Chapter 2
Qin Xiangyi was familiar with the He family and had heard of their young master. Naturally, the He family was the most prestigious match that the Qin family could secure for their daughter, so their careful attention was understandable.
Her elder brother had studied literature from a young age and thus did not inherit their father’s military position. Instead, he held a modest post at the Hanlin Academy, lacking influence in the court. People still respected the lingering prestige of the old general and maintained a cautious distance from the Qin family.
If the younger generation of the Qin family did not adapt soon, they risked completely severing ties with prominent households, becoming no different from the commoners resting outside the walls.
Qin Xiangyi sighed softly, admiring the golden thread in her hands. With this process finally complete, a spark of joy appeared in her eyes. She wondered how her niece Ling’er would find today’s meeting and hoped the marriage negotiations would proceed smoothly.
He Yanzhou was escorted to the main hall of the General’s residence, once the place where the old general received guests. The air was still imposing; the old general’s weapons hung proudly from the beams, proclaiming past glories.
Lady Qi, Qin Tianzhu, and the eldest matriarch together welcomed the eldest grandson of the He family.
He Yanzhou brought appropriately modest gifts—the formal betrothal had not yet begun, so the offerings were neither too grand nor too trivial.
Though the Qin family had meticulously arranged everything, from the perspective of a young master raised in a family of strict etiquette and noble lineage, there were still oversights.
For example, the servant who was about to step outside but accidentally tripped over by him, the tea served without proper brewing methods, or the maids who, due to the sweltering heat, wore loose clothing rather than formal attire.
He Yanzhou observed these details without a word, maintaining his own impeccable manners.
At least the hosts were dressed properly, unlike the servants who, citing the heat, wore casual silk clothes.
The three elders of the Qin family looked at He Yanzhou expectantly. His bearing was indeed impressive—dressed in a formal moon-white wide-sleeved robe, meticulously fastened with a crimson and white jade belt, not a drop of sweat on his face.
By contrast, the Qin family members, wrapped in heavy formal robes, were already drenched in sweat, as if in a steamer.
Only the eldest matriarch, Qin Tianzhu, Lady Qi, and her youngest son came to receive the guest. The three sisters remained hidden behind a screen, to be presented only after formal greetings and the commencement of marriage discussions.
He Yanzhou performed all the rituals flawlessly, his gentle and refined face almost always directed toward the eldest matriarch, responding warmly to all inquiries from the Qin family.
Respecting etiquette and following rules were ingrained in the He family’s upbringing.
He had every reason to carry out his family’s instructions with great care. The He family’s choice of a Qin daughter was a serious matter to be conducted properly.
After some conversation, Lady Qi was overjoyed—this was truly an excellent match. Were it not for the silent reminders from the matriarch and her husband, she might have disregarded the daughter’s modesty and insisted on immediately marrying her off.
He Yanzhou, sharp and perceptive, noticed all the subtle expressions and tensions within the family.
It was only when the matriarch said, “Very well, have the three girls come out and greet Master He,” that two younger maids escorted their eldest sister out from behind the screen. Apart from the tallest girl in the middle, the other two were visibly excited, stealing glances at their future brother-in-law.
He Yanzhou rose, folding one hand over his abdomen, smiling gently as his gaze swept over the three young women. They all bowed in return before taking their seats.
Though he showed no reaction, he assumed the tallest middle girl was the intended bride and noticed a faint reluctance on her face.
Yet he said nothing; her feelings were for her parents to address. He would focus solely on his role in the male side’s formalities.
He then signaled his attendants to present the gifts.
Three colored glass cups, intricately carved with floral and bird motifs, shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight, captivating the three sisters, each receiving one.
A double-sided jade pendant engraved with a tiger’s head was for the youngest Qin son.
A fragrant agarwood ruyi scepter, known for its calming and restorative properties, was for the matriarch. She clasped it lovingly, looking at her future grandson-in-law with warmth.
As for the remaining two silver-inlaid tourmaline mirrors, He Yanzhou pretended to look around and said, “I heard there is still an aunt residing here. It is my oversight not to pay respects to her today. These two mirrors are gifts specially for Lady Fu and Aunt Qin. Lady Qi, please kindly deliver them. I am deeply grateful.”
At these words, the Qin household’s expressions shifted noticeably. The mention of “an aunt still residing” was a blow to both the matriarch and Lady Qi, who felt embarrassed.
He Yanzhou ignored this, focusing on fulfilling his duties perfectly. The He family had thoroughly investigated the Qin household before sending him; how the aunt fared was not his place to judge. As a junior, he was to show respect to his elders.
Having presented the gifts and completed the formalities, he had no reason to linger longer, despite Lady Qi’s several invitations to stay for a meal or spend more time with Miss Qin Yuling.
Neither extending the meal nor lingering with the betrothal candidate was proper etiquette.
“My parents await my return to report today’s matters. I also wish to promptly inform my elders at home. Please forgive me for not staying longer,” he said reasonably.
Lady Qi, eager to advance the marriage process, agreed, hoping he would soon return with a matchmaker to formalize the arrangement.
Qin Xiangyi had spent the entire morning in Chunji Courtyard. Unless summoned by the palace, she could spend the day surrounded by golden threads, silver wire, and jade treasures.
At that moment, she was winding golden thread around a hairpin—an easy task for her, done leisurely. Qiansong brought her a cup of tea and softly said, “Miss, the palace’s Consort Shu just sent word that the Empress’s butterfly hairpin with inlaid pearls has lost a bead. No one in the Treasure Department can repair it. Tonight, since the Emperor will be attending Consort Shu, she is anxious to have it fixed.”
Only Qin Xiangyi could repair such items.
Her mastery of this craft was why she dared to defy everyone’s objections and leave her marriage.
She set aside her work, carefully cleaned her hands with a cloth, and donned the formal eighth-rank uniform of the Treasure Department. Her movements were swift yet composed.
In an instant, she ordered Qiansong to carry the wooden box of tools: “Let’s head to the palace.”
Qiansong followed with the box. The pair’s every step was calm and purposeful, as if such sudden palace errands were routine. Their silhouettes, clad in jade-green robes, moved back and forth between the palace and the secluded courtyard of the General’s residence with unvarying precision, flowing like smoke in the wind, a scene in itself.
Qin Xiangyi had no knowledge of how the meeting with He Yanzhou had gone or when he had left.
She walked her own path without concern for family demands to avoid being seen, lest embarrassing matters arise.
In her heart, she always carried herself with dignity and poise.
As Lady Qi and the matriarch escorted He Yanzhou out, they happened upon Qin Xiangyi leaving.
She walked ahead, mistress and servant in measured steps, her skirt swaying like flames scattering without a trace of ember.
She was unaware of those behind her and paid them no mind.
When the Qin family gathered around He Yanzhou near where she had just passed, all wore expressions of varying complexity.
They eagerly sought to gauge He Yanzhou’s reaction, but he remained unreadable. His eyes caught a daisy brushed by her skirt, still gently swaying. He had not expected such a woman in this otherwise unremarkable Qin family.
Wearing the Treasure Department uniform, her collar buttoned to the neck despite the blazing sun, she outshone everyone present in terms of etiquette.
Without introduction, He Yanzhou knew she was the divorced aunt who had returned home.
Her posture and gait were flawless; even his meticulous gaze, sharpened by years in the Censorate, could find no fault.
He habitually scrutinized everyone around him with exacting standards, but that did not mean he demanded the same from others.
As a Right Vice Censor in the Censorate, his eyes were like rulers when examining official conduct—and the same when observing women.
Though Miss Qin Yuling failed to meet his standards in many ways, he still left a polite remark: “Miss Qin is quite admirable. I will faithfully report this to my parents.”
The Qin family breathed easier at his omission of Qin Xiangyi, whose presence might have caused further embarrassment.
Since he did not mention her, they would pretend she had not been seen.
Warmly, the family saw He Yanzhou off to his carriage.
Only after the carriage vanished from sight did they turn back.
Lady Qi poked her eldest daughter’s forehead: “Why do you always look so dazed? Such a good match is right in front of you. What more could you want?”
Qin Yuling lowered her eyes silently, a flicker of disdain flashing within. She struggled several times to speak but held her tongue.
Lady Qi then grumbled to the matriarch, “Mother-in-law, didn’t we agree not to let her out? Now He Yanzhou has seen her, and I don’t know how we’ll explain this to the family.”
Qin Tianzhu, displeased with his wife’s constant antagonism toward his sister, said, “He only saw a back view. What’s there to explain?”
The matriarch cast a cold glance at both and said, “Enough. The He family values propriety. The matter is settled today, so don’t worry about it. Instead of making things difficult for Xiangyi, why not teach your own daughter proper manners before she marries, so she won’t embarrass us elsewhere?”
After the matriarch left, Lady Qi snorted heavily and muttered, “Her own daughter’s manners are so poor, yet she dares to scold us. No matter how unruly Yuling is, she would never be as disgraceful as Qin Xiangyi.”
Qin Tianzhu sighed and glanced at his wife: “Xiangyi has faults, but you need not always speak so harshly.”
Lady Qi paid no heed. Her husband was weak and would only defend his sister with a few words at most. Besides, she believed she was right.
The damage Qin Xiangyi’s reputation had done to the prospects of the family’s three daughters was enough to owe her a lifetime of grievances.
Meanwhile, He Yanzhou had returned to the He family. Before confirming a match, marriage was a matter for the entire clan. After the decision, the formalities were minor.
When he greeted his grandfather and the clan elders, he brought a message indicating the process was proceeding normally.
“Your intended bride’s family once held high hopes for this alliance. But with the court’s undercurrents, the clan now wants you to step back in the marriage. After all, a man’s success depends on himself. Dragging other families into this affair would only bring trouble. The Qin family, destined for decline, is the best choice. Yanzhou, I hope you understand the clan’s decision.”
The venerable He Grand Tutor, who had served three generations of emperors, felt some regret in arranging such a wife for his eldest grandson.
“But at least the Qin family’s reputation is decent. The Emperor himself respects the old general’s merits. Remember, as long as your wife’s family does not hinder you, that is enough.”
Whether the Qin family would become a burden, He Yanzhou did not know. Suddenly, he recalled the divorced aunt from the Qin family that his clan had investigated.
The elders had unanimously concluded, “She is harmless.”
After all, when they mentioned her ex-husband, none could hide their displeasure, waving their hands in dismissal: “The daughter of General Qin divorced him? I have nothing more to say. Good riddance.”