Youthful Glory

For a moment, Ming Tan truly wanted to step forward and embrace him. Yet as her fingertips twitched slightly, she restrained herself from reaching out and instead took a step back.

"Barging into someone's room in the middle of the night without warning—Your Highness doesn’t realize how frightening that is?" She averted her gaze, refusing to look at him, her voice stiff and cold.

"Mmm, my mistake."

Jiang Xu’s eyes remained deep and unwavering as he continued to stare straight at Ming Tan.

His immediate admission of fault left Ming Tan somewhat unsettled. After a long silence, she turned over and pulled up the embroidered quilt, lying on her side facing inward. "I’m going to sleep."

"Alright."

The next moment, the sound of rustling clothes came from the bedside.

…?

Ming Tan turned back, her eyes widening as she instinctively retreated further, her words stumbling. "Y-you—what are you doing? Why are you undressing?!"

Her retreat conveniently made space for Jiang Xu, who lay down on the outer side of the bed with utter naturalness and promptly closed his eyes.

Ming Tan was dumbfounded. She stared at him for a long while before finally reaching out to give him a push.

Jiang Xu’s brow furrowed slightly, and his elbow shifted.

Was he injured?

Without thinking, Ming Tan loosened her grip, her gaze drifting toward the injury.

"During the siege of Suiyang City, my left hand suffered a bone fracture. The conditions in the borderlands were limited, so the wound was hastily treated and hasn’t fully healed yet. But it’s nothing serious now—no need to worry." His voice was low and unhurried, his eyes still closed.

"……"

Who asked him? And who was worried?

Just as Ming Tan was about to retort, Jiang Xu added, "Actually, during the ambush earlier, an arrow came within half an inch of my heart. That was far more serious than the injury to my left hand. But it’s fine—I made it back alive, just as you wished."

"……"

How was she supposed to respond to that?

After a long pause, she silently shifted further inward, tacitly allowing him to occupy half the bed.

Jiang Xu never opened his eyes, only the faintest hint of a smile curling at the corners of his lips in the darkness.

……

The night passed without dreams.

Ming Tan had initially thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep at all. Yet somehow, after Jiang Xu lay down beside her, she drifted off unknowingly within moments.

When she awoke, the other side of the bed was empty, the sheets cool to the touch with no lingering warmth. Were it not for the rumpled folds in the quilt, she might have believed the previous night had been nothing more than an unusually vivid dream.

Hearing movement in the room, Suxin and Lǜ'e quickly entered to help Ming Tan wash and dress.

Both wore cheerful smiles, which puzzled Ming Tan. "What are you two grinning about?"

"Nothing, Miss. It’s just that we, as servants, are happy to see you and the Lord reconciled," Lǜ'e said brightly.

Ming Tan paused, snatching the sash from her hands. "Who said we’re reconciled?"

Suxin and Lǜ'e exchanged a glance but continued their tasks without addressing the remark.

After dressing Ming Tan, Suxin deftly changed the subject. "The Lord is practicing swordplay outside. He said he’d join you for breakfast once you woke."

"He’s injured—what’s he doing practicing swordplay?" Ming Tan blurted without thinking.

The two gave her knowing looks, as if to say—See? So concerned about the Lord, yet denying reconciliation.

Seeing their expressions, Ming Tan wanted to explain herself. But the more she tried, the more it seemed like she was protesting too much. Swallowing her words, she didn’t argue further, only instructing them to bring her breakfast to her room—and specifically requesting a light meal, porridge would suffice today.Yet she never expected that despite her obvious reluctance to share breakfast with a certain someone, that someone still entered the room, sat directly beside her, and even brought his own two steamed buns and a small dish of pickles.

"Would you like some?" Noticing Ming Tan's fixed gaze on his pickles and buns, Jiang Xu pushed the plate forward slightly.

Ming Tan immediately averted her eyes, stirring her porridge absentmindedly as she declined politely, "No need, Your Highness should enjoy them yourself."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu indeed began eating the pickles with his buns.

After a long silence, Ming Tan stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye.

After looking, Ming Tan: "..."

How could this man be like this? Did he really just come here to eat breakfast?

Ming Tan was so exasperated she nearly laughed. Her porcelain spoon scraped against the bottom of the bowl, scoop by scoop, until the white porridge nearly spilled over the rim.

Suddenly, she paused and couldn't help but say coldly, "I recall Your Highness prefers meat-filled buns for breakfast and dislikes plain steamed buns. There's really no need to force yourself."

"You remember I prefer meat-filled buns."

Ming Tan choked: "That's not the point. The point is—"

"It is important."

"You are important to me."

The room fell into silence again. Ming Tan set down her spoon and stood up, walking out without a word. Jiang Xu followed slowly behind her after a slight delay.

...

Since they had come under the pretense of checking the estate accounts, these accounts—whether real or fabricated—had to be reviewed.

Throughout the day, the estate steward accompanied them, showing Ming Tan around the property before bringing out the account books from the past two years for her to examine.

Jiang Xu followed quietly the entire time. When the account books were delivered, he occasionally flipped through one as well. Ming Tan paid him little attention but didn't drive him away either.

As dusk fell and they left the steward's residence, Ming Tan walked ahead, suppressing her anger as she spoke to Jiang Xu behind her: "Your Highness need not worry. Since you've said that as long as I remain Princess Consort Dingbei for a day, Jing'an Marquis Manor will be protected for a day, then for the sake of the manor, I will fulfill my duties as princess consort. Once the estate accounts are settled, I will naturally return to the residence. Your Highness truly need not waste your time here."

"I don't consider it a waste of time."

"But I do!"

Ming Tan finally couldn't hold back. This man had chased after her from afar, arriving empty-handed without the slightest show of sincerity. If he had something to say to her face, she had given him plenty of opportunities to speak. Yet he remained like a moving block of wood, standing silently beside her without uttering a word.

Back then, Shu Er had been so silver-tongued that she had nearly believed him. Why was this man now so devoid of words? Couldn't he at least repeat what he'd said before? Was his silent presence meant for her to decipher his already minimal expressions and infer his meaning on her own?

All she wanted was for him to expend a little more effort, to explain everything to her from start to finish in his own words. Even if marrying her had been part of a scheme, even if the Emperor had wanted to reclaim military authority from her father and he had known yet stood by indifferently—if only he would explain a little more, admit if he was wrong, apologize, and coax her... She had loved him so much. Perhaps she might have forgiven him?

The more Ming Tan thought about it, the angrier she became: "Stop following me! I won't like you anymore!"

"Won't you?"

"No!"

"Then why did you include the Wuheng Jade in your family letter?"

"That was my brother acting on his own. What does it have to do with me?" Ming Tan had prepared this excuse long ago when sending the jade token.Jiang Xu didn’t intend to dwell on this point with her and asked instead, “Then why did you go to Lingmiao Temple to pray for my safe awakening and smooth return to court?”

“How did you know that!” Ming Tan turned around, her face filled with astonishment.

“I also know that Princess Consort Dingbei is devoutly devoted to Buddhism. When news of my awakening and crossing the Yue River reached the capital, Princess Consort Dingbei personally visited Lingmiao Temple to fulfill her vow, donating golden statues to all the temple’s deities.”

Ming Tan was so shocked she couldn’t speak.

She had no idea that every time she went to Lingmiao Temple to pray, her murmurs had been overheard by a young novice in the side hall’s library.

This novice was a disciple of Master Huiyuan. After Suiyang was captured, Master Huiyuan sent a letter to Jiang Xu, recording every word Ming Tan had uttered, which was then delivered to Jiang Xu.

“Buddha must bless my husband to awaken safely. If my wish is granted, this devotee vows to abstain from meat for three years… No, three years of vegetarianism might be too difficult for me, and it might harm a woman’s health. Instead, I’ll offer to gild Buddha’s statue. If my wish is granted, I vow to donate golden statues to all the deities in this temple.”

……

“Although my husband has awakened safely, I don’t know when he’ll return to the capital. There are still so many counties and towns in Rongzhou. I fear that after retaking Suiyang, he and his subordinates might grow complacent and underestimate the enemy, leading to unforeseen troubles. Please, Buddha, bless my husband to return to court smoothly. This devotee vows to replenish the temple’s incense oil and fund its repairs.”

……

Hearing this, Ming Tan staggered, her footing unsteady.

Even now, she stubbornly refused to admit her concern: “I hoped you’d awaken and return to court soon because—because I care about the Great Xian’s territory! I wanted the thirteen northern provinces reclaimed as soon as possible. If anything happened to you, it would—it would definitely affect morale! Don’t flatter yourself!”

Unnoticed, the sky had darkened. As soon as Ming Tan finished speaking, she realized she’d taken the wrong path. But with Jiang Xu following closely behind, she couldn’t admit to getting lost in her own estate. So she gritted her teeth and trudged forward through the waist-high crops, pretending to know the way.

In contrast, Jiang Xu moved effortlessly, keeping close behind her. Seeing her denial, he pressed further: “Then was it also my wishful thinking when you had the maids reserve a window seat at Huichun Tower today?”

……?

Ming Tan completely lost her balance. Her feet slipped in the mud, and with a thud, she fell backward.

Jiang Xu caught her swiftly.

Ming Tan stared wide-eyed, as if asking, “How do you even know that?”

But Jiang Xu didn’t answer. Instead, he held her from behind, leaning close to her ear, and said solemnly, “A Tan, when I first married you, I did deceive you, but it wasn’t as despicable as you imagine. Since I married you, I will protect you for life.

“All the mistakes of the past were mine. I won’t repeat them. I won’t let your loved ones face danger again, nor will I let you live in fear. Will you give me a chance?

“If there’s anything I’ve done poorly, I can change. I love you—I don’t know when it began, but I hope you’ll always be Princess Consort Dingbei. More than that, I hope you’ll always be Jiang Qizhi’s wife.”