Chapter 11 Everything is predestined; nothing is up to us…
Shanhe and Liang Shao squeezed onto the daybed. Because the daybed was narrow and long, it was not large enough for two people to sleep together, so Shanhe had to lie on top of Liang Shao.
As dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight pierced through the window, Shanhe was the first to open her eyes. She looked out at the sky, then quickly sat up and nudged Liang Shao: "Wake up, it's getting light."
Liang Shao returned quietly last night without informing Lord Chen beforehand. Therefore, he needs to hurry back before Lord Chen wakes up.
Liang Shao slowly opened his eyes and saw that it was already daylight. He quickly sat up, straightened his clothes, and prepared to leave.
“Zhao’er…” Old Master Liang sat on the edge of the bed, his hands supporting him on the bedside table, looking at him with a smile.
Liang Shao's back stiffened, and tears streamed down his face as he turned around. Shan He, bewildered, stared blankly at the grandfather and grandson.
Grandpa Liang waved his hand at him: "Don't cry, don't cry. When you go to the capital, remember to be selfless and serve the people. Your father will be waiting for you to come back in Mizhou. Go now, okay?"
Liang Shao felt stiff all over, unable to move his legs or speak, and tears streamed down his face.
*
On the second day of the third lunar month, Old Master Liang fell asleep and never woke up again.
Shanhe and Liang Shao knelt on the footstool by the bed, watching the right hand, which had been trembling day and night, slowly stop and then suddenly fall onto the mattress.
Shanhe covered her mouth, recalling what the doctor had said that night: "Maybe it will be fine when your hands stop shaking one night."
Sobbing, Liang Shao pulled a note from under his pillow. It was written by Old Master Liang in his final moments of lucidity yesterday; the handwriting was crooked but still legible:
Don't cry, you must be strong.
The cloud-shaped wooden clappers on the second gate were knocked four times. The red lanterns hanging under the corridor were replaced with white lanterns bearing the character "奠" (meaning "offering" or "memorial"), and Shanhe and Liang Shao changed into coarse hemp mourning clothes.
A group of people rushed in from outside, directing Liang Shao to change the old man's burial clothes and then carrying the old man's body into the coffin that had been prepared.
In an instant, the main room of Shouxi Hall became the place where the coffin lay in state. The bitter smell of medicine and the smell of old age that had filled the air suddenly disappeared. People came and went, busy with various tasks, just to send the old master off on his final journey.
Shanhe and Liang Shao knelt on the prayer mats, numbly kowtowing to each relative and friend who came to offer their condolences, numbly listening to their stories of their grandfather's youth. Around midnight the following night, the last relative left. Shanhe and Liang Shao were helped to their feet by Qingyue and Chengbao. Chengbao cautiously said, "There are still a few distant relatives in the capital we haven't notified."
Shanhe and Liang Shao exchanged a glance. Liang Shao pursed his lips and said, "Let's not talk about it now. We'll talk about it after March 12th, when my brother finishes his imperial examination."
Having not slept a wink all day and nearly fainting from crying during the day, Liang Shao and Shan He had no choice but to return to Shuyu Pavilion to rest, leaving the vigil to a few of their relatives. On the way back, Qing Yue tugged at Shan He's sleeve and said respectfully, "The accounting department is setting up the mourning tent, but things are unclear right now. Please ask Second Madam to go and take a look."
Liang Shao rubbed his temples, his face immediately darkening: "Foolish thing! You can't even understand this simple matter? You've been raising this bunch of people at home who just eat for free! I'll go see for myself."
Qingyue smiled apologetically, "There have just been so many things going on lately." She quietly tugged at Shanhe's sleeve and shook her head slightly.
Shanhe understood her meaning and said, "Ah Shao, we rely on you for many things at home. Besides, I'm in charge of the household affairs, so I can go. Even if you go, you might not understand. Go back quickly." As she spoke, she led Qingyue to the accounting office.
Just as they passed through the screen wall, Shanhe stopped and grabbed Qingyue: "What exactly is going on?"
Qingyue pursed her lips and said, "Second Madam, please come with me."
Qingyue led Shanhe to the second gate, where they saw only two lanterns with the character "奠" (meaning "offering sacrifice") hanging from the eaves, glowing dimly in the long corridor. As soon as Shanhe and Qingyue stood under the lanterns, a dim yellow light appeared at the end of the corridor and slowly approached.
As the dim light approached, the carriage stopped. Two people jumped down from the carriage shaft in turn; it was Wu Tianqi and Mi Xiaoxiao.
Shanhe was shocked and couldn't help but ask, "How...how did you know...?"
Wu Tianqi said, "We came to pay our respects to the old gentleman during the day and saw you kneeling and kowtowing before the coffin, so we all knew." She paused, then asked, "Is the painting finished?"
Shanhe lowered her eyes and bit her lip: "It's done."
Wu Tianqi took a step closer: "Give it to me first. You're busy with your family matters now, so we won't assign you any work. We'll talk about it after you've finished your family matters."
Shanhe kept her head down and didn't respond, her fingers twisting her clothes incessantly.
"What's wrong?" Wu Tianqi asked anxiously.
Mi Xiaoxiao also approached and pulled Wu Tianqi aside: "After what happened to her family, she has no heart to paint. Besides, once that old man Liang comes back, she won't be able to paint anymore."
Before Mi Xiaoxiao could say anything more, Shanhe raised his head, his chest heaving, and said anxiously, "Master Wu, if I give you the painting now, will it definitely be recorded?"
Wu Tianqi slowly curled the corners of his lips and shoved Mi Xiaoxiao aside: "You can definitely do it."
Shanhe clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, saying, "Fine." She turned to Qingyue and instructed, "Go back to Shuyu Pavilion and fetch the carved box I put in my clothes chest. Don't let the Second Master find it. If he asks, just say you're busy setting up the mourning tent." Qingyue nodded and left.
Before long, Qingyue came running over carrying a box. Wu Tianqi took the wooden box, opened it, and inside were dozens of neatly arranged sheets of drawing paper. Shanhe looked at the painting "Yang Guifei Lazily Getting Up to Dress" at the top and said, "There are thirty-two in total, all of which I painted this month."
Wu Tianqi nodded: "Thank you for your hard work. If it's recorded, how am I supposed to find you? Why would I need to do this?"
"Just find a servant or maid to come over and say you're looking for Miss Qingyue from Shuyu Pavilion. That'll do. Give her anything you need to say or anything you need to bring."
Wu Tianqi put away the box and left in a carriage with Mi Xiaoxiao. Shanhe returned to Shuyu Pavilion, where Liang Shao was already asleep. Shanhe sat on the edge of the bed, feeling both troubled and confused. Qingyue stood beside her and asked in a low voice, "Miss, are you really leaving? Second Master is much kinder to you now, and First Master is also a very tolerant person."
It turns out that after Old Master Liang rescued Shanhe, he learned of her family's ruin and her tragic fate. Therefore, he found Qingyue, the young maid who had served Shanhe and was released during the confiscation of her property, bought her, and kept her to serve Shanhe. Thus, although Qingyue's status as a slave remained in the Liang household, she was truly devoted to Shanhe and knew many of Shanhe's secrets.
Shanhe pursed her lips: "Precisely because they are good to me, I can't stay here and hold them back. Besides..." Shanhe paused, "The divorce papers are still with Second Master."
Qingyue stamped her foot and sighed, "Even after all this, Second Master still wants to divorce Miss? This is truly unbearable..."
Shanhe smiled and said, "It's not his fault. It's because of me that he couldn't pass the military examination and could only stay in Mizhou as a judicial officer for the rest of his life. Otherwise, he should have gone to the capital like you and made a name for himself. It's not his fault."
Tears welled up in Qingyue's eyes without her realizing it: "It's all fate. If our master were still alive, how could the young lady have suffered so much injustice..."
Shanhe squeezed her hand: "Don't say that. We have to look forward. I have new opportunities now, and when the time comes, I should be able to take you with me." She lowered her head wistfully, looking at her flat stomach: "I originally wanted to have a child, just to make the old man happy. But it's good that I don't have a child now. After the old man is buried, we'll leave. We'll leave Mizhou behind and go back to Jinling. We can still keep each other company. Is that alright?"
Qingyue agreed and went back to her room to rest. Shanhe sat on the edge of the bed for a while, looking around every corner of the main room of Shuyu Pavilion before sullenly crawling into bed.
*
March 12th was the day Liang Ye finished his imperial examination. At the break of dawn, his servant Cheng Bao rode off to the capital. Four days later, Liang Ye and Cheng Bao traveled day and night and finally returned to Mizhou. Upon entering the mourning hall, Liang Ye immediately prostrated himself and wept bitterly. Liang Shao and Shan He, who had been kneeling on prayer mats, blankly burning paper money for their father, choked out, "Brother," upon seeing Liang Ye's return. With tears in his eyes, Liang Shao rose and went to Liang Ye, where the two embraced and wept together. Shan He, supporting herself on her knees, also rose, holding a handkerchief and weeping.
After weeping for a while, Liang Ye wiped away his tears, bowed, offered three sticks of incense, and kowtowed several times. He then changed into coarse hemp mourning clothes, held a mourning stick, and stood with Liang Shao and his wife under the eaves, listening to the clan elders in the mourning hall discuss when to set off for the funeral procession. Suddenly, an elder inside shouted, "Second Master, come in and take a look at the list of offerings for the day of the funeral."
Liang Shao responded and lifted the curtain to enter, leaving only Shanhe and Liang Ye, two figures in plain white, in the corridor. Shanhe's eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she stood with her head down, feeling a stinging sensation in her eyes and wanting to rub them.
Liang Ye turned his head and glanced at her standing beside him in plain clothes. He said gently, "Don't rub your eyes, or you'll hurt them."
Shanhe responded and looked up, meeting Liang Ye's gaze. Remembering her embarrassment that night, she quickly lowered her face and held her breath, remaining silent. A soft laugh fell from above: "These past few days have been so kind of you, Shanhe."
Shanhe's heart was pounding, and she answered haphazardly, "Ah Shao has also worked very hard."
Liang Ye sneered, "I just hope he'll come home more often to visit his grandfather; anything else is fine."
Shanhe quickly replied, "He has changed now."
Seeing Shanhe so hastily defending Liang Shao, Liang Ye's heart sank. He suddenly wanted to ask her if the divorce agreement was valid. But the words caught in his throat, and Liang Ye felt it was pointless. Even if Shanhe wasn't Shao's wife, he might not have married her anyway. Besides, Shao was his younger brother, his own brother. From the moment Liang Shao was born until now, he had always remembered that Liang Shao was the closest person to him in the world. From the capital to Hailing County, from Hailing County to Mizhou, and then back to the capital, he had traveled many roads and encountered many monstrous people. In moments when he was almost assimilated, Liang Ye always remembered that he bore the responsibility of caring for his younger brother. He was Shao's role model, and he had to light his way. It was this responsibility that allowed him to withdraw from the imperial examination cheating scandal half a month ago, preventing a fatal mistake. He always put the future of his family and Ah Shao before his own, so how could he possibly let Ah Shao down?
Liang Ye suddenly remembered that on the way back to Mizhou, Cheng Bao had told him that A Shao had handled an exceptionally well-executed case, and Lord Chen of the Mizhou government office had praised it highly and had already submitted a memorial to the imperial court. That unruly and mischievous A Shao had finally grown up.
Liang Ye lowered his gaze to the slowly healing wound on the back of his hand, then steered the conversation towards Liang Shao: "I heard from Cheng Bao that Shao has uncovered a criminal who killed seven people, and Lord Chen has already reported it to the court." Since it's been reported to the court, there must be a reward. Whatever it is, as long as it's a reward from the court, it's always a good thing that brings prestige, and it will be even more beneficial to Liang Shao's career and the Liang family's future.
Upon hearing this, Shanhe froze. After a moment of stunned silence, she forced a self-deprecating smile and said, "Yes, A-Shao found the culprit and solved a cold case from thirty years ago in Yuetuo Village. But..." Shanhe lowered her head even further, her fingers twisting her sleeves incessantly.
Liang Ye sensed a hidden meaning in her words and looked down at Shan He, only to see her frowning and pursing her lips, seemingly in a difficult position. Liang Ye couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Shanhe paused, then, as if gathering his courage, said, "Lord Chen said that Shao is young and his family background is not honorable. Even if he reports it to the court, it will be difficult for him to be promoted or given a title. Therefore, Lord Chen attributed the main credit for the Yuetuo Village case to Zhang, the magistrate of the yamen."
"Disgraceful?" Liang Ye's temple veins bulged with anger. "My grandfather was a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and my father was an Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. They died in the line of duty fighting the epidemic. How is that disgraceful?!"
Shanhe slowly raised her head, looked into Liang Ye's eyes, and whispered, "I'm sorry."
Liang Ye was stunned, then suddenly understood. He had forgotten that Shanhe was a government slave, and Xue Yin was one of the main culprits in the Third Prince's rebellion. Even if his grandfather had bought Shanhe, and even if all the court officials knew that Xue's daughter was innocent, the official documents clearly stated that as long as the Xue family bore the charge of treason, A Shao's career would be hindered.
Liang Ye pursed his lips: "Then... what did Ah Shao say?"
If it were up to Ah Shao's personality, he would have been furious and jumping up and down at the slightest injustice. He wouldn't have caused a huge uproar, but he certainly wouldn't have let Lord Chen and Chief Censor Zhang have an easy time for a while. Liang Ye was somewhat worried that Ah Shao would cause trouble.
Shanhe sighed and exhaled a breath of turbid air: "He said it was quite good. Zhang Tixing compensated him with nearly five hundred taels of silver, which he accepted. It was given in the name of mourning his grandfather. He also said that after his elder brother went to the capital, he would stay in Mizhou. Although he couldn't help his elder brother, he would be able to guard the Liang family ancestral hall without any worries for his elder brother."
In an instant, Liang Ye felt a sharp pain in his chest and said, "Foolish Ah Shao..."
As they spoke, Liang Shao, clutching the list of offerings for the deceased, emerged from behind the curtain. Shan He and Liang Ye looked up and saw that Liang Shao's once tall and upright figure now appeared much more dejected. Liang Shao forced a smile at them, but couldn't hide the dark circles under his eyes.
Liang Ye suddenly felt a lump in his throat. When exactly did his flamboyant, unrestrained, equality-seeking, and carefree Ah Shao begin to hide his secrets?
A note from the author:
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The proud little dog is slowly growing up.
Both Shanhe and Liang Shao are growth-oriented.
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