Chapter 75: Foolishness
"Young Master Yu's temperament is…"
When Song Hemei left the government office, the slight elation in her heart was dispersed by the mourning that filled the courtyard upon her return to the Song residence.
Her parents had not yet known of the matter, but because among those arrested, all except her elder brother had been released—though they had suffered corporal punishment, it was still better than remaining in custody with an uncertain fate—her sister-in-law, unable to contain herself, had broken down in tears before her parents and let the secret slip.
Her father, still bedridden with illness, could not manage much beyond pulling Jilang aside to mention families with whom they had some connection, hoping they might lend aid. Her mother also wept, but she remained calmer than her sister-in-law and began tallying the silver and gold the household could muster, preparing to find ways to bribe and smooth things over.
When Hemei returned to the residence, she did not go to see her parents. Instead, she met alone with Jilang. Facing his gaze—clearly anxious but desperately trying to suppress his agitation—she said, "I saw elder brother. I don't know what trouble he's gotten himself into. No matter how I pressed him, he wouldn't say a word. He actually believes that if he keeps his mouth shut, everything will be fine."
Song Jilang clenched his fist in desperation. "Has elder brother lost his mind? How dare he meddle in something like this? Sister, did you see Lord Yu? Did you sound him out?"
Song Hemei dropped her gaze and thought for a moment.
He had said she would not come to harm—was that considered a hint?
If she wouldn't come to harm, then the matter wouldn't reach the point of exterminating her entire clan. But he hadn't said how her brother would be dealt with.
Meeting Jilang's eyes, she couldn't give him an ambiguous answer, so she simply reached out and patted his shoulder. "Father is gravely ill now, mother is tied up with his care, and sister-in-law can't stand firm when trouble comes. The household needs you to hold it up—you can't collapse."
Song Jilang's eyes dimmed. He lowered his head and said softly, "Second sister, I can't do it."
Elder brother had grown up at their father's side, absorbing his ways through daily exposure, personally taught by their father. But he himself had not. It was true that great expectations had been placed on him, yet it was also true that he had never been considered a candidate to inherit a share of the family business.
Song Hemei remained calm, even finding the presence of mind to make a light joke. "Times like this, even if you can't, you have to. As they say, wealth rarely lasts three generations. If the Song family really does fall into ruin on our watch, then it was fated. Why put so much pressure on yourself?"
Song Jilang helplessly twitched the corner of his mouth. "Second sister…"
"Alright, go back and rest for a while. I'll pick a few capable people and put them under your command later. Start making preparations. Whether elder brother returns safely or not, this family can no longer be handed over to him to run amok and ruin."
Song Jilang was still somewhat dejected. After all, he was still young and inexperienced. Slamming into an incident like this, he really did need time to recover.
Over these past few days, running around for her brother's sake, she too had felt both physically and mentally exhausted. Knowing she hadn't brought back news that would satisfy her parents and sister-in-law, she returned to her courtyard and didn't go out again, to avoid any arguments that would only upset her further. Even when her sister-in-law sent someone specifically to ask for her, she turned them away.
But she only waited until the next day before someone from the yamen came to deliver a message.
They said the case had been retried last night. Song Yunyao had confessed and admitted his guilt. The sentence was exile to a distance of three thousand li, for a term of six years, to commence three days hence. All his assets were to be confiscated.
Fortunately, it was only exile. Given the current situation, there could not have been a better outcome than mere banishment. She exchanged a glance with Jilang, and the weight in their hearts finally lifted as they breathed a sigh of relief.
But her sister-in-law raised a fuss as soon as the officials left. Seeing how unconcerned her younger brother and sister-in-law seemed, she bit her lip, on the verge of tears. "Have you no conscience? My husband has always treated you so well, and now he has to endure the suffering of exile, yet you can still smile!"
Before she could rush over, Song Jilang reacted first and shielded Song Hemei behind him. But his arm was caught by Qiu Wan, who left a long red scratch down it.
"What exactly did you hear during the trial yesterday? Why were the husbands of other families all fine, while only my husband was sentenced to exile? Did you do this deliberately? Are you angry that your elder brother's possession of the family wealth stood in your way, so you didn't try your best to save him?"
Qiu Wan's tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn't care whether her tantrum would be laughed at by the servants; she simply vented her resentment wildly.
Song Jilang flushed red with anxiety. "Sister-in-law, how can you say such things? If there were any way at all, how could I not exhaust every effort to intervene? It's because elder brother truly committed a crime. To get this outcome is already a stroke of luck. Otherwise, I'm afraid our entire clan would have been dragged to the execution ground. Sister-in-law, please calm down."
Qiu Wan was deaf to all reason. She clamped her hand tightly around his wrist. "You did it on purpose. You knew how dangerous this was, so you tricked your brother into coming back, deliberately pushing him into the tiger's mouth. How can you be so heartless, without a shred of brotherly affection!"
Song Jilang was the most upright scholar in the family, still a half-grown young master. Being blamed this unfairly left him utterly speechless in his distress.
Song Hemei was extremely irritated. With a furrowed brow, she spoke. "Sister-in-law, that's enough."
Qiu Wan was now in a frenzy that seemed impossible to stop. "Who asked for your opinion? Go back to your Shao family! My husband worries day and night about you, his married-out sister, but you have no regard for his life or death. It's true—once a woman marries out, her own family become strangers. You don't care at all!"
Song Jilang saw her expression darken and quickly turned to placate her. "Second sister, sister-in-law is just too worried, she doesn't know what she's saying. Don't take it to heart."
Whether she didn't know what she was saying or not—Hemei had understood that three years ago.
Song Hemei was not angry. More than anything, she worried that if her sister-in-law kept this up, she would stir up even more trouble.
She stepped out from behind Jilang and walked forward. "Sister-in-law, instead of making a scene here, you'd better think about yourself. According to our dynasty's law, a wife must accompany her husband into exile."
Without a moment's hesitation, Qiu Wan replied, "You may not care about my husband, but I do. My husband and I share hardships and joys. What fear is there if we travel the road together? Let alone exile—even if it were the road to the Yellow Springs, I would brave it with him. I dare to do that—do you?"
Song Hemei felt a vein throb at her temple.
Stupid. Truly stupid.
Once emotion took hold, people would commit the most earth-shattering stupidities.
When her brother was in trouble, she was willing to share the hardship with him. But if the roles were reversed, it would be remarkable if her brother didn't remarry within a year.
This was her own elder brother's wife. In principle, she should feel gratified—such genuine devotion was worthy of the fact that her brother, despite the mess of her family, had insisted on marrying her; and it did not disappoint the high hopes their mother had placed in her as the eldest daughter-in-law entrusted with the household.
But Hemei felt only a sense of sorrow. Especially when she recalled her brother's stubbornness. Even if he hadn't brought disaster upon the entire family, he had still condemned his lawful wife. Since marrying into the Song family, her sister-in-law had served her mother-in-law dutifully and cared for her husband attentively without a single fault. Even if she and Hemei had once had a falling out, she did not deserve to be exiled alongside her brother.
"Sister-in-law, don't be stupid at a critical moment. Take these three days to think carefully—whether to stay, or go with elder brother. According to the law, even an amicable divorce will not exempt a wife from this obligation, but human effort can accomplish much. I may not be able to fish elder brother out, but I can manage to fish you out."
Song Hemei smoothed her sleeves, signaled Song Jilang to leave first, then turned back to Qiu Wan and continued, "At a time like this, don't care about face or reputation. Staying alive is what matters. Do you think your body can withstand the torment of exile? Or can you endure the depredations of vicious criminals?"
She paused, then thought that with Qiu Wan's brain, this might all go in one ear and out the other, so she added another line. "Don't you want to have children? After being ground down by such an ordeal, let alone sharing a life with elder brother, you'd have difficulty getting pregnant again even if you remarried later."
Qiu Wan's anger was interrupted. Her lips trembled; whether from lingering fury or about to answer, Hemei couldn't tell.
Song Hemei had no intention of waiting for her. She turned and walked in the direction Jilang had gone, leaving Qiu Wan alone behind her.
Though it was summer, Song Jilang's fingertips were still cold. When he saw the yamen runners, he had already imagined the worst possible outcome, but never that there might be a turning point.
He passed through the moon gate and sat down in the covered corridor to wait for her. When he saw her approach, he immediately stood up and said, "Second sister, this is really like a dream. Did Young Master Yu help? I told you—he has the most amiable temperament, he was sure to remember old ties."
Now that he thought their old friendship might be of use, he had even stopped calling him "Lord Yu."
But Song Hemei frowned lightly. "Don't say that. Everything was handled according to the law. Officials find it difficult to hear cases from their home jurisdictions. If someone overhears you, even the most aboveboard matter will stir up gossip."
Song Jilang fell silent immediately. Seeing this, Song Hemei let out a slow breath. "Later, go see father and mother, tell them this news, and get the silver ready. Then come with me to the yamen. The journey is long and requires all manner of arrangements. Sister-in-law can't be counted on—you'll have to handle everything yourself."
Song Jilang stared at her blankly. "Sister, what about you?"
"Me? I'm a married-out daughter. Why would I meddle in my natal family's affairs?"
Song Hemei's tone was light, her eyes showing affection as she looked at Song Jilang.
Her situation was something Jilang, as a young man, couldn't understand. Her parents doted on her, but more than that, they doted on the illusory man behind her. Her brother spoiled her, but only the obedient, compliant younger sister.
Long-standing family ties had long since sunk into her very bones and marrow. She thought that sometimes the best thing was to stay far away—not to get too close, because closeness bred conflict.
To put it in unfilial and unbrotherly terms, filial piety toward her parents meant serving them by their sickbed and seeing them to their end; toward her brothers, it was enough to hear at New Year's and festivals that they were still alive and well. As for the rest, she should not think about it nor hope for it. She had already done all that could be expected of her; even in the courts of the underworld, she could not be faulted.
Song Jilang felt she was speaking out of anger. "Sister, don't listen to sister-in-law's nonsense. She—"
Song Hemei raised her hand to cut him off. "Go prepare quickly. The sooner we get to the yamen, the better."
Song Jilang opened his mouth, then helplessly gave a faint smile. "Sister talks tough, but clearly you still care about elder brother."
Song Hemei didn't answer him. She couldn't answer.
If she told him that what she really wanted was to see Yu Yeqing, then she would lose any face she had as his elder sister.
Seeing Jilang leave cheerfully, she couldn't help but think that she should change her clothes. She had grown haggard over the past few days—but she couldn't dress too ostentatiously, since exile was hardly a cause for celebration. Anyone who didn't know the circumstances would only gossip about her.
She went back, made a simple adjustment, and redid her hair in a bun. She rode to the yamen in the same carriage as Song Jilang. First, they found a familiar person in the office to meet with the county magistrate. Since everyone was from Changzhou, the magistrate was willing to make special arrangements.
Song Hemei used the excuse that it was inconvenient for a woman to join them, and remained waiting in another place. She found an opportunity to politely ask a runner, "Officer, do you know where Lord Yu is? I wish to pay my respects and thank him in person."
Her throat was a little dry, and she was somewhat nervous and ill at ease. Yesterday she had spoken with a surge of boldness, caring about nothing, but meeting him again today made her feel shy. She thought, luckily Jilang wasn't with her—if he saw the teeth marks on Yu Yeqing's neck, he was sure to guess what had happened.
The runner looked at her, perplexed. "Lord Yu? Lord Yu left last night for Pingzhou. I'm afraid you won't be able to see him, madam."
Song Hemei stood frozen on the spot.
Left last night?
What was this? A repetition of three years ago—leaving without a word?
She clenched her hand tightly inside her sleeve, a surge of anger rushing straight to her head.
There was only one thing more infuriating than having him send her home after she had bared her heart—and that was him leaving without a single word, vanishing without a sound!
Get instant access to all chapters now.
Post a Comment