Spring of the Blade - Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Old Woman Cui stood in the side hall wringing her hands, waiting until she finally heard footsteps approaching from the corridor. Lanterns hung high under the eaves, casting silhouettes on the window paper that quickly moved toward the veranda. She hurried forward, stooping to greet, "Mistress."

Qingyuan sat in the seat of honor, "Mother, have you gathered any news?"

Old Woman Cui replied that she had. "The Yao girl did not come today, but the Mistress of the Yao family did. After seeing our Mistress, she complained that she looked unwell and remarked that if she could not bear children, the son-in-law would eventually lose patience with her. In the end, she actually began lobbying our Mistress: rather than letting the Second Master bring women home from the outside, it would be better for our Mistress to personally select a 'plain wife' (ping-qi) for him. She insisted on someone they knew well and someone who would be of one heart with our Mistress—she might as well have come right out and suggested that the Second Master marry their own daughter."

Qingyuan listened with some surprise, "A 'plain wife'?" She turned to Mother Fu, smiling, "I had heard of 'honorable concubines' before—the Xie family’s Aunt Lian is one—but I’ve never heard of any family taking a 'plain wife'."

Mother Fu replied, "Not just here in the capital, even in a small place like our Hengtang, I have never heard of a decent family taking a 'plain wife.' The term 'honorable concubine' exists, but that is for women who already have some status and aren't from lowly backgrounds—like those in merchant families who have money but lack status and cannot become a formal wife in an official’s household. They seek a respectable title and call themselves 'honorable concubines' to the outside world, but ultimately, they are still just concubines. A 'plain wife' is different; she would be considered an equal to the formal mistress. If there are social occasions that need managing, she could step in and negotiate. Mistress, just think: in a proper family, which one keeps two masters? If this were to spread, no one would envy their 'bountiful fortune'; they would only be mocked for having no decorum or rules, and people would laugh their heads off."

Qingyuan nodded, "I have never heard of such a thing either. This Mistress Yao, what does she take our Shen family for?"

Old Woman Cui agreed, "Mistress, you don't know—standing there listening, it felt truly sickening. The mother and daughter are treating our Mistress like a monkey in a show, thinking they are the only clever ones in the world and that everyone else is a fool."

Qingyuan sneered, "That is precisely why I didn't let you tell your Mistress to agree to a separation in front of Miss Haoxue. I wanted to see what other tricks the Yao family had up their sleeves, and as it turns out, I guessed correctly. I just didn't expect the Mistress of the Yao family to be so greedy; persuading her to take a concubine would have been enough, but she even wanted to install a 'plain wife'."

Hongmian, not understanding, tucked her hands in her sleeves and asked, "Why are they so insistent on pushing the Second Mistress to separate? Even if the West Mansion were to dissolve, there are so many daughters from high-ranking families in Youzhou; the Second Master might not necessarily marry their girl. Why go through all that trouble? Wouldn't it just be doing someone else a favor?"

Qingyuan said she didn't understand, "People frequent the West Mansion now, and even if the Second Master is present, she doesn't avoid him. If the Second Mistress were to truly separate, rumors would immediately spread outside that the Second Master had been flirting with the Yao girl, forcing him to marry her." She paused, frowning, "And that is putting it mildly. If she were willing to cast aside her shame, she could do much worse. If she... made something happen and framed the Second Master, at that point, there would truly be nothing we could do."

Once this was said, everyone understood. Upon careful reflection, they felt a chill; if a person as cunning as a yellow weasel were allowed to break in, the household would never be peaceful again. In the end, it would likely result in the family splitting up. Wouldn't the good-natured Second Master be utterly ruined by her?

Mother Fu said, "Having reached this point, we can only hope the Second Mistress doesn't act foolishly and can see the malicious intent behind their facade."

Qingyuan asked Old Woman Cui, "What was your Mistress’s stance? She didn't actually agree, did she?"

"Amitabha, that she did not. My heart was about to jump out of my throat at that moment—if she had given even a hint of approval, that would have been the end of it!" Old Woman Cui finished, looking troubled, "Unfortunately, our Mistress is still partial to Miss Yao, saying that it was all the Cousin-Aunt’s idea and has nothing to do with Miss Haoxue."

Qingyuan frowned. This Fangchun was muddled, truly muddled, but fortunately not yet beyond saving. If she had truly agreed, then even she would be helpless; matters in a brother-in-law’s inner chambers were not for an elder sister-in-law to manage, and she could only let Fangchun deal with it herself.

She smiled at Old Woman Cui, "Thank you, Mother, for telling me every detail. After you go back, you must still keep a close watch. Once we weather this period, everything will improve."

Old Woman Cui nodded repeatedly, "Mistress, you do all this for our sake. You have just celebrated your own grand wedding, yet you are already worrying about our West Mansion. Even we servants feel like we have failed you."

Qingyuan simply said it didn't matter, waved her hand, and dismissed her.

Rising to leave the side hall, the cold night wind felt like a blade, howling as it swept past the eaves. Baoxian said softly, "Even though the Second Mistress refused, I fear the Yao family will not give up. Her temperament is so gentle; if the Mistress of the Yao family nags her a few more times and she ends up agreeing because she couldn't stand the pressure, what then?"

Qingyuan sighed heavily. In the twelfth lunar month, her breath turned to cloud; she wrapped her warm sleeves tighter around her, "We must use a strong medicine to bring her to her senses. Don't worry, I will think of a way. There is still time before the New Year."

But for now, she could not worry about those things; she had to focus on her new husband. She washed up in the inner room and changed into her sleeping robes before heading to the bedroom. Inside, the room was warm and cozy, with plush carpets covering the floor, making her footsteps silent as she walked barefoot.

She had expected him to be reading official documents sent from the capital or posturing in a seductive manner waiting for her. Instead, she entered to find him kneeling on the couch, having pushed the window open a crack, peering outside.

Qingyuan, puzzled, whispered, "What is it?"

He made a 'shush' gesture, "Listen..."

A shrill, mournful wail echoed sharply over the courtyard walls, particularly unsettling in the moonless, starless night.

Qingyuan stood there, not daring to move, "What is that?"

Shen Run said, "Cats in heat. They have such high spirits even in the middle of winter."

Qingyuan couldn't fathom it, "Don't cats usually go into heat in the spring? In such cold weather, whose undisciplined lecher of a cat is acting up at this time?"

Shen Run seemed very indignant, staring outside, "It found our 'Dayaun' (Great Round One). Truly shameless! Dayaun is only three months old, and it already has designs on her—why doesn't it go find some adult female cats instead!"

Qingyuan was shocked by his pettiness and protectiveness, thinking to herself that if a man like this were to have a daughter in the future, he would probably be merciless toward any future son-in-law. But as she savored his words, she suddenly couldn't help but burst into laughter, clutching her stomach and collapsing onto the bed.

Shen Run was confused; he quickly closed the window and turned around, "What are you laughing at?"

Qingyuan said, "Those words you just said sound very familiar."

He froze, realizing that these very words were fittingly applicable to himself.

Yes, back then, the youngest daughter of the Xie family had caught his eye, and she was only fifteen; hadn't he tried every means possible to entangle himself with her? Now that the cat he raised was experiencing the exact same ordeal that Qingyuan had, he was here expressing righteous indignation, wishing he could kill the intruder. Having it teased out of her, he was suddenly speechless.

She was still laughing, foolishly and incessantly. He grew annoyed and embarrassed, pulling her into his arms and shaking her, "How can you blame me? It’s because my wife is just too lovable."

Qingyuan panted as she retorted, "Our Dayaun is also a cute girl. A gentleman admires a maiden; why are you shouting about killing the suitor?"

But there were some things he could do that others could not; Commander Shen had always been this overbearing. He began to nitpick, "What kind of cat from a wealthy family climbs onto someone’s wall in the middle of the night to wail? Our family has high status, and a stray cat is not worthy of her. We must keep an eye on Dayaun and not let that brat kidnap her."

Qingyuan helplessly said she understood, as he began to let his hands roam freely under the quilt.

The fifteen-year-old girl was already blossoming into an alluring beauty. He measured her with his fingers, from her shoulders downward, whispering with his eyes closed, "A beauty kills without a blade; the soul-snatching lies entirely in the waist."

She swatted him, "Where did you learn such lewd, licentious words!"

He laughed, "Then what should I say? Sweet bean soup, pear syrup, or iced lychee paste?"

She murmured, "You said riding horses gives you calluses; let me see."

He knew his little wife wanted to study him again, so he guided her hand to touch. In truth, there was only a small patch on his inner thigh—not really a callus, just a slight roughening of the skin from friction. But her slender, embroidery-needle fingers wove a web across that small space, four lines horizontally, four vertically, then adding a five-fingered gold-thread embroidery... he couldn't help himself anymore.

Qingyuan was still feeling heartache for him, "It really wasn't easy for you to achieve your current position."

He hummed, "Wife, you must reward me well... I can't stay at home for many days; I have to head to the capital before the New Year."

Hearing this, she felt uneasy in her heart, stroking his smooth back beneath the brocade, "I can't bear for you to leave."

He mumbled vaguely, "Come with me to the capital."

She wanted to go too, wanting to forget everything and just stay with her husband night after night. But she couldn't leave, "Fangchun’s matter... a long night brings many dreams. And Grandfather... he said he has been having night sweats lately and has no energy during the day. I am worried..."

She could not finish the rest of her sentence. He surged forward and entered her; she held him tightly, dizzy and burning, yet feeling that being married was truly wonderful. To have someone so close to you, doting on you, and pleasing you—he was another version of herself.

He was extremely focused in everything he did. When they had finished, he buried his face in her chest and panted lightly, "At this rate, I’m afraid you might conceive." He had originally thought her too young and that bearing children too early was bad, but he couldn't practice abstinence himself and couldn't let her take random medicine either. After much deliberation, he said, "Tomorrow... I will think of a way..."

Qingyuan said sleepily that it was unnecessary, "If fate comes, let nature take its course. With Fangchun’s situation... our family is short of two children..."

That night, the cats wailed incessantly, only settling down around the second watch. The next morning, Shen Run had to go to the Lulong Army to inspect military affairs; after all, even though he had been appointed as the Jiedushi (Military Governor), he hadn't officially reported for duty yet, and he needed to show his face.

Qingyuan helped him pick out his clothes and dressed him carefully. Once he was ready, she patted his chest, "The Commander looks so handsome!"

He was very proud, "If I weren't handsome, I wouldn't have been able to trick my wife into taking the bait." As he turned to pick up his sword, he didn't forget to instruct her before leaving, "These two days have exhausted you. Don't go anywhere today; stay at home and get some rest."

She agreed and walked him all the way to the door. After he met up with Shen Che, the two brothers left together.

She had originally thought Fangchun wouldn't come to see him off, but when Qingyuan looked back toward the path Shen Che had taken, she saw Fangchun standing far away in front of the moon-gate, wearing a fur-lined brocade cloak with most of her face hidden beneath the fox fur. She was likely seeing them off in secret, and seeing Qingyuan look over, she even dodged slightly. Qingyuan couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her. Trapped in a dead end, her spirit was crushed; the current Fangchun was very different from before—she was listless, thin, and seemed to be drowsy all day long.

Qingyuan walked over and asked, "Sister, have you eaten?"

Fangchun shook her head, "I only prepared food for Chengbin; I have no appetite this morning."

Qingyuan then walked up, linked her arm with hers, and smiled, "I didn't have my fill this morning; let me eat with you again!"

Thus, they went to the West Mansion together. The two mansions each had their own kitchens, and the food prepared by the cooks tasted different. The two sat together and ate milk-steamed bamboo rolls, accompanied by four or five small side dishes in a tray, along with rice porridge. Qingyuan said with satisfaction, "I haven't eaten this well in a long time. Tomorrow, come to my place; we’ll eat together—only then is it truly delicious."

Fangchun knew she had gone to this trouble solely to soothe her heart. In truth, by logic, an elder sister-in-law is like a mother, but even without maintaining that status, she didn't need to appease her everywhere. She felt ashamed, "I am older than you, yet I am not successful, and I’ve made you laugh at me."

Qingyuan was astonished, "What kind of talk is that? Since we have entered the same household, we are family—what is there to laugh at or not!" As she spoke, she carried her into the small, warm pavilion and ordered a portable furnace to be brought in. The two sat by the window, leisurely using pine wood to heat water and brew tea.

Qingyuan really wanted to bring up Mistress Yao and Haoxue, but she was afraid of making her suspicious, so she took the long way around and chatted casually. Seeing the wind and snow about to arrive outside, she leaned against a pillow and asked, "Sister, have you ever made incense at home?"

Fangchun had followed her father in the army since she was young, and because her mother had passed away before she was even initiated into her studies, no one had taught her those delicate, feminine pastimes.

She touched her forehead, "The incense I use is all bought from outside."

Qingyuan said, "Incense on the market is not mellow; it is not as good as what you make yourself. When spring begins, I will teach you how to make incense! There is a kind called 'Hundred Harmonies Incense,' made by blending twenty kinds of incense like sinking-water, chicken-bone, white sandalwood, green wood, and sweet pine. You put it into porcelain in the spring and take it out in the winter. On the day you open it, it is extraordinary—the fragrance can drift for ten miles."

Fangchun listened and said, "Speaking of making incense, I remember the Marquis of Guangping’s wife sent me a set of fine incense burners last year. I don't understand those things—they are called 'Yi' burners, 'Ru' burners... each as small as a teacup, and they said they could be used all day." She hurriedly ordered her maid to go get them, brought them over, and placed them in front of Qingyuan, "Take them back to use; they are just wasting away here with me."

Qingyuan looked down at the incense burners wrapped in the brocade box, feeling an indescribable melancholy. Fangchun was truly a good person; she had no hidden agendas and was simple-minded. It was just that those who deliberately drew close to her harbored malicious intentions, which had reduced her to her current state.

She closed the brocade box and smiled, "The Marchioness is truly generous; these are fine items. They look like imperial tributes that you can't buy on the outside."

Fangchun said, bored, "Unfortunately, it’s like flowers stuck in cow dung. Sending them to me just means they sit there gathering dust."

Qingyuan leaned over and held her hand, "Sister, you just saw the Second Master off, doesn't he know?"

Fangchun was stunned for a moment, then shook her head, her expression somewhat embarrassed.

"In truth, you care so much about him in your heart; why do you have to be stubborn? Being like this makes you sad, and the Second Master is also restless all day long." Qingyuan looked around, "There are no outsiders here; tell me, if you drive the Second Master away from home with your anger, what will you do? If he finds someone else outside, what will you do then?"

When Fangchun heard this, she straightened her back, "I’m not dead yet; how can I tolerate him having someone else outside?"

Qingyuan was now certain; her heart toward Shen Che had not changed. She was still someone who could not tolerate any grit in her eyes.

"That’s it then," she said slowly. "When two people live together, there is absolutely no room for a third. If our Master wanted to take a concubine, I would likely go crazy. Those who want to enter the door say such sweet things, claiming they will be respectful and obedient and put the Mistress first, but the husband has already been snatched away by half—what is the point of all those empty words!"

She said it casually, but Fangchun understood clearly: a husband taking a concubine affects one’s vital interests; in this world, unless one is not thinking straight, who would want to find another woman for their husband?

"And those who use children as an excuse..." Qingyuan lowered her eyes, stirring the ground tea leaves in the boiling water with a bamboo whisk, "The saying goes 'of the three unfilial acts, none is worse than having no offspring.' If it is not a child I gave birth to, what does it have to do with me? To find a woman to bear children for my husband—once born, they are their flesh and blood, which would only make them love each other more and more, while I would become an outsider. Why bother?"

Fangchun sat in a daze for a moment, and suddenly, she saw the light.

What her aunt said yesterday about finding someone she knew well to bear a child, believing it better than a mistress acting first and reporting later—she had actually thought it made sense. Now, hearing Qingyuan explain it like this, she realized that fundamentally, it made absolutely no difference who gave birth to them—in any case, they were not born of her.

She opened her mouth, just about to speak, when she heard Mother Cui announce from the corridor that Miss Haoxue had arrived.

Qingyuan turned to look outside, set down the bamboo whisk in her hand, and smiled, "She comes at just the right time. I hadn't been able to talk to her properly before, and today, I happen to have some leisure."

Fangchun raised her voice and ordered Mother Cui, "Quickly, invite her in.”