Old Madam Wan's prediction was correct. That night, Wan Qiqi indeed wanted to share a bed with Shao Shang.
After changing into a light pink embroidered sheer sleeping gown, Wan Qiqi tried to put on a pearl necklace. Shao Shang couldn't take it anymore and stopped her: "Didn't Father just tell you to wear fewer accessories?"
Wan Qiqi pouted, "I originally wanted to wear gold bracelets and a jade phoenix pendant too."
Sighing, Shao Shang lay down to sleep.
Late at night when no one was around was the perfect time for probing questions. Shao Shang quickly asked about Old Madam Wan's eye and ear. Wan Qiqi said in surprise, "This isn't some secret. How could you not know?"
In the darkness, Shao Shang skillfully used her acting voice to sound pitiful: "First, my family forbids discussing it, and second... no one told me..."
Wan Qiqi immediately thought the Cheng family must be very proper people and began recounting everything in detail: "At that time, my father wasn't even ten yet. My grandfather passed away too suddenly and didn't have time to entrust him to someone trustworthy. So the collateral relatives came forcing their way in, saying my grandmother came from a poor family and wasn't a suitable match to begin with. They told her to hand my father over to them to raise and remarry. She could take all the private assets grandfather left her as dowry. When my grandmother refused, they said she definitely wouldn't be able to remain chaste and might end up giving grandfather's family fortune to another man..."
Shao Shang commented sarcastically: "Hmph, those relatives wouldn't give it to another man—they'd keep it for themselves!" The old plot of collateral branches taking advantage when the main line was weak—how unoriginal.
Wan Qiqi chuckled but then said gloomily, "The worst part was that many in grandfather's private army were from the Wan family. They all sided with their elders, waiting to get a share. No matter how fiercely my grandmother swore, they wouldn't back down. So she gouged out one of her own eyes and cut off an ear, throwing them at the leader, swearing she would never remarry. Grandfather's trusted followers originally couldn't interfere in Wan family affairs, but hearing this, they were furious and immediately fought to support my grandmother and vent her anger."
"And... what happened after?" Shao Shang asked, enthralled by the dramatic tale.
"After a month-long standoff, my maternal grandfather brought troops from afar. He was grandfather's sworn brother and a famously righteous hero—everyone in Sui County knew him. Through both soft and hard tactics, those despicable uncles finally backed off!"
Shao Shang was silent for a moment before saying, "I see, so that's how it was."
Wan Qiqi said bitterly, "Later, my grandmother gradually replaced the officers, won people over, and slowly established her authority. My maternal grandfather no longer had to make seven or eight trips a year to Sui County. A few more years passed, and my father had his coming-of-age ceremony early, leading his own troops. Then he started dealing with those despicable uncles who had pressured my grandmother back then."
"How did he deal with them?" Shao Shang was very interested in the specifics.
"There were many ways," Wan Qiqi said. "Send their sons and grandsons on bandit-suppression missions—a few die here, a few there. Or get them embroiled in legal troubles, with more dying during exile. Let the old ones watch helplessly as their descendants dwindled away."
A chill ran down Shao Shang's spine. This girl who treated her with such warmth spoke of killing so lightly, as if it were nothing. For a small-town rebel like her, the worst she'd ever done was hit someone with a beer bottle—and she hadn't even broken it.At this point, Wan Qiqi suddenly heaved a heavy sigh. "That's why our Wan family not only has few descendants in the main line, but even the collateral branches don't have many sons left. Grandmother always says Father has been too harsh on our own kin, harming harmony, which is why he has no sons. But Father told me that after Grandmother gouged out her eyes and cut off her ears, she suffered from headaches and bleeding wounds, unable to sleep night after night, enduring this torment for over a decade before it finally passed. Having witnessed Grandmother endure such suffering in his childhood, he still feels hatred whenever he recalls it."
Shao Shang remained silent for a long time, so long that Wan Qiqi thought she had fallen asleep, before finally hearing her ask, "Were your grandfather and grandmother very close?" In this era, widows remarrying was truly commonplace, especially since Old Madam Wan had been young, beautiful, and possessed a substantial dowry at the time.
This time, even Wan Qiqi stayed quiet for a long while before answering, "I never met Grandfather, but Grandmother said that although she came from humble origins, Grandfather never looked down on her. He always respected and adored her, marrying her with full propriety, and called her the finest woman in the world. For those words of his, she would have willingly sliced her own flesh piece by piece without fear."
After these words, both girls lay quietly on their backs, silent for a long while.
Shao Shang murmured softly, "...If a lord treats me as a scholar of the state, I will repay him as a scholar of the state."
Wan Qiqi turned and leaned against Shao Shang's shoulder, crying quietly until exhaustion finally lulled her into deep sleep.
The next morning, both girls woke with red-rimmed eyes. The difference was that Shao Shang's swelling was hidden beneath her bruises, making it unnoticeable, while Wan Qiqi's eyes resembled two large peaches hanging on her face. Shao Shang quickly offered up the white jade jar gifted by Yuan Shen. The ointment inside was a pale red, exuding a subtle fragrance, and felt soothingly soft and comfortable when applied.
"Where did this ointment come from? It works even better than Father's wound medicine," Wan Qiqi remarked. In just half a day, the swelling around her eyes had completely subsided.
Shao Shang chuckled awkwardly. "It was given by my Third Aunt. I think it was presented to Sang Taigong by some disciple from White Deer Mountain."
Wan Qiqi nodded. "I see! ...Hmm, though it doesn't seem to work as well for you." Her dear sworn sister's face remained a mottled mess of bruises and swelling, like overnight soaked glutinous rice.
"..." Because someone couldn't tell the difference between external injuries and internal bruising! Clearly, Yuan Shen had never been in a fight as a child.
Just after breakfast, Shao Shang's three elder brothers arrived together.
Cheng Yong sincerely apologized to Old Madam Wan, saying their family had caused trouble for the Wans. Cheng Song dragged Wan Qiqi over to Madam Wan, regaling them with amusing marketplace gossip he'd heard, keeping them laughing nonstop. Cheng Shao Gong brought Shao Shang a full bundle of snacks and a self-drawn talisman he had just consecrated for his younger sister, instructing her to sleep with it under her pillow to see if it could reverse her recent streak of bad luck.
They also brought Shao Shang her clothes and other personal belongings, mentioning that Madam Xiao had tacitly allowed her to stay at the Wan residence for a few days. The wooden slips could be noted down for now, and she could slowly complete the punishment writing later.
With this, Shao Shang's last worry vanished, and she settled in peacefully. Aside from her injuries healing somewhat slowly, her days at the Wan household were practically perfect. Every day, she ate, slept, and spent time with Wan Qiqi, surrounded by luxurious silks, rare delicacies, and all manner of indulgent comforts. Even washing her feet involved four or five maids separately massaging each of her toes.Wan Qiqi also taught her gambling games, arrow pitching, and dice throwing... Sometimes when there weren't enough players, Wan Qiqi would even rope in some of Wan Songbai's older concubines. Everyone would laugh and joke around, occasionally getting so competitive they'd need Madam Wan to arbitrate—the family atmosphere was incredibly harmonious.
"Your stepmothers and aunts seem quite nice?"
Ever since arriving here, Shao Shang had secretly been hoping to witness some classic, authentic ancient wife-concubine drama. Unfortunately, the Cheng household simply didn't have concubines as a concept.
"What do you know? My mother treats them incredibly well, feeding them the finest food and drink, just hoping they'd give Father an heir. Pity though—when I was little, my stepmothers still had some ambition, but now they've all given up..." Wan Qiqi shook her head, expressing disappointment at her stepmothers' professional competence and enterprising spirit.
After sighing, she continued dragging Shao Shang off to play.
If the ice hadn't been too thin, she would've taken Shao Shang ice-skating. She even stole a jar of Wan Songbai's prized liquor, getting both girls thoroughly drunk. They also prepared several colorful roosters, planning to take Shao Shang to the cockfighting arena in the market once her face wasn't so swollen.
The two girls played with wild abandon, leaving Madam Wan on the verge of tears, worried that when Shao Shang returned home, Madam Xiao would discover her once merely mischievous but otherwise ignorant daughter had become well-versed in all manner of revelry after staying with their family.
Here, Shao Shang's disciplined adult soul showed its advantage. After several days of carefree fun, she suddenly asked Wan Qiqi for brush, ink, and wooden slips, resuming her daily routine of two hours reading and writing—she couldn't afford to forget the ancient script she'd just learned.
At first, Wan Qiqi tried forcibly dragging Shao Shang to play, but couldn't withstand her eloquent arguments.
"There are two kinds of friends in this world: one called 'fair-weather friends' who are good for eating and drinking with but useless in times of need; the other called 'true companions' who'll stand by you through thick and thin."
To be true companions, Wan Qiqi had no choice but to stand by—by studying alongside Shao Shang.
Madam Wan immediately stopped crying and hurried to tell her mother-in-law: Your wisdom is truly profound, visionary, ingenious, divinely gifted... before being impatiently shooed away by Old Madam Wan.
Still, Shao Shang had moments alone.
Though not particularly social, Madam Wan occasionally needed to take Wan Qiqi to banquets. During these times, Shao Shang would wander aimlessly through the mansion, curiously exploring the ancient-style architecture. What fascinated her most was a small wooden bridge.
This arched bridge was barely over ten feet wide and seventy to eighty feet long, rising high like a new moon rainbow. Entirely wooden without a single iron nail or copper wedge, it relied entirely on the carpenter's superb skill and precise calculations—varying lengths and widths of timber interlocking perfectly in layered crisscross patterns.
Once while chatting with the Wan household steward, Shao Shang learned that during the previous Bu clan rebellion investigation, soldiers searching the property had damaged this delicate bridge, leaving it unstable. Yet its intricate craftsmanship made it impossible for ordinary carpenters to repair piecemeal—the steward said it would need complete dismantling and rebuilding.Shao Shang sighed inwardly, feeling it was a pity. That afternoon, while resting alone, she suddenly had an idea. Her thirst for knowledge flared up, and she quickly threw on her clothes, dismissed her attendants, and cautiously crawled under the bridge to investigate. The stream beneath the bridge was less than half a foot deep, with a thin layer of ice covering the slow-moving water. The colorful pebbles at the bottom were faintly visible, suggesting the bridge and stream were originally meant for ornamental purposes.
Curling up, arching her back like a monkey, and straining to lift her head, Shao Shang reached up to touch the crucial joints of the bridge. After a while, she smiled faintly. There was no need to trouble a craftsman to dismantle it—just removing a few small wooden pins would cause the bridge to collapse on its own in no time. Rebuilding it would be easy too, as she could now draw the bridge's structural diagram exactly as it was!
Just as she was reveling in her cleverness, Shao Shang suddenly heard heavy footsteps on the bank above her. She immediately realized a group of people was approaching. Feeling awkward, she thought about how strange it must seem to her hosts—a guest covered in dirt, crawling under their bridge and fumbling around. After some hesitation, she decided to stay put and wait for them to leave before climbing out.
The group walked slowly, their voices growing closer. The first to speak was Wan Songbai, with his boisterous laughter:
"...Lord Ling, you jest! Everyone knows Wan here has a lifelong love for beautiful women and treasures. What would I know about paintings and diagrams? No, no, absolutely not, hahaha..."
Then came the cool, measured voice of a young man: "Since Marquis Wan says there are none, then there are none. However, yesterday I heard you had arranged a game of cuju with Official Wang. I suppose your leg ailment has improved..."
The footsteps by the bank suddenly stopped. Wan Songbai let out a few forced chuckles, but Shao Shang could tell his laughter lacked sincerity.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she mentally screamed, Hurry up and leave! I don’t want to hear anything I shouldn’t! What’s with the leg? Can’t a man recover and want to play ball?!
Fortunately, the group only paused briefly before moving on, their steps now hurried as they quickly departed. Shao Shang faintly caught Uncle Wan saying, "Lord Ling, please follow me," but the rest of their conversation was too quiet to hear.
Once they were gone, Shao Shang swiftly crawled out from under the bridge, brushed off the dirt, and hurried back to her room to erase any evidence of her mischief.
The scare had effectively ruined her nap. After washing up, she changed into a riding suit with folded sleeves and a wide skirt, cinched at the waist, planning to head to the equestrian field to practice the horsemanship skills her thirteenth sister had recently taught her.
The old stablehand thoughtfully brought out the gentle mare Shao Shang usually rode, fitting it with a brand-new, beautiful saddle. She admired the gleaming brass buckles on the stirrups before happily leading the horse away herself, dismissing the stablehand.
The equestrian field in the Wan family’s backyard wasn’t large, and judging by Uncle Wan’s belly, it didn’t see many visitors. Leading the horse into the field, Shao Shang stepped onto the stirrup with her left foot, leaped up, and landed gracefully in the saddle—a textbook-perfect mount. Though her body appeared frail, her coordination was decent. Just as she was feeling pleased, she realized something was wrong the moment she settled into the saddle.
The new saddle hadn’t been adjusted to her leg length, and once seated, she found her feet couldn’t reach the stirrups.
It was a common beginner’s mistake.Shao Shang deeply felt that this was not right. Riding a horse was not like riding a bicycle—if the brakes failed, you could still plant your feet on the ground. Horseback riding carried significant risks. If she didn’t want to end up paralyzed for life, she would have to be much more careful in the future.
With her feet dangling in the air, she could only grip the horse’s belly tightly with her thighs to avoid losing her balance. Fortunately, the little mare was gentle and well-behaved. As long as its rider remained still, it stood obediently in place, occasionally kicking its hooves or snorting.
After sitting stiffly in the saddle for a long while, Shao Shang slowly leaned to one side, stretching her left foot down to reach the stirrup, intending to dismount and adjust the leather strap before riding again. Just as she shifted her weight halfway, she suddenly noticed an eerie silence around her. Lifting her head, she was instantly drenched in cold sweat, nearly toppling off the horse in fright.
At the entrance of the riding field stood a group of people—still a dozen or so guards with crossbows and quivers, swords at their waists. But today, they weren’t clad in black robes and armor. Instead, they wore snow-white knee-length robes paired with brown leather armor, silently surrounding the figure they called ‘Lord Ling.’
According to Wan Qiqi’s rather muddled introduction: This man was named Ling Buyi, courtesy name Zisheng, a trusted confidant of the Emperor. One of his official positions was Deputy Commandant of the Palace Guard, leading the Left Cavalry Battalion of the Feather Forest Guard, while also commanding the Yue Cavalry of the Northern Army’s Five Divisions. Additionally, he held the title of Palace Attendant, granting him access to the imperial court.
And so on.
—Memorizing these convoluted titles had nearly cost Wan Qiqi her sanity, and Shao Shang expressed great admiration for the effort.
Today, he wore a narrow-sleeved, cross-collared curved robe—a deep red as vivid as blood, embroidered with intricate dark golden patterns of the Prison Ox. Over it, he draped a wide-sleeved outer robe of the same color, leaving his right arm exposed, cinched at the waist with a black, gold-threaded belt five fingers wide. The wind swept up dust from the field, billowing the hem of his robes like rolling waves of crimson.
Shao Shang had never seen a man wear such a deep, fiery shade of red. Against the backdrop of swirling yellow sand and reddish earth, his jade-white skin and striking features exuded a breathtaking beauty.
Ling Buyi stepped forward slowly from among his guards, walking step by step toward the girl half-dangling from the horse.
Shao Shang was mortified.
At this moment, she couldn’t decide whether to climb up or dismount. Combined with the eerie atmosphere, even her quick wit failed her, leaving her momentarily at a loss.
By the time Ling Buyi reached the horse, Shao Shang was about to force a laugh and exchange a few pleasantries to ease the tension. But before she could, the tall, handsome man wordlessly extended his right hand to support her slender waist.
Shao Shang stiffened in shock, watching helplessly as that large, pale, and elegant hand nearly encircled half her waist—Heavens above! She desperately needed Director Xiao to educate her on proper etiquette right now! Was—was this even appropriate?!
Before she could react, Ling Buyi exerted a slight force, pushing her tilted body back upright.
Dazed, Shao Shang sat properly in the saddle again, her heart still racing. Then she watched as Ling Buyi bent down to adjust the stirrup’s leather strap, casually asking, “Are you surnamed Wan or Cheng?”
Clutching the reins tightly, Shao Shang stared fixedly at his jet-black hair. Her still-functioning intuition warned her that it was best not to let Ling Buyi know who she was. She forced a strained smile. “...The Wan and Cheng families are as close as lips and teeth. The younger generations treat each other as siblings...”
Ling Buyi said, “Ah, so you’re surnamed Cheng.”
Shao Shang: “...”Ling Buyi adjusted one side of the leather belt before slowly moving to the other side to continue unfastening it. He then asked, "The Cheng family has three brothers, each with their own children. Which one is your father?"
Shao Shang continued her desperate struggle, forcing a dry laugh as she replied, "Brothers are close, so what difference does it make whose child I am..."
Ling Buyi said, "Hmm, so you're General Cheng's daughter."
Shao Shang: ...Then why did you even ask me!
With both sides of the leather belt adjusted, Ling Buyi raised his head and looked directly at the girl on horseback. He was very tall, standing on the ground yet still able to meet her eyes at level. This time, Shao Shang finally got a clear look at his face.
—Sword-like eyebrows slanted sharply toward his temples, eyes bright as stars, a nose like a mountain ridge, his demeanor elegant yet unrestrained. Though his face wore a smile, his entire being exuded an aura of desolation and solemnity. He was young, much younger than she had imagined. She had assumed someone with an official rank similar to Uncle Wan's would be much older, but now it seemed he was probably around the same age as Yuan Shen.
Gazing at the wary girl, he gave a faint smile. "Earlier, how much of my conversation with Marquis Wan did you hear?"
A chill ran through Shao Shang's heart—he had indeed noticed her hiding under the bridge! Struggling to remain composed, she answered in the most sincere tone she could muster, "Only two sentences! You asked Uncle Wan if his leg ailment had improved. That's all, truly, nothing else!"
Ling Buyi studied her intently as he pulled the stirrup toward him with one hand and gently guided her ankle into it with the other.
The girl was delicate and youthful, like a dainty, charming little bird. Even through her knee-high riding boots, he could easily encircle her slender calf with his hand. Then, he slowly tightened his grip. "The ice hasn't melted yet. What were you doing down there?"
Shao Shang could feel her leg being firmly grasped, a sensation so terrifying it was as if she were trapped in the jaws of a beast, its massive, sharp teeth ready to tear into her flesh at any moment.
Trembling, she replied, "I was looking at the bridge, really! I was studying how the timber underneath was constructed. You have to believe me! It's the truth!" She knew it sounded far-fetched—how many ancient people could understand the great spirit of engineering?—but every word was true. She had rarely been this sincere in her life!
Ling Buyi gazed at her for a long time. Suddenly, he recalled that night at the lantern festival, where fireworks lit up the sky in dazzling colors, and the crescent-moon-like little girl had also looked up with boundless curiosity, intently observing the revolving lanterns of various shapes.
He smiled slightly. "You might not believe this, but I actually do believe you."
Shao Shang: ...He was right—she really didn't believe him.
Once the initial terror subsided, Shao Shang's mind began racing: Should she scream for help? If she did, would anyone arrive in time to rush past those armored, sword-bearing guards before Ling Buyi crushed her to death?
As for why Ling Buyi would want to crush her to death, she had no idea. But it never hurt to prepare for the worst.
Just as her thoughts spiraled wildly, Ling Buyi unexpectedly stopped speaking. He moved to the other side and placed Shao Shang's other foot into the stirrup. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he walked away. In moments, he and all his guards had vanished without a trace.
The yellow sand on the riding field stirred faintly, carrying with it a few withered leaves blown in from distant courtyards. The surroundings were so tranquil it was as if nothing had happened at all. Shao Shang remained frozen for a long while, only snapping out of it when her good-natured mare impatiently kicked up a cloud of dust.What a shame. She loved the Wan family so much—there was no Director Xiao to nag her, no scandal-prone nephews in the household, and she even had a like-minded Thirteenth Sister who could indulge her whims and keep her company. Every day was carefree and delightful, and she had originally planned to stay longer. But now, she felt it was best to return home.
Shao Shang wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and guided her horse at a leisurely pace, slowly circling the riding grounds—
Years of mingling in the streets had given her one invaluable skill: an animal-like instinct to sense danger and avoid it, honed without any formal teaching.
Yuan Shen was not someone to provoke, but after meeting him a few times and growing familiar, she could occasionally push her luck—just a little.
But Ling Buyi? Absolutely off-limits. Provoking him would lead to disaster. With him, it was best to be polite, polite, and then even more polite.
After pondering for a long while, Shao Shang suddenly grew puzzled. To be honest, Ling Buyi was the most handsome man she had ever seen, truly possessing looks that could topple cities. And she certainly wasn't destined to be a nun—so why hadn't she felt the slightest bit of romantic flutter earlier?
It wasn't until she had circled around nine times and touched her own face that she had an epiphany: she still had a swollen face like a pig's head at that moment! How could there be any romantic feelings in such a state?
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