Jin Buyan’s words surprised not only Jiang Changyang but also Madam Duan and Lu Wulang who accompanied him. Madam Duan even seemed displeased. Ignoring others’ reactions, Jin Buyan stared intently at Fang Bohui.
Fang Bohui reined in his horse, frowning slightly as he scrutinized Jin Buyan. “May I ask who you are?”
Jin Buyan smiled faintly and bowed formally. “I’m just a nobody. Though you don’t know me, I’ve long admired your reputation and once saw you from afar in Kucha. I spoke up impulsively, feeling that the chance to converse with the renowned Jiedushi of Anxi doesn’t come often.”
Seeming like an admirer, perhaps? Fang Bohui dismounted, casually tossing his reins behind him. He stood before Jin Buyan, openly appraising him. “So, what brought this ‘nobody’ merchant to Kucha? And what brings you here?”
“I went to Kucha to sell silk, and I’m here to buy peonies. Just business,” Jin Buyan replied.
“Then I wish you prosperous business and abundant wealth,” Fang Bohui smiled, striding past him.
Jin Buyan watched Fang Bohui’s retreating figure, then turned to Jiang Changyang with a smile. “General Jiang, a正四品 Mingwei General, selling peonies here is truly a waste.”
Jiang Changyang paused, then smiled faintly without responding, merely gesturing for Jin Buyan to proceed.
To everyone’s surprise, Jin Buyan mounted his horse gracefully, saluted Jiang Changyang and Mudan, then rode away.
Jiang Changyang watched Jin Buyan’s departure expressionlessly. “Shun Hou’er?”
Shun Hou’er slipped out obediently, bowed, and left without asking for instructions.
“That man was peculiar and quite rude,” Mudan said cautiously, worried Jin Buyan’s words might have upset Jiang Changyang.
“He was a bit strange,” Jiang Changyang agreed, smiling at Mudan as they walked inside together. “Proposing two major deals right away—either he’s extremely bold or he’s already thoroughly investigated us. What I most want to know now is who he really is and what he’s after.” Judging by how he greeted Fang Bohui and spoke to Jiang Changyang, it seemed he wasn’t just bold but had thoroughly researched them and made no effort to hide it. While it’s normal for businessmen to investigate potential partners, Jin Buyan’s attitude towards their household was somewhat excessive.
Mudan feigned indignation, “Let’s not do business with him then!”
Amused by her childlike reaction, Jiang Changyang smiled, “It would be foolish not to make money when we can. After Shun Hou’er returns, I’ll let you know if we can proceed or not. Go arrange dinner; I’ll keep Father company.” He then went to find Fang Bohui.
Mudan stood thinking for a long while before heading to the kitchen. That night, they held a small family banquet to celebrate Fang Bohui’s first visit to Fangyuan. As the wine flowed, Jiang Changyang played the leaf whistle, Lady Wang sang, Fang Bohui performed sword dances, and Mudan kept rhythm. No one mentioned any troubling matters. The family enjoyed a pleasant evening until the moon was high in the sky.
Due to the hot weather, Mama Lin had already set up a gauze tent and bed in the courtyard. After bathing, Mudan returned to find Jiang Changyang already asleep, his chest bare. She gently covered him with a blanket and lay down beside him, gazing at the stars and reflecting on the day’s events.
A hand softly reached out to hold hers. Jiang Changyang rolled over, resting his head against hers. “Can’t sleep?” he asked softly.
Mudan curled into his embrace, whispering, “I’m fine.”
Jiang Changyang smoothed her hair on the pillow and said quietly, “You seemed a bit unhappy today.”
“No, I wasn’t,” Mudan firmly denied.
Jiang Changyang hesitated, then continued, “I know you don’t like the affairs of the Duke’s mansion or those formal banquets we attended recently. Your aspirations are similar to my mother’s. You also enjoy making money, but because of me, you have to be cautious even when opportunities arise…”
This was the price, just as he had paid a price to marry her. Mudan looked up at him. “I know you’re not happy either.”
“I’m not unhappy,” Jiang Changyang denied firmly.
“You don’t like being cooped up at home. You prefer your previous life—though arduous and dangerous, it allowed you to prove your worth. I can’t help you much; all I can do is not hold you back.” This was the Emperor’s punishment for Jiang Changyang. The Jiang family might think it trivial, but for a young man at the peak of his career, it was a stern warning: either follow my orders or waste away in idleness—choose one.
“You’re not holding me back. This situation has nothing to do with you,” Jiang Changyang held Mudan tightly. “Besides, every gain comes with a loss. What I’ve gained far outweighs what I’ve lost. I don’t feel you’re holding me back at all.”
“But I want you to be happy,” Mudan smiled softly. “I don’t like hearing people talk about you the way Jin Buyan did. From now on, you don’t need to accompany me when people come to buy flowers. I’ll have Yuhe and Gui handle small transactions without my involvement, and for big deals, I won’t make hasty decisions—I’ll consult with you first. Just as you act for our family’s sake, I too must consider our family. We’re one.”
Jiang Changyang loved hearing her say they were one. He was even more pleased that Mudan wasn’t upset about the situation. He twirled her hair, intertwining it with his own. “Husband and wife with bound hair, loving and inseparable.”
“In life, we shall return together; in death, we shall forever miss each other,” Mudan completed the verse, gazing into Jiang Changyang’s eyes. “We are husband and wife. I wasn’t unhappy today. Growing and selling tree peonies isn’t difficult; it just requires a good manager and shopkeeper. Opening a specialized shop could sell peonies across the country. As for selling flowers to the South, even if we can’t cooperate with Madam Duan due to Prince Jing, we can find others. It’s all feasible. If neither works out, the flower rentals and sales in the capital keep me busy enough. We’ll spend more when we have more, less when we have less—we won’t starve. But I was truly unhappy the night we first arrived at Fangyuan.”
“The night we arrived at Fangyuan?” Jiang Changyang pondered, then smiled. “I can’t recall what happened. Tell me about it?”
Mudan spoke seriously, “That night, I asked what you, Father, and Yuan Shijiu had discussed during the day. I wondered if there were new developments regarding the previous incident that might be unfavorable to you. You dismissed my concerns and pretended to sleep, refusing to tell me anything. I felt very uncomfortable, useless, like an outsider being pushed away.”
“How could you think that?” Jiang Changyang leaned in to kiss her. “Whatever I do, I want you to be happy and comfortable.” It was just a small, unintentional incident, yet she had dwelt on it for so long, thinking so deeply about it.
Mudan turned her face away. “As I said before, I’m your wife. I want you to be happy, but you won’t tell me anything. I don’t know what you need and can’t help you otherwise. I can only try not to hold you back. I’m not bringing this up to argue, but to share my true feelings. You want me to be my most authentic self with you, so you need to let me live in reality, not illusion.” She looked at Jiang Changyang. “I don’t want to be the wife who hides behind you. I want to be the one who stands beside you and shares your burdens. Like Mother—do you think Father Fang keeps anything from her?”
Jiang Changyang was silent for a long time before speaking solemnly, “Danniang, everyone thinks differently. I feel my mother has had a hard life, worrying about everything. You’ve also had it tough before, and I don’t want you to live like that again. So I try not to trouble you with things that might worry you and try to plan everything perfectly for you. As for helping you sell flowers, even if everyone in the world talked about me like Jin Buyan did, I wouldn’t feel ashamed or stop helping you. We’re not stealing or robbing—what is there to fear?”
He paused, half-jokingly and half-seriously adding, “You should know, if I can’t return to my former position, we might have to rely on this to make a living. Even if you want to travel across the country, you’ll need money to live comfortably.”
If he couldn’t return to his former position. He was finally telling her the truth. Mudan gently caressed his face, whispering, “I want to know everything.”
Jiang Changyang looked into Mudan’s eyes earnestly. “The Emperor’s will is hard to fathom. As he ages, he’s becoming more cautious, trusting no one, and increasingly fond of power games. We can’t do anything; we can only wait patiently. You should know that even a careless word from us might reach his ears.”
“What?” Mudan sat up abruptly, looking around nervously.
Jiang Changyang chuckled, pulling her back down. “I’m joking. I’m not at that level yet. But you need to understand something. Why has Father lingered in the capital for so long after returning? Because no one has arranged for him to go back. This morning, the Emperor summoned him and showed him a confidential memorial accusing him of being too close to foreign powers in Kucha and befriending Tibetan nobles.”
“What?” Mudan was shocked. “Then what happened?” How could Fang Bohui still be so relaxed and happy tonight?
“Don’t worry,” Jiang Changyang said softly. “It’s just another ploy.”