"Because Lu Shi is already with child, I beg Father to spare her life in consideration of her bearing offspring for our Liao family."
"What respectable woman would willingly become an outside mistress? She’s even lower than the concubines and maidservants in the household." Huguo-gong inwardly looked down on the situation. "If you truly like her, why not bring her into the estate? Why secretly keep her in a separate residence outside?"
"Father, it is all my fault. Neither Zhang Huanong, whom I married back then, nor Zhang Zhiyan, whom I later remarried, were what I truly wanted. Only when I met Lu Shi that day did I understand what love truly is."
"Enough, say no more. A true man should not expend so much energy on such trivial matters of affection. Choose a day and speak with Zhang Shi about bringing the outside mistress into the estate. I believe she is virtuous and will not make things difficult for the woman you favor. Remember, do not let outsiders find out. You have official duties to attend to—be careful not to be impeached by the censors." Huguo-gong frowned.
"Yes, Father. I will speak with Zhang Shi as soon as possible." Liao Chuan wanted to say more but feared displeasing his father, so he held his tongue.
Lu Yao had no desire to become a concubine, which was why she had been living in Tongque Alley all along. She was waiting to give birth to a child, after which Liao Chuan would use the "seven grounds for divorce" to force Zhang Zhiyan into a separation and then remarry Lu Yao. This was the understanding Liao Chuan and Lu Yao had already reached.
After leaving the outer study, Liao Chuan was preoccupied with worries. He spent some time in his study but grew annoyed with Wenhui’s chattering and left again. Slowly, he strolled into Yu Qiong Yuan.
"The maidservant greets the heir." The door maid lifted the beaded curtain at the entrance of the passageway.
Upon entering, Liao Chuan saw Zhang Zhiyan sitting on the couch embroidering a handkerchief. The delicate curve of her profile was exquisite and soft, and he seemed to suddenly notice Zhang Zhiyan’s beauty.
A moment later, he snapped out of it. This woman had defied him more than once, and last time she even accused him of being hypocritical. Her temperament was truly terrible.
"Zhang Shi, I have something to ask you."
"Please speak, Heir."
"If I were to take another concubine, what would you have to say?"
"Fine. The heir may take as many as he wishes." Zhang Zhiyan showed no concern at all.
"What if I were to elevate someone to a co-wife?" Liao Chuan began to probe.
Zhang Zhiyan did not look up, but a faint smile curved her lips. So it had come to this. Calmly, she replied, "A co-wife? Is it perhaps the legitimate daughter of some noble family who wishes to marry in? Or is it that your study maid, Wenhui, no longer wants to be a concubine and instead desires to become a co-wife?"
Liao Chuan sized up Zhang Zhiyan from head to toe and finally decided not to mention the outside mistress Lu Yao for now. He thought it would be better to wait until Lu Yao gave birth to a child. By then, Zhang Zhiyan would have no choice but to passively accept his arrangements for separation. This time, he did not want to be controlled by the Zhang family again.
"Nonsense. Wenhui will always remain a concubine and will never surpass anyone."
"Oh." Zhang Zhiyan saw through everything clearly but chose not to pierce that thin veil of pretense.
For a while, the two sat in silence. Zhang Zhiyan lowered her head to look at her handkerchief, her skilled hands swiftly guiding the needle and thread. Her original handkerchief had been snatched away by that scoundrel Liu Lang, so she had to embroider an identical one to avoid raising suspicion. A woman in the inner chambers could not afford to lose her personal belongings, nor could she explain their disappearance.
"Today, I will have dinner here." Liao Chuan lifted the hem of his robe and suddenly sat down at the table. From this angle, he had a clear view of Zhang Zhiyan’s profile.
Zhang Zhiyan set down the handkerchief she had been embroidering halfway and said with a sarcastic tone, "Truly, the sun rises from the west. In the past, wanting to see the heir even once was as difficult as reaching the heavens. When the heir came over, he either spoke coldly or vented his anger on me."
Nowadays, she had no desire whatsoever to be alone with Liao Chuan. Apart from disgust, the unpleasant memories from her past life made her feel physically and mentally uncomfortable.
Liao Chuan sneered, "Today, as you wish, I will accompany you for a while."
"I'm afraid the heir has misunderstood. My wish is not for you to stay by my side, but for you to become a Qianhu in the Dianqian Si and rise to the position of its commander. After all, your father is the Huguo-gong. You must not end up achieving nothing."
Zhang Zhiyan spoke softly and gently, but Liao Chuan still detected the mockery laced within her words.
This time, he couldn't hold back. He suddenly stood up. "Zhang-shi, are you deliberately provoking me?"
"No, I simply feel that the heir should strive to accomplish great things."
"Hmph. A shallow and ignorant woman." Liao Chuan flicked his sleeve and left angrily, slamming the door of the passageway with a loud bang.
The servants of Yu Qiong Yuan seemed long accustomed to the heir's behavior. They only glanced briefly before returning to their respective tasks.
In low spirits, Zhang Zhiyan went to the small study to copy Buddhist scriptures. Only after finishing ten pages did she feel physically and mentally at ease. From a book titled Da Chu Di Zhi, she pulled out the small oilpaper she had hidden away and examined it carefully.
In Da Chu Chao, oilpaper was typically made from strong, resilient raw wood paper, sealed with a layer of tung oil. However, Zhang Zhiyan noticed that the paper in her hand was unusually smooth and had a layer of beeswax on its surface.
She lit a red candle and held the oilpaper above the flame. Soon, the outermost layer of beeswax melted. Since the oilpaper itself was waterproof, water could not penetrate it. She continued heating the paper with the flame and noticed that tiny cracks began to appear along its edges. Carefully, she used her fingernail to pry open the cracks bit by bit. As expected, the oilpaper peeled apart, revealing a yellowed peach blossom paper inside.
Zhang Zhiyan narrowed her eyes slightly. The paper had been heated for quite some time without revealing any characters or patterns. It was likely that a specially prepared medicinal solution was needed to soak it and make the writing appear. Unfortunately, she did not have such a solution.
Just as she was at a loss, Lüzhu's voice came from outside the door. "Mistress, shall I have the evening meal served? It is already the second quarter of the You hour."
Zhang Zhiyan hid the paper back inside the book and returned it to its original place on the bookshelf. "Serve it."
In the western side room, the evening meal was already laid out, consisting of eight dishes and one soup, all of Zhang Zhiyan's usual favorites. Lüzhu stood nearby, first serving her a bowl of ham and sour bamboo shoot soup.
"Mistress, while you were in the small study earlier, Granny Qian from the Chuihua Gate came to relay a message. She said that as soon as Granny Wang returned to the estate, she was summoned by the steward. The steward reported that Granny Wang had been caught stealing letters from the outer study and had already been taken away for punishment. He asked me to inform you of this. The steward also said that this matter was personally investigated by the Guogong-ye and asked you to rest assured."
This was undoubtedly good news. The spy, Granny Wang, had finally been removed.
Zhang Zhiyan smiled and nodded. "The Guogong-ye handles matters decisively. This is for the best, saving me the trouble of taking action myself. When my aunt comes to demand an explanation, I will openly tell her that it was her excessive interest in prying into the Liao family's affairs that brought harm to Granny Wang."
After finishing the evening meal, Zhang Zhiyan returned to the small study. She closed the door, bolted it, and continued her investigation into the secret hidden within the oilpaper.
Before long, Lüyin's voice sounded at the door, "Reporting to the mistress, the old woman guarding the abandoned courtyard has come to inform us that the eldest young lady wishes to see you. She says if you do not go, she will dash her head against the wall and die, leaving the Huguo Gongfu without a young lady to marry off."
Zhang Zhiyan frowned helplessly and opened the door, "Very well, you shall accompany me."
Lüyin led the way with a glass lantern in hand, while Lüzhu followed closely behind Zhang Zhiyan on her right, holding a lantern. Zhang Zhiyan leaned on her arm for support.
Since being confined to the abandoned courtyard, Liao Mingzhu had often screamed and shouted. The steward ordered her mouth to be covered, after which she gradually calmed down. She knew she was to be married off far away, yet she knew nothing of the other party's family background, talents, appearance, or character. She wished to see the Huguo-gong and the heir, but no one would relay her message. In her desperation, she had someone summon Zhang Zhiyan.
The door opened, and a strange musty smell of dust rushed to their nostrils. Sitting on a chair was Liao Mingzhu. Upon closer inspection, both of her wrists were bound with long strips of cloth.
"You've finally come, my dear sister-in-law." Liao Mingzhu's room was unlit. She slowly turned her head, a sinister smile on her face, somewhat terrifying, like the calm before utter madness.