Where the Mask Ends - Chapter 23

Chapter 23

In Qingping Lane stood the residence of the Xie family, headed by the Imperial Tutor, Grand Preceptor Xie.

A carriage with blue curtains pulled to a slow stop. A servant set out the footstool and lifted the curtain, and Xie Fang stepped out of the carriage with a look of relief.

Xie Fang was the legitimate son of the Xie family’s second branch, but upon his return today, he headed straight for the third branch’s residence.

The Third Madam, Madam Yang, had been waiting for him for quite some time. No sooner had Xie Fang sat down than she couldn't help but ask, "How did it go? Was the Heir of Lu injured?"

Madam Yang was the mother of the Sixth Miss, Xie Hualou.

It was no wonder she was worried about Lu Zhuo’s physical condition and had specially requested her nephew to check on the situation on the street. It was simply because the Lu family had lost too many men on the battlefield. This time, Lu Zhuo had suffered a defeat. Although no news of Lu Zhuo sustaining severe injuries had been reported back, as a future mother-in-law, Madam Yang still could not set her mind at ease; she had to confirm it for herself.

Xie Fang smiled. "Aunt, there is no need to worry. The Heir sat tall upon his horse with a heroic air. He was only slightly weary from the arduous journey home."

Madam Yang let out a deep sigh of relief.

Having fulfilled his errand, Xie Fang took his leave.

Madam Yang instructed a young maid to see her nephew out. Left alone in the hall with her trusted nanny, Madam Yang finally spoke her true thoughts to her confidante: "He’s finally back. I was truly afraid that the path to a happy ending would be fraught with obstacles."

Her daughter had officially become betrothed to Lu Zhuo in the third lunar month. By the fifth month, the seventy-one-year-old Grand Preceptor Xie had suddenly fallen ill, and now he could only stand if supported by others.

At the time, Madam Yang had been terrified. If Grand Preceptor Xie were to pass on, the third branch of the Xie family would have to observe a three-year mourning period, during which no weddings could be held. Hualou was her most cherished daughter, and the match she had secured was the best one possible. If it were wasted for no reason, and her young daughter was forced to wait until she was an old maid before getting married, it would be heartbreaking.

For the past several months, Madam Yang had prayed to the Buddha every day, begging for the protection of Lu Zhuo so that he might return safely to wed her daughter, and begging the Buddha to let Grand Preceptor Xie live for another three to five years—or at least to hold on until her daughter’s wedding day, so as not to ruin her brilliant marriage prospects.

Now that Lu Zhuo had returned safe and sound, and Grand Preceptor Xie seemed to be holding up well, there was only half a month left until the wedding date. There should be no more mishaps.

In high spirits, Madam Yang went to her daughter’s boudoir.

The Sixth Miss, Xie Hualou, was doing needlework. With her wedding imminent, she was reluctant to part with her family and wanted to take these few days to make a pair of socks for her grandfather, her father, and her mother respectively.

"Hualou, the Heir of Lu has returned to the capital! He is safe and sound, as handsome as ever!" Madam Yang said joyfully as she sat beside her daughter.

Upon hearing the name of her future husband, Xie Hualou’s peony-like face flushed with shyness.

Watching her daughter, Madam Yang felt a surge of pride.

Of the three sisters-in-law, the eldest and second sisters-in-law had both given birth to sons, while her own womb had been uncooperative; she had given birth to three daughters in a row. There was no helping it; Madam Yang had painstakingly cultivated her three daughters. The eldest and second had both married into prominent families, and her youngest, Hualou, possessed the beauty of a peony and the talent of a top scholar. Her fame for both beauty and intelligence surpassed everyone else in the capital; even the so-called "vixen," the Fourth Miss of the Wei family, was recognized as being a notch below her daughter.

Her youngest daughter had indeed lived up to her high expectations, having been favored by the Duchess of Ying to be her eldest grandson’s wife—the future mistress of the Duke’s mansion.

"This time Lu Zhuo has rendered great service. Not to mention the imperial rewards, for you two young couple, it is like adding flowers to brocade—a double happiness arrives at once."

"Mother, stop it. I haven't even married into the family yet," Xie Hualou said, turning away with her needlework and acting shy.

Madam Yang knew her daughter was thin-skinned and, with a laugh, stopped teasing her.

After Madam Yang left, Xie Hualou put down her needlework and looked out the window, her cheeks still tinged with a shy red.

She had never met Lu Zhuo, but she had heard of his magnificent bearing during the Dragon Boat Festival. To be able to marry such an outstanding talent, Xie Hualou felt perfectly content.

However, at this moment, the Duke of Ying’s mansion was in complete chaos.

The household carried the unconscious Lu Zhuo back to his room. Upon removing his silver armor, they discovered that his undergarment was soaked through with blood. The wound on his back, which had never fully healed, had burst open again. Upon hearing the news, the Duchess of Ying hurried over, and seeing the state of the wound, she fainted from the sheer distress of it all.

Lu Zhuo’s mother and three aunts were weeping or wringing their hands in worry, and the same was true for Lu Zhuo’s cousins.

The household had long since sent for the military surgeon who had been treating Lu Zhuo, as he was the most familiar with his condition.

The military surgeon arrived in a rush. Upon seeing Lu Zhuo’s situation, he ignored the fact that the Duke of Ying was sitting right there and said indignantly, "I told you long ago that the Heir must have complete rest! But he refused to listen to me, relying on his youth to act recklessly! Now look at this! His vital energy was already severely damaged, and the speed at which the wound heals is becoming slower and slower. Today, he has lost so much blood that I have exhausted my skills. You had best invite someone more competent!"

It wasn't that he didn't want to heal Lu Zhuo—who would want to see such a fine man pass away in the prime of his life?

But the military surgeon was truly out of options. To continue his treatment would only delay Lu Zhuo’s recovery. If they could invite a famous doctor from the capital or an imperial physician from the palace, they might find someone with the skill to save Lu Zhuo.

The Duke of Ying immediately sent someone to the palace to ask Emperor Yuanjia to arrange for two imperial physicians to come.

The military surgeon did not leave; when the imperial physicians arrived, he stood by to explain Lu Zhuo’s condition.

Upon hearing the details, the expressions of the two imperial physicians turned exceptionally grave.

The imperial physicians managed to stop the bleeding, yet for three consecutive days, Lu Zhuo remained in a coma, requiring them to force his mouth open to pour in medicine and broth.

Because the wound was on his back, he could only lie on his stomach or on his side, and those serving him had to carefully change his position every hour or two.

The wound was re-dressed three times a day, but the rate of healing was too slow; the edges of the wound even showed signs of rot.

News of Lu Zhuo’s coma soon reached the Xie residence in Qingping Lane.

With this unexpected development, the smiles vanished from the faces of the masters and servants of the Xie household, who had been busy preparing for the wedding. Xie Hualou’s father, the Third Master Xie, not only personally went to visit his prospective son-in-law but also sent a manager from the mansion to the Duke of Ying’s residence every day to inquire, hoping to be the first to receive news of Lu Zhuo’s improvement.

However, by the seventh day, Lu Zhuo still had not awakened. The Heir, once as straight as a pine and as handsome as a celestial being, was now gaunt as a skeleton, and the rotten flesh in his wound had already been cut away once.

Madam Yang felt a sympathetic pain in her own body just listening to the reports from their manager.

At the same time, her heart grew increasingly heavy—with Lu Zhuo sick to this extent, could he even recover?

On the eighth day, Lu Zhuo still had not awakened, and the situation had become even worse.

Madam Yang went to see her daughter, only to find her eyes swollen from weeping.

Madam Yang could offer no words of comfort. Of course, she hoped Lu Zhuo would recover and come in grand fashion to marry her daughter so she could become the mistress of the Duke’s mansion. But the facts were before her eyes; Madam Yang thought painfully that Lu Zhuo might truly be dying, just like his father, his second uncle, and his third uncle—loyal to the country, only to die in the prime of their lives.

If Lu Zhuo died, what would become of her daughter? Was she to remain a widow-in-waiting for the rest of her life?

In the pitch-black winter night, Madam Yang tossed and turned in agony, unable to sleep. She nudged her husband beside her: "Are you asleep?"

Third Master Xie let out a sigh.

Madam Yang knew her husband was just as worried.

"If, if Lu Zhuo truly cannot be saved, what will happen to our Hualou?" As soon as Madam Yang spoke, tears began to stream down her face.

Third Master Xie said with a heavy heart, "What can we do? Since the betrothal is already signed, even if Lu Zhuo dies, she must still marry into the family."

The Xie family was not like the Zhou family; their daughters were all expected to observe propriety and chastity and could not go back on their word.

Hearing this, Madam Yang cried even louder.

How could Third Master Xie not be in pain? But the family patriarch made the decisions. Even if he wanted to fight for his daughter, the patriarch would never agree.

Just as Third Master Xie was about to console his wife, a hurried sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside, and a maid wailed, her voice filled with piercing grief: "Master, Madam, please get up quickly! The Grand Preceptor, he—he is passing!"

Third Master Xie felt as if he had been struck by lightning. By the time he regained his senses, his face was already covered in tears. He scrambled out of bed, threw on an outer robe without regard for his wife, and ran in a daze toward Grand Preceptor Xie’s courtyard.

Madam Yang sat blankly on the bed.

As a daughter-in-law, she had rarely had the opportunity to be alone with Grand Preceptor Xie, and apart from offering greetings, she had never really spoken to him. With so little interaction, there was naturally no deep bond of affection. Just like tonight, upon hearing the tragic news of Grand Preceptor Xie, after the initial shock, a glimmer of hope actually surfaced in Madam Yang’s heart.

Grand Preceptor Xie had passed away. The family would have to observe mourning, and the marriage with the Lu family would naturally be delayed.

If Lu Zhuo’s condition improved during this period, Madam Yang would be delighted to marry off her daughter. If Lu Zhuo never woke up again, the Lu family—if they were as upright and cultured as they always presented themselves to be—should take the initiative to come and propose that the marriage be called off, rather than forcing her beautiful, flower-like daughter to marry into the family and observe widowhood for a dead man.

Madam Yang bit her lip, unfilially hoping that Grand Preceptor Xie was truly gone.

When Madam Yang arrived at the main courtyard, she heard her husband’s wailing before she had even stepped through the door.

Madam Yang felt a secret joy, but she was soon infected by her husband’s cries. Thinking of the respected and esteemed Grand Preceptor Xie, tears fell from her eyes as well.

The next morning, the Xie family sent someone to the Duke of Ying’s mansion to announce the death.

On the Lu side, they were in the middle of discussing whether to move the wedding date up by a few days to perform a "luck-changing marriage" to help Lu Zhuo recover.

There was no more hope to be found in medicine; a luck-changing marriage was the last resort the family could think of.

In their current situation, the Duchess of Ying had already decided that she and her husband would go to discuss it with Grand Preceptor Xie. If the luck-changing marriage succeeded, Xie Hualou would be the savior of the Lu family, and the entire Lu household would never let her suffer the slightest grievance. If it were useless, once Lu Zhuo was laid to rest, she would take it upon herself to release Xie Hualou back to her own home, so as not to ruin the life of a young maiden.

Unexpectedly, just as the Lu family had finished their discussion—and before the Duke and Duchess could even pay a visit—the Xie family had arrived to announce a death.

Now, the Duke and Duchess felt even more compelled to pay their condolences.

Upon arriving at the Xie residence, the Duchess of Ying saw the younger generation of the Xie family weeping together. Xie Hualou was among them, kneeling in white mourning clothes, crying with such heartbreaking grief that her eyes were swollen like walnuts.

Wherever she looked, there was only the white of mourning.

The Duchess of Ying suddenly remembered her three dead sons, then thought of her grandson dying in their home, and the Duchess of Ying swayed.

"Madam!"

The Duke of Ying caught his wife in time. Seeing this, the Eldest Madam of the Xie family hurriedly arranged for the Duchess of Ying to be taken to a side hall to rest, as she had to preside over the funeral and arranged for Madam Yang to look after the guests.

The Duchess of Ying did not faint for long and soon woke up. Seeing Madam Yang, she said with teary eyes, "Niece-in-law, please accept my condolences."

Madam Yang wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and choked out, "Father passed away peacefully and did not suffer much. Aunt, you must take care of your health and not be too heartbroken."

The Duchess of Ying’s tears were not shed for Grand Preceptor Xie, but for her eldest grandson at home.

The luck-changing marriage was urgent. Even if it was inappropriate, the Duchess of Ying gripped Madam Yang’s hand and spoke with great difficulty: "Niece-in-law, Shoucheng has been ill and unconscious for a long time; we are truly at our wit's end. See if you could allow Hualou to marry over as soon as possible to let the joyous energy wash away the sickness around Shoucheng? I know Grand Preceptor just..."

Before she could finish, Madam Yang knelt down and interrupted her through her tears: "Aunt, if Father were still with us, Hualou marrying the Heir for a luck-changing marriage would be her duty. But a tragedy has befallen us. Father raised us with such kindness; how can we hold a wedding during a period of mourning? And Hualou, her grandfather loved her best; she cried herself into a faint last night. Even if we sent her to be married, she is filled with tears—how could she bring any joyous energy?"

"Aunt, it is not that we are unwilling, but the rites and laws cannot be violated."

For the sake of her beloved daughter, Madam Yang, behind her husband's back, personally rejected the Duchess of Ying.

The Duchess of Ying looked at the sobbing Madam Yang, and the tears on her face slowly stopped.

Asking the woman's side to marry into their family during a period of deep mourning to perform a luck-changing marriage for their eldest grandson was, in itself, a breach of etiquette by the Lu family. If the Xie family agreed, the Lu family would be eternally grateful; if the Xie family was unwilling, the Lu family would not harbor any resentment.

Although Madam Yang had not explicitly stated those words, her meaning was already very clear.

The Xie family was a scholarly, noble family that refused to commit an act of treachery. Very well, the Lu family would do it.

That same afternoon, the Lu family sent back the marriage document and Xie Hualou’s birth characters, taking the fault upon themselves without a single word of blame toward the Xie family.

Since the Lu family was in a rush to find a woman to perform a luck-changing marriage for Lu Zhuo, and Xie Hualou was in mourning and unable to marry, the Eldest Master Xie, after discussing it with his two brothers, agreed to break off the engagement and returned the betrothal gifts and Lu Zhuo’s birth characters that the Lu family had previously sent.