Chapter 8: The Wedding Night (and the Great Escape)
The wedding was, by all accounts, a masterpiece of fraud.
To the citizens of Jianghe City, it was a "merger of necessity." To the local nobility, it was a scandal. To Li Wei'an, it was a very expensive way to get a new set of robes.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the guests were gone, and Wei'an found himself in the inner chambers of the Shen Estate. The air smelled of expensive candles and the heavy, silent weight of a contract signed in blood and ink.
Shen Yao stood by the window, already shedding her outer bridal silks to reveal a sharp, silk nightgown. She didn't look like a blushing bride; she looked like a general reviewing a peace treaty.
"Let's be clear, Master Li," she said, her voice cutting through the silence. "This marriage is a legal shield. Do not expect romance. Do not expect... access. We are partners in land and silver, nothing more."
Wei'an, who was busy trying to unstick a piece of wedding cake from his teeth, nodded casually. "I know, I know. I've seen your face during the ceremony. If looks could kill, I'd be buried in the garden by now."
Shen Yao turned, her eyes narrowing. "To ensure you don't... wander, I've arranged for a substitute to attend to you tonight. A maid from the outer court. She is discreet."
Wei'an paused. He slowly looked her up and down, then looked at the door. "A substitute? Do I look that desperate to you?"
"Yes," she said flatly.
"Ouch. Brutal honesty. I respect it." Wei'an sighed, leaning against a bedpost. "But look, if we're being blunt... I'm a merchant. I don't like second-hand deals. If I'm not getting the 'Premium Package' from my wife, I'd rather just go to the market."
"The market?" Shen Yao's brow arched.
"Yeah. For about 40 silver taels, I can find a professional storyteller and a musician at the Jade Pavilion who will actually laugh at my jokes. I'll just go meet a courtesan and be back by breakfast."
Shen Yao's jaw practically hit the floor. "You... we were just married today! You would go to the Red Light District on your wedding night? Have you no shame?"
"Are you jealous, 'Dear Wife'?" Wei'an smirked, stepping closer. "Because if you want me to stay, the terms of the contract can be... renegotiated."
"In your dreams!" she snapped. She reached into a drawer, grabbed a handful of silver coins, and threw them at his chest. "Fine! Go! But if anyone sees you, I'll tell the Censor you're a madman!"
She clapped her hands. A maid entered, carrying a tray with a single cup of deep-red wine.
"Drink this first," Shen Yao commanded, her eyes flashing with a hidden spark. "It's a traditional 'Safety Sake' from my family. It calms the nerves."
Wei'an took the cup, sniffing it. Safety sake? Please. This smells like enough sedative to knock out a water buffalo. "To our thriving business," he said, bringing the cup to his lips. He mimicked a deep swallow, his throat moving perfectly.
Shen Yao watched him, a small, triumphant smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as he "finished" the drink. "Good. Now, go to sleep, Master Li. You have a busy day of being 'useless' tomorrow."
She turned her back on him, satisfied. She heard him fall onto the bed with a heavy thud.
He's locked in, she thought proudly. The maid will watch the door, and the sedative will keep him under until noon. Men are so predictable.
The Window of Opportunity
The moment the door clicked shut and Shen Yao's footsteps faded, the "sleeping" Li Wei'an opened one eye.
He sat up, wiped a drop of un-swallowed wine from his lip, and spat the rest of the liquid into a decorative vase.
"Safety sake? Nice try, Yao'er," he whispered. "But I've dealt with cheaper poisons in village taverns."
He didn't head for the door. He knew the maid was standing guard like a hawk. Instead, he walked to the window. It was a long drop, but he had spent the last week training with mercenaries.
He tied his white inner robes tight, tucked the silver Shen Yao had thrown at him into his belt, and vaulted over the sill.
He hit the grass with a silent roll, moved through the shadows like a cat, and scaled the outer wall.
Ten minutes later, he was walking down the main street of Jianghe City, heading straight for the glowing lanterns of the entertainment district.
The Jade Pavilion
Wei'an didn't go for the "services." He went for the intel.
He found Lian'er, the sharp-witted courtesan from before, in a private booth. She looked at his disheveled wedding robes and burst out laughing.
"Master Li! Escaped the bridal chamber already? Is the Shen widow truly that terrifying?"
"She tried to drug me, Lian'er. I'm currently 'sleeping' in a locked room." He dropped a few of Shen Yao's coins on the table. "Tell me about Commander Sang. My wife says he's hitting the supply lines, but she doesn't know why."
Lian'er leaned in, her smile fading. "Sang isn't just a rogue, Wei'an. He was the one who protected the grain shipments for the Old City Lord. When he was framed, the 'replacement' commander—a man named Lu Fang—started taking a 50% cut of the trade. Sang isn't harassing the city; he's harassing Lu Fang's illegal shipments. He's starving the corrupt to feed his veterans."
Wei'an's merchant-brain began to hum. "So... if I'm not Lu Fang, and I'm not part of the corruption... Sang might actually be a potential business partner instead of an enemy."
"He's still a madman with 150 swords, Wei'an. Don't be a fool."
"I'm not a fool," Wei'an smiled, raising a cup of real wine. "I'm an opportunist. And right now, everyone thinks I'm fast asleep in a noble's bed."
The Next Morning
Back at the Shen Estate, Shen Yao walked into the bridal chamber with a smug expression, ready to wake her "drugged" husband and begin their first day of public appearances.
She found the bed empty.
The window was wide open.
And on the pillow was a small note written in charcoal:
"The wine was a bit dry. I went to get a refill. See you at breakfast, Dear Wife. — Your Passable Husband."
The scream that erupted from the room was loud enough to wake the entire Viscountcy.