Whether it was because Xiao Xu had too few friends, or too poor a temper—or perhaps both—in any case, after he left, Mi Yao realized that no one came to play pranks in the bridal chamber. There was no steward arranging for boys to press the bed, no fruit-eating rituals, and none of the usual customs. To her, this was a blessing—less fuss, less trouble.
But her leisure lasted less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Once the womenfolk at the banquet learned Xiao Xu had gone to join the men, they all gathered at the bridal chamber to see the new bride.
The room instantly filled with noise. Mi Yao tried to imitate Xiao Xu’s cold, expressionless face, but her beauty betrayed her—she looked kind and gentle, the opposite of Xiao Xu’s forbidding countenance. It was useless.
So she changed tactics: either pretend not to hear when they discussed her figure—her full bosom, her wide hips, how she looked fertile—or lower her head and feign shyness.
“She may be older, but what young girl just past her coming-of-age has such allure? No wonder Governor Xiao went all the way to Jiangnan to marry her.”
“Didn’t you hear? She’s called the First Beauty of Jiangnan. I bet her hips were already this full when she came of age—how else could she earn that title?”
“Surely she’ll bear two children in three years…”
…
Xiao Xu was a military man, so most of the wedding guests were his comrades. Among the women were refined ladies, but refinement never outweighed vulgarity—especially when there was a bed in the room and everyone knew what bride and groom would be doing within the hour.
The chatter had already shifted from Xiao Xu’s thick, glossy hair and high nose bridge, slowly descending to more indecent speculation.
Mi Yao’s gaze fell on Xiao Shan, glimpsed between the crowd. She wanted someone to carry the child out. Only then did she notice Xiao Shan clutching the hem of a nearby woman’s robe. Her gaze met the woman’s, who smiled and called her, “Younger sister-in-law.”
Seeing Mi Yao’s blank look, the woman’s face grew tense and embarrassed. “Your husband Xiao Xu is my younger brother. I married out of the Xiao household many years ago…”
Others, noticing Mi Yao did not recognize her, helpfully explained: “Lady Yu, this is your elder sister-in-law, born of the same parents as Governor Xiao. Her name is Xiao Rou.”
“The new bride doesn’t even recognize her own elder sister-in-law. Seems the rumors are true—Governor Xiao truly dislikes this married-out sister.”
“Her own brother is getting married, and she doesn’t live far away, yet she only comes on the wedding day. Likely Governor Xiao forbade her. No wonder people say his heart is sharp as a blade…”
“Lower your voices.”
Listening to the murmurs around her, Mi Yao understood who the woman before her was. After addressing her as “Elder Sister-in-law,” she found herself at a loss for words.
Looking closely, Xiao Rou’s features did resemble the Xiao family, but her brows were furrowed with deep lines, her lips pressed tight, the corners of her mouth drawn down in a way that spoke of hardship. Not only her face—her half-worn cotton robe, patterned with faded blossoms —showed that she did not live comfortably.
Whether she had missed it in the book, or whether the book had never mentioned it, Mi Yao only now realized that Xiao Xu had an elder sister.
And judging by appearances, Xiao Xu treated her just as he did the three children—with a “let them grow wild” attitude, never allowing his elder sister to benefit from his position in the slightest.
“Ninth Sister-in-law, you are truly beautiful. I had heard you were the First Beauty of Jiangnan, and thought it an exaggeration. But seeing you now, I understand what it means for a celestial maiden to descend to earth.”
Mi Yao was still pondering how to exchange polite words with Xiao Rou when a girl’s crisp, eager praise rang out. From the crowd, a young lady in a peach-pink cloud-silk skirt, her hair adorned with a golden hibiscus tassel hairpin, slipped her arm through Mi Yao’s.
“I’ve heard that Ninth Sister-in-law was famed for her virtue even in the boudoir. When I host a flower banquet in the future, you must grace us with your presence.”
Unlike her unpreparedness when facing Xiao Rou, Mi Yao knew exactly who this young lady was.
Xiao Xu’s foster father, Zhao Tianhe, like Xiao Xu himself, was fated to be widowed.
Zhao Tianhe had four children, all of whom died before he reached forty, and his wife, stricken with grief, followed them soon after. After her death, Zhao Tianhe never remarried. Instead, he adopted one foster son and daughter after another, and even raised children from collateral branches of the Zhao clan. This elaborately dressed girl, her face painted more heavily than Mi Yao’s, was one such collateral child—Seventh Miss Zhao.
It was clear she was Zhao Qiniang, not only because Yu Xiu had already told Mi Yao which female guests to watch for, but also because the book itself had given Zhao Qiniang considerable presence. Like the original Mi Yao, she was a venomous supporting character. The original heroine schemed within the Xiao household, while Zhao Qiniang targeted every beautiful wife and lady in Yizhou. Her legitimate elder brother was lustful, and she sought prey for him. Using her identity as a Zhao daughter, she befriended beautiful women, then seized the chance to drug them. After her brother took advantage, she would use power and threats to silence the victims.
In the book, Zhao Qiniang also targeted the original heroine. Fortunately, the heroine was lucky—before she could drink the drugged fragrant wine, Xiao Xu appeared suddenly and stopped her from falling into the trap. But Xiao Xu never explained why he had overturned the wine and dragged her away from Zhao Qiniang’s banquet, locking her inside the Xiao residence.
So when Zhao Qiniang’s schemes with her brother were later exposed, the heroine did not feel Xiao Xu had saved her. She only thought he had deliberately humiliated her. His dramatic intervention seemed designed to make others believe she had fallen into Zhao Qiniang’s trap like the rest, entangled with Zhao Qiniang’s brother.
As for this venomous supporting character who had set her sights on her, Mi Yao did not even bother with polite deflection. Faced with Zhao Qiniang’s invitation, she simply withdrew her hand, lowered her head with a smile, and pretended to be deaf.
Seeing this, Zhao Qiniang wanted to press further, but other women interrupted. When the matchmaker reminded them that the time had come, the crowd dispersed. Zhao Qiniang’s few words slipped into the noise, receiving no response from Mi Yao.
“She really thinks herself something. Just a girl from a fallen family, yet in Yizhou, she dares to flaunt herself before me.”
In the bridal chamber, Zhao Qiniang had held back. But once outside, she gnashed her teeth and kicked at the lush flowers along the corridor.
“Lady, be careful—people are watching.”
Guests filled the walkways. Zhao Qiniang’s maid, seeing women nearby glance their way, whispered a warning.
“You think I need you to tell me?” Zhao Qiniang’s foot landed on her maid. “And what if they see? All of Yizhou, the whole Jian’nan, belongs to my uncle. These people are nothing but ants clinging to the Zhao family.”
The more she spoke, the more dissatisfied she became with Mi Yao’s attitude. Xiao Xu was nothing but the Zhao family’s hound—yet even the hound’s wife dared to posture before her. She did not return to the women’s banquet. Instead, she sent word to her Fifth Brother. When they met in the corridor, Zhao Qiniang eagerly said: “Fifth Brother, why didn’t you go to the bridal chamber? Lady Yu is like a goddess descended. Seeing her with the fan, even as a woman, I couldn’t help but be enchanted.”
Zhao Wulang had drunk heavily at the feast. Hearing Zhao Qiniang’s lavish praise of Mi Yao, his chest burned and his body itched with desire.
“How could I not want to see Lady Yu’s true face? But Xiao Xu is stingy. He didn’t even bother with excuses—just glared coldly at the generals who suggested pranks in the bridal chamber, until they all gave up and dared not mention it again in his presence.”
Among Zhao Tianhe’s foster sons, Zhao Wulang despised Xiao Xu the most—and feared him the most. The other foster sons knew whose household fed them, and so they lowered themselves before the Zhao family. But Xiao Xu never regarded them at all.
Once, Zhao Wulang’s elder brother spoke rudely to Xiao Xu, and Xiao Xu simply beat him. Zhao Tianhe not only refused to defend his own kin but also praised Xiao Xu’s temper and even rewarded him.
“What a pity, then. I didn’t expect Fifth Brother to be so wary of Xiao Xu that he wouldn’t dare set his sights on Lady Yu. She comes from a noble family, skilled in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Such a talented woman deserves a scholar like Fifth Brother to cherish her. To be paired with a brute like Xiao Xu is sheer waste.”
“Who says I fear Xiao Xu!”
At the wedding hall, seeing Lady Yu’s enchanting figure, Zhao Wulang’s heart had already stirred. He longed to replace Xiao Xu in the bridal chamber that very night. Such a celestial beauty—if she had remained in Jiangnan, he might have let it pass. But since she was here in Yizhou, he naturally wanted to taste her.
“Later, find chances to bring her close, as before. If I win Lady Yu, you will not lack reward.”
“I only pity that such a gifted daughter of a noble house should be ruined by Xiao Xu. I believe she and Fifth Brother are truly a match made in heaven. It’s not for reward.”
Zhao Qiniang laughed sweetly, already eager to see Mi Yao defiled—her flower-like face twisted in shame, her beautiful eyes filled with fear and hatred, forced to hang herself to prove her innocence.
“This Zhao Qiniang and Zhao Wulang look respectable enough, both of them of noble birth. Who would have thought their hearts so vile, their words worse than beasts?”
In the bridal chamber, Yu Xiu had been watching Zhao Qiniang. Seeing her decked in jewels and bright colors, she already suspected the girl wanted to steal her elder sister’s spotlight.
Later, when her sister ignored her and she left the chamber in resentment, Yu Xiu followed. First, she saw her scolding her maid, then overheard her conspiring with Zhao Wulang.
“Should we tell Brother-in-law?” After recounting the siblings’ conversation, Yu Xiu asked anxiously.
The pair were like animals, colluding shamelessly. Clearly, they had done such things before—and succeeded.
A thief may steal for a thousand days, but no one can guard against theft for a thousand days. Since both bore the Zhao name, Yu Xiu feared her sister might one day slip, and despite knowing they were villains, still fall prey to them.
“Of course, we must tell him. He is master of the household—such matters must be handled by him.” Mi Yao had never intended to waste effort on Zhao Qiniang. She planned to wait until Zhao Qiniang came again, then invent something to make Xiao Xu deal with the siblings.
But who would have thought the Zhao pair so brazen—speaking their secrets openly in another’s residence, not caring if anyone overheard.
Whether they were simply foolish, or so arrogant they believed the Zhao name could cover all of Yizhou, treating every beautiful woman as their private prey, Mi Yao could not tell.
“Tell Brother-in-law. He will surely protect you.”
“That’s not certain.” Mi Yao curved her lips, teasing Yu Xiu. “Look at Xiao Shan and the others—even their own aunt, yet Governor Xiao has no habit of protecting his kin.”
Above all else, in this marriage with Xiao Xu, she knew she must keep boundaries. She must never let him see her as “family.” To be treated as family by a man who neither shields his own nor spares them from harm—that would be hell on earth.
Seated before the gilded, filigree dressing case, Mi Yao removed the heavy crown of peonies, red gold, jade, and pearls from her head, all the while pondering how to maintain that line—never to be considered one of Xiao Xu’s household.
By the time Xiao Xu returned to the bridal chamber, reeking of wine, Mi Yao had already undone her cloudlike coiffure. Her softly curled black hair spilled down her back. She wore a dawn-red patterned inner robe, with a gauzy outer layer embroidered in gold thread with phoenixes in harmony.
Their eyes met. Seeing he had no objection to her having changed crown and gown, she calmly remained seated on the couch.
Xiao Xu went to the dressing table, removed his coronet, and washed briefly in the bathing room. He emerged, his face flushed from drink, damp with water, now dressed in plain underclothes.
Up to this point, Mi Yao thought all was well. But when Xiao Xu climbed onto the couch, she glimpsed something amiss in the folds of his white silk trousers. Before she could puzzle it out, he began tugging at his clothes, his intent to proceed directly startling her. Mi Yao quickly gathered herself, looped her arms around his neck, and leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of his lips.
Afterward, her eyes glimmered with allure as she whispered: “With this soft skin and tender flesh of mine, does Xiao Lang not wish to kiss and caress me?”
The dragon-and-phoenix candles burned bright. In their glow, Mi Yao’s skin seemed veiled in a misty jade-like radiance. Her smile was enchanting, like a spirit from a tale, too alluring to be human.
Xiao Xu’s gaze fell on her lips. Mi Yao’s features were delicate, but she did not have the tiny cherry lips of a maiden. Her full, plump lips dominated her oval face, the slight curve of her lip-pearl making them more vivid than the reddest blossom—seductive, as if they could swallow a man’s darkest desires whole.
Of course he wanted to kiss her.
Xiao Xu bent down, following her lead, and pressed his mouth to hers. After a few lingering sucks, he brushed against the tip of her tongue.
Recalling the “fire-avoidance diagrams” he had once glanced at, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her slender waist, lifting her onto his lap to shift positions and deepen the kiss.
It was then that Mi Yao realized something was wrong.
After a long kiss, Xiao Xu was like boiling water, his neck flushed crimson, impatient to move to the next step.
But Mi Yao’s earlier softness vanished. Her brows knit tight, her palm pressed firmly against his chest, and she declared resolutely: “No. You mustn’t.”