She suppressed her anger, flustered as she tried to stop him, but her feeble strength was like a mere tickle to Yan Heng, a man of military background.
Just then, a servant outside the room reported, "Master, someone is asking for you at the courtyard gate."
A trace of irritation flickered between Yan Heng’s brows. Impatiently, he said, "You fool with no sense of timing. I’m not seeing anyone right now."
"But…"
As the servant hesitated, a woman’s weeping suddenly drifted into the room.
Since Yan Heng had just been transferred from Pingzhou to serve in the Imperial Guard in the capital, the Yan family had no established roots in the city. He was merely a low-ranking captain at the time.
They lived in an inconspicuous two-courtyard house in the northern part of the city, where any commotion outside the main gate could easily be heard in the inner courtyard.
Hearing the noise, Yan Heng swiftly rose from the bed curtain. With his back to her, he slipped on his shoes and said, "It’s unusually cold today. You’d better stay inside. It’s probably just some common woman causing a scene with the servants. I’ll go check and be right back."
His voice sounded calm, but his long strides were slightly hurried. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared through the doorway.
Zhou Yunruo curled her lips into a mocking smile. She got up, casually tying her long hair with a jade hairpin, which gave her a unique charm.
Qiudie dawdled as she brought over a long cloak, muttering, "Madam, the master just instructed that you shouldn’t go out, lest you catch a chill."
Zhou Yunruo instinctively frowned, her expression darkening as she said coldly, "Remember who your master is. Don’t forget you came from the Zhou family—even your parents’ contracts belong to the Zhous."
Upon hearing this, Qiudie immediately knelt on both knees, bowing her head and biting her lip, her voice trembling slightly. "Please calm your anger, Madam. This servant knows her mistake."
Zhou Yunruo kept a stern face and walked out of the room without another word.
It was around mid-morning. Though the street wasn’t bustling, vendors and passersby came and went without pause.
Outside the gate, Yan Heng was speaking softly with a woman. Against his tall, imposing figure, she appeared particularly delicate and slender.
Passersby occasionally glanced their way. The woman’s eyes were red as she sobbed quietly. Yan Heng, growing anxious, tugged at her arm, but she stubbornly refused to budge.
Zhou Yunruo approached, her voice clear and bright as she called out, "Husband~"
Yan Heng quickly turned to look at her. Before she could ask, he explained gently, "She’s the widow of one of my subordinates. The man died suddenly from an acute illness in the army, and his family hasn’t received the pension. That’s why she’s come to me."
He was most adept at lying to her with deep affection.
She whispered, "What a pitiful soul. You should indeed offer some help, husband."
Then, turning to the woman, she said, "Look how frozen she is. Come inside and warm up for a while."
The woman slowly raised her head to look at her. Her eyes, like pools of clear water, shimmered with glistening tears. Her delicate nose, tinged red from the cold wind, and her lips, as bright as cherries, stood out strikingly in the depths of winter.
"Husband, look—she’s quite a beauty!"
Yan Heng pressed his lips together and said nothing.
Zhou Yunruo glanced at her discreetly. This delicate flower was not only beautiful but also cunning. Otherwise, how could she, as a hidden mistress, have lain low for so many years? Once he became the General of Xuanwu in the future, he would no longer need to fear the Zhou family.
She would enter the household with her son and rise to become a noble concubine.
At that moment, Zhou Yunruo stared at the woman, shaking her head with a look of pity. "What a shame. Now she’s a widow who’s lost her man. How will she survive in the future?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a fleeting, strange glint in Yan Heng’s eyes. Zhou Yunruo sneered inwardly.
Yan Heng's entry into the capital for his official post was something she had begged her uncle to arrange.
Both her father and her uncle had been among the top three scholars in the imperial examinations of the tenth year of Yuancheng. Unfortunately, fate was unkind to talent—her father died young. Fortunately, her uncle's official career flourished, and he now held a coveted position in the influential Libu.
It was precisely because of this connection that he now dared only to indulge in secret affairs outside.
He extended a long arm and pulled her close. His rough, calloused hand, hardened from years of wielding a sword, tightened the ties of her cloak.
"Don’t worry, my lady. Everyone has their own fate. Since you’ve spoken up, I’ll reluctantly accompany her to the Ministry of War. Out of respect for connections and face, they’ll likely offer some assistance. It’s cold—you should head back inside."
Seeing her gaze fixed on him, a natural smile spread across his face. His deep voice deliberately slowed as he whispered soothingly in her ear, "Be good~ I’ll bring you Jufulou’s honey-roasted duck when I return."
There was no denying that Yan Heng had been handsome in his youth. Tall and upright, he looked even more imposing in his Imperial Guard uniform.
His fair skin never tanned, no matter how much he was exposed to the sun—a rarity among military officers.
But no matter how doting he was toward her now, Zhou Yunruo would not be swept away by it.
Because she had witnessed his depravity and filth. She had seen his aging, greasy, and sagging body, corrupted by wine and lust.
And she could never forget how heartlessly he had embraced another woman, mocking her as a faded beauty, utterly unaware of his own hypocrisy.
Not casting her out was already an act of grace.
A shadow flickered between her brows as Zhou Yunruo met his smiling face. "Husband, you treat me so well."
Hearing this, Yan Heng nodded gently. Standing side by side, outsiders might have thought them a perfect match—a talented man and a beautiful woman.
Remembering his hand still resting on her shoulder, she subtly shifted her body away as if by accident.
She glanced at the woman and saw her eyes reddening. The handkerchief in her hand, damp with tears, was crumpled into a ball. Her knuckles were white from gripping it tightly, and the faint blue veins now stood out starkly.
In her past life, she had believed his excuses and allowed the woman to be settled outside.
With a faint smile, she said, "As a fellow woman, her situation is truly pitiable. Husband, why not let her come in for a bowl of hot soup to warm up before she goes? There’s no rush."
Yan Heng shook his head. "She likely has no appetite for soup now. It’s better to go earlier."
Turning back and seeing the woman still rooted in place, his expression darkened. "Hurry up and follow. If you delay my affairs, I won’t bother with you anymore."
Upon hearing this, the woman’s face twisted in bitterness. Her small feet beneath her skirt hurried to keep pace with him.
Zhou Yunruo lowered her gaze with a cold smile and glanced back at Qiudie. She beckoned her over and whispered a few words in her ear.
Qiudie’s expression turned stern upon hearing this. She looked at the woman’s retreating figure, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes, then secretly trailed after her.
It was past noon when Qiudie returned to the Yan residence, her face filled with indignation as she reported everything she had seen to Zhou Yunruo.
Zhou Yunruo summoned several servants and set out.
At Huaihua Lane in the western part of the city, she pushed open the courtyard gate and strode inside with an imposing air, her entourage in tow. His attendant, upon seeing her, exclaimed in alarm, "Madam, what brings you here?"
She shoved him aside and kicked open the door to the room.
Inside, the woman sat by the bed, while Yan Heng stood nearby. Upon closer inspection, the black sash around his waist was slightly loose. His expression was somewhat composed.
Her voice suddenly rose sharply as she pointed at him and cried out, "Yan Heng, how dare you secretly keep a hidden mistress!"
He reacted quickly, stepping forward to deny it outright. "There’s no such thing, Yun Ruo, listen to me—"
"Slap~"
She wasn't about to listen to such deceitful nonsense. With a swift slap, she struck him, her nails leaving scratches across his face.