Chapter 11: Only Half a Night of Bliss
The moon was dim, obscured by a light veil.
The soft red curtains fluttered, reflecting the panic and tenderness on the bed.
The man beside me had a warm breath.
Familiar yet strange.
I gently closed my eyes.
Since I was married to him, the rites of husband and wife were naturally indispensable. Although it was a little faster than I expected, I had no reason to refuse him. The passionate words and sweet phrases I had read in the boudoir flowed past my ears like water, casting a blush on my heart.
He fumbled and unfastened the knot buttons on my chest—
But a hurried knocking came from outside the door.
“Second Master! Second Master!”
A woman’s voice.
It wasn’t He Hua, nor was it Xiao Yin.
Cheng Huaishi paused for a moment, thought about it, and then got up, smoothed his clothes, and opened the door. I also got up from the bed, reached out to touch my face, and tried my best to calm down. It was not yet past dinner, and it was possible that the Old Madam had sent someone to call for me.
The door opened, and standing before me was a strange woman, with her hair in a double bun, wearing a white velvet flower, dressed as a maidservant.
I had been here for some days and had never seen her in the manor, so I assumed she was not from the Cheng Residence. However, she seemed very familiar with Cheng Huaishi.
“Second Master,” she cried, “our Miss was taken away by a group of people half an hour ago! She told Rong’er not to tell you. But Rong’er is really worried. Second Master, you are the most helpful person, and besides you, who else in Yangzhou City can save Miss…”
So, she was a maidservant from the Xun Residence.
Miss Xun was in trouble and came to ask Cheng Huaishi for help.
It seemed like this kind of thing had happened more than once or twice.
To the point that the maidservant, familiar with the Cheng Residence, came to knock on the door of the West Courtyard.
The amorous expression on Cheng Huaishi’s face faded, and he frowned, “I don’t know if it was people from the Eastern Depot, or the rabble from Prefect Liu’s former subordinates… To repeatedly harm a weak woman is truly the act of cowards!”
I glanced at the girl, then at Cheng Huaishi, and said, “Since Miss Xun is in trouble, Second Master, you should go.”
Cheng Huaishi squeezed my hand, a hint of shame on his face, “I truly cannot bear to startle Madam again—”
The maidservant became anxious, sobbing, “If Second Master cannot be relied upon, what will Miss do? When Father was alive, he often praised Second Master as a pure and upright scholar, a rare loyal person. Even if Second Master doesn’t care about Miss, doesn’t he care about the teacher-student relationship with Father…”
He Hua walked over and bowed, “Second Master, the Old Madam instructed you not to go out for the next few days. It is best to study diligently in the manor and await the spring imperial examinations next year.”
Cheng Huaishi was in a dilemma.
I said softly, “You go. I will find a way to explain to Mother. You have been working for Lord Xun’s affairs for so long, and if you turn away now, I imagine you would not be able to bear it.”
He nodded, “Madam is sensible and righteous. Your husband is grateful.”
With that, he left like a gust of wind with the maidservant.
I stood under the eaves, watching his retreating figure disappear into the night.
Xiao Yin said, “Miss is so good-natured, those people from the Xun Residence are too ungrateful. How long do they expect to trouble the Son-in-law! What do they mean by saying there’s no one reliable except the Son-in-law? The Son-in-law isn’t the Xun family’s son-in-law…”
I ordered her to speak cautiously.
She then pouted and quieted down.
This girl, Xiao Yin, was wholeheartedly for me, but she was too impatient.
I sighed and said, “Xiao Yin, I am his wife, and I should know him, understand him, and trust him.”
He Hua silently draped a padded jacket over me and said, “The kitchen has sent over the meal. Second Young Mistress, please go to the North Courtyard to dine.”
The North Courtyard.
Various dishes filled the table.
The Old Madam sat in the center, the Eldest Young Master and his wife sat to her right, and Qing Shi sat to her left.
Seeing me enter, the Old Madam smiled, “Sang Yu, where is Huai’er? I just told a servant boy to call you. I thought you two young newlyweds would want to talk for a while longer.”
I walked to the seat next to Qing Shi and sat down, saying, “Replying to Mother, Second Master has returned after a great danger, and his fellow students are bound to invite him to gather. He asked me to apologize to Mother, and he cannot dine with Mother tonight.”
Eldest Young Master Cang Shi, upon hearing this, seemed to find an outlet for his pent-up anger, “Those friends the Second Master makes outside are truly chaotic. Causing such a stir in Yangzhou Prefecture this time, who knows what trouble he will stir up in the future!”
Qing Shi retorted indignantly, “Eldest Brother, don’t say that. If Second Sister-in-law didn’t know Director Feng, you might have faced more than just losing your official post. You say Second Brother harmed you, but did Second Brother do your job for you? Did Second Brother withdraw those canal troops for you?”
The Eldest Young Mistress wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said, “We are in this manor now, what can we say? Even the youngest sister-in-law is leaning with the wind.”
The Old Madam slammed the table.
Everyone fell silent.
At the dinner table, each person with their own thoughts, the meal was finished in a somber mood.
Finally, the Old Madam said, “Young Master Qin sent a post through his servant, saying he is celebrating Huai’er’s safe return and inviting us to a banquet at his manor tomorrow. The Qin family and we have always had some friendship, and this is their kind gesture, which we cannot refuse. We will all go tomorrow.”
“Yes,” everyone replied in unison.
The Old Madam stopped me, “Sang Yu, although a wife’s duty is to her husband, you should also advise Huai’er to settle down. As the saying goes, a virtuous wife lessens her husband’s misfortunes.”
I quickly lowered my head, “Mother is right.”
After the banquet, I walked to the corridor and remembered I had left my handkerchief. I turned back to get it, but then I heard the voice of Granny Zhao, who was by the Old Madam’s side.
“Old Madam, people from the Zhu family in Dongchang Prefecture have sent a letter, asking to borrow a sum of money.”
The Old Madam remained silent.
Granny Zhao continued, “Originally, they thought Second Master was gone and couldn’t find a suitable match for her, so the Old Madam married her off. Now that Second Master is back, looking at it, a girl from a humble family is still lacking. The Zhu Residence didn’t even provide a dowry, and the girl has only been married for a short time, yet they don’t even ask about their daughter and son-in-law, and immediately ask to borrow money. It’s truly outrageous. Are they marrying off a daughter, or selling her?”
I was extremely embarrassed.
I never imagined my father would be so foolish.
How could he bring himself to ask this?
I only heard the Old Madam say, “How much do they want? Give it to them.”
I had no intention of retrieving my handkerchief and returned to the West Courtyard in a daze.
Upon reaching the room and closing the door, tears finally fell.
The journey by boat was perilous, and it was only with great difficulty that I reached Yangzhou. I dared not make a single mistake in my husband’s family. Father never asked about my well-being. Now that I had finally settled down, he appeared in such a manner.
What would my husband’s family think of me?
After sitting in a daze for a long time, I still couldn’t let it go. I called for Xiao Yin and gave her this month’s monthly silver, “Tomorrow, go to the ferry terminal and ask someone to take the money back to the Zhu family. Tell them that if they have any difficulties in the future, do not mention them to the Old Madam. I still need to live in this manor.”
Xiao Yin’s eyes reddened, “The Zhu family has the ancestral recipe for flower wine, so how could they be in such difficulty? They just want to squeeze some profit from Miss to enrich themselves!”
I waved my hand, signaling her not to mention it again.
My stepmother, Lin Yue, was full of schemes.
But Father was still Father. He was getting old, and I couldn’t bear not to care for him.
Lost in thought, I would always feel a pang of sadness.
When it was the third watch and Cheng Huaishi had not returned, I had He Hua extinguish the lights.
I got onto the bed and tossed and turned.
I wondered if Cheng Huaishi would be safe tonight.
Who exactly had taken that Miss Xun away?
Feng Gao had already returned to the capital. Moreover, he had promised me that once this matter was settled, he would not go back on his word.
The pillow was cold, and the quilt was cool.
At the fourth watch, I heard a noise and thought Cheng Huaishi had returned. I sat up, only to realize it was the wind.
At the fifth watch, I slept lightly for a moment.
In a daze, I seemed to be sitting on a boat, with Cheng Huaishi at the helm. A strong wind blew, and I fell into the water, submerged by the icy river. I desperately shouted, “Huai Shi! Huai Shi!”
I woke up with tear stains still in the corners of my eyes.
Wu Bi was already waiting outside the door.
“Second Young Mistress, the accounts at Guangling’s Huiming Teahouse were scheduled for the day before yesterday, and we are to reconcile them today.”
I remembered this matter.
The accounts that passed through my hands should naturally be reconciled by me.
Huiming Teahouse was located at the foot of Guanyin Mountain in Guangling and was a major client of the Cheng family.
After washing up, I left Xiao Yin in the room, took He Hua with me, and followed Wu Bi out of the manor, got into the horse carriage, and headed towards Guanyin Mountain.
By the time we finished reconciling the accounts, it was already noon.
The shopkeeper of Huiming Teahouse cheerfully settled the silver.
I thanked him and then hurried back.
The weather had turned cold, but the pilgrims to Guanyin Mountain were still arriving in an endless stream.
He Hua said, “Second Young Mistress, would you like to go to the mountaintop to offer a stick of incense?”
I shook my head, “What is destined will come. What is not destined cannot be obtained even by praying to gods and Buddhas. If everyone prays to Bodhisattvas, how can they possibly attend to everyone? It’s better to save them some trouble.”
Wu Bi chuckled, “Second Young Mistress is a truly clear-headed person.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the horse carriage passed through a dense forest, and several people suddenly leaped out from the bushes, surrounding the carriage.
Those people were all burly and strong, with black cloths covering their faces.
Wu Bi quickly led a few servant boys to fight them.
He Hua remained silent, pulling me and running.
Thorns scratched my arm, and blood flowed down.
I vaguely saw a figure in a green robe leap over.
The kites in the mountains cried out.
I worried in my heart whether the silver notes I had collected today could be kept safe.
The Old Madam trusted me to manage the Cheng family’s business. If something happened, how could I face her?
Two masked men chased after us. He Hua pushed me and blocked them herself.
My foot stumbled.
A man hugged me and rolled down the hillside…
