Exclusively for the Marchioness – CH 043

Chapter 43

That was the seventh year of Yin You’s reign, three years ago.

Grand Secretary Du had been gone for over three years; the mourning period was for twenty-seven months.

Uncle Hui remembered that not long after the young lady finished mourning, she mentioned setting a wedding date with Third Young Master.

Although Third Young Master’s health could not fully recover, it was still relatively stable. The young lady intended to set the wedding for the second half of the year, but for some reason, Third Young Master hesitated to agree. The young lady brought it up several times, but the wedding date was postponed again and again.

As autumn approached in the latter half of the year, Third Young Master’s health gradually declined. When the young lady brought up the matter of setting a wedding date again, he said he would wait until the following spring or summer when he had recovered somewhat.

But the young lady was angry and refused to wait any longer. She consulted with the elders of both families and set the wedding date for the sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The young lady said she wanted to bring him good luck.

Upon receiving the news, Third Young Master immediately changed his clothes and went to his parents’ house. His parents were startled to see him.

He had been seriously ill since the end of the sixth year of Yin You’s reign and had barely left his home that year, let alone rushed to the Master and Madam’s courtyard in such a hurry.

The Master asked him what he wanted to do, and he replied that his health was failing, “The wedding date is too close; I have not recovered enough to go and fetch Jing-niang on the wedding day.”

He wanted to postpone the wedding again. Upon hearing this, the Madam burst into tears, saying that it was the young lady who had chosen the date, and that she wanted to bring him good luck.

“It’s fine if you have not fully recovered. We will have Sixth Young Master go to fetch the bride for you; you just need to wait at home. Perhaps Jing-niang’s act of bringing good luck will actually work.”

Third Young Master sighed and laughed at the Madam’s words. “Mother has prayed to so many gods and Buddhas over the years. If believing in heaven worked, I would have recovered long ago. Besides, I do not want her to marry into the family for good luck.”

He refused, but the Master said, “But this is the date Jing-niang insisted on. The Jiang family has kept postponing it. People will think that since Minister Du has passed away, we look down on Jing-niang. We cannot let her lose face.”

The Master said, “If you really do not want to, go and discuss it with Jing-niang yourself.”

Unable to make a decision, Third Young Master returned to his courtyard and had a carriage prepared.

It was almost dark by then. Although the Jiang and Du families were both in Qingzhou, they were still some distance apart. Uncle Hui advised him to go the next day, but he shook his head. Uncle Hui could only accompany him personally.

The carriage drove towards the Du family’s residence. Third Young Master sat silently inside, while Uncle Hui wondered how he would approach the young lady when they arrived at the Du family’s residence, near the Mian Tower building. Uncle Hui was secretly worried that the two of them might start arguing about the wedding date.

The carriage soon arrived at the Du family’s gate, but Third Young Master did not send anyone to knock. He simply stood in a grove of trees outside Mian Tower courtyard, looking up at the building.

It was completely dark, and a bright moon hung above Mian Tower beyond the trees. The second floor of the building was lit; even at this hour, the lights were still on, indicating that the young lady was either writing or tidying up inside.

Third Young Master kept looking towards the light. For a few moments, he thought the young lady walked past the window, the lamplight casting her shadow on the windowpane. Uncle Hui, seeing Third Young Master looking at the young lady’s figure upstairs, smiled gently.

The moon slipped silently from one side of Mian Tower to the other, and the night breeze in the woods carried a chill. Suddenly, the light on the second floor went out; the young woman, having finished her studies, came down from the upper floor. Sure enough, a short while later, the sounds of Qiu-Lin and the others talking could be heard in the courtyard, along with the young woman’s occasional responses.

Uncle Hui thought that since Third Young Master had come all this way, this should be the best time to speak with the young woman. However, Third Young Master was in the woods outside the courtyard, listening intently as the voices faded into the distance, without sending anyone to knock on the door.

Uncle Hui did not understand Third Young Master’s intentions, but Third Young Master turned around, “Let’s go back too.”

“Go back? What about the wedding date?” Uncle Hui could not help but ask.

Uncle Hui saw a slight curve to the young man’s pale, sickly face.

“Since it’s her choice, let’s set it for the sixteenth of the twelfth lunar month.”

That day, Third Young Master returned without meeting the young lady. On the way back, Uncle Hui noticed he was calmer, gazing out the carriage window with gentle, moon-like eyes.

The Jiang family had already prepared Third Young Master’s wedding attire: a bright red brocade robe draped with gold silk satin, made from red brocade bestowed by the Noble Consort Jiang. However, Third Young Master grew increasingly thin. From the ninth month to the eleventh month, before the wedding date even arrived, his wedding attire had already been altered twice.

Third Young Master’s illness also worsened. His wife would weep whenever she visited him. Just then, Physician Li, who had previously treated Third Young Master, returned from a six-month trip to the capital. Physician Li was a highly skilled physician, a renowned physician in Qingzhou, and the Jiang family immediately invited him to treat Third Young Master again.

The prescription that Physician Li had left over from six months ago had been in use. Having a new prescription to adjust his condition was naturally a good thing. But Third Young Master stopped his wife, saying the original prescription was sufficient and there was no need to ask someone to make a special trip to the Jiang family.

However, Uncle Hui could see that Third Young Master’s health was deteriorating. One evening, fearing he might get cold, he wanted to add another brazier to his study, but upon entering, he found him collapsed on his desk.

When his wife rushed over, her hands were trembling. Fortunately, Third Young Master soon regained consciousness.

Uncle Hui said he had fainted, and it would be best to have Physician Li come again, but he insisted he had simply fallen asleep. “No need for Physician Li,” he said. “I’ve become an expert through long illness; I know myself.”

He refused to see a physician, and his wife could not persuade him. Uncle Hui secretly sent a message to the Du family.

Just then, the Du family’s Mian Tower had received books from Jiangnan. Those were the books of a renowned bibliophile from Jiangnan who had passed away. Only three years after his death, his sons fought over the inheritance, selling off the vast collection he had painstakingly amassed. Overnight, the library collapsed, and various other libraries rushed to acquire them. The Du family’s Mian Tower library, naturally, could not miss this opportunity to acquire more books.

Originally, the young lady would have preferred to go to Jiangnan herself, but with the wedding imminent and worried about Third Young Master, she only sent Ruan Gong and Steward Zhao.

Now, the two had returned with two cartloads of books. The young lady was too busy at Mian Tower to visit the Jiang family for several days, and Third Young Master, of course, could not go either.

If he had not been so reluctant to see a physician, Uncle Hui would not have bothered the young lady. That day, he delivered a letter, and when the messenger returned, the young lady followed him directly back.

At that moment, Third Young Master was in front of the medicine cabinet in the side room. He was a chronically ill man, constantly dealing with various medicinal herbs. These days, Third Young Master had been personally preparing the medicine himself, sparing his servants the trouble of preparing Physician Li’s prescriptions. Uncle Hui noticed that sometimes the medicine he used was not exactly the same as Physician Li’s prescriptions.

That day, Third Young Master was also preparing his own medicine, but halfway through, the young woman arrived. She stepped into the room and called out, “Third Young Master,” and Uncle Hui saw him pause in his work of picking out the medicine.

The young woman frowned and approached him. “Why did you not let Physician Li examine you?”

Upon hearing her question, Third Young Master put away the half-prepared medicine. He did not answer her question, only glancing out the window. The bamboo in the courtyard bent low in the wind, rustling incessantly.

“Why did you come? The wind is so strong today.”

He realized what was happening and turned away helplessly, “Uncle Hui…”

He was annoyed that the wind was so strong today, and he had brought the young lady over.

Before Uncle Hui could speak, the young lady spoke first.

“Why are you blaming Uncle Hui?” The young lady only asked him, “You did not see a physician on purpose? And you would not let Uncle Hui tell me, did you?”

The young lady’s tone became slightly harsher, and the Third Young Master could not stand seeing the young lady like this, so he quickly said. “No, do not be angry.”

He said, “Sit down first, I will tell you slowly.”

As he spoke, he gestured for the servant to brew fresh tea. Soon, the tea arrived, and he waved for the servant to leave. He always poured tea for the young lady himself, and today was no exception. But after taking a few steps, he became breathless, and the young lady was startled, not knowing when he had become so ill.

“I do not need you to do that; I can pour the tea myself.”

But Third Young Master would not let her do it. He did not need anyone else to do it for him. He simply bent down to pour her tea. “I am not that weak yet; I can still pour the tea.”

The girl just looked at him, her long eyebrows furrowed tightly.

Third Young Master did not seem to notice anything amiss. He poured her tea first, then brought over a plate of tea snacks, warming them on a small stove. He even brought a blanket to cover her legs, then asked her.

“How were the books acquired this time? You could not go in person, so you must have missed out on some good books.”

That was not important, the girl shook her head.

Mian Tower had been built from the time of her grandfather, housing books from all over the world. Passed down to her father and then to her, it was no small feat. She said that Ruan Gong and Steward Zhao had acquired quite a lot this time, “enough to keep Mian Tower busy for a while,” she said, her eyes softening slightly, “and they even managed to snag two Song Dynasty editions. Although it’s only two, it brings you one step closer to your goal of collecting a hundred Song Dynasty editions.”

Third Young Master was taken aback by her words, looking into her watery eyes. “Collecting a hundred Song Dynasty books is not something that can be done in a day. If I suddenly falter, Quan Quan, do not worry, take your time…”

He was interrupted by the girl before he could finish speaking.

“Third Young Master, what are you saying? Instead of thinking about this, why not ask Physician Li to come and examine you carefully?”

She turned and went to call for someone, “Chang-Pu, go and invite Physician Li to Third Young Master’s place…”

But before Chang-Pu could respond, Third Young Master reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Quan Quan, do not.”

The room fell silent for a moment, the heavy smell of medicine filling the air.

The girl then grasped Third Young Master’s hand. “Why?”

Uncle Hui and Chang-Pu stepped aside. Through the latticed door, they heard Third Young Master sigh helplessly.

“Physician Li’s medicine is just too bitter. If you ask him again, he will only add more bitterness to my medicine.”

The girl seemed surprised by his answer.

“What medicine in the world is not bitter? How can you complain about the bitterness?”

Third Young Master shook his head and sighed again.

The girl said, “Then I will take it with you, alright? Good medicine tastes bitter. I want to wait until you get better.”

The girl’s voice trembled slightly. Uncle Hui’s eyes welled up, but Third Young Master could not bring himself to say it.

“Is it not enough for one person to suffer? Do we have to suffer together? If you take it for me, will I not have to suffer?”

He said these words in one breath, slightly out of breath, but the girl’s tears fell in a soft pat.

Third Young Master panicked immediately. He called out softly, “Quan Quan, it’s just a small matter of taking medicine. Do not cry. Your eyes are not good; do not shed tears.”

“Then you should take your medicine even more carefully. You cannot skip a single dose. We will get married in the twelfth month,” the girl choked out, then suddenly asked him, “Do you not want me to marry you?”

Uncle Hui’s eyes welled up with tears. He looked at Lian Chang-Pu, that mischievous boy, and rubbed his red nose.

Inside the latticework, Third Young Master’s voice was slightly hoarse, but he smiled.

“How could I not want to?”

“But you keep putting it off, and now you are not even taking your medicine properly…”

Third Young Master took out a handkerchief to wipe the girl’s tears, coaxing and comforting her, “That’s why I did not want Physician Li to come. It’s because I’ve revised the prescription myself, wanting to make it at least edible. Besides, I’ve looked through medical books and other treatments, and they are quite different from his. Let me try it myself.”

He said that once he’s better, “perhaps Sixth Young Master will not need to go to the wedding for me… Do not cry.”

But the girl threw herself into his arms, resting her face against his chest. “You must get better!”

Through the latticework, Third Young Master’s body stiffened slightly, but instead of hugging her back as she had hugged him, he reached out and put his arms around her.

He had said his body was as cold as ice in the dead of winter, but the girl was not hot either; it was just like the slowly flowing water in the mountains. How could he absorb the last bit of warmth from the water and drag her into an icy abyss as well?

He merely held her loosely in his arms, his other hand gently stroking her long hair.

He said he would be alright and told the girl not to cry, adding, “Quan Quan, I cannot stand up anymore.”

The girl, afraid he would stumble, quickly moved away from his embrace, saying, “Sit down and rest.”

He agreed, but did not, only saying that the medicine he had prepared made him sleepy. “I am a little tired; you should go back now.”

He wanted the girl to leave, but she wanted to stay with him a little longer. He shook his head, “That’s all the energy I have. Leave some for me to write a letter to Sixth Young Master, telling him to focus on his studies with his teacher in Jinan.”

He urged the girl to leave, not allowing her to stay any longer. The girl could only leave the Jiang family home, turning back every few steps.

She had left, but he had not written to Sixth Young Master. The letter had been written yesterday and sent long ago. He sat silently in the same spot, as if the young lady were still in the room, refilling the cup she had left with half a cup of tea.

Physician Li still had not come.

Third Young Master’s illness had not improved as he’d said; in fact, it had worsened, and he had only a handful of moments of energy each day. But he forbade him to tell anyone—not the Master, the Madam, the Young Lady, or even Sixth Young Master.

However, Uncle Hui noticed that the bitter neem seeds in the medicine cabinet were missing, and Third Young Master, bypassing him, had secretly instructed a servant to buy some, and quite a lot at that. Bitter neem seeds were absolutely unsuitable for someone like Third Young Master with a weak spleen and stomach; not only were they bitter, but they were also poisonous.

Uncle Hui was extremely uneasy. The day after hearing about this, he silently followed behind Third Young Master.

He watched as Third Young Master rose as usual, drank some warm porridge, and then sat in his study for a while, reading for a quarter of an hour and then writing a few words. Then, during a break, he went to the medicine cabinet in the other side room to personally select his medicine.

As usual, he first lit incense in the room to dispel some of the medicinal smell, then washed and dried his hands, and from the entire wall of medicine cabinets, selected the medicine he needed for the day.

His expression was as calm as ever, without any ripples.

But Uncle Hui saw him quietly select a large pile of bitter neem seeds and mix them with the other medicines. Uncle Hui stood frozen outside the window.

He called the young apprentice, who was in charge of decocting medicine, closer. Seeing the girl wearing a brand-new silk flower in her hair, Third Young Master smiled gently. “Did the peddler sell them yesterday? I heard his cries.”

As he spoke, he took a string of coins from the side and gave it to the girl. The girl asked him, “Is Third Young Master also buying silk flowers to wear? The peddler said men buy them too.”

Third Young Master laughed. “Then it has to be some handsome, dashing man. Sickly men will not do.”

The girl was quite sensible and quickly said, “Third Young Master, do not say that. Third Young Master will get better. We are all looking forward to the excitement of Third Young Master’s wedding!”

Third Young Master laughed even more and said, “Then please decoct two more doses of medicine for me.”

After he finished speaking, he gave the medicine, which contained a large amount of bitter neem seeds, to the girl.

The girl, not understanding the difference, took the medicine and was about to leave. Uncle Hui burst through the door, slapping the medicine out of the maid’s hand. The maid was startled, but he ignored her, staring intently at the person in front of the medicine cabinet.

“Third Young Master!”

The Third Young Master looked at him, his gaze lingering for a moment, but then his expression remained perfectly calm. He gestured for the maid to leave.

Only the two of them remained in the room. The Third Young Master’s expression was as still as a lake, calmly observing Uncle Hui’s panicked expression before speaking slowly.

“Uncle Hui, it was my own choice.”

Own choice. He willingly chose to exchange his life-saving medicine for deadly poison and then take two bowls daily until his early demise. Uncle Hui trembled, looking at the still-calm Third Young Master, and asked him only one question.

“Third Young Master, how many days do you have left?”

Physician Li said half a year ago that with careful care, Third Young Master could still live for another year or two; even if half a year had passed, there would still be a year left.

But Third Young Master said softly, “Before the twelfth lunar month.”

Before the twelfth lunar month, that meant less than half a month left. And the wedding date set by the young lady was the sixteenth of the twelfth lunar month…

“Why?” Uncle Hui asked in a trembling voice.

The winter wind rustled incessantly through the bamboo grove surrounding the small courtyard outside the window.

Third Young Master’s voice remained calm amidst the sound of the bamboo. He said there was no reason, his gaze falling on the bamboo grove outside the window.

“I just do not want to live anymore.”

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and gave him a final instruction.

“Do not tell her.”

*

In the innermost part of Hongluo Temple, the main hall enshrines the Three Saints: Amitabha Buddha in the center, flanked by Guanyin Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. On the murals on both sides, twenty guardian deities were depicted.

The gods gathered, silently overlooking the world.

Uncle Hui recalled the events of three years ago with Third Young Master, and his chest still ached unbearably. In fact, Third Young Master had not just told him not to tell the girl but not to tell anyone; he just wanted to leave quietly.

But that year, Sixth Young Master rushed back from Jinan, only to find Third Young Master gone, and refused to believe it. Sixth Young Master wanted to observe mourning for Third Young Master, skipping the imperial examinations the following year, staying at home, and never leaving Third Young Master’s courtyard. Sometimes he would get up in the middle of the night and see Sixth Young Master still talking to himself before Third Young Master’s memorial tablet, or simply calling out to the tablet.

“Brother, brother, come back… I am still waiting to go to the capital with you…”

One time, he could not help but let slip a few words to Sixth Young Master.

Before the statues of the gods, Uncle Hui was filled with regret.

Jiang Fengchuan then asked the Dowager Consort before the Buddha. “Your Imperial Highness, why did my brother do this? Why did he…”

He could not bring himself to say those words; they tore at his heart, but he still forced himself to speak: “Why did he commit suicide?”

Suicide. If he had truly died from an incurable illness, he would never have bothered her.

But he did not.

He only asked Dowager Consort Jiang, “Your Imperial Highness, why do you think so?”

Dowager Consort Jiang closed her eyes, her divine image encompassing the world. She turned to look at the young man abandoned as a child, taken in, and raised by Third Young Master.

“Sixth Brother, Third Young Master was willing; he did it willingly.”

“But I am not reconciled…”

What did he mean by not wanting to delay for another year or two? It was simply that he wanted to let the person he loved start over.

Jiang Fengchuan knelt before the statue of the deity. “My brother forbade me to speak, and I can keep it from her. But she should not forget him. Who else in this world could care for her as he did? I only ask that she remember him always. Is that not enough?”

He kowtowed before the statue, questioning the gods.

The Dowager Consort Jiang remained silent, then sighed again. She could not answer for the gods or the dead but could only address the person kneeling before the Buddha.

“Your most important task now is the imperial examination. Your brother wrote so many letters of recommendation for you, hoping you could add a scholar to the Jiang family’s ranks. Stay here with me and prepare diligently.” She sighed again, adding, “Also, think carefully about what your brother truly meant by doing this.”

After speaking, Dowager Consort Jiang, supported by Nanny Pu, left the main hall.

Someone knelt before the statue of the deity until dusk.

Uncle Hui, watching from behind, had no choice but to step forward. “Sixth Young Master is still injured; please do not kneel any longer.”

The young man bowed and kowtowed three more times to the statue before rising.

“Her Imperial Highness told me to think carefully about what my brother meant by what he did back then.”

He said he had thought about it carefully, but his tone suddenly changed as he looked at Uncle Hui.

“Uncle Hui, do you think my brother might have had other reasons besides just releasing her?”

Other reasons? Uncle Hui did not understand.

Jiang Fengchuan looked up outside. “Perhaps there’s something else I do not know.”

He suddenly asked Uncle Hui, “Uncle Hui, is there something you have not told me? For example, when the Marquis of Yongding married her by imperial decree, you did not seem very surprised when the news came.”

This made Uncle Hui gasp. He quickly replied,

“No, Sixth Young Master, do not speculate!”

*

At Jiqing Ward, in the Marquis of Yongding’s residence.

Jiang Zhuxiu’s death anniversary was fast approaching.

Qiu-Lin saw that the young lady, tired from reading in the afternoon, was taking a walk in the backyard when she suddenly stopped by the bamboo grove behind the main courtyard. The young lady did not say anything but stood outside the bamboo grove for a quarter of an hour before silently leaving.

At this moment, Ai-Ye came out of the main room and said to Qiu-Lin.

“Madam seems to be thinking about something; she sighed silently several times.”

Qiu-Lin could guess what was going on. She looked into the room.

“Third Young Master’s death anniversary is approaching. Madam probably wants to go and pay her respects, but does not know how to bring it up with the Marquis, does she?”

Upon hearing Qiu-Lin’s words, Ai-Ye understood.

“This…it is indeed difficult to bring it up.”

The two did not know what to do either, but they did not notice footsteps outside the wall where they were talking. A man glanced at them, then looked into the room, his steps pausing slightly.

Inside the room, Du Lingjing picked up a bamboo leaf. She had simply picked it up, but inexplicably did not know where to put it. Holding it in her hand, lost in thought, she suddenly saw someone return from outside.

She looked up, and the man also looked down at her, immediately noticing the bamboo leaf in her hand. Du Lingjing’s heart tightened slightly. She did not know his attitude, but she did not want to argue with him about this.

But he stepped forward, his voice gentle.

“In a few days, is it not the anniversary of Jiang Jieyuan’s death? Let’s go to pay our respects together.”