Chapter Nine: Repaying the Debt

A strange carriage stopped at the gate of the Marquis of Changle’s residence. The servant on duty had just taken over after his midday nap and, rubbing his eyes, immediately spotted Liang Shanru.

The servant hurriedly approached, glancing furtively at Zhou Shen several times.

Liang Shanru waved her hand. “This is Lord Zhou, the Military Commissioner of Huainan. A distinguished guest has come to the residence—please inform inside at once.”

The servant’s pupils contracted sharply; he dared not look again and quickly ran to deliver the message inside.

Zhou Shen paused on the steps, lifting his gaze to closely examine the four large characters “Marquis of Changle’s Residence” above the gate. He sneered, “The government granted your father this general’s mansion the year it was built. He was so excited, dragging me to see it. You were still a babe swaddled in cloth then. It’s grander than the Marquis of Changle’s residence, but it lacks warmth.”

Liang Shanru lowered her eyes in silence. Zhou Shen sighed, “Seeing it now always reminds me of your father. I hope it doesn’t upset you.”

She shook her head. “Uncle Zhou, I’m glad you can talk about my father with me.”

Since her father died in battle, it had been a long time since anyone spoke of him. Everyone regarded him as a traitor, the root cause of the military defeat. People avoided him and his family for fear that when the court came to settle accounts, they would be implicated.

Liang Shanru took a deep breath, her heart finally stirred with some emotion. “Only you still remember the things about my father.”

In her past life, she had been grateful many times and moved on many occasions. When others showed small kindnesses, she was almost overwhelmed with gratitude. Now, having seen so much, she remained calm and composed, her heart no longer stirred.

But because Zhou Shen did not shy away from mentioning her father, Liang Shanru could not help but be touched.

Seeing her like this, Zhou Shen felt a pang of sympathy and was about to offer some comforting words when footsteps sounded from within the residence. The dull rumble of carriage wheels grew louder behind them.

The two collected themselves, restraining their emotions. The Marquis of Changle and Madam Zhou disembarked together, the couple appearing in perfect harmony as they emerged at the gate.

Madam Zhou opened her mouth, then closed it again, leaving all the words to the Marquis.

The Marquis’s face was dark and stormy, his expression grim as iron. “Lord Zhou, you truly are overstepping!”

He could not swallow this anger. From the government office to his own doorstep, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Seeing Zhou Shen standing so boldly at his gate, if he weren’t outmatched, he would have punched him right then.

“When you two bullied a little girl like Shanru, why didn’t you say this?” Zhou Shen refused to reason with him, grabbing Liang Shanru’s wrist and pulling her behind him protectively.

Liang Shanru was delighted to have someone backing her up. She refused to step forward and take the lead, instead hiding behind Zhou Shen with a smile. “Marquis, won’t you invite Lord Zhou into the residence? Standing at the gate like this makes it seem as if the Marquis of Changle’s residence doesn’t know how to treat guests properly, delaying such a distinguished visitor.”

The Marquis ground his teeth in frustration, but it was Madam Zhou who tugged his sleeve to pull him aside. Though unwilling, he cleared his throat stiffly and invited them inside. “Please, Lord Zhou. If there is any misunderstanding, let’s sit down and talk it through calmly.”

After all, this was a Military Commissioner of the court. Who dared to neglect or disrespect him?

Zhou Shen led Liang Shanru forward, ignoring Madam Zhou’s mention of misunderstanding altogether.

The journey inside passed in silence, making the Marquis even more furious.

Once in the main hall, Madam Zhou ordered the maidservants to quickly serve tea. The Marquis sat in the main seat, watching the household maids bustle about, but finally lost patience and slammed his hand heavily on the armrest of the chicken-wing wood chair.

“Our tea isn’t usually served like this. Lord Zhou, you are the Military Commissioner— even the provincial governor would show you respect. What are we to you? That’s why you dare to swagger around the Marquis’s residence and treat us with such disdain!”

“My prestige is not something new, Marquis of Changle. Is this the first time you’ve realized it?” Zhou Shen gave him a disdainful sideways glance, his tone arrogant.

“You—”

“Take a look at this.” Zhou Shen didn’t waste words, pulling from his sleeve a handwritten letter copied by Liang Shanru and handing it toward the Marquis.

The Marquis knew it was likely something unpleasant and didn’t want to take it. The atmosphere grew tense until Madam Zhou reluctantly stepped forward to receive it—and glanced at it cautiously as if facing a foe.

Only after the last character did she look away, and the Marquis frowned deeply as he snatched it back.

Then, after reading, he threw the letter to the floor. “This is utter nonsense! Eating from my house, growing up under my roof, and yet we’ve become cruel and heartless elders who cannot be tolerated, forcing Lord Zhou, an outsider, to look after Liang Shanru!”

“Whether you are cruel or not is for you to judge,” Zhou Shen said, glancing at the letter on the ground. “Back then, Brother Liang entrusted me with this as a precaution. Heading into battle, life and death unknown, he would send me such a letter before every campaign. In all these years, only this one has truly come into use.

“Of course, neither I nor Brother Liang in heaven wish for this letter ever to be needed.

“Marquis of Changle, the guilty conscience is yours. You have mistreated Shanru all these years, so why pretend to be a kind elder now? What exactly are you angry about? Has anyone wronged you?”

“You—you—”

The Marquis did not expect a military man like Zhou Shen to have such a sharp tongue, and for once, he was at a loss for retort.

Madam Zhou quickly took over. “There have been some unhappy incidents lately, and Shanru resents us. Lord Zhou has been through much; how can you come to our house and blame us without knowing the full story?

“My younger sister-in-law died early, and my second uncle is often away leading troops. Shanru has been raised by me all these years—I have treated her better than my own daughters. Doesn’t Lord Zhou see the good we’ve done?”

Her voice cracked as she tried to hold back tears, wiping her eyes while calling Shanru, “You caused such a scene at the Xu family, making your sister go to the village. Now you’ve brought Lord Zhou here... Shanru, what exactly do you want? Do you want to ruin me and your eldest uncle before you’re satisfied?”

The couple were like wolves and tigers, convinced they were righteous even if dead.

If it weren’t for the clear, detailed letter of more than ten pages, Madam Zhou’s words might have even made Zhou Shen suspect Shanru was a naïve child who didn’t know better.

Liang Shanru blinked slowly, calming herself, then rose to her feet.

Standing still, she bowed toward Madam Zhou. “Madam, why say such things? Since you know it was I who wrote the letter inviting Uncle Zhou, do you think I wouldn’t have told him what kind of life I’ve had in this residence all these years?

“Now you act like this, you’re only making a laughingstock of yourself.”

Madam Zhou was momentarily speechless. “Shanru, if you insist on thinking we mean you harm, no matter how much I try to explain you won’t believe me. Lord Zhou is a close friend of my second uncle, so of course he trusts you. If that’s the case, then your eldest uncle and I have nothing to say.”

This turn of events, with Liang Shanru so resolute, was completely unexpected by the Marquis of Changle.

He had agreed to the Third Prince’s proposal because it was beneficial to his family and dared not refuse. Now, he found himself led by the nose by Liang Shanru.

Gritting his teeth, the Marquis repeated Madam Zhou’s words in a harsher tone, “What exactly will satisfy you?”

“Open a shrine, so I can be free from the Liang family, and—” The first demand was not much; a falling out was inevitable and he understood that well.

Liang Shanru deliberately drew out her last word, raising Madam Zhou’s heart in anxious suspense. “And what else?”

“You and your wife must return all my property and money in full.”