QYT - 31

The bath was filled with steaming hot water. Liufang and Zhuyun exited the room and closed the door.

Only two candles were lit in the room. Qingwei carried one into the bathing area and placed it on a high stand beside the bamboo screen.

Jiang Cizhou took off his thin cloak and walked calmly to the tub.

The bathing area was very small, a connected side room. Separated by the bamboo screen, the steam made it feel even more cramped. Qingwei turned around. “I’ll help you undress.”

The candle stand was right behind Jiang Cizhou. Once he was in the bath, she could burn the sleeping incense on the stand, and he would sleep soundly through the night.

However, just as Qingwei’s hand touched Jiang Cizhou’s waist sash, he grabbed it.

“No need to rush,” he said, looking down at Qingwei. “After what happened at Zhezhiju, we’ve gone through a hardship together as husband and wife. Shouldn’t we have a private talk first?”

Qingwei’s expression didn’t change. “What kind of private talk does my husband want to have?”

Jiang Cizhou took a step closer, his voice low. “When the incident at Zhezhiju occurred, you protected Fudong wholeheartedly. It wasn’t just out of kindness, was it? So your target wasn’t Mei Niang; Fudong was the person you were really looking for?”

Qingwei didn’t expect him to get straight to the point so quickly.

The bathtub was behind her, and the bamboo screen was to her right. He had her cornered in this small space, and it felt like an interrogation. Qingwei felt a sense of unease but refused to back down. “Speaking of which, why did my husband send Chaotian to investigate the Fuxia Pavilion? My husband must have known that He Hongyun’s estate is not simple. What is in that Fuxia Pavilion that is worth such a risk?”

As she spoke, she tried to get out of the corner. “I won’t ask you about Fuxia. In return, why must my husband ask me about Fudong?”

But Jiang Cizhou was one step ahead of her. He grabbed her wrist and leaned on the edge of the tub, trapping her in his embrace. His voice was low. “That day, He Hongyun set a trap at Zhezhiju, and we worked together seamlessly. I thought that after this incident, our relationship as husband and wife had grown closer. How is it that I was only gone for three days, and my wife has become so heartless?”

His grip wasn’t tight, but his technique was clever. Qingwei tried to pull away, but she couldn’t easily free her wrist from his grasp.

Instead, with the movement, the water in the tub rippled, and the steam rose again, creating a haze between them.

Qingwei looked at Jiang Cizhou. “You never said you knew martial arts.”

Jiang Cizhou smiled. “I also never said I didn’t.”

Qingwei spoke calmly. “On the day of the banquet at Donglaishun, my husband had Derong prepare gunpowder in advance. It probably wasn’t as simple as it seemed, was it? Your target has always been Fuxia, but you had no way to get into the heavily guarded Zhuning Estate. If I hadn’t blackmailed you and let you see Zou Ping’s murderous intent toward you, how could you have used a pack of gunpowder to frame the Zou father and son, leaving the Zhuning Estate unguarded for you to investigate the Fuxia Pavilion? In the end, I was the one who helped you. Who’s really being heartless?”

Jiang Cizhou said unhurriedly, “I can choose not to pursue your motive for helping Xue Changxing escape from the southern jail by pretending to spill my wine. But on that day, if I hadn’t taken Mei Niang out of the copper cellar, how could you have met her and then found out about Fudong? Now, I’m just asking what’s so strange about Fudong, and my wife won’t reveal a single word. If we’re talking about heartlessness, my wife is being heartless to me.”

The two of them stood facing each other, each refusing to back down.

Qingwei knew that if they were to argue about every single thing, logic was secondary. They probably wouldn’t finish talking until tomorrow morning.

But tonight was the best opportunity to go to the Zhuning Estate and see Fudong. She couldn’t let this chance pass.

Fine. A war of words was not the best strategy. She would just have to use force.

Qingwei lowered her eyes, as if thinking for a moment, and seemed to concede. “If... all my husband wants to ask about is Fudong, there’s nothing I can’t tell you.”

She pulled her hand from his grasp and put it on his waist sash again. With a gentle click, the jade buckle was undone, and Jiang Cizhou’s outer robe came loose.

The candle stand was right behind him. As long as she could get him into the tub and light the incense, her plan would be a success.

“But this is a long story,” Qingwei said, stroking Jiang Cizhou’s collar and preparing to unbutton his inner robe. “The water will get cold if we wait too long. How about I serve my husband in his bath while I slowly tell you the story?”

She was very close to him. When she spoke, her cool breath fell on his neck.

Jiang Cizhou stood with his back to the light, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He stared at her in the dim light.

She must have thought of a way to deal with him and likely had something hidden on her. But she was only wearing her inner robe. He had already checked briefly when he had his arms around her. If it wasn’t on her clothes, where would she have put it?

“My wife.” Jiang Cizhou reached out and cupped Qingwei’s chin, looking at her carefully. Whether it was because they were so close or the light was too dim, the hazy night concealed the markings on her right eye. The face he saw was clear, her eyes were bright, and her slightly parted lips were moist and tempting. He put his arms around her waist. “My wife is right. On a beautiful night like this, everything should be said slowly. We’ve waited this long, and the water is just the right temperature. In my opinion, it would be a waste to let this bathwater go to waste. Why don’t we bathe together, like a pair of lovebirds, and have a good, long talk? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

As he spoke, he put his hand on her back, glided it over her neck, and then into her hair bun, intending to take out her jade hairpin.

Qingwei’s heart sank. He must have guessed that she had something hidden on her!

Just as Jiang Cizhou’s hand touched the hairpin, Qingwei leaned back against the tub and instantly broke free from his grasp.

At the same time, the jade hairpin fell out, her hair scattered like silk, and the sleeping incense, no longer hidden in her ponytail, fell into the water.

In the quiet room, the soft “plop” of something falling into the water was as startling as a clap of thunder.

Qingwei held her fingers together like a blade and thrust them forward. Jiang Cizhou took half a step back, and a fan slid from his sleeve, blocking her attack. He then changed from defense to offense, trying to grab Qingwei again. Qingwei dodged again. She was incredibly agile. Although there was no way to retreat except for the tub, she arched her back, used her hands to push off the sides of the tub, and did a spin in the air, using the bamboo screen as a foothold to leap out of the bathing area.

Jiang Cizhou didn’t hesitate. You have to hit the snake where it hurts. Who would believe her when she said she had been at home every day?

He knew that her night clothes and cloak were definitely hidden in her dowry chest. He rushed out of the bathing area first, intending to open her chest. Seeing this, Qingwei knew she was in a bad position. Jiang Cizhou’s return was sudden, and she had forgotten to lock the chest. She immediately kicked the bamboo screen. The screen slid with a struggle, wobbled for a moment, and then crashed down in front of Jiang Cizhou.

A gust of wind came from behind him. Jiang Cizhou didn’t turn back. He spun the fan in his hand, hooked it onto the jade hook of the bed curtain, and pulled down. The curtain came loose from the bed frame, coiled in the air like a snake, and flew back. Qingwei ducked to avoid it, pushed the round table forward, then leaped onto the table and swung her palm at Jiang Cizhou.

Seeing her fierce attack, Jiang Cizhou had to abandon his attempt to open the chest. He used his fan to block her palm and then twisted her other hand behind her back. He grabbed the tablecloth and thought that Wen Xiaoye really lived up to the name “Xiaoye” (little wild one). She was too wild, and he was struggling to handle her. He had to tie her up first.

Seeing the tablecloth coming toward her, Qingwei, with one hand free, grabbed the porcelain vase from the cabinet beside her. Her teeth were gritting with anger. Before, when he just watched at Zhezhiju and didn’t act, she thought he was no good at martial arts. But he wasn’t bad at all! He just wanted to wait until things got big enough to use the gunpowder! She had been so careful not to let any swords or blades harm his life!

If he had no kindness, why should she be righteous? She didn’t care anymore. She would just knock him out and deal with the aftermath.

Jiang Cizhou held the tablecloth and tried to tie it around Qingwei. Seeing her grab the porcelain vase and throw it at him, he dodged. The vase shattered on the bedpost next to them. Jiang Cizhou made a clicking sound. “My wife, are you trying to murder your husband?”

Qingwei sneered. One of her hands was already tied to the bedpost by the tablecloth. “Look at what you’re doing.”

With that, she used her free hand to pull the tablecloth back, getting up to fight him again.

Jiang Cizhou glanced down and saw the floor was covered in broken porcelain. He wanted to tell her to be careful, but he didn’t expect her to do this. He didn’t let go of the tablecloth. With her pull, he was dragged to the head of the bed, his temple brushing against her cheek. Just then, she turned her face, and his skin was briefly and softly touched by a cool, tender sensation.

Jiang Cizhou was stunned for a moment. Qingwei was also stunned.

Qingwei quickly said, “What are you doing?”

Jiang Cizhou paused and moved back an inch. “I was about to ask my wife what she was doing. Just now you agreed to bathe together. I thought my wife was unwilling, but now it seems you’re not?”

He stood up, knowing that this argument couldn’t go on forever. He straightened his messy clothes. “Let’s each take a step back. One question each. As long as it doesn’t touch on a private matter, we have to answer it.”

Qingwei considered this. It was the fastest way. She nodded. “Alright.”

Jiang Cizhou stared at Qingwei. “Why are you looking for Fudong?”

Qingwei thought about it and gave a vague answer. “I don’t know either, but I’m investigating an old case. Someone left me a clue, and the clue points to Fudong.”

Jiang Cizhou pondered her “clue.” After a while, he asked, “That hairpin?”

“That’s your second question,” Qingwei said. “It’s my turn.”

“Why are you investigating the Fuxia Pavilion? Is it related to the Ningzhou Plague case from five years ago?”

Jiang Cizhou didn’t press Qingwei on how she knew about the plague case. After all, the person behind her dared to break into the southern city’s secret jail. There was nothing they couldn’t know.

He said, “Yes. Fuxia was the head courtesan of the Zhuning Estate five years ago. The wealthy merchant who was convicted in the Ningzhou Plague case was her patron. The charge against this merchant was suspicious. After he died, Fuxia never appeared again. To investigate this case, we must find Fuxia.”

Qingwei said, “If she’s never appeared again, she could be dead. Why are you so sure she’s still alive?”

Jiang Cizhou smiled. “That’s your second question.”

With their questions and answers done, they sat side by side on the bed in silence for a while. It was late at night, and they both wanted to sleep, but they were both very clean people and couldn’t just fall asleep in the midst of this mess.

Jiang Cizhou was silent for a moment, then stood up. “You’ll have to make do with this for tonight. I’ll have Zhuyun and Liufang come in and clean up in the morning.”

With that, he walked out of the room.

Qingwei asked, “Where are you going?”

“The study,” Jiang Cizhou said. “Before our wedding, the court only gave me a seven-day leave. I’ve already been gone for several more days. I need to write a memorial of apology and present it to the emperor first thing in the morning.”

Qingwei said “Mm.” “Then you go.”

Jiang Cizhou closed the door and walked toward the corridor. Once he had rounded the east courtyard, his steps grew faster. When he saw Chaotian come to meet him, he immediately said, “Give me the cloak and the night clothes, quickly!”