Love in Red Dust - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

The pain she was suffering and the inner struggle she endured were things he could not share, no matter how anxious he felt. Just like the trials one must inevitably face in life, once tempered by fire, one reaches a new realm—hardened like steel in a hundred forges. In the future, she would surely be invulnerable, and he would never let her suffer even the slightest bit of pain again.

He held her in his arms, stroking her face. It was hard on her; she had gritted her teeth and pushed through the entire night. For a girl, crossing mountains and ridges was an immense physical drain. With her spiritual anchor suddenly vanishing, it was inevitable that she would be crushed by reality.

The accompanying Goshaha (bodyguards) arrived quite quickly; not long after, they reached the location. This place was nothing but shacks, incredibly filthy, and it was hard to settle people in properly, so they had to pitch tents on the spot. Ignoring everything else for the moment, they gathered a fire basin to keep her warm and had the local headman prepare rice porridge so that when she woke up, she would be able to warm her body.

The Seventh Prince, as usual, arrived late. By the time he appeared, everything was already settled. He walked over, frowned deeply, and barked, "If you don't have the ability, why learn to run away? Look at this sorry state! What happened? Did she freeze to the point of passing out?"

Hongce found it difficult to say anything and gave a vague response. The Seventh Prince became irritated, his voice rising, "This one is truly loyal. Knowing you were here to investigate the case, he didn't even care about his own master and came here, risking his life to accompany a gentleman. I've lectured him so many times, but he doesn't listen—he's as stubborn as a donkey!" He turned his head to look at the person on the couch; she looked so pathetic, listless and dejected, so he stopped. He leaned in to observe, sighing as he did so, "What kind of physique do you have, yet you pretend to be a man! Old Twelfth, it’s not that your brother wants to lecture you, but if you wanted my people to help, you should have at least let me know so I’d have an idea of what was going on. To quietly spirit them away like this—do you know what I’m thinking? At the very least, I am a Prince of the First Rank; when people see me, they must call me 'Master.' But here, I am nothing but a fool—a stupid brother who understands nothing of right or wrong, don't you think?"

The Seventh Prince wanted to settle old scores, and once he started, there was a lot to untangle. Hongce replied, "Seventh Brother, saying such things makes it impossible for your brother to live. The situation happened suddenly. Xiaoshu had good intentions, thinking that if we had clues to the case early on, we could get to Ningguta sooner. She knew you were afraid of the cold and was worried about the master suffering for too long—wasn't that also an act of filial piety?"

Upon hearing this, the Seventh Prince realized it was done for his sake, and all his dissatisfaction instantly dissipated. He turned around to look down at Xiaoshu, thinking, Truly, he is adorable in every way!

Hongce was still preoccupied with the three Wen brothers. There were tens of thousands of slaves (Aha) coming and going, yet as soon as Master Ren mentioned Wen Lu’s sons, he could remember them. Were they really that memorable? Since he could remember them, those who lived and ate together with them would surely not forget.

He stepped outside to take a look at the grazing field. With so many people, even if the farm manager had warned them of something, after being immersed in suffering for so long, if he offered them a little benefit, he wasn't worried about failing to extract the truth.

He sighed deeply, looking at the dense fog before him. Even if only one of the three remained, it would be a comfort to her.

He called Sha Tong over and gave instructions to the Goshaha to split up and investigate. For years, the same problem had existed in both the Changbai Mountains and Ningguta: the number of slaves was decreasing rapidly. Examining them one by one, there were very few in their prime; they were almost all old, weak, sick, or disabled. Criminals punished by the imperial court were no different from livestock once they arrived here; it was inevitable that random slaughter and trafficking would occur… If they had been trafficked, it would be better; perhaps there would be a glimmer of hope. He had a faint impression of the Wen brothers. Sons of officials ranked second grade or higher were born to be imperial guards; he had sparred with them on the Buku (wrestling) field when he practiced riding and archery back then. Later, he went to Khalkha, and only upon returning did he learn that the Wen family had fallen. If he had known early on that he would meet the Wen family’s daughter, he would have reached out a hand to help; at the very least, the three brothers wouldn't be in this state now.

While the outside was busy with investigations, the Seventh Prince in the tent wasn't idle either. He was cooling down boiled water for Xiaoshu, fumbling as he moved the water back and forth between two bowls, muttering to himself, "Boiling water burns the mouth; I hate eating hot food the most. My mother always said I was a cat reincarnated and couldn't eat hot food. Let me be a cat—only dogs don't care if it's hot or cold, right? I have many bad habits; once you follow me, you'll know." He leaned forward and nudged the foot of the couch. "That's about enough; time to wake up. Running around the world with someone, and after all that, I still have to wait on you. You have such good fortune! Even my own mother has never drunk water I’ve cooled."

He rambled on, finally talking the person awake. He hurriedly leaned against the edge of the couch to feed him. "Come, come, open your mouth. Do you like chestnut powder? Eating chestnut powder in winter is an old custom. When we return to the Imperial Manor, I’ll have someone steam some for you, alright?"

Dingyi was still dazed, looking left and right, not knowing where she was. When she saw the person in front of her, she was startled and hurriedly sat up, stuttering, "That… Master… Master, why are you here?"

"I'm chasing a runaway slave. Who told you to run off without a word?" He pressed the edge of the bowl against his lips. "Drink a sip; I'll have someone get more rice porridge. Let me ask you, can you stop acting on your own initiative in the future? Although I know your loyalty is true, wanting to finish the case early so that I can leave this place, you should consult with me before doing things. I am not an unreasonable person. When you were by my side, when did I ever scold you, right? I always reason with you—hey, I love reasoning most of all, because I have the high ground, unlike you, who is like a monkey holding a lantern..." He kept talking, and as Xiaoshu drank the water, he glared at him. He suddenly felt guilty, wondering if he had said something wrong—was he usually unreasonable? He reflected on it for a moment, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. Instead, he remembered his earlier plan. Stripping him of his clothes wasn't the right time; there were too many eyes around. This had to be done in private. He would just tell him his thoughts so he could be prepared.

But how to start? He felt a bit embarrassed. He hesitated and looked at him. "Shu, let me ask you a question: do you have a sweetheart in Beijing?"

Dingyi was at a loss. "I… I don't have anyone in mind yet. Why does Master ask this?"

"I know a person. They’re beautiful, with big eyes and a high bridge of the nose. They have a good background and money—so much that they can’t spend it all—with servants and maids at their beck and call… And most importantly, this person has an easygoing temper. They have no worries all day long; training falcons, listening to opera—living such a vibrant life."

She didn't understand what he was trying to do. She had just suffered a massive blow and had no interest in engaging with him, so she said, "Who is it, to be so unproductive?"

The Seventh Prince was choked by her words and froze. It took him a long time to come to his senses. He rubbed his nose and said, "The person has money in their hands, so why would they need to produce anything? The imperial court doesn't allow bannermen to compete for profit with commoners; they aren't even allowed to open businesses. So, one can only eat, drink, and play! It's enough to eat well and live well; fortune is brought from the womb—you can't make them 'cut their bones to return to their father' (to become a commoner)!"

That made some sense, so she nodded. "Then why are you telling me this?"

The Seventh Prince’s tone was matter-of-fact. "I’m playing matchmaker."

Dingyi choked on the water and began to cough, covering her mouth. She thought to herself, The Twelfth Prince said not to let the Seventh Prince know, yet he already knows everything. The one he was describing—one could tell immediately it was a man. It was her own lack of restraint; when she heard that Ruliang and the others had all died, she had lost her composure and couldn't care about anything else. Although the Seventh Prince was foolish, his brain was sharp when it mattered. She had underestimated him too much.

"No, no, I am still young. I don't want to find anyone. Thank you for your kindness, Master..."

The Seventh Prince clicked his tongue. "Why are you like my grand-aunt? She lived to be ancient, and when people asked, 'How old are you, my lady?' she would say, 'I'm still young, only ninety-nine.' Aren't you turning eighteen? It's time to find a partner." After saying this, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and mumbled, "Actually, two men living together can also live very well. Why must you force yourself to be with a woman? Women are only good for bearing children, and children can be born with anyone—getting children isn't hard... What is rare in this world is mutual affection. When the feelings are there, it doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman. Living together happily—a person's life is like a white horse passing a crevice, it ends in the blink of an eye."

Dingyi was even more confused. Two men living together? He still didn't understand her situation. Knowing she was a man and still trying to play matchmaker—it truly scared her out of her wits. She tremblingly said, "Master, please don't joke. This won't do. I am a clean, innocent person; I have never thought of 'going into the trade.' If you introduce me to this person, aren't you ruining me?"

The Seventh Prince felt deeply wronged. "How could this be ruining you? I am doing this with you in mind. Think about it: are you poor? Yes, you have no money and cannot let your master live a good life; that is unfilial. There is a way here for you to fulfill your filial piety and never worry about food or drink again. Of course, I don't mean for you to sell yourself; I am using my feelings—I am sincere towards you. I have lived this long and have never cared for anyone. Whoever I liked would come just by me beckoning. As for you, I’ve been racking my brains not knowing how to handle it; I even dream of you in the middle of the night. My love is so deep..."

Dingyi was completely stunned now. She pointed a finger at him and asked, trembling, "The person you mentioned… is it you yourself?"

The Seventh Prince had let it slip unintentionally. His face, which had not blushed in a thousand years, burned bright red. He thought, Might as well just be blunt. If I’m too late, I'll fall behind Old Twelfth again. As a proper master, he still had a great advantage. So, he gathered his courage and said that was correct, "It's me! So what? What point am I inferior to others? I’m not missing arms or legs; I can hear and speak, more complete than anyone. I have a good father and a good mother. I have a reputation for being dissolute, so everyone has no expectations of me; I can do whatever I want. Unlike some people—pillars of the court and beams of the country—if you follow them, you’ll definitely be ruined. Think about it yourself; the risk is too high, it's not worth your life. Better to be with me. I will provide you with good food and drink, I will cherish you and love you, and I guarantee you will live better than my Fujin (wife). How about it?"

What kind of madness was this? The shocks she had received before were nothing compared to this. What exactly was in the Seventh Prince's head? How could the same person be so ridiculously off-the-wall!

He saw her silent and was very anxious. "Don't think about it anymore; I won't treat you badly. I have nothing else, just loyalty. If you are with me, it’s ten thousand times better than being with Hongce. Don't look at him as a Prince of the First Rank; if anything goes wrong in Khalkha one day, he will be the first one to suffer. 'When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer'—do you still want to keep your head and eat? As long as you submit to me, I will buy you a mansion. Your work will stay the same; you’ll still be a falcon… trainer. No one will dare say you just eat and don't work. Look, what a great deal—it's guaranteed profit without loss."

Dingyi was left completely dumbfounded. "…I never thought you were this kind of person!"

Honestly, the Seventh Prince hadn't thought so either. That he had become this way—wasn't it all because of her? Could he push all the blame away?

"I was a man of integrity too. How many people sent pretty boys to flatter me? Did I even look? That was before I met you! Actually, you’re not particularly outstanding; you’re short and stubborn, but I'm bewitched—what can I do? If you have an antidote, give it to me; I wouldn't say a word and would swallow it immediately. I am more anxious than you are about being like this. My concubines at home are waiting for me to produce a son, but now my brain is full of you, Heavens!" As he spoke, a flash of inspiration hit him. "Hey, I see you can fool people in women's clothing. If you're willing, I'll give you a formal status. How about being my sole favorite from now on?"

Dingyi couldn't speak, feeling both embarrassed and helpless. Running into this person, he came up with ideas one after another, leaving one speechless. The more you argued with him, the more energized he became; he would ponder and add to it until he could paint a beautiful picture. She couldn't tell the truth; the Twelfth Prince had warned her, fearing trouble. If she didn't tell the truth, this man could drive her to vomit blood. She couldn't take it anymore and said bluntly, "I appreciate your kindness, Master, but I… have never thought of anything like that with you. A man should stand on his own two feet. Even if it's gathering firewood or rolling fire ropes, I cannot sell myself!"

The Seventh Prince said in surprise, "Who told you to sell yourself? I have feelings for you; can this be called selling yourself? Do you have no feelings for me at all? I don't look bad; I'm not missing an eye compared to Old Twelfth—why do you look down on me? Let me tell you, the less I can get, the more I want to snatch it. Don't force me; if you push me too far, I'll take you by force, and don't you regret it."

Wasn't this just a rogue? Dingyi shrank back. "You can't do this, you are a Prince…"

"I am also your rightful master! You are mine from the top of your head to the soles of your feet, understand? Do you know what a 'Bao-yi' (bondsman) is?" He thought for a moment. "As long as you’re wearing clothes, you’re your own; once you take them off, you belong to me!"

"What kind of talk is that?" She flushed red. "I must carry on the incense of our family..."

"Carry on what? Your family has no one left. If you don't carry it on, can your parents climb out of the grave to scold you? Hey, why are you dodging? Can I eat you?" Her resistant movements made him very angry. Thinking of her intimate manner with Hongce, he decided to just do it. He reached out with both hands to cup his face and kissed those red, pouting lips.