Chapter 7 – For Beauty

Pei Xuan was shocked when she learned that the Countess of Xining planned to choose a husband for her daughter. Though anxious, Pei Xuan was methodical in her actions. After leaving her mother’s courtyard, she paused to collect herself.

In Dazhao, strict separation between men and women was customary. Her previous silent climb over the walls had already been inappropriate. Now, having just achieved the highest score in the imperial examination and being about to receive an official position from Your Majesty, any complaint from the censors could disrupt her career. Moreover, the young miss living in the small courtyard would surely face criticism.

She ordered her servant to fetch some items, made thorough preparations, and then took a carriage out.

At the Xining Count’s residence, in a secluded and quiet southern courtyard:

Cui Ti was drawing on the ground with a young willow branch. Bai Ge glanced at her drawing but couldn’t understand it, so she turned back to her sewing.

The spring breeze worked its magic, and a kite flew over the wall, hovering above the small courtyard.

“Huh? Where did that kite come from?” Bai Ge wondered.

Curious but not enough to go outside and check, she continued mending the torn spring blouse, feeling sorry that the young miss had so few clothes to change into during the beautiful season.

On the other side of the wall, Pei Xuan was sweating with anxiety. She seized the right moment to cut the kite string, letting the paper kite fall into the courtyard.

With the kite now in the courtyard, Bai Ge could no longer pretend to ignore it. She put down her needlework and stepped outside to pick up the kite.

“Hey, there are words written on it?”

Unfortunately, she couldn’t read much and didn’t understand Pei Xuan’s message.

“Miss, a kite with words flew into our courtyard.”

Cui Ti responded with interest, “What does it say?”

“Well…”

Cui Ti was truly blind, and Bai Ge was almost as good as blind when it came to reading. A mere maid like her was lucky to be well-fed and had no chance to learn to read.

With a troubled expression, she hesitated, “It says… you… I…”

“Hold my hand and trace the characters.”

Bai Ge’s eyes lit up: that was a good idea!

She forgot that although Cui Ti was born a miss, she had not received a miss’s treatment and was not well-educated. Cui Ti was born blind and likely knew no more characters than Bai Ge.

Cui Ti’s writing was something Pei Xuan had taught her in their past life, starting from their wedding night and continuing for three years. Even though Cui Ti couldn’t see, she was no longer the same person, having been personally tutored by the best scholar in Dazhao, the Tanhua.

Bai Ge held her hand, and together they clumsily finished the last stroke, forming a sentence:

“Are you alright? I’ve come to find you.”

The youthful and elegant Zhuangyuan of Xi Jing, with a guilty heart, pressed herself against the dusty wall, fearing she might miss the lady’s response, or worse, receive no response at all.

Her attendant couldn’t bear to watch.

Is our gentleman possessed?

Pei Xuan anxiously waited, but hearing nothing from the other side of the wall, she was tempted to climb a tree again.

A kite doesn’t fly in by itself. Cui Ti guessed that he was waiting on the other side of the wall. With Bai Ge’s help, she walked to the base of the wall in the courtyard. “Are you still there?”

“Yes! I’ve been here all along!”

Pei Xuan’s eyebrows lifted in relief. She felt more nervous than when she answered Your Majesty’s questions in the Golden Palace. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her racing heart.

“Congratulations on your success.”

Speaking through the wall, Pei Xuan was delighted that the news of her achievement had reached this small courtyard. “I left in such a hurry that day, I didn’t even get to celebrate your birthday.”

“How did you know my birthday?”

“I…” Pei Xuan felt embarrassed and bowed deeply towards the wall. “I wish to get to know you better, my miss.”

Cui Ti remained silent.

Bai Ge’s ears perked up: Oh my, who would have thought that the legitimate son of the Pei Family, the Zhuangyuan, would be wooing her miss like this?

Such good taste!

Very good taste indeed!

If her miss could marry this silly goose, at least she wouldn’t be mistreated.

“I’m doing well.”

Pei Xuan didn’t believe her. Worriedly, she continued, “I heard from my mother that the Countess of Xining intends to choose a husband for you.

“I came to remind you that marriage is a significant matter and shouldn’t be rushed. If you encounter any difficulties, just fly that kite.

“No matter how far or where I am, I will come riding to you.”

These words were quite presumptuous, considering they had only met once. But she couldn’t help herself and earnestly emphasized, “You can trust me, my Miss. I am someone you can rely on.”

“I believe you.”

Cui Ti smiled gently. “If I need help, I will seek your aid.”

Her honesty and trust touched the softest part of Pei Xuan’s heart. She couldn’t bear to leave that wall, her eyes yearning.

As the sky gradually darkened, they stood in silence, with the dimming sunlight and gently swaying willow branches.

“My Miss, I must go now,” Pei Xuan finally said.

“Alright.”

Pei Xuan placed her palm against the grey-white wall, brushing off some powder, and smiled happily. “I hope to see that kite flying.”

Her subtle affection warmed Cui Ti’s heart more than the sunlight. She listened closely to Pei Xuan’s departing footsteps and the sound of the carriage wheels rolling away.

Dusk had settled, and the world was quiet.

Bai Ge burst out, “My Miss, the Countess is indeed planning to arrange a marriage for you! If Gentleman Pei hadn’t said anything, we would have been the last to know!”

If even Gentleman Pei knew, the matchmaking commotion outside must be significant.

Cui Ti lovingly held the kite. “No rush.”

Someone had already brought a promise to her door.

She trusted him.

She naturally trusted him.

In this world, there were two people she trusted unconditionally: Bai Ge, who had grown up with her, and Pei Xuan, who had married her in a grand ceremony.

Her gentle, considerate, and courteous fujun.

“Is the young master in a bad mood?” an attendant asked.

Lowering the carriage curtain, Pei Xuan’s earlier joy dissipated like mist, her voice tinged with fatigue. “Let’s go back.”

She needed to watch, to see more.

To observe the miss’s feelings, to see what kind of family the Countess of Xining would choose for her eldest daughter.

Her jade-like fingers tightened, and an image of the lady in a red dress, sitting serenely, flashed before her eyes.

“From today onward, keep watch on that small courtyard day and night. If a kite flies up, report to me immediately, without fail!”

“Yes, Gentleman!”

The Countess of Xining was meticulous in choosing a husband for her daughter, having practically exhausted herself with the process. Cui Ti’s marriage was relatively easier to arrange; the Countess favored the youngest legitimate son of the Sun family. The real challenge lay with Cui Dai.

Cui Dai didn’t want to be overshadowed by Cui Ti and was determined to marry into a family with a higher social status than the Sun family.

Marriage was about uniting two families. Madam Sun had visited the Xining Count’s residence again today. Her frequent visits signaled to outsiders that the two families were likely contemplating a union.

“It really is a bother, but my foolish son insists on meeting your eldest daughter. He simply doesn’t believe me when I describe her as a beauty, and I suppose I have praised her too highly, making him daydream about her incessantly.”

“Meet her?” The Countess of Xining hesitated slightly. “This…”

Madam Sun had come with a purpose and was straightforward: “If not a meeting, then at least a portrait. My words don’t seem to convince him; seeing her for himself should satisfy him.”

After much persuasion, with her throat becoming parched, and nearly swearing that her son would marry Cui Ti, Madam Sun finally obtained the portrait.

Once the portrait was handed over, the marriage was halfway settled.

Given Cui Ti’s looks, both madams were sure that

Young Master Sun the Third would fall in love at first sight. However, as fate would have it, the portrait meant for Young Master Sun the Third was mistakenly taken by Young Master Sun the Younger.

At Fengming Pavilion, during the Jinshi celebration banquet.

“Why are you so late?” the fellow Jinshi teased Sun Ze. This time, Sun Ze ranked 28th in the first tier, and with his official family background, he was well-liked.

While his rank wasn’t at the top, it still wasn’t as prestigious as the top three Jinshi.

The Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua sat at the same table. Song Zizhen remarked, “Isn’t it just a painting from the previous dynasty, Begonia Sleeping in Spring? Is it worth showing off so much?”

“Look at the people surrounding him. If we’re talking about family background and scholarly talent, with the Zhuangyuan here, does Sun Ze have any room to boast?”

He sighed, “Xingguang is still the low-key one.”

The chancellor’s legitimate son, elegant and approachable, graced them with his presence, bestowing them a great honor.

Xingguang was Pei Xuan’s courtesy name, newly given just yesterday, and convenient for her peers to use.

“Xingguang, you seem troubled,” observed Zheng Wuji, the Bangyan, as he filled her cup with fine pear blossom wine.

Pei Xuan indeed had unresolved worries and didn’t know what to do, so she raised her cup and drank.

Song Zizhen and Zheng Wuji exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued. “What’s the matter? Tell us, and we brothers can help you figure it out.”

“Yes,” Song Zizhen agreed. “Zizhen is right.”

They were among Pei Xuan’s trusted friends, known for their good character.

After much contemplation, she lowered her eyes, “There’s a miss…”

“A miss?!” Song Zizhen exclaimed, rubbing his hands together eagerly. “What about the miss? I love hearing about these things!”

“Don’t interrupt. Let Xingguang speak,” Zheng Wuji admonished.

Pei Xuan found herself trapped in inexplicable emotions: “If there is a miss who makes your heart race uncontrollably when you see her, and whom you miss when you don’t see her. You want to marry her and stay with her for a lifetime, but marrying her might not truly be good for her. What should you do?”

“Marrying her might not truly be good for her? What do you mean?” Song Zizhen looked puzzled. “If you marry her, of course, you should treat her well. Otherwise, why marry her?”

“That’s right. Marriage is one of the most important events in life. Xingguang, who have you taken a liking to?”

“I…”

Pei Xuan furrowed her brows. Some things could be said, some had to be buried deep within.

If that miss’s wish was to be a dutiful wife and mother, living in perfect harmony, how could she provide that?

If the lady despised her for being a woman, marrying her would only harm her.

She couldn’t reveal her true identity to Miss Cui, nor could she selfishly put the entire Pei Residence at risk.

The crime of deceiving the emperor was something no one could bear once exposed.

“I don’t want to see her marry someone else.”

“That’s simple,” Zheng Wuji said, putting down his cup. “Then marry her. Bring her home first and deal with the rest later. If you marry her with genuine feelings and protect her with all your heart, take it one step at a time.”

The current Zhuangyuan faced the most challenging dilemma of her life, deep in thought.

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the neighboring table.

“Brother Qiu Ming, did you pull out some young miss’s portrait?”

“Who is this miss? She is stunning!”

“No way, Brother Qiu Ming, is this the ‘Begonia Sleeping in Spring’ you were talking about?”

The crowd burst into laughter.

Some were mesmerized by the miss in the painting, their gazes entranced.

Realizing he had taken the wrong painting, Sun Ze was also stunned. Quickly rolling it up, he understood this must have come from the Xining Count’s residence, courtesy of his mother.

The person in the painting was his future sister-in-law.

He didn’t want his future sister-in-law’s appearance to be exposed, but some hadn’t seen enough.

“Put it away, let me see it again.”

The person snatching the painting was the 39th ranked Second Class Jinshi, the legitimate second son of a third-rank official in the court.

Sun Ze was in no position to argue, and could only watch helplessly as the portrait passed through many hands. His future sister-in-law was being scrutinized and judged by everyone, leaving him fuming but unable to express his anger, his face flushed with frustration.

“What are they passing around?”

“It looks like a painting.”

“A painting?”

Pei Xuan glanced over unintentionally, her eyes freezing in place.

The woman in the painting wore bright, elegant clothes, clearly dressed with care. Her dark hair framed a porcelain-white face, her eyes covered by a silk ribbon. The spring breeze lifted the delicate strands of hair by her ears, each strand silently whispering tenderness.

There was no doubt she was beautiful.

However, she didn’t appear happy. The added depth of quiet melancholy made her even more captivating.

“What a gentle and lovely miss! Sun Qiuming, where did you find such a treasure? I’ll buy this painting!”

“No, this isn’t—”

Sun Ze hurried to explain, but suddenly felt a gust of wind beside him.

Pei Xuan strode over in a few swift steps, her pretty face cold and stern.

Usually refined and graceful, her demeanor now carried a chilling intensity that made onlookers’ spines tingle, unable to fathom her intentions.

“Hand over the painting.”

Zhou Ye chuckled awkwardly. “Xingguang, I’ve already bought this painting. A gentleman doesn’t take what others love, you—”

“Hand it over!”

Her rare display of anger, with a thunderous look in her eyes, intimidated not only Zhou Ye but also Sun Ze.

Even Song Zizhen and Zheng Wuji, who usually could converse well with her, dared not intervene. Who knew where this sudden fury of the celebrated Zhuangyuan came from?

Zhou Ye reluctantly handed over the painting. Pei Xuan gently brushed her fingers over the woman’s eyebrows and eyes in the painting: “Do you think you can desire her?”

Leaving this remark, she turned and left, her sleeves billowing.

Everyone had always thought the Zhuangyuan was gentle and mild-mannered, as warm as spring. Today, they realized what it meant to be the legitimate child of the Pei Family.

Her smile was like a spring breeze.

Her anger, like a storm.

“Did we… did we offend him?” someone muttered, swallowing nervously.

“We? Who’s ‘we’? I didn’t point fingers at that miss. It was Brother Zhou! This is all his doing!”

“How could it be me?” Zhou Ye, sweating profusely, quickly tried to shift the blame. “Sun Ze, this is all your fault!”

Sun Ze’s legs trembled, his throat tight, unable to speak.

“Xingguang was so furious. I’ve known him for so long, and it’s the first time I’ve seen him lose his temper.”

Song Zizhen was dumbfounded, exchanging glances with Zheng Wuji.

“It can’t be…”

They both suspected the same possibility—that the miss Pei Xuan fancied was the one in the painting?

“What did that miss look like? Did you get a good look?”

Zheng Wuji rolled his eyes dramatically. “Are you talking nonsense? Didn’t you see how angry Xingguang was? Who dared to stare at the painting?”

“Exactly,” Song Zizhen murmured to himself. “Xingguang was really fierce!”