Chapter 4: Not Playing the Pipa

Xie Linyuan’s gaze swept over her waist, his voice carrying a cold, distant tone. “Xiao Ji is waiting for you outside the courtyard.”

Xiao Ji had come to take her back to the manor.

Jiang Chuyue felt a faint stab in her heart. She once again expressed her thanks to Xie Linyuan, then walked slowly out of the East Lake Villa.

Xie Linyuan did not move, watching her leave. The steward entered with servants. “My lord, shall we change the bedding and sheets?”

Jiang Chuyue had slept in Xie Linyuan’s bed last night, covered with his gold-thread quilt.

Xie Linyuan replied, “No need to change them.”

The steward was puzzled but dared not question him. “Yes, my lord.”

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Outside the East Lake Villa, Xiao Ji arrived in a rush, sweat beading on his forehead.

When he saw Jiang Chuyue, he strode forward quickly. “Xiaoyue!”

Noticing the pallor on her face, guilt clouded Xiao Ji’s handsome features. “Yesterday, Ninth Concubine had severe stomach pains, so I took her back to the manor for treatment. You silly girl, why didn’t you find a place to shelter from the rain?”

The lakeside wind was strong. Xiao Ji, out of habit, removed his thick gray fox cloak and draped it over Jiang Chuyue’s shoulders.

The cloak was heavy, still holding his warmth and scent.

Her fingers pinched the corner of the cloak. She thought—he did care for her.

Unfortunately, it was not the kind of care she yearned for.

Jiang Chuyue boarded the carriage.

Inside, Ninth Concubine was nowhere to be seen.

Her lips curved upward briefly, only to fall again. The barrier between her and Xiao Ji had never been just one Ninth Concubine.

Xiao Ji had wanted to personally thank Xie Linyuan, but the steward said the prince was busy with military affairs and could not receive guests, so he had to give up.

The carriage rolled on slowly.

Only the two of them were inside. In the past, if she could be in such a confined space with him, Jiang Chuyue would have felt happiness and contentment.

Now, she felt none of it.

She asked, “Has Ninth Concubine’s stomach pain improved?”

A hint of discomfort crossed Xiao Ji’s face. “She took some medicine—it’s better now.”

Jiang Chuyue noticed a faint, fresh scratch mark on his neck. She didn’t need to guess to know that last night he and Ninth Concubine had once again shared passionate intimacy.

While indulging in the warmth of the boudoir, he had left her forgotten.

Wrapped in his gray fox cloak, Jiang Chuyue felt her heart grow colder.

Xiao Ji opened a brocade box in the carriage, taking out a purple sandalwood pipa inlaid with mother-of-pearl. “You’ve always liked playing the pipa. Yesterday I acquired this treasure—do you like it?”

It was a gift he had prepared for her yesterday.

Delayed, and never delivered.

The pipa’s neck was carved with a crescent moon pattern, the mother-of-pearl shimmering with a warm luster. Clearly the work of a master craftsman. Over the past two years, Jiang Chuyue’s favorite instrument had been the pipa. Xiao Ji had gone to great lengths to find this rare piece, finally purchasing it yesterday.

He offered it to her, but Jiang Chuyue did not take it.

She shook her head lightly and told him, “I no longer like the pipa. I don’t ever want to play it again. Thank you for your kindness, elder brother.”

The hand holding the pipa stiffened.

Silently, Xiao Ji returned it to the case.

The carriage was spacious, but Jiang Chuyue sat in the farthest corner from him. Xiao Ji picked up an unfinished document and focused on reading.

The journey passed without a word.

When they returned to the General’s Manor, Jiang Chuyue developed a low fever, feeling faint and groggy. Old Madam Xiao was distressed, scolding Xiao Ji severely for failing in his duties as an elder brother.

Knowing he was at fault, Xiao Ji went to the ancestral hall to kneel in punishment.

Near dusk, Jiang Chuyue’s fever finally subsided. Old Madam Xiao sat by the bed, tenderly holding her hand. “Good child, you’ve suffered. That boy Xiao Ji is truly reckless—busy pampering concubines and leaving you stranded by the lake.”

A servant brought in freshly prepared medicine.

Old Madam Xiao tested the temperature, then personally fed it to Jiang Chuyue.

She tried to refuse. “Grandmother, I can drink it myself.”

The old lady pressed her hand down gently. “Be good. Drink the medicine and recover quickly—only then will I feel at ease.”

Unable to refuse, Jiang Chuyue obediently drank it.

Halfway through the bowl, a maid outside announced that Second Aunt Wang had come.

Wang entered, lifting the curtain. Seeing the warm scene between grandmother and granddaughter, her sharp voice rang out. “Old Madam, with your status, how can you be feeding medicine to a junior? That Jiang Chuyue really doesn’t know her place, making you worry so much.”

Old Madam Xiao said evenly, “Taking care of Yue girl personally—only when I see her well will I be at ease.”

A flash of jealousy crossed Wang’s eyes.

Once the medicine was finished, Old Madam Xiao rose to leave. Before going, she instructed Jiang Chuyue’s maids to take meticulous care of her.

After the old lady left, Wang sneered. “You’re not even surnamed Xiao, yet you shamelessly stay here pretending to be the young lady of the manor. Can’t bear to part with the wealth and luxury, can you? Eighteen and still not married—planning to cling to the General’s Manor your whole life?”

Still dizzy, Jiang Chuyue pressed her brow. “No need to trouble yourself, Second Aunt. I’m not in a hurry to marry.”

Wang shot her a hateful glare. “You’ll get what’s coming to you one day.”

She left in a huff.

Baozhu came in, handing Jiang Chuyue a piece of sugarcane candy to take away the medicine’s bitterness. She fumed, “That Wang woman always tries to upset you—she’s truly awful.”

Jiang Chuyue smiled faintly, the candy in her mouth. “She still holds a grudge over her daughter’s ruined marriage.”

Wang had noticed Xiao Ji still hadn’t married a primary wife, and had set her sights on him.

Last year, she brought her daughter to the General’s Manor. Old Madam Xiao had been quite fond of the girl, and the marriage seemed almost settled.

But Wang’s daughter, gentle on the surface and vicious underneath, had mistaken Jiang Chuyue—fishing by the lake—for one of Xiao Ji’s concubines the first time she visited. Treating her as an enemy, she deliberately pushed Jiang Chuyue into the water and even tried to scratch her face.

When Xiao Ji learned of this, he flew into a rage. Old Madam Xiao was also deeply displeased, and the marriage to the Wang family was called off.

Unable to blame the old lady, Wang directed all her resentment toward Jiang Chuyue.

Every time they met, she made cutting remarks.

Unfortunately for her, Jiang Chuyue was quick-witted and never let Wang gain the upper hand.

“Is elder brother still in the ancestral hall?” Jiang Chuyue asked with concern.

Baozhu nodded. “Yes, the General is still kneeling there. He feels bad for standing you up and making you wait in vain.”

The bitterness from the medicine had faded, replaced by the sweetness of the candy.

Jiang Chuyue got up. “It’s cold in the ancestral hall. Baozhu, bring me a cloak—I’ll go check on him.”

The spring night’s chill might not trouble a strong military man like Xiao Ji, but Jiang Chuyue still worried he might fall ill.

She always worried about him.

When he went to suppress bandits, she feared he would be injured; when he trained troops at the Ministry of War, she feared he would be hurt by accident; when he was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall, she feared he would catch cold.

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Shou’an Hall

Wang poured a cup of Biluochun tea for Old Madam Xiao, smiling brightly. “Old Madam, congratulations!”

Old Madam Xiao asked, “What congratulations?”

Wang, brimming with pride, said, “I came today to propose a fine marriage for that girl, Chuyue.”