Just as the two of them were selecting jewelry piece by piece, the shop proprietor, seeing that the Shizi appeared ready to place a large order today and likely wishing to curry favor with such a distinguished guest, could not help opening his mouth with a smile. “Han Shizi, in the past you have always accompanied other gentlemen while they made their purchases — which fortunate young lady has earned herself such generous patronage from you today?”

This jewelry establishment was considered among the finest in the capital. It appeared Han Shizi had accompanied other young gentlemen here often enough in the past, buying gifts for their companions, to have become a familiar face to the proprietor.

Su Luoyun had not expected to be the first to earn such treatment from the Shizi — she could not help wanting to laugh, and suppressed it with some effort.

Han Linfeng had likewise not anticipated the proprietor choosing this particular moment to attempt a clever remark. His expression cooled slightly, and he said with mild composure, “Miss Su is my betrothed. I would ask the proprietor to mind his words and not give her cause for displeasure.”

The proprietor had never imagined that this young gentleman who usually only looked and never bought — never once bringing a favored beauty to purchase things himself — had today arrived not with some renowned courtesan but with a fiancée.

He had aimed his flattery squarely at the horse’s hoof. His smile stiffened at once, and he could only keep offering the Shizi his congratulations.

Su Luoyun was not one to let such an opportunity pass. Having heard the proprietor’s misstep, she kept her expression cool and asked him directly whether he might offer a discount on such a large purchase.

Young gentlemen of noble stock were not in the habit of bargaining. When selling to their sort, shops would even set prices deliberately high — after all, they were buying gifts for others, and paying a handsome price was part of the face.

What no one could have expected was that the betrothed of Beizhen Shizi would so thoroughly defy convention — not only bargaining, but negotiating with the ruthless precision of a blade, showing not a shred of mercy.

When the proprietor refused to yield, Luoyun rose as if to leave, every gesture indicating she would simply not buy.

On any other day, if they chose not to buy, so be it. But today the proprietor had already given offense to both parties with his words, and he lived in fear of their lingering resentment — that they might go and speak ill of the shop to their circle of acquainted ladies and gentlemen in future.

So he offered soothing words all the while, and in the end gritted his teeth and let the jewelry go at a price that pained him.

Su Luoyun, thoroughly satisfied, was preparing to pay for the bridal ornaments herself.

When she had first opened her shop, she had pawned a great many of her own jewelry pieces and bought nothing new to replace them. Now that she had earned some money, it was only right to reward herself a little.

But before she could settle the bill, the Shizi reached out and drew her lightly by the shoulder, steering her out of the shop with a single easy motion.

“In the future, when you purchase things, simply charge them to the Shizi residence’s account. At the end of each month, Steward Geng will settle everything together.”

It seemed this man had his own quiet convictions — not even permitting his betrothed to pay for her own dowry.

After selecting the jewelry, the Shizi did not hurry to take her home, but instead brought her to a newly opened teahouse in the capital for tea.

When the two of them were seated in a private room, Han Linfeng poured the tea and said by way of explanation, “You are surely aware that I have not always been free to act as I choose. Those things in the past — they were all a performance, done to deflect suspicion…”

It appeared he was still bothered by the proprietor’s remark earlier, and had taken the trouble to explain it to Su Luoyun.

Given Han Linfeng’s rather colorful reputation — whether deserved or not — Luoyun considered it none of her concern either way. She said with generous composure, “The Shizi is a gentleman of upright character. I understand perfectly…”

Han Linfeng smiled with quiet warmth and placed a small piece of lamb cream lotus cake before her. “I have heard this establishment’s pastries are quite good. I brought you to try something new — if you find it to your liking, we can take some back for Guiyan as well.”

Thinking of how Guiyan now regarded Han Linfeng with barely concealed hostility, it was Luoyun’s turn to feel apologetic. She offered the Shizi an advance apology over her cup of tea.

The boy had become very taciturn whenever he came face to face with Han Linfeng, and the looks he directed at him were far from friendly.

Yet Han Linfeng only smiled a little. “If he did not know how to stand up for his elder sister, how could he be worthy of the care you give him? In time we will all be family — and with time, misunderstandings dissolve on their own.”

He said this with the broad-minded magnanimity of an elder brother-in-law. Luoyun could not help smiling ruefully, and said softly, “Guiyan grew up without an elder brother. Though his nature is pure and his character gentle, he has lacked the influence of an older man to guide him, which has left him rather delicate. If only you could be a true elder brother to him…”

Han Linfeng watched her take small bites of the pastry and said without changing his expression, “I am already his brother-in-law. Is that not the same as a true elder brother?”

As he said this, he reached out quite naturally and dabbed the corner of her mouth where a trace of the lamb cream had caught.

Luoyun was struck momentarily still by the light brush of his long fingers, and then her cheeks flushed faintly pink.

It was not entirely shyness — more so the sense that he was being rather too casually familiar. Was he perhaps treating her the way he would treat one of his usual companions?

And it seemed she was not the only one who had made that assumption.

Just as Su Luoyun sat with a lingering flush of color in her cheeks and a flicker of mild irritation, the room door was suddenly thrown open with considerable force. Second Miss Fang stood in the doorway, eyes red-rimmed, with several maidservants behind her — and she had walked in at precisely the moment Han Linfeng’s long fingers were at Luoyun’s mouth corner.

Luoyun had been seated with her back to the door, however, and Second Miss Fang had not seen her face.

She had heard from her mother the outrageous news that Han Linfeng had been given an imperial marriage decree and was to wed some merchant’s daughter — but she had refused to believe it.

Earlier, on her way to the Shizi’s residence, she had happened to spot Han Linfeng’s carriage, with a veiled woman inside it — likely that courtesan called Hongyun.

She had followed all the way here, intending to confront Han Linfeng directly and demand an explanation.

As for the celebrated courtesan called Hongyun — she gave the woman not a second thought, did not even spare her a glance, and went straight to Han Linfeng. “Han Shizi, have you truly become betrothed? Was it my mother and the Empress who forced your hand?”

Han Linfeng saw who had barged in, and his brow furrowed slightly. He said in a low, composed voice, “This is an imperial marriage decree — what forcing of any kind could there be? I must ask Second Miss Fang to choose her words with care.”

Fang Jinshu, however, was utterly certain. “It must be so! My maidservant told me you once sent me a letter, but the gatekeeper handed it directly to my mother. After she visited the palace, this absurd match appeared for you… If that is truly what happened, I will kneel at the palace gates for as long as it takes to implore His Majesty to rescind the decree. I will never allow you to marry some woman of dubious standing…”

As she said this, Fang Jinshu could no longer hold back her tears. She was convinced that the letter she never received must have contained something of great importance.

And the thread connecting her and Han Linfeng had been severed, just like that, by that wretched gatekeeper.

Han Linfeng glanced briefly at Su Luoyun seated across from him, then said with cool composure, “It was nothing of consequence — merely an invitation to a tea gathering, something of that sort. Miss Fang has misunderstood. I am entirely content with His Majesty’s decree and have no need for Miss Fang to trouble the Emperor on my behalf…”

“Content? Who are you trying to fool? You are of the Han imperial line — a true descendant of the venerable late Emperor of Sacred Virtue — and now you are to be matched with some nobody of a merchant girl? What sort of lowly creature from some forgotten corner is she? How could she possibly be worthy of you?”

At this, Su Luoyun spoke up, her voice measured and unhurried. “I would ask Second Miss Fang to mind her words. This commoner’s origins are humble and her station is low — but she was raised in a proper household. Though she cannot compare to your standing, since His Majesty has bestowed this marriage, she accepts it gladly.”

As she spoke, she slowly turned in her seat to face Fang Jinshu.

The moment Fang Jinshu saw Luoyun’s face clearly, the breath nearly left her body. She staggered back against the door panel, staring with wide, disbelieving eyes. “How is this — it’s you!”

If the Emperor’s decision to bestow a merchant marriage upon Han Linfeng was already outrageous, the fact that this merchant daughter was also blind made it nothing short of the greatest absurdity the world had ever seen.

Though Fang Jinshu had once come to mock and belittle Su Luoyun, she had long since dismissed this passing acquaintance of the Shizi’s completely from her mind.

Yet it turned out that after all the twists and turns, the woman Han Linfeng was to marry was none other than the merchant girl Su Luoyun — a woman she had not even deemed worth half a glance at the time.

For a moment, even the famously sharp-tongued Second Miss Fang found herself at a loss for words.

Su Luoyun had been wondering why Han Linfeng had the leisure to accompany her and idle away most of the day — but with Second Miss Fang’s sudden appearance, she understood at once.

The Shizi was certainly thorough in his use of available resources. Before they had even exchanged wedding vows, he had already hastily dispatched her onto the battlefield to shield him from unwanted entanglements.

In the past, faced with this sort of confrontation, Su Luoyun’s instinct would have been to put as much distance between herself and the trouble as possible.

But now, she and the Shizi had come to a careful agreement on all counts. This Shizi was generous, having promised her a bright future — he was, in effect, her employer.

When one’s employer was in difficulty, how could a good employee fail to lend a hand?

Su Luoyun was not one to draw wages without earning them, so she spoke up at the right moment and cut off Fang Jinshu’s cutting words.

Fang Jinshu had originally assumed that this match had come about because Han Linfeng had been maneuvered into a corner and left with no choice. But now, seeing Su Luoyun before her, and thinking back to how the two of them had appeared together before — that easy, companionable warmth — it was plainly the look of two people with genuine feeling for each other.

Could it be… truly as her mother had said, that Han Linfeng had gone to the Emperor of his own accord and petitioned for this match?

Luoyun could not see Fang Jinshu’s stupefied expression, but she could well imagine it. She inwardly exhaled a quiet breath of sympathy for the second young miss, then said in a clear and carrying voice, “Linfeng and I may not yet be wed, but with the Emperor’s own decree, he is my future husband. As an old friend of Linfeng’s, Second Miss Fang’s concern for him is understandable. Though I am blind, I am not one to turn a blind eye to what goes on around me. His past amusements before our wedding — I shall consider those things as though I know nothing of them. But once I am in the Shizi’s residence, there will be no place for those of dubious standing. I would also ask Second Miss Fang to set her mind at ease — there is no need to exhaust yourself worrying over another woman’s household.”

As she spoke, Luoyun’s tone was gentle and her expression carried the trace of a smile — yet every word drove Fang Jinshu to scarlet fury and burning humiliation.

To think she had been so worried Han Linfeng was unwilling, and had been ready to implore the Emperor on his behalf. It turned out the man had gone and petitioned for the match himself.

But if that was the case — what did it make her? Was she, the celebrated daughter of the Duke of Lu, truly less than a beautiful blind woman?

Shame and fury surged together. Compounded by Su Luoyun’s infuriating manner of speaking, Fang Jinshu could contain herself no longer. She raised her hand and swung it hard toward Su Luoyun’s face.

She had long been in the habit of berating Han Linfeng’s female companions, and when her temper ran high enough, she had been known to use her hands as well.

But this time, the moment her hand rose, a large palm clamped down upon it with force, then shoved her sharply backward — sending Fang Jinshu crashing against the door panel.

The light, habitual ease that Han Linfeng always carried in his expression was gone. His eyes held a cold and killing light as he said icily, “The household of the Duke of Lu is indeed a family of illustrious merit, and its standing is beyond question. Yet as Miss Fang herself pointed out — however diminished my circumstances may be, I remain a scion of the imperial family. I do not ask that Miss Fang hold Prince Beizhen’s residence in high regard. But my Shizi consort — however modest her origins — is not someone to be insulted and struck by anyone who pleases.”

Fang Jinshu stared at him standing before the blind woman like a wall, his expression harder than she had ever seen it.

So this blind woman truly was the most precious thing to him — not a moment’s disrespect would be tolerated.

At this thought, every tenderness she had ever felt for him collapsed all at once into a torrent of tears.

Fang Jinshu looked at the man before her with a gaze of utter desolation. He had once refused to abandon her even in the most desperate of moments.

Yet now, the person he shielded with his whole being was no longer her.

At this realization, Fang Jinshu drew a sharp breath, and the self-respect she had long since cast aside was scraped back together, piece by piece.

She wiped her tears. A thread of cold resolve settled over her face. She looked at Han Linfeng and said, “Han Linfeng — one day, you will regret this.”

Having said this, she would not remain a moment longer. With her chin raised, she turned and walked down the stairs.

When the sound of her footsteps had faded, Han Linfeng bent his head toward Luoyun and began, “Between her and me, there has never been…”

But Luoyun did not wait for the explanation. She only smiled and said, “Should the Shizi ever need me to fend off unwanted admirers in the future, it would be better to say so a little in advance and give me some time to prepare… Just now I was rather unprepared, and my words may have been somewhat lacking in care. If I have brought the Shizi any trouble, I ask your forgiveness.”

She genuinely felt a measure of guilt toward that lovesick Second Miss Fang.

Caught off guard as she was, the manner she had adopted — irritating in its soft, gentle, feigned-innocence, silk-wrapped-around-a-blade quality — had come from none other than her own former stepmother Ding Shi. She knew better than anyone how maddening that style of speaking could be.

Still, this Second Miss Fang was well overdue for a reckoning with reality.

Setting aside entirely the question of whether Han Linfeng had any feeling for her — the way she conducted herself and spoke betrayed an impulsiveness that was difficult to put a name to.

Were it not for the protection afforded by the Duke of Lu’s name and standing, there was no telling how many disasters her tongue might have wrought by now.

Given Han Linfeng’s circumstances — compelled as he was to perform the role of a useless rake in order to lower people’s guard — had he truly married Second Miss Fang, he would have been inviting catastrophe at every turn.

Su Luoyun felt quite satisfied that she had read her employer’s needs and shielded him from this calamity. Yet Han Linfeng’s brow furrowed.

He had brought Luoyun out today with no ulterior motive whatsoever — simply to take her out for some air. She spent her days cooped up with her brother over his studies, and she needed to get out, breathe, and eat something pleasant.

Who could have anticipated that just as the mood between the two of them had settled into something agreeably easy, Second Miss Fang had come crashing through like a female whirlwind, scattering every thread of pleasant atmosphere into pieces.

And now Su Luoyun had misread the whole thing, believing he had deliberately arranged for her to be there to repel that unwanted visitor.

Han Linfeng knew that even an explanation would come out sounding feeble and unconvincing, so after a brief silence, he said only, “Rest assured — it will not happen again.”

With that, he sent Qingyang to settle the bill, and they set off for home.

On the journey back, Luoyun could not see — yet even so, she could sense that the Shizi’s spirits had dimmed somewhat, and he was quieter than usual.

She had no idea what he was brooding over, and had no intention of inviting unwelcome attention by prying. She simply held the bag of pastries bought for her younger brother and sat quietly in one corner of the carriage, waiting to arrive back at Sweetwater Alley.

Fortunately, in a few more days they would be married. Once they were wed, the Shizi would presumably no longer need to keep up the performance — no more taking her on outings through the streets to show off their supposed devotion.

Afterward, she would continue with her business as before, and the Shizi would continue going out to his drinking parties as he pleased. Each of them would be occupied with their own affairs.

Su Luoyun found that spending extended time alone in the company of a man with depths as unfathomable as his was, truthfully, rather tiring. Far less interesting, she thought, than sitting at home feeling her way through bamboo-strip ledgers and tallying the day’s accounts.

Unfortunately, the market in the capital was in full swing today, and the streets were thick with crowds. The carriage moved at a crawl.

Luoyun could only sit there, swaying gently with the turning of the wheels, surrounded by the noise and calls of vendors outside.

Amid the clamor beyond the carriage walls, Su Luoyun thought she heard — faintly, indefinitely — a quiet sigh from the man beside her.

Yet the Shizi’s unusual mood did not last long. Before much time had passed, he spoke with his customary ease, as though nothing had happened. “My residence recently received an imperial gift of cave swallows. The kitchen has prepared a cave swallow broth according to the formula prescribed by the imperial physicians. Beginning now, a bowl will be sent to your household each day. It is beneficial for the eyes — do not forget to drink it.”

Hearing him speak again, Luoyun let out a quiet breath of relief and quickly agreed.

After a full day’s excursion shopping for her trousseau, when Su Luoyun returned home, she found her long-absent dear friend Lu Lingsiu already waiting in the courtyard of the Su family’s small residence.

Han Linfeng’s disgraceful conduct had naturally been made known in full to Lv Ying, who served as a guard to the Sixth Prince. Lv Ying was aware that his own fiancée had something of a friendship with Miss Su of the Su family. Though he felt sympathy for Miss Su, he also felt strongly that the matter was not one to be touched.

He had therefore advised Master Lu that Lu Lingsiu should not be permitted to visit the Su household further.

From that point on, Lu Lingsiu had been kept at home for several days running. It was only later, when Han Linfeng placed an order at the Lu family’s embroidery house for the bridal garments, that Lu Lingsiu heard from her mother that Su Luoyun had apparently been given by imperial decree to Han Linfeng, and that the wedding was to take place very soon.

Master Lu then lifted the restriction on his daughter’s confinement, and she came in place of the seamstresses below to take Luoyun’s measurements personally.

Yet for such a joyful errand, Lu Lingsiu wore an expression of deep gravity and sorrow, looking as though she had come to fit a mourning garment.

She had come specifically to ask her friend face to face whether it was truly so — that she was to marry Han Linfeng.

Su Luoyun knew that all of this would be widely known before long, and so acknowledged it directly without hesitation.

Lu Lingsiu stared at Su Luoyun with blank, unseeing eyes, and then burst into choked sobs.

This graceful, clever woman — she might once have become her sister-in-law. Yet fate had played such a cruel hand, to treat so fine a person so carelessly.

Why Luoyun was marrying a man of such ruinous reputation — Lu Lingsiu understood the reasons better than anyone.

And what sort of place was this Beizhen Wang residence? Just yesterday, apparently, Han Shizi had gone as usual with his circle of dissolute companions to Yanzi Lake to drink and carouse.

And to think — he was a man on the verge of marriage, and showed not the slightest restraint.

How could this be any sort of good match?

Seeing Lu Lingsiu weep genuine tears on her behalf, Luoyun felt a warmth rise in her heart. If there was any regret she felt about her connection with Young Master Lu, it was that she would now have one less devoted, tender-hearted young sister-in-law.

She could not tell her friend the truth, however, and so gave Lu Lingsiu much the same account she had given her younger brother — though with the element of a secret tryst left out, saying simply that the Shizi had come to care for her, that though the manner in which he had gone about things was not entirely honorable, he had at least chosen to take responsibility, and had preserved her reputation.

For a blind woman with little prospect of marriage, to wed the Shizi as his wife was a fortune beyond anything she could have dreamed.

Lu Lingsiu felt these were not words Luoyun was capable of meaning. She was so proud a person — how could the sight of the Shizi residence’s wealth and status make her eyes go shallow?

Thinking of the rumors Prince Consort Zhao had let slip, Lu Lingsiu was far more inclined to believe that Luoyun had suffered some grievance she could not speak of, and was being forced into marrying this dissolute young man against her will.

If that was the case, there was no use pressing further. Whatever the circumstances, marrying Han Shizi had at least preserved her reputation. Though what lay ahead for her friend after the wedding was difficult to make out with any hope, all she could do was wish Luoyun peace and smooth sailing for the remainder of her life.

As for the message her elder brother had asked her to convey — better to leave it unspoken and spare Luoyun added heartache.

She and her elder brother in this lifetime… were fated to meet, but not to be together.

And so, when the time came to take Luoyun’s measurements for the bridal garments, Lu Lingsiu applied herself with extraordinary care, saying that she would personally oversee the work from beginning to end, and would ensure Luoyun became the most beautiful bride.

Luoyun smiled faintly. Though she could not see the garment being made with her friend’s own devoted attention, she had already received fully the feeling behind it.

As for Su Hongmeng — after returning home that day, he had gone straight to his cousin uncle to finalize his daughter’s engagement.

That Wang Biao, upon hearing that the matter with the Su family had been settled, was overjoyed. He had recently accumulated fresh gambling debts and was urgently in need of money. If he married that walking treasure chest from the Su family, food and clothing would be taken care of for life, and spending money would be plentiful.

Besides, that Su Luoyun was truly a beauty, and a blind woman would hardly be able to keep tabs on his carousing outside the home.

Wang Biao promptly borrowed yet more money to put together a set of betrothal gifts and hurried to deliver them to the Su family.

Su Hongmeng let out a great breath of relief, agreed upon a wedding date with Wang Biao, and made ready to hastily marry off this domestic embarrassment as quickly as possible.

But on that very day, as he sat at home reviewing his accounts, his steward came rushing in breathlessly to report that a calling card had arrived from the Beizhen Shizi residence.

Su Hongmeng unfolded the card with a puzzled frown — and his eyes grew wider and wider as he read through it, character by character.

Every character on it he recognized. Yet together, how could they possibly say what they appeared to say?

That Han Linfeng of the Beizhen Shizi residence was actually intending to marry his blind daughter Su Luoyun — by imperial edict, no less — this… what was going on? Whose was connected to whose? The whole thing had gone completely to pieces.

There was nothing for it — he had to go and ask Luoyun again.

When he went out, he found the coachman too slow in harnessing the horse, and took a sedan chair instead — then found the bearers too slow as well, and in the end stepped out of the chair entirely and came trotting to Sweetwater Alley in a state of barely contained fury.

By the time he pushed open the courtyard gate, steam was practically rising from Master Su’s head. When he entered the main hall, he wanted to speak at once, but was panting too hard, and managed only to gulp down half a cup of water to wet his throat.

When he held out the Shizi’s card with trembling hands and demanded to know what was going on, Su Luoyun replied with mild composure, “The Shizi lives close by. We have had occasion to cross paths from time to time. He was unwed and I was unmarried — the ages suited. He mentioned it to His Majesty, and His Majesty graciously approved the match.”

Su Hongmeng slammed his hand on the table in a fury. “You — you knew about this all along? Why didn’t you tell me sooner! Do you have any idea — I have only just delivered betrothal gifts to the Wang family! A marriage bestowed by imperial decree, and I go and betroth you to someone else… this — this is a crime punishable by death, is it not?”

Su Luoyun said without changing her expression, “How was I to know the Shizi could secure this match? As for the Wang family — as I recall, that was Father’s doing, against my own wishes. I told you plainly — my marriage is not something you need to concern yourself with.”

Su Hongmeng stamped his feet in agitation again. But when he collected himself and thought it through, he decided the Wang family matter was easy enough to deal with. The truly important thing was that Luoyun had somehow secured herself so extraordinary a match.

Which meant — was he not about to become the father-in-law of an imperial Shizi?

At this thought, Master Su’s spirits lifted considerably. He pressed on to ask — was it truly confirmed that Han Shizi intended to marry her?

And if so, why had this son-in-law-to-be not followed the proper customs of courtship — no matchmaker sent to the Su household, no formal betrothal papers, no betrothal gifts delivered?

What was more, the wording of that calling card was outrageously presumptuous — something to the effect of keeping the wedding simple, citing the inconvenience of the journey for the wedding procession, and proposing to simply collect the bride directly from Sweetwater Alley.

There was a custom of the bride’s family holding its head high when marrying off a daughter — yet this esteemed son-in-law addressed his future father-in-law as though doing him a favor. Su Hongmeng naturally found this rather galling.

He did not dare go next door and hammer at the gates of the Shizi’s residence, and so he brought his table-pounding and raging here instead, insinuating that it was his daughter’s lack of propriety that had given the man something to use against her — which was why the Shizi showed such little regard, bringing disgrace upon his face along with hers.

Moreover — she had clearly known all along that she and the Shizi were betrothed. Why had she not told him sooner? Why had she allowed him to go and betroth her to someone else?

This was an imperially bestowed union. If he had gone and pledged her to another family and word of it got out, would his head not be in jeopardy?

Just as he was in the midst of his furious ranting, a voice rang out clearly from beyond the door. “Master Su — from the sound of things, it seems you have quite a number of grievances against me.”