At that moment, Yang Jingyuan was standing outside the corridor listening to Xiangyou’s report. Ji Yingying had merely caught a cold, which put his mind at ease. Hearing his father call, he hurried back to the main hall.
Master Yang grabbed his face and pinched it affectionately. “Father’s precious Third Son is getting married!”
Everyone in the room was stunned, barely suppressing their laughter.
Yang Jingyuan’s forehead creased as he steadied his father’s hand. “Father, you’re drunk. You should rest early.”
Madam Yang Shi watched the falling snow outside and stepped forward. “My Lord, the night wind is cold, and it’s easy to catch a chill after drinking warm wine. Let me prepare your room—you should rest in the main chamber tonight.”
Master Yang waved his hand. “I’m not used to sleeping here. Lüying, come here! Return with me!”
Concubine Liu’s face flushed bright red. She kept her head bowed to her chest as she walked over to support him.
“Very well, as you wish, my Lord,” Madam Yang Shi said with a slight smile. “Has the heated sedan chair arrived? Take care attending to the Master, and keep the curtains tightly closed against the wind.”
Yang Jingyuan and Concubine Liu helped Master Yang into the sedan chair. Concubine Liu’s voice was barely audible: “Go attend to Madam. I’ll take care of the Master.” Yang Jingyuan released his grip and silently watched as Concubine Liu accompanied the heated sedan chair as it departed.
When he turned around, his two elder brothers and their wives were surrounding their stepmother with their children. At that moment, he felt that his departed Concubine Liu and father were one unit, while his stepmother and his brothers’ families were another. Only he, standing in the corridor, was alone. No—he wouldn’t be alone. In a few months, he would have her. Yang Jingyuan’s face broke into a smile as he stepped forward to thank Madam Yang Shi: “Thank you for your trouble today, Mother.”
“My son has finally grown up and is getting married. It was no trouble for Mother. Go rest early.” Madam Yang Shi patted his hand with a smile, filled with emotion.
The First and Second Sons also took their leave with their wives and children.
The festivities and clamor gradually dispersed in the cold wind. The brightly lit main hall seemed increasingly desolate.
Madam Yang Shi stood at the entrance, silently watching the falling snow.
Xueqing draped a fox fur cloak around her shoulders and placed a silver-inlaid hand warmer in her hands, gently advising, “Madam, the wind is strong at the door. Be careful not to catch cold.”
Madam Yang Shi remained silent.
Nanny Chen gave Xueqing a look, signaling her to withdraw. She personally stepped forward to persuade, “Madam, let’s go inside.”
Madam Yang Shi took a deep breath and said, “I understand.”
Nanny Chen stopped trying to persuade her and stood by her side.
“Third Son is nearly twenty years younger than First Son, and over ten years younger than Second Son. I’ve watched First and Second Sons marry and have children. My Second Daughter has also married far away in Chang’an. Fortunately, I had Third Son by my side. He was like a delicate porcelain doll as a child, naturally endearing. In the blink of an eye, Third Son is also getting married.” Madam Yang Shi suddenly sighed.
Nanny Chen agreed, “Young Master Three is filial. Even after marriage, he won’t forget Madam’s kindness in raising him.”
“The Master dotes on him too much. More than he dotes on First Son and Second Son.”
Nanny Chen knew it was the Master’s drunken words that had upset the Madam. No matter how long she had raised him, he wasn’t her flesh and blood. She gently consoled, “As they say, ‘The emperor favors his eldest, common folk love their youngest.’ That’s how the saying goes. No matter how much the Master dotes on Third Young Master, he’s still a concubine’s son. The Master knows this well. Madam shouldn’t worry too much.”
Perhaps so. After being magnanimous for twenty years, she still had moments of jealousy and pettiness. Madam Yang Shi thought self-mockingly, she was already an old woman, what was the point of dwelling on such things?
She had developed a habit of not letting others see her true thoughts. Madam Yang Shi didn’t want to say more and turned to walk toward the rear hall: “Put out the lights in the hall. When they’re too bright, it looks empty.”
——…——
Xiangyou huddled against the wall, his nose red from the cold. He took swigs from a leather wine flask, muttering under his breath: “Meeting brings bad luck… Already said it’s just a cold, but staring out the window won’t cure Young Lady Ji. Who are you trying to fool?”
The light inside the room stayed on. Yang Jingyuan stood against the wall, quietly gazing at the warmth framed by the window. The winter wind had long since blown away his tipsiness. He pulled his black fox fur coat tighter. Thanks to wearing his elder brother’s fur coat, he really wouldn’t have been able to withstand the night wind.
He wasn’t a fool, nor was he deaf. When Father spoke to Big Brother while drunk, he had quietly slipped out of the hall and stood in the corridor.
Father cared for him and hoped he could contribute to the Yang family business like his two elder brothers. In Father’s eyes, there was no distinction between legitimate and concubine-born sons—they were all his children. Father was drunk. He had forgotten the difference between legitimate and concubine-born sons. It had touched his stepmother’s sore spot. He could only quietly leave, avoiding being present to respond.
Raised beside his stepmother since childhood. Yet the blood ties to his birth mother couldn’t be severed. During the feast, his gaze would unconsciously drift to Concubine Liu. On her first time sitting at the family table, she had barely touched her chopsticks. She had hardly spoken throughout the meal.
It truly made his heartache.
Despite having Father’s favor, Concubine Liu was still like a rootless duckweed. Unless he could become a tree in the future, after Father’s passing, to shelter her from wind and rain.
He had climbed over the wall, and seeing the lamplight through the window had calmed his heart. Once calm, he wondered if she was sleeping peacefully, if she was feeling better.
The night watchman’s bamboo clappers could be faintly heard from the main street. Three strikes—it was the third watch. He rubbed his hands and took out a winter plum branch from his sleeve. He had picked it up from the mansion—perhaps tomorrow or the day after, when she recovered and opened the window, she would know he had been here.
Yang Jingyuan quietly walked over and placed the plum blossom on the windowsill.
Just then, he heard movement from inside.
Ji Yingying wasn’t raised as a delicate lady; she had a strong constitution. After drinking medicinal soup and sleeping wrapped in quilts, her fever broke by midnight, and she awoke.
She pushed Xianger, who was dozing by the bed. Xianger drowsily realized Ji Yingying was awake and felt her forehead, exclaiming happily: “Young Miss, your fever has broken!”
“Water.”
After drinking two cups of warm water, Ji Yingying felt much better. She sat up against the bed: “What time is it?”
Xianger checked the water clock: “Two quarters past the zi hour. Young Miss has slept from you hour until now, sleeping so soundly.”
“Silly girl, that’s because the medicine was calming. Now I can’t sleep anymore. Bring the basket, let’s wind some thread and chat until we’re tired enough to sleep again.”
The silk threads were bundled together. They needed to be wound onto wooden spools before use. Xianger agreed and got up to fetch the basket from the embroidery room.
Yang Jingyuan couldn’t help himself and called out softly: “Yingying.”
Ji Yingying thought she had misheard, but the voice was unmistakably Yang Jingyuan’s. She tentatively called out: “Third Young Master Yang?”
“Don’t get up. I just came to check on you.”
The room was lit, making it impossible to see outside. Ji Yingying quickly blew out the candle.
The snow’s reflection cast his shadow on the window, wavering indistinctly.
Many women’s love is born from being moved by such gestures. Ji Yingying suddenly felt a surge of emotion in her nose. She threw off her covers and got out of bed, walking to the window: “It’s cold outside, why did you come? Hurry back! I’m not made of paper—it’s just a small cold.”
Hearing her voice right in front of him, Yang Jingyuan hesitated and said: “They say it’s unlucky to meet before the wedding. Don’t open the window, go back to bed. I’ll leave now.”
But she wanted to see him. “I don’t believe in such superstitions!” Ji Yingying said as she pulled open the window, startling Yang Jingyuan. Almost reflexively, he leaped through the window, quickly pushed it closed behind him, and wrapped his fox fur coat around her, holding her in his arms. He used a bit too much force, causing the window to make a loud bang as it closed.
Xianger had just entered with the basket. The room was dark, and she said anxiously: “Young Miss, did the window come loose and blow out the light? Keep yourself covered, don’t let the wind chill you again.”
She protected her oil lamp as she entered, walking straight to the window: “The latch was loose, no wonder it was rattling in the wind.”
The moment Yang Jingyuan heard Xianger’s footsteps, he picked up Ji Yingying and jumped onto the bed, letting down the curtains.
Fortunately, the winter bed curtains were thick and the bed was large—Xianger hadn’t noticed the extra person inside. Ji Yingying was both embarrassed and frightened, her voice trembling: “Xianger after you close the window, you can go. Don’t stay up watching over me. I’m tired anyway.”
Xianger refused: “Sister Ling instructed me. Young Miss hasn’t fully recovered yet. I’ll make a bed on the floor by your bed. Just call if you need anything, Young Miss.”
Ji Yingying grew anxious: “The floor is cold.”
Xianger laughed: “I have bedding, I’m not afraid!” With that, she laid out her bedding on the floor in front of the bed and blew out the lamp.
Yang Jingyuan and Ji Yingying stared at each other, both momentarily dumbfounded.