, please help us! Don’t burn my ‘IOUs’! Help!”

He Danggui was about to ask more when she turned and saw Gao Jue standing among the crowds. He was holding a torch. Beside him were books and papers of 5 or 6 feet high. Some people dressed like yamen runners also stood around there, separating books and the crowds. Suddenly, Gao Jue shoot a glance at the direction they were standing. He Danggui thought Gao Jue was looking at her, and she felt very puzzled. At the same time, Gao Jue put down the torch in his hand slowly...

Tai Shan’s crying was so shrill. She couldn’t help tightly grasping He Danggui’s leg and made her feel hurt. He Danggui frowned slightly and looked up to ask Duan Xiaolou, “What does Master Gao want to burn?”

Duan Xiaolou raised his mouth slightly and said implicitly, “These are things should not be found in a Taoist Temple. They were searched out last night.”

He Danggui lifted her eyebrows and wanted to say something, but Tai Shan started to shake her body heavily again. If Duan Xiaolou didn’t catch He Danggui, she would fall on the ground. Tai Shan shouted uncontrollably, “Please help me! Say something! Miss He, please help me! Beg for mercy, don’t burn them!”

He Danggui gave a look on Tai Shan’s ferocious face and looked at Duan Xiaolou with a poker face. She said calmly and directly, “Master Duan, I want to plead for Master Tai Shan. Could you please not burn those things for my sake?” Tai Shan stared at Duan Xiaolou’s mouth with nervousness in her face, as if Duan Xiaolou could say something like “Yes”, “Okay” or “Stop”.

Duan Xiaolou slightly opened his mouth and had a faint smile on his face, “I’m sorry, Miss He. I’m afraid I couldn’t help you. I share the same status as Gao Jue, so I have no right to give orders to him.”

Gao Jue, who was not far away, also heard their conversation and snorted.

He Danggui sighed heavily and told Tai Shan regrettably, “Both Master Duan and Master Gao don’t want to help me. I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do for you.”

Just as she finished speaking, there was a noise in the crowds and Gao Jue put the torch on a stack of paper which was filled with fluid. Then the big fire shot up immediately, and the crowds started to spread outward because they were afraid of the sparks.

Tai Shan almost went crazy when she looked around and saw the scene. She jumped up from the ground instantly and pulled He Danggui’s arm to rush into the big fire. Duan Xiaolou, who was standing there with his hands behind his back, had never imagined such a thing could happen. All he could do was watching paper-like He Danggui be dragged away.

He Danggui was dragged off guard. Tai Shan’s hand locked her forearm like a pincer. He Danggui suddenly understood that Tai Shan was plotted to let her lunge into the fire so that Duan Xiaolou could put out the fire with his palm energy. He Danggui sneered in her heart, “You’re seeking for your own death, Tai Shan! How do you know his palm energy is aiming at the big fire, but not you?”

He Danggui was already close to the big fire when she got here, now she was closer to it after Tai Shan pulled her. More dangerously, the north wild from the gate made the flame blow towards her direction. There was a moment that her ears had already felt the heat of the flame, but it was so strange that she had no feeling of fear.