Chapter 783: The Beauty under the Brocade Cover – Perished in Fragrance

After Chen Tianbao was captured, Qinghua Prefecture was finally taken outright. Soon after, the two southern provinces surrendered voluntarily. Only three provinces, the very ones where Chen Tianbao had started his rebellion, continued to resist. Driven by Marquis Anyuan Liu Sheng, the soldiers, eager to win a victory before the New Year, became like fierce tigers descending from the mountains. Land and naval forces advanced together, forcing over a hundred rebels to jump into the sea at Qiluo Harbor. By the time of the Lesser New Year, only Yizhou, with its Shenghua Prefecture, remained unconquered in entire Jiaozhi.

The army now camped in Shunhua Prefecture, just over a hundred miles away from Shenghua Prefecture. This place was considered the southernmost in Jiaozhi, with a climate quite different from that of Jiaozhou Prefecture. The weather was even drier and hotter. With fewer mosquitoes due to the drought, many soldiers simply wore their shirts off, and laughter filled the air everywhere.

The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month was the day to worship the Kitchen God and celebrate the Lesser New Year. In addition to rations, the army was also given extra dried meat, all transported from Guangdong via Qiluo Harbor. This naturally brought great joy to everyone, especially the higher-ranking officers who received even more generous rations. With food available, the soldiers often gathered in groups of dozens, while the officers, who were friends with each other, came together to celebrate cheerfully. Those who had connections could often obtain wine from local people and would drink a few cups as well.

“We must pull out the last nail before the New Year—only then can I return to the capital in peace!”
Although there was a ban on drinking in the army, with the New Year approaching, Liu Sheng turned a blind eye to his subordinates drinking. He himself had a wine cup and bottle in front of him, along with a reluctant companion forced to join him. He chuckled and poured himself a drink before glancing at Zhang Yue.

“If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time you’re celebrating the Lesser New Year alone, right? Hey, are you still thinking about your wife, concubines, and children back home? It gets easier with practice. As you rise in rank, you’ll have more such opportunities… Not everyone stays in the capital like those in the cabinet. Even they are sent abroad from time to time. Remember, Yang Rong once went to Gansu to handle military affairs. Cheer up—don’t be so gloomy while drinking!”

Before Zhang Yue could say anything, Liu Sheng gave his arm a firm slap. Seeing that Liu Sheng’s face was already red, clearly from drinking a lot, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but smile. He raised his cup to clink it against Liu Sheng’s, then drank it all in one gulp. Due to the hotter climate compared to the Central Plains, along with local snakes and various medicinal herbs, most of the wine in Jiaozhi was medicinal wine—especially the one the subordinates brought to Liu Sheng. He had only taken small sips earlier, but now, after drinking this cup, aside from the spicy taste of the wine, there was also a faint bitterness and medicinal flavor, which was extremely unaccustomed. Yet Liu Sheng, who hadn’t touched wine in days, clearly ignored these sensations. As he drank more, his tongue grew somewhat loose.

“Xiao Zhang Yue… You’re good at everything, but… you’re just boring! This time, as I see it, one of the local chiefs brought over several beautiful women from here. I’ve already had someone send one to your room… Don’t worry about Shi Anchen Yong. I left Li Qing and the others behind specifically… just to have you move here and avoid those noisy guys! She’s also a beauty, and her family has some connections to rebels… It’s a rare chance to indulge and relieve stress—nothing serious will happen!”

He had thought Liu Sheng was using alcohol to complain about his personality again, but what he heard next was completely different. Seeing Liu Sheng laugh heartily, lift the wine pot, and drink heartily for a while before leaving cheerfully, clearly going to indulge himself, Zhang Yue felt his head spinning. He thought to himself that this elder really knew how to cause trouble.

In previous years, life had been peaceful, and Zhang Yue mostly spent holidays happily at home with his wife, children, and family. This was the first time he was spending the Lesser New Year on the road, without a single family member by his side. He had been away from Guangzhou for almost half a year, either handling military affairs or following the army. Nights were often too busy to get a proper sleep, leaving no time to think about anything else. Naturally, he felt lonely during the Lesser New Year, but just grabbing a woman to relieve his desires—what kind of thing was that?

Looking at the few dishes on the table that hadn’t been touched much, he suddenly remembered that Liu Sheng seemed to have only been focused on drinking. Adhering to the principle of not wasting food, he simply went outside, called a servant in, packed everything into a food box, and sent it to Peng Shisan and several guards who were feasting together. He then had a towel soaked in cold water and wiped his face thoroughly before slowly heading back to his room.

Hearing the sound of someone pushing the door, Niu Gan, who was dozing in his chair, suddenly jumped up. Seeing it was Zhang Yue, he quickly rubbed his eyes and poured hot tea for him before reporting, “Young master, Marshal Liu sent someone to deliver a roll of quilt just now. Two people carried it into the inner room, saying it’s hot during the day and cool at night here, so it can warm the bed.”

Zhang Yue had originally thought Niu Gan would mention some kind of woman being delivered. When he heard Niu Gan simply say it was a quilt, he choked on his tea and started coughing violently. Seeing Niu Gan rush over to take the teacup and try to help him catch his breath, he couldn’t help but laugh and scold the overly honest man, “Next time someone brings something in, pay more attention. It’s a quilt—go check. Is that really a quilt?”

“Not a quilt?”

Niu Gan was instantly terrified. He left Zhang Yue behind, pulled back the curtain, and rushed into the inner room. Soon, a cry of shock came from inside, and then the tall, strong man rushed out as if he’d seen a ghost, his face full of panic, even stammering as he spoke, “There’s… there’s a woman inside the quilt…”

At that moment, Zhang Yue was both angry and amused, but too lazy to argue further. He pushed aside the bamboo curtain and entered the inner room. On the bed, the woman was wrapped in a rolled-up quilt, with only her head exposed. Her skin was quite dark, yet her complexion was as fair as snow, with a delicate face and charming eyes. A cloth was stuffed in her mouth, and though her gaze was calm, there was an unmistakable hint of fear. He couldn’t help but feel furious.

Liu Sheng had really gone to great lengths—was this meant to force him to take matters by force?

“Jue Niu, come in here!” Zhang Yue called out, and Niu Gan immediately rushed in. However, he glanced anxiously at the woman on the bed and stammered, “Young master, you forgot—you were the one who chose her for us back then. I’m already married…”

“Who asked you that!”

Zhang Yue now regretted not keeping Peng Shisan, who seemed rough-looking but was actually cunning, in the room to watch over things, which had led to such a big problem. Hearing this, he grew even angrier and quietly gave Niu Gan a few orders. Reluctantly, Niu Gan stepped forward and removed the cloth from the woman’s mouth but stood there motionless, his right hand trembling slightly—ready to knock her out at Zhang Yue’s command if she made a sound.

However, when the cloth covering her mouth was removed, the woman did not shout but merely bit her lip and stared at Zhang Yue. After a long silence, she suddenly asked, “May I ask if you are Lord Zhang Yuanjie, the great-grandson of the Duke of Britain?”
Seeing that she calmed down so quickly, Zhang Yue was surprised and immediately asked, “That’s right. What’s your name, and where are you from?”
Seeing Zhang Yue’s kind expression, just as the two men who had brought her here had said, and certainly not as fierce as the soldiers, the woman on the bed replied calmly, “I amRuan from Shunhua Prefecture.”
In Jiaozhi, the surnames Chen,Ruan, and Li were common, so upon hearing that she was surnamedRuan and from Shunhua Prefecture, Zhang Yue knew she must be a local. Yet her flawless Mandarin with a strong northern accent still made him frown slightly. Just as he was about to ask more questions,Ruan suddenly spoke up.
“I have heard of Lord Zhang before and know well that you are perspicacious and kind-hearted. Please forgive my brother! Although he once made firearms for the rebels, he was only coerced and never truly served them!”
Unexpecting her to make such a plea, Zhang Yue was taken aback. After Shunhua Prefecture was successfully recaptured, following Emperor Zhu Zhanji’s orders, Liu Sheng spared ordinary people from punishment, while those who participated in the rebellion were punished according to their military ranks. Those who assisted the rebels, such as craftsmen, were also dealt with differently—some were taken to the interior as slaves, some were castrated and sent to the capital, and some were executed on the spot. Zhang Yue had no intention of addressing such a plea, but upon hearing the word “firearms,” he became immediately interested.
“What’s your brother’s name?”
Ruan had only hoped for a chance to plead, but at Zhang Yue’s question, she realized she had grasped a lifeline and quickly explained, “My brother’s surname isRuan and his name is Qin. He made firearms. Our whole family was captured by the rebels. Because someone claimed that he supervised the production of the firearms in the army and that he was the first to join Chen Tianbao, those military officials sentenced him to death! Please understand, our family has a tradition of making firearms, and many of our skills were learned from others. We have always been law-abiding and have never had any disloyalty toward the empire.”
“Stop talking!”

Zhang Yue recalled that when he conquered the Shunhua Prefecture earlier, he indeed found that the rebel army was equipped with many firearms. According to Liu Sheng, their power was far greater than that of the Annan crossbows of the past, which greatly intrigued him. He also remembered that after conquering Annan, Hu Yuancheng, the brother of Hu Han Cang, the puppet emperor of the Hu Dynasty, also known as Li Cheng, had been appointed by Zhu Di to oversee the development of firearms. He created various weapons such as the Divine Fire Night Demon Gun, the Single-Flying Divine Rocket, the Three-Tiger Axes, and the Nine-Arrow Heart-Piercing Divine Poison Fire Cannon. If this Nguyen brother was also talented, it might be worth showing leniency. However, to confirm whether this was true or not, someone needed to investigate first; otherwise, they might be deceived.

The Cuihu Muwang Mansion.

In the room, a silver incense burner shaped like intertwined peonies was burning with lily fragrance, while the flames of the Nanhai honey candles on the candlestick flickered, making Lady Cheng’s splendid robes even more dazzling under the light. Perhaps because the New Year was approaching, she was wearing a brand-new brocade jacket adorned with gold embroidery of cloud geese carrying flowers, covered with a narrow-sleeved robe in agarwood color. Along with a gold hairpin decorated with sapphires on her golden crown, she appeared even more regal and luxurious. Yet, despite her neat makeup, she was wiping her face with a silk handkerchief, her eyes red.

Fang Shuixin across from her had much simpler makeup. Although she lived in the Muwang Mansion and didn’t lack food, clothing, or other necessities—since fine sets of clothes and jewelry were sent to her regularly—she never valued these things and had no interest in beautifying herself. At just twenty-four or twenty-five years old, she looked older than Lady Cheng. At this moment, she was completely oblivious to the glittering decorations and splendid embroidery under the light, utterly shocked by the news that struck her like a thunderbolt.

“He’s really dead… It can’t be. He’s always managed to turn misfortune into fortune. How could he die?”
“Sister, this is news sent straight from Jiaozhi. Why would I lie to you?” Lady Cheng instinctively lowered her head and turned away, then said in a muffled voice, “I really can’t bear to see you leave with the child. So, our lord sent someone to deliver a letter to Marquis Yangwu. Who would have thought it would arrive just as he was dying… I heard that when Marquis Yangwu heard the news of your departure, he spat blood immediately. Before he passed away, he apologized to you and the child, saying he shouldn’t have brought you back to the capital and that he wouldn’t have harmed you. He also said that since he was already married in this life when he met you, there was no other way. He only hoped that in the next life, when they met again, he would still be single and you still unmarried…”
“He really said that…”

Fang Shuixin no longer had the heart to listen to Lady Cheng continue speaking. Her eyes were filled with tears, her right hand tightly clutched her handkerchief, while her left hand instinctively gripped the exquisite cushion beneath her. After saving him, she had seen him speak in a calm manner, far from the recklessness of the men in her tribe; she had seen his exceptional martial skills and his unique way of speaking; she had seen him sit calmly in front of his father, his face glowing with joy… And that’s how her heart fell for him. She never imagined that what she thought would be a lifetime together would end in such a way. When leaving the capital this time, she had decided to raise the child alone, never to see that man again, treating it as if the child had no father. But he had died, still remembering her before his death!

“Sister, don’t be too sad. You and the child can stay here. Although Lord Yangwu is not here, my husband will surely treat the child as his own and never mistreat him!”

Seeing Fang Shuixin in a daze, Lady Cheng knew she had done enough to play her role. After taking a deep sigh, she comforted her a few more times, but noticing no reaction, she got up and left. Outside, she gathered all the maids and servants working there and calmly ordered, “She’s in a bad mood now. Stay away from her and don’t disturb her. Remember, do not enter unless told to. No matter what happens, report back to me first—do not act on your own!”

“Yes.”

Only after leaving that side courtyard did Lady Cheng take deep breaths, as if trying to get rid of all the pretense from earlier. The maids, servants, and old women waiting outside hurried to surround her as she walked through the path, but she paid no attention to them, instead counting on her fingers the day Zhang You and the others would arrive.

To ensure success, she first made Fang Shuixin notice the maids’ whispering, then had a “well-meaning” old woman leak some information in front of her, and finally passed on the Tusi of Mangshi’s attitude to Fang Shuixin. Only then, as if unable to resist her pleas, did she reluctantly reveal those “last words.” The moment she saw the woman in tears, she knew it was all over.

Yet now, her heart was convulsing violently, and her steps felt unsteady!

“Madam, are you alright?”

A mother nearby stepped forward to help her, and Lady Cheng leaned on her arm, continuing to walk silently, telling herself that this was the best course of action. The Zhang family had already handled the funeral, and it was clear that the Tusi of Mangshi would not take in this cousin. Even if Zhang Youzhen came here, nothing could be undone. It was better to end it all now; perhaps the child could still have a bright future. At the corner, she finally broke free from the mother’s hand and walked more lightly.

Rather than live with hatred for a lifetime, it was better to die with that undeniable love!

Lady Cheng walked on for who knew how long, while Fang Shuixin remained frozen in shock. It took her a while to snap out of it, then she slowly turned her head to look around the room. The tables, stools, books, and paintings all seemed to transform before her into the items in her own house in the capital—Zhang You had given her many things. Though she didn’t understand or know their value, she always accepted them happily. As long as he was by her side, she felt she could endure the rules of the grand mansion and saw hope in her heart. But he had left, and there had been no news from him all these years.

Yet it turned out that even after leaving for so long, he still thought of her! She had once said to him that they would live and die together. Now that he was gone, what was the point of living alone? Her son was his, and with the support of the MuMansion, he would surely grow into a strong man. Whether she was there or not made no difference. She could go with him; she should go with him…

Fang Shuixin forced herself to stand up and staggered over to the cabinet in the corner, slamming it open. With too much force, the drawer fell heavily to the ground, and the curved knife inside clattered down, knocking over the two gems embedded in it. But she ignored the gems, which had rolled somewhere, and picked up the knife instead, gently stroking its black scabbard. She seemed to recall her father’s words.

“A man is a knife, and a woman is the scabbard!”

If there’s no knife, what’s the use of a scabbard?

Slowly drawing out the curved knife, Fang Shuixin’s gaze was completely absorbed in its bright blade. Once she entered the wealthy family, she never drew this knife again. But after leaving that family, to protect herself and her child, she used it to fight her way through hardships until she finally found the MuMansion. Now, this knife had a new purpose.

She gently ran her fingers along the blade, slowly closed her eyes, and then without hesitation pulled it down hard against her neck. As the dagger clattered to the ground, though her vision was filled with blood, the scene of their first meeting in the peach orchard seemed to reappear before her eyes. Amidst those pink falling petals lay the most beautiful memories of her life.