Chapter 8: A Gallant Young Lord In Spring

Two families were interested in forming a marriage alliance. At this spring banquet, they took the opportunity to observe each other. Lady Ji Hou had once again helped bring about a match—truly a deed of great merit. When families of equal status are both satisfied with the arrangement, it saves a great deal of trouble.

With Lady Ji Hou’s kind intentions, a quiet space was naturally set aside. Several prominent families sat together, sipping tea and chatting, waiting for the eldest son of the Earl of Kaiguo to appear and see whether the two young people would take a liking to each other.

Qingyuan originally tried to stay in the background, but her deliberate avoidance did not dampen the noblewomen’s interest in making her the subject of their gossip.

So many eyes, whether intentionally or not, glanced her way. The whispered conversations and sidelong glances made it clear—even without hearing the words—what they were discussing. Qingyuan was still young and inevitably felt uneasy in such a situation.

Old Madam Xie naturally noticed this. She said nothing, didn’t even turn her head, but simply set down her teacup and firmly covered it with the lid.

The translucent tent was like a pot filled with water—idle gossip was the small flame burning underneath. The fire was gentle, but bubbles rose along the sides, not enough to boil, yet lively all the same. Everyone present was of high status, and whispering was ultimately improper.

Lady Ji Hou, being straightforward, decided to speak openly. She turned to look closely at Qingyuan and said to the old madam, “Earlier, the old lady said this was the Fourth Young Lady. I know the envoy’s family has three daughters, but this one…”

No matter how noble a woman is, she cannot resist the urge to pry into others’ private affairs. Lady Ji Hou was no exception. Conveniently, this gave the old madam a chance to speak plainly.

“This is the youngest daughter of our Xie family. She was lost for some time, and only this year did we receive news and bring her back,” Old Madam Xie said without hesitation. The town of Hengtang was neither too big nor too small—any small stir in a family would be known throughout the city in the blink of an eye.

Everyone present was already well aware of Qingyuan’s background. Since the deceased concubine wasn’t a formal wife, the Xie family could handle it privately. But who outside didn’t know? It was clearly a case of two concubines vying for favor, and one poisoned the other to death.

But Old Madam Xie didn’t care. Who hasn’t been talked about behind their back? And who doesn’t talk about others behind theirs? In prominent families, there are far worse scandals. But with time, they’re washed clean, and people turn to watch someone else’s drama.

A faint, drifting smile appeared on the old lady’s face. “The grudges of the previous generation have nothing to do with her. She’s been back in the household for some time now, and I’ve observed her quietly—she’s a proper child. Our Xie family may not be a noble house, but we value kinship and unity.

How could we let our own flesh and blood drift outside? I often tell those around me, we’ve done our part as people; the rest depends on her fate. If her fate is good and she marries a high-ranking official, that’s her blessing. If not, and she stays in the Xie family for life, we can still afford to support her.”

These words carried a certain dignity—an unwillingness to bow to others. Even if they had to raise an old maid, the Xie family would accept it. Outsiders might hear this and think the old lady was deeply affectionate and had the air of a true matriarch.

But Qingyuan knew how much of it was hypocrisy. If it hadn’t been for the need to secure the household’s peace, the Xie family wouldn’t have remembered her at all. When the Chen elders refused to let her go, the Xie family had come to their door, using both threats and force to take her back.

Still, the old lady had said one thing right—Qingyuan didn’t expect any of these noblewomen to take a liking to her. So she remained composed and dignified, without the petty airs of a small household girl.

Originally, the ladies present had come with the mindset of watching a show, deliberately bringing up this granddaughter who had returned halfway through life, just to see how Old Madam Xie would handle it.

But the old lady was so open and unafraid, showing no signs of weakness or compromise, that they were momentarily puzzled. Was she truly unconcerned about this granddaughter’s future? It almost seemed as if there really was a high-ranking official’s son waiting somewhere for her.

But then they looked at the girl herself—young, yes, but with astonishing beauty. No wonder Old Madam Xie was so confident. This, in turn, made the mothers of sons uneasy. A girl with such looks couldn’t take too many shortcuts. What if some foolish son or grandson got infatuated and insisted on marrying a girl with such a background? That would surely bring unrest to their household.

For a moment, everyone harbored their own thoughts and responded vaguely, each lifting their teacups. Only the old madam from the Inspector’s family, who had been close friends with Old Madam Xie since their youth, offered a few polite words to Qingyuan. She said the young lady had not had it easy, and when there was time, she should come visit and play with her older sisters.

Just then, the eldest son of the Earl of Kaiguo’s family arrived, and everyone’s attention shifted to him. Qingyuan glanced at him—he had an average build and appearance, with well-proportioned features. Though not particularly dashing, he had the refined air of a scholar.

In a family of such standing, to have a proper tribute scholar who wasn’t unattractive was already rare. Earlier, Qingru had been eagerly hoping that the Earl’s eldest son would be disappointing, so she could feel less regret over missing her chance. But as fate would have it, the very thing she feared came true. She was secretly annoyed, and seeing Qinghe’s shy and bashful demeanor made her even more irritated. She curled her lip and let out a silent, mocking laugh.

Qingyuan followed behind the old madam. As the youngest of the sisters, she could still play the role of the innocent for another couple of years, so she simply smiled appropriately for the occasion. The Earl’s son knew his family was arranging a match for him, and now that he was meeting the girls in person, he couldn’t help but feel awkward. His mother had already introduced him to Old Madam Xie, and he respectfully saluted her. But when it came time to meet the young ladies, he became visibly uneasy.

The four girls stood in a row, the hems of their skirts trailing gracefully. He didn’t even dare to lift his eyes. His greeting was muddled, and the girls took a small step back, bowed their heads, and returned the courtesy with a graceful curtsy. Only then did he catch a glimpse of the eldest Xie daughter’s face—not stunning, but a delicate beauty. That one glance was enough.

The elders, being experienced, didn’t need to ask how it went. Just by observing expressions, they could tell. Since the children were to be matched, it was proper for them to spend a little time together before marriage. The Earl’s wife smiled and asked Qinghe, “Do you enjoy cuju or chuiwan?”

Qinghe lowered her head and replied, “We sisters often play at home.”

The Earl’s wife smiled even more brightly. “Perfect. Let Guanling take you outside for a look—you might even see some girls you know.”

Qinghe was a bit shy and looked to her grandmother for approval. Old Madam Xie was happy to oblige and nodded, “Go on. It’s rare to be out—take the chance to explore a bit.”

But it wouldn’t be proper for a young lady to go off alone with a man, so Qinghe needed to bring a sister along. Qingru had the air of someone trying to steal the spotlight, and Qingrong was sarcastic and eager for drama. After weighing the options, only Qingyuan remained. Qinghe took her hand and said, “Fourth Sister, come with me.”

Qingyuan was just a fourteen-year-old child, and to outsiders, she still seemed a bit naive and innocent. She blinked her large eyes and waited for her grandmother’s approval. Only when Old Madam Xie gave her consent did she follow Qinghe out of the green tent.

Outside, the spring sunshine was dazzling. Looking out, the peach groves stretched endlessly, almost overwhelming in their abundance. When the wind blew, it carried a rich fragrance. Qingyuan, holding onto Qinghe’s arm, softly exclaimed, “The scenery here is so beautiful!”

Qinghe was gentle and kind at this moment. She responded with a soft “Mm,” and added, “Lady Ji Hou has been tending this place for decades.”

Li Guanling, overhearing the sisters’ quiet conversation, smiled and said, “This place was originally used by local officials to host the Luming Banquet for tribute scholars and exam candidates. After the custom was abolished, Lady Ji Hou bought the land and had peach trees planted all around. It took seven or eight years to achieve this kind of splendor. Is this your first time here, Fourth Sister?”

Qingyuan smiled and nodded.

Most people knew her background, but men were generally less subtle than women, and Li Guanling was no exception. With his hands behind his back, he said, “This is my second year coming here. I didn’t want to, but my mother insisted… It’ll be better in the future—I won’t have to come again.” Even the most reserved man finds unexpected eloquence when it comes to marriage. After saying this, he paused to reflect, feeling he had expressed himself quite clearly. Surely the young lady would understand, and he wouldn’t come off as a dull bookworm, right?

The cuju field was just ahead. On the field, people were running with great energy, while spectators stood or sat nearby, watching with enthusiasm. Looking around, there didn’t seem to be any spare stools, so he asked the girls to wait and ran off to find seats for them.

Qingyuan and Qinghe exchanged a smile. Qingyuan teased, “We really should congratulate you, Eldest Sister. Young Master Li seems quite taken with you.”

Qinghe blushed and quickly denied it, “That’s not true at all.”

Qingyuan smiled and said, “How could it not be? He just said he won’t have to come here again in the future—that’s clearly telling you that now he’s found someone he likes, and there’s no need to keep attending these spring banquets.”

Qinghe naturally understood what he meant. To be honest, before attending the banquet, she had been worried. Li Guanling was the legitimate eldest son of the Earl of Kaiguo and should, by all rights, be matched with someone like Qingru, a legitimate daughter. She didn’t understand why the proposal had come to her instead.

She had worried over it many times—perhaps he had some flaw, maybe he was terribly ugly, or had poor character, or maybe, as Qingrong had said, he was a fool… But now that she had seen him, he seemed like a proper, decent young man, without the arrogance one might expect from an earl’s son. Just the fact that he personally went to find stools for her and her sister showed he was considerate.

Because her happiest moments were when Qingyuan was by her side, sharing her joy, Qinghe no longer disliked her as she once had. In fact, compared to Qingru and Qingrong, this Fourth Sister had more to admire. She really was still a child—so pure-hearted. She had even picked up on a deeper meaning in Li Guanling’s words and mused aloud, “Those who are already married and still come to spring banquets probably have other motives. But someone who’s not yet married and is already glad he won’t have to come again—he probably won’t take a concubine in the future.”

A husband who doesn’t take concubines—that’s nearly every woman’s wish. Especially for girls like them, born of concubines themselves, who understood the hardships of that position and how people would go to any lengths just to survive. So avoiding becoming a concubine, and avoiding having a husband who takes one, were equally important. Whether Qingyuan’s analysis was accurate or not, it was something Qinghe found deeply comforting.

The two sisters were quietly chatting when suddenly a cuju ball flew out of the field and struck Qingyuan on the shoulder before she could dodge.

The popular cuju balls of the time were made from eight pieces of leather stitched together and stuffed with rice husks. Though not very heavy, when kicked with force, they packed a punch. Qingyuan cried out softly and rubbed her shoulder. Qinghe was startled and quickly asked, “Are you alright?”

Qingyuan shook her head. Seeing the ball at her feet, she looked up to see who had been so careless with their aim.

The path the ball had taken had naturally divided the crowd into two sides. At the end of this human corridor, a young man came hurrying over. He wore a robe of ivory satin embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, with red silk trim at the collar and cuffs. That faint line of red against his fair face gave him the refined air of a noble youth from the capital’s elite.

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