Ink Burns

Chapter 191 Still at Qiushui Ferry

Chang Yusu did not immediately look away—he often had difficulty controlling his behavior.

For example, when someone hits another person, it's as if countless threads suddenly appear from their brain and are tied to their arm. These threads are controlled by external force, lifting their hand up and then swinging it out with tremendous force!
For example, right now, he's so captivated by this strange woman that he can hardly look away.

He often felt that the impulses rushing to the back of his head were the true master of this body, and that strong emotions were the proof that he was alive.

"Chang Yusu!"

As Fu Mingjiang straightened up from his half-reclining position on the bamboo recliner, the bamboo chair creaked loudly onto the ground.

Chang Yusu's lips twitched, startled by the sound, and she came to her senses.

"I'm asking you a question!" Fu Mingjiang's eyes widened, and the beauty mark under her left eye resembled the bright stamen of a wisteria flower.

"I don't know either!" Chang Yusu waved his hand impatiently. "Judging from her voice, she's from the capital. I only know that she has a younger sister who advised her. I'll find her myself once I get out!"

Shan Yue lowered her face, took two deep breaths and then slowly exhaled a long breath—this not only soothed her anxious emotions but also controlled the rise and fall of her chest, so that no one would easily notice anything unusual.

Fu Mingjiang leaned back in the recliner and glanced sideways at the old woman beside her.

The old woman understood his meaning and immediately bowed and left.

Fu Mingjiang raised an eyebrow with a hint of excitement and smiled: "I'll help you find out first. Let's see where this shameless hussy came from! — Those lowly girls have become clever now. Before, they would look at the fabric of your clothes, whether it was cotton or satin. Now that the lady in the palace is wearing Sanjiang cloth, the lower classes have followed suit and no longer wear satin. So those hussies have learned to look at your shoes."

Chang Yusu's attention came quickly and went quickly; once Fu Mingjiang distracted him, he had completely forgotten about Shan Yue.

Chang Yusu grinned at Fu Mingjiang, his square jaw shifting behind his ear, making him look like a fairly good-looking frog.

"Shoes? What shoes?" Chang Yusu asked.

Fu Mingjiang's pair of delicate shoes, made of green Shu brocade and adorned with red jade, peeked out from under her wide skirt. She playfully touched the two shoes together and smiled radiantly: "Shoes are hidden under clothes. If the shoes are expensive and beautiful, the person must be of good birth. In my opinion, those lowly girls must have seen Xue Chen's shoes, which is why they're all acting like shameless vixens, snipping at him all at once."

Fu Mingjiang glanced sideways, then turned with a smile and pulled Shan Yue, who was hiding in the corner by the wall, out: "Madam Liu, tell me, what kind of shoes does Mad Dog usually wear?"

Shan Yue was suddenly called out by name, and she lowered her head nervously.

Chang Yusu frowned, but her sparse eyebrows did nothing to stop them; instead, two strange bulges rose from her brow: "Mad dog?"

Chang Yusu suddenly realized, and pointed at Shan Yue with her index finger: "Oh, the wife that 'Qingfeng' paired with that rotten dog Xue Xiao?"

Fu Mingjiang raised an eyebrow and looked at Chang Yusu with a smile.

Chang Yusu's gaze fell heavily on Shan Yue again, her earlier amazement instantly turning into a malicious scrutiny.

The label "Xue Xiao's woman" successfully stirred up Chang Yusu's emotions.

However, this emotion was not the usual anger, but an impulse of retaliatory encroachment.

Fu Mingjiang keenly noticed the change in Chang Yusu's expression.

Finally, a genuine smile bloomed on her face as she leaned back in her recliner, swaying contentedly with each step.

Seeing that Fu Mingjiang was finally a little happier, Madam Zhou quietly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that she had made the right choice in bringing Shanyue—if she hadn't brought Shanyue, she would have been the one teased by Fu Mingjiang about "what shoes a man wears."

It's nothing to be ashamed of.

However, Madam Zhou was somewhat unwilling to lose face in front of her son.

Shan Yue kept her head down the whole time, seemingly oblivious to the malice in Chang Yusu's gaze.

The rain, which had just stopped, started to fall heavily again.

Madam Zhou, wiping away her tears, told Chang Yusu, "Being good isn't your fault, so I'll beg your father to let you out as soon as possible. Be good, okay?"

He kept muttering to himself, holding onto Chang Yusu's hand tightly.

After Fu Mingjiang got bored and left, Madam Zhou led Shanyue out of the Jingzhao Yin area. Madam Zhou relaxed and prepared to invite Shanyue back to the Chang family for hot pot, but Shanyue smiled and declined: "I said I came out to buy paintings, but if I don't buy a single one, it will be hard to explain. It's getting dark, so you should go back first. I'll wander around and buy some casually."

Inviting someone once is already a great honor, and since Shan Yue didn't go, Madam Zhou didn't intend to invite her a second time. She said, "Then go back early. Tomorrow I'll go to the mourning hall to burn incense for Chen Ge'er." After saying that, she stepped onto the stool and got into the carriage.

As the Chang family's carriage receded into the distance, Shan Yue's face darkened.

She pondered for a moment. Xue Xiao had arrived at Tianbao Temple early this morning, so he must have been investigating Xue Chen's matter. She wondered if he had found anything out yet.

The more she listened to Chang Yusu's words, the more alarmed she became.

——"The Little Girl with a Beijing Accent"

Shui Guang is very good at talking. When she was young, she could not only speak Songjiang dialect, but also catch her father's Huizhou accent and say a few words.

The last time I saw Shuiguang, her tone had unconsciously risen at the end of her sentence, and with a flick of her tongue, she smoothly added the syllable "er".
—Another "sister" advised her

That makes it even simpler.

In rural markets, skilled ventriloquists often perform for a living, some using ventriloquism, others using their voices to change pitch.

The first time I saw Shuiguang again, she was dressed in red and dancing on the drum, singing a folk song and changing her steps – this was a common trick of acrobatic troupes when going to the market.

If water light
If it is indeed water, then his life is in danger.

She was unsure how quickly the Chang family and Fu Mingjiang would uncover the truth, so she decided to act quickly to confirm it before making any decisions.

"Return to the manor to change clothes, then drive to Qiushui Ferry." Shan Yue whispered, "When we reach the east of the city, Qiu..."

Compared to the taciturn and reserved Qiu Yu, Qiu Tao, with whom she had shared life and death, was someone she trusted more.

Shan Yue paused for a moment: "Qiu Tao, get off the bus and go to the town to look for the person."

Qiu Yu followed her closely, thus preventing the secret of Xue Xiaotianbao Temple from being exposed.

To avoid being investigated by "Qingfeng," Shanyue used a fake route to cross the city gates of the capital.

The carriage sped along, and Shan Yue, who was not one for small talk, became even more nervous and silent, burdened by a heavy heart.

Coincidentally, Qiu Yu is also the kind of person who won't budge an inch.

After the easy-going Qiu Tao got off the carriage in the east of the city, Shan Yue and Qiu Yu remained silent the whole way.

Actually, traveling with Qiuyu is quite comfortable—Shanyue thought to herself. Erniang is loud and boisterous, Huangzhi is fussy, and Mama likes to drool by the car window watching the big men of the capital. Qiutao is a silly version of Huangzhi and a kind-hearted version of Erniang. She combines Erniang's loudness and Huangzhi's fussiness, while filling the gaps of Huangzhi not being too stupid and Erniang being nitpicky.
With Qiuyu by my side, I can simply focus on my own thoughts without worrying about being interrupted or led astray.

Shan Yue glanced at Qiu Yu, just as Qiu Yu looked up at her.

Qiu Yu was the first to look away.

By the time we reached Qiushui Ferry, the sky had turned completely dark and gloomy.

The lights were on in Xinglin Hall, and standing at the door, you could hear the cheerful, laughing, and chattering sounds coming from inside.

Shan Yue felt relieved and knocked on the door frame three times: "Excuse me, is Clerk Wei here?"

The laughter inside paused for a moment, then the clattering of Tara's shoes could be heard as she ran.

The wooden door was flung wide open!

"Hey! What brings you here!?"

Her bright, round eyes, small face, and surprised expression were illuminated by the swaying lanterns under the eaves.

Shan Yue's knees suddenly buckled, and he opened his arms wide to hug his younger sister.