Love in Red Dust - Chapter 88
Chapter 88
The Wen family’s old estate was situated in Sanlao Alley. Two stone lions stood before the entrance, grand and imposing.
Dingyi tilted her head back to look. Beneath the lintel, the plaque reading "Wen Residence" had already been hung up once more. Because the Wen family had not faced asset seizure originally, the estate had simply been resold and changed hands several times over the years; thus, reclaiming the house would not alarm the local authorities or government offices.
Sha Tong enthusiastically guided her inside, saying, "Watch your step, Master. I came to take a look early this morning. The house is in perfectly good condition, and the furniture is already fully prepared, so you won't need to spend any effort arranging things. As the weather turns warmer, we can plant a season of climbing roses beneath the trellis. When they bloom, you can sit beneath them to sip tea and look at the scenery—how wonderful would that be!"
She smiled faintly, resting her hand on his arm as they walked inside, and said, "Tongzi, thank you for looking after me for so long. It must have been quite a grievance for you to serve someone like me. I had someone prepare a few things; please take them later as a small token of my gratitude."
Sha Tong stammered in a panic, "This is merely my duty, Master. Saying such things makes me feel far too much like an outsider."
She stood in the middle courtyard and looked left and right. The flower trellis, the fish tank, and the trees were all exactly as they used to be. Yet, everything remained while the people had changed, and she could no longer feel any of the warmth or familiarity of the past.
She said, "Now that I have moved back into my old home, there is no need for anyone to wait on me; I can take care of myself. The people at Wine and Vinegar Alley have all dispersed, so you should head back too! After all, you are the second head steward of the Prince's mansion; lingering here with me is a waste of your talents."
Sha Tong, however, replied, "They can return, but I cannot. I received my orders from the Twelfth Master. As long as the Twelfth Master does not call for my withdrawal, I will guard you every single day. There are far too many thugs and scoundrels roaming these streets; it won't do for you to live here all by yourself. My martial arts skills are decent enough to keep you safe."
She stroked the nearby bramble trellis and said in a low voice, "You are by my side while I am alone, but what if I marry someone else one day? Will you still stay? I have no involvement with the Twelfth Master anymore; it is inappropriate for you to remain here with me."
Sha Tong gritted his teeth and said, "Even if you marry, I will not leave. As I said, my duty is only complete when the Twelfth Master himself issues the order."
She glanced at him. "Do not be stubborn. I cannot keep you here." When Sha Tong tried to speak further, she ignored him and walked toward the main chambers on her own.
Once she decided on something, she rarely changed her mind. She had her reasons for driving him away; if people from the Prince of Chuan's mansion remained by her side, it would be impossible to hide the truth as time went on. The capital was vast, and the gates of a large estate were entirely different from the ordinary residences in the common alleyways; there was no such thing as neighbors dropping in for casual gossip. Even if rumors spread outside, no one would be able to come and confront her directly.
Consequently, she truly kept no servants by her side. Within that massive estate, she carried a broom around every single day, sweeping all the way from the front courtyard to the back, which helped pass half the day. In the late afternoon, she would take a nap, wake up to read a book, and find some small snacks to eat while sitting beneath the eaves. In the blink of an eye, three or four months drifted past.
As her belly grew larger day by day, her master came to visit her and declared that this would not do: "A woman carrying a child with no elderly maid around to care for her—if you go into labor one day, you could cry out to Heaven and Earth and receive no response."
Later, two experienced nannies were hired, two senior maidservants were purchased from the black market, and someone was stationed at the porter's lodge. Gradually, the household began to resemble a proper home.
She tried her best to learn how not to think of him, but whenever everything fell quiet, a single look or a single smile from him would drift before her eyes. Khalkha was simply too far away; had he been in the capital, she wouldn't have been consumed by such constant worry. Now, she was perpetually anxious about whether he was doing well out there, and whether he still hated her.
While she was still mobile enough to travel, she made a trip to Hongluo Temple and met Hailan, who was practicing monastic cultivation without shaving her head.
Hailan looked at her prominent belly in absolute astonishment. "You are pregnant? Traveling such a long distance... you must be careful with your body."
She said, "I came today specifically to bring you home, Sister-in-Law. The Twelfth Master redeemed the Wen family’s old estate, and I have moved back into our old house. You can see that my body is heavy right now, and I have no one truly close to me by my side. Please take pity on me, Sister-in-Law, and come back to look after me!"
Hailan found it strange. "Did you and the Twelfth Master not have your grand wedding? Why have you moved back into the old estate?"
She replied with bitterness, "No. I lied to him and said the child was gone, and in a fit of rage, he led the army to attack Khalkha. That is why I am all alone now. If you are willing to return, Sister-in-Law, it would be wonderful."
Hailan said helplessly, "If Rujian were still alive, he certainly wouldn't approve of you doing this."
Seeing that she was wavering, Dingyi quickly opened a bundle and began packing her things for her, smiling as she said, "I knew you would care for me, Sister-in-Law. I cannot handle the child all by myself; you must help me. My third brother is gone, so please do it for his sake! You cannot stay in a nunnery forever; several months have passed since the incident, and it is time to move on. Come back to Beijing; we will live close to one another, and it will be easier to visit frequently."
Hailan was a kind-hearted soul. Seeing her heavily pregnant and listening to her sorrowful pleading, she finally agreed to return with her. Just as Dingyi had said, she had to support her for Rujian's sake. It was not easy for anyone, so it was better to gather together and keep each other warm.
In this manner, the two women formed a household together. Hailan was deeply considerate. Although the Suo family could not be considered high-ranking officials, they were a genuinely wealthy household; yet, having been pampered as a young lady had not made her fragile. She was completely unafraid of hard work and would take on any chore. After a busy spell, she would find a spot to sit alone, staring blankly at the spring light outside. Dingyi knew she was missing Rujian, so she handed her a jade pendant.
"This is something he left behind; it accompanied him through his travels across the north and south for quite some time. Things were in utter chaos a while back, so I didn't think of it and kept it locked away in a high cabinet. I will leave it in your safekeeping now; when you look at it, it will be just like seeing my third brother."
It was a piece of green jade, a man's ornament carved with rugged, powerful shapes like tigers or leopards. Hailan held it in her palm, her eyes rimmed with red as she forced a smile. "That is true. A man like him—he didn't even give me a token of betrothal when we met, and now that he is gone, I couldn't even find an object to rely on to mourn him." She gripped the jade tightly, turned around, and retreated into her bedchamber.
Hongce had been gone for more than half a year. Dingyi asked her master to inquire about his recent circumstances, and heard that the wartime situation was reasonably stable. He frequently submitted imperial reports to the throne; hardships were guaranteed out there, but since he had lived there for over a decade, it shouldn't be difficult for him to adapt. Hearing this allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief. In any case, a fine thread always hung taut in her heart, and after a long time, she grew accustomed to the feeling.
Her labor came in the tenth month. The weather was beautiful that day, and she and Hailan were sewing tiny socks beneath the window. They were only halfway through when a sudden wave of warmth flowed down her calves, though she didn't know what it was. Lowering her head, she saw that her shoes were completely drenched, and her face flushed. "Oh, what is happening? I'm wide awake and yet I've wet myself."
Hailan looked over and was frightened. "Your water must have broken!"
She quickly rose to call the nannies to fetch the midwife. The household fell into a frantic rush, with everyone searching for supplies until they finally prepared the delivery bed.
With no man present, she felt afraid but had no one to lean on. She had been hardened since childhood, capable of enduring hardships and bearing heavy burdens. Though she had lost her bearings for a moment, she still possessed an unyielding, proud spirit. The midwife remarked that she had never seen such a maternal patient—not a single tear was shed, and she merely bit down on a handkerchief so hard that her gums bled, without uttering a single cry or scream. The child had a large head, and the mother suffered immensely when he passed through the birth canal. She explicitly instructed them that if any mishap occurred, they must save the child rather than the mother. How could anyone remain so entirely lucid! The attendants grew increasingly tense, none of them willing to let anything go wrong, until with great effort, they finally brought the child into the world.
Only when she heard that tiny voice let out a loud wail did she finally allow herself to weep aloud. Hailan came to check on her, and her tears flowed uncontrollably; clutching Hailan's hand, she sobbed intermittently, "I was wrong... I miss him every single day..."
Hailan comforted her through her own tears, "Things will get better; he will return before long. Your body is weak right now, so you mustn't cry, or you'll ruin your eyes." She took the child from the wet nurse's arms to show her. "It's a boy, and he is absolutely beautiful!"
She opened her eyes to look. The newborn child resembled a tiny mouse, yet his features were already discernible, and he looked remarkably like Hongce. With great effort, she raised her hand to carefully stroke his tiny cheek. "He is so red."
The nanny said, "The redness will fade after three days. The redder they are now, the fairer their skin will be in the future. Just watch—our young master will grow up to be a handsome man who will completely captivate all the young ladies and young wives."
She smiled warmly, her mind floating in a daze as she thought to herself: Eating so many groundcherries back then was entirely useless; how did I still give birth to a boy!
During her confinement period, she focused on her recovery, with chicken and pig's trotters stewed for her day in and day out. That day, Xiazhi brought over a duck, saying he had traded it from a poultry vendor, picking the fattest one in the cage. He asked whether she wanted it steamed or braised in soy sauce.
Hailan stepped out holding the young master, standing beneath the eaves as she said, "Eating duck during confinement will make his head shake randomly like a duck when he grows old."
Xiazhi rubbed his nose. "There's actually such a saying? Then let the wet nurse eat it!" He stepped forward to pull aside the swaddling clothes. "Let me see the young master."
The child had just been fed and was sleeping soundly in Hailan's arms with his eyes closed. He had a porcelain-white face and bright red lips, as delicate as a block of fresh tofu. Xiazhi clicked his tongue twice. "Isn't this exactly like the plump baby holding a fish from the New Year paintings? Little Tree is so plain and ordinary, yet she gave birth to such a wonderful child... Hailan, what do you think he should call me? Shouldn't he call me Uncle?" He lowered his voice and called out beside him, "Don't sleep; aren't you tired of sleeping all day long? Acknowledge me, call me Uncle."
Hailan smiled. "A child needs to sleep; sleeping helps their brain grow." Saying this, she turned around and went back into the room to rock the cradle.
It was time to choose a name. They looked over the few names they had thought of previously, but felt none of them were suitable. Her master said, "No rush, let's give him a childhood name first. In a couple of days, I will visit Mount Miaofeng for a temple gathering; I will ask the abbot there to expend some thought on it. That abbot is highly learned; if he bestows a name, the child will encounter fewer hardships in the future and will be easy to raise."
Choosing a childhood name required no great sophistication; names like 'cat' or 'dog' were chosen quite casually. For instance, Dingyi's childhood name was Little Date, while Rujian’s was rather unpleasant, called Lump, which still brought laughter whenever they recalled it. Everyone deliberated for a long time until Dingyi finally said he should be called Xian'er, meaning String. "To constantly serve as a reminder to me, to keep my inner strings taut."
And so it was decided. Two women raising a child together—a child was a source of hope, but also a source of endless trouble, busy all day with feeding and changing until there was no time left for sorrow or vexation.
Hailan envied her tremendously, saying, "How wonderful it is to have a child. Even when the older generation passes away, he can continue living on your behalf. Our Xian'er is so handsome too; he truly is a seed of the imperial family, so utterly endearing."
Dingyi then placed the child into her arms. "This is your child too; the two of us will raise him together, and he can call you Godmother in the future." She then studied her expression, testing the waters as she added, "The chapter between you and my third brother is in the past. After all, he left nothing behind for you; you will still need someone to rely on in the future."
Hailan lifted Xian'er up and laughed, "I do have someone to rely on—I have my godson; my Xian'er will take care of me in my old age."
She was merely being dismissive, entirely unwilling to think about such matters. She lived one day at a time now, her entire heart and mind focused solely on the child. Dingyi let out a sorrowful sigh, turning her head to see Xiazhi leaning against a support pillar, turning his official waist token over and over in his hands.
In the blink of an eye, the Lunar New Year was approaching once more. Today marked the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. They couldn't hold a proper one-month celebration banquet for the child, so their own family members quietly gathered together to share a meal. Her master had not arrived yet, and everyone was waiting for him. After a short while, a servant from the front courtyard came in to report, bowing as he said, "Master, the Seventh Prince has come again."
Why did he say "again"? Because she had refused to see him during his previous visits; seeing him while heavily pregnant would have given everything away.
The porter said, "This time, he stated beforehand that you must absolutely see him, as he has an urgent matter to discuss with you."
Hearing this, Dingyi stood up, left the flower hall, and walked toward the front courtyard.
The Seventh Prince wore a warm winter hat embroidered with symbols of longevity, with a bright red tassel hanging from the top. When he lowered his head, the long hat-strings swayed beside his ears. Seeing her approach, he let out a chuckle. "You certainly hid yourself deeply. We haven't met for nearly a year; how did you get fat? Your face has grown round."
Keeping both hands tucked beneath her fur coat, she smiled and curtsied. "The Seventh Prince has arrived? You look to be in excellent spirits. I didn't attend your grand wedding, so please do not blame me. Quick, come inside and sit; the weather is freezing."
The Seventh Prince agreed and walked into the main hall with a swaying gait.
Looking left and right, he stroked his chin and said, "The first few times I came, I was turned away at the door and didn't even get to see the courtyard. This house has some years on it; is it comfortable to live in?"
Dingyi served him tea and smiled, saying, "Everything is fine. Living in my family's old estate naturally brings peace of mind. What wind blew you here today?"
The Seventh Prince said, "It's nothing. I had nothing to do, so I was walking about randomly, and somehow wound up at your place. That... you and Old Twelfth, is it truly... over?"
She pushed the fruit plate forward. "Would you care for a tangerine, Your Highness?"
"I'm not eating."
He wanted to speak, but Dingyi cut him off. "How have you been lately? I heard the Princess is virtuous and wise, managing the household in perfect order; the Seventh Prince’s mansion is far more disciplined than before."
A expression that was half-laughing and half-crying appeared on the Seventh Prince’s face. "That Princess of mine... that fierce woman... don't even mention it." He waved his hand, propped up his head, and sighed. "You haven't seen Najin; that boy has been completely drained of spirit lately. The first thing the Princess did upon entering the mansion was to deal with him, saying that a master's lack of decorum is entirely caused by the instigation of the servants beneath him. She tortured Najin within an inch of his life; now, the moment he hears the Princess cough, he gets so frightened he wets his pants. Tell me, when has anyone in our Prince's mansion ever been at the mercy of others? This time is just great; a veritable demon has arrived, and no one dares provoke her."
Dingyi could only grin, laughing quite merrily, which made him feel even more miserable.
He was too embarrassed to admit that on the night of their grand wedding, the Princess hadn't allowed him to spend the night in the bridal chamber, refusing to let him touch her at all; what kind of marriage was that? When Dowager Grand Imperial Concubine De demanded to inspect the bridal bloodstain, the Princess allowed him to approach, pulling him by the arm. He had felt a surge of joy, thinking there was a chance. Who would have guessed that in the next instant, a dagger appeared in her hand, and with a swift slice, she cut open a bloody gash on his arm, dripping the blood directly onto the silk fabric—it had hurt him immensely! He had asked why she didn't cut herself instead. She had simply curled her lip and asked if he was unwilling, and whether he wasn't afraid his mother would think his body was failing. Good grief, this life was simply unlivable.
In any case, there was nothing to be done, so he could only make do for now. He was restrained now; the Princess was like a tightening band bound around his head, and he didn't dare misbehave in the slightest. Before he could even get his wife into bed, he had already become terrified of her. The Princess insisted that he must attend the morning court sessions, that he must assist at the Palace Academy, and that he must take up a post in the government ministries—and he obeyed her in everything. Yet she remained unsatisfied, reprimanding him every few days as if he were a misbehaving grandchild. She forbade him from visiting the quarters of the other consorts; the several side-wives and secondary consorts stayed far away whenever they saw him, terrified of inviting a death sentence.
He looked at her with a thoroughly crestfallen expression. "Shu'er, I have entered the Grand Council now, and I work very closely with the Thirteenth Prince. Yesterday, I went to his mansion for drinks, and during the banquet, we spoke about the situation in Khalkha."
Dingyi froze, leaning her body forward. "What did he say?"
The Seventh Prince shook his head. "The situation is not good. When the main army first entered Khalkha, they were completely invincible; those Tatars were no match for them at all, and they occupied Adatsag with practically no effort. They likely underestimated the enemy after that, and were caught entirely off guard by a midnight raid from the Sechen Khan tribe. Out of sixty thousand men, they lost nearly forty percent of their forces. They were pursued afterward, and both of their major supply camps were burned down, forcing them to retreat to Delun to temporarily rest and reorganize. The Emperor intended to conquer Khalkha in a single strike this time; he never expected to suffer such a massive humiliation. Furthermore, there are people in the court seizing this opportunity to slander Old Twelfth, claiming that he is acting in collusion with the Mongols to rebel against the imperial court... Such rumors should have resulted in the severe punishment of those spreading malicious illusions, but the Emperor did not do so. What does that signify? The Thirteenth Prince also let it slip after drinking too much, saying that the Emperor might not be entirely without suspicion toward Hongce. But I know for a fact that the deputy commander of the Uliastai garrison is a bosom friend of Hongzan’s brother; pulling some tricks behind the scenes would be a piece of cake for them."
"Then what should be done?" Cold sweat poured down Dingyi's back, and her mind went entirely blank. Grabbing the Seventh Prince’s wrist, she asked, "Since you know about this, have you reported it to the Emperor?"
The Seventh Prince nodded repeatedly. "I did, but the Emperor claimed there was no proof or evidence, and that identifying a garrison commander as plotting for personal gain based on a few casual words was unacceptable. He gave me a furious scolding and threw me out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. At this juncture, the more one tries to exonerate Hongce, the angrier the Emperor becomes; no one dares to speak out."
She was so anxious that her chest ached. Thumping the table, she cried, "A few casual words? Isn't he also concluding that the Twelfth Master is colluding with the Mongols based on a few casual words! What did the Thirteenth Prince say then?"
The Seventh Prince swallowed hard. "I came today precisely to tell you this. The Thirteenth Prince has been ordered to supervise the army, and he will head north within the next couple of days. He carries the Emperor's handwritten imperial decree with him, along with one other thing—can you guess what it is?"
She stared at him blankly with wide eyes, and after a long pause, she shook her head.
The Seventh Prince took a deep breath and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Gold dust. You once held a post in the Shuntian Prefecture; I do not need to explain the purpose of gold dust for you to know."
She collapsed back into her armchair, feeling as though her very soul had flown far away from the crown of her head. It was only after a long time had passed that she managed to catch her breath. "Yes, I know.”