Spring of the Blade - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"What exactly is this Spring Banquet?" Qingyuan asked as she and Baoxian walked slowly back. The weather in the third lunar month was bright and warm, and the breeze felt soft against the skin. She squinted slightly, savoring the gentle, apricot-blossom-scented currents of air gliding past her temples. Her circular fan, which she didn't need for cooling herself, was put to good use swatting playfully at the butterflies fluttering by—a delightful pastime.

She had heard of the banquet before. It was held every year after the Cold Food Festival and was a major event in Hengtang. The barrier for entry, however, was exceptionally high; ordinary families could not hope to attend. They could only hear from afar the strains of singing and dancing drifting from the open-air venue, elegant and melodic, echoing across the entire city.

"Mistress, you don't know about the Spring Banquet?" Baoxian said. "It was started by the wife of the Marquis of Ji for the son and daughter she lost prematurely. The Marquis’s wife had given birth to twins, but by the time they were eight, they both drowned in a pond on the day of Qingming. The couple was heartbroken, and to soothe the agony of losing their children, they established this Spring Banquet. If you calculate it, it’s been ten years now. Every year, they extend wide invitations to the noble families of Hengtang. As time went on, it became an excellent opportunity for various families to observe and propose matches. Since all the refined young ladies and famous beauties attend—much like the 'Golden Chalice Banquet' of the Sage in the old days—I’ve heard that a small stream flows through the grounds. The silk handkerchiefs and sweat cloths of the young lords and fair ladies are all washed in it, to the point where the water flowing out carries a fragrance. You can imagine how grand the affair is."

Qingyuan said, "Oh. Since it's held with such a pretext, wouldn't it be terribly embarrassing to attend?"

Baoxian, however, argued, "What is there to be embarrassed about? Seeing each other beforehand is always better than a blind marriage. That’s why when the Third Miss told the eldest sister to be careful, she wasn't wrong. As long as the eldest son of the Earl of Founding shows up, you’ll naturally be able to tell at a glance whether he’s a good match or not."

Qingyuan smiled, "In the end, this matter is still the Old Madam’s decision. It only matters if the Old Madam sees him and approves."

Baoxian blinked, thinking to herself that the Fourth Miss was still too young. "Regardless, this marriage will be concluded. Even if the Earl’s eldest son truly isn't bright, as long as he isn't so foolish that he can't recognize people, it can be tolerated." After saying this, she asked, "Will you be going, Mistress?"

Qingyuan shook her head slowly. Whether she went or not was not her choice. There was really no benefit in attending such an occasion; she would likely end up like a living target, forced to listen to a stream of idle gossip.

Returning to Danyue Pavilion, they had barely stepped through the gate when she saw Nanny Tao pacing in front of the house. Chuntai called out, "The Mistress is back," and Nanny Tao stood at the bottom of the steps and bowed respectfully from a distance.

It was nearing noon, and the small kitchen had already prepared the meal. Chuntai welcomed her in and asked if she wanted lunch served now. Qingyuan waved her hand, "I’m not hungry just yet; let's put it off for a while."

The maid in charge of the errands withdrew. The bamboo blinds hanging under the eaves’ carved wooden boards swayed gently, tapping against the tung-oil-painted pillars with a rhythmic da-da sound.

"Nanny, are you accustomed to things here since coming to my side?" Qingyuan asked warmly. "The courtyard is filled with trivialities, and I still need you to help manage them."

Nanny Tao said she was, of course. "I was here many years ago; now I am simply returning to my old trade. I am quite used to everything. If there is anything that is not to the Mistress’s liking, just give your orders to this servant." These words were merely the prelude; the core of the matter followed. She lowered her voice and said, "The maid you asked me to find—it is said that she is dead. I asked several matrons with whom I am friendly, and they all said that after Danyue Pavilion was sealed and the servants were sent away to various places, that little maid was sent to the old family estate in Shengzhou to keep watch. Not long after, she caught malaria. However, her parents seem to have come into a sudden fortune; they purchased farmland in the countryside. Her older brother now runs an oil lamp shop, and they are living quite comfortably."

Qingyuan listened, feeling a bit surprised, "They purchased farmland?"

"Exactly. Before, they were lucky to have one meal a day. If they weren't so destitute, which family would be willing to sell their daughter? Later, overnight, they acquired farmland. Even if land in the countryside is cheap, one still needs a certain amount of capital to conduct such business." Nanny Tao looked at Qingyuan, "Fourth Miss, you should ponder this carefully..."

Qingyuan remained silent. To her, these clues were enough to prove that her mother’s grievances were well-founded. But now that there was no living evidence—having received benefits, they would naturally keep their mouths shut. The maid’s family would not reveal the truth for no reason and bring trouble upon themselves.

"Where is her brother’s shop?" Qingyuan asked. "How far is it from Hengtang?"

Nanny Tao replied, "I heard it was opened in the city of Haozhou. Haozhou is, in all, three hundred miles from Hengtang."

Three hundred miles... so far... She pondered, "People like me, living in these deep estates, probably won't be able to travel that far in a lifetime. Who can say for sure if the person is dead or alive?"

Baoxian, who had been listening from the side for a long time, also understood the implications. "The Mistress is right. If she were truly dead, the money wouldn't have reached her family’s hands. What does the Mistress intend to do now? Perhaps I could have Nanny’s son make a trip to Haozhou; it would be better to verify the truth."

But Qingyuan shook her head. "Fourteen years have already passed. The little maid from back then must have married far away by now; how could she still be in Haozhou? Even if someone went and found her, what good would it do? It's not as if we could force them to name the mastermind behind it all!"

"Then this matter is to be dropped?" Baoxian was initially somewhat indignant, but upon reflection, she said wistfully, "Times have changed, so dropping it is for the best. Mistress, try to set your mind at ease and think about how to settle yourself in this great house from now on."

Qingyuan pursed her lips and did not speak. Although she was young, she had a bad habit: she held a grudge quite deeply. In this world, many misunderstandings and oversights can be forgiven, but this one—the one concerning her mother’s life—how could it be so easily excused? She gripped the handle of her circular fan tightly. The carved patterns on the bamboo branch pressed into her palm like a seal. In an instant, she had a plan. When the timing was right and she took a risk, the truth of this matter would come to light.

But for now, she needed to endure. She let out a breath and said, "Father is coming back; the journey will take ten or twenty days at least. There is no rush for this matter. When the time is right, I will have my own way of dealing with it."

Nanny Tao hesitated, but not daring to ask further, she only said, "Is there anything else the Mistress needs this servant to do?"

Qingyuan smiled like a child, "The magnolia tree in the courtyard is withered on one side; we might as well get rid of it. Nanny, take some people and dig it up, then plant a weeping crabapple tree instead."

The third lunar month is not the best time to transplant flowers and plants, but crabapples are hardy, drop few blossoms, and have lush foliage; it was not impossible. Nanny Tao took the order and left. Qingyuan ordered her meal as usual. Baoxian served her the whole time, watching her closely, but aside from being a bit more quiet than usual, there was nothing different about her.

Life continued peacefully for the time being, and she gave no thought to what kind of storm was brewing beneath that calm surface. The only unexpected event was that the Old Madam sent word for the Fourth Miss to prepare herself to attend the Spring Banquet together.

"The Old Madam still recognizes you, Mistress." Chuntai dressed her, picking out a garment of kingfisher-blue brocade, and stood in front of the bronze mirror, comparing the clothes to her mistress. "Mistress, what do you think of this one? The color is bright, and one could spot you in a crowd at a glance."

Qingyuan did not like to be ostentatious, and furthermore, with three older sisters going first, she should be even more reserved. In the end, she chose a jade-colored skirt with dark flower embroidery, tied her hair simply, and headed to Huifang Garden to be with the Old Madam.

Among the noble families of Hengtang, the Spring Banquet was considered a major holiday. Even someone like the Old Madam, who disliked moving about, had dressed up and was prepared to go out. As people live in this world, who doesn't have a few old friends? The bosom friends of one's youth become the old sisters of one's twilight years. After years of managing their own households and seeing their children and grandchildren multiply, these old sisters became the best candidates for arranging marriages. Meeting up once a year in a lively atmosphere, talking about everything from daily health to the marriages of their children and grandchildren—it was truly a happy affair.

The Old Madam was in a decent mood today. Having taken medicine for days, the illness in her body had improved, so she was not scowling. When they left, seeing that Qingyuan’s carriage was shabby, she ordered her to ride with her.

This granddaughter was actually quite tolerable. The Old Madam examined her by the light streaming through the window. Dressed plainly and knowing how to conduct herself—that was rare. Yet, logically, being able to go out for a spring outing should be a joyous event, but she didn't show the slightest bit of a young girl's excitement. This made the Old Madam suspicious: was she worried about what her biological mother had done, and was therefore not entirely willing to meet people?

"On such a beautiful day, why aren't you wearing something more vibrant?" the Old Madam asked deliberately.

Qingyuan lifted her eyes and said with a smile, "I don't usually like wearing vibrant colors, and besides, the flowers outside are in full bloom; wearing something plain serves to highlight the beauty of the flowers."

The Old Madam nodded and asked again, "Are you willing to make an appearance at the Spring Banquet? You will inevitably have to meet outsiders, and you will be gossiped about a bit."

She remained as calm and steady as ever, pondering for a moment before saying, "No one can hide forever. Although I was born to a concubine, I am even more my father’s daughter. Since I am my father’s daughter, I am not afraid to meet people. Grandmother intends to cultivate me this time; if I were to shrink away, I would be failing to live up to Grandmother's painstaking efforts."

She was clearly a sensible person, the Old Madam thought with a secret sigh of emotion, though she did not soften her words. She turned her face away, "What do you mean 'cultivate'? It’s just that everyone outside knows the Xie family has brought you back; continuing to hide you away would only make people laugh at us even more."

Qingyuan still smiled. Having grown accustomed to vicious words, such things didn't amount to much. She turned her head to look out the window. The carriage moved forward along the straight road, heading slowly toward the outskirts of the city. She was simply amazed at the lush, green world; so the spring scenery outside had already become this rich.

The Spring Banquet—for all the girls of Hengtang, it was a yearning; for Qingyuan, its entire meaning was just to broaden her horizons. The Marquis of Ji’s household was the host, so the display and etiquette were naturally impeccable. She saw clusters of flowers everywhere, just as Baoxian had described: "The refined ladies have heavy cloud-like buns, the romantic young lords have light snow-colored shirts."

The young ladies of the Military Governor's family had arrived; they were honored guests and were highly regarded. They were surrounded by crowds as they headed toward the great tent. The Marquis of Ji’s wife rose from her seat to welcome them personally, smiling, "Old Matriarch, it has been a long time. How have you been recently?"

The Old Madam was extremely amiable outside, maneuvering with ease, "Very well, thank you for your concern, Madam. You have suffered for many years, managing this banquet so perfectly and thoroughly; we come only to enjoy the ready-made benefits, and we are truly ashamed."

The Marquis of Ji’s wife said, "Nonsense. It was only because I was lonely that I held a gathering for everyone to enjoy themselves; I have to thank all the Madams for honoring me with their presence. Old Matriarch, you are too polite."

And so, a round of mutual flattery ensued, each speaking more beautifully than the next.

When the Prefect’s wife spotted from afar that the Xie family had arrived, she brought the Countess of Founding over. After a period of warm and intimate greetings, she cast her gaze upon the young ladies behind the Old Madam.

The Old Madam managed things with great order; she did not push Qinghe forward simply because the Prefect’s wife had previously sounded her out. As usual, she introduced her granddaughters one by one: "This is my eldest granddaughter, Qinghe; the second granddaughter, Qingru; the third granddaughter, Qingrong; and the youngest, Qingyuan. Quickly, come and pay your respects to the Countess."

Although the Xie family had been military generals for generations, they were also a family of scholars, and the daughters they raised were all well-behaved. The four sisters performed their salutations. The Countess of Founding told them to dispense with the formalities and sighed with emotion, "Oh my, I have often heard that the Governor's daughters are all beauties, and seeing them today, it is indeed true to its reputation." Since she was there for the eldest daughter, she examined Qinghe repeatedly, gently taking her hand to stroke it, from the fingertips to the palm lines, looking her over intentionally or unintentionally from head to toe.

"Is the eldest young lady seventeen this year?" the Countess of Founding asked, turning to smile at the Old Madam. "Old Matriarch, look—we have been coming here to enjoy the spring every year, yet we have never developed a deep friendship. It seems the timing of our fate had not yet arrived."

The Old Madam also spoke evasively, "The past two years my health was not very good, and I arrived late and left early, so we missed each other. This year, all my illnesses have been purged, and encountering such beautiful weather, thanks to the blessings of the Marquis of Ji’s wife, I brought my granddaughters out for a stroll, and didn't we just run into each other?" As she spoke, she looked around, "Where are the young lords and young ladies by your side? Why are they not visible?"

The Countess of Founding said, "Oh, the children in my family are unable to stay still. A group of young people gathered together and went off to play cuju (ancient football)." After saying this, she instructed the maid beside her, "Quickly go and pass a message to the eldest young lord. Ask him to come quickly to pay his respects to the Old Matriarch and her granddaughters.”