BOUND IN MARRIAGE - CHAPTER 40

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Chapter 40: The Deepening Rift

The village ahead was a cacophony of shouting soldiers and crashing wood as the search intensified, but on the slope overlooking the fields, a deathly silence had fallen.

Tan Ting realized the weight of his words the moment they left his lips. He saw the faint, ghost-like smile on his wife’s lips, and his heart felt as though it had been scraped by a jagged blade.

"Yizhen, I..."

He wanted to say he hadn't meant it that way, but as she slowly lowered her gaze, the words died in his throat. After all, could he truly claim she was overthinking? Every word he had just uttered regarding the "petty official" could be applied to his father-in-law, Xiang Zhiyuan. There was no way to untangle his disdain for the man in the fields from his disdain for her father.

Tan Ting, fearing that any further explanation would only blacken the matter, remained silent.

In the midst of the increasingly urgent shouts of the manhunt, Xiang Yi dismounted. She lowered her head and gave Tan Ting a formal, distant bow.

"Master, there is no need to block my path. The affairs of the commoner class have nothing to do with you. Please, return home first."

Finished, she turned to leave on foot.

Tan Ting's heart constricted. Seeing that she was unwilling to even ride the Tan family’s horse any longer, he too dismounted in a hurried motion. Before Xiang Yi could take another step, he reached out and firmly grasped her wrist.

She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with a quiet, weary confusion. She had no intention of asking for his help, yet she could not stand by as a mere spectator. She felt her stance was clear.

But the man held her wrist with a grip that showed no sign of loosening.

Xiang Yi’s brow furrowed.

The wind of the open fields whipped between them. A heavy shroud of clouds moved to block the sun, turning the air biting and cold. Tan Ting knew that if he let her walk away now, the chasm between them might never be bridged. Yet, in his mind, how could a man like Yang Muhong be worth the risk?

They stood in a frozen stalemate against the whistling wind.

At that moment, the noise of the search in the distance began to subside. The muffled voice of a soldier reporting to his superior carried over the ridge.

"Reporting to the Commander! No suspicious persons were found in any sector."

No one found?

Xiang Yi’s heart gave a sudden throb.

Tan Ting felt a wave of inexplicable relief. He looked down at the wife whose wrist he still held; her furrowed brow relaxed slightly, but the moment she felt his gaze, she averted her eyes once more.

The silence returned, heavier than before.

It was Chen Fuyou, searching nearby, who spotted the couple and spurred his horse toward them in surprise. As he approached, Xiang Yi, unwilling to remain in this entanglement before an outsider, gave her wrist a sharp tug.

Tan Ting was forced to let go.

In the next breath, she stepped away, putting a full, deliberate pace of distance between them. It stung Tan Ting to see it, but with Chen Fuyou arriving, they could not speak freely.

Chen Fuyou scanned the two of them. Seeing them without attendants, each holding the reins of a single horse, he drew his own conclusions.

"Master Tan, Madam. You truly have a refined taste for leisure, coming out to ride the moment the weather turns warm?"

Xiang Yi offered a polite greeting. Tan Ting did not contradict him, though his peripheral vision remained fixed on his wife. Originally, they had come out for a pleasant ride.

Tan Ting feigned a casual nod toward Chen Fuyou. "Is the Magistrate on official business? Have any arrests been made?"

Chen Fuyou had previously hinted to Tan Ting not to interfere, so he spoke openly. He shook his head. "Regrettably, that man surnamed Yang managed to slip away."

At these words, Tan Ting saw his wife exhale softly, her eyes closing for a brief second in relief. He felt his own tension ease. If Chen Fuyou had actually captured Yang Muhong here, he wouldn't have known what to do.

With the immediate crisis averted, Tan Ting had nothing more to say.

Chen Fuyou prepared to resume the hunt, but as it was his first time meeting the wife of the Tan clan head, he paused to look at Xiang Yi. Before Tan Ting’s marriage, he had ascended to the position of clan head early due to his father’s passing. He was young, brilliant, and highly coveted by the four great families; the Cheng and Li clans had even intended to marry their legitimate daughters to him.

Yet, Tan Ting had honored an old contract and married the daughter of Xiang Zhiyuan, a woman who had reportedly shown up at the gates with the marriage contract in hand. Chen Fuyou had expected a shrewish or ignorant woman. Seeing her now, he was taken aback.

She was elegantly beautiful, her bearing refined and composed. Standing beside Tan Ting, they looked like a perfectly matched pair.

But the divide between the aristocracy and the commoner class is absolute, Chen Fuyou thought. No matter how well-matched they seem, the future for the Tan and Xiang families cannot last.

The thought flashed through his mind before he took his leave.

Once he was gone, Tan Ting looked down at his wife. "They didn't catch him," he said softly. "Let us go home, shall we?"

Xiang Yi remained silent. She walked to her horse, mounted, and began the trek back toward the Tan estate. This time, she rode in front and he followed behind. They entered the gates in single file.

Xiang Yi headed toward the main courtyard, but the Master did not divert to the outer study. He followed her.

She kept her eyes lowered, saying nothing. Fortunately, Yang Zhen and Tan Jian returned at that moment. Yang Zhen had truly caught a chill; her hands and feet were icy to the touch. Tan Jian was frantic with worry.

"It's nothing," Yang Zhen insisted. "Who hasn't caught a bit of wind before? Two bowls of ginger tea and I'll be fine. Isn't that right, Sister-in-law?"

Tan Jian hurried over to ask Xiang Yi, "Sister-in-law, should we summon a physician?"

"We should," Xiang Yi replied without hesitation. She immediately ordered a servant to fetch the doctor. Then, she added, "I will accompany you back to Xia Ying Pavilion."

With that, she walked away with Tan Jian and Yang Zhen. Tan Ting watched her retreat. Since his sister-in-law was ill, he could hardly follow. He could only watch as his wife vanished from sight.

That evening, Zhao Shi summoned everyone to Qiu Zhao Court for dinner.

Tan Ting arrived early. Seeing him there before anyone else, Zhao Shi was surprised. Tan Ting sat in silence, glancing toward the door. Eventually, Tan Rong arrived. Tan Ting had little to say to his sister, so he listened as Zhao Shi consulted him on Tan Rong’s marriage prospects.

By right, as the only daughter of the Tan main branch, Tan Rong could marry into any prestigious family as a matriarch. But Zhao Shi, having lived that life, only wanted her daughter to find a steady man and live a peaceful, uncomplicated life. Tan Ting raised no objections; if his sister did not need to be a pawn for political alliance, it was for the best.

"It should be someone of her choosing," Tan Ting suggested. "If there is a rift between husband and wife, the days become long and difficult."

He shared his thoughts briefly, then returned to the hall, glancing out several more times until Xiang Yi finally arrived.

Yang Zhen was still unwell, so Tan Jian had stayed behind to care for her. Xiang Yi came alone. She saw him the moment she entered the courtyard, but she did not hurry into the hall. She stood under the eaves, quietly directing the servants in setting the meal.

In Zhao Shi’s presence, Tan Ting could say nothing. He watched her enter the hall with measured steps, pay her respects to the Old Madam, and take her seat. Her eyes had returned to their usual calm; her actions betrayed no emotion.

Yet, as Tan Ting watched her, his heart felt increasingly restless.

With Tan Jian and Yang Zhen absent, the meal was quiet. Xiang Yi was habitually silent, Tan Ting found it difficult to start a conversation, and Tan Rong was lost in her own thoughts. Finally, Zhao Shi gave a nod to Nanny Wu.

Nanny Wu brought out a bowl of medicinal porridge for Xiang Yi, taken not from the common tureen, but from a separate, specialized stewing pot. Everyone except the daydreaming Tan Rong noticed the difference.

Nanny Wu didn't explain, she simply smiled and urged Xiang Yi to taste it. "The Old Madam had this prepared to nourish the Madam’s constitution."

Xiang Yi was slender, but she was rarely ill. She understood immediately: this was a tonic to aid conception. She softly offered her thanks.

A shadow of gloom crossed Tan Ting’s eyes. His aunt wanted Xiang Yi to conceive so she would be anchored here, but he wanted to take her to the Capital. If she became pregnant, the arduous journey would be impossible for her. And he suspected that, in her current state, she had no desire to bear his child so soon.

Tan Ting searched for an excuse to tell her she needn't drink it. But before he could find the words, he saw her lift the spoon. Without a moment's hesitation, she consumed the tonic.

Tan Ting froze. Her face remained expressionless as she continued to serve the others. Everything appeared exactly as it always did, but in that sameness, Tan Ting felt his heart sinking into an abyss.

He decided he would speak with her properly that night. However, Yang Zhen’s fever spiked, and Xiang Yi went directly back to Xia Ying Pavilion after dinner. Tan Ting walked her to the gate of the pavilion, watching her enter without a backward glance. He had no choice but to return to his study in the outer court.

Fortunately, Yang Zhen was of sturdy stock. The fever broke after half an hour. Once she was stable, Xiang Yi returned to the main courtyard.

The courtyard was draped in the heavy velvet of night. There was no sound, save for the night wind rustling the yellow jasmine that had just begun to bud.

The Master was not there.

Xiang Yi sat at her desk as she did every night. She took out a half-finished small seal, intending to continue her work. But tonight, the carving tool felt foreign in her hand. She stared at the stone, forgetting where the next stroke should fall.

Tan Ting’s words from the fields echoed in her mind: "A petty man who finally passed the exams only to ignore the people's plight... Such a man does not deserve your sympathy!"

She closed her eyes.

At that moment, footsteps sounded outside. Nanny Wu had arrived, sent by Zhao Shi. A medicinal tonic was well and good, but if the Master and Madam remained distant, what use was it? Though it was not a scheduled night for them to share a bed, Zhao Shi had sent a special incense.

Nanny Wu smiled at Xiang Yi. "Madam, please light this tonight."

Xiang Yi looked at the incense silently and gave her consent.

When Tan Ting returned late that night, he immediately noticed the change in the room's fragrance. Usually, she used a light, calming incense before sleep. This scent was heavier, with a lingering, provocative sweetness.

Tan Ting did not know what it was, but seeing that she had changed the incense, he hoped it meant her mood had shifted. His heart lightened slightly. He changed his clothes while she called for water to wash.

They both finished their ablutions early. Xiang Yi blew out the lamps. The heavy, sweet smoke drifted through the silent room. Tan Ting thought this was for the best, now that they were alone, they could finally talk.

He entered the bed curtains. The new fragrance filled the enclosed space. Xiang Yi was dressed only in a thin inner robe.

She understood Zhao Shi’s intent perfectly. Before Nanny Wu had left, she had even ordered the servants to keep the bath water hot.

Xiang Yi lowered her head and smoothed the silk quilt. Tan Ting, unaware of Nanny Wu's visit, sat down beside her. He felt the air inside the curtains grow still.

In the next moment, Xiang Yi silently untied her sash.

The thin garment slid from her shoulders, exposing the slender line of her neck and her pale, delicate shoulders to the cool air. The atmosphere within the curtains turned stagnant and suffocating.

Tan Ting understood instantly.

A sudden panic seized him. He reached out hurriedly, catching the fabric of her robe before it could fall further.

"Yizhen, don't..."

Xiang Yi looked up at him.

In the depths of her gaze, Tan Ting felt a sharp, sudden pain, as if his heart were being squeezed. He froze, a bitter taste filling his mouth.

"Do not do this..." he whispered, his voice thick with a plea. "Let us talk first. Can we not just talk?"

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