Love in Red Dust - Chapter 78

Chapter 78

It was originally said that an imperial decree would be issued to bestow the marriage on the day of the Beginning of Spring, but in the end, no such decree was announced. Dingyi knew that Hongce had gone into the palace to smooth things over, though she did not pry into the specific reasons. In truth, it was obvious without asking; he always wanted to give her the best. If the decree had been issued, her status would be set in stone. If it wasn't, there was still room for maneuver.

Rujian had returned from Shanxi, but wary of any moves Hongzan might make, he hid in the Jiuciju Alley and rarely ventured out. When he inquired about their marriage and heard about her being named a Side Consort, his face immediately filled with immense dissatisfaction. Who would willingly let their own sister be a concubine? Even though their family status had diminished, a daughter of the house should marry into a high position. If the status was not right, he would absolutely not agree to it.

"I once told the Twelfth Prince that the daughters of the Wen family do not become concubines. Does the Twelfth Prince still remember that?" They were eating around a table—a dinner table was a good place for negotiations—and Rujian's face was grim. "Don't ask for Dingyi’s opinion; she is muddle-headed, and once she gets a bit overwhelmed, she loses all sense of caution. Her natal family is not yet extinct, so her marriage is not for her to decide alone. If the Twelfth Prince cannot keep his promise, then return my sister to me. Even if she never marries in the future, I will support her for the rest of my life."

Hongce felt sheepish. This brother-in-law was not easy to deal with; one's natal family was as important as the heavens. If he really took his sister back, wouldn't his daydream have been for nothing?

"Third Brother, please keep your cool. It’s almost the New Year; auspiciousness is what matters." He poured him wine with a flattering smile. "Regarding the title of Side Consort, you don't need to be angry—even I was not satisfied with it. You know the feelings between Dingyi and me; I would rather wrong myself than wrong her. So please rest assured, Third Brother, I will definitely find a way to handle this properly. As for the case of the Censorate, the Duke of Zhen was taken into custody three days ago. I have already presented the details to the Emperor and await his decision. The palace's intention is to hold a joint trial, inviting the Prince Zhuang to attend alongside the Three Ministries and Nine Ministers. In this way, the news from the court will be made public immediately, and those with guilty consciences will certainly be unable to restrain themselves. There is no guarantee they won't repeat the old path of harming my father-in-law. I have weighed it carefully: summoning you to the court will not count as a commoner accusing an official; at most, you will serve as a witness. They cannot do anything to you."

Rujian, however, shook his head slowly. "I pondered this while in Datong. Since I’m back anyway, rather than being so passive, why not beat the drum at the court to lodge a grievance and sue the current Prince Zhuang? You won't need to take a roundabout way to investigate him either."

Hongce hesitated. "There are pros and cons to this. I'm afraid the first thing they will ask is why you fled as a fugitive."

"Don't you have me?" Rujian smiled. "The Chief Minister of the Ministry of Justice will have to coordinate with you. At worst, I’ll be taken into custody first, and the subsequent matters will proceed according to your plan. There won't be any complications."

Dingyi could not agree. "The risk is too high. What if the Ministry of Justice has Prince Zhuang’s people? They could beat you half to death before you even get a chance to testify. Would you still be alive to do it?"

A reckless smile appeared on Rujian’s face. "How would I know if I don't try? A person must have some pursuits in life. Avenging our father and two brothers is more important to me than my own life. Now there is you as well—if I don't clear your name, how will you ever enter the Aisin Gioro family? Calculating it, this is a business deal where I’m guaranteed to win. Even if I have to suffer a bit, I accept it."

Dingyi shook her head and said softly, "Don't think too much for me. I’ve grown accustomed to making do all these years. If it requires sacrificing you for me to enter the Prince of Chun’s residence, I would rather not marry at all."

When she said this, Hongce panicked. "I will find a way. Even if I have to suffer some physical pain, it won't be life-threatening. Why would you put me in such a position by saying things like that?"

Rujian also blamed her. "The Twelfth Prince is right. Don't go around saying you won't marry. The bond of husband and wife takes lifetimes to cultivate; don't give it up lightly just because of a few bumps in the road."

Dingyi looked at Hongce guiltily. He still had a wound on his head, and her words had indeed upset him. She smiled sheepishly and ingratiatingly served him some food. Suddenly remembering Hai Lan, she quickly put down her chopsticks and said to Rujian, "I went to the Suo family a while ago—the Suo family that guards the treasury. Their family has moved to the entrance of Beiguanchang Alley."

Rujian’s expression clearly paused for a moment before becoming indifferent again. He squeezed two words through his teeth: "Meddlesome."

Dingyi blinked and said it wasn't. "Didn't you have a fiancée in the past? Was her name Hai Lan?"

He raised his head in a panic. "You saw her?"

"More than just saw her—we even talked!" Dingyi said triumphantly. "She told me exactly how you used to ride your horse past their alleyway back then. You went through such a huge detour every single day just to see her once—aren't you tired from all that?"

Rujian blushed. That was an old affair, but thinking of it now still made his heart skip a beat. He would never forget the way she stood by the window, her presence in the evening glow as delicate as a chrysanthemum. They were only fourteen or fifteen then, the perfect age for longing for love. Later, the Wen family was destroyed, and even surviving was difficult. Those romantic feelings were frozen like ice. After more than a dozen years, now that the ice had broken, those feelings were still fresh and alive.

But after all, it had been too long; things had changed and people were not the same. He gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Tired or not? You should ask the Twelfth Prince if he was tired when he was being so attentive and charming to you."

As if to show his loyalty, Hongce immediately answered, "Not tired. Even if I were tired, I’d be happy in my heart."

Dingyi tilted her head and said to Rujian, "Third Brother, I have good news for you: Hai Lan still hasn't married to this day. She is waiting for you! It’s a shame—every time someone comes to propose, she pretends to be insane. She’s twenty-eight this year; you owe her an answer."

He was dazed for a long time after hearing this. He couldn't describe how he felt; he only felt bitterness at the root of his tongue. He picked up his wine cup and took a large sip, but the more he drank, the more his heart was tied in knots. He bowed his head and laughed bitterly. "Why is she waiting for me? She knows there is no hope, so why keep waiting? I have been alone all these years, I never expected that in the capital, I still owed a debt of love. What kind of situation is this!"

Perhaps it was because he was used to freedom and suddenly felt a heavy pressure, but his movements and expression appeared exhausted. Dingyi looked at Hongce and asked Rujian after a pause, "Aren't you happy, Third Brother? Hai Lan is such a good woman; meeting her is your fortune."

"That’s why I have wronged a good woman. If she had married someone else early on, had a family, and lived comfortably as a lady, I wouldn't be feeling this much pain."

Hongce quickly tried to comfort him. "Third Brother, your words are insincere. If it were me, while there would be self-reproach, there would be more gratitude. Since she is still waiting, it shows she is loyal. You should treat her ten times, a hundred times better in the future, and make up for everything she has missed these past years. That is the responsibility of a man."

Rujian looked at him blankly. "In my current state, what can I give her? It would be better to just pretend I am dead so she can find a good family to marry into, and not let me be a burden to her."

Dingyi was a woman, and a woman understands a woman's heart. To exhaust one’s youth waiting bitterly for someone, only for them not to appreciate it—anyone with a shred of pride wouldn't be able to go on living. She said petulantly, "If Third Brother wants her dead, it isn't very difficult. Why waste so much breath? Send someone to kill her and be done with it."

Rujian frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever want her dead?"

"Your words are not much better than being sliced to death. If I were her, you would say that today, and I would find someone to marry tomorrow just to make you regret it." She turned to look at Hongce. "If you were Third Brother, would you say that to her when you saw her?"

Hongce shook his head. "I wouldn't."

"See? Even our Twelfth Prince knows. Sometimes you think you’re being good to her, but you haven't considered if it’s what she actually wants. She has waited for you for over a decade; these ten years have slipped through her fingers and can never be found again. It’s not something you can compensate for with a casual ‘I wish you had married a good man.’ You should say..."

She pursed her lips, thinking, but ran out of words and had to seek help from Hongce. The Twelfth Prince was the Twelfth Prince; his eloquence was such that he could just open his mouth and speak, "Say, 'Back then I couldn't help myself, but I never failed you. I missed you day and night. You waited for me until today, I know you have suffered great grievances, I am sorry. It will never happen again. I will compensate for the lost time bit by bit, as long as you are not angry with me and are still willing to accept me. I swear on my life, from now on, I will love you, cherish you, and never leave your side.'"

They sang this duet so well that Rujian was left dumbfounded. He hadn't even thought of such syrupy words. No wonder his sister was so devoted to the Twelfth Prince—this kid really had a way with women!

He found it extremely difficult to digest. "I never failed you, and I missed you day and night..."

Dingyi found it tiring just watching. She held her forehead and said, "Anyway, just make her feel that the waiting was worth it, that you treasure her, and that you will stay with her for the rest of your life. That’s all."

He realized what to do, set down his chopsticks, and stood up. "Then I will go see her right now."

Hongce quickly said there was no rush. "The New Year is almost here. Suo Tao is not a high-ranking official, but the ‘coal offerings’ he receives must be significant. If you visit him abruptly, it might draw unwanted attention. Better to let me arrange things properly. I’ll borrow the title of the Seventh Prince’s Side Consort to invite Hai Lan into the Prince Xian’s residence, and then find a way to bring her out."

Rujian was hesitant. "The Seventh Prince doesn't concern himself with worldly affairs. I’m afraid it would be rude to cause him trouble."

Hongce touched his nose, thinking to himself that as long as it concerned Dingyi, the Seventh Prince’s enthusiasm was infinite. Never mind using his title—if he were asked to vacate half of the Prince Xian’s residence, he wouldn't hesitate at all.

With that, Rujian’s train of thought was cleared. Dingyi was actually able to teach him the ropes with such gravity, acting like a true veteran of the game. However, what surprised her even more was Hongce’s cooperation. She remembered how little he spoke in the past, and recalled the arrogant light in his eyes when she first visited to beg him to save Xia Zhi. Although he hid it well, existence was existence—it was engraved in his bones. At that time, she felt that she would probably never have much intersection with people of his kind; they were one in the Nine Heavens, and the other in the dust, impossible to reach. Who knew there were so many miracles in this world? They were together after all, which also allowed her to discover many aspects of his charm she had never imagined before.

Since she was not going to the Prince of Chun’s residence, he practically moved his study over. Of course, staying overnight was absolutely out of the question; committing adultery under Rujian’s nose would be a disgrace for everyone if caught. But being together, they both felt very secure. It was that feeling of being able to rely on one another; whatever was in their hearts didn't require exhausting explanations—one look and the other would understand.

He handled matters very crisply. The next day, Rujian successfully met Hai Lan. When Daiqin returned to report the news, Dingyi was in the middle of unbinding his headband to change his medicine.

"What do you think they are doing right now?" He was very curious about this, muttering indistinctly. "They haven't seen each other in so long; Rujian still needs to take the initiative."

Dingyi was winding the hot towel to clean his wound and didn't understand, so she asked him blankly, "What do you want to say?"

He smiled. "Nothing. Supposedly, Rujian is no longer young; he should know."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Know what?"

He didn't answer her, intending to touch the wound, but she swiped his hand away. "Don't move around. I just applied the medicine; what are you blindly touching for? Your hands are filthy."

He had always been extremely fond of cleanliness, yet there was a time he was being rebuked by her! He held up his five fingers for her to see. "I washed them. After I finished trimming the bonsai earlier, I used soap several times."

She didn't say anything, but took his hand and put his index finger in her mouth. Hongce looked at her in astonishment. She still wore a calm expression, and after she finished applying the medicine, she took the headband to carefully cover the wound. His fingertips were wrapped in warmth; she kept them held in her mouth the whole time, making him think of the way the Empress Dowager held her tobacco pipe.

"Dingyi," he said, restless and agitated, "what are you doing?"

She cast him a tender glance. "You said they were washed clean, so I tasted them."

He swallowed with difficulty. "There’s no need to test it like that." He stood up, placed both her hands on her shoulders, and looked at her with deep affection. "Rujian is not home; if I calculated correctly, he won't be back for at least an hour."

A faint flush appeared on her face. "And then?"

"And then..." He used his finger to trace her lips, moving little by little from the corner of her mouth to the peaks of her lips. "We shall steal a half-day of leisure from this fleeting life."

Men are always so willing to calculate these moments. Dingyi gave a shy smile and didn't answer his words, but instead pulled him and walked outside, raising her finger to point toward the side courtyard. "The plum trees in the courtyard blossomed today, and there was a flurry of snow this morning. Let’s go admire the plum blossoms."

He had no choice, and once someone brought the crane-patterned cloak, the two of them walked arm-in-arm along the veranda.

There was a small garden in the back, not comparable in size to a Prince’s garden, but it won out on its exquisiteness, with both rockeries and water pavilions. The plum tree was right next to the rockery, blooming brilliantly in the northwest wind, with fine snow covering its branches. Under the white purity, dots of crimson appeared, revealing an even more unspeakable beauty. She stood under the tree; the weather was too cold and her face was frozen stiff, yet she smiled as brightly as the morning clouds. She murmured, "How beautiful! We used to have a tree like this at home, even bigger than this one. My brothers loved to pose as scholars; they would have a chessboard set up under the tree and sit in the snow to play... In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed, and of the three brothers, only one remains." Her tone was filled with infinite melancholy.

He stood side-by-side with her, tilted his head, and smiled slightly. "There are gains and losses, but haven't you gained one more in me?"

"That’s true, too." She sighed long and hard, her breath turning into clouds. "Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve; the government offices are on break. You have to go into the garden to bid farewell to the year with the Retired Emperor, right?"

He hummed an acknowledgment. "I wanted to take you along, but the rules in the Changchun Garden are strict, so it’s impossible this year. Wait until next year! I’ll be back late, so I won't come over here to avoid disturbing you. I’ll come again on the morning of the first, and take you to the Temple of the Eastern Peak for the temple fair."

She said okay. A cluster of fine snow fell from the branch; she reached out to catch it in her palm, but before she could take a close look, it collapsed in the blink of an eye.