Chapter 58
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The only thing a drowning man will do is grab at anything he can, whether it be rice straw, a log, or a person.
As a child, Liu Xiyin had sneaked out to have some fun with Ye Zhao and was good in the water. Before coming, she had practiced a few times: she was quite certain of being able to drag a heavy object over a distance of a few feet. But she wasn’t expecting that Xia Yujin would clutch her neck and tightly wrap around her body, dragging her down with all his strength. None of her strokes were any use and she almost sunk down to the bottom like a stone.
Under the danger of death, she finally grew frenetic. She turned over to hit the back of Xia Yujin’s neck, making him unconscious. Once he no longer struggled, she towed him and swam towards the bank. When she’d swum close, Ye Zhao stretched out her whip, wrapping it around her arm, and pulled the two of them out together. Everyone around hurried over. His philtrum pinched and his stomach pressed, Xia Yujin choked for a moment then finally, after a long moment, woke up. He stared up at the dark sky, his mind empty, as though he was a lifetime away.
Once she’d made sure the two of them were uninjured, Ye Zhao let out a sigh of relief. She turned her head to look at Liu Xiyin, who was so wet she looked like a drowned rat, her light garments drenched and already sticking to her body, allowing a clear view of her curves as she moved. Her nose was red and she was tightly embracing herself as she shivered on the riverside. She miserably met Ye Zhao’s gaze, like a child who knew she had made a mistake.
Ye Zhao quickly whistled. Taxue came over leaping from a distance and she pulled a black cloak from the saddle, wrapping Liu Xiyin in it from head to toe. Then, blocking everyone’s line of sight, she softly asked, “Can you still walk?”
“My legs got scratched,” Liu Xiyin said weakly. “It hurts a little.” Then, taking in the appreciative, mocking, or regretful looks around, she curled up over herself. Her tears fell without cease, to the point that she couldn’t speak.
Hongying rushed over, crying. “Our miss’ reputation is ruined! What can we do?”
Ye Zhao turned around to Xia Yujin. “Are you alright?”
Xia Yujin nodded, trembling with cold. He kept gasping for breath. Though he was still frightened and confused, he could see that Ye Zhao was holding onto a weeping young woman, consolingly patting her on the back, with a servant girl scared silly at their side. He felt a little neglected by his wife and a little uncomfortable deep inside, but he couldn’t very well start fighting with the young woman who’d saved him. Losing face was unthinkable, so he gritted his teeth and magnanimously said, “It’s nothing. Get your cousin home first, I can walk back by myself.”
“Right.” Ye Zhao coldly swept a look around at the spectating crowd, lifted Liu Xiyin in her arms, and quickly turned to leave.
Xia Yujin got up, but right after he walked two steps there was a sharp pain in his ankle. He crouched down and felt it. Painfully swollen. He’d probably twisted it when he fell into the river.
In Ye Zhao’s hold, Liu Xiyin stopped crying. Softly, she said, “His Highness seems injured, let me down.”
Xia Yujin couldn’t let a young girl yield to him, much less let his wife carry him. He forced himself to put on a brave face. “It’s nothing, only a small hurt. I’ll simply have Gutou help me up.” Then, looking on helplessly as his own wife embraced a beautiful young woman and quickly made her way to the carriage without looking back. In his mind, he knew that this was a big deal: in full view of everyone, Liu Xiyin had nakedly come out of the river, embracing him, the two of them tightly pressed together. It may be forgivable, but it ruined her reputation. It might be difficult for her to find a husband now and cause her further trouble. Ye Zhao was probably resenting him, hence the lack of attention.
But… He hadn’t fallen into the water on purpose!
Liu Xiyin, turning away from Ye Zhao, gave him a soft smile.
Xia Yujin was even more lost. Amidst everyone’s worried questions about his well-being and supported by Gutou and Xishuai, he slowly limped to the sedan chair.
He had barely taken a few steps when Ye Zhao returned. Gesturing at Gutou to step aside, she put his right arm around her shoulder. “Sorry,” she said, self-accusingly, “I should have followed you closer.”
Xia Yujin’s mood immediately improved at her lack of anger.
“It’s fine,” he replied magnanimously. “Are you also going to follow me to the toilet? When I go to a pleasure house? When I take a bath?”
Seeing that he didn’t mind, Ye Zhao smiled. “The last two are feasible.”
“What did you say?!” Xia Yujin angrily asked.
“I heard that the new girl from Baihua Pavilion, Miss Yujing, is from the Northern Desert,” Ye Zhao said, unconsciously pleased, “and that she’s good at sword dancing. Husband, if you have time, you can go have a look…”
Xia Yujin stomped in fury. “Where did you learn your scandalous news! Fucking hell! Damn, you have the guts to go to a brothel right in front of my eyes? You think I won’t stop you?! Ow — my foot—”
“Forget it,” Ye Zhao said soothingly. “Come on, a man must be strong.”
The pain brought tears to Xia Yujin’s eyes. Looking at her expression, which seemed to say that suffering was the natural state of a man, he gritted his teeth. “Stop being such a jerk!”
They were extremely busy when they got back home, with changing clothes, calling for a doctor, being examined, the prescription, boiling medicine.
Fortunately, the water was warm in summer and the two of them didn’t come out with anything. Xia Yujin’s foot was wrapped like a zongzi, and he had trouble putting it down on the ground. He took two steps and turned to ask Ye Zhao, “What will we do about your cousin? First, let me just say: I absolutely didn’t do anything untoward to her or pull her into the water on purpose!”
“What do you think of her?” Ye Zhao softly asked.
Xia Yujin gave it some thought. “Underwater, she was courageous in saving me. She’s a pretty good girl, and she doesn’t look bad either.”
“Do you like her?” Ye Zhao asked again. “If you like her, I can ask her what she thinks.”
Xia Yujin almost choked on his medicine, and furiously wiped his lips. “Don’t play with me!”
Unperturbed, Ye Zhao said, “The Empress Dowager taught me that an imperial daughter-in-law must be generous.”
“Well, aren’t you too virtuous?” Xia Yujin muttered. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t get jealous?”
“Whether or not I’m virtuous isn’t important,” Ye Zhao said. “What’s important is whether you like her. Plus, Xiyin’s reputation is sullied now, it will be hard to find her a good husband. I am her caretaker, I have to bear the blame. It would be good if she remained by my side to be taken care of.”
Smacked in the nose by this heaven-dropped luck with women, Xia Yujin thought and thought about it, hesitating. “I don’t have much interest in the affairs of the inner house. I already have three pretty faces at home. If you want, it’s not impossible to add a new player to their madiao table.[1] After all, she did save me regardless of the danger and she’s dear to you. Our family will never treat her badly. If you don’t want to, then aim lower and pick out someone — either poor but from the newly promoted palace graduates, or from a rich imperial merchant family — who behaves morally and who can remain in the capital. We’ll help with a generous dowry and keep our eyes on them. I think that with pressure from the estates of the prince of Nanping and the marquess of Xuanwu, added to Xiyin’s talents, looks, and character, they will not dare to mistreat her…”
“Right, those are two good options.” Ye Zhao caressed his neck, pensive. “But I must make sure of what she wants.” She lowered her head slightly. A flash of determination passed through her eyes, disappearing almost instantly.
Liu Xiyin’s decision was very firm. Crying, she said, “With the way things are, there’s no way I can find a good match. It’d be better if I left home and became a pure Buddhist aunt.”
Next to her, Hongying kept wailing, “General, take pity on my young mistress. With the way things are, how can she walk with her head held high? Keep her at your side.”
Ye Zhao gave them a few words of comfort and nodded in reply. “This is a very serious concern. Wait till I write to Uncle Liu and consult him.”
The news spread and quickly shook the whole back courtyard.
Concubine Yang shivered all over from anger. That Liu Xiyin was the general’s cousin, came from a very prestigious family, and feelings were deep between the two of them. She, the concubine-born daughter of a seventh-grade official, couldn’t compare. If Liu Xiyin joined the household, she would take away Concubine Yang’s authority as housekeeper. Meiniang herself knew that she was no match for her, and was very worried that the miss cousin would have first pick for the presents and rewards before her own turn came — that was a great concern. Xuan’er was sincere and guileless. Since the affair with her family, she felt most grateful to the general and feared that the good-looking cousin would supplant the general in the prince’s affection. The three women were free, so they walked up to Liu Xiyin, flaunting the deep conjugal love between the prince and the general while making snide and mocking remarks, hoping that she would soon abandon this disgraceful idea.
Liu Xiyin took no heed of their action; she didn’t look for Ye Zhao and pass on dark accusations, her manners towards everyone still as kind as before. These three raging concubines were met with no resistance. They hated her so much that their blood was boiling with it. They ran out to find Ye Zhao and impart on her the wisdom that younger cousins had always been, since times immemorial, great enemies who threatened the harmony of a household.
Noise about the stunning beauty and the loose prince filled the capital. When Consort Dowager An heard the rumors, she had a look at Liu Xiyin. She noticed that when she mentioned her son, Liu Xiyin remained bashful, as though she sincerely admired him and did overly like Consort Dowager An’s own daughter-in-law. Irresistibly delighted at the unexpected news, thinking that this young girl really did have good insight, she ran over to the residence of the prince of Nanping, found Ye Zhao, and proudly and imperiously declared, “Miss Liu is a good-natured young lady. As the mistress of the house, you must not be jealous, take her in immediately! Ah, my poor pitiful son Yujin! Most of his friends have four or five concubines at home, and seven or eight tongfang maids, who have had a few grandsons for their mother-in-law to hold, and until now he only has the few women I’ve chosen. How pitiful, really…”
She wasn’t done talking when she suddenly felt keenly watched, her blood running cold. Her whole body went cold, and she couldn’t repress a shudder.
Ye Zhao was usually very restrained and very deferential towards her. Though her manners were rough and imposing and her bearing masculine, she never gave her this sort of adverse, stifling murderous aura, which could made people tremble as though they were facing death.
Consort Dowager An sucked in a breath, stopped her admonitions, and blankly looked at Ye Zhao, who was standing there in the room. Her legs went a little soft.
Fortunately, this terrifying and hellish moment passed in the blink of an eye, as though, as fast as an illusion.
Ye Zhao’s face was still as placid as before, as though nothing had happened, her voice as deliberately low and mild as always. “You’re right, Mother. As long as Yujin wishes it, I will have him take her as a wife.”
Consort Dowager An looked back at her without a retort. She didn’t dare stay long and hastily left after stammering out a couple of threats.
Qiu Hua stepped forward, concerned. “General, are you really going to take Miss Liu in?”
Qiu Shui was ill at ease. “You’re clearly so good to His Highness, and you like him so much. What if he ends up preferring Miss Liu one day? General, you’d lose so much.”
“It doesn’t matter if I lose. I like him, but it doesn’t mean I need him to like me as well. You can’t force this kind of thing.” Unruffled, Ye Zhao added, “As for whether I’ll let my cousin into this household, as long as he says he wants it…” She repeated it once softly and suddenly smiled: “As long as he wants it, it’ll be possible.”
She stood up, left through the front door, saddled up Taxue, and sped toward Hu Qing’s house.
After reaching her destination, Ye Zhao dragged Hu Qing from his nap on his chaise and ordered him, “Write a letter to Uncle Liu to ask him whether Liu Xiyin really doesn’t know any martial arts or not.”
Hu Qing opened his eyes, impatiently looking at her. “So you finally figured it out?”
“It’s very difficult for ordinary women to knock out a man with their bare hands. Xia Yujin said his legs went numb when he fell into the water, and when I examined his knee, I found a very thin needle over his ma xue acupoint. The smaller the hidden weapon, the more difficult it is to master; she’s probably quite skilled if she can practice so seriously. She was assaulted by thugs some time ago, but it was probably faked. I want to find out why she actually couldn’t get married in the Northern Desert.”
Hu Qing smoothly threw her a folded piece of paper. “Here, I’ve already investigated.”
Ye Zhao was taken aback.
“I couldn’t let you find out that sort of thing by yourself,” Hu Qing explained. “You’d probably have beaten me up on behalf of your cousin. I’m not crazy.”
Ye Zhao awkwardly rubbed her nose. “Thank you.”
The results of the investigation recorded there stated that since Liu Xiyin was sixteen years old, all pretenders, fromm rich masters to young scholars, were rejected, politely at first. After the war in the Northern Desert, her behavior became increasingly unbelievable: when a newly-declared palace graduate came to ask her hand in marriage, her aunt almost said yes, but she was immediately interrupted by Liu Xiyin, who mocked him in public, criticizing him for being poor and pedantic, for his social climbing. Her snobbish manners, her willful drunkenness at home and her tendency to curse out men when she went out were such that within six months her reputation was irremediably destroyed and no good self-respecting family would ask for her hand. Helpless, her Uncle Liu had no alternative but to send her to the capital.
Incapable of believing it, Ye Zhao read the words, again and again. Scowling, she asked Hu Qing, “How could she turn like this?”
“I had trouble believing it.” Hu Qing passed her another slip of paper. “For you, from General Liu.”
On the sheet were scrawled the words: Own up to your responsibility, damn it! If you can’t appease your cousin, I’ll disown you, you wretched niece… Repeated scoldings followed on the back of the sheet, filled with too many spelling errors and curses to count.
Hu Qing slapped her shoulder. “So what do we do now?”
Ye Zhao threw aside the slip of paper. “Our enemy is properly prepared. Let’s set up an ambush to dismantle her front lines.”
Hu Qing smiled slyly. “May the strategist offer a suggestion?”
“You may!” Ye Zhao said.
Me: *posts*
Me: *emerges an unknown amount of time later* surely it’s been 2 days, right?
It has, in fact, been 8 days.
Sorry!
[1 ↑] Lit. 马吊 mǎdiào, a four-player card game.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
The only thing a drowning man will do is grab at anything he can, whether it be rice straw, a log, or a person.
As a child, Liu Xiyin had sneaked out to have some fun with Ye Zhao and was good in the water. Before coming, she had practiced a few times: she was quite certain of being able to drag a heavy object over a distance of a few feet. But she wasn’t expecting that Xia Yujin would clutch her neck and tightly wrap around her body, dragging her down with all his strength. None of her strokes were any use and she almost sunk down to the bottom like a stone.
Under the danger of death, she finally grew frenetic. She turned over to hit the back of Xia Yujin’s neck, making him unconscious. Once he no longer struggled, she towed him and swam towards the bank. When she’d swum close, Ye Zhao stretched out her whip, wrapping it around her arm, and pulled the two of them out together. Everyone around hurried over. His philtrum pinched and his stomach pressed, Xia Yujin choked for a moment then finally, after a long moment, woke up. He stared up at the dark sky, his mind empty, as though he was a lifetime away.
Once she’d made sure the two of them were uninjured, Ye Zhao let out a sigh of relief. She turned her head to look at Liu Xiyin, who was so wet she looked like a drowned rat, her light garments drenched and already sticking to her body, allowing a clear view of her curves as she moved. Her nose was red and she was tightly embracing herself as she shivered on the riverside. She miserably met Ye Zhao’s gaze, like a child who knew she had made a mistake.
Ye Zhao quickly whistled. Taxue came over leaping from a distance and she pulled a black cloak from the saddle, wrapping Liu Xiyin in it from head to toe. Then, blocking everyone’s line of sight, she softly asked, “Can you still walk?”
“My legs got scratched,” Liu Xiyin said weakly. “It hurts a little.” Then, taking in the appreciative, mocking, or regretful looks around, she curled up over herself. Her tears fell without cease, to the point that she couldn’t speak.
Hongying rushed over, crying. “Our miss’ reputation is ruined! What can we do?”
Ye Zhao turned around to Xia Yujin. “Are you alright?”
Xia Yujin nodded, trembling with cold. He kept gasping for breath. Though he was still frightened and confused, he could see that Ye Zhao was holding onto a weeping young woman, consolingly patting her on the back, with a servant girl scared silly at their side. He felt a little neglected by his wife and a little uncomfortable deep inside, but he couldn’t very well start fighting with the young woman who’d saved him. Losing face was unthinkable, so he gritted his teeth and magnanimously said, “It’s nothing. Get your cousin home first, I can walk back by myself.”
“Right.” Ye Zhao coldly swept a look around at the spectating crowd, lifted Liu Xiyin in her arms, and quickly turned to leave.
Xia Yujin got up, but right after he walked two steps there was a sharp pain in his ankle. He crouched down and felt it. Painfully swollen. He’d probably twisted it when he fell into the river.
In Ye Zhao’s hold, Liu Xiyin stopped crying. Softly, she said, “His Highness seems injured, let me down.”
Xia Yujin couldn’t let a young girl yield to him, much less let his wife carry him. He forced himself to put on a brave face. “It’s nothing, only a small hurt. I’ll simply have Gutou help me up.” Then, looking on helplessly as his own wife embraced a beautiful young woman and quickly made her way to the carriage without looking back. In his mind, he knew that this was a big deal: in full view of everyone, Liu Xiyin had nakedly come out of the river, embracing him, the two of them tightly pressed together. It may be forgivable, but it ruined her reputation. It might be difficult for her to find a husband now and cause her further trouble. Ye Zhao was probably resenting him, hence the lack of attention.
But… He hadn’t fallen into the water on purpose!
Liu Xiyin, turning away from Ye Zhao, gave him a soft smile.
Xia Yujin was even more lost. Amidst everyone’s worried questions about his well-being and supported by Gutou and Xishuai, he slowly limped to the sedan chair.
He had barely taken a few steps when Ye Zhao returned. Gesturing at Gutou to step aside, she put his right arm around her shoulder. “Sorry,” she said, self-accusingly, “I should have followed you closer.”
Xia Yujin’s mood immediately improved at her lack of anger.
“It’s fine,” he replied magnanimously. “Are you also going to follow me to the toilet? When I go to a pleasure house? When I take a bath?”
Seeing that he didn’t mind, Ye Zhao smiled. “The last two are feasible.”
“What did you say?!” Xia Yujin angrily asked.
“I heard that the new girl from Baihua Pavilion, Miss Yujing, is from the Northern Desert,” Ye Zhao said, unconsciously pleased, “and that she’s good at sword dancing. Husband, if you have time, you can go have a look…”
Xia Yujin stomped in fury. “Where did you learn your scandalous news! Fucking hell! Damn, you have the guts to go to a brothel right in front of my eyes? You think I won’t stop you?! Ow — my foot—”
“Forget it,” Ye Zhao said soothingly. “Come on, a man must be strong.”
The pain brought tears to Xia Yujin’s eyes. Looking at her expression, which seemed to say that suffering was the natural state of a man, he gritted his teeth. “Stop being such a jerk!”
They were extremely busy when they got back home, with changing clothes, calling for a doctor, being examined, the prescription, boiling medicine.
Fortunately, the water was warm in summer and the two of them didn’t come out with anything. Xia Yujin’s foot was wrapped like a zongzi, and he had trouble putting it down on the ground. He took two steps and turned to ask Ye Zhao, “What will we do about your cousin? First, let me just say: I absolutely didn’t do anything untoward to her or pull her into the water on purpose!”
“What do you think of her?” Ye Zhao softly asked.
Xia Yujin gave it some thought. “Underwater, she was courageous in saving me. She’s a pretty good girl, and she doesn’t look bad either.”
“Do you like her?” Ye Zhao asked again. “If you like her, I can ask her what she thinks.”
Xia Yujin almost choked on his medicine, and furiously wiped his lips. “Don’t play with me!”
Unperturbed, Ye Zhao said, “The Empress Dowager taught me that an imperial daughter-in-law must be generous.”
“Well, aren’t you too virtuous?” Xia Yujin muttered. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t get jealous?”
“Whether or not I’m virtuous isn’t important,” Ye Zhao said. “What’s important is whether you like her. Plus, Xiyin’s reputation is sullied now, it will be hard to find her a good husband. I am her caretaker, I have to bear the blame. It would be good if she remained by my side to be taken care of.”
Smacked in the nose by this heaven-dropped luck with women, Xia Yujin thought and thought about it, hesitating. “I don’t have much interest in the affairs of the inner house. I already have three pretty faces at home. If you want, it’s not impossible to add a new player to their madiao table.[1] After all, she did save me regardless of the danger and she’s dear to you. Our family will never treat her badly. If you don’t want to, then aim lower and pick out someone — either poor but from the newly promoted palace graduates, or from a rich imperial merchant family — who behaves morally and who can remain in the capital. We’ll help with a generous dowry and keep our eyes on them. I think that with pressure from the estates of the prince of Nanping and the marquess of Xuanwu, added to Xiyin’s talents, looks, and character, they will not dare to mistreat her…”
“Right, those are two good options.” Ye Zhao caressed his neck, pensive. “But I must make sure of what she wants.” She lowered her head slightly. A flash of determination passed through her eyes, disappearing almost instantly.
Liu Xiyin’s decision was very firm. Crying, she said, “With the way things are, there’s no way I can find a good match. It’d be better if I left home and became a pure Buddhist aunt.”
Next to her, Hongying kept wailing, “General, take pity on my young mistress. With the way things are, how can she walk with her head held high? Keep her at your side.”
Ye Zhao gave them a few words of comfort and nodded in reply. “This is a very serious concern. Wait till I write to Uncle Liu and consult him.”
The news spread and quickly shook the whole back courtyard.
Concubine Yang shivered all over from anger. That Liu Xiyin was the general’s cousin, came from a very prestigious family, and feelings were deep between the two of them. She, the concubine-born daughter of a seventh-grade official, couldn’t compare. If Liu Xiyin joined the household, she would take away Concubine Yang’s authority as housekeeper. Meiniang herself knew that she was no match for her, and was very worried that the miss cousin would have first pick for the presents and rewards before her own turn came — that was a great concern. Xuan’er was sincere and guileless. Since the affair with her family, she felt most grateful to the general and feared that the good-looking cousin would supplant the general in the prince’s affection. The three women were free, so they walked up to Liu Xiyin, flaunting the deep conjugal love between the prince and the general while making snide and mocking remarks, hoping that she would soon abandon this disgraceful idea.
Liu Xiyin took no heed of their action; she didn’t look for Ye Zhao and pass on dark accusations, her manners towards everyone still as kind as before. These three raging concubines were met with no resistance. They hated her so much that their blood was boiling with it. They ran out to find Ye Zhao and impart on her the wisdom that younger cousins had always been, since times immemorial, great enemies who threatened the harmony of a household.
Noise about the stunning beauty and the loose prince filled the capital. When Consort Dowager An heard the rumors, she had a look at Liu Xiyin. She noticed that when she mentioned her son, Liu Xiyin remained bashful, as though she sincerely admired him and did overly like Consort Dowager An’s own daughter-in-law. Irresistibly delighted at the unexpected news, thinking that this young girl really did have good insight, she ran over to the residence of the prince of Nanping, found Ye Zhao, and proudly and imperiously declared, “Miss Liu is a good-natured young lady. As the mistress of the house, you must not be jealous, take her in immediately! Ah, my poor pitiful son Yujin! Most of his friends have four or five concubines at home, and seven or eight tongfang maids, who have had a few grandsons for their mother-in-law to hold, and until now he only has the few women I’ve chosen. How pitiful, really…”
She wasn’t done talking when she suddenly felt keenly watched, her blood running cold. Her whole body went cold, and she couldn’t repress a shudder.
Ye Zhao was usually very restrained and very deferential towards her. Though her manners were rough and imposing and her bearing masculine, she never gave her this sort of adverse, stifling murderous aura, which could made people tremble as though they were facing death.
Consort Dowager An sucked in a breath, stopped her admonitions, and blankly looked at Ye Zhao, who was standing there in the room. Her legs went a little soft.
Fortunately, this terrifying and hellish moment passed in the blink of an eye, as though, as fast as an illusion.
Ye Zhao’s face was still as placid as before, as though nothing had happened, her voice as deliberately low and mild as always. “You’re right, Mother. As long as Yujin wishes it, I will have him take her as a wife.”
Consort Dowager An looked back at her without a retort. She didn’t dare stay long and hastily left after stammering out a couple of threats.
Qiu Hua stepped forward, concerned. “General, are you really going to take Miss Liu in?”
Qiu Shui was ill at ease. “You’re clearly so good to His Highness, and you like him so much. What if he ends up preferring Miss Liu one day? General, you’d lose so much.”
“It doesn’t matter if I lose. I like him, but it doesn’t mean I need him to like me as well. You can’t force this kind of thing.” Unruffled, Ye Zhao added, “As for whether I’ll let my cousin into this household, as long as he says he wants it…” She repeated it once softly and suddenly smiled: “As long as he wants it, it’ll be possible.”
She stood up, left through the front door, saddled up Taxue, and sped toward Hu Qing’s house.
After reaching her destination, Ye Zhao dragged Hu Qing from his nap on his chaise and ordered him, “Write a letter to Uncle Liu to ask him whether Liu Xiyin really doesn’t know any martial arts or not.”
Hu Qing opened his eyes, impatiently looking at her. “So you finally figured it out?”
“It’s very difficult for ordinary women to knock out a man with their bare hands. Xia Yujin said his legs went numb when he fell into the water, and when I examined his knee, I found a very thin needle over his ma xue acupoint. The smaller the hidden weapon, the more difficult it is to master; she’s probably quite skilled if she can practice so seriously. She was assaulted by thugs some time ago, but it was probably faked. I want to find out why she actually couldn’t get married in the Northern Desert.”
Hu Qing smoothly threw her a folded piece of paper. “Here, I’ve already investigated.”
Ye Zhao was taken aback.
“I couldn’t let you find out that sort of thing by yourself,” Hu Qing explained. “You’d probably have beaten me up on behalf of your cousin. I’m not crazy.”
Ye Zhao awkwardly rubbed her nose. “Thank you.”
The results of the investigation recorded there stated that since Liu Xiyin was sixteen years old, all pretenders, fromm rich masters to young scholars, were rejected, politely at first. After the war in the Northern Desert, her behavior became increasingly unbelievable: when a newly-declared palace graduate came to ask her hand in marriage, her aunt almost said yes, but she was immediately interrupted by Liu Xiyin, who mocked him in public, criticizing him for being poor and pedantic, for his social climbing. Her snobbish manners, her willful drunkenness at home and her tendency to curse out men when she went out were such that within six months her reputation was irremediably destroyed and no good self-respecting family would ask for her hand. Helpless, her Uncle Liu had no alternative but to send her to the capital.
Incapable of believing it, Ye Zhao read the words, again and again. Scowling, she asked Hu Qing, “How could she turn like this?”
“I had trouble believing it.” Hu Qing passed her another slip of paper. “For you, from General Liu.”
On the sheet were scrawled the words: Own up to your responsibility, damn it! If you can’t appease your cousin, I’ll disown you, you wretched niece… Repeated scoldings followed on the back of the sheet, filled with too many spelling errors and curses to count.
Hu Qing slapped her shoulder. “So what do we do now?”
Ye Zhao threw aside the slip of paper. “Our enemy is properly prepared. Let’s set up an ambush to dismantle her front lines.”
Hu Qing smiled slyly. “May the strategist offer a suggestion?”
“You may!” Ye Zhao said.
Me: *posts*
Me: *emerges an unknown amount of time later* surely it’s been 2 days, right?
It has, in fact, been 8 days.
Sorry!
[1 ↑] Lit. 马吊 mǎdiào, a four-player card game.
The only thing a drowning man will do is grab at anything he can, whether it be rice straw, a log, or a person.As a child, Liu Xiyin had sneaked out to have some fun with Ye Zhao and was good in the water. Before coming, she had practiced a few times: she was quite certain of being able to drag a heavy object over a distance of a few feet. But she wasn't expecting that Xia Yujin would clutch her neck and tightly wrap around her body, dragging her down with all his strength. None of her strokes were any use and she almost sunk down to the bottom like a stone.Under the danger of death, she finally grew frenetic. She turned over to hit the back of Xia Yujin's neck, making him unconscious. Once he no longer struggled, she towed him and swam towards the bank. When she'd swum close, Ye Zhao stretched out her whip, wrapping it around her arm, and pulled the two of them out together. Everyone around hurried over. His philtrum pinched and his stomach pressed, Xia Yujin choked for a moment then finally, after a long moment, woke up. He stared up at the dark sky, his mind empty, as though he was a lifetime away.Once she'd made sure the two of them were uninjured, Ye Zhao let out a sigh of relief. She turned her head to look at Liu Xiyin, who was so wet she looked like a drowned rat, her light garments drenched and already sticking to her body, allowing a clear view of her curves as she moved. Her nose was red and she was tightly embracing herself as she shivered on the riverside. She miserably met Ye Zhao's gaze, like a child who knew she had made a mistake.Ye Zhao quickly whistled. Taxue came over leaping from a distance and she pulled a black cloak from the saddle, wrapping Liu Xiyin in it from head to toe. Then, blocking everyone's line of sight, she softly asked, Can you still walk?My legs got scratched, Liu Xiyin said weakly. It hurts a little. Then, taking in the appreciative, mocking, or regretful looks around, she curled up over herself. Her tears fell without cease, to the point that she couldn't speak.Hongying rushed over, crying. Our miss' reputation is ruined! What can we do?Ye Zhao turned around to Xia Yujin. Are you alright?Xia Yujin nodded, trembling with cold. He kept gasping for breath. Though he was still frightened and confused, he could see that Ye Zhao was holding onto a weeping young woman, consolingly patting her on the back, with a servant girl scared silly at their side. He felt a little neglected by his wife and a little uncomfortable deep inside, but he couldn't very well start fighting with the young woman who'd saved him. Losing face was unthinkable, so he gritted his teeth and magnanimously said, It's nothing. Get your cousin home first, I can walk back by myself.Right. Ye Zhao coldly swept a look around at the spectating crowd, lifted Liu Xiyin in her arms, and quickly turned to leave.Xia Yujin got up, but right after he walked two steps there was a sharp pain in his ankle. He crouched down and felt it. Painfully swollen. He'd probably twisted it when he fell into the river.In Ye Zhao's hold, Liu Xiyin stopped crying. Softly, she said, His Highness seems injured, let me down.Xia Yujin couldn't let a young girl yield to him, much less let his wife carry him. He forced himself to put on a brave face. It's nothing, only a small hurt. I'll simply have Gutou help me up. Then, looking on helplessly as his own wife embraced a beautiful young woman and quickly made her way to the carriage without looking back. In his mind, he knew that this was a big deal: in full view of everyone, Liu Xiyin had nakedly come out of the river, embracing him, the two of them tightly pressed together. It may be forgivable, but it ruined her reputation. It might be difficult for her to find a husband now and cause her further trouble. Ye Zhao was probably resenting him, hence the lack of attention.But He hadn't fallen into the water on purpose!Liu Xiyin, turning away from Ye Zhao, gave him a soft smile.Xia Yujin was even more lost. Amidst everyone's worried questions about his well-being and supported by Gutou and Xishuai, he slowly limped to the sedan chair.He had barely taken a few steps when Ye Zhao returned. Gesturing at Gutou to step aside, she put his right arm around her shoulder. Sorry, she said, self-accusingly, I should have followed you closer.Xia Yujin's mood immediately improved at her lack of anger.It's fine, he replied magnanimously. Are you also going to follow me to the toilet? When I go to a pleasure house? When I take a bath?Seeing that he didn't mind, Ye Zhao smiled. The last two are feasible.What did you say?! Xia Yujin angrily asked.I heard that the new girl from Baihua Pavilion, Miss Yujing, is from the Northern Desert, Ye Zhao said, unconsciously pleased, and that she's good at sword dancing. Husband, if you have time, you can go have a lookXia Yujin stomped in fury. Where did you learn your scandalous news! Fucking hell! Damn, you have the guts to go to a brothel right in front of my eyes? You think I won't stop you?! Ow my footForget it, Ye Zhao said soothingly. Come on, a man must be strong.The pain brought tears to Xia Yujin's eyes. Looking at her expression, which seemed to say that suffering was the natural state of a man, he gritted his teeth. Stop being such a jerk!They were extremely busy when they got back home, with changing clothes, calling for a doctor, being examined, the prescription, boiling medicine.Fortunately, the water was warm in summer and the two of them didn't come out with anything. Xia Yujin's foot was wrapped like a zongzi, and he had trouble putting it down on the ground. He took two steps and turned to ask Ye Zhao, What will we do about your cousin? First, let me just say: I absolutely didn't do anything untoward to her or pull her into the water on purpose!What do you think of her? Ye Zhao softly asked.Xia Yujin gave it some thought. Underwater, she was courageous in saving me. She's a pretty good girl, and she doesn't look bad either.Do you like her? Ye Zhao asked again. If you like her, I can ask her what she thinks.Xia Yujin almost choked on his medicine, and furiously wiped his lips. Don't play with me!Unperturbed, Ye Zhao said, The Empress Dowager taught me that an imperial daughter-in-law must be generous.Well, aren't you too virtuous? Xia Yujin muttered. Don't tell me you wouldn't get jealous?Whether or not I'm virtuous isn't important, Ye Zhao said. What's important is whether you like her. Plus, Xiyin's reputation is sullied now, it will be hard to find her a good husband. I am her caretaker, I have to bear the blame. It would be good if she remained by my side to be taken care of.Smacked in the nose by this heaven-dropped luck with women, Xia Yujin thought and thought about it, hesitating. I don't have much interest in the affairs of the inner house. I already have three pretty faces at home. If you want, it's not impossible to add a new player to their madiao table.1After all, she did save me regardless of the danger and she's dear to you. Our family will never treat her badly. If you don't want to, then aim lower and pick out someone either poor but from the newly promoted palace graduates, or from a rich imperial merchant family who behaves morally and who can remain in the capital. We'll help with a generous dowry and keep our eyes on them. I think that with pressure from the estates of the prince of Nanping and the marquess of Xuanwu, added to Xiyin's talents, looks, and character, they will not dare to mistreat herRight, those are two good options. Ye Zhao caressed his neck, pensive. But I must make sure of what she wants. She lowered her head slightly. A flash of determination passed through her eyes, disappearing almost instantly.Liu Xiyin's decision was very firm. Crying, she said, With the way things are, there's no way I can find a good match. It'd be better if I left home and became a pure Buddhist aunt.Next to her, Hongying kept wailing, General, take pity on my young mistress. With the way things are, how can she walk with her head held high? Keep her at your side.Ye Zhao gave them a few words of comfort and nodded in reply. This is a very serious concern. Wait till I write to Uncle Liu and consult him.The news spread and quickly shook the whole back courtyard.Concubine Yang shivered all over from anger. That Liu Xiyin was the general's cousin, came from a very prestigious family, and feelings were deep between the two of them. She, the concubine-born daughter of a seventh-grade official, couldn't compare. If Liu Xiyin joined the household, she would take away Concubine Yang's authority as housekeeper. Meiniang herself knew that she was no match for her, and was very worried that the miss cousin would have first pick for the presents and rewards before her own turn came that was a great concern. Xuan'er was sincere and guileless. Since the affair with her family, she felt most grateful to the general and feared that the good-looking cousin would supplant the general in the prince's affection. The three women were free, so they walked up to Liu Xiyin, flaunting the deep conjugal love between the prince and the general while making snide and mocking remarks, hoping that she would soon abandon this disgraceful idea.Liu Xiyin took no heed of their action; she didn't look for Ye Zhao and pass on dark accusations, her manners towards everyone still as kind as before. These three raging concubines were met with no resistance. They hated her so much that their blood was boiling with it. They ran out to find Ye Zhao and impart on her the wisdom that younger cousins had always been, since times immemorial, great enemies who threatened the harmony of a household.Noise about the stunning beauty and the loose prince filled the capital. When Consort Dowager An heard the rumors, she had a look at Liu Xiyin. She noticed that when she mentioned her son, Liu Xiyin remained bashful, as though she sincerely admired him and did overly like Consort Dowager An's own daughter-in-law. Irresistibly delighted at the unexpected news, thinking that this young girl really did have good insight, she ran over to the residence of the prince of Nanping, found Ye Zhao, and proudly and imperiously declared, Miss Liu is a good-natured young lady. As the mistress of the house, you must not be jealous, take her in immediately! Ah, my poor pitiful son Yujin! Most of his friends have four or five concubines at home, and seven or eighttongfangmaids, who have had a few grandsons for their mother-in-law to hold, and until now he only has the few women I've chosen. How pitiful, reallyShe wasn't done talking when she suddenly felt keenly watched, her blood running cold. Her whole body went cold, and she couldn't repress a shudder.Ye Zhao was usually very restrained and very deferential towards her. Though her manners were rough and imposing and her bearing masculine, she never gave her this sort of adverse, stifling murderous aura, which could made people tremble as though they were facing death.Consort Dowager An sucked in a breath, stopped her admonitions, and blankly looked at Ye Zhao, who was standing there in the room. Her legs went a little soft.Fortunately, this terrifying and hellish moment passed in the blink of an eye, as though, as fast as an illusion.Ye Zhao's face was still as placid as before, as though nothing had happened, her voice as deliberately low and mild as always. You're right, Mother. As long as Yujin wishes it, I will have him take her as a wife.Consort Dowager An looked back at her without a retort. She didn't dare stay long and hastily left after stammering out a couple of threats.Qiu Hua stepped forward, concerned. General, are you really going to take Miss Liu in?Qiu Shui was ill at ease. You're clearly so good to His Highness, and you like him so much. What if he ends up preferring Miss Liu one day? General, you'd lose so much.It doesn't matter if I lose. I like him, but it doesn't mean I need him to like me as well. You can't force this kind of thing. Unruffled, Ye Zhao added, As for whether I'll let my cousin into this household, as long as he says he wants it She repeated it once softly and suddenly smiled: As long as he wants it, it'll be possible.She stood up, left through the front door, saddled up Taxue, and sped toward Hu Qing's house.After reaching her destination, Ye Zhao dragged Hu Qing from his nap on his chaise and ordered him, Write a letter to Uncle Liu to ask him whether Liu Xiyin really doesn't know any martial arts or not.Hu Qing opened his eyes, impatiently looking at her. So you finally figured it out?It's very difficult for ordinary women to knock out a man with their bare hands. Xia Yujin said his legs went numb when he fell into the water, and when I examined his knee, I found a very thin needle over hisma xueacupoint. The smaller the hidden weapon, the more difficult it is to master; she's probably quite skilled if she can practice so seriously. She was assaulted by thugs some time ago, but it was probably faked. I want to find out why she actually couldn't get married in the Northern Desert.Hu Qing smoothly threw her a folded piece of paper. Here, I've already investigated.Ye Zhao was taken aback.I couldn't let you find out that sort of thing by yourself, Hu Qing explained. You'd probably have beaten me up on behalf of your cousin. I'm not crazy.Ye Zhao awkwardly rubbed her nose. Thank you.The results of the investigation recorded there stated that since Liu Xiyin was sixteen years old, all pretenders, fromm rich masters to young scholars, were rejected, politely at first. After the war in the Northern Desert, her behavior became increasingly unbelievable: when a newly-declared palace graduate came to ask her hand in marriage, her aunt almost said yes, but she was immediately interrupted by Liu Xiyin, who mocked him in public, criticizing him for being poor and pedantic, for his social climbing. Her snobbish manners, her willful drunkenness at home and her tendency to curse out men when she went out were such that within six months her reputation was irremediably destroyed and no good self-respecting family would ask for her hand. Helpless, her Uncle Liu had no alternative but to send her to the capital.Incapable of believing it, Ye Zhao read the words, again and again. Scowling, she asked Hu Qing, How could she turn like this?I had trouble believing it. Hu Qing passed her another slip of paper. For you, from General Liu.On the sheet were scrawled the words:Own up to your responsibility, damn it! If you can't appease your cousin, I'll disown you, you wretched nieceRepeated scoldings followed on the back of the sheet, filled with too many spelling errors and curses to count.Hu Qing slapped her shoulder. So what do we do now?Ye Zhao threw aside the slip of paper. Our enemy is properly prepared. Let's set up an ambush to dismantle her front lines.Hu Qing smiled slyly. May the strategist offer a suggestion?You may! Ye Zhao said.Me: *posts*Me: *emerges an unknown amount of time later* surely it's been 2 days, right?It has, in fact, been 8 days.Sorry!1 Lit. mdio, a four-player card game.
