Heartfelt wishes
Even late at night, Wei Shu's mind was still filled with Jiang Jin's words from earlier that day. Before he could even reply, Jiang Jin had already walked ahead on her own.
"Wei Shu, are you asleep?" In the quiet of the night, Jiang Jin's voice was even clearer.
"No." There was a slight distance between them, even more distant than in Yuezhou.
"Jiang Jin, what do you mean by 'we owe each other nothing'?" By the moonlight, Wei Shu could vaguely see Jiang Jin's eyes.
"It means exactly what it says. You don't owe me anything, and I don't owe you anything!" Jiang Jin felt Wei Shu's gaze beside her and blushed involuntarily.
"You're leaving, so let's settle the score now?" Wei Shu turned to look at Jiang Jin, who was lying flat on the couch with her eyes closed.
"Why do you always ask such strange questions? I just said it casually, and you just listen to it casually, but you have to think of strange and weird things in a roundabout way."
Jiang Jin turned her back and ignored Wei Shu's nonsense. "Once you're healed, you can continue sleeping on the floor."
"You hate me?" Wei Shu's voice was soft, but it still reached Jiang Jin's ears.
"No, Wei Shu, I don't dislike you, but what gives you the audacity to overstep your bounds?" Jiang Jin turned over to look at Wei Shu, and when their eyes met, Wei Shu actually seemed a little nervous.
"Wei Shu, it's true I'm your wife in name, but you know the true nature of our relationship. You also know your position in the court. If any one of you falls, the rest will scatter. I can protect myself, but I can't protect the others." Jiang Jin's warm fingers touched Wei Shu's face.
"We're caught in a situation where we can't control ourselves, so going back to where we are seems like the best thing to do." Jiang Jin's eyes were a little moist, and Wei Shu took her hand.
“I always keep my word in the teahouse. Wei Shu, you are His Majesty’s sword, and the road I must take is also fraught with danger. Rather than getting bogged down in it and ending up heartbroken, it’s better to cut our losses now.”
Jiang Jin withdrew her hand and stared intently at Wei Shu. "Would His Majesty allow his sword to be moved by emotion?"
"Our marriage was ordained by His Majesty, and naturally, His Majesty hopes that we are truly devoted to each other." Wei Shu reached out and embraced Jiang Jin, holding her tightly in his arms despite her struggles.
"Wei Shu, don't be silly. All His Majesty wants is for your household to be clean. Do you really think he'd allow you to be troubled by love and have a real weakness? Our arranged marriage was just a check, it's nothing serious." Jiang Jin felt Wei Shu's stiffness and patted his back reassuringly.
"Wei Shu, let's forget about it while we're still not too deeply involved, and go back to how we were as friends."
Jiang Jin stopped struggling and lay quietly in Wei Shu's arms. She believed that Wei Shu, being lucid, would understand the meaning behind her words.
"Jiang Jin, you can turn back, but I can't." Wei Shu's deep voice echoed in the darkness. "I've really fallen in love with you."
“Wei Shu…” Jiang Jin paused, startled, as she patted Wei Shu’s back.
"From the day you disappeared, I told myself that if God gave me another chance, I would never lose you again. I would keep you firmly by my side." Wei Shu held Jiang Jin's waist tightly.
"Do you know how panicked I was when I found out you were at the Moon Viewing Pavilion? I know you must have suffered a lot. I failed to protect you, and I made you angry. Whoever hurt you, I will personally send them to hell." Jiang Jin sensed Wei Shu's agitation and didn't want to upset him further.
"Wei Shu, stop thinking about it. Go to sleep. We have to see Elder Qin tomorrow." Jiang Jin, unwilling to argue any further, closed her eyes and ignored Wei Shu.
"Jiang Jin, have you ever cared about me, even for a little bit? It has nothing to do with the court or anything else, just about me as a person?" Jiang Jin didn't answer, but her restless breathing betrayed her thoughts.
"Jiang Jin, are you not answering because you're afraid to answer or because you don't want to answer?" Wei Shu knew Jiang Jin wasn't asleep, but he didn't dare disturb her, so he could only chatter on and on in her ear.
"Wei Shu, I don't want to lie to you. It's true that I did, but so what? Wei Shu, you have no way out. I don't want to live my whole life with longing, and I can't bear to see you live your whole life with longing either."
Jiang Jin slowly pulled Wei Shu's hand away. "Wei Shu, we all have more important paths to walk. We shouldn't let these things hold us back."
"Fine, I respect you." Wei Shu looked at his empty arms with a sense of loss and said, "Jiang Jin, you are really heartless."
"How can one walk steadily on a rugged road without being ruthless?" Jiang Jin turned away, forcing herself to fall asleep quickly, while Wei Shu beside her stayed up all night until dawn.
At 3:45 AM, Jiang Jin opened her eyes, looking at the empty bed beside her with some surprise. But then she thought that where Wei Shu went was none of her business, so she could only put her mind at ease for the time being.
After arranging her hair into a bun and inserting a hairpin, Jiang Jin applied a touch of lip rouge. Since she was going to see Elder Qin today, she wouldn't be wearing her usual girlish hairstyle.
"Yi-ichi." Jiang Jin put on the jade pendant, and Yi-ichi appeared behind him.
"Did you find any other secret guards after entering Zhuxi County?" Yi nodded and said, "Yes, so I'm afraid those people may have already discovered me and Yi Er."
“It’s alright. If things really don’t work out, you and Yi’er can just leave Zhuxi County. Anyway, I won’t get into any trouble here.” Jiang Jin handed two small bamboo boats to Yi Yi. “These are for you and Yi’er. It’s not easy for you two to come out with me.”
"My lady, even if we die, Yi-er and I will die before you, and we will try our best to protect you from harm." Yi-yi carefully took the small boat.
“We’ve known each other for years, how could I watch you die in vain? This place is under Elder Qin’s jurisdiction, nothing will happen here.”
Jiang Jin smiled and fiddled with the bracelet. "Has anyone sent word from the capital? I wonder if Abei listened to me properly while I was away."
"Not yet, but it seems my wife hasn't slept well." Yi Yi pointed to the dark circles under Jiang Jin's eyes.
"I'm just too scared to sleep. It's the same when I go out before, isn't it?" Jiang Jin thought back to her first time going out alone; she didn't dare close her eyes for two whole days, and eventually collapsed into Yi Yi's arms.
“I thought my wife would feel more at ease with General Wei by her side.” Jiang Jin’s smile froze as she touched her eyes. “Yi Yi, how could I entrust my safety to someone I don’t know very well?”
"My lady, do you still not trust General Wei?" Yi Yi had witnessed Jiang Jin and Wei Shu developing feelings for each other throughout their time together, but he knew Jiang Jin was always clear-headed and would extricate herself quickly. However, he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"Believe?" Jiang Jin suddenly laughed.
"Yi Yi, could it be that you've been bewitched too? I'll have to make you go back to school this time. Wei Shu has never been a trustworthy person. He tested me at every turn before we went to the Moon Viewing Pavilion, and he grabbed my neck on the supply wagon to force me to talk. His suspicion is greater than anything else. I will never allow myself to trust such a person."
Jiang Jin was speaking when she suddenly felt thirsty and poured herself a bowl of cold water. "I'm not stupid, of course I know he might like me, but that liking can't outweigh his suspicion and loyalty to His Majesty."
Yi Yi sighed, "My wife, the suspicion is because you've given yourself away. But it's good this way, so that if Wei Shu finds out something amiss, you won't be too heartbroken."
“You and Asui are the same,” Jiang Jin said with a smile, patting Yi Yi on the shoulder.
"You see, everyone knows this, but I still wanted to offer some advice." Jiang Jin waved goodbye, and Yi Yi tactfully took his leave. Jiang Jin pushed open the door to the inn, which was still closed. He walked down the stairs and looked at the busy waiters.
"A bowl of noodle soup, please." Jiang Jin sat down, glanced at the few customers scattered around, and yawned.
"My lady, your noodles are ready!" The waiter placed the steaming noodles in front of Jiang Jin. "My lady, your husband went out early this morning. He specially ordered some crispy cherries for you last night. Would you like some now?"
In an instant, all eyes in the inn fell on Jiang Jin. "Then bring it up."
Jiang Jin covered her slightly flushed face, and heard the young lady's low questioning voice in her ear, "Look at other people's husbands, and then look at yourself. I still have to remember your likes and dislikes."
"Well...didn't I order you a sesame seed cake?" the man next to him argued softly.
"Isn't that what you like to eat too?" The young woman's voice rose slightly in anger.
"Hey buddy, we'd like a plate of crispy cherries too," the man next to him finally said, having no other choice.
"Young master, I'm so sorry, we only have one batch of these crispy cherries. It was this lady's husband who gave us the ingredients and recipe; we were just responsible for making them." Jiang Jin looked at the crispy cherries with some guilt upon hearing this.
"Look at you again, Fu Liu. I'd rather marry a cat than you; at least it can make me happy." The woman might have started as a simple complaint, but now she seemed genuinely angry.
"Awu, I was wrong. Next time I will definitely remember your likes and dislikes." The man wasn't angry; he was just gently coaxing his wife beside him. Jiang Jin looked over curiously and happened to meet the woman's gaze.
"I...I'm sorry, did I disturb your meal?" The woman seemed to realize that her voice was a bit loud, and glanced at the guests present with some embarrassment.
"It's nothing. I just thought you were very beautiful, so I glanced at you a few more times. Please don't take offense." Jiang Jin looked away and took a sip of soup.
"Madam, wouldn't you like to try some crispy cherries? I remember they don't taste as good if they sit for too long," the young woman reminded Jiang Jin.
"I'll be right there. If you like, my lady, you're welcome to use some," Jiang Jin said sincerely, smiling at the young woman.
"No need, this is your husband's gift to you. It would be a waste for us to eat it." The young woman tugged at the face of the man beside her. "I really hope this blockhead next to me can grow up and have a heart."
"Ah Wu, I promise I won't let you down next time." The young man earnestly tore the flatbread into small pieces and fed them to the young woman.
Jiang Jin smiled, lowered her head, and took a bite of the crispy cherry. Although it wasn't as delicious as the ones in the teahouse, it was still a rare treat to find it in Zhuxi County.
"Is it good?" A familiar voice came from behind Jiang Jin, and Wei Shu, heavy with dew, sat down in front of her.
"It's delicious, thank you." A silence fell between them, making the atmosphere even more awkward.
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