Spring of the Blade - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

So he did remember, which meant he hadn't been drunk that night at all! But if he wasn't drunk, why had he stuffed that jade pendant into her hands? Regardless, since they had met, returning the item would resolve one burden on her mind.

Qingyuan said, "After that day, I visited your noble residence, but unfortunately, I didn't get to meet the Commander. It is a coincidence today; I had assumed the Commander was not in Youzhou..." It was strange; Fangchun had previously said it would be half a month before his next leave, yet here he was. Perhaps it was for official business. She didn't dwell on it too much, untied the pouch from her button, and offered it up with both hands. "I have kept it safe for the Commander for a few days, and now I return it perfectly intact..."

Shen Run watched the young girl standing in the breeze, wearing a smile that never faltered. The tiger-and-wolf den that was the Xie household hadn't managed to extinguish the optimism and insight in her nature. Indeed, one's environment was crucial; the elderly couple who had raised her in Hengtang for fourteen years possessed great wisdom in the ways of the world. With no children of their own, they had devoted themselves to raising her. She had been taught to read at six, was reciting poetry by eight, and was quite accomplished in scholarship and needlework. Most importantly, she possessed a clever, clear-headed mind... Everything was as he had imagined; it was perfect. Only, the Xie family was indeed quite troublesome. A girl with a less-than-ideal family background suffered a decline in value herself. As a minor concubine-born daughter, she was merely merchandise to be sold to the highest bidder; when Xie Shu had fallen into a ditch and couldn't climb out, it wouldn't have been unthinkable to stuff her into a hole as the concubine of some minor seventh-grade official. But now that Xie Shu had climbed back onto the shore, how could the youngest daughter—originally prepared to be sacrificed to clear a hurdle—be anything less than the legitimate wife of a high-ranking official?

His gaze dropped. She had a pair of beautiful hands, with delicate, soft fingers and fragile, thin fingernails. He didn't take the pouch, letting out a soft laugh, "It is not this."

Qingyuan was surprised. She thought to herself, how could it not be this? He hadn't even taken a look at it; how did he know? Was he judging by the size? Did he want to swap this tiny beast-faced pendant for a wine jar? The more she thought, the more startled she became. This was no game. The Xie family could cough up tens of thousands in silver and gold to save the Master, but for her, they probably wouldn't even part with a hundred taels.

She grew anxious, her face flushing slightly, and she raised her hands holding the small pouch a little higher, "Commander, it is this. There can be no mistake. I personally checked it this morning, and I personally packed it away..."

He listened, then lowered his eyes to look at it, "The Fourth Miss has been carrying it with her this whole time?"

Qingyuan remembered Baoxian’s words and felt slightly stunned, "I have always been looking for an opportunity to return it to the Commander, so I have carried it every time I went out."

The sharpness in Shen Run’s brows and eyes gradually faded, a smile lingering in the depths of his gaze, "The Fourth Miss is quite thoughtful. So, you have been waiting for Shen Run all this time? Had I known, I should have visited the Fourth Miss at your noble residence instead."

When he spoke his own name, there was a humble, gentle air about him. Qingyuan still remembered that pitch-black, windy night, and his remark, "The Fourth Miss seems to fear Shen Run." It hadn't been petty or calculating; it had been entirely in the context of a private conversation. Qingyuan enjoyed studying the ways in which people of status spoke; every word chosen and every pause held profound meaning. Yet this time, she faintly sensed something unusual and tasted the teasing in his words. As a young lady from a deep, sequestered mansion who had never experienced such things, she felt instantly and deeply uncomfortable.

She glanced at the guards behind him; they acted as if they hadn't heard their superior’s words, appearing accustomed to his hidden barbs. Qingyuan moved her lips and muttered, "I dare not accept that. I only wished to return the Commander’s property; it was I who should have called upon the Commander." She held out her hands again, "Please inspect it, Commander."

Shen Run shook his head, "It is not this." After he finished speaking, he narrowed his eyes slightly, softly framing her within his gaze.

She was terribly flustered, her cheeks flushed a deep red, and a shimmer of moisture gathered in her eyes. A fifteen-year-old girl was, after all, too inexperienced to understand the meaning behind a man’s indirection. He had never intended to take back the jade pendant; once given, it was given. Since she had accepted it, it was her property.

But she suddenly regained her composure, let out a light sigh, and said, "Perhaps I have made a mistake; this is not the Commander’s." She then smiled faintly, "Then what exactly did the Commander drop in the Xie household? I will go back and look for it, and once I find it, I will send it to the Commander."

At this, the smile on his face vanished entirely. He looked at the child who was like an orchid, smiling so sweetly and innocently.

She was skilled at "retreating to advance," which was the most appropriate method when clashing with a stronger opponent. A person’s character, if too rigid, breaks easily; if too clever, it brings future troubles. Rather than rack her own brains, she had thrown the problem right back at him.

He slowly raised his head and looked around, "This is a place of peace in the human world; to say too much might be disrespectful to the Buddha." He then looked at the pouch in her hand, "The Fourth Miss should keep it well; it is your property, do not lose it."

Qingyuan’s heart skipped a beat. In front of others, he maintained a haughty demeanor, but there was an inexplicable and ambiguous glimmer in his eyes. If he were to dismiss his subordinates and discard this official uniform, he would likely be an even more heart-shuddering, roguish character.

Truth be told, she had grown up having only interacted with her brothers, her grandfather’s grand-nephew Quan-ge, Li Guanling, and Li Congxin. Li Guanling was a man of virtue and benevolence, steadfast and focused entirely on his studies. Li Congxin was a noble youth raised against a background of splendor, carefree and self-assured, possessing a self-righteous sincerity. But this Commander—a young military talent, high-ranking and powerful—could throw the entire Xie household into a panic one moment, and then be all smiles and jokes the next.

Qingyuan gripped the beast-faced pendant tightly, knowing this topic should end here. A gentle breeze blew the stray hairs near her temples, and she hooked them back with her pinky, smiling, "Is the Commander here at Huguo Temple for official business?"

It was that casual, unintentional movement, her slender fingertip a spot of crimson, that held a unique charm. Shen Run’s eyes darkened slightly, and he replied in a leisurely tone, "I am confiscating Fu Chunshan’s estate today. He was an old acquaintance of the head monk here, so I am here to make an arrest."

Confiscating an estate, making an arrest—the words sounded as simple to him as eating or sleeping. A moment ago, he had spoken of this being a peaceful place where worldly affairs were not discussed; a moment later, he brought the scent of war into the Buddhist sanctuary.

Qingyuan was hesitating when she suddenly heard a roar of voices coming from the Guanyin Hall behind them. She hurriedly turned to look and saw a line of guards marching forward, escorting a monk. Perhaps the monk had resisted, as his face was black and blue from a beating. When the Chief Guard saw Shen Run, he stepped forward and bowed, "Commander, the person has been detained, awaiting your disposition."

Shen Run cast a faint glance, "Why make such a commotion? How inappropriate to disturb the worshippers!"

Qingyuan understood perfectly well; he was clearly feigning the role of a gentleman, speaking intentionally for others to hear. After speaking, he turned around with a calm expression, raised a finger, and led his subordinates toward the mountain gate.

Power, when viewed up close, revealed a hideous face. The most terrifying thing in the world was people trampling upon others. Fu Chunshan had fallen, and those who had deep ties to him would be implicated as well. Whether you were an official or a recluse, if the case required it, you would have to step through the gates of the Palace Guard.

Qingyuan watched Shen Run walk away. The beast-faced pendant was still in her hand. The item she had been determined to return was now refused, yet he insisted he had lost something with her. She began to worry faintly: was the box of dowry jewelry she had received from the Chen grandmother now in jeopardy? Or perhaps this Commander knew exactly what the Xie family intended, looked down on her, and was intentionally playing with her... Qingyuan suddenly felt the sky grow lower. A ball of air was trapped tightly in her chest, unable to be swallowed or exhaled, threatening to suffocate her.

Baoxian and Chuntai only came over then. Offering incense didn't take long, but seeing the Miss standing face-to-face with Commander Shen, they hadn't dared to approach.

It was hard to say what the reason was; there was a sense of being awed, and also a desire to be considerate. Watching the two of them standing there talking—one in clothes as red as blood, the other as faint as smoke—it was a sudden, rich, and heavy brushstroke upon a refined and elegant backdrop, unexpectedly pleasing to the eye.

When the Miss had something to return, there were always many words to be said, so they had watched from afar, observing their every move. But in the end, the jade pendant hadn't been returned, and Baoxian felt worried, "Miss, did the Commander refuse to accept it?"

Qingyuan frowned and shook her head, looking down at her palm. Even through the layer of silk, she could feel its heavy weight. She muttered, "What shall I do? I cannot keep it, but I cannot throw it away..."

While she was hesitant, Fangchun came out of the Mahavira Hall, shaking the talisman in her hand, "They say this is very efficacious; I requested one to try... Who was that leading the group just now? Why did he look like the Commander?"

Qingyuan smiled reluctantly, "It was indeed the Commander. I didn't expect to meet him here."

Fangchun didn't find it surprising, "Youzhou is close to Shangjing, and these past two days happen to coincide with the Governor of Yongzhou being dismissed and investigated. After all, he is a second-grade high official; how could the Commander not oversee it personally?" She paused, intentionally observing Qingyuan’s complexion, "Did you two manage to speak?"

Qingyuan nodded, "We just happened to run into each other; naturally, we had to exchange greetings."

Fangchun laughed, "You asked me several times if the Commander was in Youzhou. I had thought you had something important to say to him, yet now that you’ve met, you only exchanged greetings?"

She couldn't speak of the inner details. Fangchun was, after all, a member of the Shen family. If she told her the Commander was strange and the words got back to the Shen family, it wouldn't be good.

"I merely wished to thank the Commander on behalf of my father. My father is setting out for Jinnan Circuit tomorrow. Since the Commander is not in Youzhou, it wouldn't be easy to see him. My grandmother always says we must thank the Commander, so since I bumped into him today, I had to pass on the words."

Whether Fangchun believed her or not was unknown, but in any case, the beast-faced pendant had ultimately become a heavy weight on her mind.

Qingyuan sat on the daybed, trying her best to recall the circumstances of that day. Could she have been mistaken? Was the person she met in the side alley not him? But she had clearly heard him call himself Shen Run with her own ears... For some reason, this man made her mind go blank every time. She couldn't fathom his intentions, and so she always appeared somewhat foolish before him.

Rules and proprieties of the world meant nothing to him, and the methods of handling people she had learned before were completely useless. She felt disheartened and collapsed dispiritedly back onto the daybed. Footsteps sounded at the door; she was too lazy to get up, tilting her head back to look upside down. Baoxian entered with a plate of fruit, standing inverted in her sight.

"What is the matter, Miss?" Baoxian laughed, "You haven't been happy since returning from the temple."

Qingyuan said it was nothing, turned to her side, and closed her eyes.

Baoxian placed the fruit tray on the table, turned, and stood before the daybed, asking, "Is it still about the jade pendant?"

Qingyuan opened her eyes and said helplessly, "He said he lost something with me. When I tried to return the pendant, he didn't want it, insisting it wasn't that."

"Then what do you suppose he lost?"

"How would I know? He asks me for something, but refuses to recognize this pendant."

Baoxian pondered for a while, then said with a smile, "That is strange. If it’s not the jade pendant, then what is it? Could it be his heart?"

As soon as the words were spoken, Qingyuan’s face flushed red, and she scolded in a low voice, "Don't speak such nonsense! If someone hears that, what would they think?"

Having been by her side for so long, Baoxian was not afraid that she would be truly angry, but kept pleading guilty, "This servant spoke out of turn; please forgive me, Miss." Yet, showing no sign of reform, she analyzed in a low voice, "Miss, don't be angry yet. Although I was teasing you just now, if I think about it, doesn't it make a bit of sense? Think about it, Miss: the second time you met, he blocked you in a narrow alley and shoved something to you under the guise of being drunk. If he had admitted it today, saying he was drunk that night, that would be one thing. But he denies it—what does that mean? If he were just trying to extort you, I don't think a dignified Commander of the Palace Guard would resort to that. What other reason could there be for him to keep pestering you in such an unclear way?"

Qingyuan looked at Baoxian bitterly, "We shouldn't guess wildly. What if he has other intentions? People in the Palace Guard never do anything that doesn't benefit them; just look at those ten-plus wine jars the Madam prepared last time."

Baoxian chuckled, "Since the Shen brothers have such a large appetite, how much oil can be squeezed out of you, Miss?"

That was also true. As a minor concubine-born daughter, not highly regarded by the family, going to such lengths for her was a total waste of effort. Shen Run was adept at calculations, and his previous haul had been quite full; why bother getting entangled with her? Looking at it that way, there seemed to be only one possibility left.

"Last time my father met with trouble, everyone could see the Old Madam’s actions clearly. Now, he looks at me and sees a girl who is easy to tease and can be toyed with at will." Qingyuan wearily raised her hand to her forehead, "If Shen Run sent someone to our home to say he wanted me to go serve in the Shen household, how do you think Grandmother would react?"

Baoxian pondered, "At first, she would certainly refuse, saying our girl from a good family will not be a concubine; if she is to be married, it must be as a legitimate wife."

"In your opinion, with a background like mine, can I be someone’s legitimate wife?"

Baoxian’s expression darkened. The accusation leveled against Concubine Jin would likely never be cleared. If the Miss wanted to overturn the case for her mother, she would have to bring it to court, but in the current situation, she was, after all, a member of the Xie family. No matter how close she was to the Chen family, she wouldn't be on the Chen family’s household register. A girl whose family had been brought to ruin—where in this world could she find a place?

Whether carrying the burden of Concubine Jin’s crimes or clearing her name, neither path led to becoming a mistress of a household. Baoxian sighed lightly, "In the end, the Old Madam would definitely waver and agree. What does the Miss intend to do?"

Qingyuan shook her head. She really couldn't think of a good way for now; she could only take it one step at a time. But there was one principle she had firmly set: "I will not be a concubine. If I am truly backed into a corner, I will plead my case in person. The Commander is a man of vast experience; he surely knows that a forced melon is not sweet."

Baoxian pondered, "Or should we find the Deputy Commander’s wife and ask her to mediate?"

Qingyuan smiled bitterly, "I had thought so too; she was overly enthusiastic the moment she saw me, which was truly unusual. Now it seems she knew the truth all along. Why should we deliver ourselves to her and give them leverage?"

That was true, too. They say one shouldn't show off one's wealth, but as a girl grows, she cannot hide it. It is not just a matter of having many eyes watching; one’s own family doesn't respect her, so how can others be expected to elevate her? Baoxian had always known that the Miss’s life was not easy, but now she found it increasingly difficult. Like holding a treasure in one's arms, shining brilliantly everywhere one went—with one young Marquis and one Commander coming after her, although their statuses were high, one household was plotting against her, and the other treated her as a bribe ready to be enjoyed. Honestly speaking, neither was a suitable match.