Spring of the Blade - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Miss, is it truly the end between you and the son of the Marquis of Danyang?" Baoxian asked in a low voice.

Qingyuan replied, "We never even took a step forward, so how can one speak of an end? The Old Madam was right about one thing: he is of high status, and we are not on the same path. In the future, I must find someone who understands the warmth and coldness of life, and he is not that person. If I am careless today, I am humiliated once; if I am careless tomorrow, another young lady misunderstands, and what would that lead to? Therefore, it cannot be... Even though he is truly sincere right now, it still cannot be. The Xie family has not yet reached a point of ruin, and the Marquis’s estate has already disregarded my reputation; if one day we truly fall, what would I become in their eyes?"

She saw things so clearly, unlike those young ladies who, eager to escape their current predicament, used marriage as their only path out. Baoxian felt relieved and smiled, "Actually, you didn't have to reject him so completely. Even recognizing him as a brother would have been fine."

Qingyuan scoffed, "My own brothers don't even look at me; why should I pin my hopes on an 'outside' brother? Brother this, sister that—it is all unclear. If one does not have that genuine intent, one should not use such things as a pretext to hook someone and leave them lost and heartbroken. Why bother with such things!"

Baoxian truly did not know what to say to her. She exclaimed with a sigh, "The future husband will need to have many clever wits just to stand his ground in front of you! It isn't actually good for a girl to see things so clearly. In this lifetime, one lives most comfortably when they are a bit muddled."

Qingyuan looked toward the distant sky. The clouds were reflected in the depths of her eyes. Her brows relaxed, and she smiled, "I would rather die with my eyes open than live in a fog. In this world, how many truly happy people are genuinely muddled? They possess great wisdom that appears like foolishness, only to be taken for fools by others."

—

Finally, the preparations for departure were complete. The Old Madam had specifically set aside two days for everyone to say goodbye to their relatives and friends. To maintain appearances, they naturally had to leave in an unhurried manner, so that no one could see they were heading to Youzhou to be placed under supervision. The family hitched beautiful carriages, stuffed dozens of boxes with clothing and valuables, and once the carriages were loaded, they raised small flags and set off on the road.

The horses trotted along, and the first carriage belonged to the Second Master. Xie Xun and Jiang shi lifted the curtains to look back at the residence they had lived in for over ten years, feeling a surge of melancholy.

"All our hard work for nothing," Jiang shi said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "We fought until the stars were spinning just to secure this house, and now it must be locked up by the 'Iron General.' We are at our age, yet we have to change locations and seek a new path. Tell me, is this not pitiful!"

The Second Master was quite open-minded. "Where is it that a person cannot live? Youzhou has our old ancestral home, with buildings stretching into the clouds. Are you still afraid the Old Madam won't split the family assets for us? It is better not to split the assets; living all together means eating from the common grain, saving us from having to establish our own household and fend for ourselves."

This was indeed true. Back when they had caused such a scene to split the family, although the Second Branch had received a very considerable sum of money, they could not stop themselves from squandering it day and night. Now, they had sold off one shop, farm, and field after another. As they were about to leave, the Second Master still owed thousands of silver coins to others. Fearing the Old Madam’s scolding, Jiang shi had quietly mortgaged a garden, or else they would not have been able to leave today with any peace of mind. Having tasted the bitterness of the family separation, it would have been better to have remained muddled and together from the start. The people she could not control were managed by the Old Madam, which saved her so much trouble.

Jiang shi had initially been full of unwillingness, but upon second thought, she became happy again. She sighed, "Ah," and stretched out her legs. Just as she was enjoying herself, she heard a commotion outside. Lifting the curtain, she saw a young master stopping a carriage and speaking to the person inside.

Jiang shi kicked the Second Master. "Who is that? Isn't that the Third Young Master of the Marquis of Danyang's house?"

Xie Xun leaned his head out to take a look. "It is indeed him. Who is he here to see? If it weren't for the fact that the whole family is moving to Youzhou, this would truly be a good match."

Inside that carriage, Qingyuan sat with her round face, smiling with a touch of childishness.

"Many thanks to the Third Young Master for seeing us off. Let us say goodbye here; we shall meet again."

Li Congxin was naturally fair-skinned, but this time, whether it was from the sun or his anxiety, his cheeks were faintly flushed. One hand pressed against her carriage window, and he said earnestly, "The road from Hengtang to Youzhou is vast and long; Fourth Younger Sister must take good care on the journey. I have several old acquaintances in Youzhou, and we are on very good terms. If you encounter any difficulties, Sister, feel free to go find them." As he spoke, he handed a piece of paper through the window. "As long as you mention my name to them, they will naturally understand, and they will never make things difficult for you."

Qingyuan took the paper, and for a moment, she felt a little guilty toward this young marquis.

"I fear I cannot repay your kindness, Third Young Master." She smiled, a flicker of light rising in her eyes before she lowered her eyelashes, clutching the paper. "In any case, thank you. Should the Third Young Master come to Youzhou in the future..."

Li Congxin said he would. "Sister, you go first; I will also head to Youzhou in two months, and I will come to find you then."

Qingyuan was somewhat surprised, but after the surprise, she grew calm. She smiled and nodded, signaling for Baoxian to lower the window curtain.

The carriage started moving again, and the corner of the paper in her hand was pinched until it felt scorching hot. Chuntai kept glancing at her hand, so Qingyuan unfolded it. On the small gilded stationery, a list of official titles and names were written in neat script: Liu Shuang, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites; Lu Yanzhao, Upper Cavalier General; Xu Yin, General of Proclaiming Might; and Shen Che, Chief Commandant of the Palace Command.

Chuntai, who knew nothing of the complex official system, wondered, "This Third Young Master is very strange. He wrote down these people; if we run into trouble, are we really supposed to go find them?"

Qingyuan, however, understood Li Congxin's intention; it was a heart-felt effort. "These are all officials in charge of judicial and military matters. Should there be any mishap with the Master, they could save his life."

Hearing this, Chuntai hurriedly took the note, carefully tucked it into her cosmetic box, and muttered, "Then we must keep this safe; this is our life-saving charm."

Baoxian sighed, "This Third Young Master... it really is a pity."

If one were to call it a pity, it truly was. After missing the chance, it grew into a small, festering sore—invisible to the eye, but painful to the touch.

However, the later melancholy was diluted by the hardships of the long journey. They traveled endlessly, stage after stage. On the road, Qingyuan turned fifteen, and the Old Madam held a simple coming-of-age ceremony for her. That night, while stopped at a post station, Baoxian helped Qingyuan change into a cloud-patterned top and a skirt embroidered with scattered flowers, and the Old Madam used a hairpin to style her hair. The child who once wore her hair in bangs was now a young woman; it was strange that merely changing her hairstyle made it seem as if she had grown up overnight.

The Old Madam looked at her and said with emotion, "The youngest of our family’s girls has finally come of age. Watching you all reach this milestone, I still remember the scene of myself pinning up my own hair. In the blink of an eye, decades have passed."

People of age are prone to lamenting the fleeting passage of time, while the young often complain that time moves too slowly. The others, who had been listless and downcast for the past few days due to the relocation, gradually adjusted, and the atmosphere became quite lively. Madam Hu smiled and said, "The Old Madam is so blessed to have such a full house of children and grandchildren. The Fourth Girl is the youngest in our family, and now that even she has come of age, the Old Madam can enjoy her golden years in peace."

Qingyuan bowed respectfully to the Old Madam, and then paid her respects to Madam Hu and the uncles and aunts. According to protocol, for the family’s concubines, one only needed to bow to Lian Yiniang, who was a prestigious concubine, but it was not strictly necessary to show excessive courtesy to Mei Yiniang, who was born a maid. However, Qingyuan did not follow this. She bowed to Mei Yiniang just as she did to the others. To receive such a bow in this setting was a sign of great respect. Mei Yiniang was initially indifferent, but seeing that Qingyuan truly acknowledged her, she became pleasantly surprised.

"Oh my, Miss, please, no need for such formalities." Mei Yiniang stood up to gently support her and smiled, "Miss is so thoughtful; it makes me feel quite uneasy."

Qingyuan smiled, "You have two sons by your side, Auntie, and you have rendered great service to this family. I usually don't have the opportunity to get close to you, but today is my coming-of-age day, and it is only right that I pay my respects to you as you witness it."

Her voice was soft and sweet, but the eyes she revealed in the candlelight were perceptive of the world. Mei Yiniang hurriedly pulled the plum-blossom glass hairpin from her own head and placed it on Qingyuan. "This was a gift from the Master for my thirtieth birthday. Since you see me in your heart, Miss, I shall add this to your trousseau. You must accept it."

In a room full of people, everyone had their own calculations. Qingyuan intended to grow closer to Mei Yiniang to put on a show for Madam Hu. Madam Hu’s heart was far from as broad as she appeared on the surface. By doing this, she made Madam Hu suspect they were in league; the more fearful Madam Hu became, the more she would provoke Mei Yiniang’s dissatisfaction.

As for Mei Yiniang, she used the act of giving the hairpin to earn face for herself. She had two sons and had saved up some private wealth, so she could afford such a small gift. It was Madam Hu, the head wife, who was in a difficult spot—what had she given for the girl's coming-of-age? If she gave less than a concubine, it would be enough for everyone to laugh at her for a lifetime.

Sure enough, everyone's gaze shifted to Madam Hu. Women loved to indulge in such fun, keeping a spirit of gossip to pass the time on a boring journey.

But Madam Hu was sharp; having been the mistress of the household for over twenty years, if she didn't have even this much foresight, she would be out of luck! She smiled; the plain silver hairpin in her left sleeve seemed unnecessary now, so she took a brocade box from her right sleeve, opened it, and handed it to Qingyuan. "This is a small token of my intent. Congratulations on your coming-of-age today; may your future be as fulfilling as a blooming flower, auspicious and prosperous."

Qingyuan bowed, "Thank you, Mother."

Baoxian stepped forward to take it, and upon closing the lid, she saw at a glance that it was a delicate, kingfisher-feather inlaid gold hairpin with pearls.

Watching them play their game of wits, Qingyuan merely smiled. She knew best: had it not been for Mei Yiniang’s grand gift, Madam Hu might not have let it pass without being vague, but she certainly would not have been so generous. She even anticipated that in those wide sleeves, there had been two preparations—turning the rudder to match whichever way the wind blew. This time, Madam Hu had lost significantly and was likely gritting her teeth in the back, cursing that she had let Qingyuan off too easily.

But that did not matter. The more they competed in the dark, the more beneficial it was for Qingyuan. She had also targeted the fact that even if the Old Madam was dissatisfied with her bowing to Mei Yiniang, she could not find a fault. After all, the two young masters, Zhenglun and Zhengjun, were the Old Madam’s own grandsons; if the Old Madam had something to say about honoring the mother of her own grandsons, it would be equivalent to showing neglect toward the Second and Third Young Masters. Such a foolish mistake was one the Old Madam would certainly never make.

Jiang shi saw it clearly, and after returning, she told the Second Master, "Among these four sisters, the youngest is the most formidable."

The Second Master took some snuff and sneezed and blew his nose loudly, "A yellow-haired girl in her teens—what is so formidable about her?"

Men do not understand the ways of the deep mansion. Their Xie family had been warriors for generations; generals on the battlefield fought with broad axes, but inside the mansion walls, people killed without shedding blood, which was several times more dangerous than the battlefield.

She still remembered the time she had complained, only to run into this Fourth Miss halfway. The seemingly innocent child had sincerely spoken up for the Second Branch, inciting her to voluntarily go before the Prefect’s wife, which ended the Prefect’s wife’s intention of proposing a marriage to the Second Miss. At her age, she realized too late that she had been used as a pawn by a girl in her teens. That feeling was truly hard to describe. If she wanted to argue with her, the girl had never said anything directly; that feeling of being aggrieved, knowing one was humiliated but unable to say it, was enough to make a person half-dead with anger.

In any case, the family entered Youzhou filled with mutual suspicion and defensiveness, united in appearance but divided in heart. The old mansion in Youzhou was indeed, as the Old Madam had said, a few times more grand than the one in Hengtang. It was bestowed by imperial decree for the achievements of their ancestors, expanded by decree, and repaired by decree. After several decades of maintenance, it was quite large even for a place in Youzhou, where noble families were scattered like the stars.

After the carriages stopped, everyone dismounted. Originally, they had thought there would be servants guarding the old mansion coming out to greet them, but reality always differed somewhat from expectations.

There were servants, and they were indeed waiting outside, but besides them, there were officials from the Palace Command wearing brocade robes and armor loitering before the gate. Seeing the Old Xie Madam step down from the carriage, a commanding officer stepped forward, bowed, and said with an expressionless face, "Hard work on your journey, Old Madam Xie. I am the welcoming officer under the command of the Palace Marshal. By order of the Marshal, I am here to settle the Old Madam and all the noble ladies of the Military Governor's residence.”