Four Delicate Offenders – CH 028

Chapter 28. I Quite Like You.

Five days passed quickly. Because of a wedding banquet at home, the Duke of Shu had taken leave a day in advance to arrange the welcoming and sending off of the male guests.

Suddenly, the house seemed much larger. Meifen left her courtyard to head towards Yipengxue. Halfway there, she saw maids and servants coming and going. She and Bo-Bao stood watching from a distance. Bo-Bao said, “If the engagement was not called off, the young lady would be the one getting married tomorrow.”

Therefore, Meifen was filled with gratitude towards Yunpan; Si Si was a living bodhisattva who had saved her from suffering.

Just as she was wondering what spices the maids were carrying on their trays, she heard two servants entering the garden, chanting auspicious words and clapping their hands, saying, “The bride’s wedding dress has arrived!”

Meifen hurriedly pulled Bo-Bao to follow them into Yipengxue. Inside, they saw Nanny Yao and several fully-fledged servants taking the dress and carefully hanging it on a neat clothes rack.

Meifen looked up at the dark robe, which was as heavy as the night. The collar and cuffs were inlaid with exquisite red trim, and when it was hung on the clothes rack, it looked like a curtain. She was somewhat puzzled and turned to ask Nanny Yao, “Why is Si Si’s wedding dress different from everyone else’s?”

Nanny Yao smiled and said, “Because the groom is a duke. Unlike ordinary families with their colorful clothes, our young lady must follow the Zhou rituals. The bride wears a ceremonial sash, and the groom wears a ceremonial cap. This solemnity is in accordance with the etiquette of the imperial family.”

Meifen nodded and glanced at Yunpan, who was looking up at the sky. Like an outsider, Yunpan curiously examined the intricate accessories, finally pointing to the sash embroidered with mandarin ducks and asking, “What is this?”

Nanny Yao said, “This is a ‘li’ ^{(缡 sash)}. When the bride leaves, her mother ties it on for her herself; it’s called ‘jie li’ ^{(结缡 tying the knot)}.”

Mentioning her mother, Yunpan felt a pang of sadness and whispered, “If only Mother were here!”

On the eve of her wedding, a young woman was always very dependent on her mother. Nanny Yao noticed her longing for the County Princess and gently comforted her, “Young Lady, do not worry. The madam will fasten it for you on the day. She treats you like her own daughter.”

Fortunately, having her aunt offered some solace to Yunpan’s longing for her mother, and a smile returned to her face.

More jewelry was brought in at the door. Meifen called her to look at it. Compared to the hairpins and rings in her hair, the jade pendant set at her waist seemed more substantial and elegant. For a young woman, what was the most enjoyable part of a wedding? Probably these countless small items!

There were too many things to look at, so Yunpan invited Meifen to the small pavilion for tea and to cool off.

The two sisters rarely had the chance to sit and drink tea like this anymore. If Meifen wanted to go out, they could meet up anytime. But she rarely left her residence, so if Yunpan wanted to visit her, it would be inconvenient. After all, living in someone else’s household meant having to consider the opinions of the elders and the Duke of Wei.

A cup of tea was placed before Meifen. Yunpan said self-deprecatingly, “Before breaking off the engagement with the Duke’s family, I dreamt of my mother. She told me to ‘slow down.’ This time, I wanted to hear her opinion again, but I could not dream of her at all.”

Meifen’s thoughts were simple. “I suppose my aunt thinks this young man is good, so there’s no need for you to ‘slow down.’ Just let things take their course.”

In truth, Meifen was wary of almost everyone, except for the Duke of Wei. She had never uttered a single harsh word about him; on the contrary, she often praised him. Presumably, besides sincerely recommending him to Yunpan, she genuinely respected his character.

Now was not the time to consider whether the young man was worthwhile. Yunpan took a sip of tea, gently placed the Jianzhan cup on the tea tray, and asked Meifen, “What are your plans for the future, Sister?”

Meifen replied without hesitation, “I will stay in Zilan Garden. If Father and Mother think I am hindering Brother’s marriage, then they can build me a small Taoist temple, and I will go there to become a female Taoist.”

Yunpan thought for a moment and slowly nodded. “Actually, that’s a good idea, as long as you are happy.”

“You can also come to my little Taoist temple to arrange flowers and drink tea. I will be waiting for you every day,” Meifen said with a smile, but in an instant, a layer of sorrow appeared on her face. She lowered her head and said, “Father and Mother must be completely disappointed in me.”

Yunpan disagreed, “Uncle has an official title, and your eldest brother will also enter officialdom in the future. No one in the family is counting on you to uphold the family’s reputation. As long as you are happy, they will not make demands on you in the future.”

That being said, her reputation was truly ruined. The fact that the Xiang family’s daughter suffered from hysteria had long been the subject of gossip. Fortunately, her family loved her dearly; otherwise, they would not have been able to so easily abandon such a promising marriage.

Meifen, though usually taciturn, was astute. Seeing two maids rummaging for fallen leaves by the stream under the pavilion, she seized Yunpan’s hand when they were alone and said, “Si Si, when you get there, you must be careful for your safety.”

Yunpan was surprised that Meifen would suddenly bring this up and asked, “What does Elder Sister think of the Duke of Wei’s mansion?”

Meifen said, “Originally, my marriage was arranged by my maternal grandmother and Old Lady Hu. Even the Empress Dowager wanted to interfere. This time, she personally acted as matchmaker for you, putting her intentions out in the open. The people of the Duke of Wei’s mansion are not fools; how could they not be wary of you? If they make any move, you must pretend to be confused and unaware, lest they harm you.”

Such admonition was unprecedented for Meifen, who was always prudent and self-protective.

Yunpan naturally understood her future and the impending danger, but receiving such sincere advice was truly comforting. Yunpan squeezed Meifen’s hand in return, saying, “Do not worry, Sister, I will be careful. You cannot judge a book by its cover. Having witnessed so much in my own family, how can I not understand this? Actually, my aunt also told me about the Empress Dowager’s intentions. I know this trip might not be smooth sailing, but I am not afraid. You see, I escaped from my father’s concubine’s vicious schemes; I can certainly handle things at the Duke of Wei’s mansion.”

Meifen breathed a sigh of relief. “If you can handle it, I will be more at ease. If I sow the seeds of trouble, I’d rather die than betray you.”

Yunpan laughed. “Alright, alright, do not talk about death. Tomorrow is my big day. Sister, say some nice things, wish me success in that mansion, and wish that I will build a prosperous and thriving family!”

Her smile was infectious. This composure in adversity made Meifen feel she could never surpass her in her entire life.

That was good; she did not torment herself, which made Meifen feel better.

As they were talking, a maidservant came in to announce that the young lady from the State Counsellor’s family, along with several young ladies from the families of Grand Secretaries, had come to see Young Lady Yun.

Upon hearing this, Meifen quickly stood up. “Why are so many people here all at once…”

If it were only Nianzi, it would be fine; she would be willing to see her. But with so many people, she had no desire to socialize and hurriedly said, “Since they are here, I will go back to my own courtyard first.”

Yunpan tried to persuade her, “They are all good-natured girls; let me introduce them to you, Sister.”

But Meifen said, “No, no, next time… next time…” and hurried towards the small side gate at the back.

After emerging from Yipengxue, her racing heart gradually calmed down. It felt like a hasty retreat. Luckily, she had run fast enough, because she could hear the girls’ laughter as soon as she reached the side gate. If she had been even half a step later, she would have run into them.

Meifen and Bo-Bao exchanged a smile, still pleased that they had escaped unscathed. They walked around the small artificial rockery, intending to return to Zilan Garden, when suddenly they bumped into someone.

The person seemed to have fallen from the sky; there was no way to dodge. Meifen stumbled, and then a strong scent of musk filled her nostrils. Startled, she took a step back, only then recognizing the smiling face—it was He Xiao.

What was he doing here? Meifen’s heart nearly leaped out of her throat, her ears ringing.

She could not escape…it seemed she could not escape after all…Panic-wise, she shrank behind Bo-Bao.

Bo-Bao was naturally afraid too, still shaken by the glare He Xiao had given her last time. But remembering how Young Lady Yun had retorted to this young master that day, what did it matter! So, she stood up defiantly and bravely in front of her young mistress, stammering, “Young…Young Master, this is the backyard; you’ve come to the wrong place.”

Unfortunately, He Xiao did not take this little maid seriously. “We are all family; why are men not allowed to enter the inner courtyard?” He flicked Bo-Bao aside like dust.

He looked at the cowering Meifen with amusement, finding it entertaining. “Why are you so afraid of me, Little Sister? Is something from childhood still bothering you?”

Meifen was so frightened she could barely breathe, but since he brought up the past, she wanted to seek justice for herself, so she mustered her courage and said, “I will just ask you one question: did you push me into the water that day?”

He seemed surprised, looking at her indifferently. “Eleven years have passed, and you still say the same thing, Little Sister. Should I say you are persistent, or should I say you are stupid?”

These words startled Bo-Bao, who jumped up. “Young Master, show some respect…” But before she could finish, He Xiao grabbed her by the neck.

“Who gave a lowly servant like you the right to interrupt when the master is speaking!” He gritted his teeth, his once handsome face contorting into a ferocious expression. “Get out of here! One more word and I will kill you right here.”

Meifen panicked, wanting to save Bo-Bao, but dared not pull her away. She secretly thought, “I will just call for help. If someone comes, they can expose He Xiao’s hypocrisy.”

But before she could act, He Xiao thwarted her plan. “Sister, do you want to call? If you do, you will have no way to explain yourself. Meeting your cousin behind this rockery—what will people think? Even if it reaches my uncle and aunt, do you think they will believe you or me?”

Meifen was speechless. Yes, her parents’ distrust was her biggest weakness.

Bo-Bao choked, but thankfully, he did not intend to kill her. He pushed her away easily, then put on a smiling face and said to Meifen, “Tomorrow is supposed to be my sister’s wedding banquet, and your uncle is still busy at the front. I was planning to sincerely congratulate you, but I did not expect the bride to be changed so easily. It’s like a child’s game! What are you planning to do now? You’ve been rejected, and everyone in the capital knows you are ill. I am afraid no one will dare to propose again! I am thinking there’s no one in the capital with a more prestigious family than the Duke of Wei. Perhaps you could find someone with a good reputation to save face.”

Meifen felt that He Xiao was like a persistent ghost, clinging to her relentlessly. She wondered what wicked scheme he was plotting this time. She and Bo-Bao supported each other, taking a half-step back. “You… what do you want?”

He Xiao shrugged innocently. “I do not want anything; I am just making plans for my sister. Let’s wait a couple more days until that meddlesome maid leaves. Then I will propose marriage to you. Your reputation is ruined now; only family can forgive you. Outsiders say you did not want to marry the Duke of Wei, but it turns out you already have someone else in your heart. Then you can redeem yourself, and you can explain things to your uncle and aunt.”

Upon hearing this, Meifen cried out uncontrollably, “Do not even think about it!”

He Xiao raised an eyebrow. “If you shout louder, we can even save on the betrothal gifts.” He then smiled frivolously. “Or you could just stay in your chambers for another three or five years, and after I get married, I will take you as a concubine. Then your uncle and aunt will still be grateful to me for taking in this old maid who cannot find a husband.”

Meifen burst into tears. “What have I ever done to you? Why are you doing this to me?”

The playful glint in He Xiao’s eyes slowly cooled, replaced by a hint of disdain. He said, “I have no grudge against my sister. In fact, I quite like you.”

“But though I like you, I enjoyed watching you struggle desperately in the water. Now, thinking back, why did I push you into the water? It was simply to teach you a lesson.”

“A woman born with such an arrogant nature—ask around the whole family, who does not know that she’s the boss? Now she’s raising children just like her… That Meifen, always smiling at everyone, she will be a source of worry in the future…”

These were the words his parents spoke outside his study, which he had overheard. At that time, he was reading the Book of Rites, which said, “Do not climb high, do not approach deep waters, do not criticize, do not laugh unnecessarily.” Meifen seemed to possess none of these qualities. Such a girl was simply unworthy of being a girl. As his mother said, a woman should be dignified and obedient to her husband. Having learned her lesson, eleven years later, she had indeed learned to restrain herself. Now, she stayed in her chambers, never venturing out—this was the proper conduct of a noblewoman’s daughter.

He Xiao was quite satisfied with the current outcome. Plus, she had broken off her engagement with the Duke of Wei, so continuing to nurture her was not a bad idea. Of course, if she refused and threatened suicide, then she had only herself to blame. Granting her the title of concubine in the future would already be a great favor.

Meifen trembled with anger, her eyes red as she stomped her feet, saying, “You want to humiliate me? Do not even think about it! I will tell Father everything you said today. I will show Father your true colors and make him seek justice for me!”

To his surprise, He Xiao laughed twice. “Go ahead and tell him. At worst, I will plead with my uncle. I’ve admired you for a long time; let’s see what my uncle says.”

Meifen was a sheltered young lady, pampered and spoiled by the Duke and Duchess of Shu. No one had ever spoken harshly to her, so she was no match even in a verbal argument. Seeing Meifen’s deathly pale face and her icy hands beneath her sleeves, Bo-Bao disregarded the fact that he had nearly strangled her. She helped Meifen back, saying, “You wait! I will be our lady’s witness, and we will expose you together!”

He Xiao squinted at them, sneering, “You will be part of your lady’s dowry eventually, will you not? How dare you speak to me like that? Do you really not want to live?”

This was a life-or-death threat, and Bo-Bao stammered in fear. Knowing that reasoning was futile, Bo-Bao grabbed Meifen and whispered, “Young Lady, let’s escape via the side path!”

A side path happened to be there, bypassing him. Bo-Bao dragged Meifen and ran like the wind. After a long run, they looked back, but the man was gone.

“That young master is terrifying! What kind of monster is he?!” Finally escaping into Zilan Garden, Bo-Bao gasped for breath, hurriedly locking the gate behind her. She then looked up at Meifen. “Young Lady, quickly check if there are any marks on my neck. If there are, we will go find Madam right away and report what happened.”

Meifen searched her neck diligently, but the girl had naturally rough skin. Even though He Xiao had used so much force, he had not left a single red mark.

Meifen, deflated, slumped her shoulders and wept, “I will definitely die at his hands someday…”

Bo-Bao said not to worry, “Young Lady Yun is getting married soon, and tomorrow she will be a duchess. If our master and mistress do not believe in our young lady, we will go and beg Young Lady Yun to find a way, even if it’s to ask the Duke of Wei to intervene, to seek justice for you.”

But Meifen kept shaking her head. “I’ve already wronged her so much; how can I have the face to trouble her again?”

Bo-Bao did not understand the reason and said in surprise, “Young Lady Yun married the Duke of Wei, such a high social standing. How did that wrong her?”

However, Meifen’s indecisiveness was always like this; she hesitated and worried, and in the end, she could only accept her fate.

Compared to her, Bo-Bao was much more outspoken, angrily saying, “If you do not tell her, Young Lady, I will go tell Young Lady Yun later.”

Meifen, fearing her impulsiveness might make Yunpan uncomfortable on such a joyous occasion, could only offer a perfunctory reply: “Let’s leave it for the next two days. We will talk to Si Si then, after the three-day wedding return visit!”

The next day was the grand wedding banquet. The relatives and friends who had come to help gathered and set up a feast in the front.

Meifen did not dare leave her courtyard, worried about encountering He Xiao again amidst the crowds. She hid in her bedroom, head down, and did not even eat dinner.

As the actual wedding day approached, the mansion became increasingly lively. Noble ladies and gentlemen came and went in and out of the inner quarters in an endless stream. Meifen stood against the east wall, listening to the sounds outside.

Inside and outside the wall were two different worlds. Even though Yipengxue was so close, she dared not go out to see Si Si off.