Volume One, Chapter 20: My Lord, I Find Living with You Quite Pleasant

Wrapped in her embroidered quilt, Liu Wuyi closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. Yet, within two minutes, she opened them again, turned onto her side, closed them once more, and then opened them again as she lay flat.

Since becoming pregnant, Liu Wuyi had always been able to fall asleep whenever she wished. But tonight, she had been tossing and turning in bed for half an hour.

Sighing, she finally accepted the fact that she was suffering from insomnia.

“Madam, can’t you sleep? Are you afraid?” a vague voice came from behind the three-layered curtain.

It was Chunhua’s turn to keep watch tonight. She was resting on the small couch in the inner chamber but was still awake. It seemed the commotion she had caused was what kept Liu Wuyi from sleeping.

“No, I’m just thinking about some things,” Liu Wuyi said apologetically as she drew back the curtain. “Did I wake you? I’m not feeling unwell, so you don’t need to worry about me.”

Chunhua rose and came over, taking the curtain from Liu Wuyi’s hand and hanging it on the golden ring tied to the bedpost.

“I can’t sleep either.”

“Would Madam like to talk for a while?”

Liu Wuyi scooted inward and said, “Please, sit.”

Chunhua obeyed and sat down.

“After all that happened today, I still can’t get my mind off it.”

Liu Wuyi nodded in agreement and then asked, “How did you manage to find the Supervisor?”

They had been sent back to the mansion by the official around noon. After seeing the doctor and having lunch, Liu Wuyi had felt so exhausted she had slept until evening, forgetting to ask Chunhua about the day’s events.

Chunhua explained, “I ran all the way out of the East Market and saw no sign of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I was about to stop a carriage to head to the West Market when I encountered the Supervisor’s carriage returning from the outer city.”

“Half a month ago, the outer city suffered a snow disaster. The court sent relief supplies, and then there was another heavy snowfall. I don’t know how things are there now. I suppose the Supervisor went to inspect the outer city today.”

Liu Wuyi nodded, folding her hands in gratitude. “Luckily, Chunhua, you were fortunate to meet the official. If he hadn’t arrived in time, I wouldn’t have escaped so easily.”

“That’s not true at all,” Chunhua denied, her expression firm. “As soon as the Supervisor heard that you were being harassed, he rushed over at full speed.”

“Rushed over?”

“Yes. There were too many people lined up to enter the inner city this morning. If he had taken a carriage, he would have had to wait a long time. So the Supervisor leapt onto the rooftops and disappeared within moments.”

Liu Wuyi muttered, “Is he really that skilled?”

Chunhua raised her eyebrows with pride. “The Supervisor is the most formidable expert in Shengjing City. Climbing walls and running across roofs is nothing to him.”

“I wish I could see it with my own eyes someday,” Liu Wuyi said wistfully, seeming utterly inexperienced.

“But seeing the official who punishes villains is also impressive to behold.”

Chunhua glanced at her and suddenly smiled. “Before, Manager Liu only allowed us servants to call you ‘Mistress.’ We thought you were just staying here temporarily and would leave eventually.”

“But seeing how naturally you interact with the Supervisor—and since he never takes interest in women—we dared not speculate. Today, the Supervisor himself called you ‘Madam.’”

“That’s wonderful. That means I can serve you forever,” Chunhua said happily.

Liu Wuyi’s heart skipped a beat as the thoughts she had been wrestling with returned to her mind.

“Chunhua, I want to sleep now.” Saying this, Liu Wuyi slid back under the quilt.

Chunhua assumed she was shy and smiled softly, then rose to lower the curtain and rest.

Liu Wuyi curled deeper into the embroidered quilt, her eyes filled with hope for the future in the darkness.

The public acknowledgment by Dantai Jianan that she was his wife—did it mean she had temporarily passed his test? As long as she could stand firmly by his side, unafraid of gossip, Dantai Jianan would help her overturn the charges against the Liu family.

Seeing progress in a long-held hope, Liu Wuyi couldn’t help but think deeply.

Once the case was overturned, her brother, Xue Shuyao, herself, and the women from the Xue and Liu families who had joined the monastic life would no longer be considered traitors.

Her brother could openly take the imperial examinations; Xue Shuyao could move on from past hatred.

As for her, she was already very fortunate compared to others. She had only endured hardships while training at the music bureau, and after meeting the official, she had been well protected.

Chunhua had said Dantai Jianan never showed interest in women. If not for the accident that night of Cold Dew, she would never have come into contact with him.

But now, they had the name of husband and wife, the reality of marriage, and a child together.

Suddenly, Liu Wuyi realized that although there had been no parental arrangement or matchmaker’s words, she was already married. Her husband was Dantai Jianan.

Dantai Jianan’s temperament was not as cruel as rumors said. On the contrary, he was very reasonable. Once he made a decision, he cared only whether it could be accomplished, not the process.

When Liu Wuyi did not know how to proceed, he would set limits within which she could have some freedom.

People often say a woman’s life has two turning points: birth, which she cannot choose, and marriage, which she also does not choose.

But she was lucky. Her birth parents loved her. After marriage, her husband was powerful and influential, the household was clean and orderly, free of troublesome concubines or maids, and he treated her kindly, taking great care in all aspects of her life.

Even if the Liu family had not been disgraced, she might not have had such an easy life after marriage. Compared to all this, Dantai Jianan’s small flaws were insignificant.

No matter what reasons Dantai Jianan had for giving her all this, she was the beneficiary. She was delighted to have it and hoped it would continue.

She did not know when she had fallen asleep yesterday, but when she awoke, daylight was bright.

Holding the quilt, Liu Wuyi sat up. A dull ache came from the side of her leg. Pulling back her clothes, she saw a large bruise on her right thigh, probably from when the carriage had overturned. She hadn’t noticed it yesterday, but it was harmless. The snow skin ointment from last time was still not used up.

She drew back the curtain and was about to call someone when she realized none of the maids were in the room. Puzzled, she heard a chorus of thanks and praise outside.

Liu Wuyi put on her clothes and stood, turning around the finely embroidered folding screen depicting blooming flowers, just in time to meet three maids entering together.

Chunyue, Chunhua, and Chunlan knelt and bowed, saying, “We pay respects to Madam.”

Liu Wuyi was somewhat surprised. Since they had become familiar and close, such formal greetings were uncommon.

“What is this for? What’s going on...?”

Chunhua smiled. “Thank you, Madam, for yesterday asking the official to reward us on our behalf.”

Liu Wuyi said, “I merely mentioned it. If thanks are due, they should be given to the official.”

Chunhua replied, “The Supervisor already thanked us for the rewards. Since you asked for the rewards on our behalf, we must thank you for your kindness.”

Liu Wuyi held Chunhua’s arm, stopping her as she was about to bow, and curiously asked, “What did the official give you?”

Faced with her mistress’s question, Chunhua answered, “The Supervisor rewarded me, Chuntao, and the four guards five taels of gold and two months’ wages. There was also some cloth. The medical expenses for Chuntao and the guards will be covered by the accounts office, and their monthly wages will continue during recovery.”

Chunyue smiled. “The three eunuchs by the Supervisor said the servants of Shaoguang Courtyard served their mistress diligently and also granted two months’ wages.”

“To me, that’s because we serve a kind mistress, and also thanks to Chunhua and Chuntao’s efforts,” she added.

Liu Wuyi was amazed. No wonder the person in charge of the Eastern Depot was so generous and meticulous.

She had planned to go to the accounts office today to distribute the remaining monthly wages to the guards, Chunhua, and Chuntao.

But Dantai Jianan’s intervention had directly won the hearts of the Shaoguang Courtyard people. From now on, because of this money, if such trouble arose again, they would risk their lives to protect her.

Having someone like that to share life with was truly comforting.

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