Chapter 7 Rumors circulated that Liang Shao and his wife were...
When the doctor arrived, it was already dawn. Shanhe was lying on the bed, his forehead covered in cold sweat, curled up like a shrimp, clutching his stomach.
A messenger came from Shouxi Hall to inquire about the situation. Liang Shao sat on the stone steps of the bedroom, head drooping, fingers tucked into her thick, dark hair. After taking her pulse, the doctor stroked his beard and said to Liang Shao and Granny Jin from Shouxi Hall, "Second Madam must be suffering from emotional distress, which has disrupted her blood and qi balance. This time, the sudden exposure to cold and heat has caused an imbalance of yin and yang, agitating her meridians and resulting in her early menstruation. I will prescribe a formula to soothe the liver and relieve depression. With proper care these next few days, and considering Second Madam's generally robust health, more rest will surely help."
Upon hearing this, Granny Jin asked the young maidservant serving at Shuyu Pavilion, "It's almost summer, and the nights aren't cold. Why the sudden change in temperature?"
The young maid stammered, unable to speak, and stole glances at Liang Shao. Liang Shao had already lowered his head, biting his lip and saying, "It's all my fault."
Upon hearing this, Granny Jin sighed deeply and asked no further questions. She simply said she would return to report and told Liang Shao to rest early. After walking a few steps, she turned back to Liang Shao and said, "This old woman has served in Shouxi Hall for many years, and today I must say something I shouldn't. Please, Second Master, listen to my rambling: Second Mistress's background is not good, and it was also wrong for the Old Master to force you to marry her. But two years have passed, and everyone in Shouxi Hall speaks highly of Second Mistress, regardless of what others think. Based on this alone, even if you don't like her, you should still keep her in your household for the sake of the Old Master and not let her down. When the Old Master is buried, he won't feel sad or guilty when he meets her parents."
Liang Shao opened his mouth in a daze, moved his lips for a long time, then lowered his head and remained silent. The old woman left the Shuyu Pavilion, sighing as she did so, "It's just that she married this man; she's miserable on both ends. If she had chosen a master instead, things might have been better. Alas! Choosing a master has delayed her imperial examinations; this is truly..." Liang Shao stood there blankly, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, almost turning him into an ice statue. When he came to his senses, Liang Shao hurriedly lifted his robe and ran back into the house; Shanhe was already asleep, fully clothed.
Liang Shao did not go to the yamen that day. The servant who delivered the message stood bowing under the corridor and said to Lord Chen, the official of the yamen, "Last night, the second mistress fell seriously ill and is still lying on the bed. The second master also caught a chill and will stay at the mansion to take care of her and rest today."
Lord Chen and his men were all puzzled: they had heard that Liang Shao and his wife had always been at odds, and that his wife was supposedly of slave birth. How could he possibly let her interfere with his work? While they were puzzled, they also had a bit of gossip and curiosity. In the afternoon, they sent their youngest son to the Liang residence to inquire about his health. They learned that the Second Madam Liang was indeed ill, and that Liang Shao had been taking care of her all morning. The men then agreed to invite Liang Shao out for a gathering next time so that they could find out more about the situation.
Enough of the digressions. Back in the Shuyu Pavilion of the Liang residence, Shanhe was awakened by the discomfort of the pressure and the heat. She lay on her side on the couch, her head resting on Liang Shao's arm, his other hand covering her lower abdomen, his palm slowly spreading warmth. Liang Shao had always been a fiery person, resistant to winter but averse to summer, wishing he could bathe in cool water every day during the sweltering heat. Now, holding Shanhe, he was burning hot, and soon Shanhe was warmed up by his touch.
Shanhe tried to sit up, but found that he was holding her tightly, making it impossible for her to move. Liang Shao also woke up groggily, his eyes still sleepy: "Awake?" Shanhe gave a muffled "hmm." It was the first time she had been held while sleeping, and she was really not used to it. She pushed Liang Shao's arm away, moved closer to him without making a sound, and sat up. She immediately felt a surge of heat below her, and her lower abdomen began to cramp slightly.
Liang Shao also got up, and seeing Shanhe frowning, he quickly asked, "What's wrong? Is it hurting again?"
Shanhe shook her head, feeling dizzy again, so she leaned against the backrest and slowly slumped down. Liang Shao frowned and saw that Shanhe's face was pale, even her lips were bloodless. He put on his black boots and said, "Slouch for a while, I'll go get the medicine."
When the medicine was brought over, Liang Shao blew on it to keep it warm before feeding it to Shanhe. Seeing Shanhe's hands folded over her stomach, Liang Shao couldn't help but say, "The doctor said you're too thin. There's hardly any meat on your waist."
Shanhe couldn't help but look down, and sure enough, her waist and belly were flat. She smiled wryly and said, "I used to be a bit fatter, but these past two years it seems like I can't gain weight no matter how much I eat."
Hearing this, Liang Shao felt a pang of sympathy, knowing that the Xue family's affair was like the sky falling on Shan He's head. He said seriously, "I think you're worrying too much. There are maids and servants at Shouxi Hall. You can go there morning and evening to pay your respects. Just rest like this for a while, and you'll definitely gain the weight back."
"That won't do." Shanhe looked at her flat stomach and smiled faintly. "However, I need to gain some weight. If we are destined to be together in the future, we will eat for two mouths. It's not good to be too thin."
Shanhe thought that she had to get better quickly, and it would be even better if she could get pregnant, as Old Master Liang would be overjoyed.
Upon hearing this, Liang Shao was taken aback at first. After realizing what Shan He meant, he thought to himself: Shan Shan is still thinking about getting pregnant, so she must still like me, right? With this thought, the weight on Liang Shao's heart was finally lifted.
The two didn't exchange any words after that. Shanhe rested on the couch all afternoon, while Liang Shao went to Shouxi Hall to serve her. In the evening, Old Master Liang sent word that Shanhe didn't need to go, but Shanhe felt much better and still went to Shouxi Hall with the help of her maid.
The meal was set out in the main hall of Shouxi Hall. Shanhe's portion had a special addition of Seven Red Soup to nourish her blood and qi. Halfway through the meal, a servant rushed in, panting, to invite Liang Shao: "Second Master, there's a case coming from the government office. They say seven people have died in Yuetuo Village. Lord Chen wants you to go there!"
Liang Shao put down his chopsticks and got up to leave as usual, but after taking only half a step, he suddenly remembered that Old Master Liang and Shanhe were still there. He used to be self-centered, keeping his happiness and sorrow to himself, and disliking sharing his troubles with his family. But since his relationship with Shanhe improved, he seemed to realize the responsibility on his shoulders. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it seemed that everything needed to be accounted for, that he needed to give his family an explanation. At that moment, Liang Shao turned around, cupped his hands, and said to the old master, "Grandson will go back to the yamen first."
After the old master nodded, Liang Shaofang said to Shanhe, "Go back and rest early after dinner. Anyway, Fang Mama and the others are here. The doctor said you are worrying too much."
Shanhe was taken aback when she saw his sudden change of heart. By the time she agreed, Liang Shao had already strode to the corridor and was urgently asking the servant, "Who died? Has the coroner gone? Have they caught the suspect yet?"
Grandpa Liang watched Liang Shao's retreating figure and slowly smiled, "Shao was always a filial son."
Shanhe picked at the rice in her bowl, her heart filled with melancholy. After coming to the Liang family, she had heard that although Liang Shao was mischievous and unruly before, he was very close to Old Master Liang and Liang Ye. Ever since the Old Master forced him to marry Shanhe, although he agreed, he was resentful in his heart, which is why he gradually became estranged from the Old Master.
Yes, how could a man who should have been pursuing a military career and had a bright future be willing to marry a woman of lowly birth? His current position as a judicial officer in the government office was only secured by Old Master Liang's favor and secret bribes. Shanhe felt even more indebted to Liang Shao and Old Master Liang, and believed that after the old master's death, she should immediately divorce him to restore Liang Shao's promising future.
Grandpa Liang chuckled and spoke at length with Shanhe, mostly telling her to take good care of her health, to have a child if possible, and to tell him if Liang Shao had wronged her, assuring him he would definitely stand up for her. Shanhe sullenly agreed.
After dinner, Shanhe returned to Shuyu Pavilion. Feeling much better, with only a thin layer of discomfort, she decided to quickly finish the painting. Just as she moistened her brush, a commotion arose outside. It turned out that Liang Shao's servant, Chengbao, had returned, saying that Liang Shao had gone to Yuetuo Village with Lord Chen and wouldn't return until the afternoon of the day after tomorrow. He asked the Second Mistress to pack some clothes and take them there. Upon hearing this, Shanhe was immediately delighted. With Liang Shao gone, she could slowly finish the portrait. Besides, she had been quite exhausted from spending the last three days with Liang Shao, and a rest would be perfect.
Shanhe, beaming with joy, packed several pieces of Liang Shao's clothing. Remembering Liang Shao's usual cleanliness and love of bright colors, she also took out his everyday items: a hairpin, several towels for washing his face and body, his usual teacup and mouthwash bowl, etc., all packed neatly and handed them to Chengbao. Chengbao stood aside, his hands tucked in. Seeing that Shanhe's expression was normal, even showing a hint of joy in her eyes, his heart sank. When Liang Shao told him to come back to retrieve the items, he specifically instructed him to observe Shanhe's expression and report back immediately. Now that Shanhe was all smiles, how was he supposed to report back?
Cheng Bao asked cautiously, "Second Madam, Second Master isn't going away for long, just two nights, so we shouldn't take these with us, right?"
Shanhe said seriously, "What if? Haven't there been cases before where someone said they'd be away for two days but didn't return until four or five? Bring them all, just in case."
Cheng Bao weighed the two large bundles in his hands, sighed deeply, mounted his horse, and disappeared into the night.
After seeing Cheng Bao off, Shan He sat back down at the octagonal table and began grinding ink and moistening her brush. She recalled the events of the previous night and sketched lines with her wolf-hair brush. Inside the bathtub, the woman leaned against the man's chest, while the man rested against the edge, his hand hanging outside the tub, a red musk bracelet on his wrist. The woman's hair was disheveled, her beautiful eyes slightly closed, her neck arched back, pressed tightly against the man's shoulder. The man wore a teasing expression, speaking as if to speak. At the other end of the tub, a thin, light red gauze draped loosely, half submerged in the water, half scattered on the floor. Water stains clung to the brick floor. By the time she finished sketching, it was nearly midnight. Shan He, her eyelids drooping with sleep, cleared the table and went to bed fully clothed.
The next morning, Shanhe went to pay her respects to Old Master Liang as usual, and then dealt with the household affairs. She was much better, but still short of breath, and had to rest after speaking for a while. By the time everything was finished, it was almost noon. Just as Shanhe finished her lunch, a maid came to report that Chengbao had returned.
Shanhe thought something had happened to Liang Shao, and suddenly remembered what he had said yesterday about "seven people dying." She couldn't help but speculate, worried that some kind of murderer was at work. Shanhe's heart sank, and she hurriedly went out to greet him.
Cheng Baozheng walked in carrying a bulging oil paper package, which exuded a sweet fragrance inside and out.
Upon seeing Shanhe, Chengbao greeted her with a smile: "Greetings, Second Madam. This is what Master instructed me to bring to you. He said it's the most famous rose shortbread in Yuetuo Village, and none of the rose shortbreads in the surrounding area are as delicious as his." With that, Chengbao presented a paper package tied with thin hemp rope in a cross pattern.
"Everything's alright?" Shanhe frowned as she took the question.
“Good, all the better,” Cheng Bao said. “We have a lead, and I reckon we can catch them tonight.”
Shanhe nodded: "Okay."
After Cheng Bao left, Shan He returned carrying a paper package with two fingers. Unwrapping it, she found a dozen or so rose-shaped shortbreads stacked on top of each other, their crusts glistening with honey and sesame seeds clinging to them. Shan He took out two, placed them on a plain handkerchief on the table, and rewrapped the rest. She then called her maid, Qing Yue, and said, "Take these to the old master. Tell him that the second master specially brought them back for him, and that he asked the old master to take good care of himself these next few days. I'll personally pay my respects to him when I return."
Qingyue agreed and went. Less than an incense stick's time later, she returned, beaming, carrying two oil-paper packages. Shanhe asked if the old master didn't like them, since there was an extra package. Qingyue smiled and said, "The old master took two pieces, and had me wrap the rest up to send to Second Mistress. He also asked me to bring this package of osmanthus cake back with him. He told me to say that Second Master specially asked Chengbao to bring it back, but the old master thought it was too sweet and it hurt his teeth, so Second Mistress had to enjoy it." Shanhe looked down and saw the two identical oil-paper packages, the same thin hemp rope. Her nose stung, and she clutched her face, unable to hold back her sobs.
A note from the author:
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Liang Ergou: Ahhhhh! She said she needs to gain weight to have a baby! She must love me!!!
Shanshan: Grandpa doesn't seem happy today. I wonder if he's thinking about things from the past again... Sigh.
Kyoto.
Scholar Liang: I can't concentrate on my studies! I can't concentrate on my studies! I miss her!
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