HomeA Cup of LoveYi Ou Chun - Chapter 40

Yi Ou Chun – Chapter 40

He suddenly laughed, a laugh both wild and handsome. “Playing matchmaker? You sisters must be so close indeed – one willing to seize, one willing to give up. Does Fourth Miss think I’m easily fooled, or are you taking me for a fool? Wasn’t Second Miss the one desperate to marry into the Danyang Marquis’s household? Is Fourth Miss planning to break up a good match to benefit herself?”

Qing Yuan was stunned, unable to comprehend how he knew such private matters. Though the Palace Guard commanded national investigation and justice, surely they wouldn’t probe so thoroughly into private household affairs! She found it somewhat frightening, staring at him anxiously, wondering if he truly had eyes and ears everywhere, or if he had merely deduced this from today’s events at the banquet.

“My Second Sister isn’t betrothed to anyone yet. A daughter of a good family has many suitors – whether it’s the Third Young Master or the Commander, they can all try their luck. There’s no harm in trying,” she said calmly, then attempted to negotiate with him, “Shall we move elsewhere? We can have tea brought and discuss matters while seated. This place is dark, and with people next door, if misunderstandings arise, not only would my reputation be damaged, but it would also bring shame to the Commander. Thinking it through, wouldn’t that be losing more than we gain?”

Unfortunately, her words did nothing to improve the current situation. Since taking command of the Palace Guard, Shen Run had developed a cat-and-mouse relationship with all court officials, habitually keeping everything under his control and maintaining absolute advantage. This young lady, sweet and lovely at first glance, revealed herself upon interaction to be quite capable of using gentleness to overcome force. She could smile and find her way out of difficult situations – hardly the typical young lady who spent her days composing poetry and painting in the inner chambers, but rather a general from the powder room.

If his anger had flared earlier over the jade pendant incident, now his mood had completely shifted to one of amusement. Like that night’s encounter in the corridor, that lonely figure – he had seen both beauty and a pitiful existence surviving in the cracks of society.

People said the Palace Guard consisted of well-dressed, ruthless individuals. If speaking of kindness, they truly had little, and only for young ladies like her did it stir slightly. Sympathizing with her and teasing her didn’t seem contradictory. He appreciated clever people, and with his experience, he could judge someone’s character and worth as a friend in just a few exchanges. He found Xie Qing Yuan quite appealing, from that time she stood alone in the reception hall waiting, maintaining an elegant posture without moving for the time it took to drink two cups of tea – he knew then she was someone who could remain steady.

Perhaps similar people are naturally attracted to each other. At his current position, let alone a minister’s daughter, he could easily arrange to marry a princess. But life was too smooth and lacked texture, and those who lost their heads at the slightest obstacle couldn’t enter the Commander’s mansion. This was better – the Shen family had weathered storms and didn’t care about legitimate versus illegitimate status. If she wanted to escape a fire pit, he had a ready comfort nest to catch her. The two of them could come to an immediate agreement – why not?

They were very close, close enough to see the soft down on her young face. She had beautiful eyes, smooth plump cheeks, and ears. Strange – while everything about her exuded innocence, she was also full of cunning, like a beautiful golden key laced with poison, one taste bringing death.

“Take back the jade pendant and keep it safe,” he took a step back in his attitude, already showing the greatest compromise possible.

Qing Yuan knew bargaining at this moment would ruin things, so she could only nod.

He finally withdrew his hand that had been propping beside her and slowly straightened up. That manner of containing his sharp edges carried a scholarly grace.

Qing Yuan could finally breathe easier. These brief moments had felt like a life-and-death tug of war.

The small compartment was dimly lit, with only a beam of light coming through the half-closed window. Fine blue dust particles danced in that ray of sunlight, and the corner of his indigo changpao happened to catch a bit of light, immediately tracing out a dazzling golden edge. Qing Yuan felt she could never see through this man – even seeing him one way today, he might present an entirely different face tomorrow.

Standing face to face was rather awkward. The bill from next door was still playing, and in that sharp clamor, she slowly said, “Things that fall into my Second Sister’s hands… I don’t know if I can get them back in their original state…”

Especially something given in Li Congxin’s name – Qing Ru would probably rather destroy it than return it to her! This matter went wrong because she had miscalculated Shen Run’s attitude from beginning to end, thinking that night’s forced gift was merely his passing whim, but it turned out not to be so.

Shen Run frowned slightly, “I’ll find a way to get it back, but if Fourth Miss loses it again, I’ll have to come personally to demand an explanation.”

Qing Yuan’s heart tightened, and she quickly nodded. Though this incident ended with more thunder than rain, the problem left by the jade pendant remained. After careful consideration, she held back her hands and said, “Commander, Qing Yuan is a dull person, and though I’ve lived in the inner chambers, I know the rules and proper conduct. By reason, I shouldn’t accept things from men outside the family, especially such a personal item as a jade pendant. Having it with me makes me anxious daily. But since the Commander refuses to take it back, I have no choice. I only ask the Commander not to spread word of this, to preserve my reputation. When the Commander comes to retrieve it in the future, I can return it at any time.”

She described herself as a pawnshop, accepting his item only as temporary safekeeping, absolutely devoid of any romantic sentiment. Shen Run, being extremely clever, glanced at her sideways and said, “Fourth Miss surely has more words left unsaid?”

“There is more…” Qing Yuan kept her head down, only raising it after a while, her large eyes gazing at him pitifully, her tone almost pleading, “The Commander must already know my background. I have an unresolved grievance – my mother’s death is unclear, and I cannot let this matter rest. I only came of age this May, and if someone comes to propose marriage, I would have to leave the Xie family… I cannot leave now. I don’t know what the Commander intends to do with me, but I’ve thought it through – from the beginning, I’ve only felt reverence and admiration for the Commander, never treating you with disrespect or offense. Could the Commander spare me this once? Let us keep our distance from now on, and I’ll consider it the Commander’s kindness.”

But the powerful official remained silent, examining her with a mocking gaze. After a long while, he let out a light snort of laughter, “Fourth Miss’s dedication would surely comfort your mother. But there’s one thing I don’t understand – you ask me to spare you once, but if others come calling, will you beg them too? Or is it just that anyone but Shen Run would be acceptable? Looking at it this way, it’s not that you’ve offended Shen Run, but that Shen Run has offended you, hasn’t he?”

She indeed fell silent, and this silence made him clench his teeth inwardly. But just as he had steeled his heart to oppose her, she suddenly said, “If it were others, the Old Madam and Madam of the household might allow me to decline politely, but if it’s the Commander… I’m afraid I would have no say in the matter.”

These words were quite heartfelt. The Xie family’s desire to ally with the Commander’s mansion – he had seen it clearly from the day they sent her alone to visit. Later, when he became interested in her, he naturally inquired thoroughly about everything concerning her. The Xie family originally had no intention of accepting this daughter who had been lost to them, but only because their household had been constantly unsettled, suspecting Concubine Jin’s haunting, did they find ways to take her back from the elderly Chen couple. To the Xie family, she was like a house-settling charm – when the exchange conditions weren’t enticing enough, they could continue to keep her; if one day her marriage could open the gates to the capital for the Xie family, then her value would truly be realized, the house-settling would be more legitimate, and they could give her away.

However, he didn’t believe this was her only reason. He had originally intended to tease her, but as the conversation grew more revealing, he wanted to dig deeper, “Is that the only reason? What if I gave you two years to handle your affairs?”

Qing Yuan smiled nervously, “Have the Commander and I reached the point of discussing marriage?”

“Haven’t we?” he feigned surprise, then fixed her with an intense gaze, smiling brazenly, “I thought with our multiple intimate encounters, Fourth Miss would have already accepted me in her heart. So you haven’t?” He glanced back at the door, “A man and woman alone together – this matter is already settled. Or would Fourth Miss like to come out with me now and hear what your brothers have to say?”

He made to leave, and she fearfully caught his sleeve, “Commander, you know there’s nothing between us. Why deliberately take this burden upon yourself? If you walk out this door, at worst you’ll gain another romantic tale, but my reputation will be ruined. If that happens, the Xie family will certainly demand an explanation from you. Does the Commander truly wish to ally with the Xie family?”

If he only wanted the daughter without the maternal family, such an alliance would be merely nominal – how could it affect him in the slightest? But he was after all from a scholarly family, well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood, and deeply understood how important reputation was to a young lady. Jokes were jokes, but if taken too far, one careless moment could ruin her forever – he naturally knew where to draw the line.

Looking down at the hand gripping his sleeve, he sighed and said, “Fine, we won’t go out. Will Fourth Miss release me now?”

Qing Yuan withdrew her hand, smiling bashfully, “Thank you, Commander.”

He straightened his sleeve and turned to pace in that beam of light, the golden radiance illuminating his features. That relaxed and leisurely bearing made it seem as if the light came not from the sun, but from him.

“When I gave Fourth Miss the jade pendant, my thoughts were simple, without considering so much. Who knew it would provoke such concerns in you? Speaking in detail, it was my fault. Since Fourth Miss is worried, let’s discuss this properly. You don’t want me to send someone to make a formal proposal – surely there must be other hidden reasons? Perhaps you and Li Congxin are in love?”

He turned the tables on her, speaking without a hint of shame. Qing Yuan realized that with her level of cunning and face-saving, it would be very difficult to argue logic with him. There was no need to refute – few people in the world would describe giving someone a jade pendant as a “simple thought.” Skipping past those words to the question about Li Congxin, she shook her head and said, “The Third Young Master is of noble character and high status. Someone of my background shouldn’t court that embarrassment.”

There was indeed some melancholy between the lines – after all, Li Congxin had shown her true devotion. But in life, how long can romance last? After the love and tenderness between the two people fade, what remains is the vast, complicated family business. All sorts of relationships to handle – parents-in-law above, nephews below, sisters-in-law all around, endless gossip and idle talk. Entering such a household would likely be ten thousand times more difficult than living in the Xie family.

Shen Run seemed satisfied with her answer, “Then does the young lady have someone else in her heart?”

Qing Yuan shook her head again, finding it strange how each encounter with the Commander grew more peculiar than the last. He questioned her about private matters, and she felt compelled to answer. Thinking carefully – why should she? Just because he recklessly gave her a jade pendant, how did that become like a binding contract?

Or was it because she was too wary? She glanced at him, and his unrestrained attitude inexplicably made her fearful again. She suddenly felt this dodging and evading was pointless. Just as she had told Baoyan and the others at home, she might as well speak her mind – perhaps then it would all be over. So she gathered her courage and called to him, “The Commander need not ask further. In any case, I won’t be anyone’s concubine. If that jade pendant can be retrieved, please take it back. Keeping it with me has no proper basis – I am a young lady from an inner chamber, and it’s not proper to keep items from outsiders.”

Having spoken all that had been weighing on her mind, she realized her cheeks were burning, that heat spreading from her ears down into her crossed collar. It was partly because the day was hot, but also because of her sudden courage. Perhaps hearing this would make him think less of her, believing this minor concubine’s daughter was trying to act noble, repeatedly feigning rejection while wanting the status of a primary wife. He would probably mock her next, reminding her not to forget her origins, not to think too highly of herself. But this clean break wasn’t bad – since she didn’t want to get involved with him, speaking clearly in a few sentences meant no more beating around the bush.

Qing Yuan had prepared herself for his ridicule, but things didn’t develop exactly as she had imagined.

Shen Run was indeed surprised for a moment by her declaration “I won’t be anyone’s concubine,” but his surprise wasn’t at the statement itself – rather, he was surprised why she would think he wanted her as a concubine.

“Fourth Miss is unafraid of power – quite spirited,” he said, slightly furrowing his brow. She stood with her back to the light, a strand of hair falling by her temple, creating a kind of disheveled beauty.

Qing Yuan maintained her neither servile nor arrogant tone, “As the Commander knows, my mother was a concubine, thrown out by the Xie family like a cat or dog, still bearing the charge of murder. I asked Grandmother Chen what kind of person my mother was. Grandmother said she was gentle and obedient, dying of depression shortly after giving birth to me – you can imagine how much grievance she suffered in her heart. If she were alive, she certainly wouldn’t agree to me following her path. No woman in the world wants to be someone else’s concubine. I know how the Commander sees me now – my aspirations as high as heaven, my fate as thin as paper. But since these are my thoughts, there’s nothing to hide. I would rather never marry than become someone’s plaything. Please forgive my directness.”

Shen Run made a sound of acknowledgment, “Speaking from the heart is fine, but when did I ever say I wanted Fourth Miss as a concubine?”

She looked at him in confusion, not understanding his meaning at all. He held the second-highest rank, a new power at court, a hot commodity under the Emperor’s favor, a perfect match in the eyes of many legitimate daughters from noble families – how could his interactions with an unwelcome concubine’s daughter be aimed at marriage?

Not, Qing Yuan smiled and said, “The Commander never said so. It’s Qing Yuan who feels unworthy and dares not aspire so high.”

Shen Run fell silent for a moment. He had wanted to say something but finally gave up – she was too young after all, and saying too much might frighten her.

“I’ll go retrieve the jade pendant for Fourth Miss,” his voice was hoarse as he reached out to tuck the fallen strand of hair behind her ear. Those fingers that wielded weapons could also create the finest atmosphere. Under her dumbfounded gaze, he smiled lazily at her, “I’ll say it again – keep it safe. You never know when I might come to check on it. When that time comes, if Fourth Miss can’t produce it, don’t blame me for being impolite. Once I inform your Old Madam, you might not even get to be a concubine – you’ll end up as a serving girl. Remember that?”

Qing Yuan was so startled by his gesture that her soul nearly left her body, and she could only nod numbly.

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