◎”This poem has a second verse.”◎

Before her wedding, Zhu Shi gave Lan Shanjun all the dowry she had prepared for Huihui. She said, “Gold, silver, pearls, and jewels—I can still purchase more for her. But estates and shops are difficult to acquire now, so I’ll divide them between you two. Neither more, nor less for either.”

However, Lan Shanjun refused, saying, “Old Madam Shou left me quite a lot before she passed, which is already sufficient. Mother, these were originally meant for Huihui, so please give them to her instead.”

In her previous life, Mother had also given these to her.

When Mother gave them to her then, her heart had been good, and she had been grateful. But Mother’s temperament was unstable—kind one day, harsh the next. Whenever anything happened at Duke Zhenguo’s manor afterward, she would always bring up this matter to lecture her: “When you married, I gave you even Huihui’s dowry. Wasn’t that treating you well? Now I’m only asking you to lend a helping hand—what is there to refuse?”

She would say, “Your third brother and your grandmother say you’ve climbed high and forgotten your roots, but I still argued on your behalf. Who knew you truly don’t care about old feelings.”

When people face difficulties, they tend to say harsh things. Though Mother’s complaints were spoken softly, they sounded especially grating to Lan Shanjun’s ears.

But back then, she had indeed received the benefit of Mother’s dowry, so she had no choice but to endure her complaints.

Between mother and daughter, resentment only deepened.

When Lan Shanjun grew tired of listening, she wanted to return the dowry. But Mother refused, growing even angrier as she said, “I gave this to you willingly. I am your mother—giving you a dowry is proper. Are you trying to humiliate me by returning it?”

So you see, Mother had her own set of rules.

Lan Shanjun didn’t want to be caught in her rules again. On this joyous day, she didn’t quarrel with Mother but instead said, “Right now I’m marrying Yu Qingwu, our family is still Duke Zhenguo’s manor with social standing to support us, so Old Madam Shou’s dowry is enough. But eldest brother and third brother haven’t been promoted, and in a few more years when it’s Huihui’s turn, things will likely be even more difficult. It’s better to give her more dowry, so that regardless of what her in-laws are like, she’ll have something to rely on.”

Hearing this, Zhu Shi felt both annoyed and as if Lan Shanjun’s words made some sense. Her heart wavered, and after a long pause she said, “Alright then.”

She added, “I can see you have Yu Qingwu well in hand. With him, you don’t need a dowry to have confidence.”

Lan Shanjun smiled and nodded. “Yes.”

The matter was thus settled. When Huihui learned of it later, she came running to Lan Shanjun and said, “No matter what happens between sixth sister and Duke Zhenguo’s manor, please don’t grow distant from me.”

Lan Shanjun felt guilty toward her. She nodded. “When facing difficult decisions, come find me. I’m four years older than you, so I have a bit more experience.”

Pausing, seeing her looking as dejected as a frost-bitten eggplant, knowing she had probably quarreled with Mother again, she still said, “Huihui, before I leave, I have one last thing to tell you.”

Huihui nestled in her embrace. “What is it?”

Lan Shanjun said gently, “Given how things have turned out between Mother and me, and since I haven’t accepted her dowry, if anything happens to the family in the future, she’ll be too embarrassed to come to me based on her temperament.”

“But since you’ve received her dowry, she’ll have grounds to negotiate with you.”

“You love Mother and surely can’t bear to see her suffer, but before you help her with anything, you must first think: is this something I absolutely must help with, or can I choose not to? If you must help, will it make you uncomfortable inside?”

“If you don’t have to help, and if it would make you uncomfortable, just refuse her directly.”

Lan Shanjun sighed. “With Mother, if you’re strong, she’ll be weak. But if you yield one step, she’ll try to dominate you completely.”

Huihui listened in surprise. “Is that so?”

Lan Shanjun said, “Between the east wind and west wind, one must prevail. In everyday matters you can defer to her, but in important matters you can follow your own heart.”

She tidied Huihui’s hair, gently comforting her. “Mother does love you. If you truly don’t want to, she can’t force you.”

Once a clever and soft-hearted girl grows up, she often thinks she’s cleverer than her mother. Seeing Mother confused and not handling things well, she wants to teach her, to repay her.

Huihui was such a girl.

But Mother had decades of experience. In her eyes, between your reasoning and her reasoning, she believed her own more.

When the two collided, that was the source of conflict.

Huihui nodded earnestly. “I’ll remember.”

Lan Shanjun gently stroked her head. “With this, I have nothing left to worry about in this household.”

On the eighth day of the third month, before dawn broke, Lan Shanjun rose to wash and arrange her hair. The manor had invited Madam Wu as the married woman of good fortune.

Madam Wu: “…”

She was still willing to come.

She conscientiously prepared Lan Shanjun for leaving her maiden home, placing the ornaments piece by piece in her hair, then using a peach branch to sprinkle water before her, symbolizing harmony in marriage, saying, “Your wedding brings joy, a celebration for a distinguished family. Cheerful voices at the elegant banquet, auspicious mists in the grand hall. After this marriage, may you fulfill your destiny as a bride.”

Lan Shanjun performed the thank-you ceremony to her. Madam Wu quickly helped her up, saying, “You are blessed, with great fortune still to come.”

Lan Shanjun thanked her again.

Zhu Shi stood to the side watching with tears streaming down, pulling Lan Shanjun and saying, “Though I have a thousand faults, I could never harm you. Shanjun, whatever wrongs I’ve done in the past, you must understand me.”

Hearing this, Lan Shanjun recalled what Mother had said during her previous wedding.

She had said, “Shanjun, your temperament of being both self-deprecating and proud will cause you trouble in the future.”

Lan Shanjun felt emotional and solemnly performed a ceremony to her. “Mother, take care of yourself.”

Zhu Shi covered her mouth and cried, feeling melancholy inside.

But soon Zhu Yun, Qin Pingting, and others arrived. A bustling crowd of over twenty young ladies and more than ten young matrons came, nearly filling the room beyond capacity.

More than half the room spoke with Shu accents.

Old Madam of Duke Zhenguo’s manor, who had just reached the doorway: “…”

She grew a bellyful of frustration and didn’t even enter, instead turning back with her cane.

Zhu Shi sighed. Turning around, she saw Huihui talking with several other young ladies: “I wonder how long we can delay them later.”

The young ladies chattered: “My brother is coming. His poetry is excellent—he’ll surely block one of them.”

Another said, “Don’t worry about the martial challenges. My brother has been to the battlefield.”

Someone else said, “My eldest brother came here while my second brother was invited by the groom. We’ll see who’s more capable later.”

They all laughed heartily together.

Lan Shanjun sat to the side laughing along.

Having the group split into two contingents was also Yu Qingwu’s idea.

He was creating prestige for her—she understood this. This man was so thoughtful.

With such a person, even if they couldn’t prevail against fate in the future, there would be no regrets.

She couldn’t help but smile, feeling that today’s morning light was just right, making one feel very comfortable.

Huihui came looking for her at that moment and saw her in the morning light wearing her wedding dress, with a warm smile on her face that she had never seen before.

Huihui froze, then let out a breath, looking toward the sun outside the window and saying with a smile, “The wedding procession should arrive soon.”

Indeed, it was arriving soon.

Nanny Qian, dressed all in red, came ahead of the procession.

Hurrying along with great joy and cheer, without stopping her steps!

She scattered wedding candies and copper coins all along the way, and deliberately touched the heads of clever, good-looking children—rumor had it this way she could absorb some of their good fortune.

One child who was as white and tender as a little immortal, she couldn’t bear to stop touching.

The child felt indignant but didn’t dare move his head away, so he argued reasonably: “Grandmother, can you give more copper coins and candies?”

Nanny Qian gave him the whole package. “Fine, fine, fine.”

As long as she could absorb the good fortune, anything was fine!

Nanny Zhao knew her. Seeing her arrive, she immediately said happily, “I thought you were waiting at home.”

Nanny Qian said, “I’m impatient and can’t sit still. Besides, I’ve never seen a bride leave her home before!”

Nanny Zhao pulled her inside. “Come quickly, our young lady will surely be delighted.”

Lan Shanjun was indeed delighted. Seeing her looking like such a happy child, Nanny Qian smiled and said, “I’m on that side as the groom’s family. But I thought, this won’t do—you two are equal in my heart. So I came here to send you off, then I’ll return with you. This way I’m both sending off the bride and welcoming her.”

She patted her chest. “This Nanny Qian has no favoritism!”

Lan Shanjun couldn’t help but laugh.

But Nanny Qian looked at her curiously. “Aren’t you nervous?”

Lan Shanjun paused. “Nervous about what?”

Nanny Qian immediately became a gossip. “Young Master Yu is terribly nervous! I had to help him get his sleeves on.”

She stuck her head out to look outside. “Ah, they must be doing the urging ceremony now. I wonder if he’s quick at composing poetry!”

She had never watched someone else’s urging ceremony!

Lan Shanjun quickly said, “Why don’t you go watch with Fu Chun?”

Nanny Qian couldn’t resist and went. She came back very seriously saying, “He is talented after all.”

Zhu Shi asked curiously from the side, “You understood it?”

Nanny Qian said, “How could I understand! But when he recited his poem, everyone applauded. Could it be bad?”

She lifted her chin, saying, “He’s the third-place scholar after all.”

Lan Shanjun laughed out loud.

On the other side, Yu Qingwu was still passing through the challenges.

Many people from Shu province had come with him—both civil officials and military generals. The son of Minister Xu from the Court of Judicial Review was particularly boisterous. No matter who from Duke Zhenguo’s manor came forward to test in literature or martial arts, he would shout loudly, “Nothing to fear.”

But he was neither accomplished in letters nor skilled in martial arts—he only knew how to order others around. For literary challenges, he shouted for the groom to handle it himself. For martial challenges, he demanded group battles while hiding at the very back, relying entirely on his mouth to navigate the world. Many people heckled him to shut up.

—Only Fourth Master was envious.

Similarly unskilled in both letters and martial arts, why was he like a quail?

If only he had half of Young Master Xu’s eloquence.

Young Master Xu immediately noticed this admiring gaze. He went over to console Fourth Master, and the two chatted about everything under heaven. Later when they sat together at the banquet, they indeed became lifelong friends despite their age difference.

But that’s a story for later.

Today at Duke Zhenguo’s manor, with so many Shu people infiltrated among them, naturally they couldn’t really block anyone. So the literary challenges were lenient and the martial ones let people through. Third Young Master Lan was so anxious he broke out in a sweat, cursing under his breath, “How can you behave like this!”

Someone pulled him aside with a laugh. “You—you’re sending off your sister, not actually competing to become the top scholar in both civil and military examinations. Why be so serious?”

While they were still talking, the main gate had already opened. A throng of people poured in. The officials from the Court of Imperial Stud who were of appropriate age had all come, shouting loudly, “If we can help Young Minister Yu consummate his marriage early tonight, we’ll have earned boundless merit!”

Yu Qingwu had recently been promoted to Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud—the Emperor had promoted him directly one day while reminiscing about Old Madam Shou.

So those clearing the path cleared it, and with no obstacles all the way, they directly welcomed the bride out.

The house where the two were marrying was new, not far from the Shou manor.

Yu Qingwu had often come over these past three months to tidy up the courtyard. Even the horses were familiar with it, stopping at the right place very knowingly.

He quickly dismounted and removed the saddle, placing it on the ground. As he waited for Lan Shanjun to step over it, the master of ceremonies shouted the four words “From now on, peace and safety.” His ears rang and he involuntarily widened his eyes.

Before his eyes, everything slowed down from that moment.

Then came the wedding ceremony, sending them into the bridal chamber. The yin-yang master sang the urging poem outside, and the master of ceremonies sang songs at the flower banquet. It was all bustling and lively, everyone happy and joyful.

Yu Qingwu exchanged toasts with guests, moving slowly with the leisurely tune, drawing out this wedding banquet.

When he was finally helped into the room by everyone, the guests retired, and only he and Lan Shanjun remained in the room, he came back to his senses in a daze. The slow melody in his ears turned into two words.

Eunuch.

Eunuch.

Eunuch.

Complete silence.

Yu Qingwu sighed, feeling constrained for a moment, then asked softly, “Shanjun, are you hungry?”

Lan Shanjun shook her head. But she wanted to wash up.

Their marriage being fake was hidden from everyone, even Nanny Qian didn’t know.

Lan Shanjun actually wanted to honestly tell Nanny Qian: “If we’re sleeping in separate rooms, she’ll eventually notice.”

Hearing the words “separate rooms,” Yu Qingwu’s heart soured. Feeling guilty, he said, “Let’s not tell her. She’ll worry.”

Lan Shanjun felt it wasn’t a long-term solution, but Yu Qingwu said, “Old Madam passed away not long ago. Nanny Qian is still grieving inside. If we tell her about this now, wouldn’t that just add to her worries?”

He said, “It’s fine. Now that the weather is getting hotter, I’ll just spread bedding and sleep on the floor.”

Lan Shanjun hesitated for a moment, then said, “That works too, but you don’t need to sleep on the floor. Let’s place a daybed by the window.”

Yu Qingwu acknowledged with a sound.

So, since they were being secretive, they had to hide everything from others’ eyes and ears.

Yu Qingwu asked, “Can we call for water now?”

Lan Shanjun replied, “Yes, we can wash first.”

After washing up, just as they were about to face each other wordlessly, Yu Qingwu continued asking, “Shanjun, are you hungry?”

“Are you hungry?”

“No, I’m worried you might get hungry later.”

Lan Shanjun laughed. “Nanny Qian already secretly fed me once.”

Yu Qingwu felt torn. He didn’t know what he should do at this moment.

He had to do something, surely.

But he didn’t dare let Shanjun see his awkwardness, so he said, “Do you want to sleep? I still need to… still need to write in my journal.”

Lan Shanjun knew he liked writing journals.

She nodded. “Then you write.”

Yu Qingwu then slowly took out brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, slowly ground the ink, slowly lifted the brush, slowly… He pretended to want to drink tea and turned to pour it, then used his eyes to look at Shanjun, discovering she was leaning on the bed reading a book.

Seeing him look over, she tilted her head. Yu Qingwu quickly asked, “Shanjun, are you thirsty?”

Lan Shanjun shook her head.

Yu Qingwu turned back and continued writing.

He lifted his brush, his thoughts heavy, not daring to put brush to paper for a long time.

So he simply opened his old journals. His eyes fell on the two characters “Shan Zun” everywhere.

He couldn’t help but move his hand over the journal like a thief, covering half the page.

Then he couldn’t resist slowly flipping through, discovering that after his elder brother’s death, he had stopped recording other matters and only wrote about Shanjun.

Perhaps only this way did he feel he was alive. That his days were happy.

He flipped aimlessly, but looking and looking, he still saw that first sentence.

“Passing through thorns, blood covering my long robe. A mountain lord in the forest, stepping through moonlight to come, asking if I was safe.”

His fingertip lightly brushed over the two characters for “safe,” recalling how she looked stepping over the saddle today.

From now on, peace and safety.

His heart felt bitter mixed with some stirring emotion. After a long while, he took a deep breath and wrote on the paper: “In the third month of Yuanshao forty-nine, I kept company with Shan Zun by red candles, henceforth no longer alone.”

The eighth day of the third month of Yuanshao forty-nine, I married Shanjun.

After writing, he set down the brush and put away his journal, but then didn’t know where to put it.

Though Lan Shanjun was also leaning on the bed, seeing him frantically searching here and there, she smiled and said, “Yu Qingwu.”

Yu Qingwu acknowledged with a sound.

Lan Shanjun said, “I won’t look at it.”

Though he was a good person, she had boundaries. “Your things—without your permission, I won’t touch them.”

Yu Qingwu very much wanted to say “you can touch everything, anywhere,” but how could he say it out loud?

He could only say, “Alright.”

Lan Shanjun asked, “Do you want to sleep?”

Yu Qingwu replied, “Do you want to sleep?”

Lan Shanjun said, “I can’t sleep yet. I want to read for a while.”

Yu Qingwu said, “Then I’ll write in my journal some more.”

Lan Shanjun nodded and comforted him. “This is only the first day. Feeling uncomfortable is natural. It will get better later.”

Only the first day… he had overestimated himself.

Yu Qingwu sat back down again, writing in dejection: “Shan Zun schemes against me, schemes for bones not skin.”

“Character is invisible, appearance she disdains.”

Was he not good-looking enough? Was she hard-hearted?

He put away his journal and slowly returned to the bed, saying, “Shanjun, I’m going to sleep.”

Lan Shanjun also said, “I’m going to sleep too.”

The room became quiet. After a while, Lan Shanjun suddenly said, “Are you asleep?”

Yu Qingwu turned to face the edge of the bed. “No.”

He couldn’t see that side clearly but could see the bed curtains swaying.

Lan Shanjun laughed softly. “One truly can’t predict the world. I never imagined such a thing would happen between you and me.”

She said, “When I first came to Luoyang, I actually felt quite regretful.”

Yu Qingwu asked, “What regret?”

Lan Shanjun recited, “When people arrive in Luoyang, flowers bloom like brocade, but I came when spring was absent.”

But now…

She also turned over, gazing distantly toward Yu Qingwu’s direction by candlelight.

She said, “This poem has a second verse.”

Yu Qingwu couldn’t help but smile, saying gently, “Who says the three winter months have no spring scenery? Ten thousand miles of silver atop the icy mountain.”

Lan Shanjun laughed along. “Yu Qingwu.”

Yu Qingwu replied, “Mm?”

“We’ll see spring scenery, won’t we?”

“Mm.”

He promised, “We will.”