“This…” The guard was hesitating when someone emerged from the residence—it was Third Madam Lin Shi. In the past, when they were in Honghua Commandery, she had taken considerable care of Yunyi. Later, when they met again, they maintained frequent contact and had a fairly good relationship. Ruyi also recognized her, and upon seeing her emerge, immediately stepped forward to perform a bow, complaining with grievance: “Third Madam, these two people are blocking the way for no reason, preventing the Princess from entering to visit Second Young Madam, and they claim it’s the Tang King’s orders.”
“I know all about it.” Saying this, Lin Shi walked to Yunyi’s side. “I was thinking of going to the market to purchase some items. Would the Princess be interested in accompanying me?”
“Alright.” Yunyi responded and walked slowly with her toward the market. After they had distanced themselves from the Tang King’s residence, Lin Shi looked at Yunyi’s profile and said: “The Princess has always been exceptionally intelligent and perceptive. Have you guessed the cause and effect of this matter?”
A trace of helplessness flashed through Yunyi’s eyes. “Is it because of the matter between me and Second Young Master?”
Lin Shi smiled with raised lips. “The Princess is indeed remarkably astute, guessing correctly at once.”
Jixiang, walking behind them, heard their conversation and interjected with confusion: “The Princess and Second Young Master’s marriage is a good thing. Why would the Tang King block the Princess from entering the residence? How strange.”
Lin Shi touched the crystal pendant beneath her ear and said coolly: “There’s nothing strange about it. The Tang King has never let go of Third Young Master’s matter, even to this day, let alone knowing that four years ago, it was Second Young Master who deliberately let the Princess escape.”
“Third Madam mentions the events of four years ago again. Why dwell on something from so long ago? Don’t Buddhists often say that letting go brings freedom?” To Jixiang’s words, Lin Shi smiled faintly. “Such words are easy to say about others, but when it falls upon oneself, seeing through it isn’t so easy.”
Yunyi gazed at the bustling crowd and said: “So the Tang King not only disagrees with this marriage, but also forbids me from ever setting foot in the Tang King’s residence again?”
“Correct.” These two words pierced like sharp needles into Yunyi’s ears, causing a sharp pain in both ears. For a moment, she seemed to lose her hearing, unable to hear any sound.
After calming her emotions slightly, she asked: “How is Second Young Master?”
“Not well.” Under Yunyi’s anxious gaze, Lin Shi said: “Since yesterday, Second Young Master has been kneeling in the study and hasn’t risen since. These father and son have both become stubborn—one insists on marrying, the other absolutely refuses to allow it. Neither is willing to yield.”
Jixiang said angrily: “The Tang King is being unreasonable. Who Second Young Master chooses to marry as his equal wife is his business. What right does he have to refuse?”
Lin Shi shook her head. “You can’t say it like that. The Tang King is, after all, Second Young Master’s father. Without parental approval and a matchmaker’s words, it wouldn’t be marriage but improper union.”
Yunyi stopped walking, her expression complex. “Is the Tang King truly so opposed?”
Lin Shi sighed lightly. “I heard that the Crown Prince and Fourth Young Master have both tried to persuade the King, but unfortunately, the King refuses to relent. To be honest, the situation doesn’t look promising.” Seeing Yunyi lower her head without speaking, she smiled and continued: “Don’t worry too much. It’s just not promising, not completely hopeless. I also hope you lovers will finally be united. This trip out of the residence is for the sake of you two.”
“Thank you, Third Madam.” Yunyi didn’t think deeply about her latter statement. After walking silently for a while, she suddenly said: “Could Third Madam convey a message to Second Young Master for me?”
“Naturally.” After receiving Lin Shi’s agreement, Yunyi bit her lip and said softly: “If the Tang King truly refuses to relent, this matter… let it be.”
Her words greatly surprised Lin Shi, who stared at her and said: “Don’t you care deeply for Second Young Master? I heard that on the journey back from Jiangdu, you even risked your life to save Second Young Master. Why are you so quick to give up now?”
Yunyi smiled bitterly. “Precisely because I care for him, I don’t want to see him caught between me and the Tang King, torn in both directions. Actually, being able to meet him again and knowing that he holds me in his heart, I’m already very satisfied. Whether we marry or not… doesn’t matter.” Though she spoke thus, the sadness unconsciously showing in her eyes revealed that she wasn’t as resigned as her words suggested.
“Princess.” Ruyi said with heartache: “You haven’t done anything wrong. It’s the Tang King who is obstinate. Why must you wrong yourself so?”
Jixiang interjected: “Exactly! If worst comes to worst, we can ask His Majesty to speak with the Tang King. After all, he’s still a subject. Could he truly refuse to give His Majesty any face?”
“In fact, I did do wrong things in the past. I can’t blame the Tang King.” Saying this, she curtsied to Lin Shi. “I trouble Third Madam.”
Lin Shi shook her head. “You two are truly interesting. One kneels persistently in the study, refusing to rise, determined to preserve this marriage, while the other would rather endure separation and the pain of longing than see him in difficulty.”
Seeing Yunyi still maintaining her curtsy, she helped her up. “Alright, if there’s truly no solution, I’ll naturally convey your words to Second Young Master.” Saying this, she led Yunyi forward, all the way to the tile market. The so-called tile market, also called tile quarters or tile districts, gathered people from all walks of life—opera singers, storytellers, acrobats, magicians, medicine sellers—all kinds were there, making it extremely lively.
When Yunyi was in Jiangdu, she had visited several tile markets there. Later, when Yang Guang ignored the people’s suffering, turning Jiangdu into a living hell, the people there fled if they could, and those with nowhere to go endured hunger and cold at home. Naturally, these tile markets became deserted.
Lin Shi didn’t look elsewhere, focusing only on a theater shed where two men, one playing male and one playing female roles, were performing the story of “The Ballad of the Swaying Lady.”
This was a repertoire that had emerged in the past two years, telling of a man from Henei who was ugly and addicted to alcohol. Every time he returned home drunk, he would beat his wife, causing his beautiful, singing wife unbearable suffering. Because the wife would sway her body whenever she lamented sadly, she was called “The Swaying Lady.”
This “Ballad of the Swaying Lady” was performed in song and dance form, extremely novel. Each performance drew many spectators, and this time was no exception. The area in front of the shed was packed with people, very lively.
The man playing the Swaying Lady, though male, portrayed the woman’s tenderness and sorrow remarkably well. When the performance ended, Lin Shi called over her attendant Ji Chun and said: “Bring them back to the Tang King’s residence. I’ll pay double the usual fee.”
Ji Chun asked in surprise: “What for?”
“Don’t ask too many questions. Just do as I say.” Seeing Lin Shi speak thus, Ji Chun could only suppress her curiosity and leave. When Ji Chun returned saying she had arranged with the troupe and they would come to the Tang King’s residence after packing up, Lin Shi left the tile market and headed back the way they came, clearly preparing to return to the Tang King’s residence.
Yunyi noticed that throughout this journey, she hadn’t bought anything, and asked in confusion: “Didn’t Third Madam say she wanted to purchase some items? Why didn’t I see you buy anything? Are you dissatisfied with everything?”
Lin Shi smiled. “Haven’t I already procured everything I needed?”