Spring of the Blade - Chapter 92

Chapter 92

It was a pity that he had to return to the capital the very next day, as the imperial government only granted officials five days of marriage leave. He now held two concurrent posts; the Lulong Army was only utilized during times of conflict and served merely as a security and guard force during peacetime, while his duties at the Palace Guard remained of paramount importance. With the end of the year approaching, the security of the capital was increasingly critical. From major criminal cases to minor fire safety and drainage issues, every single matter required his attention.

Qingyuan clung to him in bed, exhausting every possible way to act spoiled, and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I can't bear for you to leave."

At this moment, Shen Run’s posture was leisurely and elegant. After their intimacy, he felt lazy, propping his head up with his hand and looking down at her from his position.

His little wife truly wore two different faces in public and in private. He liked the way she handled household affairs with serious focus, and he also liked the way she acted coquettish and entangled herself around him with sticky affection. He raised his fingertips to gently, lingeringly knead her earlobe and said in a gentle voice, "With official duties at hand, there is really no way around it. I asked you to come with me to the capital, but you couldn't bear to leave this place behind. Just endure it for one more month; I will come back to see you as soon as I can find the time."

However, she didn't have the heart to make him travel back and forth like that, so she said, "Forget it. You should focus on your work and don't worry about the household. The weather is too cold right now; I don't want you walking in the frigid wind. If you were to catch a chill, what would I do?"

He scoffed, "For you, I would endure training through the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter."

She slithered up to him even more like a snake, rubbing and pushing herself against him, blowing air against his neck. "Now that you have brought your wife home, is it still worth going through all this trouble?"

He was silent for a moment, and after a while, he suddenly said, "My lady, I will be good to you for a lifetime."

Qingyuan was stunned. In truth, these words were not as flowery as what he had said before, but for some reason, they struck right at her heart.

She hummed in response, covered his hand with hers, and said in a delicate voice, "Touch my earlobe—is it big?"

He said it was large. "Not only is your earlobe large..." As he spoke, his gaze slid downward, glancing meaningfully at her chest.

Qingyuan scolded him playfully, pulling the silk quilt higher to cover the scenery beneath. She turned serious and returned to the previous topic. "Grandmother said that people with large earlobes are blessed. When we were just betrothed, I felt a bit melancholic. I was to be married not long after my coming-of-age ceremony, and I felt I hadn't had my fill of being a young maiden yet."

His eyes were hazy, making one feel weak. "And now?"

She pursed her lips and smiled, tilting her face up to kiss the corner of his mouth. "Now, I feel it's very good. I truly am a blessed person. Even though I lost my mother, I have my grandfather and grandmother who dote on me. Later, when I returned to the Xie family, I suffered some grievances, but I met you during my most difficult moments. I had just tasted a bit of the world's bitterness when I turned and fell into a honey pot. You don't know how happy I am to have married you."

He laughed, teasing her for being childish, saying everything so straightforwardly.

"Why shouldn't I say it?" She stroked his shoulder. He was a martial artist, and the lines of his shoulders and neck were especially beautiful—not the kind of beauty women have, but a full, powerful beauty; bony but not frail, just right. Any more and it would be too muscular; any less and it would seem thin. She became excited as she stroked him, muttering to herself, "When I like someone, I want to say it so you know what is in my heart. If you make me unhappy in the future, I will tell you the truth, let you reflect on yourself, and make you stand straight to take your punishment."

Commandant Shen trembled slightly. "Must there be punishment?"

Those beautiful eyes lifted to glance at him with disdain. "If you make a mistake, why wouldn't you deserve to be punished? If you aren't punished, you won't remember. I have to help you learn your lesson."

Shen Run sighed. "And you? What if you are the one who makes a mistake?"

She thought for a moment. "I won't make a mistake."

"I'm speaking of 'what if'—what if you do make a mistake?"

"That must mean you made a mistake first, and I am just following my husband's lead."

Using such excuses at a time like this was very effective. Shen Run was wound around her finger; in any case, the Lady would never be wrong, and even if she were, it was because he was in the wrong first.

He nodded, resigning himself to his fate. Looking at the beauty inside the red silk curtains, he found her both gentle and charming. He turned to lie down and pulled her into his arms. "Earlier, you said you were very happy to marry me; I am happy for you as well. If you had married Li Congxin, you wouldn't know what kind of life you’d be living now—opening your eyes to in-laws and sisters-in-law, and closing your eyes only to wonder where he was spending the night... Alas, if you were living so pitiably, my heart would ache."

Qingyuan thumped him. "What does it matter to you how someone else's wife lives!"

He lifted her leg and let her drape it over his waist, smiling as he said, "It’s precisely because it is you that my heart aches. At that time, I would have had to rack my brain to make you divorce him just so I could snatch you away... Fortunately, you are a person of discernment and did not marry him."

This was the typical face of a man who had gotten the upper hand and was still acting spoiled. The two of them began to mess around again, pushing and shoving under the covers, making the bedding cold. Later, realizing the chill, they hurriedly embraced each other for warmth. Behind closed doors, Shen Run was not a high official, and Qingyuan was not a mistress of the house. Whatever silly words or small tempers they had, they simply let them out, for there was always that one person who would catch you, just as silly as you were.

But as soon as the day dawned, both had to return to their positions. Qingyuan served him while he put on his official uniform, and with lowered eyes, she said, "When you have your leave before the New Year, we shall host a banquet at home to properly thank the colleagues who contributed gifts at the wedding but were unable to come in person. Furthermore, the three (Three Prefectures/Offices) are interdependent, and we must maintain good relations with those two offices. I will personally send invitations to the wives of the Commanders of the Infantry and Cavalry. As long as the womenfolk get along well, it will be a great benefit to you."

Shen Run held his arms out and let her attend to him. Hearing this, he was delighted and gave a faint smile. "The Lady is my wise helpmeet. In the past, I also suffered from having no one behind the scenes to build connections; in official circles, my dealings with those people were always too rigid, lacking the social grace to maneuver. Now with you mediating and building relations with those noble ladies, my dealings in public will be much easier." As he spoke, not noticing the servants on the side, he cradled her face and gave her a hard kiss on the lips.

Qingyuan, having had her scent stolen, could only laugh sheepishly. She fastened his jade belt hook again, carefully urging him, "It has been snowing for days; the roads are likely difficult. You must go slowly, and don't just keep lashing the whip, you hear?"

He said he understood. This was the earnest concern of a loving wife for a husband going on a long journey; although the words were plain, they made one’s heart feel warm.

She was still busy, and he took the opportunity to pull her hands into his palms. "You are always planning things for me, but have you thought carefully about yourself? Lately, I have watched you running around; truly, being married is not as leisurely as being a maiden, and I feel a bit sorry for you. While I am away, take good care of yourself. Handle what you can manage, and if you can't, just leave it be. I will handle it all at once when I return, remember?"

Qingyuan knew what he was referring to and smiled as she agreed. After everything was packed up, she moved to the side hall for breakfast. Huitang and Shousong reported from under the corridor that the accompanying guards were all prepared. Shen Run stood up to go out, and Qingyuan followed him all the way to the mansion gate. He gripped his horse whip, and seeing her looking at him with lingering attachment, he found it difficult to take another step.

She saw him to the bottom of the steps, standing in the fine snow. He frowned and waved his hand. "Go back."

She took a small step back, obeying, and watched as he mounted his horse. She watched him lead the party toward the main road, and only when his figure vanished into the wind and snow did she retreat with a heavy heart back to the porch.

He had just gone on duty, and yet, having just parted, she already seemed to start missing him.

Baoxian said softly from the side, "Lady, let us go back, lest you catch a cold."

She hummed in response and then reluctantly returned to the inner courtyard.

As for leisure, she truly couldn't find any at the moment. The weather was too cold, and her grandfather had a recurring wheezing condition compounded by a cold; it hadn't stopped since her wedding. Now that Shen Run had gone to the capital, she could go back to check on him, so she instructed Hongmian to prepare the carriage to head to Qinan Street.

The carriage had just come to a steady stop, and before she even appeared, she heard the servant at the gate joyfully announcing, "Our Eldest Grand-Miss is back!"

Now that she had changed from "Miss" to "Grand-Miss," as Baoxian said, the transformation of status and position occurred in the blink of an eye.

Old Madame Chen heard the news and hurried out to meet her, looking at her and then looking behind her. "Did the son-in-law not come with you?"

Qingyuan smiled. "Grandmother, you've forgotten. He has returned to the capital today to report on his duties, and since I had some free time, I thought I would come back to see you."

"Oh my, I truly am muddled," the old lady said, patting her forehead. "It is all because of your grandfather's fussing."

Qingyuan asked how her grandfather was doing. "Shouya says there is a retired imperial physician in Youzhou city with superb medical skills. Let us go pay him a visit later. Whatever it takes, inviting him to see Grandfather is the priority."

The old lady waved her hand. "He is almost better, but now he is using his illness to wield power, clamoring for this and that to eat. If things don't go his way in the slightest, he jumps up and insists on going fishing."

Qingyuan was astonished. "How can that be? It is an icy, snowy world outside; he will catch a worse illness."

"That is exactly the tactic he is using to scare people. Don't pay him any mind!"

Chatting and laughing, they entered the inner room and saw the old master leaning on the bed, reading a chess manual. Qingyuan stepped forward and called out to him, "Grandfather, do you feel better today?"

The old master coughed twice, dragging out his tone to complain, "I should have been better long ago, but unfortunately, there is no one who takes care of me wholeheartedly. I want to eat marinated duck feet, but they won't let me. My heart is stifled; I have to lie here for a few more days."

Qingyuan couldn't help but laugh; the old master was becoming more childish with age. In truth, he had been a lively person when he was young, and even though he was difficult in his old age, he was not annoying. But a "grandfather-child" still needed to be coaxed; the old madame didn't have the patience to tolerate his acting spoiled and had all but threatened to beat him up with a bamboo pole. Qingyuan was very patient, saying in a soft voice, "Your wheezing is so severe; eating marinated food is bad for your body. Wait until the illness has faded in two days, then it won't be too late to eat. On the way here just now, I happened to encounter fresh snacks from Hongyan Tower, so I bought two boxes. Get out of bed and wash up; let's eat together later, okay?"

The old master’s interest was piqued, and besides, his granddaughter had returned, so he couldn't stay in bed anymore. He threw off the quilt, stepped out of bed, and slowly moved to the side room to freshen up.

Qingyuan and the old madame retreated to the front hall to wait. In this snowy, windy weather, sitting together around a stove and drinking tea was very appropriate. The old madame chatted with her, asking about the recent situation at the West Mansion. Qingyuan told the old madame about the thoughts of the Yao mother and daughter. The old madame sighed long and hard. "There are always those who are greedy and covetous. Their own family status is not low, yet they look at that mountain while standing on this one, wishing they could occupy all the good things in the world. The Second Mistress at the West Mansion is also muddled; knowing her cousin had these thoughts, she should have cut off the contact. What family would be willing to send their daughter to be someone's concubine? If there truly is a mother like that, she is either stupid or is ten parts certain in her heart that her daughter can eventually surpass the others."

Her grandmother had always been perceptive. Having been taught by her for many years, Qingyuan had been subtly influenced, which was why she could now be so at ease. However, there was no need to dwell on these disappointing matters. She used a fire poker to stir the stove fire and said, "Shouya has tidied up a villa in the capital and intends to move there next year to avoid the trouble of traveling back and forth. But I cannot rest easy leaving you and Grandfather in Youzhou. When the time comes, let us go together so we can look after each other."

But her grandmother shook her head. "Since you are married, you should have the demeanor of a married woman. I have never heard of someone taking their maiden family with them. You young couple are loving, and later when there is happy news, me visiting to look after you would be a proper pretext. Otherwise, for me to live in your home randomly, that is absolutely something I cannot do."

The old madame's worldly wisdom was not just about hitting the nail on the head when dealing with the old master, but more so in her interpretation of human affairs. No matter how good the relationship between in-laws was, it could not withstand the friction of daily life. Young couples inevitably bickered occasionally, and in the heat of the moment, words flew, and they would look for close relatives to complain to. The maiden family would feel heartache and naturally side with them, turning small matters into big ones. Therefore, whether it was the son-in-law and mother-in-law, or mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, one had to keep a proper distance—"distance makes the heart grow fonder" was the very reason for this.

Qingyuan did not force it anymore and just said with a smile, "Grandmother thinks far ahead. Wait until I have happy news to visit—that is still a long way off."

The old madame smiled. "It will happen quickly. As soon as the weather clears, I will go to Huguo Temple to pray for a divine talisman for you." She sighed, "Isn't a person's life just like this? When young, we hope to be grown; when grown, we hope to start a family; when we start a family, we hope for descendants. Day by day, before you know it, you are old."

Qingyuan was not very old, but hearing these words from her grandmother, she was moved by them. She had walked about half the way; wishing for descendants was a bit early, and her heart was solely filled with longing for the man who had set off for the capital.

The old madame saw she was distracted and laughed. "Are you missing the son-in-law? You were separated just after your marriage; the imperial court is not kind in their ways of doing things."

Qingyuan felt a bit shy, lowering her head to stroke her hand warmer. "The New Year is approaching, and there is so much work in the Palace Guard that requires him to be there to preside. I am not exactly missing him; it is just that now that he has gone, my heart feels empty."

The old madame was very pleased. The deep affection between the husband and wife was a fulfillment hard to achieve in a blind marriage. Before, they had said Shen Run was calculating, plotting step by step to secure this marriage. Looking at it now, some destinies had to rely on strategy; if he had left it to fate, they would be separated by distance now, each planning their own future.

As the grandmother and granddaughter were whispering to each other, a nanny came over from the middle path, stopped under the corridor, and reported inward: "Old Madame, there is someone who has been lingering outside our mansion gate just now. The servant boy went out to ask, and they said they were from the Xie family, requesting to see our Eldest Miss."

The old madame’s face turned cold upon hearing this. "The Xie family? Things have reached this point, yet they still dare to come to our door? What is their scheme this time? Who are they trying to calculate against now?" The old madame stood up and said, "Send them away. Tell them the Miss has just had her grand wedding, and for the first three months, she will not see such ominous people."

The nanny replied "yes." "The person likely knew the Miss wouldn't see them, and instead had the servant boy pass on a message, saying the Xie Commander is not well and begging the Miss, for the sake of being flesh and blood, to go back and see him."

Qingyuan also stood up, momentarily dazed. "Everything was fine; how could he suddenly become ill?"

The old madame pondered and said, "I suspect the battle at Shibu City took a heavy toll on him, and after returning, he wasn't favored by the Emperor. Heavy thoughts have made him fall ill. When a person is bedridden, they think about things more deeply than before—perhaps he has thought of you, after all, you are still his own flesh and blood."

The old madame had never stopped children from acknowledging their ancestors, but because the Xie family's Old Madame had caused too much trouble previously, she also felt that the path was completely severed. But now it was different; Qingyuan was separated from Old Madame Xie by a layer, but she was the daughter of Xie Shu himself. The life or death of Old Madame Xie could be ignored, but when it came to Xie Shu, it was worth reconsidering.

However, Qingyuan had always been decisive. She raised her voice and instructed the nanny: "You pass word to the person who delivered the message, and say it from me: I have no further ties with the Xie family, and in the future, if there is any news from the Xie family, there is no need to come to me to report it."

The nanny received her orders and hurried away. Old Madame Chen said, "The Xie Commander is, after all, your father..."

"Grandmother, don't be soft-hearted. Who knows how much truth there is in this? If this is another one of their schemes and I go back muddle-headedly, wouldn't I fall right into their trap?"

However, although she said this, if she said she felt no ripple in her heart at all, that would not be true. But she kept her lips sealed. She accompanied her grandfather and grandmother for a meal at the Chen mansion and did not return to the Commandant's mansion until the afternoon.

As night was about to fall, she was preparing to rest when Nanny Zhou came in to report that the Eldest Miss and the Eldest Young Master from the Xie mansion had arrived and were currently in the front hall waiting for the Lady. Her heart sank upon hearing this; she knew that Qinghe would not easily come to be a lobbyist. And there was Zhengze—he was the eldest son of the house and had always looked down upon her, his younger sister. Since they both came together, it seemed that the Master was indeed not doing well.

She stood there blankly, an image of the figure who had been turned away from the Chen mansion flashing before her eyes. Upon careful thought, she still felt a sense of melancholy. In truth, the Xie family could have been ignored, but since Qinghe had come, it would not be proper to act too coldly. She let Hongmian help her dress again, and only after being fully adorned did she head toward the front hall.