Chapter 54 Why Leave Blank Space? Those eyes, like a lake, vast and serene...
*
The Jingxin Academy is named Jingxin (meaning "quiet mind"), yet there are no people there who find peace of mind.
As Xie listened to Qiu Lu's account, her already haggard face grew even more pale, sinking deeper and deeper.
Qiu Lu was not at peace, and her words carried a hint of stirring up trouble, "It's being said in the manor that Miss Fang was recruited by the eldest young lady, and that the madam threw her and her belongings out, which must have been because she was furious."
"Madam, given Madam's recent temper and behavior, I'm afraid she'll come and question the eldest young lady," said Granny Li with concern, her brows furrowing in worry.
Xie suddenly sat up in bed, and perhaps because she got up so suddenly, her vision went black for a moment, and she almost fainted.
Granny Li helped the woman up, looking very worried. "Madam, why don't you just pretend you don't know anything..."
“I live right next door. If I pretend not to know, wouldn’t people laugh at me? I’ve already lost all face. Why should I hide and pretend not to know? That would only make people look down on me even more.”
Xie's tone was low, revealing a deep sense of helplessness, like a kite that has lost its support, with no strength left to strive for the wind and no confidence to rise again.
Granny Li helped her from the right wing to the main room.
Yu Qingxue, who was in the main room, had just learned about Fang Shi's visit and subsequent rejection. Instead of being angry, she seemed inexplicably excited. "Shen Linlang must be furious, otherwise she wouldn't have acted so recklessly. In less than half a day, everyone in Donglin City will probably know that she's a shrew!"
"Madam, that Miss Fang came to our door so abruptly, and with such gifts. Everyone knows she's involved with you. What if they come to question us?"
"What should I do?" Yu Qingxue ripped off her veil and leaned in front of the mirror. "My life is ruined, my face is ruined, it's beyond repair, and nobody else will be!"
"Shut up!"
When Yu Qingxue turned her head, she saw Xie Shi's extremely stern face.
Madam Xie couldn't bear to look at her face and looked away. "Qingxue, things have come to this. Can't you just behave yourself? I'm begging you, okay?"
The tone of voice, and the word "beg," made Yu Qingxue feel as if she had returned to many years ago.
At that time, Madam Xie wanted her to marry into the Su family. She appealed to her emotions and reasoned with her, finally pleading with her, "Qingxue, even the General's Mansion wants to stay far away from the struggle for the crown prince. I can't let you get involved. The Su family has a clean reputation, and the second young master of the Su family seems to be a gentleman. I'm begging you, is that alright?"
"Mother, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid that my sister-in-law's reputation will be damaged and it will affect my elder brother?" She suddenly laughed out loud, her expression manic. "That's just how you are. You say you love me, but when something big happens, you always put my elder brother first."
“Qingxue, your mother values your elder brother for your own good. You are a girl, and if you have a capable elder brother, you will have someone to rely on before you get married and someone to depend on after you get married.”
"Do I look like someone who has someone to rely on or depend on?" She pointed to her face. "I became like this because I have a good older brother and a good sister-in-law!"
"Qingxue, you should have a conscience. Your sister-in-law has treated you well all these years..."
“Mother, look at my face. How can she say that she has treated me well? Apart from being born into a good family, what about Shen Linlang is like me? She was jealous of my beauty and was afraid that I would marry into a high-ranking family. Back then, she made every effort to refuse to take me to the Marquis’s mansion. And you, you listened to her and said that my background was too low and that I was not worthy of the Marquis’s mansion.”
The Second Prince took a liking to me, and she went and said some nonsense to you, saying the Shen family held military power and shouldn't be involved in the struggle for princely power, urging you to marry me off quickly. Of the families she recommended, you chose the Su family, and in the end, the Su family was raided and I became the wife of a disgraced official. Shouldn't I hate her?
"Shut up!" Madam Xie was so angry that her heart clenched and she felt dizzy. "Do you want to die? What Second Prince? He's a demon king! If it weren't for the foresight of the Shen family and your sister-in-law, our entire Yu family would have become his henchmen!"
"It's all about the victors and the vanquished. If you had married me off, who knows who would have won or lost back then? Our Yu family might already be related to the imperial family..."
"Shut up...don't say anymore..."
"I'll say it anyway!" Yu Qingxue seemed to have found an outlet for her pent-up emotions, her crazed gaze filled with a hint of longing, like a young girl in the throes of first love. "The Second Prince said I'm more beautiful than a fairy, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. He also said that after he ascends the throne, he'll make me a Noble Consort..."
She had been so excited and thrilled, anticipating this day and night, and now, thinking back on it, she couldn't help but laugh out loud. But as she laughed, her expression slowly changed. "If it weren't for Shen Linlang's interference, I would have been a person of high status long ago. She thought I didn't know what she was thinking; she was just jealous of me. I heard that when the princes were choosing their consorts, they all disliked her because she looked like a man, and no one took a liking to her... Sister-in-law!"
Shen Linlang's face was frighteningly grim as she approached step by step.
With her father holding military power and Shen Kunyao being a trusted confidant of the emperor, the father and son, representing the Shen family, made her, the legitimate daughter of the general's mansion, the center of attention.
She disliked being restrained and did not want to marry a prince, but whenever a prince was choosing a princess, she would not be in the capital, but would be riding and hunting on her estate outside the capital.
Later, she married Yu Zhiheng, and for a time, there was much gossip, but she just laughed it off.
"I had no idea that this was what you thought of me."
"Did I... say something wrong?"
"I was wrong." She suddenly laughed, a laugh that sounded both self-deprecating and sarcastic. "I was terribly wrong!"
For many years, the two sisters-in-law had lived in harmony, and all that had been between them had been peaceful. She had tried her best to fulfill her duties as the eldest sister-in-law, but in the end, her daughter was switched at birth, and she was subjected to such terrible treatment.
She remembered her mother's advice when she got married, saying that she was marrying down, and no matter how much she loved her husband, she could not completely submit to him.
She also remembered what her sister-in-law from her own family had told her after her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were brought to Beijing: to be careful in everything she did, so as not to spend money and effort and not get any credit.
She was wrong!
She shouldn't forget her mother's advice, and she shouldn't disobey her sister-in-law.
After a while, she wiped away her tears. She looked heartbroken, but she didn't fly into a rage or lay a hand on him. Instead, she slowly regained her composure.
"Now I finally know why you hate me and why you switched my child. It turns out that you couldn't marry into the Marquis's family, so you wanted to marry your daughter into it. You probably don't know that even if your scheme succeeds and Tang'er becomes the heir's wife of the Marquis's family as you wish, her life won't be easy."
Outside the door, separated by a curtain, there were people on the left and right sides. One was Yu Liuzhu, who had arrived earlier, and the other was Shen Qinglu, who had just arrived.
Whether Yu Liuzhu was truly ill or feigning it was unclear, but she certainly looked rather thin and weak, and the green dress she wore accentuated her frail appearance.
Shen Linlang's voice rang out, clearly reaching their ears.
Shen Qinglu's lips curled into a half-smile as she glanced at Yu Liuzhu, "So she wants you to be the superior one."
"She is her, and I am me."
“She is your daughter. The thought that she crawled out of your womb makes me, no matter how much I love her for over a decade, have to harden my heart to treat her.” Shen Linlang’s words came through the curtain again.
Upon hearing this, Yu Liuzhu swayed slightly.
As she took a step, intending to rush in, the curtain was lifted.
When Shen Linlang saw her appearance, a hint of heartache flashed in her eyes due to the emotions they had shared over the past ten years, but she quickly suppressed it.
There were no concerned inquiries, no worried pity, only a complex and obscure glance.
"mother……"
"Don't call me mother anymore!" Shen Linlang said ruthlessly, her voice sharper than ever before. "Remember, your mother's name is Yu Qingxue. You should have been surnamed Su, the daughter of the disgraced official Su Qihe."
Yu Liuzhu was teetering on the brink of collapse, clearly unable to withstand the strain, both physically and mentally.
She was heartbroken and distressed, and felt even more resentful than during the most difficult time of her previous life. As she watched Shen Linlang and her daughter Shen Qinglu leave together, the hatred in her eyes slowly overflowed.
Suddenly, Shen Qinglu turned around and met her gaze.
Those dark eyes and icy gaze made her feel as if she had instantly fallen into a bottomless abyss.
*
The sky had darkened without warning, casting a shadow over the entire Jade Mansion.
Even the most exquisite scenery will appear somewhat dim under such sky, which is a pity and diminishes one's appreciation.
Yu Zhiheng hurried along, and as he approached the garden, he saw Shen Linlang and her daughter Shen Qinglu.
They were not far apart, yet they could clearly see each other's faces.
Dressed in official robes, he exuded the air of a scholar. He was handsome and refined in demeanor. Even in middle age, he would surely attract the attention of women when he went out.
Shen Linlang fell in love with him at first sight, largely due to his appearance.
They slowly approached each other and met face to face on a road.
“Linlang…”
Shen Linlang held her head slightly higher and looked straight ahead, as if she hadn't seen him, and walked straight past him.
"Ah Li," he called to Shen Qinglu.
Shen Qinglu pretended to be troubled, looked at Shen Linlang in front of her, then at him, and whispered, "Father, your sister is really too much. She actually told others that my mother mistreated her, that she was poor and lacked clothes and charcoal, which caused that Miss Fang to come and bring bedding and charcoal without knowing the reason."
Yu Zhiheng already knew about this, otherwise he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to ask for leave and go home. "What else did Miss Fang say?"
"My mother was furious and wouldn't let her say another word, so she kicked her out directly."
He looked visibly relieved upon hearing this.
Shen Qinglu continued, "My mother went to question your sister, and your sister was still indignant, saying that my mother had cut off her path to becoming a person of high status, and she even mentioned the Second Prince..."
"This Qingxue!" His expression changed drastically, and he quickly instructed, "Ali, you must remember, you must not tell anyone about what happened today, especially not about that Second Prince."
After saying that, he didn't care to say anything more to Shen Qinglu. He wanted to take three steps at a time and head straight for Jingxin Courtyard.
Shen Qinglu stood still, seemingly watching him go, but in reality, she was waiting for someone.
A quarter of an hour later, Xia Chan appeared and said, "Miss, I have already given instructions as you instructed."
The master and servant reunited and then headed towards the main courtyard.
Shen Qinglu went to find Shen Linlang first, but Shen Linlang was in a daze.
She remained silent, sitting quietly beside her like an innocent child, as if simply being close to her mother was enough to bring her peace and contentment.
After an unknown amount of time, Shen Linlang stroked her hair and said, "Ali, your mother has enough of you."
"I have my mother and second brother, that's enough."
As for Yu Jingxian, who knew there were many things to do at home but lacked the responsibility of an eldest son and instead sought peace and quiet outside to evade his duties, she did not consider him as family.
Family members sometimes don't need to be related by blood, like her relatives from a past life. Conversely, some people may be related to you by blood, but you may not be able to be family.
And of course, there's that so-called father.
When Yu Zhiheng went to Jingxin Courtyard, he inevitably had a dispute with Yu Qingxue.
The details of their argument reached her ears that very night.
"The master said that if the eldest aunt dares to mention that prince again, she will be sent to the Shansi Nunnery to fend for herself." Qiu Lu's eyes flickered when she mentioned the prince.
The current emperor has no sons, and there are no princes in the palace. There is only one princess. The words "Your Highness the Prince" seem to be a taboo in the entire Da Ye Dynasty.
"The old lady is having severe chest pains, and I'm afraid she's not doing well."
There was a hidden meaning in her words. After she finished speaking, she gave Shen Qinglu a subtle look.
Shen Qinglu continued to make grand promises to her, saying that she would not mistreat her in the future. When she left, she was more satisfied and more expectant than before.
A while after she left, Xia Chan, who had been waiting outside, came into the house.
Seeing Shen Qinglu lay out the paper, Xia Chan quickly went over to grind the ink and serve her.
Shen Qinglu picked up her pen but didn't move it. Instead, she asked, "Do you still remember what your sister looks like and what birthmark she has?"
"Girl!" Xia Chan's heart suddenly pounded wildly.
“I promised you I would help you find your sister.” Shen Qinglu smiled slightly. “Tomorrow we will go out to the horse market and find some traveling merchants who have traveled all over the country. We will offer them a large sum of money to help us find her.”
Xia Chan pretended to kneel, but she stopped her with a hand gesture. "A gentleman keeps his word. I was just doing what I said I would do."
"Miss, this servant..."
"Tell me slowly, I'll write it down."
Xia Chan wiped away her tears and, choking back sobs, described in detail her younger sister's clothes, hairstyle, and physical features when she went missing.
Shen Qinglu wrote down everything she said and said, "It would be great if it could look like that."
“I heard there’s a place called Xunzhen Pavilion in the horse market. They can draw anything you can name and then help you find it or make it. But the price is too high. All the money I’ve saved over the years… is still not enough.”
The Xunzhen Pavilion she mentioned wasn't in the bustling area of the horse market, nor even on a proper street. Instead, it was located far off the edge of the market, next to a coffin shop that made paper effigies.
From the outside, it looks like an ordinary shop with the words "Seeking Treasures" written on the signboard.
After the master and servant entered, they found the place deserted. There was a partition in the middle, with a window in the center, its small iron door closed. The rules of the place were posted on the wall, one after another, extremely detailed.
Following the rules above, Shen Qinglu rang the bell on the window.
A short while later, the window opened, but through a black veil-like curtain, an old man's voice came from behind the curtain, asking them why they had come.
"I want to find my sister," Xia Chan said to the old man at Shen Qinglu's prompting.
After inquiring about the situation, the old man quoted a price of one hundred taels.
One hundred taels is no small sum, no wonder Xia Chan, as a first-class maidservant by the side of the old lady of the mansion, has not been able to save enough over the years.
According to the rules here, half of the deposit must be paid first, and the deposit is non-refundable regardless of whether the deal goes through or not.
Shen Qinglu handed over a fifty-tael silver note through the window. After the person there verified it, the old man began to ask questions, asking extremely detailed questions and repeatedly confirming them.
After nearly an hour, a portrait was handed out from inside.
The portrait depicts a five- or six-year-old girl with a round, innocent face and slightly dazed eyes. The small mole on her nose is clearly visible, making her appear as if she were right in front of you, incredibly lifelike and realistic.
"So alike...so much so!" Xia Chan cried out in excitement upon seeing it. "Miss, this is my sister...she looks just like her..."
"We need twenty sheets. When can we pick them up?" Shen Qinglu asked the old man.
The old man was probably discussing something with someone when he replied, "It can be taken at the hour of You (5-7 PM)."
She took the portrait from Xia Chan's hand and handed it back, saying, "Then let's come again at 5 PM."
Xia Chan watched with pleading eyes, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Keep one of the portraits once you have all the ones."
“Miss…” Xia Chan couldn’t speak, her eyes filled with gratitude, tears streaming down her face like a river bursting its banks.
She knew that all words of gratitude were too superficial, and the only way she could repay him was to follow him to the death and be loyal to him.
Shen Qinglu helped her and they slowly walked out.
Just before leaving, Shen Qinglu turned back and glanced at the window as if possessed.
The shop gave her a strange sense of familiarity, perhaps because of the way the owner operated, or perhaps because of the portrait with its later techniques. Even more so, she felt as if someone was watching her.
There was indeed someone watching her from behind the black curtain.
Those eyes, like a lake, were vast and calm, yet seemed to encompass only her.
The old man behind the window silently took his leave. Yang Zhen came over at some point and asked with concern, "The emperor should be at the hour of You (5-7 PM). Doesn't that mean he won't be able to rest for several hours in a row?"
In the short time that followed, Shen Qinglu and her servant had already left the shop.
Mu Hanshi turned his gaze back to his hands, which were still covered in paint. "It's alright. The market closes at 3:45 PM, so the timing is perfect."
Having said that, he lifted his robe and sat back down in front of the easel.
As Yang Zhen watched him intently painting, she couldn't help but think of the first year she followed him.
That year, he moved into the Mu family home and opened a shop called Xunzhen Pavilion. The shop's business was unique, unprecedented, and unparalleled. The purpose of this shop was to find certain people.
"My lord, many more couplets have been sent today. Have you read them all?"
"I saw it."
This means it hasn't been found yet.
The gender, background, temperament, and age are unknown; the scope is so broad that the only basis for this is a four-character couplet.
So many people are sent out every year, from the capital to the outskirts, it's like searching for a needle in a haystack. Yang Zhen sometimes even doubts whether such a person truly exists in this world.
He frowned, the four characters of the first line of the couplet flashing through his mind: "Why leave blank spaces?"
What exactly is the second line of the couplet?
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