It was a remarkably pleasant and relaxing day. Despite being the end of June, typically the hottest time, the weather was unexpectedly agreeable. The sky was partly cloudy, with occasional cool breezes carrying the scent of lotus throughout the lush garden, dispelling all restlessness and clamor.
Hand in hand with Jiang Changyang, Mudan strolled along the pebbled path between flowers. Listening to the clear, melodious birdsong in the treetops and inhaling the lotus fragrance, she suddenly recalled her visit here with He Zhizhong and Dalang after last year’s festival. She chuckled, “Do you remember when I first came here last year?”
Jiang Changyang smiled, “Of course. My first impression of you was quite deep.”
Mudan, remembering Liu Chang and Qinghua’s amorous scene, couldn’t help but laugh, “Did you think I was devastated at the time?”
Jiang Changyang turned to look at her, “No, I just remember how slender your waist was, so thin it seemed a gust of wind might snap it. I thought, this woman probably couldn’t even ride a horse without breaking.” He paused, then added with a mischievous grin, “Fortunately, reality proved it to be flexible and strong. Indeed, appearances can be deceiving.”
Mudan bit her lip and gave him a playful push, whispering, “You’re right, I’m excellent at riding horses.”
Jiang Changyang inquired softly, “Will you be up for a ride tonight?”
Mudan scoffed, “I’m resting tonight! Who’s in the mood for riding any horses!” She then lifted her chin high and swayed her hips as she walked ahead, asking, “Where’s the new room?”
Jiang Changyang, admiring her graceful figure, the gentle sway of her hips, her deliberately high-held head, and the fluttering hairpin in her coiffure, couldn’t help but smile as he quickened his pace to catch up. “Take a look and see if there’s anything you’re not satisfied with. I can have it rearranged.”
They passed through the garden and a small building surrounded by bamboo before reaching the main chamber. A small garden encircled the main chamber, filled with peonies, crape myrtles, and hibiscus in full bloom. Before they reached the corridor, they could already see Shuashua flapping its wings excitedly on the parrot perch, squawking, “Mudan! Mudan! Uncle Jiang! Uncle Jiang!”
Mudan quickly approached it, teasing Jiang Changyang, “Did you hear that? It’s calling you uncle. You must be quite old.”
Jiang Changyang glared at her, “No matter how old I am, I’m still your husband! Just wait, I’ll teach it a new way to address me right away!”
“I’ll be waiting,” Mudan said, lounging on the corridor, amused to see how Jiang Changyang would train this gluttonous bird.
Jiang Changyang instructed Kuan’er to bring a small plate of melon. He meticulously peeled it in front of Shuashua, dangling the seeds before the bird. Shuashua tilted its head, its black bean-like eyes following Jiang Changyang’s hand up and down, calling out flatteringly, “Hello, Uncle Jiang! Hello, Uncle Jiang! Shuashua is so cute.”
But Jiang Changyang withdrew the melon seeds, shaking his head at the bird. Shuashua, confused as to why the person who had been feeding it this morning was suddenly denying it food, especially after peeling the melon right in front of it, widened its eyes and called out anxiously, “Hello, Uncle Jiang!”
Jiang Changyang ignored it, instead popping the melon seeds into his mouth one by one, closing his eyes, and chewing slowly as if savoring them. Shuashua grew increasingly agitated, pacing back and forth, tilting its head and staring intently at him. Seeing only one seed left and no sign of Jiang Changyang sharing, the bird let out an ear-piercing, indecipherable screech in desperation.
Jiang Changyang finally paused and enunciated to the bird, “Young Master Jiang.” Shuashua merely blinked at him. As Jiang Changyang resumed his previous actions, the bird gave up on speaking and continued screeching.
“Forget about ‘Young Master Jiang,’ try something else. It can’t say ‘lang.’ The noise is deafening,” Mudan said with a shudder. She walked over and snatched the last melon seed from Jiang Changyang’s hand, tossing it to Shuashua. The bird caught it deftly and swallowed it in one gulp, no longer paying attention to Jiang Changyang. It preened its feathers and turned to flatter Mudan profusely, seemingly intent on ignoring Jiang Changyang.
“This feathered beast is as clever as a child,” Jiang Changyang said with a sigh and a smile, following Mudan into the room. They saw crystal curtains half-drawn at the entrance and a silver-inlaid, six-panel folding screen with deer and flora motifs standing quietly. By the window was a ten-foot long, one-foot wide ivory-inlaid bed, covered with a white silk mat bordered with green brocade and scallion-green inlays. Several embroidered grass stools were scattered around.
Mudan looked around and turned back to Jiang Changyang with a satisfied smile, “It’s very nice.” Delighted by her approval, Jiang Changyang took her hand and led her behind the screen, “Look at this area too.”
Dragon-shaped sandalwood candleholders in green robes held five-colored wax candles, while gilt incense lions pressed down on the Shu brocade carpet, keeping it perfectly flat. Behind a silver-plated bird and flower screen curtain was a large sandalwood bed, ten feet long and six feet wide. Purple gauze curtains hung from it, with red auspicious brocade bedding, crystal pillows, and a golden duck-shaped incense burner. Every detail, from the grand canopy to the smallest candlestick, was carefully chosen, far surpassing her initial room at Liu’s residence. Mudan turned to Jiang Changyang with a sweet smile, gently squeezing his hand, “It’s too luxurious.”
“This is nothing,” Jiang Changyang gestured for her to look at the corner. Mudan saw a sandalwood bookshelf against the wall, neatly stacked with numerous books. She hurried over, finding it filled with travel logs, miscellaneous writings, and tales of the strange and supernatural.
Mudan couldn’t help but laugh softly, covering her face, “Is there anything about my preferences you don’t know?” Jiang Changyang gently embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, and whispered, “Then what about me? How much do you know about me?”
Mudan was taken aback and then blushed. He knew she loved flowers, preferred tea without salt or orange peel, enjoyed fresh fruits and vegetables, liked reading miscellaneous books, favored comfortable and beautiful furniture, enjoyed dressing up, and adored Shuashua. But she only knew that he was ambitious, valued loyalty, respected her parents and brothers, cared for her and Madam Wang, genuinely cared about friends and subordinates, disliked the people of the Zhu Dukedom, was skilled at slicing raw fish, rode horses well, wasn’t picky about food or clothes, always finished the food she served him and praised it, and treasured her clumsy needlework. But what about his private preferences?
“I’m sorry,” Mudan said apologetically, reaching back to hug his head and leaning her cheek against his face. She whispered, “I only know some superficial things about you. I’m not very clear about your private likes. But that was before; it won’t be like that anymore. Tell me, what do you love? What do you dislike?”
Jiang Changyang spoke softly, “I love meat and don’t like vegetarian food. I’m afraid of being hungry; when I’m hungry, I get anxious and irritable. I especially dislike sweet foods, but I hate wasting food, so I’ll force myself to eat even if it’s unpleasant. So in the future, if you see others urging me to eat sweets, remember to eat them for me.
If I’m not attending court, I get up very early every day to practice martial arts. When I return, I want to drink hot tea that you’ve brewed yourself. I also want you to frequently praise me…” Seeing Mudan about to turn her head to look at him, he pressed his head firmly against hers, not allowing her to turn, and continued, “I like the socks and pouches you make. I don’t like you joking with Lü Fang, and I don’t like the way Liu Chang looks at you!”
This was the feeling of living together. Mudan’s heart felt a bittersweet ache. She said seriously, “Except for eating sweets for you, which I absolutely cannot do, I can consider everything else. For example, there will be delicious meat in every meal, so you won’t go hungry. As long as I’m not sick, you’ll always have hot tea to drink. Praising my husband is only natural, and you’ll have pouches and socks in the future. As for Lü Fang, I can’t possibly talk to him, but I’ll try to smile at him less. And for Liu Chang, I’ll despise him! If he looks at me again, I’ll glare at him fiercely! To show that I have a grudge against him. How’s that?”
Before she could laugh, Jiang Changyang had already started chuckling, “Forget it, we’re not having a staring contest with anyone. You don’t need to pretend to be stern, just be yourself.”
Mudan laughed too, whispering, “You know what? I particularly dislike Xiao Xuexi’s expression when she mentions you! The other day when I heard her crying inside, I felt a bit of schadenfreude. I think she’s much more suitable for your brother.”
Jiang Changyang was stunned for a moment, then burst into muffled laughter, “Then in the future, I’ll despise her too and stay ten feet away from her. How’s that?”
Mudan nodded seriously, “That’s right, you must keep your distance. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with my rolling pin.”
A gentle breeze blew, causing the crystal curtains to chime with a clear, melodious sound. The fiery red hibiscus and pink-purple crape myrtle swayed in the wind, occasionally dropping a petal that would dance playfully in the breeze as soon as it touched the ground. Inside the room, faint wisps of incense curled up from the incense lions, filling the air with the scent of Lingxi.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Zhu Dukedom was quite somber. Madam Du stood by the Old Madam’s couch, holding a bowl of medicinal soup and quietly urging, “Please don’t be angry, Your Ladyship. Your health is paramount. People outside aren’t saying much, they’re all praising Dalang for his filial piety.”
The Old Madam let out a cold laugh, “Do you think I’m deaf and haven’t heard anything? The Zhu Dukedom must be the laughingstock of the town now! For a son’s wedding, to invite the Fang family to pay respects at the Jiang family’s ancestral hall – only a son raised by that woman could do such a thing! How could I have been so foolish back then? To agree to let her take him away? Had I known it would come to this, I would rather have died than agree!”
Madam Du listened silently to her complaints before advising, “Wasn’t it said that they were life-saving benefactors and mentors? … Anyway, what’s done is done. Saying more won’t help, it will only push Dalang further away, playing into others’ hands. Tomorrow, when the new bride comes to pay respects at the ancestral temple, we should talk to her nicely, and ask her to persuade Dalang. I hear Dalang loves her, he might listen to her.”
The Old Madam suddenly flew into a rage, slamming her cane heavily on the ground, “Who is she to pay respects at our ancestral temple? She’s from a similarly humble background, what does she know? Wasn’t she said to be barren? Tomorrow, have her adopt a child to bring back! I want to see what’s so special about her that makes that unfilial son so fond of her! Whether she’s worthy of being the Fourth Commandery Princess or not!”
Madam Du was greatly amused, barely managing to suppress her laughter.