Chapter 19

Her heart leaped into her throat. Not daring even to breathe too loudly, she peeked through the slit in the window.

The sunlight had just slipped behind the dark clouds, and the golden glow that had bathed Xie Yan slowly faded away. He was now concealed in the shadows, his expression somber, unreadable.

She listened as he scooped the soup, the trembling clink of porcelain against ceramic echoing clearly. Jiang Yunchan’s heart raced in time with the sound.

After a long silence, he lifted his lashes and let out a soft, low chuckle. "If even you do not know, how could I?"

Xie Yan meant that even Lu Chi, who was in charge of the case, could not find Gu Huaizhou. There was no hope left for Gu Huaizhou’s return. If that were the case, where could Jiang Yunchan possibly go?

Lu Chi sighed inwardly, feeling regret—first for Jiang Yunchan, and second for his own failure in the case, which would soon bring punishment from the Emperor.

"In all honesty, your eyes and ears are everywhere in the capital. Even when your eldest brother went to the border, you were fully aware of his every move. Do you truly not know a single thing about Gu Huaizhou’s whereabouts?"

Outside the window, Jiang Yunchan found Lu Chi’s question quite reasonable. She couldn't help but step forward, pressing her ear against the window lattice.

At that moment, a rough, calloused hand grabbed her wrist. It was Mother Xu, who was in charge of the young master’s daily needs. Without a word, she dragged Jiang Yunchan deep into the bamboo grove. Jiang Yunchan wanted to keep eavesdropping but feared being discovered by those inside. Terrified to make a sound or struggle, she could only let herself be led away.

Two figures flitted past the window in an instant. Xie Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, easily catching the anomaly.

After a brief pause, a mysterious smile played on his lips. "I have distinguished guests this evening, Brother Lu. You should head back now."

"No rush. Let me stay for lunch; it’s been a long time since I’ve had the roast duck from your private kitchen." Lu Chi remained seated, still hoping to wring some information about Gu Huaizhou out of Xie Yan—even the smallest clue would suffice.

Xie Yan, however, made a gesture of invitation, ushering him out of the room, and ordered his guard, Fufeng, "Bring two roast ducks for Brother Lu."

"Wait, I haven't finished what I was saying..." Lu Chi was half-pushed, half-coerced out of the room. He clicked his tongue and sighed, "What distinguished guest? Don't tell me a celestial maiden is coming to visit tonight! Tsk!"

Lu Chi walked out of the Emerald Bamboo Grove, sullenly carrying his two roast ducks.

At that time, Jiang Yunchan was being pressed into a seat in the Bamboo Pavilion by Mother Xu. Once she saw that Lu Chi had gone far away and the coast was clear, Mother Xu lowered her voice: "Jiaojiao, your 'hard-to-get' act these past two days worked well. The young master has truly taken an interest in you. He was even punished last night for protecting you! Eunuch Deng is very pleased with you."

Mother Xu pressed a ruby hairpin into Jiang Yunchan’s hand. Hearing this, Jiang Yunchan guessed that Mother Xu was the one sent from the palace to monitor the Loulan dancer. Glancing at the tips of the woman's shoes, she saw traces of kitchen ash.

Not daring to let her guard down, she mimicked the graceful, alluring posture of the dancers and bowed to thank Mother Xu for the reward.

Seeing that she was indeed teachable, Mother Xu patted her hand. "Eunuch Deng’s meaning is that 'playing hard to get' can be overdone. It has been three days; it is time for you to consummate the marriage with the young master."

Jiang Yunchan’s head buzzed, and she took a half-step back.

Those who came from the palace were worldly wise. Seeing her resistance, Mother Xu’s face darkened immediately. "Do not forget the Emperor’s expectations for you!"

"Back in the Music Academy, you were the most flirtatious and ambitious of them all! Why have you become so timid here in the Leisure Cloud Courtyard?" Mother Xu pinched Jiang Yunchan’s arm hard and commanded, "Whatever you are thinking, serve the young master obediently tonight! Otherwise, I will have no choice but to let Eunuch Deng take you to the palace to face the Emperor!"

How could a mere dancer have the qualifications to see the Emperor? She feared that if she provoked the imperial wrath, she would be sent straight to the underworld. Even if she didn't die, her identity would be exposed, and she would face endless trouble.

Jiang Yunchan felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into the role of the Loulan dancer, unable to pull herself out. Dazed, she could only nod to appease the woman.

Back in her side room, she still had no plan. As the sun set behind the mountains, Xia Zhu brought in a pot of wine. "Miss, the kitchen sent over a pot of Plum Blossom Brew, saying it was a gift from the palace!"

"Shall I pour you a cup to taste?" Xia Zhu reached for the cups. Jiang Yunchan quickly pressed her hand down and shook her head.

This wine was likely Mother Xu’s way of forcing her hand. The people from the palace were constantly watching her every move; as long as she did not consummate the marriage, she would never have freedom. If so, how could she find the time to search for Gu Huaizhou?

Knowing that further delay would be useless, Jiang Yunchan picked up the wine and headed to Xie Yan’s room, planning to find a way to survive the night in the young master’s room and stall for time.

When she arrived at Xie Yan’s door, it was slightly ajar. Inside, the beaded curtains were half-drawn, shimmering with light. The tall, elegant young man stood at the desk, brush in hand. He wore white sleeping robes, loose and unconstrained, lacking his usual intimidating air, yet he still possessed an otherworldly, leisurely grace that made one loathe to disturb him.

Jiang Yunchan’s hand, holding the Peach Blossom Brew, trembled slightly.

Xie Yan’s brush paused. "Who is there?"

"Yo-Young Master!" Jiang Yunchan entered through the curtains under his steady gaze, placing the wine on the table. She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to bring herself to say the words "consummate the marriage."

Stiffly, she forced a topic: "I brought some wine for you. What are you painting, Young Master?"

The painting faintly outlined a woman’s face, though the features were not yet filled in.

"A portrait of Guanyin." Xie Yan’s eyes, filled with hidden meaning, looked at the Jiang Yunchan beside him. "I have a long-held wish in my heart that has yet to be fulfilled, so I wish to paint a Guanyin portrait to seek her protection. Unfortunately... the likeness of Guanyin is difficult to capture."

When Jiang Yunchan used to copy scriptures and worship Buddha at the Cixin Nunnery, she often ran into Xie Yan, who also came to pray. He was clearly well-versed in Buddhist rites. Jiang Yunchan, however, had only worshipped Buddha to avoid disaster and understood little of the dharma. She could only flatter him: "The Buddha is in the heart. The Guanyin in your heart is exactly what she looks like."

She rolled up her sleeves to grind ink for him. "Your painting skills are renowned in the capital. Might I have the honor of seeing your finished Guanyin?"

"You are too kind, it would be my honor," Xie Yan replied with a nod, continuing to paint.

Jiang Yunchan did not truly want to see the painting; she only wanted to stall for time so that when Mother Xu saw her staying in the young master’s room, she would stop monitoring her.

But things did not go as planned. Behind the banyan tree outside the window, a figure could be seen peeking in—it seemed Mother Xu was not yet willing to give up.

Was she really going to watch them consummate the marriage? Jiang Yunchan gritted her teeth inwardly, the circular motions of her ink-grinding speeding up.

Xie Yan glanced at the bubbles in the ink, a mysterious smile on his lips: "Are you tired? Why not go to bed?"

"Go to bed?!" Jiang Yunchan had "consummate the marriage" on her mind, and hearing this suddenly, she was so startled that the ink stick slipped from her hand. She shook her head: "Al-Although I am standing in for Lady Hu Jiaojiao, I would never dare to overstep my bounds!"

Perhaps because she was too nervous, tears welled up in her eyes, like pearls hidden in a shell, making one yearn to collect them.

Xie Yan reached out toward her, his hand nearly touching the corner of her eye. Jiang Yunchan stumbled back, her lips moving to refuse.

But Xie Yan’s hand only brushed past her shoulder, and he bowed slightly. "You misunderstand. I was just asking if you would like me to have someone escort you back to your room to sleep?"

"Ah?"

Jiang Yunchan bit her lip in embarrassment. She had overthought it! But she could not return now. She stammered, "I slept quite late yesterday, I am not tired yet."

"In that case, why don't you sit and have some snacks? It would be dull for you to just grind ink for me." Xie Yan gestured naturally to the food box on the left side of his desk.

Jiang Yunchan, desperate for a way to break the awkwardness, quickly agreed. She sat on the round stool to his left and opened the box. Inside were peach blossom cakes and pear nectar—exactly the things she usually loved to eat.

As she ate, she kept an eye on the activity outside. It was already the hour of the Pig (around 10 PM), and even the livestock in the manor had settled down, yet Mother Xu was still peeking into the room.

The ink was ground, the snacks were eaten—how could she justify staying any longer? As she pondered a countermeasure, a wide sleeve swept before her eyes.

Jiang Yunchan looked up to see Xie Yan pouring himself a cup of the Plum Blossom Brew, lifting it to his lips.

She quickly grabbed his sleeve, then realized how abrupt that was and let go. The wine Mother Xu had sent was certainly not anything good; Jiang Yunchan suspected it was a "warming wine" meant for the wedding night. How could she let him drink it?

"Young Master, drinking at night is bad for your health," she said softly.

Xie Yan stared intently at the ripples in the cup. The wine was a faint red, much like the girl’s flushed cheeks. He observed it with interest and said politely, "It is no matter! Since this is wine you brought, would it not be discourteous of me not to drink it?"

He covered his face with his sleeve, about to drain the cup.

"It’s a passion wine!" Jiang Yunchan was out of options. Gritting her teeth, she blurted it all out: "Mother Xu came to me today and said Eunuch Deng ordered: for me to, with you, with you..."

The words were stuck in her throat. But seeing Xie Yan waiting patiently, she closed her eyes and shouted: "The palace sent word—they want the dancer to consummate the marriage with you immediately!"