At this thought, Dou Zhao turned to look for the Lord Marquis, truly wishing to implore Wei Tingyu to find some way to help this "elder sister." However, when she turned, she found that Wei Tingyu's figure was no longer in the grand hall!
So be it, she mused. I've committed this elder sister's boudoir name, Mudan, to memory. I shall find an opportune moment to broach this matter with the Lord Marquis in the future~...
Of course, Dou Zhao was not the only one harboring such thoughts at this moment. Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru, two other women who had also received Wei Tingyu's favor, felt their hearts ache with pity upon witnessing He Weifang's plight. They too were silently mulling over ways they might be able to assist her.
And so, after the four women had been kneeling and praying silently in the middle of the grand hall for half a shichen, He Weifang's servant girl finally crept stealthily back in. Crouching beside her mistress, she whispered, "Young Mistress! That old hag has fallen asleep. You can relax a little now!"
The moment these words were spoken, all four women simultaneously opened their eyes. Dou Zhao and her two companions immediately turned their gaze towards He Weifang on the far right. They saw her take two deep breaths, her eyes then flying open wide, before her entire body suddenly slumped sideways with a soft thump. It was evident that this half-shichen of continuous kneeling had utterly drained her, pushing her to the very brink of her endurance!
"Quick, quick, the money... the money..." However, what Dou Zhao and her companions had not anticipated was that He Weifang's first action upon recovering slightly was to urgently bid her servant girl retrieve a pouch of money from the bamboo basket they had brought.
"Quickly now! Help me up! Help me up!" Following this, with the servant girl's assistance, He Weifang wobbled unsteadily to her feet.
This series of movements flowed like water, entirely devoid of the serene composure and dignified bearing of the high-born noblewoman she had appeared to be earlier. Instead, she now seemed as cheerful and vivacious as a young maiden in the midst of playful antics!
"Yulu! Keep watch for me, I'm slipping out!" He Weifang, having risen, glanced towards the main entrance and saw that the old servant who had accompanied her was indeed leaning against the doorframe, fast asleep and snoring softly. She whispered another instruction to the servant girl beside her, then, clutching the money pouch, prepared to turn and quietly make her exit through a side door.
Naturally, before departing, she also noticed the somewhat baffled expressions on the faces of Dou Zhao and her two companions. She merely paused for a fraction of a second, then offered them a friendly, apologetic smile. Dou Zhao, Miao Ansu, and Zhao Zhangru, seeing this beautiful "elder sister" smile at them, returned the gesture with polite smiles of their own. However, as they were currently engrossed in their earnest prayers to the Three Pure Ones, they were unable to rise and exchange any further words with her.
And only after He Weifang's figure had vanished from their sight did Zhao Zhangru blink a few times, then turn to Dou Zhao with a comically perplexed expression. "Tell me," she asked, "do you think the Three Pure Ones will bestow their blessings upon that lady, given how... insincere her prayers seemed to be?"
"And how exactly was that insincere?" This time, before Dou Zhao could respond, Miao Ansu cut in. "Did you not see how that wicked servant from her husband's family treats her? Even as a woman, one cannot be entirely without a sense of self! When faced with such a malevolent family-in-law, why on earth should she pray for them with all her heart?"
"You're right! Absolutely right!" Zhao Zhangru was momentarily stunned, then realized Miao Ansu's words made perfect sense. Her own train of thought had indeed been a bit muddled. After all, not every woman was as fortunate as she and her two "sisters" to have married such a doting and considerate husband as their Lord Marquis!
Just look at how that vile servant dared to openly torment the family's daughter-in-law in front of strangers; it was clear that this "elder sister's" husband did not stand up for her in daily life! Their own situation, however, was entirely different; no one was compelling them! They were willing to kneel here for a full shichen to pray for their Lord Marquis, his household, and Grandmother, because their devotion stemmed entirely from the sincerity of their hearts!
And the three ladies' conversation was overheard, word for word, by Yulu, He Weifang's maid who had remained behind. The young girl's eyes immediately reddened.
Look at this! she thought, deeply moved. My Young Mistress's circumstances are so dire, yet even these three noble ladies, complete strangers, have taken notice! These three personages are merely fellow worshippers Miss has encountered by chance; they haven't even exchanged a single word! Yet they can empathize so keenly with Miss's hardships. In stark contrast, that husband Miss married... he truly is a despicable, wolf-hearted scoundrel!
...
Meanwhile, Wei Tingyu, having departed from the main hall, found his mind beginning to churn. According to the "original plot," He Weifang's next destination should be the Southern Hall of the Patriarch Heavenly Master. There, she would offer "sincere" prayers—in the form of potent curses—against her husband's family! Such a golden opportunity for a "chance encounter," Wei Tingyu naturally could not let slip by! With this in mind, he wasted no time, proceeding directly to the Hall of the Patriarch Heavenly Master, where he leaned against a pillar and feigned a light doze.
He knew not how much time had passed when the soft creak of a wooden door reached his ears. The previously listless Wei Tingyu's ears instantly pricked up. Immediately following, a delightful, soothing fragrance wafted towards him. He had vaguely detected this same scent when he first encountered He Weifang in the main hall, though it had been largely masked by the thick aroma of incense and thus not very distinct. Now, it seemed, He Weifang had indeed arrived!
And sure enough, as the door gradually creaked open, a charming, pretty face peeked cautiously inside. After a quick, furtive glance around the Hall of the Patriarch Heavenly Master revealed no one present, she carefully slipped in, carrying a small potted flower.
After placing the potted flower upon an offering table, He Weifang dusted off her small hands. Turning, her gaze fell upon the imposing, stern-faced statue of the Patriarch Heavenly Master, seated majestically upon a high altar. She glanced left and right, confirming once more that there was no one else in the Hall of the Patriarch Heavenly Master, before silently pacing to stand directly before the statue. After examining it with curiosity for a moment, she murmured to herself, "I always imagined immortals to be benevolent and kind-featured. I didn't expect the Patriarch Heavenly Master to be so awe-inspiring and severe! No wonder he is said to specialize in smiting villains!"
Hearing this young woman's soliloquy, Wei Tingyu had to suppress a chuckle. However, considering He Weifang's current pitiful state—apart from her personal maid Yulu, she seemingly had not a single soul with whom she could speak her true heart—it was rather understandable. Upon seeing the statue of the Patriarch Heavenly Master, her first instinct wasn't to kneel and pray for her wishes to be granted, but rather to unburden her innermost thoughts.
"Those despicable people of the Liu household torment me day in and day out!"
"And they even insist on forcing me to pray for blessings for that Liu Chang!"
"Since that's the case, I shall 'wish' you well!"
Having said this, He Weifang quickly straightened her robes and then knelt solemnly before the statue of the Patriarch Heavenly Master.
"I wish that my husband..."
"...May he have no toilet paper when he visits the privy!"
"...May his hair fall out when he combs it!"
"...May any concubine he takes be unfaithful to him!"
"...May his predictions for the imperial examinations all be wrong!"
As these four "vicious" curses were uttered, even He Weifang herself couldn't help but be amused!
However, in the very next instant, her amused expression crumpled, and she slumped onto the soft cushion as if all strength had deserted her. For she knew, all too well, that apart from secretly cursing the Liu family and that detestable husband of hers, she truly had no other means of venting the bitter resentment that festered in her heart.
"Yulu was right! This Liu household is nothing but a fiery pit!"
"Years ago, when my mother was gravely ill, my father had to humble himself, bowing and scraping, just to beg for the tribute medicine!"
"We had the money, they had the medicine! It was something that could have been settled as a simple transaction."
"But who would have thought that the head of the Liu family would heed the words of some wandering charlatan, insisting that my birth chart was auspicious and would bring prosperity to their Liu lineage!"
"They insisted I marry into their family before they would provide the tribute medicine!"
"And they treat me as a veritable money tree! They demand that our family's shops hand over five-tenths of their annual earnings to them!"
"It's causing my father's business to decline day by day!"
"And that's not the end of it! They've also secretly misappropriated my dowry and even confiscated Yulu's jade pendant!"
"They are simply insatiably avaricious and utterly devoid of shame!"
...As He Weifang poured out all the grievances she had bottled up over the years, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, Wei Tingyu found himself both infuriated and darkly amused! This Liu family was truly shameless to the extreme! And this poor young woman, He Weifang, how pitiful that she could only voice these heartfelt sorrows to the statue of the Patriarch Heavenly Master in this deserted hall. She likely harbored a secret hope that the Patriarch, upon hearing of the Liu family's utter shamelessness, might actually help bring her earlier curses to fruition!
However, just as she reached this point in her lament, He Weifang abruptly stopped her tirade! Her delicate brows knitted slightly, her small nose twitched as she took two sharp, nervous sniffs, and then her eyes suddenly widened!
"What is that scent?" He Weifang blinked, craning her neck and sniffing the air again with intensity. She then confirmed it—this was no mere illusion! Lingering faintly in the grand hall was a peculiar, yet wonderfully refreshing and uplifting fragrance! Moreover, He Weifang was absolutely certain she had never encountered such a unique aroma in any other place before.
Wei Tingyu, concealed behind the stone pillar, was momentarily taken aback. Then, he instinctively sniffed at his own robes. Indeed! This young woman, He Weifang, possessed an remarkably keen sense of smell! This unique fragrance was precisely the scent of the perfumes his wives used, which had rubbed off on him! Although Wei Tingyu himself did not use perfume, throughout their journey, he had spent his days in the carriage in close, affectionate company with Dou Zhao, Miao Ansu, and Zhao Zhangru; naturally, their scents would have transferred to his person.
While He Weifang's senses were not as preternaturally sharp as his own (a benefit of his advanced martial cultivation), her lifelong love for flowers and her experience in cultivating them had rendered her exceptionally sensitive to fragrances. It was therefore not surprising that she could detect this subtle aroma.
Detecting this anomaly, He Weifang's brow furrowed. If there truly was someone else present in this hall, then hadn't her earlier complaints about her husband's family, and even her curses against her husband, been overheard? A cold sweat instantly broke out on her skin at the thought. If word of this reached the Liu family's ears, her future days would undoubtedly become even more unbearable!
Spurred by this alarming thought, He Weifang hastily rose and began to meticulously search the grand hall. However, Wei Tingyu was a master of movement and concealment; he would not be so easily discovered by He Weifang. He simply made clever use of the pillars and his positioning, always remaining just outside this young woman's line of sight.
Although He Weifang found no trace of another person, nor heard any sound, her brow furrowed ever more tightly. For as she moved deeper into the hall, the mysterious fragrance only seemed to grow stronger! She was now utterly convinced that someone exuding this unique scent had indeed been present in this very hall moments before!
He Weifang's complexion turned increasingly grim. This matter was rapidly escalating towards an outcome she could not control! Yet, just as her nerves were stretched to their breaking point, she suddenly heard two soft, masculine coughs from behind her!
"Ahem, ahem!"
As the sound registered, He Weifang jolted and whirled around with lightning speed, her gaze darting towards the direction from which the sound had originated—precisely from the location of the Patriarch Heavenly Master's statue behind her!
"Who is it?" The sound of a man's voice instantly heightened He Weifang's anxiety. After all, this grand hall was deserted! Although it was broad daylight, to find herself alone with a man in this most secluded sanctuary within Fuyun Guan still caused her heart to flutter with unease.
"I am... the Patriarch Heavenly Master, descended to the mortal realm!" Wei Tingyu, discerning the nervousness in He Weifang's tone, decided to playfully tease this young woman. "Moved by the sincerity of my devout follower, I have come personally to assist you in overcoming your tribulations!"
The Patriarch Heavenly Master, descended? He Weifang mentally rolled her eyes. Does he take me for a three-year-old child? Trying to deceive me with such outlandish tales?! However, after carefully scrutinizing the area from which the voice had emanated and finding no visible trace or clue, she also recognized that this hidden individual was no simple character.
Yet, hearing the calm and distinctly playful tone of the other party, it was clear he was jesting with her. This realization helped to ease He Weifang's initial tension considerably.
"Oh! If that is truly the case..." He Weifang slowly advanced, surreptitiously picking up a bamboo basket filled with flower petals from nearby. As she stealthily drew closer, she continued, "Then how, pray tell, does the esteemed Patriarch Heavenly Master intend to assist me?"
By now, He Weifang had reached the side of the Patriarch Heavenly Master's statue. She was absolutely certain, based on the direction of the voice and the increasing intensity of the fragrance, that this man was concealed directly opposite her, behind the statue. Her inherently decisive temperament surging forth, she instantly summoned her courage, took a swift, darting step to the side of the statue, and raised the flower basket in her hand, fully intending to bring it crashing down upon this lecherous scoundrel!
However, the scene that met her eyes made He Weifang stop dead in her tracks! The bamboo basket, raised high in mid-air, remained frozen in her grasp. For before her, there was absolutely no one! The space was utterly empty! Yet, that singular, unique fragrance still lingered palpably in this spot, not yet having dissipated!
"This cannot be!" He Weifang was utterly flabbergasted. She blinked rapidly and exclaimed under her breath. She was absolutely certain the person had been right here moments ago! How could he have vanished in the blink of an eye? Could it truly be the Patriarch Heavenly Master descended... or, more unnervingly, had some demon or malevolent spirit manifested in this sacred hall in broad daylight?
At this moment, Wei Tingyu was perched lightly on a high crossbeam, observing He Weifang below, who wore an expression of utter bewilderment as she searched frantically. He knew this young woman must be thoroughly alarmed. As a woman destined for his own household, how could he allow her to remain in such a state of terror and fear? With this thought, Wei Tingyu once again employed his peerless lightness skill, descending gracefully from the beam and drifting soundlessly to land directly behind He Weifang.
The distance between them was now truly negligible, so close that the delicate scent of powder from He Weifang's person, mingled with her own natural body fragrance to create a uniquely captivating aroma, wafted directly into Wei Tingyu's nostrils without impediment.
My goodness! he thought. This is utterly intoxicating! This particular olfactory stimulation, in Wei Tingyu's perception at this moment, seemed even more potent and alluring than the perfumes worn by Dou Zhao, Miao Ansu, and Zhao Zhangru! Could it be because He Weifang possessed the "married woman" attribute, thus providing an additional layer of excitement to his senses? Indeed, he mused, all men possess the latent potential to become a 'Cao Cao'! The only difference is that some discover this inclination, while others do not! Of course, a situation like He Weifang's—being both an untouched maiden in essence, yet a married woman in status—was even rarer, and thus, all the more heart-stirring for a man!
With this tantalizing thought, Wei Tingyu took another deliberate half-step forward, bringing his chest so close that it almost brushed against He Weifang's back. And at that very instant, He Weifang, as a human being, found her sixth sense finally, belatedly, coming online!
With a sudden jolt, sensing that something was terribly amiss, she instinctively whirled around. And there, mere inches away, she saw the man's face, wearing a half-smile, half-smirk, a profoundly meaningful curve to his lips.
"Aah! You lecher!" He Weifang had never imagined that upon turning, she would find a man practically nose-to-nose with her. She was thoroughly startled and, with a cry, squeezed her eyes shut and hurled the flower basket in her hands directly at him!
Wei Tingyu, naturally, was not about to be injured by a mere basket filled with flower petals. With a deft movement, he raised his left hand, extending two fingers, and gave a gentle upward flick. The flower basket was instantly dislodged from He Weifang's grasp and, in mid-air, seemed to explode. Then, all the petals from within the basket, like a delicate snowfall, drifted and scattered in all directions, creating an exquisitely beautiful tableau within the secluded Hall of the Patriarch Heavenly Master!
He Weifang, overwhelmed by fear, instinctively recoiled, attempting to create distance from this man. However, her feet, as if weighted with lead, failed to move backward, and thus, her entire body began to topple directly backward.
Such a clumsy woman! Wei Tingyu thought with an inward chuckle. His right hand shot out with gentle precision, encircling He Weifang's slender waist. Then, with a light pull, he drew the young matron before him directly into his arms.
He Weifang, feeling her body lose its balance and begin its descent, had already braced herself for a heavy impact with the unforgiving floor! Unexpectedly, however, a strong arm wrapped around her waist in the nick of time, rescuing her from the imminent peril of injury.
Her heart still hammering from the fright, she slowly opened her eyes, only to find herself pressed tightly against the man before her. And what caused He Weifang the most acute embarrassment was the realization that, whether due to instinct or some other unconscious reaction, her own pair of delicate, jade-like arms were now firmly clasped around his neck, as if she were afraid to release her hold.