Recklessly Breaking a Delicate Branch - Chapter 40

When Jiang Wanshu woke the next morning, she suddenly recalled the slap she had delivered in her dream the night before.

She felt as though she had inadvertently touched a man’s extremely firm arm. Thinking deeper only brought on a headache; she had no clear thread of thought, and it felt as though perhaps she hadn’t touched anything at all.

She sat on the bed with her hair in a mess, a sudden thought kicking up in her mind.

Could Zhou Yan have chased me all the way here?

Suddenly, she shook her head with misplaced certainty.

Impossible!

If Zhou Yan had truly caught up, given his style, he wouldn’t have waited until now—she would have been dragged back last night.

She patted her head with her hands, telling herself not to let her imagination run wild. Just then, Yulu arrived with a basin of water to help her freshen up and dress.

“Mistress, when shall we set out again?” Yulu was already impatient to return to the palace.

Jiang Wanshu stepped down from the wooden bed. After washing, she took the wet cloth from the copper basin, wrung it dry, and placed it over her face.

Looking at the flying snow outside, she remarked, “Looking at this snow, it should fall for another hour or two. Let’s head out at noon. If the snow stops by then, we leave.”

“Very well,” Yulu replied.

Still, Jiang Wanshu felt something was off about last night. Being away from home, it was better to be cautious.

“Yulu, did you see anyone enter my guest room in the middle of the night?”

“No,” Yulu’s pupils shook slightly as she realized the implications. “Mistress, did something happen last night?”

Not wanting Yulu to overthink, Jiang Wanshu quickly shook her head. “Nothing, I was just asking.”

It was better to keep uncertain matters hidden to avoid unnecessary panic. Besides, she wasn’t even sure if someone had actually entered her room; perhaps it was just a delusion.

Gazing at the warm water Yulu had brought, Jiang Wanshu took it upon herself to go downstairs and order food.

She was dressed in a butterfly-dance clear green dress with a matching cloak. Her dark hair was pinned with small flower hairpins, perfectly complementing her outfit. As she descended the stairs, her beauty—like the bright light of a breaking moon—and those peach-blossom eyes drew the gaze of nearly everyone in the room.

Having grown up in the palace, she was used to being the center of attention. No one’s gaze bothered her—except for Zhou Yan’s. Whenever he stared at her, he could frighten her out of her wits.

His gaze was different from others; it was always burning and blunt, as if he wanted to swallow her whole.

Jiang Wanshu raised her hand and gave her head a sharp knock.

Jiang Wanshu, how can you be thinking of him again! Ridiculous.

She imagined him rushing about elsewhere, searching for her on some distant road. She didn’t realize that as long as he didn’t see her with his own eyes, it would be difficult to find her in this vast world.

But she had no idea that Yulu had already exposed their tracks. The man who had chased them was currently sitting at a table in the inn’s dining area.

His ears were sharp. When he heard Jiang Wanshu instructing the waiter to bring food to her room, he picked up a bowl of wine and drank.

Zhou Yan’s broad back was turned toward the counter. As Jiang Wanshu finished her instructions and turned around, she suddenly saw a familiar silhouette.

The broad shoulders and the firm back that even layers of clothing couldn’t hide made her gasp. She stared in disbelief at the man who didn’t turn his head. In an instant, she suppressed her steps and hurried back upstairs.

Once inside the room, seeing that Yulu wasn’t there, she immediately bolted the door.

Her heart was pounding. Collapsing onto the floor after the shock, she pressed a hand to her chest to suppress her runaway heartbeat, comforting herself.

It won’t be him. It definitely isn’t him!

He has such a temper. If it were really him, he would have come up to confront me the moment he heard my voice. He wouldn’t have this kind of patience to play the long game.

Trembling, she shook her head in denial.

The “Brother Zhou” Incident

By noon, as she predicted, the snow had stopped. Jiang Wanshu and Yulu mounted their horses and galloped toward the Imperial Palace.

Halfway there, Jiang Wanshu turned her horse into another inn. The half-day journey had brought on a timely hunger. She leisurely ordered food, sparking Yulu’s suspicion.

“Mistress, we aren’t far from the palace. We could be there in half an hour. The gates will close at dark; can’t we just wait until we’re back to eat?” Yulu asked, chin in hand.

Jiang Wanshu picked up her chopsticks and popped a peanut into her mouth. “Yulu, you’ve stayed in the palace for years. Don’t you know that anyone entering must have a jade token to prove their identity before the guards let them in?”

“Oh! That’s right!” Yulu realized. “Then Mistress is…”

“I don’t have a jade token. When I went for the marriage alliance, I intended never to return, so I left it in the Liulian Palace.”

Yulu looked dejected.

Jiang Wanshu chuckled and added, “But there is someone who can take us in. You know Father and Mother love me dearly; once I’m inside, they will surely recognize me.”

She smiled, unaware that someone was watching them from behind a screen.

Zhou Yan held his breath, listening to their conversation.

“Who is it?” Yulu asked excitedly.

For some reason, pride welled up in Jiang Wanshu’s heart. “It’s Brother Zhou, of course. I remember he’s on duty tonight and won’t return to his manor until tomorrow. We’ll stay here tonight, and tomorrow we’ll find him. He won’t refuse me.”

Sitting behind her, Zhou Yan’s face turned livid. The water in his teacup wobbled.

Brother Zhou?

He knew Jiang Wanshu recognized his surname as Zhou, but to her, he was no better than a monstrous beast. She would never call him “Brother Zhou” so intimately.

It clearly wasn’t him. And worse, it was another man.

Zhou Yan’s brow furrowed tightly. The way she spoke with such reliance on this “Brother Zhou” made him extremely displeased. He had pestered her for so long and had never heard her call his name with such joy. Yet she called this man so sweetly. It was obvious how much she liked him.

The thought made him want to snatch this girl away right then and there and “mistreat” her properly.

The conversation continued.

“Zhou Shuan, the young master of the old General Zhou’s house?” Yulu’s eyes widened. “Of course! Before you went for the alliance, the Emperor wanted the Young Master to be your consort.”

Jiang Wanshu blushed. “Yulu, don’t say such things. Brother Zhou and I are just friends.”

“But before the alliance, he sent gifts into the palace every two or three days. We servants saw his devotion. He’ll be overjoyed to know you’re alive. He might even ask the Emperor for your hand in marriage.”

Jiang Wanshu could only sigh at Yulu’s innocence. If Zhou Shuan had truly loved her as Yulu thought, he would have offered to give up everything to be with her before she left. She didn’t blame him, though. She knew human selfishness, and she knew that even if he had asked, she still would have chosen the alliance to fulfill her duty to her people.

On the other side of the screen, the man’s lips were pressed thin, blood racing through his veins.

Young Master Zhou? Consort?

CRACK.

The teacup in his hand shattered, pieces hitting the floor with a sharp sound that drew the attention of everyone in the dining area. He remained motionless, and the patrons eventually looked away.

Jiang Wanshu noticed the commotion. The screens were thin, and she could vaguely see the silhouette of a man. For a fleeting second, their eyes almost met through the gaps.

The man stood up, donned a fox mask bought from a local shop, and leisurely walked upstairs.

Jiang Wanshu broke into a cold sweat.

“Yulu, was that man… Zhou Yan?” she asked, panic-stricken.

Yulu looked toward the stairs. She only saw a back. “It might just be a foreigner. Their builds are similar. Since I went looking for you, I’ve seen many more foreigners on the roads. Perhaps the Emperor changed some policies.”

Jiang Wanshu clung to this like a lifeline. “You’re right. Don’t overthink it.”

Still, to be safe, she dragged Yulu to a different inn without even eating the food they ordered. Only after settling into the new inn and seeing no sign of the strange man did she breathe a sigh of relief.

They took two rooms again. Jiang Wanshu said goodnight to Yulu and opened her door.

The moment she entered, she froze. There was a figure sitting on her bed.

She turned to flee, but in the next second, a large hand clamped firmly over her mouth.

Support