Love in Red Dust – CH 050

Chapter 50.

Najin headed towards the Twelfth Master’s courtyard. Despite the Twelfth Master’s refined and scholarly demeanor, as a military-trained King, he was far more formidable than their pampered Seventh Master. The men around him were all meticulously selected—standing for hours in the freezing snow, their backs straight as pines, unlike the guards at King Xian’s Residence, who hunched their shoulders and rubbed their hands at the slightest chill, looking utterly disheveled.

Walking past under their watchful eyes, Najin felt deeply ashamed. Those men were like temple arhats, towering above ordinary mortals. To them, a short, pudgy man like him must seem nothing more than a gluttonous lump!

He hurried down the path and under the eaves, where he spotted Sha Tong. They had some camaraderie, serving different masters though they were, both being eunuchs, which bred a certain mutual sympathy. Hiding behind a pillar, Najin waved. “Tongzi, come here!”

Sha Tong approached, pinching his nose. “Did you sleep in a pickle jar last night? You reek of sour feet!”

Najin sighed. “Do not ask. Xiao Shu ran off, leaving the birds unattended. Someone had to clean the cages and scoop the droppings, and before I knew it—” He splayed his fingers forward. “Got it all over my hands.”

Sha Tong recoiled, nearly brushed by the offending hand. “Ugh! Consider that a reward from your master. Go wash with soap! What brings you here so early?”

Najin sheepishly tucked his hands behind his back, craning his neck toward the hall doors. “Has Twelfth Master risen yet?”

Sha Tong frowned. “Our master is disciplined—up before the roosters. Why? You need something?”

“No, no!” Najin waved hastily. With their factions now opposed, barging in on Twelfth Master would likely get him cut down. Nervously, he pointed into the distance. “I am looking for our Shu’er. Seventh Master summoned her for orders… Tongzi, we are brothers—no secrets between us. Do not take this the wrong way, but the Twelfth Master is not playing fair. Mu Xiao Shu is the Seventh Master’s Bannerman, and she entered King Xian’s Residence openly. The master never gave her away, yet she chose to climb higher and will not return. That’s not how things are done—no Banner tolerates such behavior! Twelfth Master favoring her is her fortune, but she cannot just abandon her old master without a word. Man or woman, one must uphold loyalty. Do not you agree?”

Sha Tong leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyeing him sidelong. “Spare me the lecture. Would you dare say this to your master? Since when do we servants meddle in our masters’ affairs? I witnessed everything from start to finish. Honestly, your Seventh Master is the one acting dishonorably! Forcing himself on a young lady—how do you think she felt? Even now, he will not let go. She’d have to be willing, and after what happened, I doubt it. You should advise him—there are plenty of fish in the sea. Why cling and make everyone suffer?”

Elbows always bend inward, each loyal to their own master. Najin was indignant. “What kind of talk is that? No one knew Xiao Shu was a woman. Our master genuinely liked her. Instead of calling Seventh Master lovesick, why are you making him out to be the villain? Fine, I will not waste words with you. Do me a favor and pass a message to Xiao Shu—the master’s summoning her, and she’d better report promptly. Nothing’s settled yet, so she should not put on airs. Seventh Master has made it clear: if she does not return, he will go straight to the Shuntian Prefecture to find her master and ask how he trained his apprentice. If the apprentice fails, the master bears the blame. She can go enjoy her good fortune, but the debts she owes will be repaid by her master and senior brother. That’s how it will be!”

With that, Najin turned and left without another glance. Sha Tong stood fuming, muttering under his breath, “Like master, like servant. Lovesick? More like heartache!” After some thought, he realized this could not be brushed aside. While one’s banner registration could be tampered with, Wu Changgeng was a living, breathing man. If the Seventh Master decided to make life difficult for him, it would not be easy to handle.

He turned and entered the main quarters. The Twelfth Master was in the side hall discussing matters with others. Imperial envoys dispatched abroad were not like hawks let loose—they had to report to the court periodically, submitting memorials to the Emperor and the Emperor Emeritus to assure them of their safety. With the Twelfth Master absent, only Miss Wen was in the room. When he entered, she was pacing restlessly in the center of the room. He stepped forward and greeted her, “Would you like to sit for a while? Shall I have some pastries sent over?”

Dingyi shook her head. “I heard Najin’s voice earlier. Was he here?”

Sha Tong confirmed it and relayed the message in detail. After hearing it, she paused briefly. “Disaster strikes even when one sits quietly at home. My master and senior brother have not benefited from me—instead, my actions have brought them nothing but trouble. This sin is too great. I thought a lot last night. The Twelfth Master and Seventh Master are brothers after all, and this imperial assignment is not even half finished. They will have to work together in the future. If they become irreconcilable over me, it will reflect poorly on the Twelfth Master. After much deliberation, I’ve decided to return to my original post. Seventh Master is someone who can be reasoned with if approached properly—he’s willing to listen.” She turned, took her warm hat from the hat stand, and put it on, smiling faintly. “Please inform the Twelfth Master for me. I am leaving, and he should not worry. I can handle this myself.”

She had always been self-reliant. Whether a man was present or not, she remained steadfast. Sha Tong admired her inwardly—this was one of the qualities that commanded respect. Having endured hardships for over a decade, she had not crumbled upon gaining the Twelfth Master’s favor. No, she weighed the advantages and disadvantages. Her return was not just for her master’s sake but also for the Twelfth Master’s. Seventh Master’s temper was something everyone could see but dared not challenge. He’d be content if he got his way, but if excluded, he’d rather destroy what he could not have—such was his wretched nature. The Twelfth Master, now deeply entangled in worldly affairs, was wholly focused on a lasting future. Sha Tong had held back many words, constrained by propriety from speaking freely. Now that Miss Wen had come to this realization on her own, nothing could be more fitting. This girl was principled, sparing others undue worry. She understood the stakes, and with this sense of justice, she was truly worthy of their Twelfth Master.

He called for an umbrella and held it over her head. “It’s snowing outside. Let me escort you there. Allow me to say one more thing—be extra careful when you see Seventh Master. If anything happens, just loudly shout. I’ve stationed people outside; they will rush in to save you the moment they hear you. To be honest, I think you are quite remarkable. Our master has not misjudged you. So take care of yourself. Twelfth Master is a responsible and shrewd man. The current hardships do not matter—better days await you!”

Dingyi laughed. “No need for formalities like ‘you’; it makes me uncomfortable. I see things clearly for myself. I do not get conceited because of the Twelfth Master’s favor, nor do I belittle myself because of my humble origins. I am who I am, just as I’ve always been.”

Sha Tong admired her even more. Such composure spoke volumes about her strength and steadiness. He chuckled and replied, “Honestly, I still prefer calling you Xiao Shu—such a lively name. Your formal name sounds like a noble lady’s, worthy of standing beside Twelfth Master. But this nickname shows your resilience. Think about it—a little tree braves wind and rain, grows upward, and eventually becomes a towering giant.”

The two chatted and laughed as they returned to Dingyi’s quarters. After Sha Tong left, she changed into a long robe, a mandarin jacket, and a traditional hat, making sure everything was neat before heading to the Seventh Master’s courtyard. As the birdkeeper, she still had to tend to the two birds—otherwise, she’d be of no use.

She felt a little afraid. Remembering how he had mistreated her yesterday sent shivers down her spine. But avoiding him was not an option—they had not even reached Ningguta yet, and they’d be traveling together. How could she keep her distance? Steeling herself, she walked on. As she passed through the courtyard, a few guards gave her odd looks and whispered among themselves after she passed, but she paid them no mind. Whether as a man or a woman, she had spent over a decade in the capital, mastering the art of indifference to gossip.

The wind carried snowflakes swirling through the air as she lifted the curtain and entered the room. Fine snow drifted in with her, landing on the carpet inside the threshold and melting instantly. She did not dare raise her eyes. Seventh Master’s robe hem was visible not far ahead, so she swept her sleeves and kowtowed as usual. “Greetings, My Lord.”

Seventh Master had been restless earlier, pacing inside and outside, wrestling with how to face her and what arguments to make. He had prepared a whole speech, but the moment she entered, he forgot everything and was left tongue-tied, too ashamed to even look her in the eye. Truth be told, a man bullying a woman like this was indefensible. He deeply regretted it—using force, tearing her clothes, pinning her down—it was the act of a bandit. Looking back now, it felt like a nightmare. How could he have done such a thing? He must have been possessed at the time. He wanted to apologize, to admit he’d behaved worse than a beast, but the words stuck in his throat. After all, he bore the Yuwen name—if he became a beast, would that not drag even the Emperor into disgrace? On major principles, he still had some integrity.

She was still bowing, and he could not leave her like that. Awkwardly, he muttered, “Rise.” Sneaking a glance at her, he saw she remained composed, turning away to tend to the birds. His heart was tangled in knots. He wanted to speak to her but could not find the words, too prideful to lower his guard. It was she who broke the silence first, asking, “Did you feed the birds this morning? What about their water?”

He took the opportunity to move closer. “I’ve given them all away. I was afraid you would not come back, and the two birds would have nowhere to go. What if they starved to death? I spent hundreds of taels on them… Shu, I was reckless yesterday. I am sorry; do not be angry with me. How could I be so foolish? That thing definitely was not done by me.”

If it was not him, then was it a ghost possessing him? Dingyi glanced up at him. “There are quite a few wronged spirits here. Once exiled, no one cares anymore, and they are treated like livestock at will. Can you, as their master, bear to see that?”

Tsk, such a kind heart. Seventh Master quickly said, “I will summon the manor head later. The Ahha in the manor need to be reorganized. Working day and night without rest—they are all children of parents too; they should not be treated like this.” He gave an ingratiating smile. “If there’s anything else that’s not right, just say the word, and I will handle it for you. Just do not be angry with me. Starting today, I will turn over a new leaf. Give me a chance; can we start over?”

She lowered her eyes. “I will still serve you, just like before.” After a pause, she added, “Before coming here, I thought of a few things I wanted to say to you. Would you be willing to listen?”

Seventh Master’s heart leaped into his throat, like a prisoner awaiting sentencing—unsure whether she would grant him salvation or condemn him to the eighteenth level of hell. Trembling with fear, he sat down and gestured forward. “No need to ask, of course I will listen. Sit…” Seeing her about to speak, he hastily stopped her. “Think carefully. Phrase it gently. I have a bad temper, and if I am provoked, I might lose control. You speak first, and I will speak after.”

Dingyi took a deep breath. “Master, last night I stayed at the Twelfth Master’s place. Did you know?”

Deliberately rubbing salt in the wound. Seventh Master’s chest tightened sharply. “Can we skip this part? Even though you do not want to be with me, I still admire you. Stabbing me in the heart like this is not very nice, is it? Actually, I am very devoted. You see, I liked you when you were a man, and ever since you turned out to be a woman, I like you even more. I do not care about those messy things between you and Old Twelve. I am steadfast. I already told Najin earlier—as long as you are willing to come back, we will let bygones be bygones… So, did anything happen between you two last night?”

No matter what, she was still a girl. Seventh Master, oblivious to social cues, asked blindly, making her blush furiously. The question was hard to answer, but not answering was not good either. Leaving it vague would only fester like gangrene, so she decided to be direct. “Last night, I already made everything clear to you. After a night, my thoughts remain the same. Honestly, Master, I am really nothing special. I am just a poor girl, scraping by through deceit and trickery. The worst thing I did to you was hiding my true situation and insisting on becoming one of your guards. Now I regret it deeply. Causing you so much trouble was never my intention. Actually, I’ve thought about it—the reason you took a liking to me was probably because there were not many options along the way. Among a bunch of rough men, I stood out as the least bad. Once we return to the capital, with its dazzling world full of choices, I will be nothing special. So, Master, bear with it for now. There will be plenty of good girls in the future. Once you see them, you will realize I am not even worth a second glance.”

Seventh Master disagreed with her, “You are not good? If you were not good, would Hongce have thrown aside his pride to openly compete with me? Forget all that other talk. I just had a sudden realization—you girls like to be pampered, drawn to flashy and lively things. Twelfth Master can set off lanterns—what’s so great about that? I will buy a hundred sheep and let you herd them. I will even allocate you a pasture where you can shear wool and milk the sheep, then sell them for silver. That’s much better than lanterns—a proper livelihood. I do not deal in empty gestures; I am all about practicality. Since I cannot be Emperor, making money is my only hobby, which is why my family’s rich…”

Inside the room, such words were spoken, while Najin, eavesdropping by the window, sighed incessantly. This lord was truly hopeless—to win a woman’s favor, one had to cater to her preferences. Talking about practicality during a romantic moment, comparing lanterns to herding sheep—how could they be the same? No wonder the several King’s Consorts in his household were all arranged marriages. Unwilling to put in the effort, they simply resigned themselves to their fate. Such a clueless man, always going on about money—nothing but superficiality and the stench of copper. How could he compare to the poetic and refined Twelfth Master?

Sure enough, Xiao Shu refused, “This is not about money. What matters to me is my own heart.”

“Can I not enter your heart? What’s wrong with me? I’ve got height and looks. The only thing I lack is the Twelfth Master’s ability to put on airs. Do not let his mild demeanor fool you—that boy’s ambitions are vast. I’ve got a sharp eye for people.” Realizing that constantly badmouthing his rival was ungentlemanly, he changed tactics. “Stay with me, and I will ensure you never want for food or clothing. I will not trouble your sect anymore, and I will even support your master, letting him enjoy his twilight years in peace. That’s a generous offer, is it not?”

At this, Dingyi grew displeased. “I’ve already left my master’s side. I will not involve him in my personal affairs. If you still wish to employ me, leave my master out of it—or I will fight you to the death.”

There it was—he’d hit a wall. Whose fault was it? His rival’s strength, of course. Every condition the Seventh Master offered was something the Twelfth Master could also provide. Both were imperial Kings, but the latter had two extra characters in his title—why would she choose him? Xiao Shu had wandered the martial world and seen all sorts of demons and monsters. Pushing her too far might backfire. Now it was a contest of who could be more considerate, who could win her heart. Seventh Master’s foolishness was truly agonizing for Najin.

Fortunately, the agony did not last long. After half a cup of tea, Seventh Master slapped his thigh in sudden enlightenment. “Fine, I will not touch your master. From today onward, I will go head-to-head with the Twelfth Master. Do not rush to a decision—just see who turns out better! If you pick me in the end, my efforts will not have been in vain. If you pick him, well, at least I pushed him to improve, so you will owe me thanks. I will not pressure you—not now, not ever. It is all up to you. For now, since you are here with me, stay at ease. Do not let your body be here while your heart’s elsewhere—it’s no good to covet what you do not have. Just keep your eyes open and pick a husband who will cherish you—it’s a lifetime matter. I am only thinking of your good. I am a decade older than you—trust me, I know best, alright?”

Dingyi had no choice but to murmur an assent. At this point, stubbornness would gain her nothing. For now, she’d humor him. Once his enthusiasm waned, peace would likely return.