Chapter 13: The Fear of the Xue Mother and Daughter

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As soon as Aunt Xue learned that Xue Pan had led a host of ruffians and servants to Jiang Nian’s residence to cause trouble, both she and Xue Baochai felt their hearts rise into their throats, gripped by unease.

More than anything, mother and daughter feared that Xue Pan might beat Jiang Nian to death and bring disaster upon them.

Aunt Xue hurriedly sent someone to stop him, hoping to call Xue Pan back.

The man she dispatched, however, was subjected to a furious torrent of abuse by Xue Pan and returned humiliated and crestfallen. Xue Pan remained bent on having his own way, insisting on going to the Jiang residence to make trouble.

Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai grew even more frantic, yet they could do nothing but pray in secret, hoping the disturbance would not escalate beyond all hope of remedy.

At that moment, an old maid came rushing in, panting as she reported, “This is terrible! The young master has been seized by a great many soldiers!”

At her words, the teacup in Aunt Xue’s hand trembled violently. Tea splashed onto her clothes, but she did not notice. Her eyes widened as she asked in a quavering voice, “What did you say? Pan’er has been captured by soldiers?”

“Several servants who went with the young master to cause trouble have returned,” the old maid replied. “They said the young master was seized by a great many soldiers.”

A look of astonishment appeared on Xue Baochai’s face, her delicate brows knitting tightly. She was both worried and bewildered.

Aunt Xue was bewildered as well. She said to the old maid, “The young master gathered a crowd to cause trouble today. Even if the authorities had been alerted, the men who came should have been constables. How could he have been captured by soldiers? You must have heard wrong—or else the servants who returned must have misspoken.”

Aunt Xue immediately summoned the servant who had fled back and questioned him.

After learning the full course of events, Aunt Xue became as frantic as an ant on a hot griddle. She paced back and forth across the room, murmuring, “What are we to do? What are we to do?”

Though Xue Baochai was anxious as well, she managed to remain calm. “Mother, do not panic. Tell Uncle what has happened and ask him to investigate.”

Her voice was gentle, yet it possessed a soothing power.

Aunt Xue nodded hurriedly and ordered a servant to fetch Xue Jin at once.

Xue Jin was the uncle of Xue Pan and Xue Baochai, as well as the father of Xue Ke and Xue Baoqin.

Before long, Xue Jin arrived in haste.

Aunt Xue promptly recounted every detail of what had happened.

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After listening, Xue Jin drew his brows together. “I shall go and find out what happened. You two stay here and wait for news.”

With that, he turned and left.

Inside the room, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai sat facing one another, both consumed by worry. The silence was dreadful, as though even the air had frozen. Time drifted past soundlessly, each passing second seeming unbearably long.

Only after an hour did Xue Jin return. He hurried into the room, his expression tense and his voice urgent.

“Pan’er has brought a terrible disaster upon himself this time!”

Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai were already trembling with apprehension. At these words, they felt as though they had fallen into an icy abyss.

Aunt Xue’s face went pale, her eyes filled with anxiety. “What exactly happened?”

“From what I have learned,” Xue Jin said, “the young master whom Pan’er went to harass today is named Jiang Nian. No one knows who his father was. He bears his mother’s surname and was raised by her. His mother died of illness a year ago, and he has neither brothers nor sisters. He is the sole master of his household, living with a number of servants.”

Aunt Xue relaxed slightly. “That young man said himself today that he was not the son of an eminent family. From your account, it seems he truly is not.”

Xue Baochai fixed her lovely eyes anxiously upon Xue Jin.

Xue Jin sighed, his expression grave. “The matter is strange. By all appearances, the young master is indeed not from a distinguished family. Yet, for reasons unknown, he is on extremely close terms with Commissioner Tang of Jiangning. When Pan’er gathered a crowd and caused trouble at the Jiang residence today, Commissioner Tang personally led a large number of soldiers there and arrested him. He is now being held in the jail at the commissioner’s headquarters.”

Aunt Xue’s elder brother, Wang Ziteng, was the Metropolitan Military Commissioner, so she knew perfectly well what rank and prestige the Jiangning Military Commissioner possessed. Her eyes widened in shock, and her voice trembled faintly.

“What? That young man is actually so close to the commissioner? Commissioner Tang himself led the soldiers who captured Pan’er?”

Xue Baochai was equally stricken. Her already fair face turned paler still, and her slender fingers clenched the corner of her garment.

Mother and daughter were both astonished by Jiang Nian. They had assumed that he would be powerless to resist Xue Pan. They had feared that Xue Pan would cripple him or even beat him to death. Never had they imagined that matters would take such a dramatic turn.

Xue Jin continued, “I have already arranged for someone to take me to see Commissioner Tang. He said that the offense Pan’er committed this time was no minor matter. If the young master of the Jiang family insists on pursuing it, Pan’er will be dealt with severely.”

Aunt Xue sighed bitterly. “Pan’er has never been short of mischief. I have urged him again and again to mend his ways, but he would never listen. And now he has brought down a calamity upon us! If the commissioner intends to punish him severely, what are we to do? It seems we can only ask my elder brother to intervene. As Metropolitan Military Commissioner, perhaps he can persuade the Jiangning commissioner.”

Xue Jin shook his head, helplessness flickering in his eyes. “Lord Wang may not be able to move Commissioner Tang. Besides, the matter is urgent; help from afar cannot put out a fire nearby. Commissioner Tang said that we should seek out the young master of the Jiang family ourselves. If so, we shall have to pay a considerable sum in compensation.”

Though Aunt Xue was reluctant to part with the money, Xue Pan’s safety was at stake. Gritting her teeth, she said, “Our family has money. Even if it costs one or two thousand silver taels, we must persuade the young master of the Jiang family to settle.”

Aunt Xue had always indulged Xue Pan. That indulgence was one of the reasons he had grown into a willful, hot-tempered tyrant who stopped at nothing.

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Xue Jin gave a bitter smile. “One or two thousand taels will probably not be enough. Though the young master of the Jiang family has no elders at home, his household is wealthy, and he is on close terms with the commissioner. He is hardly an ordinary person. Today Pan’er gathered a crowd and went to cause trouble at his residence, breaking through the gate and even climbing over the walls. For one or two thousand taels, he may well refuse to settle. Still, even if it costs three to five thousand, so long as we can bring Pan’er home safely and put an end to the matter, it will be worth it. Otherwise, our family’s imperial merchant license may be revoked, and Pan’er himself may face imprisonment.”

The more Aunt Xue heard, the more alarmed she became. Her face pale, she nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes. A peaceful settlement is the only proper course. Go to the Jiang residence at once and seek out that young master. No matter how much money it takes, we cannot hesitate.”

…

…

Jiang Nian had always made a habit of taking an afternoon nap.

At noon that day, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai were terrified and restless, feeling as though they were sitting on a bed of needles, while Xue Pan suffered in a cell at the commissioner’s headquarters. Jiang Nian, meanwhile, was enjoying a peaceful nap.

He had just awakened and felt refreshed, all his fatigue swept away. His entire being seemed invigorated as Xiangling gently attended him while he changed clothes.

He Yun entered the study and reported, “Young master, someone from the Xue family has arrived. He has been waiting for nearly half an hour, but he did not dare disturb you while you slept.”

Jiang Nian remained calm. “Who is it?”

“His name is Xue Jin. He is Xue Pan’s uncle.”

Jiang Nian gave a slight nod. “Bring him to the study.”

Before long, He Yun led Xue Jin into the study.

Jiang Nian sat in a carved wooden chair, his body turned slightly to one side. As he took small sips of tea, he carefully studied the man before him.

Xue Jin wore a deep-blue robe beneath a riding jacket and thick-soled cloth shoes. He appeared to be in his thirties, the prime of life, yet his body was frail. His face was gaunt and hollow, his eye sockets slightly sunken, his cheekbones prominent. He had an unmistakably sickly air.

According to the original story, this man probably had only three or four years left to live.

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