Jiang Yunshu was naturally indolent. As a maiden in her family home, she knew full well that being more diligent to please her stepmother would make her life easier, yet she often succumbed to laziness.
Strangely, after her marriage to Duan Jinxing, everyone said she would live a life of leisure and luxury as the wife of a prominent man. Yet, Jiang Yunshu found herself unable to remain idle.
She started a business in the Capital City, saving the profits as her private funds.
She also devoted considerable time and effort to maintaining her social circle, frequently mingling with noblewomen and even forming close friendships with a county princess and a commandery princess.
She was fortunate to have found two or three confidantes—women she could trust with her life.
Jiang Yunshu had never pondered why, despite her preference for solitude over crowds, she had become more sociable after marriage than she had ever been in her maiden days.
Now, it dawned on her. The reason was that Duan Jinxing, though widely praised, had never earned her complete trust.
A deep-seated instinct had always warned her that Duan Jinxing was not a man to rely on.
Her ventures into business and her cultivation of friendships were, in truth, acts of self-preservation.
Jiang Yunshu was grateful for her past efforts—they had ensured she would never be driven to desperation.
She no longer cared what Duan Jinxing thought, for he could do nothing to her.
In their marriage, it was now Jiang Yunshu who held the reins.
She told Duan Jinxing, "I’ve written many letters, all entrusted to those who believe in me."
"If I remain unharmed, they will never open them."
"But if something happens to me—if I die or go mad—they will read those letters and know who is responsible."
"If you value your position as Chancellor, you will not dare lay a finger on me."
Duan Jinxing stared at her in astonishment. "My wife distrusts me to such an extent…"
Under Jiang Yunshu’s clear, penetrating gaze—one that reflected every hidden thought—his voice faltered and died.
He realized she had seen through him. No matter how he masked his intentions, she would never believe him.
The truth was, Duan Jinxing had indeed considered having Jiang Yunshu killed or driven to madness. In his eyes, she was already insane—such a madwoman had no right to remain his wife.
But Jiang Yunshu had him cornered.
It wasn’t just the letters.
Over the years, as he rose to the rank of Chancellor, many of his political reforms had been her ideas.
It was her counsel that had won him Grand Tutor Xu’s favor, paving his path to the highest office. If Jiang Yunshu exposed this, Duan Jinxing dreaded how the world would judge him.
They would say a mere woman outshone the Chancellor himself!
Though their marriage had shattered, Duan Jinxing had no choice but to maintain Jiang Yunshu’s status, privileges, and wealth as before.
They never crossed paths in the Chancellor’s residence, appearing together only at palace banquets, where they played the part of a devoted couple.
Fortunately, the act was brief. Once inside the palace, men and women would separate, and Jiang Yunshu would join the other noblewomen.
This banquet was no different.
The only surprise was that the sweet osmanthus wine, deceptively mild, packed a stronger punch than Jiang Yunshu had anticipated.
After a few cups, she felt tipsy and stifled by the hall’s oppressive air, stepping outside for a breath of fresh air.
Worried her drunken state might appear unseemly, she sought out a secluded pavilion, hoping to sober up in solitude.
Yet no sooner had she sat down than a tall, imposing figure appeared at the entrance.
The man paused, seemingly taken aback to find the pavilion occupied.
By then, Jiang Yunshu had recognized him.
It was Xie Lin, the Eastern Depot’s Imperial Seal Holder.
Over the years, Jiang Yunshu had glimpsed him from afar at palace banquets. Though she had a mild case of face blindness, Xie Lin’s features were unforgettable.
His commanding presence alone made misidentification impossible.
Now, the notorious Seal Holder—a man rumored to be ruthless and mercurial—stood before her. The pavilion held no one else.
Jiang Yunshu’s heart, already racing from the wine, pounded even harder.
Too nervous to meet his gaze, she failed to notice how intently Xie Lin was staring at her—or how his trembling hands were concealed beneath his wide sleeves.
Flustered, she rose to leave.
But in her drunken haste, dizziness and weak legs sent her stumbling forward.
What happened next stunned her.
Xie Lin moved swiftly, reaching out to steady her.
His fingers were slender and jade-like, his touch feather-light, as if afraid of startling her.
Yet his gentle hold couldn’t halt her momentum. Jiang Yunshu crashed straight into his chest.
Xie Lin’s arms encircled her, steadying her.
"My lady, are you all right?"
