The twenty-seventh of February was a fortunate date which was suitable for getting married.
Wen Yanjing was having his days. He would be granted an official position soon and marry a wife who’s from a powerful family. There were lots of his friends and school fellows helping him escorting the bride. Joyous hurrahs, the deafening sound of gongs and drums were filled in the street, giving out a jubilant aura.
This time Changfeng finally met his match in debating. He stood at the door of Sheng’s mansion arguing with Wen Yanjing for almost half an hour. Their speeches quoted the poems from Tang and Song dynasties with tons of ornate languages. The crowd kept applauding for them. Seeing the bustling scene, Wang shi finally showed a sign of satisfaction.
Old Madam Sheng always preferred quietness. However, this time she decided to show respect to Wang shi by coming back to the Hall of Peaceful Ages after the drinking had been through three rounds. Minglan was also quite cheerful. After she had taken several cups of wines, she got red-hot cheeks and a fainted head. Being uncomfortable to stay in the room, she walked out of the yard in order to dispel the effects of the alcohol.
It was a chilling night. There were still loud sounds of chatting and raucous laughter as well as the aroma of the wines coming through from the outer yard. People were still toasting each other, so the feast must have not finished, which made the inner yard seem more tranquil. Minglan strolled along the stone path. Suddenly, she was curious if the ice layer on the pond had melted. Because she wanted to catch some fish before she got married.
Thinking of that, she walked quickly to the pond. Then she saw a tall person bending over and holding the hill stones with his head lowered under the creamy white moonlight. It seemed that he was vomiting now. As that man heard steps behind him, he turned around slowly. The glistening light of the lake at night under the crescent moon reflected on that man’s face, that jade-like gorgeous face.
Minglan paused right away and got nervous, trying to leave instantly.
“... sixth sister?” Qi Heng’s body is suffused with a light aroma of wines. As he stood in the moist air of the early spring, he looked even more elegant.
Minglan tried to stop, and then said with a smile on her face, “Long time no see. I haven’t sent my congratulations to your wedding. So, congratulations.”
Qi Heng had a pair of beautiful eyes which always contained great tenderness and unspoken affections, like the waters which could be both limpid and dense. He stared at Minglan in silence and then said slowly, “Speaking of the congratulations. I will have to give my best wishes to your upcoming wedding.” As he was saying that, he gave an obeisance to Minglan by bending down and cupping his hand in the other.
Minglan returned an obeisance right away.
After that, the two of them only looked at each other without uttering a word. Only the water of the pond was making sound right now.
Minglan wanted to slip away. However, Qi Heng gazed at her so intently as if he just couldn’t get enough looking at her. Minglan was not that strong-willed, so she could only find something to say, “You... what are you doing here?” They were standing in the inner yard right now. Normally the man who didn’t belong to Sheng family couldn’t come in.
Qi Heng smiled with his pretty eyes curled, “I’ve got a bit loaded. So Changbai let me to rest in his study.” He knew the paths in the Sheng’s mansion and Changbai’s study was on the junction of the inner and outer yard. So it was not strange that he would make his way to the pond.
Now Minglan didn’t know what to say again. So the air was filled with weird silence again. Qi Heng looked at Minglan from her eyebrows, her eyelashes, her smile to that little pair of dimples on her face. Then all of their pasts flashed back to him. With a bitter feeling welling up in his mind, Qi Heng snorted and said, “Sixth sister, you don’t need to worry about yourself anymore. Last month on Marquis Weibei’s wedding, there was lots of people proposing toasts. Commander Gu has taken lots of cups of wines for the the empress’s brother. I heard the latter said that he would return this favor to Commander Gu when there was a wedding in the Gu’s mansion... Oh, I forgot that I couldn’t call you sixth sister anymore. According to our seniority in the clan, I should call you second aunt from now on.”
Minglan didn’t respond anything. After a long while, she said tardily, “You are right.”
Hearing her words, Qi Heng only felt the wine he had drunk rushing to his brain. Suddenly he couldn’t even stand still. Having shaken on the ground, he leaned on the hill stone to keep himself steady. He wanted to spit some sarcastic words to Minglan to sneer at her, but he couldn’t bear to hurt her. So, they just both became speechless.
However, Qi Heng still felt depressed. So he couldn’t help but say, “I have something that has buried in my mind for a long time. Now I only want you to tell me the truth today.”
Minglan said softly, “Please say it.”
Having stood still and taken a deep breath, Qi Heng put on a severe look on his pure and handsome face, saying, “You know about my feelings to you over the years. But you always play dumb and treat me coldly. I swear to God today that if you have shown a single sign of responding my love, I would risk anything for us! But you never gave me any chance at the beginning. You thought that I could not be relied on, that I would get you into trouble and hurt you. You treated me like some kind of monster! Just tell me why!”
Minglan raised her head while her tender and pink neck showed out. Qi Heng almost went crazy even by looking at the beautiful lines of her neck. After a short while, Minglan said with her head lowered, “We have known each other since childhood. I’m afraid that maybe even you don’t know it for yourself that you and the princess are very alike. You both look indifferent to fame, but are actually very ambitious deep down. You were born in a prestigious family but still study diligently and keep your integrity. Everyone knows that you are an extraordinary young man among all the childes in the capital.”
MInglan spoke those words with a sad tone while facing the lake. It seemed that she was also calling back memories from long long time ago. Then she continued, “You always have to be the best in everything. After a few days you had learned about the Han fu (T/N: poetry in Han Dynasty), you began to study The Book of Songs. While you were learning the Guange handwriting style, you also practiced the Yan style and Liu style at the same time. As Mr. Zhuang praised your handwriting, you picked up the drawing lesson right away. You knew that one could not bite off more than he could chew. So you have worked from dawn to night. I know those numerous gifts of yours don’t come from nowhere.”
Qi Heng could tell that Minglan had said those words with a slightly sad tone, which brought him sorrow too.
Minglan paused for a moment to cool herself down. Then she turned around and looked at Qi Heng, saying word by word, “You always want to be the best. You are too good for me to have. You want too much things. And I’m just one of them.”
Qi Heng only felt his heart bleeding right now. He bit his lips fiercely until he could taste the smell of blood. After that, he said with difficulty, “You... you are always clear about everything.”
Minglan stared at her tiptoe while feeling a dull pain in her heart, saying, “I don’t have anyone to rely on. So I have to be clear about things.”
Seeing Minglan’s thin and delicate body which seemingly easy to be blown away by a gust. Qi Heng, being softhearted, said bitterly, “I know about your difficulties. I, I have never blamed you. I just hate myself for being useless! Gu... he’s not a bad guy. Don’t listen to those rumors. You... You have to live a great life!”
Minglan, as emotional as she got, raised her head and said loudly, “Living a great life is all I want for my whole life.”
After she had said that, Qi Heng already got tears filled in his eyes with his eye sockets turning red. Meanwhile, Minglan adjusted her dress with a beaming smile, in order to cover the tears which had dropped on her tiptoe. Then she bid farewell to Qi Heng and left without turning back her head.
The crescent moon was still flashing a dim light on the sky. However, the light was not as charming as just now.
Having walked hastily to the Hall of Peaceful Ages, Minglan went to the inner room quickly. Old Madam Sheng had already taken off her accessories and was resting on the bed. After Minglan given obeisance to Old Madam Sheng, she asked all the maids and servants in the room to leave. Then she stepped forward and said, “Grandma, tell me about the things with He family. What has happened to them after you came to their home last time?”
Old Madam Sheng was confused about Minglan’s weird actions. She looked at Minglan for a while, showing a strange smile, “Ever since your marriage was settled, you have never asked a single word about He family. Now what, you suddenly want to know about it today?”
Minglan said firmly with a calm look, “I can’t pretend that something doesn’t exist by being indifferent to it. I should be clear about everything.”
Old Madam Sheng rose upon her elbows slowly with appreciation in her eyes, praising, “I already made it clear to them that you have already been engaged. Also, there were never any agreements between He family and us. You and He Hongwen didn’t have a matchmaker nor any love tokens. So there’s nothing between you and him in the beginning!”
Minglan nodded while bending down to thank Old Madam Sheng. Then she asked, “So what did the people in He family say?”
Old Madam Sheng smiled with light flashed in her eyes and replied, “My sister is an open-minded woman. Ever since Cao family’s matter, she knew very well in her heart what was about to happen. So she didn’t mind too much. Hongwen was an aspiring man. When he heard that the people in Zhang family had intention to gather all kinds of herbs and visit all the famous physicians, he made up him mind to follow them to enrich his experience. He’ll leave in a few days. I guess it would take him two to three years to come tack. His mother always has a weak body. Lately she has suffered from sickness again, so she needs to nurse her health.”
Hearing Old Madam Sheng’s answer, Minglan still remained calm and asked, “Has anyone in He family sent any words or subjects to me?”
Old Madam Sheng laughed, making the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist shake vigorously. Then she answered, “My sister knows about the inside story of your engagement. She only said that you must feel so aggrieved. She also claimed that no one in He family would say anything about your marriage. After all, Old Master He has already submitted his resignation to the emperor. Their family is about to leave the capital in about a year. As for the rest... Hongwen has also left a message to you.”
Minglan said attentively, “What did he say?”
Old Madam Sheng said slowly, “He said that he was sorry, that he didn’t deserve you and it was not your fault that you two didn’t work together.”
Hearing that, Minglan fell in to silence for a long time. Old Madam Sheng observed the changes on Minglan’s face and said sincerely, “You don’t have to take it to your heart. It’s better that both of you can move on. You won’t see each other in the future anyway. The most important thing is to live your own life.”
Minglan raised her head and showed an adorable and bright smile on her face, saying, “Grandma, you are right. It doesn’t matter if we will see each other in the future. Old Madam He is your best friend. We can get along with each other like normal relatives, him and I.
Only until then did Old Madam Sheng feel secured. She praised, “I’m so glad you can think this through.”
Minglan said with a smile, “Since our eyes are on the front of our faces, we should always look forward.”
The twenty-seventh of February was a fortunate date which was suitable for getting married.
Wen Yanjing was having his days. He would be granted an official position soon and marry a wife who’s from a powerful family. There were lots of his friends and school fellows helping him escorting the bride. Joyous hurrahs, the deafening sound of gongs and drums were filled in the street, giving out a jubilant aura.
This time Changfeng finally met his match in debating. He stood at the door of Sheng’s mansion arguing with Wen Yanjing for almost half an hour. Their speeches quoted the poems from Tang and Song dynasties with tons of ornate languages. The crowd kept applauding for them. Seeing the bustling scene, Wang shi finally showed a sign of satisfaction.
Old Madam Sheng always preferred quietness. However, this time she decided to show respect to Wang shi by coming back to the Hall of Peaceful Ages after the drinking had been through three rounds. Minglan was also quite cheerful. After she had taken several cups of wines, she got red-hot cheeks and a fainted head. Being uncomfortable to stay in the room, she walked out of the yard in order to dispel the effects of the alcohol.
It was a chilling night. There were still loud sounds of chatting and raucous laughter as well as the aroma of the wines coming through from the outer yard. People were still toasting each other, so the feast must have not finished, which made the inner yard seem more tranquil. Minglan strolled along the stone path. Suddenly, she was curious if the ice layer on the pond had melted. Because she wanted to catch some fish before she got married.
Thinking of that, she walked quickly to the pond. Then she saw a tall person bending over and holding the hill stones with his head lowered under the creamy white moonlight. It seemed that he was vomiting now. As that man heard steps behind him, he turned around slowly. The glistening light of the lake at night under the crescent moon reflected on that man’s face, that jade-like gorgeous face.
Minglan paused right away and got nervous, trying to leave instantly.
“... sixth sister?” Qi Heng’s body is suffused with a light aroma of wines. As he stood in the moist air of the early spring, he looked even more elegant.
Minglan tried to stop, and then said with a smile on her face, “Long time no see. I haven’t sent my congratulations to your wedding. So, congratulations.”
Qi Heng had a pair of beautiful eyes which always contained great tenderness and unspoken affections, like the waters which could be both limpid and dense. He stared at Minglan in silence and then said slowly, “Speaking of the congratulations. I will have to give my best wishes to your upcoming wedding.” As he was saying that, he gave an obeisance to Minglan by bending down and cupping his hand in the other.
Minglan returned an obeisance right away.
After that, the two of them only looked at each other without uttering a word. Only the water of the pond was making sound right now.
Minglan wanted to slip away. However, Qi Heng gazed at her so intently as if he just couldn’t get enough looking at her. Minglan was not that strong-willed, so she could only find something to say, “You... what are you doing here?” They were standing in the inner yard right now. Normally the man who didn’t belong to Sheng family couldn’t come in.
Qi Heng smiled with his pretty eyes curled, “I’ve got a bit loaded. So Changbai let me to rest in his study.” He knew the paths in the Sheng’s mansion and Changbai’s study was on the junction of the inner and outer yard. So it was not strange that he would make his way to the pond.
Now Minglan didn’t know what to say again. So the air was filled with weird silence again. Qi Heng looked at Minglan from her eyebrows, her eyelashes, her smile to that little pair of dimples on her face. Then all of their pasts flashed back to him. With a bitter feeling welling up in his mind, Qi Heng snorted and said, “Sixth sister, you don’t need to worry about yourself anymore. Last month on Marquis Weibei’s wedding, there was lots of people proposing toasts. Commander Gu has taken lots of cups of wines for the the empress’s brother. I heard the latter said that he would return this favor to Commander Gu when there was a wedding in the Gu’s mansion... Oh, I forgot that I couldn’t call you sixth sister anymore. According to our seniority in the clan, I should call you second aunt from now on.”
Minglan didn’t respond anything. After a long while, she said tardily, “You are right.”
Hearing her words, Qi Heng only felt the wine he had drunk rushing to his brain. Suddenly he couldn’t even stand still. Having shaken on the ground, he leaned on the hill stone to keep himself steady. He wanted to spit some sarcastic words to Minglan to sneer at her, but he couldn’t bear to hurt her. So, they just both became speechless.
However, Qi Heng still felt depressed. So he couldn’t help but say, “I have something that has buried in my mind for a long time. Now I only want you to tell me the truth today.”
Minglan said softly, “Please say it.”
Having stood still and taken a deep breath, Qi Heng put on a severe look on his pure and handsome face, saying, “You know about my feelings to you over the years. But you always play dumb and treat me coldly. I swear to God today that if you have shown a single sign of responding my love, I would risk anything for us! But you never gave me any chance at the beginning. You thought that I could not be relied on, that I would get you into trouble and hurt you. You treated me like some kind of monster! Just tell me why!”
Minglan raised her head while her tender and pink neck showed out. Qi Heng almost went crazy even by looking at the beautiful lines of her neck. After a short while, Minglan said with her head lowered, “We have known each other since childhood. I’m afraid that maybe even you don’t know it for yourself that you and the princess are very alike. You both look indifferent to fame, but are actually very ambitious deep down. You were born in a prestigious family but still study diligently and keep your integrity. Everyone knows that you are an extraordinary young man among all the childes in the capital.”
MInglan spoke those words with a sad tone while facing the lake. It seemed that she was also calling back memories from long long time ago. Then she continued, “You always have to be the best in everything. After a few days you had learned about the Han fu (T/N: poetry in Han Dynasty), you began to study The Book of Songs. While you were learning the Guange handwriting style, you also practiced the Yan style and Liu style at the same time. As Mr. Zhuang praised your handwriting, you picked up the drawing lesson right away. You knew that one could not bite off more than he could chew. So you have worked from dawn to night. I know those numerous gifts of yours don’t come from nowhere.”
Qi Heng could tell that Minglan had said those words with a slightly sad tone, which brought him sorrow too.
Minglan paused for a moment to cool herself down. Then she turned around and looked at Qi Heng, saying word by word, “You always want to be the best. You are too good for me to have. You want too much things. And I’m just one of them.”
Qi Heng only felt his heart bleeding right now. He bit his lips fiercely until he could taste the smell of blood. After that, he said with difficulty, “You... you are always clear about everything.”
Minglan stared at her tiptoe while feeling a dull pain in her heart, saying, “I don’t have anyone to rely on. So I have to be clear about things.”
Seeing Minglan’s thin and delicate body which seemingly easy to be blown away by a gust. Qi Heng, being softhearted, said bitterly, “I know about your difficulties. I, I have never blamed you. I just hate myself for being useless! Gu... he’s not a bad guy. Don’t listen to those rumors. You... You have to live a great life!”
Minglan, as emotional as she got, raised her head and said loudly, “Living a great life is all I want for my whole life.”
After she had said that, Qi Heng already got tears filled in his eyes with his eye sockets turning red. Meanwhile, Minglan adjusted her dress with a beaming smile, in order to cover the tears which had dropped on her tiptoe. Then she bid farewell to Qi Heng and left without turning back her head.
The crescent moon was still flashing a dim light on the sky. However, the light was not as charming as just now.
Having walked hastily to the Hall of Peaceful Ages, Minglan went to the inner room quickly. Old Madam Sheng had already taken off her accessories and was resting on the bed. After Minglan given obeisance to Old Madam Sheng, she asked all the maids and servants in the room to leave. Then she stepped forward and said, “Grandma, tell me about the things with He family. What has happened to them after you came to their home last time?”
Old Madam Sheng was confused about Minglan’s weird actions. She looked at Minglan for a while, showing a strange smile, “Ever since your marriage was settled, you have never asked a single word about He family. Now what, you suddenly want to know about it today?”
Minglan said firmly with a calm look, “I can’t pretend that something doesn’t exist by being indifferent to it. I should be clear about everything.”
Old Madam Sheng rose upon her elbows slowly with appreciation in her eyes, praising, “I already made it clear to them that you have already been engaged. Also, there were never any agreements between He family and us. You and He Hongwen didn’t have a matchmaker nor any love tokens. So there’s nothing between you and him in the beginning!”
Minglan nodded while bending down to thank Old Madam Sheng. Then she asked, “So what did the people in He family say?”
Old Madam Sheng smiled with light flashed in her eyes and replied, “My sister is an open-minded woman. Ever since Cao family’s matter, she knew very well in her heart what was about to happen. So she didn’t mind too much. Hongwen was an aspiring man. When he heard that the people in Zhang family had intention to gather all kinds of herbs and visit all the famous physicians, he made up him mind to follow them to enrich his experience. He’ll leave in a few days. I guess it would take him two to three years to come tack. His mother always has a weak body. Lately she has suffered from sickness again, so she needs to nurse her health.”
Hearing Old Madam Sheng’s answer, Minglan still remained calm and asked, “Has anyone in He family sent any words or subjects to me?”
Old Madam Sheng laughed, making the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist shake vigorously. Then she answered, “My sister knows about the inside story of your engagement. She only said that you must feel so aggrieved. She also claimed that no one in He family would say anything about your marriage. After all, Old Master He has already submitted his resignation to the emperor. Their family is about to leave the capital in about a year. As for the rest... Hongwen has also left a message to you.”
Minglan said attentively, “What did he say?”
Old Madam Sheng said slowly, “He said that he was sorry, that he didn’t deserve you and it was not your fault that you two didn’t work together.”
Hearing that, Minglan fell in to silence for a long time. Old Madam Sheng observed the changes on Minglan’s face and said sincerely, “You don’t have to take it to your heart. It’s better that both of you can move on. You won’t see each other in the future anyway. The most important thing is to live your own life.”
Minglan raised her head and showed an adorable and bright smile on her face, saying, “Grandma, you are right. It doesn’t matter if we will see each other in the future. Old Madam He is your best friend. We can get along with each other like normal relatives, him and I.
Only until then did Old Madam Sheng feel secured. She praised, “I’m so glad you can think this through.”
Minglan said with a smile, “Since our eyes are on the front of our faces, we should always look forward.”
