Chapter 30: The Last Night

Chapter 30

The Last Night

Upon hearing the story, the Hou slammed the table with a loud bang.

That ungrateful son! You planned to run away, leaving your problems behind for him to solve? Lucky that..."

His gaze softened slightly as he looked at his daughter-in-law, whom he had never really liked. At least she hadn’t broken her word and had reported the situation to him without hiding anything. In truth, if she had fled with Song Qilin, things would have been better for her. No matter how angry he was at his son, there was no way he would disown him or strip him of his inheritance. One way or another, she would still become the next Furen of the Hou’ manor.

But she hadn’t betrayed him...

The Hou ordered more gold to be brought—four large chests of it. He wasn’t one to take advantage of anyone. Since she had been straightforward with him, he would return the favor. When Nie Shuang saw the large chests of gold, her eyes lit up. The sadness she had felt earlier lifted slightly.

Well...everything was a transaction.

She reassured herself.

"Father-in-law, in that case, I’ll have to flee within the next two or three days. Could you send him somewhere else on an errand?"

She didn’t dare tell the Hou that if her husband wasn’t sent far away, he would cling to her and refuse to let go, making it impossible for her to escape. The Hou pondered for a moment before saying,

"I will arrange for him to visit an old friend of mine. He knows this elder well and won’t refuse. But will you be ready in time?"

"I will be, Father-in-law. I don’t have much to pack."

Most of her belongings had already been moved to the house that Da Shi had secretly rented outside. The Hou nodded in approval. This daughter-in-law of his was efficient in handling matters.

"I’ll have him depart tomorrow. Once he’s gone, I’ll send my men to help you move and escort you away from the manor. Do you know where you’re headed yet?"

In the end, the Hou felt some pity for this daughter-in-law. She was sensible, decisive, and kept her word. Now that she was really leaving, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

"I’ll be heading south, but I haven’t decided on a specific place yet."

Nie Shuang deliberately kept her answer vague. The Hou could guess her intentions and said,

"If you find yourself in trouble, you can always return. I’m not banishing you. After all, you are Qilin’s wife. If it weren’t for Master Chen’s situation, we wouldn’t have to do this."

Nie Shuang was the one who ended up consoling the elder,

"I’m leaving by my own choice. Living at the General’s manor was enjoyable, as you know. I’m the daughter of a merchant, never truly deserving of a match with the General. He should marry a woman who can support him better. If there’s nothing else, Nie Shuang will bid farewell to you now, Father-in-law. I will leave the manor today."

The Hou watched the young woman walk away with such composure and suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Perhaps he had made the wrong decision. The woman whom Qilin was infatuated with was radiant, as bright as the sun. How would he feel when he learned of her departure?

Nie Shuang changed into fresh clothes and then went to the palace to request an audience with Princess An Le. When the princess learned that Nie Shuang was there to say goodbye, she was visibly shocked.

“This fast? Didn’t you say that General Song would go back to the border in three weeks?”

Nie Shuang explained the whole situation to Princess An Le. Upon hearing it, the princess furrowed her brows.

"Since the General plans to flee the marriage with you, wouldn’t it be better for you to go with him instead of running away and hiding from him? Have you never heard his nickname?"

Nie Shuang raised her eyebrows. Nickname? She really hadn’t heard anything like that.

"He’s quite fearsome. Anyone who crosses him never meets a good end. They always face his retaliation. That’s why people call General Song, the Jade-Faced Reaper."

Nie Shuang laughed as if it were a joke. The Jade-Faced Reaper? He was always so gentle with her, and even when they weren’t on good terms, she had scolded him into silence more than once. There was nothing scary about him at all. Seeing that Nie Shuang showed no fear, Princess An Le admired her even more. She thought to herself that Sister Nie was truly no ordinary woman—even General Song’s anger didn’t faze her.

"Since you’re leaving tomorrow, I’ll give you a companion today."

She then called for one of her attendants. Shortly after, a tall, slender eunuch entered the room. His face was beautiful, but his eyes had a cold, distant look.

"This is Eunuch Wang, though you can call him Wang Dongpo if you prefer. I once saved him from punishment under the Consort De Fei[1]. Since then, his life has been mine. But I find him a bit dull—not suited to my playful nature. He’ll be of more use to you, helping you manage things along the way. Most importantly, his martial arts skills are impressive. You’ll see if you test him."

The real reason the princess wanted to send Eunuch Wang away was that he saw through all her tricks and couldn’t be fooled like the other palace maids, making it less fun to have him around. After seeing Nie Shuang’s judo moves the other day, Princess An Le assumed she was well-versed in martial arts. Nie Shuang didn’t bother correcting her. She observed Wang Dongpo carefully.

"Your Highness, he is accustomed to palace life. Having him accompany me on my wanderings outside seems inappropriate."

Princess An Le laughed.

"What’s inappropriate about it? He’ll be better off with you. He doesn’t really belong in the palace."

Then she turned to Wang Dongpo.

"Did you bring the letter I entrusted to you?"

Wang Dongpo pulled a letter from his robe and respectfully handed it to the princess, who then passed it to Nie Shuang.

"Sister Nie, I’ve written a letter of introduction for you. My elder brother is Kang Wang, who governs the southern part of the region. If you happen to pass through Huangjing City and encounter any trouble, you can seek him out. He’s a kind man and will surely help you."

Hearing this, Nie Shuang felt deeply touched. Right now, she was still confused inside, so tears unconsciously flowed out. Seeing this, Princess An Le also started to cry.

"Sister Nie, this is all I can do for you. Honestly, I don’t want you to leave at all. If it weren’t for Yong An Hou, you wouldn’t have to leave the capital like this."

The two young women comforted each other as they prepared to part ways. In the end, Wang Dongpo changed from his eunuch attire into a scholar’s robe and followed Nie Shuang out of the palace. She took him to Da Shi and reminded him to prepare for their upcoming journey.

"In that case, since the Hou’s men will be guarding us, do we still need to hire the protection agency?"

Da Shi asked, hoping to help Nie Shuang save on expenses.

"Go ahead and hire them. I don’t plan on having the Hou’s men follow us all the way to our destination. Once we’re close, I’ll have them turn back."

Da Shi acknowledged her instructions and then escorted Dongpo to his quarters. Nie Shuang glanced up at the sky; it was almost time for Song Qilin to return to the manor. She had to hurry back and meet him, making sure he didn’t suspect her upcoming departure.That night, Nie Shuang stayed at the Xu Yang Quarters. Song Qilin couldn’t help but be surprised by how affectionate his little wife was. She clung to him sweetly, without a single complaint, even as he possessed her with passion. The entire night, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. She seemed more passionate than ever, sometimes even initiating their intimacy. He was utterly pleased, and it wasn’t until dawn that the activity in the room finally quieted down.