Yang Hua had no choice. A’Cuo was by now the spitting image of a second Lingbo — the resemblance to that unfathomable depth of thought was there, and the resemblance to that stubbornness in going her own way was even more so. Both she and Xiao Liu’er were accustomed to following Lingbo’s lead, and so they were completely managed by A’Cuo as well.
But A’Cuo was also like Lingbo in that she did not lie. She said she knew what she was doing, and she truly did.
By the customs of the capital, the last banquet of the year before the new year — the Frost Orchid Banquet — was actually something of a formality, no more than a token observance, since it usually coincided with the new year celebrations. So Cui Jingyu’s Orchid Banquet was effectively the last gathering of the season, and its grandeur went without saying. What made it particularly significant was that the host was Cui Jingyu — the “top scholar” of the flower-season banquets. Not a single mistress or young lady in the capital would have dreamed of missing it.
This was, in its way, also fortunate — for Cui Jingyu had cast his invitations widely. Every noble family in the capital, every commander of the Northern Garrison Army, had received one without exception. The Ye Family was no different.
Lingbo was naturally going. And not only going — she offered an extended commentary on Cui Jingyu: “Just you wait, Cui Jingyu — you really think you’re selecting imperial consorts? Sending invitations across the entire capital — you’ll have something to cry about before this is over.”
Her scolding of Cui Jingyu was not really to vent her feelings — if it were, wouldn’t it be better to scold him to his face? In truth, she wanted to provoke Qinglan into going along with her. But Qinglan was in a state of complete and utter calm, and only said, without much expression: “Today I intend to go up the mountain to offer prayers. I’ve already asked Yueqi to look after you all.”
Lingbo made one last desperate attempt: “But Elder Sister Han has matters at home — it wouldn’t be right to trouble her, would it?”
Her meaning was far too obvious — even Qinglan, who was not quick on her feet, laughed at it.
“Yueqi has always thrived when surrounded by people — her spirits only rise in a crowd. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Seeing that Lingbo could not conceal her disappointment, she smiled and patted Lingbo on the shoulder.
In A’Cuo’s eyes, Ye Lingbo was capable of anything — yet in Qinglan’s eyes, she was still her own beloved younger sister who liked to come up with crooked schemes.
“Don’t be upset. I’m going to the temple, and I’ll bring you back Wutong leaf glutinous rice cakes,” she said, smiling.
“Who wants those? I’m not a child,” Lingbo said with distaste. But in the end she relented: “Bring back two with red bean filling for A’Cuo — she doesn’t like things too sweet.”
“Alright.”
Unable to persuade Qinglan, Lingbo had no choice but to attend the banquet on her own — except that a problem arose at the last moment, and A’Cuo no longer wanted to go either, saying she was a little tired. Lingbo felt her forehead and found no fever, and she seemed well enough otherwise, so Lingbo assumed she truly was just fatigued and left her behind. Fortunately, Qinglan was not leaving for the temple until the afternoon, and could stay home to look after A’Cuo in the morning.
Once Lingbo left, only Qinglan and A’Cuo remained at home. Qinglan had just turned to ask the kitchen to prepare a restorative soup for A’Cuo — and in the next moment, A’Cuo had slipped out of bed and was kneeling on the floor.
Qinglan was startled. She knew at once that something needed to be said. She dismissed the handmaidens, helped A’Cuo up, and said: “What is this? Why are you doing this out of nowhere? The floor is cold — be careful you don’t catch a chill. Whatever it is, can’t you just say it properly?”
A’Cuo kept her head lowered and told Qinglan what had happened between herself and Wei Yushan — though not everything. She left out the more deliberate, calculated parts, making it sound more like the kind of innocent story of budding affection that was common enough at the flower-season banquets — only complicated by the matter involving the Ye Family and Cui Jingyu. When she got to the part about being caught by Shen Biwei, who had ordered her to come clean to her elder sisters, her face went scarlet…
Qinglan listened, and smiled.
“I thought it must be something serious — so it was this.” She drew A’Cuo down to sit beside her on the edge of the heated platform and said: “A graceful young woman, a gentleman’s earnest pursuit — the flower-season banquets exist precisely for young men and women to look each other over. There’s nothing wrong with it at all.”
She was different from Lingbo in this. Lingbo also cherished A’Cuo, but that was a family’s protective indulgence. Qinglan was something else entirely — like the clear moon casting its light over mountain and stream, she possessed a natural gentleness and openness. When her warm eyes looked at you, all the twisting, tangled thoughts in A’Cuo’s heart seemed to catch fire and burn away.
“But meeting privately with a young woman, sending away the attendants — that is not the conduct of a young man from a good family. That was Yushan’s lapse in judgment, and it is not your fault. Just remind him to be mindful of it going forward.” Qinglan still spoke unhurriedly.
“And Lingbo Elder Sister…” A’Cuo hesitated.
“It’s all right — I’ll speak to Lingbo.” Qinglan could see something shift in A’Cuo’s expression and knew she was afraid of Lingbo. She gave her hand a reassuring press and smiled: “Don’t worry. I’ll tell her gradually. And even if she gets angry, I’ll be there.”
Only then did A’Cuo relax, visibly exhaling with relief.
“You didn’t go to the banquet today because of this, did you?” Qinglan asked with a smile. “And here I thought you were genuinely tired.”
“I felt a bit embarrassed to go,” A’Cuo said, head lowered.
“What is there to be embarrassed about?” Qinglan said.
“He admires Cui General so much, and because of that he misunderstood Elder Sister. You’ve been so good to me, and yet he was rude to you. I don’t want to be with him anymore.” A’Cuo said, in a huff.
Qinglan was amused.
“That’s the talk of a child. He likes you, you like him — that’s all that matters,” she said, her gaze calm and steady. “What is between me and Marquis Cui is between us. It should not affect you and Yushan.”
“No — First Elder Sister and Second Elder Sister are the people closest to me now. If he is discourteous to you, it is discourteous to me, and I will not forgive him,” A’Cuo said stubbornly. She glanced at Qinglan and added: “Cui General has not treated Elder Sister well, and so I cannot respect Cui General either. He would not be able to tolerate that from me — we would do better to part ways now while it’s still early.”
Qinglan had dismissed her own handmaidens, but had not dismissed A’Cuo’s. Yang Hua was still present, listening to everything. If at first she had assumed A’Cuo had chosen to confide in Qinglan out of fear of Lingbo, by now her mind was completely clear.
This young miss cousin had truly absorbed the essence of their Second Young Miss.
Yang Hua had grown up in the Ye household, and no one knew their eldest young miss better than she did. The eldest young miss was dignified as a bodhisattva, and kind as one too. Gentle and graceful in appearance, yet possessed at her core of a gentlewoman’s character — outwardly soft, inwardly strong. Once she had made up her mind about something, no one could turn her. The underhanded, vicious schemes of the inner household simply broke apart when they reached her. And as for the Confucian principles Lord Ye paraded on the outside — when truly measured, he did not uphold them as well as she did.
This person who neither yielded to soft appeals nor to hard pressure — the only approach that worked had been figured out by their Second Young Miss. And the young miss cousin had learned it too.
As Lingbo had said: Qinglan was the best elder sister in the world, carrying even the radiance of a mother.
To persuade her with Cui Jingyu’s power and influence was useless, for she was not someone who moved according to self-interest. To appeal to past feelings was also useless, for she would not even speak of the reason the engagement had been broken off.
But if A’Cuo and Wei Yushan were truly held back on account of her unresolved “old business” with Cui Jingyu, she could not but seek a private understanding with him — both parties’ elders putting on a show of surface-level goodwill, so as to create a harmonious environment for “the young ones.”
And so, sure enough, she said: “There is no need for that. Although Cui and I broke off the engagement, we still remain something like friends — our two families can still call on each other. Do not be foolish about this, you and Yushan. I will find a time to speak with Marquis Cui openly, and it will all be settled.”
The twenty-four seasonal flowers of spring were stirring into bloom — and once people met, stories would naturally follow. How much more so for two people who had once been betrothed.
“Then, Elder Sister — will you go to Cui’s banquet today?” A’Cuo asked, taking the opening as it presented itself.
At this, Yang Hua felt a flicker of unease. The intention was good, but the move was too eager — A’Cuo was only sixteen in nominal years; she was not yet as seasoned as Second Young Miss. And sure enough, Qinglan’s brow furrowed slightly.
But being young also had its advantages — a small boat was easy to steer. Sensing that things had gone slightly awry, A’Cuo quickly assumed an expression of sweet compliance, as though quietly regretting she had spoken out of turn.
Qinglan was transparent by nature — how could she have guessed that A’Cuo had also been “corrupted” by spending time with Lingbo?
So she did not read any deeper into it, and only said: “It may be too late for today. We can speak of it after the new year.”
Cui Jingyu was at this moment very much in the full flush of his glory — young, splendidly dressed, at the height of his fortunes. Hosting this marquis-conferral banquet was, in no small part, a gesture aimed at making her take notice. The thought of having to approach him first and speak to him filled Qinglan with a measure of reluctance.
And now he had even become a marquis — yet his temperament was exactly the same as before. Still difficult to deal with.
She sighed inwardly, and felt a faint wistfulness. Seeing A’Cuo watching her, afraid that A’Cuo might be worrying on account of her own situation with Wei Yushan, she sought to put her at ease, smiling: “Don’t worry. The flower-season banquets still have a long way to go, and Yushan is young. Waiting a little longer actually reveals the quality of his character — this is a matter of a lifetime, and should not be rushed. Do you understand?”
A’Cuo was not thinking about Wei Yushan at all, but she assumed her most cooperative expression and said: “I understand.”
“Very well, then. Don’t worry — I will speak to Lingbo gradually.” Qinglan stroked her hair and instructed the handmaiden Chun Ming: “I’ll delay going to the temple until tomorrow. I’ll stay home with you today, so you don’t spend the day with an unsettled mind.”
“Alright.”
After comforting A’Cuo, Qinglan stepped outside, and the composure of her expression dimmed. When with A’Cuo, she had been all warmth and gentleness — yet she was the eldest young miss of the household after all, and carried her own authority. Yang Hua, quick-witted as ever, had followed her out and, catching the glance Qinglan threw her way, immediately and sensibly sank to her knees.
A’Cuo was young and had not acted with full consideration, but Yang Hua, as the senior handmaiden attending her, well-versed in the customs of the capital — she was not without responsibility.
Qinglan was merciful, but she never lightly set aside proper rules and order.
“Your fault in this matter is too great. Go tell Yang Niangzi — you are to be docked three months’ wages, and all attending servants are to be docked one month’s wages. Once the punishment is complete, a new rotation of servants from my chamber will come over to attend A’Cuo. When a young miss errs, her attendants should remonstrate. If remonstrating fails, you should have informed us. You are a senior handmaiden — this matter was handled far too carelessly. Yang Niangzi will also lose face when she hears of it. You may refrain from mentioning the full details when she asks, but do not allow this to happen again.”
“Yes.” Yang Hua understood that Qinglan was protecting her mother’s dignity — a household manager overseeing the entire Wutong Courtyard, whose daughter had accompanied a young miss to a private meeting with a young man from outside. The impropriety was undeniable. And so she lowered her head: “Thank you for your mercy, First Young Miss.”
Qinglan seemed absorbed in thinking through something else; dishing out the punishment had been almost an afterthought. She settled into the tea seat in the corridor passage, and Yang Hua, ever perceptive, immediately headed off a matron who was approaching with matters to report, then poured a cup of tea herself and brought it to her.
If Lingbo was quick-witted and full of winding schemes, then the way Qinglan thought through things was more like the officials attending morning court — she deliberated before acting, always considered the causes and consequences in full, and so she said less, was quietly composed most of the time, yet was always steady and reliable, the central pillar of the Wutong Courtyard.
Qinglan accepted the tea, took a sip, and considered a while longer — likely pondering how to untangle the thorny situation A’Cuo had placed in her hands. She noticed Yang Hua still standing by attentively, and asked: “In your view — what sort of person is Wei Yushan, truly?”
Yang Hua knew Qinglan valued her opinion. She took a moment to think before speaking: “The young marquis’s talent and bearing are certainly beyond reproach, but as for the quality of his character…”
Qinglan understood what she was implying.
“Yushan has always been impetuous — that’s been true for some time now.” She frowned. “It’s also because of the poor example set above him. When the roof beam is crooked, the rafters will be too.”
The eldest young miss held herself to the strictest standards while extending generosity to others. She and Marquis Cui no longer even exchanged words, yet in her off-hand references to him, her manner still treated him as one of her own. Small wonder that Second Young Miss and the young miss cousin were so single-mindedly set on rekindling that red thread of fate.
Yang Hua sighed inwardly, and ventured: “I was thinking — First Young Miss might consider sending a letter of invitation…”
“Sending an invitation would also have to wait until after the new year.” Qinglan said, and lifted her tea once more: “You may go. I’ll think it over more carefully — how to handle this.”
Though it was after the new year, at least there was now a timeline. Yang Hua’s heart brightened. Even docked of wages, her household had four people in service, and the Ye Family was generous with their servants — the new year bonuses alone could cover a full year’s wages. So the docking caused her no heartache at all. She felt nothing but gladness that things had moved forward for the eldest young miss.
Since Madam Ye’s passing, the one who had sacrificed the most and given the most for this family was the eldest young miss. It was often said that an elder sister becomes like a mother — but in Yang Hua’s view, the eldest young miss was like a father who bore up the household, who had held up the entire Wutong Courtyard on her own shoulders. Compared to Lord Ye, who was so unfit to be a father, she was the true pillar of the family. In doing so, she had delayed her own marriage prospects and had even been mocked by the snobbish mistresses and young ladies of the capital. Yang Hua ached for her.
And so, even after being punished, Yang Hua’s heart remained light. She could not help but silently admire the young miss cousin’s skill. To have turned what had been caught as a misdeed into such a favorable opportunity — quite something.
But she did not yet know that what still lay ahead was even more worthy of her admiration.
She withdrew from Qinglan’s side and returned to the room to attend A’Cuo. She found A’Cuo sitting by the window reading, and poured a cup of tea for her. Seeing A’Cuo look up at her in inquiry, she said softly: “First Young Miss called me over and asked a few questions.”
“You were punished, weren’t you?” A’Cuo had a thorough enough understanding of Qinglan by now, and had prepared in advance a small brocade pouch, heavy with solid silver ingots inside. “Take this. Use it to make up the docked wages for everyone.”
Qinglan and Lingbo were considerate toward those in their service, and rarely resorted to physical punishment — their penalty was always docking wages, and A’Cuo was well aware of this.
“I won’t take it,” Yang Hua quickly said.
“Take it. Even if you don’t want it, the others do. It’s the new year — they were docked wages because of me. How could I face them otherwise?” A’Cuo said. “Besides, there is one more favor I need to ask of all of you.”
“What favor?”
“Have the driver take a message to Cui’s marquis-conferral banquet. Wei Yushan will be anxious from not seeing me for the past few days.”
“Young Miss wants to set the young marquis’s mind at ease?”
A’Cuo simply smiled.
“Tell him — say that I gave a full account of our situation to Elder Sister Qinglan. Qinglan Elder Sister is magnanimous and forgave me, and has even agreed to keep it between us for now. I am filled with shame, and am staying home behind closed doors to reflect on my conduct, and so I am not attending the banquet. If he has anything to say, he is welcome to pass it through Elder Sister Qinglan to me.”
Yang Hua’s eyes lit up: “Young Miss, this is brilliance itself.”
A’Cuo laughed out loud, vivid and striking in the light streaming through the window — clear and beautiful as a peony in full bloom.
That fool Wei Yushan — single-mindedly working against Elder Sister Qinglan, offending her time and again on top of it. When he came to understand that he had incurred a great debt of gratitude to Elder Sister Qinglan, one that would only continue to grow — just see if he could still find it in himself to speak harshly to her.
If they were truly going to mend that thread of fate, it was only right to clear the thorns from the path, turn an adversary into an ally, and pave the way forward.