Hongyu went downstairs with a smile. Daiti quickly rose from the bed, changed into her morning gown, and rummaged through the wardrobe—ultimately selecting that Chinese-style gambiered Guangdong gauze cheongsam with a drip collar, elegant and dignified. She then tied up her long hair, twisting it into a bun at the nape of her neck and securing it with an emerald jade hairpin. After carefully applying her makeup in front of the mirror, she was about to head downstairs when, after a few steps, she paused as if lost in thought, then slowly sat down on a Western-style gilded chair nearby.
She sat for a while before going downstairs. Sure enough, she saw him sitting on the sofa in the large living room, his eyes closed as if dozing off. She was slightly taken aback, noticing how weary his handsome face looked and how much thinner he had become in the few days since she last saw him. Worried, especially since he had just recovered from a serious injury, she gently nudged him and whispered, "Fifth Brother."
Yu Changxuan opened his eyes, which were streaked with red veins. Daiti gazed at him and asked, "What’s wrong with you? You’ve lost so much weight." Yu Changxuan rubbed his temples, smiled at her, and said, "It’s nothing. I’ve just had a lot on my plate these past few days."
Daiti asked, "Is it because of the Jin-Yu merger?"
Her question caught him off guard, and he didn’t know how to respond, only nodding vaguely. Since government affairs were not something she could pry into, she smiled and said, "If you’re so busy, why come to see me?" Yu Changxuan replied, "Mother insisted I personally give you something."
He took out a brocade box, untied the satin ribbon, and revealed a phoenix-patterned pendant with exquisite color permeation resting on black velvet. The jade was pure white and lustrous, the coloration exceptionally beautiful, strung on a delicate gold chain. At a glance, it was clear the piece was extremely valuable. He looked at her with a slight smile and said, "This is specially for you from Mother. No one else has one."
He placed the pendant and the box in Daiti’s hands, but she pushed them away. Surprised, he looked at her. Daiti smiled faintly and said to him, "Put it on for me."
She sat beside him, turning her back to him. Yu Changxuan was momentarily stunned before finally picking up the dragon-and-phoenix pendant and fastening it around her fair neck. The cool gold chain slipped through his palm like flowing sand. As he slowly secured the clasp, his heart suddenly felt hollow.
After waiting for a long time without hearing him speak, she turned back to find him gazing intently at her. His dark pupils seemed to hold a magnet, drawing her in. Her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head, whispering shyly, "Silly, are you mesmerized?"
He snapped out of his daze, looking at her bashful expression, and added, "You look beautiful."
Daiti gave a delicate smile, the blush on her cheeks still lingering, and softly murmured, "I knew it must be beautiful, or you wouldn’t have been so captivated!" After saying this, she lowered her head again. Seeing her like this, he reached out and pulled her into his embrace. The living room was exceptionally warm, and beside the sofa stood a rosewood screen embroidered with a vibrant scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, so vivid it seemed almost alive.She leaned against his embrace; his iron-gray military uniform was stiff and anything but comfortable to rest on, yet the joy in her heart was beyond measure, brimming with delight that spilled from the corners of her eyes. She couldn’t suppress a smile and whispered softly, "Fifth Brother, I’m so happy. We’re about to get married."
Yu Changxuan’s arm suddenly stiffened. He remembered a day that seemed so long ago—when the biting chill of winter pierced through the window, yet the bedroom was as warm as spring. A pot of white jade hairpin flowers appeared gracefully before her eyes, the pure white blossoms like serene, untouched maidens. The corners of her lips lifted, her gaze soft as water, and he had tenderly said to her, "So beautiful."
He watched as she smiled, the delicate curve of her cheek like fragrant flower petals, a thousand charms swirling around her brows, her black hair cascading like a waterfall over the jade hairpin. He adored her deeply and drew closer, wrapping her in his arms, murmuring gently, "I’ve only ever heard of the qin and se playing in harmony, bringing nothing but peace and beauty!"
He still remembered the courtyard full of pear blossoms, the moonlight casting shadows of flowers across the ground. She, as if trapped in a nightmare, had sobbed to him, "Changxuan, you must stay, you must always be here. I’m afraid to be alone."
The ways of the world despise decline and change; all things shift like a flickering candle. A fickle husband, a bride as fair as jade; even the mandarin ducks know when to part, yet they see only the new one’s smile, never hearing the old one’s tears.
Suddenly, he felt dazed, unsure of where he was or what he was doing. Qixuan said he had gone mad—and indeed, he was mad. Now he was nothing but a trapped beast, ensnared tightly by his family. He recalled how his father had vigorously promoted the Jin-Yu alliance, and to show sincerity to Jiang Xueting of Yuzhou, he had stepped down and left Jinling. The look in his father’s eyes as he departed had been profound and meaningful.
His father had paved the way for him with his own political career.
He told himself, a true man acts according to the times. Now that the overall situation was settled, this was no time for the slightest misstep! One wrong move could mean losing everything. He had to tread carefully, step by step.
In the living room, only the two of them remained. Jun Daiti murmured in his arms, "Fifth Brother." He lifted his gaze to the window and said quietly, "Yes, we’re about to get married."
Not long after, they held their wedding—a grand and extravagant affair, filling the capital with dignitaries. Jiang Xueting, Chairman of the Yuzhou Government, even sent a congratulatory message, signaling that the Jin-Yu alliance advocated by the Yu family of Jinling was almost certain to succeed. Through these twists and turns, Chu Wenfu had long been sidelined, becoming a nominal Chairman of the National Government, while the Mu and Tao families suffered significant losses. Yu Changxuan firmly held military power, further strengthened by the Yu family’s private army. Jiang Xueting was the top figure in the party and, nominally, the primary leader of the Jinling Government. The Name Report aptly dubbed this grand wedding the "Golden and Jade Union."
By the window, a pot of white chrysanthemums swayed in the breeze. The curtains fluttered, carrying the cool touch of autumn against her face. Pingjun sat in a chair, her belly swollen as she neared childbirth. Her feet were completely swollen, unable to fit into shoes, and her soft slippers were misshapen and unsightly.The room was silent, the newspaper lying at her feet. Its pages were filled with Yu Changxuan and Jun Daiti's wedding coverage—a Western-style ceremony. He stood tall and handsome in a Western suit, while she wore a wedding gown of white georgette trailing to the floor, a delicate circlet of flower buds woven into her hair, and held a bouquet of vibrant roses, nestling demurely by his side. A perfect match, a pair of jade-like companions.
Jiang Xueting said to her, "He doesn't want you anymore. Don't you understand? Don't you get it?"
She remained silent, sitting and trimming her slightly overgrown nails with a nail clipper. The stillness was broken only by the crisp, lonely sound of clipping. The trimmed nails fell onto the newspaper on the carpet, bathed in golden sunlight, seeming almost warm and languid.
She looked up toward the windowsill and murmured softly, "It's October. The chrysanthemums are in bloom."
Jiang Xueting was puzzled by her sudden remark when she added, "Rather wither fragrant on the branch than dance with yellow leaves in the autumn wind. These chrysanthemums are truly beautiful." She turned to him with a gentle smile, its warmth glowing in the golden light, exquisitely lovely.
His heart stirred, and he whispered, "Pingjun, once the child is born, I'll take you both to Fusang. The three of us can live a good life there."
She seemed dazed. "The three of us…"
He walked over, wrapped his arms around her, and said tenderly, "Yes, you, me, and the child—our family of three."
Pingjun leaned into his embrace, languid as a cat basking in the sun, not moving a muscle. Head bowed, she carefully clipped her nails. Jiang Xueting noticed her expression was remarkably calm. Her body radiated warmth, carrying a sweet, milky fragrance like that of an infant, slowly drifting into his senses and unsettling his heart.
As soon as Jiang Xueting descended the stairs, he saw Zhou Zhenghai waiting in the hall below with a woman around forty. Zhou Zhenghai approached him and said, "Dean Jiang, as you instructed, this is the midwife recommended by Dr. Xie."
Jiang Xueting glanced at the woman, who looked anxious. He said coolly, "After the child is born, you know what to do, right?"
The midwife hurriedly nodded. "Yes, once the baby is delivered, I'll say its neck was wrapped in the umbilical cord and it couldn't survive. Don't worry, Dean Jiang, I'm very reliable. There won't be any mistakes."
Irritated by her verbosity, Jiang Xueting turned to Zhou Zhenghai. "Let her stay here. Arrange a room for her." An aide-de-camp stepped forward to escort the midwife to the back. Zhou Zhenghai moved closer and said, "Dean Jiang, Golden Mausoleum has sent representatives again. They're really showing their sincerity."
Jiang Xueting's gaze wavered slightly before he replied with a faint smile, "They truly are persistent!"Zhou Zhenghai noticed the hint of mockery in Jiang Xueting's tone, yet the indecision was clearly written all over his face. Seizing the opportunity, he stepped forward to advise, "If the Golden Mausoleum side agrees to your demands—establishing a Central Special Committee with Dean Jiang as its head—this could curb the Yu family's autocratic dominance. Then, the merger of Golden Mausoleum and Yu wouldn’t exactly be..." He paused, glancing at Jiang Xueting with a smile. "Besides, Dean Jiang now holds such esteemed prestige within the party—who would dare offend you? The Yu family in Golden Mausoleum has long desired to reconcile with you. Why not give them a way to save face?"
Jiang Xueting finally lifted his gaze to look at his right-hand man, listening to his words, and suddenly gave a faint smile. "If you put it that way, there is some logic to it." Zhou Zhenghai, however, glanced upstairs and said slowly, "Dean Jiang, there’s something I must say. The person upstairs is likely to become a rift between you and that Fifth Master of the Yu family. It’s a very tricky situation."
Without a second thought, Jiang Xueting replied expressionlessly, "What’s so tricky about it? There’s no need for you to remind me—I have my own plans. Yu Changxuan has long believed her dead. Once she gives birth, I’ll send someone to take her to Fusang."
Zhou Zhenghai quickly nodded, offering an ingratiating smile. "Actually, there’s no need to send Miss Ye so far away. I have an idea that could ensure she stays peacefully by your side, Dean Jiang."
Jiang Xueting asked, "What idea?"
Zhou Zhenghai chuckled. "It’s a crude method, but effective—one that’s been used since ancient times. In Yuzhou, many old-fashioned families, to keep their sons from causing trouble, would coax them into smoking opium. Once they’re addicted, it becomes much easier to manage."
Jiang Xueting was slightly taken aback, turning to look at Zhou Zhenghai with a trace of hesitation in his eyes. Zhou Zhenghai smiled and continued, "A living person like Miss Ye—how can you keep her confined? Besides, what’s the point of locking her up? It’s better to make her wholeheartedly devoted to you, so life can be more comfortable. Don’t you agree, Dean Jiang?"
When he left, she was still trimming the nail on her right pinky. The room was empty, save for her alone. Dust motes danced in the sunlight streaming through the window. With a soft "snap," the tip of her nail broke off, and a bead of red blood welled up from the cuticle. Slowly, she set down the nail clippers and, as if unable to see clearly, held her finger up to the light. A drop of crimson blood dripped from her fingertip... Her eyes held a dazed confusion, as if recalling a dream—a distant dream, like something from a past life. In that dream, there was a courtyard with several pear trees in bloom, and moonlight streaming through the window.
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