Chapter 13: Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

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Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

 Chapter 13: 

 Entering the Liang Family Residence

Even though she had faced ruthless and evil people from a young age, Zhu Yan was still a young maiden, and when it came to matters of purity, she still hoped to experience them with the husband she loved.

Although Shen Du was her husband, he did not care for her.

Tightly gripping the front of the saddle, Zhu Yan dared not look at Shen Du anymore. She felt Shen Du mount his horse, extend his arms, and take hold of the reins, trapping her in his embrace.

Throughout the entire process, Zhu Yan was like a frightened quail.

Shen Du didn’t say anything further. Without warning, he cracked the horsewhip, and the horse surged forward, almost throwing Zhu Yan off!

Desperately clutching Shen Du’s arm, Zhu Yan, in her panic, noticed Shen Du’s smirking lips and immediately realized that he was doing this on purpose!

However, she dared not scold him. Trying to maintain her composure, Zhu Yan turned her head away, looking at the horse as it charged into the east gate of Wuben Lane and continued towards the west gate. She asked, “Where are we going now?”

Shen Du replied, “Fengle Lane.”

Fengle Lane was where the Liang family resided. According to the plan, she was supposed to visit Fengle Lane today to gather information.

However, unlike Shen Du’s direct approach to see the Liang family, she intended to inquire about the Liang family’s private affairs among the common people of Fengle Lane.

Sitting in the flower hall, Zhu Yan was watched closely by the Liang family’s servants. She lightly cleared her throat and said to Shen Du, “I was going to say, ‘Lord Shen’…”

Shen Du interrupted, “Don’t call me ‘Lord’—once we’re out of the Liang household, your tongue will no longer be needed.”

Zhu Yan was exasperated. Did he think she had no temper? Moreover, she was a bride given by the Emperor!

Standing up and glaring at Shen Du, Zhu Yan was silent for a moment before reluctantly saying, “Husband.”

Shen Du took a sip of tea and replied, “Speak.”

Zhu Yan’s expression fell slightly, but she still smiled as she said, “We clearly have differing opinions on this matter. If you’re going to meet with the second branch’s master and matriarch, I might cause trouble if I stay here. I’d like to go out for a walk.”

Setting down his delicate tea cup, Shen Du nodded, “Let Jing Lin accompany you.”

The cold-faced Jing Lin bowed respectfully.

At this moment, Zhu Yan was no longer concerned about her dislike for the Inner Guards as long as she wasn’t staying by Shen Du’s side. 

She asked a maid where the garden was, then sat down in a pavilion and said to Jing Lin, “I stayed up all night and couldn’t sleep. I need to rest here for a while, so you go guard over there.”

She pointed to a large tree near the entrance.

Jing Lin didn’t move. Zhu Yan rubbed her temples, feeling frustrated. She tugged at her collar and muttered, “Fine, since you Inner Guards dare to watch over the wife of the Lord Shen while she rests, why should I be modest? You can guard yourself.”

With that, she lay down on the stone table, her eyes closed, and her slightly open collar fell open, exposing her shoulder blades.

Jing Lin initially thought she might be trying to deceive him. Seeing her without any pretense, he quickly turned away and walked out of the pavilion, calling a maid to lower the bamboo curtain.

Hearing the footsteps fade away, Zhu Yan opened her eyes and slipped out of the pavilion as the curtain was being lowered.

The maid was startled, and Zhu Yan quickly grabbed her, making a silencing gesture. She complained, "My husband can’t bear to be away from me. He fears I'll fall with every step, and he’s been watching me for a whole day and night. Just let me catch my breath and please, don’t make any noise."

The maid hesitated but nodded, following Zhu Yan out through another exit. Then she asked, "I remember you’re an official at the Ministry of Justice. When you go to the Ministry, doesn’t the White-King—er, the Inner Guards—let you go?"

Zhu Yan said with a sigh, "They won’t let me go, and the Ministry of Justice daren't object. He’s currently favored by the Emperor, and even our Minister doesn’t dare to confront him. It’s quite frustrating. Yesterday, I was worried he might kill me with a single blow, and now, after just one day, I’m afraid he’ll keep me by his side all the time."

Shen Du’s trouble with her likely stems from rumors that she’s not favored and that Zhang Xingwei is targeting him because of this. To prevent further trouble from him, she planed to cooperate and refute the rumors actively.

Indeed, after her complaint, the maid expressed surprise, saying, "But I heard yesterday that..."

Zhu Yan said, “Before yesterday, we had never met, so naturally, there would be conflicts. If he didn’t like me, how could he, as the esteemed head of the Imperial Guards, be constantly around me and have his most trusted aide, Jing Lin, protect me?”

The maid seemed to understand, replying, “Indeed. I was wondering why, despite knowing that our second master dislikes the Ministry of Justice, the head of the Inner Guards still brought you into the residence. It seems that affection cannot be divided. If people outside knew how the head of the Inner Guards dotes on you, they would surely be very envious.”

Zhu Yan smiled, slightly embarrassed, and reached out to help the maid with the old lanterns, asking, “Is my husband close with Liang Shilang? I’ve just married into the Shen family and haven’t heard him mention it.”

The maid, feeling more favorably towards Zhu Yan, thought for a moment and replied, “The Shilang and the head of the Inner Guards have been acquainted for several years. However, the head of the Inner Guards doesn’t visit often—just occasionally bringing some gifts.”

“Gifts?” Zhu Yan inquired.

“Yes,” the maid continued. “But they’re not valuable items, just flowers and herbs. It’s probably because Shilang asked the head of the Inner Guards to help find them for Second Madam Wei.”

Seeing Zhu Yan’s confusion, the maid explained, “Second Madam Wei wasn't our second master’s first wife. After she went mad a few years ago, the Emperor granted our master a favor, elevating Second Madam Zheng from a concubine to a principal wife.”

"Second Madam Wei loves tending to flowers, but she is also prone to killing them. Whenever a plant dies, she falls ill. However, the Dracaena cochinchinensis (Dropping Water Guanyin) is a flower that grows in the south and is difficult to cultivate in Chang'an. So, each time a plant dies, Second Madam Wei goes into a frenzy. If Madam Shen doesn't know how important that flower is, let me put it this way: last month, when the flower died, Second Madam Wei woke up, saw it was gone, and started attacking people. In her madness, she accidentally rushed into the First Madam's courtyard and left a deep gash on her wet nurse's face. The blood splattered on the screen, staining the white plum blossoms red."

Zhu Yan took a sharp breath and asked in shock, "Did that wet nurse die?"

The maid shook her head. "No, although Jiang Mama's injuries were severe, fortunately, the doctor who had come to treat Second Madam Wei was already in the residence that day, and he barely managed to save her life."

Nodding thoughtfully, Zhu Yan continued, "Since Jiang Mama is the First Madam's wet nurse and lives in the manor, she must be very close to her. With such an incident happening, the First and Second branches of the family must have had a serious falling out, right?"

The maid's steps came to a halt, and she looked at Zhu Yan with a hint of wariness in her eyes.

Zhu Yan quickly tried to clarify, "I visited Ximing Temple the other day and heard from our steward that as soon as the head of the Liang family saw Young Master Liang's body, he demanded an autopsy and harshly scolded Liang Shilang. So I wondered if there had already been some bad blood between the First and Second branches of the family..."

After stating her thoughts openly, Zhu Yan watched the maid's expression carefully.

Since the Ministry of Personnel had posted notices everywhere when they were selecting female officials, her background couldn't be hidden here. It was better to speak frankly so that she might gain some trust.

As expected, the maid's unease began to fade. Seeing that the two of them had entered the covered corridor, she pulled Zhu Yan aside and continued, "I've heard many people suspect the same, so I don't mind telling you, Madam Shen. Indeed, our Second Master and the First Branch... do not get along well."

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