Chapter 15

Chapter 15

By the time Du Lingjing arrived, the physician had already applied acupuncture needles, and her younger sister, Du Runqing, had regained consciousness.

Du Zhiqi anxiously inquired about the cause, and the physician took the girl’s pulse once more.

Du Lingjing noticed her sister’s pallid complexion, but the physician attributed it to a chill. He glanced at Du Runqing and added, “Though young, the young lady worries too much. Overthinking invites illness into the body, making one susceptible to ailments.”

This made Du Runqing look even worse. Du Zhiqi first asked the physician to prescribe medicine before turning to his daughter.

“The physician’s words ring true. It’s my fault for being away on official duties so often, neglecting the household. From now on, I’ll borrow a couple of capable stewards from the Gu family to assist you. You needn’t trouble yourself with other matters—just ease your mind.”

He assumed household affairs had exhausted her. Du Runqing lowered her head and murmured in agreement.

After he left to speak with the physician, only the sisters and their maids remained in the room.

Du Lingjing asked her sister a few gentle questions about how she was feeling, while Qiu Lin couldn’t help but look around the room.

This was the east wing of the main courtyard, Du Lingjing’s former residence when she had lived in the capital with her father.

The larger furnishings remained—made of good wood by the elder master specifically for his daughter—and were just right for Du Runqing. However, the smaller things had all been replaced.

Her own mistress preferred plain blue-and-white porcelain, while Du Runqing favored the delicate charm of pink porcelain adorned with floral and avian motifs—fitting for her youth.

It was quite lovely, Qiu Lin mused silently.

Yet, though she said nothing, Du Runqing spoke up.

“This was originally elder sister’s chamber. I took it without reason and altered it. Please don’t mind.”

Her voice was stuffy from crying, as if she were holding back tears. “Elder sister’s big day is nearly here. I shouldn’t be like this, but now that I’ve fallen ill, I fear I won’t be able to assist, ruining your celebration and… making the Marquis look bad.”

She paused slightly before continuing, “Since I cannot help, and Mother also needs rest, I’ll take her to our country house tomorrow. Please don’t blame me.”

She kept her head bowed the entire time, avoiding Du Lingjing’s gaze. Yet Du Lingjing saw her reddened eyes, the dark circles beneath them, and the hoarse, congested voice—clearly suppressing tears.

Du Lingjing did not respond immediately, looking at her sister for a long moment before speaking softly.

“Second Sister, you truly overthink too much. I never wanted this marriage, nor is Marquis Lu the right man for me. If I had my way, it would be better not to proceed at all. So whether it’s auspicious or dignified hardly matters. Don’t dwell on it.”

Hearing this, Du Runqing couldn’t help but look up at her. Du Lingjing’s words were sincere, and she met her sister’s gaze steadily.

After a long silence, Du Runqing finally came back to herself and lowered her head again.

“Elder sister is right.”

Seeing that her elder sister indeed showed no joy about the wedding, she only urged her to rest well before leaving with Qiu Lin.

However, the moment Du Lingjing and her maid departed, Rui Xue couldn’t hold back.

“The eldest miss is really strange. She turned down the Tanhua’s offer to be his second wife, and now she has no interest in becoming a marchioness either. Could it be… her heart still belongs to Jiang Third Master? But he died three years ago!”

Rui Xue found it hard to believe, and Du Runqing was similarly stunned, momentarily speechless.

Then Rui Xue asked, “So, young lady, are we really leaving the capital and giving up the room for the eldest young lady?”

Before Du Runqing could answer, a maid arrived with a message: Nanny Guan from Madam Wan’s household had come. “The old madam heard about your fainting fit this morning and was very worried. She wishes to invite you to stay at the Gu residence for a few days.”

…

At the Gu residence in Chengqingfang, Madam Wan ordered the side chambers in her courtyard to be prepared.

“The young lady is nearing her coming-of-age. She can’t keep using old things—replace everything with the finest from the storeroom. Fine surroundings make fine manners. She deserves dignity and grace.”

But Gu Yangsi was too busy worrying to care about his niece.

“Mother, why fuss over that now? The wedding is set for the sixth of next month,” he said, baffled. “Does Marquis Lu truly desire Du Lingjing so much? Is she really the one he favors?”

Madam Wan snorted. “Not necessarily.”

She turned to her son. “Look at the Shao family’s current predicament.”

She explained how Shao Boju had been accused of murder, stirring up a storm. Though initially a minor incident, the Hui Prince’s faction, led by the Marquis of Yongding, had seized the opportunity to denounce the Shao family’s crimes. Though Shao was only a new graduate, the case had escalated into a debate about whether nobles should be held to the same standards as commoners—taking the Yong Prince’s side by surprise.

Many so-called honest officials in court had avoided taking sides in the rivalry between the two princes, and some had even opposed the Shao family’s aggressive courting of scholars for the Yong Prince. Now, with this scandal, many officials who couldn't decide had shifted their stance.

“At such a time, if Marquis Lu follows the Emperor’s will by marrying a daughter of the Du family—known for their scholarly integrity—and shows he’s friendly toward civil officials, wouldn’t that naturally draw scholars to the Hui Prince’s side? Even if not all are swayed, they’d at least regard the Marquis of Yongding’s household with greater respect.”

Madam Wan continued, “The Du family may have declined, but in this current situation, their daughter is more suitable than any girl from a noble family.”

She patiently explained, but Gu Yangsi still frowned.

“But this brings no advantage to our family.”

He pointed out that it was Madam Wan who had originally facilitated the Shao-Du marriage alliance. “Now that the Shao family has fallen out of favor with the Emperor, we’re implicated too. Hardly anyone visits now.”

He had hoped to profit from those seeking favors, but now even that was gone.

Initially, the Gu family and Madam Wan had stayed out of the princes’ rivalry. Whether dealing with imperial relatives, nobles, scholars, or gentry, she had arranged marriages to ensure the Gu family’s security, regardless of which prince ascended the throne.

However, due to Madam Wan’s royal connections, she had closer ties with the nobility. So when the Shao family proposed the alliance, she agreed, thinking it would solidify her standing with both factions.

Yet the plan had gone all wrong, leaving the Gu family entangled with the disgraced Shao family.

Now Gu Yangsi couldn’t help but blame his mother.

“Mother, you’ve always been so prudent. How could you offend Du Lingjing this time? Now that she’s to be Marchioness Lu, she’ll surely speak ill of us to the Marquis. We’re truly tied to the Shao family now.”

His resentment was palpable. “This move of yours has truly dragged me down!”

Before the Mid-Autumn betrothal decree, Madam Wan had assured him nothing would go wrong. Yet after the decree, everything had changed completely.

Gu Yangsi grew increasingly agitated. When a maid approached to pour more tea, her hands trembled slightly, and he gave her such a look she nearly dropped the teapot in fright.

Madam Wan quickly sent the maid away and instructed her daughter-in-law, Liang Gongrong, “Get him some tea yourself.”

Liang hurried to calm her husband down. Only when Gu Yangsi had calmed slightly did Madam Wan speak gently.

“Though things didn’t go as planned, there may still be room to fix this. If we can get on good terms with the Marquis’s household, being tied to the Shaos won’t be so bad.”

Gu Yangsi raised a brow. “Mother, are you out of your mind? How could Du Lingjing possibly let us befriend the Marquis’s household? She’s nothing like Qing’er.”

Madam Wan didn’t mind him speaking bluntly. Instead, she smiled.

“Of course she’s not Qing’er. But must Marchioness Lu necessarily be her?”

Gu Yangsi froze.

Just then, a servant came to announce that Nanny Guan had arrived with the young lady at the gate.

Madam Wan bade Aunt Liang to personally welcome Du Runqing inside.

Du Runqing protested troubling her aunt, but Madam Wan insisted she sit down, first inquiring about her health and examining the doctor’s prescription. Seeing that she was still weak, Madam Wan personally escorted her to the guest chamber.

Du Runqing was astonished to see the chamber transformed, now filled with exquisite and costly furnishings.

Just as she was about to speak, her grandmother waved away all the attendants, leaving only the two of them in the room.

Du Runqing felt uneasy, but then she heard her grandmother say with a smile,

"The twenty-ninth will be your hair-pinning ceremony. Rest well here these next two days, and on the day itself, I shall host a proper celebration for you."

With her elder sister’s impending marriage to Marquis Lu, Du Runqing had nearly forgotten about her own coming-of-age.

Bowing her head, she murmured, "Please don’t trouble yourself, Grandmother. Just a simple hair-pinning at home would be enough."

"How can that be? After your coming-of-age, you’ll be an eligible young woman—how can we be so careless?"

Madam Wan would have none of it, but Du Runqing had no desire to marry. She hung her head even lower. "I don’t wish to marry..."

No sooner had she spoken, she saw her grandmother's eyebrows shoot up.

"You’ve only spent a few days with your elder sister, and already you’re adopting her rebellious ideas?"

Her tone was stern, and Du Runqing immediately fell silent.

Her grandmother regarded her sternly. "What have I always taught you? A woman's lot in this world is hardest—without wisdom, the path is even more difficult. Tell me, what must a wise woman do?"

Pressed for an answer, Du Runqing hurriedly replied,

"Sh-she must be chaste, dignified, gentle, and compliant—adapting to circumstances."

Seeing she had answered correctly, Madam Wan gave a satisfied nod.

"Exactly. This world belongs to men. All we can do is align ourselves wisely with them, reading the circumstances, and securing a good life for ourselves."

She went on calmly, "Your elder sister, after reading a few books, has become headstrong—disregarding others and acting recklessly. That is the worst path."

Here Madam Wan sighed.

"Though the fault isn’t entirely hers. Her very name was a mistake. A woman's purpose in this world is to prosper the family and harmonize the household, yet her father gave her such a name."

*Lingling seven strings above, listening quietly to the cold pines.*

Lingjing.

"Just listen to it—solitude and stillness. Is that a name fit for a woman? If she wishes for peace and happiness in her later years, she ought to change it first."

Du Runqing suddenly recalled how, after her aunt Liang Shi married into the family, Madam Wan had renamed her.

She couldn’t remember her aunt’s original maiden name, but her grandmother had bestowed upon her the characters *Gong* and *Rong*—thereafter, she became known solely as Liang Gongrong.

Later, Madam Wan had once felt her own name was too masculine, devoid of feminine grace, but she'd not found occasion to change it.

Now, Du Runqing dared not speak, only listening as her grandmother continued, "A name influences one’s entire life. Hers is truly wrong, and she’ll never live well with it."

Du Runqing was puzzled.

"But Sister is marrying Marquis Lu—how could her life be anything but good?"

She spoke in a faint voice, but her grandmother merely smiled, her gaze resting on her face.

"If I guess correctly, this is the root of your illness, isn’t it? Marquis Lu—he’s the one you can’t forget in your heart, isn’t he?"

Du Runqing froze. Her fever-clouded mind went completely blank.

How… did Grandmother know?

In her daze, she found herself remembering the first time she had seen Marquis Lu.

It was last year, shortly after she arrived in the capital. Her mother had suddenly fallen ill, and two physicians’ ministrations had failed to calm her. With her grandmother and aunt away on pilgrimage, she had no choice but to present her father’s calling card and personally seek out a famed physician in the western part of the city.

Unexpectedly, her path was blocked by a procession of carriages of nobility. In desperation, she sent a servant to plead for passage.

To her shock, standing in the middle of the road was none other than Marquis Lu Shenru of Yongding.

At the sound of his title, her heart had skipped a beat. When he heard her plea, his gaze fell upon her carriage.

"So it’s the Du family’s carriage," he said, then turned to the officials with him. "Gentlemen, grant me this courtesy of letting the Du carriage pass first."

Before she could gather her wits, the nobles had already cleared the way.

As her carriage passed through, she couldn’t resist looking back at the marquis.

That day, he had worn a raven-blue brocade robe with discreet patterns. Standing tall by the roadside, hands behind his back, he had looked past the crowd toward her, bestowing a faint smile and nod.

Her heart had leapt violently.

After hastily fetching the physician and sending him ahead with a servant, she had returned to the spot.

The marquis and his companions had already entered a nearby wine house, leaving only two guards at the door.

Gripping her handkerchief, she approached. "Du Runqing wishes to thank His Lordship."

One guard went upstairs and soon returned.

It was no surprise the marquis didn’t receive her. The guard relayed,

"His Lordship says the road was rightfully yours today. There’s no need for thanks."

She bowed her head, assuming that was all—but then the guard added,

"His Lordship also said the Du family of Qingzhou is renowned for its scholarly traditions. Should you ever face difficulties, you need only seek help at the marquis’s residence, and it shall be granted."

The offer exceeded mere politeness, leaving her stunned.

Two months later, while purchasing medicine for her mother, she found a rare medicinal ingredient out of stock. After visiting several shops, she was told it wouldn’t be available for months.

Fearing for her mother’s condition, in her desperation, she found herself recalling the marquis’s words. Logically, she shouldn’t have taken them seriously—yet something in her heart told her he was someone she could rely on.

She sent a servant with her card to the marquis’s residence. To her amazement, the medicine—which should have taken months to obtain—arrived at the Du household the very next day!

Seeing her feelings were laid bare, she confessed everything to her grandmother.

"...Not only was the medicine delivered, but the marquis’s household even covered the cost."

Though Madam Wan had guessed her granddaughter’s feelings, this particular incident took her by surprise.

Her features softened warmly. "Then you didn’t follow proper etiquette to thank the Marquis?"

"How could I dare skip formalities? I went in person. But at the start of the year, fighting broke out at the border, and the Marquis had already left the capital—I missed him." She lightly clenched her hands. "Still, I wanted to repay the debt to the Marquis’ household, but the steward said the Marquis had already given orders—the Du family doesn’t need to repay the money, and I shouldn’t dwell on it."

As the young girl spoke, a blush crept over her usually pale, sickly face.

Madam Wan couldn’t help smiling, her gaze growing even more tender as she looked at her granddaughter.

"So, the Marquis and Qing'er were already connected before this. What a fortunate turn of events."

The girl’s heart fluttered, but then, as if suddenly recalling something, a sudden emptiness filled her chest, tightening her throat.

"But the Marquis... is already engaged to my elder sister."

Her grandmother raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? What does your eldest sister think of this match?"

Du Runqing didn’t quite understand her grandmother’s meaning, but she repeated her elder sister’s earlier words verbatim.

Madam Wan laughed upon hearing them. "See? Your sister isn’t even interested."

"Even so, the imperial decree means she has to marry the Marquis."

Yet this only made her grandmother laugh even more.

"Who says so? The petition sent to the Imperial Clan Court was drafted under my guidance. Unless I misremember, it didn’t name Du Zhili’s daughter—just your grandfather Du Yijing’s granddaughter."

Madam Wan had left this loophole deliberately, thinking it might one day allow her to arrange a match between her granddaughter and Tanhua Shao Boju.

Who could have guessed that instead of Shao Boju, it would be the Marquis of Yongding!

She fixed her gaze on her granddaughter, Du Runqing.

"Your grandfather has more than one granddaughter. And you, my dear, will come of age on the twenty-ninth of this month—ready for marriage. Isn’t it a coincidence? A perfect match for the imperial decree."

Silence filled the room.

Du Runqing could hear nothing but the pounding of her own heart, loud as a drum.