Chapter 12: - The Lament of Autumn

As the standoff persisted, the main door swung open and Madam Ye and Mama Zhao emerged upon hearing the commotion. Their faces turned pale at the sight before them. Madam Ye grabbed Pingjun’s hand and pulled her behind her back. Seeing her mother’s trembling hands, Pingjun knew this ordeal had to be faced sooner or later. But her mother had just recovered from a serious illness and couldn’t withstand such a fright. Having weighed the situation carefully, she whispered gently to Madam Ye, “Mom, don’t panic. I’m just going to a friend’s house.”

Madam Ye, utterly distraught, stammered, “Ping’er…”

Without another word, Pingjun walked up to Gu Ruitong, lowered her head slightly, and got into the car. Gu Ruitong slammed the car door shut, then moved to the front and took the passenger seat. Four guards stood on the running boards, escorting the vehicle as it drove off.

Maple Terrace, situated at the foot of Jade Cloud Mountain, was often windy. Even in the heat of summer, the official residence retained a certain chill. The courtyard was exceptionally clean and spacious, planted with pines, cypresses, and maple trees whose lush foliage cast expansive shadows. A few thousand-petaled pomegranates stood by a small pond, where tiny fish swam contentedly beneath the swaying broad leaves.

Gu Ruitong was in the duty room, having just taken a few sips of tea, when he heard the sound of a door opening upstairs. Stepping out, he saw the Director of the Political Department from the Army Ministry descending—evidently, the official business upstairs had concluded. Only then did Gu Ruitong go upstairs and enter Yu Changxuan’s office. The door was ajar; he called out “Fifth Master” and pushed it open.

Yu Changxuan was reviewing a file in his hand. He looked up as Gu Ruitong entered, tossed the file casually onto the desk, and said with a laugh, “Look, another Dragon-Tiger Battle. A large portion of this term’s Nanming Academy entrants are from the Mou family. It seems the old man of the Mou family is determined to challenge Chu Wenfu.”

Gu Ruitong replied, “I noticed the Director of the Political Department didn’t look too pleased just now. It seems Fifth Master didn’t give him what he wanted.”

Yu Changxuan chuckled as he pulled a cigarette from the case nearby, his laughter tinged with a proud, spirited arrogance. “I can’t stand that Political Department Director—chattering all day long like a nagging stepmother! I deliberately refused to give him face, leaving him stuck in an awkward position.”

Gu Ruitong said, “I’m just concerned that humiliating him might come to the Chairman’s attention…” The “Chairman” he referred to was none other than Yu Changxuan’s father, Yu Zhongquan. Yu Changxuan placed the cigarette between his lips, took out a lighter, and lit it. As smoke curled around him, he looked at Gu Ruitong, a faint smile on his handsome face. “Brother Gu, what do you think my father has in mind?”

Gu Ruitong couldn’t quite say. Yu Changxuan smiled, drew his sidearm from its holster, and pointed the muzzle downward, slowly tracing it across the national map spread on the desk. The dark barrel came to a halt over the area of Xi River and Nanhuai Mountain—the demarcation line between the Xiao Family’s territory north of the river and the central government controlled by the four great families to the south.

Yu Changxuan gazed at the map, cigarette held between the fingers of his left hand, his right hand gripping the pistol. The muzzle slowly settled over the sphere of influence of the Xiao Clan Warlords north of the river. At that moment, that vast, fertile land lay beneath the barrel of his gun. Yu Changxuan lifted his head and said with a faint smile, “Brother Gu, let me tell you something. My father once said to your father: ‘Only here counts as the enemy—they must be eliminated. The rest are all useless; let them stir up trouble as they please!’”The Yu and Gu families had shared a bond of life and death for two generations. Gu Ruitong had heard similar words from his own father, but hearing them again today from Yu Changxuan, such ambition and domineering spirit still sent a chill down his spine. Steadying himself, Gu Ruitong saw Yu Changxuan smoking silently while gazing at the maple leaves covering the mountains outside the window. Lowering his head, Gu Ruitong said, "Fifth Master, Miss Ye has been waiting in the reception room all morning."

Yu Changxuan turned around and replied indifferently, "Then let her keep waiting!" He tossed the cigarette butt into an ashtray nearby, walked over to pick up a riding crop hanging on the wall, and turned back with a smile. "Undersecretary Chen from the Ministry of Defense gifted me a fine horse. This afternoon, I'll be breaking it in at the Parade Ground. Come, I'll show you something impressive!"

Seeing Yu Changxuan's enthusiasm, Gu Ruitong hesitated. "But Miss Ye is still..." Before he could finish, Yu Changxuan cut him off sharply, "Enough nonsense!" Gu Ruitong immediately fell silent and followed Yu Changxuan out, accompanied by several deputy officers and aides-de-camp. The group left Maple Terrace and headed straight for the Parade Ground.

It was around ten in the morning, and the Jiang residence was very quiet. Jiang Xueting's elder brother, Jiang Xueyong, had left early for the money exchange to attend to business. Since returning from Japan, Jiang Xueting had been staying in the small study at the rear courtyard. He had just read a few pages of a book and was beginning to feel somewhat restless. It was still too early to visit the Ye family, so he lifted his head to glance out the window. In the courtyard stood a lush osmanthus tree, its overlapping leaves casting a large patch of shade. A few thread-waisted wasps buzzed among the foliage.

Jiang Xueting gazed absently at the scenery for a while, then suddenly smiled faintly, the image of Ye Pingjun involuntarily surfacing in his mind. His love for her meant she was never far from his thoughts. Just as he was lost in reverie, an elderly maid entered the courtyard and called toward the study window, "Young Master Jiang, Madam asks you to come to the front hall."

Hearing that his sister-in-law was summoning him, Xueting promptly acknowledged and tidied the books on his desk before making his way to the front hall. As he approached, he heard laughter and chatter from the parlor, followed by his sister-in-law exclaiming repeatedly, "Advisor Li and Madam Li, you've truly saved us! If you hadn't shared this news with me today, our Xueting would have suffered a great loss. Just yesterday, he was talking about investing a large sum to buy gold from the Central Bank, claiming it was a surefire way to make a fortune."

Sitting on one side of the parlor sofa was Madam Li, the wife of Li Boren, dressed in a persimmon-red cheongsam embroidered with golden patterns, looking quite charming and graceful. At this moment, she spoke with great familiarity to Madam Jiang, "It's fortunate I came to inform you early, before you made the purchase. Think about it—the government is selling public gold at such low prices to recoup currency. How could such a bargain exist without some hidden complications? These so-called Gold Bonds—if the government ultimately refuses to honor them, they're nothing but worthless paper. Your Xueting and our Boren are friends, and now with the connection to Fifth Master, Boren came home yesterday and told me he was worried Xueting might suffer a loss. He urged me to come notify you immediately. After all, wealth and beauty are nothing but traps meant to deceive people!"Jiang Xueting stood at the entrance of the hall, watching as his sister-in-law looked at Madam Li with overwhelming gratitude, while Madam Li’s expression was one of such sincerity it seemed as if she were baring her very soul. He was still in a daze when Madam Jiang noticed him and broke into a rare smile, saying to him, “Xueting, that dear younger sister you know has been a tremendous help to our family.”

Madam Jiang had always been cold and sharp-tongued toward Jiang Xueting, so her sudden warmth left him even more bewildered. “What younger sister?” he asked. Madam Jiang quickly shot him a meaningful glance and said with a laugh, “Who else could it be but Pingjun? Pingjun is truly blessed, and we’re all benefiting from her good fortune.” At this, Madam Li turned to look at Jiang Xueting and greeted him warmly, “This must be Mr. Jiang, Pingjun’s brother, I presume?”

Nothing precious stays intact; colorful clouds are quick to fade.

Jiang Xueting replied irritably, “How did I become her brother?”

Madam Li chuckled and said, “I’ve long heard Pingjun speak of an elder brother like you—returned from studying abroad in Japan, trained in law and governance, and now serving as an academic committee member at the Southern Bright Military Academy. Truly a young talent! I’ve been wanting to meet you. You, too, are fortunate to have such a sister.”

Jiang Xueting felt utterly confused. Just then, his sister-in-law smiled and asked, “So, from what you’re saying, the matter between Fifth Master and Pingjun is practically settled?” Madam Li leaned closer to Madam Jiang and whispered with a suppressed smile, “Of course. Let me share a word with you, Madam Jiang—your family and the Yu family are soon to become in-laws. Fifth Master treats Pingjun so well, it’s as if he’s afraid she might break even when holding her in his palm. If Pingjun acts a little willful, Fifth Master coaxes and comforts her endlessly. Not to mention, when Pingjun’s mother was gravely ill recently, it was Fifth Master who arranged for her hospitalization. As for daily necessities—silks and satins, food and expenses—Fifth Master has taken care of everything.”

Though Madam Li spoke softly, her words were just loud enough for Jiang Xueting to hear clearly. She paused, then turned to him with a meaningful smile and added, “Let me say one more thing, Young Master Jiang. Once you become Fifth Master’s brother-in-law, need you worry about your future prospects? Just wait and see.”

Suddenly, everything became clear to Jiang Xueting. He looked at the beaming Madam Li and felt his head grow heavy and his steps unsteady. A buzzing filled his ears, leaving him utterly disoriented. Without another word, he turned and strode out of the hall, ignoring his sister-in-law’s repeated calls and never looking back.Jiang Xueting left the Jiang residence in a daze, his ears still ringing with Madam Li's words that churned his heart like turbulent waves. Piecing together what he had seen and heard over the past few days, everything fell into place with startling clarity. A surge of inexplicable anger welled up within him. Prone to suspicion since childhood, he had always been one to weave his own shackles through overthinking. Now, the more he dwelled on it, the more convinced and enraged he became. In less than an hour, without anyone needing to spread rumors, he had thoroughly internalized the adage: "Gold is the cruelest of things, twisting the hearts of all maidens under heaven."

Unconsciously, he wandered onto a bustling street where a luxurious automobile was parked by the curb. A young maid handed a bouquet through the car window, only to be met with a displeased female voice: "What kind of coarse flowers are these? I told you to buy yellow roses. Who asked you to bring back these odd-looking things?"

The maid replied, "There were no yellow roses left, Second Miss. These hydrangeas are quite lovely."

Tao Ziyi reached out from the window, plucked one plump hydrangea blossom, and tossed it aside dismissively. "I don't care what they are—I want yellow roses. Go buy them for me." The flower landed squarely on Jiang Xueting, who caught it absently in his distracted state. When he looked over in surprise, Tao Ziyi snorted angrily, "You wretched boy! What are you staring at? Looking for trouble?" With a haughty tilt of her head, she ordered the driver, "Drive on."

The car sped away. Jiang Xueting had paid little attention to the vehicle, standing by the roadside with clear eyes clouded by despondency. A rickshaw passed before him, its bell jingling as the puller called out, "Sir, need a ride?"

But he heard nothing, his mind a tangled mess. Unconsciously, he crushed the hydrangea in his hand, scattering its petals at his feet. After a long moment, he tilted his head slightly toward the pristine blue sky, his face etched with tragic resolve, and let out a deep sigh.

By afternoon, the sunlight had shifted, casting the third-floor parlor into shadow. The half-open window framed the layered emerald peaks of Jade Cloud Mountain in the distance, while the howling wind echoed like surging tides, sweeping past in waves.

The parlor was silent, save for the grandfather clock against the wall, its hands moving steadily with a rhythmic tick-tock.The food on the table had long gone cold. Ye Pingjun sat alone on the sofa, her feet tingling with numbness and her hands icy. Outside the door, the sound of guards pacing back and forth echoed intermittently. She turned to gaze out the window, where the sky was a piercing blue.

She remembered when she was very, very young, on a similarly beautiful day, Jiang Xueting would carry a bamboo pole and take her to catch cicadas, trap crickets, or even mix mud to block ant holes. Back then, they attended the same private school. If they ever played too long and missed class, Jiang Xueting would lead her to climb the school’s wall. Beside it stood a lush pomegranate tree, its dense foliage shading half the wall, and its brilliant clusters of pomegranate blossoms shone like a tree ablaze with fire. Sitting atop the wall, she would cover her eyes with one hand and clutch the tiles tightly with the other, too afraid to jump down. Jiang Xueting, who had already climbed over, would stand below, waving to her, “Pingjun, Pingjun, don’t be scared. I’ll catch you—just jump.”