Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Inside the carriage, Rongchun clutched the small box of valuables they had packed and asked Ji Hanyi softly, “Are we going back to the Gu Family now?”

Ji Hanyi lifted a corner of the curtain and looked outside. The carriage had left the alley, and familiar sights swept past her one by one through the wind and snow. A final streak of pale light still lingered on the horizon. Everything seemed hushed, and her heart suddenly felt lighter.

“Rongchun,” she said abruptly, “I want to go to Anping Bridge.

“I want some plum wine.

“And I want osmanthus rice balls too.”

By the time she finished speaking, the carriage was already heading toward Anping Bridge on the outskirts of the city.

Night was approaching. This was likely the last snowfall of the winter. The snow had been light and steady that afternoon, but it had suddenly grown heavy.

Ji Hanyi now sat beside Anping Bridge, where her father had often brought her in the past.

Behind her lay a long street where the lanterns had just been lit. Their faint glow spilled onto the bridge and shimmered dimly across the lake.

A layer of snow had already settled over her fur hood. Sitting by the bridge with a hand warmer cradled in her arms, Ji Hanyi blinked through narrowed eyes as the snowy wind blew against her face, then accepted the plum wine Rongchun handed her.

She still remembered that her father had brought her here the first time she ever drank plum wine.

It had been at the nearby Bihe Pavilion. She and her father had warmed wine over a brazier, and he had told her to look out from the pavilion at the surrounding mountains and waters. The pavilion itself held only a tiny corner of the world, yet beyond it stretched a landscape without end.

Her father had told her that even when she found herself trapped in an impossible situation, she should do her best to look farther ahead. That way, her heart would not remain confined to that tiny place, and she would find it easier to be open-minded and let things go.

Ji Hanyi drank one small cup and gazed into the distance. She had never truly understood his words before. But now, as she stared toward the farthest reaches of the vast snow, endless and boundless, she realized that she was nothing more than a tiny speck of dust between heaven and earth.

Unfortunately, it had been a long time since she last drank. Before she could properly savor the thought, the wine caught in her throat.

Rongchun fared no better and coughed several times.

“Where did you buy this?” Ji Hanyi asked. “Why is it so strong?”

Rongchun hurriedly replied, “Qujiangchun, the same place as always. Master used to love going there.”

Ji Hanyi coughed again. “It must be because the wine is cold.”

Rongchun sighed regretfully. “It’s a shame we couldn’t find a brazier at this hour. We’ll have to make do.”

Ji Hanyi nodded. “A couple of cups will be enough.”

With that, she took another cautious sip. Indulging herself like this, so carefree and uninhibited, brought her a faint but undeniable sense of exhilaration.

Her father had always loved drinking when it snowed. She looked into the distance once more and let out a long sigh.

Here, she did not have to bear the heavy burden of her identity in the Xie Family. She did not have to watch her every movement day after day, as though walking on thin ice. She did not have to attend her mother-in-law with constant humility and deference. Nor did she have to suppress every grievance and endure Xie Yuheng’s coldness.

Perhaps this was what freedom felt like.

Only now did she realize that the family she had once longed so desperately to marry into three years ago had become the place she most wanted to escape.

Had that not been another trap enclosing her?

Weariness gradually rose in her heart. She murmured, “Rongchun, I never want to return to the Xie Family again.”

Rongchun turned to look at Ji Hanyi’s profile and replied softly, “Old Madam Gu will surely stand up for Young Madam. You will definitely obtain the Divorce Agreement tomorrow.”

Ji Hanyi stared ahead in a slight daze. She did not know whether things would truly go so smoothly.

Rongchun took out a roasted sweet potato that was still steaming inside her coat. “The place that sells Young Madam’s favorite osmanthus rice balls had run out, so this servant bought a roasted sweet potato instead. Please try it.”

White steam curled from the piping-hot sweet potato and warmed Ji Hanyi’s palms. She lowered her head and took a bite, and warmth spread through her body as well.

Perhaps it was the two cups of wine. Countless emotions suddenly surged within her chest — all the feelings she had suppressed throughout the day. She could no longer hold them back, and her eyes began to burn.

Night had now fallen completely, and lanterns glowed along the street. Seeing Ji Hanyi covered in snow, Rongchun hurriedly brushed it off and said worriedly, “The wind is strong here, and it’s still snowing. Why don’t we go sit under the covered walkway instead?”

Heavy emotions swirled in Ji Hanyi’s eyes, clamoring to be released. Perhaps it was those three cups of plum wine, but everything she had held back was now spilling out.

She lowered her head again, took another bite of the sweet potato, and shook her head. Her fur hood concealed every trace of emotion on her face as tears pooled in her reddened eyes.

After tonight, she might face an even more difficult situation. At this lowest moment, she simply missed her father.

Ji Hanyi held the sweet potato in both hands. She had only eaten a few bites before it began to cool.

Turning to Rongchun, she said, “I want another.”

The night was dark and cold, and there was no shelter overhead. Even a piping-hot sweet potato would quickly turn cold.

Rongchun coaxed her, “It’s getting rather dark. Young Madam should wait for me in the pavilion. This servant will go across the street and buy another.”

Only then did Ji Hanyi let Rongchun help her up, and together they made their way to the nearby Bihe Pavilion.

Plum trees surrounded the pavilion, their dense branches obscuring most of the street beyond.

Ji Hanyi sat beside the small stone table in the center. Rongchun carefully straightened her cloak, then tightened the ties beneath her fur hood to keep the wind from blowing inside.

Finally, she tucked the hand warmer into Ji Hanyi’s hands and said softly, “Young Madam, please wait here. This servant will return soon.”

Ji Hanyi lowered her head, her soft, rounded face hidden beneath the silver fox fur hood. The tip of her nose and the corners of her eyes were faintly red. She quietly looked up at Rongchun through the darkness, her voice carrying a gentle softness through the night.

“Bring the lamp from the carriage too. I’ll only sit here for a little while before we leave. Grandmother is still waiting for me.”
Ji Hanyi rarely had the chance to enjoy such freedom outside the residence. She was no longer the noble young lady who had once been sheltered by her parents. She could indulge in a little willfulness now, but she could not act without restraint.

Perhaps the plum wine had begun to take effect after she spoke. Her eyes burned as tears welled within them. Not wanting Rongchun to worry, she lowered her head again.

Hearing Ji Hanyi’s request, Rongchun promptly replied, “All right.”

Still worried, she cautioned, “Young Madam, please don’t wander around. It’s dark, and you won’t be able to see the path.”

Ji Hanyi murmured an acknowledgment and lowered her head, pressing her fair palm against her brow.

As soon as Rongchun left, the tears in Ji Hanyi’s eyes spilled over, blurring her vision. The more she thought of her father, the more miserable she felt.

What hurt was not that Xie Yuheng had risked his life for Li Mingrou today. What hurt was that Old Madam Xie — the only person in the Xie Family whom she had believed truly cared for her, the person she trusted and relied upon most — had also deceived her when it mattered most.

She truly had trusted Old Madam Xie.

And it broke her heart that every decision made by the Xie Family ended with her being forced to compromise and suffer in silence.

She was insignificant.

She was someone whose feelings never needed to be considered.

The pent-up frustration, the anguish, the suffocating sense that she was utterly alone and helpless — only here, in the pitch-black night, in a place where no one else was around, could Ji Hanyi finally let it all out.

At that moment, Shen Si was attending the Imperially Bestowed Banquet in the main hall of the Ministry of Rites Office.

This was the year of the triennial capital audience and performance evaluations for officials. Local officials were assessed by the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate. Once the evaluations were concluded, the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Entertainments arranged the banquet. After attending the Imperially Bestowed Banquet, the officials would leave the capital to take up their posts.

The banquet was already drawing to a close. Although it was an Imperially Bestowed Banquet, none of the officials present dared speak more than necessary. Outside the main hall of the Ministry of Rites Office stood more than a dozen officials who had received unsatisfactory evaluations. Clad in thin robes, they could only stand there and watch the people inside enjoy the feast.

Only the officials who had been rated competent looked somewhat at ease.

The banquet did not last long. It was nothing more than a warning and an encouragement, a display of both imperial favor and authority. When Shen Si set down his wooden chopsticks, every official hurried to follow suit, whether or not they had eaten their fill.

Shen Si rose and raised his cup. “His Majesty the Emperor, in his wisdom, has bestowed this banquet upon us. Let us all take it as encouragement. May you fulfill your duties with the utmost diligence and prove worthy of imperial grace. To victory!”

Every official in the hall promptly knelt and responded in unison.

Once Shen Si left, the banquet would be over.

Yet until he had fully departed, no one dared leave their seat first.

In hopes of currying favor, however, quite a few officials eventually gathered their courage and crowded around Shen Si to offer him toasts, showering him with every possible compliment.

First Master Xie of the Xie Family, Xie Zhiguan, was among them.

He wanted nothing more than to make himself known to Shen Si. He also planned to mention what had happened at the Shen Residence last time to establish some connection. After all, who would not want Shen Si to remember them favorably?

Shen Si remained as cold as ever, responding to their greetings with perfunctory courtesy. It was only when he saw Xie Zhiguan squeeze his way to his side that his departing steps paused slightly.

The moment Xie Zhiguan approached Shen Si, a fawning look unconsciously appeared on his face.

After all, local officials were evaluated by the Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel. Shen Si was favored and trusted by His Majesty the Emperor and already held the authority to oversee all officials. To any official, his words carried enormous weight.

The results of an evaluation could directly determine an official’s future career.

Those officials who had received unsatisfactory evaluations and were standing outside faced varying punishments. At best, they would be ordered to retire. More serious cases would result in demotion or dismissal from office. At worst, they would pay with their lives and fortunes: the official would be executed, his entire family exiled to serve in the military, and all their property confiscated.

Xie Zhiguan had only just met his tax quota this year, and no major cases had arisen under his jurisdiction. Since he had accomplished nothing of note, he had received only an average evaluation. Now he would have to remain in Xuanzhou for another three years, with no telling when he might be transferred back to the capital.

All he wanted now was to leave Shen Si with a favorable impression. If he could receive a competent rating in the next evaluation, he might be promoted and transferred back to the capital.

After considering every possibility, he concluded that the only subject that might allow him to exchange a few words with Shen Si was what had happened to Ji Hanyi at the Shen Residence.

He cupped his hands toward Shen Si and brought up the matter. “I am deeply grateful for Old Madam Shen’s compassion and her concern for my daughter-in-law. I have now taken charge and seen justice done for her. I hope Lord Shen will convey this to Old Madam Shen and set her mind at ease.”

Shen Si looked down at the obsequious expression on Xie Zhiguan’s face and frowned.

The Xie Family had a distinguished scholarly background and had produced three Palace Graduates. Old Master Xie had once been a Third-Ranked Palace Graduate and had even served in the Grand Secretariat. He had been an upright and honorable man all his life, yet the branches that grew from his tree had turned crooked.

Shen Si’s expression remained distant and indifferent as he asked, “Oh? And how did you handle it?”

Xie Zhiguan had assumed that a household of the Shen Family’s standing, even if it showed concern for his daughter-in-law, would offer no more than the detached pity common among the nobility. He understood that kind of pity because he felt it himself. Most of the time, it was merely a way to cultivate a good reputation.

He had mentioned the matter in front of everyone now so that he could praise Old Madam Shen’s compassion and thereby curry favor with Shen Si. Never had he expected Shen Si to question him further.

Xie Zhiguan froze, then hurriedly replied, “I made her kneel in the ancestral hall and had her flogged. I also made her kneel before my daughter-in-law and atone for her wrongdoing. She will never dare offend again.”

Shen Si gave a faint laugh. “It seems the Xie Residence’s family discipline is indeed severe. But why have I heard that the young cousin who was punished has now somehow been punished into becoming your eldest son’s concubine?”

A trace of mockery entered Shen Si’s eyes as he continued, “You made the young cousin who plotted against the lady of the house into a concubine and placed her under the same roof as her victim. Anyone who didn’t know better might think the Xie Residence was rewarding her. It appears the Xie Residence has a truly unique way of punishing people.”
Those words drained the color from Xie Zhiguan’s face.

Fear rose in his heart. This had only happened that afternoon. When had Lord Censor-in-Chief learned about it?

The Censorate’s network of informants was said to extend everywhere, but if even such a minor incident had reached Shen Si’s ears, then surely he also knew about the disgraceful thing his son had done at his grandmother’s birthday banquet. Cold sweat broke out across Xie Zhiguan’s back at the thought.

He was about to explain, but Shen Si had already lost interest in him and walked straight past.

Xie Zhiguan stood frozen in place for a long moment before finally coming to his senses. Seeing Shen Si’s departing figure, he hurried after him.

Heavy snow was falling outside, and night had already settled over the city.

Shen Si had drunk several cups of wine at the banquet. He rarely drank, so his head was beginning to ache.

Official duties had consumed him for days, leaving him without so much as a moment to rest.

As he looked at the heavy snow outside, he found himself wondering where she was now.

And how she was feeling.

Wen’an approached Shen Si and was about to speak when Xie Zhiguan rushed out behind him, forcing Wen’an to step aside.

Shen Si cast Xie Zhiguan a cold glance. Dressed in his official robes, he stood tall and elegant before the Ministry of Rites Office. Huge flakes of snow swirled before him, while behind him stood Xie Zhiguan, sweating profusely and looking utterly terrified.

Xie Zhiguan hurried over and immediately bowed at the waist, adopting the most deferential posture he could. “There has been a misunderstanding, Lord Shen. Please stay a moment and allow this humble official to explain.”

Shen Si looked at him indifferently and gave a cold laugh.

He had no need to hear any explanation from Xie Zhiguan. On the contrary, he was only too pleased to see matters come to this.

No one in that family deserved to have Ji Hanyi remain among them.

This would also allow her to see what kind of man the Xie Yuheng she had once loved truly was.

And whether he was worthy of her sincere devotion.

Impatience had already crept between Shen Si’s brows. He draped his greatcloak over his shoulders and brushed the snow from his robes, then ignored Xie Zhiguan entirely, walked past him, and boarded the carriage waiting ahead.

A brazier had been lit inside. Melted snow had dampened his official robes, making Shen Si frown slightly. He leaned his tall frame forward and held his long, well-defined hands over the glowing coals.

The firelight illuminated his classically aloof and distinguished features, while his long brows still carried an air of remoteness.

Despite Shen Si’s attitude, Xie Zhiguan did not dare give up. He hurried after the carriage and bowed toward the figure behind the curtain. “Lord Shen, please hear just one thing.”

Afraid the carriage would leave at once, Xie Zhiguan hastily continued, “My son has absolutely no intention of taking a concubine. Tomorrow, I will have my wife send the girl back to her hometown.”

Shen Si had been rubbing his brow impatiently, but at those words, his hand stilled. He lowered his fingers and lifted the curtain beside him.

Darkness had already fallen. The attendants and guards nearby carried lanterns, and a thin layer of white snow now covered the ground before the Ministry of Rites Office. Xie Zhiguan stood on the snow in the freezing wind, yet cold sweat beaded across his forehead.

He was doing this for his son’s future. If Shen Si so much as mentioned the matter before His Majesty the Emperor, his son’s prospects for advancement would likely go no further.

Filial duty was paramount. If Shen Si truly impeached his son, even Xie Zhiguan might not be able to protect his career prospects.

Shen Si’s refined features seemed covered in the frost of the blizzard, cold and utterly unapproachable. His habitually unreadable eyes narrowed by the slightest degree, and Xie Zhiguan’s heart clenched.

Shen Si spoke indifferently. “Oh? Send her away?”

Xie Zhiguan nodded at once. “She will be sent away tomorrow. There is nothing between my unworthy son and her. She plotted the entire affair and drugged him.”

Shen Si raised an eyebrow.

He knew exactly what had happened. His men had been watching Li Mingrou’s every move. He even knew that she had secretly sent the old matron at her side to purchase an aphrodisiac.

He had deliberately refrained from intervening because he wanted Xie Yuheng and Li Mingrou to end up together.

Only then would Ji Hanyi give up on him completely and have grounds to divorce him and leave the Xie Residence.

Shen Si had raised the matter earlier only so everyone would know that Xie Yuheng had taken a concubine first. That would better protect Ji Hanyi’s reputation in the future. After all, it was the Xie Family who had breached the agreement first.

Shen Si glanced at Xie Zhiguan again. “Your son took the girl’s virtue, and now you intend to send her away?”

He gave a derisive laugh. “She is not some servant. If I remember correctly, she is the daughter of Prefect Li, whom His Majesty the Emperor himself commended.”

Xie Zhiguan was instantly rendered speechless. It seemed that no matter how he answered, he would be wrong.

He looked cautiously at Shen Si. “Then this matter…”

Shen Si lowered the curtain. “We’ll leave it at that.”

Those few simple words made Xie Zhiguan breathe a tremendous sigh of relief. He immediately bowed deeply toward the curtain, though his heart continued to pound with lingering fear.

Shen Si ordered the carriage forward, then lowered his head and warmed his hands over the brazier. Without even raising his eyes, he uttered a single word.

“Speak.”

The calm, icy voice startled Wen’an, who had been waiting outside to deliver his report. He quickly followed alongside the carriage and lowered his voice toward the curtain between them. “Young Madam Xie left the Xie Residence this afternoon. It seemed to be a sudden departure.”

Shen Si’s fingers stilled, and he raised his eyes.

Wen’an lowered his voice further and told him where she had gone. Shen Si pressed his lips together and ordered the carriage toward Anping Bridge.