Chapter 19

Chapter 19

To arrange Jiang Wan's return to the Jiang family, which required their prior cooperation, Gu Yu sought out Jiang Xing, the eldest son, and revealed his plan.

"Once she's released, I will accompany her to the Jiang residence. I will manage everything on the journey. Upon arrival, you will need to make the necessary arrangements. Furthermore, this matter involves a degree of favoritism. Should it be exposed, it would invite a host of troubles. Therefore, the fewer people who know of her presence at the Jiang family, the better."

Jiang Xing had not anticipated Gu Yu would undertake such a risk for his seventh sister. Filled with both admiration and gratitude, he thanked him profusely, assuring him, "Rest assured, I will ensure everyone in the Jiang family remains silent. To anyone who asks, we will say it is A Heng returning for a family visit."

"However," Jiang Xing added, a worried expression on his face, "I wonder if Xia Ji can be trusted?"

Gu Yu replied, "Soldiers are trained for a thousand days to be used in a single moment. I will see to her arrangements."

His initial decision to take in Xia, Su, and He, providing them with comfortable lives in his residence, was precisely for such strategic calculations as today.

Observing Gu Yu's confident demeanor, Jiang Xing refrained from further questions. After a moment of contemplation, he inquired, "Approximately how long will it be before Little Seven can openly recuperate at home?"

Only when Jiang Wan was cleared of her criminal status could the Jiang family truly find peace, no longer living in constant apprehension of being implicated.

Moreover, if the matter dragged on too long, complications might arise, and if the plan were exposed, it could backfire, leading to even graver consequences for the Jiang family.

Gu Yu understood his concerns and stated, "Once this matter is settled, I will arrange for the Prince Zhennan's envoy to visit her in prison as soon as possible. We will then seize the opportune moment to act."

Witnessing Gu Yu's unwavering dedication, Jiang Xing recalled his own past actions and felt a pang of shame. "I never expected Duke Wei to be so magnanimous. In earlier years, I was narrow-minded, envious of talent, and treated you poorly!"

Gu Yu had once served under Jiang Xing, who frequently claimed credit for his military achievements. When Jiang Xing learned of Gu Yu's intention to marry Jiang Wan, he even found an excuse to publicly punish him with a flogging. After Gu Yu gained power, Jiang Xing had feared retaliation. Fortunately, Gu Yu later married his eighth sister, and this marital alliance finally put his mind at ease.

Gu Yu paid no heed to his self-deprecation, stating coldly, "I am not doing this for your sake."

He would forever remember that it was Jiang Wan's peony painting that made him stand out in a crowd. It was also Jiang Wan who never looked down on his humble origins, always treating him with respect. Furthermore, when Jiang Xing sought to unjustly punish him, she stepped forward and spared him from that undeserved calamity.

Such a young woman, regardless of her status—whether in prosperity or adversity—was worthy of everything he was doing for her today.

Jiang Xing naturally understood whose favor Gu Yu was acting upon. He considered asking about future arrangements for Ling Lu, but given the urgency of the situation, he decided it was a matter for another time. After taking his leave of Gu Yu, he returned to the Jiang family.

After hearing Jiang Xing's account, Jiang Zhiwang pondered for a long time, repeatedly shaking his head. "This is not appropriate! Not appropriate at all!"

"Father, why is it not appropriate?" Jiang Xing was puzzled. What better alternative was there under the circumstances?

"You are being foolish. How could you agree to such a plan? How many times have I told you that this matter is of great importance? If anything goes wrong, the Jiang family will face utter ruin! How well do you know that Xia Ji? She is not related to us in any way. Why would she sincerely help us? This involves taking someone’s place in prison—the former empress, no less, who is suspected of murder! How great a risk is she truly willing to take?"

Jiang Xing replied, "Duke Wei said he would make the necessary arrangements."

"And you believe him just like that? Moreover, no matter how much Xia Ji resembles Little Seven, how perfect can the resemblance be? Can she compare to A Heng?"

Although Jiang Zhiwang had long retired from office, the Jiang family’s decline over the years had made him like a startled bird, overly cautious and apprehensive.

"This plan can be carried out, but Xia Ji cannot be trusted. A Heng must be the one to go!" Jiang Zhiwang declared.

Jiang Xing had also harbored this concern. Seeing his father’s insistence, he said, "I will discuss it further with Duke Wei."

Jiang Zhiwang stopped his son. "Come back here. Go and summon A Heng. I will speak to her myself."

Jiang Xing was confused. "This matter must be discussed with Duke Wei. Why summon A Heng?"

"Don’t you know A Heng’s selfish and willful nature? What if Duke Wei speaks to her and she refuses? Should Duke Wei force her to comply? They are, after all, husband and wife. It would be inappropriate for Duke Wei to make such a request directly. Just summon A Heng. We will appeal to her emotions and reason. Once she agrees, Duke Wei can make the arrangements."

After some thought, Jiang Xing found this reasonable and personally went to Guanyin Temple to fetch Jiang Heng.

***

Moonlight flowed like water over Guanyin Temple.

Although it was midsummer in May, the mountains remained cool, and a refreshing night breeze blew, devoid of any summer heat.

Today was the nineteenth of May, Yan Hui’s twenty-fifth birthday.

But Jiang Heng could not celebrate it with him.

His current identity was Prince Zhennan’s envoy. She did not even know how to address him. So far, he had not spoken a word to her—not even glanced in her direction.

He had no intention of acknowledging her.

Whether it was because he held a grudge against her or had other concerns, he clearly had no plans to reveal his identity as Yan Hui to her.

She had once thought that after Gu Yu left, she would find an opportunity to speak with him. But upon further reflection, she knew she shouldn't. As Prince Zhennan’s envoy, staying in the temple, he was undoubtedly being watched closely, both openly and secretly.

But today was his birthday.

His first birthday since his narrow escape from death, returning to the divine capital and to Guanyin Temple.

Perhaps from now on, he would forever remain the masked Prince Zhennan’s envoy, never again becoming Yan Hui, never again calling her "A Jiu" softly with a warm laugh...

What other chance would she have to celebrate his birthday again?

"Chun Jin, do I still have any old clothes here?"

She remembered that a long time ago, she had tailored a pomegranate-patterned skirt, which she had only worn once during Buddhist ceremonies. Because it was too flamboyant, she had left it in a clothing chest here instead of taking it back to the Gu residence. She wondered if it was still there.

"Miss, why would you need old clothes? We brought enough clothes for you to change into. There’s no need to wear old ones," Chun Jin said, looking at Jiang Heng curiously.

Jiang Heng shook her head slightly. "I want to wear that pomegranate-patterned skirt."

When celebrating someone’s birthday, one ought to dress cheerfully.

Chun Jin thought for a moment before finally remembering. As she rummaged through the chest, she said, "But that was tailored a long time ago. You’ve grown much thinner since then. I’m afraid it will be too loose."

Jiang Heng said it did not matter and urged Chun Jin to find the dress.

When she tried it on, it was indeed too large. While other parts were acceptable, the waist was noticeably loose, as if it did not belong to her.

"Chun Jin, could you help me take it in with some stitches? Adjust the waist," Jiang Heng said, checking her reflection in the mirror before turning to Chun Jin with a request.

Chun Jin was taken aback, staring wide-eyed at Jiang Heng as if she had misheard.

It had been a long time since Jiang Heng had expressed any preferences regarding clothing or accessories. Even when new clothes were tailored at the residence, she left the decisions to Rui Zhu—style, color, whatever Rui Zhu chose, she would wear without questioning whether it looked good or suited her.

Some of her clothes had long become loose and ill-fitting, yet she wore them as usual. Unless others pointed out the poor fit and insisted she change, she never complained or asked for alterations.

Today, not only had she specifically chosen to wear the pomegranate-patterned skirt, but she also asked for alterations to make it look better. This was truly unprecedented.

"Alright, I’ll stitch it for you right away," Chun Jin said happily. She not only adjusted the waist but also tailored the cuffs and shoulders to fit perfectly.

Satisfied, Jiang Heng examined herself in the mirror, picked a pomegranate blossom to pin in her hair, and said to Chun Jin, "I’m going out for a walk." With a spring in her step, she left the room.

She remembered a young monk who was skilled at carving prayer plaques and went to him to request one. She personally wrote the characters for "Joyous Birthday" and asked him to carve them. She also obtained a blessed peace stone, placed it in a pouch, and planned to leave it on the altar in the Buddha hall.

That way, when Yan Hui went to offer incense before the Buddha early the next morning, he would see these birthday gifts.

Thinking of this, Jiang Heng held the items tightly in her hand, her footsteps becoming even more buoyant.

Just as she was about to step into the temple hall, she heard someone call "A Heng" from behind.

Turning around, she saw it was her elder brother.

"Big Brother, what are you doing here?" Jiang Heng instinctively tightened her grip on what she was holding, hiding it behind her back.

"Come with me, we'll talk at home."

Jiang Xing grabbed her and, without another word, led her down the temple gates, not giving her a chance to enter the Buddha hall and leave the items.

...

"Let me take A Jie’s place and go to jail?"

Jiang Heng truly hadn’t expected that her elder brother’s urgent trip to bring her back from Guanyin Temple overnight was to discuss this matter.

"It’s only for a few days, it's not forever. Your sister’s health is too frail—if she stays in jail any longer, she’ll die there. You’re her own sister—how can you let her die?" Jiang Zhiwang glared sternly at Jiang Heng.

Jiang Heng frowned, biting her lip slightly, holding back from arguing with him.

Seeing her reluctance, Jiang Zhiwang impatiently said to Madam Wang, "You talk to her."

Madam Wang already thought Jiang Heng was cold-hearted and indifferent to her own sister’s plight. Now, seeing her dressed in a pomegranate-colored skirt with pomegranate blossoms in her hair, bright and radiant, she felt even more that Jiang Heng cared only about her own appearance and not her family’s suffering. She said coldly, "It’s up to you whether you go or not. If Little Seven really dies, it’ll be just as you wish. You can go on being the Duchess of Wei, and our Jiang family will have no more daughters."

Jiang Heng looked at her mother, but her mother avoided her gaze, staring blankly at the dim candlelight.

Jiang Heng also withdrew her gaze, looking out the window at the inky blackness of night. After a moment of silence, she said, "I never said I wouldn't go."

From the moment she was born, everything she did was wrong. Because of her birth, her mother developed heart trouble—it was her fault for not being as sensible as her sister, for being so large at birth, nearly costing her mother her life. As an infant, she often cried at night, disturbing the household’s peace. Her father consulted a fortune-teller, who predicted she had an ill-fated destiny, saying she would bring disaster to the family. Her father sent her to be raised in their ancestral home in Canghe. When she was seven, they finally brought her back to the capital to celebrate her birthday, only for her to pick a fight with a princess.

From then on, her father was convinced the fortune-teller was right—she would indeed bring calamity to the family.

Whenever she didn’t do what they wanted, it was seen as her bringing disaster to the family.

Three years ago, they forced her to marry Gu Yu. She ran away privately, and they branded her a curse upon the family, accusing her of not only harming the Jiang family but also Yan Hui.

Later, she married as they wished, and they repeatedly admonished her to control her temper in the Gu household and avoid causing trouble.

Today, if she didn’t take her sister’s place in jail, and if her sister were to die in prison, it would again be her fault, another disaster she brought upon them.

Such accusations were old hat to Jiang Heng.

She glanced out the window—the night was vast, the moon shining clear and bright. Regrettably, she hadn’t been able to leave Yan Hui’s birthday gifts before the Buddha.

"Papa," she suddenly called out.

Jiang Zhiwang was taken aback, his stern expression softening slightly. She rarely addressed him so intimately, usually calling him "Father."

"After A Jie is released from prison, can I get a divorce from Duke Wei?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Jiang Zhiwang’s eyes widened in anger.

"Duke Wei wanted to marry A Jie from the beginning." She took the pomegranate blossom from her hair, twirling it idly in her hand. "It must have been Duke Wei’s arrangement for me to take A Jie’s place in jail, right?"

Probably only Gu Yu had the influence and would go to such lengths, taking such risks.

Jiang Zhiwang remained silent for a moment, worried that Jiang Heng might cause a scene with Gu Yu over this. He said, "It’s all for your sister’s sake. Be sensible and don’t make trouble."

Jiang Heng nodded and continued, "Father, you can see it too—Duke Wei still loves Little Seven. If we divorce, he can marry her, and you’ll still be his father-in-law. Wouldn’t that be better?"

Jiang Zhiwang also felt that this daughter was no match for Gu Yu and, having failed to bear him any children, was likely not favored. If things could be put right as she said, with Gu Yu marrying Little Seven instead, it would indeed be for the best.

"After your sister recovers, I’ll consider it."