Chapter 92. Jade Rabbit Festival (part 1)
Other than the three Di daughters in Shen residence, there was actually another Shu daughter, which was Shen Dong Ling of Second household, who was borne by Wan YiNiang. In the Shen residence, the Third household and Chen Rou Qiu only had Shen Yue, one daughter and Shen Xin and wife only had Shen Miao and Shen Qiu but the Second household Shen Gui had a houseful of concubines and also gave birth to Shu daughters but all of them died at a young age thus that was why the ranking of the Di daughters in the Shen family was somewhat odd.
Shen Dong Ling was ranked the third so she was called Third Young Lady. Ren Wan Yun had the most jealous of character so after Wan YiNiang gave birth to Shen Dong Ling, she would stay in the courtyard and not come out all day. That Shen Dong Ling was also a weak and sickly one, in Shen Miao’s previous life, she did not have any impression of Shen Dong Ling at all. She was almost a transparent person, even if a Shu daughter was not favoured by whichever noble family perhaps would be bullied and scolded but would not be like this, practically forgotten by others.
If such a person like this was really weak till one could overlook and disregard, it meant that one could tolerate what ordinary people would not be able to do so. In the previous lifetime, Shen Dong Ling at the end seemed to become a bargaining chip that Ren Wan Yun used for Shen Gui’s career and was given to others. In this lifetime Ren Wan Yun had lost her power and Wan YiNiang once again flew up to the highest branches thus it was unknown if Shen Dong Ling’s fate would change because of it.
“Third Older Sister’s health is not good so it is better not to come out.” Shen Miao said lightly, “If one were to catch a cold because of this, I cannot take responsibility of it.”
Wan YiNiang was somewhat displeased when she heard it but still had a smile on her face when she said, “This is Third Young Lady’s single hearted wish to get closer to Fifth Young Lady. It a long story of this concubine’s weak health that Third Young Lady is sickly after birth and could only watch other kids play from the courtyard for so many years. It’s all this concubine’s fault…” As she said, she tilted her head and use the handkerchief in her hands to cover her mouth as if she was extremely distressed.
Shen Miao could not stand Wan YiNiang’s fake act and lightly said, “No one can be the master of one’s body, furthermore Third Older Sister had been staying in the courtyard which might not necessarily be bad. Eldest Sister had enjoyed the enjoyment but who knew that beautiful woman would suffer unhappy fates.” Her lips slightly hooked up, “One’s fortune after all cannot be visible on the surface.”
When the words were spoken, Wan YiNiang looked at Shen Miao with some surprised and bewilderedness but after a moment she forcefully smiled, “Fifth Young Lady said correctly.” She suddenly stood up and looked towards Shen Miao, “Fifth Young Lady, this concubine remember that there are matters to tend and will leave first. If there is a day where Fifth Young Lady is free, Third Young Lady would come over to have a chat with Fifth Young Lady. Her health is not good so may Fifth Young Lady please pardon.” Finishing, she greeted Shen Miao before leaving elegantly. However as compared to the silhouette before, it seemed to be much more in a rush and panic.
Jing Zhe was all the while been at the side serving tea and when she saw Wan YiLiang’s silhouette of leaving in a hurry, she said in puzzled, “What does Wan YiNiang mean? Come over to express goodwill? And that Third Young Lady had not come out of the courtyard for many years and had not even seen Young Lady for a few times. How would there be any emotions like what was said?”
“Exactly.” Gu Yu was clearing the teacup that Wan YiNiang was drink as she said, “Now thinking about it, this servant also cannot remember how Third Young Lady looks like. In any case, she is also the Young Lady of the residence but to hide for so many years, it was most probably to hide from Second Furen. Really pitiful.”
“What pitiful?” Shen Miao picked the tea from the table and took a light sip, “One afraid that in her eyes, you all are even more pitiful.”
“She?” Jing Zhe was puzzled, “Young Lady is speaking about Third Young Lady?”
Shen Miao smiled, “It is I who had made an error of judgement, in our residence there is another intelligent person.”
Wan YiNiang’s purpose today was clearly to sound out. However with Wan YiNiang kind of person who expose her smarts, could only think of such a method like this to sound someone out. On the surface she seemed to be itching to announce her regaining Shen Gui’s favour but if one carefully think, it was not the case. One would see the head of the legendary dragon but not its tail, that Shen Dong Ling that had not shown her face at all was much more intelligent than Shen Qing.
However… No matter where she stood, Shen Miao would not see her as a friend, not to mention sisters.
“One must be on the guard.” She put the teacup in her hands down and reminded the maids by the side.
But at the other end of the words, Wan YiNiang was returning back to her courtyard in a rush and closed the doors. Three steps became two steps as she went forward and faced the silhouette behind the screen, “Ling-er.”
The silhouette behind the screen paused and looked towards Wan YiNiang. Wan YiNiang gave a sigh of relief and sat down on the wooden chair and repeated word for word of the conversation with Shen Miao. She originally was the lead opera singer and had a good memory so she was able to repeat the two persons’ conversation as if it was actually happening in front. After finishing speaking Wan YiNiang then said, “Ling-er, what is Fifth Young Lady’s meaning behind these words? My heart trembled as I listened to it, you say… Does the matter with Eldest Young Lady involved Fifth Young Lady?”
“YiNiang have to guard one’s tongue.” The person behind the screen said, “Eldest Sister’s matter had passed and whatever was said outside is as such. One must not mention about the matter again otherwise, it would only harm oneself.”
“I just feel that my heart is somewhat unsettled.” Wan YiNiang said.
A light sigh came from behind the screen and the person who was sitting down place the embroidery down from her hand and stood up to walk over to Wan YiNiang’s side.
That was also a delicate and pretty young female that as compared to Shen Qing’s magnanimous, Shen Yue’s gracefulness and Shen Miao’s dignified, this young female was soft and weak and her facial features followed of that of Wan YiNiang’s. Her face was oval with large eyes, if her eyes was much more spirited then most likely would be cursed by others to be a little vixen but she looked so pale that even her lips looked like there was no blood. Thus the seductive charm was reduced and seemed to be somewhat harmless.
She was wearing a rather old beige yellow coat dress. That coat dress might had belonged to Wan YiNiang and this young female’s figure was not as fully developed as Wan YiNiang thus when she wore it there was much more empty spaces that it discounted the beauty she had, making her looked somewhat ordinary.
That young female was indeed the Shu daughter of the Shen family’s Second household, Shen Dong Ling.
“Now everything is much better than before.” Shen Dong Ling comforted, “At least YiNiang and I can go out confidently and do not have to be threaten by Furen.”
“This Shen residence is indeed difficult to live in.” Wan YiNiang looked at her daughter and her hearted soured, “In the beginning I had a voracious desire for wealth and thought that by entering the Shen residence, one would be able to sleep in comfort without worries in the second half of one’s life. Who knew that it would be difficult in the noble families and even implicated you. For so many years, in order to continue living under Furen’s eyes, one had to live like this, moreover the people in the residence are powerful, even that originally wordless and quiet Fifth Young Lady is currently that scary…”
“YiNiang,” Shen Dong Ling shook her head, “No matter if Fifth Younger Sister is involved in Eldest Sister’s matter, after all the mastermind had helped us. Even if Furen want to turn over her fortune, it would be difficult now. Even though Second Brother is powerful and Furen have the rank and position but she have no more good prospects and would not be able to beat us.”
“This is also true.” Wan YiNiang looked at Shen Dong Ling delightedly, “Finally broke clear of all the troubles and hardships. But Ling-er today you let me go ahead to feel Fifth Young Lady out but Fifth Young Lady treated me coldly, one fear that she was unwilling to accept our goodwill. Now what can be done?”
“Not willing to accept then not willing to accept.” Shen Dong Ling smiled, “Fifth Younger Sister seemed to be an intelligent person. That being the case, from now onwards it is better not to provoke her. If it is possible, let her deal with Second Older Brother.”
“Second Young Master?” Wan YiNiang was surprised for a moment. “Second Young Master already entered officialdom and Fifth Young lady is just a little young female, how could she deal with Second Young Master?”
“YiNiang should relax one’s heart.” Shen Dong Ling said, “Fifth Younger Sister is not a simple character, she is the sharpest knife in Shen residence.”
*****
The small moves in the Eastern and Western courtyard of the Shen residence was perhaps not known outside. Other than the residence people, most likely in other people’s eyes in the Ding capital, the General residence was harmonious and everyone was benevolent and filial. Before this year it had always been so but unfortunately the world kept changing and at times the seeds were buried too deep and there would suddenly be a time where sprout would grow.
In the training courtyard outside Shen residence, Mo Qing was exchanging blows with Shen Qiu’s close soldiers. Ah Chi was currently Shen Qiu’s subordinate with the best martial arts skill but Mo Qing was able to fight evenly with him. In the beginning when Shen Miao introduce Mo Qing to Shen Qiu, Shen Qiu also wanted to test out Mo Qing’s skill and after testing, Mo Qing was indeed quite good.
Naturally Shen Qiu was very happy, there was no weak soldiers under a strong General so the more strong soldiers he had, the more resounding the reputation the Shen family army had. Ever since recruiting Mo Qing, Shen Qiu had been expressively boasting Shen Miao’s foresight and occasionally pestered Shen Miao to go the haunts of the common people to ‘discover’ such talents that Shen Miao blocked it off with a roll of eyes. In the previous life there was only one commanding guard, with Shen Qiu’s logic, was there commanding guards in all the big streets and small alleys?
After Ah Chi and Mo Qing finished a round of hand combat, they were so tired and sweat was dripping down. Ah Chi swallowed a big mouthful of water and said, “It is indeed refreshing to exchange blows with Brother Mo! Brother Mo’s entire body of sword skills is indeed superb that make one eyes heat up.”
Mo Qing cupped his hands, “Brother Ah Chi had over praised. My sword skills are not considered superb. There are people beyond people and heavens beyond heavens. There are many superior people in this world.”
“Could it be that there are people who are of even higher skills than Brother Mo?” Ah Chi smiled, “Than I must widen one’s knowledge!”
Mo Qing did not speak as his mind was at the night in Wo Long Temple. He carried Shen Qing and changed the rooms with Shen Miao. It was that night that had changed the fate of two people. That night there was a black clad person that swept into the room from the window and easily took his sword within five moves. Under that person’s hands, he was as weak as a child and he heard Shen Miao calling him Little Xie Marquis.
That young male’s sword skills had truly reached perfection.
Ah Chi sighed before speaking, “Not sure if one could kill enemies with Brother Mo in the battlefield. Such a happy matter, I actually could not wait for it. Unfortunately the General will be staying in the capital for six more months for the Young Lady. If one were to join hands against the enemies, one must wait for half a year more.” He looked at Mo Qing, “Speaking of which our Young Lady has a discerning eye for heroes. To be able to discover a person like Brother Mo, it is indeed rare.”
“Young Lady is truly an incredible person.” Mo Qing said. After following Shen Miao for a long time, he disdain some of Shen Miao’s actions. As a female, Shen Miao was cold and ruthless, without any compassion but one could not hate her as the people she dealt with were those that had set her up to death.
Mo Qing remembered the day when Shen Miao parted the carriage’s curtain and asked him with a smile, “Are you willing to sell your entire body filled with martial arts skills to our Shen family of military lineage?”
A true gentleman would sacrifice his life for a friend who understood him and from a certain point of view Shen Miao was Mo Qing’s benefactor.
Ah Chi hammered a punch at him, “I know you are picked by Young Lady and naturally find her good. Do guard her well during the Jade Rabbit Festival tomorrow.”
“En?” Mo Qing suddenly raise his head and looked upwards.
“Why?” Ah Chi also looked over at his gaze and was unable to make head or tail out of it, “There is nothing.”
“Probably I felt incorrectly.” Mo Qing shook his head and ignored the strange feeling in his heart.
At the other end of the wall there were two people squatting at the moment, wearing bamboo hat and had their face tightly covered that one was unable to see their appearance in a glance.
One person said, “This Shen residence indeed have talented people. For a guard to have such an ability and almost found both of us.”
“Indeed.” The other person pressed his voice down to discuss, “There are so many guards outside and with Shen Xin’s soldiers watching over, it would be overtly risky to take action from inside and probably would not be easy to succeed. Instead one would inadvertedly alert the enemy and if in the future Shen Miao was protected very well that a single drop was not leak, then it would be even more difficult to take action.”
“Above had send down instructions and it was difficult to have such a little news.” That person said to the companion, “If one was able to achieve the outcome from questioning her then this trip would not be wasted and both you and me only need to wait to be promoted. How can one give up halfway?”
“Naturally one cannot give up.” The person wearing the bamboo hat smiled, “Didn’t the two guards just said that during tomorrow Jade Rabbit Festival Shen Miao would be going and during the surge of crowd, it would be easy to do something. At that time a wave of people can be used to draw the Shen family people away and another wave of people can take her away.”
“Do it cleanly and neatly.” That person’s words was filled with thick vicious intentions, “In order to nib the problem in the bud, throw the body into the lake after asking and don’t get any other ideas.”
“Naturally.”
