When Zhuang Hanyan said those words, Wei Tingyu almost laughed. The heroine was finally resorting to feudal etiquette to protect herself.
"Would you like me to call out for you?" Wei Tingyu said, his eyes twinkling. "Let's all see how you, a delicate woman, traveled thousands of miles from Danzhou to the capital alone."
This was a checkmate. Zhuang Hanyan couldn't call for help. If Wei Tingyu's questions were made public, she wouldn't be able to explain anything. Seeing her tense and flustered, Wei Tingyu softened his tone. "Don't worry, I have no intention of exposing you. I just want to know your purpose for this journey."
Zhuang Hanyan looked at him. He seemed serious, and her heart relaxed. "I... I just want a home," she said, her voice filled with a hint of sadness.
Wei Tingyu was satisfied with her answer. She had opened up to him and told him a truth. Her words were a sign of surrender, a little cat baring its belly.
He reached out and took her hand. She was startled and tried to pull away. She knew he liked her, but she was still wary. She had considered using his affection and status to her advantage, but she wasn't ready to be so close to him.
She struggled to pull her hand away, but he held it firmly. As her face grew more distressed, she was about to scold him for his rudeness when he put a small porcelain bottle in her hand.
"This is my family's secret medicine, the Qi Qiao Hua Xue Cream," he said. "Take it and use it."
When he let go, Zhuang Hanyan realized she had misunderstood him. "I'm not sick," she said. "Please take it back. It's too valuable."
Her weakness was an act. She was already feeling much better and had no use for medicine. She didn't want to owe him another debt. The medicine sounded expensive and rare.
"This isn't for sickness," Wei Tingyu explained, sensing her hesitation. "The Qi Qiao Hua Xue Cream can remove scars."
Her eyes widened. She had scars all over her body, the painful reminders of the abuse she suffered from her adoptive parents. She hid them, but she was deeply insecure about them. How did he know she needed this? He couldn't have seen them. They had only known each other for two days, and she even wore clothes to bed.
"Don't worry, it's not poisoned," Wei Tingyu said with a smile.
He knew she would be his wife someday, and he didn't want her to feel ashamed of her body. The original Qi Qiao Hua Xue Cream had a mild effect, but the one he had exchanged from the system was ten times more potent. She would be able to erase her scars in two or three months. The thousand silver taels he spent were well worth it.
Zhuang Hanyan rolled her eyes. She knew he wouldn't poison her. He could simply expose her and ruin her life without resorting to such a convoluted plan.
"By the way," he said as he turned to leave, "your friend by the window has been practicing martial arts for a long time. She probably has a lot of scars too. She can use it as well."
He was referring to Chai Jing. Both Zhuang Hanyan and Chai Jing were stunned. By the time they recovered, he was gone.
Soon after, Zhuang Shixiang came in and gave his speech about his fatherly love and the hardships he had faced. Zhuang Hanyan pretended to be touched and dismissed him with a few tears.
When the door closed, Chai Jing entered through the window.
"Did I hurt you?" Chai Jing asked, looking at Zhuang Hanyan.
"No," Zhuang Hanyan said, looking up from the bottle.
"Your mother is not a good person," Chai Jing said, sitting beside her.
"At least she's not a woman who can be bullied," Zhuang Hanyan said with a wry smile. Ruan Xiwen was far from being bullied. If Wei Tingyu hadn't intervened, Zhuang Hanyan would have been beaten and thrown out of the house.
"I'll kill her!" Chai Jing said, standing up.
"No!" Zhuang Hanyan said, grabbing her. "She's my mother! Remember, this is the capital, not Ganzhou or the sea. Our every move is watched. There are powers here you cannot fight. You must not act recklessly."
"I understand," Chai Jing said. She looked at the medicine on the table and picked it up. She smelled it and felt a jolt of energy.
"This medicine seems effective," she said. She had seen countless medicines in her years as a wandering swordsman, but she had never seen one with such a strong and unique scent. She knew it was not poison.
"Are you also surprised by this medicine?" Zhuang Hanyan asked.
"This Duke of Wei is not simple," Chai Jing said. "He not only exposed our plan but also sensed my presence by the window."
Chai Jing's face was a mix of shock and admiration. She was a master of stealth, and yet he had found her. This meant he was much stronger than she had anticipated. She knew she was no match for him.
"But it seems he doesn't mean us any harm," Zhuang Hanyan said, sighing in relief. "My only worry is you. You are too impulsive. You must not provoke him. You must protect yourself to protect me."
"I understand," Chai Jing said. She wouldn't be foolish enough to challenge him.
Two days later.
"Miss! Miss!" Shu Hong ran in, a wide smile on her face. "Aunt Zhou just turned away another matchmaker!"
"Another one?" Zhuang Hanyan said, looking up from her book. "That makes six in two days, doesn't it?"
"Yes!" Shu Hong said. "After the Duke of Wei came to visit you the other night, all hell broke loose..."
Zhuang Hanyan gave her a look, and Shu Hong stopped. She knew her mistress was embarrassed about that night.
"And then?" Zhuang Hanyan said.
"And then matchmakers started coming in waves to ask for the Second Miss's hand in marriage!" Shu Hong said. "Even the Han family, which had broken off the engagement, agreed to the marriage! They don't care about your curse anymore!"
Zhuang Hanyan smiled. She knew the news of her and the Duke had spread. Many families were now willing to marry into the Zhuang family to be connected to the Duke of Wei's mansion. They were willing to take the risk for power.
She also knew what Zhou Ruyin was doing. She was turning away all the matchmakers to leave the path clear for Zhuang Yushan.
"Miss, why is Aunt Zhou turning them away?" Shu Hong asked, confused. "She was so worried about the Second Miss's marriage, and now that matchmakers are knocking on the door, she won't even listen to them."
"It's not that she's changed," Zhuang Hanyan said with a faint smile. "The situation has changed. None of these families can compare to the influential person right here."
"The influential person right here..." Shu Hong's eyes widened in realization. "Are you talking about... the Duke?"
"Of course," Zhuang Hanyan said.
"That Aunt Zhou is just too much!" Shu Hong said, her face flushing with anger.