Love in Red Dust - Chapter 68

Chapter 68

She was so panicked she stamped her feet. "This is disastrous! Rujian has come to kill! Hurry, hurry..." In a flurry of chaos, she helped him fasten his belt, whispering urgently, "You must not go out. There is a ladder in the back; I’ll climb over the wall."

She was about to slip away when he pulled her back. How long could they hide like this? It was better to bring things out into the open so Rujian could prepare himself. If he hadn't tracked her down, they might have continued this tepid, secretive charade for a while longer, but now, there was no choice. They had been sneaking around for so long that even a Buddha would have been provoked to celestial wrath. They were an unmarried man and woman, mutually attracted—what did it have to do with anyone else? Why force these national enmities and family grudges upon themselves? Was this some way of inviting misery?

"Today, we will speak clearly, face to face." He gripped her wrist firmly. "My dear, I am taking you back to Beijing. Even if your third brother wants to stop me, it will be in vain. At worst, we will fight it out to the end. If he gets too aggressive, I’ll have him arrested and escorted back to the capital together with us!"

He usually had a mild temper, but when truly provoked, he became reckless. Dingyi cried out pleadingly, "Don't be like this! Rujian didn't force me; I followed my brother of my own volition."

He gave a mocking laugh. "Are you truly willing? He uses 'retreat as an advance.' He doesn't openly force you, but in reality, he drives people into a dead end. I hate being manipulated more than anything. If I were him, I would have just turned a blind eye. The case is already being investigated intensely, yet he keeps pressing step by step, driving people to a point where they have no path for survival—one cannot blame them for fighting back." After saying this, he muttered quietly to himself, "We are all men; who doesn't know the hardships of another? After wandering in exile for so many years, his mind must be shattered from the displacement. He makes others suffer the same bitterness he endured. Appearing at such a critical moment—if he wants my life, why should I not take his?"

He was muttering to himself, and Dingyi, not knowing what he was saying, tugged at his sleeve and asked, "What are you mumbling about? What do we do now?"

He adjusted his belt and collar, opened the door, and stepped out with his head held high.

There were many guards in the courtyard; it wouldn't be easy for him to break out with only three people. After all, the time for tearing off the masks hadn't come yet. They would be relatives for a long time to come, and he couldn't sever Dingyi’s ties to her maternal family. Thus, he remained polite, calling out in a loud voice: "Show no insolence. Invite my brother-in-law in to talk."

The guards obeyed, lining up on both sides and gesturing for Rujian to enter. Dingyi hid behind Hongce, truly fearing that Rujian’s sharp gaze would turn her into a sieve.

When men compete, it seems there is little for women to do. Hongce settled her to the side and bowed with a smile toward the furious Rujian. "Third Brother, have you finished your business? It’s raining; let’s not get soaked. Come inside and take shelter."

Rujian did not accept his favor, casting a glance at Dingyi as he said, "I dare not. Many thanks for your kindness. I came for my sister; once I find her, I will take her back. I ask that the Twelfth Prince clear the way, and I will be eternally grateful."

As he moved forward, Hongce timely blocked his path, still smiling kindly. "We are our own people; we can talk things through. You knew about Dingyi and me back in Suifenhe. You are a sensible man; why be so unforgiving when you have the upper hand? I have excellent tea here—let me have them brew a pot. Let us sit down and speak with absolute sincerity. Going in circles like this is no way to live; things that need resolving should be resolved. It is time for us to open our hearts to one another, don't you think, Third Brother?"

They exchanged subtle glances, each assessing the other. Rujian had suffered for all those years abroad, and to survive, one had to rely on guile. The business he had conducted previously was the same—he dealt with nothing but villains, and there was truth in the saying that one who touches ink becomes stained. Looking at the situation now, one had to admit that he had provided a massive push. The case of Wen Lu was merely an old, dusty affair; it was only because it hadn't been clean that others had found an opening. If there had been no leads and the investigators hadn't persisted, and if he hadn't submitted memorials to clarify the situation, it likely would have been swept under the rug. Therefore, he had to make the Prince unable to let go of the matter. As for how to curry favor—laying the bait without casting the net—Dingyi was his bait. Perhaps he hadn't truly harbored malice, just capitalizing on their mutual affection, but the feeling of being manipulated was unpleasant. Even more frustrating was knowing one had fallen into a trap yet diving in headlong anyway—who could blame him for being unable to let go of the vermilion mark on his heart? Later on, when Dingyi waited for him, Rujian was likely waiting for him as well. Otherwise, with his sharp nature, would he have failed to notice a new neighbor? Would he have allowed them to interact under his nose for so long? Slapping someone in the face and then offering a piece of candy—this strategy was one he understood perfectly. But he never mentioned any of this to Dingyi. After all, he was her own brother, found after so much difficulty. Family affection wasn't a bowl that, once broken, could be mended with staples. He didn't want to make her sad, so he accepted being manipulated—blissful ignorance, after all.

However, not saying anything didn't mean he was in the dark. He had to give Rujian a warning—letting him know, explicitly or implicitly, that the case would definitely be investigated to the end, but there was no need to let people lead him by the nose. He had his own judgment.

It was indeed time to talk. Rujian didn't fly into a rage; he turned and sat in an armchair. Instead of communicating directly with Hongce, he shifted his gaze to Dingyi, his tone quite stern. "I asked you before, and you said you didn't interact with the people next door and didn't know who they were. It seems you were lying to me." He pointed at the man across from him and asked, "Who is this? Someone who appeared out of thin air? When did you learn to tell lies?"

"Well... I didn't..." Dingyi was nervous; she had twisted the tassels on her purse into a tangled mess. She looked up at Rujian timidly; her eyes trembled, and she quickly lowered her gaze, shoulders hunched and body sagging like a child caught in a mistake.

Rujian sighed deeply. "Is this good? Two people locked in a room in broad daylight, in this ambiguous state. We dare not blame the Prince, but we have only ourselves to blame. What are your plans for the future? How will you live?"

With tears in her eyes, looking pitiful to the extreme, she shuffled forward two steps. "Third Brother, my feelings for him are not a game, as you know. He spent so much effort to find us, which shows he is sincere. You cannot force me to marry another; I am following him."

Rujian glared at her. "Is this how a young lady should speak? Hurry home! Don't make a spectacle of yourself here!"

Hongce, protective of his own, smiled to smooth things over. "Third Brother, stay calm. Dingyi is right; we have indeed invested our hearts into this. I am busy with official duties and not a man who can afford to play games; I am simply too attached to her to let her go. You took her from me before; if I hadn't been able to find her, I might have given up. But now that I have found her, I am sorry—even if I have to walk through mountains of blades and seas of fire, I will not be separated from her. I will not hide it from you, Third Brother: I return to the capital tomorrow and intend to take her with me. The case at home has leads, and the imperial marriage arrangements in the capital cannot be ignored. There are some matters we understand without speaking—as long as it benefits Dingyi, we can ignore what is right or wrong. You want to clear Father's name; my heart is the same as yours now. I will do my utmost; whatever I can do, I will do. The rest depends on the Heavens. In any case, one final word: regardless of whether the case is solved or not, Dingyi belongs to me. If you keep her here, the case will be handled; if you let her come with me, it will not only be handled, but handled brilliantly. The choice is yours, Third Brother."

His eloquence was truly impressive, leaving no gaps for Rujian to exploit. The implication was clear: if Dingyi didn't go with him, the case might be dismissed in a hurry; if she went with him, it would be a matter involving his own people, and he could turn wrong into right. Was that the meaning?

Rujian watched him, his brows knit. Hongce held a smile at the corners of his lips—the posture of a victor. He turned his head and snorted coldly. It was true: if he couldn't keep her, it was because the other man was more powerful; if she fell into his hands, the outcome depended on how he chose to treat her. Ultimately, it was for the sake of his father's case. He and his sister had no other support; finding a Prince was better than relying on anyone else. As for himself, he was technically a man with a crime; legally speaking, he could be sent back to Changbai Mountain. Since the other party didn't intend to pursue it, if he didn't take the stairs offered to him, he would be far too unworldly.

He assessed Dingyi. To give her away to someone else—his heart truly couldn't bear it. He knew his sister would marry sooner or later; there was no logic in keeping her for a lifetime. But their family was dead and gone; she was all he had left. He felt deeply for her and feared she would suffer grievances upon entering the Prince’s mansion.

He made a fist and tapped the table slowly; the thump-thump sounds echoed in the room. Only after a long while did he speak: "The daughter of the Wen family will not be a concubine. Can the Prince guarantee this?"

Seeing him waver, Hongce was naturally pleased. He nodded. "Not only will she not be a concubine, but my Prince Chun Mansion will have no second woman in charge. Please be assured of this, Third Brother."

That meant she would be the only one—that was quite good. Rujian thought for a moment and added, "Beijing is a crowded place with many eyes. Find another place to settle her. After all, before you are married, if she enters your Prince Chun Mansion at will, her reputation as a girl will be ruined. Even if you send a sedan chair with eight bearers to marry her properly in the future, she won't be able to hold her head high among the other sisters-in-law."

The young lovers were passionately in love—a mistake easily made. Rujian’s remark served as a reminder to Hongce, who quickly said, "Third Brother is thoughtful. Upon returning, I will immediately send men to purchase a residence."

Rujian nodded in approval. "I cannot leave my business here for the time being. I will return to the capital once everything is settled. I have only this one sister; I must personally see her onto the flower sedan chair."

Dingyi felt an unpleasant pang, feeling she had betrayed her brother and suffering under the weight of her conscience. She blinked and called out "Third Brother," but he merely glanced at her sideways, growling in a rough voice, "Don't put on an act. You’re likely happy inside—a daughter grown is like water spilled!" Her throat tightened with emotion.

Hongce, one of his worries finally put to rest, looked completely satisfied. He laughed aloud, "Third Brother, do not be angry. Your sister is still yours; it is just that someone else will provide for her. It is all the same. Is your mountain project going smoothly? If you run into any difficulties, just speak to Master Pang; there is nothing that cannot be resolved."

Rujian was surprised. No wonder it had been so easy to secure the mountain early on. Logically speaking, a stranger without connections could not have easily participated in such official back-door dealings. It turned out he had been pulling the strings behind the scenes. So, this seemingly upright Prince was perhaps not as immaculate as he appeared!

He bowed to him with folded fists. "Many thanks, Your Highness, for your care. To be honest, this kind of business has no contracts. Spending silver without any security made me uneasy. Now that I know there is this connection, I am at peace. Since we are all family, once Zao'er marries, the bones are broken but the tendons remain connected. The Prince surely will not harm me."

Hongce gave a gentle smile. A gust of wind blew in through the half-open window, fluttering the purple lamb fur trim on his collar. His side profile held a hint of unpredictability. It was only for a moment; then he pressed his lips together and nodded. That sense of weight belonging to imperial kin was daunting.

Rujian turned to look at Dingyi, who was also staring blankly at him. She grinned and said, "Third Brother, when are you returning to the capital?"

Returning to the capital would happen sooner or later. When the case reached its end, he would inevitably have to appear in person, and it wouldn't be a matter of just kneeling in the great hall and kowtowing a few times. Although Dingyi had once served in the Shuntian Prefecture, she had never witnessed anyone testifying against an imperial official and didn't know the severity of it. A commoner accusing an official—regardless of whether the accusation was accurate, the moment one stepped into the hall, one was given fifty strokes of the bamboo cane. To petition the palace was the act of a "rebellious commoner," and one would first be beaten until the skin was torn and the flesh mangled. If the jailers were truly hitting hard, one wouldn't even have the breath to gasp, let alone speak. If the facts couldn't be verified in a day, one spent the day in prison. In the end, even if one’s grievances were redressed, the person one had brought down was of the highest rank among the highest, and one would still be guilty. At best, one would be exiled a thousand li; at worst, beheaded to show the public. In these times, where was there any reason to be found?

He examined the Twelfth Prince, who remained composed, showing no indication of his intent. Very well. If he was to overturn the case for his father, and one life was lost for the sake of justice, he felt no loss. He should have died with Ruliang and the others long ago. Saving this life to redress their grievances—it was worth it.

He smiled. "You settle in first. I will return to the capital whenever the Twelfth Prince sends word. Remember your Third Brother’s words: for a young lady, one’s face and reputation must be earned by oneself, not granted by others. If there are things you cannot concede, you must insist to the end. For instance, if you feel something is right, there is no need to hesitate or try to talk yourself out of it. Although our family has fallen, we cannot lose our backbone. Since you and the Twelfth Prince have decided to spend a lifetime together, you must trust each other. If there is anything unsatisfactory, discuss it peacefully. You have no one else to rely on in the capital; you only have him."

For a brother to reach this level of devotion, it felt almost like being both father and mother to her. Dingyi puckered her lips and wiped away her tears. "Don't worry, I have remembered everything. When I return, I will go to Xinglong Street to find them and explain everything clearly, asking them to take me in. Even if it is a case of 'a hot face pressed against a cold backside,' it is better to have a place to leave from, so people won't mock us."

The siblings had agreed. Hongce could not insert himself into their conversation and had no objections. The Xinglong Street they spoke of was the home of a cousin on her mother’s side. Her mother’s brother held an official position in the capital—working as a secretary in the Hanlin Academy, a low-ranking fifth-grade official, barely scraping by. If they truly wanted to go to their house, they wouldn't need to ask—a single word of interest would have the family rushing to receive them like ancestors.

"That is something Third Brother need not worry about. I have heard Dingyi’s intentions; we shall discuss her plans after we return to the capital." He said warmly, "You may rest easy in handing her over to me. I cherish my own Fujin; I will not let her suffer the slightest grievance. If I truly didn't care about her, why would I have spent such great effort searching for her whereabouts?" He turned his head to instruct his subordinates: "Public business is postponed for today. Go prepare a banquet; the brother-in-law and I shall drink heartily. Last time in Suifenhe, you were still under the guise of Yue Kun-duo; we were busy exchanging probing words, our hearts divided by a barrier. Now it is different; with her as the bond between us, we can speak openly."

His eyes were filled with a smile as he turned to look at her, reaching out an arm to scoop her hand into his palm.