At the Hour of the Dog(7 PM to 9 PM), someone knocked on the door. Li Huaiyu cautiously opened it a crack, and upon seeing that it was not Jiang Shen, she let out a sigh of relief.
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her with a displeased expression. “Did you forget our agreement, Your Highness?”
Li Huaiyu forced a laugh. “Something came up; it wasn’t my intention to break our promise.”
“What happened?”
She glanced nervously behind her. “It’s a matter concerning a young lady; it’s not appropriate to discuss it in detail with Your Majesty.”
The only young lady she was close to was Xu Chuniang. Jiang Xuanjin recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier and stepped forward to push the door open.
“Hey, there shouldn’t be any urgent matters these days; let’s postpone the meeting, shall we?” Li Huaiyu resisted, keeping the door shut.
Jiang Xuanjin shot her a sidelong glance. “No meetings.”
“If there’s no meeting, then why are you coming in?” Li Huaiyu muttered, “To avoid suspicion!”
So she knew that term? Jiang Xuanjin’s anger turned to a wry smile as he crossed his arms and looked at her. “When you’re with Lu Jingxing, why don’t you avoid suspicion?”
“That’s different,” Li Huaiyu replied. “Lu Jingxing isn’t married. If he were, I would avoid him too.”
Her words somehow brought him comfort. Jiang Xuanjin’s expression softened as he beckoned her with a finger. “Come out.”
After hesitating for a moment, Li Huaiyu stepped over the threshold and closed the door tightly behind her.
“Do you want to help her?” Jiang Xuanjin asked.
Li Huaiyu raised an eyebrow. “It’s not right to meddle in someone else’s family matters.”
“You still have a sense of propriety?” he scoffed.
Li Huaiyu paused, realizing he had a point. She was shameless herself, and if she could do something to make Chuniang happier, that would be good.
So she asked, “What do you suggest, Your Majesty?”
Jiang Xuanjin smiled slightly and led her back to his room, closing the door behind them.
“Second Brother may not be heartless towards Second Sister-in-law; he has just been spoiled since childhood and is surrounded by beautiful women.” He leisurely secured the door latch. “Second Sister-in-law has always been passive. The legitimate wife is often overshadowed by the concubines.”
Li Huaiyu frowned. “Does Jiang Shen not care?”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “The beauties in his courtyard are all treasures.”
Narrowing her eyes, Li Huaiyu’s tone turned serious. “Such a flirt truly mistreats Chuniang.”
“If Your Highness wants to help her, there are two paths,” he said, sitting beside her. “One is to teach her some skills to eliminate the concubines and monopolize his affection.”
“The other is to have Second Brother issue a divorce decree.”
Li Huaiyu’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at him. “You also support their divorce?”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “I’m merely presenting options for Your Highness to decide.”
How could she decide? This was Chuniang’s lifelong matter. Li Huaiyu felt troubled, resting her chin on her hand as she pondered. “I don’t know them well enough; could you tell me more?”
“Of course.” Jiang Xuanjin nodded, his gaze shifting slightly.
The room was warm, with incense burning, and the pillows and sheets had been changed to those he brought, looking very clean. He spoke softly about Jiang Shen’s past, his voice wrapping around her like a gentle breeze, and before long, she let out a long yawn.
“The stool is a bit hard; Your Highness can sit on the bed,” Jiang Xuanjin said politely.
The bed looked soft, and Li Huaiyu didn’t hesitate to go over, feeling it before sitting down, shifting comfortably as she continued to listen to him.
Half an hour later, Jiang Xuanjin fell silent.
The person by the bed had leaned against his pillow and fallen into a deep sleep, her eyelashes resting against her cheeks, completely still.
A smile crept onto his lips as he finally got up, like a fisherman gathering his net at dusk, adjusting the position of the caught fish. He covered her with a blanket.
Jiang Xuanjin had never liked the rooms in the inn; he had no intention of sleeping there from the start. He had plenty of documents sent from various places in Ziyang at hand, and he sat quietly by the bed, flipping through them while listening to her familiar breathing, feeling quite content.
Meanwhile, Jiang Shen was completely unaware that his younger brother had sold him out. He sat in Gulong’s room, not reaching out to embrace her as usual, but staring blankly at a spot.
Gulong asked, “Is something on your mind, Young Master?”
Jiang Shen paused, coming back to his senses with a smile. “Isn’t my heart all about you?”
Gulong smiled gently, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a light kiss on the cheek before letting go, looking at him obediently.
Such a considerate and understanding beauty was Jiang Shen’s favorite, but today he didn’t praise her. Instead, he asked, “Gulong, if I were to get close to Xue in front of you, would you be unhappy?”
Gulong was taken aback, her autumn-like eyes sparkling. “As long as I can be by your side, I am already content; how could I be unhappy over such matters?”
“Then…” Jiang Shen lowered his gaze. “If you were unhappy, what would it be about?”
Gulong shook her head with a smile. “You need not worry, Young Master; I won’t sulk or make you anxious.”
Was it sulking? Jiang Shen looked at his fingertips in confusion.
Her slender body trembled slightly, like a mayfly about to die in the twilight. When he lightly touched her, her pupils constricted.
He had never liked women who sulked and caused trouble, but seeing Xu Chuniang in that state truly pained him.
It was indeed heart-wrenching, like fine needles stirring slightly bitter water, making his eyelids feel heavy.
Supporting himself on the table, Jiang Shen slowly stood up, intending to leave.
Gulong was startled and gently asked, “Are you going to find Madam?”
“…No.” Jiang Shen thought for a moment. “I’m going to pay my respects to the old master.”
At this late hour, the old master should be resting; why would he go to pay respects? Gulong frowned slightly, shaking her head. “This place feels unfamiliar; I am a bit scared…”
As she spoke, she gently tugged at his sleeve. “Could you stay with me for a while?”
Jiang Shen hesitated, and Gulong added generously, “If you truly miss Madam, I could help you speak to her; conversations between women are usually easier.”
“Who misses her?” Jiang Shen’s face darkened. “I said I’m going to pay my respects to the old master.”
Gulong was startled by his outburst, her eyelashes fluttering as tears welled up.
Realizing he had lost his composure, Jiang Shen pressed his hand to his forehead. “Forget it; it’s getting late. You should sleep.”
“Alright.” Gulong lowered her gaze, wiping away her tears as she helped him change and rest.
Xu Chuniang sat alone in her room, still lost in thought.
She was truly easy to appease; every time Jiang Shen hurt her, as long as he gently coaxed her, she would act as if nothing had happened, holding no grudges.
The old master had praised her for her gentle and virtuous nature, calling her a proper lady.
But this nature seemed to have spoiled him; knowing she was easy to appease, he repeatedly hurt her and apologized, and Jiang Shen never truly felt remorse.
Both Gulong and Xue were treasures. Only she, with her plain looks, was like a weed.
Letting out a low laugh, Xu Chuniang took a deep breath and wiped her tears.
If he didn’t cherish her, she had to cherish herself. Life was given by her parents; she couldn’t waste it on him.
Just as she was thinking this, there was a knock at the door.
Was Huaiyu back? Her eyes brightened, and she hurried to pull the door open—
“Guest,” the attendant said with a smile, peering into the room as he entered with a basin of water. “A guest requested a basin of water for you to wash up. There are many mosquitoes at night. Here’s a plate of incense to ward them off; you can place it by the bed.”
Xu Chuniang nodded. “Thank you.”
The attendant smiled, draping a cloth over his shoulder. “If you need anything else, just call me. I’ll take my leave now.”
After sending him off, Xu Chuniang closed the door, feeling a bit strange but unable to pinpoint what was odd.
The incense released a white smoke, and after smelling it for a while, she felt dizzy. She decided to extinguish it and leaned against her eyelids, continuing to wait for Huaiyu.
After two sticks of incense, there was another knock at the door.
Xu Chuniang heard the “thud thud” sound, but for some reason, her eyelids felt heavy, her body weak, and her mouth opened for a long time without being able to utter a word.
This was bad!
Struggling to open her eyes, she glanced at the extinguished incense by the bed and realized something was wrong. But she couldn’t even muster the strength to move; it took all her effort just to keep from completely passing out.
The door was latched, but someone pushed it open a crack, and a small hook reached in from outside to unfasten the bolt. With a gentle lift, the door swung open. The attendant who had delivered the incense stepped in, glancing at her before quietly asking the person beside him, “Is it her?”
The other person looked puzzled. “She seems a bit strange… but this room is correct; take her away first.”
The attendant nodded and reached for her arm.
Xu Chuniang was terrified, raising her hand to shake him off, but no matter how hard she tried in her mind, her hand wouldn’t move at all.
Her body fell from the bed, and with her half-closed eyes, she could only see the boots of the two men. As the world spun around her, her forehead bumped against the leg of a nearby stool. The pain finally brought her some clarity.
“Help… help me!” Xu Chuniang struggled to shout, but her voice came out like a mosquito’s buzz.
“She’s still awake!” The attendant was startled, looking around as if searching for something to knock her out again.
This was bad. Xu Chuniang closed her eyes, no longer daring to look.
However, after a while, the anticipated pain did not come. The attendant, who had just been fierce, suddenly fell silent for some reason.
Xu Chuniang was taken aback, struggling to open her eyes, and saw Chi Jin standing beside her. A long knife was positioned under the attendant’s arm; if he moved any further, blood would flow.
“Go ahead and hit him?” Qing Xian leaned against the doorframe, smiling. “Don’t be afraid; it’s just an arm. Hitting people is more important.”
Jiang Wu pushed Qing Xian aside and rushed in to help Xu Chuniang up. He looked at the bump on her forehead, and his expression instantly darkened.
“This is bad,” he muttered. “You all need to figure out how to explain this to His Highness.”
They had already suspected that this inn was not quite right. Everyone was on guard; they had not lit the incense sent by the inn, and aside from the food prepared by Chi Jin, they had not touched anything else. If the innkeeper had not acted, the night would have passed without incident. But once they did, they would not come out unscathed.
It was a case of “black eats black,” and everyone had experience. They had heard the commotion earlier but had held back, planning to catch them in the act.
But now, Jiang Xu’s family had been harmed.
Chi Jin kicked the attendant away, tearing the hanging rope from the bed curtains to bind his hands and feet. Qing Xian acted quickly, grabbing a stool and smashing it against the back of the other man’s neck.
“Don’t kill him,” Jiang Wu said while helping Jiang Xu to the bedside. “Leave him for His Highness to question.”
Seeing the situation turn against them, the attendant shouted toward the window, “The wind is tight, pull—”
“Pull your grandmother’s leg!” Qing Xian smashed the stool down. “You think you can run? Dream on!”
The men resting downstairs had already dealt with the intruders. At this point, only Jiang’s side was unaware of the situation, while they had begun searching the inn for hidden silver and treasures.
Their movements were swift and their actions practiced, leaving the innkeeper dumbfounded.
“Which gang are you from?” the innkeeper asked.
The group exchanged glances, then, in perfect unison, mimicked the Eldest Princess’s stance, hands on their hips. “Li Danyang, the little tyrant of the capital. Have you heard of him?”
The innkeeper shook his head in terror.
“Then remember this for the future,” Bai Ai said earnestly, patting his shoulder. “Otherwise, you’ll suffer a great loss!”
With that, he pulled out the hidden silver box from behind the counter, counting the banknotes and stuffing them into his pocket.
Xu Chuniang lay half-reclined, still dazed from the drug, unable to open her eyes, but she was too scared to sleep, her face turning pale.
“Second Madam, you should sleep,” Chi Jin said, standing five steps away, cupping his hands. “I will guard the door.”
With that, he turned and stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
The lanterns in the corridor were lit, casting light on the door and revealing his silhouette. Xu Chuniang watched, finally feeling at ease, and closed her eyes, drifting into a deep sleep.
Jiang Wu went around knocking on doors to check on everyone. Jiang Shen was awakened by the noise and impatiently asked, “What’s going on?”
Jiang Wu glanced at him and cupped his hands. “There was a thief in Second Madam’s room. I came to inquire if there are any troubles elsewhere.”
Fully awake now, Jiang Shen furrowed his brow and pushed past him to head outside.
A thief? Xu Chuniang was timid; even his loud voice could scare her. If a thief entered her room, wouldn’t she be terrified to death?
He hurried to the door of her room, and upon looking up, he saw Chi Jin holding a knife.
“Please stop,” Chi Jin said, blocking his way.
Jiang Shen sized him up and scoffed, “Who do you think you are, blocking me?”
Chi Jin cupped his hands. “I am following orders; please understand, Second Young Master.”
“Following orders?” Jiang Shen narrowed his eyes. “My wife is inside; what does your order matter?”
Chi Jin remained silent, standing firmly in front of the door, not allowing him to pass.
The people in the inn were gradually waking up. Bai Xuanji heard the commotion and rushed to Jiang Xuanjin’s door.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, his first reaction to cover Li Huaiyu’s ears.
“Miss Bai, please do not make a fuss,” Cheng Xu said, frowning as he cupped his hands. “His Majesty needs to rest.”
Bai Xuanji anxiously replied, “They say there are thieves in this inn; I must ask if Your Majesty is unharmed.”
“Miss Bai, you worry too much,” Cheng Xu said. “His Majesty is fine.”
“How do you know if you haven’t gone in to check?” Bai Xuanji insisted.
The noisy voices continued, and even Li Huaiyu, who had been sleeping soundly, was awakened. She opened her eyes in displeasure, seeing Jiang Xuanjin sitting by the bed with a dark expression while she shamelessly occupied his bed.
“How did I fall asleep again?” She quickly threw off the covers, got out of bed, and, noticing his angry expression, awkwardly said, “I’m sorry; it wasn’t intentional.”
She had no idea that Jiang Xuanjin was angry about something else. She was just relieved that Ziyang Jun had good manners and didn’t throw her out despite being upset.
Jiang Xuanjin stood up and opened the door.
Bai Xuanji was startled and then looked at him. “Your Majesty, I am very worried about you!”
Hearing her refer to herself in that way made his brow twitch. Jiang Xuanjin replied, “Please, Miss Bai, conduct yourself with dignity.”
Bai Xuanji pursed her lips, pretending not to understand. “My attire is a bit disheveled; I was worried about Your Majesty and didn’t pay attention in my haste. If you think I am being frivolous, I will return to change.”
With that, she curtsied and turned to leave.
Jiang Xuanjin watched her retreating figure, his expression slightly cold.
Li Huaiyu emerged from behind him, puzzled. “What happened?”
Cheng Xu cupped his hands and replied, “They say a thief has entered the inn…”
“In this desolate place, where would a thief come from? It must be the innkeeper’s greed!” Li Huaiyu, who had been a bit drowsy, perked up upon hearing this and hurriedly lifted her skirt to head outside. “They must be catching the thief!”
She moved quickly, and Jiang Xuanjin followed for a couple of steps before stopping, watching her disappear around the corner of the corridor.
Rather than rushing to see the commotion, it felt more like she was fleeing.
Indeed, Li Huaiyu was escaping; she felt her emotions were off. What was wrong with saying “I” instead of “this humble servant”? In the past, she had been unwilling to refer to herself that way, but now it felt uncomfortable.
It was too awkward. She needed to stop thinking about it.
Cursing herself inwardly, Li Huaiyu returned to the door of her room, only to find the area in chaos.
Jiang Shen was grappling with Chi Jin, and for some reason, they had started fighting. Nearby, two delicate young women were trying to mediate, while Jiang Wu and Qing Xian stood by, watching the commotion and occasionally muttering, “Attack the lower plate.”
Li Huaiyu’s mouth twitched as she approached and kicked them. “Why aren’t you pulling them apart?”
Jiang Wu and Qing Xian were startled and immediately switched to a peacemaking demeanor, stepping in to separate the two.
Jiang Shen had a bruise on his face, and as Jiang Wu grabbed him, he spat at Chi Jin, “Do you think a rabbit won’t bite when it’s cornered?”
Chi Jin replied expressionlessly, “Even if it bites, it won’t hurt.”
“You!”
Li Huaiyu found it amusing and pulled Jiang Shen back to the two concubines, supporting him. “Second Young Master is exceptionally talented, known for his literary prowess; why are you engaging in such crude fighting today?”
Jiang Shen pointed at Chi Jin. “He blocked my way.”
“Is that so?” Li Huaiyu leaned in to look at Chi Jin, seeing he wasn’t too injured and patted his shoulder with a smile. “Well done!”
Jiang Shen: “…”
“How is Chuniang?” she asked.
The group exchanged glances, pushing Chi Jin forward. He pursed his lips and said softly, “She was drugged and is unconscious. She bumped her head, but there are no serious injuries.”
She was even injured? Li Huaiyu’s eyes widened as she pushed past them to enter the room.
Xu Chuniang was still asleep, her expression returning to normal, but there was a bump on her forehead, making her look somewhat disheveled.
Li Huaiyu stared for a moment, then rummaged through her luggage for some ointment, handing it to Chi Jin before beckoning Jiang Wu and Qing Xian. “Come with me.”
With eight men clearing the way, the little tyrant of the capital, Li Danyang, stormed downstairs.
By the time Jiang Xuanjin arrived, the shed where the captives were held was already filled with cries of despair.
“Miss! Miss! We were just trying to make a living!” The bruised attendant pleaded repeatedly. “You all look like you have a big background. We didn’t dare to act, but someone offered a high price, forcing us to kill and rob!”
“Oh?” Li Huaiyu leaned back, crossing her legs. “You only targeted the people in my room?”
The attendant replied, “We didn’t recognize you, Miss! It was this person! He specifically asked for ‘Bai Zhuji.'”
Li Huaiyu glanced over and reached out to flip the unconscious man over, but before she could, someone blocked her.
“People from the palace,” Jiang Xuanjin said in a calm voice.
Surprised, she looked at him, then at the unremarkable man on the ground. “How do you know?”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her with a patronizing gaze. “Who else would have a grudge against Bai Zhuji besides someone from the palace?”
They had indeed relaxed over the past few days, thinking that within Ziyang, the Emperor’s reach couldn’t extend too far. But they were still caught off guard.
Li Huaiyu shook her head. “Then we’re in trouble. He knows I’m traveling with you, and there’s no way to clear your suspicion of rebellion.”
Jiang Xuanjin shot her a cold glance and pulled her out of the shed, turning to Cheng Xu. “Clean this up.”
“Yes,” Cheng Xu replied, cupping his hands.
Seeing him lead her back toward his room, Li Huaiyu hesitated. “What are you doing?”
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at the sky. “There’s still an hour left; you should sleep a bit more.”
Li Huaiyu wanted to say that she could sleep in her room too. But thinking of Xu Chuniang still being there, she said, “Let Jiang Wu and Qing Xian squeeze in; I can sleep with them.”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, turning back. “Their bed is more comfortable than mine?”
“That’s not the point…” Li Huaiyu shrugged. “Your place is a bit inconvenient.”
Who knew what kind of “this humble servant” would pop up again?
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her intently. “I need to see Second Brother. You can sleep in the room; there’s nothing inconvenient about it.”
With that, he turned and walked in another direction.
Li Huaiyu stood there watching his retreating figure, feeling that he seemed to have changed a bit. Although he still spoke insincerely, he appeared to be much gentler.
That night, aside from Li Huaiyu, no one rested well. The next morning, as soon as dawn broke, everyone hurriedly left the inn.
When Xu Chuniang woke up, Gulong was waiting by the bed.
“Madam,” she said expressionlessly, “even if you are very angry, it is unreasonable to embarrass the Young Master in public.”
Xu Chuniang looked at her in confusion, her voice hoarse. “When did I embarrass him?”
“You are the Young Master’s legitimate wife, yet you slept in someone else’s room and let an outsider guard you?” Gulong frowned. “The Young Master is magnanimous and tolerant; do you think that is to be taken for granted?”
Xu Chuniang listened calmly and then asked, “What do you think I should do?”
Gulong replied, “Go and apologize to the Young Master; he hasn’t had breakfast yet.”
This Madam was usually easy to handle; she had offended her multiple times without seeing her get anxious or report her. So Gulong maintained a high stance in front of her.
However, after hearing her words, Xu Chuniang did not respond as she usually did. Instead, she propped herself up, leaning against the soft pillow, and smiled gently.
“Sparrows flapping their wings in front of swans are surely not long enough.”
Gulong was taken aback, confused. “What do you mean?”
“I’m praising you,” Xu Chuniang nodded. “Thank you for your kindness.”