Deflection
Once her hair had dried, Nanny Dong gathered Bai Jingyan's thick, raven-black tresses and swept them up into a slanted, crescent-shaped coil, securing it with a white jade hairpin. Since Bai Jingyan was still in mourning, she changed into a silk skirt of white edged with silver, and over it draped a gauze-thin outer robe the pale color of a new moon, translucent as mist. Embroidered across the gauze in gold and silver thread, ginkgo leaves shimmered as they caught the light.
Restored to a woman's attire, Bai Jingyan had none of the dashing spirit she carried in armor — instead, she radiated a grace that was radiant and noble, yet gentle all at once.
"Eldest Young Lady. Guard Nuo Ping is waiting just outside the courtyard."
Chun Tao said, lifting the screen aside.
The last days of the third month had arrived, and the weather was turning warmer by the day. Bai Jingyan glanced at the brazier inside the room and spoke.
"Nanny Dong, have the brazier cleared away now."
"Yes, my lady!"
Nanny Dong answered with a smile.
Supported by Chun Tao, Bai Jingyan stepped out into the courtyard, where Nuo Ping came forward at once and bowed.
"Eldest Young Lady."
"Pingshu, let's talk as we walk."
"As you command."
Nuo Ping nodded and fell into step half a pace behind her.
"How is Qi Zhengyu?"
Bai Jingyan asked.
Nuo Ping pressed his lips inward, gripped the sword at his waist tightly, and answered in a low voice.
"When word reached him that the wife he'd married barely months ago had died so wretchedly, he left the Bai estate that very night. He said he was going back to hold her memorial rites, but he never returned. I went to him personally and told him that you had killed the second son to avenge the wrong done to him and his wife — and even then, he would not come back to the Bai family."
Bai Jingyan stopped abruptly and closed her eyes. Only after a long silence did she begin walking again.
So the Bai family has frozen Qi Zhengyu's heart to ice, after everything.
"And his body? What do the physicians say?"
"It was poison of some kind, so the damage to his body is severe. A full recovery like before is impossible, but fortunately he is still young — with a few years of careful recuperation, he should regain his strength properly."
Bai Jingyan nodded.
"He's only just returned, and there's a mountain of work waiting, so I'll go see him myself in a few days. Tell them to look after Qi Zhengyu well."
Qi Zhengyu had staked his life for the Bai family. She could not leave him to live out his days in misery.
Nuo Ping nodded.
"Madam Dong has already given the same orders. Don't worry, Eldest Young Lady."
Tomorrow the Emperor would hold a banquet at the palace, and after that came the Emperor's birthday. Even so, Bai Jingyan knew she would have to find the time to see Qi Zhengyu in person.
Yingyun, the maidservant who attended the Fourth Aunt, had just carried a bowl of pear simmered in sugar water from the kitchen when she spotted the Eldest Young Lady approaching Lishui Garden from far off. She hurried back into the courtyard and reported to Nanny Guan, keeper of the side chamber.
"Nanny Guan, the Eldest Young Lady is on her way to our garden."
By the time Nanny Guan reached the courtyard gate, Bai Jingyan had already arrived with Chun Tao in tow. Nanny Guan hastily gave Yingyun her instructions.
"Go quickly and inform the Fourth Aunt that the Eldest Young Lady is here."
"Yes!"
Yingyun answered and hurried inside.
Nanny Guan stepped forward to greet her.
"Eldest Young Lady, won't you rest a moment?"
Bai Jingyan smiled at her.
"Where is my fourth aunt?"
As she led the way, Nanny Guan explained that the Fourth Aunt had been unable to summon any vitality of late.
"She's had a slight cough recently, but she refuses to take her medicine, so I told Yingyun to have the kitchen simmer a pear in sugar water for her. I believe she's just about to take some now."
Having delivered her report, Yingyun stood at the entrance, bowed to Bai Jingyan, and raised the screen for her.
"Eldest Young Lady, please come in."
Inside the door, beyond a jade screen carved with birds beneath a silk canopy painted with lotus blossoms, the Fourth Aunt sat by the window on a red sandalwood daybed, dressed in a teal skirt patterned with wave motifs. She leaned against a small rosewood table, a thin quilt of floral print spread over her legs.
Madame Wang's face was haggard, the edges of her deep-sunken eye sockets bruised dark as though-shadowed shadows. Not a trace of life remained in her.
Spoon in hand, the Fourth Aunt gazed blankly through the slightly opened window at the trees in the rear garden, where tender green shoots were just beginning to sprout.
Bai Jingyan rounded the screen and called to her softly.
"Fourth Aunt."
Only then did Madame Wang come back to herself. She set her spoon down on the lid of the bowl, stifled two coughs she could not hold back, and pushed aside the quilt to rise from the daybed — but Bai Jingyan stopped her.
"Fourth Aunt, I've only a few words to say, and then I'll go."
Yingyun came in carrying warm tea, poured a cup for Bai Jingyan, and withdrew to wait outside the screen.
Chun Tao said to Nanny Guan with a bright smile,
"Nanny Guan, you asked me a few days ago how to embroider the floral pattern, remember? Yingyun, come along with me!"
The meaning was clear: the Eldest Young Lady had private words for the Fourth Aunt. Nanny Guan was hardly so oblivious as to linger. She quickly took Yingyun and followed Chun Tao to the sewing rooms.
"I brought back an enormous treasure from the Southern Border."
Bai Jingyan looked at her fourth aunt and smiled faintly.
"A'Jie is still alive!"
Madame Wang shuddered, and in an instant her eyes brimmed with tears. Mouth agape, she stared as though she could not believe her ears.
"What? A'Yan — what did you just say?"
"Fourth Aunt!"
Bai Jingyan took her aunt's hands in hers.
"You know well how the men of the Bai family met their fates in the Southern Border. That is why word of A'Jie's survival cannot be made known outside. Nor can A'Jie return to the capital at once. But Fourth Aunt — do not despair. A'Jie has hidden his name and will soon be reunited with our Bai Family Army. For A'Jie's own safety, this must stay buried in your heart and yours alone! You must never breathe a word of it to anyone!"
"A'Yan! A'Yan, is it true?"
Madame Wang wept aloud, her words tumbling out in fragments.
"You're not deceiving your old aunt, are you? Or am I dreaming? You — truly — it isn't a lie?"
No one could imagine what those months had been like for Madame Wang, who had lost all her sons to the Southern Border. She had dragged herself through each day like a soulless husk, thinking only of crossing over to the next world, where she would meet her husband and her children. And now Bai Jingyan was telling her that A'Jie still lived.
Bai Jingyan's own eyes reddened. She nodded, and a smile broke through with difficulty as she gazed at Madame Wang.
"I swear it on my grandfather's memory and my father's — A'Jie is alive. I would stake my life on it."
"I believe you. I believe you!"
Madame Wang clutched Bai Jingyan's hands tightly. Wiping her tears with one hand, she looked at her niece with a face twisted between laughing and weeping, unable to decide which it should be.
"A'Yan, thank you! Thank you!"
"So for A'Jie's sake, Fourth Aunt, you must take heart."
Bai Jingyan drew out a handkerchief and gently wiped her aunt's tears away.
"You must simply carry on as though nothing has happened! No one else can know! The fewer people who know, the safer A'Jie will be. Once we return to Suyang and settle in, A'Jie will surely send you a letter. When the right opportunity comes, he will be able to come back and see you again."
"I understand!"
Madame Wang nodded through her tears, her face turning grave.
"I do! I'll remember, I swear it!"
"Take your medicine when you're unwell. If your body gives out just as A'Jie returns, what then? It would break his heart."
Madame Wang clenched her teeth, forcing down the sobs that threatened to escape. She wanted to answer, but not a single word would come — so she only patted Bai Jingyan's hand again and again. She did not know how else to convey all the gratitude welling up inside her.
As she left Lishui Garden, Bai Jingyan heard Nanny Guan calling for Yingxiu to fetch a physician. She turned to look back at the garden once, then took Chun Tao's hand and walked home with a smile.
In Qinghui Garden, Bai Jinxiu had been waiting for Bai Jingyan a long while.
When her sister returned, Bai Jinxiu rose and greeted her.
"Sister. I was going to come by, and leave at once if you were sleeping — but they say you went to see Fourth Aunt?"
Bai Jinxiu was perceptive to the bone. The moment she heard that Bai Jingyan had gone to their fourth aunt, she knew there must be good news.
Bai Jingyan looked her second sister over and could not hide her dismay.
"Why haven't you gained any weight? You've grown thinner still."
"Eldest Young Lady, our Second Young Lady's morning sickness has been terrible since her second month of pregnancy — she lost a great deal of weight. Fortunately, Master Jin has cared for her so attentively that he's managed to coax her into eating. What you see now is her having gained back a little."
Qingshu answered.
"That's quite enough."
Bai Jinxiu turned to look at Qingshu.
Qingshu hastily retreated two steps and bowed her head. She had forgotten herself for a moment — this marriage had originally been the Eldest Young Lady's betrothal. But the two sisters were so close that she had spoken plainly, thinking the Eldest Young Lady would only worry otherwise; she had simply failed to consider how it might sound.
"Why glare at poor Qingshu?"
Bai Jingyan took Bai Jinxiu's hand and led her inside the room, speaking with a smile.
"Marriage is decided by heaven. Yes, you were once betrothed to Jin Lang, but in the end yours was never to be the bond of husband and wife — only the bond of brother-in-law and sister. So don't dwell on it."
Only by putting the matter out in the open like this could Bai Jinxiu be kept from brooding over it, or from skirting around it.
Bai Jinxiu paused for the briefest moment, then nodded with a smile.
"You're right, Sister."
Having served tea to the two young ladies, Chun Tao spoke up cheerfully.
"Nanny Dong said the Second Young Lady favors spicy foods, so she sent up a fresh sour jujube tea. Second Young Lady, do try it."
Bai Jinxiu took a sip.
"Mm, it's good. Nanny Dong really is thoughtful."
"Bring some sour plums."
Bai Jingyan said, lifting her teacup and addressing Chun Xing, who stood at her side.
"Yes!"
Before long, Chun Xing returned bearing a black-lacquered tray. On it, beside the sour plums, lay an assortment of exquisite seasonal pastries and a pair of silver chopsticks.
Chun Xing set down the refreshments, drew the partition closed, and left for the sewing rooms.
Only after she was gone did Bai Jinxiu let her impatience show at last.
"Sister — do you... have good news?"
Bai Jingyan nodded.
"A'Jie and A'Yun are still alive!"
The instant she heard it, Bai Jinxiu felt as though the lower half of her body had gone numb. She hastily pressed her handkerchief to her mouth to smother her cries. With tears welling in reddened eyes, she stood and paced the room again and again before asking once more,
"Sister — this isn't a dream, is it?"
Bai Jingyan took her sister's hands and guided her to sit down.
"It must never go beyond these walls. I've already told Jinchi to keep silent as well. It's enough that you and Fourth Aunt know. You must not tell a soul."
Bai Jinxiu nodded with all her strength. Then, quite unable to contain herself, she wept tears of joy.
After a long while, once she had recovered her composure, Bai Jinxiu finally drew out the letter Jindong had sent.
"This is from Jindong. By my reckoning, it's already been a full fortnight since she put out to sea."
Bai Jingyan had been in the Southern Border, where sending word was difficult — which was why the letter had come to Bai Jinxiu instead.
In her letter, Bai Jindong wrote that the journey she had just undertaken would take at least half a year, and that her next letter could not come until six months had passed. She wrote that everything was proceeding well, and that her only worry was for her sister in the Southern Border. And she urged Bai Jinxiu to look after the Bai family well — so that the sister in the Southern Border would no longer have to carry the weight of her family on her shoulders.