In the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion in the capital, the night candles were burning brightly.
Cheng Lang sat in the front hall, sipping tea and gazing at a blooming privet tree outside. The summer night’s tiny flowers clustered densely on its branches, hidden beneath the green leaves yet exuding an extraordinary fragrance.
When he was young, Yining would take him to the front hall to pick privet flowers. She’d have him hold them in clean, fine gauze to dry, later making them into sachets for placing beside pillows to calm the mind. She wore a plain cyan-colored long vest and a simple white jade bracelet that dangled loosely on her slender wrist. To his childish eyes, those were the most beautiful hands in the world, and the privet’s scent was the most pleasant.
Now, seven years after her death, that privet tree had grown thick and strong.
Cheng Lang was lost in thought until a guard knelt outside the front hall, calling, “Young Master.”
Snapping back to reality, Cheng Lang stood and walked over, asking, “What is it?”
The guard pulled a letter from his sleeve and handed it to him. Cheng Lang opened it, read its contents, and gave a cold laugh.
“We’ve caught him,” he said, folding the letter. “Daoyan is Fourth Uncle’s honored guest. Treat him courteously. Prepare a small Buddhist shrine for him. Let him chant sutras all day, as long as he doesn’t try to escape.”
The guard acknowledged the order, then hesitated before adding, “Young Master, this year’s top scholar in North Zhili has been announced… It’s Luo Shenyuan, the third son of the Luo family from Baoding.”
Cheng Lang had been too busy with social affairs since returning from Baoding to pay attention to Luo Shenyuan.
“He’s no ordinary person,” Cheng Lang said with a slight smile. “We might serve in court together someday. Let’s wait and see.”
He pocketed the letter and headed towards the Cheng family’s rear courtyard.
Years ago, when Elder Uncle Lu Jiaran was still alive, the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion was full of laughter and chatter. After Fourth Uncle became the Marquis and Lu Commander and killed Elder Uncle, the entire mansion changed. Though the Second and Third Uncles weren’t implicated, they trembled with fear whenever they saw the Fourth Uncle, eventually moving to the front courtyard voluntarily. The rear courtyard became sparsely populated.
Cheng Lang approached the study, noticing the well-trained maids standing outside, moving silently without uttering a word.
After being announced, he entered to find Lu Jiaxue standing behind a long table, speaking with a subordinate.
He called out “Uncle” and sat nearby, waiting for Lu Jiaxue to finish.
At twenty-seven, Lu Jiaxue was handsome with a gentle demeanor. Tall and broad-shouldered, he wore a black crane-patterned robe. Those unfamiliar with him might think him kind-natured, but he was cold and ruthless. He never hesitated when killing Lu Jiaran or leading troops on the battlefield.
Cheng Lang could never forget the scene of Lu Jiaxue entering with a blood-dripping sword, his expression indifferent.
After finishing his conversation, Lu Jiaxue took a sip of tea and asked, “What brings you here?”
Cheng Lang respectfully presented the letter for him to read.
Lu Jiaxue opened it, read without comment, and then began writing steadily. After folding the paper, he said, “Give this letter to Daoyan. He’ll understand once he reads it. Don’t concern yourself with anything else.”
Cheng Lang acknowledged, and Lu Jiaxue took another sip of tea before slowly saying, “I hear you’ve been discussing marriage with the Dou family’s eldest daughter?”
Cheng Lang lowered his head, smiling slightly. “Just rumors, Uncle. Don’t worry about it.”
Lu Jiaxue’s expression remained unchanged as he glanced at Cheng Lang. Having lived over a decade longer, he could see through Cheng Lang’s thoughts as if they were laid bare before him. Though a military man, he understood the intricacies of scholars’ minds perhaps better than they did themselves. Without exposing Cheng Lang, he shifted his gaze and said indifferently, “Minister Dou has always doted on his eldest granddaughter. Don’t go too far.”
A bit of flirtation was fine; he didn’t mind that.
Cheng Lang agreed, and Lu Jiaxue waved his hand. “Alright, you may go.”
Cheng Lang left Lu Jiaxue’s study with a casual smile. Despite his renown in North Zhili and calling Lu Jiaxue “Uncle,” in Lu Jiaxue’s eyes, he was merely a pawn.
Walking along the corridor, Cheng Lang encountered several maids carrying food boxes. They curtsied, addressing him as “Young Master.”
Cheng Lang nodded, asking, “Are you delivering food to the Marquis? I haven’t seen you before.”
One maid replied, “We’re from the Western Garden, so we don’t often come out. No wonder Young Master doesn’t recognize us.”
Western Garden… Cheng Lang’s expression darkened. How could he forget about the Western Garden in the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion?
Xie Min resided there.
Once the talented and beautiful wife of the heir apparent who captivated the capital, Xie Min was now a middle-aged woman abandoned in a desolate courtyard. After Lu Jiaxue killed her husband Lu Jiaran, he spared her life to show he wasn’t completely merciless, moving her to the Western Garden. Though alive, her existence for years had been little different from death.
Sometimes Cheng Lang wondered who suffered more: her or Luo Yining.
Luo Yining died young, never having enjoyed happiness, killed by others. After her death, her husband rose to power, becoming the formidable Commander Lu. Xie Min, accused of causing Luo Yining’s death, had been confined in the Western Garden for years.
Looking at the food boxes in the maids’ hands, Cheng Lang smiled and said softly, “Please tell her… to make sure she stays alive.”
He glanced at Lu Jiaxue’s study before leaving the rear courtyard.
By late September, autumn’s crisp air was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus flowers.
Xuezhi was directing maids to replace the Xiang Fei bamboo curtains with Hangzhou silk ones. Yining leaned against the window frame, eating pear slices mixed with osmanthus sugar syrup while reciting the Book of Songs.
After Luo Shenyuan became the top scholar, visitors to the family became constant. Luo Chengzhang received guests with his eldest son from a concubine, initially worried about his nervousness. To his surprise, Luo Shenyuan remained calm and articulate. Reassured, he told the family steward that future matters, big or small, could be directed to the third young master without consulting him.
As the eldest son of a concubine, Luo Shenyuan had to shoulder the responsibilities of the second branch.
Consequently, Luo Shenyuan became even busier, sometimes not seen for days. The last time Yining saw him, he was surrounded by stewards, disappearing in the distance, rarely returning even to his residence at Feng Xie Tang.
Yining grew increasingly bored, often accompanying Old Madam Luo to watch Mama Zheng’s acupuncture sessions. Sometimes Luo Yixiu would take her to pick osmanthus flowers on the back mountain to make sugar syrup.
As Luo Shenyuan’s status rose, Lin Hairu’s position in the family also improved. Luo Chengzhang showed her more respect, and even Madam Chen began speaking to her. Various ladies took turns inviting her to watch opera performances. Madam Gao alone had invited Lin Hairu three or four times.
Lin Hairu finally integrated into the circle of Baoding’s elite ladies. In five years of marriage, she hadn’t succeeded, but Luo Shenyuan’s achievement as a top scholar brought her an enthusiastic pursuit. Previously, only Madam Chen was invited; now Lin Hairu had a social life. Yining was genuinely happy for her.
Lin Hairu occasionally took her to watch operas. Upon learning she was Luo Shenyuan’s sister, the ladies and young misses showered her with melon seeds and pastries, along with compliments about her intelligence, cuteness, and sensibility.
Once, the Provincial Governor’s wife pulled Lin Hairu aside, saying, “…I have a niece in Xuzhou, pretty and skilled in needlework. Her grandfather is the Xuzhou Prefect. If you’re interested, we could have a Taoist priest match their birth charts.”
Yining, mouth full of chestnut cake, nearly choked upon hearing this. The Governor’s wife had an official title; was there a need to be so hasty?
Lin Hairu, overwhelmed by the warm reception, felt awkward. Everyone assumed she had a say in Luo Shenyuan’s affairs, but she had no control. She could only say, “That depends on Shenyuan’s wishes. I don’t understand these matters.”
The Governor’s wife was even more pleased, saying, “Quite right! Young people should decide for themselves. I’ll write to my sister immediately to ask my niece’s opinion…”
Seeing Lin Hairu getting entangled again, Yining quickly interjected with a smile, “Grandmother said Third Brother needs to study for a few more years!” As a child, she could speak without fear of offense.
After a few such occasions, Yining grew tired and didn’t want to go anymore. Lin Hairu also lost interest, having seen each popular Baoding opera at least three times. Moreover, people weren’t there for the opera; they were there to see her.
Yining had asked Old Madam Luo’s opinion: “Third Brother is often being matched for marriage lately. Which do you think is good?”
The old lady raised an eyebrow and lazily asked, “Which do you think is good?”
Naturally, Yining felt no woman was worthy of Luo Shenyuan, but she randomly picked one: “I think the young miss from the neighboring Gao family is not bad.”
Old Madam Luo laughed and retorted, “A few durian pastries bought you over, and now you’re willing to sell off your third brother?”
Yining was both amused and exasperated; that wasn’t her intention at all!
The old lady continued, “I’m not in a hurry about his affairs, nor will I interfere. When he becomes a jinshi in the future, there will be an endless stream of suitors.”
Seeing that the old lady had no such plans, Yining finally relaxed, relieved she wouldn’t have to attend more opera performances.
Lin Hairu subtly spread this news, and invitations to gatherings decreased significantly.
As autumn arrived, Yining, who disliked heat, felt more at ease in the cooler weather. She turned a page in the Book of Songs and continued reading, popping another piece of pear into her mouth.
Just then, a maid entered to announce that the Third Young Master had come to see her.
Yining sat up straight, surprised. Wasn’t he supposed to be at the shop in Tongzhou? Why had he returned at this time?
As Luo Shenyuan entered, he noticed a small maid had already prepared a plate of sliced pears for him. He glanced at it briefly before handing something to Yining. “I brought this back for you from Tongzhou.”
It was a newly made osmanthus and fuling cake.
Yining’s stomach had been upset by the various pastries at recent banquets, and she likely wouldn’t enjoy them again soon. Of course, she didn’t dare say anything and put it in a box. Tugging at his arm as he was about to drink tea, she asked with a smile, “Third Brother, was Tongzhou fun?”
In both her lives, she had never been to this place. She’d heard it was adjacent to the capital and a hub of the Grand Canal, very prosperous.
Luo Shenyuan looked up, slowly covering his teacup. “It was quite nice. However, I heard that you were willing to sell me off for a few pastries, so I specially brought some back for you.”