Volume One, Chapter Five: Serves You Right

He laid Xiao Yuanyi on the bed, but being a military man, his touch was rough and heavy. Unaware of where exactly he had struck, Xiao Yuanyi let out a muffled groan.

“Such fragility,” he muttered.

He took out the medicinal ointment he always carried, skillfully applying and bandaging the wounds. Even the knots were tied with a neatness that was almost elegant.

Long Yu stood by, stunned. The earlier cry for help had been a desperate act, yet despite Lou Hejing’s cold demeanor and harsh heart, he showed more conscience than Madam Liu and the others.

The mansion’s doctor hurried over with his medicine box, but his face fell the moment he saw that the injured was Xiao Yuanyi.

He took her pulse perfunctorily and said, “Excessive blood loss. Just rest in bed and take these pills; you’ll recover soon.”

With a cold expression, he scribbled a prescription and tossed it to Madam Liu.

Xiao Mingcheng had caused the deaths of two generals; merely treating his sister was already an act of mercy. There was no way he would authorize the use of the mansion’s medicinal supplies again.

The prescription was filled with tonics—good medicine for the body—that made Madam Liu wince in pain.

But in front of Lou Hejing, she dared not be so blatant anymore.

She instructed Sirui to prepare the medicine, then knelt at Lou Hejing’s feet.

“Please, sir, be discerning. Miss seldom gets injured, and her dowry is vast. Old servant simply failed to find the medicine in time, yet Miss Long Yu guessed ill, and Miss was even hurt by a thrown object to her face. Old servant truly suffers injustice!”

Her face bruised from the blow, she hunched her body pitifully. The mansion doctor cast her a look of sympathy.

Lou Hejing sat on the edge of the bed, looking down on her with disdain.

With such an incident, the Lou family clearly despised the Xiao family. As a servant, she did not side with her mistress but came to him to plead. Ignoring whether he could help her, simply because she had failed to care for her mistress, how could she have the face to complain?

“You deserve it,” Lou Hejing said coldly.

Madam Liu’s crying stopped abruptly.

Fortunately, Lou Hejing had no interest in meddling with Xiao family affairs and rose to leave.

With Xiao Yuanyi so badly hurt, the tea ceremony would naturally be postponed. He now had to find a way to free half a day’s time—it was truly a nuisance.

He called the steward, instructing him to watch over the second madam carefully, then left for the military camp.

After seven or eight days, the wounds on Xiao Yuanyi’s hand had crusted over, and with the daily tonic, her complexion gradually regained color.

“The general seems decent; not only did he personally treat Miss’s wounds, but he even left some medicine behind. It healed so quickly—it must be more precious than ordinary wound medicine,” said a servant.

“I’ve also heard the general led a lone charge against the Northern Di, slaying a prince amidst tens of thousands and bringing back his head to honor the two fallen generals. Truly heroic,” another added.

Xiao Yuanyi seemed deep in thought but only caught the first part: “He’s just afraid I’ll die and bring the emperor’s wrath.”

Suddenly, laughter drifted from outside. Long Yu’s lips curled in disgust.

“They enjoy the comforts of Miss’s dowry, gambling and feasting, yet still have the nerve to entertain themselves. They deserve to be fed nothing but filth!”

Though Lou Hejing had once ordered all Lou family servants in the Qingyuan garden to be transferred, the matter was later dropped. But after his words, no Lou family servant dared to serve them anymore.

“I must reclaim the dowry,” Xiao Yuanyi said firmly.

***

Without money, one can go nowhere—such is the truth everywhere.

“Miss, shall we plead with Sir?” suggested Long Yu.

“No! If they learn how cruel our parents were to me, they’ll despise me even more. Our days ahead will be even harder.”

Madam Liu, worried about their plight in the Lou household, obediently sought news outside.

The bad news was that Xiao Mingcheng’s error in relaying information had led Lou Yan into the Northern Di prince’s trap.

The good news was the emperor did not punish the South An Prince mansion. Xiao Mingcheng was dismissed and barred from future posts, the Sixth Prince who handled the matter was confined for six months, and the Lou family received generous royal rewards.

Old Master Lou personally went to the palace to offer thanks and interceded for the Sixth Prince, preserving royal face.

On the surface, the matter was settled, but grudges do not vanish so easily.

In the eyes of the Lou family, she was a sinner. Her survival was only due to her surname and backing by the South An Prince mansion.

If they knew she was worthless to the mansion, endless imprisonment and torment might await her.

No chance of escape would remain.

Xiao Yuanyi pondered how to retrieve her dowry as night fell and servants brought her supper.

Long Yu opened it to find only wilted leaves and chili peppers. Frustrated, she wanted to argue with Madam Liu, but one against many, she stood no chance.

Once, the young mistress had been radiant, cherished by all like a star surrounded by moons. She had over a dozen maids attending her. But after the incident, they were all sold off. The few she retained were kept only because the mistress had fought desperately for them.

“Eat it. Better than starving. I refuse to believe I’ll be stuck eating this forever.”

Long Yu nodded, rinsed the greens, and placed them in Xiao Yuanyi’s bowl.

It was then Lou Hejing entered.

Outside, all voices and laughter had ceased; the silence was as if all life had fled.

Inside was awkward, broken only by the soft chewing sounds from Xiao Yuanyi.

It was strange. She tolerated the second madam’s grief over the loss of her child with patience, yet with Lou Hejing—who had caused her exile to Dingzhou and repeatedly humiliated her—she had no such tolerance, even though his father had died because of her elder brother.

She silently wiped her mouth, pretending not to see him.

Lou Hejing’s gaze fixed on the food on the table. Wasn’t she supposed to be resting her wounds? Why eat such things?

But he assumed it was the delicate diet of noble ladies trying to keep their figure and did not interfere.

Women in Yanjing were fragile, easily blown away by wind, unlike the robust and strong women of the borderlands, some of whom fought battles.

No suffering was endured in vain.

“Tomorrow morning, come with me to pay respects to my mother,” he said.

***

“Forget it. Madam probably doesn’t want to see me.”

Would paying respects make the Lou family treat her as their mistress? It would only add to her humiliation and become a joke.

“It’s a matter of etiquette.”

Lou Hejing said this before heading to the inner chamber, apparently planning to stay the night.

Long Yu swallowed nervously. Lou Hejing did not hate the mistress, that was one thing, but why did he want to consummate the marriage?

Xiao Yuanyi was equally perplexed. Could the emperor have sent spies? If so, the tea ceremony tomorrow was only a show.

The two quietly finished their meal. After half an hour, Long Yu anxiously carried away the bowls and chopsticks.

Lou Hejing arrived. Madam Liu and the others dared not slack, quickly boiling hot water to bring in.

Xiao Yuanyi looked coldly at her; Madam Liu forced a smile, “Young madam, will you attend to the general’s foot washing?”

Lou Hejing, sitting uncomfortably on the soft couch flipping through a book, was only twenty-one. Raised in a military camp, he was unused to being served by a woman.

“Go ahead,” Xiao Yuanyi said.

She went to wash up; Long Yu rolled her eyes, took a robe, and followed.

Madam Liu likely had no luck being chosen to wash Lou Hejing’s feet; when she came out, the room was empty except for Lou Hejing still seated there, one small, boat-shaped foot resting on the couch, mud specks falling.

Disgusting. Was he waiting for her to wash his feet?

Long Yu brought a quilt and the man’s robe. This was originally Lou Hejing’s room, still holding some of his belongings.

Xiao Yuanyi told her to rest downstairs. Once the door closed, the atmosphere lightened considerably.

She understood that Lou Hejing would not consummate the marriage; this visit was merely for appearances.

She sat at the dressing table, letting her hair down, then went to bed.

Because of her injury, she had been especially drowsy lately. Poor sleep habits caused her to kick Lou Hejing’s quilt off the bed without realizing it.

Completely ignored, the military treatise once cherished by Lou Hejing was now unreadable to him.

The South An Prince mansion’s people would arrive soon; this was just a night to get accustomed.

He stood, stretching his stiff body, but seeing the bedding discarded, his anger flared.

This was his courtyard—why was he not even given a bed?

He strode to the bed, staring at the woman’s peaceful sleeping face.

“Get up!”