Spring of the Blade - Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Hao Xue saw that Qingyuan was present and felt slightly uneasy, but she quickly put on a smiling face, stepped forward, and curtsied. "On the day of your grand wedding, I was worried about adding to the chaos and didn't offer my personal congratulations. I am here today to make up for that courtesy."

When it came to maintaining appearances, Hao Xue was adept at it, but Qingyuan was even more of a master. She warmly pulled Hao Xue to a seat and turned to instruct the maid standing by the side to serve tea to Miss Hao.

Hao Xue sat sideways on the chair, feigning a casual air, and said in a soft, gentle voice, "The Lady and Elder Sister have such a refined mood, actually brewing your own tea. Since there is already tea prepared, there is no need to trouble yourselves."

Qingyuan said that would not do. "This was just us sisters-in-law brewing it for our own amusement. You are a guest, Miss; how could we allow you to drink the same?" She insisted on her orders, letting the maid go prepare a separate cup.

Hao Xue was a clever person; how could she not understand the implication? The tea they had brewed with their own hands was exclusively for their own consumption; as for outsiders, they naturally had no right to share in it.

She suppressed her feeling of humiliation, keeping a proper smile on her face. She had originally thought that this new Lady, being only fifteen or sixteen years old and having never crossed swords before, would surely be easy to subdue. Yet, seeing how she handled these subtle matters, so different from Fangchun, she realized how the Lady could make one retreat in the face of difficulty within the span of a few inches. It was clear that marrying the head of a high official's household at such a young age and being titled as an honorable lady was not merely a matter of good luck.

The maid brought the tea to Hao Xue, and Qingyuan scooped tea for Fangchun herself, saying warmly, "It has been a long time since I did this myself. My skills are rusty, and I don't know how it tastes—have a sip, Sister."

Fangchun did not understand the subtle battle of glances going on between them; she simply focused on the tea. She took a sip and smacked her lips, saying, "It’s very fragrant! Good tea!"

Qingyuan drank her own as well and smiled, "The first infusion of tea is always the most meaningful. The ones that follow are not as good; the color, aroma, and taste diminish each time. By the end, few bother to drink it. If it weren't for an unbearable thirst, who would touch it?" As she spoke, she signaled for the warming stove to be removed, leaving only the cup in her hand. She instructed Baoxian, "Take the rest and pour it out at the base of the wall. Be careful—the tea color is dark; don't stain the wall surface, and don't pour it on the flowers or grass."

Baoxian replied with an "Understood," adding, "It would be better to send someone to pour it into the drainage ditch outside so it doesn't dirty the ground in the courtyard."

Qingyuan said that was fine too. The light, shallow smile on her face stung Hao Xue's eyes. Hao Xue found it increasingly hard to swallow; after enduring it several times, she forced a remark, "The Lady is certainly particular about tea. In other households, who doesn't drink three or four infusions?"

Qingyuan chuckled upon hearing this. "Those are other households; our family does not have such rules. Take the essence and discard the dregs. A cup of good tea is enough to savor. The rest only grows weaker, so it is better not to drink it at all."

The exchange was filled with hidden undercurrents, causing those standing by to gasp inwardly. Truly, the mistress of the house was the mistress; how could she tolerate petty people running wild in her presence? Even the likes of Nanny Zhou, who had previously harbored thoughts of taking advantage of her youth, wouldn't dare do so now, even if they were given several times the courage. It was indeed a testament to the master's discerning eye—if she were a weakling, she could never hold the reins of the Shen household.

Hao Xue grasped the meaning behind her words; every syllable was like a steel needle piercing her. She finally realized that such a formidable obstacle had emerged before her. It was no wonder that there had been no further developments on Fangchun's side lately; she imagined this eldest sister-in-law had much to do with it. Unfortunately, Qingyuan held the rank of a titled lady, which one could not easily offend. It was just her bad luck today to have run into her.

Since the other party was intentionally making things difficult, sitting there was becoming unbearable. That fool Fangchun was still trying to play the peacemaker, hoping they could all be friends in the future. Hao Xue had no choice but to be evasive in her speech, though she was deeply unwilling in her heart.

Qingyuan noticed her distraction and instead began to make casual conversation. "How old are you this year, Miss?"

Hao Xue replied, "I am seventeen this year, two years older than the Lady."

Qingyuan pursed her lips and smiled, revealing shallow dimples, looking quite innocent like a young girl. "Seventeen... Has your family started arranging a marriage for you?"

Hao Xue said they had not. "Earlier, when we were in Yunzhong, there was talk of a family, but we heard the sister-in-law of that household was difficult to deal with, so nothing more was said."

"Is that so..." Qingyuan responded vaguely, though she knew the reason perfectly well.

What was the Palace Guard for? If necessary, they could dig up the entire ancestry of any official in the capital. Did Hao Xue really think she could brush it off with a few evasive words?

Qingyuan had long ago instructed Shen Run to investigate, and they found that the Yao family were people who fawned over the rich and despised the poor. Magistrate Yao had ten children in his lifetime—nine girls and one boy. With so many daughters, they were not as picky about marriages. Hao Xue had been betrothed since childhood to a wealthy family in Yunzhong. The family were merchants; though their social status was not high, they were wealthy. The ninth daughter had relied on her status as an official's daughter and expected no one would dare look down on her. The wedding was supposed to take place last September, but who knew that the family's business would go bankrupt, the father would pass away from illness, and the sons—who were already married—would start fighting over the inheritance. Once the Yao family saw there was no profit left, they simply cut ties and sent someone to return the betrothal gifts, canceling the engagement.

For a young lady to be engaged and then have the engagement broken was not necessarily the end of her prospects; finding a match of equal status would not be difficult. But after entering Youzhou and broadening her horizons, she could not be satisfied with just any ordinary low-level official! In their eyes, Fangchun was not particularly outstanding—she lived her life without a plan, and her father was only an eighth-rank official. If compared to the Yao family, they were worlds apart. Since Shen Che could marry a wife of such background, the Yao family felt that giving him a daughter of much higher status as a successor wife would not be insulting to the Shen family at all.

Qingyuan set down her bowl. "Among our relatives, there happens to be someone of similar age to you, Miss. It is a well-off family, though he has not yet earned an official rank. However, the young man is very ambitious, and his family intends to buy an official post for him. If you are willing, Miss, shall I play matchmaker for you?" She smiled. "Oh, now that I am married, I can finally play the matchmaker for others. We get along quite well and share the same sentiments, but our household is all paired up, and you, Miss, are still alone. I wish for you to have a good destination; this way, everyone is happy, and that is truly for the best."

Fangchun, the muddle-headed one, followed up by asking, "Which relative? Is it from the Xie family or the Chen family?"

Qingyuan sighed internally; such a clueless person really made one worry. She had no such relative, and even if she did, she wouldn't suggest Hao Xue to them. She only wanted to see Hao Xue's reaction and how persistent she was about the Shen family. If she were dead set on it, then she would have no choice but to use some methods to drive her away.

"The ties with the Xie family were cut long ago; even if there were relatives, we don't associate with them," Qingyuan said with a straight face. "Naturally, it is from the Chen side. You know that the Chen family was quite wealthy in Hengtang; their financial situation is unquestionable. The only downside is that they are merchants, so their status is not high. However, every generation buys official posts—seventh or eighth rank. While not prominent, it is a proper official title. I was thinking, seeing how diligent you are, Miss, you would surely be a capable manager of the household. If there is truly fate, wouldn't we be making our families even closer?"

Fangchun turned to Hao Xue and said, "That sounds quite good. Why don't you consider it, sister?"

Hao Xue smiled awkwardly. "My marriage is entirely up to my parents to decide. I cannot give you an answer about this right now." She then lowered her head and said no more.

A young woman should get married, but only to someone whose social standing is satisfactory. At the mere mention of a merchant background with no real official rank, that alone disqualified the candidate. A purchased title was mostly considered low-class, and in the end, it was still a merchant family, quite different from those of genuine official lineage. Moreover, with the Shen family as the "jade" ahead, how could she look upon anyone else? She had spent months with Fangchun and had seen Shen Che many times. She truly secretly liked him, and it wasn't entirely because of his family background or status. She liked his easy-going nature, his uninhibited style, and the way he indulged Fangchun with soft words.

Before, she hadn't understood the Shen family; she only knew that all the court officials feared the brothers and that the Shen house must be a dragon's den. She had even pitied Fangchun. But as she spent more time with them, she realized it wasn't at all as she had imagined. Shen Run was another matter—as a second-rank official used to commanding, he was like tempered steel, and no one dared to provoke him. But Shen Che was completely different; he was easy-going, lacked sharp edges, yet seemed unreachable. The more beautiful a thing was, the more it ignited a desire to draw close. After yearning for so long, a covetous heart had taken root. Fangchun had become a stumbling block in her pursuit of love, and she even dreamed about how to replace her. Therefore, let alone a man of ordinary status, even a noble youth from a ducal mansion couldn't move her heart. She herself was surprised at how determined she was to obtain Shen Che.

Qingyuan sensed her disdain and knew that this matter would eventually require drastic measures. To protect this home and to protect Fangchun, she could not be soft-hearted toward Miss Hao. She smiled calmly. "Very well, Miss, go back and discuss it with your family. If they feel it is feasible, we can discuss it further."

As she spoke, she looked out the window. Snow was falling in thick flakes again. She sighed softly, "Time passes so quickly; the New Year is almost here. My husband says the residence in the capital is already prepared. I think we shall move there after the New Year. The capital is even livelier than Youzhou; I hear our residence is not far from the imperial city, and one can see the palace roof tiles while standing in the courtyard."

Fangchun remained indifferent, but Hao Xue’s heart tightened. As long as they were in Youzhou, she could visit frequently and plan slowly. Once they moved to the capital, the efforts she had made would clearly go to waste. Fangchun had a habit of listening to whoever she was close to; this eldest sister-in-law from the East Mansion, though young, was no pushover. As long as she was around, it wouldn't take long for her to change Fangchun's mind. By then, not only would she fail to achieve her goal, but she might also invite the hatred of the Shen family, which would be extremely disadvantageous for her father's political career.

"You are leaving right after the New Year? It is still so cold!" She remained calm, looking out at the snow as well. "I wonder if it will clear up before the New Year. The roads are frozen and slippery in the middle of winter; why not wait until the weather gets warmer before moving?"

Qingyuan said, "The men are all in the capital. The distance between the two places is great, and riding back and forth is exhausting. With that time, it would be better to sit or lie down comfortably."

Nanny Cui, standing by, chimed in enthusiastically with a smile: "Since it is decided to move after the New Year, we must prepare early. Our Mistress has many belongings; just the ice chests alone number five or six. I shall send someone to transport a cartload to the new mansion first. Once spring comes and it gets hot, we won't have to scramble in a panic when they are needed."

They were already starting to prepare for the move. Hao Xue smiled on the surface, but a sense of urgency began to grow within her. Success or failure, there was only one month left. Fangchun was not currently making a scene about separation, and it was hard to find a place to exert pressure. She had originally wanted to test the waters today to see if the talk from yesterday had any effect, but with the East Mansion's mistress here, she couldn't steer the conversation toward that. If Fangchun had been persuaded by the mistress, it would all come down to her word—she couldn't force her, as the sister-in-law. But if she hadn't been swayed, then she would have to think of another way. After all, judging by her tone, the East Mansion's mistress was trying to play matchmaker, and she was even enthusiastically trying to facilitate it; it seemed she hadn't suspected anything at all.

It was infuriating; you could have all the ability in the world, but you couldn't steady a blade of grass swaying in the wind. Hao Xue didn't stay much longer and found an excuse to leave. Qingyuan watched her back and smiled. "Miss Hao is seventeen this year, the age for marriage. The match I mentioned is not an official's family, but they are well-off. Why didn't it catch her eye? Could it be that she has someone in her heart, or perhaps her family has already scouted a good match for her?"

Fangchun thought about it seriously. "The family shouldn't have decided yet." Otherwise, her cousin would not have given such hints. But whether there was someone in her heart, that was hard to say. "Perhaps there is already someone suitable, but due to family restrictions, she cannot speak of it."

She still viewed her relatives with a kind heart. In her eyes, Hao Xue was not so malicious; she painted Hao Xue as someone with a rich inner life but constrained by circumstances. This truly left Qingyuan feeling helpless.

"Once one has seen the ocean, how can one be satisfied with a small stream?" Qingyuan held her warm sleeves and moved to the doorway, squinting at the fine snow falling outside. Some things could not be said too clearly; if one went too far, it would be counterproductive. For someone like Fangchun, she had to see the facts clearly before she would give up.

"I wonder if that Miss Yao understood the Lady's meaning," Baoxian said while helping her walk on the way back. "Perhaps she misunderstood and thought the Second Mistress had revealed the inside story, and she might now hate the Second Mistress."

Qingyuan didn't take it to heart. She said slowly, "Whether she hates her or not, what difference does it make? She has never wished for the Second Mistress to do well anyway." Walking through the long gallery against the wind and snow, she finally returned to her own courtyard. Entering the door, she let out a yawn and said, "It’s been too exhausting these past two days; I need a good rest. In the afternoon, tell Nanny Zhou to bring the household ledgers to the main chamber. The funds to be allocated to the army need to be distributed as soon as possible. Also, the Gudu Garden in the capital—let the steward outside handle it for now; I will go take a look when I have time."

Baoxian agreed to everything, taking off her cloak and saying softly, "From a young lady to a mistress, it happened in the blink of an eye. Thank goodness you are so clever and capable of handling it all."

Qingyuan patted the edge of the couch, and Da Yuanzi jumped up. She took the cat into her arms and stroked its little head, joking, "Because I was born resilient."

Baoxian laughed, "A pampered young lady, how could you be resilient! This household looks peaceful, but underneath, there are many troubles. You will have a lot to worry about in the future. But no matter how many things there are, they must be handled one by one. Your health is the most important; don't wear yourself out."

Qingyuan closed her eyes and murmured, "I know what I am doing... Once I get through this, things will gradually get better." As she spoke, a smile played on her lips. "Hard work is certainly hard work, but I am also happy. Even though I am busy, it is to share his burdens... They used to live so carelessly, muddling through. To outsiders, it looked glorious, but inside, there was a pile of rotten accounts."

Fortunately, those trivialities were no effort for her. She had a sound nap, and after waking, she began reviewing the ledgers. By the time Shen Run returned, she had handled almost everything.

She still had some finishing tasks to assign. He changed his clothes and sat to the side to listen, watching her give instructions in an orderly manner, one item at a time. The room was lit, and she sat under the lamp with a dignified and majestic manner, yet her face remained as youthful as ever. He wanted to laugh but held it back; he couldn't undermine her when she was asserting her authority. After she finished the arrangements and everyone had received their orders and withdrawn, he rose to help her down from the foot warmer. "The Lady has managed the household in an orderly fashion, and the servants are obedient. This is very good—you have the true air of a mistress of the house."

Qingyuan was always a bit shy in front of him. A meal was set in the side hall, and she led him over to sit. She smiled and said, "When I was at home, my grandmother taught me how to read ledgers early on, so handling this isn't difficult. I looked through the accounts of the past few years; there are many omissions. Although I won't pursue those, I know in my heart who was responsible. Previously, the East Mansion had no one in charge, and they were all old servants, so I let it go. But I have made it clear just now: from the moment I took over, if anyone plays tricks again, once I find out, I will settle both the new and old accounts together."

Shen Run nodded. "Embezzlement by those running the household is something every family deals with, just as it is with an Emperor governing the world. 'Water too clear has no fish'—the sages understand this, and so do you. If they steal, as long as it's not excessive, letting them have some room is not a problem. But if they are too greedy, you don't need to deal with it; just send someone to tell me. I will pull out their tendons and throw them into the mountains to feed the wolves, and we shall see if they dare to do it again."

So, having someone with a bad reputation behind her was actually a very relaxing thing. No matter how slippery the servants were, they feared the master's methods and wouldn't dare act like vicious servants bullying their master.

Qingyuan served food to his plate, saying, "Yesterday, Mistress Yao came to see Fangchun and advised her to take in a successor wife for the Second Uncle..."

Shen Run uttered an "Hmm," his tone rising by half an octave. "What?"

Qingyuan knew he was about to swear, so she quickly comforted him, "Fortunately, Fangchun didn't fall for it this time; she managed to brush it off."

Shen Run said that was a stroke of luck. "Otherwise, my Shen family's reputation would have been ruined by them. That Yao family—have they lived such a peaceful life that they dare to provoke me?" He gave a cold laugh and said, "Tomorrow, I will fabricate some charges and send that whole family far away to put an end to it once and for all."

Qingyuan disagreed and said calmly, "That method is the fastest and most effective, but have you thought about it? Today there is the Yao family; tomorrow there will be the Wang family, the Li family... Fangchun is poor at judging people. We can keep dealing with others, but when will it end? Moreover, you should gradually restrain your sharpness now. Those who had second thoughts about the Emperor at court have mostly been cleared out. In the future, we should aim for a virtuous reputation. Don't put yourself in danger because of people with ulterior motives; it's not that we shouldn't deal with them, but when we do, it must be with a legitimate reason."

Shen Run was pleased with her insight and very willing to listen to her advice. He sighed, "The Lady is right. When I had no family, I had lone courage; now that I have a household, I should settle down. But in the inner chambers, if we don't use official authority, I fear the petty people will cause endless trouble. If Fangchun were to be foolish..."

Qingyuan said it would be soon. "There will be a conclusion before the New Year, but I will still need to trouble the Second Uncle one more time."

Shen Run looked at her suspiciously. "What are you planning to do?"

She smiled and did not answer him. "Eat your dinner.”