Luo Shen’yuan remained silent for a moment before saying, “What do you want to know?” He turned around and continued, “Whatever you want to know, ask me now. I’ll tell you everything at once.”
Sun Congwan looked up. She had always been gentle and mild-mannered, but now, pushed to her limits in front of this man, her eyes seemed washed with water, revealing a determined light.
“I know you’re heartless… you’re like this with everyone. Father hoped I could marry you, but Mother always advised against it, saying that for someone so young to have no interests or hobbies, you must be overly mature and scheming. But I still liked you so much,” Sun Congwan continued. “How can a young lady be so shameless…”
She knew she should have self-respect and dignity. But in front of him, she felt utterly insignificant. Her emotions fluctuated with his every move, completely beyond her control.
“I even told Yining that if possible, I would be willing to be your concubine just to be with you…”
Hearing this, Luo Shen’yuan sighed. “You shouldn’t have told her such things.”
“I just want to ask you,” Sun Congwan ignored what he said, looking straight into his eyes. She seemed to be searching for some emotion in that impassive gaze.
“I snuck out of the house without Mother knowing, just to ask you. You never liked me, did you? You never cared for me. Last time when Yining and I went out and were intercepted by Cheng Lang, you already knew about it, didn’t you? You used me as bait, didn’t you?” She struggled to hold back tears as she raised her voice, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
She knew the truth, but still clung to a glimmer of hope that he would interrupt her, tell her he wasn’t so cold-hearted after all.
But he listened to her accusations without uttering a single word from beginning to end.
Sun Congwan finally couldn’t bear it anymore. Luo Shen’yuan’s silent acceptance of her outburst was pushing her to the brink of collapse.
At last, Luo Shen’yuan spoke: “…I’m sorry. The information had to come from you for them to believe it.”
He wanted to completely crush Sun Congwan’s hopes. It was better for her this way.
Hearing his indifferent tone, Sun Congwan was overcome with anger. She stepped in front of him, clutching his clothes and beating his chest as she cried, “You bastard! You used me to lure Cheng Lang into a trap. You never cared about me, never intended to marry me! You didn’t even care about my reputation. How could you do this to me?” She was on the verge of collapsing in front of him. “I waited for you for three years…”
Luo Shen’yuan allowed her to hit him repeatedly, his figure remaining motionless. He said, “So now you know I’m a bastard. It’s good that you don’t like me anymore.”
Upon hearing this, Sun Congwan finally snapped. She raised her hand and suddenly slapped him across the face. In the quiet of the night, the sound was particularly loud.
This was the second slap he had received!
Sun Congwan was a frail woman, but even a slap from her must have stung. Luo Shen’yuan merely wiped the corner of his mouth, seemingly unfazed. “If you’re done venting, you should go home now.”
“Luo Shen’yuan, people like you only inspire fear!” she couldn’t help but shout. “Someone as cruel-hearted as you will surely face retribution someday. Sooner or later… you’ll face retribution! When the person you love treats you the same way, when she doesn’t like you, then you’ll understand.”
He called for someone to come in and resolutely had Sun Congwan escorted out.
Luo Shen’yuan returned to his study, unable to rest yet. Letters from Pingyuan Fort, court files, and even some documents from the Ministry of Revenue were still piled on his desk. There had been sudden flooding in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and given his extensive knowledge of water conservancy, Xu Wei had assigned him to help review the situation. No one else would do these tasks if he didn’t, and he often worked late into the night. In the past, he had always completed these tasks without complaint. But now, looking at the mountain of paperwork, he felt a surge of anger. Suddenly, he swept his arm across the desk, sending documents and files crashing to the floor with a thunderous noise!
Lin Yong, who had just entered, was startled and hurried over to ask, “My lord, what’s wrong?”
He quickly began helping to clean up, along with the serving boy who was also picking up papers.
Luo Shen’yuan leaned on the desk, breathing heavily as he tried to quell his anger. He closed his eyes for a long while before regaining his composure. “…Find me the letter from the Duke of Ying’s mansion.”
No one knew why he had suddenly lost his temper.
By late August, the weather was no longer as hot as it had been earlier, though it could hardly be called cool. Yining had just met with the household manager and transplanted some flower seedlings from the greenhouse to the edge of the back courtyard, filling in the soil. She was drenched in sweat from the heat.
Songzhi came over to say that Lady Wei’s maid had sent a message inviting her and young Master Ting for lunch. Wei Yi had returned from the City Garrison.
When Yining went to the study to find Ting, he was practicing calligraphy. Because of the hot weather, Yining had ice blocks placed in the study and chilled mung bean soup for him to drink. He had already finished two large bowls of soup and was now focused on his writing. The cicadas outside were chirping incessantly. After Yining entered the room, a maid poured her a bowl of mung bean soup. She walked over to Ting’s side and saw him diligently writing: “Keeping company with fish and shrimp, befriending deer, riding a small boat, raising gourds as we go along.”
She stood beside him, admiring his work for a while before Ting noticed. He hurriedly gathered up his writing and hid it in a book. “My writing isn’t good…” he said, his face slightly red. “You’re not allowed to look!”
Yining smiled and agreed, asking a maid to help him change clothes. Concerned that she might peek, Ting kept glancing back at her. Seeing Yining simply sitting on the luohan bed drinking mung bean soup, he pouted unhappily.
Yining shook her head, thinking how difficult it was to understand Ting’s temperament.
Outside Lady Wei’s Jing’an Residence was a narrow passage with a yellow orchid tree planted in front. The yellow orchids were in full bloom at this time. Before Yining got close, she saw Wei Yi standing by the tree talking with Zhao Mingzhu. Zhao Mingzhu pointed to a yellow orchid on the tree, and Wei Yi quickly stepped forward, grasped a branch, and plucked it for her with a single leap.
He handed the yellow orchid to Zhao Mingzhu, and the two seemed to be smiling and chatting about something. Hearing movement, Wei Yi turned his head and saw Luo Yining, his lips tightening slightly.
Yining later heard from a maid that Wei Yi was good friends with Shen Yu. After learning that she had refused Shen Yu’s marriage proposal, Wei Yi had never liked her much. He had even complained privately to Lady Xu: “I don’t see anything special about her. I don’t know what Brother Shen Yu finds so memorable. An adopted daughter from who knows where – if it weren’t for Wei Ling, she’d be nothing.”
Back then, if Wei Ling hadn’t been around, no one would have dared say anything about Yining being added to the Wei family genealogy. It might have been difficult for Yining to even return to the Duke of Ying’s mansion. When Wei Ling brought his daughter back, he had already paved the way for her. Now that Wei Ling was gone, voices questioning Yining’s background could no longer be suppressed.
Lady Xu frowned, “What do you mean ‘Wei Ling’? He’s your uncle! Your father received many favors from him. He helped your father get the position of Commander in Shandong. You should show him more respect.”
Wei Yi replied dismissively, “If grandfather had been born a few years earlier, who knows whose hands the Duke of Ying’s title might be in now? Isn’t it absurd to have such a large estate managed by a 14-year-old girl?”
Although Lady Xu felt her son spoke too directly, she had to admit he had a point. How much could Luo Yining know about managing a household at her age? The Wei family had no mistress, but surely the old lady should be in charge.
Yining knew Wei Yi didn’t like her. She simply greeted him as “Cousin Wei Yi” before entering Lady Wei’s room.
Lady Wei had called Yining over to share some good news: “…I heard that today in the Southern Study when His Majesty brought up your father’s matter, he was originally planning to punish him. However, the Empress persuaded him otherwise, saying ‘We mustn’t dishearten the empire’s soldiers.’ At least your father’s title has been preserved.” A rare hint of joy showed in the old lady’s eyes. “The Empress has shown us great kindness. When I’m feeling better, I’ll take you to the palace to pay respects and thank Her Majesty.”
Yining smiled and agreed.
The Empress didn’t have much interaction with the Duke of Ying’s household, so why would she suddenly intercede on their behalf? Lu Jiaxue had connections with the Empress – it must have been he who informed her.
Lu Jiaxue was indeed clever. The Empress’s plea would be more effective than his own and wouldn’t arouse the Emperor’s suspicion.
As she sipped her tea, Yining saw Wei Jia enter with a colorful feather shuttlecock, her little face flushed. She invited Yining to play with her, asking hopefully, “Sister Yining, do you know how to kick shuttlecock?”
She didn’t know how to play the shuttlecock.
Wei Jia had been living with her father and wet nurse in Shandong and had only recently returned to the capital. Due to her accent, she hadn’t made any friends here yet. Yining didn’t have the heart to refuse her suggestion and accompanied her outside to play. Yining could barely kick it a few times, while Wei Jia was very skilled, managing all sorts of poses. But Wei Jia didn’t kick it herself; instead, she passed the shuttlecock to Yining, watching expectantly as Yining tried to kick it. Whenever Yining managed even one kick, Wei Jia would clap her hands and praise her.
Young Ting stood by, clapping and cheering along.
Yining looked at the two children somewhat helplessly as she lifted her skirt to kick the shuttlecock. One, two, three… it fell!
“Foster father!” someone suddenly called out.
Yining turned her head and was startled to find Lu Jiaxue standing silently at the courtyard entrance with a group of people behind him.
Had he been watching her play shuttlecock this whole time?
Lu Jiaxue didn’t pay much attention to her. He nodded to Zhao Mingzhu, who had called out to him and glanced at Yining. Then, guided by Mama Song, he entered the house.
He had come to visit Lady Wei, bringing gifts like ginseng and deer antlers to boost her health.
Wei Jia picked up the shuttlecock, dusted it off, and ran to Yining’s side, saying, “Sister Yining, you played so well! I’ll play with you again next time.” She hugged the shuttlecock to her chest.
Yining patted her head and followed her into the house.
Lu Jiaxue was discussing Wei Ling’s situation, trying to comfort the old lady: “…They still haven’t found his body, so nothing is certain yet.” The old lady was shaken by the news of her son and choked up for a moment.
Lady Xu led Wei Yi to pay respects to Lu Jiaxue. Wei Yi was exceptionally respectful, after all, this was the renowned Lu Jiaxue before him.
Lu Jiaxue, hearing that Wei Yi worked as a clerk in the City Garrison, gave him some advice. With his limited free time, he soon had to take his leave. Wei Yi offered to see him out, but Lu Jiaxue shook his head, saying, “No need.”
Lady Wei then said, “I can’t get up now, so let Yining see you out to the hanging flower gate… You came as a guest, this much is necessary!”
This time, Lu Jiaxue didn’t refuse.
Yining escorted him out to the hanging flower gate, neither of them speaking along the way. Thinking about how he had ultimately helped them, Yining bowed and thanked him.
After a while, Lu Jiaxue spoke calmly: “As long as he doesn’t return, this matter isn’t over. You don’t need to thank me too much.”
He hurried out through the ornate gate. In the sedan chair, he closed his eyes to rest. There was no real need for him to go personally, but he suddenly wanted to see for himself. He thought of Luo Yining kicking the shuttlecock, and his mind filled with images of that night when she knelt begging him, and his sudden loss of control… He was nearly driven mad – over a decade of restraint and waiting could drive a person insane.
He knew it was irrational; that person had long since died. He just suddenly wanted to interrogate her, perhaps only to vent his own emotions. Only after Yining left did he slowly calm down.
It would be better to see her less in the future.
The long-fulfilled desire and that heart-wrenching feeling had finally faded. Hence the rare calm.
Over at Old Lady Wei’s, after Luo Yining escorted Lu Jiaxue out, Madam Xu spoke up with some hesitation: “Old Lady, it’s your family’s business, so I shouldn’t interfere… but I’ve noticed, why is Yining making decisions in your household? She’s just a young girl without experience. Are you really at ease with this?”
Old Lady Wei sighed, leaning against her pillow: “Wei Ling hasn’t taken a wife… and my health isn’t good now. I see Yining handling things smoothly. I’ve looked over the account books she manages, and there are no issues.”
But Madam Xu pressed on: “Old Lady, you’re being far too lenient!”
That morning, while she was drinking tea in the front courtyard, she saw someone peering in from outside. Noticing her attention, the plump steward entered to pay his respects, grinning: “You must be the senior Madam. I’m Li Gui, the steward from the farm. I’ve come specially to pay my respects!”
He was carrying a duck and a basket of salted duck eggs, saying they were gifts for her.
Upon inquiring, Madam Xu learned that Steward Li had come to discuss matters concerning the farm: “…The rent was determined by the young miss, so it’s not my place to comment. But the rent for the fields was already low, and even 30% wasn’t enough to cover expenses. It’s good that the young miss is kind-hearted. But running a farm isn’t charity work. How can the young miss make such rash decisions? Even a large fortune wouldn’t be enough at this rate…”
Madam Xu found some sense in his words and took note. As for the duck and salted eggs, she naturally had him take them back; she wasn’t impressed by such trifles.
She relayed this to Old Lady Wei: “I’m not criticizing her, but she seems to lack the experience for household management.”
With just a few of them left in the mansion now, and her son’s fate uncertain, Old Lady Wei wouldn’t want to hurt her granddaughter’s feelings at this time. After some thought, she said: “Let me send someone to look into it before we decide.”
Madam Xu didn’t press further and began discussing Wei Yi’s marriage prospects with the old lady, as Wei Yi had reached the age for betrothal.
After meeting Lu Jiaxue, Yining felt somewhat restless.
Although the current emperor was considered a wise ruler, having reduced taxes and corvée labor after ascending the throne and even dredging the Grand Canal, his temper was mercurial and he favored eunuchs. If one day he had another whim… Yining had been practicing calligraphy to calm her mind, but after a while, she crumpled the paper and tossed it aside. After some consideration, she decided to write to Luo Shen Yuan. It would be better to consult an official about court matters.
Yining expected to receive his reply soon. To her surprise, he showed up in person the very next day.
It was his day off, so he wore casual attire.
“Let’s go for a walk,” he said. “It’s rare to have a free day.”
She had indeed been worn out these past days, with a heavy heart since Wei Ling’s incident. Going out for a change of scenery seemed like a good idea. Yining didn’t know where he planned to take her, but she wasn’t worried since it was her third brother escorting her.
Luo Shen Yuan paid his respects to Old Lady Wei before taking Yining out. Sitting in the carriage, Yining was lost in thought. When she looked up, she saw him pursing his lips in the dim light. He seemed to be pondering something too, remaining silent throughout the journey.
“Third Brother,” Yining suddenly called out, “What’s… going on?”
She felt Luo Shen Yuan was acting somewhat strange.
Luo Shen Yuan looked up at her, his gaze unwavering. Yining grew puzzled, and only then did he avert his eyes and say: “…The Sun family has withdrawn from the marriage arrangement.”
In truth, the two families hadn’t formally betrothed, so it couldn’t be called a withdrawal. But Madam Sun had approached Old Lady Xue, whose family had produced two Grand Secretaries, to convey the message. It was likely they wouldn’t associate in the future.
Yining had expected this day would come eventually. She wasn’t sure why Luo Shen Yuan suddenly brought this up – was he trying to comfort her…? As she was thinking of what to say, a large, cool hand reached out and ruffled her hair: “Don’t overthink it. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
…He didn’t mean anything by it?
He continued: “There are several pleasure boats below the Xiangyun Restaurant in the east of the city. It’s usually not very lively, but they’re holding a lotus appreciation event now. I’ll take you to see it.”
Xiangyun Restaurant wasn’t far from Yujing Hutong. Many pleasure boats were moored along the riverbank, connected by iron chains and backed by the blue brick walls of the restaurant. The boats’ reflections shimmered on the rippling water surface. It was indeed quite lively now, with various beautiful water lilies displayed in pots on the boats.
As soon as Yining stepped out of the carriage, she saw a few people standing there. Upon seeing Luo Shen Yuan, they bowed and said: “…My Lord, everything is prepared.” Then they led the way.
Luo Shen Yuan nodded and guided Yining down the steps.
Still wearing her cape, Yining felt a sense of novelty. Among the passersby were many young gentlemen, while the women were all coquettish and graceful, dressed in silk jackets or wearing gauze shawls. They would glance curiously at her, but always with kindness.
She rarely visited such places!
Yining hesitated upon seeing the pleasure boat, as the vessel swayed in the water and she seldom traveled by boat. As she wavered, a hand reached out to her, palm up, the middle finger noticeably longer than the others, with slight calluses on the fingertips. Just as she extended her hand, he grasped it firmly and guided her across.
The boat rocked slightly, a sensation only those unaccustomed to sailing would notice, making one’s steps feel light and unsteady. Yining had to hold onto Luo Shen Yuan’s hand as she walked behind him, still gripping it even as he was about to pull away. He smiled slightly and led her into the prepared pleasure boat.
The boat was exquisitely decorated, with a screen partition, low tables, and a wool carpet. A set of crackle-glazed teaware was arranged on one of the tables. To the side stood a long table with a paulownia wood zither, and next to it, a porcelain vase held several lotus buds.
Despite its small size, the pleasure boat was fully equipped.
Luo Shen Yuan’s guard bowed and said: “My Lord, I’ve already informed the restaurant manager. No one will disturb you. We’ll stand guard outside…”
Just as he finished speaking, a voice laughed from outside the boat: “What, am I not a person?”
Hearing this voice, Luo Shen Yuan seemed to sigh. He said to Yining: “Have a seat. I’ll go deal with him.”
Yining was curious upon hearing this. Since Luo Shen Yuan wasn’t angry, it must be someone he knew. However, the voice sounded unfamiliar; she probably hadn’t met this person before.
As Luo Shen Yuan rose to go outside, the curtain fell. Yining began arranging the teacups to prepare tea. Then she heard someone speaking outside: “Won’t you invite me in for a cup of tea?”
Luo Shen Yuan’s voice replied: “It’s not convenient. Weren’t you planning to visit our teacher today, Brother Yang?”
“Lord Luo, now you’re being stingy, not even willing to offer me a cup of tea,” the man continued. “Or are you hiding a beauty in there? I heard your family was about to arrange a betrothal for you…”
“Don’t speak nonsense. My sister is inside…”
Before he could finish, Yining saw the curtain suddenly lifted. A young man’s face appeared, and Yining calmly asked: “Are you my brother’s friend?”
Luo Shen Yuan patted the man’s shoulder and brought him in, explaining to Yining: “This is Yang Ling. We passed the imperial examinations in the same year. He’s now a Remonstrance Officer in the Ministry of Revenue.”
…So it was Yang Ling!
Yining’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this name, and she couldn’t help but look at him again. He wore a conventional Hangzhou silk robe and had a friendly smile. If there was anything distinctive about his appearance, it might be his slightly hooked nose. Was this the Yang Ling who would later be beaten to death at the palace gates?
Seeing a living person standing before her, Yining found it hard to imagine his future fate.
She invited him to sit: “Since you’re my brother’s friend, please join us for tea.”
Yang Ling waved his hand: “No need, I do have to visit our teacher soon.” He was quite polite to Yining, bowing as he said, “I apologize for any offense earlier, Miss Luo. Please forgive me.”
Yining smiled and said: “Surely you have time for one cup of tea.”
Yang Ling reluctantly sat down, feeling a bit embarrassed: “I was just teasing your brother. I didn’t expect you to be his sister. Is Miss Luo living in the capital now?”
As Yining poured him tea, she casually replied: “My surname is Wei.”
Yang Ling was taken aback by her words. So Luo Shen Yuan’s sister wasn’t his blood relative…? Being a smart man, he quickly realized the implications. There were very few prominent Wei families in the capital… and the most famous was none other than Wei Ling, the Duke of Ying!
So Luo Shen Yuan had brought the young lady from the Duke of Ying’s household – the very topic they had discussed just days ago!
Yang Ling was at a loss for words. He saw Luo Shen Yuan calmly drinking tea before saying: “The matter you wrote to me about is indeed cause for concern, but don’t be too hasty. Things will work out in due course.” Luo Shen Yuan didn’t give Yining a definitive answer and didn’t mention anything about Pingyuan Fort.
He then said to Yang Ling: “By the way, since you’re going to see our teacher, please deliver a message. I’ve already submitted the memorial about the floods in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.”
While flood issues should fall under the purview of the Ministry of Revenue or the Ministry of Works, Yang Ling, as a censorial official in the Ministry of Revenue, could still look into the matter. The two men went outside the boat to talk, leaving Yining sipping tea with no one to converse with… He had brought her out, only to go off talking with someone else?
She hadn’t yet seen the scenery outside the pleasure boat, so she asked the serving girl to open the window. It faced another pleasure boat.
Under the clear sky, the sparkling water surface suddenly fell silent. Luo Yining’s thoughts drifted back to Wei Ling’s situation. Just then, she heard the sound of a pipa. Yining snapped back to reality and saw a woman leaning against the boat’s side, playing the pipa. She gazed at the river, her slender fingers nimble and graceful. When Yining saw her face, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
The woman holding the pipa noticed her too. She stopped playing and bowed slightly: “I hope I didn’t offend the young lady.”
Yining smiled and said: “Not at all. Your rendition of ‘Changmen Yuan’ was excellent.”
“It’s just a skill I use to make a living,” the woman smiled modestly. She found herself drawn to this unfamiliar young lady, despite her apparent youth.
The woman continued: “My name is Lian Fu. If the young lady wishes to hear more music, you can find me at Shiyue Fang. I must take my leave now.” The guards outside the pleasure boat made it clear this young lady was no ordinary person. Having seen many officials and nobles, she could discern this much.
Yining nodded, watching the graceful woman depart.
As she gazed at the incense burner in the corner of the pleasure boat, she suddenly realized where she had seen that face before.
That face… bore a striking resemblance to her face from her previous life.
Yining was momentarily stunned by this realization.