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Chapter 31: The Shadow of Deception and the Unspoken Name.
Chen Fuyou, the thousand-man commander of Jinyiwei, was troubled by the Tan family’s ambiguous attitude. Meanwhile, Chen Yumou, the head of the local collateral branch hosting him, had also noticed the tension.
Hoping to curry favor, Chen Yumou personally brought tea to the study. "This tea is exceptionally fragrant. Please, have some to ease your mind."
Chen Fuyou waved him off. "What use is easing my mind? If I don't catch the man, I can't report back to the capital." He muttered under his breath, "I don't know what’s wrong with the Tan family..."
This was the opening Chen Yumou had been waiting for. "Exactly! This Qinglong Tan family is strange. Other prestigious clans are hoarding land everywhere, but they refuse to do so and even prevent others from doing it. They’ve conspired with the local authorities to forbid low-price land sales. No wonder the Tans are in decline!"
Chen Yumou’s plan to seize fertile land from commoners had been thwarted by Tan Ting’s intervention, which provided the villagers with winter funds and legal protection. He harbored a deep grudge, feeling the Tans were acting more like "bankrupt commoners" than nobility.
"Why not seek help from our own main house in Fengling to suppress the Tan family?" Chen Yumou suggested. "Once we control Qinglong, wouldn't it be easier to find people or buy land?"
Chen Fuyou laughed mockingly. "You certainly have high hopes. Even a powerful dragon doesn't suppress a local snake. Do you think the Fengling Chens could easily get the better of the Tans on their own turf?"
Suddenly, Chen Fuyou recalled Tan Ting’s mention of the Liuyang Village incident. He glared at Chen Yumou. "Were you the ones trying to force those villagers to sell their land?"
When Chen Yumou admitted it with a sense of grievance, Chen Fuyou finally understood. In the Tan study, he had assumed the villagers were just unruly mobs, never dreaming his own kin were the ones who had put the Tan scion in danger. No wonder Tan Ting refused to help; he was waiting for Chen to discipline his own house first.
"Forget about hoarding land!" Chen Fuyou barked. "From this day on, no Chen clansman is allowed to violate the law for land. If you are caught, do not expect the main house to speak for you!"
Chen Fuyou was livid. If the item that "Daoist" possessed were to be leaked, it would be a catastrophic blow to the aristocracy. He decided to write an urgent letter to the capital to ensure Tan Ting would eventually cooperate.
At the Tan estate, Tan Ting was unaware of Chen’s machinations. It was the fifth day of the New Year.
He recalled the previous month when he and Xiang Yi had retired early due to her exhaustion. Tonight, she seemed well. He walked into the room and saw her shadow on the window screen, head bowed over her needlework.
"Do not work after dark; it will strain your eyes," he said softly, appearing behind her.
Xiang Yi started. Recently, he seemed to move without a sound, suddenly appearing by her side. She looked at him, and their eyes met. She realized what night it was. Quietly, she put away her sewing and prepared for bed.
In the candlelight of the bed curtains, Tan Ting sat reading—or rather, pretending to read. He glanced at his wife; she was lying down with her eyes closed, but her trembling lashes betrayed that she was awake. He knew she remembered the custom of the "fifth day."
Having not been intimate for some time, Tan Ting felt his heart race. He blew out the candle, plunging the room into a warm, airless darkness.
His hand hesitated. In the past, he had always been the initiator, but he wondered what she truly felt. As he finally reached out, Xiang Yi happened to lift her arm to brush back a stray hair, and her hand struck his mid-air.
The sudden contact startled them both. Tan Ting froze, a chilling thought crossing his mind: Does she... refuse?
Xiang Yi realized the awkwardness. To dispel the tension, she silently reached for her robe’s fastening.
Relieved, Tan Ting responded. Amidst the heavy curtains, the temperature rose. Tonight, for some reason, Tan Ting was slower, more deliberate, as if he were savoring or perhaps being cautious.
Xiang Yi, unaccustomed to this pace, grew breathless and looked up at him. Under her gaze, the usually composed Master Tan cleared his throat and looked away, a hint of bashfulness in the air.
His "lingering" was making her restless. Finally, Xiang Yi let out a soft, slightly shaky breath that sounded like clearing her throat. To Tan Ting, that small sound was like a spark. He pulled her into a firm embrace, and the world seemed to spin between winter and summer.
Afterward, as he held her, Xiang Yi tried to pull away out of habit. Instead, he tightened his grip and lifted her up.
Looking into her astonished eyes, Tan Ting whispered, "You have worked hard."
Even after returning from the washroom, she still looked at him with confusion. He sighed inwardly. He wanted to call her by name, to tell her he would treat her this way from now on.
But he suddenly realized a jarring truth: He did not know her given name.
He stood stunned by this realization. They had been married for three years, yet her "maiden name" seemed to have stayed in her maiden home. He couldn't bring himself to ask now. Exhausted, Xiang Yi closed her eyes and drifted off.
The next few days, Tan Ting stayed in the inner study. He tried to find out her name through various means but failed.
Then, Chen Fuyou returned. This time, Tan Ting received him because he had received a letter from his uncle-in-law, Lord Lin, the eldest son of the Grand Secretary. The letter urged him to assist Chen.
Chen Fuyou brought an apology from Chen Yumou regarding the land hoarding. More importantly, he revealed the fugitive’s identity: "The man I seek is the 'Demonic Daoist' who serves the Crown Prince!"
Tan Ting was stunned. The Daoist had allegedly been sent to Jiangxi to investigate a case but was actually using the opportunity to mislead the Crown Prince. The Jinyiwei were acting on secret orders from the Palace to intercept him before he could return to the capital and interfere with state affairs.
Tan Ting agreed to help. Regardless of the palace intrigue, an outsider influencing the heir to the throne was a danger to the state.
In the main room, Xiang Yi’s heart sank when she heard the Jinyiwei were back. Sensing immediate danger, she sent Chun Sun to the farm under the guise of visiting her sister.
At the outer study, Chen Fuyou asked about the "tiger-slaying hero" at the farm. "Though they say he doesn't match the portrait, that Daoist is cunning. I wish to see him personally."
Tan Ting agreed. "I shall go with you." He wanted to ensure the Tan family was cleared of any suspicion of harboring a fugitive.
When they arrived at the farm, they were told the "hero," Master Sheng, had left half an hour ago. His room was empty; all his belongings were gone.
Tan Ting’s face darkened. If he hadn't come with Chen Fuyou, the Tan family would be implicated. Chen Fuyou was furious, assuming the "Daoist" had tricked them all.
Tan Ting, however, questioned the farm manager about visitors. He looked at the list of arrivals and exits. One name stood out: Chun Sun.
He did the math. She had left the main house right after Chen Fuyou arrived and reached the farm just before Master Sheng vanished.
Tan Ting returned to the estate immediately. He didn't want to suspect Xiang Yi, what connection could she have with a palace Daoist? but Chun Sun was her maid.
He found Xiang Yi at her desk, holding a carving knife but lost in thought.
"Master Sheng is likely the man Chen seeks," he told her. "But he was alert and fled before we arrived."
Xiang Yi’s heart hammered, but she feigned surprise. "Master Sheng is a fugitive?"
Seeing the sweat on her nose, Tan Ting comforted her. "He is gone now. The authorities will find him." He then mentioned his suspicion. "He left at a strange time. Your maid, Chun Sun, was at the farm today. May I ask her a few questions?"
Xiang Yi nodded and called Chun Sun in. The maid knelt and explained that she had asked for leave to see her sister and her new niece. "The Madam has always been kind to my family. I went as soon as I could, saw they were well, and returned."
She bowed her head low. "If I have broken any rules, please punish me; it has nothing to do with the Madam."
Tan Ting looked at Xiang Yi. He remembered how many times he had wrongly suspected her in the past. She bowed slightly to him. "Chun Sun did mention it to me, and I did grant her leave."
If he continued to question, would he be doubting the maid or his wife? He chose to trust her. They were no longer the strangers they once were.
He stepped forward, lifted Chun Sun up, and took Xiang Yi’s hand. "Do not be afraid. Since it was an arranged visit, there is no issue."
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