Chapter 6

Edited and Proofread by KitKat

“I remember Ge’er has reached the age to be betrothed, hasn’t she? She is not a child anymore,” An Chang Qing looked at his half-sister who was younger than him by four years without any affection.

He remembered the winter when he was ten, the doll-like and innocent An Xian Ge had giggled as she pushed his sister, An Xian Yu, who was one year older than herself into the lake.

Like him, An Xian Yu had been bullied since childhood which had caused her to develop a timid and weak personality. And because they were not well-provided for, she was much skinnier and weaker than the younger An Xian Ge who had shoved her into the lake effortlessly. An Chang Qing was lucky to have witnessed it and jumped down to save her, almost drowning in the process. After that, he was inflicted with a high fever and it had been since then that his body became averse to the cold.

As for An Xian Ge, An Zhi Ke only said that she was still young and did not pursue the matter.

An Chang Qing lowered his head and sneered, he was not going to swallow this insult in silence. Bestowed with a second chance, he was not going to let anyone trample over him.

“If she is still this insolent after entering her husband’s family, I’m afraid she would implicate her in-laws with the crime of disrespecting the royal family.” He looked towards An Zhi Ke and smiled faintly, “Father, as a minister serving in court, you should know the danger of thoughtless words and how it could bring disaster to the whole family.”

Looking at the An family’s distorted looks, An Chang Qing daintily sipped his tea, “Although we’re a family, we should still maintain a separation of status. Even if I’m not bothered by it, Wangye, who has always attached great importance to rules might be angered should he find out about this.”

“Wangye’s temper… I’m sure you’re all aware,” An Chang Qing fixed his gaze upon the pale-faced An Xian Ge and smiled deviously, “If Wangye’s wrath was incurred and he wanted to pass out punishment, even I dare not stop him. Ge’er, do you think I’m right?”

An Xian Ge looked at him in disbelief. She opened her mouth to retort but was pinched by Lady Liu sitting next to her. She bit her lips and almost tore off her handkerchief before grudgingly saying, “Wangfei is right, Ge’er was wrong.”

An Chang Qing nodded. He then ignored her and turned to talk to An Xian Yu. At present, only his sister, An Xian Yu was present. His mother, Lady Yu, had stayed in the backyard and did not come.

According to the rules, his mother could be present but she wasn’t. As An Chang Qing’s biological mother, the An family would’ve let her come if they had respected him as a Wangfei. But no one in the An family took him seriously and naturally, they did not call for Lady Yu to attend his homecoming.

An Xian Yu was just as he remembered, quiet and shy. She was obviously beautiful like their mother but she always held her head low and never dared to speak up. An Chang Qing sighed and touched her head with much heartache and asked about her studies. 

The An family came from a long line of scholars. Even the misses were all academically equipped before they were married off. An Xian Yu was quiet by nature. Her only hobby was reading and writing which she had excelled in.

But when An Chang Qing raised the question, she drooped her head and answered skittishly, “I… I’ve stopped going to the classroom.”

An Xian Ge finally found the right nerve to poke at. She interjected with a sneer, “An Xian Yu cheated in a test and was expelled by the teacher,” She continued, “It’s true that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

She was referring to the fact that An Chang Qing had also once been expelled from class. The An family’s classrooms were divided by gender and separated by a brick wall. The male students were all from prestigious backgrounds and were taught by famous scholars to be specially trained for the imperial exams.

Although An Chang Qing loved to read, his choice of books were all on medicine and agriculture, he had little interest in learning the eight-part essay. This along with his background had made the teacher look down on him. Later, he had been framed by An Chang Duan and a female student for cheating and without even hearing his side of the story, the teacher had expelled him from the class.

An Zhi Ke knew about this and had found out the truth. But between the second son who was clever and likable and the third son whom he hated, An Zhi Ke had chosen to protect his second son’s reputation. It was also then that An Chang Qing’s feelings towards his father turned stale.

An Chang Qing glanced at his father and An Chang Duan, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… Ge’er’s words are very reasonable, what do father and second brother think?”

Their expressions immediately turned a shade darker.

As a high-ranking official, An Zhi Ke had only enjoyed the flattery of the people around him. Never before had he received such mockery and it even came from the son he despised the most. An Zhi Ke was deeply insulted by the sarcasm in his tone but there was nothing he could do. In the end, he diverted his anger towards An Xian Ge.

“What happened to the rules that you’ve learned? If you can’t so much as learn that then don’t you dare leave the house!” His words were overly harsh for An Xian Ge to bear. She had been pampered since young and had never been publicly reprimanded. The brim of her eyes turned red. She did not see the fault in her words and continued to stare at An Chang Qing with a hatred that she was powerless to act on.

Being continuously smacked with An Chang Qing’s show of authority, the An family came to realize this: the once unfavored son had grown a pair of hardened wings. He was no longer the boy they could bully at will like in the past. Being protected by him, even the timid An Xian Yu had become someone untouchable.

*

As the hours went by, it was time for lunch but An Chang Qing did not budge, making the old Matriarch pull out a long face. She leaned on her crutch and gently reminded him, “Chang Qing has now grown up and so has your endurance.”

An Chang Qing looked down and responded nonchalantly, “Having lived here all these years, the things I had to hear and see every day, I was bound to learn something from them. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to see your grandson sitting here today.”

The old Matriarch’s face turned unsightly but she did not say another word. After all, she was not blind so how could she not see the bullying An Chang Qing and his mother had to put up with through the years? It all came down to the fact that she had been prejudiced against An Chang Qing’s mother due to her lowly background that she had allowed their mistreatment to go on.

The maids brought in the dishes just in time to save her from the dreary conversation.

After eating, An Chang Qing requested a visit to his mother who was living in the backyard. At this point, An Zhi Ke had become increasingly agitated the longer he had looked at An Chang Qing. He told him that his mother was ill and let Madame Li accompany him to the backyard while he himself went to his study in the front yard.

Hearing that his mother was ill, An Chang Qing became worried. He did not need Madame Li’s company and went straight to the backyard.

The mother and son had been living in the Rainbow garden which was located in the farthest corner of the Xiang Manor. The road leading there twisted and turned. Because no one tended to it in the winter, it was overgrown with weeds and had become desolate. An Chang Qing had left this place for many years but he had never forgotten this path. 

He eagerly strode forward but someone stopped him in his tracks.

“Third brother is looking impressive today.” The speaker was leaning on a tree and with his beady eyes, he looked at An Chang Qing from head to bottom. Like a poisonous snake, he slithered his tongue to lick his lips.

An Chang Qing froze in place and looked at him with disgust, “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting to see my good cousin of course. Have you turned your back on me now that you’re a Wangfei? You’re not even willing to call me brother?” An Changqi sneered and stood up straight, “Before, you wouldn’t have dared to behave as such.”

An Chang Qing straightened his back. He looked unfazed but his body was tense. He caught a glimpse of the big and muscular Zhao Shi standing behind and only then did he relax. This was the guard Xiao Zhige had left for him. 

“Times are different now and people will change.”

An Changqi smiled, “Looks like you’ve done a good job serving the Northern Warlord. How was it? I heard that the Northern Warlord has peculiar interests, do you think you can stand it?”

The words he said were explicit and unpleasant. Seeing that An Chang Qing’s face, although pale, enhanced his eyes and brows to look more beautiful. He couldn’t help but take a step forward and reached out to touch it. But before his finger even reached his cheek, a long and cold blade was pointed at his neck. The tall-built Zhao Shi had moved in front of An Chang Qing and cast him a deathly look. He issued a cold warning, “On Wangye’s orders, those who disrespect Wangfei are to be killed without amnesty!”

“Oh, it’s only been a few days and you’ve already learned how to bark with your master’s power¹?” An Changqi said with a distorted look and vileness in his eyes, “Third brother is quite skillful…”

“Zhao Shi, do it!” Refusing to hear another foul word from him, An Chang Qing gave Zhao Shi a direct order.

Having received the words, Zhao Shi exerted his arm’s strength and thrust the blade at An Changqi’s neck without hesitation.

An Changqi fell backward and after the pain had kicked in, he touched his neck and saw that his hand was filled with blood. 

His eyes widened and his expression turned twisted as he glared at An Chang Qing. He grit his teeth and screamed, “Little whore! How dare you!”

***

Thinking of An Chang Qing, Xiao Zhige immediately left the barracks for the Xiang Manor right after his work there had concluded. Having heard the news, An Zhi Ke went out to greet him in person.

When Xiao Zhige said that he wanted to see An Chang Qing, An Zhi Ke was a little surprised. “Wangfei went to visit Lady Yu in the back garden.”

“I want to see him,” Xiao Zhige said, “Lead the way.”

Xiao Zhige’s commandeering attitude gave An Zhi Ke great annoyance but he dared not disobey and led Xiao Zhige to the backyard.

Halfway there, they could hear someone speaking in a sarcastic voice, “Looks like you’ve done a good job serving the Northern Warlord. How was it? I heard that the Northern Warlord has peculiar interests, do you think you can stand it?”

An Zhi Ke’s face had a drastic change. He wanted to rush over and stop that voice but was held back by Xiao Zhige.

Xiao Zhige’s complexion had turned ghastly pale and his eyes gleamed with a powerful killing intent.

But the person speaking was still oblivious to his looming demise and continued, “Oh, it’s only been a few days and you’ve already learned how to bark with your master’s power… Third brother is quite skillful…”

Xiao Zhige’s figure disappeared from An Zhi Ke’s side. And while he was pondering on how to smooth out this matter, a bitter cry pierced his ears.

The voice was very familiar. An Zhi Ke froze and realized that the owner of that voice seemed to be An Changqi, his nephew from the second branch. He ran forward and saw that Xiao Zhige was holding An Chang Qing with one hand while whispering something to him. On his other hand was his black and gold spear with blood stains on its tip. And in the withered grass not far from them was An Changqi clutching a broken hand, wailing and rolling in pain.

An Zhi Ke knew that this would not end well.

If only the person who had spoken ill of An Chang Qing was anyone else but the one in their family lineage, he could have easily dealt with him and let this matter be closed, but unfortunately, it just had to be An Changqi!

An Changqi was the only son of his second brother, An Zhi Zhou. Although An Zhi Zhou did not follow the path of an official, he had become a successful businessman. His wife was also the apple in the eyes of Xuchang Prefecture’s largest merchant. With the backing from his wife’s family, An Zhi Zhou’s businesses had all flourished in a large-scale. Although An Zhi Ke was the eldest son and an appointed minister, his salary alone could not support both the expenses of the massive Xiang Manor and the fees to maintain his social connections. All these years, it had been the second branch that had handled these expenditures.

This was why even though An Changqi was a first-rate lecher, An Zhi Ke was still quite fond of this nephew.

But now that An Changqi had expressed indecent thoughts towards his cousin while also in the presence of the Northern Warlord, An Zhi Ke couldn’t possibly smooth this out when he was not even sure he could help preserve An Changqi’s life.

Countless calculations swirled in his head as An Zhi Ke looked at his third son being covered by Xiao Zhige. He calmed himself and bowed to Xiao Zhige, “Wangye please have mercy. Chang Qing and Changqi have always been close since childhood. Their jokes could get a little vulgar but by no means was it meant to disrespect Wangye. Please forgive him this once. I will make sure to give him a good scolding and will not let this happen again!”

An Zhi Ke had a silver tongue, used to twisting the truths to his liking. Clearly it had been An Changqi who had harbored improper thoughts for An Chang Qing but in his mouth, it had become a mere joke between cousins.

He eyed An Chang Qing and deliberately slowed down his speech and added a hint of authority to his tone, “Chang Qing, you’re well aware of your cousin’s temperament. He had always been good to you when you were young. Although you both had a little misunderstanding and his words are unpleasant to hear, he is not a bad person. You won’t let your cousin be killed over a joke, right?”

An Chang Qing was trembling with anger. He turned his face from Xiao Zhige’s embrace and looked at An Zhi Ke with ominous eyes, “Father wants me to spare him?”

An Zhi Ke’s face twitched but he continued to persuade humbly, “You’ve always been special to Changqi.”

“You knew?” An Chang Qing had a sinister smile on his face. His eyes were filled with hatred and even his voice started trembling, “So you’ve always known!”

1 狗仗人势 is directly translated as a “dog acting on its master’s influence.” It means someone being haughty because of their powerful backer.

Chapter 5

Edited (a lot) and Proofread by KitKat

After dressing up An Chang Qing’s wound, Xiao Zhige ordered for the study to be cleaned up. The bowl of noodles An Chang Qing threw out the window still remained.

The servant who came had long heard the commotion. He neither dared to look up nor even breath loudly. When he saw the shattered bowl of noodles, he could only lament for An Chang Qing. It was only their second day as newlyweds and he had already made Wangye lose his temper. It seemed that his days would only get worse.

Xiao Zhige had unknowingly borne a black pot for his Wangfei who was currently leading him back to the main room.

The main room remained unchanged since the wedding night. The red candle still stood on the table and the red golden-python-pattern mattress was still laid out on the bed. The window was pasted with the ‘double happiness’ word and every corner still gave a sense that the wedding was not over yet.

The heating in the room was still burning as a mild fragrance filled the air. 

Xiao Zhige’s eyes darkened as it unconsciously glued to An Chang Qing’s back. An Chang Qing had taken off his heavy cloak when they entered the room and now he was only wearing a light blue robe with a silver sash at the waist. A piece of twin-fish jade attached to a flower knot and golden tassel was hung at his waist. As he walked the clanging sound sent an itch right from Xiao Zhige’s ears to his heart.

Xiao Zhige couldn’t help reaching out and realized that An Chang Qing’s waist fit nicely into one of his arms. Like a willow, too thin and fragile that just a little more force would hurt him.

He thought to himself that such a delicate person, he would have to protect him with extra care.

….

By the time they left the study, it was already nighttime. An Chang Qing first took a bath then changed into moon-white pajamas and waited for Xiao Zhige to go to bed together. He had contemplated for a long time in the bath. Although he still could not figure out why Xiao Zhige refused to make love to him, it was fine as long as he came back to stay in the main room. Such matters cannot be forced and hence, it was best to let fate take its course.

As such, when Xiao Zhige came back from his bath, he immediately saw his Wangfei with his hair down and his face flashing him a sweet smile. In a chirpy voice filled with pride, he said, “I’ve made the bed.”

There was a pause in Xiao Zhige’s step before he could make a straight face and walked calmly towards the bedside, “Let’s turn in early.”

An Chang Qing did not notice his anomaly. He climbed into bed and laid on the inner side. Patting on the empty space beside him, he beckoned Xiao Zhige to come quickly in a soft murmur, “The mattress is a little cold.”

Xiao Zhige touched the bed and it was indeed chilly, even the hand of the person lying on it was cold. He took another deep breath and laid down, hugging An Chang Qing into his arms, “Come closer, I’ll warm you up.”

An Chang Qing was stunned for a moment but he quickly recovered and complied, happily placing his cold hands on Xiao Zhige’s chest for warmth.

The man had been practicing martial arts all year round which gave him a sturdy body that radiated heat. Lying next to him was like lying next to a big stove. And, because An Chang Qing had fallen into a pond when he was younger, his hands and feet had always been sensitive to the cold, especially during the winter months. In fact, An Chang Qing had initially coveted that big heating stove but his skin was not yet thick enough to shamelessly lunge himself at him. 

Now that he had offered his body, An Chang Qing naturally accepted it without any qualms.

Maybe because of Xiao Zhige’s meticulous treatment in the study, the estrangement in An Chang Qing’s heart dissipated considerably. With that, even the act of sneaking his cold feet over the man’s leg did not seem too indecent.

Xiao Zhige dared not hug him tightly but An Chang Qing was like a little monster fidgeting and rubbing against him, causing him to feel smitten but at the same time unbearable. After having to endure till he couldn’t anymore, Xiao Zhige held him down and said sternly, “Sleep.”

An Chang Qing who was indulging himself with the warmth said ‘oh’ reluctantly and finally stopped moving. 

Xiao Zhige heaved a sigh but right after, he saw the person raised his head again. After a while, he asked, “Is Wangye free tomorrow?”

“…” Xiao Zhige had to steel his nerves again for fear that An Chang Qing would make another request that would perhaps shatter his restraint. “There’s a martial arts competition at the barracks tomorrow, I have to be there. What’s the matter?”

An Chang Qing heard his answer and withered with disappointment. He replied with a dampened tone, “Tomorrow is my san chao hui men¹. Since Wangye is busy, I will go back alone, it’s not a big deal.”

Xiao Zhige froze, it quickly dawned on him on what day the san chao hui men was. 

Since An Chang Qing was a man and Xiao Zhige was a long-term resident of the barracks who had never concerned himself with traditions, this ritual completely skipped his mind . On top of that, the steward who should’ve made the necessary arrangements, assumed that he did not like An Chang Qing and had neglected this matter.

“I’m sorry. It’s my negligence.” The thought of An Chang Qing’s plight in the Xiang Manor caused Xiao Zhige to feel guilty. He pondered briefly and said, “Tomorrow, I will send you back in the morning. When the competition is over, I will come back to accompany you in the afternoon, is that alright?”

An Chang Qing was not expecting to get an apology. The gloom immediately disappeared and he was happy again, “Ok.”

After that, they both entered a night of good sleep.

The next day at the mao² hour, Xiao Zhige woke up. An Chang Qing was curled up with his face snuggled close to his chest, still in deep sleep. His cheeks were pinkish and his lips were slightly parted, looking innocent and very much unlike the gremlin that he was when awake. Xiao Zhige observed him fondly for a while before getting out of bed with the quietest of movements. He then tucked him under the blanket and called for Steward Wang to the study.

“What have you prepared for Wangfei’s homecoming?” Xiao Zhige sat on the master’s seat and asked with an indiscernible tone in his voice.

But having served him for many years, Steward Wang instantly knew his implications. He knelt down and pleaded, “It’s my incompetence. Wangye, please pardon my negligence. I will get to it now.”

Xiao Zhige’s eyes were like daggers pointing at him. He then gave Steward Wang a stern warning, “Give yourself the appropriate punishment. Pick the gifts from the inner treasury. Make sure to prepare extravagantly for Wangfei’s mother and the Second Young Miss. And do not let this happen again.”

“Yes, I’m aware of my mistakes.” Steward Wang stood up with trembling legs. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and said, “I will go get the gifts ready. When it’s done, I’ll head over to receive my punishment.”

Xiao Zhige waved his hand, “Go. Make sure to show Wangfei the list when you’re done.”

When An Chang Qing woke up, he saw that Xiao Zhige was already training with his spear. He was wearing a black archer’s sleeve embroidered with silver threads. His black hair was neatly gathered, exposing his straight and muscular back. He moved his golden and black spear with ease as it created a current through the air. An Chang Qing leaned over the window and watched, not realizing that he was being enticed.

No wonder the rumors claimed that he had the spirit of Taisui³. Weapon in hand, his eyes were oppressive and cold. If it wasn’t for the warmth he felt last night, An Chang Qing would not have believed that this brutal general could be so caring and gentle.

An Chang Qing’s eyes softened and couldn’t help calling out to him.

Xiao Zhige heard his voice and immediately put his spear away and walked towards him. There was still a ferocity in his appearance but the light in his eyes was tranquil, “You’re awake. I’ll call someone to get us breakfast? After that, I’ll escort you back to the Xiang Manor.”

“En.” seeing the sweat on his forehead, An Chang Qing took a handkerchief and wiped it for him.

Xiao Zhige tensed up reflexively. But when the soft skin brushed faintly across his cheek, he gradually relaxed as a glow shimmered in his dark eyes.

An Chang Qing did not notice this. After wiping his sweat, he followed Xiao Zhige to have breakfast.

As they finished their breakfast, it was just in time for Steward Wang to finish compiling the list of items. He respectfully handed it to An Chang Qing and asked for his opinion.

Noticing the extra herbs for his mother and jewelry for his sister, An Chang Qing was touched. With Steward Wang’s attitude towards him yesterday, he was certain that this hadn’t been thought up by him. As for who had arranged this, the answer was clear as day.

He looked at the man sitting next to him and flashed him a bright smile, “Thank you Wangye on behalf of my mother and sister.”

Xiao Zhige spoke to him earnestly, “There’s no need for thanks.”

The pair set off for the Xiang Manor afterwards. An Chang Qing did not know how to ride so he sat in the carriage while Xiao Zhige rode alongside it on his horse. The Xiang Manor was located in the Si Xi Lane near the Palace, about fifteen minutes apart from the Wang Manor in Hu Tong Lane. But the time it took for the carriage to reach there was longer and they only arrived at the Xiang Manor at the chen⁴ hour.

Getting wind that the Northern Warlord’s carriage was approaching their gate, neither An Zhi Ke nor his wife, Madame Li, were thrilled. An Zhi Ke frowned, “He was only married recently, why is he coming back?”

Li Shi knew that he did not like this son. She was about to fan the flames when it hit her, “Today is his homecoming, isn’t it?”

It was then that the residents of Xiang manor began to get busy.

No matter how much he disliked An Chang Qing or how Xiao Zhige was unfavored by the Emperor, their status remained unchanged. One was the Wangye who was a distinguished General with outstanding achievements and the other was his Wangfei. Regardless of how much hostility he felt towards them inside, he still had to keep up an amiable appearance. Disrespecting the royal family was an unpardonable crime. 

Li Shi quickly ordered the servants to open the main gate and send word to the rest of the family members and have them dress up appropriately. The men were to change into official clothes and the women to put on their makeup. When everything was in order, the Grand Matriarch and An Zhi Ke led everyone to the main gate to greet Xiao Zhige and An Chang Qing.

When the Wang Manor’s carriage stopped at the gate, An Zhi Ke’s smile was flawless as though they had prepared everything beforehand, “Wangye, Wangfei, please come inside. We’ve been waiting for your arrival.”

Xiao Zhige remained on his horse and only nodded casually at the An Zhi Ke, completely lacking the familiarity between in-laws. With the same expression given to a stranger, he addressed An Zhi Ke, “Marquis An, I still have business to attend to outside the city. I’ll be leaving after sending Chang Qing here.”

He then turned to An Chang Qing and relayed to him that he would come back as soon as possible. After which, without paying much heed to anyone else, he rode away.

An Zhi Ke was brimming with dissatisfaction but thinking of the Northern Warlord’s infamous temper and the rumors that An Chang Qing was not well-liked, such behavior was not too unexpected. Without Xiao Zhige’s presence, the smile on An Zhi Ke’s face faded. The crowd then led An Chang Qing into the manor.

An Chang Qing and his mother did not have An Zhi Ke’s love. They had no voice in the Xiang Manor and even the servants could step on them. Now that An Chang Qing was married to Xiao Zhige, his status in this place had changed overnight. 

Although An Chang Qing was originally forced to marry off, seeing him in glorious clothing and sitting on the high seat while they had to address him respectfully, the An family was immensely dissatisfied.

The An family had four branches with An Zhi Ke being the eldest. And because the old Matriarch was still alive, the house had not been divided. These four families currently lived in the five-entrance courtyard. Besides An Chang Qing, the Third Young Master, there were two other sons and three daughters. The eldest son and daughter, An Chang Yu and An Xian Xi, were birthed by Madame Li, An Zhi Ke’s legitimate wife. The Second Young Master, An Chang Duan and the Third Miss, An Xian Ge, were birthed from Lady Liu. As for An Chang Qing and his sister, they were children of Lady Yu, An Zhi Ke’s concubine.

Lady Yu had stoked An Zhi Ke’s wrath for unknown reasons and coupled with the fact that she was born in a brothel, even her two children were not spared from the oppression. In the beginning, everyone was worried that she would regain An Zhi Ke’s favor and dared not go overboard. But after the several times that An Chang Qing was bullied and An Zhi Ke did not speak up for him, they had turned unruly.

And after the several times his father had stood by while he had been faced with injustice, An Chang Qing no longer expected anything from him. Knowing that retaliation would only aggravate the bullying, he slowly learned to endure. In the two years before he was married off, maybe because the young masters and misses had been satiated, they rarely went to look for him for trouble, only throwing a few insults and ridicule at the sight of him.

“A pheasant that thinks it’s a phoenix,” An Xian Ge sitting below grumbled with ample volume to be heard. 

The hall had been quiet as no one was speaking, making her voice particularly prominent. Instantly, everyone present had their eyes on her.

An Zhi Ke frowned slightly and reprimanded her without any severity in his voice, “Ge’er.”

“The Third Miss is still young and ignorant, Wangfei, please do not act like her.” Lady Liu tried to mediate and even gave An Chang Qing a pat. She then turned to An Xian Ge and said with leniency, “Quickly apologize to Wangfei.”

1↪san chao hui men: “Homecoming”; ritual of husband and wife visiting the bride’s family 3 days after their wedding.

2↪Mao hour: 5-7am

3↪TaiSui: According to mythology is a celestial general who determines the destiny of human beings.

4↪Chen hour: 7-9am

Chapter 4

Edited and Proofread by KitKat

After handing Steward Wang the plum blossom cakes, Xiao Zhige went to the study. This was a room in the southeast corner of the main courtyard and located right opposite the main room.

It was early in the evening and the sky was still lit, allowing one to see that in front of the main room, a maid was kneeling and Xiao Zhige could hear her sobbing voice. This should be the one Steward Wang mentioned who had angered An Chang Qing.

Xiao Zhige did not have much of an impression of her. For many years, he had been stationed at Yanzhou and rarely returned to Yejing. Even after he was called back to Yejing, most of his time was spent at the barracks. The matters of the Wang Manor had all been relinquished to Steward Wang. He himself might not even remember the faces of everyone in this household.

In fact, he was more interested in how An Chang Qing would deal with this maid.

From the information his subordinates gathered, An Chang Qing and his younger sister, An Xianyu, both had their mother’s mellow temperament, making their lives very difficult in the Xiang Manor’s arduous environment. Even the maids would brazenly bully them at will. If it wasn’t so, he wouldn’t have brought him back to the Wang Manor. At least here, he could provide him with a safe and peaceful environment.

Xiao Zhige watched as Steward Wang entered the main room’s door.

An Chang Qing was sorting out the books that he had brought with him. Although he had been married off, Madame Li had said that he was a man, everything should be simple unlike when a girl was married off. As such, she had sent him off without any dowry, his possessions were only some useless items they had given him out of spite and the rest were books.

An Chang Qing and Anfu were tidying their things when Steward Wang came in.

Steward Wang bowed low holding the pastry box in his hand. His attitude was much more respectful than before, even his tone was more humble, “Wangfei, Wangye has ordered this to be given to you.”

It was just a box of snacks, any other lower-ranked servants could’ve sent it but Steward Wang was a man with experienced insights. From his master’s behavior, he could detect that there was something more to this Wangfei. Thinking of his cockiness this morning, he felt a chill and had to redeem himself by personally delivering the item.

An Chang Qing looked at the box with some uncertainty. Opening it, there was a piece of oil paper and on top were eight plum-shaped pastries. A light pink stuffing was wrapped with a white layer of flour, looking delicate and appetizing.

“Wangye told you to send this over?” An Chang Qing blinked as he looked at the chic delicacy in his hand, unable to relate it with the majestic and fearsome Northern Warlord.

“Yes, these are plum blossom cakes of San Wei Zhai. Wangye most likely went to get it especially for you,” Steward Wang said with a smile.

“Thank you Steward Wang for your trouble,” An Chang Qing tried to visualize the scene where Xiao Zhige went into the snack shop to get this for him and found that it was too unimaginable. But looking at the pastries in his hand, the restlessness from last night seemed to have dissipated.

“Where is Wangye now?”

Steward Wang: “He went to the study.”

An Chang Qing considered and said, “I’m going there to see him.”

Steward Wang thought of Yan Hong who was still kneeling at the door and said, “Yan Hong, that unruly girl, I’ll have someone take her away. The ya po¹ will be coming tomorrow, does Wangfei want to replace the girls with people in the Manor or have the ya po bring someone new?”

“Tell her to bring a few boys over.”

Having received his order, Steward Wang retreated. He also dragged Yan Hong away while she cried and begged, “Godfather, godfather, please let me see Wangye! He won’t treat me this way…”

Steward Wang had seen the situation too clearly. Although he was a little unwilling, after hearing from the other servants and knowing that An Chang Qing was actually a kind-hearted employer, he dared not take her side anymore. He pulled a long face and reprimanded, “You think Wangye is someone you can see just because you want to?” He signaled to a servant boy and he understood. He came over and covered her mouth while dragging her away.

Unexpectedly, Yan Hong bit him and broke free from his grasp. Picking up her skirt, she ran towards the southeast corner, heading for the study. All the way, she was crying out, “Wangye save me! Wangye save Yan Hong…”

Yan Hong had beauty. Her hair scattered as she ran and when she reached the doorstep of Xiao Zhige’s study, she fell weakly on the ground and sobbed. Seeing this scene, anyone would want to rush over to help and comfort her.

It’s a pity that Xiao Zhige was not just anyone.

Xiao Zhige remained unmoved. He looked at Yan Hong with indifference and scolded the servant boy, “Why are you still standing there? Take her away and make sure that she doesn’t bother Wangfei.”

The servant boy frantically complied. He quickly covered her mouth and pulled her away.

An Chang Qing saw the scene from a distance and his brows eased up. He looked at the bowl of noodles in his hand and thought that it was not for nothing.

Growing up in the Xiang Manor, he had learned how to tread carefully in front of others. He had to depend on himself for many things and thus the idea that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen did not apply to him. When he heard that Xiao Zhige was in the study, he went to the kitchen to make him a bowl of noodles in return for the plum blossom cakes. At the same time, attempt to coax him back to the main room with him. If they continued to live apart like this, there would be many more Yan Hongs who would come between them in the future.

When An Chang Qing brought the noodles to the study, Xiao Zhige was sitting at the window reading a book on warfare. He sent Anfu out and placed the noodles directly in front of Xiao Zhige, “Has Chang Qing done something to make Wangye unhappy?”

Xiao Zhige’s ear moved. He put down the book and looked at him, “No such thing.”

“Then Wangye doesn’t like Chang Qing?”

Xiao Zhige paused briefly before answering, “No.”

“Then why didn’t Wangye sleep with me last night?” An Chang Qing looked at him with red eyes. In fact, he did not want to cry. A man shouldn’t casually shed tears. Even when he had suffered countless grievances in his last life, he hadn’t cried. But simply asking Xiao Zhige a few questions had made his eyes red and nose sour. 

An Chang Qing was ashamed of himself and tried to stop the tears from flowing. “If you don’t like me, why did you want this marriage? As a man, did you think I would have wanted to marry you?”

Xiao Zhige saw his red eyes and his raised hands were at a loss for what to do. He was not well-versed in comforting others and could only frown and say, “I know you weren’t willing. Do not worry, I won’t force anything on you. In the future… If in the future, you really do not want to stay in the Wang manor, I will let you leave.”

An Chang Qing did not know when this ‘future’ would be from his words but the part where he said he would let him go made something snap in his head. The tears rolled uncontrollably down his cheeks, “You just denied disliking me but now you want to send me away. And here I thought we could spend our lives together…”

“Let’s not wait any longer, you might as well send me back right now!” An Chang Qing was agitated and upset. He raised his hand and wiped a handful of tears. He sniffed and picked up the bowl of noodles and threw it out the window. “Since Wangye dislikes me so, then you probably wouldn’t even want to eat the food I make!”

Xiao Zhige had remorse on his face but when he saw a blister on An Chang Qing’s finger, he grabbed it and asked sternly, “What happened?”

An Chang Qing’s mood was still boiling. To think that he had thrown himself at this person and wanted to spend his life with him, “It’s none of Wangye’s concern!”

Xiao Zhige sighed. He carefully avoided his hand and opened his arms to embrace him. With some helplessness in his voice, he said, “It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just…” Xiao Zhige did not continue.

He had initially wanted to protect him under his wings, at least in this way, his days would be better. But when the wedding was about to start, he had heard that An Chang Qing had rebelled against An Zhi Ke because he refused to be wedded to him, leading him to be dosed with an anesthetic and locked up. It was then that he realized maybe An Chang Qing did not need his wishful protection. To An Chang Qing, he was probably only a stranger with a bad reputation who had forced him into an unwanted marriage.

It was just that after they had gotten married, letting him go had become a lot harder. He could only stay away so as not to scare him. Although he did not expect An Chang Qing to like him, he did not want to see the fear in his eyes towards him like those of the general public.

“Then why didn’t you sleep with me on the wedding night?” Since he’d blown this out of proportion, An Chang Qing no longer knew shame. He raised his head and asked, “Do you know what the maids said about me? They said that I’m a Wangfei only in title and I can never win your favor because I can’t even have babies…”

Xiao Zhige became silent again. He was vexed about his inability to coax the other person. Without a doubt, he wanted to consummate this marriage but not when An Chang Qing felt that he was forced to compromise under his power. He did not want him to have any regrets.

Not getting a response, An Chang Qing started his waterworks again. He was born a delicate beauty, the red eyes and pink cheeks were giving Xiao Zhige a heartache. He almost wanted to lick the tears off his face but exercising his restraint, he wiped them with his thumb instead and said softly, “I don’t dislike you. Whoever dares to insult you, I will deal with them on your behalf.”

The pitiful Northern Warlord had braved countless battles all these years but he never knew how to coax someone. The only times he had ever shown any gentleness were to the Wangfei in his arms. 

But this fuming Wangfei was not easy to please.

In truth, An Chang Qing had already been appeased the moment he was wrapped in his embrace, but seeing that he was taking the lead, he took a leap. He sniffed and looked at Xiao Zhige, “Really?”

Relieved, Xiao Zhige nodded, “You have my word.”

An Chang Qing looked at him and his mind was freed of doubt. He made a request with his boosted confidence, “Then come back to the main room and sleep with me.”

Xiao Zhige took a deep breath, “Alright.” Worst comes to worse, he could always spend more time each day practicing his spear to maintain his restraint.

“Change all the maids in the main yard to boys, I don’t like to be waited on by maids.”

“Everything is up to you.”

An Chang Qing was finally satisfied. He stopped making a fuss and relaxed in Xiao Zhige’s arms.

Feeling the person in his arms loosening up, Xiao Zhige heaved a sigh. He then held An Chang Qing’s hand and asked, “What happened here?”

An Chang Qing curled up his finger and said without much care, “I accidentally scalded it when making the noodles.” He was born with sensitive skin, just a little graze on the boiling pot could easily form a blister on his skin. It was not a big deal but to think Xiao Zhige would be this attentive to it…

“Stop touching it, I’ll apply some medicine for you,” Xiao Zhige frowned and sat him down by the window. He then brought over a candle and a needle which he sterilized with the heat from the candle flame. Holding his hand, he carefully burst the blister before applying medicinal powder to it.

Xiao Zhige treated An Chang Qing’s wound with utmost care and efficiency for fear that he would be in pain. The general with a cold-hearted appearance was holding his hand like it was a fragile treasure. 

An Chang Qing observed his every move and his tears jerked again. All his life, other than his mother and sister, no one else had ever been this meticulous towards him. 

Xiao Zhige on the other hand, thought that An Chang Qing was crying due to the pain. His movements became gentler and with a wooden face of a puppet, he said softly, “It’ll stop hurting in a bit.”

An Chang Qing gave out a muffled ‘en’ and looked out the window. He said with a little embarrassment, “I’ll make you another bowl of noodles tomorrow.”

Xiao Zhige objected immediately, “Don’t. Leave those to the servants. You have to look after your wound.”

An Chang Qing looked at his neatly bandaged finger and smiled smugly.

Now that’s better.

¹ ya po is a person that trades slaves and other types of workers that the rich and noble ask for. In present day, she could be charged with human trafficking but in ancient times, she’s like a recruitment center for employers.

Chapter 3

Edited and Proofread by KitKat

Watching the man leave without looking back, An Chang Qing was both depressed and aggrieved. There was also a tinge of anxiety. 

He had poured himself into getting intimate with him and even had the cheek to kiss him but as it turned out, they still followed the same track as his last life – they did not consummate their marriage and Xiao Zhige had still slept in the study.

Following this development, this matter would spread the next day and everyone would come to the conclusion that the Marquis’s Third Young Master was just a decoration who was rejected by the Northern Warlord on the night of their wedding. Even the servants of the Wang Manor did not have him in their eyes, blatantly throwing sarcastic words in front of him.

An Chang Qing used to disregard these things, but for some reason, the thought of Xiao Zhige leaving without looking back just made him upset. He wondered if it was just his wishful thinking and that Xiao Zhige might not have liked him at all. As his thought snowballed, he wondered if god was punishing him for failing Xiao Zhige in his last life. Xiao Zhige had indulged him so much and yet he had turned a blind eye. Now that he had opened his eyes, Xiao Zhige no longer liked him.

He was even more afraid that despite his second chance at life, he could not fix their ending; he would still die of poison and Xiao Zhige would turn into a tyrant and die alone in Qiwu Palace, holding on to his jade pendant.

Tossing and turning in bed, An Chang Qing only managed to doze off at midnight. But even in his sleep, he saw the events from his past life play out on a loop. He had returned to the time of his death and felt his insides twisting and stirring, the pain was too horrible that he just wanted to die.

When Anfu came to call him in the early morning, he found that An Chang Qing was drenched in sweat like a fish just out of water. His face was pale and his eyes were red with dark patches underneath them, looking completely haggard. 

“Young Master?” Anfu certainly knew what had happened last night. He anxiously said, “Wangye had someone pass on a message, you don’t have to go to the Palace today.”

An Chang Qing showed him a soothing smile and rubbed his temples, “Have someone fetch some water, I’m taking a bath.”

Anfu received his order and immediately went to carry it out. An Chang Qing sat for a while before entering the bathroom. The hot water was ready and two maids were standing by with his clothes. An Chang Qing was not used to being served so he sent them out.

When no one was left, he stripped and entered the water.

Soaking in the warm water, the swelling pain in his head was lifted considerably. An Chang Qing then changed into a new attire and went back to the main room. A maid helped him dry his hair and used a red coral embedded crown to gather his long hair. An Chang Qing gazed at the person in the mirror. Although looking much more lively, there were still traces of weariness.

After straightening up his clothes, he took Anfu to the study to find Xiao Zhige yet there was only the old steward, Wang Fu Gui, in the room. Xiao Zhige was nowhere to be found.

“Wangye is not in?”

Wang Fu Gui bowed respectfully and replied, “Wangye went to the barracks in the outskirts early in the morning.”

An Chang Qing was upset. Xiao Zhige definitely did it on purpose! Who would leave for the barracks right after their wedding?

“Did Wangye say when he’ll be back?”

Wang Fu Gui: “No.”

The housekeeper had a neutral attitude and An Chang Qing could not get any more information out of him. He could only leave in vain. 

As he was leaving with Anfu, a clear voice was heard nearby, “Did you hear? Wangye left for barracks very early this morning.”

Another voice chimed in, “I heard. And Wangye also slept in the study last night. Did you see Wangfei’s face this morning?It was so scary, we didn’t dare to say anything.”

“What do you have to fear?” The previous voice spoke again, “Wangye obviously does not like Wangfei, it’s just an empty title. What’s more, he’s a man, he can’t even give birth…”

“He can’t even be compared to us servant girls. We get to serve Wangye every day. Who knows, maybe one of these days, Wangye will come to notice us and we’ll have a good life after giving birth to his children…”

After she finished speaking, a series of laughter entailed.

An Chang Qing’s expression remained unchanged but Anfu could not hold back his anger, he raised his voice and said, “The audacity! Who are you to discuss the masters’ affairs?” 

The giggling maids were startled. They immediately knelt down and looked at An Chang Qing cautiously.

An Chang Qing walked slowly over and swept a glance at the row of maids. In a light voice, he said, “Raise your heads.”

The row of maids lifted their faces. They were all young and attractive, slim and graceful. Especially the one amongst them who wore a green skirt with a red cotton waist sash. She had a pair of bright and shimmering eyes that could soften anyone’s heart.

An Chang Qing smiled. He knew this girl was the one who initiated this conversation. It had been such a long time and he could not remember the trifling things of his previous life but after hearing the sweet bird-like voice, he recalled a particular person – 

Xiao Zhige’s head maid, Yan Hong.

In his last life, she was also the first one to spread words that he and Xiao Zhige were not getting along. And assuming that he was not favored, she even dared to make things difficult for him. Back then, he had always been estranged from Xiao Zhige so even when he was wronged in the Wang Manor, he could only bear it in silence. Later on, although Yan Hong could not get into Xiao Zhige’s bed, she managed to marry the old steward’s godson and took to it like a fish in water. When the civil war broke out between Xiao Zhige and the Crown Prince, having received a ludicrous amount of bribery, she had sold a lot of the Wang Manor’s secrets to the enemy.

An Chang Qing observed her silently. 

Yan Hong was feeling a little weak being watched by him. But she remembered that he was not in favor and she was Wangye’s person, whatever he wanted to do to her, he had to go through Wangye first.

The thought emboldened her and she asked An Chang Qing in an aggrieved tone, “May I ask what wrong have we done?”

An Chang Qing saw that her tears had already started flowing. Her behavior was nothing like a maid, more like a concubine competing for favors with trickery. He knew she had thought that because she was Xiao Zhige’s maid that there was nothing he could do to her.

Smirking, An Chang Qing ignored her. He instead said to Anfu, “Go get Steward Wang.”

Anfu did not understand his intentions but he still promptly complied. A moment later, he came back with Steward Wang.

Steward Wang, full name Wang Fu Gui, was a man in his fifties with a thin face and small build. He always had his hands together and walked at a decent pace, the image was just like that of his last life. He was the person next to Xiao Zhige and in the Wang manor, it was his job to take care of the internal affairs. He had absolute loyalty towards Xiao Zhige but everyone had their own set of ideas. He had assumed that Xiao Zhige did not treasure this Wangfei and hence, had treated him half-heartedly.

Especially if it was a valued servant girl like Yan Hong who had insulted the Wangfei, as long as he didn’t blow up the matter, he would just keep one eye closed.

But times have changed and so had An Chang Qing. Now that he knew his place in Xiao Zhige’s heart, he planned to have a good life with him. Naturally, he could not be the laughing stock both inside and outside the manor that brought shame to Xiao Zhige.

“For what reason might Wangfei have called for this old servant?” Steward Wang bowed and said. On the surface, there was nothing wrong but every little gesture was too perfunctory.

An Chang Qing was not offended. He lifted his hem and sat down on the chair Anfu had brought over. He said coldly, “What are the punishments for spreading rumors about their employers in the Wang Manor?”

Steward Wang was taken aback. He glanced at Yan Hong and hesitated, “Wangfei, this…”

“If you don’t have any regulations yet, then I’ll make one,” An Chang Qing interrupted. The pair of phoenix eyes were looking straight at him, “From now on, servants who dare to discuss their employers’ affairs will receive thirty slaps to the mouth. A repeated offender will be sent off. This time, I don’t mind the fellow conformists, just make them do some extra labor, but the ringleader, Steward Wang, you can directly send her away.”

Steward Wang’s expression stiffened. He said cautiously, “About this…Why don’t we wait for Wangye to come back and make a decision…?”

“Steward Wang feels that when Wangye is away, I can’t do so much as throw out a maid?” An Chang Qing’s tone turned harsh as he fixed his eyes on him.

“I dare not,” Steward Wang quickly knelt down and explained, “But these maids are used to serving Wangye, if it’s not them, I’m afraid Wangye will not be pleased…”

“You only need to cast her out. I will explain to Wangye,” An Chang Qing did not give him room to argue. After saying his piece, he immediately got up and left with Anfu.

Steward Wang could only look at him leaving and said with reluctance, “Yes.”

When no one else was in earshot, Yan Hong rushed over to him and cried, “Godfather, I don’t want to be sent away…”

Steward Wang fidgeted his hand and looked at her, “Please behave yourself from now on. When Wangye returns, I will talk to him on your behalf.”

*

Xiao Zhige left the Wang Manor early in the morning for the barracks in the outskirts of the city. He couldn’t sleep last night and decided to take off with his horse in the wee hours of dawn. However, his body might have left the Wang Manor but his heart still lingered back there. Even during his training, he was somewhat absent-minded.

He stayed in the barracks until noon passed and when he realized it, it was almost time for dinner. Xiao Zhige changed out of his armor and prepared to head back.

As he was about to leave, General Zhao Yue entered the camp. The moment Zhao Yue saw him, he smiled broadly and greeted, “It’s just the second day after your wedding, why didn’t you spend more time with Wangfei?”

Xiao Zhige frowned and ignored him. He gently tugged the horse’s reins and led it out. 

Zhao Yue did not relent. He continued to poke, “Did Wangfei make Wangye unhappy? Just nice, I happened to know some new beauties in town, why don’t I send them to your place tomorrow?”

As one of the twelve generals, Zhao Yue and Xiao Zhige had never liked each other.

The Da Ye Empire was divided into a capital city and twelve prefectures. Six great generals, namely Zhao, Chu, Xue, Shi, Xia Hou, and Shen Tu were in charge of two prefectures each and under them were twelve generals, one for each prefecture.

Zhao Yue’s grandfather, Zhao XinChong was one of the six Great Generals. 

The Zhao family was the Empress Dowager’s maternal family and the current Empress was a distant niece of hers. As such, the Zhao family had always sided with the Crown Prince, Xiao Qi An. Since Xiao Zhige and Xiao Qi An were at odds and coupled with his outstanding achievements, Zhao Yue had always found him an eyesore. He would taunt and jab at him whenever the opportunities arose.

Any other day, Xiao Zhige would’ve been too lazy to be bothered with him but today, he was in an especially bad mood. His sword-like eyebrows closed in as he stared at Zhao Yue coldly.

Zhao Yue laughed out triumphantly, “Oh? Or is it that Wangye doesn’t like beautiful women and prefers someone more manly? I’ve heard that Wangfei has an exquisite…”

Before Zhao Yue could finish, a double-bladed black and gold spear pierced the ground at his feet, causing a humming vibration.

Xiao Zhige rode over and pulled up the spear which was three inches into the ground. He warned discreetly, “Weapons do not have eyes. General Zhao should watch out.”

Xiao Zhige rode off as the horse kicked up dust in Zhao Yue’s face.

After exiting the barracks, the horse trotted towards the capital. The east gate of Yejing was connected to ChangLe Street. The two ends of ChangLe Street were filled with shops and restaurants. In the east were the marketplace and boutiques while the west housed brothels, teahouses, and taverns.

Yejing had no curfews and even before the sky had turned dark, the place was already bustling with people and varied sounds.

But as Xiao Zhige rode by, only silence ensued. And when he was far away, the place turned lively again. This was something Xiao Zhige was used to. As he was passing a pastry shop, he hesitated and stopped. The shop was called San Wei Zhai, the only shop in Yejing that sold a variety of unique snacks. Every day, many queued up to buy from them including the servants sent by high-ranking officials and the royalty.

After mulling over, Xiao Zhige decided to go in. The people lining up saw him and moved aside. Xiao Zhige did not mind. He said to the shopkeeper, “A box of plum blossom cakes.” He remembered his vice general once said that the plum blossom cakes from San Wei Zhai were the best. His wife loved them and whenever he made her angry, buying her a box of these would surely help in coaxing her.

The shopkeeper packed the cakes in a box and handed Xiao Zhige with trembling hands. He dared not even ask for money. He forced a smile and said, “Would Wangye like something else?”

Xiao Zhige threw him a small silver ingot as payment and rode away. 

Back at the manor, Steward Wang went to greet him and Xiao Zhige handed him the box of pastries, “Deliver this to Wangfei.”

Steward Wang was stunned. He carefully observed Xiao Zhige. It’s just that Xiao Zhige rarely showed his emotions and it was difficult to tell what his likes and dislikes were. Steward Wang could only rephrase what he wanted to say, “I’ll have someone send it over right away. This morning, Wangfei went to the study to look for you.”

There was an untraceable twinkle in Xiao Zhige’s eyes, “Wangfei… How is he doing?”

Steward Wang bowed his head, “Today, Yan Hong and the others were careless, they upset Wangfei and he wants to send them away…”

Xiao Zhige responded with a ‘hmm’.

Seeing that he was not going to say anything else, Steward Wang couldn’t help but speak up, “Yan Hong has been waiting on you for many years, sending her away like this is a little inappropriate…”

“Isn’t it just a few servants?” Xiao Zhige looked at him with dominance, “Do as Wangfei says.”

Steward Wang’s heart jumped as he reassessed An Chang Qing’s status. Not daring to say another word, he nodded in compliance.

Chapter 2

Edited and Proofread by KitKat

After the ceremony, the newlyweds were escorted to their wedding chamber.

The room in the Wang Manor’s main courtyard had always been barren. The tiny bit of red-colored decorations did nothing to elevate the missing sense of festivity.

The two sat facing each other next to the bridal bed while the xipo handed Xiao Zhige a golden weighing rod¹ saying, “Wangye please lift the veil.”

Xiao Zhige did not respond. He solemnly looked at the person in front of him, deep in thought.

Seeing his inaction, the xipo awkwardly called out to him, “Wangye?”

Xiao Zhige came back from his daze and cast her glance, “You all can leave now.”

The xipo had long heard of his infamous temper. His joyless face even on his wedding day could only mean that he did not like the future wangfei. She glanced at An Chang Qing with sympathy and put down the golden rod, then left quickly, closing the door behind.

In the room, Xiao Zhige lifted the veil without using the golden rod and was relieved to see that An Chang Qing was not in girly make-up. He then frowned and mulled over what to say. Briefly after, he managed to think of something, “Are you hungry?”

An Chang Qing looked at him in surprise. Before, all he could do was look down. Now that he could raise his head, he attentively observed the man in front of him, his new husband.

Previously, in the many years that they had cohabited, he had never looked twice at this person who was tied to a fearsome reputation. Only with a closer look did he discover that he was a man of outstanding facial features. At present, he was only known as the emperor’s unloved son. In the eyes of the courtiers, he was the prince who had lost all qualifications to succeed the throne. In the eyes of the common people, he was the bloodthirsty warlord who had killed tens of thousands without blinking.

But at this moment, An Chang Qing was using his heart to look at him. What he saw was a weak young man who still had much to grow. Although he had a brooding expression, it had not reached the later stage where it could stop infants from crying. His eyebrows were sharp as swords with a shallow ‘川’ in the middle. His black eyes were like bottomless pits sitting in a deep pair of sockets. Combined with his high nose and thin lips, it gave his face a majestic and dignified look.

An Chang Qing smoothed his brows and gave him a soft smile. Whether this was real or fantasy, he still had to take the first step. He had once believed the rumors and not only trapped himself but had also wronged Xiao Zhige. This time, he would try to get to know this person.

No one was born cruel. The cold-blooded Emperor of the future was also once a soft-hearted young man who had asked his wangfei on their wedding day if he was hungry. It was just that everyone else had chosen to ignore these trivial details… Including himself.

“Shouldn’t we drink the hejin² wine first?” An Chang Qing smiled at him sweetly and asked.

Once again, he was stricken with surprise. Xiao Zhige did not expect An Chang Qing would present such an attitude towards him. He was stunned briefly before pouring them each a cup of hejin wine, “Alright.”

Their arms crossed as they drank the wine, like a pair of mandarin ducks.

Xiao Zhige stood up after drinking the wine, ready to go out to entertain the guests. When he walked to the door, he turned back and said, “The kitchen has prepared some snacks, if you’re hungry, send someone to get it.”

Without waiting for An Chang Qing’s response, he strode out the door.

An Chang Qing looked at his back as he was leaving. There exuded a sense of firmness and vigor, like that of a pine tree, many times more alive than the gloomy Emperor he had once become.

Xiao Zhige went out to entertain the guests in the front yard while An Chang Qing stayed behind in the bridal room. Judging from his attitude, Xiao Zhige did not treat him like a woman just because An Chang Qing was married to him.

An Chang Qing was not reserved either. He took off the heavy crown and cumbersome clothes to stretch his muscles. Without the weight, his body felt a whole lot lighter.

He put on a casual dark red overcoat and tied his long hair back then called for Anfu to get some snacks from the kitchen. 

The kitchen had prepared a variety of pastries. An Chang Qing ate a few pieces to appease his hunger before he could calmly analyze the situation.

In the beginning, he had thought that it was only a dream.

After he had died, his spirit hadn’t disappeared but had been trapped inside the huge palace. It was there that he had watched as Xiao Zhige became more violent and increasingly reckless. In the three years after his death, Xiao Zhige had launched five wars. Although he had managed to drive the Bei Di people to the edge of the grassland and occupied almost half of the Xi Wei Empire, the DaYe Empire had suffered heavy losses. Due to the continuous years of war, countless fields had been abandoned and as winter dawned, severe famine had spread for thousands of miles. As it had escalated, the commoners could only resort to cannibalism. Da Ye Empire had turned into an abyss of suffering.

The people at the bottom of the pit were then united by a movement established by the abolished prince, Xiao Qi An. With the support of Zhu An Liang and Shi Le Zheng, two big generals of the Zhu State, he had gathered two hundred thousand refugees and surrounded the capital city of Yejing. That was the start of what would then be called “The Battle to Slay the Dragon”.

This had been a fierce battle. Xiao Zhige, with over ten years of battling experiences, had guided his troop of fifty thousand men like a god of war to defeat the two hundred thousand refugees. In less than a month, corpses had piled along the borders of Yejing, reaching almost as high as its walls. The refugees had had to climb over the corpses of their brethren while Xiao Zhige stood over the wall, looking down at them like the grim reaper.

However, a month later, the gates of Yejing were opened. But it hadn’t been because the refugees had managed to break through but because it was opened by a guard who had been ordered to do so.

The abolished prince and the two generals led their troops into the palace. After a quick search, they found Xiao Zhige alone in the secluded Qiwu Palace.

The lonely Emperor had sat by the window of Qiwu Palace and had ended his life with a sharp knife.

The abolished prince chopped off his head and hung it on the gate of Yejing while his body had been thrown into the mass graves and eaten by wild dogs. He had claimed to have killed the tyrant under heaven’s mandate.

Only An Chang Qing, who had been watching him in silence, knew that Xiao Zhige was actually winning. The imperial army personally trained by him was one of the most formidable troops and they were absolutely loyal to him. Although the refugees had numbers, their fighting capabilities were inferior. Furthermore, their troops had been reduced to fifty thousand, it was just a matter of time before they were annihilated.

But that night, Xiao Zhige called in his second-in-command and gave him one last military order: to open the gates of Yejing and surrender.

The man then sat in Qiwu Palace with a piece of jade in his hand. He looked at it all night and at the break of dawn had decided to end his life.

No one knew what his last thoughts were, only An Chang Qing had been able to get a glimpse. 

The late Emperor had in his hand a piece of jade carved with a twin-fish symbol, the very same one his mother had given him on his tenth birthday. It had followed him for eighteen years until the day he died. An Chang Qing thought of the memento that had been buried with him, he did not expect it would be in Xiao Zhige’s hands.

Because it hadn’t been buried with him and kept in the hands of the dead Emperor, it had accompanied his corpse when it was thrown into the wild graves. At that time, An Chang Qing had wanted to cover his body with a straw mat but he could not even do so. He could only watch the headless body of the Emperor being eaten by vultures and wild dogs until only the bones were left. Without the flesh and blood, the piece of twin-fish jade was exposed and picked up by a beggar passing through the grave.

That day, looking at the empty palm of the skeleton, An Chang Qing had suddenly cried. He had only felt an overwhelming sadness like never before. The intense crying had sent his consciousness into chaos and when he woke up, he was back to the winter of Qingli year fifteen, the day he was wedded to Xiao Zhige.

An Chang Qing looked down at his opaque hands and gave his cheek a pinch. The touch was so real, it was not like a dream at all.

Maybe this was a blessing from the heavens. Maybe because he had lived a muddled life and made too many mistakes, he had been given a second chance to do it again.

Being able to do things over, he couldn’t possibly follow the footsteps of an overthrown chariot.

As he was in deep thoughts, Anfu’s voice outside the room sounded and the door creaked open. An Chang Qing turned and saw the youthful Xiao Zhige walking calmly towards him. 

“Wangye,” An Chang Qing got up and greeted him with a smile.

As he got closer, An Chang Qing realized that he had a strong smell of alcohol, probably from having too much wine. He reached forward to support him and found that Xiao Zhige was taller than him by half a head. His body was robust and his arms were hardened with muscles.

Fortunately, although he had too much to drink, his mind was still clear. He let An Chang Qing walk him to the bed and sat down.

After settling him down, An Chang Qing took Anfu to the kitchen to make some hangover soup. When he got back to the room, he found that Xiao Zhige was watching him unblinkingly. His eyes were obscured and the slightly frowning eyebrows added a tint of ferocity to his serious face.

An Chang Qing was somewhat taken aback. He had a timid nature to begin with. But remembering the gentleness of the man who had held him in his arms, comforting him over and over, his heart eased up again.

Picking up his courage, An Chang Qing sat beside Xiao Zhige and handed him a small bowl, “Wangye, have some hangover soup first.”

Xiao Zhige’s eyes trembled as they fell on An Chang Qing’s white fingers holding the porcelain bowl. His hands were beautiful, slender and white with fingertips shaped into a lovely arch. Under the flickering light, his skin gave off a pinkish hue.

Xiao Zhige’s Adam’s apple rolled. He took the bowl without another word.

After drinking the soup, Xiao Zhige put the bowl aside and the air turned heavy again. Xiao Zhige had always been a man of few words while An Chang Qing was getting nervous with the upcoming part of the wedding.

In their previous lives, they had never consummated.

At that time, he only had fear and dislike towards Xiao Zhige. Not crying at the sight of him was already his best effort. Even when they had exchanged the hejin wine, one was carrying a frightened expression while the other was expressionless. Xiao Zhige seemed to have seen his fear and had gone to sleep in the study without saying anything. And he continued to do so for a long time. Back then, he had been relieved to have escaped this stage.

But in this life, this had to change.

An Chang Qing had a little knowledge about how two men would do it. He comforted himself that with proper preparations, it shouldn’t hurt. Moreover, rumors were not credible, he had learned this the hard way in his last life. Xiao Zhige shouldn’t be brutish in this aspect like in the rumors… Right?

An Chang Qing’s face turned red. He sneaked a glance at the top of the bed and saw two small porcelain jars. It should be for them to use for doing that.

He clenched his fingers nervously. An Chang Qing tried to make his voice sound natural, “Wangye, it’s getting late. Why don’t we go to bed?” He sounded calm but even his exposed neck had turned red.

Xiao Zhige remained motionless, only his eyes turned a shade darker.

His silence caused An Chang Qing to feel unease. The blush on his face also faded as he looked at him at a loss.

They sat on the bed side by side in speechlessness. Even though Xiao Zhige did not make a move, he did not seem to reject him either. Thinking of how the once Emperor had clutched the piece of jade in his hand even in death, An Chang Qing’s courage grew a little. Not minding his thumping heart and blushing face, he moved in closer to Xiao Zhige, grabbed his shoulder, and planted a kiss on the man’s lips.

Since the mountain refused to come to him, he would go to it!

The man’s lips were partially dry but unexpectedly soft and carried a touch of warmth. An Chang Qing nudged at it for a while but did not know what to do next. For two lifetimes, he was never in a relationship, whether it was with a man or woman. Regarding the topic of making love, he really had no experience, kissing was the limit.

When he was thinking if he should withdraw, a powerful force held onto his waist. The man who had been stirred up by him had suddenly turned from being a guest to a host, brazenly locking onto his lips. An Chang Qing’s lips were pried open and the man’s tongue drilled straight in. Even kissing was like war to him, always on the offense and leaving the other person no room to retreat.

An Chang Qing was kissed till he was almost out of breath. His arms unknowingly wrapped around Xiao Zhige’s neck and hung there powerlessly.

It took a long time before Xiao Zhige let him go. The rugged hand moved along the side of An Chang Qing’s cheek and lightly pinched his chin. With observance in his eyes, he asked, “Do you not fear me?”

He had expected An Chang Qing to oppose this marriage. After all, he was the one who forced this marriage on him. Moreover, according to his investigation, An Chang Qing had an elder cousin who was attentive towards him. The two appeared to be quite close…

Xiao Zhige was ready to face his wrath or cold shoulder but he never would have expected that An Chang Qing would take the initiative to be … Intimate towards him.

Xiao Zhige’s heart was tugged at. He did not ease the strength of his hand and looked straight into his eyes, as though he could see through his heart and find any trace of deception.

They stared at each other for quite sometime before An Chang Qing shifted his gaze first. He licked his lips instinctively and felt a salty taste of blood. It was then that he found out how boorish the man could become; to think that he had caused his lips to bleed…

He glared back at Xiao Zhige but discovered that Xiao Zhige’s ears had turned crimson red. His annoyance subsided and his heart was floating. He thought of their past lives again and felt aggrieved for the man. An Chang Qing tightened his arms around Xiao Zhige’s neck and leaned in nostalgically, “I’m not afraid of you, I’m only afraid of pain…” 

The youth who had yet to come of age had a white face and an elegant figure. His voice was soft and endearing. Even if he was not deliberately seducing him, the man still wished he could hold him in his hands and never let him suffer any injustice.

Xiao Zhige’s fingers trembled as he released the grip of his hand. Recovering his senses, he realized that he had probably been too vulgar before. Had he hurt him?

Sensing the man’s sudden change, An Chang Qing now had an inkling of how his mind worked. He secretly smiled to himself and he was even more courageous to go down this path.

This person might look vicious on the surface but on a closer look, he was very attentive and gentle. An Chang Qing recalled the past and realized how much Xiao Zhige had indulged him. He laid down his worries and nestled into his arms. With a bright blush on his cheeks, he whispered, “Wangye, later… Please be gentle…”

Xiao Zhige’s body tensed up instantly. He pushed An Chang Qing away and stood up. With his back against him, he said stiffly, “You don’t need to be afraid. I will not force you.” 

After that, without looking back, he walked briskly out of the bridal chamber. It was just that his reaction was too abrupt that it reeked of the embarrassment of someone trying to escape.

¹weighing rod Raising the bride’s veil with a rod is a wedding tradition, signifying getting what one wished for.
²hejin Wine meant for the newlyweds to drink on their wedding night.

Chapter 1

Edited and Proofread by KitKat

TN: I’ll be translating this novel with the assumption that you guys already know the basic terms like what the garments are called, how they address the royalties, etc. Therefore, several terms like the titles ‘wang ye’ and ‘wang fei’ will not be translated or explained. But if there’s something you need me to clarify, feel free to ask. 

The first wave of snow fell on Yejing in the early winter of the third year of Yuanxi. The specks of white were like feathers floating to the ground, covering the droplets of blood. A carriage sped down the street with urgency, disturbing the resting snow.

On the silent street, a man’s roar awakened the slumbering town.

“Faster! Go faster!”

Xiao Zhige’s eyes were red as he hugged a feeble person in his arms. He calmed his voice and said, “Don’t be afraid, I’m taking you back to the palace. It’s going to be fine…” The man’s voice was lowered into a soft whisper for fear of alarming the person in his embrace.

And the person in his arms was a handsome man dressed in a golden robe with a white jade crown adorned on his hair. He had long brows and eyes of the phoenix. His nose arched tall like a mountain and his lips were moist and pink. There was a little tear mole under the left corner of his eye, adding a touch of gentleness to the already stunning visage. If he was not in a debilitated state and had blood dripping from his mouth, the man would have incited many heartthrobs.

“Your Majesty…”

The long eyelashes trembled as An Chang Qing struggled to open his eyes and parted his lips to speak. The first image that he saw was Xiao Zhige’s frightened look.

He was a little confused. They have been married for ten years but they were not intimate. Back then, Xiao Zhige did not ask for his consent before requesting their marriage from the Empress Dowager. An Chang Qing had been filled with fear and reluctance towards Xiao Zhige and thus, they had always been estranged from each other.

Xiao Zhige saw through his unwillingness and did not force him either. The two had lived their separate lives in the Wang Manor through the years. Later, when Xiao Zhige ascended the throne, they changed their residence but still went on to live their separate lives.

Being this intimate, it was the first time. Although they were not close, An Chang Qing could tell the anxiety in Xiao Zhige’s eyes was sincere. He thought to himself, those rumors outside, they were not all true.

“Chang Qing…” Xiao Zhige looked into his eyes, his voice was shaking, “Does it hurt?”

An Chang Qing wanted to shake his head but his insides suddenly burst with pain as though someone had stabbed and twisted the knife deep into his organs. 

“It hurts…” An Chang Qing writhed in pain. He clenched his teeth but more blood kept gushing out.

Xiao Zhige hugged him tighter. He wanted to help him but there was nothing he could do. He stroked his hair and softly comforted him over and over, “We’re almost there, we’re almost there…”

The sound of the rapid horses passed through the palace gates and headed straight for Qiwu Palace.

Over ten imperial physicians had been kneeling outside the hall. Xiao Zhige carried the man in his arms inside and carefully placed him on the bed. The imperial physicians dared not make a sound. They could only take turns checking his pulse.

An Chang Qing had his eyes closed. Sweat was dripping down his forehead and the blood that flowed from his mouth could not be wiped clean with a single handkerchief, it gradually dyed his clothes red.

The imperial physicians finished their examination and looked at each other. Finally, they all knelt down and a white-haired physician spoke for the group in a trembling voice, “Your Majesty, forgive our incompetence!”

In one sentence, his end had been determined.

“What’s the use of keeping you bunch of wastes?!” Xiao Zhige kicked the old physician in the chest. His temper had always been violent. With his years of training, that one kick flung the old physician a few feet away. The old physician coughed out a mouthful of blood which he did not have the time to wipe off before kneeling down once again and begged, “Your Majesty, please have mercy!”

“Your Majesty, please spare our lives!” The other physicians bowed low and begged with him. 

Xiao Zhige breathed heavily as though something was about to snap in his head. He managed to control his anger and swept a merciless glance at the group of imperial physicians, “Find a cure! If you can’t, then all of you will be buried with the Empress!”

An Chang Qing woke up to the sound of howling cries. He opened his eyes in a daze and felt that the pain which tormented him was gone. His body felt light as air, as though he could float away any minute.

As he thought so, his body elevated and drifted to the door. At the bottom of the stairs, all the eunuchs and maids of Qiwu palace were kneeling and wailing at the top of their voices. On their faces were fear and misery.

Xiao Zhige donned a bright golden dragon robe with a rising dragon crown. He was standing alone on top of the staircase with a ferocious expression in his eyes. The strange thing was, An Chang Qing had always been scared of him and had avoided him at all costs, but looking at him now, An Chang Qing only felt that there were many hidden emotions underneath the man’s violent appearance; Emotions that he had yet to understand. 

An Chang Qing observed him for a while until the arrival of the An family was announced. When he saw them being escorted to the front, he could partially guess Xiao Zhige’s intentions.

Yesterday was his father’s, the Prime Minister of Daye Empire’s, 65th birthday. A grand banquet had been held and Xiao Zhige and himself had attended. Unexpectedly, it had been a trap that his father had conspired with the former crown prince in order to kill them both. 

Xiao Zhige had managed to avoid the onslaught but An Chang Qing had been served with poisoned wine. Before the rebellion could be quenched, the poison had kicked in. Looking at his translucent hands, An Chang Qing scoffed and no longer felt any lingering attachment to the An family.

On this day, blood flowed like a river in front of Qiwu Palace. Over fifty members from the An family were beheaded by ten experienced executioners. Their blood spread on the ground into a large pool, filling the air with a pungent smell. The palace attendees who were still kneeling dared not move even when their knees were soaked with blood.

The current Emperor, Xiao Zhige, had always been known for his cruelty ever since the time he killed over sixty thousand Beidi soldiers in his youth. Three years later when he ascended the throne of the Daye Empire, he continued to engage in war, piling up corpses and causing unrest among the people. Adding in today’s episode, his reputation would only get worse.

But all this had never concerned Xiao Zhige.

He ordered the guards to throw the bodies of the An family in an unmarked gravesite then went back to Qiwu Palace alone.

Qiwu Palace had now been cleaned up. A bronze gilt stove was placed in the corner to warm the room. In the center of the hall was a large carved sandalwood bed with golden curtains hanging down. A figure laid motionless on the bed.

Xiao Zhige’s face softened unconsciously as he walked over and lifted the curtain.

The bloodstains on An Chang Qing’s face had been wiped clean and his long black hair was bundled up in a turquoise crown. There was only peace on his face.

Xiao Zhige watched him in silence. He reached out, wanting to touch his face but halfway there, he drew back his hand. There was a bitter smile on the man’s lips, “Forget it, you’ve never liked me, I shouldn’t make you unhappy anymore.”

An Chang Qing floating by his side wanting to say ‘no’. It was not that he didn’t like him, he had just never tried to understand him. Every time he saw those fierce brows and thought of the terrifying stories, fear would instinctively fill his being. That was why he never took the initiative to get close to him.

But no matter what he wanted to say now, it was already too late.

Xiao Zhige stayed with him for a while before calling in the palace attendees to send An Chang Qing’s body to the royal burial grounds. 

When An Chang Qing’s body was carried out, Xiao Zhige was the only one left.

An Chang Qing looked at his back and only felt that the once vigorous and dignified King was turning lethargic under the setting sun.

*

“Young master, would you like something to eat?”

A familiar voice suddenly rang through his ears. An Chang Qing opened his eyes in a trance and saw Anfu’s jubilant face. Seeing that An Chang Qing was still in a daze, Anfu called again, “Young Master?”

An Chang Qing tried to move his body but only felt overwhelming weakness like he was a cotton ball, soft and light but unable to move on his own. His actions were clumsy like his body was not his own.

That’s right, this shouldn’t be his body. After all, he had died a long time ago and his soul was turned into a ball of wisp, wandering the earth for many years.

Anfu was worried seeing him like this. He frantically wanted to call for someone, “Could it be that there was something wrong with the medicine? Young Master, you wait here, I’m going to call for a physician right away!”

After speaking, Anfu ran out in a hurry but on the way, he bumped into a group of people.

“We’re leaving soon, where are you running off to?”

The one who spoke was a middle-aged man with clear features and a pair of phoenix eyes, just like An Chang Qing’s. He was An Chang Qing’s father, An Zhi Ke, and also the current Marquis of Jin An. By his side was the Madame of the family, Li Shi standing with her maid. Behind them were several sturdy servants.

Anfu immediately knelt down and replied, “The Young Master is not feeling well, maybe it’s because he took too much medicine yesterday…”

An Chang Qing did not consent to this marriage from the beginning. Although the Daye Empire did not restrict it, having a male wife in the royal family was unprecedented. Moreover, the Northern Warlord Xiao Zhige had a notorious reputation in the capital city of Yejing. Rumors had it that he was temperamental, ruthless, and bloodthirsty. Every month, there would be bodies of brutally beaten servants being thrown out. Even if An Chang Qing was only an unfavored son of a concubine, making him live in such a dangerous environment as a Wangfei, he was very unwilling.

All he wanted was to become an official and protect his mother and sister.

Marrying the Northern Warlord destroyed everything that he had planned.

He had tried to retaliate only to be served with a dose of paralyzing powder, turning his muscles into jelly. He could only sit still while the servants dressed him up in red like a puppet.

“Ignore that. The people from the Wang Manor have already arrived,” An Zhi Ke waved his hand and looked at An Chang Qing, “Help the Third Young Master out.”

The still hazy An Chang Qing was then covered with a red headpiece and escorted out by two servants.

An Chang Qing was powerless but in his confusion, he could still feel the pain on his arms being held by the two servants. This did not seem like a dream at all.

When he got on the sedan, the escorting troop began to play their horns. The carriage then made a few rounds through the streets of Yejing before reaching the Northern Warlord’s Manor. 

The Wang manor was filled with guests. They were all talking and laughing as though they were about to watch a good show.

The Northern Warlord’s mother had died early. At the age of ten, a Taoist master had read his fortune and stated that he had a disharmonic aura and would attract evil, causing him to lose the love of Emperor AnQing. Before he even reached the age of twelve, he had enrolled himself in the army. In eight years, Xiao Zhige had risen from a nobody to becoming one of the Daye Empire’s twelve generals, holding the military power of Yanzhou. This position had been earned by piling up mountains of corpses and forming seas of blood belonging to the Beidi people. The title Northern Warlord Xiao Zhige not only brought fear to the Beidi people but also his own people.

Even children sang a song in his name: In the heavens, there’s the God Killer. On earth, there’s Tai Sui². In hell, there’s Asura. In Xiao Zhige, there lurked a part of each of them. 

The bigger Xiao Zhige’s reputation became, the more Emperor AnQing disliked him. But seeing his fighting prowess against the Beidi people in Yanzhou, he could only tolerate him. Initially, he feared that Xiao Zhige would develop intentions that he shouldn’t have but ever since he had claimed that he preferred men and wanted to marry the Marquis’s third son, the Emperor, although thinking that it was ridiculous, had been reassured at the same time.

In great joy, Emperor AnQing ordered Zong Zheng Temple to make preparations and hence, the wedding in Wang Manor had pulled in a large number of guests. It was even more lively than when the crown prince was wedded. It was just that whether the guests were there to watch the Northern Warlord’s comedy or to congratulate him, only they knew the answer.

During the banquet, many expressed sympathy towards the Third Young Master of the Marquis’s Manor; A beautiful youth being forced into the arms of the violent Northern Warlord. What would he become? Could he even survive the wedding night?

It had to be said that the Third Young Master was also quite a famous figure in Yejing. His biological mother, Marquis An’s concubine, was a jing guan³ who hailed from Yejing’s most prominent brothel. She was born gorgeous and graceful and blessed with a beautiful voice and a talent for dancing. At that time, she was known as the first beauty of Yejing. An Chang Qing had his mother’s beauty. He was exquisitely adorable as an infant and stunningly charming as an adult. But beauty is as it is, just an outer shell. It was said that he once angered his father and was removed from the An family’s ancestry.

The guests lamented for An Chang Qing with their mouths but on their faces was an expression of curiosity as they watched him being helped by the xi po⁴ to alight the sedan.

An Chang Qing was covered in a veil and could only stare at his feet. The dizziness had subsided and his mind was somewhat clearer. The paralysis had also dissipated but now he was filled with doubts. He dared not act rashly and could only rely on the xi po to help him get down.

As he managed to stand firm, a well-defined palm  covered with calluses reached out to him. One could tell from the first glance that this was the hand of someone well-versed in weapons. Looking up, there were the long sleeves of the wedding robe and further up was blocked from An Chang Qing’s sight.

… This was Xiao Zhige’s hand.

An Chang Qing’s heart was pounding. He remembered it now. Back then when they got married, the same hand had reached out to him. But at that time, he was still brimming with reluctance that the fear and anger towards Xiao Zhige had caused him to reject his hand in silence.

He did not even take a look at this hand that had weathered countless storms.

As he lightly pursed his lips, An Chang Qing recalled the years after his death, in Qiwu Palace, an Emperor drank alone with desolation in his eyes.

Gone were the days he had lived. At that time, he had chosen the rockiest path and ended up hurting himself and the other person. Although he did not know how and why he had returned to this day, An Chang Qing wanted to try another path.

Before the hand pulled back, An Chang Qing slowly reached for it and held it firmly.

The hand was indeed as rough as it looked. The calluses rubbed against his tender skin, it was ticklish but at the same time, gave him a sense of unshakable assurance.

Xiao Zhige felt the softness in his palm and a strange light swept across those unfathomable eyes. The fury between his brows eased up as his rigid lips bent slightly into an imperceptible smile.

They walked hand in hand to the main hall before letting go to hold the ends of a red piece of cloth.

The ceremonial eunuch announced in a high-pitched voice, “The first bow to worship Heaven and Earth…”

The two stood facing each other. Connected by a piece of red silk, they slowly bowed according to the ceremonial proceedings…

¹ A little clarification: The country in this story is called Daye Empire. Its capital, where they are currently at, is Yejing. Yanzhou is a province that Xiao Zhige currently holds military power. Several characters and places have 2 to 3 different ways they are called but I’ll stick to one so it’s not too confusing.
² Name of a deity
³ virgin girls in the brothel who only sell their talents and not their bodies
⁴ an old lady who guides the bride through the wedding process