Spring of the Blade - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

To host female guests, the Xie manor had a specifically designated, exquisite small courtyard. After bypassing a screen wall, one could see a banana tree planted gracefully in the southeast corner of the courtyard. The rain fell finely and densely, wetting the newly sprouted tender leaves. That broad, translucent touch of green shivered gently in the wind and rain; whenever it encountered the water rushing down from the eaves, it would sway wildly, as if shaking loose every bone in its body.

Qingyuan’s umbrella approached slowly from the hanging flower gate. The jade-green surface of the umbrella looked like duckweed floating on water. A maid from the gate came over to assist, and Baoxian closed the umbrella to hand it over. The rain had become heavier halfway there, splashing and soaking the Fourth Miss’s skirt. Baoxian hurriedly crouched down, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe it for her.

Qingyuan stood under the veranda and looked toward the main house. Beneath the powder-white walls and dark tiles, there were "beauty-leaning" railings made of camphor wood. On a rainy day, the bamboo blinds above were lowered halfway, creating a narrow sliver of blank space between the chairs and the blinds. As the girls passed through, they looked like paintings full of charm and emotion.

Yuequan, from the Old Madam’s room, walked out and greeted her upon seeing Qingyuan, "Why hasn’t the Fourth Miss come in? The three young ladies have all arrived."

Yuequan was originally named Yueyuan, but later, to avoid the taboo of Qingyuan’s name, it was changed to "Quan." She was one of the few people in the Xie family whose heart matched her words; she treated Qingyuan the same as the other young ladies and would not stoop to judging people based on their status.

Qingyuan responded with an "ah," saying she was coming. Yuequan understood her intentions; being the youngest with three older sisters ahead, she had to maintain a sense of propriety and could not jump ahead of others in rank. It was quite pitiful, really. The Fourth Miss had not grown up in the manor from childhood; having returned so suddenly, few people actually treated her as one of the family. She was in a difficult situation, having to be careful with every step at such a young age. The more she acted this way, the more it made people’s hearts ache for her.

Yuequan gestured with her hand, "Miss, please go in." After speaking, she looked at her retreating back and wondered with surprise, "How did she get her clothes wet?"

Baoxian stopped outside the door and mentioned it casually and lightly, "Oh, Lüzhui, who is by the Second Miss's side, splashed the Fourth Miss. She originally said she would go back to change, but fearing the Old Madam would be kept waiting, she hurried over." She smiled again, "The Fourth Miss didn't take it to heart; she relies on her youth and strong constitution and isn't afraid of falling ill."

Over there, Qingyuan had already entered the room. Because the Prefect’s wife was considered an acquaintance, the Old Madam and Madam Hu were accompanying her, speaking in the eastern corner chamber. The front hall and the corner chamber were separated by an ice-cracked patterned screen. As one walked along, the inner room was visible. The Prefect’s wife gave an "oh" of surprise, "I have often come to visit before, but I have never seen this young lady."

Qingyuan entered the inner chamber, first saluting the guest, then paying respects to the Old Madam and Madam Hu. Because the Old Madam’s headache had not yet healed, she wore a decorative brow-band, but when receiving guests, she showed absolutely no signs of being sluggish or ill. Her responses were also methodical, brushing the matter aside with a perfunctory remark, "This is my youngest granddaughter, named Qingyuan."

The Prefect’s wife was a perceptive woman and understood everything in an instant. At first, she had been quite interested in staring at Qingyuan, but later she shifted her gaze and let it fall onto the small celadon tea cup in her hand.

"You may sit," Madam Hu gestured to the seat below Qingrong’s, saying to Qingyuan. She was Xie Shu’s legitimate wife. Her face always carried a cold, dignified air, but everyone in the manor said she had a kind heart. When Qingyuan saw her for the first time, she was very surprised by her beauty. It was evident that she had been a stunner in her youth, and although she did not smile often, there was an inherent grace and subtlety in her eyebrows and eyes.

After Qingyuan sat down, they resumed their previous topic, which was mostly about the eldest son of the Earl of Founding reaching the age for marriage, and the Prefect’s wife had thought of the Xie family first.

"There are many high-ranking families in Shengzhou, but when it comes to the virtue and talent of the young ladies, one must look to the Jiedushi’s [1] family." The Prefect’s wife let her gaze glide over the row of young ladies, smiling, "Look, with such a prestigious lineage and such beauty, even if you searched all of Hengtang, you wouldn't find a second house like this. I won’t hide it from the Old Madam and the Madam; the wife of the Earl of Founding is my stepsister. Since she has entrusted me, I must handle it as my own family affair. That is why I came to call upon the Old Madam today, wanting to hear the Old Madam’s thoughts."

The Earl of Founding held a fourth-rank official title with a fiefdom of seven hundred households; at the very least, it was a noble title. Moreover, it was a marriage for the eldest son, so, in truth, it was a good match. Old Madam Xie nodded and said, "The lineage is, of course, nothing to complain about, but I don't know about the eldest son’s character and scholarship." She smiled, "Although my family is a line of military generals, our ancestors have produced several scholars, so I dare not be careless regarding the marriages of my children. Since you are an old friend, I will not keep some things from you. Marrying off a daughter is different from taking in a daughter-in-law. When someone else's daughter comes to our house, we naturally do not treat her poorly, but once our daughter is given away, her fortune depends entirely on others. We must be certain of the person's character before we can feel at ease."

The Prefect’s wife agreed repeatedly, "I understand the Old Madam’s concerns completely. Since we are old acquaintances, I would never坑 (trap) the young lady. As for the eldest son of the Earl of Founding, he is a talent worth molding; he just achieved the rank of Gongsheng (tribute student) this year. It is rare in this day and age to find someone who has ancestral shade yet is still willing to strive for success through imperial examinations step by step. You are getting on in years, Old Madam; you have seen many people and heard many things. Isn't that the truth?"

Listening to this, there was nothing to be dissatisfied about. However, there were many granddaughters in the house, and it was unclear which one the Earl's family had taken a fancy to. It was awkward to ask directly, so she said, "The children are all my most cherished ones; I cannot bear to part with any of them..."

The Prefect’s wife’s gaze landed on Qingyuan. In terms of beauty, she was, of course, beyond reproach. If it hadn't been for the incident with her mother, it was likely that the entire Shengzhou would be scrambling to ask for her hand in marriage, but unfortunately...

Everyone's eyes followed the Prefect’s wife, each with their own color and their own speculations.

Madam Hu gave a light cough and said to the nanny beside her, "The tea has gone cold; why don't you add another cup!"

Only then did the Old Madam look at Qingyuan carefully and see that the color of half her clothes was different, as if soaked through with water. She couldn't very well ask what had happened while guests were present, so she knitted her brows in immediate dissatisfaction.

The Prefect’s wife shifted her eyes away with not a little regret, and began to examine Qingru, asking with a smile, "How old is the Second Miss this year?"

Qingru was completely different from before, sitting quietly with the demeanor of the eldest legitimate daughter. She bowed slightly and said, "Replying to the Madam, I was born in the year of the Rabbit and am sixteen this year."

Listening to this, Qingyuan smiled secretly, for she knew that with this sentence, Qingru had answered incorrectly.

Sure enough, Madam Hu pursed her lips with a trace of thin anger, casting a glance at Qingru.

In the steps of arranging a marriage, there was a process called "asking for the name," which was used to match the birth dates and times (bazi) for the marriage after the initial proposal. A young lady from a good family would not casually provide such details at this stage; after all, it was far from that point. Although the age had been reported and the matchmaker could calculate the zodiac sign, not saying it was a matter of modesty; blurting it out made one seem impatient.

The Prefect’s wife appeared as usual, smiling, "The eldest son of the Earl of Founding is twenty-three this year, so they are well-matched in age."

The Old Madam picked up her tea cup and took a sip, "The sisters are all of similar age, one after the other. There is no rush to arrange their marriages."

"Oh my, that is a wonderful thing! One after another, it won't be too rowdy, nor will it seem too lonely. In the future, the family will have happy events every year." The Prefect’s wife was, after all, partial to beauty and looked at Qingyuan again, "Is the Fourth Miss fourteen this year?"

Qingyuan bowed from her chair, "Yes."

"She is still young," the Old Madam took over the conversation, "She is the youngest child in the family; she can stay for another two years." This effectively severed any possibility of her being betrothed.

Qingyuan had no intention of marriage anyway, so she felt nothing, but on the contrary, a look of disappointment appeared on the Prefect’s wife’s face. At this moment, Madam Hu fully demonstrated her impartiality as a legitimate mother, looking at Qingyuan with pity and saying to the Prefect’s wife, "This child has a bitter fate; I hope you will keep her future marriage in your heart."

This confirmed the rumor that Qingyuan was born to Concubine Jin. The Prefect’s wife gave an "oh" and smoothed things over, "Once the Fourth Miss is back by the Old Madam and Madam's side, she will no longer suffer. Seeking a good marriage in the future will bring her endless happiness."

This was merely polite small talk. Everyone wore a supportive smile on their faces. After the Prefect’s wife exchanged a few more pleasantries, she finally took her leave. The Old Madam sent a nanny to escort her all the way to the carriage.

There were no outsiders in the room now. The smile on the Old Madam's face had long since faded. She sat under the southern window, slowly counting her Buddhist prayer beads, her eyes resting on Qingru.

Everyone stood waiting for instructions. They heard the Old Madam say, "Go back and copy the Neixun (Internal Teachings) ten times. Take some time to carefully contemplate the principle that 'much talk brings many mistakes; it is better to speak little'."

Qingru murmured, secretly peeking at her mother. Madam Hu also had a look of anger on her face. Not daring to disobey, she could only lower her head and say yes.

The Old Madam's gaze was like a Green Dragon Crescent Blade; wherever it swept, the person shrank. Finally, her eyes turned toward Qingyuan, and she huffed, "In our family, when have we ever had such a loss of decorum? For a girl, appearances are most important. It would be one thing if it were just family, but there were outsiders! To make such a sight before a guest! Just what is going on with your clothes?"

Qingru naturally knew the inside story. She felt guilty and took a stealthy look at Qingyuan, prepared for the worst—if Qingyuan complained, she would deny everything. Unexpectedly, Qingyuan didn't even look at her, lowering her head, "It was this granddaughter’s negligence. It has been raining for several days, and the clothes didn't dry outside. When Grandmother sent word, I dared not delay, so I just grabbed one and put it on... It is Qingyuan’s fault. I am willing to accept punishment. I ask Grandmother not to be angry and to take care of your health."

Hearing this, Qingru secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself that the girl knew her place. But while she felt at ease, Madam Hu was greatly dissatisfied. Regardless of how Concubine Jin had behaved in the past, now that Qingyuan had returned to her ancestors, a lack of care would be seen as the failing of her, the legitimate mother. The Old Madam would inevitably ask: as a young lady of a prestigious family, how could she not even have a change of clothes after several days of rain? It suggested an intentional mistreatment of her.

Sure enough, the Old Madam was very displeased, "Could it be that the clothing and food at Danyue Pavilion are lacking?"

Qingyuan said no, "The provisions are all complete, but the two maids by my side were busy serving me and didn't manage to dry my clothes."

The Old Madam gave an "hmm," the tone rising high, as if it were going to shake the very heavens, "Do you not have any menial matrons in your room?"

Qingyuan said nothing, only smiling and shaking her head slightly.

Only then did Madam Hu recover her wits and say calculatingly, "I did assign two matrons [2] to Danyue Pavilion at the time. I suppose those matrons are lazy and only care about the kitchen and cleaning."

The Old Madam's "hmm" this time was much more stable. Stroking her knees, she said, "Those matrons have aged and become wily. Seeing that she is a young girl, they don't hold her in any regard." Turning her head, she instructed Yuejian, "Later, you go and choose two capable matrons and two clever little maids, and send them to the Fourth Miss to serve her."

Yuejian took the order, and Qingyuan curtsied, "Thank you, Grandmother."

But the punishment could not be waived. One thing was one thing; the Old Madam was very clear about rewards and punishments. She ordered her to copy the Nüjie (Precepts for Women) ten times, telling her to learn what it means to be "dresses fresh and clean, body without filth or disgrace."

Once all orders were given, everyone returned to their own courtyards. Qingru hugged Madam Hu's arm and grumbled, "The Old Madam is too harsh; she punished me for such a small thing..."

Madam Hu said with displeasure, "The Old Madam handled this matter well. You deserve to be punished severely. If you speak nonsense at home, it might be tolerated, but to make a spectacle before an outsider—don't you know how embarrassing that is? I have often told you to be cautious in your words and actions; a young lady’s reputation is paramount. Why let people gossip behind your back? You simply refuse to listen. But as for this Qingyuan..." She paused, muttering, "This girl looks quiet and uncomplaining, but she is very calculating in every step she takes."

"Qingyuan?" Qingru curled her lips in contempt, "No matter how calculating she is, with a mother like that, her life will be nothing more than this."

This was true. Madam Hu’s expression softened, and she smoothed Qingru's temples, saying, "The match the Prefect’s wife mentioned this time is truly a good one. She asked about you so carefully just now; presumably, the Earl of Founding also has the intention to marry a legitimate daughter."

Qingru couldn't help but be smug, but soon she hesitated, "The Prefect’s wife didn't just ask about me; she also asked about Qingyuan. I don't know what the Madam is thinking. I hope she didn't take a liking to her!"

Madam Hu stood before the flower window, pinching fish food to feed the two lion-head goldfish in the tank. The daylight from outside the room hit half her face, and she gently tugged at the corners of her lips, "When people ask, it’s just to have a sense of things. The first three have already been married off; the last one can be ignored. If Qingyuan wants to marry well, I’m afraid it will be difficult. People say that if the upper beam is not straight, the lower ones will be crooked. In a family with a good reputation, who would dare to marry such a daughter-in-law!"