Of everything that happened, what struck the crowd hardest was perhaps not Ning Yi’s sudden outburst of violence, but the line he’d uttered just before it: “Miss Nie should still be a virgin.” The moment those words left his mouth, everyone present felt a sudden, ominous unease, as though they’d just realized they’d been played.
This whole affair had kicked off with quite a commotion from the very start—more than twenty wailing women coming home, saying Ning Yi had gone mad, that they’d gone out to confront the woman he kept outside, and he’d flown into a rage and attacked them. Naturally, if the woman weren’t truly his, why would he have hit anyone? And in all the shouting and clamor that followed, with Su Wenxing fanning the flames, what everyone had been thinking about was how Ning Yi would explain himself once he returned. When Ning Yi did return, his attitude had been fierce, almost as if he were the one embarrassed and lashing out in anger, constantly steering the conversation back toward the family’s internal conflicts—surely, if the matter of the woman weren’t difficult to explain, why would he go to such lengths?
If it had been anyone else from the Su family standing here instead of Ning Yi, showing that kind of defiance from the start would have gotten them seized by the guards and beaten on Su Zhongkan’s orders right away—that was how household discipline worked in every family; roaring like that in front of one’s elders was simply not tolerable. But Ning Yi already carried enormous weight within the Su household, and once he’d asserted himself, everyone found themselves compelled, if only briefly, to hear him out—after all, the guards’ brute force wasn’t enough to bring him down anyway. It was only after he uttered that line that people finally had cause to stop and reconsider: could this whole affair actually be false? And if it was false, what then?
Judging matters like this had never really followed any official standard, in the end.
For an ordinary household facing this kind of trouble, the surest proof, of course, would be the man holding the woman’s bill of sale. In this day and age, there was no such thing as slavery anymore—even a bonded servant who had signed such a contract, if truly killed, would still cause a great deal of trouble. But if the woman in question worked in the pleasure quarters, disputes of this kind—even if the woman ended up dead—rarely drew the involvement of the authorities, and even when they did get involved, it usually amounted to nothing more than a payment to settle the matter. If there were no bill of sale, but the other party had been caught red-handed, that counted as an offense against public decency, and even if she died, it wouldn’t be treated as a serious matter.
But outside of these two scenarios, if the other party wasn’t some unprotected streetwalker with no backing, then it came down to a matter of whose backing was stronger. What had happened today—beating someone in public, tearing their clothes in the street—if the other side had connections, they could march straight up to the Su family’s gate, and even if someone died in the confrontation, they would be in the right. Even if it went to the authorities—even all the way to the imperial court itself—so long as it was confirmed that this Miss Nie was still intact, the situation would tip entirely to one side in an instant.
As for everything else—Ning Yi knowing this Miss Nie, even claiming to be her backer and so on—a romance between a talented scholar and a beautiful woman, that sort of thing, with the lady admiring his talent and he respecting her noble character, feelings arising but never crossing the line of propriety—in this day and age, that would be, frankly, a celebrated tale. Scholars and men of letters, the whole of polite society, sang praises of exactly this kind of thing—the key point being that there had been no physical relationship between them, and the strongest possible proof of that, naturally, was Miss Nie still being intact.
Of course, Su Wenxing’s side didn’t seem to have any proof either, and Ning Yi’s side, naturally, had no way to prove on the spot that there was nothing improper between him and Miss Nie. All that had actually happened so far was that Ning Yi had struck a member of the household in front of the elders—and Su Zhongkan reacted to this fact almost at once. He said through gritted teeth, “No one can prove right now that you and this Miss Nie have had any impropriety! What proof do you have that this matter concerns Wenxing? How dare you commit violence in front of so many people—given your status as a son-in-law who married in, I can have you handed over to the authorities this instant, do you understand!”
At this, the people of the Second and Third Branches gathered around erupted again, some shouting to seize him, others to beat him, to enforce household law, and so on. Ning Yi looked at them all and smiled. “You still think this is what I’ve been talking about. Not a single one of you understood a word I just said, did you!” Before he could finish that sentence, the family physician had already arrived, just crouching down beside Su Wenxing, when a thunderous bang rang out, deafening—the strap of the physician’s medicine chest had been shot clean through, and the chest went tumbling and rolling far across the floor. The physician froze, stunned witless, and at the same moment, another agonized scream rang out—Su Wenxing, who had been howling on the ground, was kicked in the thigh by Ning Yi, who had abruptly stood up, spinning his body around.
These two loud bangs were enough to silence the clamor that had once again been rising in the hall. Ning Yi’s flintlock was aimed at the physician, smoke still curling from its muzzle. After a moment, he lowered the barrel. The hall had fallen silent, and his voice, though not loud, came out slow and deliberate: “Whether he lives or dies isn’t my concern. His leg is definitely broken. You figure out what to do about it.”
The physician was still frozen in shock. Su Zhongkan let out a furious roar and strode back a few steps, drawing a steel blade from a nearby guard’s hand: “I’ll kill you!” Su Yunfang shoved the physician forward. “Hurry up and save him!” Ning Yi retreated a step and sat back down in the chair, watching Su Zhongkan advance with blade in hand. “Second Uncle, you’d best hear me out first. Once I’m done, you can kill me or carve me up as you please, I’ll take whatever comes.”
Su Zhongkan had no intention of letting things rest and was about to charge forward, but was pulled back by Su Yunfang. “Can’t you see this bastard is really capable of it…”
Their understanding of Ning Yi had never run as deep as Su Tan’er’s. All along, Ning Yi had appeared gentle on the surface, but he had always been ruthless when it came to dealing with enemies, and he was hardly the sort of man who’d have nothing left if he simply walked away from the Su family—his connections already ran deep. If Su Zhongkan actually clashed swords with him now, no matter who got hurt, Ning Yi and the Su family would likely be locked in an irreconcilable feud from that point on. Su Yunfang, at least, still had some grip on reason: as long as Ning Yi remained a son-in-law of the Su family, there were still plenty of ways to bring him to heel through proper channels—but if he truly left the family, though he’d be condemned for a while, the Su family might well find itself unable to match him.
With this restraint, Su Zhongkan couldn’t bring himself to charge forward after all. The physician scrambled to retrieve his medicine chest and tend to Su Wenxing. Ning Yi lowered his head, holstered his flintlock, and after a moment sheathed his war blade as well. He thought for a moment, then pressed both hands down and rose from his seat. “I really am getting rather tired of dealing with all of you…”
He said this quietly, almost as if speaking to himself, but then continued, addressing the crowd around him: “Last year, in the first half, we dealt with the Wu family. In the second half, I went to Hangzhou. Afterward, rumors spread that Tan’er and I might not make it back because of the military troubles in Hangzhou, and all of you thought you saw your chance—you started digging into the First Branch’s business, taking advantage while we were gone. Everyone saw exactly what you were doing. The Wu family, the Xue family, started fanning the flames over this. The Su family’s business shrank, but all of you were quite pleased with yourselves! After all, more of it ended up in your own hands…”
“Ning Yi, don’t you dare—” Before Ning Yi could finish, someone stepped forward to interrupt, and Ning Yi’s gaze snapped toward him at once. “Su Wenji, say another word and I’ll break your leg too!”
Su Wenji stared back at Ning Yi for a moment, but in the end didn’t dare speak. Ning Yi’s gaze swept over the people of the First Branch. “My father-in-law, and the old master too, have seen everything you’ve done. At the time, there was nothing to be said, out of fear that Tan’er and I really might die in Hangzhou. But now that Tan’er and I are back, it’s time to settle accounts. What you’ve swallowed, you’re going to start spitting back out. Honestly, even after spitting back some of it, compared to when Tan’er and I left, you’ll still have come out ahead in business.”
“After all, we’re one family. Tan’er never intended to make you spit back too much. But there’s always someone whose greed knows no bounds, who instead thinks the First Branch has wronged you, has eaten into your interests. All of you, along with the Xue and Wu families, realized the problem lay with the two of us as a couple, and started looking for ways—to solve the problem at its root, meaning making us bring trouble on ourselves. And, quite conveniently, you found your opening—me and Miss Nie. It happened to coincide with Tan’er about to give birth, and with the old master already starting to settle accounts on his end—this was your last chance… Exactly who took the lead, who did what, all of you can see for yourselves… What a bunch of geniuses, truly…”
“Ning Yi, if you’re going to name someone, name them clearly, don’t sit here making veiled insinuations. If you don’t have proof…”
“I don’t have proof today! And I mean to insinuate! Because every one of you had a part in it! To one degree or another! I’m not here today to prove anything to you! I’m here to tell you what’s going to happen from now on!” Ning Yi looked at the man who had spoken up, slamming his palm down on the tea table. “So you’d best hear me out.”
“There’s never been any shortage of people like you! Too cowardly to go out and take from the outside world with any real nerve, only daring to scheme against the people closest to you. Why? Because your own family, your own kin, won’t beat you to death—bullying the weak, fearing the strong, unable to accomplish anything but plenty capable of wrecking it! That’s exactly what you useless people did today! Other people just have to swallow it in silence. I’m different.”
“I’m a son-in-law who married in. I know you look down on me, and I’ve never thought much of you either. So in the past, I didn’t want to get involved in this sort of thing—if you wanted to run the Su family into the ground, that was your business. Because Tan’er fell ill, I took over the imperial merchant matter. I’ve never minded that your abilities are limited—every family has its share of the mediocre. Before, when the family’s influence wasn’t strong enough, business would only get easier once we brought down the Wu family, and the Second and Third Branches could easily have ridden that wave too. If you think you’re not cut out for business, go travel the mountains and rivers, compose poetry. If you’re short on money, the family has plenty—you could ask Tan’er for it. The Su family has money—what’s stopping you from going out, holding some courtesan in your arms, listening to some tunes?”
“What I’m afraid of is that you people can’t even see that you have no ability! You think so highly of yourselves, scheming and plotting, using every rotten trick you’ve got against your own family, while you’re utterly helpless against outsiders—and yet you still think you’re the clever ones! Tan’er and I are different. What disgusts me most is exactly this kind of thing! Breaking his leg today isn’t because of anything he did—it’s because of what he intended in his heart!”
Having said all this, his gaze turned cold: “In the past I never minded being a son-in-law who married in, because I never expected to have to deal with the likes of you. But if you think that means you can use it against me, or force me into swallowing insult after insult, then you’re gravely mistaken. Today isn’t about you waiting for me—it’s me coming here to make things clear to you. What I hate most is exactly this—family stabbing each other in the back, worse than any outsider. If there’s a next time, I promise you, breaking one leg will be the least of it. I’ll be heading to the capital before long, so I’m telling you all this clearly today—think it over, or try me if you like.”
Having finished, word by word, there was no more sound around him. Only then did Ning Yi continue, “As for my status…” But he never finished that sentence, because a sudden murmur rose up—at the side door of the hall, it seemed someone had arrived. The crowd there instinctively parted to make way, and appearing in view, one hand braced against the door frame, her face rather pale, was Su Tan’er, with Xiao Chan and the others beside and behind her, supporting her. Su Tan’er turned her head slightly, her gaze carrying anxiety and a touch of worry as she looked over everyone in the hall.
Ning Yi, who had carried an air of the utmost coldness until then, seeing her, finally let his shoulders sag, brow furrowing, and said to Xiao Chan and the others, “Why did you all…”
Su Tan’er walked slowly into the hall. Weak from childbirth, and perhaps having rushed over the moment she heard the news, her lips parted slightly, her breathing labored with effort. Once inside, she saw Su Wenxing on the ground and took a few steps forward. Onlookers assumed she meant to go check on her cousin’s injuries, but Su Tan’er only looked at him for a moment before doing something no one had anticipated.
She reached out and shoved a chair over, tipping it onto Su Wenxing, the chair striking him square in the chest. Then, turning around, choking back sobs, she began flinging the tea tray, teapot, teacups, fruit plate, and whatever else was within reach at Su Wenxing, sobbing “aah—” as she threw. Weak as she still was, none of her throws landed with much force, and soon Ning Yi caught her in his arms, holding her still.
“Don’t come out here, we’ll go back—we’ll talk about it back home…”
With Su Tan’er in this state, no one dared say another word. Whatever anyone might have thought of Ning Yi, by this point most everyone had come to accept that Su Tan’er would be the future pillar of the Su family. Ning Yi supported Su Tan’er as they made their way toward the side door. Just as they were about to cross the threshold, the sound of a cane tapping came from another direction, and everyone began offering their respects.
Then came the voice of Su Yu, sounding somewhat weary, tinged with a sigh.
“I’ve been outside this whole time, watching everything unfold… It’s just as well. Liheng, think carefully about what he’s said. If Tan’er collapses, does that really do any of you any good… Some things, this family needs to reconsider. Learning to manage affairs is admirable, but for those without the talent or temperament for it, there’s no need to force the issue anymore. Do something else instead—anything’s better than business. Even if you’d rather live as a man of leisure with money to spare, the family can afford to support you in that too, going forward.”
Having said this, he had already drawn close to the center of the hall. Faintly, one of the old kinsmen said to him, “This matter today… in the end, still needs proof… otherwise…”
Su Yu looked down at Su Wenxing on the ground, shaking his head with a mix of weariness and coldness. “What kind of filthy, rotten business is this, really… Is there really anyone here who can’t see it?”
Leaning on his cane, having said his piece, he raised his head and looked this way, then spoke. “Liheng. That Miss Nie—in a few days, invite her to come to the house. Let the family apologize to her, face to face.”
The old ones really are the shrewdest… Ning Yi paused for a moment, then nodded, supporting Su Tan’er, who clung to him unwilling to move, as they left…