Within Jingfang Garden were many independent courtyards. Besides the residences of the old prince and princess and Prince Jing and his wife, the three largest were Tingcao Courtyard, Weifeng Residence, and Yonggu Study, where the eldest son Xiao Ting, second son Xiao Wei, and third son Xiao Yong respectively lived. Each of the three courtyards had its own character, among which the Jingquan Pavilion in Yonggu Study was a place that learned scholars throughout the capital desperately wanted to enter and behold. The reason was simple—this Jingquan Pavilion housed over ten thousand volumes of books, including many rare and unique editions from the past century that were priceless treasures, worth a thousand gold pieces yet impossible to find.
Since childhood, Xiao Yong had never loved wielding weapons or practicing martial arts. From the time he became sensible, he loved reading, and with the slightest instruction in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, he mastered them completely. The Xiao family sons had always been predominantly martial, and while there were certainly some of mediocre talent, at least they could handle swords, spears, and staffs. But Third Young Master Xiao was different—he fell asleep at the sight of military texts, his legs went weak when he picked up weapons, yet he could compose exquisite literary works. If he hadn’t divorced two wives, displeasing the Emperor and being punished with the idle position of Literary Archive Editor, he might have been promoted to Grand Scholar.
Xiao Yong loved literature and didn’t enjoy the lively sword practice and weapon training of his father and brothers. In the northwest corner of Jingfang Garden, he used bamboo as a boundary to carve out the quiet corner that was Yonggu Study. Among all the buildings, the place he most loved to stay was Jingquan Pavilion. Second was his concubine Jin Si’s residence—Sisi House. His residence with his legitimate wife, Mozhi Residence, should have been in the central position of Yonggu Study, but finding it too close to Sisi House, after divorcing his second legitimate wife, he moved to the most remote corner of Yonggu Study.
Hearing the faint sounds of wedding music, Xiao Yong’s book boy Qingque paced anxiously outside Jingquan Pavilion.
“Young Master, my good Young Master, please come out quickly. If we can hear the wedding music, the bridal sedan has probably reached our garden gate.” Regardless of whether the new third mistress could gain favor, the wedding ceremony couldn’t be taken lightly—the elders above were watching closely. If anything went wrong, these personal servants would be the first to suffer.
The wooden door of Jingquan Pavilion didn’t budge an inch.
Qingque was so anxious he wanted to pound on the door, but he also understood his young master’s temperament—once Jingquan Pavilion’s door closed, it meant no idlers allowed.
“Qingque.” The other book boy, Baihu, had returned.
Qingque only looked behind Baihu, and seeing that graceful figure, silently cheered and hurried over. “Mistress Si, thank goodness you’ve come. Please help us persuade Young Master. If he doesn’t go receive the sedan, no one in Yonggu Study will have any peace.”
Jin Si wore a purple vine-patterned pleated skirt wrapped around her slender frame, with cloud-patterned gauze draped over her arms in the color of green smoke. Her hair wasn’t pinned up but loosely gathered at the nape with a copper hairpin. Looking up at her features—a pair of dark eyebrows, eyes soft as curled spring leaves, a smile flowing light as drifting clouds, an air as delicate and beautiful as orchids.
She wasn’t a dazzling great beauty, but from head to toe, she was pleasing to behold.
“It’s no use inviting me. I can’t enter this Jingquan Pavilion either, and can only worry anxiously outside with you.” Jin Si stopped before the wooden door, neither reaching out to push it nor raising her voice to call out like Qingque.
“Mistress Si, though you cannot enter, Young Master loves hearing you sing ditties most. If you sing, Young Master will surely come out.” Qingque had already thought of this plan.
Jin Si’s soft eyes turned gently, her voice still light and mild. “How long ago are you talking about? Now I’m the mother of two children. How can I do things from when I was a young girl?”
“Good Mistress Si, if Young Master doesn’t come out and misses the auspicious hour, when the Prince and Princess blame us, I’m afraid you’ll suffer unwarranted injustice too. No matter who the bride is, let’s hurry through the ceremony and be done with it. Afterward, it’ll be a matter between Young Master and the new mistress—whether they get along or not, the elders won’t be able to interfere, right? If you ask me, short pain is better than long pain. Even if there’s conflict, wait until later when our courtyard doors are closed to take it slow.” Qingque had followed Xiao Yong for many years and knew Yonggu Study inside and out.
Baihu was newly promoted, still young, and followed Qingque’s lead in everything.
“If the new mistress heard you say that, wouldn’t she skin you alive?” Jin Si gave Qingque a look. “Those who don’t know would think something else is about to happen in our courtyard.”
“Never mind whether something will happen, at least not right now. Mistress Si, if you won’t sing, then think of another way?” Qingque suddenly couldn’t hear the wedding music anymore, his face changing color. “Heaven help us, the music has stopped. It must be that the groom hasn’t arrived and the new mistress is angry.”
Jin Si slowly glanced toward Jingfang Garden’s main gate, then slowly brought her gaze back, raising her voice. “Yong Lang, don’t miss the auspicious time. Come out quickly.”
Inside the door, there was complete silence.
“See? Even my coming is useless.” The Xiao Yong inside Jingquan Pavilion had never been the gentle husband she could act coquettish with, but rather someone who did as he pleased even if the sky fell.
Therefore, Jin Si didn’t love coming to Jingquan Pavilion. And Xiao Yong didn’t like her coming either, or rather, he didn’t like anyone from the courtyard coming here to disturb him.
Xiao Yong said that only those who truly loved books, who could share with him the wonderful pleasures found in books, could enter Jingquan Pavilion. Therefore, he invited talented scholars he admired, invited his close friends, to admire the moon and drink wine here, to listen to the wind and chant to the moon, but among them there had never been a woman, nor Jin Si herself.
Jin Si knew this was because none of Xiao Yong’s legitimate wives had talents he could admire. As for her, she was merely fortunate to have met him early. The music, chess, calligraphy, and painting she understood—he had taught her hand by hand. She had no natural talent, but she excelled in diligence. And he, perhaps precisely because teaching her required so much thought and gave him a sense of achievement, favored her alone, indulged her alone.
She had always been content, as long as nothing threatened her current life of husband’s love and children’s filial piety. If Jingquan Pavilion’s door was tightly closed to all women, then she could ignore the displeasure of being excluded.
“I don’t care anymore. Whether he goes to receive his new bride or not, what does it have to do with me?” Jin Si turned to leave.
Just then, the wooden door creaked open, and a hand reached out to grasp Jin Si’s.
“Your new mistress is coming. How is it unrelated to you?”
Hearing that familiar voice, Jin Si couldn’t help but feel delighted, naturally leaning backward. But she didn’t get her wish to enter the library—instead, a force pushed her back to where she started.
“Jin Si’er, careful, stand steady.” The owner of the hand had already come out, both hands leaving Jin Si’s shoulders as he turned to close the wooden door, instructing Qingque to lock it.
Jin Si turned back to see him still wearing a scholar’s gray robe, smiling tenderly and affectionately. “Yong Lang, then you’d better quickly change into your wedding clothes and go to the gate to lead the new mistress for the wedding ceremony. Tomorrow morning, I’ll pour tea and water for you both, serving you well.”
“That mouth of yours, sour with vinegar, too obvious. This doesn’t seem like what I taught you.” His large hand gently pinched Jin Si’s small mouth. “Restrain it a bit. Don’t let the new mistress see and feel uncomfortable.”
“Qingque, have the wedding robe ready. Your Third Master will change while walking.” That hand suddenly left Jin Si, the person already striding down the stone steps.
Qingque hurriedly picked up the clothing box from the corridor, called to Baihu, and trotted after him out through the arched gate outside Jingquan Pavilion.
Jin Si stared blankly at that gray figure. After a moment of melancholy, her eyes suddenly sharpened. That’s right—just now she had unconsciously been weak, not like what he taught. She couldn’t be so worthless. If he stopped liking her, what would become of her and the children?
“Third Master, Third Master, please walk slower.” Qingque wasn’t tall—for every one of Xiao Yong’s steps ahead, he had to take two.
“You’re the one who urged me, you’re the one telling me to hurry. If we miss the auspicious hour, don’t blame me for pushing you out to take the scolding.” Xiao Yong seemed in quite good spirits, walking briskly.
“Third Master, I think Mistress Si seems upset.” Baihu was still young and spoke without thinking.
Qingque nearly slapped his head, cursing inwardly—if someone’s upset, what’s it to you? Earlier, downplaying the new mistress in front of Jin Si was to curry her favor. In this mansion, he learned the ways of human relations fastest and most clearly.
“When I’m in Jingquan Pavilion, I have three rules—the same even if my mother or grandmother comes. Qingque, tell Baihu so he won’t worry about others next time.” Xiao Yong’s back had turned bright red—the wedding robe was already on.
“Baihu, listen well. When Third Master closes himself in Jingquan Pavilion to read, first, he won’t open the door for anyone. Second, having just read the books of sages, he absolutely won’t lie. Third, before leaving Jingquan Pavilion’s garden, he absolutely won’t coax women.” Qingque counted on his fingers for Baihu.
Hearing this, Baihu’s mouth gaped wide open.
“Why gape like that? Just say it plainly.” Qingque shook his head, feeling this child still had much to learn.
“Yes, yes, Third Master.” How strange—on ordinary days at Sisi House with Young Master, they seemed like a loving couple, the envy of others. Thinking again, Mistress Si probably knew this too, which was why despite his repeated invitations, she hadn’t wanted to come from the start.
“Since you’re teaching him, let me ask you.” The back didn’t turn around, and walked faster and faster. “Since you know the rules, why did you still fetch Mistress Si?”
Qingque’s throat choked, stammering, “This servant… this servant… had no other choice, right? Thinking this way and that, perhaps Mistress Si… one song might sing Third Master out.”
“Is your Third Master Yong a bird? Jin Si sings once and I fly out?” If not for rushing to the auspicious hour, he’d really want to turn back and give him a slap.
“Third Master, you’re not a bird, I’m a bird.” Qingque had no retort and could only admit it himself.
“Aren’t you? One golden silk canary, one green branch sparrow, singing so lively outside. I’d wanted to finish the book, but ever since you two started singing, I couldn’t read a single word.” Yet Xiao Yong’s voice carried laughter throughout.
“Did Third Master read a good book?” Qingque seized on this, no longer mentioning Jin Si.
“Not bad. Organizing that box of books I bought during my trip to Yuling several years ago, I found a book called ‘The Legend of Yuling’s Flower Goddess.’ Extremely interesting. Unfortunately, I was just a few pages from finishing.” Having already walked out of the bamboo grove, seeing his second brother coming toward him—probably to catch him—he started running to make it seem he hadn’t deliberately avoided receiving the sedan.
“Flower Goddess Legend?” Was such a book really that good? Following Xiao Yong, Qingque could read quite a few books. “Doesn’t Third Master dislike tales of gods, ghosts, and monsters?”
“It’s not a legend about gods and ghosts.” Xiao Yong’s breathing quickened slightly. Seeing he was close to Xiao Wei, he didn’t continue, instead explaining to the stern-faced Xiao Wei, “Second Brother, I got so absorbed in reading I forgot. It’s not that I refuse to perform the ceremony. Though I originally didn’t want to marry again, since Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, and Mother insist on it, I can’t bear the name of being unfilial.”
These two sons of the Xiao family—whatever else could be said about them, at least they were both filial.