Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Chen Yingchou's gentle voice and the warmth of his palm steadied Jiang Mo's trembling. Her fingers lightly pressed against the dark green silk, feeling the warmth of his eyes.

Qiao Yun's heart, which had been in his throat, settled back down. Watching the perfect pair beneath the plum tree, he began to harbor bright hopes.

"Wei Yalan," Chen Yingchou called her.

A month had passed, yet the name still made Jiang Mo tense. She snapped out of her reverie as if from a beautiful dream, suddenly remembering who she really was.

Was it the beauty of the plum blossoms or the gentleness of the wind that made her forget her place? How could she, a stand-in, dare to touch Prince Yu's eyes?

Jiang Mo quickly lowered her hands and stepped back.

Chen Yingchou's smile froze on his face, then slowly faded. He stood motionless for a long moment, his brows furrowed as if deep in thought.

After a while, he unclipped a jade pendant from his waist. "Today, I grant you the authority to manage the household affairs of the prince's mansion."

If before Prince Yu had acknowledged her as his consort, it was merely in name. Today, he accepted her in his heart, granting her real power. From now on, she would be the rightful Princess Yu.

Jiang Mo was overwhelmed by the favor. Her instinct was to keep her distance from everything in the prince's mansion. Her hand hovered, reluctant to take the pendant.

"What? Don't want it?" Feeling no one take the pendant, Chen Yingchou's expression darkened.

Qiao Yun was baffled. This was a tremendous honor! Why was the princess still hesitating?

"Princess, you must be overjoyed. Please, take it."

Jiang Mo felt an invisible pressure settle on her shoulders. The vast Prince Yu's mansion was full of trivial and complex affairs. She had only regarded it as a temporary residence and had no desire to waste energy managing it.

"My lord," Jiang Mo knelt.

Sensing her movement, Chen Yingchou panicked. He immediately crouched down to help her up. "Wei Yalan, what are you doing?"

"Your humble wife has never been fond of managing meals, sacrifices, or such matters since childhood, nor am I skilled with accounts. My mother once forced me to learn several times, but I learned nothing. I know I am lazy by nature, content to enjoy the fruits of others' labor without contributing. I am a mere showpiece—outwardly golden but inwardly straw, good for nothing. If you ask me to manage the household, I will only cause chaos, disturbing the peace of the prince's mansion and making it a mess. It really is inappropriate."

As Chen Yingchou listened, the gloom on his face dissipated, and his smile deepened. He took Jiang Mo's hand and placed the pendant in her palm. "Your self-assessment is truly unsparing," he said, helping her up. "Very well, then continue to be the princess who sits back and enjoys the fruits of others' labor in the prince's mansion."

Jiang Mo was stunned. She hadn't expected Prince Yu to treat her this way. His words carried a hint of indulgence and leniency.

Her heart pounded uncontrollably. She wanted to confirm something but immediately dismissed the thought. She had no right, and she feared it was wishful thinking.

She had long heard that Prince Yu cared deeply for the soldiers of the Flying Cavalry Camp. And the way he treated the servants in the mansion was also very kind.

Prince Yu was inherently kind-hearted; how could he mistreat his own wife? Naturally, what other wives had, she would have too. Since other ladies managed the household, he would grant her that right as well.

His treatment of her was solely because of her identity as his consort. Anyone else in her place would receive the same. It meant nothing more.

Jiang Mo suddenly thought of something and immediately asked, "Then may I leave the mansion today to watch the shows?"

Chen Yingchou replied, "Of course. I'll have He Ji assign two sharp guards to protect you."

"No, no, I'm not used to having men follow me. It would make me uncomfortable. I have Lanqiu; that's enough."

Chen Yingchou didn't insist. "Alright, as you wish. It's getting late. Let's have lunch."

After lunch, Jiang Mo left the main courtyard. Chen Yingchou called He Ji over and told him to send two people to protect her discreetly.

Jiang Mo changed into plain clothes, removed her gold hairpins and pearls, making herself look as ordinary as possible.

The informants within the mansion had been cleared out, but there were likely many outside. If she were truly going to watch the performances, there would be no need to hide. But she wasn't. If she were caught meeting a man in private, it would be impossible to explain, and it would bring trouble to her father.

Because she had accompanied Chen Yingchou for lunch, Jiang Mo arrived at Luoyun Tower past the agreed-upon hour of Weishi.

She hurried to the leftmost room on the second floor, left Lanqiu outside, tidied her clothes and hair, curled her lips, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

She thought she had her emotions under control, but the moment she saw her father, everything crumbled. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

Jiang Bingzhong's eyes welled up as he embraced his daughter.

Jiang Bai, who had been playing with a newly bought windmill, saw his sister enter and embrace their father, both in tears. He dropped the windmill and hugged them both.

The tall man opened his arms, sheltering the two beneath them. He didn't know why Father and Sister were crying, but he cried even harder than them. "Father, don't cry. Sister, don't cry."

Jiang Bingzhong wiped Jiang Bai's tears. "Bai'er, don't cry. Father won't cry either."

Jiang Mo took out a little mouse rolled from a handkerchief and handed it to him. "Bai'er, look what fun thing Sister has for you?"

The "little mouse" lay in Jiang Mo's hand. As Jiang Bai reached for it, she moved her fingers, and the "little mouse" darted forward as if trying to escape.

Jiang Bai hurried to catch it, but after one leap, the little mouse remained steadily cradled in Jiang Mo's hand.

"Sister is teasing me again." Jiang Bai pouted.

Jiang Mo stood on tiptoe to pat his head. "My A Bai is so good. Here you go."

Jiang Bai took the "little mouse," examining it from all sides. "This is the prettiest little mouse Sister has ever made."

Jiang Mo often used handkerchiefs to roll little mice to tease Jiang Bai, and every time he fell for it. They repeated this endlessly, enjoying it without ever growing tired. There had been countless "little mice."

"So smooth, so soft." Jiang Bai carefully held the "little mouse," stroking and playing with it.

Before, she had used ordinary silk handkerchiefs to roll the little mice. This time, it was fine cloud-pattern brocade, naturally smooth and delicate.

Seeing Jiang Bai's attention focused on the "little mouse," Jiang Mo poured a cup of tea for Jiang Bingzhong. "Father, I have something important to tell you today."

Jiang Mo told Jiang Bingzhong everything that had happened recently. Finally, she said, "Prince Yu treats me very well. I am living well in the mansion. He even wanted to entrust me with managing the household. For now, everything is stable. I want to find an opportunity to send you and Bai'er away from Shangjing."

"Mo'er, what about you? Aren't you leaving?"

Jiang Mo lowered her head and bit her lip, speaking the excuse she had long prepared. "I don't want to leave. I want to stay by Prince Yu's side."

Jiang Bingzhong paused, then looked at Jiang Mo with deep sympathy. "Mo'er, you have suffered."

Jiang Mo's tears fell again uncontrollably. Her father was always like this—supporting her decisions, fulfilling her wishes. Even when he knew she shouldn't do something, he wouldn't rashly oppose her. He would analyze the pros and cons and let her make her own choice.

"Prince Yu is exceptionally talented and a young hero. It is not surprising that you admire him. But you are as different as clouds and mud, and it is hard to have a good outcome. 'For a man, indulgence can be put aside; for a woman, indulgence cannot be escaped.' Mo'er, can you protect yourself in the end? Even if you cannot retreat unscathed, can you survive?"

She had already prepared for the worst, but she didn't want to worry her father. "Prince Yu treats me very well. One day as husband and wife, one hundred days of grace. Even as a stand-in, Prince Yu will remember our bond and spare my life. Father, you know Prince Yu's character. On the battlefield, he values every soldier's life. Besides, I am his lawfully wedded wife."

"Duke Qingguo will not let you live." Jiang Bingzhong heard what Jiang Mo was glossing over. The one who wanted their whole family dead was never Prince Yu.

"Father, rest assured. I will find an opportunity to confess to Prince Yu. I believe he will find a way to protect me."

Jiang Bingzhong knew his daughter. Once she made a decision, no amount of persuasion could change it.

In this world, how rare it was for a woman to marry someone she loved. All he could do was support her, not hold her back, and let her do what she wanted.

"Alright. I'll listen to you."

Jiang Mo breathed a sigh of relief. She had told so many lies already just to get her father to agree to leave first.

However, leaving was something that required careful planning. The courtyard where her father and younger brother currently lived was under Duke Qingguo's control. Even when her father went to work and returned home, he was watched. It would be too difficult to slip away unnoticed.

"Mo'er, ever since Duke Qingguo forced you to take the place of the intended bride, I've long wanted to take you and your brother out of the capital. I've already asked a friend to purchase a small courtyard on the outskirts of the capital. Since we can't leave right under Duke Qingguo's nose, we can slowly find ways to store what we need for the journey there. Once the time is right, we can leave without drawing attention."

Jiang Mo understood her father's thinking. Even if they left, they couldn't live in poverty. In their new place, they needed to have food and clothing, not to mention preparing medicine for Baier. Under constant surveillance, preparing all this wouldn't be easy.

It turned out that her father had already begun planning. She wondered how many sleepless nights he had spent worrying about her. She should have married a suitable man to ease her father's mind, but now all she left him was worry.

Jiang Mo threw herself into her father's arms. "I've been a bad daughter, causing Father such worry."

Jiang Bingzhong patted Jiang Mo on the back. "My Mo'er is the best daughter. The fault lies with Duke Qingguo, with me—with me, the father who failed to protect you." As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes again.

He took a deep breath and pressed his hand against his sleeve—not as if to take something out, but more like checking it was safe. Just as he was about to say something, a voice came from the doorway.

"Princess, Princess." Lanqiu knocked lightly on the door. "I think I just saw Master An. Be careful, Princess."

Jiang Bingzhong asked hurriedly, "Master An from Kunning Palace? Why is he here?"

"Father, don't worry. It's An Zeyou, An Shengwu's youngest son. He seems to have some connection with Wei Yalan. We can't let him see us, or it will be hard to explain."

Jiang Mo took Jiang Bai's hand and led him to the side of the side room where a painting hung. Lifting it, she pressed a mechanism and peeked inside. "The next room is empty. You can go out through here."

Earlier, when she and Luo Li had come to Falling Cloud Tower, they had accidentally discovered that the rooms here had hidden doors connecting them.

She turned to Jiang Bai and said, "Baier, I'll play with you another day. Go home with Father for now."

Jiang Bingzhong reached for Jiang Bai, trying to pull him away. But Jiang Bai refused to let go of Jiang Mo's hand, crying and insisting on staying. "When Sister left home, she promised to play shuttlecock with me. Sister is breaking her promise."

Jiang Mo comforted him, "Next time we meet, I'll play shuttlecock with Baier, okay? Sister is tired today and wants to rest."

"If Sister is tired, come home with Baier to rest. Let's go home. I want Sister to come home with me."

Jiang Bingzhong said sternly, "If you don't go home, next time we come to see Sister, I won't bring you."

Jiang Bai stared at Jiang Mo with clear eyes, crying as he spoke, "Sister is my sister. I want to see her—why can't I? Father told me that once Sister marries, she can't come home often. But why can't I even see her for a moment? Then I don't want Sister to marry. Don't marry, Sister. Come home with me, come home with me..."

Jiang Mo wiped away Jiang Bai's tears. "Next time, next time Sister will definitely spend more time with Baier. Baier, be good and go home with Father first."

"Princess, Master An saw me. It looks like he's coming this way!" Lanqiu's urgent voice came from the doorway.

Jiang Bingzhong said sharply, "Jiang Bai! If you don't leave now, your sister will be punished by her husband's family. She'll be beaten, made to kneel. If you don't go!"

Jiang Bai's eyes were full of confusion as he looked up at the side room. There was so much he didn't understand. What was in this room that his sister couldn't leave, but he had to? And if he didn't leave, she would be punished. He was her brother, so why couldn't he stay with her here? Why couldn't she leave with them? Her husband's family was so bad—they would hit her, make her kneel—so why did she still marry him!

But he knew that even if he asked, he wouldn't get an answer. To keep his sister from being punished, he had to obey.

It was like when the Zhao girl from the street got married, her younger brother always boasted about his brother-in-law. But he had never seen his own brother-in-law. When he asked his father, his father always said he would tell him when he grew up. So every day, he looked forward to growing up, hoping to share the burdens of his father and sister.

Many times, he felt he had already grown up. He was taller than many adults, but his father always said he was still young. He wondered how much longer he had to wait to grow up.

There were many things he didn't understand, but one thing was clear: he must not cause trouble for his sister.

Jiang Bai shoved the windmill in his hand into Jiang Mo's. "Sister, I'm leaving now. Don't be punished."

Just as Jiang Bingzhong pulled Jiang Bai away, a voice came from the doorway. "I remember you. You're a maid from Kunning Palace, aren't you? Who's inside? Go announce that An Zeyou requests an audience."

Lanqiu tried to slow down her speech, speaking as much and as slowly as possible. "Lanqiu greets Master An. Master An has sharp eyes. I used to serve in Kunning Palace. After Prince Yu set up his own residence, the Empress let me stay at his mansion. Now that the Princess has arrived, I serve in the Dawn and Dusk Courtyard as her personal maid."

As she spoke, a father and son walked out from the adjacent room.

An Zeyou squinted at them. The man looked to be in his forties, and his son seemed about fifteen or sixteen, yet lacked the demeanor of a youth that age. The man pulled him along as he walked, and the boy kept wiping tears, clutching something tightly in his hand. When going down the stairs, he held it close to his chest as if afraid of losing it, very precious, like a child.

An Zeyou snapped his folding fan shut and, ignoring Lanqiu, stared in the direction of the departing father and son. "You sure do talk a lot, maid. Fine, go announce me now."

Lanqiu kept glancing sideways at Jiang Bingzhong and his son, only relaxing when she saw them go downstairs.

In doing so, she overlooked An Zeyou's reaction.

"I'll announce you right away. Please wait a moment, Master An."

When Lanqiu entered, Jiang Mo had already composed herself.

"Princess, do you wish to see Master An?"

He showed up here shortly after she left—coincidence or fate? She couldn't guess.

"This meeting was bound to happen sooner or later. Let's hear what he has to say. Invite him in."

An Zeyou left his attendants at the door and walked in, fanning himself. He began, "This maid was just covering for you, Princess, which shows she has already abandoned her old master and is loyal to you. I daresay she won't report today's meeting to the Empress or anyone else. Princess, please have her withdraw. I have important matters to discuss with you alone."

"Your servant's heart has never been loyal to anyone, so there is no master to have abandoned," Lanqiu boldly retorted.

An Zeyou snapped his fan shut and struck Lanqiu's face. "Since when does a maid get to talk back!"

Jiang Mo grabbed a teacup from the table and threw it at An Zeyou. He opened his fan and caught the cup steadily.

He knew martial arts! A hostage knowing martial arts, and he wasn't hiding it from her!

Jiang Mo was utterly shocked. What was his relationship with Wei Yalan? Why wouldn't he be cautious around her?

"Lanqiu is my maid. Master An has no right to discipline her. I hope you will remember what I say from now on. If you dare touch my people, don't blame me if I fight to the bitter end."

An Zeyou laughed, shaking his head slightly, looking completely indifferent. "Wrong, wrong, wrong. You are not a fish, and I am not a net. To me, you're just a convenient tool that happened to appear."

The man fanned himself, leaned sideways onto the soft couch, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a slow sip. "Right now, you must have many questions. Have your people withdraw. I'll clear things up for you."

An Zeyou set down his teacup, looked up, and cast a contemptuous glance at her. "Princess Yu—no, Miss Jiang Mo."

Author's note: Next chapter goes V (paywalled). It'll update at 6 AM with a hefty chapter, and from then on around that time. You'll see it when you wake up, sweethearts.

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