"Do not talk nonsense." Xiao Yunsheng frowned and rubbed his temples before speaking. "It was my lack of consideration today that caused you to suffer such a grievance. I will go to the Marquis immediately to ask for forgiveness and tell him that it was my decision to return those items, and it has nothing to do with you, Madame. Even if we have differences of opinion regarding matters of the court, you are my wife, and the fact that the Marquis Manor is your family home will never change."
Fu Rong kept her hand in a rigid wiping motion, a flicker of disgust passing across her face. He had reached this point and yet still refused to yield an inch.
It was so simple: if he would only agree to share the honor and disgrace of the Marquis Manor, everyone could be happy. But he had to be so rigid and stubborn. And those dowry items he returned—every single one of them was priceless; he chose to act high and mighty and return them when he could have kept the treasures.
Why on earth did her father let her marry such a man?
Jiang Yue had been standing by the door when she suddenly heard a gasp from inside and turned around in a hurry. She saw that Xiao Yunsheng had stood up at some point, drawn the saber at his waist, and was holding it pointed directly at Fu Rong.
Even from a distance, the sight of that blade sent a chill through the bone.
Fu Rong’s face had already gone deathly pale.
Jiang Yue rushed to push the door open and hurried inside.
Xiao Yunsheng pressed his index finger against the blade’s edge and said, slowly and deliberately, "Let Heaven and Earth be my witnesses today. I, Xiao Yunsheng, swear upon my military merits that I will protect my wife—the woman with whom I knelt and bowed, my own wedded wife—with my life. She will be the only one for me for as long as I live. If I break this vow, may I be struck by lightning from the heavens and pierced by ten thousand arrows."
He paused, then handed the saber to Fu Rong. "Now, Madame, are you still worried?"
Fu Rong’s heart soared at his words, only to plummet instantly into an abyss, devoid of light.
On the day of the great wedding, whether it was the bowing ceremony during the day or the bridal chamber at night, it was the same person.
It was not she, Fu Rong, but Jiang Yue.
There was no custom of unveiling the bride in the Capital. From the moment she stepped into the bridal sedan and bowed to heaven and earth, to the end when Xiao Yunsheng finished entertaining the guests, removed her makeup, extinguished the candles, and entered the bridal chamber, it had all been Jiang Yue.
The smile that had been hanging low on her face slowly solidified, and she couldn't help but look at the third person standing by the table.
Jiang Yue stood frozen, listening in shock to the words falling from Xiao Yunsheng’s lips. The man before her stood tall and refined, as if he had fused the very heavens and earth into the syllables he uttered, causing them to ring out with a clear, metallic resonance against the hearts of those who heard them.
People often said vows were unreliable, but everyone knew that Xiao Yunsheng was a man of his word, his military merits being as solid as iron; anything he said, he would do.
She blinked stiffly, feeling as if something had been born from her chest, fluttering about so wildly it made her heart race in a panic. It was just like that day when she had put on the wedding robes and felt her heart pounding as Xiao Yunsheng helped her out of the sedan.
With her head covered, all she could see was a sea of crimson, and every beat of her heart was held securely by the large palm clutching her hand, bringing a sense of infinite peace.
But then, seeing Fu Rong place her hand over Xiao Yunsheng’s, the two of them intimate and hand-in-hand, Jiang Yue felt as if she had been struck on the head, sobering instantly.
This place. It was not a place she should be treading.
Those words, too, were not meant for her ears, and they had nothing to do with her.
Her steps unsteady, she turned and fled in a hesitant scramble.
As she reached up to close the door, she couldn't resist one last look inside. She saw the two of them drawing closer, hand in hand, and hurriedly pulled the door shut, bowing her head to stare at the tips of her shoes.
She slowly loosened her tightly clenched fingers.
At this rate, she feared it would not take even a month before the Young Miss would be willing to share the bed with Xiao Yunsheng, and then she would be able to leave. She wouldn't have to live in constant fear every day.
No matter how she looked at it, it was a good thing.
Jiang Yue raised a hand to her chest, her eyes filled with confusion. But why did it feel as if something were stifling her here, stuck in her throat, causing a tight, aching sensation?
Just as dusk fell, the group took their leave before dinner.
Jiang Yue sat in the corner of the carriage. Along the way, Fu Rong’s gaze kept landing on her, staring until she felt completely uncomfortable. She scanned the carriage, only to realize she was the only one accompanying the Young Miss, and that she couldn't even escape to sit outside. "Mother Su..."
"She went to run an errand and will be at the countryside estate for two days."
Fu Rong offered a light smile, stroking the bracelet on her wrist as she asked casually, "You performed a service today; is there anything you want?"
Jiang Yue slowly shook her head. This had been the condition from the beginning. Besides, if the secret were revealed, Fu Rong at least still had the status of a lady from the Marquis Manor, while for her, only a dead end awaited. Concealing the truth from the Marquis was merely for the sake of self-preservation.
"If you hadn't spoken on my behalf before my husband, he would never have promised that I would be his only wife for this life, not even taking a concubine."
Fu Rong stroked her face, as if the heat on her cheeks made it hard for her to sit still, though her eyes remained fixed on Jiang Yue, trying to read every expression she had.
Jiang Yue slowly clenched her hands, lowering her eyes, and only after a long moment did she find her voice. "That my master and mistress are in harmony is my heart's desire. What I have always wanted is simply to get treatment for my younger sister; everything else is just my duty."
Fu Rong did not seem surprised by her answer. After staring at her for a long while to confirm that this was indeed what she thought, she nodded slowly and said in an ambiguous tone, "Rest assured."
As they spoke, the carriage came to a slow halt.
Calculating the distance, they had only traveled two streets, and they were still some way from returning to the manor.
Jiang Yue lifted the curtain and saw the carriage had stopped in front of a brightly lit restaurant, and she couldn't help but look curiously. As she looked around, her view was blocked by a shadow. Xiao Yunsheng had stopped his horse beside the carriage, looking down at Jiang Yue, and nodded. "Where is Madame?"
Jiang Yue was startled and hurriedly scrambled to the corner to make room.
Seeing her so sensible, Fu Rong let out a soft huff. Her expression stiffened when she saw the restaurant outside, but a moment later, she slowly revealed a gentle smile. "Why have we stopped here?"
Xiao Yunsheng dismounted with ease and reached out a hand to help Fu Rong down.
Fu Rong gripped the curtain, hesitating. She had no desire to be intimate with Xiao Yunsheng, least of all here...
Her face remained a mask of flawless, sweet smiles. "Husband, if we do not return to the manor, Grandmother will likely be worried."
Xiao Yunsheng frowned, explaining calmly, "If we return too early, Grandmother will inevitably overthink things. We shall have dinner here."
Although it was the Fu family that had taken the initiative to force him into a political trap involving the princes by using the occasion of marrying off their daughter, Fu Rong had suffered a grievance as his wife today. Eating here was meant to both soothe her and ensure that when they did return, Old Madam Xiao would not notice anything amiss and grow worried.
Seeing that he had made up his mind, and afraid that further refusal would arouse suspicion, Fu Rong saw a few figures inside the restaurant and hurriedly turned her head away, touching her earlobe as if shyly blushing. "Husband, there are so many people here; it would be better to let a maid assist me."
Xiao Yunsheng looked down at his palm, then withdrew it as if nothing had happened, standing with his hands behind his back. He watched coldly as Jiang Yue jumped out of the carriage first, then helped Fu Rong down with extreme caution.
The streets were bustling with people, and the carriage blocking the road was indeed conspicuous, drawing lingering glances from passersby every time. He understood his wife's shyness, yet for some reason, he felt a strange sense of dissonance. He did not understand the ways between men and women, nor had he ever experienced what marital harmony should look like from a young age.
But he always felt as if Fu Rong were two different people during the day and at night.
During the day, she was shy yet maintained a dignified air, avoiding intimacy with him. Even today, when she had taken the initiative to touch his hand, it was through a handkerchief. Perhaps that was why he always felt something was missing.
Yet at night, his wife in bed was like crushed spring water, melting into his embrace, half-resisting and half-yielding.