Scent Of Time

Chapter 17

I endured the pain and no longer use the cold medicine. Although my wound was still not healed, after holding out for three or four days, I got out of bed and acted without affecting it.

These past few days, Zhong Yelan did not come once. I couldn’t understand his thoughts. In the novel, Mu Yao reveals Hua Qian’s impersonation after Hua Xiang’s downfall. Then, Zhong Yelan directly sends a divorce letter to drive her away.

Now, Hua Xiang was still around, and I took the initiative to turn myself in. As a matter of fact, no matter if it was because of the power behind me or my attitude, he shouldn’t bore that much anger. After sending people to look for him a few times, he would only reply that he was busy and didn’t have the time.

I wondered if I turned myself in too early. Should I confess after being a bit nicer to him? But I almost gave him my life. Won’t that be enough?

The people of the King Jin Mansion are extremely good at seeing the wind. After seeing that Zhong Yelan never visited me after I was injured, except at the very beginning, they gradually treated me negligently.

I am fine, but Qian Zhi, because of her previous nature, suffered and began to grow up. I felt sorry for her. I have dragged her down, forcing her to grow up so quickly.

I heard Cuizhu say that Mrs. Hua and Hua Shen were not allowed to visit me several times. Unsure what Zhong Yelan had said to them. They left in disgrace, not daring to barge in again. My guess is that the truth about how I married into the Jin Family holds them back. Even though Mrs. Hua couldn’t visit her, she kept sending things, all kinds of tonic herbs.

Hua Shen, that fool, every few days, would entrust someone to send some things over. But he only sent jewelry. Probably due to his personality, he could only do this to please a woman. Every time I received them, I directly threw them to the side.

I couldn’t sit still after getting well. No matter whether I’m going to be repudiated or not, I must know a direction to take the next step. If I am repudiated, I will return to the Hua Family and claim that I want to spend my days in meditation and leave the house to a place outside the Imperial City and live happily ever after. If — other results, I must plan my route again. I can’t waste my youth here for the rest of my life.

Hence, I went to Zhong Yelan’s study. Mu Yao guarded the door. She frowned when she saw me.

“I have something to ask to see His Highness. Please announce for me.” I politely opened my mouth. At this point, the heroine could not be offended.

Mu Yao looked at me with a gaze that didn’t have the same biting hatred as before, but it was still unkind: “The king said… he won’t see you.”

That was a straightforward thing to say.

“But I have something that I must see him.”

I did not know what to do.

Mu Yao narrowed her gaze. She bowed her head and said nothing, remaining motionless. I took another step further and met her surprised eyes.

I spoke, “Mu Yao, I said before that many of my choices were not from my heart, but I won’t have any ill intentions towards you again. What I owe you, I swear that I will pay you back little by little. Believe me this once, okay?”

Perhaps because my face was pale from sickness, Mu Yao’s gaze flickered and was full of complexity. She bit her lip and was about to open her mouth, but a low voice from inside the study stopped her.

“I am dealing with official business. I won’t meet — anyone.”

Mu Yao froze, glanced at me, then hung her head again and stopped looking at me.

I raised my hand to press that arrow wound in my chest, trying to make myself amplify my voice without involving it. “This humble concubine, Hua Qian, came today to request a divorce.”

When I finished speaking, I felt the wound that my hand was pressing on hurt for a moment. It still hadn’t healed and would hurt when I pressed it hard.

Mu Yao looked at me shockingly as if she didn’t know me. The other guards in the courtyard finally changed their wooden image and gave me a sideways glance.

After waiting for a long time, there was no reply from inside the study, so I spoke again: ”What I said is the result of deep thought. I hope that Your Highness will consider it solemnly, and I will go back to the courtyard to wait for the announcement.”

No response, I turned around and left.

The female lead in the bitter love drama was always waiting for the male lead to open the door, but I couldn’t. Besides, I’m just a second female lead, so I won’t wait here to suffer.

I have said these words publicly, so Zhong Yelan must meet me.

On the way back to my courtyard, Qian Zhi and Cuizhu, who followed me, had red eyes. I felt amused in my heart. These two silly girls must have thought the angry words made me aggrieved, so they felt sorry for me.

“Two silly girls, I have my own plans. Don’t worry about it. I am the prime minister’s daughter. Can I still be bullied?” I comforted them.

When we were about to reach the courtyard, I tried to divert their attention: “Cuizhu, find me some snacks. I did not eat breakfast. I feel like floating.”

However, I did not hear a reply. I turned back in doubt and saw Cuizhu’s face flushed while glancing at the courtyard’s entrance. She seemed not to hear my words at all. I followed her gaze and saw a young man dressed as a government soldier guarding the entrance.

Some black lines emerged on my forehead. I thought that she was upset. After saying words of persuasion for so long, this girl actually forgets the mother after seeing a man — oops, wrong, not ‘mother’ but me.

I was curious and carefully looking at the government soldier. I was stunned. No wonder Cuizhu’s heart blossomed. This government soldier was born with a handsome look.

He was born as a boy with a pretty face. His face was so exquisite that even women were jealous. His brown eyes brought out a bit of hostility, adding a few points to his handsomeness, making him not too feminine.

Seeing me sizing him up, that government soldier raised his eyes and glanced at me. He quickly lowered his eyes, the tips of his ears already flushed red.

I laughed in my heart. He is still a child. Turning back to look at Cuizhu’s dumbfounded appearance, I sighed loudly and raised my steps to continue walking.

I vaguely feel that this government soldier seems a bit familiar. After walking to the doorway, I twist my head to look at him again.

Into my eyes was the side of his face, and it dawned on me that he was the same government soldier who had blocked the masked man’s knife for me at the ancestor sacrifice ceremony.

With a turn of my feet, I stepped in front of him and tilted my head to look at him. He was so startled by my sudden movement that even his neck turned red.

“It’s you who saved me at the Ancestor Sacrifice Ceremony?” I tilted my head and spoke.

He hung his head deeply before speaking. His voice carried slight hoarseness, “Reply — reply to the…princess consort, it’s me.”

He should be in the process of changing his voice. This courtyard has too many people. I didn’t even notice him.

“The ceremony was too chaotic. What was your name again?” I asked curiously again.

“This subordinate…called Hua, Rong, Zhou.” He suddenly raised his head. His brown eyes looked straight at me, answering word for word, looking solemn.

“Audacious! Who gave you the guts to dare to look at the Princess Consort’s eyes?” Qian Zhi spoke sternly.

I raised my hand to stop her reprimand. That government soldier — Hua Rongzhou — quickly hung his head. I spoke again, “This time, I’ll remember it. It turns out we have the same surname. How old are you this year?”

Hua Rongzhou looked at me again before answering, “I’m …… sixteen this year.”

Really young, ah. I thought silently in my heart. I raised my hand to pat his shoulder. I felt his body was shaking. He might be nervous, so I softened my voice: “I am older than you — seven …… er, one year old, your saving grace, I will remember it. Work hard in the future!”

I almost blurt out my actual age, forgetting that Hua Qian was only seventeen.

“Yes, Princess Consort.” Hua Rongzhou replied solemnly, as if I had given him some important task.

I lifted my steps towards the courtyard. I didn’t know how long I could stay in the Hua Family. If I leave in the future, I will give him some money in return. I can’t be ungrateful.

After letting the maid help wash my hair at night, I went to bed all fresh and clean, but I couldn’t sleep after tossing and turning and finally fumbled with the oil lamp placed at the bedside, put on a coat, and sat up.

I didn’t want to call the maids, so I started rummaging through the cupboards by candlelight. I couldn’t sleep anyway. Why don’t I take a good inventory of my belongings? The jewelry Hua Shen sent me seemed to be quite valuable. I’ll exchange it for money and save it up tomorrow.

Unexpectedly, I heard a voice: “What are you doing?”

“Packing luggage.” I subconsciously replied but suddenly felt that something was wrong.

As soon as I turned around, I saw Zhong Yelan standing in the shadow of the candlelight, dressed in black. His face was even darker than the night.

My hand shook with fear, the candlelight went out against the wind, and there was silence in the darkness.