Jiang Ruan was slightly startled and walked to Xiao Shao’s side: “How did you come here?”

“If your statuses were equal, would you really agree to marry him?” Xiao Shao didn’t answer her question, but instead asked an unrelated one.

“Yes,” Jiang Ruan said. “If I could gain protection and have something to plot for, what would be wrong with marrying into the Gu family? It’s just that the Gu family can barely protect themselves now, so it’s not the best strategy.”

Xiao Shao lowered his gaze to look at her, some emotion flashing through his eyes: “If there were a suitable family, you would marry?”

“Why wouldn’t I marry?” Jiang Ruan asked in return.

Xiao Shao stared at her for a while. Just when Jiang Ruan thought he would continue this silence forever, he spoke: “Then what do you think of me?”

Jiang Ruan was stunned.

Xiao Shao said: “Prince Jinying’s mansion is directly under His Majesty, with no worry of factional allegiance. My power is sufficient to protect you completely. There are no parents-in-law above, no difficult servants below. If you enter the prince’s mansion, you would naturally be the mistress, with no one daring to bully you – only you would be honored. Would this family be satisfactory?”

He spoke seriously, his black robes cold and clean like the black-gold qilin guardian beast at the entrance of Prince Jinying’s mansion on autumn days. His eyes were deep as stars, and when he looked at someone, starlight sparkled brilliantly, like the Milky Way across nine heavens, making one drown in the vast and boundless starry sky. Such a young man asked: “Would this be satisfactory?”

The man of countless daughters’ spring boudoir dreams in the Great Jin Dynasty was now asking this question with such a serious attitude – how could it not make one lose composure?

Jiang Ruan was silent for a moment, then said: “You want to marry me – why?”

“The situation in the palace is clear to you,” Xiao Shao said indifferently. “Moving into Prince Jinying’s mansion would certainly protect you completely.”

“I don’t want anyone to protect me completely,” Jiang Ruan interrupted him. “Taking me into your mansion would only bring disaster.”

Xiao Shao was silent for a moment, then asked: “What do you seek?”

“What do I seek?” Jiang Ruan repeated softly, then suddenly raised her head with a smile. That smile was seductive and beautiful, containing sarcasm that could cut to the bone. Though she wore deep slate-colored robes, she seemed to be stepping out from a sea of fire, her entire being ablaze with flames of mutual destruction.

She said word by word: “I want those who once owed me life debts to offer up their hearts before me. I want those who looked down on me to forever only be able to look up at me. I want Prince Chongzi to tremble when he sees me. I want to trample this beautiful land and mountains under my feet!”

Xiao Shao looked deeply at the young woman before him. This seemed to be the first time she had shown him her hatred and malevolent aura without any concealment. He had always known Jiang Ruan harbored a secret in her heart, but only now did he realize this secret was far from simple as he had imagined. Each of these words was like a heavy hammer, striking the ground with resounding force. What kind of experiences could make her speak such rebellious yet seemingly natural words?

“Now you understand – I am a demon woman who brings disaster to the country. Wherever I am, I bring calamity.”

“You are a demon woman who brings disaster to the country, and I am a treacherous minister and rebel.” His robes were like the dark night, his eyes like cold stars, yet the words from his thin lips carried heat that could almost burn someone: “We’re perfectly matched.”

Jiang Ruan stared at him speechlessly.

“You want revenge, you want to kill all those who wronged you. If these things could make you happy, I would gladly help you. But you’re not happy.” Xiao Shao’s words drifted leisurely with the wind, but when they reached Jiang Ruan’s ears, they caused pain in her heart.

She wasn’t happy – how could killing bring happiness? Being immersed in revenge would one day cause her to lose herself. A heart blinded by hatred would eventually turn her into a machine of vengeance. She raised her head to look at Xiao Shao. The young man’s words were sharp and pointed, his gaze keen as a blade, cutting straight to the most vulnerable part of her heart.

Suddenly, scenes from her previous life flashed before her eyes – falling from the nine-tiered steps in the Golden Luan Hall, Jiang Quan’s cold gaze, and Xuan Li’s word-by-word declaration that she was a demon woman who brought disaster to the country. Her heart suddenly ached.

Hell has no way back, nor does the Yellow Springs. If this life was heaven’s gift, giving her a chance for revenge, even if she had to burn herself out in the end, she would not hesitate. It’s just… she had to meet him in this lifetime.

She slowly lowered her gaze, a bitter smile gradually spreading across her lips: “I knew long ago. Xiao Shao, I’m trapped in a nightmare.”

That fragile expression was fleeting. Her voice was gentle and indifferent, containing a trace of imperceptible despair and struggle: “But I can’t wake up.”

…

Zhao Jin put the secret letter back in its original place and left the room quietly, just in time to meet her eldest brother returning from martial arts practice.

Zhao Qian looked at his sister strangely: “Little sister, why are you coming out of father’s study? Didn’t father not return yet?”

“I… I couldn’t find my handkerchief, so I went to the study to see if I dropped it yesterday when I brought father some pastries.” Zhao Jin stammered a bit.

“Oh.” Zhao Qian didn’t suspect anything and just smiled: “You’re such a girl, always careless and losing things. How can you find a good marriage family like this?”

“Big brother,” Zhao Jin impatiently scratched her ear, then suddenly thought of something and moved closer to Zhao Qian: “Big brother, are you, second brother, and father going to war?”

Zhao Qian’s expression changed, his tone becoming serious: “Where did you hear such talk!”

“Why are you being fierce?” Zhao Jin pouted, saying casually: “Isn’t the border in crisis? With Tianjin’s war situation so tense, His Majesty will definitely send troops for reinforcement. The General’s mansion must avoid suspicion, General Wú and General Guan don’t get along, and since our mansion consists of military officers, we naturally can’t escape.”

“Presumptuous! How can you casually speculate about His Majesty’s intentions?” Zhao Qian scolded with a stern face: “You must never say these things outside, or you’ll bring trouble to our household – then you’ll see what happens!”

“Big brother—” Zhao Jin showed no fear, coaxing him by taking his arm: “I won’t tell others, and besides, you’re not an outsider. This isn’t speculation about the imperial will, but concern for national affairs. Just tell me, is it true? If you all go to war, won’t I be left alone in the mansion again? How boring.”

Zhao Jin was the youngest sister in the family, and her several brothers doted on her extremely. When she spoke like this, she naturally didn’t take Zhao Qian’s earlier warning to heart. Zhao Qian was helpless, but he truly cared for this little sister. Besides, with Zhao Jin’s fearless nature, even if he said this, she wouldn’t take it to heart. Unable to resist Zhao Jin’s persistent pestering, Zhao Qian finally relented: “All you know is play. You’re so old now – when mother finds you a good match and you’re married off, you’ll be someone else’s daughter-in-law. Let’s see if you still dare to be so lawless then. This time we’re going to the border for reinforcement. Tianjin’s army is extremely cunning, and this journey is very dangerous. Father will probably depart in a few days.” He looked at Zhao Jin with concern: “Stay in the mansion and don’t cause any trouble.”

“I understand.” Zhao Jin rolled her eyes and asked tentatively: “What’s the situation at the front now? Was Vice General Jiang really captured as the rumors say? Was this defeat entirely his fault?”

“It’s probably close to the truth. His Majesty…” Zhao Qian suddenly realized something. Seeing Zhao Jin’s concerned expression, he immediately stopped talking and changed the subject: “Why are you so concerned about this matter?”

“This relates to our family’s affairs. As they say, know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated,” Zhao Jin spoke eloquently. “Naturally, I should understand everything clearly.”

Zhao Qian laughed: “You’re not the one going to battle – what do you need to know so much for?” Without waiting for Zhao Jin to speak again, he said: “Besides, these are all confidential matters that I can’t tell you.” He patted Zhao Jin’s shoulder: “Be good, go back and learn more embroidery with your nanny. Yesterday mother said your mandarin ducks look like ducks – how can you present such work in the future? Rein in your wild nature a bit. I still have some matters to attend to, so I won’t chat with you anymore.”

Having said this, he didn’t wait for Zhao Jin to ask more questions and left first. Zhao Jin looked at Zhao Qian’s retreating figure with some annoyance and had to return to her courtyard alone. All along the way, she heard servants discussing the border crisis, all speculating that the formerly rising war god with boundless prospects had now suffered a crushing defeat and would probably meet the fate of dying wrapped in horse leather at best. Her heart felt blocked.

When she returned to her room, she dismissed all the maids. Zhao Jin sat at the table and casually picked up a military strategy book to spread on the table, but she had no mind to read it. Her head was full of the secret letter she had seen in her father’s study earlier.

The border was in crisis, departure was imminent. The former war god had suffered a crushing defeat and was spurned by everyone, labeled a traitor. But Zhao Jin thought of the heroic and scholarly general she had seen at the palace banquet. She owed him a life-saving debt that she hadn’t yet repaid, and now her benefactor was in dire straits. As the saying goes, even a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. Moreover, daughters of military families valued gratitude highly and couldn’t be cowardly. Besides, staying in the mansion, her mother would probably spend all day trying to find her some marriage prospect.

Zhao Jin touched the military book in front of her, secretly making a decision in her heart. She didn’t know what changes this decision would bring to her life. This moment’s courage was precious indeed. In this world, to gain something, one must lose something. The wheel of fate rumbled into motion. Zhao Jin spread out a cloth bundle and placed the military book from the table inside.

…

At Prince Jinying’s mansion, Steward Lin’s account book was almost crumpled into a ball in his hands as he kept peering into the room.

“Stop looking,” Jin Si casually poured herself a cup of tea. “Master is in a bad mood right now. If you keep poking your head around like that, be careful not to touch a sore spot.”

“What would a little girl like you understand?” Steward Lin shook his head: “The prince is at the age of youthful vigor. Being rejected by a woman this time is more about shame and anger than sadness. Right now he must be thinking of ways to salvage the situation.”

Jin Si followed Steward Lin’s gaze and looked inside, but couldn’t see any expression of shame or anger on the face of that cold and quiet person in the room. She could only shrug her shoulders.

“Speaking of which, that Princess Hong’an really has some ability – in this day and age, there’s actually a woman who can reject our prince.” As Steward Lin spoke, a trace of disbelief crossed his face: “But that’s not right. Last time at the mansion, the young mistress was clearly quite fierce. How is it that with good fortune right in front of her, she’s retreating now? Could she be playing hard to get? Well, women always need to be coaxed. It must be that the prince doesn’t know how to coax people and scared the young lady away.”

Jin Si looked up at the sky speechlessly, pretending not to hear Steward Lin’s chatter.

Of course, Steward Lin couldn’t possibly stop talking easily. Stroking his little beard, he sighed: “The prince is good in every way, except for his temperament. When the old master was alive, he was just like the current young master – graceful as jade, unrestrained and elegant, debonair and unparalleled in the world. Back then, the old master was famous throughout Great Jin – no, his reputation even spread to other countries. Everyone praised him as a beautiful man. The old master’s personality was much livelier than the young master’s, especially with women – he truly passed through a garden of flowers without a single leaf sticking to him. When the old master had his grand wedding with the mistress, how many young ladies wanted to throw themselves into the lake! How is it that the young master is so indifferent to women? It really makes one’s heart tremble with worry.”

“Why worry about these things? Even if you worry, you can’t help with anything,” Jin Si finally couldn’t help but say. “Old Lin, just stop worrying randomly. Ah, master is in a bad mood now – avoid when you can, be careful not to get burned.”

“Of course I can help,” Steward Lin proudly puffed out his not-so-imposing chest, saying confidently: “I’m not boasting, but when I was young, though I couldn’t compare to the old master’s stunning elegance, I was still quite a handsome young gentleman. Back then, how many young ladies from aristocratic families admired me, but I couldn’t bear to look at those vulgar beauties. Until now, I still haven’t found someone suitable who truly understands my heart. Youth fades so quickly, ah.”

Jin Si could only make a gagging expression, glanced at Steward Lin’s wrinkled old face, and silently turned her head away.

“What kind of expression is that!” Steward Lin felt his self-esteem had been severely insulted and protested loudly.

The commotion outside naturally reached Xiao Shao’s ears without missing a word. He lowered his gaze to the tea beside him, his long lashes gently drooping, his posture quiet. The hidden guards in the shadows didn’t dare to breathe.

Though he appeared as leisurely and elegant as before, his entire being emanated a cold aura that said “this prince is in a bad mood today, everyone scatter quickly.” Clearly, Master Xiao, the beautiful man, was angry, and perhaps a bit dejected.

News of Xiao Shao being rejected in marriage by Jiang Ruan today spread throughout the Imperial Guards within a quarter hour. The Imperial Guards all felt indignant on Xiao Shao’s behalf – their master was so talented and handsome, yet Princess Hong’an still looked down on him? No eye for quality!

In fact, though Master Xiao was indeed a bit displeased, he hadn’t yet reached the point of seeking death over this matter. Although the Imperial Guards thought the lovelorn him was pitiful, at this moment Xiao Shao was pondering something else.

The secret agents he had sent out had already investigated, but the information they gathered was still the same as usual. Yet Jiang Ruan’s words still echoed in his ears – her hate-filled vows, her sarcastic smile, and the secrets and hatred she still kept hidden deep within. But nothing could be found, as if some hand had erased all traces of Jiang Ruan’s past. Yet Jiang Ruan’s past was so simple, as if those traces existed in another world.

There is never love or hate without reason in this world. Yibao Pavilion controlled all kinds of intelligence, yet they couldn’t uncover Jiang Ruan’s secret. Xiao Shao frowned slightly. Several Imperial Guards saw this and thought Xiao Shao was still brooding over the marriage rejection. Jin Er thought for a moment, finally mustered courage, and jumped down from the beam: “Master, perhaps the young mistress was frightened. Master needn’t be so dejected. If you talk to her a few more times, it’ll be fine. We subordinates can see that the young mistress treats master somewhat differently. As they say, a good man fears no failure and must try repeatedly.”

“It’s nothing.” Xiao Shao looked at his sleeve. The golden threads embroidered on the cloud-patterned brocade were hidden in the dark, cold fabric, reflecting a faint luster.

“No need for her consent – just arrange an imperial marriage decree.”

“…”

Steward Lin, who was eavesdropping through the door crack, couldn’t help but be moved to tears upon hearing this. Ah, his young master finally had some of the old master’s style! A man should be this forceful! How admirable!

…

In Cining Palace, sandalwood incense curled upward, filling the great hall with a tranquil fragrance that naturally calmed one’s restless mood. On the bright red silk cushion, Empress Dowager Yide lounged lazily, but her eyes were sharp as knives as she looked at the gentle and soft young woman sitting to one side, a trace of deep thought crossing her expression.

Nanny Yang stood silently to one side. The atmosphere in the great hall was somewhat strange.

“Hong’an, I’m asking for your opinion now – are you willing, or not?”

The earlier words had been very clear – bestowing Jiang Ruan to Prince Jinying as his principal consort. Given Jiang Ruan’s background, this was actually quite an elevation for her. Xiao Shao commanded military power and had the emperor’s deep trust. It could even be said he was more noble than several princes. Moreover, he was handsome and distinguished, with outstanding literary and military talents – everywhere he went, he was the center of attention. Though Jiang Ruan was now titled a princess, it was merely an empty title. The Jiang family behind her was already showing signs of decline, and the Zhao family was ultimately her maternal grandfather’s family.

Jiang Ruan looked toward Empress Dowager Yide. The Empress Dowager’s expression remained as peaceful as before, but her gaze carried sharpness. Though her tone suggested consultation, she had left no room for choice.

She lowered her gaze, silently thinking that Xiao Shao had actually used such a strong-arm method – it was both laughable and absurd. Yet she didn’t feel angry either. Jiang Ruan understood that marrying into Prince Jinying’s mansion at this critical juncture was indeed the best choice. At least comparatively, Prince Jinying’s mansion could provide her with greater protection than anywhere else.

She smiled and spoke: “Hong’an dares not presume so highly. I leave everything to Imperial Grandmother’s decision. It’s just that becoming engaged now might bring trouble to Prince Jinying’s mansion.”

Nanny Yang breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Empress Dowager Yide’s eyes flashed as she looked at Jiang Ruan with considerable satisfaction: “You needn’t worry about that.” If Jiang Ruan had shown even the slightest displeasure just now, she wouldn’t have arranged this marriage. Though Xiao Shao’s opinion was important, if this union wasn’t a good marriage, she wouldn’t randomly play matchmaker. Having gone through her own girlhood, she knew Jiang Ruan wasn’t entirely unmoved. Moreover, Jiang Ruan had just shown consideration for Prince Jinying’s mansion, which made her thoroughly pleased.

Jiang Ruan caught the Empress Dowager’s expression and looked at her own sleeve. She knew her words just now had been exactly right.

Empress Dowager Yide thought for a moment: “Speaking of which, this matter is ultimately between you young people. You’ve stayed by my side, and I know you’re good. Since I’ve agreed to Prince Xiao’s request, I have some things to send to him. Hong’an, you can make this trip for me – go to Prince Jinying’s mansion.”

Jiang Ruan was slightly startled, then smiled after a moment: “Yes.”