After Madam Qin left, Qing Ying was still somewhat stunned and unable to recover. She looked at Song Chuyi, then at Nanny Xu, scratching her head with wide eyes in astonishment: “This Madam Qin’s way of speaking is truly… shocking and unprecedented!”
Nanny Xu smiled as she stepped forward to clear away the teacups, making space on the table for Song Chuyi. She tilted her head to look at Qing Ying and said: “Madam Qin has always been different from all the women in the world—otherwise, after so many years, she wouldn’t still remain unmarried. Each person has their own way of living. Madam Qin chose this path naturally for her own reasons. It’s just…” She turned to look at Song Chuyi and slowly shook her head. “Miss, you must not develop thoughts like hers. Though Madam Qin may indeed be carefree and unrestrained, that choice was not without family circumstances behind it. She chose this path as a last resort. Your situation differs from hers, Miss, as does your temperament. You absolutely must not let her influence you.”
It wasn’t that no one had wanted to marry Madam Qin. The most sensational incident was when Prince Duan wanted to take her as a secondary consort, but in the end she threatened suicide to prevent Prince Duan from succeeding, and ultimately vowed never to marry for life. She had always been true to her word. Even when she later met the talented scholar from Qiantang and the two were kindred spirits, she never broke her vow.
Song Chuyi somewhat understood Madam Qin’s thinking—keeping only the yearning without living the reality meant that young scholar of renown from Jiangnan, full of pride and vigor, would forever remain in the most beautiful of memories.
She’d heard that the Qiantang scholar grieved for a time, but later also chose a young lady from a prestigious family as his wife. “In the end, there is weak water to replace the vast sea; never again to send longing thoughts to Mount Wu.” Madam Qin’s eyes were like torches—she saw through human hearts to such a degree.
Song Chuyi smiled. No matter how much she admired Madam Qin, she would never live Madam Qin’s life. She still had the family’s reputation to consider, and Song Yan to think of. She couldn’t be as unburdened as Madam Qin to do such things.
Qing Ying took out the letters and laid them on the table, her brow furrowed with light worry: “We only went to Yangquan for a short while, yet these letters have already piled up like a mountain.” Every time they read letters there was never anything good—at the very least there would be troublesome matters. Looking at this pile, Qing Ying felt rather overwhelmed.
Luyi came in carrying a glass beauty vase filled with lilies. Hearing Qing Ying’s words, she couldn’t help but smile behind her hand, and also informed Song Chuyi that Lianyi had decided to stay in Jinzhong.
Song Chuyi wasn’t surprised that Lianyi ultimately chose to remain in Jinzhong. She still had relatives here, and her cousin had waited a full ten years searching for her. She should have stayed here all along.
She drifted in thought for a moment before instructing Nanny Xu to select some good items from the things she’d brought to send to Lianyi: “I’ll be busy in a few days and might forget, so Nanny, please select some fabrics and jewelry, and also leave three thousand taels in banknotes for Lianyi.”
If she gave too much, she feared Lianyi’s parents and relatives might develop other thoughts. Lianyi’s life had already been difficult enough. She hoped Lianyi and An’an could live more smoothly in the future.
Nanny Xu agreed, also feeling happy for Lianyi in her heart. While instructing Luyi to organize the items, she chattered on with Song Chuyi: “You see, it’s still that old saying—each person has their own way of living. Living well, there will always be a way forward.”
The weather had grown hotter. Sunlight streamed through gaps in the window, falling in dappled patterns across Nanny Xu’s face. Song Chuyi looked at her and laughed softly, gently nodding: “Yes, you’re right, Nanny.”
As she spoke, she opened the letter. It was from Song Jue, sent from the capital. It had arrived just as she’d gone to Yangquan. The letter described how he’d found the appropriate fuse to make the explosion—to create a bigger commotion.
Yin Zicheng… She finished reading Song Jue’s description of this person’s background and origins in the letter, then thought of Censor Tao. She couldn’t help but smile even more deeply. Song Jue was truly too mischievous—of all people he could find, he specifically chose this ancestor who had such a special relationship with Tao Dinghu. If this person made a fuss, he would indeed be the best possible fuse.
He’d also done well finding that good-for-nothing wastrel Zhou Chengfang. The more reckless and arrogant he was, the more it would provoke the anger of those self-proclaimed talented failed examination candidates. Students were the easiest to incite. Ten years of cold window studying—who would be willing to see it ruined by such matters? They would only use all their strength to make a fuss. And making a fuss brought benefits. Even if they couldn’t necessarily pull someone down, if they made it big enough, the court couldn’t help but intervene. Once forced to intervene, at the very least they’d have to hold a special imperial examination next year.
Therefore, when she opened the next letter and saw that Zhou Chengfang had led people to beat Yin Zicheng again, even beating him so badly he had to take refuge in a pawnshop on the spot, she couldn’t help laughing aloud.
Originally, the fury of the scholars had already reached its peak, and the censors’ memorial petitions were flying to the Emperor’s presence like snowflakes. If Zhou Chengfang had just kept his head down and behaved quietly, perhaps the scholars would have calmed down a bit to wait and see how things developed before deciding what to do. But with this beating, matters were certain to become even more tumultuous!
Sure enough, Song Jue’s third letter spoke of how the Censorate had swarmed en masse to impeach Elder Chen for accepting bribes—like a kettle of water boiling over, the lid blown open, the fire burning hotter and hotter. Trying to put the lid back on would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
She closed the letter. With matters having reached this point—such a major affair concerning the dignity of the state—His Majesty would certainly order a joint trial by the Three Judicial Offices. It was time for Third Master Chen’s affairs to come to light. She didn’t know what Elder Chen and Old Madam Chen would think when they learned that disaster had started from within their own walls. They had truly paid too little attention to Third Master Chen’s family, to the point of not caring at all. If they had put even the slightest effort into attending to Third Master Chen and his wife, this scheme would have been impossible to complete.
Qing Ying brought up candles. Song Chuyi burned the letter before opening Xiang Mingzi’s letter.
Compared to the cold harshness and heart-stopping danger that constantly threatened lives revealed in Song Jue’s letters, Xiang Mingzi’s letter was much more about everyday family matters. Most of it spoke of how Old Madam Song missed her, and also mentioned that Old Madam Song had obtained a peacock-feather woven golden sparrow cloak, saying she wanted to save it for her as a new outfit for next year’s New Year celebration.
Next year… Song Chuyi’s lips curved with a smile, yet she couldn’t help feeling somewhat dazed. Xiang Mingzi’s marriage had already been settled. After completing the six rites this year, she might marry next year. And as for herself…
She herself still didn’t know what kind of path she would walk. Zhou Weizhao’s words flashed through her mind, as did Yu Shi’s words, and Zhou Weizhao’s smile passed through as well. When she touched the bamboo tube containing the ink monkey, her movements paused. Zhou Weizhao was just like this ink monkey—he had accompanied her for such a long time that she naturally took this companionship for granted, unable to raise even half a shred of vigilance.
But she quickly came back to herself, taking a brush from the brush rest and beginning to write a reply to Song Jue.