Chapter 4 — A Wrongful Match in Crimson

Waking up the next morning, I truly came to appreciate the vast difference between a civil official and a military general. Yan Chu did not seem like a man destined for an early grave. A maid carrying a basin of fresh water into the bedchamber informed me that he was already wide awake and practicing martial arts outside. In this household, I held absolute authority and was spared the tedious duty of paying formal morning respects to any mother-in-law. Moreover, he had explicitly instructed the domestic staff never to disturb my sleep. For the very first time in my life, I realized that getting married could actually be such a wonderful experience. No, to be precise, marrying him was simply wonderful beyond words.

Following my own wedding, it was time for my younger sister to be wed. Xuanyuan was currently serving merely as a fifth-rank official in the Imperial Academy, so the gathering of guests was rather modest, with quite a number of attendees present purely out of respect for Yan Chu. Xuanyuan had finally succeeded in marrying the woman he had always desired, yet there was not a trace of genuine joy upon his face. Catching sight of me, the words slipped out from him uncontrollably:

Shu Ning, you have grown much thinner.

Yan Chu’s expression darkened instantly, and in a deep, warning tone, he addressed him:

Brother-in-law.

Only then did Xuanyuan snap back to his senses. After taking his seat, the words that Yan Chu uttered carried a faint trace of jealousy:

Does he still harbor feelings for you?

I shook my head. He certainly did not love me. Nor did I possess the slightest inclination to ponder what might be passing through his mind. On the contrary, my sister’s personal maid, Green, came scurrying over to seek me out.

Eldest Miss, our mistress instructed that she must see you today without fail.

On the traditional day for newlyweds to return to the bride’s parental home on a formal visit, Yan Chu had military matters to attend to, and I had used that as an excuse not to go. Before my sister’s wedding, our mother had urged me to return and lend a hand, but I had brushed that off with excuses as well. Yet today, on her actual wedding day, there was no escaping my attendance. Between her and me, there were simply no words left to be spoken. Back when I still harbored bitter resentment toward her, the old version of her had already spiritually perished. In her eyes, I had forever remained the elder sister who cherished her the most and indulged her the wildest. And precisely because of that very reason, I had deeply resented her for seeking her own demise over a mere man. Yet now, even that lingering resentment had faded into insignificance. I had no desire to go, but Green knelt down before me and begged tearfully. To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, I went nonetheless. Inside the newlywed chamber, my sister was attired in a resplendent crimson ceremonial robe, the corners of her eyes curving with a smile, looking every bit like the happiest bride in the entire mortal realm. She instructed Green to step outside and stand guard at the doorway.

I wish to speak a few private words with my elder sister.

I maintained a distinct, cautious distance between us. She remained utterly oblivious, assuming that the true cause of my aloofness was nothing more than petty jealousy over this marriage.

Elder sister, the truth is that Xuanyuan was once yours.

This second chance at happiness is something I traded my very life to secure.

I listened in silence, my heart remaining as calm and motionless as stagnant water. She naturally assumed I failed to comprehend her meaning.

It does not matter even if you do not understand.

I merely wished to tell you, elder sister, that I owe you nothing.

And indeed, I had never owed her anything either. Whatever faint remnants of bitterness still lingered within the depths of my soul simply dissolved into nothingness. Love must exist first for hatred to be born. Now that hatred was gone, what remained could no longer be called love.

Then I wish you a lifetime of fulfilled desires.

My sister foolishly believed that I had finally forgiven her.

Elder sister, all the days to come shall be filled with fortune and joy.

I pushed open the door and stepped outside, choosing to completely erase the memories of our past life. What kind of future awaited her, I neither knew nor cared. But my own days to come would undoubtedly be extraordinarily bright and peaceful. Yan Chu was waiting for me quietly beneath the sheltered corridor. I offered him a gentle, genuine smile.

Husband, let us go home.

As we were departing from my sister’s courtyard, we happened to cross paths with a boisterous group of boorish relatives from the household who had come to tease the newlyweds. Yan Chu let out a soft sound of mild disgust and pulled me firmly against his side.

The relatives on their side are truly numerous.

Indeed, they were practically all impoverished kin hailing from distant places.

The longer I lived as a married woman, the lazier I gradually became. Before my marriage, I had been overwhelmed by an endless stream of social obligations and domestic worries. Now, with Yan Chu standing firmly under the protective wing of the Grand Princess, my life was infinitely more leisurely. The only routine I maintained was copying a volume of sacred scriptures each month. Unable to dissuade me, Yan Chu would simply sit patiently beside me, grinding the ink stick for my brush. The precious bird’s nest tonic was also continuously served to me for three consecutive months before finally being stopped. During a casual conversation with the Grand Princess, Her Highness had even brought this up playfully to tease us.

The imperial concubines within the palace walls are nearly out of bird’s nest soup because of him, yet he still uses his battlefield exploits as an excuse to shamelessly beg favors from the Emperor.

The reigning emperor happened to be the younger brother of the Grand Princess, and their sibling bond was exceptionally close. Furthermore, Yan Chu had been raised largely under her watchful eye, treating him almost as her own half-son.

I was never blessed with many children, and he lacked maternal warmth, so I have always regarded him as my very own flesh and blood.

Now that I had become her grand-daughter-in-law, she treated me with boundless warmth and affection.