Within this display of passionate tenderness lurked a dangerous air of aggression. Though it was only her waist that was held, Jiang Zhiyi felt as if her throat was being seized. Her back tensed like a drawn bow as she trembled, staring at that sharp-featured face flickering in the candlelight.
She had deliberately arranged this “memorial hall” to be so dim, hoping to conceal her unnatural expressions and gain his trust. But now with the candles jumping and flickering, and him speaking such chilling words, the atmosphere had become so terrifying that she was nearly scared to death.
What had blinded her before that she hadn’t noticed how frightening this man was?
Her heart pounded as if about to burst from her chest—from fear, anger, or perhaps something else entirely. At the peak of her trembling, Jiang Zhiyi squeezed her eyes shut—
Shen Yuance, if your spirit is in heaven, please control this crazed brother of yours!
After a seemingly endless wait with no thunder or rain from heaven, Jiang Zhiyi cracked open one eye to find that somber gaze still fixed on her, unblinking.
It seemed he truly wouldn’t let her go…
Patience and kind words had proven useless. She wouldn’t hold back any longer!
“…What kind of oath is a liar’s oath? Even heaven cannot bear to witness your treacherous, devious, insane, unconscionable—” Jiang Zhiyi took a breath, her trembling chest heaving, “—behavior! Why would heaven grant your oath?”
“If heaven won’t grant it, I’ll grant it myself.” Yuance kept one arm around her while pushing aside the obstructing table. He yanked at something to the side—with a ripping sound, he tore down a curtain.
She watched in horror as he twisted the curtain into a rope with one hand. He was going to bind her hands and feet.
Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes widened. Wondering why Jing Zhe hadn’t returned with the medicinal ointment yet, she desperately kicked at the white candle beside her foot.
The burning candle struck the curtain, which instantly caught fire.
Yuance was momentarily startled and reflexively moved to put out the fire. Jiang Zhiyi seized the opportunity to break free from his grasp, scrambling to her feet and dashing outside: “Fire! Fire!”
All the Xuan Strategy soldiers in the courtyard rushed forward. They saw the Young Madam hurriedly throw open the door and run out, while behind her, the Young General was beating out the flames on the curtain. The group rushed in to help.
As they surged in, they all stopped abruptly at the threshold, crowding together at the doorway—
What was this gloomy scene? Had someone in the household passed away?
But the household only had the Young General and Young Madam as masters, both clearly alive and well. Could it be that the Young Madam had recently quarreled with the Young General and set up a… memorial hall for him?
Yuance quickly extinguished the fire, tossed aside the curtain, and looked up to see everyone’s horrified expressions. He glanced at Jiang Zhiyi hiding behind the crowd: “The Young Madam is paying respects to a relative. No need to concern yourselves. You may all leave.”
Jiang Zhiyi quickly tried to blend into the crowd and “leave” with them.
“Where is the Princess going?” Yuance’s voice sounded behind her like a death knell.
Jiang Zhiyi shuddered and froze, immediately lowering her head and quickening her pace. Before she could take more than a few steps, her body suddenly lightened as an arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her and hoisting her over his shoulder.
Jiang Zhiyi let out a startled cry, hanging his head down over his shoulder, feeling dizzy: “…This room is on fire, it’s dangerous! If you dare lock me in there, you’re—you’re plotting against a royal princess!”
“Of course, we can’t stay in a burning room. For the Princess’s safety, you’ll stay in my room tonight.” Yuance said as he carried her away with long strides.
Half a quarter-hour later, after futile kicking and struggling, an exhausted Jiang Zhiyi with an ashen face was placed on the bed in Yuance’s bedchamber.
Just as she was catching her breath, supporting herself by the waist, she saw Yuance rummaging through cabinets and finding something before walking straight toward her. Jiang Zhiyi immediately hugged her knees, tucking in her hands and feet as she retreated to the corner.
Yuance stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.
Jiang Zhiyi let out a frightened sob, tilting her head back to glare at him fiercely: “If you dare to tie me up, I’ll…”
Suddenly, a cool sensation spread across the back of her hand. Jiang Zhiyi paused mid-sentence, cowering as she lowered her eyes.
Warm fingertips spread cool ointment over the back of her hand, gently circling the small red mark left by the incense ash. Yuance knelt by the bed, raising his eyelids: “You’ll what?”
Jiang Zhiyi gave a trembling sob, remaining silent on the bed.
“Before lighting incense, shake off the ash from the tip first,” Yuance said expressionlessly.
…Having already revealed his true face as a merciless demon, why pretend to be kind?
Jiang Zhiyi yanked her hand away: “Mind your own business. I was burning incense for the one I cherish. I willingly accept the pain!”
Yuance rubbed the remaining ointment between his fingertips and stood up, tugging at the corner of his mouth: “Are you truly willing, or is it just one-sided? Do you know that the one you cherish had already given his heart to another and secretly pledged himself to her?”
“Of course I know that!”
Though she couldn’t understand how a refined, modest girl like Pei Xueqing could fall for someone like Shen Yuance—just a frivolous, unreliable playboy—it was still touching to see a token of love carefully hidden in a porcelain bottle that never saw daylight, and a sheltered young lady who never left her home braving public exposure to seek answers from a lover who had “transferred his affections.” Their mutual love was admirable.
Had circumstances not forced her hand, she would never have chosen to play the third party watching others in love, especially when one of them was Shen Yuance. She had spent an entire day mustering the courage to come up with those words while suppressing her disgust.
Had she known it would cost her so much and still not secure her freedom, why bother at all?
Seeing Yuance narrow his eyes, as if questioning her nonchalant attitude, Jiang Zhiyi blinked and thrust out her chest: “So what? Whom I, Jiang Zhiyi, like is my own business. As long as he’s worthy of my affection, I don’t mind if it’s one-sided, expecting nothing in return!”
Yuance darkened his face and reached out his hand.
Jiang Zhiyi dodged backward, then looked up to see him grab the jar of ointment beside the bed with a grip that looked ready to strangle someone, slowly twisting the lid shut as if wringing someone’s neck, before turning and walking toward the cabinet.
After he put away the ointment, his back to her, hands pressed against a slanted-top table in silence, seemingly quite angry, Jiang Zhiyi gathered her courage and bit her lip lightly: “Although he often engaged in cockfighting and dog racing, covering himself in dirt, in my eyes, he was like moonlight from the heavens—pure and bright.”
“During these three years apart, I thought of him day and night, missing him every moment. Even though we’re now eternally separated by life and death, he remains in my heart like unfading cinnabar, never losing its color.”
“I admire only his soul, untainted despite emerging from the mud. If you put someone with an identical appearance before me, I would scorn them, unmoved!”
There was a crack, and Jiang Zhiyi jumped, peering over to see that the slanted-top table had had its “head” broken off.
…Make him furious, make him furious! If she couldn’t leave, then they would go down together!
Just then, someone knocked on the door, and an urgent male voice came from outside: “Young General, it’s bad! The Young Madam’s maid is fighting with our men!”
Jiang Zhiyi was startled. Surely it was Jing Zhe, who had returned with the ointment only to discover she had been taken away by Yuance, and had become anxious.
“Even opposing armies don’t kill messengers! You must not harm my maid!” Jiang Zhiyi anxiously looked toward Yuance.
Yuance turned around and walked toward her: “They said your maid is fighting with my men. Shouldn’t you tell your maid to put down her weapons first?”
Jing Zhe was no match for them. A confrontation would only get her hurt. Jiang Zhiyi quickly called out: “Go tell Jing Zhe that she and Gu Yu need not worry about me. I’ve already thought of a clever plan to deal with Young General Shen.”
Yuance: “…”
He was still right here.
The soldier outside gave a long “uh” sound, and seeing that Yuance didn’t object, hurriedly obeyed: “Yes, Young Madam!”
Jiang Zhiyi straightened her collar, shook out her sleeves, and sat upright at the edge of the bed, continuing her previous thread: “Since you insist on keeping me overnight in your room, with the long night ahead, let me tell you about my story with your brother.”
“…”
Yuance: “I’m not interested.”
“I’ve secretly admired your brother for years, a feeling that no one has ever heard about. Tonight, I finally have the chance to pour out my heart. Even if you’re not interested, I still want to speak. You may bind my hands and feet, but you can’t stop my…”
Suddenly, her chin was gripped, and Jiang Zhiyi choked on her words, forced to look up.
Yuance bent down to look at her: “I can’t stop you?”
Jiang Zhiyi’s eyelashes trembled as she suddenly remembered how he had stopped her mouth before. She swallowed lightly and closed her mouth.
Yuance released her chin, snorting through his nose, and turned toward the bathing room: “I’ll deal with you after my bath.”
“…” Well, at least he was a clean-mannered villain.
Jiang Zhiyi sat on the bed, her nerves taut as she listened to the sound of water coming from the bathing room.
After his bath, would he come to “stop her mouth”?
All doors and windows were guarded, so there was no escape. Worse still, although it was still early, she hadn’t slept at all the previous night and had been busy devising plans all day without a moment’s rest. Now, listening to the hypnotic sound of water, she found herself growing drowsy.
It would be too dangerous to fall asleep with a wolf nearby, just waiting to be devoured. But she didn’t know when he would finish bathing, and her eyelids were truly getting heavy.
Fighting her drowsiness, Jiang Zhiyi looked around, got off the bed, and pushed the headless slanted-top table in front of the bed with all her strength. She pulled down the bed curtain and tied it to the table leg, creating a makeshift alarm.
Then she crawled back onto the bed, holding the bed curtain tightly, and closed her eyes—
If he entered the bed, he would certainly pull the curtain, and as long as she held onto it, she would be awakened.
With this defensive measure in place, Jiang Zhiyi leaned against the bedpost, feeling somewhat reassured, and began to doze off to the gentle sound of flowing water.
When Yuance emerged from the bathing room, he saw this ridiculous scene at a glance and stopped at the threshold, turning his head away, unsure whether to be angry or amused.
After a moment, he approached with light steps, lowered his eyes to examine the trap, then placed a hand on the table’s surface and silently vaulted onto the bed.
Looking down, he saw that the person still clutching the bed curtain like a squirrel guarding its food was fast asleep.
Yuance gently took hold of her wrist and slowly pulled the curtain from her grasp.
Deprived of her safeguard, Jiang Zhiyi collapsed softly backward, falling into his arms.
Smooth as silk, her raven hair brushed against his jaw, filling his nose with its fragrance. Yuance’s breath caught as he lowered his head. Her plain dress made her eyebrows appear darker than usual, her lips a deeper shade of red.
His gaze lingered on those alluring lips for a moment before he laid her down flat on the bed, lifting her neck to place a pillow beneath her head. He then lay down beside her, looking up at the ceiling and letting out a soft sigh.
She was mourning his brother’s spirit—what was he thinking here?
The person beside him seemed displeased with the pillow under her head. Frowning uncomfortably, she shifted, turning onto her side, and suddenly draped an arm over his waist.
Yuance’s breath caught, and he turned his head.
Jiang Zhiyi continued to search for a more comfortable position, moving her head and then her legs, while the hand on his waist slid upward.
The suppressed thoughts resurfaced, and Yuance grabbed her wandering hand. Looking down at her, he paused, then pulled her into his arms, letting her head rest on his chest.
Jiang Zhiyi finally settled down.
“You like this position?” Yuance’s voice was hoarse as he gazed at the person in his arms. “When you’re not fully conscious, you like to fidget, but once you wake up, you deny everything, don’t you?”
Jiang Zhiyi was vaguely awakened by the noise. Opening her eyes, she squinted up at him.
Yuance’s arm around her stiffened, and he loosened his hold slightly, as if bracing for an imminent storm.
But she merely frowned at him before closing her eyes again, embracing his waist: “…What are you muttering about? I’m exhausted, don’t disturb me.”
“?” Yuance’s rigid hand hesitated, then tentatively returned to rest on her, inch by inch.
The next moment, it was the person in his arms who suddenly stiffened, as if finally coming to her senses. She slowly raised her head, looking at him as if she’d seen a ghost.
“You—you…” Jiang Zhiyi stared at him, dumbfounded.
Yuance raised his hands: “You touched me first.”
“I—I couldn’t possibly…” Jiang Zhiyi turned her head, looking at their current position that left her no room for denial. She abruptly released her hold on his waist and pushed against his chest to sit up.
Yuance lay flat, placing the arm that had been around her under his head, raising an eyebrow: “Didn’t you say you scorned my appearance, that you were unmoved? Yet you seemed quite happy embracing me, Young Madam.”