At the sight of blood, her anger immediately subsided. He hadn’t anticipated this. After a moment, he slowly raised his hand, touching the wound on his face, then narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. She was momentarily stunned, then quickly lowered her head to look at her own hands. Shen Zhishu’s face had captivated countless women, yet now she had marred it. She had struck an imperial official—if he truly became angry, what would he do to her?
Unexpectedly, after looking at her for a moment, he adjusted his robe and crouched down, picking up the shattered teacup pieces one by one and stacking them aside. Then he raised his eyebrows and asked, “Feel better now?”
The wound on his face was still bleeding. As she looked at it, her heart twinged. She bit her lip, stood up, and walked over to him, taking out a handkerchief to press against the side of his face. Not daring to apply too much pressure, she gently wiped the blood around the wound.
He stood motionless, looking down at her. His gaze made her hand tremble. Finally, she thrust the handkerchief into his arms and turned to leave. But he caught her by the waist again. This time she didn’t struggle, and his grip was gentle. They stood embracing, neither speaking for some time.
After a long while, he sighed softly, “You fear you’ll hinder my career, and you fear I’ll destroy your freedom. But how could I not know your heart, and how could you not know mine?”
She remained silent, pressing her lips tightly together, casting her eyes to one side.
Shen Zhishu raised his hand to turn her chin toward him and said earnestly, “Why would I fear others’ impeachment? If you would speak one word of true feeling, even if accused of improper relations between the Chao’an Transport Commissioner and a merchant, I would not be afraid.”
She suddenly grew angry, gritting her teeth: “Stop trying to sweet-talk me. Save those sour words for other girls. What kind of relationship does your Shen family have with the Emperor? They won’t punish you no matter what. My Yan family’s current wealth and status weren’t easily achieved. I won’t believe your empty promises.”
He spoke urgently, “Then marry me.”
Yan Fuzhi’s body stiffened, her eyes suddenly misty. Yet she coldly laughed, “That’s fine. When you’re no longer Transport Commissioner, we can speak honestly. If you expect me to abandon my family and business for you now, you’re having a grand delusion.”
Shen Zhishu slowly released her. “I knew you would say that.” He turned around, growing somewhat agitated. “What if I told you the Emperor already knows about us? What would you do then?”
She still laughed coldly: “How many romantic affairs has Shen Zhishu had over the years? Even if the Emperor knows, he would merely consider me another item in your list of dalliances.”
He stared at her, his chest surging with emotion.
Yan Fuzhi continued, “You needn’t keep speaking of feelings. The thirty thousand stones of grain I’m lending you—I’m not expecting nothing in return.”
Shen Zhishu’s face darkened. “What do you want?”
She spoke lightly: “The matter of private salt sales previously discussed by the Tea and Horse Bureau of the Northern Chao’an Route.”
Hearing this, he immediately understood and frowned: “I cannot grant you that.”
Yan Fuzhi glanced at him sideways: “Allowing merchants to participate in official salt sales was your proposal. Why can’t you grant it to me?” Seeing him about to speak, she interrupted: “I’m not asking you to do anything illegal. I only ask that you grant the Yan family fifty percent of what the Tea and Horse Bureau has determined as the share.”
“Yan Fuzhi,” his expression showed slight annoyance, “you do know how to seize profit opportunities.”
Her eyes were clear. “So I hope Grand Scholar Shen won’t presume that I’m lending you grain because of personal feelings.”
He pondered for a while before saying, “I agree. But this matter must be reported to the Emperor.”
“As you wish.” She was completely unconcerned. “Rather than requesting the Emperor to recognize the Yan family’s service, it’s better to ask the Emperor to grant the Yan family some proper benefits.”
For a moment, Shen Zhishu could hardly tell whether her apparent indifference toward him was genuine or feigned. He stood there stiffly for a long time before saying softly, “Very well.” Then, looking at her, he added somewhat ingratiatingly, “In that case, I’ll await the Yan family’s grain. Once the provisions and armor from the western Fengqing Road arrive, I will repay your family in full.”
Yan Fuzhi waved her sleeve toward the hall door. “You may leave. No need to see you out.”
Without another word, he turned and strode out.
Seeing him leave so decisively, her face immediately crumpled. Her heart laughed bitterly. What nonsense about feelings! If he had even a fraction of genuine feeling, why hadn’t he come to see her once in the half year since returning to Qingzhou? This time, he only came because he needed something from her. She began to hate herself. How pathetic she was—even knowing his nature, she couldn’t bear to refuse his request. She had been contemplating this grain matter since earlier in the day, and had he not come tonight, she probably would have sent someone to deliver grain to his commissioner’s office anyway! The sharp edges of the stacked teacup fragments by the doorpost made the corners of her eyes sting.
Outside, the night wind stirred up dust, howling along the path of his tall, thin figure.
Shen Zhishu’s spine grew rigid with cold, and as he walked, his face hardened. Before his return to the capital for his official duties, she had been so resolute and unforgiving, claiming she wouldn’t follow him to the capital, nor would she compromise herself for him in the slightest. He was not a shameless person—even upon returning to Qingzhou, how could he pester and cling to her like some scoundrel? He knew well that her family background and status didn’t match his. And when he came to her residence tonight, how could it have been just to borrow grain? Among the wealthy merchants in the Qingzhou region, the Yan family wasn’t the only one—couldn’t he have borrowed from others? He had merely wanted to use the opportunity of borrowing grain to request imperial recognition for the Yan family. If the Emperor was inclined, perhaps the Yan family might even receive titles and rewards. But she didn’t care about any of that. Enough! No matter his intentions, she would not accept them anyway. Why should he continue to court such embarrassment?
The night wind at the foot of Mount Min was even more biting.
Outside the newly constructed garrison, torches blazed brightly. A line of armored horses with bits in their mouths slowly entered the south gate of the garrison. Behind them, waves of troops appeared, their cold armor gleaming particularly harshly in the night.
A junior officer ran swiftly along the camp road, stopping only when he reached the central command. Catching his breath, he called out loudly outside the campaign tent: “Report—!”
The tent flap was lifted from inside, and Song Zhirui walked out.
The junior officer immediately presented his military credential, swiftly saying: “Report: The Northern Three Routes Commissioner, Left Gate Guard General Di Nian’s troops have arrived south of the garrison!”
Song Zhirui’s face brightened considerably. “Where is General Di?”
Song Zhirui dismissed the junior officer with a wave of his hand, then went back to fetch his horse. He leaped onto it and rode toward the south gate of the garrison. Just as he reached the southern wall of the camp, he saw a distant figure in black horse and silver armor standing by the road, holding a long spear across his arm.
He smiled slightly, slowly urging his horse forward to meet him. While still several yards away, he called loudly: “General Di!”
Hearing the voice, Di Nian turned his head. In the darkness, he took a moment to recognize Song Zhirui. Then, with a smile, he said: “General Song.” He rode over and continued, “I had planned to arrive tomorrow morning, but we made better time on the road than expected and arrived tonight instead. Thank you for having your men welcome my troops into the garrison.”
When Meng Tinghui had come to pacify the rebellion in Chao’an earlier, he and Song Zhirui had already met. He knew this middle-aged man from the Qingzhou garrison was truly an excellent commander. During that campaign, they had coordinated extremely well in the major assault on the rebels outside Liuqi City. So when he learned that Cao Zixiong had dispatched Song Zhirui from Qingzhou to lead troops north to aid Mount Min, he decided to temporarily keep Song Zhirui under his command to assist with the northern expedition.
Song Zhirui sent someone to handle the entry of the military supervisor into the camp, then smiled at Di Nian: “General Di’s words are too humble. Just days ago, General Luo Bitao arrived at the garrison with twenty thousand troops from Qingzhou. I truly didn’t expect General Di’s forces to reach here so quickly from Fenzhou.”
Di Nian rode into the garrison, his expression darkening slightly as he said: “With the Emperor’s command before us, who in the military would dare delay? War consumes greatly—each day of delay adds another day of hardship for the people. We should move as quickly as possible.”