For a moment, Tian Qin doubted her ears were playing tricks on her.
With disbelief and hesitation, she lifted her head and accidentally met his gaze—serene as mountain mist, trapping her like a bird caught in a wind net. She couldn’t help frowning as she asked, “What did Brother-in-law say?”
Xie Tanwei repeated himself, not as if joking but with detached calmness as though discussing someone else’s affairs: “Brother-in-law has been punished with exile to the former territory, unlikely to return to the capital in this lifetime. You are being forced into marriage by the Yu family, wed to an unworthy man. Since they are tearing us apart, why don’t we elope?”
Tian Qin felt darkness cloud her vision, her spirit like a wildly plucked zither with chaotic rhythms, a cotton-stuffed obstruction lodged in her throat.
Such words as “elopement”—he actually dared voice them.
“Afraid of being discovered?”
“Don’t worry. With Brother-in-law here, we won’t be caught and dragged back.”
Seeing how frightened she was, he softened his tone and explained with unnatural calm: “We’ll go to an earthly paradise, far from worldly noise. We’ll brew wine with pine blossoms and boil tea with spring water. Hand in hand every day, from black hair to white, we’ll stay together forever.”
“Though Brother-in-law is incompetent—having lost office and been exiled—I’ve saved some money over the years. Enough to support my sister carefreely for the rest of her life.”
Tian Qin felt as if struck by lightning, thunder rumbling in her ears while wind and rain whipped through her hair. Her heart clenched into a knot as she blurted out: “What nonsense are you speaking? What about Sister?”
“I will divorce her.”
Xie Tanwei’s tone remained flat, exactly like when he casually discussed killing Xu Junzheng, as he presented his final olive branch to her.
“If Sister doesn’t like being a concubine, then don’t be one. You’ll be the legal wife. As for your sister, I’ll properly handle the aftermath. We’ll withdraw completely, no longer connected to worldly grudges and grievances.”
He lifted her hand and kissed its back, like gentle rain moistening flowers, his long lashes lowered almost reverently: “You never see Brother-in-law’s sincerity, so this time I want you to witness it. State any other conditions you have—I’ll walk through fire and water, devoted to your service.”
He laid nearly all his cards before her, hoping she would change her mind. He was different from his previous life now, deeply repentant and reborn, never to treat her as he had before.
In that instant, Tian Qin finally understood his true intention behind willingly admitting to fraud, destroying his career, and swallowing humiliation—
To deceive her into returning, sweet-talking her into plunging headfirst into the sweet yet dangerous vortex of elopement, beclouded judgment leaving her adrift abroad, completely at his mercy like dodder vines that can only draw nourishment from him.
For this, he could end his marriage in name only with Xianqiu, and gift her the wife position once deemed “unworthy” for her.
No wonder he kept begging for her forgiveness.
This moment, Tian Qin saw clearly once more his selfishness, ruthlessness, coldness, venomous tolerance, and inhuman cold-bloodedness deep in his bones—treating people as usable chess pieces.
She had naively believed Xie Tanwei loved Xianqiu, protecting her relentlessly in their previous life and caring for her consistently for decades.
Now it appeared Xie Tanwei did everything from his own perspective—only weighing advantages and disadvantages with an icy measuring scale, with no place for so-called “feelings” or “preferences.”
He could discard his wife of many years without hesitation. His cold-blooded acts toward her in their previous life were actually quite ordinary for him.
Truly a terrifying, inhuman opponent.
“So Brother-in-law abandoned his official career… for me?”
Tian Qin covered her nose with a heart full of sorrow, her aversion profound as she adopted a defensive posture, fearing he might utter even more heretical words.
Xie Tanwei said, “In a way, yes.”
“No need. Brother-in-law has always thrived in the court, rising step by step. Why would you foolishly ruin yourself for the sake of fleeting romance?”
She looked at him as if he were a monster.
Xie Tanwei, gentle yet icy, smiled. “It is foolish, but life seldom offers such folly. I have no regrets.”
He lightly inhaled the orchid scent from her collar, evoking the feeling of rain-dampened clothes. “In my past life, Brother-in-law was too shrewd. My sister passed early, leaving me a widower with two children. In this life, I do not wish to harbor regrets again.”
Tian Qin felt dizzy from the faint soap fragrance on him. He was mad—he had always been this kind of madman.
“Brother-in-law, do not speak such offensive words anymore. My marriage is already settled. The reason I agreed to meet today was to honor our past bond. Between us lies the chasm of morality and ethics. What you are doing betrays both my sister and me. Please leave.”She turned her face away, preferring to let the rain soak her rather than sharing the same roof with him.” Her expression was darker than iron, devoid of any affection, filled with utter loathing.
Xie Tanwei was chilled by her attitude, his demeanor tinged with the bleak autumn light. His voice blended into the rain, and after a moment, he said, “Won’t you reconsider? Brother-in-law is sincere.”
Tian Qin could not be bothered to respond. “Absolutely not.”
“For the rest of my life, I promise there will only be you—no other sisters or women.” He leaned closer, his tone distant yet placating. “We are mutually devoted, torn apart by outsiders. Why not elope rather than live with lifelong regrets?”
Tian Qin gritted her teeth and suddenly turned her head. “Mutually devoted? Is that what Brother-in-law believes?”
Across past and present lives, when had she ever been mutually devoted to him? Perhaps it was not even his one-sided affection—what he sought was never deep love, only control, suffocating control.
Xie Tanwei fell silent for a moment, standing in the faint, driving mist of rain. “You and Xu Junzheng are the ones mutually devoted, is that it?”
“It has nothing to do with anyone else.”
She remained indifferent, her control over her own destiny etched into her bones. “I will never love Brother-in-law—that is an unchangeable fact.”
“But what my sister desires is nothing more than the position of legal wife. Xu Junzheng can give it to you, and so can Brother-in-law.”
He still tried to hold her back.
Tian Qin said through clenched teeth, “Elopement makes one a concubine; betrothal makes one a wife. I dare not accept such words. Sisters serving the same husband—is there any humanity in that?”
Xie Tanwei’s heart gradually cooled. Emotionlessly, he tapped the armrest, his silhouette as cold as rainwater. Elopement makes one a concubine; betrothal makes one a wife—indeed, he could not refute it. What he offered her was not a socially recognized, honorable marriage. No matter how sincere, it was futile.
Tian Qin stood up, resolutely opening her oil-paper umbrella. Seeing no common ground, she prepared to leave the suffocating corridor despite the pouring rain, ending their final meeting in this life.
The rain pattered loudly like beans scattering on the umbrella, magnified in the silence. Xie Tanwei did not stop her. Profound disappointment overflowed as he immersed himself in the cold, violent rain. “Tian Qin.”
“Brother-in-law extends his hand to you only once in this lifetime. If you leave, our bond will be severed, and I will erase all sincerity. If we meet again in the future, neither will show mercy.”
He was always so cold and clear-headed, placing emotions in a vessel ready to be overturned at any moment, controlled by rationality.
“I mean what I say.”
Tian Qin’s steps faltered, but she did not turn back. Her back said, “Sworn enemies?””
Xie Tanwei shook his head: “Not to the extent of irreconcilable enmity, but Brother-in-law will no longer consider my sister’s feelings.”
He would no longer indulge her willfulness, no longer shield her from mistakes. They had completely reverted to a purely brother-in-law and sister-in-law relationship, with all compassion reset to zero, sweeping away every trace of emotion.
Tian Qin said sternly: “Do as you please, Brother-in-law. We probably won’t meet again in this lifetime.”
“You can accept Xu Junzheng’s sincerity, yet you treat Brother-in-law’s sincerity like worthless shoes.”
“How heartless you are, little sister.”
Xie Tanwei’s gentleness completely vanished, transforming into the solemn arrogance of one who controls life and death. The coldest human nature tormented her: “Since elopement makes one a concubine while proper betrothal makes one a wife, if you don’t elope with Brother-in-law today, you cannot elope with anyone else in the future. Remember this, little sister.”
“By what right do you control me?” she resisted.
He smiled lightly, his white robes fluttering casually: “By having greater power than you. Test it if you don’t believe me.”
Tian Qin clenched her fists tightly.
He was scum, and didn’t bother hiding this fact at all.
“What does Brother-in-law want?”
“I bore the full blame for the imperial examination fraud for you, was exiled from the center of power, and believe I’ve given enough. You asked me to promote Xu Junzheng, and I did so.”
Xie Tanwei sharply interrupted her, “I thought this was an exchange of mutual understanding, yet little sister shows no willingness to reciprocate. So, what more is there to say?”
“Go now, little sister. I hope we never meet again in this lifetime.”
Tian Qin refused this transaction, determined to have no further entanglement with Xie Tanwei in this life.
“Brother-in-law should forget me too. I’m truly exhausted,” she said, then vanished into the hazy rain.
Xie Tanwei stood under the corridor eaves. The sky resembled translucent pale jade, with deep mist and rain freezing the entire firmament.
Never meet again – if they did, only hatred would remain.
…
The day of departure from the capital remained gloomy with rain.
Xie Tanwei had always upheld high moral standards, occupying the high ground of political ethics, enjoying excellent reputation among the common people.
Now, loyal yet slandered, trusted yet doubted, the capital’s residents spontaneously gathered to see him off. The procession stretched to the city gates, people holding eggs and local specialties competed to present gifts, everyone shedding tears.
The common people wrapped his carriage wheels with rushes to cushion the long journey’s bumps – the “comfortable carriage with rush-wrapped wheels” treatment reserved for sages.
A loyal minister adrift in the bleak autumn wind.
The Yu family, being related by marriage to the Xie family, came to bid farewell.
Yu Yuan believed Xie Tanwei’s political career was effectively ruined, driven from the power sphere, likely to die obscurely in exile soon – the common fate of frustrated politicians.
Thus he didn’t bring Ku Ju, and originally didn’t want Xianqiu to follow either. However, Xianqiu remained determined, and as the properly wedded Madame Xie, she had to accompany him to the remote region.
He Shi clung to Xianqiu, weeping uncontrollably, unwilling to let go. How could things come to this? Her poor daughter’s illness was misfortune enough, and now her husband faced demotion and separation from parents – truly misfortunes never come singly.
Xianqiu wept: “Mother, your daughter is unfilial, unable to serve you in this lifetime.”
He Shi grew more distraught: “Xian’er, please say no more.”
Xie Tanwei politely put an arm around Xianqiu’s shoulders, providing support for her fragile, wavering form. He sighed: “Why must you do this, my wife? Following me into hardship.”
Xianqiu lifted her sparkling eyes: “My husband and I are one. When he prospers, I prosper; when he falls into hardship, I shall accompany him.”
Xie Tanwei said, “Thank you.”
“I do not wish to force you, Madam. Each has their own aspirations. If we are to separate, now is the final opportunity. You may still leave in time.”
Xianqiu gently shook her head: “Unless my husband casts me aside, I will cling to him to the ends of the earth.”
Xie Tanwei smiled helplessly and wiped away her tears.
“How foolish you are, Madam.”
The sun rose from the dark, distant mountains, casting forth countless golden rays. The autumn air was crisp and desolate, and the aged mountain pines exuded a withering yellow from within. A winding spring flowed down around the mountainside.
Summer had ended, and the golden autumn brought refreshing coolness, yet an intangible aura of sorrow and severity enveloped the scene. Flocks of birds stretched their necks and cried out as they flew south.
Tian Qin and Xu Junzheng stood side by side, also there to bid farewell.
Tian Qin, of course, had no desire to come, but reason prevailed. Only by witnessing with her own eyes Xie Tanwei’s dejected departure and the impossibility of his resurgence could she rest assured.
Xu Junzheng’s expression was even worse than Tian Qin’s. He was genuinely guilt-ridden, tormented by the fact that he had caused Teacher Xie to leave his homeland. He felt utterly ashamed, like a rat scurrying across the street.
He had intended to confess to the imperial examination fraud at the examination hall, but fearing he might implicate Tian Qin and land her in prison, he could only endure the injustice in silence.
Xu Junzheng was deeply distressed.
The morning breeze rustled as Xie Tanwei helped Xianqiu into the carriage. He turned his head calmly and cast a glance at Tian Qin.
Their gazes met in mid-air, an unspoken understanding passing between them, yet it failed to generate any warmth sufficient to soothe the parting.
As declared before their separation, they were now strangers.
Tian Qin continued to stare intently at Xie Tanwei. Xu Junzheng draped a garment over her shoulders and whispered something.
She snapped out of her daze, as if awakening from a dream.
Xie Tanwei observed the silhouettes of the deeply affectionate couple but felt little sorrow. Instead, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile—one that was both intensely provocative and chillingly perceptive.
They had agreed to elope, yet in the end, he was the only one who ended up fleeing.
As a failure, he had no right to complain. Life is long, and who knows what the future may hold.
The carriage, laden with people and luggage, moved farther and farther from the capital. Xie Tanwei and his wife stepped into their darkest days.
Author’s Note: Here it is! Due to placement requirements, the next update will be on September 20th at 11:50 PM [rose][rose]