Chapter 71
Chapter 71
Ji Hanyi had never imagined that one day, she would be the heartless one in someone else’s eyes.
The man she had once tried so hard and failed to warm was now looking at her with such pleading eyes. What did he want from her this time?
She looked at Xie Yuheng and asked, “Would Eldest Master like me to send for Li Mingrou to tend to you?”
Xie Yuheng gazed at Ji Hanyi, his face filled with anguish. “You still blame me…”
Now that things had reached this point, Ji Hanyi found any talk of blame utterly insincere.
She frowned slightly as she looked at Xie Yuheng. “I have never blamed you. I only wish for Eldest Master to get what he wants.”
As she spoke, Ji Hanyi took several more steps back. “With so many people here, it would be inconvenient for me to tend to Eldest Master. Li Mingrou has always taken excellent care of you. I’ll send someone to fetch her at once.”
She had no intention of staying. She had originally planned to tell Xie Yuheng that they would divorce tomorrow, but in his current state, this was clearly not the right time. She had no desire to create any further complications either.
Ji Hanyi withdrew without the slightest hesitation. Just as she lifted the curtain, she heard a thud behind her, followed by Madam Lin’s startled scream and another burst of frantic footsteps.
Her fingers paused for the briefest moment, but she did not look back. She simply lifted the curtain and walked out.
Rongchun, however, could not resist glancing behind her. The moment she did, she clapped a hand over her mouth.
Eldest Master’s upper body had fallen off the bed. Blood was still seeping from the crisscrossing wounds on his bare back, making for a horrifying sight.
What frightened Rongchun even more was the way Eldest Master stared fixedly in Young Madam’s direction. She could not understand what had possessed him, nor did she dare keep looking. She hurried out after Ji Hanyi.
Weeping, Madam Lin rushed to help Xie Yuheng from the floor, her voice choked with sobs. Tears filled her eyes as she watched him stare blankly in a single direction. In a hoarse, grief-stricken voice, she asked, “Why? Why are you doing this…?
“Tell Mother. Why are you doing this…?”
Xie Yuheng listened numbly to his mother’s words. He, too, asked himself why, but no matter how many thousands of times he posed the question, he could never find an answer.
All he knew was that if Ji Hanyi left him, life itself would hold no meaning anymore.
He could not understand how the woman who had once had eyes only for him had become like this.
How could she push him toward another woman with such calm eyes…?
In his confusion, he told himself that Ji Hanyi had merely misunderstood him again. He did not love Mingrou. He had only been looking after her. One day, Ji Hanyi would understand.
As long as he refused to write the Divorce Agreement, she would never be able to leave him…
When Xie Yuheng remained silent, Madam Lin looked at the wounds covering his body and felt his limp, barely breathing form in her arms. Her grief left her almost too weak to move. She hurriedly ordered the senior maidservants beside her to help him back onto the bed.
But Xie Yuheng stubbornly refused to get up, Ji Hanyi’s name still spilling from his lips.
Madam Lin nearly fainted from anger at the sight of him like this. Yet seeing him half-dead, she hardened her heart and ordered the maidservants to drag him back onto the bed if they had to, so his wounds could be treated.
However, lash wounds covered Xie Yuheng’s entire body, leaving scarcely an inch of uninjured flesh. The maidservants did not even know where they could safely touch him, and the room descended into chaos once more.
By then, Ji Hanyi had already reached the outer room. Whatever turmoil unfolded inside had nothing more to do with her.
Standing beneath the veranda outside, she quietly instructed the maid by the door to go to Li Mingrou’s courtyard and summon her to attend Xie Yuheng while he recovered.
Since Xie Yuheng was so determined to protect her, Ji Hanyi might as well let them have each other.
The maid nearly failed to grasp what Ji Hanyi meant when she heard the order.
Unable to help herself, she asked softly, “Is Young Madam not going back inside?”
Ji Hanyi gave a faint smile and looked at the maid. “I won’t be in the residence today. If First Madam asks about me later, simply tell her the truth.
“If she asks where I went, tell her I returned to the Gu Family and will be back first thing tomorrow morning.”
As Ji Hanyi finished speaking, she draped her cloak around her shoulders and pulled on her winter hood. She turned slightly toward Nanny Lin, who stood beside her with worry written all over her face. Pressing her lips together, Ji Hanyi reached out and gently clasped Nanny Lin’s hand.
Snow blew in from beyond the covered walkway, dusting the white fox fur trim of Ji Hanyi’s winter hat. Guilt flickered in her eyes as she said softly, “I won’t be here tonight. I’m sorry to leave everything to you, Nanny.”
Nanny Lin should never have been left to clean up the mess in this courtyard.
Nanny Lin’s eyes reddened, but she held back her emotions. “It’s only what this old servant should do.”
Then she added, “It’s just that without Young Madam here, the courtyard will be so quiet.”
Yet even when Ji Hanyi had been here, the courtyard had always been quiet.
She had done everything she could to make it appear lively, but when a person’s heart was cold, how could anything truly feel lively?
Ji Hanyi tightened her grip on Nanny Lin’s hand, then silently stepped into the wind and snow.
Over at Ningxiang Courtyard, a servant woman hurried in and cheerfully reported the outcome. Only then did all the strength drain from Li Mingrou’s body, and she slowly crumpled onto the carpet.
She had taken a desperate gamble today. She had deliberately gone to Brother Xie’s study under the pretext of fetching a book, all to make their relationship a fait accompli.
She did not want to leave. She did not want to grow old and die in the countryside. She wanted to remain by Brother Xie’s side, even if she could only be his concubine.
Besides, how could Ji Hanyi possibly defeat her? Ji Hanyi had never been able to compete with her before, and she certainly would not be able to in the future.
As long as Brother Xie’s heart belonged to her, she would become his lawful wife sooner or later. Then she could be with Brother Xie openly and honorably.
She simply had not expected anyone to come to Brother Xie’s study…
Fortunately, she had still won her gamble.
Nanny Zhang hurried forward to help Li Mingrou up. “Miss, please get up first.”
Li Mingrou continued staring blankly into the distance. Then she suddenly laughed. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she looked at Nanny Zhang. “Nanny, do you think Eldest Master truly has feelings for me?”
Nanny Zhang froze for a moment before replying, “If Eldest Master had no feelings for you, why would he threaten to die rather than let them send you away?”
Li Mingrou stared vacantly ahead and murmured, “That’s right. How could Brother Xie not have feelings for me…?”
But why had Brother Xie called out Ji Hanyi’s name while holding her in his arms as they made love in the study today?
Li Mingrou could still remember her shock when she heard Ji Hanyi’s name fall from Brother Xie’s lips. She knew he had been drugged, that his mind had been clouded and he could not recognize the person before him, but her heart still clenched painfully.
From beginning to end, Brother Xie had mistaken her for Ji Hanyi.
More and more tears spilled from Li Mingrou’s eyes. A sudden emptiness welled inside her. What had she done all this for?
But if Brother Xie did not care for her, why would he risk being beaten to death just to keep her here?
Li Mingrou pondered this for a long time. Perhaps Brother Xie had merely grown accustomed to Ji Hanyi. In his heart, Li Mingrou herself had always been the most important person.
She pushed herself up from the floor and started toward the door. “Nanny, how is Brother Xie? I want to see him.”
Nanny Zhang quickly stopped Li Mingrou and said in a low voice, “For the next few days, you must stay here quietly, Miss. Once you are allowed out, kneel before Old Madam and First Madam and beg their forgiveness. Then this matter will blow over.”
“Just be patient for now. You have such a generous dowry, so there is nothing to worry about. You may be a concubine, but First Madam is your own aunt. How could your life here possibly be difficult?”
“Besides, when has that Young Madam ever managed to best you?”
Li Mingrou had thought the same at first. Even if she became a concubine, her aunt would still be here, and Brother Xie had doted on her since they were children. What did she have to fear? She would also be able to stay beside Mingqing and watch him study and grow up.
At that thought, Li Mingrou finally felt reassured. She nodded. “You’re right, Nanny. What do I have to fear? Ji Hanyi is the one who should be afraid.”
“We have plenty of time. Brother Xie doesn’t love her, so what can she possibly use to compete with me?”
“And how much longer can the Old Madam who protects her possibly live?”
She slowly settled onto the chaise longue, and at last, a faint smile appeared through her earlier panic.