Volume One, Chapter Ten: The Naming of Shi Zhao

The young eunuch behind Eunuch Yuan held a gilded cage and walked up to Shi Zhao. Inside, the oriole sang with a crisp, clear voice, looking utterly adorable.

Shi Zhao’s eyes crinkled with delight as she gazed at it. "This commoner thanks His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress Dowager for their generous favor."

Nanny Lan, standing by, wept with joy. "Young miss, this is truly… an incomparable honor!"

Eunuch Yuan nodded with a beaming, intimate smile. "I have other matters to attend to, so I shall leave this lad to accompany you, young miss."

After Eunuch Yuan departed, Zhang Huaijin stared at the oriole in the attendant's hand, his mind still reeling. His Majesty the Emperor had actually gifted an oriole to a commoner without any rank! Everyone in the capital knew that Emperor Jingxuan favored birds and flowers above all else and used them as tokens of his imperial favor. Yet, the Emperor rarely bestowed such gifts, and those who received them were invariably powerful officials or high nobles. It was a reward many civil and military officials longed for, yet Yu Siyao had obtained it so easily? And there was the matter of the name change, the instruction to study Buddhism… What on earth had Yu Siyao said in the presence of the Emperor?

Zhang Huaijin felt his composure unraveling. Everything had always been under his control; he had never felt like this before. Ever since Yu Siyao emerged from the imperial prison, everything seemed different. Would the Marquis of Wen’an’s estate acknowledge a daughter of a different bloodline? What would become of their marriage? And the study of Buddhism—that was something for old women to pass the time. Why would they order a young girl like Yu Siyao to do such a thing?

A sudden, bizarre sense of rage flared within him. With a dark expression, he squeezed out through his teeth, "What is the meaning of this from the Empress Dowager and His Majesty?"

"Shi Zhao is my name. From now on, I am no longer a daughter of the Yu family of the Marquis of Wen’an’s estate." Shi Zhao smiled faintly, extending her finger into the cage. The oriole, well-trained and affectionate, immediately rubbed its small head against her fingertip. "As for other matters, they seem to have nothing to do with Young Master Zhang, so I must decline to answer."

Shi Zhao’s repeated rejections caused Zhang Huaijin’s face to darken. Born a golden child, he had never been denied anything by his family, and this was the first time someone had dared to defy him so openly. He warned, "Siyao, remember, you are my betrothed wife."

The saying goes that a wife should follow her husband’s lead. Once Yu Siyao married into the Zhang family, would she still dare to be so insubordinate?

Shi Zhao remained unmoved, continuing to interact affectionately with the oriole. She did not tell Zhang Huaijin that her study of Buddhism was, in fact, a vow of celibacy; the Zhang family would never accept such a daughter-in-law. But she had no desire to explain herself to him anymore. He was merely an outsider, and his opinions were entirely inconsequential. Their marriage contract was now a dead letter; there would be no further intersection between their lives.

A sense of unprecedented lightness filled Shi Zhao’s heart, and her mood brightened. What was wrong with a vow of celibacy? She had no intention of marrying!

A flicker of interest crossed Xue Ming’s eyes as he looked at Shi Zhao intently. "I am unrefined, so I did not realize this was Miss Shi Zhao."

Before she could answer, Zhang Huaijin jumped in, agitated. "Her name is Yu Siyao, not Shi Zhao."

"Oh?" Xue Ming raised a brow, his expression ambiguous. "The Empress Dowager bestowed the name herself. Does Brother Huaijin have an objection?"

Zhang Huaijin felt as if he had been doused with cold water. Regaining his reason, he gritted his teeth and said, "Of course not. Being named by the Empress Dowager is Siyao’s honor."

Xue Ming would not let it go. Glancing at Shi Zhao, he said, "Then, Young Master Zhang, why not offer your congratulations to Miss Shi Zhao?"

Zhang Huaijin ground his teeth, unable to fathom why this "plague star" was targeting him today. But realizing how much of his earlier conversation might have been overheard, he closed his eyes and said, "Congratulations, Miss Shi Zhao."

The words brought a surge of satisfaction to Shi Zhao; she had never expected to see the day when Zhang Huaijin would be forced to bow his head. She accepted his congratulations with composure and said to Xue Ming with a smile, "I have heard of your great reputation for a long time, Young General Xue. Seeing you today, you are truly as dignified and formidable as the rumors say."

Shi Zhao marveled internally that with only a few words, Xue Ming had silenced Zhang Huaijin, who usually wouldn't listen to reason. Xue Ming was truly the "plague star" everyone in the capital feared. Power was a marvelous thing; even a scion of the Zhang clan had to lower his head before the Emperor’s confidant.

Xue Ming pursed his lips. He usually detested being praised; people would fawn over him as if he were a deity, yet behind his back, they would gossip about his origins. But this girl’s eyes were bright and full of cunning, much like the ginger cat he had kept in his childhood.

Xue Ming gave a faint look and said, "You are too kind, Miss Shi Zhao."

His tone was flat but devoid of aggression, leaving Shi Zhao pleasantly surprised. She had not expected Xue Ming to be so courteous to her, and she quickly replied, "You are too modest, Young General."

The girl in simple cloth and the man in dark, fine silks stood facing one another in a harmonious atmosphere. Zhang Huaijin’s expression turned icy. Yu Siyao was gentle with other men, yet harsh and cold toward him. Did she even remember her own status?

"Siyao… no, Zhao-Zhao, Imperial Concubine De heard you were safely released from prison and has summoned you to the palace to pay your respects." Zhang Huaijin’s face darkened as he stepped forward, pushing between Shi Zhao and Xue Ming. He bowed to Xue Ming and said, "Please excuse us, Young General Xue. We have been delayed here for quite some time, and I fear Imperial Concubine De has been waiting."

With that, he turned and reached for Shi Zhao, forcefully grabbing her hand. "Zhao-Zhao, let us go."

Shi Zhao had been busy teasing the oriole and was caught off guard, stumbling as Zhang Huaijin pulled her. She felt repulsed by the man’s burning palm and pushed back hard, saying with disgust, "I have other matters to attend to and cannot visit Imperial Concubine De. Please forgive me, Young Master Zhang."

Zhang Huaijin stubbornly refused to let go. "Zhao-Zhao, Imperial Concubine De is not only my aunt and a second-rank Imperial Concubine, she is also the niece of your grandmother from the Yu family. She grew up by your grandmother’s side and shares a deep bond with her. Do you really want to avoid her?"

Imperial Concubine De of the Zhang clan shared the same mother as the old matriarch of the Marquis of Wen’an’s estate. Shi Zhao paused, then laughed coldly. "It may be true that she and my grandmother are close, but she and I have had no dealings. Is this truly a summons from the Concubine, or is it just your own overstepping, Young Master Zhang?"

A woman like the Imperial Concubine would never summon a common girl of no value. Nanny Lan burned with the urge to punch Zhang Huaijin, but as a servant in the palace, she could not act recklessly. She threatened with a dark face, "Young Master Zhang, this is the Imperial Palace!"

Zhang Huaijin’s expression darkened. Seeing Shi Zhao struggling, he gripped her even tighter. The areas where she had been tortured began to ache, and she could not help but cry out in pain, "You are hurting me!"

With a sharp *snap*, a black scabbard struck the back of Zhang Huaijin’s hand. He yelped and reflexively let go. Shi Zhao pulled her hand back; it was already inflamed and trembling. Nanny Lan gently cradled her left hand and began to massage it.

Zhang Huaijin’s hand throbbed with pain. Being struck by a peer for the first time filled him with rage, but disregarding the fact that the man before him was the Emperor’s favorite, he said coldly, "Young General Xue, I am betrothed to Zhao-Zhao. It would be best if you did not interfere in the affairs of a married couple."

Xue Ming glanced at Shi Zhao, seeing that the young girl was flushed with anger, and said, "You are not yet wed. How can you call yourselves a married couple?"