The Young Lady of the General’s House

Steward Wang and his men had exhausted all means, the town had not broken after being sieged for three months was due to the guarding soldiers and town people contribution.

Foodstuff were centrally managed, Steward Wang didn’t asked people to collect but anyone who still had some at home brought it to the Mansion’s gate. Many elderly people and children began to eat less without being asked. Shen Jin’s meals were also rationed, at first she was given the same food as the wounded, which was steamed bun made of mixed coarse and fine grains. She refused when she found out about this special meal, she then ate the same things as everyone else. It was hard to swallow at first, but when one was too hungry, everything became tasty.

Just as the commoners’ houses, the Mansion was also almost empty. Anything useful had been taken out to use, the furnitures had been broken and burned. Noone cared if they were red sandalwood or wengewood, all woods were for boiling water to pour at the enemies.

As Count Yongning wasn’t there, the heavily injured Chu Xiuyuan still had to be present in the meeting room. Numerous battle reports had been sent to the Capital, but there was no reinforcement at all. Shen Jin’s letters also went unanswered, Rui Wang seemed to have forgotten this daughter of his.

Steward Wang had lost his right arm, his face ashen, “We could only hold on for seven more days, if still no reinforcement… “

“There won’t be any reinforcement.” Somehow Chu Xiuyuan had matured, the teenager who kept hoping his big brother back had gone. “The Emperor wants us dead.”

“The General will be back soon.” Steward Wang said.

Chu Xiuyuan couldn’t stop his eyes reddened, “They had planned it for long, for so long…… Big Brother would have been here if everything was fine, but so far no news, I am afraid..….” He couldn’t bear to say ‘it doesn’t bode well’.

Shen Jin didn’t know what to say, she now suspected this marriage was a farce, the wedding was a means to liaise with the spies in town, to collude with the Barbarians….. She wondered whether Rui Wang knew, but then he knew or not didn’t matter anymore.

Chu Xiuyuan looked at Shen Jin, “Sister-in-law, there is a bunker in the Mansion, you can hide there for a few days.”

Butler Wang also said, “The bunker can hold up until the General returns. When the Barbarians get inside the town, I will order the Mansion burnt, they will not notice anyone missing. The bunker’s ventilation is on a good location, thick smoke is not a problem.”

“Only Big Brother knows it. It also can be opened from inside, Sister-in-law just don’t open the door until Brother is back.”

Shen Jin moved her lips and finally said, “Let those children hide in it.”

It wasn’t like she wasn’t afraid of death or she was too noble, her mother might even be better off if she died. However if she survived, what would Count Yongning think? His little brother and his people endured to the last moment, while this nominal wife hid and lived.

Especially as her identity was suspicious….. Chu Xiuyuan was wary enough to prevent her wedding procession entered the town, but it was still possible that one of them managed to pass on the news. As for going back to the Capital? Shen Jin was not a genius but she clearly saw there was no place for her there.

The most important was, Shen Jin should not give up until the end. She hoped that if they could hold on until the General returned, when he saw her sacrifices, Count Yongning might give her credit and let her live.

“Let the elderly people, children, and the injured stay in the Mansion.” Shen Jin spoke, “The children can go in the bunker.”

Steward Wang looked at Shen Jin, suddenly said, “Obeying Madam’s order.”

Chu Xiuyuan said, “Sister-in-law don’t worry, I will protect you. Even if I die, I will die in front of you.”

Shen Jin eyes reddened, fighting to hold her tears, she nodded, “Alright.”

After this period of time, their relationship had greatly improved. Her previous aversion towards Steward Wang had disappeared, looking at his lost arm that was still seeping blood on the roughly wrapped bandage, she remembered Steward Wang’s great caligraphy skill. During New Year, a lot of people asked Steward Wang to write them Spring Couplet. Xi Le also asked him one, she showed it to Shen Jin. The writing was not inferior to the ones in the Capital, even had more bones. The hand that wrote those great characters was now gone, the Barbarians cut it off as he was trying to save a food delivery boy they were about to kill.

At the face of big matters, petty grudges were not important. Shen Jin was not stupid, based on the Court’s attitude, she understood why Steward Wang and the others were so guarded against her. And they still never harmed or bullied her, they gave her what’s due to her.

Steward Wang quickly relayed the general instructions to his people.

“Madam is generous, but the bunker can’t hide too many, and it is not soundproof, so only children of suitable ages can go in.”

“Suitable ages?” Shen Jin looked at Steward Wang.

Steward Wang said, “Over six years old.”

“But….. ” Shen Jin thought of how many children they had.

Chu Xiuyuan was young but he understood the situation, “Sister-in-law, it can’t be helped. Children too young may not be live until Brother’s return, and if the town is broken, their cries will attack the Barbarians, that way no one will be safe.”

“The bunker has a ventilation for fresh air, but it is not large so it won’t be obvious. It’s good enough to just breathe normally, but if anyone dies inside …… ” Steward Wang didn’t need to say further, Shen Jin understood, decaying corpses could make the others sick.

“But what we can say to people?” Shen Jin unconsciously looked at An Ping, An Ping sister-in-law gave birth to a son not long ago, the husband had died fighting on town wall.

“Madam,” An Ping grasped it better than Shen Jin, “Everyone in town is our relatives, in order to let more of our relatives live, some need to sacrifice.”

“Madam is kind-hearted.” Steward Wang said. “Let me do it.”

“I’ll do it.” Shen Jin spoke up, “I want to do something for the town too.”

“Madam has done enough.” Steward Wang smiled.

Shen Jin shook her head, turned to Chu Xiuyuan, “You should rest a bit, I still have some gelatin, let someone boil a bit for you and Steward Wang.”

“I am fine, Sister-in-law.” Chu Xiuyuan smiled, “Don’t worry, Brother is coming back soon.”

Shen Jin nodded and didn’t speak anymore. Mother had taught her housekeeping, but didn’t teach her what to do in times of war, however there was not much to think about.

(*) Donkey-hide-gelatin (阿胶) is gelatin obtain from stewing the skin of donkey, used for treating bleeding, dizziness, insomnia and dry cough. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey-hide_gelatin. I have read other novel this is also given to women experiencing period pain.

They opened the Mansion gates for elderly people, children, and injured people. These were those whose injuries were too bad that they were unable to move. Anyone else who could still move just kept resisting and died together with the enemies. These injured people lately had also started to refuse food, they had to be forced fed.

Everyone in the room was dishevelled, Shen Jin was dirty all over, her skirt was full of mud and blood stains.

Chu Xiuyuan and Shen Jin came to front. Shen Jin faced the crowd.

“Without reinforcement, we will not last more than seven days.”  At first she thought it was not good to announce this to people, but Steward Wang and Chu Xiuyuan felt there was no need to conceal it when even women had gone up the wall to fight.

“There is a bunker in the Mansion, children of suitable ages can hide inside, otherwise……” Shen Jin’s voice carried her emotion. “Anyway we can’t let the whole town killed, it won’t look good when the General returns.”

Chu Xiuyuan stood up, then abruptly knelt down, “Chu family has failed to protect you.”

“Young General!” After these times people no longer called him Second Young Master, they now acknowledged him as the Young General.

“Sister-in-law and I will stand to the end! We’ll die with the town.”

“Young General.” Those who could had knelt towards Chu Xiuyuan. Shen Jin and the others from the Mansion also silently knelt behind Chu Xiuyuan.

“Young General, you and Madam should go inside! When the General is back, just remember to revenge for us.”

“Yes that’s right, Young General..…”

“Say no more.” Chu Xiuyuan stood up, he and Shen Jin helped some elderly people up.  “We the Chu’s can be battle ghosts, but we are not living cowards.”

“Madam is still young, let Madam get inside.” Some people suggested.

Shen Jin spoke, “I am also a part of Chu family.” A single sentence let everyone stopped.

Steward Wang at this point had considered Shen Jin as their own, he said, “This is Madam’s intention, Madam had wanted all the children to hide inside, but…..” Steward Wang explained the situation.

Some holding their young children sobbed in low voice, but everyone knew Steward Wang was right. Shen Jin couldn’t bear it, she said, “This is just in case, it hasn’t come to that yet.”

“Don’t worry Madam, we understand.” An old man stood up, “Let me say who gets to the bunker. Anyone has problem, all grudges on me.”

“Young General and Madam had given us the chance to live, noone can have grudges.”

“The General will be back soon.”

Shen Jin and the rest didn’t linger, there were still a lot of things to do outside. Chu Xiuyuan silently handed her a dagger.

Shen Jin froze for a moment, looked at Chu Xiuyuan. He put the dagger in her hand, “Sister-in-law, take it just in case.”

An Ping also said, “Madam, those Barbarians are not people, they are even lower than animals.”

Shen Jin understood, she gripped the dagger tightly, “En”

(*) T/N: I think the dagger is not for killing others, it is for Shen Jin to kill herself when captured, rather than be killed or humiliated.

T/N note:

Spring Couplet 春联