In the humble tea room, Lin Jiayu stood by the window, wearing a moon-white scholar's robe with a dark silk sash at his waist. The fabric was ordinary fine silk, the cuffs worn to fine frayed edges.
He was thin and straight as bamboo, his brows and eyes carrying a scholarly air.
"Xiao Shu…" Lin Jiayu hesitated, but in the end, did not step forward.
Whenever anything stirred in Bianjing, it would spread through every street and alley within half a day. He had already heard that the Marquis of Yingchuan's household had invited their niece from a collateral branch to stay for a time.
Anyone with eyes could see they intended to betroth Cui Shu as their daughter-in-law. Things being what they were, Lin Jiayu naturally dared not approach Cui Shu any longer. He stood where he was, quietly watching her.
Having not seen Lin Jiayu for many days, Cui Shu's nose tingled with sorrow, and the grievances in her heart surged forth. Tears streaming down her face, she said, "I don't want this, I don't want any of this. My aunt won't let me leave the marquis's residence. I don't… I don't like Xie Changxi at all. No matter how wonderful he is, I don't want him. Zijian, take me away, I beg you, take me away."
Cui Shu hurried forward and threw herself into Lin Jiayu's arms.
Outside, Ling Yuan heard Cui Shu's commotion and her face darkened. She could only regret not having followed her in to stop Cui Shu.
Lin Jiayu dared not make any move. After a moment, he steadied Cui Shu by the shoulders, his long brows deeply furrowed. "Xiao Shu, things are different now. It is a matter of parental command and matchmaker's word. What do I have to compete with Young Marquis Xie? Do you know he now holds authority over Kaifeng Prefecture? His official career will be smooth from here on. I am only a student at the Imperial Academy."
He had met Cui Shu at the Lantern Festival, where they exchanged verses from opposite sides of a curtain, and thus their bond began. For a long time afterward, they had communicated through their servants.
Since last month, Lin Jiayu's servant had been unable to find Ling Yuan, and hearing that the Marchioness of Yingchuan had invited her niece to stay, he knew the marquis's household intended to form a marriage alliance.
Cui Shu's eyes were blurred with tears. She shook her head and said, "Zijian, let's flee—"
Before she could finish, Cui Shu abruptly stopped. How could she say such a thing? If she fled, what would become of her parents and sisters? What would become of the Cui family's reputation?
Cui Shu's gaze was desolate, feeling as though there was no road to heaven and no door into the earth.
Lin Jiayu was also greatly startled by Cui Shu's words. Seeing her stop herself, he gently soothed her: "Xiao Shu, let it be. We have no fate in this life. I wish you a marriage of mutual respect, growing old together in happiness."
Cui Shu's eyes trembled slightly as she watched the figure before her gradually blur.
But what could be done? What else could he do besides this? There was no other way. She had her difficulties, and he had his.
Lin Jiayu understood Cui Shu's feelings all too well. The once lively and clever Xiao Shu was now listless and distracted.
If he had a choice, he would have been willing to propose marriage.
Chunhe waited outside the lodging quarters, while Lingxiang tidied the room briefly. In the blink of an eye, she saw Shi Jun already copying sutras.
"Sister, aren't you worried?" Lingxiang stood beside Shi Jun, watching her devoutly copying scriptures, unable to suppress her curiosity.
Shi Jun continued copying as she replied in a calm voice, "Worried about what?"
"Naturally about the young miss from the collateral branch. Once she enters the household, our days may not be so easy. What if she turns out to be like the lady of the house?" Lingxiang took a deep breath, fretting over the days to come.
Lingxiang had long noticed Xie Changxi's special treatment of Shi Jun. The fine clothes and jewelry he bestowed upon her would be enough to fuel gossip for years. It would be one thing if all the maids received such gifts, but this was exclusive to Shi Jun alone.
Who couldn't see the young master's intentions?
Seeing Lingxiang sigh at such a young age, Shi Jun's heart softened. She set down her brush and comforted her, "That day will never come. Lingxiang, don't worry yourself over this matter."
Lingxiang frowned. What did she mean, that day would never come?
She thought that day would arrive very soon.
Seeing Lingxiang fall silent, Shi Jun continued, "We only need to keep a clear conscience and do our duties well. As for the young miss from the collateral branch, that truly isn't our concern. I'm going to pay respects at my sister's grave tomorrow, so I need to finish copying these sutras."
With that, Lingxiang understood and withdrew, though she couldn't stop thinking about the matter.
The sun gradually sank westward, and rosy clouds stretched across the sky. The temple's lanterns had already been lit.
Shi Jun put away her sutras. At this hour on ordinary days, she would return to the residence with Cui Shu, but since she was going out of the city tomorrow, Xie Changxi had permitted her to stay overnight at the temple and return the next day.
Watching the setting sun slowly sink beyond the doorway, Shi Jun tightened her grip on the blank official travel permit in her hand.
Xie Changxi's words from last time still echoed in her ears. There were many dead people around Xiangguo Temple, and she needed a corpse to replace herself—to slip away like a cicada shedding its shell.
Seeing that it was now dark, Shi Jun rose and stepped outside, just as Lingxiang returned. Shi Jun said, "Xiangguo Temple is lively around here. It's rare for us to leave the residence—shall we go for a stroll?"
The two had nothing else to do, and Lingxiang was feeling restless as well, so she nodded immediately.
Chunhe was large of build, with a square face and broad ears, carrying a somewhat simple air.
Shi Jun no longer believed in physiognomy. She looked up at Chunhe and said with a troubled expression, "Go back and tell the young master that I don't have enough silver on me. Please ask him to send some over."
Hearing this, Chunhe was stunned for a moment, then nodded and turned to leave the Great Xiangguo Temple.
Seeing him leave so readily, Shi Jun couldn't help but feel a flicker of delight. Getting rid of Chunhe had been that simple.
She had originally wanted to send Lingxiang away as well, but Lingxiang was different from Chunhe. Chunhe had deliberately been watching her, while Lingxiang was merely accompanying her—so it was better to simply take her somewhere farther off.
Earlier, she had asked the monks at the temple. The eastern side of Xiangguo Temple was where the nobles gathered, with worshippers crowding like weaving shuttles and carriages and horses raising a clamor, while the western side was an entirely different scene.
Shi Jun led Lingxiang toward the eastern side. This was Lingxiang's first time leaving the residence since arriving in Bianjing. The moment she saw the lanterns lighting up the sky and the bustling crowd before her, she was deeply shaken.
The streets stretched on without end in either direction, with teahouses and eateries standing in rows all around.
After walking for about half a quarter of an hour, Shi Jun suddenly halted her steps. Lingxiang froze for a moment, then saw Shi Jun fumbling at herself for something.
"What's wrong, sister?" Lingxiang asked.
Shi Jun's face showed signs of distress as she knit her brows. "The peace charm the young master gave me earlier seems to have gone missing."
"How could that be? Could it have been jostled off in the crowd?" Lingxiang looked at the people coming and going all around—it was entirely possible it had been knocked off in the press of bodies.
"Sister, let's split up and look for it. If we find it, shall we meet back in front of the temple?" Lingxiang suggested.
This was exactly what Shi Jun had been waiting to hear, and she agreed at once.
Seeing Lingxiang head off in the other direction to search for the peace charm, Shi Jun immediately turned and made her way toward the western side of Xiangguo Temple.
The west side was desolate and bleak, with only a few lanterns. The shed roofs let out a rustling, tearing sound in the wind.
There were many corpses here, but most had already been sealed in coffins. Scattered haphazardly on the ground were also bodies wrapped in straw mats. Presumably these were people who had no money to purchase coffins—a straw mat rolled around them, and they were simply left here.
The moonlight was cold and bleak. A sudden gust of wind rose, lifting a corner of one straw mat, and the wind carried with it an indescribable stench of decay.
Shi Jun lightly covered her nose and mouth. She truly could not bring herself to rummage through the straw mats.
She had no idea how long these bodies had been lying here, or whether their household registrations had been cancelled. If she wanted to find one that resembled her, the first requirement was that the registration had not been cancelled.
There was not a single person here. Where could she go to ask whether a registration had been cancelled?
At this thought, a wave of disappointment washed over Shi Jun. Finding such a corpse was no easy task.
Shi Jun turned and headed back. She thought this matter could not be rushed, but Xie Changxi's gaze toward her was growing more and more terrifying by the day. She feared that one day things might come to a head.
She had to find a female corpse before that happened.
Lingxiang jogged all the way back along the riverbank. She had been startled just moments ago, and before she could even collect herself, she heard someone call out to her.
She couldn't help but think—how could there be someone in this world who looked so alike?
"Lingxiang." Shi Jun spotted Lingxiang from a distance.
Lingxiang followed the sound and saw that Shi Jun's expression was listless, her spirits weary. She then recalled the scene from just now.
It was a female corpse with a ghastly pale face and a slender figure—a full seven parts resemblance to Shi Jun.
"Sister, I'm just glad you're alright. You scared me half to death." Lingxiang was both startled and relieved. She looked Shi Jun up and down, then reached out and pinched her cheek.
Shi Jun couldn't help but ask suspiciously, "What's the matter?"
Lingxiang patted her chest to steady her breathing, then said, "Sister, just now over by the bridge over there, I saw an old man with a rolled-up straw mat beside him. Just then a gust of wind blew past, and I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye."
She paused, recalling that face again—it looked so much like Shi Jun. Her eyes were full of astonishment as she continued, "That face had a full seven parts resemblance to you, sister! It scared me so much I ran all the way back here."
Hearing this, Shi Jun's gaze darkened. She then asked, "Why was that old man there?"
Lingxiang thought for a moment. "I vaguely heard him muttering that he had no money to bury his daughter, and he was hoping some kind-hearted person would take pity and give alms."
Shi Jun had Lingxiang take her to see this person. Lingxiang followed the riverbank toward the bridge from before, and the old man was still there by the bridge.
Shi Jun stood at a distance and took a look, but did not go any closer. She had wanted to see with her own eyes how much the person resembled her, but with Lingxiang by her side, even if she went over, she would not be able to speak with the old man.
She would need to send Lingxiang away again. Tomorrow was Ahe's death anniversary. Delay would breed complications—she might not be able to find another female corpse with such a resemblance again.