Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter Fifteen: Breaking the Marital Bond

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At noon, the summer sun blazed fiercely, the ground scorched like a furnace. Several carriages stood in the Su family’s courtyard, loaded with furniture and clothing, all in preparation for their move to the outer city the next day.

In Chang’an, apart from being divided east and west into the two counties of Wan’nian and Chang’an, there was also an inner city and an outer city—a clear marker of one’s social standing and family wealth.

Having had her teeth fixed and finally able to speak clearly, Su Qingtang faced the nineteen assembled maids and servants and announced, “The Su family is about to move to the outer city. According to the Ministry of Households’ regulations, a household may not employ more than five servants. Those whose names I call will stay; the rest have already been transferred to other households.”

“You may take the letters I’ve given you and report to your new masters, or in a few days, you may ask me for the deed of emancipation and try to make your own way in the world.”

The Ministry of Households kept strict control over all population changes. Anyone of servile status was forbidden from engaging in trade, buying or selling, or taking work elsewhere. Thus, if a family declined, they had two choices.

The first was to be transferred by their original master to another household of the same rank. A lateral move only—no chance of being transferred to the Prime Minister’s residence or the Eastern Palace; that would be wishful thinking.

The second was to request a deed of manumission from their original master, update their status at the Ministry, and thereafter be free to trade, marry, or establish their own household.

Yet most of them had been bought as children and had no one to rely on. Freedom might sound appealing, but survival would become a daily struggle; three meals a day would be uncertain. So, most chose the first option.

This was a living testament to how the hardships of life grind down human ambition, leaving people resigned, lethargic, and decadent.

Su Dingfeng, dressed in white, stood tall atop a beam in the main hall, arms folded across his chest, sword clamped beneath, his wind-tossed side profile looking every inch the gallant hero.

According to him, “A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall; a swordsman must stand atop the eaves.”

Mother Qin Fuluo was busy overseeing the packing of the remaining items yet to be loaded onto the carriages, easily the most occupied person in the whole “team.”

Chen Chang’an, quiet as ever, squatted in a corner in a pose reminiscent of someone relieving himself, his mind wandering through hazy memories of tropical island documentaries he had seen in his previous life—better than nothing.

Su family’s second daughter, Su Wanqing, rested her delicate white hand on her dainty chin, gazing blissfully at her husband, who sat beside her absorbed in his reading of the Spring and Autumn Annals. Whenever he tired, she would quickly clench her little fist and cheer him on, “Jiawen, keep it up! You’re destined for high office!”

From a distance, Chen Chang’an muttered, “Yes, my son Jiawen, destined to be ruled by his wife!”

No sooner had he spoken than his nominal wife, Su Wanqiu, came over and patted his shoulder. “Come with me, I have something to say.”

Hmm? She sounded like a secret agent giving a coded signal. Chen Chang’an shivered, answered with a string of ohs and ums, and rose, grabbing her pristine, jade-like hand.

“What are you doing?” Su Wanqiu stamped her foot.

Chen Chang’an replied shamelessly, “Aren’t I coming with you? Can’t you see I’m blind?”

She said nothing more, but withdrew her hand so that he only held the tip of her middle finger. When they reached the room, she finally let go, and her voice sounded as clear and pure as a mountain spring: “Thank you.”

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“Thank me? For what?”

Chen Chang’an was taken aback. Su Wanqiu usually projected an air like that of the legendary Xie San, who went her whole life without ever saying ‘thank you’, so this took him by surprise.

Calmly, Su Wanqiu said, “Of course for finding Princess Changning this time, and saving the entire Su family from disaster.”

So that’s what she meant. Chen Chang’an waved it off, unconcerned. “A trifle, truly. It’s what I ought to do.”

Su Wanqiu nodded and changed the subject. “Do you remember the agreement between us? Why I asked you to be my husband?”

Chen Chang’an ransacked his memory before answering, “Of course I remember. At that time, Yuan Yunfei wanted to marry you and tried to force you with his power.”

“With no other choice, you found me and arranged a fake marriage contract to silence him. According to the laws of Great Min, every child of a military family, upon reaching the age of twenty, must spend half a year at a frontier military camp.”

“When Yuan Yunfei left to serve, our contract would expire and we’d each return to our own families. The only condition was that you’d pay me five taels of silver.”

‘Each return to their own family’... Su Wanqiu couldn’t help repeating the phrase in her mind. It sounded odd, but she couldn’t put her finger on why.

Letting go of the detail, she smiled in satisfaction. “I’m glad you remember. We were supposed to wait another half year, but now that the Su family has been banished to the outer city, even if Yuan Yunfei tries to force the marriage, the laws of Great Min won’t allow it. So, our engagement can end here.”

Marriage between inner and outer city residents was forbidden. In fact, without special circumstances or official documentation, those from the outer city couldn’t even enter the inner city, except perhaps on festival days or in the event of a general amnesty.

So, while her family lamented their misfortune, Su Wanqiu felt secretly delighted.

Chen Chang’an, however, was overcome by a strange, inexplicable sense of loss, as if a piece of his heart had been carved away.

Used and discarded... thrown away after crossing the river... kicking a man when he’s down...

When he’d just come back from the Office of Penalties, he’d been considering whether to dissolve the engagement himself, since he hadn’t yet seen whether Su Wanqiu was his type—he planned to decide after his eyesight returned. Who could have guessed she’d beat him to it?

Noticing his subtle change in expression, Su Wanqiu said, “I know this might be sudden for you. Set out tomorrow morning. Today you can go out and find a place to stay.”

She pulled a heavy bundle from under the table and handed it to him. “Inside are the five taels of silver I promised you. Your household registration has moved with the Su family to the outer city. This money should last you a while.”

“In the future... well, if you encounter real trouble, you can come to me. I’ll help if I can.”

The future could wait, but for now, weren’t they still in the present? Chen Chang’an couldn’t quite explain his faint sense of disappointment and reluctance. Perhaps it was because, having just crossed into this world, he had no family of his own and yearned for a sense of belonging.

But whatever his emotions, the engagement had served its purpose—to fend off Yuan Yunfei’s advances. Now that Su Wanqiu had ended it, he had neither reason nor need to stay.

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Fortunately, thoughts of Piaoxiang Courtyard in his pocket brought a few threads of comfort. Chen Chang’an tossed his hair with a flourish, took the bundle, and said, “It’s fine. I’ll leave now.”

After two steps, he paused. “After all, I’ve lived here for some time. Every little thing is a memory; even the flowers and trees have feelings. I’ll follow your advice and leave tomorrow morning.”

His tone was heartfelt, his voice moving to the point of tears.

In truth, however, he was hoping to hitch a ride with the Su family’s moving carts out of the inner city the next day. With his registration now in the outer city, he wasn’t allowed to linger here. If caught, he’d be punished.

“Very well,” Su Wanqiu said simply, turning to leave.

Chen Chang’an’s ears twitched as he watched her recede into the distance, pondering Taohua’s exquisite beauty. He muttered to himself, “Forget it, I’ll visit Piaoxiang Courtyard tonight—maybe my eyes will recover.”

“Yes, I should also prepare something fun for Taohua, win more of her favor, and try to ensure I get to sleep with her soon. And I mustn’t forget to take every advantage I can.”

“But just relying on poetry won’t satisfy her for long. Besides, poetry is all about novelty. The first time works best; after that, she’ll grow tired of it.”

“It’s like when a playboy first courts a girl—flexing his biceps, looking fit, and she’s amazed. But after a while, her taste shifts and she only finds him crude.”

“So what should I prepare? Singing? My voice isn’t good. Popcorn? I can’t make it. Pole dancing? I’m no good at that either. Oh, right, I can do that!”

“Haha, I really am a genius. But I’d better head out soon and find a carpenter.”

...

That night, around the second quarter of the hour of the rooster, after Su Wanqiu began to snore softly, Chen Chang’an quietly slipped from his bedding on the floor. His sleeves and waistband were stuffed full. Taking out the Chronicle of Piaoxiang Courtyard from his bosom, he opened it, and a desire to visit the pleasure house arose in his mind.

In the next instant, a dizzying, world-upending sensation overwhelmed him, as if his head were being pummeled by a whack-a-mole mallet. Chen Chang’an called this the “Archimedes Laundry Machine Effect” of the world of color and pleasure.

Clenching his teeth, he endured until it passed. When everything returned to normal, he opened his eyes and found himself standing before the Piaoxiang Courtyard’s gate—now missing a character from its signboard.

“Sister Taohua, Chen Lang is here again!”

He pressed his palm to the door and slowly pushed it open, just as before. Yet his mood was radically different. Compared to last time, he felt no anxiety or doubt, no discomfort—only anticipation!