However, no one intended to investigate further. If the person inside the carriage did not show himself, it meant he was unwilling to meet them, and there was no need to force the matter.
The household steward stood nearby, smiling as he bowed respectfully. “Madam Xi, I have come under orders to escort our mistress back to the estate.”
Madam Xi nodded and accompanied her daughter to the carriage. She gave her careful instructions before she left.
“The weather is getting colder, so remember to wear extra clothes in the mornings and evenings. Last year, one of your father’s former students sent us several fine black fox pelts. I sent them to be tanned at the beginning of this month, and they should be ready in the next few days. Once they are made into cloaks, you and your husband can each have one. Make sure you keep warm whenever you go outside. The marquis, especially, must not catch a chill.”
Xi Cai agreed. She knew her mother was deliberately saying this for the benefit of whoever might be inside the carriage.
A maid stepped forward to help her. Xi Cai climbed onto the carriage using the footstool, and only when the carriage door opened did she discover that there was no one inside. She immediately breathed a huge sigh of relief.
After settling into the carriage, she opened the window and waved to her family, signaling for them to return home. As the carriage began to move, she sat inside the luxurious compartment and gazed at the beautiful decorations surrounding her. Despite everything, a trace of sadness lingered in her heart.
She wondered how other young women managed to overcome their longing for home after marriage.
It was bearable when she stayed at the marquis’s estate for long stretches without returning to her parents’ home. The hardest part was finally getting to visit her family, only to find that her time there had passed in the blink of an eye.
Her steps had felt heavy when she climbed into the carriage. She had even wished that the wheels would break, that the carriage shafts would snap, or that the road back would be flooded. Anything would have been fine, as long as she could stay at her parents’ home for another two nights.
But Yang Xun truly gave people no room to breathe. Their agreed-upon time meant nothing to him. It was not even completely dark yet, and he had already sent someone to fetch her.
He had even sent such an extravagant carriage. Clearly, it was meant to intimidate her family.
That sickly man certainly had too many tricks up his sleeve. No wonder people disliked him.
Still, she could only keep her dissatisfaction to herself.
As soon as she stepped out of the carriage at the marquis’s estate, the household steward approached her and reported, “Madam, the marquis has been in very poor condition today. We have already summoned the physician twice. Since we needed to bring you back anyway, we asked the marquis for permission. He refused, saying that you had finally been reunited with your parents and should not be disturbed. He endured it until evening, but when you still had not returned, he finally ordered me to go and fetch you.”
Xi Cai froze for a moment.
“Very poor condition? What exactly is wrong with him?”
She remembered the bloodstained handkerchief she had glimpsed that morning. It seemed she had not imagined it after all.
Although she had been plotting for some time to wait for him to die, the thought of him actually dying frightened her. If he really died, she would have to stay beside his body, and that was honestly rather terrifying.
The steward replied, “He has been coughing and feeling drowsy. He has slept for almost the entire day and can barely wake up.”
Had he lost consciousness? What if he never woke up again?
Although fear gripped her heart, running away would not solve anything. She quickened her pace and hurried back to the rear courtyard, entering the room breathlessly to check on him.
She found him propping himself up, preparing to drink his medicine.
When he noticed her entering, he frowned and waved his hand slightly. The maid attending to his medicine immediately stepped aside.
He gave Xi Cai a faint smile.
“Has my wife returned?”
Xi Cai hurried forward and asked, “My lord, what is wrong with you?”
He raised a hand to cover his chest and took two shallow breaths before replying, “Perhaps it is because of the rainy weather. My chest feels terribly tight. I suspect my illness has flared up again.”
Xi Cai turned and instructed the maid to bring over the medicine. She took the bowl herself and held it to his lips.
“Let me help you take your medicine.”
He shook his head and pushed the bowl away.
“I have taken so much medicine, yet my condition never improves. I am sick of it. I don’t want to take any more.”
“If you refuse to take medicine, how will you recover?”
Xi Cai held the bowl. To be honest, even the smell of the medicine made her feel slightly nauseated. Yet he had to swallow it one mouthful at a time. It certainly was not easy for him.
Her attempts to persuade him were weak and unoriginal. He continued shaking his head.
Xi Cai simply gave in.
“Fine. You don’t have to take it today. We can talk about it tomorrow.”
In response, he stared directly at her.
Perhaps he was surprised that she could not even be bothered to persuade him.
Xi Cai thought to herself that if she wanted to put something in his medicine, would it not be even easier if he refused to drink it altogether?
However, when she noticed the unusual look in his eyes, she realized she might have made her intentions too obvious. Her mind raced as she hurried to cover up her mistake, adopting a concerned tone.
“If you skip your medicine today, you might not even be able to get out of bed tomorrow. You should consider which matters more, my lord.”
After listening to her, he let out a mocking laugh.
“I thought my wife was hoping I would neglect my illness and refuse treatment.”
Of course, she immediately protested her innocence.
“You misunderstand me, my lord. What wife would not wish for her husband to recover?”
During their brief exchange, Xi Cai had already assessed his condition. If he still had the strength to tease her, then his illness was probably not as serious as the steward had claimed.
Everything Yang Xun did had a purpose. She had no idea what he was plotting this time, but it certainly could not be as simple as wanting her to return home early.
Although she secretly despised him, she still had to maintain appearances.
She brought the medicine bowl back and spoke gently. “Don’t be difficult, my lord. Your health belongs to you, and you mustn’t treat it carelessly.”
As she spoke, she brought the bowl to his lips and quietly added, “I prepared some honey-preserved plums. Once you finish your medicine, I’ll feed you one.”
For a man who had experienced countless battles and military campaigns, perhaps this sort of gentle coaxing was particularly effective.
Sure enough, he did not refuse again. He reluctantly drank all the medicine, rinsed his mouth as usual, and accepted the honey-preserved plum she offered him.
The lamps illuminated the room brightly, while the bitter medicinal smell still lingered in the air.
Yang Xun leaned back against the cushioned support and rested for a while. Gradually, his breathing became steadier.
In a calm voice, he said, “I’m sorry. I couldn’t wait for you to return on your own, so I sent someone to hurry you back. It was quite discourteous of me to do that while you were visiting your parents.”
Xi Cai thought to herself that he had committed so many discourteous acts already. Why pretend to feel guilty over something so trivial?
Nevertheless, she answered obediently, “Everyone knows that your health has been poor. My parents even urged me to return early. I was the one who got carried away and stayed longer than I should have. If I had known you were feeling unwell, I should have returned after midday to keep you company.”
She spoke with such sincerity that anyone might have believed every word.
Her bright eyes and lovely features made her look genuinely concerned, as though she truly cared about him from the bottom of her heart.
Yang Xun listened to her soft words with a faint smile. He placed his hand over hers and slowly stroked the back of it.
“Who attended today’s banquet?”
Xi Cai immediately became alert.
Trying to deceive Yang Xun would most likely backfire. If he was asking, he had probably already sent people to observe the gathering.
So she answered honestly.
“It was a family reunion banquet, so we also invited my aunt’s family. The Xi family doesn’t have many relatives, and our close kin are few. However, Father received a letter today. Some of our clansmen who fled to other regions to escape the turmoil are returning to Luodu. Everyone was delighted. With more family members around, our clan can continue to flourish.”
Yang Xun rested his chin on one hand, his eyelashes lowered. His eyes were as gloomy as the overcast sky.
“Was Xie Qiao there too?” he suddenly asked.
Xi Cai nodded. “Yes. He helped our family in many ways. Father has finally been released from prison, which is a major event. Naturally, my cousin came to visit him.”
Yang Xun fell silent. His hand paused briefly before resuming its slow, gentle movements.
“Xie Qiao is a man against whom it is difficult to find fault,” he said sincerely.
The assessment surprised her.
The Marquis of Yanling was famous throughout the capital for being difficult to please. Having accomplished extraordinary feats at a young age, he had grown proud and aloof to the core, and almost no one met his standards.
Yet now he spoke of Xie Qiao with a hint of admiration. This showed just how highly regarded her cousin was in official circles.
Still, given Yang Xun’s character, Xi Cai did not dare agree too readily.
She merely said, “My cousin is indeed a good man. He has always looked after us since we were children.”
A flicker passed through Yang Xun’s eyes. He spoke slowly.
“In the several years since he entered official service, he has handled his duties properly. He has never formed factions for personal gain, quarreled with others, or spoken ill of people behind their backs. A few days ago, I heard the Shangshu Ling mention that His Majesty intends to promote him into the ranks of the Eight Ministers. The transfer order has already been issued. He is being reassigned to the Ministry of Personnel as a Shangshu Lang.”
This was bad. Very bad.
Now that Yang Xun had taken an interest in Xie Qiao, there was no guarantee that anything good would come of it.
Xi Cai had originally intended to remain silent, but she was worried about her cousin. She cautiously replied, “Now that His Majesty has recognized his abilities, my cousin will finally have the opportunity to fulfill his ambitions.”
“To fulfill his ambitions…”
Yang Xun repeated the words, the corner of his mouth moving slightly.
“An official serving as Shangshu Lang in the Ministry of Personnel is responsible for selecting and evaluating officials. Although his rank is not particularly high, the authority he holds is considerable.”
Xi Cai’s heart leaped.
She remembered what Xie Qiao had told her earlier. Yang Xun already controlled the judicial affairs and financial administration of the court. He had married her to gain influence over the channels through which officials could submit their opinions and complaints. The only remaining piece of the puzzle was the selection and appointment of officials.
Now Yang Xun was turning his attention to Xie Qiao. She had no idea what he intended to do, but she feared for her cousin’s future.
Against such a ruthless and cunning official, Xie Qiao was like a piece of meat on a chopping board, with no idea what fate awaited him.
As expected, her ominous feeling soon came true.
Yang Xun turned his head and asked, “Xie Qiao is still unmarried, isn’t he? I remember he married a county princess from the previous dynasty. After she died of illness, he remained alone until now. Is that right?”
Xi Cai nodded after a brief hesitation.
“The county princess’s death affected him deeply. He no longer wishes to marry.”
Yang Xun smiled.
“An able-bodied man should eventually establish a family of his own. His feelings for his first wife may have been deep, but some relationships are simply not meant to last. He cannot cling to the past and sacrifice the rest of his life because of it. I heard that the county princess’s death was connected to the policies enacted during Emperor Taizong’s reign. The court ruined his marriage, so it should compensate him…”
His expression remained calm and unconcerned, but Xi Cai’s heart was already in her throat.
She listened in horror as he uttered the most dreadful words imaginable.
“If the court took away a county princess from him, then we should compensate him with a commandery princess. What do you think of Yang Su? Their family backgrounds are well matched, and they are of similar ages. They would make a perfect couple.”
Absolutely not! This must not happen!
Xi Cai was frantic, but she could not allow her reaction to become too obvious. She forced herself to remain calm and said, “The commandery princess admires you. How can you marry her off to Xie Qiao? That would be unfair to her. She is a person, not an object that can be passed from one man to another.”
At the mention of Yang Su, Yang Xun’s expression darkened.
“She is childish and doesn’t understand her own feelings. We cannot take them seriously. Besides, I am already married. There is no possibility of anything happening between us. If a commandery princess is willing to marry Xie Qiao, it should hardly be considered an insult to the Xie family.”
Xi Cai was at a loss for words.
A county princess from the previous dynasty had died, so now the court was supposed to compensate Xie Qiao with a commandery princess from the current dynasty. Did Yang Xun really think that this arrangement automatically meant Xie Qiao was the winner?
If he had suggested a noblewoman of decent character, perhaps she could have accepted it. But Yang Su?
This was no joke. Xie Qiao’s first marriage had already been filled with hardship. He did not need another misfortune added to his life.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate,” she said, forcing herself to speak. “The commandery princess has her own wishes. If you force them together, you may simply create another unhappy couple.”
“Another?”
Yang Xun studied her, suspicion filling his eyes.
“Are you using this to hint at our own marriage, Madam?”
He was far too perceptive. Even the smallest slip of the tongue could reveal something to him.
Xi Cai quickly turned her wrist and held his hand, speaking in a gentle voice.
“Our marriage is harmonious. How could we be an unhappy couple? I was only comparing it to the arranged marriages we hear about these days. One family agrees to a match, then changes its mind, and another family does the same. The commandery princess is a noblewoman of distinguished birth. Why should she have to go through such trouble?”
Yang Xun gave a faint, dismissive smile. Then, without warning, he asked, “My lady, are you nervous? Your palm is sweating.”
Xi Cai froze. She quickly released his hand and realized that he had deliberately tried to catch her off guard.
She immediately became displeased.
“What do you mean by that, my lord?”
Yang Xun turned his gaze away. His profile looked cold and forbidding.
“Nothing in particular. I am simply disappointed. You would rather have Yang Su keep pestering me than agree to let her marry Xie Qiao. I wonder who matters more to you, then—him or me.”
Xi Cai understood the implication behind his words.
This was exactly how politicians behaved. Even when they had no valid argument, they could still insist on having the last word. And she could not openly fall out with him, either.
The thought made her furious.
Suppressing her anger, she reminded herself that she was supposed to be a virtuous wife. She softened her tone and tried to reassure him.
“No one matters more to me than you do, my lord. I simply believe that marriage is too important a matter to be decided carelessly. We should still consult the Grand Empress Dowager…”
Before she could finish, Yang Xun interrupted her.
“I nearly forgot. Not long after you left, the palace sent over a great many gifts. They were bestowed upon you by the Grand Empress Dowager to comfort you after your ordeal. Tomorrow, you must enter the palace to thank her and let her know that you are safe. I have also been summoned to attend an audience with His Majesty to discuss the punishment of Prince Cao.”
Xi Cai immediately thought of Yang Su. The prospect of seeing the commandery princess again made her reluctant to go.
Yang Xun knew perfectly well how unreasonable and fierce the princess could be, yet he still intended to marry her to Xie Qiao, a gentle scholar who was hardly suited to dealing with such a woman.
His intentions were truly malicious.
So Xi Cai decided to turn the tables on him.
“My lord, you said you would prepare two maids skilled in martial arts for me. Have you arranged that yet?”
He glanced at her, knowing that she was expressing her displeasure. However, he did not comment.
Instead, he raised his voice and called, “Someone come here.”
A female servant immediately entered and waited for his orders.
He instructed her casually, “Tell the household steward to choose two capable attendants for Madam. They should be clever and alert.”
The servant accepted the order and left.
Xi Cai leaned against him and asked, “My lord, are maids skilled in martial arts really called ‘shadow agents’? How many shadow agents are there in this estate?”
She blinked her wide eyes, eager to understand the inner workings of the marquis’s household.
Yang Xun did not try to hide anything from her. He answered in an unhurried voice.
“Shadow agents are not ordinary maids. They are undercover operatives maintained by the court when Great Sheng was first established. They were sent out to infiltrate residences, streets, and alleys. Many of their whereabouts are unknown even to me. There are still some at the military camp. Choosing two for you would not be difficult.”
Xi Cai was stunned.
She had not expected that the supposedly martial-arts-trained maids would serve such a purpose.
Weren’t undercover agents supposed to lurk in the shadows and secretly investigate people’s private affairs?
If she brought two of them into her daily life, wouldn’t Yang Xun discover everything she did?
“Have shadow agents been planted in the residences of all senior officials?” she asked in alarm. “Does the Xi family have them too?”
He smiled enigmatically but did not answer.
Xi Cai immediately felt as though she were facing a formidable enemy. She began mentally reviewing the people in her household, trying to determine which servants might have suspicious backgrounds.
But after thinking for a long time, she could not come up with anything.
The female servants and maids had worked for the family for many years. They had not hired many new people in the past two years, and most of the servants had been born and raised in the household. Even the few newcomers rarely had access to the inner residence.
While she was exhausting herself trying to investigate everyone, Yang Xun told her to stop thinking about it.
“Those people are like seeds planted in the soil. They took root and sprouted long ago. Some may already be married with children. By now, it may be impossible to dig them all out.”
Xi Cai looked at him in despair.
He lowered his eyelashes and covered his mouth as he began coughing.
She had no choice but to lean forward and pat his back. Only after the worst of the coughing had passed did she speak.
“I don’t want those two shadow agents anymore. I don’t want to be watched every moment of the day.”
His breathing gradually steadied. He did not seem surprised by her decision.
“They would accompany you when you go out and protect you in an emergency. If you are afraid they will spy on you, you can simply forbid them from entering the inner courtyard. Whether you use them or not is entirely up to you.”
Xi Cai thought about it carefully.
His spies were already scattered throughout the marquis’s estate. Even when she went out, she would have to be cautious about what she said to other people. Living like that would be exhausting.
She shook her head again.
“No, I don’t want them. Let’s forget about it. Still, I’m surprised that you were willing to tell me the truth. You could have kept their origins a secret. If I had believed they were ordinary maids, I wouldn’t have been suspicious of them at all.”
His eyes were like a second face, revealing emotions beyond what his features alone could show. They could change swiftly and subtly.
At that moment, he gazed at her with remarkable tenderness.
“My wife and I are supposed to spend our entire lives together. If possible, I hope we can have as few secrets between us as possible. In fact, there has always been an invisible network throughout Luodu, connecting every powerful household and every humble home. Those in power must be aware of everything. This has happened under every dynasty, throughout history. Every official at court knows about it, and they all tacitly accept its existence.
“It’s not about oppression. It’s meant to remind everyone to watch their conduct and avoid doing anything that harms the common people or threatens the stability of the state.”
Xi Cai seized the opportunity to ask, “What about our estate? Are there shadow agents planted here by the court as well?”
“Of course,” he replied.
Another question immediately began circling in her mind.
If Yang Xun could summon these undercover agents from the military camp, then who actually controlled them?
Emperor Taizong had already passed away, and the current emperor had presumably never taken over this organization. Somehow, this secretive, hidden bureau had ended up in Yang Xun’s hands instead.
What was the point of wielding such enormous power when he was so sickly that he could barely function?
She simply could not understand it.
Still, she did not need to think about these matters just yet. What concerned her most was Yang Xun’s plan for Xie Qiao.
But she did not dare bring it up again. What if she angered him and he decided to carry out his plan without hesitation?
Perhaps she should try her usual tactic of getting on his good side.
“From now on, I’ll have to be more careful with my words and actions. I mustn’t cause you any trouble, my lord.”
As she spoke, she slipped into her usual affected sweetness and gazed at him tenderly.
“Even though I was at Dayangshu Street today, I was still thinking about you. You wouldn’t understand how I felt. I wanted to enjoy myself with my family, but I was also worried about you. In the end, I couldn’t even enjoy my visit properly. You must have missed me while you were at home, too, didn’t you?”
He said that he had.
Although his words contradicted what he truly felt, he was perfectly capable of pretending. Since they were husband and wife, there was no harm in showing each other a little courtesy.
Xi Cai also had another grievance to settle.
She had not been able to eat dinner properly, and she was certainly not going to let that meal go to waste.
She turned her head toward Yang Xun.
“You don’t have much of an appetite, do you, my lord? Shall I ask them to prepare longevity porridge for you? After we eat, you can go to bed early. We have to enter the palace tomorrow.”
All the household affairs were supposed to be managed by the mistress of the estate. Since marrying into the marquis’s household, Xi Cai had gradually found herself worrying about all sorts of things, from meals and clothing to daily necessities and accommodations.
Thinking back to the carefree days when she had been unmarried, she could not help feeling a little emotional.
This sickly, treacherous official was nothing like the decisive and formidable man he appeared to be in public.
At home, he could lie on the couch all day, refusing to get up. In the end, Xi Cai had to feed him one mouthful at a time.
That would have been manageable if he had not been so troublesome.
She could not feed him too quickly, nor could she go too slowly. She had to keep her eyes fixed on him, watching as he opened his mouth elegantly and chewed with equal grace. He accepted her service without the slightest embarrassment, as naturally as if breathing.
By the time he finished eating, her own food had gone cold.
Only then did he seem to realize what had happened.
“Oh, I’ve delayed your meal. Have them prepare another serving for you.”
He was doing it on purpose.
He had deliberately picked on her several times that day, seemingly determined to make her uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Xi Cai was not the sort of person who would silently endure an inconvenience.
She put down her bowl and turned to instruct the servants beside her.
“Go to the kitchen and tell them to prepare a plate of steamed buns filled with rich gravy, two pairs of soup dumplings with embroidered patterns, and a serving of sweet, cream-topped abalone-shaped pastries. Don’t worry about the trouble. I can wait, so tell the cook to take her time.”
The maid accepted the order and went to carry it out.
When Xi Cai turned back, she found Yang Xun looking at her with a complicated expression.
She was puzzled.
“What is it? Would you like some too, my lord?”
He said nothing and turned his gaze away.
In the end, they went about their own business.
Yang Xun washed up and went to bed first, while Xi Cai leisurely waited for the late meal she had ordered. In the meantime, she asked Yu Wu about Yang Xun’s activities after she had left.
Yu Wu reported quietly, “He met with someone in the early part of the Snake hour, then reviewed official documents for half an hour. After his afternoon nap, he began coughing and summoned the household physician twice in succession. I wasn’t allowed to remain nearby while the physician examined him. The wet nurse sent me away, so I don’t know what the physician said. I only saw him write a new prescription, which is supposed to be brought in and prepared tomorrow morning.”
Xi Cai nodded.
She had dismissed Lühua earlier and taken over the responsibility of attending to Yang Xun’s medicine herself. However, during the five days she had been imprisoned in the Sili Prison, Nanny Mi had entered the room to help with his care.
Now that everything had returned to normal, Xi Cai instructed Yu Wu to pass a message to Nanny Mi: she no longer needed to take responsibility for serving the medicine.
Xi Cai finished her delicious late meal at an unhurried pace, and her resentment gradually faded.
After washing up and combing her hair, she returned to the bedchamber. By then, it was already quite late.
In truth, she had deliberately waited for him to fall asleep.
She had even stood beside the footstool for a long time, wondering whether she could use the excuse of not wanting to disturb him and sleep on the small couch outside instead.
But after thinking it over, she gave up the idea. Yang Xun was too difficult to deal with. If she tried that, he would probably find some way to criticize her, directly or indirectly, and make her life miserable again.
So she carefully climbed into bed.
They had an unspoken rule: whoever got into bed first would sleep on the inner side.
However, as soon as Xi Cai lay down, she realized something was wrong. The pillow carried Yang Xun’s scent—a mixture of medicinal fragrance and agarwood.
Had he forgotten to switch their pillows?
She turned her head to look at him. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
Xi Cai reluctantly decided to let it go and make do for one night.
After pulling the quilt over herself, she carefully turned her back to him. As long as she couldn’t see him, she could pretend she was sleeping alone.
But before she had even settled comfortably, she suddenly heard him speak.
His voice was low and deep, almost like a murmur in his sleep, as he reminded her, “From now on, don’t meet Xie Qiao alone. You are a virtuous wife known throughout Luodu. You must take care to protect your reputation.”