That night, the post station was brightly lit. Originally everything had been fine, but then Qing Zhu’s voice came from outside the post station room door, saying that a letter written personally by Yao Shi had arrived and requested the young master to review it personally. The letter was handed in, and Qi Ying didn’t avoid Shen Xiling, opening and reading it in her presence. She thus watched helplessly as the smile in his eyes suddenly faded, and that pool of gentle spring water instantly froze back into frost in a moment. She found it difficult to describe how he looked at that time—it was like storm clouds gathering before the wind fills the tower. She could feel his aura had changed. An unprecedented severity. She even became somewhat frightened and hurriedly looked down at the letter as well. With just a few glances, she too was greatly alarmed.
…The eldest young master of the Qi family and the third young master had both been imprisoned for involvement in a major case of usury and land annexation. The Son of Heaven questioned the Left Chancellor about it, and the Chancellor collapsed from shock and grief, now bedridden and unconscious.
Shen Xiling’s heart shook violently at the time, and before she could even react, Qi Ying had already summoned Qing Zhu into the room with a solemn and cold expression, asking: “Where is the messenger?”
Qing Zhu hurriedly bowed and went out to call for him. The messenger was a household servant of the Qi family who entered the room covered in mud and looking utterly destitute.
Qi Ying frowned deeply and asked: “What happened?”
The household servant trembled as he haltingly explained the whole story. Yao Shi had originally written this letter on the nineteenth day of the first month and immediately sent a household servant north to deliver it. However, this servant encountered bandits halfway, was captured and taken into the mountains for over half a month, had all his money and belongings robbed, and only managed to escape from their stronghold a few days ago, finally finding the second young master’s party today.
The nineteenth of the first month… Today was already the twenty-third of the second month.
So now the Qi family…
Shen Xiling’s heart beat faster and faster. In her panic, she immediately looked up at Qi Ying and saw that he had already slightly closed his eyes. After closing them for a moment, he returned to normal.
He pondered for a moment, then waved his hand at Qing Zhu and the household servant, saying: “Go out.”
Qing Zhu looked anxious and glanced at Shen Xiling, seemingly hinting that she should comfort the young master from the side. Although Shen Xiling understood, she was also in complete turmoil at the time, not knowing what to say or do, and could only stand there stammering.
Qing Zhu and the household servant both withdrew from the room.
This night was extremely quiet.
Shen Xiling watched as Qi Ying slowly seated himself in the simple post station room, his expression cold and stern with a hint of weariness. She stood in place for a while before quietly walking to his side, silently pouring him a cup of tea and placing it beside his hand.
He was probably thinking about things and didn’t notice the tea she offered at first, but later he saw it, took it casually, and even smiled at her, though the smile was thin and far from reaching his eyes.
She knew that at that moment his heart was extremely unsettled.
Shen Xiling pressed her lips together, then slowly sat beside him, looking at him by the残lamp in the room and saying: “Young Master… shall we go back?”
He looked at her upon hearing this, his phoenix eyes dark as twilight, appearing especially deep, his voice also extremely low as he asked her back: “Go back?”
Go back?
She knew his arrangements. After leaving Jiankang this time, he hadn’t planned to return. He wanted to fulfill his promise to her, to take her away from all the disputes and live the life they both yearned for. But Jiankang was a huge whirlpool—once they returned, they would inevitably be trapped within it, and then wanting to leave again wouldn’t be so easy.
If they were to leave, now was the best opportunity. Once they missed it, all changes would be beyond their control.
Of course Shen Xiling wanted to leave with Qi Ying just like this. She had yearned for such days for who knows how long. But Jiankang still had his family members… his father and mother, his elder brother and younger brother… Now that they were in trouble, how could he not care?
She understood most clearly the pain of sparse familial affection and absolutely didn’t want him to be like her. At the same time, she also knew that if he really abandoned everything and took her away at this time, this matter would become a lifelong nightmare for him and ultimately become a knot in both their hearts.
Taking it ten thousand steps further, the Qi family members had all treated Shen Xiling very well. Yao Shi had even personally presided over her coming-of-age ceremony, clearly treating her as her own child. How could she not be grateful? Even without considering Qi Ying, she herself was willing to return for this matter.
Shen Xiling looked back at him, her eyes clear and clean, smiling and nodding at him at this moment, her expression gentle yet firm, saying: “Yes, let’s go back.”
Without complaint, without hesitation.
Qi Ying looked at her deeply for a long time. At that moment there was something very complex in his eyes, seeming somewhat moved and also somewhat sighing, but he said nothing, only reached out to pull her tightly into his embrace.
His breath was burning hot, yet stable and long, making her feel how resilient and profound this man’s character was.
“I will definitely take you away,” he said. “Once this matter is finished, we’ll leave.”
He was very resolute.
“I won’t let you down.”
That was his promise to her, a promise a man makes to a woman.
Those words fell on Shen Xiling’s ears and immediately made her eyes burn. She also reached out to embrace him back, gently patting his back, saying: “I know.”
I know.
I know what kind of person you are, perhaps understanding you more than anyone else in this world.
I know you won’t break your promise, because you originally saw everything as your own responsibility.
I only hope you won’t make things too hard on yourself.
That’s all.
Through the long night, the two embraced for a long time, as if they were each other’s final comfort.
Half a month later, the diplomatic mission returned to Jiankang.
When going north to Great Wei, the mission had taken a month, but the return journey took half the time, all because Young Master Qi had given the order to travel day and night back to Jiangzuo.
No one dared ask their superior why he was so urgent, only because for this half month their superior’s face had been as dark as water, making people afraid to approach, so no one dared say much and could only follow orders.
They arrived at Jiankang in the dead of night.
At that time the city gates were already closed and shouldn’t have allowed anyone else in, but Young Master Qi was naturally an exception as he was a Chancellor. The gate commander respectfully allowed passage upon seeing the Privy Council’s token.
The city gates of Jiankang were tall and stern, like a huge cage. Shen Xiling sat in the carriage with Qi Ying, looking through the carriage window at these familiar gates, her heart filled with countless emotions.
Four years ago she had first met him here, and three months ago when they left together through this gate she had thought she would never return in this lifetime. Unexpectedly, after being away for merely a few days, they had no choice but to return here again.
Like fate.
After entering the city, Qi Ying had Bai Song drive the carriage to first send Shen Xiling back to Fenghe Garden, while he changed horses with Qing Zhu to rush back to the main family residence. Before he got out of the carriage, Shen Xiling suddenly felt a strong unease in her heart and couldn’t help but hug him tightly, burying her face in his chest and asking: “…When will you return to Fenghe Garden?”
Her voice trembled slightly. Qi Ying could feel her unease, so he reached out to hold her and gently comfort her, promising: “I’ll be back soon, back to see you.”
His voice remained low and steady as always, but it didn’t reassure Shen Xiling as it had in the past. All her worries transformed into reluctance to part from him. She kept nestled in his arms without leaving until the horses outside made urging neighing sounds, and only then did she reluctantly let go. She pressed against the carriage window watching him get out and mount his horse, then quickly disappear into the thick night of Jiankang City.
At that time, neither of them knew what circumstances they would meet under again.
The Qi family was a prominent clan of a hundred years, their main residence as grand and imposing as ever, with vermillion gates towering majestically. The two stone lions at the foot of the steps before the gate were as dignified as in former days, and the lanterns in front of the mansion gates were exquisite and bright, stretching the shadows of the returning travelers very long.
The doorkeeper servants heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats and knew someone was coming. Coming out of the mansion gate and seeing that the second young master had returned, in their surprise their eyes even filled with tears as they choked out: “Young Master has finally returned… Please, please hurry inside to take a look!”
Qi Ying frowned deeply and strode into the mansion.
Inside the mansion the carved beams were as before, everything seemed unchanged, only the atmosphere was cold and stern, appearing somewhat desolate.
The main hall was empty. Qi Ying thought for a moment, then turned to go to his mother’s Jiaxi Hall.
Before entering the door, he first heard Hui’er crying, with his mother’s voice low, seemingly comforting her.
Why would Hui’er be at mother’s place?
The maidservant serving outside Jiaxi Hall reacted exactly like the doorkeeper upon seeing the second young master. Her originally lifeless eyes immediately brightened, she bowed to him, then ran happily into Jiaxi Hall to report back to Yao Shi. Before long, his mother’s voice came from inside the hall, faintly trembling, asking: “Is Jingchen back?”
Upon hearing this, Qi Ying immediately entered the door, turned past the screen, and saw his mother.
In less than two months, Yao Shi had lost much weight.
She was a very beautiful lady who had lived harmoniously with the Chancellor, with accomplished and filial children, having been raised in comfort for many years. Because she had no worries, one could hardly see the traces of time on her face. But after these two months she had instantly aged considerably, with silver at her temples and dark circles under her eyes, looking extremely weary.
Upon seeing Qi Ying enter the door, her eyes immediately reddened and she rose to her feet, but after just a few steps her legs gave way and she nearly fell. Qi Ying quickly caught and helped his mother sit down. Yao Shi had already begun to cry, leaning on her son’s shoulder and weeping sorrowfully: “Jingchen… Jingchen…”
His mother was emotionally agitated and couldn’t speak for a moment. Qi Ying comforted her while feeling a weight on his knees—little Hui’er was hugging his legs, also crying with tears all over her face, repeatedly calling “Second Uncle” and sobbing: “Second Uncle finally came back, please Second Uncle save father and mother, Second Uncle…”
He had been on the road for this half month and didn’t know much about the current situation at home, only knowing the news mentioned in his mother’s letter. But hearing Hui’er’s words, could it be that something had also happened to his eldest sister-in-law?
Qi Ying suppressed his doubts and freed one hand to take care of his little niece, wiping her tears while comforting her: “Second Uncle is back, nothing will happen, Hui’er should go sleep first, and when you wake up everything will be fine.”
But little Hui’er held onto him and wouldn’t let go, crying until she could barely breathe. Qi Ying gave Qing Zhu a look, and Qing Zhu immediately left the room to call for Hui’er’s wet nurse. When the wet nurse came, she was to take the exhausted little girl away.
Hui’er, though just a small girl, seemed to have some understanding already, knowing fear and worry. Before leaving, she stretched out her little finger to Qi Ying, crying: “Second Uncle pinky promise with Hui’er.”
Qi Ying made the pinky promise with her, and only then did the little girl feel somewhat reassured, seemingly knowing that her family’s Second Uncle was someone who could hold up the sky, and what Second Uncle promised would certainly be right.
The wet nurse seized the opportunity and carried the little girl away.
During this time, Yao Shi’s emotions had also stabilized considerably. Qi Ying poured his mother a cup of calming tea, and after she drank it, she finally began to tell Qi Ying the whole story of this matter.
The root of this trouble naturally lay with the third son, Qi Ning.
In recent years he had been close friends with Fu Ran, a concubine-born son of the Fu family. This past year, somehow, he had gotten involved in their family’s private lending business along with Fu Ran.
Things like private lending that violated laws and regulations had actually been touched upon more or less by various families—the Qi family wasn’t exempt either. For instance, some branch families had been involved, but the Qi family maintained proper family conduct, and the legitimate line never touched these things. Moreover, their control over the branch families was stricter than other clans. Even if they had done some improper things, they were careful about boundaries and wouldn’t be too ostentatious or excessive.
But what Qi Ning had stirred up this time was different.
He had not only engaged in private lending at forty percent interest, but also added interest upon interest in enormous amounts, forcing common people who couldn’t repay their debts to use their farmland as collateral, then seizing the people’s land, already amounting to over a thousand acres.
Where would a concubine-born son of the family get so much silver? Naturally it was all borrowed from money houses outside without the family’s knowledge. The money house owners weren’t fools—although they knew he was a young master of the Qi family, they wouldn’t easily lend him large amounts of real gold and silver, naturally requiring him to provide guarantees. He must have lost his mind or been incited by someone, actually daring to steal his elder brother’s private seal and stamp it on the money house loan documents.
Author’s Note: He was once someone who wanted to flee far away, now a returning person.