A Tale of Golden Heiress: Lady Wanjin - Chapter 17

The night grew deeper.

Wen Wan sat at the table, leaning on one hand with a pot of tea beside her, flipping through her copy of Tiangong Kaiwu.

The original host’s mother had passed away early, and she had once lived with her scholarly maternal grandfather for a time.

Although her grandfather was a scholar, he never looked down on her for being a girl. Instead, he taught her to read, write, and recognize characters.

Her grandfather had said that precisely because she was a girl, she needed to study and understand reason, lest her mind grow muddled and she be easily deceived.

Who said ancient people were rigid?

Looking at Old Master Wen, her grandfather, Aunt Liu, and even Aunt Cui, who dared to fight for her own future, Wen Wan shed all the arrogance and prejudice of a time-traveler.

“Eldest Miss, why don’t you go back and rest? He’s not going anywhere. I’ll keep watch here, and if he wakes up, I’ll send someone to call you,” Aunt Liu said, concerned for Wen Wan, as she replaced her tea with a cup of calming brew. “Didn’t you just return from Anyang today? Don’t push yourself—go rest.”

Wen Wan shook her head, “Aunt Liu, don’t worry about me. I still want to read and go over the account books.”

Seeing the frown between Wen Wan’s brows, Aunt Liu grew slightly anxious, “Is there a problem with the Anyang accounts?”

“Hard to say. The accounts use a single-entry bookkeeping method, with only heavenly stems and earthly branches and small running accounts. They only do a full reckoning at the end of the year. If there are large transactions or advances followed by receipts, the accounts become a complete mess. It’s a tangled web, and I really can’t make sense of it for now.”

Wen Wan rubbed her temples, feeling irritated just thinking about those account books.

Aunt Liu couldn’t offer much advice either. “If you really can’t figure it out, why not summon Shi Jinquan tomorrow?”

Wen Wan didn’t want to mention that Accountant Shi had already turned disloyal. Aunt Liu had enough on her plate without adding fuel to the fire, “How is Old Master Liu…? Is he still angry with Father?”

Aunt Liu waved a hand dismissively, “He’s been angry several times, even almost grabbed a knife to confront your father, but I stopped him. These past few days, he’s been muttering to himself, cursing your father.”

Aunt Liu was the only daughter of the Liu family. She had three older brothers and four male cousins, making her the treasured pearl of the entire Liu family—the apple of their eye.

Although Old Master Wen had no luck with sons, he had exceptional luck with romantic encounters.

It was clear that Old Master Wen had quite a talent for charming women.

She needed to learn that.

The family’s fine traditions had to be inherited.

Wen Wan hardly slept that night.

The man’s high fever persisted, and by late night, he began having convulsions and delirious ramblings. Even his inner robe and underpants were soaked through. Wen Wan felt genuinely distressed.

If this guy died, where would she find another affordable, eight-pack-abs action figure?

Throughout the night, Nanny Chen and Aunt Liu were busy tending to him—washing him and forcing medicine down his throat. Wen Wan had wanted to help, but Aunt Liu insisted that, as a young lady, she shouldn’t dirty her hands and eyes for an outsider.

So, Wen Wan had no choice but to take it easy.

The two of them worked through the night until daybreak.

Nanny Chen rubbed her sore arm and groaned, “If this brat doesn’t agree to this marriage, I’ll be the first to teach him a lesson.”

Wen Wan quickly said, “Nanny Chen, go take a nap.”

But Nanny Chen wouldn’t hear of leaving Wen Wan to keep watch alone. She immediately settled into the recliner and leaned back, “I’m staying right here. Didn’t Second Master Tu say this guy is highly skilled? What if he wakes up and tries to run? Your Nanny Chen may not be good for much, but I still have some strength left. I won’t let a cooked duck fly away. I won’t sleep a wink today—let’s see who outlasts whom.”

Wen Wan was too moved to speak. But when she turned her head—

Nanny Chen was already emitting even, rumbling snores.

Hey.

Nanny Chen, didn’t you just say a second ago that you wouldn’t close your eyes?

And here I was, deeply touched by your loyalty!

Aunt Liu, meanwhile, had also fallen asleep at the table, her head resting on her arms.

A pained moan came from the man on the bed.

Wen Wan hurried over and sat at the head of the bed.

He seemed trapped in a painful nightmare, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, a lingering ferocity etched between his brows.

Wen Wan used her silk handkerchief to wipe away his sweat.

Suddenly, the man opened a pair of dazed eyes.

They were very beautiful eyes.

Dark as ink.

Bottomless.

“You… you… who are you?”

His voice was like coarse gravel scraping through his throat—dry, hoarse, and deep.

What later generations would call “vocal fry.”

Was he awake?

Just as Wen Wan was about to call for someone, she realized the man had fallen unconscious again.

Well.

Turns out he was only half-awake.

Wen Wan’s gaze fell on his abdominal muscles.

Even through his outer robe, she could see the defined ridges rising like small hills.

She resisted the urge to touch them, then noticed the sachet hanging at his waist.

In the Great Chen Dynasty, it was customary to use sachets for betrothal. Wen Wan had no intention of recruiting a married man. She reached out, untied the sachet from the man’s waist, and opened it.

Inside were a few pieces of broken silver.

Hmm, definitely not a poor man.

Digging deeper, Wen Wan found an identity token and a travel pass.

Nothing else.

No intimate keepsakes like a woman’s handkerchief or strands of hair.

Probably a single dog.

Wen Wan spread the silk travel pass under the lamp. It read, “Zhao Heng of Zhao Family Village, Shou’an County, petitions for this travel pass to visit relatives and conduct business elsewhere. Fearing obstacles along the journey, he requests this document to avoid delays at passes and frontiers. This pass is hereby issued.”

In ancient times, a travel pass was equivalent to a modern ID card. Leaving one’s hometown required an officially issued travel pass as proof. This meant the man was a legitimate commoner.

Zhao Heng?

Was that his name?

It seemed he hadn’t lied. At least his origin and surname matched.

Wen Wan’s heart finally settled.

She had been afraid of recruiting a fugitive or a serious criminal as a husband.

Even if this husband was just for decorative purposes, she didn’t want to be beheaded, dismembered, and flushed down the drain in her sleep.

As the morning rooster crowed, Wen Wan continued examining the sachet by the light of the lamp near the window, digging deeper as if she were uncovering the secrets of this man named Zhao Heng.

“Wife…”

A weak, gravelly voice sounded behind her.

Vocal fry?

Wen Wan suddenly snapped to attention and looked up—

The man named Zhao Heng was propping himself up halfway, his cheeks flushed with fever. His hair cascaded loosely over one shoulder, and his thin robe had slipped down his arm, revealing delicate collarbones and a tantalizing glimpse of his chest.

He leaned weakly against the lumbar pillow, his eyes dazed like spring water, his crimson lips parting slightly with each breath, as fragile as a delicate flower, seemingly inviting her to defile him.

Come on, guest, let’s play together.

Even—

Wen Wan completely ignored the bluish birthmark at the corner of his eye.

Oh my god.

She would stop at nothing to have this man.

In this moment, Wen Wan finally understood those persistent toads in later generations who were desperate to taste swan meat.

In this moment, she was the toad!

She spoke for all toads!

She was this rich—wasn’t she entitled to a taste of swan meat?! Shouldn’t she have it?!

Wait, no—hold on—

Wen Wan’s rationality returned. He called her “wife”?

The rustling movements in the room woke Mother Chen and Aunt Liu. Rubbing their sleepy eyes, they turned to look at the man sitting on the bed.

Well, well.

The son-in-law was awake.

(End of Chapter)