Chapter 146: Matters of the Heart

Just as a grand ball draws to a close with the music gradually fading, the night grew deeper. A rising wind whipped up the clouds suspended above the city, slowly unspooling that thick layer of gloom. The gathering in the ancestral hall of the Su clan had finally reached its end. The evening's events had taken three distinct, unpredictable turns, and most members of the Su family had not yet had the time to fully digest or accept the reality before them. Yet, regardless, the hidden undercurrents and the most unexpected outcomes behind the series of massive complications triggered by the imperial merchant incident over the past few months had finally had a corner peeled back right here.

Although it might still take some time for many to truly react and unravel the entire affair strand by strand to see its true outline, just this corner lifted at the present moment was enough to astound anyone who had been paying attention to tonight's proceedings. A series of calculations and counter-calculations, the strategies laid beneath a facade of silence—the heavy, burdensome expectations had ultimately fallen through. Especially now, the names of the masterminds behind these schemes were Su Yu and Su Tan'er. Most astonishing of all, undoubtedly, was Ning Jiheng, who had一直以来 walked outside the entire situation; his sudden intervention from behind was something no one had ever anticipated.

The members of the First, Second, and Third branches, both inside and outside the ancestral hall, were still gathered in animated discussion, trying to come to terms with this reversed situation. Here, one could only marvel at Su Yu, an elder who had remained relatively silent for four months, yet still wielded immense control over this family. Once the truth was unveiled and the fruits of the imperial merchant affair were laid out plainly, he had easily persuaded the surrounding clan elders to accept this reality. Following that, he used indisputable facts to compel everyone in the household to accept the reality of Su Tan'er ascending to power.

In truth, had the family's situation not been truly grim over the past few months, these elders would never have come out to negotiate with Su Yu. Now that it was proven Su Yu still held a firm grip on the entire landscape, they naturally accepted the status quo amidst their astonishment. After all, this was not the first time Su Yu's control had steered the family through various crises.

"Then... if anyone has any thoughts on Tan'er taking over the duties originally managed by Boyong, you may speak them now."

Amidst the discussions of the crowd, when Su Yu spoke these words once more, leveraging the overwhelming momentum of the completely reversed situation, there were suddenly very few who dared to raise any questions. A few clan elders subsequently expressed their stances: "Since there are such achievements, naturally no one can object to Tan'er taking over these responsibilities."

The matter was gradually settled. What was originally a crisis had turned into an opportunity, and this clan assembly called to address the crisis no longer had any pressing business to discuss. Up above, the elders spoke words of aftermath; inside the hall, everyone harbored complex, indescribable emotions. Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang, and the others occasionally glanced at Su Tan'er, who had returned to her seat, and then at the father sitting up high. On the other side, Su Yunsong let out a long sigh as he looked at Su Tan'er, inevitably recalling the scholar his daughter had described as wandering idly about all day, whom he had seen on a few occasions over the past few days.

"Zhongkan, Yunfang, come to my quarters for a moment after the gathering disperses."

Near the conclusion, Su Yu walked over and spoke to the two brothers. The pair simply nodded. With their maneuvering over the past few months, they had truly become complete and utter losers. Yet their father's authority remained undiminished; even if they felt resentful, it would not solve any problems.

On the other hand, feeling the astonished gazes and whispered discussions of everyone present, Su Tan'er—who had finally laid her cards on the table and completely won this round—did not feel particularly triumphant.

It was not the lingering sweetness of a great victory, nor was it the heavy recollection of her father being paralyzed and the immense price paid. The moment she walked forward holding the box, she had felt a thrill and anticipation almost akin to an empress's coronation; when those silver notes and contracts were drawn out, her entire heart had trembled. But at this moment, the woman in the light cyan long dress occasionally looked outside the ancestral hall, suddenly feeling a sense of not knowing how to walk out that door.

She had something to worry about. Originally, it might have been considered a minor matter, but by now, it suddenly occupied the woman's entire mind, leaving her almost unable to taste the sweetness of success.

Finally, the elders announced the conclusion of the meeting. People stood up, conversing and discussing, casting their gazes toward the key participants. Su Tan'er hesitated for a moment, then stood up as well, following her grandfather and father as they walked outward.

Upon leaving the grand doorway, she looked around, failing to find the figure she had been thinking of. For a moment, she felt a sense of relief, yet mixed with anxiety. Su Danhong was approaching from the other side; without paying attention, Su Tan'er parted ways with her father and the others under the corridor, following her grandfather and several elders toward the opposite direction.

After turning a corner, her grandfather noticed her, turned back, and called her over. The two grand-uncles nearby also spoke with her for a while, and she answered politely. When the grand-uncles walked away, Tan'er furrowed her brows slightly and directed her gaze toward the old man.

"Grandfather, how could you say that..."

"Hm? Say what?" The old man smiled kindly.

"About Jiheng."

Looking at his granddaughter's expression, Su Yu remained silent for a long moment. "What's wrong with mentioning him?"

"Grandfather, he is my husband. I thought... we could keep things simple." Shadows of people moved all around her. Su Tan'er frowned, "Besides, Husband will understand the implications. Grandfather, how am I supposed to talk to him about today's events?"

The old man sighed. "Jiheng married into our Su family as a resident son-in-law. Since you are his wife, it was only natural for him to protect you and act as your shield. Today's affair was ultimately too intense; your second and third uncles will inevitably harbor resentment. Rather than bearing it all yourself, if Jiheng can share some of the burden, it is a good thing. Furthermore, Boyong's health is currently failing. With Jiheng standing behind you, you won't be entirely isolated. Even though this might wrong Jiheng to some extent, helping you, his wife, accomplish these tasks is part of his duty and the obligation he ought to fulfill."

Su Tan'er closed her eyes and said with force, "But Grandfather, the way you said that is making the entire Su family keep an eye on him. Husband will realize this."

Since childhood, she had a strong personality. No matter how grave the situation, it was rare for her to show excessive weakness—especially in front of her grandfather. Even during the period when the yellow cloth had faded, she had never shown a helpless expression, holding on until her body could no longer support her and she fell ill. Yet at this moment, having just completed an affair of such immense consequence and secured the control of the First Branch, over this single matter, she almost looked as though she was about to cry.

There were some things she could not tell her grandfather. She could not tell him that the affection between her and her husband had only just reached the level of true newlyweds; she could not tell him that she and her husband had just decided to consummate their marriage; she could not tell him how the feelings between her and her husband had developed over these past few days, or what kind of person her husband truly was. Yet deep in her heart, she knew her husband would certainly hear the subtext behind her grandfather's words.

When he had done so much for her, her father had said similar things, and now her grandfather was also wary, starting to be on guard against him and reminding the entire Su family to watch him. Even if there was little malice in it, how would her husband feel? And how was she supposed to talk to him about all this? No matter how broad-minded her husband was, how could she possibly bring it up...

The old man watched her for a long time, finally raising a hand to pat her shoulder, and broke into a smile. This smile was somewhat different from his usual ones—partly understanding, partly gratified. "So... that's how it is..."

"Grandfather..."

"Zian has a good grandson. When you wanted to take charge of this household, I thought about it for a long time. Aside from capability, I was merely worried that you were too strong-willed. For a woman to head a household, she must be tougher than others, but I feared that in doing so, you would never experience the warmth of a family or have someone who truly cared for you. Now, however, Grandfather can finally rest at ease. When Jiheng first married into the family, I didn't want to treat him merely as a dependent son-in-law, fearing he wouldn't have the capacity to adapt. Voicing it out this time was indeed out of concern for him, but primarily because he now possesses the capability."

The old man paused. "With this capability, others cannot harm him; with this capability, he can stand in front of you. It's only natural that you worry for him, and Grandfather finds it comforting. But as far as I'm concerned, he is your husband—even if he married in. Since he can shoulder the weight, he ought to carry some things for you; that is also my own selfishness. In this world, a man must always bear these responsibilities; there is no reasoning with that. You are his wife, and caring for him more is naturally your bounden duty. Heh heh, it's a good thing too. Husband and wife, that's just how it is."

Grandfather and granddaughter walked forward. "As for those cousins of yours, they are all mediocre talents who wouldn't last two or three moves under his hand; they lack the ability to truly harm him. With today's events, while you might seem isolated in the business world from now on, anyone wishing to scheme against you will always remember the man standing behind you. In the future, if you truly grow fond of him, what does it matter if your second child takes the Ning surname? The choice rests entirely in your hands, and to Zian, I can finally consider myself as having fulfilled my promise... Look, there he is."

Speaking thus, Su Yu motioned ahead. Ning毅 was indeed walking toward them from not far away, having just been waylaid by a grand-uncle who was presumably offering words of encouragement. After that grand-uncle departed, Su Yu led Su Tan'er forward, then took Su Tan'er's hand and placed it into Ning Yi's. "I leave my granddaughter to you."

Ning Yi let out a chuckle.

After Su Yu left, Su Tan'er held Ning Yi's hand, remaining silent for a good while. "Husband, we... succeeded."

"I'm angry."

"Uh..." Su Tan'er's palms instantly went cold. She roughly understood what Ning Yi was referring to, but for a moment, she couldn't find the words. Ning Yi looked around, pulled her along as they walked forward, and shook his head. "I'm sleeping in a separate room from you tonight."

"..."

"The old man is too unchivalrous."

"..."

"No discussion. When I'm angry, I'm angry."

"..."

"Since he made me unhappy, I'll take it out on his granddaughter."

"..."

"Crying won't help. You'll be spending the night in an empty boudoir."

"..."

"Hahaha... Hey, don't actually cry. There's no need for that."

The two had already walked a distance forward into a quiet corridor. Su Tan'er pulled up Ning Yi's sleeve and pressed it against her cheek for a brief moment; she had indeed shed tears just then. Now, under the light, a faint smile mixed with her tears, after which she regained her composed smile. "I originally wanted to apologize to Husband on Grandfather's behalf..."

"I reserve the right to hold a grudge and remain angry." Ning Yi chuckled, patting her shoulder. "However, you should probably go deal with the aftermath first. Weren't there a lot of things to handle tonight?"

Su Tan'er finally relaxed, nodding. "Mn, there are still some matters to attend to..."

"Then hurry along."

Under the lamplight, Ning Yi waved with a smile. Su Tan'er stood there watching him for a long while, appearing somewhat hesitant, but ultimately nodded and turned away.

Ning Yi watched her retreating figure. He wasn't entirely clear on Su Tan'er's subsequent plans, though he figured they were merely loose ends that he had no need to participate in, nor had Su Tan'er mentioned much during their casual chat.

After changing into unassuming male attire in a courtyard at the front of the Su residence, Su Tan'er boarded a carriage and left the street. Accompanied by several of the most capable guards of the Su household, they caught up with two carriages ahead and drove all the way toward the city gates.

With the hour approaching midnight, inside a room near Shibu Slope, the bean-sized flame of an oil lamp flickered slightly. Xi Junyu sat at the table, his hands resting flat upon the wooden surface. There were two other people in the room: one was Guard Geng, who sat squarely across from Xi Junyu; the other was a lean man with sharp, glowing eyes, leaning against the shadows by the door, holding a pointed blade in hand. At a glance, he was clearly no ordinary person.

The Su family ran a massive business and frequently dispatched armed escorts out of town, occasionally brushing against underground entanglements. Xi Junyu knew that at a time like this, it was best not to act rashly.

The passage of time was dry and tedious. Xi Junyu listened to the distant chiming of bells, guessing at the possible developments over at the Su estate, though he actually had few clues.

"Shouldn't the Su family have a result by now?"

He finally spoke up to ask, but Guard Geng merely shook his head. "I don't know."

"How else could the tables possibly turn?"

"That is Second Miss's affair."

"Yet I truly cannot figure it out."

Xi Junyu sighed. He genuinely disliked this feeling. "Whichever way it goes, I wish someone would hurry and give me an answer."

Once those words fell, the room lapsed back into silence, leaving them no choice but to wait quietly. Occasional sounds drifted in from outside. Xi Junyu murmured, "Brother Geng, did you know? For all these years I've spent in the Su family, watching Tan'er gradually come into contact with these affairs—though many taught her and she was willing to learn whatever she saw—truthfully speaking, she was practically a student brought up entirely by my own hands. Yet now, day by day, I find I can no longer understand her. This feeling is truly unpleasant..."

"There always comes a time for that."

"Still, it's a bit too early for this. As for..." He glanced around, "For these matters, I truly find it hard to comprehend..."

Quiet. Silence. A voice rang out from outside.

"I find some things hard to comprehend as well."

The voice was somewhat cold. A moment later, a figure pushed open the door and entered. Su Tan'er was dressed in short, dark martial attire, a kerchief tied around her head, looking neat and agile for movement. She stood in the doorway, gazing inside. Yet, this male disguise ultimately made her appear somewhat short and slight. Xi Junyu felt as though it were that very first time he had laid eyes upon her tiny childhood figure, giving him that same unfamiliar and bewildered scrutiny.

"Elder Brother Junyu... I remember when I first met you as a very small child, Father told me to address you thus. You taught me many things. Perhaps this is the last time I will address you in this manner." Su Tan'er walked to the table and sat down, her deep gaze carrying a sense of unfamiliarity and chill—which was also something Xi Junyu had taught her: negotiation required drawing a distinct distance. Xi Junyu wanted to discern a trace of heartache through that unfamiliarity, but found only confusion instead. "What on earth was the reason? Why go to such lengths?"

"What on earth has happened?" Xi Junyu frowned, looking around. "Given how the Su clan assembly turned out today, surely you don't think I orchestrated that?"

"No, I mean..." Su Tan'er shook her head quietly, her clear eyes fixed upon him. "Why did you have people attempt to assassinate my father?"