On the way back to Chang’an with her aunt, Su Tanghuan went into a nearby forest to relieve herself and unexpectedly encountered a severely injured man.
Out of kindness, Su Tanghuan treated his wounds and bandaged him up. In return, he gave her a seal.
She guessed the man wanted her to take the seal and notify his family to come find him.
But before she could figure out whose seal it was, her aunt discovered it.
After questioning her about the reason, her aunt said she would help inquire about whose family it belonged to and casually took the seal away.
Thinking her aunt had more resources than she did, Su Tanghuan didn’t mind. Later, when she asked a few times, her aunt said she hadn’t found out.
Su Tanghuan was very worried about the injured man but had no way to search for him.
By chance, she overheard her aunt and uncle chatting. They mentioned that the legitimate second son of Zhongyong Hou, the newly appointed Grand Tutor Ji Yan, had won the emperor’s favor and held great power. Her aunt wanted to establish a connection with him.
Her aunt also mentioned that she had discovered the seal in Su Tanghuan’s possession actually belonged to Ji Yuan, the heir of Zhongyong Hou and Ji Yan’s elder brother.
Half a year ago, Ji Yuan had returned alone to Chang’an, encountered assassins, was injured, and unfortunately fell into the raging currents below a cliff, disappearing.
At that time, Su Tanghuan felt extremely guilty.
She had been afraid of causing trouble for her aunt, so she only left behind some food and medicine before leaving.
If she had been braver and begged her aunt to take the man with them, the severely injured Ji Yuan wouldn’t have accidentally fallen off the cliff and disappeared.
Fortunately, just a few days ago, she heard her aunt mention again that when Ji Yan rushed back from Nanjiang, he had found Ji Yuan.
In Chang’an, Su Tanghuan only had a connection with Ji Yuan.
She didn’t intend to demand repayment for her kindness.
She only wanted to use the life-saving favor to ask Ji Shizi to help her retrieve her household registration, seeking a slim chance of survival.
…
The red lanterns at the entrance of Zheng Fu had been taken down and replaced with white funeral banners and white lanterns. Several people came out with lanterns, looking around as if searching for someone.
Frightened, Su Tanghuan ran toward the entrance of Ji Residence in the alley to the right.
Boom. Boom.
Two claps of thunder followed a flash of lightning, and suddenly, a torrential downpour began.
“Someone seems to be running over there!”
“It must be her! Chase her, catch her quickly!”
Several people shouted her name and chased after her frantically. Terrified, Su Tanghuan mustered all her strength and sprinted through the rain.
When she reached the alley entrance of Zhongyong Hou’s Ji Residence, she noticed the front of the residence was brightly lit, adorned with white lanterns on both sides, and the sound of funeral music could be heard.
Her heart sank.
Was Zhongyong Hou also holding a funeral?
Who had died?
The funeral rites were lavish, and those entering to pay their respects were all high-ranking officials and nobles.
Luxurious carriages were lined up in a long row, almost filling the entire alley.
Su Tanghuan couldn’t hold on any longer.
With pursuers behind her, she had no time to think carefully. She quickly crawled under a carriage, struggling to move past one carriage after another, getting closer to the main gate. Peering out from a gap beneath a carriage, she saw the entrance.
The guards at the gate were uniformly dressed in mourning attire, busy welcoming and seeing off guests.
A carriage arrived and stopped at the entrance. A young nobleman in fine robes helped a noble lady alight.
The noble lady wept sorrowfully: “Ji Shizi was so pitiful, truly heaven envies talent. I had even wanted to arrange a marriage between your sister and Ji Shizi. Alas, heaven does not fulfill our wishes.”
The young man comforted her softly: “Mother, Ji Shizi’s health was never good. I heard that after being severely injured, he fell off a mountain cliff and into raging currents, disappearing for half a year. It’s fortunate that Ji Yan was able to find his remains. Please don’t grieve too much, Mother.”
Su Tanghuan felt as if struck by lightning, her entire mind going blank.
Ji Yuan was dead?
He was already dead when found?
Then what should she do?
Who else could save her?
The walls of the residence were two zhang high. Ahead was a dead-end alley. People from Zheng Fu were peering into the alley entrance, not daring to enter for the moment.
If she were caught and taken back to Zheng Fu, she would surely die without a proper burial.
Su Tanghuan was deeply troubled.
The Ji Family of Zhongyong Hou were a military lineage. The father and his two sons led a hundred thousand troops of the Ji Family Army, guarding Nanjiang.
The elder brother, Ji Yuan, excelled in martial arts. Enfeoffed as Shizi from a young age, he had already achieved illustrious military feats in his youth, earning the title of the awe-inspiring young General.
The younger brother, Ji Yan, was skilled in literature, exceptionally intelligent, proficient in the art of geomancy, and adept at strategizing, known as the young military advisor of both wisdom and courage.
These two young men, one a scholar and the other a warrior, were the most dazzling rising stars of the Da Jin Dynasty.
Unfortunately, five years ago…
In a fierce battle, the father, Zhongyong Hou, died in combat. After Ji Yuan recovered from severe injuries, the brothers joined hands to continue leading the Ji Family Army.
Such a family, who cherished their reputation greatly, surely wouldn’t be too harsh on her, who had once saved Ji Yuan, right?
To survive, Su Tanghuan steeled her heart.
She quietly crawled out from under the carriage, straightened her soaked dress, and resolutely walked toward the main gate of Ji Residence.
The honored guests entering the residence stared in astonishment at the wet and dirty young lady, stepping aside one after another.
Seeing her charging straight ahead, the servants of Ji Residence quickly stopped her. In front of the guests, they tried to speak as politely as possible.
“Young lady, Ji Residence is currently holding funeral rites. Please leave at once.”
Ignoring him, Su Tanghuan lifted her skirt and knelt directly outside the central threshold of the main gate.
Thinking of her own tragic fate, sorrow welled up in her heart, and she began to cry.
“Eldest Young Master, how could you be so heartless as to abandon me and our unborn child? You promised to marry me with an eight-carrier sedan chair. Eldest Young Master, without you, how are we to live…”
As she wept, she bowed deeply.
Startled by the sudden outburst of crying, the surroundings fell into silence.
The servants, snapping back to reality, hurriedly rushed inside in alarm to report.
The crowd gathered at the gate and in the courtyard wore varied expressions, all sharing a look of avid curiosity.
Ji Shizi, originally a young General with illustrious military achievements, had died young, evoking sighs of regret.
Now, suddenly, this mistress and posthumous child had appeared—wouldn’t this utterly ruin his reputation?
Ji Yan was the newly appointed Grand Tutor. Naturally, those who loved drama were eager to see how he would handle this spectacle.
Su Tanghuan was anxious and uneasy.
To save her own life, she would play the villain just this once.
She was willing to observe mourning for Ji Dalang and to serve his elderly mother dutifully on his behalf.
She feared that being merely a widow might not carry enough weight, but if there were a posthumous child, perhaps the Ji Family would offer her temporary shelter?
Once she retrieved her Household Registration, she would voluntarily leave and never disturb Ji Residence again.
Soon, the steward of Ji Residence hurried out.
His tone remained relatively polite: “Young lady, during this great mourning at Ji Residence, it is inappropriate for you to block the gate and weep. Please come inside and explain the matter clearly.”
Su Tanghuan secretly rejoiced.
Indeed, a household of such standing would not publicly drive her away.
As long as she entered, she could mix truth with falsehood in recounting how she saved Ji Shizi.
After all, Ji Dalang had been missing for six months—whatever she said would be taken as truth.
Su Tanghuan was led to the west wing room beside the mourning hall. Inside hung portraits of two generals, one old and one young, both clad in armor and exceptionally heroic.
Was the younger one Ji Shizi?
When she saved him, it was pitch dark, and she couldn’t see his face clearly at all.
He had a head injury; after simply cleaning and bandaging it, she could only vaguely make out a pair of dark, gleaming eyes under the moonlight.
Su Tanghuan felt both guilty and sorrowful for herself.
Weeping, she knelt before the portrait. The more she thought about her own plight, the more grief-stricken she became. Without needing to act, she lay prostrate on the ground, tears streaming down her face.
She simply let herself cry out loud.
Her sobs moved the servants of Ji Residence to reddened eyes, and they looked at her with a touch of empathy.
Until her voice grew hoarse from crying, a pair of black boots landed before her eyes.
A dark shadow loomed over her, the oppressive aura making her feel as though a great mountain weighed upon her head, leaving her breathless.
A cold, quiet voice spoke beside her ear.
“Did my elder brother offend you in life?”
Hearing this voice, Su Tanghuan stiffened all over.
Why did it sound so much like the voice of the Nobleman from her dream?
Suddenly raising her tear-filled eyes, she met a pair of penetrating pupils, and her heart skipped a beat.
Frightened, she lowered her gaze, not daring to look into those eyes.
Su Tanghuan’s tone was mournful: “My Lord, how would I dare tarnish the Shizi’s reputation? Every word I speak is true.”
As she spoke, she pricked up both ears.
Listening carefully.
“Seeking wealth?”
The tone was cold and distant, as if she were a rotten cabbage, not worth even asking the price.