Several days later, Li Wan'er was still recovering and confined within the Mu Tan residence, unable to venture far beyond the outer garden. Nevertheless, she continued to enjoy lavish meals. Her clothing, jewelry, and daily necessities were plentiful and indulgent—she was given the freedom to choose whatever she liked without restraint.
It was even more extravagant than what a typical noble lady would receive.
Sometimes, she caught herself feeling like she hadn't even died—that everything remained just as it was before.
After breakfast, Li Wan'er took a stroll through the garden. The flowers and plants were beautifully arranged, and a clear pond near the pavilion revealed fish swimming beneath the surface. A towering century-old tree spread its branches wide, casting cool shade. The young woman smiled, enjoying the post-meal nature walk alongside her two trusted maids.
The rest of the servants were sent off to other duties. No one questioned it, knowing their mistress disliked chaos and noise.
Lin Luo, a charming young maid, carried a basket of pastries in one hand and fruit in the other. The newer maid, A Qiao, who had only recently joined, held a tray of tea with one hand and shaded them with an umbrella in the other.
The three of them breathed in the refreshing scent of earth and leaves under the gentle sunlight. Li Wan'er's ink-black hair fluttered gracefully in the breeze, painting a serene picture.
Suddenly, a putrid smell—like a dead rat—wafted through the air, making them gag.
"Ah, pardon me... I overate last night, feeling a little bloated," Ah Qiao said cheerfully, waving her hand as if to clear the air.
"A Qiao!"
Li Wan'er pinched her nose, glaring sharply before fleeing to where the air was fresh.
Shameless A Qiao!
Meanwhile, brave Lin Luo pinched her nose, marched up, and gave A Qiao a firm slap on the back, causing her to stumble forward.
"Ow!"
Halfway into her escape, Li Wan'er heard a loud screech from behind and stopped, panting from exhaustion, beads of sweat dotting her face.
A cool breeze swept by, soothing her body under the summer heat. It was the sixth month—hot and stifling. Tired of being cooped up, she decided to explore the estate to see if there was anything interesting.
Lin Luo caught up from behind and suggested, "Let's sit at the pavilion by the water," offering a handkerchief to wipe her sweat.
Just as Li Wan'er was about to agree, Ah Qiao interjected.
"Too boring. Always the same," she said, scanning their surroundings.
"Over there is better," A Qiao pointed to a large tree by the water.
Li Wan'er looked and thought it seemed pleasant—shadier and perhaps cooler than the pavilion. Still, the pavilion would be more convenient...
"I think..."
Suddenly, a white rabbit hopped past and disappeared into the bushes behind the big tree.
"Well, under the tree sounds nice," Li Wan'er smiled and led the way.
"A Qiao, are you going to have our lady sit on the ground?" Lin Luo protested.
A Qiao smiled triumphantly, revealing a neatly folded cloth hidden beneath her tray.
Li Wan'er chuckled softly, turning back with a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter. Seeing this, Lin Luo fell silent, forgetting to argue further.
"Hurry up. Since A Qiao's prepared so well, let's not spoil her plan, Luo Luo."
And so the three headed to the spot A Qiao suggested.
While the other two set up, Li Wan'er wandered behind the bushes looking for the rabbit. She only found its burrow, then lost interest and turned to the pond, which took up nearly half the garden space. The water was crystal clear, surrounded by trees and flowering shrubs she didn't recognize. Occasionally, birds chirped overhead.
It was peaceful. Relaxing. How long had it been since she last felt this way?
"Miss, I need to go fetch a fruit knife. I forgot it," Lin Luo said after arranging the snacks.
"Go ahead."
As Lin Luo disappeared down the stone path, A Qiao said, "You always look so tense. Try to relax."
Li Wan'er gave a faint smile.
"Hard to relax when you're living someone else's life. If I slip, it could be disastrous..." She removed her shoes and sat on the large cloth spread on the ground. "Besides, your master's life is on the line too."
A Qiao burst out laughing. "Don't worry about that old man. He's more capable than he looks, even if he seems unreliable." She lay back, arms folded behind her head, gazing at the sky.
"You carry yourself as one who holds no regard for the gift of life. Are you not afraid Heaven might withdraw its mercy?"
"Do I?"
A Qiao turned to her, seeing the carefree smile on her face, and sighed, replying sternly,
"You're lucky... Heaven gave you a second chance. You should make the most of it, so you won't be ungrateful."
"...Thank you, A Qiao," she said softly, her words carried off by the wind.
The two sat in silence.
Li Wan'er slowly closed her thick lashes, inhaling the scent of nature, enjoying the tranquil moment. She found it amusing—having someone else remind her of the reason to live.
She didn't want to die. She was just... scared. Scared that everything she had now would vanish like a sweet dream that must end.
She feared Lord Li Wenguang would discover she wasn't his real daughter, even though he hadn't suspected anything and treated her with kindness.
Li Wan'er turned her gaze to A Qiao, who appeared relaxed with her eyes closed.
"Let's talk about you. How did you write the character 'Li Wan'er' so accurately?"
A Qiao opened her eyes, her imagination disrupted. She frowned.
"Two years ago, I was writing a story about a doctor, so I worked at a clinic for a while. Coincidentally, the doctor there was your personal physician, so I visited the estate often... Lord Li recognized me and made me your maid."
"Why didn't you make her the main character if you knew her so well?" Li Wan'er asked, propping her chin on her hand, a teasing glint in her eyes.
A Qiao sat up and tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Honestly, I intended for her to be a side character. Her life seemed too plain. But the more I wrote, well… you saw what happened." She shrugged, helplessly.
"I think it's nice. Peaceful. Li Wan'er's life doesn't seem to have many worries. I like it."
"Miss! Miss!" A panicked voice called out.
Lin Luo returned, unusually frantic and shouting loudly—quite unlike her usual self.
Li Wan'er and A Qiao exchanged looks, both frowning.
Something had happened?
"Miss Ziya is here to visit."
Miss Ziya? Who?
Noticing Li Wan'er's confusion, A Qiao whispered, "Ziya Meijing—your friend. Daughter of Minister Ziya Weiting, from the Censorate. Rumor has it... she's quite a handful."
In the end, Li Wan'er had no choice but to face Ziya Meijing, who insisted on waiting to see her and refused to leave otherwise.
Li Wan'er covertly observed her. Ziya Meijing had fair, flawless skin, and in her bright red dress, she looked even more striking. Her sharp, bold eyes were intimidating but magnetic. Though she didn't appear soft or gentle, her demeanor was regal.
No wonder A Qiao secretly called her a "noble villainess."
"Is something on my face? You've been staring."
Li Wan'er smiled lazily. "It's been a while since I saw you. I missed your face."
Ziya Meijing's carefully drawn brows furrowed before she gave a slight smile, her usually serious expression softening. She squinted at Li Wan'er curiously.
"You're more playful than I remember."
"All from the heart," Li Wan'er replied, resting her chin on her hand, eyes unblinking.
"I never knew you were so cheeky..."
Li Wan'er received a sharp glance. She sweated inside but kept smiling outwardly.
Ziya Meijing suspects something…
"I suppose the rumors of your illness were true. Perhaps it even affected your brain. You seem... much better now."
"Better than before, I suppose…"
Ziya's sudden visit was too abrupt. A Qiao hadn't gathered much intel on their relationship—only that they were friends, but not how close.
From Ziya's words and tone, they seemed fairly close, but not enough for jokes.
Suddenly, Ziya Meijing's face darkened. She stared at Li Wan'er, her eyes heavy with sorrow, as if carrying a burden too great to bear.
"Ajing, is something on your mind?"
Ziya nodded solemnly.
"Not long ago, the Empress summoned me to the palace. I doubt it was a casual visit. She even asked my mother about my potential fiancé. I'm afraid... she intends to betroth me to the Crown Prince."
Li Wan'er listened intently, silently cursing her fate. She'd tried so hard to escape, only to end up entangled in palace affairs again.
She also wondered: why would Lady Ziya fear becoming the Crown Prince's betrothed? Many noble girls could only dream of such a fate.
Ziya Meijing recounted what happened during her palace visit, then fell silent, her expression conflicted—unlike her usual confident self. At last, she confessed:
"You probably already know… the one I truly care for is the Fourth Prince."
Li Wan'er flinched, instinctively leaning back before quickly regaining her composure. Fortunately, Ziya was too flustered to notice.
I didn't know!
"Ahem... Be at ease—for now. It may be no more than the Empress casting a wide net. You are not the only pearl she eyes."
She said, pausing to think. "Don't forget—Lady Wei, her own relative, is still an option."
The Crown Prince Yan Feirong... that pretender cloaked in virtue... only kin blinded by affection could see worth in such a hollow shell. Li Wan'er smirked inwardly.
Ziya's eyes lit up. "You're right. Thanks for reminding me." Her smile was so bright it nearly blinded Li Wan'er.
She raised her hand. "That smile of yours—radiant as the sun at noon—it nearly steals the sight from my eyes."
Ziya rolled her eyes again, thinking how much livelier Li Wan'er had become since her recovery.
They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Before they knew it, the sun was setting. As darkness crept in, their conversation came to an end. When it was time for the guest to leave, Li Wan'er insisted on walking her out despite protests.
Halfway there, her face flushed and breath short, Li Wan'er had to stop. She hadn't rested all day, and usually needed a nap due to her frail health. Though everyone said she was better, in her eyes, a weak body was still a weak body…
She would never have done such a thing if A-Qiao hadn't whispered to her that, unless her body was in particularly poor condition, Li Wan'er always walked her friends out alone.
"Wan'er, I'm sorry… I didn't come to visit you before, only showing up now when there's trouble."
Ziya Meijing spoke softly, clasping both of Li Wan'er's hands tightly. Whenever she was troubled, this young woman would often walk with her, listening to her vent, making her feel less alone.
"It's all right. You had your reasons," Li Wan'er replied with a bright smile, flipping her hands to hold Meijing's in return, gently patting them reassuringly.
Without warning, she was pulled into a tight embrace by Ziya Meijing. Stiffening in surprise, she hadn't expected someone so outwardly delicate to possess such strength.
"Why are you so kind…"
Huh?
—
In another part of the estate, Li Wenguang remained serious-faced, dealing with work at his desk as usual. Lately, the workload had only increased. The war that had lasted nearly five years with the Luo Hai Kingdom and neighboring states had finally ended, following over ten rounds of negotiations.
Warfare required massive resources. Many times, he and fellow officials had submitted petitions to stop the war, but the emperor paid them no heed.
A few months ago, rumors spread that Luo Hai had secretly sent envoys to negotiate peace once again.
Three days ago, in the imperial court, the emperor officially declared an end to the war.
What was suspicious was—what did they offer in the negotiations?
Some of the troops deployed to war were ordered to return to the capital. Within a month or two, they were expected to arrive. If nothing went wrong, his two sons, who had left with the army two years ago, would also be coming home.
A soft knock at the door came with Steward Liu's voice seeking permission to enter.
"My lord."
"Come in," Li Wenguang said, putting down his work and looking up calmly.
"My lord, regarding the investigation, we've discovered that A-Qiao is from the Shen family in the south. Her father was General Sihai of Xijiang. After her parents perished in the border war, the secondary branch of her family seized their assets through dirty tricks. At fifteen, she ran away and wandered the martial world without a fixed place. At eighteen, she began supporting herself by writing books popular among young noblewomen… and most importantly, she was born on the eighth day of the eighth month."
With that, the steward fell silent, waiting for further orders.
"So coincidental… Though her background seems clean… send someone to dig deeper," Li Wenguang said thoughtfully. "And what about Daoist Su?"
"Nothing suspicious has been found, same as the last report."
At this, his thick brows furrowed. Though there was no apparent threat, something still nagged at Li Wenguang. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease.
"Keep investigating…"