“Poor Zhenniang, why must her fate be so bitter? If something happens to Wenqian, how will this girl ever find another match?” Late at night, unable to sleep, Madam Zhao sat up and shook awake Li Jingfu beside her.
“Don’t worry needlessly. Didn’t Zhenniang say earlier that Yihousheng hasn’t received any news yet? Rest assured, I’ve dealt with Luo extensively in the North. That boy is clever—he’ll be fine,” Li Jingfu mumbled.
“This isn’t like your northern skirmishes. We’re talking about battles involving tens of thousands! No matter how capable Wenqian is, his team of twenty or thirty men—what can they do against tens of thousands? The more I think about it, the more worried I become, and the less I can sleep,” Madam Zhao said anxiously.
“Enough, worrying won’t help. Go to sleep,” Li Jingfu patted Madam Zhao.
Finally, they blew out the oil lamp.
Zhenniang also had a restless night. She rose at dawn with dark circles under her eyes. After washing up, she made her usual rounds of the ink workshop, though she seemed somewhat distracted.
Thinking it was still early, she decided to open early rather than wait for the workers. She took Hua’er with her to open the doors.
At the ink shop, just as she was about to remove the inner door bolt, she heard conversations outside.
“This morning when I was buying vegetables, I heard Shizhou was massacred by the Tatars. Terrible! They say nearly twenty thousand were killed—curse those Tatars! Yesterday I heard from Yihousheng’s workers that their master went to Shanxi too. Master Luo must be in danger,” said the wife of the Xiaolongbao shop owner.
“Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you seen the carriages lined up outside Yihousheng? They’re all there to withdraw money. They say Master Luo went to Shanxi with a large amount of silver to buy horses. The Tatars are after money and supplies—Master Luo is like a fat sheep to them. How could they let him go? Everyone’s worried something happened to Master Luo. They fear the bank won’t be able to pay out, so they’re all rushing to withdraw. Such is the uncertainty of fate!” Madam Yao responded with a sigh.
“What uncertainty of fate? Haven’t you heard what people on the street are saying? This is because of Li Zhenniang’s ill fortune. The Li family’s daughter is capable, sure, but her fate is too harsh. Wasn’t she once betrothed to the Tian family’s eldest son? Shortly after, he had an accident at Huangshan. After they broke off the engagement, the young master returned,” the xiaolongbao shop owner’s wife said.
The grudge between the Tian and Li families had been dug up by local people last year.
“Don’t spread such rumors!” Madam Yao, who was usually on good terms with Zhenniang, said irritably.
“I’m not spreading rumors—everyone on the street is saying this!” the shop owner’s wife defended herself.
Meanwhile, as Zhenniang and Hua’er were preparing to lower the door panel, they overheard these conversations.
“Elder Sister, let me go reason with them!” Hua’er stomped her foot in anger.
“Forget it. Let’s just open our doors. There’s no point in arguing about such gossip. Best to ignore it.” Zhenniang took a deep breath. Such gossip angered her too, but what could she do? Both her engagements had met with such circumstances—how could one reason about such things?
Hua’er snorted and angrily lowered the door panel. It hit the ground with a loud bang, startling those talking outside.
“Oh, they’re opening! Early today!” The Xiaolongbao shop owner’s wife hadn’t expected the Li family to open suddenly. Seeing Li Zhenniang and remembering she’d just been gossiping about her, she greeted her awkwardly.
“Some of us have to work for our meals, unlike certain people who have nothing better to do than wag their tongues until they fall off,” Hua’er said irritably.
“Who are you talking about?” The shop owner’s wife fired up.
“Who do you think I’m talking about?” Hua’er asked with an exaggerated smile.
“All right, all right, why such tempers so early in the morning?” Madam Yao quickly tried to smooth things over.
Hua’er just snorted and went inside to work.
“Zhenniang, don’t worry. I think Master Luo will be fine,” Madam Yao said to Zhenniang.
“Mm, thank you, Aunt Yao.” Zhenniang nodded with a smile. Truth be told, she’d heard plenty of such rumors about bringing misfortune to husbands back in Huizhou. Taking them to heart would only torment herself.
They chatted a bit more.
Then Zhenniang walked over to Yihousheng. They had also opened early today, clearly having prepared for this over the past couple of days. Everyone who came to withdraw money was able to do so—things remained calm and orderly without any chaos.
She returned to the Li family ink shop, but at the entrance, she saw Aunt Wang from the Wang family approaching in the distance, supported by Madam Hu. Soon they reached the shop entrance.
“Aunt Wang, Aunt Hu…” Zhenniang stepped forward to greet them.
“Zhenniang, are your parents and grandfather in?” Aunt Wang asked.
“Yes, let me lead Aunt Wang inside.” Zhenniang courteously bowed slightly, then led Aunt Wang’s group inside. Old Manager Li was standing outside the hall talking with Li Jing. Seeing Aunt Wang arrive, he quickly welcomed her into the room.
When Zhenniang and Luo Wenqian were betrothed, Aunt Wang had been present. Although everyone knew Aunt Wang had some reservations about the match, since Luo Wenqian was determined and had invited people from the Luo family to preside, Aunt Wang couldn’t say much.
Everyone took their seats according to status in the hall, with Zhenniang personally serving tea. Since the elders needed to talk in the reception hall, Zhenniang withdrew to sit in the corridor outside with Hua’er, making idle conversation.
In the wooden building, the conversations from inside carried clearly to their ears.
“Old Manager Li, I’ve come to ask about news of Wenqian. With all this trouble in Shanxi, I heard Wenqian went to Shizhou. I’m so worried—he’s my niece’s only son, the Luo family’s only heir. If anything happens to him, this branch of the Luo family ends,” Aunt Wang said, wiping her tears.
“His aunt shouldn’t be so pessimistic. Wenqian went to Shanxi with a group of men, and he was capable and clever. At the very least, he should be able to preserve his life. Now Manager Xiao Qi from Yihousheng has led people to search for him. We haven’t had news yet, so let’s remain calm,” Old Manager Li consoled her.
“Truthfully, no news is better—I fear getting news, fear receiving bad news,” Aunt Wang said.
With these words, everyone in the room fell silent, the atmosphere heavy.
Zhenniang pressed her lips together.
Beside her, Hua’er wanted to offer comfort but didn’t know how.
Then they heard Aunt Wang continue from inside: “Old Manager Li, I’ve come today to ask you something. Your Zhenniang’s fate seems truly harsh. Qiushan has only this one son—surely you don’t want anything to happen to Wenqian either?”
“Aunt Wang, what do you mean by that?” Madam Zhao’s sharp voice rang out from inside.
“What else could I mean? Isn’t it obvious? Wenqian has been trading for so many years, and never had trouble in the North, but right after getting engaged to Zhenniang, on his very first trip after the engagement—hah! Shizhou had never seen Tatar invasions before, yet it happened now. If this isn’t because of Zhenniang’s ill fortune, what is it? If you care about Wenqian, you should take the initiative to break off the engagement—perhaps then Wenqian will return safely. Wasn’t it the same with the Tian family’s young master? They even set up the memorial hall at first, but once the engagement was broken, he returned,” Madam Hu said irritably.
“You… you go too far!” Madam Zhao said through gritted teeth.
Zhenniang also stood up abruptly, her face frost-like. As a woman educated in modern times, she couldn’t possibly believe in such superstitions about bringing misfortune to husbands.
At this moment, she was both worried about Luo Wenqian and angry, but mostly felt helpless. She knew Aunt Wang might genuinely be concerned for Luo Wenqian’s safety.
When Tian Benchang fell off the cliff and was presumed dead, the Tian family had set up a memorial hall. Later, Tian Benchang returned safely. This should have proved that Zhenniang didn’t bring misfortune, but many people in this era didn’t think that way. They believed that Tian Benchang had truly met with misfortune, but once the Tian and Li families broke off the engagement and Zhenniang’s “ill fortune” was removed, Tian Benchang turned from danger to safety.
What absurd logic—yet many people truly thought this way.
“Since when did the Wang family have any right to meddle in Luo family affairs?” Just then, a cold voice rang out. From the corner of the room, Old Lady Chou carefully leaned her broom against the wall, then entered the room supported by Er’gou.
“Old Lady Chou…” Zhenniang’s heart jumped—if this were revealed, wouldn’t it mean deceiving the emperor again? Zhenniang quickly followed her inside.
Old Lady Chou’s appearance startled everyone in the room. They didn’t know what to make of this scene. Only Old Manager Li seemed to have some understanding and showed no particular surprise.
“The Luo family? Who are you?” Aunt Wang stared at Old Lady Chou. Somehow, this old woman with burn scars covering her face gave her a familiar feeling.
“What? After all these years, have you completely forgotten an old friend? That year at Baiyun Temple, we drew lots together—you got ‘flowers bloom, moon is full,’ while I got ‘forever alone.’ Thinking back now, Master Jingci’s interpretation was quite accurate,” Old Lady Chou’s tone became somewhat ethereal, her eyes seeming to recall the past.
“Luo Mengzhen? You’re Luo Mengzhen? You’re alive?” Aunt Wang’s eyes widened in disbelief, her expression agitated. The fortune-telling incident was known only to her and Luo Mengzhen.
She examined Old Lady Chou carefully and finally recognized her old friend’s features on the less scarred side of her face. It was Luo Mengzhen.
“Heaven wouldn’t take my life—I had no choice,” Old Lady Chou laughed, though the sound was harsh.
“Mengzhen… ah…” Aunt Wang sighed deeply, saying nothing more. Knowing she was alive was enough; there was no need to understand the twists and turns—surely they were painful memories. She sighed heavily again, then called for Madam Hu and left.
“Old Lady Chou, will reveal this cause problems?” Zhenniang quickly stepped forward to ask.
“No matter. Our relationship was once like yours with Sun Wenjuan. Although times have changed and we’re now strangers, she should know what to say and what not to say. Moreover, her husband was the magistrate’s advisor back then. The idea for the chastity memorial arch for my Luo family came from her husband. If she speaks of this, her Wang family will be the first to suffer,” Old Lady Chou said calmly.