[Prince Zhan's Manor • Inner Courtyard Corridor]
The night was as thick as spilled ink, with only the lanterns under the corridor swinging in the wind, casting flickering, erratic shadows. Auntie Mei, dodging the patrol guards, mysteriously pulled Chi Jiu (Chu Zhaoning) into the shadows.
Auntie Mei first touched Chi Jiu's slightly gaunt cheek with a look of heartache. Then, she lowered her voice, her tone filled with a stubborn, eager persistence—as if she were trying to cram a lifetime of hopes into these few words.
"Princess Consort, I must overstep my bounds and speak a few words to you today," Auntie Mei's eyes sparkled as she whispered into Chi Jiu's ear, her words striking like a thunderclap. "I have specially prepared the same guest room for you and the Prince. Look, you have been married for quite some time. Now that you've survived the greatest of dangers, this matter of 'sharing the marriage bed' can no longer be delayed."
Chi Jiu froze, as if struck by a paralyzing spell.
The words "marriage bed" (洞房) felt utterly foreign to her. In her world, the vocabulary was always cold, hard, and precise—infiltrate, penetrate, neutralize, extract. But these two words were like a meteor falling from outside her mission parameters, slamming deep into her tightly wound nerves and stirring up a ripple of utter helplessness.
Her eyes widened. Always decisive and ruthless on missions, she now found her tongue tangled. "A-Auntie Mei... what nonsense are you spouting? Look at the situation—we haven't found my eldest brother, there are still enemies lurking in the court... How can I have the mind for—"
"Oh, my dear Princess!" Auntie Mei interrupted her, slapping her thigh in exasperation. "It is because the situation is so perilous that you must seize the moment! Look at the way the Prince looks at you—his eyes practically glue themselves to your face. The General's Manor needs to be revived, and the Chu family needs to continue its line. Only when you and the Prince share a bed and conceive an heir can this old servant's heart truly rest, and the ancestors of the Chu family find peace."
Auntie Mei continued her persistent nagging, while Chi Jiu's brain buzzed. For the first time, she realized that things outside the realm of her missions were a hundred times harder to handle than an enemy's ambush.
Chi Jiu subconsciously looked back. Not far away, Xiao Zhan was discussing patrol duties with Shadow Blade. As if sensing her gaze, Xiao Zhan turned. Through the darkness, he gave her a faint smile—gentle, deep, and penetrating.
Chi Jiu's heart leaped. She quickly looked away, her face flushing until it felt like it could boil an egg.
"Auntie Mei, this... this cannot be forced," Chi Jiu stammered, trying to escape. "Besides, if the Chu family needs to continue its line, shouldn't my brothers..."
"Princess!" Auntie Mei interrupted her again, her tone now stern and hopeful, like a military order before a battle. "The Eldest Young Master's fate is unknown, and the Second and Third Young Masters are not yet married. The prosperity of the Chu family and the future of the General's Manor now rest on your shoulders. You must think of the Prince as well. He dotes on you and protects you, risking his life for you time and again. Bearing an heir for him to stabilize the foundation of this Prince's Manor is your duty as his wife."
Auntie Mei's words left Chi Jiu speechless.
In Chi Jiu's own mind, she was always the warrior holding a sword to protect her country. But Auntie Mei had torn away that iron-blooded armor, reminding her—she wasn't just "Chu Zhaoning"; she was Xiao Zhan's legitimate wife, the mistress of this manor.
She knew how to protect her country with a sword, but she had no idea how to be a wife.
Looking into Auntie Mei's eyes, weathered by time but filled with hope, Chi Jiu's heart tightened. The rebuttals died in her throat. She could only manage a final, weak struggle:
"B-but Xiao Zhan... he is still weak, I fear he cannot take the strain..." By the end, her voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum. Even she felt the excuse was pathetic. If Xiao Zhan heard this, that man would likely look at her with that dangerous, knowing smile and ask her "what exactly does 'cannot take the strain' mean?"
"Oh, my dear Princess, stop worrying about the Prince's strength," Auntie Mei didn't let her off the hook, smiling with the sharp shrewdness of someone who had seen it all. "What I have prepared is the softest bed and the warmest incense in the house."
She leaned closer and patted Chi Jiu's stiff hand. "The Prince is just exhausted; he will be fine after a rest. The hot water in the master suite is ready. When you go in later, do not go driving him out."
With that, Auntie Mei bowed and turned to bustle off toward the Qi siblings' quarters, looking more satisfied than ever. Her pace was faster than usual.
Chi Jiu stood alone in the cold wind, her brain echoing with the phrase "take pity on the Prince." These words were more terrifying than facing an enemy camp alone.
Just then, Blue Five appeared like a ghost. She had clearly caught wind of the situation, nudging Chi Jiu's shoulder with a mocking grin. "Captain, did Auntie Mei just give you a military order? When do you plan to execute the mission of 'occupying' Prince Zhan's bedchamber?"
"Blue Five!" Chi Jiu glared at her, flushed with annoyance. "Does your back not hurt anymore? Go to sleep!"
"Yes, ma'am! I'm off to bed, won't disturb your 'hard work' tonight!" Blue Five made a face and darted away, her mischievous laughter trailing in the wind.
Chi Jiu took a deep breath, trying to steady her breathing. As a commander, she had faced death countless times, yet she had never felt her legs turn to lead like this. Even taking a single step required immense courage.
It seemed she could dodge the issue for a day, but not forever.
Not far away, Xiao Zhan finished Shadow Blade's report. He waved him off, turned, and his gaze accurately captured the silhouette standing under the corridor.
He strode toward her. The moonlight stretched his shadow long, and as he approached, his dark silhouette slowly covered and finally overlapped with Chi Jiu's slender one on the ground. The two intertwined shadows danced in the moonlight, as if all the world's noise had faded, leaving only them.
Xiao Zhan stopped before her, so close they could smell each other's scent. He lowered his head, his face inches from her forehead. His deep, abyssal eyes were filled with playfulness and indulgence.
His voice was hoarse from days of travel, now lowered to a whisper, as soft as a feather brushing against her heart: "Ning'er, why are you not in the room? Could it be... that you were specifically waiting for me?"
Chi Jiu had already been flustered by Auntie Mei; hearing this low call made her heart skip a beat. She gripped her hem tighter. She could feel his warm breath as he spoke, teasing her forehead.
"W-who was waiting for you?" She forced out her commander's pride, though she didn't dare look up, her gaze wandering to her own toes. "I was just waiting for the water to cool..." Even she felt the lie was weak.
Xiao Zhan looked at her stubborn, tongue-tied state, the curve of his lips deepening. He didn't expose her lie. Instead, he reached out, his fingertips brushing her hand with a reassuring warmth.
"Since the water is ready, let's go inside." Xiao Zhan turned slightly, gesturing for her to enter, his eyes filled with an inescapable, deep affection. "The night is cold and heavy with dew. Do not freeze out here, Ning'er."
Feeling the scorching temperature of his touch on her hand, Chi Jiu knew this "checkpoint" was unavoidable tonight. She took a deep breath, as if she were charging into another life-or-death battle, and braced herself to step onto the stairs leading toward the red candles and warm incense.
Xiao Zhan stood behind her, watching her back—slightly stiff but still striving for composure—a deep, restrained tenderness and a growing warmth in his eyes.