Chapter 1202: A Big Deal

Fu Junlan knew little of warfare, but he had heard of the war that had destroyed a state. Millions of troops had faced one another. What a spectacle that must have been.

Millions of soldiers, yet none could save one weak woman. Only a single man had been willing to go. Hearing those few words alone, Fu Junlan could not help letting out a long breath. "Truly, a great man without equal in his age!" Then he asked, "If he was willing to die for the Commandery Princess, surely he loved you as well?"

Putting it so plainly in terms of love made Shang Shuqing somewhat embarrassed, but since she had chosen to be frank with him, she did not conceal anything. "If our feelings had truly been mutual, how could I dare tell Young Master Fu there was 'nothing improper' between us? Master Dao saved me because that was the kind of man he was. It had nothing to do with feelings between a man and a woman. Young Master Fu, do you know why I left the four characters 'Peach Blossom Immortal' on the grave marker?"

Fu Junlan looked puzzled. "Wasn't that Master Dao's sobriquet?"

Shang Shuqing suddenly began to recite slowly:

"In Peach Blossom Vale stands Peach Blossom Hermitage;
Beneath Peach Blossom Hermitage dwells a Peach Blossom Immortal.
The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees,
And plucks peach blossoms to trade for wine..."

When she finished, she smiled. "That was what I heard him recite when I first met Master Dao in the mountains. He styled himself the Peach Blossom Immortal."

"Oh!" Fu Junlan understood at once. "So that's where the name Peach Blossom Immortal came from. No wonder you inscribed those words on the grave marker."

"You should know that the Fu family was implicated in the calamity that befell Prince Ning's residence in the capital. After we escaped the capital, we passed by the Shangqing Sect. Because the Shangqing Sect had deep ties with my father, I went there seeking aid. But the world is fickle. I could obtain help from no one else; only Master Dao came down from the mountain. Master Dao had no ties to my family at all and did not want to be drawn into our troubles. He had intended to leave, but I found a way to persuade him to stay..." Shang Shuqing slowly recounted the experiences of more than ten years.

She told him what could be told and omitted what could not. Even with much left unsaid, many of the things Fu Junlan heard were already startling enough. Only then did he understand how difficult Shang Chaozong's rise had truly been. It was not, as ordinary people might imagine, a foundation that could be won simply by being skilled at war. There was no telling how many matters lay tangled behind it.

Even among the things she omitted, there were in fact matters Fu Junlan simply had no need to know. Still, as before, Shang Shuqing meant to be truthful with him rather than mislead him.

When those more than ten years of experience had finally been compressed into one long conversation, Fu Junlan at last understood what Niu Youdao meant to Shang Chaozong, and what he meant to Shang Shuqing.

With boundless emotion, he said, "A youth not yet twenty came down from the mountains and displayed inexhaustible strategy, with methods that could turn clouds and rain at will. He had a hero's courage, cultivation enough to stake his life against powerful enemies, and mastery of qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song. Gifted in both talent and looks, he entered the world and ranged unhindered beneath Heaven with laughter on his lips. To think such an extraordinary man existed! Truly, a prodigy born with rare gifts!"

"I had thought he was merely a powerful cultivator whose spiritual power was enough to strike fear into his enemies. Only now do I realize that I'm even a little older than he was... Heh. Compared to a man like that, I really have wasted all these years."

"With such an extraordinary man, it's no wonder the Commandery Princess gave him her heart. Before this, I still entertained a little hope. I thought that since he was already gone, perhaps I might one day take his place in your heart. Only now do I understand that this Master Dao is someone Fu Junlan could never hope to equal in this lifetime. What virtue or ability do I possess to indulge such a foolish fantasy?"

Shang Shuqing hurriedly said, "Young Master Fu, I only told you the truth..."

Fu Junlan raised a hand to stop her. "Don't be anxious, Commandery Princess. I only mean that it truly is a pity for such a man to have died." Then he turned back with a smile. "There is something the Commandery Princess may not know. The day before yesterday, Mr. Lan came to see me and urged me to make the marriage proposal as soon as possible. And now..." He shook his head.

Shang Shuqing said awkwardly, "Young Master Fu, I had no other intention."

Fu Junlan said, "Though I may be lacking in ability, I can still see that if your family were not pressuring you, the Commandery Princess would have no desire to marry and leave the household. I only want to ask you one question. If there were no pressure from your family, would you truly and willingly marry me?"

Shang Shuqing fell silent. She could not bring herself to speak words that went against her heart.

Fu Junlan smiled, and it was a bright smile. His entire manner seemed much more carefree. "Actually, I suddenly feel relieved. The Commandery Princess may not know this, but every time I came to the Prince's residence and saw guards standing in ranks all around, with pair after pair of eyes watching my every move, I was trembling inside. I was terrified of doing something wrong. Every question and answer had me wound tight. There are too many rules here. Every visit left me exhausted. The gap between the Fu family and the Prince's residence is simply too great."

"After the Fu family suffered its calamity, we never recovered. Later, we heard that the Prince had raised troops in Nanzhou, swept all before him, taken Nanzhou, and was rising like the sun at its zenith. So the entire Fu clan uprooted itself and moved here. The hardships of that journey are not something we speak of to outsiders. When we finally reached Nanzhou, everyone in the family was anxious. Fortunately, the Prince still remembered old ties and granted the Fu family exclusive rights to a line of business. Only then did our family gradually regain its footing. The reason my family ordered me to discuss marriage with the Commandery Princess is that the Fu family has already suffered too much. We know all too well what happens in troubled times to those who have no power behind them."

"When I go back this time, I truly don't know how I'll answer to my family. I may still be able to deal with my family, but outsiders know nothing of what has happened."

"Everyone outside assumes my marriage talks with the Commandery Princess are certain to succeed. By now, quite a few local officials have even begun visiting the Fu family of their own accord. If I reject the match, outsiders will naturally assume I offended the Prince. Then I have no idea how many people will start making trouble for the Fu family. If the Commandery Princess rejects the match, why would she reject it when everything seemed to be going well? Outsiders will likewise wonder whether the Fu family has displeased the Prince's residence. The result would be the same. Ah, it's truly a headache."

By this point, Shang Shuqing understood what he meant. Through everything that had happened, she had also come to understand herself, and his attitude left her suddenly clear-minded as well. She no longer spoke around the issue. "I understand Young Master Fu's difficulty. Don't worry. I will explain this clearly to my family. It has nothing to do with you. I will ask Mr. Lan to step forward and see to matters. No one in Nanzhou will make things difficult for the Fu family. If the Fu family encounters any difficulty in the future, come to me directly. If it is within my power to help, I will do everything I can."

Fu Junlan's expression turned solemn. "Junlan spoke of these troubles not because I intend to abandon the marriage proposal, but because I wanted the Commandery Princess to understand that Junlan has no choice but to propose."

Shang Shuqing was left speechless.

Fu Junlan suddenly broke into a smile. "I'm joking! I only wanted to know this: if Junlan recognizes the difficulty and withdraws, will the Commandery Princess marry someone else in the future? If you will, then Junlan will hold his ground and refuse to retreat. If you will not, then Junlan would not dare profane such devotion!"

Shang Shuqing laughed. Her answer was firm. "It was all like a dream. I won't marry."

"Ah!" Fu Junlan covered his face with both hands. "My family has been looking forward to this so much. When I go back, I'm afraid they'll curse me to death!"

Shang Shuqing smiled. "At that garden gathering, there were so many men, yet I chose Young Master Fu at a glance. A gentleman is like an orchid. I did not misjudge you. If I ever go back on my word and marry after all, Young Master Fu will be my first choice!"

"The Commandery Princess is truly smiling now. Looks like I've finally completed the task the Princess Consort gave me." Fu Junlan sighed.

Shang Shuqing was puzzled. "Task?"

Fu Junlan looked left and right, then lowered his voice. "She was afraid you might take things too hard. The Princess Consort asked me to come cheer you up. Fetching a painting for Young Master Wang was only an excuse!" He pointed to the painting on the desk, then stepped forward and picked it up. "This painting isn't suitable to give Young Master Wang. How about giving it to Junlan as a keepsake instead?"

Shang Shuqing said, "If Young Master Fu doesn't dislike it, I would be happy to give it to you."

Fu Junlan waved a hand. "No, no, I don't dislike it. How could I? This painting cost me a marriage. If I take it with me and count it as the Commandery Princess owing me a favor, that isn't unreasonable, is it? If the Fu family ever runs into trouble, I will bring this painting to ask for your help and have the Commandery Princess repay this favor. What do you say?"

Shang Shuqing smiled and nodded. "All right. It's a promise!"

"Then I'll take my leave." Fu Junlan cupped his hands and began folding the painting as he walked. Shang Shuqing moved to see him out, but he waved repeatedly. "No need, no need. Don't see me out. I know the way well enough by now."

Even so, Shang Shuqing personally walked him to the entrance of the small courtyard and watched him leave.

Unfortunately for Fu Junlan, before he had even made it out of the Prince's residence, he ran into Lan Ruoting.

"Young Master Fu." Lan Ruoting hurriedly waved him to a stop. After dismissing his attendants, he lowered his voice and asked, "How are preparations for the marriage proposal coming along at your household?"

"You'll know soon enough, Mr. Lan!" Fu Junlan cupped his hands. Wearing an easy smile, he ignored the heavily guarded Prince's residence around him and strode away with a swagger.

"Hm..." Lan Ruoting turned to watch him go, stroking his beard in thought. He did not know whether it was his imagination, but this young man suddenly seemed far more carefree. The old restraint was gone, as though he had become a different person. Such a rapid change left Lan Ruoting wondering what had happened.

Outside the gates of the Prince's residence, Fu Junlan looked back, then glanced down at the folded painting in his hand. He smiled bitterly to himself. "I'm really going to be cursed to death when I get back. Let's hope this deal was worth it!"

The servant driving his carriage suddenly leaned closer. "Young Master, what deal?"

"A big deal!" Fu Junlan knocked him on the head, waved a hand, and called out, "Home!"

Inside the Prince's residence, Shang Chaozong and the others stared in shock at Shang Shuqing, who stood calmly and composedly before them.

Shang Shuqing had gathered them all together and told them directly that she would not marry.

Meng Shanming sat upright in his wheelchair, raised a hand to stroke his beard, and smiled. In his view, this was the best possible outcome. Whether or not the truth about Niu Youdao's death was exposed in the future, this girl would no longer be left with regrets.

Shang Chaozong felt grief and frustration in his heart. What had he said? Sure enough, the news of Master Dao's death had caused a change after all...

Shang Shuqing's attitude was resolute. This time, nothing anyone said could change her mind. After going through such an upheaval, her heart had settled, and she would no longer let herself be pressured into wavering between two choices.

And since her mind was made up, Shang Chaozong did not keep forcing the issue without end. What Meng Shanming had said to him earlier had, in the end, affected him.

But if a grown woman like her was not going to marry, what was she supposed to do with herself?

Shang Shuqing did indeed want something to occupy her. She no longer wanted to remain idle in the Prince's residence. She decided to open a school beside the residence and teach the children of poor families for free, putting what she had learned over the years to some use.

No one in the Prince's residence objected. After all, it would also earn the household a measure of good reputation.

From then on, apart from teaching the children, Shang Shuqing would occasionally leave the city when the mood took her and sit quietly for a while beside the grave outside the walls, the one whose marker bore the words "Peach Blossom Immortal"...

"She's not marrying?" Niu Youdao stared in astonishment from inside the upper room, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Yun Ji leaned against the window and watched his awkward expression with faint amusement.

"Yes! Shang Shuqing rejected the match. She's made up her mind never to marry!" Guan Fangyi was absolutely certain. She sneered repeatedly. "Look what you've done. You couldn't keep your mouth shut. You opened it once and ruined a woman's whole life. Can you bear that responsibility? Aren't you ashamed?"

Niu Youdao protested, "This was something everyone knew. They were the ones trying to hide it. Could they really keep it hidden? How does that get blamed on me?"

[End of Chapter 1202]