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  Chapter 41

  Han Xiuxiu did not give way, he stood tall and unwavering like Mount Tai, unmoving.

  The bright sunlight pierced through the half-opened elm lattice window, spilling into the narrow corridor and casting a mottled reflection. His face was shrouded in mystery, with seven parts light and three parts darkness, making the lines of his eyebrows and eyes appear even more stern. As if he was reluctant to give in to Ming Xuan's resistance, his brow furrowed slightly, "I'll send it over."

  He thought for a moment, then added, "The Yang family's mansion has been burglarized, and the soldiers from the Five Cities Garrison have been searching everywhere these past few days. The Yan family lives in the west of the city, and to get there from here, you still need to pass through the central city. If you ride my carriage, no one will dare ask questions."

  In the past few days, several prominent families in the capital have been robbed one after another. Yesterday, a thief sneaked into Yang Youzhong's study and stole a draft of the new government decree. When leaving, he was caught by the guards on duty. The thief was so bold that he even caused casualties. As Yang Youzhong is a high-ranking official, second only to Prime Minister Pei in terms of power, it was humiliating for his mansion to be burgled like an unguarded place. Therefore, he ordered the Five Cities Military Command to conduct a thorough investigation and search within the city walls, vowing to capture the thief and bring him to justice. The military took this very seriously, and no one dared to slack off. These past few days have seen extremely strict inspections and patrols.

  Ming Xuan heard this and coldly smiled, saying: "Thank you for your good intentions, Lord Han. However, I have been engaged before, and there's a risk of misunderstandings like 'melon fields and plum trees'. It would be better to avoid it, or else if Lady Han were to misunderstand, that would be troublesome. I'm just a weak woman, the soldiers wouldn't mistake me for a thief, they'd just ask me some questions, and I'll answer them truthfully, no harm done."

  She will be riding in the Yan family's carriage, so even if she is stopped by the Five Cities' soldiers, someone from the Yan family will naturally smooth things over for her. Although Yan Zeng is only a fifth-rank official, he is still an official, and the people at the Five Cities Military Command should give him that much face.

  But if she got on Han Xiu's carriage, it would be hard to explain. The people of the Han family would definitely misunderstand her. If others saw her and Han Xiu riding together, they would think that she was having an affair with him, and her reputation would be completely ruined.

  Rumors are the most frightening, if they spread throughout the city, how can the Hou Mansion still accommodate her? Han Xiu is a married man, and Gu's family cannot let her become a concubine and lose face. So, there are only two paths in front of her: either shave her head to become a nun and spend the rest of her life alone with candles and Buddha, or drink a cup of poisonous wine and "die suddenly from illness". The big families have always used such despicable means to deal with obstacles, she hasn't seen it with her own eyes, but has heard about it many times.

  But neither of these two roads is what Ming Xuan wants.

  Her eyes drooped, and her tone hid a deep-seated anxiety. "A woman's reputation is not to be tarnished, I beg of you, Lord Han, do not make things difficult for me, a weak and helpless woman, please step aside."

  Han Xiu finally showed some movement, he shifted his body to give Ming Huan a way out, silently watching the slender figure leave, her footsteps were too hasty, even somewhat flustered and stumbling, as if there was a fierce tiger behind her with its bloody mouth wide open, if she didn't escape, it would be a dead end.

  He let out a deep sigh, his expression dazed and bewildered as he stared blankly down the empty corridor. His eyes were vacant and unfocused, as if lost in the endless depths of memory. He muttered softly to himself, the air echoing with unspoken despair and longing, "Ah Xuan, our first child was supposed to be born today... but alas... nothing is known..."

  This shocking whisper, Ming Xuan did not hear it, she was quietly leaving from the back door of Nong Yu Fang under Dan Hong's cover.

  A dark green carriage had been waiting at the entrance of the alley for some time. Upon hearing the noise, the curtain opened slightly, revealing a beautiful face with a pale complexion. She looked around hastily and saw that the alley was quiet at this moment, with no one passing by. Then she waved her hand vigorously towards Ming Xuan and said, "Here, come quickly."

  Ming Xuan and Dan Hong got on the carriage together, seeing Yan Qingli still wearing a plain white dress, her face still had a worried expression that hadn't faded away, and there were also tear stains at the corners of her eyes. She couldn't help but ask with concern, "Is your brother's situation not very good?"

  If it weren't for her, Yan Qingye would be preparing for the imperial examination right now. Once he topped the exam and became a high-ranking official, he would naturally have many beautiful women vying for his attention. He would be young and successful, and who knows, maybe one day he could even win the emperor's favor again. He was originally destined for a brilliant future, and with his personality, he would definitely live a happy life. How could he end up like this today, covered in scars?

  She had a very good impression of Yan Xiaolang, and even if they couldn't be husband and wife, she still hoped he could live well.

  Yan Qingli's eyes welled up with tears, and she hastily wiped them away with a handkerchief. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "The wounds on my body have healed, but the doctor says I still have some heart disease."

  When facing the powerful Han Xiu, who was as imposing as a mountain, no one could help but feel intimidated. Yan Qingyan, despite his strong personality, had a clear understanding in his heart that he couldn't defeat Han Xiu. This engagement would eventually come to an end, either by the Yan family or the Gu family initiating it. He was destined not to be her husband. However, the more he understood this, the more he felt heartache. The physical wounds on his body had long since healed, but the pain in his heart could never be cured.

  He is indulging in self-abandonment.

  Ming Xuan fell silent for a moment, her heart still aching and in need of solace. But what she was about to bring to the young master of the Yan family might not be the right medicine for his illness; perhaps it would be a poison that would hasten his demise...

  The Han Mansion was located in the inner city to the west, and it wasn't a bustling street. From afar, it seemed rather deserted. The carriage drove through the entrance and stopped at the second gate. Yan Qingli and her personal maid got out of the carriage first, then helped Ming Xuan down. She explained in a low voice, "Father has official business to attend to and isn't home. My mother is still guarding my second brother's room, while my older brother accompanied his wife to their maternal family's home. There's no one here to welcome you, so I hope Seventh Miss won't mind."

  Ming Xuan smiled bitterly in her heart, this wasn't a visit to someone's home, things were done out of convenience, why would she still care about the shortcomings of Yan family's hospitality? Besides, she didn't have the mood to bother with these things. She furrowed her brow and said in a low voice, "I can't stay out for too long, just take me to see Second Brother directly."

  Yan Qingli nodded and led her to the outer wing of a house, where a middle-aged woman was waiting with bated breath. "Mother," she said, "Miss Gu Jia has arrived."

  Ming Xuan saw a kind-hearted woman who looked 70-80% like the wife of Li Canzheng, the Minister of Revenue, whom she had met at Autumn Flower Garden that day. She knew in her heart that this must be Yan Qingyan's mother.

  In her heart, she secretly felt a sense of regret as she walked in. Although the Yan family's house wasn't very big, the courtyard and rooms were arranged in a harmonious and neat manner, giving off a bright and refreshing atmosphere. The decorations in the courtyard weren't anything expensive or rare, but they had a unique charm to them. From this glimpse, it could be seen that the Yan family was indeed a household with an extremely good atmosphere. The woman in front of her looked very kind-hearted and gentle-faced, not at all like those sharp-tongued and narrow-minded types. If she were really lucky enough to marry into this family, having such a mother-in-law would definitely make life easier.

  But it's all useless to say anything now, she thought, feeling a little stifled in her heart, but her manners were not daring to slacken in the slightest. She elegantly and graciously saluted Lady Yan, saying softly, "Ming Xuan has seen her aunt, ten thousand peace."

  Mrs. Yan's expression was somewhat complex.

  She couldn't help but feel heartbroken seeing her beloved son end up like this. As a mother, how could she not be heartbroken? Before meeting Ming Xuan, she had some resentment in her heart and suspected that Ming Xuan still had an improper relationship with that Mr. Han, otherwise why would he still want to make things difficult for her family because of this marriage? But when she saw Ming Xuan standing in front of her, elegant and refined, speaking politely and graciously, she felt that the truth might not be like that after all.

  Even if Ming Xuan was also an innocent victim, what could she do? This marriage had already reached a dead end. She didn't want to be a high-ranking noblewoman either, so she could only hold back her emotions and sincerely implore, "Although our Yan family is not some noble or aristocratic family, we are people who value promises. If it weren't for the fact that we were forced into this situation, we wouldn't have acted in such a way. No matter what, our Yan family owes an apology to Seventh Miss, and yet we still need to trouble you to persuade Brother Yang, it's really...sorry to trouble you."

  The calm surface of the water did not reveal the turmoil beneath. After three years of hiding in the Yongning Marquis's estate, she had long learned how to conceal her emotions. At this moment, even if she were to vent her anger at Lady Yan, it would be pointless. Why bother letting others see her true feelings? But acknowledging was one thing, and some things still needed to be said clearly.

  She slightly pulled the corner of her mouth and said in a low voice, "Since ancient times, men have married and women have been married off. Whether they succeeded or not, it was all due to their parents' orders and matchmakers' words. I came here today, not because I felt guilty for doing something that didn't follow the rules of etiquette, but because I understood the love of a husband for his wife. The recent misfortunes of your esteemed family were not what I wished for in my heart, but if they really had anything to do with me, then it was all my fault. Ming Xuan apologizes to you first. If the marriage contract between our two families is dissolved and everything goes smoothly for your esteemed family afterwards, then I will also be at peace."

  Madam Yan was taken aback for a moment before hastily saying, "It's all the fault of the Yan family, we are the ones who have wronged Seventh Miss."

  Ming Xuan pursed her lips and pointed to the inner room, asking, "Is the second young master of your esteemed household inside?"

  Yan Qingli nodded, "Yes, please say a few harsh words and let my second brother give up that idea."

  Ming Xuan's eyes moved slightly as she spoke to Yan Qingli, "A lone man and a lone woman, sharing the same room, is not proper. Miss Yan, please have someone bring down your brother's account book first, then accompany me inside. I'll speak with him from behind the screen for a bit. Let's make one thing clear: no matter what I say later, the consequences will have nothing to do with me. I've never been here before today, and in the future, I don't want to hear any gossip or rumors."

  Yan Qingli and the others all nodded in agreement. If today's events were to spread, it would not be a good thing for the Yan family either. She ordered the maid to follow Ming Xuan's instructions and put down the curtains, then personally woke up Yan Qinghe and whispered a few words in his ear before inviting Ming Xuan into the house.

  After the rain, the blue silk bed curtain was faintly reflected with Yan Qingye's shadow. He was already sitting up at this time, one hand propping up the bed and the other tightly grasping the bed curtain. His voice was weak and powerless, as if he had expected to hear something, but still held a hint of expectation, "Is... it?"

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