Mucang Study, west wing side room.

Minglan lay listlessly against the head of the bed. Danju was carefully applying a thin layer of light-scented ointment to her palm, saying in a gentle, scolding tone, “…Young Lady, it’s no wonder the old lady was so vexed. What you did today was truly out of place. The old lady treats you like the apple of her eye every ordinary day — when has she ever let a scratch appear on you? And now you go and do this…” Danju let out a soft sigh. “Why put yourself through it? Young Lady ought to just wait patiently. The He family will eventually give an answer.”

Minglan had worn herself out that day in both mind and body, and was lying there languidly with no desire to move. Hearing this, she gave a quiet, faint laugh of disdain, “Wait? How am I to wait? Wait until when? Wait until I’m a few years older and have no one left to choose from? Wait until the He family comes to propose, and then Grandmother asks ‘will that cousin of yours be entering the household or not’? Or wait until I’ve already married in, and then the Cao family comes with tears and snot flying to pressure me into accepting Miss Cao as a concubine?!” A wry, slightly bitter smile touched the corner of Minglan’s mouth. “Besides, knowing Grandmother’s nature, she won’t be able to hold out many days before she goes looking for another family for me.” Minglan let out another soft sigh, barely above a murmur. “It was precisely because I couldn’t bear to just let it go that I acted out the way I did.”

Danju’s expression dimmed. She gently set down the white porcelain bottle with its pattern of green fish tails, and picked up a strip of gauze she had already cut into segments, slowly winding it around Minglan’s palm. Then the curtain rustled softly, and Xiaotao came in carrying a tray, on which rested several bowls and cups. She set the things on the table by the bedside and said cheerfully, “I noticed the young lady barely touched her chopsticks at dinner, so I went and asked Granny Lian in the kitchen to make a bowl of fresh cat’s-ear noodle soup — freshly rolled noodles, and they’re wonderfully springy! Young Lady, please eat it while it’s hot!”

On the black lacquer tray sat a celadon blue-and-green bamboo-patterned bowl, with a matching bowl and spoon beside it. Inside were bright green peas, tender diced bamboo shoots, thin-sliced chicken, and small noodle pieces pinched into cat’s-ear shapes, the broth fragrant and savory all around. Minglan actually stirred a little appetite, reached out for the spoon, and as Xiaotao held the tray steady, Minglan began to eat.

“Mmm!” She tasted one spoonful and found it savory and delicious, enough to whet anyone’s appetite. She looked up at Xiaotao and said, “Granny Lian really does make excellent noodle dishes. Later, take twenty coins and go thank her.”

Xiaotao nodded vigorously and grinned broadly, “Every time the young lady orders extra food, she always gives a little tip. No wonder today, the moment I went over, Granny Lian cheerfully stoked the stove right away.”

Danju was still full of worry and, seeing Xiaotao’s utterly carefree manner, couldn’t help shooting her a sideways look, “You unfeeling little wretch! If the young lady hadn’t held me back today, I would definitely have reported you to Nanny Fang and had you given a proper beating! What were you thinking, blurting all of that out to the young lady?!” Though her words were harsh, her hands kept moving without pause as she tucked a small cloth around Minglan’s neck.

Xiaotao stuck out her tongue playfully, “Eating is the paramount affair!” Then she turned her big, animated eyes to Minglan, blinking with excitement, and said in a low voice, “Young Lady, I went and checked — Yancao and Luzhi are all asleep. Nanny Fang has taken care of the Old Huang situation and the gatehouse. And today, Eldest Young Mistress and Fifth Young Lady never came looking for you. No one will know we left the estate today.”

Minglan nodded, swallowed a mouthful of the rich, savory broth. Danju looked at her, hesitated, and then said, while wringing out a wet cloth into the copper basin, “Young Lady… even if the He family agrees now, what if they go back on their word later?” Minglan said evenly, “There are ways to handle that.”

That day’s exhaustion caught up with her. After Danju helped Minglan wash up for the evening, she let down the canopy curtains, placed some mosquito-repelling incense cakes into a gilded bronze incense burner, and after extinguishing the lights, tiptoed out quietly. Minglan, hair loosely coiled, buried her face in the pillow — but the more tired she was, the more she could not sleep. The more troubled she felt, the more her mind was restlessly awake.

Minglan was not afraid of facing a fire-breathing dragon in a full-force battle — she could lose that and still have no regrets. But Heaven had arranged a fragile-white-flower adversary for her this time. If it had been someone like Lin Yiniang — a fake white flower concealing a man-eating vine — that would have been manageable. She could muster every ounce of her energy for that confrontation and feel no moral burden about what tactics she used. But this time, she had encountered a genuine white flower.

Meek, frail, from a ruined family. The gaze Cao Jinxiu turned on He Hong was filled with a desperate kind of joy — like a ghost in the underworld yearning toward the living world. Lin Yiniang’s seduction of Minglan’s father was transparent to anyone watching, but Cao Jinxiu was different. Her feelings for He Hong were real. Honestly speaking, Minglan had not been without a flicker of compassion — but for her own sake, she had no time to feel sorry for anyone else.

There was nothing more agonizing in this world.

Minglan lay on her back in bed, hugging the quilt and sighing softly. She was truly a person with a conscience, it seemed.

Then there was He Hong. Minglan’s feelings were complicated there too. In every respect — appearance, talent, family background, breeding — Cao Jinxiu was inferior to her in every possible way. If He Hong still chose Cao Jinxiu after all that, Minglan would probably be quite dejected — but she would also respect him deeply. In any era, ancient or modern, there were few men who would give up concrete, practical benefit for the sake of sentiment and compassion.

The chief judge at Yao Yiyi’s workplace had once said something deeply thought-provoking: a man with a somewhat soft heart is better. That remark had drawn derisive snorts from the young women in the office — but the several middle-aged aunties and older women had all nodded along vigorously. A soft-hearted man is certainly easier to lead astray, but he is also reluctant to walk away from a marriage he has invested years into. Such a man may be dazzled by a new flame, yet he remains fondly attached to the old. And as long as the wife can hold on, time is on the side of the wife.

There was a wealthy man’s daughter in the office who, upon hearing this, nodded her agreement as well. Her indomitable mother had weathered countless storms in exactly this way, and laughed last in the end. These days, with the old man aged and his body fading, he had come to cherish the warmth of the family hearth most of all.

In truth, a cold-hearted man is far more dangerous than a warm-hearted one. When he adores you, he is devoted and unwavering to the point of single-mindedness. But the moment he turns, his face changes faster than turning a page — he will speak of divorce and follow through without a moment’s hesitation, leaving not the slightest trace of sentiment. The classic case: Xu Zhimo.

As the years passed and Yao Yiyi spent more and more time working in civil court, seeing more of love’s joys and sorrows, she grew ever more convinced that the old judge had truly spoken from experience. The words were sound.

Minglan’s thoughts were in turmoil. She rolled back and forth on the bed like a flatbread being flipped on a griddle. After more than an hour of this, her tossing had given her a headache, and she climbed out of bed and paced around the room for a few steps. Still feeling low and restless, she resolved to put on her outer robe and went out, passing through the folding screen divider. She saw Danju fast asleep on the inlaid-lacquer bed in the outer room, even in sleep her brow furrowed deeply, her face worn with exhaustion.

Minglan kept her movements light and slow. Fortunately, the nights were turning cooler now — the rooms on both sides were all shut, and the little maids were sleeping soundly. Only then was Minglan able to slip out of the courtyard.

The late-summer night sky was unusually still and quiet. The garden lay in a dim darkness beneath it. A sliver of pale white moon flickered in and out of sight, curving upward like the tip of an orchid petal, crystalline and delicate, carrying within its translucence a hint of something left unsaid — something half-whispered and unfinished. Minglan walked slowly along the path. The plants and trees in the garden stood hushed and still, and from the treetops and the pond, osmanthus blossoms and lotus flowers competed to exhale their faint and exquisite fragrance, cool and clean and richly sweet.

Minglan’s spirits lifted considerably. Say what one might about her lot in life — her previous self had made a sound investment in property. To have a little garden like this in the capital was no small thing.

She did not know how long she walked, but by the end, all the frustration balled up in her chest had been walked away. The damp night air was beginning to seep in with a chill. Minglan noticed a cluster of lush, lovely jade hairpin flowers beside a nearby rockery. Her heart brightened with a start — these flowers were nearly past their season, and she thought she would pick a few and then go back to sleep. But just as she took a few steps closer, she heard a soft rustling sound.

Puzzled, Minglan lifted her skirt hem and crept over quietly, crouching low beside the jade hairpin flower cluster. She leaned in for a peek — and nearly lost her breath in shock. There beneath the rockery, two figures — one tall, one shorter — were nestled close together, speaking in intimate, hushed tones!

Minglan was rooted to the spot, unable to move a muscle. Good heavens — what kind of auspicious day was this? She had caught people in the act twice in one single day!

In the name of all things above, Minglan would stake a finger and swear by the great planet Saturn that she absolutely supported free and sincere love. Nocturnal meetings were inadvisable, of course — but the spirit of a girl pursuing her own heart was admirable. A girl who did not set her sights on climbing into the beds of masters and young lords was, in this day and age, someone worthy of respect. She would tell Eldest Sister-in-Law to release some of the maids who had reached the appropriate age, and to keep a stricter eye on the gate going forward — that would do.

So after a second of stunned hesitation, Minglan made up her mind to retreat. But just at that moment, a familiar female voice drifted over from the other side of the rockery: “…Jing gege… I, I…”

The voice was soft and sweetly tender, laced with feeling — and to Minglan’s ears, it struck like a bolt of lightning out of a clear sky!

Rulan had actually gone and played the role of the younger sister in a romantic drama?!

The shock made Minglan jolt backward a step, which caused some noise to break the silence. From the other side of the rockery came startled cries, and the two figures seemed to exchange a few words, then one departed in a hurry and the other came walking toward Minglan.

There was a crashing through the undergrowth, and Rulan stepped over from behind the jade hairpin flowers. Catching sight of Minglan standing there with an expression of complete mortification, Rulan found her own skirt caught on a branch. She instantly arched her willow-leaf brows, planted both fists on her waist, and demanded, “What are you doing here?!”

Minglan was caught between tears and laughter. You’re the one who got caught in the act, Fifth Sister! This line should belong to her!

“I, I — I was… ate too much at dinner, came out for a walk to help with digestion.” Minglan wanted to slap herself. What did she have to feel guilty about? She immediately raised her voice a notch, eyes fixing on Rulan, “What is Fifth Sister doing here?”

The ferocious expression on Rulan’s face suddenly gave way to two patches of spreading crimson, “That’s none of your business!”

“Oh, I see. Well then, this younger sister will continue her stroll.” Minglan made to walk past, but Rulan grabbed hold of her at once. In any contest of physical strength, Minglan had never been a match for her — and right then she was unceremoniously dragged backward.

“It’s late and you’ll catch a cold — come on, let’s go back!” Rulan hauled Minglan along as though dragging a dead dog, determinedly pulling her away.

“I can walk myself, I can walk myself — let go first!” Minglan’s arm was being pinched painfully and she hissed with each step, but she really did not want to make a scene. She had no choice but to comply.

Minglan had intended to go to Shou’an Hall to report the unexpected development, but Rulan was absolutely set on dragging Minglan to Taoyan Hall instead. When narrow paths meet, the bolder one prevails — the more forceful Rulan won the deciding vote.

Upon arriving at Taoyan Hall, all the other maids were asleep. Only Little Magpie was inside, sitting up beneath the glow of a dim lamp, suffering through her lonely vigil. The moment she saw Rulan come back, she let out a huge sigh of relief — only to see Minglan following behind her. Little Magpie’s face went pale and she nearly cried. Minglan took pity on her. If this matter got out, Rulan might come out unscathed, but Little Magpie would be flayed alive even if she didn’t die. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid,” Minglan said to soothe her. “I didn’t actually see anything.”

At these words, Little Magpie truly burst into tears. Rulan was already annoyed and impatient, and snapped irritably, “What are you crying for?! I’m not dead yet — it’s not your turn!” In two quick words she sent Little Magpie away, then grabbed Minglan and hauled her straight into the inner room.

Once inside, she pushed Minglan down on the edge of the bed and stood looming over her, her expression formidable and her manner fierce — but her slightly darting eyes gave away her real state of mind. She thought for a long moment, then finally growled in a low voice, “You — not a word of this to anyone!”

Minglan found it all quite funny, “Your younger sister didn’t see anything.”

Rulan’s face flooded with a dark flush. She swallowed, glared hard at Minglan, and Minglan looked steadily back at her. The two sisters faced off like two roosters squaring up for a fight. After a long standoff, Rulan finally muttered sulkily, “Anyway, even if you said something, I’d deny it. None of this happened!”

Now she was resorting to outright shamelessness?! Minglan was genuinely taken aback. She said with an amused tone, “Nothing did happen — that was always my intention. Sister, there’s no need for all this. If it were to get out, wouldn’t it only turn a good thing into a bad one?”

Ever since Molan’s incident, Hai Shi had become considerably stricter about the gatehouse. Anyone who could enter the Sheng Mansion at night absolutely could not be an outsider. It took Minglan only a brief moment’s thought to realize — the only gap in Hai Shi’s defenses was the row of outer lodgings behind the back garden. And how convenient — was that not where a group of promising young men were currently staying? The Autumn Examination was held on separate days, unlike the Spring Examination where candidates were confined until completion. After each day’s session, the examinees were permitted to return to their lodgings.

Minglan deliberately teased Rulan with her gaze until Rulan’s cheeks burned, before finally smiling, “Whichever one it is from the lodgings, they are all sons of good official families. Once he has obtained his official title, he can come to call properly.”

Minglan racked her brain trying to remember which of the five candidates’ names could be matched with “Jing gege,” and after thinking hard, she cursed herself for having a mind like a pig’s — she had no memory of any of it whatsoever.

But Rulan, upon hearing these words, went from rosy-cheeked to white as a sheet. In a low voice, she said, “No — it’s not any of them.”

Minglan was startled and blurted out, “Then who is it?”

Rulan at first refused to say anything, just lowered her head and sat gloomily on the edge of the bed. Minglan did not press her. She could tell just from Rulan’s expression that the situation was problematic — and the more she knew, the more trouble she’d be in. The smart thing to do right now was to make her escape as quickly as possible. But in the end, Rulan finally murmured, “He… it’s Yan Jing. He’s also staying in the outer lodgings right now.” — So it wasn’t Jing gege the elder, it was Jing gege the younger.

Minglan clasped her chest. Her breathing stopped for a full beat. She felt as though the shocks she had received today had already exceeded her limit — her heart was actually protesting. She struggled through several labored breaths before she let out a low, stunned cry, “Fifth Sister, have you lost your mind?! He, he… is Fourth Sister’s…” She thought for a long moment but could not finish the sentence. Minglan could only grab urgently at Rulan’s sleeve, “They’ll never agree to it!”

Rulan’s face suddenly clouded with sorrow. Her smooth oval face grew dim and subdued. She said softly, with a kind of muffled resignation, “I know… but I like him. And he likes me too.”

Minglan’s mind was a blur of confusion. She could not figure out how these two completely unrelated people had, at this point, come to share a mutual understanding. She pointed at Rulan, her finger trembling steadily, “You, you, you…” In the end, all she could choke out was, “How did you two… come to have feelings for each other?”

Rulan tilted her chin up slightly. Her eyes brightened, and over her proper, well-shaped face there spread a kind of ineffable charm — the expression unique to a girl in love. She said haltingly, “…He saw me first… then later, he sent me a poem…”

Minglan was incensed the moment she heard this. She hated this sort of seductive trick used to win over naive young girls, and before she could stop herself she said loudly, “You actually fell for a trick like that?! Could it be he failed to secure Fourth Sister, so now he’s come to chase you?!”

Rulan flew into a fury, shoving Minglan aside and twisting her arm hard, with a grievance-filled glare, “What do you know?! Jing gege is a genuinely upright gentleman! Besides — he noticed me first!” She caught her breath, then went on, “Do you still remember that year when Molan got you in trouble with Father and you were confined to your quarters?”

Minglan nodded. That had been quite a scene — of course she remembered.

“After that, Father settled on Jing… the young gentleman.” Merely mentioning the object of her heart’s affection made Rulan’s face bloom pink and rosy. “Only a few days after you and Grandmother left for Youyang, Father and Mother invited the young gentleman for tea. That day, I happened to be stir-crazy from faking an illness and had sneaked out to play in the garden. The young gentleman passed by and saw me… He thought I was a little maidservant. He picked up my handkerchief for me, and gave me a smile. Afterward, he came several more times, and each time I would happen to be playing in the garden, hoping to exchange a few words. He said… I was good-looking, spirited, and bright — someone that just looking at would make your heart feel open and at ease.”

Rulan’s expression turned bashful, her voice growing softer and softer, yet her gaze was unusually sweet and faraway. “Later, he found out who I was, and also learned that Father intended him to marry Molan. So he sent a letter, saying Father and Elder Brother had shown him great recognition and trust, and that he dared not go against their wishes — and after that, there was no more contact… until Molan had her incident. The very next day, he secretly sent word to me through a messenger, saying he was overjoyed not to have to marry Molan, and that once the Spring Examination was held, he would earn himself an official rank — and then come to call formally to propose in a proper and honorable manner!”

Minglan was stunned silent. She exhaled a long, heavy breath and said with a muddled mind, “But didn’t you say before that… something about the family being impoverished, the mother being harsh, the brothers being worthless? Oh, right, right — and also, his character was too indecisive and weak!”

Rulan snapped back to herself, grabbed Minglan by the arm, gave her cheeks a firm squeeze, and stared at her with wide, outraged eyes, “How dare you say such things! Jing gege is the most wonderful person!”

Minglan was speechless. She groused inwardly: Those good words and bad words were all said by you, weren’t they?

After a little while, Minglan leaned gently over and rested her chin on Rulan’s shoulder, saying softly, “Fifth Sister, have you ever considered — perhaps… he is just trying to climb to a better position…” Before the words were finished, Rulan shot bolt upright, eyes round with fury, murderous intent blazing as she glared at Minglan. Minglan shrank back in alarm, gave two dry laughs, and said, “Heh heh, heh heh, this younger sister was just saying.”

Rulan sat herself sulkily down on a round stool, which wobbled back and forth in protest. With her back to Minglan, she said hurriedly, “I know what you mean. You’re saying I have no special talent or beauty — just a family background that carries some weight, so naturally Jing gege has his eye on the Sheng family connections, not on me!”

Minglan couldn’t argue with that. She continued to grouse inwardly: First he tries to marry the sister, then tries to marry the younger sister — anyone would think the same thing.

Rulan’s eyes seemed to hold trembling teardrops about to spill. Her voice was tinged with bitterness, “I know — my whole life, I’ve never matched up to Elder Sister’s glory and prestige, nor to Molan’s gift for flattery, nor to you for being well-liked. Even Father — even Mother — has never thought much of me!… Yet there was this one person, who — before he even knew who I was — saw something in me, and liked me… He said he doesn’t like delicate, fragile girls. He likes lively, bright-spirited ones like me — the kind who can run and jump, whose smile is like the summer sun blazing, that just makes your heart feel good…”

Rulan’s expression was like someone wandering in a dream, speaking in a murmuring reverie. Minglan watched her, her heart stirring deeply, and she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow too. “Even if the young gentleman passes the exams and earns his degree, the family will probably still not agree.” If someone had passed on Molan and was now being treated as a treasure by Rulan, Wang Shi would lose her mind.

Rulan’s expression shifted. Then a look of resolve set across her face, and she clenched one fist into her palm, raised her chin high, and declared in a ringing voice, “If they won’t let me marry Jing gege, I’ll smash my head against the wall and die, or cut off my hair and become a Buddhist nun!”

Young people in love are the most fearless of all. The Titanic slamming into an iceberg wouldn’t scare them off. Thousands drowning in a tragedy only glorify a lover’s devotion. Let alone the far more formidable Rulan — at this moment, even if Sheng Hong came in wielding family discipline, it might well make no difference. Minglan felt she had said all there was to say, and added a final thought, “But the young gentleman’s family circumstances… that… would you really be willing?”

Rulan understood what she meant. She dabbed the corner of her eye with a handkerchief, lifted her head with proud composure, and gave a dignified huff, “Elder Sister married into a prestigious family and look at how comfortable she seems! Father will give me a generous dowry, and with my own family’s backing, let’s see which family member dares give me grief!”

Minglan sighed. She felt there was nothing more to say. She also did not know whether Yan Jing was an opportunistic social climber — but if Elder Brother Changbai could see something in him, the man was probably decent enough. And if he was willing to risk his reputation by coming to meet Rulan in secret at night, he was very likely genuinely in love with her.

Fine then. Different flowers for different eyes. Perhaps Jing gege simply had a taste for this type.

She was just about to pat her skirt and leave when Rulan grabbed hold of her again, fist raised in a threatening gesture, “What happened tonight — you are not allowed to breathe a word! Otherwise, otherwise…”

“Otherwise, what?” Minglan was curious.

Rulan pressed her lips together, clenched her teeth with ferocious determination, and gave a smug, sinister grin, “Otherwise, I’ll turn it around and say it was you who was out meeting someone in the night.”

Minglan felt no fear whatsoever — she actually burst into delighted applause, “Oh, that would be wonderful! I may as well just marry into that family then. Father’s judgment in people is surely not lacking.”

Rulan was horrified. She grabbed Minglan with both hands, panting furiously, resisting the urge to eat her alive. She squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth, “…You dare?!” Minglan chuckled several times in a row, “Naturally I wouldn’t dare. And so Sister wouldn’t actually report me either — it would do you no good, and I have no desire to marry the young gentleman.”

Rulan’s tense nerves finally loosened. A touch of relief crept into her expression, and she lowered her head shyly, “Sixth Younger Sister, don’t blame Sister — I know you’re a good person. You’ve always let things go for my sake since we were small, and even when I lost my temper with you, you never took it to heart…”

Minglan thought quietly to herself: Actually, she had taken it to heart. On quite a few occasions when Rulan had pushed her too far, she had imagined Rulan’s face on her pillow and given it a thorough pounding — several times over.

“You’re not like Molan. She has a cruel heart and vicious mind — she never cares how her family is affected, so long as she gets her own way. Jing gege is waiting for the Spring Examination, so this absolutely must not get out between now and then. Younger Sister, you’ve always been trustworthy — and later I’ll let you have your pick of some new jewelry that was just sent to me!” After intimidation, Rulan moved on to bribery.

Minglan waved a hand and sighed lightly, “No need for jewelry. Consider it as though this younger sister never saw anything tonight… So this is why Sister has taken such an interest in needlework lately! Now I finally understand.” Minglan was struck with sudden clarity — all the puzzling things she had observed about Rulan that day now fell into place.

Having made her position clear, Minglan was well and truly exhausted and wanted to go back to sleep. But just then, outside, rain began to fall with a light patter. Rulan, to her credit, had some sense of obligation, and was willing to share half the bed with Minglan. Minglan, who dreaded going out in the rain above almost everything, was also reluctant to disturb Danju and the others in the middle of the night and cause a whole courtyard’s worth of maids to be unsettled. She thought it over — alright, fine.

“If anyone asks why the Sixth Young Lady ended up sleeping here, what should we say?” Little Magpie, who had come back in to lay out the bedding, was more prudent, and decided to first get the story straight.

Minglan, already climbing into the blankets, answered without much thought, “Just say that Fifth Sister and I spent the evening gazing at the stars, gazing at the moon, discussing poetry, verse, and the ideals of human life — and after talking ourselves tired, we fell asleep.”

Rulan shot her a look, and said to Little Magpie, “Just say I asked the Sixth Young Lady for sewing tips. We talked late and fell asleep. Tomorrow morning, go early to Mucang Study and let her people know.”

Minglan was too tired to waste breath on this — she had clearly been resting in her own room, and then disappeared in the night. Such a flimsy excuse would never satisfy Danju. Oh well. She’d figure out what story to tell tomorrow.

Utterly spent, Minglan closed her eyes and was asleep in moments — only to regret it deeply in the middle of the night. Even a hailstorm outside would have been worth braving to go back to her own room!

Rulan slept in a thousand different positions. One large leg lay horizontally pressed across Minglan’s stomach, nearly cutting off her breathing entirely. The increasingly breathless Minglan, with every ounce of strength she had left, heaved Rulan’s leg off!

She sat up against the headboard, staring at Rulan, who was sprawled blissfully in the shape of a great character, mouth slightly open and glistening with drool, and Minglan rubbed her own stomach with resentful fury: You, surnamed Sheng, you dare to play the part of the clandestine lover’s rendezvous — serve you right if Cui Yingying’s leg crushes you for the next several decades!