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Su Yuntang brewed a cup of calming tea and sat down opposite Hu Qingxi. "I've heard a bit about it. The Long Family is quite powerful; they say they have 'one hand covering the sky' in Jiangnan."
"Yes..." Hu Qingxi forced a bitter smile. "I've heard that the Second Young Master Long, Long Xi, has a cold demeanor and rarely smiles. I fear I might be walking into a tiger's den."
Su Yuntang felt a pang of sympathy for the young girl before her, whose eyes were slightly red-rimmed. "Miss, you need not worry. With me here, I will ensure you are not wronged."
Days passed at the Hu Residence, and the Long Family's betrothal gifts had all been delivered. The entire city of Yangzhou was buzzing about the marriage alliance between the two families, set to take place on the eighth of next month—less than half a month away.
As dusk approached one day, Su Yuntang was busy in the apothecary. She bent down to tend to the charcoal fire, carefully watching over the small pot on the stove. The medicinal concoction bubbled away, releasing a rich herbal aroma. This was the calming tea she had prepared for Hu Qingxi, which needed to simmer for another quarter of an hour to be just right.
Recently, Hu Qingxi had been plagued by nightmares, waking each day with dark circles under her eyes and growing increasingly frail. Madam Hu was worried that her daughter was overthinking things before her marriage and had specifically asked Su Yuntang to take extra care of her.
Once the medicinal brew was ready, Su Yuntang carefully filtered out the dregs and poured the clear brown liquid into a small blue-and-white porcelain pot. The fragrance was gentle and not overpowering; she had specially formulated this recipe by adding a small amount of rose petals and licorice to ensure it was calming yet not too bitter.
Just as she finished tidying up the stove, she heard a faint sound of footsteps coming from the courtyard. It was getting late; who could it be?
Su Yuntang set down the pot and quietly moved to the door to peek outside, only to find that Hu Qingxi had left the courtyard alone.
Dressed in a light purple outfit, Hu Qingxi was unaccompanied by Hong Xiu or Lu Ao. Su Yuntang felt a surge of concern; without hesitation, she lightened her footsteps and followed after her.
Maintaining a safe distance, Su Yuntang trailed Hu Qingxi all the way to the corridor in the back garden. The moonlight was dim, casting a hazy glow over the garden's scenery. Just as Su Yuntang was about to turn into the corridor, she suddenly heard low voices coming from near Fake Mountain.
She quickly halted and pressed herself against one of the corridor's pillars.
"No way, it's too dangerous. If we're discovered, neither of us will escape unscathed. Your father won't let you off easily, and the Long Family won't just sit back," she recognized Hu Qingxi's voice.
"Qingxi, we've already delayed for more than half a year; if we wait any longer, you'll have to marry into the Long Family!" A young man's voice came through, filled with urgency and anguish. "I've arranged everything; if you're willing, we can leave Yangzhou tomorrow night."
Su Yuntang's heart jolted, and he instinctively leaned forward cautiously to look in the direction of Fake Mountain.
In the dim light beside Fake Mountain, a young man dressed as a scholar stood opposite Hu Qingxi, wearing a long blue robe, his features obscured in the shadows.
"Wen Jin, I..." Hu Qingxi's voice trembled. "Of course I want to fly away with you, but if I leave like this, what will happen to my parents? How will the Long Family make things difficult for my family? You know how powerful the Long Family is both locally and in the court..."
So it was that poet Lu Wenjin.
Su Yuntang suddenly understood.
Several poetry collections lay beside Hu Qingxi, her favorite pastime to pass the time. Su Yuntang recalled that the author inscribed in those books was indeed Lu Wenjin.
He never expected that this man was Hu Qingxi's beloved.
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