Three Joys

Chapter 59

In that instance, with just an arm's length separating us, I impulsively pushed him away.

Lu Qingsu retreated a step, as if awakening from a deep dream. He had crossed a significant line by sitting so close to my bed.
I panted softly, my body trembling, and looked at Lu Qingsu, who had turned pale. He stood up and knelt before me.

"Young Master," he said, without raising his head, "it's my fault, and I broke the rules."

I watched him for a while, then spoke, my voice trembling ever so slightly

"You may leave now and do not return."

Lu Qingsu remained silent while kneeling for quite some time. After a while, he stood up, bid me farewell, and left. I watched his departing figure, still the familiar person from my memories. However, it was not he who had changed, but rather, it was me.

Afterward, almost two weeks passed without Lu Qingsu visiting. I knew he had instructed the servants to care for me attentively, and I felt no neglect during his absence.

As Yinpeng was combing my hair, she touched it gently and said, "Young Master, your hair is so soft."

Hearing this comment, I couldn't help but think of Biyu. She had returned to her hometown, but I had learned that Sichuan had been grappling with an intense drought this year. In the past two years, the region had faced either floods or locust infestations, and this cycle persisted for three consecutive years.

By mid-July, in the midst of the scorching summer, the Xinglong Temple in the capital caught fire, causing the destruction of several Buddha halls and the death of over a hundred monks due to the smoke. This calamity sent shockwaves through the populace, and whispers began circulating that the current emperor's perceived disregard for filial piety, which had contributed to the death of Empress Dowager Xie, had incurred the heavens' wrath, subsequently triggering a sequence of misfortunes.

The emperor's anger flared, leading to the arrest of numerous individuals. For several days, he presided over court sessions with seething fury, and none of the high-ranking officials dared to voice their opinions.

My health continued to improve, and my appetite slowly returned. One day, as I sat in my room transcribing a book, I detected the sound of approaching footsteps.

I couldn't help but look up and see a figure in brown-yellow attire approaching me.

"Young Master" he stood still about five paces away and gently called my name.

Lu Qingsu always chose his moments carefully when he visited. This time, there were only the two of us, and no one else was present. Since that day, he had not appeared in front of me, so his presence today signified that he had an important matter to address.

Now, nobody within the household could dictate to anyone else. Lu Qingsu looked at me, as if struggling with something. I put down my brush, and my tone was indifferent as I said, "Speak, Lu Manager, if you have something to say, there's no need to hold back."

It seemed that Lu Qingsu had gone through an internal struggle. Finally, he closed his eyes and knelt down slowly in front of me. I felt a change in my expression and moved to help him, but he took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "I have already informed Chief Steward Zhang of my leaving."

Upon hearing this, I was taken aback and immediately asked, "Why?"

Lu Qingsu lowered his gaze and began to speak, "Young Master, you may not be aware of my background, but I was originally purchased by Steward Zhang from the flower streets and alleys. Over the years, I've diligently searched for my relatives with the help of others, and it was only last year that I received news about them. Before returning to the capital, I journeyed to Jian'an and finally located my mother. She's old, living in hardship without anyone to rely on, so I've decided to spend the rest of my life taking care of her. That's why I made up my mind during this visit to explain my intentions to Chief Steward Zhang."