Chapter 382: A Young Man in Bright Clothes and on a Spirited Horse (Part 2) [Two-in-One]
Shen Kingdom, Qu Dian, Zhai Prefecture.
The return of the Zhai brothers from their travels should have been a joyous occasion.
The Zhai residence hadn't been lively for a long time, and in principle, a proper celebration should have been held. But to everyone's surprise, white banners were hung and white flowers were used to decorate the residence, clearly indicating that a funeral was to be held.
The servants in the mansion tiptoed around.
They were afraid of making any noise that might disturb the master of the house.
When this news reached the common people, they were all deeply saddened.
The reason is simple: the deceased in this funeral at the Zhai residence was not the master of the Zhai family, but the unmarried wife of the eldest son of the prestigious Zhai clan of Qu Dian.
The story of Zongzi Zhai Huan and that ill-fated woman was once considered a beautiful tale, but now they are separated by death.
"Sigh, what a pity..."
When this matter was discussed, everyone felt deeply regretful.
This woman and Zhai Huan were betrothed since childhood. The woman came from a noble family, and the two families were originally well-matched. However, fate is unpredictable. Something happened in the woman's family, which affected the whole family and caused their reputation to decline. She was also disfigured in an accident.
Everyone thought that Zhai Huan would cancel the engagement.
The two are now of vastly different social standing. Even if Zhai Huan breaks off the engagement, no one will blame him. If he can be magnanimous and help the woman find another reliable marriage, it will be a celebrated story. However, Zhai Huan's actions always exceed what people expect.
Not only did he defy public opinion to help his future in-laws, but he also took excellent care of his fiancée.
No one can find fault with it.
If anyone were to comment on this woman's appearance, they might even challenge Zhai Huan to a contest of wits. The latter would silence the gossipy onlookers with his strength, and had publicly stated more than once that only she was qualified to be the matriarch of the Zhai family. Appearance was unimportant, family background was unimportant; he was not lusting after worldly pleasures, nor did he have much ambition that required leveraging his wife's family's influence. She was perfect for him!
How many girls would be envious after hearing this?
The common people of Qudian all knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this eldest son of the Zhai clan would return from his travels and marry the woman. They were filled with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety—a feeling much like that of a couple who had been pursuing each other for many years and were finally about to achieve a happy ending.
As expected, something unexpected still happened.
Zhai Huan and his cousin Zhai Le returned by boat.
Unexpectedly, Princess Shuji of Shen was hosting a banquet on that luxurious painted boat, chatting and laughing with a group of talented scholars and celebrities, having a great time.
As the river breeze blew and the wine took effect, Shuji caught a glimpse of a tall, ethereal figure in the distance, a fleeting moment of breathtaking beauty.
"Who is this child?" Shuji asked, emboldened by the alcohol.
【who? 】
[Looks like Zhai Yuewen...]
[It's definitely Zhai Yuewen, and the one next to him is Zhai Xiaofang. Have they returned from their travels?]
Shuji: [Zhai Yuewen, Zhai Xiaofang?]
A scholar remarked: "The Zhai family of Qu Dian boasts two outstanding individuals, one a scholar and the other a warrior, both exceptionally gifted, making them the envy of all."
His breath sounded a little sour.
Shuji, now intrigued, lost interest in the group of flamboyant young scholars around her—these self-proclaimed scholars were merely empty titles marketed by their families, their good looks the only measure of their appeal. Shuji had initially quite liked them, but compared to the two she had just seen, they were just ordinary beauties, all looks and no substance, instantly killing her appetite.
Shuji smiled and said, "Such a stunning beauty... I should pay her a visit when I have the chance..."
The group of young celebrities looked at each other in bewilderment.
Most of them were from Qu Dian or neighboring counties, and they were very familiar with Zhai Huan of the Zhai family—tsk, this guy is someone else's child, they not only have a deep impression of him but also suffer from serious psychological trauma—at the same time, they were also very familiar with Shu Ji.
Suk-hee is the only daughter of the current Queen Mother.
The king's only younger sister.
The siblings had a hard childhood. Their mother, the Queen Mother, was originally a maid in the inner palace. She became pregnant by chance after being favored by the old king. Their lives were blessed with good fortune.
The old king had few children, so the brother and sister should have been highly valued. However, the old king was weak-willed, and real power was in the hands of the queen at the time.
The brother and sister, along with their biological mother, are suffering greatly.
Until the queen and the old king sent each other to their deaths, all of the old king's children had died.
After a lot of searching, the officials finally found the brother and sister. The three of them suddenly turned their fortunes around and were able to hold their heads high.
They immediately used cruel methods to kill those who had bullied them, resulting in the deaths of over a hundred maids and eunuchs.
The Queen Mother was poor her whole life, but after ascending to the throne, she lived a life of extreme luxury; the King acted as he pleased, and was naturally sensitive and suspicious. If he found out that someone looked down on him, he would come up with countless ways to torture that person to death.
In contrast, Suk-hee was much more "normal".
She has a thing for men.
Especially young men from good families and with good looks.
She was a princess, one of the most noble women in the world, and deserved the most handsome man in the world. She had even forcibly abducted married men in the street; if she set her sights on someone, she would have him.
If force doesn't work, then use power; this time, targeting Zhai Huan and his companion was also driven by the same idea.
Shuji asked with displeasure, "Is there something difficult about this?"
One person said: "Zhai Yuewen has a fiancée."
Shuji chuckled dismissively: "We're not even officially married yet."
She can get her hands on anything even after the marriage.
Then he asked who the woman was.
This matter was known after inquiring around Qu Dian, and several prominent figures did not hide it, but they also hinted that Zhai Yuewen should not be easily offended. Shu Ji, with her striking beauty and mature charm, also feigned admiration for this beautiful story.
Several scholars breathed a sigh of relief when they thought that Shuji had given up her idea, but at the same time, they felt a little jealous.
They were neglected at home, utterly incompetent, and their only redeeming quality was their looks. For the sake of their future, they had no choice but to flatter and fawn over this dissolute princess. Zhai Huan was merely passing by, yet she had already piqued her interest…
Tsk, that's so unfair.
For several days, Shuji remained silent.
When the Zhai brothers returned from their travels, the entire Zhai household was overjoyed, as if it were New Year's Day. Even the servants who had served them received an extra two months' wages. Zhai Huan and his brother paid their respects to the elders of their clan according to proper etiquette.
I only have time to rest after being busy for two or three days.
“Brother, leave the rest to me, you go see your sister-in-law…” With no one around, Zhai Le sat slouching, making Zhai Huan’s eyelids twitch, and he was about to say something to correct her.
but--
Considering his cousin's thoughtfulness and understanding, he decided not to reprimand him this time. Zhai Huan visited his future in-laws with a large pile of exquisite gifts, and spoke with his fiancée behind a screen for a while, both blushing when they talked about their wedding date. All the preparations for the wedding between the two families were complete, except for Zhai Huan's return.
It will be put on the agenda at the latest within the next six months.
Zhai Huan never expected that this would be the last time they would see each other.
Once the wedding date is set, the man and woman must not see each other again.
Zhai Huan also had to attend to clan affairs.
Having been away for so long, even he needed time to familiarize himself with what had happened, to sort out the situation, and to personally hunt geese. So he left for a few days. A few days later, he rode back, with a decent haul, capturing two rather large geese and tying them up securely. Zhai Huan was in a bright mood, a smile playing on his lips.
Until Zhai Le hurriedly arrived on horseback.
"Why are you in such a panic?" He looked at Zhai Le's expression and his heart skipped a beat, a vague sense of foreboding creeping in.
"Brother... Sister-in-law, she..."
"What's wrong with your sister-in-law?" When there were outsiders around, Zhai Huan never let Zhai Le call his fiancée "sister-in-law." Before they were officially married, such a form of address would damage the woman's reputation.
Now that the wedding date is set, and they're practically a year apart in terms of horoscopes, calling each other by name won't hurt. But the way he used to feel a warm glow in his heart now chilled him to the bone. "Say it!"
The usually cheerful boy was now stammering.
With slightly reddened eyes, she said, "Please accept my condolences..."
boom!
Something exploded in his ear.
When Zhai Huan came to his senses, a strong wind whistled towards him and hit his face. His horse pushed its speed to the limit, and even the warhorse that Zhai Lewu had conjured could not catch up with it.
He disregarded everything else and spurred his horse to gallop away.
Something's off!
Zhai Huan staggered off his horse.
He brushed aside the servants who tried to help him up.
Before even arriving, he heard a chorus of sobs and cries. Zhai Huan pushed through the crowd, and a pale-faced corpse came into view. The girl's sleeping face was peaceful, her hands folded in front of her, and there was a bluish ligature mark on her neck…
Zhai Huan tilted her head slightly.
A thick hemp rope is suspended from the roof beam.
"What's going on?" He thought he had used all his strength to ask this question, but no one answered. The crying continued, but it wasn't very sincere. They were secretly observing his reaction by wiping away their tears.
After a long while, he realized that the shout was only in his heart; to outsiders, he had only moved his lips.
In just half a day—
Numerous malicious discussions have emerged in the community.
Some say that during the years Zhai Huan was away, this woman secretly had affairs with other men, engaging in illicit relationships. Fearing discovery and disgrace to her family, she hanged herself out of shame. Others say she was pregnant with an illegitimate child, and when the two families finalized the wedding date, she took her own life out of despair…
These seemingly plausible rumors spread like wildfire, only barely quelled by a sound beating from Zhai Le and his men.
At this moment, my future mother-in-law brought over a bowl of something.
"Yuewen..."
"Mother."
Upon hearing this address, the woman's tears, which she had managed to hold back, streamed down her face again, blurring her vision.
“…My poor daughter…If you could have married so smoothly…” The future mother-in-law had been crying for a long time, her vision blurred, her eyes red and swollen, “but…now that this has happened…I guess you two are not meant to be…”
Zhai Huan held that already cold hand, his eyes colder than ever before, and asked, "Who killed her?"
Did he hang himself before his wedding?
Who would believe that?
The woman hesitated, as if she wanted to speak.
She simply pushed the bowl closer to him, suppressing something, and said softly, "Yuewen, don't ask anymore. You... sigh, I'm not telling you for your own good. Don't let my poor daughter die without knowing why, okay?"
Zhai Huan felt as if she were meeting her for the first time.
"Who killed her?" He hadn't even glanced at the bowl covered with a black cloth, but his senses were sharp, and he smelled blood. Looking at the hastily bandaged bandage on his fiancée's arm, he guessed what had happened. "Huan needs to know."
The woman lowered her head and remained silent.
However, a fleeting hint of resentment crossed her face, which Zhai Huan caught precisely: "Although A-Jing is not yet married, we were betrothed since childhood, and our relationship has deepened over the years. We are more like husband and wife than husband and wife. She should be a member of the Zhai family. The funeral should be held at the Zhai residence. Mother, I will take her home first, and you can come later."
"you--"
She didn't have time to say anything.
Zhai Huan had already bent down and hugged the person in her arms.
The woman tried to have her servants stop them, but Zhai Le, who was guarding the door, glared at her and conjured his martial armor, intimidating everyone and preventing them from reaching out. They could only watch helplessly as Zhai Huan carried the person away.
"Ah Le, take the things and let's go."
"Things? What things?"
Zhai Le didn't understand at first, until the woman who caught up with him stuffed a bowl full of bloody stench into his hands. He quietly lifted the lid and found a small piece of blood-stained meat inside. He was completely stunned.
Puzzled, he looked at his cousin's retreating figure, then at the woman.
"This is?"
The woman sobbed, "It was left by A-Jing."
For some unknown reason, Zhai Le felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly caught up with his cousin, carrying the bowl.
Now, Qu Dian is bustling with activity.
The Zhai family held a funeral rites on the grounds that "the wife of the clan had passed away."
The commoner asked in surprise, "Isn't this marriage not yet finalized?"
Another person sighed, "It's become a corpse."
The common people gasped in astonishment: "The Zhai family allows this too?"
Another person gossiped, "Zhai Yuewen said no, so he asked to resign from his position as the clan's heir. He said he would hand over the Zhai clan to any young member of the clan and would definitely do his best to assist him in the future."
"I can't believe it. Zhai Yuewen is such a refined and gentle person..." I can't imagine it at all.
The gossipy commoners sneered.
"Refined? You didn't see the ruthlessness with which he held down the heads of over a hundred bandits and drowned them alive... When you were ten, you were still playing in the mud with your bare bottom, while he had chopped off so many heads that you could play chess with them... And you call that refined?"
The audience gasped.
That's a ruthless person.
The body lay in state for seven days, and Zhai Huan locked himself up for those seven days as well.
Zhai Le stood anxiously outside the door.
I wanted to offer my cousin some words of comfort, but I didn't know where to begin.
This happened so suddenly that he was stunned when he heard the news, let alone his cousin, who was reserved in his feelings but became uncontrollable once he was truly in love.
What's even more infuriating is the sixth day.
The woman, Shuji, whom he had never met, suddenly sent someone to express her admiration for his brother in front of his sister-in-law's coffin. Zhai Le, who was in charge of the funeral, almost lost his temper and beat the person to a pulp.
What is that?!
The elder brother had just lost his wife, and this infamous Shuji came to steal her away. Didn't she know that her brother was in mourning?
What's even more audacious is that the messenger from Consort Shuji hinted that Consort Shuji greatly admired the brothers, and that if the two brothers could serve the princess together, they would definitely be highly valued in future official positions. This matter must not be revealed to the elder brother, or he would be furious.
On the seventh day, the door was opened.
Zhai Le jumped up as soon as he heard the noise.
"Ah, brother..."
For a moment, he didn't dare to recognize Zhai Huan.
Zhai Huan seemed unchanged, yet everything about him had changed; a trace of dried, dark blood clung to the corner of his pale lips. He heard the sound and turned his head.
He asked in a low voice, "What day is it?"
Zhai Le instinctively tensed up: "It's the seventh day."
“The seventh day after death…” Zhai Huan murmured weakly, “It is said that if the deceased has unresolved karma from their previous life, they will return to the world on the seventh day…” Zhai Le got goosebumps upon hearing this.
“Sister-in-law certainly wouldn’t want to see you like this, brother…” Brother had never believed in superstitions or supernatural phenomena before.
Zhai Huan asked, "Has any messenger come to the door?"
"Um...yes..."
"The princess's messenger?"
Although it was a question, it was phrased with certainty.
"Hmm, how did you know, brother?"
He hasn't left the house for the past few days.
Or did someone tip them off?
Zhai Le was just worrying about how to conceal and delay when, unexpectedly, Shu Ji's envoy came to his door again, this time directly spouting nonsense to Zhai Huan.
Zhai Huan sneered: "I never share anything with others."
Sigh, I thought this part of the story would be finished in one chapter...
The person who was going to die in the previous chapter was not Zhai Huan's fiancée, but someone else.
(End of this chapter)
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