Wei Xun is the heir to the Duke of Yan's title. He has won many military honors and enjoys the emperor's deep trust. He is the man of choice for many young women in Yongjing.
Jiang Ying calls him "cousin." Being so close to him, she is the subject of rumors that she has moved into the Duke's residence to pursue Wei Xun.
In truth, Jiang Ying is extremely careful and never dares to overstep her bounds in the Duke's residence.
The only time she crossed the line was when her benefactor was at death's door. To obtain medicine for them, Jiang Ying agreed to help the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, who had long been pining for Wei Xun, drug him.
But Jiang Ying never could have imagined, even if she had cracked her head open, that the minister's daughter and Wei Xun would not end up together. Instead, through a twist of fate, Jiang Ying would set herself ablaze and suffer the consequences.
Afterward, Wei Xun grabbed Jiang Ying by the throat and threw her off the bed. He nearly strangled her to death.
Jiang Ying thought that Wei Xun hated being manipulated. He must loathe her, and if she appeared before him again, her fate would be even worse than being strangled to death.
*
Wei Xun did indeed think that way.
The fact that he had not driven Jiang Ying out of the Duke's residence was already a concession to their family ties.
If Jiang Ying dared to manipulate him again, there would be no place for her in the Duke's residence.
*
Before long, the minister's legitimate daughter brought the medicinal ingredients Jiang Ying's benefactor needed and asked her to help one more time.
Remembering the meaningful look Wei Xun had given her in the night, Jiang Ying nodded, agreed, and told the woman where Wei Xun was going.
Everyone in the know said that Jiang Ying had now thoroughly offended Wei Xun, and that she would never again have an easy life in Yongjing.
Jiang Ying expected as much. Not long after drugging him, she boarded a ship bound for her hometown in Jiangzhou to seek out her benefactor.
But no one knew that later, in Jiangzhou, beneath the murky night sky and swaying shadows of gauze, Wei Xun would bend close to Jiang Ying's ear. His eyes were dark, his voice hoarse. "Was it worth manipulating me again and again for his sake?"
Cover art used with permission from Paigu Xiaobao
Theme: Keep striving positively, no matter how difficult your circumstances are.
