The groom carried the bride away amid great fanfare, and the procession of vehicles moved through a cascade of firecrackers from the Yan Mansion toward the Shi residence.

The wedding drew half the city out to watch. Both sides of the streets were packed with people, alive with festive noise.

After the bride arrived at the Shi residence, the wedding attendants guided her through the full ceremonial sequence. The final rite was the traditional three bows of the newly wedded couple.

Hidden beneath the bridal veil, no one could see the tear tracks streaking down the bride’s face. With every bow, more tears fell.

Once Yan Qin was escorted into the bridal chamber, she tore the veil off in a fury. One of the wedding attendants was alarmed. “You mustn’t, you absolutely mustn’t.”

“This thing was suffocating me. I’m not wearing it.”

The maid Qing Tian quickly tried to soothe her. “Miss, this is the Shi residence now. The Madam has instructed that from here on, everything must follow the Shi family’s customs. Please, no more willfulness.”

“Who gave you the nerve? A maid, lecturing her own mistress.”

“Qing Tian wouldn’t dare. Qing Tian is only passing along the Madam’s words.” Qing Tian dropped to her knees in fright.

“Everyone out.”

When neither of them moved, Yan Qin flung the veil hard toward the doorway — “Get out. Get out!”

The veil drifted down lightly and landed on a pair of pink shoes. The woman wearing them had on a dark blue qipao patterned with magpies perched on branches, her figure graceful, her eyes full of allure.

“Greetings to the Second Young Mistress.” She smiled over at Yan Qin.

“Who are you?” Yan Qin glared at her with open hostility.

“I am the Second Young Master’s concubine, Qiu Cao.” She stepped inside. “The Second Young Master is entertaining guests in the front hall. I came to check on the Second Young Mistress.”

Hearing that this was Shi Guang’s concubine, Yan Qin didn’t fly into a rage. Instead, her eyes shifted with calculation. She beckoned Qiu Cao closer and dismissed the two servants from the room.

“Since you’re Shi Guang’s concubine, perhaps you could do me a favor.”

“I wouldn’t dare presume. Second Young Mistress, please feel free to give your orders.”

Yan Qin was, after all, a girl who had only just gotten married, and she flushed slightly as she spoke. “Could you find a way to get Shi Guang to sleep in your room tonight instead of coming here?”

Qiu Cao was taken aback. “That really won’t do — today is your wedding night.”

“I’m begging you.” Yan Qin set her jaw and wrenched a gleaming gold bracelet from her wrist, pressing it into Qiu Cao’s hand.

Qiu Cao pushed it away quickly. “I truly cannot accept this.”

“Didn’t you just say I could give you orders?” Yan Qin’s temper flared. “This is the order I’m giving. You must do as I say.”

Qiu Cao let out a small sigh. “Second Young Mistress, whatever is driving you to this?”

Sensing that Qiu Cao seemed kind and someone she might confide in, Yan Qin finally spoke plainly. “I’ll tell you the truth — I didn’t want to marry Shi Guang. I was forced into it.”

Qiu Cao was inwardly stunned but arranged her face into an expression of deep sympathy. “Can such a thing really happen?”

“I have someone I love, and that person is not Shi Guang. So I don’t want him to touch me. I can’t stand him.”

Qiu Cao privately sneered. Of all the foolish women in the world — here was one who could be a golden phoenix and was instead pining after some barren branch.

“Second Young Mistress, I had no idea your circumstances were so difficult.” Qiu Cao’s eyes reddened. “In truth, my experience and yours are not so different. I was originally the Second Young Master’s maid. I had someone I cared for too, but the Second Young Master took a liking to me, and the Madam made me his concubine.”

“You — you were also forced into it?” Yan Qin was startled, and at the same time felt she had found a kindred spirit.

Qiu Cao nodded. “I was born lowly and had no power over my own fate. I never imagined that the Second Young Mistress, born of such distinction, would also have no say in her own marriage.”

Yan Qin grabbed her hand, overcome with feeling. “Sister Qiu Cao, we are both women of bitter fate. You must help me.”

“I am but a person of little standing — the Second Young Master won’t listen to me.”

“Then what can I do?”

Qiu Cao considered. “The Second Young Master has a proud nature. If he is provoked to anger, he will likely storm off — and then I can go to him and persuade him to spend the night in my room.”

“Provoke him to anger — but how?”

Qiu Cao hesitated. “Second Young Mistress, I urge you to think carefully. If you truly anger the Second Young Master, life in this household will not be easy for you.”

“I’m not afraid. I’d rather he never came near me again.”

“Very well, then.” Qiu Cao appeared reluctant. “The Second Young Master has a certain ailment.”

“What kind of ailment?”

“That kind.” Seeing that Yan Qin still didn’t understand, Qiu Cao explained, “A man’s… capability. In that regard.”

Yan Qin’s face reddened.

“Before anything can happen, he must take medicine. Without it, he is unable to manage.”

“So he’s useless, then.”

Qiu Cao quickly covered her mouth. “Second Young Mistress, please don’t take that risk — this is a subject the Second Young Master absolutely cannot bear to hear mentioned.”

“All the better.” Yan Qin snorted. “I hope he never comes near me.”

Then she took Qiu Cao’s hands in hers. “Sister Qiu Cao, I’m truly grateful. Keep the bracelet.”

Qiu Cao shook her head. “I felt a connection with you the moment we met — I think of you as a younger sister. Helping you is only right.”

Yan Qin was deeply moved. “If there’s ever anything Sister Qiu Cao needs from me, I’ll do everything in my power to help.”

Qiu Cao thought privately: you’d better focus on helping yourself first. If you really manage to enrage Shi Guang, never mind finding your footing in this household — he might just have you shot on the spot.

After Qiu Cao left, Yan Qin had already laid out her plan in her mind. All she had to do was wait for Shi Guang to return.

The Shi family’s banquet stretched from midday into evening, and afterward another group of guests came to liven up the bridal chamber. Yan Qin was seething inside, but had no choice but to play along.

When everyone had finally gone and the room held only the bride and groom, Yan Qin’s nerves wound tight and she clutched the front of her robe.

“Are you hungry?” Shi Guang walked over and lifted the veil from Yan Qin’s head.

Yan Qin looked up at him, her gaze frigid.

That cold, distant look reminded Shi Guang of Yan Qing, and a wave of turbulence rose within him.

Yan Qin and Yan Qing bore a certain resemblance to each other — especially now, with Yan Qin wearing this expression that kept the world at arm’s length.

A dull ache twisted in his chest. He stepped forward and took hold of her shoulders. A wave of alcohol-laced breath washed over her, turning Yan Qin’s stomach.

“Why do you keep looking at me as though I disgust you? What have I done to make you hate me?” In Shi Guang’s eyes, Yan Qin’s features blurred and slowly twisted into another face entirely.

“What have I done wrong? Just tell me and I’ll change.” He pulled her sharply into his arms, the force of it nearly making her head swim. “Can’t you see that I care for you? Why do you keep pushing me away? Do you know that you’re the first woman I’ve ever kept thinking about? You’re nothing like the ordinary and vapid ones. You’re like a riddle, and I want to unravel you.”

Yan Qin tried to pull free but couldn’t.

“Don’t push me away.” Shi Guang breathed into her ear, his hand moving toward the front of her robe. “I want you.”

Yan Qin’s eyes flew wide in terror. Qiu Cao’s words rang in her mind, and she shoved him away with all her strength.

Shi Guang stumbled backward, barely catching himself before he fell.

The shock also sobered him somewhat. The face in front of him slowly resolved back into Yan Qin’s.

“Do you want some water?” Shi Guang pressed two fingers to his temple, which was beginning to throb — this headache of his always flared up when he drank too much.

Yan Qin said nothing.

He opened a drawer and rummaged through a collection of medicine bottles until he found one with pain relief tablets. He shook one out and swallowed it with water.

The smooth, practiced gesture — in Yan Qin’s eyes — lined up perfectly with what Qiu Cao had told her. He was taking medicine before the act.

The thought of what he intended to do made Yan Qin recoil with revulsion. That mix of fear and disgust stripped away any last restraint. She lunged forward from the bed and snatched the medicine bottle out of his hand, then hurled it to the floor.

“No wonder you had to scheme your way into getting a wife — you were born incapable. If you’re so useless as a man, why drag other people into your misery?”

“What did you say?” Shi Guang narrowed his eyes, wondering for a moment if he had misheard.

“I said you’re incapable. You’re not a real man. In ancient times, they’d have made you a eunuch.”

For a man — especially one of Shi Guang’s standing and power — to be publicly mocked by his new bride on their wedding night as unfit, it was a humiliation of the most obliterating kind.

“Do you have any idea what you’re saying?” Shi Guang lunged forward and seized her by the throat.

Yan Qin still seemed to have no will to live. “I said you’re useless. Useless. Useless—” cough, cough—

Shi Guang’s grip was crushing. Yan Qin began to feel the breath leave her. Just as she thought she was about to be strangled to death, Qing Tian came rapping frantically at the door from outside. “Second Young Master, Second Young Mistress — what’s happening in there?”

She had heard something crash and come to check.

Shi Guang threw a glance toward the door and released his hand. Yan Qin’s legs buckled and she crumpled to the floor, clutching her throat and coughing with great heaving gasps.

“You’ll pay for your own stupidity.” Shi Guang’s face was dark as a storm. He flung the door open and stormed out.

“Second Young Master.” Qing Tian moved to call after him, but Shi Guang had already disappeared into the night.

The morning after the wedding was traditionally the day for the new daughter-in-law to serve tea to her in-laws.

Early that morning, the Commander and Madam Shi were already waiting in the main hall. Shi Ting and Shi Qian sat together, speaking in low voices.

After quite some time passed, Madam Shi grew restless. She asked the maid nearby, “Hasn’t the Second Young Master gotten up yet?”

“I’ll go and check right away.”

After the maid left, the Commander’s expression soured. “Too much to drink last night, and he’s forgotten all propriety?”

Madam Shi quickly explained, “Newlyweds, you know how it is. Perfectly normal.”

Before long, the little maid came hurrying back. Something seemed difficult for her to say outright, so she leaned close to Madam Shi and whispered in her ear.

Madam Shi’s color changed instantly.

The Commander noticed something was wrong and looked over. “What’s happened?”

Madam Shi’s expression became strained. Under the Commander’s insistent gaze, she finally said slowly, “Weizhi didn’t sleep in the bridal chamber last night.”

“What?” The Commander was visibly startled, and even Shi Ting and Shi Qian broke off their conversation, looking over in surprise.

“Weizhi slept at Qiu Cao’s last night. He drank too much and still hasn’t gotten up.”

“This is outrageous.” The Commander struck the table sharply. “Yesterday was his wedding night — he left the bridal chamber and went to his concubine? If the Yan family finds out, they’ll say we’ve disgraced their daughter.”

“Commander, please don’t be angry. Weizhi is always careful and considered in everything he does — there must be some reason behind this.” Madam Shi turned back to the little maid. “And the Second Young Mistress?”

“She hasn’t gotten up either.”

At this, the Commander’s face turned an iron grey. The atmosphere in the hall pressed down until it was almost suffocating.

—