For a fleeting moment, Jiang Shiyuan felt that being his younger sibling was truly a stroke of terrible luck.
While they were likely back in Hanzhou, working themselves to the bone, their elder brother had already calculated their futures with ruthless precision. In her memory, Young General Pei was a man of iron—mighty, resolute, a protector of the nation who bore all hardships alone. Why did he seem so different now?
“Words are easily spoken,” she murmured, “but people change.”
“Perhaps with others,” Pei Zisu replied, “but with you, I have never held a single calculation.”
Maybe it was because the alcohol hadn’t fully left her system, or perhaps it was because Pei Zisu’s sincerity radiated so clearly from his eyes; whatever the reason, she looked at her cousin with newfound gravity. It seemed she could no longer find a single excuse to refuse this proposal.
Pei Zisu caught the slight softening in her gaze. The corners of his mouth turned up irrepressibly, and he pressed his advantage.
“I, Pei Zisu, am willing to make this lifelong vow with my cousin. Let it be written upon the wedding stationery: one heart, one virtue, a sacred pact of love.”
Jiang Shiyuan didn’t quite remember how she returned to the Marquis of Wenyuan’s estate. In her hazy state, however, she remembered those words with startling clarity. By the time the weight of the wine had lifted, the moon was already high in the sky, casting a serene and peaceful glow over the world.
She sat by the window, looking out. The flowers and trees seemed more vibrant under the silver moonlight. No wonder the legends in storybooks spoke of spirits “treading upon the moonlight” or “arriving on the wind.” At this moment, she truly understood.
The night was enchanting. If a captivating “demon” were to appear now, it could easily breach the final defenses of one’s heart, leaving them hopelessly immersed.
At this moment, Pei Zisu was that “demon” in Jiang Shiyuan’s heart.
In truth, she had never felt an ounce of hatred toward this cousin of the Pei family. Mostly, she felt pity—pity that he had died so young in her previous life, and regret that he had never married.
Though she had been married in her past life, her period of warmth with the Heir had lasted only a few days before his true face was revealed. She had retracted her heart before she even had the chance to fully give it away. Now, faced with Pei Zisu’s raw confession, she found herself somewhat unable to hold her ground.
The maidservant, Liuhua, stepped inside quietly. Seeing that her mistress wasn’t sleeping but was lost in thought by the window, she moved to light a lamp and spoke softly.
“Miss, why are you not in bed yet?”
Jiang Shiyuan turned and gave Liuhua a faint smile. She pulled her over to sit beside her.
“I slept too long this afternoon when I was drunk, so I’m quite wide awake now. Don’t light the lamp. The moonlight is perfect; stay and talk with me.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“I still remember when I first arrived at the Marquis’s estate,” Jiang Shiyuan reminisced. “Everything was so strange to me. Even though Grandmother and Aunt were so kind, I still missed home. I missed Xuzhou, my father, my mother, and my brother. I’m lucky you’ve always been by my side. Do you remember once when I woke up in the middle of the night starving? We sneaked into the kitchen to find some cakes and were nearly beaten as thieves by the night-watch woman. You were scared to death, yet you still stood in front of me to protect me.”
As she spoke, her eyes were full of nostalgia and gratitude.
Liuhua was three years older than her. If Jiang Shiyuan remembered it, she certainly did as well. She sighed with a smile. “Indeed. In the blink of an eye, it’s been ten years since I followed you to Xijing. Time truly flies.”
“Is your family doing well? I remember you have a brother.”
“They are fine. My brother sent word before the New Year saying he is getting married. I sent twenty taels of silver to him; consider it my final duty as his sister in this life.”
Jiang Shiyuan hadn’t known of this and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could have let you return to Xuzhou to visit.”
“The household was in an uproar over the Second Young Miss’s affairs back then; I didn’t want to bring it up at such a time. Besides, my brother isn’t the type to cherish his sister. If he truly wanted me to return, he would have mentioned it in the letter. Instead, he only spoke of being short on money. Why should I invite humiliation? My parents are gone; even if I return, it is my brother and his wife’s house. I’d rather stay by your side, Miss. I feel more settled and free here.”
Liuhua’s voice carried a trace of sadness, but she quickly suppressed it, turning instead to comfort Jiang Shiyuan.
“Don’t be sad for me, Miss. The bitterness in my heart was cured by you long ago. My brother’s actions can’t hurt me anymore; once your heart turns cold enough, it stops aching. But what about you? This afternoon, when I saw Young General Pei leave the side room, his face was remarkably bright. Did you… perhaps agree?”
Liuhua’s question brought Jiang Shiyuan back to her dilemma. She gave a helpless smile and spoke honestly.
“I originally had no intention of marrying. But what Cousin Pei said this afternoon was quite moving. You know my illness hasn’t flared up much, but it’s always a lurking shadow. I don’t know how long I have. Would it be too selfish of me to seek someone to warm my heart just this once?”
“Of course not!” Liuhua said firmly. “Miss, don’t overthink it. Your health was poor once, but after years of care, you are no different from anyone else. I believe that since Young General Pei already knew about your condition and still insisted on proposing, he must be sincere. If he doesn’t care, you shouldn’t let it weigh on your heart either.”
This single piece of advice cleared the clouds from Jiang Shiyuan’s mind.
It was true. The one who had been obsessing over the illness was never Pei Zisu—it was herself. Perhaps it was because she had heard too many complaints from the Consort of Prince Chun in her past life that she had begun to belittle herself, repeatedly using her health as an excuse.
Suddenly enlightened by Liuhua’s casual remark, Jiang Shiyuan’s expression brightened. She took the maid’s hand and said, “Liuhua, you truly are my best medicine.“
Liuhua was a bit puzzled by the comment, but seeing the radiant smile on her mistress’s face made her heart swell with joy. “Don’t worry, Miss. I will always stay with you.”
The two of them talked late into the night. When Jiang Shiyuan finally slept, her slumber was deep and comfortable. By the time she woke, the sun was already high in the sky. Fortunately, she didn’t have to pay formal respects to her grandmother or aunt that morning, so no one came to rush her.
A good night’s sleep had left her more spirited than usual. After lingering in bed for a while, she chose a long cloud-brocade dress the color of water-green lotuses. She pinned her ink-black hair up, revealing her slender, jade-like neck. She used two or three gold-inlaid agate hairpins shaped like water droplets as accents, making her look both vibrant and sweet.
As Lvluo applied her makeup, she noticed her mistress’s complexion was better than ever. She said with a sweet smile, “Miss, how about I use some peach-honey powder? It’s infused with ground mother-of-pearl. If applied lightly, your skin will practically glow when you walk in the sunlight. It would match your dress perfectly today.”
Usually, Jiang Shiyuan disliked such things, but today she made an exception. By the time she finished dressing and headed to the flower hall for the meal, she left everyone breathless.
Among them was Pei Zisu, whose eyes curved into a smile the moment he saw her.