On an evening in early February, Yunyi returned from washing clothes and saw Jiang Caiping sitting before the bronze mirror, holding a pink camellia flower to her temple. Seeing her enter, she quickly said, “Sister, look, is it good if I wear it here? But I feel it’s a bit low, like it might fall off at any moment.”
Yunyi walked over, took the camellia from her hand, and placed it on the left side of her hair bun. “There, isn’t that better? But haven’t you always disliked wearing these hairpins and flowers?”
“I didn’t like them before, but now I think they look quite nice when worn.” Saying this, Jiang Caiping looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, “Sister still knows how to place it best. I tried for so long just now but it never looked right.” With that, she stood up and lifted her skirt to go outside. Yunyi asked in surprise, “Where are you going so late?”
Jiang Caiping replied casually, “When Third Young Master came yesterday, he told me to go to Yuehua Pond to find him at this time tonight, saying there were interesting things to see.”
Watching her hurried departure, Yunyi’s eyes showed worry. Caiping and Li Xuanba’s interactions seemed increasingly frequent, and over these days, Caiping no longer resisted Li Xuanba as before, even… there was a hint of joy.
Since Moping’s death, no one had been closer to her than Jiang Caiping. She truly liked the latter’s innocent and straightforward nature, treating her like a real sister. It was precisely because of this that she was so worried.
Not to mention the difference in status between Jiang Caiping and Li Xuanba, just considering the Li family’s current situation – though it appeared prosperous and peaceful on the surface, it was actually fraught with crisis. The Emperor was extremely suspicious and wary of Li Yuan. If not for the unstable situations in Hedong and Guandong, fearing that ordering Li Yuan’s family’s execution would trigger greater unrest, making him hesitant, the Li family would have already met their doom. But tolerance had limits. Even if she didn’t kill Li Yuan and his sons, the Emperor would eventually have them executed.
She knew her father’s temperament well – either he wouldn’t act, or he would act decisively. Once he decided Li Yuan must die, he would never leave a single member of the Li family alive, even those with different surnames.
If Jiang Caiping hadn’t married into the Li family by then, it would be fine. Otherwise… it would be certain death, and even she couldn’t save her!
Jiang Caiping didn’t return until the second watch. As soon as she entered, she said with dancing eyebrows, “Sister, guess what I saw at Yuehua Pond just now?” Without waiting for Yunyi to speak, she eagerly revealed the answer, “Lotus flowers! So many lotus flowers!”
“Lotus flowers?” Yunyi frowned, “Lotus flowers don’t bloom until at least the fourth or fifth month. How could there be any at this time?”
“I was startled too, but then I discovered they weren’t real lotus flowers, but lotus flower lanterns floating on the water. At first glance, it was truly beautiful, as if summer had suddenly arrived with flowers in full bloom!” Speaking of this, Jiang Caiping’s eyes were filled with fascination, and it took her a long while to come back to her senses.
Yunyi said lightly, “Third Young Master specially called you over just to see these lotus lanterns?”
Jiang Caiping wrinkled her nose, “It wasn’t that simple. He was drinking there but had me dance the new Hu Xuan dance I’ve been learning recently for entertainment. However…” She bit her lip and smiled, whispering, “Third Young Master praised my dancing for the first time, saying it was beautiful.”
Yunyi pulled her over to sit down, her expression serious, “Caiping, sister is going to ask you something, and you must answer honestly. You mustn’t lie!”
Seeing her like this, Jiang Caiping asked puzzledly, “Sister, what’s wrong with you?”
“Promise me first.” Seeing her say this, Jiang Caiping nodded obediently, “I promise sister, I definitely won’t lie.”
“Have you fallen for Third Young Master?” When these words came from Yunyi’s mouth, Jiang Caiping was startled and quickly broke free from her grasp, standing up, “Sister, what are you talking about? I… how could I like Third Young Master!” Though she said this, her face immediately flushed red like fire.
Yunyi stared at her, “If you truly don’t, why are you blushing?”
Jiang Caiping covered her burning cheeks tightly and turned away, “Sister suddenly asking such embarrassing questions, of course I’ll blush. What’s… what’s so strange about that?”
Yunyi sighed, “If you truly had no feelings for Third Young Master, you wouldn’t be so animated when talking about him, and you wouldn’t smile so joyfully. Caiping, I’ve known you for so long, and I’ve never seen you smile like that.”
“That’s not true, I… I’ve always been like this. Third Young Master always teases me, and I’m too busy being angry and annoyed with him to…” Before Jiang Caiping could finish, Yunyi had already pulled her to sit before the bronze mirror, pointing at her reflection, “Look at yourself – your eyebrows, your eyes, which part shows anger or annoyance? And also…” She removed the pink camellia from Jiang Caiping’s hair, “You’ve never liked wearing these things, but now before seeing Third Young Master, you specially picked this to wear. Isn’t that because you like him?”
Jiang Caiping was flustered by her words. Actually, she knew in her heart that at some point, she had stopped disliking encounters with Li Xuanba. Though he always deliberately annoyed her, he also often made her happy and unconsciously remembered things she had said, just like tonight’s lotus lanterns floating all over Yuehua Pond. It started from just a casual remark she had made, saying she hoped summer would come sooner so she could see the beautiful sight of lotus flowers blooming all over the pond.
Just as they were parting tonight, Li Xuanba had suddenly grasped her hand, making her heart race like a startled deer. She knew it was love, but she had always thought it was her own little secret. She hadn’t expected Yunyi to expose it so suddenly, leaving her not knowing how to compose herself.
Jiang Caiping snatched the camellia from Yunyi’s hand, walked to one side, and lowered her head, “Even if… even if I really do like Third Young Master, so what? Is that not allowed?”
Yunyi sighed, “It’s not that it’s not allowed, but… it’s not suitable. You’ve always said Second Young Master treats me well, but I’ve never fantasized about marrying him. Why? Not because Second Young Master isn’t good – quite the opposite, he’s heroic and extraordinary, gentle in temperament, and from a noble family, as good as can be. But because he’s too good, so good that… even if I gave everything I had, I still couldn’t reach him.”
She walked over and gently held Caiping’s slightly trembling shoulders, saying softly, “Caiping, you’re my dearest sister. I hope you’ll find a good match and be happy forever. But Third Young Master… he’s the Governor’s son. Do you think he would marry you as his primary wife? Even if he were willing, would the Governor and Second Madam allow a commoner girl to become their daughter-in-law?”
Jiang Caiping looked down at the camellia that she had crumpled beyond recognition. After a long while, she bit her lip and said softly, “Then I… I could choose not to be the primary wife.”