Ties of Love, Ruan Wan

"What are you looking at so closely, Miss?"

This sudden greeting startled Ruan Wan; she had no idea a man had appeared beside her.

The man, dressed in a purple robe, had a handsome face and a smile, holding a sandalwood fan and exuding a carefree and unrestrained air.

Ruan Wan quickly stood up, took a few steps back, and curtsied. "How should I address you, sir?"

The man straightened up and smiled gently, "I am Lou Qianyuan."

Lou, the surname of the current empress, which Wang Mama had mentioned before, appeared again at such a banquet.

Ruan Wan sized him up by his clothes and manner of speaking; he must be the son of the Lou family's maternal uncle.

"Greetings, Young Master Lou."

"May I ask how you are addressed, Miss?" Lou Qianyuan hadn't wanted to come, but his father had given him a strict order, so he had no choice but to come.

Lou Qianyuan wanted to find a place to hide, but he saw a woman in the crowd hiding in a corner, eating and drinking tea, watching the surroundings as if she were watching a play, which was quite interesting.

Although her appearance wasn't particularly outstanding, her eyes shone like jewels, and I found myself walking over without realizing it.

As soon as Lou Qianyuan spoke, the woman in front of him reverted to her refined and elegant demeanor, which was quite amusing.

Ruan Wan had already tried to keep a low profile, hiding alone to the side, so how could she have still provoked this person?

"My name is Ruan Wan. If there's nothing else, sir, I'll take my leave."

Ruan Wan was anxious to get rid of this person, so she walked towards her second sister, not wanting to cause trouble at this critical moment.

Just then, Lou Qianyuan's voice came from behind, "Miss Ruan, you haven't answered my question yet!"

All eyes turned to Ruan Wan. Ruan Wan cursed under her breath, "Damn it, I really didn't check the almanac before I left home."

A cold glint flashed, and Ruan Wan looked up to see Princess Chang Le's resentful gaze.

Ruan Wan inwardly groaned, "Princess, I didn't steal your man!"

However, the princess only glanced at it before immediately turning back to chat with the people around her, reverting to her dignified and proper demeanor.

Life depends on acting skills. Those who survive in the deep palace are definitely Oscar contenders, it's just a matter of how many there are.

As the sun sets, colorful lanterns and riddles are hung in the courtyard, which serves as an advance notice of the upcoming event.

Each person has a lamp and a child, each holding a wooden plaque with the answer inscribed on it. The person who answers correctly gets the plaque, and the person who gets the most plaques wins the prize.

It wasn't for the prize; the young men were all eager to show off their erudition to Princess Chang Le, and they gathered around the lamp, ready to give it a try.

Some people reaped a great harvest in a short time, while others gained nothing. Ruan Wan simply glanced at them without answering, lest she steal their thunder.

Ruan Wan saw Ruan Chenjun beside her gazing tenderly at the man in the blue robe under the lamplight.

The man's features were not particularly outstanding, but his eyes were clear and his appearance was quite handsome.

Seemingly troubled by a riddle, Ruan Wan quietly approached and glanced at the riddle: "Body plays among colorful clouds, butterflies clashing; sinews transform into bones, entering the name of a delicacy."

No wonder I couldn't answer; it's a medicinal herb.

Although Ruan Wan didn't want to meddle in other people's business, she was still happy to play matchmaker and help others achieve their goals.

Ruan Wan turned to Ruan Chenjun and said, "Second Sister, the answer to the riddle is Eucommia ulmoides. The Eucommia ulmoides tree is twenty meters tall, and its bark nourishes the liver and kidneys and strengthens muscles and bones."

Ruan Chenjun blushed instantly, feeling embarrassed and unsure of what to do. She thanked him and then walked slowly to the lamp to straighten her posture. "Excuse me, is the answer to the riddle Eucommia?"

The servant handed over the wooden plaque, saying, "Congratulations, Miss, the answer to the riddle is Eucommia ulmoides."

Ruan Chenjun took the wooden plaque and turned to leave. The man still looked puzzled, so he chased after her.

It seems like it's almost certainly going to work out. Ruan Chenjun is quite adept at this art of feigning reluctance.

Ruan Wan was laughing and watching Ruan Chenjun, so engrossed in the spectacle that she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

Turning around, she suddenly noticed someone smiling at her from not far away. Ruan Wan recognized him as Lou Qianyuan, rolled her eyes, and turned to leave.

Ruan Wan wondered what she had done to offend a vengeful spirit, and just wanted to escape as soon as possible.

Suddenly, Princess Chang Le and her fourth sister blocked their path. Both of them had made a great harvest, but the quality of the harvest was unknown.

Chang Le asked, "Third cousin, how did it go? How many did you guess correctly?"

Sigh, I clearly saw that Mingming's hands were empty, it was obvious that he came to cause trouble, it's all that damned Lou Qianyuan's fault.

"Since I'm naturally untalented, I won't join in the fun. It's the princess and my fourth sister, on the other hand, who are exceptionally intelligent and have reaped considerable rewards."

At this moment, Ruan Yuanyan spoke up, "This can't be blamed on Third Sister. Third Sister just..."

"Yuanyan!" The eldest brother called out softly as he walked over. "It's because I, as the eldest brother, haven't been strict enough with my third sister and have spoiled her."

Ruan Wan cast a grateful glance at him, and Ruan Xiuzhu returned the glance with a smile.

With that smile, Ruan Xiuzhu instantly attracted fervent gazes. His already outstanding appearance, coupled with his gentle and refined demeanor, captivated countless young girls.

The inner workings of the Ruan family were kept completely under wraps. The only public statement was that Ruan Wan was in poor health and had been sent to her maternal home to recuperate, but had now recovered and returned to her natal family.

Ruan Yuanyan is a brainless woman who only knows how to please the princess and doesn't care about her family's reputation.

Seizing the opportunity, Ruan Wan withdrew, just in time to see Ruan Chenjun walking briskly towards her.

It seems her wish has been fulfilled, and Ruan Wan walked towards Ruan Chenjun.

After taking only a few steps, Ruan Wan abruptly stopped and stood still. Behind Ruan Chenjun, Lou Qianyuan was smiling and waving a fan at her.

It’s really haunting.

Ruan Wan immediately clutched her stomach, pretending to be in great pain. Ruan Chenjun rushed to Ruan Wan's side and hurriedly asked what was wrong.

Ruan Wan made an excuse that she was not feeling well and wanted to return to the manor first. Ruan Chenjun went to ask Ruan Xiuzhu for permission and then returned to the Ruan manor with Ruan Wan. In any case, he had already achieved his purpose for today's trip.

Back at the software lab, Ruan Chenjun wanted to call a doctor, but Ruan Wan stopped her, saying, "Second sister, I just had my period."

Ruan Chenjun immediately understood, told Ruan Wan to rest well, and happily returned to her own courtyard.

This day was too tiring, even more tiring than gathering herbs on the mountain. Ruan Wan quickly washed up, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep.

The story of how glamorous Ruan Yuanyan became the next day is another tale.

This trip to the Princess's residence had taken a toll on her energy, and Ruan Wan spent her days holed up in her courtyard, basking in the sun and shivering.

Five days later, a great joyous occasion occurred at the Ruan residence.

The eldest son of the Councilor of the Court of State Affairs came to propose marriage. He proposed to his second sister, Ruan Chenjun. Ruan Wan couldn't help but sigh. It was terrifying that people in ancient times would discuss marriage after only one glance. However, it was rare for both parties to be willing.

Ruan Zhengqing was very satisfied with the marriage, and seemed particularly pleased with his son-in-law.

After discussion, both parties decided that the tenth day of the fifth lunar month this year would be an auspicious day for marriage.

Ruan Chenjun was overjoyed to have married such a wonderful man. She was very grateful for Ruan Wan's help that day and sent a gift over, but she was mindful of her father and the East Garden and dared not come in person. She rarely visited them in daily life.

The rest of the days are spent waiting—waiting for the right time to plant the seeds, waiting for them to sprout, waiting for them to grow, and waiting for them to bloom.

Ruan Wan tended to the datura every day, which puzzled Wang Mama. What was so special about this flower that her young mistress could look at it every day without getting tired of it?

But Granny Wang didn't ask any questions, probably thinking that Ruan Wan simply liked him.

Days passed, and the flower grew very slowly, but there was no rushing it.

Finally, hard work pays off. Nearly two months have passed, and the flowers have sprouted buds, proving that Wu Nan's two months of meticulous care has not been in vain.

The flowers are about to bloom, but there's still a big mountain to climb. We absolutely cannot allow any more trouble to happen.

On the second day of the second lunar month, the emperor would go to the Jumang Temple to worship and pray for a good harvest this year. This was very important in the Xia Dynasty, as Jumang was the god in charge of sowing, farming and harvesting in mythology.

On this day, there will be a boat trip, and it will be the same Princess Chang Le, who will be selected in the second round after the first round of selection.

The royal family naturally had to make careful selections when choosing a husband, unlike Ruan Chenjun, who was chosen after only one meeting.

The second invitation was for outstanding individuals, but this time the invitation was most important, and Ruan Wan guessed it was for Lou Qianyuan.

Everyone in the capital knows that the eldest princess's heart belongs to Lou Qianyuan.

Ruan Wan thought to herself, "Since you've taken a liking to him, why don't you just have your father bestow a marriage upon you? Why go through all this trouble and make things difficult for yourself? Sigh, I'm speechless."

If you really push me too far, I might just snatch your Mr. Right away if I get angry. Then I'll just have to deal with whatever comes my way.

It was springtime, and although there was still a chill in the air, everyone changed into their usual spring clothes.

As usual, Ruan Wan styled her hair in a simple bun and put on her usual makeup. She then went out to keep her appointment with Chunzhu and Qiushuang.

Ruan Yuanyan was already in the carriage. Ruan Xiuzhu, who was not going this time, was also waiting at the door. When he saw Ruan Wan, he went to greet her.

Ruan Wan smiled and asked, "Big brother, are you here to see fourth sister off?"

"We're waiting for our third sister. We hope she'll be understanding today."

Ruan Wan knew what her elder brother meant, so she nodded and walked towards the carriage.

All that could be heard from behind was Ruan Xiuzhu's soft voice, "Thank you, Third Sister."

Ruan Chenjun is not going today. He is already engaged and will no longer attend such gatherings. However, Ruan Wan is very troubled because she has to share a carriage with Ruan Yuanyan.

The coachman lifted the curtain and saw Ruan Yuanyan sitting to one side, dressed in a refreshing lake-green spring dress. She ignored Ruan Wan and just fiddled with her clothes, remaining silent the whole way.

Upon arriving at their destination, Ruan Yuanyan immediately disembarked from the carriage.

Ruan Wan lifted the curtain and realized that she had arrived at a riverbank. The grass was lush and green, and guards stood on both sides. A painted boat, nearly two meters high, was leaning against the riverbank, with a ladder lowered for guests to board.

Immediately, someone came forward and led Ruan Wan to the ship. Looking around, the ship was huge, with a deck that could hold more than a hundred people. There were about twenty or thirty people on the ship who looked somewhat familiar.

Ruan Yuanyan had already boarded the ship to find Princess Chang Le, so Ruan Wan decided to find a corner to slowly pass the time.

The painted boats were filled with handsome men and beautiful women, reciting poems, drinking and chatting happily—it was quite a beautiful scene.

Everyone fell silent and stood still for a moment, and then Princess Chang Le came out of the cabin.

Beside her were the Fourth Prince, the Sixth Prince, and the Seventh Prince. The Sixth Prince was the one she had seen at the Princess's residence that day. The Fourth Prince seemed to have been dressed in casual clothes that day as well, but she didn't recognize him as a prince and thought he was just a young master.

Ruan Wan's heart skipped a beat. This seventh prince, "Brother Xia!"

Ruan Wan was at a loss for what to do. She had only ever thought of herself as a wealthy person, but she never expected to be the seventh prince of the Great Xia Dynasty.

She couldn't calm down for a moment, and she was worried that she would be recognized. She probably wouldn't be recognized, since she was a "man" back then, but now she had returned to being a woman, had grown taller, and was wearing makeup.

Ruan Wan could only pray that nothing unexpected would happen at this time.

"The scenery is so beautiful today, I'll play a tune here to entertain everyone," the princess said, glancing at Lou Qianyuan who was leaning against the ship's railing.

Unfortunately, "I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the ditch."

Then, beautiful music began to play, a piece called "Phoenix Seeking Its Mate," which was smooth and tender.

Even after the confession had gone this far, Lou Qianyuan still acted as if it were none of his business.

Ruan Wan was a little angry. "You can't force matters of the heart, so why don't you just make things clear from the start? Everyone's so reserved."

At this moment, Xia Changfeng walked to Lou Qianyuan's side and patted him on the shoulder, "What's wrong with my sister? Why can you reject her kindness?"

Lou Qianyuan slapped Xia Changfeng's hand away. "You homosexual, how dare you talk to me like that? You're still thinking about your little Zhu brother, aren't you? If you don't like someone, you don't like them. You can't force it."

As he spoke, Xia Changfeng's face darkened again, and he fell silent.

When the song ended, applause erupted.

Chang Le stood up and said, "I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself. But it's really boring for me to play alone. Ladies, please each play a piece, and I'll start with a lucky draw."

As he spoke, he took off the mutton-fat jade pendant from his side, saying, "Ladies, whoever plays the piece most outstandingly will have this pendant."

Ruan Wan could tell at a glance that this whole thing was aimed at her; it was a scheme devised by Ruan Yuanyan, and Chang Le was carrying it out.

Ruan Yuanyan knew that Ruan Wan had only been back in the mansion for two years, so her zither skills must be lacking, and she would definitely stand out from the crowd.

This contrasts sharply with the previous performance of the Princess playing the zither. They wanted to see Ruan Wan make a fool of herself, but for now they can only endure it. If they want to watch the show, let them watch to their heart's content.

Anyway, we'll never see each other again in a few days.

Ruan Wan waited patiently, listening to one piece after another, each with its own unique flavor. Finally, Chang Le asked loudly, "Is there anyone who hasn't played yet?"

Ruan Yuanyan stepped forward and said, "My third sister hasn't played yet."

All eyes turned to Ruan Wan. Ruan Wan sneered, then got up and sat down in front of the zither.

The piece being played was "Guangling San," which is quite difficult. Playing it was like a sawing motion, and laughter erupted everywhere. Let them laugh their hearts out. Lou Qianyuan was the one who laughed the loudest.

Ruan Wan was thinking of putting some laxative in his tea later, so he would have diarrhea to death, and he would laugh so loudly even though he had gotten himself into such a terrible situation.

In the end, the jade pendant ended up in Ruan Yuanyan's hands. Ruan Wan couldn't bear to watch anymore. Miss Li's rendition of "Three Variations on Plum Blossom" was exquisite, but she didn't react, perhaps because she was already used to it. Anyway, everyone could hear it.

Xia Changfeng looked at Lou Qianyuan, who was laughing and clutching his stomach, and simply shook his head. "You like this kind of thing?"

Lou Qianyuan laughed and said, "How interesting! Marrying her will bring so much joy every day!"

Xia Changfeng looked at the girl in front of him and felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Perhaps he missed Xiaozhu too much. There was still no news of Xiaozhu. Amu had been searching for her for three months but still had no luck.

I should have forcibly taken her away back then. Her fate is unknown in this vast sea of ​​people.

"Help! Help! Someone has fallen into the water!"

Ruan Wan shouted in all directions, but no one around her responded.

Seeing Qiushuang sinking into the water, and seeing Chang Le Ruan Yuanyan standing on the side watching the show, Ruan Wan glared at Chunzhu and then jumped into the water.

The water was still cold in spring. Ruan Wan scuba-diveed down and grabbed Qiu Shuang, pulling her up.

Just now, when they passed by the railing, Chunzhu suddenly twisted her ankle and bumped Ruan Wan towards the side of the boat. Fortunately, Qiushuang grabbed her in time, but Qiushuang herself fell in.

To tolerate so much yet still want to kill oneself is going too far.

Qiu Shuang remained conscious but did not struggle, and Ruan Wan always felt that there was a story behind her.

With great effort, she pushed her ashore. Ruan Wan whispered in her ear, "Live well. Climb up yourself. Go back and prepare hot water for me."

Ruan Wan took a breath and then sank down.

You can't go up there; these ancient cosmetics aren't waterproof, and your face will already be washed clean.

Ruan Wan held her breath and swam downstream. Fortunately, she had developed diving skills in order to catch fish in the past.

The people on the boat watched as the maid climbed ashore, then walked towards the shore without turning back, showing no reaction whatsoever in the water.

Lou Qianyuan jumped down sideways, shouting, "Ruan Wan, Ruan Wan!"

With no response, Lou Qianyuan dived down, but there was no one underwater. Unable to hold his breath any longer, Lou Qianyuan swam back to the surface, panting heavily.

Chang Le panicked. She had only intended to embarrass her, but now that someone had died, she hurriedly ordered her men to search for and arrest the culprit.

Lou Qianyuan returned to the boat after several fruitless searches. He knew that her behavior and thoughts were different from others, but he never expected that she would jump into the river for her maid.

Lou Qianyuan thought that he was the one who had harmed her. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't have been invited by Chang Le today. He was overcome with grief.

Lou Qianyuan was completely bewildered. Chang Le stepped forward and handed him a towel, which Lou Qianyuan grabbed and threw into the river. He then strode to the bow of the boat and sat down.

Chang Le, who was standing behind him, was almost in tears. The Fourth Prince comforted her, while the Sixth and Seventh Princes helped with the rescue. It was difficult to explain that the Third Miss of the Ruan family, who was born of the royal family, had an accident on the royal ship.