Jiafu remained silent, her head still bowed.
Zhang Fengtong continued to hold her hand. "Sister Zhen, I've heard a little about you and the Heir Apparent. He is truly a dragon among men, rare in this world, and his devotion to you runs deep. I've never seen him care for any woman the way he cares for you..."
She paused. "When the Heir Apparent brought you here from your home, you must have been frightened along the way, which led to misunderstandings. He truly didn't wish to treat you this way, but he had his reasons. In time, you'll understand. You must know that everything he's done stems from love. I was fortunate enough to be betrothed to him, yet because of me, he has remained unmarried all these years with no one to care for him. Whenever I think of this, I'm filled with regret. When I learned of his affection for you, I was overjoyed. Though I may lack virtue and status, I do have some capacity for tolerance. If you agree now, you'll never be mistreated. When the time is right, who else would deserve the position of concubine but you? In the future, we can be as close as sisters, serving the Heir Apparent together and sharing in prosperity. Wouldn't that be wonderful? If you have any concerns or need assistance, you need only tell me. I will do everything in my power to help you."
Having said this, she smiled at Jiafu.
Jiafu remained silent, and the room grew heavy with an awkward tension.
Zhang Fengtong gave a light cough and was about to speak again when Jiafu suddenly withdrew her hand from hers and lifted her head.
"Sister Zhang, your visit honors me greatly. But I'm slow-witted and didn't understand much of what you said, except for the word 'concubine.' Are you suggesting I become the Heir Apparent's concubine? Though my family is of the merchant class and low in status, my mother taught me from childhood that it's better to be a poor man's wife than a nobleman's concubine. My mother often reproached herself for refusing to allow my father to take concubines, believing it a failing in wifely virtue. Fortunately, far from blaming her, my father cherished her all the more. From the day he married her, he remained devoted to her alone, treating her with respect and harmony, always in step with her. I remember once as a child overhearing my father tell her in private that even if she had such thoughts, he wouldn't accept another woman. Though there are many women in the world, his heart held only love and respect for her—how could he bear to wrong her with another?"
Zhang Fengtong's smile remained, but her dignified expression stiffened slightly.
Jiafu, however, smiled—a smile both innocent and lovely. "Sister Zhang, though I've only been here a few days, I've already heard of your virtuous reputation. Your words just now have given me even greater insight. You truly are a model among women, someone I look up to. That night, I had no idea the nobleman who had me brought here was the Heir Apparent. I was afraid those women were abducting me into some terrible fate, so I tried to escape. Had they told me clearly it was the Heir Apparent, I wouldn't have run. For someone of my background to gain the Heir Apparent's favor and meet someone as magnanimous as you, Sister Zhang, would indeed be a blessing. But when I think of my mother's earnest teachings, I don't know what to do. Besides, this concerns my entire future. If I agree without my family's consent, people might later laugh at me for an illicit union."
The lobes of Zhang Fengtong's ears began to flush faintly red, and she raised a hand to touch the earrings dangling beside them.Jiafu frowned, showing a troubled expression. "But I truly admire your demeanor, Sister Zhang. Seeing you makes me feel so close to you, and I just want to get to know you better..."
Suddenly, she let out a soft "ah" and smiled. "Although my family is far away in Quanzhou and it's inconvenient to send messages, fortunately, I have my elder cousin here! Why don't you go back first, Sister Zhang? Once I've asked my cousin's opinion, if he agrees, I'll say yes!"
Zhang Fengtong had known since childhood that her looks were ordinary, so she worked hard to cultivate her virtues to compensate. With the deliberate promotion from the Zhang family, she became widely known by her teens and, living up to her family's expectations, was betrothed to Xiao Yintang, the Heir Apparent of the King of the Clouds. Over the years, she had met Xiao Yintang several times. She had fallen for him at first sight, but his attitude toward her was always cold and indifferent. Aware that even his maids were more beautiful than her, she didn’t lose heart after being slighted. Instead, she secretly planted informants in his household and gradually uncovered some hidden truths. Last year, when Xiao Yintang visited her family in Chuxiong to pay respects to the elders, she seized the opportunity to meet him privately again. She bared her heart to him, expressing her willingness to be a virtuous wife and promising to support his ambitions fully in the future. After that, Xiao Yintang’s attitude toward her finally softened, and the two gradually became more familiar.
A few days ago, Zhang Fengtong suddenly received a letter from Xiao Yintang, telling her about a girl surnamed Zhen from Quanzhou and asking her to meet the girl on his behalf to persuade her to agree. Eager to please him, Zhang Fengtong dared not refuse, hence her visit today. The moment she laid eyes on this Zhen family girl, her heart felt as if it had been scratched by a cat’s claws. Hearing Jiafu mention her parents felt like being pricked by a needle, making her suspect that the girl was subtly mocking her. But as she listened further, Jiafu’s words seemed so innocent—perhaps the earlier remark had been unintentional, merely touching a sore spot. Torn between suspicion, embarrassment, and irritation, she suddenly heard Jiafu mention letting Pei You'an decide and snapped back to attention, hastily stopping her. "Sister Zhen, what I said earlier was just because I took a liking to you and wanted to confide in you as a sister. How could such private talk between sisters be shared with others? And certainly not with your cousin!"
Jiafu blinked, looking troubled. "But didn’t you say you wanted me to agree to follow the Heir Apparent? I don’t dare decide on my own."
Zhang Fengtong forced a smile. "It was just my hope. If you can’t make up your mind, then forget it. Would I ever force you to agree?"
Jiafu appeared relieved. "That’s good! I was just worrying about how to bring this up with my cousin—it would be so embarrassing!"
Zhang Fengtong’s tense heart slowly settled. From then on, she avoided mentioning the purpose of her visit, chatting idly with Jiafu before excusing herself on the pretext of other matters and taking her leave.
Jiafu warmly escorted her to the gate, promising to visit her in Chuxiong someday. She watched as Zhang Fengtong, with graceful poise, was helped into her carriage by her attendants. The door closed, and the entourage gradually disappeared from sight.As soon as the carriage departed, the smile on Jiafu's face vanished. She lowered her head and slowly made her way back to her room on the third floor of the round building. Halfway up the stairs, her steps grew so heavy they felt as if filled with lead, and she could climb no further. She stopped.
The dusk deepened, and a slanting ray of sunset streamed in through the square window at the stairway's turn, casting its light at Jiafu's feet.
She sat on the stairs, leaning against the wall, lost in thought.
Xiao Yintang had indeed not given up. He had even sent Zhang Fengtong to act as a mediator. Though she had managed to send him away just now, Jiafu reasoned that repeated rejections might only provoke Xiao Yintang further. He would never let this go.
Although Pei You'an was protecting her now and had promised to help, she couldn't stay under his watch indefinitely. Besides, Pei You'an had his own affairs to attend to and couldn't shield her forever. Sooner or later, she would be sent back to Quanzhou. Once she was out of Pei You'an's sight, even if Xiao Yintang didn't resort to kidnapping again, he could easily employ other means to endanger her family. And that was without considering his future as the Crown Prince—or even as emperor.
When that time came, would she submit or not?
In her past life, despite all the intimacy she had shared with Xiao Yintang, she had never felt even a trace of genuine warmth in her heart from his touch.
He demanded obedience, excelled at taking, and reveled in the offerings of her beauty and body. Yet whenever he returned to her from other women, he would always soothe her with tender words, claiming she was the only one he loved—the others were mere tools in his eyes.
Unable to resist, and lacking the courage to endanger her family—whom he believed had perished in the chaos of war years ago—she had gradually come to believe his declarations. She was his most favored woman, and though she lived like the dead, though she knew his love had never moved her, she began to accept that perhaps he truly loved her, that his position left him no choice.
Only at the very end had she finally understood: what he truly loved was the feeling he derived from himself.
She had already squandered her past life in ignorance. Now, given a second chance, even if she remained just as powerless, she refused to waste it on the same man again.
But how could she completely free herself from his threat?
Her thoughts tangled in turmoil until, suddenly, an idea struck her.
She would cling to Pei You'an—marry him, bind herself to him. Only through such an unbreakable bond could she secure his lasting protection.
Jiafu wasn't entirely certain about the nature of Pei You'an and Xiao Yintang's relationship. If they were close friends, her marriage to Pei You'an would undoubtedly provoke Xiao Yintang's displeasure and strain their ties. Moreover, in her memories, Pei You'an in her past life had lived only to his thirties—barely seven or eight years from now.But she couldn't afford to consider Pei You'an's situation anymore, nor did she have time to think about long-term plans. Right now, Xiao Yintang was already pressing her step by step. She needed to figure out a way to cling to Pei You'an first—other matters could wait.
Jiafu's heart raced at this bold and reckless idea, as if struck by malaria—her body alternating between chills and fever, her hands clenched tightly together.
"Young mistress? What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
A sudden voice startled Jiafu, making her shiver. She looked up to see a maid ascending the stairs, her face filled with concern upon spotting Jiafu sitting there.
Jiafu shook her head, steadied herself, and stood up. She quickly climbed the stairs, entered her room, shut the door behind her, and leaned against it. Closing her eyes, she let out a long exhale.
Think of a way—quickly, think of a way. While there was still time, she had to figure out how to make Pei You'an marry her.
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