25 Ye Cheng Fu

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Ye Cheng Fu

 Chapter 25: 

 

"Shu Rou!" The Empress’s voice was filled with rage. I hurriedly said, "Your Majesty!!"

I dropped to my knees in a panic, bowing deeply, "I acknowledge my fault, I will marry Master Su at once! I beseech Your Majesty to forgive my mother's rashness."

"Shu Cheng!" My mother cried out angrily. I crawled on the ground, struggling to speak, "I have been greedy. Both Master Su and General Bai are exceptional individuals. I am aware of my own shortcomings and, though my heart is set on both, I dare not marry them both, fearing I would dishonor them. But now that matters have come to this, I can no longer let go. I beg Your Majesty to grant me the hand of Su Rongqing, son of Su Ge Lao! And also, I request Your Majesty to bestow upon me Bai Shaotang, the son of General Bai!"

The room fell into silence. After a moment, Shen Ye was the first to react, shouting, "I will not allow it!"

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

"Your Majesty! I have no choice, I cannot let go of either. Either I marry both, or I will throw myself into the river and die!" 

Saying this, in a show of sincerity, I drew a small knife and made a cut on my neck. I looked at the Empress with a serious expression and said, "Your Majesty, I am not jesting. If I cannot marry both, then I will die."

Everyone fell silent. After a long pause, Shen Ye began to laugh.

"You love two people… two people…" He seemed to find this notion amusing, laughing so hard that those around him took steps back. He eventually said, "You do not love two people; you just cannot let go of them… Who dares to make you die? Who can make you die?"

He looked at me, slowly crouched down, and gently touched my face. With a tender tone, he said, "Shu Cheng, you always find ways to make me suffer."

I remained composed, holding the knife against my neck. The Empress looked at me, then at Shen Ye. Shen Ye, gazing at my wound, finally said, "Your Majesty, grant her request."

"Plain consort," I added, "I will take both of them as consorts in the plain consort position."

Shen Ye, seemingly resigned and tired, continued, "Your Majesty, grant her request."

"Grant it all," he said, reaching out to move the knife away from my neck. With a bitter smile, he said, "She knows I care for her. No matter what, I'll agree to her demands."

"As long as she does not leave me, I will agree to anything," he said, turning to the Empress with a serious, pleading look, "Your Majesty."

The Empress, looking at him, seemed to see something in him. After a moment, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Very well."

With that, she returned to her desk and began handling official documents. Shen Ye, bending down, tore a strip from his sleeve to bandage my wound, softly saying, "Why must we always resort to violence? Look at you, already covered in wounds."

After he finished bandaging me, he seemed to be at his limit and hurriedly left. 

He did not return. My mother came to my side, supporting me out of the palace. Once we were in the carriage, she said, "If Bai Shaotang is to be the primary consort, then even if we marry them as plain consorts, Bai Shaotang must be recognized as the primary. Do you understand?"

"I understand," I replied, lowering my head. "Shen Ye will not have any children."

Mother nodded, then said, "If you truly care for him… then wait for the Empress to pass, and for a weaker, more malleable ruler to ascend the throne."

"I understand," I interrupted her. "Mother, there's no need to worry too much about me. This is how it is. For aristocratic families… who can truly be with whom they want to be with?"

"Cheng'er," my mother’s voice was hoarse, "don’t think like that. As a mother, I never wanted my children to walk such a path. I have already lost three of my own…"

“Mother,” I held her hand and comforted her, “I’ll be fine. I won’t make things difficult for myself. Bai Shaotang is a good person, truly.”

“That’s good,” Mother nodded, “that’s good.”

With that, we arrived home. Mother quickly summoned a doctor to tend to my injuries and then sent a letter to the Shangguan residence, promising to visit personally to express our thanks. After all that was done, she couldn’t help but sigh, “If only you were like Liu Lan, I’d be more at ease.” Then she paused and added, “Forget it, maybe not.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, lying in bed while the doctor administered acupuncture, puzzled. “Liu Lan is indeed one of the most responsible among the noble youth. At just over twenty, she manages the Shangguan family so well, and the family thrives under her care. If I could be like her, the Shu family would be stable.”

“Everything comes with a price,” Mother sighed, “Liulan was quite a troublemaker when she was young. She was frequently criticized by officials in her teens. While you were dozing off in the back of the court, she was out there kicking over the prefect’s cart.”

“Uh…” I had heard of Liulan’s rebellious youth but never imagined she was that unruly. It dawned on me that I had come to know her a bit late and was unclear about many things.

“But she…” I thought for a moment, unsure how to phrase my question. How does someone who was so unruly in their youth become the poised person she is now?

Mother seemed to understand and sighed, “That’s why I say everything in this world requires a cost. I think it might be better if you stay foolish for your whole life.”

“Mother…” Hearing this, I felt a bit despondent, “Am I really your child?”

Mother couldn’t help but laugh, and I finally felt the mood lighten. We chatted about various topics until the doctor assured me I was fine, at which point she relaxed and went to rest.

As I lay in bed, I heard commotion outside. 

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

A moment later, my bedroom door was kicked open, and a woman with a swollen face was roughly thrown onto the edge of my bed.

She collided with the bed’s edge, wailing, and then I heard Shen Ye’s calm voice: “Kneel!”

The woman hurriedly crawled to the side and began frantically kowtowing. For a moment, I couldn’t recognize her, but after examining her clothes, I hesitantly asked, “Your Highness?”

She paused for a moment, and Shen Ye stepped out from behind the curtain, dressed in a deep blue robe and a white cloak, with his hands hidden in his sleeves and the small golden fan’s red tassels visible.

“The Empress asked me to bring her from the dungeons. I remembered she owed you something, so I had her pay it back,” Shen Ye said.

He walked over to the crown princess, a cold smile on his lips. “Using needles to stitch blood plums, quite creative.”

The crown princess remained silent, kneeling on the ground and desperately knocking her head, mumbling, “I’m sorry.”

Her entire body was covered in blood, her fingers swollen and more grotesque than mine, with all ten fingernails gone. The sight made me shiver. Yet Shen Ye stood beside her, seemingly indifferent.

I couldn’t help but remind him, “Shen Ye, she is the crown princess…”

She is the only child of the current Empress and the heir to the throne.

Shen Ye, however, looked unconcerned, his expression as if he didn’t understand at all. He calmly responded, “So what?”

I found myself at a loss for words. I simply didn’t understand how, as a servant of the Empress, it could be acceptable to treat her daughter like this.

He seemed to understand my concern but said nothing. After watching the crown princess confess her wrongs in front of me, he simply said, “I’m leaving now. And remember to bring the dowry list to me before the betrothal.”

As he extended a hand to drag the crown princess away, she cried out, “Don’t drag me! It hurts!”

“Be quiet.”

“I’m going to tell the Empress… You’ll face consequences for this… You…”

“Be quiet!”

“Shen Ye,” I called out, worried. He paused, turning his back to me. I hesitated but finally asked, “Is it alright for you to do this?”

“Mm,” he replied, “It’s fine, don’t worry.”

With that, he dragged the chattering crown princess out of the room. Shortly after he left, Shangguan Wanqing entered with a knowing smile. “I ran into Shen Ye on the way here.”

“Hmm?” I raised an eyebrow, curious about what she had to say. She sat down beside me, her expression full of meaning. “He was carrying the crown princess and seemed quite happy about it.”

This was somewhat unexpected, and hearing that Shen Ye was pleased brought me some joy. However, I maintained a serious demeanor and asked, “What brings you here?”

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

“Oh, as the Minister of Rites,” Wanqing said, pulling a document from her sleeve, “I received a letter from Liulan early this morning. She asked me to help you with your wedding arrangements.”

“My wedding doesn’t need your help, does it?” I asked, puzzled. “Are you going to handle the betrothal gifts?”

“Well,” Wanqing said, squeezing closer with a look of pity, “you still have a lot to learn. With your current understanding, you’re far from matching up to Liulan. Even though you’re marrying two beautiful men, having two powerful and handsome men as your concubines will inevitably cause trouble. Liulan knows that with your limited experience with men, you won’t be able to handle their demands effectively. That’s why she sent me.”

“What do you think will go wrong at my wedding?”

“At least a few fights,” Wanqing said, stroking her chin as if deep in thought. “Hmm, the trouble might start with the betrothal gifts.”

I didn’t quite understand what she meant, but having already asked many questions, I didn’t want her to see how clueless I was. I nodded, pretending to understand. “Just handle it however you see fit.”

However, a few days later, I understood exactly what Shangguan Wanqing meant.

Since I had been through multiple failed engagements, my family prepared the betrothal gift list quickly. It was ready in just five days. Although the lists for Bai Shaotang and Shen Ye differed slightly in style, both were generously filled with gold and silver, and the total value was similar, giving both parties due respect. However, both sides insisted that I send them a copy of the gift list before the engagement.

Wanqing refused this request, saying that men are vain and prone to comparison. If I sent the list, it could lead to unhappiness and conflict.

But both sides were very insistent, so I had no choice but to comply. The next day, both parties sent their representatives.

Bai Shaotang sent a covert guard, while Shen Ye sent that man named Peony, who had almost killed Bai Shaotang before.

They argued in the hall all morning about issues like “Why does Bai Shaotang have white magnolias and Shen Ye does not?” “Why does Shen Ye have golden peonies and Bai Shaotang does not?” “Why does Bai Shaotang’s betrothal gift include a painting by Feng Qingyang, but Shen Ye’s does not?” and “Why does Shen Ye’s gift include more gold items by one tael than Bai Shaotang’s?”

I was quite familiar with this kind of argument, similar to the conflicts among aristocratic families. I covered my head in frustration, and when I heard the sound of drawing swords, I finally couldn’t stand it any longer. I interrupted them, saying, “Gentlemen, both your masters are people of great capability. Why quibble over such details?! Let’s look at the bigger picture and be more open-minded, shall we?”

“Just because your master is capable doesn’t mean you can dismiss his needs,” Peony snorted. “My master will never be inferior to the Bai family!”

“My young master has twenty thousand iron cavalry.”

“My master is beautiful.”

“My young master is the youngest general in Yunzhou.”

“My master is beautiful.”

“My young master…”

“I’ve already said, the reason Bai Shaotang’s dowry is so lavish is because he’s not as handsome. My master is beautiful, and that’s enough!”

Peony, hands on hips, interrupted the expressionless covert guard, seemingly unable to tolerate any more. He shouted, “Can’t the Bai family find someone who can actually argue? With such scum, I’m telling you today, unless Bai Shaotang is more beautiful than my master, everything I’ve said must, absolutely, without exception, be attributed to my master!”

Everyone present was left speechless, and I felt more overwhelmed than when watching court officials argue. I didn’t want to say anything; my only thought was that since Peony was so beautiful, he could get away with saying anything. So, could you all please resolve this issue quickly and leave?

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

The argument about the betrothal gift list continued for a full three days at my house. On the final day, when my mother and I returned from court, we were about to discuss state affairs when we found our home in chaos.

Shen Ye’s men, always skilled fighters, and Bai Shaotang’s family, known for their martial prowess, had arranged a brawl in our courtyard. My father was so frightened that he hid at the neighbor's house. The courtyard was like a battlefield, with people fighting in the air, kicking on the ground, and tearing in the water. I was horrified when I pushed open the door and couldn’t help but ask, “Mother, what should we do?”

“Stop them!” my mother exclaimed, her sleeves flaring as she charged in, shouting, “Everyone, stop right now!”

Before she could finish, a tile hit her forehead, and blood immediately began to flow. I almost choked on my own breath from the shock.

My mother, who was only subordinate to my grandmother and the Empress in her life, had never been touched by anyone before… and now she was hit in her own courtyard. In my dazed state, I suddenly heard a voice yelling, “So, Bai’s henchmen, you even dare to disregard Master Shu? If you can hurt the head of the household before the wedding, won’t you be burning and killing after the wedding?!”

I saw Peony swoop down and support my mother, looking at her with pity and saying, “Master, are you alright? Should I call a doctor?”

Peony was beautiful, truly beautiful. His radiant face combined with his watery eyes made my mother freeze, and she took a moment to respond, “Yes… call a doctor.”

“Quick, call a doctor!” Peony immediately turned and shouted, “The Bai family’s people have injured Master Shu! There’s bleeding!”

“Nonsense!” Bai’s people rushed out, shouting, “It was your people who did it!”

“It was you!”

“It was you!”

“Clearly, it's you!” 

The scene immediately erupted back into chaos. I quickly pulled my mother out of the crowd, protecting her as we left the courtyard and moved to a side room. I called for help.

“Such a disgrace... such a disgrace...” My mother was in shock, repeatedly mumbling the same words.

After a while, she finally came to her senses and shouted, “For a wedding, this has turned into such a mess! Have you no shame?! It’s just two men! I’ve married twelve times and have never seen such a ruckus! Go out now and make them leave! If they don’t leave, you leave!”

I remained silent, touching my nose. I felt that my mother only resorted to scolding me because she was scared of the situation. I thought of a solution, though it wasn’t very dignified, and asked, “If I handle it, will you stop scolding me?”

“Get going!” 

“Alright,” I nodded and left immediately. Returning to the courtyard, I kicked open the gate and shouted at the fighting crowd, “Stop! The gift list has been changed!”

“Is the painting of Feng Qingyang for our master?” Peony immediately turned to ask. The Bai family’s covert guard was equally unyielding, immediately questioning, “Did we get the golden peony for our young master?”

“Neither,” I said calmly, “Both families’ gift lists have been changed to the same—eighteen loads of gold ingots.”

“What?!” Both groups were stunned. Seeing their astonished expressions, I felt quite pleased and nodded, “Yes, the Shu family is this down-to-earth: eighteen loads of gold ingots, neither more nor less. After that, you can buy whatever you like. Don’t haggle with me. Whoever argues one more word,” I scanned them sternly, “will get one load less.”

No one spoke. It felt as if the wind itself had quieted down. I was relieved and felt that the world was exceptionally fine.

That day, neither side came back. After cleaning up, my mother and I discussed court affairs.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

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