Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“For all these years at the Hou Manor, Madam has treated Yuning with a kindness I can never repay.” I lowered my eyes, my tone growing even more respectful. “If Madam is willing to grant my request, I would like to leave for my wedding from the Hou Manor. That way, I can borrow a little of the manor’s good name, and no one will look down on me after I marry into the Chen family.”

I said it all in one breath, then knelt properly.

“Please grant my wish, Madam.”

Madam Hou stared at me in surprise.

She looked toward the screen again. After a long hesitation, she asked, “Have you… really thought this through?”

“Xingyi has always treated you differently from the others. If you were willing to stay…”

“Madam.” I cut her off, my expression calm. “The Heir has treated Yuning like a younger sister. I’m deeply grateful, and I’ll always remember his kindness.”

“But I come from a humble family. I wouldn’t dare entertain such hopes.”

Madam Hou studied me for a long time.

In the end, she only sighed and reached out to help me up.

“Good child,” she said with a rueful smile. “You’ve thought it through. Then I’ll make the arrangements for you.”

“When you leave the Hou Manor to be married, I’ll prepare an additional dowry for you. I won’t let anyone look down on you.”

“Thank you, Madam.”

I bowed once more. As I straightened, my eyes happened to pass over the screen.

No one was behind it anymore.

I had no idea when Shen Xingyi had left.

Only the white crane embroidered on the screen remained, standing alone on a pine branch.

09

By lamplight, I spread out a sheet of paper and wrote to my father, who was far away in Yangzhou.

In my previous life, every letter I sent home from the Hou Manor reported only good news. I hid all my sorrows.

I told him Madam Hou treated me like family, the Heir was gentle and courteous, and everything in the capital was going well.

My father’s replies were always brief. He told me to behave myself and not cause the Hou Manor any trouble.

Along with telling me to please Madam Hou, he would also make roundabout inquiries about whether any important family might want to form a marriage alliance with ours.

But I knew my father had long stopped caring about the household.

His concubines were locked in bitter rivalries, and the family shops were doing worse by the day.

He wrote to me only because he hoped to ride on the coattails of the powerful.

Even so, I wrote back.

What I had just told Madam Hou wasn’t entirely an excuse.

When I was little, my father really had arranged a betrothal with Master Chen.

I simply had no idea what the Chen family’s circumstances were now.

In my previous life, after marrying Shen Xingyi, I had never returned to Yangzhou.

I knew nothing about what the young master looked like now, or what kind of temperament he had.

But what did it matter?

Both families were merchants, and their standing was much the same.

If the Chen family was willing, I could leave the Hou Manor as a bride and become a principal wife, the mistress of my own household.

It might even turn out to be a good place to entrust the rest of my life.

I was packing my trunks when someone suddenly swept the curtain aside.

To my surprise, Pei Yun Zhao hurried in.

She wore a dark blue-green cloak, and her hair was loosely pinned up. She looked as though she had just woken and hadn’t had time to fix herself up.

Pei Yun Zhao gave a cold laugh and strode into the room. “I went to pay my respects to Madam this morning and heard Nanny Zhang checking the list of your dowry items.”

“If I hadn’t asked, how long were you planning to keep this from me?”

She came to the table. Her eyes swept over the open trunks and the fabric already cut to size, then finally settled on me.

“Madam says you’re already betrothed. Are you really going back to marry some man from the Chen family in Yangzhou?”

Pei Yun Zhao stared at me, looking strangely anxious.

I closed the lid of the wicker trunk and smiled at her.

“What’s wrong? Your most annoying person is about to leave. Won’t the princess have one less eyesore to deal with?”

“Shouldn’t Your Highness be happy?”

Pei Yun Zhao’s face flushed. For a moment she stammered, “When did I ever say I hated you…?”

She stamped her foot impatiently. “I won’t allow it! You can’t just announce you’re leaving and go!”

“Everyone knows you, Du Yuning, are so ambitious. You’re always clinging to Brother Shen, trying to marry above your station. How can you suddenly be betrothed?”

I couldn’t help laughing.

Truthfully, I didn’t resent Pei Yun Zhao at all.

She was frank and said whatever came to mind, but she was still rather childish.

In my previous life, if I hadn’t interfered, she would have married Shen Xingyi long ago. She never would have been forced into a political marriage later.

Pei Yun Zhao was right. I had taken the place that should have been hers.

“Your Highness,” I said with a sigh, “the envoys from Mobei will arrive in the capital early next spring. Ask around and find out how many years the last Great Yan princess sent away in a political marriage survived after her wedding.”

Pei Yun Zhao’s face went white.

“What nonsense are you talking about…?”

I met her gaze and patiently urged her to understand.

“Your Highness lost your birth mother early. There is no one in the palace to speak up for you. You were raised at the Hou Manor and are known as the Marquis’s adopted daughter, but in the end, you still bear the surname Pei.”

“If you become the Heir’s wife, you’ll be safe. But if you let this good match slip away, then when a political marriage is needed, you’ll be the first one chosen.”

Pei Yun Zhao stumbled back in shock, her back hitting the door.

“You…”

“Madam Hou is kindhearted. She has agreed to let me marry from the Hou Manor, so I have a place of my own to go.” I pointed to the wicker trunk. “But what about Your Highness?”