Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Determined to Break Off the Engagement Although Lu Hengzhi was the nominal legitimate son of the first branch, most of the time he lived in the small courtyard on Eight-Tiao Hutong. It was close to the palace, quiet, and convenient for attending court. He only returned to stay at the Lu family home for a few days around each monthly court recess. He was exceptionally strict, so whenever he came back, the servants were on their toes as if facing a great enemy. By comparison, Su Qingluo’s standing in the household was truly insignificant. She had someone bring hot water so she could wash her face, then changed into clean clothes. The oil-paper umbrella was white and inconspicuous, but she still didn’t dare leave it out. She asked Ziyuan to hang it up inside to dry. She also put the cloak away herself, planning to wash and dry it discreetly on a fine day, then return it along with the umbrella. Though her conscience was clear, she couldn’t risk anyone else seeing these things, lest someone with ulterior motives make trouble over them. After all that fuss, she had missed lunch. Tired and hungry, Su Qingluo no longer had the energy to feel sad over Lu Yan. But it was already past mealtime, and she didn’t want to trouble everyone, so she made do with a few pastries. They were too sweet and rich; after one, she couldn’t eat any more. She had no heart to embroider her wedding dress, so she thought she would pass the time by stitching a sachet. Before long, she heard an unfamiliar young servant outside calling for Sister Ziyuan. Ziyuan went out and returned shortly afterward with a food box, setting it on the table. “Song Wen, who serves Third Master Heng, brought this himself.” Su Qingluo looked surprised. “Third Master Heng? Why would he send me anything?” “Song Wen said Third Master Heng specifically instructed him to. Since you got caught in the rain, a bowl of ginger soup and a plate of chicken-juice buns would be just the thing.” “Chicken-juice buns?” Su Qingluo hurriedly opened the food box. On the top was a steaming bowl of chicken soup, and beneath it, sure enough, was a plate of buns. Their familiar fragrance wafted up. They were a specialty of Jinling, and her favorite. She hadn’t eaten them once since coming to the Capital. She hadn’t expected Lu Hengzhi to send them to her. How had he known she’d missed lunch? And the ginger soup… Su Qingluo was ravenous, and these were buns she loved but hadn’t tasted in ages. She figured Lu Hengzhi had simply happened to see her getting soaked and sent them as a kind gesture. Thinking no more of it, she and Ziyuan quickly polished them off. Once she had eaten her fill and regained her strength, she decided to go find her maternal aunt, Madam Liu, and break off her engagement. She thought that afternoon was the perfect time. Lu Hengzhi had just returned, and everyone’s attention was on him. Bringing up the engagement now wouldn’t draw too many people into it. The rain still hadn’t stopped, and the sky outside was dark. Su Qingluo took an umbrella, while Ziyuan carried a glass lantern. Together they went to Second Aunt’s rooms. Second Aunt was going over the accounts with her senior maid, Yingyue. When she saw Su Qingluo enter, she hurriedly beckoned her over. “Qingluo, come here. It’s the perfect chance for your aunt to teach you how to manage a household. Once you marry into this family, I’ll be able to hand all these household affairs over to you.” Second Aunt was a smiling tiger, always good at saying what people wanted to hear. She loved power and money; she would never hand over the household so soon. Su Qingluo smiled and nodded, then waited patiently at the side until Second Aunt finished checking the accounts. Only then did she say quietly, “Aunt, there’s something I’d like to speak to you about.” Second Aunt gave her a smiling glance. “What is it that sounds so serious?” Even so, she dismissed everyone else from the room. Su Qingluo got straight to the point. “Aunt, I want to break off my engagement to Lu Yan.” Second Aunt paused, but her smile didn’t falter. She took Su Qingluo’s hand. “Why would you suddenly want to break off the engagement? Did Lu Yan upset you? Don’t worry. I’ll teach him a lesson for you.” Second Aunt had always sided with Su Qingluo in words, but in her heart she stood with her own son. Besides, Liu Yanran was her niece. Her home was only a street away from the Lu Residence. Without Madam Liu’s tacit approval, how could Liu Yanran have gotten involved with Lu Yan? Su Qingluo shook her head. “Aunt, I went to Jin’s Jewelry Shop today to look at jewelry. I happened to run into Lu Yan and Miss Liu at a teahouse. They were very familiar with each other; it was obvious they’d been seeing one another for a while. Since Lu Yan likes Miss Liu, I’m willing to let them be together.” Second Aunt’s expression changed. “Don’t worry. Your aunt will see that justice is done. Breaking off an engagement is no small matter. Let me find out what happened first, and I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.” Su Qingluo nodded. She hadn’t expected to settle the matter that very day, so she left. As she stepped out, she heard Second Aunt order a maid angrily, “I don’t care what the Young Master is doing. Go bring him here at once!” It sounded as if the order had been staged for her to hear. After returning to her room, Su Qingluo suddenly realized her sachet was missing. She retraced her steps all the way back, but couldn’t find it. Could she have left it in Second Aunt’s rooms? She returned to the entrance of Second Aunt’s courtyard. Two older maids guarding the gate were drinking and gambling. When one saw her approach, she immediately got up to go announce her arrival. Su Qingluo had never liked troubling even the Lu family’s servants. She quickly said softly, “Go on with your game. I’ve only lost a sachet; I’ll go in and look for it myself.” Su Qingluo often visited Second Aunt’s courtyard, and she was engaged to Lu Yan. The maid thought there would be no problem, so she accepted her consideration, thanked her, and sat back down. Once inside, Su Qingluo didn’t disturb Second Aunt. She quietly asked her senior maid, Yingyue, whether she might have dropped the sachet there and asked her to help look for it. Yingyue searched inside but couldn’t find it. Thinking that Su Qingluo would soon be the young mistress of the household and that it was best to stay on her good side, she brought two young maids to help search. Then Su Qingluo remembered, “Perhaps I left it in Old Madam’s courtyard. I’ll go look there.” So they split up to search. They found nothing in Old Madam’s courtyard. When Su Qingluo returned to Second Aunt’s, Yingyue and the two young maids still hadn’t come back. Su Qingluo was about to go look for them when a piercing voice came from inside Second Aunt’s room— “How could you be so careless? Didn’t I tell you to do whatever you wanted once Su Qingluo had married into the family? And now you’ve gone and caused this kind of trouble?” “Tomorrow, you’re going to apologize to Qingluo. Get down on your knees if you have to, and beg her to forgive you!” Su Qingluo was surprised. She hadn’t expected Second Aunt to value her more than she’d thought. But then came the next words: “Do you know her dowry alone includes three hundred thousand taels in cash? And that’s not even counting the fields and shops. Marrying her would feed everyone in the Earl of Yongshun’s Residence for the rest of our lives.” “No matter what it takes, you have to keep her sweet.” “You’ve said that eight hundred times already.” Lu Yan’s voice held a note of indifference. “Don’t worry. Su Qingluo is simple and softhearted. I’ll talk her around tomorrow.” Su Qingluo went cold all over. She hurried out of the courtyard and staggered back. So that was it. That was the real reason Lu Yan had treated her well all these years. More than disgust, she felt grief. She had thought Lu Yan had merely become fickle and fallen for another girl. It had never occurred to her that he had only approached her with an ulterior motive from the very beginning. When she first came to the Lu Residence, her maternal grandmother had personally raised her for two years. Later, as her grandmother grew old and her energy waned, she specifically asked Madam Liu of the second branch to look after Su Qingluo. She had also hoped to bring Su Qingluo and Lu Yan together. Over the years, even though Madam Liu had always kept her at arm’s length, Su Qingluo had truly treated them as family and devoted herself to them. When Madam Liu was ill, Su Qingluo had personally cared for her without sleeping or resting. Every piece of clothing and every sachet Lu Yan wore had been sewn by Su Qingluo, stitch by stitch; she had never asked a maid to do it. Whatever fine things came from the shops, she always set aside for them first. She had only wanted them to become her family, because she had no other family left in this world. She had never expected all her devotion to be repaid with such ingratitude. They saw her as nothing but a fat lamb waiting to be slaughtered, eager to skin her, tear her apart, and leave not a scrap of bone. Was it because she was unworthy? Because she wasn’t good enough? Su Qingluo was so heartbroken that she had little appetite for dinner. After nightfall, the rain outside the window gradually stopped. In a foul mood, she draped a cloak over her shoulders and walked to the little garden in the rear courtyard. There was no one in sight. The rain had just stopped, leaving the air cold and damp. Su Qingluo could hold back no longer. She crouched in front of a flower bed and sobbed quietly. She missed her father and mother so much. If they were still alive, she wouldn’t be in such a predicament. The night was deep, and the dew grew heavy. Suddenly, a cool voice came from above her. “Why are you crying again?” Su Qingluo looked up in surprise. In the pavilion, Lu Hengzhi sat leaning against the railing, looking down at her. His expression was impossible to make out in the gloom, but his tone sounded displeased, almost angry.