TSLSILMH Ch 27

Chapter 27

Yu Chuxi himself did not know what was wrong with him.

Clearly, when he first heard Yu Wanchun’s words, although his heart had rippled with some unease, it was nothing like now, when his chest felt as though a mass of water-laden clouds had piled up inside—swollen, sour, and aching—yet refusing to break into a lingering rain.

On the way here, he kept wondering. Yu Wanchun had said that Xie Shu had already gone there. Since he had lost his memory, why did he still have to go?

When he met his childhood sweetheart again, what thoughts had arisen in him?

How could Yu Chuxi not know that such doubts were unreasonable?

He was aware that Yu Wanchun had deliberately schemed to arrange all this for the purpose of planting alienation in their hearts. To fall into such a trap was precisely the wrong thing to do.

Yet Yu Chuxi could not help thinking—what if… what if he really remembered?

By the time Yu Chuxi finally arrived, he heard that familiar voice outside the door—still as clear and refined as it had been these past days—and only then did he set his heart at ease.

That he hadn’t changed was the best thing of all.

But just moments ago, seeing Xie Shu speaking to that young man—even though his words carried no hint of affection, and his conduct was free of reproach—Yu Chuxi still could not feel pleased…

Suddenly it came to him: even if one forgets, so what? How could all those “memories of the past” between the two of them be so easily severed?

Thus, before he knew what he was doing, Yu Chuxi had struck him. Only afterward did he realize—how could he do such a thing? And moreover, it was not the first time in these few days.

From childhood to adulthood, he had never been a willful person, nor had anyone ever indulged him in such behavior.

But when Xie Shu caught his hand, Yu Chuxi had no time left to think on it.

The man’s palm, dry and warm, clasped firmly around his, and hearing that innocent yet gentle voice at his ear ask him a question, Yu Chuxi, while flushed with shame and irritation, also felt a strange numb tingling run through his whole body.

Yu Chuxi’s first reaction was to pull his hand away, but no matter how much strength he used, it would not budge an inch!

For a moment Yu Chuxi was bewildered. This person usually carried himself with refined grace, looking every bit the frail scholar—so why was his grip so strong? And he would not let go!

Xie Shu had originally seized the young master’s hand only to block his strike, but when he looked at Yu Chuxi—still with that sharp glare, and with the flush of vexation at the corners of his eyes lingering on his jade-white, lustrous face, which was once again tinted pink like the crape myrtle blossoms of spring—it might not have carried much real menace. Still, it made Xie Shu pay serious attention. The young master’s sudden bit of temper surely had its reason.

Even as Xie Shu questioned him, he cast his mind back to what had just happened.

But no matter how he turned it over in his head, he could not figure out what, exactly, he had done to provoke such anger, to make the usually composed young master throw aside all restraint.

Seeing that the young master merely pressed his lips together and would not answer, Xie Shu subconsciously squeezed his hand lightly, and softly called him: “Young master…”

At that gentle coaxing tone, Yu Chuxi’s ears flushed red as well. He lowered his gaze to avoid looking at him, yet his sight involuntarily fell on their clasped hands. Why was he… even squeezing his hand…

But this time, Yu Chuxi couldn’t bear to pull away at all.

Thinking it over, he asked this: “Why did you come here just now? When I heard my second uncle speak, I was worried.”

So that was it. Xie Shu smiled faintly, and carefully explained: “After I parted from the young master and got down from the carriage, a stranger came up and shoved a scrap of paper into my hand. At the time I immediately thought there must be something odd about it, though I didn’t know who was stirring up trouble behind the scenes… I had meant to tell the young master, but it was already too late, so I brought a few officers with me to deal with it. Young master, was there anything I did just now that was wrong?”

When Yu Chuxi heard the full account, it was more or less as he had guessed—Yu Wanchun’s tricks scarcely amounted to more than this.

So, according to his words, it had not been because of anything else.

Yu Chuxi was not an unreasonable man. Once he calmed down and thought again of the way Xie Shu had spoken with Wei Qingtong earlier, there had been no hint of closeness at all. On the contrary… compared to the way he now addressed him, Yu Chuxi…

His lashes trembled slightly, halting that untimely thought, and he shook his head, about to reply, when suddenly he heard sounds outside the carriage. Knowing it must be Feng He or Xi Mo climbing up, Yu Chuxi hastily drew his hand back.

This time, no one held on to it.

And only when the young master’s hand slipped from his own did Xie Shu realize he had been holding it for quite some time without knowing it. As that soft, warm sensation vanished, he suddenly felt reluctant to let it go.

After returning home, Yu Chuxi did not accompany Xie Shu but instead prepared first to visit his father, Yu Wanli.

Yu Wanli was now heavy with illness, bedridden, and Yu Chuxi, without fail, went each day to pay his respects. He did not know what he would face today.

After all, though Yu Wanli had already entrusted most of the family power to Yu Chuxi, he still concerned himself with every matter great and small within the household.

So, what had happened today, Yu Wanli too, would know.

Xie Shu had wanted to go with Yu Chuxi, but Yu Chuxi had refused, telling him only to wait at home.

Yu Chuxi knew all too well his father’s temperament. His father bore deep fraternal affection; otherwise, he would never have considered handing the family estate over to Yu Wanchun in the first place.

Even though Yu Wanchun had now committed such mistakes, they were not directed against Yu Wanli himself. Faced with his own brother, now imprisoned, Yu Wanli would not be completely heartless. On the contrary, if the events were seen as having some connection to Xie Shu, he might even vent his anger on him. Thus, Yu Chuxi could not take Xie Shu along.

It was evening by the time Yu Chuxi came back.

Seeing the young master’s face, unable to hide his fatigue, Xie Shu could not help but sigh inwardly. He offered him a cup of warm tea, and after Yu Chuxi accepted it, he asked softly: “Young master, how did it go?”

Yu Chuxi drank a sip before speaking slowly: “Nothing serious. After I explained the matter, Father was greatly shocked, but in the end, he accepted it. He agreed he would no longer interfere in Second Uncle’s affairs. As for Second Uncle, who is now detained—once the investigation is complete, the authorities will notify us. Since the case involves a homicide, it is a grave matter; it will take at least twenty days to conclude. Until then, we must wait.”

Of course, what Yu Chuxi did not say was that the case would not likely be so simple. His second uncle was not one to confess easily, and moreover, he was all too familiar with the workings of officialdom. Most likely, he would attempt to work things in secret.

Therefore, Yu Chuxi himself could not lower his guard. He must take his own measures so as not to let Yu Wanchun escape punishment. Yet because such matters touched the core of morality and family bonds, Yu Chuxi did not want to tell Xie Shu just like that.

When Yu Chuxi finished speaking, a heavier expression came over his face. “Because of this matter, Father nearly collapsed with anger, and we had to call the physician again. But the doctor only said he must above all rest and recuperate. When all this has passed, I intend to go to Qixia Temple to pray for his blessing.”

Yu Wanli had been lingering sick in bed for half a year, his life sustained only by medicines others regarded as precious beyond compare—though to the Yu family, such things scarcely bore mentioning.

Yet this whole affair concerning the second uncle had once again worsened Yu Wanli’s hard-won slight recovery.

And Yu Chuxi knew this was not something that could possibly be concealed. All the more he refused to let Yu Wanchun have peace.

Pray for blessings?

Xie Shu did not know where Qixia Temple^1 was, but if the young master was going, he also said: “Then when the time comes, let me go with the young master, all right?”

Yu Chuxi glanced at him. This time he did not refuse. He merely nodded lightly.

The next day, matters concerning Yu Wanchun caused no small stir throughout the city.

The Yu family had already been a focus of gossip lately due to Xie Shu, and now, with these inside intrigues of a wealthy, prominent clan breaking into the open, people’s interest only surged further.

Still, since the case already had a definite conclusion and ample evidence was present, there was little real debate. Only many marveled at how, beneath his usual reputation for benevolence, Second Master Yu was in truth such a two-faced, sinister, and ruthless man.

Fortunately, there was the perceptive scholar Xie and the sensible young master of the Yu family—deeply bound and implicitly understanding each other—such mutual devotion was rare indeed.

During this period, Xie Shu no longer went out, but devoted himself at home to reading.

In the morning, after finishing reciting passages from the Four Books and Five Classics^2, he unrolled paper in the afternoon to practice calligraphy.

By now, his script already carried some of the elegance of his original style—characters spacious and open, with hints of grandeur; in standard script, orderly and steady, yet not without a certain grace.

Beside him, Xi Mo was grinding the ink. Looking at it, he suddenly grew puzzled: “Master, your handwriting now looks different than it did before.”

Footnotes:

1. Qixia Temple (栖霞寺) – A famous historic Buddhist temple located in Nanjing, China. It is known as a site for prayer, especially for family health and blessings. Its mention indicates a revered spiritual retreat, signifying Yu Chuxi’s filial devotion to pray for his father’s recovery.

2. Four Books and Five Classics (四書五經) – Canonical works of Confucianism, traditionally memorized and recited by Chinese scholars preparing for official examinations. Their recitation indicates Xie Shu’s scholarly diligence and cultivation.