"At least consider it!" Her father shouted, seeing the cold and stubborn expression on his daughter’s face. One way or another, he was determined to see her married.
She wouldn't marry. But she decided to deal with that after she returned. Refusing outright now would only lead to endless nagging from her father, so she chose to placate him for the time being.
"Fine! I’ll consider it! But you cannot say anything to Shao Tiemin before I return!" She knew that no one would ever be her husband—she didn’t need a man!
* * *
In the back courtyard of the Jun family estate, there were three small buildings, each separated by tiled walls with small gates between them. These rooms were specially built by Master Jun for his three daughters. Since the second daughter, Jun Xiukun, was already married and had moved to another estate, only two of the buildings were currently occupied. However, most of the time, the other building was also empty—the third daughter of the Jun family, Jun Jiangjuan, was the only one who truly lived there every day.
A young woman dressed in a light silk robe, white on top and green below, quietly slipped through the side gate into "Qiluo Garden." Her jet-black hair, styled in a high bun, was adorned with a plum blossom hairpin made of tortoiseshell, elegantly complementing her graceful figure.
Sixteen-year-old Miss Jun Jiangjuan quietly approached the half-open study door, just about to call out and startle someone when the person inside beat her to it.
"Jiangjuan, if you want to come in, just come in. Don’t play tricks."
It was Jun Qiluo’s calm voice. She was busy checking the goods to be taken on the Silk Road journey. The people of Western Xia were most interested in the porcelain and fabrics of the Central Plains. Perhaps this time they wouldn’t need to go as far as the Western Regions to bring back a full load. It was said that many ancient treasures from the Tang dynasty had ended up in Western Xia; if possible, she hoped to bring some of those back as well...
"Sister! Even the best people need to rest sometimes! I was tired of looking at account books, so I came to chat with you! I know you’re about to leave, and you might be gone for three or six months. I’ll be so lonely! And even worse, I’ll have to take over your work!" Jun Jiangjuan playfully covered the documents spread out in front of Jun Qiluo with her delicate hands. Her face, as fresh and lovely as spring blossoms, was full of youthful mischief, making it impossible for anyone to stay angry with her.
"Don’t mess around, I still have a lot to do!" Jun Qiluo lifted her stern face, and upon seeing her sister’s thin clothing, couldn’t help but express concern, "Why aren’t you wearing an extra robe? The weather is getting cooler."
"Why isn't that dim-witted Shao Tiemin guarding downstairs?" Jun Jiangjuan asked as she pulled out a crescent-white brocade robe from her elder sister's wardrobe and draped it over herself, voicing her first question.
"He's probably with Father. Are you looking for him?" Qiluo gently pushed away her sister's hands, which were trying to cover her work again, as she continued her task while chatting with her sister. She understood her younger sister's loneliness.
Jun Jiangjuan, petite and delicate, sank into the large armchair, her three-inch bound feet gently swinging back and forth. These small feet had been a source of great frustration for her, preventing her from ever having the chance to disguise herself as a man. In her sixteen years of life, she had never experienced the outside world, only catching glimpses of the sky during religious visits or trips to the family’s shops. Unlike her elder sister, who could enjoy the freedom of dual identities and roam the world without attracting attention.
"I was just curious! He’s been looking quite happy these days. He probably sees protecting you as his responsibility. After all, besides our family, he's the only outsider who knows your true identity."
Jun Qiluo showed no expression and made no comment.
"Honestly, if you end up with him, it would be such a waste! He's not worthy of you. Not to mention the difference in family background and education, he's just a martial artist. He can't recite poetry with you under the moon, nor can he share the burden of your work. Most importantly, he can’t control you! Without that control, he lacks the strength of character to give you the sense of security you need. In the end, his frustration would become a burden for you. You need a man who can make you feel dependent on him." Jun Jiangjuan shook her head, sounding like an old scholar, but her words were firm, as if she were making an ironclad prediction.
"Is that so? I take it you have someone in mind, little matchmaker?"
"No, but I just feel he's not right for you." Jun Jiangjuan picked up a parchment scroll and examined it closely, raising her elegant crescent-shaped eyebrows. "Oh, Prince Zhaoping is marrying off his daughter? When did this happen? And she’s traveling with you?" Although she was innocent, that didn’t mean she was ignorant; she immediately sensed that something unusual was going on.
Jun Qiluo replied in a casual tone, "They're marrying the princess off in Bianjing; how would we know the details all the way here in Hangzhou? Last month, Prince Zhaoping purchased a large amount of dowry from our trading house and jewelry shop for the princess—you know that! As for the princess traveling with us to Western Xia, it’s partly for safety and partly because it’s on the way. Lately, the bandits have been too rampant, so having official protection is better."
"A princess marrying into Western Xia? Who is she marrying, the king? It would make more sense to secure an alliance with the Liao dynasty instead of Western Xia. This strategy seems flawed."
"We common folk don’t get to decide if the strategy is good or not. Once we reach Western Xia, we’ll part ways with the wedding procession."
"Is that really all? Why do I feel so uneasy?" Jun Jiangjuan clutched her chest, growing more anxious by the moment.
Jun Qiluo looked up and smiled gently at her younger sister. "I should just find you a husband already, then you wouldn’t have time for such wild thoughts!"
She playfully pinched her sister’s cute nose and rolled up the parchment. "I'm going to the trading house for a while. Find something to occupy yourself."
Ignoring her sister’s protests, Jun Qiluo walked to the front courtyard, where the steward, Jun Darong, respectfully greeted her. "Young Master!"
"Prepare my horse!" She accepted the headscarf handed to her by a maid, and another servant draped a black cloak with red silk lining over her shoulders. As she strode out the door, her pure white, flawless horse—Zhufeng—was already waiting at the gate, brought over by a stable hand.
Zhufeng wasn't one of the tall northern horse breeds. It came from the Shi family’s ranch, specially bred to suit the height and build of southern people. Despite its smaller size, it was no less strong than the northern horses. Two years ago, when Jun Chengliu bought a hundred packhorses from the "Tanghe Ranch" in the north, he had specifically chosen this magnificent horse for her.
She mounted Zhufeng with ease, and two servants followed her on horseback as they set off toward the marketplace.
Being taller than most southern women, Jun Qiluo found it even easier to pass as a man, and after twenty years in disguise, not a single servant had discovered her true identity.
Riding at a pace slightly faster than usual, she quickly left the servants far behind. Zhufeng, sensing its rider’s unease, responded to her command, galloping off the main road and across the rough terrain, living up to its reputation as a fine steed.
What was troubling her wasn’t this particular mission—she believed she would handle it as smoothly as she always did. It was her father’s insistence on settling her lifelong commitment that had been weighing on her mind for some time.
In this deeply patriarchal society, once a woman marries, it signifies that she must become entirely devoted to her husband, just like her late mother and her stepmother. Their lives revolved solely around their natal and marital families, with no knowledge of the outside world. No woman knew how high the sky was or how vast the earth was. What kinds of people lived beyond the Great Wall? How were they different from her? Even more tragically, they believed these things had nothing to do with them, convinced that a woman’s life was about marrying, bearing children, embroidering, aging, and caring for grandchildren.
How wonderful it would be if she were born a man! She wouldn’t have to worry about any of this and would have the physical strength and energy to carry the heavy burden of the Jun family’s legacy. In recent years, she had been managing all the family businesses on her father’s behalf, never daring to let her guard down. Working day and night, sometimes she was so exhausted she could barely keep her eyes open, her body feeling like it might fall apart. No matter how strong-willed she was, she had to admit that women were naturally weaker than men in terms of physical endurance. If she was already struggling at twenty, how would she manage when she grew older?
Additionally, she constantly had to be vigilant, making sure no one discovered she was actually a woman. This pressure was a shadow that never left her mind.
The sound of hooves drew closer behind her, signaling that her servants had caught up.
"Young Master?" they called hesitantly, not understanding why their master had come here to daydream.
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