Before long Rongdi Yeshe took two wine gourds from her bamboo basket and set them on the table.
Yu Nanzhi raised her eyes and, through the veil gauze, met those foreign brows and eyes with a smile held in them.
“Grape wine from Gaochang, and newly opened sanlejiang.” The youth crooked a finger and tapped lightly on the belly of the gourd, his tone pleasantly surprised. “This quality is no worse than the inner palace’s.”
Beside her Liu Ruyan had already lifted the lid of a wine gourd, and the strong, sharp scent of fruit wine spread out at once. After fanning it to her nose for a few breaths she said nothing, only nodded slightly to Yu Nanzhi.
Yu Nanzhi said, “Mistress Rongdi surely did not bring this wine especially for us.”
The foreign woman with high brows and deep-set eyes gave a light laugh, reached over for one gourd and tipped her head back, and half the deep red wine poured down her throat. She wiped the last of it from the corner of her lips offhandedly and said, “The young master is right. This wine was opened only this morning, and this woman could not resist ladling out a pot to quiet her own craving first [1]the greedy worm in her belly (chán chóng, 饞蟲) (Slang), the nagging appetite for something good jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253958_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253958_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. The rest is mostly to go to the Prince of Hexi’s residence. They have never said so openly, but it should be the betrothal banquet for the heir.”
“What makes you say so?” Yu Nanzhi asked.
Rongdi Yeshe told it out at leisure. “There is a great deal of know-how in this. An ordinary purchase is at most twenty or thirty strings of cash, but this time the Prince’s residence sent half the deposit in advance, a hundred and fifty strings. Three hundred strings’ worth of wine can only be used up by holding a banquet, and a great banquet at that. One flagon per table, and there would be well over a hundred tables. Only the heir of a prince’s residence could have a scale like that. What is more of a coincidence is that the Song family of the Count of Pinghuai’s household came right afterward and ordered a hundred strings’ worth of wine, and the Fourth Miss Song is still waiting in her chamber for a match. She is most likely the future consort of the heir.”
“What? This Fourth Miss Song really dares to marry him!” Liu Ruyan could not hold it in and cried out. Then she realized she had let it slip in her haste and quickly lowered her head and covered her lips.
Rongdi Yeshe seemed not to notice that Liu Ruyan was deliberately hiding her identity. She was entirely calm, and her gaze only passed by chance over Yu Nanzhi’s throat, where she faintly made out a small Adam’s apple.
She had been mistaken.
This one really was a man.
Yu Nanzhi praised her. “To read the whole beast from one glimpse of it, Mistress Rongdi really is fine and thorough. A marriage alliance between the Prince of Hexi’s residence and the Count of Pinghuai’s household is about to be made. Everyone ought to be told.”
As soon as this was said, Rongdi Yeshe understood that today’s trip had succeeded.
“As for payment, there is no need. This woman would like to ask Zhuyan Book Pavilion to help keep an eye out for Khotanese girls who have fled into the city.” Rongdi Yeshe was not short of money now. This was the real reason she wanted to work with Zhuyan Book Pavilion.
Rongdi Yeshe took out a portrait. The girl in it looked no more than seven or eight, her forelocks slightly curled, two round dimples and a sweet smile, very much the typical look of a Hu girl. The one exception was a butterfly-shaped birthmark at her right temple, which was very distinctive.
“This is this woman’s niece, called Boruoniang. In those years I fled with her, but we were separated by the disorderly troops at Guzang. A few years ago a caravan I had asked brought news and traced some trace of Boruoniang, it seemed she had come toward Chang’an. Unfortunately this woman’s means are limited. I have searched a long while and in the end could not find her, so I can only ask the pavilion to keep an eye out for me.” Rongdi Yeshe’s fingertips passed lightly over the child’s young brows and eyes in the picture, her gaze full of memory.
Yu Nanzhi took the scroll and thought back. She had not seen any Hu girl with such a birthmark, nor had she heard of anyone like her in the news the plants and animals passed on.
It seemed she could only keep an ear out from now on.
Yu Nanzhi put her thoughts aside and said, “Since the Mistress does not spurn us, this piece of business is done. Only, I am afraid I must take this portrait back with me, so that those below can learn the face.”
“Then my thanks to the young master.” Rongdi Yeshe rose, put her right hand to her left breast and made a Hu salute. “If only Boruoniang can be found, then never mind one portrait, the young master may take as many more as he likes.”
Boruoniang’s face had long been carved in her heart, and more portraits could be painted.
Yu Nanzhi declined with a smile. “One portrait is enough. If there is news you wish to give, the Mistress need only send someone to Liquan Ward. Also, I hope Mistress Rongdi will keep a particular eye out for the pavilion for news of the Prince of Qinghe’s residence and Grand Princess Heyang’s residence.”
Thinking of the wager Zhuyan Book Pavilion had recently opened on County Princess Wanquan’s future husband, Rongdi Yeshe understood and did not refuse. “Since you ask, I will certainly keep watch. This remaining pot of sanlejiang I give to you two.”
The arrangement made, Rongdi Yeshe left gracefully. Liu Ruyan took off her veiled hat, slumped down across from Yu Nanzhi and let out a long breath.
“Holding it in so long without being able to speak, it nearly killed me.” Liu Ruyan had thought they could simply come as they were, and had not expected Yu Nanzhi to insist on dressing up in disguise. “Ah, Zhizhi, this skill of yours really is something. Even I would not hear a flaw in it if I did not know it was you.”
“Is that so?” Yu Nanzhi ran a hand across her throat, and the small Adam’s apple Rongdi Yeshe had seen earlier vanished without a trace.
This was only a small trick she had learned from her mother. Even a good many experts could not see through it, let alone Rongdi Yeshe.
Liu Ruyan nodded, poured a cup of plain water down her throat and brought up another matter. “That heir of the Prince of Hexi is a thoroughly disorderly master. He likes boys [2]fond of the Longyang way (hào Lóng yáng, 好龍陽) (Idiom), given to the love of men, after the ancient favourite Lord Longyang jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253958_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253958_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); and he likes beauties, and he is not particular either way. However dirty or foul, as long as he takes a fancy to it he can carry on a while with it. This Fourth Miss Song has known it all along and still agreed to marry him. She really is walking into a life of misery with her eyes open.”
Fourth Miss Song was the flower-thrower chosen last month. Having learned that the Princess of Hexi meant to seek a match with the Count of Pinghuai’s household for her son, she had come especially to ask about the situation of Li Zhun, the heir of the Prince of Hexi.
The next day Nanzhi Que wrote a long piece in the little newspaper, all of it about every one of Li Zhun’s lovers past and present, from a young master of a collateral branch of the Xiao clan of Lanling down to unlicensed prostitutes of Pingkang Ward and the top boy of a male brothel. It left nothing and no one out, a full thirty-four people, and it shocked Chang’an for a time.
The image of a noble young master of the imperial clan, built up over many years, was shattered in a day. Li Zhun was furious and meant at once to make trouble for Zhuyan Book Pavilion, but the Prefect of Jingzhao, the Prince of Ruyang, blandly turned him away. The reason was simple: the Prince of Ruyang and his princess were both faithful readers of Nanzhi Que, and had once thrown a flower to ask Zhuyan Book Pavilion for information, which helped their youngest daughter, County Princess Xingping, successfully avoid a jumped-up climber [3]a phoenix man (fèng huáng nán, 鳳凰男) (Slang), a man risen out of a poor family who trades on his new standing jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253958_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253958_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); who had a wife at home from his hard years [4]the wife of chaff and husks (zāo kāng zhī qī, 糟糠之妻) (Idiom), the wife who shared a man’s years of poverty jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253958_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253958_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); and yet wanted to set her aside and marry another.
With his name dragged through the dirt, Li Zhun could be said to have successfully taken his place at the top of Chang’an’s list of the least marriageable. No one expected that his match with Fourth Miss Song would actually come off.
“Could it be that the Prince of Hexi’s residence offered the Count of Pinghuai’s household terms they could not refuse, and that is why the Count of Pinghuai’s household decided to sell their daughter?” Liu Ruyan guessed.
Yu Nanzhi thought for a while and said, “Nothing of the sort. The Count of Pinghuai and his wife have always cherished their children. Before the business with the heir of the Prince of Hexi came out, if Fourth Miss Song had said one word of refusal the match would certainly not have gone through, still less now that the heir’s name is as bad as this.”
“So Fourth Miss Song wants to marry him herself!” Liu Ruyan’s eyes went round. She did not understand what Fourth Miss Song was after.
Yu Nanzhi went on, “In this world some are after feeling and some are after power. The consort of a prince’s heir ranks in the third rank. Without bitterly waiting decades for a husband to rise in office and title, she can reach the top at a single stride and in an instant outdo her sister, Third Miss Song.”
Third Miss Song and Fourth Miss Song were not born of the same mother, and there had long been friction between the sisters. Last year Third Miss Song married the new top graduate of the Lu clan of Fanyang, a match of boundless glory that made everyone in Chang’an envious.
If Fourth Miss Song wanted to get a head above her sister, she had to find a still more illustrious match.
Liu Ruyan had not thought a noble lady of Chang’an could think like that. “Just for that? Is it worth it?”
If she must have power and position, she could take her time picking among the titled nobles of Chang’an who would inherit their ranks or the heirs of the imperial clan, and at least choose one of good character.
Yu Nanzhi said, “You are not the fish, so how do you know the fish’s joy [5]you are not the fish, so how can you know the joy of the fish (zǐ fēi yú, ān zhī yú zhī lè, 子非魚，安知魚之樂) (Idiom), no one can judge another’s happiness from the outside jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253958_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253958_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });? If Fourth Miss Song chooses this way, she has her own reasons. We settled with her in full long ago. Respect other people’s fates. Why make things hard for ourselves? Better to drink a few more cups.”
As she spoke she picked up the wine gourd and poured a cup of sanlejiang each for herself and Liu Ruyan.
“True enough.” Liu Ruyan nodded. At the edge of her vision, past the window, in front of Fourteenth Miss Huoxun’s shop across the street, a young man in a brocade robe came riding up. She grabbed Yu Nanzhi’s wrist, her tone excited. “Zhizhi, look, quick, your Second Brother has come at last!”
Yu Shuhuai pulled up the reins, swung down from the horse and went into Fourteenth Miss Huoxun’s pastry shop without looking to either side. A few breaths later a maid came out of Madam Mo’s biluo shop next door, leaned at the door of the pastry shop and peered in a few times, then quickly turned and went back into the biluo shop.
So at the same moment Yu Shuhuai stepped out of the shop door carrying the paper box of golden milk pastry, Feng Congrong came out of the biluo shop with two maids. Seeing Yu Shuhuai, she came up at once and greeted him with delight all over her face. “Second Brother Yu, what brings you to the West Market too?”
Seeing Feng Congrong so suddenly, Yu Shuhuai was somewhat surprised too, and soon told her the truth. “Second Sister likes the golden milk pastry here, so she asked me to buy some.”
Feng Congrong’s gaze fell on the box in Yu Shuhuai’s hand and she smiled slightly. “So it is Fourteenth Miss Huoxun’s shop. Her hu flatbread is even better, she mixes all sorts of dried fruit into the crisp crust. Second Brother Yu, why not buy more and take it back so Second Miss Yu and Third Miss Yu can taste some too.”
“I don’t know much about these things.” Yu Shuhuai looked a little at a loss. He had simply done what his sister asked, thinking about it now, it was rather too rigid.
“I guessed as much. Second Brother Yu, hurry, or the hu flatbread will all be sold out later.” As she spoke Feng Congrong turned and stepped into the pastry shop, then looked back and called to Yu Shuhuai. “I have tried them before. The ones with raisins and dried plums taste best. Second Brother Yu could pick a few more kinds and have them wrapped together.”
Yu Nanzhi stood by the window. From that distance she could not hear what they were saying, and only saw Yu Shuhuai follow closely after Feng Congrong back into Fourteenth Miss Huoxun’s shop.
The fist she had been clenching finally loosened. She grumbled inwardly that her Second Brother was at least on the right track and had not refused Sister Congrong. Sister Congrong was even more impressive: she herself had only given one push from the middle, and Congrong could seize every chance firmly. At this rate, getting a hold on Second Brother was only a matter of time.
Yu Nanzhi was about to discuss it a little with Liu Ruyan when she suddenly heard a commotion outside.
It was just the hour of the morning market, and there were plenty of customers in the Kang family’s Hu shop. Hearing the noise, they crowded out to watch the excitement. She faintly heard someone say, “Isn’t that Second Master Qi? Why is he here again?”
Yu Nanzhi’s brow twitched, and sure enough she saw a young master in a gold-woven lan robe jump down from a carriage, five or six servants behind him, and stride fiercely toward Madam Mo’s hu flatbread shop.
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