Der Himmel über den Flüssen und Seen ist sehr klar

Kapitel 32

"The lady instructs you to return and deliver this letter to the master."

Jiang Rui hurriedly took it and carefully placed it into the bag on her back before looking at Xiqing and asking, "Sister, is there anything else you need?"

Jiang Rui was older, but since the many maids in the mansion regarded her as their leader, they also called her "elder sister".

Xiqing hesitated for a moment, then looked at him and said, "Be careful on your way back, and deliver Madam's letter as soon as possible."

Jiang Rui's face flushed slightly, but fortunately, his skin was already quite dark, so it wasn't very noticeable. He quickly responded and then mounted his horse. After riding for a while, he looked back and saw Xi Qing still standing at the door, gazing intently in his direction. His heart fluttered a few times, and he felt a slight surge of excitement.

Xiqing had no idea what Jiang Rui was thinking. After everyone had left and disappeared from sight, he lowered his head and slowly went back into the house, preoccupied with his own thoughts.

***

Jiang Rui was in a hurry to return and report back, so he traveled quickly and arrived in Huaichu in just over ten days. By the time he arrived at the prefectural government office, it was already dark. Without taking a break, the first thing he did was to present the letter from his wife, which was in his luggage, to Xu Jinrong.

The Prince Chong's mansion was pressing him hard, and today they happened to secretly send someone over, meaning they were urging him to reply. Xu Jinrong had a private talk with him for half a day, and in the evening he arranged for two top-notch courtesans to accompany him before returning to his study and sitting quietly in meditation.

He already had a plan in mind, but some details still needed to be considered. As he leaned back in his chair, deep in thought, he suddenly heard a knock at the door and called him in. It was Steward Xu, who said that Jiang Rui had already sent Madam to Suzhou and returned, along with a letter from Madam. He then respectfully presented the letter.

Xu Jinrong was somewhat surprised.

Since Danmei left, he hadn't seemed particularly bothered during the day, but when he lay alone on his bed late at night, he often felt a pang of longing. He recalled the scene of her turning back to look at him when he saw her off on the boat, and sometimes he regretted letting her go. Now, hearing that she had safely arrived at her parents' home and had sent him a letter, he felt a surge of joy, and much of the frustration he felt during the day when facing the envoy from the Prince's mansion dissipated. He took the letter, waved it over, and then dismissed Steward Xu.

Steward Xu glanced up discreetly and saw a hint of joy on his face. Feeling slightly guilty, he lowered his head and left the study, but dared not go far. He stood a few steps away on the veranda, holding his breath and listening to the sounds inside.

Xu Jinrong turned the candle flame brighter and, while unsealing the letter, recalled how they had exchanged flirtatious words in their correspondence just days after their wedding last year when he had to go on a business trip. He wondered what she would say in this letter, and his heart began to beat faster.

The envelope contained two sheets of paper. Xu Jinrong unfolded one, smiled, and glanced at it. After only two lines, his expression changed drastically. He skimmed through the paper, then felt as if a sharp blade had stabbed him in the heart; his body stiffened, unable to move. He noticed the other folded sheet of paper on the table. Although he hadn't read its contents, he could guess seven or eight tenths of what it said, and for a moment, he hesitated to unfold it. After staring at it intently for a moment, he gritted his teeth, unfolded the paper, and after a quick glance, the veins on his forehead bulged.

"This contract is signed by Wen Danmei, a native of Suzhou in Pingjiang Prefecture. She was married to Xu Jinrong through a matchmaker. However, after marriage, she committed many faults and lacked all wifely virtues. Moreover, she was unable to bear children, which falls under the seven grounds for divorce. Unable to bear further harming her husband, she voluntarily requests to leave the marriage and allows him to remarry, with no further disputes. Fearing that there will be no evidence in the future, she voluntarily enters into this contract as proof." Following this is the signature of the person making the contract and a small, bright red handprint.

Xu Jinrong suddenly stood up and roared, "Butler!"

Hearing the angry roar from inside, Steward Xu, who was standing guard outside, was somewhat startled, even though it was expected. He quickly composed himself and pushed the door open again. He was immediately taken aback to see Xu Jinrong's face contorted in a ferocious expression, his eyes seemingly about to pop out. He stared blankly, forgetting to ask a question.

"I'm going to Suzhou. You can handle the people from that prince's mansion."

As Xu Jinrong spoke sternly, he turned and strode quickly outside without looking back.

Steward Xu then realized what was happening and hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, pleading, "Sir, the Prince's envoy is also here. How can you leave like this? Sir, no matter how important the matter is, it is not as important as this one!"

Xu Jinrong abruptly shook off the hand that the housekeeper was holding onto, and without saying a word, he reached the door.

"My lord..." Steward Xu gritted his teeth, lunged forward, and grabbed her arm. "My lord, since Madam has made up her mind, it's for your sake. Why would she stay at her parents' house waiting for you to come looking for her? The letter of divorce she sent can be shown to the Prince's messenger so that the old Prince can be at ease. Only then can you slowly come up with a solution to overcome this difficult situation. Right now, nothing is more important than this matter. I beg you, my lord, to think it over..."

Xu Jinrong was furious. He kicked the steward away and turned around to say angrily, "It was you who first told her about these filthy things, which caused her to feel so guilty. Now you want to stop me. Did you force her to do this? How could a weak woman like her dare to do such a thing on her own?"

With such a charge against him, Steward Xu dared not accept it and dared not forcibly stop him any longer. He could only kneel down and keep pleading with him.

Xu Jinrong ignored him, turned around, opened the door, and strode away.

Steward Xu scrambled out to chase after him, only to see his figure quickly disappear at the end of the corridor, somewhat blurred in the night. He stamped his foot, sighed, and hurriedly caught up.

Xu Jinrong ordered his men to prepare fast horses, and with a few men, they rode overnight towards Pingjiang Prefecture.

"Ziqing, my husband, seeing this letter is like seeing you in person. Since marrying you, we have been deeply in love, but I have been immoral, causing much trouble. I often think of this and cannot sleep at night, filled with fear. Now that you have gained the favor of the Prince's Mansion, you should take advantage of this to rise to prominence. Please do not make enemies for no reason and ruin your future because of me. I am but a selfish person. My resignation today is not to fulfill your wishes, but to seek peace of mind. I beg your mercy and grant me peace of mind. Also: when you read this letter, I have already left my mother's home. My parents are old and unaware of the troubles. Please do not come to inquire and cause them alarm. I bow and thank you."

"How could I have been so foolish? How could someone as burdened with worries as her act so nonchalantly after being forced into marriage by the Prince's mansion? She deceived me to such an extent! And I, like a naive young boy, was completely oblivious!" Xu Jinrong's mind kept flashing back to the letter she left him, recalling everything that happened before he sent her off on the ship. A surge of anger at being deceived welled up within him. "Is her heart truly made of stone? I treated her with all my heart, yet she wouldn't even compromise herself for me in the slightest. Today she leaves me, saying she wants peace of mind. Is my surroundings truly a den of dragons and tigers, causing her such immense suffering?"

The icy night wind brushed against his cheeks, feeling as if it were cutting him with a knife, but he didn't notice at all. The anger in his heart made him wish he could rush to Pingjiang immediately, grab her, and ask her what had happened.

He had been traveling day and night for six or seven days, and Pingjiang Prefecture would be reached tomorrow. His initial anger had gradually subsided, and he had slowly calmed down. However, after calming down, a feeling of hurt from not being trusted arose in his heart.

"In her eyes, I am a mercenary, which is why she doesn't trust me, doesn't want me to be in a difficult position, and left on her own, right? When I married her, I did have ulterior motives. How could I explain myself to her? She only remembers my mercenary nature and didn't want to hinder my future..."

"My lord, we're almost at Suzhou City. Shall we stop at Madam's house?"

Jiang Rui urged his horse forward from behind, interrupting his thoughts.

Xu Jinrong stopped his horse and pondered for a moment.

"Don't disturb my father-in-law and mother-in-law. After we settle in the city tomorrow, send someone over quietly to scout things out first."

The news arrived quickly the next day.

"I inquired at the gatehouse and was told that someone had arrived six or seven days ago, claiming to have been sent by the lord to fetch the lady back to Huaichu. The old lady felt that the lady had only been there a few days, and the man was unfamiliar, so she asked a few more questions. The man only said it was the lord's order, and the lady also said she recognized him and that he was indeed from the Huaichu prefecture, so the old lady let it go. The lady took her leave, got into her carriage, and departed. Lord, when did you send someone to fetch the lady…?"

Jiang Rui is still completely bewildered, feeling as if she's lost in the clouds.

“That carriage must have been hired locally. Go to all the carriage companies and find out which direction it went, even if you have to dig three feet into the ground.”

Xu Jinrong practically spat out each word through gritted teeth.

Jiang Rui then vaguely realized the seriousness of the situation. Had the lady abandoned the master and left on her own? Seeing Xu Jinrong's pale face, he was shocked and hurriedly responded, about to turn and leave, when he was stopped again. He heard him say, "I'll go with you."

Xu Jinrong stayed in Suzhou for three days, using every means at his disposal, and finally caught up with a village called Miaozhuang near Suzhou. However, when he arrived at the secluded manor that others had pointed out, it was already deserted.

When asked, a peasant woman in a nearby courtyard replied without hesitation:

"The head of the household next door moved to Suzhou a few years ago, and the place has been vacant for a long time. A few days ago, some new people moved in. They looked unfamiliar, so I took a closer look. I didn't see the lady you mentioned, only three ordinary-looking women. One was dressed as a married woman, and the other two looked like maids. They weren't very old, and they were followed by two rather steady-looking older servants. I was thinking that having a new neighbor would give me more places to visit, but after only two days, the family quietly moved away. I heard they boarded a boat at the dock. The waterways here are extensive, so it's difficult to find out where they went. You're asking about this, sir. Could it be that one of your family members has run away? I don't think so. She looks very honest and kind..."

The peasant woman was still talking animatedly, but Xu Jinrong was already standing, looking in the direction she had pointed. He saw a large river in the distance, with thatched huts overgrown on the riverbank, looking rather desolate.

Xu Jinrong felt a chill run through him and stood there blankly for a long time. The last shred of hope that had been lingering in his heart for the past few days had now completely vanished.

She really left. She was indeed heartless. On the day of parting, she was all smiles and laughter when they met, but when she turned away, she was so resolute, leaving him no room for negotiation.

Who was it? Who exactly took her away from her family home under his name? And where did the two servants who accompanied her come from?

His first thought was of Prince Jing, Zhao Yun. He seemed indifferent to fame and fortune, but having taken the surname Zhao and single-handedly managed the Jing Prince's Mansion, he was certainly not someone who only knew about romance and pleasure; he must have his own sources of information in the capital. Moreover, the two princely mansions were related, and he had regular contact with the prince's heir; it was possible he had learned of Yu Yang's affair by chance.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he quickly dismissed it.

As a man himself, he naturally knew that Prince Jing harbored feelings for her. However, no matter what, he shouldn't have been so bold as to openly steal another man's wife. Furthermore, knowing Danmei's temperament, he was certain she wouldn't seek his help at this juncture.

So who else has the ability to gain her trust and arrange for her to betray him and run away right under his nose?

"go back!"

He turned around and mounted his horse.

***

However, the snow and cold of November came much earlier than in previous years. When Xu Jinrong rode back to Huaichu again, snowflakes were already falling from the sky. The newly fallen snowflakes melted into water droplets as soon as they touched people, and slowly they soaked half of his body.

In the study of the rear office.

"Where have you hidden the lady?"

Xu Jinrong stood by the window, gazing at the few newly sprouted plum blossoms peeking out from the corner of the wall, and asked, his voice devoid of any inflection.

Despite the freezing weather, Steward Xu, who was kneeling behind him, had beads of sweat on his forehead and remained silent.

"Even now, you still want to keep it from me!" Xu Jinrong slammed his fist on the window, which snapped in two with a crack and fell out. He turned sharply, glaring at Steward Xu, and roared, "When I received her letter that day, I didn't mention what she said in it to you. How do you know she was determined to leave me and desperately tried to stop me from going there? You must have persuaded her to leave me so that I would wholeheartedly marry the princess of the Prince's mansion, right? I found Miao Village, but she had already left. Where exactly have you hidden her?"

Steward Xu was stunned for a long while, then said in a trembling voice, "My lord, even if I had the heart, I would never have dared to persuade Madam to leave you like this. It was Madam herself who called me over some time ago, saying that she didn't want to be a burden to you anymore and was determined to leave. She also said that if she stayed at her mother's house for too long, she was afraid that the old master and his wife would become suspicious, and asked me to think of a way. Seeing that Madam was determined to leave and couldn't be persuaded, and that what she said made sense, I secretly arranged for a reliable person to bring Madam out of her mother's house and move her to Miao Village outside Suzhou. I had someone buy that manor. Although it's small, it's clean. I thought it was because it's close to Suzhou, so that if Madam had any problems, her mother's family could take care of her. Also, after you resolve this trouble, it would be convenient for you to go and bring Madam back. Everything I said is true. Now you say that Madam has already left Miao Village, but where she went, I really don't know..."

After saying this, Steward Xu's face turned ashen, and he had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

What he said earlier was not untrue. In his view, if the lady really left a letter and departed, knowing his master as he did, he would at most be sad for a while before cheering up. When it came time to arrange a marriage with the Prince's family, there would be no obstacle. Finding her later would be very easy. That's why he arranged for carriages to pick her up from her family home in Suzhou, as Danmei had suggested. Unexpectedly, she left Miao Village on her own again, and he truly didn't know where she went this time.

A gust of cold wind rushed in through the broken window, and only then did Butler Xu realize that his back was drenched in sweat and chilled to the bone.

Xu Jinrong clenched his fists so tightly they cracked. He stared at Steward Xu for a moment, then finally said coldly, "I knew you wouldn't have the guts to deceive me again. Since the Prince's envoy is still here, go and let him know that whatever they want, I will do. Just send him back. I never want to see that person again. Tomorrow, send someone to the capital to secretly take my mother to Qingmen."

Steward Xu was taken aback. After all, he had been by his side for many years. After thinking for a moment, his expression suddenly changed drastically, and he said in horror, "Sir, you must not fight to the death..."

"Why not!" Xu Jinrong strode to the desk, took out a letter from the Chong Prince's Mansion from the drawer, unfolded it and read it again, then sneered, "The people of the Chong Prince's Mansion are insatiable. If I agree to a thousand today, they'll agree to ten thousand tomorrow. They're so aggressive, but am I a saint? If I don't fight back and cut off their supply lines, what's the point of living such a life of ease and comfort, even if I become a first-rank official in the future? I was still a little hesitant, but now I know what to do."

"My lord, his family is, after all, a royal household. Please reconsider..."

Steward Xu was still unwilling to give up and tried to persuade him.

“My mind is made up. I’ll take care of my enemies who are lurking in the shadows as well. Don’t say anything more, just do as I say.”

Xu Jinrong crumpled the letter in his hand into a ball and threw it forcefully. The ball rolled on the ground, hit the corner of the wall, and came to a stop.

Steward Xu looked up and saw a faint murderous aura gathering between his brows. It was as if he saw the ruthless and vengeful patriarch of yesteryear. He was at a loss for words and slowly lowered his head, respectfully replying, "Yes."

The snow outside the window was falling heavier and heavier. When Xu Jinrong returned, the snow was just fluttering, but now it was being torn apart and dancing wildly in the air like cotton wool.

In the stillness of the night, a sudden "crack" sound came from the ground, probably because the slender bamboo in the courtyard could not withstand the weight of the snow and broke in half.

In this freezing weather, he was in the small building where the two of them used to live, but where was she now?

She said she left him to find peace of mind. But can she truly find peace in leaving like this? Even if she does find peace, what about him?

Xu Jinrong stood where she used to stand by the window, gazing at the dim light outside, her expression stiff as a stone.

When he can truly give her a place of peace of mind, he will search to the ends of the earth to find her.

Chapter 75

Four years later, at dusk in late spring, in Meijia Village outside Qiantang Gate in the western part of Hangzhou, the farmhouses were neatly arranged, flowerbeds were everywhere, and chickens and dogs were barking. Following the bluestone path with grass growing between the cracks, one could walk all the way to the end of the village. There was a clump of green bamboo in front of the village, and beyond that was a house. Four or five pink peach branches peeked out from the gaps in the bamboo fence. In front of the white wooden gate, several speckled hens were leisurely wandering around, chasing after low-flying bees to peck at their food. The bees suddenly flapped their wings and flew high into the bamboo fence. The speckled hens looked up, opened their round eyes, and clucked a few times, seemingly a little disappointed.

"Lady Flower, Lady Flower..."

Two open-top donkey carts rumbled along the cobblestone road to the gate. A seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy dressed as a servant in a blue robe and hat jumped down and called out loudly. A moment later, the wooden gate creaked open, revealing a young woman in her early twenties with thick eyebrows and big eyes. Recognizing the man, she smiled and said, "Brother Zhang is here?"

The man called Brother Zhang seemed to know her well, and said with a smile, "Sister Xiqing, tomorrow morning is the big day when all the restaurants in the city will come to West Lake to compete in spring wine tasting. Even the newly appointed Prefect Yang has agreed to come and serve as the chief judge to taste and rank the wines. Although my Qixia Restaurant brews good wine, it has always been overshadowed by Shuanghui Restaurant. Last year, we used your family's flower arrangements to decorate the wine pavilion, and everyone who passed by stopped to take a second look. In the end, we even beat Shuanghui Restaurant to win the wine championship and invited the wine god's statue back with red and green decorations. We finally got to hold our heads high for once. That's why my manager ordered this year's flower arrangements early. So, I came to move them on the day your Flower Lady had previously agreed to, in case I was late and other restaurants snatched them all up."

Xiqing shook his head and laughed, "My wife is a woman of her word. Now that she has accepted your deposit, how could she possibly give it to someone else?"

Zhang Xiaoge pretended to slap his own mouth, then beckoned the men who had come with him on the donkey cart to get off and help him carry the flowers inside. Entering the courtyard, they were greeted by a riot of blooming flowers. Following the festive decorations, they walked around the house and stopped. Their eyes lit up; it was a vast flower garden, at least several acres in size, planted with various kinds of daphne, roses, peaches, apricots, osmanthus, hibiscus, peonies, and peonies. They were momentarily stunned, clicking their tongues in admiration: "Mrs. Flower, you truly live up to your name! The flower growers in the surrounding villages also have these kinds of flowers, but yours are several times better than theirs..."

As Zhang was praising the flowers, a woman of about twenty years old turned around behind him. Her hair was tied in a single bun at the back of her head with a comb in her hair. She was dressed in a simple blue cloth dress, the attire of a very ordinary country woman. She had a slight smile on her face and stopped to say, "Zhang, stop talking. The florets you asked for have been pruned and cut and are under that shed. Since they don't have roots, they need to be placed in a shady place after you take them home. Spray some water on the flowers morning and evening. Fortunately, it's only for tomorrow, so I think they can last."

Zhang Xiaoge turned around a few times and saw that it was Hua Niangzi coming over. He smiled and gave her a nod before going over to the pergola. He immediately saw a row of large potted flowers of various colors, all neatly trimmed and propagated, laid out on the ground. They were bright and beautiful, especially the largest one in the center, which was particularly eye-catching. He didn't dare to be negligent and had someone carefully carry them onto the two donkey carts at the door. He paid the agreed price in detail, set up a sunshade on the donkey carts, thanked them, and left.

"Xiqing, I just searched all over but couldn't find Xiaobao. Could he be hanging out at Aunt Wang's house again?"

The young woman watched Zhang and his companions leave, then turned and asked.

Mentioning Xiao Bao, Xi Qing couldn't hide her smile and said, "That's right. Miao Xia gave birth to a baby two months ago, and Xiao Bao is overjoyed. He keeps saying it's his own, and he won't sleep well if he doesn't go to see it every day. I'll go and call him back now."

A smile appeared on the woman's face. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I'll go and call him."

Xiqing nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go heat up the food in the stove, and we can eat when I get back."

The woman nodded, scooped water from a large earthenware vat in the corner of the wall to wash her hands, and then headed towards Granny Wang's house.

This woman was none other than Danmei. She had settled here several years ago and made a living by growing and selling flowers. The Qixia Pavilion mentioned by the young man was a regular customer who bought flowers from her. As for the drinking contest he mentioned, it had a story behind it. At this time, alcohol was a major source of tax revenue for the government, and the government actively encouraged consumption among the people. Therefore, this semi-official, semi-private drinking contest gradually became a grand event in the spring of recent years. Every year in late spring, when the willows are green and orioles are singing by West Lake, restaurants of all sizes in the city choose a fine day to set up their wine stalls by the lake, displaying their finest wines brewed in the new spring for people to taste. The city's magistrate and other respected figures are invited to serve as judges, and the winner is then honored by having the golden statue of the God of Wine enshrined in the restaurant's main hall. This is a great honor, so all the restaurants openly and secretly compete with each other. In the last two years, this has developed to the point that even temporary wine stalls have to be extremely luxurious, decorated with flowers and embellishments to attract customers.

Aunt Wang's house wasn't far from hers; she could hear her even if she called out from afar. As Danmei walked along, the villagers she encountered greeted her warmly, and Danmei responded to each one. She was then stopped by a woman who asked her some tips on caring for women. By the time she finally made it to Aunt Wang's house, it was already dusk.

Danmei pushed open the half-closed wooden door and called out, "Xiaobao!" A loud response came from inside, and a boy of about three years old rushed out like a cannonball, bumping into Danmei who was bending over. Danmei stumbled and almost fell to the ground. She had just grabbed his chubby little arm and hadn't had time to scold him when the boy grinned at her and said, "Mommy, if I do this, Aunt Xiqing will catch me properly." The implication was that she was useless. As he spoke, his bright eyes curved into crescent moons.

Even her three-year-old son, who had crawled out of her womb after ten months of pregnancy, disliked her. Danmei was both amused and annoyed. She took his hand and was about to go in to say hello when she saw several people coming out of the house. They were Wang Da Niang and Miao Xia.