When Jinying Wangfu received news that Jiang Ruan was coming, Steward Lin immediately ordered the servants to clean the manor from top to bottom. Not even the Emperor experienced such an honour when he visited.
But it was all because Jin Er said, “In short, the marriage edict will come soon. This is the first time that the whole household will greet our Young Furen, shouldn’t we be more presentable?”
Steward Lin seemed to have grown younger by a decade overnight. He ran all over the wangfu, making Jin Si shake her head at his enthusiasm. “How is this a steward when even a wet nurse wouldn’t be so hardworking.”
When Jiang Ruan finally arrived at Jinying Wangfu with Lu Zhu and Tian Zhu, she was greeted with a neat chorus of, “Hello, Young Furen.” Their imposing manner reached the sky, causing the birds in the yard to startle and the vicious guard dogs to bark in confusion.
Lu Zhu lowered her head and snickered, while the corners of Tian Zhu’s lips twitched. Only Jiang Ruan’s expression showed no ripples as she said, “The Empress Dowager asked me to deliver some things to Wangye.” It was as if the heralded ‘Young Furen’ from just now wasn’t related to her at all.
The little servants of Jinying Wangfu were all stunned by their future Young Furen’s nonchalant and lackadaisical attitude. However, before they could react Xiao Shao walked out. Then, without even sparing a glance at Steward Lin or the others, he said to Jiang Ruan, “Come with me.”
And without further ado, he ushered her into the wangfu.
Inside, the servants tacitly dispersed.
Jiang Ruan instinctively followed Xiao Shao step by step. The last time she came, the situation had been urgent and she didn’t have the time to enjoy the scenery. Now though, when she looked around, she felt that it resembled Xiao Shao very much. Black stones and crystal clear water features that had clearly stood the test of time, were distinctly clear and cold. As for the densely wooded area, though it appeared a bit varied and irregular, its array was fascinating and gave off a sense of cultured elegance and sophistication.
Furthermore, the plants weren’t overly pruned, lending it a more casual air. When compared to the flowers that the ladies carefully tended to in the Jiang fu, she was more impressed by this simple scene.
Xiao Shao’s back was as solitary and elegant as always, but for some reason he walked slower than usual today. Thus Jiang Ruan, who was fascinated by the garden’s scenery, didn’t notice when Xiao Shao had stopped and accidentally bumped into his back.
“……”
Xiao Shao turned to see Jiang Ruan rubbing her forehead. He was so tall, with long arms and legs, that she only reached his chest. It was rare for her to make such a mistake. Her action of rubbing her forehead reminded Xiao Shao of a sika deer fawn he raised while he was studying on Mt. Jianan, which people couldn’t help but pet from time to time.
Unconsciously, Xiao Shao acted on his thoughts. The soft touch under his palm suddenly brightened his originally unhappy mood, but when he looked down, he met Jiang Ruan’s shocked gaze. He coughed lightly and took his hand back as if nothing had happened.
“The Empress Dowager has decided to grant marriage,” Jiang Ruan said, straight to the point without wasting words. “Do you have anything to say to me?”
“Jiang Xin Zhi has been defeated. If Xuan Li and Xuan Hua wish to obtain control over the military power under Jiang Xin Zhi and Guan Liang Han, they are bound to send reinforcements. Currently, the Generals are mostly split into two factions — they are either Xuan Li’s people or Xuan Hua’s people. The Zhao family cannot act rashly. Although Xirong has bowed its head and now seems harmless, it still has hidden ambitions; if the stationed troops leave from there, Xirong may make some moves. South Xinjiang is also inherently difficult to deal with. If, at that time, there are both internal and external troubles, then Great Jin will be in crisis.” Xiao Shao paused, then looked at her. “Xuan Li has you in his sights. If you marry him, the Zhao family will be held hostage, and if Jiang Xin Zhi is still actually alive, he will also fall under his control. You will be the only one pushed out if the wind turns.” With eyes as dark as ink, he said lightly, “You’re in a difficult situation, I want to protect you.”
“Xiao Shao, did you not understand my words before?” Jiang Ruan asked rhetorically. “I don’t need protection, I need revenge.”
“I’ll help you,” Xiao Shao said.
“You’re not afraid I’ll bring calamity?” Jiang Ruan smiled softly.
“I owe you a life, so now this life is yours,” Xiao Shao stated solemnly. “I will not stop you.”
“Do you repay everyone who saves your life like this?” Jiang Ruan asked. “Whoever saves you, you’ll marry?”
“You are the first.” This captivating young man’s mannerism was cold yet affectionate, and his eyes held a hint of doting that even he couldn’t detect himself, like the gentle spring rain. In a slightly hoarse voice, he continued, “You are the only one.”
* * *
Lu Zhu, who stood outside the pavilion as she watched the two of them talking, was so worried that she pulled out several hairs in a row. “This… Will this go well?”
A figure hanging upside down from the beam suddenly appeared in front of her. Lu Zhu screamed in surprise, but the person quickly turned over, stood in front of her, and reached out to cover her mouth. “Shh, be quiet. Don’t disturb Master!”
Lu Zhu glared at Jin Er and said angrily, “Pervert!”
Only then did Jin Er let go of her. “What pervert, I’m handsome and cool, countless women adore me… Hey, don’t go!”
Lu Zhu left without turning back. Jin Er wanted to chase, but found himself blocked by a person. It was Jin San. Jin San ran her hand through her hair and with a romantic countenance, teased. “What? Trying to woo a girl?”
“Nonsense.” Jin Er waved his hand. He plucked a piece of grass and stuck it in his mouth. “Not interested.”
“Ah, even a veteran like you can make mistakes.” Jin San sidled closer to Jin Er with a mysterious grin. “You have to be careful, the Jinyi guards in the wangfu are keeping a close eye on that girl, and all the rest of Young Furen’s maids as well. Besides, Lu Zhu is so cute that there are a lot of people eyeing her. Don’t say later that I didn’t remind you.” After saying that, she jumped up and disappeared.
Jin Er’s face turned complicated for a long while, then he spit out the grass in his mouth and strode forward.
Perched on a tree, Jin San cradled a pot as she rubbed her hands. “Come on, come on, let’s see if Jin Er will drop the ball, take a gamble, take a bet. Hey, hurry up or it’ll be too late.”
* * *
In any case, the desolate Jinying Wangfu became much more lively due to the arrival of Jiang Ruan’s party. Jin Si attributed this to the fact that there were too few women in Jinying Wangfu — there were no more than ten, the guards and maidservants combined, and none of them could be touched.
Except for Tian Zhu, all the maids brought by Young Furen had their own characteristics. This time, the rascals who’d been forced to behave themselves for over a decade couldn’t wait to have a taste. Lu Zhu and Lian Qiao were almost overwhelmed with flattery. If it wasn’t one guard sending a box of snacks, then it was another one sending a bouquet of flowers. This caused a confused Lu Zhu to complain, “The subordinates are so clever, so why is their master so clueless?”
Although the master wasn’t enlightened, he had a group of enthusiastic subordinates. For example, Jiang Ruan should have left in the evening, but as soon as she took a step out the door, Steward Lin exclaimed exaggeratedly, “Oh goodness, who broke Young Furen’s carriage? And the horse, it seems to have eaten something bad, we’d better find a veterinarian to take a look.” After saying so, he ran over and apologised to Jiang Ruan. “My deepest apologies, Young Furen, the carriage can’t be used. We don’t have any other carriages here, and the horse also needs rest. Besides, Young Furen, look at those clouds, what if it rains on your way back and something happens? Bah, never mind my old mouth, how could there be an accident? But it’s better to be safe, right?”
Lu Zhu speechlessly listened to Steward Lin’s blatant lies. How could it be so coincidental that the horse got sick right at this moment, and wouldn’t it be a joke if Jinying Wangfu didn’t have even a single carriage? And the weather — the moon and stars were clear and bright in the sky, what rain was he talking about? Steward Lin’s intentions were much too obvious. However, Lu Zhu was quite satisfied with his actions, because this at least showed that Jinying Wangfu attached great importance to her Miss. She immediately followed Steward Lin’s words and said, “That’s true, Miss, it’s late at night, I fear the streets might not be safe.”
It was still early evening, nowhere near ‘late at night’. Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao also remained silent in the face of Lu Zhu’s nonsense.
In the end, it was Tian Zhu who walked to Jiang Ruan with a solemn face. “Miss, the Empress Dowager sent a palace maid over with a message. She said that it’s already late, Miss can rest at Jinying Wangfu.”
“……”
Since they even brought out the Empress Dowager, did they even consider the honor and reputation of a young lady!
* * *
Fortunately, although they stayed at Jinying Wangfu, they didn’t see Xiao Shao too much, which saved a lot of embarrassment. Only Lu Zhu felt a bit disappointed. It was such a rare chance yet Xiao Shao wasn’t there. What a lost opportunity.
Everyone in Jinying Wangfu treated Jiang Ruan respectfully. Although the marriage edict hadn’t yet arrived, they all called Jiang Ruan ‘Young Furen’, which she accepted calmly, although only she knew how she truly felt about it.
At night, all the servants of Jinying Wangfu retreated, yet Jiang Ruan couldn’t sleep and so she let Lu Zhu light a lamp. With her mind full of thoughts, she decided to simply find a lantern, put on a coat, and take a walk around the wangfu.
The moon was bright and round — it was almost mid-autumn. Jiang Ruan carried the lantern, only accompanied by Lu Zhu. Neither of them paid attention to their path as their deep thoughts trapped them, and they soon came to the pavilion by the lake.
Standing in the pavilion, they could vaguely see the silhouette of a person with their back towards them, though it was unclear what they were doing. As the moonlight poured down and reflected on the water surface, the figure was gradually revealed to be Xiao Shao.
Jiang Ruan thought for a moment, then said to Lu Zhu, “You stay here.” She walked forward alone with the lantern.
The person at the pavilion turned when he heard movement behind him, and was slightly surprised when he saw Jiang Ruan. “Why haven’t you slept yet?”
Jiang Ruan’s eyes fell on the table, where there was a jade wine pot[1] and three cups. There was a wet stain on the ground, and some traces of burnt paper money next to the water. He was… paying respects to someone?
[1] Jade wine pot [玉壶]: similar to a teapot but for wine, typically less than 10 cm tall.
Xiao Shao took a seat. Jiang Ruan sensed that Xiao Shao’s mood was a little abnormal, but didn’t know if it was her illusion that he also had a bit of murderous intent.
Xiao Shao usually acted calm and aloof, and in Jiang Ruan’s view, sometimes he was even quite cute. But now, the obvious hostility added a layer of chills onto his entire person, causing feelings of dread in others.
The people he was paying respects to should be important to him. Two cups meant two people, but the memorial day for the late Jinying Wang and Jinying Wangfei was in winter, not now. As Jiang Ruan considered, she picked up the wine pot and weighed it. As the pot had less than half left, he must have also drunk quite a bit himself.
“I’ve requested permission from His Majesty to go on an expedition,” Xiao Shao suddenly said.
Jiang Ruan whipped around to look at him, but Xiao Shao was staring at the moon reflected in the lake. It was big and round, yet its light was hazy as it playfully jumped over the elegant line of his nose, his tightly pursed lips, and his graceful chin, before finally falling into those cold eyes.
Maybe it was because he’d been drinking that Xiao Shao’s voice was rather hoarse. “Of the 300,000 Jinyi guards, I will assemble 100,000 and make haste to Tian Jin.” He slowly turned to face Jiang Ruan. “Jiang Xin Zhi will be safe.”
“You aren’t obliged to do this,” Jiang Ruan said as she gazed at the lake. “You shouldn’t be involved in court matters, and you would be perfectly justified to stay out of this.”
“It is only a matter of time until we cut ties with South Xinjiang,” Xiao Shao stated. “It is not all for you.”
Jiang Ruan remained silent and had turned her head to continue staring at the lake, when she felt a tug on her hand. The force was well controlled and sufficient enough to make her fall into Xiao Shao’s embrace. And when she looked down, she was suddenly sitting on his lap.
A low gasp seemed to come from the distance.
Jiang Ruan wanted to get up, but Xiao Shao continued to control his strength very precisely — although she wasn’t hurt, she couldn’t move either. Sitting on someone else’s lap wasn’t something that had happened to her before, in this life or the last. However, Jiang Ruan wasn’t one with a hot temper, and nor would she make a fuss. She just stared at him without speaking.
Xiao Shao’s lips curved up when he saw her like this.
With this beautiful smile, moonlight seemed to condense in his eyes, making the handsome young man more alluring, yet he also seemed to carry sadness and imperceptible suffering.
While Jiang Ruan remained slightly absent-minded, she then felt her lips cool as the refreshing aroma of wine assailed her senses along with the uniquely masculine breath which gently covered her lips.
She was startled. However, before she could react, she felt a hand come up to support her head, deepening the kiss.
Their lips were equally cold, but the kiss was tender yet firm. As he boldly licked at the tip of her tongue and teeth, the aroma of warm wine engulfed her, bringing a new sensation along with it. She feared that unknown feeling, yet didn’t know how to let go.
Xiao Shao let her out of her imprisonment as soon as the kiss was over, but before she could get up, he pulled her tighter into his embrace and rested his chin on her head. “From now on, you’re my Wangfei [2].”
[2] 王妃 (wangfei): the official wife of a wang (王) or prince; equivalent to the position of princess consort in Western culture.
In her current position, Jiang Ruan couldn’t see Xiao Shao’s expression. If she could, she would have found the young man revealing deep and unusual gentleness, while his handsome face showed a faint blush and subtle smile. No matter how intoxicating the moonlight, it couldn’t compare to the dazzling waves in those cold eyes.
Only when he held her in his arms like this could he clearly feel how thin her body was, as if a single gust of wind could blow her over. However, Xiao Shao knew that such a weak body belonged to someone who could shake Great Jin dynasty’s deepest foundations. He’d never felt this way in his more than twenty years of life. Frankly, something causing huge storms in his heart seemed to have taken root today, which almost made him lose control.
He matured at a young age, had a calm temperament, and was born with both a good appearance and a good brain. Even when he experienced a colossal shift in his family, he quickly adjusted his mentality and only garnered praise from others. But there was nothing in the world which changed overnight. The pain hidden in his heart slowly sank into his depths, until he became isolated from the mortal world. But unbeknownst to him, when his mood turned soft, like at this moment, those pains and hatreds buried within gradually dissipated in this warm embrace and light kiss.
How fortunate that although he seemed to have lived in loneliness for a hundred years, the hope and redemption he never thought he’d receive was now in his own grasp.
Jiang Ruan was slightly taken aback when she felt the hug grow tighter.
Her chaotic mind slowly recovered. She didn’t know whether it was because of the alcohol remaining in Xiao Shao’s mouth that she became dizzy and couldn’t react just then. Even now, she didn’t know how to respond to his domineering words.
Xiao Shao was indeed somewhat strange today. Jiang Ruan didn’t know if it was because of the people he was paying respects to, or if — considering his actions just now — it was because he was drunk.
After being taken advantage of by Xiao Shao so many times, it would be somewhat hypocritical of her to put on an angry expression now. Only, her mind was a complete mess, and she couldn’t think anything through at all. But since Xiao Shao was both drunk and sad, she internally sighed and silently acquiesced to acting as a wood block for him to hug and calm down.
Jiang Ruan herself also didn’t think of what her compliance represented. Although she didn’t care about love affairs in this life except what harm it might bring her as a weakness, if it were changed to someone else, how could she accept it? It was only with Xiao Shao that even getting angry seemed superfluous.
She thought and thought, and finally decided not to reject him. Xiao Shao hugged so tightly that she couldn’t break free, so she had no way of knowing what his expression was like, let alone what he felt as he hugged her. Jiang Ruan’s eyes were in a daze. There seemed to still be some residual heat on her lips, and a trace of red blush was on her cheeks.
She took a deep breath and said coldly, “Xiao Shao, you’re drunk, but I’ll consider you sober. I will not oppose the Empress Dowager’s marriage edict. After I enter Jinying Wangfu, we will be on the same boat.” She paused, then continued, “Since you dislike Xuan Li, how about I get rid of him for you?”
She’d always refused to take a loss. She was originally the one taking advantage, but she still said getting rid of Xuan Li was for Xiao Shao.
“You only kissed me because you’re drunk, I won’t fuss about this later.” When she said this, her expression was calm and magnanimous. However, what she didn’t know was that the person who held her raised his eyebrows slightly and moved his eyes, indescribably charming.
Well, she probably wouldn’t know one thing. That is — the men of the Xiao family were never drunk.
