No One Knew the Marquis Was a Woman - Chapter 1

I wanted to drop my trousers and prove my innocence.

But I couldn’t.

Deceiving the emperor was a crime that could get my whole clan, all nine branches of kin, executed.

It was all my late father’s fault. He’d tried for half his life and still failed to produce a son.

Our family had a hereditary title to pass on, so he and my mother came up with the brilliant idea of raising their daughter as a boy.

And what a success I was.

In more than twenty years, no one had discovered I was a woman. Even Lu Xing, who had fought beside me and eaten and slept alongside me every day on campaign, called me the manliest man he’d ever met.

The emperor asked, “Are you going to acknowledge this son?”

Delighted, I said, “I’m allowed to refuse?”

He gestured for me to turn around.

Lu Xing stood at the entrance to the hall holding the little boy’s hand. The child wore a face full of grievances and looked exactly like I had at his age.

We didn’t need a blood test. There was no denying he was mine.

“And what’s the story with the woman?” the emperor asked.

I stammered, “Well, it’s complicated, but simple, really. One thing led to another, and it just happened. Honestly, none of us wanted things to turn out this way…”

“Speak plainly.”

“Someone drugged me with an aphrodisiac years ago. I must have conceived him that night.”

The child really was mine. As for who his father was, I reserved judgment.

The emperor turned to Lu Xing. “And what’s your explanation?”

Lu Xing answered cheerfully, “I met the boy at the border and knew at a glance he was Ah Kun’s. Ah Kun is my good brother. His son is my son, so of course I brought our boy back to the capital.”

“So you decided his wife was yours as well?” the emperor asked coolly.

“Of course not. I’m an honest man.”

The emperor made a retching sound. “Then how did she get pregnant?”

“Oh. Someone drugged me with an aphrodisiac on the way back to the capital.”

Through gritted teeth, the emperor said, “Such fine brothers. You share your good fortune and your aphrodisiacs.”

Lu Xing scratched his head and beamed at me. “His Majesty is praising us.”

“Will you shut up?”

“What do you intend to do with the woman?” the emperor asked.

Lu Xing had effectively been silenced, so I had to answer. “She can stay at my place for the first half of each month and at Lu Xing’s for the second. We should share the favor equally, just as Your Majesty does.”

Lu Xing shot me an approving look.

“You shut up too!”

Someone came to report. “Your Majesty, the woman General Lu brought back tried to set herself on fire. She seems determined to die.”

“What happened?”

“We saved her, but the general’s residence burned down.”

Lu Xing thrust the child into my arms and hurried out of the hall. My heart soured. I hadn’t realized the woman mattered so much to him that he would forget himself in front of the throne.

As he ran, he shouted, “Don’t worry about it, Your Majesty! Ah Kun’s marquis estate is big. I’ll go pack and move in. We’re all one family. We can live together!”

“…”

For fuck’s sake. Could he treat me like an outsider just once?

And that was how things stood. One dark, windy night, while Lu Xing slept, I slipped into the room of the woman carrying his child.

I opened the door. The person inside was bathing.

I closed it and thought back over what I’d seen.

Shit. Why was her chest flatter than mine?

Wait. Why was she a man?

I began to wonder whether men could get pregnant.

“Get in here,” came a voice from inside.

“You could speak a little more politely to the owner of this house.”

“Please get in here.”

I wanted to file a complaint. Someone was stealing my whole act. I disguised myself as a man; he disguised himself as a woman. As if he could beat me at that game. I’d perfected playing a man. Could he possibly play a woman better?

I entered. He was dressed again and combing his hair before a mirror. His long brows swept toward his temples; his face was as lovely as a lotus blossom.

My imaginary cock sprang to attention.

He won.

“I’m Ah Jiu,” he said. “Our superiors aren’t pleased with how little you’ve been doing lately. They sent me to keep an eye on you.”

Surprised? There were layers to my character.

By day, I was the Marquis of Yongping in the state of Ning. In secret, I was a spy for the state of Yan.

It wasn’t my choice. Both my parents were Yan spies. A daughter inherited her father’s work along with his debts.

When I was drugged with an aphrodisiac, I had apparently forced myself on some man, though I had no idea who. I couldn’t hide the pregnancy from the organization. They sent people to cover for me and helped me deliver the child safely.

Then they took the child away to keep me under their thumb.

Now, probably to warn me, they’d sent Ah Jiu back with him. What I hadn’t expected was that Ah Jiu would be a man.

“You can supervise me all you like,” I said, “but how can you abuse your position to screw my man?”

“…”

“I mean, how did you get yourself pregnant? A boy ought to take care of himself when he’s away from home.”

Ah Jiu’s gorgeous face twisted for a moment. “You think I wanted this?”

I pulled out some sunflower seeds. “Tell me your story.”

It wasn’t a complicated one. He’d meant to bring the child to the capital to find me, but Lu Xing ran into them at the border.

Old habits took over. Ah Jiu decided to seize the chance and kill Lu Xing, but he pulled out the wrong drug.

Nothing happened between them. Lu Xing’s deputy discovered Ah Jiu, however, so Ah Jiu played along and staged the scene to make it look as though he’d spent the night with Lu Xing.

“Then why claim you were pregnant?” I asked.

Ah Jiu gnashed his teeth and mimicked Lu Xing. “I’ve wronged my brother. He’d surely forgive me, but I could never forgive myself. So you must die.”

I nodded approvingly. Ah Jiu glared at me, and I hastily shook my head instead.

“So that’s when you became pregnant?”

He nodded, looking thoroughly miserable.

I pictured the scene: Ah Jiu clinging to Lu Xing’s leg, weeping prettily. “But I’m carrying your child!”

Lu Xing agonizing over it, breaking down, lowering his blade, then embracing him. “The child is innocent, after all.”

I shuddered.