TYSUF – Chapter 29 Alas, the Swallow Returns (4)

Shen Xi mumbled a reply and ran out.

Little Fifth Master ruffled his hair with his right hand and strode in.

By the time she came back with a pot of hot tea, Fu Tongwen was already seated in a chair, chatting idly with Little Fifth Master.

The two were laughing and talking. It seemed the brothers had a good relationship.

Little Fifth Master’s military uniform was a lighter bluish-gray, tailored in the Zhongshan style. He wore military trousers and leather shoes. Traditionally, soldiers wore straw sandals, while officers wore leather shoes. True to form, the Fifth Master—an aristocratic son from a military academy—enjoyed the privileges of an officer even before setting foot on the battlefield.

Shen Xi sat down beside Fu Tongwen and gently pushed a teacup toward him.

“How did you trick someone into fighting you?” Fu Tongwen picked up the cup and casually asked his younger brother.

Little Fifth Master froze. “I was the one getting beaten up!”

Fu Tongwen gave him a sidelong glance. “If it weren’t for your scheming, who would be foolish enough to go along with your madness? A graduation-eve brawl? Getting punished for no gain? I went to great lengths to get you into Baoding Military Academy*, and you stirred up trouble. Shouldn’t you have given Third Brother a heads-up?”

Realizing he couldn’t fool Fu Tongwen, Little Fifth Master gave a sheepish grin, like a child caught misbehaving.

“I insulted him non-stop, cursed from his ancestors to his pockmarked face, made him so mad he punched me,” he quickly explained. “I took the blame. His punishment was lighter than mine. It won’t affect his future.”

“Why go through all that?”

“I don’t want to join the Beiyang Army’s main forces. I want to go south.”

Fu Tongwen took a sip of hot tea. “The irregular armies down there are a tangled mess, full of factionalism. Your background is all in Beijing. You’ll suffer for it.”

“But they’re going to…” Little Fifth Master stammered.

Fu Tongwen looked up.

“Revolt,” he finally said.

Shen Xi was taken aback.

“Such recklessness,” Fu Tongwen sneered. “Don’t forget your birth. Studying in a military academy but dreaming of revolution?”

“In the second year of the Republic, when Sun Yat-sen opposed Yuan**,” Little Fifth Master pressed, “many sons of noble families at our school joined the revolution. Third Brother, you studied abroad. How can you be so narrow-minded?” His initial honesty met with indifference, so he leaned forward urgently. “What do you think of General Songpo’s resistance against Yuan?”

Cai E, styled Songpo. He was currently the biggest headache for the President.

Fu Tongwen set down the teacup, tone indifferent. “I have no opinion.”

Little Fifth Master’s eyes gleamed. “I heard from Sister-in-law that Father imprisoned you because you supported the revolutionaries?”

“Did he?” Fu Tongwen replied flatly. “I’m just a businessman, not interested in politics. Sister-in-law must have misunderstood.”

Little Fifth Master had just graduated from the military academy, a wild colt eager to make his mark. He thought Fu Tongwen shared his revolutionary fervor and couldn’t wait to confess his ambitions, hoping to form a secret alliance with his brother. Back at the theater, Fu Tongwen had already guessed what he was about to say and warned him with a “come here less if you can.” That was a clear signal. But Little Fifth Master had missed the hint. Showing up late at night only confirmed he was still an impulsive, naïve boy.

Naturally, Fu Tongwen couldn’t share anything with him.

Besides, he had never planned to let Little Fifth Master get involved.

Fooled by Fu Tongwen’s words, Little Fifth Master hesitated. “Then Father…”

“Father is old. Old men become stubborn,” Fu Tongwen said. “He’s put all his bets on the Beiyang Army. If they lose, we’ll all be in trouble. I support the revolution in secret, but I also fund the Beiyang forces. One must always leave themselves a way out.”

Before Little Fifth Master could speak, he added, “I sent you to Baoding because the principal there is a favorite of Duan Qirui. And who is Duan Qirui? The President’s trusted aide. Who backs the Fu family? Also the President. Now do you understand Third Brother’s intentions?”

His words were reasonable, airtight, and left no room for doubt.

The Fu family had long-standing internal divisions, originally stemming from ideological differences between the eldest and second eldest masters. The Second Master, much like the intellectuals of the day, had once enjoyed publishing scathing critiques of the government in newspapers. After being scolded and grounded by the Old Master Fu—and watching President Yuan gradually crown himself emperor—he lost faith in the political situation and no longer spoke of such matters. As for Fu Tongwen, he had indeed never shown any interest in politics.

Within the household, it was privately assumed that the real struggle was between the eldest and third brothers over the family estate.

Little Fifth Master had just returned from Baoding. His mother had told him the same thing: don’t get involved. Old Master Fu had made it clear that the inheritance would be divided according to the number of children—no one would be shortchanged. And as for shares that weren’t theirs to claim, the Fifth Master’s branch certainly wouldn’t be getting them.

Fu Tongwen’s words were like reins thrown over a wild horse.

The light in Little Fifth Master’s eyes dimmed noticeably.

On the bookshelf near the desk stood a shelf of potted plants. One of them was a begonia. Despite it being winter, the room was warmed by a charcoal brazier, and the heat-loving begonia was thriving. Beneath the pot, a ceramic tray was filled with water and smooth white river stones.

Fu Tongwen sipped his tea and glanced at the flower. “Tonglin, what do you think of this begonia?”

“I don’t know much about flowers… but anything Third Brother has must be the best.”

Fu Tongwen reached into the tray beneath the pot and fished out a damp, white stone, toying with it. “Since you’ve returned, how much does Father give you each month?”

“One hundred silver dollars. I’m not married, so it’s enough.”

“How could that be enough?” he said. “A young man needs money for social occasions too. Come here tomorrow and collect a check from me—your sister-in-law will be here.”

“I really don’t need it right now,” Little Fifth Master tried to decline.

Fu Tongwen gave a slight smile and shook his head, signaling him not to refuse.

Little Fifth Master had no choice but to thank him. “I’m always troubling Third Brother.”

They chatted a while longer, this time on topics unrelated to politics.

When Wan’an came to urge him, Little Fifth Master reluctantly left. Before heading out the gate, he even detoured to Tan Qingxiang’s room to ask carefully about Fu Tongwen’s health. Shen Xi walked him to the moon gate, wanting to offer him some comfort. But afraid to say the wrong thing, she simply smiled and said, “Your Third Brother said to come pick up the money—don’t forget.”

Little Fifth Master nodded. “We met once before. Sister-in-law, do you remember?”

“I do,” she said, recalling, “When I first married into the Fu family, the Eldest and Second Masters were quarreling in the main hall over constitutional monarchy versus democratic republic. You and I sat at the back, both silent.”

Back then, he was young, and so was she.

“How old were you that year, Sister-in-law?”

“Nineteen.”

“Then you’re three years older than me,” he laughed, his features delicate like a girl’s. “I was only sixteen then.”

“You just turned twenty this year?”

“Twenty isn’t that young,” he said seriously. “Many people join the army and go to war in their teens.”

Under the dim yellow light at the main gate, the two of them shared a smile. Shen Xi had a younger brother three years her junior too, but he wasn’t nearly as good-looking as Little Fifth Master. That must have been due to his mother being Korean—mixed-race children often looked more attractive than average. For instance, his complexion was fairer than his brothers’, and his eyes weren’t pure black.

Shen Xi returned to the study, her body still chilled from outside. Fu Tongwen was still playing with the river stone.

Even as a bystander, she felt a pang of sorrow from Little Fifth Master’s disappointment. Such a bright, idealistic young man, coming late at night in hopes that Fu Tongwen would light his path, only to leave discouraged.

When he saw her come in, Fu Tongwen placed the stone back into the ceramic tray with a soft plop, sending up a splash of water.

The begonia’s roots and branches had been cultivated to resemble a pine tree. Its brown-green leaves overlapped, and clusters of flowers bloomed among them.

Fu Tongwen plucked the topmost flower. “This potted begonia—if you pinch off the top bloom, it’ll be forced to sprout branches and produce more flowers. If you let it grow freely, it’ll just grow in a straight line with only a few blooms.”

Was he talking about the begonia—or was this a metaphor for his younger brother?

“You try picking one,” he said.

Shen Xi reached out and touched a flower, but couldn’t bring herself to pinch it.

He took her hand, clasped it in his palm, and gently rubbed the knuckles of her fingers. In a low voice, he asked, “Why do you seem so dazed? What are you thinking about?”

“He’s very sad, thinking you truly have no care for the family or the country.”

“At the moment, he can’t help me. Someone with his temperament isn’t suited to hear the truth now. He needs to learn it the hard way, to experience it for himself,” Fu Tongwen explained.

That Gu Youwei wasn’t wrong about him.

This man was truly complicated. Even telling his own biological younger brother the truth depended on whether it was appropriate.

“He does have ambition. He doesn’t need companions or anyone to show him the way. If he’s afraid of the dark and loneliness, then it’s fine if he stops here,” he added.

She gave a soft “Mm.”

“Only an ‘Mm’?”

What else could she say? Shen Xi pulled her hand back.

Fu Tongwen looked her over from head to toe.

Shen Xi felt a flush rise inside her chest. Her face slowly reddened, from her cheeks to the roots of her ears, all visible.

Suddenly, he touched her earlobe.

“It’s really warm,” he said. “Feel it yourself.”

Shen Xi pushed his hand away.

He just smiled again.

“What are you laughing at?” she lowered her eyes, quietly checking her front collar. The buttons were done up properly.

Fu Tongwen observed all her movements without pointing anything out. “The more I smile at you, the harder it is for you to want to leave Third Brother.”

Shen Xi didn’t take his words seriously and looked down again, checking her collar once more, still uneasy.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“…Still laughing?” she grew even more suspicious.

“If Third Brother really wanted to see something, would he have to sneak a peek?” he asked softly.

…That was true.

Under the lamp light, shadows from the bookshelf draped over them. Leaning against the wall, both of them teased each other around a begonia that shouldn’t be blooming in winter. It really felt like a fleeting dream.

A few days later, in the early morning.

Shen Xi, wearing her pajamas, came out of the bedroom and saw someone in the main hall. She thought it was a waiting servant. “Excuse me, Third Master is going to receive guests. Could you go and hurry Doctor Tan to bring the medicine—”

It was her?

Shen Xi stopped in her tracks. Her long hair reached her waist and was still loose. She hadn’t expected Gu Youwei to come straight inside…

Gu Youwei’s short hair was neatly combed. Because she looked up at Shen Xi, her earrings swayed lightly at her cheek. She hadn’t expected Shen Xi to actually live in the bedroom…

The servants in the main hall were all nervous from the quiet tension.

Fu Tongwen lifted the curtain and stepped out. Seeing Shen Xi standing frozen, he lightly placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered, “Coming out dressed like this, what kind of behavior is that?”

His words startled her awake. Shen Xi turned to go back.

Fu Tongwen’s hand slid down to pinch her waist. “You’ve already come out, so at least see me off.”

Shouldn’t she avoid him? Shen Xi couldn’t figure out Fu Tongwen’s thoughts. She originally wanted to move away, afraid of holding him back.

But he made her stay… She didn’t fully understand, but softly replied, “I can only see you off to the door here, I can’t walk further.”

Their eyes met, weaving a complicated web that couldn’t be hidden.

Tan Qingxiang brought the morning herbal medicine and watched Fu Tongwen take it.

In the quiet room, he instead took the role of chatting casually with Gu Youwei. The two were old acquaintances. When Gu Youwei had sneaked into the Eight Great Alleys at night, skipping three small classes, and found the Flower Cultivation Pavilion, it was Tan Qingxiang who had finally escorted her back to the Gu family. Thus, facing Tan Qingxiang, Gu Youwei felt as if he held her little secrets, and she lost her lady-like temper, chatting with him amiably.

After she and Fu Tongwen left, with no outsiders present, Tan Qingxiang collected the medicine bowl and glanced at Shen Xi standing inside the doorway. “Feeling complicated?”

Shen Xi was silent for a moment, then admitted, “It feels like sending a princess off for a political marriage…”

She glanced again at the empty courtyard and rubbed her hands. “Come on, learn to play cards.”

Wan An, who had just come out of the bedroom, and Tan Qingxiang, holding the medicine bowl, were both momentarily stunned.

Then they all laughed.

By the drum-shaped door post stood a black sedan.

Flags celebrating the new emperor’s ascension fluttered everywhere in the cold wind.

Fu Tongwen walked to the gate, standing at the doorway with four armed servants following. To put it politely, it was because the times were chaotic and they needed to guard the Third Young Master; to put it bluntly, they were afraid he would run away. Gu Youwei also followed out. She wanted to take Fu Tongwen’s arm but hesitated and didn’t do it.

“Yesterday, the Grand President ascended the throne. Next year will be the first year of the Hongxian era,” she started a topic she thought would interest him.

Fu Tongwen was not surprised and asked her, “Where do you plan to go?”

He didn’t intend to discuss current affairs with her.

“The envoys of several great powers are all in Beijing. I want to take you to meet them. You know, the French envoy is my friend, and your friends are there too,” Gu Youwei asked him, “My father has long wanted to meet the British envoy, who I hear is your classmate. I’ve already arranged a time with him. Would you be willing to come along?”

She reluctantly asked, knowing this meant Fu Tongwen was helping her.

The more he helped, the fewer cards she had to keep him in check. But… she had no choice. She needed his connections.

“As a free man, of course it’s convenient,” he said.

Another sedan arrived at the gate. Fu Tongwen was about to step down the stairs but noticed Gu Youwei wasn’t moving, so he looked at her.

Her eyes were shyly hidden under her hat. “Tongwen, are you still mad at me? I admit, I took advantage of your misfortune, but my intentions were good. My feelings for you are still genuine, just like before.”

From inside the main hall, she had watched the two of them look like a perfect couple, while she, the one meant to marry him, was left isolated. She had always been spoiled and never suffered this kind of humiliation—or rather, all the grievances she’d ever had came from Fu Tongwen. Trying to persuade herself not to care, she still couldn’t help but ask clearly.

Fu Tongwen smiled and glanced up at the winter sun. “What do you want me to say?”

His distracted, evasive way of speaking used to fascinate her. Gu Youwei loved his old-time young master charm mixed with the sophisticated gentlemanliness of a man educated abroad. But she also hated this side of him—so seemingly gentle, yet impossible to get close to.

“The girl in your room, are you going to send her away?” she whispered.

“Send her where?” he asked.

“I can accept you taking a concubine, but not her. You should understand what I mean. We fought over her before… I can’t get past this mental barrier. Our wedding date is set. Do as I say on this matter, and from now on, I’ll listen to you on everything else,” seeing Fu Tongwen remain silent, she added, “Keeping a girl from the Flower Smoke Pavilion won’t do you any good.”

Fu Tongwen pulled a pair of dark-lensed glasses from his pocket and put them on.

His eyes were hidden behind the lenses, unreadable, but a smile appeared on his face. “Right now, my feelings for her are just like your feelings for me back then. By forcing me like this, what do you want to hear from me?”

He said he was in love with a woman.

A man who used to wallow in the world of makeup and entertainment said he had genuine feelings for a girl.

“Your fleeting romances aren’t just with her,” Gu Youwei said, hands in her coat pockets, holding down her emotions.

He was confused, caught in the moment just like before.

She didn’t believe he could truly settle down.

“Yes, you know exactly what kind of person I am. I may love this woman now, but I might love another one later,” he said, one hand in his pocket, waving for the four armed servants to get into his car. “You say you can accept me taking concubines, one or two maybe, but what about ten or twenty? My father has three famous courtesans living in the mansion. This is the place you’re marrying into.”

Gu Youwei’s lips turned pale in the winter wind. “My father’s the same. This place is like that. What can I do… I just want your feelings.”

“What do you want my feelings for? I’m standing here telling you I can give you my feelings. The hard part isn’t me—it’s you. Do you want to believe it? Or will you?” He walked down the stone steps. “Youwei, don’t lose your reason.”

Seeing she didn’t move, he pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. “My classmate is very punctual. Since you made an appointment, it’s best not to be late.”