The warmth against her body, her arms tightly wrapped around an unfamiliar waist, the cold and stiff fabric of dark blue brocade—as she looked up, she met a pair of beautiful eyes.
Jiang Ruan abruptly withdrew her hands. Had she actually been holding Xiao Shao—no, embracing Xiao Shao’s waist—all night?
Judging by the posture, it seemed she had been the one eagerly clinging to him.
Jiang Ruan sucked in a sharp breath.
Xiao Shao, however, seemed completely unfazed. Seeing her awake, he stood up and said, "I left marks outside. They’ll see them and come soon."
Jiang Ruan’s clothes had already dried, so she took off the crane-feather cloak draped over her and handed it back to Xiao Shao. "Thank you, Prince Xiao."
Xiao Shao seemed to recall something and turned to her. "You seem to have a heart condition, often troubled by melancholy. In your residence, be cautious with food and drink."
He spoke vaguely, but Jiang Ruan understood immediately—was someone poisoning her?
Xiao Shao saw her unspoken question and said, "I can’t be certain, but it’s nothing too serious."
Jiang Ruan lowered her head. So there was such a thing?
In her past life, had Jiang Quan and Ye Li known about this, which was why they had so readily sent her in Jiang Susu’s place into the palace, preserving their healthy, perfect daughter to become the new emperor’s empress?
No, that wasn’t it. Even if she had been perfectly healthy, Jiang Quan wouldn’t have kept her. From the start, Ye Li and Jiang Quan had chosen her as the sacrificial lamb.
Besides, she didn’t have any heart condition. Her melancholy and unrest were merely the shadows of her past life.
Still, Xiao Shao’s words had done her a favor.
His help reminded her of what he’d said the night before—that he owed her a life?
She wanted to ask for clarification, but suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from ahead. Xiao Shao pushed aside the bushes at the cave entrance, and sure enough, an excited voice rang out: "Your Highness!"
Jiang Ruan followed him outside. The sunlight was dazzling, and a troop of soldiers in the forest spotted them, rushing over immediately.
At the forefront were none other than Guan Lianghan and Jiang Xin Zhi.
"A Ruan!"
"Third Brother!"
After searching all night without success, Guan Lianghan and Jiang Xin Zhi had been frantic, especially Jiang Xin Zhi, who had nearly torn the mountain apart in his desperation. His hands had been trembling the entire way. Now, seeing Jiang Ruan safe and sound, he exhaled in relief and spurred his horse toward her, calling her name.
The soldiers followed suit. Before the cave, the dark-clad man and the plain-robed maiden stood bathed in sunlight, a picturesque sight from afar. But as Jiang Xin Zhi drew closer, his expression grew complicated.
Jiang Ruan’s hair was disheveled, her clothes slightly askew, and she still held the man’s rain-patterned crane-feather cloak. Freshly awakened, her cheeks bore a faint blush, like the most beautiful morning clouds—radiant and delicate.
Xiao Shao, on the other hand, remained cool and composed, though something seemed to soften his gaze just then. The scene struck everyone differently. Both figures were exceptionally beautiful, their grace undiminished even in disarray, and their subtle smiles evoked a shared thought:
A golden boy and a jade girl—a perfect match.
Jiang Xin Zhi dismounted and strode to Jiang Ruan, subtly pulling her behind him as he positioned himself between her and Xiao Shao.
Xiao Shao observed his actions without comment. Guan Lianghan stepped forward and asked, "Are you all right?"Xiao Shao shook his head. Jiang Xin Zhi turned to examine Jiang Ruan and, seeing her disheveled state with beads of blood seeping from her arm, his expression instantly turned cold. "A Ruan, you're injured?" he asked.
"It's just a superficial wound," Jiang Ruan reassured him. After a pause, she still stepped forward and said, "Thank you, Prince Xiao, for saving my life."
At her words, both Guan Lianghan and Jiang Xin Zhi's expressions turned peculiar.
Guan Lianghan had witnessed it firsthand, while Jiang Xin Zhi had only heard accounts from others. No matter how one looked at it, Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan had no prior connection—so for Xiao Shao to personally leap off a cliff to save her sounded utterly unbelievable. Guan Lianghan hadn’t believed Mo Cong’s nonsense earlier; Xiao Shao was known for his cold and detached nature—how could he possibly be interested in a young girl he’d only met a few times? Moreover, as Guan Lianghan scrutinized Jiang Ruan, though she was undeniably beautiful, she was still young. The capital had no shortage of women with more charm, and she didn’t seem particularly extraordinary. Yet, recalling what he had just seen, Guan Lianghan couldn’t help but feel uncertain.
Jiang Xin Zhi, however, was different from Guan Lianghan. He had little interaction with Xiao Shao, and having left the capital six years ago, he knew nothing of recent events there. Jiang Ruan was now his most beloved younger sister, so his gaze toward Xiao Shao instantly turned as sharp as if he were looking at a scoundrel. He pulled Jiang Ruan back, preventing her from stepping any closer, and said stiffly, "Xin Zhi thanks Your Highness on behalf of my sister for saving her life."
He thought to himself that Jiang Ruan was still young and naive about men. Xiao Shao, however, was undeniably a grown man—and one of high status and power at that. Jiang Ruan, being young and impressionable, might easily be taken advantage of. The more he considered it, the more hostile his gaze toward Xiao Shao became.
Jiang Ruan and Jiang Xin Zhi were siblings by blood, so Xiao Shao naturally understood what was going through Jiang Xin Zhi’s mind. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
Ye Feng, however, was seething with indignation, silently protesting on behalf of his master. In his eyes, his lord was peerlessly heroic—countless women in the capital would throw themselves at him if they could. What kind of expression was Jiang Xin Zhi making? If anything, it was Jiang Ruan who had taken advantage of his master! Thinking this, he shot Jiang Xin Zhi a glare, only to be caught by Xiao Shao. Frowning at him, Xiao Shao gave him a warning look, and Ye Feng suddenly remembered the incident with the inlaid jade butterfly hairpin. His body stiffened, and he hastily lowered his head in silence.
The atmosphere grew strangely tense. Jiang Xin Zhi pulled Jiang Ruan back another step. "Your Highness, General, A Ruan is shaken and injured. Xin Zhi will take her back to the manor for treatment first. As for the rest, I will return to discuss matters with the General after escorting my sister home."
Guan Lianghan, accustomed to Jiang Xin Zhi’s fiercely protective nature toward his sister, waved a hand dismissively. "Go on, go on. You make us sound like wolves."
Jiang Xin Zhi flushed slightly but remained firm in his stance.
Jiang Ruan hesitated for a moment before freeing herself from Jiang Xin Zhi’s grip. "Elder Brother, there are a few words I’d like to say to Prince Xiao alone."
The moment she spoke, the surroundings fell into dead silence—so quiet that the drop of a needle could be heard. Everyone’s gazes burned as they stared at the two.
Ye Feng stood obediently in place, ears perked up, his expression a mix of sorrow and delight. This is bad, he thought. His Highness’s virtue is truly compromised now.
Guan Lianghan looked meaningfully between Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao before suddenly breaking into a mischievous grin. Still pretending nothing’s going on? There’s definitely, absolutely something going on.
Jiang Xin Zhi stared at Jiang Ruan in shock, his face briefly flickering with grief before his gaze toward Xiao Shao turned downright hostile.Everyone wore expressions that clearly said "there's definitely something going on" as they stared intently at the two of them. Yet Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao remained perfectly composed and calm. Xiao Shao nodded: "Alright."
Jiang Ruan glanced at the crowd's gossipy expressions and sighed inwardly.
She would prefer to have nothing to do with this man—it would be best if they were complete strangers. But some matters required his assistance, which inevitably led to misunderstandings.
The two walked toward the forest ahead, with Xiao Shao leading the way. After they had gone quite a distance, Xiao Shao stopped and turned to her: "This is far enough. They won't be able to hear us."
Guan Lianghan and the others were all skilled in martial arts with exceptionally sharp hearing. Since she wanted to avoid being overheard, Xiao Shao's consideration was quite thoughtful.
Jiang Ruan looked up at him just as the morning sunlight broke through the mountain forest, casting golden rays that made his already striking features even more breathtaking. His eyes resembled exquisite black gemstones—noble and beautiful.
For a brief moment, she was nearly dazzled by those beautiful eyes. But it lasted only an instant before she smiled faintly: "Last night, Prince Xiao said you owed me a life."
At the time, she had been utterly exhausted and hadn't had the chance to ponder the meaning behind Xiao Shao's words before falling into a deep sleep. This morning, before she could ask for clarification, she had run into Jiang Xin Zhi.
"Yes," Xiao Shao replied.
Jiang Ruan stared at him: "Does Prince Xiao wish to repay this debt?"
She had changed her mind—there was no need to ask for the full story. What mattered was making use of every available resource, including the man before her.
"Yes," Xiao Shao answered again.
"Did Prince Xiao help my second sister because you mistook her for me?" she asked.
Xiao Shao's inexplicable assistance to Jiang Susu had been puzzling, but later events suggested he wasn't actually on her side. The incident on the Exquisite Boat had been suspicious, and after Jiang Susu, Xiao Shao had repeatedly helped her instead. It wasn't until just now that Jiang Ruan realized—if Xiao Shao had initially mistaken Jiang Susu for her, his actions at the time made sense.
She watched him closely as Xiao Shao nodded once more: "Yes."
Three firm "yes" answers, each brief but resolute. Jiang Ruan suddenly smiled: "I understand. Since Prince Xiao wishes to repay this debt, there's an opportunity right now."
She spoke quickly, as if she had been waiting to say this for a long time.
Xiao Shao studied her, sensing the transactional tone in her words. Somewhat surprised, he asked: "What do you want?"
"The Prime Minister's family has conspired to rebel—their crimes are unforgivable, and they're doomed to die. I want Prince Xiao to spare their lives and deliver Li Dong and his two sons into my hands."
Xiao Shao's gaze lingered on her, but surprisingly, he didn't ask why. After a brief pause, he simply nodded: "Alright."
Now it was Jiang Ruan's turn to be taken aback. Rumors painted Jinying Wang as cold and ruthless, yet the man before her seemed uncharacteristically agreeable. She frowned slightly—did he truly value a life debt so highly?However, this matter had to be done. She had originally thought of entrusting it to Jiang Xin Zhi, but he had only recently been promoted to deputy general. Extracting Li Dong and the other two from prison would be quite difficult for him. Even if he barely succeeded, if someone with ulterior motives investigated later and something went wrong, it would bring trouble upon Jiang Xin Zhi. As for the Zhao family, there was no need to even mention them. Moreover, Zhao Guang was stubbornly neutral—such a risky endeavor might not gain his approval, and he might even suspect her motives.
But to let this matter settle as it was would be too bitter a pill to swallow. The current opportunity was rare. Though she didn’t know Xiao Shao well, she knew from her past life that he was resolute and true to his word—in some ways, he had the demeanor of a gentleman. Besides, Xiao Shao had extensive connections and great authority. With his involvement, the chances of success would increase significantly.
She smiled at Xiao Shao and said, “Then, many thanks, Your Highness.”
...
On the way back to the residence, Jiang Xin Zhi kept probing indirectly, asking Jiang Ruan what had happened between her and Xiao Shao the previous night. Jiang Ruan insisted nothing had occurred, but Jiang Xin Zhi wore an expression of disbelief. He rambled on incessantly: “A Ruan, you’re still young and don’t fully understand many things. In the future, when you meet men, be sure to keep your eyes wide open and don’t let sweet talk deceive you into giving away your heart.”
Was this his way of educating her from a young age about judging men?
Jiang Ruan sighed inwardly and said to Jiang Xin Zhi, “Elder Brother, after witnessing Father, what kind of expectations do you think I could possibly have for men?”
Jiang Xin Zhi froze.
Jiang Ruan looked at him earnestly and continued, “From a young age, I’ve witnessed the most heartless and faithless man in this world. How could I be easily swayed by sweet words from others? Forget about now—even when I come of age in the future, I have no intention of marrying a stranger and spending my life entangled in petty schemes within the household. As long as I can stay with you, Elder Brother, it wouldn’t matter if I never married in this lifetime.”
This was the truth. In this life, she had returned with vengeance in her heart, solely to send her enemies to hell. As for the men Jiang Xin Zhi spoke of, no matter who they were, she could not—and would not—entangle herself with them.
Seeing the seriousness in his younger sister’s expression, Jiang Xin Zhi felt a pang in his heart. Though Jiang Ruan’s face showed no emotion, in that moment, he sensed an overwhelming desolation. Even as her flesh-and-blood brother, he couldn’t share even a fraction of her burden. He could only watch Jiang Ruan’s solitary figure, as if she might vanish from this world at any moment.
After a pause, he murmured, “That’s still not right… Though most men in this world are the same, if you compromise a little, you might still find one or two who aren’t so bad… In any case, never marrying in your lifetime—that just won’t do.”
Jiang Ruan: “...”
When they returned to the Jiang residence, Luzhu and Zisu had already received word and were waiting at the gate. At the sight of Jiang Ruan, their eyes reddened: “Miss!”
Luzhu and Lianqiao hurried forward to support her, gasping when they saw her clothes: “Miss, you’re injured!”
Zisu examined her in alarm. Jiang Xin Zhi said, “A Ruan, I’ll go find a physician. You should rest in your room first. You two maids, go prepare some ginger sugar water—she spent the whole night outside and mustn’t catch a chill.”
Zisu and Lianqiao quickly assented, helping Jiang Ruan back to her room. Once she lay down on the couch in the courtyard, Zisu went to fetch the ginger sugar water while Luzhu changed Jiang Ruan into clean clothes. Jiang Ruan asked, “How is Lianqiao?”At that time, Lianqiao had been struck by Li An and vomited blood, and it was unclear how she was doing now. Luzhu said, "Sister Lianqiao is fine. The young master called a physician to examine her, and he said she only needs to rest for half a month to recover from her injuries. Miss, were you hurt?" She carefully helped Jiang Ruan clean the hastily treated wound from last night with water and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh, the wound has already scabbed over. That’s good—it healed so quickly and didn’t worsen."
Jiang Ruan followed her gaze and saw that the cut from last night had indeed formed a thin scab. After a moment’s thought, she took out the small blue porcelain bottle Xiao Shao had given her the previous night from her sleeve and handed it to Lianqiao, saying, "This is medicine for wounds. Keep it safe." The medicine was so effective that it might come in handy again later.
Luzhu recognized it as something precious the moment she smelled it and immediately took the bottle to store it away. Zisu returned with a bowl of ginger sugar water, and Jiang Ruan took a sip, feeling warmth return to her chilled limbs. She asked, "What’s happening over at Delicate Splendor Courtyard?"
Zisu smiled at the question. "It’s utter chaos. Second Miss returned last night covered in blood, as if her carriage had overturned and she fell into a thorny thicket. The soldiers took a long time to find her, delaying treatment. The physician said she might be left with scars."
Delayed treatment? Jiang Ruan raised an eyebrow. The search party yesterday had consisted of the Guan Family Army and the Zhao Family Army. The Zhao family was one thing, but the Guan Family Army also followed Jiang Xin Zhi’s orders. Could it have been intentional? She certainly felt no sympathy for Jiang Susu. Zisu continued, "But that’s not all. Second Young Master is a complete fool. He sat alone in his carriage, unharmed, and was arrested as a suspected accomplice of the bandits. Delicate Splendor Courtyard is now in an uproar, trying to figure out how to rescue him."
Jiang Ruan was genuinely surprised this time. She set down the bowl and said, "He was actually caught?"
"Serves him right," Luzhu chimed in as she returned from storing the medicine. "I heard Second Young Master was sitting in his carriage leisurely sipping tea, completely at ease. When the soldiers arrived, his face turned green." She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought.
Jiang Ruan pondered silently. Given Jiang Chao’s temperament, this was entirely plausible. He was arrogant and lacked restraint. The moment he sensed even a slight advantage, he would grow complacent. He must have been certain that Jiang Ruan would be the one to suffer, while Jiang Susu’s carriage incident was merely for show. He likely never expected the soldiers to arrive so quickly—so quickly that he didn’t even have time to feign terror at the bandits.
A complete fool indeed.
But Jiang Ruan also knew that this alone wouldn’t be enough to convict Jiang Chao of colluding with bandits. Without concrete evidence, no one could sentence him. Still, even if the crime wasn’t punishable by death, escaping unscathed from that ruthless prison wouldn’t be easy.
Xia Yan would surely be racking her brains over this.
As she thought this, a third-tier maid timidly knocked at the door. Jiang Ruan motioned for her to enter, and the maid said, "Miss, Lin Lang from Madam’s side is asking you to go to Delicate Splendor Courtyard."
So now they’re turning to me for help?
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, a fleeting trace of mockery in her eyes. She gently lifted the bowl of ginger sugar water and swirled it, watching as the warm liquid steamed, veiling her gaze behind the rising mist.Zisu widened her eyes, mimicking Lianqiao’s usual fiery demeanor, and said, “Are you all blind? Can’t you see the young lady has just escaped death and is injured, extremely weak? She might not even have the strength to walk later and is waiting for the physician. With Madam’s compassionate heart, how could she be so inconsiderate? It must be you, you wretched girl, spouting nonsense.”
The third-rank maid was stunned and shook her head repeatedly. “This servant wouldn’t dare lie.”
Luzhu impatiently said, “Why are you still here? Hurry back and deliver the message. Our young lady needs rest now—don’t delay her recovery.”
Without waiting for the maid to respond, she pushed her out the door and shut it firmly behind her.
“Young lady, did we do well?” Luzhu grinned. “Let Delicate Splendor Courtyard stew in their own troubles. You had a fright last night and should eat something nourishing today. What medicinal dish should we prepare?”
...
In Delicate Splendor Courtyard, Xia Yan smashed the teacup in front of her after hearing Lin Lang’s report, gritting her teeth. “How dare she!”
How could she utter such shameless words! Everyone knew she had only suffered minor injuries upon her return. When she fell off the cliff, she was even personally rescued by Xiao Shao. Now, with Jiang Xin Zhi making such a grand show of escorting her back, what was the meaning of this? Xia Yan glanced at Jiang Susu lying on the bed, her eyes flashing with pain. If Jiang Ruan claimed to be weak, what about her Su Su? Now disfigured and bedridden, what would happen when she woke up?
Xia Yan clenched her fists. And what of Jiang Chao, still imprisoned with no news? Jiang Quan had gone to negotiate with the officials, but colluding with rebels was no small crime. She had thought Jiang Ruan’s close ties with Xiao Shao might be leveraged to seek his intervention. Using the excuse of being sisters from the same household, even for the sake of reputation, Jiang Ruan would have no choice but to ask Xiao Shao for help.
Who knew she would outright refuse and even use such a lofty excuse—injured and extremely weak?
That vile wretch! Xia Yan tightened her fists. This matter was too grave—even Xia Cheng, for self-preservation, wouldn’t recklessly involve himself. What could she do? After a struggle, she finally steeled herself and said, “Fetch the key to my treasury.”
“Madam intends to…?” Li Momo asked.
“One must sacrifice to gain. Chao’er’s life is the priority now,” Xia Yan said through gritted teeth.
...
In Brocade Hero King Manor, Ye Feng dropped to his knees. “This subordinate has erred. Punish me as you see fit, Master.”
Mistaking Xiao Shao’s savior and even treating his savior’s enemy as the savior—Ye Feng wouldn’t survive even with ten lives. He wasn’t afraid of death, but he feared being banished from Xiao Shao’s side. He couldn’t help but feel dejected. Who could have guessed Jiang Ruan had disguised herself as a maid that night, blending into the procession? And with the public announcement that only the Second Young Lady had gone to the temple—what cursed fate.
Xiao Shao said calmly, “Go to Hundred Zhang Tower for punishment.”
Ye Feng sighed in relief, only to hear Xiao Shao add, “Your position will be temporarily filled by Jin Yi.”
Ye Feng: “...”Ye Feng walked out dejectedly and immediately saw Butler Lin eavesdropping by the door, looking at him with sympathy. "Ah Feng, how did you upset His Highness? Wait, don't walk away so fast—tell me what happened last night with the young lady from the Jiang family. Why did His Highness jump in to save her?"
After Ye Feng left, Xiao Shao picked up his brush and wrote a few words on the paper in front of him. He then rolled the paper into a small scroll and inserted it into a straight, slender copper tube. Tinkling the bell on the table, he heard two soft coos before a pure white pigeon flew in through the window and landed on his desk.
Xiao Shao fastened the copper tube to the snow-white pigeon's leg. The bird tilted its head, pecked at his fingers a few times, and Xiao Shao gently stroked its head before raising his hand to let it fly out the window.
He lowered his gaze, his eyes resting on the jade-inlaid butterfly-and-flower pendant on the desk.
...
The months of continuous rain finally ceased, and the next day the sun shone brightly. The people spread the news joyfully, saying it was the heavens' favor upon the Da Jin Dynasty that had prevented this unwarranted disaster from spreading further.
The floods had destroyed homes and farmland, but with the return of the sun, young and old in the city busied themselves repairing houses and restoring damaged shops. Those who had survived the calamity wore expressions of quiet relief—as long as there was a chance to start anew, things were not too bad.
In the most bustling corner of the capital, the once resplendent Prime Minister's residence now bore a thin layer of dust. The vermilion gates seemed to have lost their lacquer overnight, no longer gleaming as they once had. Two bold strips of sealing paper were pasted across the Dragon Head Lock, a sight that struck the eye with stark severity.
The once-bustling entrance was now deserted, with scarcely a carriage or visitor in sight. The ground was littered with debris and wreckage washed in by the flood, a filthy and chaotic sight. The occasional passerby who glanced at it could not hide the disdain in their eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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