Moving into new residence

Three days later, Alex and Li Xue met again at the ancestral temple. While Li Xue seemed to be a bit nervous while staring at him, Alex seemed awfully calm.

But neither of them talked.

Well, they are not allowed to talk, yet.

Both of them proceed to the temple.

Beneath the towering eaves of the Li Clan's ancestral temple, Alex and Li Xue then knelt side by side.

The ancestral plaques of the Li Clan loomed over them, their names etched in archaic script.

Alex's forehead touched the cold marble floor as he kowtowed thrice, mimicking Li Xue's precise movements.

When the rites concluded, an elder priest gave a formal nod, and an elder came forward with a scroll.

He unfurled it and announced in a loud, clear voice that the newlyweds were officially being granted their marital residence, Moonvilla.

The next phase of their married life had begun.

*

The journey to Moonvilla took nearly two hours by carriage.

Their escort consisted of a bunch of maids, two of whom Alex recognized as Li Xue's personal attendants, and a handful of armed guards clad in the Li Clan's blue-and-white armor.

The road curved gracefully through the core of Beiling City, which looked quite bustling during the morning.

Inside the carriage, however, the atmosphere was… quite restrained.

Alex sat comfortably with a hand resting on his knee, peering out the window with idle curiosity.

Li Xue, by contrast, sat straight-backed, arms folded, eyes closed in light meditation, as though she had no intention to talk to him. Alex didn't disturb her either.

When they finally arrived, the carriage slowed at a pristine stone gate etched with moon motifs.

Twin lion statues flanked the entrance, their marble eyes sharp, as though judging those who dared to enter.

As the gate opened with a soft creak, the full beauty of Moonvilla unfolded.

The residence sprawled across several courtyards, interconnected by covered walkways and surrounded by tranquil ponds filled with pale lotus blossoms.

Stepping down from the carriage, Alex took it all in with a low whistle. "This is… nicer than I expected."

"Get used to it, then," Li Xue said at last as she followed him down, but her voice seemed quite cold, in contrast to the words she wrote him in the letter. "Once I return to my sect, it will be you and Roulan managing this place."

Alex didn't know what was happening with her, but he played along with a mock cheer. 

Roulan, who stood nearby giving orders to the servants to begin unloading their belongings, gave a loud snort but said nothing.

As the maids scattered into motion and guards took their posts, Alex stood still for a moment at the steps of the main hall.

His gaze swept across the courtyard, then up toward the villa's main structure, the Moonlight Hall, where he would be spending most of his days.

Or so he expected.

But then, Li Xue gave him a twist.

"Roulan," she said sharply, her tone brisk and formal. "Take him to his quarters and recite to him the rules."

Without waiting for acknowledgment, she turned and headed straight toward the Moonlight Hall, leaving behind a surprised Alex. "Eh?"

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, adjusting the cuffs of his new robe.

Roulan motioned silently, and he followed her southward, toward a quieter part of the estate instead.

The southern wing was separated from the main residence by a line of red maples and a gently arching moon bridge.

The moment they passed beneath the willow gate, Alex's new living space unfolded before him: five spacious rooms wrapped around a small courtyard, with a two-story study building to the side and a long stone path flanked by ornamental lanterns.

It was nothing like the main residence, but since it screams privacy, he wouldn't mind living here either. After all, he lived for 10 years in his past life, confined himself to those four walls, writing novels all the time. Isolation doesn't scare him. 

As soon as he entered the main chamber and took a seat beneath a wide painting of bamboo and cranes, Roulan remained standing and cleared her throat.

"Now that we're here, Young Master Qin," she began with practiced crispness, "here are the house rules as dictated by Lady Xue and approved by the Patriarch himself."

Alex arched an eyebrow and leaned back slightly. "Can't wait."

Roulan ignored the sarcasm.

"Rule One: You are not to step outside this residence without at least one battle maid accompanying you. This is non-negotiable."

"Hmm..."

Rule Two: You are forbidden from laying a hand on any of the maids assigned to you by the Li Clan. 

Rule Three: You may hire tongfang maids for personal service if you wish, but their costs are your burden, not the clan's.

Rule Four: Whenever a relative from the Li Clan visits Moonvilla, if Lady Xue is present, you will defer to her in all matters. If she is not, you will host them yourself and must spend the night in the main residence.

Rule Five: The clan will cover all your residence's operating expenses. You will also receive a monthly allowance of 200 taels, which you have an entire freedom to spend however you want. An additional 500 taels will be given for other expenses, but it has to be accounted for.

"Rule Six: You may not take in a concubine without Lady Xue's written approval.

Rule Seven: You are strictly forbidden from visiting brothels or gambling houses during the period of this marriage.

Rule Eight: If you wish to employ any servant or bodyguard with Rank-5 cultivation or higher, I am to conduct a full background and identity verification.

Rule Nine: You may accept gifts, but you must report each one to Lady Xue, in writing.

Rule Ten: You may not leave Beiling City without Lady Xue's express permission. In emergencies where she is unavailable, I have full authority to act in her stead.

And finally, Rule Eleven: You may not use the name of the Li Clan to intimidate or threaten others unless the situation is clearly hostile and you were not the instigator."

She finished reciting without so much as glancing at a scroll.

Alex rose from his seat slowly, walking to the open window overlooking the moon garden. The distant sound of water trickling from a bamboo fountain echoed lightly in the background.

"So," he said, tone light but edged with thought, "I'm a bird in a golden cage, and you're the guard dog?"

Roulan bowed slightly. "If you may consider yourself as a bird in a cage, then, yes, I'm the cage keeper with a leash."

A moment of silence passed.

Alex didn't bother to argue or react to any of Roulan's words. He simply nodded to Roulan. "I understand."

He didn't ask further questions. Just turned his back, heading toward the bed. "I'm a bit tired," he said flatly. "I'll rest for now."

Roulan hesitated for a fraction of a second, perhaps expecting him to demand more, or perhaps curious if he would lash out, but seeing no such reaction, the battle maid bowed slightly, turned, and walked away without another word. The heavy wooden door slid shut with a soft thunk.

As silence settled over the room, Alex let himself fall backward onto the bed with his arms spread. "Ugh…" he groaned, staring at the painted ceiling of clouds and cranes.

"Those damn rules are too insulting."

Can't go out alone. Can't touch the maids. Must get permission to sneeze. Must walk the line, dance the part, smile for the elders like some goddamn actor in a play.

In no time, he appeared to have drifted into sleep.

But not long after, from the shadows of the dimly lit room, a figure emerged, tall, graceful, and cloaked in tight-fitting assassin's garb.

Her face was hidden beneath a thin muslin veil, and her long hair flowed like dark silk down her back. 

She reached the bed soundlessly, like her presence no more disruptive than the wind. Sitting beside him, she slowly raised a gleaming dagger with both hands.

But just as she began to drive the weapon down…

His hand snapped up, catching her wrist in reflex.

Alex's eyes flared open at the same time, and in an instant, they shifted, one eye turning radiant white while the other pitch black. The glow became intense.

"Wha..."

The assassin gasped softly in surprise. That moment of hesitation was all he needed.

They struggled, her blade knocked away with a twist of his elbow. She fell back, and he pinned her to the bed in one smooth motion, his body pressed against hers. "Who are..."

Her veil slipped, revealing her face.

Alex froze for a breath. He recognized the face. "Jiang Ni?" he murmured, his voice low.