After the wedding, Jiang Rui and I were the very picture of wedded bliss—so much so that all the noble ladies in Huajing were green with envy.
Listening to the maids gossip, I couldn't help but pop another piece of hibiscus cake into my mouth.
"Princess, disaster! His Highness refuses to take his medicine!" Chuntao came running in, nearly making me choke on my cake.
I sighed, put down my snack, and made my way back to our room.
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.
I froze. "Husband, what's wrong?"
Jiang Rui didn't answer.
I pried his hands off and turned to face him.
He looked utterly dejected. "Yun'er, someone's trying to steal your husband."
I paused, scanning the room. "Where?"
He tightened his hold and pointed to the floor. "That lump over there."
I looked down to see a pale, soaking-wet young lady, wrapped in a maid's robe. My jaw dropped. "I…"
Furious!
We'd only been married for a hot minute, and someone was already trying to sneak into our house? Did they think I was invisible?
"Who do you think you are, throwing yourself at my husband?"
"Yun'er, that's Miss Lin, daughter of Minister Lin," Jiang Rui whispered, tugging my sleeve.
So what if she's Minister Lin's daughter? Wait—Minister Lin's?
I looked down at the girl, who had just woken up. Lin Wanran knelt there, tears streaming down her face, gazing up at us with pitiful eyes.
"I'm willing to marry Your Highness—even as a concubine!" she wailed.
Jiang Rui clutched me and backed up three steps, as if she were contagious.
I'd never seen a noble lady so eager to be a concubine. This girl was truly… unique.
I tried to step closer, but Jiang Rui wouldn't let go. "Yun'er, don't listen to her nonsense. You're the only one I want in this life."
"But Your Highness, my reputation—how can you ignore it?" Lin Wanran sobbed even louder.
I couldn't just ignore her pitiful cries. I glanced at the pond behind us—my poor little koi, which I'd just released, were so scared they'd leapt out of the water.
I shook my head and looked at Lin Wanran. She was beautiful, I'd give her that.
"Miss Lin, don't worry. Our household will handle this matter properly."
A glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes.
But then, I bent down and added, "But if you want to be a concubine, it can't be for my husband."
"Princess, are you so petty you can't even accept a concubine?" Lin Wanran sobbed, trying to guilt-trip me.
Nice try, but I wasn't buying it.
"There's no fresh mud on His Highness's shoes—how could he have been the one to save you?"
Besides, Jiang Rui's injury hadn't healed. He couldn't even share a room with me yet, let alone go for a swim.
One look at the ground and the truth was obvious.
"Yun'er, you're as clever as ever," Jiang Rui said, grinning as he helped me up and squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. He turned to Lin Wanran, cold as ice. "Miss Lin, you've got the wrong man. It was Mu Yi, my bodyguard, who saved you."
He pointed to the tall, embarrassed guard standing nearby.
Lin Wanran's face went from white to green. "It… it wasn't His Highness?"
"Of course not! My heart belongs to my wife. Why would I look at anyone else?"
Who was this smooth talker? Oh, right—my husband.
Lin Wanran's face twisted with frustration. She got up, glared at me one last time, and stomped off, nearly tripping over her own feet as she left.
I watched her go, then turned to Jiang Rui with a smirk. "See? Even the koi in the pond are scared of her."
He burst out laughing. "Don't worry, my lady. In this house, you're the only one who can make me lose my head."
And so, in the House of Jiang, married life was never boring—between jealous noble ladies, meddling housekeepers, and a husband who could out-flirt a poet, I was starting to think I'd made the best decision of my life.
"Maple leaves are turning red—care to join me for an outing?" Chuntao read aloud from the invitation.
When my old friend Anran invited me for a trip, I was genuinely delighted. After all, I'd been cooped up since the wedding and hadn't had a chance to enjoy the autumn scenery.
We arranged to meet on the outskirts of Huajing, and after greeting Anran, we started up the mountain together. Barely fifteen minutes in, our carriage came to a sudden halt. Peeking out, I saw a man blocking Anran's carriage—and beside him, a woman who looked oddly familiar.
With Chuntao's whispered reminder, I recognized her: Lin Wanran. Even under layers of makeup, she looked exhausted, as if she'd aged ten years since her last failed attempt to join my household.
What kind of circus was this?
Chuntao helped me down, and I kept a close eye on the commotion up ahead. The man—a burly fellow in silk robes, but with the manners of a street thug—was trying to drag Anran's carriage away. Anran, with only a few servants, was clearly outmatched.
Sensing trouble, I hurried over, summoning all our attendants. "What do you think you're doing?" I shouted, my voice echoing down the mountain path. Instantly, the crowd fell silent.
The man turned, swaggering as if he owned the road, but before he could speak, Lin Wanran grabbed his sleeve. "Greetings, Princess," she said, her tone meek.
I cut to the chase. "Why are you harassing Anran?"
Instead of the showdown I expected, Lin Wanran apologized in a whisper, "My brother just returned from the provinces. He's unfamiliar with proper conduct. Please forgive us, Princess, Miss Anran."
Rumor had it that the Lin family recently brought back an illegitimate son from the countryside. Judging by the way he rolled his eyes and tugged at Lin Wanran's handkerchief, he was more wild boar than nobleman.
But just because he was uncouth didn't mean he could get away with this! If he dared harass Anran today, what would he do to ordinary folks tomorrow?
The path to Yunshan Temple was packed with onlookers, blocking the way for everyone. To avoid further chaos, Lin Wanran reluctantly dragged her brother to his knees. "We were wrong. We'll bring gifts and apologize in person—please, don't be angry."
Once Anran nodded, I let them go. Lin Wanran hurried off with her brother, moving so fast you'd think I was a hungry tiger.
Did I really look that scary? Last time she tried to sneak into my household, I even spared her reputation!
Back in the carriage, I comforted a shaken Anran and asked what happened. Turns out, Lin Wanran's brother had taken a liking to Anran, tried to flirt, and when rebuffed, tried to force his way into her carriage. Lin Wanran couldn't hold him back, and chaos ensued.
I felt like I was missing something important, but before I could piece it together, a sudden jolt threw me into the carriage.
"Princess!" Chuntao and the servants screamed.