“We are not acquainted.” Xiao Yanshi spoke these words without a shred of dishonesty. It was the truth they had only seen each other twice and had never held a deep conversation. As for the one time they had been intimate… he would simply consider it a mutual, one-time indulgence.
Seeing him so resolute, Xiao Yanzhi was slightly unsettled. “If you are not acquainted, why must you entangle yourself with him? Even for the sake of Yanxun’s engagement, there is no need for you to wade into such murky waters.”
Xiao Yanshi smiled helplessly. “Brother, let me ask you one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Is the marriage between our sister and the Meng family a set-in-stone fact?” Xiao Yanshi asked diplomatically. Xiao Yanzhi paused for a long moment before nodding slowly. “Unless the Emperor issues a decree, this engagement cannot be changed.”
“If that is the case, then before our sister enters the Meng household, she cannot afford the slightest error. Not even if others try to smear her reputation,” Xiao Yanshi said, his words measured. “The Meng family is full of stubborn, old-fashioned pedants who value reputation and integrity more than life itself. With her engagement to Meng Tan imminent, what do you think would happen if she were burdened with baseless stains at a time like this?”
“This…” Xiao Yanzhi was left speechless.
“There are only two outcomes,” Xiao Yanshi mocked. “Either the Meng family breaks the engagement, or our sister is treated with cold disdain after entering the Meng house… I do not wish for either.”
“But that does not mean you have to marry that person,” Xiao Yanzhi’s expression soured. “You do not have an inclination for the Southern Wind (men), you are not even acquainted with him, and you have already had that happen… Plus, there is the old grudge with the Princess’s Estate. How do you intend to conduct yourself in the future?”
“Does Brother have a better solution?” Xiao Yanshi lowered his eyes to the tea on the table. “Marrying him does not mean I will be forced to compromise for the rest of my life.” He suddenly raised his head. “We can just divorce. I only need to endure it for a while… a year is enough.”
Xiao Yanzhi fell silent. Looking at the situation as it stood, Xiao Yanshi’s proposal was indeed a viable path. It was just that…
“You wish to marry, but he may not be willing to wed,” Xiao Yanzhi pointed out the crux of the matter.
Although there had been precedents in the Great Jin for a hundred years, and even today there were men who united as husbands, they were still a minority. Furthermore, aside from commoners who became “sworn brothers,” it was rare among the nobility for a legitimate spouse to be a man. For a man to submit to another was bound to invite ridicule. Although the Third Young Master of the Princess’s Estate held an awkward status, he was still a dignified man. It would be no small feat to convince him to marry Xiao Yanshi.
Moreover, the驸马 (Princess’s consort) might not agree either.
“That will depend on whether he wishes to escape his current situation…” Xiao Yanshi gripped his tea cup and said softly.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Xiao Yanshi set the cup down. “I shall go meet him first.”
Xiao Yanshi arranged the meeting at a small tea house in the western part of the city. The owner was a close friend, and while the place was small, it was fresh and elegant, frequented mostly by neighbors. Even so, Xiao Yanshi had already heard whispers of his “scandalous romance.”
The owner of the tea house was a widow. Her hair was loosely pinned up, with the rest falling against her neck, perfectly concealing the large, plum-blossom-shaped birthmark on her skin. She wore a bright red skirt, and a jade gourd hung from her waist—it looked rough and out of place. Yet, the moment she spoke, her voice was full of the lingering, alluring tenderness characteristic of Jiangnan.
“Xiao the Second, you don’t make a sound, and then you shock everyone! Losing your purity and causing the whole city to know about it!” Mistress Xu carried a teapot over, set a cup in front of Xiao Yanshi, and gave him a playful look of mockery.
“Mistress Xu, please have mercy on me,” Xiao Yanshi begged for leniency. “It is fortunate my father is not in Jiangling; otherwise, my legs would have been broken long ago…”
“It would be easy for me to have mercy, but others… I fear they think the trouble is not big enough.” Mistress Xu didn’t sit properly; she leaned against the table, propping her chin on her hand, her fingers gently stroking the teapot. “Your matter isn’t particularly outrageous. After all, it was the Second Prince who dragged you to the flower house, and as for those who lost their senses while drunk… shouldn’t the sober ones also be held accountable?”
She seemed to be sighing, perhaps even expressing indignation. Xiao Yanshi curled his lips slightly upon hearing this. “If it were anyone else, holding them accountable wouldn’t be difficult. But that is Xue Shao. As long as His Majesty does not broach the topic, those of us… how could we dare?”
It wasn’t that Xiao Yanshi hadn’t considered it. But regardless of how many people he dragged into the mire, the incident between himself and Xue You was irreversible. If Xue Shao were to suffer from the rumors, he couldn’t guarantee that the Emperor wouldn’t hold a grudge against him in turn. Small ghosts are difficult to deal with—Xiao Yanshi had understood this principle long ago.
As the two were speaking, Xiao Yanshi suddenly raised his head and looked toward the door. “He is here.”
Mistress Xu turned to look, and saw a man knock on the door and lift the curtain to enter.
“Good heavens, you aren’t the one losing out here…” Mistress Xu was always uninhibited. Upon seeing the man who entered, she couldn’t help but sigh.
Xue You was dressed in white today, clutching his fur cloak in his hand. With bright eyes and elegant brows, his hair neat and glossy, his shoulders dusted with snow, he retained a sense of aloof, cool-headed refinement.
Xiao Yanshi had to admit that even with a clear conscience, he couldn’t help but lose focus when looking at this man.
Mistress Xu’s voice was not quiet, and both men in the room heard it. Xue You, perhaps unaware of the preceding context, showed no reaction, but it was different for Xiao Yanshi. He felt embarrassed, thinking to himself: Even if he looks like a Bodhisattva, I am still the one who lost out! I was the one pinned down, not him!
“I had a sudden emergency at the estate, which delayed me. I hope the Heir will forgive me.” Xue You’s manners were impeccable, and Mistress Xu grew only more appreciative. Xiao Yanshi looked at the fine beads of sweat on his temples and understood what had happened. “It was I who requested this meeting so abruptly; it is not a matter of delay.”
Having shared that moment, it was impossible not to feel awkward. However, it was clear that Xue You was more at ease. Mistress Xu watched them both closely, perhaps sensing something she didn’t quite grasp, and eventually found an excuse to step out.
Once she was gone, Xiao Yanshi grew calm. He poured Xue You a cup of tea and went straight to the point. “Are you willing to marry me?”
Xue You’s hand trembled, and tea spilled over the rim, but he quickly steadied himself, lowered his eyes, and said, “Is the Heir joking?”
“I am not joking.” Xiao Yanshi felt uneasy staring at him, so he focused on the cup on the table. “The matter involving the two of us is now known across all of Jiangling…”
Xue You was silent for a while before saying, “The Heir does not seem like the type to be concerned about rumors.”
“If it only concerned myself, then it would not matter, but…” Xiao Yanshi pondered for a moment before looking up and speaking candidly. “My sister’s engagement is imminent. The other party is the Meng family.”
With just that sentence, Xue You understood immediately.
Seeing the change in his expression, Xiao Yanshi knew he had grasped the situation, so he continued without further waste of breath. “Your life in the Princess’s Estate cannot be easy. Marrying me is not exactly a wise move, but if you wish to escape for a time, it is not an ineffective method.”
“We take what we need. For the period of one year. Once the time is up, we divorce. What do you think?”