Chapter 15: 15

Even if he was reduced to ashes, she would never be mistaken!

***

　Zhen Yaoting had already arrived at Ci’en Temple much earlier. He could indistinctly hear the sound of cymbals and wooden fish from Dafa Hall across the partition wall. He had known that the head maid was inside, only that he was forbidden from entering. Feeling like a cat was pawing his heart, he navigated his way around the perimeter wall for quite some time until he discovered a remote corner. In the corner stood a locust tree, its branches extending to the other side of the wall. He clambered up the tree, slowly climbed up the wall, and leapt down, finally landing on the other side. Concealed by the foliage, he furtively lurked to the main hall until he drew closer. From a distance, he could catch sight of people from the Pei family entering and exiting the main hall’s door from time to time and junior eunuchs from the palace occasionally coming and going. That very moment, he dared not act rashly; he hid behind a large monument on the roadside and stuck his head out to scout around. After waiting for a while, he still could not detect even a trace of a person’s shadow and began to grow fretful. All of a sudden, he saw Yuzhu and another maid emerge from the main hall with an incense basket in their clasp, looking as if they were headed towards the gate. Elated, he firmly fixed his two eyes towards them. Waiting for her to pass close by, he locked his sight on the target and slung a pebble towards her back.

　Yuzhu felt like something had softly struck her back and subconsciously turned her head, her sight landing on a head peeking out from behind the huge monument. She recognized that he was the Zhen family’s son, fervently beckoning her over. Suspicious and hesitant, she swiveled round and uttered a few words to the maid next to her, asking her to head to the incense hall first. When the maid left, she faced about and stopped by the roadside to ask, “Young Master Zhen, what are you doing here?”

　Seeing her stop in front of him, Zhen Yaoting gazed at her with great ardour, his heartbeat slightly accelerating. He hastily stepped out from behind the monument and whispered, “We’re leaving today. Before boarding the ship this morning, I suddenly remembered something. Last time, thanks to your help, I was able to speak to Old Madam and help wash away my sister’s grievances. I reckoned that I still haven’t thanked you yet. Had I left just like that, I would have felt uneasy, so I came here early in the morning just to thank you.”

　Zhen Yaoting had left a terrible first impression on Yuzhu. She felt that he was too glib and impetuous. Last time, however, she witnessed him rush to Old Madam in order to stand up for his younger sister. Reckless though he was, his love and care for his younger sister had impressed her and caused her to think of her family’s straits in her childhood. If she had an elder brother like him, perhaps her circumstances would have turned out differently to some extent, so her impression of him had somewhat improved. Right this moment, seeing him coming all the way here from far away to thank her, disregarding that one incident, she inevitably felt a bit touched.

　No outsiders were allowed to enter Dafa Hall today. Thinking of how he had just hidden behind the monument, she need not even ask or guess. She surmised that he ought to have taken the wrong way in. Having no desire to be caught, she looked around and lowered her voice to utter, “It was nothing but a trivial matter. Why did you have to come here like this to thank me? Return quickly. I also have something else to do. I will leave first.”

　After she finished speaking, she turned to leave.

　Zhen Yaoting had rushed all the way here and waited for her with great difficulty. Hardly had he spoken a few words when he had to watch her leave. Anxious, he tugged at her sleeve and pulled her towards the large monument he was hiding behind. Seeing her face flushed crimson and looking rather livid, he quickly released his grasp and softly said, “Wait, don’t get angry! I thought expressing thanks wasn’t enough, so I brought a little something.” Having said this, he fished out an item wrapped in a handkerchief and opened it. Inside were two jade bracelets entirely made out of translucent bluish green jade, its color reminiscent of pure water. He handed it to Yuzhu and said, “Take a look. Do you like it?”

　Yuzhu was incredibly astonished. “We are neither relatives nor friends. How dare I ask from you something as valuable as this? You should quickly put it away!”

　Zhen Yaoting was also delighted. Hearing that she did not want it, he immediately took it back, then, as if by magic, he drew a small box with intricate carvings from his sleeve. “I heard that you had sent someone to buy snowdrop bush in the fragrance shop before. That fragrance isn’t of top quality. There is ambergris in this box. It doesn’t cost much, so Big Sis,1 take this and use it to perfume your clothes and handkerchiefs with.”

　Yuzhu, however, did not know when he had even inquired about such things. Both irritated and amused, she frowned and replied, “Young Master Zhen, I appreciate your good intentions, but I cannot accept it. It is our Madam who uses this fragrance, and I am but a servant. How can I be worthy of this? You should quickly leave. It won’t fare well if others see us. I have something else to do. I’m leaving first!”

　After she finished speaking, she turned around, marched out of the monument, and hurriedly stalked towards the incense hall at the main entrance.

　When Zhen Yaoting watched her leaving like that, bringing none of the things he had brought her, he was so anxious that he could not care about anything else. He hastened out from behind the stone monument and took two steps to chase after her, conveying with utmost avidity, “It truly isn’t worth much! Others won’t find out, so why act like this?! If you dare not use ambergris, I still have borneo camphor! My younger sister used to dislike having incense smoked, but she especially asked me to bring her a box of this fragrance from the storehouse before going to the capital, even preferring this over ambergris. My sister is an elegant person. Since she likes it, it must suit your preferences as well. How about I go back this instant and fetch some borneo camphor for you……”

　For the first time in her life, Yuzhu encountered such a young master. With him prattling on so loudly, she feared that Madam Meng and Jiafu would lose face. Not only was he shouting, but he was also relentless in pestering her. As she listened to his voice grow even louder in volume, she felt both enraged and ashamed. This road was the only way to the entrance that led to Dafa Hall. Fearing that they might encounter someone else, she hastily arrested her step and was about to excoriate him with a scowl. When she raised her head, she unexpectedly caught sight of Eldest Young Master approaching from the opposite side, followed by Jiafu together with her maid. Greatly alarmed and flustered, she hurried over, addressed Eldest Young Master, looked back at Zhen Yaoting, and reluctantly reported, “When I went to the incense hall to fetch incense, I chanced upon Young Master Zhen, and we exchanged a few words about fragrances. He was also about to leave……”

　Jiafu had already spotted her elder brother. From the look on Yuzhu’s face, she knew right away that he had offended the person with that garrulous mouth of his.

　But right this moment, this no longer mattered.

　She had heard what her elder brother had just spouted. Her heart was pounding violently.

　She collected herself, quietly raised her eyes, and looked at Pei You’an, who had halted in front of her.

　If only he had paid no heed to what her elder brother had just spoken.

　But it soon became clear to Jiafu——it was merely wishful thinking on her part.

　Pei You’an said nothing, but he froze in his tracks. He turned his head and stared at her, his two eyes falling on her face with an extremely peculiar expression.

　Jiafu’s face rapidly reddened, so red that it was almost as if blood would ooze from it.

　He stared at her like this for a moment, and then his eyebrows wrinkled slightly.

　Her heart beating even more ferociously, Jiafu subconsciously took a small step towards him and opened her mouth, but his expression had returned to its usual indifference.

　He no longer looked at her. He merely turned his head, nodded slightly towards Yuzhu, and then stepped forward to continue on his way.

　She gazed at the departing figure ahead of her gradually growing distant, and she was paralyzed in place.

　He now knew that she had lied to him that day.

　She stood there dumbfounded, the flush on her face fading rapidly and her complexion turning wan again. She felt a suffocating feeling in her chest, her heart so terribly stifled.

　”Sister? How come you’re here?”

　Zhen Yaoting’s voice rang in her ears.

　Jiafu was finally summoned back to her senses. Suppressing the extreme dread that welled up in her heart, she turned to Yuzhu, saying, “My brother didn’t send word to my mother and actually rushed over like this. I would like to ask for Sister Yuzhu’s forgiveness if he had offended you just now.”

　Noticing that her complexion was rather out of sorts, Yuzhu no longer bothered about it. She inquired with great concern, “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable anywhere? I’ll help you inside. Take a seat and have a drink of water.”

　Jiafu composed herself, shook her head, and gingerly mustered a smile. “I’m all right. We’re leaving the capital today and were just getting ready to set off. However, my brother was nowhere to be seen, so I came here to look for him. If there are no other concerns, I will leave with my brother first. My mother is still waiting over there. If anyone tattles to Old Madam about whatever happened here, can I trouble Big Sis to help say a few words for me? My brother truly is much too impetuous and has inconvenienced you so.”

　Hearing what she said, Yuzhu no longer asked them to remain and said, “It wasn’t a bother. I will see you out.”

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　Jiafu threw a look at Zhen Yaoting and saw that he wore an expression of unwillingness to leave. Enduring through her anger, she snapped, “Brother, are you still not going? Mother has been so anxious to the point of death. Do you really want to aggravate her?”

　With a heart overrun by reluctance, Zhen Yaoting hesitantly trudged after Jiafu outside. When he stepped out of Dafa Hall, he watched as his younger sister passed the main gate without saying a word. Her footsteps were extremely nimble, and she seemed rather flummoxed. He chased after her and muttered, “Didn’t I already leave a message? I have my own discretion. Once I’m done, I will return by myself. What need was there for you to rush over like this……”

　Jiafu abruptly ceased her steps and whipped her head around. “Brother! I’m younger than you, so it’s not my place to tell you these words. Just that, brother, when will you ever be sensible? Do you know why grandmother decided to marry me into the Pei family? It’s because our family is short of a man who can stand up and support us! Dad is gone, and mother is hoping for you to be more upright so that she will someday have someone to rely on. You’re no longer young, yet you’re still this lawless! I’ve begged grandmother to permit me to study and learn how to manage the business, but she won’t give her assent! You clearly have the capability to achieve great heights for Mother and for our Zhen family, yet you’re still this slovenly and foolish! I really hate that I was not born a man……”

　Jiafu’s heart burst with anguish, and tears welled up in her trembling eyes.

　When Zhen Yaoting saw that his younger sister appeared to be crying, he panicked. He could only swathe her in good words while scolding himself for being a scoundrel. Jiafu looked the other way, wiped away her tears, and boarded the carriage. Zhen Yaoting breathed a sigh of relief, whisked himself around, and mounted his horse, following alongside the carriage on the way back. Now that her son had been found and had now returned, upon learning that he had indeed sneaked to Ci’en Temple to trouble Yuzhu in private and that Yuzhu was kind enough not to bother about him——even going so far as to aid him in covering up the truth so he would not lose face in front of Old Madam and the Pei family——Madam Meng was so outraged that she seized a feather duster and ruthlessly smacked him with it, while Liu momo and the others pacified and obstructed her. Amidst this utter chaos, the Zhen family’s ship finally departed from the dock and set off on the journey back south.

　The waterways of the capital were gradually left behind.

　Jiafu remembered clearly that not long ago, when the same big ship beneath her feet slowly penetrated the imperial city along this same busy waterway, her mood then had been somewhat determined, somewhat apprehensive, and somewhat mystified by the unknown tomorrow.

　If Heaven had mercy on her, and if she was lucky enough, she had mused at that time about how happy she would be if she could smoothly extricate herself from the marriage.

　But now, she could not be happy. For the first few days, her mood was extremely downcast, but she did not want her mother to notice and forced a smile in front of her.

　Later, as the days passed, when the ship was halfway through their journey, Jiafu finally accepted the situation and freed herself from dwelling on unpleasant things.

　That was it. The marriage ended just like that. She believed that she and the Pei family would not have much contact in the future. As for Pei You’an, it was even more unlikely for them to have another future encounter. She had achieved her goal, which was already a great fortune in itself. As for how he thought about her, what did it matter whether his impression of her was good or bad?

　In her previous life, he and she met by chance, and after crossing paths, they each trod a different road in life.

　It was likely the case for this lifetime as well.

　Quanzhou was just around the corner. She still had a lot to do. Going forward and living her life well, that was what mattered most.

　Jiafu’s mood finally recovered from her initial dread and dismay.

　On this day, the boat sailed by Fuming Island, which they had passed by during their journey previously. It coincided with the last religious assembly of the Guanyin Temple before the end of the year. Madam Meng decided to take her daughter to the island once more and donate some perfumed oil to the temple, so she ordered the ship to berth there. Bringing her two children with her, they disembarked on the island and headed to Guanyin Temple.

　Numerous Buddhist worshipers were present. It originally should have been bustling with excitement because of the religious assembly, however, they did not expect to see a throng of worshipers falling over each other as they flocked out of the gate of the Guanyin Temple, all with expressions seized with terror. Madam Meng hurriedly asked Zhang Da to make inquiries about what had happened. Zhang Da soon returned with great haste and informed, “Madam, you cannot go on with your worship today! Let us leave quickly! Many officers and men have come to arrest the monks in the temple, saying that there were imperial criminals2 hidden among these monks!”

　Madam Meng was flabbergasted. She chanted a brief Buddhist prayer and was about to go back. No sooner had she walked a few steps than she heard the sound of yelling behind her. Worshipers were giving way one after another. Jiafu turned her head and caught sight of a multitude of officers and men emerging out of the temple gate interspersed among somber-looking Jinyiwei3 escorting seven to eight monks shackled in iron chains. They were all young novice monks who looked to be only around thirteen to fourteen years of age. Each and every one of these soldiers had malice written all over their faces. Some of the young monks were crying out, howling that they had been wrongly accused, while some were paralyzed by fear and were forcibly dragged forward. The ashen-faced worshipers at the roadside all bowed their heads in succession, not even daring to take a breath. After these officers and soldiers departed with the young monks, they began to discuss, blathering on about everything that had transpired.

　How could they be labeled as imperial criminals? They were but thirteen to fourteen-year-old young novice monks. To go so far as to dispatch the Jinyiwei! Madam Meng’s face turned pale, and she no longer thought of staying even for a moment. Once the officers and soldiers left by ship, she hurried on their ship with Jiafu and her son, and Zhang Da ordered people to untie the mooring rope. Just as the ship was preparing to go offshore, they suddenly saw several people scampering to the shore, with one of them shouting to Zhang Da, “Hey! Are you heading to Quanzhou? Our Young Master will also go to Quanzhou for business. He passed by Fuming Island today because he wanted to ask for blessings for our Old Madam, but we never expected to encounter officers and soldiers arresting people, even going so far as to requisition our ship. Can we inconvenience you to take us on your journey? We will compensate you generously!”

　Before entering the cabin, Jiafu turned her head to take a listless glance in that direction.

　Xiao Yintang!

　She actually saw Xiao Yintang!

　He stood beside the person who had just called out, his eyes slightly narrowed, peering at the few official ships that were gradually sailing away in the distance. Although garbed as an ordinary person, she recognized him at a glance.

　Even if he was reduced to ashes, she would never be mistaken!

　As if a thunderbolt struck her from above, Jiafu was petrified in place, her eyes wide open, her heart beating so wildly that it was practically popping out of her throat.

 

 

 

 

 

Footnotes:

1 姐姐: Jie jie means elder sister, but it can be used as a more intimate way of addressing unrelated older women.

2 钦犯: (archaic) criminals subject to investigation by the Emperor

3 The Embroidered Uniform Guard or Jinyiwei was the imperial secret police that served the emperors of the Ming dynasty in China. They were given the authority to overrule judicial proceedings in prosecutions with full autonomy in arresting, interrogating and punishing anyone, including nobles and the emperor’s relatives. (Source: Embroidered Uniform Guard – Wikipedia)

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