A Private Meeting
Since the Emperor's birthday fell on the morrow, today's banquet had not been drawn out. Everyone was told to return home early and rest, for tomorrow would be the true celebration and birthday feast.
The moment they left the palace, Bai Jinchi began pestering Third Madam Li, declaring she would ride in Lady Dong's carriage with Bai Jingyan. Unable to win against her daughter, Third Madam Li laughed and suggested to Lady Dong that, since she had matters to discuss, perhaps the sisters should share one carriage.
No sooner had Bai Jinchi climbed aboard than she took a sip of the tea Chun Tao handed her, then began to grumble.
"The Emperor and the Crown Prince are shameless merchants. They hang a single plaque on our estate and call it a grand reward."
Bai Jinchi's cheeks puffed out in indignation. Watching her, Bai Jingyan reached over and patted her head.
"The estate was bestowed by Emperor Gao. It isn't truly the Bai family's. The Crown Prince was being thoughtful, giving us back the place where we grew up."
Bai Jinchi frowned, clearly unconvinced, and said as she rubbed her belly.
"Today's palace banquet was utterly boring. I couldn't even eat my fill."
At that, Chun Tao knelt to one side with a smile, drew an assortment of delicate, delicious pastries from the small box inside the carriage, and offered them to Bai Jinchi.
"Fourth Young Miss, this should hold off your hunger for a while."
Just then, the carriage came to an abrupt halt. Bai Jinchi furrowed her brow, raised the blind, and poked her head out to look. Seeing a relative of the Dong family step down from a carriage to pay respects to Lady Dong, she blinked in surprise, then turned her head toward Bai Jingyan.
"Big sister, it's the Dong cousins — our uncles and cousins from mother's side."
The Dong uncles and cousins Bai Jinchi spoke of were the children of Bai Jingyan's eldest maternal uncle, Dong Qingping.
Before long, Mama Jin approached the carriage and asked in a low voice.
"Eldest Young Miss, Fourth Young Miss — the Dong young ladies wish to invite you both to the lake for an outing. Madam asked me to inquire whether the two of you would like to go out and get some fresh air."
Lady Dong believed that Bai Jingyan and Bai Jinchi, having just returned from the sight of corpses and blood in the Southern Border, needed to lift their spirits.
She also hoped her daughters would remain close to her own family. Since her nieces were not at all put off by the matter of Bai Jingyan killing surrendered soldiers in the Southern Border, and had even invited her to the lake, Lady Dong saw no reason to refuse.
"Big sister! Please!"
Bai Jinchi's voice was pleading. She tugged at Bai Jingyan's sleeve, her eyes shining, begging as if her heart would break.
Bai Jingyan looked at her sister's pitiful expression and answered with a smile.
"Then, Mama, please tell Mother that Jinchi and I will be home a little later."
"Yes! This servant will report to Madam at once."
Mama Jin's voice was bright and cheerful. In truth, she had been worrying over what to do if the eldest young miss refused.
Lady Dong, still anxious, had sent Mama Jin along as well, and the Dong young ladies were delighted to hear the eldest sister would join them, hurrying over to Bai Jingyan's carriage.
"Big sister! Jinchi!"
Dong Zhengzhen lifted the hem of her skirt lightly and climbed into the carriage. Seeing Bai Jingyan, she broke into a wide smile.
"I meant to come see you and Jinchi yesterday, but Mother wouldn't let me — she said you two had only just returned from the Southern Border and must be exhausted. That you both needed plenty of rest! When I heard you'd be attending the palace banquet today, I came early and waited here. Thank goodness I managed to meet you both at last!"
Bai Jingyan was startled. She had assumed it was a chance encounter — had the girl truly gone out of her way to wait? She gazed at Dong Zhengzhen with a smiling face.
"All you needed to do was send someone ahead with word. Why wait here from morning, wearing yourself out?"
Dong Zhengzhen's eyes had gone slightly red. She took Bai Jingyan's hand and looked her over from head to toe.
"Big sister, were you hurt at all in the Southern Border? When Father and Mother heard you were going, they were beside themselves. They've been worrying day and night."
Bai Jingyan held Dong Zhengzhen's hand as she answered.
"I'm fine. Don't worry."
Unlike Dong Zhengzhen, who approached so familiarly, Dong Zhengyu and Dong Zhengfang were pleased, yet somewhat guarded in Bai Jingyan's presence — likely because of the sharp, intimidating air Bai Jingyan gave off without meaning to.
Still, they were children, and they played quite happily with Bai Jinchi.
The carriage swayed along as it left the city, and before they had even reached Lake Taoyin, the sounds of children playing could be heard from both sides of the road.
Dong Zhangsheng, Dong Qingping's eldest son, who rode ahead on horseback, watched the lively scene and turned his horse toward Bai Jingyan's carriage, asking in a low voice.
"There's spring in the air out there. How about coming out for a walk?"
Dong Zhengzhen raised the blind and glanced outside. Spring overflowed everywhere, bursting with life. She answered with a smile.
"Spring is at its peak. The peach blossoms and willows along the road are so beautiful. Shall we get out and walk a bit, big sister?"
"Big sister, it looks so fun out there. All the flowers have bloomed."
Bai Jinchi turned her head and stared at Bai Jingyan intently.
Even without Jinchi's pleading, Bai Jingyan would have turned back long ago — but gazing into her sister's earnest eyes, she glanced outside once more. The sunlight was warm and gentle. Thinking that she had brought plenty of mamas and guards, she nodded.
"Then let's get down and walk a while."
The moment her sister's permission came, Bai Jinchi was so thrilled she called to the driver to stop, then took Dong Zhengyu's and Dong Zhengfang's hands and climbed down from the carriage.
"Big sister."
Just as Bai Jingyan was about to step down, Dong Zhengzhen suddenly seized her hand. Drawing close, she whispered.
"Eldest Uncle asked Father and me to beg a favor of you — to let him meet you once in private. So please, big sister, don't be angry with me."
While Bai Jingyan was still bewildered, Dong Zhengzhen pulled her down out of the carriage.
Dong Zhangsheng and Dong Zhangjing, having dismounted and stood off to one side, greeted Bai Jingyan and Bai Jinchi.
"Hello, little cousins!"
"Cousin, have you been well? And Jinchi, have you been keeping well?"
Dong Zhangsheng had been born three months before Bai Jingyan, making him her elder cousin. From her mother, Bai Jingyan had already heard the news that Dong Zhangsheng would take the legitimate granddaughter of the Duke of Shoushan as his wife on the fifteenth of the fourth month.
After greeting Dong Zhangsheng and Dong Zhangjing, Bai Jingyan smiled and said.
"Mother told me you sat the examination this year as well. She said you achieved quite respectable results. With an official post earned and a bride to take, allow me to offer my congratulations."
"Thank you, cousin. You'd better make my gift a generous one."
Dong Zhangsheng had a gentle, refined face. He and Bai Jingyan had grown quite close, easy enough to trade jokes with one another.
Lady Dong had assigned Bai Jingyan and Bai Jinchi a great many maids and guards. Dong Zhangsheng, too, had brought a large retinue when taking his cousins out, so that at a glance it looked as though the young lords and ladies of a distinguished family had come out in grand style to enjoy themselves. The common folk playing along the roadside all took their children by the hand and cleared the way.
Bai Jinchi, holding Dong Zhengyu's and Dong Zhengfang's hands, ran wild ahead of them, snapping off blossoms as she went. Fragments of their conversation drifted back now and then — it sounded as though Bai Jinchi was complaining about being conferred the boring title of County Princess this time.
Dong Zhengzhen, holding Bai Jingyan's hand, spoke in a low voice, servants trailing behind them.
"Big sister, don't be angry with me over Eldest Uncle's affair! And don't tell your mother, either. Otherwise I'll be scolded."
"You knew you'd be scolded, and you still deceived my mother? Mama Jin, who serves her, came along too. Do I look like someone you can take advantage of?"
Neither anger nor delight could be read in Bai Jingyan's expression. Her tone was perfectly calm.
"Big sister, you don't understand — Eldest Uncle is so pitiful these days. He's grown pale and thin!"
Dong Zhengzhen felt sorry for her eldest uncle.
"Ever since you left for the Southern Border, Eldest Uncle hasn't had a single peaceful day. Master Lu of Dayu said he was certain to place first in all three examinations this time, but against all expectation, he barely managed to avoid failing entirely…"
Bai Jingyan had already heard from her mother that Dong Zhangyuan had nearly failed. Her mother had put it delicately, saying he had done poorly because he worried over her while she was in the Southern Border.
Chun Tao had said something about it as well — that when he first heard Bai Jingyan was ill, he had come to pay his respects several times, and once he learned she had gone to the Southern Border, he went to verify the news with Lady Dong and then declared he would ride south at once. It was only because Nuo Ping talked him out of it that he finally gave up.
Bai Jingyan thought of Dong Zhangyuan as nothing more than a younger cousin. She had never had leisure for anything beyond that.
"When Second Uncle and Second Aunt left, they entrusted Eldest Uncle to my parents. Now that you've returned, he insists he absolutely must meet you in private before the palace examination. Father and I felt terrible about it, and so — knowing full well it wasn't proper — we had no choice but to do it this way. Big sister, if you must blame someone, blame me!"
Dong Zhengzhen spoke with reddened eyes.
"But big sister, please don't worry. Aside from Father and me, no one knows. Everyone just thinks we've come out to play at the lake."
Bai Jingyan walked slowly beside Dong Zhengzhen, her eyes on the ground. She was beginning to think that Dong Zhangyuan was not the sort of man to become obsessed with matters of the heart.
Her mother had skirted around the truth, implying Dong Zhangyuan had done poorly on the examination because of Bai Jingyan — and Bai Jingyan had assumed her mother had said it out of a wish to see them match well together.
But thinking about it now, it seemed the real reason Dong Zhangyuan had done so poorly was that the talk of a marriage between them had stirred up conflict within the Dong household. That affair, it appeared, had affected him as well.
Dong Zhengzhen sincerely wished for Dong Zhangyuan and Bai Jingyan to end up together. More than anything, it pained her to see the dashing, ever-dashing young gentleman suddenly shrink into himself and grow melancholy.
"Big sister, do you see that pleasure boat with the red lacquer moored at the Lake Taoyin pier ahead? If you're willing to speak with Eldest Uncle, you need only board that boat with me. And if you're not… well, there's nothing to be done, I suppose. I've done everything I can for him. I only hope you won't be angry with me."
Dong Zhengzhen clutched Bai Jingyan's arm anxiously and gave it a little shake.
"Master Xiao!"
Dong Zhangsheng, walking at the very front with Bai Jinchi and the two younger girls, suddenly called out to someone.
Bai Jinchi let out an equally loud cry.
"Master Xiao!"
At the Lake Taoyin pier where the pleasure boats were moored, Xiao Rongyan's guards stood watch, blades drawn, keeping careful watch. Strangers with weapons concealed in their coats also stood scanning every direction, and the air about them made it clear no one was to approach.
Beside Xiao Rongyan stood a man nearly as tall as he was. Though his face was not clearly visible, he radiated an extraordinary presence.
The men walking ahead of Xiao Rongyan and the tall stranger were a dignified old man — beardless despite his advanced years — and a child of about ten, whose every gesture carried remarkable grace and nobility.
By the time Bai Jingyan lifted her head to look ahead, Bai Jinchi was already running toward Xiao Rongyan on the strength of her acquaintance with him, and Dong Zhangsheng, unable to catch her, hurried after her.
Before Bai Jinchi could draw near, one of the menacing guards barred her way.
At that, Xiao Rongyan turned with a smile and spoke to the man at his side.
"This is the Fourth Young Miss of the Bai family of the Zhenguo Duke Estate."
At the words "Bai Fourth Young Miss," the man standing beside Xiao Rongyan opened his mouth in a smile. His voice was as soft as a spring breeze.
"Pingyi, tell the Bai Fourth Young Miss to come here."
The guard who had been blocking Bai Jinchi so menacingly promptly stepped aside.