Spring of the Blade - Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Once Qingyuan had done all she could, the rest was up to fate; she could not pry too much.

As for being busy, she was indeed busy. Marriage was like a massive relocation, moving one's life from one place to another; every single item needed to be rearranged.

Her grandmother took a keen interest in all of this, like a child with a new doll, preparing a little house, a little bed, and so on. Not only was there a complete set already prepared, but she insisted on readying a second set as a backup. Grandmother’s thoroughness did not stop there; she had incredibly high standards for the dowry being sent to the Shen mansion. From large furniture and decorations down to the smallest copper fitting on a vanity box, she had to inspect everything repeatedly before giving her approval.

The Old Master sometimes complained that she was making things difficult because she wouldn't just worry about it herself; she insisted on dragging him along to discuss every detail. The Old Master would say, "I've spent a fortune; it must be the best. What else is there to worry about?"

The Grandmother did not agree. "This only happens once in a lifetime; how can we not be careful about everything?"

Qingyuan knew how deep her grandmother’s love was. For a young woman reaching a life-defining milestone, having an elder handle every detail was an incredible blessing. She only worried about her grandmother’s health, leaning into her arms to act like a spoiled child. "Everything at the mansion is mostly ready, Grandmother. Please rest. I shouldn't let my marriage wear you out."

The Grandmother smiled radiantly. "People only get tired when they are despondent. Even if one has to strain oneself for a happy event, one should stand tall."

Seeing her in such high spirits, Qingyuan stopped trying to persuade her. Watching her busy herself day in and day out, her energy seemed to only improve.

Five days later, Mother Zhou came to Qinian Street to report that the Second Master had returned, but the Second Mistress was giving him the cold shoulder, having kicked him out to sleep in the study in the middle of the night.

"It has never been like this before. Since the Second Master married the Second Mistress, they have always been like glue, wishing they could be joined at the hip. But this time, I don't know why—the Second Mistress seems like a different person; she doesn't know how to be considerate of the Second Master’s hardships. Although Shangjing is not far from Youzhou, galloping on the road is no joke. When he wasn't home, she spent her days craning her neck in anticipation; now that he’s back, she gives him the cold shoulder and kicks him out. I truly don't understand what is going on in the Second Mistress’s heart."

Qingyuan sighed upon hearing this. "I imagine she lost the child recently and feels awful. The Second Master knows her difficulties and will surely be understanding."

Mother Zhou agreed. "That is the truth, but regardless, the Second Mistress should consider that it wasn't the Second Master who caused her to lose the child. Do you think the Second Master feels any better?" She shook her head. "The Second Mistress truly wasn't like this before. If you ask me, it is all that Miss Haoxue's doing. She is at our mansion every single day; it is truly rare to go a day without seeing her. We try to persuade the Second Mistress, guiding her to think of other things, but before we can finish three sentences, she is already talking about Haoxue. If the girl doesn't come, the mistress starts thinking about sending someone to invite her. It is as if she is possessed."

Qingyuan turned to look at Old Madam Chen, whose brows were also knitted together. "People interact, but there must be a limit. In any girl's chambers, who doesn't have a close friend? But a friendship cannot replace one's livelihood. Besides, one is already a married woman, and the other is still an unmarried maiden."

However, she could not be persuaded. Fangchun was just like that; once she trusted someone, she would pour her heart out to them. If that person were upright, it would be fine, but if they were malicious, she would suffer in silence, eventually "swallowing her broken teeth along with the blood," finding no solace even in her grief.

Qingyuan was helpless. She said to Mother Zhou, "Perhaps the Second Mistress hasn't figured things out yet this time; it will be better next time. Where is the Second Master now?"

Mother Zhou replied, "The Second Master had official business the next day, so he took his guards and went to handle matters early in the morning."

Qingyuan nodded. "Now that she’s vented, the resentment in her heart should be dissipated. You may go back, keep a close eye on the West Mansion as usual, and report back if anything happens."

Mother Zhou acknowledged the order and left.

Qingyuan felt a bit melancholy. "After suffering such a tragedy, her temperament has truly changed completely."

The Grandmother said, "The important thing is the people around her. If they guide her and lead her onto the right path, she will be lively again in no time. If they whisper nonsense in her ear every day, her heart will become heavy, and how could she ever recover?"

Qingyuan fell silent for a long moment before saying slowly, "Sometimes when I arrange flowers, I look at them after they have been in clear water for ten days, and I hardly recognize them. Like a poppy, which originally had tight petals like a teacup, but as time passes, the petals scatter until they are as wide as a palm; they are truly unrecognizable. Are people like that too? Do they change over time?"

The Grandmother was startled, then laughed. "You are not very old, yet you speak as if you’ve lived seventy or eighty years, coming to ask me this! People are not plants or trees; whether one changes depends on one's own heart. If your conviction remains, you will always be a poppy. If you let your strings slacken, then don't be a poppy—you might as well be the paper windmill in a child's hand."

It was true—blown by the wind, spinning helplessly, then rushing about, frazzled, without end.

Qingyuan smiled and held her grandmother’s hand, saying she understood. She then added, "Grandmother, the Commander's mansion usually has only Fangchun as the mistress, which is why that Yao girl comes and goes as she pleases. If we brought Fangchun to our mansion to stay for a few days, Haoxue couldn't follow her here. If they were separated by a few miles, things would likely settle down. What does Grandmother think about inviting Fangchun to stay for a few days?"

The Grandmother naturally had no objections. "As long as she is willing, we have plenty of rooms. She can stay as long as she likes."

Qingyuan was overjoyed. After asking for permission from her grandmother, she went to the Commander's mansion. Seeing Fangchun, she proposed the idea and said gently, "Living in this mansion all alone, it is inevitable that you feel lonely. Why not come with me to the Chen mansion for a few days? There are more people there, and it will be lively. I can also accompany you more often. What do you think?"

Fangchun looked at Haoxue. Haoxue smiled and said, "That is a good idea. Sister, you should go there for a couple of days to clear your mind. There is no point in being holed up at home alone, letting your imagination run wild."

But the more she said this, the more Fangchun retreated. She said to Qingyuan, "It is inconvenient for me, and moving to the Chen mansion would only trouble the Old Lady and you. It is better to stay put. Other people's homes are not as convenient as one's own."

No matter how hard she tried, Fangchun was unwilling to move. Qingyuan had done all she could; since she couldn't persuade her and had no leverage over Haoxue, she had to let it be for now.

After leaving the Shen mansion, Baoxian muttered, "How can the Commander's wife be so stubborn? It is truly difficult to deal with."

Qingyuan shook her head. "She is the type who loves to get stuck in a rut. Since she won't listen to advice, I can't force her. Now that they are all in the capital, there are some things I cannot easily say. If I do, it will look like I am stirring up trouble, which will only invite resentment." She glanced in the direction of the West Garden; it seemed that Haoxue was going to settle down here. She wondered what kind of family could let their daughter act like this.

Helplessly, as she was not yet married in and the matter involved Fangchun's maternal family, she could only turn a blind eye. She spoke to her grandmother about it upon returning, and her grandmother advised her to "do her best and leave the rest to fate." Fangchun was not young; she should know how to live her own life.

The matter was shelved for the time being. Qingyuan herself was busy; once the dowry was ready, her grandmother began to prepare her wardrobe.

"Our Yun'ya is growing up and is about to become the Commander’s wife. The clothes you wore as a maiden are too childish; that won't do. We must prepare a few sets that look the part. There will be no shortage of banquets among the nobility in the future; you can't be like a bride who waits to pierce her ears only when the bridal sedan chair arrives."

The Grandmother took her to the largest fabric shop in Youzhou city and had the shopkeeper bring out the best goods to choose from bolt by bolt. Qingyuan, looking at the dazzling array of silks, truly didn't know where to start.

The shopkeeper strongly recommended "lantern silk," saying, "This is the most fashionable material in the capital. The Observation Commissioner's wife ordered a bolt just the other day, and the wife of the Assistant Censor-in-Chief ordered two bolts to give away as gifts."

The Grandmother examined it closely for a moment and smiled. "It's a bit too gaudy; our young lady prefers simpler things." However, upon second thought, she figured it wouldn't hurt to have an occasional vibrant piece. She pulled a corner of it to compare it against Qingyuan’s skin and exclaimed in surprise, "This color makes your face look even fairer. Everything looks good on my Ya'er."

In the grandmother’s eyes, there was nothing Yun'ya didn't do perfectly. Qingyuan smiled and let her dress her up, not bothering to choose for herself, only picking suitable materials for her grandmother. Among the piles of silk, she discovered a bolt of fine cloud-goose brocade. Just as she was about to call her grandmother to see it, she turned around and saw the Second Mistress, Madam Jiang, and the daughter-in-law of the Zheng family standing at the door. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law didn't know how long they had been watching, but since they had caught Qingyuan's eye, they decided to step forward and greet her.

Madam Jiang said, "Isn't this the Fourth Young Lady? We have been watching for a long while but didn't dare come over to acknowledge you. Reckoning the time, it has been nearly two months since we last met. Look at you..." She scrutinized her closely as she spoke. "Your complexion is even better; truly, happy events bring a refreshed spirit. I hear you are getting married; I haven't even congratulated you yet, Auntie's niece."

Hearing these words, the Grandmother knew immediately that these must be people from the Xie family. Being protective, she feared Qingyuan might not be able to handle them, so she shifted slightly to pull her to her side and smiled. "Yun'ya, have you met acquaintances?"

Qingyuan murmured, "Grandmother, this is the wife and daughter-in-law of the Second Master Min of the East Mansion." She then introduced them to Madam Jiang. "Auntie, this is my grandmother."

At least she was still willing to call her "Auntie," which showed that the child still understood propriety. Now, one could only lament that the Old Madam had truly lacked human decency, throwing away such a good relative for nothing. In any case, she had never gotten along with the First Branch, so she didn't need to align herself with them. Having run into Qingyuan, she would curry favor with her first—who cared about the others!

Madam Jiang piled on the smiles and bowed to Old Madam Chen. "Greetings, Old Madam. I have heard of you for a long time, and today I have finally met the real deal. We were just saying behind your back that the Fourth Young Lady’s excellent conduct is all thanks to your upbringing. It is a pity the Xie family lacks the fortune; such a good girl, and they just threw her away. Last time, they were planning to have the eldest daughter persuade the Fourth Young Lady, but I told them: if the girl goes back, she will only bring trouble upon herself, so it is better not to go back at all."

To curry favor, one must say what the other person wants to hear; only then would they be willing to engage with you.

Qingyuan said, "Auntie knows the inside story. The Xie family did not treat me as one of their own. I have seen it clearly, so I won't indulge in those pipe dreams anymore. It is better this way; my grandfather and grandmother are getting on in years, so I can fulfill my filial duties by their side. When you go back, don't tell them you saw me. The Old Lady is of a certain age, so she should take care of herself; don't let her get angry on my account. It is truly meaningless."

After she finished speaking, she took Old Madam Chen’s arm, ready to leave. Madam Jiang felt anxious and called out, "Is the Fourth Young Lady leaving already?"

Qingyuan turned back and smiled. "I have already finished choosing my fabric. You two can keep browsing; I will take my leave."

Before Madam Jiang could say another word, she had already boarded the carriage and whipped the horse, leaving.

The Zheng daughter-in-law tugged at her mother-in-law’s sleeve. "Mother, let's see what fabric the Fourth Young Lady chose."

Upon asking the shopkeeper, they found that everything cost thousands of gold. They couldn't help but gasp. "Back in Hengtang, we heard the Chen family was wealthy, but Old Master Chen never boasted, so we didn't know just how rich they were. Now, with the addition of Shen Run, the Fourth Girl’s luck is so good—she’s like a mouse that fell into a rice jar! Living like this, only a fool would return to the Xie family. Back there, the Hu family is like a jealous hen, and there is also that bird-brained Qingru making trouble every day. Engaging with those people would only lower one's own standing!"

The Zheng daughter-in-law said, "But you were hoping she would come back before, so the maternal home could share in the glory."

"Fool!" Madam Jiang snapped. "What do you understand? That was then, this is now. Does she look like she is willing to turn back? The betrothal has already been finalized, and she is just waiting for the day to bow and marry; why would she care about the Xie family? If we try to persuade her by saying 'the kindness of birth is as high as the heavens,' she would be right to spit in our faces."

The Zheng daughter-in-law asked blankly, "Then what do you plan to do?"

Madam Jiang looked in the direction their carriage had departed. She stopped buying fabric and pulled the Zheng daughter-in-law along. "Come, let's go visit the Chen mansion."

Qinian Street, the residence of the former Hanlin academic; it was very easy to find, as the largest and most grand mansion was surely it. Upon arriving at the gate, they sent a servant to deliver the message. Although the household found it strange, they let them in. Sure enough, after a short while, they were invited in. Madam Jiang, unable to spare a moment to appreciate the scenery, carried the Zheng daughter-in-law into the front hall.

The Chen family, treating them as guests, received them with patience. Qingyuan said, "Auntie, do you have any more instructions? If this is to persuade me to return to the Xie family, then forgive me for being rude."

"No, no... you left so quickly earlier that I had some things I didn't have time to tell you." After speaking, Madam Jiang smiled at Old Madam Chen. "You may not know, Old Madam, but we of the Second Branch were not raised by our own grandmother, so we never had any standing before them and were constantly suppressed in everything. The First Mistress of the First Branch, relying on being the mistress of the house and having a decent maternal family, was constantly bossy and made us suffer more than our share. After the Fourth Young Lady returned, she was constantly pushed around by those mother and daughter. We saw it all and felt indignant, but we could only lament in private—who had the courage to stand up to the First Mistress?"

She said a great deal, merely trying to prove that they harbored no ill will toward Qingyuan. The Old Madam correctly guessed that they must have some reason for chasing them down, so she had to feign politeness to get the truth. "Our young lady said when she returned that there wasn't much affection in that house, but at least her aunts still cared for her."

Madam Jiang laughed awkwardly. "Last time, when our Old Lady sent the eldest daughter, I was present and heard every word. Later, when the eldest daughter reported back that the Fourth Young Lady was unwilling to return, I knew clearly how the Old Lady responded... To tell the truth, I despise the black-hearted things they do in that mansion. There were too many people earlier, so I couldn't speak; I decided to come to your mansion to tell the Fourth Young Lady of the Old Lady’s plan. Once you know, you can be prepared, so you don't let them succeed and tarnish the reputation of Commander Shen."

Qingyuan glanced at the Old Madam and said to Madam Jiang, "Auntie is truly kind and understands our difficulties. Please, tell me what the Old Lady has planned."

Madam Jiang said, "Well, the idea came from Mother Sun, the one by Madam Hu’s side. She suggested that on the day of your wedding, the Old Lady should take the household register to the Commander’s mansion. When the guests are gathered and the Commander—who is a person of standing—is present, since the Old Lady is an elder, you will be forced to kowtow to her. Otherwise, she will let the guests judge, making you lose face among the nobility in Youzhou."

Qingyuan had already prepared for the possibility that the Xie family would not let things go, but she hadn't expected them to be so ruthless; it truly chilled one to the bone. She stood in the middle of the room and sighed. "The Madam is guilty of her own crimes and traps me at every turn, which is one thing, but for the Old Lady to be so relentless... They don't look like mother-in-law and daughter-in-law; they look more like mother and daughter."

Old Madam Chen sneered repeatedly upon hearing this. "This old hag... I originally respected her a little because our young lady is her own flesh and blood. I didn't expect her to be so shameless. Very well, when the time comes, we shall debate it properly and see whether it is our Commander-in-law who loses face, or whether she ends up losing her own."

After spilling the secret, Madam Jiang was actually a bit scared. She rubbed her hands together and said, "I belong to the same clan as them. Taking this risk today is truly because I cannot bear to see the young lady suffer any more grievances. However... it is truly impossible to sever this connection. If the Xie family truly becomes a laughingstock of all Youzhou, it will implicate my two sons..."

The implication was clear. Since she had taken such a huge risk, she expected a reasonable return. Qingyuan, being a clever person, naturally understood what she meant.

"Auntie, rest assured. Before the Commander, I will naturally speak well of the two brothers." Qingyuan smiled and paused slightly. "During this time before our wedding, if the Xie family makes any other moves, please keep an eye on them for me. As long as the wedding day passes smoothly, I will certainly remember Auntie’s kindness."

With that, Madam Jiang felt completely at ease. In the Xie family, everyone only swept the snow from their own doorsteps anyway; as long as her two sons were taken care of, who cared about the Madam of the First Branch!