Chapter 31 discusses betrothal gifts, saying that a moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold.

Jiang Yu stood next to Shen Qinggui and laughed, putting an arm around his shoulder and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "With such a beauty in my arms, how could I not consummate our marriage?"

"A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

Lian Quesheng's smile vanished instantly. He looked as if he had lost 50,000 taels of silver, gritting his teeth and wishing he could just take his sword and stab a hole in the ground, then throw those two unreliable and boastful "friends" into it, out of sight, out of mind.

By asking that question, he is only humiliating himself, asking for trouble, and reaping what he sowed!

Chu Jue laughed heartily, "Young people are so great, unlike us who are getting old. Quesheng, you should get married soon, so you don't look so bad when you're all old and gray."

“Master, you can rest assured. No matter how old I am, your disciple will be able to find a handsome, gentle and reserved person to marry.”

Lian Quesheng pulled a folding fan from his sleeve with a "whoosh," half-covering his face and revealing only a pair of affectionate peach blossom eyes. He looked at the opposite side from afar, but then quickly looked away, appearing completely indifferent.

"You little rascal, you don't already have someone you like, do you?" Chu Jue narrowed his eyes. Based on his understanding of his disciple, he knew that something must have happened for him to speak like this. "Which family's daughter or son is it? Your master will go and propose marriage on your behalf."

Shen Qinggui and Jiang Yu, unusually, became onlookers, each knowingly staring at Lian Quesheng, who was pretending to be stupid. Xingchen Que's chief disciple blushed and his heart raced. "Nothing of the sort, Master. You're worrying too much."

Everyone laughed, except for Lian Feng, who stared resentfully, thinking to himself that one day he would kill them all.

The rich fragrance of flowers permeated the air, refreshing everyone's spirits. The people on site chatted amongst themselves, and Zheng Min happily rolled up the portrait and took it away, not forgetting to congratulate Jiang Yu and Shen Qinggui before leaving.

"Young Master Jiang, Young Master Shen, if you ever need to buy clothes in the future, please remember to visit my shop often. I'll give you a 50% discount."

Jiang Yu: "...Thank you, Boss Zheng."

It seems that the impact of Shen Jiuxu's ascension is not significant enough, and the benefits it brings are insufficient. Otherwise, why would it only be worth 50% of the price? Perhaps Lian Quesheng should visit more often and pawn some silver there, so that he doesn't have to spend his own money.

"Let's go back too," Jiang Yu said, looking up at Shen Jiu. "Back to Fuyou Palace."

"What you just said was true?" Shen Qinggui estimated the time; it wasn't even noon yet, and even if one took a nap, one still needed to eat. Wasn't this a bit too hasty?

"What do you mean, real or fake? What did I just say?" Jiang Yu's mind hadn't processed what was happening yet. His eyes were glazed over when he heard Shen Qinggui say with a hint of reproach, "A moment of pleasure on a spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

Jiang Yu: ......

Why is this person acting like a virtuous gentleman? He clearly wants to go back to Fuyou Palace with him, he could have just said so. Why does he have to go through all this trouble, making it seem like he's some kind of bully forcing this respectable young master?

"So, are you going back now, Young Master Shen?"

Jiang Yu teased him with a smile. The sword in her hand, which Lian Quesheng had taken during the wedding ceremony, was now spotless and gleaming like new. Jiang Yu placed her hand on the hibiscus-colored pendant and, while talking to Shen Jiuxu, deftly tied a love knot.

He also called himself Young Master Shen.

Shen Qinggui pursed her lips and remained silent, her eyes filled with the resentment of waiting at home for her husband who had not returned for many years.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Yu looked Shen Jiuxu up and down to make sure that Lian Feng, that annoying guy, hadn't said anything to provoke him. Could it be that he was too tired to walk?

He recalled how he and Shen Jiuxu had looked when they went out together, and tilted his head to ask, "Do you want me to carry you on my back?"

“I can walk.”

Seeing that he had misunderstood, Shen Qinggui reluctantly explained, taking Jiang Yu's hand in his own, "I can carry you back, or you can hold me."

"Then why aren't you happy?"

"I'm not unhappy." Shen Qinggui was shy and didn't know how to start the conversation. After all, many Daoist couples called each other by their full names. Was he making a mountain out of a molehill?

Jiang Yu knew he was being awkward, then suddenly remembered something, chuckled, and whispered in his ear, "Wait until we get back to Fuyou Palace before you call out."

His thoughts had been seen through, and Shen Qinggui awkwardly turned his head away, lowering his eyes and pretending to be focused on the road, but in reality, he quickened his pace without making a sound.

Jiang Yu saw through it but didn't say anything. He waved to Lian Quesheng and the others, who returned a mischievous smile, looking like they knew everything.

Chu Jue was busy with other matters and had already left. Seeing that Jiang Yu and the others had also disappeared, Lian Quesheng was extremely bored and had no one to talk to. Thinking of the vow he had just made in front of his master and friends, it was time to put it into action.

He strode towards the west window, but when the other person saw his proud and arrogant appearance, he immediately assumed that Lian Quesheng was going to instruct him on sword practice and talisman drawing again, and hurriedly covered his face and slipped away.

Lian Quesheng stood there awkwardly. A gentle breeze blew across the fallen leaves on the ground, causing them to swirl in the air before finally landing gently on his shoulder.

Xiang Zhanyi threw a fruit from the tree, which hit him on the head. "Young Master Lian, it's been a long time."

Fuyou Palace.

Jiang Yu was carried to the bed by Shen Qinggui. The two women's bright red robes intertwined and swayed gently in the candlelight above.

"I have something to give you."

Shen Qinggui went out and brought in a cage. Jiang Yu heard the "ee-yah" sound and immediately became interested. He jumped off the bed and found that there were two gray-white live geese in the cage, with orange-yellow beaks that looked like amber.

The two geese were very lively, calling out incessantly when they saw Jiang Yu. Shen Qinggui's neck turned slightly red, and he felt his cheeks burning, but he still looked directly into Jiang Yu's eyes and said seriously, "I have no matchmaker, I've come to propose marriage myself."

“My surname is Shen, Shen Qinggui. I am an orphan with a respectable family background. My age is unknown, but my aptitude is quite good. I can be considered diligent and hardworking, and my cultivation is profound. I have admired Young Master Jiang for a long time, and I have come today to propose marriage. I wonder if Young Master Jiang would do me the honor of agreeing to this marriage?”

After he finished speaking, the two live geese started honking again as if they had received a command. Jiang Yu laughed out loud and suddenly pounced into his arms, wrapping his arms around Shen Jiuxu's neck. "Then tell me in detail, what is it about me that you admire?"

"Admired everywhere."

Shen Qinggui kissed him on the forehead and gently untied Jiang Yu's hairband, so that he could stroke Jiang Yu's hair with one hand. The hair felt wonderfully smooth and soft.

"Young Master Jiang is exceptionally handsome, with a face like jade, truly a celestial being. He is also gentle and has an extraordinary bearing. I have long admired him, but I wonder if Young Master Jiang would be willing to give me this opportunity?"

Sunlight streamed into the room through the cracks in the window, casting the shadows of the elm trees on the walls and bringing the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. Jiang Yu felt warm and cozy under the sun, and her heart was filled with pride at the praise. Her tone rose accordingly, "Alright, then the marriage is settled."

"Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Jiang."

Seeing his smug expression, Shen Qinggui couldn't help but reach out and touch his face. "Is Young Master Jiang satisfied with me?"

"What am I satisfied with? What am I not satisfied with? Please let me know. I will definitely continue to work hard for this and serve Young Master Jiang well in the future." Shen Qinggui had completely integrated what Yu Xingchi had taught him at Chunfeng Pavilion with the knowledge from the storybooks, and he used it with great ease.

As if on purpose, he slowly slid one hand down to the jade belt at his waist, his warm skin caressing the cool jade belt, while his eyes remained fixed on Jiang Yu, waiting for his answer.

"Young Master Jiang, please speak freely."

He clearly didn't want to talk about it; everything seemed to come naturally to him. Now that Shen Qinggui had lost his memory, he shouldn't know that his lower back was the most sensitive spot, yet he had somehow found that place. For a moment, Jiang Yu wondered if he had remembered something.

"There was something Lian Quesheng said before that I'm very satisfied with, but I don't know if Young Master Jiang is satisfied with it?"

"Wh...what?"

Jiang Yu's voice trembled as he quickly closed the window on the wall. Only one lamp remained in the room. Although it was broad daylight, there was no brightness; instead, it was dark and gloomy, truly giving it a sense of "a moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

"Strong and healthy."

"Is Young Master Jiang satisfied?"

Jiang Yu was forced to the far end of the bed, with the wall behind him. Shen Jiuxu placed his hand on Jiang Yu's back and continued to ask, "How does it compare to Sect Leader Shen?"

Two live geese flew away at some point. There was a barrier set up outside Fuyou Palace, and paper cranes were watching over them, so Jiang Yu wasn't worried that they would disappear.

However, the person in front of him had somehow learned some messy and offensive things, which made him unable to handle them.

"You can't always compare your new love to your old one."

Jiang Yu turned to the side and said slowly, "He was young back then, and you don't even know how old you are, how can you compare?"

Shen Qinggui remained silent. These were the words he had just spoken, and now they had come back to haunt him. He was a sacred tree, how could a sacred tree have an age?

"If we don't compare, will Young Master Jiang show me any favoritism?"

"Judging from your performance, isn't it said that all the formalities of marriage must be completed? You don't have your birth date and time, so how can we have a wedding ceremony?" When Jiang Yu married Shen Jiuxu three years ago, he didn't ask about his birth date and time. He subconsciously felt that Shen Jiuxu should be a little younger than him, after all, Shen Jiuxu called him "brother" when they first met.

He found Shen Jiuxu in a tree on the back mountain. The young man, dressed in blue, was lying on a thick branch, and the fragrance of flowers wafted from him. Jiang Yu followed the scent to find him.

Shen Qinggui was in a dilemma. He couldn't very well tell Jiang Yu directly that he wasn't a person but a tree. Would Jiang Yu despise a tree?

Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly heard Jiang Yu ask him, "Why do you smell so good?"

Several more flower buds sprouted on Shen Qinggui's head, and the flowers that had already bloomed earlier had grown quite a bit because of the excitement of the day. Although he tried his best to suppress them from sprouting, the fragrance was irresistible.

Jiang Yu leaned closer to smell it. The fragrance on Shen Jiuxu's body was the same before. He thought it was because Shen Jiuxu had secretly perfumed his clothes. Later, he found that his clothes also smelled so good when he wore them.

"It smells just like the flowers you gave me before."

Shen Jiuxu understood immediately. He reached behind his back, secretly plucked a flower, and handed it to Jiang Yu, asking, "Do you like it?"

"I like you more than flowers." Jiang Yu smiled and patted his head. "The two matters of asking for a name and accepting auspicious omens are now settled. Young Master Shen, where are my betrothal gifts?"

“You can’t compare to someone as strong and healthy as Mr. Shen. When it comes to betrothal gifts, it should be comparable between new and old lovers,” Jiang Yu teased him. “I’m very expensive; ordinary silver won’t be enough.”

"What else do you need?" Shen Qinggui pondered whether he should ask Lian Quesheng to do some business with him, as he did need some money to support Jiang Yu.

"Your sincerity."

“I have given you my whole heart long ago, can’t you feel it, Young Master Jiang?” Shen Qinggui grabbed his hand and placed it on his chest. “You can feel it slowly over time.”

"Alright, I believe you. There's still the union and the hair-tying left."

"This is the wine that Jiuxu buried under the elm tree before." Jiang Yu had already taken it out and poured it into two cups. He took a small sip himself and reminded Shen Qinggui, "This wine can make you dizzy, so drink less."

"This is the last jar left."

He didn't know if Shen Jiuxu could remember. If he couldn't, wouldn't there be no more wine to drink in the future? This sip could be the last one at any time. Jiang Yu's heartache was obvious.

Shen Qinggui found the wine sour and astringent with a hint of bitterness. When he saw Jiang Yu's cherished expression, he felt as if two people were pulling him apart inside.

In the end, he didn't care anymore. As long as he didn't regain his memories, Shen Jiuxu wouldn't be him, but a villain who fell in love with the same person as Shen Qinggui, or even got there first.

"I'm a little dizzy," Shen Qinggui said in a low voice. "Is this wine spoiled? Let's drink something else!"

"First, tie your hair up." Jiang Yu cut off a lock of hair and handed it to Shen Jiuxu. "And that's it."

The two of them were busy for quite a while, until finally Shen Qinggui tied their hair together and put it in a sachet, and everything was finally settled.

"Don't drink anymore." Shen Qinggui stared at the wine glass on the table, his words carrying a hidden meaning. Jiang Yu immediately understood what he meant and smiled as he hugged Shen Qinggui's waist.

The opened wine jar was placed on the table, but the person was nowhere to be seen. Only a voice could be heard coming from the canopy bed, "What does Young Master Shen want me to call you now?"

"Husband or brother?"

The sun on the horizon was once again obscured by thick clouds, and rain dripped from the eaves onto the bluestone slabs on the ground until dawn. A paper crane flapped its wings and gently knocked on the door a few times.

Lian Quesheng arrived early in the morning and stood outside shouting, "You two get up quickly. My master said something happened at Guren Manor. It has been under the management of Shen Wuke's disciples. Now he wants you two to go over and discuss it."

You don't look too good!

Jiang Yu was shocked when he saw Lian Quesheng. The young master who was living a life of luxury yesterday looked like a beggar who had fled overnight. His clothes were wrinkled and clung to his body, and the jade crown in his hair was crooked. "What happened? Did you run into a thief last night?"

"I'm doing this for the two of you. That cloth seller dreamt that Jiu Xu said he had distinguished customers coming to his shop to buy things every day. If no one goes, then his scheme will be exposed."

Lian Quesheng yawned, "So I went and became a distinguished guest, looked at all the fabrics in his shop, and finally bought them all and gave them to the other people on the street. I didn't sleep all night, and just when I was about to go back to my room, my master called me over."

"But Jiang Yu, I remember those people were clearly dead, how did they come back to life? You didn't use some forbidden technique, did you?"

Shen Qinggui was also puzzled; Jiang Yu had been too busy yesterday and forgot to explain.

“He wasn’t actually dead; he was just putting on an act for me. I ran into Lian Feng and another man in black in the back mountain with Qing Gui before, and I guessed some things from what he said.”

"Later, I asked Dianxing to investigate. They found that he had prepared a lot of poison in the food of the people and his disciples. I asked Dianxing to find a way to replace it. Zheng Min and I are familiar with each other. He is also a smooth person. It is most suitable for him to act."

Jiang Yu briefly explained the situation, saying, "I'm not a god, how could I possibly bring someone back to life?"

“That’s true, otherwise Jiuxu would have come back to life.” Lian Quesheng said subconsciously, but then he suddenly realized that Shen Qinggui was still next to him. Wouldn’t he have to overthink this?

Damn it, he didn't sleep a wink last night, and his mouth is no longer obeying his brain.

Jiang Yu also sensed the unspoken meaning and, together with Lian Quesheng, stared pitifully at the ground, not daring to look up at Shen Qinggui. Unexpectedly, the other party acted as if he hadn't heard anything and asked, "What did you say about the old friend's manor?"

Lian Quesheng breathed a sigh of relief, while Jiang Yu looked on with suspicion. Something was wrong with this person. Last night, he was having wild thoughts because of a glass of wine, but now he's calmed down.

He sensed that things might escalate, but not to Lian Quesheng; rather, he meant that Shen Qinggui would implicate him, meaning he would have to stay in bed for a few more days.

"Guren Village is surrounded by mountains, and mountain demons often appear. Sending a few disciples there before would have calmed things down, but now when people from nearby towns go up the mountain to chop wood, they find that there is no one there, not even a cat or dog. It's as if the people have vanished into thin air."

“Mountain demons are mostly plant spirits and monsters, they certainly wouldn’t have such abilities. Why did so many creatures disappear into thin air?” Jiang Yu also found it strange. “Does Sect Leader Chu Jue mean that he wants me and Qing Gui to go and investigate personally?”

"Brother Qinggui is, after all, the next sect leader. Only by establishing a good reputation can he gain the disciples' trust. That old bastard Lianfeng is doing everything he can to obstruct him, constantly making sarcastic remarks, saying things like—"

“He is a young man with low cultivation. How can he shoulder such a great responsibility? If he cannot resolve this matter, wouldn’t he be disgracing Shen Wuke? It would be safer to send someone else.”

Lian Feng sent people to search for Lian Gu all night, but still couldn't find him. He was getting anxious. When he heard Chu Jue saying something like, "A new sect leader should have some experience after taking office," he didn't care about saving face and said directly, "As for Shen Wuke's matter, we won't trouble Sect Leader Chu. I've already discussed it with the other elders."

"You should have informed me about Shen Wuke's matter. Dianxing, remember next time, if Qinggui and I aren't here, no one's word counts." Jiang Yu happened to walk in, looked at Lian Feng shamelessly sitting in the head seat, and sneered, "How old is Elder Lian this year?"

Why are you asking this?

“I’m worried that the company commander is getting old and forgetful. He clearly said a few days ago that this is Jiuxu’s seat and no one else can sit there. I thought the company commander remembered, but I didn’t expect him to have forgotten?” Jiang Yu kindly reminded him. “Dianxing, is that my sword?”

"I haven't used a sword much lately, and I've almost forgotten how to use it. I might as well take it out and practice."

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Author's note: Let me first reveal yesterday's riddle:

Jiang Yu's new and old loves - guess a four-character idiom.

Actually, I originally wanted to use phrases like "exactly the same," "identical," "long-awaited reunion," "reconciliation," or "reunited after a breakup," but today I saw a reader's answer in the comments section, "a withered tree comes back to life," and I thought it was very fitting. I even considered that Jiuxu is a tree, hahaha, so, extra chapter added!

I'll be putting out a clip tomorrow, so tomorrow's update will be after 11 PM. I'll also be posting a long chapter then. Sending love!