Chapter 21: The White Moonlight in One's Heart

Yu Shengsheng fell ill.

Mother Zhou wiped her hair while struggling to hold back tears.

Burning with fever, Yu Shengsheng spoke in a hoarse voice: "Spread the word as soon as possible that my fate is ill-omened."

Mother Zhou’s tears nearly fell: "Miss, how can we do such a thing? A woman’s reputation is everything."

The world treated women harshly; it was unacceptable for them to have a bad temper, and it was equally unacceptable for them to have an ill-fated destiny.

Jin Baobao, standing nearby, clenched her fists and gritted her teeth: "If you don't want to marry, then you don't have to. Why must you torture yourself like this?"

Yu Shengsheng smiled self-deprecatingly: "If I were the master of my own fate, I would not let you suffer grievances alongside me."

"Nanny, do as I say. It is best to have it spread before the Heir Apparent arrives in the capital."

Having said this, Yu Shengsheng wearily closed her eyes.

She cared nothing for "fates." Her life had always been in her own hands, and sooner or later, she would break free.

Qi Mubai... he would not care about such things either. He had once said that if he had believed in fate, he would have surrendered to it long ago, never striving to study, never resisting, and never rising to prominence as he had today.

As Yu Shengsheng thought of Qi Mubai reading beneath the tree, a hint of sweetness stirred deep within a heart otherwise steeped in bitterness.

Grandma Wu was her warmth, and Qi Mubai was her light.

It would not be long now—less than a month—before she could welcome a chance at survival.

Outside the window, the rain intensified.

Mother Zhou repeatedly changed the cloth on Yu Shengsheng’s forehead. Watching the sleeping girl, Jin Baobao gritted her teeth and headed out.

...

Jin Baobao ran into a narrow alleyway and stopped halfway through.

"Come out!"

Two figures appeared behind her, the cold, steel blades in their hands gleaming.

Without a word, Jin Baobao lunged like a young leopard, engaging them in combat. The two men were not weak, and in a two-on-one fight, Jin Baobao did not have the upper hand.

*Bang!*

A punch landed squarely on her chest. Jin Baobao stumbled back, nearly falling, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Decent skills, but you are no match for us. Surrender quietly, and avoid physical pain."

"Trying to find Lu San? Don't even dream of it!"

As they spoke, they stepped closer. Jin Baobao exploded with rage: "To hell with your Lu San!"

Before the words had faded, two arrows pierced through the curtain of rain, striking both men in the throat. The tips emerged from the other side, revealing a unique mark on the cold, black iron.

The two men’s eyes widened, and a few garbled words spilled from their throats: "Red Dragon Guard..."

Hao Mengye walked slowly toward them, holding a crossbow. The red flame embroidery on the hem of his black robe looked as if it were stained with fresh blood.

Jin Baobao bit her lip, lowered her head, and bowed: "Commander."

"Why did you come out? Did I not tell you that I would send someone to find you if there was news?"

"There is something important. Those dogs in the Su family want to marry the Miss off to Kong Dezhao!"

Hao Mengye’s eyes narrowed: "Is this true?"

"Absolutely. The Miss was even inquiring about the dates for the Imperial Examinations."

Hao Mengye looked thoughtful: "Keep an eye out and see if she has a scar on her left shoulder."

"She has many scars on her body," Jin Baobao added, "more than I do."

Hao Mengye paused again, remaining silent for a moment before saying: "The left shoulder—a scar caused by the unique hidden weapon of the Commander-in-Chief."

He had to confirm whether this cousin of the Su family was truly the savior the Commander-in-Chief was searching for.

Jin Baobao nodded: "Understood."

Hao Mengye turned to leave, and Jin Baobao could not help but ask: "Commander?"

"What is it?"

"Can you prevent the Miss from marrying Kong Dezhao?"

Hao Mengye turned back to look at her: "I thought you were going to ask about your brother."

"Do you have news of my brother, then?"

Hao Mengye: "...No."

He walked away a few steps, not looking back: "Kong Dezhao will not enter the capital smoothly."

Jin Baobao was overjoyed: "Thank you, Commander!"

When Yu Shengsheng woke up, it was already time to light the lamps.

Dazed, she opened her eyes. In the warm glow, she vaguely saw a figure in moonlight-white robes, slender and handsome.

"Mu..."

Her lips trembled, and tears nearly spilled over.

"You're awake?" Seeing her reddened, watery eyes, Su Yanshu felt a pang of pain in his heart. "Shall Second Brother feed you your medicine?"

The title "Second Brother" pulled Yu Shengsheng completely back to reality. She raised a hand to wipe away the moisture at the corners of her eyes, and the vulnerability she had just shown vanished in an instant.

"I dare not trouble the Second Young Master."

Su Yanshu’s movement of stirring the medicine paused, the candlelight reflecting in his eyes, adding a touch of warmth.

"Sheng-sheng, you must drink your medicine to get better quickly. I know you dislike the bitterness, so I had someone buy the candied fruits you like."

Yu Shengsheng had a frail constitution. When she first arrived, perhaps due to the change in environment, she had fallen ill every few days.

Su Dingqin was often away at the military camp outside the city, and Madam Su was occupied with managing the entire household, so it was Su Yanshu who took care of her the most.

Yu Shengsheng had thought her Second Brother had a gentle temperament and a pleasant voice; the bitter medicine seemed to become palatable after passing through his hands, not to mention the candied fruits he thoughtfully prepared.

She had always been reluctant to eat too many at once. When the medicine was finished, many fruits remained. When her Second Brother was away, eating just one piece allowed her to feel his care.

She had never visited a confectionary shop until Su Zhiyi took her to one. Only then did she learn that there were over a hundred varieties of candied fruits, and while Su Zhiyi spoke of them like a connoisseur, the ones she had been eating were merely the free extras given with large purchases.

Yu Shengsheng looked at the candied fruit Su Yanshu held out and lowered her eyes: "Is there anything else, Second Young Master?"

Su Yanshu exhaled softly and held the fruit to her lips, brooking no refusal.

"The House of Prince Nanshun is a family of true power and wealth. You cannot afford to be so headstrong."

Yu Shengsheng raised her eyes, her gaze sharp as a hook, as if it could tear through his hypocritical facade.

"A family of power and wealth? Then should I thank the Su family for their painstaking planning on my behalf?"

Su Yanshu’s brow furrowed slightly, his anger hidden beneath a mask of composure.

"Let me guess: does Kong Dezhao have some hidden ailment? Is he destined for an early death? Or does he already have eighteen concubines?"

The warmth faded from Su Yanshu’s face, and his voice turned icy: "Sheng-sheng."

Yu Shengsheng gave a mocking laugh: "It seems I guessed correctly."

Before she could say more, Su Yanshu gripped her jaw, forcing her to open her mouth, and slowly, firmly, fed her the candied fruit.

"Kong Dezhao has no hidden ailments. He is the only son of the Prince of Nanshun, and he has no concubines. You will be the Heir Apparent's consort once you marry. I will ask the Crown Prince to advocate for you; once you have given birth to a firstborn son, we will allow Kong Dezhao to take concubines."

Yu Shengsheng chewed the fruit rhythmically: "Then I truly thank you, Second Young Master."

Su Yanshu wiped the stickiness from his fingers with a handkerchief: "Sheng-sheng, Father is far away at the border. Once you marry into that house, it is possible the Emperor will allow Father to return to the capital."

"You carry Father’s blood, and Father loves you. For the sake of Father and the Su family, this is what you must do."

"Rest assured and prepare for the wedding. At that time, Second Brother will have Grandmother prepare a generous dowry for you; you will not be wronged," he said, his voice low and slow, yet each word gradually turned cold and hard. "Therefore, you must settle your heart and learn how to be the Consort of the Heir Apparent of Nanshun."

In the candlelight, Su Yanshu’s appearance was handsome, but his eyes were bottomless and dark.

He was a different person entirely from the one who once taught Yu Shengsheng the truths of the world.

Su Yanshu had once smiled gently and said that Father, Eldest Brother, and Second Brother were Sheng-sheng’s protective umbrella, shielding her from the wind and rain. Once she returned home, she was like a little bird returning to its nest—she only needed to follow the arrangements of her father and brothers.

Those words still rang in her ears. It turned out that "following the arrangements" meant that she, the most insignificant person who had received the least protection from the Su family, was to be the sacrifice for Father and the Su family.

How ridiculous.

Yu Shengsheng was immensely grateful that she had endured and kept her feelings for Qi Mubai a secret from everyone in the house back then. At the time, she had only thought of waiting until Qi Mubai passed the Imperial Examinations so she could introduce the best version of him to her "best" family.

Yu Shengsheng spat out the chewed-up fruit: "Why don't the others in the Su family sacrifice themselves for the Great General and the Su family?"

"Why must a cousin like me be the one to do it?"