The rainy night was cold and bleak, and it was not until dawn that the rain gradually lessened.
Shi Jun's eyes were red and swollen, as if her very soul had been drained from her. She sat collapsed on the ground, still clutching Qinghe's hand, refusing to let go.
She did not know when Qinghe's hand had turned cold. If only she had not fallen asleep, perhaps she could have saved Qinghe…
Just after the hour of Chen, a shadow appeared outside her door, pacing back and forth. Shi Jun paid him no mind.
It was not until noon that the person outside grew impatient and pushed the door open.
"Qingwu! You—"
The moment Tang Zhisheng pushed the door open, he saw Shi Jun collapsed on the ground, tears in her eyes, haggard and worn.
His dark eyes shifted, landing on Qinghe lying pale as paper on the bed, and he understood at once. Seeing Shi Jun fragile and helpless, her eyes glistening with tears, crying like a weeping beauty—
Truly, a pitiful sight to behold.
"Qingwu, don't cry. I came to find you this morning to tell you—I was going to take Qinghe to see a doctor…" Tang Zhisheng crouched down, reaching out to gently pat Shi Jun's shoulder.
He feigned comfort, but what he truly thought was that a beauty in tears was a pitiful sight indeed.
Shi Jun's gaze was hollow, deaf to his words, her mind fixed solely on Qinghe, who had just passed.
"Your sister has passed." Tang Zhisheng let out a mournful sigh, though he could not suppress the flicker of delight in his heart. He continued, "My mother heard from the madam that young girls should be buried in a fine coffin, so they may pass on smoothly and not suffer in their next life."
Just yesterday, he had been hoping Qinghe would die soon, so he could offer his sympathy and lend a helping hand.
Hearing this, Shi Jun's gaze shifted faintly, but she said nothing.
"That kind of coffin is but a month's allowance for my mother. Qingwu, if you marry me, I'll cover the cost for you. I'll also beg the madam to change your death-contract to a living-contract. Will you agree?" Tang Zhisheng stared at Shi Jun, waiting for her response.
It was a clever scheme—what maidservant wouldn't be tempted?
His mother was the madam's dowry companion. Marrying him meant never worrying about food or clothing, and gaining a free person's status.
Such a fine opportunity—miss it, and it would never come again.
Shi Jun lowered her eyes, her hollow, indifferent gaze falling on the hand resting on her shoulder.
After a long moment, she shifted aside, dodging his touch.
Months ago, Tang Zhisheng had been paying her court. How could Shi Jun not know his intentions?
Unfortunately, her ambitions lay elsewhere, and she had returned every gift he sent.
Before, because Qinghe was still there, she had nowhere to go, and so she was forced to stay.
Now that Qinghe was gone, she was alone in the world. Surely she would find a way to leave. But what could she use to bury Qinghe? Let alone a fine coffin—she could not even afford an ordinary one.
Finally, Shi Jun said softly, "Let me think about it."
Seeing that Shi Jun was softening, Tang Zhisheng did not press further, confident that the matter was as good as settled.
Feeling immensely pleased, he rose to his feet at once.
"Qingwu, Qinghe needs to be buried soon. The old madam and the madam don't like to hear about such things." With that, Tang Zhisheng strode away.
Seeing that Shi Jun was willing to relent, Tang Zhisheng hurried off to tell Nanny Liu the good news.
Nanny Liu was overjoyed. In the East Courtyard, Shi Jun had always been her favorite—beautiful beyond compare, and steady and reliable in both speech and conduct. It was only a pity she had a younger sister dragging her down. Now that the sister was dead, she would make a perfectly satisfactory daughter-in-law.
Nanny Liu cautioned him, "Once she agrees, I'll speak to the madam. Don't let her get the upper hand either—for her to catch your eye is her good fortune."
"And don't go doing anything lowly." Nanny Liu knew her lecherous son well.
Tang Zhisheng nodded in agreement.
When Nanny Lin of the East Courtyard heard that Qinghe had passed, she hastily ordered the body moved to the woodshed. Covering her nose and mouth, she instructed, "Qinghe was sick for so long—there's bound to be bad luck about. Make the arrangements as soon as possible. The young master is in the East Courtyard these days. Don't let him catch wind of this ill fortune."
The young master residing in the East Courtyard of the marquis's estate—Xie Changxi.
Young and accomplished, he had passed the imperial examinations at seventeen and was personally appointed by the emperor as Tanhua Scholar.
Now that he had returned from his post abroad, the entire household was bustling with activity.
Shi Jun replied, "Don't worry, Nanny. I'll handle it properly."
"See that you do, and quickly." Nanny Lin shot a disgusted glance at the body, then turned away, adding, "You still need to tend to the orchids in the study tomorrow. You know no one else here can look after them but you."
Shi Jun nodded and stepped into the woodshed.
That night, Shi Jun still held Qinghe's hand, but she could no longer cry. It seemed her tears had run dry.
The next day, at the hour of Yin, a waning moon hung high in the sky.
Shi Jun had not slept all night, waiting to tend to the orchids before returning to keep Qinghe company.
It had drizzled in the middle of the night, so on her way to the East Courtyard, the hem of her skirt was stained with mud. The flower room of the East Courtyard was not far from the side chamber—a quarter of an hour's walk at most.
Shi Jun saw that the orchids were in full bloom, their leaves arranged in elegant layers, their fragrance subtle and pure.
The lattice window of the East Courtyard study faced the flower rack. Shi Jun had always only tended to the orchids outside; how the orchids inside the hall and study were arranged was not her concern.
These orchids were thriving. She had seen them before the new year, and they only needed daily watering and loosening of the soil.
The sun rose and the moon set, and dawn broke.
Warm, brilliant golden light spilled onto the orchid leaves. Moved by something she could not name, Shi Jun could not hold back her tears. They rolled down and fell upon the orchids.
She had lost her only kin, and had nowhere to call home.
She could not even scrape together the silver to bury Qinghe.
Shi Jun's mind raced. The best course of action now was to agree to Tang Zhisheng's terms, first bury Qinghe, then have her slave status revoked.
There was always a way, she simply didn't like this one.
With that thought, Shi Jun raised her sleeve to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, then tended to all the orchids before leaving at the hour of Chen.
A figure in green stood before the study window. The moment he pushed open the window, Xie Changxi spotted a familiar silhouette.
It wasn't until sunrise that he could make out who it was.
Xie Changxi saw her tears fall onto the orchids.
That day on Zhuque Street, in front of the Yuanlai Inn, she had wept as well.
Why did she weep? What was there to weep about?
Xie Changxi thought this, yet he had already walked to the flower rack, standing where Shi Jun had stood when she shed her tears.
He thought, standing here, there was nothing that made him feel sorrowful.
"Master, last night at the Yuanlai Inn—"
"Go ask whether a young girl has died in this household."
Xie Changxi picked up an orchid. The faint, elegant fragrance was refreshing, as if it still carried the scent of tears.
Hemu's sword-like brows furrowed deeply, as if he had heard something unbelievable.
He thought, even if a young girl had truly died in the household, what did it have to do with his master? Moreover, the case at the Yuanlai Inn had yet to be resolved.
Xie Changxi took the orchid and returned to the study.
Before long, Hemu returned to report: "Master, a young girl has indeed passed away in the household—a maidservant from the flower garden."
This inquiry left Hemu baffled. His master had only recently returned to the residence and rarely concerned himself with matters of the East Courtyard, which had always been managed entirely by the mistress.
How did his master know that an insignificant young girl had died?
"Someone from the flower garden?" Xie Changxi toyed with the orchid in his fingers.
He recalled the orchids before the study window three years ago. The East Courtyard flower garden had originally been tended by his own hands. Though he cared for the orchids diligently, he could never grow them well—they always looked sickly and weak.
After a long moment, Xie Changxi said slowly, "Have the flower garden staff come to the East Courtyard to receive their reward."
Hemu grumbled inwardly—if they were to be rewarded, why summon them all the way to the East Courtyard?
Shi Jun kept vigil over Qinghe in the woodshed, from morning until night, refusing to leave for even a moment.
After noon, Tang Zhisheng also came to the woodshed and waited outside the door.
Just past the hour of Xu, the sun set and the moon rose.
Tang Zhisheng grew increasingly restless. The corpse was beginning to emit a foul odor, yet Shi Jun still refused to agree.
The sour, putrid stench spread through the woodshed. Tang Zhisheng walked in with a look of disgust and urged, "Qingwu, just say the word, and I'll have the coffin delivered immediately. Bury her early so your sister can be on her way. Why put yourself through this?"
Shi Jun glanced at him from the corner of her eye and saw him take a copper coin from his sleeve and place it in Qinghe's mouth.
Seeing Shi Jun's confusion, Tang Zhisheng explained, "With this 'mouth coin,' your sister will have traveling money for her journey. Once she crosses the Bridge of Helplessness, she needn't fear the ferryman giving her trouble. This small gesture of ours is simply hoping she'll be reborn into a good family, live a life of plenty, and never suffer the hardships of these past years."
Hearing this, Shi Jun's tears fell uncontrollably once more.
She didn't know how many customs the ancients had for the dead, nor did she know how to ensure Qinghe's next life would go more smoothly.
"I agree to your terms, but please provide a good coffin for Ahe and choose a clean piece of land."
Shi Jun spoke in a faint voice, her gaze distant and unfocused, as if her very spirit had been drained from her.
Tang Zhisheng's face lit up with joy, unable to suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth. He said "Good" twice in succession.
Seeing that Shi Jun had agreed, Tang Zhisheng immediately rose. "You wait here. Tonight, I'll have someone prepare the burial."
With that, he strode away to relay the news to Nanny Liu. Nanny Liu grumbled inwardly at Shi Jun's many demands—why should a servant need so much dignity? Just find any spot and bury her.
Nanny Liu said, "Once she's buried her sister, I'll speak to the mistress about your matter. No need to rush these two days."
Tang Zhisheng maintained a composed expression, but inwardly he wished he could hold his beloved close and sleep with her that very night.
Thinking of the months of maneuvering, he decided to test the waters tonight. After all, she was already his—what more did he need to worry about?
At the hour of Hai, East Courtyard study.
The maidservants and matrons from the flower garden stood with heads bowed before the study, their brows all tinged with delight at the mention of rewards.
"Master, they're all here."
Hemu swept his gaze over the people outside the corridor.
Hearing the voice, Xie Changxi looked up, his gentle, composed gaze passing over the crowd. He did not find the person he truly wished to see.
Strange, she was clearly from the flower garden—why was she not here now?
"The orchids in the flower garden are exceptionally well tended." Xie Changxi spoke in a calm voice.
The leading matron replied with a smile, "It is our duty, this servant's responsibility."
"Who usually tends to the orchids?" Xie Changxi asked. "Has that person come?"
At these words, the old matron's hair stood on end with fright. She had previously agreed to Nanny Liu's arrangement to lighten Shi Jun's workload—first, because her sister had died, and second, because Nanny Liu had paid her to keep an eye on Shi Jun.
The reward from the East Courtyard had come suddenly. She had assumed it was nothing important, and finding it troublesome, she hadn't bothered to inform Shi Jun.
"The orchids are usually tended by Qingwu. Last night her sister died, and she feared bringing bad luck upon you, Master, so she declined to come."
The old woman stepped forward nervously to report, somehow sensing that the atmosphere around had grown oppressive. Her earlier joy was replaced by fear.
Xie Changxi furrowed his brows, his hand losing its measure. In a moment of carelessness, he snapped the orchid.
After hearing the reason, Xie Changxi had no heart to continue dealing with these maids and old women, so he told Hemu to take them to the accounting office to receive their reward.
The moon hung above the branches, casting silver light across the ground.
Seeing the pleasant scenery outside his room, he slowly rose and left the Eastern Courtyard.
Outside the woodshed, Tang Zhisheng had people prepare the body for burial.
By now, Shi Jun had stopped crying, only staring at the coffin with red-rimmed eyes.
Tang Zhisheng ordered the coffin to be carried to a side room in the outer courtyard, to be moved away early the next morning.
Shi Jun followed along the whole way, with Tang Zhisheng accompanying her.
"Qingwu, do not worry. I will surely handle everything properly."
As he spoke, he reached out and pulled at Shi Jun's arm.
Shi Jun was slightly startled, her gaze trembling.
Seeing Tang Zhisheng's frivolous and ambiguous gesture, Shi Jun instinctively felt nauseated and subtly stepped back a pace.
This action angered Tang Zhisheng. Previously, when Shi Jun had not agreed to him, he naturally dared not make any move.
But now that Shi Jun had already agreed to marry him, why put on such airs?
Tang Zhisheng reached out and yanked her back, his brows furrowed in anger. "I give you face and you don't want it, is that it? I'm spending money and effort for you, and you're putting on airs of purity."
Under the moonlight, his face gradually twisted, his gaze fierce as a wolf or tiger.
Shi Jun could not break free from his grip. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay calm. "Brother Zhisheng, though I am of servile status, I still have my dignity. Without a marriage contract, how can we act improperly?"
Tang Zhisheng rubbed her fair, tender palm and said in a low voice, "Hmph, just let me have a kiss. What's so bad about being with me?"
With that, he leaned his whole body toward her.