No sooner had her words fallen than a tall figure strode toward her.
Without a word, he bent down and swept her into his arms.
The dim light obscured his expression.
But Jiang Zhuoying could feel the man clenching his fists as he carried her steadily toward the rear chamber.
The frustration in her heart eased slightly.
Now calmer, she began to ponder the earlier incident.
He had clearly caught her securely—why had he thrown her down midway?
In the darkness, the young woman pursed her lips, her tone tinged with grievance: “This servant was only trying to catch Zhuozhuo. Why did Your Highness deliberately drop me?”
She emphasized the word “deliberately”—this was what puzzled her.
The man had already entered the room and, by the moonlight from the window, tossed her onto the bed.
A dull thud accompanied Jiang Zhuoying’s startled cry.
Her voice was plaintive and delicate: “Does Your Highness wish to throw this servant to death?”
The man glanced at her sidelong before turning to light the candlestick.
Though his hands were busy with these tasks, he never addressed her earlier question.
Jiang Zhuoying pressed her lips together again. Though the fall onto the bed hadn’t hurt, the anger she had suppressed earlier reignited.
“Your Highness?”
The man suddenly looked up, his gaze deep and shadowy, like a vortex capable of swallowing everything.
“Focus on your duties. Don’t overthink.”
His voice was slightly hoarse, yet he seemed to deliberately maintain his usual aloofness, his tone still icy.
Jiang Zhuoying was taken aback: “?”
What did that mean?
Wasn’t protecting Zhuozhuo precisely her duty?
By the time she wanted to seek clarification, she only saw the man’s retreating back as he swept his sleeves and left.
Jiang Zhuoying: “…”
Now she understood. This Second Prince was not only advanced in years but also prone to suspicion. Even his speech was incomprehensible and contradictory.
No wonder he usually remained extremely aloof, barely uttering a word all day.
Perhaps he was afraid of revealing his flaws…
As night had fallen, she performed a quick wash and sank into deep sleep.
The next day.
Jiang Zhuoying woke groggily. As she casually moved her arm, a sudden, sharp soreness made her grimace.
“Hiss~”
It must have been from catching Zhuozhuo so abruptly last night.
Zhuozhuo was too heavy. She could barely support its weight normally, let alone when it had pulled that surprise attack.
Jiang Zhuoying slowly flexed her arm, the pain unbearable.
“Ow…”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
She wanted a physician to examine it…
But considering her current situation, Jiang Zhuoying suddenly remembered the whip marks drawn with rouge on her arm.
Not only had she washed those marks off last night, but even if they were still there, wouldn’t the physician’s examination expose her?
That wouldn’t do… At the very least, she couldn’t let Eunuch Chu or the Second Prince know about this.
Then another thought occurred to her: today, she needed to find a way to see Wujiu.
After surveying the empty room, an idea quickly formed in her mind.
…
“Go to Luo Jing?”
Jiang Zhuoying nodded: “Yes.”
“But didn’t you lose your bundle? What business takes you to Luo Jing now?”
Chu Yixin inquired thoroughly.
After all, this girl was now considered part of their household, so he naturally needed to understand her whereabouts and purposes.
Before Jiang Zhuoying could respond, a pair of silver-woven bamboo pattern boots stepped over the threshold of the main chamber.
“Your Highness?”
“Hmm.” The man glanced at the charming young girl standing nearby. “What’s the matter?”
Chu Yixin smiled meaningfully. “This Miss Jiang wishes to make a trip to Luo Jing.”
“Luo Jing?”
The man shifted his gaze to the young maiden beside him.
Today, Jiang Zhuoying hadn’t styled her hair in double snail buns, for a simple reason—she couldn’t…
Without her maidservant to attend to her, alone and with her arm aching, she was utterly helpless when it came to hairstyling.
So she had gritted her teeth and merely used a hairpin to tidy her stray hairs, settling for a presentable appearance.
Jiang Zhuoying wore an expression of complete docility: “Reporting to Your Highness, this servant wishes to purchase some clothing and miscellaneous items…”
The man remained impassive. “Just make a list and give it to the estate’s procurement personnel.”
Jiang Zhuoying was momentarily speechless. Pressing her lips together, she had no choice but to play her trump card.
“But… Your Highness, this servant needs to buy… the ones torn by Your Highness…”
She spoke haltingly, not stating it directly, yet even so, the Second Prince would surely understand.
Indeed… as soon as these words left her mouth, the man standing before her suddenly fell silent.
The sensation of that lightweight, smooth fabric—just recalling it briefly made it feel tangible in his hands.
Ahem, ahem, ahem. A shrill voice coughed violently.
The man glanced at Chu Yixin beside him, who immediately switched expressions and turned around.
“Miss Jiang? Shall I arrange for someone to escort you?”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary.” The young girl shook her head repeatedly. “I… only need permission to withdraw some silver from the accounts office.”
“This servant can go alone, there’s no need for a special escort.”
Her refusal was so firm and decisive that Chu Yixin was momentarily at a loss for words. He glanced sideways at his master.
The man remained stern-faced, offering no objection.
Chu Yixin breathed a sigh of relief, then adopted a shrill tone: “Very well, then you may go to the accounts office to collect your wages?”
“Yes, thank you, Eunuch Chu. Thank you, Your Highness.”
Jiang Zhuoying turned and left—everything was proceeding according to her plan.
Even though she didn’t actually need the silver, to maintain appearances and avoid raising suspicions, she endured the discomfort and went to the accounts office.
Before leaving the estate, she had instructed Wujiu to meet her every three days from today onward, before the hour of Si.
Going out now would likely be perfect timing.
…
Jiang Zhuoying left the Second Prince’s separate residence alone.
While withdrawing silver from the accounts office, she encountered Zhao Xiping, who informed her that there was a courier station about two li east of the residence where she could hire a carriage.
Jiang Zhuoying scanned the area but didn’t see Wujiu.
He must be hiding in the shadows, she thought, as she headed east.
Once she had put enough distance between herself and the residence, Wujiu would surely reveal himself when he felt it was safe.
Sure enough, just as she was approaching the courier station, Wujiu appeared.
Jiang Zhuoying immediately asked him to take her to Luo Jing and find a medical hall to examine her arm.
Wujiu didn’t dare delay—the young lady’s injured arm was of utmost importance.
He promptly hired a carriage and personally drove Jiang Zhuoying to Luo Jing city.
Upon entering the city, Wujiu made inquiries and took Jiang Zhuoying to Baofu Medical Hall.
There, Jiang Zhuoying encountered an acquaintance—Liu Zhiyou.
Seeing her at the medical hall, Liu Zhiyou couldn’t hide her surprise: “A Zhuo? What brings you here?”
The last time she had seen her was when the Second Prince had sent someone to urgently summon a physician late at night. Yet today, she came alone as a young lady, which inevitably raised questions in her mind.
Jiang Zhuoying smiled at her, inwardly relieved that she had just sent Wu Jiu out to buy some pastries for her.
“A You, I carried heavy objects with both arms yesterday and felt a bit of discomfort this morning. Could you take a look for me?”
As soon as the topic turned to her condition, Liu Zhiyou immediately became serious. “Alright, don’t worry.”
…
A quarter of an hour later, Jiang Zhuoying walked out of Baofu Medical Hall. Her arms were not seriously injured, but even so, Liu Zhiyou had given her two jars of medicinal ointment to apply.
“Miss? Why are you already out?”
Wu Jiu was holding a package of Osmanthus Cake, walking toward the medical hall from outside. When he saw his young lady already outside the hall, he was utterly astonished.
“My injury isn’t serious. Hurry and bring out the Osmanthus Cake for me to taste.”
“…Yes.”
…
Jiang Zhuoying nibbled on the Osmanthus Cake in her hand. The flavor was far inferior to what her own small kitchen could make, but it was enough to satisfy her craving.
Meanwhile, Wu Jiu stood behind her, shielding her from the bustling crowd.
His expression grew increasingly stern. “Miss, the crowd here is too chaotic and might jostle you. Why don’t we go somewhere else?”
Truthfully, he didn’t understand why his young lady, who had finally returned to Luo Jing, insisted on venturing into this overcrowded, bustling market.
“If you wish to buy some clothes or jewelry, why not go to Yuanbao Tower?”
In Wu Jiu’s eyes, only the items at Yuanbao Tower were barely worthy of his young lady.
Jiang Zhuoying swallowed the bite of Osmanthus Cake. “Your young lady is now just a maid. What expensive hairpins and jewelry do you expect me to wear?”
“This…”
At this point, Jiang Zhuoying’s attention was suddenly caught by a roadside jewelry stall.
Upon closer inspection, the jewelry appeared somewhat crude, but it made up for it with its unique designs.
Jiang Zhuoying carefully examined the pieces for a while and casually picked out a few hairpins and beaded flowers.
“Pay for them.”
She glanced sideways and instructed Wu Jiu, her tone light and cheerful.
“Yes.”
Wu Jiu immediately bent his head and retrieved the appropriate amount of silver from his purse.
…
At the same time, on the second floor of the teahouse directly opposite the jewelry stall.
In an elegant Xiangfang, three men stood by the window. Two of them stood behind the window, taking in the scene before them, while an older, beardless man stood further back.
“Who is that girl?”
Gu Yunci glanced at the man beside him, who was watching coldly yet seemed unable to tear himself away.
He then turned to ask Chu Yixin.
“Replying to the Young Master, that is the person the Young Mistress treated when she last visited the residence.”
“Oh?”
The man’s tone lifted, suddenly showing more interest.
“Is this… a case of someone else getting there first?”
“Young Master may not be aware, but this Miss Jiang already has a fiancé.”
“Oh?”
This time, his tone was more emphatic, and the interest in his eyes grew even stronger than before. He gazed out the window a while longer before concluding,
“It seems Miss Jiang’s fiancé cares for her a great deal.”
“Not only does he rush to pay for her, but he also constantly protects her safety. What’s more, he strictly observes the boundaries between men and women…”
“What do you think, Zi Qian?”
The man glanced sideways. Qi Fan’s expression remained unchanged, his face cold as he turned and walked to the square table.
“Has the matron from the Imperial Concubine’s side been settled?”
“Tsk, we’ve only spoken a few words, and you’re already eager to discuss such tedious matters?”
“In my opinion, if you truly fancy it, why not just take it? Is there any need for such covetous gazing?”
“Watch your words.”
Two words, cold as ice, carried boundless authority.
Gu Yunci glanced at Chu Yixin and shrugged.
Jiang Zhuoying had been browsing the market stalls for so long that Wujiu’s hands were nearly full to the point of overflowing.
After scanning her surroundings, she headed straight toward the sparsely populated Yuanbao Tower…
Wujiu’s first instinct was to recall how much silver he had brought along for this outing.
He hadn’t anticipated that the young lady would come to Luo Jing, let alone that she would purchase so many items…
Unaware of his inner thoughts, Jiang Zhuoying stepped into Yuanbao Tower without hesitation.
It occurred to her that she had visited this place before the troubles at home, but now, upon returning, everything and everyone around her had changed.
Jiang Zhuoying’s intention was simple: she was merely stopping by for a look, having not set foot in such establishments for many years.
The allure of hairpins, jewelry, silks, and precious gems for young women has remained unchanged since ancient times.
The first floor catered to relatively affluent commoners, a section Jiang Zhuoying knew well.
In the past, she would have headed directly upstairs, but today she lacked the enthusiasm for it.
Although the items here were far more refined than those at the street stalls, none caught Jiang Zhuoying’s eye enough to dazzle her.
Bored and unimpressed, she drifted slowly along the display counters…
Finding nothing of interest, her gaze wandered back and landed on Wujiu, who had paused before a hairpin.
Jiang Zhuoying raised a brow slightly, retraced her steps, and recognized it as a Filigree Turquoise Butterfly Hairpin.
“What? Do you like this hairpin?”
Wujiu immediately looked up, his expression flustered: “Young… young lady…”
Jiang Zhuoying wore a knowing expression: “Do you have someone you admire?”
Wujiu hesitated, shifting uneasily, before swallowing hard and asking, “Might the young lady know what kind of jewelry Xiangxing prefers?”
“Xiangxing?”
Jiang Zhuoying’s eyes widened. When had Xiangxing become involved with Wujiu without her knowledge?
Wujiu, his face flushed with embarrassment, vowed: “This subordinate genuinely admires Xiangxing and will treat her well!”
Jiang Zhuoying’s expression stiffened slightly. Had she been such an inattentive mistress?
Xiangxing was her personal maid, yet she had been completely unaware of this development.
Seeing her silence, Wujiu grew even more anxious, interpreting it as disapproval.
He broke into a nervous sweat: “Young lady, this subordinate… this subordinate is sincere…”
Jiang Zhuoying snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him: “When did this between you two begin?”
Wujiu’s heart tightened, and he hurriedly took full responsibility.
His tone was urgent: “This subordinate admired Xiangxing first. It was this subordinate who carefully pursued her…”
“Xiangxing originally intended to inform the young lady, but this subordinate stopped her, which is why you weren’t told sooner.”
Watching him wring his hands in distress, Jiang Zhuoying pressed her lips together: “We’ll discuss this another time. I just want to know when you two became involved.”
After a pause, Wujiu confessed: “A year ago.”
Jiang Zhuoying was speechless. A whole year!
And she had noticed nothing…
“Young lady?”
Wujiu ventured cautiously again.
Jiang Zhuoying sighed softly: “Very well, I understand. Do you wish to give her this hairpin?”
Wu Jiu lowered his gaze to glance at the turquoise hairpin once more, then nodded. “This subordinate believes the hairpin is barely worthy of Xiangxing. What does the young lady think?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhuoying bent her head to examine it carefully. The turquoise filigree work was both delicate and exquisite, well-suited to Xiangxing’s steady and serene temperament.
Wu Jiu was right.
She nodded and casually summoned the shop assistant over…
Meanwhile, on the second floor of Yuanbao Tower, Gu Yunci was walking forward while holding a square brocade box, preparing to descend and return to his residence.
He turned his head sideways: “A You will definitely like this set of head ornaments. I’ll thank you on her behalf.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Tsk, this personality of yours…”
Before he could finish speaking, he noticed something subtle and followed the other’s gaze downward.
“Oh? That young lady brought her future husband to Yuanbao Tower? What has caught her eye?”
Since he had asked the question, whether in jest or not, someone nearby went to investigate.
Soon after, the attendant returned to report: “Sir, that young lady has taken a liking to a turquoise hairpin. It seems she might be short on funds, as she’s still hesitating.”
Gu Yunci followed his words and continued looking down from above…
Sure enough, he saw the young lady holding a turquoise hairpin in her hand.
He casually asked the attendant beside him: “How much does that hairpin cost now?”
“Reporting to Sir, five taels of silver.”
Gu Yunci then looked with interest at the man beside him.
…
Jiang Zhuoying waved for the assistant to step back first, then held the hairpin up and down to examine it. After confirming there was nothing amiss, she raised her eyes to look at Wu Jiu.
“Xiangxing should like this. Shall we take this one?”
Wu Jiu nodded, then quickly shook his head: “Young lady, I wasn’t prepared for this outing and didn’t bring enough silver. After escorting you back to your residence, this subordinate will return to purchase it.”
Jiang Zhuoying blinked: “I drew an advance on my wages from the Second Prince’s residence before coming. Why not use mine for now?”
She made the suggestion appropriately, but didn’t expect Wu Jiu to firmly shake his head: “That won’t do. What kind of propriety is that? This is something this subordinate wants to give to Xiangxing, so it must be purchased with this subordinate’s own money.”
Jiang Zhuoying frowned, saying it was just a temporary loan, but the other remained unmoved.
Jiang Zhuoying: “…”
Would Xiangxing truly like someone so stubborn and single-minded?
Unable to persuade him, she could only give up.
Returning the hairpin to the assistant’s hand, Jiang Zhuoying turned around: “Then let’s return now.”
“Yes.”
Wu Jiu, his hands full of packages, escorted her out as they left…
Gu Yunci raised an eyebrow: “Why not keep that hairpin?”
He was naturally asking the taciturn man beside him.
Qi Fan glanced at him: “Keep it if you like it.”
“Tsk… what does this have to do with me?”
Jiang Zhuoying had bought many things and was escorted back to the Second Prince’s separate residence.
She had been thinking along the way, and before parting ways with Wu Jiu, she instructed: “From now on, have Xiangyue come instead. There’s no need for you to come anymore.”
Wu Jiu suddenly became flustered: “Young lady… has this subordinate done something wrong?”
Jiang Zhuoying shook her head: “No, I had you come before because your martial skills are much better than Xiangyue’s. But now it seems she would be capable enough too.”
“Moreover, you should spend more time with Xiangxing at the estate. I haven’t been attentive enough to them these years, and having Xiangyue by my side would be more convenient for handling matters.”
Wu Jiu was momentarily stunned, then nodded with a solemn expression.
His heart swelled with joy, knowing his mistress had not objected to his relationship with Xiangxing.
“Your servant obeys! Please take care on your way back, Miss.”
Jiang Zhuoying nodded, carrying a pile of parcels as she headed toward the Second Prince’s separate residence…
In high spirits, she hummed an unknown tune, walking back with upturned lips.
At the main gate, she encountered the Second Prince and Eunuch Chu returning on horseback.
It was unclear where these two had come from, though she paid it no mind.
“Your maid pays respects to Your Highness. Greetings to Eunuch Chu as well.”
Burdened with numerous parcels of all kinds, her courtesy was somewhat lacking—she merely offered a perfunctory curtsy.
Yet her beaming expression made it evident to anyone how delighted she currently felt.
Chu Yixin replied with a smile: “Miss Jiang has been to Luo Jing city—you look absolutely radiant with happiness.”
Jiang Zhuoying nodded without concealment: “I bought many things. Naturally, I’m delighted.”
Suddenly, a cold voice cut through: “It’s already past noon. Is this how you care for Zhuozhuo?”
“…Ah?”
Jiang Zhuoying seemed as if doused with icy water, her smile vanishing instantly.