When Feng Sheng turned to leave, Fan Jin Chuan called out to her, âWorthy Brother Fang.â\n
âAnything else?â\n
He laughed bitterly and shook his head. âI apologize for my mother. She shouldnât have scolded you so terribly that day.â\n
âDonât worry about it. Aunt is an elder. She behaved the way she did because she also misunderstood something,â Feng Sheng assured with a listless smile.\n
âIs that why you didnât accept me?â\n
Yes, that day, Feng Sheng had indeed rejected Fan Jin Chuan. Unfortunately, she was only halfway through her sentence when news of Manâerâs suicide attempt had interrupted them.\n
âThatâs right, but not entirely. Right now, I have no desire for affection or romance. Brother Fan should know that. Alsoâââ she turned to him and smiled. âIt doesnât matter whether I accept or not. Brother Fanâs outcome is already determined, isnât it? I wish you and Miss Manâer mutual respect in marriage and an early birth of a precious son.â\n
These words instantly crushed Fan Jin Chuan. Incapable of mustering even a forced smile, his shoulders slumped.\n
A while later, he uttered, âIâm sorry for disturbing you.â\n
Feng Sheng nodded and abruptly entered the room.\n
Fan Jin Chuan was rooted on his spot for quite a while. He watched her disappear before he slowly turned around to leave.\n
After Feng Sheng trod in, she instructed Zhi Qiu, âWhen you see Uncle Yu tomorrow, tell him to search for a residence outside. Weâll move out as soon as possible.â\n
Zhi Chun probed, âYoung Master, why do you suddenly want to move out? Isnât it nice living here?â\n
âIf Young Master says weâre moving, then weâre moving. Why ask so many whys?â Zhi Qiu admonished as she yanked Zhi Chun away.\n
Feng Sheng listened to the two girls bickering in whispers outside, pressing her temples out of fatigue and leaning against her chair. She was mulling over which step she ought to take next, but her mind was in complete shambles.\n
She rose to her feet and ambled to the study, lighting a solitary lamp on the writing desk.\n
The dusky yellow flame illuminated the area, and she stood for a moment before sitting behind the desk and flipping through the paperwork resting atop.\n
*\n
Days were busy and time passed slowly. The eighteenth day of the month was underway.\n
Fan Jin Chuanâs wedding was not a big event. He invited only his closest friends, but presents had been streaming in since the day before yesterday. He refused to accept these gifts and had his servants return them all.\n
When Feng Sheng arrived, Fan Jin Chuan, dressed in a bridegroomâs wedding attire, was entertaining guests.\n
When Feng Sheng emerged into his view, he was momentarily dazed.\n
Fan Jin Chuan had lost a lot of weight since their last meeting, but he seemed to be in good spirits. He smiled and cupped his hands at Feng Sheng, spewing out pleasantries like âyouâre hereâ and such.\n
Witnessing this attitude, Feng Sheng also put her mind at ease. She had initially feared he would forgo his manners in the presence of others, which would certainly embarrass him.\n
The wedding quickly came to pass. It was a simple and straightforward ceremony of the bride and groom kowtowing to heaven and earth.<sup>1</sup>\n
Bao-shiâs eyes welled with tears as she watched Fan Jin Chuan and Manâer kneeling in front of her. She expressed, âNow that you two are married, even if Mother dies, I can close my eyes.â\n
âMother.â Manâer, whose face was shrouded by a veil, bashfully spoke.\n
âMother, what are you saying all that for at a time like this?â Fan Jin Chuan asked.\n
Bao-shi wiped her tears. âToday is your big day. Mother indeed shouldnât be saying such words.â\n
One of Fan Jin Chuanâs close friends stepped out to round things up. âAlright, alright, quickly send the bride to the bridal chamber. Zi Jin, you should also join us. Today, we wonât return without getting drunk.â\n
âŚâŚ\n
Feng Sheng trailed after the crowd to the east chamber.\n
A few more guests arrived before the ceremony, headed by the Yangzhou prefectural magistrate, Du Ming Liang, who shared the same mentor as Fan Jin Chuan, and with him were a few high officials. Fan Jin Chuan was too occupied to welcome guests, so Feng Sheng took it upon herself to entertain them, drinking tea and conversing merrily, until Fan Jin Chuan hurried over before Feng Sheng withdrew.\n
The other two tables were all of Fan Jin Chuanâs friends and people from the yamen. Feng Sheng sat at the friendsâ table. None of them were familiar to her, but a young man named Lu Zi Yue always sought her out for chat.\n
This man named Lu Zi Yue had quite an incomprehensible background. From his attire, one could tell he was a literati, with a casual and elegant bearing rather similar to those renowned scholars in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. He was unrestrained in his conduct and uninhibited in his speech.\n
Feng Sheng had heard Fan Jin Chuan mention Lu Zi Yue a few times, from which she understood that this person was very good friends with him, else, she really dared not imagine such a man to actually be that pedant, Fan Jin Chuanâs good friend.\n
âWorthy Brother Feng Fu, shouldnât you be drinking inside? Why are you standing here to cool off?â\n
Feng Sheng turned her head, and the man who had just arrived was prescisely Lu Zi Yue. Just now, after three rounds of drinks, Feng Sheng left the table on the pretext of relieving herself. Upon noticing the beautiful night sky and the cool and refreshing night breeze, she no longer felt the need to return.\n
âIt was too hot inside, so I went out for some air.â\n
âThatâs true. Itâs also that we donât know each other very well, so drinking together isnât as pleasant.â\n
âWhy is Brother Zi Yue out here too?â\n
âZi Jin was dragged away for a round of drinks. Iâm a man of strange temperament. I canât easily integrate myself into a crowd, so I escaped for a breath of fresh air,â Lu Zi Yue explained with a bright and clear smile.\n
With this, Feng Shengâs favorable impression of this person increased a notch. Gathered in the room were Du Ming Liang and other officials, and all were high officials second to none in the local area. It didnât matter whether the two separate tables had other intentions or not, as it seemed as though all of them had formed connections with those of the higher social class. It was said that this Lu Zi Yue had lived in Yangzhou all year round, and to be able to reach a point where he could casually mingle with high officials was truly rare for men of his status.\n
None of the two spoke, but Lu Zi Yue seemed awfully curious about Feng Sheng, as his eyes kept darting towards her direction, intentionally or otherwise.\n
Slightly annoyed, Feng Sheng was about to politely take her leave when Lu Zi Yue promptly uttered, âIâve endured this long. Please donât take offense at what Iâm about to say. Fan Zi Jin is just a pedant, so donât bother yourself with him.â\n
âBrother Lu, where are these words stemming from?â\n
âHe told me about you and him long ago, when you were still a man.â\n
Feng Shengâs smile stiffened and her brows furrowed.\n
Lu Zi Yue seemed to sense her displeasure and smirked. âHe truly is a fool. The matter particularly bewildered and confused him, so he told me all about it. Heâs the type of person who hides everything in his heart. Heâs fettered by old conventions, and heâs too concerned about morality and ethics. Heâs also a greatly filial son, so the outcome between you two was doomed from the start.â\n
âBrother Lu, did you misunderstand something?â\n
âMisunderstand? Well, letâs just say I misunderstood. I honestly donât mean any malice. I just wanted to tease you to cheer you up, but I didnât expect Iâd say the wrong thing. I have no other reason for saying such words, except to simply take up the cudgels for the injured party.<sup>2</sup> I also quite admire that you can come to this kind of occasion. He truly is quite muddled.â\n
Feng Sheng restrained the emotion in her eyes and plastered on a smile. âIt seems that Brother Lu has really misunderstood. Iâve been friends with Brother Fan for a long time. He is my official superior, and I work alongside him. Today is his big celebration, so I naturally wanted to come.â\n
âIs that really so?â\n
âWhat else can it be?â\n
Lu Zi Yue studied her expression, the corners of his lips still upturned. âFine, it seems I was overthinking. Worthy Brother Feng Fu must not blame me. Letâs go in and drink. Iâll first punish myself with three cups as an apology to you.â\n
*\n
By the time Feng Sheng left the Salt Distribution Commission yamen, it was already the dead of night.\n
She had had a little too much to drink. That Lu Zi Yue had constantly sought her out for a toast, and she had to expend quite the amount of effort to shake him off. Nonetheless, this person didnât seem to harbor any ill will. He was simply a drunken lunatic.\n
Dao Qi fetched the carriage and waited for her outside, and when Feng Sheng got in, she leaned against the cushion and kneaded her forehead.\n
Right then, she felt something was amiss. There was someone else in the carriage.\n
Looking over, Prince Wei was actually sitting there.\n
Prince Wei was enrobed in azure blue brocade with lined embroidery, and embroidered on the lapels and cuffs were intricate patterns of gold thread. His black hair was tied to the top of his head with a white jade crown securing it, making his complexion appear as clear as jade, peerlessly handsome.\n
âWhat are you doing here?!â\n
Feng Shengâs eyes surveyed the interior, and she realized that the one asking such a question should have been Prince Wei, as the carriage obviously wasnât hers.\n
âItâs Fan Zi Jinâs wedding. This prince has come to give a present.â\n
âThen why am I in your carriage?â\n
Prince Wei gazed at her. âThatâs something youâll have to ask yourself.â\n
âAi, no.â Feng Sheng rubbed her brow and asked, âHas Your Highness seen my carriage?â\n
âDidnât see it.â\n
âThen ask the driver to stop the carriage. Iâll go down,â she said. Feng Sheng extended her arm to lift the carriage curtain, but Prince Wei grabbed her wrist.\n
Feng Sheng stared back at him, but he still didnât look at Feng Sheng and instead faced forward with an indifferent expression.\n
âNow that youâre here, this prince will send you back.â\n
âMy carriage driver will look for me.â\n
âThis prince has already ordered someone to inform him.â\n
When was this? How come she didnât notice? But it was evident that Prince Wei had no intention of answering, so Feng Sheng could only sit down.\n
The carriage forged on.\n
She had no choice but to admit that Prince Weiâs carriage was of excellent quality. As she settled herself inside, Feng Sheng found it not the least bit jarring. It was nothing like her carriage, which had to be padded with various cushions to ease discomfort.\n
Not only was it stable and comfortable, next to the carriage wall also stood a small table, and on it were perched a tea stove and several objects for brewing tea. She didnât know what principle of nature these objects followed, but they did not move a single jot.\n
âTea.â Prince Wei pointed to her front, and only then did Feng Sheng fathom that there was tea prepared for her.\n
She took a sip, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say. However, she also felt strange remaining wordless all the while.\n
âIf Your Highness is here to give a present, why didnât you go in? Itâs a happy occasion to say the least. You can also enjoy a cup of celebratory wine.â\n
âThere are people in there that this prince doesnât want to see.â\n
Feng Sheng replied with an âohâ and said nothing more.\n
As the silence persisted, a thought suddenly occurred to her. She informed, âIâve changed my address. The driverâŚâŚâ\n
âHe knows.â\n
How did the driver know?\n
However, Feng Sheng was not without tact, and she knew that such a thing was inappropriate to ask. She was well aware that Prince Wei had an unusually extraordinary concern for her. He was versed in several of her matters, and he was so far-reaching and infinitely resourceful that it was numbing.\n
âWhat do you need those salt merchantsâ account books for?â Prince Wei picked up a teacup and sipped from it as he questioned.\n
Such a query was one Feng Sheng didnât know how to answer.\n
Just as she was still trying to phrase her response, Prince Wei spoke again, âStop while youâre ahead, and donât do what you shouldnât.â\n
âWhat is it that I shouldnât do?â\n
Prince Wei set down his tea and leaned back, his meaningful eyes lingering. âI thought you understood.â\n
âYour Highness Prince Wei, donât think too much about it. Itâs just a leverage for them to surrender. After all, they had previously attempted every possible means to get me killed, so how will I know whether or not theyâre sincere?â\n
How clumsy this excuse was, Feng Sheng herself didnât want to ponder over in detail, but it was all she could muster at the moment.\n
âThis prince has to go back to the capital. Might not be back until some time later.â Prince Wei followed up.\n
Feng Sheng raised her head to glance at him, feeling slightly awkward.\n
He was returning to the capital. What did he have to tell her for?\n
âWishing Your Highness Prince Wei a pleasant journey.â\n
âRemember this princeâs words. Donât do anything you shouldnât. Hitting a stone with an egg is something only a fool would do.â\n
Feng Sheng expelled a hollow laugh.\n
That moment, the carriage came to a halt.\n
She pushed aside the curtain for a glimpse outside and discovered that they had reached her residence.\n
âYour Highness Prince Wei, I have arrived. We shall meet again someday.â Without waiting for Prince Weiâs reply, she hopped out of the carriage with speed as though fleeing for her life.\n
Prince Wei chuckled in spite of himself and knocked on the carriage wall. The carriage abruptly left the place.\n
Relieved, Feng Sheng, stood by the gate and waited for Prince Weiâs carriage to leave, only to discover that tailing behind them was a carriage Dao Qi was driving.\n
âYoung Master, is everything alright?â asked Dao Qi as he jumped off the carriage.\n
âItâs nothing. Go in.â\n
On the other side, disguised as a carriage driver, De Cai inquired, âYour Highness, when will we depart?â\n
âTomorrow.â After a pause, Prince Wei added, âYou stay and watch over her.â\n
De Cai hesitated before replying, âYes.â\n
That was simply how he was. Had it been De Wang, he probably would have asked another ten thousand whys.  \n\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-vivid-red-background-color has-vivid-red-color is-style-wide">\n<sup>1</sup> ćĺ (bĂ i tĂĄng): ritual kneeling to heaven and earth by bride and groom in a old-fashioned wedding ceremony. Here are photos to give you an idea what an ancient Chinese wedding ceremony looks like.\n\n
<sup>2</sup> ććąä¸ĺšł: take up the cudgels for the injured party; defend sb. against an injustice\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-vivid-red-background-color has-vivid-red-color is-style-wide">\nă Previous | Table of Contents | Next ă
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