Chapter 008: Caught!

In the eighth month of Chang’an, the scorching sun blazed fiercely. While other courtyards in the Houfu bustled with lively clamor, the afternoon in Shuhai Courtyard was exceptionally quiet, with only the sound of wind rustling through flowering branches.

Shuhai Courtyard was the residence of Shiziye, exquisitely designed in every detail. A circular gate concealed strange rocks, winding paths led to secluded spots, liuli wind lanterns hung beneath the eaves, and a living stream was channeled through the courtyard, meandering like a flowing creek. A small bridge spanned a few steps across it, beneath which plump koi fish swam—truly an elegant and pleasant place.

Yet, despite its beauty, this lovely spot saw no one moving about. Even the side rooms here had their doors and windows tightly shut. Standing beneath the corridor eaves were not maidservants but eight tall, upright private soldiers. Each soldier had a dignified appearance, holding their swords with a stern demeanor, which inadvertently added a touch of menace to the picturesque gallery.

Inside the side room, there was no one else—only a timid, tearful daughter-in-law who wrote letters every day. Despite writing many letters, she dared not venture out to find someone to send them, so she wrote, tore them up, and wrote again, her cowardice evident from within.

Ever since that day when Pomu had stationed eight men at the front and back of her courtyard gate, Liu Yandai truly dared not even step outside. Each day, she only had meals delivered to her room.

She was such a timid and fearful Young Lady that even speaking to a man would make her flush with shame, let alone being guarded by them. Sometimes, when she glanced out the window and caught sight of a man’s silhouette, she would hurriedly retreat, kneel inside her bed curtains, recite the Admonitions for Women, and then pray sincerely to all the gods and buddhas, hoping that Pomu would repent and stop poisoning her father-in-law.

If the murder of a titled court official were discovered, Pomu would surely face death.

Today, as Liu Yandai was praying, she suddenly heard knocking on the wooden lattice door outside, followed by a voice calling out, “Reporting to Shizi Furen—”

Liu Yandai trembled inside the bed curtains, then lifted the golden-threaded green silk bed curtain and leaned out to ask, “What is it?”

The matron outside continued, “Madam has sent word, requesting your presence. She has important matters to discuss with you.”

Liu Yandai immediately scrambled down from the bed, rushing toward the door in a fluster, saying as she went, “I’m coming, I’m coming.”

Pushing open the door, she caught a glimpse of the private soldiers outside and quickly lowered her head to avoid looking at them. She then followed the matron out of Shuhai Courtyard and made her way to Shangyue Garden.

The walk from Shuhai Courtyard to Shangyue Garden took about three quarters of an hour. It was just past the hour of Wei in the afternoon, the height of a hot summer day. The sun was scorching, and after walking just a hundred steps, one’s back would be damp with sweat. Qin Chanyue, feeling pity for Liu Yandai, granted her a sedan chair carried by four bearers. The sedan was covered with a layer of silk to shield against the sun, and inside were placed chilled fruit drinks. After passing through the long corridor and lotus lake, the sedan arrived at Shangyue Garden.

Liu Yandai only alighted from the sedan upon reaching the entrance. As she entered the side room, a wave of coolness greeted her.

Qin Chanyue loved the cold; in summer, she filled the corners of the side room with ice vats. The cool air gathered into a faint, misty vapor. Upon entering, the oppressive heat around one’s body instantly evaporated, and the skin tingled with a slight chill from the temperature difference.

Liu Yandai looked up and saw her mother-in-law dressed in a pomegranate-red skirt, reclining on a low couch, using a silver-wrapped fork to pick at chilled watermelon. Upon noticing her arrival, Madam gave a slight upward tilt of her chin, signaling her not to bow in greeting, and then said, “No need for formalities. I have something for you to handle.”

Liu Yandai froze mid-bow, quickly straightening up and replying, “Whatever Madam commands, this daughter-in-law will carry out.”

Her purpose in coming to the Houfu was to serve her mother-in-law, so whatever Madam said, she ought to attend to diligently.

“These past few days—your husband has suffered quite a bit in the Ancestral Hall. I suppose he has learned his lesson. Take him back with you and look after him properly from now on.”

Qin Chanyue’s voice was low, not as clear and bright as a young girl’s but rather husky, like an aged guqin. As soon as she spoke, a melodious tone emerged, the tail end of her words lifting slightly upward. The phrase “look after him” carried a hint of something different, faintly tinged with mischief.

She was someone about to stir up trouble for amusement and couldn’t quite hide her gleeful anticipation.

But Liu Yandai didn’t pick up on it at all. Instead, she exclaimed joyfully, “Really? Has Madam forgiven my husband? Madam is so kind.”

With her husband released, she wouldn’t have to fret over those eight men every day.

Qin Chanyue’s fox-like eyes slowly narrowed into slits as she smiled, nodding cheerfully. “That’s right. Go fetch him.”

Liu Yandai left in high spirits, eager to bring her husband home and serve him well. During the days he was away, she had felt anxious and fearful. As long as her husband was around, her heart would settle back into place.

Qin Chanyue watched her depart with a beaming smile.

Sometimes, when Qin Chanyue was up to mischief, she couldn’t help but leave a few clues. But Liu Yandai was too dull to notice. Whatever Madam said, she did. Even when witnessing Madam’s misdeeds, at most she would weep and write a letter—too afraid to send it. Qin Chanyue dug a pit, and Liu Yandai would huff and puff her way into it, all the while thinking how wonderful Madam was.

From a certain perspective, this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair were quite well-matched.

—

After leaving Shangyue Garden, Liu Yandai made her way to the Ancestral Hall.

The Ancestral Hall of the Houfu was located in the southeastern corner of the estate, surrounded by green pines, symbolizing “everlasting vitality” and “eternal remembrance,” signifying the enduring legacy and unbroken lineage of the Zhongyi Hou Mansion.

The green pines stood tall, evergreen throughout the year. Resilient and steady, they endured heat and cold without complaint, growing unhurriedly. Over a decade, they had flourished, their canopies spreading wide enough to block the sky. Upon reaching the southeastern corner, there was no need for ice basins—everywhere felt cooler than elsewhere.

As Liu Yandai’s sedan chair approached the Ancestral Hall, Zhou Yuanting, who was confined inside, received word: “Why did Mother send her to fetch me? Any maid could have come instead.”

A nearby servant hastily replied, “Shizi Furen was overjoyed to hear she was to fetch you. She must hold you dear in her heart.”

Inside the Ancestral Hall, the proud young master struggled to rise from the soft mat spread on the floor, muttering, “That lowborn wretch is always trying to curry favor with me.”

As he moved, the wounds on his body throbbed with pain.

Some days earlier, his mother had punished him with twenty strokes of the cane. The servants of the Houfu dared not strike too hard, merely going through the motions, but his delicate, pampered flesh still bruised and bled on his back.

For the past few days confined in the Ancestral Hall, his trusted aides dared not actually make him kneel, instead finding ways to bring brocade cushions for him to lie on, allowing him to rest comfortably.

Now that Liu Yandai had arrived, he hurriedly tidied these things away.

“Yes, they say word came from Shangyue Garden. It seems Madam still cares for you in her heart—after all, you are her legitimate eldest son.” The attendant beside him quickly helped Zhou Yuanting kneel properly, whispering as he did so, “You should show some kindness to Shizi Furen. She came from Zhennan Wang’s side and is considered part of Madam’s maternal family. It’s only natural for Madam to favor her a bit. If you keep giving Shizi Furen a cold look, Madam will surely grow displeased.”

Zhou Yuanting, supported by the attendant as he knelt, flashed a hint of disdain in his dark, phoenix-like eyes.

“A country bumpkin—”

He sneered these words but ultimately said nothing more.

A moment later, Liu Yandai arrived at the Ancestral Hall in a sedan chair, and this time, she successfully entered its doors.

The Ancestral Hall was tall and imposing, with four pillars supporting the beams. Upon entering, one could see rows of black wooden memorial tablets, and kneeling beneath them was a scholar in white robes.

That was her husband, Zhou Yuanting.

Seeing Zhou Yuanting’s back, Liu Yandai softened her tone, standing timidly at the doorway and saying, “Husband, Pomu sent me to bring you back.”

Zhou Yuanting, kneeling on the prayer mat, remained motionless.

Liu Yandai hesitated, twisting the corner of her clothes, unsure of what else to say. The attendant nearby quickly prompted, “You must invite him again.”

If Zhou Yuanting rose and left after just one invitation from Liu Yandai, it would appear as though he were not sincerely repentant. Only after repeated invitations from Liu Yandai could Zhou Yuanting rise.

So Liu Yandai invited him once more.

This time, Zhou Yuanting, kneeling on the prayer mat, finally stood up. As he rose and turned, he caught sight of Liu Yandai standing at the doorway.

Liu Yandai was wearing a set of creamy white round-collar ruqun with a pink outer jacket. Her figure was plump and short, her cheeks full and fleshy, her waist and bosom round and ample, lacking any trace of elegance. When she saw him, she clumsily lowered her head without speaking. Looking at her face, Zhou Yuanting was reminded of the graceful crane that had flown through the window that night, bathed in moonlight.

In the deep stillness of the night, under the shimmering glow.

Where could she possibly compare to Bai Yuning?

Nowhere could she compare!

That she could marry him was a stroke of fortune accumulated over eight lifetimes. Otherwise, with her appearance and background, she would at best be suited to marry a coarse butcher.

The kind words that had been on the tip of Zhou Yuanting’s tongue simply could not be spoken. Instead, he snorted and, supported by the attendant, walked straight out the door. Upon seeing the sedan chair, he boarded it directly.

He was injured and could not take a single step, so naturally, he should be the one to ride.

This sedan chair had originally been prepared by Qin Chanyue for Liu Yandai, but now that Zhou Yuanting had taken it, Liu Yandai dared not utter a word, only bowing her head and walking slowly alongside it.

After just a hundred steps, she was already sweating profusely, yet she still dared not speak, only following with her head lowered.

But as they walked, she began to sense something amiss. Why were they heading toward the garden?

They should be returning to Shuhai Courtyard—Shuhai Courtyard was in the northeast corner, while the Ancestral Hall was in the southeast corner. From south to north, the path from the Ancestral Hall to Shuhai Courtyard was a straight line and did not require passing through the central garden.

Yet, being timid by nature, she thought to herself, “If we walk this way, so be it. A few extra steps won’t matter.”

They passed through a path flanked by emerald bamboo and entered the garden, just as they happened to pass by the Huage.

When Zhou Yuanting’s sedan chair arrived near the Huage, he heard the faint sound of a zither being played from within. The melody was so familiar that he immediately recognized it as Bai Yuning’s playing.

Was his Bai Yuning playing the zither in the Huage at this moment?

Zhou Yuanting had not seen Bai Yuning for several days, and now, upon hearing the music, he felt an itch coursing through his very bones. Without hesitation, he called out, “Stop the sedan!”

As soon as the sedan halted, Zhou Yuanting paid no heed to Liu Yandai following behind him. He simply tossed out the command, “All of you, wait here,” before striding briskly toward the Huage.