Spring of the Blade - Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Because Qingru had received prior instructions from her mother, she had barely stepped out of the meditation room. The Old Madam had a habit of taking a nap at midday; having just finished her meal, she laid down. Outside, the steady rhythm of Buddhist chants filled the air, and she drifted into a deep sleep in the cool breeze by the window, occasionally letting out soft snores that made Qingru knit her brows.

Feeling bored to death, Qingru wondered how the plan was progressing. The aunts, concubines, and sisters-in-law had all gone out to explore the grounds. Only she and Qingrong were stuck here, forced to listen to the Old Madam’s snoring, which was truly tedious.

The sun was scorching, but Huguo Temple was filled with banyan trees—some over a hundred years old—with canopies as large as rooftops. She sat by the window, resting her chin on her hand, watching. Two cicadas flew in from afar, vibrating their wings with a loud, piercing drone. These heavy, clumsy insects also had dreams of moving to a new home, though this tree clearly wasn’t suitable for living. One would settle, only for another to shake its wings and fly off again, fluttering erratically with great effort. Finally, it vanished into the dazzling waterfall of light, destination unknown.

Suddenly, a figure approached, lurking by the corner of the wall and beckoning to her. Qingru straightened up.

Qingrong followed her gaze. "Is that Xiaoxi?"

Xiaoxi’s parents had risen in the world entirely thanks to Madam Hu’s grace, so Xiaoxi had always been subservient to her. When she was originally planted in Danyue Pavilion, she had worked diligently to monitor the Fourth Girl for them; she was considered a reliable confidante.

"Could something have changed?" Qingru glanced at Qingrong, her heart pounding with anxiety, and walked outside.

Xiaoxi shuffled forward a few steps. Once Qingru reached her, she whispered, "Second Miss, the Young Marquis is here."

Qingru was startled. "The Young Marquis returned to Youzhou?"

Time flew by; if she calculated correctly, he had been gone for nearly a month. Returning now was a testament to how urgent he felt about this marriage proposal. However, this was not the time for reflection. Qingru anxiously grabbed Xiaoxi and asked, "What about the Fourth Girl? Did she go to see him?"

Xiaoxi shook her head. "Just now, Nanny Sun came by and said the Eldest Young Mistress had a stomach ache and asked the Fourth Girl to look after her for a while. I happened to be out after offering incense and ran into the Young Marquis in front of the Great Hall of Sakyamuni. He asked me to secretly pass a message to the Fourth Girl, saying he had important words for her."

Whenever Qingru heard any rumors concerning the Young Marquis, she immediately lost her sense of direction. She began to calculate why he would want to see Qingyuan now. If the Marquis’s estate had agreed to the match, he could have openly come to the Xie residence to propose. The fact that he was being secretive proved he had made this trip for nothing—the Marquis’s estate had clearly not agreed to the marriage.

For this Young Marquis, her regrets were profound. So many things had been left unsaid, and she always lacked a chance to let herself give up completely. Right now, Qingyuan wouldn't be back for a while. If it were possible, she still wanted to fight for herself. Entering the palace was not important to her; if she could have a future with him, who would want to enter the palace?

"Where is the Young Marquis?" Qingru gripped Xiaoxi’s arm. "Take me to him, quickly."

Xiaoxi pointed into the distance. "Over there." As for where "there" was, from where they stood, nothing could be seen.

Qingru was impatient to go, but Qingrong called out hesitantly, "Second Sister... The Mistress told us to wait here..."

Qingru’s expression was resolute. "I must see him today. I have things to say to him."

She followed Xiaoxi, not even bringing her maid, Lüzhui, with her. As she walked, she kept asking where he was. Xiaoxi was vague, blindly guiding her forward, repeating, "Just up ahead." Finally, she led her to the pavilion. It was empty. Xiaoxi said, "This is the place he mentioned just now. Second Miss, please wait a moment."

Madam Hu’s strategic error was that while she had revealed the plan to Qingru, she hadn't told her the intended location. Xiaoxi left as soon as she had delivered her charge, leaving Qingru alone in the pavilion to wait foolishly. Unfortunately, the person who arrived was not the Young Marquis, but two monks with shaved heads and temple robes.

The two monks were highly skilled; with a hand over her mouth and a swift grab, they handled the young lady like a hawk catching a chick. Qingru’s struggles and resistance wouldn't even count as a tickle to them. She couldn't escape, couldn't scream, and was eventually dragged into a nearby room.

The latticed door closed with a muffled thud. It sounded extremely faint here, but the Second Young Mistress, Madam Ming, who had witnessed the process, felt as if she had been slapped across the face. She shuddered violently.

"That was... wasn't that Qingru?" She looked at her personal maid, feeling a sense of disbelief.

Her maid was also panicked. "It certainly looked like her... Miss, what should we do?"

What should they do? Madam Ming was also shocked out of her wits at first, but she steadied herself and calmed down. Who was that? That was the arrogant Second Miss, the Second Miss who was about to enter the palace to become a consort! She was the apple of the matriarch’s eye, the daughter of Madam Hu—the woman who, just a short while ago, had forced a concubine to kneel all night because of a petty squabble between her children! The initial terror now transformed into a brisk sense of retribution. She wished she could announce to the world that the Second Miss had fallen into the hands of lecherous monks, but she couldn't. If she spoke up now, the show would be over.

Madam Ming let out a dry, coughing laugh. "Let's go take a look."

The mistress and servant gathered their courage and moved closer, passing by the door as if nothing were amiss. The left and right ears seemed to inhabit two completely different worlds: one side filled with the peaceful sound of chants, the other with muffled cries through a gag.

The retribution in one’s heart, the evil in one’s heart—it truly possessed infinite power. It could sustain a heart that refused to save a soul in peril. In the end, Madam Ming walked past with feigned nonchalance. Although her legs were trembling, she walked away without looking back. The inner courtyards of noble families were essentially fragmented regimes; if you got along, you treated each other like relatives, but if you didn't, you were destined to be bitter enemies, shooting daggers with your eyes whenever you met, never resting until the other was ruined.

Everyone had moments when they hit a dead end; forcing one's way was pointless. She wondered how Madam Hu would feel if she knew her daughter was suffering right now. Madam Ming shook her head. "Pathetic. A girl’s life is just ruined like that."

Her maid smiled. "Well, she was going to have to marry eventually anyway; what’s the difference between sooner or later?"

Meanwhile, Qingyuan, carrying Baoxian and Xiaoxi, entered the merit hall of the temple. She had finished donating the spirit tablet for her mother before the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and had asked for the name, date of birth, and date of death to be written in full. The only thing left was to come back every ten years to pay the upkeep fee.

They were laughing and chatting as they stepped over the threshold, just in time to meet Madam Hu and Nanny Sun, who were about to leave. The two parties met at the entrance, and Qingyuan would never forget the look in Madam Hu’s eyes for the rest of her life.

Surprise? Shock? Qingyuan smiled. "The Mistress has finished her business; now it is my turn."

That double entendre broke Madam Hu into a cold sweat. She hadn't fallen for the trap; it seemed she had escaped disaster once again. Madam Hu couldn't let it show on her face and responded casually before walking out. But her heart wouldn't stop racing; it was as if it were about to jump out of her throat. She glanced at the pavilion as she passed; there was no one around. She couldn't figure out where the mistake had been made, and while she was vexed, she couldn't investigate deeply right then.

She hurried back to the meditation room, only to find Qingrong sitting alone by the Old Madam’s couch, fanning her. Madam Hu’s voice changed, turning sharp and shrill. "Where is your Second Sister?"

Qingrong stood up. "Second Sister went out..."

Qingyuan’s words from earlier—"The Mistress has finished her business; now it is my turn"—exploded in her ears like a thunderclap. Nanny Sun felt a chill, turned, and ran out. Madam Hu stood frozen for a moment before turning and chasing after her with quick strides.

The Old Madam was startled by their frantic, snake-like behavior and craned her neck to look at the door, muttering, "Your mistress is getting on in years, yet she is becoming less and less composed."

Qingrong’s gaze pierced through the banyan tree outside the window, and she asked hesitantly, "Grandmother... has something gone wrong?"

The Old Madam thought, What could go wrong in a place of Buddhist purity? But for some reason, she felt unsettled as well, so she rose slowly, preparing to go out and see for herself.

In the afternoon heat, waves of warmth rushed at her face. Yuequan helped the Old Madam across the corridor, only to see several members of the Xie family standing outside a meditation room not far from the pavilion.

"What is going on here?" Before she could finish, she saw Nanny Xu running over in a panic. The Old Madam hesitated. "What happened up ahead?"

Nanny Xu’s face was awkward; she seemed unable to speak, stuttering and tugging on the Old Madam’s sleeve. "A disaster..."

The Old Madam’s face changed instantly. She stumbled toward the room. Upon reaching the door, she saw Madam Hu kneeling in the corner, cradling someone in her arms. Because of a large, heavy cloak, one couldn't see what the situation was from behind. Only the hem of Qingru’s skirt was visible. A heart-rending cry erupted from her chest, and Madam Hu tremblingly covered her mouth. "Don't make a sound... don't make a sound..." By the end, she was choking on her own sobs.

It seemed it was truly bad—truly a disaster. The Old Madam walked inside and nearly fainted upon seeing the sight. Qingru’s clothes were all torn to shreds; her hair was disheveled, and her body was covered in bruises and bloodstains. Madam Hu tried to cover her, but unfortunately, whenever she covered her arms, her legs were exposed—no matter what, it couldn't be hidden. The Old Madam’s blood rushed to her head; she staggered back several steps, trembling, and finally stamped her feet in distress. "What a calamity! What kind of sin have we committed to deserve this?!"

When Qingru saw someone enter, her eyes flashed with terror. The scream was stifled by her mother’s palm.

It could not be publicized—it could not be spread. If it were known, the girl’s reputation would be ruined. Madam Jiang stepped in, waving her hands at the people behind her, signaling them to disperse, while instructing her personal Nanny, "Quickly, find a way to get some clothes or a cloak, and bring a veil hat. Tell the servant boys at the gate to prepare a carriage. We leave the moment we get down the mountain."

Everyone was shooed out. They looked at one another, all appearing completely lost. Madam Bai clutched her handkerchief and murmured, "How could such a thing happen..."

Madam Ming exchanged a look with her maid and smiled secretly.

The first wife lacked the decorum of a first wife, and many were waiting to see her make a fool of herself. Now that such a blunder had occurred, she would never be able to hold her head up for the rest of her life. The people who had been nervous a moment ago suddenly felt relieved. The event had happened, and the ensuing show would be even more spectacular. Everyone felt jubilant, almost unable to contain their ecstatic joy. Later, when they boarded their carriages, they exchanged knowing glances and gossiped animatedly, jostling each other as if it were a festival.

In Qingyuan’s carriage, Xiaoxi wrung her hands, looking like she was sitting on needles. She stole a glance at the Fourth Girl, but didn't dare to speak.

What Qingyuan felt was an unprecedented sense of relief. Qingru had participated in every one of Madam Hu’s venomous schemes; she was not innocent at all. If it hadn't been for her own counter-strategy, the one crying and wailing right now would have been her. What a terrifying pair of mother and daughter—first poisoning Aunt Xia to frame her mother, and now, after failing to kill her, attempting to ruin her purity. Now, it was perfect: they were reaping what they had sown. If there had been even a sliver of kindness in their hearts, would things have ever devolved to this point?

"You stayed by my side all day today; you went nowhere," Qingyuan said lightly. "When you are questioned later, be careful. Answering well is the only way to help yourself."

Xiaoxi nodded submissively, knowing in her heart that for people like them, the servants, they could be sacrificed at any moment. Even if she betrayed the Fourth Girl later, the Fourth Girl could simply call it a frame-up and bite back, claiming they had conspired to plant false evidence on her. Now that the only legitimate daughter in the family was ruined, the Old Madam would naturally cherish the remaining young ladies. Without hard evidence to point at the Fourth Girl, it was likely that before the Mistress could do anything to her, the Old Madam would have driven the whole lot of them out of the house first.

Sure enough, the moment Madam Hu finished settling Qingru, she turned and slapped Qingyuan across the face. She raised her hand to strike again, but was held back by others. Madam Hu looked like a lunatic, staring at Qingyuan with blood-red eyes, screaming hysterically, "You slut, you ruined Qingru! It was you!"

Although Qingyuan had been prepared, as a young girl, she couldn't withstand such a ruthless, sudden assault. Baoxian blocked the second slap, turning and shouting, "Old Madam, how can you blame our Young Mistress for this... What does this have to do with her... Old Madam!"

The Old Madam’s heart was broken by today’s disaster. Upon returning home, she was met with yet another brawl, and she couldn't restrain the mad woman with words, so she picked up the tea set and the tray on the table and smashed them hard on the floor.

With a crash, the porcelain shattered. Everyone present was stunned. The Old Madam said sharply, "Go on, keep fighting! If you ruin this family, then you’ll all finally be quiet! Shameful—the Xie family’s dignity for generations has been thrown away. Go out and look—which other family has had such an incident? And you still have the face to fight? When this leads to a death, when the family is broken and the people gone, I want to see which one of you will be able to escape the consequences!"

Madam Hu felt as if she had been struck over the head. Only then did she regain some composure. She sat on a chair, gasping for breath, pointing a hateful finger at Qingyuan. "I asked the Second Girl; it was Xiaoxi from the Fourth Girl’s side who delivered the message, saying the Young Marquis had come from Hengtang and wanted to meet the Second Girl. That’s how she fell into the Fourth Girl’s trap and was harmed by the thieves she arranged! Where is Xiaoxi? Call her out, and we’ll know as soon as we ask."

The people in the room began looking everywhere for Xiaoxi. Xiaoxi entered from outside, knelt down, and said in a panic, "Mistress... such a big matter, how can you say it was me who delivered the message... I am just a lowly servant; I cannot bear such a responsibility..."

Madam Hu pounded the table and rose. "You think the Second Miss would wrongly accuse you? You have been following the Fourth Girl lately, so naturally you listen to her. Don't forget that I didn't treat your family poorly before. Now you are returning kindness with enmity; have you lost your conscience?"

Xiaoxi’s face turned bright red. Seeing her like this, Baoxian was afraid she would let something slip and was about to retort when she heard the Fourth Girl speak. "Mistress, your words are very true. Who in the household doesn't know that Xiaoxi is the spy you planted in my courtyard? It’s just a pity that she was by my side all day today, and many people saw it. The Mistress cannot force a confession, and she doesn't have the guts to carry one out." The previous slap had left her ears ringing, but she was angry, not resentful. Even if this slap was meant to compensate for Qingru’s misfortune, she didn't lose out. Her words bit deep, and she sneered at Madam Hu. "The Mistress says I ruined Second Sister, but I would like to ask the Mistress: Second Sister is a grown woman. Knowing full well that the Young Marquis was going to propose to me, why was she so eager to meet him?"

Madam Hu was momentarily choked, because those words were not the truth. Qingru had trusted Xiaoxi because she knew Qingyuan was nine times out of ten in the hands of villains and wouldn't be able to meet the Young Marquis. She had intended to repeat her trick from the Great Buddha Temple and intercept him again. Who knew that Qingyuan’s mind was ten thousand times more cunning than hers; she had played along with the ruse to trick her and push her into that trap. Now that her purity was gone and she was humiliated beyond words, she couldn't swallow this anger, no matter what.

"Good girl, you don't need to play word games with me. Such a huge incident has occurred; there is no room for your quibbling! Your Second Sister may be a bit spoiled, and she may not be as cunning as you, but no matter how much you hate her, you shouldn't have harmed her like this. I blame myself for being kind-hearted and bringing a disaster like you back into this house, harming my Qingru." The more Madam Hu spoke, the more agitated she became. She turned to Nanny Sun. "Go get the rope. I’ll strangle her today. If I’m beheaded for it, so be it!"

The room erupted into chaos. Madam Hu was filled with such hatred that she intended to take her life with a private execution.

Qingyuan was not afraid of her. All the accumulated grievances she had endured for so long were finally vented a little bit today. She stood tall and sneered, "If the Mistress wants to strangle me, go ahead and do it. If you and Second Sister have anger, take it out on me. This is the second time today; I have already taken two slaps from you. Even if I am a concubine-born daughter, I am a proper young lady of the Xie family, not your servant! I would like to ask: on such a scorching hot day, why did the Mistress insist on goading the whole family to burn incense at Huguo Temple? What is the reason? It’s such a coincidence—last time I was waylaid and nearly died under a robber’s blade; this time, Second Sister was treated by others... The Mistress doesn't suspect that an old enemy of the Xie family is seeking revenge, but insists that I was the one who harmed Second Sister. Is it because the Mistress has a guilty conscience, afraid that I will take revenge, or what?"

Madam Hu was shaking all over with rage, gnashing her teeth as she stared at her. That index finger pointing at her looked as if it wanted to poke a thousand holes in her body. However, anger was useless, and being anxious was useless. What mattered was finding a way to force her to die to atone for her sins to Qingru.

"Fine, fine, fine..." Madam Hu, with a livid face, shifted her gaze to Qingrong. "Third girl, you were with your Second Sister the whole time; you know best what happened at that moment. Tell your grandmother: was it the Fourth Girl who sent Xiaoxi to deliver the message, tricking your Second Sister into the tiger's mouth?"

Everyone turned to look at Qingrong. Qingrong let out a faint sound, appearing completely at a loss.