Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Lian Cheng was stunned, saying that he was still young and not in a hurry to consider marriage.

Lian Pu said he wasn't young anymore: "Your eldest and second brothers were already married at your age."

"Being accomplished is more important than marrying early. What use is marriage?" Lian Cheng argued.

But Lian Pu was increasingly convinced that this son should marry early to settle his mind.

However, Lian Pu's words had never carried much weight at home, so Lian Cheng didn't take what he said today to heart. He played for several more days, and now he had social engagements too. Although he had turned down many, there were always some he couldn't avoid. Moreover, with people scheming against him, he couldn't remain oblivious to the situation forever.

After several consecutive social engagements, Lian Cheng felt that knowing was worse than not knowing. Throughout the court and the country, almost everyone followed Grand Secretary Ye, with no one able to stand as an equal to him. Even those who didn't have much to do with Grand Secretary Ye remained neutral and impartial, like Ceng Gui's grandfather.

In history, the fates of powerful ministers were almost always unfavorable. No matter how great the power they held, it could never surpass imperial authority. Even if they were entrusted with the regency, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't be purged one day.

And according to what Lian Cheng knew, the Ye family had a tragic end in the book. The Ye family was deemed by the Emperor as a traitorous faction allied with Crown Prince Jiao, and all households connected to the Ye family suffered a brutal purge.

Although the book stated that the charges against the Ye family were entirely fabricated by Lian Xiusheng, Lian Cheng had another view. If the Emperor were a naive fool, he might be deceived by wicked sycophants, but reality was clearly the opposite. Therefore, Lian Cheng believed that the Ye family tragedy was a joint effort between the Emperor and Lian Xiusheng.

So, was Lian Xiusheng's current apprenticeship under Grand Secretary Ye a move to spy on him? To spy for the Emperor? Give me a break—Lian Cheng could figure out blindfolded who Lian Xiusheng hated most.

Thus, in his heart, he always felt that Lian Xiusheng was like an onion—you never know what's underneath.

Sometimes, at night, lying beside Lian Xiusheng, he would suddenly feel a bit emo: "Does your talk of brotherly love actually mean anything?"

Just for a moment, then Lian Cheng was grossed out by himself, kicked off the blanket covering both of them, sending it flying, startling his brother awake. He quickly closed his eyes, pretending to be having a nightmare, innocent as can be.

Preparations for the Lian family's flower-viewing banquet began several days in advance. This was Lian Cheng's business; Zhou Yaniang didn't intervene or get involved. Zhang Ailian had everything perfectly prepared—inside and out, high and low. Colorful birds hung from the eaves, flowers and plants in the corridor were a feast for the eyes, and the parking spots for guests' carriages were clearly arranged. The day before, Lian Cheng was still teasing the birds in the corridor. The next day, on his day off, he saw Qiu Mama, Qing Zhu, and Qiu Fang standing in the courtyard early in the morning, and he couldn't quite smile.

Lian Cheng was surrounded and forced to change clothes and comb his hair. The clothes were brought by someone from the Orchid Garden: a crimson satin robe with gold-woven lotus and eight-treasure patterns, a white jade belt, and a Ruyi-shaped hair crown topped with a hairnet. As he touched the sleeve, he felt the workmanship was a bit better than his usual wear. He asked what the occasion was.

Qiu Mama brought boots: "It's a good day, a good day for the young master."

"..." Lian Cheng hurriedly tried to take off the clothes, flustered. "I told Father the other day, no rush to get married!"

Qiu Fang smiled sweetly: "No one said you're getting married today. It's just to send you over to help Madam take a look."

"Take a look at what? Isn't that still picking a wife for me?" Lian Cheng pushed Qiu Mama away, put on his boots himself, tied a set of jade pendants, and said, "I'll go take a look, that's it. If she likes someone, let her marry them herself. Anyway, I don't want to think about this now."

"Alright, alright," Qing Zhu stepped forward too. "Young master has thrown his tantrum. Can we go now?"

Lian Cheng wasn't throwing a tantrum; he just wanted to make his stance clear. If he played hard to get, they might think he was secretly craving a cozy family life.

Qiu Mama opened the door at the front, and the maids and servants who had been blocked in the courtyard immediately crowded around. Qiu Mama scolded them for being unruly, and even Lian Tongxue had tears welled up in her eyes. To avoid trouble, Lian Cheng quickly pulled them toward the Orchid Garden, but Qiu Mama stopped him, saying there were over a dozen masons working both inside and outside the courtyard, so they should stay in the rooms to watch so nothing got lost. Thus, Lian Cheng had to go to the Orchid Garden alone.

As he turned the corner from the corridor leading to the Penglai Pavilion and Yi Qiu, under a few peach blossom trees, Lian Xiusheng, dressed in casual clothes, emerged from a moon-shaped doorway. He glanced at his third brother, saw he was dressed formally, and asked where he was going.

Lian Cheng, feeling as awkward as a hostage, somehow felt too embarrassed to speak. Qiu Mama clasped her hands in front of her, joked: "Madam is holding a flower-viewing banquet in the Orchid Garden and invited Third Brother to be a guest of honor."

A twitch in Lian Xiusheng's eyelid. He smiled and said, "I heard a servant mention it the other day, but Mother invited only female guests. How would it be appropriate for Third Brother to attend?"

"Oh," Qiu Mama thought that this brilliantly clever Sixth Brother was also a bit obtuse. "Precisely because the invited are all the fine young ladies from the capital, it's just right to send Third Brother over."

Lian Xiusheng was about to say more, but the people on the steps were already impatient. They curtseyed to take their leave, pulling the all dressed up young master away quickly.

Lian Cheng looked back every few steps until he could no longer see Lian Xiusheng's figure in the distance. He withdrew his gaze, feeling lost.

He probably isn't angry, right?

-

The weather had already turned warm, and the Lan Garden, taking advantage of the fine day, enjoyed a rare moment of liveliness.

Upon entering the garden, Qing Zhu and Qiu Fang immediately busied themselves, while Qiu Mama accompanied Lian Cheng into the house. Zhang Ailian had just finished her medicine and asked Lian Cheng if he had taken his. Lian Cheng bowed, took a seat, and said, "Dr. Xie's prescription says to wait a month, then take the medicine every three days. I had mine yesterday, so I won't need another dose for a few more days."

After saying this, he grinned. "Mother, you look especially beautiful today. I just passed by the flowers in the garden, and not a single one could outshine you."

The woman was wearing a rare golden filigree hairpiece studded with gems, a gold-carved Queen Mother riding a phoenix hairpin, and a peach-red embroidered brocade dress. She was usually stern and had been plagued by chronic illness for years, which gave her a slightly bitter expression. But today, she looked radiantly beautiful.

She scolded him, laughing, calling him a smooth-talker, and ordered breakfast to be served. Mother and son ate together. As the sun rose higher, a call came from outside the door. Qing Zhu lifted the curtain and announced that the Song family had arrived. Lian Cheng made a move to run, but Zhang Ailian, sharp-eyed, grabbed him. "When a guest arrives, you should go greet them. What are you running for?"

"Mother, I haven't decided whether I want to get married yet," Lian Cheng said, truly at his wit's end. It wasn't that he didn't want to get married, but he wasn't eager to, either. Frankly, he just wasn't interested in marriage.

Before Zhang Ailian could scold him further, the guests arrived. The two of them stopped their tussle and composed themselves. The Song family lived across the street and arrived first. The women greeted each other with bows, and Lian Cheng quickly greeted the young lady behind the female guest. The girl held a green silk fan, wore a cross-collared wide-sleeved gown with an embroidered pattern of tiny lotus buds, and a light blue skirt. Her hair was styled in three coils. She curtsied in return.

Zhang Ailian said beside him, "This is the daughter of Grand Censor Song. You played together as children. You should call her Cousin Fangyu."

Lian Cheng bowed again. "Cousin Fangyu."

Song Fangyu clutched her fan so tightly that the handle turned sweaty. She curtsied. "Cousin Cheng."

After staying in the room for a while, they moved to the garden. Guests continued to arrive. Fortunately, the Lan Garden was spacious enough to host a sports meet. Lian Cheng had been reluctant at first, but seeing Zhang Ailian forcing herself to entertain despite her illness, he was glad he came. As an orphan, he finally understood what it meant to have armor and a weakness. He sighed.

The flowers in the Lan Garden seemed to have bloomed with all their might just for this day. Lian Cheng followed behind Zhang Ailian, occasionally plucking winter jasmine leaves or playfully tapping peony blossoms. When he noticed ladies and young misses sneaking glances at him, he immediately put on a dignified demeanor. Only when the constant coming and going left him no chance to slack off did he finally behave.

"Cheng Geer, come here. This is your cousin Lan Xue. Has Lan Xue been taking her herbal medicine recently?"

"This is also your cousin."

"Come over."

"Isn't Hezhen three months older than Cheng Geer? Cheng Geer should call her Big Sister."

Lian Cheng's bowing became mechanical. He couldn't help but admire Zhang Ailian. With so many people, she not only remembered all their names but also knew what their husbands did for a living, how old the unmarried girls were, where the married ones had wed, whether they had children, and even their extended relatives. She could chat with anyone about anything.

Lian Cheng thought his memory was already impressive, but it turned out the real mastermind was right beside him!

"I've set up a stage. When the performers arrive, you can go pick operas to watch. Don't worry about me," Zhang Ailian said, supported by two magnificently dressed women as they walked by the pond. The woman on her right frowned and protested, "Elder Sister," saying she should take better care of herself. "Cheng Geer is still so young, only just entered the yamen a few days ago. He hasn't even had a chance to be filial to you for a few years. Why rush him into marriage?"

The other woman agreed. "Elder Sister, you don't know—once a man marries, he forgets his mother. Every day, that wretched son of mine listens to his wife and comes to stir up trouble with me, all over money. This month alone, I've given that couple nearly three hundred silver taels. Those two rascals have ganged up on me!"

"I think Cheng Geer's future will be no less than Qiu Geer's. Take your time, wait a few more years, and let him bring a princess home for you."

"Bah, bah, bah—how can a man be an official if he marries a princess?"

Zhang Ailian suppressed a laugh and tapped each of their foreheads. "The current emperor only has one young son, under ten years old. Where is Cheng Geer supposed to find a princess for you?"

Listening all the way, Lian Cheng could tell these two had a special bond with Zhang Ailian, unlike the others. He lagged behind slowly, identifying them in his mind. Both had it worse in their marriages than Zhang Ailian—one had a courtyard full of concubines and faced scheming every day upon waking; the other was a widow, determined to live as a chaste woman. He sighed inwardly, feeling that women in this era truly had it hard.

As he finished his lament, a *plop* sounded from the pond beside him—a pebble had fallen into the water. He looked over, and another stone flew over, sending up a splash. He quickly sidestepped two paces and looked up at the pavilion above the pond, where a handful of young girls were giggling behind their hands.

The women ahead had seen it too, and they sent Lian Cheng over to chat with the girls.

With no choice, Lian Cheng took a long way around and went to them. He bowed to the girls. One in a green skirt asked if he knew how to play *shuanglu*. Lian Cheng said no. She asked if he knew how to whisk tea. He said no again. Then she asked if he knew how to play polo. Lian Cheng said no once more. The taller one beside her pouted. "Cousin Cheng, you're known in the capital as the best at having fun. Why are you teasing your cousins?"

Lian Cheng winked at her. "If I said yes, I'd have to beat you all, and people would say I've wasted all these years. But if I say no, even if I let you all win against me, it doesn't matter."

The girl's cheeks flushed red, and she half-hid her face with her fan. Lan Xue immediately defended her. "If Cousin Cheng lets us win on purpose, word will get around the capital that we have no skill. How would that look?"

Lian Cheng leaned on the railing and said slowly, "If I win against you, it's called gallantry. If you win against me, it would ruin your reputation. If anyone says that, you should just go up and slap them across the face. Who knows, they might even call you a female general."

The other girls covered their mouths and laughed, but Lan Xue was lost in thought at the young man leaning against the railing before her. In his brocade robe and jade belt, he was spirited and dashing—utterly incomparable to any man in the capital. That morning, she had not intended to come, and had been at odds with her family for days. She saw through her parents' desperation to curry favor with the powerful, and found it utterly repulsive. But at this moment, she thought, she was glad she had come.

Her heart stirred, and her voice softened. "Brother Cheng, do you know how to write?"

"…" Lian Cheng shook his head. "No."

"Is that also a lie?" someone asked.

"I wouldn't dare deceive you again."

The girls professed disbelief and had brush, ink, and paper brought over. They spread the paper out in the pavilion and began to write. Each displayed her fine calligraphy, and they praised one another in turn before finally calling on Lian Cheng. He truly did not wish to embarrass himself, but was dragged to the table. With no way out, he stiffened his expression and wrote a line: *"A thousand sails pass by, but none are the one I seek, the slanting sun sheds its rays upon the endless water."* He put down his brush and looked up. The girls were momentarily frozen in expression, and two of them even excused themselves to freshen up, bowing and leaving.

Lian Cheng was taken aback; he realized that writing poorly could have such a wonderful effect. He immediately picked up the brush again to write more, thinking it would be great to hand out a piece of his writing to each girl. But Lan Xue, worried that Lian Cheng might feel hurt, gently tapped the table with her fan. "I think this 'water' character is actually quite cleverly written."

Lian Cheng promptly put down his brush and stopped. He grabbed the paper he had written on, crumpled it, and tossed it aside. "It's no good, no good. I won't write anymore." He left with all the proper courtesies, showing no sign of displeasure. The crumpled paper lay forgotten in a corner. After everyone else had gone, Lan Xue walked over, picked it up, and took it away.

Later, they set up a stage for the opera, and several operas were performed. After a delicate midday meal, the noble ladies went home with their daughters. Zhang Ailian, accompanied by Lian Cheng, personally saw them off at the gate, handing a bouquet of crabapple blossoms into each carriage. Lian Cheng was tasked with distributing the flowers, which he was casual about, without any special gestures. Only when he handed the bouquet to Lan Xue did she stop him and ask softly, "In a few days, my mother is hosting a polo match. I’ll have her send you an invitation. Would you be willing to come?"

-

Seeing that Lian Cheng did not reply immediately, the woman beside her laughed and said, "There will be both kickball and elegant gatherings. Brother Cheng can choose what he's good at."

"Let it be polo. But I want to bring my brothers—could you include all my siblings on the invitation?"

After the arrangements were made, Lian Cheng watched the carriage drive off. Yawning, he returned to Zhang Ailian’s side and helped her inside. She immediately asked him if he had taken a liking to any young lady. Lian Cheng said no, wished his mother a good rest, and dashed off. Before Zhang Ailian could react, he was already out of sight. She could not scold him, but after this banquet, she decided she would not bother with Lian Cheng's marriage for at least three years. With that clueless monkey’s behavior, what girl would be willing to be with him?

Breathless, Lian Cheng ran back to Penglai Pavilion. The masons had already knocked off work, and the courtyard seemed deserted. He called out for Huqiu a few times before someone emerged. He asked what Huqiu was doing. Huqiu pointed to his belly and said he was eating pastries sent by Sixth Brother. Lian Cheng glanced toward Yiqiu. "Did Lian Xiusheng personally bring them to you?" Huqiu affirmed. Lian Cheng then intended to go see Lian Xiusheng, but after a few steps, he turned back and asked Huqiu, "How was Lian Xiusheng’s mood today?" Huqiu scratched his head and said it was good.

Reassured, Lian Cheng pulled out a crumpled crabapple blossom from his sleeve, shook it, and ran toward Yiqiu.

"Don't worry, little bro. Your big bro's coming!"

Lian Xiusheng was reading—The Book of Rites. He felt he needed to study this book more than others, but today, a whole day’s effort had yielded barely a fraction of his usual progress. Thus, he had long since heard footsteps approaching from afar. He listened intently until the figure came into view: red robes, red flowers, dazzlingly bright.

Lian Cheng entered the room, casually tucked a crabapple blossom into a porcelain vase, and announced, "I’m back."

Lian Xiusheng looked up, his eyes slightly narrowed. As if hot oil were bubbling up in his heart. He pressed his fingers against his knees, barely restraining the urge to throw his third brother onto the desk and impale him with that crabapple blossom. But his face remained cool and detached, as if untouched by worldly affairs. "How did Third Brother enjoy the flower-viewing banquet? Did you find any young lady to your liking?"

Lian Cheng said no. Lian Xiusheng perked up a little and asked why not.

"No means no. You know your elder brother well—I don't care about looks; I am devoted to my career and my future." Even if he did care about looks, he would have to wait until Lian Xiusheng settled down. Otherwise, if the whole family suffered for his sake, wouldn't that hurt the girl?

"Then were there any young ladies who took a liking to you?" Lian Xiusheng asked again.

"I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not." Lian Cheng recounted how he had scared off a few girls with his atrocious handwriting. Lian Xiusheng gave a faint smile, while Lian Cheng himself laughed until he doubled over. When he was done laughing, he leaned over in front of Lian Xiusheng and said seriously, "I bet you were just like them before—lusting after your big brother's looks. Ah, better to covet virtue than beauty, Xiusheng—"

Lian Xiusheng, holding The Book of Rites, studied his third brother's face and said calmly, "I lack virtue."