The Rules of Jinglan Garden

The moon had sunk behind the western ridge, and the sky was pitch-black.

Zongzheng Heng had only just emerged from the water dungeon.

The lanterns under the eaves had just been lit. Their dim yellow glow fell across the flagstones, casting the shadow of his staggering figure.

That day, he had not eaten a single grain of rice.

That day, he had gotten his first taste of the water dungeon.

That day, he had memorized rules for the first time-the rules of Jinglan Garden.

An Yi had read them aloud to him.

"First rule: the young lady's word is the truth. You may not disobey, question, or contradict her. If you have any objections, refer to this rule."

Zongzheng Heng: ...?

"Second rule: when the young lady tells you to kneel, kneel. When she tells you to stand, stand. Do not ask so much as half a question. If you wish to ask, get properly on your knees first."

"Third rule: whatever the young lady bestows, you must swallow it, however bitter; whatever punishment she gives, you must bear it, however painful. If you truly cannot swallow it or bear it, you may request additional punishment to fight poison with poison."

Zongzheng Heng suspected he had misheard.

"Fourth rule: you may not say 'no' to the young lady. If you truly wish to say it, please begin with 'young lady, you are wise,' then use 'however' to introduce your objection, and end with 'of course, everything the young lady says is right.'"

Zongzheng Heng: ...

"Fifth rule: you may not harbor resentment toward the young lady. If you truly cannot help resenting her, silently recite 'the young lady is the most beautiful, the young lady is the best, the young lady is the gentlest and kindest person I have ever met' a hundred times, until the resentment disappears. If it has not disappeared when you finish, you are advised to reflect on whether something is wrong with you."

"Sixth rule: when the young lady is angry, you must admit your fault at once. The format is as follows: 'Young lady, I was wrong. I should not have breathed, I should not have lived, and I shall atone with my death immediately.' If the young lady laughs, your sentence may be reduced as appropriate."

"Seventh rule: when the young lady is happy, you must share in her happiness. If you do not know why she is happy, you must smile along anyway. If your smile is not sincere enough, refer to the first rule."

"Eighth rule..."

He listened for as long as An Yi read.

When had he, Zongzheng Heng, ever imagined that one day he would memorize something like this?

Yet he had memorized it all the same.

Because if he could not, he would have to remain in the water dungeon.

Everything he had experienced over the past two days was a far cry from what he had expected before entering the Prince of Jin'an's Manor.

He had thought that, with his cunning and methods, dealing with a spoiled prince's daughter would be as easy as plucking something from within reach.

He had never expected to encounter a madwoman.

Her moods were unpredictable, impossible to fathom; she turned hostile faster than one could turn a page.

Zongzheng Heng walked along the covered corridor from the water dungeon to the main residence, his steps unsteady, but his dark eyes were calm.

He had remembered the suffering he had endured today.

Since he had endured it, he would not allow himself to have suffered in vain.

He would get his hands on the manor's account books.

He would bring the evidence of Qiao Nanyu's crimes back to the capital.

The night was deep, and the corridor was dim.

Suddenly, a figure came around the corner.

It was a young woman dressed in fine silk and adorned with pearls and jade. Her face bore some resemblance to Qiao Shuyi's.

She stood there, looking him up and down:

"Are you the man my younger sister snatched back?"

In the moonlight, the man's face was excessively handsome.

His eyes and brows were deep-set, his nose high-bridged, and his thin lips lightly pressed together. He had an aloof, noble air.

Though he was drenched and thoroughly bedraggled, he stood there like a figure who had stepped out of a painting.

No wonder that madwoman Qiao Shuyi had snatched him.

"Young master, I am Shuyi's elder sister, Qiao Shuqin. I came to speak with her about the spring banquet the manor is holding in three days, but I did not expect to run into you."

Zongzheng Heng frowned.

Before coming to Jinzhou, he had investigated the Prince of Jin'an's Manor.

Qiao Shuqin was Qiao Nanyu's eldest daughter.

She had originally been his legitimate daughter.

But later, to marry Liu Jinyu, the only daughter of Jinzhou's richest man, Qiao Nanyu had forcibly demoted the wife who had shared his hardships to a concubine.

Overnight, the eldest young lady had gone from a legitimate daughter to a daughter born of a concubine, tumbling from the clouds into the mud.

Seeing that he said nothing, Qiao Shuqin looked him over and said:

"You... you're drenched. Could it be that Shuyi locked you in the water dungeon?"

"And you've also... been whipped?"

She stepped closer and looked up at him:

"My younger sister has been spoiled since childhood and has a terrible temper. But no matter what, she shouldn't have treated you so harshly."

"Young master, I'll have someone send you some medicine later. Don't blame her. She actually..."

Before she could finish-

"Elder sister."

A sweet, soft voice drifted over from the other end of the corridor.

Zongzheng Heng raised his eyes.

The moonlight was like water. At the end of the corridor, a figure in red approached gracefully.

Her red robes blazed like a raging fire, setting off skin whiter than snow and dark hair like clouds.

She walked at an unhurried pace, her slender waist swaying gently and her skirts trailing behind her, like a fairy treading on moonlight, or a red spider lily blooming in the night.

When she came closer and the moonlight fell on her face, she truly was-

Her smile was like a flower, her face like jade.

Zongzheng Heng stared blankly for a moment, but soon a chill shot up his spine.

He suddenly understood the old saying-

"Evil hidden within great beauty is always to be feared."

The more beautiful a person was, the more likely they were to hide snakes and scorpions in their heart.

The woman before him was a living example.

Without even thinking, Zongzheng Heng could guess that Qiao Shuyi and Qiao Shuqin were surely not close. Wouldn't she be angry to see him with Qiao Shuqin?

The angrier this vicious woman became, the calmer and more harmless she appeared.

Who knew what method she might use to torment him this time?

At that thought, he could not help blaming Qiao Shuqin, who stood beside him.

Didn't she know her younger sister was an unpredictable madwoman? Yet she had come up to him without a shred of restraint, calling him "young master" and offering to "send medicine"-

She wasn't showing concern for him; she was putting him in harm's way.

The moment Qiao Shuqin saw Qiao Shuyi, her expression stiffened too.

"Sh-Shuyi..."

It would be a lie to say she was not afraid of her younger sister.

Because the more sweetly Qiao Shuyi smiled, the more ruthless her methods were.

Qiao Shuyi came up to them, her gaze sliding over Qiao Shuqin's face before settling on Zongzheng Heng, then drifting slowly back to Qiao Shuqin.

"Elder sister, why are you still here so late? Did you come especially to see my man?"

Qiao Shuqin's face grew a few shades paler.

"I-I came to ask you about the spring banquet... I just happened to be passing by, passing by..."

"Passing by? This corridor leads from the water dungeon to my courtyard, not to your residence, elder sister. That's quite a long way around."

Qiao Shuqin was speechless.

Qiao Shuyi paid her no further attention. She simply turned, walked up to Zongzheng Heng, and tapped his chest with her fingertip.

"Zhigui, what did she say to you?"

Zongzheng Heng kept his eyes lowered and said nothing.

Her fingertip traced circles on his chest. "Didn't An Yi teach you the rules of Jinglan Garden today?"

Zongzheng Heng's temple throbbed. In a low voice, he said:

"She asked... whether I had been locked in the water dungeon."

"What else?"

"She said... she would send me medicine."

"Oh?" Qiao Shuyi raised a brow and turned to Qiao Shuqin. "Elder sister, you want to send him medicine?"

Qiao Shuqin's face was already white as paper.

"I-I only..."

"Only what?" Qiao Shuyi smiled as harmlessly as could be. "I know you're kindhearted, elder sister. But what you don't know is-"

"My man, even if he dies, can only die at my hands."

"There is no need for anyone else to pretend to care."

"Fuzhi, what were the rules of Jinglan Garden again?"

Fuzhi stepped forward, lowered her head, and answered:

"Young lady, the eldest young lady approached Young Master Zhigui behind your back. According to the rules, she should be punished by kneeling for two hours."

"Oh-two hours."

She tilted her head like a curious kitten:

"Elder sister, do you think that's too harsh?"

Qiao Shuqin's lips moved, but she could not speak.

"Mm, then kneel."

She suddenly sighed again, looking as though she could not bear it:

"Elder sister, your legs will have to work hard tonight. Next time, don't do anything that upsets your younger sister. You know how softhearted I am. Having punished you, right here I-"

She raised a hand and pressed it to her chest. "It hurts terribly."

Qiao Shuqin's face grew a few shades paler, but she did not dare utter half a word of refusal.

She bit her lip and knelt.

Zongzheng Heng watched from the side, the corner of his mouth twitching.

So this woman did not use this trick on him alone. She used it on everyone.

Qiao Shuyi nodded in satisfaction and looked at Fuzhi again:

"Fuzhi, stay here and keep elder sister company tonight, so she won't be lonely by herself."

"Yes, young lady."

Having arranged everything, Qiao Shuyi finally turned to Zongzheng Heng, who stood nearby.

"Zhigui, see how good I am to you? Someone wanted to send you medicine, and I even stopped her for you. Aren't you going to thank me? After all, if you'd really accepted my elder sister's medicine, I would have had no choice but to punish you again. How could I bear that?"

Zongzheng Heng: ...

"Thank you, young lady."

"Good. Come back with me."

"Change out of those wet clothes, and I'll apply medicine for you."

She held out her small, fair hand.

Zongzheng Heng looked at it for a while, then placed his hand in hers, their fingers interlacing.