CXD - 67

Night fell in the inner courtyard of the Shen residence.

Jingzhe and Guyu watched as Jiang Zhiyi sat under the candlelight, her brows furrowed as she flipped through a medical text, seemingly searching for something. They exchanged perplexed glances.

Ever since returning from the inn earlier that day, their young mistress had been acting strangely. First, she sat by the window, chin resting on her hand, staring blankly at the peach tree in the courtyard. Every so often, she would raise a finger to lightly touch her lips, frowning one moment, shaking her head the next.

Then she began pacing back and forth, muttering complaints about the mysterious author of that storybook.

Later, she had them fetch this medical text, studying it while taking her own pulse.

Jingzhe: “Young Mistress, even doctors don’t treat themselves. How can you learn to diagnose yourself just like that? If something’s wrong with your body, I’ll call for a doctor to examine you.”

Jiang Zhiyi’s expression was grave: “I suspect my old ailment has returned...”

“What?” Jingzhe and Guyu were shocked.

Jiang Zhiyi clumsily pressed her fingers against her wrist: “Look here in the medical book—it says the pulse of stagnant qi and blood stasis is called a ‘choppy pulse.’ It feels like a light knife scraping bamboo, rough and uneven, trembling, and varying in strength, sometimes strong, sometimes weak... I’ve identified every single one of these symptoms!”

Jingzhe and Guyu lowered their heads to look at Jiang Zhiyi’s three fingers taking her pulse, blinking blankly.

“Young Mistress, you’re probably overthinking things,” Guyu reasoned persuasively. “Your hand trembled just now because you were pressing too hard or too lightly—of course, your pulse would fluctuate. Your blood stasis has long since cleared up, so please rest assured!”

But Jiang Zhiyi’s heart didn’t seem to ease. She glanced at Guyu as if looking at someone who couldn’t speak, then closed the medical book emotionlessly and tossed it aside.

… If there was no recurrence of her old ailment, then why had she allowed herself to be possessed by Yi Yi and closed her eyes to him?

Countless voices echoed through time and space, swirling incessantly in her ears—

“Don’t like my older brother anymore. Like me instead.”

“Jiang Zhiyi, you’re right. It really can be heard—it can hear that you have feelings for me.”

“How can you hate my older brother so much but still feed me shrimp while looking at my face?”

…

Jiang Zhiyi waved her hand, trying to dispel these annoying voices, when suddenly two sharp knocks sounded at the door. She looked up to see a tall, crane-like figure cast onto the screen door.

Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, her hands and feet felt frozen. A second later, Jiang Zhiyi abruptly rose and rushed into the inner room, leaving instructions for her maids: “... Just tell him I’m asleep!”

“No need to say anything—I heard you.” The amused male voice came from outside the door.

Jiang Zhiyi froze mid-step, slowly turning her head. Even through the closed door, she could almost see his slightly raised lips.

At that thought, the soft, wet sensation seemed to return to her lips. Her heart fluttered nervously as she swallowed and cleared her throat, calling out: “What do you want so late at night?”

“Can’t I come see you without a reason?”

“If you don’t have a reason, why are you here—to get scolded?”

“I do have a reason—I’ve come to bid you farewell. Open the door.”

Jiang Zhiyi was stunned, glancing at the two equally surprised maids to confirm she hadn’t misheard. Half-believing, half-doubting, she cautiously approached, opening a crack in the door and peeking her head out: “What did you say? Farewell?”

Yuan Ce lowered his head, his gaze briefly lingering on her slightly parted lips.

Jiang Zhiyi immediately tightened her lips, her face full of caution as she made the gap in the door even smaller.

Looking at her hands gripping the door like a protective nest, Yuan Ce smiled: “Envoy He has asked me to accompany him on an errand.”

Jiang Zhiyi knew whom he referred to as Envoy He—the former deputy of Shen Envoy, who had temporarily taken over the position of Hedong Military Governor after Shen Envoy’s passing. Before leaving the capital in the first month of the year, her uncle had mentioned Yuan Ce accompanying Envoy He to learn about regional governance.

Jiang Zhiyi’s expression faltered slightly: “... Where are you going? What for? For how long?”

“There are ten prefectures in Hedong’s eleven states, excluding Liangzhou, each governed by a prefect. I haven’t yet met with the prefects of three of them. You can think of it as socializing. Normally, one could bring family along, but the geography and climate further west and north...”

“I’m not going! Go on your own!” Jiang Zhiyi quickly interrupted him.

Yuan Ce curved his lips: “Lady, no need to worry—I didn’t plan on making you suffer either.”

Jiang Zhiyi turned her head, closing her eyes. She wanted to slap the mouth that kept inching closer today.

“Ten days at the shortest, half a month at the longest. I’ll return as soon as possible.” Yuan Ce reached into the crack of the door, gently ruffling the top of her head.

A tingling, ticklish sensation spread across her scalp. Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes flickered as she avoided his direct gaze: “N-no need... You’d better take your time. Give me a few more quiet days...”

Yuan Ce chuckled softly: “Haven’t these many days been enough for you to enjoy some peace? Want a few more days? Then how about we have some fun tonight?”

Jiang Zhiyi paused, noticing his gaze drifting toward her bedroom behind her. Her face flushed, and she slammed the door shut: “... Dream on! Who would have fun with you? Hurry up and pack your bags!”

The next morning, when Jiang Zhiyi rose, she heard that Yuan Ce had already left the city. Before leaving, he had come to her bedroom, sat by her bed for a while, and seeing that she had not yet awakened by the time he was due to depart, quietly left without disturbing her.

Guyu sighed with emotion, saying that Shen Young General sitting and waiting for her to wake up, yet not daring to disturb her, resembled little Yuan Tuan coming over every morning to demand a hug.

Jiang Zhiyi muttered, “He’s not as cute as Yuan Tuan,” then went out with Yuan Tuan in her arms to bask in the sun and enjoy her quiet days.

Unexpectedly, after only one day of peace, on the second night, San Qi arrived in the inner courtyard with a spirited pigeon, delivering the message tube tied to its leg. It was a letter from Yuan Ce for her.

When San Qi arrived, Jiang Zhiyi was lying on the beauty couch applying thick moisturizing cream and could not open her eyes to read the letter. She let Jingzhe read it aloud for her.

Jingzhe opened the letter and began reading: “Dear Yi Yi, greetings upon receiving this letter. After two days of separation, the multitude of stars in the sky cannot express my longing for you, high mountains...”

Jiang Zhiyi shuddered and abruptly sat up from the couch, raising her hand to stop Jingzhe.

Both Jingzhe and Guyu were startled.

Jiang Zhiyi, her face covered in gray-green moisturizing cream, curled her toes tightly: “No need to read the beginning, continue afterward...”

“Where should I start reading?”

“Just after ‘cannot compare to the steadfastness of my heart.’“

“Huh, how does the young mistress know that this is the next line?”

Because Yuan Ce was just copying others! After finishing learning her poetry, he came to imitate her letters!

“Young Mistress, your moisturizing cream hasn’t dried yet, it’s dripping down. Please lie back quickly.” Guyu reminded her.

Jiang Zhiyi lay back on the beauty couch, folded her hands in front of her, breathing deeply to calm her mood: “Continue.”

Jingzhe continued to read word by word: “Two days of fast-paced travel has brought us to Ganzhou tonight. The governor of Ganzhou is very warm-hearted and arranged a grand banquet for me. There were many delicacies and dancing girls at the feast. After the banquet, when I returned to my lodging, there were two dancers who said they were sent by the governor to serve in my bedchamber...”

“What?!” Jiang Zhiyi suddenly sat up again, her eyes wide with shock.

Beside her, Guyu was also both shocked and angry: “How can Young Master Shen behave like this? He’s not even of age yet and indulges in such vices! And— and one isn’t enough, there are actually two!”

Jiang Zhiyi trembled, extending a finger pointing northwest: “This duchess hasn’t officially broken off the engagement with him yet! Doesn’t the governor of Ganzhou have a death wish? Does he also have a death wish?”

“Please calm down, Young Mistress, there’s more — there’s more—” Jingzhe pointed at the letter, hurriedly continuing to read.

“Fortunately, their mouths weren’t faster than my accompanying guards’ actions, and before they could explain their intentions, both of their arms had been dislocated...”

Jiang Zhiyi’s pupils jolted, lightly blinking. Imagining the scene, she hissed, raised her hand to rub her own arm, and laid back down again.

“Luckily, today my accompanying guard stepped into the room first. If it had been me, they would probably be dead under my sword. I had the guard reattach their arms and return them to the governor of Ganzhou, apologized to him, and told him that next time if he wants to entertain guests with these dancers, he should find some who speak quickly and clearly to avoid bloodshed.”

Jiang Zhiyi: “...”

“Moreover, I have also explained to the governor that I am particular about the appearance of those beside my bed. Those who aren’t beautiful enough can’t enter my sight.”

“?” Jiang Zhiyi slowly sat up straight again, “He dares to tell people his preferences and ask them to choose beauties for him? Could it be that those two dancers were kicked out because they weren’t beautiful enough?”

“... Young Mistress, maybe listen to a few more lines?”

Jiang Zhiyi nodded: “Alright, continue reading. I want to hear how he’ll justify this.”

“The governor asked me, beauty is subjective, and everyone sees flowers differently. He wondered how I define beauty so he could help me choose. I said, in my eyes, only Duchess Yongying is beautiful; others are unworthy of notice.”

As the words settled, the surging anger in the room receded like a tide. The person on the couch, having experienced three ups and downs, finally found peace and tranquility. Amidst the serenity, it felt as though her heart had been gently scratched, causing a tingling itch.

Jiang Zhiyi raised her hand to touch her face beneath the moisturizing cream. Under Jingzhe’s gaze, which looked at her like a three-year-old child, she silently lay back down.

That night, San Qi received an order from Jiang Zhiyi, demanding that Yuan Ce send a letter every day, reporting his itinerary from morning to night in detail.

San Qi transmitted the command to Yuan Ce hundreds of miles away overnight. From that point onward, every night he bore the responsibility of waiting for the pigeons, carrying one pigeon after another into Jiang Zhiyi’s courtyard.

One night, deep into the night, the pigeon hadn’t arrived yet. Seeing that the light in the young mistress’s bedroom remained unextinguished, it seemed she wouldn’t sleep until the letter arrived. San Qi anxiously paced outside the courtyard, almost ready to fly up to see where the pigeon was.

Approaching the third watch of the night, the sound of weary wings flapping finally signaled the pigeon’s arrival.

San Qi picked up the exhausted pigeon with rolling eyes and rushed into the courtyard, handing the message tube to the young mistress’s maid.

From inside the room came the young mistress’s drowsy voice: “I can’t keep my eyes open, read it to me. What did he write?”

San Qi was also curious. The young general must have been delayed by something and couldn’t spare time to write. Managing to send a message back amidst all this, what important part of his itinerary would he mention?

After waiting a moment at the door, the maid solemnly read out four words: “No concubines tonight.”

Day after day passed, letters came one after another. By the twelfth night of April, Jiang Zhiyi sat in front of the desk, pulling out the wooden box storing the letters, preparing to place tonight’s letter inside, only to realize the box was nearly full.

Guyu, attending nearby, quickly said: “Shall I fetch a new box to store them?”

“No need. Can’t he return before this box fills up? Is half a month not enough for him to wander around?” Jiang Zhiyi snorted softly, looking at the box full of letters.

“When Young General Shen left, he said it might take up to half a month. But you mentioned wanting a few more peaceful days. Perhaps Young Master Shen listened to your words and decided to stay out longer?”

Jiang Zhiyi choked: “Other things he doesn’t listen to, but this one he listens to?”

“Young Mistress, do you want Young Master Shen to listen or not listen?”

Initially, it was thought that with Young Master Shen gone, the young mistress would be free from lingering shadows and could wait comfortably for Lord Hou’s men to arrive.

However, except for two or three outings with Miss Pei which were fairly enjoyable, the happiest moments of the young mistress’s day turned out to be receiving Young Master Shen’s letters each night before sleep.

Sometimes she smiled while reading the letters, sometimes she got angry. The phrase most often on her lips was – “When he returns, I will definitely…”

Guyu suggested: “If you want him to return early, send a letter through San Qi. It’s not a difficult task.”

Jiang Zhiyi frowned. Though she had spoken those words, retracting them herself, how could it not be difficult?

Moreover, why should she hope for his early return...

“Lord Hou’s men are getting closer. If Young Master Shen truly listened to your words and lingers outside, you won’t see him before returning to the capital...”

At the desk, Jiang Zhiyi sat motionless, as if struggling. Sitting still for a long time, making Guyu think nothing would come of it, she finally pursed her lips, picked up the pen, spread the paper, wrote a few words, and handed it over: “Give this to San Qi.”

Guyu glanced at the briefest line on the note and asked: “Young Mistress, I can’t read. What did you write?”

Jiang Zhiyi enunciated each word with emphasis: “‘The flowers by the roadside have bloomed; you may return leisurely.’“