Chapter 3
Yuli waited in the courtyard for Xiyun. For the past half month since leaving home, she had been with Xiyun every day—from the grand residence in the provincial capital, to the road, and now here. Being in an unfamiliar environment with no one she knew was torture.
After a long wait, it wasn’t Xiyun who returned, but Xie Yao.
Yuli grew even more uneasy. As the tall figure approached step by step, she didn’t even know where to put her hands. She envied the original protagonist’s courage; to be able to face such a man and still speak ill of him.
He still had that same placid expression, but he always stared straight at her. His eyes were like an abyss, and the reflection of her in them was trapped within it.
Xie Yao walked up to her, and Yuli shivered.
Yuli couldn’t see herself, couldn’t see how she cowered in Xie Yao’s eyes, like a fledgling snatched from its nest and carried back to a predator’s lair.
Did marrying her so rashly in a moment of urgency frighten her this much?
The candlelight illuminated Xie Yao’s profile, making it seem sharper than any description of chiseled features, yet not fierce. His brow was slightly furrowed, as if in worry.
Yuli decided not to speak.
Xie Yao spoke first. “Do you have a beloved?”
At these words, Yuli jolted as if struck by lightning. Before her mind could even process it, she denied it. “No.”
Her answer was firm and decisive. Xie Yao glanced at her for a moment; there was no need to ask further.
Xie Yao turned his face away and surveyed the room.
He had personally selected the furnishings: speckled-bamboo-colored curtains, rounded and simple tables and stools, and tea sets that were tributes from the south. The inner chamber was partitioned by a screen, also a masterpiece he had carefully chosen, depicting the scenery of the four seasons—spring flowers and autumn moon, summer lakes and winter snow.
Behind the screen, in the inner chamber, were the softest and most comfortable beddings he had selected from the palace, along with jewelry and clothing for all four seasons.
His gaze returned to Yuli, and he clearly saw her tense up. Even a single glance from him would frighten her.
But Xie Yao did not look away this time. He glanced at the back of her neck and then at her, saying, “There are new clothes in the room. Don’t wear this one again.”
Yuli nodded. “Mm, okay.”
Finally, Xie Yao took a half step back. “I’ve been busy lately and can’t always be with you. I have matters to attend to tonight.”
Yuli still just hummed in agreement.
Xie Yao told her to rest early and then left.
The moment he stepped out the door, he heard Yuli let out a heavy sigh. His face frosted over, and he walked away quickly.
Outside the courtyard, he passed Xiyun. He shot her a glance, and Xiyun shivered as well.
Far from Yuli’s courtyard, Xie Yao finally spoke to Song He, who had caught up with him. “Why is she so afraid of me? Could she have learned my true identity?”
There was much talk about him in the streets, both good and bad, but there was a consensus: he was ruthless, violent, and bloodthirsty.
Song He: “Impossible. When the Princess Consort was in Xihe County, she never paid attention to politics. She didn’t even think to wear mourning clothes when the late Emperor passed away. This subordinate speculates that she is wary and uneasy around strangers. Her escape during the day was likely for the same reason.”
Xie Yao did not respond. Song He looked up and saw his expression was terrifying, even more fearsome than when he had killed the two maids earlier.
Xie Yao asked, “Mei Qing of Xihe County, where is this person now?”
Song He: “This person left Xihe County not long ago and arrived in the capital. But he disappeared when Your Highness’s army entered the city.”
“Disappeared. Good.”
Even though he was used to Xie Yao’s temperament, Song He felt a chill sweep over him. He wanted to say something but quickly shut his mouth.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Song He said, “Your Highness has a natural air of authority, profound and inscrutable. It is quite frightening.”
Xie Yao shot him a sideways glance. Song He didn’t feel afraid and continued, “Just like that. Anyone who sees it would be afraid.”
Being feared saved a lot of trouble. Xie Yao had long grown accustomed to it, sometimes even intentionally inspiring fear to the point of terror, as he had just done with Xiyun.
But things were different now. The person he wanted closest to him had arrived.
Xie Yao: “Then what should I do?”
“Your Highness could practice smiling in front of a mirror.”
Usually, he was either expressionless or grim and somber. Even when he smiled, it was a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
Hearing this, Xie Yao smiled.
“Not that kind of smile,” Song He said seriously. “That would scare the Princess Consort to death.”
Xie Yao: …
*
After Xie Yao left, Yuli let out a huge breath.
She remembered now. This was how it went in the original novel. Xie Yao asked Song Yi if she had a beloved, and Song Yi had gently and sweetly mentioned her white moonlight, Mei Ziyu.
The original novel always referred to him as Ziyu, but now he was called Mei Qing. Yuli recalled that when Mei Qing left Xihe County, he had just reached the age of maturity and told her he had taken a courtesy name. She had been listening distractedly and hadn’t connected him to the long-forgotten, early-departed white moonlight from the novel.
In Xihe County, many young men had shown interest in her because of her beauty, but they all backed off after learning about her bloodsucking father.
Mei Qing was a special one among them. His family was not well-off either, but he was persistent. He would write her poems and earn money by copying books to support her business. He was originally a man of simple tastes, but for her, he decided to take the imperial examinations, saying he would marry her after becoming an official.
His poems were not bad, but Yuli, having been immersed in the works of the Poet-Immortal, Poet-Sage, and Poet-Buddha since kindergarten in her past life, was not particularly impressed.
She also didn’t believe his promise of passing the civil service exam. She had read enough stories of scholars and beauties to know that the female protagonists were mostly daughters of wealthy families, which had little to do with her.
Not to mention the modern era, where “the first sword stroke upon success is to cut down one’s beloved” had become a common understanding.
Moreover, for someone like her who had repeatedly failed the civil service exam, she didn’t have much faith that he could pass on his first try.
She truly didn’t have a beloved. Waking up early and returning late was tiring enough; where would she find the energy for the hardships of love?
With Mei Qing gone, she no longer had to deal with his advances and actually felt more relaxed.
But he was indeed the female lead’s white moonlight in the book.
When Xie Yao had asked just now, this person’s name had been the first to pop into her head, along with the manner of his death.
In the original book, his head was cut off and fed to dogs. His body was mutilated beyond recognition, with only two identifiable moles left.
And from the moment Song Yi learned that Xie Yao had killed Mei Ziyu, there was no more warmth between them, only a frantic cycle of mutual torment.
Thankfully, she had denied it quickly. But then she wondered if denying it too quickly would make him more suspicious.
In the midst of her anxiety, Xiyun returned. Yuli immediately went out and took her arm.
But Xiyun wrapped her arms around Yuli’s shoulders and sobbed, “Yuli, I…”
Yuli was surprised that she was crying and asked what was wrong.
Xiyun couldn’t say. She just held her, not letting her see her expression. “This residence is so big. I got lost just now. I’m a little scared.”
She was still shivering; it was clear she was scared to death.
Yuli was also shaken, but seeing Xiyun’s fear, she quickly said, “Don’t be afraid. As long as I don’t run away, you’ll be fine.”
Xiyun released her and looked at her. “But, what if Young Master Xie… is not good to you?”
It wasn’t just that he might not be good to her. Xiyun felt that Young Master Xie might be raising Yuli to eat her.
But Yuli said, “I’ll just go along with him and not make him angry.”
Xiyun was very worried about Yuli, and also about herself. The two of them comforted and encouraged each other for a long time before they calmed down.
Xiyun was familiar with the daily routines of a large household. She had someone bring water and helped Yuli bathe.
The clothes she found in the wardrobe were of excellent quality. Xiyun had never seen such fabric before, but she could tell good from bad. It seemed this Young Master Xie would not mistreat Yuli.
Yuli bathed and lay down on the bed, but couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. It wasn’t until she was utterly exhausted that she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
Xiyun’s room was in the side building. She hadn’t gone to sleep yet when she saw someone moving outside. She pushed the door open to see Young Master Xie entering the main room alone.
Xiyun’s face instantly turned pale with fright. She waited for Yuli to call for her, but after a long time, the main room remained dark and silent.
At the crack of dawn, Yuli gradually woke up. The thought that she was married and didn’t have to sell breakfast made her close her eyes and try to sleep again. But then she remembered that the person she had married was Xie Yao. A jolt shot through her, and all sleepiness vanished.
Unfamiliar bed curtains, unfamiliar furnishings. The air was filled with a faint, but also unfamiliar, fragrance.
Yuli sighed mournfully. She wanted to turn over and get up, but the bedding was so warm and soft that she remained in her side-lying position.
When the sky brightened a little more, she worried that Xie Yao might come to see her, so she got out of bed.
There was no one in the room. She opened the wardrobe herself and found a set of simpler-looking clothes. As she made some noise, Xiyun knocked and entered.
Yuli was dressing herself, and Xiyun quickly put down the hot water to help.
The patterns on these clothes were intricate but not gaudy, and the fabric was light, soft, and warm. Yuli liked them very much.
Xiyun carefully worked around the wound on her neck and helped her dress.
During this time, Yuli kept glancing outside, while Xiyun kept scanning the room.
After the two maids carrying the washbasin left, Yuli asked, “Where is Young Master Xie?”
Xiyun replied, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him this morning.”
Xiyun looked at Yuli’s face and asked, “Did you sleep well last night, Mistress?”
Yuli nodded. “Maybe I was too tired yesterday. I slept until dawn.”
Xiyun seemed hesitant to speak, glancing at her body. “Is there any discomfort anywhere?”
“No. The bed in this room is so comfortable, and my neck doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Xiyun lowered her head in confusion. She had clearly seen Young Master Xie enter the main room last night. She had waited for Yuli to cry for help, waited until she fell asleep, but heard nothing. She had fallen asleep lying there, and it was another maid who woke her up this morning.
Could it be that the Young Master had done nothing, just watched Yuli in the darkness?
…Even more terrifying.
Yuli was worried that Xie Yao would come again today. Remembering that Xiyun had a good impression of him yesterday, she asked her to find someone to inquire about the situation in the residence. The most important thing was to figure out Xie Yao’s routine—when he would come, so she could prepare herself mentally.
Yuli didn’t know that for Xiyun, inquiring about Xie Yao’s routine was akin to torture. But she still went, acting as if nothing was wrong.
Xiyun stopped a maid and asked about the master. The maid was very respectful but only said she didn’t know.
The maid’s speech and expression were very natural, with nothing out of place, but Xiyun felt a vast distance between them.
Xiyun mustered up her courage and went out of the second gate. At the main gate, she saw the guards in deep-collared black robes. As she got closer, she saw that there was a post every ten steps along the inner courtyard wall. She could see no fewer than ten guards in the visible area.
The thought that among these men might be the one who had twisted the two maids’ necks made Xiyun’s legs feel weak.
Xiyun failed to find out about Xie Yao’s movements and felt a little guilty. She told Yuli a lot about the guards instead.
Yuli, however, was calmer than her. She comforted her, “It’s alright, it’s alright. As long as I don’t leave this courtyard, they won’t do anything to us.”
Xiyun also smiled. “Yes, they must have been arranged by the Young Master to protect you, Mistress.”
Yuli turned to look at her. “Why are you calling me Mistress now?”
Xiyun thought of Xie Yao’s instruction last night as he stepped over the corpses. She chose not to let Yuli know how terrifying he was. She said, “Your status has changed, Miss. It is proper to address you this way.”
Yuli found it strange but didn’t say anything.
A maid brought breakfast. It looked exquisite and tasted good, but Yuli was too unsettled to have an appetite. She took one bite and lost interest.
Under high pressure, food has no taste. For the entire day, Yuli only ate enough to keep herself from starving.
After dinner, Xie Yao still hadn’t come. Yuli had a feeling he would, so she didn’t dare to wash up and go to bed, just sitting idly in the room.