Chapter 110: Reunion of Husband and Wife
Muling County.
Behind the county yamen, Yang Huai paced anxiously back and forth. A middle-aged official sat on a rosewood chair, his face dark with concern.
The official spoke, “This matter isn’t as simple as you think. Now that Liu Yongfu’s family has taken your money, they have acknowledged that the embroidered shoes belonged to Liu Xiang. They even instructed him to testify and frame Qiu Henian. However, chopping off a head is not that easy. As long as Qiu Henian refuses to admit guilt, even if the county yamen sentences him, there’s a good chance it will be overturned upon review. If that happens, both of us will be in big trouble!”
Yang Huai paced a few more times and abruptly stopped, asking, “Can’t you torture him? If Qiu Henian is stubborn, use the methods available in your yamen. He’ll have to confess sooner or later!”
The official replied, “How do you know what I haven’t tried? He spent many years in the Imperial Guards and received corresponding training. Besides…”
He hesitated.
“What?” Yang Huai asked.
The official hesitated before saying, “I feel something isn’t right. In that prison, I’m afraid someone is protecting him.”
Yang Huai gritted his teeth.
“Since nothing else works, let’s poison him to death. Afterwards, we’ll claim it was a sudden illness. I’ll grease the palms of the coroners. You won’t have to worry about being implicated. I’ll ensure your promotion won’t be affected.”
The official hesitated, “We should consider this carefully.”
Yang Huai’s anger flared.
“You have two days. If you can’t find a way to kill him by then, I’ll take matters into my own hands!”
…
Capital City.
On the second day of his arrival here, an imperial envoy named Qiu Yan dispatched by the Emperor departed secretly for Muling County in the north.
Early the next morning, Qingyan watched from a nearby alley as Qiu Yan rode off with several attendants.
They had met briefly at the post station the previous night.
Qiu Yan had informed him that everything was arranged and he would depart the next day.
Originally, Qingyan planned to return to Muling County with him. However, Qiu Yan’s serious expression warned him otherwise, “There might be trouble over there in the coming days. I need to hurry over with my men.”
Being pregnant, Qingyan couldn’t endure a fast-paced ride.
It seemed that news had reached Qiu Yan from Muling. Qingyan was alarmed and asked urgently, “What happened?”
Qiu Yan reassured him, “As long as I arrive promptly, he’ll be fine. You can rest assured.”
Thus, they decided that Qiu Yan would go ahead with his men while Qingyan would continue with the merchant caravan.
Despite his anxiety, Qingyan understood that it would be risky for him and Shen Min to return alone. Even with Feng Yin present, it wouldn’t be safe. Thus, he had no choice but to stay behind.
Luckily, Feng Lao San knew of his urgency, and the matter was expedited. Within two days, the goods purchased for the journey were loaded onto the carts.
The merchant caravan set off a day and a half after Qiu Yan, but the heavy load slowed their progress noticeably.
Fortunately, the weather was fine on the return journey, with rain showers that quickly passed, unlike the heavy rain encountered on the way here.
Qingyan’ condition was visibly worse than before. He became increasingly restless and spent more time lying down.
When Shen Min suggested that he rest his head on his lap, he didn’t refuse for fear of causing trouble, lying quietly with a pale face.
On the second day of the journey back, Qingyan vomited twice.
By the third day, he could only manage a bowl of vegetable soup all day and couldn’t eat anything else.
On the fourth day of their return journey, Qingyan developed a low-grade fever and lost his voice. Initially, he could speak a few words, but later he couldn’t make any sound despite his efforts.
Shen Min was extremely anxious but didn’t dare to administer medicine randomly. When Feng Lao San saw this, he could only try to speed up their journey.
By the fifth day, they finally arrived at a town they had passed on the way here. There, Qingyan was examined by a local doctor. After taking some medicine, his fever finally subsided, but he still couldn’t speak.
Qingyan wrote a message on the ground with a stick. Shen Min and Feng Lao San bent down to read it.
He had written, “Hurry on the road. Don’t delay because of me.”
So the caravan continued on its way and, on the morning of the sixth day, finally entered Muling County.
Upon entering Muling County, the merchant caravan rested on the outskirts while they prepared for their separate deliveries to various shops.
As usual, Feng Lao San first delivered goods to the Fragrant Melody Pavillion in town, prioritizing their initial batch.
However, Qingyan, the shop’s owner, was currently preoccupied. When the merchant caravan stopped for rest, he separated from Feng Lao San and the others.
With Shen Min driving the cart, Shen Min accompanied him directly to the county yamen.
Upon arriving at the county yamen’s gate, they found it closed.
They knocked on the door for a long time until an elderly man with one blind eye came out to look at them.
Qingyan still couldn’t speak, so Shen Min asked on his behalf, “Why is there no one at the yamen today?”
The old man replied, “Today is a day off. If you have business, come back in a couple of days.”
Shen Min glanced at the anxious Qingyan and asked again, “Did a gentleman named Qiu from the capital visit here a few days ago?”
The old man said, “I don’t know anything about gentlemen named Qiu or Dong*. I’m just the gatekeeper. If you have business, come back in a couple of days.”
*T/N: Wordplay: Qiu= winter (秋); Dong= Autumn (冬)
With that, he slammed the door shut.
Shen Min looked at Qingyan with some guilt, feeling responsible for not getting clear answers.
Qingyan patted his hand, shook his head, and pointed his chin towards where Feng Lao San was waiting, indicating they should return first.
So the carriage clattered its way back to town.
Qingyan couldn’t speak, his expression calm but his bloodshot eyes and tightly clenched fists betraying his anxiety.
Shen Min whispered, “That man knew nothing. When we get to your Fragrant Melody Pavillion and see Aunt Li, we’ll understand what’s going on.”
Qingyan nodded.
From the county town to the town, Feng Lao San drove the carriage with urgency, though he didn’t strike the horse, which had a mind of its own and knew to run fast.
After more than an hour, they entered Liulin Town.
Once in town, Feng Lao San slowed the carriage down, carefully maneuvering through the pedestrians in the market square.
As they neared Fragrant Melody Pavillion, more and more people crowded the streets. Fragrant Melody Pavillion was situated in the busiest section of the market, always bustling with activity.
From afar, Qingyan spotted Feng Lao San’s figure. His carriage was parked below the steps, noticeably less laden with goods, indicating Aunt Li and the others had likely finished unloading.
At that moment, Feng Lao San was standing at the entrance of Fragrant Melody Pavillion, conversing with someone inside. As Qingyan approached closer, he could clearly see the smile on Feng Lao San’s profile. After a brief exchange, Feng Lao San bowed respectfully, took a step back, and then descended the steps.
Just then, someone emerged from Fragrant Melody Pavillion, evidently heading towards Feng Lao San’s carriage. Qingyan stared blankly at the figure that emerged, tears blurring his vision.
The person wore a gray robe, tall and broad-shouldered with a slim waist and long legs. As he walked down the steps, the wind tousled his hair tied at the back of his head, brushing across his face until he brushed it aside with a hand.
Suddenly, Shen Min exclaimed beside Qingyan, “It’s Qiu Henian!”
Upon hearing the voice, Qiu Henian turned his head and looked over. His serene eyes, like a calm lake, trembled as he noticed the person on the carriage.
His gaze stirred like a gust of wind, causing ripples in his calm demeanor.
“Feng Yin!”
Feng Lao San halted the carriage.
Qingyan pushed aside the blanket covering his legs and descended. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he ran towards Qiu Henian.
Qiu Henian quickly reacted as well.
It seemed like he called out “Qingyan,” then turned and strode towards the person rushing towards him.
When they came close, ignoring the many eyes watching them, they instinctively raised their hands and embraced each other.
Shen Min held Qingyan’ robe, following behind them. At first, he called out, “Cover yourself with this robe, don’t catch a cold!”
Later, seeing the two tightly embracing each other, he anxiously shouted, “Be careful, be careful of your belly!”
Qiu Henian heard her words, loosened his grip on Qingyan’ arms, and instead held his shoulders.
Qingyan looked up at him, eyes reddened, mouth opening several times but unable to make a sound.
Qiu Henian’s gaze moved tenderly from his face to his body, then lingered on his abdomen. After understanding what he saw, his expression shifted from surprise to joy.
Nearly twenty days apart, after enduring various hardships, Qingyan’ belly had swelled slightly, noticeable even under his clothes.
Their little bean had grown!
Spoiler for the Next Chapter:
In just twenty days, the little bit of flesh he had painstakingly nurtured over the past few months had all but disappeared. He was even thinner than before he conceived, with his waist sunken in, arms and legs slender, chin sharp and small, and eyes looking particularly large.
