Chapter 13: 13

Enter Shangjing

Half a month later, Xie Changgeng returned to Xie county.

He arrived late at night. He tapped on the door at first, but the doorman was asleep and unaware of his return. Fearing that the loud noise would startle his mother, he simply jumped over the wall and went straight to the east wing where he lived.

The door was closed. He entered, lit an oil lamp on the table and looked at his bed.

The canopy was hooked by a pair of golden hooks and hung down on either side. The mandarin duck pillows and the red quilt on the bed were still the same as before. The room was cold and chilly.

After quelling the rebellion of Jiangdong, he had to report back. But due to the trip to Changsha, he has been delayed for some days and now he urgently needed to go to the capital.

He has rarely returned home these past few years and felt guilty when he thought about his widowed mother. After leaving Changsha this time, he wanted to return earlier to try and free up some time to accompany his mother for a few days before leaving again.

He did not know when his next return would be, so he was in a hurry.

He was also a little tired after traveling for days in a rush. He was about to put down his luggage and change his clothes when he heard a soft knock on the door behind him.

He opened the door.

Outside the door stood a young woman with a candlestick in her hands. She had a beautiful face and her hair was loose, her black strands hanging down in front of her chest. A green jacket was draped over her shoulders to protect her from the cold, her collar was loose and it revealed a small peach jacket lapel inside.

It looked as though she had just gotten out of bed.

Seeing him appear at the door, her face showed surprise. Her eyes lit up and she called out, “Brother-in-law.”

This woman is Lingfeng of the Qi family.

Xie Changgeng was stunned for a moment, then raised his eyes and looked at the adjacent room next to his.

The door was half open.

Obviously, she should have just come out of there.

“Just now, I heard a movement in this room, so I got up to take a look, but I didn’t expect that it was you who came back…”

She paused and glanced inward.

“Madam should have also returned with brother-in-law?”

Xie Changgeng said nothing.

She probably noticed that Mu shi didn’t come back with him. She hesitated, then said, “Is it cold in the room? The family did not know the news of your return tonight and are not prepared. Brother-in-law, go in quickly. I’ll start a stove for you, warm yourself first…”

After speaking, she tried to enter the room.

“When did you move here?”

Xie Changgeng asked her without giving way.

A faint blush appeared on Qi Lingfeng’s face and she said in a low voice, “I just came a few days ago… The old madam caught a cold and Qiu Ju’s service was not good, so I came to take care of her. After she got well, she did not let me go but arranged for me to live here and asked me to wait for my brother-in-law and madam to return, then…”

Her voice trailed off and she lowered her eyes.

A gust of night wind rushed in and blew out the candle in her hand.

The surrounding area suddenly plunged into darkness.

“…Brother-in-law…”

She raised her head and called out in a low voice.

The night was misty. Her shadow moved slightly.

“Madam is not coming back for the time being, it’s inconvenient for you to live here, go back tomorrow.”

Xie Changgeng said this in a gentle tone, then stepped out of the house and walked towards the main room where his mother lived.

When he came to the door, he happened to meet A’mao who came out in the middle of the night to relieve herself.

A’mao with her eyes squinted and tightly folded arms, yawned as she went into the room. She suddenly bumped into Xie Changgeng, was startled and jumped. Recognising it was him, gave a shout, turned around and ran inside.

“Old Madam! Master is back—” She shouted loudly.

Xie Changgeng wanted to stop her, but hesitated and allowed her to shout and run in.

Soon, the house was lit up with lights.

“Geng’er, are you back? Come in quickly!”

A sound of rising followed Xie mu’s voice inside the room.

Xie Changgeng walked in with a smile on his face and he helped her sit back on the edge of the bed.

Xie mu was very happy when she saw her son. She grabbed his hand and asked him about his journey. After they caught up, she glanced at the door.

“Where is Mu shi?”

Xie Changgeng paused, turned his head and ordered Qiu Ju and A’mao to go out.

“Mu shi did not return.”

Xie mu was stunned. “You went to pick her up, why didn’t she come back with you?”

“She has been spoiled and pampered since she was a child. When she came here, she was unaccustomed to the weather and did not tell you. At that time, her health was not good. So I didn’t ask her to come back, instead let her stay there and take her time to recuperate.”

Xie mu frowned. “So it’s like this! If she is not in good health, why didn’t she tell me that day? Since she calls me mother-in-law, am I the kind of person who doesn’t care about her life or death?”

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Xie Changgeng did not answer the question.

She sighed and complained in a low voice, “I knew it! The first time I saw her was when she entered the door. She was so delicate and looked as though she would collapse as soon as the wind blew. It is not a blessing for a good life. How can she compare to Feng’er…”

A smile appeared on her face again and she said with a smile, “Geng’er, I need to tell you something. Feng’er is here, I don’t know if you saw her just now. I thought that since she is about to be part of our family anyway, I let her stay by your side. Now that you’re back, stay at home for a few more days. I will choose a good day and settle Feng’er’s affairs. This has been on my mind for many years.”

Xie Changgeng said, “Mother, I was just about to talk to you about this. Since Mu shi has not returned, it is not convenient now. It is also not appropriate for the second lady of the Qi family to stay in that room in the future. If you are in good health, let her go back.”

Xie mu was displeased, “I told her beforehand and she agreed that I would make the arrangements! If she doesn’t come back, will Feng’er be kept waiting? Feng’er is not young, she is almost twenty! She has waited for you for so many years, how much long do you want her to wait?”

“Mother, Mu shi is the main wife. If she is not here for this kind of thing and we bring people in, it’s a matter of customs…”

“I’m still your mother!” Xie mu interrupted her son’s words.

“I don’t care about the rules and regulations outside, this is Xie County! I have lived for most of my life and I have never heard that the conduct a mother-in-law depends on her daughter-in-law!

“Mother, listen to me. At this moment, it’s really inconvenient to let her enter the door…”

Xie mu gazed fixedly at her son.

“Geng’er, mother worked for three days and three nights in order to give birth to you, one foot at death’s door. Your father has studied so much in vain, and he fit not pass the examination. In the end, he only became a postmaster, how much income can the family have? You are smart, I spun yarn and twisted hemp every day in order to pay for your education, hoping that you can excel. With great difficulty, I raised you but unexpectedly you killed people. During those years, I was scared and had no one to turn to and it was the Qi family who took care of me.”

“You probably have long forgotten, but mother didn’t forget, and dare not to forget! When we were hit by a flood, Feng’er’s family took me to escape. When we were crossing the bridge, the bridge suddenly collapsed and we all fell into the water. At that time, Feng’er’s mother and I were in the carriage, if Feng’er did not hold onto mother’s hand tightly, I would have been killed! Although mother survived, Feng’er’s own mother is lost!”

“Not only do we owe Qi family a debt gratitude but we also owe them a life! In my eyes, Feng’er is more dearer to me than my own daughter! Later, I found out that you had already arranged a marriage for yourself outside and couldn’t change it, I could only give up. It is already unfair to make her a concubine. If you don’t want her now, I’ll tell you, I will not live!”

Xie mu said while wiping tears.

Xie Changgeng frowned, hesitated for a moment, got up, knelt on the ground and kowtowed solemnly.

“Mother, I am unfilial. I have burdened my mother since childhood and now I have disappointed you to this extent. It’s not that I am unwilling, but now it is really inconvenient…”

“What’s the inconvenience?”

“Mother stays at home so there are some things that you do not know about the outside. Bringing someone into the house is a trivial matter. If Changsha thinks that it is disrespectful to them, it will be a little troublesome. Now that I’m an important minister, I have many enemies in the imperial court and I don’t know how many eyes are watching from behind. If they want to add a crime, how can I not be concerned? Although this matter is small, if there are people with an agenda, it can be turned into a big deal. “

Xie mu was a little surprised, she looked at her son’s solemn expression and gradually stopped crying.

Xie Changgeng got up from the ground.

“Mother, how can the son dare to forget Qi’s kindness to you? The son feels that mother’s arrangement has wronged her. It is not the only way to repay her. What is the harm in mother considering her an adopted daughter? In the future, if I can achieve my goals, I will treat her kindly and repay her for saving mother that day…”

Before he could finish his words, someone came in at the door and knelt on the ground.

Qi Lingfeng kowtowed towards Xie mu, choked and said, “Old madam, you have been so kind to Feng’er, Feng’er is grateful. If Feng’er causes a rift between you and your son, it is my sin and I deserve to die! Don’t force him anymore. Tomorrow I will go back to my brother’s place.”

Xie mu hurried over to help her up and comforted her, then turned to look at her son, frowning, “Look, Feng’er is so understanding. Compared to Mu shi, you yourself should know who is good and who is bad! Since Feng’er has spoken, this matter will be put aside for now. But since she has come, it is not good for her to go back to her brother. Let her stay here in the name of my goddaughter first and wait until Mu shi comes back!”

Xie Changgeng stopped expressing his position and mumbled vaguely, saying that it was late at night and he should let his mother rest and left.

He returned to the east wing. After the door was locked he picked up his luggage and walked to the cabinet. When he grabbed the handle he suddenly remembered.

After hesitating, he slowly opened the cabinet door.

What he saw was the same as the previous time.

The wardrobe is full of women’s clothing. He didn’t know what spices were in the sachet, but after so long, the fragrance is still there.

In Xie Changgeng’s eyes, the scene of the beautiful woman on the couch stung his eyes.

The pomegranate red dress, light coloured silk.

It is unbelievable that someone who is noble in front of people is so outrageous in private.

He glanced at the clothes she left in the cabinet and he seemed to see her face. A look of disgust emerged from the bottom of his eyes and he closed the cabinet door with a “bang”.

The next day, Xie Changgeng went to the main room early and served his mother with his own hands. After breakfast, he told his mother that the court was still waiting for him to go to Shangjing to report on his duties. He came back this time to say goodbye to his mother.

Xie mu was extremely reluctant to see him leave, but his future was at stake, so how could she delay him? She nodded in agreement and packed his luggage for him. She was supported by Qi Lingfeng and sent him out all the way.

Xie Changgeng told his servants to serve his mother well, and then set out to leave. After a long journey, he finally arrived in Shangjing at the end of the month.

He had already had a mansion in the capital, full of servants. After entering the mansion, he took a bath and rested, preparing to report to the court tomorrow.

Late at night, a secret letter from the palace was quietly delivered to him.

The secret letter came from a eunuch named Cao Jin in Empress Liu’s palace.

This eunuch was the apprentice of the eunuch besides Empress Liu, Eunuch Yang, and he became Xie Changgeng’s person two years ago.

Every time Xie Changgeng returned to the capital, it was a common practice to receive news that night.

This time is no exception.

What Cao Jin brought out were all things that happened in the court or palace when Xie Changgeng was away.

Most of it he already knew.

But there was one thing that caught Xie Changgeng’s attention.

Cao Jin said that Zhang Ban, the internal historian, had entered the palace a few days ago and asked to see Empress Liu. At that time, the words were private and he was not able to find out the details, but what Zhang Ban said seemed to be related to Changsha.

Because of the marriage between Governor Xie and Changsha, if there are any news, he would inform them together for his benefit.

After Xie Changgeng finished reading the letter, he lit in flames.

He stared at the paper that was slowly turning to ashes in the flames, and was lost in thought. 

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