The Concubine of the Main Wife - Chapter 22

“What are you doing?”

 

Zhen Yao’s expression suddenly darkened as she frowned down at the person beneath her.

 

“I—” A’Lian faltered, at a loss for words.

 

“Put it on!”

 

The icy voice was unusually low, and the dress was promptly shoved into A’Lian’s arms.

 

The gesture was so cold and distant that it left A’Lian utterly flustered: “Does Madam find me repulsive?”

 

Tears welled up instantly, her beautiful eyes brimming with sorrow.

 

Zhen Yao’s heart was thrown into turmoil, and she averted her gaze: “I am no saint, but I never wanted you to resort to such flattery.”

 

Hearing this, A’Lian felt a surge of gratitude: “This humble one knows her mistake.”

 

“What mistake could you possibly have made?” Zhen Yao murmured vaguely, her expression unreadable.

 

A drifting girl, struggling to survive.

 

In a place like the Dark Oriole Sect, merely staying alive was already a feat. How could she be blamed for anything else?

 

“Madam might laugh at me for saying this, but I’ve been skilled at reading people’s expressions since childhood. My survival has always depended on playing the coquette, so I don’t know what else I can offer you. What could make you smile brightly and ease the furrow in your brow?”

 

“Fool!”

 

Zhen Yao’s eyes reddened at the corners, her delicate nose tinged with sorrow: “A’Lian, in my presence, you can have everything without lifting a finger.”

 

No need to flatter, no need to grovel, and certainly no need to bend yourself out of shape.

 

“Madam—”

 

A’Lian was bewildered and panicked. Truthfully, she didn’t know how to respond to such intense love. No one had ever treated her this way before.

 

“What are you afraid of?”

 

Their gazes locked abruptly as Zhen Yao’s slender fingers gripped A’Lian’s chin, forcing her to meet her eyes.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

A’Lian was in agony, lost in a whirl of emotions.

 

“A’Lian, I’ve asked myself. I’ve shown you nothing but boundless patience, yet you keep running away. Why can’t you speak your mind? Even if you rejected me, it wouldn’t hurt as much as this!”

 

Zhen Yao closed her eyes with a soft sigh, every word dripping with tender affection.

 

“Let me go, Madam.”

 

A’Lian had always played with hearts. Even when she had fallen for someone upon entering the Su household, she had remained in control.

 

Love was simple, yet unbearably complicated.

 

Who could promise never to change their heart? Who could guarantee they wouldn’t be shackled by it?

 

She feared gaining love only to lose it, and even more, she feared dragging the other person down.

 

“In the end, you still don’t trust me.” Zhen Yao suddenly deflated, all strength leaving her.

 

“That’s not the same thing at all! Madam doesn’t trust me either!”

 

A’Lian curled her lips in self-mockery before stiffly pulling on her clothes.

 

Some things were better left unsaid.

 

Zhen Yao fell silent, watching her intently without offering any explanation.

 

The atmosphere grew heavy, the earlier intimacy dissipating.

 

A’Lian was the first to break the silence, tilting her head back with a light laugh: “Back then, you were the Madam of the Su household, and I was the shameless flirt who provoked you. I deserved death for that!”

 

“And so?” Zhen Yao caught the implication in her words.

 

“I was only seeking pleasure. All I ever wanted was a lover, not a magistrate to interrogate a criminal.”

 

“Breaking up is out of the question!”

 

Zhen Yao’s jade-like face turned frosty, her beauty only growing more dazzling.

 

With just one glance, A’Lian felt her body go weak, barely managing to stay composed as she said, “Fine, enough talk. Let us seize the moment of joy.”

 

In an instant, her breath turned fragrant as orchids, her soft limbs melting like clear spring water, her touch intoxicatingly sweet.

 

At that moment, even if Zhen Yao had a thousand words to say, they all dissolved into the heavy curtains of the bed. Restraint and reason vanished entirely. Struggling to steady her breathing, she leaned down and whispered, “So we’re truly to be lovers, not spouses?”

 

A’Lian hesitated briefly before forcing a carefree smile, tears glistening in her eyes: “Madam is peerless in talent. What kind of beloved could you not find?”

 

“Enough!”

 

Zhen Yao’s back trembled violently as she clenched her teeth, then buried her head to nibble on a patch of tender skin.

 

The mountain moon, oblivious to human loneliness, shone brightly through the window.

 

It felt as if a stormy sea surged, ruthlessly breaching the dam. The winding mountain path coiled around the peaks, overlooking the endless layers of ridges.

 

Though there was no physical distance between them, their hearts were separated by mountains and seas.

 

Even at the peak of pleasure, there was no resolution only a numb longing for fleeting warmth.

 

A’Lian’s slender fingers traced the soft cheeks she had yearned for, whimpering in surrender, “Too… too much…”

 

“If you’re going to be a lover, you should know it’s different from being a beloved,” Zhen Yao said, her words at odds with her actions, as her touch noticeably gentled, carrying a hint of tenderness.

 

Yet, at that moment, A’Lian was too lost in her own tangled emotions to notice.

 

“Madam, I want to go down the mountain tomorrow.”

 

Amidst ragged breaths, these words suddenly fell.

 

Zhen Yao froze, then released her without a word. “Just one night, and you can’t even bear to be a lover anymore. A’Lian, you truly despise me.”

 

“No, it’s not like that,” A’Lian protested, her face flushed.

 

“If not, then what is it?”

 

Round and round they went, the conversation circling back to the beginning.

 

But some things couldn’t be spoken aloud. Hesitating, A’Lian’s eyes darted about before she blurted, “In the end, it’s just that A’Lian isn’t worthy of Madam.”

 

“Where are you unworthy?”

 

This time, Zhen Yao gave her no room to breathe, pressing the question relentlessly.

 

A’Lian’s heart ached unbearably, and she stammered, “Madam is being too cruel!”

 

“And you? Thinking of leaving after taking everything, isn’t that just as cruel?” Zhen Yao laughed coldly, her gaze icy and domineering.

 

For a moment, A’Lian felt inexplicably dizzy. “Fine. I see Madam won’t relent until she sees the coffin. I had intended to spare you, but it seems you refuse my kindness.”

 

So what if the authorities were hunting her? So what if Han Xuan had her in his grip? To hell with it all!

 

Unable to hold back any longer, A’Lian retaliated, her peach-blossom eyes glistening with mischief. “Dear Madam, how could I bear to let you serve me alone? Now it’s my turn to attend to you.”

 

The unexpected shift left Zhen Yao momentarily speechless. “Stop changing the subject. I forbid you from going down the mountain.”

 

“If you can’t bear to part, then you must steel yourself and prepare for the worst!” A’Lian drawled lazily, her tone deliberately teasing.

 

At such a moment, those words stirred a storm.

 

Later, when the storm had passed, they lay together in the quiet night, whispering by the window.

 

“A’Lian, what did you mean earlier about preparing for the worst?”

 

Zhen Yao caught A’Lian’s slender fingers and placed them silently over her own heart.

 

A’Lian’s eyes dimmed with sorrow as she nestled in Zhen Yao’s arms. “Madam, I came from the Shadow Canary Sect. Do you really think they’ll let me go?”

 

“They—” Zhen Yao abruptly stopped.

 

“Chen Rong answers to the Eldest Prince. Escaping the Shadow Canary Sect was never going to be easy.”

 

Especially when rallying the remnants, this faction’s rise was no accident. Over the years, its roots had tangled deep, spreading through the wealthy southern provinces.

 

The connections ran high and low, enough to send chills down one’s spine upon closer thought.

 

Zhen Yao studied A’Lian’s face, aware of the hidden truths, yet she remained composed as she dissected the situation. “The ancients said, ‘Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish.’ In other words, power struggles aren’t as convoluted or dark as common folk imagine. Remember, victors write history. Until the final moment, no one can decide the outcome.”

 

In the end, it was a life-and-death game for the nobility, one that commoners should steer far clear of.

 

A’Lian didn’t fully agree with this perspective: “But we’re all commoners. When the city gates catch fire, how can the fish in the moat escape unscathed?”

 

“You’re worried about me, aren’t you?” Zhen Yao’s heart swelled with warmth, her joy impossible to conceal.

 

“I’m also worried about myself!”

 

Knowing A’Lian was being stubborn, Zhen Yao didn’t call her out. Instead, she gently and patiently reassured her: “Just stay calm. If that day ever comes, I’ll have a plan.”

 

The woman in her arms hesitated, her red lips parting and closing repeatedly, but in the end, she remained silent.

 

Forget it. As the saying goes, “Why worry about tomorrow when today is beautiful?” Might as well enjoy the present while it lasts.

 

Early the next morning, Zhen Yao ultimately respected A’Lian’s wishes and reluctantly saw her off down the mountain.

 

As parting loomed, they clung to each other, reluctant to separate.

 

“The wind is strong here, Mistress. You should go back,” A’Lian forced a lighthearted tone.

 

Seeing this, Zhen Yao silently grasped her delicate wrist, her stunning face filled with longing: “Once you find your sisters, bring them all to settle in West Mountain. I’ll handle the rest.”

 

“Mm. Take care, Mistress.”

 

A’Lian left, turning back every few steps until she completely disappeared from Zhen Yao’s sight.

 

The lovers’ reluctance to part made Ji Yun, standing several meters away, shudder with goosebumps. Disgusted, she chewed on a blade of grass and clicked her tongue: “Love is terrifying. Look at A’Yao, she’s practically become a lovesick fool.”

 

“Second-in-command, best not say too much, lest the chief hears you.”

 

“You think I’m afraid of her? Wu Niang, am I wrong?”

 

Wu Niang winced and patted her shoulder. “When you have a sweetheart of your own someday, Second-in-command, you’ll understand how the chief feels.”

 

Hearing this, Ji Yun scoffed dismissively: “Even if that day comes, even if I’m burning with passion, I’d make others pine for me instead!”

 

“Ah, Second-in-command, how impressive,” Wu Niang replied half-heartedly.

 

“I’m not like A’Yao. I’d never lose my head over romance.”

 

“No wonder you’re the Second-in-command!”

 

Ji Yun tilted her head, frowning suspiciously. “Are you actually complimenting me?”

 

Wu Niang chuckled slyly and called out to a figure in the distance: “Chief! I need to report on the training drills. Wait for me!”

 

“We’ll talk in the meeting hall,” Zhen Yao replied calmly.

 

Seeing Wu Niang about to leave, Ji Yun grew impatient: “Hey, you still haven’t given me a straight answer.”

 

“Next time, next time!”

 

Wu Niang quickly slipped away, leaving Ji Yun stomping her feet in frustration.

 

Under Zhen Yao’s leadership, the group spent their days training in the fields and fortifying the mountain passes. But three days later, news shattered West Mountain’s long-held peace.

 

“The authorities have decided to suppress the bandits. Rumor has it the order came from the capital,” Seventh Sister said with concern.

 

“That’s strange. We’re so far from the emperor’s reach. Why would they bother with us?”

 

“Ah, Third Sister, have you forgotten about Chen Rong?”

 

“Don’t tell me the Crown Prince wants to avenge his trusted subordinate?”

 

…

 

The hall buzzed with discussion, but Zhen Yao, seated high above, remained exceptionally composed.

 

“Chen Rong was just a lackey. The Crown Prince wouldn’t make such a fuss over her. My guess is some important guest has arrived in Pingxi County.”

 

Ji Yun and Zhen Yao exchanged a sudden glance, both deep in thought.

 

“A’Yao makes sense. But life on West Mountain might get harder from now on.”

 

“Don’t worry, Second-in-command. We sisters will stand united!”

 

“Exactly, every hurdle is tough, but we’ve overcome them all. How many life-and-death trials have we already survived? What’s one more?”

 

“Deviating from the original plan, we should first disperse the elderly, weak, women, and children to villages in the outskirts. The rest of our elite forces will retreat deep into the mountains. As long as the green hills remain, we’ll never lack firewood,” Fifth Sister assessed the situation.

 

“Right. The Chief and Second Chief should stay in the city for now and avoid going up the mountain.”

 

“To avoid alerting the enemy, we’ll leave this place to our sisters!”

 

Zhen Yao pondered for a long while before deciding to adopt Fifth Sister’s suggestion. But she was always meticulous in her actions, and even as she prepared to leave, she arranged every detail with care.

 

“A’Yun, you’ll head down the mountain by evening, using the pretense of offering free medical treatment to Magistrate Han to gather information.”

 

Let’s see if this is the Crown Prince’s doing or just some petty official stirring up trouble!

 

“Understood. But in my opinion, it’d be better to go down immediately. Otherwise, that stubborn, pale-faced Magistrate Han would never allow me to visit his doorstep in the dead of night.”

 

As Ji Yun spoke, the others exchanged glances and rolled their eyes. Since when had the Chief ever asked her to go at night?