Four Delicate Offenders – CH 013

Chapter 13. She Has To Marry Even If She Does Not Want To.

As long as she liked it, then it meant the snack was the right purchase.

Girls were actually very easy to satisfy; a small dessert could make her heart flutter. Seeing her delighted expression, Xiang Xu felt even more resentful of Jiang Heng’s foolishness. How cold-hearted he must be to care only about his concubine and disregard his own daughter’s life.

He took two silver spoons and handed one to Yunpan and her maid, saying, “Try it.”

So the two girls sat knee-to-knee, gently scooping a flower from the edge of the honey pool, and put it in their mouths. Their eyes immediately lit up. Yunpan said, “It’s delicious, and it has the fragrance of jasmine.”

Qin-Dan nodded repeatedly, finding no other words besides “Mmm.”

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Seeing them enjoying themselves so much, Xiang Xu smiled happily and turned to instruct the wine server, “Prepare another cup for me, put it in an ice chest, and send it to the Duke of Shu’s residence.”

The wine server loudly agreed and went back to prepare the food.

Xiang Xu boarded the carriage and asked gently, “Si Si, do you like honey-glazed fruit? The honey-glazed kumquats and crabapples from the Zhu family’s garden are famous in the capital. You can order a couple to try. If you like them, have someone pack some to take back.”

Girls, after all, had small appetites and were not greedy. Yunpan, holding a celadon cup, shook her head contentedly. “These past two days at the mansion, I’ve eaten quite a few different kinds of fruit. Today I also tried this honey-glazed crabapple blossom dessert. If Mother were still here, she would not allow me to eat so many sweets, saying I’d get toothaches from eating too much.”

Xiang Xu gave up on that idea, simply saying, “It is indeed quite a distance from here to the Zhu family’s garden. Let’s wait until next time. I will bring some back for you when I pass by. You do not need to eat too much; just try the local craftsmanship.”

Yunpan murmured, “Oh,” thanking him as “Elder Brother,” a thank you that made Xiang Xu feel awkward. His face slowly flushed, his fingers fidgeting nervously on his knees, the subtle bamboo leaf pattern on his clothes clearly visible at his fingertips. The air in the carriage suddenly felt heavy; he turned closer to the window, his face pressed against the bustling crowd outside, and only then did his rapid, urgent pounding heart calm down.

This went by unnoticed to Yunpan; she was still thinking about her Guanghan Incense. After walking a while, they saw a beautifully decorated shop with piles of dried jasmine and osmanthus flowers in bamboo baskets, their warm fragrance carried on the breeze.

She called out, “Brother Hexu, that shop sells dried flowers.”

Xiang Xu was startled again by her calling him “Brother Hexu.” When he came to his senses, he quickly told the servant to stop the carriage and jumped down, lifting his robe. He had intended to reach out and help, but seeing Qin-Dan assist her down from the stool, he could only awkwardly slip his hand back into his sleeve, hiding it behind his back.

The girl browsed the flower and pollen shops with the same joy she felt when eating sweets. These small shops sold not only dried flowers but also sachets made with various spices. Qin-Dan picked one up and held it up to Yunpan’s face; delicate tassels hung from the bottom of the sachet, and as she twirled with a grin, the tassels danced gracefully.

The sachet seller greeted her attentively, “Young Lady, you have excellent taste! This is the latest style this year, made from the fabric cut from the brocade of Consort Zhang’s lanterns…”

Xiang Xu, at the other end of the shop, occasionally overheard their conversation. Turning back, he saw Yunpan smiling, her eyes shining. He breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, the upheaval at the Marquis’s Mansion had not made her feel inferior or miserable. A girl of this age should not bear such heavy shackles.

Just as he was marveling at this, an attendant suddenly appeared beside him, grinning, and said, “Young Master, would you like to buy ‘Sparrow’s Head Ink’? This is the finest eyebrow ink, called ‘Green Moth.’ It’s made by heating the best sesame oil to produce soot, then soaking it in musk. When you use it, mix it with fragrant ‘dew,’ and apply it to your eyebrows… Hey, truly, a subtle frown or brow, the color of distant mountains. Young Master, buy one, and let your wife try it at home to see for herself.”

Xiang Xu then realized he was standing in front of a row of eyebrow inks, being peddled by an attendant with a silver tongue, making him quite embarrassed. How could someone who was not even engaged have a wife to use for eyebrow ink testing?

He waved his hand, saying it was not necessary; they had almost finished their shopping anyway. Yunpan picked up a silk bag, half-filled with dried osmanthus blossoms, their tiny petals layered upon each other, their exquisite beauty and fragrance evident even through a thin mist.

“Big Brother, I’ve bought everything I wanted,” Yunpan called out. “It’s getting late; let’s go home.”

Xiang Xu responded, while the attendant behind him continued his enthusiastic sales pitch: “Young Lady, how about a piece of the finest ‘Green Moth’?”

Yunpan smiled and shook her head. Her eyebrows were thick and dark, and she had not drawn them since she was old enough to do her hair. She had tried the popular “eight-character eyebrows” and “distant mountain eyebrows” a while back, but those shapes looked comical on her, a mixture of crying and laughing, so she gave up. After all, deliberately drawn eyebrows never looked as natural as her own. Her maid joked that her long, curved eyebrows were beautiful, saving her a lot of money on ink powder and incense.

Reboarding the carriage, they returned to the Duke of Shu’s residence. On the way, Xiang Xu asked her about the local customs and traditions of Youzhou and told her about the upcoming reforms in the capital. “Starting next year, the Emperor will hold court only on odd-numbered days. Officials in the capital will no longer be allowed to return to their residences in Youzhou. Many officials have residences in the capital. Does your family have any ancestral property there?”

Yunpan replied no. “The Jiang family’s ancestral hometown is Cangzhou. Our ancestors never came to the capital. My father only established his residence in Youzhou after entering officialdom and marrying my mother.” She hesitated for a moment, then began to worry, “If they move their whole family to the capital, we will be practically inseparable, and I am afraid there will be a lot of trouble.”

Although Yunpan was his cousin, she was like a younger sister to Xiang Xu. He said solemnly, “Do not be afraid. Father and Mother will never let you suffer. They are emboldened because my aunt is gone, and you are alone without support. But they’ve forgotten that you still have your maternal family, my mother, and me. From now on, you will be at the Duke’s Mansion. I doubt your father will dare to interfere. If he persists, we will simply seek justice for you and demand an explanation for his crime of taking a concubine as his wife.”

Xiang Xu was always a good-tempered person, having not picked up any of the vices of the noble young masters of the capital or Youzhou. He spoke with a touch of gentleness, always proper and never harsh, except when discussing the outrageous behavior of the Founding Marquis’s Mansion; his indignation was palpable.

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Yunpan still wore a smile, a smile that seemed like a shell, making her appear less destitute even in adversity.

But even smiles had their moments of fragility. Hearing Xiang Xu’s words, a slight, forced smile slowly formed at the corners of her lips. After a long pause, she said, “The Duke’s Mansion is in the capital, while we reside in Youzhou. I have not had much contact with my aunt these past few years, and this is the first time I’ve met my elder brother. It’s already an act of kindness from my aunt and uncle to have you take me in. If this causes any more trouble, how can I face them?”

Xiang Xu naturally understood this feeling. Si Si was not oblivious; having suddenly experienced such a change, she was bound to be cautious, afraid of causing further trouble for others.

These worries were unfounded. Xiang Xu said, “You are my aunt’s flesh and blood, and we are even closer than family. Even outsiders would speak up against such injustice. For family members to stand idly by is disrespectful to my deceased aunt. Do not worry, the Duke’s Mansion has strict family rules, and my father respects my mother. Since they kept you in the mansion, they must have discussed it carefully beforehand. You do not need to worry about outside matters; the elders will handle them. Besides, since you came, I see that Meifen’s mood has improved. At least she’s more talkative and cheerful, and her spirits are much better.”

Mentioning Meifen reminded Yunpan of what she had said that day: that a family like the Duke of Wei’s would likely be unbearable to live in. Now, the capital was full of nobles, and she knew very little about the Duke of Wei, only a few words exchanged between them on the day of the earthquake. Judging from his character, he seemed quite approachable.

“Are there differences between different dukedoms?” Yunpan asked doubtfully. “Cousin Mei always says that she cannot handle that kind of situation. I thought that since both families are dukes, the rules must be similar.”

To her surprise, Xiang Xu slowly shook his head. “The Duke of Wei is different from our family. His father is Prince Zhongxian of Liang. In terms of lineage, he is the most noble of the nobles. In the capital, apart from his two cousins, no one can surpass him. A few years ago, the Emperor’s only son passed away, and since then, the harem has not produced any more children for the Emperor. The future of those imperial nephews is limitless. So many eyes in the capital are watching them, and Meifen is not good at socializing. No wonder she is hesitant and has refused to get married.”

Yunpan finally understood what Cousin Mei was truly afraid of.

Those in the eye of the storm may be extremely noble, but the difference between success and failure could be as small as a single night. The future infighting would be like a collapsing mountain; whether one could even maintain their current life was uncertain. To suddenly rise to the top was truly like finding a needle in a haystack. Moreover, that Duke of Wei seemed to have poor health; he even coughed during the summer months. This already placed him at a disadvantage among the Emperor’s nephews. Whether he competed or not, he would inevitably face hardship and perhaps even struggle for survival.

Therefore, life would always be full of troubles. Meifen’s marriage was already a done deal; the only consolation she could find was the saying, “Fortune favors the bold.”

Yunpan was a girl; perhaps she should not think too deeply about matters of life’s importance. She stopped talking and went back to pondering her dried osmanthus flowers.

The carriage leisurely turned the corner; two incense sticks’ worth of walking would take them home. Just as the horse came to a stop, Nanny Ge from Zilan Garden trembled as she approached to offer her greetings and pointed back towards the door, “Young Master, Young Lady Yun, you’d better hurry to the front hall! The young lady and the master are arguing.”

Xiang Xu was startled and quickly went up the wooden corridor. Yunpan followed him to the front hall. Before they even arrived, they could hear Meifen’s cries from afar: “You want me dead… If I die, will you be satisfied…”

Yunpan’s heart pounded. She followed Xiang Xu across the threshold and immediately saw the Duke of Shu’s ashen face and Lady Ming looking troubled. Meifen, her eyelids swollen from crying, covered her eyes in embarrassment and turned away when she saw her brother and cousin.

The scene was immediately obvious. Xiang Xu glanced at his mother. “What did the chief clerk from the Duke of Wei’s mansion say when he came to our door earlier?”

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Lady Ming sighed, “Two things. First, he was ordered by the Duke of Wei to verify Si Si’s identity. Second, he conveyed a message from the Old Madam, saying that they have asked the Grand Astrologer to choose an auspicious day and have informed our family to begin preparations.”

But these words struck a nerve with Meifen. She lost her composure and shouted, “I will not marry! I absolutely refuse to marry! You all arranged this marriage without ever asking my opinion. Now that they are welcoming our family, who among you will agree? Whoever marries is none of my business!”

This truly ignited the Duke of Shu’s fury. He slammed his fist on the table and roared, “Look at yourself! Where is the slightest bit of a proper lady you are? Does the Duke of Wei, with his character and family background, disgrace you? You cry and shout at home, completely disregarding the servants’ amusement. If word gets out, how will you face anyone? I am telling you, this time you are marrying whether you like it or not. Even if you hate us, even if your parents are gone, even if you sever ties with your family, it’s up to you!”

The Duke of Shu left after uttering these harsh words, leaving Meifen sobbing uncontrollably. Lady Ming frowned, soothingly comforting her, “My little darling, just listen to your father…”

But Meifen cried even harder, suddenly unable to catch her breath. Her face turned pale, and she slumped like a limp rag. The hall erupted into chaos. The summons for a physician, coupled with Lady Ming’s wailing, caused chaos throughout the household, making the increasingly hot weather even more unbearable.