In early spring, a fine rain fell over Bianjing. Beyond the city walls, peach blossoms blushed among the willows; within the gardens, flowers and trees were coming to life.
In the days since returning to the Marquis's estate, Shi Jun had been busy sorting through the old belongings brought back from Jiangling, and Hua Qiu had been keeping a close watch on her.
As a result, Shi Jun had no chance to leave the estate. Once the third month passed, the eighth day of the fourth month would mark Ahe's death anniversary, and she would need to go out to pay her respects.
Now that Xie Changxi refused to let her serve him up close, Shi Jun had considerably more leisure—but Hua Qiu's people were everywhere, watching her at all times.
Thinking of Ahe, Shi Jun could not help but feel a pang of melancholy.
She returned to the room where she and Qinghe had once stayed. The furnishings were unchanged, cobwebs clustered in the corners—the place seemed to have been forgotten.
Shi Jun sat there through the night, a thousand thoughts churning in her mind. Her only hope was that Xie Changxi would marry soon.
At the end of the third month, the Marquis's estate received a visiting young lady from the maternal family.
This young lady was Lady Cui's cousin's daughter, named Cui Shu. The Qinghe Cui clan had once been a distinguished family, but generation after generation, by the time of Cui Shu's father, the family had fallen on hard times. Her father had served as an official for many years yet remained only a sixth-rank Vice Director of the Court of Judicial Review.
The moment Cui Shu entered the estate, anyone with eyes could see what this meant.
The court had many eyes fixed on Xie Changxi's marriage. For Lady Cui to choose Cui Shu as her daughter-in-law was hardly unreasonable.
If Xie Changxi were to marry a noble lady, one would have to consider whose faction that lady's family backed. Now that he intended to avoid factional strife, he naturally had to weigh his choice of wife with great care.
As for Cui Shu, after entering the estate, Lady Cui doted on her like a pearl in the palm of her hand, pulling her aside every day for intimate conversation.
How could Cui Shu not know her aunt's intentions? She went along with it on the surface, but in her heart, she was none too willing.
One day, Lady Cui brought Cui Shu to the Eastern Garden. It had always been the quietest part of the estate, but Lady Cui's arrival disturbed that tranquility, and the maids and matrons dared not slacken their vigilance.
Cui Shu sat with Lady Cui in the bamboo pavilion. Lady Cui held a cup of tea and said softly, "Shu'er, you don't visit the estate often. Don't grow distant from me. Your cousin speaks of you often, but his official duties keep him too busy to come see you."
Cui Shu was delicate and lively in appearance, a faint smile shimmering in the eyes beneath her willow-shaped brows.
Cui Shu sighed. "Aunt, what are you saying? I only worry that you might find me too provincial."
Hearing this, Lady Cui frowned. She did not like hearing such words from Cui Shu.
The Qinghe Cui clan was, after all, a distinguished family. Cui Shu was, after all, born of the Cui name—how could there be any talk of being provincial? The Cui clan might not be as glorious as in the previous dynasty, but it had not sunk to the point of self-deprecation.
Cui Shu had no idea what was on her aunt's mind. Seeing Lady Cui's knitted brows, she could not tell which words had given offense.
"Shu'er, do not say such things again." Lady Cui said in a low voice, setting down her teacup and summoning Hua Qiu. "When will Xuechen return?"
Hua Qiu replied, "The young master heard that the young lady was coming to see him today, so he said he would return by the hour of xu."
Hearing this, Cui Shu smiled lightly.
But the smile seemed painted on her face, revealing no real joy.
Hua Qiu withdrew after delivering her report. A thought crossed her mind, and she went to find Shi Jun.
"Yingyue, the young lady is over at the bamboo pavilion. She'll be our future mistress—don't you want to go take a look?" Hua Qiu raised an eyebrow at her.
Shi Jun was tending to orchids by the window, the brilliant golden light falling on her fair face.
Hua Qiu thought to herself: relying on a bit of beauty to hope for the young master's heart—a crow dreaming of becoming a phoenix.
With that thought, Hua Qiu formed a plan. She would give Shi Jun a real lesson.
Shi Jun was irritated by Hua Qiu's pestering. Hua Qiu's voice was shrill to begin with, and now she was chattering endlessly before her.
"Why don't you go show yourself before the young master instead of bothering me with all this nonsense here? I have no such ambitions, so there's no need to keep watch over me day and night." Shi Jun said impatiently.
Hua Qiu was simply afraid that Xie Changxi might take a liking to her, but she had never harbored such intentions—better to make things clear.
Hearing this, Hua Qiu silently cursed Shi Jun for playing the high-minded innocent. Who in this household did not wish to win the young master's favor?
Xie Changxi was elegant and handsome, young and accomplished. Such a man was the dream of countless maidens in their spring chambers.
Just past the hour of xu, Hua Qiu still refused to leave.
Hua Qiu said, "The young master will be back any moment now. They need people at the bamboo pavilion. Stop fussing over your flowers here—go to the kitchen and bring the flower tea to the young lady."
With that, Hua Qiu headed toward the bamboo pavilion, and Shi Jun, following her instructions, went to the kitchen to fetch the flower tea.
Shi Jun presented the tea. Lady Cui's gaze swept over her, and she felt the serving maid looked somewhat familiar, though she could not place where she had seen her before.
Just then, Xie Changxi returned through the twilight.
He stepped forward, first bowing to Lady Cui with proper respect, then turned to look at Cui Shu with a gentle smile.
"Cousin." Cui Shu rose and inclined her head with shy grace.
This was the first time in all these years that Cui Shu had seen her Tanhua Scholar cousin. Indeed, as the rumors in Bianjing claimed, he was handsome and distinguished, carrying the imposing presence honed through his years in officialdom.
Cui Shu glanced at him only briefly, then accepted the flower tea and took a sip.
Shi Jun withdrew to the side, standing together with Hua Qiu.
Hua Qiu could not hide the smile at her lips. That smug look made Shi Jun uneasy, and she felt certain Hua Qiu had some scheme brewing.
Just as she was thinking this, a startled cry came from Cui Shu, who began scratching at the back of her neck.
Before long, red blotches spread across her fair face, itching and burning. Cui Shu was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes.
"Aunt, Aunt—"
Cui Shu cried out in pain.
Lady Cui was furious. Her face set in a stern expression, she snapped, "How bold of you! Let me ask you—what did you put in the flower tea?"
Shi Jun started in alarm and stepped forward to answer, "Madam, this servant only went to the kitchen to fetch the flower tea. I put nothing in it."
Xie Changxi ordered someone to escort Cui Shu to one of the manor's side chambers. Before leaving, Cui Shu endured the pain and said, "Aunt, don't blame her. I've been like this since I was young—it's not certain this is her fault."
Xie Changxi looked at Shi Jun. She knelt on the ground, that proud air of hers hidden within her brows and eyes.
"Cousin, this is no small matter. The servants of the Marquis's household have been negligent in their duties—it's best to get to the bottom of it. Take the young miss back to rest."
Cui Shu had wanted to plead for Shi Jun again, but her face itched terribly. Besides, this was the Marquis's household—there was no place for her to speak. Surely she wasn't going to put on the airs of a mistress of the house.
She didn't want that.
The spring sunset spread out like brocade, but alas, it vanished in an instant, and the moon had already risen to a sliver.
Shi Jun knelt before the pavilion. Lady Cui and Xie Changxi sat upright above her, their gazes like the executioner's blade, as if they would flay the flesh from her bones.
When the tea had been served earlier, Mama Wei had already recognized Shi Jun.
It was because of this little girl that Nanny Liu had been squeezed out of the household—how pitiful.
She had thought Nanny Liu was merely sent off to the estate, but the last time she left the manor, she had seen Nanny Liu begging on the streets with disheveled hair and a dirty face. It stirred a complicated feeling in one's heart.
Nanny Liu had once been a respectable woman, and she had been ruined by this girl.
Mama Wei leaned close to Lady Cui and whispered a few words.
After hearing them, the anger in Lady Cui's brows deepened.
"Hua Qiu, you come and tell us—what happened?" Lady Cui looked toward Hua Qiu, who stood as steady as a mountain.
Hua Qiu stepped forward smugly and said, "I ordered Yingyue to fetch the flower tea. I truly don't know what trick she pulled. A few days ago, Yingyue carelessly broke an orchid, and everyone in the flower house saw it. I imagine she holds a grudge against me."
Lady Cui looked at Xie Changxi and said in a low voice, "Xuechen, she's your person. Tell me how you intend to handle this. Without rules, nothing can be accomplished."
Shi Jun glanced sidelong at Xie Changxi. His expression was calm, his gaze indifferent. She wondered how he would deal with her.
Since returning to the Marquis's household, Shi Jun hadn't had a single happy day.
Tigers ahead, wolves behind.
Why would Xie Changxi simply refuse to let her go?
Shi Jun thought to herself that how Xie Changxi dealt with her no longer mattered much.
She would just endure a little longer—endure until the day she was freed.