Chapter 2

After tending to her wound, Wen Yan found herself unable to sleep, so she simply had Qingyun bring a book and sit nearby to read aloud to her.

Qingyun sat on a small stool, her delicate voice shifting naturally to suit the changing characters in the story. Her earlobes were flushed, and her fair, tender cheeks were tinted with a deep rose. Though she was shy, her tongue was nimble, and she did not stumble over a single word. In her recitation, the tales of talented scholars, beautiful maidens, and haunting spirits seemed to come to life.

On either side of the lounge chair, two small stools were placed, each occupied by a seven- or eight-year-old maid. One held a dish of silver-thread sugar, while the other carried a bowl of cream custard, occasionally offering a spoonful to Wen Yan’s lips. Wen Yan lay on the lounge chair with her eyes slightly closed, her brows relaxed as she enjoyed the moment with serene contentment.

Early spring days are short, and by mid-afternoon, the sky had clouded over, turning the courtyard chilly. Even though Wen Yan had not been ill once in the past seven years, in the eyes of everyone in the Wen household, she remained that frail little "Wen Yan." Qingyun, in particular, could never forget the stern instructions she received seven years ago upon arriving at Cuihua Courtyard, warning her that the Third Miss was of delicate health.

She put down the book and hurriedly signaled the other maids to help move their things back into the house. Watching them bustle about, Wen Yan sat up slowly. No sooner had she risen than a cloak was draped over her shoulders, wrapping her in warmth. She looked up and met Qingyun’s worried gaze:

"Third Miss, please return to the room and add an extra layer."

Wen Yan did not refuse.

After sitting for a while longer, she saw that it was getting late, nearing the hour for the evening meal. Qingyun ordered a maid to run to the main kitchen, ensuring the dishes were prepared according to Wen Yan’s preferences. Thanks to the second daughter, Wen Ruqing’s, talent for business, the Wen family was now overflowing with wealth. In Xijiang City, they were truly both wealthy and powerful. Thus, no one in the household was ever denied anything in terms of food or clothing; for Wen Yan, having abalone and shark fin one day and bird’s nest with sea cucumber the next was not a problem at all. Wen Yan had always enjoyed the best, never once depriving herself.

-

After Wen Changning left behind those harsh words, she had not appeared before Wen Yan for several days. Wen Yan’s life seemed to have returned to peace, but given Wen Changning’s vindictive nature, the matter was clearly not over. She was likely waiting for a suitable opportunity to lodge a complaint.

Wen Yan had sized her up perfectly. Two days later, early in the morning, just as Wen Yan had risen, a maidservant serving under Lady Lu in the main courtyard arrived at Cuihua Courtyard with a message: Lady Lu requested her presence at the main courtyard for breakfast.

For the first ten years, Lady Lu’s heart had been set on her twins, and the young "Wen Yan" had received little of her mother's attention. Over the past seven years, Wen Yan had consciously distanced herself from the Wen family, making her relationship with Lady Lu even more estranged. After seventeen years of rarely thinking of her, why call her to the main courtyard today? It was likely that breakfast was just a pretext, and supporting Wen Changning was the real intent.

After washing and dressing, Wen Yan followed the maid to the main courtyard. The Wen residence was vast, housing many children. Because Master Wen was originally from Jiangnan, the construction incorporated the unique landscaping techniques of the region—pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and flowers were all present, making every corner visibly elegant and refined, possessing a distinct charm. Because Lady Lu loved peach blossoms, a grove had even been planted in the depths of the estate. When the weather warmed up in a while, the trees would bloom, creating a breathtaking scene.

If others had seen such beauty, they might have offered praise, but for Wen Yan, it was like a beautiful woman casting flirtatious glances at a blind man. She walked through the covered walkways, passed through the moon gates, and skirted the lake without ever glancing aside. Her pace was not slow, and even the maid could not help but cast a glance at Wen Yan’s slender back, beginning to doubt if this Third Miss was truly as frail as they claimed. No woman could walk so quickly if she were truly weak.

When they arrived at the main courtyard a quarter of an hour later, the maid’s feet were burning. Inside, breakfast had just been laid out, but Lady Lu was nowhere to be seen. Wen Yan crossed the threshold, wondering if she should sit down.

Just then, as if the person inside had heard the commotion, Lady Lu walked out from behind a screen. Though over forty, Lady Lu showed few signs of age and remained a graceful and elegant beauty. Wen Yan looked directly at her and called out, "Mother."

Lady Lu’s gaze swept over her face, revealing neither joy nor anger, before she took her seat, attended by her personal maid. "Sit."

Wen Yan complied. The two began to eat in silence, neither speaking a word. At Lady Lu’s age, she focused on nourishing her body and soul, preferring a blander diet. Wen Yan found the food tasteless and, having barely finished a bowl of lotus seed porridge, set down her chopsticks.

Lady Lu glanced at her. "Your health is poor; you should eat more."

Wen Yan replied with an "oh," but did not pick up her chopsticks again. Seeing this, Lady Lu did not press her. After a moment, she finished her own meal, took a cup of clear tea from her maid, and said slowly, "I heard you quarreled with your Fifth Sister?"

Wen Yan raised her eyes. "She told you?"

Lady Lu sipped her tea and set it down. "Your Fifth Sister is young, and everyone at home is fond of indulging her; her temper can be a bit willful at times. Do not take it to heart or hold it against her." Seeing that she clearly had more to say, Wen Yan did not interrupt and continued to listen. "A young girl is at the age where she loves to be pretty, and it is common to squabble over a silk flower or a nice piece of fabric."

Lady Lu looked at her and sighed suddenly. "But A-Yan, you were raised in luxury too. It is merely a bolt of cloth; even if it were worth a thousand pieces of gold, it is not worth speaking so harshly to your own sister."

Lady Lu felt this was a polite way of putting it, as she had not directly scolded Wen Yan for being petty. Wen Yan, however, found Wen Changning’s complaint quite skillful, capable of making Lady Lu view her in such a light. By avoiding the important and dwelling on the trivial, focusing all conflict on that bolt of fabric, it was no wonder Lady Lu’s dislike for her had become increasingly obvious over the years.

Wen Yan couldn't help but smile. "Is that what she told you?"

Lady Lu frowned, wanting to say something, but held back—likely because the words were not fit for polite company—before she spoke again. "A-Yan, the seamstresses from Qiluo Workshop will arrive at the hour of the snake to measure you for new clothes. The people from the Jewelry Pavilion will also come; when they do, see if there are any headpieces you like and pick a couple for yourself."

Wen Yan smiled and agreed, "Very well."

Breakfast was finished, and Lady Lu had subtly lectured her; Wen Yan felt she had sat long enough and thought it was time to take her leave. But before she could speak, Lady Lu added, "A-Yan, you are seventeen this year; it is time to consider marriage. In two days, I will send a governess to your courtyard; you must study well under her."

Wen Yan agreed readily, "Very well, just send her over."

Seeing her completely unbothered and smiling, Lady Lu realized that her words had fallen on deaf ears, and she felt a tightness in her chest.

"Is there anything else, Mother? If not, I shall return to Cuihua Courtyard," Wen Yan asked.

What more could Lady Lu say? "...Go on then."

Wen Yan stood, bowed, and turned to leave. She walked even faster on her way out than she had on her way in. Once she cleared the main courtyard, she said to Qingyun, "Hurry back and tell the main kitchen to prepare a breakfast for me." As she walked, she remembered something and added, "Remind them to add extra sugar to the bird's nest porridge."

Qingyun, hurrying to keep up with her as they rushed back to Cuihua Courtyard, replied breathlessly, "Yes, Miss."

Wen Yan hurried back to eat, but Lady Lu remained agitated long after she left. Dismissing the other servants until only her trusted maid, Nanny Wen, remained, she frowned and remarked, "How did A-Yan grow up to have such a temper?"

Nanny Wen comforted her, "It is a good thing that the Third Miss has an open-minded nature."

Lady Lu replied, "What open-mindedness? This is... a lack of decorum." It was clear Lady Lu had wanted to use harsher words, but as her own daughter, she did not want to apply such ugly labels to Wen Yan. After a pause, she continued, "If her temper remains this stubborn, she may be tolerated at home, but in the long run, she will surely suffer for it. If she cannot even be tolerant toward her own sister and speaks harshly over trifles, imagine the chaos she will cause if she marries into another family."

Seeing Lady Lu’s distressed face, Nanny Wen comforted her, "My Lady, set your heart at ease. The Third Miss is still young; she will improve as she grows older."

Lady Lu said, "She may learn her lesson as she ages, but as her mother, I always hope for the best for her."

Nanny Wen dared not respond to this. No matter what, the Third Miss was the mistress and she was the servant; the mother could speak of teaching her a lesson, but the servant could not. So, Nanny Wen simply handed Lady Lu a cup of tea.

After a cup of tea, Lady Lu’s expression softened, and she spoke again: "A few days ago, I was discussing her marriage with your Master."

Nanny Wen took the opportunity to ask, "And what did the Master say?"

Lady Lu said, "Since ancient times, there has been the saying that one should look up to marry a daughter off and look down to take a daughter-in-law. The reason Ru Xu’s marriage was delayed for so long was precisely because of this."

Lady Lu spoke vaguely, but Nanny Wen understood. The eldest son, Wen Ruxu, was twenty-two this year, but had only become betrothed before the New Year to the granddaughter of the Grand Tutor in the capital. The matchmaker had been Lady Lu’s own family, the household of the Minister of Rites.

The reason for such a complicated process was that Master Wen possessed talent but no understanding of the ways of officialdom. He had stayed in Xijiang City for over twenty years without rising in rank. Without a position in the capital, the family status was weak. Yet Lady Lu came from a prominent background, and she would naturally not look to Xijiang City for her son’s match. For many years, Lady Lu had suppressed Wen Ruxu’s marriage until he sat for the imperial examinations and achieved top honors. With her confidence restored, she turned to her own family to find a match, which finally settled the matter.

Wen Ruxu was different from his father; he inherited his father’s talent but was far more polished and flexible. Long before he grew up, Lady Lu’s father had seen his grandson and predicted his future would be limitless. Because of this, Lady Lu’s second daughter, Wen Ruqing, had also been betrothed early. Wen Ruxu’s future was bright, and Lady Lu had hoped the younger ones would benefit from his success, which was why she had delayed their marriages.

However, the temperament Wen Yan displayed was clearly not suited for a high-ranking marriage. Lady Lu, who was to be a mother-in-law herself, considered that Wen Yan’s frail health might lead to complications with offspring. Furthermore, with her strange and unruly nature, a marriage would lead to enmity rather than an alliance. These two factors had led Lady Lu and Master Wen to make other arrangements for her.

"His father’s intention is to find her either a talented scholar or a merchant with a stable family business."