Chapter 2: The Man I Will Marry

“Did you sleep well last night, Sister?” Xue Qingwan’s voice floated in before she even crossed the threshold. “I had the kitchen prepare some lily bulb congee; it’s best for calming the nerves. Looking at your eyes, I’m afraid you spent the whole night crying again.”

Xue Qingyin arranged the pearl hairpins from her makeup box one by one, held one up to the bronze mirror, then set it back down. The face in the reflection looked seven or eight years younger than her original one, with lovely, striking features, but the dark circles under her eyes were heavy—a residue of the original body’s all-night weeping.

Xue Qingwan entered with two maids, one carrying a food tiffin, the other a hand-warmer. She wore a moon-white outfit, a single velvet flower tucked behind her ear, and smiled with impeccable composure.

“You’re too kind, Sister.” Xue Qingyin didn’t reach for the food.

Xue Qingwan didn’t get annoyed. She sat down and scanned the vanity with her eyes. “Still fussing with these? Well, I guess you have to look presentable. The Wang Family is coming for an introduction in two days, after all.”

“The Wang Family?”

“Father hasn’t told you?” Xue Qingwan covered her mouth, her eyes curving into a smile. “I thought you knew. Third Young Master of the Wang Family. He’s a fine person, but... he’s older, and he has two children from a previous marriage. But given your situation, you really shouldn’t be picky.”

Xue Qingyin placed a gold hairpin back into the box, slowly lifting her gaze. “You really are thorough in thinking of me.”

“I’m not doing it for you.” Xue Qingwan sighed, her voice softening. “I’m worrying about Father. You stood in front of Prince Xuan's Mansion for half a day last time; the whole city knows about it. These past few days, when Father receives guests and they bring it up, he can’t even keep a straight face. He was sitting in the study all night last night; Mother tried to comfort him but gave up half the time.”

The original body’s memories surged forward. On that day, she had gone on her own, carrying a bowl of soup, standing on the stone steps before the mansion gates. The sun was brutal; she stood there until her clothes were soaked through. The gatekeeper hadn’t even opened the door, just shouting through the crack that “His Highness does not receive outsiders.”

“So what do you think I should do?”

“Let me speak from the heart.” Xue Qingwan leaned forward, resting her hand on Xue Qingyin’s back. “Sister, maybe you should just accept the Wang family. Third Young Master is older, sure, but the Wang Family is a noble, pure lineage. If you marry into it, you won’t lack for food or clothes, and Father will look good too. It’s better than... better than getting rejected again. Don’t you agree, Sister?”

Xue Qingyin looked at the hand resting on her shoulder and smiled.

Xue Qingwan paused, startled by the smile. “What’s funny, Sister?”

“I’m laughing at your mouth.” Xue Qingyin pulled her hand back and slowly smoothed her sleeve cuffs. “Worrying about Father’s face, worrying about my future food and clothes... you worry so thoroughly it makes me embarrassed.”

The concern on Xue Qingwan’s face froze for a moment.

“But,” Xue Qingyin looked up at her. “You’re fifteen this year, Sister. Why don’t I see anyone worrying about *your* situation?”

“I—”

“I heard that the Third Young Lord of the Yong'an Baronage sent a matchmaker a couple of days ago, didn’t he?” Xue Qingyin tilted her head. “Why don’t you accept that? The Yong'an Baronage is a higher house than the Wang Family.”

Xue Qingwan’s face went pale. The Third Young Lord of the Yong'an Baronage was a scoundrel; the whole capital knew it. She had kept it strictly secret, even hiding it from her mother until just a day ago.

“Sister, who told you that nonsense.” Xue Qingwan stood up, her voice sharp.

“I’m making it up.” Xue Qingyin stood too, towering half a head over her. “Don’t take it to heart, Sister. Keep the lily bulb congee; I’m actually hungry.”

In the afternoon, Xue Qingwan invited Miss Zhou to view the chrysanthemums.

Dozens of pots were arranged on the stone platform before the pavilion, yellow and white blooms jostling together. The wind blew, and petals scattered across the ground. Xue Qingyin didn’t want to go, but Chunxiong urged her: “If you don’t go, Second Lady will probably start gossiping.”

So she went.

Miss Zhou sat beside Xue Qingwan, wearing goose-yellow silk and gripping a handkerchief in her hand. When she saw Xue Qingyin arrive, she smiled first, though it wasn’t entirely sincere. “Here comes Elder Miss Xue. I was just telling Sister Wan that the hottest topic in the capital these past few days is your story.”

“Oh?” Xue Qingyin sat down opposite them. “What story?”

“What else could it be?” Miss Zhou covered her mouth with her handkerchief. “Your performance in front of Prince Xuan's Mansion. My brother works in the office; he says his colleagues use the incident as a joke behind closed doors. Don’t be angry, Elder Miss. I’m just fast with my mouth.”

Xue Qingwan gently tugged her sleeve from the side. “Sister Zhou, please stop.”

“I’m only telling the truth.” Miss Zhou wasn’t deterred; she set her hand-warmer on her lap. “Elder Miss, I’m just advising you: a woman should be more reserved. You rushed at them like that, and His Highness wouldn’t even open the gate. Once word spreads, who would dare take you? My words are rough, but the logic isn’t.”

Xue Qingyin held her tea cup but didn’t drink.

Her mind flipped through the pages of the Original Book. In the original book, Miss Zhou’s brother, Zhou Yan, was currently using Xue Qingwan to secure a position for him in a distant post. The bribe was in Xue Qingwan’s hands—two boxes of southern pearls and a pair of white jade *ruyi* scepters. Xue Qingwan had agreed, then told her father that Zhou Yan had “excellent talent.” The Original Book made it clear this was a means for Xue Qingwan to manipulate hearts.

“You’re right, Miss Zhou.” Xue Qingyin set down the tea cup. “A woman should be reserved.”

Miss Zhou was stunned, not expecting her to agree.

“That’s why I’m puzzled,” Xue Qingyin looked at Xue Qingwan. “When you took those two boxes of pearls from the Zhou family, why weren’t you reserved?”

The pavilion went silent.

Xue Qingwan’s handkerchief dropped onto her lap. “What are you saying, Sister?”

“I’m talking about the pearls.” Xue Qingyin’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word was clear. “And the pair of white jade *ruyi* scepters. Miss Zhou’s brother wants a posting away from the capital, and he asked you to speak a word for him with Father. You agreed, and you took the gifts. It was done discreetly, but unfortunately—”

Unfortunately, the Original Book had written it down clearly.

“Unfortunately what?” Miss Zhou had already stood up, her face flushing red.

“Unfortunately, Sister forgot that Father hates the inner chambers interfering in official matters the most.” Xue Qingyin stood up and brushed her skirt. “Last month, he said that if anyone traded family favors for personal gain, they’d be sent to the ancestral temple to copy sutras.”

Xue Qingwan’s lips moved, but no sound came out.

Miss Zhou turned to look at Xue Qingwan. “Sister Wan, about my brother... give me a straight answer!”

Xue Qingyin didn’t turn around; she walked out of the pavilion.

It was just past the hour of Shen when the gatekeeper reported that someone from Prince Xuan's Mansion had arrived.

Xue Qingyin was peeling an orange in her room. Chunxiong ran in, out of breath. “Miss, Chief Imperial Commissioner Lu from Prince Xuan's Mansion is here. He’s in the front hall, and Father asked you to come over.”

Xue Qingyin set down the orange and wiped her hands.

In the front hall, Father Xue was seated with a man in his forties. The man wore a blue-gray robe with a plain sash at his waist, sitting upright, his tea cup untouched. When he saw Xue Qingyin enter, he rose and cupped his hands. “Elder Miss Xue.”

“Chief Imperial Commissioner Lu.” Xue Qingyin returned the greeting.

Father Xue coughed from the side. “Qingyin, the Commissioner is here by order of His Highness.”

“I know.” Xue Qingyin sat in the lower seat.

Chief Imperial Commissioner Lu took a small blue porcelain bowl from his sleeve and handed it over with both hands. “His Highness asked me to return this item.”

Xue Qingyin recognized it. It was the bowl of soup the original body had carried that day. The bowl was still the original one, just washed clean, the crack along the rim polished until it shone.

“His Highness said,” Lu paused, choosing his words carefully, “that the gatekeeper was rude that day. His Highness was not in the residence at the time and only learned of it upon his return. He has already punished the gatekeeper with twenty strokes of the rod and dismissed him. His Highness says it was his lack of discipline that caused you such distress.”

The hall was so quiet you could hear the wind whistling over the eaves outside.

Father Xue’s hand trembled on his knee. He opened his mouth but couldn’t form words. He had spent over twenty years in officialdom; he knew Prince Xuan’s temperament. This Highness was cold-faced and cold-hearted; the whole capital knew it. And yet, today, he sent the Commissioner personally just for a gatekeeper.

“Did His Highness say anything else?” Xue Qingyin asked.

“His Highness said,” Lu looked at her. “If you have time, there is a Polo match at the horse field in West City the day after tomorrow. He invites you to watch.”

The moment this came out, Father Xue shot to his feet, the chair leg screeching against the blue bricks.

Xue Qingwan had somehow reached the hall doorway, leaning against the doorframe, her face contorted in distress.

Xue Qingyin’s mind flipped through the Original Book again. In the original story, at this point, Prince Xuan hadn’t even looked at the original protagonist. It was three years later, after the original protagonist’s death, that he mentioned to Xue Qingwan, “That elder daughter of the Xue family was truly fiery.” Xue Qingwan had remembered that single line for the rest of her life, and boasted about it for the rest of her life.

Now that “fiery” moment had arrived three years early, handed directly to her.

“Chief Imperial Commissioner Lu,” Xue Qingyin spoke up. “Is His Highness pitying me?”

Lu was surprised. “Why would you say that, Miss?”

“I stood in front of his residence for half a day, and the whole city laughed at me. Now he dismisses his gatekeeper and invites me to watch Polo.” Xue Qingyin held the bowl in her hand. “Is he feeling sorry for me, or does he feel I’ve embarrassed his household and wants to shut my up?”

Father Xue was beside her, waving his hands frantically in warning. “Qingyin!”

But Lu didn’t get angry. Instead, he smiled. “I will deliver your words to His Highness exactly as they are.”

“Deliver them.” Xue Qingyin placed the blue porcelain bowl on the table, tapping it lightly. “And pass along a message for me.”

“What message would the Miss like to pass?” Lu asked.

Every eye in the hall was on Xue Qingyin. Xue Qingwan shifted half a step forward at the doorway, her hem dragging on the threshold. Father Xue gripped his chair arm, his knuckles white, a groan in his throat, but he didn’t stop her.

Xue Qingyin set the bowl on the table. The bottom of the bowl tapped against the wood with a soft *thud*.

“I ask the Commissioner to inform His Highness,” she said. “Daughter of the Xue Family is not someone nobody wants. The matches presented to me these past few days: Third Young Master of the Wang Family has two children from a previous marriage; Third Young Lord of the Yong'an Baronage is a scoundrel; and there’s another, the second son of a southern salt merchant, who is two years older than my Father. I have rejected all of them.”

Lu’s eyebrows twitched. “Miss, your standards are high.”

“It’s not about high standards.” Xue Qingyin shook her head. “I know my own mind. I know what kind of man I want to marry.”

“Who is the kind of man the Miss wants to marry?”