At this moment, seeing the gaze Concubine Yao cast his way, Magistrate Xu immediately remembered what he had promised.
He hesitated slightly in his heart: once the words were spoken, Madame Lü would definitely kick up a fuss again, but if he didn’t say it… as long as the matter remained unresolved for a day, Nianqin would suffer an extra ounce of heartbreak.
She was currently carrying a child; how could she live her days constantly on edge?
Thinking of this, Magistrate Xu hesitated no longer and spoke up on his own: “Previously, when the Huangchi County Magistrate shared wine with me, he remarked that the daughters of our Xu family are all born with the beauty of flowers and the moon, possessing dignified and well-mannered temperaments. He wishes to seek one in marriage.”
The hand Madame Lü used to clutch her handkerchief suddenly tightened. Her gaze swept over Magistrate Xu and Concubine Yao.
This matter… how could she have forgotten this matter?
The Third Girl had never been one to achieve anything significant anyway, so she hadn’t taken her to heart. But Concubine Yao—she had miscalculated this step.
She sighed silently in her heart and could only look toward Deng Liangyu… She could only hope Deng Liangyu would prove more promising than that Magistrate’s legitimate second son, ensuring Yuyan wouldn’t lose ground in front of her concubine-born younger sister.
Otherwise, since the two had always fought to outshine each other since childhood, it would be inevitable for Yuyan to suffer grievances when they met in the future.
Concubine Du had no daughters at her knees, so no matter how good the marriage or son-in-law was, it had little to do with her. Thus, she had heard a little about this matter, but not much. With the situation in the hall shifting in an instant, she only blamed herself for not properly understanding it before today. However, the impact wasn’t great. She had eyes to see; watching Magistrate Xu and Yao-shi exchanging affectionate glances, she immediately realized… it turned out this joyous occasion had fallen onto the Sixth Girl.
Xu Zhihe was used to being ignored and had never harbored any fantasies about this marriage alliance, so she was not moved at all, merely silently emptying her brain.
When can we finally leave?
Listening to people talk back and forth like this truly felt like attending a lecture at an academy—the teacher on stage didn’t care whether the students were listening or not, and the students wanted to leave, but had to stay because attendance was mandatory.
In the past, she could play on her phone to pass the time, but now she couldn’t play with anything. She still had to focus her attention so others couldn’t catch any mistakes to use against her.
Xu Zhihe sighed in her heart.
Hearing Magistrate Xu’s words, a trace of amusement flashed through Deng Liangyu’s heart. Although Xu Yuyan would get into an argument with Xu Lanshu every five days or so in the Xu residence, in front of her sweetheart, she still spared no effort in creating the illusion of perfect harmony throughout the Xu household. Regarding the relationships between the siblings in the family, she had always kept her mouth tightly shut.
Therefore, in the eyes of everyone here, his image should be that of someone “completely ignorant of the Xu residence.”
Deng Liangyu withdrew the mockery at the corners of his mouth. When he looked up, he wore an expression of complete, bewildered ignorance mixed with a smile: “I heard Yuyan say she has an older sister. I suppose that young master must be a good match for Third Sister…”
“Ahem.”
Before his words could land, he heard Concubine Yao opposite him let out a cough.
Concubine Yao covered her lips with a handkerchief, staring at him coldly—back when the engagement with Xu Yuyan was confirmed, the two of them had clearly already reached an agreement.
What kind of trouble was he stirring up now?
Unable to guess Deng Liangyu’s intentions, Concubine Yao could only tilt her head to size up Xu Zhihe sitting at the very back… Could it be that these two had negotiated some sort of deal?
Deng Liangyu pretended not to understand the warning in Concubine Yao’s cough and continued in an unhurried, understanding manner: “Oh, oh, that is true as well. There is an order between older and younger; it should certainly be Third Sister who comes first.”
The hall was completely silent, leaving only Deng Liangyu’s low murmurs of sudden realization.
Xu Zhihe’s expression almost cracked.
Since walking through the door today, apart from giving her greetings, she hadn’t said a single extra word. Even so, the fire could still burn its way to her?!
I truly want to curse someone!
Several gazes suddenly fell upon her, the most obvious among them belonging to Concubine Yao.
Concubine Yao looked at Xu Zhihe—the Third Girl was still wearing those worn, old clothes, her hair ornaments clean and plain. Compared to Xu Yuyan sitting beside her, heavily adorned with pearl flowers and meticulously dressed up, she simply didn’t look like an official’s daughter.
Furthermore, she was consistently silent and taciturn, possessing little presence. Where would she get such connections?
Concubine Yao slightly dispelled her own suspicions. Even for her to get Deng Liangyu to act out this play, she had invested heavily. What kind of waves could a motherless, concubine-born daughter possibly make?
It was eighty percent likely that Deng Liangyu still harbored wicked intentions and was deliberately using this opportunity to issue a warning.
Having worked out the reasons in her heart, she became even more convinced that Deng Liangyu was an untamable venomous snake. However, in front of Magistrate Xu, she still had to put on a front, so she could only speak up gently, “Young Master Deng has misunderstood. The one forming the marriage alliance is not the Third Miss, but the Sixth Miss.”
Deng Liangyu and Xu Lanshu let out a surprised “ah” at the same time.
Immediately after, Deng Liangyu said, “The Sixth Miss has not yet reached the age of ji-ji[1]The traditional Chinese hair-pinning ceremony marking a girl’s coming of age (usually at age 15), indicating she is of marriageable age. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3026742_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3026742_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, this…”
Concubine Yao answered patiently, “Once the new year passes, Lanshu will be fourteen. We can settle the engagement first, and if there are any other unexpected changes, we can discuss them further then.”
In her heart, Xu Lanshu marrying the legitimate son of a magistrate as the principal wife was already set in stone. She absolutely would not, and absolutely could not, allow the slightest variable to arise.
“It was my rashness.” Deng Liangyu stood up, bowed toward Magistrate Xu and Madame Lü seated at the head, and then turned to look at the bewildered Xu Lanshu. “So it is the Sixth Sister’s joyous occasion; I, Deng, will offer my congratulations here first.”
Magistrate Xu silently glanced at Madame Lü’s expression. Seeing her stern and cold face, he proactively said, “There is still a dish of honeyed tangerines after the meal, slightly sweet and refreshing. Bring them all up now.”
The final dish of the New Year’s banquet was tangerines. The word for tangerine (gān) is a homophone for “sweet” (gān), symbolizing a sweet life. Another word for tangerine/orange (jú) is a near-homophone for “auspicious” (jí), symbolizing good luck and matters going as one wishes. Once this dish was consumed, it would signify the arrival of the new year.
Once Magistrate Xu gave the word, the servants coming and going immediately placed a small bowl in front of everyone.
Xu Zhihe opened the one in front of her. This honeyed tangerine was very similar to the canned mandarin oranges of later generations. The tangerines were slightly sour and astringent, neutralized with honey and boiled into a bright yellow syrup. Finally, ice-cold, silky tangerine flesh was added to each bowl and soaked in the syrup for two shichen (4 hours). Once the sweetness steeped in, a single bite was incredibly satisfying.
Now that the seemingly absent gazes of others were gone, Xu Zhihe felt at ease and slowly savored it.
Looking at the back of her Miss’s head, Fang Li couldn’t help but admire her composure… Almost everyone in the hall was putting on a play and couldn’t eat a thing, yet only her Miss remained completely unaffected, eating spoonful after spoonful.
Once finished, the New Year’s banquet had finally reached its end.
Outside, fireworks were continuously set off. Bursts of bright light reflected on the ground and doorframes, the resounding cracks and pops unceasing. The joyful laughter of children running about carried all the way in through the wide-open gates of the residence.
Only at this time were the common people happier than the families of officials… There was no need to care about those schemes and intrigues; one only needed to fully enjoy the joy of the whole family being together in one place.
Xu Zhihe sat close by and saw everything most clearly.
Madame Lü looked at the crowd below with their varying expressions, wiped her hands with a handkerchief, and raised her voice: “The fireworks have started. You may all go and play on your own.”
Single-mindedly wanting to quickly escape this tiger’s den and wolf’s lair, Xu Zhihe immediately stood up upon hearing this and asked to be excused. “Father, Mother, it is lively on New Year’s Eve today; your daughter wishes to go stroll the streets.”
Madame Lü stole a glance at Magistrate Xu’s expression and gave a slight nod to Xu Zhihe. “Go. Remember to return home early.”
Only at times like this did she feel the Third Girl gave her the most peace of mind.
Having obtained permission, Xu Zhihe carefully supported her sleeves full of food, bowed gracefully to the two of them, and then walked out with brisk steps.
Fang Li followed closely behind her. “Miss, run a bit slower.”
Only after exiting the main gate of the Xu residence and standing in Tonghua Alley did Xu Zhihe halt her steps.
She glanced back at the main gate of the Xu residence; besides her, not a single person had come out.
Those discussing marriage were discussing marriage, and those preparing for engagements were preparing for engagements. At a critical juncture like this, she had no place to interject. It was better to come out alone and enjoy a proper stroll, so as not to let this beautiful evening and fine scenery go to waste.
This was her very first New Year’s Eve spent in Eqiao County!
Xu Zhihe shared the food in her sleeves with Fang Li. With her eyes curved in a smile, Fang Li hugged the food while following behind Xu Zhihe, walking along the bustling main street.
On the street, countless lanterns greeted their eyes, mostly red, with occasional blue and yellow ones. Street performers stood amidst the crowd, breathing long plumes of fire from their mouths, drawing bursts of cheers and applause.
Peddlers carrying shoulder poles weaved through the streets and alleys selling masks and tanghulu. A craving child tugged at his parents’ sleeves, pointing at the tanghulu without speaking, just staring intently. Moved by the look in his eyes, the parents proactively stopped the peddler. Upon hearing it was three wen a stick, they showed hesitation, but then remembering today was New Year’s Eve, they gritted their teeth and bought one for the child.
Having gotten what he wished for, the child’s laughter drowned out the peddler’s hawking.
Xu Zhihe wasn’t used to eating the sour and astringent hawthorn inside the tanghulu; she only liked the sugar coating on the outside. Infected by the atmosphere, she also bought a stick and held it in her hand.
Watching her, Fang Li couldn’t help but laugh. Her Miss looked so festive like this, but in just this short while, her hands were already red from the cold, yet she still insisted on pretending nothing was wrong… Only at times like this did the Miss shed the steady calmness unsuited to her age and appear somewhat childish.
Switching the tanghulu between her two hands, Xu Zhihe watched the fireworks and walked to the street running along the river.
By the street, it was already packed with people standing shoulder to shoulder.
On the bridge, young ladies gathered in twos and threes guessing lantern riddles. Beneath the bridge, along both sides of the river, lotus-shaped river lanterns drifted far away with the murmuring, flowing water.
Specks of bright river lanterns quietly circulated on the river surface reflecting the street lights, like a slowly unfolding shadow play.
Fang Li stopped and went, fondly fiddling with the small trinkets she saw along the way, unable to put them down. Seeing she liked them, Xu Zhihe was just about to take silver coins from her purse to buy them when Fang Li immediately stopped her actions. “Miss, I’m just looking.”
The Miss had almost used up all her silver coins last time and wasn’t well-off right now. She was merely curious, not insisting on having them.
Ignoring her, Xu Zhihe picked out two plain hairpins on her own, compared them against Fang Li’s head, and finally chose the one twisted into the shape of fragmented stars, inserting it into Fang Li’s hair.
Fang Li let out an “Aiya!” of surprise. Having anticipated this, Xu Zhihe paid the money, covered her ears, and ran far away.
The two ran through the bustling market. After walking for a while, Xu Zhihe lost her strength, stopped, and smiled at Fang Li. “I’m out of energy, let’s stop playing around, alright?”
After the new year, Fang Li would turn eighteen. She truly wanted to pick some pretty jewelry for Fang Li. The mamas in the Xu residence, even Qiu Mama who managed the flowers and plants in the courtyard, had some headpieces. As the senior maid in her Miss’s courtyard, she by all rights ought to have some as well.
Fang Li stopped her steps, stroking the patterns on the hairpin with one hand while looking at Xu Zhihe with tender reprimand, as if scolding her for wasting money again.
Yet, in the end, she didn’t say much else.
The two reached a truce, slowed their pace, and leisurely strolled as they walked. Suddenly, a six or seven-year-old girl ran straight toward Xu Zhihe from an unknown direction. Stumbling over a pebble under her feet, she swayed unsteadily, looking as though she was about to trip and fall.
Xu Zhihe hurriedly bent down to catch her, protecting her from behind. “Run slower!”
The girl fell into Xu Zhihe’s embrace without any real danger. Not scared in the least, she giggled and waved a flower branch in her hand toward her.
It was a branch of wintersweet, blooming bright red upon the twigs.
“For you, Big Sister.” The little girl spoke obediently, her chubby face flushed red. “An older brother asked me to give this to you, Big Sister.”
Xu Zhihe froze for a moment and immediately raised her eyes to look in the direction the little girl had just run from… Standing there was only a group of children about the same age as the little girl.
What older brother?
The little girl stood up from Xu Zhihe’s embrace and waved her hand toward her little friends.
As if receiving a signal, the children walked up to Xu Zhihe one after another, presenting paper-wrapped candies, preserved dates, bamboo-woven grasshoppers, feather shuttlecocks, and other small trinkets. The last child looked to be the oldest. After all the little children had finished handing out their items, he walked up to Xu Zhihe with a solemn face and took out a pile of paper strips from his sleeve.
The big brother who gave them pastries just now had repeatedly instructed him to hand these properly to the big sister. He was already eight years old, the oldest among this group of children, so he could definitely complete the task the big brother had entrusted to him!
Xu Zhihe looked up at his cautious and solemn expression, her eyes brimming with a smile. “What are you going to give me?”
She bent her waist, making herself just slightly shorter than the standing older boy.
The eight-year-old older boy seriously placed all the paper strips into Xu Zhihe’s embrace. A blush spread across the tips of his ears. When the big brother gave him the paper strips, he had stated an order, but they had all been jumbled together in his sleeve, and he could no longer tell them apart.
“Look,” he whispered, the tips of his ears red.
Amused by his appearance, Xu Zhihe did as he wished and opened them one by one.
“I originally only thought to try my luck, I never expected to actually meet the Miss.”
“I have disturbed the Miss.”
“Tonight the starlight is bright and clear; the stars in the east are indistinct, yet the Dubhe star is exceptionally bright and brilliant.”
…
This was the first time Xu Zhihe had seen this handwriting, but in a mere instant, she confirmed the owner of these paper strips.
Chen Yundu.
The handwriting reflected the person—gentle, modest, and elegant.
He is also here?
Having completed their tasks, the children ran off laughing. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the bustling, coming-and-going crowd.
Xu Zhihe immediately stood up, searching through the crowd, but more and more of the flow of people was gathering toward this direction, cheering about something.
Fang Li followed closely behind Xu Zhihe without leaving her by a single step, carefully protecting her from being knocked down, while repeating the news she had just heard: “Miss, I heard there is a Silver Flower performance later.”
Silver Flower, also known as Iron Flower (Da Tiehua), originated during the Northern Song Dynasty. Folklore says that while praying for rain, a blacksmith accidentally used the willow wood in his hand to strike molten iron, creating outward-splashing sparks. Later, it gradually spread to other places and became a common performance during New Year customs and festivities.
Xu Zhihe nodded, unsure if she had really taken the words in.
Following the flow of the crowd, the two searched until they reached the edge of an arched bridge. The surrounding clamor instantly quieted down, and everyone raised their heads in anticipation, looking at the artisan holding willow wood and molten iron.
With a bang, the willow wood struck, and instantly, a bright blaze of fire tore through the tranquil night sky. Brilliant iron flowers scattered and splashed like clustered fireworks; tens of thousands of golden starlight specks bloomed in the air, dazzling the eyes. The faint smell of iron shavings and burning wood filled the air.
Through the sky full of fiery trees and silver flowers, Xu Zhihe saw Chen Yundu standing on the opposite side.
Falling showers of stars tumbled from his brow. The young man was tall and slender, his heart filled with the clear moon and pine winds. Simply standing there, he naturally formed a picturesque scroll.
The crowd around them erupted into fierce cheers, exclaiming in succession at the brilliant dazzle of the Silver Flowers. They clicked their tongues in wonder, either shouting loudly in applause or whispering softly among themselves.
Fang Li also saw Chen Yundu standing opposite them and immediately tugged at Xu Zhihe’s sleeve. “Miss, look quickly!”
As the Silver Flowers scattered, the atmosphere grew scorching hot. Xu Zhihe’s face felt a bit hot, unsure if it had turned red or not. Hearing Fang Li’s exclamation, she immediately replied softly, “I see him.”
Fang Li smiled, completely satisfied.
For Young Master Chen to appear here, it must absolutely be to see Xu Zhihe.
Xu Zhihe tugged Fang Li’s sleeve and said to her, “We’ve seen the Silver Flowers; it’s time for us to head back.”
“Why? Miss and Young Master Chen haven’t even said a single word to each other.” Fang Li didn’t understand, just gazing at her eagerly. “Miss, are you truly going to leave without greeting Young Master Chen?”
Xu Zhihe pursed her lips.
Throughout their interactions, Xu Zhihe had always been the one holding the initiative. Tonight, for some reason, she actually felt a bit afraid to meet Chen Yundu’s gaze directly.
The young man’s gaze was candid and fearless, yet the beginning of it all had originated from an accidental encounter she had deliberately orchestrated.
As the Silver Flowers came to an end, the crowd scattered and left. While Xu Zhihe stood there in a daze, the young man walked through the crowd and stopped in front of her. As if sensing Xu Zhihe’s uncertainty, he halted his steps, looking at her and the wintersweet in her arms from a distance of about two meters.
In that instant, Fang Li just wanted to personally lift Xu Zhihe onto her shoulders and carry her right to Chen Yundu’s side.
“Miss!” Fang Li called softly to Xu Zhihe.
The person has already walked right in front of you; shouldn’t you at least say hello?
Snapping back to her senses, Xu Zhihe looked at Chen Yundu.
The moonlight also favored the young man; the bright and clear moonlight cascaded down like light gauze, outlining his jade-like face. Standing tall and jade-like, he looked like a young immortal official lingering out of fondness for the mortal world.
As if offering an explanation, Chen Yundu spoke up: “There are no osmanthus flowers in the winter days, so I substituted them with wintersweet. I beg the Miss not to despise them.”
The fingertips Xu Zhihe used to grip the wintersweet curled slightly inward. She said softly, “How could I.” Pausing, she raised her eyes to look at Chen Yundu, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly, “I like them very much.”
Chen Yundu set his heart at ease.
When he went out in the evening, he had brewed many things in his heart to say to Miss Xu, but after seeing her, he forgot what he was supposed to say.
Picking up his brush to trace the ink, after pondering over and over, only one sentence circled in his mind… Tonight, the moonlight is bright and clear.
He hoped the Miss would also look up at the crescent moon in the sky. Even if her heart was moved by the moonlight for just a single moment.
With thoughts twisting a hundred times over, Chen Yundu suddenly smiled, his clear voice solemn and earnest, “What I promised the Miss, I have always remembered.”
Xu Zhihe’s cheeks flushed with a sweet pink halo, her eyes curving up like the gentlest wisp of wind.
“Mm.”
Receiving Xu Zhihe’s response, Chen Yundu bowed to her. “Tonight the fireworks are brilliant and the north wind is slightly cool. The Miss should return early, add more layers, and eat well.”
Xu Zhihe bowed slightly, returning half a courtesy. “The night road is long, and the Young Master ought to return. Taking advantage of the bright moonlight, may your steps be slow, and do not let your shoes get wet.”
After she finished speaking, she pulled along Fang Li, who was watching with great relish, and said in a low voice, “Alright, we can go now, right?”
Completely satisfied, Fang Li walked shoulder to shoulder with Xu Zhihe. “Miss, although you two only said a few words, but…”
She scratched her head, for a moment unable to think of how to describe her feelings. The two were so polite and restrained. They clearly both had things they wanted to say, yet could only hide their feelings in two or three lines.
The more they restrained themselves like this, the more it made one’s heart itch.
Xu Zhihe paid no mind to Fang Li scratching her head in thought. Instead, she lowered her head to sniff the wintersweet flowers in her arms. The fragrance of the wintersweet was elegant and rich; the moment it wafted into her nose, it was as if tens of thousands of flowers had bloomed all at the exact same instant.
Compared to the schemes and intrigues of the Xu residence, the wintersweet was far better at understanding romance.
The closer they got to the Xu residence, the more obvious the resistance in Xu Zhihe’s heart became. When they walked to Tonghua Alley, she suddenly stood still, refusing to walk forward.
Fang Li: “What is wrong, Miss?”
She asked while sizing up the alley in front of them. Tonight’s Tonghua Alley was no different from past days. The moonlight shone on the ground, presenting a kind of bright whiteness. The Chinese trumpet creeper and morning glory vines on the wall had fallen, leaving only a few clusters of withered, thin vines resting weakly on top of the wall.
Xu Zhihe also couldn’t clearly explain her feelings. Just as she was about to tell Fang Li, “It is nothing, let’s go back,” she suddenly realized that there was still one unopened strip of paper left in her sleeve.
As if finding an excuse for her sudden pause, she carefully protected the wintersweet from being crushed. After unfolding the slip of paper, her gaze fell on the vertical columns of text.
Seeing Xu Zhihe smile, Fang Li leaned in curiously. Having learned quite a few characters following behind Xu Zhihe, these words were not difficult for her.
“If the Miss raises her head to look at the moon at this moment, what you and I behold is the exact same bright moon. Though parted by thousands of miles, we remain but a breath apart.”
After Fang Li finished reading, she immediately looked up at the moon, looking left and right. “Miss. What does Young Master Chen mean by this sentence? Isn’t there only one moon?”
Xu Zhihe: “That is right, there is only one moon.”
It was exactly because there was only one moon that no matter where one was when they looked up, what they saw was it.
“It was my oversight,” Xu Zhihe murmured to herself, sounding as if she were complaining. “How did he suddenly get so smooth?”
Fang Li listened in a fog of confusion, only able to judge her Miss’s current mood through Xu Zhihe’s expression. Right now—right now, she clearly looked to be in an exceptionally good mood!
Xu Zhihe gently rested her head on Fang Li’s shoulder and whispered, “The better he is, the more dreadful I find this Xu residence. I truly don’t know if that is a good thing or not.”
“Is the Miss saying a tongue twister?” Fang Li was amused by Xu Zhihe’s childish words, and finally understood her Miss’s inner conflict along the way. She patted her Miss’s back and comforted her: “Do not worry, Miss. Young Master Chen said he remembers; he has always remembered.”
These present miseries before their eyes would all eventually pass.
Xu Zhihe thought about it and agreed. Looking up one last time, she stepped through the moonlight and entered the Xu residence.
On New Year’s Eve, the maids and mamas all had a day and a half of vacation, so there were not many servants on duty guarding the residence. The gatekeeper on night duty saw Xu Zhihe return and bowed slightly to her.
“The Third Miss has returned.”
Today on New Year’s Eve, only the Third Miss, Xu Zhihe, had left alone. Once she returned, they could close the doors and shut the gates.
Xu Zhihe took this scene in completely. The gatekeeper said, “The Third Miss should go rest. The Master and Da-niangzi have already retired for the night, there is no need to go over to pay your respects.”
As soon as his words fell, the sharp sound of porcelain smashing onto the ground suddenly rang out from inside the main hall.
It was eighty percent likely that Madame Lü and Magistrate Xu had broken into a fight.
Without changing his expression, the gatekeeper stretched out his hand. “…Miss, please return to your room.”
T/n: The New chapter is up! Enjoy the ride and do join us on this adventure 😍🎉🎊. If you want to support me, do check my other novels on my Translator’s Page🫶. You can support the original author here. Please vote on NU here. If you’re interested, you can also buy me a Ko-Fi. Happy Reading 🤓 💅.
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