Spring of the Blade - Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Time was very limited, and she knew it. She had hoped that with such a grand banquet today, she could at least interact with Shen Che, but who would have thought that she would only see him once upon entering the gates, and after that, he would vanish without a trace.

He was at the floral hall on the other side of the long corridor; though not far in distance, it felt as if they were separated by thousands of mountains and rivers. During the afternoon, she had wandered around the garden, and while Shen Run had appeared with two noble guests, Shen Che had remained silent and still, as if he had evaporated into thin air.

Many things require an encounter to have a beginning, and without even seeing the person, all her careful planning was in vain. Later, during the evening banquet, she vaguely heard the sound of him laughing and joking with his colleagues. Even though he was there, she unfortunately had no opportunity to get close to him. Haoxue’s heart hung high in suspense; all evening she was weighed down by her own agenda, and even sitting there, she felt like an ant on a hot pan.

She stole a glance toward the door and began to calculate whether she should leave the floral hall and head to a place where she might run into him. This was a golden opportunity; the highest dignitaries of the capital were all present. If she could stir up some sort of scandal, it would damage her reputation, and even if Shen Che were unwilling, he would be forced to marry her. She yearned for the life in the Shen mansion and for such a perfect husband. She didn't worry that Shen Che wouldn't fall for her; after all, he was a man, and what man could remain indifferent to meat served on his own platter?

The Yao family had nine sisters in total. Since childhood, she had lived under the immense pressure of her eight older sisters, eating their leftovers and wearing their hand-me-downs. She detested this life of penury and dreamed of leaving the Yao household. Because of her environment, she understood the principle of creating opportunities when none existed. Shen Che had no defenses against his own family; as long as she called him out by faking Fangchun’s name, as long as the slightest bit of their interaction was seen by others, then this matter would be worth the gamble.

The banquet was half over, and guests were gradually leaving their seats to move about. She made up her mind and was just about to stand up when she saw Yujiao, a maid from Fangchun’s courtyard, hurry in through the door. The maid looked around, likely searching for Fangchun. Not seeing her, she walked toward Haoxue and asked in a low voice, "Young Lady, have you seen our Madam?"

Haoxue kept a wary eye and shook her head slowly. "What's wrong?"

"The Second Master has had too much to drink and needs to go back to rest. I’ve looked all over but couldn't find our Madam. What should I do!" Yujiao looked distressed, glancing around repeatedly.

Haoxue uttered an "Oh" and turned to look at Madam Wang. "Mother, I’ll help look for her then!"

Madam Wang naturally understood what she meant and nodded slightly. "Go."

Thus, she left with justification and headed toward the long corridor connecting to the East Floral Hall with justification. She had only reached the halfway point when she saw a servant supporting a swaying Shen Che walking out of the partitioned doors. Her heart tightened; she hurriedly stepped forward and said softly, "Brother-in-law, are you drunk?"

Shen Che slowly lifted his eyes; his long, thick eyelashes interlaced, revealing a misty, amorous languor. A man who was drunk lost his sharp edges and even carried a muddled, childlike quality. His movements were slow, and his gaze was slow—once things slowed down, there was a sense of lingering affection.

He breathed out lightly, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. "Little Sister, why are you here?"

Oh, so you are here. It was somewhat unexpected, and combined with the hint of a smile at the corner of his lips, perhaps there was even a trace of surprise hidden within.

Once a girl’s mind started wandering, she could weave a magnificent dream for herself. He suddenly stumbled, and the servant couldn't hold him steady; she naturally extended a hand to assist. The moment she touched his body, she realized that he was a vivid, reachable person.

The scent of wine on him and the warmth of his arm made her heart beat wildly. She struggled to restrain her bashfulness and excitement, saying gently, "Brother-in-law, I will send you back to rest."

He seemed muddled and let out a hum, leaning half-way against her, stumbling as he walked toward the garden. Crossing through the wall gate, his study was in a small courtyard not far ahead. That courtyard was exquisite and the environment secluded; usually, aside from those cleaning, no servants kept guard there. Compared to the noise and bustle in front, it was so quiet here that it made one feel a little flustered.

Yet, this quietude was exactly what she wished for. Her previous secret plotting paled in comparison to the natural convenience of Heaven’s will. With drunkenness, everything would become unclear. When she later claimed a grievance that could not be spoken, Shen Che would hold no resentment toward her, only guilt. By then, let alone occupying him exclusively, even remaining in the Shen family would be difficult for Fangchun.

When they arrived at the carved door, she didn't let go. She waited for the servant to open the door and then instructed, "Have the kitchen boil a bowl of hangover soup, and then go to the front courtyard to see if you can find the Second Madam."

The servant hesitated. "Young Lady, this isn't in accordance with etiquette. It would be better if I..."

She smiled. "It doesn't matter. We are all our own people, so why talk about etiquette? I'm not familiar with your mansion, and I was going to go to the kitchen, but I was afraid I wouldn't find the way."

She was a guest; how could she be allowed to go to the kitchen! The servant had no choice but to agree. "Then I will trouble you to look after her, Young Lady. I will go do it immediately, and once I find our Madam, I will have her come right away."

Haoxue nodded, watched the servant hurry away, and then helped Shen Che into the room herself.

There was a bed in the east side-room of the study. She helped him lie down and took off his shoes. He lay on the pillow, on the verge of sleep. Seen in the light filtered through the eaves, his sharp, handsome features appeared exceptionally gentle and soft in the hazy glow. The appearance of the Shen brothers was indeed flawless. She still remembered what he looked like when he came to propose—at that time, he had only just regained his status and hadn't yet reached the rank of Commandant. Wearing a simple robe, he still couldn't hide the uprightness between his brows. When a sister in the family married, that new son-in-law had to be inspected by everyone. It wasn't as if her family hadn't held wedding banquets, but among those brothers-in-law, not a single one could outshine Shen Che.

Therefore, an obsession from one's youth is the hardest to resolve. That one fleeting glimpse from behind a pillar had caused deep roots of love to grow. The term "brother-in-law" always had a mysterious connection to it—an unclear, indefinable bond. It was separated by a layer, yet like scratching an itch through a boot; the more you scratched, the itchier it became.

She gently pushed him. "Brother-in-law?"

He stirred, turned his head, and remained in a heavy, deep sleep.

She slowly leaned over the edge of the bed and whispered into his ear: "Are you truly sleeping, or just pretending? There is only me and you here; why pretend! You are not unaware of my feelings. In these large families, which one doesn't have three wives and four concubines? In the Shen household, can you not tolerate me? Chengbing, as long as you agree, I will get along well with my sister. I will absolutely not fight for favor, nor will I cause you any trouble. You are always running around outside; what’s wrong with having one more person to serve you? Why, even though I have hinted at you many times, can you still not understand what I mean? Are you a block of wood?"

She spoke with resentment, but he remained unaware and motionless, appearing to be truly asleep.

She was not satisfied. She stood up and looked down at him. At this point, the opportunity could not be missed. Perhaps Fangchun would arrive in a while. Even if she couldn't make the raw rice cooked, as long as she let her see and caused a misunderstanding, Shen Che would have to use an eight-bearer sedan chair to carry her into the house as a peer wife.

It was freezing outside, but her cheeks were burning hot, and she even felt a bit dizzy. Her hands trembled as she unfastened her clothes.

That small cloud-brocade jacket fell to her feet, looking like a crouching dark cloud in the darkness. Small goosebumps rose on the skin beneath her inner garment, and the chill surged in from all directions, but her heart was as firm as iron. Gritting her teeth, she unfastened the skirt belt at her waist.

Just a little more. As long as she pulled open his collar and took off his pants, there would be no more room for ambiguity. She reached out toward him, her fingertips touching the cold jade buckle at his waist. Just as she was about to unfasten the jade belt hook, she suddenly heard a spine-chilling scream from behind the screen. At this moment, the surroundings lit up, footsteps crisscrossed, and shadows of lamps pressed in layer upon layer. It felt as if they had jumped from a dark night into a polar day; everything was exposed under the bright, open sun.

The scream had come from Fangchun. She had been led into this small courtyard by Qingyuan from the floral hall. At first, she hadn't understood, asking strangely: "Aren't we going to distribute the return gifts? Why did you bring me to the study?"

Qingyuan smiled slightly. "Big Sister, have a little patience. I am going to let you watch a good show."

Of course, she didn't have much confidence in whether this show would succeed. If it didn't, then Haoxue wouldn't be considered that despicable. But if it did, it would be enough to awaken Fangchun in one stroke, allowing her to see the true face of this younger sister from her maiden home—and whether she was as she had assumed, someone wholeheartedly looking out for her.

Then the footsteps came, and three silhouettes were cast on the window paper. When Fangchun heard Haoxue’s words and the order to the servant to go boil the hangover soup, she realized that the situation was taking a wrong turn.

How could an unmarried girl leave herself behind in the dark to look after a man alone? The Yao family was considered a family of poetry and ritual, and Haoxue had received so much education since childhood—did she not know how to avoid suspicion? Fangchun’s hands and feet began to tremble uncontrollably. She looked at Qingyuan in terror, but Qingyuan just tucked her hands into her sleeves, calm and relaxed, waiting for the situation to develop further.

Then Haoxue began to reveal her innermost thoughts, all of which were diametrically opposed to her previous understanding. It turned out that all the bad things she had said about Shen Che were lies; the more viciously she spoke, the more it was because she coveted him.

She had taken off her own clothes and reached out her demonic claws toward Shen Che. Fangchun endured it again and again, but finally, she couldn't hold back. One scream carried a sound that shattered the heavens.

The palace guards, who had been waiting outside for a long time, held torches high and entered one after another. Qingyuan watched as Fangchun rushed over and aimed a kick directly at Haoxue.

"There is no one as shameless as you in this world!" She pointed at Haoxue’s nose and cursed loudly. "I treated you like a real sister, yet you were jealous of my husband and tried every way to incite me to divorce him just to take advantage of the situation! What a wicked scheme you had!"

Haoxue fell to the ground in a sorry state. She struggled to support herself, only to find the previously quiet courtyard full of people, and her disheveled appearance exposed to the gaze of all.

The person lying on the bed also sat up, frowning as he brushed his collar in disgust. "How dangerous. I was almost molested by this woman."

Qingyuan stepped out from behind the screen and laughed: "Second Uncle, you worked hard. If we hadn't performed this play, how could we have made her show her fox's tail?"

Only then did Haoxue recover her senses. She looked around in a panic and said with a trembling voice: "You... you set a trap to frame me!"

Only now did Fangchun see the true face of this cousin. Because she was alone in Youzhou, she had been genuinely and whole-heartedly delighted when someone from her maiden family moved into the capital. Haoxue often came and went, and she felt she was no longer alone; she never forgot to share anything good with her. Gradually, she had been led to harbor evil thoughts toward Shen Che. She hadn't investigated back then, and had actually listened to her sowing discord and intended to divorce Shen Che. Now that she thought about it, she truly felt like her intestines had been severed in regret.

Disappointment and extreme anger—being stabbed in the heart by a relative—was simply nauseating. Fangchun finally started to cry, wiping her tears as she spat at her fiercely: "It is pathetic that you can even say that! There are so many pairs of eyes watching; whose clothes were stripped off? It was your own! I was truly blind to have misread you in the past. How could I have imagined that a girl from a boudoir like you would be this shameless—not only stripping yourself, but also making a move on a man!"

Qingyuan looked down at Haoxue, who was cold, terrified, and shaking into a ball. Qingyuan smiled. "Miss Yao, we are hosting guests in our mansion today, and the front hall is filled with nobility and officials from the court. We cannot allow our Commander's mansion to be shamed because of a person like you. Don't worry, we will not publicize this matter. We will have your father and mother brought in later so you can meet with them."

What did this mean? Was she really going to detain someone? Haoxue shrank back. "E... even if I did the wrong thing today, you cannot... you cannot detain me without authorization."

Shen Che’s official boots moved forward and stepped into her field of vision. He sneered, "Is that so? Offering yourself like that might not be enough to count as a crime, but how should I settle the account with you for harming the child in my wife's womb?" Having said this, he raised his voice, "Bring her in!"

A row of clattering armor and chaotic footsteps arrived before them. Haoxue looked up in horror to see Que'er being pushed over by two palace guards like a small chicken. A maid who had served in a deep boudoir, she had never experienced such a confrontation; she was frightened, her face pale, and she trembled as she cried: "Young Lady... Young Lady..."

Those repeated cries were like a death warrant. All strength was drained from Haoxue; her heart spasmed within her chest, and waves of blood beat against her eardrums, almost shattering her heart. But she still held a glimmer of hope, attempting to have Que'er lie. Trembling, she said, "Why did you capture my maid? Do you still want to force a confession?" She shouted at Que'er: "They have no proof, don't be afraid."

Shen Che rarely dealt with women. In the past, the female relatives of officials involved in crimes in the Palace Guard were all handled by Shen Run. He had thought that women were only divided into two types: Fangchun and Qingyuan—either carefree or delicate and soft. He hadn't expected that such an evil thing as Yao Haoxue existed. Her having the intention to enter the Shen mansion, as she said, might not have been a heinous crime; her antics were just to let Fangchun see the truth of human nature. But because she had harmed his child, this enmity was enough for him to want to tear her into ten thousand pieces.

She was still quibbling with an iron-tongued defense. He whipped out the guard’s saber and swung it over, stopping half an inch from Que'er’s neck. He said in a low voice, "Tell me, what exactly happened that day? Tell me everything from beginning to end; otherwise, I will have your head fall to the ground now."

Que'er cried out in terror. "Don't... don't... I’ll speak. The Second Madam was having a fire in her body while pregnant, and her mouth had sores so she couldn't take medicine. Our Young Lady incited the Second Madam to contain the flesh of elephant gallbladder, saying that the thing had the effect of clearing fire, and that containing it without swallowing would do no harm to the child. Our Young Lady looked like she was well-intentioned, but she had her own ulterior motives. She wanted the Second Madam to have a miscarriage, so that sooner or later, the Second Madam would not be tolerated by the Shen family because she couldn't bear children. Once the Second Madam cleared the spot, she would have a chance... Our Young Lady admired the Commander; she had admired him for many years. Since she started visiting the Shen family, she had never had good intentions toward the Second Madam. That... that day, she pretended to have someone cut open the elephant gallbladder leaf for the Second Madam. She prepared a piece of skin in advance and threw it quietly in front of the Second Madam's footstool. Anyway, she didn't touch it herself, and if something happened, it would be the fault of the maid in the mansion, and she could be cleaned of it completely... Later, the Second Madam indeed slipped and lost the child. She kept whispering in the Second Madam's ears, saying how much the Commander didn't value the Second Madam, and said a whole wagonload of bad things about the Commander to sow discord between the Commander and the Second Madam. This time... this time coming to the mansion for the banquet, she also discussed with our Madam, trying to find a way to get involved with the Commander and make a huge scandal, forcing the Commander to have to marry her. I... I am just a maid, I don't dare to lead the Young Lady, I just speak what I know. Please... please let the Commander and the Second Madam have mercy and let me live..."

These details made everyone present frown. Fangchun could hardly believe her ears: "What? My child, it was actually you who murdered him?"

There was nothing more devastating than this kind of damage. The child she had longed for for three years had been calculated away like this. She couldn't understand why there were such vicious people in the world, just because everything she possessed made them jealous, they had to plot her death?

She walked over stumbling and squatted down to ask Haoxue: "Did I ever do anything to betray your Yao family?"

Haoxue knew that at this moment, only by begging her could she live. Like a drowning person grabbing a piece of driftwood, she said anxiously: "Sister... Sister... don't listen to her nonsense, we grew up together... Have you forgotten how my mother treated you at the beginning? She loved you like her own daughter, how could we... how could we harm you like that..."

Just in time for Cao Cao to be mentioned, Cao Cao arrived. Madam Wang ran in from the gate after receiving the news. She first slapped Haoxue across the face and shouted sharply: "You are blinded by lard to do such a thing. Who are you worthy of?" Then she knelt with a thud in front of Fangchun, begging with tears in her eyes: "Auntie, our Young Lady is young and disrespectful, I will definitely discipline her well. Please, in consideration of our past bond as aunt and niece, have mercy on her this once!”