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墨書 Inktalez
Su Wan'er sat at her desk, her fingertips unconsciously stroking a plain handkerchief.
The tea on the table had long gone cold, and the room was so quiet that only her faint breaths could be heard.
Outside the door, a maid whispered, "Madam, Young Master Zhao is waiting in the flower hall."
She gathered her emotions, raised her hand to smooth her hair, and spoke in a gentle yet undeniably calm voice, "Please let him in."
Zhao Ziming stepped into the room, his stride as cheerful as ever, though a hint of seriousness clouded his brow.
Noticing her indifferent expression, he felt a slight tightening in his chest and tentatively asked, "Su Wan'er, have you been well lately?"
Su Wan'er nodded lightly, her features showing no sign of change. "Everything is as usual in the residence, Young Master Zhao. I have an important matter to entrust to you and hope you can assist me."
Zhao Ziming's heart stirred; lowering his voice, he said, "Su Wan'er, just speak freely. As long as I can do it, I will spare no effort."
She handed him a small brocade pouch, her tone devoid of any emotion. "Go to Jiangnan and find Mei Ruolan. Tell her that if she agrees to this matter, all this silver will be hers. Once it is done, I will send her out of the city, never to see her again."
Zhao Ziming was taken aback, his gaze fixed on the brocade pouch as if he had not yet grasped the situation. "Su Wan'er, are you truly going to do this?"
With her eyelashes lowered, Su Wan'er spoke in a detached tone as if it were unrelated to her: "The Li family has no sons; Li Lingfeng suffers every day because of it. Others think me virtuous but do not know I blame myself daily. Ruo Lan's family is impoverished; if she can escape this predicament through this means, isn't it a win-win situation?"
Zhao Ziming clenched his teeth, suppressing his indignation. "But you... you clearly don't have to demean yourself like this. Li Lingfeng..."
"Young Master Zhao." She interrupted him sharply, raising her gaze. The glimmer in her eyes quickly faded away. "Do you know that some things in this world cannot be changed by mere willingness? Just go ahead and do it; there's no need to ask about the rest."
Zhao Ziming looked at her, his throat dry. In the end, he took the brocade pouch and said softly, "Alright, I will go."
He turned to leave but found his steps weighed down considerably.
Su Wan'er sat alone for a long time, her fingertips unconsciously tightening around the handkerchief.
A wave of pain surged within her—though she had orchestrated everything herself, it felt as if each cut was inflicted upon her own heart.
In the deep of night, she quietly summoned her trusted maid Qing Xing.
"You will go to Jiangnan with Young Master Zhao tomorrow. Make sure to meet Mei Ruolan in person and hand her my letter," Su Wan'er said, her voice calm to the point of being cold. "If she is unwilling, then consider this matter as if it never happened, and send her the silver as well."
Qing Xing lowered her head in acknowledgment, her voice barely above a whisper. "Madam... if Miss Mei asks about the reason, how should I respond?"
Su Wan'er closed her eyes, her fingertips trembling slightly. "Just say it is my personal matter and has nothing to do with anyone else."
Qing Xing nodded and withdrew.
The next morning, Zhao Ziming and Qing Xing set off southward in a carriage.
In early spring in Jiangnan, fine rain fell like silk.
Mei Ruolan was practicing a new dance by the riverside under the willow trees when she spotted Zhao Ziming and a maid in plain clothes approaching from afar. She had an inkling of what was coming.
"Young Master Zhao, what brings you here?" She ceased her movements, smiling lightly, though her eyes betrayed a natural wariness.
Zhao Ziming glanced at her, his expression complex. He simply said, "Miss Ruo Lan, this is Miss Qing Xing from the Su residence. Madam has a letter she wishes to personally deliver to you for your perusal."
Mei Ruolan took the letter, her fingertips feeling cool against the paper.
As she looked at the familiar handwriting, her heart inexplicably raced.
She unfolded the letter, each word striking her deeply—
"Miss Ruo Lan, I am making an audacious request today. I hope you can agree to one thing: spend one night with my clumsy husband Li Lingfeng. After you bear a child, I will generously reward you with silver to ensure your safe departure. The situation at home is difficult for you, and I cannot bear to see you suffer. This matter concerns the reputation of the Li family; I hope you will consider it carefully."
Mei Ruolan was momentarily stunned, her fingers gripping the letter tightly.
Inside her heart were feelings of shame, astonishment, and a twinge of humiliation—she couldn't quite discern them herself.
Zhao Ziming spoke softly, "Miss Ruo Lan, Madam is also in a difficult position. If you are willing, all the silver will be yours; if not, then consider this matter as if it never happened."
Qing Xing quietly placed the embroidered pouch in front of her.
Mei Ruolan remained silent for a long time before slowly raising her head, her expression indifferent. "Madam is indeed a wise person. However, the world is unpredictable, and my current predicament is merely a matter of bad luck."
She neatly folded the letter and gently stroked it. "Do you know why people say Madam Li is virtuous?"
Zhao Ziming opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.
Mei Ruolan's lips curled into a faint, cold smile. "Because she is willing to turn her own suffering into an opportunity for others."
She lowered her head, gazing at the pouch, her fingertips lightly tapping the table as a storm brewed within her heart.
Memories flooded back—her mother's groans on the sickbed, the financial struggles at home, and countless nights spent dancing in the cold wind, feigning composure just to earn a few coins.
She once believed that one day she could rise above her circumstances through her skills; she also once thought she would have a warm home.
Yet all of this had become nothing more than a bargaining chip in Su Wan'er's letter.
Her teeth gently bit down on her lower lip as humiliation, anger, and helplessness surged within her.
But in the end, she raised her head again, her voice surprisingly calm. "Alright, I agree, but I have conditions..."
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