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Second Madam Liu indeed had some skill; after an entire night of murmured persuasion by his side, Fu Shangyi finally came to a decision. If Fu Shuang’er could not be located, then Fu Jingxuan would be sent in her stead, taking her place in the bridal sedan. He also conveyed his orders in a roundabout way that the Fang family must not be allowed to dissolve the marriage under any circumstances, and every possible measure was to be taken to safeguard the family’s honor.
On the ancestral altar in the shrine, there was only a single memorial tablet for Old Master Cheng. The Fu clan, even if traced all the way up to the heavens, amounted to no more than the dozen or so people before them; all that talk about clans and lineage is nothing but empty words. In plain terms, it all came down to this: do not bring shame upon the Fu family. Since they had agreed to board the bridal sedan, then regardless of being male or female, they would be bound to the Fang family for life; becoming one of their own, with no thought of ever returning.
Spring is often rainy, and the cargo workers at Linjiang Ferry rested for a few days. Seizing the chance while the sun broke through that morning, they set to work. On the riverbank stood a stooped old man in a gray tunic, around fifty years of age, gaunt and sallow. Yet the black eyes sunken deep in their sockets gleamed sharp and bright, showing no hint of old age. He had come here three days in a row, each time lingering for half an hour, watching the ships drift by on the river as though waiting for something. Linjiang Ferry spread out in a vast sweep of green, stretching for miles in every direction. Its source was located twenty miles outside of Chuzhou City; whether for trade or passenger transport, it was extremely convenient. Many who were selling goods or visiting relatives, finding the mountain roads steep and remote, would travel here by boat.
A boatman at the ferry walked up to the old man with a tobacco pipe and asked cheerfully, “Mute Uncle, are you here waiting for the new relative again today?”
The mute uncle nodded, pointed to the sky, and then pointed to the boats docked at the shore.
The boatman understood and said, “Likely in a day or so. The weather was poor a few days ago, so many boats coming from Jiangling were delayed.”
The mute uncle smiled in gratitude, pressed two copper coins into his hand, and turned to head back into the city. He first stopped by the tailor shop on South Street to pick up a new set of clothes, then went to the pastry shop on North Street to collect a packet of joyful rice balls. The shopkeeper, still wearing a grease-stained apron, came out from behind the curtain; seeing the mute uncle hadn’t left yet, he casually added, “This batch has extra sugar, should be just to the Head Merchant’s liking.”
The mute uncle bowed repeatedly in thanks. After leaving the shop, he threaded his way through the winding lanes, crossed the main street running east to west, and came to a halt in front of a residence.
At a quarter past the third quarter of the Chenshi[mfn]7-9am.[/mfn], the Fang residence gates were finally flung open. The two gatekeepers stood on either side, yawning and looking utterly slack; one of them, Chen Er, spotted the mute uncle about to enter and reached out to stop him. “You’re out so early this morning, where’ve you been? And what did you buy?”
The mute uncle let out two coarse “ah” sounds and handed over the items. Chen Er tore open the parcel from the tailor, pulled out a brand-new wide robe, and sneered, “What a waste of good cloth on a cripple.” Then he ripped open the oiled-paper bag of joyful rice balls, sniffed them, and without even asking if he could have one, shoved a dumpling straight into his mouth. Before he could even swallow, he spat it all out and gagged. “What is this junk! It’s so sweet it stung my throat! Is this even for humans?”
As he cursed and prepared to throw the things onto the ground, the mute uncle moved swiftly, bending down to catch the clothes and the paper bag in his hands, then quickly crouched low as if he had just picked them up off the floor.
Another servant named Zhou Qi couldn’t bear the sight and stepped forward to comfort Chen Er with a few words while signaling to the mute uncle with a look to get inside quickly.
“It was just an old man and a cripple! I don’t know why the Madam still keeps them in the mansion. If it were up to me, I’d kick them out as soon as possible to stop them from hogging the title of the head of the household!” Chen Er spat at the mute uncle’s receding back, his tone incredibly disrespectful.
Zhou Qi had only been at the Fang household for a short time, but he was already used to such scenes. After hesitating for a moment, he said kindly, “Brother Chen, the mute uncle is one of the Head Merchant ‘s people after all, in the future we…”
” Head Merchant?” Chen Er interrupted, glancing up at the plaque above their heads with a look of schadenfreude. “Whether this plaque will even bear the name Fang in the future is still up for debate. Who cares if he’s the head of the house or not?”
Compared to the pavilions and towers of the Fu family, which were built with bold and grand strokes, the Fang family’s residence appeared much more refined and elegant. Although it didn’t deliberately flaunt wealth, it was exquisite and unique in every detail. The mute uncle walked past the corridors and latticed windows into a courtyard while carrying his things. The courtyard was adorned with carved bricks, stone inscriptions, and flourishing greenery. From an osmanthus tree hung a birdcage, while magpies were intricately carved into the lintel. The magpies, perched on blossoming plum branches, looked almost alive, symbolizing “joy filling the heart” and “happiness arriving at the door.” Yet the carvings were old, and without regular cleaning, they had grown somewhat worn and faded.
Unable to speak, the mute first knocked on the door to make some noise before entering. When no one responded, he stepped inside, delivered the new clothes to the inner room, and then took out a white jade plate to neatly arrange the joyful rice balls.
Although the new relatives were expected to arrive at any moment, the Fang residence showed no hint of a wedding celebration at all. Beyond two red lanterns hanging at the gate, there were no other decorations. The mute uncle paced around the flower hall twice while holding the tray, unsure which table to place it on.
Each of these glutinous rice balls had been crafted with a distinct flavor, each carrying a particular intention; but he had no idea where the intended recipient would sit or even if they would show up at all.
Still, surely one would come to see off their own younger sister on her wedding day, right? After hesitating for a long while and unable to decide, he entered the study instead.
A man sat behind the desk, his eyes shining like the Milky Way and his bearing as elegant as a jade tree. He wore a white cross-collared robe beneath a dark, flowing overcoat. His hair was not bound in a topknot but merely tied at the ends with a dark ribbon. He held a fragment of white jade in his hand, turning it over and stroking it carefully. The jade pendant was very old, intricately carved with pine rocks and a bird. The bird, resembling a laughingthrush with a white crest, perched realistically on a flowering branch that was hard to make out.
Hearing the mute uncle enter, he looked up. This was the cripple head of the Fang family, Fang Zesheng.
The mute uncle held up the tray to show he didn’t know where to put it, then made a few gestures meaning: the new relative will be here soon.
Fang Zesheng gazed at the jade pendant for a long time before finally placing it into a locked box. Stifling his surging emotions, he said indifferently, “Put it wherever you like. He has a sweet tooth; no matter where you put them, he’ll find them and eat them.”
Just as he finished speaking, Zhou Qi’s voice rang out from the courtyard. The mute uncle hurried out to find that the bridal procession from the Fu family of Jiangling would arrive after midday. The Head Merchant needed to change his clothes and prepare for the wedding ceremony.
After nearly half a month of grueling travel by boat and carriage, the first thing San Bao did upon disembarking was not to help the groom clad Second Young Master Fu into his sedan chair but to clutch a tree trunk and vomit uncontrollably. Forced to accompany the procession, Fu Jingye wasn’t faring much better either. He was originally full of resentment, but at the thought of finally being rid of Fu Jingxuan forever, he cheered up. He boarded the carriage sent by the Fang family, wishing he could make the aging horse gallop with the spirit of a thousand-mile steed.
San Bao whispered while carrying his bundle and walking beside the sedan chair, “Young Master, are we really not going to look for a chance to escape? The more I think about it, the more I’m sure this must be Second Madam Liu’s scheme! She’s unbelievably cunning!”
Fu Jingxuan ignored him, making San Bao stomp his feet in anxiety. “Young Master, let’s hurry and run. If the Fang family is in league with Second Madam Liu, aren’t we just walking into a tiger den?” Before he could finish, a folding fan reached out from the sedan chair and rapped him on the skull. San Bao asked aggrievedly, “Are we running or not ah, Young Master? I reckon life won’t be easy once we reach the Fang family; it would be better to go back and spend our days bullying the Eldest Young Master.”
Fu Jingxuan lifted his red bridal veil, pulled aside the sedan curtain, and said with a beaming smile, “Run? Why would I run? I came all this way specifically for this; there’s no reason to flee.”
