The Marquis Is Innocent

The West King Golden Mother Hall is outside the East City Gate. It is close to the County School. A couple of miles out of the city gate, not too far and not near, either. Wei Shao did not bring his entourage, only himself dressed casually and riding out of the city.

Because it was recently repaired, some details inside are unfinished. The craftsmen are working on it, so now the hall is closed, and the gate is open. There is a Wei family carriage parked on the side of the gate. The driver and a few escorts are on the side.

Wei Shao came closer on horseback. He saw a space near the gate, where at least twenty to thirty people gathered. All dressed as students from the nearby County School, ranging in age from fifteen or sixteen to over twenty. These people are not studying in the school, but all run here to wait in the gate’s direction. Some people climbed up a tree on the side of the road because they could not occupy a good seat. As if there were some big show to watch inside the gate.

Wei Shao moved closer. The students focused on what was inside the gate and did not notice his arrival behind them, and they were chattering away.

“When will she come out? We have been waiting for a long time!”

“It should be soon. Brother Zhang is obsessed with painting and calligraphy. Mr. Gao Bohai will let no one see his mural until he has finished painting. Brother Zhang is really impatient. Yesterday he came here. He wanted to find a chance to blend in and observe Gao Bohai’s paintings. He met the Marquis’ wife coming out. According to brother Zhang, she was ‘devastatingly beautiful!’”

A group of students on the side was fascinated by what was said.

“The young madam was not only beautiful but also had good handwriting. Even Gao Bohai invited her to collaborate on the inscription.”

“I heard that Gao Bohai appreciated the young madam’s handwriting, and said the font is unique and new. It is like an orchid leaf dancing in the wind, elegant without losing composure, and the spirit flowing down. This kind of evaluation is really fascinating.”

“If I could see the young madam’s writing faster, it would be wonderful!”

……

The students were chattering; you said one thing, and I said another.

Wei Shao stopped his horse, his brow furrowed and his complexion gloomy.

“She’s out! She’s coming out! Silence! Silence!”

There were green figures swaying inside the gate, and it seemed a woman was coming out.

The student who climbed the tree was the first to see it and shouted. The crowd immediately became excited, pushing each other and scrambling to lean forward. However, they were disappointed to see a middle-aged woman with a slightly plump body coming out of the door. They sighed in unison.

Wei Shao had already seen that the woman was Chun Niang. She came out and took a thin cloak of blue silk from the carriage. It is suitable for this twilight spring. She turned around and went inside again.

The students were disappointed and continued to talk about the beauty of the Marquis’ wife. The student, who was the highest climber, unintentionally turned his head and saw Wei Shao on horseback on the roadside behind him. He had seen Wei Shao on the roadside before he entered the city and was impressed, so he recognized him at a glance and cried out, ‘the Marquis has arrived.’ His arms and legs went limp. He fell to the ground with a ‘poof’ and his buttocks almost split in half.

The crowd turned around and saw a man sitting on the back of a fat horse behind them. He was young, but his eyebrows were dignified. His two gazes shot over and the crowd was silent. No one dared to speak again.

“You students of the County School, instead of thinking about the school examination, are gathering here to cause trouble. Do you really think the school officer is absent?” Wei Shao said coldly.

Nowadays, the primary way of selecting state officials is to recruit and recommend them. In addition, the imperial court set up the Imperial College, and the local counties set up county schools to accept young people of outstanding talent and character. Those who passed the exams were given priority or recommended to the court as officials.

Although the criteria for selecting students for the national school are based on “talent and character”, in reality, except for a few poor students who were really talented and admitted, most of them came from local families or powerful families. The students of these county schools are not the sons of local families or large families. They do not want to go to school but only muddle through the school, waiting to get an official position in the future. Life in the school is boring, and yesterday they heard that the young mistress of Marquis Wei came to the West King Golden Mother Hall to inscribe the mural. Her beauty was exceptional, so they were all excited. Today they took advantage of the absence of the school officials to run here together to watch from afar, hoping to see for themselves. Unexpectedly, they have not yet seen the person and Wei Shao blocked them. How dare they make a sound? One by one, they all stand with their hands down and hold their breath. They dare not raise their heads lest he remembers their faces.

Wei Shao frowned at the group of people. After a long time, he squeezed the word “go” out of his teeth.

The students, as if they had been pardoned, bowed to him. They turned around and skipped away.

Wei Shao looked at the backs of the students and exhaled a stifled breath in his chest before reaching the gate of the main hall. Several guards who escorted Xiao Qiao here saw him coming and rushed to greet him.

Wei Shao dismounted and went inside, heading for the mural wall in the back hall.

The mural has been completed. Gao Heng is worthy of the title “Bohai Crown”. On the enormous wall several feet high, the Queen Mother’s face is vivid. The fairy is flying with auspicious clouds and birds arching around like stepping on clouds. The picture is solemn and gorgeous with bright colors, which makes people admire it. Xiao Qiao wrote inscriptions for two days, and now it was completed. Her inscriptions complement the picture, like a finishing touch. But at this moment, she has not yet left. Draped with the blue cloak Chun Niang takes in just now, she was standing side by side with Gao Heng in front of the newly completed mural. Xiao Qiao looked up at the mural and Gao Heng talking as if they were discussing something.

Chun Niang and two maids were standing at the side, not far away.

Wei Shao came closer and gradually heard the conversation between Xiao Qiao and Gao Heng. It turned out that they were talking about calligraphy. Wei Shao listened to Gao Heng: “…… When it comes to the Cliffs (*), I prefer the Ode to the Cloud Gate, which has a loose stroke, an open ending, and a seal script with a twist and turn as if the sky is moving and floating. I went to Hanzhong in Yunmen to stay there for three months, so I could climb the mountain every day and observe the calligraphy on the west wall. The weather changes in the morning and evening, and the characters seem to have their own rhythm. When I discussed calligraphy with Madam, I was delighted to hear Madam had a good understanding of calligraphy and had a romantic and unique style. I was pleased to have a soul mate. If Madam wants to see it in person someday, I will be willing to be your guide. ……”

T/N: (*) The words directly engraved on the cliffs are called “cliffs”. Inscriptions, scriptures, Buddha statues, poems, etc. engraved on the cliffs and walls.

This Gao Heng, not only has a face like a crowned jade but also has a reputation as a talented young man. At thirteen, he was praised by the governor of Bohai and recommended entering the national school at the age of less than sixteen. Now he is less than thirty years old, unruly in nature, and covered with the style of a famous scholar. From a distance, Wei Shao saw his eyes looking at Xiao Qiao without blinking, and his eyes were dazzling. When he came closer, he heard his invitation and recommended himself. The stuffy air in his chest that had just exhaled outside the gate suddenly rose back. He immediately sped up his steps.

Chun Niang stood beside Xiao Qiao. She turned around when she heard footsteps from behind. She hastily turned towards Wei Shao and bowed, calling him “Marquis.”

Xiao Qiao turned around and saw Wei Shao, who had been gone for more than half a month, had appeared here as the world had fallen. She was stunned, got up, and greeted him, saying, “When did husband return? Why did you come here?”

Wei Shao paused and looked at Gao Heng.

At first, Gao Heng was just amazed at the writing of the Young Mistress of the Wei Family and worked with her over the past two days to complete the mural. The mural paintings are high, which is much more difficult than the usual writing on the silk scroll. This young lady is not the least bit delicate. She had done every stroke seriously. Treat people kindly. Not to mention, her beauty of appearance. By the time the mural was completed, he could not help but be impressed.

Therefore, when the painting was completed, he could not let her go, so he kept her and talked about the world’s stone cliffs. The conversation was exciting, but unexpectedly, Wei Shao suddenly came. The conversation was interrupted. His heart was disappointed, and he bowed to Wei Shao.

Wei Shao looked as usual and exchanged a few pleasantries with him before turning to Xiao Qiao: “It is getting late, and Grandmother is worried at home. If things are done here, let’s go home.” After saying that, he nodded toward Gao Heng. He turned around and went outside himself.

Xiao Qiao bade farewell to Gao Heng. Chun Niang and her maids gathered their belongings. They accompanied Xiao Qiao out and boarded the carriage.

Wei Shao rode ahead of her carriage, and the journey was quiet. When it was dark, she returned to the Wei residence.

When Xiao Qiao went in, Wei Shao did not enter with her, nor did he say anything to her. He left when she entered the door. Probably he was going to the government office.

……

The west room was lit up with lights.

In the past two days, she has been inscribing on the mural. In order to make sure the writing was done in one go, Xiao Qiao practiced on the wall many times before the last stroke. She returned home with an aching pain not only in her arms but also in her right shoulder. When she came out after bathing, Chun Niang sat beside her and gently took care of it.

Wei Shao returned at around 11:00 pm, which was not very late.

Xiao Qiao greeted her as she usually did.

She can see he seems unhappy on the way back from picking her up.

She couldn’t figure out what he was unhappy about.

Honestly, she was surprised to see him picking her up, and even a bit flattered.

Therefore, this makes it even more confusing.

Since he was willing to come to pick her up, how come on the way back home, he looked like she owed him money and did not pay him back?

The most straightforward and crude deduction. Could it be he was unhappy to see another man talking to her so much?

But Xiao Qiao quickly dismissed this speculation.

When he was exchanging pleasantries with Gao Heng, it was very normal. She could not see anything unpleasant at all. Moreover, there are qualifications for a woman to provoke a man to be jealous of her. Previously, he was consistently frowning at her. Even after his mother drugged him half a month ago and she served him so hard all night. The next day, he left Yuyang early in the morning to patrol the border city, and when she sent him out of the west house, he did not show any signs of softening towards her.

It is evident that this is out of the question.

……

“Husband patrolled the city for most of the month and went to pick me up as soon as you returned. Actually, it is unnecessary. I am sorry about it.”

Xiao Qiao was doing nothing and as usual, was at his side to help him take off his outer clothes.

Since the last time she helped him undress his battle armor, it had become customary for Xiao Qiao to help him undress every time he returned.

Wei Shao let her wait on him and said with an expressionless face, “Grandmother ordered me to pick you up.”

So that was it. It was not his own will but he was forced by Mrs. Xu.

No wonder his face was so sour.

“It’s been hard for you. Thank you, husband. Husband must be tired from the tough journey, so rest early.”

Xiao Qiao put away the clothes he took off neatly and turned her head with a smile.