Even with her head bowed, Chu Jiu could feel the gaze fixed on the top of her head.
Clammy, intense, and utterly invasive.
Ever since the day she entered Duke Dingguo’s Residence[1]Dingguo is the designation of a Chinese noble title. “Duke” is an approximate translation of the rank gong, whose status and privileges varied by dynasty. The novel’s historical … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); as a dowry maid[2]A female servant who accompanies a bride from her natal family to her husband’s household as part of her marriage arrangements, continuing to serve her mistress in the new residence. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, that gaze had followed her like a shadow. It was like a cold, wet snake coiling around her, leaving her uncomfortable from head to toe.
Chu Jiu didn’t dare look up. She was afraid of meeting those eyes.
Pretending not to notice, she kept her head down and carefully helped Yan Heng change his clothes.
Her mistress, Shen Qingying, was seated at the dressing table, doing her hair and makeup. If she noticed, she would surely think Chu Jiu was trying to seduce her husband, Yan Heng.
Even if all they did was exchange a glance.
A jade belt with gold hooks, a long robe with wide sleeves in pale blue-green…
Chu Jiu’s hands moved faster and faster.
She just wanted to step aside as soon as possible and get far away from Yan Heng.
Shen Qingying had already chosen the jade pendant and waist ornament[3]The Chinese term jinbu refers to a traditional decorative accessory worn at the waist, often incorporating jade pendants. Such ornaments could produce gentle sounds while walking and were associated … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); for Yan Heng.
Chu Jiu turned to fetch them, then hurried back to stand in front of Yan Heng, head bowed.
But the moment she touched the jade belt at his waist, a large hand, pale and warm, suddenly pressed down on Chu Jiu’s fingertips.
“I’ll do it myself. You may go.”
His voice was low and cool, its tone stern and indifferent—a stark contrast to the intensity of his gaze.
Her fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly. Though Chu Jiu was flustered inside, her expression remained as unruffled as the surface of an old well, giving away nothing.
She nodded, withdrew her hand, and calmly stepped aside, as if their touch had been nothing more than an entirely ordinary accident.
“Let me put it on for you, Husband.”
Hearing the movement, Shen Qingying pushed aside Banxia, the maid who had been doing her hair, rose, and walked gracefully over to Yan Heng.
Chu Jiu lowered her eyes and stood properly with her hands folded before her stomach. From the corner of her eye, she saw Shen Qingying shoot her a sideways glance as she passed.
The glance was light, but when it landed on Chu Jiu, it weighed a thousand catties[4]A catty, known as jin in Chinese, is a traditional unit of weight. Its precise value varied historically; the modern Chinese catty equals 500 grams. Here, “a thousand catties” is a … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, leaving her afraid to draw a deep breath.
She couldn’t tell whether Shen Qingying had noticed something or was merely displeased that Chu Jiu hadn’t served Yan Heng well.
A subtle tension flowed through the room, as if everyone had their own thoughts.
Today was the day Shen Qingying and Yan Heng were to make their post-wedding visit to her family home[5]Known as huimen or guining, this traditional Chinese marriage custom involves a newly married woman returning to visit her natal family, often accompanied by her husband. Such visits were commonly … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
While other newlyweds made the visit after three days, the two of them were returning late. For various reasons, it had been put off for more than half a month.
They went that day, and by nightfall they were already back at Duke Dingguo’s Residence.
Yan Heng had barely stepped through the gates of Duke Dingguo’s Residence when Nanny Li[6]Here, “Nanny” translates momo, a respectful form of address for an older or experienced female servant, often entrusted with household responsibilities. It does not necessarily mean that … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_6').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_6', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, sent by the Duke’s wife, summoned him to Jufu Pavilion.
When Chu Jiu returned to Ziying Courtyard with Shen Qingying, Biyu was already waiting outside the room.
Only after asking why did Chu Jiu learn that the Duke’s wife had sent Biyu over to give Shen Qingying some guidance. Yan Heng and Shen Qingying still hadn’t consummated their marriage, and the Duke’s wife had assumed Shen Qingying was too reserved and shy to know how to please a man.
The Duke’s wife had also made it quite clear: she expected to see Shen Qingying’s bloodstained consummation cloth[7]In some traditional Chinese marriage customs, a cloth bearing blood after the first marital intercourse was treated as supposed evidence of the bride’s virginity and the marriage’s … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_7').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_7', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); the next morning.
It was no wonder the Duke’s wife was anxious.
Duke Dingguo had gone to war in his early years and suffered an injury that left him unable to father more children. Fortunately, he and the Duke’s wife had already had two sons, so the family line had not died out.
Sadly, Yan Heng was now the only son left.
In recent years, foreign forces had repeatedly harassed the border, so Yan Heng had remained in Yanbei, guarding it alongside Duke Dingguo.
Then there was the three-year mourning period[8]Traditional Chinese mourning customs prescribed different observances depending on kinship relationships and historical circumstances. Mourning could involve restrictions on marriage, celebrations, … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_8').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_8', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); for the eldest son. It was only a month ago, at the Duke’s wife’s urging, that Yan Heng returned to the capital. He left the military to become a civil official, stayed on in the capital, and married Shen Qingying, the daughter of the Metropolitan Prefect[9]A translation of Jingzhao Yin, a historical Chinese official responsible for administering the capital region, including certain judicial and administrative duties. The position’s authority and … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_9').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_9', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
The household at Duke Dingguo’s Residence was thinly populated, and there was no telling when Yan Heng might once again be called upon to go to war in an emergency.
A man who went to the battlefield put his life on the edge of a blade.
The Duke’s wife’s eagerness to hold a grandchild was only natural.
As for Biyu, she was, in truth, Yan Heng’s bedchamber maid, permitted to share his bed[10]Known as a tongfang yatou in Chinese, this was a female household servant permitted to have an intimate relationship with her master. Such a maid generally held a lower social position than a wife or … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_10').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_10', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. A few years older than him, she had once served in his rooms.
Biyu knew better than anyone how to attend to Yan Heng.
Shen Qingying had prepared carefully for their first night together, bathing and perfuming herself with incense.
By the time Yan Heng returned to Ziying Courtyard, she was already lying in bed beneath the covers, waiting for him.
Steam billowed through the bath in the side room, and the splash of water continued for a while.
When the carved door opened, damp air, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance, followed Yan Heng into the bedchamber.
Chu Jiu glanced over without thinking.
Everything she should and shouldn’t have seen came crashing into view all at once, with brutal force.
The candles flickered in the room. In the warm yellow light, the tall figure stood holding a pillar by the corridor. He was completely naked, making no attempt at modesty.
Water streamed over the contours of his muscles, tracing his strong, taut build before sliding down to form rings of moisture at his feet, reflecting the candlelight.
Yan Heng’s eyes were rimmed with red, desire swirling in their unfocused depths. His chest rose and fell, and his breathing was somewhat ragged.
It was obvious that something was wrong.
Of course it was.
Following the Duke’s wife’s orders, Biyu had added something to the tea she’d just brought into the side room.
Yan Heng had clearly realized it.
His brows drew together in anger as he shot Biyu a sharp look.
“What did you put in the tea?”
Biyu guiltily stepped closer and, with her eyes lowered, began drying Yan Heng off.
“It was Madam’s instruction. This servant was only following orders. Please forgive me, Young Lord[11]Here, “Young Lord” translates shizi, a title commonly used for the designated heir to a hereditary noble rank, such as a dukedom. The specific rules governing succession and noble titles … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_11').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_11', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); .”
Chu Jiu hurriedly looked away, remembering that one ought not look at what was improper[12]This reflects the Confucian principle fei li wu shi, meaning one should not look at what violates proper conduct or ritual propriety. It forms part of a broader teaching about regulating behavior … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_12').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_12', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
But just as her gaze shifted, it met Yan Heng’s.
The air suddenly turned cloying. A cold, damp chill crept toward her through the sticky air, enveloping Chu Jiu.
Yan Heng stared straight at her, desire gathering in his eyes like scorching flames.
His skin was pale, his lips red, and a few wet strands of dark hair hung beside his face, dripping water.
He looked like a bewitching ghost fresh from the bath, ready to tear Chu Jiu apart and devour her, then drain her vital essence and blood[13]In Chinese supernatural folklore and fantasy, vital essence and blood can represent a person’s life force, which spirits or supernatural beings are sometimes depicted as consuming. Here, the … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_13').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_13', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
Chu Jiu’s heart gave a violent thump.
She hurriedly looked away and stared down at her toes, then silently prayed to every god she could think of.
She hoped the gods would protect her, let her save enough silver as soon as possible to buy her freedom[14]In historical Chinese household systems, some servants held bonded or otherwise dependent status and could potentially secure release through a redemption payment. Whether and how this was permitted … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736397_1_14').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736397_1_14', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, and allow her to leave Duke Dingguo’s Residence and the capital.
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