As the doors of the palace hall closed, silence fell so thick you could hear a pin drop.
Ming Tan, momentarily dazed, wondered if she had misheard. Though Prince Bei of the North held great power and the Emperor’s favor, Lady Gu Jiurou was still the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Cheng’en. Such brazen disrespect seemed unthinkable.
Yet as moments passed, the two people with the authority to rebuke him remained silent. While Empress Zhang’s reticence was understandable, given how Gu Jiurou’s elder sister, Noble Consort Yu, had often caused trouble in the palace, Emperor Chengkang’s lack of response was puzzling. He, who usually showered affection on Noble Consort Yu, didn’t even attempt to smooth things over. Instead, he simply sipped his wine, as if the matter didn’t concern him at all.
When the black-robed figure finally left, the hall remained hushed. Even the palace servants only bowed in farewell, none daring to intervene.
No one had anticipated the royal banquet would end so abruptly. As the guests departed, dusk was just settling over the imperial streets, lanterns beginning to flicker to life.
As Ming Tan prepared to board her carriage, a familiar voice called out, “Ah Tan!”
Turning, she smiled at the sight of her cousin. Bai Minmin had rushed forward but found herself momentarily stunned by Ming Tan’s casual glance back. Against the backdrop of newly lit lanterns, Ming Tan’s beauty seemed to outshine even the gentle glow around her.
Bai Minmin, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Chang’guo and Ming Tan’s cousin, had been close to her since childhood. Unable to meet during the banquet due to their families’ different seating arrangements, she eagerly sought out Ming Tan afterward.
Warmly grasping Ming Tan’s hand, Bai Minmin greeted Madam Pei respectfully before getting straight to the point. “Aunt, I’ve reserved a riverside pavilion at the Listening Rain Tower for the Lantern Festival tonight. May I borrow Ah Tan for a few hours to enjoy the sights?”
Madam Pei, pleased by Bai Minmin’s politeness, readily agreed. She arranged for escorts and gave detailed instructions to Lüe, Ming Tan’s maid, to take good care of her mistress.
As Bai Minmin led Ming Tan away, Madam Pei turned to Shen Hua, tactfully avoiding any mention of including her in the outing. Shen Hua, feeling deliberately ignored, struggled to maintain her composure as Madam Pei chatted about the festival dumplings prepared at home.
On their way to the Listening Rain Tower, Bai Minmin briefly praised Madam Pei’s social grace before launching into complaints about her new sister-in-law’s strict household rules. Ming Tan, eager to discuss more pressing matters, patiently waited until they reached their destination, knowing the crowded streets were not ideal for serious conversation.
The Listening Rain Tower, famous for its exquisite tea and riverside views, was a favorite among the capital’s literati. Its prime location made it the perfect spot for viewing the Lantern Festival’s grand fireworks display and the “night of dancing fish and dragons” along the Xian River. Securing a riverside seat for the festival required months of booking, even for the most influential patrons.
As they were led to their third-floor pavilion, Ming Tan noticed four men already seated in the central alcove next door. The one nearest the door wore exceptionally fine clothes, but what truly caught her eye was the white jade pendant at his waist, engraved with the character “Zhang.”
In the capital, everyone knew that such a jade could only belong to Zhang Huaiyu, the Empress’s brother.
Zhang Huaiyu lounged casually at the table, toying with a wine cup. He turned to the man in black beside him and quipped, “Your Highness, the commotion at the palace banquet in Changming Hall was quite something. That young lady’s misplaced affections led to her tearful exit from the palace, or so I’ve heard.”
The man in black didn’t even raise an eyelid. Instead, Lu Ting, sitting across from him, asked in a deep voice, “Was it Gu Jinzhong’s daughter?”
Gu Jinzhong was the given name of the Marquis of Cheng’en.
Zhang Huaiyu raised an eyebrow and nodded.
A flash of severity crossed Lu Ting’s eyes. “She’ll have more reasons to cry soon enough,” he said, then drained his wine cup in one gulp.
In contrast to Zhang Huaiyu’s flamboyance and Lu Ting’s ruthlessness, Shu Jingran, dressed in moon-white brocade adorned with cloud patterns, exuded the refined air of a graceful young gentleman.
Shu Jingran twirled his jade ring and shook his head with a smile. “While losing face is a minor issue, this incident will undoubtedly spread the rumor of the Prince of Beiding’s arrogance and disrespect for others throughout the city by tomorrow. Finding a good marriage prospect among the young ladies of the capital might prove challenging after this…”
Before he could finish, a faint creaking sound came from outside, followed by a servant’s muffled voice: “This way, young ladies.”
It seemed guests had arrived in the adjacent room.
Shu Jingran stopped mid-sentence, and the others fell silent in unspoken agreement.
“Tan, come sit down. I’ve already ordered the tea and snacks you like. Now, where was I?” Bai Minmin was quite the chatterbox, talking non-stop about her family troubles at the palace banquet at Yong Garden.
“The banquet, yes, the banquet. Your maid sure has a loose tongue. How could Shen Hua possibly be a match for the Prince of Beiding’s household? Her brother Shen Yu may be favored by the Prince, but that doesn’t mean he’d marry his subordinate’s sister. Besides, even Gu Jiurou was publicly humiliated. Speaking of which, Gu Jiurou was quite daring. With the Emperor and Empress present, she not only confessed her admiration but also offered to perform. What was she thinking?”
“Gu Jiurou’s actions were indeed bold, but that Prince of Beiding was downright rude and arrogant,” Ming Tan replied, relaxed in Bai Minmin’s company and with Lü’e standing guard outside. She rested her chin on her hand and criticized without restraint, “He’s nothing but an uncouth brute. I don’t see him as a good person at all.”
Zhang Huaiyu: “…”
Lu Ting: “…”
Shu Jingran: “…”
The “uncouth brute” himself paused unconsciously.
Oblivious, Ming Tan elegantly sipped her tea before remembering the main issue. “By the way, have you found out about your father’s plans these past two days?”
Bai Minmin had felt she’d forgotten something important, and Ming Tan’s question jolted her memory. “Oh, right. You saw how my father was that day, ready to storm the Marquis’s manor with a kitchen knife. But after Mr. Zhou’s advice, he’s been surprisingly calm these past few days. I reckon he’s waiting for your father to return to the capital before discussing further plans.”
Ming Tan frowned at this news.
She had learned of her fiancé’s sordid affairs during a recent visit to the Chang Marquis’s manor to pay respects to her great-grandmother. Bai Minmin had dragged her to the study to search for novels.
They had found the books and were about to sneak out when her uncle, Bai Xingyuan, entered with his advisor, Mr. Zhou. Bai Xingyuan immediately flew into a rage, smashing an inkstone and cursing the Ling Marquis’s entire lineage, leaving the girls no choice but to eavesdrop.
“To have an affair with his cousin and father a child before even marrying his betrothed – only the Liang family could stoop so low! That little bastard thinks he’s untouchable now that he’s related to royalty. If this engagement hadn’t been arranged so early, their pathetic family wouldn’t be worthy of Tan in a million years! Does he think the Jing’an Marquis’s family or the Chang Marquis’s family no longer exist? This is outrageous!”
Ming Tan and Bai Minmin were stunned, frozen in place for a long moment.
By the time they recovered, Bai Xingyuan and Mr. Zhou had swept out of the study like a gust of wind.
Upon realizing the situation, Bai Minmin wanted to confront her father and demand justice for Ming Tan from the Ling Marquis’s family immediately.
However, as Mr. Zhou had advised, making a big fuss about such an unsavory matter would benefit neither party. Moreover, Ming Tan’s father was already on his way back to the capital for an official report. It would be presumptuous for her uncle’s family to intervene prematurely.
Now that she remembered, Bai Minmin felt indignant all over again.
She angrily ate three pieces of pastry, cursed the Ling Marquis’s family just like her father had, then slapped the table and vowed to Ming Tan, “This is entirely the Liang family’s fault. How can someone of such poor character be a suitable match for you? Don’t worry, Tan. With my father’s help, we’ll break off this engagement!”
“I know he’s unworthy, but breaking the engagement…”
Ming Tan trailed off, but Bai Minmin and those in the adjacent room understood. In their society, women bore the brunt of criticism, and breaking an engagement would inevitably tarnish the woman’s reputation, regardless of the reason.
Ming Tan paused, then suddenly leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. She asked tentatively, “Minmin if the engagement is broken… how should I act to appear more virtuous and resolute?”
“…?”
“Virtuous and resolute?”
Bai Minmin set down her pastry and thought carefully. “I remember when the Li family’s fifth daughter had her engagement canceled, she went to her fiancé’s house and cut off her hair to show her determination. When the Fang family’s third daughter from the east side of town, learned her fiancé had redeemed a courtesan and taken her in as a concubine due to pregnancy before their wedding, she hanged herself with a white silk cord from a roof beam.”
“…?”
“Perhaps that level of resolve isn’t necessary.”