Shu’s mind went blank.
The feeling of the blade entering flesh was indescribable. There seemed to be a faint “swish” sound, followed by a large patch of blood seeping into clothes, leaving only red in her vision.
A red that filled the sky and covered the earth.
Cao Hai seemed to move slightly, trying to struggle, but Shu’s hand firmly gripped the dagger, showing no signs of loosening.
Until a voice sounded in her ear: “Shu, let go.”
A warm palm accompanied this hoarse voice as it covered her hand, finally awakening her. As Cao Hai’s body slowly went limp, Shu staggered backward, ultimately retreating into Lu Changxin’s embrace.
“Lu Changxin, I killed someone.” She raised her face, blood from her forehead blurring half her face.
Lu Changxin held her tight and said, “You saved my life.”
Shu was somewhat dazed: “I saved you?”
“Yes, you saved me,” Lu Changxin repeated.
Shu stared at him blankly, the blood on her cheeks and the clarity beneath creating conflicting colors.
After a moment, she slowly exhaled.
“That’s good… that’s good…”
Her voice gradually faded, as if drained of all strength, and leaning against Lu Changxin, she fell into a deep, dreamless darkness like an abyss.
The flickering firelight cast a warm orange glow through the skin, melting away the darkness.
As the senseless darkness gradually retreated, Shu slowly became aware of the soreness spreading through her limbs, as the ache left after running in the wilderness for a long time – somewhat painful, yet somewhat satisfying.
She opened her eyes slightly to see an unfamiliar room.
The room was small, with three stone walls and no windows, but though small like a sparrow, it had all essential furnishings. A candle lamp burned on the table, its flame gently flickering. She blinked and rubbed her slightly sore eyes, propping herself up from the bed as her clouded mind gradually cleared.
This was no ordinary room.
“You’re awake?” A hoarse voice sounded in her ear, and quickly, someone sat by the bed to help her sit up properly.
“You…” she looked toward the person beside the bed.
Lu Changxin smoothed her disheveled hair, carefully examining the bandaged wound on her forehead, and said cautiously, “Shu, I’m Lu Changxin.”
Shu touched the bandage on her head: “Who is Lu Changxin?”
“…” Lu Changxin’s expression froze slightly.
Suddenly she smiled: “Are you my brother?”
Just this smile dispersed the heavy atmosphere in the room. Though still weak and tired, her emotions had gradually stabilized.
“Shu!” He breathed a sigh of relief and lightly scolded her, though without any trace of annoyance in his voice.
Shu looked around the room again: “Where is this?”
“This is… the Lin’an Prefecture office,” Lu Changxin replied.
“The prison cell in the office, right?” Shu saw through it immediately. “I’m fine, don’t worry. Is Cao Hai dead?”
Seeing her expression was indeed normal, Lu Changxin nodded: “He’s dead.” He then explained, “There was a chaotic battle in Raven Forest. The troops Cao Hai secretly summoned to Lin’an and Jiao Chunlu’s men all fell into the Lin’an army’s ambush and were captured.”
This was all part of Shu and Lu Changxin’s plan – using thirty thousand taels of gold as bait to lure Cao Hai and his private army to Lin’an. Cao Hai coveted the thirty thousand taels of gold, but being outside Jiangning’s jurisdiction, he couldn’t deploy regular Jiangning garrison troops. He could only use his private army to secretly come to Lin’an. These private troops and Jiao Chunlu’s bandits fought in Raven Forest, ultimately all falling into the Lin’an army’s ambush.
“The Jiangning authorities have already traced this private army’s movements to discover their camp and weapons workshop locations. Uncle Wei has reported to His Majesty, requesting imperial troops be dispatched to Jiangning to suppress any potential unrest from the Jiangning army and to take control of these private forces. Additionally, the stolen goods found in the Cao residence have been intercepted by the Lin’an officers who rushed to the scene.”
Lu Changxin reported this as an official. When government officials arrived, they happened to discover two carts of valuables that had been moved outside the residence. At the time, they only thought Cao had been robbed, and with Cao having been involved in the fighting, the dead and wounded not yet cleared, everything was seized back to the government office, now serving as evidence.
This outcome was within their plan, and Shu showed no surprise, though her mind still stirred with waves of emotion.
“However, until all charges are formally tried after returning to the capital, and before the case is closed, you killed Cao Hai with your own hands, so according to the rules, you’re a suspect, so…” Lu Changxin caressed her pale face, “But don’t worry, the prefect already knows your situation, and Uncle Wei has also spoken to them. Apart from temporary loss of freedom, they won’t make things difficult for you.”
Shu smiled slightly, not caring about where she was. Even if she had died then, she would have had no regrets.
“Look at you.” As she spoke, she raised her hand, her fingertips gently tracing the purple bruises on his neck.
When Cao Hai tried to kill him, his grip was extremely strong. Even now, not only had the bruises not faded, but his voice hadn’t recovered, still hoarse and deep when he spoke.
“You should talk less,” she said softly.
Lu Changxin held her raised hand, and Shu took the opportunity to lean into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist. She tilted her head slightly upward, her lips brushing the bruises on his neck like a dragonfly touching water. Lu Changxin’s throat moved slightly as he lifted her chin.
If they couldn’t speak, they could do something else.
The candlelight cast their shadows on the wall, their necks entwined like mandarin ducks.
Autumn passed and winter came, bringing another year of falling snow.
The Jian robbery case that once shocked Jiangnan was brought up again, once more stunning both court and common folk.
The male members of the Cao family were imprisoned, the women confined to their residences, and all other suspects and evidence were sent to the capital. Besides the Jian robbery case, the imperial army also uncovered other evidence of Cao Hai and Gao Shicai’s crimes in Jiangning, including several serious offenses such as embezzling military funds to privately manufacture and sell weapons and colluding with foreign tribes to trade military supplies.
Shu was also escorted to Bianjing, and after three judicial hearings, the tragic Jian family case that had lasted exactly one year finally came to a close in early December.
His Majesty personally ruled, finding Cao Hai and Gao Shicai guilty of numerous charges including conspiracy for private gain, corruption and perversion of justice, collusion with foreign enemies, private manufacture and sale of military weapons and supplies, conspiracy with bandits to rob and kill honest merchants, and dozens of other crimes. Three generations of both the Cao and Gao families were implicated in the punishment.
All of the Jian family property found in the Cao residence was returned to the Jian family. Jian Shu, the lone daughter of the Jian family, was acquitted in court and commended for her role in capturing the criminals, receiving a personally bestowed plaque from His Majesty with the character of “Honest Merchant.”
When Shu stepped out of the court, heavy snow was falling again, covering all of Bianjing city in frost and snow, just like when she had arrived.
Taking a deep breath, the icy air rushed from her nose into her throat and filled her lungs. It was very cold, but very clear, and also very satisfying.
An umbrella was raised over her head, blocking the gently falling snow.
“Let’s go home,” Lu Changxin said as he came to meet her.
The Prime Scholar’s residence swept away the oppressive gloom of recent days, bustling with the preparation of meals.
Though it was getting late, Madam Zeng, accompanied by Qingrao, personally stood at the front gate looking eagerly for Lu Changxin and Shu’s return, waiting with an anxious expression and muttering, “Why aren’t they back yet? Nothing else has happened, has it?”
“Madam, don’t worry, let’s wait a bit longer,” Qingrao consoled while looking toward the street entrance. Suddenly her face brightened and she exclaimed happily, “Look, aren’t they back?”
Madam Zeng looked carefully and indeed saw two people walking down the long street.
Under one oil-paper umbrella walked two people side by side – Shu in white clothes and Lu Changxin in blue, approaching through the falling snow.
“Aunt Zeng!” Upon seeing Madam Zeng, Shu first waved her hand, then ran forward, leaving Lu Changxin behind.
A long trail of footprints was left in the powdery snow.
“Shu!” Madam Zeng cried with joy, immediately pulling Shu into her embrace, choking out, “You silly child, silly child…”
Shu buried herself in the embrace, sniffing hard to hold back tears about to fall, and smiled, “I’m alright now!”
Jian Shu was still Jian Shu.
“It’s cold outside, let’s talk inside,” Lu Changxin said as he approached the two.
“Yes, yes, let’s talk inside. Come, first step over the fire basin to ward off the ill fortune,” Madam Zeng quickly wiped her tears and ordered Qingrao to light the fire.
The fragrance of mugwort grew strong, and outside the Prime Scholar’s residence, the fire basin burned vigorously in the snow.
“Both of you together!” Madam Zeng urged Lu Changxin as well.
Shu lifted her skirts and lightly jumped over the fire basin, with Lu Changxin following closely behind.
Stepping over the fire basin would burn away all the misfortunes of this life, and from now on, it should be a completely new day.
Madam Zeng had prepared a sumptuous meal, all the dishes that Lu Changxin and Shu usually loved most.
Charcoal was lit in the room, and Shu removed her thick outer robe, wearing only her usual plain silk dress. Sitting beside Lu Changxin, she enthusiastically ate from the mountain of food piled in her bowl while pushing away chopsticks offering more food from both sides: “Stop giving me more food, I can’t eat anymore!”
Only then did Madam Zeng and Lu Changxin cease. Lu Changxin poured her a cup of sweet preserved plum juice, but Shu didn’t drink it immediately, first pressing it against her face to cool down.
Her face, whether from happiness or the fire’s warmth, was already flushed pink, appearing even more vibrantly beautiful against her plain dress.
Just as they finished eating, Wei Zhuo arrived for a visit. Madam Zeng cleared away the meal and invited him to take a seat, and the four of them began talking in the room.
Wei Zhuo had come firstly to tell Shu about the return of the Jian family property, and secondly to see Madam Zeng. Since Madam Zeng had moved back to the Prime Scholar’s residence, their opportunities to meet had decreased, and he missed her, occasionally finding excuses to visit Lu Changxin’s home to see her.
After finishing the official business, Wei Zhuo didn’t rush to leave, instead sighing to Madam Zeng: “The food in my residence is tasteless, I haven’t eaten properly in a long time.”
“Did you change cooks?” Madam Zeng glanced at him and replied.
“No, but after getting used to eating such flavorful meals recently, I can’t get used to the food he cooks anymore,” Wei Zhuo pressed his stomach, speaking somewhat pitifully.
“You were never picky about food, and besides, you’ve eaten it for ten years, how could you suddenly not be used to it?” Madam Zeng retorted.
Wei Zhuo smiled and said: “That’s because I hadn’t met… Now I just keep thinking about those meals, thinking about them intensely…”
The implication was clear to everyone present.
What he missed wasn’t the food, but the person.
Madam Zeng’s face had already turned red.
Shu shuddered and spoke up: “Uncle Wei, if you want to join us for meals, just say so, don’t speak in riddles, it makes me tired.” She then smiled and pushed Lu Changxin, “I want to go back to my room to rest, what about you?”
Lu Changxin understood her meaning but didn’t agree, instead standing up and taking her hand, saying: “Wait a moment.”
Shu raised an eyebrow, watching him walk to the center of the hall. His opening words were almost identical to when he had asked Madam Zeng to be his mother.
“Since Commander Wei is here today, it’s perfect timing to have him as a witness. Mother, I have something to ask,” he said, then lifted his robe and dropped to his knees, kneeling before Madam Zeng.
Madam Zeng was slightly startled, and Shu was also greatly puzzled.
“Mother, your son wishes to ask for Shu’s hand in marriage, and hopes for mother’s permission,” Lu Changxin announced clearly as he bowed.
Shu’s face immediately turned completely red, and she poked his back: “Quick, get up.”
Madam Zeng looked at Shu, then at Lu Changxin, her surprise fading as she revealed a profound smile: “You want to marry Shu, shouldn’t you ask her? Why bow to me?”
“Shu has no elders left, and she regards you as her mother. If I wish to marry her, I should first ask you. Moreover, Shu has three years of mourning to observe, and I also… must leave the capital for three years. This marriage would have to wait three years, Mother, do you approve?” Lu Changxin explained.
Before Madam Zeng could speak, Shu exclaimed in surprise: “You’re leaving the capital for three years? Why?”
Lu Changxin raised his head to look at her. Having been confined in the prison cell until today, she didn’t know what had happened outside.
“Shu…” he hesitated to continue.
“Lu Changxin, as a capital official, left the capital without imperial permission while under investigation, though it was to investigate the Cao Hai case. Although he committed an offense, his merits and demerits cancel each other out. His Majesty has decreed he be posted to Zhangyang County as magistrate for a three-year term,” Wei Zhuo sighed softly, answering on his behalf.
Shu stared blankly at Lu Changxin.
Lu Changxin remained kneeling and simply asked her: “Shu, are you willing to wait for me?”
Three years, asking for her hand in marriage.