Chapter 67: Main Text Conclusion

Chapter 67: The Story Concludes

Two quarters of an hour later, Xin He and Bai Xu arrived together to see Princess Jiahe.

Princess Jiahe was taken aback when she saw Bai Xu’s swollen, red eyes. Wasn't it said that true men don't cry easily? Could Bai Xu truly be this heartbroken?

Somehow, Princess Jiahe suddenly felt a pang of sympathy.

But in an instant, she suppressed this strange feeling and snapped at Bai Xu, "A man looking like this is pathetic. Go wash your face and change your clothes quickly."

Bai Xu also felt that he was indeed a mess at the moment, so after a brief word with Xin He, he went to wash his face first.

After he left, Xin He turned to look at Princess Jiahe.

Understanding her unspoken request, Princess Jiahe called Liu Ying and slid a box toward Xin He.

Last time, besides expressing her wish to see Bai Xu, Xin He had made one other request of Princess Jiahe.

The box opened to reveal about a dozen pills and a prescription.

Princess Jiahe said, "After you told me last time, I found the imperial physician who used to make pills for Prince Shouchun and obtained from him the male birth control pills he had made back then. The imperial physician said that if one pill is dissolved in water and taken before intercourse, it will be effective for twelve hours. However, all medicine has some toxicity. If these pills are taken over a long period, the man will eventually become infertile." At this point, Princess Jiahe paused. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Xin He took the box, her expression calm. "Yes."

She would not bear any more children for Wei Mingjin.

Seeing Xin He’s resolute attitude, Princess Jiahe said nothing more.

Afterward, they chatted for about another two quarters of an hour before Xin He rose to leave.

By the time she stepped outside, the rain had stopped.

Bai Xu escorted Xin He out, watching as the maids and servants helped her into the carriage. After the coachman drove the carriage away, Bai Xu’s eyes welled up with tears again.

Princess Jiahe found his appearance irritating. She flung her handkerchief at Bai Xu, her face full of disdain. "What kind of man cries so easily? If you have the guts, go win Xin He back."

"I’m useless," Bai Xu lowered his head, his expression filled with self-reproach.

Princess Jiahe suddenly felt as though she had punched a pillow. Stomping her foot angrily, she turned and left without looking back.

After leaving Princess Jiahe’s residence, Xin He felt somewhat tired and returned to the Wei household.

After changing into comfortable home clothes, Xin He called Jing Qiu in and handed her the prescription.

"When you have time, take this prescription to the pharmacy and have them make up some pills."

"Yes," Jing Qiu quickly took the prescription.

Xin He then placed the remaining pills from the box into a small ceramic vial and stored it in a small drawer on her vanity. After finishing all this, Xin He draped a light blanket over herself and reclined on the daybed to read. Midway, Ming Xia came in as if she had something to report, but seeing that Xin He had already fallen asleep, she quietly withdrew.

Wei Mingjin didn't return until dusk. As soon as he arrived, Feng Mo immediately reported that Xin He had gone to Princess Jiahe’s private residence that day.

After Princess Jiahe told Xin He that Bai Xu had come to the capital, Wei Mingjin had someone investigate and found out that Bai Xu was now staying at one of Princess Jiahe’s private residences.

Xin He’s specific visit to Princess Jiahe’s private residence today was clearly to see Bai Xu.

Although Wei Mingjin felt jealous, he ultimately only said, "I see."

Seeing him head toward the main courtyard, Feng Mo withdrew.

When Wei Mingjin returned, Xin He was getting ready for dinner.

Xin He always had three meals a day, religiously. She had breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at 2 p.m., and dinner at 5 p.m.

She would order the kitchen to prepare whatever she craved, never considering Wei Mingjin’s tastes or presence, nor would she wait for Wei Mingjin to return to eat together.

When Wei Mingjin stepped into the main room and saw the servants laying out the meal, he smiled and said, "It seems I’ve come back just in time to have dinner with He Niang."

"Are you sure you want to eat with me?" Xin He asked with a smile.

Wei Mingjin nodded firmly. "Yes."

Since returning to the Hanlin Academy, he had been buried in official work every day and often came back to find that Xin He had already eaten. Since he happened to catch her today, he naturally wanted to eat with her.

Xin He didn’t mince words with him. "In that case, go change your clothes."

Wei Mingjin immediately went into the inner room happily.

As soon as he left, Xin He turned and instructed Jing Qiu, "Go tell the kitchen to add two Sichuan dishes. Let them decide what to make, but I prefer them fresh, fragrant, spicy, and numbing."

Jing Qiu acknowledged and left.

Today, Wei Mingjin changed clothes extremely quickly. When he came out of the inner room and saw Xin He still sitting by the window reading, his expression lit up with happiness.

Xin He had indeed kept her promise.

"Since you’ve changed, let’s eat," Xin He closed her book and sat down at the round table.

When Wei Mingjin saw the spread of Sichuan dishes on the table, his expression froze.

He preferred light flavors and couldn't handle spicy food.

But the next moment, Xin He served him a piece of spicy and fragrant meat with her chopsticks.

"This is the new chef’s specialty dish. I find it extremely delicious. Try it," Xin He said, propping her chin in her hand as she looked at Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin didn’t move his chopsticks. Instead, he looked at Xin He and reminded her, "I can’t eat spicy food."

They had lived together for over three years, so Xin He knew this very well.

But Xin He smacked her chopsticks down, her expression turning cold. "But I love spicy food—the kind where I need it to enjoy my food. Wei Mingjin, you insisted on marrying me. Did you expect me to accommodate you for the rest of my life?"

"He Niang, that’s not what I meant, I…"

Xin He didn’t give Wei Mingjin a chance to explain. She directly interrupted him, "If you don’t want to eat, then we don’t need to share meals from now on. Ming Xia, tell the kitchen to prepare separate meals for him."

Ming Xia, who was waiting outside the curtain, was momentarily unsure of what to do. She instinctively looked at Wei Mingjin.

Wei Mingjin knew Xin He was deliberately making things difficult for him.

But after a moment of silence, he waved Ming Xia away and then looked at Xin He, giving in. "Alright, He Niang, don’t be angry. I’ll eat it."

Xin He immediately turned to see Wei Mingjin bringing the piece of meat to his mouth.

Wei Mingjin usually ate light food. As soon as the spicy and fragrant meat entered his mouth, it felt as if someone had suddenly set a fire in his mouth, burning his tongue and making it uncomfortable. He instinctively wanted to spit it out.

But when he looked up and met Xin He’s gaze, Wei Mingjin had no choice but to endure the discomfort and swallow the meat whole.

The fire in his mouth then traveled down his throat and burned all the way into his stomach.

Wei Mingjin took a few quick sips of tea, barely suppressing his discomfort, then put on a strained smile to humor Xin He: "It’s not bad."

"Since it's not bad, then eat more." With that, Xin He served more food into Wei Mingjin's bowl, piling it up like a small mountain.

The sight of those dishes alone made Wei Mingjin's stomach churn.

But it was rare for Xin He to put food in his bowl. Though he knew her intention was more about revenge, Wei Mingjin still pretended to be happy and ate.

At first, it was almost impossible to swallow.

But after eating more, Wei Mingjin had become numb from the spiciness.

Sitting across from him, Xin He watched as Wei Mingjin, clearly in pain, still pretended to be happy to please her. Instead of feeling the expected joy, she suddenly lost her appetite for the feast on the table.

Xin He put down her chopsticks and got up and left.

Wei Mingjin, who was in the midst of struggling with the meal, was stunned. By the time he looked up, Xin He had already reached the door and was saying to Jing Qiu, "I'm full. Come with me to the garden for a stroll."

As soon as Xin He left, Wei Mingjin immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks. After drinking several cups of tea, he finally felt the burning in his mouth and stomach start to subside.

While walking slowly in the garden with Jing Qiu, Xin He slowly pondered her future and hers with Wei Mingjin.

Even though she had to marry him, she would not become a dutiful wife and mother stuck in the inner quarters after marriage—she had her own aspirations.

As for her future with Wei Mingjin, Xin He had thought: since he insisted on marrying her, she would make him suffer slowly until he regretted it.

But after just one attempt today, Xin He found it utterly pointless and suddenly realized: she had many things she wanted to do. She should not waste her time and energy on hatred and tormenting Wei Mingjin. Focusing daily on how to torment him would only make her own character ugly.

So, rather than that, it was better to completely cast Wei Mingjin aside and focus solely on what she wanted to do.

From then on, Xin He no longer sought to trouble Wei Mingjin or find fault with him. She simply ignored him, devoting all her attention to her own affairs.

Xin He took over the Wei household’s internal management. Besides taking control of the household funds, she gradually brought in many of her trusted people.

When these people first entered the household, she told them clearly that in the entire Wei family, they only needed to be loyal to her.

Unlike the original servants of the Wei family, these people were personally selected by Xin He and naturally followed her orders without question.

Although Xin He took charge of the finances, she took no part in the preparations for her and Wei Mingjin's wedding.

When the household managers came to her for decisions, she directly told them to go to Wei Mingjin.

It was Wei Mingjin who wanted to marry her—why should she be responsible for the wedding preparations?

Wei Mingjin thought Xin He made sense, so he took charge of all the wedding preparations himself.

In her spare time, Xin He took her people to inspect her shops, houses, and lands one by one.

To show his regard for her, Wei Mingjin provided a lavish betrothal gift, giving Xin He nearly sixty to seventy percent of the estate left by Master Wei.

Xin He did not play the modest card. Since it was a betrothal gift for her, she accepted it all.

Afterward, whenever she had time, she would visit the various shops. If the shopkeepers and assistants performed well, she kept them; if not, she replaced them directly.

During her three years in the Wei household, Xin He had been like a caged bird kept in the inner chambers by Wei Mingjin. To prevent this bird from becoming bored and lifeless, Wei Mingjin taught her to read, write, and keep accounts. Xin He was hardworking and keen to learn, so now neither reviewing accounts nor managing affairs was beyond her.

Seeing this, the subordinates became even more wary and didn’t dare to cut corners with her.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was spring of the following year.

The auspicious day for Wei Mingjin and Xin He's wedding was set for the eighth day of the second month, an auspicious day for weddings.

Before the wedding, as it was considered bad luck for the bride and groom to meet, Xin He moved out of the Wei household and into one of the houses from the betrothal gift.

That night, after saying goodbye to Princess Jiahe and Bai Xu, Xin He bathed, changed clothes, and went to bed.

Jing Qiu lowered the bed curtains, extinguished the candles, and had just stepped out of the room when she was startled by a figure who suddenly appeared in the courtyard.

"Is she asleep?" asked Wei Mingjin, standing in the courtyard.

Jing Qiu nodded: "Yes. If you wish to see the mistress, shall I go and inform her?"

"No need." Wei Mingjin stopped her. "You may go. I'll just stand here for a moment and not disturb her sleep."

Hearing this, Jing Qiu bowed and returned to her room.

Even after returning, Jing Qiu felt uneasy and peeked out the window several times.

But true to his word, Wei Mingjin remained standing in the corridor and did not enter the room.

This puzzled Jing Qiu greatly.

They were to be married the next day. Why had Wei Mingjin come in the middle of the night only to stand in the courtyard freezing instead of going in to see Xin He?

But what Jing Qiu did not know was that Wei Mingjin had come tonight solely to ensure that Xin He was still there.

Although he knew that with the imperial edict for the marriage, Xin He could not possibly escape, and since she had moved here, his men had secretly secured the small courtyard tightly, making it impossible for her to escape, Wei Mingjin still felt uneasy.

He needed to come in person to feel reassured.

But after arriving, he remembered the wedding matron's warning that it was inauspicious for the bride and groom to meet the day before the wedding, so he forcibly stopped himself.

Thus, Wei Mingjin stood outside the courtyard until the early morning hours before leaving.

Xin He knew nothing of this. The marriage was not her wish, and even on the eve of her wedding, her heart was undisturbed, and she slept soundly through the night.

The next day, after she woke up, Jing Qiu came in to attend to her and told her about it. Only then did Xin He find out.

Xin He responded indifferently and went to have breakfast.

In this dynasty, the groom's procession to fetch the bride took place at dusk, so Xin He was in no hurry. After leisurely having breakfast, she took a stroll in the courtyard before returning.

By then, the makeup artist and wedding matron had already arrived and were waiting anxiously in the room. They breathed a sigh of relief when the bride returned.

Having been through a wedding once before, Xin He was now experienced. She disliked complexity and had asked Wei Mingjin to keep everything simple.

But even with simplicity, by the time she entered the bridal chamber, Xin He was thoroughly exhausted.

Originally, Wei Mingjin was supposed to go toast the guests before returning to lift the veil. But before he could leave, Xin He, under the veil, impatiently tugged at his sleeve, urging him to lift it first.

Wei Mingjin smiled and agreed. After a few teasing words from the wedding matron, she began reciting auspicious phrases.

Xin He had no patience for this and had Ming Xia give the matron a reward before politely asking her to leave.

After the wedding matron left, only the maids who usually attended to Xin He remained in the bridal chamber.

"Madam, hot water and the meal are ready. Would you prefer to bathe first or eat first?" a maid asked Xin He for her preference.

"Bathe first, then eat."

When she heard this, the maid quickly had hot water sent to the bathing room.

Xin He sat before the mirror and had Jing Qiu remove the phoenix crown from her head, finally feeling her head lighten.

Xin He had only temporarily moved to the small courtyard the previous day; her clothes and other belongings were still here.

After her bath, Jing Qiu brought a set of everyday vermilion spring robes and helped Xin He into them. By the time she emerged, the meal was already set out.

All the dishes were prepared according to Xin He’s tastes. Since she’d been busy most of the day, she was tired and had little appetite, so she only took a few bites before having the food cleared away.

After sitting for a while longer, she dismissed the maids and was about to go to bed when Wei Mingjin returned.

Wei Mingjin usually wore light, elegant robes, and this was the first time Xin He had seen him in such a vibrant red.

The brilliant red accentuated his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and handsome features. A flicker of regret passed through Xin He’s eyes: What a pity that such a fine exterior hides a corrupt interior.

"He Niang," Wei Mingjin called as he walked toward her.

Xin He frowned, took a step back, and made no effort to hide her distaste. "You reek of wine. Go take a bath."

There had been many guests at the wedding banquet, and several had accidentally spilled wine on him.

Wei Mingjin nodded, then gave Xin He a deep look. "He Niang, wait for me to drink the ceremonial wine."

Xin He offered no response.

After Wei Mingjin entered the bathing chamber, Xin He sat at the table, lost in thought for a while. Figuring he would be out soon, she took a pill from a porcelain bottle and dropped it into a wine cup. In no time, the pill dissolved and vanished into the liquid.

"He Niang." Wei Mingjin’s voice came from behind her.

Xin He turned and saw Wei Mingjin emerge from behind the screen, his hair slightly damp, now changed into a set of pinkish-red sleepwear.

Xin He handed him the cup with the dissolved pill.

Wei Mingjin took it, and after they both drank, he tossed the cups under the bed.

One cup lay face up, the other face down—an auspicious sign of great fortune.

Wei Mingjin turned, swept Xin He into his arms, and carried her into the wedding bed.

The heavy bed curtains fell, concealing the scene within, though occasional gasps and murmurs still escaped.

They had been together for nearly four years now, and by now, Wei Mingjin could bring Xin He pleasure even with his eyes closed.

And Xin He had come to accept things as they were.

Wei Mingjin was not lacking in looks or physique, and he knew exactly how to satisfy her. Besides, he never touched other women, making him far better than any courtesan outside.

She, too, was an ordinary person with desires and needs.

Since Wei Mingjin served her so well, she was willing to let him attend to her when she felt the need.

Tonight, Wei Mingjin did not disappoint. Only at the very end did he refuse to withdraw.

Holding the person in his arms, he seemed intent on melding her into his very bones.

Amid the overwhelming waves of passion, Xin He’s thoughts gradually cleared. A cold smile touched her lips as she realized what Wei Mingjin was up to.

Ever since she agreed to the marriage, whenever she gave him the chance to get close, Wei Mingjin had diligently tried to get her pregnant.

She knew he wouldn’t stay for her sake, so he wanted to use a child to anchor her wandering feet.

But he could forget it.

That child of theirs could have been born. It was his actions that had made her tread on thin ice, filled with anxiety, and along with Fang Xu’s death, it had cost that child its chance to come into the world.

He had ended his own son’s life with his own hands. She would never bear children for him again.

The day after the wedding, Xin He and Wei Mingjin went to the palace to thank the emperor. Upon returning to the estate, Xin He began packing her belongings.

Wei Mingjin pleaded with her to no avail. On the third day, after Xin He had made all the necessary arrangements for the shops, she left the capital with Jing Qiu and Li Pan.

On the day of her departure, Wei Mingjin personally escorted her on horseback to the city gates.

Unlike Wei Mingjin’s evident reluctance, Xin He did not even step out of the carriage. She merely lifted the curtain with one hand and said coolly, "This is far enough. You may go back."

With that, she was about to let the curtain fall when Wei Mingjin stopped her.

"He Niang, we agreed on ten months. I’ll be waiting for you to return for the New Year."

Xin He offered no response, simply letting the curtain drop and saying to Li Pan, "Let’s go."

Li Pan flicked the reins, and the carriage rumbled forward. Feng Mo followed behind the carriage, bowed to Wei Mingjin, then quickly urged his horse to catch up.

Before Xin He left the capital, after failing to persuade her to stay, Wei Mingjin had suggested she take either Feng Mo or Chi Yan with her, but Xin He refused both.

Since Xin He would not take any of his people, and Wei Mingjin feared she might not return, he insisted on having Feng Mo follow her.

At first, Xin He repeatedly had Li Pan try to shake off Feng Mo.

But every time they managed to lose him, Feng Mo would catch up within a few days. He grew wiser, no longer showing himself openly but shadowing Xin He in secret.

Since she couldn’t get rid of him, Xin He eventually decided to bring Feng Mo along as an additional guard.

But before allowing Feng Mo to serve as her guard, Xin He made her position clear: "I don’t care about your dealings with Wei Mingjin, but since you insist on following me, from now on you will take orders only from me."

"This humble servant will obey the madam’s commands," Feng Mo immediately pledged.

After that, Xin He traveled with the three of them from the north to the south.

After Xin He left the capital, Wei Mingjin continued to send her letters, though Xin He never replied.

She knew that even if she didn’t respond, Wei Mingjin would learn of her whereabouts through Feng Mo.

When the golden autumn of October arrived, Wei Mingjin began writing to urge Xin He to return to the capital.

By the time the letter journeyed over mountains and rivers to reach Xin He, it was already early November. But she pretended not to notice and continued south.

Wei Mingjin’s letters became more frequent after that, but Xin He read them without replying. Eventually, Feng Mo, unable to withstand the pressure from Wei Mingjin’s side, pleaded with Xin He.

Xin He remained impassive. "Wei Mingjin sent you to protect me, not to make decisions for me. Do you think you have any say in my affairs?"

Feng Mo returned defeated and could only report to Wei Mingjin that he had pleaded with Xin He, but she still had no intention of returning.

He was merely a servant; if the mistress refused to return, there was nothing he could do.

Wei Mingjin didn’t dare vent his anger at Xin He, so he could only furiously curse Feng Mo as useless in his letters.

In the end, it was Xin He who couldn't bear it any longer and, for the first time in her life, wrote back to Wei Mingjin, saying she had read in a travelogue about a place in the south called Chongwu where it was warm like spring all year round, and she wanted to go there for a visit, returning to the capital next spring.

Wei Mingjin received this letter in the twelfth month (lunar calendar).

While he was angry at Xin He for breaking her promise, he was also delighted that she had finally written back to him.

Wei Mingjin held the letter and read it several times before picking up his brush to reply. Originally, he intended to scold Xin He for breaking her promise, but in the end, he scrapped that letter and instead wrote only of his deep longing for her and his hope for her return home in the coming spring.

The letter spanned three full pages. After the ink had dried, Wei Mingjin personally sealed it in an envelope and had it sent out overnight.

By the time Xin He received this letter, it was already the beginning of spring. After reading the pages filled with Wei Mingjin's words of longing, she felt a momentary daze.

In the past, it had always been her treading on thin ice, trying to please Wei Mingjin. Now the tables had turned, and it was Wei Mingjin who had become the one who was anxious and insecure.

Not long after receiving Wei Mingjin's letter, Xin He began her journey back to the capital.

She had two reasons for returning: first, she knew that returning home in spring was Wei Mingjin's bottom line. If she didn't go back now, she feared he would fly into a rage again.

Second, Princess Jiahe was to be married. Princess Jiahe was her only friend in the capital, and since she was getting married, Xin He naturally had to return to attend the ceremony.

Xin He had told Wei Mingjin in her letter that she would return to the capital in spring.

In the end, she kept her word and finally returned to the Wei residence on a late spring afternoon, dusty and tired from travel.

Wei Mingjin, who had been at his office, immediately rushed home on horseback upon hearing the news. But on the way, he made a detour to buy chestnut pastries from Xin He's favorite shop.

On the night of their reunion after a year apart, Xin He nearly died in bed.

In the end, she had to kick him away by the shoulder to make him stop.

But though he stopped, he still clung to her like a vine, as if afraid she would escape again if he loosened his grip even a little.

"He Niang, you promised to return in ten months," Wei Mingjin buried his head in the crook of her neck, his voice full of hurt.

Xin He was annoyed by how clingy he was being and tried to push him away, but Wei Mingjin used both hands and feet to hold her down.

"He Niang, I missed you every day of this one year, one month, and thirteen days you were gone."

Xin He: "..."

"He Niang, I know I was wrong. From now on, whenever you go out, you can take whoever you want. I won’t send anyone to follow you anymore, but you have to write back to me, okay?" Wei Mingjin mumbled into her neck, his voice muffled.

The heat of his breath sprayed against the skin of her neck, and Xin He shifted uncomfortably, asking in surprise, "Really?"

Wei Mingjin was distrustful by nature, so when he suddenly offered to no longer have his people follow her, Xin He's first reaction wasn't joy but suspicion—was this another trap?

Wei Mingjin naturally noticed her doubt. He bit her shoulder and said in a low, sulky voice, "Really, but you have to write back to me, and you can’t run away."

Now that they were married, where could she even run to?

"Fine," Xin He agreed. Then she asked curiously, "What made you suddenly change your mind?"

"It’s better to guide than to restrict."

During the year Xin He was away, Wei Mingjin felt as if he had returned to the time when she had run away the first time.

He lay in Xin He's bed every night, feeling an emptiness inside. One night, Wei Mingjin woke up suddenly. As he noticed the faint scent she had left behind in the room growing even fainter, his restrained longing burst out like a beast freed from its cage, nearly overwhelming his rationality in an instant.

In that moment, Wei Mingjin threw aside the bed curtains, got out of bed barefoot, and walked to the door, intending to call for Feng Mo and have him take men to drag Xin He back.

He couldn’t bear living without Xin He.

But as his hand touched the door latch, a thought suddenly occurred to him: Would he ruin the fragile peace between them?

Wei Mingjin paused, his hand on the latch, and slowly regained his rationality.

No! He couldn’t do that! If he broke his promise and had Xin He seized, she would never forgive him for the rest of her life.

This time was different from the last.

Last time, Xin He had fled. This time, he had given her permission to travel. As long as he patiently waited ten months, Xin He would return.

And so, every night, Wei Mingjin comforted himself with these words: After tonight, He Niang is one day closer to coming home.

He waited day after day, aching for her return, but in the end, he received news that Xin He intended to celebrate the New Year in Chongwu.

In that moment, Wei Mingjin once again felt the impulse to forcibly bring her back.

But in the end, he decided to give himself and Xin He one more chance. He wrote her a letter pouring out his longing and sent it to her, hoping it would move her and she would return home early.

Fortunately, this time, his gamble paid off. Xin He kept her word and returned as spring was drawing to a close.

Wei Mingjin drew Xin He into his arms and asked softly, "He Niang, can you love me the way you did before?"

"No," Xin He answered automatically.

But after she said it, she realized she should have said she had never loved him at all.

Yet Wei Mingjin said, "Then for the rest of our lives, I’ll be the one to love you, He Niang."

Xin He stared at him in disbelief, as if he’d told a joke. "You love me? Do you have any idea how to love someone?"

"I don’t know," Wei Mingjin answered honestly.

Just as Xin He was about to mock him, Wei Mingjin lowered his head and kissed her, murmuring tenderly, "So teach me, He Niang."

Spring was nearing its end, but the night was still long.