Mingyi could only hope Zong Xian would remember and return the handkerchief of his own accord.
“Why have you stopped eating? Is the food not to your taste?” Madam Liu noticed that Mingyi had not touched her chopsticks for some time and asked with concern.
Concubine[1]A secondary partner with lower status than a principal wife in a traditional household. The standing of concubines and bedchamber servants could differ by period and household. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3733110_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3733110_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); Yu, who was speaking with Old Madam[2]A respectful household title for the senior female family elder or matriarch, often the mother of the household’s adult masters. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3733110_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3733110_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, glanced at Ji Mingyi. The contempt in her eyes was unmistakable, as though she were looking at something beneath her notice.
Mingyi quickly schooled her expression and softly said she was full. Madam Liu then asked a maid to bring her some light pastries to ease the heaviness of the meal.
After spending these past few days together, Madam Liu knew how much Mingyi liked all kinds of pastries.
After supper, Zong Ying lingered at the Zong Residence for quite a while before leaving by carriage with her husband.
Mingyi would usually have gone home by then, but tonight she remained beneath the corridor, not leaving.
First, she stopped a maid and politely asked when Zong Xian would be back.
The maid had no idea and shook her head. Mingyi let her go.
Mingyi had no idea that others had noticed her waiting so eagerly.
It was Huayan, Old Madam Zong’s senior maid. She narrowed her eyes and watched Mingyi’s back for a long time, her thoughts unreadable.
Zong Xian had been gone for ages, and none of his attendants had come to fetch her. Mingyi began to wonder if he had dropped the handkerchief somewhere nearby.
If she could not get it back, she feared she would not sleep tonight. She lowered her head and began searching the ground.
“What are you looking for, Miss?” Yuegui asked.
“My handkerchief.” Mingyi searched as she spoke softly. “Second Uncle took it by accident. I’m checking whether he threw it away. Help me look, too.”
At that, Yuegui immediately remembered what had happened earlier that day.
She struggled with herself for a long while before finally speaking. “Miss, perhaps Second Master[3]A household title identifying a male master by his position in the family’s birth order, rather than by his personal name. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3733110_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3733110_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); did it on purpose.”
Mingyi paused, then straightened and looked at her. “What did you say?”
Yuegui first glanced around. Only when she saw that no one was nearby did she dare tell Mingyi what she had witnessed that day.
“That can’t be. You must have seen wrong,” Mingyi denied instinctively.
It was not that she did not trust her maid. She simply could not think of any reason Zong Xian would do such a thing.
If he had wanted to humiliate her in public, that still made no sense. She had never offended him.
Mingyi tried to recall her two previous encounters with Zong Xian, but could find no explanation. Then Yuegui suddenly whispered a terrifying possibility in her ear.
“Miss… do you think Second Master might have taken a liking to you? Is that why he did it?”
Mingyi’s face changed abruptly, and she looked up at Yuegui.
Yuegui hesitated, then said cautiously, “Actually… I’ve thought for a while that Second Master acts a little strangely toward you. Not like an elder treating a younger person. He is very good to you, but there’s just… something off about it.”
They said that those involved could not see clearly, while an onlooker could. Yuegui was about to say more when Mingyi hurriedly clapped a hand over her mouth.
“Yuegui, Yuegui, don’t say another word! Do you know how terrifying that theory is? If I have nightmares tonight, it’ll be your fault for scaring me!”
Yuegui looked bewildered. She did not understand why Mingyi was so frightened. Was it really that scary for Second Master to take a liking to her?
It was not as if Second Master were an evil spirit.
Just then, Mingyi’s gaze suddenly fixed on something.
She immediately let go of Yuegui. “Forget the handkerchief. We’re going back now.”
She turned and hurried away, as if an evil spirit were chasing her.
“Miss, the path is slippery at night! Watch your step!” Yuegui called, rushing after her.
Not far behind them,
Zong Xian stood beneath the eaves, his tall figure motionless, his gaze fixed on the direction Mingyi had gone.
In his hand, he clutched the soft handkerchief, still scented with face powder.
He watched Mingyi disappear into the distance. His fingers slowly tightened around the handkerchief, and a look of absolute certainty gleamed in his narrow eyes.
Mingyi had in fact seen Zong Xian. She had also seen that he seemed to be clutching something—perhaps her handkerchief.
If Yuegui had not said those things, Mingyi would certainly have gone over to ask him for her belongings.
Yuegui’s words had frightened Mingyi badly, and that very night she really did have a nightmare!
In the dream, she was trapped in a room furnished in lavish splendor, with gold and silver treasures scattered everywhere. Yet, strangely, there were mirrors all around. In them, she saw countless reflections of herself, each with a look of fear and unease.
Mingyi’s scalp prickled. She instinctively tried to run, but no matter what she did, she could not find a way out.
Just as she was lost and despairing, someone suddenly appeared behind her!
The person reached out a strong hand and seized her by the throat, but did not squeeze hard enough to kill her. He only held her loosely, as though teasing a kitten or puppy.
Bending close to her face, he whispered like a lover, “Why run? Are you dissatisfied with the golden house My Lord has built for you?”
That low voice, edged with a chill… It was Zong Xian!
Mingyi woke with a start.
She sat on the bed for a long time, trying to recover, a little cold sweat beading on her forehead.
She glanced toward the window. It was not yet dawn.
Yuegui slept in the outer room. The Lass was sleeping soundly enough to be snoring.
Mingyi slowly lay back down and tossed and turned until she finally fell asleep at dawn.
…
From that day on, Mingyi began deliberately avoiding Zong Xian. Even when she happened to run into him at the residence, she maintained a respectful yet distant manner.
As for getting her handkerchief back, Mingyi no longer dared bring it up. She decided to treat it as lost.
Zong Xian, meanwhile, treated her as usual. From time to time, he would ask after her, whether she had settled in comfortably at the residence and whether she needed anything.
He even said gently that if she ever ran into difficulties, she could send someone to Pine Crane Garden to find him.
Zong Xian behaved like an ordinary elder. He was not especially warm toward her, and only showed concern when they crossed paths. That made Mingyi wonder if she had been overthinking things.
Later, she happened to hear that Old Madam Zong intended to give Zong Xian a bedchamber maid.
Thinking it over, Mingyi remembered that there were indeed two young, beautiful Lasses beside Old Madam Zong who stood out from the others. It seemed one of them had been chosen—or perhaps Zong Xian had taken them both.
Mingyi remained indifferent. If she did not have to prepare medicinal meals for Old Madam Zong, she would not even want to leave her room.
That day, she came as usual to deliver Old Madam Zong’s medicinal meal. As soon as she entered, she met Zong Xian’s gaze from his seat.
It was the first time Mingyi had seen him in his official robes and black gauze hat.
The crimson robe made his complexion look especially fair. Broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, he wore a jade pendant loosely at his belt. A jade thumb ring adorned the hand resting on the arm of his chair. His entire bearing was imposing, the very image of a powerful court official.
When Zong Xian looked up at her, he did not have time to conceal the murderous chill in his eyes.
Mingyi’s hand trembled at the look, and she hurriedly lowered her gaze.
The murderous intent in Zong Xian’s eyes had not been directed at her. As soon as he recognized her, he discreetly reined it in, returning to his usual mild expression.
“Has Mingyi arrived?”
Old Madam Zong’s voice came from behind the screen. Mingyi came back to herself and answered from the doorway, still shaken.
“Come in,” Old Madam Zong said.
Mingyi lowered her eyes and did not look directly at Zong Xian again as she stepped inside.
She was about to greet Zong Xian when he raised a hand, indicating that she need not bow and should simply come in.
Nanny Cui[4]In Chinese household settings, “Nanny” can translate a title for an older, trusted female servant or attendant; it does not always mean a child’s nurse. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3733110_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3733110_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); took the medicinal meal from Mingyi and asked her to sit for a while.
Mingyi paused, guessing that the Old Madam would probably need her again shortly, and obediently sat down to wait.
The maid called Huayan was there as well. Mingyi glanced at her, then noticed to her surprise that Huayan’s eyes were red, as though she had been wronged.
Mingyi found it strange and looked at her again.
Huayan noticed her watching and immediately changed her expression, glaring viciously at Mingyi as if she were her enemy.
Why was she glaring?
Mingyi did not understand and quietly looked away.
Nanny Cui glanced at Huayan and frowned.
So what if Second Master had not taken a liking to her, and she could not become a bedchamber maid? What was the big deal? It was improper to let the masters see her sulking like that.
References[+]