On the fifteenth day of the first month, the Lantern Festival, even the air seemed steeped in a sweet, glutinous warmth and the faint scent of firecrackers.
In Orchid Courtyard, Cui Wan had seemed distracted since morning, her eyes stealing glances at Chu Moqi now and then, words hovering on her lips. Even when they ate together that evening, she was still biting her lower lip, idly stirring the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks.
Chu Moqi naturally saw it all. He silently picked up a piece of her usual favorite, sweet-and-sour ribs, and placed it in her bowl. His tone was level, but allowed no evasion. "If you have something to say, say it."
Cui Wan raised her eyes to meet his, her clear gaze brimming with cautious anticipation. She set down her chopsticks, her hands unconsciously twisting her hem beneath the table. Her voice was soft and delicate, tinged with pleading. "A-Qi... tonight... the streets are so lively, and there are so, so many lanterns... could you... could you go out and see them with me?"
Chu Moqi's grip on his chopsticks tightened almost imperceptibly. He watched the light flickering in her eyes, shining against the gathering dusk outside the window, so bright that refusing her felt unbearable. But the icy tide of reality instantly washed over his heart-the packed crowds, the noisy streets, the eyes everywhere, and the wheelchair beneath him that he could not conceal...
He could almost imagine how people would point and whisper. What strange, pitying, perhaps even disgusted looks they would give Wanwan as she pushed a crippled husband like him.
How could he let her endure that because of him?
Something seemed lodged in his throat, dry and tight. Chu Moqi looked away, avoiding the expectation in Cui Wan's eyes. He struggled to keep his voice steady, but still uttered that refusal. "No."
The light in Cui Wan's eyes instantly dimmed. She lowered her head, her long lashes falling to hide the disappointment in her eyes. Her lips pressed tighter, her hurt obvious. "But... I want you to go with me, A-Qi..."
Chu Moqi's heart clenched, but he hardened it and repeated himself, his tone even colder and more unyielding. "I said no."
Cui Wan's shoulders trembled slightly, and she argued no further. She picked up her chopsticks again, murmured a quiet "Mm," and began eating in small mouthfuls, though she had clearly lost her appetite, her movements slow and mechanical.
Watching her, Chu Moqi silently clenched the hand resting on his knee into a fist. How could he not want to accompany her? Amid this city full of lights and the bustle of the mortal world, he too had once ridden spirited horses in splendid clothes. He wanted to see her carrying a rabbit lantern, her smile blooming like a flower. He wanted to shield her from the jostling crowds, wanted... to walk shoulder to shoulder beneath that dazzling river of lanterns, like the most ordinary husband and wife in the world.
But... the way he was now...
Had those two refusals been too harsh, too hurtful? She only... wanted to see the lanterns with me.
Chu Moqi's Adam's apple bobbed. He wanted to say something to soften his words, or explain, but what finally emerged was still a stiff attempt to make arrangements. "You can... have Changfeng accompany you."
Cui Wan was poking at the grains of rice in her bowl. At his words, she looked up, her eyes red but listless, and merely answered with an obedient "Oh," accepting it.
But... how could Changfeng be the same as A-Qi? Besides... Cui Wan had increasingly felt lately that Changfeng was rather strange. She was absurdly strong, made almost no sound when she walked, and sometimes swept her with a gaze so sharp it made her heart flutter with alarm. She was nothing like the pitiful, frail woman she had seemed when she first entered the residence.
She was a little afraid of Changfeng.
But she could not tell A-Qi any of that. He had already made the arrangements. If she objected again, she would seem unreasonable, as though she were making trouble out of nothing.
She set down her bowl and chopsticks, having barely eaten, and stood. Her voice was muffled. "I'm full. I'm going out to have fun now."
Chu Moqi looked at her bowl, still more than half full of rice, and his brows drew tighter. She ate so little... I really did upset her.
He wanted to call her back, wanted to say something, even if only to remind her to be careful and put on another layer. But the words reached his lips only to be forced back by his damned pride and awkwardness. In the end, all that emerged was a dry instruction with the tone of an order. "You must be back before nine."
He forcibly swallowed the words "I'll be worried," leaving a trace of bitterness in his throat.
Cui Wan paused without looking back. She merely murmured "Mm," then hurried out with Changfeng. Her figure soon vanished into the deepening night.
Chu Moqi sat alone at the dining table, facing the dishes slowly losing their warmth. Listening to the distant, faint waves of festive clamor, he felt enveloped in a cold silence.
The streets were woven thick with people, the lights bright as day. Lanterns of every color illuminated the night like daylight. Martial performers, fire-breathers, dragon and lion dancers-the gongs and drums thundered to the heavens, and the festivities were in full swing.
Cui Wan was still a little downcast at first, but the vivid, exuberant festive atmosphere soon infected her, and her eyes brightened. Watching an acrobat breathe out a long dragon of flame with the crowd, she could not help exclaiming softly, instinctively turning to share it. "Look-!"
Her words stopped abruptly halfway through.
Behind her was no cool-faced figure seated in a wheelchair, only Changfeng standing silently. Seeing her turn, she lowered her head slightly, her voice flat and calm. "Madam."
The light in Cui Wan's eyes dimmed. Then she managed a smile and waved a hand. "N-no need to be so formal. Just act the way Qiaoju usually does."
Soon, the deafening gongs and drums ahead caught her attention again. She rose onto her toes, trying to see the lifelike lion leaping and tumbling. While she watched, absorbed, someone suddenly tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
"Miss Cui?"
Cui Wan turned in surprise. A young man in a sapphire-blue brocade robe stood behind her, his features regular, his bearing straight, a gentle smile in his eyes. She froze briefly before quickly dredging a vague figure from her memories-it was Li Yuezhou, the only son of Li Chong, Vice Minister of Works. As a child, she had seen him from a distance a few times at banquets her father occasionally attended.
Li Yuezhou seemed to realize the address was inappropriate, and immediately corrected himself with a smile. "Oh, look at me. I should call you Second Madam Chu now. May you enjoy peace and health this Lantern Festival!"
Cui Wan hastily dipped into a curtsy, answering a little timidly, "Greetings, Young Master Li."
Changfeng, who had been like a shadow all this time, immediately stepped half a pace forward, her sharp gaze locking onto Li Yuezhou in silent warning.
Cui Wan noticed Changfeng's vigilance. Though she did not understand it, she explained softly, "It's all right, Changfeng. This is Vice Minister Li of the Ministry of Works' son. His family had some dealings with mine before. I know him."
At that, Changfeng paused, but did not withdraw, merely moving to stand half a step behind Cui Wan's side, her gaze still fixed on Li Yuezhou.
Li Yuezhou seemed not to notice Changfeng's oppressive stare. Still smiling warmly, he walked slowly beside Cui Wan with the flow of people and asked, seemingly casually, "Have you been well lately, Second Madam Chu? The Marquis of Ningyang's Residence is a noble household. Surely things are... much better than they were with the Cui Family?"
Cui Wan nodded and said quietly, "Yes, the marquis's household treats me very well."
She meant it. Although A-Qi sometimes had a strange temper, her sister-in-law was gentle, and her food, clothing, and other necessities were far more plentiful and secure than they had been with the Cui Family.
Li Yuezhou smiled, his gaze sweeping beside her as he asked with apparent nonchalance, "It's the Lantern Festival today, a rare chance for an outing. Why isn't Second Young Master Chu accompanying you? Does he dislike the bustle of the streets?"
Cui Wan pressed her lips together and lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothing. Her voice grew quieter. "My husband... isn't feeling very well. I told him to rest at home."
She instinctively found an excuse for Chu Moqi, unwilling to reveal to an outsider even a hint of the truth that his injured legs made going out difficult.
"I see." Li Yuezhou nodded, his tone revealing no particular emotion.
They walked a short distance in silence. Laughter and cheerful voices surrounded them, but Cui Wan's heart slowly sank. A thought had churned within her for a long time, and now, with this unexpected reunion, she finally gathered her courage. She stopped, lifted her head, and looked at Li Yuezhou, cautious hope and deeply concealed worry in her eyes. Her voice trembled slightly. "Young Master Li... you-you work at the Ministry of Works. Do you know... do you know what has become of that old case from three years ago? My father... when-when can he... come home?"
The question came with difficulty. Cui Minghai had been imprisoned for three years without any news, and she could not even visit him. Li Yuezhou's father was Vice Minister of Works. Perhaps... he knew something of the inside story?
The warm smile on Li Yuezhou's face faded a little. His brows drew together slightly, revealing just the right measure of gravity and difficulty. "Second Madam Chu... this matter... alas, it is truly a great regret for the Ministry of Works. So many were implicated then, and the case was extraordinarily tangled. The evidence... pointed clearly in one direction. My father has discussed your father's case many times with his colleagues at the Ministry of Punishments and the Court of Judicial Review. But... it involves confidential matters, and outsiders cannot fully know all its intricacies. His Majesty's wishes... are even harder to fathom."
His words were watertight, expressing sympathy while emphasizing the seriousness and complexity of the case. He laid out "conclusive evidence" and "His Majesty's unfathomable wishes," yet offered no definite conclusion, much less any suggestion that "Cui Minghai might have been wronged."
Cui Wan's heart chilled as she listened, but she still clung to a faint shred of hope. She urgently leaned half a step closer, her eyes reddening slightly, a pleading note entering her voice. "Young Master Li, my father was cautious and conscientious. He could never have neglected his duties and caused such a calamity! There must be a tremendous misunderstanding! Please... could you put in a few good words for him with Lord Li?"
Watching her frightened, helpless figure, on the verge of tears, a strange gleam flashed almost imperceptibly in the depths of Li Yuezhou's eyes, only to be covered by deeper "sympathy" and "sincerity." He sighed, softening his voice further. "Don't fret, Second Madam Chu, don't fret. I understand your devotion to your father. This matter... has always weighed on my father's mind as well. If there is room to turn things around, he will certainly do his utmost. Rest assured, if there is any news, I... will certainly find a way to inform you."
His words sounded heartfelt and full of comfort, yet on closer consideration, they remained empty promises with no substance.
Cui Wan knew little of the world and was burning with anxiety. Although she knew hope was slim, hearing those words was still better than utter despair. She curtsied gratefully. "Thank you, Young Master Li."
Seeing that she had calmed somewhat, Li Yuezhou smiled and pointed to a lantern-riddle stall nearby, surrounded by an impenetrable crowd. "It's a festival today. Don't dwell on those troubles. The lantern riddles over there are quite interesting. Would you care to try, Second Madam Chu? There are prizes if you guess correctly."
Cui Wan followed his pointing finger and saw riddle slips hanging beneath exquisite lanterns of every color. They were indeed inviting. She hesitated, then nodded.
Li Yuezhou was clearly skilled at this. Leading Cui Wan over, he solved several lantern riddles in no time, earning repeated praise from the stallholder. He handed Cui Wan a small, delicate rabbit lantern he had won and smiled. "This rabbit lantern bears a certain resemblance to you, madam. Take it to amuse yourself."
Cui Wan accepted the rabbit lantern, glowing with warm, sparkling light. Looking at its endearingly innocent appearance, she finally showed her first truly delighted smile of the evening, her eyes curving into crescents. "It's so cute! Thank you, Young Master Li!"
They strolled a while longer and watched the fireworks for a time. Cui Wan gradually immersed herself in this rare ease and Li Yuezhou's perfectly measured companionship, temporarily setting aside the dark clouds over her family.
Only when the watch drum sounded in the distance did Cui Wan abruptly come to her senses, remembering Chu Moqi's words: "You must be back before nine." A flicker of panic crossed her face, and she hurriedly told Li Yuezhou, "Young Master Li, it's late. I... I should go home. My husband is still waiting for me at the residence."
Li Yuezhou looked up at the sky, then back at her. The smile on his lips remained unchanged, but his gaze seemed to deepen. "Does Second Young Master Chu... keep you on such a tight rein? It's only Lantern Festival night. Surely being a little late wouldn't hurt?"
Cui Wan immediately shook her head, defending Chu Moqi. "No, my husband is only... only worried about me."
"I see." Li Yuezhou nodded and said considerately, "In that case, may I escort you part of the way? Though the night is lively, there are many people and prying eyes. It might not be appropriate for you to return alone."
Cui Wan glanced at the expressionless Changfeng beside her and said quietly, "It's all right. Changfeng is with me..."
Li Yuezhou also glanced at Changfeng, his smile gentle but his tone carrying some insistence. "Your maid is a woman too, madam. It would be safer with me accompanying you. Please don't refuse. Allow me this small gesture, if only... to honor the bond between my father and Uncle Cui as former colleagues."
With him putting it that way, and mentioning her father, Cui Wan could hardly refuse again. She looked at Changfeng. Although Changfeng's brows creased almost imperceptibly, she voiced no objection, so Cui Wan nodded and said softly, "Then... sorry for the trouble, Young Master Li."
Li Yuezhou readily agreed and walked beside Cui Wan toward the Marquis of Ningyang's Residence. Changfeng followed silently half a step behind them, her gaze locked on Li Yuezhou throughout.
She could sense that this man had an ulterior purpose in approaching her mistress. His words seemed concerned, but were in fact probing at every turn and carried an uncomfortable sense of control. Yet his conduct was measured and his language polite; he had done nothing improper. As a maid, she had no reason to drive him away, much less act rashly. She could only raise her vigilance to its utmost, ready to respond to anything unexpected.
The stone steps before the Marquis of Ningyang's Residence gleamed with a cold stillness beneath the chilly moon and the distant lanterns that had yet to go out. The night wind swept through the empty street, carrying a bone-piercing chill and the scattered remnants of distant revelry that was about to fade entirely.
Chu Moqi had already sat here for a full quarter of an hour. His wheelchair stood beside the vermilion gates, a thin layer of frost settling on the shoulders of his ink-black cloak. His expression was colder than the frost, his lips pressed into a rigid line. It was nearly a quarter of an hour past nine, and she still had not returned.
At first, a few late-returning passersby had gone past, casting strange looks-curious, searching, or pitying-that circled over him and the wheelchair beneath him. Those looks pricked him until his entire body stiffened. His irritation mingled with a deeper anxiety he refused to acknowledge, almost bursting from his chest.
With Changfeng accompanying her, she should be all right. Has she had so much fun that she forgot the time, forgot my instruction? Or... does she think it doesn't matter even if someone is waiting here in the cold wind?
"Young master, the wind is strong outside, and the chill is heavy. Perhaps madam was detained by the festivities. She'll be back soon," Yan Qin urged quietly beside him.
Chu Moqi said nothing, his gaze fixed on the far end of the long street, where there were only the shadows of lanterns swaying in the wind.
An unknown stretch of time passed. Just as Chu Moqi's patience was nearly exhausted, and the nameless fire in his chest, mixed with an indescribable panic, was about to erupt, three figures finally came slowly from the other end of the street.
It was Cui Wan, carrying a snow-white rabbit lantern, her cheeks still retaining the festive flush of a faint intoxication. Beside her was actually an unfamiliar man, tall and straight, splendidly dressed! Changfeng trailed behind at a moderate distance.
The blood in Chu Moqi's body seemed to freeze in an instant, then rush thunderously to his head. All the agitation of waiting, the anger at being ignored, and the pent-up bitterness over his own circumstances found a clear, glaring target at that moment. They became icy, cutting blades, all directed at the man approaching beside Cui Wan.
Cui Wan saw him too. She first froze, then a delighted smile blossomed on her face. Lifting her skirts, she trotted over. "A-Qi! Were you waiting for me to come home?" Reaching him, she naturally bent down and adjusted the collar of his cloak, which the wind had blown slightly open. It was icy beneath her fingers, and her heart immediately ached. "It's so cold outside! Let's hurry inside!"
Her voice was still soft and sweet, carrying the dependence and intimacy of returning home, as though she had not noticed the atmosphere stretched almost dangerously taut.
Chu Moqi did not move, or even look at her. His gaze passed over Cui Wan's shoulder and locked firmly onto the man who had approached, a suitably faint smile on his face.
Li Yuezhou stopped a few paces away, composed, and cupped his hands in greeting to Chu Moqi in his wheelchair. His tone was warm and courteous. "I am Li Yuezhou. Greetings, Second Young Master Chu. I happened upon your wife this Lantern Festival night. Seeing her admiring the lanterns alone, I accompanied her for a short while. As it was late, I escorted her home on my way. A mere trifle. You... don't mind, do you?"
His words were polished, making light of their "strolling together" and his "escort," as though he had merely observed the most basic courtesy.
An icy curve touched Chu Moqi's lips. The smile did not reach his eyes; instead, it seemed to lower the surrounding temperature another few degrees. He spoke slowly, his voice quiet but each word clear, carrying the unquestionable pressure unique to someone long accustomed to authority, even though he was seated:
"How thoughtful of you, Young Master Li. However..." He paused, his gaze piercing Li Yuezhou. "My own wife has no need for an outsider to escort her 'on his way.' If you should 'happen upon' my wife again, Young Master Li, please... observe the proprieties."
"A-Qi... Young Master Li was only..." Cui Wan had barely begun when a single look from Chu Moqi frightened her into silence.
Li Yuezhou's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze deepened. He raised his brows slightly, his tone still gentle, yet carrying a barely perceptible edge. "You speak too harshly, Second Young Master Chu. I merely saw your wife walking alone and offered her a little consideration for the sake of my father's former collegial ties with Uncle Cui." He paused, his gaze seemingly sweeping inadvertently over Chu Moqi's wheelchair. His voice slowed, carrying a profoundly uncomfortable sympathy and understanding. "But you, young master-just because your own movements are restricted, must you confine your wife too, keeping her from interacting with others? If this continues, how... lonely she will be."
Those words were nothing less than a vicious handful of salt rubbed into Chu Moqi's most sensitive, painful wound, all while pretending to show consideration for him.
Cui Wan's face paled. She instinctively wanted to refute him, but was cowed by the icy aura that abruptly erupted around Chu Moqi.
Chu Moqi's fingers tightened on the wheelchair's armrests until his knuckles turned white, veins faintly rising on the backs of his hands. Yet his expression became strangely calm. Beneath that calm, however, surged rage and viciousness enough to freeze the soul. He raised his eyes and looked straight at Li Yuezhou, his gaze so sharp it seemed capable of stripping away every disguise:
"It seems you are very good at worrying about other men's wives being lonely, Young Master Li?" His voice was colder than before, yet as he continued, a mocking smile actually curved his lips. "Could it be... that you envy me... for having such a wonderful wife as Wanwan?"
He leaned forward slightly. Though seated, his imposing might bore down on Li Yuezhou as though it had physical substance:
"You certainly get around easily, Young Master Li. Just watch your step on your way home..."
This was an utterly merciless dismissal. The smile finally faded from Li Yuezhou's face. He gave Chu Moqi a long look, his gaze complex and unreadable. In the end, he said nothing more, merely smiled meaningfully, shook his head, and turned, leaving as composedly as he had arrived. His figure soon blended into the night.
Only when that figure had vanished entirely did Chu Moqi's rigid back relax for an almost imperceptible instant. Then the towering fury he had forcibly suppressed exploded in his chest! It burned until all his internal organs seared with pain...