Chapter 16

Chapter 16

After the midday meal, Sheng Puzhu chatted with her mother.

At first, she restrained her naturally girlish demeanor at home, mindful of Xie Zhiyan’s presence.

But as time passed, he remained quietly sipping tea, his russet robe half-hidden in the warm winter glow. Only his eyes—calm and deep—occasionally lifted to meet hers for a fleeting moment before looking away again.

Outside the flower hall, a cat darted past chasing a sparrow.

Sheng Puyao chattered on about the lessons she would study the next day and their eldest sister-in-law, who had returned to Fanyang for an elder’s birthday celebration and would bring back Fanyang’s special lingzao dates and silk ribbon flowers.

Sheng Puzhu took a bite of the flower-shaped goose cake, filled with sweet fruit jam—fragrant, delicious, its sweetness warming her heart.

Instinctively, she narrowed her eyes and leaned into her mother’s arms, speaking softly, “Mother, when next summer comes, let me take you and Grandmother to the villa beneath Tianchang Temple to escape the heat.

“Eldest Princess enjoys company, Grandmother loves playing leaf cards, and Grandfather enjoys fishing. That villa lies nestled between mountains and water—perfect for all of us. We can invite our younger sisters too.

“We could even have the estate manager hunt a deer in the mountains and roast meat by the stream at night.”

Madame Sheng couldn’t help but laugh, gently tapping her daughter’s forehead with her fingertip. Her pale lips curved slightly. “How old are you now? Still so childlike?”

Even as she said this, she picked up a silver skewer and fed Sheng Puzhu a pickled green plum. “If my health improves by midsummer, I’ll go with you.”

Sheng Puzhu parted her lips to accept the plum, pressing it with her tongue. A sharp tartness cut through the lingering sweetness, invigorating her.

She loved such intense flavors. Biting down, she crushed the seedless plum, and a powerful sourness spread across her tongue. Sheng Puzhu felt pleased and satisfied, her gaze subtly flickering toward Xie Zhiyan.

The man sat as straight as a pine, holding a porcelain cup. His fingertips rested silently on the rim, his expression calm and unreadable.

…

Shortly after one in the afternoon, Sheng Puzhu carefully stood and waved to an elderly maid nearby. “Mother is tired. Could you please bring a pillow and cushion? The southern-facing warm chamber has perfect sunlight—she can rest here.”

The old maid smiled in acknowledgment. “You are very thoughtful, young mistress. We will take good care of Madame.”

Once everything was settled, Sheng Puzhu left the small courtyard with Xie Zhiyan. She pointed toward the corridor to the right of the moon gate. “Do you remember how to get to my eldest brother’s courtyard?

“Go through this corridor, pass the waterside pavilion, and you’ll see it.”

A cold winter wind swept through the courtyard, lifting a loose strand of hair at her temple. Before him, her tone and manner once again assumed the dignified composure expected of the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xie family.

Xie Zhiyan frowned slightly. He was not one to show emotion easily, and even when faced with something contrary to his expectations, his upbringing prevented him from asking why his considerate and generous wife behaved so differently in front of him than she did with her family.

The couple parted ways in the small garden.

Sheng Puzhu led Sheng Puyao along the corridor on the left, speaking as they walked. “When I speak with your second sister later, find a way to distract our aunt.”

Sheng Puyao nodded. “I understand. We mustn’t startle Aunt.”

“After all, Uncle is still at his post. In such a serious matter, only Aunt and Grandmother can make the decision.”

Sheng Puzhu quickened her pace, eventually lifting the hem of her skirt and breaking into a light run.

Her ruqun swayed like rippling water, the gold-thread embroidered twin lotus blossoms shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. Her slender, graceful figure resembled a tender willow shoot in early spring. Pulling along a younger girl much shorter than herself, she moved like a fluttering butterfly—lively and beautiful.

Xie Zhiyan stood at the corner of the garden. Only after the butterfly had flown out of sight did he casually draw back his gaze.

He was a noble guest in the garden, there to admire the flowers and snow. Standing alone, no one knew how long he had lingered there.

“Second Sister! Third Sister!”

“Eldest Sister has arrived!” Sheng Puyao shouted toward the courtyard before even entering.

Sure enough, Sheng Mingya soon rushed out, lifting her skirts. “Eldest Sister!”

Sheng Puzhu took Sheng Mingya’s hands, studying her closely. “Why have you lost so much weight?”

Before Sheng Mingya could answer, her mother’s weak voice called from behind, “Puzhu, I’ve been unwell today, and I fear passing on my illness. You’ve come home with your husband, yet I couldn’t properly receive you.”

“Aunt.”

“Grandmother told me Second Sister was ill, so I came to see her.” Sheng Puzhu curtsied, but before she could straighten, Second Mrs. Sheng tightly grasped her hands—her touch icy cold. “Good child, thank you for coming all this way.”

“Mingshu just woke up, but now she refuses to take her medicine. What is she trying to do? Break my heart?”

“Aunt begs you—please go and persuade her.”

The situation was clearly more serious than Sheng Puzhu had anticipated.

During their eldest brother’s wedding, Aunt had been in good spirits, but now she looked ill and emaciated, her clothes hanging loosely on her frame.

Sheng Puzhu lowered her gaze and held Second Mrs. Sheng’s hands. “I’ll go see Mingshu. Just now, Puyao said she wanted to pick wintersweet blossoms in the garden. I’m afraid she might fall—could you keep an eye on her for me, Aunt?”

Sheng Puyao immediately tugged at Second Mrs. Sheng’s sleeve. “Aunt, come with me! We can pick fresh wintersweet branches for Second Sister’s room too.”

Second Mrs. Sheng hesitated, then understood. Her lips moved slightly, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

“Alright, Aunt will go with you.”

“Second Sister.” Sheng Puzhu walked around the screen and saw Sheng Mingshu leaning against a large backrest pillow, her small face pale. A maid stood nearby, holding a bowl of lukewarm medicine, anxiously pacing.

“Let me have it.”

Sheng Puzhu took the medicine bowl and gently stirred it with a spoon.

“What’s wrong, Second Sister? It’s not easy for me to visit, and you pretend to be sick just to avoid seeing me?” Sheng Puzhu sat down on the crescent-shaped stool beside the bed, her tone deliberately cool.

As expected, even in her weakened state, Sheng Mingshu opened her eyes, corners reddened, looking utterly aggrieved.

Yet she retorted stubbornly, “Since when would I resort to a child’s trick like pretending to be ill just to avoid seeing you, Eldest Sister?”

Sheng Puzhu handed her the medicine bowl. “Then drink this, and I’ll believe you.”

“I don’t want to drink it. I’d rather die from this illness.” Sheng Mingshu pressed her dry lips together.

Sheng Puzhu feigned surprise. “See? You say you’re not pretending to avoid me, yet you refuse to take your medicine.”

Sheng Mingshu felt more provoked than ill. She struggled to sit up, propping herself up with her hands, but she had no strength left.

“Second Sister, let me help you. Don’t get agitated.” Sheng Mingya quickly supported her.

Seizing the moment, Sheng Puzhu pressed the medicine bowl into her hands.

“Now, tell me—what’s really going on?”

“You went to Princess Changning’s to admire the plum blossoms—a perfectly fine outing—and yet you’ve ended up in this state. Even if we don’t always get along at home, I’d never wish a single hair on your head to be harmed.”

"Where did all that cleverness you used to bicker with me go when you were being bullied outside?" Sheng Puzhu said in exasperation.

Sheng Mingshu drank the medicine while crying, her golden teardrops falling into the bowl one by one.

By the time she finished the medicine, she had also cried herself out.

Sheng Mingya wrung out a hand towel and handed it to her: "Eldest Sister, just tell us, what exactly happened?"

"Mother and Grandmother asked you, but you didn’t want to say much. Now that Eldest Sister is back, surely you can tell us, right?"

Sheng Mingshu closed her eyes, her voice hoarse.

"On the day of Princess Changning’s flower-viewing banquet, I was already feeling unwell and had someone decline the invitation. But Heir to the Marquis of Changxing said he had written an excellent poem, and since the green plum blossoms in the plum garden had just bloomed, he insisted I shouldn’t miss it."

"Later, I drank too much tea and went to freshen up. On my way back, I encountered the young lady from the Duke of Fuguo’s residence, who was drunk and nearly fell into the water. Since I happened to be there, I pulled her back and had my maid take her to change clothes. I stayed by the lake to admire the withered lotus flowers."

"But then, someone bumped into me, and I fell into the half-dried lake."

"Since it was a banquet, how could such a large garden be empty?" Sheng Puzhu sneered.

Sheng Mingshu bit her lip, her voice dropping lower: "Because it was almost dark by then. Someone had brought fireworks to set off in the plum garden, and I suppose everyone was drawn to the excitement."

"My feet were stuck in the mud by the lake, and I couldn’t climb out. The fireworks were so loud..."

At this, Sheng Mingshu covered her eyes: "Later..."

"Later, in the chaos, an unknown young man pulled me out."

Sheng Puzhu watched her without speaking. Only when Sheng Mingshu trembled did she say, "And because of this, you fell so ill?"

Sheng Mingshu shook her head: "If it were just that, getting my skirt wet would’ve been the end of it."

"But then, someone started spreading rumors, saying I was by the lake engaged in improper intimacy with a strange man, and that I even loosened my clothes."

"Eldest Sister, whoever said this—aren’t they trying to drive me to suicide?"

Sheng Puzhu was also taken aback: "Where did these rumors come from?"

Sheng Mingshu shook her head, covering her face as her shoulders trembled: "I don’t know. When Princess Changning personally brought me home that day, everything was fine. But yesterday, when Marchioness of Xingping visited and spoke with Grandmother, she said that on the day of the flower-viewing, many people saw me in disheveled clothing."

"Eldest Sister, you know my nature—I’ve always been aloof and frail. How could I be such an improper girl, doing such shameless things?"

Sheng Puzhu felt that things might not be so simple. Her voice grew serious: "That young man who saved you—do you know who he was?"

Sheng Mingshu shook her head: "The day I returned home after falling into the water, Mother and Grandmother sent someone to ask. Princess Changning also helped investigate, but there was no trace of the young man I described."

No wonder Auntie had become so haggard. If the rescuer couldn’t be found, it was as good as confirming the rumors, indirectly admitting there was some clandestine man involved.

Sheng Puzhu fell silent.

After a long while, she asked: "What do you think about the marriage arrangement with Heir to the Marquis of Changxing?"

Sheng Mingshu tightened her grip on the handkerchief and lowered her head: "He sent me a letter today. He said he believes in the feelings we’ve shared over the years, and that I’m not that kind of girl."

"Even if... even if my reputation is tarnished, he’s still willing to marry me."

"He said he won’t agree to call off the engagement. He asked me to wait, and he will find a way to persuade his mother."

Sheng Puzhu slowly stood up and paced around the room. Out of habit, she reached into her sleeve for her white jade abacus but found nothing. She then remembered she had put it away after nearly breaking it on Xie Zhiyan last time.

"You still want to marry him?" Sheng Puzhu asked.

Sheng Mingshu hesitated for a moment before nodding earnestly: "We’ve known each other since childhood, and our engagement was settled after I came of age."

"Even after such an embarrassing incident, he’s still willing to believe in me. I naturally cannot let down his sincerity."

Sheng Puzhu turned around: "Even if Marchioness of Changxing is difficult to get along with, and you’ll surely suffer if you marry into that family?"

"Eldest Sister."

"I’m marrying him, and in the future, I’ll be living with him. If Marchioness of Changxing is hard to deal with, I’ll just avoid her as much as possible. Besides, Marquis of Changxing only has one legitimate son, so I won’t have to compete with anyone. It shouldn’t be too difficult."

Sheng Puzhu looked into Sheng Mingshu’s earnest eyes and suddenly asked: "Since Heir to the Marquis of Changxing believes in you, why couldn’t he stop his mother when she came to humiliate you?"

"Why does his wording make it sound like he’s already convinced you did something wrong?"

"If he were a responsible young man, shouldn’t he have tried to investigate the matter immediately after something like this happened? Instead of sending a letter with a few flimsy poems, waiting for your reputation to be ruined before marrying you into his family, only for you to live with your head bowed forever, always feeling inferior."

"Is this what Heir to the Marquis of Changxing calls 'unshakable love'?"

Seeing Sheng Mingshu silent, her head lowered as if she were about to burst into tears again, Sheng Puzhu decided to assert her authority as the eldest sister: "Sheng Mingshu, have you read so many poems and songs that you’ve lost your mind?"

"How could there be so many coincidences in this world!"

"Just when you try to do a good deed and save someone, you end up falling into the water yourself, and your maid is sent away."

"If you had already clearly stated you were unwell and couldn’t attend Princess Changning’s flower-viewing banquet, why did Heir to the Marquis of Changxing insist on inviting you to see some damn green plum blossoms?"

"Isn’t he supposed to be a considerate and caring young man? How could he be so caring as to disregard your health?"

"As a full-grown man, all he knows how to do is write a few pretentious poems. Does he really think he’s something special? I’ve told you time and again since your engagement was settled—at least compare him to the men in our family. But you never listened."

Sheng Puzhu grew angrier the more she thought about it, then added indignantly: "There are plenty of talented young men in Chang’an who are good at poetry and painting. Why did you have to pick an ugly one?"

Sheng Mingshu couldn’t stand the word "ugly." She burst into tears: "He’s not ugly! He’s just not exceptionally handsome."

"Not every young lady in Chang’an is like you, Eldest Sister—ignoring learning and family background, only caring about whether the man is exceptionally good-looking."

"I’m not as shallow as you, Sister. I don’t judge solely by appearance."

Sheng Puzhu wasn’t angered by this. Instead, she lifted her chin proudly: "Well, I can’t help it. I am that shallow. At least looks are something you can clearly see and judge."

"Besides, with Grandmother and Grandfather overseeing things, do you really think a man without family background or learning would make it into the Sheng family’s list of potential husbands?"

"Oh, I almost forgot." Sheng Puzhu smiled coldly. "The young men from the Marquis of Changxing’s family didn’t make it into our Sheng family’s list of potential husbands. Heir to the Marquis of Changxing was someone you picked yourself at a poetry gathering."

Sheng Mingshu wasn’t foolish. Since her eldest sister had spoken so frankly, it was likely that her falling into the water was part of a scheme orchestrated by someone with ill intentions.

Thinking of this, she clutched her chest, feeling as though she could hardly breathe, her voice strained: "Then, Eldest Sister, do you think I was wrong?"

"How could you be at fault?"

"Saving someone wasn’t wrong. Falling wasn’t wrong either. The ones at fault are those who used underhanded methods to scheme against you."

Sheng Puzhu leaned down, took Sheng Mingshu’s cold hands, and said gently: "Leave this matter to me."

"I have some acquaintance with Princess Duanyang. Princess Changning is the trueborn daughter of Prince Ning, who happens to be Princess Duanyang's full brother."

"Can you find out?" Sheng Mingshu clenched her fists.

Sheng Puzhu smiled, clearly already having a plan in mind: "Leave it to me—you can set your mind at ease."

They were close, and from Sheng Mingshu's angle, she could clearly see her flawless neck. Because of the cold weather, the collar was fastened with a fox fur collar, leaving a snow-white section exposed, like freshly fallen snow or gleaming white porcelain.

Sheng Mingshu stared at the stunning sight before her. Perhaps from crying too long, her mind went blank, and she blurted out without thinking: "After brother-in-law returned to Chang'an, has Eldest Sister still not consummated the marriage with him?"

"Didn't Eldest Sister say that just his face alone could ensure a happy marriage?"

Sheng Puzhu's expression froze for a moment before she quickly grasped the meaning behind her words: "What? You think you can tell my marriage isn’t happy just from my face?"

"Eldest Sister, Second Sister, weren't you just speaking calmly a moment ago?"

"How did you start arguing?"

As weak as she was, Sheng Mingshu's voice was anything but low: "Don’t interrupt—I'm asking Eldest Sister."

Sheng Puzhu snorted, speaking with confidence: "Of course we are happily married."

"You're lying!"

"The day after sister-in-law and elder brother consummated their marriage, when I went to pay respects to sister-in-law, I saw it clearly—under her collar were plum blossom-like red marks after consummation."

"I even secretly asked grandmother about it afterward. Grandmother said it was proof of marital harmony and told me not to speak of it carelessly."

"Eldest Sister's neck—never mind red marks, there isn't even a faint mark."

"See, I told you!"

"A handsome face alone isn’t enough."

Author's note:

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