Spring of the Blade - Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Before even engaging a bride, he wanted to "engage" a kitten to practice his hand?

Although Qingyuan was quite fond of cats and dogs, she held a grudge against him for waiting until this very moment to tell the truth. She said coldly, "I have no plans to hire a kitten for now. Thank you for your kind intention, Commander."

The time for settling scores had arrived. Chen Old Madam’s words had been very clear: everything depended on the girl’s own wishes. As long as she did not give her consent, Commander Shen would have to be prepared to endure some difficulty. No matter how high his rank or how much he could cover the sky with one hand, in front of the Chen family, he was merely an ordinary man seeking the hand of their granddaughter.

Shen Run was a bit anxious, "Young lady, if there is anything to discuss, we can do so properly."

Qingyuan smiled at him with perfect decorum, "Commander, have you forgotten? I said the exact same thing to you yesterday. How did you answer me then? Did you not tell me there was no inside story to share?"

Shen Run also began to regret missing the perfect opportunity to climb down the ladder when it was offered. Trying to smooth things over now was clearly too late.

When a girl was angry, besides stomping her feet three feet high, she would also keep people at a distance of a thousand miles. This was exactly what he feared most—her cold, indifferent expression, as if she cared for no one. He began a new round of self-denial, fearing that Qingyuan’s feelings for him were not deep enough yet.

If they weren't deep enough, they would have to be deepened. The Commander, who had never once bowed his head during his most arduous years, had now learned to be humble, "There is one now. I have an inside story to tell you, Young Lady."

She looked at him with measured composure, "I only know it now that you've come to tell me; I don't want to listen anymore." With that, she shook Chen Old Madam’s arm, "Grandmother, let's not stay here. Let's go back."

Before meeting Shen Run, Chen Old Madam had been filled with trepidation. This Commander Shen had sent someone thousands of miles to Hengtang to fetch them, and the messenger had stated clearly that the Commander wished to forge a permanent marital alliance with the Chen family and requested the elders to move to Youzhou to arrange for the girl’s marriage.

Such an approach, while done for Yunya’s sake, was actually quite overbearing when examined closely. A man in charge of the entire Imperial Guard, a high official of the Second Rank—he was surely no stranger to wine and women. Perhaps he was simply captivated by Yunya’s beauty and, in a moment of desire, insisted on forcibly taking her. Such a person would certainly be intolerable. Throughout the journey, the Old Madam had discussed this with the Old Master many times: if he truly looked like some crude, hulking bandit, wouldn't the child’s life be ruined? Happily, once she saw the "real Buddha," that worry turned to ash. The Old Madam had lived so long and had never seen such a magnificent specimen of a man. In his youth, the Old Master had been considered top-tier, but compared to Shen Run, he was lacking—by about eighteen zhang.

The Commander had genuine feelings, and Yunya surely liked him too; a girl’s eyes could not lie when she had matters on her heart. The Old Madam’s hanging heart was completely set at ease. However, seeing the two young lovers bickering, the protective instinct of a parent was inevitable—and after all, flames burn higher when everyone adds wood—so she smiled, "Commander, while we dare not climb the gates of a Duke’s household, we are still a well-to-do family. Since the young lady has nothing to say to you, we will return for now. If you have other matters, you may condescend to visit our residence on Qin’an Street; we will certainly open our gates wide to welcome you."

Talking and laughing, the Chen couple led her out of the hall. Baoxian was waiting outside, raising a round fan to shade the young lady from the sun. Shen Run took two steps in pursuit, "Old Master Chen, Madam, why not have a light meal before leaving..." But the couple, walking arm in arm, had already headed toward the gate.

Before stepping over the threshold, Qingyuan secretly looked back at him. He stood under the eaves, still maintaining a look of restraint and self-composure, but his following gaze clearly betrayed his unwillingness to part.

"What is it?" Chen Old Madam noticed and laughed, "Are you blaming Grandmother for deliberately making things difficult for him?"

Qingyuan said no, "He kept things from me before, busily arranging a fake engagement with the Mu family in all seriousness, making me think I was going to be his concubine. It is good that Grandmother did this—to puncture his arrogance so he doesn't get too complacent."

Chen Old Madam nodded, "In this world, no matter the person or the object, it is only precious if you spend effort to obtain it. It’s not that we won't grant it to him now, but doing so too easily would demean ourselves. Our fine girl cannot give others an excuse to gossip." As she spoke, she smoothed Qingyuan’s hair. Although she was safe and sound, Chen Old Madam still felt a pang of sorrow, "The child I raised with such hardship was treated so poorly by the Xie family—I simply cannot swallow this anger! Does the Xie Old Matriarch have a heart made of stone? You are her own flesh and blood, yet she sent you to the Shen family just like that. Thanks to the Commander being a good man, but what if he were a lecherous, fickle scoundrel? Would you even be able to live?"

Qingyuan nestled in her grandmother’s embrace. The carriage rocked gently, shaking tears from her eyes. She turned her face away and clung tightly to Chen Old Madam’s neck, "Grandmother, I feel like Heaven is being quite good to me right now. No matter how others treat me poorly, I have you both. I am not all alone; I have elders to take charge for me... it’s so good."

Life has roots and a path; even if they were not related by blood, her heart would not feel frantic. Previously, in the Commander’s mansion, even knowing Shen Run treated her sincerely, she had felt isolated and therefore unequal to him. Only now, with her elders present—even though her grandparents were old—did she have someone to back her. A girl without a retreat usually could not expect a good ending.

Chen Old Madam could not bear to see her Yunya cry, so she patted her back to soothe her, "Good child, destruction is the precursor to construction; this is for the best. Since the Xie family gave you away, you have nothing to do with them from now on. Return to your grandfather and me, and we will live our lives in peace, just like before. As for the property in Hengtang, we only kept the old house. We gave several shops and plots of land to Quan-ge’er and his brothers, and we sold the rest to bring here to Youzhou. Your grandfather and I will not be returning to Hengtang. Wherever you are, that is where we will be. When the Commander sent people to us, he said you went to the temple to make offerings for your mother and nearly lost your life to robbers. Our guts were twisting with worry, and we regretted not coming to Youzhou sooner, leaving you all alone with no one to turn to when you hit trouble."

Qingyuan laughed through her tears, "Thank you, Grandmother. Now that you are not leaving, I am at peace." Only in the company of her grandparents could she be a young girl again—crying or laughing as she pleased, not having to act old and capable, not having to be like an aged person, calculating every step with a bitter heart.

Baoxian also wiped away tears, "Now that Old Master and Old Madam are here, our young lady has a pillar of support. Old Madam doesn't know, but our young lady has been so pitiful..."

Chen Old Madam nodded and patted Baoxian’s hand, "Young lady, thank you for staying by her side during her distress. I often say that ten thousand taels of gold are not as valuable as a sincere and righteous heart. You say our young lady is lucky, but aren't you her good fortune as well?"

This was the difference between the Chen family and the Xie family. The Chen family’s discipline might be strict, but one could still hear words that warmed the heart. Unlike the Xie family, where the masters held their eyes to the heavens, and the servants underneath were all filled with arrogance.

The carriage arrived at Qin’an Street. It was not far from the Commander’s mansion; clearly, her grandfather had ordered them to find a suitable residence nearby and buy it.

Qingyuan stepped out to take a look. The original servants from Hengtang had also arrived. They all stood outside the gate and, seeing her, bowed and greeted her with smiles, "Eldest Young Lady is back."

She was now Chen Eldest Young Lady again, no longer Xie Fourth Young Lady. Qingyuan let out a long sigh; this was what coming home felt like. The house was not the old one, but the people were all old friends.

Everyone bustlingly welcomed her inside. The manager said, "This is the residence of a former Hanlin scholar, and it is very well preserved. Once we clean and arrange things, you will be able to live comfortably. Eldest Young Lady, please take a look—is everything to your satisfaction?"

Qingyuan said it was very good, then asked quietly, "Has the Old Master’s wine cellar been prepared?"

Before the manager could answer, the Old Madam overheard her and chided, "I want him to drink less, and here you are indulging him. Drinking causes trouble—last time, just because he drank a little, he lent three thousand taels to his drinking buddies. They said they would pay it back in three or five days. Go ask him, we’ve moved all the way here, has that money been returned?"

Old Master clicked his tongue, "You—no wonder you have no friends! What is a friend? Do you know what 'sharing among each other' means? They only came to you because they were in a bind and they consider you a person of worth."

Old Madam scoffed, "According to you, borrowing money from you is an honor?"

"That’s exactly right!" Old Master grumbled, "Already borrowed it, and now you’re nagging—what’s the point!" He turned to instruct Qingyuan, "In the future, don't you ever learn your grandmother’s ways, being so sharp-tongued and stingy all day long."

Qingyuan couldn't help but laugh. They had always been like this, fighting from youth to old age, but precisely because of this, there was vitality in the house, and it truly felt like a home.

She was busy mediating between them when she remembered Shen Run. That time he used the wine to hide his face and shove the jade pendant at her—she didn't know if he was intentional or truly tipsy. If he acted like this in the future, that would be a disaster! She decided she must confiscate all his valuable items before he went out every time.

Her grandparents had traveled thousands of miles, and upon arriving in Youzhou, they hadn't even rested before going straight to the Shen family to fetch her. Qingyuan felt bad for them and urged them to go get some sleep, so the elderly couple went off, still bickering. With some free time, Qingyuan took Baoxian to inspect the place. Indeed, there was nothing to fault in the garden: a three-courtyard layout with eastern and western annexes, and a large garden attached. Her grandfather must have spent a significant amount of silver to buy it.

Baoxian was deeply moved, "Old Master and Old Madam treat you so well; your own flesh and blood could not compare to them in the slightest."

Qingyuan gave an "un" sound, "To me, they are my true flesh and blood. No one else is."

Baoxian listened, feeling melancholic, and then muttered, "It is just a pity that Chuntai and Mother Tao are still at the Xie house. If they could come, that would be great!"

Qingyuan said, "There is no help for it. They are Xie people; until the Xie family speaks, they must remain there."

Regardless, they were settled now. It was not like the previous drifting existence. Now her heart was steady, and she no longer wished for too much. Maintaining things as they were now was already very good.

She had assumed the Commander was busy and that with the mobilization of the Imperial Guard to reinforce Shibao City, he would have no free time for the next two days. She didn't expect him to come calling the very next day. He sent all the items previously prepared by his household to the Chen gate. He was a bit restrained, but he said sincerely, "I had originally wanted to request the Emperor to bestow a marriage, but once the imperial edict is issued, one must obey, and that would seem unfair to you. The Old Madam said that everything should follow your own wishes. I have sent the gifts first, and then I will ask for your instructions."

In the front hall of the Chen residence, the Old Madam and the Old Master welcomed him. Qingyuan, naturally, did not make an appearance. The Old Madam looked at the various gift boxes piled up like a small mountain before her and smiled, "The Commander has a heart. I can see that the Commander is sincere toward our Yunya. We two old folks have never had children of our own; we got Yunya and raised her in the palm of our hands from a young age. Recently, we were muddled and let the child suffer grievances. I only hope she will have a smooth path from here on out. Today, since the Commander has come, we have nothing much to say; we only hope for Yunya’s happiness. As long as she agrees, we will have no objections."

Old Master drummed his fingers on the side of a jar, "I don't think Yunya will disagree. She has always been soft-hearted. Even if there are any misunderstandings, once they are spoken aloud, it will be over." He looked toward the inner courtyard, "How about... call the girl out!"

The Old Madam said, "No hurry." She added, "Forgive this old woman for being meddlesome, but let me ask you one thing, Commander. You are in a position of high power and heavy responsibility; do you intend to take concubines in the future?" She smiled, "I know it is rude to ask, but please understand our hearts. For men to take concubines is a common affair, but how many they take and when they take them is a matter of great importance. Regarding the matter of the young Marquis of the Danyang Marquis house, the young lady has told me about it. Our meaning is: since you are a public figure, it would be difficult to say you shouldn't take any concubines, but regarding the timing, it would be best to set some ground rules."

Shen Run said there was no need, "Since I have engaged the young lady, in this lifetime, there will be only her alone."

The Old Master and Old Madam were slightly surprised. After exchanging a look, the Old Madam said, "Your household has few members; the family line depends on you to branch out and spread leaves. If our girl’s fertility is not robust, do you mean to say you will not take a concubine then either?"

Shen Run smiled and brought out the same response he had used to deal with the Emperor, "If her fertility is not robust, it must be that Shen Run is fated to have difficulty with heirs. It is not her fault; it is mine."

The Old Madam praised him highly upon hearing this. She glanced at the Old Master and sighed, "The more magnificent a man is, the more like a solid rock his heart is. Unlike those crooked melons and cracked dates who clearly don't look like much, yet stir up trouble all day long."

The Old Master caught the meaning; this was an allusion to him! He was so angry he blew his beard and glared, but because there was a guest present, he couldn't argue with her. However, because it concerned his granddaughter’s lifelong happiness, he couldn't help but go with the flow, shaking his head, "Concubines or not, it really is meaningless... utterly meaningless. Many people often like to say, 'I hate that we didn't meet before you were married,' but in truth, even if they truly marry a new love today, in the future they will still say the same thing to other women. They sigh and lie their entire lives."

Shen Run was unfailingly flattering, "If Shen Run does not marry, so be it; if I do, my heart will be undivided. Even when I am eighty, my old wife will still be my treasure."

Old Master nodded repeatedly, "Exactly, exactly... very well said."

It was clear the hurdle of the Chen grandparents had been cleared without alarm. All that remained was Qingyuan. She was avoiding him, likely still angry at him.

Feeling uneasy, his hands resting on his knees pinched and released several times in distress. A new son-in-law visiting the house was truly not as capable as he was while maneuvering in the official world. After hesitating for a long time, he said, "I wonder if I might request the young lady to come out and meet me? Or, if the two elders approve, if you would permit Shen Run to enter and pay his respects to the young lady?"

The Old Master and Old Madam were very happy that Yunya had such good fortune to encounter such a proper and considerate marriage. Naturally, they would not stand in his way, so they summoned a servant woman, "You, lead the way for the Commander and take him to see the Eldest Young Lady."

The servant woman received the order, bowed, and gestured, "Commander, please follow this servant."

Qingyuan’s courtyard was an exquisite place with small bridges and running water; the water flowed beneath with a babbling sound, and there was a suspended wooden pavilion over the water. He walked along the covered walkway and ascended the wooden stairs step by step. He saw her dipping a brush into ink, sitting intently at the table writing something. He hurriedly signaled the servant to stay quiet and waved her away.

He walked over to look. The Four Treasures of the Study were all complete, and beside them lay a copy of "Elephant Propitious Essential Almanac." A sheet of white paper was spread out flat, and at the top, four characters were written neatly—"Contract for Hiring a Kitten." This was the document that had to be prepared before "engaging" a kitten, just like when one hired a bride—one had to prepare betrothal gifts to send to the kitten’s mother’s house to properly conclude the contract and bring the kitten home.

She sighed, "I heard from someone before that one must invite the East King Father and West Queen Mother to act as witnesses, but how does the couplet go? I simply cannot remember."

He stood tall behind her and cleared his throat, "The upper line: 'East King Father bears witness, go not South.' The lower line: 'West Queen Mother bears witness, roam not North.'"

He suddenly spoke, giving Qingyuan a start. She stood up, shielding her face with her round fan, her bright eyes fixed on him, "Which household’s scoundrel is this, barging into my courtyard! Guards! Beat him out for me!”