The Concubine of the Main Wife - Chapter 32

On the way to Ziyang County, the fawning and sycophantic village chief not only repeatedly berated the old farmer driving the cart but also took every opportunity to mock and sneer at Zhen Yao.

 

His tone was so vicious that it terrified the little girl, leaving her trembling uncontrollably.

 

“Shut your mouth!”

 

Zhen Yao held the child tightly, soothing her, then raised her eyes and retorted with disdain, “A village chief should work for the welfare of the people, not threaten and intimidate the weak!”

 

“Hmph, you stinking scholar, don’t try to act tough with me. Once we reach the magistrate’s office, you’ll regret.”

 

“Oh?”

 

Zhen Yao’s eyes flickered, and in the blink of an eye, a hidden dagger from her sleeve was pressed against the village chief’s throat.

 

“Y-you— Spare me, my lord!”

 

The village chief instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his resentment drowned out by sheer terror as he begged for mercy.

 

“Preying on the villagers, acting as a lapdog for the powerful. How dare a wretch like you continue to live shamelessly in this world?”

 

With that, Zhen Yao gagged him and tied him up securely before turning to the extremely uneasy old farmer. “Please change course to Xiangyuan County.”

 

“Xiangyuan?” the old farmer asked nervously.

 

“Don’t worry, elder. I have everything under control.”

 

Zhen Yao’s tone brooked no argument, and her decisive manner left the old farmer no choice but to obey without question.

 

Fortunately, they left just in time. No sooner had they departed than bailiffs arrived to meet them.

 

But Ziyang was dozens of miles from Xiangyuan. A round trip would take at least three days. During this time, if the village chief and the sacrificial girl vanished without a trace, the incompetent and foolish magistrate would surely fly into a rage. As a result, the sacrificial ceremony would either be canceled or postponed, and no one else would be implicated.

 

Zhen Yao had considered every detail meticulously.

 

However, the little girl, unaware of the adults’ plans, simply cowered in fear, sobbing incessantly.

 

Seeing this, Zhen Yao gently patted and comforted her, and eventually, the child drifted off to sleep.

 

Yet no matter how thorough Zhen Yao’s plans were, she hadn’t accounted for A’Lian waking up too early after being drugged.

 

In the rural village, the dogs barked fiercely, disturbed by the sudden arrival of strangers. The relentless noise roused the exhausted A’Lian from her slumber.

 

“Elder… Huh? That’s strange. Where’s Granny?”

 

A’Lian yawned repeatedly, forcing herself to stay alert as she swallowed a mind-clearing pill and freshened up. Once her thoughts settled, she pushed the door open to look for the others.

 

By then, the courtyard was bustling. Several bailiffs, dressed like soldiers, were interrogating Granny Xia.

 

“Old woman, where’s your granddaughter?”

 

“Answering the officers, she was taken away by the village chief early this morning,” Granny Xia replied, tears streaming down her face.

 

But the men didn’t believe her, even twisting the facts on purpose: “Maybe you hired someone to kill him. Otherwise, how could the village chief just disappear?”

 

“Heavens, my poor girl!” Granny Xia’s heart was pierced with grief, her face ashen with despair.

 

Neighbors stepped forward to vouch for her, but the bailiffs were ruthless. Not only did they distort the truth, but they also resorted to threats and bribes, silencing anyone who dared to speak up in her defense.

 

“Enough of your wailing, old hag! If you can’t produce the Guanyin child, you’ll be detained and await the magistrate’s judgment!”

 

“Wronged! My lord, this old woman is wronged.”

 

“Men, give this noisy old crone a few lashes!”

 

As soon as the leader gave the order, Granny Xia’s back was struck with a heavy blow.

 

The men used full force, heedless of her frail and aged body, and within a few strikes, she was beaten to death. The moment A’Lian opened the door, she witnessed this scene. Rage surged through her, and she nearly charged at the group of devils in a blind fury.

 

“Granny!”

 

“And who is this pretty young lady?”

 

The soldiers stared unblinkingly at A’Lian, their eyes brimming with undisguised calculation.

 

“Is there no law left in this world?”

 

A’Lian clenched her fists tightly, clutching the corpse of Granny Xia as she roared at these executioners.

 

“Law? Heh, let me tell you—we are the law!”

 

Seeing A’Lian’s enchanting beauty, they secretly harbored intentions of seizing her to present as tribute.

 

Zhen Yao had considered countless possibilities but never anticipated such a situation. After all, who could have imagined that a mere county magistrate would dare to act with such lawless audacity?

 

Yet, in the end, the heavens were high and the emperor far away. How could the sage in the imperial palace scrutinize every detail?

 

Moreover, in the Kunyu Hall of Ningguo Palace, the bronze crane censer swirled with smoke, and the bedchamber was veiled in layers of heavy drapes.

 

Han Kuang had arrived in haste upon receiving the urgent summons. With every step she took along the path of imperial authority, her heart grew more unsettled.

 

She truly couldn’t fathom why the emperor would summon her at such a time. Could it be a scheme to frame her?

 

Such speculations were utterly despairing.

 

“Has the barbarian slave arrived?” A fit of coughing suddenly echoed from deep within the curtains.

 

Hearing the voice, Han Kuang bowed respectfully and greeted, “Your servant wishes Your Majesty eternal peace and a swift recovery to health.”

 

“No need for formalities. Rise and keep me company for a while.”

 

“As you command.”

 

Before Han Kuang could finish speaking, the emperor’s personal attendant, Gu Ci, ushered her inside.

 

Though she had returned to the capital for several days, this was the first time mother and daughter had met. She had assumed the emperor’s majesty remained unshaken, but instead, she appeared haggard and pallid, her once peerless beauty long faded.

 

Even Han Kuang, who bore grievances against her, couldn’t help but feel sorrow at the sight.

 

“After so many years apart, Your Majesty!” Han Kuang choked back a sob, struggling to speak.

 

“What’s wrong with you, barbarian slave? I remember you were never one for tears.”

 

That cold, familiar voice inexplicably summoned a tangled web of resentment.

 

Han Kuang suppressed her emotions with effort, keeping her head lowered. “Your servant has been discourteous. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”

 

“What fault have you committed?” A heavy gaze suddenly swept over her.

 

“This… Your guilty subject does not know.”

 

“‘Does not know how convenient!”

 

The emperor abruptly flew into a rage, her fury inadvertently agitating her lungs until blood stained her palm.

 

“Your servant deserves death!”

 

“Second Highness, mind your words!”

 

Gu Ci instinctively sought to mediate, but the emperor waved her away.

 

“Barbarian slave, even now, do you still harbor such deep hatred for me?”

 

Mother and daughter faced each other, their gazes locked.

 

At first, Han Kuang shook her head, but under the emperor’s scrutinizing pressure, she faltered. Lowering her head, she whispered, “Your servant has no defense. My life and death are in Your Majesty’s hands.”

 

“If your life and death are mine to decide, why did I go to such lengths to bring you into this world?”

 

The once-mighty empress’s temples were now streaked with white, her delicate brows and eyes dulled by time.

 

Han Kuang stared at her, tears welling in her throat. After much hesitation, she finally let her inner demons spill forth.

 

“But I grew up in the cold palace. Though I am also your child, I’ve always been lesser than Qin Yi. She is the radiant eldest princess, while I am merely the daughter of a lowly slave.”

 

Before she could finish, the emperor struggled to rise from her couch, her eyes red as she raised her arm.

 

“You ungrateful child!”

 

A sharp slap shattered the silence of the bedchamber.

 

“Where did I speak wrongly?” Han Kuang refused to deceive herself any longer.

 

“You are gravely mistaken! Have you never considered whose children are you both? Those foolish men? No! You are the children of Han Xiwan alone. They were nothing more than playthings in my bed, tools for my dominion over the realm. How dare you belittle yourself!”

 

“No, that’s not true!”

 

The Emperor spoke in this manner undoubtedly to make her wholeheartedly loyal to Qin Yi.

 

“Barbarian slave, do you know the imperial surname is Su, while yours is Han?”

 

Han Xiong collapsed to the ground in silence, biting her lip as tears streamed down her face.

 

“My mother was a daughter of the prestigious Han family in the capital. She never wished to marry in her lifetime, yet was victimized by the tyranny of the imperial court. After entering the palace, she began to understand what power truly was. Thus, she devoted her life to mastering it, and in the end, I was the only surviving heir of the late Emperor. But the price was that I no longer had a mother.”

 

Han Xiwan turned away to wipe her tears, and when she looked back, her gaze was once again that of the iron-willed empress unyielding and resolute.

 

“I don’t understand!”

 

Facing Han Xiong’s pained stare, Han Xiwan sighed faintly, a rare frown creasing her brow. “Being a solitary ruler is not as easy as it seems. You are luckier than I was. You hold great power without having to bargain with noble families. Qin Yi is not as fortunate as you. You only see her arrogance and indulgence, but fail to realize she has long been exiled.”

 

“Your Majesty?”

 

Han Xiong froze in an instant, as if her soul had been abruptly drained from her body.

 

“Do you now find me terrifying? But you must understand, barbarian slave, I am not just your mother, I am the ruler of Ningguo. The hour grows late, and I must rest well. These years have been too exhausting.”

 

“Your Majesty!” Han Xiong still couldn’t bring herself to utter that word.

 

“Silly child, though your path is smoother than mine was, the strife of court factions is unlike any other it cannot be resolved in a single day. I have no demands of you, nor of Qin Yi.”

 

• –

 

By the time Zhen Yao returned to Ziyang, A’Lian was already imprisoned.

 

The magistrate of Ziyang County, furious over the innocent loss of the maiden girl, had resolved to use A’Lian as a sacrificial substitute. To justify this, he even concocted a new gimmick “Offering Guanyin.”

 

The sacrificial rite was scheduled for the end of the month, the sixth day after A’Lian’s capture.

 

Early that morning, the streets of the county town were unusually bustling.

 

Zhen Yao, leading her little maid through the crowd, intended to buy some food for A’Lian and the old woman. But the moment she paused, she overheard the surrounding chatter.

 

“Ah, what a sin! Not only did they lose someone else’s child, but now they have the gall to arrest an innocent woman as compensation.”

 

“Hush, you don’t know the whole story. That family is from our village. Just a widow and her orphaned child. Granny Xia was beaten to death by those bastards, and that poor woman who came seeking refuge has now suffered such a cruel fate!”

 

“They say this woman is almost ghostly. Scared the magistrate half to death!”

 

“Those bastards might as well be dead!”

 

“Exactly! Why can’t we have a decent official here to bring us justice?”

 

…

 

“Stop gossiping, lest you bring trouble upon yourselves.”

 

The pancake vendor, catching sight of Zhen Yao from the corner of his eye. Her striking beauty and extraordinary bearing quickly shooed away the chattering neighbors.

 

“Esteemed guests, would you like some sweet, delicious pancakes.”

 

“Four, please. But tell me, what exactly has happened in this town?” Zhen Yao suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

 

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

 

“I am a merchant passing through. Please speak plainly.”

 

“Ah, it’s all because of the magistrate.”

 

As he packed the pancakes, the vendor glanced around warily. “First, it was the Guanyin maiden, now this ‘Offering Guanyin’ nonsense. Who knows what’s next!”

 

“Offering Guanyin?” Zhen Yao’s unease deepened.

 

“Those rogue soldiers arrested a beautiful woman from out of town. But for some reason, she’s quite eerie. The magistrate tried to take liberties with her, only to end up worse off. He didn’t dare kill her outright, so he came up with this vile scheme.”

 

“Thank you. Here’s your silver.”

 

Zhen Yao took the flatbreads, handed one to the little girl, then bent down to pick her up and said, “Good child, let’s go save someone.”

 

“Not looking for Granny anymore? Who is Daddy going to save?”

 

The little girl asked in her sweet, childish voice. Over the past few days, she had already come to see Zhen Yao as her closest person.

 

Thinking of Granny Xia’s fate, Zhen Yao couldn’t help but reply, “We’re going to save your mother!”

 

At that moment, A’Lian lay weakly in the prison cage, waiting for the appointed hour when she would be drowned in the lotus pond.

 

Under the distant shade of green trees, the magistrate of Ziyang County reclined on a soft couch, groaning and moaning, his eyes burning with rage as he glared at A’Lian, cursing viciously, “I want to watch her die!”

 

“Oh dear, my lord, in her current state, she hardly lives up to the name of Guanyin. At least dress her up a bit to make it believable,” a coquettish woman cautiously suggested from the side.

 

“Shut up! She nearly made me heirless! If it weren’t for your nagging, I’d have already had her beheaded!”

 

“It wasn’t me! It was the common folk spreading the rumors. Your reputation is what matters most. Just put on a show for appearances.”

 

“Get out!”

 

The woman left in a huff, but before long, she slipped unnoticed back to the prison cage.

 

“Hall Master, the message has been spread. Sisters near Ziyang are all working on solutions. Please endure a little longer. Once we’ve cleared the path, we’ll take that wretch’s head!”

 

“Good, I’ll be fine.”

 

A’Lian smiled slyly, knowing she would escape the moment she hit the water.

 

She suspected Zhen Yao would never come to harm. With her intelligence, she must be scheming something too. Perhaps this was another opportunity for the two of them to distinguish themselves.

 

The only frustration was that the other had acted on her own.

 

As the appointed hour drew near, before A’Lian could execute her plan of slipping away like a cicada shedding its shell, she saw the usually aloof and composed Zhen Yao holding a dagger to the magistrate’s throat, demanding he release her.

 

“Let her go, now!”

 

“Spare me, young hero! Release her, release her! Quickly, let her go!”

 

Inside the cage, A’Lian shook off her earlier despondence and gracefully straightened her appearance.

 

“Wife, are you unharmed?”

 

“Hmph, at least you have a conscience. I won’t hold it against you this time.” A’Lian pretended to pout, then skipped over to her side.

 

“You’ll have to make it up to me properly later.”

 

Zhen Yao exhaled in relief as if she had regained something precious, then coldly snapped, “You black-hearted, corrupt official! Hurry up and have horses brought for us!”

 

“Horses, horses, horses…”

 

With horses secured and their pockets lined, they were ready to make a clean escape.

 

But after inspecting the horses, A’Lian asked with a troubled expression, “Where’s the little girl?”

 

Now that Granny Xia had met a tragic end, the little girl had no family left.

 

Zhen Yao glanced subtly to the side, and A’Lian immediately understood. The two exchanged a knowing smile.

 

Yet man proposes, but Heaven disposes. Just as they were about to deal with that wretched magistrate, the governor of Han County arrived with his men.

 

After years apart, Yin Yue had grown even more refined and elegant, like a slender bamboo by a secluded spring, exuding an air of grace and beauty.

 

“Long time no see. I never expected to receive letters from both A-Yao and A’Lian. So this is the legendary Song Lian—truly spirited, clever, and radiant.”

 

Zhen Yao greeted her with a smile, and A’Lian followed suit with a polite bow.

 

After a brief exchange, Yin Yue promptly held court and, within three days, turned Ziyang upside down.

 

The magistrate of Ziyang was nothing but a petty official, yet his audacity in stirring up trouble only confirmed Yin Yue’s suspicions.

 

He was but a small fry in the river. Merely a pawn deliberately tolerated by the governor of Qian County, exploiting the darkness under the lamp to conspire against the imperial court.

 

Submitting a memorial to the throne marked the shift of power, leading to the ascension of a new emperor and the ruthless struggles within officialdom.

 

Zhen Yao neither understood nor wished to understand such matters in her lifetime. Once affairs were settled, she submitted her resignation to the current sovereign without hesitation and returned to the Su residence in Pingxi with A’Lian and her maidservant.

 

There, she would spend her days entwined in love with her cherished concubine.

 

The grand Su estate, once belonging to her adoptive mother, was restored to its original owner. In time, it would be inherited by their only daughter, Su Mu.

 

By the pillow, dark tresses lay entwined—twin lotuses, a pair of butterflies. A gentle soul adrift in Jiangnan, like duckweed, she entrusted her fleeting life to love.