Chapter 207 - He Danggui’s inner thoughts
He Danggui felt that this man, Bai Yangbai, was a little weird, but she didn’t know why. She decided to consider it later and continued, “You dared to show yourself as ‘Feng Yang’ in public, which means that you are close friends. You should tell him the whole situation and ask him to pay more attention to Mrs. Feng. Once Madam Luo bring this up in Feng’s Family, ask him to stop Madam Luo or agree to marry Luo Baishao instead of me. Tomorrow will be nice.”
The man, called Bai Yangbai by her, replied slowly, “I’m sorry. Actually, we are not very close. I’m afraid that I may blow up your plan. How about I bring him to Tao Yao Yard? Then, you can serve a cup of tea and tell him the whole story. Feng Yang is a tenderhearted man. If a beautiful woman like you serves him a cup of tea, he would bring back you the moon if you want it. Am I right?”
He Danggui shook her head and said, “First, I don’t want to make contact with him. It cost me much energy every time to deal with him. So, as long as he doesn’t come to me, which would be great, I will never take the initiative to see him. Second, we are enemies, but you are in the same line with him. Besides, you are also Lord Ning’s master. It would be more effective for you to ask Feng Yang to stop this marriage. But I’m worried that he will accept Madam Luo’s proposal first, and then he will take me out of Luo’s Family as a concubine and lock me up. Then he will give me to Lord Ning as a gift.”
Listening to He Danggui’s words, the man frowned deeply, and he said immediately, “No, he would never do such thing. He is not a bad person as you thought!”
He Danggui rolled her eyes and explained to the man, “I’m aware that he is a nice person, but he is Lord Ning’s best assistant. Whatever Lord Ning wants, he would get them for Lord Ning. He even gave his family’s huge industry to Lord Ning, not to mention me, a negligible woman. He knows Lord Ning wants me, so it’s not strange for him to kidnap me and give me away as a gift.”
The man shook his head and said, “You underestimate yourself too much. Neither he or Lord Ning would do this to you. If they have desired to get you by this way, they would have done it 3 years ago.”
He Danggui analyzed calmly, “3 years ago, I was too small and tiny to be treated as a beauty and given to Lord Ning as a present. There is something you don’t know. The person who used the name ‘Ning Yuan’ left a painting three years ago when he left Luo’s Mansion. Few days ago, the painting was broken because of my maid. Then, when I was cleaning the mess, I found a letter hid inside the scroll, which was said to rest myself well in Luo’s Mansion. To me, the person who wrote the letter wanted to raise me like a pig. And when I’m fed well, they would kill and eat me.”
The man couldn’t help laughing and showed the same dimples just like Feng Yang. He shook his head and sighed, “What a good metaphor.”
“I originally thought that since Feng Yang didn’t show himself in public for a year, he and Lord Ning could have already forgotten who I was. But when I found the letter, I always have a feeling that something bad is going to happen to me. So, it was unlucky for me to see that kind of letter on New Year’s Eve.”
He Danggui looked into the man’s eyes in puzzle, but she suddenly felt those eyes were not as familiar as before. Normally, when she was staring at Bai Yangbai’s eyes, he would look her back in the same way. However, this time, he was avoiding her eye contact uncomfortably. She was confused a lot and asked, “Bai Yangbai, you’ve been acting strange since I met you again. Is there something you would like to tell me?” Seeing that the man was hesitated to say something, He Danggui couldn’t help being angry. She said, “Did you really do something bad enough that you couldn’t tell me? I told you to behave yourself in Luo’s Mansion, but you treated other people like some idiots. What exactly did you do?”
The man remained silence for a while and didn’t answer the question. He asked, “Do you really hate Feng Yang so much that you would not like to see him for the rest of your life?”
He Danggui raised her eyebrows and said honestly, “The person I dislike is not Feng Yang, but the person behind him. Of course, for someone as ambitious as Feng Yang, I would try my best to stay away before the rain beneath the umbrella drop on my body.”
“What do you mean?” The man asked in curiosity. Chang Nuo, the man under the mask of Feng Yang, thought, “This is the first time that this girl has told me her true feelings. I must take advantage of this opportunity to know her more. It turns out that she is also a person lives under the mask. This girl, He Danggui, seems to have kept so much secrets.”
He Danggui explained, “I used to work in farms. In June, the weather changes just in seconds. Then one day came the storm, and there was no shelter for me to block the rain. I was a small girl back then, so a narrow edge would be enough for me. But the person who was holding the umbrella was already kind enough to keep me close. There was no way that he could pay more attention to me. So, from once in a while, the rain just flew on my body through the edge of the umbrella like a waterfall. The next day, I would be sick badly.”
Chang Nuo was confused and asked, “Why didn’t you use your own umbrella?”
He Danggui was more confused on such a question. She replied, “I told you before. The family I used to lodge was the poorest one in the village. An umbrella could be called a luxury.”
Chang Nuo said, “Sorry, I forgot. Please go ahead.”
He Danggui recalled and said slowly, “Other poor families made their own straw capes and wore them on their shoulders to keep the rain out. So, I made one of my own, but uglier. And I found a bowl with cracks in my house. Then, I bring those two together to the fields. When the rain came, I wouldn’t need to hide under others’ umbrellas. Instead, I used my simply-made straw cape and the bowl to keep myself from the cold rain. Although the bowl would always slip to the ground and the straw cape couldn’t block the rain one hundred percent, the days when I was sick because of the rain beneath the umbrella are gone.”
Hearing the story, Chang Nuo thought for a moment and then asked, “What does that mean? You mean Feng Yang is the person who is holding the umbrella, and you are the person without the umbrella. So, you decide to stay away from him, right? What kind of logic is that? If both he and Lord Ning wants to be the one holding the umbrella for you, you can even block the storm. Women all want someone strong to protect them, right?”
It was the first time for He Danggui to talk about such a deep topic with Bai Yangbai. She was curious on this serious Bai Yangbai in front of her. She explained in patience, “I agree with you, partially. If the situation is under control, people like Feng Yang may allow me to under his umbrella. But if the real storm comes, I’m sure, without hesitation, they will leave me in the rain alone. Qianjun, you have experienced in Jianghu for many years. You should know there is no free meal in the world. They are willing to hold the umbrella for me is only because I am useful to them at the moment. And one day, I will be put in use by them, as if candles burning their lives into the light and become a pile of oil at the end. If I did what Lord Ning wants, death would be the only thing waiting for me.”
historical
Chang Nuo frowned and sighed, “How come you being so critical of this world? Shouldn’t you be cheerful when a perfect and noble man like Lord Ning fell in love with you? Girl, he really loves you, and I promise that you will be the happiest woman on the earth if you get married with him.”
Hearing this, He Danggui stared at Feng Yang as if she was looking at a ghost. She took few steps back quickly and asked coldly, “Who are you? You are not Bai Yangbai!” When she realized this man had just heard so many secrets about her, she began to tremble with heavy breath.
Chang Nuo said calmly, “Relax. I am Feng Yang. Trust me. I didn’t mean to mislead you. You were talking nonstop, and I would like to know more about you, so I didn’t stop you. I apologize. I mean no offense to you. I only wanted to hear your inner thoughts. Rest assure, I will not tell any other one the disrespectful words you just said about Lord Ning.”
Early this night, Chang Nuo came here in Luo’s Mansion disguised as Feng Yang. And his purpose was merely to find He Danggui. So, he chose to do it in the dark in case run into Madam Luo and others. But unluckily, he was seen by Pan Jingyang, a guard of Luo’s Mansion.
Pan Jingyang saw a black shadow was moving underneath the stars, so he became alert and yelled, “Who’s there!” When Chang Nuo was about to make up an excuse such as taking a walk and enjoying the moon, Pan Jingyang identified the shadow was Feng Yang. So, he put away his right hand which was holding on the handle of his sword and apologized with a relief, “The death of Biddy Wen was a tragedy, so Madam Luo asked everyone to be cautious.”
Chang Nuo replied casually. Then, Pan Jingyang suddenly said in deep voice, “Childe Feng, wasn’t Third Miss hurt at all? I have some medicine that can heal cut wounds, but it’s not appropriate to give these to her in middle of the night. Since you have the duty to cure her wounds, maybe you can deliver these for me.” Then, Pan Jingyang took out a dark-red brocade box. It was obvious that he prepared it early.
“I have the duty to take care of Sister He?” Chang Nuo thought and opened the brocade box. He studied the method of these four blue bottles while he analyzed the situation in his heart. In seconds, he reached to a conclusion–it must be the Taoist Sage, who disguised as him and caused troubles everywhere.
Not long ago, Taoist Sage was really interested in making fun of Chang Nuo. Taoist Sage made a ‘‘Feng Yang’’ mask as the same as the mask Chang Nuo was wearing. And then, Taoist Sage caused lots of problems in the name of Feng Yang, which made Chang Nuo be exhausted and tired. Last few months were peaceful. There were no events like “arranged dates” or “broke arms”. So, Chang Nuo thought Taoist Sage had already left Yangzhou City. However, Taoist Sage just left for another city, causing troubles in Luo’s Mansion. What an old child.
Thinking of this, Chang Nuo received this brocade box. He smiled and said, “Sister He’s wounds are better than before now, and I’m going to find her medicines. Now there will be need of it then. Pan, thanks for the medicines. These should be enough.”
Sister He was wounded? What happened? Chang Nuo used to find that she possessed strong internal force. And he taught her his Mysterious Footwork. He believed that since she was smart, she would live some nice days instead of getting hurt. So, he didn’t come to see her this year because of his busy schedule. Every time he came, she looked unhappy. After they got connected because of the matchmaker, the atmosphere between them became distant and awkward.
Yuan liked this girl very much and was determined to marry her. One year later, Chang Nuo came to see her only to find she was hurt. Why was she wounded? And how bad the wound was?
Chang Nuo wanted to find out, but he couldn’t ask, because he should be the person who was in charge of Sister He’s wounds.
At this moment, Chang Nuo was so worried about He Danggui that he desired to be by her side right away. But Pan Jingyang suddenly asked, “Childe Feng, will you treat Third Miss well? Will you cure all her wounds and take care of her for the rest of your life?”