Chapter 41

Then let’s get married now.

Shen Ji was taken aback.

He had arranged their engagement previously because he couldn’t bear to see her marry someone else, confident that he could give her a good life. But now, with the change in circumstances and a perilous road ahead, how could he let her suffer with him?

That was why he had wanted to settle her somewhere else first.

He explained, “It’s not that I won’t let you come with me, it’s just that Anle County is truly not a good place.”

“I don’t care. I want to be with you.” Su Zhenyue showed a rare flash of petulance. “We’re about to be married, yet you want to leave me behind all alone. Are you not letting me go with you because you’re planning to find someone else over there?”

Shen Ji was momentarily choked by her words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “I have no such intentions.”

However, her words did manage to dissipate some of the heavy atmosphere from before.

Composing himself, Shen Ji said patiently and earnestly, “The conditions there are truly terrible, and I’m also worried it won’t be safe on the road.”

“Then will it be safe for me on the road to Qingzhou?” Su Zhenyue was, of course, aware that the world was not a peaceful place. But it was precisely for this reason that she was even more determined to go with Shen Ji.

She trusted Shen Ji, and she believed that with his talents, they would live very well as long as they could evade that calamity.

—From the moment she learned he had been demoted to Anle County, she had begun preparing for this.

“If you go to Qingzhou, I will have people escort you the entire way,” Shen Ji said.

Su Zhenyue shook her head and replied, “Then if I go to Anle County, can’t I have people escort me? Besides, I’ll have you to protect me on the road.”

Before Shen Ji could speak, she softened her voice again, pleading gently, “Cousin, let me accompany you, please? I’m not afraid of hardship, really. And if you’re worried about danger, am I not in danger here in the capital?”

At this, Su Zhenyue reached out and gently tugged on his sleeve. “Cousin—”

She tilted her head up, looking at him with pleading eyes.

His reflection was clearly visible in them.

Shen Ji fell silent, momentarily lost in a daze.

This was the first time she had acted so coquettishly toward him since the Laba Festival last year. Although they had become engaged afterward, they had always maintained propriety and decorum, never sharing any intimate gestures.

Even though he knew she might not truly be in love with him, at this moment, Shen Ji had the illusion that the young woman before him genuinely adored him and held deep feelings for him.

“Cousin, Cousin—” Su Zhenyue tugged his sleeve, shaking it gently, then tentatively reached for his hand. “Please—”

The young woman’s palm was warm. Shen Ji’s body gave an almost imperceptible tremble as a thousand thoughts raced through his mind in an instant.

His gaze lowered, and he said, word by word, “Alright. You will come with me. We will go to Anle together.”

“Really? You agree?” Upon hearing this, a smile instantly bloomed on Su Zhenyue’s face, though she still seemed a little incredulous. “You’re not tricking me?”

Shen Ji smiled faintly, but his tone was extremely serious. “I’m not tricking you.”

He thought, since she was so insistent on going, he would take her with him. The road ahead would be difficult, but he would be there to protect her. As long as he was alive, he would never let her be wronged.

Su Zhenyue smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, and picked up the silver notes from the table again. “Then I’ll go back and continue packing. I’ll see if I can exchange these silver notes for smaller denominations to make them more convenient for us to use on the road.”

“Alright.” Shen Ji gazed at her and nodded lightly.

Su Zhenyue was still thinking about her half-packed trunks. Seeing that the matter with Shen Ji was settled, she hurried away.

Just as she left, Ping An slipped in quietly and asked with caution, “Young Master, what did Miss Su say?”

“Ping An, go pack your things. I’m going out for a bit,” Shen Ji said, not answering the question.

“Ah?” Ping An was a little confused.

Shen Ji smiled. “To get the travel permits. Miss Su is coming with us.”

He strode away, leaving Ping An staring with wide eyes.

When Su Zhenyue returned to the West Wing Courtyard, Doukou and Nanxing were still packing.

The trunks were already filled, with only a few small, miscellaneous items left.

After a moment’s thought, Su Zhenyue called Doukou over and asked gently, “Doukou, what if I entrust you to the Eldest Young Miss?”

“Miss!” Doukou froze, then her eyes welled up with tears and her voice took on a sobbing tone. “You don’t want me anymore?”

Her crying made Su Zhenyue’s eyes redden as well. “How could that be? It’s not that I don’t want you. Cousin has been sent to Anle County and we must depart immediately. I have to go with him.”

“Miss…”

“You were born and raised in the Marquis Estate. Your parents and siblings are all here. I can’t bear to part with you, but I also can’t be the reason your family is separated.” Su Zhenyue took a handkerchief and gently wiped Doukou’s tears. “The Eldest Young Miss is kind to people…”

As Su Zhenyue spoke, her voice grew choked with emotion.

In that long dream, when she had married far away in the Shu Region, she had entrusted Doukou to the Eldest Young Miss, Gu Yuanzhen. When she returned to the Jing An Marquis Estate three years later, Nanxing had already passed away, and it was Doukou who accompanied her for a time afterward.

However, reality was already different from the dream. She didn’t know when she would see Doukou again.

Doukou wiped her tears. She knew her mistress’s words made sense, but she still felt a little indignant. “What about Nanxing? Is she going with you, Miss?”

Hearing this, Nanxing came over and hastily declared, “Of course I’m going with Miss. I’m not from your Gu family. I came into the estate with Miss, so I’m definitely leaving with Miss.”

Doukou let out a soft huff.

Su Zhenyue wrapped her arms around Doukou in a hug, her heart filled with a soft warmth.

After soothing Doukou’s emotions, Su Zhenyue took her to find Gu Yuanzhen.

When the Eldest Young Miss, Gu Yuanzhen, heard that she was going to Anle County, she was slightly stunned. “Can’t you not go? You two aren’t even married. You… you can continue to stay with our family. Wait until Cousin Shen is transferred back to the capital, or after he’s settled there, you can get married and then go.”

After a thought, she lowered her voice and suggested, a little embarrassed, “If it really comes to it, Sister Su, you could also break off the engagement with him. Just say… just say your birth charts are incompatible.”

—This was indeed not very kind, but Sister Su was much closer to her than Cousin Shen. She was naturally on Sister Su’s side.

Su Zhenyue smiled and shook her head, not explaining further, only saying, “I must go.”

“Alright then.” Gu Yuanzhen looked at her, feeling quite helpless. “But I’ll miss you.”

“Zhenzhen, I’ll miss you too.”

As for the matter Su Zhenyue had come to entrust to her, Gu Yuanzhen agreed in a heartbeat. “Don’t you worry, Sister Su. I will definitely treat the person you leave behind well. She can stay with you for today, and when you’ve truly left, she can come straight to me.”

It was a pity. That Cousin Shen had talent but no luck, implicating Sister Su and making her suffer as well.

After a moment’s thought, Gu Yuanzhen rummaged through her chests and drawers and found a purse she had made herself. “I made this. It’s not very pretty, but you can’t dislike it. You have to keep it safe. When you see it, it’ll be like seeing me. Even when you get to that Anle County place, you can’t forget me.”

Su Zhenyue took it, then untied the scented sachet she always carried and tucked it into Gu Yuanzhen’s hand. “Then I’ll give you this. I made it too.”

The two of them spoke for a while longer, reluctant to part, before Su Zhenyue finally left.

Doukou still followed her, quietly wiping her eyes.

Unexpectedly, they had only walked a few dozen steps and had not yet reached the West Wing Courtyard when they saw the Fourth Young Master, Gu Yuanjing, walking toward them.

It was now the third month. The wind was gentle, the sun was beautiful, and the weather was warming up, yet the Fourth Young Master was still dressed in thick layers.

The two of them had not seen each other for some time.

Su Zhenyue smiled. “Fourth Brother, are you going to see Zhenzhen?”

“No, I was looking for you.” Gu Yuanjing’s expression was gentle, his eyes holding a hint of concern. “A Yue, I’ve already heard about Cousin Shen’s situation. I just went to the West Wing Courtyard and saw the servants seem to be packing. What… what are your plans?”

Su Zhenyue didn’t hide it from him. “Cousin is going to Anle County to serve as the county magistrate. I will naturally go with him.”

Gu Yuanjing’s expression changed slightly, but he then nodded. “That’s fine too. You’ve always wanted to leave this place anyway.”

“Yes.” Su Zhenyue smiled, her tone light. “So, Fourth Brother, you don’t need to worry about me.”

“I had originally made a painting to congratulate you on your wedding. But with the current situation…”

“It’s alright, you can give it to me now. We’ll be getting married sooner or later anyway,” Su Zhenyue said with a smile.

Gu Yuanjing nodded. “That’s true. I’ll have someone send it to you later.”

“Why go to such trouble? I can just go to your place to get it. Besides, I have something I want to say to you, Fourth Brother.”

Su Zhenyue had Doukou return to the West Wing Courtyard first, while she accompanied Gu Yuanjing to the Zhongmo Study.

Gu Yuanjing’s painting had long been mounted. It was a lifelike depiction of the White-Headed Mandarin Ducks. Below it was a line of small characters, a congratulatory message for a wedding.

Su Zhenyue praised it and accepted it with a smile.

“A Yue, you just said you had something you wanted to tell me.” Gu Yuanjing was curious. “What is it?”

Su Zhenyue composed herself and said thoughtfully, “Cousin, your body is weak. You must take good care of yourself. Be especially careful not to catch a cold during the harsh winter and the change of seasons.”

Gu Yuanjing was taken aback, a faint smile rippling in his eyes. “I know that.”

“Also, you don’t have to eat certain festive foods, like zongzi, yuanxiao, or mooncakes. Even if someone gives them to you, don’t eat them just to be polite. If you really want to eat them, have someone specially make them to be easily digestible,” Su Zhenyue instructed in detail.

She remembered that in the dream, three years later, Fourth Brother Gu had died from a cold in the autumn.

But at the time, some had said that his cold had almost healed, and it was only after eating half a mooncake on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival that his condition had worsened. The Heir Apparent, Gu Yuanchen, had even had a fierce argument with his wife over it—because the mooncake had been brought from the palace by Chang Le Princess when she went to visit.

Su Zhenyue didn’t know medicine and wasn’t sure of the true cause of Gu Yuanjing’s death. She could only say everything she knew all at once.

Fourth Brother had been very good to her, and she sincerely hoped he would live a long, long time.

Seeing her eyes well up with tears as she spoke, Gu Yuanjing was very surprised and a little confused. But he understood in his heart that she must care for him a great deal to be like this.

So, he nodded very seriously. “Alright, I will be careful.”

Su Zhenyue was still not reassured. “You must remember.”

“Alright.” Gu Yuanjing chuckled. “I know.”

She was to leave the capital on a long journey the next day, and Su Zhenyue still had many things to attend to. She did not stay long, taking her leave with the painting.

News of Shen Ji’s demotion was known by almost everyone in the Jing An Marquis Estate.

As the Heir Apparent of the Marquis Estate who had already entered officialdom, Gu Yuanchen had known about it even earlier.

He didn’t have much interaction with Shen Ji, nor could one say they had any sort of friendship. He didn’t care what Shen Ji’s future held. The one he truly cared about was A Yue, but she was determined to draw a clear line between them, and he no longer had any standing to show his concern.

Yet, if he were to completely ignore the matter, he couldn’t get over the hurdle in his own heart.

—Though they could not be together, he still hoped she would live well.

Therefore, Gu Yuanchen secretly instructed Xiao Wu, “Go and find out what the situation is on Miss Su’s side.”

After a pause, he added, “Don’t let her know.”

Xiao Wu grumbled to himself but still replied, “Yes,” and withdrew.

However, the moment he stepped out, he saw the Princess standing outside the study. He didn’t know how long she had been there.

Xiao Wu’s heart jumped, and he felt quite awkward. The Princess must have heard, right? The Heir Apparent had said not to let Miss Su know, and now the Princess knew first.

But as a mere servant, he couldn’t say anything and only bowed hastily.

Chang Le Princess forced a smile. She didn’t enter the study but turned and went back to her room, as if she had never been there at all.

Sun Momo, not knowing the full story, said gleefully, “Oh my, the heavens have eyes! She wasn’t smug for long, and now look, he’s been demoted, hasn’t he? He offended the Emperor, so he’ll probably be stuck like this for life. I heard they’re packing things up in the West Wing Courtyard. Is she going to follow him to his post? They’re not even married, yet she’s so eager. But thank heavens, she’ll finally be out of our sight…”

Wen Shan was distracted and only gave a noncommittal response.

Previously, she had been like Sun Momo, thinking that Miss Su had deliberately gotten close to the Heir Apparent. Later, she gradually discovered that in that relationship, the one who was more invested was actually the Heir Apparent himself—her husband, Wen Shan’s husband.

Now that Miss Su was about to travel far away with her fiancé, Wen Shan felt that she should be happy, that she should finally be at ease. But for some reason, she still felt a sense of dissatisfaction.

After a long while, Wen Shan gradually adjusted her mood, telling herself over and over again: It will be fine. Everything will be fine from now on.

Because the Emperor would not allow Shen Ji to linger in the capital, the official credentials, travel permits, and other documents were all processed with extreme speed.

The next morning, Shen Ji bid farewell to Old Madam Wen and the other elders of the Jing An Marquis Estate.

Old Madam Wen couldn’t help her eyes from reddening, and it was a long moment before she managed to say, “Be careful on the road. Take good care of yourself.”

Watching him go from passing the imperial examination with flying colors to being demoted to a remote post, a great rise and fall within a matter of days, felt like a dream. On one hand, Old Madam Wen blamed Shen Ji for his recklessness in offending the Emperor; on the other, she truly felt heartbroken and regretful for him.

Shen Ji’s attitude was respectful as he replied, “Yes.”

Jing’an Hou cleared his throat and said with a serious expression, “As a subject, you must be loyal to the Emperor and serve the country no matter where you are. The Emperor sending you to Anle County is also a trial for you. You must be loyal and diligent in your duties.”

Shen Ji lowered his eyes, looking as if he had taken the lesson to heart.

Throughout this process, Su Zhenyue stood silently to the side. Only after the elders had finished their admonitions did she step forward and kowtow to Old Madam Wen and the Jing’an Hou couple.

With the sudden turn of events these past two days, Old Madam Wen had found it hard to accept and was not feeling well, so she had temporarily forgotten about Su Zhenyue. Seeing her abruptly now, she couldn’t help but be stunned. “A Yue, you…”

Only then did she belatedly remember that A Yue and He Ming were engaged. If not for this accident, they would have been married in ten days.

Su Zhenyue said earnestly, “The years of care and education from Old Madam and my adoptive father and mother are a debt Zhenyue can never repay in this life. As we part today, I can only wish that Old Madam and my adoptive father and mother live a long life in peace and happiness.”

With that, she gracefully prostrated herself.

After her father and grandmother passed away one after another, it was the Jing An Marquis Estate that had given her a place to live. No matter what, she had never been poorly treated in terms of food, clothing, or lodging during her many years in the Gu family. For this, she was extremely grateful.

Old Madam Wen was taken aback, her thoughts a complex tangle for a moment. “A Yue, you… you’re going with him too?”

“Yes. I will no longer be able to serve you. Please forgive Zhenyue for being unfilial.” Su Zhenyue bowed once more.

Old Madam Wen frowned slightly and sighed. “Good child, you have a good heart, full of sentiment and loyalty. But you two aren’t married yet.”

At the side, Madam Zhou was also wiping her tears, saying, “That’s right. I’ve never heard of an unmarried wife following her fiancé to his post. It would have been better if He Ming could have stayed in the capital for another ten days or so to hold the wedding.”

Madam Zhou knew about A Yue packing her luggage. Selfishly, she did want A Yue to go with him to his post to avoid future trouble. But she didn’t want word to get out that the Gu family couldn’t tolerate A Yue.

Therefore, the words of persuasion still had to be said.

“Then let’s get married now.” Su Zhenyue looked up, her smile radiant. “It just so happens that all the elders are present and can serve as witnesses.”

Although Shen Ji had long been mentally prepared, hearing her say this now, he still felt a numbing ache surge through him, as if something had pierced his heart.

He stared at her, his expression unusually calm, yet his eyes grew hot.

He thought, no matter what the road ahead held, he could never let her go in this lifetime.