Chunxing, the maid attending to Yao Yun'er, discreetly retreated, closed the courtyard gate, and took up a post to stand guard.
Inside the courtyard, Song Mingjian held Yao Yun'er tight, refusing to let go. He lowered his head, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and took a deep breath, letting out a hum of satisfaction.
"You smell wonderful."
Yao Yun'er covered her mouth and giggled. She gripped the arm around her waist and tilted her head back, leaning into him until there was not a sliver of space between their tightly pressed bodies.
Before long, Chunxing at the gate heard the blush-inducing sounds drifting from the courtyard, and she grew instantly anxious. She thought to herself: *Madam Yun and the Master are truly reckless. It is fortunate that no outsiders usually come this way, and everyone inside and outside the courtyard is one of our own. If word of such things were to get out, it would certainly cause a scandal.*
Chunxing glanced left and right, acting as a nervous lookout. Yet, the very thing she feared most was exactly what came to pass.
Just then, she spotted someone approaching from far off in the distance. She immediately quickened her pace, intending to intercept them. Indignation flared in her heart: *Who is this blind fool coming to Yulan Courtyard at a time like this?*
But after walking a few steps and seeing who it was, she was struck dumb. It was the eldest young master.
Madam Yun had strictly instructed that the eldest young master must never be blocked when he came to Yulan Courtyard; he was to be treated with the utmost respect. But now... now...
Chunxing’s face turned pale; she was on the verge of tears. She glanced toward the courtyard. Although she was at a distance, the sounds were clearly audible to anyone who listened with even a little care. The eldest young master was a father himself; if he heard, he would surely know what was happening inside.
Chunxing stamped her foot hard and hurried forward, deliberately raising her voice: "Greetings, Eldest Young Master. Why have you come at such an hour?"
Song Jingcheng was in high spirits and focused entirely on seeing Song Mingjian quickly; he did not notice her strange behavior. "I have matters to discuss with my father. A servant mentioned seeing him head toward Yulan Courtyard, so I came straight here."
As he spoke, Song Jingcheng stopped to straighten his hem, then looked toward the courtyard, his words already prepared in his mind. Seeing the maid hesitating and looking displeased, he said, "What? Is it so difficult to announce me? Never mind, I shall go in myself."
His aunt had always been easygoing and had treated him better than her own son; surely she would not blame him for his bluntness.
Song Jingcheng took a step forward. Chunxing’s face drained of color, and she shouted, "Eldest Young Master, no! You cannot go in..."
Inside the courtyard, Song Mingjian and Yao Yun'er were caught up in their passion, completely unaware of the commotion outside. It was Yao Yun'er who heard the voice and snapped back to reality, hastily adjusting her collar. Song Mingjian also heard the noise, frowned, glanced at the gate, and straightened his clothes. While he looked relatively composed, Yao Yun'er’s clothes were in disarray.
With a flushed face, Yao Yun'er covered her collar, not in a state to be seen by anyone. She started toward the room, but only after a single step did she hear the sound of the courtyard gate being pushed open. Startled, she spun around, frantically fastening the buttons on her bodice. She felt a deep sense of regret for not heading indoors sooner; she must not let her own son discover anything.
The door opened, and Song Jingcheng immediately saw Song Mingjian in the courtyard. He strode over. "Father."
Seeing who it was, Song Mingjian looked displeased. Feeling somewhat guilty, he tugged at his collar and looked at Song Jingcheng with a stern expression. "You are a father yourself now, why are you still so reckless?"
Sensing his father’s bad mood, Song Jingcheng instinctively glanced at his aunt, who had her back turned to them. The atmosphere felt strange; the two of them seemed to have been arguing. However, he did not care about their conflicts right now; his only concern was that his mother had finally relented. As long as he informed his father, he could bring his beloved into the manor. He did not want to wait even a moment longer.
With a smile, Song Jingcheng bowed to Song Mingjian. "Father, I have come in such a hurry because there is something I must discuss with you."
Song Mingjian glanced at Yao Yun'er, pulled up a chair to sit, and reached out to pour himself some tea, only to realize he had swept the cup and pot onto the floor moments before. He retracted his hand with a touch of embarrassment. "Speak then. What is it?"
Nearby, while quietly doing up her buttons, Yao Yun'er pricked up her ears. How could she not care about her own son? If it were not for the connections the Yun family possessed, she would not have had to endure such suffering, unable to acknowledge her own son and forced to watch over him only from the shadows. Song Jingcheng was always a well-mannered and sensible child; he must have something significant on his mind to be this urgent today.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard his words.
"Father, I wish to take Yanran into the manor as my legal wife."
"What? That courtesan? Wife? As your legal wife?" Song Mingjian’s voice rose in anger as he glared at Song Jingcheng.
Song Jingcheng was startled, but for the sake of his love, he braced himself. "Yes. I love Yanran, and I will marry no one else."
Song Mingjian flew into a rage at these words. He slammed his hand on the table, rose from his stool, and glared at him. "Preposterous! Do you have any idea what kind of nonsense you are spewing? Has a mere courtesan robbed you of your senses? I am telling you, it is impossible. Get this notion out of your head!"
Song Mingjian’s stubborn attitude triggered a rebellious streak in Song Jingcheng. Thinking that his mother had already agreed and that he absolutely could not let his father block him, he gritted his teeth, knelt before Song Mingjian, and cupped his hands. "I beg Father to grant your consent."
"You... you..." Song Mingjian was so furious he saw stars.
Realizing the situation was spiraling, Yao Yun'er’s movements became more swift. Having smoothed her appearance, she turned around and gave Song Mingjian a meaningful look. She then gazed at her son with maternal affection and stepped forward to help him up. "Why are you kneeling? Get up. A father and son should speak calmly about these matters."
Song Jingcheng looked at Yao Yun'er with gratitude and rose as she assisted him. His aunt was the most gentle and kind-hearted person, and she had always been good to him; he was willing to listen to her.
Seeing him stand, Yao Yun'er’s expression softened. Relieved, a smile bloomed on her face. "That is better. A family should talk things through reasonably."
Song Jingcheng nodded. "Aunt, I truly love Yanran. Though she comes from a brothel, she was forced into it. She has kept herself pure, selling her talent but not her body. She is just as gentle and kind as you are, Aunt. If you were to meet her, you would surely like her. Truly."
Hearing these words, Yao Yun'er felt a tightness in her chest.
*From a brothel, yet kept herself pure?*
*And just as gentle and kind as she was?*
Yao Yun'er felt dizzy. Song Mingjian, standing to the side, could no longer restrain himself and was about to lash out when Yao Yun'er pulled him back. She struggled to control her emotions and took a deep breath.
"It is not that your father disagrees, but primarily... your mother would be difficult to answer to."