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墨書 Inktalez
“Miss, Old Madam requests your presence at the Buddhist Hall to transcribe scriptures.” Zhang Yue lifted the cotton curtain, and the white breath she exhaled quickly dissipated in the cold air.
Liu Ruyi locked the account books in a camphor wood chest, stood up, and draped a fox fur cloak over her shoulders. Inside the Buddhist Hall, Old Madam was burning incense in front of the Guanyin Statue, the scent of sandalwood mingling with that of burning pine branches filling the air.
“Liu Ruyi,” Old Madam gestured for her to sit on the meditation cushion. “Last night, I dreamt of your grandfather. He said we must pay extra attention to the household accounts.”
Liu Ruyi felt a chill in her heart but maintained a calm demeanor. “Grandmother, rest assured, I check them carefully every day. However, I have recently discovered some confusion in the old accounts from previous years, especially regarding military supplies…”
Old Madam paused with her prayer beads, the candlelight casting fragmented shadows in the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. “Your grandfather once managed military logistics while following the late emperor into battle. Over the years, circumstances have changed, and some old accounts have become muddled. If you find it troublesome, you may hand it over to Yuan Yingwu to handle.”
As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the Buddhist Hall. Niu Peng burst in, covered in snow, kneeling on one knee. “Reporting to Old Madam and Madam, Young Lord has gotten into a conflict at the training ground!”
At the training ground, the snow had been trampled into mud. Yuan Yingwu had his silver spear pressed against a deputy general’s throat, surrounded by armored soldiers. The deputy general, named Zhou Yan, whose father had once served under Old Duke, was now red-faced and shouting, “Yuan Yingwu, do you think you can act so arrogantly just because you have the emperor's favor? Today I will teach you a lesson on behalf of Old Duke!”
“Teach me a lesson?” Yuan Yingwu sneered, pressing his spear closer by half an inch. “You think I don’t know about your embezzlement of military iron materials? The inferior weapons seized last night from West City Blacksmith Shop all bear your Zhou family’s mark.”
Zhou Yan’s pupils constricted as he was about to retort when he saw Liu Ruyi rushing in with Old Madam. Upon seeing them, Old Madam immediately said in a deep voice, “Yuan Yingwu, put down your weapon! What kind of behavior is this!”
Yuan Yingwu withdrew his spear, ice shards falling from his armor. “Grandmother, this man has embezzled military supplies; according to law, he should be executed.”
Zhou Yan hurriedly bowed to Old Madam. “Old Madam, please see clearly! I absolutely did not do this! Someone must be framing me!”
Old Madam looked at Liu Ruyi with profound meaning in her gaze. “Liu Ruyi, during your time managing the household recently, have you seen any records of iron tools entering or leaving?”
Liu Ruyi stepped forward slowly and took out a copied account page from her sleeve. “I found this page three days ago among the old accounts. Although it is unsigned, the recorded time coincides with Deputy General Zhou taking over the weapon shop.” She paused and glanced at Zhou Yan’s suddenly pale face. “Moreover, the current stock of iron materials is missing a full five thousand pounds compared to what is recorded.”
Zhou Yan suddenly jumped up and drew his waist knife to slash at Liu Ruyi. “You vile woman! How dare you ruin my future!”
Yuan Yingwu’s pupils dilated as he instinctively lunged forward to shield Liu Ruyi behind him. The blade grazed his shoulder armor and splattered blood onto the snow. Niu Peng and others quickly subdued Zhou Yan as chaos erupted in the training ground.
“Take him away and hand him over to the Criminal Ministry for trial.” Old Madam’s voice was soft yet carried an undeniable authority. She turned to Yuan Yingwu with a hint of concern in her eyes. “Yuan Yingwu, come with me to my study; I have something to ask you.”
Liu Ruyi stood still, watching the blood seeping from Yuan Yingwu's shoulder with a surge of fear in her heart. She gently pressed her hand on his arm and whispered, “I will wait for you in the side hall.”
In the side hall, the charcoal fire blazed brightly but could not dispel Liu Ruyi's doubts. She opened her portable account book again to verify the records of iron tools coming in and out but found that each entry had a tiny annotation of "Yuan" beside it. Just as she furrowed her brow in thought, Zhang Yue entered with a bowl of medicine. “Miss, here is some wound ointment; hurry and apply it on Young Lord.”
Only then did Liu Ruyi realize that her palm had been dug into by her nails leaving crescent-shaped red marks. She took the bowl; feeling its warmth against her fingertips reminded her of when Ning Guo Gong Fu was implicated previously for "forging weapons with ulterior motives." Now it seemed that this old case was subtly connected to today’s events.
“Madam,” Niu Peng suddenly reported from outside the door, “we just found a secret letter on Zhou Yan that seems to be addressed to Crown Prince Faction.”
Liu Ruyi looked up sharply. “Bring it here for me to see.”
The letter unfolded revealed messy handwriting but clearly stated phrases like "Duke's Residence Iron Tools can supplement Prince's military needs" and "If successful, ensure Zhou Yan is promoted to General." A shock ran through her as she recalled discovering that batch of armor marked with Royal Emblem in the storeroom yesterday—at that time thinking they were rewards from the late emperor; now it seemed they were weapons crafted by Crown Prince Faction using Duke's Residence.
“Miss, Young Lord and Old Madam are coming,” Zhang Yue’s reminder interrupted her thoughts.
Yuan Yingwu had changed out of his bloodstained armor, but a trace of dried blood still lingered on his forehead. Old Madam signaled for everyone to leave, leaving only three people in the room. She took out a blue-covered book from her sleeve, its golden title embossed on the cover reading "Military Supply Secret Record." "This was left by your grandfather; it contains records of the weapon exchanges between the various dukes and the royal family. Yuan Yingwu, do you know why the Emperor has always treated our Yuan Family with both favor and suspicion over the years?"
Yuan Yingwu lowered his gaze and replied, "Because when my father was still a prince, he ordered grandfather to secretly forge weapons in case of emergencies. Over the years, the Crown Prince Faction and the Qi Wang Party have been in constant conflict, and our Yuan Family has become like a thorn deeply embedded in the Emperor's heart."
Old Madam sighed and turned to Liu Ruyi. "Liu Ruyi, you performed well today. However, some things can be hidden from outsiders but not from family. Do you know why Yuan Yingwu insists on marrying you?"
Liu Ruyi was taken aback, her fingers instinctively tightening around the hem of her skirt. She suddenly recalled what Yuan Yingwu had said on their wedding night: "You resemble my mother; she was also wise and courageous."
Yuan Yingwu reached out to hold Liu Ruyi's hand, warmth radiating from his palm through her skin. "It is because your composure on the day of the marriage exchange made me feel that you could bear the responsibilities of the Duke's Residence. Moreover..." He paused, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes. "Your mother once saved my mother's life; this kindness is something our Yuan Family must repay."
Liu Ruyi trembled all over, nearly knocking over the teacup beside her. She remembered an old portrait in her mother Bai Jieqiong's room, where the woman depicted wore noble attire and bore a striking resemblance to Old Madam in her youth.
"Your mother was injured by scoundrels while trying to save me and thereafter lived in seclusion," Old Madam gently caressed the portrait, tears glistening in her eyes. "Yuan Yingwu's father once wanted to bring her into the residence as a Noble Concubine, but she refused. She said she did not want her daughter to become a concubine and repeat her mistakes."
Liu Ruyi felt a lump in her throat as she finally understood why her mother would rather endure humiliation at Liu Residence than accept help from Yuan Family. Turning to Yuan Yingwu, she found him gazing at her intently, his eyes filled with tenderness. "So when I learned that Liu Rumeng wanted to exchange marriages, I discreetly facilitated this matter. I knew that only a woman like you could protect herself and safeguard the Duke's Residence amidst such treachery."
Suddenly, a fierce wind howled outside, whipping up remnants of snow against the windowpanes. Liu Ruyi looked at her mother-in-law and husband, emotions swirling within her. She had thought this marriage was merely a matter of interests but discovered it concealed two generations' worth of kindness.
"Now that Zhou Yan's matter has escalated, the Crown Prince Faction will not let it go easily," Old Madam said as she closed the book, her tone turning serious again. "Liu Ruyi, starting tomorrow, you will personally manage the keys to the armory. Yuan Yingwu, you will enter the palace tomorrow to report Zhou Yan's embezzlement truthfully but must not mention where the Iron Tools went."
Yuan Yingwu frowned and said, "But those Iron Tools clearly flowed into the Crown Prince's army..."
"Fool!" Old Madam interrupted sharply. "The Emperor sitting on the dragon throne fears nothing more than collusion between princes and external officials. If you reveal the truth, it will lay bare the grievances between Crown Prince Faction and Duke's Residence. With Zhenguo Grand General gradually rising in prominence, the Crown Prince needs an excuse to suppress us; do not walk into danger!"
Liu Ruyi suddenly recalled that after ascending to power in her previous life, the Crown Prince's first act was to purge Duke's Residence. She pressed down on Yuan Yingwu's hand and said firmly, "Grandmother is right. What we need now is evidence—evidence that can convince His Majesty that Duke's Residence has always been loyal to the royal family."
Old Madam looked at her approvingly. "You are indeed wise. Tomorrow you will visit Her Majesty and mention that while organizing supplies in our residence, you discovered gold armor bestowed by the late Emperor and wish for Her Majesty to take a look." She paused and removed an emerald bracelet from her wrist. "Take this; Her Majesty had a good relationship with me back then and will grant you this favor."
Late at night when all was quiet, Liu Ruyi sat before her vanity mirror, gazing at her slightly reddened eyes. Zhang Yue was helping her remove hairpins when she suddenly whispered, "Miss, I just went to get a midnight snack from the kitchen and overheard some servants discussing that Zhou Yan's wife visited Liu Residence this morning."
The jade hairpin slipped from Liu Ruyi's fingers with a clatter as alarm bells rang in her mind. She suddenly recalled Zhou Yan shouting during training earlier: "I'll teach you on behalf of Old Duke!" The surprise in Yuan Yingwu’s eyes then had not been anger but guilt.
"Prepare a carriage; we are going to Liu Residence," Liu Ruyi said abruptly as she stood up and donned a black cloak. She knew some truths might have to be uncovered from her sister whom she once viewed as an enemy.
The snow fell heavier as Liu Residence’s vermilion doors appeared particularly dark against the night sky. The doorman hurriedly opened the door upon seeing Duke’s Residence’s carriage enter. Liu Ruyi rushed straight toward Liu Rumeng’s courtyard but paused at a corner upon hearing muffled sobs.
"Mother, why did Madam Zhou Yan come looking for me?" It was Liu Rumeng’s voice laced with fear. "She even said Yuan Yingwu already knew about Iron Tools and claimed that Duke Ning forged weapons back then for rebellion..."
Yao Xueying’s voice came through impatiently: "What do you care about this? Right now all you need to do is cling tightly to Li Ming’s thigh; once he becomes Chancellor, our Liu Family will naturally soar! Besides, if Madam Zhou Yan came looking for you, it means Crown Prince Faction wants to win us over..."
Liu Ruyi pushed open the courtyard door forcefully; snowflakes swirled into the room with cold winds. Liu Rumeng gasped in surprise and hurriedly stuffed a secret letter under her pillow. When their eyes met, Liu Ruyi clearly saw panic beneath Liu Rumeng’s gaze along with a fleeting hint of ruthlessness.
"Sister visiting late at night—what brings you here?" Liu Rumeng feigned calmness while her fingers trembled incessantly.
Liu Ruyi stepped forward slowly, glancing at where she hid the letter beneath her pillow. "Sister knows that Zhou Yan has been imprisoned for embezzling military supplies? His wife visited Liu Residence today; could it be she wants Sister to relay messages?"
Yao Xueying's expression changed, and she stood up, saying, "Don't slander us! The Liu Family has always upheld the law..."
"Uphold the law?" Liu Ruyi sneered, pulling out a sealed letter from her sleeve. "I've read this letter. It states, 'If an incident occurs, the blame can be shifted to the Duke's Residence.' Liu Rumeng, did you already know the truth about the private weapon forging at Ning Guo Gong Fu back then?"
Liu Rumeng's face turned pale instantly. She suddenly grabbed a teacup from the table and hurled it at Liu Ruyi. "Get out! You know nothing!"
The teacup flew past Liu Ruyi's ear and shattered on the ground with a sharp sound. She looked at Liu Rumeng's trembling shoulders and felt a surge of pity—this sister had ultimately become a pawn of the Crown Prince Faction, just like in her previous life.
"I advise you to stay away from Madam Zhou Yan," Liu Ruyi said as she turned to leave, her voice particularly cold in the wind and snow. "Otherwise, the next one to end up in prison might be your husband, Li Ming."
The snowflakes pattered against the carriage curtain, and Liu Ruyi gazed out at the dark street, her mind gradually clearing. She finally understood that the downfall of the Duke's Residence in her past life was not due to private weapon forging but because they knew too many royal secrets. Now, what she and Yuan Yingwu needed to do was not to evade but to turn these secrets into leverage in their hands.
"Miss, what are you thinking about?" Zhang Yue asked cautiously.
Liu Ruyi gently held the jade bracelet in her hand, its warmth soothing against her skin. "I was thinking about how to speak when I meet Her Majesty tomorrow so that she will believe in the loyalty of the Duke's Residence—loyalty that can be witnessed by heaven and earth."
The carriage moved slowly through the snowy night, and the distant sound of bells echoed from the clock tower. Liu Ruyi closed her eyes, but images of bloodstains on Yuan Yingwu's shoulder and worry in Old Madam's eyes flooded her mind. She knew that from the moment she took over as head of the household, she was no longer that bullied concubine but the mistress of Ning Guo Gong Fu—a woman who would stand shoulder to shoulder with her husband at the forefront of danger.
The snow continued to fall heavily. But she believed that as long as they stood united as a couple, this long night would eventually give way to the dawn of a new day.
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