Chapter 134: This Sorrow Has Nothing to Do with Wind and Moon (I)

In the silent atmosphere, the sound of tearing fabric was extraordinarily sharp and harsh, resembling a bloody gash slashed across smooth skin. Chuxiu lowered her gaze and saw that the seam of her sleeve had been rudely ripped open. Instantly, her delicate brows knitted together and her expression darkened. Before she could utter a reprimand, someone had already stepped ahead of her and seized Helian Qi’s right wrist.

"Jingyue!" Nie Peixiao’s expression was unkind. His handsome eyes glanced sideways at Helian Qi, his gloomy countenance a precursor to erupting fury.

Helian Qi froze for a fraction of a second. Realizing his lack of composure, he hurriedly released Chuxiu’s sleeve, struggling to control the trembling in his voice: "I have been impolite. I beg... Madam, please do not take offense."

Outside the teahouse at this moment, several groups of people were waiting. There were the subordinates brought by Nie Peixiao, Helian Qi’s attendants, and of course, the servants from the Yun estate who had accompanied Chuxiu to Jingzhou. Earlier, because she needed to catch up with Qu Fang and Yuewan, Chuxiu had dismissed all the servants, leaving only Zhuying and Zhuyang to attend her. Yet now, having been rudely offended by Helian Qi, all factions had witnessed the scene. As someone who treasured her reputation, Chuxiu naturally found it difficult to let the matter pass.

Suddenly, a crisp exclamation of "Oops" rang out from among the groups. Danxin was seen hurrying over, deftly pulling Chuxiu’s right hand away from Nie Peixiao’s grasp. Feigning a lowered head to inspect the embroidery, she muttered aloud, "Madam’s dress has split at the seam! Tomorrow you must scold the head of Yunjin Manor; how dare they send such shoddy embroidery for you to wear!"

Chuxiu’s cold expression remained without a reply, and Danxin hurriedly cast a sideways glance at Zhuyang: "Sister Zhuyang, in which carriage did we put the sewing kit?"

Zhuyang immediately understood and replied, "In the carriage Madam rides in." She thought for a moment and added, "Actually, this dress doesn't need mending; Madam certainly won't wear it again." Her words carried a double meaning, and Zhuyang deliberately glanced at Helian Qi as she spoke.

Helian Qi kept his eyes fixed on Chuxiu, as if waiting for a word from her. Yet, frustratingly, Chuxiu merely lowered her gaze in silence, letting Danxin chatter at her ear: "Madam, let's not delay any longer. Third Master sent word that he wants to host a welcome banquet for you tomorrow night!"

Only then did Chuxiu lightly lift her left hand, slowly tracing the torn seam of her sleeve, before raising her eyes to instruct Danxin: "Give the order, let us continue the journey. Spare another carriage for divine doctor Qu."

Danxin immediately acknowledged the command and invited Qu Fang and Yuewan to board their carriage first. Chuxiu nodded in farewell to Nie Peixiao, and the group each boarded their carriages, the rumbling wheels setting off once more.

Watching the line of Yun family carriages gradually recede into the distance, Nie Peixiao finally snapped out of his daze and looked at the disconsolate Helian Qi. "Jingyue, do you know Madam Chuxiu?" he asked cautiously.

Helian Qi remained absent-minded for a long while before slowly recovering, saying to Nie Peixiao, "We are not acquainted... Madam Chuxiu resembles an old friend of mine, and just now I acted on impulse and mistook her for someone else."

How could Nie Peixiao possibly believe that? From the expressions of the two just moments ago, it was abundantly clear they knew each other. In particular, Madam Chuxiu had always been gentle and courteous; had it been their first meeting, she certainly would have exchanged a few polite pleasantries with Helian Qi.

Knowing he would get no answers out of him, and realizing the matter was unrelated to himself, Nie Peixiao bid a hasty farewell to Helian Qi. After wandering around the small town for the entire morning just to keep up appearances, he galloped back to Jing州.

*****

On the following evening, the Yun family contingent managed to enter the city just before the gates closed. Yun Xian had no idea of the exact time of Chuxiu’s arrival, so he had set up no "welcome banquet"; all of that had merely been Danxin’s pretext.

Upon entering Jingzhou City, Chuxiu had no time to settle down or rest. Her very first priority was to head straight to Zhuihong Courtyard—the current residence of Shen Yu and Yun Xiangrong.

Chuxiu ordered all irrelevant personnel to withdraw, taking only Zhuying, Danxin, Zhuyang, and the father-daughter duo of Qu Fang into the courtyard. Not a single servant was to be seen in Zhuihong Courtyard; even Chuxue and Liuguang were absent, leaving only Yun Xiangrong to greet them at the courtyard gates.

As the setting sun descended like molten gold, returning after a full four years away filled Chuxiu with deep emotion. Every single landscape, object, grass, and tree here maintained the exact same layout as four years ago. Only the dust on the eaves and the withered state of the garden spoke of the helplessness of destiny and the vast desolation of worldly affairs.

She vividly remembered how awestruck she had been as a humble courtesan when she first stepped into Zhuihong Courtyard. And now, revisiting the old place, how heavy her sighs...

"Xiangrong greets sister-in-law." Looking haggard, Yun Xiangrong paid her respects to Chuxiu with flawless etiquette. Catching sight of Qu Fang standing nearby, she paused slightly in surprise before smiling, "The divine doctor has come as well. That is wonderful; perhaps you can persuade the young marquis."

"Where is there any 'young marquis' nowadays? As his wife, you should pay closer attention to your words and avoid bringing him further trouble." Chuxiu offered a mild reprimand to Yun Xiangrong, hardly showing any leniency even in front of outsiders. It was not that she was making a mountain out of a molehill, nor was she overcorrecting; the reality was simply too painful.

On the very second day after Shen Yu moved out of the Wenchang Marquis Estate, his eldest brother Shen Zan was stripped of his title, and all members of his household were imprisoned. Half a month later, implicated by Prince Fu's rebellion, the entire Wenchang Marquis Estate suffered execution. The reason Shen Yu was able to spare his life, as the world whispered, was because the Yun family had intervened and vigorously protected their own son-in-law.

Chuxiu had never visited the Wenchang Marquis Estate, but she could well imagine how desolate that mansion must have been. King Mu had at least shown utmost benevolence by preserving this private residence under Shen Yu’s name, providing him and Yun Xiangrong with a place of refuge.

Just seeing the sparse human presence around Zhuihong Courtyard made Shen Yu’s destitution all too clear.

The more Chuxiu thought about it, the more distressed she felt. Unable to catch sight of Shen Yu anywhere, she couldn't help asking Yun Xiangrong, "Where is he?"

Amidst her haggardness, Yun Xiangrong’s expression turned even gloomier. "The young marquis... my husband has been drowning his sorrows in alcohol day after day, and I have never seen him sober... Right now, he is lying in the western courtyard."

Drowning his sorrows in alcohol day after day? Chuxiu’s heart sank. She quickly quickened her pace toward the western courtyard, followed by Qu Fang and the others. The vegetation in the western courtyard remained as it was, with little difference from when she left. Relying on her memory, Chuxiu walked to the main courtyard. Before she even stepped inside, she was driven back by a wave of thick, choking alcohol fumes.

Covering her nose with her sleeve and taking two steps back, she turned to Qu Fang and said, "Divine doctor, please trouble yourself to go in and check on him. If he is dead drunk, just find a way to wake him up." Entering so abruptly, she feared she might witness Shen Yu in an unkempt and disgraceful state, which would only add to their mutual awkwardness.

Qu Fang had long anticipated that Shen Yu would be in such a state. He lowered his head and gave a few instructions to his adopted daughter Yuewan, who retrieved two porcelain bottles from her medical kit and handed them over. Qu Fang took them, specifically pulled out the corks to sniff them, and confirming they were correct, walked straight into the house.

Chuxiu and the others waited outside the door. Seeing Yun Xiangrong biting her lip in silence, Chuxiu felt a surge of growing displeasure. She glanced at Danxin and the others and said, "You all step aside first; I have things to say to the eldest miss."

Danxin, Zhuying, Zhuyang, and Yuewan were sensible enough to withdraw outside the courtyard to await orders. Only then did Chuxiu reprimand Yun Xiangrong: "Since you married him, you ought to fulfill a wife's responsibilities. He drinks himself into a stupor, he grieves—did you simply leave him to his own devices?"

Yun Xiangrong lowered her head, her face pale as she replied, "How could I possibly manage him? We couldn't even speak... From our wedding day until now, he hasn't even consummated our marriage..."

Not consummated their marriage? Chuxiu was startled, feeling an inexplicable surge of mounting irritation. She scolded Yun Xiangrong further: "Without consummation, are you no longer his wife? By your logic, the marquis passed away nearly three years ago, and I don't even have a husband—why must I bitterly struggle to support the Yun family business?"

Hearing this, Yun Xiangrong finally showed a trace of shame, mingled with a hint of defiance as she retorted, "I don't know what I did wrong; he won't even look me in the eye... Even if he dislikes me, I am at least his savior..."

As Yun Xiangrong spoke, her voice choked with tears. "They say that 'absolute sincerity can crack even metal and stone.' I originally thought it would be the same for us... I accompanied him through the confiscation of his property and imprisonment without uttering a single complaint... Yet how has he treated me? Sister-in-law, I am unconvinced!"

Hearing this, Chuxiu could only turn her face away in silence. What was she supposed to say in reply? She was the least qualified person to comfort Yun Xiangrong.

Seeing this, Yun Xiangrong hesitated for a moment before blurting out everything: "Actually, sister-in-law, you shouldn't have made this trip... He is suffering in his heart, he wants to drink, and I can accompany him and understand him, at least then he won't be thinking of you... But now that you've come, all my efforts have been in vain!"

Chuxiu had long known that Yun Xiangrong must have discovered something, but she had never expected Yun Xiangrong to cast aside all pretense and speak of it outright. Nor could she offer any defense. It was indeed her fault to begin with; logically speaking, Shen Yu had merely been her former master and benefactor, and was now her brother-in-law. Though her visit was born of good intentions...

For a widow to harbor thoughts of her brother-in-law would indeed invite idle gossip. For a fleeting moment of impulse, Chuxiu almost wanted to turn and leave, but then she thought of Shen Yu’s current state...

Once upon a time, when Yun Ci had just passed away, how agonizing it had been for her—she had nearly followed him in death. Shen Yu’s caring words of comfort back then were still vivid in her mind; his support and dedication had been one of the driving forces that kept her alive. To a certain extent, without Shen Yu, there would be no Madam Chuxiu of today.

The ways of the world were like a game of chess, and fate was ever unpredictable. Now that his family was ruined and gone, how could she turn a blind eye and remain indifferent? Saving his life meant nothing if she could not save his heart!

Thinking of this, Chuxiu’s throat tightened with emotion. Lowering her gaze to compose herself for a long moment, she finally spoke in a hushed, resolute voice to Yun Xiangrong: "Just this once. Let me wake him up, and from this day forward, we shall never meet again."

Never meeting again did not mean she would stop caring. She could silently support him from the shadows and help him find his footing once more.

Yun Xiangrong opened her mouth, about to say something further, when she saw Qu Fang emerge from the house, shaking his head with a sigh: "He should have sobered up by now, but he is still drunk. I fear... he simply refuses to wake up."

He refuses to wake up? Chuxiu had experienced the agony of losing loved ones herself; how could she not understand that reluctance to face reality? Without another word, she stepped up onto the porch and turned back to instruct Qu Fang, "No matter what happens inside the house, none of you are to enter."

With those words, she pressed her lips together and stepped inside.

The evening had deepened, and candlelight flickered. The smell of alcohol inside the room was somewhat lighter than before. Chuxiu first opened all the windows to air out the space, then walked around the screen to look at the man half-lying on the bed. Ever since Shen Yu escaped from Yanlan City, a full seventeen months had passed. In seventeen months apart, Chuxiu could scarcely recognize him!