Chapter 5: C5. Healing After Heartbreak: Moving Beyond Regret.

Chapter 5

The Great Xia Dynasty, fueled by Gu Shoufu’s bold reforms and the ruthless strength of three generations of the Cao family, seized its moment. Under the command of Cao Xun, third in the bloodline of Duke Dingguo, the lost city was reclaimed with uncompromising force.

While the capital reveled in celebration and Duke Dingguo prepared a grand banquet, a thunderous dispatch arrived from the border. Cao Xun and his iron-fisted troops stormed Suzhou and Jiayuguan with lethal precision, while a brutal snowstorm savaged the Hu people, crippling their strength. Broken and desperate, the Hu sought peace, groveling before Xia’s might with gold, silver, and war horses as tribute.

Drained by relentless campaigns, the imperial treasury stood barren. Emperor Yuan Qing, after weighing his options with the cabinet, conceded to accept the Hu's pitiful plea for peace.

Yet the victories of Cao Xun towered above financial woes, fortifying the status of Duke Dingguo’s mansion as a bastion of power and glory in the capital.

The Cao family’s banquet was a showcase of dominance, with every invited relative and associate arriving laden with gifts chosen to impress and appease. The sight of grand carriages forming endless queues outside Dingguo mansion stirred the city’s common folk, who gathered in droves to witness the extravagant parade, clutching their snacks like spectators at an arena.

The mansion itself was an opulent fortress of authority and grace. Servants bustled with energy and purpose, their heads held high, exuding pride as they worked tirelessly to maintain the evening's perfection.

In the heart of this spectacle, Pan shi, resplendent in her finest attire, played her role with unmatched elegance. Her warmth and poise charmed the female guests, keeping the atmosphere vibrant. Meanwhile, Cao Shao, the sole surviving male of his line, concealed his personal despair under a polished exterior. Betrayed in marriage and burdened by the weight of legacy, he bore the responsibility of hosting the male guests with steely resolve.

As the younger son of Duke Dingguo and an Imperial Uncle, Cao Shao embodied refinement and charisma. He effortlessly balanced conversations, charming peers and elders alike, his very presence drawing the eyes of unmarried ladies who, despite their propriety, couldn’t resist stealing glances.

Yet beneath this polished façade, Cao Shao’s mind churned with unease. His gaze constantly darted toward the shadowy edge of an alley, his heart pounding as he awaited the arrival of a carriage from Duke Ningguo’s mansion. But time, cruel and indifferent, passed without mercy. Guest after guest was welcomed, yet the carriage he longed for never arrived.

Even the rare brilliance of the twelfth lunar month—a sunlit sky devoid of wind and sand—could not warm the chill that gripped Cao Shao’s heart. As the final guest crossed the threshold, a bitter frost of despair consumed him.

In the back house, the sharp-eyed ladies exchanged knowing glances, their ability to read a situation honed from years of living in the heart of the capital. Though they didn’t know every in-and-out of city politics, they were always the first to catch even the slightest shift in the family dynamics of powerful officials. They could pick up on the faintest of clues.

Madam Qi of Duke Guogong, Sun Yurong’s mother, wasn’t one to hold back. After scanning the room and noticing the absence of Meng shi and her daughter, Yunzhu, she turned to Pan shi and shot her a direct question: “Sister, where’s Duke Ningguo’s Madam? And Yunzhu? This is the time for them to be front and center.”

With a father like Li Yong, it’s no surprise Li Yunzhu turned into a stunning beauty. She walks into a room, and it’s as though the sun shines brighter. She’s a phoenix among pigeons, eclipsing all others in her wake.

Some women might seethe with jealousy or feel overshadowed by her beauty, while others can’t help but think, “If only I had her looks, I’d be just as striking.”

Pan shi snapped back to reality, her brow furrowing with concern. She turned to her nanny and ordered, “Send someone to check if something’s off.”

The nanny nodded and quickly sent a maid to investigate.

In the guest circle, rumors began to swirl, with some speculating that the absence was a result of embarrassment or shame.

Qi shi of Duke Guogong wasn’t fazed. She had seen it all before. Despite Li Yong's fall from grace, his undeniable handsomeness had never lost its charm. His striking looks were a delight to see up close—something her own husband, Sun Chao, could never compare to.

She turned to Pan shi, intrigued by Yunzhu’s sudden behavior. “Yunzhu’s always been a little bossy, especially with Cao Shao. But now that her father’s been knocked down a peg, maybe her arrogance will be tamed. That could make things a whole lot easier for you when she finally marries.”

Otherwise, you’ll definitely have drama between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law.

Sun Guangfu, Qi shi’s son, was of marrying age too, so she knew all about the young ladies of the capital.

Pan shi smiled thinly and replied, “Sister, you’re too kind. Our families have been close forever. The kids grew up together. Cao Shao treats Yunzhu just like he does Yurong, no difference. But now that they’re grown, and Cao Shao’s a man, we need to be careful, especially considering the girl’s family is all about maintaining reputation.”

Qi shi was left speechless.

Next to her, Sun Yurong nearly choked on her own spit!

When had Cao Shao ever treated her the same way he treated Li Yunzhu?

If Cao Shao idolized and shielded Li Yunzhu like a goddess, then Sun Yurong was nothing but a worthless sparrow in his eyes. He'd only tolerate her incessant calls when he felt generous, but for the most part, he'd swat her away like an annoying fly!

Is Pan shi blatantly lying, staring straight at us without a hint of shame?

Sun Yurong, blindsided by the reality, struggled to make sense of it. Meanwhile, the other women immediately caught on to Pan shi's meaning—the secret marriage alliance between the Cao and Li families was obliterated, gone without a trace!

*

Sun Yurong only found out about the crucial event through the gossip of some women during a dinner with her acquaintances.

She was completely stunned. Cao Shao had shown all this affection for Li Yunzhu, even talking about marriage—so why the hell was he refusing to marry her?

After the banquet, Sun Yurong crossed paths with Cao Shao again.

Without giving a damn about the people around them, she yanked at Cao Shao’s sleeve. Her father and brother were both known drunks, and she’d long given up on the idea of marrying into a respectable family. Besides putting on a show, she did little else. If no one cared about virtue, she’d do whatever the hell she wanted.

"What are you doing?!" Cao Shao snapped, recoiling in disgust and shoving her aside. He turned his back to the others, shooting her a cold, venomous glare.

Luckily, the children of the Xungui family had known each other since childhood, and no one thought anything inappropriate was going on between Sun Yurong and Cao Shao. The older generation just smiled, thinking it was all harmless.

Sun Yurong locked eyes with him, her curiosity getting the better of her. "You’re not marrying Yunzhu?"

Cao Shao's expression hardened even more. Raised with too much class to say it outright, he shot Sun Yurong a sideways look that conveyed the same idea: “shut up.”

Sun Yurong smirked, firing back, "Don’t look at me like that. Your own mother said it herself," repeating their earlier conversation.

It was like a gust of ice-cold wind hit, freezing all the disdain and disgust on Cao Shao’s face.

Sun Yurong got it now.

She glanced at Pan, then frowned as she said, "I can’t stand Yunzhu, and I wouldn’t mind if she ended up in a pile of shit, but everyone in the capital knows you two are a thing. This is huge. What the hell is going on with this? Why are you playing these games?"

The girl’s family was already regretting the whole marriage and feared it’d come crashing down if they didn’t stir up trouble.

Sun Yurong wasn’t about to let Li Yunzhu get away with her arrogance and foolishness. She didn’t want to deal with the mess Li Yunzhu was causing, especially after the recent slap.

Cao Shao looked like a hollow man as he stared at Sun Yurong, but in reality, he was just staring into space.

Sun Yurong, unable to control herself, acted like an idiot around him and bolted back to her mother.

*

Sun Guangfu, overweight and all, rode alone in a carriage. Despite his mother and sister’s disapproval, the eldest son, Sun Guangfu, sensing something big was going on, squeezed into the second carriage, his bulk making it a tight fit.

Sun Yurong, genuinely worried, shot a concerned look. "Mother, do you think the carriage will collapse?"

Qi Shi glanced at her son, much thinner than her husband, and mulled it over. "It's possible, isn't it?"

Sun Guangfu shot back, "Alright, don’t bury me already. What did my sister say to Cao Shao just now?"

This news was bound to get out, so Sun Yurong didn’t bother keeping it from her brother.

With a sly grin, Sun Guangfu sneered, "If Cao Shao doesn't marry Yunzhu, do I have a shot?"

Sure, he wasn’t the most handsome, and his body was a bit much, but his title as Duke was real. The statues of the Sun family and the Li family ancestors still stand side by side in the Hall of Meritorious Officials!

Qi Shi paused, considering it. Sun Yurong, however, kept quiet.

*

The guests scattered, leaving Cao Shao standing alone like a cold statue in front of the screen wall in the yard.

Pan Shi had her suspicions—her son must’ve gotten the news from Sun Yurong. Without hesitation, she retreated to the inner chambers.

She knew her son was uncomfortable with the situation, but she was determined to make him drop the idea completely. Soon enough, the word would be out in the noble circles: The Young Imperial Uncle only saw Li Yunzhu as a sister. With the Li family's pride, no matter how much her son was infatuated, if he suddenly had second thoughts and went to propose marriage, they’d never accept it.

She was sorry now, but she knew it would pass. Once he was married to a beautiful, gentle, and kind woman, how long would he keep pining for Li Yunzhu?

Just like the ladies who've had children—how many had once dreamed of marrying Li Yong in their youth? Once married, they just moved on with their lives.

Pan Shi wasn’t worried in the slightest.

An hour later, a servant came in to report, "Madam, the second master has ordered a horse to be prepared. It looks like he’s headed to Duke Ningguo's mansion."

Pan Shi’s response was swift: "Let him go."

What was he going to accomplish there?

Even if her son tried to run off with Li Yunzhu, would Li Yong ever agree to it?

*

At Duke Ningguo’s Mansion, Li Yunzhu’s family was gathered in Li Yong’s study within Zhenghe Hall.

The desk was littered with stacks of red paper for couplets. Li Yao was stuck cutting the paper, while Li Xian was stuck grinding ink. Yunzhu sat back, eyes on her father, admiring how effortlessly he wrote.

Other than his inability to command troops, Li Yong had no noticeable faults. His writing skills were sharp enough to match even the best scholars from the Hanlin Academy.

Li Yao couldn’t stand these refined tasks. Holding a paper knife felt as unnatural as holding an embroidery needle.

“Why do I have to deal with this every year? Why not just buy some paintings? Our family’s got the money for it,” he grumbled.

Li Yong shot back, “This is the spirit of the New Year, it’s not something you can buy.”

Li Yao countered, “I don’t care. You can do it yourself or find someone else. Don’t expect me to get involved.”

Li Yong responded coolly, “If you won’t cut paper, then practice calligraphy and write a thousand words of blessings.”

Li Yao stayed silent.

Yunzhu smirked at him, “Big brother’s good at everything except patience. You should learn from Father. A scholar-general is much more appealing to women than one focused only on military matters.”

Li Yao muttered, “I don’t care if they like it.”

Meanwhile, Li Xian kept grinding the ink, not bothering to join the conversation.

A servant entered, “Your eminence, a message from the concierge. It’s Young Imperial Uncle, Cao Shao, requesting an audience.”

Li Yong stopped mid-stroke.

Li Yao slammed the paper knife down, snarling, “So, he’s feeling bold now. I didn’t even have to seek him out, and now he’s showing up on my doorstep!”

Yunzhu quickly intervened, trying to stop her brother from going off on Cao Shao: “If there’s something to be said, let’s just say it. No need for physical confrontations.”

Li Yao stared at his sister in disbelief. “They’re clearly trying to call off your marriage, and you’re still defending him?”

Yunzhu remained unmoved. “Maybe he doesn’t want this marriage either. Why force him into it?”

Li Xian added, “It’s just an unofficial engagement. No formal agreement was made. It’s best to pretend it doesn’t even exist. Making a scene will only backfire.”

Their grandfather had passed away soon after Yunzhu’s hair-up ceremony. With no rush for her to marry, the Cao family wasn’t hurrying either.

But there was still an engagement document. To save face, the Cao family wouldn’t outright cancel the proposal. If Yunzhu called it off, it would be seen as a betrayal. If she went through with the marriage, Pan Shi—who had kept her true intentions under wraps until now—would undoubtedly make Yunzhu’s life hell after the wedding.

Li Yong agreed with his third son and snapped, “Lashing out at Cao Shao will only make him seem like a spoiled brat. If we break the marriage, he’ll be pissed and humiliated.”

Li Yao turned away, taking a swig, clearly uninterested in Cao Shao.

Li Yong declared with authority, "You keep going. I'll take your mother to see him." And with that, he was off.

Watching her brother drop the idea of confronting Cao Shao, Yunzhu sank into a chair with satin cushions, flipping through her father’s couplets.

Li Xian glanced briefly at her, then dropped his eyes back to his inkwell.

Li Yao couldn’t help but ask, "Sister, aren't you furious?"

Yunzhu forced a tight smile. "I'm burning inside."

She’d seen this day coming for so long, it didn’t sting anymore. At her lowest point, Yunzhu had torn up, smashed, and ruined all the little gifts Cao Shao had given her, scaring everyone around her. The maids scrambled to calm her down.

Li Yao urged, "If you won’t let me take matters into my own hands, then letting them walk away so easily is hard to stomach."

Yunzhu smiled coldly, locking eyes with her brother. "Patience. There’ll always be a moment for that."

Li Xian jumped in again. "My eldest brother has always been flawless in front of the Emperor, fulfilling his duties. One day, the Emperor might remember our father’s loyalty and bring him back."

Li Yao paused for a beat, then nodded, his face serious.

Determined to shield his younger siblings from more pain, he resolved to follow his grandfather's advice: think before acting and work relentlessly to restore the Ningguo Duke's prestigious name.

When Cao Shao entered Zhenghe Hall, he knelt before Li Yong and Meng Shi without hesitation.

Meng Shi sprang to her feet, trying to help him up. “Young man, it's New Year's! Why are you kneeling? What's this all about?"

Cao Shao’s face went pale as he kept his head down, refusing to rise. “Uncle, Aunt, I failed Yunzhu. You have every right to scold me.”

Meng Shi turned to her husband, exhaled with a heavy breath, and firmly grabbed the young man’s shoulder with one hand, lifting his face with the other. Her eyes locked onto his tear-soaked ones, and she coldly said, "Listen up. Auntie knows you're hurting, but I won’t sugarcoat it. You need to learn to accept things as they are. Sometimes, two people might care deeply but aren't meant to be together. If it’s not in the cards, let it go. Don’t worry, we get it. You didn’t intend harm. We hold no grudge against you."

Tears ran down Cao Shao's face. Realizing how pointless his sorrow was, he wiped his eyes with his sleeve and begged, "I need to see Yunzhu. I can't forgive myself until I apologize to her face to face."

Meng Shi gave a curt nod, "Fine, I'll have someone bring her."

When Yunzhu arrived, Meng Shi and Li Yong discreetly stepped back, giving the couple space to speak alone.

Cao Shao remained kneeling.

Li Yunzhu walked past him, nonchalantly sitting down in the master's chair.

Cao Shao’s eyes flicked to her—her peach-pink skirt paired with a red satin jacket, her slender white hands emerging from snow-white fox fur cuffs, resting gracefully on her lap.

It was the first time he’d seen her in red since the funeral at Ningguo Mansion. The color suited her, like a blooming peony, effortlessly drawing the gaze of everyone around her.

Cao Shao slowly lifted his eyes.

The Yunzhu he had expected would be angry, or grieving.

But the one before him? She was indifferent.

He was stunned.

Li Yunzhu noticed his worn-out face and the bloodshot eyes staring back at her.

Honestly, no matter how beautiful someone is, exhaustion kills the effect.

She turned her gaze away and spoke flatly, "What is it you want to say to me? You don’t have to kneel. You can speak standing."

Cao Shao recalled how, at times, Yunzhu would hide her anger. She would ignore him, leaving him to suffer under her silence.

That silence tortured him, gnawing at him, making his nights restless. But when she finally smiled at him, it was like the clouds parting, the sun breaking through, and all his anxiety would melt away in an instant.

But now? Now, he might never get her forgiveness.

Cao Shao dropped his gaze, his voice biting, "Yunzhu, it’s my failure that’s ruined everything."

"Something’s happened at home. I... I can’t marry you."

Yunzhu replied coldly, "I get it."

Her voice was flat, without a trace of emotion.

Cao Shao, desperate not to see her cry, found her unnerving calmness like a cruel illusion.

He looked at her again.

Yunzhu smirked at his stunned expression. "What’s wrong? Surprised I’m not upset?"

Before Cao Shao could respond, she kept smiling and added, "Why would I be sad? The marriage is off. It’s a loss for you, but I’ll marry someone else, no problem."

"Cao Shao, let’s make one last bet."

"I bet you won’t find a woman you love more than me, and I’ll end up with a husband who’s better for me than you ever were."

"Just sit back and watch. If I lose, there’s still time for you to regret it."

"It’s getting late. Go home. If you drag it out, your mother might get worried about me eating you alive."

———TN:

I planned to re-translate 5 chapters every single day. I'll be back tomorrow.