Chapter 11:- The Soiled Handkerchief

Late at night, Chen Lian lay on his mat, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Restless and distracted, he could not help recalling the faint scent of peach blossoms that had lingered in his arms earlier that day.

That subtle fragrance seemed to twine around the tip of his nose, stirring up thoughts he could not suppress.

He remembered the slender curve of that waist pressed close to him; the soft contact that rose and fell in rhythm as he rode. She had worn a fine summer robe of Su brocade, so light and thin it was almost nothing at all. As he brushed against that layer of cloth, it felt as though he were brushing against her.

Chen Lian’s brow tightened, a low, muffled sound escaping from his throat, so faint it was almost lost in the stillness of the night.

He opened his eyes abruptly and sat up. Striding to the partitioned table, he lifted a hidden compartment beneath it, reaching inside as if searching for something.

There was no candle lit in the room, only the clear light of the moon filtering in. Under that faint glow, he finally drew out an object: a delicate square of fine silk.

It was Jiang Rao’s handkerchief.

Its surface was pure, bright white, embroidered with two or three faint blue balsam blossoms.

He gripped the handkerchief tightly in his hand, and then quickly lay back down on the mat. His eyes grew increasingly clouded and dark; finally, he closed them and laid the handkerchief over his face.

The scent had faded somewhat, but it was still unmistakably hers.

Breathing in that faint fragrance of peach blossom, he clenched his jaw, and his hand began to move with growing force.

At the final moment, when he was on the edge of breaking, his half-lidded eyes flickered, and he lifted the handkerchief from his face. After only the briefest hesitation, he slowly lowered it… and placed it beneath him, in that secret place.

It went on for longer than ever before; more intense, more complete than any time prior.

Since the day he had come of age, though desire had visited him now and then, he had never known such unrestrained satisfaction.

The handkerchief was now soiled. He thought grimly that he could no longer return it, as promised, to that delicate young lady of the Marquis’s household.

—-

At the Marquis of Jing’an’s residence, Jiang Rao also did not sleep that night. Not because of longing  but because that reckless Ge Ruyan had truly gone out again, stirring up trouble for her second brother.

The commotion at Rui’an Pavilion soon spread to Wanyan Pavilion and Qiongju Pavilion. When Jiang Yuan heard that the thief had been caught, she grew anxious and immediately summoned Jiang Rao. The two sisters hurried toward Rui’an Pavilion together.

Jiang Yuan had no idea that the thief was a woman. All along the way she fretted that Jiang Ming might have been injured while catching her.

Jiang Rao, by contrast, appeared far calmer. She simply couldn’t fathom what Ge Ruyan was playing at; as with her skills, she would never have been caught so easily unless she’d meant to be.

When the two arrived at Rui’an Pavilion, they saw no sign of the thief but only Jiang Ming, sword in hand, fully armed, standing by the doorway with a distinctly unpleasant expression.

“Ming’er, I heard the thief has been caught. Were you hurt?” Jiang Yuan asked anxiously, stepping forward.

Jiang Ming’s face was complex. He shook his head and said only, “Sister, don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Of course, Jiang Rao already knew her second brother wouldn’t be hurt after all, that female “thief” had come to court him, not harm him.

She looked around and, seeing no sign of Ge Ruyan, raised her eyes toward the tightly closed door behind her brother. She guessed the girl must have been locked inside.

“Second Brother, you caught him? Where is he now?”

“Inside.”

Jiang Ming cast a glance toward the door, his brows knitting tighter.

Because the intruder had escaped him the previous night, he had made full preparations this time even setting out a freshly written calligraphy piece in plain sight within his study. Then he’d lain in ambush, waiting silently in the dark. As expected, not long after, the thief had crawled in through the window.

The room had been dimly lit, and he hadn’t seen him clearly at first. He crept closer, and fearing he might flee, seized him swiftly from behind and subdued him in an instant.

He had thought the capture a success until he suddenly noticed how strangely soft the body beneath his hands felt.

Reflexively, he tested his grip and at once the figure in his arms struggled violently, followed by a woman’s outraged cry beside his ear, “Hey! Where are your hands… let go!”

Only then did Jiang Ming realize what had happened. As if burned, he sprang back several steps before managing to steady himself. It dawned on him, with a shock, that the thief who had come three or four times to pester him was actually a woman.

“Who are you?”

His expression hardened as he lifted his sword, pointing it toward her in stern demand.
Just then, the clouds outside thinned, and a ray of moonlight streamed through the window.
In that glow, he saw her face clearly; bright eyes, a smiling mouth, the quick spark of mischief.

He averted his gaze, about to question her for trespassing and theft.

But the thief was relentless, her tone sharp and bold. “You’re still pointing a sword at me? Do you even realize where that hand of yours was just now?”

Such shameless words and yet it was he, a grown man, who felt his skin prickle with discomfort.

His lips twitched slightly. Meeting that defiant, demanding look in her eyes, he did something he had never done in his life; he apologized to a thief.

“It was rude of me. I did not know you were a woman before I acted.”

“You took advantage of me, so how will you make it up to me?”

Seeing that she was pushing her luck, Jiang Ming’s patience began to fray. “You broke into the Marquis’s residence. I have shown restraint only because you’re a woman. If I offended you just now, it was unintentional but your theft is undeniable. Do you admit it or not?”

Her mouth was quick and sharp. “You say I stole, then tell me exactly what I stole?”

“My calligraphy copies.”

“Anything else?”

“No.”

After his answer, she suddenly curved her lips into a grin; a look of triumphant mischief. From her robe she drew out several sheets of paper and slapped them against his chest.

“Here, your calligraphy. I’m returning it.”

Jiang Ming looked down, startled. Sure enough, it was the missing calligraphy he’d been searching for. He raised his eyes to study the woman in red before him, she was smiling brightly, utterly unashamed of being caught.

She even dared to taunt him further, “So, General, what do you plan to do with me?”

Jiang Ming’s face turned cold, his tone regaining its soldier’s gravity. “Turn you over to the authorities.”

“Even though I gave it all back?” she asked, leaning closer then lowered her voice mischievously.
“And what about how you just took liberties with me?”

“Ridiculous!”

Jiang Ming frowned, stepping back. She was standing far too close; it was improper, unsettling.

But when he stepped back, she stepped forward.

“I’ve thought of a perfect solution, one that makes us even. You won’t be guilty of rudeness, and I won’t be guilty of theft.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief, her tone light as laughter. “How about… you marry me?”

“……”

For a long moment, Jiang Ming was utterly silent. The mighty Grand General of the Nation, invincible on the battlefield now found himself helpless before this absurd little skirmish of words.

Face dark, he stepped outside and ordered the door locked. Then he stood there in the cold wind for a long while before he could fully digest the brazen proposal of that red-clad thief.

Marry her?

Utter nonsense.

“Second Brother, how do you plan to deal with her?”

Seeing her brother stand there for so long without speaking, Jiang Rao felt instinctively that something was off, though she didn’t know exactly what had happened inside.

She worried that Ge Ruyan’s bold, freewheeling manner from the jianghu had truly angered her always-proper brother.

Their elder sister, Jiang Yuan, also said anxiously, “Since the intruder has been caught, better not delay; let’s have a few of the more capable servants escort her to the magistrate tonight, before trouble brews.”

“No need to rush.” Jiang Ming frowned slightly. “She’s already returned everything she took.”

That meant there was no evidence.

As soon as he spoke, there came a soft click, the sound of the lock falling to the ground. They turned in surprise to see the door swing open from within.

Ge Ruyan strolled out casually, her eyes sweeping over the startled faces before finally settling on Jiang Ming.

She asked with perfect seriousness, “Have you thought it over yet? Do you agree to my proposal or not?”

Jiang Ming shot her a warning look, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. She had opened the lock so easily so why had she allowed herself to be captured so easily earlier?

Jiang Yuan looked at the newcomer in disbelief. “This young lady is the thief who broke into the residence?”

Ge Ruyan quickly corrected her. “I’m not a thief:- the Madam of the Marquis’s residence invited me here.”

“Mother?” Jiang Ming’s tone grew stern. “Don’t speak nonsense.”

“Your mother saved me at the Hechuan ferry. I came to repay her kindness,” Ge Ruyan said earnestly. “If you don’t believe me, go and ask her yourself.”

Her candid manner made it difficult for anyone to refute her.

Jiang Rao felt she should help the girl a little.

She stepped forward and said at just the right moment, “Since she’s already returned everything, perhaps we shouldn’t make this matter public, it wouldn’t sound good if spread around. And since she mentioned Mother, I think it’s better to let her stay here in the residence for now. When Mother returns, everything can be cleared up. What do you think, Sister, Second Brother?”

At those words, Ge Ruyan shot her a look full of gratitude, as if to say, you’re really righteous.

Jiang Yuan hesitated. “But letting a young woman stay in the residence without a proper reason would be improper.”

Jiang Ming clearly didn’t agree either. Before he could speak, Jiang Rao quickly added,

“Then we’ll find her a proper reason. How about placing her in Second Brother’s courtyard, say she’s a newly purchased maid, here to attend to his daily needs?”

Ge Ruyan brightened at once and nodded enthusiastically. “I agree.”

“This…” Jiang Yuan still felt it was inappropriate, but there really was no better solution. She turned toward Jiang Ming, after all, it was his courtyard in question.

At once, all woman in the courtyard turned their eyes toward him. Jiang Ming tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his gaze darkening as it fell on Ge Ruyan’s mischievous smile.

At last, irritation flared, and he said curtly, “Ridiculous!”

With that, he turned on his heel and strode away without hesitation, leaving the guards on both sides staring after him, unsure; was that agreement or refusal?

“Rao’er,” Jiang Yuan sighed, “your suggestion was absurd. Your second brother is probably angry.”

“Don’t worry, Sister,” Jiang Rao said lightly. “I don’t think he’s truly angry.”

If he truly wanted to refuse, he could have said “no.” Calling her “ridiculous” wasn’t that as good as a half-hearted consent?

And so, that very night, a separate room in Rui’an Pavilion was prepared for Ge Ruyan’s temporary stay.

The once cold and solemn courtyard suddenly bloomed with a flash of red; abrupt, yet strangely harmonious.

When his deputy general asked about it, Jiang Ming merely said that he feared the female thief might cause trouble or frighten the women of the household, so he had her placed under his own watch, right beneath his eyes to make sure she couldn’t act out again.

Naturally, no one dared question him.

Once everyone dispersed, Jiang Ming turned to Ge Ruyan, his face still cold. “Without my permission, you are not to enter my study again.”

Ge Ruyan pouted in protest. “Then where am I supposed to find you when I want to see you?”

Jiang Ming paused, lowering his gaze to study her. “You went into my study just to see me? Then why were you rummaging through my things?”

From the guarded tone of his voice, Ge Ruyan caught on immediately. “You think I was stealing your secrets?”

“What else would I think?”

Ge Ruyan glared at him, clearly upset, her voice tinged with grievance. “I’m interested in you, not those boring papers! I can’t even read!”

Jiang Ming turned his eyes aside, hiding the faint flicker of embarrassment in them. “Then why did you take them away?”

“I was just curious what you were writing, but I couldn’t understand it. So I took them to a storyteller and had him read them to me. I won’t go into your study again, all right?”

With that, she spun around and stormed off, leaving Jiang Ming standing there, stunned.

Wasn’t she supposed to be a servant in his courtyard?  He had never met a “maid” with such a temper.

Author’s Note:

Chen Lian: “That handkerchief of yours… what do you usually use it for?”
Rao’er: “To wipe my face and hands, sometimes my mouth.” (innocent look)
Chen Lian: (staring at her lips) “Oh…”

Reader Comments:

“These two might really have feelings for each other, but Ge Ruyan’s personality isn’t quite fit for a proper lady yet. She needs some training! Once refined, she could be a real powerhouse.”

“I’ve reread this story so many times, author, keep it up! I’m waiting for more!”

“I like this male lead, not that cold, untouchable kind we see too often lately. But I hope the side couples don’t take too much focus!”

“Hehe, I get it now.”

“Didn’t expect you to be like this, Chen Lian!! The general and his future sister-in-law pair are adorable too, hahaha!”

“So good! So good!”

“Exciting, I love it!”

“Ahhh, so sweet!!”

“No one commenting?”