Recklessly Breaking a Delicate Branch - Chapter 20

The realization that all the envoys who had ever seen her had been killed by him meant that anyone on the grasslands who knew the true face of the Central Plains princess—the woman designated as the Old Khan’s Third Consort—was now gone. She no longer needed to live in constant fear.

The alliance between the grasslands and the Central Plains was too vital to lose. Even if she returned to the palace, she could assume a different identity without worrying about being recognized and dragged back to the plains by entering tribesmen.

Yet, she understood clearly: she was a princess of the Central Plains.

Marriage alliances were a constant in the imperial family. Even if Zhou Yan had eliminated those witnesses, the moment she returned to the palace and was swapped into a new identity, the court would simply send another princess to fulfill the marriage pact.

What she truly wanted was to fundamentally dismantle the system of marriage alliances between the Central Plains and the grasslands. Zhou Yan’s actions, in the grand scheme of things, changed nothing.

However, she also knew Zhou Yan acted out of his own brand of selfishness. From his perspective, he simply wanted her to live without worry after they wed on the grasslands. After all, he had promised that while they would mostly reside in the Central Plains, they would inevitably have to visit the grasslands during festivals to see his elder sister.

Zhou Yan did indeed think this way.

He couldn’t let his woman live in constant trepidation on his own turf—that would be the act of a scoundrel! It wasn’t his style.

“They were living people, with ancestors above them and children below. To kill them so cruelly… those close to them will grieve for a long time,” Jiang Wanshu said.

She knew his actions benefited her, but she couldn’t stay silent. “I know you did this for my sake, but you were too reckless. I want the marriage system destroyed, not this result. Besides, your methods… they frighten me.”

Her voice grew weaker. Wrapped in his arms, the fear she mentioned began to resurface. Her small hands tightly gripped the hem of her inner robe, which had been partially tugged down by him, as she waited for his response in trepidation.

Zhou Yan looked down, his brow furrowed as he stared at her. As expected, her little head was filled with absurd worries. He was her Magba; he indulged her endlessly. How could he ever treat her like that? In his heart, she was already different from everyone else.

Furthermore, he found her last statement laughable.

Before her father ascended the throne, the Central Plains and the grasslands had been intermarrying for a century. The tribesmen claimed they came for her, but it was merely a pretext to renew the treaties. With a new emperor, who knew if the old alliances still held weight? The people of the grasslands didn’t like being passive; they preferred to force the hand.

“Wanwan, you underestimate your place in my heart,” Zhou Yan said bluntly, cutting to the chase. “And as a fragile girl, don’t dream of changing a century-old alliance between the grasslands and the Central Plains.”

He spoke with total confidence. Even he didn’t have the power to change such things, so how could she?

His words stung. Jiang Wanshu bristled, squirming to get away from him, only to be easily caught again. Pouting, she looked up and said defiantly, “The grasslands only covet our books and the records of agriculture and commerce we’ve compiled over decades. That’s why they stoop to this.”

“If you ask me, it would be far more sincere to negotiate openly and exchange interests. Why use marriage as a pretext? it only brings grief to the Central Plains.”

She startled herself with her own words. Her hand pressed against his chest as she frowned. Why was she discussing statecraft with Zhou Yan? Their positions were fundamentally different—he represented the grasslands.

Before she could dwell on it, Zhou Yan laughed and pulled her closer. He used his free hand to affectionately, almost roughly, ruffle her ink-black hair, secretly feeling lucky that he had “picked up” such a treasure.

“You’re naive,” he said. He liked this side of her. With her, there was no need for guessing; her every thought was written on her face.

Having learned what she needed to know, Jiang Wanshu finally felt her heart settle. She tried to swat his hand away, forgetting how close they were. Her face pressed against his burning chest through the thin fabric of his undershirt.

Her eyes widened in a startle. Forced to listen to the powerful, rhythmic thumping of his heart, her face flushed a deep pink. But in that moment, she realized with horror how loud her own heart was beating.

Her heart raced like a panicked fawn. She desperately warned herself not to be moved by this arrogant man’s “mindless” schemes, yet her heart refused to listen.

Zhou Yan keenly felt their heartbeats beginning to sync in the quiet air. A smile touched his lips. “Wanwan, your heart is beating as fast as mine.”

Jiang Wanshu couldn’t answer. She chose silence. Zhou Yan, in his typical bold fashion, didn’t press her. He pulled her even tighter.

Recollecting his sister’s descriptions, he thought: Is this what it feels like when she’s starting to fall for me?

Previously, he only wanted to possess her. Now, seeing her shy and flustered, his thoughts shifted. Perhaps he could try to win her heart as well.

With this new goal, Zhou Yan became increasingly tender over the following days. He would ask what she wanted to eat before bed, act as a human target for her crossbow practice despite the risk, and today, he was exceptionally attentive as her monthly cycle arrived, leaving her feeling sluggish and uncomfortable.

The Silent Night

As the sun set, Jiang Wanshu’s period arrived unexpectedly. She found herself at the table, tidying the tea set Zhou Yan had left scattered. She wiped the dust from the corners with a damp cloth, her back slightly arched.

Normally, she wouldn’t do such chores. She was a pampered princess who planned to leave anyway. But she did it today because Zhou Yan had changed.

He used to be impatient, often leaving her to her own devices. Now, he was patient. When she grew frustrated with archery and tried to quit, he would gently persuade her to keep trying. This shift made her feel… different.

To stop the thoughts swirling in her head, she kept her hands busy. If her hands moved, perhaps her mind would stop.

But she hadn’t realized today was the day her “menses” were due. Though she grew up in a gilded cage, she wasn’t a stranger to pain. She remembered the year before she turned twelve, practicing the Rainbow Raiment Dance in the freezing cold for her mother’s birthday. She had danced barefoot on drums in the dark, away from the maids’ eyes, resulting in agonizing cramps every month thereafter.

Back in the palace, she had maids and imperial physicians with medicinal soups. Here, in the early autumn chill with the wind whistling through the cracks, the damp cloth in her hand made her feel even more unwell. A dull ache began to throb in her abdomen. She sat on a wooden chair and lightly hammered at her lower back.

The discomfort persisted until they were lying together on the wooden bed in the middle of the night. Outside, the wind rustled; inside, the windows were tightly shut.

Underneath the quilt, Jiang Wanshu was tossing and turning. Her hands were pressed tightly against her stomach, her brows knit in pain. Finally realizing what was happening, her face flushed. The pain was manageable for now, but she was worried about her inner trousers. She couldn’t bear the thought of changing in the middle of the night, let alone being embarrassed in front of Zhou Yan.

She knelt up and checked; fortunately, no blood had stained her clothes yet. She needed to use the sanitary belt she had secretly made with Magulaji’s help a few days ago.

The room was silent. Thinking he was fast asleep, she cautiously tried to climb over his body to get to the floor.

She didn’t realize that the moment she moved, Zhou Yan had woken up.

She lit a small fire-starter, creeping toward the cupboard. In the darkness, Zhou Yan opened his eyes just enough to see the flickering flame reflected in her movements. He knew she was easily embarrassed, and since he was trying to win her over, he figured catching her in an awkward moment would only make her avoid him for days. He decided to play dead and keep his eyes closed.

Jiang Wanshu retrieved the belt and looked for a place to change. The door key was under Zhou Yan’s pillow; trying to leave would surely wake him. She spotted a small gap between the cupboard and the wall, just large enough for her to squeeze into. After a moment of agonizing indecision, she went for it.

Once finished, she climbed back into bed, hoping to sleep. But fate was unkind. The moment she settled, a sharp, violent cramp bloomed in her abdomen.

Trying not to wake him, she lay there trembling, enduring the waves of pain. Just as she was about to get up to find some warm water to soothe the ache, a warm, large palm suddenly pressed firmly against her lower abdomen.

Jiang Wanshu’s eyes flew open in shock.

Support