Having vented her frustrations to her heart's content, Shao Shang forced herself to remain composed as she washed up and changed clothes, then resolutely tried to sleep despite her violently twitching eyelids.
Yet she was no master of deception after all. The reckless courage that had allowed her to spew out days of pent-up resentment had now faded, leaving anxiety creeping quietly in its wake. Under the thin blanket, she traced the faintly painful bruises on her arms, her heart filled with irritation and tangled with traces of fear.
Ling Buyi might appear refined and fair-skinned, but he'd possessed extraordinary strength since childhood. Whenever he saw Shao Shang struggling with large pieces of lumber, a single effortless motion from him could split wood or break stakes. Thus he was always extremely careful in their daily interactions—yet clearly he'd lost control when embracing her earlier, nearly squeezing all the air from her lungs, not to mention leaving bruises on her arms.
That night, Shao Shang was plagued by nightmares—like scenes from an old film replaying endlessly. Over and over she dreamed of Ling Buyi raising high that Divine Weapon like a Golden Crow Crimson Phoenix, cleaving the bandit leader in two; then suddenly she'd see the slight curve of his beautiful pale red lips as he smilingly accepted the clear wine she offered—only to casually snap her wrist.
The next day, Ling Buyi didn't come.
As a responsible troublemaker, Shao Shang dressed properly that evening to "confess her crimes" at her parents' residence. After respectfully raising her arms and kowtowing, she recounted verbatim everything she'd said to Ling Buyi the previous night.
Actually, Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao had already heard from old steward Cheng Shun about the unusual incident between their daughter and Ling Buyi, but the couple hadn't thought much of it, assuming it was just lovers' quarreling—since it had ended in an embrace, it surely couldn't be serious.
Only now, hearing the full story, did they realize its gravity. The couple exchanged glances, both eyes filled with unease.
"...This daughter acted presumptuously by proposing to cancel the engagement to Lord Ling on my own initiative. I beg my parents to punish me." Shao Shang prostrated on the floor, her voice flat.
Madam Xiao's long-dormant fury surged forth as she scolded: "How dare you! Do you have any idea of the consequences? This marriage isn't some village agreement you can take up or discard as you please! You ignorant, insolent wretch—do you know what calamity you might bring upon our family?!"
Shao Shang stubbornly straightened her back: "Mother needn't worry—it won't implicate our family. I've agreed with Lord Ling that the Cheng family cannot be the ones to speak of this. He must resolve it himself."
"Presumptuous fool!" Madam Xiao roared in rage, slamming her hand on the table. "Have you even considered what worthy Son-in-law you could find after breaking this engagement? You've already made countless enemies—once you lose Ling Buyi's protection, think of how many will come to harass you! Couldn't you leave yourself some retreat? You unfilial, disobedient wretch! I was right all along—you would eventually bring disaster upon this house!"
"At worst I'll never marry! I'll leave the Capital City for the countryside—I never thought marriage was anything special anyway!" Shao Shang retorted defiantly, her neck stiff. "If Mother fears implication, I can always—"
"Enough!" Cheng Shi said sternly, placing a large hand on his wife's shoulder with a meaningful look. "You usually handle the child's discipline. Let me speak today."
Madam Xiao turned away in furious indignation.Cheng Shi looked at his daughter kneeling in the center, her face full of rebellious indifference, and sighed, "Niao Niao, would you listen to your father for a moment?"
Shao Shang lowered her pouting lips and sat up respectfully.
"Ling Buyi is not at fault in this matter," Cheng Shi interrupted. "I have seen you meet with him several times. The two of you laughed and talked happily, and you have expressed admiration for him more than once—don’t interrupt. No one is blind. Even if it wasn’t romantic affection, admiration was certainly there. You stirred his heart, and then he came to me with a marriage proposal, which I accepted. Once the betrothal was settled, what fault could Ling Buyi possibly have?"
Shao Shang could no longer sit still and blurted out anxiously, "I—I never said he was at fault! It’s just... just that we aren’t suited at all! The life I want isn’t like this! I want... I want..."
Cheng Shi waved his hand, stopping his daughter from continuing.
"When I was young, I heard a story," he said. "Three hunters entered the mountains and encountered a mountain spirit. The spirit said their meeting was fated and allowed each to make a wish. The first hunter said he wanted endless gold and jewels to become the wealthiest man in the world. The spirit replied, 'Easy enough.' The second hunter said he wanted supreme power, to become the emperor of all. The spirit said, 'Not difficult.' The third hunter thought for a long time before saying he wished to spend his life doing as he pleased, free from restraints or coercion. The spirit fell silent, then finally said, 'That is nearly impossible.'" Cheng Shi finished the tale in one breath.
Shao Shang slowly relaxed her shoulders, lost in thought.
Observing the change in his daughter’s expression, Cheng Shi continued, "In this world, everyone wishes to act according to their own desires, but how many can truly do so? To speak boldly, even Your Majesty, exalted as he is, must face moments of powerlessness. Niao Niao, do you think you alone can be different? Even if you don’t marry Ling Buyi, can you truly live the life you want?"
These words struck Shao Shang like a heavy blow to the chest. She opened her mouth but closed it again, unable to refute them. Finally, she managed to say weakly, "I understand what Father means. But the situation might not be so dire! Lord Ling is peerless in talent and appearance—he could surely find a better match..."
Madam Xiao snorted coldly. Cheng Shi patted his wife’s hand to soothe her and turned back to his daughter. "The Huo family’s loyalty and righteousness were unmatched, their tragedy even more poignant than the He family’s. Moreover, Marquis Huo was Your Majesty’s sworn brother from childhood. All of His Majesty’s guilt and desire to make amends will inevitably fall upon Ling Buyi. Ling Buyi is already twenty-one, still solitary and without heirs. Before you, he showed no interest in marriage. Given how fervently His Majesty must support this match now, can’t you, my clever child, imagine the consequences?"
Shao Shang replied anxiously but helplessly, "Lord Ling wouldn’t shift the blame onto our family..." Though in truth, she wasn’t entirely confident herself.
Cheng Shi gave a bitter laugh, gazing at his daughter’s naive, determined face. "First, even if Ling Buyi claims it was his own decision to break the engagement—last night, he defended you fiercely before the entire Lou family, shielding you at every turn. Now, before the guests have even sobered up, Ling Buyi suddenly wants to call off the betrothal. What do you think people will assume?"
Shao Shang’s heart raced with panic, a fine sweat breaking out on her forehead."Second, even if Ling Buyi speaks convincingly and covers it up well, Niao Niao, let me tell you—the most unreasonable thing in this world is parental love, and the most irresistible is the will of the sovereign. No matter how Ling Buyi explains it, Your Majesty will ultimately blame you. He will blame you for failing to hold Ling Buyi’s heart, for not being gentle and obedient enough, for making him feel lonely and bereft once again. Niao Niao, do you still think this won’t affect our family?"
Shao Shang was left speechless, her heart in turmoil as she twisted her sleeves into knots.
"Third, you must have been quite pleased with your words last night, forcing Ling Buyi to withdraw from the engagement himself while you bore no responsibility. But how dare you manipulate Ling Buyi like this, making him shoulder all the blame for breaking off the engagement? What gives you the right? Isn’t it simply because Ling Buyi loves you? This is hardly the conduct of a noble person. If Ling Buyi is magnanimous and lets it go, that’s one thing. But if resentment turns to hatred, and he decides to lay everything bare before Your Majesty before walking away and abandoning you, do you think Your Majesty would spare our family…" At this point, Old Man Cheng’s voice trembled slightly.
Shao Shang’s hands, tightly gripping her robe sleeves, shook uncontrollably. She finally understood why she had been plagued by nightmares all night. Deep down, she had vaguely sensed the danger but refused to acknowledge it.
"How could I not understand your feelings?" Cheng Shi looked at his trembling daughter with pity. "When I was your age, all I dreamed of was becoming a carefree wandering swordsman. But if I had left home, I might have found happiness, yet with our parents aging and younger siblings still children, they might have starved in those chaotic times. In life, there are things one must and must not do. So I couldn’t leave, and that’s how things turned out…"
Shao Shang bit her lip hard, tears streaming down her face.
Cheng Shi sighed. "This isn’t your fault. That day, I shouldn’t have been blinded by favor and wealth, so overjoyed that I agreed to the marriage without hesitation…"
"How can this be blamed on you!" Madam Xiao slapped her knee emphatically. "We had just broken off the engagement with the Lou Family—what excuse could we have used to refuse Your Majesty? Our daughter had no prior betrothal, our family was not in mourning, and there was no past enmity between the Ling and Cheng families! Tell me, how could we, as subjects, have declined such a sincerely offered marriage? Should we have said this unruly child is too used to having her way and dislikes being controlled by Ling Buyi, so she prefers Lou Yao, whom she can order around?"
"Then it’s our fault," Cheng Shi said softly, patting his wife’s back. "We left Niao Niao behind and neglected our duty to raise her properly. These ten years, she grew up alone, without proper guidance, developing this solitary temperament. Naturally, she doesn’t consider the consequences for her parents and siblings. This is our failing."
Shao Shang wept until her vision blurred, looking helplessly at Old Man Cheng, at a loss.
Cheng Shi comforted her, "Niao Niao, don’t worry too much. His Majesty is a kind man—he won’t have our family executed or exiled just because his foster son’s marriage fell through…"
"Indeed, no executions or exiles. At most, your career will come to an end," Madam Xiao said coldly.
Shao Shang started, hastily turning to Old Man Cheng, who lowered his head with a sigh, seeming to age several years in an instant. Heartbroken, she sobbed, "But Father is so capable…"Madam Xiao snorted coldly: "By status, Your Majesty has powerful aristocratic families on his left and ministers like General Wu, Marquis Yang, and Ji Zun—who rose from humble origins but pledged early allegiance—on his right. By closeness, Your Majesty has hometown classmates and clansmen who swore to follow him unto death in front, and powerful lords who brought troops to join him behind. Your father has talent, and His Majesty is willing to employ him, but he's neither indispensable nor irreplaceable!"
Seeing his daughter crying bitterly, Cheng Shi laughed: "Niao Niao, don't cry. Your mother and I aren't people who cling to fame and fortune. When we first rose up, we only wanted to protect our village and ensure our family's warmth and sustenance. After twenty-some years of bloody battles, surviving without perishing and even gaining some reputation, we should be content. At worst, we'll resign and return to farming in our hometown."
Shao Shang couldn't even cry now, her heart filled with remorse.
She wasn't afraid of leaving the Capital City—she could treat it as experiencing life in a poor rural area. With Old Man Cheng's prestige in the village, she could always improve their living conditions. But after all the care and comforts the Cheng family had provided her these days, her repayment was to ruin her father and brothers' futures?
"Niao Niao, stop crying. You've said what you wanted to say. Now it's up to Ling Buyi." Cheng Shi sighed deeply. "A Qing, take Niao Niao back and don't let her cry anymore. Madam and I still have matters to discuss."
Qing Cong, who had been waiting at the door, nodded and stepped forward to help the dazed Shao Shang up, slowly leading her out.
Once they were gone, Madam Xiao's furious expression suddenly changed. She hit her husband hard and said resentfully, "Why is it always me playing the villain while you get to be the good one? If I hadn't scolded Niao Niao first, would you have just stood there pretending to be clueless?"
Cheng Shi was no longer sighing or worried. He chuckled, "Madam's majesty is unmatched—your mere presence commands awe, your aura overwhelming. How could I compare? Besides, everything we said was true, with no falsehoods!" Just slightly embellished.
Madam Xiao nodded. "Even if it makes our daughter resent me again, we must give her a good scare. Otherwise, she'll never understand the gravity of things, truly thinking she can predict everything!"
"Exactly!" Cheng Shi sighed. "Right now, whether Ling Buyi becomes our son-in-law is beyond my concern. I just hope Niao Niao can temper her temperament. Acting so willfully will only bring her great suffering in the future."
After a pause, Madam Xiao suddenly said, "Do you think Ling Buyi might actually go to His Majesty to break off the engagement if he sees Niao Niao's reluctance?"
Cheng Shi had a headache. "Let's wait until tomorrow. Given Niao Niao and Ling Buyi's temperaments, if the engagement is truly called off, it might not be a bad thing—better than a divorce in the future!"
"Divorce?!" Madam Xiao gasped, slightly afraid to imagine the days ahead.
...
Shao Shang returned to her quarters, sitting dazedly with tears still hanging on her face. Like a wooden puppet, she let A Zhu wash and change her before lying down to rest.
Unable to sleep, she fumbled under her pillow and pulled out her beloved Green Bamboo Flute. Draping a thin silk pajama over her shoulders, she slowly walked to the window and sat down, playing a melancholic tune. The flute's notes were sparse and faint, like a breeze, drifting in hesitation and sorrow.
The slightly cool early summer night already carried the occasional chirp of cicadas—spring had truly passed.
"Young Lady played beautifully tonight, but you should still rest early." A Zhu didn't ask anything, only smiling kindly.Shao Shang shook her head, set down the flute, and remained silent, her gaze lost in the courtyard rich with the scent of greenery. A delicate, pure white magnolia swayed gently amidst the emerald leaves.
—No one had proposed to her, yet the betrothal stood. Without any formal courtship, she now had to find a way to break it off. In a daze, she reluctantly admitted that everything was ultimately different.
One couldn’t live in an ivory tower forever. She could no longer cling to her stubbornness and self-righteousness. How many people truly got to live the life they desired? Even immortals might not have that luxury.
The next morning, Shao Shang rose unprompted for the first time ever. She changed into the fine gauze half-sleeved shirt and the thin ramie skirt Ling Buyi had prepared for her long ago. The misty jade green fabric complemented her skin like flawless jade—radiant yet restrained, cautious and unassuming.
Then, she sat quietly in the room, her eyes swollen and red, waiting. In the past, she had never needed an alarm clock to wake up on time, never been late. Only a cherished child could afford to be willful. These days, the Cheng family had been far too indulgent, lulling her into complacency. Different worlds had different rules of the game. She not only had to adapt but also learn to navigate them effortlessly.
By the end of the mao hour, a procession of palace envoys arrived at the Cheng Residence, cloaked in morning frost, to announce the Empress’s decree summoning Cheng Shi’s daughter, Shao Shang. Hearing the announcement from inside, Shao Shang let out a quiet, self-deprecating laugh before allowing her maids to assist her onto the vermilion and brocade-adorned palace carriage.
Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao stood at the gate with their servants, watching their daughter depart until she was no longer in sight. Only then did Cheng Shi chuckle dryly. “Very well. This esteemed son-in-law of ours—we’ll just have to endure him a little longer.”
Madam Xiao frowned but said nothing, her eyes fixed on the alley where the carriage procession had vanished. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was sending her daughter to a most unsuitable place. Yet there was nothing she could do.
Author’s Note:
Happy New Year, everyone. I’m back. I’ll keep doing my best.
OpenNovel