Where the Mask Ends - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Why are you here?"

Satisfied that Lu Zhuo was not working with these two assassins and had no intention of attacking her, Wei Rao dusted off her skirt and stood up.

Her appearance was somewhat disheveled; after all, she had been climbing mountains and playing in the water. Her hair, held under her cap for a long time, had only been hastily smoothed over on the bank before she noticed the danger, leaving it less than perfectly tidy.

Yet, that face—fair and radiant, with finely arched brows, phoenix eyes, and lips as red as if washed by water—remained stunningly beautiful.

Even in men's attire, the elegant brocade robe clung to her slender waist, making her look like a beautiful peony in a field of wild grass: enchanting, alluring, and peerless.

This Fourth Miss truly deserves the praise Qi Zhongkai gave her as the "Capital’s Number One Beauty," Lu Zhuo thought, though she is far too unruly.

"Is this the attitude you show a savior?"

He stood tall, his position on higher ground giving him a commanding presence. His cold, aloof brows and eyes betrayed the posture of a superior.

A savior?

Wei Rao looked down. The two assassins were sprawled face-down on the grass, a strange, bloody red mark visible on the back of each man’s neck.

It seemed Lu Zhuo did indeed have the intention of saving her.

The problem was: when had he arrived? How long had he been watching? And why did he choose to act only at the most dangerous moment?

"You haven't answered my question yet." Wei Rao looked up, her eyes filled only with vigilance, lacking any hint of gratitude.

Lu Zhuo saw her suspicion, and a cold sneer appeared on his handsome face. "I was in the mountains appreciating the plum blossoms when I inadvertently discovered these two acting with furtive intentions. I tracked them all the way here. What, is Miss Wei suspecting that I am their accomplice?"

Wei Rao replied, "Not at all. It’s just that these two must have been lying in ambush here for quite some time. I am curious what Master Lu was doing during that period."

Lu Zhuo turned slightly to point at his hiding spot. "Before I clarified their intentions, I could not rashly intervene. However, as the saying goes, 'what is improper, do not look at.' Miss Wei can rest assured."

Lu Zhuo had only glanced at the pool before averting his eyes, confident he had seen nothing of detail.

"But Master Lu also did not stop the improper actions of these two," Wei Rao retorted sarcastically.

It was not that she wasn't grateful for his help, even if she didn't need it, but Lu Zhuo’s motives were not so pure, and his haughty attitude was repulsive.

She did not demand that Lu Zhuo act like a gentleman, but he should not pride himself on being one, either. A true gentleman would not have stood by watching two lecherous scoundrels take advantage of young girls.

Neither Wei Rao nor her cousins were sticklers for rigid rules, so they weren't overly bothered by two dead men "peeking" at their calves. If it had been any other young lady, she might have cried herself to death.

"If you had strictly adhered to 'what is improper, do not act,' there would be no need for the 'improper, do not look at' of others," Lu Zhuo shot back lightly.

If this had been any other young lady, Lu Zhuo would never have given those two assassins the chance to peek. But Wei Rao and these girls were truly in need of a lesson.

At this point, Wei Rao finally understood Lu Zhuo’s meaning.

It is true that you helped me, but it is also true that you are lecturing me.

"Thank you for your painstaking efforts, Master Lu. I accept the lesson. After today, we will not enter the mountains alone again. However, my other sisters are all weak and delicate. If Master Lu happens to encounter them being plotted against by villains in the future, I ask that you assist them in time. Both I and my family will be grateful for your kindness. If, however, it is only I who am in danger, you may feel free to ignore it."

Lu Zhuo frowned. What did she mean by that?

Wei Rao did not wish to say more. Pointing at the two corpses on the ground, she said, "I am returning now. Please, Master Lu, take care of this."

Having said this, Wei Rao walked out of the ravine, passing by Lu Zhuo without casting a glance his way.

Lu Zhuo stood with his back to her, his furrowed brows failing to relax even after she left.

She was the one who acted recklessly. Being ungrateful is one thing, but what is with the snide, sarcastic tone?

"Sister Rao, why did you walk so far?"

"I saw two black snakes."

"Ah? There are snakes here?"

"Mm. Let’s take these few fish back to eat. Those two snakes were quite unusual; they might attract others."

The girls hurriedly packed up their things and, led by Wei Rao, departed.

Lu Zhuo stood hidden among the trees, watching their departing figures, feeling a glimmer of relief. At least they know there is danger now; they are not entirely stubborn.

As for Wei Rao’s veiled words, Lu Zhuo looked at the two corpses on the ground, a hint of intrigue flashing in his eyes.

When he first noticed the pair, Lu Zhuo had realized they were not ordinary thugs or mountain bandits. Their cautious actions were more akin to those of trained assassins.

Those who could afford to keep assassins were either wealthy or noble.

The assassins' target was also very clear: they were only after Wei Rao, not the other girls.

Was it for beauty, or for her life?

Lu Zhuo’s gaze grew cold. Although he disapproved of Wei Rao’s conduct, she was, after all, just a young girl spoiled by her elders. Who could be so vicious as to want to harm her?

Lu Zhuo leaned over and turned the two bodies, attempting to find clues. After checking their pockets and robes, Lu Zhuo looked up and reached to pull the black veils from their faces. His eyes suddenly locked onto a small, bright red dot in the center of the forehead of one of the assassins, looking exactly like a vivid red mole.

Lu Zhuo checked the other man; sure enough, he had one, too, in the exact same spot.

A scene flashed through his mind: Wei Rao rolling on the ground to dodge the two attackers, her subsequent movements hidden by their bodies. Lu Zhuo felt a shiver run through him.

That girl... she actually dared to kill?

"If, however, it is only I who am in danger, you may feel free to ignore it."

Lu Zhuo finally understood that sentence.

Rolling in the dirt had cost two lives; with that level of skill, even two more assassins might not be her match.

At the foot of Mount Yunwu, Wei Rao smiled as she listened to Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin talk, but her heart was icy cold.

Four years later, and someone wanted her life again.

The Cheng’an Earl’s Mansion had no enemies. As for her and her grandmother, calculating carefully, the only people they had offended were those in the palace: perhaps the Empress Dowager, who was jealous of the Emperor’s respect for her grandmother, or other imperial consorts who were jealous of her mother’s unparalleled favor from the Emperor back in the day. However, her mother had been cast into the Western Hill Palace for over two years now, and the Emperor ignored her. There was no reason for the consorts to suddenly go mad. The only recent thing that had stirred trouble was her grandmother’s birthday, for which the Emperor had sent a gift.

So, it is the Empress Dowager again, is it?

Sending assassins, but not targeting all the sisters, choosing to act only when she was alone—was this an attempt to disguise it as a simple act of lust?

Ruthless and vicious. Truly worthy of being the harem winner who outmaneuvered all the other consorts of the late Emperor.

Wei Rao gripped her reins so tightly that she didn't even notice the rough rope scraping her palm.

The sisters rode their horses along the path and soon returned to the Idle Villa.

Lady Shou’an was planting vegetables.

The Idle Villa was too beautiful, and Lady Shou’an couldn't bear to ruin the meticulously arranged scenery inside, so she had cleared a plot of land outside the villa. This small patch satisfied her interest in farming while remaining easy to manage, preventing her from becoming too exhausted.

Eunuch Li accompanied Lady Shou’an. With each holding a rake, they looked, from a distance, like an old farming couple.

Wei Rao told Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin to enter the villa first. After dismounting, she didn't even bring Bitao, walking over to the vegetable plot herself.

"Why are you back so soon?" Lady Shou’an asked with surprise. When had her granddaughter ever spent less than half a day in the mountains?

Eunuch Li was her grandmother’s trusted aide, so Wei Rao saw no need to hide the truth. She sat on the edge of the dirt path and said with bitter hatred, "I encountered two assassins."

Lady Shou’an and Eunuch Li stopped their work simultaneously.

After a long while, Lady Shou’an told Wei Rao to hold the large porcelain bowl filled with seeds. As they worked—one tilling the soil, the other sowing seeds—the grandmother and granddaughter spoke in low voices.

"Were you hurt?"

"I’m fine. They targeted me when I was alone. Huizhu and the others don't know. I handled it quietly, but I ran into the Duke of England’s heir, Lu Zhuo."

Lady Shou’an was startled again. "Lu Zhuo?"

Wei Rao nodded and explained the circumstances.

Lady Shou’an thought for a while and said, "He didn't know you had the ability to protect yourself. His hesitation to act was out of kindness, so don't blame him, Rao’er."

Wei Rao said, "I understand. I thanked him."

Not just for herself, but for her other sisters—what if they truly needed to beg Lu Zhuo for help one day?

Although the man’s attitude was arrogant, his heart was upright, and he was willing to help an unrelated, vulnerable person.

Lady Shou’an knew her granddaughter was the most reasonable girl.

As for the assassins, Lady Shou’an could guess who had instigated them, but the problem was that they were powerless and had no way to deal with that person.

"Endure it. There is no other way." Lady Shou’an sighed gloomily and looked at Wei Rao. "They chose to act only when you went into the mountains, which means they are still afraid of something. Take this as a lesson; don't go into the mountains alone in the future. If you really want to go, take more bodyguards with you and travel with fanfare along the official road."

Wei Rao gripped the seeds in her palm, saying unhappily, "Going less often isn't the problem; it’s just suffocating."

Back then, she had nearly died in an icy pond, and the culprit had faced no punishment. Now, it had happened again.

Lady Shou’an glanced in the direction of the capital, smiled, and patted Wei Rao’s head. "Don't be suffocated; there is nothing to be suffocated about. Others harm us because they are jealous of us. As long as we are cautious, don't fall into their traps, and their calculations fail, that person will only grow more furious. Anger harms the body, and they won't be able to jump around for much longer."

That person in the palace was the same age as her, but her health was far worse—she wasn't even as well off as Old Madam Wei, who had chronic rheumatism.

As far as Lady Shou’an knew, when the Empress Dowager had framed her daughter and granddaughter years ago, half of her illness was feigned, but the other half was real. These past two years, she had relied entirely on elixirs to prolong her life. Medicine always has its toxic side; taking it occasionally is fine, but treating medicine as a meal is no different from fighting poison with poison—it is certainly not a recipe for longevity.

"Think about it: if she lived a comfortable life, would she remain so jealous and hateful toward a mere wet nurse like me?" Lady Shou’an gave Wei Rao a look that spoke volumes.

Wei Rao was amused by her grandmother’s open-mindedness.

"People," Lady Shou’an continued digging, her expression returning to one of ease, "only want to make others uncomfortable when they are uncomfortable themselves."

In her view, the Empress Dowager was too obsessed with vying for favor. When the late Emperor was alive, she fought with all of his women, drawing pleasure from the victories. Once the Emperor passed, she became the greatest winner in the harem, with no one left to compete with. She found herself bored, and when she realized the Emperor (her son) was closer to his wet nurse than to her, she began to compete for his filial piety.

It didn't look like a mother and son; it looked more like a wife and husband.

I’ve already chased that bitch out of the palace; how dare you send gifts to her with such fanfare, making the whole capital laugh at me? How can this be allowed?

Imagining the jealousy and resentment in the Empress Dowager’s belly, Lady Shou’an couldn't help but shiver.

It really wasn't easy for the Emperor to have a mother like that.

"Listen to me, Rao’er. Stay with me in the manor from now on. If we can’t afford to provoke them, we can at least hide." Lady Shou’an urged her again.

Wei Rao looked at her grandmother’s grand manor, beautiful and serene, and decided she had nothing to regret.