Zhao Huanxi was surprised, “She likes me? Why? I don’t even know her. And, and I’m already married!”

“Because you’re good-looking ah,” Xu Nian’an said with a smile, as she glanced at him and continued to adjust his belt. “So what if you’re already married? What does her background matter compared to mine? As long as your family agrees, if she wants to marry you, what’s so difficult about that? You just need to divorce your wife and marry her.”

“She doesn’t even need to think about it!” Zhao Huanxi exclaimed loudly.

“Why are you shouting so loud?” Xu Nian’an jumped in surprise, and scolded him.

Zhao Huanxi grabbed Xu Nian’an’s arm, looking anxious. “Dong Jiejie, if… if that day really comes, you must not leave me. We agreed, even if we divorce, we will only do so after three years. Before that, no matter what happens, you cannot leave me!”

Xu Nian’an looked up at him, the beautiful young man looking so anxious that his face turned pale.

“Don’t worry, I’m just teasing you. Even if she were a Gongzhu, it wouldn’t be right to force someone who is already married to divorce and remarry, let alone a Junzhu,” Xu Nian’an said.

公主 (Gongzhu) is a First-rank princess, compare to 君主 (Junzhu), a Second-rank princess. Qian Ming's maternal (Wai) grandmother is a Gongzhu.

“Really?” Zhao Huanxi asked.

“Really.”

Zhao Huanxi slowly let go of her arm, but he still looked troubled.

This absent-mindedness persisted until he finished eating and went to find Zhao Huanrong for a duel. When Zhao Huanrong punched him in the chest, he staggered back and fell down.

Zhao Huanrong was startled and quickly went to help him up, asking, “Are you alright?”

Zhao Huanxi shook his head and said, “I’m fine, I just zoned out earlier.” He didn’t get up and sat down where he fell.

Seeing this, Zhao Huanrong sat down beside him and asked, “Something on your mind?”

“En.” Zhao Huanxi sighed, lowered his head gloomily, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers. He said, “There’s something bad that hasn’t happened yet, but might. I’m worried about it, but I don’t know what to do.”

“You can go talk to Zufu and tell him about your worries. If he says it’s nothing to worry about, then you can stop worrying,” Zhao Huanrong suggested.

Zhao Huanxi took the suggestion to heart. He jumped up from the ground, wincing as he rubbed his chest where he had been punched. Excitedly, he said to Zhao Huanrong, “Tangxiong, let’s stop here for today. I’ll go find Zufu.”

Zhao Huanrong nodded, “Alright.”

Zhao Huanxi hurriedly arrived at the Dunyi Hall, where the old man was practicing with a large saber in the small training ground.

He stood at the edge of the training ground, wide-eyed, watching his Zufu wield the seemingly heavy long-handled saber with great power and dominance. His movements were like those of a god, shaking the very heavens and earth, leaving everyone present in awe.

These extraordinary talents and martial prowess, this invincible bloodline and momentum, are the foundation and soul of the Zhao family’s founding and legacy.

However, by the time of his father and his generation, there were no more successors.

Wu Shufu died in battle.

Er Shufu and Huanyi Tangxiong, who served as officials, were only military officers of the state government, not great generals on the battlefield.

Did Zufu ever look at this group of grandchildren and feel disappointed and regretful?

“What are you thinking? You daydreamer!” Zhao Huanxi felt the pain from Zufu’s slap on his shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie. He quickly saluted him.

Guogong Yé wiped the sweat from his face and neck with a towel and asked, “Why did you come at this hour? Is something wrong?”

Zhao Huanxi looked at Zufu’s graying beard and flushed cheeks. He hurriedly poured a glass of water for him from a small table nearby and said, “Zufu, please have some water first.”

“En.” Guogong Yé drank the water in one gulp and said, “Come to the study and talk.”

Zhao Huanxi followed him to the study. Guogong Yé sat behind the desk and said, “Speak, what’s the matter.”

Zhao Huanxi then told Guogong Yé about his conflict with Qingxiang Junzhu, saying, “Sun’er was angry at the time and splashed tea on her. Upon reflection, One realized it was improper. After all, she is of imperial lineage, and Sun’er fears it may bring trouble to our family.”

“So what if she’s of imperial lineage? If you’re not at fault, there’s no need to fear with Zufu here,” Guogong Yé said sternly.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huanxi knew that Zufu would not bow to the imperial relatives. He breathed a sigh of relief and bowed, saying, “Thank you, Zufu.”

“Is there anything else?”

“No, there isn’t.”

“Then, you may go back.”

“Yes.”

After bowing, Zhao Huanxi walked to the door of the study but stopped and turned back. He looked at Guogong Yé and said, “Zufu, could you find me a master to teach me swordsmanship?”

Guogong Yé looked up at him and asked, “You want to learn swordsmanship?”

Nervously, Zhao Huanxi swallowed and nodded, saying, “Just now, Sun’er was deeply moved watching Zufu practice swordsmanship in the training ground. Sun’er knows that perhaps in my whole life, One will never attain Zufu’s level of skill. Sun’er just thinks, if someday the court needs the men of our Zhao family to defend the borders and keep the peace, Sun’er wants to be able to live up to my bloodline and surname, to take up the sword and go to the battlefield. Even if One can’t be a general, being a common soldier would be enough.”

Guogong Yé stared at Zhao Huanxi for a long time, making him feel uneasy.

He rose from behind the desk and walked to Zhao Huanxi, placing a hand on his still somewhat slender shoulder, and said warmly, “What’s so difficult about this? If you want to learn, come to Dunyi Hall and find Zufu.”

Zhao Huanxi looked up, his eyes shining like stars. “Will Zufu personally teach me?”

Guogong Ye smiled. “What? Are you afraid now?”

“Of course, Sun’er dare! Thank you, Zufu!” Zhao Huanxi took two steps back, bowed deeply again, then stood up happily and ran off.

He twirled and leaped all the way back to Yifang Garden. When he arrived, he found Xu Nian’an standing by the table, rubbing something in a basin of water.

“Dong Jiejie, what are you doing?” He curiously leaned over to see.

“Washing the knot,” Xu Nian’an replied, lifting the knot out of the water after scrubbing it with soapberry water and rinsing it twice with clean water. “Look, it’s as clean as new.”

Seeing that it was indeed cleaned, Zhao Huanxi became happy.

“Here, go find a place in the courtyard to hang it up. It’ll be dry by tomorrow,” Xu Nian’an handed the knot to Zhao Huanxi.

Zhao Huanxi took it and wandered around the courtyard. In the end, he hung it on the rose pergola. He instructed Songyun, “My knot is hanging here. Tell everyone in the courtyard that if it goes missing, everyone except San Nainai will be punished.”

Xu Nian’an, who was in the room, heard his words and shook her head helplessly with a smile.

When he went to take a bath, Zhao Huanxi felt frustrated again.

He had decided not to call Xu Nian’an “Jiejie” when he returned tonight, but Qingxiang Junzhu had disrupted his plans, and he had forgotten about it.

What should he do now? Would it be strange to go out and not call her “Jiejie” after just doing so? How could he explain this change of address?

He bathed slowly, then peeked into the dressing room but did not see Xu Nian’an in the cabinet.

He went outside and looked under the rose pergola, but she was not on the swing.

“Xiaowei, where is San Nainai?” Zhao Huanxi asked.

“San Nainai is in the west wing,” Xiaowei replied.

Only then did Zhao Huanxi see that the doors and windows of the west wing were wide open, with lights still on.

He walked over and saw that the room was set up. Xu Nian’an was moving around with her long hair flowing like clouds.

“Dong… Dong’er, what are you doing?” He entered the room, trying to maintain a composed expression.

“Your mother said…” Xu Nian’an started, paused, then turned to look at him. “What did you call me just now?”

“I called you Dong’er, what’s wrong?” Zhao Huanxi could barely control himself from showing fear, but the blush spreading across his cheeks was beyond his control.

“Why did you suddenly call me that?” Xu Nian’an asked.

“Didn’t you say it was okay to call you that?” Zhao Huanxi argued.

“I did say you could call me that. I’m asking why you suddenly changed how you address me to this,” Xu Nian’an said, her gaze sweeping over his flushed cheeks.

“I’m worried that if my classmates know I call my own wife ‘Jiejie’, they’ll make fun of me,” Zhao Huanxi explained, using the excuse he had thought of.

“If you don’t tell them, how would they know how you address me?”

“I’m afraid I might slip up and say it myself.”

After thinking for a moment, Xu Nian’an accepted his reason and said, “Alright.”

Zhao Huanxi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and became joyful. He asked, “Dong’er, you haven’t answered me yet. Why are you arranging the west wing? Is Wenlin coming again?”

Xu Nian’an tried to ignore the awkwardness of being called Dong’er and said, “No, your mother said your Biao Ge is coming to study in the capital and will be staying in our courtyard.”

Alert, Zhao Huanxi frowned. “Which Biao Ge?”

“It’s Yin family’s fourth son, Yin Luochen.”

Zhao Huanxi frowned deeply. “Why him again?”

“What? Is your relationship with this Biao Ge not good?” Xu Nian’an asked with interest, looking at him.

Zhao Huanxi hesitated. “It’s not that our relationship is bad, it’s just that he… he…” He struggled to find the right words.

“How is he?”

“He’s skilled at winning people’s hearts. When he comes, everyone, from my mother and elder sisters to the maids, likes him,” Zhao Huanxi said indignantly.

Xu Nian’an teasingly looked at him and asked, stifling a laugh, “Do they like him more than they like you?”

Zhao Huanxi asked Xu Nian’an seriously, “Dong Jie… Dong’er, you’re not allowed to like him more than you like me.”

Amused by his pouty expression, Xu Nian’an intentionally turned away, walking towards the inner room as she said, “Well, you can’t control that, after all, we’re just…”

Before she could finish her sentence, hurried footsteps sounded behind her, and then someone hugged her from behind.

Zhao Huanxi, feeling both anxious and at a loss, spoke urgently, his voice trembling and even carrying a hint of tears. “I don’t care who likes him, but can you not like him? I wil still call you Dong Jiejie, can you not like him, please?”

Xu Nian’an was dumbfounded. She hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from him over a joke.

“You, you let go first,” Xu Nian’an said, turning her head to see their shadows cast on the wall. She felt as if she were embedded in his embrace, her face burning hot. She struggled slightly and said, “Let me go.”

Zhao Huanxi held her even closer, and Xu Nian’an could feel his heartbeat. Before this moment, she had always thought of him as a half-grown child, but now, the embrace that completely enveloped her told her clearly that he was no longer a child.

Hearing this, Zhao Huanxi tightened his grip slightly and said, feeling wronged, “You promise first, then I’ll let go.”

Struggling, Xu Nian’an said, “How could I like him? I was just joking with you. We’re still husband and wife now, even if we separated in the future, I can’t like him. How can I face your mother?”

Zhao Huanxi slowly let go of her and asked, “Really?”

Xu Nian’an raised her hand to cover her cheeks and turned away.

The young man’s eyes were indeed watery, as if he was about to cry.

“Are you silly? I’m your wife now. How could I possibly like someone else? Would that make me water-natured poplar flower?” Xu Nian’an took out a handkerchief and dabbed both of his eyes.

水性杨花 (Shuǐ xìng yáng huā): A very common and harsh idiom. Literally, "water-like nature of poplar blossoms". This comes from the poplar blossoms float away on the water easily. Hence it gives the image of something that cannot stay still or remain faithful to one spot. Just as water flows away and willow catkins drift with any wind, a "water-natured" woman is seen as someone whose heart and loyalty shift easily from one man to another. It describes a woman who is fickle, unfaithful, or easy with her affections.

Zhao Huanxi lowered his eyelashes and whispered, “Just like you said, we’re not real couple. If you insist on liking someone else, I can’t stop you…”

His helpless appearance and helpless words made Xu Nian’an feel a twinge of sadness as well.

“You know I am a practical person. I married you for two reasons: to repay Guogong Yé’s great kindness and for the house and shop when we part. What would I gain from liking him? It would only bring me harm without any benefits. I would be foolish to do such a thing,” Xu Nian’an said.

Zhao Huanxi raised his eyes and looked at her. The sentence “Is marrying me and treating me well, really only for these two things?” reached his throat but was swallowed back by him.

He nodded, “I believe you.”

“Do you have homework to do tonight?” Xu Nian’an asked him.

Zhao Huanxi shook his head.

“Then let’s go to our bridal chamber,” Xu Nian’an said.

The word she used is 圆房 (Yuánfáng). It literally means "to round the room" or "complete the room." It can also means to consummate the marriage.