“…Are you out of your mind?” Shen Zhuxi murmured.

“You’re the one who’s out of your mind,” Li Wu said. “I’m being serious with you.”

“This is serious?”

Shen Zhuxi stared at him in disbelief. Just how thick was this man’s skin, to so brazenly think he could marry her as a common peasant?

“Don’t be in a rush to refuse — hear me out first.”

Shen Zhuxi didn’t believe he could say anything worthwhile, and even if he did, she would never agree to such a preposterous idea.

“Go on, then.”

“First — you came from the palace. If you had anyone to turn to outside, you would have gone to them already and wouldn’t be stuck in my little courtyard. So right now, you have nowhere to go. Am I right?”

Shen Zhuxi gave a reluctant nod.

“The Great Yan has already fall—”

“It has not fallen!” Shen Zhuxi shot him a glare.

“Fine, it hasn’t fallen. The imperial family still has a Crown Prince — though he’s wandering about with no fixed place to settle, at least he’s alive. As long as a person lives, there is hope — isn’t that right?”

Now that was something she could accept. Shen Zhuxi nodded.

“Either the Yuan Dragon Emperor or the True Dragon Emperor will eventually have to die, and until one of them does, the world will remain in chaos. Two emperors at war — it’s the common people who suffer. The government offices have all but collapsed. Take a look at Yutou County’s magistrate hall — the county magistrate gave up governing long ago. The ones with real power now are the local wealthy gentry and landowners, but those people couldn’t care less whether ordinary folk like us live or die. The justice they uphold is not justice for the likes of us.”

What Li Wu said was far more organized and insightful than she had expected. As he spoke, he bore no resemblance to the loafing ruffian who bounced his legs and cracked sunflower seeds. Shen Zhuxi could hardly reconcile the calm, rational man before her with the Li Wu she had known until now.

The image of Fu Xuanmiao flitted briefly across Li Wu’s face, and Shen Zhuxi couldn’t help mocking herself — why had she suddenly thought of Fu Xuanmiao? These two men were worlds apart, like cloud and mud.

“You’re a frail woman who can’t lift a thing or carry a load on her shoulders. If you walked out of this courtyard alone, could you survive on your own?”

Shen Zhuxi had no answer. She knew it perfectly well — she could not.

In a time of chaos, the most pitiable were women, especially those with looks. For Shen Zhuxi, the world outside was doubly dangerous.

She had initially thought Li Wu was the villain lurking outside the palace walls, but after encountering the pawnshop owner and the stationery shop owner who tried to deceive her, and the beggar with malicious intent, she realized that heaven had already given her exceptionally good fortune — to have met Li Wu the very moment she left the palace.

He might not be a good man, but he was certainly not a bad one.

“If you marry me, you stand to gain,” Li Wu said. “From then on, you’ll have someone to protect your safety. At the very least, in Yutou County, I can ensure no one dares lay a finger on you. You won’t need to worry about food, clothing, or daily needs either. It won’t be like palace life, of course, but it’ll be better than most people in this town.”

Shen Zhuxi hesitated.

“There’s something in it for me too,” Li Wu continued. “I won’t have to deal with those meddlesome matchmakers anymore, and I’ll have a reason to turn away all those unwanted nuisances. We’d each spare ourselves a great deal of trouble — what’s wrong with that? Unless… you already have someone you fancy?”

Shen Zhuxi’s instinct was to say no, but she caught herself before the words left her mouth.

It wasn’t that she had someone she fancied — but she did have a betrothal! And besides, whether it was Li Wu or Fu Xuanmiao, she had no wish to marry either of them—

She simply had no wish to marry anyone at all.

The cautionary example of her mother, the Royal Consort, was right before her eyes. How could she willingly hand her entire life over to a fickle, many-hearted man?

Seeing her conflicted expression, Li Wu was silent for a moment before saying:

“There’s one more benefit — one that applies to both of us.”

“What?”

“This would be a marriage in name only. We’d bear none of the true responsibilities of husband and wife.”

Shen Zhuxi was caught off guard and blurted out, “Then what’s the point of getting married?”

“I already explained,” Li Wu said evenly. “With the marriage, you have security, and I save myself a great deal of trouble. We each get what we need — isn’t that ideal?”

This time, Shen Zhuxi truly, genuinely wavered.

It wouldn’t be a real marriage — merely a nominal union. She wouldn’t need to bear him children, nor would she need to fear him taking other women. At the same time, she’d have a place to stay. During this nominal marriage, she could settle temporarily in Yutou County without wandering aimlessly. She could look for opportunities to gather news about the Crown Prince and Fu Xuanmiao, while saving money. Once the Crown Prince or Fu Xuanmiao established themselves and founded a new capital, she would pack her things and go to them immediately.

If Li Wu treated her well, she would put in a good word for him before the Crown Prince or Fu Xuanmiao and have him awarded a minor official post. If he dared mistreat her, she would have the Crown Prince or Fu Xuanmiao smash his dog head in.

Excellent. Excellent indeed.

Shen Zhuxi’s mental abacus clicked and clattered away. After much deliberation, she concluded this was a profitable deal.

That said, it was impossible for her to agree so readily. Shen Zhuxi furrowed her brow slightly and put on a show of reluctance:

“…It’s not out of the question, but I have a few conditions of my own.”

Hearing her soften, Li Wu visibly relaxed. “Go ahead.”

“First — you must earn money and support the household. You cannot let me go hungry.”

“Of course.”

“Second — not only must you learn to read, you must also study the classics and study military strategy. Third — once you have, you must serve the nation and work to restore the Great Yan.”

“Agreed.”

“Fourth—” Shen Zhuxi said, “I have an older brother named Shen Huan, who serves as an advisor to the Yuan Dragon Emperor. Should news of the Yuan Dragon Emperor reach us in future, you must escort me to reunite with my family.”

Li Wu didn’t answer immediately this time. His eyes shifted as he asked, “A blood brother or a sworn brother?”

“A blood brother, naturally.”

He said readily, “Then that’s no problem.”

“Fifth…” Shen Zhuxi paused. Li Wu immediately pressed, “What’s the fifth?”

“We are a nominal couple — you may not take advantage of me.”

Li Wu shot back at once, “As if I’d want to. I’m more afraid of you taking advantage of me.”

“All the better,” Shen Zhuxi continued. “Sixth—”

Li Wu’s brow furrowed. “Will this ever end?”

“Sixth,” Shen Zhuxi pressed on, ignoring him, “I require a daily bath, and you may not fob me off.”

“Seventh — I want a proper privy and a bathroom.” Before she even finished speaking, Li Wu cut in, “Isn’t the outhouse in the back courtyard exactly that?”

Shen Zhuxi glared at him. “I want a privy with four walls and a chamber pot — not a latrine where one wrong step sends you tumbling into a cesspit!”

“…You’re really something of a princess,” Li Wu said.

Shen Zhuxi fixed her gaze on Li Wu, her eyes growing faintly red at the rims. “Are you insulting me?”

“…I’m insulting myself,” Li Wu said. “Go on, say it all at once. Let’s see what else you’ve come up with.”

Since he so generously encouraged her, Shen Zhuxi made no further pretense of restraint, and rattled off all at once:

“I also want soap for washing my face and hair, two small incense burners — one for perfuming clothes and one for perfuming the bedding — and also…”

Shen Zhuxi went on at length, then trailed off and looked at Li Wu. “Did you remember all of that?”

“I remember — I remember you want to turn this house into a palace,” Li Wu said. “After we marry, you can go to the shops in town and purchase it yourself. I simply don’t believe you can bankrupt me shopping in Yutou Town.”

Shen Zhuxi said cheerfully, “Let’s draw up a contract.”

“I can’t read.”

“I can,” Shen Zhuxi said. “You can put your mark on it.”

The previously cooperative Li Wu suddenly became uncharacteristically stubborn.

“I can’t read — how would I know what you’ve written? What if you write a contract selling me into servitude?”

“I’m not that sort of person!”

“One can know a person’s face but not their heart. How would I know what sort of person you are?” Not waiting for her to argue, Li Wu added, “I won’t be signing any contract. But everything you’ve asked for — I’ll honor every one of those conditions. You’ve known me this long — have I ever been someone who goes back on his word?”

Shen Zhuxi regarded him with suspicion, her eyes all but spelling out: That remains to be seen.

“Tonight I nearly ran my shoes through looking for you, and on top of that, I managed to make an enemy of the head beggar of this town. And still you don’t trust me.” Li Wu let out a long sigh. “So be it. I suppose I placed my sincerity in the wrong hands.”

“…Where did you pick up lines like that?”

“From the opera pavilion,” Li Wu said, glancing up at her. “Once we have our nominal marriage, I can take you to see opera.”

His eyes were brighter than most people’s, and even in the dim room with no lamp lit, a light flickered within them. Looking into those eyes, it was hard to doubt the promises he made.

Shen Zhuxi took a step back and said, “If there’s no contract, then so be it. But if you violate the terms even once, this agreement is immediately null and void.”

“You have my word.”

“Then…”

Shen Zhuxi was just about to ask him to leave, but Li Wu cut her off.

“You’ve finished stating your conditions, but I haven’t stated mine yet.”

“You have conditions too?” Shen Zhuxi was stunned.

He had the audacity to make conditions?

Li Wu’s piercing gaze rested on her face. Both his eyes and his tone made it clear he would allow no evasion.

“First — although this is a nominal marriage, only the two of us can know that.”

Shen Zhuxi nodded. “Agreed.”

“Second — for the duration of our arrangement, you may not flirt or carry on any private affair with other men.”

“No problem.”

“Third — dissolving the arrangement requires both parties’ consent. You alone cannot decide.”

Shen Zhuxi was about to object, but upon reflection — once the Crown Prince or Fu Xuanmiao stood before him, would it truly be up to Li Wu whether to dissolve it or not?

With that thought, she nodded again. “Agreed.”

“Those are my three conditions. If neither of us has any objection, I’ll find someone tomorrow to select an auspicious date, and we’ll settle the matter of the wedding.”

They were at the final threshold now. Shen Zhuxi couldn’t help hesitating for a moment — but in the end, she steeled herself and said:

“Agreed.”

The corner of Li Wu’s mouth curved upward, but by the time Shen Zhuxi looked, it had returned to its usual stillness — making her wonder if the deep darkness of night had played tricks on her eyes.

He rose from the bed and said, “I’ll go heat water in the kitchen. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

After Li Wu lifted the bamboo curtain and walked out, Shen Zhuxi still couldn’t quite collect herself. Had she just gotten herself married off? Again?

What was done was done — there was no use in overthinking it. Better to take things one step at a time. In this age of chaos, surviving was what mattered most.

Shen Zhuxi made up her mind, pushed aside her misgivings, and resolved to settle herself here.

After bathing and washing up, Shen Zhuxi lay down on the hard bed, and couldn’t help complaining inwardly that it was too hard, jabbing her sore in all sorts of places. But strangely enough, for all her dissatisfaction with this bed, it had never once given her insomnia.

The next morning, Shen Zhuxi was roused by the crowing of roosters. Rubbing her eyes, she walked out of the bedroom and happened to catch sight of Li Wu standing in the courtyard, speaking with Li Diao’er and Li Que.

Spotting Shen Zhuxi coming out the door, Li Que broke into a wide smile.

“Sister-in-law, good morning.”