BMN : Chapter 31

When Zhou Qinqing saw Fu Ming, her first words were, “Mister Fu, you’ve lost weight and look haggard. These days must have been tough for you.”

Fu Ming replied, “If Miss Zhou has called me here to mock me, I shall take my leave.”

Zhou Qinqing smiled. “Brother Chengyan often tells our family how interesting you are. But it seems you’re just as stiff. I was merely joking, and you got upset. I imagine life with my brother-in-law must be quite dull.”

“Miss Zhou, if you have something to say, please say it directly. If not, there’s no need to say anything.” Fu Ming began to stand up.

“Alright, alright.” Zhou Qinqing saw he was unwilling to converse with her further and got straight to the point. “I’m here to discuss something with you. If we can reach an agreement, my brother-in-law can return home safely.”

Fu Ming’s heart skipped a beat. “What is it?”

“You must have approached Prince Xin by now. Although my brother-in-law is aligned with him, Prince Xin is not willing to risk himself for him. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Prince Xin is a strategist. He only acts after weighing the pros and cons. If we can increase the stakes on my brother-in-law’s side, Prince Xin won’t delay any longer.”

“How do we increase the stakes?”

“Is the Zhou family’s influence weighty enough?” Zhou Qinqing’s face showed a hint of pride.

“You mean…” Fu Ming’s tone grew heavier. “The Zhou family is willing to change its neutral stance and support Prince Xin?”

“Exactly. If the Zhou family fully supports Prince Xin, he should be able to assess the combined weight of the Jin and Zhou families. With Prince Xin’s internal support and external pressure from the Zhou family, rescuing my brother-in-law will be just a matter of time.”

“What is the Zhou family’s condition?” Fu Ming asked. Although the connection between the Zhou and Jin families was already intricate, with Zhou Sirou’s passing, Chengyan could assist out of past affection and current friendship. However, mobilizing the entire family and altering its political stance could never be solely due to personal reasons.

Zhou Qinqing smiled. “You’re perceptive. For the Zhou family to shift from neutrality to supporting Prince Xin and the Jin family, there needs to be a stronger bond. Two families sharing honor and disgrace are either old friends or in-laws. If my sister were still alive, the Zhou family might have acted already. But alas, the lamp has gone out. However, if one lamp extinguishes, another can be lit. Don’t you think so, Mister Fu?”

With her words, Fu Ming understood. “You’re suggesting… you want to officially become in-laws with the Jin family? But Sister Ranlan is already engaged…” Fu Ming was shocked. “So, you mean, you want to marry into the Jin family as the legitimate wife?”

Zhou Qinqing spoke calmly but firmly. “Exactly. Our condition is that you leave voluntarily and make way for me.”

Fu Ming shook his head. “My marriage with him was decreed by the emperor. How can I leave voluntarily?”

Zhou Qinqing laughed. “Mister Fu, you’re a smart person. How could you not know how to leave voluntarily? There is a law in our dynasty stating that if a husband is imprisoned, the wife can petition the authorities for a divorce. This law applies to everyone, from nobles to commoners.”

Fu Ming continued to object. “Though there is such a law, my situation is different. Our marriage was decreed by the emperor.”

“This is not something you need to worry about. You only need to sign and seal this divorce agreement. Leave the rest to the Zhou family. I guarantee that from now on, you and my brother-in-law will have no more ties. Afterward, you can remarry or live your life, while the Jin family and the Zhou family will be closely connected, sharing honor and disgrace. This is beneficial for the Jin family in every way.” A divorce agreement was placed in front of him, and the words on the paper, although not yet signed, already tore at his heart.

“I imagine you are reluctant. After all, a place like the Duke’s mansion and a man like my brother-in-law, once lost, will be hard to replace. But Mister Fu, while you may hesitate, my brother-in-law cannot afford to wait.”

Fu Ming looked away from the divorce agreement, raising his eyes to Zhou Qinqing. He spoke slowly, “You are truly considerate.”

Zhou Qinqing smiled. “I’m just taking back what’s mine. Some things are predestined, Mister Fu. You should see that clearly.”

Fu Ming remained silent for a long time. Finally, he asked, “How can I trust your words?”

“I doubt you would trust a woman’s words alone. Let me show you the Zhou family’s sincerity. You’ve tried repeatedly to visit my brother-in-law but were always turned away, weren’t you? In three days, try again. This time, you’ll be able to see him. But before that, I need your signed and sealed divorce agreement. And you must promise me this will be your last meeting with him. You can say your goodbyes, but you must not mention today’s discussion or our agreement to anyone. It must remain a secret.”

Fu Ming fully understood Zhou Qinqing’s intentions and felt increasingly troubled. Not wanting to hear her further insistence, he took the divorce agreement and left, almost fleeing, unable to maintain the composure expected of a nobleman.

For the next three days, Fu Ming continued to leave the house, searching for a solution until his feet grew calloused. At night, he tossed and turned, the divorce agreement under his pillow. Every time he pulled it out, the words on it felt like knives, and he would throw it aside before finishing reading.

In the stillness of the night, as frost quietly settled, he recalled the spring two years ago when Jin Yi, cold and distant, brought him to the Jin mansion on a tall horse, marking his entry into the Jin family. That mid-autumn festival, the dazzling lights, and later, the warmth during the Lantern Festival… The times he played the qin for Jin Yi, the sword dances Jin Yi performed for him, the snowy night before Jin Yi’s expedition, and the summer nights on Cuiwei Mountain… So many bittersweet memories made him want to cry and laugh, yet only bitter laughter came.

Has it really come to the end of the road? Changjie, what should I do?

In the quiet night, there was no response, only the chirping of autumn insects giving their final song before winter.

On the third day’s evening, Fu Ming returned home. He ground the ink himself and signed the divorce agreement, sealing it with his mark. Pressing the seal felt like casting away his heart, the red imprint resembling a drop of blood, stinging him to the point of suffocation.

The next day, Fu Ming visited the Ministry of Justice again. This time, he was finally led to the prison, where he saw the person he had not seen for months but never left his thoughts.

The last time they parted, Jin Yi had left early in the morning, both wearing composed smiles. Jin Yi mentioned having less work that day and promised to return in the afternoon to try out Jianlou’s new summer dishes together. Fu Ming waited all day, past summer into late autumn, but that small promise was never fulfilled.

But now, seeing Jin Yi’s thin and frail appearance, Fu Ming’s resentment melted into concern. In that moment, he had only one thought: as long as this person was safe, it would be enough.

Fu Ming calmed his turbulent emotions and softly called, “Lord? Changjie—”

Inside the prison, the man, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly trembled and opened his eyes. Seeing the person outside, he stood up abruptly, stumbled to the bars, and stared in shock. The two of them were speechless but could not look away.

After a long silence, Jin Yi finally spoke, “You’ve lost weight.” His voice was hoarse, but his tone was gentle and full of affection.

Fu Ming almost cried. He held back his tears and shook his head with a smile, saying, “Compared to the hardships you’ve endured, this is nothing.” But he couldn’t help but cough a few times.

“Are you not feeling well? Is it serious?”

“It’s nothing, just a cold. Don’t worry.” Fu Ming reached out to touch Jin Yi’s now-gaunt face, looking into his deep-set eyes. “Changjie, I’m sorry I couldn’t come to see you sooner or…”

Jin Yi took Fu Ming’s hand, pressing it against his face, and interrupted him, “How could this be your fault? It’s me who has made you worry.”

Fu Ming shook his head, a faint smile on his face. “It’s okay. You’ll be home soon.”

Jin Yi seemed to believe Fu Ming’s reassurance and smiled, “When I get back, even though the summer dishes at Jianlou are no longer available, we’ll have a hot pot. It’ll warm us up in winter. But you need to get better quickly, see the doctor, and take your medicine.”

“Alright.” Fu Ming nodded gently. “When you come back, we’ll… we’ll…” He lowered his head, unable to continue.

Jin Yi lifted his hand to gently stroke Fu Ming’s hair, comforting him, “Alright, don’t be sad for me anymore. Though I’ve suffered here, I’ve gained some understanding. I’ve thought about many things and realized a lot.”

“What have you realized?”

Confined in this prison, Jin Yi had spent countless lonely days and sleepless nights. He thought about his unfulfilled ambitions, the family that relied on him, and the old and young he needed to protect. The bitterness, anger, and fear gnawed at him, making him feel as if he was in a fiery sea. Yet, whenever he reached the breaking point, Fu Ming’s face would appear in his mind, smiling warmly at him, dispelling all his sorrows and pain.

Now, seeing the person he had longed for in front of him, Jin Yi smiled and said, “I’ve thought about you the most. I’ve realized that as long as I can go back, back to you, it will be the greatest fortune of my life. If we… can never meet again in this life, I hope for another life where we can continue our relationship.”

In the past, Jin Yi had never spoken so openly about his feelings, but this ordeal allowed him to express his true emotions. However, Fu Ming couldn’t speak, and he could no longer pretend to be happy. Tears streamed down his face as he turned away, choking out, “Alright, alright. I’ll always remember, always remember.” Jin Yi gently turned Fu Ming’s tear-streaked face and used his clean inner sleeve to wipe away the tears. “There, there, stop crying. If you keep crying, I’ll have nothing left to wipe your tears with.”

Hearing this, Fu Ming’s tears welled up again. Jin Yi sighed, leaned over, and kissed the warmth from his eyes. Fu Ming trembled and then lifted his head to respond to Jin Yi’s tender kiss.

In the prison, at the moment of parting, they were lost in their emotions. Fu Ming still felt like Jin Yi’s rightful wife, the one Jin Yi would cherish in life and death.

However, the moment couldn’t last. Just as they were reunited, they had to part again.

Finally, Fu Ming spoke of what should have been said at the beginning: that everyone at home was well, that the Old Madam, Sister Ranlan, and Yan’er were all waiting for his return. He mentioned that these dishes were made by Miss Xinyue, and the clothes were brought to Fragrant Garden by Bai Lu… He kept speaking until there was nothing left to say.

The jailers came to hurry them along several times. Jin Yi, seeing that Fu Ming was reluctant to leave, comforted him, “Alright, you should go back now. I’ll see you when I return home.”

“Changjie…”

“Hmm?”

“Your heart is as steadfast as the sun and moon.”

Jin Yi smiled. “Yes. Your heart is as steadfast as the sun and moon.”

Fu Ming also smiled faintly. If this was the last time they saw each other, he hoped Jin Yi would remember his smile, not his sorrow.

Waving goodbye, Fu Ming walked away slowly, his steps heavy as he left Jin Yi’s sight. Even after Fu Ming’s figure disappeared behind the prison walls, Jin Yi continued to look in the direction he had gone. That last glance from Fu Ming, for some reason, left him feeling uneasy. It was too deep, too filled with longing.

Ye Xin, he whispered in his heart repeatedly, Nightheart, Nightheart…

Ye Xin, the moon and the sea bear witness to my heart’s yearning.

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