Chapter 30: Xunqi’s Betrothal Banquet

At this moment, Xunqi felt enormous pressure.

She asked Shiqi, “You want to run away with her, don’t you?”

Shiqi said nothing, her expression dazed.

Xunqi held her breath and pressed a hand to her chest. For some reason, her heart felt heavy, as if something were weighing down on it. She took a deep breath and said, “I can help you. I can help you both get far, far away. But from now on, you’ll no longer be a daughter of the Yan family, nor of the Yuan family. If you agree, I’ll help you tonight.”

“You can really do that?” Shiqi was stunned, hope flickering in her eyes. “I don’t want a life of wealth, and I don’t expect to rely on the Yan family anymore. Xunqi, please help me.”

“Then wait for me,” Xunqi said.

With that, she turned and left the room. Summoning Wuqing, she whispered in her ear, “Go quietly to the county office and bring back a female prisoner on death row.”

Wuqing looked up, glanced at her young mistress, then toward the direction of the rooms. What was her young mistress planning?

“I’ll go at once.” Though puzzled, she complied.

Wuqing hurried off. Xunqi stood in the moonlight as the biting winter wind struck her face, instantly waking her from her thoughts.

So their love was not tolerated by the world. No wonder someone as formidable as Headmaster Yuan had spent her entire life alone. She could feel the oppression of the world. Madwomen—yes, that’s what they were in the eyes of society: madwomen.

Was that how the Madwoman had been driven mad?

This kind of love harmed neither the state nor the world, so why could it not be allowed to exist?

Xunqi couldn’t understand it, nor could she accept the world’s reasoning. At this moment, a spirit of rebellion rose within her. She wanted to defy the world.

She whirled around, realizing she was now standing against clan, convention, and propriety. The cold wind lashed her face, but she could no longer feel the chill.

The night was pitch black, and the wind stung people’s eyes.

Wuqing worked quickly. By the time she returned, the Post Station had caught fire. Wushuang knocked out the female prisoner, and chaos erupted throughout the station as people everywhere shouted for water to douse the flames.

Seizing the moment, Wushuang stuffed the female prisoner into Miss Yuan’s quarters. The latter was startled. “Who are you? You—”

Before she could finish, Wuqing knocked her out and quietly carried her out of the courtyard.

Meanwhile, the fire spread to the Yuan family’s courtyard, and with the wind fanning the flames, the blaze only grew fiercer.

Xunqi sat on the veranda of her own courtyard, watching. Seeing that even heaven was aiding her, she couldn’t help but smile. She said to Wuqing, “Look, heaven is on my side too.”

Wuqing faced her, having already figured out her intention. She said with regret, “Young Mistress, even if you help them like this, they’ll only be able to live in secret from now on. They won’t be able to show their faces in public.”

Xunqi sighed as well. “You’re right. But isn’t this still better than death?”

The fire raged for half the night and wasn’t extinguished until noon. The Yuan family’s courtyard collapsed into rubble. The Yuan family stood dumbfounded; some of them burst into tears.

Sixth Master Yan rushed over and was equally stunned. How could it have burned down just like that? He asked the Yuan family’s servant, “Where is Ah Yuan?”

Following the direction of the Yuan family’s gaze, he saw a white cloth on the ground with a body lying beneath it. In an instant, the world spun around him. He turned and left.

Back in his own courtyard, he urged Xunqi, “Leave quickly. Take Shiqi with you. Don’t tell her Ah Yuan is dead.”

If his foolish daughter found out, she would surely follow Ah Yuan in death. He would rather have her hate him than die like that.

Xunqi pretended to be confused. Sixth Master Yan urged, “Hurry up and go.”

“Oh—oh, all right. I’ll do as you say.” Xunqi faltered for a moment, then turned to instruct her subordinates. “Tell Seventeenth Miss we’re leaving for the Capital City at once.”

Wuqing and the others immediately made arrangements, hitched up the Carriage, and set off without delay.

Shiqi was brought out. She looked at her father, knelt, and said, “Daughter bids farewell to Father.”

“Listen to your Ninth Sister, Shiqi. Live well.” Sixth Master Yan’s heart ached with bitterness and helplessness. He didn’t know whether this was right or wrong. By causing Miss Yuan to lose her life for no reason, was heaven punishing him?

Xunqi and her party quickly boarded the Carriage and vanished from the Post Station in the blink of an eye. Not daring to stop, they raced toward the Capital City without rest.

After traveling more than ten leagues, Xunqi reined in her horse and turned to Wuqing. “I want to return to Jinling. Take Shiqi back to the Left Prime Minister’s Residence first.”

“What are you going to Jinling for?” Wuqing didn’t understand. “The New Year is nearly here. You definitely won’t make it back in time.”

“Wuqing, I have doubts in my heart that I can’t resolve. I want to go ask Headmaster Yuan. Wushuang, you’ll come with me.” Xunqi was decisive. She ordered Wushuang to follow, turned her horse around, and rode to the Carriage. “Seventeenth Miss, the rest of you go on to the Capital City first.”

The Carriage curtain lifted, revealing Seventeenth Miss’s plain, makeup-free face, her eyes brimming with tears. “Where are you going? Aren’t you coming back with us?”

“When you see my mother, cry as much as you can. She’s always been afraid of people crying, so don’t hold it in.” Xunqi instructed in a low voice. “You’ve already taken this step. There’s no turning back now. Think about how you’ll live your lives from here on. I’m leaving now.”

With that, her horse galloped off, and her party followed.

Traveling day and night without rest, the group rode for seven days before reaching the Yuan Family Academy. It was nearly year’s end, and students from nearby areas had already gone home for the New Year.

Gazing up at the academy’s mountain gate, Xunqi reined in her horse and dismounted. Wushuang immediately went to knock on the door.

Moments later, Yuan Fusheng hurried over. Seeing the travel-worn girl, she was so startled she didn’t know what to do. “Young Mistress Yan.”

“Headmaster Yuan.” Xunqi bowed with great respect. Headmaster Yuan was a person of refined manners and elegance, so naturally Xunqi made sure to perform the full rites.

The next moment, Yuan Fusheng seized Xunqi’s wrist. The hand beneath her touch was as cold as black iron. Yuan Fusheng frowned slightly, her heart aching beyond words.

“Come with me.”

There weren’t many students at the academy, gathered here and there in small groups. Today the teachers had also left, so the students were studying on their own.

The academy was enormous, over a hundred years old, with imposing front and rear mountain gates.

Yuan Fusheng’s courtyard was close to the mountain gate for convenience. She pulled Xunqi into the house in one breath, pressed a warm Hand Warmer into her hands, and ordered someone to brew ginger tea.

“Why are you here? Does your mother know?” Yuan Fusheng’s face was ashen, a stark contrast to her usual calm gentleness.

“I just handled the elopement of the girls from the Yan and Yuan families.” Xunqi raised her eyes indifferently. “Why have you never married to this day, Academy Head? Is it because the person you love is untouchable, so you’d rather spend your whole life alone?”

Xunqi’s gaze was cold and clear, and her words were like ice, leaving Yuan Fusheng speechless for a long time.