Ji Lan also felt that Ji Cheng wouldn’t dare to move against her so early.
“How dare you do such a thing? Do you still consider me your aunt? Our temple is too small to accommodate an ungrateful person like you. I’ll write to your father and have him come to take you back for some proper discipline,” Ji Lan said harshly.
Ji Cheng glanced at Aunt Chang standing beside Ji Lan, as well as Lingling and Lingzhen. Her aunt truly wasn’t leaving her any face. Ji Cheng spoke calmly, “Aunt, you should know why I suddenly moved against your shop.”
A flash of cunning gleamed in Ji Lan’s eyes. So this was what she had been waiting for. She had suspected Ji Cheng was playing dumb, but after seeing no reaction for so long, she thought Ji Cheng hadn’t noticed what happened that day. “Truly, the dog that barks doesn’t bite, and the dog that bites doesn’t bark.”
Ji Cheng had anticipated Ji Lan would say something unpleasant. She wasn’t offended and maintained a calm expression, even with a hint of an almost imperceptible smile. “When Aunt does such things to me, even a rabbit will bite when cornered.”
Ji Lan’s face grew increasingly unpleasant. She glanced at Aunt Chang, who then led Lingling and Lingzhen out and closed the door.
Ji Cheng continued, “That day, if not for my luck that the room Lingzhen led me to was empty, I might not exist in this world anymore.”
“I’ve told you so many times, that it was all for your good. Do you think it’s still like when I was young? With your family background, you shouldn’t even think about marrying into a noble family. An ordinary family can’t protect that face of yours. Only by entering the palace can you ensure the Jis’ security,” Ji Lan said in a shrill voice.
Ji Cheng let out a light snort. “Even so, Aunt shouldn’t have used such methods. A noble’s secret visit isn’t known to the palace, and even the daily records won’t mention it. Even if Aunt’s scheme had worked, I would never be able to hold my head high. It wouldn’t be a proper selection to enter the palace. Being intimate first and then married, I would be gossiped about even if I entered the palace. Moreover, with Imperial Consort Wang and Noble Consort Huang in favor, can Aunt be certain I would be taken into the palace by the noble rather than just being a one-night affair?”
Ji Lan remained silent, but her eyes glared at Ji Cheng, as if Ji Cheng owed her a great debt of gratitude, like a dog sitting in a sedan chair not knowing its place.
“I certainly know what Aunt is thinking. Even if the noble went back on his word, you’d only lose a niece, and it wouldn’t affect you. You could even push the blame onto me, saying I lacked self-respect. Isn’t that right, Aunt?” Ji Cheng met Ji Lan’s gaze as she spoke.
Ji Lan was left speechless but spoke with false bravado, “You ungrateful girl. Don’t come seeking my help with your plans. You should know that if you don’t want to do it, there are plenty of others willing to take your place. Wang Yueniang has already entered the palace. An imperial edict will be issued in the next few days. Think about how long you can survive.”
Ji Cheng was shocked to hear this. Wang Yueniang had entered the palace to serve Emperor Jianping despite her condition? The Wang sisters never ceased to surprise her.
Although the news about Wang Yueniang worried Ji Cheng, she wasn’t the one who should be most concerned. When the sky falls, the tallest must hold it up.
Shen Che was the tallest in the Shen family. If the Shen family’s sky were to fall, he would naturally be the first to bear the brunt.
Rui Yu finished playing a piece on the pipa, her coquettish eyes having thrown countless alluring glances. However, the man across from her merely smiled lightly, seeming somewhat distracted. She felt very displeased. She had given both obvious and subtle hints, yet the Second Young Master of the Shen family was like a slippery fish, impossible to catch.
Even on that Mid-Autumn night, with such beautiful moonlight and drinking together under the moon, he was intoxicated, yet he didn’t even touch a finger of hers. If not for Shen Che’s reputation as a philanderer, Rui Yu would have doubted whether he was capable at all.
Rui Yu set down her pipa and walked over softly, squeezing into Shen Che’s embrace. She sat down, gently placing her hands on his shoulders, and asked in a soft voice, “Young Master, will you be attending the Hundred Chrysanthemums Banquet at Prince Ping’s manor the day after tomorrow?”
The Hundred Chrysanthemums Banquet at Prince Ping’s manor was famous in the capital, almost equivalent to a small-scale courtesan competition. This was the capital, right under the Emperor’s nose. Although the Emperor turned a blind eye to officials’ dalliances with courtesans, it was impossible to hold grand courtesan elections like those in Suzhou and Hangzhou of Jiangnan. Thus, Prince Ping’s Hundred Chrysanthemums Banquet served as a substitute.
It was only because Prince Ping and his youngest son, Chu De, were both the type who couldn’t resist beautiful women that their family’s Hundred Chrysanthemums Banquet, originally a refined gathering attended by nobles and their wives or meritorious officials and their ladies, had now been turned into a courtesan competition by the father and son.
Shen Che’s hand slightly tightened around Rui Yu’s waist. “Don’t squirm, you might hurt yourself.”
Rui Yu pouted, then heard Shen Che say, “I understand. I’ll naturally cast my vote for you, and I’ll try to get others to support you as well.”
“Then I thank you in advance.” Rui Yu pursed her red lips, intending to kiss Shen Che, but saw him turn his head, causing her kiss to land on his earlobe.
Rui Yu watched with reddened eyes as Shen Che took her handkerchief to wipe his ear. She stood up abruptly and sat down on a drum stool by the side table. “If Young Master disdains a girl like me, why did you come to entice me in the first place?”
As Rui Yu spoke, tears began to fall. She felt particularly aggrieved by Shen Che’s hot and cold behavior. To say he treated her well, indeed he did. He was gentle and attentive in all aspects. When she wanted a unique piece of Su Qingci’s poetry, he obtained it for her without hesitation. When she desired a pipa made by the late Master Lin, he went to great lengths to acquire one of the only three remaining in the world for her. When some ill-mannered lout tried to force his way into her boudoir, Shen Che dealt with him severely, ensuring he never dared to show his face in the capital again. Rui Yu remembered all these things.
But to say he treated her poorly, he truly did. At most, he would only tease her verbally, perhaps touch her face, but nothing further. Rui Yu dared not speak for others, but what man could resist a woman like her? Yet Shen Che was the exception, which infuriated Rui Yu. She could have any man in the capital if she set her mind to it, but she had hit a wall with the one she wanted most. How could she not be resentful?
Shen Che looked at Rui Yu’s face, truly skillful – even when crying, she was as beautiful as a pear blossom in the rain, her rouge not smudged at all. He wondered what had come over the women of this world, seeming more eager than men, as if sharing a bed with a man could tie him down.
“You’re right, I shouldn’t have enticed you. It’s all my fault for being unable to control myself. But you know my family situation. It’s impossible to bring you into the household. If I were to keep you in a separate residence, without a proper status, it would be too unfair to you. Even if we had children, they couldn’t be entered into the family registry,” Shen Che said.
These words sounded sincere as if considering Rui Yu’s interests, but Rui Yu was no simple woman like Wang Liniang, a young widow with little experience with men. What did he mean by being unable to control himself? When had he ever lost control? “What if I’m willing to stay with you without a proper status?” Rui Yu asked, blinking her large eyes.
Shen Che replied, “With your beauty, talent, and potential, it would be a waste for you to stay with me without a proper status. Moreover, Rui Yu, you’ve never been content with a life of domestic duties. You might be able to endure such a life for three to five years, but you’d grow tired of it eventually.”
“I…” Rui Yu wanted to deny it, but Shen Che waved his hand and said, “Don’t rush to deny it.”
“I will marry and have children in the future. I might not be able to see you for three to five months at a time. Would you be willing to wait for me quietly?” Shen Che asked.
Rui Yu couldn’t answer. She had a strong personality, otherwise, she wouldn’t have achieved her current success. Being willingly neglected was impossible for her.
“But I’m already old, I can’t afford to waste any more time,” Rui Yu looked at Shen Che with a desolate expression.
Shen Che smiled, “Who dares say you’re old? You’re no different from a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. Rui Yu, you have ambition and talent. Being confined to the inner chambers shouldn’t be your destiny. It would wear away your artistic spirit and make you detestable.”
“Then what should I do?” Rui Yu wiped her tears and asked.
“If you’re willing, I can have someone escort you all the way. Didn’t you say you wanted to go to the mountains in the south to learn their local tunes? And you wanted to go to the Western Regions to learn foreign melodies. Given time, you’ll surely become a great master.”
Rui Yu chuckled, “Like Master Fang Xuan?”
Fang Xuan was truly a legend of her time. It was said that when she played the qin, she could make hundreds of birds dance. Yet the qin was just one of the many instruments she had mastered. At a young age, she had become a widely acknowledged great master. What was more legendary was that unlike most women who would eventually marry and have children, burying all their talent and potential, she left the Tingyue Lou in Jiangnan and reportedly went alone to the Western Regions to study under a master. She wanted to combine the strengths of Eastern and Western music schools, establish her school, and pursue her musical compositions.
Although few knew about the affair between Fang Xuan and Shen Che, Rui Yu happened to be one of those in the know.
“Is this what you told Master Fang Xuan when you grew tired of her, so she obediently went to the Western Regions?” Rui Yu said with a sarcastic smile.
Shen Che’s face gradually darkened. He looked into Rui Yu’s eyes and said, “I didn’t grow tired of Fang Xuan. She chose to leave me.”
Rui Yu’s face turned pale as she widened her eyes. She had always thought she was just a little short of catching up to Fang Xuan, but after hearing Shen Che’s words today, she finally understood the difference. Fang Xuan had actively given up Shen Che, while she was still begging him pitifully.
“At that time, I could have used means to keep her, but a person like her had no desire to marry and have children. I respected her decision and didn’t want to confine her to the inner chambers,” Shen Che said. “I know you have similar thoughts, which is why I said what I did earlier. If I’ve misjudged you, just pretend I never said anything.”
Fang Xuan was both Rui Yu’s goal to catch up to and her rival. She had always aimed to surpass Fang Xuan. Shen Che’s words naturally sparked Rui Yu’s competitive spirit. “I won’t lose to her.”
“I never said you would lose to her,” Shen Che replied.
“I need some time to consider,” Rui Yu said, lowering her head.
“Mm, let me know when you’ve decided,” Shen Che said.