Volume 1, Chapter 7: What If She Is Another Man's Wife?

Shen Yurou did not go to her shop today.

After finishing her meal, she followed the appointed schedule and delivered the one hundred taels of compensation.

The sunshine was perfect, and she was in no rush to return, so she decided to take a leisurely stroll down the street. This was the most prosperous district in the entire city of Yejing, a place where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. Shop prices here were terrifyingly high; previously, she would never have dared to even dream of opening a business in such a location. Who could have imagined that this once unreachable dream would now fall into her hands from out of the blue?

Thinking of the money that would be deposited tomorrow, Shen Yurou could not help but let her imagination wander to the future. Once she took over the shop, she would have to renovate it thoroughly and hire more staff. This entire process would take at least a month. She had to pick up the pace and get started. Surely, making a fortune in the future would no longer be just a dream.

She did not realize that on this very day, her destiny was about to undergo a earth-shattering change.

He Lieting gripped a secret letter that had been delivered overnight from Yejing, his expression unreadable. At times, his face was tender and lingering, at others, fierce and cold, and then suddenly, he would burst into laughter like a madman. Shi An stood to the side, never daring to interject.

After about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, He Lieting finally pulled himself out of this abnormal state. He placed the thin letter into the fire, where it burned to ashes and vanished completely. With it, the last trace of gentleness in his eyes was also consumed.

Shi An stepped forward and bowed his head to receive orders. "General, since that woman is already another man's wife, should we...?"

"Should you what?" He Lieting's gaze sharpened. "How could I simply let go of something I have set my sights on? What does it matter if she is another man's wife? Just you watch; in a few days, she will climb into my bed just the same."

His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest of his chair. His silhouette appeared exceptionally imposing in the dappled light of the early dawn. A great net was thus cast, stretching out toward Shen Yurou, closing in on her.

Once Shen Yurou received the payment for the seal, she became incredibly busy. The business at her old shop continued as usual, but the decoration of the new one could not be neglected. As for the recruitment of staff for the new shop, that was of the utmost importance.

Shen Yurou was so busy every day that she barely had a moment to breathe. By the time everything began to take shape and fall into place, more than half a month had slipped away.

A letter arrived from her husband, Xie Zhian. Shen Yurou opened it impatiently. Beyond the expected sweet nothings, the letter mentioned an important matter: he wanted her to move to the Western Frontier Town to live with the army.

Shen Yurou found it hard to believe. She flipped the paper over and read it from beginning to end again. It was true; it was asking her to go to the Western Frontier Town. The space on the letter was limited, and her husband had not explained the specific reason.

It simply mentioned: "The war is currently at a lull, and by the grace of the General, the wives of those ranked as assistant commanders and above may accompany their husbands to reside in the Western Frontier Town to ease the longing of the soldiers."

Shen Yurou felt suspicious. The Great General of the Western Frontier was notoriously cold and heartless; it was strange that he would suddenly show such consideration for his subordinates.

Seeing Shen Yurou staring blankly at the letter, Mother Xie snatched it away. She scanned the contents quickly. Then, her face lit up with joy, and she grinned from ear to ear. "Good news, good news! This is wonderful news!" Mother Xie grabbed Shen Yurou's hand. "When are you leaving? I will go prepare your luggage."

Shen Yurou was uncomfortable with her enthusiasm and instinctively pulled her hand back.

"What? You don't want to go?" Mother Xie's eyes immediately narrowed. "You've been in the Xie family for over three years and still haven't produced an heir. How many more years do you expect to eat the Xie family's rice?"

Shen Yurou was left speechless, thinking to herself: *If I had produced an heir, that would truly be the problem.* And as for the issue of eating rice—was it really her eating the Xie family's rice, or was the Xie family living off her?

However, she was Xie Zhian's mother, and Shen Yurou could not openly contradict her. After much thought, she merely threw out a practical question.

"But Mother, I am going to the Western Frontier Town for a long-term stay, so I must take Qiuyue with me. As for the house..."

"Oh, is that all?" Mother Xie breathed a sigh of relief; as long as she was going, everything else was secondary. "Don't you worry, Yurou, leave everything to me. You just focus on how to bear fruit for our Xie family."

Shen Yurou nodded obediently. "Then I will go pack now, and I will hand over all the account books regarding household expenses to you as soon as possible."

"Oh, Yurou, what about those two shops of yours?" Mother Xie was well aware of the Xie family's expenses; without the supplemental income from the shops, life would likely be difficult.

Shen Yurou understood her mother-in-law's intentions perfectly, but she pretended to be naive. "Oh, please don't trouble yourself with the shops, Mother. I just happened to hire suitable staff these past few days. They will report the ledgers to me regularly, and as for the profits, I'll have them set aside for now."

"The journey is so far; that is so much trouble. Why not..."

"It's quite alright," Shen Yurou interrupted. "Such menial tasks shouldn't burden you, Mother; after all, you are the mother of an assistant commander."

Mother Xie's words were stuck in her throat, and her face turned bright red. Shen Yurou felt a secret thrill. She wanted to see how long Mother Xie could maintain the household without the shop's support. She bowed gracefully, "Yurou will go pack now."

Mother Xie reached out to stop her, and Shen Yurou stood still. "Is there anything else you need to instruct, Mother?"

Mother Xie's face flushed from red to white and back again. She stammered out a few words: "Take good care of An-lang!" After saying this, she turned and left.

Shen Yurou watched her back and called out with a long, drawn-out tone, "Oh—Yurou knows—"

Before leaving, Shen Yurou returned to the Shen family home to visit her mother, Wen Zhi. Her mother's small courtyard was still as desolate as she was. Only when facing her children, Shen Yurou and Shen Bingyue, would any warmth appear on her mother's face.

Wen Zhi held Shen Yurou's hand, her face full of worry. "The Western Frontier Town... that is at the very edge of the Great Ye. I've heard it's all mountains there, and the climate is brutal. Even in midsummer, the morning and evening winds are bitingly cold."

Shen Yurou threw herself into Wen Zhi's arms, acting like a child. "My husband is there, Mother, so don't you worry."

Wen Zhi sighed, "It's such a long road; how can you expect me not to worry?"

Shen Yurou signaled her younger brother, and Shen Bingyue immediately understood. "I will find a coachman skilled in martial arts for my sister. Does that put your mind at ease, Mother?"

Wen Zhi finally compromised. Xie Zhian was urging her to hurry in his letters, and Shen Yurou missed her husband dearly. She gave herself only one day to settle everything at the shops. She also purchased ten cotton jackets, ten cotton hats, and ten sets of quilts.

Carrying all the hopes of a young woman, she set off toward the west on a morning with perfect sunshine.

For the first five days, the journey went exceptionally smoothly. On the sixth day, they entered the mountainous region. When the carriage reached a canyon between the mountains, disaster struck suddenly.

Dozens of stone spheres the size of basins rolled down from the mountain peak, the rumbling sound echoing through the valley. The horses were startled and began to bolt uncontrollably. The carriage began to shake violently.