He said indignantly, “Going to settle accounts with An Jin!”
After much persuasion, I convinced him that the injury on my face was the result of a fall. He was still furious, blaming An Jin for not protecting his wife and letting his sister get hurt.
My heart ached as I asked, “Is it really that ugly?” He looked at me awkwardly, rubbing his hands, and finally stammered, “Actually—it’s not that bad…”
Reflecting on my pain, I decided not to go out until I was fully healed. Seeing me dejected, my brother began to share his embarrassing dating experiences with the girl from the Shu Ling Shi family to cheer me up. They had dated twice: once at a teahouse where he was splashed with tea, and another time when accompanying her shopping, he realized his wallet had been stolen. The girl paid herself and smiled politely before going home.
I sensed my brother’s rocky romantic path and cautiously asked his thoughts about this girl. He thought for a while and answered, “She’s nice.”
“It’s just a bit awkward when we’re together.” “What’s awkward?” “I feel like her eyes look at me strangely.” “How strange?” After much thought, he said, “Her eyes are just like Zhao Lie Nü’s in ‘Fierce Woman and Tyrant’.” Me: “…” Fortunately, my brother’s feelings were just a preliminary good impression. I hinted that the girl might have her own thoughts, and he nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite, saying it was fine. After my brother announced my terrible fall at home, my parents and sister came to visit. Father brought history books, marking a passage about virtuous women and handing it to me meaningfully. Mother wailed upon seeing me and sent pig’s trotter soup daily, claiming it would help my wound heal. This caused my mother-in-law to hide in her room, rarely appearing. Mother, somewhat dissatisfied, implied that no one was properly caring for me. Unable to confront her mother-in-law, she complained to my more good-natured father-in-law. As for An Jin, she couldn’t blame him, given their overly indulgent attitude toward their son-in-law. My younger sister, under the pretext of visiting, managed to take away several of my clothes and hairpins. Finally, she dramatically held my hand and said, “Second Sister, since your looks can’t keep your husband’s heart anyway, you might as well keep his silver!”
Was this consolation? It was pure provocation. In my despair, even the lantern’s gaze seemed sympathetic. One night, I woke An Jin and asked if my face didn’t heal, would he take a second wife. He looked at me sleepily, closed his eyes, and pulled me into his embrace, saying, “Sleep, be good.”
Fortunately, with good medicine and pig’s trotter soup, my facial wounds gradually healed, revealing my original appearance. My brother’s connection with the Shu Ling Shi girl faded, as she ultimately ended their relationship, citing incompatibility. Mother was heartbroken, constantly muttering about when she’d see a daughter-in-law. My brother’s honest nature finally emerged, leading him to move to the Hanlin Academy’s official residence and return home only on rest days.
Mother then focused on my younger sister, persistently matchmaking. My sister, tired of it, declared she would marry within three months, making Mother fear she might be deceived by men with ulterior motives. This wasn’t impossible. Like Song Si Tian, my sister grew up immersed in romantic stories, deeply romanticizing love scenes. Since my mishap, I had stayed home, so I invited Song Si Tian to report on my sister’s activities.
Song Si Tian was hesitant, saying she couldn’t betray a friend. However, tempted by my Tang Gate information, she eventually told me that my sister had recently fallen for a scholar they met at the Qixi Peony Magpie Bridge gathering and had been seeing each other frequently.
I felt relieved; a scholar wasn’t bad, better than a dissolute playboy. Still, my sister had always mentioned marrying a wealthy man, so this relationship seemed uncharacteristic. I casually asked for the scholar’s name.
Song Si Tian replied, “I think his name is Feng – Feng Yu Xi.”
I almost fainted. This Feng Yu Xi was a character I had once drawn for his good looks. Dressed in white and thinking himself ethereal, he attracted attention and had a popular portrait in Yan Feng. Coming from a poor background, he barely passed the autumn imperial examinations and sought an official position but struggled due to the need for recommendations from high-ranking officials. Feng Yu Xi cleverly used his looks to frequent gatherings of noble women and young girls, seeking a patron to help his career while maintaining ambiguous relationships with many.
He likely set his sights on my sister because she was the sister-in-law of a Ministry of Personnel official.
My heart went cold. After sending Song Sitian away, I returned home and told my mother about the incident. Upon hearing that my younger sister had been involved with such a character, my mother smashed a cup in anger, declaring she would find my sister and punish her. I quickly stopped her, insisting I would handle the situation and she should not act rashly.
Initially agreeing, my mother grew increasingly angry when my sister returned home. They quarreled fiercely, ending with my mother locking my sister in her room. My sister, unusually stubborn this time, went on a hunger strike in protest. In desperation, my mother sought my help again.
Visiting my sister, I found her curled up on the bed, crying. Perhaps needing someone to confide in, she gripped my hand dramatically, saying, “Elder sister, we are truly in love.”
I knew I couldn’t go against her feelings, so I comforted her. Once her emotions calmed, I cautiously mentioned my concerns.
She dismissed my worries. “I believe Yu Xi is not that kind of person.”
She described their process of getting to know each other and falling in love, bitterly concluding: “Mother looks down on Yu Xi just because he’s from a poor family. Although he’s poor, he truly loves me!”
I realized she had cast herself as the heroine, with our mother as the evil parent separating lovers. Adversity makes one stronger, and I feared my sister’s rebellion would lead her to elope like classic heroines. So, I comforted her and promised to persuade our mother, which helped her agree to eat something.
I explained the seriousness of the situation to my mother, who was worried. Only when I mentioned An Jin did she reluctantly promise to avoid extreme actions.
But as I organized my words to explain that falling for the Crown Prince was even less reliable than Yu Xi, she began looking dreamy, pressing the handkerchief against her cheek, saying: “If I could marry the Crown Prince, I might become the empress in the future…” I was speechless, knowing nothing I said could reach her. She daydreamed for a while, lowering her head and sniffing the handkerchief. I noticed the embroidered pattern on it.
White flowers with red stamens, half-open and half-hidden, resembled plum blossoms but had only four petals—exactly a yahua flower.
The yahua flower embroidered on my younger sister’s handkerchief was similar to the one I had given An Jin, though the color and pattern were different.
Noticing my gaze, my sister said coyly, “He gave me this too.”
I felt a strange discomfort. How could the Crown Prince possess a handkerchief like this? “By the way, the Prince also asked how your second sister’s injury was,” she added, noticing my expression.
I shook my head. The pattern on the Crown Prince’s handkerchief could not be a coincidence; he must have given it to my sister to pique my curiosity.
Indeed, I was curious. If the yahua flower embroidery was coincidence, the angle and form were too similar to be mere happenstance. An Jin had always kept the handkerchief I gave him close and wouldn’t display it in front of anyone, especially the Crown Prince.
