Spring of the Blade - Chapter 78

Chapter 78

In any case, she was the one at a disadvantage; when it came to these matters, girls were never as advantageous as men.

He loved to say ambiguous, suggestive things. Qingyuan, thin-skinned as she was, found it difficult to argue with him too much. The scent of tea still lingered on the finger she had bitten. She awkwardly opened her mouth, pulled her teeth away, and said, "Alright, the food is all served. Let’s eat."

Shen Run withdrew his hand. There were still two faint rows of teeth marks on his skin. He took a careful look and noted, "Young lady, your teeth are quite sharp."

Qingyuan felt sheepish, "Did I bite you hard?"

He said no, gazing at her with lingering affection, "I like the marks you leave on me. In the future, I hope you will also like the things I leave on you."

Qingyuan was, after all, a girl raised in the inner chambers; she did not understand his double entendre and merely looked at him with confusion. He raised his eyebrows and smiled, setting her bowl and dishes, then poured another cup of cherry wine, instructing her that she could take a few sips.

"Earlier, did you see Li Congxin clearly?" He kept his eyes lowered while serving her food, continuing, "If one says the young Marquis is transcendent, that is not necessarily true. His feelings for you were just slightly more than those for other girls—only slightly. It wasn't enough to make him disregard everything to marry you as his wife. I had previously assumed he would be a worthy opponent, but now it seems that defeating him holds no meaning."

This was the posture of a victor standing at the peak. Qingyuan said, "Affection cannot withstand testing. It is only by living in a state of muddled ignorance that one can live well."

Shen Run fell silent, knowing that although she was only touching on the point, she was still harboring resentment over the heartache of the past few days. He reached across and lightly touched the back of her hand, "I will never lie to you again."

When Qingyuan heard him make such a guarantee, stripped of any slick or oily rhetoric, she believed him simply because he had said it. She nodded, "For the sake of your handsome face, I will believe you one more time."

This was the first time Shen Run had heard her praise him. This praise was no small matter; he immediately felt like he was floating, "I never expected having a handsome face to have such advantages! It’s true—if you have no money, you can just go rob, but if you aren't handsome, you can only go get reincarnated."

She chuckled, "Are you an official or a bandit? If you have no money, why don't you earn it instead of robbing?"

Shen Run made very clear distinctions about who was close to him. This was the woman who would be his wife; there was no need to hide too much from her. Regardless, all the money he acquired would have to be managed by her, so he couldn't hide it even if he wanted to. He replied, "This method is the fastest way to get money. When the Xie family invited me to the banquet earlier, those dozen large wine jars—wasn't that why they were there? My 'robbing' is never done openly. I make them beg me to accept it. If I don't accept it, they become anxious and fearful. So, this 'robbing' cannot truly be called robbing; at most, it is just providing a convenience to others." After speaking, he leisurely sipped his wine, "By the way, I will have someone send sixty thousand taels of silver to the Chen mansion tomorrow. Keep it well; use it to add to your dowry."

Qingyuan was shocked, "Sixty thousand taels? Why so much money?"

He laughed, "Looking at the state of the Xie family, they don't plan to spend a single copper on you. I must prepare for you early so that you can have a grand dowry and be married off with great splendor. Of that sixty thousand taels, ten thousand was their initial tribute, and the remaining fifty thousand is hush money given by Lady Hu. Returning their own methods upon them—you didn't lose out. I think that the Chen family raised you; in the end, we shouldn't touch their bottom-of-the-box savings. You see for yourself—use your discretion to subsidize your grandfather and grandmother a little, so as not to chill their hearts."

Everything he said, one sentence after another, was filled with the warmth of domestic life. Qingyuan had never known that this man who fought and killed in the officialdom could be so thoughtful and comforting.

She lowered her head, nervously picking at the vegetables in the small dish before her, "Grandmother told me yesterday that they already had the dowry prepared..."

He smirked internally; the young lady was putting on airs on the surface, but in her heart, she had long since agreed to marry him.

Before coming to the Chen family, as he watched those small betrothal gifts being loaded into the carriages, his heart had still been pounding, fearing that she might truly be angry and unwilling to pay him any mind. But once he entered the Chen family’s door and saw her, that restlessness vanished. She was there, neither sending him away nor welcoming him. Even when she threatened to beat him out, he felt the bond between them could not be severed.

He set down his chopsticks and said, "Their preparation is their intention; the private funds we give are our filial duty."

She softly murmured, "I understand."

It was that simple "I understand"—warm and gentle—that truly made his heart stir.

One was about to marry, the other was about to take a wife. As they sat together, there were continuous, subtle undercurrents surging. His state of mind now was something she might not fully grasp. In his early years, when the Shen family fell into disaster and his father died unjustly, both his household and his blood kin withered away. Wealth, no matter how omnipotent, could not buy familial affection. If he wanted to revitalize his family business, he could only rely on his future wife for emotional sustenance. Qingyuan shared a similar sorrow, but she still had a grandfather and grandmother who cherished her. In this way, he gained a wife and elders, turning out to be a massively profitable deal. The more he thought about it, the more he looked forward to the future.

Therefore, he didn't need to keep asking if she was willing to marry him. He pondered for a moment and said, "Once the war at Shibo City is settled, I will choose an auspicious date to set the day. During this time, prepare yourself well. If you lack anything, just send someone to pass the word. Also, as for the Commander’s mansion, for areas I cannot manage personally, I will have to trouble you to make the decisions. Let everything be based on what brings you joy; as for me, it doesn't matter."

It truly felt like they were settling down to live a life together. Qingyuan suddenly felt a soreness in her nose; afraid he might see, she lowered her head and quietly wiped away her tears.

He said nothing, reaching out to grip her hand tightly. In this messy, turbulent world, having this grasp was enough.

Coming out of the Hongyan Tower, he led her to stroll along the Rouge River, pulling her in front of foreign merchants' stalls and picking out all kinds of strange items for her to wear. Miss Yunya was a great beauty, and no matter how she dressed, she looked lovely. Finally, he brought out jewelry from Tianzhu—one end attached to the ear and the other sticking to the nose. He let out a scoff of laughter, "Why do you look like a cow!"

This item was originally a nose ring for Tianzhu women, but in the Central Plains, such fashion was not in vogue, so the nose ring had been modified into an exquisite patch. Qingyuan was annoyed, took it off, and forcibly put it on him. After doing so, she clapped her hands and laughed aloud, "Aren't you the same? You look like the Bull Demon King."

If the Imperial Guard of the Commander’s office saw their Commander dressed like this, one wondered what they would think. Commander Shen might lose all his majesty, enough for them to laugh for a year or more.

The two of them laughed and frolicked on the bustling street. Watching from afar for a long while, Li Congxin and Zhenglun couldn't help but heave a deep sigh.

Li Congxin said, "When Fourth Younger Sister is with Shen Run, is she truly happy? I’ve never seen her like this. She was always reserved with me; when I called her 'Fourth Younger Sister,' she would address me back as 'Third Young Master'."

Zhenglun felt no sympathy for his melancholy; as a friend, he felt a bit like he was failing to live up to expectations. But upon reflection, if they hadn't failed, the Xie family wouldn't have had the opportunity to escape their predicament. Regardless, Shen Run had helped the Master a little bit. It was just a pity that the Old Madam had lost the big for the sake of the small, falling into Shen Run’s trap and pushing the Fourth Girl out just like that. In the end, Shen Run was too cunning. If it hadn't been for the decoy of the Mu family, the Old Madam would never have miscalculated. If only they had grasped her tightly in their palms, wouldn't that marriage have been settled?

He patted Li Congxin’s shoulder, "Don't force what isn't fated. There are plenty of good girls in the world; just find another."

Li Congxin shook his head despondently. Qingyuan had been his entire aspiration throughout the spring and summer. The way the girl held her round fan to shield the sun during the spring banquet, and that radiant face beneath the fan—even now, it was deeply imprinted on his heart.

Zhenglun had no time to keep him company in his sentimentality, his mind set on hurrying back to report the news to the Old Madam.

"I won't accompany you; there are urgent matters to attend to." After speaking, they went their separate ways, and he spurred his horse to gallop back to the Xie mansion.

The servant at the gate came up to welcome him, sleeves lowered as he reported inside: "The Second Young Master is back." He walked straight through the moon gate, heading to the Old Madam’s main room.

Because the matter of the Master was still hanging in the balance, the whole family had been gloomy these past few days. Even at the dining table, no one spoke, each lowering their heads to focus on the rice in their own bowls. Zhenglun walked in quickly, his footsteps too loud, startling those dining in the flower hall. The Old Madam was displeased and raised her eyes, "Why is there no decorum? Rushing about so frantically—what kind of appearance is that!"

Zhenglun said, "Grandmother, don't worry about decorum right now. I was just outside with Chunzhi and encountered two people on the road. Grandmother, guess who?"

The Old Madam looked impatient, "Just tell me! Who has the heart to play guessing games with you?"

Zhenglun took a breath and shouted, "It’s Fourth Younger Sister and Shen Run! They were also eating a meal at the Hongyan Tower, and they were holding hands—it was incredibly intimate."

The Old Madam was startled, and those at the table all set down their chopsticks. Lady Hu sneered, "It seems our Fourth Young Lady is very favored by Commander Shen."

Qingru curled her lips, "Look at how high and mighty she acts, yet in the end, isn't she just a concubine?"

The Old Madam frowned, "You are a young lady; saying 'concubine' over and over—do you think that sounds pleasant to hear?"

Qinghe, dissatisfied with the Old Madam’s actions and now hearing Qingru talk like that, gave her a chilly glance and said, "Second Younger Sister, Fourth Younger Sister ended up in this state because of our family. You should accumulate some virtue in your speech. If you don't cultivate it for this life, at least cultivate it for the next."

Qingru had already lost her chastity and was feeling guilty; now she became even more perverse and could not tolerate being told off. She would cry and wail at the slightest provocation, claiming the whole family looked down on her. Just as she was about to slam her chopsticks and throw a tantrum, Zhenglun interrupted, "Where is she being a concubine? Shen Run said it himself—he wants to marry her as the mistress of his household! Grandmother, we have all been fooled by Shen Run. His engagement with the Mu family was just a decoy, and those things being arranged in the mansion were all for Fourth Younger Sister. Grandmother, you don't know yet, but the two elders of the Chen family have come to Youzhou. Fourth Younger Sister has now returned to the Chen family, waiting for the Commander’s mansion to send the betrothal gifts so she can get married and go be his Commander’s wife."

The whole family was completely stunned. The Old Madam sat in a daze for a long time, clutching her head and wailing: "Oh heavens, we've been utterly swindled!"

In the eyes of the Xie family, how could this not be a bottomless pit? The Fourth Girl had returned to the Chen family and would marry from there. That made the Xie family the laughingstock of all Youzhou. People would say that even their own girls looked down on them; the Xie family clearly had no future left. The Old Madam began to suffer from a massive headache. The matter had been botched, and there was no shortage of "I knew this would happen" thoughts. She blamed only Shen Run’s treachery. At her age, she had actually been schemed against by a twenty-something youngster; she was truly unwilling to accept this.

A priceless treasure had been handed over to someone else just like that. Even Lady Jiang and Lady Pei were filled with regret. Lady Jiang said, "What a pity; I told you this was done too hastily. The circle of nobles in Youzhou isn't large. The new Commander’s wife will definitely be courted by everyone. What are we to do then? Won't the face of our family be dragged into the dirt?"

Though the words were crude, the logic was sound. Zhenglun said, "Second Aunt is right. I felt unsettled when I saw it today. If Fourth Younger Sister had simply become a concubine, we wouldn't have to worry so much..."

Qinghe frowned, "Second Brother, that sounds sour to hear. Fourth Younger Sister is at least our own flesh and blood; how can you not wish for her well, instead hoping she becomes a concubine!"

Zhenglun stuttered. Lady Ming hurriedly said, "Big Younger Sister, your Second Brother didn't mean that. It’s just... the situation is awkward now, isn't it?"

Qingru gave a cold laugh, "I don't think Second Brother was wrong. If she had truly become a concubine, we wouldn't be in this predicament. She was originally born of a concubine; becoming the head wife is just being lifted to the heavens."

Qinghe was astonished. Even after suffering such a lesson, this younger sister was still as unreasonable as ever. She stood up and said, "What does Second Younger Sister mean by that? I am also born of a concubine, yet the eldest son of the Earl of Founding has also betrothed me."

Qingru widened her eyes and said sharply, "Big Sister, don't project onto yourself. When did I ever talk about you? Furthermore, I didn't fabricate anything; it is a fact she is born of a concubine. Whom have I wronged?"

Qinghe hated when she brought up legitimate vs. illegitimate status, and because she was not quick-witted enough to out-argue her, she trembled with rage. Lady Jiang, who was used to stirring up trouble, tucked her hands into her sleeves and intervened, "Second Young Lady, even if you are angry, you don't need to vent it on Big Young Lady. She is a fine girl; how would she know your grievances..."

Lady Hu finally couldn't listen anymore and slapped the table, saying to Lady Jiang, "Second Aunt, have you cleared up the messy affairs of your own branch? I heard that Yuan-ge offended the biggest salt merchant in Youzhou and provoked someone the merchant was keeping on the side. They are currently scouring the world to cut off his legs. Your own household is a mess, so there is really no need to bother yourself with our family’s business."

Truly, it was a household full of rotten accounts. Sometimes, the Old Madam watched with a cold eye and felt she really couldn't bear it anymore. Exhausted, she cried out, "Ancestors, please, just be quiet for a moment!"

Lady Bai shook her head from the side, "When a family is about to collapse, monsters appear."

The Old Madam stopped managing them and moved to the room next door. As she left, she looked at Qinghe, "Big Girl, come with me."

Qinghe originally wanted to leave, but since the Old Madam had called her, she couldn't refuse and had to follow along.

The noise in the flower hall gradually quieted; it seemed the people had dispersed. The Old Madam let her sit, sighed, and said, "You have seen the family matters. The current situation is all my fault; I was confused. At the time, it was only to save your father, and Shen Run insisted that your Fourth Younger Sister had to be the one to come forward. What else could I do? I was truly pushed to the brink... Look, you are close with your Fourth Younger Sister; of the whole family, she might still listen to a few of your words. Tomorrow, go to the Chen family; persuade her. If you can persuade her to come back, that would be for the best..."

Qinghe had always been submissive, but since her marriage date was set, she was no longer as fearful as before. She had things on her mind and dared to speak bluntly to the Old Madam.

"Does Grandmother think Fourth Younger Sister would still be willing to come back?" she said with a cold face, "She grew up in the Chen family until she was fourteen. She knows how the Chen family treated her. Supposedly, we are her closest kin, but we... failed her. Now that Commander Shen wants to marry her as his legitimate wife, if we go to acknowledge her now, I fear she will misunderstand our intentions. Besides, asking me to go... I don't have the face to step into the Chen family’s door."

The Old Madam’s face grew even gloomier. She stared at the Bo-mountain incense burner on the desk until her eyes grew sore. After a long while, she said, "Don't fear her misunderstandings. It is just that seeing her make such a good match, I am thinking of your father and your brothers. Good child, I have no face left to see her; you must be the one to go on this trip. The Fourth Girl is a clever person. Since she is going to be ennobled in the future, if people say she prefers affection from those who raised her over affection from her biological parents, or that she abandoned her biological father to cling to a high official, that wouldn't look good."

After hearing this, Qinghe was truly rendered speechless by such logic. At this moment, she finally understood Qingyuan’s situation and state of mind back then. Because she had her mother protecting her, she had been shielded from much of the storm, but Qingyuan was all alone. After the experiences of the past half-year, had she not long since been disgusted enough to vomit buckets of blood?

Seeing that she was silent, the Old Madam raised her eyelids to look at her, "Big Girl, you are someone about to be married; you won't be staying in this house for much longer, but your mother still has to live on within the Xie family. If the Xie family does well, then everyone is fine. Even when you are with your husband’s family, if your maiden family is honored, they won't dare to look down on you. Right now, I am only asking you sisters to have a proper talk—it’s not difficult. You persuade the Fourth Girl back for Grandmother; in the future, I will generously prepare your dowry and ensure you have dignity, okay?"

Hearing this to the end, Qinghe’s heart turned numb. It wasn't for the so-called dowry, but only for her mother. The Old Madam was truly skilled at manipulating people; a soft knife pressed against the throat—though it wouldn't kill you, it would make you bleed.

Later, when she took her leave from the Old Madam, Xinyu looked at her miserably and asked, "Miss, are we really going tomorrow?"

Qinghe sighed heavily, "What face do I have to go with!" She burst into tears, "What kind of sins did I commit in my past life to be born into such a nonsensical family!”