HMHSE - 70

Pei Yuanling sat in the tavern, took a sip of wine, and looked at the person beside him. “True to your name, Shan Chongjun, you really are bold.”

Shan Zong sat there, idly spinning the wine cup in his hand, his eyes lowered, nonchalant. “There’s nothing to be bold or not bold about. Once you’ve decided, you just have to do it.”

Pei Yuanling smiled and shook his head. The last time he came to Chang’an, he already noticed something fishy between Shan Zong and A-Rong. Sure enough, this time, he came back and immediately said he wanted to marry her again. Only Shan Dalang-jun possessed such courage in the world.

“My uncle, the Duke of Zhao, won’t see you.”

Shan Zong raised his wine cup, gulped it down, and then said, “Indeed, there has been no reply.”

Pei Yuanling looked at his expression. Shan Zong had been waiting for news since earlier, how could he not tell? He smiled and said, “In my opinion, it’s not without a chance for a turnaround. When you return to the Shan family, persuade the Mountain Guard and Lady Yang to visit together and sincerely apologize for past events. It’s possible for us to become brothers-in-law again.”

Shan Zong quirked his lips, then spun his wine cup again. “Is the Youzhou Militia Commander not worthy of being your brother-in-law?”

“That’s not it, but a Militia Commander with the Shan family as support is different from one without it. Marriage between aristocratic families is a matter of course. How could the Changsun family disregard their family’s prestige? Moreover, the Changsun family has just achieved another great merit and will soon be rewarded. By then, they will be even more glorious than before.” Pei Yuanling naturally finished speaking, then realized something was amiss, and his smile vanished. “What, do you not plan to return to the Shan family?”

Shan Zong put down his wine cup, propped himself up from the small table, picked up his saber, and said nothing.

“Chongjun,” Pei Yuanling followed him up and grabbed his arm. “Shan Chongjun, tell me honestly, was what I asked last time correct? Are you hiding something?”

Shan Zong used his saber scabbard to push his hand away, smiling. “What I said last time was correct: you invited me to drink to pry information out of me. Stop thinking such baseless things.”

With that, he turned and walked out, as if what he had just said was merely a casual joke.

Pei Yuanling quickly chased after him until he reached the tavern’s main entrance, when he suddenly saw someone walking across the street through the scattered pedestrians.

Shan Zong had already walked a considerable distance, but he paused, looking at the approaching figure.

“Big Brother, I came to find you.” It was Pei Shaoyong who arrived. He spoke to Pei Yuanling, but his eyes were on Shan Zong.

Shan Zong’s gaze was sharp. He merely swept his eyes over Pei Shaoyong, then walked past him without a word.

Pei Shaoyong frowned, having been scrutinized by that look. He watched Shan Zong’s receding back, then clenched his fist and turned to ask Pei Yuanling, “How is he with Big Brother?”

Pei Yuanling glanced at the distant Shan Zong, no longer pursuing him. He took two steps closer to Pei Shaoyong and whispered, “Didn’t you, the Imperial Palace Secretary, hear the news? The Changsun family discovered a large mine in Youzhou, and now they’ve obtained gold through smelting. He’s the one who escorted it to the capital.”

Pei Shaoyong’s voice was muffled. “I heard, but why would he personally come here if it’s just to escort gold?”

He still remembered Shen Rong defending Shan Zong in Zhou Jun’s presence, and how she returned to Youzhou halfway through her journey to Hedong. Now Shan Zong had appeared without warning, probably following her closely.

Pei Yuanling said, “Since you understand, you should be more restrained in the future, and certainly do not test A-Rong in public again.”

Pei Shaoyong looked at him in disbelief, opened his mouth, and whispered, “Big Brother treats him more like a real brother than me, his own younger brother. No wonder you never approved of A-Rong and me.”

Pei Yuanling shook his head helplessly, half sighing, half smiling. “I truly don’t approve of you and A-Rong. Let me ask you, how did A-Rong respond to your probing act at the banquet that day?”

Pei Shaoyong’s face stiffened. She had told him never to do such a thing again.

“You and I both know A-Rong’s character. She’s not someone to be manipulated; she always has her own ideas. A woman like her is not someone you can control. After all these years, I thought you would have seen that. That day, she dismissed your words as teasing, which was to save both families’ face and still regard you as her cousin.” Pei Yuanling said, pointing in the direction Shan Zong had left. “As for that one, he has already attempted to call on the Changsun family’s door. You should understand now.”

Pei Shaoyong listened to his words, silently clenching his fist. At the last sentence, he opened his eyes wide in shock. “What?”

The worries he brought back from Youzhou seemed to be confirmed. He had sensed it earlier; could the man surnamed Shan be thinking of turning back?

________________________________________

Shan Zong slowly walked through the bustling main street and stopped, looking towards a shop slightly to his front.

It was a two-story shop. He remembered it as the place he had stopped at the first time he escorted Shen Rong back to Chang’an—at that time, Pei Yuanling had suggested she buy a gift for Lady Pei there. It sold women’s cosmetics.

He walked over. Just as he reached the doorway, a figure darted out from the side of the wall, their footsteps light as they came to his side.

It was Donglai, who had arrived silently, cupped his hands to Shan Zong, and then quietly stood guard by the door.

Shan Zong had come because he had seen Donglai’s figure just now. He glanced inside and walked through the door.

It was past noon, and there were no customers in the shop, making it exceptionally quiet. Even the counter attendant was absent.

At a table by the window, beside a small table, a fine bamboo curtain hung. Qing-colored tassels dangled from the edge of the curtain, brushing against the skirt of the woman sitting there.

Shan Zong walked over, extended his saber scabbard, and lifted the bamboo curtain inch by inch.

Shen Rong’s face, from her fair jawline, crimson lips, to the tip of her nose, then her long, lowered eyelashes, and cloud-like black hair, was revealed completely before his eyes.

She seemed to be lost in thought. Only when she suddenly noticed his saber scabbard did she lift her eyelashes and see him.

“I was just about to look for you,” he said in a low voice, his eyes still on her face. “I didn’t expect you to find me first.”

Shen Rong remembered him saying “see you later” in the carriage earlier. Indeed, they could only meet secretly like this.

She pursed her lips and said softly, “My father has no intention of seeing you.”

Shan Zong’s thin lips pressed into a line. He nodded, then said, “There’s been no reply until now, so I also knew this would be the outcome.”

Shen Rong stood up. “That’s all for this matter. I have to go once I’ve said it.”

Shan Zong flicked his saber scabbard. He ducked his head into the curtain, standing close to her. The lowered curtain perfectly blocked their upper bodies from view, making them invisible to outsiders.

“Such a rush?” he asked.

Shen Rong’s eyes fell on the folded collar of his Hu-style robe, dark and embroidered with delicate hidden patterns. She said with some annoyance, “It’s not easy for me to go out recently.”

At the study earlier, her father hadn’t given her another chance to speak. He had told her to stay within the mansion and not go out often, to avoid encountering Shan Zong.

Before leaving, she had intended to say something to her father, but thought better of it and held back. Because if she said too much, even Youzhou might be off-limits to her in the future, and she might be completely unable to go there.

Now, she had just found an excuse to come out.

“Because of me,” Shan Zong said. “It seems as long as I’m in Chang’an, the Duke of Zhao will be guarding against me.”

Shen Rong frowned, an inexplicable irritation welling up in her heart. “You deserve it!”

“What did you say?” he stared at her.

“I said you deserve it. Was I wrong?” Shen Rong looked up into his deep gaze and pushed him away irritably.

It was his fault for saying he wanted a divorce back then. This current situation was all his own doing.

Her push had no real force, yet Shan Zong still retreated two steps with it, and she walked past him.

He lifted the bamboo curtain and went out, watching her leave the shop entrance with Donglai. Her light silk pibo flashed by the door, and he couldn’t help but give a self-deprecating smile.

Indeed, he deserved it.

________________________________________

It wasn’t until dusk that Shan Zong walked towards the official post.

The streetlights stretched endlessly, and people came and went; only Chang’an City remained consistently bustling.

He touched the saber scabbard at his waist, his heart heavy, thinking of Shen Rong in the shop, his heart sinking further, as if weighed down by a stone.

When he returned to the official post, it was completely dark.

The postmaster in the hall hurriedly stepped forward to greet him with cupped hands. “Commander Shan has been out all day! You’re finally back. Please, quickly, someone is waiting for you.”

Saying that, he led Shan Zong’s sleek black, tall horse towards the stables.

Shan Zong stood with his saber, his gaze sweeping around. He noticed that there seemed to be other horses in the courtyard. He walked inside without changing his expression.

Upon reaching his guest room, he paused, his thumb resting on the hilt of his saber.

The door to the guest room was ajar, leaving a crack.

The moment his left hand pushed it open, his right hand drew his saber. The person sitting inside immediately stood up. He pointed his saber at them, then retracted it.

Inside the room, a single lamp glowed dimly. Pei Shaoyong, dressed in a dark indigo round-collared robe, stood there.

The saber had been pointed steadily at his neck just moments ago. After it was removed, his face was still pale, and his feet uncontrollably retreated half a step. He frowned and stood firm.

Shan Zong sheathed his saber and tossed it onto the table. “You’re the one waiting for me?”

No wonder the postmaster was so polite. It turned out to be the Imperial Palace Secretary, recently favored by the new emperor, visiting.

Pei Shaoyong spoke first, “I came for A-Rong.”

Shan Zong glanced at him and surprisingly smiled. “Oh?”

Pei Shaoyong felt his indifference and saw his smile, which seemed to completely disregard him, and instantly felt indignant. “I only ask you, what do you intend to do?”

Shan Zong’s eyes suddenly lifted. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

Pei Shaoyong collected himself. “You were the one who wronged A-Rong back then. Now what schemes are you plotting again?”

Shan Zong’s face gradually darkened, his eyes deep. “I’m not in a good mood today. I advise you to speak less in front of me and leave as soon as possible.”

With that, he untied the tightly bound cuff of his sleeve.

Pei Shaoyong’s blood rushed up, and he blurted out, “A-Rong was supposed to be your wife. It’s never been anyone else’s place to worry about her. Shan Zong, you yourself broke it off. What right do you have now to think you can just come back?”

Shan Zong’s hand, as he untied his arm guard, clenched hard. Veins bulged on the back of his hand in the lamplight. He turned to look at Pei Shaoyong, then forced himself to hold back, suddenly giving a cold laugh. “What are you afraid of?”

Pei Shaoyong looked at him in astonishment. “Who said I’m afraid?”

Shan Zong said coldly, “If you weren’t afraid, you wouldn’t have come looking for me, but for Shen Rong. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid she’ll reject you, or are you afraid that if I make a move, you’ll lose your chance?”

Pei Shaoyong was speechless. His normally bright and amiable face was now alternately green and pale.

“I told you, I’m not in a good mood today. I advise you to leave as soon as possible.” Shan Zong threw the removed arm guard casually onto the table, his voice dangerously low. “As long as Shen Rong doesn’t have eyes for you, you’re not worth mentioning to me.”

If it weren’t for the fact that he was Pei Yuanling’s brother and Shen Rong’s cousin, he might not have been able to speak after those few provocative words just now.

Pei Shaoyong realized that Shan Zong was not a person to be reasoned with. He swallowed his anger and walked to the door, his hands still tightly clenched in indignation.

“Wait.” Shan Zong suddenly stopped him, a smirk on his lips, his eyes exuding an intimidating presence. “Remember this: Shen Rong was always mine. It’s not for others to exploit.”