{"id":3483,"date":"2026-05-22T11:48:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T11:48:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pursuit-of-jade-07\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T11:48:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T11:48:50","slug":"pursuit-of-jade-07","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/chapter\/pursuit-of-jade-07\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuit Of Jade 07"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fan Changyu hurriedly clarified, \u201cIt\u2019s only a fake marriage.\u201d

She carefully explained her plan to him.

\u201cAfter we bow before the hall and get married, we\u2019ll publicly claim that you married into my family. That way, I can keep the property my parents left behind. My family still has a little money left. Once the house and land are transferred, our finances will ease up. I\u2019ll hire the best doctor in town and use the best medicine to treat your injuries. Once you recover, whether you stay or leave will be entirely up to you.\u201d

Xie Zheng lifted his eyes slightly. The upward slant of his eyes only deepened the coldness about him.

\u201cAnd if I leave afterward, aren\u2019t you afraid your eldest uncle will come back demanding the property again?\u201d

Fan Changyu replied, \u201cOnce the property has been transferred, I won\u2019t fear him no matter how much trouble he causes. Besides, if you leave then, I\u2019ll simply tell everyone you went away on business. No one will know whether it\u2019s true or false.\u201d

With an unreadable expression, Xie Zheng remarked, \u201cYou\u2019ve really thought everything through.\u201d

Fan Changyu could not tell whether that was praise or mockery. Awkwardly, she asked, \u201cSo\u2026 what do you think?\u201d

\u201cLet me consider it.\u201d

His eyes lowered slightly, concealing whatever emotions lay beneath, as though he truly were weighing the matter.

Fan Changyu could not help feeling nervous.

Thinking back over what she had just said, although she had told him he could leave freely after recovering, she had not mentioned what she would give him if he left\u2014or what she could offer if he stayed.

Hurriedly, she thought it over and added, \u201cIf you choose to leave after recovering, I\u2019ll give you enough traveling money. And if you have nowhere to go\u2026\u201d

She glanced at his pale face and battered body.

Because his inner clothes had once again been soaked with blood the previous day, and Carpenter Zhao had been unable to find spare clothing for him, the old man had simply made him wear his own tattered coarse linen clothes temporarily.

His hands, aside from all the cuts and scrapes, were covered with thick calluses and cracked skin. Clearly, he had not lived an easy life before.

At the moment, he was truly both sick and poor.

So Fan Changyu boldly promised, \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I\u2019ll slaughter pigs and support you from now on!\u201d

Xie Zheng: \u201c…\u201d

The expression on his face at that moment was truly indescribable.

If anyone who knew him had been present, merely hearing those words would probably have made them start considering how they wished to die.

In all the world, the only person who would dare so confidently declare that she would support him was likely the woman before him.

Of course, if she knew his real name, she probably would never have spoken such words to him at all.

She might even have left him to die in the snow without lifting a finger to save him.

At that thought, mockery appeared faintly in Xie Zheng\u2019s eyes.

\u201cWhy?\u201d he asked.

Fan Changyu did not understand.

\u201cWhat?\u201d

This time, he was strangely patient, as though he genuinely wanted to know why she had said she would support him.

\u201cWe\u2019re neither related nor acquainted. If these injuries never heal, there\u2019s a high chance I\u2019ll become a cripple. If you support me, what exactly are you hoping to gain?\u201d

Fan Changyu answered honestly, \u201cBecause you\u2019re handsome.\u201d

Xie Zheng froze on the spot.

He had not expected such a shallow answer.

Only after a long pause did he frown and ask, \u201cJust because of that?\u201d

Fan Changyu blinked at him, as if to say, Otherwise?

Xie Zheng naturally knew he was good-looking, but this was still the first time anyone had praised his appearance so bluntly.

\u201cThere are countless good-looking people in this world,\u201d he said.

Fan Changyu replied, \u201cBut the person I happened to carry back from the snow was you.\u201d

She had only meant to explain that although there were many handsome people in the world, he just happened to be the one she rescued.

Unexpectedly, after she said it, the way he looked at her became even stranger.

Only then did Fan Changyu realize her words sounded rather suggestive. She hurriedly tried to explain further.

\u201cWhat I mean is\u2026 perhaps everything is a matter of fate\u2026\u201d

As someone who cared about appearances, she had just happened to pick up someone exceptionally good-looking. So she thought that if he truly had nowhere to go in the future, and if their personalities got along, then making do together honestly would not be bad.

Of course, if he had no interest, she would never force him. After all, a melon twisted from the vine was never sweet.

Unfortunately, he did not give her the chance to finish explaining.

Frowning, he interrupted coldly, \u201cOnce my injuries heal, I\u2019ll leave on my own and won\u2019t trouble Miss Fan any further.\u201d

His brows and eyes carried nothing but indifference, as though he had already concluded she harbored improper intentions toward him.

Fan Changyu found herself unable to explain.

\u201c…That\u2019s fine too.\u201d

The other party seemed determined not to have any further entanglements with her, nor owe her anything.

Coldly, he spoke again.

\u201cMiss Fan may state a wish. I will repay the debt of saving my life someday.\u201d

Disheartened, Fan Changyu waved her hand.

\u201cIf you\u2019re willing to help me by pretending to marry into my family so I can keep my property, that\u2019s already helping me greatly.\u201d

She truly would not speak carelessly again. Being misunderstood felt awful.

Unexpectedly, she then heard him say, \u201cPretending to marry into your family only counts as repayment for your sheltering me.\u201d

Fan Changyu looked up in astonishment at that incomparably handsome face.

\u201cYou mean\u2026 you agree to the fake marriage?\u201d

Xie Zheng nodded lightly.

Fan Changyu nearly burst into tears of joy.

\u201cWe can sign an agreement and set a time limit for the arrangement. Once the time is up, I\u2019ll immediately write you a divorce letter and absolutely won\u2019t force you to stay. If you want to leave earlier, I\u2019ll also provide traveling money and a divorce letter. I definitely won\u2019t stop you.\u201d

Surely that would keep him from worrying she had ulterior motives and intended to trap him by refusing to let him go later.

Xie Zheng: \u201c…That won\u2019t be necessary.\u201d

Lowering his gaze again, he asked, \u201cWhat is Miss Fan\u2019s wish?\u201d

Fan Changyu thought for a moment before saying, \u201cI want to get my father\u2019s pig farm running again as soon as possible. Ideally, I\u2019d like to raise one hundred pigs someday.\u201d

\u201c…\u201d

What a plain and practical wish.

And once again, it revolved around pigs.

After two breaths of silence, Xie Zheng said, \u201cMiss Fan may think bigger.\u201d

Fan Changyu thought to herself that a hundred pigs would be worth at least over a hundred taels of silver. In town, even a two-courtyard residence only cost a little over a hundred taels. How was that not ambitious enough?

Feeling guilty, she increased the number.

\u201cThen\u2026 two hundred pigs?\u201d

Xie Zheng: \u201c…\u201d

Forget it.

When he left in the future, he would simply give her more money.

Seeing his silence, Fan Changyu assumed she had indeed asked for too much. Embarrassed, she said, \u201cPeople say saving a life is better than building\u2026 building a pagoda. I wasn\u2019t really expecting repayment anyway\u2026\u201d

Hearing her butcher the saying \u201cSaving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda,\u201d Xie Zheng\u2019s eyelid twitched faintly.

Interrupting her, he said, \u201cI\u2019ll remember Miss Fan\u2019s kindness.\u201d

Since he had already spoken like that, Fan Changyu found it hard to continue the topic.

\u201cThen\u2026 since you\u2019ve agreed to the fake marriage, is there anything else you want to ask me?\u201d

The man sitting by the window merely shook his head lightly, as though he did not take this so-called marriage into the family seriously at all.

Thinking about it, Fan Changyu felt that made sense.

After all, it was fake. They were not truly getting married. There was no need to investigate each other\u2019s ancestors for eighteen generations.

She said, \u201cThe wedding may be a bit rushed. It\u2019ll probably happen within the next couple of days.\u201d

Xie Zheng merely replied, \u201cArrange it as you see fit.\u201d

His raven-like eyelashes lowered halfway, concealing all the darkness in his eyes.

\u201cHowever, the bandits also took my household registration papers. I\u2019ll likely need to go to the authorities to replace them.\u201d

Fan Changyu said, \u201cThat\u2019s not difficult. Since you\u2019re marrying into my family, we can simply add your household registration to mine afterward.\u201d

Now that they had reached an agreement, Fan Changyu no longer lingered and rose to prepare for the wedding.

Before leaving, she noticed he had barely touched the bowl of pig lung soup.

\u201cThe soup should be cold by now. You should drink it.\u201d

Xie Zheng: \u201c…Mm.\u201d

Did she really not know that her pig lung soup tasted very strange?

\u2014

After the room was empty again, Xie Zheng opened the window and looked out at the clear skies after the snowfall, his gaze deepening.

The mad dog who had taken over his military authority would likely soon begin thoroughly investigating refugees who had fled to nearby prefectures if his corpse remained undiscovered.

He could fabricate a false identity, but he could not forge household registration papers.

If the officials in Jizhou also began investigating refugees without registration documents, he would be exposed very quickly.

According to the laws of the dynasty, a man who married into his wife\u2019s family could transfer his household registration to that location.

That was the true reason he had agreed to the fake marriage.

As for that woman\u2026

His gaze unconsciously fell upon the bowl of pig lung soup nearby.

He had already granted her a wish. The fake marriage benefited her as well, so he no longer owed her anything.

Then he remembered the matter-of-fact way she had said, \u201cBecause you\u2019re handsome.\u201d

His beautiful brows unconsciously furrowed.

How shallow.

He placed two fingers to his lips and let out a clear whistle.

Moments later, a pure white gyrfalcon dove down from the sky and landed steadily on the windowsill.

Xie Zheng handed the bowl toward it.

\u201cEat.\u201d

The gyrfalcon peered at the cooked pig lung slices in the bowl with its little black eyes before stubbornly turning its head away.

Only after Xie Zheng shot it a glance did the bird reluctantly pick up a slice and swallow it.

\u2014

As luck would have it, just after Fan Changyu finalized the fake marriage arrangement, Constable Wang secretly sent someone to inform her that Fan Da had indeed hired someone to write a formal complaint and submit it to the county office.

The case would likely be heard within days.

When the elderly Zhao couple learned of this, they became so anxious that sores appeared on their mouths. Yet Fan Changyu remained remarkably calm.

\u201cEverything for the wedding will be kept simple. We\u2019ll just invite the neighbors for a meal so everyone knows I\u2019m taking in a live-in husband.\u201d

To keep the old couple from worrying too much\u2014and also to prevent others from noticing anything suspicious\u2014she had not yet told them the marriage was fake.

Old Madam Zhao sighed worriedly.

\u201cThere isn\u2019t even enough time to make wedding clothes\u2026\u201d

Fan Changyu did not think much of it.

\u201cCan\u2019t we just wear something red and make do?\u201d

The money she had earned selling pork, combined with the compensation from the gambling house incident, amounted to only three taels of silver altogether. Every coin had to be spent carefully.

Still, she at least had decent clothes to wear.

But the man preparing to marry into her family had nothing suitable.

His original clothes had been slashed to tatters. During his recovery, he had only been wearing loose underclothes with Carpenter Zhao\u2019s old padded coat thrown over them. No matter what, she had to make him at least one new set of clothes for the wedding day.

Grinding her teeth, Fan Changyu spent half a string of coins at the fabric shop to buy a bolt of dark reddish cloth and asked the seamstress living in their alley to make him a new outfit.

She had chosen the dark red fabric deliberately.

It could serve as wedding clothing on the wedding day, but afterward it could still be worn as ordinary clothing.

When the seamstress heard Fan Changyu was getting married, she offered a stream of auspicious blessings. Knowing how difficult her circumstances were, she absolutely refused to accept payment for labor, saying she would consider making the wedding clothes her wedding gift.

However, measurements still needed to be taken.

Fan Changyu had originally wanted Uncle Zhao to help, but he had gone out buying supplies for the wedding. Left with no other choice, she went up to the loft herself.

\u201cYou don\u2019t have any proper clothes for the wedding day. I need to take your measurements so someone can make you an outfit.\u201d

Xie Zheng nodded cooperatively.

To make the measurements more accurate, he removed Carpenter Zhao\u2019s old padded coat and exposed his back wearing only a thin inner garment.

Fan Changyu spread her thumb and forefinger apart, measuring from his left shoulder to his right.

Even through the thin layer of cloth, the muscles beneath her fingertips felt warm and firm.

Although she had touched him before while patting his back to help him breathe when he coughed blood from his injuries, that time had been life-threatening, and her mind had been free of distractions.

Now, however, perhaps because neither of them spoke and the room was so quiet they could clearly hear each other\u2019s breathing, she inexplicably felt embarrassed.

On one hand, she feared he might once again misunderstand her intentions, so she tried to minimize physical contact with him.

On the other hand, she worked hard to ignore the warmth beneath her fingertips and focused on memorizing the measurements.

\u201cOne foot five.\u201d

The moment she finished measuring, she quickly handed him the old coat so he could put it back on himself, almost as though trying to avoid him.

Secretly, she thought to herself that although he looked lean, his shoulders and back were unexpectedly broad. His clothing measurements were almost the same as her father\u2019s.

Before leaving, she explained the rough wedding arrangements for the next day.

\u201cThe wedding will be tomorrow afternoon. Since it\u2019s inconvenient for you to go downstairs, Uncle Zhao will carry you down then.\u201d

Marriage ceremonies traditionally took place at dusk, as \u201cmarriage\u201d shared the same pronunciation as \u201ctwilight.\u201d

For some reason, however, he rejected the suggestion immediately and firmly.

\u201cNo need. I can use a cane and go downstairs myself.\u201d

Fan Changyu worriedly asked, \u201cWon\u2019t that reopen your wounds?\u201d

\u201cIt\u2019ll be fine.\u201d

Seeing him insist, she let the matter go and returned home to continue preparing for the wedding.

Naturally, they had to host guests.

She took out one tael of silver to buy a pig. Old Madam Zhao, who would act as the cook, went around the neighborhood inviting skilled women to come help prepare dishes the next day.

They also needed to prepare wedding candies and pastries.

Although she kept saying everything would be simple, after adding up all the miscellaneous expenses, her three taels of silver were completely spent down to the last coin.

Fan Changyu remained busy until the hour of Hai without even having time to rest.

Old Madam Zhao had no children of her own, and helping prepare Fan Changyu\u2019s wedding made her feel as though she were fussing over her own daughter. She bustled around tirelessly helping her.

After Changning had fallen asleep, Old Madam Zhao mysteriously stuffed a small booklet into Fan Changyu\u2019s hands.

Fan Changyu only glanced at it once before hurriedly snapping it shut again, half embarrassed and half mortified.

\u201cHe\u2019s injured like that\u2026 we probably won\u2019t need this, right?\u201d

Old Madam Zhao glared at her.

\u201cYou\u2019ll need it sooner or later.\u201d

Fan Changyu could only stiffly accept the booklet.

The seamstress was remarkably skilled. That very night, she finished a full set of wedding clothes and delivered them over.

Fan Changyu had originally only intended to make one outfit for Xie Zheng, but the seamstress had somehow managed to save enough leftover fabric to make Fan Changyu a matching outfit in the same color as well.

Smiling, the seamstress said, \u201cHow can newlyweds wear different clothes on their wedding day? I saw there was just enough fabric left to make one for you too, so I hurried and finished it. Don\u2019t dislike my handiwork.\u201d

Fan Changyu had made clothes there before, so the seamstress already had her measurements.

Her emotions became indescribably complicated.

\u201cThank you, Aunt Fang.\u201d

Aunt Fang urged, \u201cGo try it on quickly and let your auntie and me see. If it doesn\u2019t fit properly, we can still alter it now.\u201d

Since there was not enough fabric, the seamstress had made the wedding outfit in an extremely simple style. At first glance, it did not look much different from ordinary clothing, though the design was graceful and elegant.

When Fan Changyu came out after changing into it, both Old Madam Zhao and Aunt Fang praised how beautiful it looked.

The seamstress teased, \u201cOnce that bridal veil goes over your head tomorrow, you\u2019ll be a lovely bride!\u201d

Fan Changyu asked, \u201cBut since it\u2019s a live-in marriage, shouldn\u2019t the groom be the one wearing the veil?\u201d

The seamstress and Old Madam Zhao burst into laughter.

\u201cYou silly girl\u2026\u201d

Fan Changyu had only been genuinely curious.

After all, if they truly tried making that man wear a bridal veil while marrying into her family, she feared he might flip the table on the spot.

Mentioning the groom made the seamstress curious.

\u201cI heard the husband you\u2019re taking in was rescued by you after being attacked by bandits at Tiger Fork Pass. Is he handsome?\u201d

Before Fan Changyu could answer, Old Madam Zhao beat her to it.

\u201cYou\u2019ll see him yourself tomorrow at the wedding!\u201d

The seamstress laughed and teased them a few more times before finally returning home.

When Old Madam Zhao spoke privately with Fan Changyu again, thinking about how the girl would be married tomorrow, she could not help feeling sorrowful for her.

\u201cThe daughters of wealthy families are carried down from embroidered towers on their wedding day, then escorted in bridal sedans with drums and music all the way to their husband\u2019s home\u2026\u201d

Instead of becoming sentimental, Fan Changyu suddenly recalled how she had told Yan Zheng that Uncle Zhao would carry him downstairs tomorrow, only for him to reject the idea coldly on the spot.

Could that have been the reason why?

\u2014

That night, the lights that remained lit late into the night belonged not only to the Fan family, but also to the Song family several houses away.

When Mother Song got up during the night and saw that her son\u2019s room was still lit, she knocked on the door.

\u201cYan\u2019er, it\u2019s already so late. You should rest.\u201d

From inside came the calm voice of a man.

\u201cI\u2019ll sleep after finishing this scroll.\u201d

Half distressed and half pleased by her son\u2019s diligence, Mother Song told him not to stay up too late before returning to her room.

Inside the room, candlelight burned brightly.

Song Yan held a scroll in his hand, yet he had not turned a single page for a very long time.

The inkstone and brushes had already been knocked onto the floor, leaving the room in complete disarray.

The hand gripping the scroll was clenched so tightly that the knuckles had turned white.

She\u2026 was getting married?<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3483","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3483"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3484,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3483\/revisions\/3484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}