Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Breaking Off the Engagement A fine drizzle like smoke shrouded the entire city of Chang’an. The sky was gloomy. A candle burned in its holder, and whenever a breeze blew past, the flame flickered, causing the stitches before Su Qingluo’s eyes to go crooked. By accident, Su Qingluo drove the needle into the tip of her index finger. A sharp, piercing pain immediately shot through her. Several bright red beads of blood fell onto the unfinished bridal gown in her hands, staining the embroidered mandarin ducks’ wings red. Blood on a bridal gown was highly inauspicious. Ziyuan, standing to one side, cried out at once and brought over a handkerchief to cover Su Qingluo’s wound. “Miss, it’s raining today, and the light is too dim. Why don’t you embroider another day? There’s still half a year left anyway. We have plenty of time.” Su Qingluo lowered her eyes without saying anything. Having served Su Qingluo for six years, Ziyuan felt that her young mistress had grown increasingly beautiful—or perhaps she had simply come into her looks. Her skin was as fair as jade, and her eyes were bright as autumn waters. The corners of her eyes tilted up slightly, giving her clear, lovely features just the right touch of girlish allure. With her slender, pale fingers, Su Qingluo gathered up her needle and thread, then said softly, “Then I won’t embroider anymore. We’re going out.” Ziyuan was surprised. This was unlike Su Qingluo’s usual way of doing things. Su Qingluo had been born into the Su family, the wealthiest household in Jinling. Unfortunately, her parents had died when she was ten, leaving her no choice but to seek refuge with her maternal grandmother’s family. Though she was not in her own home, the Old Madam treated her even better than her own granddaughter. Ever since entering the residence, Su Qingluo had been exceptionally considerate and had never wanted to trouble anyone. She was courteous even toward the maids and young male servants, and everyone liked her very much. She had never before done something like going out on a rainy day and inconveniencing others. Ziyuan could not help asking, “Where would you like to go, Miss? I’ll tell the coachman.” “To Jin’s Jewelry Shop.” Su Qingluo’s voice was soft, and she added considerately, “Give the coachman a little extra silver.” Ziyuan understood at once. So Miss still wanted to see how the jewelry for her wedding was coming along. No wonder. They left through the side gate and boarded the carriage without disturbing anyone. The carriage rolled slowly forward, but as they drew closer to Jin’s Jewelry Shop, Su Qingluo’s heart grew increasingly tense. “It can’t be true.” She silently reassured herself. The Lu family had always treated her well, and Lu Yan had always been very good to her. He would never do anything to betray her. Yet she could not understand why she had dreamed such a thing the night before. In the dream, she married Lu Yan and soon became pregnant. After she conceived, Lu Yan rarely returned home, using his preparations for the metropolitan examination as an excuse. She had always trusted him and had never suspected anything. That was, until she was nearing her due date. One night, she suddenly grew hungry and went to the kitchen to find something to eat, where she happened to overhear servants whispering among themselves. “So the mistress at the other residence gave birth to a young master first.” Something about it sounded wrong. Without revealing anything, she had Ziyuan and Nanny Mei tie up the servants and bring them in for questioning. Only after interrogating them did she learn that Lu Yan had set up a residence elsewhere and was keeping a mistress there. Furious, she immediately went there with others to confront him. There, she discovered that Lu Yan’s mistress was none other than his younger female cousin, Liu Yanran. No wonder the servants had called her the mistress at the other residence. And Lu Yan was not the only one there. His mother—and Su Qingluo’s mother-in-law—Madam Liu was there as well. When Liu Yanran saw her, she was startled and hurriedly hid behind Lu Yan with the child in her arms. Lu Yan gently patted her back to comfort her and said tenderly, “It’s all right.” Madam Liu was embarrassed for only a moment before she composed herself and said solemnly, “Since you’re here, that’s convenient. We should have told you about this anyway. Yanran has already given Lu Yan his first son. Naturally, we can’t treat her poorly. Yan’er intends to take her as a concubine.” Su Qingluo felt a wave of nausea. Judging by the timing, Lu Yan had probably settled Liu Yanran in a residence outside the household even before their wedding. That was why she had given birth before Su Qingluo. She had always been thin-skinned and had no idea what to do after being treated this way. All she could do was weep uncontrollably and demand, her voice hoarse from crying out, to know why Lu Yan was treating her like this. Lu Yan merely said dismissively, “Why are you being so unreasonable? What man doesn’t have three wives and four concubines?” “Haven’t I treated you well enough? I kept putting off bringing Yanran into the household out of consideration for your pregnancy. Do you know how much she’s suffered outside?” Every word made it sound as though she were the one at fault. She had never experienced anything like this before. Her heart ached as though she were dying, and the shock of her anger and anguish caused complications with her pregnancy. Already heartbroken, she then endured a difficult labor and was unable to deliver her child. She lay alone in a pool of blood, watching it soak through the bedding and run onto the floor, staining a wide area red. She heard Ziyuan’s grief-stricken sobs. Yet she could not wake up. She lay in a cold coffin, her soul drifting in midair, when she heard Lu Yan say gently to Liu Yanran, “Su Qingluo simply couldn’t bear such good fortune. Once a hundred days have passed, I’ll make you my wife.” How could he say such things right in front of her memorial tablet? Su Qingluo was so furious that she burst into tears, finally waking from the dream—only to discover that her entire body was drenched in cold sweat. Ziyuan was startled as well. After learning that Su Qingluo had had a nightmare, she immediately helped her change clothes, then brought hot water to wipe her down. After drinking some water, Su Qingluo slowly recovered, but the dream had felt far too real—so real that it seemed like something that had happened in a previous life. It was terrifying. She lay awake until dawn, only for a light rain to begin falling. She had arranged with Lu Yan for him to accompany her today to see how the jewelry for her wedding was progressing, and to pick out a few more pieces she liked. Instead, Lu Yan’s young servant Tingshu had come early that morning to report that Lu Yan had suddenly been invited out by a colleague and would accompany Miss into town another day. She nodded in agreement, but after Tingshu left, a vague unease lingered in her heart. She had originally planned to embroider her dowry to steady her nerves, but the unease in her heart only grew stronger. In the end, she had even pricked her finger. So she decided to go out. In the dream, soon after marrying her, Lu Yan had often met Liu Yanran in secret at Jin’s Jewelry Shop. When they were nearly at Jin’s Jewelry Shop, Su Qingluo pretended to be thirsty, got out of the carriage, and sent the coachman away. Then she took Ziyuan into Fu’s Teahouse, directly opposite the shop. She took a private room on the second floor and opened the window to watch the shop across the street. Two hours passed without anything unusual happening. Su Qingluo breathed a sigh of relief. She could not help feeling that she had been imagining things, and she was just beginning to find the whole situation amusing when she suddenly spotted Lu Yan. Lu Yan favored white. Dressed in lustrous white clothes and holding a folding fan, he came out with his arm around a beautiful woman, looking every inch the elegant young gentleman. Their manner was intimate. The woman was none other than Liu Yanran. Ziyuan was shocked and furious. “Miss?” Su Qingluo shook her head, signaling for her to remain silent. Lu Yan said something in a low voice. With his arm around the woman, he entered the teahouse. The two of them went upstairs and actually took the private room next to theirs. The rooms were far from soundproof. Lu Yan’s gentle voice came through the thin wall clearly. “You must be tired after shopping all morning. Rest here for a while and have something to eat. The pastries at this teahouse are quite good.” Liu Yanran’s voice was so cloyingly sweet that it made one feel sick. “I’m not tired. You’re the one who’s had to go to so much trouble. You’re about to get married, yet you still have to make time to accompany me.” “It’s only right that I accompany you.” Lu Yan asked gently, “Do you like the gold hairpin we picked out today?” Liu Yanran said, on the verge of tears, “I do. It’s the first gold hairpin I’ve ever received. Thank you, Cousin. It’s just a shame that once you marry, you’ll belong to another woman.” “Are you really jealous over that? Haven’t I belonged to you for a long time now?” Lu Yan seemed to chuckle. “Don’t worry. After I marry her, I’ll make things right by you.” Liu Yanran lowered her voice. “Then… will you come tonight?” Su Qingluo could not listen any longer. She felt sick. She abruptly rose and forcefully opened the door of the private room, striding out. With a bang, she shoved open the door of the neighboring room. Lu Yan and Liu Yanran were embracing each other, and Liu Yanran’s neckline was even slightly disheveled. When the two saw who had arrived, they were both startled and hurriedly separated. Lu Yan wore an astonished expression, with a faintly apologetic look on his face. He rose and walked toward her. “Qingluo, what are you doing here? Let me explain…” Su Qingluo’s entire body was cold, and her face was pale. She shook off his hand. “Lu Yan, we’re breaking off the engagement. Will you go tell my aunt yourself, or shall I?” References Mandarin Duck: Traditionally symbolize love, marital devotion, and fidelity. The blood staining their wings carries symbolic significance Three wives and four concubines: An idiom describing a man having multiple wives or concubines, not necessarily a literal number.