Chapter 76 Upon seeing the severed head, Shanhe was shocked.
Shanhe was so frightened that she fell to the ground. Huaisong dropped the blanket and rushed over to help her up.
Liang Ye also rushed over upon hearing the noise, closed the lid of the brocade box, opened Huai Song's door, and helped Shan He to his feet.
Shanhe trembled with fear, her heart pounding as if she were holding a restless rabbit in her arms. She stammered, "Liang Ye, you...I..."
Liang Ye put his arm around her shoulder and comforted her gently, "Yes, don't be afraid, Shan Shan. I'm here, don't worry." He helped Shan He back to her room, but as they walked, he turned back and glanced at Huai Song, "Put the things away properly, please continue, Master."
Liang Ye helped Shanhe back to the main room and seated her. He poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her. Shanhe was still somewhat dazed. Her hands trembled as she took the tea, and she asked him in horror, "He... how did he die? His head..."
Liang Ye sat down next to Shan He, put his arm around her shoulder, and said gently, "Shan Shan, don't be afraid, it has nothing to do with you."
Shanhe's clothes were soaked with sweat, and the stray hairs on her forehead were wet, clinging tightly to her skin. Seeing Liang Ye's calm and composed demeanor, her eyes were filled with terror: "It was you...you did it?"
Liang Ye smiled and took a handkerchief to wipe Shanhe's sweat: "Shanshan, he died on his own. It has nothing to do with you or me. Today you went to Qinyuan, and I was thinking I should go to Jingji County to thank Magistrate Zhang, so I went there. Because you've been having nightmares for days, I consulted Master Ma about a solution. Master Ma said that either I or you must go to the old man's house in person to clear things up and make him stop harboring resentment before your nightmares will be cured. So I thought I'd go see him in person when I visited Magistrate Zhang today, but who knew he was already dead at home." Liang Ye feigned helplessness, "Since he's dead, there's nothing I can do. I asked Master Ma again, and Master Ma said that he died with resentment, and his soul might be restless and come back to disturb us. He told me to bring his body back so Master Ma could perform a ritual to help him pass on, which would be a good deed. But his body is already decomposed, so it's inconvenient to transport it back by cart, and it's also difficult to get it through the city gates, so..."
Shanhe listened in a daze, her eyes fixed on Liang Ye's face.
Seeing her like this, Liang Ye felt even more affection for her. He cupped Shanhe's face and gently kissed her: "Don't worry, it's truly a blessing for him. After tonight, you won't be haunted by nightmares anymore."
Shanhe jolted awake and broke free from him: "Then, who cut off his head?"
Liang Ye pursed his lips.
Shanhe stammered on, "Even if it's for the sake of salvation, you can't, you can't behead him! Can't you bring back some of his hair, teeth, and old clothes?"
Liang Ye's expression turned somewhat grim. He slowly said, "It was all instructed by Master Ma."
Shanhe suddenly grabbed Liang Ye's shoulder, her expression somewhat broken: "Is it you? Big brother, is it you?"
Liang Ye's face immediately darkened. He released his arm from Shan He's, his expression displeased: "Shan Shan, what did you call me?"
Shanhe felt as if his heart had plummeted into an abyss. At this point, he cared nothing for human life, conscience, or karmic retribution; he only cared about these empty titles. Just now, that old man had clearly died with terrified eyes. Would he be so afraid to die in his own home? Shanhe chuckled dryly, lowered his head, and his hands slid down from the old man's shoulders, landing lightly on his knees. Shanhe took his right hand and clenched it tightly: "Aye, it wasn't you, was it? It really was Master Ma who ordered it, wasn't it? He's already dead in the house, isn't he?"
Liang Ye's lips tightened, and he remained silent. He saw the growing fear in Shan He's eyes, like a startled rabbit, easily frightened by the slightest sound. His hardened heart finally softened. He pulled Shan He into his arms, pressing her against his shoulder, his large hand gently stroking the back of her head. Liang Ye's voice was hoarse: "Shan Shan, don't worry, it has nothing to do with you, nothing to do with me, nothing to do with Cangfeng Academy. He really did die in his own home, he's been dead for several days. All these funeral arrangements were simply instructed by Master Ma according to custom and tradition, all for the sake of his soul's salvation, nothing else." He felt Shan He tremble involuntarily in his arms. "Shan Shan, don't be afraid, I'm here. The other day you even gave him money. How could I, such a kind person, do such things and ruin your good deeds?"
Shanhe quickly replied, "I'm not doing this for merit!"
"I know, I know, it's all because you can't bear it, it's all because you're trying to ease your conscience. Shanshan, you're too kind. He treated us like that, almost killing us, and you still forgive him. If even you can forgive him, what right do I have to object? I have a bright future, I have fertile land and beautiful houses, I have a lovely wife by my side, and my official appointment document came down recently. I really don't need to go all the way to the capital to kill him and dirty my hands, right? Even if I hold a grudge, why should I go there myself? Hmm? Chengmin and Huaisong, aren't they both extremely capable? Can't either of them do it for me?" "You think I have to go myself?" He sensed Shanhe calming down, kissed her earlobe, pressed his lips to her ear, and continued softly, "Besides, it's better that he's dead, isn't it? Those injuries he suffered were truly agonizing. He had no money, no one to care for him, lying in bed like a corpse all day, it must have been unbearable for him, right? Even if he hadn't met us that day, he would have died sooner or later, all alone, and by the time he was found, he might have been nothing but a skeleton. Now that he's dead, he doesn't have to suffer anymore, and I've even arranged for someone to perform a ritual for him, so he's at peace, isn't he?"
Shanhe was stunned. Liang Ye's words seemed to make some sense, but also seemed wrong.
"But, but..."
Before Shanhe could finish speaking, a loud bang echoed in the courtyard, followed by the sound of sutra bells and incantations flowing like a stream, reaching every corner of Cangfeng Courtyard.
Shanhe opened the window a crack, about five fingers wide, knelt on the daybed, and peeked out. Liang Ye chuckled softly, stood behind Shanhe, braced his hands on the windowsill, and pulled her into his embrace. He leaned close to Shanhe's face and said steadily, "Shanshan, look, Master Ma has started his ritual to help her pass on. Are you relieved now?"
Shanhe didn't say anything, but just stared intently at the courtyard.
After a moment of silence, she finally spoke: "I hate Liang Ye too. But he has already been punished. Ah Ye, hatred is one thing, killing is another, let alone beheading... such a cruel, dismembered death..."
"Shanshan." He said impatiently, "I've already said that he died in his own house, it has nothing to do with me, you don't need to make wild guesses."
He sighed and covered her eyes with one hand: "Alright, alright, if you keep looking, you'll probably have nightmares again tonight. If you're worried, I'll go with you to Chengen Temple in a couple of days, how about that? We can pray to both the Taoists and the Buddhists, okay?" Her dark eyelashes trembled slightly in his palm.
Shanhe closed her eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, and softly hummed in agreement.
Because of his injuries, Liang Ye couldn't hold Shan He in his arms. So, he simply turned her around and said with a gentle smile, "You've had a long day, and so have I. How about we lie in bed together for a while?"
Shanhe nodded.
The ritual lasted for half an hour before ending. Shanhe, her head resting on Liang Ye's arm, lay curled up on the bed, biting her fingernails listlessly, her heart filled with unease. Liang Ye turned to look at her in his arms, knowing she was upset, but said nothing, letting her slowly accept it on her own. The person was already dead, everything had become what it was; what else could Shanhe do but accept it? Besides, it wasn't a close relative who had died; she didn't need to be so heartbroken.
He slowly twirled a lock of Shanhe's long hair with his fingers, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Shanhe spoke up: "This is how my father died."
Liang Ye's pupils constricted.
“There were so many people there that day, all coming to watch the beheading. I stood in the crowd watching my father, and he was looking at me too, he even smiled at me. As the blade rose and fell, everyone said my father had a tough neck, a man who would never bow his head, a truly formidable figure, yet it was cut down in one stroke. He rolled a few times on the ground, and everyone said, even the hardest bone isn't as hard as a blade…”
"Shanshan!" Liang Ye hugged her tightly. "Don't think about these things anymore."
He sighed inwardly: So Shanhe's stubbornness and tenacity were inherited from Xue Yin.
Shanhe looked up at him and smiled, squeezing out her tears: "Then I was taken back to prison. For half a month, I had dreams all about my father being beheaded." She quickly grabbed Liang Ye's hand, "Ye, we can't be like that. I'm scared..."
Liang Ye sighed and hugged her tighter, his voice soft and gentle: "I know we won't. Shanshan, all of that is in the past. You will never go through that again. With me here, no one can hurt you. Not only you, but I will also protect those you care about, okay? Qingyue and Miao'er will be fine too."
Shanhe responded with a sob in her voice.
Looking at the fragility and fear of the person in his arms, Liang Ye felt a surge of tenderness, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, rippling outwards. He lowered his head to wipe away the tears that had fallen onto her peach-blossom cheeks. Seeing her dark eyelashes tremble, Liang Ye's heart softened, and he began to kiss her eyes. When Shan He was slightly breathless from the kiss, and when she frowned and looked at him, he smiled faintly, then slowly moved down, capturing her lips and pressing himself against her.
Shanhe frowned: "You're injured, so... so let's not..."
Liang Ye simply said, "It's almost done." With that, he raised his hand and lowered the curtain, completely obscuring the view inside. Because Shan He was in low spirits and also injured, his affection for her was tender and gentle.
He draped his long legs over his broad shoulders, bouncing them like wind chimes under the eaves. His heart, which had been empty for over a month, suddenly felt satisfied. He grasped Shanhe's ankles and chuckled softly, "She should wear a pair of golden bell anklets on her head; I wonder what kind of sound they'd make when they swung..."
Shanhe blushed with embarrassment at these frivolous words and quickly buried her head in the soft pillow. After a short while, Shanhe suddenly felt a wet and itchy sensation on the soles of her feet. Her heart tightened, and she tried to pull her leg back, but her foot was already tightly gripping her ankle.
She turned her face back and saw him gently kissing her. When she looked at him with a clear gaze, Liang Ye laughed wantonly.
When the rain stopped and the clouds dispersed, Shanhe lay on his left chest, listening to his heavy heartbeat, her hand on the bandage wrapped around his right chest, her gaze fixed.
She suddenly felt like laughing. Liang Ye had just comforted her, and she had thought he was sincere; it turned out it was because of this. Since returning from Wuyou Garden, he had been recuperating from his injuries for over a month. He hadn't said anything, and Shanhe had thought he had changed. After all, he had been very considerate and respectful towards her these past few days. But in the end, he hadn't changed.
Shanhe closed her eyes.
From that night on, Shanhe truly stopped having nightmares. She still dreamt about him occasionally, but unlike before, she no longer screamed and screamed in her dreams, nor did she break out in a cold sweat. Often, she would be quietly awakened, her husband Liang Ye sleeping soundly beside her, his hand tightly gripping hers. Lying in bed, she stared at every piece of furniture in the darkness, each seemingly imbued with a ghostly aura. Finally, she looked at Liang Ye and sighed wistfully: Why was it him? It was clearly A-Shao in my dream… If it were A-Shao, what would he do? Would he also take revenge on the old man like this? Thinking about it so much, Shanhe wanted to ask Liang Ye how A-Shao was doing in Beichuan, but she didn't dare. Liang Ye never mentioned A-Shao to her, as if he didn't have this younger brother at all.
Liang Ye rested for another half month before taking up his post at the Dali Temple. The day before his departure, the emperor specially summoned him to the palace, clearly showing his high regard for Liang Ye. Because of this favor, Shan He also became very popular. Those who couldn't get through to Liang Ye often sent their female relatives to deal with Shan He. All sorts of gifts, the best plays from the theater, banquets they had never attended before, were all presented to Shan He, and she was politely asked to accept them. Only then did Shan He realize that Liang Ye was in charge of supervising all officials. The Ministry of Justice was in charge of criminal cases throughout the country, while the Dali Temple was in charge of punishing officials. All officials of the Great Yan who committed crimes were investigated by the Dali Temple. Even Liang Ye's mentor, Ouyang Shizhong, was nominally subject to Liang Ye's supervision.
Shanhe wondered why His Majesty would entrust such an important position to Liang Ye, who was new to officialdom. Later, through the gossip of the women, Shanhe learned that Liang Ye had begun investigating Wuji Garden ever since he paid off Ouyang Tongyang's gambling debts. Logically, someone of his status should have little chance of finding anything. Yet everything went smoothly, the investigation was incredibly easy, which directly led Jin Anfu to take the risk of hunting them down at Wuyou Garden. At first, everyone was confused, but later they gradually realized that someone in the palace was helping him investigate. Now, it was even more certain that His Majesty was secretly helping Liang Ye.
As for why His Majesty helped him, that's a matter of imperial strategy, something the ladies couldn't fathom. Some said it was because Liang Ye was handsome and His Majesty wanted to make him his consort; others said it was because of Consort Meng, formerly known as Lady Meng, who whispered in His Majesty's ear; still others said it was because of Liang Shao.
Liang Shao? Who is Liang Shao?
None of the ladies recognized him. Shanhe lowered her head, her two fingers nervously twisting together.
The lady then said, "Liang Shao, the commander of the vanguard battalion of the Beichuan Army, who was just appointed as the Baron of Huguo County last month."
The wives didn't care much about their positions in the army, but the words "Guardian of the Nation County Man" truly resonated with them.
Since the Huo family, the Duke of Protector of the State, were raided during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, this is the first time the title "Protector of the State" has been used.
Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron. Although Baron is the lowest rank, it's still a noble title. It's quite different from ordinary officials.
"It is said that Liang Shao was Liang Ye's younger brother."
The ladies all gasped in astonishment. Wasn't he even younger than Liang Ye, and capable of anything?
So he started counting on his fingers. Wasn't the time when he was granted the title of Protector of the State County Baron last month around the same time as the imperial edict promoting Liang Ye to Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?
"Is His Majesty going to revive the Liang family?"
"Does the Liang family have any other girls? My son will be of marriageable age in two years."
"Speaking of which, who remembers the Liang family of Mizhou?"
"Who knows? I haven't heard of it in over ten years. Maybe my old man knows."
"What about Liang Shao?"
“I don’t know anymore. But before Liang Ye passed the imperial examination, there was some talk about him. It was said that he was a diligent student from a young age and a famous child prodigy in Mizhou. My husband said back then that he would definitely pass the imperial examination.”
The ladies turned their heads and smiled at Shanhe sitting in the corner: "Madam Xue, do you know Liang Shao? What kind of person is he? How old is he? Is he married or not?"
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Author's note: Tomorrow's update might be in the evening; I've been quite busy these past two days.
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