Chapter 6 — I Will Not Marry the Gu Family in This Life

Ta Yen Chu raised an eyebrow, lifting the small bowl in his hand for me to see. "I had good intentions, wishing to bring you something to eat, my lady. I never expected that you would have already feasted on your own."

I offered an embarrassed smile, my gaze fixed on the bowl. I had presumed it contained raw dumplings—a memory from my past life, when the mistress of the Gu household had presented me with a bowl of raw dough on my wedding night. But when Ta Yen Chu lifted the lid, what lay inside was a bowl of shimmering, deep-red blood bird's nest. I was stunned.

"You..."

Blood bird's nest is an incredibly rare delicacy, typically reserved as a tribute for the imperial court. Ta Yen Chu must have petitioned the Emperor himself for it. He scooped a spoonful, blew on it gently to cool it, and held it to my lips. "The copying of those Lotus Sutras—it must have been exhausting for you, was it not?"

I did not know if it was merely an illusion, but though it was still bird's nest, this bowl tasted far sweeter than any white nest I had ever consumed. Since discovering the Grand Princess's devotion to Buddhism, I had not ceased copying scripture, practicing until every character was etched into my mind, never missing a stroke. At first, it had been grueling work, but now, I no longer felt the burden. Ta Yen Chu told me that, initially, he had never intended to marry.

"On the battlefield, one lives today and may die tomorrow. Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable. To be the wife of a general is to shoulder too much." His own mother could not bear the prospect of a young widowhood, and so she had abandoned him to remarry. "I do not blame her. It is simply that I lacked the fortune to enjoy the warmth of parents."

At the banquet held that day, every young lady present had vied to showcase her talents, but Ta Yen Chu had been entirely disinterested. He did not believe he would live long enough to enjoy such things. Yet, there was one girl who dared to mix her own blood with ink, exhausting her spirit to copy the Lotus Sutras. She had performed such a reckless act of devotion, all to marry him. Because of this, while inside the hall, Ta Yen Chu had drawn his sword and shattered the jade curtains, silently signaling to the Grand Princess that he intended to wed this very girl. Ta Yen Chu’s peach-blossom eyes crinkled, his voice light and merry.

"Do you truly like me that much?"

I was speechless, unsure how to explain. Ta Yen Chu did not rush me for an answer. "From this day forward, at the very least, you must truly like me. In the future, I shall cherish my life, and you must treasure yourself for my sake."

He lifted me into his arms, extinguished the red candles, and leaned in close to whisper a vow in my ear: "My lady, I will never give you the chance to remarry."

The silk curtains were warm, and the spring night was fleeting. When I awoke the next day, I finally understood the difference between a scholar and a warrior. Ta Yen Chu... he was truly not the type to die young. The maid who brought in the water told me that he had already risen early to practice his martial arts. In this manor, I was the mistress; I did not need to pay morning respects to anyone. Ta Yen Chu had even specifically instructed the maids that I was not to be disturbed. For the first time, I realized that marriage could be so wonderful. No—it was wonderful specifically because I had married Ta Yen Chu.

Following my wedding was the wedding of my younger sister. Now that Gu Tu Vien was merely a low-ranking official in the Imperial Academy, there were not many guests attending his ceremony. Many officials only came to offer congratulations out of respect for Ta Yen Chu. Gu Tu Vien had finally married the woman he truly wanted, yet there was little joy on his face. Upon seeing me, he blurted out, "Thu Ninh, you have grown much thinner."

Ta Yen Chu's expression darkened instantly, and he called out in a heavy, warning tone, "Brother-in-law."

Gu Tu Vien suddenly seemed to snap back to his senses. Once we were seated, Ta Yen Chu’s voice still held a trace of bitterness. "Does he love you?"

I shook my head. He absolutely did not love me, and I had no interest in speculating what was inside Gu Tu Vien’s mind. At that moment, my sister's personal maid, Thuy Nhi, rushed over to find me. "Eldest Miss, our mistress says she must see you today."

On the day of my homecoming, Ta Yen Chu had military affairs, and I had used that as an excuse not to return to my maiden home. Before my sister’s wedding day, my mother had sent someone to summon me to help, but I had declined. Only today, on her wedding day, was it impossible for me to refuse on grounds of decorum. There was nothing left to say between us. When I had hated her, she had already died in my heart. In her eyes, I had always been the sister who loved and indulged her, and it was precisely for that reason I had hated her for choosing death over a man. Now, even that hate had faded. I did not want to go, but Thuy Nhi knelt and begged. To avoid causing a scene, I went. In the bridal chamber, my sister wore her red wedding robes, a smile at the corners of her eyes, appearing to be the happiest bride in the world. She told Thuy Nhi to wait outside.

"I wish to speak with you in private, sister."

I kept my distance. She assumed the cause of our estrangement was simply this marriage. "Sister, in truth, you once had Brother Tu Vien. This opportunity was something I exchanged my life to secure."

I listened calmly, without a flicker of emotion in my eyes. My sister merely assumed I did not understand. "It is fine if you do not understand. I only wish to say that, sister, I owe you nothing."