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“Mother, what are you doing? Miss Lichun is about to escape!”
Shuangfu’s mother, who worked in the Pei household kitchen slaughtering chickens every day, had great strength in her arms. At once she shoved her son aside, rushed forward, and gave Xie Zhi a violent push—straight into Xingbo Lake.
Splash! Ripples spread across the dark water.
Blocking her son from jumping in after her, the old woman instructed firmly, “I’ll call everyone here. With so many eyes watching, you go down to rescue her. In that scene, she’ll have no choice but to marry you!”
In Great Zhou, propriety between men and women was not as rigid as in some dynasties, but for an unmarried man and woman to be seen soaked and clinging together was still a grave matter.
If the man refused marriage, the girl’s reputation would be ruined beyond repair.
Shuangfu swallowed hard, eyes fixed on Xie Zhi thrashing in the water, then nodded.
Meanwhile, his mother’s shrill voice pierced the night:
“Help! Someone fell into the water! Hurry, help!”
It was a summer evening, the most pleasant hour for cooling off outdoors. Servants and old women who had been playing cards in corners rushed over at once when they heard the cry.
“What happened? Madam Zhang, who fell in?”
“It’s Miss Lichun! Old Madam’s favorite, Miss Lichun! My son is already in the water saving her—he’s the best swimmer here. Heaven help her to be safe.”
Madam Zhang’s eyes gleamed slyly as she spoke.
Whispers broke out among the crowd. Some who could swim also jumped in, searching through the dark waters, but found nothing.
“Where is she? Madam Zhang, there’s no sign of her at all. Could it be they both…”
“Old hag! Don’t you dare curse my son. He’s the best swimmer there is!” Madam Zhang snapped, though unease flickered in her eyes. She hurried to the shore, cursing under her breath.
At last, a figure broke the surface—Shuangfu, drenched, sneezing loudly.
Madam Zhang rushed to him. “Where’s the girl? Why are you alone?”
Shuangfu panicked. “Mother, I couldn’t find her! Is she dead?!”
“How is that possible? You were down there such a short while—how could you not find her!” Madam Zhang muttered in frustration.
“It’s your fault, Mother! This idea of yours was terrible. If Lichun dies, I’ll never forgive you!”
“Idiot! Shut your mouth!” Terrified, Madam Zhang clapped her hand over his mouth, darting nervous glances around.
Too late. His booming voice had already carried to every ear present.
The crowd’s eyes turned cold, filled with disdain for the mother and son.
“So that’s it! What scheming wretches they are.”
“Better she wasn’t saved—if she were, wouldn’t she have to marry that fool? If it were me, I’d rather drown than marry him.”
“Exactly! Stupid’s bad enough, but that face of his…”
A few servant girls whispered behind their sleeves.
“What did you say? What about my face?!” Shuangfu roared, grabbing one maid’s collar in fury.
Chaos erupted as people rushed to separate them.
“What’s all this noise? Keep it up, and I’ll report to Second Madam and have every last one of you thrown out!”
A sharp, authoritative female voice cut through. Everyone turned—and stiffened.
It was Madam Zhou, Old Madam’s most trusted attendant.
At her side stood a young woman wrapped in a heavy cloak. The moment the crowd recognized her, gasps broke out.
“Lichun? How… how are you here?”
…
Xie Zhi met their stares, lips curling into a cold smile.
Did they think Shuangfu was the only one who could swim?
Her mother had been a fisherwoman in Yangzhou. To pay for her brother’s tuition, her father had sold her mother into the governor’s harem as a concubine.
As a child, her mother often took her to the river. Thanks to that, Xie Zhi had learned a little water skill.
The instant she was shoved into the lake, she understood the mother and son’s plot.
So cunning—almost as cunning as me!
How could she possibly let them succeed? While Madam Zhang was still calling for help, Xie Zhi had already slipped beneath the surface, swimming quickly toward the western shore.
That side of Xingbo Lake wasn’t far. From there, she could take the back path to Guanxue Pavilion.
As for Pei Hong… letting him wait a while wouldn’t matter.
Thinking this, she swam harder, though a few gulps of water choked her along the way.
Halfway across, the shore behind her faded from view. Just as she exhaled in relief, a faint flicker of light caught her eye.
On the opposite bank, a tall man’s silhouette was moving toward the pavilion.
In the dark, she could not see clearly. But at this hour, at this place—who else could it be but Pei Hong?
Her heart raced.
What if… I simply let the plan succeed—but changed the target?
If it was Pei Hong instead of Shuangfu, then…
At least this way, she would force Pei Hong’s hand.
Xie Zhi bit her lip. I’m sorry, Pei Hong. But after tonight, you’ll have no choice but to accept me.
Once she had her deed of manumission in hand, she would leave at once. To be scorned by the world was nothing—better than being shackled to that fool forever, birthing slave children for generations, crushed under Yuyang’s cruelty.
No. Never.
Her legs weakened, but her mind was made up. Summoning all her strength, she cried out for help.
But when the sound left her throat, it was barely more than a weak whimper, thin as a kitten’s mewl.
Panic seized her chest. She flailed desperately—until the figure on shore seemed to notice, dropping his lantern and sprinting toward her.
Success!
As she struggled in the water, the man plunged in and reached her, hauling her firmly toward the bank.
The night was too dark to see his face, but his grip was strong, his strength steady.
So, this Pei Hong, weak as he looks, isn’t half bad after all.
At last, they reached the shore. Xie Zhi collapsed, coughing up water, gasping for air.
Even so, her sharp eyes darted around. Where are the witnesses?
Without onlookers, the plan would fail. She needed to draw him toward a crowd.
“What are you looking for?”
The voice was cold, cutting through the night like ice.
Xie Zhi’s heart jolted. She whipped her head around—
And saw the man wringing water from his sleeves, seated casually in the grass.
Not Pei Hong at all.
It was Pei Du.