But where?
Yu Nanzhi had not the least clue.
If she could not remember, she would stop trying. In any case it was probably nothing important.
“Greetings, Your Highness the Prince—” With Cui Zixu’s standing being what it was, appearances had to be kept, and Yu Nanzhi reflexively began to pay her respects. Before the words were out, Cui Zixu had excused her the courtesy.
Cui Zixu flicked up his robe and sat down. “To sit quietly in a small pavilion and see only rime hanging thick and snow flying like floss, such refined leisure I have found today in the Duke’s household, and it is my good fortune.”
The Duke of Zhenguo said modestly, “The small pavilion of this humble house is hardly fit for refined company. To receive a word of praise from Your Highness is already good fortune for our house.”
After a few polite exchanges, Cui Zixu came to the main point. “The matter between your son and Second Master Qi has been settled. Only, since it involves imperial relatives, I convey the Sage’s meaning on his behalf, to set your household’s mind at ease.”
What followed was the news Daju had told Yu Nanzhi earlier.
“Before coming to your household, I had already been to the Qi household and the Feng household,” Cui Zixu went on.
“Does Your Highness know…” Yu Shuhuai had no time to think before the words were out. To stop here would only set people imagining and make them think he had a guilty conscience. “…how Fifth Miss Feng is?”
Cui Zixu did not press about the relationship between Yu Shuhuai and Feng Congrong, and only stated what he had seen at the Feng household, his tone flat. “I saw Fifth Miss Feng once at Vice Director Feng’s side. There was nothing amiss.”
At this, Yu Nanzhi, who had been silently crying out how boring it all was, finally had her interest hooked.
Watching Yu Shuhuai look composed while a certain embarrassment hid in his eyes, Yu Nanzhi considered that her Second Brother was at last showing signs of the impossible happening [1]the iron tree beginning to flower (tiě shù kāi huā, 鐵樹) (Idiom), something long thought never to happen finally coming about jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253961_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253961_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
Sister Congrong really did deliver.
Should she think of some other way to make a few chances for the two of them?
Counting up the chances there might be soon…
…probably the only one was the Shangyuan Lantern Festival, when the whole of Chang’an turns out of doors to look at the lanterns [2]ten thousand people, and the lanes stand empty (wàn rén kōng xiàng, 萬人空巷) (Idiom), the entire population pouring out for a great occasion jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253961_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253961_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
Yu Nanzhi propped her chin on the index finger of her left hand, and her thoughts flew far for a moment. She did not notice that at some point the subject had drifted onto her. She only heard Cui Zixu suddenly say, “I happen to recall that Second Master Yu seems to have mentioned going to the West Market early in the morning to buy golden milk pastry for his sisters at home?”
As he spoke, the young man’s gaze fell, in a way one could hardly call deliberate or not, on the pastry plate on Yu Nanzhi’s table. Four pieces of golden milk pastry lay on the white porcelain plate, golden in color, their flaky layers stacked, giving off a faint milky scent. A few crumbs of pastry stuck to the rim of the plate, and where the pastries from the two empty places in it had gone was simply beyond saying.
Caught in the splash, Yu Nanzhi’s almond eyes went round, blankness written all over them, as if to say what did it have to do with her. When she realized what Cui Zixu was pointing at, the girl’s neck drew back without her noticing, her crow-black lashes beat up and down, and she stole a timid glance at the Duke of Zhenguo in the seat above.
From the moment Cui Zixu said the words “golden milk pastry,” the string of Yu Nanzhi’s heart pulled taut. Her mind could not be called quick in every direction, but it was keen enough.
If a forest deer means to cross the water, it must first test with a hoof [3]a forest deer that would ford the water tests it first with a hoof (lín lù ruò yù shè shuǐ, zé xū xiān tàn tí, 林鹿若欲涉水，則需先探蹄) (Metaphor), to sound a thing out … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253961_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253961_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
In other people’s ears, Cui Zixu was only picking a topic at random out of something Yu Shuhuai had said earlier, to keep the occasion from being dull.
But Yu Nanzhi knew clearly that these words of Cui Zixu’s were plainly a probe, because the moment his gaze came over, that feeling of being watched from before she left the West Market appeared again.
Three people here had been in the West Market this morning: Yu Nanzhi herself, Yu Shuhuai and Cui Zixu. At the time most of Yu Shuhuai’s heart had been tied up with Feng Congrong. So the source of that gaze could only be Cui Zixu.
It was obvious: in the West Market he must have spotted her.
But what if that were so?
A noble young lady with a taste for good food making a morning trip to the West Market, was that not perfectly normal? As for wearing men’s clothes, that was the latest fashion in Chang’an, led by the consorts in the palace and the princesses. She was only following it.
Running into the conflict between her own brother and Second Master Qi was a coincidence within a coincidence. She could hold her back perfectly straight.
What was more, timidity was always her best disguise. The Yu Nanzhi of this moment was only a helpless, weak little pitiful thing, waiting for the Duke of Zhenguo, her father, to speak up and pull her out of it. Count on her to take up the conversation herself?
—Don’t even think about it.
Seeing his daughter so at a loss, the Duke of Zhenguo sighed silently. When children are in difficulty it falls to the father to shoulder it, it still had to be him, as her father, who took the field.
“A young lady has a greedy mouth, and a plate of common street pastry is only the Second Son, as an elder brother, being fond of his sister,” the Duke of Zhenguo said.
Yu Shuhuai nodded right after him.
Cui Zixu lifted his lids a little, coolly, but did not move his gaze away from Yu Nanzhi. “In the Duke’s household the brothers are affectionate and the sisters respectful. No wonder everyone in Chang’an says His Grace not only governs an army well but governs a household well.”
Of course, it would be better still if a certain “small trouble” had not been left behind in the household.
The Duke of Zhenguo was unshaken. “Your Highness praises us too much.”
Cui Zixu picked up his wine cup offhandedly and said, “It was only a casual question. His Grace should not take it to heart. I have a younger sister at home too, and she likes fruit and pastries just the same. I only wanted to ask how the golden milk pastry from Fourteenth Miss Huoxun’s shop tastes. If it really is good, I could take some back another day for my little sister to try.”
“So that is it.” The Duke of Zhenguo smiled and drank half a cup, a soothing note hidden in his tone. “Second Miss, tell His Highness what this golden milk pastry tastes like.”
This fire Cui Zixu had lit on purpose, Yu Nanzhi could not escape in the end.
Yu Nanzhi had known this fellow Cui Zixu was not easy to handle. She could only describe it simply. “It’s very crisp and very sweet.”
The Duke of Zhenguo watched his daughter refuse to say half a word more, only keeping her head down and staring at the table as if she meant to bore a hole through it [4]stare a flower out of the tabletop (dīng chū huā lái, 盯出花來) (Slang), to stare at something fixedly for a very long time jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253961_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253961_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. He could only step in to patch it up. “Rather than describe it, Your Highness will know at one taste. Second Miss, take the golden milk pastry over for His Highness to try.”
The Duke of Zhenguo deliberately gave Yu Nanzhi a look, but unfortunately it was wasted entirely.
To have her hold out a plate and wait on this Prince of Qinghe like a maid, he could forget it. So Yu Nanzhi thought in her heart, while all she did was call timidly, “Hanying.”
The maid standing not far behind her answered and came forward. Her fingertips were about to touch the white porcelain plate of golden milk pastry when a warm male voice suddenly sounded in the pavilion. “There is no need to trouble Second Miss Yu. I can help myself.”
A deep purple wide sleeve suddenly broke into Yu Nanzhi’s view, and before she could react the young man’s well-jointed fingers had already picked up a piece of golden milk pastry. For the first time Yu Nanzhi noticed that Cui Zixu did not grow his nails long as many imperial nobles did, his nails were trimmed round and clean and gave off a faint gloss. And the sleeve, which looked plain from a distance, proved on closer view to have many outline-drawn crane patterns traced at the cuff in silver thread as fine as hair, as a border decoration, refined and not vulgar.
In the instant Cui Zixu half rolled his sleeve back and picked up the pastry, his gaze rested by chance on Yu Nanzhi.
The girl kept her head down, staring hard at the table, and all he could glimpse was the whorl of hair at the back of her head and the fair neck hidden behind her black hair.
Yu Nanzhi only heard a low laugh drift past her ear, as though the wind had scratched at her earlobe. When she lifted her lids, Cui Zixu had already turned back and sat down again. He took a small bite of the golden milk pastry and gave his verdict. “Crisp outside and soft inside, the sweetness just right. It lives up to its name after all. That little girl Wanyi will certainly like it.”
The Duke of Zhenguo said, “So long as it suits Your Highness’s taste.”
“I must still return to the palace to report to the Sage, so I will not stay longer.” After a while Cui Zixu rose unhurriedly. “The snow is cold and the wind is chill. Please stop here in the pavilion, Duke of Zhenguo, and do not see me out. Oh, by the way…”
At the mouth of the pavilion Cui Zixu paused for a few breaths and had his attendant bring out a wedding invitation. “I nearly forgot. Seven days from now Liyang of my Aunt Qianjin’s household is to be married. My aunt meant to send the senior officer of the Grand Princess’s residence to deliver the card in person, but we happened to meet at Penglai Hall today, so I brought it along on my way. Please keep the card safe, Duke, and bring your family to Grand Princess Qianjin’s residence to lend your support. Liyang will like the young ladies of your household.”
Before the Sage, Grand Princess Qianjin could not compare with his full sister Grand Princess Heyang, but with her gift for working the powerful [5]long sleeves make good dancing (cháng xiù shàn wǔ, 長袖善舞) (Idiom), skilled at pleasing those who matter and turning it to account jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253961_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253961_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); her treatment far surpassed that of the Sage’s other half-sisters. Not only had she married into the Zheng clan of Xingyang, she had likewise obtained a County Princess’s rank for her daughter, and hers was one of the most brilliant imperial-clan houses in Chang’an. So for County Princess Liyang’s wedding, the Duke of Zhenguo’s household would certainly go.
The Duke of Zhenguo took the invitation and said, “We are obliged to Grand Princess Qianjin for thinking of our household. We will certainly go.”
As Cui Zixu nodded slightly, the edge of his vision swept by chance over Yu Nanzhi, sitting perfectly upright in her place.
Of the several people there, only Yu Nanzhi knew clearly that Cui Zixu’s last sentence was plainly aimed at her.
Grand Princess Qianjin’s youngest daughter, County Princess Liyang, Zheng Lingxian, was not like her name: she was not graceful and dignified but a well-known “mad girl” [6]mad girl (fēng yā tou, 瘋丫頭) (Slang), a wild, ungovernable young woman jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253961_1_6').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253961_1_6', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. She did not care for writing and only liked riding and hunting, and spent her days mixing with the idle rich sons of the great houses. The current fashion for women wearing men’s clothes had begun with her, and after the Sage praised Consort Qi in men’s dress at the Double Ninth banquet it swept the city all the more.
Yu Nanzhi simply played dull and pretended not to understand the deeper meaning in Cui Zixu’s words, and ate another piece of golden milk pastry by herself.
Seven days later a great snow, of a kind rarely met with, fell on Chang’an.
The long street outside Grand Princess Qianjin’s residence was packed with fine horses and carved carriages come for the banquet. The Duke of Zhenguo’s household arrived a little early and got into the Grand Princess’s residence smoothly enough. Inside, lanterns and colored streamers were hung everywhere and red silk covered everything.
The Duke of Zhenguo and Yu Shuhuai followed a servant of the Grand Princess’s residence to the men’s quarter. The women were led by the Grand Madam of Zhenguo, with Madam Zhou and Madam Ji following one on either side behind her, and the several juniors behind them.
The Grand Madam of Zhenguo had meant to use this wedding banquet at the Grand Princess’s residence as an excuse to let Yu Qiuzhi out for a while and show her face, but the Duke of Zhenguo said flatly, “How can a punishment for a fault be abandoned before it is done?” and turned her down. One can imagine the depression in her heart. She could not let it out on her son, so it could only be aimed at everyone else, and the whole way she did not show half a smile to her daughters-in-law and granddaughters.
So when the Grand Princess’s maid invited the unmarried young ladies of the Duke’s household to go to County Princess Liyang’s chamber and keep her company while she dressed, Yu Nanzhi and Yu Qiuchi felt like prisoners reprieved. They were about to slip away when they saw the Grand Madam of Zhenguo’s heavy gaze come over. “Second Miss, Third Miss, you must serve the County Princess diligently and do nothing contrary. Understand?”
Yu Qiuchi had been somewhat afraid of this grandmother of hers since childhood, and Yu Nanzhi as always kept up her persona, her voice as thin as a floating thread. “Your granddaughter kno… knows.”
The Grand Madam of Zhenguo only found it dull to watch. She was already half into the earth, and to bicker with two little girls who were beyond all propping up [7]cannot be held upright (fú bù qǐ, 扶不起) (Slang), a hopeless case that no amount of help will straighten jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3253961_1_7').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3253961_1_7', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); would truly lower her worth. She waved a hand to hurry Yu Nanzhi and her sister along.
When Yu Nanzhi and the others arrived, County Princess Liyang’s chamber, Xianyun Pavilion, was packed with young ladies from every household. County Princess Liyang sat upright before the dressing mirror on the inner side, already wearing the sky-blue pheasant robe of a County Princess’s rank. The eight-inlay flowered-tree crown had been set on a gold-wire hat stand to one side, to be put on only before she went out.
Among the many young ladies sitting with her, County Princess Wanquan was the closest to County Princess Liyang. Watching County Princess Liyang draw her brows carefully stroke by stroke in the mirror, she teased, “Cousin, dressing yourself so carefully, you must have been looking forward to this day a long while. Does brother-in-law Yang know?”
County Princess Liyang’s husband came from the Yang clan of Hongnong and was eleventh in his clan. He was the grandson of the late Grand Princess Yunmeng, so a princess’s daughter and he could be called an even match. They had also played together for a few years in childhood, so they could just about be called sweethearts from childhood.
But the chief reason County Princess Liyang had chosen him was that Eleventh Master Yang was mild by nature and would not say much about her private affairs after the marriage, and that he was handsome.
County Princess Liyang set down the eyebrow pencil, showing not half a trace of a new bride’s shy timidity. “Powder and paint and drawn brows are only so that I feel good when I look in the mirror. What has it to do with Eleventh Master Yang?”
An answer like that suited County Princess Liyang’s character very well.
Yu Nanzhi, sitting close against the clamp-dyed screen, silently drank the hot milk the maid had just brought and quietly pricked up her ears. Suddenly three hoarse bird calls came from the snow outside Xianyun Pavilion. Her fingers holding the porcelain cup tightened at once, and she turned her head to look at County Princess Liyang, who noticed nothing.
Some noise seemed to come from the banquet in front, and very soon a young female official from Grand Princess Qianjin’s side came hurrying in, clasped her hands and reported:
“County Princess, Eleventh Master Yang is missing.”
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