The transparent pink shrimp, its shell removed by those distinctly knuckled hands, fell into the porcelain dish beside him.
Jiang Zhiyi looked at the man across from her with his gentle yet torturous gaze and steeled herself to pick up the shrimp with her chopsticks, slowly bringing it to her mouth.
Shen Yuance watched with a smile as the shrimp meat disappeared between her rouged lips and pearl-like teeth, and asked, “Is it delicious?”
The sweet and fresh flavor spread across her tongue, only to be scared away by his ominous question. Jiang Zhiyi’s chopsticks bumped against her teeth, and she nodded tremblingly.
Shen Yuance continued peeling the next shrimp.
It seemed as if he was experiencing a mixture of joy and anger, countless emotions difficult to resolve, requiring some external outlet. All his restlessness concentrated in his ten fingers at this moment, as Shen Yuance peeled shrimp with the intensity of a siege attack. One after another, shrimps were tossed into the porcelain dish, like precisely aimed catapult stones during a siege.
Watching the shrimp meat pile into a translucent mountain beside her, Jiang Zhiyi couldn’t eat as fast as he peeled. She was hopelessly on the verge of tears: “…Slow down. Otherwise, you should eat some too. How can I possibly finish this entire plate by myself?”
Shen Yuance solemnly shook his head: “I won’t compete with you. They’re all yours.”
“…” Well, thanks ever so much.
Jiang Zhiyi lowered her head and took a sip of soup to catch her breath. She picked up another shrimp with her chopsticks, and just as she was about to put it in her mouth, her vision blurred as another peeled shrimp appeared before her.
Jiang Zhiyi’s chopsticks paused at her lips. She pulled them back and weakly supported her forehead with her other hand: “I can’t eat anymore, truly I can’t…”
Shen Yuance’s hand stopped peeling, and he looked up at her.
“Do you understand what it means to ‘drain the pond to catch the fish’?” Meeting his somewhat softened gaze, Jiang Zhiyi seized the opportunity to negotiate. “If I finish this entire plate of shrimp today, I fear I’ll never want to eat shrimp again, and you’ll never have another opportunity to peel shrimp for me.”
“You mean, if I let you off today, you’ll eat shrimp peeled by me in the future?”
If she couldn’t get through today, there would be no future to speak of, so naturally, she’d agree first and figure it out later.
Jiang Zhiyi gave a light cough and provided an answer that left room for maneuver: “I can consider it—”
Shen Yuance let out a soft sigh and nodded at the chopsticks in her hand, casually saying: “Give it to me.”
Jiang Zhiyi was momentarily stunned before she realized what he meant. She extended her hand to place the shrimp held between her chopsticks into his bowl.
Just as she was about to release the chopsticks, she suddenly saw Shen Yuance open his mouth slightly: “Bring it here.”
Both the person and the shrimp froze in midair.
Shen Yuance: “Since you can’t finish it, and I’m helping you eat it, shouldn’t you show some sincerity?”
Jiang Zhiyi indignantly raised her chopsticks and brought the shrimp to his lips.
Shen Yuance opened his mouth to accept it, chewed a few times, swallowed, and nodded appreciatively: “Give me those too.”
Jiang Zhiyi picked up the mountain of shrimp beside her.
“One by one. You can’t choke the person who’s taking your punishment.”
Jiang Zhiyi suppressed her frustration and picked up another shrimp, feeding it to him.
By the time she had fed him the entire plate of shrimp and shook her sore hand, she realized—the person punishing her to eat shrimp was himself, so how had he become the one taking her punishment? Was he a bandit?
And… why was this bandit using her chopsticks?
After their awkward dinner, Mu Xinhong and Li Dafeng finally arrived.
The bandit finally left the inner courtyard to discuss important matters with his two confidants. Before leaving, he confirmed three locations with her: the Three Surplus Bookstore that delivered the story book, the clothing shop where she lost her clothes, and the street where her sedan chair fell apart, including the approximate times these events occurred.
Jiang Zhiyi herself couldn’t remember, but fortunately, Jing Zhe was attentive and helped recall each detail.
After Shen Yuance left, the mistress and servant continued confirming the minutiae, checking whether anything might have been missed.
The story book was now locked in a bookcase in Yaoguang Pavilion, without drawing any attention. They couldn’t disrupt their defenses and expose the matter, and sending messages carried risks. Shen Yuance had just said he would send a trusted person to Chang’an personally, but since it was a journey of a thousand li that would take considerable time, he asked them to think if any other clues could be collected all at once.
Jing Zhe: “This servant feels that the current clues are too insignificant. We had already inquired at the clothing shop and bookstore before, but both shopkeepers knew nothing. You asked the bookshop owner to find the second volume of the story book and locate the author, but there was no response. Now that over half a year has passed, it would be even more difficult to inquire again. Even if you put an uninformed person over fire, they still wouldn’t know anything.”
Yes, was there not a single informed person in this matter?
Jiang Zhiyi frowned in thought: “If, as Shen Yuance says, those events weren’t the story book coming to life but were man-made, could my memory loss also be someone’s doing? Could there be someone knowledgeable involved?”
“Your head injury was so accidental, it couldn’t possibly have been planned… If anything, someone might have been a behind-the-scenes manipulator who caused you to encounter those mountain bandits?” Jing Zhe said, then shook her head. “But those bandits were sent by the Madam. Not only would it be impossible for the Madam to predict that you would hit your head and lose your memory, but the Madam sincerely hoped you would marry the First Young Master. How could she possibly want you to lose your memory and become close with General Shen?”
Jiang Zhiyi slowly processed Jing Zhe’s words: “You’re saying… someone might have been a behind-the-scenes manipulator, but this person wasn’t my aunt. So for me to encounter those mountain bandits, could there have been someone else who played a crucial role…”
Halfway through her statement, both mistress and servant recalled something simultaneously, their pupils contracting: “That wandering Daoist priest?!”
In the main courtyard study, the three people discussing matters had reached a silent deadlock when suddenly the door was knocked upon, and Jiang Zhiyi hurriedly entered with Gu Yu.
Before Mu Xinhong and Li Dafeng could rise to greet her, Jiang Zhiyi hastily waved her hand to signal they needn’t bother, and went straight to Shen Yuance behind the desk, getting straight to the point: “I remembered something. The day before I hit my head, Gu Yu met a wandering Daoist priest in Changxing Ward. He told Gu Yu that someone in her household was under the protection of the Three Pure Ones, but had never personally gone to pay respect and give thanks at the deity’s statue, and feared divine retribution…”
As he listened, Shen Yuance brought over a chair for her.
Jiang Zhiyi sat down and continued without pause: “I remember that to solve my aunt’s folk remedy, I had indeed gone to Taiqing Temple to consult Master Zhang. On the day I injured my head, I was originally planning to go to Taiqing Temple to fulfill my promise. If not for that wandering Daoist priest, I wouldn’t have gone out that day at all.”
As her words fell, the room became completely silent, all three lost in thought.
Shen Yuance’s hand, resting on his knee, slowly clenched. After a long while, he let out a scornful laugh: “Daoist priests again.”
Mu Xinhong and Li Dafeng exchanged glances. If the Young General’s first hatred was the imperial family, his second was those Daoist priests who performed tricks and offered advice to the imperial family.
Mu Xinhong looked at Gu Yu: “How did you determine he was a wandering Daoist priest?”
“In response to General Mu, this servant saw that the man was dressed in ragged clothes and wore an eye patch covering half his face, as if he were blind in one eye. The divination banner in his hand was also tattered, hence I described him as such…”
“Appearances can be faked. Since this matter also has connections to Taiqing Temple… Have you seen Master Zhang?”
“Are you suspecting this person was Master Zhang in disguise? That’s quite unlikely. They look completely different. Master Zhang is only about thirty, while that wandering Daoist priest was probably over fifty.”
“Do you still remember what he looked like?”
“This servant doesn’t remember completely, but still has some impression…”
Shen Yuance raised his chin toward Li Dafeng: “The military doctor is skilled in painting. Go with him and describe the features you remember so he can create a portrait.”
Li Dafeng rose and went to the inner room of the study. Gu Yu quickly followed.
Shen Yuance pointed at Mu Xinhong: “Add one more place to investigate—Taiqing Temple, and that Master Zhang.”
Mu Xinhong nodded and withdrew.
With everyone dispersed, the room quieted down, leaving only Shen Yuance and Jiang Zhiyi sitting across from each other at the desk.
Jiang Zhiyi rested her head on her hand, gently massaging her temple with her fingertips, wondering what mysterious affair this was. Could that old Daoist truly be a great master who could predict the future and calculate in advance her memory loss? Even if such marvelous things existed, she had no connection to him, so why would he want to bring about these events?
As she was lost in thought, a shadow fell over her head, and warm fingertips touched her temple.
Jiang Zhiyi suddenly turned her head to see Shen Yuance, who had somehow moved behind her, and opened her eyes wide: “What are you doing?”
“Isn’t your head hurting?” Shen Yuance gently massaged her temple with his thumb.
The rough calluses pressed against her thin skin, and while her head no longer hurt, it began to feel numb and itchy.
“I-I’ll have Jing Zhe massage it for me. With your technique, you’ll damage it! ” Jiang Zhiyi stood up to avoid him.
Shen Yuance’s hands dropped empty. He thought for a moment, then turned toward the adjacent room and asked: “Li Dafeng, what’s the proper technique for massaging someone’s temples?” After a pause, he added loudly, “Oh, for a young lady, especially one who’s delicate and precious.”
Jiang Zhiyi: “…”
Why not just directly call out her name?
The person inside seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment, then finally responded: “Be gentle, just don’t use your killing technique.”
“See, I was very gentle,” Shen Yuance spread his hands. “You didn’t even cry out once.”
“By the time I cry out, you’ll have already caused serious damage!” Jiang Zhiyi glared at him, then turned to leave the study. “We’ve finished discussing the important matters, I’m going back.”
“Can you walk the night path alone? Wait at the entrance, I’ll escort you.” Shen Yuance walked into the inner room and instructed Li Dafeng, “I’m going out for a while, I’ll be back late—or I might not come back at all. If you can’t wait for me, just put the painting away safely.”
Li Dafeng looked up from his ink and brush: “Understood.”
Shen Yuance nodded once, turned to leave, then stopped as something occurred to him. He turned back and said, “Li Dafeng, your medical skills can sometimes mislead people.”
“?”
“You probably don’t know this yet, but she doesn’t like my brother at all.”
“…”
“Not only doesn’t she like him, she dislikes him quite a bit.”
“She previously despised me because she thought I was my brother.”
“After knowing I am myself—”
“Congratulations,” Li Dafeng said expressionlessly, pointing at him with his brush, “but I suggest you leave immediately, otherwise I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to paint you to look like a human.”
After being escorted back to the inner courtyard by Shen Yuance, Jiang Zhiyi was feeling quite tired. She let Jing Zhe help her bathe, planning to retire early.
As soon as she came out of the bath, she saw that the man who had been striding energetically back to the inner courtyard was still in her bedroom, standing at her dressing table, bending over to look at the bronze mirror.
Jiang Zhiyi was about to ask, “Why haven’t you left yet?”, but seeing him examining her bronze mirror so seriously and solemnly, her heart tightened as she approached him, crouching behind him: “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with this mirror? Has someone tampered with it…?”
“It’s fine,” Shen Yuance narrowed his eyes at the person in the mirror. “Clearer than the one in my room.”
“You’re looking at yourself in the bronze mirror?” Jiang Zhiyi was surprised, blinking in confusion. “What are you looking at?”
“I’m looking at—my brother and I do look exactly alike, right?”
“…”
“Can you stop mentioning your brother? I told you I dislike him!” Jiang Zhiyi angrily pushed him away and sat down at the dressing table. She picked up a small, delicate silver bottle, poured a few drops of hand moisturizer onto the back of her hand, and applied it evenly.
Shen Yuance stood behind her, bending down to look at her beautiful face with its dark eyebrows and vermilion lips in the mirror: “Yes, you dislike my brother so much, yet when you look at my face, why can you still feed me shrimp?”
“…”
Jiang Zhiyi was about to say that she wasn’t forced by him, this bandit? But when she looked up, she realized he was so close to her, almost touching her cheek, as if he were whispering intimately in her ear.
Her breath suddenly tightened, and she completely forgot what she was going to say.
Looking at this face so close to her, looking at the image of the two of them together in the mirror, she truly couldn’t remember any dislike for Shen Yuance.
“So…?” Jiang Zhiyi nervously watched Shen Yuance in the bronze mirror.
“So, am I not so unclean after all?”
The tension in Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes suddenly dissipated.
Shen Yuance raised his palm for her to see: “This hand, in the fifteen years since it learned to hold a knife, has been stained with who knows how much blood—yet you’re willing to eat the shrimp I peel.”
Jiang Zhiyi’s throat tightened as she looked at this long, broad hand with its intricate, deep lines, finally understanding why he was so fixated on the phrase “I think Brother A-Ce is the cleanest person in the world,” and whether she was willing to eat the shrimp he peeled.
In those years unknown to others, perhaps he had even been disgusted by things his own hands had touched.
Jiang Zhiyi’s mind froze, not knowing how to respond, and she blurted out: “…Eating a few shrimp is nothing. After all, I’ve already shared a bed with you.”
Shen Yuance’s eyes flashed with surprise, not expecting her to bring up this matter voluntarily. He blinked and said, “Thank you for not minding, Princess. If that’s the case, shall we share a pillow again tonight?”