Ji Cheng let out a soft sigh and looked up at Shen Che. “Suddenly, I’d like to hear Cousin Che play the flute. May I have that honor?”
Naturally, Shen Che didn’t refuse Ji Cheng. “What would you like to hear?”
Ji Cheng gazed at Shen Che, thought for a moment, then cleared her throat lightly and sat up straight, putting on airs like a young master. “Play your best piece for this young master.”
Shen Che looked at Ji Cheng with some surprise, then slowly curled his lips into a smile. “Does the young master want to hear ‘Eighteen Caresses’ or ‘Two Fragrances Embrace’?”
What was ‘Eighteen Caresses’? And what about ‘Two Fragrances Embrace’? Although Ji Cheng didn’t understand, she could tell from the names that they weren’t proper pieces. What surprised Ji Cheng most was that Shen Che had played along with her act – he was a natural at playing the role of a young entertainer.
However, Ji Cheng certainly didn’t want to play ‘Eighteen Caresses’ or ‘Two Fragrances Embrace’ with Shen Che. “Play ‘Long Yearning’ instead.”
‘Long Yearning’ – in the distance, may you never forget old friends.
The soft, melancholic yet lingering flute melody slowly rose, seeming to stretch out endless threads in the night, carrying one’s longing to faraway places.
Ji Cheng had barely slept the night before, and now, lulled by Shen Che’s languid flute playing, her eyelids began to droop. It wasn’t that Shen Che’s melody lacked intimacy; it was just that it didn’t concern Ji Cheng. She resisted this person from the bottom of her heart, so she wasn’t moved by his music.
Before the piece was finished, Ji Cheng had already fallen asleep on her side on the reed mat. Shen Che brought a blanket to cover Ji Cheng, then sat back in his original spot and continued playing “Long Yearning.” If Ji Cheng had woken up, she would have heard Shen Che play “Eighteen Caresses” and “Two Fragrances Embrace” as well.
On the summer night, Yu Yi, sitting in the courtyard below to enjoy the cool air, was enraptured. “Is that the young master playing the flute? This is the first time I’ve heard it. It’s truly beautiful,” Yu Yi sighed softly.
Ni Shang took a sip of tea and gazed at the starry sky above. It had been many years since she had heard it too. Ni Shang grew increasingly curious about the lady in the small courtyard above. As for why she was certain it was a young lady, it was because she had smelled a young woman’s fragrance when she went to clean.
Ji Cheng slept until dawn, and when she woke up, she was naturally back in Rui Ying Hall. During breakfast, the Old lady’s expression seemed a bit off. Before breakfast was even finished, Ji Cheng’s eldest sister-in-law, Fan Zengli, arrived.
Something must have happened to make her come so early in the morning.
Ji Cheng had already guessed most of it in her heart, but she hadn’t expected Shen Che to act so quickly.
After the meal, Fan Zengli went to Ji Cheng’s room. She opened and closed her mouth several times before speaking, “I heard that Young Master Ye is going to exchange birth charts with the daughter of the Lang Zhong of the Ministry of Personnel’s Wenxuan Bureau.”
The Ministry of Personnel’s Wenxuan Bureau? Ji Cheng blinked. It was indeed as Shen Che had said – given a better option, Ye Lang naturally knew whom to choose.
Ye Lang wasn’t a Jinshi graduate; he was only a Xiucai who had later donated for an official position but hadn’t received an actual post. In recent years, the court has been increasingly selling official positions, with the number of donated positions being four or five times that of actual posts. Even though Ye Lang’s father was the Governor of Langya Commandery, if he wanted to wait for a satisfactory actual post, he would still need to find a way in the Ministry of Personnel.
The Wenxuan Bureau of the Ministry of Personnel was in charge of examining the ranks of civil officials, as well as listing, examining, selecting, and promoting them. If Ye Lang could have such a father-in-law, his official career would be much smoother.
“This marriage must have been discussed for more than just a day or two. The Ye family is taking advantage of people. They’re about to exchange birth charts now, but just a few days ago, they came to the Shen residence for a matchmaking visit. At that time, they even accepted our family’s jade pendant, and now…” Fan Zengli couldn’t help but get angry, even with her good temper.
Ji Cheng said, “Perhaps at that time, the matter with the Shi family wasn’t settled yet. Besides, Madam Huang is Ye Lang’s aunt, so he naturally had to give her some face. It was just a matchmaking visit, not an engagement. There’s no need to talk about going back on one’s word.”
Fan Zengli sighed, “Don’t take it to heart. With your beauty, what kind of family couldn’t you marry into? The Old Madam is also upset about it. Make sure to comfort her. Beijing is so big, there must be other suitable families.”
No matter how big Beijing was, as long as Shen Che was around, she couldn’t marry, Ji Cheng thought to herself, but she couldn’t say this to Fan Zengli.
Two days later, Ye Lang came to visit again, this time specifically to apologize to the Old Madam and Madam Huang. It was clear that the marriage between the Ye family and the Shi family was now set in stone.
Although this failed marriage wasn’t Ji Cheng’s fault, how would outsiders know the inside story? They would only gossip privately, saying that there must be something wrong with Ji Cheng for the Ye family not to choose her. It was well known that the Shi family’s daughter was already seventeen and still not engaged, just because her appearance was too ordinary – and “ordinary” was putting it mildly.
After paying his respects to the Old Madam, Ye Lang went to his aunt Madam Huang’s courtyard. Madam Huang was not only displeased because Ji Cheng’s marriage didn’t work out, which had upset the Old Madam, but she was also very unhappy. She didn’t know why a Miss Shi had suddenly appeared, something even she hadn’t known about beforehand.
“Aunt,” Ye Lang, a grown man, could only stand with his head bowed before Madam Huang.
“Ah Lang, what’s going on? When you wrote earlier, didn’t both you and your father agree to this marriage with the Ji family? Both families had met, so how did you suddenly change your mind?” Madam Huang asked coldly. “And what’s this about the Shi family? How come I know nothing about it? If your family intended to ally with the Shi family, why didn’t you tell me at the time? I guaranteed to the Old Madam, and now what does this mean?”
Before Ye Lang had even left Langya, Madam Huang had already written to inform Ye Lang and his father about the Ji family’s situation. His trip to Beijing was firstly to congratulate Shen Yuan on her marriage, and secondly to meet Ji Cheng. Now that he had suddenly changed his mind, it was no wonder Madam Huang wasn’t giving Ye Lang any face.
Ye Lang said, “Please calm down, Aunt. Before coming to Beijing, I had no connection with the Shi family. It was only recently that Lord Shi suddenly had someone propose the match. I was just as surprised at the time. Aunt, you know the difficulties my family faces. I…”
That was the family of the Lang Zhong of the Wenxuan Bureau, after all. Their daughter wouldn’t have any trouble finding a husband.
Madam Huang was now skeptical of Ye Lang’s words. “I know your family’s difficulties, otherwise I wouldn’t have suggested the Ji family. Although the Ji family are merchants, firstly, the Cheng girl’s character and appearance are both outstanding and secondly, the Ji family lacks nothing except silver. In the future, whether it’s for your father’s transfer or yourself, you’ll need silver to pave the way wherever you go.” Madam Huang’s words were quite blunt; if Ye Lang wasn’t her sister’s son, she wouldn’t have spoken so frankly.
Hearing this, Ye Lang’s face reddened a bit. Although his father couldn’t be considered an honest official, he had always prided himself on being clean. With many brothers and sisters at home, the expenses were not small. Adding to that the need to grease palms both in the capital and in the local areas, they were somewhat strapped for cash. If it weren’t for this, the Ye family wouldn’t have looked down on the Ji family.
Madam Huang felt that Ye Lang was being too eager for quick success, and she had seen the Shi family’s daughter before. She couldn’t help but sneer, “Have you met the Shi family’s daughter?”
Ye Lang nodded. He must have met her. The Shi family’s daughter was extremely satisfied with Ye Lang, but as for Ye Lang’s feelings towards her, he was hesitant. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to the Shen residence to meet Ji Cheng after the marriage with the Shi family was already in sight. It was just that although the Shi daughter had a good father, she was born with protruding teeth, which was quite unsightly.
Madam Huang sighed. It was a bit of a waste for someone of Ye Lang’s caliber to be matched with the Shi daughter. “Alright, I won’t say anything more. It’s all your own business anyway, do as you please.”
Ye Lang didn’t want to offend Madam Huang. “Aunt, I had originally intended to get engaged to Miss Ji, but that day, Yan’er met Miss Ji in the mansion and came home crying, saying he didn’t like her. He wouldn’t even eat. Yan’er is my eldest son, and if he really can’t get along with Miss Ji, it wouldn’t be good for anyone. That’s why I had to let down your kind intentions.”
“Why doesn’t Yan’er like Cheng girl?” Madam Huang was a bit surprised. “All the children at home like her. Even Honger, with his temperament, loves to follow her around.”
Ye Lang didn’t know the reason either.
However, when Ye Lang left Madam Huang’s courtyard and happened to encounter Ji Cheng on the way, he understood. When Ye Lang saw Ji Cheng, he had just come out from behind a large tree.
Upon seeing a lady of the Shen household in the inner courtyard, Ye Lang instinctively took a few steps back, hiding behind the tree again.
At that time, Ji Cheng was leading Yu Qian’er to look for Lu Yuan. This girl had been quite gloomy lately and hardly even went to the garden anymore.
“Miss Ji.” A little maid serving in Chang Heng’s courtyard met Ji Cheng on the way and greeted her cheerfully. “Where is Miss going? Are you going to see Young Master Hong? He sends us to guard the door every day, afraid that no one will report if you come.”
Ye Lang’s ears only caught the three words “Miss Ji,” and everything else, whether voices or scenery, blurred in his ears and eyes. The only color in the world was Ji Cheng herself.
Her lake-blue cicada-wing gauze dress fluttered slightly in the breeze with Ji Cheng’s steps, like green water rippled by spring winds, creating waves of ripples. Above that were the jade-like, white pearl earrings, gently swaying on her earlobe, which were even more delicate and white than the pearls. That swaying seemed to hypnotize Ye Lang; his eyes could only move with Ji Cheng’s movements.
“What are you looking at, Cousin?” Shen Che’s voice sounded behind Ye Lang, startling him back to reality. Ji Cheng’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
Ye Lang was left with only melancholy in his heart. So that was Ji Cheng. Ye Lang quickly understood why Ye Yan had insisted he didn’t like Ji Cheng. He had just taken one look, and his soul was already not his own.
Ye Lang collected himself and turned to exchange pleasantries with Shen Che. “I wasn’t looking at anything.”
Shen Che smiled and said, “Everyone’s been looking for you. I’ve booked a table at Yunhe Lou on Dongyang Street today to congratulate you, Cousin.”
It wasn’t clear who was truly happy and who was celebrating, but when Shen Che returned to the Nine Li Courtyard, he was in high spirits.
At that time, Ji Cheng was writing letters to Pang Junxiong and the others in the small courtyard. News from the Western Regions came back almost daily, and Ji Cheng had to look at each piece of information. These were reports from various informants, and she needed to scrutinize them one by one, and then figure out the overall situation before arranging for Pang Junxiong and the others to act.
Ji Cheng was writing intently when Shen Che suddenly embraced her from behind. His breath was full of alcohol mixed with the scent of cosmetics. Before Ji Cheng could speak, Shen Che silenced her with a kiss, swallowing all her words.