Four Delicate Offenders – CH 019

Chapter 19. The One Who Tied The Knot Must Untie It.

Meifen, looking as if she’d seen a ghost, suddenly jumped out of bed, her bare feet landing on the footstool. Her terrified expression startled Yunpan.

Yunpan reached out and grasped her hand. “Sister…”

Meifen’s palms were icy cold, damp with sweat. She turned her head, gave Yunpan a troubled look, and said in a low voice, “I do not want to see him.”

There was a kind of fear that could not be faked. A childhood trauma etched into her heart like gangrene, Meifen remembered He Xiao as utterly terrifying. For the past ten years, she’d lived in his shadow; even the mention of his name made her tremble.

As for Lady Ming, she might have considered the possibility of “the one who tied the knot must untie it.” Meifen’s wedding date was fast approaching; perhaps He Xiao’s visit could help resolve Meifen’s inner turmoil.

So, to fight fire with fire, He Xiao suggested seeing his cousin, and after a moment’s thought, she led him into the backyard. He Xiao was now a renowned scholar in the capital, of excellent character and high learning, almost without fault. Meifen was terrified; in her mind, He Xiao was a monster, all due to a childhood misunderstanding. Lady Ming hoped that seeing him again after so many years would change her mind, and perhaps her hysteria would subside.

There was no response from inside the room. Lady Ming called Meifen again, “Did you hear what your mother said?”

Meifen felt as if she were facing a formidable enemy, yet dared not disobey, and hastily gave a “hmm.” She feared that if she angered He Xiao, he would storm in—the mere thought was enough to terrify her.

Yunpan was also curious, wondering what kind of extraordinary abilities He Xiao possessed that could frighten Meifen so much.

Two golden bamboo blinds hung between the inner quarters and the main hall. The outer room’s doors and windows were wide open, letting in sunlight from behind, vaguely illuminating He Xiao’s figure. He appeared to be a young man of medium build, wearing a round-necked robe, his hair neatly tied back. Judging from his posture alone, he seemed quite refined and courteous.

Yunpan gently called out, “Sister, since you are here, just be open and honest with him. He might have changed for the better after all these years, having made mistakes when you were young and ignorant.”

Meifen was still fearful, her voice trembling as she said, “I am just afraid to see him.”

Yunpan took the clothes from the maid and draped them over her shoulders, saying, “The more afraid you are of seeing him, the more you must see him. And you must act calm and composed, not letting him see your fear. Let him know that what happened in your childhood is in the past, that you have not taken it to heart at all. If he cannot figure out your circumstances, he will not dare to act recklessly, and he will not bully you anymore.” Yunpan blinked. “Listen to me; it will be right.”

Meifen nodded through gritted teeth.

Once fully dressed, it was time to go to the main hall. Meifen’s face grew increasingly stiff. Yunpan guided her to take a few deep breaths, gesturing to her lips with her hand. “Smile. As long as you smile, you will not seem flustered.”

Meifen also hoped to face her childhood enemy openly. Since the drowning incident, she had not visited her aunt’s house. Deep down, she feared He Xiao, but she did not want him to notice anything amiss. She clenched her fists, forced a smile, gestured for the maid to lift the bamboo curtain, and, after much hesitation, stepped out from the inner chamber.

He Xiao, at first glance, did indeed appear to be a refined gentleman. Yunpan had expected him to at least have some sharp features, but he turned out to be nothing more than a handsome, scholarly figure. Seeing Meifen emerge, he bowed respectfully, saying, “It’s been many years since I’ve seen you, Sister. How have you been?” His words were gentle, without any hint of aggression.

Meifen did not dare look at him, hastily returning the greeting, “Very well, thank you for your concern, Cousin.”

Lady Ming had initially thought Meifen would likely lose her composure, but everything was as expected, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She then introduced Yunpan to He Xiao, “Third Young Master, this is my sister’s daughter, brought home to keep Meifen company.” She then beckoned to Yunpan, “Si Si, come and greet your cousin.”

In such a distant relationship, the brother-sister address was purely out of politeness.

Yunpan stepped forward and offered a curtsy, which He Xiao humbly returned. However, a girl’s keen intuition would not be wrong; she noticed that He Xiao’s gaze kept lingering on Meifen, intentionally or unintentionally. Seeing her smiling, a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes; it seemed that everything that had happened today was completely different from what he had imagined.

However, the strange glint in his eyes was quickly masked by his seasoned conversation. He smiled and said, “The last time I saw my sister was at my grandmother’s birthday celebration. Afterwards, I was busy with my studies, and I heard that my sister had also entered the clan school. We have not been able to see each other since; it’s been eleven years now, has it not?”

Meifen’s heart was still pounding. Actually, compared to when he was a child, he had not changed much. In public, he was still as gentle and polite as ever, but in private, his behavior was eccentric and unpredictable.

Si Si said that after ten years or so, perhaps he would have changed a bit, but in Meifen’s opinion, he had not. When he spoke, his tone was still the same; even his pronunciation had the same pause. She suppressed her racing heart and forced a smile. “It has been eleven years. I never imagined my cousin would come to the capital to study…”

He Xiao seemed to find her words illogical, raising an eyebrow. “The capital is a wonderful place, teeming with talented people and heroes. Whether pursuing scholarship or seeking officialdom, everyone wants a place in the capital.”

Seeing them conversing smoothly, Lady Ming felt relieved and busied herself. “Since you’ve come all this way to the capital, please have dinner at the mansion tonight. You siblings have not seen each other for so many years; please sit and chat for a while. I will go to the west courtyard to instruct them to prepare the banquet, and I will come back later.”

He Xiao bowed to Lady Ming. “I’ve troubled you, Aunt, with my visit.”

Lady Ming smiled slightly and turned to leave.

As soon as her mother left, Meifen became increasingly nervous. Her hands trembled shakily inside her sleeves, but she could not show it. She only said, “I am not fully recovered yet. I am afraid I cannot…”

But before she could finish speaking, He Xiao interrupted her, “Sister, are you unwell? Have you seen a physician? Is it an old ailment or a new one?” He said with a half-smile, “Perfect, I’ve made friends with a famous physician in a nearby courtyard. I can send someone over to ask him to come and treat you.”

Meifen was so flustered that she could hardly sit or stand still. She hurriedly said, “No…no need…”

The initial forced pretense crumbled completely here. Her face paled, her eyes darting nervously. The more she acted this way, the wider He Xiao’s smile grew. Raising his eyebrows, he said, “I’ve long heard that you, Sister, stay secluded in your chambers, never venturing out. Seeing you today, why are you even more timid than ten years ago?”

These words struck a nerve. Recalling the drowning incident ten years ago, when Meifen was pulled from the water, she was barely breathing. It took her father a great deal of effort, pressing and patting her, to bring her back to life. Someone who had tasted death would never want to experience it again. Meifen had once been a lively and spirited girl, but since that incident, she seemed like a different person. She heard the servants in the courtyard gossiping about her behind her back, saying that the shell was still that of a young lady, but the soul inside was no longer the same.

Even she herself felt that it seemed to be true.

However, fear of someone, to a certain degree, made it impossible to utter the words of refusal. She stood there frozen like a log, her limbs unresponsive, a lump of cotton in her throat preventing her from calling out.

“You still need to eat more, Sister; you are too thin. I heard you are engaged to the Duke of Wei’s family and will be married soon. I know the Duke of Wei, a member of the imperial family among the imperial families, a noble among the nobles, but he’s a bit frail. Such a delicate lady might be difficult to deal with. Sister, you need to broaden your mind. If you are so subservient to your husband, you will not be able to establish yourself in his family. It’s not right for my uncle to barge into their backyard and uphold justice for you.”

He Xiao spoke with a smile, but his tone was like a snake, hissing with a chilling intent.

Yunpan had never understood before why Meifen was so afraid after falling into the water. Was it really, as her aunt said, a mistake made in her panic? Now, seeing He Xiao, she could tell in just a few words that he was an extremely arrogant person. He despised girls to the core, and even with her present, he showed no restraint in his sarcastic remarks and vehement belittling of Meifen.

Meifen, on the other hand, was like a timid young wife, cowering and afraid to speak. Yunpan was worried that her excessive nervousness might frighten her into illness.

Being secluded in one’s chambers was naturally safe, but if a wolf were to enter openly, there would be no one to turn to for help.

Yunpan, being a guest, should not interfere too much, but seeing Meifen’s insistence, she mustered her courage and said, “Young Master He, though a relative, is still considered an outsider. These are things you should not be saying; my aunt instructed me to. My sister is ill; if it were not for my aunt’s sake, she would not even see you. Now that we’ve caught up and had tea, it’s impolite for you to linger. Please go to the front hall to speak with my uncle and elder brother.” She gestured with her hand, “Please, Young Master.”

He Xiao was somewhat surprised. He had assumed the young ladies in the inner chambers were all shy and timid, but this unexpected girl dared to speak up for Meifen, and what she said made sense, leaving him little room for rebuttal.

Annoyed and feeling that this girl had embarrassed him, he gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Young Lady, you must be the daughter of the Marquis of Yong’an’s family? If it were not for my uncle’s residence, I would not have had the chance to meet you.”

Yunpan offered a perfunctory smile. “Young Master He is renowned throughout the capital; I have long heard of your talent.”

Such a talented man, with such a distinguished reputation, speaking so rudely in someone else’s private quarters—it was truly despicable. She did not spell it out, but the meaning was clear. Ignoring He Xiao’s malicious probing, she gave Meifen’s maid a wink. “Ba-Bao, see Young Master He out.”

Ba-Bao, obeying, stepped forward. “Please, Young Master!”

He Xiao’s expression shifted rapidly, then suddenly became nonchalant. He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Meifen. “My sister is unwell; please rest well. I’ve been studying in the capital these past few years, so travel is very convenient. I will come to see you again once you are fully recovered.” With that, he turned gracefully and strode towards the door.

Seeing him walk away, Meifen, who had been holding her breath for a long time, finally dared to exhale, sitting blankly and saying to Yunpan, “Did you hear that? He’s coming again.”

Yunpan also felt that He Xiao was acting strangely. Judging from his words, he clearly understood Meifen’s situation. If there was a misunderstanding, he could have cleared it up honestly today, but he did not. Instead, he said things to provoke Meifen. She wondered what his true intentions were.

She patted Meifen’s shoulder. “Sister, do not be afraid. The more afraid you are, the more he will torment you.”

But Meifen lowered her head and covered her face. “How can I not be afraid? I almost died at his hands… Luckily, you were here today; otherwise, what would I have done!”

This matter was indeed distressing, especially since her aunt and uncle did not seem to suspect He Xiao’s ulterior motives. Because the two families were cousins, they would not stop He Xiao from seeing Meifen.

Yunpan pondered for a moment and said, “Sister was unwilling to get married before, but now it seems it’s better that way. Once you are at the Duke of Wei’s mansion, He Xiao will not dare to cause trouble again.”

But Meifen shook her head vigorously, “No, no…”

Just then, Lady Ming entered. Seeing that He Xiao was not there, she asked, “Did your cousin go to the front?”

Meifen was angry that her mother had brought him in without asking why, but she did not want to scold her mother. She stood up angrily and went into the inner room.

Lady Ming paused. “Angry again?”

Yunpan smiled ambiguously.

Lady Ming sighed. “I was thinking that now that we are all grown up, the things from our childhood should be in the past… Alright, your uncle is hosting a banquet for He Xiao tonight. You and your sister can eat in your own courtyard! Tomorrow I have to go to the Forbidden City. The Empress Dowager just sent a eunuch to deliver a message, but I do not know what it’s about.” As she spoke, her expression became serious. “It seems it’s about the marriage between Meifen and the Duke of Wei. The Forbidden City needs to issue an edict…”

This marriage was not as simple as a union between two families.

Lady Ming was preoccupied. She glanced through the curtain into the inner room and vaguely saw a gilded birdcage hanging on the moon-shaped window. A breeze blew, causing the parrot, its legs bound with gold chains, to lose its footing, spread its wings, and struggle and flutter about.