Looking forward to the spring breeze

Chapter 25

"Young Master Shen!" Wen Yan exclaimed in surprise and delight. Shen San, who was opposite them, also heard her. He glanced at them casually, but his gaze suddenly stopped halfway and fixed on You Tong. You Tong glanced at him, but did not linger. She looked down at the legendary eldest son of the Shen family.

Xu Wei and Cui Weiyuan, who were inside, also heard Wen Yan's exclamation and got up to check on her, inevitably exchanging glances with Shen San. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward, especially Xu Wei, who even greeted Shen San from across the street with a half-smile. Shen San nodded at him with a livid face, then went back inside and disappeared from sight.

As Wen Yan had described, the eldest son of the Shen family was indeed dashing and handsome, with striking features, black hair, and white robes. In terms of appearance, he was probably even slightly inferior to the third son of the Shen family. However, his sharp eyes and the seemingly murderous aura he exuded made it difficult for people to look directly at him.

"This young master is truly remarkable, even more so than he's been heard of," Wen Yan said timidly in a low voice, shrinking her neck. Although the young master was far away and couldn't hear them, for some reason, Wen Yan didn't dare to speak loudly. The people who came to greet them on both sides of the street were even less daring than Wen Yan, not daring to look up and involuntarily lowering their heads to wait quietly for everyone to pass by.

Xu Wei nodded slightly, his face showing agreement. However, he was not looking at the eldest son, but at the silent, quiet, yet synchronized guards behind him.

Unexpected changes occurred suddenly in the silence.

"Shen Yonglin, prepare to die!" A sharp shout rang out, and then more than a dozen figures suddenly leaped out from the crowd on both sides of the street, their sharp swords gleaming coldly as they aimed straight at Young Master Shen's face.

Without turning his head, Young Master Shen reached out and grabbed the spear of a guard beside him, using it to parry all the other swords in mid-air. With a forceful movement, he flung the guards away. But before Young Master Shen could react, another sword thrust at him from another direction—

In the blink of an eye, with a "whoosh," an arrow suddenly flew through the air, narrowly deflecting the longsword closest to Young Master Shen. Then, three more arrows were fired in quick succession, striking all three approaching assassins. The three didn't even have time to cry out before they were dead.

The eldest son looked up and saw Xu Wei standing at the window, bow and arrow in hand, nodding slightly at him.

"I'll go down first. You protect Youtong and the others." Xu Wei left only this sentence for Cui Weiyuan, and then immediately jumped out of the window and onto the street. His arrows never missed, and with each shot, he killed several assassins. The street was already in chaos. The onlookers had never seen such a real battle before. They were so frightened that their legs went weak. Those who could still move scattered like birds and beasts, while those who couldn't move sat down on the ground, too scared to even cry.

The assassins, who were originally dressed as ordinary people, were now even more indistinguishable from the civilians. The scene became chaotic and out of control.

Xu Wei sidestepped and slashed down an assassin, then pulled down a panicked official on horseback. He mounted his horse, drew his bow, and shouted, "All men of my Great Liang, lie down and do not move! If anyone gets up within ten shouts, kill them without mercy!"

Although the soldiers standing nearby were brave, they were used to fighting on the battlefield and had never fought a battle like this where they couldn't even recognize the enemy. Hearing Xu Wei's words, they all chimed in to agree.

"Any member of my Great Liang clan shall remain prostrate on the ground. If anyone rises within ten shouts, he shall be killed without mercy!"

"As long as there are any sons of my Great Liang..."

Upon hearing this, the people all bowed their heads and knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads. After ten shouts, the only people on the street besides the soldiers in uniform were that group of assassins.

Xu Wei's long arrows struck without fail, each one a fatal blow; Young Master Shen's spear moved like a nimble snake, each strike a decisive blow. The soldiers, finally able to vent their pent-up frustration, roared and charged at the assassins, engaging them in fierce combat...

After an unknown amount of time, the streets finally quieted down. The people squatted on both sides of the street, trembling. A large number of corpses lay scattered on the street, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood, which made people want to vomit. Even Wen Yan, who was hiding behind the window in the teahouse, couldn't help but gag several times.

At this moment, the Prefect of the Capital arrived in haste with his men. Upon seeing the aftermath of the fierce battle in the street, he was so frightened that his face turned ashen. Such a major incident had occurred silently right under the emperor's nose; his guilt was obvious. Losing his post would be the least of his worries; he would likely face further interrogation.

Fortunately, Young Master Shen was unharmed. The Prefect of the Capital quickly stepped forward to thank Xu Wei sincerely, then tremblingly approached Young Master Shen and said, "This...this humble official has failed in his duty, please...please..."

Young Master Shen impatiently interrupted him, ordering, "Please instruct your subordinates to clean up the streets and prevent the people from being frightened."

Lord Zhou nodded repeatedly, wiped his sweat, and then asked, trembling, "Then what about these assassins—"

Young Master Shen sneered and said calmly, "Not a single one survived. Lord Zhou, you can burn them all after you've inspected them."

Upon hearing this, Xu Wei looked back and immediately frowned. Just as the eldest young master had said, not a single assassin on the ground was alive. He had been caught up in the killing frenzy and hadn't noticed whether the wounded assassins had taken their own lives or whether the eldest young master had ordered their deaths. If they had taken their own lives, it meant that this wasn't the first time the eldest young master had encountered them. But if the eldest young master had ordered their deaths, then the deeper meaning behind it was worth pondering.

"Junior Brother Xu!" Young Master Shen rode his horse towards Xu Wei, punched him in the chest, and laughed, "It's been a few years, and you've become even more composed."

Xu Wei smiled and said, "Senior brother too." The two looked at each other, then burst into laughter, gave each other a high five, and then rode side by side, talking as they went.

In the teahouse, You Tong asked, quite puzzled, "Brother Xu calls the eldest son 'senior brother'? They have the same master?"

“That’s right!” Cui Weiyuan replied in a low voice, “Both of them are disciples of the Old Man of Baishan. Young Master Shen is older and has been a disciple of the Old Man of Baishan since childhood, while Brother Xu was introduced by General Li later. At first, he only served the Old Man of Baishan with his writing brush and ink, and was later accepted as his last disciple. However, Young Master Shen left the mountain early and did not see Brother Xu often.” Therefore, their relationship was not as close as that of ordinary fellow disciples. Of course, Cui Weiyuan did not tell them this.

You Tong was observant, but she noticed something in his mocking smile. She frowned, thought for a while, and fell into deep thought.

Shen Mansion

News of the attack on the eldest son on the long street had not yet reached them, so the Shen family was still in a cheerful mood. Shen San had just slipped into the mansion through the back door when a servant guarding the entrance, Lin Feng, pulled him aside and whispered in his ear, "Young Master, Miss Bai sent someone over again this morning."

A hint of impatience flashed across Shen San's face as he frowned and asked, "What does she want now?"

Lin Feng said, "They said they're feeling a bit unwell again and would like to ask you, young master, to come and take a look."

Shen San said unhappily, "I'm not a doctor, what use would I be if I went?" After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and took a few steps forward, then stopped and patiently asked Longzi, "Has this month's money been sent over yet?"

Lin Feng replied, "It was sent over a long time ago."

Shen San nodded, then instructed Lin Feng to fetch a doctor. After that, he added, "If anything happens in the future, you can make your own decisions. You don't need to come back to me. Send the money over on time every month without delay. Don't worry about anything else." After saying that, he seemed to remember something, frowned, sighed, shook his head, and left.

After Lin Feng had gone far away, he quickly patted his clothes and went to fetch a doctor. He also instructed the gatekeeper that if he saw anyone sent by Miss Bai again, he must not report it.

51. Dowry

Hearing the commotion in the courtyard outside, Bai Ling, who had been lying listlessly on the bed, suddenly woke up. She hurriedly tidied her hair while sending her maid out to investigate. The maid quickly reported back, her voice timid, "Miss, the Third Young Master has sent someone to fetch a doctor."

"Only a doctor?" Bai Ling said disappointedly, "Didn't the Third Young Master come?"

The maid dared not speak. After a long while, she replied softly, "The eldest son of the Shen family has returned to the capital in triumph today. I suppose the third son is simply too busy to attend."

"Can't find the time?" Bai Ling sneered, casually tossing a porcelain pot off the bedside table. The pot smashed against the door, then fell to the ground and shattered. The maid outside trembled at the sound and didn't dare to enter for a long time. Bai Ling collapsed onto the bed as if all her strength had been drained, her eyes wide open, a venomous glint in them.

After a while, rustling sounds came from the doorway, followed by the troubled voice of a young maid, "Miss, what about the doctor—"

"Tell him to get back!" Bai Ling shouted angrily.

The outside quickly returned to calm.

Two days later, Bai Ling finally came to her senses. She got out of bed and instructed her maid to find a brand-new, bright red, embroidered, short-sleeved palace dress from the wardrobe to change into. She styled her hair in a high, auspicious bun and spent a long time rummaging through her jewelry box before finally finding two gilded, filigree, ruby-encrusted begonia pearl hairpins to adorn her hair. After admiring herself in the mirror for a long time, she told her maid to follow her, preparing to go to the Shen residence to find someone.

There was no carriage prepared in the villa, so the two of them came out of the alley to hire one. But as soon as they left the alley, they found the main street bustling with activity, barely enough room to stand. Pedestrians stood by the roadside pointing and whispering among themselves at the passing carriages. Bai Ling glanced at them casually, and through the gaps in the crowd, she could vaguely see red silk ribbons tied to the carriages, presumably betrothal gifts from a powerful family in the capital. She wondered which family was so extravagant, sending sixty-four loads of betrothal gifts alone.

Bai Ling's young maid, in the midst of her curiosity, couldn't help but ask a passerby. The passerby immediately looked on with envy, shaking his head and saying, "Who else could it be but the marriage between the Xu and Cui families? General Xu is incredibly generous. In a few days, the Cui family's dowry will be even more extravagant. Everyone knows that the ninth young lady of the Cui family was just adopted as a goddaughter by the Grand Princess. Not to mention the Cui family, the Grand Princess herself will have to add an even greater dowry. At first, people laughed at him for choosing someone who had been rejected by her fiancé. Now it seems that General Xu is truly discerning..."

The woman continued her incessant chatter, while Bai Ling's face paled, then turned ashen. Finally, she gritted her teeth, flung her hand away, and turned back the way she came. The maid, bewildered, glanced back enviously a couple more times before quickly following her back.

As soon as she returned to the room, Bai Ling angrily took off her red palace dress, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it twice in disgust. The maid who entered after her didn't know what was making her angry again, so she didn't dare to come in. She stood at the door with her head down, waiting for Bai Ling to calm down before going in to tidy up.

But this time, Bai Ling didn't calm down quickly. She turned her head and saw the maid standing timidly at the door. Her anger flared up, and she grabbed a cup from the table and threw it at the maid. The maid wasn't very clever and didn't know how to dodge. She was hit on the forehead, her skin was broken, and bright red blood seeped out.

Being a young woman, the sight of blood immediately turned her face pale, her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face. She dared not utter a sound, only biting her lip and sobbing softly. This only fueled Bai Ling's irritation, and she snapped, "What are you crying for? It's just a little scrape. Do you think you're some kind of princess? Hurry up and clean yourself up!"

The young maid dared not utter a word in defense. Head bowed, she hurriedly went inside to gather the clothes on the floor. Finally, clutching the clothes, she hastily slipped out. As she reached the center of the courtyard, she faintly heard Bai Ling's intermittent sobs behind her, "It was clearly me…it was clearly me…"

On the Cui family's side, however, the scene was quite different for You Tong. Not to mention the second madam, even You Tong herself was taken aback by the Xu family's grand display. The Xu family was not a large family like the Cui family, and their wealth was not particularly substantial. This entire sixty-four-batch betrothal gift was likely to empty the Xu family's coffers.

The second wife was both happy and worried. The Xu family's grand gesture was a source of pride for the Cui family. However, since they were being so generous, the Cui family's dowry couldn't be meager when Youtong got married. They couldn't let the people of the capital say that the Cui family had taken advantage of the Xu family. According to the customs of the capital, the bride's dowry had to be doubled in return. She had originally planned a dowry of sixty-four loads, which already exceeded the standard for a legitimate daughter of the mansion. Now it seemed that it wouldn't be enough to send the bride off without at least one hundred and twenty loads. The thought of her own son and daughter not yet being married, and so much of their dowry already being given away, made the second wife feel a pang of heartache.

Master Cui was also in the mansion today. Upon seeing the Second Madam's expression, he guessed what she was thinking and secretly advised her, "Don't worry, when the dowry is added in a few days, the Grand Princess will definitely not be stingy. Also, the other uncles and brothers in the capital will take this opportunity to carefully build relationships with their future nephew-in-law."

The second wife said, "Even if they add more, we'll still have to pay the lion's share."

Second Master laughed and said, "What are you afraid of? It's not like you're paying for it. When Fifth Brother and his wife passed away, the family property of the Fifth Branch was left to the Old Madam. If you calculate it carefully, it's worth at least tens of thousands of taels of silver. Plus, the Old Madam also needs to pay for her granddaughter's dowry. The remaining part is from the common funds, so when it's factored into our branch, it's not much."

But the Second Madam didn't think that way. If it weren't for this Ninth Miss, most of the money in the Old Madam's hands would have ended up with her own children. This outsider suddenly appeared and took away so much wealth. How could she be willing to accept that? But she couldn't say these words to the Second Master. She kept them all to herself, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

The next day, the Grand Princess summoned the Second Madam to the palace again, asking about the progress of her dowry preparations. Not only that, she inquired about the materials and styles of the furniture, the dynasties of the antiques and paintings, the designs of the jewelry, the locations of the properties and shops, and even the size of the estates. Anyone who didn't know better would really think she was marrying off her daughter.

The second wife answered all the questions with renewed vigor, but the Grand Princess was still not satisfied. She replaced the rosewood dressing table and zither table that had been prepared with sandalwood, replaced all the household items with those made in the palace, and added two estates with a total of more than 300 acres of land, and a four-courtyard house in the west of the city. She said that the antiques, paintings, calligraphy and paintings, gold and silver jewelry would be sent to the mansion the next day.

The second wife quickly calculated that these items were the bulk of the dowry, and when combined with Old Madam Cui's, they probably accounted for more than half of the dowry. She breathed a sigh of relief and felt more energetic on the way back to the mansion.

The two families set the date for September 18th, a perfect time, neither too hot nor too cold. Youtong was no longer allowed to leave the house, confined to the mansion all day preparing for her wedding. Xu Wei was also busy; although Madam Xu was in charge of the marriage arrangements, the affairs of the government office were also causing him considerable distress. Although the assassination attempt on Young Master Shen had nothing to do with him, the Prefect of the Capital, Lord Zhou, for some unknown reason, kept coming to him for help with a mournful expression.

This Lord Zhou was the cousin of General Li's son-in-law. Because of this relationship, Xu Wei couldn't bring himself to refuse him, so he helped as much as he could. After investigating for a while, he still couldn't find anything conclusive. The assassins were clearly from the Southern Frontier, not only carrying weapons unique to the region but also possessing very distinctive facial features. What puzzled Xu Wei was that with such tight city defenses and so many assassins, how did these people manage to infiltrate the city without an inside agent?

Since no survivors were found, the case could not be investigated further. Helpless, Lord Zhou had no choice but to report the results. Fortunately, Young Master Shen did not pursue the matter further, and with Xu Wei's private mediation, he was only fined a year's salary and did not lose his official position.

Lord Zhou was secretly relieved, but Xu Wei couldn't relax. He felt something was amiss and secretly gave him some careful instructions, telling him to pay attention to the city's defenses and check all vehicles entering and leaving the city gates, including those belonging to powerful and wealthy families. Lord Zhou trusted him the most, and as soon as he returned to the yamen, he issued the order, and the capital city seemed to suddenly become tense.

You Tong had been doing needlework in the mansion for two days and was so tired that she felt dizzy. Wen Yan was also feeling cooped up in the mansion and was urging her to go out for a walk when the Grand Princess sent someone to announce that she was summoning You Tong to the palace.

Since the master and disciple recognized each other, the Grand Princess would summon You Tong to the palace every few days to talk to her. As the number of visits increased, You Tong lost her previous aversion to the palace. In addition, since the Empress Dowager had not made any moves recently, You Tong felt much more at ease.

After speaking with Abbess Jingyi for a short while, An Hui came to report that an official from the Ministry of Personnel was requesting an audience. Abbess Jingyi told her to make herself at home and left in a hurry. You Tong knew that she was busy and didn't think much of it. After wandering around the hall for a while, she asked a palace maid to lead her to the Imperial Garden for a walk.

Summer had just passed, and the Imperial Garden was still lush and green. The gardeners had taken excellent care of the plants, and various flowers were always in bloom. You Tong looked around for a long time but could only recognize one or two; she couldn't name the rest. Seeing her interest in the flowers, the palace maids serving behind her smiled and said, "If Miss Cui likes flowers, why don't you go and take a look at the flower bed in the southeast corner of the garden? It faces the sun there, and the flowers bloom even better there."

You Tong nodded in agreement, and the palace maid hurriedly stepped forward to lead the way, taking her to the southeast corner of the garden.

They had walked a short distance along the lakeside path and were about to cross the bridge when they suddenly saw a large group of people walking in a grand procession from the other end of the bridge. The young woman at the front, with a frosty expression and dressed in red, was none other than the Third Princess, who had been slapped twice by You Tong.

You Tong paused and stopped.

52. Adornment

You Tong didn't want to cause trouble, so her first reaction upon seeing the Third Princess was to turn away. But it was too late. The Third Princess had already spotted her, her eyes widened, and she rushed towards her, lifting her skirt.

"It's you!" The Third Princess gritted her teeth, a hint of smugness on her face, and sneered, "You've got some nerve, daring to come to the palace. Aren't you afraid I'll break your legs?"

You Tong immediately looked terrified and timidly hid behind the palace servants, only peeking out her head cautiously. She didn't dare to say a word and looked at the Third Princess with a wronged expression. Anyone who saw her would think that the Third Princess was going to bully others by abusing her power.

The Third Princess was even angrier at her appearance. She turned around and shouted angrily at the palace maids serving behind her, "What are you all looking at? Beat her! Beat her hard!" After saying that, she tilted her head back and glared at You Tong with a cold smile.

She waited for a while, but saw no movement behind her. Surprised, she turned around and saw that all the palace maids had their heads down, looking at each other and pushing and shoving, but none of them stepped forward to make a move. Seeing this, the Third Princess was so angry that she trembled all over. She pointed at the palace maids, but couldn't say a word for a long time.

One of the palace maids, who was a little bolder, fearing that she would lose her temper again, kindly stepped forward to advise, "Your Highness, this Miss Cui is the Grand Princess's newly adopted daughter. The Grand Princess values her highly. Your Highness should calm down and not make things difficult for her." Everyone in the palace knew that the Grand Princess was now in charge of the Great Liang Dynasty. Even the current Empress Dowager wouldn't dare to act recklessly, let alone a princess who had no power, influence, or favor.

But the Third Princess was not one to listen to advice. Not only did she not stop, but she became even more furious. Without calling for help, she rushed forward herself to slap You Tong. You Tong did not dodge. The palace maids in front of her hurriedly stopped her, speaking softly to persuade her, but their hands were not hesitant. With a gentle push, they pushed the Third Princess back several steps.

"How dare you, a lowly servant, lay a hand on me!" The Third Princess finally managed to stand up, then turned deathly pale with rage. Spoiled since childhood, she had acted with impunity in the palace, relying on the late emperor's favor. Even after the late emperor's death and the loss of his favor, the people in the palace still treated her with deference, mindful of her temper. She had never suffered such humiliation before, and her eyes welled up with tears, but she held them back.

You Tong hadn't expected that even a casual palace maid serving Jing Yi possessed such skill. She had originally planned to playfully tease the Third Princess while hiding and maneuvering, but now she abandoned that idea. She peeked out from behind the maid with wide eyes, asking innocently, "Third Princess, I haven't offended you. Why are you making things difficult for me? On the contrary, your sword strike last time left my maid bedridden for over a month, and the scar hasn't faded yet."

The Third Princess angrily retorted, "You are shameless! You did it and then dare not admit it. This is not the behavior of a gentleman." She, a noblewoman of the imperial family, had actually been slapped by such a lowly woman. She herself was ashamed to even mention it.

You Tong looked bewildered and explained with a wronged expression, "What did I do to make you so angry, Third Princess? That day you suddenly rushed over, and I dodged haphazardly. When I turned around, I saw Fifth Brother enter the room. He didn't know his own strength; could he have hurt Her Highness?" She was certain that Cui Weiyuan hadn't told anyone about her disciplining the Third Princess, so she lied without batting an eye.

Seeing that her expression didn't seem fake, the Third Princess also began to have doubts. Could it really not be her who did it? Then, who had the audacity to slap her? A name immediately flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it, telling herself that she was overthinking things. But for some reason, when she thought of Cui Weiyuan's cold and distant attitude towards her, she couldn't help but have doubts again.

"I...I don't believe you!" The Third Princess forced herself to remain calm and shouted, "You say you didn't do it, then dare you swear an oath?"

Without hesitation, You Tong immediately raised her hand to the sky and solemnly declared, "Heaven above, I, Cui Wenfeng, swear in the name of my deceased father that what I say today is absolutely true."

The Third Princess had no idea that she was a fake. Seeing her so confident, her original suspicions vanished. However, the thought that Cui Weiyuan might have been the one who harmed her brought her back to her, and she burst into tears.

The palace maids serving her were completely baffled, not knowing why she had suddenly started crying again. They all stepped forward to comfort her, but didn't know how to comfort her. Seeing her reaction, You Tong understood. It turned out that this Third Princess, like the other girls in the capital, had taken a liking to Cui Weiyuan. Now, she had been fooled by You Tong, and seeing that Cui Weiyuan not only didn't like her, but was so disgusted that he wanted to slap her to vent his anger, how could she not be angry and heartbroken?

You Tong wasn't afraid of causing trouble for Cui Weiyuan. On the contrary, by extinguishing the Third Princess's thoughts, she would prevent her from bothering her again in the future. In fact, Cui Weiyuan should thank her. A brilliant idea flashed through her mind, and You Tong immediately came up with a plan. She winked at the palace maids gathered around, dismissing them all, before whispering, "Is the Third Princess heartbroken because of my Fifth Brother?"

The third princess sobbed silently, glaring at her with her red eyes before continuing to cry.

You Tong sighed, sat down against the balustrade beside her, frowned slightly as she looked at her, and whispered, "Third Princess, don't cry. My fifth brother isn't worth your sadness."

Seeing that the Third Princess still ignored her, she continued to slander Cui Weiyuan, saying, "Let me tell you the truth. My fifth brother may seem gentle and refined, but he's actually incredibly hot-tempered. No one in the household is afraid of him, not even his own sister, Wenyan, who trembles in fear in his presence. Otherwise, why isn't he married yet? He already had a bad reputation in Longxi. They had arranged a marriage for him, but then the other party came to cancel it, afraid their daughter would be mistreated in the household. It's only because he came to the capital that people don't know his true nature. Seeing that he comes from a prestigious family and is handsome and talented, they flock to him. My second aunt hasn't arranged a marriage for him yet because she wants to see which young lady is the weakest and most easily bullied, someone who won't dare to speak up even if she suffers a loss. Third Princess, you are stubborn, so naturally my fifth brother doesn't like you..."

"Cui Weiyuan is actually that kind of person?" The Third Princess stopped crying, staring wide-eyed at You Tong in disbelief. "You're not lying to me, are you? He doesn't seem like it at all."

You Tong was so anxious she was almost in tears. She looked around and, seeing no one else, said urgently, "He's my cousin! Would I lie to you? Speaking ill of him won't do me any good. I can forgive others, but you are a princess, and I don't want to see someone as precious as you being fooled by him." She then whispered a warning, "Princess, please don't spread these words. If he finds out I said them, Fifth Brother will not forgive me." Her face showed a hint of fear as she spoke.

The third princess never expected her to be such a smooth talker; she was already eight or nine-tenths convinced. Any goodwill she initially had towards Cui Weiyuan vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of disgust.

Seeing this, You Tong added, "Third Princess, you are of noble birth and beautiful as a flower; you deserve someone better. Let's forget about my fifth brother. There are so many noble young men in the capital; you'll be spoiled for choice."

The Third Princess was actually a little embarrassed at this moment, her face slightly flushed, and she said softly, "I'm confined to the palace by the Empress Dowager and can't leave. I can't even see those people outside, so how can I have any choices? Now I have to observe mourning for my father, and by the time the three-year mourning period is over, I'm afraid all the eligible men in the capital will have already married."