Chapter 24: Frost Fills the Courtyard (Part 5)
Miao Yi Yang spent the entire night at the Yin Ye Si. The next morning, Director Han Qing personally ordered his release.
“Director,” Zhou Ting said, stepping out of the Yin Ye Si gate and bowing to Han Qing. He looked at the carriage waiting for Miao Yi Yang. “Du Cong is from the Three Departments. I didn’t expect him to vouch for Miao Yi Yang.”
“Are you asking why I released him so easily?” Han Qing watched as a young woman helped the pale, unsteady Chaofeng Lang into the carriage.
Du Cong was a Ministry of Rites official currently serving as Vice Minister of Revenue in the Three Departments.
Grand Commandant Miao had few connections among civil officials. Miao Yi Yang wasn’t a strong suspect, but Du Cong’s intervention suggested that the Grand Commandant did have some influence.
This should have made Miao Yi Yang more suspicious, but Han Qing had released him anyway.
“You have your reasons, Director,” Zhou Ting said, lowering his eyes.
“Before his appointment to the Ministry of Justice, Miao Yi Yang rarely left his house. A single night at the Yin Ye Si scared him witless. He kept muttering about his ‘innocence.’ If he’s not incredibly cunning, he’s just a coward.”
Han Qing watched the carriage drive away, then turned and went back inside. “Keep an eye on him.”
The morning mist soon evaporated. Back at the Grand Commandant’s residence, Miao Yi Yang, huddled under his blankets, still shivered.
“Chun Xu, I couldn’t even sleep there. They have a torture chamber filled with blood. I saw whips with iron barbs, all covered in blood…” Miao Yi Yang clutched Cai Chun Xu’s hand as she tried to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “I heard so many screams! They were all crying out for justice, crying in pain! All night, they kept asking me the same question. My throat was parched, but I didn’t dare drink the tea they offered. It looked like blood…”
“Director Han even offered you fine Wu Shan Red Tea. Why are you such a coward?” Cai Chun Xu was tired of his whining, which hadn’t stopped since they left the Yin Ye Si.
“You don’t know how terrifying it was, Chun Xu…” Miao Yi Yang said, clinging to her hand.
“How could I have raised such a useless son!” a booming voice roared.
Cai Chun Xu turned and saw several figures silhouetted against the sunlight in the doorway. A tall, sturdy man in his fifties entered, followed by a woman of similar age and a younger couple.
“Uncle, Aunt,” Cai Chun Xu stood and bowed to her parents-in-law, then greeted her brother and sister-in-law. “Elder Brother, Elder Sister-in-law.”
“A-Cai, ignore him,” Grand Commandant Miao said, looking at Cai Chun Xu. “He spent a single night at the Yin Ye Si, without even being tortured, and he’s scared witless, acting like a sickly child! It’s embarrassing! I’m ashamed to call him my son!”
“He just got back. Don’t say such things,” Wang Shi said, her heart aching for her pale, sweating son.
“Uncle, Second Young Master has always been frail. He’s never seen such things. He was only trying to help that young woman, and now he’s suffered because of her. If it were me, I would also be upset,” Xia Shi, the elder daughter-in-law, said.
Her words had a strange undertone. Miao Jing Zhen, the elder son, always stern-faced, frowned. “Xiao Shu,” he said to his wife, “if you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything.”
Grand Commandant Miao looked at his whimpering son. “You’re even less courageous than that young woman. What was her name again?” He remembered the winter examination case discussed during the morning court session. “Ah, Ni, right? That Miss Ni was beaten at the Guangning Prefecture Yamen and then held at the Yin Ye Si. Why isn’t she trembling like you?”
Miao Yi Yang, intimidated by his father’s booming voice, didn’t dare speak. He huddled beside Cai Chun Xu, looking pitiful.
“If it weren’t for Du Cong from the Three Departments, you would still be rotting in the Yin Ye Si!” Grand Commandant Miao said angrily, summoning a servant. “Go and fetch a physician.”
“Father, why did Minister Du help you?” Miao Jing Zhen suddenly asked.
“He…” Grand Commandant Miao rubbed his nose. “He and I have shared drinks before. Why do you ask? You couldn’t help your brother. Isn’t it a good thing that Du Cong offered his assistance?”
Miao Jing Zhen looked at his father intently. “Do you think this favor comes without a price? What will Director Han think of his intervention?”
“Who cares what that eunuch thinks?” Grand Commandant Miao sneered. “Look at your brother. Does he look like a murderer? I might not have much say among the civil officials, but I won’t let anyone frame my son!”
Miao Jing Zhen, usually taciturn, understood that his father was aware of the implications and remained silent.
“A-Cai,” Grand Commandant Miao said, turning to Cai Chun Xu, “when you have time, write a nice poem, one suitable for me, and send it to Minister Du.”
“Uncle, just a poem?” Xia Shi asked, suppressing a smile.
“Of course, we’ll also send a proper gift. Find someone who knows antiques and buy some calligraphy or paintings. Isn’t exchanging poems a common practice among scholars? It’s how they make friends,” Grand Commandant Miao said, sounding knowledgeable.
As they were speaking, a servant announced that Miss Ni had arrived.
A maidservant soon led the young woman into the courtyard.
This was the first time Grand Commandant Miao had seen the famed Miss Ni. She wore a light green jacket and a moon-white skirt, her attire simple yet elegant, her appearance striking.
“Ni Su greets Grand Commandant Miao.” Ni Su entered the room and, prompted by the maidservant, bowed to the Grand Commandant, then to Miao Jing Zhen and the other women present.
Everyone observed her, noting her impeccable manners and lack of timidity. Wang Shi, the Grand Commandant’s wife, said, “She seems to be from a good family.”
“Aunt, if it weren’t for this incident, my Sister A-Xi wouldn’t be so alone and helpless in Yun Jing,” Cai Chun Xu said, pulling away from Miao Yi Yang and glaring at him as Ni Su arrived. She went over to Ni Su, took her hand, and sat her down.
“Sister Cai, I didn’t know this matter would implicate…”
“Don’t mention it. None of us could have foreseen this. I know my husband. Look at him. He wouldn’t even be able to kill a chicken, let alone a person,” Cai Chun Xu said, interrupting Ni Su and patting her shoulder.
“What’s wrong with Second Young Master?” Ni Su asked, following Cai Chun Xu’s gaze to the bed where Miao Yi Yang lay listlessly.
“He’s traumatized,” Cai Chun Xu said, rolling her eyes. “Sister A-Xi, perhaps you can examine him and prescribe something to mend his broken spirit.”
“Indeed, a medicine wo…” Xia Shi started to say, then stopped abruptly under the glares of her husband and father-in-law. She pursed her lips.
“We don’t have such prejudices in our family. Miss, if you have medical skills, please examine him,” Grand Commandant Miao said to Ni Su.
Ni Su agreed and went to the bedside with Cai Chun Xu.
Cai Chun Xu placed a thin cloth on Miao Yi Yang’s wrist. “Sister A-Xi, please.”
Everyone watched as Ni Su took Miao Yi Yang’s pulse. Except for Cai Chun Xu, they all harbored silent doubts.
After the examination, Ni Su wrote a prescription and excused herself. Cai Chun Xu escorted her to the gate, where they encountered a servant leading a physician with a medicine box.
“Sister A-Xi, I’m so sorry…” Cai Chun Xu said, embarrassed.
Her uncle had specifically instructed them not to call for another physician, but the servant was clearly from Wang Shi’s household. The message was clear.
“Madam is understandably concerned and doesn’t know me well. It’s natural for her to be cautious,” Ni Su said, smiling at Cai Chun Xu.
Cai Chun Xu was about to reply when her gaze fell on Ni Su’s neck.
“Sister Cai?” Ni Su asked, puzzled.
“Sister A-Xi, are you hiding something from me?” Cai Chun Xu frowned, taking Ni Su’s hand.
“What’s wrong?” Ni Su asked, confused.
“Didn’t you say you had a rash? But this… this doesn’t look like a rash.” Cai Chun Xu stared at the crooked handkerchief, then gently lifted it, revealing the scabbed bite mark. She gasped, then exclaimed angrily, “Sister A-Xi! Which scoundrel did this?!”
Ni Su froze, quickly readjusting the handkerchief, her face flushing. She was relieved that only Cai Chun Xu had noticed. “You misunderstand, Sister. There’s no scoundrel.”
“But this mark…” Cai Chun Xu lowered her voice, afraid of being overheard. Fortunately, the maidservant behind them hadn’t seen it clearly.
“A farmer’s child I was holding earlier. He was throwing a tantrum,” Ni Su said, making up an excuse. She had been carrying the child while receiving medicinal herbs.
“What child has such sharp teeth? And why were you holding him?” Cai Chun Xu, relieved, now directed her anger at the misbehaving child. “If others see this, won’t they misunderstand, just like I did? His family should teach him better manners…”
As soon as she finished speaking, a sudden chill, unusual for a sunny day, swept over them.
The breeze rustled Ni Su’s skirt. She looked down and saw the faint, moon-like light flickering on the ground. She smiled, then said to Cai Chun Xu, “He’s a very cute child. You wouldn’t think he’d have such a temper.”
Leaving the Grand Commandant’s residence, Ni Su walked along the bustling street, watching the moon-like light on the ground. She bought two fruit drinks and some pastries from a vendor.
“If you’re not afraid of sunlight, why don’t you walk with me openly?” she asked softly, crossing the Rainbow Bridge over the Yunxiang River.
But she was alone, surrounded only by strangers.
“Are you angry?” Ni Su asked, taking a sip of her drink. “Angry that I told Sister Cai you were a misbehaving child?”
“No,” a voice replied.
Faint mist coalesced into the form of a young man beside Ni Su.
She looked at him in the sunlight. His figure was still hazy, visible only to her.
“Then, Xu Zi Ling,” she offered him a drink, “let’s go to Yong’an Lake together.”
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