Chapter 50
First Installment
Yuwen Yue, a man who 's known to be a slow to quick thinker, calm like still waters and cold-blooded, but romantic at heart, did not put much effort into consummating their first night together as husband and wife.
Chu Qiao felt the same and did not trouble her husband for a honeymoon, so their bodies remained untouched.
Chu Qiao, careful not to let Yuwen Yue know of her superb gongfu martial arts, could only practice when her husband was not around.
Yuwen Yue's lodge was secluded, meaning she could practice near the trees and on the spacious grounds. She would tumble three times to pick up the laundry, toss it into the air, then gracefully catch each piece one by one until she reached the lodge door.
Content with her martial arts, she smiled and noticed an adorable Cangwu bird flying around the trees.
They lived simple lives, where Chu Qiao stayed at home to cook, do laundry, and wait for her husband to return from work. Both were content until one day, Yuwen Yue asked Chu Qiao to accompany him to a jewelry shop. He had devised a plan to discover if she was truly Chu Qiao.
Zuo, the new owner of the jewelry shop, had bought the entire business.
Yuwen Yue took his wife to the famous jewelry shop in Liang, with Chu Qiao following behind him. She said, "This is not a place for the poor. What are we doing here?"
Yuwen Yue did not answer but told her, "Wife, wait for me for a moment."
The jeweler came and, looking at Yuwen Yue and his wife with cold eyes and an arrogant attitude, said, "Everything here is custom-made, and only royalty can afford it."
The jeweler, putting on a condescending face, remained quiet, but Chu Qiao heard his words. She looked around and, faking a sweet voice, said to Yuwen Yue, "Honey, I want this, this, and that... and even the necklace that man is wearing. I want it all."
With a fake smile spreading across her pretty cheeks, Chu Qiao's eyes turned fierce as she added, "Let's buy it all, or else things might get unpleasant."
Chu Qiao waited for Yuwen Yue's reaction, expecting him to be angry at her sudden change in behavior and her lavish desires, especially considering their humble status. However, Yuwen Yue asked the jeweler, "Do you have any layaway plans, including the necklace you're wearing?"
The jeweler, shocked by the request, called for the guards to remove them from the store. Suddenly, Zuo Zong, dressed in orange Hanfu robes, entered like a boss and asked, "What's the situation here?"
The jeweler, stunned by the owner's unexpected visit, explained, "These two want to buy our custom-made items, and this man insulted me by asking for a layaway plan. This is not a cheap store!"
Zuo, twitching his palms, smiled fiercely and said, "But they are customers. How do you know they aren't dressed as peasants but are actually wealthy lords or even royals?"
Looking at Yuwen Yue, Zuo said, "My apologies for the poor service. Please, choose what you like, and we'll arrange a layaway plan for you."
The jeweler's eyes widened in disbelief, but he could not argue with the owner. "Certainly, Young Master Zuo. I'll arrange it now," he replied.
Chu Qiao, with a playful smirk, said, "Honey... remember the necklace on the man's neck."
Zuo laughed and said, "We'll include that for you, madame."
Chu Qiao, using her social graces, replied, "Thank you, Master Zuo. You never fail to support us, and you were also the biggest sponsor at our wedding."
Hearing this, the jeweler suddenly felt trapped. He handed over the necklace reluctantly, said, "Here, take it. I never wanted it anyway."
Chu Qiao accepted it graciously and said, "Thank you, sir. You've learned your lesson well."
Yuwen Yue, calm and serious, began looking for a ring. "I forgot to buy my wife an engagement ring, and I can't wait any longer," he said. He pointed to a ring in the display case. "I'll take this one."
This was no ordinary ring. If touched, an alarm would trigger, unleashing a hundred blades, making it nearly impossible to steal. Zuo had planted it months ago, and it had become the shop's central attraction. Zuo quickly ordered the jeweler, "Deactivate the alarm and fulfill the request immediately!"
The jeweler, still prejudiced against the couple due to their modest clothing, reluctantly complied. He read the policy on the ring: it stated that the ring could only be loaned for a specific time, and to own it, one must purchase... What?
"What?" Yuwen Yue asked.
"A far kingdom? This sounds absurd," the jeweler whispered.
Yuwen Yue looked at Zuo, confused. "This wasn't part of the original policy we agreed upon."
Zuo stepped forward to explain, "Sir, please understand. This prized ring already attracted interest from a mysterious customer in a black hood who has been trying to buy it for some time. We cannot set a value on it until you purchase a far kingdom. That's the only condition stated in the policy. Then the ring will be yours."
Yuwen Yue asked, "So, you're telling me I need to buy a far kingdom to own this ring?"
"Yes," Zuo replied, adding with a playful smirk, "Or, you could just steal it."
Zuo exchanged a secret glance with his brother, hinting at something more.
Yuwen Yue, calm on the outside but cold within, suddenly noticed a group of goons entering the jewelry shop. The place appeared normal, and the jeweler emerged, saying, "The alarm has been deactivated, sir. This ring can be yours, but only on one condition, now that you're aware of its policy?" The jeweler, back to his airy attitude, confidently assumed that Yuwen Yue could not possibly own the ring.
Chu Qiao, noticing her husband's interest, stood frozen as memories of the ring's former deadly owner flashed through her mind.
Yuwen Yue, sensing the change in Chu Qiao's behavior, realized something was happening with his wife. However, he was momentarily distracted as the goons began asserting their rough presence.
Yuwen Yue and Zuo Zong exchanged fierce glances, as if waiting for the other to make the first move. Yuwen Yue was unarmed, while Zuo Zong had hidden his sword inside his majestic Hanfu robe.
Chu Qiao sensed the dark atmosphere around them. She glanced at Yuwen Yue but hesitated. If she made a move, she risked exposing herself to the man before her, who appeared cold and uninviting.
She couldn't possibly ruin this marriage. Chu Qiao was torn between relying on her defensive instincts or allowing her husband to protect her. But how could she expect her husband to defend them when she believed he was just a simple peddler, delivering parcels to various customers?
How could she rely on him to defend their lives? Chu Qiao closed her eyes, bracing for the moment of attack. She triggered the alarm.
Snatching the ring, she quickly grabbed Yuwen Yue's shoulder, pulling both their bodies to the ground.
Holding the ring, she swiftly flicked it towards Zuo's temple. Zuo staggered, then collapsed unconscious in a spiral motion. He fell to the ground, suffering only a minor injury to his forehead, better than having his neck severed by the flying knives. Everyone else stood still.
Suddenly, a hundred flying knives began to whirl around the jewelry shop in relentless motion.
Yuwen Yue, watching Zuo, questioned him silently, while the jeweler, now crawling across the expensive tiled floors, cried, "I'm sorry! I pressed the wrong button! I didn't deactivate the alarm; I activated the goons instead!"
Yuwen Yue, amazed by his wife's abilities, thought to himself,This agility, flexibility, and accuracy are incredible.He realized that her skills far exceeded what he had trained Xinger, his former maidservant who became his bedchamber companion. He couldn't believe that Chu Qiao and Xinger were the same person.
Chu Qiao was, in fact, the current Wei state crown princess. Yuwen Yue had been seeking the truth ever since he was struck on the head, just as Zuo had been moments ago.
Yuwen Yue allowed himself a brief moment of doubt before dispelling it again.
Zuo, recovering from the sharp blow, placed the ring back inside his Hanfu. He had to wait for the flying knives to cease, just like Yuwen Yue, the true owner of the famous jewelry shop. Yuwen Yue gave Zuo a silent signal that seemed to ask, "Did I tell you to hire goons for this shop?"
Zuo responded with a look that said, "No, I didn't. I only added an extra condition to the policy you mentioned."
Yuwen Yue suspected they had been compromised by the jeweler. Calmly, he dropped to the floor and glanced at Chu Qiao.
Chu Qiao, still waiting for the hundred flying knives to stop, watched them silently as they continued to sever the necks of the goons, except for one, their leader, who remained outside watching the chaos unfold within the shop.
Yuwen Yue looked toward the door and saw a figure with a black mask covering most of his face, except for his sharp, slanted eyes. The masked man didn't enter and vanished like the cold wind.
After half an hour, the knives finally stopped, and Zuo was the first to stand up and search for the jeweler. But the jeweler had escaped through the back door and was nowhere to be found.
Yuwen Yue calmly rose and offered his wife a hand, but Chu Qiao picked herself up, staring at the severed necks. "This needs an explanation to the authorities," she said to her husband.
Yuwen Yue replied, "We won't need to, but you have some explaining to do." Chu Qiao avoided Yuwen Yue's gaze, knowing that her actions were far beyond those of a simple wife.
Master Zuo returned and said to Yuwen Yue, "Apologies for what happened here. You're an innocent customer and had no knowledge of this bloodbath. Take the ring! It's yours now. Let's end the story here. I'll report to the authorities about the jeweler, who conspired in this, and he will be held accountable."
Yuwen Yue accepted the ring and placed it in his pocket.
Chu Qiao pondered why the ring intrigued her husband so much. And what about the strange policy, before the necks were severed, requiring the purchase of a "far kingdom"? What kingdom? she asked herself.
It was already dark when they arrived home, and Chu Qiao resumed her usual cooking. Her husband, resting at the dining table, remained still, looking serious and deep in thought.
Yuwen Yue believed it was time to reveal some hidden truths. His face, expressionless as always, suddenly became sharp as he threw a cold dagger with lightning speed. Chu Qiao, sensing the rush of air and pressure, instinctively countered it with her paring knife.
Clang!The sound of metal echoed like a bell, and the force of the attack dissipated in the air.
Two cold daggers fell to the tiled floor, ringing as they hit the ground.
So precise,Yuwen Yue thought, then raised his brows before his face returned to its usual calm.
Chu Qiao sensed that her handsome husband was cold, yet somehow, even at this distance, she could predict his every move.
She sat down and placed a large bowl of ginseng soup between two small ceramic bowls. Without looking at Yuwen Yue, she picked up her chopsticks, gently taking small cubes of soft tofu floating in the soup and placing them in his bowl.
Casually used to Yuwen Yue's cold, expressionless stare, Chu Qiao broke the silence and said, "Husband…"
Yuwen Yue cut her off with a rushed tone: "The walls have ears. You don't have to explain if you don't want to pass this through illegal channels."
Back at Greenhills Courtyard, Yuwen Yue felt a sense of familiarity, as if he were back in a familiar bedchamber with Xinger. Everything felt real, and the woman before him seemed to be the same "star" child, Xinger.
Yuwen Yue added, "Before we eat, I want you to have this…"
Chu Qiao listened carefully, though she didn't fully understand everything her husband said. She took the ring and asked, "If I heard it correctly, this ring can be yours on one condition, buy a far kingdom?"
Chu Qiao was beginning to realize that Yuwen Yue had many secrets beyond being a simple peddler. She started to doubt him but reminded herself,I have a lifetime to know him. But why do I feel like I've known him for so long? And this ring... it looks like it belonged to a maidservant from a noble's house. Am I recalling memories again?
Yuwen Yue, noticing his wife staring at the ring, said, "Go ahead, don't be afraid to take it. It has always been yours."
Chu Qiao asked, "Itwasmine?"
Yuwen Yue, decoding her response, said, "It was all yours...until today." Emphasizing "was," the two exchanged a silent code.
Yuwen Yue picked up some soft tofu and brought it to Chu Qiao's lips. His gaze lingered on her red, wet, and kissable lips, and he thought he might not be able to resist kissing her for another second.
Chu Qiao, sensing both the coldness and longing in her husband, opened her mouth and accepted the tofu, eating it as if nothing unusual had happened.
Yuwen Yue, still cold and expressionless, felt his adrenaline subside, and he returned to his usual calm. He began to eat.
After their sumptuous dinner, a card was revealed. Later, on their bed, with thin curtains surrounding them, the fresh scent of plum blossoms from the spring breeze filled the room. Yuwen Yue inhaled the scent, which transported him back to his childhood and Greenhills Courtyard.
He ended the day with his wife sleeping sweetly beside him. As he thought about the star child, Yuwen Yue drifted into the land of memories and dreams.
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