Nian Chujiu had not slept well at Tai Ran Residence the previous night. She was exhausted, yet sleep would not come. Lying stiffly in the darkness, eyes wide open, she pondered how she could successfully bring her case before the Emperor.
Crying injustice was too foolish. Trying to curry favor with the Emperor’s favored consorts was too lowly a tactic.
What she needed was an audience powerful enough to leave a deep impression, one that would make Emperor Guangqi recognize the value of the Nian family.
The Nian family could not become a feast for any faction’s ambitions!
Nian Chujiu intended to make a dangerous move, but one misstep could doom everything beyond recovery. Truth be told, she had little confidence. She did not know how much time had passed when the door quietly opened. Mingyue slipped inside on silent feet and felt her way to the footstool beside the bed, where she curled up to stand night watch.
From within the bed curtains came Nian Chujiu’s alert voice. “Mingyue, there’s no need to keep watch tonight. Go back to your room and get some proper sleep.”
Mingyue quickly sat up. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and through the bed curtains she replied, “Miss, you’re still awake? This servant doesn’t mind. I’ll stay here. If you need tea or have any instructions during the night, it’ll be more convenient.”
A slender hand emerged from the curtains and gently lifted one side.
“The capital isn’t like Ding’an,” Nian Chujiu said, lying on her side. Her voice carried the night’s softness and clarity. “The land’s damp here. If you spend every night sleeping on that footstool, the cold moisture will seep into your bones. You may not notice it while you’re young, but later you’ll end up with aching legs. Be good and go sleep in your room. At least your bed will be dry.”
Mingyue smiled silently in the darkness, warmth spreading through her heart. “Miss is so kind. You’re always thinking so far ahead for us servants.”
“I still want all of you to stay with me until we’re old. How could I not think long term?” Nian Chujiu shifted closer to the edge of the bed, resting her chin on the wooden frame and clasping Mingyue’s hand.
Mingyue felt how impossibly soft her mistress’s hand was. That blind fool, Young Master Gu, truly had no fortune to speak of.
Then she heard Nian Chujiu continue, “The mosquitoes in the capital are truly unbearable. When I have time in a few days, I’ll make some herbal sachets to repel insects. You can wear them and sleep more peacefully at night. Otherwise, you’ll wake up covered in red bites.”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you in advance, Miss.” Mingyue had suffered enough from the capital’s mosquitoes that she spoke without thinking. “These mosquitoes are especially vicious. They’re ruthless and poisonous, acting as though they won’t leave until they’ve drained every last drop of blood. Every one of them is fat as can be. When I slap one, it’s nothing but blood all over my palm. It’s horrifying.”
Nian Chujiu smiled silently. Even the mosquitoes in the capital were just like the Gu family. Wasn’t the Gu family nothing more than bloodsucking mosquitoes? They bit swiftly and mercilessly, and they would never let go until they had their fill.
The only question was whether the Gu family’s bite was tougher, or whether the medicine she had prepared was deadlier. Perhaps it was time to find out. And as for the Lin family standing behind the Gu family, she had no intention of letting them off either.
Just as Mingyue was about to return to her room, Madam Yin’s voice came from outside. “Why is it so dark in here? Has my darling gone to sleep already?”
Nian Chujiu sat up immediately. “Mother, I’m still awake.”
Mingyue hurried to light a lamp. A warm yellow glow flickered to life, chasing away the darkness and illuminating Nian Chujiu as she slipped on her shoes.
Setting the lamp down, Mingyue quickly straightened her mistress’s slightly rumpled sleepwear and long hair before opening the door.
“Mother, what brings you here so late?” Nian Chujiu stepped forward, linked arms with her mother, and guided her to a seat at the table.
Yin Ying looked troubled as she stared into her daughter’s eyes. “Tell me honestly. Are you planning to trade your marriage for the future of the Nian family?”
Rather than answering, Nian Chujiu’s eyes brightened. “Has Grandmother finally relented?”
Yin Ying smacked the back of her hand. “Stop changing the subject! I’m asking you a question. Don’t use your tricks on your own mother!”
Nian Chujiu laughed. “Mother, don’t be so angry.”
“Angry? My hair is practically on fire from worry, and you’re telling me not to be angry?” Yin Ying accepted the teacup Mingyue offered and raised it toward her lips. Then she paused and handed it back. “Bring me plain water instead. Cold water. Tea will only keep me awake.”
Mingyue acknowledged the order.
“Warm water,” Nian Chujiu corrected gently, her gaze fixed on her mother’s anxious face. “Cold water at night is bad for your stomach.”
When the warm water arrived, Yin Ying drank half the cup in one gulp, still glaring at her daughter. “Jiaojiao, you’re still young. You don’t need to worry about all this.” She set down the cup and spoke earnestly. “I think Zhe-ge is quite a good match. First, you should…”
“Mother…” Nian Chujiu interrupted her. Holding her mother’s warm hand tightly, she lowered her head. After a long silence, tears began falling one by one. “I’m so afraid…”
Seeing her daughter cry, Yin Ying felt instantly regretful. “Oh, sweetheart, it was only a dream!” She hurriedly embraced her delicate daughter and gently patted her back. “Dreams are the opposite of reality. You don’t need to take them seriously.”
“But every single thing in that dream has come true.” Nian Chujiu stubbornly shook her head. “Mother, please trust me this once.”
Yin Ying held her daughter’s shoulders and looked into her tear-filled eyes, her heart aching as she wiped away the tears. “Then tell me first. Who exactly are you planning to marry? Have you already made up your mind?”
Nian Chujiu had never intended to hide it. “The current Emperor has a son named Dongli Chang’an…”
Yin Ying sucked in a sharp breath. “A prince? Good heavens! My dear, you really dare to dream big!”
“Mother, hear me out first.” Nian Chujiu tugged at her sleeve, swaying it playfully in a spoiled manner.
For a moment, Yin Ying felt dazed. How familiar that expression was. When her daughter wanted to marry Gu Jiangzhi, she had acted exactly the same way. No matter how intelligent a person might be, they always stumbled because of matters of the heart.
Nian Chujiu signaled to Mingyue with a glance, telling her to leave and stand guard outside.
Understanding immediately, Mingyue silently curtsied and withdrew, closing the door behind her.
Half an hour later, Yin Ying’s expression had gone far beyond merely “unhappy.”
“I refuse!” She nearly jumped to her feet. “Jiaojiao, how can you treat your lifelong marriage as a game? This concerns your entire future! Do you realize that even if that prince truly dies young, you’ll spend the rest of your life bearing the title of a prince’s widow? You’ll never be able to live the ordinary life of a common woman again!”
And casually returning to her maiden family whenever she wished? That would be completely impossible.
“In this life, I seek not love. I seek only that every member of our family remains alive and accounted for.”
The softness and playfulness left Nian Chujiu’s eyes, replaced by calm determination. “Mother, I’ve already made my decision. You must support me. Otherwise, our family won’t leave the capital alive. We won’t make it past this gate of death.”
She absolutely could not allow the tragedy of her previous life to repeat itself. Her marriage was currently the strongest shield protecting the Nian family in the long run. And perhaps, someday, it could become a spear.
Yin Ying’s heart pounded wildly. The resolve and heaviness in her daughter’s gaze filled her with unease.
“Mother, the schemes involved here run much deeper than the Gu family alone.” Nian Chujiu lowered her voice even further, as though afraid of disturbing unseen spirits lurking in the night. “The Lin family is involved as well.”
“The Lin family?” Yin Ying frowned. “Which Lin family?”