The rain started to fall outside again, first a gentle patter, then growing stronger, drumming against the boat’s cabin with a pitter-patter.
Outside, the rain was unceasing, and inside, there was a different kind of storm.
Afterwards, the two lay together, embraced.
Li Ling, hearing the whooshing rain outside, said to Jing Xiu, “With the rain this heavy, going back would inevitably expose you to the dampness. Why don’t we stay here for the night?”
Such a rainy night, a newlywed couple sharing a boat, naturally had its own charm.
Jing Xiu agreed and then buried her head in Li Ling’s chest and fell soundly asleep.
As the night deepened, and they were sleeping soundly, suddenly there was an urgent call from outside: “Young master, young master, are you in there?”
It was the voice of Liang Jin.
Li Ling, with his keen hearing, quickly got up.
Jing Xiu was also awakened by the noise and couldn’t help asking, “What could be the matter for Liang Jin to come at such a late hour?”
Li Ling, while dressing, replied, “Something must have gone wrong. You stay here; I’ll go out and have a look.”
With that, Li Ling was fully dressed and ready to step outside.
Jing Xiu quickly got up and handed him an umbrella, saying, “It’s pouring outside, take this with you.”
Li Ling took the umbrella and instructed, “I’ll be right back, you go ahead and rest.”
Jing Xiu sat on the couch for a long time without seeing Li Ling return. Unable to rest easy and just about to go look for him, she heard the cabin door creak open.
An old woman in a raincoat came in.
After the old woman took off her raincoat, Jing Xiu could see clearly that it was the boatwoman.
The boatwoman, seeing Jing Xiu, greeted her with a beaming smile.
Jing Xiu asked, “Granny, what brings you here?”
The boatwoman replied, “Mr. Liang came looking for the young master, and I brought him over in a small boat.”
Jing Xiu looked outside and asked, “Where is the young master? Do you know if Mr. Liang was looking for him for some urgent matter?”
The boatwoman, while wiping the rainwater off her old face with her sleeve, replied, “The young master left with Mr. Liang in a small boat.”
Li Ling left?
The boatwoman continued, “There was some trouble in the palace, and the young master rushed over there.”
Trouble in the palace?
Jing Xiu asked anxiously, “Granny, do you know what happened in the palace?”
The boatwoman respectfully answered, “I only vaguely heard Mr. Liang say that it seems the Ninth Princess in the palace has been poisoned.”
Indeed, it was Qing Luan again!
Jing Xiu’s heart sank suddenly, but she couldn’t help asking unwillingly, “Did Grandmother hear it wrong, is it the Ninth Princess who was poisoned? As a princess, she has specialized personnel taking meticulous care of her every need, how could she be poisoned?”
The boatwoman laughed and replied, “I’m not clear about the details, I only heard Master Liang mention it in passing.” She paused, then continued, “I’ve also spent quite a few years in the palace, these kinds of things are not unusual.”
Within the palace, where intrigue and deceit are commonplace, and framing and sabotage are frequent, it’s just that Qingluan is merely a princess, who would harm her?
Jing Xiu asked gloomily, “Did the young master leave any message when he left?”
The old maid replied, “The young master ordered me to take care of the lady, saying that he would send the lady ashore after the rain stops tomorrow.”
Jing Xiu said indifferently, “I understand, you may go and rest.”
However, the old maid showed no intention of leaving, instead, she approached and said in a flattering manner, “Leaving the lady alone here in the dark, I’m quite worried, let me stay and keep the lady company to relieve some boredom.”
As she came closer, Jing Xiu smelled a fishy odor on her, and holding back her disgust, she replied, “I’m not afraid of the dark, it’s late at night now, you should go to sleep too.”
Seeing that Jing Xiu was insistent on sending her away, the old maid reluctantly left, looking back every three steps.
Jing Xiu sat dazedly on the couch, feeling empty inside.
The room still retained the enchanting atmosphere of their post-love happiness. Just moments ago, they were entwined in loving vows, and in the blink of an eye, he left her again for that woman.
Without even a word of goodbye.
Accompanied by the rumbling thunder, the rain outside grew heavier.
Startling thunder, pouring rain, such a terrifying night, she thought of her husband rushing recklessly towards another woman.
Her heart ached in waves.
Jing Xiu lay on her back on the bed, trying hard to hold back her tears, but the more she tried, the more uncontrollably they flowed out.
Drip by drip, soaking a large part of the pillow.
In a daze, Jing Xiu faintly heard the cabin door being opened again. She sat up abruptly, seeing a dark figure enter through the haze, her heart pounding with fear. She mustered her courage and asked, “Who is it?”
“Do not be afraid, my lady, it is I.”
It was the boatwoman again.
“What brings you here so late?” Jing Xiu quickly wiped the tears from her face and asked.
The boatwoman came closer, carefully drawing back the mosquito net, and looked at Jing Xiu, who sat dejectedly on the couch, saying, “There was thunder outside, I was worried you might be scared.”
With that, she sat down beside the bed.
Jing Xiu did not expect the old woman to take it upon herself to sit on her couch, and smelling that nauseating fishy odor emanating from her, she felt greatly displeased and said stiffly, “I am not afraid of thunder, please leave.”
The old maid’s face was piled with smiles as she fawned over Jing Xiu, saying, “The humidity is heavy on the boat, and you, my lady, have delicate skin. Be sure not to catch a cold. I’ve brewed ginger tea for you all night; please drink it while it’s hot.”
With that, the old maid picked up a bowl of yellow, steaming liquid from the table and handed it to Jing Xiu.
Jing Xiu took it, politely thanking the old maid.
For some reason, Jing Xiu felt uncomfortable in the presence of this old maid and said to her, “Please go and rest, I’m going to sleep.”
The old maid smiled at her, revealing a mouthful of broken teeth, and said, “Then I shall take my leave.” After getting up, she turned her head to look at the soup bowl in Jing Xiu’s hand and instructed, “My lady, drink the tea while it’s hot before you sleep.”
Jing Xiu nodded and urged, “Please go now.”
After the old maid left, Jing Xiu put the soup bowl back, got dressed, locked the cabin door from the inside, and lay back down on the couch.
She closed her eyes, forcing herself not to think about those things, but her heart felt unbearably stifled.
She simply sat up again, wrapped in her blanket, leaning against the soft pillow, and listened blankly to the wind and rain outside.
In the haze, the cabin door creaked as if someone had come in.
She had clearly locked the door.
Jing Xiu was instantly terrified, her hair standing on end. Just as she was about to muster the courage to get up and check, the bed curtain was suddenly lifted.
“Ah! Who is it?” Jing Xiu cried out in alarm.
The person hadn’t expected Jing Xiu to be awake and shuddered with fright.
(End of chapter)