Spring of the Blade - Chapter 67

Chapter 67

The news that Xie Shu had failed to take Shibu City for a long time had not yet reached the Xie residence, so life for everyone in the Xie family remained relatively peaceful.

With the series of good news in the household, and the fact that Li Guanling was about to head to the capital for the imperial examinations, Concubine Lian asked for the Old Madam’s instructions that day: "Regardless of whether Lanshan passes the exam or not, the child has come to Youzhou, and it is a comfort to know he has kin to rely on here. Eldest Miss is worried about him but cannot send him off personally. Old Madam, why don't we host a banquet and invite both of our future sons-in-law to liven things up?"

The Old Madam thought it was a good idea. As neither pair of children was married yet, Lanshan and Chunzhi could only visit like distant relatives. Since the time for the Autumn Examinations was approaching, both the future son-in-law and the young gentlemen of the family would be sitting for them; holding a family banquet now would be a fitting way to see them off. She agreed, "You handle the arrangements. The Madam has been feeling unwell lately, so do not bother her. If there is anything pressing, go and ask for her opinion only then."

Concubine Lian replied in the affirmative, unable to hide a sneer when mentioning Madam Hu.

What "unwell"? In the past, she had been arrogant and overbearing, the two of them acting like the tyrants of the Xie family. If not for the incident at Huguo Temple, they would still be stepping on everyone’s feet. Heaven had eyes, after all; now that they had lost their splendor, it was a pity that Madam Hu was so thick-skinned. She had thought the Second Miss would go to a nunnery to cultivate herself, but instead, she clung stubbornly to the estate, continuing to bring shame upon the Xie family.

The maid beside her supported her as they walked out of Huifang Garden, whispering, "Madam has lost all her spirit from the anger; she hasn't even been managing the household affairs."

Concubine Lian laughed, sighing with a sense of understanding, "Our Old Madam is the most considerate; she is sparing her the embarrassment and trying to preserve her dignity. But hiding like this is no solution. When the Master returns and sees the state his daughter has been reduced to..." As she thought about it, she shook her head repeatedly, "They have truly discarded the honor of eighteen generations of ancestors; I wonder how she will answer to the Master!"

The mistress and servant exchanged giggles and went off to prepare the arrangements.

When the invitations were sent out, the sons-in-law naturally came. The Old Madam was delighted, sitting in the seat of honor with a smile, "It has been a long time since we had such liveliness in this house; we are just waiting for your weddings now. Our family has welcomed three daughters-in-law, but we have yet to marry off our own daughters. When the time comes, we must arrange everything beautifully."

Concubine Lian, listening from the side, took the opportunity to say: "The Fourth Miss’s wedding date hasn't been set yet; I imagine it won't be as soon as our Eldest Miss’s. Eldest Miss is, after all, the Old Madam’s eldest granddaughter; when the time comes, it will all rely on the Old Madam’s decision."

The so-called "decision" was merely about the daughter’s dowry. In families with many descendants, the ten fingers of a hand are not of equal length. Originally, the Old Madam would certainly have prioritized the Second Miss; now that the Second Miss was no longer viable and the Third Miss had entered the palace, it would be appropriate for their dowries to be added to those of the remaining two daughters.

The Old Madam had her own calculations in mind. She did not like the way the concubine was pressuring her, but since guests were present, she gave a vague, non-committal response and turned to chat with Li Guanling, inquiring about the preparations the public official’s family was making for the wedding after the coming of spring.

Qingyuan felt somewhat lethargic. Perhaps it was because the weather was too stifling, but she felt uncomfortable all over. After barely managing to keep them company for a while, she retreated from the main hall.

Li Congxin naturally followed her out, trailing behind her and asking, "Fourth Sister, what is wrong? You don't look very well."

She gave a soft grunt, "I think I might be catching a heatstroke." As she spoke, she pinched the center of her brow twice.

Under the shade of the trees, it was very cool, and the sparse leaves cast mottled light upon them. He looked through the columns of light and saw a diamond-shaped red mark quickly rising on the center of her delicate brow. It was the color of rouge, light and cute, resembling the exquisite flower-shaped marks of the current fashion.

"Do you have a headache?" He examined her face carefully, "The heat-rash is quite heavy; it appeared the moment you pinched it."

She touched the center of her brow. Nearby, there was a small stone vat where moneywort was kept, so she bent over to catch a glimpse of her reflection. Seeing her face in the water, she let out an "Aiya!" and bashfully covered the red mark, laughing, "I look like Erlang Shen."

He loved this charming, girlish quality of hers, a vivacity and freshness that seemed to seep from her very bones. She was usually very self-restrained; a rare moment of playfulness stirred his heart deeply. He reached out, "Let me press it for you."

Qingyuan shook her head with a smile, "I’d better go back and have Chuntai do gua sha for me. She has the best technique in our courtyard; I will see results the moment she is done. I’ll be back in time to accompany the Old Madam for dinner. But I must neglect you now; I have no way to keep you company. You can stroll in the garden or go up front to find Elder Brother and the others."

He was a gentle and considerate person, so he only said, "I will see you back, then I will go find them later."

Qingyuan did not refuse, allowing him to escort her. Today, the young Marquis was wearing moon-white robes, as clean and warm as the first time she had seen him at the Spring Banquet. Her peripheral vision was filled with this person. In truth, there had been several times when she had wanted to have a chat with him, but she felt she didn't know where to start. Ultimately, hesitating and murmuring, she slowly reached the entrance. After she entered her bedchamber, he lingered in the outer room for a while before leaving the courtyard to head to the front.

The copper coin dipped in clear water by Chuntai landed on her smooth back, scraping a line that left star-like traces under the skin. As she prepared to scrape a second line, Qingyuan sat up, still clothed. Chuntai was surprised, "What is wrong, Miss?"

Qingyuan smiled, "I remembered something I didn't tell the Old Madam, I need to make one more trip to Huifang Garden." Having said that, she adjusted her dress and skirt and headed out again.

Baoxian hurriedly brought an umbrella to shade her from the sun, but she walked hesitantly along the way, looking as if she were in no rush to see the Old Madam.

The Fourth Miss was always a woman of planning; it was rare for her to forget something and have to make a second trip. Baoxian vaguely sensed something in her heart and whispered, "Miss, are you looking for the Third Young Master?"

Qingyuan did not speak. Today the family was holding a banquet, which should have been a good opportunity for the whole family to gather. It had been half a month since the visit to Huguo Temple to pray; no matter how heavy the sorrow, half a month was usually enough for some relief. Once that relief came, restless emotions would breed. Not everyone in the world was good at self-control; there were always some who, driven by obsession, would rush toward the flame time and time again.

She always had a strange premonition, but she feared Baoxian would laugh at her if she spoke it aloud, so she kept it bottled up inside. She followed the stone path into the depths of the garden, stopping and starting as if merely touring the grounds. Fortunately, the thing she feared did not happen. She let out a light sigh and mocked herself: "I truly have heatstroke today; my brain is muddled." She was just about to turn around when she had only walked ten steps, and her sleeve was suddenly tugged by Baoxian.

She gave a soft grunt and looked in the direction of Baoxian’s gaze, only to see two people standing under a tallow tree: one was the pitiful-looking Qingru, and the other was the deeply sympathetic Li Congxin.

Baoxian was slightly surprised, "Miss..."

Qingyuan raised a hand to signal her to be silent and led her around to the side. Behind the tallow tree was a rose trellis; in the height of summer, the branches and leaves were lush and green, like a wall that could perfectly hide their figures.

Her heart pounded like a drum. She could almost guess what Qingru would say; she only wanted to know how Li Congxin would respond. The wind blew through the rose leaves, rustling softly, and their voices drifted over clearly. At first, it was Qingru’s sobbing, as she murmured, "I had originally thought that I would never see you again in this life, but why did you have to marry the Fourth Girl? Since we are part of the same family now, how could I ever escape? Brother Chunzhi, you know how I feel about you—everything I did, I did for you..."

Li Congxin said, "Second Sister, do not be like this. I have already reported this to my parents at home, and I have already presented the betrothal gifts to the Fourth Miss; this matter is hard to change now. I cannot repay the feelings you have for me. In the future, if there is anything you need me for, I will certainly move heaven and earth to do it for you, alright?"

However, Qingru did not intend to give up so easily. Her tone carried a lingering resentment as she choked out, "In your eyes, the Fourth Girl is like a goddess, but you have no idea what a venomous, snake-like heart she possesses! Everything I have become is thanks to her; it was she who conspired with Shen Run to harm me—everything was a trap set by them. You are people of the world; how would you understand the cruelties of the inner chambers? She envied me and knew I wouldn't dare speak out, making me swallow this bitterness in silence... Brother Chunzhi, only you can save me now..."

Listening from the other side of the trellis, Qingyuan frowned. It was a pity for Qingru; even now, she was still distorting the truth and turning black into white. Previously, she had blamed and regretted that things had turned out this way, but it seemed it was entirely unnecessary; her situation today was entirely of her own making—a case of evil reaping evil.

Li Congxin’s elbows were naturally turned inward, "Fourth Sister is not that kind of person. It is unfortunate that you encountered such an incident, Second Sister, but you cannot vent your resentment upon her..."

Qingru wept bitterly, "If Qingyuan hadn't sent her people to trick me, telling me you were waiting for me there, how would I have fallen into their trap! If I have faults in this matter, my only fault is being infatuated with you..."

Then there was a silence between them. After a short while, Qingyuan heard Li Congxin’s awkward tone: "Second Sister, do not be like this, watch out for people seeing us..."

Qingru sobbed even louder, "Brother Chunzhi, I don't even ask for a status now; I only ask that you see my heart and let me be with you. Even if I become a mistress outside the estate, I would accept it."

"Second Sister... aiy, Second Sister..."

Qingyuan did not listen to the rest of the conversation; she tugged Baoxian’s sleeve and said, "Let’s go." Returning to Danyue Pavilion, she leaned against the railings and remained in a daze for a while. The people around her dared not say anything. After a long while, Baoxian finally delivered a cup of clear tea and whispered, "How does Miss intend to handle this?"

Qingyuan lowered her head to stroke the melon-lobed bowl, murmuring, "The Second Sister said one thing that was right—since we are all one family, how can we escape... I have just learned who is the most detestable in the world: the indecisive and the muddled are the most detestable! He wants to be a 'good person' and is unwilling to offend her, but in the end, he hurts others."

She had been waiting for him to say something decisive. If Qingru was shameless, he should have shattered her delusions, or simply flicked his sleeves and left, avoiding her from then on. But instead, he was not like that. He had clearly gone to great lengths to get engaged to the younger sister, yet he continued to be entangled with the elder sister. He wanted to pursue the one, but didn't know how to reject the other. Perhaps in the future, he would really fulfill Qingru’s wish and keep her in an outer residence as a mistress; that was not impossible. Since she had already become what she was, no one would ever marry her legitimately anyway—what did she have left to care about regarding reputation?

Qingyuan put down the bowl and got up, pacing slowly under the corridor. The sunlight outside was dazzling; she stared blankly into the distance and sighed, "If this continues, I fear I will become a laughingstock for others." And then Qingru would be like a nightmare, entangling her for a lifetime—it would be a fight to the death. As for that young Marquis who couldn't bear to hurt anyone, he would likely live with guilt while seeking consolation elsewhere. Perhaps he couldn't even tell the difference between affection and love.

There was no cardinal sin in a noble gentleman being gentle and sentimental, but if he was unclear and messy with the women of the family, it was like placing a blade by one’s bedside, which made one’s skin crawl.

In truth, she only needed to use a few methods to set a trap so that the Old Madam and the rest of the family saw it, and he would be left speechless and forced to accept the breaking of the engagement. But doing so seemed somewhat cruel; it was always best to leave him with some dignity.

After the family banquet dispersed, Qingyuan did not leave, remaining in Huifang Garden to serve the Old Madam her medicine. The Old Madam saw that something was wrong but asked nothing. When everything was cleared away, she sent everyone else out of the room and gestured with her chin for her to sit, "I know you have something on your mind. No one is here now, speak."

Qingyuan did not beat around the bush, stating bluntly, "I am afraid I cannot go through with this marriage to the Danyang Marquis’s estate."

The Old Madam was not surprised, asking calmly why, "Everything was fine just today."

The truth was not easy to speak aloud, but without saying it, there was no way to explain. She rubbed the hem of her skirt and hesitated before saying, "The Second Sister had a secret meeting with the Young Marquis today; she even went so far as to ask to be his mistress. If our marriage were to be completed, not only would I lose face, but the Xie family’s reputation would be dragged through the mud. Grandmother, it is not that I do not treasure my good fortune, but the one wearing shoes fears the one walking barefoot. In order to get his family’s consent, the Young Marquis had no choice but to argue with his father and mother. They were only acting out of concern for him, agreeing reluctantly, and turning a blind eye to me. If it were just that, I could endure it, but if he continues to have entanglements with the Second Sister in the future... Grandmother, think about it—even without mentioning what others would say, within the Marquis’s own estate, our whole family would never be able to hold our heads high."

With every sentence Qingyuan spoke, the color on the Old Madam’s face turned uglier. By the end, she almost slapped the kang table, "A misfortune to the family, to have such a dog-sh*t thing happen! That second girl... she... does she truly not have a shred of shame?"

Qingyuan lowered her eyes and said nothing. If the daughter is not taught, it is naturally the mother's fault. After this series of events, the Old Madam did not necessarily not hate Madam Hu. As long as she felt hate, that was enough. Among the family's two concubines, one was a noble concubine and the other had birthed two sons; no matter how noble the mistress of the house might be, she was not irreplaceable.

The Old Madam was so angry it took her a long time to calm down. She had initially thought Qingyuan was merely regretting and wanted to abandon the Danyang Marquis’s estate to choose the Commander’s estate instead. She had not expected that, when the truth was laid bare, it would be for such a reason. What could be done? Even if Qingru was a scoundrel, she couldn't simply kill her. Since her worldly desires had not been extinguished, sending her to a temple wouldn't stop her. If Qingyuan truly married Li Congxin, how would it work to have her be the younger sister-in-law to her own elder sister? After much thought, it seemed the only path was to break the engagement.

The Old Madam sighed gloomily, "It is a pity that Commander Shen is also about to be engaged. Now you have no footing on either side; you must think it through clearly."

Qingyuan nodded, "I know. Simply choosing neither is also a way to avoid offending anyone."

The Old Madam felt even more melancholy than she did, filled with nothing but regret—two such excellent marriage prospects were lost, and she feared that in the future, nothing would surpass this achievement. If she truly refused, she was a bit reluctant, so she weighed her words, "I think we shall do this: let us leave it vague for now. Your father hasn't returned yet, so the formal betrothal cannot proceed. You take a closer look; the most important thing is Chunzhi’s character. I suspect that you won't be living in Youzhou after your marriage, and perhaps once you are far away, that second girl will settle down."

Since the Old Madam had spoken thus, Qingyuan could not be too stubborn; it would be good to distinguish the truth a little more clearly. Regarding Li Congxin, she could not say she hated or resented him; she was merely disappointed. She had thought that something gained with such painstaking effort would be cherished, but now that the dust had settled, it seemed that was all there was to it—he liked the process of hunting beauty.

It was getting late. Everything that needed to be said had been laid out to the Old Madam; the weight and consequence would be for the Old Madam to judge. Qingyuan rose, offered a bow, and exited the main hall. She had just reached the corridor when she saw Zhenglun rushing over, out of breath, leaving his lantern-bearing servant far behind.

Qingyuan stood still, and just as she was about to ask what was the matter, she heard Zhenglun say, "Fourth Sister, don't leave yet, something big has happened."

Qingyuan looked at him in confusion. Zhenglun slapped his thigh and said, "News has come from the palace. Our father has failed to take Shibu City for over a month, and more than half of the sixty thousand troops have been killed or wounded. The Emperor is furious and has ordered a report to be presented; it is said that he will be sentenced to death or exiled for three thousand li."

Qingyuan was stunned. She truly had not expected that before the previous predicament had even passed, a greater storm would arrive. Execution, exile—the mere mention of it made her scalp tingle.

Without waiting for her to respond, Zhenglun shouted for their grandmother and rushed into the main hall. She was standing there in a daze when she heard the Old Madam loudly call "Fourth Girl." She responded with an "Aiy" and turned back. The Old Madam said, trembling, "Did you hear? Your father’s military campaign has gone poorly, and the Emperor is about to punish him. What should we do... Could it be that the feng shui of our family’s ancestral graves has gone bad? Bad events follow one another... Hurry and think of a way; go and see Commander Shen once more, and ask him to probe for news, will you?”