“Hmm,” rubbing her five slender fingers, Zhu Yan frowned, “That Lady Tang is suspicious.”
“Lady Tang was widowed at a young age and is only about thirty now. She’s dignified and virtuous, knows when to advance and retreat, and is even a close friend of Princess Ying. Could Princess Ying not have noticed any issues?”
Shen Du rubbed his forehead: “Even if she noticed something, she might not consider it a problem.”
“After all, who would exude an aura of death at thirty?”
“Moreover, the borneol incense she uses is too strong, with added musk and pine scent. This is typically favored in Buddhist halls. Ordinary women usually use mild and elegant goose pear incense. They would never use such a strongly scented sachet.”
Shen Du had noticed this too, but: “Lady Tang has been devoted to Buddhism since her widowhood. Her fondness for this incense isn’t inappropriate.”
Thinking of Lady Tang’s eyes, which seemed to bring endless darkness when looking at people, Zhu Yan shuddered and stood up:
“I’m done eating. Let’s go home.”
Jinglin, with lamb meat still on his lips, asked bewilderedly: “Aren’t we going to Yong’an Ward in the Western Market?”
Zhu Yan’s pent-up frustration from a full day’s work exploded: “No.”
As if a storm had suddenly been blocked by a high wall, Zhu Yan turned to leave, heading not toward the Shen residence, but toward the Zhu family home.
An ant, even if angry, doesn’t dare to vent freely. Better to vent at home.
However, Zhu Yan ultimately returned to the Shen residence. Shen Du didn’t let her walk more than ten steps before scooping her up onto his mount, and galloping swiftly back to the Shen house. By the time Zhu Yan came to her senses, she was standing in the new bridal chamber.
The new room was beautifully decorated, with red everywhere. The window frames were pasted with “double happiness” characters, and the wedding table’s incense candles had burned halfway. The bed was neatly made with a dragon and phoenix brocade quilt, sprinkled with dates symbolizing the birth of noble sons.
Cloud-like hair, flowery face with golden hairpins, warm hibiscus curtains to pass the spring night.
If only the groom’s expression could be a bit more pleasant.
His handsome sword-like eyebrows locked his expression. Shen Du reached out to toss the brocade quilt along with the dates, peanuts, lotus seeds, and longan onto a nearby couch. He removed his cloak, outer garment, belt, and hat. A maid brought in hot water to attend to Shen Du’s washing. Zhu Yan noticed the maid attending to her was bowing so low her head almost touched the ground, which amused her.
It was already past midnight, and the maids were inevitably drowsy but didn’t dare sleep. So Zhu Yan said:
“I don’t need your attendance here. You may go.”
The maid was overjoyed but, seeing Shen Du present didn’t dare leave without permission. Zhu Yan then said:
“Then you can also attend to the Grand Commander. I’ll manage on my own.”
“This…” The maid glanced at the cold-faced, cold-hearted Shen Du and didn’t move.
Compared to the White King of Hell Shen Du, she preferred to stay by the side of the newly appointed Madam Shen.
Shen Du was using the face towel prepared by the maid to wipe his face. Hearing this, he gave no reaction.
Zhu Yan didn’t pay attention either. She finished washing up and went behind the screen to remove her outer garment. When she came out, the maids had left, and Shen Du was reaching to hook the gauze curtain. Zhu Yan calmly went to the couch to arrange the brocade quilt, tidying up the dried fruits. She laid half the quilt under her and covered herself with the other half. Perfect.
As soon as she touched the soft brocade quilt, the fatigue from her busy day overwhelmed her. Zhu Yan yawned repeatedly, too sleepy to keep her eyes open. Before closing her eyelids, she only saw the pair of cups on the wedding table and the red porcelain wine bottle inscribed with “a hundred years of good union.”
Hmm, without the wedding ceremony or drinking from the cups, they weren’t truly husband and wife.
She thought again, that Shen Du hadn’t driven her out, probably because of Zhang Xiang. He feared her dying too early would cause him trouble. Was this fortunate or unfortunate?
Her father had chosen Zhang Xiang’s faction only because the Black King of Hell had falsely accused and killed many innocent people in those years, all with the Empress’s tacit approval. It wasn’t because the Empress was a woman.
Zhu Yan decided not to think about anything. She covered herself with the quilt and slept soundly through the night without a single dream.
…
The May sunshine had already shed its spring warmth and gentleness, carrying a hint of summer heat. It shone through the window lattice, casting a patch of light on the couch where Zhu Yan lay.
Zhu Yan was awakened by this dazzling sunlight. She lay on her side, staring at the wedding table for a long time before her consciousness fully returned.
She was no longer at the Zhu family home. She was now Shen Du’s newly wedded wife, with only three months to live.
Ah, staying alive was so difficult.
Zhu Yan muttered as she got up. As she reached for her clothes on the screen, she was startled by a thin, tall figure, causing her hand to shake and toss the clothes haphazardly:
“Shen… Good morning, Grand Commander.”
Picking up the clothes and looking at them, it was still that cyan official robe, covered in dust and unpleasant odors. Zhu Yan hesitated whether to wear it.
Shen Du turned around, then: “…”
Zhu Yan looked at him, her doe eyes bright and clear: “My…” Where were her dowry items?
Shen Du seemed to be at his wit’s end and turned his back again: “As a young woman, don’t you know the rules of propriety between men and women?” Hadn’t she shyly covered her face when she saw him turn around, then hopped behind the screen like a rabbit, and called him a “scoundrel”?
Zhu Yan turned indifferently, slowly walking behind the screen. She picked up the dirty official robe and put it on, saying lazily: “You’re not at a disadvantage, so why are you making a fuss?”
Shen Du: “…”
“By the way, where is my dowry? I don’t see it anywhere.”
Shen Du snorted coldly: “What? Afraid I’m after your family’s meager dowry?”
“It’s not that. I just came home from the Ministry of Justice and got married right away. I didn’t have time to pack much, just a few changes of clothes stuffed into one of the dowry items.”
Shen Du recalled Zhu Yan wearing her wedding dress to investigate the case, and then the cyan official robe. It seemed she truly hadn’t worn any casual clothes. He had thought she hadn’t had the chance to wear them, but it turned out she hadn’t brought any.
He knew Zhu Yan was a substitute bride and naturally didn’t have time to prepare properly.
After that, there was no trace of Shen Du in the room. Normally, Zhu Yan would have been overjoyed, but now she began to feel melancholic.
The White King of Hell naturally didn’t care whether she had clothes to change into, but she cared. Not to mention that she couldn’t wash and change this official robe every day, but what about her undergarments? Since getting married, she had either been at crime scenes or on the way to them. She had no idea that due to Shen Du’s attitude, the Shen household manager hadn’t brought her dowry and other belongings into the room, but had sent them directly to storage.
When this newly appointed Madam Shen died, these items would be confiscated anyway, so it was pointless.
Today they were going to the Li Family Bank in Yong’an Ward of the Western Market. Thanks to the delicious breakfast at the Shen residence, Zhu Yan’s bad mood from waking up had improved considerably. She even noticed something different about Jinglin:
“Jinglin, you don’t look too well.”
Jinglin, leading the horse on foot: “…” Try being in a good mood when you have to give up your mount to someone else and lead their horse.
At this time, the Middle Sixth Avenue of Vermilion Bird Street was sparsely populated. The orange morning sun was struggling to break through the thin gray mist and climb onto the skyline, casting streaks of white light onto the green brick ground.
Calculating that it was just past the hour of Mao, Zhu Yan yawned and pretended to casually glance at Shen Du. She saw dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating he hadn’t rested well last night either.
Zhu Yan was about to withdraw her gaze when it collided with Shen Du’s…