Chapter 30 He was in love with his brother's wife, but never dared to...
As Liang Shao slammed his fist down, a crack appeared in the table leg with a "crack".
Liang Ye remained unmoved, lowered his eyes and chuckled, "With such a temper, no wonder I couldn't keep her." He picked up the divorce papers that had fallen to the ground, folded them again and again until they were square, then stood up and casually tossed them lightly onto the table.
With a taut expression, Liang Ye looked down at Liang Shao, who had slumped to the ground, his gaze growing increasingly somber: "Keep it safe, Shao. This is your last connection with her in this life."
Liang Shao froze, abruptly raising his eyes. The resentment in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by bloodshot, tear-filled stares fixed sadly on Liang Ye. He slowly lowered his lips, his voice brimming with grievance and bitterness: "Why? You're my brother! Why... why did you lie to me too...? I love her, I only want her, you knew that, I told you, why did you do this..."
The deep-seated anger between his brows slowly dissipated. Liang Ye gazed at Liang Shao's face, a face blurred by blood and tears. For a fleeting moment, he vaguely saw the little Liang Shao from fourteen years ago, holding his hand, his face also streaked with tears, tilting his head back and sobbing as he asked him, "Why have my father and mother turned into little boxes? Why do people say I'm a child without a father or mother? Why does everyone say the Liang family is about to die out?" Liang Ye suddenly felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his heart. Fourteen years had passed, and the little Liang Shao of the past and the young Liang Shao of today were gradually merging. He couldn't bear to see his younger brother cry, not then, and not now.
However, he also admired Shanhe, and he also wanted Shanhe.
This thought, like a venomous snake, had been coiling around his heart for over two years, yet he had never dared to utter a single word about it.
From the very beginning, from the day Old Master Liang brought Shanhe to the Liang family, the first time he saw Xue Shanhe, his gaze could hardly leave her. Earlier than Liang Shao, longer than Liang Shao.
Young Liang Shao was panicked and helpless after losing his parents, and wasn't he just as helpless then? But no one wiped away his tears, no one comforted him. For many years, he buried himself in scriptures, knowing there were flaws in them, but he dared not, like Liang Shao, carelessly discard them. He knew that only by swallowing the flaws and refining the essence could the Liang family be revitalized, his grandfather live a peaceful and comfortable old age, and his and Liang Shao's descendants no longer have to endure the miserable lives they had once lived. Until Shan He appeared, he finally felt a touch of warmth and peace from someone his own age, someone without ulterior motives. Even if her kindness to him was only a little, even if it was at the behest of Old Master Liang, he truly needed it, so much. He carried it along with his responsibility to support the Liang family and protect Liang Shao, supporting him as he journeyed to the capital and entered the imperial court.
As the elder brother, he should always defer to his younger brother; as the eldest grandson of the eldest son, he should bear the responsibility for the rise and fall of the family. Liang Ye understood this principle.
In the dead of night, he also felt jealousy and hatred towards Liang Shao. Why didn't he have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of reviving the Liang family? Why could he cause trouble everywhere without considering the consequences? Why did he not cherish Shanhe despite having her? Later, Liang Ye became numb. He thought this was his fate. He even compromised and stopped making those futile struggles. He didn't even dare to think about it. He tolerated leaving those two male prostitutes in Lantai Pavilion, raising them as shadows of Xue Shanhe. He forced himself to let go of those futile obsessions and went to the capital, to the pinnacle of power.
But Shanhe took the initiative to approach him. She knelt before him pitifully, her clear eyes wide open, pleading with him, "I want to divorce Ashao, please help me, brother."
He had endured so many years like a walking corpse, and finally an opportunity fell into his lap. How could he not seize it tightly!
How could he just stand by and watch Xue Shanhe leave like this!
Liang Ye closed his eyes, suppressing his turbulent emotions. At this moment, only one thought remained in his mind: now that they were divorced, the two of them had nothing to do with each other anymore. From now on, they would marry and be separate individuals.
This time, he was determined to fight for himself.
He opened his eyes and said, slowly and deliberately, "Because she begged me herself."
Liang Ye wiped away the blood from Liang Shao's lips bit by bit. After the other man broke free, he gave a contemptuous and disdainful smile: "Shao, that day Shanhe took the initiative to come to me, knelt in front of me, and begged me to help her get a divorce. What did you do that made her have to kneel in front of me and beg me to help her, huh?"
He patiently squatted down, patiently looked at him at eye level, patiently pressed the handkerchief to Liang Shao's lips, and wiped them with utmost care. He said slowly, "Shao, she was so resolute when she begged me. How could I bear to see you two become a resentful couple in the future? You said you love her and only want her. I believe you. Your brother has always believed you."
His voice deepened: "But, does Shanhe love you? Does Shanhe only want you? Has Shanhe ever said these words to you or to me with such certainty?"
Seeing Liang Shao's pupils tremble and his eyes gradually become confused, Liang Ye said in an extremely gentle tone: "I only saw her kneeling in front of me, begging me to help her get rid of you."
“Ah Shao, I can’t let this government slave woman who treats you like this stay by your side for the rest of her life.” He deliberately emphasized the words “government slave”.
"Everything I do is for your sake, for the sake of the Liang family."
Liang Shaoben, holding onto the table leg, swayed and struggled to get up, but after hearing Liang Ye's words, he froze for a few moments, and finally collapsed back down as if all his strength had given out.
Liang Ye pulled him into his arms, only then noticing that his hands were icy cold and his jaw was clenched. Liang Ye frowned, gently placing his hand on his back and stroking it slowly, just as he used to comfort young Liang Shao when he was being punished by his grandfather. He smiled softly: "Ah Shao, you just need to wait. If Shan He truly has you in her heart, she will come back to find you. If she doesn't, then she doesn't deserve your affection."
Liang Shao leaned on his shoulder, tears streaming down her face, falling in a soft, persistent patter onto his palm. He murmured repeatedly, "She deserves it...she deserves it..."
Liang Ye patted him on the back and called out, "Cheng Min, please invite Physician Xu in."
Before long, Cheng Min led a man in a long robe carrying a medicine box closer. Liang Ye helped Liang Shao to his feet, bowed slightly to Physician Xu, and said with concern, "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Xu."
Having said that, he made room for Physician Xu to examine the pulse, then slowly walked out of the cabin, leaning against the railing with his hands behind his back. His face was ashen, and he questioned Cheng Min, "Have you found the person yet?"
Cheng Min bowed and said, "Just now, Uncle Zhuang returned alone. According to him, Lady Xue and Miss Qingyue were abducted by a young man surnamed Mi. He didn't recognize who he was, and it seems he had never been to the manor before."
Liang Ye's face was tense, his heart filled with extreme gloom. He had roughly guessed that Shanhe would leave herself a way out; she was gentle by nature, but certainly not foolish. After divorcing A Shao, she would definitely secure her own future. However, he never expected that Shanhe would dare to run away from home and find a man outside to help her! Did she meet that man before or after she married A Shao? If it was before, then A Shao had been a cuckold for two years! Liang Ye couldn't help but sneer inwardly, increasingly realizing that he had underestimated Shanhe before, only seeing her quiet, docile, and tender nature. It turned out she also had a sharp edge hidden within!
Liang Ye ordered in a deep voice, "Tell him to quickly recount the events of last night in detail, without missing a single detail. You and Cheng'an should disembark immediately and go to the nearby docks to inquire about any boats with the surname Mi or similar to the one Zhuang Bo described. Find out exactly which family they belong to, when they launched the boat yesterday, when they left, and where they are going now. Don't miss a single detail. Do not alert them, and don't let the second branch of the family know."
Cheng Min responded immediately and was about to retreat after the exchange.
Liang Ye suddenly said, "Later, have Doctor Xu add a few doses of calming and soothing medicine to Shao's tonic. Let him rest well for the next few days. Don't let him worry about anything else."
Cheng Min quietly raised her eyes to glance at Liang Ye, only to see him gazing into the distance with furrowed brows and a tense jaw. Cheng Min then respectfully replied, "Yes," before withdrawing.
*
After Shanhe and Qingyue boarded Wu Tianqi's treasure ship, they rested for a night and gradually recovered their strength. Due to the inconveniences on the ship, they disembarked at the beginning of Chenshi (7-9 AM). The group split into two: Mi Xiaoxiao led a large group of servants and maids back to Danxia Painting Studio, while Wu Tianqi, Miao'er, Xue Shanhe, and Qingyue rented a blue lacquered carriage and quietly headed towards the outskirts of the city.
The small courtyard was located in the south of Mizhou City, and the land deed was registered under the name of Wu Tianqi's deceased wet nurse.
“The Liang brothers are no ordinary people, so I’ll have to trouble you for a few days. This house is a small property I bought for my former wet nurse after she came to Mizhou with me after I married. Few people know about it. She passed away two years ago, and it has been vacant ever since. I think even if the Liang brothers find me, they won’t be able to find this place anytime soon. Please stay here in peace.” Wu Tianqi tossed the key into Shanhe’s palm.
Shanhe carried her bundle and walked slowly, her skirt brushing against the morning dew on the weeds of the bluestone path, soon becoming heavy as if it were laden with beads. She looked around and saw that the fence was covered with honeysuckle, and when the wind blew, the pale yellow flowers on the vines fell softly all over the stone path.
Nestled at the foot of a mountain on the outskirts of the city, this small courtyard boasts auspicious feng shui, with green hills at its back and water in front. Three tiled houses are arranged in a "品" (pin) shape, enclosed by a fence. Although long uninhabited, the white walls and gray tiles have gleamed from rain and snow, clean and tidy, exuding a sense of timeless tranquility. In the southeast corner of the courtyard stands an old peach tree, now past its prime, its branches bearing only dense, verdant leaves. Beneath the tree sits a stone table, its surface bearing the marks of years of chisel work, rough and rustic. Beside the table are three round stools, carved from old tree roots, now covered in dust.
Shanhe looked on with delight. Although the place was small, she felt that there were surprises everywhere, as if there were endless things to see.
Wu Tianqi stepped forward and introduced, "The west wing has been converted into a kitchen, and the east wing was originally intended for the little maid to live in, but it's currently empty. There's only an earthenware jar and a plank bed inside, nothing else. If you need anything, just add it yourself." She walked to the front of the main room, looked at the blank elm plaque hanging on the porch, and smiled bitterly, "I said I'd inscribe it after Mother moved in, but I never imagined she'd be gone forever. I prepared several rooms for her, but she never lived in any of them." With that, she sighed and pushed open the door to the main room, revealing the scene inside.
Shanhe followed, followed closely by Qingyue and Miao'er.
The interior was simply furnished, divided into three rooms by two thin walls. The east wing served as the bedroom, while the west wing functioned as a study and embroidery room. The main room was used for receiving guests and living quarters. Facing south, there was a beechwood table with upturned ends, on which were placed a Buddhist shrine, an eight-treasure gilded incense burner, and two bronze candlesticks. Next to each of these were two plain porcelain vases, empty inside, originally intended for the owner to gather wildflowers from the mountains to offer as offerings.
Shanhe liked it more and more as she looked around, and felt more and more hopeful for the future. She casually placed her bundle on the square table in the corner, and pushed open the door to carefully examine the bedroom and embroidery room. There wasn't much furniture, but it was clean. There was only a little dust and cobwebs, which could be easily swept away. With just a few more daily necessities, it would be enough for her and Qingyue to live here for a long time.
Wu Tianqi gave a few more instructions before heading back to the city. She promised to send two servants with rice, oil, salt, lamps, candles, and curtains at noon. Shanhe and Qingyue only needed to tidy up the house during the day so they could rest tonight.
After seeing Wu Tianqi off, Shanhe and Qingyue hastily tidied up their sleeping quarters on the daybed. The two of them sat cross-legged facing each other, leaning against three bundles, looking around the room again and again, almost bursting into tears.
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Author's Note: I'm late, I was out today [doge head with a rose in its mouth]
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