Wei Zhao continued examining the paper. “What do you know? Her handwriting is big. It’s much easier on the eyes.”
Liang Jian thought to himself, Fine, fine. Whatever makes you happy. My mistake for saying anything.
Wei Zhao gently traced the large characters on the page with his fingers.
So her name is Jiang Yihuan… I had thought it was Jiang Yihuan with a different ‘Yi’ character.
The next morning, Jiang Yihuan opened her eyes to find a maid waiting beside her.
“Miss Jiang, the General invites you to join him for breakfast.”
Jiang Yihuan was overjoyed.
Since arriving in the capital, this was the first time Wei Zhao had invited her to dine with him.
Wei Zhao was unusually gentle today. He personally served her a bowl of fragrant green-stem rice porridge and asked,
“Did you sleep well last night?”
Taking advantage of the moment, Jiang Yihuan secretly reached over and touched his long, jade-like fingers.
“I slept very well. What about you?”
“I slept well too.”
Wei Zhao quietly withdrew his hand.
Why does it feel like I just got taken advantage of?
The truth was that he woke with every slight disturbance, constantly afraid an enemy assassin would come for him. He never dared sleep too deeply.
Jiang Yihuan looked closely at him.
“There are bloodshot veins in your eyes. Did something happen?”
Keeping a perfectly straight face, Wei Zhao replied,
“I’m exhausted. I want to resign from office, leave the capital, hide deep in the mountains, and spend my days feeding wild beasts. Would you like to come with me?”
Jiang Yihuan spoke earnestly,
“Wei Zhao, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve made far too many enemies. If you lose your official position, you won’t even make it to the mountains. Your enemies will chop you into minced meat first. I wouldn’t even be able to collect your body.”
“If it really comes to that, you might as well raise an army and rebel. Then you wouldn’t have to put up with anyone’s nonsense.”
Wei Zhao: “…”
Seeing how well she handled shocking news, he decided to finally tell her about Jiang Qianli.
“This time I’m serious. I’m not lying to you.”
“Your brother… might really die.”
Jiang Yihuan burst into tears.
“My poor brother!”
“Wei Zhao, why did you lie to me before? Now I have to cry twice!”
She became so heartbroken that she lost her appetite. Pushing away her bowl with tears in her eyes, she left the table, even her brilliantly colorful clothes seeming to lose their brightness.
Wei Zhao instantly regretted opening his mouth.
Why couldn’t you keep quiet? Why couldn’t you just keep quiet? If Jiang Qianli dies, then he dies. Wouldn’t it have been better to keep it from her forever?
Back in her room, Jiang Yihuan cried as though the heavens themselves were collapsing, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
“Zhu Xian, where are the Fu siblings? Aren’t they coming to apologize and pay me compensation?”
“Only silver can ease my pain.”
Patting her chest confidently, Zhu Xian declared,
“Don’t worry! They won’t get away! My master is like a snapping turtle—once he bites down, he’ll never let go!”
Meanwhile, the Fu family was in turmoil.
After Jiang Yihuan had threatened her, Fu Xirong had fallen ill that very night.
She kept dreaming that Jiang Yihuan gouged out her eyeballs and forced her to eat them. She was so terrified that she didn’t dare fall asleep again.
Her father was furious as he stared at the judgment from the Court of Judicial Review.
“That wolf cub Wei Zhao! What kind of decent girl could possibly stay by his side? And Vice Minister Qiao too! He looks so upright, yet he’s shamelessly currying favor with Wei Zhao!”
The simple-minded Fu Xiting roared, grabbing a broadsword.
“Father! Let me kill Wei Zhao!”
Smack!
Lord Fu slapped him across the face.
“You idiot! Do you know how many market stalls you knocked over that day? Those vendors have been coming every day demanding compensation! My salary isn’t even enough to pay them all back!”
“But Father, our meals are so bland! Sister was finally treating me to food and wine, and that Miss Jiang ruined everything! I hate her!”
Smack!
Another slap landed.
“Eat, eat, eat! That’s all you ever think about!”
Lord Fu hated Wei Zhao and had no intention of bringing his children to apologize.
Besides, his daughter was still bedridden.
Just then, officers from the Capital Prefecture arrived.
They seized Fu Xiting.
“Lord Fu, your son injured Miss Jiang. We are taking him into custody.”
Lord Fu exploded.
“What about Miss Jiang? She struck first too! My daughter’s neck was injured, and she’s been frightened into illness!”
“That’s not our concern. Our Prefect has already made his ruling. Take him away!”
Lord Fu’s face twisted with rage.
After much thought, he wrote a letter to Wei Zhao’s father, who was serving in another province, asking him to discipline his lawless son.
While Jiang Yihuan was still crying her heart out, Old Madam Wei summoned her.
One of the old lady’s grandnephews from her maiden family was imprisoned and scheduled for execution in five days.
His mother had nearly cried herself unconscious, even kneeling before Old Madam Wei and threatening to kill herself if she refused to help.
With no other options left, Old Madam Wei decided to seek Jiang Yihuan’s help.
Forcing a smile, she asked,
“Yihuan, I’ve treated you well, haven’t I?”
Jiang Yihuan nodded obediently.
“You’ve treated me very well, Old Madam. You don’t make me rise before dawn to pay my respects, nor do you make me stand beside you while you eat.”
“Although you’re known for making your daughters-in-law wake earlier than chickens and sleep later than dogs, you’ve never treated me that way. You truly like me.”
Old Madam Wei: “…”
Her daughters-in-law: “…”
“You little girl! Where did you hear such nonsense? Was it Heng Shi and the others? Those gossiping women! So this is what all of you really think of me!”
Heng Shi and the others immediately protested in unison.
“Mother, we’ve been wronged!”
Jiang Yihuan quickly explained,
“Please don’t misunderstand. I saw it with my own eyes. It has nothing to do with them.”
“Are you deliberately trying to anger me? Just because Zhao’er dotes on you doesn’t mean you can do whatever you like! I’m the mistress of this household!”
“Old Madam, please don’t raise your voice or glare at me. You’re not looking very kind anymore.”
“You… you’re every bit Zhao’er’s woman! You’re going to anger me to death!”
“Please calm down, Old Madam. Anger is bad for your health.”
“If you really want me to calm down, it’s simple. Go tell Zhao’er to save his cousin.”
Jiang Yihuan blinked in surprise.
“That doesn’t seem possible. Wei Zhao is upright and impartial. He never bends the law for personal relationships.”
“You haven’t even asked him. How do you know?”
“You already asked him and he refused. Why would he listen to me?”
Old Madam Wei was left speechless.
“…Just go and try! Don’t let all the affection I’ve shown you go to waste!”
Jiang Yihuan rubbed her fingers together awkwardly.
“All right. I’ll go talk to him.”
Old Madam Wei’s mood finally improved.
“Good girl. Once this matter is settled, I’ll arrange your wedding.”
“Thank you, Old Madam.”
Jiang Yihuan curtsied and left.
Wei Zhiru hurried after her.
“Yihuan, don’t be foolish. My elder brother won’t help Grandmother.”
“He may like you, but he has principles too.”
She couldn’t very well explain the deep rift between her grandmother and her cousin.
Besides, her cousin probably wouldn’t want Jiang Yihuan to know. Men cared about their pride.
Jiang Yihuan nodded.
“I understand. Thank you.”
Wei Zhiru peeked toward Wei Zhao’s residence before asking in a whisper,
“Yihuan… how often does my brother spend the night in your room?”
“He has never spent a single night there.”
Wei Zhiru covered her mouth in surprise.
“That won’t do at all!”
“You have no family to rely on, and your brother is a convicted criminal. You have to hold on to my brother. The sooner you have his child, the sooner your position in the household will be secure.”
“A child?”
Jiang Yihuan looked completely bewildered.
“How… am I supposed to have a child with him?”