Spring of the Blade - Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Though it wasn't explicitly stated, the implication was clear: she had provoked two men, and a decent, respectable lady would never engage in such behavior. Madam Hu used the instructions as an opportunity to reprimand her. Her smile also held a distinctly malicious edge, for she realized that things might have taken a disastrous turn. Everything in the imperial palace was connected to the Hall of Supreme Command, and if Shen Run and Qingyuan truly had something going on, it would inevitably drag Qingru into the fray. She feared Shen Run would cause trouble for them.

Because of her previous punishment of kneeling in the ancestral hall, Aunt Mei hated Madam Hu to the core. Instead of contradicting her, she smiled and said to Qingyuan, "Fourth Miss, you are a maiden waiting to be wed; a girl from a good family is sought by many—it is the pride of our Xie family. If a daughter were raised and no one asked for her hand, that would be truly shameful. Though you gave the Chen family your word regarding the young Marquis's proposal, you did not say you would marry no one else. Now that there is truly someone well-mannered and with a solid background who has won your heart, what of it? Don't be shy; just accept it graciously."

Qingyuan could hear the sting in Aunt Mei's words. She was mocking the Second Miss for having twice failed to catch a man's eye. The Earl of Kai's mansion was willing to take the eldest daughter but not this Di daughter. She had wanted to latch onto the Danyang Marquis's mansion, but unfortunately, the young Marquis did not fancy her—wasn't that the definition of being unwanted?

Aunt Mei also chimed in, smiling, "You and your eldest sister are close. I had originally thought it would be nice if you were both married back to Hengtang, so you could look after one another. Now, there is this Commander Shen. When the Master encountered trouble earlier, had it not been for him, I fear he would still be stuck in the post of Prefect of Youzhou, or perhaps demoted and sent off to who knows where. People say it is easy to be an official when you have connections at court. Our Master is an official serving away from the capital; if he were to gain a son-in-law who is a capital official, it would be the icing on the cake. Don't you agree, Old Madam?"

The Old Madam looked at the two large boxes of rouge and said nothing, only frowning, "To buy so much all at once—I fear it wouldn't be used up even in three years..."

The Old Madam did not declare her stance, clearly intending to wait and see how things developed. Comparing the two houses, she was naturally more partial to the Shen family. While Shen Run had certainly swindled the Xie family out of quite a bit of silver earlier, wasn't it a case of "no discord, no concord"? If they were to become in-laws, what more was there to say? After all, it was keeping the wealth within the family. An official position with real power was different from a title without it. The Hall of Supreme Command was a genuinely lucrative post. If they truly could cozy up to him, it would provide a shortcut for the young men of the family to seek official posts in the future without spending money.

Madam Pei, always eager to please, stood firmly by Madam Hu. However, she disliked arguing with others, so she just made her point and stopped, "There is nothing else, really, it is just that Commander Shen is a bit too ruthless." She smiled after saying this, casting a sidelong glance at Madam Hu.

More than a dozen large wine jars had been carried away as soon as he spoke. Recalling the cold, hard silver inside, the concubines felt a sudden pang in their hearts. But once the pain passed, they knew clearly who they should hate. That ten thousand taels should have come from the family's public treasury, but Madam Hu had coerced them and stripped them of a portion of their own funds. This was the behavior of the matriarch; if they were to hate anyone, it was naturally Madam Hu.

Aunt Mei sneered, "He has no friendship with us, so there is no reason for him to do us favors for nothing."

"Since he accepted it this time, he shouldn't accept it the next time he sees the Fourth Miss," Aunt Mei smiled at Madam Pei, "Third Madam, think about it: if you latch onto this connection, you won't have to worry about the Seventh Young Master's career in the future."

At this, Madam Pei only smiled and said no more.

Qingyuan was still troubled by the two boxes of rouge. She understood perfectly well that Shen Run had intentionally sent them to the Old Madam’s quarters, intentionally letting her know. His chances of success compared to Li Congxin’s were simply too great. With this stunt, regardless of whether the Danyang Marquis's mansion agreed to the marriage, the Old Madam would be prepared to reject it.

Yet, she did not like that he had done this. Ultimately, he was relying on his own power to push her into the limelight. This matter had become a talking point for the aunts and concubines, and as the gossip spread, it would inevitably get out. She had no choice but to lie, smiling, "The Mistress, the aunts, and the concubines have all misunderstood. I went to see the Commander's wife yesterday, and we happened to talk about the latest trends in the capital. She told me that the people in the palace all use this rouge... I just casually mentioned that I intended to buy a couple more boxes to give to my sisters and elders at home."

Unfortunately, no one believed her. Madam Jiang gave a hollow laugh, "We all know that Commander Shen escorted you to the gate yesterday."

Qingyuan had to continue the ruse, "The Commander’s wife’s pregnancy was reported to the Commander, so naturally, he returned with her. Later, we happened to run into each other. He said the previous case had some progress and there were still some important points he wanted to ask me about. By the time he finished asking, it was late, and he happened to be heading out to attend to business, so he escorted me a part of the way."

Everything could be explained, but when there are too many coincidences, explanations appear pale and powerless.

A young girl is thin-skinned and naturally tries to cover things up. Everyone present was smiling, but Madam Hu could not bring herself to, because she knew things were going to go wrong. Qingyuan’s triumph would soon become Qingru’s nightmare. This Fourth Girl was probably sent by Jin Chunqing to collect a debt. She had fought with Qingru for the young Marquis; if Qingru couldn't beat her in that, retreating to enter the palace would have been fine, but who knew she would hook up with Shen Run? Shen Run walked the halls of the inner court; he was powerful and influential. If he listened to Qingyuan’s instigation and intentionally made things difficult for Qingru, what would they do!

Madam Hu felt a throb in her temple. Ever since Qingyuan returned to the Xie family, her migraines had grown worse day by day. At first, it was like a thin thread, but it had gradually expanded to occupy half of her head. If she continued to let her poke her in the eye like this, she feared she would lose her life at her hands.

Cailian said, "Mistress’s headache had actually improved last year, but now it is acting up again... The old prescription is still in the box. I will go and get a few more doses filled just as before; you should try taking them for two days first."

Madam Hu closed her eyes, exhausted, "The root of this illness—if I don't remove it once and for all, I will never get better in this lifetime."

Old Nanny Sun, who was standing nearby, understood what she meant. However, because of the previous incident, her hands were tied, so she lowered her voice, "The Fourth Miss just said the case seems to have made some progress, though I don't know if it is true or false. Regardless, whether it is true or false, we should hold back for a few days. It won't be too late to plot again once we have news from our Second Miss."

Madam Hu sighed, rubbing her forehead, "If I had known the Fourth Girl would get tangled up with Shen Run again, I should have just sent the Third Girl into the palace alone. Now, we are riding a tiger and can't get off. I’m unwilling to back out halfway, but if I don't, I fear they will cause trouble. It is truly difficult to manage."

Old Nanny Sun said, "Since the name list has already been submitted, and there is no illness or disaster, withdrawing halfway would inevitably invite speculation from outsiders. Mistress should think of a way to ensure the Second Miss is selected; that is the priority. Even if Shen Run has eyes and hands that reach the heavens, he cannot make decisions for the Imperial Consorts in the palace. Mistress is a titled lady; if you go into the palace to pay respects to the Empress, she will surely give you some face. Now that the Master is also performing meritorious service on the outside, once he captures Shibao City, why worry that the Saint won't reward the Xie family and promote the Second Miss's rank?"

Madam Hu thought for a moment and nodded slowly, "That is correct. If Shen Run goes too far, I will expose his corruption and violation of the law. Whether in Youzhou or the capital, there are many who hate him in secret. Once someone starts it, there will be plenty of people to push a falling wall. Why the rush?"

"Exactly. Our Master walks the straight and narrow; it is just because he has different political views from the Saint that he obstructs us at every turn and shamelessly extorts ten thousand taels of silver from us. He thinks this money is easy to take and isn't even afraid of being burned by it. If we really tear off the mask, what good would it do him!" Old Nanny Sun smiled after saying this and moved to comfort her, "Mistress, calm your anger and let the Fourth Miss be proud for a few days. A gentleman's revenge is not too late in ten years. Moreover, we don't need ten years—ten or eight days will be enough."

Madam Hu curled her lips in a cold smile. In this bustling capital, under the feet of the Son of Heaven, it was not as if there were no high-ranking officials above the second rank. Shen Run was merely a Commander, yet he was so arrogant he had no decorum; he was too oblivious to everyone else. Of course, unless it was an absolute last resort, publicly becoming his enemy was not a wise move. The root of all this still lay with the Fourth Girl. If that girl were ruined, would Shen Run or Li Congxin still have eyes for her?

The character for "endure" (ren) has a blade resting above a heart. There is no such thing as an endurance in this world that doesn't make a person suffer. But one must endure. Once this period passes, and when everyone is off their guard, only then can you leisurely—with ample time and space—execute your plan.

Qingru and Qingrong returned. The second selection was far more rigorous than the first. Although half of the hundred or so young ladies failed to pass the screening, the two sisters had moved through it without incident, waiting only for the final selection. Madam Hu had thought that even if the third selection didn't work out, it would be enough. The palace selection process was a gilding process. As long as they could make it to the final selection, their fame would already surpass that of most noble young ladies in the capital region. For future marriage prospects, it would be a huge advantage; not to mention the Danyang Marquis's family, even ducal or princely mansions would be within their reach.

After the two sisters passed the selection, they went before the Old Madam to kowtow and pay their respects. The Old Madam remained indifferent, sitting on her daybed and saying, "Since you have this good fortune, that is good. Each of you must cherish this blessing. The rules in the palace are strict. Every word and action must be careful. If you make a mistake, there is no one in the palace to accommodate you like there is at home. Out there, everything is rigid and formal; there is no room for favors."

Qingru and Qingrong replied, "Please rest assured, Grandmother. The granddaughter has opened her eyes in the palace, gained experience, and understands the principles of being cautious in speech and conduct."

Qingyuan listened with a smile, not hearing that these two sisters had grasped a "lifeline." Being cautious in speech and conduct was not enough; one must know that there is always someone better than oneself. Only by understanding those principles can one live a long life.

Because her daughters had passed the selection, Madam Hu’s face beamed with light. She smiled and said to the Old Madam, "Mother, you say the palace rules are strict, and I think so too. Although we discipline our children at home, it is not as strict as the palace. Now that the Second Girl and Third Girl have passed the second selection and the third is just before us, we need to take it seriously." She had entrusted someone to invite a teacher of deportment from the Ministry of Rites to train the two girls well during these few days so they wouldn't panic when they entered the Ye Court.

The Old Madam raised her eyelids to look at Madam Hu, "Are you still determined to send these two girls into the palace at this point?"

Madam Hu naturally heard the displeasure in the Old Madam's words, but she could not afford to care about much else, and simply used words to prevaricate, "Since they have passed the selection, to stop now... that would not do."

The Old Madam frowned, "Why not? Send for a doctor, have him prescribe a few herbs, let them break out in a rash, and see if they will still be called into the palace then!" After saying this hurriedly, she sighed again, "You all—you only look at the glory before your eyes; you do not know the hardships within. A person's ambition should not be set too high. People say the higher you climb, the harder you fall. I am afraid the children will suffer, being sent to a place where they cannot even be seen..."

Madam Hu caught the Old Madam’s words and smiled, "I also know you cannot bear to part with the two children, but since they have a path forward, it would not be good to cut off their future."

When it came to the end, with nothing left to say, Madam Hu went ahead with her plan. She hired a teacher from the Ministry of Rites to teach them rules and decorum, and cordoned off a small courtyard as a training ground for Qingru and Qingrong. When Qingyuan and Qinghe passed by, they peeked inside; the two sisters were balancing bowls on their heads in the courtyard. Catching sight of them, they gave a look of contempt, as if what they were balancing on their heads were not bowls, but the Empress’s phoenix crown.

Qingyuan and Qinghe walked away laughing. Qinghe said, "They are going into the palace now; we will have to kowtow and pay our respects to them in the future."

Qingyuan said, "As we should. They are rising in status, and as sisters, we also share in the glory."

Qinghe shook her head vigorously, "I would rather not have this glory. It would be good enough if they don't cause us any harm."

Qingyuan only smiled. Everyone knew the score in their hearts. It seemed as if Madam Hu was the only one in the whole family who believed Qingru could enter the palace as a consort, determined to the point that even the Old Madam couldn't talk her out of it.

For a mother who was wholeheartedly hoping for her daughter to climb the high branches, one had to satisfy her maternal love. Seeing that the day of the final selection was near, at the morning greeting that day, Madam Hu said to the Old Madam, "Tomorrow is the 13th, the birthday of the Great Emperor Baocheng. Since we moved back to Youzhou, the family has yet to go out to offer incense. Old Madam, look, it is just in time for the Second and Third Girls to participate in the selection, and the marriages of the Eldest and Fourth Girls have not been decided. The brothers will be participating in the military examinations soon... Why don't you lead us to the Huguo Temple? We can take advantage of your blessings to pray for the brothers and sisters."

The Great Emperor Baocheng protected one’s fortune. The Old Madam thought it over carefully—with a large family, everyone truly had something to ask for, so she relented and agreed.

Madam Hu was pleased. She turned and instructed Old Nanny Sun, "Send someone to the temple to ask the priest to prepare a suite in advance so the Old Madam has a place to rest."

Old Nanny Sun replied, "I cannot trust the subordinates to handle this. I will go and arrange it myself later. Mistress, please rest assured."

Seeing this, Qingyuan had a vague premonition that something bad might happen. On the way back, she said to Baoxian, "The brothers are all at their studies and cannot go. Tomorrow it will be all female relatives. There are too many people at Huguo Temple; we must be extra careful."

Baoxian looked at her suspiciously, "Has the Miss seen something?"

Qingyuan smiled, "It is nothing... Just now when we entered the Huifang Garden, I saw that Old Nanny Sun had a slight limp. I assume she accidentally injured herself. She is the Mistress’s closest personal servant and has her own businesses outside the mansion. Although she is a servant in front of the master, she is worth more than half a master to the other servants. What kind of important matter would require her to go personally?"

Under her guidance, Baoxian understood immediately, "I fear the Mistress has no good intentions."

Qingyuan nodded and, while the sun had not yet risen too high, walked back to Danyue Pavilion.

Entering through the moon gate, a straight bluestone path led directly to the main house. Because there was a narrow, covered walkway resembling a browband over the gate that provided shade, she preferred to walk a few extra steps. Halfway there, she saw a maid carrying a lacquer basin toward the utility room. Her little round face was flushed red by the sun, and she was squinting, her eyes seemingly glued shut by the sun, unable to open them.

Qingyuan stood still and called out, "Xiaoxi."

Xiaoxi responded as if triggered by a spring, "I am at your service, Miss."

"Tomorrow, the Old Madam is taking the whole family to Huguo Temple to offer incense. Prepare the incense and candles for me. Bring along the hand-copied Diamond Sutra that I have; the Old Madam said she wanted to use it for merit." Qingyuan gave instructions item by item, then thought about it and added, "Nanny Tao has heatstroke; tell her to rest for two days. You come along with us tomorrow."

Her tone was ordinary, and Xiaoxi did not suspect anything, bowing and saying, "I will follow your instructions and go prepare."

Qingyuan nodded and, waving her circular fan, headed toward the other end of the corridor.