When the rooster crowed and dawn broke in the east, the young man on the bed straightened his clothes and stood up. After a night’s rest, and given that Xiao Shao’s recovery ability was better than ordinary people, he now appeared perfectly fine. Jin San leaped in through the window from outside, still somewhat worried about his injuries, and asked hesitantly: “Young Master…”
Xiao Shao waved his hand, and Jin San closed his mouth. After thinking for a moment, he said: “Miss Jiang has awakened and is outside.”
After Jin San left, Xiao Shao looked around the room. Yesterday had been rushed and he hadn’t noticed anything, but now upon waking, the entire room seemed to be suffused with a faint fragrance. Only now did he realize this was indeed a young lady’s boudoir.
Since taking over the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Xiao Shao had received all kinds of missions and had seen women’s chambers before, but in his mind they had always been just ordinary places, no different from gardens or lakes. Today was the first time he was aware of the difference. So the usually efficient Master Xiao, who never wasted time on trivial matters, for the first time seriously examined a woman’s boudoir.
Though called a boudoir, it didn’t quite seem like one. Unlike other women, there were no flowers or plants, no gorgeous bright silk curtains or drapes, and no exquisite beautiful decorations. For a girl who had just come of age, it seemed altogether too austere. Even Mo Cong, being a man, had quarters that looked more refined than Jiang Ruan’s.
Xiao Shao had heard something about how Jiang Ruan had been sent by Jiang Quan to live miserably at the estate. If it was a habit of frugality left from that time, unwilling to make lavish arrangements in her room, that would be understandable. But the dark, gloomy colors were somewhat unusual.
The eldest legitimate daughter of the Jiang family usually loved wearing red, and with her seductive appearance, she should have been as passionate as fire like a red fox, yet her temperament was as cold and aloof as a green snake. Looking around the room, the colors were mostly deep black – what ordinary woman would love black? Xiao Shao himself favored black because of his cold nature and early maturity compared to his peers, but Jiang Ruan was, after all, just a young girl. Xiao Shao was slightly stunned, as if he could glimpse Jiang Ruan’s deep secrets through these somber colors.
The desk was also piled with books. Xiao Shao casually flipped through them – they were legal codes of the Jin Dynasty and military treatises, dry and rigid things that usually only mature people would read. The military books had been thumbed until they were yellowing, clearly read frequently by their owner. Not only that, Xiao Shao discovered these legal texts weren’t just the latest editions – there were also collections from earlier years, even decades ago. He wondered what Jiang Ruan was doing reading these.
He stood quietly in place, lowering his gaze in thought for a while before looking away and walking slowly out of the room.
In the outer room, Jiang Ruan sat by the window with an unopened book on the table. She propped her chin on one hand, staring out the window lost in thought. Whatever she was thinking about made her expression somewhat cold.
Hearing footsteps, Jiang Ruan turned around and saw Xiao Shao approaching. She asked: “Why don’t you rest more?”
Ruan Residence was now considered an iron fortress within the Jiang mansion – no one dared interfere here. Jiang Ruan disliked excessive formality, so the maids and servants were more relaxed than those in other courtyards. At this hour, though she was awake, some of the maids and servants in Ruan Residence were still asleep.
Xiao Shao was also somewhat puzzled. It was just past cockcrow, yet Jiang Ruan looked as if she had risen very early. Noticing the faint dark circles under Jiang Ruan’s eyes, he understood and felt somewhat apologetic: “You… worked hard.”
This remark was so abrupt that Bai Zhi beside them almost couldn’t suppress her laughter. She lowered her head, found an excuse, and quickly withdrew to give Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao space to talk.
Jiang Ruan nodded. She was naturally a light sleeper. In fact, since her rebirth, though she appeared calm and indifferent, at night the nightmares from her previous life couldn’t be dispelled. Once awakened by nightmares in the middle of the night, she could never fall asleep again. If she had worries on her mind, she slept even more lightly.
Last night when Xiao Shao suddenly appeared, after settling him she had gone to the outer room with many thoughts weighing on her mind, making sleep even more elusive. Had Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao not repeatedly urged her, she wouldn’t have slept those few hours at all.
Xiao Shao sat down across from Jiang Ruan. Her gaze fell on his chest as she asked: “Is your wound better?”
Xiao Shao nodded: “I’ll leave shortly.”
“No need to be so hasty,” Jiang Ruan looked at him. “Having a bowl of brown sugar water before leaving won’t be too late.”
Mentioning brown sugar water made Xiao Shao’s expression stiffen again. He wasn’t ignorant of brown sugar water’s effects. Jiang Ruan had been drinking brown sugar water these days because of her monthly courses, but for a perfectly healthy man to drink brown sugar water – if word reached the Embroidered Uniform Guard, how could he command respect in the future?
Seeing his unnatural expression, Jiang Ruan found it somewhat amusing and changed the subject: “How long will you stay in the capital this time?”
Hearing this, Xiao Shao’s expression became serious. Seeing him thus, Jiang Ruan understood somewhat. She heard Xiao Shao say: “The capital may not be peaceful recently. Be extra careful in the mansion. If anything happens, use the whistle I gave you.”
Jiang Ruan’s eyes focused: “The Southern Border people are going to act?”
Xiao Shao was surprised. This was palace confidential information. Ordinary women, even if they knew, wouldn’t think in other directions, but Jiang Ruan seemed very sensitive to such matters. His gaze toward her unconsciously held more admiration: “Yes.”
“I understand.” Jiang Ruan didn’t elaborate. After a pause, she continued: “You’re already a target for all. Since the Southern Border people are rampant in the capital, they’ll mostly come for you. Be careful as well.”
In her previous life, Prince Jinying Xiao Shao’s name often seemed connected to the Southern Border. Even when the previous emperor was poisoned and Xuan Li seized the throne, Xiao Shao was in the Southern Border and couldn’t return immediately. If Xiao Shao had still been in the capital then, she wondered how the situation would have developed. Thinking of this, Jiang Ruan felt momentarily melancholy. Noticing Xiao Shao’s gaze, she steadied her emotions. Though she didn’t know the specific reasons, she felt Xiao Shao had some inexplicable connection to the Southern Border. Whether it was a generational feud or some other reason, when facing Southern Border people, Xiao Shao always carried a faint air of hostility. That hostility was very subtle, but because Jiang Ruan had died once, she understood that feeling very clearly.
Xiao Shao curved his lips slightly, his gaze softening: “Alright.” After a moment of silence, he continued: “What are your plans for the Xia family? Do you want me to help?”
After Jiang Ruan left yesterday, Tianzhu had come to the room and recounted in detail everything that had happened in the Jiang mansion these days. When Xiao Shao heard about Yu Ya’s scheme to frame Zhao Feizhou, he was very displeased. These people were like flies, constantly buzzing around annoyingly. If Jiang Ruan agreed, he could find a way to completely eliminate the Xia mansion and remove future troubles.
“No need, I have my own methods,” Jiang Ruan said. Revenge was something that needn’t be delegated to others. If he killed them all cleanly like Xiao Shao suggested, wouldn’t that be letting them off too easily?
Seeing her resolve, Xiao Shao didn’t insist, only saying: “Alright.”
They talked about other matters, none concerning romance, making Lu Zhu, who was eavesdropping at the window, want to bang her head against the wall. Just then, Bai Zhi hurriedly pushed open the door and said urgently: “Miss, Fourth Miss is coming to the courtyard.”
At such an early hour, and since Jiang Dan usually never came to Ruan Residence, this behavior was suspicious. Jiang Ruan smiled slightly: “Since she’s so concerned about me, she must have heard something last night. Coming in such haste now, she naturally wants to block all escape routes.”
She looked at Xiao Shao: “I’m afraid you can’t leave now.”
Xiao Shao stood up: “I’ll go out now.”
“Why bother?” Jiang Ruan laughed: “This fourth sister of mine may look unassuming and weak like a delicate flower, but what she does will shock you.”
“If I’m discovered here, it will damage your reputation,” Xiao Shao pressed his lips together. He understood very well what reputation meant to a young lady. Moreover, Jiang Ruan was now Princess Hong’an – countless eyes inside and outside were watching her. If something really happened, the people’s gossip alone could drown her.
“Do you really think my fourth sister is only trying to ruin my reputation?” Jiang Ruan shook her head with a smile: “I’m afraid those who harmed you last night also want an excuse to search for someone. I imagine it would be something like ‘assassin.’ If I’m not mistaken, Jiang Dan should have suspected my courtyard last night. Right now, the Jiang mansion is probably already surrounded several layers deep, just waiting for you to come out. As for me, the crime of harboring an assassin and being involved with an assassin would be much more serious.”
Because of Empress Dowager Yide’s relationship, if it were just involvement with an ordinary man, she could still argue her case. But if connected to an assassin, even if the people could forgive, the imperial family could not. The conspirators had merely cooperated with Jiang Dan, thinking that with Xiao Shao severely injured, he could be captured as soon as he left without even revealing his identity. Whether this was too naive or stupid was hard to say.
Xiao Shao frowned. He hadn’t thought so much last night, nor had he known that even a concubine’s daughter in this mansion had such complex thoughts, constantly trying to target Jiang Ruan to death. Feeling somewhat angry while also pitying the girl before him, he paused and said: “Then I’ll threaten you to leave now, proving you have nothing to do with this.”
“That’s no better than you going out and killing all those people,” Jiang Ruan said.
Xiao Shao was startled. He had considered it, but killing people at the Jiang mansion gates might bring many troubles later – not for other reasons, but because some things couldn’t be exposed yet to avoid alerting enemies.
Jiang Ruan patted his arm: “Don’t worry. Since I dared keep you last night, I was already prepared.”
Xiao Shao stared at her, feeling even more guilty. He hadn’t expected his moment of impulsiveness to bring Jiang Ruan trouble. He naturally had countless ways to escape, but none were foolproof enough to avoid leaving evidence or bringing future troubles to Jiang Ruan. Hearing her speak thus, thinking she had some good solution, he immediately listened attentively.
Jiang Ruan walked to the soft couch in her inner room and lifted the thick mattress, revealing the heavy wooden bed frame underneath. She reached out and patted the bed frame, feeling along its edges. The apparently seamless bed frame, under her touch, suddenly showed a crack at one corner. She pressed down hard, and the bed frame lifted completely, revealing a small iron door with a small lock.
Jiang Ruan reached under the other side of the bed foot and pulled out a small silver key, unlocked the iron lock, lifted the iron plate, and said to him: “Go in.”
It was clearly a small secret passage.
“It’s not a secret passage,” seeing Xiao Shao’s stunned expression, Jiang Ruan explained. “I don’t have such great ability. It’s just a storage chamber. Stay inside for a while.”
This storage chamber had been built bit by bit since her return to the mansion. In her previous life in the palace, she had fortunately seen a noble person do this, though that was a secret passage. With enemies on all sides in the Jiang mansion, people inevitably searched her room when she wasn’t there. Though she wouldn’t leave any evidence, this chamber could occasionally serve in emergencies.
Xiao Shao was also shocked by Jiang Ruan’s sudden storage chamber. Hearing Bai Zhi’s urgent voice, he didn’t hesitate and immediately jumped in. Jiang Ruan restored the bed frame to its original state and lowered the bed curtains.
Lian Qiao’s voice sounded somewhat anxious: “Fourth Miss, Miss hasn’t awakened yet. Wait for Miss to finish washing and come out. Her appearance isn’t ready now…”
“We’re all family sisters,” Jiang Dan’s voice came from afar, still carrying her usual gentleness, but listening carefully, there was also some barely concealed joy.
Lian Qiao’s anxious appearance gave Jiang Dan more confidence. Last night her personal maid had gone to dump water and in the middle of the night saw Lian Qiao from neighboring Ruan Residence hurrying out, heading toward the small kitchen. Following out of curiosity, she heard Lian Qiao instructing the small kitchen to make a bowl of brown sugar water.
This wasn’t particularly strange – if Jiang Ruan’s monthly courses had come and she felt unwell in the middle of the night, drinking brown sugar water for nourishment was good. But the strange thing was, it wasn’t just that. Bai Zhi also had someone bring hot clean water. The maid thought Jiang Ruan wanted to bathe in the middle of the night and casually mentioned it to Jiang Dan. But Jiang Dan was somewhat scheming – Jiang Ruan was never troublesome and had never felt unwell because of her monthly courses. To trouble several maids like this in the middle of the night was truly unusual. She kept this in mind and had people investigate. Sure enough, she bribed a sweeping and gate-keeping servant in Ruan Residence and learned that Bai Zhi had poured out a basin of water that carried the scent of blood.
Jiang Dan instinctively felt there must be some reason for this. Coincidentally, her personal maid Yu’er had a brother on duty at the gate house. When returning that evening, he encountered a servant from the gate house who said the capital’s gate commander Yan Dong was leading troops to catch assassins. Like enlightenment, Jiang Dan immediately conceived a suspicion – that assassin was probably in Jiang Ruan’s room right now.
Though she didn’t know why Jiang Ruan would save that assassin, the brown sugar water and clean water were probably prepared for him. Jiang Dan guessed someone was threatening Jiang Ruan to do this, but for Jiang Dan, this was a precious opportunity. As long as Jiang Ruan was safe for one day, her heart wouldn’t be at peace. Now with an opportunity delivered to her doorstep, how could she not use it? She immediately made her plans.
But Jiang Dan was always someone who could keep her composure and didn’t want to alert Jiang Ruan by acting rashly now. Moreover, finding the gate commander would take time, and if something unexpected happened and the assassin escaped, it would be a wasted effort and displease the gate commander. After much consideration, Jiang Dan decided to say nothing for now, keeping calm and waiting until dawn to act.
She only secretly sent people to quietly “remind” the gate commander that someone seemed to have seen the assassin near the Jiang family. The gate commander wasn’t stupid either. Yan Dong knew he was in the wrong without official documents from the government and couldn’t arbitrarily enter the Jiang family estate to arrest people, especially since Jiang Quan’s rank was much higher than his. Even so, he could wait outside the Jiang mansion for a trap.
Normally, if Jin Er and Jin San had seen these things, it wouldn’t have worked. But last night, with Xiao Shao injured, both had left the mansion to handle matters Xiao Shao had assigned. Tianzhu was busy helping Jiang Ruan, allowing Jiang Dan’s people to find an opening. The gate house guards watched all night without seeing anyone leave Jiang Ruan’s courtyard, further confirming the assassin was still in Jiang Ruan’s room.
Jiang Dan felt triumphant. Harboring an assassin and hiding him in her boudoir – even Empress Dowager Yide couldn’t protect Jiang Ruan. She might even have her jade tablet confiscated, and with her reputation completely ruined, what good future could Jiang Ruan have?
Thinking this, she quickened her pace. Reaching Jiang Ruan’s door, without waiting for Tianzhu and Lu Zhu to speak, she pushed aside the curtain first and smiled: “Elder Sister.”
The room was completely quiet. The uniquely shaped copper deer at the table corner slowly emitted the bitter fragrance of Solomon’s seal from its mouth. The deep slate-colored curtains swayed gently, with shadows moving within – the vague outline of a woman could be seen.
Jiang Dan’s gaze swept over the incense, her lips unconsciously curving. Everyone knew Jiang Ruan usually never used incense. The monthly allotment of incense for Ruan Residence was always refused. Today, for the first time, she was using this Solomon’s seal fragrance – the purpose was obvious. What was it but to mask the smell of blood?
Thinking this, Jiang Dan took a few more steps inside: “Elder Sister?”
“Fourth Miss,” Lu Zhu blocked her: “Miss is still resting. She felt unwell yesterday and got up late today. Her appearance isn’t ready…”
Jiang Dan laughed: “What jest is this? Lian Qiao just said Elder Sister was awake, just not yet dressed. How is she lying down again now? Could it be she doesn’t welcome Dan’er?” As she spoke, she tried to move forward. Lu Zhu stood in front of her, and Jiang Dan smiled. Yu’er grabbed Lu Zhu with surprising strength, laughing: “The eldest miss and fourth miss are true sisters – surely they won’t argue over such small matters?”
“Exactly.” As Jiang Dan said this, she had already reached Jiang Ruan’s bed, her eyes flashing with sharp light as she immediately reached out to lift the deep slate-colored curtains.
The dark curtains lifted to reveal the scene within. Each of the four corners hung an exquisite flower pouch with rich fragrance. Jiang Ruan lay sideways on the bed wearing only light-colored undergarments, her hair slightly disheveled, eyes closed in rest.
Hearing the commotion, she opened her eyes. A pair of clear black and white eyes stared at Jiang Dan, moist like mountain spring water yet flowing with some inexplicable depth.
Jiang Ruan’s voice was slightly cold: “Fourth Sister truly doesn’t consider herself an outsider, daring to lift my bed curtains at will.”
Jiang Dan stood frozen in place, staring in disbelief. Inside the curtains was completely empty – besides Jiang Ruan alone, what else was there?