HomeA Cup of LoveYi Ou Chun - Chapter 41

Yi Ou Chun – Chapter 41

At first, she had worried that this room would be easy to enter but difficult to leave, fearing being caught in the act – then no amount of explaining would clear things up. Unexpectedly, there was a small door in the wall shrouded in darkness, which opened directly into the garden behind. She followed Shen Run dizzily, while he walked ahead leisurely. To Shen Run, the bright sun, fresh breeze, and beauty by his side – perhaps this was like a preview of retirement thirty years hence. Getting to enjoy it early felt truly wonderful.

“The garden at home is very large. This is the East Garden, and Shen Che has the West Garden on his side. Get familiar with the paths now – after some time, you’ll naturally know your way around.”

His clear voice swept past her ears like the wind. Even now, Qing Yuan couldn’t understand how everything had happened. This man was both wicked and mischievous, particularly skilled at teasing. She was a proper girl who hadn’t seen much of the world – when he repeatedly jested with her, she felt embarrassed and wanted to get angry, but unfortunately didn’t dare.

The way he had fixed her hair earlier still made her feel dizzy as if floating in clouds. Usually, only Baoyan and Chuntai were close to her – girls naturally helped each other apply rouge and arrange hair, as casually as moving from left hand to right. But when a man suddenly used his sword-wielding hand to fix her hair, her heart leaped high into her throat. That immense trepidation seized her – she didn’t even feel violated, just pure instinctive fear. She was like a firefly trapped in a jar, her space for movement becoming narrow, the air growing thinner. He introduced her to his great garden, saying she would become familiar with time – this authoritative attitude made her skin crawl with goosebumps. She tried to fall back a bit, to maintain some distance from him, but he was someone who could track position by sound. Whenever she fell behind, he would turn to look at her – one lazy glance, one fleeting smile was enough to make her alarmed and quicken her pace to catch up.

Walking past the winding corridor that led through secluded paths, they approached the reception hall. Qing Yuan called softly from behind him, “Commander, if we enter together it might draw attention. Perhaps the Commander should go first, and I’ll follow shortly after?”

Her timid, pleading tone sounded just like someone anxiously trying to cover up after a secret tryst – very intimate, full of a young lady’s careful considerations.

He smiled knowingly upon hearing this and without further words, walked toward the reception hall. Qing Yuan stood alone under a tall magnolia tree, the wind rustling the branches above her head. Only then did she dare to fully exhale the tension in her chest. After exhaling, she felt both sorrowful and melancholic, vaguely knowing that unless something major went wrong, her fate would be inevitably entangled with that man’s for life.

“Kills without blinking devours without spitting out bones” – even these phrases couldn’t accurately describe Shen Run. If you said he was cruel, he appeared refined and elegant, more pure than scholars; but if you said he was easygoing, his name resounded throughout the court, and he had slaughtered so many officials in his way. Perhaps his robes remained spotless, but his hands were stained with blood – he was the sharpest blade in the Emperor’s hands.

Such a powerful man, both righteous and evil, held an ultimate attraction for young ladies awaiting marriage in the inner chambers. If Qing Yuan were to go with the flow, she could simply listen to him and follow him. But could this current splendor truly last a lifetime? His manipulation of power and indulgence in his way had made enemies in all directions – disaster would surely come someday. If she truly followed him, hoping for a peaceful life would probably be impossible.

Over by the corner of the reception hall, Baoyan’s figure finally appeared. She had been looking around everywhere, and seeing her mistress standing under the big tree, she ran over despite the sun. When she got close, she worriedly said, “How did young miss come out alone? There were sweet cakes at Madam Du Shi’s fruit table earlier, I went to prepare one for you, but when I turned around you were gone…” Then she asked in a lower voice, “Nothing went wrong, did it?”

Qing Yuan shook her head, “I felt stuffy inside, so I came out for a walk. There are so many magnolia trees planted here – it’s very cool standing underneath.”

Baoyan finally relaxed and said with a smile, “Yes, it’s hot, but young miss shouldn’t indulge in the cool air too much. The wind is strong here – it would be terrible if it gets into your joints. Let’s go inside quickly, they’re playing Arrow Treasure now.”

The so-called arrow-treasure game evolved from the Dragon Boat Festival’s shooting at millet. Various items like sachets and pendants were tied with a fine string and hung twenty paces away. Players used small horn bows to shoot at them, each person getting ten arrows. Hitting the target won the treasure, missing meant drinking a penalty – it was a simple and fun indoor game.

Qing Yuan listened and returned to the reception hall with Baoyan. Zheng Jun had just finished his round with little success, holding a cloth tiger stuffed with artemisia in one hand while drinking deeply from a wine bowl in the other. Everyone laughed, saying since Zheng Jun usually had good alcohol tolerance, he should drink another cup. Zheng Jun waved his hands, “My wife can’t stand the smell of alcohol. If I drink more, I’ll have to spend the whole night reading in the study.”

Everyone roared with laughter, understanding the considerations of a newlywed husband who needed to mind his wife’s feelings.

The next to take the stage was Shen Run. The small horn bow looked like a child’s toy in his hands as he turned it over, examining it while laughing, “Is there anyone here who doesn’t practice martial arts? Why use this kind of girl’s plaything to fool around!” He called out to a servant to bring a real bow and arrows.

“Arrow treasure shouldn’t be limited to items on the treasure rack. Any object in this reception hall, if you have the skill, you can take it. Does anyone object?” he said with a smile, patting the gilded fragrance ball at his waist. “Even personal ornaments – if you have the ability, feel free to take them. I won’t be stingy, and I trust everyone else feels the same?”

The crowd caught up in the game’s excitement, didn’t suspect any ulterior motive in his words, and naturally agreed.

Qing Yuan watched him nock the arrow, her hand clutching her handkerchief tightly.

Looking at Qing Ru, who seemed somewhat listless probably because she hadn’t managed to speak privately with Li Congxin, Lüzhui was whispering something to her, and she shook her head slightly.

Qing Yuan couldn’t help but sigh. The beast-faced jade pendant was worn in just the right position, its upper cord hanging long, traversing the beautiful curves of her chest, swaying in the air like another treasure target. But in such a precise space, there was no room for error – these were real bows and arrows. If an arrow went astray, today would end in disaster.

She could barely watch, her back breaking out in a sweat. Just as her mind wandered, she noticed two gazes from across the room – it was Li Congxin. He watched her quietly, his eyes deep as pools. Seeing her look back, his furrowed brows gradually smoothed, and his lips curved into a faint smile.

Somehow, Qing Yuan’s heart suddenly twisted in pain, feeling somewhat guilty toward him. As people grow up, they slowly meet others, and their fate becomes intricate, with thousands of threads of connections, thousands of threads of entanglements. She had thought that after moving to Youzhou with her family, their destiny would end, but unexpectedly, across thousands of miles, this romantic young master appeared before her again. But what could be done? She returned a helpless smile – even with true feelings, the gap in their status and position was an insurmountable mountain and sea.

Meanwhile, Li Congxin had been looking for her for a long time. After the banquet, he had wanted to speak with her, but couldn’t find her anywhere in or around the reception hall. When he asked Baoyan, she hesitated before saying the young miss had gone to look at Madam Du Shi’s flowers, but when Fangchun returned, Qing Yuan still hadn’t appeared. More terrifying was that Shen Run had also disappeared – his heart immediately jumped up and down, worried that Qing Yuan had fallen into Shen Run’s hands. He was someone who dared to scheme against princes and nobles – there was nothing he wouldn’t do. Later, Shen Run returned, and she was escorted back by Baoyan shortly after. He carefully examined her face, fearing to glimpse any terrible emotions, but fortunately found none – everything seemed normal.

Just as he was feeling relieved, suddenly there was a string of surprised gasps and sharp intakes of breath. He quickly turned to look and discovered that Shen Run had shot the goose-feather arrow into the wall, its slender shaft passing through a black cord from which hung the jade pendant on Qing Ru’s chest.

The arrow’s feathers still quivered, making the taotie pattern on the jade pendant tremble like a mocking silent laugh. Everyone was stunned. Qing Ru’s face flushed bright red – thinking how she had nearly become a victim of his arrow, this pampered legitimate daughter had suffered such a shock and humiliation. If they weren’t in someone else’s mansion and if she weren’t afraid of the Commander’s tyrannical power, she would have cried without regard for face.

Zhengze was also somewhat flustered. Qing Ru was his full sister – he didn’t know how she had offended Shen Run to invite such an affront. However, he couldn’t lose face by questioning it, nor could he show anger. He had to praise the Commander’s excellent archery while watching for any further developments. Looking at Qing Ru again, her face changed from red to white, then from white to green. He wanted to comfort her but couldn’t, only managing to force a smile and say, “I’ve often heard that the Commander could shoot through a willow leaf at a hundred paces. I didn’t believe it before, but seeing it with my own eyes now, one can’t help but be convinced.”

Shen Run removed the jade pendant, tossing it casually while smiling at Qing Ru, “Second Miss, I’m afraid I must take what pleases me. However, for a young lady in the inner chambers to wear a man’s ornament – indeed, the Regional Commander’s daughter is quite extraordinary.”

His laughter rang out clearly while Qing Ru nearly wanted to find a hole to crawl into. In her panic, she looked pleadingly toward Li Congxin, but he only smiled regretfully, that smile’s meaning unclear – whether he was regretting the jade pendant or sympathizing with her foolishness.

The banquet had experienced a small accident, but this accident was spontaneous entertainment – if you wanted to take offense, you couldn’t, because it was all part of the game. Qing Ru was deeply shocked and remained dazed afterward. Qing He watched this and turned to smile at Qing Yuan, “If not taught at home, others will teach the lesson. Wearing a man’s item at such a banquet – was she afraid the Shen brothers wouldn’t notice her, deliberately putting on airs?”

Only then did Qing Yuan feel a sense of revenge. The torment in the inner chambers was like slow poison, taking too long to take effect, unlike a man’s methods – sharp and precise, decisive. Like when Qing Ru had slapped her at the height of her arrogance – that slap happened in the inner chambers with no outsiders to see, but Shen Run’s punishment today was in front of everyone, making her lose all face yet unable to cry foul.

However, this would likely cause some trouble. Qing Yuan tugged at Qing He’s sleeve, “Elder Sister, that jade pendant was given by me to Second Sister. After today’s events, they’re sure to blame me when we return.”

Qing He was somewhat surprised, “You gave it to her?”

Qing Yuan nodded, saying regretfully, “I told her the jade was from the Young Marquis and asked Second Sister to keep it safe. I didn’t expect her to hang it on her buttons…”

Hearing this, Qing He finally understood, “No wonder she acted like this, eagerly trying to associate with others only to be looked down upon. Now that the Commander has made her a target, what face does she have left before the Young Marquis? If the Old Madam and Madam blame you when we return, I’ll help speak for you. Don’t be afraid.”

Qing He and Qing Yuan had grown increasingly of one mind lately. If not for Qing Yuan secretly passing her the message last time, Madam Hu would have certainly withdrawn from the marriage with the Founding Earl’s family in the master’s name. Then even if they had received Li Guanling’s letter, it would have been useless – their marriage would have been broken. Truthfully, Qing Yuan was her benefactor. She had come to realize that among all their brothers and sisters combined, none compared to this little sister. With her future secure, she naturally had more confidence and dared to speak up at home. If Qing Yuan encountered difficulties, she wouldn’t stand idly by.

Qing Yuan gratefully squeezed Qing He’s hand, “Thank you, Elder Sister.”

Qing He smiled, “The more embarrassed she is, the more I like it…”

Before she finished speaking, they saw Qing Ru’s maid Lüzhui approach, saying softly, “First Miss, our young miss isn’t feeling well. She asks when First Miss plans to return?”

Qing He glanced in Qing Ru’s direction – she was still dazed, looking like she had lost her soul. She said, “What does your young miss plan to do? If she wants to leave now, we just need to bid farewell to Madam Du Shi.”

Lüzhui looked eager, “Yes, leave, please leave. First Miss, please go say farewell to Madam Xiao Shen quickly.”

After some further delay, Qing He went to bid farewell to Fangchun, saying thank you for the mansion’s hospitality, but it was getting late and she needed to take her sisters back.

Fangchun was surprised, “I was just having people prepare the evening feast – why leave so soon?”

Qing He smiled and said, “Without elders present, we should return while it’s still light. We sisters are grateful for Madam’s generous hospitality.”

A wistful smile appeared on Fangchun’s face as she said with infinite regret, “If that’s the case, I won’t force you to stay. Let me see the young ladies off.”

The group again bustled with farewells, and after they boarded their carriages, Fangchun sent exquisite food boxes to each, saying with a smile, “These are shortbread made in our household – the young ladies can eat them themselves or give them to servants.” She also prepared two large boxes to be presented to the Old Madam and the Regional Commander’s wife. Such attention to detail made the ceremonies complete.

As the carriage left the ward where the Shen mansion was located, Qing Yuan placed the shortbread box on her knees, staring at it but not daring to open it.

After Shen Run took back the jade pendant, he had no further interaction with her. If everything in this food box was normal, then the jade pendant could be considered returned, and she would no longer need to be so anxious.

Seeing her take several deep breaths, Baoyan couldn’t help but smile, “Young Miss, you’ll have to open it eventually. Better to look early and plan accordingly.”

That made sense. Qing Yuan steadied herself and pulled open the delicate small drawer.

Two people with four eyes carefully looked inside. The shortbread box was divided into neat squares, each small compartment containing different flavored pastries. But in one compartment lay a snarling beast face looking up at them, its expression between crying and laughing.

Qing Yuan’s breath sank to her heels as she took it out and held it, saying dejectedly, “Really… try as I might, I still can’t get rid of it.”

Baoyan sympathized with her, “Since that’s the case, Young Miss should just keep it safe from now on.”

She had no choice but to keep it – if anything happened to it again, Shen Run wouldn’t let her off. Earlier in the small room, she had said all she needed to say, but unfortunately, it hadn’t brought closure to this matter. Now it seemed Fangchun knew about it too – no wonder she had shown inexplicable warmth from the beginning. Looking back now, there truly was no such thing as fondness without reason in this world.

The return journey was even faster than the journey there. Perhaps because Qing Ru’s carriage in front was hurrying, the carriages behind had to speed up to avoid falling too far behind. In about the time it took to burn an incense stick, they had already reached the Xie mansion.

People came out from inside to welcome them. Qing Yuan got down from the carriage and looked back – just as Qing Ru’s feet touched the ground, she collapsed softly. Lüzhui’s chicken-like shriek pierced the dusk before the Xie mansion gates, “What’s wrong with the young miss? Someone come quickly…”

Then chaos erupted throughout the Xie mansion’s inner quarters. Qing Ru was carried into her Qilan Garden, several doctors took turns examining her as she lay convulsing on the bed. Madam Hu was frightened out of her wits, loudly questioning Lüzhui: “She was fine when she left, how did she end up like this when she returned?”

Lüzhui could only cry, sobbing that the young miss had been shocked when Commander Shen shot off the jade pendant she was wearing.

Hearing this, the Old Madam grew suspicious – normally when a man tries to take a woman’s item, he must have his reasons. Given his military background, perhaps he was just testing the young lady’s courage. But Qing Ru had no backbone, actually getting scared of this state.

However, Madam Hu found it strange. Because of her brother Chunzhi, Qing Ru had specifically come to let her mother see her attire before going out, and she hadn’t been wearing any jade pendant then. She asked Lüzhui which pendant it was.

Lüzhui sobbed and pointed at Qing Yuan, “That jade pendant was given to our young miss by Fourth Miss. Now that our young miss has been frightened out of her wits by Commander Shen, Old Madam, and Madam should just ask Fourth Miss – it must be Fourth Miss trying to harm our young miss!”

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