Chapter 4

Somehow, I found myself living in a ducal residence.

Just as the warden had said, everyone there was intensely concerned about my pregnancy.

The old madam summoned me alone and nodded. “A pretty creature indeed. No wonder Ah Song took a fancy to you.”

“A pity you’re a condemned criminal with blood on your hands. You should have been sent outside the capital to give birth, but we couldn’t bear to leave a child of the Jiang family elsewhere. That’s why we brought you here. Settle in and wait for the birth. Boy or girl, I’ll give the child to Ah Song’s future wife to raise. At least you won’t have that worry when you die.”

“I’m thinking of the child, too. How disgraceful to have a condemned criminal for a mother. The poor thing would never be able to hold its head up.”

I nodded docilely and made no attempt to argue.

I had only borrowed Jiang Qingsong’s seed to conceive a child. Apart from liking his body, I felt little for him.

I came from Pingzhou. I wanted to survive so I could go back there once.

The Jiang family wanted to keep my existence quiet and had intended to lodge me in a secluded courtyard. Jiang Qingsong insisted I stay with him instead.

That night, he dared do nothing further, only held me carefully. “What did Grandmother say when she saw you alone?”

I kept my eyes closed, pretending to sleep.

He patted my back gently. “If she said anything unpleasant, don’t take it to heart. I’m the head of this family.”

“Nothing of the sort.” I turned to smile at him. “The old madam has been very kind. She arranged my meals herself and ordered the physician to examine me every day.”

He studied me through narrowed eyes, leaned in to peck my lips, then, his gaze darkening, cupped the back of my head and deepened the kiss.

I responded absently. All I could think about was escaping the estate.

I had thought it would be easy, but I underestimated how much the Jiang family valued this pregnancy.

When I said I wanted to go out for a bowl of sweet soup, the old madam brought the shop’s cook into the residence.

When I said I wanted to browse for jewelry, she laid the treasury’s jewels before me and told me to choose. She even said I would be the most beautiful woman on the road to the underworld.

At last, out of ideas, I said I needed a walk to clear my head.

That got me outside—but with Jiang Qingsong beside me.

Four maids, six manservants, and eight guards followed us. Even if I wanted to run, I had no chance.

Eventually, I managed to slip away on the pretext of using the privy. I had just spotted a promising escape route when Jiang Qingsong appeared in front of me.

Smiling, he produced a gold necklace as though by magic and dangled it before my eyes.

“Here. For you.”

“What’s that expression? Too happy to speak?”

I cursed him inwardly and accepted the necklace with a smile.

At last, I understood that escaping the duke’s residence would be no easier than escaping prison.

If only I hadn’t been so tempted by Jiang Qingsong’s looks. I should have chosen a more ordinary jailer.

Half a month later, some fellow officials came to drink with him. I heard them talking about Pingzhou.

“There’s fighting in Pingzhou again. Yue launched an attack last night.”

“A fierce one, from what I hear. Plenty of soldiers killed and wounded.”

I frowned.

Whatever it took, I had to return to Pingzhou soon.

Since arriving at the estate, I had been lukewarm toward Jiang Qingsong.

That night, I had a bath drawn early. When he came back, I was already in the tub.

I leaned on its rim and beckoned to him. “My lord, care to join me?”

“Oh, listen to me. I should call you Qingsong.”

He pressed his lips together and closed the door. He neither approached nor left, only reminded me in a low voice, “Be careful. Don’t catch cold.”

Then he folded his arms, leaned against the doorframe, and watched at his leisure.

I washed myself slowly, inch by inch. When I finished, I rose and stepped one long leg out of the tub, only to slip and fall.

Jiang Qingsong moved at once and caught me in his arms.

I melted against him and took the chance to loop my arms around his neck.

“You’re pregnant. Can’t you be a little more restrained?”

He gave a low huff and grabbed a silk cloth to dry me.

Pursing my lips, I gazed at him pitifully. “There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“I want to go back to Pingzhou.”

He frowned. “There’s a war in Pingzhou. What would you go there for?”

“I had a dear friend there. I buried her myself when she died. I promised to visit her grave on her birthday every year.”

“Her birthday was a little while ago, and I couldn’t go. She was so angry she came to me in dreams three nights running and insisted I visit.”

He gave a humorless smile. “Then isn’t that convenient? You can meet in your dreams and share all your secrets.”

“Please?” I begged as sweetly as I could.

He helped me dress, his voice stiff. “I’ll have a memorial tablet made for her here in the capital. You can burn paper offerings for her.”

“As for Pingzhou, wait until the fighting ends.”

That night, I stared up at the bed canopy, wondering how to make him relent.

When I woke the next morning, the old madam had already ordered ginseng soup for me.

I claimed I had no appetite and didn’t touch it.

I refused the nourishing midday meal and the lavish dinner as well.

All day, I frowned and sighed.

When Jiang Qingsong returned, I didn’t speak to him as usual. Whatever he said, I ignored him and went on sighing.

After three days, the old madam was frantic, terrified that something would happen to her precious grandson.

The physician said I was healthy. Some worry was probably keeping me from eating.

At that, Jiang Qingsong shut the door. “Are you threatening me, Liu Wenyan?”

“Don’t you know I respond to persuasion, never coercion?”

But I had tried persuasion first. That hadn’t worked either.

“Eat or don’t. It’s your stomach that will go hungry, not mine.” He caught my wrist with a cold laugh. “Look at your hand. You’re this thin already, and you’re still starving yourself?”

I looked at him beseechingly without a word.

In his anger, he was thoroughly unpleasant. “Threats don’t work on me. Stop wasting your time.”

I pressed my lips together and tugged his sleeve. “Qingsong, doesn’t it hurt you to see me hungry?”

He turned his head, refusing to look at me, but his eyes had unmistakably softened.

I rubbed my head against his chest. “Qingsong…”

Then I caught the front of his robe and traced circles over his collarbone. “Qingsong…”

Just as I was about to renew my efforts, he covered my mouth.

“Stop putting on that voice. It’s sickeningly sweet.”

Unable to speak, I blinked up at him and lightly licked his palm.

His breathing grew heavier. “Pack your things tomorrow.”

“Hmm?”

“What do you mean, hmm? I’m taking you to Pingzhou.”

He gave me an exasperated look. “Liu Wenyan, you really have ruined me.”