Early that morning, before Zhao Xiuyuan had even left Teng Garden, news of his intention to visit Ji Yingying spread through the inner quarters like a game of drum-and-flower relay.
Usually, Madam Zhao Shen would slowly savor a bowl of lotus leaf porridge for breakfast, carefully chew two small steamed buns, and pick at some stir-fried bean sprouts. After breakfast, she would adjust her husband’s perfectly pressed clothes, cast a few coquettish glances to nurture their affection and wave her handkerchief as she saw him off. Then she would walk her morning health route through the courtyard with her maids, stopping to smell the jasmine. But today, she couldn’t be bothered with breakfast or flirting, and despite repeatedly gesturing at the entrance with her handkerchief, she couldn’t bring herself to have the gatekeepers stop her son from leaving.
“My lord, please talk some sense into Second Young Master. He’s completely bewitched by that Ji family girl!”
After fuming for a while, Madam Zhao Shen finally turned to her husband for help.
Zhao Bingsong remained unbothered, leisurely finishing his porridge, wiping his mouth with the handkerchief handed by the maid, and sipping a cup of tea. He exhaled a long breath of stale air that accumulated overnight, feeling refreshed. Looking up at his wife’s twisted face, he couldn’t help but laugh, “Why are you so anxious?”
How could she not be anxious? First Young Master had married a daughter of the Liu family, a major brocade household in Yizhou City. His wife had brought three shops as dowry, including one in Chang’an! How could the daughter of the Ji family dye house compare in terms of wealth, vision, connections, and social standing?
Zhao Bingsong chuckled, remaining composed: “Without both our seals, how could Second Young Master file marriage papers at the magistrate’s office?”
That was true, but she didn’t want to alienate Second Young Master and ruin her image as a caring mother. Madam Zhao Shen huffed, “If we don’t discourage him now, he might even defy you, his father when he becomes stubborn.”
“The brocade competition is imminent. Everything must be prioritized. Let him be for these two months—don’t spoil his mood.” Zhao Bingsong lowered his voice, “Remember, Widow Ji refused to even be Third Brother’s primary wife to protect the family’s secret formulas. Didn’t you say you’ve passed the message to First Young Master Ji? Just watch—the Ji family will surely shut their door in Second Young Master’s face.”
Madam Zhao Shen still worried: “Second Young Master is young and passionate. What if he and Second Miss Ji do something improper…”
Zhao Bingsong’s response was rather shameless: “Our Second Young Master won’t be the one at a disadvantage. If her reputation is ruined, we can always take her as a concubine.”
Oh, she had no objection to taking Ji Yingying as a concubine. With this thought, Madam Zhao Shen’s mood immediately improved.
Zhao Xiuyuan had no idea that during his breakfast time, his parents’ thoughts had taken such twists and turns. He eagerly headed toward the Ji family house across the street under the morning sun.
The Ji family’s main gate opened to a side alley. Their ancestral shop frontage faced the street—two storefronts with the sign “Silk Washing and Dyeing House.” When not in the dye house, Ji Yaoting could usually be found in the shop. When Zhao Xiuyuan arrived, the shop boards had just been removed, and Ji Yaoting, having finished breakfast, was drinking tea in a small partition of the main hall.
Ji Yingying’s attitude determined Ji Yaoting’s response. Seeing Zhao Xiuyuan stride in, Ji Yaoting smiled and invited him to sit.
Zhao Xiuyuan used Ji Yaoting’s tactic: “I heard First Young Master was looking for me to draw some patterns?”
“We’ve already obtained the patterns, not wanting to waste Second Young Master’s time. I’m truly sorry you came all this way.”
Uh…
“With the brocade competition approaching, Second Young Master shouldn’t be distracted by trivial matters. I look forward to congratulating you at your home.”
Ji Yaoting kept thanking and advising him. Zhao Xiuyuan had no reason to stay longer. But his skin was thick enough. He sighed and said, “To be honest with First Young Master, I’m here about the brocade competition—I hoped to seek Second Miss’s advice.”
What does my sister have to do with your family’s brocade competition and patterns? Ji Yaoting refused to accept this premise: “Second Young Master, that’s too much. Not only does my sister know nothing about brocade weaving, but even if she did, she wouldn’t dare offer casual suggestions. Please go home.”
As expected, Zhao Xiuyuan wouldn’t be dismissed so easily. He stood up, smiling broadly, and bowed deeply to Ji Yaoting: “I’ve missed Yingying dearly these past days—please, Brother, help me see her!”
There it was—he’d dropped the formal “Second Miss Ji” and switched to calling him “Brother.” He was even a year older than Ji Yaoting. Ji Yaoting knew Zhao Xiuyuan wouldn’t be easily sent away. To him, Zhao Xiuyuan was like a hedgehog—showing his soft belly while raised, but grab him and you’ll find nothing but thorns. No wonder Yingying was wrapped around his finger like dough.
Ji Yaoting gestured toward the back courtyard: “She’s confined there, punished with embroidering scriptures. Mother is serious this time.”
“Confined again!” Zhao Xiuyuan couldn’t help but smile upon hearing this.
Ji Yingying had been causing trouble since childhood. Every few days she was either confined to the ancestral hall for reflection or restricted to her quarters. After each incident, she would complain to Zhao Xiuyuan. He was used to it.
“When will Master Ji go out? I just want to talk to her through the courtyard gate.”
Ji Yaoting grew uncomfortable seeing Zhao Xiuyuan’s familiar attitude. Before, when they were all children, it was normal to play together at Huanhua Creek, catching shrimp and fish. As they grew older, he turned a blind eye to Zhao Xiuyuan’s closeness with his sister. But now that Zhao Xiuyuan’s mother had made her position clear—that she wouldn’t seek to marry Yingying—allowing such intimacy would only hurt Yingying in the end.
“It’s not appropriate for men and women to mix freely.”
“What?”
Zhao Xiuyuan thought he had misheard.
Truthfully, Zhao Xiuyuan was indeed excellent—handsome and refined, from a good family, with a nice temperament. But unfortunately, no matter how good he was, he would be someone else’s husband, not his brother-in-law. Ji Yaoting spoke slowly: “My mother is arranging a marriage for Yingying. Private meetings are no longer appropriate.”
Zhao Xiuyuan jumped to his feet, his voice trembling: “What did you say? Yingying is getting engaged? To whom?!”
“Why are you shouting?” Ji Yaoting was startled and quickly pulled him back down, also becoming angry, “If the Zhao family won’t propose marriage, does that mean my sister can’t marry anyone else?”
“Who says I won’t marry her?!” Zhao Xiuyuan’s mind suddenly flashed images of gazing at Ji Yingying across the street, his heart pounding rapidly. Just thinking about her marrying someone else, that in the future he could only watch her from afar, that he might never see her again… A surge of bitterness welled up in his heart, making him clench his fists. Zhao Xiuyuan declared firmly: “I will marry her. Brother, my mother promised that after the brocade competition on the ninth day of the tenth month, we would come to propose marriage to the Ji family.”
Ji Yaoting’s friendly demeanor disappeared as he looked coldly at Zhao Xiuyuan: “Is that so?”
His show of distance made Zhao Xiuyuan’s face tighten.
“Yingying said if you couldn’t marry her, she wouldn’t blame you. Our families are not of equal standing, after all. She waited for you at the Seeing-off Immortals Bridge during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She just wanted to hear it from you directly, and she promised not to cling to you.”
The issue lay not with the Ji family, but with the Zhao family.
Zhao Xiuyuan fell silent, stood up, bowed deeply, and turned to leave.
Ji Yaoting rolled his eyes. He was confident, with seven or eight suitable marriage candidates in mind.