The night wind blew gently, the lone moon hung high, and the chill swept across the northern frontier.
Around 9:45 p.m.
The gates of the Li residence were still lit as bright as day, with three carriages parked in front.
Yan Hui looked at the man reaching out his hand to her. Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his, stepped down from the carriage, then withdrew her hand and walked side by side with him into the Li residence.
Li Suyu’s gaze swept over the hand that had just lightly touched hers. He clenched it slightly, raised his brows, and his eyes deepened. He recalled Yan Hui’s apologetic expression when she awoke, and realized he did not mind at all the careless words she had spoken earlier. He understood—Yan Hui, like him, disliked troubling others and did not wish to become anyone’s burden.
If Yan Hui had not been the Wang family’s niece, or if another woman had been sent to marry into the northern frontier, she would not have carried such thoughts. It was precisely because Yan Hui knew of his connection to the Wang family’s daughter that she understood more clearly: the Wang and Li families had dealings in secret, and once the marriage contract was set, he had indeed regarded the Wang daughter as his future wife. Though they had never met nor grown close, the reputation was established—it was only a matter of time. Yet in the end, things had turned out like this.
The Li family was treated like a thorn in the throat, and Yan Hui had become a pawn sent to remind and disgust them. With the recent drastic changes in climate, he suggested returning to the residence to recuperate.
Or rather, the military camp was too crude and bitterly cold—Yan Hui’s body could not endure it. Though Yuncheng was also a land of wind and sand, the residence was far more comfortable than the camp.
Xianyun Courtyard.
Nanny Yuan hurried into the inner chamber, where the old madam lay on the couch, one hand resting on a jade pillow, her face weary.
Nanny Yuan stepped forward and said: “Second Young Master has returned with the young madam. There’s no sign of Miss Jiang—I don’t know what happened.”
The old madam half-closed her eyes and gave a faint hum: “If he can return to the residence, then it must not be serious. That boy has a hard life. Back then, he took an arrow meant for his father, and it was his father who did not survive.”
Nanny Yuan sighed softly: “Second Young Master has always been the most steady among the brothers. I only hope that with him here, the Li family can shine as it did when the old master was alive.”
The old madam lifted her gaze, her slightly clouded pupils trembling faintly, as memories were stirred from deep within her bones and blood.
She and the old master had been childhood sweethearts. At that time, the Li family’s descendants were few, though the old master had a younger brother. After marriage, she and her sister-in-law, Madam Zhou, both bore sons as their first children. Then came the second son, then the third. The Li household rejoiced in fullness. Those years of raising children were the happiest of her life. Gradually, the children grew up, married, and had children of their own. Later, the Turks invaded. The Li family fought them off. Then came wars in the Western Regions. After that, Western Xia began. Again and again, it was always the Li family who bore the burden.
Outside the northern frontier, other cities only knew that the north was in constant turmoil. Every year, soldiers were conscripted, and northern men were the most numerous.
At that time, the Emperor of Great Yin was still the late sovereign, who cared for the Li family and ensured supplies were never lacking. But ever since the old master fell on the battlefield, it was as though death had cursed the Li family. Of her three sons, only the second remained. Of five grandsons, only one survived. Even her eldest daughter-in-law, after losing her husband, wasted away in grief and passed on.
Li Suyu had once had an elder brother and three younger brothers. All had died on the battlefield.
The old madam’s third son had once been betrothed, but just before the marriage could take place, he too was killed on the battlefield.
In the Li family’s second branch, not a single son survived.
The northern frontier buried every one of the Li family’s sons.
After the late emperor passed, the new sovereign only saw that the Li family commanded powerful troops, but did not realize that within the household, there remained only widows and orphans.
The old madam grew bitterly disheartened. Truly, “a new emperor brings new ministers.”
The Li family’s path became ever more difficult. Her resentment deepened, and she became all the more determined to control Li Suyu’s heirs. Because the Li family lacked sons, lacked men.
She would never allow a pawn with divided loyalties to become the mother of her great-grandson.
“Choose a time to bring Jiang Yun into the household, and also select a few concubines for Suyu,” the old madam said sternly.
Nanny Yuan hesitated briefly. “Yes.”
“As for the Yan woman,” the old madam continued with a trace of helplessness, “so long as she does not hinder Suyu’s heirs, she can be tolerated.”
“Yes,” Nanny Yuan nodded.
The old madam sighed heavily. “Though Suyu appears cold, in truth, he is a child of deep feeling and loyalty. Yan Hui is also beautiful. I fear he may become too entangled. If his elder brother and younger brothers were still alive, I would not refuse such a granddaughter-in-law. But in today’s circumstances, the Li family’s heirs must never fall into the hands of someone with divided loyalties.”
In other words, no child of the Li family must ever come from Yan Hui’s womb.
“What you fear, the young master surely understands. Hasn’t he kept the young madam at a distance since the marriage? And all that you have said, the young master remembers well,” Nanny Yuan tried to ease her mistress’s worries.
“Tomorrow, I do not wish to see Madam Yan. Say that I am unwell, and excuse her from paying respects,” the old madam waved her hand, signaling Nanny Yuan to leave.
Nanny Yuan bowed and departed.
Yi Garden.
After tidying the inner room, Suiqiu came to the main hall. She saw Yan Hui seated at the round pearwood table and cautiously asked: “Miss, how are things between you and the General?”
Yan Hui frowned, recalling the man’s words in the camp. Her gaze was deeper than the night itself. At the time, she had felt apologetic—after all, Li Suyu’s wounds were so severe.
“I’ve troubled the General.”
The man’s lips tightened. One hand clenched on his knee, the other braced against the desk. His gaze upon Yan Hui was heavy and intense.
Silence lingered for a moment. Then his face hardened: “You know well the situation between the Wang family and me. In matters of marriage, I never expected any surprises. My betrothal to the Wang family’s legitimate daughter was a certainty, and I never thought my wife would be another. Though I had no affection for her, the late emperor bestowed the marriage—it was an honor for the Li family. I never imagined any woman other than the Wang daughter. Now that I am married, I will not think of another.”
Hearing this, Yan Hui discerned the word: *responsibility.*
This man, from beginning to end, no matter who became his wife, would treat her with respect, giving her the dignity and regard she deserved. To her, it was the same—the respect and loyalty owed between husband and wife. His loyalty and respect were those of a husband to his wife.
Perhaps Li Suyu’s attitude was the best outcome for Yan Hui. Their bond was not deep, yet they were husband and wife. Though their hearts were not aligned, this husband still gave her the respect she was due.
That was fine.
But the more such a man followed rules, the harder he was to grasp. With no emotional ties, no bonds, no attachments, in the end, he might discard her at will.
The more proper and disciplined a man, the more ruthless he could be.
“Miss, what are you thinking?” Suiqiu bent slightly. “The General has come.”
Yan Hui returned to herself and saw the man leaning at the doorway, staring deeply at her. When she looked back, the pale-faced man walked toward her.
Li Suyu’s gaze was calm as he sat down beside her.
Suiqiu lowered her eyes and withdrew from the room.
From the military camp to the gates of the residence, Yan Hui and Li Suyu had not exchanged a single word.
Yan Hui, because of Li Suyu’s blunt words, had given up trying to spar with him.
Meanwhile, Li Suyu was still worried whether Yan Hui had truly understood what he had said. He believed his words had explained enough—that even though she was not the Wang family’s daughter, he would still treat her well.
“You—” Li Suyu’s brows eased, the coldness in his eyes fading. “That night, you spoke of freedom to come and go. Was it to leave the residence for something?”
Yan Hui looked at him in the dim light. Between them, the distance seemed to shrink. At least when speaking of matters, they no longer felt so estranged.
“In truth, the freedom I want is only for my maidservant,” Yan Hui said with a faint smile. Between them, it was not yet time for complete frankness.
Li Suyu’s mind tightened, his sword-like brows furrowing slightly, about to speak.
Yan Hui continued: “But rest assured, General, I would never do anything to damage the Li family’s reputation.”
Li Suyu’s brows rose higher. He stood, giving a low laugh: “Very well. It’s late. Madam should rest early.”
“You won’t stay, General?” Yan Hui asked seriously, without a trace of shyness or force, as though it were the most natural question.
Li Suyu’s body stiffened slightly. His eyelids flickered, and in his dark eyes appeared a hint of amusement. His throat bobbed.
Yan Hui frowned slowly, rising to stand before him, with the intention of helping him undress.
Li Suyu was startled. Her pale, slender hand had already reached toward his waist. He had meant to refuse, yet forced himself to wait, curious to see what this woman would do.
Because of his serious wounds, beneath his outer robe, he wore only a white inner garment.
“You’ve pulled at the wound again,” Yan Hui said, noticing the bloodstain at his abdomen, speaking matter-of-factly.
“Suisui, bring the healing powder,” Yan Hui ordered.
Suiqiu entered, seeing the General’s tall figure standing before her mistress. Setting aside everything else, she thought the General and her lady truly looked a perfect match. She only allowed herself a glance before going into the inner room.
“The new wound is well cared for. The old wound must be because I failed to treat it properly that day, which led to festering,” Yan Hui said, pulling Li Suyu to sit down again.
Li Suyu’s gaze lingered on her face. He had never studied a woman’s features closely, but Yan Hui’s face—her skin, her features—was surely among the finest. He recalled his investigation into the Yan family, the secret report mentioning the family head and his wife.
Yan Yi, brilliant beyond compare; his wife, the foremost beauty of Yunzhou.
He wondered—whose looks had Yan Hui inherited?
“It may hurt a little. General, endure for a moment,” Yan Hui said, taking the small white bottle and other medicines from Suiqiu, mixing them into a salve.
Li Suyu raised his brows, his gaze on Yan Hui deepening. Her slender, pale fingers were untying the sash of his inner garment. She produced a medicinal plaster he had never seen before and pressed it onto his wound. A burning pain spread, and he instinctively grasped the hand smoothing the plaster around his injury.
Yan Hui lifted her head, her eyes meeting the man’s dark, penetrating gaze.
“It’s enough.” Li Suyu released the hand that was softer than he had imagined. He had never interacted with a woman in this way before—never. He did not know how to deal with her. He understood that Yan Hui was unlike any woman of the northern frontier; her insight surpassed even his grandmother’s. He also knew he could not treat Yan Hui as his grandmother and aunts in the household had advised.
Her words that night had given him a realization: this woman did not belong to the narrow confines of the inner chambers—she was meant to soar in the skies.
Seeing her frown, he added: “It… hurts a little.”
Yan Hui smiled faintly. “The General showing pain on his face—how rare.”
“I am human too.” Li Suyu’s eyes flickered with amusement. This feeling was strange to him. He had never wasted time on women. He had always believed that men should fight on the battlefield and defend the nation. He had scorned his elder brother’s devotion to romance—losing his life for a woman—and despised that woman for never truly giving her heart to his brother, not even at the end.
Because he cared little for such things, when the late emperor bestowed a marriage, it fell upon him.
At the time, he had not thought much of it. He only resolved that once married, he would give his wife the respect she deserved and fulfill his duties as a husband. In that way, he would be worthy of the woman who married him.
Harmony between husband and wife, peace in the household, children to continue the line, guarding the northern frontier, protecting the Li family, and safeguarding the Great Yin dynasty.
That had been his vision.
But now, things were different. What he once thought could be achieved simply by doing—now he wanted more. What exactly he wanted, he did not know. Only that he wished to draw closer to this woman.
“I said it would hurt a little,” Yan Hui reminded him with a faint smile as she rose.
Li Suyu’s brows furrowed. Her smiles never reached her eyes. He said: “Thank you.”
Yan Hui paused, her gaze lingering on his profile. “We are husband and wife. Why be so polite?”
Li Suyu smiled. “They say husband and wife are of one heart. Madam, can you and I be of one heart?”
Yan Hui, hearing him speak so directly, took the handkerchief from Suiqiu to wipe the ointment from her fingers. She laughed softly: “Does the General know how many couples in this world are truly of one heart?”
Li Suyu’s expression was calm. Perhaps he had not seen as much as Yan Hui had. In Bianjing’s noble households, husband and wife often lived in outward harmony but inward estrangement, supporting each other only for profit.
“Of course, I will be of one heart with the General. At the very least, I will have much to rely on you for in the future.” Yan Hui thought of the matter that weighed on her heart, her chest tightening. It seemed that only this man could help her with it.
Men had always taken such words well, and Li Suyu was no exception. Rising, he let out a soft groan and said: “The northern frontier’s climate will only grow colder. Your body is weak—do not leave the residence unnecessarily.”
Yan Hui frowned.
He added: “Wait until you’ve adapted here.” With that, he left the main hall. In the end, he did not stay.