Spring of the Blade - Chapter 55

Chapter 55

The sixth day of the month was an exceptionally auspicious day, a perfect time to throw open the palace gates and welcome the young ladies from all walks of life.

Shen Run often had occasions to enter the inner court to handle official business. As a close official to the Emperor, he was well-acquainted with the sovereign; back when his father was alive, he had once tutored the current Saint, who was then the Prince of Han. Later, due to the case of the Imperial Succession, his father had been implicated, and when he and his brothers were sent into military exile, the life of the Prince of Han had also been difficult. Once, when the Prince of Han passed through Liangzhou, he had met him briefly; the once-refined youth had entered the ranks, now tanned and agile, like a leopard. The Prince of Han had suddenly been overcome with grief, patted him on the shoulder, and said nothing. When they met again later, the Prince of Han had already become the Saint. The Saint promoted the brothers to the position of Attendant, a situation akin to "when a man gains the Dao, even his pets ascend to heaven," and still patted his shoulder, saying, "If your family has any sisters, I shall make her my Noble Consort."

The Shen family had no daughters, so the position of Noble Consort naturally went to someone else. The Saint’s greed for beauty was not great; he cared only for spreading his branches and scattering leaves. For a nation, for an Emperor, the most critical thing was the imperial succession. Even if nine out of ten were useless, at least one had to be capable. The Saint also urged him to get married soon, saying that if no woman in the capital was willing to marry him, he could issue a decree to force a marriage.

A forced marriage was unnecessary, and he had smiled and said he was not in a hurry, "The young lady I have taken a fancy to is currently waiting for someone else to propose. Once that marriage falls through, I can then take her as my wife."

The Saint was baffled, "Why must you wait until that marriage falls through before it becomes your turn?"

He said helplessly, "Because that person knew her first and has shown some affection and righteousness toward her. Although that young lad is both foolish and reckless, she is still willing to give him a chance. Since I am already at this age, waiting a few more months is nothing."

The Saint was curious about the person who could make Commander Shen spend so much time, "This romantic rival must have a significant background."

Shen Run smiled subtly, "Just a distant relative of yours, Saint."

The Saint had too many distant relatives—so many that he did not wish to inquire further—but he still kept Shen Run’s marriage in his heart, "When that young lady is willing to marry you, if you need a matchmaker, be sure to tell me."

Shen Run agreed. When the Saint was about to select imperial consorts, his mood was always very good.

The sun beat down with intense heat, and the broad marble Imperial Street was so hot that it reflected the light. A mid-ranking eunuch saw him retreating from the residential palace and hurried forward to hold an umbrella for him. To go from the Forbidden City to the Hall of Supreme Command, one had to pass through a long terrace. He walked across it languidly and glanced down casually, happening to see a junior eunuch leading two lines of official candidates through.

Those young ladies waiting for selection were called "Liangren" (Good Ones) before officially entering the palace; afterward, they had to pass the beauty selection and the talent selection to receive the jade token for candidacy. He usually did not care much about such things, but recalling that Qingyuan had asked about the selection, he worried for no reason that she might be among them. Thus, he stood before the white jade railings and scrutinized each one carefully.

A man in brocade and finery suddenly appeared at the high vantage point. His sleeves with gold-woven patterns reflected thousands of dancing golden sparks under the sun. Being young, handsome, and possessing an aura of wealth and prominence, the young ladies, who were not accustomed to seeing men outside their own homes, were stunned for a moment. Only after the shock wore off did they shyly raise their round fans to cover their faces.

Shen Run remembered Qingyuan; the first time she had come to the Commander’s mansion, it was to plead for mercy. That day, she held no fan, standing in the slanted rays of the setting sun, waiting to be received with an open and frank expression. When they met, she was neither shy nor evasive, nor was she timid. Indeed, compared to those mediocre girls, he preferred this kind of poised, stunning girl who could shoulder burdens.

The mid-ranking eunuch beside him saw his gaze sweeping over the crowd and whispered, "Is the Commander looking for someone? You can find out by asking at the Imperial Household Department."

Since he was not in a hurry, taking a trip there was no trouble. He sauntered into the Xuanyou Gate and took a turn toward the Imperial Household Department. The inner court of the department was bustling, with eunuchs and officials coming and going; upon seeing him, they all bowed and saluted.

A Shaojian (Junior Monitor) saw him and hurried up to greet him, his face beaming with a smile, "What wind has blown the Commander here? Is there a decree from the Saint? Please, come inside, Commander."

The official uniform of the Hall of Supreme Command was the most solemn in the capital. The brocade silk was embroidered with pythons and tailored with pleats, and the waist was adorned with a belt containing the seven standard items of duty. As he walked, the waist knife clattered against his gear, creating a clear, crisp sound of pearls and jade in the ear.

The Imperial Household Department and the Hall of Supreme Command were intertwined in many ways, so the officials within the department dared not treat him with anything but respect. Shen Run asked while walking, "Is Monitor Liu here?"

Before the words had even faded, someone hurried out of the inner palace, straightening his black gauze cap and smiling, "What thought brought the Commander here to visit me? Please, sit..." He turned and ordered the eunuchs, "Brew some good tea quickly!"

Shen Run said, "No need to be so polite. I was just passing by and came in to see Monitor Liu. Are you busy?"

The Imperial Household Monitor said, "Yes, those young ladies only entered the palace today. They are all pampered young ladies from prominent families—some complain about the heat, others are clamoring to go home. The junior eunuchs just came in to report, and they are almost crying from anger."

Shen Run laughed, "It is too hot. Their rouge and powder have smeared; I suspect thirty percent more will be failed in the beauty selection because of this."

The Monitor echoed him repeatedly, "Indeed, originally, those noble daughters, for the sake of their pride, mostly reported for the talent selection, and because of this, there are hardly any who can participate in the beauty selection." He paused, looking at Shen Run intentionally or unintentionally, "Commander, your visit here is probably not just for casual conversation, is it? Or does your clan have a girl participating in the selection?"

Shen Run said he did not, "I came to see what the quality is like this year. Does the family of Xie Shu, the Jiedushi (Military Commissioner) of Jiannan Circuit, have any girls participating?"

The Monitor said, "Oh, they do. Their family has two girls, and their appearance is quite good..." As he spoke, he observed Shen Run’s expression, "Does the Commander have any instructions?"

Shen Run heard there were two, and his heart hung in the air, "They have four daughters in their family. Which two have come this time?"

The Monitor said, "The Second Girl and the Third Girl. Does the Commander have some connection with Commissioner Xie’s family..."

He heard clearly and finally relaxed. The Second and Third girls were both under Lady Hu’s influence and were both at odds with Qingyuan. If he signaled Monitor Liu to strike their names off right now, falling down on flat ground was nothing; he needed them to climb high first so that when they fell from a great height, the tumble would be spectacular. He smiled faintly, "I have some dealings with Commissioner Xie. I know his Second Girl is not very clever; she will certainly fail the talent selection. But as for her appearance, it seems there is a bit of quality. Monitor Liu should help them pass the first two rounds of selection; only eliminate them if they truly cannot make it. That should count as fulfilling our duty as colleagues."

The Monitor immediately understood. If they were truly close, why would he say the Second Girl was not very clever! The Commander’s meaning was that the people must fail, but they could be screened out before the jade tokens were issued. He kept this instruction in his heart; since Commander Shen had spoken, no amount of networking from anyone else would be of any use.

The Monitor smiled and agreed, "I heard from my wife earlier that Commissioner Xie’s family also has a Fourth Girl whose character and appearance are first-rate. It is a pity that her status is her downfall. There are rumors outside that her mother poisoned another concubine of the Commissioner’s family years ago, and it is precisely for this reason that she could not come to participate in the selection this time. It is a great pity."

Hearing someone mention Qingyuan, Shen Run’s expression softened considerably due to his personal bias. He laughed, "Monitor Liu, you know, and I know, the affairs of the inner chambers—how much backstabbing and framing takes place? I fear it is even more complex than in the marketplace. If a genuine homicide occurred, it wouldn't have just ended in being kicked out; that never made sense. I have dealt with their Fourth Girl twice. As a child, one cannot say how good her character or appearance is, but she looks pure and is very likable. Since the daughter is not an insidious person, the mother cannot be that wrong either; it is just that 'three men make a tiger' (rumors become truth), ruining a good name for nothing and implicating such a fine girl."

Monitor Liu nodded repeatedly. Shen Run exchanged a few more pleasantries and sauntered out of the Imperial Household Department.

From here to the Hall of Supreme Command was not far; once out of the Gongchen Gate, it was right there. The mid-ranking eunuch came up to hold the umbrella again, but he waved his hand to dismiss everyone, walking alone along the corridor.

The high and wide palace walls on both sides gathered the sky into a narrow strip. The zenith was exceptionally blue—as blue as the water at the deepest part of Heavenly Lake, as if it would pour down in an instant.

He was thinking of Qingyuan again... It was somewhat funny; even though she wouldn't admit it, through their various encounters, he found himself holding her in higher and higher regard. Such a young girl, fighting single-handedly with no great power behind her—that he should intend to start a family with her, that she should give him a sense of belonging, could also be considered a kind of strategy.

He savored their few confrontations again, and before he knew it, he had stepped into the office of the Hall of Supreme Command. As soon as he entered, the officer in charge of criminal cases stepped forward to report that new clues had been unearthed in the case of the attack on the Fourth Miss Xie. Although it was a matter of one person asking another, the mastermind behind the mastermind had been roughly found: it was Liang Yi, the Zhenwei Captain of the Xilong Guard.

"Liang Yi of the Xilong Guard..." He pondered for a moment, "He truly has measured up to her father’s arrogance. Send two men to the Xilong Guard camp to go and have a cup of tea with this Zhenwei Captain. No need to say anything; just wait a couple of days and invite him to visit our office."

After all, compared to dying in an instant, the torment before death was the most excruciating. Not revealing one's hand was giving the person a three-part chance. If he thought it through and came to confess the inside story voluntarily, it would save him the physical suffering.

The officer acknowledged the order with a loud voice, exhilarated, "My subordinate has been wanting to stretch his muscles these past few days. Let me go personally."

It seemed there was a personal grievance. Shen Run smiled and gave a flick of his finger, signaling approval.

Shen Che happened to enter, put down his waist knife, and gulped down a cup of tea, saying, "Why not just arrest him directly? Why all the circling?"

Shen Run opened the files on his desk and said, without looking up, "To summon a sixth-rank official without reason, one must have a solid foundation. If the case is solved too quickly, wouldn't it be too easy for the mastermind behind the scenes?"

Shen Che understood and smiled, "Brother, are you preparing to save up a dowry for my future sister-in-law?"

The two brothers understood this implicitly. The Xie family was stingy and did not look like people who did big things; only when their pigtails were grabbed would they be generous. Lady Hu’s debt could be recorded and made to be repaid slowly. Shen Run had his own plans: if the matter was solved too neatly and Qingyuan had no more worries, what would he do if she ran off with Li Congxin!

However, a mere Li Congxin was not to be feared. Although the young lad was sincere, he had experienced too little of the storms of life and was not a match for the resourceful Fourth Girl. Just as he was pondering this, feeling that he had the victory in his grasp, he suddenly heard Shen Che call him, saying he had good news to tell his brother.

Shen Run raised his eyelids and glanced at him, "What is it?"

Shen Che was so excited that his eyes shone. His voice was slightly choked as he struggled to control himself and whispered, "Fangchun just sent word that she is pregnant."

Shen Run was startled, "That is wonderful news."

Since the disaster that befell the Shen family, their population had been withering until now. To suddenly have a new addition, regardless of whether it was a boy or a girl, was worth being incredibly thankful for.

Shen Che and Fangchun had been married for over two years, and for some reason, there had never been any sign of movement. Fangchun had seen the imperial physician and had taken much medicine, but unfortunately, the effects had been minimal. Today, they had finally received the good news. Shen Che had trembled for a while after hearing it before hurrying in to report it. Shen Run was naturally also very happy. He thought for a moment and said, "You should delegate your duties and go back to check on your wife." After saying this, he suddenly felt something was wrong, stood up to organize the files on the table, and said to himself, "I should also go back to offer my congratulations in person."

Shen Che laughed, thinking to himself that it wasn't about offering congratulations at all; it was clearly for another purpose. Fangchun was close to the Xie family’s Fourth Young Miss, and such good news should naturally be told to her. Once the Fourth Young Miss knew, she would definitely come to congratulate her. Once she came to congratulate her, wouldn't they run into each other?

"Brother, you are very fond of running to Youzhou these days." Shen Che teased him, "I understand this state of mind; when I first got married, I also wished I could go home every day."

Shen Run did not answer him. He handed over the matters in his hand to the Deputy Chief who was listening to orders in the front hall, and then called out to the official in charge of introductions, "Yan Fu, prepare a fast horse."

——

As for the Xie mansion, they were waiting for news about the palace selection. Qingru and Qingrong going was the same as a brother taking the imperial examinations—someone was serving them, and someone was waiting at the palace gate. As soon as there was news from the palace, they were to ignore everything else and immediately jump on their horses to gallop back to Youzhou to report the news.

Everyone in the mansion was waiting. Lady Hu appeared calm, but she had glanced toward the courtyard gate several times. The Old Madam was not very happy; she did not hope for those two girls to pass the selection, so she was listless, only holding a pair of scissors to trim the camellia pot.

It was unavoidable that Qingyuan and Qinghe had to stay to keep them company; it would not do to be indifferent to the great events of their two sisters, so they were picking out floral patterns by the window to pass the time. Today, Qinghe was wearing a bamboo-green open-front jacket, and Qingyuan was wearing a lotus-root-colored skirt. Such pale and soft colors reflected an attitude of non-contention; the noise of the mundane world could not disturb them. Occasionally, they whispered into each other’s ears, and occasionally, they looked at each other and smiled. Looking at them, one felt that nothing mattered, that all things had their own ways of coming and going, which was extremely reassuring.

The long summer day rolled by in such endless waiting. Not knowing what they were talking about that was so funny, they covered their mouths and leaned backward and forward in laughter. The Old Madam saw them and smiled, shaking her head: "Those two girls!"

Lady Hu’s gaze shifted coldly away; she did not care whether they were concerned about Qingru’s future. She waited quietly like this. When Qiu sent over the deer-pear syrup, she took only one sip and put it down.

Suddenly, she heard the shouting of the servant woman at the gate. Nanny Sun, who was by her side, came along the path, reporting the good news as she walked: both young ladies had passed the initial selection.

The people sitting in the room stood up. Seeing Nanny Sun lift the curtain and enter, she smiled and bowed, "The servant boy who went with the young ladies has returned. He said the Second Girl has been assigned to the beauty selection, and the Third Girl has been assigned to the talent selection. The names have been recorded. Tomorrow, the Imperial Household Department will look them over first. If they pass the second selection, the young ladies can return. The third selection is on the sixteenth; once the third selection is passed, they will just wait to be canonized and enter the palace."

A heavy stone in Lady Hu’s heart fell to the ground. She deliberated and asked, "Did everyone pass the first selection?"

Nanny Sun smiled, "How could they? The Censor-in-Chief’s daughter was weeded out because it was said she had a mole the size of a sesame seed on her forehead, which ruined her appearance."

With this, Lady Hu was even more satisfied. As long as the palace was not taking everyone, it meant there was still choosing to be done. Those eunuchs were used to seeing beauties in the palace; their standards were naturally high, so even the first selection was not easy to pass. Qingru had, after all, shown promise.

Qingyuan tugged at Qinghe’s sleeve, and the two sisters came up together to offer their bows, "Congratulations to the Mistress."

Lady Hu remained tactful, saying with a smile, "I don't care whether they pass the selection or not, as long as they are safe and sound, that is enough."

The Old Madam had nothing to say, only asking, "Did you instruct them to be careful? The two girls have grown up to this age and have never spent a night away from home."

Lady Hu said, "Mother, don't worry. Since they are spending the night in the palace, it doesn't matter."

The Old Madam nodded. Before she had even finished nodding, Xia Zhi lifted the curtain and entered, calling for the Fourth Miss, "The Commander’s wife has sent someone to request that the Fourth Miss go to their mansion. She says Lady Dong is pregnant and doesn't know what to do alone at home, so she asks the Fourth Miss to go over and discuss it."

Qingyuan said, "Understood." Then she turned to listen for the Old Madam’s instructions.

The Old Madam had originally said this Commander’s wife was a hen that could not lay eggs and would not be able to stand on her own sooner or later; she hadn't expected her to suddenly be pregnant. Fortunately, Qingyuan had the young Marquis proposing to her. If she were to enter the Shen family, she would have the Commander to look after her and would no longer need to worry about the Commander, so she said, "This is good news; you should go over and offer your congratulations. Hurry and send someone to prepare bird’s nest as a gift. Someone who has just conceived benefits most from this; it is good for the mother and the child."

Qingyuan agreed, but looking at the sky outside, she seemed somewhat troubled, "It is getting late; I fear I will be back a bit late."

The Old Madam said it did not matter, "Take two more people; you cannot go wrong within the city. Tell the matron in the garden to leave a door for you; just go."

Qingyuan bowed to acknowledge the order, went back to change her clothes, and then hurried off toward the Commander’s mansion.