Spring of the Blade - Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Sigh, it could be considered a blessing in disguise; being able to linger at home for a couple of extra days was always a good thing.
The two were inseparable, and never felt like they had enough time together. Moving from the stool to the bed, they naturally disregarded the taboo of daytime indulgences, and Shen Run did all the things he loved to do.
Since he had injured his arm, he truly could neither be lonely nor overexert himself, so the labor naturally fell upon Qingyuan. As a young new wife, she had not yet learned too many skills, so everything depended entirely on his guidance and whimsical ideas. She was very surprised that there were such tricks, and when she looked down at him from above, he found it immensely gratifying and pleasing; consequently, the following maneuvers were bound to be exceptionally interesting.
Of course, a young lady’s strength and endurance were always somewhat lacking; after a few ups and downs, she would wilt against his chest. At that moment, the Palace Commander had forgotten all about the injury on his arm. His movements were vigorous and agile; even with only one hand, he was quite adept at maneuvering his little treasure.
She was shaken to pieces by him, whispering softly, "Be careful of your wound..."
He buried his head in his work, beads of sweat glistening at his temples and the bridge of his nose. His skin, exposed in the faint light filtering through the window, appeared white and delicate.
Qingyuan slowly closed her eyes, thinking that if they had a boy in the future who was just like him, that would be enough... But before she could finish the thought, a giant wave crashed over her. He panted raggedly by her ear, gently nibbling her earlobe, "With a wife such as this, what more could a husband ask for!"
This exclamation was truly heartfelt, without a hint of falsehood. It was not just because of their marital harmony, but even more so because of the efforts Qingyuan had made for this family. Whether it was founding the orphanage to earn him a reputation for virtue, or hosting a banquet to win over his colleagues, which of these things was something expected of a woman her age? And then there was Fangchun. Having seen Fangchun come along to greet Shen Che earlier, he knew how much effort Qingyuan had poured into her. Honest people were actually the hardest in the world to reshape. Such people usually clung to their own stubborn logic; to turn her around, Qingyuan must have almost worn out her tongue!
It was hard on her. She was still so young, yet she had to help a fool—who had been married for three years without knowing how to maintain a marital bond—clear her mind. However, her practical guidance was clearly useful; at least Fangchun was no longer as foolish as before, and even if she remained muddled, there was still room for salvation.
Qingyuan rested on his arm, eager to tell him about the recent events. "My father divorced the Hu woman and sent her back to her maiden home the day before yesterday. Have you heard about this?"
What news could ever escape the Palace Guard? Such a major event as Xie Shu divorcing his wife had, of course, reached Shangjing in the blink of an eye. His voice held a note of approval. "I should congratulate you, my wife, for having your great revenge fulfilled."
She hummed in agreement. "Big Sister helped a great deal this time. If she hadn't made such a scene, I would have had to expend quite a bit of effort."
Shen Run stroked her hair leisurely, closing his eyes as he spoke. "They each had their own motives. She helped you, but she was also helping herself. After all, aren't she and her mother the ones who gained the most from the Xie family now... Now that the Hu woman has returned to her maiden home, do you plan to let it go at that?"
Qingyuan pondered for a moment. "She has ended up in this state, much the same as my mother was back then. If I go after her again, I would only dirty my own hands. In any case, the Hu family will not give her a warm welcome. Letting her live to suffer the rest of her days in agony is not a bad outcome."
Shen Run drawled, "The Hu family has two sons: one serves as a Commandant in the Dragon God Guard, and the other as a Training Commissioner in the Lulong Army..."
Qingyuan looked up in surprise. "Are they both under your thumb?"
He began to chuckle slowly. "Isn't that so? The benefit of being one rank higher in office lies precisely in this."
He did not finish his thought, but Qingyuan already understood his meaning. As long as he tightened the strings, their lives would not be easy. And who would they resent first? Naturally, it would be the Hu woman who caused the trouble and brought the fire upon her maiden family.
The couple looked at each other and smiled, feeling quite like partners in crime. There is nothing better in this world than having a partner who shares your heart and mind—not only do you enjoy good things together, but you also have someone to consult with when doing bad things.
Qingyuan was still kind-hearted. "The other members of the Hu family haven't offended us. It wouldn't be good to implicate them too deeply."
He reached down to stroke her exquisite shoulder, saying slowly that she could rest assured, "A few words of intimidation will be enough; it won't shake their foundation." As he spoke, he bowed his head and nuzzled her. "After trekking dozens of miles and then having you 'verify my body' upon returning, I am exhausted. My wife, sleep with me for a while. We can talk about the rest later."
Thus, they slept in each other's arms. Being in his embrace was so comforting that by the time she woke up, the sky had already darkened.
The banquet was to be held the next day. Fortunately, everything had been prepared beforehand, and with the servants in the mansion working diligently, the couple did not need to toil themselves.
When the time was right, they changed into their formal attire to await the guests. Qingyuan specially chose the Liuchun Garden at the front to host them. It featured two large floral halls on the east and west, connected by a corridor in the middle—neither too close nor too far, perfectly suited for entertaining male and female guests separately.
After the calamity among the elder generation of the Commander's mansion, the household had fallen into decline. Even after the Shen brothers’ resurgence, there had been no proper mistress to oversee things, and they had never hosted a grand banquet for colleagues at court in many years. Now that a new mistress had entered the door, the house finally looked like a home, and Shen Run himself seemed to carry more of a human warmth, finally giving those officials who had long desired to get closer a chance to show their goodwill.
The guests arrived, and one elegantly decorated carriage after another stopped in front of the gate. Qingyuan and Shen Run greeted them personally; the exceptionally handsome couple stood before the vermilion doorway, appearing like a perfect pair of jade figures.
Qingyuan had a very good memory. With dignitaries gathered here in Youzhou, there were thirty-six households invited alone. In just one day, she had memorized the appearance of every Madam. This was the Madam of the Duke of Jingcheng; that was the Madam of the Minister of Works... without anyone needing to remind her, she did not make a single mistake.
She welcomed them in, and inside the threshold, Fangchun took over the greetings. Fangchun guided the guests properly to the courtyard gate and handed them over to the internal mansion steward to be invited into the floral halls. The two sisters-in-law worked as a team, and not a single noble guest was treated with neglect. Even without an elder to preside over the event, they were able to handle everything appropriately.
The Yao family mother and daughter arrived. They had a lively exchange at the gate with Qingyuan, but once inside, they began to eye Fangchun. It had only been a few days, but that girl, who was usually spiritless and sluggish, seemed like a different person. Her manners were graceful, her smiles appropriate, and her every move was vastly different from before. She seemed to have learned a bit of the capability of her little sister-in-law.
Haoxue walked up with a touch of bitterness. "Big Sister used to hate these social functions the most; it's strange to see you playing the hostess today."
Fangchun smiled mindlessly and glanced toward the gate. "Yun-ya entered the family three years later than I did. I should have been the one to look after her, but now I’m the one being guided by her at every turn. Since we are hosting guests today, I must help her, otherwise how could she manage it all alone!"
After hearing this, Madam Wang smiled, sighing, "Our family’s young mistress is just too honest. Others rely on being the elder sister-in-law to let you be the one doing the grunt work at the door, and you are still happily doing it. Although you live in the same mansion, the inner courtyard is divided into east and west; how is it that when it comes to showing one's face, the entire field is left to her?" She shook her head as she spoke. "The ways of the world are deep; you have a lot to learn in the future."
Fangchun had been perfectly happy at first, but after being told this, her mood took a nosedive. Standing there, she suddenly felt awkward. When guests arrived, she forced a smile to deal with them, but the sincerity was gone, and her smile appeared quite strained.
Just at that moment, the woman outside the threshold glanced back into the hall. Her clear eyes seemed to pierce through the bone, reaching straight into the soul. Madam Wang and Haoxue did not dare linger, smiling smoothly as they walked together into the floral hall.
Shen Run had been keeping a close eye on Qingyuan’s every move. Seeing her look back, he asked softly, "What’s wrong? Is the Yao family making trouble again?"
Qingyuan sighed. "Look at Fangchun. She is clearly unhappy; that mother and daughter must have said something unkind again."
Shen Run was also helpless. "Is her resolve made of soft paper? Unable to distinguish good from evil—a pity for Chengbing."
Therefore, a person with such a soft nature truly needed a stern blow to wake her up. Fortunately, today would be the day the truth came out. Otherwise, she would have truly agreed with Shen Run’s straightforward approach—simply finding an excuse to transfer the Yao father away from Youzhou, and everything would be resolved.
"Yun-ya..." someone called her from below the steps.
Qingyuan turned around. It was the old Chen couple. She hurried to descend with Shen Run to welcome them.
Even now, Shen Run still offered a respectful bow upon seeing the elderly couple. "Grandfather, Grandmother, I arrived home only yesterday afternoon. I intended to come pay my respects, but then I overslept."
Qingyuan blushed slightly and followed his lead, smoothing things over. "Aye, battling against the wind and snow, and being busy at the office these past two days—when I got home, I just fell into a deep sleep; even calling wouldn't wake me."
Such things really did not need explanation; the more one explained, the easier it was to be exposed. The old Master and Mistress were experienced people and smiled graciously. The old Master said, "Shouya, I obtained a fine painting the day before yesterday. When I have some leisure, I will bring it for you to see."
Shen Run immediately jumped to support him. "Grandfather's eye for art is surely excellent. I will cover whatever the cost; consider it my act of filial piety to you."
He was just that kind of quick-witted person, oftenå“„ing the old Master into a good mood, praising his grandson-in-law incessantly in front of others.
But since he was busy outside and could not attend to them, Shen Run called Hetang and told him to escort the old Master to the guest hall, waiting on him without leaving his side.
Qingyuan secretly signaled to her grandmother, gesturing for her to look at Fangchun. Fangchun was truly a person without any guile; whenever she was even slightly displeased, it was written all over her face. Seeing her bored appearance, one knew she was unhappy again.
Old Mistress Chen said not to worry. Entering the mansion, she smiled and called out, "Second Madam."
Fangchun held Old Mistress Chen in high regard. After all, on the day she lost her child, the face she saw through her haze of misery had been the Old Mistress’. Having no grandmother of her own, she felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy whenever she saw her.
"Grandmother is here?" She greeted her, addressing her the same way as Qingyuan, while saying with a smile, "I’ve told you before, just call me Fangchun. Why call me 'Second Madam'? It just makes things feel distant."
The Old Mistress nodded, praising, "This is truly good. When a family pulls together, how perfect it looks to outsiders. You live your own lives, and you yourselves know whether it is good or not. In all of Youzhou, how many people envy you sisters-in-law? The men are out building their careers, while at home, there is harmony, advancing and retreating together. Those who know say you are sisters-in-law; those who don’t would think you were born of the same mother."
Hearing this, Fangchun felt a bit sheepish. She was a person without much of a stance; she often felt something was good if you said it was, and immediately felt it was terrible if you said so. Just like the words of her cousin earlier, she had felt wronged and repressed, but now, with Old Mistress Chen mediating, she began to reflect on whether she had misunderstood Qingyuan. Clearly, they had been getting along so well these days, just like real sisters.
It was not the place to talk too much, so she smiled. "It's freezing outside, Grandmother, please go in." As she spoke, she guided her toward the floral hall. "Most of the guests have arrived. We will come in shortly; today, I must have a drink with you."
The Old Mistress said all right, following the servant's guidance into the banquet hall. Originally, this was a banquet for high-ranking noble wives; she held no rank and thus was not qualified to attend. But because the Imperial Decree had placed the Lady of Guangyang Commandery in their family, her appearance was greeted with warm enthusiasm by the noble wives. Someone even remarked, "Heaven never treats a good person poorly. What was lacking above is naturally made up for below."
The Old Mistress knew what they were referring to. Seeing the Yao mother and daughter present, she said intentionally, "I may not have borne children in this life, but my granddaughter and her husband are not a whit behind anyone else's. With them, I have nothing more to desire. I only hope that the two of them, along with the Second Master and his wife, live in harmony and that the household remains peaceful. What more could I ask for in this life?"
Everyone agreed repeatedly, fully expressing their absolute respect for the host family.
The guests were finally all present. Qingyuan walked in with Fangchun, bustling about to welcome everyone to their seats. In the afternoon, there would be card games and small operas, and after the meal, everyone could find their own amusement. Inviting guests in Youzhou had always lasted until late at night; the whole day was spent eating, drinking, and chatting, and the time passed quite quickly.
The weather was good today; after the rain and snow, it had cleared up. Sunlight shone through the sparse curtains into the floral hall, and the warm stove baked out a cozy, toasty fragrance, with a hazy feeling of spring. Once Qingyuan had made the proper arrangements, she stepped out of the hall. Dealing with so many people was exhausting; after socializing for so long, her head felt dizzy. Plus, having had a small glass of wine at noon, her face felt vaguely hot, so she needed to go outside to cool off.
She followed the veranda toward the other side. Halfway there, she heard someone call, "Fourth Sister." She turned and saw Li Congxin standing opposite her. Wearing a tooth-white satin robe with a dark fox fur collar, his clear and bright eyes looked at her with focus, still just as he had been in the beginning.
Qingyuan stopped and smiled. "Third Young Master, you must enjoy yourself fully today."
She still addressed him that way. She had briefly called him "Brother Chunzhi" once, but that now felt as distant as a vague dream.
Li Congxin nodded. "I originally didn't have the time; it was the Commander's warm invitation..."
Regardless, if one accepted the gift but did not appear in person, one could not simply pocket the gift money. Qingyuan was very composed, but he was clearly somewhat restrained, his face carrying a youthful melancholy. He was a sentimental man; since the age of sixteen, he had seen too many girls and had, to some degree, had feelings for them, but until now, only she had given him such incomparable shock and regret. Even today, seeing her could still make him lose his focus. If not for one wrong step back then, it should have been him standing by her side today.
Now that she belonged to another, it only made one miss her more. He had thought he had let go, but it turned out he had never forgotten.
They stood several yards apart. He did not walk over, but after a moment of thought, asked, "Are you doing well now?" In fact, just looking at her appearance, he felt her marriage must be smooth sailing, but without confirming it, he did not seem at ease.
Qingyuan smiled and said, "I am doing very well, thank you, Third Young Master. How about you? Are you still in the Ministry of Personnel?"
Li Congxin nodded. Like those who entered officialdom through their ancestors' merit, no matter which yamen he was placed in, he had to accumulate a year or a year and a half of service before being eligible for transfer. He had no heart to discuss the intricacies of official life with her. Seeing her, he spontaneously became sentimental, murmuring, "As long as you are well, I am at ease. It was all my fault before..."
There was little meaning in saying this now. Qingyuan did not want him to continue and interrupted his words. "I heard that Third Young Master has also made a marriage arrangement. The young lady’s family background is quite good."
He paused slightly. "It is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Cheng. My mother is very satisfied with this match."
"That is excellent. You are both from noble families; it is a match between families of equal status." Seeing that he still harbored lingering feelings, which she found very distasteful, she could not offend him either, and said with a hint of comfort, "Third Young Master must cherish this marriage. It is not easy to form a union; a good girl is worth being treated well by her lover."
After she finished speaking, she did not linger, nodded courteously, and walked toward the other end of the veranda.
Baoxian looked back and saw him still standing there in a daze. She sighed. "This young marquis is born sentimental. I’m afraid the young lady of the Duke’s mansion will have to be a bit formidable in the future to keep the household in check."
That was someone else’s story; it no longer had anything to do with her. She stood before the wall gate and looked toward the floral hall opposite. The sound of men’s laughter and chatter drifted over chaotically; the two floral halls were only ten yards apart, and if one were attentive, one could still glimpse the activity on the other side.
She smiled faintly, turned, and went to the backyard kitchen to check the dinner banquet. The steamer baskets in the kitchen were piled high, and the world was filled with surging heat and mist. The head nanny came up to report, smiling as she said, "Don't worry, Madam, everything is ready and nothing will go wrong."
Qingyuan hummed in acknowledgment and then slowly returned to the West Floral Hall to accompany the noble wives in a round of mahjong. When she slipped away again, the sky had gradually turned dark.
The silk lanterns rotated gently under the eaves, spilling soft, seductive light across the ground. Haoxue sat by the window, chatting idly with a few unmarried girls, appearing distracted even at the table.
Fangchun was sitting next to her. Not understanding the situation, she kept asking, "Is the food not to your liking, Sister?"
Haoxue said "oh." "I eat little at night, afraid of indigestion."
At this moment, Qingyuan came over and whispered to Fangchun, "The staff below is incompetent; the return gifts for the guests haven't been distributed yet. Big Sister, come with me to have a look; if anything is missing, we must dispatch someone to procure it immediately."
Fangchun did not doubt it and stood up, saying okay. Qingyuan smiled at Haoxue. "Young Lady, please sit for a moment. When I'm done, we will sit and chat amongst ourselves." Having said this, she led Fangchun away.