The journey to Moonvilla took nearly two hours by carriage. Their escort consisted of a bunch of maids, two of whom Qin Wei 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, a bustling City where jade pavilions, polished stone roads, and soaring towers mixed ancient elegance with prosperity.
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was… quite restrained.
Qin Wei 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 the mere act of being near him required mental discipline.
He didn't take it personally. Now that they had a divorce agreement settled, there was no need to think much about her.
"Moonvilla, huh…" Qin Wei muttered, glancing up at the light filtering through the silk curtains. "Sounds fancy."
Li Xue opened her eyes and said coolly, even though he didn't ask, "It was a gift given by the 3rd Emperor to my late great-grandfather on his marriage. My father had it renovated for us. He's spoiling you for sure."
"And so were you," Qin Wei replied with a slight grin. "After all, you are going to gift it to me once we separate."
Li Xue stiffened at that statement. "Yeah, sometimes, I feel like I'm too generous."
Qin Wei chuckled softly and leaned back. "Honestly, you were, I must say."
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.
Plum trees bloomed in quiet defiance of the season, and a subtle mist clung to the winding stone paths.
Jade lanterns hung from every roof corner, giving the villa a faintly otherworldly glow.
Stepping down from the carriage, Qin Wei took it all in with a low whistle. "This is… nicer than I expected."
"Get used to it, then," Li Xue said as she followed him down, robes fluttering. "Once I return to my sect, it will be you and Roulan managing this place."
"Right. Can't wait for our honeymoon to end," he muttered with 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, Qin Wei 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 give him the rules."
Without waiting for acknowledgment, she turned and headed straight toward the Moonlight Hall, her robes trailing like cold mist behind her.
Qin Wei 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, Qin Wei'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.
Ten maids followed them in total, a curated entourage of labor, loyalty, and surveillance. Four service maids to take care of his bath, food, and grooming. Four housemaids were to take care of his courtyard, cleaning the residence. And two battle maids to take care of his security.
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."
Qin Wei 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.
Rule Two: You are forbidden from laying a hand on any of the maids assigned to you by the Li Clan. Violation will result in immediate expulsion.
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 for propriety's sake.
Rule Five: The clan will cover all your residence's operating expenses. You will also receive a monthly allowance of 200 taels, with an additional 500 taels for clothing and personal needs, at my discretion."
Qin Wei chuckled. "So, you're the one judging my taste in robes, too?"
Roulan shot him a dry look and continued without missing a beat.
"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.
Qin Wei 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.
Qin Wei didn't bother to argue or react to any of Roulan's words.
Most of those conditions had already been printed in black ink on the impersonal divorce agreement he signed two nights ago. Nothing she said surprised him.
Sixteen months. He had to hold out for another sixteen months. That's all.
As long as no heir was born during that time, not that it was ever likely, the divorce would go into full effect. No strings attached. Li Xue would return to her clan, and he, in turn, would be left with the Moonvilla estate. Of course, he would plan on living in Beiling City after the divorce. The Li Clan might skin him alive if he does that. He will just sell the Moonvilla for a hefty sum and travel around the world, see what this world has to offer.
Qin Wei 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 then she bowed slightly, turned, and exited without another word. The heavy wooden door slid shut with a soft thunk.
As silence settled over the room, Qin Wei let himself fall backward onto the bed, arms spread, robes crinkling beneath him.
"Ugh…" he groaned, staring at the painted ceiling of clouds and cranes.
"those damn rules are too insulting."