Chapter 5 — The General's Path

In those eyes, I saw shock and a profound sense of panic. There was an additional layer of emotion I could not quite define—a heaviness so suffocating it made it difficult to draw breath. Li Tai’s voice came out raspy, as if he were forcing each syllable through a constricted throat:

"It is... it is you..."

I stood frozen. Clearly, I still wore the exact same face I had in my previous life. Back then, he had never once looked directly at me. Now, having merely changed my attire and assumed a new identity, it was as if he had suddenly gained the ability to perceive my very existence. The Duchess of Southern Suppression, seemingly oblivious to the volatile currents passing between me and Li Tai, continued to beam with delight.

"Little Jade Bud is the most remarkable and exceptional young woman I have ever met," she chirped. "Though this child appears frail, her swimming skills are nothing short of astonishing. It is no wonder, given she grew up by the waters of the Te River in Qi Province. Forget about me; I truly believe she could have pulled a grown man from the depths if he were drowning. My boy, why have you not yet offered your gratitude? Had it not been for her, you would have lost your mother. From this day forward, you are to cherish her as if she were your own sister. If you dare to treat her with indifference or allow anyone to bully her, do not blame me for invoking the family laws..."

The Duchess grew more animated with every passing sentence, entirely unaware that with every word she uttered, the blood drained further from Li Tai’s face, leaving him ghostly pale.

When Li Tai finally seemed to reach a decision and stepped toward me, dusk had already begun to descend. The matron in charge of the rituals, sent from the palace, urged them forward: "Good heavens, why do the bride and groom still linger here? The auspicious hour has arrived; you must enter the hall to complete the rites!"

Li Tai’s foot hovered mid-step, then froze. His complex gaze toggled back and forth between me and Shen Dan Xue. For a long while, he remained caught in hesitation until others finally pushed him toward the center of the ceremonial hall. The red silk ribbon fell across his shoulders, and the music of drums and pipes swelled. The guests’ eyes once again converged upon the dais. The officiant bellowed: "First bow to Heaven and Earth! Second bow to the High Hall! Exchange bows as husband and wife..."

But just before the rites were concluded, Li Tai suddenly ceased his movements. He seemed to have finally awakened from a chaotic dream. The entire hall gasped. Shen Dan Xue’s red veil fluttered, and she seemed as though she might collapse. Li Tai, who had always been so attentive to her every need, did not reach out to steady her. Instead, he ripped the red silk sash from his chest and strode resolutely toward me. With eyes swirling with a mixture of tension and desperate longing, he stared at me intently.

"Miss Jade Bud, after we parted in Qi Province all those years ago, do you still remember me?"

Seeing me press my lips together in silence, he pressed further: "Young lady, where is the teardrop-shaped Guanyin pendant that belonged to you?"

The longing in his eyes was so scorching that I hurriedly averted my gaze. "The Heir has mistaken me for someone else. I possess no such pendant, and this is the first time we have ever met."

I retreated half a step, but Li Tai seemed to have confirmed some secret truth. Far from being deterred, his eyes brimmed with a volatile mix of fury and regret. "My sweet Jade Bud, are you punishing me because I previously mistook my savior? Is that why you refuse to acknowledge me today?"

Li Tai leaned forward, seemingly intent on grabbing my hands. However, the Duchess of Southern Suppression, watching from her high seat, checked him with a sharp look. In the midst of this stalemate, Shen Dan Xue, no longer caring for social niceties or the superstitions of the day, tore her red veil away. Pulling out a jade pendant that looked nearly identical to the one I possessed, she sobbed, "Brother Heir, everyone knows it was I who saved you all those years ago! On our wedding day, you humiliate me in front of everyone—where does this leave the dignity of the Marquis House? Do you mean to… to force your sister Dan Xue to her grave?"

Seeing that Li Tai remained unmoved, Shen Dan Xue suddenly turned toward me. Her eyes were filled with undisguised venom. "Has this unidentified siren cast a spell on you?"

As she spoke, she reached out toward me. I prepared to dodge, but Li Tai stepped in, shielding me. He gripped Shen Dan Xue’s slender wrist with such force that she could not break free despite her struggles. Shen Zhi Han stepped forward in distress, crying, "Heir, release her! You are hurting Dan Xue!"

Li Tai responded only with a cold, hollow laugh. "I should have realized it long ago. How could the Marquis House of Grace possibly allow a pampered lady of such high standing, disregarding her reputation, to travel a thousand miles to save me? Even if she had truly arrived in Qi Province, with a body so frail she gasps for breath after three steps, how could she possibly rescue a healthy, grown man from the midst of a violent, raging flood?"

Li Tai paused. His gaze, which he clearly deemed soulful, drifted back to me, his voice softening once more: "My true savior must at least possess the swimming ability of Miss Jade Bud—the girl who saved my mother from the Baotu Springs at the Temple of Sweet Dew."