Great Master pondered for a long while before saying lightly, “Tell him that the marriage matter still needs to be discussed with Madam. We don’t know how to reply for the time being, so please ask General Zhu to wait. First, ask about Fengjia’s situation! Most importantly, ask how he is—whether his injuries are serious or not!”
Steward Zhang knew this was a matter of great importance and quickly agreed solemnly, then hurried out of the inner room with quick steps.
The room suddenly quieted. Seventh Miss still held Great Master’s other shoe in her hand but hadn’t moved for a long time.
These two incidents coming one after another both seemed suspicious—not one was as simple as it appeared.
Why would the Quan family suddenly come to propose marriage? Without even a single letter beforehand, just sending someone to discuss marriage out of the blue? What kind of affair was this?
And then there was Xu Fengjia. Before departure, she had thought those two hundred soldiers were prepared for General Zhu, but today it was precisely General Zhu who came to report the prisoner’s escape. If this matter was truly done at his instigation, he should be pretending not to know at this time instead.
Both these matters were truly excessively strange!
Even Great Master rarely lost his composure.
After a long while, he gave an absent-minded smile and teased Seventh Miss, “How much longer are you going to crouch on the floor?”
Only then did Seventh Miss come to her senses. She quickly helped Great Master put on his shoes, then lightly and carefully folded the bedding, brought out the small kang table, and went outside to bring hot tea to Great Master at the kang.
“Father has many matters here. Perhaps Little Qi should return first?” She asked Great Master somewhat inquiringly.
Great Master had already completely regained his calm composure, even showing a smile at the corners of his lips.
“What’s the rush? Teacher Nian is an elderly person of high virtue. You’ve met him a few times already.” He patted the kang table, indicating for Seventh Miss to sit across from him. “At Hanshan Temple, did you encounter any incidents?”
This was, after all, a world governed by propriety. Great Master could allow Seventh Miss to secretly arrange a meeting with Feng Jin, but he had to feign ignorance about it.
This also gave Seventh Miss room to maneuver.
However, combined with the news of the Quan family’s marriage proposal… Seventh Miss felt that her marriage prospects were like a small stream, twisting and turning with countless bends—even she didn’t know where the endpoint was.
Forget it. Given the relationship between the Quan family and the Yang family, this marriage match most likely couldn’t succeed. Even if by chance it did work out, she was at least somewhat familiar with Quan Zhongbai. As long as she had the Yang family’s support, spending a lifetime with someone as detached and immortal-like as him—and he being a second son—probably wouldn’t be a hardship.
“I just offered a few sticks of incense,” she said lightly. “However, at the temple I did meet an interesting friend and spoke with him. Only then did Little Qi’s thoughts finally settle.”
Great Master raised both eyebrows, staring intently at Seventh Miss, silently waiting for her to continue.
Seventh Miss also solemnly took a deep breath.
“I’m afraid I must disappoint Father.” She spoke word by word, her voice resounding. “Neither Cousin from the Feng family nor the Crown Prince is a good match for Little Qi. Little Qi will marry neither of them.”
Great Master didn’t speak for a moment, only stroking his beard and humming softly in deep thought.
“How so?”
“Given the relationship between Cousin Zixiu and that person, his wife’s position would be quite awkward. Even if Little Qi could not mind, the other person might not necessarily not mind…” Seventh Miss spoke calmly and composedly. “What the Eastern Palace’s temperament is like, neither Father nor Little Qi are clear about—after all, having lived in Jiangnan for many years, we’re not so familiar with the capital’s affairs. But Cousin Zixiu understands very well… I imagine Father already understands Little Qi’s meaning.”
Great Master had already fallen into deep thought.
After a long while, he absent-mindedly nodded.
If the Eastern Palace, as Crown Prince, allowed people around him to be freely inquired about, his days as Crown Prince would soon be numbered.
For Seventh Miss to speak so definitively, she must have privately asked Feng Jin and received his affirmative answer to know that there truly was an unspeakable relationship between Feng Jin and the Crown Prince. This was something even Great Master wasn’t entirely clear about.
Once the relationship between the two was confirmed, Seventh Miss’s concerns were not unfounded. As Feng Jin’s wife’s family, the risks the Yang family faced were no less than the benefits. Moreover, there were many more unfavorable factors standing in the way of this marriage. This Yang family master, accustomed to reading the winds and thinking ten steps ahead with every move, immediately became less enthusiastic about the marriage with the Feng family.
“As for entering the palace as Crown Prince’s consort, Father has already broken it down and analyzed it very clearly. Although Little Qi lacks nothing, she’s also not particularly outstanding in anything. To stand out in the inner palace would truly be harder than ascending to heaven. Moreover, internal and external communication is a great taboo. Your consideration of the Feng family marriage, Father, probably cannot be hidden from the Eastern Palace either. If in the future Cousin doesn’t promote me, it would be Cousin being ungrateful. But if Cousin does promote me and word reaches the Eastern Palace’s ears, it would inevitably arouse suspicions of impropriety…”
“Little Qi need not say more.” Great Master suddenly became enlightened, slapping the table and laughing heartily. “Good, good! That I, Yang Haidong, have such a daughter is truly fortunate for our family!”
With Seventh Miss’s analysis, the matter became clear and organized for Great Master, with the weights on both sides laid out on the table.
Wanting to marry Seventh Miss to Feng Jin was nothing more than killing several birds with one stone: first, establishing a roundabout connection with Eunuch Lian; second, providing more support for Sixth Miss in the palace; third, elevating Ninth Brother’s background. However, these three points now appeared less significant than the one opposing reason Seventh Miss raised: there was indeed an ambiguous relationship between Feng Jin and the Crown Prince, and from Feng Jin’s indication, the Crown Prince might be jealous by nature and harbor ill feelings toward Feng Jin’s future wife.
As a young lady, Seventh Miss could not have verified the Crown Prince’s private affairs without Feng Jin personally confirming it. From this alone, one could see that Feng Jin indeed viewed Seventh Miss differently. Recalling how he had specially asked Eunuch Zhang to look after Seventh Miss, even if Seventh Miss herself didn’t say it, how could Great Master not guess: in Feng Jin’s heart, of the entire Yang family, the only person whose kindness he cared about was probably Seventh Miss alone.
This being the case, Seventh Miss’s weight suddenly became different from before. This Crown Prince consort position—she could choose it if she wished, or decline it if she didn’t. If she wanted to choose, Feng Jin would naturally make arrangements for her. If she didn’t want to choose, Feng Jin would naturally manipulate things for her. This matter wasn’t difficult for him to begin with. Even Great Master and Great Madam could only persuade, not force her.
Yet Seventh Miss could still raise such a good reason, combining her consideration of this marriage with the Eastern Palace—
Great Master suddenly fell into contemplation again.
After a long while, his expression became solemn, faintly carrying a trace of coldness.
“Is Feng Zixiu working under the Eastern Palace doing those under-the-table activities?” he suddenly asked.
He had already torn away even the last fig leaf, directly asking Seventh Miss about Feng Jin’s affairs.
“Yes.” Seventh Miss softly confirmed, staring directly at Great Master’s expression. “From Cousin Zixiu’s tone, quite a bit of the Yang family’s news cannot be hidden from him.”
Although the marriage matter between Seventh Miss and Feng Jin was no longer a secret, those qualified to know about it were no ordinary people. To know the Yang family’s affairs so clearly in such a short time, this insider must have been planted for some time already.
When had the Eastern Palace begun placing people in the Yang family!
Great Master suddenly slapped the kang table, rarely showing anger. “The Eastern Palace truly goes too far in bullying people!”
He quickly calmed down again, falling into intense thought, his face shrouded in a faint gloom, not speaking for a long while.
Light footsteps sounded from outside again. “Master, Teacher Nian has arrived.”
Great Master suddenly came to his senses, his eyes flickering. After a long moment, he smiled faintly, putting away his fierce expression.
“Little Qi should go back and rest well! As for your mother, naturally I will speak to her.” His expression was pleasant as he gently patted the back of Seventh Miss’s hand. “You did very well. This is what a good Yang family daughter should be. Rest assured, Father will definitely arrange a marriage to your liking for you—”
Seeing Seventh Miss’s expression, he laughed heartily again. “Don’t worry. If Little Qi doesn’t nod, Father won’t nod! Your marriage, Father will let you decide for yourself!”
Seventh Miss’s face flushed red. She stood up and pouted playfully, “Father!”
Then, showing a trace of shyness, “Then Little Qi thanks Father first…”
Although she hadn’t brought up the matter of Qianxiu Workshop for discussion, there were many ways to resolve this issue. Given Second Miss’s temperament, getting her to yield the thirteen Qianxiu Workshops in Jiangbei to Feng Jin wasn’t impossible. There was no need to trouble him with this matter when Great Master was already so vexed—Seventh Miss knew very well to what degree Great Madam valued her legitimate daughter’s dowry.
After greeting Teacher Nian, she gracefully withdrew from the outer courtyard and entered Baifang Garden accompanied by Nanny Dong.
As soon as she entered the garden, Seventh Miss dismissed Nanny Dong. “Nanny has also worked hard. Go back and rest. I’ll stroll around the garden and chat with my sisters!”
Nanny Dong naturally complied readily. After exchanging pleasantries with Seventh Miss, she took her leave.
Seventh Miss watched her figure exit the garden, exchanged a few words with Nanny Li at the gate, then slowly walked toward the west wing of Baifang Garden.
Apart from faint voices coming from the direction of Jidi Residence, the west wing remained as deserted as always.
Baiyujin, Juba Pavilion… Following along Wanhua Stream, she approached Wanhua Luoluo and stood before this pond of lotus leaves that had just emerged with their pointed tips. Finally, slowly, the shoulders she had kept straight like a young bamboo gradually relaxed by this deserted poolside.
How many years had it been? She had finally waited for this day—to hold her own destiny in her own hands.
Although the so-called “your marriage, Father will let you decide for yourself” was nothing more than an extremely hollow sweet nothing, after Feng Jin’s powerful rise, the fact that Great Master and Great Madam could no longer unilaterally decide her marriage but had to ask her own opinion was an evident reality.
Regarding her own marriage, at least she now had the right to speak—unlike her older sisters before her, whom no one had thought to ask, “This gentleman is a good match—are you willing to marry, young lady?”
Wasn’t this the smallest yet most worthy-of-celebration victory?
Years ago, that glimpse in Yurong Garden, Ninth Yiniang’s words, Huang Xiunniang’s apology and melancholy, Sixth Miss’s confession to her in Tongguan Temple, two young girls standing shoulder to shoulder gazing at the starry sky…
Her thoughts suddenly soared, thinking of Ninth Yiniang’s concern before her death: “You must listen to Madam’s words, listen to Ninth Brother’s words…” The path before her at that time was so difficult. How could she have imagined she could walk step by step to today? Only now, looking back, did she realize—so many years had already passed!
Thinking of Ninth Brother’s promise: “I want you to hold your head high and never have to read others’ faces again.” Thinking of Quan Zhongbai’s reproach and tender concern: “With your constitution, among young ladies in grand households, you’re already considered rare. Yet you still don’t know how to cherish yourself…”
But in the end, it was still Xu Fengjia’s choked question in the rain: “Do you… have any feelings for me at all!”
Seventh Miss suddenly came to her senses, only to realize her cheeks were icy cold—tears had already streamed down her face.
If Feng Jin had succeeded in the examinations a year earlier, climbed to his current position a year earlier, would her answer have changed? Would she have said “I am also willing to marry”?
In the warm spring breeze, another line of tears slowly crawled down her fair cheeks.
Seventh Miss then thought of Fifth Miss’s resolution: “From now on, I’ll consider him dead! Never mention him to me again!”
She straightened her back again, took out her handkerchief, and carefully wiped away the teardrops at the corners of her eyes.
Then, facing her reflection rippling in the spring waves, she tentatively showed a joyful smile.
This was, after all, a good thing!
#
With so many major incidents occurring in succession, no matter how dissatisfied Great Master was with Great Madam, he still had to discuss with her.
After dismissing Teacher Nian, by mid-afternoon he entered the main courtyard and closed the doors to speak with Great Madam.
Not long after, Nanny Liang made the rounds, informing the sisters in each courtyard that they need not come to pay respects today.
Seventh Miss had originally wanted to visit Fifth Miss, but considering she had just returned from Hanshan Temple, even if Fifth Miss didn’t say anything, she might not be unaware of what she had gone to do. Better not to disturb her at this time and needlessly upset her.
As for Sixth Miss, she was also quiet and hadn’t come to inquire, which made Seventh Miss admire her detachment even more. She herself could remain composed, but perhaps not as thoroughly at peace with circumstances as Sixth Miss.
Indeed, whether entering the palace or marrying into the Li family, for Sixth Miss both counted as getting her wish. Precisely because she was of low birth yet likeable, her life from childhood to now had been so smooth. Each person had their own fate. In the end, everyone just wanted to live better and better.
After eating dinner, she went straight to bed and actually slept until early the next morning, waking refreshed and energized.
“Miss hasn’t slept so soundly in a long time!” Qiqiao said with a beaming smile while laying out breakfast for her. “Yesterday, Sister Lixia and I closed the windows and doors and moved quietly, afraid of waking you. Who knew you were sleeping so soundly you didn’t even move.”
She smiled while serving Seventh Miss dishes. “Try this five-spice turnip—it’s drizzled with rose fermented tofu sauce and has a unique savory aroma. Sister-in-law Cao specially sent it for you last night, saying if you like it, she’ll make more!”
Seventh Miss tried two bites and was reminded that Seventh Yiniang was famous for loving rose fermented tofu. She couldn’t help praising, “Sister-in-law Cao’s rose fermented tofu is truly fragrant—go ask for a jar to send to Sixth Sister. I guarantee she’ll reward you!”
Qiqiao crisply agreed. After serving Seventh Miss breakfast, she turned and went out to relay the message. Lixia and Shangyuan attended Seventh Miss from left and right as she rebraided her hair, laughing as they worked. “This Qiqiao is truly clever. She handles matters carefully and properly. No wonder she’s Nanny Dong’s daughter—several generations of old servants are truly different!”
To receive praise from both supervisors Lixia and Shangyuan was Qiqiao’s real capability.
Seventh Miss listened absently to the two maids chatting, then remembered to send Shangyuan: “Go ask Nanny Yao if the gifts to Yuhang have been sent out yet. If not, urge them more urgently—they must be sent out today!”
Shangyuan’s expression became serious. After finishing Seventh Miss’s hair, she left the room. Lixia was quite pleased. “I find Shangyuan very reliable. Miss should gradually give her more tasks to handle.”
With only Lixia alone having to both handle matters for Seventh Miss and manage all the miscellaneous affairs inside and outside Yuyu Pavilion, it was indeed somewhat taxing. Seventh Miss pondered thoughtfully, “Mm, Zhongyuan, Xiayuan, and Duanwu—the honest ones are too honest, and the mischievous ones are too mischievous. These two girls can be tried out.”
The two were still talking when Lidong entered the room with a smile. “Has Seventh Miss finished breakfast?”
Without accepting Seventh Miss’s offer to sit, she stood and relayed the message: “Madam says, please come to the main hall to speak with her. Also, please bring the pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets that Madam Quan gifted you…”
It seemed the Quan family’s move had also thoroughly confused the Yang family’s upper echelon.