“You mean, you want me to go to sea?”
Cui Yulin hastily shook his head: “That won’t do. Merchant ships are far too dangerous. Even if there’s a chance to make a fortune, it’s earned by risking one’s life.
“Right now, I absolutely cannot afford the slightest mishap. If something were to happen to me, what would become of Wansu and the child in her womb?”
Cui Yulin repeatedly declined, stirring a flicker of anger in Xie Xuchuan.
“Then what do you plan to do? Just drown your sorrows in drink day after day in front of me? Wait until your child grows bigger and push Wansu alone before her father, Master Jiang?
“Going to sea carries risks, but risks often come with opportunities. If you truly wish to marry Wansu, I’ll arrange for someone to take you to Taicang tonight.
“If you won’t go, then don’t bring this up in front of me again.”
After saying this, Xie Xuchuan turned to leave, but Cui Yulin grabbed him and wouldn’t let go.
He was dead drunk, muttering about being unfilial and unworthy, not daring to risk his life and failing as a husband.
Seeing him make such a scene, Xie Xuchuan felt a knot of frustration in his chest. That very night, he had someone prepare silver notes and three hundred bolts of Cloud Brocade, which were delivered to the Cui family’s doorstep.
Early the next morning, Cui Yulin’s eyes reddened at the sight of the courtyard filled with Cloud Brocade.
Xie Xuchuan said, “Go with peace of mind. I’ve inquired—the Liu family originally used merchant junks, but some time ago, they spent a fortune to build a Guangdong-style ship. It’s said the entire vessel is made of ironwood, incredibly sturdy.”
Pointing at the Cloud Brocade on the ground, Xie Xuchuan sighed. “These are from my mother’s private treasury. Take them for now. Once you exchange them for ten thousand taels of gold, you can marry Wansu in grand style.
“In the six months you’re away, I’ll take good care of Wansu and your child. When you return, I’ll hand them back to you safe and sound.”
He patted Cui Yulin on the shoulder, and the two brothers bid farewell with reddened eyes.
Cui Yulin—it was Xie Xuchuan himself who sent him aboard that Liu family ship.
But no one could have known that the indestructible giant ship, though it withstood the storms, could not escape the Western pirates.
When news of the ship’s destruction and the loss of all lives reached him, it marked the darkest moment of Xie Xuchuan’s life.
“Xuchuan, I think I’ll return to the Jiang family today.”
Seeing him lost in thought, Jiang Wansu stood up.
Her white robes swayed in the wind. The woman was frail, staggering backward a few steps as she rose.
Xie Xuchuan quickly stood up. “Wansu, you… wait for me one more day. I promise…”
He pressed his lips together, a hint of stubbornness in his eyes.
After leaving behind the words “I will give you an answer,” he hurried away.
The young man’s departure stirred a gust of wind through the hall, its tail brushing against her plain skirt and revealing the coarse hemp cloth beneath.
She and Cui Yulin had not married; they were not yet husband and wife, so she could not wear mourning clothes. But in Jiang Wansu’s heart, she was already a woman of the Cui family.
“Miss…”
Zitang emerged from the room, placing a bowl of warm meat broth in Jiang Wansu’s hands. “Miss, you’re carrying a child now. Even for the sake of the little one, you must force yourself to eat something.”
“Just set it down.”
Zitang nodded, gazing at Jiang Wansu’s slender back, her voice choked with emotion. “Miss, do you think Young Master Xie will really bring the child into the Xie family and raise it as his legitimate heir?”
“He will.”
Jiang Wansu said, “Xuchuan has a soft heart, and his bond with Yulin was stronger than that of brothers. Besides, going to Taicang was his idea… Whether out of guilt or to honor their brotherhood, he will do it in the end.”
Tears welled in Zitang’s eyes. “Before Young Master Xie left for Huizhou, I heard that the First Madam had already chosen a husband for you, someone from a silk merchant family in Huzhou.”
But how could her young mistress marry anyone now?
“Miss, as the saying goes, when a person leaves, the tea grows cold. Young Master Xie’s guilt towards Master Cui may last for a time, but not for a lifetime. As times change and circumstances shift, their brotherly bond will gradually fade. Will Young Master Xie still treat our young master as his own?”
Zitang spoke earnestly: “Only by staying by our young master’s side can you firmly grasp Young Master Xie and the Xie family’s assets.”
“Miss, now Young Master Xie is the best path forward for you and our young master. Why not seize this opportunity to climb the Xie family’s ladder and marry Xie Xuchuan?”