The next morning, when Mi Yao woke, the space beside her was already empty. As the sky grew lighter, she realized one advantage of marrying Xiao Xu. He might lack virtue, but since the Xiao household had no elders, even as his wife, she wasn’t bound to rise early, pay respects, or follow rigid rules. She could simply roll over and sleep a little longer. But when she finally woke again, fully rested, and saw the figure standing by her bed, she blinked hard in disbelief.
“I thought you had died in my dream.” Xiao Xu’s voice was no longer hoarse as it had been the night before. It was deep and magnetic, like icicles formed overnight along the eaves—cold and unyielding.
“Since you’re awake, get dressed and come out.” With that, he left for the outer room.
Mi Yao rang the bell to summon her maid. Knowing someone was waiting outside, she didn’t dawdle. Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she was neatly dressed and seated before Xiao Xu.
“Does my lord not need to report for duty today?”
“My father granted me three days’ leave. Tomorrow you’ll accompany me to the governor’s residence.”
He had intended to go today, but when noon came and Mi Yao was still asleep, he hadn’t planned to disturb her. Only when he overheard servants gossiping in the courtyard—saying he had kept her up all night, that she had begged for mercy and cried out—did he change his mind. Turning on his heel, he entered the room, curious to see what state the “field he had plowed” was in. Before she opened her eyes, he lifted the quilt and touched the marks on her pale skin, surprised to find them. He had thought his strength last night was no more than a cat carrying its kitten by the scruff. Yet after one night, her neck and chest were covered in kiss marks, red turning purple, mixed with several bite marks that hadn’t faded. At that sight, he lost the urge to wake her—though moments later, she opened her eyes herself.
When she heard she was to pay respects to Zhao Tianhe, Mi Yao immediately understood the disdain she had glimpsed in Xiao Xu’s eyes earlier. He must have thought she slept too long and delayed proper business.
“In the future, if there are occasions where you need me present, just tell me a day in advance. I may love to sleep, but rising early once in a while is no trouble.”
Her words implied that late rising was her natural right. Xiao Xu gave a short, cold laugh.
“Have the servants prepare the room next door. I dislike sharing a bed. You’ll move there tonight. And have this chamber restored to its original state—remove the red silk and candles. If you like them, move them into your own room.”
Clearly, Xiao Xu hadn’t forgotten the promises Mi Yao had made on the bed the night before.
After giving those instructions, he moved the mother‑of‑pearl box before Mi Yao. “Inside are the account books and the storeroom keys. Once you’ve eaten after your rest, you can go reconcile the accounts. Managing household finances is the duty you’ve taken upon yourself. If you neglect it, I will punish you.”
How had it become her “chosen duty”? In truth, it was nothing more than a compromise to avoid being stabbed.
“I don’t believe my lord would ever bear to punish me.” Mi Yao gave a coquettish hum, slid her stool closer to Xiao Xu, and, seeing his eyes curve with a half‑smile, pressed her fingertip against his lips to block any harsh words.
“You’ve given me the authority, so what of the wealth? A man as generous and dignified as you wouldn’t reduce me to a servant, collecting monthly allowance like wages, would you?” She released her finger from his thin lips and looked at him expectantly.
“The gold and silver in the accounts—you may use them as you please.”
Mi Yao waited, thinking he would add some restriction. But after several breaths, he said nothing more.
Unlimited use? Her eyes lit up suddenly, bright as the morning sun. “Xiao Lang, you treat me far too well. Meeting you in this lifetime is my greatest blessing.”
She reached out to loop her arms around his neck. Seeing that he didn’t push her away, she planted a kiss on his cheek. “My lord, since you are so good to me, even if you make mistakes in the future, I won’t hold it against you.”
Xiao Xu had intended to keep his distance now that she was moving to the next room. But when he saw her tilt her head and smile, his gaze slid from her eyes downward—and before he realized it, he had bent close and bitten her lips.
Mi Yao groaned in pain before he finally lifted his head.
“From now on, on the first and fifteenth of each month, we will share a bed—just as last night.”
At his words, Mi Yao froze. Weren’t the first and fifteenth supposed to be days for burning incense and offering wine, praying to the gods? How had Xiao Xu turned them into the opposite?
“Just like last night”—did that mean only rubbing against her without entering?
Their gazes crossed, but Xiao Xu gave her no chance to object. After issuing his command, he left the room decisively.
“Elder Sister, Brother‑in‑law’s attendant said we should tidy up the side chamber in the courtyard. Brother‑in‑law ordered that you move there from now on.”
As soon as Xiao Xu left, Yu Xiu rushed in, speaking quickly. But when her eyes fell on the red marks left uncovered on Mi Yao’s neck, and then on her unnaturally reddened lips, she cried out in shock, eyes brimming with tears.
“Did Brother‑in‑law bully you? How could he treat you so? You’re so beautiful, yet he bullies you!”
Mi Yao hadn’t wanted the young girl, not yet of age, to know too much about men and women. Just last night, she had warned Yu Xiu not to follow Shuang Hua and the others into her room this morning, lest she see things that would need explaining. Who would have thought she avoided being caught while changing clothes, yet forgot to wear a high collar to hide the marks?
“Moving to the side chamber isn’t because the Commander bullied me—it’s because I don’t want to suffer.”
Something that large could be put anywhere, except inside her body.
Thinking of Xiao Xu’s demands before leaving, Mi Yao first instructed the servants to restore the room to its original state.
“Isn’t it too early to take down the wedding silks? Even if not half a month, at least three days should be proper.”
Though Mi Yao didn’t say it outright, Yu Xiu still felt Xiao Xu was strange. Such a beautiful bride, and he didn’t cherish her—rather, he seemed to quarrel with her, deliberately stripping her of face so others could laugh.
“Whether they’re hung or not, the marriage is already sealed. The red lanterns in the manor can stay; they’ll suit the New Year. But the double‑happiness banners can be taken down.”
Speaking as she opened the box Xiao Xu had brought, Mi Yao flipped through the account book. Seeing the numbers written there, she fell silent for a moment.
“Elder Sister, what’s wrong?”
Mi Yao’s expression grew solemn. Yu Xiu leaned closer in confusion. As a concubine-born daughter, she had never studied household management or arithmetic in the Yu family, so naturally she couldn’t understand the account book—and had no idea what Mi Yao had just seen.
“Xiu’er, remember this: never speak ill of your brother‑in‑law. He is a truly good man.”
At first, when Xiao Xu said she could use the funds freely, Mi Yao thought he must have kept two sets of accounts. The Xiao household’s books couldn’t show too little, but surely not too much either.
Who would have guessed the numbers were shockingly high: not only 120,000 taels of silver, but also 80,000 taels of gold. Had he dug up a gold mine? How else could he have so much stored at home?
Setting aside the account book, she opened the register of storeroom inventories. To keep herself from losing control in excitement, she gripped Yu Xiu’s hand tightly.
No wonder he was the male lead—he was truly wealthy. It seemed Xiao Xu had originally confiscated this estate, and Zhao Tianhe hadn’t required him to hand anything over. Thus, the Xiao storerooms brimmed with treasures from all over. Yet the record‑keepers had clearly changed over time. The earlier entries were detailed, but the later ones were careless—simply noting “one painting,” “one porcelain vase,” without specifying what kind. If the storeroom guards ever grew disloyal, it would be easy to swap items unnoticed.
“Clear out the side chamber completely first—no need to furnish it yet. We’ll go to the storeroom and replace things with whatever we find best.”
The more Mi Yao read, the more excited she became. She threw on a crimson cloak edged with white mink fur and prepared to head to the storeroom. But as soon as she stepped into the courtyard, something clung to her leg. Looking down, she saw a little bundle in padded cotton—Xiao Shan.
“Did you miss me?”
Seeing him clutch her leg tightly, Mi Yao laughed.
Xiao Shan nodded hard, pointing first at her cloak, then at his own clothes.
The Xiao household was still in festive mood. Today, apart from Xiao Xu in his dark‑green brocade robe, everyone else wore bright celebratory attire. Xiao Shan’s red jacket matched the red silk‑patterned robes of Xiao Yi and Xiao Liang.
“Greetings to Mother, may Mother be blessed.” Xiao Yi pulled his younger brother down to kneel, but Mi Yao stopped them.
Xiao Yi thought Mi Yao, having married their father, still disliked being called “Mother.” He worried his brother would be hurt again. But then he heard Mi Yao say: “If you’re going to pay respects, do it properly inside the hall. Not here. I haven’t put anything in my pockets—if you bow to me now, I won’t be able to give you a meeting gift.”
Xiao Liang’s eyes widened in delight. “Mother is going to give us gifts?”
“Yesterday I married your father. From now on, you are my children. Since you’ve come today to pay respects, naturally, I must give you meeting gifts.”
Once inside, Shuang Hua brought out the kneeling cushions. Watching the three little ones bow their heads to her, Mi Yao truly felt the weight of being an elder.
A seventeen‑year‑old girl with seven‑year‑old sons—utterly outrageous.
The gifts had already been prepared.
After calling them up, Mi Yao distributed them in order of age.
Each received a red‑gold collar carved with auspicious beasts. Xiao Yi, the eldest, also got a set of scholar’s tools. Xiao Liang received a jade puzzle of nine linked rings. Xiao Shan was given a miniature silver tea set—scaled down from the real version, suitable both as decoration and for children’s play.
The collars had been prepared by the Yu family; the other items she had bought along the way to Yizhou, thinking them interesting. Now they served perfectly as gifts.
Only Xiao Yi, steady by nature, accepted his gift without examining it closely. The two younger ones stared at theirs over and over, while Xiao Shan immediately placed his on the beauty couch and began to play.
“Have your nannies put the gifts back in your rooms. Don’t rush to play now. We’re going to the storeroom to see what treasures the household holds.”
At first, Mi Yao had thought she’d compromised too much last night, wanting to pretend she was only a housekeeper, not a nursemaid. But when she heard Xiao Yi say they had come early to greet her and met Xiao Xu, who told them she was still asleep and would summon them once she woke, she understood.
Xiao Xu might be a general, but he was like a merchant—once he seized a profit, he never let go. He would not allow her to pretend the matter didn’t exist.
Since she couldn’t manage everything perfectly, she would at least maintain appearances. So when she went out again, she was flanked by three bright‑red, festive little radishes, and together they marched off to inspect Xiao Xu’s household wealth.
Seeing Mi Yao’s activity, Pu Qing grew uneasy and spoke to his master:
“The scouts who investigated the Yu girl reported she was deeply devoted to her lover. The woman they described differs from the one in this household. I fear she may be acting before the Commander, feigning obedience to lower his guard and avenge Huan Guanbin. If the Commander has given her the storeroom keys and the household accounts, and she harbors disloyalty…”
As he spoke, Pu Qing thought of the old saying: even heroes falter before beauty. His master was a man of unmatched valor, never swayed by lust like other men. Yet after only one night in the bridal chamber, he had already altered his plans, entrusting all his wealth to the Yu girl.
As a loyal servant, Pu Qing felt obliged to advise him, even if it meant speaking ill of her. He feared his master might be bewitched and scold him for meddling. But instead, he heard: “If her disloyalty can be drawn out, that is no bad thing.”
If she never revealed it, how could he punish her? Before marrying her, he had intended to treat her as mere decoration. But she was too provoking—every word seemed obedient, yet made one itch to discipline her.
Without cause, how could he? So he could only give her the chance to make mistakes.