“It was quite a coincidence. When Qiming and I were nearly at the border, we rescued an unconscious young woman on the road. She was wearing a silver token just like yours.
“After she woke, we questioned her and found that everything matched—including the crescent-shaped birthmark on her waist. That confirmed she was indeed your eldest brother’s daughter, Song Xiuyi.
“Afterward, she stayed with us in the military camp and took care of Qiming’s daily needs. Fortunately, with her looking after him, Qiming did not suffer too much on this trip to the border.”
Song Ying sighed. “This really must have been Heaven’s will. Back then, when you and I fled the village, it had been burned to nothing but ruins by the time we returned. Who would have thought that Xiuyi would have survived, and that she would even meet you and Qiming?”
“It is good that she has been found. Xiuyi has taken care of Qiming at the border for some time now. Let’s arrange both children’s marriages at the same time. I’m only worried that Youning might have some objections.”
Song Ying understood what her husband meant and did not take it to heart. “What opinion could she have? Having someone else help her take care of Ming'er and lessen her burden is a good thing. She should be happy.”
“That would be for the best. It is getting late. Madam, let us rest.”
At Xu Yuanshan’s words, Song Ying’s face flushed, and she nodded.
She was just about to help Xu Yuanshan out of his clothes when a commotion came from outside the door.
“Concubine Qin, the General and Madam are inside. It is inconvenient for you to enter at present.” Nanny Li blocked the person outside.
“Nanny Li, of course I know that the General has only just returned and should be accompanying Madam. I have no intention of disturbing them.
“I only ask that you inform the General that I have found Lingfeng. I wished to present it to him at the first opportunity, and I will leave afterward.” Concubine Qin’s tone was calm.
Only then did Nanny Li notice the wooden box in the hands of the maid behind Concubine Qin, Cuiyan.
Lingfeng was said to have been made by a master weaponsmith of the former dynasty. It ranked twentieth on the martial world’s weapons list. Unfortunately, when the former dynasty fell, Lingfeng disappeared as well.
Xu Yuanshan had always wanted to find this legendary dagger, said to be capable of slicing through iron as easily as mud. He had even specially sent people to search for it, but they had failed. He had never expected Concubine Qin to find it today.
Before Nanny Li could say anything, the door opened inward with a creak, and Xu Yuanshan strode out.
“Meier, is what you said true? You really found Lingfeng?”
When Concubine Qin saw Xu Yuanshan emerge, the corners of her lips curved slightly. She gave him a graceful bow. “Your Concubine pays her respects to the General.”
Xu Yuanshan immediately helped Concubine Qin up. “There is no need for such ceremony, Meier. Where is Lingfeng?”
“Cuiyan.” Concubine Qin called out, and Cuiyan stepped forward, presenting the wooden box with both hands.
Xu Yuanshan hurriedly opened the lid. Inside, resting on red velvet, lay a dagger.
The dagger’s entire body emitted a cold, bluish-white radiance, bright and smooth without the slightest blemish.
The hilt was wrapped in black leather for ease of grip, while the pommel was carved in the shape of a tiger’s head. Two red gemstones were set where the tiger’s eyes should be, giving it the majesty of the king of the mountains in the night.
The blade gradually narrowed from the base of the hilt to the tip, gleaming with a chilling edge. Even someone who knew nothing about weapons could tell at a glance that it was an excellent dagger.
Xu Yuanshan picked up the dagger and plucked out a strand of hair, letting it drift down onto the blade. The moment the hair touched the edge, it snapped in two.
“Hahahaha! Good, good, good! It really is Lingfeng. Concubine Qin, you have been thoughtful.”
Seeing that the treasure he had sought for so long had finally fallen into his hands, Xu Yuanshan was in an excellent mood.
Lately, joyous occasions had come one after another. Both he and his son had been promoted, they had received His Majesty’s rewards, and now he had found the dagger he had dreamed of possessing.
“A treasured blade belongs with a hero. Your Concubine congratulates the General on having his wish fulfilled.” Concubine Qin bent at the waist again, her voice alluring.
It was already summer. Concubine Qin wore a light-purple gauze dress, and her hair was coiled into a high bun. When she bent over, the snowy whiteness of her neck was revealed.
Following the line of her neck downward, the jade pendant he had given Concubine Qin hung against her chest, making her skin appear even whiter than snow.
Xu Yuanshan could not help swallowing. His Adam’s apple moved as he gently helped Concubine Qin upright.
Concubine Qin raised her eyes to look at Xu Yuanshan. Her brows and eyes were filled with seduction as she called softly, “General~”
A faint fragrance unique to Concubine Qin continuously drifted into Xu Yuanshan’s nose, and he could no longer move his gaze away.
Looking at Concubine Qin, he said to Nanny Li behind him without turning his head, “Tell Madam that Concubine Qin has rendered meritorious service by finding Lingfeng. I will spend the night at Yunxia Residence.”
“General!” Song Ying, who had been watching everything from the doorway, suppressed the hatred in her eyes and hurriedly called out to stop him.
“General, according to proper etiquette, you should remain at Jinghe Residence tonight. If the remonstrating officials learn that you went to a concubine’s room on your very first night after returning home, I’m afraid it would damage your reputation.”
She was not a fool. Meier had deliberately chosen this moment to deliver the dagger, neither earlier nor later. She had clearly come to steal the General away.
According to proper etiquette, the General was supposed to spend the first night after his return in the principal madam’s room. Meier dared to come and take him away because she simply did not regard Song Ying, his principal wife, at all.
“General, Madam is right. Your Concubine will take her leave.” Concubine Qin spoke softly, moisture gathering in her eyes as she looked at Xu Yuanshan with utter reluctance.
Xu Yuanshan’s heart softened. He said to Song Ying, “Madam ought to be more magnanimous. Meier went to such trouble to find Lingfeng for me. I will certainly come to Jinghe Residence and accompany you tomorrow.”
With that, he put an arm around Concubine Qin and left Jinghe Residence. As she departed, Concubine Qin glanced back at Song Ying, a trace of triumph in her eyes.
Once back inside, Song Ying was so furious that she swept the tea set off the table.
The teapot and teacups shattered across the floor with a loud clatter. Nanny Li hurriedly brought a young maid in to clean up, not daring to say a word.
Song Ying sat on the round stool, her eyes slightly red, her fingernails digging hard into her palms.
Qin Meier!
When Xu Yuanshan had married her, he had promised never to take a concubine. Who could have imagined that immediately after the former emperor had enfeoffed him as a general, he would marry a daughter of the Vice Minister of the Secretariat and take her as a concubine?
Song Ying had made a scene over it before. Xu Yuanshan had comforted her by saying that he needed the Vice Minister of the Secretariat’s support in order to establish a firm footing at court.
In the end, Song Ying had endured it for the sake of her husband’s career. Who would have known that Xu Yuanshan would subsequently take two more concubines, one after another?
Although those two concubines were weak-tempered and could not compare with Qin Meier, they were still enough to make Song Ying feel stifled.
Song Ying and Xu Yuanshan had originally come from the same village. Her family had been too poor to send her to school. It was only because her close friend from the same village, Su Rou, had attended school that she was able to teach Song Ying how to read and write.
After the former emperor conquered Dayue, many officials of the former dynasty submitted to Dayue. Qin Meier’s father had been one of them.
Song Ying had come from the countryside. Whether in scholarship or in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she could not compare with these daughters of established families.
Qin Meier had used precisely this to grasp Xu Yuanshan’s heart.
To Xu Yuanshan, the women of the capital’s established families possessed a different charm from a country woman like Song Ying. Over the years, he had doted on Qin Meier greatly.
The more Song Ying thought about it, the angrier she became, and she was completely unable to fall asleep. It was not until dawn was approaching that she finally drifted into a hazy sleep.
Xu Yuanshan returned to Yunxia Residence with Qin Meier. Qin Meier gave Cuiyan a look, and Cuiyan nodded before slipping away from Yunxia Residence while no one was paying attention.
Jiang Youning had just prepared to rest when Qingyang came to report, “Miss, Cuiyan, the maid from Concubine Qin’s side, has come.”
“Bring her here.”
Cuiyan came before Jiang Youning and gave a proper curtsy. She then presented a small chest. “Miss Jiang, Concubine Qin sent me to thank you. This is a small token of our concubine’s appreciation. We hope you will accept it.”
Cuiyan opened the chest. Inside was a set of exquisite gold hair ornaments, with a stack of banknotes beneath them.
Jiang Youning signaled for Qingyang to accept it. “Thank Concubine Qin for me.”
“Then I will not disturb your rest, Miss.” Cuiyan curtsied and withdrew.
After Cuiyan left, Qingyang looked puzzled. “Miss, why did you give Lingfeng to Concubine Qin?”
“If you had given Lingfeng to the General yourself, he would naturally have remembered this favor as yours. Why would you give away such a benefit?”