The boat stirred the surface of the water.
The water splashed and murmured.
I stood at the ferry crossing and asked in shock, “What did you say?”
He smiled, then closed his mouth, only looking at me with a bitter expression.
The hazy evening glow dyed the distance between us in a dusky yellow. The boat drifted slowly northward; he grew farther and farther from the ferry crossing, farther and farther from me. Until that boat became a tiny black dot upon the river, gradually vanishing from sight.
My impression of people’s faces has always been very deep. If I had seen him before, I should have remembered. Yet when I carefully thought through all the people I had met in my life, none had his appearance. Just when, then, had he seen me?
Had he made it up?
But there was no need to put on an act over such a thing. Even if we had once known each other, what benefit would that bring him? I was only an ordinary commoner, while he already held power in his hands.
After standing dazed at the ferry crossing for a while, I boarded the carriage and returned to the Cheng residence.
The Third Young Miss happened to have just returned as well.
She was dressed especially charmingly today.
She wore a lake-blue brocade dress, orchids embroidered on the cuffs, her hair arranged in a flowing-cloud coiffure. Two little braids hung down before her chest, a silver moon hairpin adorned her hair, and a thin touch of rouge colored her lips.
“Second Sister-in-law—” She raised her head and called to me.
Only then did I see the disappointment on her face.
I took her hand. “Qingshi, what’s wrong?”
“At Qionghua Temple today, there was a poetry contest. I—I—I prepared for so long. I went there early this morning…”
I remembered the matter.
That day, at the shop counter, she had invited Qin Mingxu to the poetry contest.
I stroked her braid. “There must have been many young talents from Yangzhou Prefecture at the poetry contest. With Qingshi’s beauty, I’m afraid many young masters must have come forward to strike up a conversation.”
She leaned dejectedly against my shoulder. “What is interesting about those people? The one I wanted to attract didn’t come. Second Sister-in-law, Mingxu-ge was so strange today. He had clearly come, but after glancing around beside me, he hurried away again. What did he mean by that? Was this outfit not to his liking?”
“Perhaps something suddenly came up.” I comforted her. “Qingshi looks very beautiful dressed like this. Even Chang’e in the moon would be no more than this.”
“Really? Second Sister-in-law.”
She spun in a circle, her lake-blue skirt flying up like flowing water.
“Second Sister-in-law, Mingxu-ge’s mother’s birthday is coming soon. When the time comes, Mother will take me to attend the birthday banquet. What should I give her?” she muttered. “The Qin family is wealthy; Madam Qin must lack for nothing. Jewelry, silks and satins—none of it is novel…”
I thought for a moment and said, “I will paint a picture of peonies. You can take it to offer birthday congratulations. As the saying goes, when peonies bloom, wealth and honor naturally come. Peonies are dignified and graceful; I imagine someone of Madam Qin’s age would like them.”
The Third Young Miss smiled happily. “Good. Second Sister-in-law is so kind.”
She shook my arm.
I let out a breath.
In that case, the painting of peonies Qin Mingxu had asked me to make need not be delivered to him by my own hands.
I could avoid suspicion, keep my promise, and fulfill the Third Young Miss’s wish all at once.
Just then, Cheng Huaishi was seeing his friends out and had walked into the courtyard.
The Third Young Miss flew over like a skylark and said excitedly, “Second Brother! Second Brother! You’re back! Do you know? Back then, everyone said you were dead, but I was certain you weren’t! They all thought I was talking nonsense. Hmph, I wasn’t. Second Brother is the most capable person under heaven—how could you die? Even the King of Hell wouldn’t dare take you!”
She cried and laughed at the same time.
Cheng Huaishi patted her head dotingly. “All right, you’re already a grown young lady, yet you’re still crying.”
The Third Young Miss said, “Second Brother, do you know? Mother married you to Second Sister-in-law. Second Sister-in-law is the very best person. You absolutely must not bully her!”
Cheng Huaishi looked at me gently, then said to the Third Young Miss, “All right.”
A maidservant came forward and led the Third Young Miss away to change her clothes.
She went off cheerfully.
The scholars had all left as well.
In the courtyard, only Cheng Huaishi and I remained.
The lingering warmth of the setting sun.
Two branches of winter plum.
He slowly walked toward me. After a long while, he asked, “Are you cold?”
Earlier in the north courtyard, I had not yet had time to speak with him.
Now, when I opened my mouth, I did not know what to say.
The guesses from before I married, the worries that had tugged and tangled through these days, wove together and became the person before my eyes.
After a long time, I shook my head.
The first time we met was at the ferry crossing. He wore a mask and set a blade against my neck.
The second time we met was in the storeroom. He hid the petition in the tea, and I barged in head-on.
Only now were we truly facing each other as husband and wife.
At last, he no longer had to wander in exile and hide in the shadows.
At last, I no longer had to live in constant fear, restless even as if drinking ice.
In the courtyard of the Cheng residence, as we stood face to face, my affections seemed, along with the slowly descending night, to have found the safest and most fitting place to belong.
He curled his hand into a fist, lifted it to his lips, and gave a soft cough. “You went out just now. Where did you go?”
“I… went to the ferry crossing.”
“What did you go to the ferry crossing for?”
I mumbled, not knowing whether I should say it. He had always loathed the Eastern Depot. If I spoke Feng Gao’s name, I feared he would be displeased. He and I were still newly wed; I did not wish to create needless friction.
“I went to the ferry crossing to see whether today’s cargo boat bound for Nanyue had departed smoothly.”
I lied.
He suddenly took my hand and led me into the residence.
His fingertips were cool and damp, like flowers in a garden after rain, on the verge of sleep yet not asleep.
We walked all the way to the west courtyard and entered the room.
Héhua heard the movement and came forward to greet us. Seeing the situation, she looked somewhat embarrassed and silently closed the door.
Inside the room, half of an unfinished painting still lay spread across the desk.
He looked at me, a complicated expression on his resolute face.
I leaned against the desk.
The lamp had not yet been lit.
Only a faint remnant of daylight passed through the window lattice.
On the bookshelf, the books he usually loved to read were arranged neatly.
The scent of Hui ink mingled with the fragrance of tea on his body, wrapping around me.
He said, “I heard from Mother that my safe return was all thanks to your maneuvering.”
“It is enough that you returned safely.”
I lowered my head and said.
“Do you know that we Jiangnan scholars are filled with the will to serve the country, unwilling to see the realm sink deep into the mire, wishing to uproot the Eastern Depot and return peace and clarity to the world?”
He leaned close beside me.
His eyes were so clean, so fervent.
“Prefect Liu colluded with the Eastern Depot and embezzled the official grain, yet he framed Lord Xun for it. Poor Lord Xun, a man of upright integrity, a loyal and good official, was unjustly wronged to death. After Lord Xun died, I rescued his orphaned child and went everywhere collecting evidence and writing petitions. Because of this, Prefect Liu and the Eastern Depot hunted me down. I had no choice but to throw down bloodied clothes and fake my death to avoid disaster… Although the Eastern Depot has not fallen now, and merely changed its chief, at least Lord Xun’s injustice has been redressed. If I wish to go further, I must succeed in the imperial examinations. In the future, I will stand in court and become an honest and upright minister at His Majesty’s side.”
He bent and gave me a formal bow.
“These days, you have labored in the residence, comforting Mother above and managing household affairs below. Your husband thanks you here. That you were frightened time and again was my failure to be thorough.”
I hurriedly helped him up.
He scooped me up in his arms and carried me toward the bedchamber.
At some unknown time, the bed had been fitted with red gauze curtains, which in the dim, dusky light held a wistful, alluring charm.
“That day at the ferry crossing, when you told me your identity, I kept wondering what sort of woman would keep a promise to such an extent, willing to bow in marriage with a spirit tablet…”
He placed me on the bed and lay down beside me fully clothed.
My heart was beating so quickly, as though I had a little rabbit tucked against my chest.
He turned his face on the pillow to look at me and smiled. “Why is my wife’s face so red?”
I turned my back to him.
He held me and murmured by my ear, “What your husband owes you—it is time to repay…”