Chapter 64 Entering the Tiger's Den: A magnificent hall hides a treacherous underworld; one's body is like a fish at the bottom of a pot. ...
The auspicious day for marriage, circled on a red paper, is the day of Gui Mao in the ninth month, when Yin and Yang are in harmony.
Since the letter from Emperor Wenshi arrived, not a single word had been spoken. The battlefield was far away, and sending messages was difficult. Although Su Jinxiu tried her best to comfort herself, the worry in her heart was hard to quell.
That day, she embroidered a peace charm in the sunlight, carefully outlining the patterns to ward off evil. After finishing, she wanted to show it to Ye Lingbo, so she tucked the charm into her sleeve and tiptoed towards her courtyard. Just as she reached the gate, before her hand even touched the door knocker, she heard Ye Lingbo and the housekeeper whispering inside.
"...Send another capable person to Chengdu Prefecture on horseback to urge Zhi Ferry to return within five days."
Su Jinxiu assumed that Ye Lingbo was longing for her son and hoping that her eldest son would return home, so she was about to carry him into the courtyard when she heard the next sentence.
“He absolutely cannot be absent from this matter. Now he is the only eldest son left who can preside over it.”
The thought flashed through her mind, but Su Jinxiu quickly and forcefully erased it. She immediately found an excuse to divert her attention, looking only at the amulet in her hand, and muttered to herself, "The pattern is still not full enough, and the stitches here are a bit loose. I should embroider it again when I get back."
She didn't even dare to ponder the meaning behind those words before turning and leaving hastily, not daring to linger for even a moment longer.
After finishing embroidering the peace charm, Su Jinxiu went to Huayun Pavilion and handed the neatly arranged phoenix coronet and wedding gown to Zhang's steward, Chang Geng.
When Chang Geng received the item, he bowed and said, "Miss, the master instructed that this reward of one hundred taels of gold must be handed to you personally at the Zhang residence; no one else can do it for you."
After saying that, she turned and led her to the carriage below the steps without saying another word. Su Jinxiu turned back and gave Linlang a few instructions. After Linlang nodded in agreement, Su Jinxiu helped Linlang onto the carriage.
The Zhang family mansion's vermilion gates were shrouded in a solemn atmosphere, and the shadows of the trees outside the screens were deep and heavy.
Su Jinxiu stood waiting by the desk in the study, watching the incense smoke curl around the plaque on the wall and the hundred taels of gold stacked into square ingots on the desk, their golden light dazzling.
Strangely enough, from the moment she stepped into the Zhang residence, she felt that although it was extremely luxurious and elegant, a truly fine and livable place, a strange sense of familiarity and an inexplicable fear crept up on her, startling her into a cold sweat.
She waited a while longer, and seeing that the courtyard was quiet and no one came, she got up and went out. She wandered around aimlessly and unknowingly followed the noise ahead, accidentally ending up in the backyard.
The further she went, the more strangely familiar the place felt, and the more intense her panic became. When she reached the moon gate, she heard shouting and cursing coming from ahead, so she peeked out and saw two beautiful women scolding a maidservant harshly, showing no mercy.
A gust of wind rustled through the bamboo forest, a subtle sound that inexplicably unsettled the heart.
Is it pretty?
A question arose, like a stone thrown into a still pond, and Su Jinxiu's heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned around and saw Zhang Mingxu behind her, who was not wearing an official robe, but his sinister and imposing aura was not diminished in the slightest. In particular, his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, making her dare not look directly at him.
Just as Su Jinxiu was about to apologize, saying that she had inadvertently barged in, Zhang Mingxu stepped forward and put his arm around her shoulder.
Su Jinxiu stiffened, about to break free, but Zhang Mingxu forcibly pulled her back to her original position, bent down, pointed ahead, and asked with a playful tone, "Isn't it tricky?"
Su Jinxiu did not want to comment on other people's affairs, and assumed that this must be one of his concubines in the backyard, so she smiled vaguely and said, "My lord, this is just a glimpse of the whole picture, and I dare not speak rashly."
After listening, Zhang Mingxu chuckled softly and said loudly, "Chang Geng."
Su Jinxiu then noticed that Chang Geng had brought five or six sturdy servants waiting nearby. Although Zhang Mingxu did not say anything explicitly, Chang Geng seemed to understand and immediately led the servants straight into the backyard.
A moment later, in the back hall, Su Jinxiu and Zhang Mingxu sat on chairs. In front of the hall, on the open cobblestone ground, surrounded by lush flowers and trees, with weeping willows swaying, the scenery was elegant and beautiful. However, in the center of the stone slab, six women were kneeling on the ground with their hands tied and their mouths gagged with cloth.
Su Jinxiu had no idea what he meant by doing this.
Zhang Mingxu then asked casually, "Isn't it tricky?"
Su Jinxiu dared not answer, and hurriedly said, "There must be some misunderstanding."
Zhang Mingxu waved his hand: "Since you've misunderstood, then kill them all."
The words had barely left his lips when a servant drew his knife and stepped forward. The women recoiled in terror as the servant grabbed the nearest one and plunged the blade straight into her chest and abdomen. The remaining five women turned deathly pale, huddling together and sobbing, begging for mercy. The stabbed woman's eyes widened in shock; her body went limp and she collapsed to the ground, her blood instantly staining the stone slabs crimson.
All of this happened so fast that Su Jinxiu had no time to react. She couldn't believe that he treated human life so lightly. Just then, the servant with the knife turned to the five people, and it looked like the blade was about to fall.
"Wait!"
The courtyard fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on her. Hope flickered in the eyes of the five women, filled with pleading. The servant turned to Zhang Mingxu, awaiting his instructions. Only Zhang Mingxu, tapping the armrest lightly with his knuckles, slightly raised his chin: "Continue."
Su Jinxiu could no longer sit still, so she pleaded, "My lord! I dare to guess that these must be your concubines? They serve you, and even if they have done nothing wrong, they still do your work from dawn till dusk. I don't know what crime they have committed that they should be killed on the spot by you?"
"Didn't I just say that?" Zhang Mingxu said in a flat tone, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, "Since you've misunderstood, then kill them all."
Su Jinxiu was truly puzzled: "I...I didn't misunderstand. Besides, even if I did misunderstand, is it something of paramount importance to you, sir?"
Zhang Mingxu chuckled and waved his hand, temporarily sparing the remaining five people. He then led Su Jinxiu back to his study.
The study was spacious and bright, with clean windows and a full array of scholar's objects and elegant decorations on the desk. Su Jinxiu then noticed a colored painting of a lady hanging on the wall. The woman in the painting had her hair piled high in a cloud-like bun, her wide sleeves fluttering, and a dot of vermilion between her brows. Her gentle and graceful demeanor made her seem like a fairy from the moon.
Whether it was an illusion or something real, Su Jinxiu felt that the eyebrows and expressions of the person in the painting bore a striking resemblance to her own.
Even knowing that his killing of the concubines was merely a warning to others, intended to intimidate her, Su Jinxiu inevitably fell into this meticulously crafted trap. This incident deepened her fear of Zhang Mingxu.
She quickly and respectfully replied, "I am unaware of where I have acted improperly, and I hope you will enlighten me, sir."
The ceremony at the main gate is the ritual for marrying a wife. These words struck Su Jinxiu like a thunderbolt, and she instantly understood his meaning.
"Is what you say true, sir?" She suppressed all her fear and deliberately feigned a hint of smugness. "I am but a humble seamstress; how could I dare to dream of such good fortune?"
Zhang Mingxu curled his lips into a smile, but his gaze passed over her and landed on the painting of the lady: "Of course it is true."
“But… my daughter is now under Master Ying’s control.” Su Jinxiu lowered her eyes and added with difficulty, “He is rich and powerful. Although my daughter has long been impressed by your demeanor, I am afraid it will be difficult for her to escape from his grasp.”
Zhang Mingxu chuckled, as if he had expected this. He stepped forward, lightly pinching her chin with his fingertips, forcing her to look up: "I have leverage over him, and he dares not disobey. This is not something you need to worry about. What you need to worry about is how to play the role of the bystander well in the future."
"The person on the wall?"
Su Jinxiu followed his gaze and looked at the painting of a lady again.
"To bear even a slight resemblance to Yan'er is a blessing you have accumulated over many lifetimes. Tomorrow I will have someone teach you Yan'er's life, preferences, speech, and mannerisms. After that, you will forget your own identity and simply become her shadow."
“My lord, isn’t this asking the impossible?” Upon hearing this, Su Jinxiu argued vehemently, “I am not the person you envision, and no matter how much you pretend, it will never become real.”
"Thinking about it this way, it is still more secure to be by Master Ying's side. I will take my leave now."
After saying that, Su Jinxiu broke free and fled, no longer looking at his expression. She walked quickly to the door of the study. Just as she was about to step out of the threshold, she suddenly heard a heavy sound behind her, as if the objects on the table had been thrown out hard.
Su Jinxiu turned her head and saw a bright yellow scroll lying quietly on the blue brick.
"Why waste your energy? Once I issue this secret decree, even if he protects you, he will have to obediently send the person back to me."
Su Jinxiu slowly squatted down, picked up the scroll, unfolded it, and glanced at it, but she already understood.
Now that you've found what you want, you should stop this tactic of feigning indifference.
Zhang Mingxu poured tea into a white porcelain cup, filling it with a vibrant green liquor. He then slowly handed it to her, saying, "If you drink this toast, you will naturally enjoy endless favor and privilege. I have never been one to punish those I like." He paused, his gaze lingering on her face, a hint of wistful longing in his eyes. "After all, you are more like Yan'er than anyone else in the backyard. Be a good girl and listen to me. Whatever you want in the future, I will give you."
Su Jinxiu feigned a struggle, biting her lip and hesitating for a moment before finally seeming to give in and reaching out to take the cup of tea. But the next second, her hand trembled, and the scalding tea spilled all over her hand, causing her to cry out in pain.
Zhang Mingxu grabbed her hand and saw that the back of her hand was already burning red. He shouted sternly, "Someone come here!"
Three maids filed in in response, and Su Jinxiu quickly shook her head: "My lady, it's alright, I'll put your things away." As she spoke, she placed the scroll back into the box in the pavilion in front of the maids, her movements obedient and impeccable.
Zhang Mingxu stared at her tidying back, unaware that one of the three maids, the bolder one, had quietly raised her head and taken in everything.
After tidying up, Su Jinxiu turned to Zhang Mingxu and said obediently, "My lord, would you please take me around the mansion first? That way, I can get familiar with my future residence as soon as possible, so that I won't behave improperly in the future and cause you any trouble."
Zhang Mingxu seemed quite pleased with her compliance, and even showed a hint of genuine pleasure. He stepped forward, took her hand, and gently rubbed the delicate skin of her wrist: "Come with me."
The two left the study together, their footsteps fading into the distance until they disappeared into the depths of the corridor. Once the footsteps had completely disappeared, the young maid in the turquoise dress looked up at the other two and said gently, “Sisters, the tea was spilled on the floor, and there are some water stains on the table. I will clean up the mess in the study; you two can rest in the side hall.”
The other two maids, who were already planning to slack off, immediately beamed with joy upon hearing this and quickly bowed, saying, "In that case, we'll trouble you, sister."
The two of them walked through several courtyards of the Zhang residence, following winding paths that led to the main hall and sleeping quarters.
As Su Jinxiu walked, she felt her palms getting sweaty. Looking at the spacious and magnificent bedchamber, she involuntarily stopped and dared not enter.
Zhang Mingxu reached out and pushed open the door hinge. For some reason, Su Jinxiu's legs went weak and she almost lost her balance. She quickly changed the subject: "M-Sir, I'm really not feeling well. Perhaps... perhaps I should come again tomorrow."
Zhang Mingxu was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, then I'll send someone to take you back."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chang Geng rushed over. He glanced quickly at Su Jinxiu, then turned to Zhang Mingxu and bowed, saying, "My lord, there is a distinguished guest in the front hall who wants to see you. He says he has important matters to discuss."
Taking the opportunity, Su Jinxiu said, "My lord, please go quickly and do not neglect our distinguished guest. I will return to Huayun Pavilion first and come again tomorrow."
Zhang Mingxu didn't say a word, and Su Jinxiu took it as his tacit agreement, so she hurriedly took her leave.
As she passed the study, she exchanged a glance with the maid. Seeing the maid nod slightly, she knew the secret order had been obtained, and she felt much relieved. She only wanted to escape this agonizing cage as quickly as possible, and get away from that ruthless demon.
However, just as she passed through layers of moon gates and around several corridors, and was about to see the main gate, someone suddenly jumped out from behind her at a corner and tightly covered her mouth with a cloth soaked in a pungent smell.
She struggled desperately, but the cloth only tightened around her, and the smell instantly seeped into her lungs. Her vision went black, and she plunged into boundless darkness.
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