Shao Shang had rarely been startled in both her lifetimes combined. Firstly, because her tolerance threshold was high—there was nothing new under the sun. If the ex and current boyfriends of her gang leader could passionately kiss in a dark alley after drinking, what else was there to be shocked about? Secondly, because she was good at pretending. Even if she was scared to death inside, she could still act as if nothing had happened.
But this time, the shock was beyond her professional capacity. Originally, she had regarded Ling Buyi as lofty and radiant, like a revolutionary martyr who saved people from dire straits. Yet today, she discovered that Ling Buyi himself was the dire straits—dragging you in without hesitation.
In the carriage, Ling Buyi seemed to have quoted a couple of lines from Zhuangzi about life and death. Shao Shang, dazed, didn’t catch them clearly and casually replied, "Oh, is Zhuangzi going to the He Family today too?" Then Ling Buyi fell silent. When the carriage stopped, he directly grabbed her by the collar and marched her into the He residence, now draped in mourning white.
To her relief, He Zhaojun also seemed thoroughly startled, standing there in stunned disbelief. The He Family steward quietly reminded her to personally hand over two bundles of incense sticks, but she ended up shoving an entire incense burner into Shao Shang’s arms. Shao Shang stood there woodenly, at a complete loss. Unable to bear it, Ling Buyi took the incense burner from her and returned it to the pale-faced steward. Then he pulled her along to light the incense and offer it before the memorial tablets of Lord He and his sons, bowing and kneeling in prayer.
Only after kowtowing three times did Shao Shang snap out of her daze. Seizing the moment when Ling Buyi went to the side of the mourning hall to console the remaining members of the He Family’s private army, she whispered hurriedly to He Zhaojun, "I didn’t come here willingly—Ling Buyi forced me!"
He Zhaojun glanced warily at Ling Buyi and the private army across the hall and whispered back, "Obviously. Did you think I couldn’t tell? That Ling guy is ruthless—I saw it firsthand when he escorted us back to the Capital City. But why did he force you to come?"
"Well…" Shao Shang smacked her lips, struggling to explain. "Everyone will know in a few days. Uh… Lord Ling and I got engaged. Yesterday."
"What?!" He Zhaojun nearly jumped, though having endured the tragic deaths of her father and brothers, she managed not to make too much of a scene. "Didn’t you just break off your engagement with the Lou Family yesterday?"
Shao Shang sighed. "Exactly. Yesterday. Broke off the engagement in the morning, got engaged in the afternoon." It was like rushing for a train during the New Year travel season—she didn’t even have time to grieve.
Just then, a burst of enthusiastic congratulations rose from the other side. Presumably, Ling Buyi had also announced their engagement to the He Family’s private army. The men in mourning robes and the bereaved family members clasped their hands and bowed in congratulations.
The two women turned their attention back to each other. He Zhaojun studied her for a long moment before suddenly sighing deeply. "I’ve brought this upon you."
Hearing this, Shao Shang felt an immediate kinship. After a long pause, she said emotionally, "I never expected you to say that. I thought you’d tell me I’d landed a great deal—that if I’d known such a good match was waiting, I shouldn’t have refused to break off the engagement earlier, putting on such a hypocritical act…"
He Zhaojun’s eyes flashed with mockery. "Ling Buyi may be handsome, but he’s unusually ruthless. You haven’t seen it—back in Fengyi County, to extract information about Xiao Shi’s escapees, he showed no mercy in tormenting the women of the Xiao royal household."
Shao Shang’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t help but glance at Ling Buyi across the hall—his tall, straight-backed figure moving with dignified grace. Stuttering, she asked, "So… did they catch the escapees in the end?""...They caught him." He Zhaojun curled her lips. "Ling Buyi was right. Since everything happened so suddenly, not only was my father unprepared, but the Xiao Manor also didn't expect to be completely defeated within three days. The Xiao Prince and his sons were either dead or captured. In that instant, there was no time to cover their tracks. It was the Xiao Princess Consort who arranged for the youngest son to escape and hide a large sum of wealth. The other women in the household knew a little about it too. Ling Buyi started with the princesses and within half a day, he had forced the information out of the concubines and side consorts."
Shao Shang's mouth felt dry, unsure of what to think. She said stiffly, "Well, at least he's ruthless in the right places."
He Zhaojun rolled her eyes. "You think I pity the Xiao family?! Hmph, the Emperor is merciful. The younger children of the Xiao Prince weren't killed—just exiled at most. I'm talking about Ling Buyi... Hmph, I've seen it clearly now. What's the use of a man being handsome and charming? What matters is a kind and gentle heart!"
Shao Shang replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Yes, that's exactly what I think too." So now that you've suffered at the hands of the dashing scoundrel, you realize the virtues of the honest man, huh? Tsk tsk, bad omen—A Yao is no Wu Dalang! Amitabha!
He Zhaojun finally realized her words were inappropriate and glanced at Shao Shang awkwardly. "The household officials told me that your father and mother were famously righteous and heroic during their campaigns. The Cheng family... are all good, kind-hearted people."
"Glad you know that!" Shao Shang knew she wouldn’t praise her directly, so she seized the moment. "If not for my father and mother’s sake, and to spare them embarrassment, I would never have agreed to break off the engagement!"
He Zhaojun snorted coldly and turned away without another word.
Shao Shang looked around, reluctant to go near Ling Buyi. After scanning the room, she noticed a frail, middle-aged woman kneeling weakly in a corner. She looked haggard and sickly, surrounded by maids fussing over her, completely out of place in the martial atmosphere of the mourning hall. Shao Shang asked just to make conversation, "Who is that lady?"
He Zhaojun replied indifferently, "My stepmother. Today is the last day of the wake—the weather is too warm, and the deceased can’t wait any longer. My stepmother is unwell, so I told her she didn’t need to come, but she insisted."
Shao Shang studied the sickly-looking Madam He from afar and thought, No wonder General He entrusted the whole family to his daughter. Then a thought struck her. "If tomorrow is the burial... what about A Yao?"
He Zhaojun shot her a glance, as if reading her mind. "After your family came to break off the engagement yesterday, A Yao fell ill. But he still sent his attendant to say he’d definitely come early tomorrow for the burial."
Shao Shang felt a pang of sadness. "A Yao is truly a sincere gentleman. Once he makes up his mind, he’ll treat you well. You don’t need to worry."
He Zhaojun said coldly, "That’s someone else’s betrothed now. Please refrain from calling him ‘A Yao’ so casually, Cheng Niangzi. It displeases me."
"I’ll call him that if I want—what can you do about it?!" Shao Shang was never one to back down from a threat. "Hmph, let me tell you, you’d better drop that nasty temper of yours. A Yao doesn’t owe you anything. He’s prepared to live a good life with you, but if you bully him or throw tantrums again, I’ll take him back!" Let’s see who dares to mess with someone under my protection! To her surprise, He Zhaojun calmly replied, "No, you wouldn't. You and I are the same kind of people. As long as it ensures your father and brothers' safety and keeps your family together, you wouldn't trade them for eighteen Lou Yaos."
Shao Shang was genuinely taken aback by He Zhaojun's words and stared at her in silence for a long while.
After lunch at the He Family and some casual conversation with the ladies, Shao Shang finally boarded the carriage with Ling Buyi to return home. Only when the wheels began to turn did she speak: "I truly didn't expect you to be so kind and patient when speaking to those injured soldiers of the He Family's private army."
Ling Buyi leaned against the window frame, the slanting sunlight casting a glow on his handsome, distant-mountain-like brows. Gazing at the girl's translucent, fair complexion, he said softly, "Generals may appear to live in glory, but death can come in an instant. If I treat them well, perhaps if something happens to me in the future, someone will treat my family with kindness in return."
Shao Shang sighed casually, "Yes, if something were to happen to you, I wonder if anyone would give up their betrothed for me."
The carriage fell silent, the sound of turning wheels audible outside—
Ling Buyi slowly turned his head and fixed his gaze on the girl.
Shao Shang felt a chill under his stare when suddenly an idea struck her. She exclaimed loudly, "Oh, I misspoke! If something were to happen to you, I'd be your widow. Even if someone were to yield, it should be to our daughter, not me!"
Ling Buyi continued to watch her. Shao Shang quickly smiled apologetically, "I was just confused for a moment and got it wrong!"
"Actually, you're overthinking it too," Shao Shang continued to coax. "They say daughters take after their fathers. With your looks, how could our daughter be anything less? Would she even need others to yield? More likely, people would be begging for her hand!"
Ling Buyi shook his head with a smile, unsure whether he truly believed her sweet talk or simply found her amusing.
When they arrived at the Cheng Residence gate, Ling Buyi helped Shao Shang down from the carriage and said with a smile, "Your parents must be exhausted today, so I won't disturb them by entering. Rest well these next few days. Once news of our betrothal spreads, your household may not have a moment's peace."
"Exhausted? More like terrified," Shao Shang retorted, shooting him a playful glare that was half-annoyed, half-delighted.
Unable to resist, Ling Buyi reached out and touched the soft ribbon tied in her hair, feeling an inexplicable warmth in his chest.
Shao Shang cheerfully headed toward the Cheng Residence gate, but before she had taken two steps, Ling Buyi called out to her, "Shao Shang, there are still some pastries in the carriage box. Would you like to take some?" Shao Shang smiled and shook her head in refusal.
After another two steps, Ling Buyi called again, "It's getting late. Don't skip or jump—watch out for the pebbles underfoot."
Shao Shang nodded.
In that short distance, Ling Buyi stopped her three or four times. By the time Shao Shang finally made it to the door—as if breaking through enemy lines—the old steward Cheng Shun, who had been waiting by the entrance, beamed like a chrysanthemum and eagerly welcomed the Young Lady inside.
Cheng Shaogong stood grumbling in the front courtyard, waiting for his younger sister, who had left early that morning and only just returned. "Finally decided to come back? Father and Mother have been home for ages."
Shao Shang rolled her eyes at him. "Third Brother, now that you finally have the most formidable and decisive brother-in-law in the entire Capital City, don't just stand there—go outside and see if he's still there. Let's hope you can handle him!"Cheng Shaogong chuckled nonchalantly, "If you can endure it, so can I. It's not me who has to spend a lifetime with him—at most, I'll just exchange pleasantries during festivals. What can he possibly do to me?"
Shao Shang glared at him before turning to walk ahead. "By the way, where are Father and Mother?"
"They've retired for the night."
Shao Shang stopped in her tracks, puzzled. "So early? They haven't even had dinner yet."
"They said they're too exhausted and not to wait for them for dinner."
Shao Shang turned back to look at her brother. Truth be told, she was also exhausted—mentally drained.
Author's Note:
Originally planned to write a long chapter covering a whole event, but ended up with a splitting headache and couldn't continue. I'll make up for it later.
Just a reminder to all the little angels participating in the Lantern Festival poetry contest: please post your poems under Chapter 69 for uniformity, so I won't miss any. The winners will receive lots of ** coins after the festival.
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