The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 325 - 294: Shifang Cliff, Hundred Inches Heart, Thousand Feet Snow, Ten Thousand Miles Spring

Fourteen years ago, the two people who almost got engaged as an unmarried couple meet again.

One turned from a bandit leader’s woman into a bandit leader, the other from an unlucky, melancholy youth into a stern, composed Capital Official.

He Yumei was detained, kneeling on the ground, and through her disheveled hair, she glimpsed Song Wei, standing tall in his official uniform. Emotions surged in her eyes, indescribably complex.

Song Wei had no intention of wasting words on her and instructed, "Take her away."

He Yumei suddenly became agitated and shouted, "Song Wei! The person you’re looking for is me, let my brothers go."

Upon hearing this, Song Wei’s deep gaze swept over, his lips curving coldly, "You sure speak of loyalty."

He Yumei directly faced him, "I know you want revenge for your brother and sister-in-law; they were killed by my man. It was I who instructed my man to act back then. My man is already dead; if you want to kill or skin someone, come at me. I have only one condition, let them go."

"If I let them go, who will let go of the unjust souls who died at your hands?" Song Wei’s voice was cold and indifferent, "You yourself are not without parents, just put yourself in their shoes and it’s not hard to empathize."

At the mention of parents, He Yumei’s expression was slightly dazed. When she looked at Song Wei again, her chapped lips pressed together, "My brothers were forced by circumstances to become bandits. In the past two years, they’ve been cultivating land on the mountain to be self-sufficient, and have essentially stopped harming anyone. Since you are a scholar, you surely understand better than I that a prodigal son returning is more valuable than gold. Why must you drive a group of people who have abandoned evil for good to destruction?"

Song Wei remained unmoved, "Save these words for the court. I am only responsible for arresting people."

Wen Wan saw for the first time the woman who almost got engaged to Song Wei. She originally thought she was a delicate beauty but didn’t expect her to be a courageous female bandit.

At least for now, Wen Wan sincerely admired her tenacity.

Seeing dozens of her brothers about to be taken away, He Yumei closed her eyes, then suddenly said, "If you let them go, I’ll tell you the secret of Black Wind Mountain."

Song Wei didn’t hesitate, "Take them away!"

"Song Wei!" She seemed surprised at his firmness, abruptly opening her eyes.

However, her shouting didn’t sway the man in the slightest.

...

Watching all the bandits being escorted down the mountain, Wen Wan looked at Song Wei, "Sir, aren’t you curious about the secret she mentioned about Black Wind Mountain?"

Song Wei replied calmly, "It won’t concern me anyway."

After speaking, he called Wen Wan, "Let’s go inside and have a look."

...

It’s not surprising to find gold and silver in a bandit lair, but besides gold and silver, there were also several old things.

In this regard, Song Wei was an expert, and at a glance, he could tell these things belonged to the Jin Dynasty.

The Jin Dynasty was several dynasties ago from the present Great Chu Dynasty.

Even if Wen Wan couldn’t identify the origins of these old items, she knew that objects from the Jin Dynasty were antique-grade now and very valuable.

Song Wei clearly hadn’t expected that such items from the Jin Dynasty would be found in a mere bandit den.

It’s just a pity that the confiscated loot had to be handed over to the court; otherwise, he wouldn’t miss the chance to collect them.

He instructed people to carefully pack and transport the items, then walked deeper into the lair.

The bandit den was built along the mountain, mostly uneven rock walls inside, with candlesticks lit on the walls, casting dim, flickering light.

Since everyone was captured and the items were cleared out, now any room echoed if you spoke.

Wen Wan followed Song Wei, scanning the surroundings as they walked.

As she turned, she inadvertently triggered a mechanism, and after a rumbling sound, a stone door automatically opened beside her.

Song Wei paused, almost simultaneously turning around with Wen Wan.

Beyond the stone door, there were no lights. Standing at the doorway peering in, only darkness could be seen.

Song Wei casually took a candle from the rock wall beside him, using his other hand to pull Wen Wan behind him to protect her.

The instinctive protectiveness of the man startled Wen Wan for a moment.

Then she moved to the rock wall, took a candle for herself, and said to Song Wei, "I have no premonitions, we can go in directly."

Despite this, Song Wei remained very cautious, bending slightly at the stone door to enter.

The faint candlelight soon illuminated the stone chamber.

Inside, there was a stone platform, embedded with a Kui Pattern Wooden Box.

Wen Wan was about to reach out when she heard the man’s voice echoing in the narrow stone chamber, "Wait a moment."

Wen Wan turned her head to look at him, and saw that at some point Song Wei had a slender branch in his hand.

He held a candle in one hand and a branch in the other, slowly prying at the lid of the box.

The wooden box was not locked. After the lid was opened, inside was not the gold and silver jewelry Wen Wan imagined but a painting scroll.

Song Wei threw away the branch, handed the candle to Wen Wan, picked up the painting scroll, and slowly opened it. After looking at it for a while, he squinted, "Could it be an authentic piece by Mr. Liu?"

Previously, when Song Wei presented a gift to the Eldest Princess, Wen Wan had heard about this Mr. Liu, a great artist from the Jin Dynasty, known for his exceptional painting and calligraphy skills.

Wen Wan leaned over, her eyes falling on the inscription at the top right of the painting – "Hundred Inches Heart."

"What does ’Hundred Inches Heart’ mean?" Wen Wan was puzzled.

Song Wei explained, "Mr. Liu has created countless paintings, of which four are most famous: ’Shifang Cliff,’ ’Hundred Inches Heart,’ ’Thousand Feet Snow,’ and ’Ten Thousand Miles Spring.’ The current ’Hundred Inches Heart’ is one of the four."

Shifang Cliff, Hundred Inches Heart, Thousand Feet Snow, Ten Thousand Miles Spring?

Something seemed to flash in Wen Wan’s mind. Her eyes suddenly lit up, "I remember now. Back home in Ningzhou, there was a painting called ’Ten Thousand Miles Spring’ in my husband’s study."

Song Wei nodded, "But later, it was taken away by my teacher."

Wen Wan knew about this, according to what Song Yuanbao had written in the letter, it was Song Wei’s teacher who deceived Little Yuanbao into giving it away, claiming to borrow it for copying, with no intention of returning it afterwards.

Wen Wan’s gaze returned to the painting. ’Hundred Inches Heart’ depicted orchids in a mountain ravine, and ’Ten Thousand Miles Spring’ was a painting of a strong pine tree. She asked, "With both ’Ten Thousand Miles Spring’ and ’Hundred Inches Heart,’ are there any other paintings my husband collected?"

Song Wei shook his head, "I’m looking too, but haven’t found any leads."

Wen Wan smiled, "Mr. Liu’s paintings are so famous. It’s already remarkable for my husband to see two authentic pieces."

She asked him again if they should hide this painting.

Song Wei greatly admired Mr. Liu’s works, but to avoid leaving evidence against him, he wasn’t planning to keep it hidden. Otherwise, if Su Xiang found out, he would certainly seize the opportunity to trap him.

"All the things here must be submitted to the court," Song Wei said. "No matter how much I like them, they’re ultimately not mine."

Wen Wan nodded, understanding his concern.

After rolling up the painting scroll and putting it back, Song Wei picked up the wooden box with both hands, and with Wen Wan, the couple left the stone chamber.

Outside, the soldiers had already moved all the loot that could be taken from other places down the mountain.

Song Wei personally inspected the area once and, finding nothing unusual, instructed the men to seal the mountain and leave.

At the foot of the mountain, Song Wei unexpectedly saw his teacher—Old Marquis Lu, who hadn’t left the Capital in a long time.

"Why has Master come?" Song Wei looked towards the man not far ahead, his voice sounding both surprised and respectful.

Is this Song Wei’s teacher?

Wen Wan raised her eyes, carefully observing the elderly man in the dark-patterned brocade robe sitting steadily on horseback.

Old Marquis Lu nimbly dismounted from his horse, his clear, bright old eyes fixating on the wooden box in Song Wei’s hands. He took two steps forward, suddenly smiling, "You, young man, are truly accomplished, actually bringing people to wipe out this bandit nest."

Instinctively, Song Wei tightened his grip on the wooden box. He curled his lips, "Could it be that Master also came to eliminate bandits?"

"I’m not here to beat around the bush with you," Old Marquis Lu straightforwardly said. "The thing in your hands, name your price and let me take it."

Song Wei smiled faintly, "Master hasn’t even seen it. How do you know what’s in my hands?"

Old Marquis Lu snorted, "Stop with the nonsense. Just tell me, what’s your condition?"

"This belongs to the court."

"Indeed, it belongs to the court, but it’s from the Jin Dynasty, not the Great Chu Dynasty," Old Marquis Lu corrected him.

Song Wei was silent for a moment, then spoke, "Last time, Master went to great lengths to take ’Ten Thousand Miles Spring’ from me. Now you want ’Hundred Inches Heart’ too. It seems, unless I give in, you won’t let it go?"

Old Marquis Lu neither confirmed nor denied.

"I have no other conditions, just want an answer from Master," Song Wei said calmly, looking at him and slowly asking, "Master, have you ever betrayed someone for an item?"

Small ripples appeared in Old Marquis Lu’s eyes but soon settled, "You can ask for gold, silver, or jewels, or I can exchange other items with you, but as for this question, I’m afraid I cannot answer."

Song Wei pulled the wooden box slightly behind him, "Since Master cannot answer, then I cannot give it to you."

"Stubborn boy, you should know, once this painting is submitted to the court, it will never see the light of day again."

Song Wei chuckled, "I’ve already had enough of a look. Even if I don’t keep it, I won’t regret it."

Old Marquis Lu peered at him, "Are you really not going to give it?"

"As I’ve said before, it’s the court’s property. I cannot decide on my own. If Master truly wants it, wait until it’s sent back to the Capital and ask the Emperor for it yourself."

His suggestion only earned a faint snort from Old Marquis Lu, who threatened, "If you don’t give it, I won’t hesitate to take it by force."