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Farce in the Study
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
A dead body got dug out from the second branch’s courtyard. The servants of the An Duke Manor didn’t dare to hide, immediately reporting back to Shen first master.
Shen first madam was also to the side. Hearing the people report back as such, she instantly couldn’t sit still. After a good while, she finally forced herself to be calm, “Master, this is a matter of the rear manor. I will certainly take care of it appropriately.”
Shen first master, however, shook his head, slowly saying, “It’d be fine if it was an ordinary matter of the manor, but this matter isn’t small, so I must be the one to handle it………I remember that you’re very timid about these things, so don’t bother yourself with this matter, so as to avoid getting a nightmare at night.”
Shen first madam nodded her head with a forced smile.
Reportedly, the previous few servant girls that got beaten to death by Shen Ting Zhu all got secretly rolled up in a straw mat and sent to the mass burial mound[1] outside of the city; only Chun Xi didn’t get sent away. Presumably, it was because the second branch was very busy with the crown princess matter recently, thus didn’t have time to deal with Chun Xi’s death.
“Go have the people of the second branch called over.” Shen first master said with a solemn look, “Also have Lan’er and that Hong Yue Niang invited over. Be a bit more agile, don’t disturb the duke, so as to avoid embarrassing ourselves.”
The servant responded ‘yes’ and retreated out the door.
Once the servant was gone, Shen first master stared at the paper and brush before him in a daze for a long time. Shen first madam just felt like sitting on needles next to him.
“Wen Xiu.” Suddenly, Shen first master lifted his head and calmly said, “If in this An Duke Manor, there’s no more wealth and riches, is madam willing to live simple days of coarse tea and plain meals with me?”
Shen first madam forced a smile and said, “Master, why over-worry? This matter is the second branch’s fault. As long as master, you, are fair and reasonable, then presumably this matter won’t bring disaster to our first branch.”
Shen first master shook his head, no longer saying anything.
Shen first madam felt uneasy inside, so hurriedly added, “If something really happens, then it’s also fine. If there’s no more wealth and riches, then so be it. As long as one can be together with one’s husband and children, coarse tea and plain meals are also fine.”
Although consoling as such, Shen first madam nevertheless felt increasingly confused inside. Her husband has always wanted the An Duke Manor to rise another level, so how could he easily say such pessimistic words that would undermine their family’s prestige? But, if to say there was some hidden secret, she truly was unable to tell.
As she was pondering, Shen Lan Chi and Hong Yue Niang came. Not long after, Xiao-shi also came with her second son, Shen Ting Kang, and daughter, Shen Tong Ying.
“Where’s Ting Zhu?” Shen first master swept a glance. Seeing that Shen Ting Zhu who had committed such a crime not present, he asked with a heavy voice.
“Ting Zhu still hasn’t returned home yet.” Xiao-shi answered.
Seeing her elder brother and elder sister-in-law with a serious look, Xiao-shi already had some guesses as to what happened. She couldn’t help but inwardly rejoice at her foresight——Just now, seeing that the situation wasn’t right, she let her eldest son, Shen Ting Zhu, immediately leave home, running as far away as possible.
“Send someone out to look for young master Ting Zhu.” Shen Xin Gu calmly said, “Once you catch him, immediately send him to the authorities.”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Once the words ‘send to the authorities’ came out, Xiao-shi was frightened to the point of turning pale, immediately crying out in alarm, “Elder brother, what are you doing this for? What mistakes did Kang Zhu make for you to actually send him to the authorities!? He’s merely just a bit playful and unruly normally. How many noble children aren’t like this…..”
“Just a bit playful and unruly?” Shen first master suddenly slammed the table, coldly shouting, “To the extent of killing someone?! My An Duke Manor’s reputation although is long gone, it still can’t withstand such a disgraceful matter!”
Hearing this, Xiao-shi’s heart sank. She knew that Shen Ting Zhu’s matter got found out by Shen first master. Perhaps, even Chun Xi’s corpse has already gotten dug out by Shen first master.
It truly is those with worthless lives that are the most troublesome!
Xiao-shi was terrified inside, but she pretended to be strong on the surface, “Elder brother, only by covering up this matter now can it be considered living up to the An Duke Manor’s name and face! Yu Zhu had already taken care of this matter, giving that Chun Xi’s father a large sum of money, letting him keep his mouth shut. As long as Chun Xi’s parents don’t say anything, no one will know about this matter………”
Hong Yue Niang had her head down the whole time to the side. Hearing these words, she, who was originally stiff like a puppet, suddenly moved, liking getting her strings pulled by someone. She directly threw herself over, reaching out to hit Xiao-shi, hoarsely shouting, “Ten taels of silver! Ten taels of silver can just buy my daughter’s life? When that Shen Ting Zhu committed the crime, you weren’t scared of losing your An Duke Manor’s face, yet how come now, when the head of your family wants to help my daughter receive justice, it’s suddenly losing face?”
Hong Yue Niang had her hair down and disheveled, in a complete hysteria, a look of a madwoman, greatly scaring Xiao-shi.
Xiao-shi retreated several steps, leaning against Shen Tong Ying and saying with a trembling voice, “You! You’re that Chun Xi’s mother? You’ve already accepted the ten taels of silver. To come again now to make a fuss, is it feeling that the money was too little?”
After Xiao-shi said this, an angry roar came from outside the door, saying, “If you want justice, then first have the money returned!” Turns out, it was Shen second master, Shen Xin Shu, entering in large strides, his face full of anger. He had Xiao-shi pushed behind him, shouting, “Let’s see who dares to touch my son!?”
Hong Yue Niang was just an ordinary woman. Getting yelled at by Shen second master, her body slightly trembled. Recalling how the money had already gotten cleanly spent by her husband, her complexion instantly turned green. A good while later, she finally softly said, “That ten taels of silver, I will return even if working to death like an animal! But Xi’er only has one life, you all also need to return it!”
Seeing her husband come, Xiao-shi was like having found her backbone, instantly calming down. She slowly collected herself, playing with the bracelet on her wrist and sneering, “Paying it back even if working to death like an animal? Afraid in this lifetime of yours, you all won’t be able to gather that much! Buying a servant girl that has signed the slave contract outside only cost seven taels of silver. Giving you ten taels is already giving a sufficient amount of face, you actually even disdain that it’s not enough?”
Hong Yue Niang got mocked to the point of speechlessness. Her thin figure was shaking, like a leaf in the wind, nearly passing out.
Suddenly, Hong Yue Niang’s back got supported by a hand, thus preventing her from falling onto the ground. Shen Lan Chi supported Hong Yue Niang and went forward a step, saying, “If you want money, then I’ll pay it. But, older tang brother has committed murder. The An Duke Manor really shouldn’t shield him.”
This line of hers made Shen second master turn his attention onto her.
“A mere youngster, what are you showing off for?” Shen second master was extremely displeased, sneering and saying, “How I see it, it’s precisely because the crown prince will marry Tong’er, you thus harbored a grudge, waiting for an opportunity to retaliate! To even want to harm your own older brother, truly a very malicious mind!”
Shen Lan Chi choked, feelingly slightly angry inside. Her own older brother was just that thick-headed bookworm, Shen Ting Yuan. These demons and monsters in the second branch, she wasn’t willing to acknowledge!
“To kill someone means to pay with one’s life, it’s only right……..” Just as Shen Lan Chi opened her mouth, Shen second master loudly shouted, ruthlessly saying, “The elders are speaking, where is it your place to interrupt! Where did all the manners you learned go? This lowly woman has no connections and no means, how did she find her way into our An Duke Manor? It certainly must be you, this little brat, that intervene, wanting to kill your older tang brother……..”
Just as Shen second master was going increasingly overboard with his words, a shattering sound came from the other side of the study. Turns out, Shen first master had a white flower ru[2] vase in front of him pushed off the table. That vase was extremely expensive to begin with. As soon as it hit the ground, it immediately shattered into pieces, leaving behind porcelain pieces all over the floor.
“Enough!” Shen first master’s complexion was extremely dark, his hand in his sleeve tightly clenched into a fist, “Second brother, this matter has nothing to do with Lan’er. It was this older brother that found this Hong Yue Niang, and it was also this older brother that sent someone to catch Ting Zhu.”
Pausing for a moment, Shen first master added, “If you have resentment in your heart, then just direct it at this older brother.”
Once these words came out, Shen Lan Chi was slightly astonished.
One must know, her father has always heavily-sided with the second branch, to the extent that her mother would secretly say that he ‘got bewitched’. This kind of situation like today’s, where he pointed the knife at the second branch, was actually a first.
Moreover, this time, he even had the intention of protecting her. For a moment, Shen Lan Chi’s heart surged with all kinds of emotions. She didn’t dare to have herself viewed too importantly, just guessing that because this matter concerned the An Duke Manor’s face, her father would thus be this angry.
Since Shen Xin Gu has spoken, Shen Xin Shu’s arrogance weakened a little. He ruthlessly shot a glare at Shen Lan Chi again, saying in a heavy voice, “Elder brother, it can’t be that for the sake of a mere servant girl, you’re going to have Zhu’er sent to the magistrate office? That servant girl is already dead, merely a lowly life. But, Zhu’er is of our Shen family’s bloodline. Elder brother, how can you bear?”
Shen first master’s hands were pressed against his knees, clenching tighter and tighter.
Once Shen second master finished speaking, Shen first master said with a cold face, “If to want others to not know, then the only way is to not do. Ting Zhu has taken another’s life, already having taken the wrong path, so how can one watch him continue like this?” After saying this, he became increasingly solemn, adding, “Do you know, this Hong Yue Niang nearly hung herself to death before the imperial palace with a letter of grievance? She’s just a village woman, so naturally don’t have this kind of guts. She said that a noble personage behind her had given her pointers, wanting her to hang herself to death with a white silk, so as to enrage his Majesty in the palace!”
His older brother’s every word were like a bolt of lightning, causing Shen Xin Shu’s heart to suddenly sink.
——–A noble personage behind her giving her pointers? Enrage his Majesty in the palace?
In this Chu capital, there were countless people that wanted to see their An Duke Manor go down. That noble like jade second prince, the Liu family behind the second prince, the Ruan family who were the new noble in front of his Majesty, which one wasn’t waiting to see the An Duke Manor make a fool of themselves?
Shen second master glanced at his second son, Shen Ting Kang. Shen Ting Kang was also deep in thought.
The father and son pair shared a glance. Shen Ting Kang nodded his head at Shen second master, giving him an eye signal. Shen second master immediately had a plan inside———This eldest son, Shen Ting Zhu, although looked the most like him, he was also the most disappointing, cock fighting, horse racing, drinking and playing around all day. If for the sake of a Shen Ting Zhu, they were to lose the An Duke Manor, then that would be extremely not worth it.
Seeing her husband’s expression become hard to predict, Xiao-shi was both stressed and worried inside. She hurriedly pulled Shen second master’s sleeve and anxiously said, “Master, you must seek justice for Zhu’er! Zhu’er is of the Shen family’s bloodline, how is that something Chun Xi, that kind of lowly life, can compare with?”
Shen second master already had a plan inside, but on the surface, he still consoled her, “Madam, don’t worry, this matter, I naturally have a plan.” Her second son, Shen Ting Kang, also consoled, “Mother, rest assured. I’m here, certainly won’t let you be too heartbroken.”
Shen Ting Kang although was full of consoling words, he was nevertheless endlessly sneering inside: ‘Mother has lived too smoothly all her life, really having become stupid. An older brother that doesn’t have any future prospects, compared with the An Duke Manor’s reputation, which is more important, wasn’t it obvious?’
Shen Ting Zhu doesn’t want his future prospects, but he, Shen Ting Kang, still does!
Xiao-shi nearly bursted into tears from worry. Hearing these words, she finally had her tears forced back. Like having eaten a reassurance pill, she raised her head with tears in her eyes, forcibly holding herself up and saying to Shen Lan Chi, “I know you have a grudge in your heart, finding a greedy and lowly woman, wanting to get your older tang brother killed. But justice is in the heart of the people, let’s see how long you can stay arrogant!”
“Restrain yourself a little!” Shen second master was scared that Xiao-shi will anger Shen first master again, so immediately reprimanded, “This matter has nothing to do with niece Lan Chi, so keep quiet!”
The inside of the study finally quieted down. Shen first master opened his mouth and asked, “Has young master Ting Zhu been found?”
• • •
East district, Beizhi street.
Shen Ting Zhu weighed the money pouch in hand, leisurely wandering through the alleys in boredom.
This east district can’t compare with the west district. Once it entered the night, every household all shut their doors and kept to themselves, not having the slightest bit of clamor or music. It was impossible to even find a tiny bit of entertainment on the road.
Shen Ting Zhu was the eldest di son at home, having gotten spoiled by his mother since childhood, thus ending up lazy and unambitious. He hasn’t even married a main wife, yet already played around with all the servant girls and servant women at home. Because he had a good appearance, those servant girls not only didn’t get angry, they even jealously fought over him. Shen Ting Zhu frequently felt immensely proud because of this.
If to say where he’d suffered a setback before, then it was just last time with that Chun Xi———-This little servant girl didn’t know her place, actually slapping him in bed, ruining his mood.
Today, unknown as to why, his mother was suddenly super generous, giving him a pouch of money, letting him go out for a stroll and hide outside for a day or two. Don’t know what happened.
Perhaps, it was because that outer mistress that he was raising last time got discovered by his uncle, and his uncle wants to meddle again.
Thinking to here, Shen Ting Zhu felt extremely annoyed. Taking in a concubine, raising an outer mistress, how proper of a romantic affair was that? Yet, that uncle, never mind that he himself was unromantic, only spending his days with that old woman, he didn’t allow him to be free either, insisting that he was ‘forcibly taking advantage of girls from respectable families’, even wanting to go deliver gifts and apologize.
So excessive!
His mother told him to hide outside for a few days, but where should he go?
The House of Heavenly Fragrance, he can’t go. This bit of money in his hand wasn’t even enough to brush off the servant girls under the head courtesan Hong Ling.
Those outer mistresses’ place, he further can’t go. Perhaps, his uncle has already sent people to guard there, waiting to catch him.
Just as Shen Ting Zhu was vexed over where to go, he suddenly saw a tall horse come over from across the street, and on the horse’s back sat a young man in a jade crown and brocade. Turns out, it was the heir of the Zhennan Wang Manor, Lu Qi Yang.
Seeing Lu Qi Yang, Shen Ting Zhu suddenly became excited.
If to say who in the Chu capital knew how to play around the most, and who was the most generous, then it was precisely this heir without a doubt. Shen Ting Zhu although never ran into Lu Qi Yang before in the brothels and entertainment houses, but he once competed in bidding with Lu Qi Yang before over a copper mirror embedded with jewels. He bid five hundred, the heir followed with a thousand. He bid a thousand, the heir followed with five thousand. The generousness of his hand, no one can beat.
At the time, Shen Ting Zhu even thought: ‘Incredible, there’s actually an even bigger money-waster than him in the capital! He was buying this copper mirror to give to Heavenly Fragrance’s Miss Hong Ling, don’t know which female friend the heir was going to give it to?’
Thinking like this, Shen Ting Zhu revealed a smile, going forward to greet, “Yo, heir, where did you come back from?”
Lu Qi Yang pulled the reins and looked down, spending a good bit of time before finally recognizing who this was, “So, it’s the Shen family’s young master. I’d just returned from the army camp outside of the city, thus riding on horseback.”
The heir wore a sword on his right side, the sword’s buckle[3] decorated with a penannular jade pendant. The crown in his hair was adorned with red beads, slowly hanging down. His graceful figure was like jade, natural and refined. If not for the fact that he was a wastrel, the girls of the Chu capital certainly would throw fruits to fill his carriage[4].
“Army camp? How come heir suddenly changed?” Shen Ting Zhu’s tone was extremely chummy, saying with a laugh, “To encounter here like this, it is also fate. How about heir take me to broaden my horizons?”
“Oh?” Lu Qi Yang’s line of sight swept over Shen Ting Zhu’s smiling face, his expression not changing. A while later, he hooked the corner of his lips, soundlessly smiling. He gently said, “In that case, why don’t Young Master Shen come with me.”
Unknown as to why, Shen Ting Zhu suddenly felt that Lu Qi Yang’s smile was even harder to grasp than that second prince.
[1] Essentially a dumping site for unwanted and unclaimed corpses.
[2] Ru ware (汝瓷) – This was an extremely famous and rare type of pottery that were purely produced in the Song dynasty for the imperial court. They were specifically commissioned by the imperial court and were considered ‘official government ware’. It’s said that only those that were rejected by the imperial court were able to reach a wider market. Because these were only produced for a very brief period of time, less than a hundred pieces have survived to this day.
[3] This piece on the sheath used to attach the sword to the belt.
[4] This is an old idiom used to describe how girls in ancient times went crazy for handsome men. It comes from an anecdote about Pan An, a very renowned handsome man in ancient times. Pan An’s real name was Pan Yue, but his courtesy name was An Ren. He was a poet during the Western Jin dynasty. One day, when he was going out to play, all the young girls were so taken by his looks, they surrounded him, and some of the older girls threw fruits at him to express their admiration towards him.
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