Chapter 797: 334 Persuasion
Xiang Wei, seeing Yueyao silent all along, felt somewhat saddened. This event had truly frightened the young lady.
Looking outside, Xiang Wei softly said, "Miss, dawn is approaching. Let’s go!" They planned to take advantage of the night to leave and return to the manor.
Yueyao naturally did not object, but she remembered that she owed Lord Lin a favor, "This time, it was largely thanks to him. Xiang Wei, how do you think I should thank him?" Allowing her to stay at the post station was already an exception, and carrying a message for him was even a favor.
Xiang Wei looked at Yueyao curiously.
Yueyao was somewhat baffled, "What is it? Is there a problem with that Lord Lin?" Yueyao felt it should not be the case; if there were a problem, he would not have helped her.
With a sense of resignation, Xiang Wei shook her head and said, "Miss, Lord Lin’s wife is a cousin of the Lady of Marquis Jingning, though a distant relation, they do often interact. The year before last, Lord Lin offended someone, and it was the Madam who pleaded with the Marquis to settle the matter. Afterward, Lord Lin was transferred to this post station. So, Miss, you’re quite fortunate indeed." Since Lord Lin had familial ties to the Marquis Jingning’s Residence, if Yueyao asked him to deliver a letter there, he certainly would not refuse.
Yueyao said in a low voice, "Then I owe him even greater thanks."
Xiang Wei nodded, "It’s better if fewer people know about Miss’s identity. When the time comes, let the Marquis’s wife handle this matter. Miss, this time you truly owe the Marquis and his wife a great favor."
Yueyao nodded and said, "Yes, this time I really do owe the Marquis and his wife a great favor. I don’t even know how to repay them." Initially, her kindness towards Mingzhu was with ulterior motives, but she never expected to end up receiving so much in return. The kindness the Marquis Jingning and his wife had shown her far exceeded what she had done before.
In a tone feigning regret, Xiang Wei said, "It’s a pity that the Miss is a woman. If you were a man, you could certainly become an aide to the Marquis, offering him counsel and strategies."
Yueyao looked at Xiang Wei. At a time like this, this woman still had the mood to joke, unsure if she was heartless or just very broad-minded.
As if knowing what Yueyao was thinking, Xiang Wei said, "Miss, this time it was a close call, but safe nonetheless. From now on, we just need to be cautious and not dwell on it. In the past, I nearly died several times, but each time I survived, I cherished each day all the more."
After hearing this, the look Yueyao gave Xiang Wei carried a respect. She had always found Xiang Wei to be gossipy and fond of food but seemed to have forgotten how perilous Xiang Wei’s earlier life had been.
Xiang Wei said, "Miss, some people have a smooth life throughout, while others face constant hardships. Miss, if you had to choose between these two kinds of lives, which would you choose?"
Yueyao looked at Xiang Wei, puzzled. Given the choice, she would naturally pick the first option.
Xiang Wei shook her head and said, "If it were up to me, I would choose the second option. A life without any setbacks, just smooth sailing, don’t you think it would be very boring?"
Yueyao’s voice grew even quieter, "People hope that they don’t have to experience setbacks, that they can have a smooth life." Who would want a life full of hardships, making their days utterly miserable? Like her, she very much envied Mingzhu, who could live so blissfully.
Xiang Wei was actually very angry about Yueyao being kidnapped, but now what needed to be done was to console Yueyao and try not to let this incident leave a shadow on her: "You envy Mingzhu, but Mingzhu also envies you, admires your myriad talents, envies you for becoming the Great Painter. Miss, if you were like Mingzhu, having a life of smooth sailing, could you have become the Great Painter?" It was obvious that it would not have been possible. If Yueyao’s parents were both present, painting would have merely been a hobby for her, and she would never have come so far in this field.
Yueyao was lost in thought.
After a while, Xiang Wei said, "To have great ambitions is to tread a rough path. Miss, if you wish to become someone like Mr. Yu Shan, your road will certainly be uneven."
Yueyao, having heard so much from Xiang Wei, asked, "Are you trying to say that what happened with Zhou Shu is also a kind of tempering for me? Is that it?"
Xiang Wei nodded, "Miss, there are good people in this world, and equally, there are evil people. But we should not shun all contact with people just because evil ones exist." Xiang Wei meant that even though Zhou Shu harbored ill intentions, life must go on, and one should not live in fear because of it.
Yueyao looked down and thought for a moment, "Xiang Wei, thank you." The incident had already happened, and being scared or worried was futile. She could not stop living her life just because she feared Zhou Shu might attack her again.
Xiang Wei smiled and said, "It’s good that you’ve come to understand this yourself, Miss."
Taking advantage of the darkness before dawn, Xiang Wei led Yueyao away from the post station. The group walked halfway and then split. Half protected Yueyao back to the manor, and the other half went back to Capital City. Those returning to Capital City were also to conceal Yueyao’s whereabouts.
Yueyao had not slept all night, but now with Xiang Wei by her side, she felt secure enough to fall asleep.
As Yueyao slept, still furrowing her brows, Xiang Wei looked at her with a face hardened by resolve, no longer easy and breezy as before, "Zhou Shu..." No matter how large and sturdy a tree is, as long as the method is right, it can always be uprooted. Even though Zhou Shu had a vast fortune and a Prince for support, one day, she would make him wish he was dead.
The sky slowly darkened, and Xiang Wei, looking outside, said to Yueyao, "Miss, since Gu You was injured that day, I told others that you both were attacked by wild beasts and were injured, and both of you are recovering in the inner house." Encounters with wild beasts on the mountain were not unusual, so most people at the manor would not be suspicious. The only troublesome ones were the attendants, but fortunately, those close to her were trusted, and she did not have to worry about them revealing anything. As for those attendants who were not close and could not keep their mouths shut, she did not spare them.
Yueyao nodded, "This arrangement is good. Let’s return to Capital City in a couple of days! At that time, we can have Gu You and Gu Lan recuperate here at the manor. As for the four guards, we’ll give their families more compensation." Yueyao knew that Gu You and Gu Lan were severely injured, but their injuries were still treatable, unlike the other four guards who had lost their lives.
Xiang Wei nodded, "Rest assured, Miss, I will handle everything properly."
The group reached the manor in the middle of the night. Yueyao returned to her quarters, but instead of sleeping, she went to the studio.
Xiang Wei tried to persuade her, "Miss, it’s very late now, you can paint tomorrow."
Yueyao shook her head, "No, I must capture them in my paintings today." The longer the delay, the harder it would be to capture those people.
Yueyao plunged into the studio, and before dawn, she had completed the portraits of several people she had seen. She then handed the paintings over to Yueyao.
After receiving Yueyao’s paintings, Xiang Wei said, "Miss, I’ll have these paintings sent to Capital City right away. Please, go rest now!" She paused, then quickly added, "Miss, rest assured, I will always stay by your side."
Yueyao nodded.