On the second day after arriving in Yuncheng, a fine autumn rain fell. The world was steeped in a dusky yellow, lacking even a trace of the capital’s splendor, yet it carried a rich, ancient atmosphere that captivated Yan Hui’s eyes. She drew in a deep breath, gazing at the mottled black-tiled roofs outside, and whispered: “This air of freedom… it is something the capital can never compare to.”
Suiqiu, tidying the table, said: “Today I went out for a walk. On my way back, I saw the imperial envoys returning to the inn. I spoke with them briefly—they said the Li family has already arranged the wedding banquet. This afternoon, someone will come to announce the exact date.”
Her expression darkened as she muttered: “Those people speak respectfully to you, Miss, but act as though they are above everyone. Yesterday’s attempt by the Li family to reclaim the token must have reached their ears. Who knows what gossip they are spreading behind your back?”
Yan Hui’s expression remained calm, as though Suiqiu’s words had not entered her ears at all. Her gaze lingered on the distant horizon, her clear eyes tinged with faint melancholy.
At that moment, the voice of the inn’s servant boy rang out from outside: “This is the room. Nanny Yuan, please.”
Suiqiu’s face changed slightly as she looked toward the young lady standing by the window.
The door opened, and a dignified old woman entered, followed by seven or eight maids.
Nanny Yuan’s eyes fell briefly on Yan Hui’s face in the inner room, but did not linger. She bowed, and the maids behind her followed suit with equal respect.
“Greetings, Miss Yan,” Nanny Yuan said, straightening. “I have come by order of the Old Madam to attend to you until your marriage with the Second Young Master. The wedding will take place tomorrow at dusk.”
Yan Hui heard this, one hand clasped behind her back, her demeanor steady, showing none of the maidenly shyness expected of her: “Then I must trouble you, Madam.”
Nanny Yuan’s brows twitched. This reaction was not what the Old Madam had anticipated.
“I have no family name. After serving the Old Madam, I was given the name Yuan. You may call me Nanny Yuan,” she explained.
Yan Hui’s expression tightened briefly, then softened like mist dispersing: “Yuan, as in ‘completion’? That is a fine word.”
Nanny Yuan had not expected such a reply. It made the young lady seem easy to get along with. Her own dissatisfaction with the imperial arrangement eased somewhat—at least this girl was not a spoiled, arrogant burden.
“These maids will remain by your side. Once you enter the Li household, I will also serve you. You must have heard of the Li family’s standing. Though not as grand as the noble houses of the capital, they are still the foremost family of the northern frontier’s eighteen prefectures. There are many rules. I hope you will not find them troublesome.”
Hearing this, Yan Hui felt a flicker of irony. The legendary Old Madam of the Li family clearly disapproved of her, openly planting attendants at her side.
“Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Nanny Yuan speaks truly.” Yan Hui’s lips curved faintly, though her eyes remained cold. As long as they did not interfere too much, she would keep her distance.
Nanny Yuan studied the girl by the window. Her aura seemed far older than her years, though her face was youthful.
By sunset, Yuncheng was bathed in the dim glow of the fading sun, soon swallowed by night.
Throughout the day, Nanny Yuan had observed Yan Hui closely, testing her against the strict etiquette of the capital’s noble families and the Li household’s harsh rules. Yet she found not a single fault in her conduct.
A trace of worry even crept into Nanny Yuan’s heart.
At the inn’s entrance, Suiqiu saw Nanny Yuan off, then turned back to the four maids who remained. She nodded and smiled lightly.
The maids returned the gesture and followed Suiqiu back inside.
The Li family’s attendants did not re-enter Yan Hui’s room.
Inside, a delicate fragrance lingered. Yan Hui, dressed in pale green underclothes, sat quietly by the window. Her beauty was radiant, her hair held in place by a simple white jade hairpin, preventing her long black tresses from falling loose. The simplicity only made her more striking.
The inn’s one true blessing was its view of the city’s myriad lights.
Suiqiu approached softly: “Miss, I have brought out the wedding dress your uncle prepared.”
Yan Hui’s lashes trembled, but her gaze remained fixed on the distance. “Suisui, have you ever imagined the day you might marry?”
Suiqiu froze, then her cheeks flushed slightly. “Miss is teasing me. I have never imagined such a thing.”
“I have,” Yan Hui said, turning to her, a shadow crossing her face. “When my parents were still alive, I often dreamed of the day that person would come to marry me.”
Suiqiu was startled, then stepped closer, lowering her voice: “Miss, times are different now. You must be cautious with your words.”
“I know.” Yan Hui’s expression softened, her lips curving faintly. “But it is hard not to feel regret. Speaking of it to you helps me let it go.”
Suiqiu closed the window, then said quietly: “Miss, I am glad you can be so free of burden. Forget the past. Anyone who never marries the one they truly love will feel regret. But how can everything in this world go as one wishes? After tomorrow, you will be the wife of the Li family’s Second Young Master. Whether you and he share deep affection or remain distant, do not speak of your old feelings again.”
At the mention of Li Suyu, Yan Hui’s eyelids fluttered. She smiled faintly, pushing the window open once more: “Yes… never look back. Always keep moving forward.”
Suiqiu frowned, closing the window again: “It is late autumn. You mustn’t catch a chill. Tomorrow will be exhausting. Please rest, Miss.”
Around 9:45 p.m. (xushi, third quarter).
Nanny Yuan entered the main hall. The maids in the room withdrew automatically, leaving only Jiang Yun, dressed in snow‑white brocade, seated beside the Old Madam.
The Old Madam gracefully lifted her teacup, took a small sip, then brushed the lid lightly across the rim: “How is this Miss Yan?”
Nanny Yuan replied truthfully: “Not to be underestimated.”
Though her words were spoken softly, they fell heavily upon the ears of both the Old Madam and Jiang Yun.
The Old Madam set down her teacup, her brows twitching slightly: “Oh? For you to say those four words, she must indeed be someone of note. I wonder what the imperial household intends by arranging such a person to enter the Li family.”
Nanny Yuan lowered her gaze: “I also discovered that the furnishings in Miss Yan’s room are not those of the inn.”
“What do you mean?” the Old Madam asked calmly.
“I only entered the outer chamber, but the inner chamber’s floor was covered with what appeared to be a costly carpet from the Western Regions. The teacups and incense used were all of the finest quality. Even the maids by her side were dressed in superior silk.”
Jiang Yun’s heart jolted: “Silk? Even a maid is worthy of silk?”
The Old Madam gave a cold snort, her tone ambiguous: “It seems the imperial household has planted a pair of eyes within the Li family. So be it. As long as we keep our distance and prevent her from bearing Li family heirs, even if the imperial household protects her, she will not be able to stir up any great storm.”
Nanny Yuan quickly agreed.
“The imperial household is full of foxes. They scheme to send a controllable pawn into the Li family, then have her bear the legitimate heir. From then on, the Li family would be completely under Zhao’s control. But we will not bow to their will!” The Old Madam’s face was stern, her voice brimming with suppressed hostility.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
“And Li Suyu?” The Old Madam’s anger grew stronger. “That insolent boy rushed back only to lecture me, then returned to the military camp?”
Jiang Yun half‑closed her eyes, concealing her emotions, her thoughts drifting back to when she had questioned that man: “I heard the girl from the capital is dazzlingly beautiful. Did you fall for her?”
He had replied calmly: “She is… quite captivating.”
Nanny Yuan’s voice pulled Jiang Yun back to the present: “When I returned just now, the gatekeepers said the young master came home briefly at dusk but left again. Tomorrow is the wedding day, so he must be somewhere in the city.”
Jiang Yun spoke: “Suyu has met that Miss Yan a few times. They say she is unlike our northern girls. If he has truly taken a liking to her, what then?”
Nanny Yuan cast a sly glance at Jiang Yun.
The Old Madam, however, clasped Jiang Yun’s hand and said weakly: “Your status is known throughout Yuncheng. Rest assured, in time, I will personally raise you to the position of secondary wife. Then you can suppress that girl from the capital. At the very least, we must stand united against outsiders.”
“Madam, you should rest now,” Nanny Yuan interjected, breaking the mood between the two women.
Jiang Yun wisely withdrew, rising to bow: “It is late. Please rest, Old Madam. Yun’er takes her leave.”
After Jiang Yun departed, the Old Madam glared at Nanny Yuan: “You old crone, do you really think I was forced by the imperial household into saying those words just now?”
Nanny Yuan chuckled softly: “Of course not. I only worry about the relationship between the Second Young Master and you.”
The Old Madam gave a cold laugh, then reclined carelessly on the couch: “Suyu’s thoughts are unclear for now, but I know he is not a man ruled by lust. Otherwise, after all these years, the inner quarters would already have concubines. Do you forget the one I forced upon him years ago? He sold her off.”
Nanny Yuan only smiled silently.
“I worry, that’s all. I worry my dull‑witted grandson might be bewitched by that girl from the capital. Tell me, Nanny Yuan—Suyu is twenty‑two now. Has he ever had a woman?” The Old Madam looked at her with a gossipy air.
Nanny Yuan’s face darkened. She answered quietly: “I have never heard of such a thing.”
The Old Madam clicked her tongue, then sighed heavily: “Seems we can only wait until after tomorrow to decide.”
Yuncheng’s pleasure quarters were not as prosperous as those in the capital, but neither were they desolate. They had their own charm, like smoke rising from an ancient city, filled with song and dance.
Yet the men here were unlike the idlers of the capital who chased after women. They were tall, burly men, drinking and eating heartily. Even when the courtesans sang and danced on stage, they only glanced casually, never losing themselves in it.
“Tsk tsk, so it seems Second Brother’s bride‑to‑be outshines even the courtesans here?” A handsome youth spoke with a lazy, mocking tone. “Well, of course. In this poor backwater of the northern frontier, we’ve never seen true beauties. Naturally, she surpasses them.”
“Impudent! How dare you compare the exalted Miss Yan with courtesans? Be careful, or Second Brother will skin you alive.” Zhao Chi laughed heartily, his eyes flicking toward the indifferent Li Suyu. He continued: “Our Old Madam originally wanted to give Second Brother a secondary wife, but he refused, saying Miss Yan was enough. That angered her so much she cursed him as unfilial—no, as an unfilial grandson.”
The youth’s eyes gleamed with meaning as he looked at Li Suyu’s face, smiling slyly: “Second Brother, could it be you’ve truly fallen for that girl from the capital?”
Li Suyu’s long fingers tapped the table twice, his voice low and firm, “Tomorrow I’ll be tied up with matters. You must keep a close watch on the movements of the Turks.”
The young man gave a dismissive hum, leaning lazily against the chair back, his gaze drifting toward the courtesans on the round stage:
“Second Brother, you’re so dull. At a time like this, don’t bring up those damned Turks.”
“Jiang Xiao, shall I punish you with another month of gate duty?” Li Suyu’s lips curved faintly, his eyes narrowing with a smile as he stared at Jiang Xiao.
At once, Jiang Xiao’s careless tone vanished. Even Zhao Chi, seated nearby, grew serious.
“Second Brother, tomorrow is your wedding day. Don’t be so stern.” Jiang Xiao tried to keep his casual tone, but it was more proper now. Seeing Li Suyu’s gaze grow colder, he quickly agreed: “Understood. Tomorrow, Zhao Chi and I will keep a close watch on the entire city.”
Li Suyu then rose, left without another word, and disappeared from their sight.
Zhao Chi asked, “Second Brother drank—he’ll be fine, right?”
Jiang Xiao lightly patted Zhao Chi’s arm: “Even if something happens, it won’t be him—it’ll be someone else.”
The inn was silent. Aside from the imperial envoys, only Yan Hui and the Wang family were lodged there.
In her sleep, Yan Hui was suddenly startled awake by a voice. She vaguely saw, in the dim light, a man sitting at the side. She jolted upright, fully awake.
“It’s me. You need not be afraid.” The slightly hoarse voice echoed in the room, unnervingly strange.
Yan Hui straightened her robe, her tone sharp: “Though we marry tomorrow, coming here at this hour is hardly proper.”
In the dim light, the man’s interlaced fingers showed their sharp joints, but his emotions were unreadable. He remained silent.
The more he stayed silent, the more Yan Hui felt he was like a wolf lurking in the night, sending a chill down her neck.
“What… are you here for?” she asked cautiously.
Still no answer. Yan Hui frowned. She could neither rise nor lie back down, so she sat half‑upright on the bed, tense and impatient. Yet knowing she must live with this man for a long time, she dared not offend him easily.
Just as her clear eyes grew cold, the man—steady as a mountain—stood. His heavy footsteps made Yan Hui’s face tighten.
“Yan Hui.” His voice carried a faint weight.
This time she saw his eyes clearly—deep as an abyss, with a trace of dark chill.
Yan Hui shifted slightly, about to ask his meaning, when he spoke heavily, “I hope you won’t regret it.”
Once you step into the Li family, there is no turning back.