As a dance draws to its close and the music gradually fades, so too, when the night grew deep, did the wind stir the clouds gathered thick above the city, unraveling that dense haze thread by thread. The gathering in the Su family’s clan assembly hall was drawing to its end. This evening’s developments had taken twist after twist, and most of the Su family had not yet had time to fully digest or accept the reality before them. But regardless, the great tangle of events set in motion months ago by the imperial merchant affair, the dark scheme hidden behind it all, the most unexpected outcome imaginable—had, here tonight, finally had one corner of its veil lifted.
Though it would likely take some time yet before most people truly came to grasp the full picture, unraveling the true shape of events thread by thread, even this single corner now exposed was enough to leave those following tonight’s affairs utterly astonished—layer upon layer of scheme and counter-scheme, careful arrangements hidden behind silence, expectations that had weighed heavily on so many now revealed as entirely misplaced. Especially astonishing were the names of those who had orchestrated it all from behind the scenes: Su Yu, Su Tan’er—and, most bewildering of all, without question, that Ning Liheng who had always seemed to drift along the margins of the whole affair. That he had been the hand moving behind everything, throughout the entire process, was something no one had ever imagined.
The Eldest, Second, and Third Branches, everyone inside and outside the assembly hall, were still absorbing this reversal amid a flood of murmured discussion. Here, perhaps, all anyone could do was marvel at just how much command this old man, Su Yu, relatively silent these past four months, still held over the family. Now that the truth had come out, with the results of the imperial merchant affair laid bare and unmistakable, he was able to seize the moment to persuade the clan elders around him to accept this new reality, and, riding on the strength of these facts, bring the entire household to accept Su Tan’er’s rise to power.
In truth, had the family’s situation these past months not genuinely looked so dire, these elders would never have come forward to negotiate with Su Yu at all. But now that it had been proven Su Yu still held mastery over the whole situation, amid their astonishment they naturally accepted this state of affairs—after all, this was hardly the first time Su Yu’s guiding hand had steered the family through one crisis after another.
“Well then… as for having Tan’er take over the affairs Boyong originally managed, does anyone have thoughts to share? Feel free to speak now.”
Amid the murmured discussion, when Su Yu spoke these words again, riding the momentum of this complete reversal, hardly anyone dared raise any objection. Several of the clan elders spoke up in turn: “With such results already achieved, there’s certainly no one who could object to Tan’er taking over these affairs.”
The matter gradually settled; what had begun as a crisis had turned into an opportunity, and this clan assembly, convened originally to address that crisis, had no further business left to discuss. The elders spoke on above about the aftermath and follow-up matters, while everyone throughout the hall carried in their hearts a complicated, hard-to-name mixture of feelings. Su Zhongkan and Su Yunfang glanced repeatedly between Su Tan’er, now seated back in her place, and their father seated above. Off to the side, Su Yunsong let out a long sigh, watching Su Tan’er and finding himself recalling the scholar his daughter had described these past few days as spending his time idly wandering about.
“Zhongkan, Yunfang, once this disperses, come by my quarters for a moment.”
As the gathering neared its end, Su Yu walked over and spoke a few words to the two brothers, who nodded in response. Their maneuvering these past months had left them utterly, thoroughly defeated. But their father’s authority remained undiminished, and however resentful they might feel about it, resentment alone would solve nothing.
Meanwhile, feeling the astonished gazes and murmured discussions of everyone around her, having finally laid her cards fully on the table and won this contest entirely, Su Tan’er’s own mood was far from good.
It wasn’t the lingering satisfaction one might expect after some great triumph, nor was it dwelling on how great a price had been paid, with her father now incapacitated. In the moment she’d stepped forward carrying that box, her heart had swelled with something almost like the thrill and anticipation of a coronation; when the silver notes and contracts had been laid out, her entire heart had trembled. But now, this woman in her pale blue-green robes found her gaze drifting occasionally toward the doors of the assembly hall, her mind suddenly uncertain how she was even meant to walk out through them.
There was something weighing on her mind—something that might otherwise have counted as a small matter, but which had now, unexpectedly, come to occupy her entire attention, leaving her almost unable to taste any sweetness in her success.
At last, the elders declared the meeting adjourned. People rose, exchanged words, discussed among themselves, casting their eyes toward one key participant after another. Su Tan’er hesitated for a moment, then rose as well, following her grandfather and father out of the hall.
As she stepped through the door, she glanced around, and not finding the figure she was looking for, felt a brief flash of relief mixed with continued worry. Su Danhong was approaching from another direction; without noticing her, Su Tan’er parted ways with her father and the others beneath the corridor, following her grandfather and several elders off in another direction.
Rounding a corner, her grandfather finally noticed her and called her over. Two of the elder uncles spoke with her briefly as well, and she answered them politely. Once they’d moved off, Tan’er’s brow furrowed slightly, and she turned her gaze to the old man.
“Grandfather, how could you say that…”
“Mm, say what?” The old man smiled with gentle affection.
“About Liheng.”
Watching his granddaughter’s expression, Su Yu fell silent for a long moment. “What’s wrong with speaking of him?”
“Grandfather, he’s my husband. I’d like… things to be simpler.” With figures still passing by all around them, Su Tan’er frowned. “And besides, husband can understand what you’re implying, Grandfather. How am I supposed to explain today’s events to him?”
The old man sighed. “Liheng married into our Su family; you are his wife, and it’s only proper that he protect you, shield you from harm. This affair has been unusually intense, and your Second and Third Uncles surely harbor some resentment in their hearts. Rather than let all of it fall on you alone, if Liheng can share some of that burden, that’s a good thing. Moreover, with Boyong now unable to move about as before, having Liheng standing behind you means you won’t stand entirely alone. Even if this arrangement does Liheng some disservice, in the end, it’s simply doing something on behalf of you, his wife—that’s his proper duty, the natural bond between husband and wife.”
Su Tan’er closed her eyes and said firmly, “But Grandfather, doing this puts the whole Su family on guard against him. Husband will understand exactly what that means.”
She had always had a fierce, unyielding temperament since childhood; even facing the greatest of troubles, she rarely allowed herself to appear weak, especially not before her grandfather—even during those days when the yellow cloth had faded, she had never let herself show helplessness, holding on until her body simply gave out and she fell ill. But now, having just completed something of such enormous consequence, having just secured control of the Eldest Branch, over this one matter alone, she nearly looked ready to burst into tears.
There were things she simply couldn’t explain to her grandfather—she couldn’t tell him that the affection between herself and her husband had only just reached the level of a true married couple, couldn’t tell him that they had only just decided to consummate their marriage, couldn’t explain how their feelings for each other had developed these past days, or what sort of man her husband truly was. But she knew, deep down, that her husband would surely hear the message hidden behind her grandfather’s words.
After everything he had done for her sake, her father had said something similar; now even her grandfather had grown wary, beginning to guard against him, alerting the entire Su family to keep watch over him. Even if there was little real malice behind it, what would her husband think in his heart? And how was she even supposed to explain any of this to him—no matter how open-minded her husband might be, how could she possibly find the words…
The old man looked at her for a long while, then finally raised his hand and patted her shoulder, breaking into a smile—a smile somewhat different from his usual one, carrying both understanding and a measure of relief. “So… that’s how it is…”
“Grandfather…”
“Brother Zi’an has himself a fine grandson. I’d thought for a long while about having you take charge of this household—setting aside the question of ability, my only real worry was that you might be too fierce, too unyielding. A woman running a household must be even tougher than most, but I always feared that in becoming so, you might lose the true feeling of family, lose someone who truly cared for you. Now, well, your grandfather can finally rest easy. When Liheng first married in, I didn’t want to treat him merely as a matrilocal son-in-law, precisely because I worried he might not have the capacity to adapt to it. What I said today does carry a measure of concern for him, it’s true, but the main reason is that he’s proven he genuinely has that capacity.”
The old man paused. “With that capacity, no one can easily harm him. With that capacity, he can stand before you and shield you. That you worry for him is a good thing in itself, and your grandfather finds it comforting too—but as far as I’m concerned, he is your husband, and even though he married in, if he’s capable of bearing it, then he ought to bear some of the burden on your behalf. That’s my own selfish wish, if you like. And in this world, such responsibilities always fall upon a man sooner or later, whether there’s reason to it or not—you are his wife, and caring for him a little more is only proper, heh heh, it’s a good thing too. That’s simply how it is, between husband and wife.”
Grandfather and granddaughter walked on together. “As for those brothers of yours, all of them mediocre talents—they couldn’t last two or three exchanges against him. If they truly wished him harm, they lack the ability for it. After what’s happened today, you may seem isolated going forward in the marketplace, but anyone scheming against you will always have to reckon with the man standing behind you. As for the future—if you truly come to care for him, well, when the two of you have your second child, why not let that one carry the Ning surname? That choice is entirely yours to make. As for Brother Zi’an, I believe I’ve done right by him in this too… ah, there he is, over there.”
As he said this, Su Yu gestured ahead, where Ning Yi was indeed approaching from not far off, momentarily waylaid by an elder uncle offering, it seemed, a few words of encouragement. Once the elder had moved along, Su Yu brought Su Tan’er over, then took her hand and placed it into Ning Yi’s.
“This granddaughter of mine—I entrust her to you now.”
Ning Yi let out a soft laugh.
After Su Yu had left, Su Tan’er held onto Ning Yi’s hand, falling silent for a long moment. “Husband, we… we succeeded.”
“I’m angry.”
“Um…” A sudden chill ran through Su Tan’er’s palm. She more or less understood what Ning Yi meant, but for a moment found herself unable to speak. Ning Yi glanced around, drew her along as he walked, and shook his head. “We’re sleeping in separate rooms tonight.”
“…”
“That old man had no sense of loyalty at all.”
“…”
“No negotiation—I’m angry, and that’s final.”
“…”
“If I’m unhappy, I’ll take it out on his granddaughter.”
“…”
“Crying won’t help. You’re sleeping alone in your empty chamber tonight.”
“…”
“Ha ha ha… hey, don’t actually cry now, no need to take it that far.”
By now the two of them had walked some distance, into a quiet, empty stretch of corridor. Su Tan’er tugged Ning Yi’s sleeve up to dab at her cheeks—and found, to her surprise, that real tears had begun falling. Under the lamplight, a faint smile mingled with the tears, before she finally recovered her composure and returned to a calm smile. “I was going to apologize to husband on Grandfather’s behalf…”
“I reserve the right to hold this against you and stay angry about it.” Ning Yi laughed and patted her shoulder. “But you’d better go handle the aftermath first—lots to deal with tonight?”
Only then did Su Tan’er relax, nodding. “Mm, there’s still quite a bit to attend to…”
“Then hurry along.”
Under the lamplight, Ning Yi smiled and waved her off. Su Tan’er stood there watching him for a long moment, seeming to hesitate still, but finally nodded and turned to leave.
Ning Yi watched her figure grow distant, not entirely certain what her plans were for the rest of the night—likely just some final wrapping-up of matters. There was no particular need for him to be there, and Su Tan’er, in their idle chatting, hadn’t mentioned much about it either.
In a courtyard near the front of the Su estate, Su Tan’er changed into a plain, unremarkable set of men’s clothing, then departed the district by carriage, accompanied by several of the Su estate’s most capable guards. They caught up with two carriages ahead and set off together toward the city outskirts.
…
It was nearly midnight. In a room near Ten-Step Slope, an oil lamp flickered with a bean-sized flame, swaying faintly. Xi Junyu sat at the table, both hands resting flat on its wooden surface. Two other men were also in the room—one, Guard Geng, sitting directly across from Xi Junyu; the other, a rather gaunt man with sharp, alert eyes, leaning in the shadows by the door, a narrow blade held in hand, clearly no ordinary sort.
The Su household’s business was extensive, and its caravans often traveled far afield; naturally, this sometimes brought them into contact with the underworld. Xi Junyu understood this well, and at present, thought it best not to act rashly.
Time passed slowly and tediously. Xi Junyu listened to the distant chime of bells, trying to guess how events might be unfolding back at the Su estate, though he had little to go on.
“The Su family’s affair should have reached some conclusion by now, shouldn’t it?”
He spoke up after a while, but Guard Geng only shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“How could they possibly turn things around at this point?”
“That’s the Second Young Miss’s business.”
“I really can’t make sense of it, though.”
Xi Junyu sighed. He genuinely disliked this feeling. “I wish someone would hurry up and give me an answer already.”
After he finished speaking, the room fell quiet once more, and there seemed nothing to do but wait in silence. Outside, the occasional distant sound drifted in. Xi Junyu spoke again. “Brother Geng, you know, I’ve spent all these years at the Su household, watching Tan’er gradually learn the ropes of this business. Plenty of people taught her along the way, and she’s always been willing to learn whatever came her way—but if you really trace it back, she’s essentially the student I raised myself, with my own hands. And yet now, day by day, I find I understand her less and less. It’s really not a good feeling…”
“That day always comes eventually.”
“But it’s come rather too soon, I think, for…” He glanced around. “For all of this, honestly, I truly can’t make sense of it…”
Quiet. Silence. Then a voice sounded from outside. “I can’t quite make sense of it either.”
The voice was cold. A moment later, a figure pushed the door open and entered—Su Tan’er, dressed in a short black outfit, a cloth wrapped around her head, appearing clean, sharp, and ready for action. She stood in the doorway, looking this way, though this masculine attire ultimately made her seem somewhat short, somewhat slight. To Xi Junyu, it felt strangely like being looked at, for the very first time, by that same figure from long ago, when she’d first met him as a small child—a gaze both unfamiliar and questioning.
“Brother Junyu… I remember, when I was very small and first met you, Father told me to call you that. You taught me so much. This might be the last time I ever call you that.” Su Tan’er walked to the table and sat down, her eyes carrying something distant and cold—this, too, was something Xi Junyu had once taught her: in negotiation, one had to draw a clear line of distance. Xi Junyu searched that distant coldness for some flicker of heartbreak, but found only confusion. “What exactly happened, and why did it have to come to this?”
“What exactly happened?” Xi Junyu frowned, glancing around the room. “Given how today’s clan assembly turned out, surely you don’t think I had anything to do with that?”
“No, I mean…” Su Tan’er shook her head quietly, her gaze clear as she looked at him. “Why did you have someone try to assassinate my father?”