He stood with the light behind him, one corner of his black gauze robe fluttering in the wind. He looked like a painting whose ink had not yet dried—slender, pale, and sharp.
The days of pretending to get along were about to begin again. Xi Cai pulled herself together, knowing that the battle between them was far from over.
He came forward to help her, and this time, she did not refuse. She climbed into the black-wheeled carriage and settled herself against the side.
“Does your stomach still hurt?” he asked.
“It’s a little better,” she replied weakly. “The cell was terribly damp. I haven’t seen sunlight for days, and the cold seems to have seeped into my bones.”
No matter how much they hated each other, neither could completely avoid physical contact. Out of habit, he took her hand and gently squeezed it. It really was cold to the touch, so he said, “I’ve had someone prepare hot water and ginger soup. Once we’re home, you should warm yourself up properly.”
She murmured an acknowledgment and closed her eyes wearily.
He turned his head to look at her. Sunlight occasionally slipped through the carriage window and fell across her face, illuminating her fair, translucent skin. The tiny blood vessels beneath it were almost visible.
He still held her hand and did not let go. After a soft sigh, he murmured, “I’ve been thinking about you constantly these past few days. Yet you’d rather hide in prison than return to my side. It seems there’s still a misunderstanding between us. You haven’t even looked me properly in the eye, nor have you called me your husband again.”
Xi Cai opened her eyes at his words and replied in a sorrowful voice, “You’re the one who misunderstood me, my husband. I want to be close to you too, but I haven’t washed or changed for several days. I’m filthy.”
She pronounced the words my husband particularly clearly, letting the final syllable trail off in a soft, affectionate tone. It was enough to make something stir in his heart.
He looked at her with a faint, ambiguous smile. The smile itself was subtle, but his eyes brightened slightly, as though he was pleased that things were developing exactly as he had predicted.
“Madam, there’s no need to be so formal with me. When have I ever disliked you?”
So they were finally going to put his claim to the test? Could he really tolerate the foul smell clinging to her after days in prison?
If that was the case, she had no reason to hold back.
Xi Cai immediately leaned against him in the opposite direction, wrapping her arms tightly around him. She pressed her face against his chest and, without changing her expression, began speaking in a familiar, affectionate tone.
“My husband, I’ve missed you every day too. I’ve been worrying about whether you’ve been taking your medicine properly and whether the kitchen has been preparing food to your taste. Unfortunately, I was locked away in prison and couldn’t take care of you. I even caused you to suffer for several days because of me. But never mind. I’m back now, so I’ll make it up to you from now on.”
He could tell that she was practically grinding her teeth as she spoke. But that did not matter. As long as the words sounded right, everything else would fall into place.
He raised his hand and stroked her hair. After a brief pause, he remarked with a sigh, “You really are filthy.”
Xi Cai froze for a moment, then immediately straightened up.
“I told you I wasn’t clean. I was afraid I’d dirty your clothes.”
He smiled and studied her discreetly, trying to find even the slightest trace of hatred in her expression or eyes.
There was none.
She concealed her feelings beautifully. Her eyes conveyed embarrassment, shyness, gratitude, and even concern for him. Hatred, however, was nowhere to be seen.
Very well. As long as they both pretended convincingly, they could continue living together in relative harmony.
His gaze softened into something resembling affection. He pinched the tip of her chin gently.
“I’ve missed you terribly. Once we get home and you’ve washed and changed, let me hold you properly.”
Xi Cai felt as though her forehead were turning green with anger, but she smiled at his words, silently agreeing.
The black-wheeled carriage entered the rear courtyard where the household vehicles were kept. All the servants who had accompanied Xi Cai from the Xi household were already waiting there.
Once the carriage stopped, Yu Wu and Gong Xi stepped forward to help her down. They called softly, “Mistress.”
The pain and grievances they had endured did not need to be spoken aloud.
Xi Cai squeezed their hands and comforted everyone.
“I’m back now, and the old master and Madam have safely returned to Dayangshu Street. There’s no need for everyone to worry. Things are going smoothly for the moment. Continue doing things as you always have. Don’t neglect your duties. Everyone may return to the courtyard and get back to work.”
The servants bowed before dispersing. Yu Wu and Gong Xi helped Xi Cai back to the side chamber.
Behind the tall folding screens, steam filled the room. Peach branches and mugwort leaves had been added to the bathwater to drive away the bad luck and ill fortune associated with her imprisonment.
Xi Cai removed her clothes and immersed herself in the hot water. Only then did she feel as though her crushed soul had finally returned to its proper place, expanding again with a sudden burst of life.
Looking back on everything she had endured over the past few days, she could hardly bear to think about it.
How many noble young ladies in Luodu had experienced anything like this? Her horizons had certainly broadened, all thanks to Yang Xun.
In any case, the grudge between them had grown enormous this time. From now on, it would be a fight to the bitter end.
Gong Xi helped her undo her hairstyle and carefully washed away every trace of dirt and misfortune. As she worked, she muttered resentfully, “Mistress, while you were locked up in prison these past few days, Yu Wu and I discussed returning to Dayangshu Street.”
Xi Cai kept her eyes closed, her lashes damp with heavy droplets of water.
The reckless young woman she had once been would have to become more cautious from now on.
She reminded her maids, “People must learn to seek good fortune and avoid danger. Something has happened to the master, so Dayangshu Street is no longer safe. If you return there now, you’ll be walking straight into a tiger’s den. It’s better to remain at the Marquis’s residence and observe the situation. If things start to look dangerous, then run away as quickly as you can. And if you do run, go as far away as possible. The farther you get from Luodu, the better. Even begging along the streets would be preferable to being executed or sent into exile.”
Yu Wu brought over a towel to wrap around her head and said miserably, “We’re hereditary servants of the Xi family. We have no relatives or friends to turn to. Wherever we go, people will bully us. Fortunately, the master survived this disaster, and you’ve returned too. Otherwise, we truly wouldn’t have known what to do. We would probably have been punished along with the family or sold off cheaply by the household steward.”
Everyone knew how difficult it was to survive between powerful factions. Xi Cai had to use every ounce of her intelligence to maintain a pleasant facade in front of others. Without her, the people around her would have an even harder time surviving.
That was why she had to stand firm—not only for the country and its people, but also for everyone who had chosen to follow her.
Still, she was truly exhausted this time.
For now, she would allow herself a little rest.
After having her hair washed and her back scrubbed, she finally removed all the grime from her body. But instead of leaving the side chamber immediately, she lay down on the couch by the window and enjoyed a long, uninterrupted sleep.
It was the first time in five days that she had slept so deeply and peacefully. It felt as though she could make up for all the rest she had lost simply by sinking into sleep.
By the time she opened her eyes again, it was already dark.
She hurriedly sat up and asked the people nearby, “What time is it?”
Yu Wu replied, “It’s only the beginning of the Xu hour, around seven in the evening. Earlier, the Marquis sent someone to ask about you. He said not to disturb your sleep and that you could return to the main room once you woke up.”
After hearing this, Xi Cai lay back down again. Her mind and body were still muddled and needed a little more time to recover.
Once she had rested enough, she suddenly remembered something and asked, “Has he eaten yet?”
Yu Wu replied, “The food has been kept warm over the stove. He said he’d wait until you woke up so the two of you could eat together.”
Then there was no point in delaying any longer.
Xi Cai sat up, slipped on her shoes, and asked Gong Xi to comb her hair.
Her hair had dried perfectly during her nap. She gathered it into a bun with a jade hairpin, applied a light layer of face powder, and made sure she looked presentable before entering the main room.
At that moment, Yang Xun was resting with his head propped on one hand. Candlelight illuminated his face, and his eyelashes cast a small fan-shaped shadow over his cheekbones.
His breathing was so light that she could barely see his chest rise and fall.
Xi Cai stared at him for a long time before a terrible thought suddenly occurred to her.
He isn’t dead, is he?
She walked over and called softly, “My husband.”
Then she added, “I slept too long. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
Fortunately, he responded. His eyes opened, and the sleepy look in them vanished in an instant, replaced by clear awareness.
She stood before him, smiling brightly. Her nightclothes were soft and loose, and the collar had fallen slightly open, revealing her slender neck and collarbones.
Her body heat brought out the delicate fragrance of her skin, which drifted faintly around him.
Whatever her true intentions might be, the sight and scent of a warm, beautiful woman were naturally captivating.
She took his hand and helped him rise, leading him toward the dining table. With a slightly embarrassed smile, she said, “To be honest, I’m really hungry.”
The meal that evening was particularly lavish, prepared to welcome her home after her ordeal. There were dishes such as shredded lamb skin, fish cooked with fermented milk, and the Eight Immortals platter.
Xi Cai looked over the dishes and joked with a smile, “If we keep eating like this, won’t we go broke? We still need to live frugally.”
Yang Xun held up his sleeves and slowly served food onto her plate. In an ordinary tone, he said something quite extraordinary.
“I was rewarded for my contribution to suppressing the rebellion. His Majesty gave me a thousand taels of gold, which are stored in the side chamber. Recently, I’ve had you pay for the household expenses, and I feel rather guilty about that. The gold hasn’t been added to the household’s public accounts yet, so I’ll give it to you to manage as you please.”
Xi Cai was astonished.
“You’re giving it to me? That’s an enormous amount of money! Are you deliberately encouraging me to live extravagantly so that I might make a mistake?”
Yang Xun laughed softly. The sound was as delicate as fine porcelain gently striking another piece.
“You think far too badly of me. The money is in your hands, and how you spend it is entirely your decision. Aren’t you known throughout Luodu as a little saint? I refuse to believe that someone with such a good reputation would be corrupted by wealth and become a completely different person.”
See? The fox’s tail was showing again.
Although he was handing her a thousand taels of gold, he knew that her concern for her reputation would force her to spend every coin carefully and only where it was truly needed.
Not only would she have to calculate every expense, but if she accidentally overspent while handling some important matter, she would probably quietly make up the difference herself.
Clearly, the thousand taels of gold were bait.
If she took it, she would be falling right into his trap.
Xi Cai made her decision immediately. She would take only what she needed for the household and the expenses for the coming year.
“I’ll take a hundred taels to cover the household expenses. The rest should be handed over to the household steward and added to the public accounts. Haven’t you established several charitable relief centers? There are so many people depending on them for food. And there’s the frontier army. The weather will soon turn cold, so we need to prepare winter supplies. The soldiers’ padded jackets should be stuffed with plenty of cotton so they’ll be able to withstand the cold.”
Whether her decision came from a careful calculation of advantages and disadvantages or genuine concern for those in need, at least she had not let her eyes light up at the sight of money.
That alone deserved praise.
He nodded with satisfaction.
“Madam is compassionate. The soldiers and common people will be grateful to you.”
Then he continued, “Actually, on the day Prince Bin took his own life, I went to see His Majesty. He wanted to grant me a royal title, along with ten thousand mu of fertile land and a fief with ten thousand households paying taxes. I originally planned to take you with me to my fief. Once we arrived, it would be just the two of us, living a peaceful life away from worldly struggles. But His Majesty insisted that I remain in the capital. Since it would be inconvenient to grant me a royal title while I stayed here, I declined the title and accepted only the other rewards.”
Xi Cai felt it was a pity.
“Why did he insist on keeping you here? If you could have received a royal title and gone to your fief, that would have been wonderful. You could find a quiet place to look after your health. Wouldn’t life there be more peaceful than staying in the capital?”
Sometimes, she truly could not understand the emperor’s intentions.
Many of the most powerful ministers in the court wanted the Marquis of Yanling removed from Luodu. Once he was gone, the emperor’s throne would be much more secure.
Yet every time there was a good opportunity to grant Yang Xun a royal title and send him to his fief, the emperor himself overturned the plan. If this continued, it would become increasingly difficult to persuade Yang Xun to leave the capital in the future.
Yang Xun’s expression remained unchanged. He shifted his gaze toward the silver wine pot at the other end of the table and spoke slowly.
“You don’t understand an emperor’s mind. Those two princes rebelled and brought their troops to the gates of the capital almost without warning. This shows that even if a prince is sent far away to govern his own fief, there’s no guarantee he’ll never pose a threat.”
He paused before continuing, “Madam, today is the day you were released from prison. Shall we have a drink together?”
Ahem. There was something rather strange about his emphasis on the words released from prison.
He usually did not drink at all. He had even skipped the traditional wedding wine ceremony when they married. Yet today, he suddenly wanted a drink.
Xi Cai had no idea what had gotten into him.
Naturally, she tried to persuade him as she usually did.
“My husband, your health isn’t good. You seem to have lost even more weight these past two days. You should avoid drinking. Alcohol is too hard on the body.”
He said it was nothing to worry about and gestured again. The maid had no choice but to bring the wine utensils over.
The pot contained Fushui wine from Yingzhou, a clear liquor brewed from rice. It was not particularly strong.
He motioned for the maid to pour the wine, then picked up a cup and handed it to Xi Cai. Raising his own cup toward her, he said, “Please drink your fill, Madam.”
Since he insisted, Xi Cai did not refuse. She clinked her cup against his.
“My husband, please.”
When the cup touched his lips, his cheeks were as pale as the white porcelain. The wine slid down his throat, leaving behind a faint, spicy warmth.
He set down the cup and sighed.
“When I was in the army, we drank steamed liquor during the winter. Just one drop was enough to make a man jump from the burning sensation. Times have changed. Looking back on those campaigns now, they seem as distant as if they happened in another lifetime. It gives me the feeling of a hero reaching the end of his road.”
There was no denying that he had made tremendous contributions during the wars that unified the realm. The people of Great Sheng could now live in peace largely because he had risked his life on the battlefield.
But the ambition and pride that had driven men during years of warfare could become a danger if they were not adjusted to suit the times.
The founding emperor had nine sons, and every one of them had shed blood and tears for the empire. They might have accepted their eldest brother ascending the throne, but expecting them to bow before a child who was barely out of infancy was asking too much.
Yet if the throne passed from elder brother to younger brother, the country would never know lasting peace.
That was why the powerful ministers in the court had united against the imperial uncles, determined to drive them away from the center of political power.
This was not simply a matter of personal grudges. It was about the greater good of the country and the well-being of its people.
Xi Cai sympathized with Yang Xun’s declining health, but that was as far as her sympathy went.
Offering him the same old words of comfort would be pointless, so she decided to approach the matter from a different angle.
“It seems my husband still refuses to admit that he’s getting old. You’re already twenty-eight. It’s time to start taking care of yourself. Take the head of the Su family near the entrance of Dayangshu Street, for example. He became a father at fifteen and a grandfather at thirty. His entire house is filled with medicinal wine. He’s long past the age of recklessly proving how brave and strong he is.”
Yang Xun stared at her in surprise.
“A grandfather at thirty? I don’t even have a son.”
Xi Cai nodded.
“Exactly! That man is already thinking about his descendants’ futures, while my husband is still lamenting that he can’t drink strong liquor. What does being a hero have to do with whether you can drink strong liquor?”
A look of sudden understanding appeared on his face.
“Listening to you speak for a moment is better than studying for ten years.”
He paused before asking, “If I ever have to leave the capital and take up my fief, would you be willing to leave your home and follow me to a distant place?”
Xi Cai understood the responsibility resting on her shoulders.
She needed to assist her father in eliminating the threats to the imperial court. Whether Yang Xun died young or left the capital to live somewhere far away, she could accept either outcome, as long as he no longer posed a danger to the emperor.
Therefore, she answered without the slightest hesitation.
“I married you, my husband. Wherever you go, I’ll go too.”
Yang Xun heard her words and formed a faint smile with his lips. Without drawing attention to himself, he changed the subject.
“We’ve been talking for so long that the dishes are almost cold.”
In the end, Xi Cai could not eat much of the evening meal. Before long, the servants cleared the table.
After brushing their teeth and washing their hands, they prepared for bed. Since she had already bathed earlier, she only needed to freshen up a little before climbing into bed.
After several days away, Xi Cai had truly missed her bed. She threw herself onto it and buried her face in the blankets, letting out a long, heartfelt sigh.
But the bedding clearly carried Yang Xun’s scent.
Even while she had been locked in prison, he had slept here every night.
The thought alone made her uncomfortable.
As for Yang Xun, he did not seem concerned about what she was thinking. He climbed onto the bed, pulled the quilt over himself, and leaned against a bolster while reading documents by candlelight.
Xi Cai was already lying down. She had originally wanted to use the opportunity to sneak a look at the documents and find out what they contained, but she was afraid of arousing his suspicions, so she turned her back to him instead.
The room behind her remained quiet for a long time. Eventually, she heard the brief sound of a page turning, and she began to relax and prepare for sleep.
Just as she was about to drift off, she suddenly heard the documents being closed.
Then Yang Xun rose from the bed and extinguished the candle.
The night lantern on the other side of the screen cast a hazy glow through the thin gauze curtains, spreading soft light across the bed.
The curtains hung low, enclosing a small, delicate space that belonged only to the two of them. Even their breathing seemed unusually clear in the quiet.
Beneath the quilt, he touched her shoulder.
She was not asleep yet, but she remained motionless.
He was in no hurry. His fingers moved elsewhere, lifting a lock of her long hair and playing with it between his fingers.
He wound it around one finger, released it, then wound it again. The strand flowed between his fingers like a little stream of black water.
Sometimes, her hair brushed against the back of her neck, making her skin itch. At last, she could no longer stand it and turned to face him.
“My husband, aren’t you going to sleep yet? We haven’t shared a bed for several days. Are you having certain thoughts?”