Within two days, Bailian became anxious. Although the First Madam hadn’t urged her, she couldn’t wait until Madam remembered her before acting.
Bailian took the initiative to say she was fine and wanted to start working again. In the end, she only managed to get some physical labor in the courtyard. Her head still hurt, yet she couldn’t rest. You could call it effort with no reward.
Wu Sheyue had originally often gone to Qunxing Studio to coax the Old Madam. Ever since Wu Jinghua’s trouble, she had even skipped that and enjoyed two leisurely days.
But Wu Hantian—whom Wu Sheyue had been waiting for—finally arrived on the third day.
In the afternoon, Bailian was pruning flowers and grasses in the courtyard when she saw Wu Hantian enter with wind in his steps.
“Master—” Bailian looked up and only had time to see his back.
When Wu Hantian pushed open Wu Sheyue’s room door directly, Wu Sheyue was reading at the table. Her long hair was simply draped behind her, and a sleeveless outer garment lay over her shoulders. She truly looked as though she were ill.
The instant Wu Sheyue saw Wu Hantian, a small trace of surprise appeared on her face. She quickly put down the book, held her chest, and rose weakly. “Father, you’re back. Please sit. I heard you’ve been tired these past few days. This is Father’s first time coming to Yue’er’s place, and Yue’er doesn’t know what tea would be best. Father, moisten your throat.” As she spoke, she took a cup of tea from Ning’er and handed it to Wu Hantian.
They said you don’t slap a smiling face. Wu Hantian had originally come to flare up, but before he could say anything after entering, Wu Sheyue had first shown such a pleased expression that he truly couldn’t speak for a moment. Seeing that beautiful face so happy at his arrival, Wu Hantian felt strange inside.
He accepted the tea she handed him and suddenly asked, “I heard you have been unwell these two days?” He hadn’t intended to ask that before.
Wu Sheyue’s expression was somewhat shy and somewhat happy. “I made Father worry. I just caught a chill a few nights ago and felt a little unwell. I’m much better now.”
Wu Hantian said indifferently, “I know about Jinghua’s matter. As sisters, you should help and support one another. You must not truly damage family harmony over a fit of temper. Do you understand what I mean?” This was not only his thought—more importantly, it was the Old Madam’s thought.
“Yes, Yue’er understands. After Yue’er woke, I remembered nothing, so Father, Mother, and Grandmother are Yue’er’s loved ones, and my sisters and brothers are Yue’er’s family.”
This sentence made Wu Hantian relax. He set down the tea he hadn’t drunk and said, “It is good that you understand. I came for one other matter. These past two days, His Majesty summoned many imperial physicians to examine the Eighth Prince, but the Eighth Prince’s hand may still not recover.”
Wu Sheyue lowered her head and pressed her lips together, aggrieved and unwilling to speak. Wu Hantian continued, “You should still go apologize to the Eighth Prince. If the Eighth Prince still refuses to let it go, then you—”
Wu Sheyue suddenly began to cry. Ning’er quickly supported her. “Father, this daughter is unfilial. I have only just returned to Father’s side, yet I must leave.”
“You…”
“In my next life, this daughter will repay Father’s kindness in raising me!” Wu Sheyue’s eyes reddened, as if preparing to die. “Now… now I can only go ahead first and accompany Concubine Mother.”
Wu Hantian slapped the table angrily. “What nonsense are you saying?”
“The Eighth Prince killed Concubine Mother and now wants to kill Yue’er too. Although my heart is afraid, I… I cannot make the Chancellor’s residence suffer because of me alone.” Wu Sheyue pressed her lips together and said with difficulty, “I must ask him what hatred he has, and why he insists on killing us.”
When Wu Hantian heard her mention Yin Qiuming again, his expression—which had been relatively acceptable—quickly darkened. He said impatiently, “Enough, enough. Your grandmother also cannot bear to let you go, but I only came to remind you: if His Majesty insists on pursuing it, no one can protect you.”
With that, Wu Hantian rose and left.
As soon as Wu Hantian walked out, Wu Sheyue’s reddened eyes slowly returned to normal. She coldly looked at the open door and the courtyard outside. It seemed her place was about the same as a public square or a park. One by one, they came when they wanted and left when they wanted.
Ning’er asked nervously, “Does the Chancellor want to sacrifice Miss?”
“Hard to say.” If not for Yin Qiuming’s matter, he probably wouldn’t have come to give a warning. He would have directly informed her. “We need to make some preparations.”
The rain fell for a full day and night before stopping. The cool weather was very comfortable.
In the afternoon, Ning’er carried snacks into the room and saw Wu Sheyue sitting at the table with one leg crossed. Yin Qiuming’s wooden box was placed before her, and brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were laid out on the desk.
Wu Sheyue put down her brush, looked up, and said with certainty to Ning’er, “I need to prepare some things.”
Ning’er cheerfully placed the snacks on the table. “What does Miss need? I’ll go find it at once.”
Wu Sheyue flicked a sheet of paper over. “Use paper and brush to write it down.”
“Oh!”
Wu Sheyue began listing, “Later, go out to the street and buy ten meters of every kind of rope you can find, and also a bucket of glue. Find a shop that sells timber and look around. Mainly check the quality and price of pine. You can also ask about paulownia and fir. Come back and tell me—”
“Ah?” Ning’er’s hand paused, her expression astonished.
Wu Sheyue continued on her own. “One whetstone. See whether we can find an axe, saw, scissors, and a long ruler in the residence. But the knives need to be ordered from a blacksmith. Take this drawing.”
“Ah…” Ning’er quickly caught the stack of paper Wu Sheyue picked up from the table and tossed over. She opened it and saw knives, blades, files, and screwdrivers of all sizes and shapes drawn on it. Clear notes were marked beside them.
Ever since Wu Hantian came, Wu Sheyue had done nothing else for two days except study how to get tools that suited her hand.
She leaned back in boredom. “I should have marked it very clearly. Go directly to the most expensive and best blacksmith here. If the things he makes don’t hold up, it will be very troublesome.”
Ning’er closed the drawings and asked very seriously, “Miss, what are you doing now?”
Wu Sheyue said as if it were perfectly natural, “Making handicrafts.”
“Hand… handicrafts?” Clearly, Ning’er didn’t believe it.
Wu Sheyue shrugged. “Yes. When one is idle and bored, making some wood carvings or toys by hand is normal, right? Go, go.”
“Then… that ghost head… was also one of Miss’s handicrafts?”
Ning’er’s mind suddenly flashed with that terrifying, lifelike ghost head. It had appeared in her dreams several times. Because it was too real, even now, thinking of it made cold sweat break out across her body.
Wu Sheyue waved carelessly. “All right, all right. Those were only something I made to practice when I had nothing to do. Do you like it? I can teach you.”
“No need! But… Miss’s situation has only just improved. Are you going to spend all your monthly silver on buying these things?” Ning’er leaned closer and whispered seriously in her ear, “Miss, everyone here is new. The First Madam just sent several people, and the Old Madam sent two young male servants too. Shouldn’t you give gifts up and down a little? How can you treat them too stingily?”
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