Mountains tower high and waters flow long, while devoted hearts hide within watching eyes.
Washing Flowers Scroll – Chapter 1: The Day of Great Joy
After several consecutive days of rain, the weather suddenly turned cool.
The eighteenth day of the eleventh month was auspicious for weddings. Zhao Xiuyuan was to welcome Niu Wu Niang into his household.
It was still Governess Gu who came from the Lai family.
“Madam Ji, this servant comes on my mistress’s orders to deliver an invitation to you.”
“My mistress feels the Ji family is different from others. We’ve been neighbors for a lifetime, and you’re old patrons. She wouldn’t trust anyone else with this task. She thought I still had some dignity about me, so she specifically chose me to come.”
“Every household in Sandaoyan has been invited. Surely Madam Ji won’t refuse to give face?”
The invitation, crafted from gold-flecked crimson paper, lay on the black lacquered table, the red and black creating a striking contrast. With everyone in Sandaoyan invited, the Ji family had no reason to decline to extend their congratulations.
Madam Zhao is sending Governess Gu to deliver the invitation—could there be another arrangement awaiting the Ji family tomorrow? Was she not afraid of causing a scene in the wedding hall, bringing ill fortune to her son’s happy day? Or perhaps she was merely reminding the Ji family that her daughter-in-law came from the Deputy Military Governor’s mansion on Xichuan Road, showing off her status? Various speculations flashed through Madam Ji’s mind, but her smile remained like frost on a window—beautiful yet insubstantial. “Governess, you’re too kind. Even if Madam Zhao hadn’t sent an invitation, given how many years we’ve relied on the Zhao family’s patronage for our business, I would still send my eldest son to offer congratulations.”
Hearing Madam Ji hadn’t made excuses to decline, Governess Gu smiled, her face cracking like soil untouched by rain for two years, forming web-like creases. “This servant will take her leave then.”
She had maintained all proper etiquette, referring to herself as “this servant” throughout, but as she was leaving, she deliberately glanced around, wondering why she hadn’t seen that worthless Second Miss Ji. This moment of hesitation made Governess Gu realize she’d fallen into a trap. She cursed Madam Ji’s craftiness in her heart, and if it weren’t for the thoughts of Ji Yingying, she would have almost been fooled. She turned back, bowing slightly: “Young Master Ji will be seated with the male guests. My mistress hasn’t seen Second Miss Ji for a long time, please ensure you bring the young miss to drink the wedding wine.”
Madam Ji felt slightly disappointed that her verbal trap had been discovered.
Governess Gu spoke quickly: “Why haven’t I seen Young Miss Ji today? She hasn’t caught a cold from all these rainy days, has she? Someone called for a physician from Renhe Hall to examine her! Oh, Madam Ji, don’t blame me for meddling. One must be careful not to let small ailments develop into serious illnesses…”
“My daughter is not ill,” Madam Ji interrupted her, speaking slowly. “Surely you’re not upset that she didn’t come to greet you?”
“This servant wouldn’t dare. It’s good that Second Miss Ji isn’t ill. This servant takes her leave.”
Since the last incident when the Ji family had caught her impersonating her mistress and had her bound and sent back, Governess Gu had become much more cautious. However humble the Ji family’s status, they were still free citizens. Making a free citizen greet a servant would implicate the servant as well. She cursed Madam Ji again for setting this trap but dared not linger, hastily departing with her people.
Ji Yingying lifted the door curtain and emerged from the inner room.
“Yingying, Madam Zhao probably wants to embarrass us,” Madam Ji sighed. “You’d better not go tomorrow. The Zhao family can’t force you to attend.”
Ji Yingying shook her head and smiled: “Mother, you’re overthinking it. It’s Young Master Zhao’s wedding after all; Madam Zhao won’t go too far. At most, she’ll make a few sarcastic remarks—how could I let you face that alone? Besides, everyone knows my straightforward nature. If things get rowdy and the celebration turns into a spectacle, it’s the Zhao family who’ll be embarrassed.”
Madam Ji smiled faintly: “Let’s hope so. Yingying, remember what Mother and the governesses have taught you these days. Fighting and quarreling are the lowest tactics and only damage one’s reputation. When you find someone’s weak spot, words without vulgarity can be sharper than swords.”
“What proper young lady would put her hands on her hips and roll up her sleeves to fight?” Ji Yingying smiled. “Daughter understands.”
She felt curious about why Madam Zhao had deliberately invited them to the wedding feast. Did Zhao Xiuyuan know about this? Had he truly let go of their relationship, never to entangle with her again?
After more than a month of calm waters, the Ji family had adapted to their initial unease.
Perhaps her mother and brother thought Zhao Xiuyuan would no longer pursue her and risk angering the Niu family. But Ji Yingying saw it differently. If Zhao Xiuyuan had truly let go, he would certainly have come to speak clearly with her. His absence meant he truly resented her.
They said the auspicious date had been chosen by the Abbot of the Qingyang Temple. The autumn rain that had fallen continuously suddenly stopped the night before the eighteenth. Early the next morning, the sky was like a piece of fine blue silk, without a trace of cloud, revealing the long-absent sunlight.
At dawn, the commotion began at the Zhao family’s ceremonial gate. A long row of red silk-decorated wedding canopies had been set up in the space beside the gate, with a stage erected in the middle. The Zhao family had hired people to build new stoves and brought in servant women for washing and cleaning, along with cooks—about a hundred people in total—to prepare flowing banquets throughout the day.
The sound of instruments drifted in. Ji Yingying’s hand, holding a comb, stopped. Her reflection in the mirror showed a composed face, though even she couldn’t decipher the look in her mirrored eyes.
The festivities from across the street had an otherworldly quality, like viewing flowers through the mist.
Only today did Ji Yingying realize she still cared. Although she had begun learning to conceal her emotions.
“Miss, let’s change your clothes.”
On the clothes rack hung a new apricot-colored brocade jacket embroidered with treasure flowers, paired with a white brocade skirt—extremely delicate colors. A golden treasure flower ornament adorned her forehead, bringing extra radiance to her eyes. Her hair was styled in high double loops, making her appear even taller.
Ji Yingying lightly touched her peacock feather tassel earrings, the long golden tassels tickling her cheeks. These had been commissioned for next month’s welcoming of her sister-in-law. She was wearing them early for the visit to the Zhao family.
Stepping out of her room, she paused. Ji Yingying slowly raised her face.
The building’s eaves were long and curved, stretching toward the azure sky. Across the street, the windows of the Zhao family’s Vine Garden’s second floor were wide open, and Zhao Xiuyuan stood at the window, silently gazing toward the Ji family’s small courtyard.
The Chinese hackberry tree’s leaves hadn’t completely fallen, hanging half-yellow and half-green on the branches. Though knowing Zhao Xiuyuan couldn’t see her, Ji Yingying still hid behind the tree. Looking through the branches, his red attire was like the phoenix blood cinnabar painted on white bamboo paper that day, startlingly heart-stirring.
Was he looking for her? Just today, or had he been doing so all these days?
Ji Yingying looked toward Xiang’er.
“Miss, you ordered us not to pay attention. Sometimes I couldn’t help but take a glance, but I never saw Young Master Zhao there,” Xiang’er said softly.
Only today. Today he would marry Niu Wu Niang.
Ji Yingying left the courtyard without looking back. He had followed his family’s choice—however reluctant, it was still his choice. Her steps grew faster, and when she looked back again, the Zhao family’s Vine Garden and that red attire were no longer visible.
The sound of gongs, drums, and suona horns rose. Zhao Ping, dressed in new silk clothes, rushed up to the second floor of the Vine Garden. “Young Master, it’s time to depart.”
Zhao Xiuyuan’s gaze left the hackberry tree, a smile gradually touching the corners of his lips. Yingying, I’m going to receive Niu Wu Niang now. Soon, you’ll come. He surveyed the room’s arrangement, then went downstairs. As he was leaving the courtyard, he turned back and pointed at the study: “Move the writing desk away from the window and place an embroidered canopy there.”
Zhao Ping and Zhao An exchanged glances, puzzled about who would stay here since the bridal chamber was set up in the Water Garden, but they dared not ask and simply agreed.