"Big sister," Shu Ying barely managed to maintain her smile, "what are you doing here."
"My maid has been carrying on an affair. Of course I had to come."
"What?" Shu Ying’s complexion changed, "Big sister, that Lin—"
"Bring her out! Caiyun has been carrying on an affair; deal with her according to the house rules. Take her away to be sold."
No sooner had Shu Wan finished speaking, than a few servants emerged from behind her, leading Caiyun up from beneath the bridge.
Lin Yu also followed them up, and upon seeing Shu Wan, his eyes widened. He pointed at Caiyun and was just about to say something when someone pressed a point on his waist, rendering him speechless.
"Please spare this servant, Lady Shu; I was momentarily foolish."
Caiyun knelt before Shu Wan, loudly begging for mercy.
"According to the law, you should be drowned. But considering your young age, you will be sold instead."
As Shu Wan spoke, she gestured for the people behind her to take Caiyun away. Shu Ying didn’t even have the chance to intervene.
"This man has not only tarnished my reputation but has also seduced a maid from the Shu family. My father has been away these past few days; I must trouble you all to take him into custody for now."
Because of Lin Yu, everyone nearly became accomplices in ruining Shu Wan’s reputation. If County Magistrate Shu found out upon his return, he would surely punish them severely.
Thus, the disdain in everyone’s eyes towards Lin Yu was immediate. The bailiffs stepped forward and took Lin Yu into custody.
They didn’t get their dose of gossip, but they did see a beauty. Curious onlookers still crowded the bridge, unwilling to leave.
"Sorry to have delayed everyone," Shu Wan smiled at the crowd, "I’ve had some pastries prepared over there at the house. You are welcome to try them."
The pastries from the county magistrate’s house were truly enticing, and the crowd scattered towards the street corner.
Before long, not many people remained on the bridge.
That’s when Shu Ying came over with a sullen face, "Big sister, hadn’t I arranged everything? Did you change your mind?"
"It’s lucky I had Caiyun send a message to Young Master Lin first. If it had been me just now, our Shu family would have been shamed, and you would not have been able to marry out."
Shu Ying was stunned, "What do you mean?"
"If I were rumored to be in an illicit relationship, do you think those noble families would let their sons marry you?"
Only then did Shu Ying realize the gravity of the situation and broke out in a cold sweat.
Indeed, if rumors about Shu Wan, as the legitimate elder sister, were poor, Shu Ying would also find it difficult to find a suitable match in Shangnan County.
"Let’s forget about it, tonight really wasn’t the best opportunity," Shu Ying hastily said upon remembering Lin Yu’s capture, "but you must quickly arrange someone to rescue Young Master Lin. He was caught because of you."
"Of course I will save him, don’t worry."
"So you will still run away with Young Master Lin, right?"
Seeing that Shu Wan seemed sincere, still possessing her simple and easily deceived appearance, Shu Ying felt somewhat relieved.
Having not dispatched Shu Wan tonight, County Magistrate Shu would return tomorrow, and the chance of sending her away would diminish greatly; Shu Ying had to hurry back and think of another plan.
Thus, upon returning to the estate, Shu Ying made up an excuse to retreat to her own courtyard. Googlᴇ search NoveI~Fire.net
Shu Wan strolled leisurely back, and soon a young servant came to report, "Miss, we have followed your instructions and delivered the person to Landlord Li’s place."
"Mm," Shu Wan nodded her approval, "You may go."
The servant left, and Shu Wan, having dismissed everyone else, sat alone by the lake to admire the moon.
Who saw the moon for the first time by the riverbank? When did the river moon first shine upon someone? Generations of people come and go without end, yet the river moon yearly gazes similar.
This moon had been beheld by her millennia later.
Only back then, she never felt lonely while moon-watching because Fu Siyu was always with her.
She didn’t know by what means she had departed nor did she know whether another soul had taken over her body in the same way after she left.
Everything was unknown, but she knew her departure would have saddened Fu Siyu and Fu Yang.
Under the moonlight, a glimmer of luminance surfaced in Shu Wan’s eyes. In the vast darkness of this ancient night, she thought of Fu Siyu and Fu Yang.
In the 21st century, at the Imperial Manor, 7 o’clock in the morning.
Fu Siyu opened his eyes and turned his head to kiss Shu Wan on the forehead. Seeing that Shu Wan was still sleeping peacefully, he got up on his own.
These past few days, Fu Siyu and Fu Yang often played basketball in the morning, and this morning was no exception.
Father and son played basketball for an hour before returning to the living room for breakfast. On the way back, knowing Shu Wan liked them, they picked an entire basket of bright, tender, fragrant flowers from the garden by hand.
Upon reaching the living room, however, Shu Wan was nowhere to be found; she usually would have come downstairs to eat by now.
"Young Madam probably stayed up late last night and is still sleeping."
"It’s fine, let’s eat first and let her sleep a little longer."