The next morning, after the young couple had breakfast, Xu Nian’an, as usual, helped Zhao Huanxi tidy his belt and hang his jade pendant and pouch.

Zhao Huanxi looked down at her and, after hesitating for a while, asked with a flushed face, “Dong Jiejie, do we still… do that today?”

“What do you mean by ‘still do’?” Xu Nian’an looked up and noticed that he was looking at her neck. The red mark from yesterday’s sucking had already faded.

“No need. Even if one is married, one doesn’t have to consummate every day,” Xu Nian’an said.

Zhao Huanxi responded with a disappointed “oh.” After Xu Nian’an finished tidying his belt, he raised his hand and asked, “Then can you give me another mark on my wrist?”

“Why?” Xu Nian’an asked him.

Zhao Huanxi shyly replied, “I want it.”

Xu Nian’an refused, turning away as she said, “You can do it yourself on your wrist. If you want a red mark, just do it yourself.”

Zhao Huanxi widened his eyes and chased after Xu Nian’an, saying, “Why would I do it myself? I want you to do it for me, like yesterday.”

“What if I don’t?” Xu Nian’an turned back to look at him.

“Then… then I’ll go tell Mother that our consummation was fake,” Zhao Huanxi said, raising his eyebrows.

Xu Nian’an became anxious and pointed at him, saying, “You dare to threaten me with this? Do you want to be a ‘little turtle’?”

小王八 (Xiǎo wángba): Little turtle. In Chinese culture, "Wangba" is a common insult. While it can mean "cuckold" in some context like in chapter 53, here it is used as a general term for someone who is shameless, slippery, or a "rascal".

Zhao Huanxi lifted his chin and pouted. “If I’m a little turtle, then so be it. What can you do, stew me?”

“You—” Xu Nian’an, exasperated, went to grab him.

“Hehe, come chase me, chase me!” Zhao Huanxi laughed while running around the table.

He was tall with long legs and had recently been practicing martial arts, making his movements very agile. How could Xu Nian’an possibly catch up with him? After chasing him for a few laps, she stopped, turned her back, and pouted in frustration.

“Dong Jiejie?” Zhao Huanxi came up behind her, leaning his head forward from the right side to see her expression. “Are you angry?”

“Hmph!” Xu Nian’an turned her face to the left.

Zhao Huanxi moved in front of her and, seeing her puffed-up face, said somewhat helplessly, “Don’t be angry anymore. I won’t ask you to help me suck on it, okay?”

Xu Nian’an glanced at him, then suddenly grabbed his right hand and bit down on his wrist.

Zhao Huanxi first winced in pain, but after she let go and he saw the round tooth marks on his wrist, he started to laugh. Looking up, he saw that Xu Nian’an had already walked away. He quickly chased after her, calling, “Dong Jiejie, wait for me.”

After leaving Yifang Garden, Xu Nian’an began to reflect on her actions. How could she have done something so childish just now?

Could it be this is what they meant by ‘those who stay near vermillion get stained red, those who stay near ink get stained black’? After spending so much time with Zhao Huanxi, has his childishness rubbed off on her, making her act childish as well?

近朱者赤，近墨者黑 (jìnzhūzhě chì, jìnmòzhě hēi) - (idiom) one tends to take on the colour of one's company; influenced by surroundings)

No, no, this is a dangerous sign. I must stop it in time… Before she could finish her thought, someone beside her grabbed her hand.

She raised her face in surprise. The young man beside her, his face flushed, spoke earnestly, “We’ve already consummated our marriage. If we don’t even hold hands, Mother will get suspicious.”

Xu Nian’an: “…”

Seeing that she didn’t object, Zhao Huanxi confidently and boldly held her small, soft hand, thinking to himself, how could this be the hand of a Jiejie?

Xu Nian’an was unaware of his rebellious thoughts, but she felt that some things seemed to be slipping out of her control.

✦

Later that morning, at Wenjun Academy.

After Zhao Huanxu came out of the washroom, he was surrounded by Zhu Zhifu and several other students.

“I say, Zhao Huanxu, what’s the meaning of this? So many people got invited to your birthday poetry gathering but not me. Do you look down on me, Zhu Zhifu?” Zhu Zhifu casually used his folding fan to scratch the back of his neck. His followers, on the other hand, stood with their arms crossed, glaring at Zhao Huanxu with unfriendly expressions.

Seeing their attitude, Zhao Huanxu knew he couldn’t offend them. Since the incident with Wu Cheng last time, his image had plummeted in front of his grandfather and his teachers, and he was now working hard to restore it. He couldn’t afford to make any more mistakes.

He respectfully said, “Zhu Xiong, there are some reasons behind this that can’t be discussed with outsiders. Could we have a private conversation?”

Zhu Zhifu glanced at him and waved for his followers to leave. He then followed Zhao Huanxu to the side.

“Zhu Xiong, the unpleasantness between you and Zhao Huanxi last time even led to our elders arguing in court. This time, for the birthday banquet, it’s really inconvenient to invite you to the mansion.” Before Zhu Zhifu could react, he hurriedly continued, “But Zhu Xiong, I’ve always remembered the favor you did for me last time. As compensation, I’m willing to tell you a secret, a secret about Zhao Huanxi that no one else knows.”

“Oh? What secret?” Zhu Zhifu instantly became interested.

Zhao Huanxu called him over and whispered something in his ear.

Zhu Zhifu was greatly excited. He patted Zhao Huanxu on the shoulder and said, “Since you’ve told me this secret, I won’t hold it against you.” With that, he swaggered away.

Zhao Huanxu watched his departing figure, his face darkening. He spat to the side before straightening his clothes and returning to the classroom.

✦

In the afternoon, the sun disappeared, and the sky became overcast.

Seeing the situation was not right, Xu Nian’an quickly ordered someone to go to the stable and fetch a carriage. As she walked to the front gate of Jiaxiang House, she ran into Yin Furen, who was coming out in a hurry.

“Mom, I’m going to pick up Sanlang.” She said.

“Okay, go quickly, but be careful.” Yin Furen said anxiously.

Summer rains always came quickly. Imperial Academy was in the outer city, and no matter how fast Xu Nian’an hurried, she still didn’t make it to the Imperial Academy before the rain started to fall.

Fortunately, Zhiyi and Zhi’er were waiting outside the academy in the carriage this time, so there shouldn’t be a repeat of last time’s mishap.

On the way, Xu Nian’an encountered the carriage driven by Zhiyi and Zhi’er. She lifted the curtain and asked, “Where is San Yé?”

“In the carriage,” Zhiyi replied.

Xu Nian’an got out of her carriage, instructed the driver to return, and then climbed into Zhao Huanxi’s carriage.

Just like that night, Zhao Huanxi was curled up in the corner of the carriage, holding his head. His face was deathly pale, and he was trembling, covered in both tears and sweat. When he saw Xu Nian’an, he cried pitifully, “Dong Jiejie, I’m so scared!”

Xu Nian’an went over and held his head, letting him rest against her chest. She covered his ears and comforted him, “It’s okay, I’m here to take you home.”

As the carriage got back on the road, Xu Nian’an listened to the continuous sound of thunder and rain outside. She rested her chin on the top of his head, feeling worried: What if this mental disease can’t be cured?

In no time, the carriage suddenly jolted as if it had collided with something.

Zhao Huanxi was so scared that he slipped down and then hid back in the corner.

“Zhiyi, what’s going on?” Xu Nian’an asked outside.

“San Nainai, a carriage came out from a corner and collided with us,” Zhiyi said.

As soon as he finished speaking, someone outside started cursing, “Nonsense! It was clearly your carriage that hit ours! Get your master out of the carriage right now to apologize to our Shizi!”

世子 - the title of a son (usually the eldest legitimate) who will inherit the title of his father (Duke, Marquis, Prince (Junwang/Qinwang) etc).

Xu Nian’an sensed that something was wrong. The carriages from the Guogong Residence all bore the Residence’s emblem, and anyone with eyes wouldn’t speak in such a tone.

“Sanlang, stay here and be good. I’ll go take a look,” she said softly to Zhao Huanxi, who was trembling in the corner.

“No, I’m scared!” Zhao Huanxi grabbed her hand tightly.

“They’re blocking the road so we can’t go home. I’ll go tell them to move so we can get back faster. Don’t worry, I’ll be right back to stay with you.” Xu Nian’an gently patted his hand, then withdrew her own and turned to get out of the carriage.

Outside, Zhiyi quickly opened an umbrella for her.

Xu Nian’an looked up and saw that their carriage was blocked by another. Standing next to the carriage was someone she recognized.

It was Zhu Zhifu.

Zhu Zhifu stood under the umbrella with a crooked smile, flanked by six servants holding sticks. When he saw someone coming out of the Guogong Residence’s carriage, he initially thought it was Zhao Huanxi. Upon looking up and seeing Xu Nian’an, his eyes lit up, and he shouted, “Oh, there’s a beautiful woman here! Who are you? Where’s Zhao Huanxi?”

Taking advantage of the noisy rain, Xu Nian’an quietly took the umbrella from Zhiyi and whispered, “Quickly go to the nearest family that has good relations with ours and ask for help.”

Zhiyi responded with a nod and immediately turned and ran off.

“Hey! Shizi Yé, one of them ran off,” a servant reminded Zhu Zhifu.

“Let him run, it doesn’t matter,” Zhu Zhifu said indifferently. He had chosen this spot in advance; it was far from both Jing Guogong Residence and the government offices. He was confident he could deal with Zhao Huanxi before anyone arrived.

“Zhu Gongzi, the matter between you and our Sanlang has already caused a stir in the court. If you deliberately make trouble today, it will be seen as personal revenge. I advise you to clear the way as soon as possible and let us pass.”

It was a rainy day again, and Zhu Zhifu and his servants with their sticks were deliberately blocking the way too… All of this reminded Xu Nian’an of the most frightening and helpless day in her eighteen years of life.

Without even realizing it herself, there was a tremor in her voice when she spoke those few words just now.

“Huh? Beautiful lady, we’ve never met before. How did you know my surname is Zhu? Could it be that you’ve admired me from afar?” Zhu Zhifu approached Xu Nian’an with a smirk, but when he reached her, he was taken aback. He frowned and said, “I feel like I know you. Why do you look so familiar?”

Xu Nian’an shielded herself with the umbrella, pretending to adjust her hair bun. She quietly took out a hairpin from the bun, clenched her fist, and tensed her expression. “Are you going to let us pass or not?” Two years ago, she couldn’t protect her brother, but today, she absolutely couldn’t let Zhao Huanxi be bullied by him!

“If you want me to clear the way, no problem. Let Zhao Huanxi, that coward, come out and kowtow to me, call me ‘Yéye’ and I’ll let it go. Or…” His gaze shifted, and he looked at Xu Nian’an’s beautiful and radiant face, extending his hand towards her cheek in a lecherous manner. “You let this Gongzi kiss you, and I’ll let you pass.”

爷爷 (yéye) literally means grandfather; calling someone as one's elder means showing respect to them as elders.

“You impudent!” Xu Nian’an scolded, raising her hand and stabbing him in the back of his hand with a hairpin.

“Ah! Ah!” Zhu Zhifu looked at the hairpin, which had almost pierced through his palm. He kept retreating in pain and anger, ordering his men, “Drag that wench over to me!”

“San Nainai, run, run!” Zhi’er, seeing the situation, hurried over to stop the servants.

However, he was unarmed while the other side had sticks. How can he be an equal opponent? He was knocked to the ground with a blow.

Xu Nian’an, pale-faced, slowly folded up the umbrella, her gaze firm and resolute.

Zhao Huanxi was still in the carriage. How could she leave him and run away by herself? Even if it meant losing her life today, she couldn’t abandon him. Two years ago, she was penniless, but today, as the legitimate eldest granddaughter-in-law of Jing Guogong, if anything happened to her, Zhu Zhifu would definitely not escape unscathed. It would be considered ridding the people of a pest.

为民除害 (Wèi mín chú hài): An idiom meaning to rid the people of a scourge or eliminate a public menace.

As the servants with sticks were about to grab her, she held her breath, ready to defend herself with the umbrella.

Unexpectedly, someone rushed out from behind, wielding a low stool from under the carriage. They swung the stool at the foremost servant, smashing it into his face and causing his nose to break and blood to splatter everywhere.

With lightning speed, he snatched the stick from the servant’s hand and stood in front of Xu Nian’an, pointing at the others behind him. His voice, trembling yet resolute, rang out, “I dare any of you to touch her!”