By the time Gu Zhao left Fu’an Hall, Zhu Qingyu had already stepped out of the gates of the Duke Ding’s residence.
The snow was falling even more fiercely, the icy wind rushing toward her face.
Zhang Shen’s carriage had long been waiting. Seeing her come out, Zhang Shen lifted the curtain, stepped down from the carriage, held up an umbrella, and hurried a few steps to meet her.
“My lady.”
Zhu Qingyu thanked the maid who had seen her off, then quickly walked toward Zhang Shen. As she took the umbrella from his hand, she said:
“Why did you come down? Get back in quickly—the snow is too heavy, you shouldn’t be exposed to the cold.”
Zhang Shen nodded in greeting to the maid before ushering Zhu Qingyu into the carriage.
Though it was only a few steps, the wind and snow were so harsh that some slipped into his collar. As soon as he got in, Zhang Shen leaned against the carriage wall and coughed a few times.
Zhu Qingyu hurriedly poured him some hot tea, then used a handkerchief to wipe the snow from his neck and hair, asking as she did:
“Weren’t you supposed to host a dinner today for the new Salt Commissioner, Lord Dai? I thought you wouldn’t be back until midnight. How did you have time to come pick me up?”
The charcoal stove in the carriage burned warmly. After drinking the hot tea and driving away the chill, Zhang Shen felt a bit better. He looked her over from head to toe and said:
“The dinner didn’t happen. The Ministry of Revenue is undergoing reforms. The newly appointed Vice Minister Gu has been tightening discipline, and just yesterday dealt with several officials. At a time like this, Lord Dai would naturally avoid the spotlight, so the banquet was canceled. It can wait until he arrives in Yangzhou to take office. I figured the snow would come down hard today, and you probably didn’t bring an umbrella, so I came to pick you up.”
Noticing the mud and snow on her boots and the damp hem of her skirt, Zhang Shen quickly handed her his hand warmer.
“Don’t just worry about me—warm yourself too. When we get back, change your clothes right away. You’re dressed far too plainly today. Anyone who doesn’t know better might think the Zhang family business is failing. We’re a major merchant family, after all—surely we can afford cosmetics and fine clothes for our lady.”
Zhu Qingyu put away the handkerchief and accepted the hand warmer with a smile.
“I was going out for a consultation, not as a guest. Why carry all those burdens? Besides, why dress so brightly? It’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”
Thinking of something, Zhang Shen sighed.
“Caution is good, but there’s no need to be overly fearful. The Gu family is, after all, the emperor’s maternal relatives, and their reputation has always been upright. They’re not that kind of disorderly household. By the way, how is the old madam? Do you still need to go back?”
Zhu Qingyu had come to the capital this time to treat the old Madam Gu upon the recommendation of the wife of Commissioner Yang from Yangzhou.
The old madam had injured her waist some time ago and hadn’t fully recovered. There were no suitable female physicians in the capital, and it was inconvenient for male doctors to perform acupuncture requiring disrobing. After much searching, they had somehow found Zhu Qingyu.
Since Zhang Shen was making his routine trip to the capital to maintain relations and present gifts to his superiors, Zhu Qingyu came along to treat the old madam. Today was her third visit, and the treatment had been successful.
“It’s all settled now. There’s no need to go again.”
Zhang Shen let out a breath of relief.
“That’s good. While forming ties with the Duke’s residence is beneficial, the capital isn’t like Yangzhou. You’re out on your own here, and I can’t look after you—it always worries me.”
During dinner, Zhu Qingyu thought about the Gu family’s heir she had seen earlier. Curious, she finally asked:
“Jingyan, have you seen the Gu family’s heir?”
It was rare for Zhu Qingyu to ask about someone. However, Zhang Shen was not surprised. The first time he had seen Vice Minister Gu, he too had been startled.
“You saw him today, didn’t you? That’s my fault—I should’ve told you earlier so you’d be prepared. I asked around. Before this, Vice Minister Gu had become a monk at Huangjue Temple. He had already entered monastic life for several years. When the emperor ascended the throne and summoned him back to court, he refused at first. In the end, the emperor personally went to bring him back. After all, he’s the emperor’s cousin. Once he returned, he was directly appointed Vice Minister of Revenue.”
So that was the reason—he had been a monk.
Zhu Qingyu thought to herself that he was not someone like her after all. Fortunately, she hadn’t foolishly approached him.
Under imperial power, everything was insignificant. Even the emperor’s cousin, a noble young master, had no freedom to remain a monk.
Since matters of the royal family were not something to discuss lightly, they changed the topic and put the Gu heir aside.
In the capital, where land was precious and nobles were everywhere, the Zhang family, though a wealthy merchant family in Yangzhou, kept a low profile. Their carriage was simple, and their residence was only a modest two-courtyard house.
Compared to the grand estate in Yangzhou, Zhu Qingyu, being from a modern background, didn’t mind at all. But for Zhang Shen, who had grown up in luxury, it felt somewhat restrictive.
With Zhu Qingyu’s task completed and Zhang Shen’s obligations nearly done, and with the capital’s cold proving difficult, that night after washing up and extinguishing the lamp, as they lay in bed chatting before sleep, Zhang Shen discussed returning to Yangzhou in a few days.
Zhu Qingyu, already drowsy, murmured:
“Alright… I’ll start packing tomorrow. Third Sister asked me to bring back some jewelry from the capital for her…”
Before she could finish, she felt warm breath near her ear. She fell silent, not daring to move.
When she had married Zhang Shen, it had been more of a mutual arrangement. He needed someone to maintain appearances, while she needed a status for protection.
After all, an unmarried adult man would invite suspicion, and a beautiful, unattached woman without backing would attract unwanted attention.
But over time, it seemed Zhang Shen wanted more than just appearances.
The warmth drew closer, brushing her ear and then her neck. Zhang Shen leaned against her, half pressing her down. Seeing that she did not resist, he reached to undo the buttons of her clothing.
As he moved closer, a faint, bitter medicinal scent drifted from him.
A few days earlier, Zhang Shen had somehow obtained some medicine and secretly hidden it in his trunk, not wanting her to know. It was this very smell.
Zhu Qingyu didn’t want to hurt his pride, but she also worried the medicine might harm him. So while he was out, she had quietly checked it.
It was mostly ineffective, though harmless—aside from wasting money, it caused no real damage.
So she pretended not to know and put it back as it was.
Sure enough, after only embracing and kissing her a few times, before even finishing unfastening her clothes, Zhang Shen suddenly let out a muffled groan and began breathing heavily by her ear.
After a moment, he turned over to the side, silent.
Zhu Qingyu didn’t dare move either. She didn’t say a word, barely even daring to breathe, afraid of doing something wrong that might make him feel mocked or hurt.
In the darkness, it was Zhang Shen who spoke first.
“Qingyu, I have some regrets.”
Zhu Qingyu considered carefully before asking softly:
“Regret what?”
Zhang Shen let out a faint laugh, tinged with bitterness.
“I regret… back then, why didn’t I prepare a proper dowry for you, and find you a good husband? In the end, I’ve only delayed your life.”