Spring of the Blade - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

After all, they were part of the same household, sharing in both honor and disgrace. Though Qingyuan had left Huifang Garden, her mind remained preoccupied with the reason for her father's hurried appearance.

This deep, walled compound was like a well; outside the flower-gate was the world of men, while inside, the women lived out their days in peace. If the family fortune were steady, one might well ignore the world outside, but after overhearing the conversation between the Old Madam and her father that day, she could not help but be on her guard.

The Xie family ancestors had earned illustrious military merits; without some heaven-shattering disaster, it would not be easy to shake such a deep-rooted tree. Yet, the situation in the capital changed in the blink of an eye, and the mood of the Emperor in the Forbidden City shifted just as quickly. Who could say what would happen in the next moment? For a family of a century’s standing, total ruin could come in a heartbeat. When she heard her father speak that day, his words were filled with hidden worries. Though she said nothing, she could not help but calculate: in the event of any mishap to the Xie family, she had already acknowledged her ancestors and returned to the clan, tethered firmly to the same rope—there was no path of retreat left.

As long as her father was still in the house, she could not find out the truth; she would have to wait until he had departed to send people out to inquire secretly. Chuntai had been gone for a while and still had not returned. Qingyuan stood under the eaves, watching the moon in the sky. The moonlight was hazy tonight, and with so many drifting clouds, the imperfect moon hid behind them, remaining unseen for a long time.

Baoxian walked in holding an incense burner, lit a piece of agarwood, and placed it on the incense table inside. The fragrance had only just begun to burn, not yet detectable to the nose. She fanned it with her hand, and once she could distinguish the scent, she turned back to Qingyuan and said, "Miss, just now, Eldest Miss sent Xinyu over with a box of incense. She said it was a gift to her from the eldest son of the Founding Earl's house. The Eldest Miss thought the incense was good, so she set aside a box for us. Please come inside and sit, Miss; be careful not to catch a chill as night falls."

Hearing this, Qingyuan retreated back into the room. She took a delicate sniff and remarked, "It is truly mellow; I suspect it is not cheap."

Baoxian closed the lid of the incense burner, and light, thin smoke curled upward through the openwork cloud carvings. Adjusting her sleeves, she said, "The Founding Earl’s house is, after all, a noble household—how could they lack for fine things! The Eldest Miss’s reach and vision have broadened lately; she is different from before. In all likelihood, she heard about the stir in Huifang Garden today and, finding it inconvenient to come herself, sent Xinyu to check on us. I have thanked her on your behalf, Miss. When you are in good spirits tomorrow, you can go and thank the Eldest Miss personally."

Qingyuan sat by the moon-shaped table, gently waving her round fan. "In this house, only the Eldest Sister and I are on good terms, but it is a pity she will be married off before long."

Baoxian smiled and said, "If only there were a few more sisters like the Eldest Miss, that would be wonderful!" She glanced outside and added, "Just now, Xinyu told me that the Mistress has been treating Mei Yiniang’s quarters with some harshness. Because of this, Mei Yiniang has been airing her grievances to the Master, and she even brought up old accounts of how the Second and Third Young Masters’ school expenses were less than the Eldest Young Master’s. The whole of Liuhua Courtyard knows about it now."

Qingyuan listened and gave a faint, indifferent smile. "Among the Master’s people, Mei Yiniang is the most pragmatic. Both her sons have established homes, unlike the Mistress, who still has the Second Miss to worry about and endless heartaches in the future."

Baoxian chatted and laughed with her about the family's past. "I heard that Mei Yiniang was promoted from a maidservant who shared the Master's bed, and she never held any favor in the Mistress’s eyes. Earlier, the Mistress would not even assign her a proper courtyard. Mei Yiniang served in the Mistress’s room for three years, and it was only after she gave birth to Lun-ge'er that she was sent to Liuhua Courtyard. The Mistress believes she has Mei Yiniang under her thumb, but Mei Yiniang may not necessarily submit in her heart. For now, the house is peaceful, and Mei Yiniang keeps her head down, but should a conflict arise one day, or if it brings trouble upon the two young masters, I fear Mei Yiniang is not someone who can be easily bullied."

Baoxian spoke with intent, and Qingyuan listened with intent. Each had her own plans, and each understood the other without a word.

At that moment, Chuntai returned. Once inside, she said hurriedly, "I made inquiries with Yuequan. She was serving the Old Madam when the Master arrived. It is said that an imperial edict was issued from the capital: the Master’s title as the Jiedushi (Military Governor) of Jiannan Circuit is temporarily suspended, and he has been appointed as the Prefect of Youzhou, ordered to report for duty immediately."

Qingyuan sat there, stunned. She did not understand the ways of officialdom, but her grandfather, the elder of the Chen family, had once served as a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, and she had heard a little from him in her early years.

A Prefect was a rank five official. Compared to the rank two Military Governor, this was a drop of three full grades—a decline that anyone in official circles would immediately recognize as a sign of disgrace. To transfer a high-ranking official, there must be a reason, and thus "Prefect" had become a hollow title used specifically for demoting military commanders. The Master retained his title as Military Governor, yet was forced to serve as a mere Prefect in Youzhou; for the Xie family, this was likely an unprecedented catastrophe.

"What did the Old Madam say?"

Chuntai replied, "The Old Madam said nothing for a long time. Only after a while did she ask if the imperial court had begun to harbor thoughts of monitoring the Xie family."

Qingyuan asked anxiously, "And how did the Master answer that?"

Chuntai said, "The Master kowtowed to the Old Madam, and she sent everyone else out of the room. Yuejian and Yuequan were standing guard at the door and caught a few words: the Master said the Sage had originally intended to strip him of his military power and have him escorted to the capital for trial. It was only because several generals in the capital pleaded on his behalf that a new decree was issued. The Master is skilled in war and has long held a fearsome reputation among the Tibetans; as long as the Master agrees to lead an expedition, there is still hope that the court’s restrictions will be lifted."

Hearing this, Qingyuan felt slightly relieved. After all, she did not understand official business, but since there was room for negotiation, it meant things had not reached the point of no return.

The Master departed that very night. The journey from Hengtang to the capital was less than half the distance to the Jiannan Circuit; on a fast horse, it would likely take five or six days. The next day, the morning greeting was as fixed as the tides. Everyone went to Huifang Garden as usual to pay respects to the Old Madam. Only, today was slightly different; after the masters and mistresses of the Eastern and Western houses paid their respects, they did not exit the main room. By the time Qingyuan's generation arrived, the room was already filled to capacity.

The Old Madam’s lectures were like imperial edicts, delivered with the poise of one accustomed to balancing the court. She did not paint the Master’s removal from office in overly grave terms, preferring to call something very bad merely "not so good." Leaning against her bolster, she said slowly, "We of the Xie clan originally rose to prominence in Youzhou. It was not until the time of your great-grandfather, when he served as the Shepherd of Shengzhou, that we moved to Hengtang. In all these years, although the old mansion in Youzhou has been maintained, it has been vacant for so long that it has lost its vitality." She shifted her gaze toward those children born in Hengtang. "You have never seen our old mansion in Youzhou. That house is far more majestic than this one; after all, it is the foundation of eighty years. Just thinking of it makes one reluctant to leave it behind. I am thinking that now that the Master is temporarily transferred back to Youzhou, why should we not take this opportunity to tidy it up and move back to the old family home? We have put down roots in Hengtang over these years, and while Hengtang is good, it is a small place, a bit too remote. This autumn, all three young masters are to take the military examinations. Such exams must be taken in the capital, so why not move the whole family back to the old mansion? We can reconnect with the contacts we have lost touch with, which will be beneficial to the children’s futures. I have asked you all to stay today because I intend to discuss this with you. I am old now, and I find myself increasingly unable to do as I wish, so I want to hear your thoughts so that we may all make plans."

The Old Madam had proposed this suggestion suddenly. The people of the main household understood the underlying reasons, but it came as a shock to the people of the Eastern and Western houses.

Jiang shi and the Second Master, Xie Xun, looked at each other in dismay. "It is human nature for the Old Madam to wish to return to the old home, but we have lived in Hengtang for twenty years; our entire estate is established here. Now, moving back to Youzhou with such a large household and so many people—the long journey is not a light matter!" Jiang shi said awkwardly, "Besides, we separated the family years ago, and our branch has no one serving as high officials. Whether we return to Youzhou or not... it is not truly urgent."

The Old Madam had never really kept the Second Branch in her heart to begin with. She only asked Xie Min and his wife, Lady Pei, "What are your thoughts?"

Xie Min and Lady Pei had always been clever and knew the importance of attaching themselves to the Main Branch. Though the Master had encountered some bumps in the road, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. No matter how good Hengtang was, how could it compare to the capital?

Lady Pei smiled. "Our hearts are set on following the Old Madam. Even though the family has divided, we must still show filial piety to our mother. How could we seek comfort here and be separated from you by a vast distance? Furthermore, our Ping-ge'er is at the perfect age for his studies. In two years, he will take the imperial examinations; getting closer to the capital now will save him much effort, or perhaps we can find a way for him to enter the Imperial Academy in one go. That will be a great future for the boy."

The Old Madam was very satisfied. After all, in times of such hardship, having the family together provided a sense of security. The two from the Third Branch had always been good at fawning, unlike the Second Branch, who were always first in line for good things but disappeared without a trace when trouble brewed. As they weren't going anyway, the Old Madam said, "Since it is decided, I will send people ahead to prepare. The house is repaired every year, and the furniture and woodwork are all ready; you need only bring your personal valuables."

Now, the Second Master and Second Mistress felt that something was very wrong. It would have been one thing if the Third Branch had refused to go, but if the Third Branch was moving, wouldn't that mean they would be encroaching on their share of the family property in the old house?

Jiang shi stammered and said, with a forced expression, "As soon as the Old Madam mentioned moving, my head became a tangled mess. Now that I have calmed down, I have the same idea as Third Younger Sister. Not to mention anything else, the Old Madam is elderly, and we, as her children, must serve her closely. Mother, please set a date. We have nothing much to pack, and as everything is ready in the old mansion, we can simply acquire whatever we lack once we arrive."

A bright smile bloomed on Jiang shi's face, appearing as though the family was united in action. The Old Madam glanced at her, then shifted her gaze away. "It will be in these next few days. We shall stay there for a while; when you wish to return, it will be no trouble to move back to Hengtang."

Everyone agreed. Jiang shi smiled as she left the room, but the moment she was outside, her face dropped to her waistline. She muttered, "The Master must have gotten himself into a major disaster this time. Following them back to Youzhou now, what good fruit will we reap? It’s to the Third Branch’s loss to rush off and share in this disgrace. If the Master falls, when the time comes to confiscate the property and execute the family, there will be time enough to regret it!"

Xie Xun detested his wife’s prophetic, nagging mouth. "Can you not say something pleasant? What benefit is it to you to hope they are executed or stripped of their wealth..."

The pair bickered as they walked off toward the south.

Qingyuan walked a few steps behind, her heart feeling somewhat adrift. It was not because of the migration of the whole family, but because of her grandparents in the Chen family. Being in Hengtang, she was close by and might have had a chance to visit them in the future. If she went to Youzhou, it would be a vast distance away, and given their advanced age, she feared she might never see them again in this lifetime.

Just as she was feeling saddened, a young maid caught up from behind, saying, "Fourth Miss, please stay your steps. The Old Madam invites you to come over and speak."

Qingyuan hesitated for a moment and asked with a smile, "Is she inviting only me, or all four misses?"

The maid said, "Only you, Miss." After speaking, she turned and walked back.

Qingyuan stood for a brief moment, then returned with Baoxian to the Old Madam’s main room. Upon entering, she saw the Old Madam still sitting on the south heated kang, one hand resting on the table, her face turned away, looking desolate in the morning light.

"Grandmother," Qingyuan called out, standing in the middle of the floor to wait for the Old Madam to speak.

The Old Madam finally collected her thoughts, a warm smile reappearing on her face. She beckoned her, "Do not stand so far away. Come to Grandmother's side."

Such deliberate intimacy in this moment did not make Qingyuan feel flattered. She approached cautiously and bowed. "Grandmother, you summoned me; may I ask what your instructions are?"

The Old Madam took her hand and pulled her to sit beside her, saying with a sigh, "Your father came to see me yesterday. Something went wrong in the capital; I fear they will strip him of his military power and demote his rank. He went to the capital in the middle of the night, and we can no longer stay in Hengtang."

In truth, Qingyuan did not quite understand why they had to move the entire family back to Youzhou. The Old Madam saw those deer-like, wide eyes staring straight at her and let out a long sigh. "You are young and do not understand the reasons behind this. The Master’s official rank has been downgraded from Military Governor to Prefect; judging by the Xie family’s past contributions, he is already considered a criminal under imperial investigation. The Palace Command has received secret orders urging the family to return to Youzhou. Youzhou is but a step away from the capital, making it easier for the court to exercise control and supervision."

Qingyuan was dumbfounded. In the span of a single night, it felt as if the heavens and earth had overturned. She parted her lips, wanting to ask something, but after hesitating for a long time, she still could not bring herself to ask.

The Old Madam knew her misgivings and nodded. "We are now the dependents of an official in disgrace, and we will be under covert surveillance. It is only because the Sage remembers our past merits that he is still preserving the Xie family's face. Once we are in Youzhou, our lives will continue as before, only our movements will not be as free as they once were." After explaining the stakes, it was time for the grandmother and granddaughter to begin their official bonding. The Old Madam said warmly, "It is several hundred li from Hengtang to Youzhou. The others all have their mothers to protect them; only you, poor child, are all alone. Follow Grandmother on this journey. By my side, you will have someone to look after you."

When the Old Madam said these words, the expression on her face was completely different from yesterday. Qingyuan understood in her heart that there was no such thing as an unprovoked favor in this world. It seemed that this granddaughter she had picked up along the way had finally reached the time to be of use.