Chapter 10: Encountering the Lady Again, Unraveling the Cause

Don’t talk to me about gratitude and repaying kindness—Lu Jin didn’t buy it. The original Lu Jin had topped the provincial exams; he was no fool. Such a bizarre affair, and he hadn’t the wit to question it? If you’d told him the truth, I doubt he’d have dared agree—he wasn’t that reckless, was he? Unless he was blinded by beauty and lost all sense of reason. Well, perhaps that was possible, with such a face capable of bringing calamity to kingdoms—who wouldn’t be enchanted?

But—well, answer me, then! Lu Jin lifted his head to look, only to find Shen Yanxi lowering hers even further, words caught on the verge of spilling. Lu Jin was baffled—what was so hard to say?

Shen Yanxi wished she could disappear into the floor. Couldn’t they just let this go? What was done was done—why not simply say it and move on? But clearly Lu Jin wasn’t going to let it rest; he waited there, silent and unyielding. Shen Yanxi had no energy for further excuses.

“You… you were brought back by me… You really did faint near the academy, and I took you to the clinic. I was terribly anxious over my predicament, and when I saw you, inspiration struck. I thought, if only I were married, it would all be solved. So, while you were unconscious and unattended, I… had someone bring you back…” Shen Yanxi finally forced the words out, her face crimson, as if she’d been stricken by illness—it was mortifying beyond words.

“What? So I really was kidnapped!” Lu Jin’s voice rose several octaves, nearly overturning the room with his outrage.

“Ah!” In his agitation, Lu Jin realized his movements had aggravated his wounds and hurried to adjust himself.

It was just incredible. If she’d been a bandit queen, perhaps it would make sense. But with that face, that bearing, that family—how could she do something so brazen as abducting a man?

Under Lu Jin’s glare, Shen Yanxi could only look helpless—she herself wondered the same thing.

Seeing that the young master and mistress seemed fine, the maids who’d clustered near the door quietly withdrew. Why did the young master always sound so startled when he spoke?

“So how were you certain I’d agree? What if I flatly refused to marry you?” Just because a man is brought back doesn’t mean he’ll marry you. Now it was clear—the original Lu Jin wasn’t blinded by greed. Or rather, he’d never had the chance to voice his opinion at all.

Shen Yanxi murmured, “But… you did agree…”

“When did I ever agree?” Lu Jin protested.

Hearing that, Shen Yanxi finally recalled that his memory was missing. She gave him a curious look—how could one lose such memories?

“You must’ve forgotten. I brought you into the house. But once you arrived, I realized how rash I’d been—I couldn’t just dictate a stranger’s fate because of my own troubles. So I decided that when you woke, I’d tell you everything, and if you were unwilling, I’d let you go. That was to be my final chance—if fate refused to help me, I’d accept it.” Shen Yanxi hung her head, mist gathering in her eyes. “I knew very well that no sensible man would agree; I was only giving myself an excuse.”

So, the original host was a fool, then?

“When you woke, I explained everything that had happened during your coma. I wasn’t expecting anything, but before I could even ask, you said you’d help me. To this day, I still don’t understand why you agreed—it was a lot to ask…”

“How could I possibly have agreed?” Lu Jin frowned. How foolish would one have to be? Didn’t he fear being executed?

Shen Yanxi gazed at Lu Jin, as if to say—shouldn’t you ask yourself?

Shen Yanxi, raised amidst the grandeur of the Shen family, cherished as a jewel from childhood, could hardly be naïve. Though Lu Jin seemed to have a bright future as a top scholar, appearances were deceiving.

Now, even though the imperial examinations and the recommendation system coexisted, the realm was still ruled by the great houses. Even as the top scorer, without the backing of a powerful clan, one was merely a pawn in the bureaucracy. Marrying into a house like the Shen family was an unattainable dream for most—let alone marrying the second daughter herself.

When Lu Jin had awoken, Shen Yanxi had seen heat in his eyes—for her, and for the Shen family. She could never voice these thoughts, but she was not blind to them. That was why, the more she thought about it on their wedding day, the more she regretted it. How could the dignified second daughter of the Shens favor a man so eager to curry favor?

At this, Shen Yanxi suddenly understood why Lu Jin seemed different now. It was his eyes—now, his gaze toward marrying into the Shen family was full of disdain and confusion. The original Lu Jin’s eyes had only burned with desire.

Meeting Shen Yanxi’s gaze, Lu Jin felt a thousand wild beasts stampede through his mind. He didn’t understand the ways of this world, much less the original’s motivations. He barely knew what the original even thought.

What a ridiculous situation—dragging a man home to be a scapegoat. What grudge could there be?

Shen Yanxi: No grudge, just a moment of madness.

Was the original really so shallow as to lose his mind at the sight of a woman?

He looked up at Shen Yanxi and sighed inwardly. He had no idea anymore. Had this been the world he’d come from, he’d have scoffed—had he never seen a woman before? But here and now, Lu Jin had to admit, he truly hadn’t seen a woman like this.

So many heroes had fallen for beauty; who was he to be immune? Perhaps it was understandable.

Though everything was clear now, Lu Jin didn’t feel as angry as he’d imagined—lacking the original host’s memories, he was detached.

What concerned him most was his current predicament—the emperor was dead. Would his own life be spared?

“Didn’t you all think of making me take the fall? What if the emperor wants to settle scores with me?” Lu Jin felt the Shen family had acted outrageously, with no regard for others.

“You needn’t worry. Since we brought you into the family as my husband, the Shens will not abandon you.” Shen Yanxi finally regained her composure, no longer so embarrassed.

“But it’s the emperor we’re talking about!” Lu Jin retorted. The emperor was ruthless—if someone dared steal a woman from him, would he let them live till dawn? Wouldn’t the Shen family, to save themselves, simply hand him over?

“Are you that afraid of the emperor?” Shen Yanxi was curious—now he was afraid? He’d once called the emperor benevolent.

“Aren’t you?” Wasn’t it obvious? An emperor held power over life and death; for a commoner like him, the emperor could execute him for three days straight without pause—who wouldn’t be afraid?

“…Not exactly. The emperor still has to follow rules. My family merely took a son-in-law; we’ve committed no crime. The emperor can’t act recklessly, and the Shens aren’t easily bullied.” Speaking of her clan, Shen Yanxi brimmed with confidence, her face radiant.

“If we allowed you to be dealt with by the emperor, how would the Shen family face itself?” Shen Yanxi continued.

How would I know? All I care about is my own survival. But whether the Shen family would protect him was now beside the point—if the emperor could climb out of his coffin, he was welcome to try.

Wait, that’s not right.

“You could’ve picked anyone—why me?” Lu Jin suddenly realized.

Shen Yanxi gave him an odd look. “And aren’t you just anyone?”

Lu Jin: …

That was awfully casual—I’m just a kid…

“I mean, you could’ve just married someone, or found a man willing to marry in as a live-in son-in-law…” Lu Jin protested.

Shen Yanxi looked him over, her gaze resigned. As if to say—do I look like a fool? If it were that easy, would I have gone to such lengths?

After a moment’s silence, she finally sighed.

“The reasons are complicated. Three years ago, the emperor made this matter known to all, but I was still young, and my family refused to send me into the palace. I didn’t want to go, either—the emperor was much older, and the palace life held no appeal. So my family refused.

“But the emperor kept hinting, making things difficult for my father. Later, my grandfather died, and I followed my father back to Jianglin for mourning. That was how I escaped. The mourning lasted three years. Even putting aside whether I could marry during mourning, think of the Shen family itself. If I were to marry, it would have to be to someone of equal standing—a legitimate son of a great house or a royal prince. There was no way I could marry beneath me.

“For families like ours, marriage isn’t just about the individuals. I might be well-known, but I’m still only a woman. No family would risk the emperor’s displeasure just to marry me. For the imperial clan, it was even more so—no one dared compete for the emperor’s intended bride.”

Shen Yanxi’s words carried a note of sorrow. Lu Jin didn’t interrupt, and found himself feeling a bit of sympathy.

“It wasn’t all hopeless, of course—I could’ve married if I wanted to. Over the past three years, I met a few candidates, but none pleased me. I was grieving for my grandfather, so I didn’t give the matter much thought, and time passed. Then, recently, my uncle wrote that the emperor had raised the matter again. I realized it wasn’t over.

“So, when I met you that day, it was in a fit of distress that I did something so absurd. For that, I sincerely apologize.” Shen Yanxi’s tone was earnest, her expression serene.

In truth, Shen Yanxi didn’t owe him an apology. Though she’d brought him back without his consent, all that followed was by Lu Jin’s own choice.

She apologized only because she saw the unwillingness in his eyes now.

“And your family agreed to this?” You were a child, but is your whole family as reckless, letting you have your way?

A blush crept over Shen Yanxi’s cheeks as she lowered her head shyly. “My grandmother agreed, so the others couldn’t say much…”

Well, thank you for that. You really are my dear grandmother!