Spring of the Blade - Chapter 96

Chapter 96

If people still whispered behind the back of the Fourth Miss Xie of the past, then as the current Madam of Guangyang Commandery, there was no one left to speak ill of her. A wife’s status is elevated by her husband; this is simply how the world works. As long as a man holds a significant rank in the imperial court, no matter the background of his wife, she remains prominent and worthy of respect in front of others.

Madam Han was flattered and treated the young lady who brought the invitation with utmost courtesy—not merely out of respect for Shen Run, but because of the imperial decree written by the Saint’s own hand at their wedding banquet. Titled ladies were frequent visitors to the inner palace; once one person heard praise of this Madam from the Empress, the noblewomen of Youzhou and even Shangjing all instinctively understood the situation. Because of this, Qingyuan was treated with courtesy not only at the Infantry Commander’s residence but also at other ducal and noble estates. Coupled with her capable handling of affairs and her thoughtful, steady nature, she was quickly welcomed into the circles of the elite and powerful in Youzhou.

Later, as they became more familiar with one another, one would often hear people sigh: "I don't know what has gotten into the Xie Commissioner's household. They must have grown accustomed to the South; how is it that they are so timid and restrictive upon arriving in Youzhou? It must be that the one in charge of the household is incompetent. While the men are out fighting, the women are too lazy to even maintain a respectable front. Their path grows narrower by the day. Fortunately, the Madam no longer belongs to that house; otherwise, she would have had endless headaches to deal with."

Even outsiders could see the situation clearly. Qingyuan, naturally, had nothing to say; maintaining silence regarding the Xie family’s affairs was a matter of her own upbringing.

Half a month had passed since her last return to the Xie family, and she had heard of no further moves from them. She had also had Nanny Tao make inquiries, and it was said that Xie Shu's illness seemed to be gradually improving; the servants often saw him moving about. At any rate, his life had been saved.

Being alive was enough. As Qinghe had said, at least she still had a place to return to. However, the irresoluteness of the Xie family truly left her feeling disappointed. That time she had said much to Xie Shu, but it seemed to have had no effect. She did not take it to heart for the time being; after Fangchun’s matters were settled, she would have plenty of time to deal with Madam Hu.

She began to count on her fingers; Shen Run would be back in three days. Although he still sent a courier every two days to report that he was safe while he was away, these scraps of news were far from enough to satisfy her longing.

The banquet preparations were almost complete. The next day, feeling bored, she invited Fangchun to go out and pick out some silk threads. Upon coming out of the fabric shop, she suddenly heard Baoxian let out an "oh." "That carriage opposite looks like it belongs to the Xie family."

Qingyuan looked up. The street was lined with shops, and there happened to be a stationery store opposite. It was likely that one of the masters of the Xie house had come out to purchase the "four treasures of the study," so she did not pay much attention.

She had intended to board the carriage and return, but as she glanced over, she saw the carved window propped halfway open, and Green Embroidery’s face appeared behind it. She hurriedly stepped aside, hiding behind the large sign of the fabric shop, feeling surprised. Qingru had never loved reading or writing; had she had a change of heart? Thinking about it more carefully, that didn't seem right either. There was no reason for a maid to be sitting in the carriage while the young lady went down to do the shopping.

Fangchun did not know the situation and, seeing her mistress and servant peering about, asked in a low voice, "What are you looking at?"

Qingyuan signaled for her to be quiet and watched secretly. Before long, she saw Li Guanling emerge from the shop, and the door of the carriage immediately pushed open, with Qingru poking half her body out.

Qingyuan’s heart skipped a beat, not knowing what was going on. Baoxian was also panic-stricken. "Is that the eldest son-in-law? Why is the Second Miss with the eldest son-in-law? This is terrible..."

Fangchun finally understood. "The Xie family really is a mess, isn't it? The brother-in-law and the sister-in-law are getting tangled together?"

Fortunately, it was not as they had imagined. Li Guanling was not Li Congxin; he was honest and disciplined, prioritizing his studies. Although born into a Count’s estate, he did not have the temperament to flirt around. He seemed quite surprised by Qingru’s appearance, a flash of astonishment crossing his face. He responded casually to a few things and then fled with his attendant in a panic.

Baoxian asked Qingyuan in a daze, "What is the meaning of this?"

Qingyuan frowned. "Qingru is truly an expert at digging into others' territory; she has dug through every sister in the family. Now that she has lost her dignity, she has completely abandoned all sense of propriety."

However, this matter could not be ignored simply because she had seen it. Li Guanling was a kind person, and being entangled by Qingru, he was not in a position to speak out. If this continued, even Qinghe would lose face in front of him, having to explain why her sister was such a loose woman. Although she no longer had dealings with the Xie family, Qinghe had always treated her with affection, so she had to give Qinghe a warning, one way or another.

Thus, she turned to Nanny Tao and said, "Nanny, you saw what just happened. Tell the Eldest Miss exactly as it was—do not add to it, do not exaggerate, and let the Eldest Miss decide for herself."

Of course, she also secretly pondered that this might be another opportunity. A gangrenous sore must be completely rotten before one can wield the knife to cut out the flesh. Qinghe was actually quite clever. Before, when Madam Hu decided to break off her engagement, Qingyuan had no way to send a message, but she merely broke a piece of cake and Qinghe understood. Now, having been given a chance, whether she could play the role well depended on her own ability.

Nanny Tao took the order and hurried to the Xie estate. Because she now belonged to the Fourth Miss, it was not appropriate for her to request to see the Eldest Miss openly, so she had to have the kitchen servant, Old Woman Shang, pass the message, and she stood outside the back door, rubbing her hands in anxiety.

Less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the Eldest Miss appeared, looking somewhat strange. "Why have you come, Nanny? Did the Fourth Sister send you?"

Nanny Tao sighed, pulled Qinghe to one side, and said, "Eldest Miss, something terrible has happened! Just now, our Lady and the Second Madam of the Western Mansion went out to choose thread and met the Second Miss on Guanhua Street. Her carriage was parked outside the stationery store. At first, no one paid any attention, but then, guess what? The Eldest Son-in-law came out of the shop, and the Second Miss emerged from the carriage to strike up a conversation. You see..."

Upon hearing this, Qinghe’s face turned pale instantly. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she stammered, "They... they... are together?"

"No, no..." Seeing that a misunderstanding was about to arise, Nanny Tao hurriedly waved her hands. "The Eldest Son-in-law responded a few times and then left, but the Second Miss’s carriage had been parked there for a while, showing she had clearly intended to wait for him. Our Lady happened to run into it, and being concerned for you, Eldest Miss, she ordered me to come and inform you. Please be careful; with such a good Eldest Son-in-law, you must not let the Second Miss ruin your reputation."

Qinghe let out a long breath after hearing her finish, but a moment later, she was burning with rage. She ground her teeth and cursed: "What a shameless thing! Since she doesn't care about dignity, then let’s just make a scene and get it over with!" With that, she turned and walked toward the garden.

The Master’s health had improved greatly, and they were all to dine together at noon today. It seemed that Qingyuan’s accusations against Madam Hu that day were likely to have repercussions. Qinghe was not a meddlesome person, but she wanted to see how the Master would handle it. It would be good if he dealt with Madam Hu, but if he remained soft-hearted and indulgent, she could only sigh that she could no longer visit this maiden home and would have to think of a way to extract her mother from the situation. But who would have thought that at such a moment, something like this would happen? Her whole body felt as if it were on fire, and she felt that only by tearing Qingru into eight pieces could she ease the hatred in her heart.

As for whether there was evidence, there was no need to verify the truth of Qingyuan’s words. She knew herself that Li Guanling was going to buy stationery this morning, and Qingru had indeed gone out earlier. If she wasn't out there making a spectacle of herself, Qingyuan wouldn't have been able to make it up! Youzhou was not exactly small, but it was not exactly large either; there were plenty of times when one couldn't avoid running into others. If one wasn't careful, one would fall into the eyes of others. Qingru didn't care about her face, but Qinghe still did! Since this engagement was settled, it had been a bumpy road to get to today. She cherished this fortune immensely; if Qingru were to interfere, how would she face herself?

The more she thought, the more aggrieved and angry she became. She walked quickly into the Huifang Garden. By now, the whole family was gathered. Zhengze’s wife and the others were busy preparing the banquet; the Master sat silently below the Old Madame, and Madam Hu was nervously to one side. Qingru had apparently just returned and was taking off her cloak to hand to Green Embroidery. Qinghe stepped forward and called out "Qingru," and the moment she turned around, she gave her a resounding slap on the face.

Pa! The sound shocked the entire room. Everyone was stunned; those who were busy outside rushed in, and those who were sitting stood up.

Qingru was struck dumb at first. When she recovered, she screamed: "Are you crazy? Why are you hitting me!"

Qinghe said loudly: "I am hitting you, this prostitute! Even if I don't speak, Heaven is watching you! You have the nerve to be an eyesore in front of Grandmother and Father! Do you think I don't know what you did today? Have you not seen a man in eight hundred years? First Li Congxin, then Li Guanling. Every time one of us sisters gets engaged to one, you get jealous! You only eat the grass right beside your own nest!" As she spoke, she threw herself into her mother's arms, wailing, "Mother, we have been working ourselves to the bone for this family, preparing everything, only to end up working for someone else’s benefit. First Fourth Sister and the little Marquis broke off their engagement, and now it is my turn. In two months I am to be married, and at this time, my own sister comes to pry into my life. What is the point of me living? It would be cleaner to just die!"

Then came the chaotic search for silk to hang herself in front of the Old Madame and the Master.

Although Qingru felt guilty, she had cultivated a sharp tongue and a nature that never let herself suffer a loss. She rushed over to retaliate but was blocked by the old women and maids in the room. She retorted over the many arms, "You are making baseless accusations, you see that I am in trouble and easy to bully, so you dump every pot of filth on my head! What evidence do you have that I was jealous over Li Guanling? If you don't make it clear today, I will not let this go!"

"You still want evidence? I fear that if I bring in witnesses, you will die of shame! I just ask you: did you go to Guanhua Street today? Lanshan was inside buying stationery, why were you waiting outside? A sister-in-law and a brother-in-law should maintain a distance, yet you kept crowding toward him. Do you feel you haven't embarrassed the Xie family enough, and need to go outside to broadcast it?" Qinghe was enraged to the extreme, no longer caring about dignity or propriety. She said sharply, "How did you seduce the little Marquis earlier? Knowing he was betrothed to Fourth Sister, you still clung to him, wanting to be his concubine. Even Grandmother knows about this; you kept it hidden from all of us, truly preserving your face. Fourth Sister is kind-tempered and doesn't hold it against you, but I am narrow-minded. When people talk about how the sister is married and gets the sister thrown in as a bonus... you may be shameless, but I am unwilling to be disgraced alongside you!"

The entire room—including the concubines, sisters-in-law, maids, and old women—looked at Qingru in astonishment. After the shock came whispers and side-glances.

Qingru was struck speechless by her words, and in her heart, she felt some fear. She peeked at the Old Madame and the Master.

At this moment, Madam Hu slapped the table and stood up. "Eldest Miss, you are truly something else. I know you have engaged to a good family, but you don't need to hold it over everyone's head every day and treat people like thieves. You are going to be one family, so bumping into each other on the street and saying hello should be nothing out of the ordinary..."

In the end, Concubine Lian sneered and interrupted, "It is not the thief you fear, but the thief who keeps thinking about it. Our Second Miss has nothing to lose; what does she have to be afraid of! Don't be in a hurry, Madam, to make excuses for her. Let me say something unpleasant: the family knows the Second Miss was schemed against by villains, but I fear you haven't heard what people are saying outside! They all say the Second Miss found a lover and, having been caught, used that as an excuse. Who doesn't cover their mouth and stifle a laugh when the Xie family is mentioned? In my opinion, since the Second Miss is in such a hurry to find a man, where are those two fake monks now? Might as well let her be matched with them; that would be a fitting conclusion!"

These words were like a dagger to the heart. Women in the inner chambers are all experts at sowing discord and causing trouble; they know exactly where it hurts and where to sprinkle salt.

Concubine Mei clapped her hands. "It is convenient to deal with one master, so this is quite perfect." She laughed twice at the end.

Ming covered her mouth and smiled. "Second Sister, listen to a word of advice from your sister-in-law. Since your path is crooked, even if something isn't your fault, it will still be counted against you. Why haven't you learned to be cautious and avoid running outside? If you ate vegetarian food and recited the Buddha's name every day and acted uprightly, how would these rumors arise? It's thanks to you that you act as if nothing is the matter. If I were you, I would have been so ashamed that I would have found a hole in the ground to crawl into."

In this vast room, there was nothing but a chaotic cacophony of cursing. Xie Shu felt his heart turning to ash bit by bit. He hadn't realized it before, but today he finally discovered that this household was truly without order or rules, and it was hopeless. The mistress was not like a mistress, the concubines not like concubines, the daughters not like daughters, and the daughters-in-law not like daughters-in-law. Where was there even a shred of the appearance of a century-old noble family! Who was to blame for all this? It was Madam Hu’s fault, and even more so, his own fault!

He slapped himself hard across the face. "Heavens! The Xie family is ruined!"

It was this gesture that startled everyone into immediate silence. Everyone stood there, bewildered, like clay statues drenched by the rain.

He walked down from the dais, step by step, toward Madam Hu, looking at her with eyes full of sorrow. "I entrusted a perfectly good household to you, and this is how you managed it for me? Look at what Qingru has become in your hands! Truly, a bad mother makes a bad nest. You have persecuted concubines, hired killers to murder your own daughter, failed in one scheme only to hatch another, and finally caused your own biological daughter to be raped by thieves. What face do you have to live? Originally, I considered the bond of husband and wife and wanted to send you back to Hengtang to retire, but now it seems that is not necessary. You are jealous, wicked in nature, and lack the virtues of a mistress. The Xie family can no longer tolerate you. I am writing the divorce letter now. Hand over the household accounts and return to the Hu family."

It was a bolt from the blue. Madam Hu stood there in a daze, even thinking she had misheard. "Master, what did you say?"

Now that Xie Shu had said the words, he felt a strange sense of stability in his heart. Regarding the treatment of Madam Hu, he and the Old Madame had discussed it for a long time. He had to consider the fact that she had borne his children, and at most, she should be sent to Hengtang. After all, divorcing a wife was a great blow to his own reputation. But today, he had witnessed with his own eyes this family walking toward ruin; this was already more than he could bear. Who in this world is not selfish? Everything must have someone to bear the responsibility. Perhaps through Madam Hu being divorced, the shame and humiliation of the Xie family could be completely wiped clean.

Thinking of this, his resolve became firmer. He raised his voice and called out, "Bring paper and brush!"

Madam Hu knew that things were going wrong, and she murmured to herself, "The Eldest son has not come back yet... the Eldest son has not come back yet..."

Cailian secretly retreated. The only rescuer now was the Eldest Master. She exited the main room and ran out through the moon gate as fast as she could.

Qingru was out of her mind, crying and shouting: "Father, you cannot do this! Mother has been your wife for more than twenty years!"

But Xie Shu raised his bloodshot eyes, glared at her fiercely, and squeezed a few words through his teeth, "Little slut, I will settle the account with you later!" This terrified Qingru into silence.

Madam Hu watched as he wrote stroke by stroke, and she kept feeling that this was a nightmare, not reality. Although she had a premonition a few days ago that Qingyuan's arrival would bring no good, she had waited quietly for the Master to discuss it with her, or even question her, but it hadn't happened. All had been calm until today. She thought that even if the Master were angry, he would remember their old affection. She never imagined that because of the scene Qinghe made, he would actually want to divorce her. This was something she truly could not understand.

She still clung to hope, grieving: "Master, I have been your wife for so many years; if I haven't done any good, I have at least worked hard. How can you have the heart to cast me into such a hopeless situation!"

Xie Shu’s heart was set. His face was cold as water, and he didn't even cast a glance at her.

Madam Hu knew there was no hope, so she turned to beg the Old Madame, clinging to her leg: "Mother... Mother, you know me. I did it all for this family! Now that the son and daughter are grown, the Master actually wants to divorce me; isn't this forcing me to my death!"

The Old Madame lowered her eyes, looking like a compassionate Buddha, and sighed: "Wenzhuo, you have been in our Xie family for over twenty years, and you have managed the household for over twenty years. I saw that you were capable in every respect, which is why I was at ease entrusting everything to you. But even if your merit is deep, you cannot commit such acts. When the Fourth girl returned from Bihai Temple and met those bandits, was it not you who conspired with outsiders to arrange it? The Second girl... in the Huguo Temple... those two fake monks were also sent by you to scheme against the Fourth girl. You have harmed others and yourself; how can you not repent? The Master divorcing you is to protect you. If the Fourth girl were to take this to the magistrate's court, not only this, but you also have two counts of murder on your hands. By law, you are a dead woman. Do you not know this yourself? So accept it, and say no more. Your parents are alive, and you have brothers in the family; whether good or bad, they will provide a place for you to live. The Master's decision must have been made after careful consideration. I am old now and can no longer manage so much of your affairs. It is all up to you!"

The Old Madame was a person sophisticated in the ways of the world; she knew when to fight and when to give up. Madam Hu lost her tension and sat slumped on the floor. However, remembering that so many eyes were watching, she could not throw away her last shred of dignity, so she swayed and forced herself to stand up.