Golden morning light spilled across the landscape as curls of incense smoke drifted through the air.
The morning bell tolled several times, its long, lingering echoes guiding a continuous stream of pilgrims into the Temple of the God of Marriage.
Beneath a ginkgo tree at the temple entrance stood a fortune-telling stall. A fortune teller leaned against the trunk, his face filled with shrewd calculation. His eyes darted among the passing pilgrims, suddenly lighting up.
“Young lady, please wait!”
Waving his fan, he rushed out and intercepted a solitary young woman wearing a veiled hat. “It is rare to meet someone as fated as you. I shall not charge a fee; I simply wish to offer you a few words. If it is inconvenient for you to show your face, a palm reading will suffice.”
Just as the fortune teller expected, the young woman was inexperienced and naive. With just a few words, he coaxed her into extending her hand.
Her palm was so pale it was almost translucent, devoid of any color. Her slender finger bones looked as though they might snap with the slightest pressure. Beneath the intersecting lines of her palm, even the faint, winding blue veins were clearly visible.
The fortune teller’s eyes flickered, his expression turning subtle. He spoke immediately, “Your palm lines are thin and faint, the center of your palm is sunken, and your life line is intermittent. This is an omen of a short life with little fortune—a sign that you will bring misfortune to your kin!”
“…”
The woman, perhaps stunned by fear, remained silent.
The fortune teller’s tone grew increasingly solemn. “And this heart line—it governs marriage, yet on your hand, it is split into several branches and severed by horizontal lines. It is crowded with chaotic markings, showing that your path to love will be fraught with hardship! Even if a marriage is fated by heaven, it will be plagued by constant upheavals, leading to a wasted life…”
“Bah!”
An elderly maidservant suddenly appeared, snatching the girl’s hand back. She pointed at the fortune teller and unleashed a torrent of abuse. “You silver-tongued charlatan! If you dare curse my lady one more time, believe me, I’ll tear your mouth apart!”
The fortune teller was startled but refused to give up. “Fate is determined by heaven, but luck can be changed by man. I have a protective talisman here. If the lady carries it with her, she can turn calamity into blessings…”
“You still dare—”
“Nurse Fu.”
The woman finally spoke.
Her clear, cool voice passed through the veil, somewhat muffled and hard to read.
In the next moment, she reached out to take the protective talisman from the fortune teller’s hand.
The fortune teller’s face lit up with joy, but he pulled his hand back. “Young lady, I don’t charge for the reading, but this protective talisman…”
Before he could finish, the woman had already untied the coin purse from her waist and exchanged it for the talisman.
Nurse Fu’s eyes widened. She was about to protest, but her lady pulled her along, walking away quickly.
The sun grew stronger as their carriage bumped slightly along the mountain road, leaving the Temple of the God of Marriage behind.
Nurse Fu sat in the carriage with a disgruntled expression, grumbling incessantly.
“These wandering swindlers all use the same script. Seeing your frail health and that you were coming out of the marriage temple, he spouted nonsense about thin fate and a difficult path to love. He picked the wrong person to scam this time!”
“Master Pei the Seventh is a match that countless women couldn’t get even if they begged, yet he insists on marrying no one but you. Now that he has persuaded his parents and the clan elders, the betrothal will be set any day now. If this is called a difficult path to love and an ill-fated marriage, then there are no good matches left in this world!”
“So, My Lady, you must not take those nonsense words to heart…”
Beside her, Nan Liujing finally removed her veiled hat, causing Nurse Fu’s voice to stop abruptly.
The young woman wore a gown of smoky-red crepe silk. She held the white gauze veiled hat in her lap, her fingers idly turning the crude protective talisman. As the carriage swayed, bits of sunlight filtered through the bamboo blinds, casting shadows across her profile.
It was a face that was pale and sickly, yet hauntingly beautiful.
Her complexion was like the palm she had shown earlier—too white, almost unnaturally so. However, she possessed rare, exquisite bone structure, with delicate contours and vivid features. She looked like a figure from a painting hanging on a wall—a beauty that was thin and ethereal.
Yet, beneath her long lashes, her eyes were dark, moist, and startlingly bright…
They were entirely at odds with the surrounding desolation.
“I never believed those things to begin with.”
Nan Liujing turned her head to look at Nurse Fu and winked. “As for you, Nurse Fu, you say you don’t believe it, but you were scared in your heart.”
Nurse Fu’s face flushed red, but she quickly recovered. “If you didn’t believe it, why did you buy that worthless scrap of paper?”
Nan Liujing tore the protective talisman into several pieces and casually tossed them out the window, repeating with feigned seriousness, “I really don’t believe it.”
Nurse Fu huffed a few times, coaxing her like a child. “Fine, fine. My lady isn’t that foolish. My lady is just kind-hearted; seeing that man was pitiful, she gave him her whole coin purse as charity.”
Nan Liujing let out a soft laugh and didn’t say anything more.
She rested her chin on her hand and looked out the carriage window. The light in her eyes flickered like winding water flowing through a wasteland, bringing a touch of life to her entire face.
Who said the coin purse was filled with copper coins? It could very well have been poisonous wasps.
Once opened, they would swarm out and sting that foul-mouthed charlatan until his head looked like a pig’s. He wouldn’t be able to step out of his door or scam anyone for at least half a month…
When the carriage returned to the city, it happened to encounter the Imperial Guard clearing the way for someone. Everyone was stopped and blocked at the side of the road. The Nan family’s driver got out to ask around.
A sudden commotion rose outside. Nan Liujing vaguely heard the words “The Royal Army’s triumphant return.”
She was slightly stunned and lifted the carriage curtain again to look toward the city gate.
Dust billowed, banners fluttered, and the sound of hoofbeats was like a drumroll. A troop of soldiers marched toward the city gate in an orderly fashion, their armor gleaming with a sharp, brilliant gold under the sunset.
Leading them were two young men.
One was dressed in hunting black, cold and lethal; the other wore wide white robes, appearing as elegant as jade and as upright as a pine.
“It’s the Third Young Master of the Pei family and the eldest Young Master Xiao!”
The driver hurried back, providing the answer that was already known to everyone. “The rebellion has been suppressed. They have led the Royal Army back to the capital ahead of schedule.”
“…I see.”
Nan Liujing quickly withdrew her gaze and sat back inside the carriage.
The sound of hoofbeats grew distant, suggesting they had entered the city gate. However, the Imperial Guard still refused to let the people pass. The commoners blocked on both sides of the official road showed no sign of displeasure; instead, they discussed the two heroes of the rebellion with great fervor.
When mentioning the one from the Xiao family, they spoke of how he saved his father alone on horseback, then took command in a crisis to turn the tide.
When mentioning the young master of the Pei family, they spoke of his strategic brilliance—how a single melody played on his zither caused the enemy forces to crumble and defect one after another…
Inside the carriage, Nan Liujing lowered her eyes, showing little interest.
Nurse Fu was overjoyed. “Pei Songjun has achieved great merit, and the Pei clan is at the height of its power. Since our Nan family is marrying into the Pei family, we will finally be able to hold our heads high in Jiandu!”
Nan Liujing was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “Do you think Pei Songjun will permit my marriage to the Seventh Young Master?”
The Pei clan was a family of high officials for generations, a prestigious clan. However, they had lost many clansmen during the imperial civil war a few years ago. It wasn’t until the refined and famously talented Third Young Master, Pei Songjun, became the head of the family that the Pei family began to rise again.
In the current Pei family, everything had to be approved by Pei Songjun.
This included Pei Liuyu’s marriage.
Pei Liuyu was the seventh son, the “Seventh Young Master” Nurse Fu spoke of.
The Pei clan had “Twin Jades,” both of whom were pure and handsome, like celestial beings. The third son entered officialdom, rising rapidly to become a high-ranking minister; the seventh son lived a sequestered life, having traveled across mountains and rivers by age thirteen, his skill in calligraphy and painting unrivaled in the world.
Although the Nan family’s ancestors had once been marquises, they were now merely a fallen noble family in Jiandu with a rather unsavory reputation. They were far from being an equal match for the Pei family.
Hearing Nan Liujing’s question, Nurse Fu was takened aback. “The Pei clan elders have already tacitly agreed to this marriage. Could Master Pei possibly stop it? Besides, back when the Xiao family was still of humble origin, Master Pei insisted on befriending them against all odds. Surely, he won’t look down on you because of your background…”
Nan Liujing’s slender eyebrows twitched slightly.
She was about to say something when she was interrupted by the driver outside.
“The Imperial Guard is letting us through. Sit tight, My Lady.”
The carriage moved slowly. The words Nan Liujing wanted to say hovered at the tip of her tongue before she finally uttered three words: “Let’s hope so.”
After returning to the manor, Nan Liujing first went to see Madam Nan before returning to her own Chaoyun Courtyard.
Just as she stepped through the courtyard gate, a black shadow suddenly lunged down from the wall with fierce agility, heading straight for Nurse Fu.
Nurse Fu screamed in terror.
Nan Liujing moved swiftly, pulling Nurse Fu behind her and spreading her arms to catch the black shadow falling from the sky.
As soon as it landed in her arms, the black furball, as glossy as satin, stretched out its body, revealing four snow-white paws. A pair of amber slit pupils remained fixed on Nurse Fu, baring its teeth and hissing fiercely.
Nan Liujing gave it a merciless slap. “Wangliang!”
The black cat’s head dropped, its whiskers twitched, and its eyes instantly became innocent. It looked at Nan Liujing pitifully and licked her hand twice to please her.
“Meow…”
“Bully who fears the strong,” Nan Liujing scolded softly, looking at Nurse Fu hiding behind her. “The more you fear him, the more he loves to scare you.”
Hearing the commotion at the gate, a maid quickly came out to greet them, handing over a letter tube. “You’ve returned just in time, My Lady. A message came through the back gate.”
Nan Liujing freed a hand to take the tube and pulled out the note inside.
A faint floral scent drifted out, drawing Wangliang’s head closer.
Nan Liujing pushed him away and unfolded the note, seeing familiar, elegant handwriting.
At the third quarter of the Hour of the Rooster, let us tour North Lake together.
“Is it the Seventh Young Master?” Nurse Fu asked.
Nan Liujing nodded, a slight smile appearing on her face.
She reached out and rubbed Wangliang’s outstretched white paws. Her voice was still gentle, but her tone had become cheerful and light. “Wangliang, do you also want to see Pei Liuyu?”
The moonlight was as bright as day, reflecting off the shimmering water.
Tonight, North Lake was much more crowded than usual. Countless small boats rested on the water. The dots of lamplight from the boats connected into a field of light, adorning the misty, ethereal fog—a unique and beautiful sight.
Nan Liujing sat in one of the covered wooden boats, draped in a black cloak and holding her black cat with white paws.
“Before boarding the boat, I asked around…” Nurse Fu whispered to Nan Liujing. “Tonight, the Emperor is hosting a banquet at North Lake to welcome back the Third Young Master of the Pei family and the Young Master of the Xiao family.”
Nan Liujing was stunned.
A banquet at North Lake—Pei Liuyu couldn’t possibly be unaware of it, yet he specifically arranged to meet her here tonight… What important matter could it be?
The night wind dispersed the mist, revealing the massive banquet boats and festive lanterns in the center of the lake. Surrounding that area were layers of patrol boats, and ordinary vessels were not allowed to pass.
The boat Nan Liujing was on turned as it approached the checkpoint, stopping beside a docked pleasure boat.
The boatman helped Nan Liujing onto the pleasure boat but stopped Nurse Fu. “The Young Master asks the lady to wait here for a moment; he will arrive shortly.”
The wooden boat carried Nurse Fu and the boatman away, leaving Nan Liujing alone on the pleasure boat.
Wangliang poked his head out from Nan Liujing’s cloak and then jumped down impatiently, scurrying into the cabin.
Nan Liujing followed him in, only to see four low tables arranged opposite each other in the cabin, set with delicacies and fine wine.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she froze in place.
This was wrong. This was clearly a setup to entertain guests…
Even if Pei Liuyu really wanted to introduce her to someone, he would never do so without giving her a heads-up first…
“Wangliang, we have to go.”
Nan Liujing reached out, trying to grab the black cat as it patrolled the area. Unexpectedly, the cat took it as a game.
The human and the cat chased each other until she finally cornered him and forced him into her arms. Suddenly, voices drifted in from outside.
Accompanied by the sound of the boat bumping against the dock, several figures boarded the boat one after another.
“You two were away for two years to suppress the rebellion. Now that you’re finally back, what’s the point of drinking with those people? You should have found an excuse to slip away earlier.”
The first voice was a woman’s—melodious yet not delicate, even somewhat low and husky.
With no way to escape, Nan Liujing held the cat and hid in the corner behind a screen, her expression shifting slightly.
Princess Shou’an, Helan Ying.
She could never mistake that voice.
In that case, the people who came aboard with Helan Ying…
Nan Liujing held her breath and looked sideways.
The screen was made of silk, allowing her to vaguely see the four people sitting outside. She could only see the colors of their clothes and their silhouettes, but not their faces.
“At the banquet just now, every one of them spoke beautifully, but in reality, they wished you had died out there.” It was Helan Ying’s voice again. “The people who truly welcome the two of you back are likely all on this boat.”
After a pause, she changed the subject, drawing out her words with hidden meaning. “In any case, I truly looked forward to your return. As for Pei Liuyu… I can’t say for sure. He seemed quite depressed today, as if he has something on his mind.”
“What nonsense are you talking about now! How could I not be happy that my brother and Lingguang are back?!”
It was a voice she knew all too well, yet the underlying irritation and impatience were foreign.
In front of Nan Liujing, Pei Liuyu was always soft-spoken and gentle. He would never speak in such a tone.
“Is that so? I thought you were hoping your brother would return even later, so you could present him with a finished deal and marry your new bride into the family…”
“Helan Ying!”
Pei Liuyu’s irritation turned into full-blown rage.
Wangliang shivered in her arms, and Nan Liujing’s grip on him tightened.
A sudden silence fell over the cabin.
After a long while, an unfamiliar, cold, and deep voice broke the silence.
“You’re getting married?”
The voice sounded devoid of emotion, merely curious. It must be the eldest Young Master Xiao.
“…Yes.” Pei Liuyu seemed to take a deep breath. “I already have someone I love.”
“That is a good thing.” Xiao Lingguang was unaware of the situation. “From which family?”
“The Nan family. Perhaps you haven’t heard of them…”
“The Nan family that’s about to lose its line and uses its foster daughter to climb into high-ranking families?” Xiao Lingguang was blunt. “I’ve heard of them, but only unpleasant things.”
Helan Ying burst into laughter—a laugh that grew increasingly wild and piercing.
If she weren’t holding Wangliang, Nan Liujing would have wanted to cover her ears.
Pei Liuyu’s voice also deepened. “The Nan family’s reputation has nothing to do with her. My parents have already seen her and think she is very good. We…”
“Liuyu.”
The fourth person, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. “Who holds the final say in the Pei family? Do you still remember?”
The voice was calm and steady, even carrying a hint of a smile, yet it made Nan Liujing shudder.
Suddenly, as if provoked by something, Wangliang struggled violently and leaped out of her arms.
“Who’s there!”
A cold shout suddenly rang out from the other side of the screen.
Simultaneously, a flash of cold light tore through the screen, surging toward her with murderous intent.
Nan Liujing didn’t even have time to react. She only felt a chill at her neck and her cloak loosen. Then, a force compelled her to stagger back several steps.
Thud!
A short blade pierced through her cloak and pinned it firmly to the wall.
In the next instant, the screen with the tear in it was kicked over, crashing to the floor.
Nan Liujing looked up in panic, meeting the gaze of Xiao Lingguang, who stood there with his blade, exuding a lethal, martial aura.
Author’s Note:
Reading Guide:
This story is purely focused on romance/drama. Plot content is less than 5%. It’s basically all about “Love-Hate Tropes” and “Male Rivalry/Crematorium” stuff.
No choosing between male leads (MLs). The ending is 1v3. All MLs are “clean” (virgins) and hopelessly in love (Pei Liuyu in the sidebars is an Open Ending).
Not a “Strong Female Lead” story. If this isn’t your type, please save yourself the trouble.