Four Delicate Offenders – CH 004

Chapter 4. Earthquake.

Jiang Heng was still immersed in the joy of being betrothed to the Duke of Dongchang and about to become his in-laws.

Emerging from the central court, he tucked his official tablet into his sleeve as he walked, overhearing several colleagues discussing the evening’s banquet.

“The crabapple blossoms in the Privy Council’s back garden are in full bloom,” said Transport Commissioner Cao Muqing. “The other day, Minister Han invited me for drinks, but I arrived a bit early, and only half the trees were blooming. Now, five or six days later, they must be in full bloom. How about I host a banquet today, inviting everyone to admire the flowers? He Xiao of Luoyang is famous throughout the capital for his poem ‘Golden Belt Enclosure.’ I’ve learned he’s recently come to the capital for further studies, and I’ve already sent him an invitation. If you do not come, you will regret it.”

“The world is currently valuing literature, and it’s an era where scholars and poets abound,” the officials echoed. “Even if it’s just to see the real Buddha, we have to go!”

Cao Muqing laughed heartily, turned, and saw Jiang Heng. He quickly called out, “Lord Jiang, are you coming?”

Jiang Heng smiled and waved his hand. He said, “As you all know, I am busy at home and probably will not have any free time these days. I will not be going tonight; I will invite everyone to a banquet at the Shangliang Residence Garden later.”

Cao Muqing then remembered and joked with his colleagues, “I almost forgot; Marquis Jiang’s daughter is getting married next month, and my wife was the matchmaker…” Suddenly, he saw the Duke of Dongchang passing by on the east road and immediately called out, “Duke, how are the preparations at home going? If there’s anything I can help with, just tell my wife. She’s so bored at home all day, constantly talking about when my eldest son will grow up and get married—my eldest son is only thirteen!”

The colleagues present, upon learning that the two families were holding a wedding banquet, naturally offered their congratulations. Jiang Heng politely returned the greetings with a bow, his smile genuinely heartfelt. In contrast, the Duke of Dongchang was somewhat perfunctory, bowing and replying, “Thank you for your concern, Commissioner. My family has plenty of manpower, so we can manage… I have some important matters to attend to at my office, so I will not delay any longer. I will take my leave.” With that, he hurried towards the gate.

Jiang Heng was puzzled by his in-laws’ attitude, but then he thought about it again. The wedding banquet was only about twenty days away, and preparations were indeed urgent, so he did not dwell on it. He then bowed to his colleagues in farewell. A servant who had been waiting by the Imperial Street came forward to guide him. He boarded his carriage, and unlike usual, he did not stop for a short while at the teahouse. Today, he pointed east and ordered, “Back to the residence.”

Youzhou was quite a distance from the capital. If the carriage traveled quickly, it would take a day to get home. Now, the Emperor held court for five consecutive days, followed by five days of rest, allowing officials residing in Youzhou to travel between the two places. But starting next year, court sessions would be held only on odd-numbered days, so preparations must begin again, and the whole family would have to move to the capital.

After a long and bumpy journey, he finally arrived at the gate of his residence. Liu-niang was already waiting at the bottom of the steps. Seeing him alight from the carriage, she immediately came to help him.

Jiang Heng had not even had time to change out of his official robes before rushing back. His collar was askew, and as he stepped off the carriage, he straightened his collar and said, “I found a nice house in the capital; the price is very reasonable…”

Liu-niang’s expression was not good. She said softly, “We will talk about the house later. Right now, there’s something important…” She half-covered her mouth and whispered in Jiang Heng’s ear.

Jiang Heng’s face flushed with anger, but he could not lash out. He barely managed to suppress his rage before quickly returning to the courtyard and unleashing his fury. “That damned Duke Li! No wonder he looked so guilty after court; so that’s what happened! The Grand Secretary of the Zizheng Hall… just because he’s not someone to be trifled with? Since the marriage was not going to happen, why bother with the pretense of a wedding date? Now he’s pulling this ‘announcement’ act? Does he really think I, Jiang Heng, am easy to bully?!”

Jiang Heng flew into a rage, and even Liu-niang could not calm him down. After finally managing to soothe him, he suddenly jumped up again, “I am going to confront Duke Li!”

“My Lord…Oh, My Lord!” Liu-niang desperately held him back. “Things have come to this point; who are you going to argue with?”

Jiang Heng said, “They’ve got a good plan. They want us to break off the engagement, then return all the betrothal gifts, making the engagement a complete waste—they are not losing out at all.”

Liu-niang, however, had her own ideas. She kept telling him to calm down, saying, “We are in the right. Wanting to break off the engagement and get the betrothal gifts back? There’s no such thing as a free lunch! In my opinion, My Lord should write a letter of annulment, along with the fruit boxes, geese, and other items that they sent. These items are not valuable, but they will make a scene and let everyone know the two families have dissolved the engagement.”

Jiang Heng, upon hearing this, slowly calmed down, letting out a heavy sigh. “After searching high and low, I’ve only found this one good match. What bad luck!”

Liu-niang, also looking helpless, stood aside with her hands tucked in, saying, “The Lady did not know Second Young Master Li was this kind of person back then. If she had known, would she have let the young lady suffer this injustice?”

Since the engagement was definitely off, there was no room for negotiation. Taking advantage of Jiang Heng being at home, everything except the gold and silver was returned to the Duke’s Mansion exactly as it was.

The nanny who went out to gather information returned to report that the whole of Youzhou knew the young lady had dissolved the engagement with the Duke’s Mansion. Since the bride’s family had taken the initiative to dissolve the engagement, it had not caused the young lady any harm. Knowing they were in the wrong, the Duke’s family had no objection to the returned items. The marriage was considered closed, and the lady could discuss marriage again later.

Yunpan listened, a slight smile playing on her lips. “A perfectly good marriage broken off. I wonder what people will say behind my back. I did not mind breaking off the engagement at first, but it’s their shady way of handling things. Leaving behind some betrothal gifts makes people say we have not seen money in ages. The Founding Marquis’s family has fallen so low that we have to live on that little bit of money. We may have gained an advantage, but we’ve lost face.”

Qin-Dan could only comfort her. “Anyway, Young Lady, do not worry about it. Let them handle it. Even if people laugh at our household behind our backs, you are the daughter of the County Princess; no one will dare to look down on you.”

Yunpan fell silent, thinking to herself that the legitimate daughter of a duke or marquis’s family naturally would not have trouble finding a husband; it was just a matter of whether she married well or not.

Liu-niang, ever the smooth talker, came to Pixiu Courtyard in the afternoon. Sitting on a folding chair, she spoke to her mistress, reassuring her, “With such a fine background, you will not have to worry about finding a suitable husband. As for the betrothal money, your father and I have discussed it carefully. We are keeping it not for anything else but to teach the Duke’s Mansion a lesson. A lady of noble birth should not be humiliated like this. When you marry, that money will be used specifically for your dowry. You do not know, but once you are married, your expenses will be much greater. Having some savings will make things easier.”

That was all in the future, and Yunpan did not dwell on it. She only asked, “Did Father go to the capital?”

Liu-niang said yes, “There’s a court assembly tomorrow. He did not want to disturb you when he left and said you should relax and not worry about such things.” She paused, then asked, “Will you go to the Flourishing Flower Banquet tomorrow?”

Yunpan said yes, “If I do not go, people will gossip; it would not be good to break off the engagement and never see anyone again.”

Liu-niang said, “That’s what I was thinking too. We broke off the engagement with the Duke’s Mansion, so we are perfectly open and honest, and we are not afraid of gossip. Miss, you should not only go, but you should also be able to talk and laugh as if nothing is wrong, leaving those who want to watch the show speechless.” As she spoke, she stood up and said, “I will go arrange a carriage for Miss. In previous years, the young ladies from various families would bring spring platters to join in the fun; I will have the kitchen prepare a few of their specialties, so we do not fall behind.”

Liu-niang left with her maid. Mu-Xiang glanced at her retreating figure, then turned to Yunpan and said, “This Liu-niang seems very considerate of Miss.”

Qing Dan chuckled, “If she could not put on a good show, how could she have survived all these years in this mansion?”

A person who remained popular for so long had their own way of surviving. Yunpan was used to her methods of flattering the head of the household; cautious and timid in public, but behind the scenes, she always had a devilish face.

However, she did not need to concern herself too much with her family. When her mother was alive, she would not let her worry about her father’s concubines. After Liu-niang left, she focused on preparing her outfit for the next day.

Qin-Dan brought out a smoky red pleated skirt, over which she wore a short, light pink silk blouse—neither too flashy nor too plain. Yunpan had attended the Flower Banquet every year since she was twelve, but because her mother had passed away last year, she had been in mourning for a year and missed the previous year’s gathering. Perhaps some of the noble ladies she knew had already married this year.

Anyway, she was full of anticipation for the banquet the next day, since she had not left the house since her mourning period ended. She went to bed early that night. Her mother had said that the better she slept, the better her complexion would be.

But at four in the morning, Qin-Dan shook her awake. For some reason, all the dogs in the city were barking wildly, accompanied by the neighing of horses and the crowing of roosters; Youzhou City was waking up earlier than usual.

“What’s wrong?” Yunpan asked sleepily.

Qin-Dan said she did not know, “Could it be that bandits have broken into the city?”

In these times, where would bandits come from? Youzhou was close to the capital, and its defenses were excellent. If even Youzhou was rife with bandits, would the world not be in great chaos?

Yunpan got out of bed, slipped on her soft shoes, and went out to look. It was still dark, and the clouds were thick, obscuring the stars. Just as she was about to turn back, fearing it might rain, a burst of white light suddenly appeared in the southeast, but it vanished in an instant. She stood there anxiously for a while, and the noise of the livestock gradually subsided. The city suddenly became quiet, as if nothing had happened.

Qin-Dan breathed a sigh of relief, “It’s still early, Young Lady; go back and lie down for a while.” After helping her to bed, she checked the water clock; it was almost the hour of Mao ^{(5-7 AM)}, so she closed the door and went out to prepare the morning’s rations and breakfast.

When Yunpan got up again and looked out the window, the weather was fairly normal, just a bit muggy. Even sitting there doing her hair required fanning herself; it felt like summer had suddenly arrived.

After everything was ready, Yunpan took Qin-Dan outside. A delicate carriage was already waiting at the bottom of the steps, its canopy adorned with colorful tassels—a must-have for attending the Flower Banquet, a carriage that every young lady had.

Liu-niang saw her off at the door, carefully checking the food box she was carrying. She then reminded Qin-Dan to take an umbrella, saying, “The weather has suddenly become so hot; there might be a downpour. If you happen to be there when you return, it’s better to wait. Rain comes and goes quickly these days; there’s no need to walk in the rain.”

Yunpan nodded, “Thank you, Aunt. Aunt, please go back now.” She turned and helped Qin-Dan into the carriage.

As the carriage drove away, Xuepan came out of the door, frowning, and said, “Mother is too thoughtful. Perhaps you can see me off like this again when I can attend the Flourishing Blossom Banquet.”

Liu-niang glared at her, “Always talking nonsense! Go back now!”

The mother and daughter pulled and tugged as they entered the inner courtyard.

Meanwhile, the carriage headed straight for the outskirts of Youzhou City. The Flourishing Blossom Banquet was held at the Ten-Mile Pear Garden, a beautiful place nestled against the mountains and by the water. Years ago, the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Han Ran started a literary society, inviting close friends to participate. Initially, it was just a gathering for noble ladies to enjoy themselves, but it gradually developed. Later, the Prime Minister’s daughter became the Princess Consort Yan, and this grand banquet became a benchmark for the status of women from prominent families in Youzhou. Everyone was proud to attend the banquet. Yunpan’s deep affection for the banquet stemmed from the dazzling array of delicacies and the exhilarating thrill of a polo match.

However, Youzhou was a large city, and the streets outside the city were filled with shops and pedestrians. The carriage could not move quickly and had to struggle through the crowds. Finally, they reached the city gate, and beyond the pass lay a vast expanse of land. The servants then spurred their horses and galloped forward. Gradually, lush forests emerged in the distance, and further on, a sea of ​​pear blossoms burst into view.

The banquet area was enclosed by curtains, leaving only one entrance. Princess Consort Yan and several noble ladies greeted them at the gate. Seeing Yunpan arrive, a smile graced her face. She reached out to take her hand from afar, asking how she was, her tenderness overflowing.

The loss of her mother at a young age was always a sorrowful event, and to make matters worse, her engagement with the Duke’s family had been broken off, making her already tragic fate all the more poignant.

Yunpan initially thought they were unaware of the details, but the young lady from the prefect’s family spoke out indignantly: “It’s been all over the streets for a long time; only you do not know. I’ve seen that third young lady of the Yan family; she looks like she could be blown away by a gust of wind; she’s really an eyesore. She also has an older sister who also stole someone else’s husband… This wealthy family is supposed to have a scholarly background; how could they raise such ladies!”

It was probably because the Yan family was not part of the Youzhou social circle, and the noble ladies of the capital and the noble ladies of Youzhou were two different factions, that they were all siding with her.

Regardless, Yunpan was not discouraged. Smiling, she said, “It seems we were not meant to be. It’s better that this engagement is annulled.”

The noble ladies, after a moment of indignation, comforted her, saying a good man was waiting for her. Just as they were about to enter the tent, the sky suddenly darkened, a fierce wind arose, sand and stones flew, and the ground rumbled and lurched, shaking the entire Pear Garden.

Qin-Dan cried out in fright, “Miss!”

Yunpan, terrified, felt like a bean in a basket, being tossed around unsteadily.

Cries and screams erupted all around. The tent was overturned, dishes clattered and shattered, and everyone was in chaos.

A male servant, yelling at the top of his lungs, ran away with his head in his hands: “Earthquake! Earthquake!”

The dim sky flashed with a blinding white light again, unlike the fleeting light of the previous night; this time, everyone saw it. The light was terrifying, flashing intermittently, like a drawn-out lament, before gradually fading away.

Then the earthquake intensified; there was nowhere to hide, neither in the sky nor on the ground, only to crawl on the ground and resign themselves to fate.

This endless trembling lasted for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before the shaking slowly subsided. The noble ladies, disheveled and unkempt, cared little for anything else, stumbling and staggering towards their carriages.

Yunpan grabbed Qin-Dan and rushed towards the edge of the hunting grounds, saying as she ran, “Hurry back and see what’s become of the city!”