Tuan Yun, his wife.
He had treated him with scorn, ignored him, for two long years.
Ji Zhiwei sat up, closing his eyes. His emotions surged like a roaring wind, leaving him silent for a long while.
The young servants, who had kept watch since he had fallen, crowded around, calling out: “Second Master!”
All of them cast anxious glances at his body, exchanging worried looks in secret. Their concern was for their own lives. They muttered about how worried the master and madam must be yet aside from the servants, the house was empty.
Ji Zhiwei was used to it. The Earl’s residence had always been like this, glittering and splendid yet distant and cold. He had always been alone.
But now, as a forgotten memory returned to its place, he felt a faint, lingering ache, a tenderness threaded with pain. Light yet undeniably present, like a tiny thorn caught just beneath the skin.
He had once thought meeting Tuan Yun was his misfortune.
Now he realized it had been his salvation, escaping from the barren brink of death, his wasted organs regenerating flesh and blood to breathe two brief, precious breaths.
He waved the servants away.
The cluster of physicians were dismissed as well.
The servant who had been with him recently hesitated but dared not disobey a single word. He followed to prepare the medicines.
Ji Zhiwei lay down, head throbbing, too weak to care, tossing and turning in bed.
Tuan Yun was with child but not by him. Originally, he had intended to confront him, even to harm him.
Now, he could not even bring himself to consider how the child had come to be. He could not recall what he had said to Tuan Yun the last time they met or the time before that.
He could not sleep the entire night.
At dawn, just as light broke, Ji Zhiwei, eyes bloodshot, pushed open the door.
The night watch servant was shocked by his appearance, answering with downcast eyes, barely daring to breathe.
“Tell the gatekeeper to prepare a carriage. The steward and accountant are to check the inventory and prepare a heavy gift.”
“Yes, sir.”
The servants all responded. As they moved to leave, he called after them:
“Madam… where is Madam?”
In the second young master’s speech, he was rarely mentioned. When necessary, only the courtyard’s name was used. The servant hesitated, momentarily confused, still not understanding the question.
“Madam is currently with child. The matron has excused formal greetings. At this hour, he should still be resting.”
He was not entirely certain either. In this household, no one had ever paid attention to Tuan Yun, so if the ‘Madam’ was not in his courtyard, where else could he be?
Having answered, the servant withdrew.
Ji Zhiwei waited at the gate, watching the sky. Nearly an hour passed yet he did not step toward Tuan Yun’s courtyard.
When all was ready, near noon, Ji Zhiwei departed,
To pay a visit to Cui Jianying.
He rarely crossed the threshold of Cui Jianying’s household. It was almost unheard of in the capital yet now he did not care.
By unfortunate timing, Cui Jianying was out. The steward said he had gone to meet guests and would not return at an unknown hour.
Ji Zhiwei assumed it was an excuse. Their relationship was notoriously unpredictable but the next moment, the steward gave him the address of a teahouse. Ji Zhiwei followed and finally found Cui Jianying.
Indeed, Cui Jianying was meeting guests. Two fine teacups rested on the table, as if the meeting had just ended.
Seeing Ji Zhiwei, before a word was exchanged, Cui Jianying’s sharp perception instantly discerned the purpose of the visit. Meeting his gaze, he smiled, unsurprised: “To think the wind could blow someone as distinguished as my cousin all the way here. Looks like today is a good day.”
How quickly he had grasped the entire situation in the capital.
Cui Jianying was a year younger than him.
Ji Zhiwei looked at this man, so hawk like, so tiger like and recalled events of their youth.
He had studied alongside Cui Jianying for a long stretch of time.
Among many children, friction was inevitable. Cui Jianying, a bastard posing as a legitimate son, with a sharp, vengeful personality, was extremely unpopular among the noble youth. He stood isolated, mocked by others yet cared not at all. Despite derision and slights, he moved forward, even in front of the Emperor himself, bowing low, serving like a dog.
At that time, Ji Zhiwei had not yet clashed with Cui Jianying but he could not stand it. He sought him out.
Cui Jianying responded brazenly, asking in return: “Do you despise me, cousin or are you jealous of me?”
“Jealous of you volunteering to be a dog for the royal family?” Ji Zhiwei felt absurdity rise in him.
“Jealous of the way I live my life? Jealous that I can openly brandish my sword against others?”
Cui Jianying looked at him. In that gaze, he seemed both eye to eye and looming above him, a memory etched into Ji Zhiwei forever:
“The truth is, you hate your elder brother to death. He is inferior in every way yet because he was born first, he took everything good. Every time you see that worthless look on him, you feel this way, right?”
“See, you cannot even admit it to yourself. I am a real villain and what exactly are you?”
“Cousin, you look like a snake, like a ghost. You’re nothing but a hypocrite who dares to act but not to admit it.”
A hypocrite… Wasn’t that exactly what he had been?
Ji Zhiwei no longer wasted time. He cast off the mask he had worn for so long. Even his pride could be discarded. He no longer cared about methods, only about achieving his aim.
“My wife, Tuan Yun…” Once he spoke the words, the rest did not feel so difficult.
He spoke simply and plainly, stating his demand directly:
“It was I, for losing my memory, who treated him harshly yet his mind is pure, never harboring malice toward others. If he was deceived, it is not his fault. I bear him no blame.”
“With a heart as soft as cotton, he would never willingly harm his child. Tuan Yun is my beloved. As long as I am bound to him, I will forgive him. I can raise his child as my own but a traitor, a traitor I cannot allow to remain.”
Ji Zhiwei’s words met Cui Jianying’s gaze. After years of estrangement, for the first time, he addressed him as “younger cousin,” speaking sincerely and openly: “If you help me find this traitor, any conditions you ask will be granted.”
Cui Jianying paused for several breaths, then spoke: “Really? Any conditions?”
Ji Zhiwei said, unwavering: “Absolutely.”
Cui Jianying nodded, then froze again and suddenly, as if uncontrollable, he burst into laughter, utterly inappropriate yet radiant, almost like sunlight breaking through clouds.
“Then give me your wife.”
Cui Jianying said plainly: “You divorce your wife and offer him to me.”
“…What?”
Ji Zhiwei could not comprehend. He could not understand.
And yet, in the next second, Cui Jianying continued:
“Cousin, you possess virtue, benevolence and righteousness. You are willing to raise a child for me but how could I burden you so? My own children, I shall raise myself. Rest assured, cousin, I know your wife’s worth. His heart is pure as a newborn’s; he is rare in this world. Once he is in my house, I will hold him in the palm of my hand, cherish him as a treasure.”
“Cousin, truly, I cannot help but admire you,” Cui Jianying laughed, bowing slightly, “Your eye is keen as a hawk’s, recognizing me as the traitor in an instant.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Coffee: useful. Translator: useful. You: potentially useful.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
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ChaptersChapter 1 · How can you, so crude and vulgar, be a match for me?Chapter 2 · Children don’t just appear out of thin air if you want themChapter 3 · I also grew up reading the classicsChapter 4 · I am willing to dress up as the Goddess of MercyChapter 5 · If Cousin Ji doesn’t like me, do you not like me either?Chapter 6 · He actually summoned such a YamaChapter 7 · Am I not worthy of your attention, Madam?Chapter 8 · I think Lord Cui likes you very muchChapter 9 · Dragon and phoenix twinsChapter 10 · I will never allow anyone to belittle or despise you againChapter 11 · If that’s true, then marry your wife to meChapter 12 · Well, it really is true that one thing can subdue anotherChapter 13 · Extra 1Chapter 14 · Extra 2Chapter 15 · Extra 3Chapter 16 · Extra 4