Shen Lingzhen’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
“Then…” she stammered, glancing at him for a long moment. After all, this was a rightful part of marriage, whether it happened sooner or later made little difference. So she shut her eyes, steeled herself, and said, “Then let’s…”
“Let’s wait a few days,” Huo Liuxing interrupted gently, rubbing his fingertips as if deep in thought. “My legs aren’t strong, so you’d have to do more of the work. But you’re inexperienced, and so shy. Asking you to take the initiative now would only make things harder for you. It’s better to wait until we’re more familiar with each other before sharing that part of marriage. If my parents ask, I’ll explain it to them properly.”
Every word was thoughtful and kind. Shen Lingzhen felt moved again. “Thank you, husband, for considering my feelings.”
“Why thank me? I’m your husband now. It’s only right that I cherish you. I know coming so far to marry into this family must’ve been difficult. If I can’t treat you well, how could you not feel hurt?”
“Though I miss my family and friends in Bianjing, I think you’re a good man. I don’t feel wronged here.”
“That’s all it takes to be a good man?”
“Are you saying you’re not?”
Huo Liuxing leaned forward, gazing at her with warmth. But his words came slowly, deliberately: “Well… I might not be.”
Shen Lingzhen’s heart gave a confused jolt. Something in his tone, cool and ambiguous, made her instinctively shrink back. But in the next moment, he laughed openly and cheerfully. “Just teasing. You believed me?” He wheeled himself to the bedside and nodded toward it. “Come here. Take off your shoes and socks.”
Still shaken from that brief moment of unease, Shen Lingzhen didn’t move. “What for?”
“To treat your nightmare. Didn’t you say you had a bad dream just now?”
She gave a soft “oh,” and sat down in a daze. Hesitantly, she slipped off her shoes and socks. Just as she was about to ask how the treatment worked, she suddenly felt warmth at her ankle.
His palm had settled there.
Startled, Shen Lingzhen instinctively pulled her foot back.
Huo Liuxing loosened his grip slightly and smiled, “Don’t be afraid. I’m just pressing the Shangqiu[mfn]
[/mfn] and Taiyin acupuncture points.” With that, he gently took hold of her ankle again.
This time, Shen Lingzhen didn’t resist, though she remained uneasy. Her shoulders and arms were stiff with tension, and even her breath was held. But as she lowered her gaze to watch his slender, well-defined fingers steadily massage the inside of her ankle with even pressure, like a physician wholly focused on his craft, she gradually relaxed.
After all, she’d been pampered since childhood. Once she let go of her initial restraint, she asked, “Your technique seems practiced. Have you studied medicine?”
“Just learned from being ill for too long,” he replied with a shake of the head, moving his hand a few inches up to the inside of her calf.
The touch made Shen Lingzhen shiver from the ticklish sensation.
“Ticklish?” he paused and looked up.
She nodded, expecting him to stop. But he simply lowered his head and continued, “You’ll get used to it. It takes more than a day or two to work. I’ll massage these points for you regularly, so you can sleep well at night.”
His gentle promise made her forget the ticklishness. Instead, she felt warm, her cheeks flushed, and her back began to sweat faintly.
She pressed the back of her hand to her burning face. Huo Liuxing looked up again, “I didn’t even let you drink much. Already feeling tipsy?”
Only then did Shen Lingzhen realize it was the wine.
“I’ve never had alcohol before. Is this what they call getting drunk?”
“Not quite drunk,” he said with a chuckle. “But if you had two more sips, you’d be close. I’d better not let you near wine again.”
Still, thanks to that single sip, Shen Lingzhen soon grew drowsy. When the two of them lay side by side under the covers, there was no time for awkwardness, she drifted off almost immediately.
It was a peaceful night.
When she opened her eyes the next morning, the space beside her was empty, and daylight had already filled the room. Her heart skipped a beat. She called out toward the curtain, “Ji Momo, what time is it?”
Ji Momo entered promptly. “Young Madam, it’s just past dawn[mfn]5-7pm [/mfn].” Now that the wedding rites were complete, the servants had changed how they addressed her. “Young Master said you’ve been exhausted these past days. He ordered me to let you sleep in.”
Shen Lingzhen threw off the covers and hurried out of bed. “How can I afford to sleep late on a day like this?”
On the morning after her arrival, Shen Lingzhen was supposed to perform the customary tea ceremony for her elders.
Ji Momo brought in the prepared garments and explained, “The frontier troops at Dingbian are restless. Master left for the north overnight, he’s no longer in the residence.”
Dingbian was closer to the Western Qiang territories than Qingzhou, and served as Great Qi’s true military stronghold.
Huo Liuxing’s father held the post of provincial governor there. He rarely spent time at home in Qingyang. Though the title of “provincial governor,” once akin to a regional emperor in the previous dynasty, had been gradually stripped of its power under Great Qi, the burdens of the role remained unchanged. Endless travel and toil were part of the job.
“But surely Madam is still here,” Shen Lingzhen said.
“Madam has a habit of rising early to practice martial arts. She’s likely still at the training grounds, you won’t catch her at this hour.”
No wonder Huo Liuxing hadn’t seemed in a rush.
Shen Lingzhen, distracted, found herself wondering what the borderlands were truly like and what kind of woman her martial-minded mother-in-law might be. After dressing and washing, she saw Huo Liuxing enter through the curtain.
He wore a sky-blue robe patterned with bamboo leaves, his hair was tied with a jade crown. Seated in his wheelchair, he smiled from afar as the maids styled Shen Lingzhen’s hair.
Through the bronze mirror, Shen Lingzhen caught sight of him and felt a flicker of unease—this was the man who had shared her bed the night before. But she quickly pushed aside such thoughts and turned to more serious matters. “Husband, has war broken out at the border?” she asked.
Huo Liuxing shook his head. “There’s been a drought in Yan and Hong—two southern provinces of the Western Qiang.”
Shen Lingzhen nodded solemnly, visibly concerned.
Though Huo Liuxing hadn’t yet explained the full implications, her expression showed she had already grasped the situation.
He looked at her with surprise. “You have thoughts on the matter? Go ahead, tell me.”
His tone resembled that of the old tutor who used to quiz her in the Shen family’s private study.
She snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. “I’m just a woman of the inner chambers. I wouldn’t dare speak on state affairs.”
Huo Liuxing didn’t press her. “Then let’s not worry about it.”
He waited patiently nearby. Shen Lingzhen urged the maids to hurry, and once her hair was done, she joined him to pay respects to Madam Huo, who would soon return from her morning training.
The night before, Shen Lingzhen had entered the estate behind a silk fan, unable to see the layout clearly. Now, in the bright morning light, she finally took it all in.
A three-courtyard residence, with long corridors and spacious halls, ample in size. But like the bedroom, the furnishings were sparse. Compared to the lavish decor of her home in Bianjing, this place lacked ornamentation. At most, there were a few plain wood carvings. They were elegant, but austere.
Beneath the eaves, a servant pushed Huo Liuxing’s wheelchair from behind, while Shen Lingzhen walked alongside, quietly taking in her surroundings.
Noticing her gaze, Huo Liuxing smiled. “It’s not as grand as the Shen residence, but the land here is vast and sparsely populated. The size of this estate is something ordinary households in Bianjing can’t compare to. When we have a moment, I’ll take you to see the training grounds.”
Shen Lingzhen brightened. “I’d love that. I’ve never been to a place like that before.”
Huo Liuxing turned to look at her.
She was, after all, only recently of age and had married quite young. The childlike joy on her face clashed amusingly with her mature attire: a high bun and a formal robe with a straight collar and overlapping lapels.
“You’re looking at me like I’ve dressed wrong,” she teased.
“It does seem a bit off,” he replied with a chuckle. “Like a half-grown girl sneaking into her mother’s wardrobe.”
Shen Lingzhen flushed. “Well, that can’t be helped. I did marry you, after all…”
Her spirits were high at the thought of visiting the training grounds, and in her relaxed state, she accidentally voiced what had been a private thought.
Huo Liuxing paused, then laughed aloud. “So it’s my fault now? Then you may dress however you like from now on.”
She shook her head seriously. “That wouldn’t be proper.”
“Outside, you should follow common customs. But here in the Huo residence, my word is the rule.”
Shen Lingzhen couldn’t help but glance at him. His commanding presence hardly matched someone who had spent ten years in a wheelchair.
She recalled her imperial grandmother once saying that the Huo family had produced generals for three generations under the previous dynasty, each one a remarkable figure. Huo Liuxing himself had earned fame in Great Qi for his military achievements as a youth. Last night, his gentle demeanor had made her doubt those tales, but now she saw they weren’t exaggerated.
Moved, she said, “Then I’ll listen to you. Though most of the clothes I brought are styled for married women.”
“We’ll have new ones made. I have two younger sisters—one seventeen, one ten. You can go shopping together sometime.”
Just as he finished speaking, a sudden clatter echoed from the roof above, growing louder by the second. In an instant, Huo Liuxing pulled Shen Lingzhen away from the eaves. One maid steadied her, while the other raised her hand and caught a falling empty wine jar.
Shen Lingzhen hadn’t even had time to cry out. The danger had passed in a flash. When she saw the jar that had nearly struck her foot, her face went pale.
The two maids looked visibly angry. If not for Huo Liuxing’s presence, they would have shouted up at once.
The servant pushing the wheelchair stopped abruptly, stunned. Huo Liuxing’s expression turned cold. He first asked Shen Lingzhen if she was hurt. Seeing her shake her head, he turned and said, “Kongqing, go check.”
The servant named Kongqing quickly circled around to look up, then returned hesitantly. “My lord, it’s Eldest Young Lady. She must’ve drunk too much at last night’s banquet. She’s lying on the roof, completely drunk…”
“Nonsense!” Huo Liuxing snapped. “Have someone ‘invite’ her down. Give her tea to sober up. Then ‘escort’ her to the front hall to apologize to Young Madam.”
It was the first time he’d shown anger in front of Shen Lingzhen. His words were polite on the surface, but each syllable carried a chill.
Shen Lingzhen guessed that this “Eldest Young Lady” must be Huo Liuxing’s seventeen-year-old sister. She hadn’t meant to cause trouble on her first day in the household, so she said gently, “She was drunk, she didn’t mean any harm. It’s alright.”
Huo Liuxing didn’t respond. He simply moved her to his other side. “Walk on the inside.” Feeling her cold hand, he frowned. “Were you frightened? You should rest in your room. I’ll greet my mother on your behalf.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
A servant had already gone ahead to the front hall to report the incident in detail to Madam Huo, Yu Wanjiang.
When Shen Lingzhen arrived to pay her respects and offer tea, Yu Wanjiang presented her with a heavy rosewood jewelry box as a welcome gift. With a sigh, she said, “Good child, you’ve been frightened. Shuyi has always been willful and undisciplined. It’s my fault as her mother for failing to raise her properly. Today she nearly caused a serious mishap.” Then she turned to Huo Liuxing. “Liuxing, on behalf of Shuyi, I offer my apologies to you both. As for her punishment, I leave it to you.”
To an outsider, this statement might sound oddly formal and confusing. But Shen Lingzhen had already asked her imperial grandmother about the Huo family’s background and understood the situation.
In truth, Huo Liuxing’s birth mother and elder brother had passed away years ago. Madam Yu was his stepmother, who had remarried into the Huo family with two daughters from her previous marriage.
She had no children after remarrying.
Yu Wanjiang smiled and took Shen Lingzhen’s hand warmly, asking several times whether she had slept well the previous night and if she was adjusting comfortably.
Shen Lingzhen answered each question politely. Remembering that Huo Liuxing had said Shuyi would be brought to the front hall to apologize, she worried the girl might feel embarrassed in public. So before Shuyi arrived, she subtly adopted a weary demeanor.
Yu Wanjiang noticed and said, “You’ve come a long way and must be tired. Rest well, you’ll need your strength later to see off your two cousins with Liuxing. Go have breakfast now.”
Shen Lingzhen took the opportunity to excuse herself. She glanced at Huo Liuxing, who smiled and said, “Go ahead. I’ll speak with Mother for a moment.”
She nodded and left. Once the front hall had cleared, Huo Liuxing’s expression darkened.
Yu Wanjiang noticed and asked, “Liuxing, was that wine jar Shuyi’s doing?”
He nodded.
With his keen hearing, he had already sensed someone on the roof and guessed the truth. That was why he had mentioned Shuyi earlier, to subtly warn her not to act rashly.
“Unbelievable,” Yu Wanjiang sighed. “The imperial will is unpredictable, and Princess Zhenguo is no ordinary figure. This marriage, granted by the throne, surely carries deeper implications. Now that our home is filled with outsiders and we’ve yet to truly understand Shen’s character, we must tread carefully. Yet Shuyi caused such trouble on the very first day! Liuxing, when I asked you to punish her, it wasn’t for show, it came from the heart. Her temperament needs tempering. If she makes another misstep, it could ruin everything. If you’re worried she’ll cause more trouble, I can send her to Junxian Monastery outside the city. What do you think?”
Huo Liuxing shook his head. “Let’s discuss it later. For now, there’s no need to take action.”
Yu Wanjiang nodded. After a pause, she asked quietly, “Then I must ask, last night, did you and Shen…”
“We didn’t consummate the marriage, and we won’t,” Huo Liuxing said, gazing at the window lattice. “Don’t worry. I understand the boundaries of this marriage.”
With that, he took his leave and returned to his courtyard.
Just as Huo Liuxing entered the study, a man in fitted martial attire stepped forward and cupped his hands respectfully. “My lord, I investigated overnight. Young Madam has never stepped beyond the main gate, let alone left the city of Bianjing. It seems her claim of recognizing you was merely coincidence, she likely hasn’t truly met you before.”
Huo Liuxing nodded. Seeing the man hesitate, he gestured with his chin. “Speak your mind.”
“There is one odd detail. A little over a month ago, Young Madam accompanied Duke Ying to Peach Blossom Valley. That day, both the Shen and Xue families dispatched numerous guards. At night, even the palace’s imperial troops were mobilized. I’m not sure what happened. Do you think it’s worth digging deeper?”
Huo Liuxing paused, then shook his head. “The spies in the capital are reserved for matters of real importance. She’s just a young girl, there’s no need to waste effort.”
Author’s Note: “I know the bounds of this marriage.” “Just a young girl, there’s no need to waste effort.” These lines are classic examples of the “face-slapping foreshadowing” trope. The male lead’s smug confidence, tinged with a trace of flirtatious arrogance, is setting him up for a delicious reversal. Stay tuned—he’s about to eat those words.
