I sensed something. Could mother have always thought these items and money came from the An family? In fact, the An family’s economic power was in my mother-in-law’s hands, and I naturally didn’t have the courage to ask her for money, let alone request it from An Jin. So I pushed the bank note back. “Mother, this is what I earned myself. Didn’t I always earn money by painting?”
Mother and my brother only knew I painted for the Sai Yue Studio, assuming they were traditional bird-and-flower paintings. She didn’t believe me: “How much money can you get from selling a painting? That scholar Qi across the way paints shrimp so realistically, but only sells a painting for two taels of silver, barely enough to eat! Don’t you think I know?”
I was speechless. “Fine, this is the last time. Just take it.”
Mother hesitated for a while, then kept it, muttering, “Don’t forget to buy some nice clothes, accessories, cosmetics. Even after marriage, you must dress up to keep a man’s heart…”
I found these words somewhat uncomfortable, but when I tried to ask more, mother refused to say anything. I was puzzled. An Jin’s reputation for being flirtatious was not new, so why would mother suddenly say such things?
Before I could think more, a dog’s bark approached, and a white figure like lightning rushed towards me. I quickly stepped back. “Stop!” The white figure immediately halted, sliding several feet before stopping at my feet, looking up at me pitifully.
“Yuan Xiao,” I sighed with relief. “You finally understand.” I bent down and rubbed the white dog’s head. It half-closed its eyes, probably still disgruntled about not being allowed to rush at me before.
Yuan Xiao was a long-haired small dog, male, originally from the Western Liang country. Its ancestors were supposedly excellent fox hunters. Unfortunately, it ended up with me in Yan Feng, where there wasn’t even a rabbit, let alone foxes. After it caught the neighbors’ chickens and ducks several times, I locked it in a small dark room and scolded it. Since then, it learned to behave, occasionally catching mice for consolation.
I had raised it for a year. When I married An Jin, he firmly refused my request to bring it to the An family. So it remained at home, waiting for my visits. Every time I returned, it would enthusiastically pounce on me. As it grew larger, it could even reach my shoulder when standing, and its force was considerable. Such a pounce would nearly kill me. Moreover, its paws would mess up my clean new clothes. I would arrive looking fresh and leave disheveled.
So I would take it to the small dark room for talks, finally making it understand that its head-on attacks greatly inconvenienced me. It cleverly learned to be cunning, seemingly not attacking from the front but ambushing me from behind, making me even more embarrassed.
The ultimate solution came from An Jin.
During the New Year, An Jin returned home with me. Yuan Xiao pounced as usual but was quickly caught by An Jin. Yuan Xiao was extremely dissatisfied, seeing An Jin as the chief culprit destroying its happiness, baring its teeth and wanting to attack him. Before I could stop it, I saw An Jin’s calm face, gently patting its neck and saying one word. “Stop.”
Yuan Xiao was stunned, looking at me reluctantly and unwillingly, then tucking its tail and walking away dejectedly, leaving our entire family wide-eyed. I was even more surprised, never expecting An Jin to have dog-training skills.
From then on, Yuan Xiao would become obedient upon hearing this “stop” command. I used this to prevent both frontal and rear attacks.
Yuan Xiang glanced behind me, probably confirming whether her rival An Jin had followed along. After confirming, she stood up and circled around me, letting out a few happy whimpers.
“This fellow can only be managed by a son-in-law!” Mom suddenly remembered something and mysteriously asked, “A Yao, does your son-in-law know Yuan Xiang’s origins?”
I shook my head. “I’ve never mentioned it. He hasn’t asked either.”
“That’s good,” Mom let out a sigh of relief.
Speaking of Yuan Xiang’s origins, I can’t help but mention those few aborted romances between my fifteenth and eighteenth years.
The first was the son of a senior compiler in the Hanlin Academy, named Duan Chang. Though this young master Duan had ordinary looks, he was gentle in personality and from a wealthy family, perfectly matching my expectations. We drank tea and chatted properly, went on a few dates, and just when I thought I could consider entrusting my future to him, I saw him coming out of the Linglong Pavilion. After careful consideration, I felt I couldn’t accept sharing a future husband with another man. I regretfully expressed this opinion to him, suggesting he seriously consider his sexual orientation and not waste another girl’s time. His expression was extremely complex, and he never appeared again.
The second man who showed interest in me was no small figure—the third prince of Qi Kingdom, Xia Zhichun. Just as we were developing some feelings, Qi Kingdom fought a battle with Western Liang, ending in a massive defeat. In the peace treaty, Western Liang specifically demanded that the third prince Xia Zhichun go to Western Liang as a hostage. And so—he was gone, never to return.
The last was Yuan Xiang’s previous owner, Zheng Huo. He was the son of a merchant from Western Liang, handsome and outstanding. We met at the Sunshine Moon Study, and he sincerely praised my paintings. We got along wonderfully.
He traveled with several attendants and a few small dogs, including Yuan Xiang. Yuan Xiang was then only three months old, round and tender like a large glutinous rice ball. Seeing I liked her, Zheng Huo gifted Yuan Xiang to me.
However, shortly after, Zheng Huo hurriedly bid me farewell, saying a family emergency required his immediate return. Though reluctant, I could only wish him a smooth journey. Thus, all three romantic prospects were completely extinguished.
After my fifteenth year, I rarely encountered An Jin. My family knew little about these romantic episodes, and he surely knew even less.
Yuan Xiang, seeing I hadn’t responded, grew anxious and tugged at my skirt. I had to bend down and kiss her neck. “Where are you taking me?”
She turned confidently, leading me to the back of the courtyard. I followed helplessly, stopping under a large elm tree. She barked excitedly, circling the tree and then digging at a specific spot.
I squatted down, unsurprised to see several dead rat corpses in the hole she’d dug. Yuan Xiang sat proudly beside the pit, like a soldier awaiting inspection of her enemy casualties.
“Okay—very good,” I said, pulling out a piece of dried meat to reward her. “Very strong.”
Praised and rewarded, Yuan Xiang was filled with happiness, looking at the rat pit and then at me.
The narrative continues with family interactions, describing her return home and a warm family dinner.
After dinner, Father called me into the study and asked earnestly, “A Yao, is there something wrong between you and An Jin?”
Chapter Five: Dogs and Men
Father usually only buried himself in historical books and rarely cared about my emotional life. This special heart-to-heart talk obviously meant he had heard something.
I sat upright, looking puzzled: “My relationship with Zhuo Yi is very good. Why do you ask this, Father?”
Father hesitated and pulled out a scroll from the documents on the table: “During the Zhao Ping era of our Da Qi Kingdom, there was such a beautiful story…”
