Madam Shi had received no word from Master Yan, which told her he had yielded. Between the Yan Family’s fortune and a daughter born of a concubine, he had no reason to choose the latter — and moreover, being taken into the Shi Family was their good fortune. Even as a concubine, it would be a position of prestige and splendor.
A marriage arrangement with the Yan Family was, after all, a matter of great importance, and Madam Shi could not decide it alone. She was just about to go out to find the Grand Commander when Shi Guang came rushing into the courtyard.
“Mother.” Shi Guang called out. “How have things been handled?”
“You child, what’s the rush? What your mother promises, your mother delivers.”
Shi Guang was somewhat worried. “I’m concerned about Seventh Brother.”
“What is there to be concerned about with him?”
“His relationship with Yan Qing is not simple. I’m afraid he might interfere and ruin my plans.”
“Don’t worry.” Madam Shi reassured him. “A betrothal is no small matter — it cannot be done quietly without anyone noticing. If he truly intended to meddle, there would have been some movement from Second Concubine’s side already.”
“Seventh Brother’s way of doing things has never left a trace. The calmer he appears, the more worried I become.”
“All right, all right.” Madam Shi gently patted him on the shoulder. “I’m going to speak with the Grand Commander now. As long as he agrees, even if Shi Ting had the ability to move heaven itself, it would be to no avail.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Shi Guang bowed respectfully.
“How is that Yan Qin faring?” At the mention of this second young mistress, Madam Shi’s expression fell, and her brow was filled with displeasure.
“I don’t know.” Shi Guang had no interest whatsoever in this person.
“She is your primary wife, after all. Even if you dislike her and wish to give her the cold shoulder, you must first let her conceive a child. If she bears a son, he will be the Grand Commander’s eldest grandchild — his standing will be no small thing.”
“If Mother is so eager about this, why not find another primary wife for Elder Brother?”
“I’ve raised this with him several times, but he’s a stubborn one. His heart is set on the one who has passed, and he even says things like he will never marry again for the rest of his life. I’ve given up hope on him. We’ll just have to wait until he comes around to his senses someday.”
Madam Shi sighed for a moment. “I’m going to the Grand Commander’s quarters now. Just wait for my good news.”
Shi Guang smiled. “Very well, Mother.”
Madam Shi arrived at the Grand Commander’s quarters. He had just taken his medicine and was preparing to look over some official documents. When she entered, he did not set down what he was holding.
“The Grand Commander’s color improves by the day. It seems the joy of Shi Guang’s wedding has truly driven away the misfortune.”
The Grand Commander had indeed been feeling much better these past few days, his spirits considerably lifted. Hearing Madam Shi’s words, he even allowed himself a rare smile. “During these days of my illness, you and the other concubines have cared for me without rest. I am grateful to you all as well.”
Madam Shi sat down in the chair beside him, a smile on her face. “The master found by the old madam is truly efficacious. With one joyous occasion arrived, the ill fortune has already diminished by half. If another happy event were to come, would not the ill fortune be entirely dispelled, the clouds parted and the moon revealed?”
“What happy occasion?” The Grand Commander looked at her steadily.
“A few days ago, Shi Guang came to see me and said that he has always had deep feelings for Sixth Miss Yan. He also said she is gifted and accomplished, a rare beauty of fine character.”
“Wasn’t that Sixth Miss’s engagement broken off? Why is he now thinking of marrying her?”
“Given Shi Guang’s standing, naturally he must take a daughter of the legitimate wife as his primary wife, so that any children born would be unquestionably legitimate — which is why he married Fifth Miss Yan. As for Sixth Miss Yan, taking her as a concubine would be perfectly fitting.”
The Grand Commander said nothing.
Madam Shi smiled. “It is said that Master Yan is exceptionally devoted to this Sixth Miss of his. Given the resentment he must feel over the broken engagement, if Shi Guang were to take Sixth Miss as well, it would also stop Master Yan’s mouth, and he would thereafter lend the Grand Commander his full and wholehearted support.”
“I am aware that you had a hand in the matter of Master Yan coming forward to break the engagement. Since it concerns Shi Guang’s future, I have no wish to pursue it, and so I let you act as you saw fit.”
Hearing the gravity in the Grand Commander’s tone, Madam Shi’s face visibly reddened with a trace of guilt.
“I did it for Shi Guang — for the sake of our Shi Family’s dignity.”
“Yet in doing so, you alienated Master Yan.”
Hearing the Grand Commander’s reproach, Madam Shi did not dare to argue back, and could only bow her head and listen.
“Our Shi Family’s army is in the north, and our finances depend entirely on merchants like these to sustain us. The Yan Family helped me in my most difficult time — I cannot be ungrateful.” The Grand Commander spoke, then let out a sigh. “That is also why I agreed to have Shi Guang marry Sixth Miss in the first place.”
“Since that is so, Shi Guang still intends to marry Sixth Miss — even if only as a concubine. The Shi Family will not treat her poorly, and since Shi Guang is fond of her, he will certainly not neglect her. Does this not serve to appease Master Yan?”
“You are right. To keep the Yan Family steadfast and whole-hearted in their service to us, our Shi Family must take in this Sixth Miss.”
Madam Shi saw that her thoughts aligned perfectly with the Grand Commander’s, and a flicker of delight crossed her face. “The Grand Commander is absolutely right. Shi Guang has been hoping for this match. With one word from the Grand Commander, I can have the betrothal gifts prepared and go to their door at once.”
“She is to be taken in, yes — but not by Shi Guang.” The Grand Commander looked at Madam Shi. The smile on her face gradually froze under his gaze. “You have come one step too late.”
“Grand Commander — what do you mean?”
“Second Concubine came to see me earlier and asked me to allow Seventh Son to marry Sixth Miss. I have already agreed.”
This came as a shock of no small magnitude to Madam Shi. “Shi Ting is to marry Sixth Miss?”
“Though Shi Ting is born of a concubine, he is still my son. Taking Sixth Miss as his primary wife gives the Yan Family proper face, and Master Yan would not dare harbor even the slightest grievance.”
“But Sixth Miss is disabled. Would it not be a disservice to Shi Ting to take her as his primary wife?”
“Since Shi Ting himself does not object, it hardly matters.”
Madam Shi was momentarily at a loss for words. Her lips parted and then pressed shut.
This was the Grand Commander’s decision. No matter how eloquently she spoke, it could not be changed.
“Go and make the arrangements. Shi Ting’s betrothal gifts must not be too shabby. They may not match what was prepared for Shi Guang, but they must not bring shame to our Shi Family’s name — and they must let the Yan Family know that we regard this match with great importance.”
“I understand.” When Madam Shi left the Grand Commander’s quarters, a storm of dark clouds was written across her face. The moment she stepped out the door, she cursed in a low, furious breath: “That Luo Huaimeng — not even the slightest sign beforehand. Does she have any regard for me as Madam of this household at all?”
Luo Huaimeng had in fact not been in favor of this match either. While she had still been selecting candidates from among the various well-born young ladies of Shun Cheng, Shi Ting had suddenly come to her and said he wished to marry Sixth Miss Yan.
Naturally, Luo Huaimeng had disagreed. She had calculated every possibility but never anticipated this turn of events.
“Shi Ting, this Sixth Miss had her engagement broken off — and the one who broke it off was your own Second Elder Brother. For you to take up what another has cast aside, what would all of Shun Cheng say? How would you hold your head up in the Shi Family from here on?”
Shi Ting frowned. “None of that matters.”
“Then what does? Does your future matter, or does taking this woman matter more? There are countless daughters of fine families throughout Shun Cheng — why are you so fixated on one person? And that Sixth Miss is disabled — she will spend her entire life in a wheelchair. How could such a person ever support you in the future?”
“Mother, you do not know her. She is a hundred, a thousand times finer than you imagine.”
“You’re right — I don’t know her. But neither can I stand by and watch you leap into a fire.” Luo Huaimeng was adamant. “I will not agree to this, and I will not go to the Grand Commander on your behalf. You can put this out of your mind.”
“Mother, you may not know her — but you know your own son.” Shi Ting said no more. He simply walked with long strides to an open space in the courtyard and knelt down upon both knees.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Luo Huaimeng demanded, alarmed. “If you have something to say, get up and say it.”
“I will rise when Mother agrees.” Shi Ting’s posture was straight as a rod, his determination unyielding.
“Fine, then kneel.” Luo Huaimeng was at the height of her anger. “In any case, I will not agree.”
Having spoken, Luo Huaimeng went back to her room in a huff, resolved to keep the situation out of her sight.
The standoff held only until evening, when Luo Huaimeng began to feel unsettled. She was so distracted that she even knocked over her teacup.
“Second Concubine, Seventh Young Master is still kneeling in the courtyard.” A maid gingerly spoke up. “Seventh Young Master works hard at the Military Police Bureau all day — kneeling on like this is so hard on his body. And Seventh Young Master’s knees already have an old injury…”
“Enough.” Luo Huaimeng cut her off irritably. “Today I intend to outlast him. I want to see how long he can kneel. He doesn’t care about his own future — I’m not about to be as foolish as he is.”
This time, Luo Huaimeng was determined to hold firm. But she also knew her son’s capacity for endurance. This was a battle of will — whoever yielded first would lose.
Perhaps heaven itself lent a hand. By eight o’clock in the evening, a low rumble of thunder rolled across the overcast sky, and lightning carved a streak through the night, momentarily illuminating the earth.
Luo Huaimeng paced back and forth in her room, glancing out the window repeatedly. Then, the thing she least wished to see happened: after the crack of thunder, torrential rain came pouring down, and her heart clenched tight with every drumbeat of the rain.
“Second Concubine,” the maid knocked again, “with the rain falling this hard, Seventh Young Master is still kneeling out in the courtyard.”
“Kneeling, let him kneel. I’ll see if he can kneel the rain into stopping.” Even as Luo Huaimeng’s mouth said these words, concern drove her out of the room regardless.
Through the doorway, she saw Shi Ting still kneeling in the middle of the courtyard. His entire body was long since soaked through, and streams of murky rainwater poured down from his hair across his forehead like rivulets.
And yet his gaze remained resolute, steady as a boulder, unmoved.
“Second Concubine, if this goes on any longer, Seventh Young Master will fall ill.” The little maid urged. “Seventh Young Master has always had sharp judgment and a keen mind. If he is this determined, he must truly have made up his mind. Second Concubine knows Seventh Young Master’s temperament — once he has made a decision, it is very difficult to change.”
“Ah!”
Every word the maid said was on the mark. Luo Huaimeng slowly closed her eyes, let out a long breath, and though unwilling, though angry, she still relented before her own son.
“Go then. Tell him to get up, and go inside for a hot bath.”
The little maid broke into a happy smile. “Yes, Second Concubine.”
“Tell him — I will go to see the Grand Commander. As for what happens after that, I will not interfere, and I have no wish to. He may do as he sees fit.”
In the rain, Shi Ting lifted his head and looked toward the little maid walking to him. He broke into a smile, the corners of his lips curving upward.
—