Encountering a Snake - Chapter 31

Stepping over the threshold, Shen Qingxuan felt the world spinning, so fast and urgent, as if it were about to collapse. He heard the gasps of the servants, the startled cries of the maid, and behind him, the woman sitting in the chair calling out.

 

She shouted, “Xuan’er!”

 

Shen Qingxuan thought, who won? Both sides are hurt, I suppose. With this thought in mind and a smile on his lips, he collapsed, covered in blood.

 

In the moment he fell, he was caught in Yi Mo’s arms.

 

No one saw how he moved; they only knew that he, who had walked far alongside Old Master Shen, suddenly appeared before them, cradling the young master. Then the two of them disappeared.

 

When Shen Qingxuan woke up, he found himself in warm spring water, completely naked. Opening his eyes to look around, he smiled and said, “You just brought me here like this? The family will worry.”

 

Yi Mo wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and replied calmly, “They won’t.”

 

Shen Qingxuan fell silent, bracing himself against the rocks while standing in the water. He felt no pain on his back, reaching back to touch it; the skin was smooth, without any scars. He turned around and wrapped his arms around Yi Mo’s neck, saying, “At this point, you should marry me.”

 

Yi Mo still replied with the same: “I won’t marry.” The refusal was firm and resolute, leaving no room for negotiation, but there was a hint of tenderness in her eyes that even she herself was unaware of.

 

Shen Qingxuan sighed, “Alright, if you won’t marry today, then tomorrow. It’s the same.”

 

Yi Mo didn’t think she would ever marry him. If she had to give their relationship a name, it would be a reluctant marriage. But she wasn’t willing to marry; she only thought about getting married.

 

And so, this matter became twisted.

 

Shen Qingxuan knew that after today, no one would be able to stop him. He wanted to be with the demon; no one could stop him. He wanted to marry this demon, and no one dared to stop him. His parents had already given in; only distant relatives and friends remained. But so what? Even the ties of blood couldn’t stop him. Among those without blood ties, who would dare to stand in front of him and openly scold him for his immoral actions?

 

No one dared.

 

Shen Qingxuan squinted his eyes, looking up at the azure sky, cloudless and blue. The Shen family’s wealth was now entirely in his hands.

 

Whoever dared to stop him could try experiencing the taste of having their throat choked!

 

With one hand around Yi Mo’s neck, Shen Qingxuan leaned over and kissed his face. “We should head back. At this time, Xiao Bao is looking for me everywhere.”

 

Yi Mo replied, “Okay.”

 

Having known each other for a year and three months, Shen Qingxuan swept away all obstacles, just waiting for Yi Mo to nod. Once he did, he could write Yi Mo’s name in the family registry at the Shen family ancestral hall, in front of all the clansmen and elders.

 

From then on, regardless of the Shen family’s rise or fall, future generations could flip through the family registry and see Yi Mo’s name next to that of their ancestor, Shen Qingxuan.

 

He was just waiting for Yi Mo to nod.

 

But Yi Mo had never nodded.

 

Shen Qingxuan waited for eight years.

 

Another early summer came, the outside was lush and green, and swallows were chirping under the eaves. Shen Qingxuan sat in the courtyard pavilion reading a book. Ten steps away, a boy with a child’s bun was standing under the sun, a quiver strapped to his back, holding a long bow in his hands, taking out arrows and aiming at the swallow’s nest under the eaves.

 

“Xiao Bao.” Shen Qingxuan caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye and lazily called out.

 

The child quickly retracted the arrow, running over with a long drawn-out voice, “Dad—”

 

“Are you bored at home?” Shen Qingxuan asked.

 

“It’s not as fun as the mountains and forests,” Xiao Bao wrinkled his nose. “Dad just reads books.”

 

Putting down his book, Shen Qingxuan pinched the boy’s cheek, “Your father just brought you here yesterday, and now you want to go back to the mountains? Do you dislike your dad?”

 

“Of course not.” Xiao Bao quickly explained, “There’s no one at home to play with me.”

 

“Isn’t your father playing with you?” Shen Qingxuan couldn’t imagine Yi Mo playing around with him and was quite curious.

 

“Father doesn’t play with me either.” Xiao Bao laughed, revealing two little tiger teeth. “There are so many wild beasts in the mountains; Father lets them play with me.”

 

Ah ha—Shen Qingxuan thought, the wild beasts are playing with the wild beasts.

 

As the father and son chatted, Yi Mo suddenly appeared in the courtyard, asking, “What are you talking about?”

 

“We were saying you let wild beasts play with him,” Shen Qingxuan said, a hint of reproach in his tone. “Don’t you think his temperament isn’t wild enough?”

 

Yi Mo responded with a question instead: “Do you want to tame the wild beasts into house pets?”

 

Shen Qingxuan retorted, “He’s a human now.”

 

Yi Mo raised an eyebrow and said nothing.

 

Xiao Bao looked at his two fathers with his round, sparkling eyes and finally couldn’t help but interject, asking, “Am I a beast?”

 

In the next moment, Shen Qingxuan grabbed a book and slapped it on his head, saying sternly, “Elders are speaking; how can you interrupt?”

 

“I’m sorry, Father.” Xiao Bao knelt down, readily admitting his mistake, clearly used to this. Shen Qingxuan didn’t press him further and silently handed over the book.

 

“Dad,” Xiao Bao asked pitifully, looking at the scroll of the *Lotus Sutra*, “How many times do I have to copy it?”

 

“Three times.” Shen Qingxuan smiled slightly, “After you finish, take it to your grandmother.”

 

Xiao Bao stood up and tugged at Yi Mo’s sleeve, shaking it. “Father, can you come pick me up and take me to the mountains after I finish copying?”

 

Yi Mo thought for a moment and shook his head. “Your illness is better, and tomorrow you need to return to the school to listen to your teacher’s lecture.”

 

Xiao Bao’s face completely fell, and he walked away dejectedly.

 

Along the way, he wracked his brain trying to understand why his dad and father, who clearly disagreed on how to educate him, were in perfect agreement when it came to him. There was no way to drive a wedge between them.

 

It was always like this; he was better off with his grandfather, who gave him whatever he wanted.

 

After the child left, Yi Mo sat down, looking at the familiar face across from him, unable to resist asking, “How much do you plan to make him copy?”

 

“To temper his temperament, let him copy while reading; he can copy as much as he can.” Shen Qingxuan took a sip of tea and laughed, “You let him roam free while I keep him in check. What’s wrong with that?”

 

Yi Mo thought for a moment and nodded. “That sounds good.” As he spoke, he pulled Shen Qingxuan closer. Shen Qingxuan leaned against his chest, tilting his face up to wait for a kiss.

 

Just as the two were locked in an affectionate embrace, the courtyard door was suddenly pushed open. A figure in Daoist robes rushed in, shouting loudly, only to see the two in such a position. He immediately stopped in his tracks, covering his eyes with one hand, and angrily exclaimed, “In broad daylight, you two shouldn’t go too far!”

 

Shen Qingxuan sat up and looked at Xu Mingshi, who was stomping his feet beside the bamboo grove, amused. He thought to himself, who was really going too far here? His courtyard had always been sparsely populated, and ever since the affair with Yi Mo was exposed eight years ago, no one had visited, except for two maidservants still attending to him. The original servants had been assigned elsewhere. In recent years, even Old Master Shen hadn’t come by often, and Madam Shen hadn’t set foot in once; everyone knew the southern courtyard of the Shen residence was a forbidden area.

 

Though it was a forbidden area, it still had an owner. Xu Mingshi burst in without a greeting and dared to accuse him of going too far; he was becoming increasingly out of line.

 

Shen Qingxuan stood up, adjusting his robe as he walked over.

 

Xu Mingshi, still covering his eyes, continued stomping his feet. “You two, stop it! I have urgent business!”

 

Shen Qingxuan slowed his steps, approaching him. Suddenly, he patted Xu Mingshi on the shoulder, startling him so much that he lowered his hand, only to see Shen Qingxuan smiling at him, pointing eastward, saying, “If you have to go, the latrine is that way.”

 

“I’m not going to the latrine!” Xu Mingshi waved his hand. “I really have something important.”

 

“Causing trouble again?” Shen Qingxuan squinted, scrutinizing him, somewhat disbelieving. “You’ve been more sensible these past few years; you shouldn’t be causing trouble.”

 

Xu Mingshi hurriedly shook his hands in protest. “It’s not me; it’s your younger brother.”

 

“Hmm?” Upon hearing this, Shen Qingxuan lost his mood to tease him. “What happened to Xiao Zhen?”

 

Xu Mingshi wiped the sweat from his forehead. “You need to give me some water to drink.”

 

Shen Qingxuan shot him a glance and returned to the pavilion.

 

Xu Mingshi followed him in, grabbing the teacup from the table and downing three cups in quick succession before sitting down on a stone bench to explain.

 

Shen Zhen was an official in the southern border. His family was well-off and had no need to engage in corrupt practices. He was known for his straightforward and honest governance, earning the love of the people. He practiced martial arts in his youth and was knowledgeable in military strategy, successfully clearing out bandits and rogues in the southern border, achieving remarkable results. Three years ago, he was recommended to become the governor of the southern border, and he should have had a smooth career from then on, safeguarding the southern frontier for the country. However, the emperor had delayed naming an heir, which led to the division of several factions among the high-ranking officials, resulting in constant disputes in the court. It was unclear how many officials benefited or suffered from this. Matters of the court were far removed from the southern border and should not have involved him, but because of the heir’s position, the flames of discord grew and eventually reached the officials at the border. Regardless of whether they were civil or military officials, they were forced to take sides.

 

Naturally, Shen Zhen was also dragged into it and couldn’t escape.

 

Shen Qingxuan tapped his forehead. “I did hear him mention some things in this year’s family letter, but he wouldn’t be explicit about such matters. Factional disputes are always unavoidable; just tell me which side he’s on?”

 

Yi Mo sipped his tea and had been silent until now. “Currently, there are only two factions in the court, but it seems only the old Prime Minister is going to be in trouble.”

 

Shen Qingxuan frowned. “Are you saying Xiao Zhen is safe?”

 

“How could he be safe?” Xu Mingshi jumped in quickly. “Shen Zhen said that last month, several officials jointly petitioned, saying that the Prime Minister has been in office for forty years, embezzling hundreds of thousands of taels and selling official posts, with dozens of charges listed against him.”

 

“That’s true.” Shen Qingxuan smiled. “Since Shen Zhen is on the Prime Minister’s side, he’s also on the side of the Crown Prince. If the Prime Minister falls, the Prince will lose his right-hand man, and Shen Zhen will inevitably be implicated. Why don’t you send him a message to resign before the storm hits?”

 

Xu Mingshi shook his head. “He won’t agree to that. Besides, I’m going there to exorcise demons. I just remembered your brother is an official there, so I went to find him; I’m not familiar with him.”

 

Yi Mo glanced at Xu Mingshi, then at Shen Qingxuan, before saying, “Shen Zhen actually intended for you to pass on a message. Now that his brother has spoken, what’s the harm in you making another trip?”

 

Shen Qingxuan nodded in agreement. “Just make another trip.”

 

Xu Mingshi was so anxious he started stomping his feet. “But he also said that if he resigns, he might as well wait to die.”

 

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingxuan waved his sleeve. “I have no way to help; I’m not an official. Even if I have some connections, I can only help with minor troubles; I don’t have the ability to handle matters like this.”

 

After saying this, he stood up, dismissing Xu Mingshi. As he reached the door, he remembered to add, “Don’t tell my parents about this for now.”

 

Xu Mingshi was pushed and stumbled, unable to stand straight, and hurriedly responded.

 

As soon as Xu Mingshi left, Shen Qingxuan slumped his shoulders, let out a long sigh, and held Yi Mo’s hand, their fingers intertwined as they returned to the small building.

 

After an evening of intimacy, Yi Mo closed his eyes, holding him close in his embrace, one hand gently stroking his back, and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

 

“I’m thinking about how many more years I can wait for you,” Shen Qingxuan said, also with his eyes closed, muttering, “Why not just marry me?”

 

Yi Mo opened his eyelids a little, glanced at his hair, and closed them again, calmly saying, “You’re lying. You’re thinking about what happened during the day.”

 

Shen Qingxuan chuckled and nibbled on his collarbone, his movements reminiscent of a puppy gnawing on a bone, leaving numerous bite marks but not stopping, then moving to Yi Mo’s neck, leaving a few red marks glistening with moisture, and finally said, “I can’t hide it from you.” He added, “But I really can’t think of a way.”

 

Yi Mo replied, “Then take your time to think.”

 

“I’m afraid if I think of something, my brother will also be dead.” Shen Qingxuan lay back down, looking at the delicate floral patterns on the lotus-colored bed curtains, pondering for a while, then said, “You sleep first.” Saying this, he got up, picked up the scattered clothes on the floor, put them back on one by one, and finally donned his shoes and socks. He turned back and pressed a kiss on Yi Mo’s lips before turning to leave.

 

Yi Mo watched his figure disappear behind the door, then pulled up the blanket to cover himself and really fell asleep. However, in the middle of the night, he subconsciously reached out to hug the blanket tightly, as if cradling a person in his arms.

 

Shen Qingxuan wrote several letters throughout the night, sealing them with wax and sending them out with messengers. Three days later, the replies were quickly returned, and after reading the letters, Shen Qingxuan finally thought of a plan, but he felt that the future was uncertain and the scheme was ruthless. After much deliberation, he called Yi Mo to discuss.

 

Shen Qingxuan took out the letters one by one, unfolding them and handing them over, saying, “In these days, I’ve inquired carefully. The Minister of State can’t escape this time. The memorials against him list ten major crimes, any one of which could lead to extermination and execution, but there’s one crime missing.”

 

Yi Mo browsed through the letters and asked with interest, “Which one?”

 

“Conspiracy against the state,” Shen Qingxuan replied, laughing as he spoke.

 

Yi Mo glanced at him, “You look so pleased. Is this the crime you’ve come up with?”

 

“The emperor is wise, but he can’t make a decision on the matter of the crown prince, clearly not favoring the first prince. In the court, the old Minister of State has many supporters forming their own faction, while the other faction supports the third prince, Prince Wen. Both factions are deeply rooted, and the emperor wouldn’t want to eliminate one side, as it would allow the other to grow stronger. The emperor wouldn’t make such a foolish mistake.” Shen Qingxuan took a pen and paper, whispering, “Prince Wen has instructed people to accuse the old Minister of State, wanting his head to suppress the first prince’s faction, which aligns with the emperor’s wishes. Therefore, it will be difficult for the Minister of State to protect himself. But it’s not without a way…”

 

The way is to add a heinous crime to those ten charges—conspiracy against the state.

 

Conspiracy against the state is a crime of the highest order.

 

With many supporters of the Minister of State, if he is labeled with conspiracy, the court will undergo a significant purge. This is something the emperor does not wish to see. He only wants to remove the old Minister of State and does not want to uproot the power behind him all at once; otherwise, the first prince’s faction would completely collapse, and the third prince would inevitably be supported as the crown prince. By then, the emperor would have no choice but to agree. A monarch cannot allow such a situation to occur; he cannot let one faction grow powerful enough to threaten his position.

 

But someone needs to bring a memorial to the court. The old Minister of State can then protect himself, and naturally, the forces behind him can be preserved as well.

 

“What are you looking at me for?” Yi Mo asked.

 

Shen Qingxuan smiled slightly, “You’re fast; can you help me deliver this letter to the right person?”

 

Yi Mo replied, “I thought you didn’t need my help.”

 

“Anytime, I need you,” Shen Qingxuan raised his eyes, seriously gazing at him, “As long as you’re by my side.” I won’t be afraid.

 

Yi Mo quietly looked at him, the candlelight on the table flickering gently, warm orange glimmers flowing in his deep black eyes. Shen Qingxuan reached out, holding his fingers and rubbing them. Yi Mo turned his hand over, their fingers entwined, and Shen Qingxuan smiled as he gazed at him, his eyes filled with unhidden affection.

 

Pulling out the letter with still-wet ink from the table, Yi Mo got up and disappeared.

 

Three months later, a letter from Shen Zhen returned, stating that the old Minister of State was removed from office for corruption and fraud and returned home to rest. Prince Wen was found guilty of factionalism and slandering loyal ministers, stripped of his title and deprived of three years’ salary.

 

Shen Qingxuan lay with disheveled hair on the beautiful couch, listening to Xiao Bao recite. He tossed aside the letter in his hand, muttering to himself, “What does it have to do with me? I only protect my brother.” He then looked at Xiao Bao, “What part are you at?”

 

“Zhan bi qi ao, green bamboo yi yi, there’s a gentleman, like cutting and polishing, like carving and grinding…” Xiao Bao pouted, “Daddy doesn’t even listen seriously.”

 

“Xiao Bao.” Shen Qingxuan suddenly sat up and said, “A gentleman is like jade, two jades make a gem. From now on, you’ll be called Shen Jue.”

 

“Why is it two jades?” Xiao Bao asked curiously.

 

Shen Qingxuan lazily lay back down, “No reason.”

 

“Daddy is lying to me,” Xiao Bao didn’t believe him and thought for a moment, saying, “Is it because I’m daddy and father’s child?”

 

Shen Qingxuan shot him a sideways glare, “If you can’t understand, then think properly. Don’t talk nonsense.”

 

“Daddy, your ears are red,” Xiao Bao solemnly pointed out, then concluded on his own, “It must be like that.”

 

Then he was hit on the head with a book thrown by his father and kicked out.

 

Shen Qingxuan pulled a thin blanket over his face, his ears burning red. He cursed himself countless times in his heart, secretly saying, “I’m not a gentleman at all.”

 

Outside the door, Xiao Bao was shouting at the top of his lungs:

 

“…there’s a gentleman, like cutting and polishing, like carving and grinding…there’s a gentleman, like gold and tin, like jade and bi…”