Spring of the Blade - Chapter 76

Chapter 76

There were not many people in this world who dared to order the Commander to be beaten. Baoxian, hearing her mistress’s command, mustered her courage and stepped forward a few paces. However, upon reflection, she felt something was not quite right. She paused and glanced back at Qingyuan.

Qingyuan clicked her tongue, "Call for him."

Shen Run arched an eyebrow.

Baoxian immediately shrank three inches, ducking her head as she muttered, "This servant will go prepare tea for the Commander." Then, she abandoned Qingyuan and hurried away.

Qingyuan was dumbstruck with rage, but she knew that such verbal threats could never truly intimidate him. Seeing Baoxian flee in a panic, he even gave her a mocking smile, "Young lady, please calm your anger. I am here today to propose marriage."

Since he mentioned proposing, that was a matter for discussion. She said sarcastically, "Commander, you have come to the wrong place. This house is surnamed Chen, not Mu. The second Miss Mu you wish to engage is not here." After finishing, she ignored him, turned, sat down, and proceeded to pick up her brush to write out that couplet.

Shen Run stood by, watching as he took the opportunity to explain, his tone light—as light as the willow branches swaying outside, "I have high standards. If I could so easily betroth myself to another lady, how many would I have already promised to in the twenty-five years before meeting you? I thought you and I were alike, that you would understand me well. It seems I overestimated you."

Qingyuan puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and sneered, "Commander Shen, based on these two sentences alone, don't ever think of winning my heart in this lifetime."

He was indeed stunned. After a moment’s thought, he intended to talk to her with complete sincerity, "I was upset. You clearly had me, yet you went to betroth yourself to Li Congxin. My feelings turned into resentment, and I feigned an engagement with the Mu family just to irritate you. I had intended to hold out for a day or two and tell you the truth once your grandparents arrived, but despite all my calculations, I miscalculated Fangchun."

Qingyuan was always loyal and never betrayed her friends, "It wasn't Fangchun; I saw it myself. You thought those tricks could deceive me?"

He then followed her lead to flatter her, "You are right, Young Lady. It was clearly I, the ugly man, stirring up trouble. It was laughable." As he spoke, he watched the tip of her brush hovering over the contract, unable to descend. He kindly offered, "Have you never written a kitten-hiring contract before?"

Qingyuan felt secretly satisfied inside, though she remained indifferent on the surface. She glanced at him and said, "I have never kept a cat, so how would I know how to write this! The Commander is a busy man; do you actually know how to perform such a task?"

Shen Run naturally would not tell her that to win her favor, he had spent the night learning the entire process of hiring a kitten, including how to write the contract. The wastebasket in his study was filled with discarded attempts. Now, not only could he recite the couplet with ease, but he could even draw a lifelike kitten in the middle of the contract.

For instance, brothers were meant to be utilized at critical moments. Shen Run said, "Shen Che used to like keeping cats. I drew several contracts for him in the past, and I remember them to this day." As he spoke, he took the brush from her hand. She stood up to make room, and he sat in her chair, adjusting his robes.

Qingyuan watched him dip the brush in ink, skillfully draw a semicircle, and then carefully outline the form until the cat on the paper gradually came to life. Those hands that danced with swords and spears now held the brush with the elegance of a scholar. He had elegant and powerful wrists, and the tiger-bone thumb ring he wore for archery now manifested a unique, nimble grace in his hands.

In truth, she still did not understand him well. This man had too many unknown faces, and it seemed one had to peel them away layer by layer to see the core of him. She no longer feared him as she once did. In the past, whenever "Commander Shen" was mentioned, her heart would tighten—that feeling was not affection or love, but genuine, palpable terror.

He was wearing a sky-blue robe today, the dense, brocade-patterned feathers on his shoulders looking like lotus leaves reaching the sky in a pond. Since he had come to propose, the knot of anger in her chest suddenly vanished. It turned out that, toward him, she truly could not hold a grudge. Qingyuan realized that perhaps she had reached a turning point in her life, and she should prepare herself to become someone’s wife.

She secretly looked at his profile—calm and warm. The way he focused so intently on his work made him look like a child learning to paint in a private school. She used her round fan to cover half her face, hiding her silent laughter, and pointed out, "Hey, how do you know the cat looks like this?"

Shen Run looked up at her, puzzled, "Is the one you are planning to hire not the cat from the Tongyin official’s residence?"

Qingyuan cast a sidelong glance at him, "Is the Tongyin official the only person in the world who keeps cats?"

He felt a bit despondent, "Are you truly going to hire someone else’s cat... If that is the case, what does the cat you wish to hire look like? I will draw it for you."

She couldn't say, and stammered, urging him, "Oh, just draw it like that. Cats all look about the same anyway."

He said that wouldn't do, "You have to write the incantations later. If you write them incorrectly, the cat won't settle in and will run away."

Qingyuan felt even more awkward, her lively eyes darting here and there, "It’s this one, white with black spots."

A smile surfaced in his eyes. He pulled his sleeve to dip the ink and chanted softly, "A kitten with black spots, once before the Buddhas of the West. Tripitaka brought it home to raise, guarding the scriptures among the folk..."

She was finally convinced, "The Commander truly makes me look at you with new eyes; you even understand the sutras of cat-rearing."

His small regular script was extremely beautiful. As he wrote, he murmured, "Because I didn't know how to make you happy. All these years, I have been either in the military or the government office; I haven't really had much contact with young ladies. That day, I mentioned it to the Emperor, and the Emperor taught me this trick, saying that besides loving rouge and powder, young ladies love puppies and kittens."

Qingyuan realized with a start, "The Emperor is truly well-informed."

He smiled, "Just like leading troops in battle, stabilizing morale is very important."

But Qingyuan noticed a contradiction, "But you just said earlier that it was because you often hired cats for your second brother that you were so familiar with drawing the contracts."

He complained as well, "Isn't it because the young lady insisted there were no cats elsewhere, pretending to have one when there was none?"

Qingyuan blushed. It was not because he had exposed her—after all, one claimed there were cats elsewhere while the other claimed there were people elsewhere, they were even. What made her heart flutter was how he referred to himself. From "this Shen" to "Run," that single character was filled with a sensual and lingering flavor.

In any case, she didn't dislike this person. Although he was clumsy and childish, it was fine this way; men who were too smooth and slick were difficult for her to handle. She felt a bit shy, so she lowered her eyes, urged him to finish, and tentatively asked, "When will you be free to take me to hire the cat?"

He put down the brush, his tone filled with a lingering, melodious cadence, "Hiring a cat is a small matter; hiring the person is what matters most. Young Lady, do you remember why I came today?"

Qingyuan’s eyes began to drift again, "I must take time to think about it. You should take me to hire the cat first."

Women were indeed adept at bargaining. He was helpless and said, "Very well." He used a paperweight to hold down the kitten contract, stood up, walked out of the pavilion, and strolled slowly toward the willow trees by the river.

Qingyuan stood in the corner of the terrace watching him. His tall, slender silhouette wandering amidst the water’s edge, waving his hand to snap a willow branch, held a youthful, elegant innocence. When he had broken off the willow branch, he waved at her, "Let's go, let us go to the market to buy fish."

Qingyuan skipped with joy. As a young lady, she could not go out without a trustworthy person accompanying her, but now that he was here, it seemed she need fear nothing wherever they went. She lifted her skirts and went down, hurrying. He remained as he was, watching her with a smile, telling her to slow down so she wouldn't fall.

Qingyuan muttered, "I have never fallen while walking; can't you wish me well!" She took the willow branch and swayed it, "Must we prepare fish as a betrothal gift?"

He gave an "un" sound, "Buy salt and fish, send them to the cat owner’s home, then pay the contract, and you can bring the kitten home."

She did not quite understand, "Why salt? Cats don't eat salt... Is it to ward off evil?"

Shen Run stroked his chin, pondering, "If the fish isn't finished, it is salted—it is probably for curing the fish!"

With two people together, two brains had to be combined to be sufficient; it seemed they were always a bit hazy and confused. Qingyuan had gained a new playmate, and for the moment, she forgot Baoxian. She hurried to ask her elders for permission, asking shyly, "Grandmother, may I go out for a moment? The Commander says he wants to take me to hire a kitten."

Chen Old Madam was happy from the bottom of her heart. Seeing them get along, she had no other requests and nodded repeatedly to say it was fine. She then turned to Shen Run and smiled, "Commander, I entrust Yunya to you. It is getting dark; you may eat out before returning."

Shen Run said yes, "Grandmother, you may call me 'Shouya'. Calling me by my official title is too distant."

Old Master clapped his hands, "That is a good name. One hears it and knows it belongs to a square and upright gentleman. Your father is worthy of being a Prime Minister; he truly raised a good son and chose a good name."

Chen Old Madam spat, "You talk nonsense all day long!" While she smoothed Qingyuan’s hair, she told someone to bring her purse, carefully hanging it at her waist, "Don't cause trouble outside. Listen to him, do you remember?"

In the Old Madam’s eyes, the girl was still a child. Following Shen Run out was like a child following an adult; she had to give a few instructions. As for the purse, the Old Madam had her own reasons. Before they were betrothed, she wouldn't use a single copper of his. This was the integrity of a girl; no matter how things turned out in the future, she would not give others an excuse to gossip. Taking things from others made one soft-handed, and eating their food made one soft-mouthed.

Qingyuan said, "I know."

They went out. Just as Baoxian was about to follow, the Old Madam pulled her sleeve slightly, keeping her behind.

Old Master was puzzled, "Why didn't you have anyone follow them? It is nearly dark."

The Old Madam considered him muddled, "The Xie family sent her to the Commander’s mansion, and they lived in the same courtyard for two nights; if something were to happen, it would have happened long ago—would they wait until now? I think Shen Run is truly good. In this day and age, there are few people with power and influence who still respect a girl this much. I don't care how bad his reputation is outside; as long as he is sincere toward our Yunya, he is a good boy."

The kind expectation of an elder was that simple, yet the Old Master was still not quite at ease, "I will follow from afar; in case anything happens, I can assist."

The Old Madam doused his enthusiasm, "With your old bones, if something really happened, you wouldn't even be enough to burn as firewood." Seeing the Old Master about to act up, she quickly said, "Alright, alright, I will allow you to drink wine tonight. But we agree first: only two cups."

Upon hearing this, the Old Master turned back and shouted, "Someone, quickly bring my large cup..."

Over there, Qingyuan and Shen Run went to the market. Youzhou had both morning and evening markets; the morning markets were busier, but the evening markets, aside from the open shops, had only a few scattered vendors. However, there was a complete supply of chicken, duck, fish, and meat.

Qingyuan did not know the ways of the world; as a young lady of a great family, she had never been to such a place, and she felt uncomfortable even walking. Shen Run looked at her and smiled, "There is a lot of dirty water in this place; find a clean spot to stay, and I will go buy it."

She said there was no need and, holding her skirts, followed carefully behind him. There were many mosquitoes and flies in the summer, so she used her round fan to swat them, saying softly, "Commander, have you been to the market before? You seem very familiar with it."

In her imagination, he should be the master who sat in the government office issuing commands, far removed from the life of the marketplace. Shen Run did not hide it from her, "In the ten years I was sent to the military, I did everything. I fought the enemy in battle and also served as a cook in the army. Do you know what a cook in the army is? We cooked for the entire army, and the spatulas were as big as shovels; one pot could hold three of you." He said with a laugh, his face showing a row of neat teeth under the sunset, "Later, when I served as an attendant to the Emperor and entered the Palace Guard, I investigated cases in places much dirtier and smellier than this. Whatever I had to wade through, I waded through."

Qingyuan sighed, "You have indeed suffered a lot." A pain tugged somewhere deep in her heart; even after so many years, she still felt pity for the him of the past.

He didn't mind, "Once you have suffered early on, you will only enjoy happiness later. As long as you are by my side, every day feels like a holiday!" Every time he said something sweet, she felt shy. Her shy appearance was a bit dazed, which was especially cute. His heart fluttered, and he turned back, "The ground is not clean; I am afraid of dirtying your shoes. Shall I carry you on my back?"

Qingyuan said, "No. I can walk myself; why would I need you to carry me?" Though she said this, she followed behind him, stepping into his footprints and walking slowly forward.

He saw this, and his steps became even smaller. Her feet fit perfectly into his large footprints. Neither of them broke the silence, but their hearts grew increasingly soft.

The fish stall was ahead. Five or six carp swam in a large fish basin. The elderly vendor bowed and scraped, "How many do you want, guests? These were all caught in the Qian River, the meat is fresh and firm."

To hire a cat, one was probably enough, but Shen Run said he wanted two, "Good things come in pairs."

Qingyuan took out her purse to pay for the fish. He did not compete with her, took the fish threaded on a willow branch, bought two bags of salt, and led her across the long street to the ward where the Tongyin official lived.

Yan Fu was already waiting at the door. Seeing the Commander approach gracefully with the Fourth Young Lady, his wide sleeves fluttering, he hurried out to greet them with a bow, "Commander, the old cat at home gave birth to five. The one you came to see earlier is actually not as good-looking as the small one underneath."

Shen Run gave a light cough, not quite wanting Qingyuan to know he had personally come to see the cat. He just prevaricated, "Congratulations, congratulations. Your household is thriving."

Yan Fu, with his full beard, seemed strangely kind when he laughed and quickly returned the greeting, "Congratulations, congratulations..."

While the men interacted, Yan Fu’s wife stepped forward to welcome Qingyuan. Since this was the lady of her husband’s superior’s affection, she was naturally filled with the utmost enthusiasm.

"Young Lady, your presence in our humble home truly makes it shine. It is still hot; please come inside quickly, Young Lady. I have ordered ice-chilled lychee paste to be prepared; please have a cup."

Qingyuan smiled, "I have come here uninvited; I hope you will not blame me, Madam. It is just that after hearing the Commander speak of the beautiful cats in your esteemed residence, I begged him to bring me to ask for one."

Madame Yan was a warm-hearted young woman. As she led them inside, she said, "I wonder which one has such good fortune! This litter is now almost two months old, and they are very easy to raise. You don't know, Young Lady, but this cat came to our house half a year ago and refused to leave—isn't that fate? Later, when I saw her belly growing day by day, I realized she was pregnant. I specifically hired a midwife to deliver her, and she gave birth to five at once, all white with black spots."

Coming to recognize the cat, they naturally spoke of cat matters. Qingyuan was anxious to see the cat but could not urge them, so she had to sit in the main hall and accept their hospitality with patience.

Shen Run was more direct, "We have other important business later, so let us see the main star first." As he spoke, he presented the fish and salt, "Please accept this, Master of the house."

Yan Fu took the items, handed them to his servants, and ordered a maid to place the documents before the shrine, laughing, "Commander, you are too polite. A cat, what is it worth..."

Shen Run said it was necessary, and took out a string of dried small fish, saying this was a tribute to the old cat. The group entered the woodshed and found the kittens huddled together in a corner. One of them was exactly as Yan Fu had described: completely white, with only two round black spots on its cheeks, looking as if it had applied two patches of rouge. It looked tiger-headed, round-faced, and fatly adorable. Qingyuan fell in love with it at first sight, softly sighing, "Oh my, isn't this one beautiful!"

Yan Fu was a rough man; he picked up the cat by the scruff of its neck and said loudly, "Young Lady, if you like this one, take it back. It was the runt of the litter; I thought it wouldn't survive, but I didn't expect it to grow better and better, eventually surpassing the bigger ones."

Qingyuan smiled and asked Shen Run, "Do you think this one is good?"

Shen Run said, "It is good. A cat follows its owner; raise it carefully, and it will surely be even better in the future."

His words were filled with implications, and she understood them clearly. Indeed, with him around, this runt would certainly not be inferior to others.

The cat was hired. The Yan family prepared a grass cage for it. Although the kitten was small, its spirit of resistance was not small; its sharp claws could easily break skin if one was careless, but it was well-behaved once placed in the cage. Qingyuan looked at the cat through the gaps in the weave, her heart melting with every blink of its eyes. When they departed from the Yan house, she had to bend down every few steps to look at it.

Shen Run held the grass cage a bit higher so she could see her fill. When she finished looking, he clapped his hands, and two palace guards suddenly appeared from nowhere, hands on their swords, bowing as they waited for orders.

Shen Run handed the cage to them and ordered them to deliver it to the Chen mansion first. He said to Qingyuan, "The Old Madam said we should not go back for dinner; I will take you to the banks of the Rouge River in front. There is everything to eat and play with there. Shall we go for a walk and take a look?"

The sun had already set, leaving only the dim light of the sky. Qingyuan still remembered the time she first met him—it was at this hour, the sky hazy, the people hazy.

He reached out his hand to her. She hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his. Their long sleeves concealed everything; she felt his palm was warm and soft. Once held, it felt as if a lifetime had been tied together.