Chapter 12: Words Spoken, Bonds Broken

Jiankang? Not heading to Jingzhou?

The Prince of Jiangxia governed Jingzhou, repelling Northern Wei to the north and Yao and Liang to the west, occupying a strategic stronghold that served as a shield for Jiangdong. Guo Mian was counted among his closest confidants; having been driven out of Yangzhou, he naturally should have returned to Jingzhou.

Zhan Wenjun said in a low voice, "My uncle has been away for many years, and returning to Jingzhou would offer no stage for his talents. Moreover, the Prince of Jiangxia's estate is riddled with factions. Rather than going back only to be sidelined, it is better to start afresh in Jiankang."

Xu You remained silent for a moment, then chuckled softly, "Jiangnan is a place of beauty, Jiankang the land of emperors! Compared to Jingxiang and other regions plagued by military bandits and the chaos of war, Jiankang is indeed a fine destination!"

He stood up, cupped his hands in a formal salute, and said, "I wish you, Madam, a journey of ten thousand miles and every success!" With that, he turned and left with decisive resolve, showing no reluctance. As he reached the doorway, he suddenly heard Zhan Wenjun's voice sounding from behind the fabric curtain, tinged with a measure of urgency and melancholy, "Weizhi..."

Ever since they had met, whether in public or in private, Zhan Wenjun had always addressed him as Lord, never overstepping propriety. Today, seeing that parting was imminent, she had been stirred by emotion and addressed Xu You by his courtesy name.

Xu You stopped in his tracks without looking back, asking, "Does Madam have any instructions?"

Seemingly sensing Xu You's coldness, Zhan Wenjun hesitated for a moment, her tone returning to calmness as she said, "Weizhi and I met in times of crisis, and I am indebted to your helping hand for escaping adversity. This grace I shall never forget! If there is an opportunity to meet again in Jiankang in the future, we naturally..."

"Madam overstates the matter!"

Xu You stood tall and upright, graceful as a thousand-foot pine. With a slight smile, he interrupted Zhan Wenjun, "At that time, joining forces benefited us both. I received much benefit from Madam; it cannot be called any great grace. With the journey to Jiankang stretching across distant mountains and rivers, I fear we may never meet again. May the mountains remain high and the waters flow long—take good care of yourself!"

Words ended here, and ties ended here!

Wan Qi did not understand the romantic attachments between men and women, nor did she know why Xu You had suddenly become so resolute. Her face was a mask of bewilderment. Only when his figure vanished beyond the courtyard did she snap out of her daze. Staring at the blue cloth curtain, she said, "Madam, should I chase after Lord Xu and bring him back..."

"Let him be!"

Four maidservants emerged from the inner chamber and removed the curtains that had partitioned the room. A trace of sorrow lingered in Zhan Wenjun's eyes as she said indifferently, "Well, Elder Sister can rest easy now, can't she?" The person still in the inner chamber was none other than Song Shenfei, clad in pure white!

"Since ancient times, men have mostly been fickle. My sister has witnessed it today, hasn't she?" Song Shenfei walked up, her pretty face wreathed in a smile as she said softly, "You knew full well how Xu You treated you before. To say nothing of graceful maidens being pursued by gentlemen, at the very least he was currying favor and went out of his way to please you. Yet the moment he heard the master of the house had lost power and could no longer offer him protection and support in Qiantang, he immediately turned a cold face and left without a shred of reluctance. Such a man may possess some talent and know how to please a woman, but his character is base. One must never entrust one's life to him."

Zhan Wenjun's expression was clear and cold, her gaze like water as she replied in a low voice, "Why does Elder Sister say such things? Do you take me for some loose and fickle woman?"

Song Shenfei shook her head and said, "A woman remarrying is a common affair; why phrase it so harshly? Since Ali is gone, we cannot truly let him ruin your life. From what I gather of the master's intentions, he seems inclined to find a wealthy and prestigious family for you in Jiankang—if not of the imperial lineage, then at least from a prominent aristocratic clan. When the time comes, clad in silks and fine furs, living in marital harmony, wouldn't that be far happier than following a commoner like Xu You?"

The biographies of imperial wives and concubines in the Records of the Three Kingdoms record that the emperors of Wei, Shu, and Wu all married widows. If even those at the very top did so, all the more reason for others. By the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, with the liberation of thought and the opening up of social mores—such as the daughter of Emperor Liu Yu of Song marrying twice, and princesses of Northern Wei, Northern Qi, and Northern Zhou remarrying shortly after being widowed—the remarriage of women, from the imperial clan and great families down to ordinary commoners, was not regarded as a disgrace at all. On the contrary, it was completely ordinary and widely accepted, utterly unlike the later eras dominated by rigid Neo-Confucian morality.

Zhan Wenjun said indifferently, "My uncle's thoughts are mistaken. I possess neither a devastating beauty nor literary talent. Living behind a humble wicker gate and mud walls, how could I ever catch the eye of an imperial scion or a famous scholar? Going to Jiankang to secure a foothold for the Guo clan, I shall devote all my efforts and give my life to the cause, no matter how arduous the obstacles. As for anything else, let it never be mentioned again!"

These words were spoken with a ringing certainty, truly showing that a woman could match any man. Song Shenfei's eyes rippled with light, a half-smile playing on her lips. She took hold of Zhan Wenjun's hand, her fingers trailing over the younger woman's cheek as she murmured, "In truth, with my sister's beauty, even figures like Liu Banying and Yuan Qingqi pale in comparison. Whichever man's favor my sister deigns to win would be accumulating blessings through three lifetimes. It is simply that the men of this world are blind fools who do not understand how to appreciate the most exquisite beauty between heaven and earth..."

Song Shenfei's delicate visage, as if painted with meticulous brushstrokes by an artist, was almost pressed against Zhan Wenjun's cheek. The beauties were like jade, their skin surpassing snow, their breaths intermingling. For some reason, the atmosphere in the room suddenly turned ambiguous.

"Yuan Qingqi dazzles the soul, and Liu Banying possesses a fragrance beyond fragrance," Zhan Wenjun furrowed her brow slightly and gently withdrew her jade hand, saying, "They are both foremost beauties of Jiangdong. Only a beauty like Elder Sister can be mentioned in the same breath as those two, and truly embody what the world loves most. I was born plain and possess a stubborn nature; I cannot be bothered to curry favor with men. If heaven truly intends for me to live out my life in solitude, passing my days thus is hardly out of the question."

"Foolish talk! If a woman goes through life without a man to lean upon—while it may be fine in youth when protected by fathers and brothers and cushioned by wealth, or, if one cares nothing for gossip, taking a few male companions is also common enough to live freely and happily—what happens when youth fades and there is nothing left to rely on? To grow old, fall ill, and die alone without even a confidant to speak to by one's side, how desolate would that be?"

Song Shenfei spoke at length, seemingly guiding Zhan Wenjun while also baring her own inner thoughts. "Therefore, marrying a good man is the paramount matter for us women. It cannot be botched, nor can one hesitate. As one who has walked this path before, take a word of advice from me: when we reach Jiankang, if you truly encounter a lord who captures your heart..."

Zhan Wenjun slowly stood up, gazing out at the empty night sky beyond the door. "I have said it: in this life, I shall never marry twice! I appreciate Elder Sister's good intentions, but henceforth, let me not hear such words again. Otherwise, do not blame me for failing to show Elder Sister respect!"

With that, she flicked her sleeves and walked away. Wan Qi cast a cold glance at Song Shenfei and followed closely behind. Song Shenfei let out a soft laugh, covering her mouth with an exquisite hand, and gave a lazy yawn before turning to see Guo Mian.

Guo Mian had shed his outer garments and lay naked on the bed, his eyes closed in deep sleep. Curiously, however, he still wore a pair of knee-length silk under-trousers below the waist. Two pretty maidservants, draped only in thin gauze through which their figures vaguely showed, knelt at the foot of the bed, massaging the soles of his feet and his calves.

The so-called under-trousers were undergarments worn next to the skin by men. Unlike the open-crotch trousers of earlier times, these were closed-crotch garments, sparing people the drafty and awkward sensation around the groin. Yan Shigu once remarked, "Closed-crotch garments are called trousers, and they are worn closest to the body." Ranging in length from the knees down to the ankles, they represented a civilizational advancement that followed the open-crotch trousers of the Han dynasty.

Seeing Song Shenfei enter, the maidservants moved to rise and salute. Song Shenfei gave a soft shush and waved her hand, signaling the two girls to withdraw quietly. Then, she gracefully unfastened her robes, shedding her skirts to reveal a delicate body wrapped only in white stockings. Her curves were voluptuous and undulating from front to back, the tips of her breasts rosy like beans, and her hips as plump and white as snow—a truly pitiful and intoxicating sight that could captivate all living souls.

She parted her slender legs, straddling Guo Mian's waist and abdomen with a smiling expression. Her fair fingers slid inside his under-trousers, rubbing and twisting for a dozen moments. Sensing his reaction, she let out a coquettish laugh, pulling the trousers down below his knees. Reaching down to guide him, she suddenly jerked her slender neck upward, letting out a low moan as thin as a stringed instrument from the depths of her throat. She bit hard upon her red lips, her raven-black hair cascading in a waterfall over her shoulders, contrasting against her snow-white skin and radiating a dazzling brilliance.

The hibiscus bed was warm, and the crimson waves turned over in endless rolls.

Amid all the joys of the mortal world, how could any compare even a ten-thousandth to the delights of the marriage bed?

The maidservants who had retreated outside the door heard the commotion within, and their faces flushed crimson, their hearts pounding like startled deer. They were in the prime of their youth; although they had heard the sounds many times before, whenever they heard Song Shenfei's hoarse and plaintive cries, their hearts would inevitably stir with spring passions and overwhelming desires.

Strange to say, despite the Guo household boasting so many beautiful maidservants—plump and slender alike, everything one could possibly wish for—Guo Mian was no paragon of moral virtue and would often take liberties with the maids on duty. Yet there was one rule: no matter how he teased or toyed with them, he had never truly shared a bed with any of them. Everyone whispered that Guo Mian was henpecked and terrified of Song Shenfei finding out, thus possessing the thief's heart without the thief's courage, a matter that became a private joke among the staff.

Later, a maid named Taoyao won Guo Mian's favor and was summoned to sleep in his chambers on multiple occasions. Because they had never truly united in physical intimacy, she could not rise from the lowly station of a maid to the higher position of a concubine. Frustrated and resentful, she often complained that Song Shenfei was jealous of the other women and monopolized the master's affection. One night, after Guo Mian had fallen asleep, emboldened by his fondness for her, she took the initiative to offer her body to him. That night, a maid heard Taoyao let out a scream of extreme terror from the room. Afterward, Song Shenfei ordered her eyes gouged out and her tongue ripped out, before having her beaten to death with staves in the courtyard and casting her corpse into the wilderness to feed wild dogs.

From that day onward, no one ever dared use their body as a stepping stone to advancement. Each strictly kept to her place; if Guo Mian wanted to grope or tease them, they allowed it, but not a single one dared entertain any other thoughts.

After an indeterminate length of time, Song Shenfei lay draped over Guo Mian, drenched in sweat, her almond-shaped eyes hazy and her cheeks blooming like peach blossoms, unwilling to move a muscle. Guo Mian gently stroked her smooth back and asked, "What is the true state of affairs between A-Wu and Xu You?"

"Rest assured, Master. Even if Wenjun holds a slight fondness for Xu You, it is merely because this young man possesses uncanny intelligence and, during the time of crisis, rendered help to the Zhan and Guo clans, prompting a sense of secret gratitude rather than any romantic entanglement. Today, upon learning that the master has fallen out of favor in Yangzhou, Xu You turned a cold shoulder to Wenjun. After tonight, I fear even this slight fondness will vanish like smoke."

Guo Mian nodded and said, "A-Wu has a resolute disposition and does not easily give her heart. But once she does, not even you, let alone I, could pull her back. Fortunately, Xu You is trapped in Qiantang while we are about to settle in Jiankang. Separated by a thousand miles, even if there were feelings, they will naturally fade away in time!"

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Xu Qilang is no ordinary man. That I was able to escape this time is largely thanks to his strategic planning in Qiantang. However, as for rewarding his contributions, wealth will suffice. To offer A-Wu as a reward is entirely out of the question!"

Song Shenfei remained silent.

"Xueni, at dawn tomorrow, go see Xu You and present him with the thirty thousand liang of silver buried by the estate in the mountains," Guo Mian said, giving Song Shenfei's plump hip a heavy slap. "In any case, this silver cannot be transported back to Jingzhou, and those hounds of the Siling Bureau have very sharp noses. Rather than letting it benefit the emperor, we might as well give it to Xu You as a way of cementing a bond of goodwill!"

Song Shenfei shifted her chin, pressing herself down against Guo Mian to find a more comfortable position, and said lazily, "Meng Xingchun is going to be stationed permanently in Yangzhou. Even if this hidden silver in the Mingyu Mountains is given to Xu You, how can he bypass the eyes and ears of the Siling Bureau to dig it up and use it for himself?"

Guo Mian laughed heartily and said, "That will depend on his own ability! To sit atop a mountain of treasure yet be unable to spend it freely—I imagine Xu Qilang will find that quite a headache!"