37 Ye Cheng Fu

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Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Ye Cheng Fu

Chapter 37:

“As long as it’s what he wants, I’ll give it to him.” Her eyes softened, as if reminiscing about someone, and she murmured, “I’ll give it all to him.”

I spent the night playing chess with Shangguan Liulan and returned to the estate well past midnight. Though I was exhausted, my mind was as clear as a mirror. Liulan’s words had completely shattered the last bit of hope and delusion in my heart, erasing any lingering doubts.

I am Shu Cheng, also known as the Shu heir. Shu Cheng might be able to be with Shen Ye, but the Shu heir cannot. The Shu heir doesn’t even have the stake to bet on whether Shen Ye is good or bad.

When I got home and found that Shen Ye was not there, I breathed a sigh of relief. In the following days, Shen Ye continued to avoid me, which made me even more relaxed.

As the New Year approached, court affairs grew busier, and I paid little attention to these matters, spending my days buried in my study, reviewing the reports from my subordinates. Among these reports, the criticisms were most fierce against the new Minister of War, Gu Qiangsheng.

Gu Qiangsheng was indeed a skilled strategist. Upon taking office, she immediately began a major overhaul of the Ministry of War. To establish her authority, she even detained the Ministry’s staff overnight. Detaining court officials was a crime we, at the Inspectorate, would never overlook, so the criticisms flooded in to the Empress' desk. As a result, the Empress punished Gu Qiangsheng with an hour of kneeling...

Later, when Gu Qiangsheng struck the Ministry's deputy minister, more criticisms poured in, and the Empress ordered a suspension of her salary for the month...

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Subsequently, when Gu Qiangsheng forced a subordinate to publicly declare their intention to commit suicide to prove their innocence, she stood by, smiling, and said, “Go ahead, if you die, I’ll believe you’re innocent.” The entire Inspectorate was furious, and everyone knelt outside the Empress' study, demanding Gu Qiangsheng be punished. Out of desperation, the Empress finally decided to punish her harshly. Then, when the Empress acted, it was in the most gentle and soft manner: she gave Gu Qiangsheng two slaps across the face.

The slaps were so quiet that no sound was heard.

Thus, everyone realized that the Empress would not truly punish her.

What is a favored minister? This is what a favored minister is.

When things quieted down, the Empress decided it was time to stir up trouble for everyone. She specifically summoned me for a chat and finally said, “Young Lord Shu, I think your Inspectorate needs a bit of reform. Look at how well Minister Gu has organized the Ministry of War; I hope the Inspectorate can be as efficient.”

I realized then that she expected me to take action. If I didn’t, she would make me a target before going after my department.

To prevent my colleagues from facing harsher punishments and to avoid being beaten by the Empress myself, I quickly agreed and began reforming the Inspectorate.

This kept me busy, and by the time I finished the “reformation,” the New Year was approaching. I suddenly realized that I hadn’t seen Shen Ye or Bai Shaotang for a long time.

They hadn’t sought me out, so I didn’t look for them either. I took a break and rested at home. After two days of rest, I was abruptly awoken one night by a flurry of activity in the estate. A panicked servant knocked on my door, exclaiming, “Young Master, something terrible has happened—The two young lords are fighting!”

I immediately sprang into action, dressed quickly, grabbed my sword, and rushed to the back garden.

When I arrived, I saw that many of the garden’s rock formations had been toppled, and the area was crowded with people. Even the Shadow Guards had been deployed, forming a circle around Bai Shaotang and Shen Ye. Bai Shaotang, wielding a silver spear with one hand, knelt on one knee, breathing heavily like a wild beast, glaring fiercely at Shen Ye. Shen Ye, clutching his small fan tightly, kept a wary eye on his surroundings. Everyone watched them, some looking terrified. My father had already taken refuge behind my mother, trembling.

“Su Rongqing, surrender your people and give up!”

My mother, not noticing my arrival, shouted with flashing eyes. Shen Ye pursed his lips and subtly took a step forward. That was when I realized he had two people behind him.

One was Shen Cong, who lay unconscious on the ground, his lips smeared with blood. The other person, cloaked in black, appeared to be a woman, and she was holding Shen Cong in her arms, remaining silent.

I walked into the crowd, frowning, and asked, “What’s going on?”

“Cheng’er! This Su Rongqing was meeting a woman in secret! Bai Shaotang caught them, and in his anger, he’s going to kill!”

My father’s voice rang out. Shen Ye shot a sharp glance at him, causing my father to retreat behind my mother once more.

I said nothing and approached the center, gently helping Bai Shaotang to his feet. I whispered, “What happened?”

“My people intercepted a note from outside,” Bai Shaotang said, pressing his lips together. “Someone had arranged to meet him here, so I brought people to lay an ambush. The visitor turned out to be Shen Cong. That woman gave Shen Cong many things and talked to him for a while. She insisted on meeting Shen Ye, saying she couldn’t lose him and wanted Shen Ye to wait for her to come and get him… So I decided to capture Shen Cong and injured him. Shen Ye arrived, and we ended up fighting.”

“And is that what you told everyone?”

“No,” Bai Shaotang grinned, “I said I saw them doing something disgraceful. Shen Cong stopped me, so I injured him.”

He spoke with a sense of pride, which made me smile slightly. I also felt oddly relieved—though Shaotang had deceived everyone, he hadn’t lied to me.

I smiled faintly and turned my gaze toward the rock formations behind Shen Ye.

While Bai Shaotang thought the two were meeting secretly, I knew that the underground chamber beneath these rocks was a restricted area of the Shu family. Only the family head could enter, not even I had been there.

Shen Ye had been under house arrest but still managed to come here. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

He was finally making a move.

Thinking it over, I walked toward Shen Ye. Voices of panic and protest arose from the crowd, but I raised my hand to silence them and approached him. “Shen Cong needs medical attention. Let’s have him taken down first.”

“I don’t trust them.”

“What about me?” I said calmly. “If I arrange for him to be taken down for treatment, do you not trust me either?”

He didn’t respond, and in that moment of hesitation, I knew he didn’t trust me.

He spoke of love endlessly, but when it came to important matters, he was as hesitant as I was, unable to trust me.

My heart ached with a sharp pain, but I restrained myself and said slowly, “I’m not so petty. If I said I would let you go, I won’t keep you bound. But this young lady,” I shifted my gaze to the woman in the black cloak, “as a woman, you hide behind men and act so timid? Can’t you muster the courage to face me directly?”

She remained silent, continuing to stand by Shen Cong’s side. I smiled coldly, studying her figure. Then, I used a ruse, saying, “Qin Yang, usually so courageous, yet here you are sneaking around my residence without even showing your face?”

She didn’t speak at first. After a moment, she laughed softly, slowly removing her hat and looking up to say, “The lord's affection for me is so profound that you recognized me.”

I smiled faintly. “I didn’t recognize you; I was just tricking you.” With that, I turned and called out, “Send for Elder Su from the Su family and have her take her son back.”

“Shu Cheng!” Shen Ye shouted, his pale face flushing with the effort. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to divorce you,” I replied coldly. “Isn’t this mistake enough for me to end our relationship?”

“You believed…” Shen Ye was stunned. I looked at him and then at Qin Yang’s face. After a while, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile and said, “If it were someone else, I might not believe it, but Qin Yang… you and she,” I said, my throat feeling dry but forcing the words out, “it was intentional, wasn’t it? A secret meeting in my courtyard, you and Qin Yang,” I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke harshly, “this is a great humiliation to me!”

“I didn’t…” Shen Ye finally started to panic. Bai Shaotang immediately stepped forward, smiling, “When I arrived, you were right there, embracing and kissing this lady. If I hadn’t come early, maybe I’d have seen even more.”

“Bai Shaotang!” Shen Ye shouted in rage. “You…”

“Shaotang saw it all,” I interrupted him to prevent him from turning on Bai Shaotang, “what more do you have to say?”

“But I didn’t…”

“I trust Shaotang,” I lowered my gaze. Another heavy snowfall was imminent, with scattered snowflakes beginning to fall from the sky. Shen Ye swayed slightly, unable to say more. I gestured for Bai Shaotang to come over, saying softly, “It’s cold. Let me take you back.”

Bai Shaotang hurried over like a small dog, making me smile despite the situation. Holding Bai Shaotang’s hand, I turned back to Shen Ye and Qin Yang and said softly, “I won’t publicize this matter. You two are a match made in heaven; when the time comes for a wedding, Shu Cheng and his spouse will certainly send a generous gift. I wish…”

“Try saying another word,” Shen Ye suddenly interrupted, his eyes filled with frost. I was taken aback, feeling an overwhelming pressure from him, so intense that I almost took a step back.

Bai Shaotang quickly placed a hand on my waist, steadying me, and whispered, “Don’t be afraid.”

Shen Ye’s eyes were filled with sorrow as he tightened his grip on the small fan. He said, “Shu Cheng, try it if you dare.”

I remained silent. His breath was ragged, likely due to his injuries. My heart softened, wanting to help him, but reason held me back.

Severing ties had to be done thoroughly; I couldn’t let my heart soften and lose control.

Taking a deep breath, I said gently, “If you don’t want to be divorced, then kneel outside my father’s room. You can only stand up when he says you can. If you can’t endure it and die on your knees, then that’s your fate.”

With that, I turned and walked away with Bai Shaotang. Qin Yang shouted, “Shu Cheng!”

Hearing her voice, I frowned and turned back, saying, “Does Qin Yang still think it’s not enough of a disgrace? Do you need the Censorate to report this matter before it counts?! If I were you, I’d leave quickly to save face. Or does Qin Yang think she has no more face to save and isn’t afraid of any consequences?”

My words silenced Qin Yang. I then instructed someone to call a doctor for Shen Cong and returned to my study. Bai Shaotang was about to follow me, but I stopped him at the door.

“Don’t come in,” I said to Bai Shaotang. “I’m afraid Shen Ye might act out in desperation. He’s already injured today; if I have him kneel in the snow, my father won’t let him off easily. He’s in poor health, so we can rest for a few days.”

“Why not just divorce him directly?” Bai Shaotang frowned.

I smiled wryly, “You think I can just divorce him if he doesn’t agree?”

Bai Shaotang’s expression darkened. I couldn’t help but gently ruffle his head, saying softly, “Don’t worry about it. We can wait. If he truly cares for me, he’ll be heartbroken, and when someone is heartbroken, they naturally leave. If he doesn’t care for me…” I sighed with a smile, “He’ll likely make some moves. For now, we’ll work on wearing down his skills. If he shows any unusual behavior, we’ll immediately capture him and hand him over to the Judicial Court.”

“If we capture him, why not just execute him directly?” Bai Shaotang’s gaze was intense.

I was taken aback, and after a long pause, I turned and said, “I can’t bring myself to.”

Bai Shaotang was stunned and then smiled bitterly. “I shouldn’t have asked. Asking only causes more pain.”

With that, he turned and left. I wanted to call him back, but even if I did, I felt there was nothing more to say.

So I sat in my room, blankly listening to the servant report that Shen Ye had gone to kneel.

Shen Ye had gone to kneel.

Thinking of the cold winter, the heavy snowfall outside, his pale face, and his injuries, I was overwhelmed with the impulse to rush out and find him. But this thought, as quickly as it came, was suppressed.

I put on my outer robe, told the servants to “light the lamps,” and went to the ancestral hall. Kneeling before the ancestors, the cold floor brought me a sense of comfort. I looked up at the ancestral tablets, feeling a profound sense of peace.

"Shen Ye, I can't let go of you, but I must abandon you. So let me kneel here while you suffer; I'll suffer with you."

I knelt through much of the night, and when I woke up groggily the next morning, my legs had gone numb. Hearing distant voices arguing, I had someone help me up, rubbed my legs, and saw a young man burst through the door, shouting, “Shu Cheng!”

“Be quiet,” I said coldly. Seeing Shen Cong’s angry expression, I walked over and guided him out of the ancestral hall. He seemed to hesitate, then said, “I heard that my elder brother has been kneeling all night.”

“Yes.”

“He’s injured!” Shen Cong said with indignation.

I nodded. “I know.”

“He didn’t have an affair with Qin Yang! I sent messages outside, asking people to bring some medicinal herbs, charcoal, and blankets. I didn’t expect Qin Yang to come.”

“Oh.”

“Shu Cheng!” He stopped in his tracks. “The facts are as I’ve said. Are you still going to punish my elder brother?”

“I always thought you were quite intelligent,” I said, turning to look at him, “but haven’t you figured out why I’m punishing him?”

He was silent, glaring at me as if he wanted to tear me apart. I couldn’t help but smile. “Shen Cong, you’re still too young.”

With that, I walked away.

“He’s going to die,” Shen Cong suddenly blurted out, making me stop in my tracks. He continued, “What he did to the Crown Princess, the Empress has done to him in return. He’s already suffered severe internal injuries, and with the Phoenix Empress’s provocation with strong liquor, he needs at least half a year of proper care to recover. Since he came here, the servants, following Bai Shaotang’s orders, have been harsh at the Jingxin Pavilion. There’s been no charcoal for the whole winter, and the medicinal herbs in his prescriptions have been swapped for cheaper substitutes. Even the food has been cold.

“He’s already on the brink.”

I listened quietly, feeling numb.

“But he’s afraid you’d be upset. He insisted on keeping to your agreement and refused to use the shadow guards. He didn’t even send for charcoal or medicinal herbs. And you? You’re still being affectionate with Bai Shaotang! My brother’s been so angry and in bed for so long, and you haven’t even come to see him. I only contacted outside help because I saw he couldn’t hold on any longer. But you…”

“Shen Cong,” I interrupted him, my voice feeling cold even to myself, “who told you that if you’re good to others, they must be good to you in return?

“I like apples, but you always give me pears. Then you’re unhappy when I don’t get you pears. Isn’t that a bit unreasonable in this world?”

Shen Cong stared at me, disbelief in his eyes. I looked at the heavy snow in the courtyard and said slowly, “You could have left. I didn’t stop you. You didn’t have to endure such treatment, and he didn’t have to suffer such injuries. But you chose to stay in Shu Mansion. It’s not good for you or for me. How can you blame me today? Should I continue to endure as he bullies and forces me? I never wanted to marry him. I only wanted to grow old with Bai Shaotang. What’s wrong with being affectionate with someone I want to spend my life with? This is your master’s obsession, and it’s dragged my happiness into it. Am I not allowed to resist a little?” I forced a stiff smile. “Shen Cong, your master’s love is just too overbearing.”

Or perhaps, it was never love at all.

Shen Cong fell silent, and I turned to leave, preparing for court. As I was getting ready, news came that Shen Ye had fainted.

I nodded without saying much and got into the carriage.

At that moment, I wanted to go see him, but I knew I couldn’t.

I stood at court all day in a daze. On the way home, I noticed my mother was coughing, but I paid no attention. When we got home, she had completely fallen ill.

With my mother’s worsening condition, I had even less time to visit Shen Ye. I forced myself not to inquire about him.

My mother’s illness dragged on for two months without improvement, and the New Year at Shu Mansion was barely acknowledged.

By the time spring arrived, my mother was bedridden, and the Empress had also contracted a severe illness, leaving the Crown Princess to preside over court. My anxiety grew, like an ant on a hot pan, desperately trying to contact my aunt, Shu Ran, who was unreachable. Just when I was at my wit's end, someone came to report that Shen Ye had brought a doctor.

I hurriedly had them brought in. After such a long absence, I noticed Shen Ye had become much thinner. His brows lacked their usual softness and were instead lined with frost.

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37 Ye Cheng Fu

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