Bearing Thorns to Beg Forgiveness
Before climbing into the carriage with Chun Tao's support, Bai Jingyan cast a single glance at Jin Lang, who remained kneeling and refusing to rise. In her past life, she had never known that the heir of Duke Zhongyong, this very Jin Lang, was such a witless, spineless creature. No wonder he couldn't even protect his own wife!
Chen Gengsheng, whom Lady Dong had sent along to look after Bai Jingyan, calmly set a footstool down at her feet. Then he stepped respectfully to one side, bowed at the waist, and spoke.
"Eldest Miss, mind your step."
Chen Gengsheng was the nephew of the wet nurse who had served Lady Dong, and Chun Tao's elder maternal cousin. He possessed no remarkable talent — unless, that is, one counted as talent his gift for knowing every manner of person in Dadu City, high and low, in every trade and every quarter. And to Lady Dong he was devoted to the last.
The townsfolk who had come out to watch trailed after the Zhenguo Duke Estate's carriage all the way to its gates.
Lady Dong, having received word in advance, led the servants out herself and received the unconscious Bai Jinxiu at the entrance of the estate.
While the household bustled about carrying Bai Jinxiu inside, Bai Jingyan called Chen Gengsheng aside and gave him some quiet instruction. He nodded repeatedly, then vanished into the crowd.
That the Second Miss should have returned to her family home on the third day after her wedding — unconscious, unable to wake — carried back directly in the Grand Princess's own carriage, was a rumor that sprouted wings. Within a single hour it had become the hottest gossip in all of Dadu.
The most delicious part of it: Duke Zhongyong had upbraided the Bai family's daughters for lacking a woman's virtue, only to be struck speechless by the eldest daughter's retort.
In taverns, on the streets, even in the pleasure quarter, everyone spoke of nothing else.
"The eldest, second, and third Misses of the Bai family all marched to war alongside Duke Zhenguo himself! So what if they're women? Must a woman spend her life cooped up bearing and rearing children? A woman can stand tall as any man!"
"'So long as one breath remains, though our bones be ground to dust, the people and armies of Jin shall never suffer humiliation' — that's what they say! In all our great Jin, only the loyal and valiant Zhenguo Duke Estate could raise women of such spirit! As for Duke Zhongyong — hah! All he knows is how to bully another family's daughters while the men of the Bai house are away. It's an insult to the name 'Zhongyong,' and an insult to every man alive!"
"The Bai family is upright and honest to a soul, man or woman — every one of them bold, unyielding, and righteous in bearing!"
Now and then some drunken man would mutter that a woman's virtue lay in having no learning and no talent, that her proper place was quietly at home helping her husband raise the children — and even he would fall silent amid the chorus of praise for the Zhenguo Duke Estate.
Zhenguo Duke Estate.
Only three days after her wedding ceremony, the Second Miss Bai Jinxiu had hovered at death's door and been carried back to her family home without ever waking. The entire estate was taut as a bowstring drawn to full draw.
Servants came and went through the side gate in orderly procession, lanterns in hand, and no one dared speak above a murmur.
Second Madam Yu kept vigil at Bai Jinxiu's side, clasping her daughter's chilled hand, weeping ceaselessly as she called her daughter's name in a low, broken voice.
Outside the room, Imperial Physician Huang, head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, and his senior colleague Physician Hong debated what medicine to prescribe for Bai Jinxiu.
The Grand Princess and the madams of the Bai household stood guard over the second daughter's chambers with grim faces, waiting for the two physicians to deliver their verdict.
The third daughter, Bai Jindong, gazed at Bai Jinxiu lying colorless on the bed until the suffocating weight of the household drove her outside for a breath of air. It was then that she spied Chun Tao's elder maternal cousin, Chen Gengsheng, bowing respectfully beneath the eaves, speaking in a low voice to Bai Jingyan.
Chen Gengsheng caught sight of someone emerging from the room out of the corner of his eye and shut his mouth at once. He then took his place at Bai Jingyan's side with due reverence and bowed to Bai Jindong.
"Third Miss, my respects."
"Go on," Bai Jingyan said to him.
After returning his bow, Bai Jindong watched Chen Gengsheng hurry off, then drew close to Bai Jingyan and asked in a hushed voice, "Isn't that Chun Tao's elder cousin? What did you have him do, Eldest Sister?"
Bai Jingyan smoothed her fox-fur cloak and walked with Bai Jindong along the covered veranda beneath the eaves. She intended to attach Chen Gengsheng to Bai Jindong's service.
"Chen Gengsheng has a gift for making connections," she said, her voice gentle. "Teahouse keepers, tavern staff, shop stewards across Dadu — even the stewards and servants in the residences of high officials. If he sets his mind to it, there is no one he cannot befriend, no news he cannot unearth. When you leave home after the fifteenth of the first month, take him with you. He will serve you well."
"Eldest Sister……"
Bai Jindong's throat tightened. The memory of that day — when Bai Jingyan had laid out the Bai family's position with ruthless precision and shown her exactly where they stood — made her shoulders feel weighted with a thousand catties.
Only a short while ago, Bai Jingyan had instructed Chen Gengsheng to spread word of what had transpired at the gates of Duke Zhongyong's residence today — through the teahouses, the taverns, even the pleasure quarter. Her purpose was to burnish the Zhenguo Duke Estate's reputation for uprightness, honesty, and unbroken spirit.
It was a test of Chen Gengsheng as well. If he handled it properly, then he could be entrusted to Bai Jindong. And he had done the job more cleanly than even she had expected.
He had dropped not a single name from within the Zhenguo Duke Estate, spreading the story purely through the connections he himself had cultivated. His methods were so practiced and so airtight that not even he could be traced back to the rumor.
While Bai Jingyan was still talking with Bai Jindong, an old gatekeeper came hurrying through the gate of Qingzhu Courtyard, ran up beneath the eaves, and spoke to the maid there.
"Please carry word to Nanny Zhang. The heir of Duke Zhongyong is kneeling outside our gates with a thornwood branch strapped to his back — says he's bearing brambles to beg forgiveness, carrying the thorns used for flogging to atone for his wrongs. Nothing anyone says will move him, and he won't leave. The youngest legitimate grandson of Grand Commandant Lu and several other young gentlemen have come with him. They've all been drinking, by the look of them, and we servants don't know what to do."
Bai Jindong turned in surprise, but Bai Jingyan stood perfectly composed.
However great a quarrel between husband and wife, it was almost always settled when the man came calling at his leisure and made a courteous apology to the elders. A son of a powerful family carrying thorns to beg forgiveness for taking his wife home? It simply wasn't done — if word got out, it would shame the entire family.
Yet thinking on it more deeply, it made a kind of sense. Today's affair had spread far too wide; unless Duke Zhongyong's household showed proper contrition, it would not simply blow over.
When Bai Jindong thought of Bai Jinxiu lying insensible on her sickbed, fury surged up again until her eyes burned red. She spoke through gritted teeth.
"My second sister is hovering between life and death right now — and he'd been drinking! He drank, and now he comes bearing thorns to beg forgiveness? Isn't he taking us for fools!"
Bai Jingyan said nothing. Jin Lang had come — which meant there was still hope for him.
About the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Nanny Zhang emerged from the room and walked out with the old gatekeeper.
Bai Jingyan had expected as much. Her grandmother and Second Aunt would have conferred, and then sent Nanny Zhang to tell them to admit Jin Lang into the house.
He had bowed his head and lowered himself before Duke Zhongyong's household — and powerful families had no precedent for driving a son-in-law away in disgrace. For Bai Jinxiu's future sake, if nothing else, the elders could not leave him kneeling outside.
"Second Aunt! Have you lost your mind? My second sister is lying there half-dead, and you're letting that wretch into our Zhenguo Duke Estate!"
The furious voice of the fourth daughter, Bai Jinchi, spilled out from the room.
"I want nothing more than to march out there right now and whip him back the way he came — and you're letting him in?"
"Then what would you have me do?" Second Madam Yu continued in a voice thick with grief and indignation. "Your second sister is already a daughter of the Jin household. Powerful families have no precedent for casting out a son-in-law — do you mean to leave your own sister to live out her days alone?"
"My poor Jinxiu! I never sent you off to Duke Zhongyong's house for this! How were you to live, with a mother-in-law like that, sisters-in-law like that, and a husband like that? How are you to go on living now!"
Bai Jingyan busied her fingers with her hand warmer, hiding the reddening rims of her eyes. She had been lucky enough to be reborn — she would never allow Bai Jinxiu to live a lifetime of injustice. Bai Jinxiu was the sister she would protect with her life. No one — no one — would be permitted to hurt her.
"I'll drive him out with my whip myself!"
Bai Jinchi's enraged voice seemed ready to tear the very roof from Qingzhu Courtyard.
Bai Jingyan looked up to see Bai Jinchi stomping out, ready for a fight.
Third Madam Li hurried after her daughter, fearing she would cause a disaster, but failed to catch her. Waving her handkerchief frantically, she ordered the burly maidservants in the courtyard to restrain Bai Jinchi.
But Bai Jinchi had trained in the martial arts since childhood — a few maidservants could hardly hope to hold her. Far from stopping her, they were likely to taste her whip.
Bai Jingyan stepped forward, bowed with clasped hands to Third Madam Li.
"Third Aunt, don't worry yourself. Jindong and I will go — we won't let Jinchi cause a scene."
"Yes, yes, go on, Jingyan! Jinchi listens to you best of anyone! Jindong, look after your eldest sister, and hurry — bring that thoughtless girl back!"
Third Madam Li urged them on, flustered.
"Don't worry!"
Bai Jingyan descended the steps, took Bai Jindong with her, and strode swiftly toward the front courtyard.
The moment Nanny Zhang reached the estate gates, she saw Jin Lang kneeling there, a thornwood branch strapped across his back. Trailing behind him came the various young dandies of Dadu who counted themselves Jin Lang's friends — less an apology than a veiled threat.
Lu Yuanfeng, the youngest legitimate grandson of Grand Commandant Lu, favored Nanny Zhang with a grin and a half-bow.
"Nanny, we've come to bear thorns alongside our Jin Lang here. Thought we'd pay our respects to the Second Miss while we were at it. How is she faring?"
When Lu Yuanfeng, wine-sodden and foolish, made this spectacle of himself, Sima Ping, son of the Vice Censor-in-Chief, desperately yanked at his sleeve. Lu Yuanfeng had already been swaying on his feet, and the sudden tug sent him tumbling to the ground.
Sima Ping raised clasped hands to Nanny Zhang and apologized at once.
"Nanny Zhang, I beg your forbearance. Yuanfeng has had a bit to drink today."
Xiao Rongyan stood near a carriage some distance off, wrapped in a gray cloak. He had chosen an inconspicuous spot, yet his tall frame and an air that seemed to rise above the mundane world could not be entirely hidden, and eyes kept drifting toward him.
When he saw Nanny Zhang — the Grand Princess's own trusted maid — come out personally, the corners of Xiao Rongyan's mouth lifted in a faint smile. His deep, dark gaze was weighted, and calm.
There was a trace of wine about Jin Lang as well, though he was far from drunk. Knowing that Nanny Zhang spoke with the Grand Princess's authority, he bowed deeply.
"Jin Lang has come to beg forgiveness of Her Highness the Grand Princess and of his mother-in-law!"
"Help the young lord to his feet, quickly!"
Nanny Zhang gave the order to the attendant behind her.
The attendant bowed and hastened out from behind Nanny Zhang with quick steps, lifting Jin Lang up with every mark of courtesy.