Chapter 8

Madam Su had met Cheng Xianzhang before, but the other women of the Su family had not. Upon seeing such a distinguished and refined man, they were naturally impressed, and one of them immediately ran to the back courtyard to tell Su Rudai that Cheng Xianzhang was exceptionally handsome.

Madam Zhou accompanied Cheng Xianzhang as they spoke with Madam Su for a while. The conversation was merely polite small talk. Having lived in a small town her entire life and only moved to the capital six years ago, Madam Zhou rarely socialized with the noblewomen of the city due to differences in dialect and customs. It was only recently, as Cheng Xianzhang’s official rank grew, that others began to seek her out with flattery, leading to a few social engagements. Even so, she did not feel entirely at ease in such circles.

After chatting for some time, Madam Su suggested that Cheng Xianzhang might find the gathering dull and sent her son to escort him for a stroll through the gardens. Everything had been arranged in advance; eighteen-year-old Su Rudai was already in the courtyard.

Cheng Xianzhang was led by the Fourth Young Master Su to a pavilion by the koi pond, where he met Su Rudai. The group sat down together. Su Rudai stole a shy glance at Cheng Xianzhang and blushed, taking a long moment before asking softly, "Official Cheng, would you prefer tea, lychee water, or mung bean soup?"

"Thank you, tea will be fine," Cheng Xianzhang replied.

Su Rudai retrieved a clean cup and poured the tea with one hand, filling it exactly seven-tenths full before offering it to him. Her movements were graceful and orderly, reflecting her excellent upbringing.

"Thank you, Miss Su," Cheng Xianzhang said gently.

Watching from the side, the Fourth Young Master Su thought the two made a perfect pair—one delicate and shy, the other composed and reserved—reminiscent of the legendary harmony between a husband and wife. He sought to spark conversation: "I hear the gardens at the Cheng estate are particularly beautiful, with flowers in bloom all year round. I’m told there are dozens of varieties of peonies alone, among many other treasures."

"They are merely casually planted trees and flowers," Cheng Xianzhang replied, "hardly comparable to the exquisite and poetic landscape of the Su residence."

Su Rudai smiled. "Has Official Cheng discerned the poem hidden in this pond?"

Cheng Xianzhang did not respond for a moment. When she looked at him, she saw he was gazing absently at the koi in the water.

"Zijun?" the Fourth Young Master Su prompted.

Cheng Xianzhang collected himself and quickly replied, "The poem in the pond? I suspect it is: 'Willows surround the pond, mandarin ducks grace the separate inlets; the green duckweed cuts off the path of the lotus boat.'"

The pond was indeed fringed with green willows and lotus flowers, and a pair of mandarin ducks swam within, perfectly matching the imagery of the poem.

Su Rudai chuckled. "Precisely. My father is fond of poetry; the garden is filled with it."

"Lord Su is a titan of the literary world, a man of profound learning," Cheng Xianzhang remarked.

The group chatted for some time in the pavilion, and Cheng Xianzhang and his mother departed before the meal. Once they had left, the Fourth Young Master Su asked his sister, "Well? Can you rest easy now?"

Su Rudai was indeed satisfied and felt a budding affection, yet she noted, "But he didn't mention the rumors circulating outside at all, nor did he offer to clarify them."

The Fourth Young Master had also been thinking about this. "Perhaps he forgot, or felt it was awkward to bring up?" After all, those rumors were quite malicious.

"Can one really forget such things?" Su Rudai was skeptical. Was that not the very reason they came today? How could he have forgotten?

The Fourth Young Master was unsure, so he offered, "Perhaps he felt that by coming here, it was already a clarification—at the very least, it proves he values this marriage. Don't worry, those stories must have been fabricated by the Yu family."

Su Rudai remained doubtful. The Cheng and Yu families had been estranged for five years, and everything had been peaceful since the divorce. Why would they suddenly claim the Yu family was slandering them? It was all very strange. He should have clarified the rumors and explained why they were suddenly at odds with the Yu family, or how the divorce had come about in the first place. Instead, he had said nothing at all.

"Let’s not set anything in stone yet. I want to observe him further," Su Rudai said.

"Very well, very well. Don't worry. He has been married before, and you are a young lady. Unless they show true sincerity, Mother will not agree," the Fourth Young Master promised dotingly.

***

Because of the marriage prospect, Yu Ying was finally released from her confinement. Her mother, feeling indignant that the other party hadn't taken a liking to her daughter, felt a pang of pity and stopped restricting her for the past two days.

This was a relief. She spent two days wandering outside, buying new fabrics from Chang'an, powders unavailable in Luoyang, and tasting the snow-crisp mountain dessert at two other restaurants.

She was exhausted, and on the third day, the sun was too bright to go out, so she slept longer than usual. It was well past mid-morning when she woke.

Yunjin came to wake her, informing her in her sleep that the Old Master had summoned her.

Alarmed, Yu Ying woke up instantly and groaned, "It’s early in the morning—why is Grandfather calling for me again? Wasn't the matter in Luoyang settled?"

Yunjin looked at the bright sun outside. "My lady, it is not early morning; it is high noon. I’m worried you’ll starve! Get up quickly; you must wash, dress, and eat."

Yu Ying took a deep breath and dragged herself out of bed. To her, grooming and dressing were of the utmost importance. While she only spent a moment eating, she spent half an hour on her appearance. One maid selected her clothes, two styled her hair, and another, Xueruo, who was an expert in makeup, tended to her face. She wasn't going out, but she believed that to leave such beauty unadorned would be a waste of heaven's gifts.

Ready at last, she headed to her grandfather’s courtyard. She learned from the steward that Old Master Pei, from her second sister's husband's family, had visited early that morning and spoken with her grandfather for a long time. After he left, the Old Master had sent for her. She couldn't imagine what connection she had to Old Master Pei that would lead her grandfather to summon her after their meeting.

She entered the Sanxing Hall, where her grandfather was finishing his lunch. He looked at her and said, "If you had arrived any later, I would have woken up from my nap."

"I got up the moment you sent for me, Grandfather. I didn't delay for a single moment. Is that not enough?" Yu Ying retorted.

The Old Master was so angry his beard puffed up. She was rising at noon and still had the audacity to argue! Although his granddaughter had indeed suffered some grievances at the Cheng household, he thought, the other side wasn't entirely without reason. He didn't want to argue with her over such trivialities, so he gestured for her to sit. He had just finished his meal, and being advanced in age with a weak stomach, he preferred to stand to aid his digestion.

Yu Ying sat down and, having not eaten much at noon, began snacking on the mung bean cakes nearby.

Watching her, the Old Master sighed, "Do you have any idea why Zheng Erlang refused the match?"

Yu Ying pretended to be preoccupied with her cake, avoiding her grandfather's eyes. She was grateful to Zheng Boru; he had kept her secret, just as she had asked. Her grandfather, however, only had second-hand information from his daughter-in-law and didn't know the full story. Her mother, while suspicious that she had spent time alone with Zheng Boru, was simply displeased by the rejection and hadn't pressed for details.

"I suppose he thought that since I am so beautiful, I wouldn't be the type to manage a household with thrift," Yu Ying said, not blushing or losing her breath. "He likely thinks I am vain and shallow."

The Old Master looked at her, feeling that Zheng Boru was being inexplicable. With the wealth of the Yu and Zheng families, did he really need a wife who was thrifty? His granddaughter was indeed too beautiful, but who would complain about a beautiful wife? He didn't find her shallow, either—it wasn't as if she were taking the imperial examinations.

When his granddaughter was in the capital, figures like the former Empress Dowager, the Princess of Yan, and Lady Li all adored her. Wherever she went, she was the center of attention. Was that not better than being thrifty?

"Did he actually say that?" the Old Master asked.

"He didn't, but what else could it be?" Yu Ying looked up. "Why are you asking, Grandfather? If he didn't like me, he didn't like me. Just let me stay home a few more days; why do you keep pushing me out? It doesn't do you any good."

"I was wondering if there might be room for maneuver," the Old Master admitted.

Yu Ying was shocked. "Grandfather, have you lost your mind? You want to beg him to marry me? You may have retired from office, but there is no need to debase yourself to this extent!"

"What debasement? You... sigh!" The Old Master took a long breath. "He is in the Ministry of Justice!"

"And what of it?" she thought. *My ex-husband was in the Censorate!* Why did she keep getting entangled with these government offices, she wondered.

The Old Master sat down and said earnestly, "You must know about the Prince of Jin’s rebellion case from last year."

Yu Ying nodded. She was in Luoyang at the time, and the event had caused such a stir that it was impossible not to know. The Prince of Jin, based in Shuozhou, had not actually staged a rebellion, but an investigation into a land dispute had led to his estate and eventually uncovered a "rebellion plot." The case was handed to the Court of Judicial Review, which investigated until it implicated everyone, including the Fang family of Shuozhou, who were close to the Prince and were sentenced to total execution.

"The head of the Court of Judicial Review," the Old Master continued, "comes from neither a noble family nor the imperial examination system. He is ruthless and has been 'killing madly' these past few years. Because the Emperor favors him and he is adept at gauging the Emperor's will, no one who falls into his hands fares well. Li Xuan of the Ministry of Works had never even been to Shuozhou, yet because he offended the Court of Judicial Review, he was implicated in the rebellion and sentenced to removal from office and exile."

Her grandfather rarely spoke of court affairs, as it was unnecessary for her, so she listened intently. Still, she couldn't see the connection. "If he was innocent, why did the Emperor agree?"

"Because Li Xuan was from the Li clan of Zhaojun and had always opposed the promotion of humble-born scholars," the Old Master replied.

Yu Ying understood. Although Li Xuan hadn't rebelled, the Emperor wanted to purge him, and the Court of Judicial Review, understanding the Emperor’s intent, had used the rebellion case as a pretext to settle a personal vendetta.

"Old Master Pei’s point," her grandfather explained, "is that we must all be cautious. We cannot be complacent, and we certainly cannot make enemies everywhere. He heard we were at odds with the Cheng family and came to inquire. I told him it was just children’s talk, but he said that for great families like ours, we are the thorns in the Emperor's side. It is best not to stir up conflict with offices like the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, or the Court of Judicial Review."

So that was how it all connected. She wasn't supposed to speak ill of Cheng Xianzhang or offend him.