The next day at the hour of the tiger, Jiang Yinyue saw Wei Qin off to his shift. She secretly glanced at his chin and breathed a sigh of relief only after confirming there were no bite marks left.
If anyone from the Salt Transport Office saw bite marks, they would gossip behind his back, which would not be good for Wei Qin.
At that moment, the eldest miss of the Jiang family did not care whether she had come out on top or not. She thought only of her husband.
“Take it slow on the road.”
“Mm.”
Wei Qin walked into the morning breeze of the back alley. His cyan official robe fluttered dramatically, with strands of hair peeking from under his black gauze hat brushing past his brows and temples, adding a demonic allure to his elegant poise.
The refined air around him could not fully mask his eerie gorgeousness.
Once Jiang Yinyue had her fill of the sight, she returned to the residence in satisfaction. Miaodie mentioned that she needed to accompany the second miss to the Zhou Family Clinic recommended by Doctor Zhao that day. With nothing better to do, Jiang Yinyue decided to go along.
It was the height of the plum rain season, with showers coming down in droves, but that day brought a spell of fine weather. The sky was a clear blue, one side of the street shaded by greenery while the other baked under the sun, making the water surface shimmer with dazzling ripples.
Several pretty girls chased butterflies by the water’s edge, laughing and playing amid peals of joyful chatter.
The Zhou Family Clinic sat right by the water. The consulting physician was a white-haired old woman.
She led Wei Ying to sit before the consultation desk. The old woman asked many questions and would hum disapprovingly every time Wei Ying mentioned Doctor Zhao. No one knew what history lay between the two.
Jiang Yinyue, who was there to keep her company, leaned against the window frame and admired the sparkling water. Among those girls, she spotted a vaguely familiar rival.
Lin Xiuer, the prefect’s daughter.
They had crossed paths over the matter of the Zhang satin, becoming enemies since. Though they ran into each other often enough, they ignored one another and passed by without a word.
Among the girls, Lin Xiuer’s clothes were the most vibrant, her makeup and hair the most exquisite.
Jiang Yinyue shifted her gaze to the water, where green algae floated. It reminded her of the hem of Wei Qin’s cyan robe fluttering that morning.
Thinking of Wei Qin, she tilted her head against the window frame, her lips curving slightly. Then she saw the very man from her mind appear by the water, discussing something with several officials.
“Ah!”
“She dropped it in the water!”
The girls’ light cries interrupted the officials’ discussion. One noble lady pointed at a woven silk fan floating in the water and instinctively turned to the men for help.
Lin Xiuer, standing beside her, also glanced over. Her eyes locked onto that figure in cyan.
In her eyes, Wei Qin always stood out from the crowd, but he was too aloof, surrounded by an aura like swirling snow.
Proud as she was, she did not crave his attention, but every time she saw him, she recalled the scenes of repeated rejection. It was not resentment—she would never pine after another woman’s husband. She was simply used to being the center of attention and held a grudge against Wei Qin for it.
“Sirs, could you lend a hand?”
Lin Xiuer was Yangzhou’s famous beauty, the prefect’s only child, basking in endless glory. Everyone knew her name.
The few unmarried officials immediately rolled up their sleeves and crouched by the water to fish out the fan.
Wei Qin stood there, his expression indifferent, eyes straight ahead. This only frustrated the competitive Lin Xiuer further.
“While the sirs are busy, does Transport Judge Wei not plan to help?”
Wei Qin stood by the drooping willows and replied as usual, “I am a poor swimmer. My apologies.”
“No need to go into the water.” Lin Xiuer fanned herself with her gold-flecked hand fan. “I heard Transport Judge Wei once dove in without hesitation to save the nearly drowned Huai Jin County Princess. And now you claim to be a poor swimmer? How modest.”
“Miss Lin said it herself—it was nearly drowned.”
With that final pleasantry, Wei Qin left alone, circling the water’s edge as he carefully studied how to excavate the stolen goods from the bottom. According to a subordinate who had colluded with Yan Hongchang, this body of water hid the bribe money that subordinate had taken.
These people had gone to extremes to hide their crimes.
Lin Xiuer pressed her lips into a thin line, her interest in chasing butterflies and admiring flowers gone. She left her friends behind and headed to her nearby palanquin, only to see Jiang Yinyue emerge from a clinic, arm in arm with Wei Ying.
What a narrow road for foes.
“I thought Transport Judge Wei was so cold and unapproachable. Turns out someone was watching over him closely.”
Wei Ying could not help but speak up for her sister-in-law. “With so many people fawning over you, you’re still not satisfied?”
“And who are you?”
Lin Xiuer sized up Wei Ying with disdain.
Jiang Yinyue stepped forward. “Lin Xiuer, if your heart’s that dark, get more sunlight. Stop with the passive-aggressive nonsense—no one cares to deal with you.”
The eldest miss of the Jiang family was never one to suffer fools. Her presence far outshone her frail sister-in-law’s, carrying a cold arrogance and a knack for sharp retorts.
Lin Xiuer was not the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. She crossed her arms and glanced in the direction Wei Qin had gone. “You don’t care to deal with me, but you care if he gets close to the Huai Jin County Princess? Even your husband is quite friendly with her.”
“What did you say?”
“A few days ago, I saw Transport Judge Wei walking with the Huai Jin County Princess on an early morning street with few people around. She looked thrilled—maybe he played the hero saving the beauty, and the lady was endlessly grateful.”
Wei Ying stomped her foot in anger. “Don’t spout nonsense!”
“What’s there to get worked up about? If one’s upright, no fear of rumors.” Lin Xiuer smiled and sauntered toward her palanquin.
“Sister-in-law, brother isn’t fickle like that!”
Jiang Yinyue rubbed her sister-in-law’s head. “I trust him.”
Back at the residence, Jiang Yinyue checked the almanac and marked the next appointment for her sister-in-law. As she counted the days, her finger landed on the Grain in Ear solar term.
The death anniversary of the Yide Empress.
Because the Yide Empress had thrown herself into a sea of flames, Your Majesty invited sorcerers to perform rites in front of Kunning Palace every year on this day. And every year, Empress Dong, who resided steadily in Kunning Palace, was forbidden from approaching her own bedchamber.
On the day of Grain in Ear, Wei Qin went on duty as usual. Beneath his cyan official robe, he wore black underclothes.
In front of the Huai Jin County Princess Mansion, the steward lit a long-burning lamp for the master of the house.
The girl, usually carefree and wild, stayed cooped up in her room and refused visitors.
If not for the successive invitations from the Eldest Princess and Old Princess Dowager Xu, Cui Shihan would not have bothered to show up.
Long-burning lamps burned in the lush green estate as well.
With the old princess dowager in attendance, the Eldest Princess invited Cui Shihan to sit by the pond for idle chat—reminiscing about the past, recalling old times, soothing the girl’s emotions with gentle words. But between the lines, she played mediator for the Cui and Dong families.
The old princess dowager, there out of obligation, remained silent.
The girl stared into the bottomless pond, a faint mocking smile tugging at her lips.
“After so many years, the Cui Clan has long gotten over my sister’s death. Your Highness need not worry.”
“This Palace is not worried—I pity you, far from home. I thought to have a heart-to-heart while you’re in Yangzhou.”
On her sister’s death anniversary, no less?
It was clearly half persuasion, half warning.
Cui Shihan felt stifled. The Dong family, who should have come to apologize, showed no shame after her sister’s death—not even a single “sorry.” Yet the Eldest Princess wanted the Cuys to forget their pain and grovel to the Dongs.
All because the Crown Prince came from the Dong family.
Disrespect to the Crown Prince sowed future peril.
That was the Eldest Princess’s reasoning—logical and sound.
Cui Shihan stared at the pond water, stubbornly refusing to agree.
After leaving the estate, the girl did not rush back to her mansion. She headed straight for the post station.
“On my sister’s death anniversary, this subject invites Your Highness for a drink!”
The guards exchanged glances. Had the Huai Jin County Princess gone mad?
The girl shouted her invitation outside the post station, wine jug in hand. In Fu Zhongcai’s eyes, she was still just a willful child who had not grown up.
“They say the Huai Jin County Princess is the Yide Empress’s body double, a puppet Grand Tutor Cui made to summon his eldest daughter’s soul. The little county princess must both idolize her sister and feel aggrieved for herself.”
Out of kindness, the old eunuch spoke up for the rowdy girl at the Crown Prince’s side.
Wei Xichen glanced sideways at the woman blocked by the wall of guards and shook his head. “Bring her in.”
Fu Zhongcai grew uneasy. Two unhappy souls clashing head-on—who knew what chaos might ensue…
In the small chamber, Wei Xichen reclined against a cushion, one hand casually on his knee, lips curving faintly. “I hear the county princess can hold her liquor. This Prince would like to test that.”
“Easy enough.” The girl poured wine for them both with shameless abandon. “This subject drinks first as respect!”
Some words were grave disrespect without the excuse of drunkenness! Drunkards were another story.
They went cup after cup, bowl after bowl, jar after jar. Neither called a halt, neither admitted defeat.
The room reeked of alcohol.
Cui Shihan wiped her mouth, propping up her swaying body in a drunken stupor. She grinned and pointed at the man opposite. “Second Highness has quite the tolerance!”
Fu Zhongcai, attending at the side, squeezed his eyes shut and inwardly cried sin.
Wei Xichen’s eyes reddened at the corners as he smiled faintly. “The county princess is drunk.”
“No way.”
Cui Shihan chugged another mouthful. “This granny can drink a thousand cups without falling—think you’ll beat me? Punk!”
Fu Zhongcai ground his teeth. “County Princess, mind your words.”
“Mind my words? This granny’s been minding them for over a decade. From the moment I could talk, my family controlled me, never letting me speak my mind… Mm… So stifling.”
Wei Xichen’s light brown eyes, tinged only slightly with drink, brimmed with subtle depth. “Any grievances, feel free to tell this Prince. For example?”
“Heh heh, Second Highness is surprisingly understanding.” The girl hugged her jar and giggled foolishly. “For example… I’m not my sister’s body double. I’m me!”
Wei Xichen’s gaze darkened, his interest waning. He was not fishing for a girl’s girltalk—he wanted the barbed truths from her heart.
Whether body double or not had nothing to do with the Cui Clan’s submission to the Eastern Palace.
Sensing his indifference, the girl slumped over the table, mumbling.
“No one cares about me.”
In her haze, she let out an unconscious cold laugh. In this drinking bout, the Crown Prince had tried to pry words from her, and she had tested his distrust of the Cui Clan. Why else go to such lengths?
At the second watch of the night, the girl, sent back by the Crown Prince’s men, vanished into her carriage.
The Huai Jin County Princess Mansion mobilized droves of servants to search the whole city.
It even alarmed the Wei Residence.
Jiang Yinyue was close with the Huai Jin County Princess. After the old mama from the mansion failed to find her little ancestor at the Wei house, her hopes fell through.
“Where could the county princess have gone?”
The old mama slapped her thigh in anxiety.
Jiang Yinyue had Qi Bao sniff Cui Shihan’s personal belonging, intending to take the dog out to search.
Wei Qin, Uncle Song the gatekeeper, and Du Juan joined the search party.
“Qi Bao, go.”
Qi Bao bounded over the threshold and dashed through empty streets and alleys.
Jiang Yinyue took Du Juan and followed, calling out Cui Shihan’s name along the way.
Wei Qin and Uncle Song split up to search.
In the Capital City, at the Grand Tutor Mansion.
Divine Machine Camp commander Cui Wei returned to the mansion and went straight to his father’s study. “On sister’s death anniversary, the Dong family still offered not a word.”
Cui Shengzhi, playing a solitary game of go, gestured for his son to finish the board with him. “Seventeen years now. If they wanted to apologize, they would have long ago.”
Cui Wei took a box of white pieces and alternated moves with his father.
“Old Dong is stubborn as ever. Do we keep dragging this out?”
“Drag.” Cui Shengzhi placed a black stone, instantly surrounding a cluster of whites. “Drag until the Dongs’ pillar crumbles—twice the result with half the effort.”
“Tao Qian is waiting for the same chance too. He won’t gamble rashly with the Eastern Palace and let others reap the benefits.”
With Grand Secretary Dong gone, the Dong family’s networks and power would shake. Some would hold firm, others defect.
At endgame, Cui Shengzhi placed his final stone—one move sealing fate, the board irreversible.
“Once the Dong family falters, immediately pull in Jiang Song. Until then, no startling the snake. When Jiang Song wavers, he’s a venomous silver-ring snake.”
As dawn broke, a man and a woman sat by a stream where common folk launched lotus lanterns.
The girl, her drunken haze blown away by the wind, leaned against a tree trunk and mumbled, “Did I ramble a bunch of drunken nonsense? Annoying, right?”
Someone mocked as a soul-summoning puppet knew well that constantly pouring out one’s heart burdened those around. Everyone walking the world had unsolvable woes—one should not be so fragile. But sometimes the mouth ran away, seeking someone to vent to.
Wei Qin gazed at the babbling stream without answering. He glanced at the sky and stood. “I’ll take you back.”
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
A hunting dog suddenly burst in, barking fiercely at the tall man by the stream. Its momentum was aggressive, but its tail wagged nonstop.
When Jiang Yinyue caught up, the scene before her froze her steps. Her hand still parted the underbrush.
Cui Shihan twisted her head to look, clucked her tongue, and propped herself up against the tree trunk. Her legs went soft, and she plopped back down with a thud.
Du Juan, following closely behind, was also stunned. She quickly supported the girl, hoisted her onto her own back, and together with Uncle Song, carried her far away.
Only the young couple remained by the stream, gazing at each other across the faint light.
Jiang Yinyue called Qi Bao back and turned to leave.
“Miss.”
Wei Qin stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, but she shook him off.
Jiang Yinyue knew she was being willful. She took a deep breath, turned around, and explained, “It’s late. Let’s head back.”
She did not want any misunderstandings, nor was there any need for them. With Wei Qin’s character, he would never stoop to womanizing. If he truly changed his mind, he would tell her directly.
This point was beyond doubt.
Yet she could not control the sudden surge of sourness.
When Wei Qin grabbed her wrist again, she pulled her hand back and tried her best to control her tone, saying warmly, “Let’s go back.”
The two walked one in front of the other along the path home, from the dim light of dawn to the brilliant morning sun.
It happened to be a rest day, so Wei Qin had no plans to go to the yamen. After a simple wash, he brought the meal to Jiang Yinyue.
Jiang Yinyue, who was playing with Qi Bao on the couch, smiled and said, “Just put it there.”
Her gaze did not meet the man who had been staring at her intently.
“Eat first.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“What does Miss want to ask?”
Jiang Yinyue paused her raised hand. Qi Bao took the chance to bite the cloth doll in her hand and dragged it under the couch.
Jiang Yinyue liked frank and open conversations. She smoothed her loose hair and looked at Wei Qin seriously. “Do you like the County Princess?”
She felt a bit sour and unbearable, not knowing what had come over her to suddenly become so petty.
Wei Qin set down the tray and sat on the other side of the couch. If one day he and his father-in-law Jiang Song had a falling out, she would unhesitatingly side with her own father.
Wei Qin knew this full well.
Qi Bao, tired of waiting for its master, crawled out and placed the stolen cloth doll on Jiang Yinyue’s skirt hem, mouth open in anticipation.
As Jiang Yinyue threw the cloth doll far away, Qi Bao whooshed after it.
The eldest miss, focused on two things at once, stubbornly demanded an answer. “You still haven’t answered me. Do you like the County Princess?”
Wei Qin shifted inward, leaning against the couch railing. His face was like it had been covered in thin frost, congealing into an invisible mask. “No.”
“If you like her, you can tell me honestly. I’ll make way for you two.” Jiang Yinyue turned her head away, her tone muffled yet still proud. “I don’t like forcing things. We can have an amicable divorce.”
When people were sulking, their mouths ran without a filter, often saying insincere things. The eldest miss’s voice was not loud, but her momentum was strong.
Wei Qin looked up and yanked over Jiang Yinyue, who had her little face taut. “I said, don’t casually mention divorce.”
Jiang Yinyue, who lost her balance and fell onto the man’s lap, forcefully sat up and struggled with all her might to escape his grip. “Are you yelling at me… Mmph?”
Jiang Yinyue, suddenly pressed down onto the couch, was completely dazed. Her face paled as she pushed hard against Wei Qin’s chest with both hands, but she could not budge the enraged man.
A stinging pain came from her lips. Jiang Yinyue’s brows furrowed deeply. She flailed her hands and feet, but Wei Qin pinned both her hands above her head. Her kicking legs were also suppressed by his left knee, leaving her unable to move.
Jiang Yinyue had never seen Wei Qin’s temper before. She vaguely felt she had provoked an awakened lion, but stubborn as she was, with her own temper flared, she absolutely would not yield. She struggled even more recklessly, biting hard enough to break the cool thin lips that roamed over hers.
The taste of blood spread between their four lips.
Wei Qin did not dodge, letting her use all her strength.
Blood spread.
“Mmph mph mph!”
The slippery sensation made Jiang Yinyue’s scalp tingle, spreading numbness and tremors through her limbs.
She turned her face away, her cheeks flushed with blood.
Wei Qin gripped her trembling chin and turned it toward him. His slightly panting breath brushed over Jiang Yinyue’s feverish face.
“I only like Miss. Divorce? Unless I die.”
Jiang Yinyue shivered. How could such a calm person utter such resolute and extreme words?
“You scared me!”
Wei Qin looked at the woman with teardrops in her eyes, closed his eyes briefly, and collapsed wearily into her warm neck hollow.
A hoarse, elderly voice sounded by her ear.
“Once a person falls in love, they have a weakness, but without emotion, they become numb and heartless. Don’t become a second Your Majesty.”