Recklessly Breaking a Delicate Branch - Chapter 74

Under the shimmering starlight, Jiang Yun seemed to realize he had stumbled upon a monumental secret. He quickly covered his mouth, which had just let out a startled cry.

However, it was already too late; both Jiang Wanshu and Zhou Yan had clearly heard his words.

Startled by his exclamation, Jiang Wanshu pulled down Zhou Yan’s large hand—which was still pinning her wrists behind her back—and looked up to give him a meaningful glance.

Zhou Yan reacted instantly, releasing the young lady’s wrists.

Jiang Wanshu hurried toward Jiang Yun to explain, but in her haste, she tripped over her own skirt and began to fall.

Zhou Yan’s reflexes were just as sharp. Before Jiang Yun could even reach her, Zhou Yan caught her and pulled her into his arms, sparing her from a painful tumble.

Yet, this intimate gesture only made the situation more difficult to explain. Once she regained her footing, Jiang Wanshu leaned down slightly and placed a hand on Jiang Yun’s shoulder. Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Yun beat her to it.

The young boy looked at her with innocent, searching eyes. With a composed expression—resembling a little adult vetting a potential suitor for his sister—he asked, “Sister, are you and Brother Zhou together?”

As he spoke, he seemed worried she might lie. “Sister, just tell me the truth. I promise I won’t tell Father or Mother.”

Ultimately, Jiang Wanshu did not treat Jiang Yun as an ignorant child. Having received his promise and stealing a glance at Zhou Yan, she squeezed the boy’s shoulder gently. “I’ll tell you the truth: Brother Zhou and I are indeed together.”

Those words struck Zhou Yan’s heart like a bolt of lightning. Though fireworks were still booming in the night sky, he heard nothing else. He stood rooted to the spot, eyes wide, staring fixedly at her.

He hadn’t expected Jiang Wanshu to acknowledge his status in front of her family—even if that family member was just a young boy.

Her admission proved once again that he was part of her future plans. This thought caused a small, involuntary smile to tug at the corners of his mouth.

However, upon hearing her confirmation, Jiang Yun’s expression immediately turned serious. For the first time outside of his formal lessons, Jiang Wanshu saw him adopt a solemn, dignified air.

Her heart skipped a beat.

He spoke with clear, measured tones: “Then, is Brother Zhou good to you?”

“He is very good to me,” Jiang Wanshu answered sincerely, stepping closer to him.

Just as she was about to warn him to keep this a secret from their parents, she noticed the irrepressible excitement in Jiang Yun’s eyes. He let out a joyous leap. Fearing he might accidentally bump into Jiang Wanshu, Zhou Yan stepped forward and swept the boy up into his arms.

Jiang Yun wasn’t startled; instead, he looked perfectly at ease. He naturally wrapped his arms around Zhou Yan’s neck, his legs kicking excitedly against Zhou Yan’s sides. “Great! I like Brother Zhou! Sister, you must let Brother Zhou take me out of the palace to play more often in the future.”

Having already earned a perfect score in Jiang Yun’s books for helping him sneak out of the palace, Zhou Yan was now someone the boy truly favored. Now that he was with his sister, Jiang Yun figured Zhou Yan wouldn’t be able to refuse his future requests.

The more he thought about it, the brighter his future seemed. He hugged Zhou Yan’s neck tightly, his hair brushing against the man’s chin.

Seeing Jiang Yun’s excitement, Jiang Wanshu nodded toward Zhou Yan.

Understanding her cue, Zhou Yan pulled one of the boy’s hands away to catch his attention. “Then A-Yun must promise me: only you can know about this. You cannot tell anyone else.”

“Mmm-hmm! Brother Zhou, I know how to be discreet,” Jiang Yun nodded vigorously, his face beaming with joy.

Worrying that his answer was too dismissive, Zhou Yan lowered his head to meet the boy’s eyes. “If you tell anyone, you won’t have the chance to come out with us again.”

“Okay, I definitely won’t tell!” Jiang Yun declared, raising his right hand with four fingers extended.

Jiang Wanshu quickly pulled his hand down, poking his forehead with her finger. “You shouldn’t make oaths lightly. Besides, you haven’t learned it correctly—an oath is three fingers, not four.”

Jiang Yun gave a sheepish laugh.

Meanwhile, the man holding him felt a stir of desire upon hearing her words. He adjusted his hold on the boy and looked up at the moon. “It’s getting late. We should head back.”

Today was different from usual; because of the New Year festivities, the palace gates would stay open much later. Still, the night was deep, and considering the horse’s pace, they would arrive just in time.

“Let’s go back then,” she agreed.

Jiang Yun’s head slumped. “Sister, why do we have to go back so soon?”

“The gates are closing. If we aren’t back in our quarters before then and Father and Mother find out, forget about you—even I might never be allowed out again,” she explained.

Jiang Yun understood, but he still looked pouty until Zhou Yan patted his head, bringing a smile back to his face.

“How about this? In two days, I’ll take you out again, okay?”

Jiang Yun’s face lit up. “Really? You have to keep your word, Brother Zhou!”

“I won’t lie to you,” Zhou Yan replied. While comforting the boy, he reached out and took Jiang Wanshu’s hand, leading them both toward the carriage under the starlit sky.

This time, Zhou Yan had hired a driver.

The carriage sped through the marketplace toward the palace. Along the way, Jiang Wanshu noticed the city lights were livelier than usual, most still burning bright. By the time they reached the palace gates, she realized Jiang Yun had fallen asleep on Zhou Yan’s shoulder.

Since commoners weren’t allowed inside the palace grounds, Jiang Wanshu took some silver from her purse as they reached the gates and placed it in the driver’s hand. “Wishing you health in the New Year!”

“Thank you, My Lady!” the driver replied happily before departing.

Seeing Jiang Yun sound asleep, Jiang Wanshu called over a gate guard to drive the carriage the rest of the way to the Lanyue Pavilion.

When everything finally settled and only the three of them stood in the pavilion, Jiang Wanshu let out a yawn. She was exhausted after the long day. Looking at the sleeping boy in Zhou Yan’s arms, she whispered, “Carry him into my bedroom so he can sleep comfortably.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yan fixed his gaze on her.

Today, she had promised him: if he agreed to let Jiang Yun join them, she would follow his lead tonight.

And as for her, up until this very moment, he saw no sign that she had taken the matter to heart. It seemed she had forgotten.

He initially thought to remind her, but seeing the weary way she stretched her limbs, his mind was made up.

So be it. They had a long time ahead of them; there was no need to rush this moment.

Following Jiang Wanshu’s instructions, Zhou Yan turned and carried the boy into the bedroom. Jiang Wanshu looked back, and as she caught sight of Zhou Yan’s sturdy frame steadily cradling Jiang Yun, a wave of warmth unexpectedly washed over her.

It turned out that this was how Zhou Yan looked when he showed tenderness to a child.

Once she saw him lay the boy down, she moved to follow them in, but to her surprise, Zhou Yan returned and pulled her back out of the bedroom before she could enter.

The weather was gradually warming up. Standing side-by-side with Zhou Yan in the night breeze, she didn’t feel the slightest bit of cold.

She knew he had pulled her aside because he wanted a moment for just the two of them. Under the cover of night, she took the lead in finding a topic. “Thank you for being willing to bring my younger brother along with us tonight.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yan couldn’t help but knit his brows.

This woman—how could her words always feel like a fatal blow? Her brother was his brother; he didn’t find A-Yun to be a burden at all. On the contrary, her treating him like an outsider made him wonder: had she truly and fully placed him in her heart?

Even though they had confirmed their feelings for one another, he could never be completely at ease as long as his relationship with Jiang Wanshu remained hidden from Emperor Zhaoming and Empress Xi.

Thinking of how he had once forced himself upon her, compared to his current state of being as anxious and cautious as a young bride, Zhou Yan couldn’t help but let out a faint, mocking smile.

The Lanyue Pavilion was silent in the night. The person he loved stood right beside him. A crescent moon hung in the sky, bright and pure, just like her.

Coming back to his senses, Zhou Yan took Jiang Wanshu’s hand. “Wanwan, if you treat me like an outsider again next time, I shall be truly angry.”

Speak your mind and explain any misunderstandings—that was his style.

Zhou Yan raised his arm and pulled the girl in by her waist.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Jiang Wanshu mimicked his posture, resting her hand against the small of his back. She looked up and smiled. “Alright, I’ll be more careful next time.”

Zhou Yan didn’t care for empty rituals; he only knew how to cherish her in practical ways. This moment was a rare, tender exchange between them.

“As long as you know.” Feeling her hands on his back, Zhou Yan felt a surge of joy.

He recalled the little scene of Jiang Yun’s “oath” by the riverbank earlier under the fireworks, and a thought began to itch at his mind.

He reached up to stroke her fine hair, his emotions flowing naturally under the moonlight. “Wanwan, do you Central Plains people enjoy making oaths?”

His gradual approach prompted a response from her. “Why do you say that?”

Jiang Wanshu looked up, her voice filled with curiosity.

“I saw that A-Yun is so young, yet his first instinct when making a promise was to swear an oath. Isn’t that a sign that your people love making them?”

Jiang Wanshu chuckled, letting her hand drop from his waist. “You certainly are observant. But we Central Plains people don’t actually ‘love’ making oaths. Perhaps Yun’er just happened to learn about it from his tutor recently and decided to put his lessons to use in that situation.”

“Then under what circumstances do Central Plains people usually swear an oath?”

At this, Jiang Wanshu—who had read hundreds of storybooks smuggled into the palace—certainly had much to say. She began to explain enthusiastically, “Oh, there are many! For instance, when entering officialdom and vowing never to forget one’s original intentions, or when lovers make promises under the moon and flowers… these are all very common.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt her hand enveloped by a powerful palm. She looked up to find the man gazing down at her, his focus absolute and his eyes brimming with deep affection.

Like a devout believer, he raised his other hand—the one not holding hers—and extended three fingers. “I, Zhuojing Cha’er, do hereby swear that in this life and every life to come, I will faithfully love Wanwan. If I ever violate this oath, may I never know a moment of peace or happiness for all eternity!”

For someone raised on the grasslands, freedom was paramount—more important even than life itself. Shocked, Jiang Wanshu quickly pulled down his hand. Tears began to fall, one by one, splashing onto the man’s arm.

Seeing her looking like a pear blossom bathed in rain, Zhou Yan was instantly overcome with pity. He reached out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, his tone slightly displeased with himself. “Don’t cry. I only wanted to make you a little happier.”

Jiang Wanshu was amused by him and swatted his hand away. “So, you think swearing an oath is a joke?”

Zhou Yan didn’t like the sound of that.

If he considered an “oath” a joke, he wouldn’t have gone so far as to use his eternal happiness as a bargaining chip.

He knew that oaths were not to be made lightly; he wanted her to know his determination, and he truly wanted her to be happy.

Commonly, when a woman hears how much her lover treasures her, she should be overjoyed. How could he have known that with Jiang Wanshu, it would turn into such a sorrowful scene?

He wasn’t a man of many words, nor was he good at coaxing people. He pulled her stiffly into his arms and explained with total sincerity, “No, Wanwan. I simply thought saying it would make you happy.”

“You used your eternal happiness to swear that oath. Aren’t you afraid that one day you’ll stop loving me, and the vow will come true?” Jiang Wanshu asked, her slender hand grasping his arm.

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