Days passed neither too quickly nor too slowly until the eighth day of the second month arrived. Marquis Jing’an, Ming Tingyuan, returned to Beijing after completing his term as the military governor of Yangxi.
Having wielded significant military and political power, Ming Tingyuan’s tenure was marked by outstanding achievements. His return to the capital for a performance review could potentially trigger changes among high-ranking officials, drawing covert attention from many.
Emperor Chengkang issued an oral edict, commanding the Marquis to present himself at court immediately upon entering the city. Once inside Beijing, Ming Tingyuan split from his family and servants. One group headed directly to Qixuan Gate, while the other made their way to the Jing’an Marquis Manor on South Que Street.
Learning that the Marquis had gone straight to the palace without stopping at home, the manor staff relaxed their preparations. After all, there was no custom for grandly welcoming a concubine and her daughter back to the household.
When Concubine Liu and Ming Chu alighted from their carriage, only Zhang Mama, Lady Pei’s maid, along with a few servant girls, waited at the side entrance.
Perhaps due to her favored status, Concubine Liu’s beauty remained unchanged despite spending five years in the harsh border region of Yangxi. She seemed to have gained an extra radiance.
The Third Young Lady, Ming Chu, was barely recognizable. When she left Beijing, she was only eleven or twelve. Now, five years later, her features had matured, and her demeanor had dramatically changed. Dressed in bright red, she exuded a spirited aura, embodying the fierce charm of a general’s daughter.
“You expect my mother and me to enter through the side door?” Ming Chu frowned, clearly dissatisfied with Zhang Mama’s arrangement.
In Yangxi, she had been treated as the cherished daughter of the governor wherever she went. However, this complaint was unreasonable. This was the capital, and the main gate couldn’t be casually opened. Even Lady Pei used the side entrance daily. Of course, had they returned with the Marquis, they could have enjoyed the privilege of entering through the main gate.
As Zhang Mama prepared to explain, Concubine Liu stepped forward and grasped Ming Chu’s hand, squeezing it gently but firmly.
Recalling her mother’s reminders during their journey back to Beijing, Ming Chu hesitated, then decided to swallow her pride for now. She brushed past Zhang Mama with a scowl and strode through the side entrance.
Meanwhile, in Zhaoshui Courtyard, Ming Tan was amid a furious outburst.
She slammed a letter onto the table, then swept the exquisite and expensive teacups and teapot onto the floor in a fit of rage.
The sharp sound of shattering porcelain filled the air as she rose abruptly, pacing the room while muttering, “Despicable! Utterly despicable! I thought this family was merely ill-mannered and shameless, but I’ve underestimated them. To think they would scheme against me!”
Her voice trembled with anger. Her clenched fists turned white at the knuckles, with faint blue veins visible on the back of her hands.
Suxin and Lüe were terrified, especially since they had no idea what had happened.
Just days ago, their young mistress had been full of spirit and determination, intent on outshining the returning Third Young Lady with her grand attire. This morning, she had even specially requested dew-laden flowers to mix with her jade-infused powder for a face mask, claiming it would leave her skin exceptionally smooth and radiant.
But right after breakfast, a maid from the Bai household delivered a letter. The message said that Bai Minmin had wanted to inform Ming Tan in person about the letter’s contents, but considering it was a day of family reunion for the Marquis’ household, she thought it inappropriate to visit and sent the letter instead.
Whatever the letter contained had driven their usually composed young mistress into such a frenzy. It was a stark contrast to her oft-repeated maxim that “a well-bred lady should never lose her composure, no matter the circumstances. Shouting and breaking things is no different from the behavior of a mad woman in the streets.”
Even when she lost the title of “Flower Mistress” to Princess Fengzhao at the Chrysanthemum Banquet two years ago, she had only smashed a single porcelain cup against a daybed, careful not to cause any real damage.
But this time, breaking teacups and teapots wasn’t enough. After pacing the room several times, she suddenly rushed out, clutching the letter.
Seeing this, even the usually calm Suxin panicked and hurried after her, calling out, “Young Miss, where are you going? The Third Young Lady and the Concubine have already arrived, and you haven’t put on your new hairpin yet!”
Ming Tan halted in her tracks.
Oh, right. The hairpin.
And those two women.
She turned back, walked into the inner chamber, and sat down at her dressing table, her face expressionless.
Suxin gently nudged Lüe, who stuttered for a moment before finding her voice. “Young… Young Miss, please don’t be angry. Anger doesn’t suit you… Not that you’re not beautiful when angry, Young Miss is always beautiful, but when you smile, you’re even more… even more breathtaking and captivating!”
Whether it was Lüe’s flattery or the sight of her face that calmed her, Ming Tan seemed to cool down as she sat.
Her father was at the palace for an audience, so rushing out now would be pointless and only invite ridicule. Besides, she couldn’t just confront him about breaking off the engagement as soon as he returned. After five years apart, who knew what tales Ming Chu and Concubine Liu had spun? If he misunderstood and thought she was being disrespectful, causing the Ling Guo Gong family to look down on her, it would only make matters worse.
Moreover, she wasn’t entirely confident that her father, who had been kind to her in her memories but not as doting as her uncle was to Bai Minmin, would be willing to offend the Ling Guo Gong family for her sake.
She picked up the newly made silver crescent moon tassel hairpin from the table, examined it for a moment, and then suddenly instructed, “Suxin, fetch a plain handkerchief and soak it in garlic juice.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“One more thing, come here.”
She motioned for Suxin to come closer, returned the letter from the Bai household to its envelope, and handed it to her, whispering a few instructions in her ear.
Suxin, always discreet, simply accepted the task without asking questions and withdrew with a bow.
Ming Tan sighed, then instructed Lüe, “Redo my makeup and change my clothes. Nothing too extravagant.”
She had been so focused on outshining Ming Chu that she’d nearly forgotten the more important matter of meeting her father.
Under her meticulous guidance and repeated critiques, Lüe finally dressed her in a style that was graceful and refined, with a hint of fragile charm.
She examined herself in the full-length bronze mirror for a while, then nodded with satisfaction. “Let’s go to Lanxin Courtyard.”
Lanxin Courtyard was Lady Pei’s residence. To get there from the Zhaoshui Courtyard, one had to pass through corridors, around walls, and across the eastern garden.
As they walked along the covered corridor, they heard a commotion coming from the eastern garden just ahead.
“Oh… she’s the granddaughter of the Old Madam’s half-brother from her maiden family. The Old Madam passed away so long ago, and this connection is quite distant. If I remember correctly, the Old Madam’s maiden family used to be a marquis household, but they’ve been demoted so many times they can’t go any lower. We haven’t had contact with them for years. I thought she was a proper relative,” Ming Chu mocked.
Shen Hua exclaimed, “Third Sister, you-!”
“What about me? Cousin, I’m only calling you that out of respect for the late Old Madam. Don’t think you’re not an outsider. My mother and I have just returned, and we find you reciting maudlin poetry in this garden. Aren’t you deliberately trying to upset us? In my opinion, someone living off others’ charity should know their place!”
Ming Chu, already irritated about entering through the side door and encountering servants far less attentive than those in Yangxi, couldn’t contain her anger upon finding Shen Hua reciting melancholic spring poetry in the garden. Her words dripped with sarcasm, her tone brimming with arrogant indignation.
Shen Hua was furious.
In the past, she had often been annoyed by Ming Tan’s subtle provocations, but at least Ming Tan was a well-bred lady who knew how to be tactfully vicious. How could this newcomer be so crude and completely lacking in ladylike decorum?
Just as she was about to retort, another voice, cool and mocking, came from behind them: “Third Sister, mind your words. Mother is in Lanxin Courtyard, not here.”
Both parties instinctively turned to look.
From around the corner of the corridor came a group of green-clad maids. After walking a short distance, they stopped and lined up in two rows, heads bowed respectfully.
A young lady in a jade-white dress embroidered with gold thread emerged from between them. Her skin was fair as snow, her hair as black as ink, and her eyes as clear as water. She walked gracefully, gently fanning herself with a silk fan. With each step, the silver crescent moon tassel hairpin in her hair sparkled delicately.
Though her attire wasn’t particularly lavish, from a distance she exuded an air of fragile elegance, like a precious porcelain vase that one would fear to place on the ground lest it topple, or to hold for fear of breaking. Her beauty was captivating.
Even Shen Hua, accustomed to such displays, was momentarily stunned. She wasn’t sure whether to silently mock Ming Tan’s affected manners as usual or to thank her for using this affectation to intimidate the ill-mannered shrew before them.
“This must be the Fourth Young Lady,” Concubine Liu quickly recognized Ming Tan and smiled gently. “It’s been years since we last met. The Fourth Young Lady has truly grown into a beauty.”
She hadn’t been able to stop Ming Chu earlier, mainly because she hadn’t taken Shen Hua too seriously. But Ming Tan was different. If Ming Tan chose to make an issue of how she was addressed, it would likely not end well for them in front of Lady Pei.
“The Concubine is too kind. I see that Third Sister has also grown… quite differently from those of us who have remained in the capital,” Ming Tan responded to Concubine Liu’s words without glancing at her, instead looking Ming Chu up and down with the same disdain Ming Chu had shown Shen Hua earlier.
Ming Chu, belatedly realizing the situation, exclaimed, “You-!”
“You what? Third Sister, this is the capital. Pointing at someone while speaking is most unrefined,” Ming Tan gently lowered Ming Chu’s finger with her fan. “Having been away from Beijing for so long, Third Sister seems to have forgotten many courtesies. Behaviors such as not knowing Mother’s whereabouts, disrespecting a visiting relative, and rudely gesturing at your younger sister – any one of these faux pas would be enough to become the talk of the town for half a year. It is you, Third Sister, who should mind your manners.”
Ming Chu, having her own words thrown back at her one by one, was seething with rage. She glared at Ming Tan, her eyes practically shooting flames!
As she was about to draw the soft whip from her waist, Concubine Liu quickly stepped forward to restrain her, calling out softly, “Chuchu!”
Ming Chu kept her eyes fixed on the young lady before her, the word “bitch” on the tip of her tongue, but for some reason, she ultimately swallowed it back.
Her mother was right; they had to endure until after the betrothal was settled. Lady Pei was her stepmother, and if she gave her any excuse to make a fuss, it could severely hinder her marriage prospects!
After calming Ming Chu, Concubine Liu forced a smile and turned to Ming Tan, “Fourth Young Lady, Chuchu, she-“
Ming Tan, uninterested in listening, cut her off, “It’s getting late, and I still need to pay my respects to Mother. I won’t keep you any longer.”
Seeing this, Shen Hua followed, “Fourth Sister, I’ll accompany you.”
Though she had never liked Ming Tan, today, in contrast to Ming Chu, she found her nemesis to be quite refined. As the saying goes, it takes a villain to deal with a villain. Her Fourth Sister was quite adept at cutting remarks, each word about impropriety and etiquette a subtle jab, even accusing Ming Chu of “not cherishing her younger sister” – despite being only a year younger, Ming Tan was shamelessly playing the wronged party.
However, it didn’t take long for Shen Hua to realize her mistake.
Compared to her skill at self-aggrandizement, Ming Tan’s acting abilities could put the famous performers of the Fuchun Troupe to shame.
After they arrived at Lady Pei’s quarters and had been seated for a short while, someone came to announce that the Marquis had returned and was on his way to Lanxin Courtyard.
Everyone rose to welcome him.
Out of the corner of her eye, Shen Hua saw Ming Tan take out a plain handkerchief from her wide sleeve and dab at her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes were rimmed with red, glistening with unshed tears.
As Shen Hua wondered about this display of filial emotion she had never noticed before, she saw Ming Tan gather her skirts and rush towards a tall, broad-shouldered middle-aged man with a short beard who had just entered the courtyard, repeatedly calling out “Father!”
Ming Tan’s voice was soft and clear, with a hint of forced composure that tugged at one’s protective instincts.
Sure enough, Ming Tingyuan, who hadn’t seen his youngest daughter in five years and might have had trouble recognizing her face, immediately began patting Ming Tan’s slender shoulders, his voice gruff with emotion as he asked, “My good daughter, what’s wrong? Has someone bullied you?”
Ming Tan looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed, and shook her head. “No, it’s just that Tan’er has missed Father so much.” As soon as she finished speaking, clear tears began to roll down her cheeks.
She quickly wiped them away with her handkerchief and reluctantly stepped back, curtsying as she said, “Tan’er greets Father. I’ve behaved improperly, forgetting all etiquette in my excitement. Please punish me, Father.”
Ming Tingyuan was deeply pleased.
His youngest daughter, whom he hadn’t seen in five years, was filial, understanding, and well-mannered. Most importantly, she had blossomed into a heavenly beauty. Indeed, she was worthy of being his, Ming Tingyuan’s, daughter.