Chapter 1 — One Sword Cuts Our Ties

After being locked within the ancestral hall for seven long days, Pei Ze finally ordered my release. I remained the undisputed mistress of the Marquis's estate, yet everything had changed. I no longer cared for Pei Ze, nor did I harbor any bitter jealousy. I no longer targeted the childhood sweetheart whom he cradled in the very depths of his heart. In fact, upon hearing the news that his beloved sweetheart was carrying his child, an overwhelming wave of joy washed over me. As Pei Ze held me tightly in his arms, I looked up and spoke with utter sincerity:

Little sister Lin is with child, my lord. You must go and visit her without delay.

I have already made meticulous arrangements for her care, ensuring that this pregnancy will proceed safely and without any mishap.

Curving my brows, I offered him a radiant and genuine smile. Yet, Pei Ze’s expression darkened instantly. Seizing me roughly by the chin, his eyes burning red, he forced me to meet his unrelenting gaze.

Shen Ming Tang, why are you not kicking up a fuss?

01

When Pei Ze pushed open the door and stepped inside, I was resting lazily against a soft velvet pillow. My maid, Yun Yan, was carefully applying a warm compress to my aching knees. Pei Ze stood a short distance away, observing me in silence for a moment before slowly walking forward.

Let me do that.

He covered the remaining distance in a few quick strides, bringing with him a faint trace of heavy face powder and sweet perfume. Sitting down heavily on the edge of the bed, he took the damp cloth from Yun Yan’s hands and lowered his gaze to my knees. The flagstones of the ancestral hall were notoriously cold and hard; kneeling upon them for days had left my kneecaps swollen and bruised. Though he remained entirely silent, his hands began gently applying the warm compress. When the damp linen first brushed against my skin, I instinctively pulled my legs back. He stopped immediately, raising his eyes to search my face.

Does it hurt?

Pei Ze’s voice was unnaturally tender, a gentleness that left me feeling strangely unaccustomed to it.

It is nothing.

Without another word, Pei Ze eased the pressure of his touch. I watched his meticulous movements, a profound sense of alienation washing over me alongside a flicker of bitter amusement. The one who had ignited this entire storm—could he truly escape bearing the consequences? Once the compress was finished, he reached into his sleeve and produced a small, celadon-glazed medicine vial, preparing to apply ointment to my bruises.

This is the Jade Body Ointment I specifically requested from the Imperial Hospital. It is unmatched for reducing swelling and ensures no scars will be left behind.

Leaning back against the soft pillows, I watched him carefully tend to my injuries, yet I did not utter a single word from beginning to end.

This ointment is remarkably effective. The imperial physician stated it must be applied three times daily.

Lowering his head, his voice dropped to a low murmur.

Do not find it bothersome.

Mn.

For the next two days, do not walk about. If there is anything you require, simply order the servants to attend to it.

Mn.

Pei Ze’s movements gradually slowed to a halt, and he lifted his head to shoot me a questioning glance. Lowering my eyes, I deliberately avoided his searching gaze. After studying me intently for a few moments, he bowed his head once more and resumed massaging the soothing ointment into my skin.

In the future, do not be so stubborn. In a place like the ancestral hall, one need only acknowledge fault to be permitted to leave.

Yet you stubbornly endured it for a full seven days.

I offered no reply. The chamber fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the flickering, restless dance of the candlelight. Once the ointment was fully absorbed, he did not immediately take his leave.

A Tang.

Reaching out, Pei Ze captured my hand within his own. His palms were warm. In the past, holding his hand and tangling our fingers together had been my greatest joy, a quiet moment where we would exchange knowing smiles. Yet now, I lowered my eyes to gaze upon our intertwined hands before withdrawing mine without a moment's hesitation. Pei Ze’s hand remained suspended awkwardly in mid-air, a look of profound shock freezing upon his profile. I fully expected him to fly into a rage, to reprimand me once again for my lack of decorum. Instead, Pei Ze quietly retracted his hand and simply stared at me.

A Tang, the authority of household management remains firmly in your hands.

No one shall ever dare to look down upon you.

He stared at me with an intense, unwavering seriousness. Turning my head slightly, I met his gaze head-on. He continued to watch me, seemingly waiting for some specific response. I was utterly exhausted and longed for nothing more than sleep. Yet, realizing that he would persist until I spoke, I perfunctorily murmured:

I understand.

A slight frown creaked the space between Pei Ze’s brows. The woman before him seemed drained, as though utterly sapped of her vitality.

Then you should rest well.

As the beaded curtains fell, the sound of his receding footsteps slowly faded into the distance. Yun Yan stepped into the room carrying a steaming bowl of medicinal decoction, casting a worried glance in my direction but holding her tongue. Leaning back against the soft pillows, my thoughts drifted to the household authority he had just mentioned. I coldly closed my eyes and let out a single, bitter scoff. Who could possibly care for such burdens?

02

Stepping out through the courtyard doors, Pei Ze was greeted by a sharp gust of night wind. He came to an abrupt halt as the heavy scent of feminine powder still clinging to his robes caught his senses. Frowning deeply, he instinctively pulled at the collar of his garment. In his haste to arrive earlier, he had completely forgotten to change his attire. Yet, having been in such close proximity to Ming Tang just moments before, the fragrance had been far too potent for her to miss. And yet, she had said absolutely nothing. Pei Ze stood frozen in the courtyard, momentarily unable to decipher the strange tumult of emotions churning within his chest. In the past, whenever he returned from a banquet with even the faintest trace of perfume on his robes, Shen Ming Tang would relentlessly interrogate him for half a day, driving him to the verge of a headache. Yet tonight, she had not uttered a single word about it. Perhaps she simply had not noticed. With her knees in such agonizing pain, how could she possibly have the mental bandwidth to care about such trivial matters? Though he tried to rationalize it this way, an inexplicable unease began to gnaw at the edges of his heart. Early the next morning, Pei Ze returned. Following closely behind him were two male servants carrying a heavily laden chest filled to the brim with exquisite items—fine garments, rolls of shimmering silk, and a heavy wooden box glittering with pearls and jade.

Ming Tang, I selected all of these personally and with the utmost care.

Seating himself beside the bed, his tone grew remarkably gentle.

See if there is anything here that catches your eye.

I lay against the mattress, my eyelids feeling as though they were made of lead. Having spent the entire previous night wide awake, tossing and turning while contemplating how best to sever our ties and secure a divorce from Pei Ze, I had only managed a few fitful moments of sleep as dawn approached. At this moment, every bone in my body ached with fatigue. Glancing dismissively toward the magnificent chest, I remained entirely silent. Seeing my lack of response, Pei Ze edged closer still.

I shall remain by your side over these next few days. While you are recovering from your injuries, I will go nowhere else.

Reaching out, he carefully tucked the edge of the blanket around my shoulders. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, a light, cheerful patter of footsteps echoed from outside the door. Lin Wan Yin stepped into the chamber with a radiant smile upon her face.

Is elder brother Ze here as well?

You suffered such terrible hardship within the ancestral hall, elder sister. My heart has been heavy with worry for you these past few days, so I came especially to pay you a visit today.

Lifting my gaze, I observed Lin Wan Yin, whose expression of deep concern appeared utterly flawless. She seated herself gracefully on the edge of the bed, offering me several words of soothing comfort in a soft voice.

Elder sister, brother Ze truly had no alternative regarding what happened this time.

All of the clan elders were present that day, and everyone witnessed you striking the first blow. In a family of our standing, reputation is paramount.

Brother Ze punishing you was done out of sheer helplessness; every bit of it was for your own good.

As Lin Wan Yin spoke, her eyes drifted toward the lavish gifts Pei Ze had brought, and she covered her mouth with a delicate giggle.

Look at this, elder sister. No sooner had brother Ze finished punishing you than his heart began to ache for you in remorse.

These items are exceedingly rare treasures, yet brother Ze handed them all over to you without the slightest hesitation.

Leaning in closer, she dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

Elder sister, a woman’s true fortune does not lie in her own capabilities, but entirely in the kind of man she manages to marry.

A man as deeply affectionate and considerate as brother Ze is truly a rare find indeed.

Two days ago, when brother Ze attended a banquet in my company, he even insisted on drinking three cups of wine in my place. He said my tolerance for alcohol was poor and feared I would fall ill or feel wretched afterward.

Turning her head to lock her gaze with mine, a triumphant smile danced in her eyes.

Brother Ze has always been this way. Cold and aloof on the outside, but possessing the most tender heart of all.

Lin Wan Yin prattled on endlessly. Yet from beginning to end, I merely regarded her with an expression of serene indifference. Even when her words dripped with thinly veiled provocation, I no longer felt the burning fury that once consumed me. Seated nearby, Pei Ze observed Ming Tang’s habitual coldness, a sudden and profound sense of dissatisfaction welling up inside him. In the past, whenever Ming Tang laid eyes on Wan Yin, rage would inevitably take hold of her. Today, however, despite Wan Yin speaking at such length, Ming Tang did not show a single trace of anger. Almost involuntarily, Pei Ze broke the silence:

That is quite enough.

If you have no other business here, you may take your leave first.

Throwing Pei Ze a look of profound grievance, Lin Wan Yin nevertheless curtsied and obediently withdrew from the room. Fixing his gaze upon the woman resting against the pillows, Pei Ze spoke, his voice tinged with a probing uncertainty.

Ming Tang, are you not angry at all?

03

I studied the knot of perplexity furrowed between his brows, a sense of mild irony washing over me. In the past, whenever my temper flared, he dismissed me as a troublesome nuisance. Now that I had ceased my anger entirely, he found himself utterly unsettled. Lifting the corners of my lips, I offered him a gentle, placid smile.

Why should I be angry?

Little sister Lin was merely showing her concern for me, was she not?

An indescribable expression flickered across Pei Ze’s face, resembling that of a man who had suddenly choked on his own words. He stared at me intently for the space of two breaths, as though desperately searching my features for some hidden clue. Meeting his gaze once more, I offered another placid, sincere smile:

My lord may set his mind completely at ease.

From this day forward, I shall no longer engage in petty jealousies or compete with little sister Lin.

Pei Ze’s expression darkened considerably. Rather than flying into a rage, he simply stared at me in prolonged silence. Without uttering another word, his face locked in a scowl, he abruptly turned on his heel and strode out of the room. As the beaded curtains swayed violently in his wake, the sound of his heavy, hurried footsteps echoed away. Truly, I found myself utterly bewildered. Was this not precisely what he had demanded all along? He had craved my magnanimity, demanded that I cease my petty jealousy, and insisted that I carry myself with the absolute dignity becoming of a Marquis’s wife. Now that I had achieved precisely that, he was inexplicably furious once more. Ah, let it be; I refused to waste another thought on his erratic behavior. The cooling ointment on my knees offered a soothing relief against the lingering ache. Closing my eyes, I prepared to drift into a deep, restorative sleep. The physician had said that ample rest would quicken the mending of my wounds. Once fully healed, I would finally be free to seek my divorce.

04

Lately, Pei Ze had grown profoundly incomprehensible. On that day, following his gloomy departure, I had assumed he would stay away for a considerable length of time. To my utter surprise, scarcely a single day passed before he returned once more. Not only did he return, but he brought with him an entire basket of seasonal honey tangerines, claiming they were rare imperial tributes sent specifically for me to sample. He lingered in my chambers for hours, inquiring endlessly whether my injuries still ached, whether the servants attended to me with proper diligence, and whether there was anything at all I desired.

It does not hurt.

They are exceptionally diligent.

I require nothing.

I replied to each inquiry with polite, formulaic detachment. Yet when Pei Ze finally took his leave, his countenance was darker than ever, though to this moment I remained entirely oblivious as to whose anger he was carrying. After skipping a single day, he appeared once more. This time, he carried a parcel of crushed-apple pastries from a famed pastry shop in the southern quarter of the city—my absolute favorite delicacy. Accepting the package, I immediately took a bite right before his eyes.

The flavor is exquisite. My thanks to the Marquis.

Yet this only served to knit Pei Ze’s brows into an even deeper, harsher scowl.

In the past, you did not address me as the Marquis.

I was momentarily stunned. In truth, I had never called him the Marquis in the old days. During moments of joy, I called him my lord; when acting coquettishly, I called him A Ze; and during fits of rage, I would blurt out his full name without hesitation. Yet he had perpetually chastised me for lacking proper decorum. Now that I had finally mastered the art of decorum, he found himself profoundly displeased. That very afternoon, Pei Ze once again retreated with a thunderous expression. Yet despite his frustration, he continued to present himself in my courtyard every single day. What was more, he had largely ceased his regular visits to Lin Wan Yin’s chambers. On one occasion, a maid dispatched by Lin Wan Yin arrived at my door with a message:

Mistress Lin is suffering from a severe migraine; she humbly begs the Marquis to come and visit her.

Pei Ze was seated in my chamber sipping tea at the time. Upon hearing the servant’s report, he did not even bother to rise from his chair. Instead, a flash of unmistakable annoyance crossed his features as he frowned deeply.

If she has a migraine, she should summon a physician. I have no skill in healing ailments.

Two days later, Lin Wan Yin arrived in person.

Brother Ze, I tossed and turned in agony the entire night. My head still spins with dizziness this morning; would you be willing to remain by my side for just a little while?

Standing just beyond the threshold, her eyes rimmed with angry red tears, she cut a picture of the utmost frailty and heartbreak. Yet Pei Ze remained firmly seated at my bedside, lingering motionless for a long, unbroken stretch of time.