Chasing Jade (Zhu Yu)

The tent flap wasn't fastened properly, letting in a cold gust that made the lone candle on the table flicker precariously, casting shifting shadows across the interior.

Xie Zheng tapped his fingers restlessly against the table, his handsome face carved into alternating light and shadow by the wavering candlelight, his eyes growing increasingly inscrutable. "Are you blaming me for keeping this from you?" he asked.

Fan Changyu was about to respond when the candle suddenly went out, plunging the entire tent into darkness.

Her intended words became: "Let me relight the candle first."

As she rose, a hand caught her wrist—not too tight, but firm enough that she couldn't easily break free.

Xie Zheng's deep voice sounded in the darkness: "I once told you about a formidable enemy of mine. The last time I nearly died by his hand was because of a traitor in the army. If I'd rashly involved you and your sister, he might have targeted you. The more people who knew, the greater the danger. That's why, when you mistook me for an ordinary soldier in the mountains, I went along with it."

He paused briefly before continuing, "There's something else I must apologize for. When your sister was kidnapped by the rebels, it was because they mistook her for a member of my family."

Fan Changyu had already guessed from Xie Qi's earlier remarks that Changning's kidnapping was related to Xie Zheng, but hearing it confirmed still stunned her momentarily.

Outside, the light from tripod braziers with makeshift rain covers cast enough illumination to vaguely discern shapes within the tent.

Reading her expression clearly, Xie Zheng said, "You know the man who took Changning—he was the rebel who impersonated grain-collecting officers and incited the rioters to besiege the city. He's Sui Yuanqing, heir to the Prince of Changxin."

This revelation truly shocked Fan Changyu—that scoundrel was actually a rebel prince!

Her wide almond eyes resembled amber as they turned toward Xie Zheng, whose gaze darkened slightly in response.

She asked, "Was the wound on your chest from rescuing Changning? Did he do that?"

Xie Zheng frowned slightly, reluctant to admit he'd been injured by Sui Yuanqing and had been bedridden for days. Releasing her wrist, he said, "I captured him alive."

Initially, after hearing Xie Qi's account, Fan Changyu had blamed herself for Changning's ordeal, thinking it resulted from her close association with Xie Zheng. Now understanding the full sequence of events left her with even more complicated feelings.

If not for protecting Qingping County—if she hadn't crossed that scoundrel—he wouldn't have come seeking revenge at her home. Had he not come, he wouldn't have seen that portrait. Without seeing the portrait, he wouldn't have recognized Yan Zheng, nor kidnapped Changning to threaten him.

But there were no what-ifs. Even given another chance, she'd probably still choose to protect Qingping County by apprehending the rebel—though this time she'd make sure to finish him off cleanly with one stroke.

After a moment's silence to collect herself, Fan Changyu said, "Changning's kidnapping wasn't entirely your fault—I share the blame too. And after you risked your life to save her, you owe me no apologies. As for deceiving me in the mountains..."

She paused briefly before continuing, "You were looking out for us sisters. I can't fault you for that."Her uncharacteristic calmness only deepened the restlessness between Xie Zheng's brows. He could vaguely guess what she was about to say next, and merely the thought of it made the dark turmoil in his chest nearly unbearable.

He pressed a hand to his forehead, forcing down the agitation. "When you said we should talk, were you planning to bring up parting ways again?"

Fan Changyu was momentarily taken aback. In her mind, they hadn't discussed it that many times. Besides, his sham marriage had been agreed upon beforehand.

She answered honestly, "We were never actually together, so it wouldn't count as parting ways."

The moment the words left her lips, she felt the air around him turn sharply hostile. Her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Xie Zheng slowly lifted his gaze. "Never together?" he asked.

Meeting his intense stare, Changyu's eyes remained gentle but firm. "If you're referring to our time in Qingping County, that was based on our prior agreement when you entered a sham marriage with me. Moreover, you used a false name—Yan Zheng doesn't even exist in this world. That marriage certificate holds no weight, so it doesn't count as being together."

Xie Zheng didn't look at her again. When he lowered his eyes, his dark lashes resembled the folded wings of a crow. "Then why did you come looking for me? Why ask me to go back with you? And why take it upon yourself to fight in my stead?"

The smile that curled his lips was icy.

Changyu watched him, her gaze softening gradually. Yet behind that gentleness, there seemed to be something far stronger supporting her. "Because back then, you were Yan Zheng," she said.

A rare trace of confusion flickered in Xie Zheng's usually cold and arrogant eyes. His voice was hoarse. "But wasn't that still me?"

Changyu replied, "The person hasn't changed, but everything you represent has. When you were Yan Zheng, you were just yourself. But as the Wu'an Marquis, you're more than just you—you're the great hero admired by all, the only son of General Xie. The kind of woman worthy of the Marquis should be gentle, virtuous, and skilled in household management, just as you once described. I'm not well-educated; I only know a few characters. I haven't even finished reading the Four Books, let alone mastered music, chess, calligraphy, or painting. Naturally, I'm not fit to be your official wife. But my parents raised me with care, and I won't demean myself by becoming someone's concubine."

Xie Zheng's dark eyes bore into her. "How do you know I wouldn't be willing to marry you as my wife?"

Changyu was stunned by his words.

Was he joking? The illustrious Wu'an Marquis marrying a butcher's daughter—wouldn't that make the entire world laugh?

Flustered, she said, "Don't talk nonsense..."

Xie Zheng cut her off coldly. "You think this is nonsense?"

Changyu frowned. "At most, lower-ranking families might marry their daughters off to impoverished scholars. But have you ever seen a princess of the court wed a poor scholar? Even the least fortunate princess marries the top scholar. I didn’t know your identity before, but now that I do, how can I take those past words seriously?"

She still had some self-awareness.

Hearing her compare herself to a princess made a vein throb at Xie Zheng's temple. His laughter was laced with anger. "Who a princess marries is decided by the emperor. Who this Marquis marries is decided by this Marquis himself."

He looked down at Changyu. "What does it matter if I'm the Wu'an Marquis? It's not like I've grown three heads and six arms to devour you whole. Why would that frighten you so much?"Fan Changyu was somewhat unsettled by his words. After a long pause, she said, "Let me tell you a story. When I was little, there was a Tofu girl in our town. Although she was widowed young, she was hardworking and managed to make a decent living by herself at her tofu stall. Plus, she was quite beautiful, so many widowers sent matchmakers to propose, but she didn’t fancy any of them. Later, a young master from a wealthy family in the county visited Lin’an Town with friends and saw her. He became utterly infatuated, returning every few days to buy tofu from her. Over time, they grew close. The young master wasn’t some frivolous playboy—he always treated her with respect and even told his family he wanted to marry her."

Xie Zheng could probably guess how this story would end and said coldly, "Don’t compare me to others."

Fan Changyu didn’t respond to that and simply continued, "The wealthy family would never agree to their son marrying a widow. The old madam and the matriarch were so furious they fell ill. They locked the young master up and even hired thugs to smash the Tofu girl’s stall. During that time, the whole town was buzzing with gossip about her. Everyone thought she and the young master were done for, but then he went on a hunger strike to force his family’s hand. In the end, they reluctantly agreed to the marriage—but only as a concubine. The Tofu girl, already remarried and now entering a wealthy household, didn’t expect to be the main wife. She just wanted the young master to treat her well. On the wedding day, even though it was just a concubine’s ceremony, the pomp and fanfare rivaled that of a proper wedding."

"People in town said the Tofu girl was lucky to live a life of comfort. In the years that followed, whenever she returned to town, she was dressed in fine clothes, but she grew thinner with each passing year. The only constant was that some still envied her, while others whispered vile gossip behind her back—calling her vulgar and shallow, not a proper woman, saying she’d flirted around after her husband’s death and seduced the young master to marry into wealth. By the third year, she was driven out of the wealthy household. Luckily, she had been a commoner—if she’d been of servile status, the family would’ve sold her off."

Xie Zheng’s expression turned icy. "That man simply changed his mind."

Fan Changyu said, "I used to think the same. But my mother told me that people from different paths, even if they come together for a time, will inevitably part ways. It’s like someone choosing a rough stone among gold and jewels—the world pities him for it, while the chosen stone is both envied and deemed unworthy. But no one realizes that the one who chose the stone can always pick gold again, while the stone has no choice left. That’s what happened to the Tofu girl. When the young master loved her, she was better than any noble lady. When he stopped loving her, she was no different from any tavern girl or tea seller."

Xie Zheng said coldly, "That man lacked resolve. If I decide what I want, I’ll cling to it even in the grave."

As he spoke, his dark eyes fixed unwaveringly on Fan Changyu. Beneath that calm gaze lay a fierceness that made one’s heart tremble.Fan Changyu's heart skipped a beat unconsciously, but recalling the words her mother had once told her, her gaze grew firm and clear again: "My mother also said that what led them to this point wasn't just those things. A person can never escape their past. The fact that the Tofu Girl was once a widow would follow her for life. Disliked by the mistress of the house, she would face all kinds of scrutiny and disdain within the household. The rules and etiquette of a wealthy family weren't something she could learn overnight. Oppressed by her mother-in-law, mocked by sisters-in-law, even servants could look down on her. The pervasive inferiority caused by those voices and status differences eroded the Tofu Girl every moment."

"The only thing she could rely on was the young master's kindness toward her, but everyone said she wasn't good enough. Hearing such words once or twice might not shake one's resolve, but after years of such whispers in her ears, it was inevitable that she'd be influenced subtly. The flaws she once overlooked suddenly became glaringly obvious. The young master was born into wealth—while he was beginning his studies, the Tofu Girl might have been helping her mother with chores at home; while he was toasting with friends, she was probably bent over making tofu."

"The young master lived for romance; the Tofu Girl lived for survival. The young master didn't think it was a big deal for the Tofu Girl to prepare simple meals—after all, his household was full of servants. The Tofu Girl couldn't appreciate the young master's refined taste for poetry and painting. They were never the same kind of people—how could they truly understand each other's thoughts? What they believed to be their most precious offerings meant nothing to the other. Small conflicts accumulated over time, until one day they looked back and found an insurmountable chasm between them."

At this point, Fan Changyu finally raised her eyes to meet Xie Zheng's gaze: "The Marquis is an Unrivaled Hero. Only the daughters of nobles and high officials are worthy matches for you. If you married a butcher like me, the whole world would laugh at you."

Xie Zheng listened as she spun this story to gently reject him, and when she suggested he marry some noble's daughter instead, he laughed in cold anger: "Who cares what the world thinks about whom I marry?"

Fan Changyu remained silent for a long while before speaking again: "I thought... after all I've said, you would understand what I mean."

Her fingers tightened unconsciously, her chest feeling strangely heavy and uncomfortable. For a fleeting moment, she even thought—if only he were just Yan Zheng.

Across the table, the two gazed at each other through the thin veil of night, until Xie Zheng broke the silence: "Did you think everything I told you before was also a lie?"

Fan Changyu froze, not yet grasping his meaning, when he continued: "I told you long ago—there's no one left in my family. Only me remains."

His expression was even somewhat cold as he spoke, as if he were extremely reluctant to mention anything about his family.

Fan Changyu pressed her lips together and replied: "I never thought those words were lies."Xie Zheng smiled, his expression inscrutable—both defiant and seemingly wounded, yet ultimately suppressed by his pride. "The story you mentioned doesn't fit us. The Xie family still has a few collateral branches. If you marry into our household, they’d be the ones scrambling to curry your favor. There won’t be any fools like in your story who’d mock or trouble you. If you can’t even be bothered to listen to their flattery, you don’t have to see them at all. After we quell the rebels and I take Wei Yan’s head, I’ll request to be stationed at the western frontier. You’ll come with me to the fief. We won’t return to the capital for at least a decade. The noblewomen you’d need to interact with there could be counted on one hand. Avoiding them this way, you’d hardly ever cross paths with them in this lifetime."

"You fear the world’s ridicule, thinking I have other choices. Then I’ll ask His Majesty to bestow the marriage. As long as I don’t plot rebellion in this lifetime, I’ll have no choice but to remain devoted to you alone. No one in this world would dare oppose this union."

"As for your concerns about shared interests—when I’m free, I either practice martial arts or study. You have remarkable talent in martial arts and often pore over books. It seems our interests align well enough; there’s no unbridgeable gap."

Here, he finally paused. His clear, striking eyes reflected the young woman’s image as he said slowly, "Fan Changyu, if I were to marry you, would you be willing to marry me?"

Perhaps from the moment he realized his feelings, he had been planning for this future. Now, asking this question, he felt neither untimely nor presumptuous—only waiting in this silence for the answer that would settle everything.