Yan Tongshu put away the Go set and continued to sift through the remaining gifts. Since she presented herself as a man in public, most of what the emperor had bestowed were items suited for men—only the paintings, calligraphy, and inkstones were worth dividing up among the others.
Still, there were a good dozen or more pieces in total, more than enough to go around.
Yan Tongshu happily sorted them out—one for her elder sister, one for Liangyu, one for herself—and before long, they were all distributed.
Receiving gifts was always a joyful affair. The three of them chatted about which celebrated painter had created this scroll, where the scenery in the painting was located, and from which region the inkstone had been quarried. As they talked, their spirits lifted considerably.
Yan Liangrong heated up a pot of wine, and the three shared it among themselves.
Having learned from past mistakes, Yan Tongshu did not dare drink too much, sipping only in small, careful mouthfuls.
Compared to her demure manner, Yan Liangrong and Yan Liangyu drank far more freely.
When there is bitterness in the heart, one turns to wine. Yan Tongshu understood this and indulged them.
After a while, both sisters grew somewhat tipsy. Yan Liangyu tugged at Yan Tongshu, the tip of her nose flushed red, and said between hiccupping sobs, "Brother, Zhou Zhengxun... is a bastard."
Yan Tongshu gently brushed the stray hairs from her forehead and soothed her in a soft voice, "That's right, he's a bastard."
Yan Liangyu leaned against Yan Tongshu's shoulder, her voice muffled: "Brother, you've been busy these days, so you wouldn't know. I had Mother and my aunt keep the Zhou family at arm's length, and I deliberately grew closer to Pei Jin'an to provoke the Zhous into panicking. And they did—they scraped together a doubled betrothal gift and even set a date to come discuss the wedding."
She lifted her tear-filled eyes, "Brother, day after day, I think I finally understand what Zhou Zhengxun is really thinking. He's a bastard. A thousand times, ten thousand times worse than I or Mother ever imagined."
Yan Liangrong stroked Yan Liangyu's face: "There, there, we don't want him anymore."
Yan Liangyu nodded, sobbing, and turned her moist eyes to Yan Liangrong: "Sister, I know Brother-in-law must have disappointed you too, which is why you've been so down at home these days. We don't want him either. We won't have any of them."
Yan Liangrong did not answer.
Though drunk, she still held onto a shred of clarity.
She was already married to Zheng Chun.
They had a child together.
This was not the same as Yan Liangyu and Zhou Zhengxun.
Yan Liangrong spoke up: "Your brother-in-law... perhaps... is not so irredeemable."
"Sister..." Yan Tongshu wanted to offer comfort, but did not know quite what to say.
The wine vapors rose, and the words lingering in her heart, the feelings suppressed for so long, under the stimulus of alcohol, desperately sought a channel to pour out.
"Tongshu." Yan Liangrong sat up straight, propping her forehead with her hand, eyes downcast: "This matter has hurt me deeply. We have been married for ten years. I thought I understood him well, and I thought the three of us as a family were at least happy. I thought in his eyes, I was still as beautiful as when we first met..."
Her voice caught, "What hurts me most is not Ying Li. It's that he said I made him miserable, that I was terrifying. That is a total negation of me. It makes me feel like my entire being is a joke. Tongshu..."
Yan Liangrong looked at Yan Tongshu, eyes reddening: "Is your sister really so terrifying, so suffocating?"
Yan Tongshu was silent for a moment, then asked softly: "Sister, do you remember Lady Qing?"
Yan Liangrong nodded.
"Sister, sometimes when you are forceful, you frighten me too," Yan Tongshu said in a level tone. "But no one is perfect. You have always been this way. Brother-in-law enjoyed the benefits of your character, so he must bear its drawbacks. There is no such thing in this world as taking only the good without the bad."
Zheng Chun's parents were both weak-willed, and Zheng Chun himself, though talented at passing the civil examinations, was not a forceful man and was poor at socializing.
So in the beginning, he was drawn to Yan Liangrong's vivacity and strength, unconsciously reliant on her, falling in love with a woman so different from himself.
But people are greedy.
Get one share, and you want ten.
Marry a wife who is utterly devoted and dependent on you, and then you hope she can stand on her own. Marry a forceful, socially adept wife, and years later, you find yourself thinking, why can't she be a little gentler, a little more submissive?
Just like Chen Sizhen, who enjoyed the benefits of Lady Qing's fiery competence, yet resented that she was not delicate and attentive enough.
There is no perfection in this world, but there will always be those who, having obtained the Long, covet the Shu—grasping for a perfect ten out of ten.
The human heart is never satisfied; desire is a pit that cannot be filled.
Yan Liangrong was dazed for a long while, then suddenly spoke in a gentle, hushed voice: "Do you know? The other day, your brother-in-law kept coming to see me. Looking at him, I did not think of our ten years of marriage. I thought of Chen Sizhen..."
Forgiveness was never the final destination, nor the ultimate conclusion.
When people choose to forgive, what they truly want is always to begin anew.
She had tried to persuade herself that Zheng Chun had merely stumbled, made a momentary lapse in judgment, and had not committed any real transgression.
But for a new beginning, one must first forget and let go.
She wanted to return to that home, to that husband and son she loved and who loved her...
After all, Zheng Chun had not truly betrayed her.
That is what she told herself, and what reason told her.
But her emotions had gotten stuck at that 'first step.'
She had always believed that human will could conquer heaven, yet now she began to doubt that heaven's will could not be defied.
Had she not been so deeply involved in the case of Consort Chen's husband, she would not, at the sight of Zheng Chun, see in her mind's eye Chen Sizhen with his broken leg in the courtroom, or hear in her ears those accusations that were like torture to Lady Qing.
She would have thought of their sweet memories instead. If that were so, perhaps she would have fully forgiven him long ago.
And as it happened, Chen Sizhen had not appeared during the final hearing, had not heard the closing verdict, and was unaware of what she was thinking as he feebly tried to defend himself.
This, Yan Liangrong thought, must be what they call the cruel tricks of fate.
Both Yan Liangrong and Yan Liangyu had drunk themselves into a stupor. Yan Tongshu helped them to the bed to rest.
Just then, Pearl knocked on the door: "Young master, there's something..."
Yan Tongshu tucked the quilt around them: "What is it?"
Pearl said with a look of reluctance: "That one, that woman, the one at the front gate—she refuses to leave no matter what. She collapsed. The gatekeeper was afraid someone might die on the doorstep and asked what to do."
Yan Tongshu let out a sigh: "Bring her in. Put her in a guest room and call a doctor."
Pearl harbored no goodwill toward Ying Li, and was about to suggest having two men carry her back to the village, but looking at the way she lay in the snow, barely breathing, she softened. She replied, "Yes, sir."
At dawn the next day, Ying Li awoke.
Yan Tongshu finished her breakfast and went with Pearl to the guest room.
Ying Li had run a fever all night. Having now drunk some chicken broth and with her senses gradually returning, she saw Yan Tongshu and, knowing who she was, knelt on the bed in fear.
Yan Tongshu told her to get up.
Pearl set the porridge and steamed buns down on the table with a heavy thud and said gruffly: "Eat."
Ying Li shook her head: "I dare not."
Yan Tongshu said, helplessly: "Then let's make this quick. The sooner we finish, the sooner I leave, and the sooner you can eat."
Ying Li did not know what Yan Tongshu wanted to discuss, but nodded all the same.
Yan Tongshu asked, "Ying Li, regarding Zheng Chun, what is your thinking? Can you tell me plainly and clearly?"
When Zheng Chun was mentioned, Ying Li instantly shed her timid demeanor, her eyes bursting with radiant light: "My lord, he is very good."
She repeated, word for word, what she had once told Yan Liangrong to Yan Tongshu.
Finally, Ying Li said, "My lord is in great pain. He is only happy when he is with me. I want to make my lord happy."
Yan Tongshu pressed a hand to her forehead.
The innocence of a young girl.
Innocence and naivety that had surfaced after her worldview was twisted by Zheng Chun's intrusion into her life when she was thirteen.
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment, then slipped the prayer beads off her wrist.
Yan Tongshu spoke, "This bracelet I wear is an eighteen-bead string my mother brought back from the mountain temple, corresponding to the Eighteen Realms. There are eighteen beads in total, and only with eighteen does it represent completeness."
Ying Li frowned in confusion.
She was pretty in a delicate way, and even her frown was becoming.
"Do you know why, after you were exposed, Zheng Chun kept avoiding acknowledging the joy you shared and firmly denied everything about you?" Yan Tongshu counted the beads one by one. "Zheng Chun also has a string of these eighteen beads. He has nine himself, and his wife made up eight more for him. So he has seventeen in total. A complete life requires eighteen. Now, he is still missing one. Tell me, who do you think can fill that missing one for him?
You feel that he is joyful with you. You feel as though you are the only remaining gap in his soul—that only when you exist will he be happy, will he find joy, will he possess the most complete soul. You think you are the savior of his broken soul. You think you are unique, indispensable, and destined for him. But look..."
Yan Tongshu took the bracelet apart and counted bead by bead: "The one he is missing is you. The nine he has are himself. If you come in, he must lose the eight his wife gave him. His soul would not be complete—the gap would only grow larger.
In such a situation, do you think he would abandon the original eight for you, for just that one bead? This is the trap of middle-aged men. You think you are filling the missing piece of his soul, but in truth, you are filling a void in their married life. Add you, lose the wife—the loss only grows greater."
Ying Li's face turned pale, then paler still.
She seemed to understand.
"Never believe anything a middle-aged man says to a young girl." Yan Tongshu rose, rethreading the eighteen beads onto her wrist, and said with cruel frankness, "As for the forced marriage—you may go and look at the man for yourself. If you find him acceptable, then marry. If you are unwilling and Zheng Chun insists on forcing you, you may go to the Kaifeng Prefecture and strike the petition drum directly. I will preside over your case personally. I can promise you this: the Kaifeng Prefecture handles cases by law and justice alone, regardless of who is near or dear."
Stepping out of the guest room, Yan Tongshu breathed in the cold air and said to Pearl, "Pearl, in the future, don't be so foolish."
Pearl patted her chest. "Of course not. I was raised by the young master—I'm clever, I am."
Yan Tongshu nodded. "Mm!"
She gave a crisp reply, then said, "Come, it's a rest day today. Call Jinbao, and let's go shopping."
Pearl: "Alright."
Pearl went to fetch Jinbao, and Yan Tongshu went to change her clothes. No sooner had she finished dressing than she heard two meows by the bedside.
Yan Tongshu quickly fastened her belt and reached over to gather Yuanzi into her arms: "Little Yuanzi, what's the matter?"
Yuanzi stared at Yan Tongshu with big round eyes, unblinking: "Meow, meow, meow."
"Oh, right." Yan Tongshu suddenly understood, stroking its sleek fur. "It's almost New Year's, isn't it? Our Yuanzi needs new clothes too, doesn't it?"
"Meow, meow, meow." Yes, that's right.
Yan Tongshu hummed in acknowledgment and planted a kiss on Yuanzi's round head. "Then let's go. We'll buy fabric, and let our little Yuanzi pick out its favorite to make clothes."
New year, new beginnings. She also wanted to make two new outfits—red ones. For New Year's, red was the way to go.
Yan Tongshu came out holding Yuanzi. When Pearl saw the fluffy little tricolor cat, she immediately reached out and took it, frantically petting it. Inside the carriage, the two of them had Yuanzi purring up a storm.
When they reached the lively market, Yuanzi perched on Yan Tongshu's shoulder, dozing. Yan Tongshu led Pearl and Jinbao into the Qianji Silk and Satin Shop to pick fabric.
Chen Meirong spotted Yan Tongshu, set her plate of melon seeds aside, and walked over. "Tongshu."
Yan Tongshu had Pearl bring out a box—a red coral ornament the emperor had bestowed this time. Yan Tongshu smiled. "Auntie, take a look at this first and see if you like it. The emperor granted quite a few fine things this time. Mother, sister, and Liangyu all have theirs; this one was set aside specially for you."
"Oh, how could I accept that?" Chen Meirong waved her hands, then immediately took the gift. Red coral—now that was a treasure. She would put it in her bedroom on the dressing table, right next to her gold and silver jewelry, and every day she'd look at it and her mood would soar.
Chen Meirong stroked the red coral, unable to put it down, and asked with a smile, "Are you here today to pick out fabric for New Year's? Let me tell you, a few excellent bolts just arrived—haven't even put them out for sale yet. You pick yours first, and then we'll sell the rest."
Yan Tongshu pointed at Yuanzi. "Auntie, this time we're picking for Yuanzi first."
"Oh, little Yuanzi, long time no see." Chen Meirong reached out to scratch Yuanzi's chin. After a satisfying petting session, she carefully put the red coral away and had someone bring out the fabric. "Here you go, Yuanzi. Look at these bolts. Especially this one—Buddhist swastika pattern. Both festive and auspicious."
Yuanzi jumped down from Yan Tongshu's shoulder and looked left and right with its big round eyes.
Chen Meirong gently poked its round head. "Little Yuanzi, have you decided? Which fabric do you want for your clothes? This year, I'll make your New Year outfit myself. I'll use the best cotton to sew it."
Yan Tongshu and Pearl also watched curiously to see which fabric Yuanzi liked the most.
Yuanzi trotted back and forth across the counter several times before finally stopping on a bolt of fabric patterned with koi fish.
Of course—little kittens still loved little fish the most.
Yan Tongshu stroked Yuanzi's head. "Alright, since our Yuanzi likes it, this one it is. Auntie, have someone wrap it up and deliver it to the Yan residence. When New Year comes, make two outfits—one for me and one for Yuanzi."
Chen Meirong: "Certainly."
After picking fabrics for herself and Yuanzi, Yan Tongshu also let Pearl and Jinbao choose their own.
While Pearl and Jinbao were browsing, Chen Meirong pulled Yan Tongshu aside for tea and gossip. She lowered her voice, sounding both secretive and thrilled: "Tongshu, be honest with your auntie—did Xiao Jun really have an affair with Lady Cao?"
Yan Tongshu shook her head.
Chen Meirong grew annoyed. "Oh, come on! Before, we'd chat about everyone's business—whose house this, whose family that. Now you're keeping secrets from your auntie?"
Yan Tongshu also lowered her voice. "But Auntie, I'm a presiding officer now. What you're asking touches on the privacy of the parties involved. I can't disclose that."
Chen Meirong pursed her lips. "Fine, then I won't tell you anything either."
As she spoke, Chen Meirong raised her teacup, wearing an expression that said, "Go on, beg me."
But Yan Tongshu wasn't in a hurry. She knew Chen Meirong too well—that woman simply couldn't hold in gossip.
Sure enough, after a moment, Chen Meirong grew impatient: "Why aren't you asking me?"
She fixed Yan Tongshu with a pitiful stare, her eyes as gentle as water, as if to say: I'm begging you, please just beg me.
Yan Tongshu smiled, leaned in close, and said softly, "Dear aunt, please just tell me. You spoil me the most."
Only then was Chen Meirong satisfied. She glanced left and right, making sure no one was paying attention, then said at once: "The other day, Lady Xiao came back. I went to the Xiao residence to deliver the fabric they'd ordered a month and a half ago, and I heard from the Xiao household that Lady Xiao beat Lady Cao. Lady Cao has been selling off her house and land at low prices these past two days, getting ready to leave the capital. Hmph, if Lady Xiao went so far as to bring people to her door and hit her, then all that talk in the streets about Lady Cao and that Xiao Jun having something going on—it can't be baseless rumor."
Yan Tongshu listened, and for a moment, she found nothing to say.
Lady Cao had suffered terribly—tormented and beaten by Cao Jian, forced to bear a child for Cao Yang. That she turned to Xiao Jun was born of desperation.
But Lady Xiao had suffered terribly too—deceived by Xiao Jun, that bandit, betrayed again and again.
Now Lady Xiao had returned, but Xiao Jun, the root cause of it all, was dead. Lady Xiao couldn't settle the score with Xiao Jun, and all her hatred and resentment had nowhere to go, so she could only take it out on Lady Cao. That was how the two of them had become each other's torment.
It was right for Lady Cao to leave the capital.
And honestly, she wasn't the only one—likely Lady Xiao would leave the capital soon after as well.
The bandit case had made too much noise. Cao Jian and Xiao Jun were both bandits, spit upon by everyone in the capital. Former friends were drawing clear lines, and with rumor being what it was, neither woman could stay in the capital any longer.
Yan Tongshu and Chen Meirong changed the subject and chatted for a while, then circled back to their own affairs: "Oh, by the way, aunt, in a couple of days the Zhou family is coming to discuss the wedding date. Will you be here?"
The mere mention of the Zhou family set Chen Meirong's temper ablaze. She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Deep down, I don't want to go at all. But if I don't, I'd be leaving my sister to face that shameless lot alone, so I have to go. Oh, and Tongshu, on the day the Zhous come, you don't need to be home. What standing do you have now, and what standing do the Zhous have..."
Recalling how aggressive and overbearing the Zhou family had been at the last betrothal discussion, Chen Meirong let out a heavy snort. "If you showed up, it'd be doing them too much honor."
Yan Tongshu tried to soothe her: "Aunt, I think Liangyu has actually come around by now. She's just a little unwilling to let go. After this discussion, her feelings for Zhou Zhengxun will finally fade for good."
Chen Meirong's brow relaxed: "That's what I think too. So although I'm annoyed with the Zhous, in my heart I'm glad. At last that girl Liangyu has thought things through. If she'd really married into the Zhou family, I'd have died of anger. Oh—"
As she spoke of her happiness, Chen Meirong smiled and said: "In a bit, I'll give you a few more bolts of the new fabric to take back for your mother."
Yan Tongshu smiled helplessly: "Aunt, you send fabric to Mother every single month. She can't possibly wear it all."
Chen Meirong said matter-of-factly: "Good things should go to the people you love."
Pearl and Jinbao finished picking out the fabric, and Yan Tongshu took the two of them off to buy New Year's supplies.
The Yan residence's New Year's provisions were handled by the household steward. What Yan Tongshu was buying was the small personal stash for herself, Pearl, and Jinbao—just treats for their own courtyard during the holiday, so they only bought what they liked to eat.
The three of them strolled and shopped, and before long they'd loaded their arms with packages. Jinbao and Pearl carried everything into the carriage, and Yan Tongshu looked up at the sky. It was almost noon—time to eat.
As luck would have it, Tonghe Tower was right ahead, so Yan Tongshu decided to eat there.
Tonghe Tower was a mid-range restaurant in the capital of Bianjing, and its cooks were extremely skilled. Word had it the place was backed by Ning Yuan, the hereditary viscount of Yiguo, third-rank official, and nephew of Prince Ming.
Ning Yuan hadn't taken a proper wife yet, but he'd already taken a concubine. Her father had once been a famous chef in Jiangnan by the name of Dantai Sandaosmith, and all the culinary skills of Tonghe Tower's kitchen were passed down by this concubine.
Besides its signature dishes, Tonghe Tower put on all sorts of performances every few days—storytelling, opera singing, pingshu commentary, acrobatics—it was quite lively.
Yan Tongshu and Pearl and Jinbao picked a spot by the railing on the second floor, where they could watch the show clearly.
Down below, a pingshu performer was in the middle of his tale.
Yan Tongshu wasn't terribly interested in pingshu, so she paid it little mind. After hearing out the waiter's recitation of the menu, she ordered braised pork hock with fish flavor, double-cooked fish, crispy golden yam, boiled prawns, and a bowl of soup.
The three sat chatting while waiting for their food.
Fearing they might get restless, the waiter, after taking their order, specially brought out three dishes of peanuts and three cups of black tea.
After a while, the pingshu performance came to an end.
Two women walked up onto the first-floor stage, one dressed in purple and the other in pink. Both wore veils, making their ages hard to tell, but from their clothing and manner, one could guess they’d passed their thirties.
They sat side by side, each holding a pipa.
Before long, a lively frontier tune started up. Yan Tongshu had never heard this one before, but she found it rather charming—melodious and free, like a shepherd's song from beyond the passes.
She swayed her head happily, tapping along to the rhythm.
Yuanzi, the cat, wobbled his little head from side to side too.
A little later, the food arrived in full. Pearl handed Yan Tongshu a pair of chopsticks, and Yan Tongshu picked up a piece of the fish-flavored hock skin, popped it into her mouth—and it melted the moment she pressed her tongue to it. It was, simply sublime—soft and tender beyond words.
Pearl took a bite as well, and she closed her eyes in bliss: "Young master, this Tonghe Tower hock—I've eaten it with you at least ten times, maybe eight, but how is it I never get tired of it?"
Jinbao nodded vigorously: "I feel like I could eat it for another twenty years and never get sick of it."
Yan Tongshu laughed: "Well, then, since we all love it so much, let's come more often from now on."
Pearl and Jinbao nodded hard: "Mm-hmm!"
In between bites, Yan Tongshu shelled a few boiled prawns and placed them on a chair for Yuanzi to nibble at his leisure.
The three of them tore through the big hock in no time, then moved on to the other dishes.
Suddenly, the pipa music came to an abrupt halt.
Yuanzi let out a puzzled meow.
Yan Tongshu looked down out of curiosity. A drunk man was staggering up onto the stage, lurching toward the woman in pink. The woman shrieked with fright, clutching her pipa and dodging desperately.
At the table beside the stage, the drunk's two friends were cheering him on, clapping and hollering, as if it were all just a game of cat and mouse.
Seeing the woman in pink evade him again and again, the drunk grew even more excited: "Little lady, what're you running for? Come home with big brother—I'll keep you fed and comfortable for life!"
With that, he threw himself at her with all his might. The woman in pink couldn't get out of the way in time, and the drunk tore the veil right off her face.
"Ha ha ha!"
The drunkard's friends at the table burst into laughter. "So it's not a young maiden, but a comely matron! Hahaha, pretty lady, how much can you really earn from street singing? Spend one night with our brother here, and you'll make more than you would in a whole year."
Yan Tongshu ground her teeth.
There was no escaping these sex-addled fools no matter where she went.
"Jinbao." Yan Tongshu said calmly. "Go outside and fetch the patrol constables."
"Yes." Jinbao was just about to leave when—bang—the drunkard was kicked flying a full meter away.
"Who the hell are you?!"
The drunkard had been struck, and his two companions who'd been dining with him took offense, slamming the table as they rose to their feet. "Do you have any idea who he is?"
The man who'd kicked the drunkard let out a cold laugh. "Before Ning Yuan, Hereditary Prince of the Yuguo Marquisate, no one dares act this arrogantly."
The two men's faces went pale in an instant. They dared not make a scene any longer, and like terrified rats, they hunched their bodies and crept timidly up to the stage, helping the drunkard up with every intention of fleeing.
"Hold it." Ning Yuan flicked the white fur cloak draped over his shoulders, raising an eyebrow at the three men. "You offended this young lady. Apologize."
The drunkard was already unconscious by now, leaving his two friends to stammer out apology after apology on his behalf.
Ning Yuan's gaze sharpened, his voice turning icy. "Words aren't enough."
The man in green quickly fished a few taels of loose silver from his pocket and offered them up with both hands to the woman in pink. "Miss, this was our fault. We disturbed your song. Please, be magnanimous and forgive us."
The woman in pink shook her head, not daring to take the money. The man carefully set the silver down on the ground instead, then helped the drunkard scramble away in disgrace with his friend.
Seeing they were gone, the woman in purple picked up the coins from the floor and took the pink-clad woman's hand, placing the money in her palm. "Whatever they owe you is yours. Don't be afraid."
The pink-clad woman nodded.
Ning Yuan stepped down from the performance stage, and the minor commotion came to an end.
Since it was over, Jinbao no longer needed to make the trip and sat back down in his seat.
The woman in pink picked up her veil, put it back on, and resumed her performance.
The light, lively melody began to play once more.
Yet Yan Tongshu could not tear her gaze away from the woman in pink.
So this lady wasn't a songstress of the Huihua Brothel after all.
Last time, when she had investigated Cao Jian's death by retracing the path he'd taken, she had gone to Huihua Brothel with Pearl and Jinbao and requested the same singing and dancing performance Cao Jian had been given.
Back then, she remembered there was also a pipa player who appeared to be in her early thirties. The woman had worn red and sat together with the other musicians during the performance.
At the time, Yan Tongshu had assumed the woman was another poor soul sold into the brothel, and that because of her age, she'd been relegated to accompanying music.
Now it seemed clear the woman was merely an ordinary freelance performer who went wherever the money was.
Yan Tongshu took out a tael of silver and gave it to the attendant, asking him to tip the two skilled musicians.
In this world, it was hard enough for women to make a living.
These two women, out there alone, roughing it just to survive, and performing at dangerous places like Huihua Brothel where all sorts of riffraff gathered—it was a terribly difficult line of work.
Yan Tongshu redirected her gaze, and just then, Ning Yuan ascended to the second floor.
He'd originally been dining in one of the private rooms upstairs and had only come down to discipline the drunkard because of the commotion. At the top of the stairs, his eyes landed on Yan Tongshu, a flicker of surprise passing through them. Immediately after, a warm and composed smile spread across his face, and from afar, he offered her a polite bow. Yan Tongshu gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, and only then did he head to his private chamber.
Ning Yuan, Hereditary Prince of the Yuguo Marquisate—graceful, refined, cultured. Everyone who spoke of him praised him: a gentleman of true scholarly integrity, free of any haughty aristocratic airs, a model of conduct for the noble sons of the capital.
From what she'd witnessed today—stepping forward to defend justice—he seemed indeed to match the capital's reputation.
After finishing her meal, Yan Tongshu walked out of the restaurant, Yuanzi perched on her shoulder.
The weather was pleasant today, too: no snow, bright sunshine—just right for a stroll.
Maybe she should go riding in the outskirts? She'd heard the Divine Guard Army was training outside the city today... it wouldn't hurt to take a look.
Or, she could visit Lord Qu Bai at his residence and have him finally deliver the few "artistic portraits" he owed her.
Oh, right—this year's New Year gift for Lord Qu absolutely had to be the biggest and most lavish.
Yan Tongshu was mulling over her plans for later when the pipa-playing woman in pink walked up toward her, face to face.
The woman still wore her veil, which shrouded her entire face, revealing only a faint, blurred silhouette.
The woman in pink gave Yan Tongshu a graceful bow. "May I ask—are you Lord Yan of the Kaifeng Prefecture?"
