One reason Gu Huairou always liked Shen Zaiye was that although he seemed aloof during the day, smiling as if he cared for no one, at night he became incredibly gentle.
She still remembered her first night after marrying into the household. Despite her naturally alluring demeanor, she was nervous and unsure how to please Shen Zaiye during their first intimate encounter.
However, as evening fell, he approached silently, drew the thick curtains, and gently embraced her, asking, “Are you afraid?”
Those three words instantly calmed her racing heart. She smiled coyly and replied, “I’m not afraid. Serving the Prime Minister is this concubine’s blessing.”
She had expected such a high-ranking man to be domineering and rough, even in bed. To her surprise, he was incredibly gentle and considerate of her first time. His movements were soft yet enticing, causing her to forget everything her mother had taught her as she shamefully surrendered to pleasure.
Afterward, however, she felt a deep, bone-chilling cold.
He adjusted his clothes, preparing to leave, but noticing her severe shivering, he paused and held her for a moment.
“Are you unwell?” he inquired.
Fearing his disdain, Gu Huairou quickly shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
The man beside her chuckled softly, tucked her into the blankets, and left.
Her heart pounded. Gu Huairou felt she might have married the right person. Setting aside various benefits, she genuinely liked this gentle and considerate man.
However, during the day, Shen Zaiye reverted to his distant demeanor. She nervously tried to please him but discovered that those beautiful phoenix eyes seemed devoid of interest in women. He smiled warmly at everyone, yet no one could truly enter his heart.
Could the man from the night have been a mere illusion?
Gu Huairou believed Shen Zaiye was the most desirable man she’d ever encountered – charming, handsome, and seemingly in control of the world. Any woman would want to rely on him! Yet for some reason, all women felt powerless when facing him.
Every woman who married into the Prime Minister’s household came for family honor. But once inside, they discovered that no matter how beautiful, none could sway Shen Zaiye. They struggled to please him while managing their maiden families’ expectations, always reporting only good news to avoid worrying them.
Unknowingly, they became accomplices in deceiving their own families alongside him, each still trapped in Shen Zaiye’s gentle snare.
Was such a man still worth her affection? Gu Huairou felt devastated, believing Shen Zaiye to be heartless. No one could win his heart, leaving her without hope, destined to be just another ordinary concubine in his household.
If things continued this way, she thought she might grow indifferent, consoling herself that if she couldn’t have him, neither could anyone else.
Then Jiang Taohua entered the household.
Jiang Taohua was a vibrant, charming woman with exceptional beauty and natural allure. She particularly attracted men and provoked jealousy in women. She had married in by mistake, and everyone assumed that given the relationship between Prince Nan and the Prime Minister, this woman would certainly not fare well.
So, at the urging of the main wife, Gu Huairou went to provoke her first.
Unexpectedly, this woman proved incredibly clever. She immediately told Gu Huairou that the Prime Minister would never truly care for her.
Gu Huairou didn’t hear the other explanations, but this one statement made her drop all her defenses. She chose to keep her distance from Jiang Taohua, reasoning that as long as she couldn’t win the Prime Minister’s heart either, everything would be fine.
However, Jiang Taohua turned out to be a liar. After her arrival, the Prime Minister changed. He began to show anger, to smile genuinely, and to do things he’d never done before. He even broke the rules of the inner court, favoring her alone.
Gu Huairou couldn’t see what was truly happening between them, but from afar, it was clear the Prime Minister had fallen for her.
She felt heartbroken. When her turn for night duty finally came, she asked him chokingly, “My lord, have you truly fallen for Lady Jiang?”
The man paused, momentarily silent. She embraced him, tears falling. “This concubine knows she’s not as beautiful as her, but could you not care for me a little too? I’ll be very obedient, do anything you say…”
His hand brushed her tear-stained face. In the darkness, the man seemed both amused and bewildered. “You… like me this much?”
“Yes!”
“What do you like about me?” he asked. “Haven’t you noticed I’m cold-blooded, heartless, and a beast who toys with women?”
Gu Huairou was stunned, unsure why Shen Zaiye would insult himself. After a moment’s thought, she replied, “During the day, I do feel you’re cold and heartless, but every time I serve you at night… I truly feel you’re someone worth entrusting my life to.”
The man she embraced remained silent for so long she thought he’d fallen asleep. Finally, he laughed, his voice sounding strange, almost unlike Shen Zaiye.
He said, “You’re the first person to say such things.”
For some reason, he seemed very pleased. Gu Huairou smiled and led him to the bed.
The struggles in the inner court never ceased. She was nearly driven out of the household, and Shen Zaiye’s cold gaze truly cut her to the core, leaving her nearly heartbroken. He showed no intention of saving her, and in the end, it was Jiang Taohua who extended a helping hand.
How could such a man ever have cared for her? How could he have spoken such gentle words to her at night?
For the first time, she doubted whether the man at night was truly the same person. Although the voices were identical, could they be the same?
However, subsequent events left her no time to ponder this question. Her face was ruined, completely disfigured. When she wanted to die, she was stopped. Sitting alone in an empty room, she truly didn’t know what the future held.
As darkness fell in the room, he came again.
“Are you in despair?” he asked.
Gu Huairou remained silent, biting her lip. He crouched before her, sighing, “It’s alright. Even if your face is ruined, I’ll still take care of you for the rest of your life.”
Who wanted him to take care of her? She wouldn’t starve! But with her face like this, he would surely never look at her again!
Sobbing, Gu Huairou pushed him away, her voice hoarse, “This concubine doesn’t need your pity, my lord. Since things have come to this, you might as well send me back to my family. After all, you’ve wanted to divorce me for a long time…”
The more she spoke, the more heartbroken she became, crouching on the ground and crying miserably. The man before her sighed softly, pulled her up, wrapped an arm around her waist, pressed her head, and kissed her through the black veil covering her face.
Gu Huairou was stunned, forgetting to breathe as she stared at him blankly.
“A woman’s appearance truly makes no difference to me,” he said. “Whether beautiful or not, I prefer kind and lovable women over those with pretty faces and vicious hearts. I’ll take good care of you from now on and won’t neglect you.”
Her heart softened. Gu Huairou blinked, reaching out to touch his face for the first time.
However, before her hand could reach him, he caught it. He chuckled softly, “Don’t move. Let me see if your face still hurts.”
In the pitch darkness, how could he see? Gu Huairou was about to laugh when she felt his lips gently touch her face.
Her heart trembled. She held him tightly and wept loudly.
How could someone frozen in an icy wilderness resist the allure of a warm fire? Why did he have to be so kind?
Emerging from the shadow of her disfigurement, Gu Huairou embroidered a pouch with bamboo and mandarin ducks for him, delivering it directly to Shen Zaiye. However, she never saw him wear it again. He always had something else hanging at his waist.
Strangely though, when he came to her at night, she could always feel the pouch at his waist.
Her heart stirred. Lying beside him one night, she couldn’t help but ask, “Who are you?”
The man beside her stiffened, turning to ask, “What are you thinking?”
It was undoubtedly Shen Zaiye’s voice, yet she was almost certain this man wasn’t Shen Zaiye.
She reached out to touch his face, giving him no chance to react. Gu Huairou was startled, feeling that the features under her hand were not Shen Zaiye’s at all. To her surprise, she felt greatly relieved.
Before his killing intent could surface, her unexpected reaction left Xu Yangui somewhat bewildered. “Why are you relieved? You’ve discovered a secret that could cost you your life.”
“My intuition wasn’t wrong. You’re not Shen Zaiye,” Gu Huairou said, completely ignoring his threat and embracing him happily. “You’re not Shen Zaiye, which means you don’t deeply love Jiang Taohua.”
Her inner turmoil and sadness could finally lessen a bit!
Xu Yangui remained silent for a long while before finally speaking in his voice, “You’re such a strange woman. Shouldn’t you be angry upon discovering you’ve been deceived?”
“Why should I be angry?” Gu Huairou laughed. “I’m overjoyed!”
The one she had always loved was this man, not Shen Zaiye.
She got up and drew back the thick curtains on the window. Moonlight streamed in, and she finally saw his face.
“It is you,” Gu Huairou smiled. “Mr. Xu, I thought you looked familiar when I first saw you.”
Xu Yangui felt somewhat helpless. He reached out to close the curtains, saying softly, “You’re playing with your life.”
“I’m not afraid,” Gu Huairou said. “You promised to take good care of me for the rest of my life. If you’re going to care for me, you certainly won’t kill me.”
She didn’t know where this confidence came from, but she could sense that this man cared for her, treasured her even.
Having struggled out of the nightmare that was Shen Zaiye, she discovered she had been living in a beautiful dream. With someone like Xu Yangui by her side, she felt content.
However, she never expected that all of this was merely her perception.
(End of Chapter)