Chasing Jade (Zhu Yu)

The broken window was haphazardly patched with wooden planks, unable to block the howling wind outside. The flickering flames in the fire pit cast shifting shadows across the room.

After an eerie silence in the air, Xie Zheng spoke: "I overcomplicated things. Let's proceed with your method."

Fan Changyu quickly shook her head. Earlier that day, the moneylender's men had come to collect debts when he saw her. If she really went to ambush Fan Da with a burlap sack, he might genuinely think her some kind of ruthless villain.

With visible awkwardness, she said, "If there were another way, I wouldn't take this risk. If discovered, I'd face legal trouble again."

Xie Zheng lowered his eyes slightly, his dark pupils reflecting the firelight yet remaining cold. Suddenly he remarked, "If you don't fear complications, eliminating Fan Da directly would be simpler."

His tone was chillingly indifferent, as if the man who'd earlier proposed teaching her the Great Yin Law for courtroom battles wasn't him.

Changyu immediately understood his meaning of "eliminate." Goosebumps rose on her arms as she stared at him with wide almond eyes: "K...killing someone?"

Noticing her reaction, Xie Zheng's thick lashes cast faint shadows in the firelight as he averted his gaze to the blazing flames. In a tone utterly devoid of jest, he said, "I was joking."

His voice carried lazy nonchalance.

Had anyone wronged him so severely, their head would have rolled long ago.

His offer to teach her the Great Yin Law was genuinely the best solution from her perspective. Though her temperament proved more formidable than expected, it still fell short of true ruthlessness.

When Changyu's suspicious gaze swept across his handsome face, he half-raised his eyes, meeting her stare directly: "Shall I teach you the Great Yin Law now?"

Forgetting her embarrassment at being caught staring, Changyu nodded miserably, her face scrunched in distress.

She'd hated studying since childhood—words gave her headaches. Her literacy was solely due to her mother's bamboo switch forcing her to learn.

The writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were all in the southern room. Changyu entered Xie Zheng's chamber and brightened the oil lamp's wick for better illumination.

Without any Great Yin Law texts at home, Xie Zheng recited relevant passages from memory for her to study.

This concerned protecting her family's assets, so Changyu focused intently. Yet whether from late-night fatigue or the soporific nature of legal statutes, her eyelids grew increasingly heavy as she memorized.

Xie Zheng appeared to doze in a bamboo chair nearby, yet somehow sensed whenever Changyu's head began bobbing. He'd rap his knuckles twice on the desk—"thump thump"—and her eyes would snap open.

Clutching the papers, she yawned repeatedly, tears of exhaustion forming as she forced herself to continue: "Great Yin Law, Household Decree, Childless Chapter, Article Seventeen: For heirless households, with sons establish the eldest; without sons establish an heir..."

"If they're truly heirless, how could there be 'with sons establish the eldest'?" came an icy voice beside her.Fan Changyu trembled at the sound of his voice, like a student caught dozing during morning lessons in school. She forced herself awake and skimmed through the legal statutes he had written, then continued reciting with half-closed eyes: "For households without heirs, an heir shall be selected and established. If no heir is selected, the property shall be divided among parents and siblings, who must support any unmarried daughters. For households that take in a son-in-law, the son-in-law cannot inherit the property, which shall go to the daughter..."

Xie Zheng interjected at the right moment: "According to this statute, all the property left by your parents should rightfully go to you. But your grandparents are still alive and ailing, and your uncle Fan Da is idle and lazy. When you go to the County Government Office in three days, if the other side cites the 'Filial Piety Book' from the Great Yin Law, at least half of your parents' property will have to be allocated to your grandparents. Since your grandparents and uncle haven't divided the family assets, that money will ultimately end up in his hands."

Changyu's drowsiness was instantly dispelled by anger. Frowning, she said reluctantly, "Then should I take my grandparents in to support them?"

Xie Zheng glanced at her. "Are you close to them?"

Changyu shook her head.

Even when her parents were alive, her family hadn't been close to her grandparents.

When her mother was giving birth to Changning, she had a difficult labor and nearly died along with the baby. The doctor barely managed to save them and said it would be hard for her to conceive again.

The old couple came to congratulate them, holding the swaddled Changning, but their words were all about how her mother had failed to bear a son for her father. They suggested adopting a male heir from Fan Da's family, saying it would be a support in their old age.

Her parents ignored them, but the old couple went back and accused her mother of being jealous and unfilial, whispering in her father's ear all day to make the Fan family heirless.

Her father personally went to the old residence to settle things, and only then did they quiet down. After that, there was hardly any contact. Only during festivals would her father bring a piece of pork to the elderly couple, but he never stayed for a meal—just left the gift and went on his way.

Xie Zheng then said, "According to Article 11 of the 'Supplements to the Yin Law · Marriage Law,' if you can get neighbors to testify that Fan Da is a habitual gambler, the half meant for your grandparents can instead be managed by you."

Changyu, who was used to straightforwardness, couldn't quite grasp all these convoluted tactics. Puzzled, she asked, "How is that any different from me supporting the two elders?"

Xie Zheng paused for a moment, pressed his fingers to his brow, and patiently explained, "If you take them in, you’re obligated to support them. If you hold onto the money, it’s up to you whether to give it or not."

Changyu immediately slapped the desk in excitement. "That’s a great idea! It’s a bit underhanded, but for Fan Da’s family, it’s not too much at all! How do you know so much?"

Xie Zheng glanced at the desk, which wobbled precariously from her slap, not doubting for a second that it would collapse if she hit it any harder.

His slender fingers turned the page of the book on his lap, and he lied without batting an eye: "Traveling around exposes one to many anecdotes. There was a wealthy merchant’s daughter who had her inheritance seized by relatives after taking in a son-in-law. She hired a famous local lawyer, and this was the solution he proposed."

Changyu praised sincerely, "That lawyer was really clever!"

Xie Zheng didn’t respond, only the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Changyu peeked at him guiltily. "Um... since we already have a solution, can I stop memorizing now?"

Memorizing was truly a headache for her. These obscure legal statutes were even more painful than those convoluted classical texts.Xie Zheng said calmly, "If the opposing party asks you in court which specific law you're citing, you'll be fine as long as you can answer."

Fan Changyu wanted to say he could just accompany her to court, but remembering his leg injury—which would worsen from prolonged kneeling during proceedings—she swallowed her words.

Her face scrunched up like a steamed bun as she resigned herself to continue memorizing.

Xie Zheng idly flipped through a miscellaneous book in his hands, listening as her recitation dwindled from mosquito-like buzzing to intermittent mumbling. Unable to resist, he lifted his gaze.

The next moment, her exhausted head had already drooped onto the desk, her breathing gradually evening out.

Xie Zheng: "..."

The study companion was still awake, yet the main student had fallen asleep first.

This was his first time observing her sleeping form up close. Candlelight cast long shadows from her lashes, her fair cheeks bathed in a soft glow, red lips slightly pursed—an image of tranquility completely unlike her waking self.

Yet even in sleep, she seemed troubled. Her brows were lightly furrowed, stray hairs falling across them like a wisp of fog.

Realizing he'd been staring, Xie Zheng frowned and averted his gaze. Just as he was about to wake her to return to her room, he caught her faint murmur: "Mother..."

Nasal and trembling, as if she were crying.

Frowning deeper, he looked back. Her head rested on her arm, pressing against strands of dark hair that made her face appear palm-sized in the candlelight.

He'd always thought her thin, though her vibrant energy overshadowed it. Now, seeing her half-collapsed figure, he realized she wasn't just thin—she looked fragile.

An unfamiliar, peculiar emotion flickered in his chest. Xie Zheng stared at her, his handsome features tightening further.

...

At mao hour (5-7 am), Fan Changyu awoke as usual to pitch darkness. Rising, she found both her arm and legs numb.

Memories surfaced—she must have fallen asleep at the desk. Lighting a firestarter, she barely illuminated the room.

The desk lamp had burned out. As she turned to find candles, she noticed Xie Zheng also asleep nearby, his weight pinning part of her sleeve. She had to tug hard to free it.

The movement roused him. Meeting those pitch-black, icy eyes, Changyu paused—his morning temper seemed fierce. "Did I wake you?"

His gaze held hers as the sharpness faded, though his frown remained. A red mark from sleeping on his arm marred his fair complexion.

"You fell asleep studying too?" she asked awkwardly.

A vague "Mn" was his only reply.

"I'll get candles," she said.

The firestarter wouldn't last long. But as she stood, her numb legs gave way, sending her crashing sideways.

Amidst the clatter, both tumbled to the floor with their stools, extinguishing the firestarter in the fall.

Bruised from multiple impacts, Changyu winced. Remembering she'd landed on him, she scrambled up to help. "Are you okay? Did I reopen your wounds?"

"Fine," came the strained reply.Clearly, something was still amiss. For the next two days, he didn’t even leave his bed.

Fan Changyu suspected Xie Zheng was upset with her. His demeanor toward her had noticeably cooled—he avoided speaking to her whenever possible and kept his distance.

Even when they couldn’t avoid each other, he either refused to look at her or frowned in her direction.

Changyu had already apologized, but though he claimed everything was fine, his subtle withdrawal continued.

Unable to understand the reason, she hesitated to ask him about the legal texts she was memorizing, despite having questions.

Over those two days, she studied at home and during spare moments at the shop, quietly reviewing the papers until she had most of it memorized. She also gathered a few neighbors to serve as witnesses.

On the morning of the trial, considering Yan Zheng’s recent odd behavior, she went to the south room and said, “Your handwriting is excellent. If you have time today, draft the divorce papers. After I transfer my parents’ property, I’ll just sign them when I return. Once your injuries heal, you can go wherever you wish.”

He had made it clear from the start that he would leave once recovered. The only explanation Changyu could think of was that he feared she might renege—transferring the property but refusing to honor their original agreement.

Handing him the divorce papers might ease his mind.