Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="333" data-orig-width="500"></figure>Where are you, my Murong Feng? I’ve been so depressed without you and Jing Wan’s life has been way too normal these past five chapters. ^She looks so bored without you in her life. Please come back soon.
Quick Note: Tong Zhi is a title for the military commanders.
Encountering Love: Chapter 9
Early the next day, Jing Wan got into the car to leave; Madam Yin was inside, not knowing why she was so restless, but she thought it was just because she was worried about Jian Zhang’s situation. During the afternoon, the chauffer drove back but she did not see Jing Wan. The chauffer said: “Miss told me to wait for her by the intersection and I waited until now. I thought that Miss had hailed a taxi to return.” When Madam Yin heard this, she was very worried, and immediately called Yin Chu Fan. She thought that perhaps Jing Wan was still at her classmate’s place and called them to ask, but they said that she never visited. By the time the sky had darkened, Jing Wan still had not returned yet, and the entire Yin family was burning with anxiety. They went into their daughter’s room to look and saw that a few necessities were missing and a letter lying on top of the dresser. After Madam Yin read the letter, she looked like she was about to faint but Yin Chu Fan seemed a little more composed, the hand that was holding the tobacco pipe was shaking slightly. He immediately called his old acquaintance at the bank, and as expected, Yin Jing Wan had withdrawn a large amount of money that morning. The Yin family thought her decision was very sudden and bitterly mourned the fact that they did not find out sooner.
That night the moon was extremely bright, and Jing Wan was lying on a cot on the train, with the curtains not completely closed. Peering through the small crack, she was looking at the crescent moon and noticed that the dark grey sky was tinted with red. It was as if someone had pinched the sky, so it was tinted with red. The train was moving very fast, but even so, the crescent moon always seemed to be in the same place. She slowly drifted off to sleep, but she was uneasy and after a while, she woke up again. She looked at the moon, which remained in the same spot, as if it was chasing after the train. Her thoughts were in a jumble so it was difficult to lay peacefully. She sat up again and took out that pocket watch to lightly feel the engraved characters. The exquisite feeling at her fingertips spread to the depths of her heart, “Pei Lin” – if it really was him, then she would have a sliver of hope, after all he still owed her a favor.
Her heart calmed slightly and she laid down again. She looked upon the moon from her pillow, the moonlight was almost red in color, like rouge on a glass container and soon she fell back asleep.
When she got off at the Cheng Zhou stop, she realized that something did not feel right. Since she was a woman traveling by herself, she hailed a rickshaw to take her to a hotel, and on the way over, she asked the driver: “Why are there so many soldiers around today? Did something happen?” The driver responded: “Everyone in the city is rushing to watch the excitement – someone is getting executed today.” She did not know why, but her heart was thumping loudly, and she asked: “Who is getting executed?” The driver replied: “I heard it’s someone who had been smuggling embargoed goods.” She almost stopped breathing, staring blankly for a few seconds, she began shaking her head vigorously, and asked: “It’s only smuggling a few goods, why is he being punished so severely?” The driver replied: “I don’t know.”
When she arrived at the hotel, she did not even have time to refresh herself before she called for a taxi to take her to Commander Yu’s estate. Since it was still early in the morning, that Commander Xu still had not left yet and the doorman led her to the living room. When she brought out the letter of introduction the Mr. Liao had written, Commander Xu personally came out to see her. When he saw Jing Wan, he was very surprised and sized her up for a while. He then asked: “The person that Mr. Liao mentioned in his letter is you?”
Jing Wan did not know what the situation was but she calmed herself, and said with a smile: “My surname is Yin. To be completely frank with you, I am Xu Jian Zhang’s fiancée. Commander Xu, you must know why I’ve come here.” That Commander Xu sized her up again, and suddenly complimented her: “Young Xu has good taste. Miss Yin has courage and wisdom.” Then, he gave a long sigh, and shaking his head, he said: “It’s a pity, such a pity.”
Hearing his words, Jing Wan’s heart grew cold, unable to endure it any longer, she asked: “The person punished today, was he…” That Commander Xu said: “So Miss Yin has already heard about it?” Jing Wan wanted to run away, but she asked shrilly: “Even though smuggling embargoed goods is grave offense, how can they kill so indiscriminately?!” That Commander Xu replied: “It’s a long story as there are many issues that contribute to this matter. The person who was executed today, committed a crime Jian Zhang but to be honest, he has many more connections.” When Jing Wan heard this, she immediately relaxed, weakened, she was unable to stand up straight. Thank god, it wasn’t him. She didn’t come too late.
She only heard Commander Yu say: “Miss Yin is not an outsider so I will be frank. The person who was put to death today is actually the blood-related nephew of Xu Zhi Ping Tong Zhi from Wang Zhou. Xu Tong Zhi almost had a falling out with Liu Shao over this matter, forcing Liu Shao to order that everyone involved to be sentenced to death in front of all nine provinces and eleven commanders.”
Startled, Jing Wan suddenly shivered. Commander Xu said: “Since Liu Shao has already spoken these words, he will not listen to any pleas for pardon. I advise Miss Yin to return to Qian Ping.” After hearing that the person executed was actually a Tong Zhi’s nephew, Jing Wan’s hope slowly dissipated. After hearing the directives that Liu Shao ordered in front of all his military officers, she feared that even if she had saved his life, he would not be able to rescind his orders. Otherwise, how would he command the respect of his men? He was already a young commander and even if he had many of the Murong family’s old subordinates with him, it is likely that some people were still resentful. To control the military officers, he must not make any mistakes. Since the matter had already gotten to this point, he would not be able to back down. Even if it were his own relatives, he would have to harden himself to take this painful but necessary step.
After thinking for a while, she decided that she must not give up without a fight, even though the matter had gotten to this point. She said to Commander Yu: “I still want to meet Miss Murong. Would you be able to arrange that?” That Commander Yu had benefited from his relations with the Xu family for several years and had wanted to help Xu Jian Zhang since this incidence occurred but was unable to do so. When he heard that she wanted to meet Miss Murong, which is something that he could help her with, he immediately agreed to her request. He said: “There is an opportunity. The Third Miss is about to turn thirty and to celebrate her birthday, the Tao family has planned a banquet a few days from now. Because the number of guests is so numerous, no one will notice if I bring you with me.”