Lovable Beauty

As Xie Yao marched over with a hand resting on her belly, hate flashed through Du Yinger’s eyes. 

Her cousin-brother already promised to marry her. They were just waiting for Xie Yao to give birth and summon a midwife to make their move; they would keep the child—possibly a boy—that was in Xie Yao’s womb, while Xie Yao would die inconspicuously, thus making room for her. But Du Yinger balked at this. It would be all fine and dandy if the child in Xie Yao’s womb was a girl—she’d only need to provide her with some dowry and then send her off to marry—but if it was a son, she would have to go through the trouble of rectifying that mistake. 

Everything that was her cousin’s belonged to her, including the position of the di1means born of wife. A man can have many concubines but he only has one wedded wife who will be buried with him when they die.  eldest son. 

What if… 

Devising a plan in her mind, Du Yinger pretended not to notice Xie Yao and her servant as she blushed and bowed her head shyly, pursing her lips coyly. “I won’t go. Last time I went, it took me so long to wash the smell off my hands….” 

For a beauty yet to be deflowered to utter such innocent complaints, it was all too tempting—no man could resist. Fang Ze fought back his raging desires and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry, this time I won’t bully you. We….” 

“What are you doing!?” 

Though he was only whispering, from Xie Yao’s vantage point, it appeared as if they were kissing; Xie Yao’s blood boiled. These two people dared to fool around in front of her daughter—have they already been carrying on illicit relations in secret? 

Rage swelled in her heart. Xie Yao glared balefully at the pair who quickly separated. If glares could kill, Fang Ze and Du Yinger would have died a thousand times over. 

“Cousin-in-law, this isn’t what you think it is. Cousin is only teaching me how to fish. Really! If you don’t believe me, you can ask A’Ling,” Du Yinger pleaded with a pale face as she stood beside Fang Ze, looking guilty as if she had been caught in the act but was trying to cover it up. 

Seven-year-old Fang Ling jumped up at her mother’s shriek and glanced nervously at the adults. Hearing her aunt mentioning her name and under the intense focus of her father and mother’s gaze, the little girl instinctively nodded, saying to her mother, “Mommy, Aunty doesn’t know how to fish.  Daddy….” 

“Shut up!” Hearing her daughter taking her enemy’s side, Xie Yao was blinded by rage as she glowered at her daughter, snapping, “Did I give you permission to speak!? Do you listen to everything she says!? Do you also wish I’d die so she can be your mother!?” 

She pointed at the mulberry tree to curse at the locust tree.2指桑骂槐 is an idiom that means scolding Person B to indirectly scold at Person A.   Fang Ling didn’t understand; she thought her mother was scolding her and burst into tears.  

Du Yinger rushed over to console her, holding the little girl in her arms as she frowned disapprovingly at Xie Yao, “If Cousin-in-law doesn’t like me or if there’s a misunderstanding between us, you can take your anger out on me. What are you scolding A’Ling for?” 

This woman seduced her husband and was now coaxing her daughter as if she was the villain. Xie Yao lost it and stormed up to them to seize her daughter, “A’Ling is my daughter; I can treat her as I please. Mind your own business!” 

Her mother’s voice was shrill; Fang Ling was afraid she would receive a beating, so she buried her head into Du Yinger’s bosom. Xie Yao froze for a moment, then yanked harder, thundering even more vehemently, “You damn brat, I am your mother! Get over here!” 

Looking at the woman who was practically shaking with fury in front of her, Du Yinger bit her lip and mustered all her strength to wrench Fang Ling, who wanted to escape, back to her, while she turned her head toward Fang Ze, “Cousin, what are you standing there for!? Come…ah!” 

Xie Yao savagely clawed at her hand. This gave Du Yinger the perfect opportunity she was seeking; with her body as a shield, she stepped on Xie Yao’s dress, causing Xie Yao to slip and fall backward, while she stumbled backward in fright, gaping in horror at the four blood bloody gashes on the back of her hand. 

As a man, Fang Ze couldn’t be bothered to fight with women. He planned to wait until the two women and child broke up before consoling them. Who could have known the situation would blow out of proportion—his pregnant wife fell, dragging their daughter down with her, while his darling cousin’s hand was maimed. Fang Ze could no longer remain indifferent; he offered his cousin a consoling look. Only when his cousin gave him a nod with teary eyes, did he go to his wife to help her up. 

“It hurts….” Xie Yao felt as if needles were stabbing her in her stomach. She didn’t see Du Yinger; the only thing left in her eyes was her husband who bent over to help her. She clutched his hand tightly. “The baby…hurry…call for a doctor….” 

Fang Ze’s blood ran cold as he stared in disbelief at the spot underneath his wife. 

Xie Yao wore a white dress; the sides of the skirt she lay on were dyed red. Spreading like water, the crimson continued to pool around her.
 

*** 

At the Jiang family residence… 

Re-energized after sleeping in, Xie Lanyin got up to get dressed.  She walked over to her wardrobe and personally chose an intricately patterned cherry-apple red overcoat. 

“I want to wear that cherry-apple flower hairpin that’s inlaid with rubies.” Yingge opened the jewelry box; Xie Lanyin swept her eyes over it and picked the most eye-catching hairpin. 

Xie Yao always used her status as the daughter of a government official to taunt her mother—even the three sisters weren’t let off the hook; all the while she was secretly envious of their first branch’s wealth. So, the more Xie Yao envied them, the more Xie Lanyin wanted to show off in front of her. If Xie Yao was unhappy, then she was happy. 

“When you’re there, don’t misbehave. Come back as soon as you can,” Madam Jiang fretted over her two daughters. 

“We know. We must come back to help Auntie,” Xie Lanyin smiled especially adorable. 

Madam Jiang worried about her the most; she only felt slightly reassured by a promise from her second daughter Lanqiao. Along with Madam Li, they sent the girls off. 

Third Young Master, Jiang Huaizhou, was charged with the task of leading the way. Since the Fang family’s residence was on the east side of the city, near Prince Qin’s estate, he deliberately brought the girls along a street that passed by the back of the estate. While passing by the prince’s residence, he introduced it to his two cousins, “Shanxi once had a prince of the second rank,3 郡王 (junwang) is a rank below 亲王 (qinwang). but he was later convicted and the place became empty. After renovating it this time, it was then granted to His Highness, Prince Qin. It’s the most magnificent mansion in the city.” 

Since they were going out as guests, Xie Lanqiao wore woman’s clothing this time around and sat in the carriage with Xie Lanyin. The two sisters poked their heads out to get a better view of the majesty of the prince’s mansion, but all they could see was the towering outer walls. The silence in the streets further emphasized the solemnity of the prince’s mansion. 

“What’s there to see—it’s just walls.” Xie Lanyin shortly dropped the curtains on her left side and secretly lifted the one on her right. Most of the residences on this street belonged to government officials. Xie Lanyin was used to the winding paths of Jiangnan’s garden landscapes, so she wanted to see what the private residences of Shanxi were like. She’d turn and tell her eldest sister all about it. 

It was unfortunate the doorways were much too narrow. With a few turns of the carriage wheel, they passed right by. Other than a wall, she didn’t see anything else. Xie Lanyin quickly lost interest, deciding on one last look before she gave it a rest. 

When the carriage passed by the doorway of the next residence, Xie Lanyin aimlessly glanced over at it and was surprised to see actual people. There were three of them; the man at the head of the group wore a grey embroidered robe and a jade coronet on his head, handsome and elegant. Their eyes met—Xie Lanyin felt those piercing eyes seemed to see right through the seam of the curtain to her heart and she dropped the curtains, feeling flustered. 

The curtains fell as the carriage continued its way. Soon, it put on some distance between them. 

Ge Jin didn’t see the young lady inside the carriage, but he recognized the driver. With a glance at the backside of the man on the other side of the carriage, he prompted his master in a quiet voice, “Young Master, it’s the Xie family’s carriage.” 

Xiao Yuan, who already turned the corner, walking in the opposite direction, grunted in acknowledgment.  

Ge Jin eyed his master’s aloof side profile and suddenly felt he guessed incorrectly all along. Perhaps his master only liked hearing the Xie family’s Fifth Young Lady’s voice and didn’t have much interest in the person herself. Otherwise, why would he act so cold? His master didn’t even slow down his stride when the carriage passed by. 

Realizing that he was being presumptuous, Ge Jin promptly shut his mouth and didn’t bring up the Xie family again. 

His ears finally got some peace and quiet. Xiao Yuan continued forward; a pair of radiant peach blossom eyes that he caught a glimpse of flashed through his mind. She was like a deer that stumbled out of the forest for the first time as she curiously explored her surroundings. When their eyes met, she was surprised and a little panicked, hiding herself immediately.

What did she panic for? 

Turning another corner, Xiao Yuan glanced into the alleyway from the corner of his eye. 

But this time, the carriage already turned the corner into another street, leaving the alley quiet and empty once again. 

Somewhere Xiao Yuan couldn’t see, Jiang Huaizhou spurred on the horse as he leaned against the window of the carriage, gently reminding his cousins, “It’s right up front.” 

Inside the carriage, it didn’t seem Xie Lanyin heard him, appearing bored out of her mind as she fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist; her ears still echoed with the news she heard from her cousin last night. It turned out Fang Ze’s younger sister married one of Shen Jie’s trusted officers, who was a widower, as his second wife; thus, he had a proper connection to ingratiate himself with Shen Jie. It was no wonder, then, that he was promoted to Xi’an’s magistrate so quickly. Looking at it this way, Xie Yao had pretty good foresight. Back then, the Fang family’s status couldn’t compare to the Xie family. Fang Ze only won the approval of her grandfather and Madam Chen with his outstanding appearance and decorum. 

It’s such a pity that he ultimately depended on his in-laws for his promotion. 

Knowing this—as for this Uncle Fang she rarely ever saw—Xie Lan Yin didn’t have a good impression of him.  

The carriage stopped, and the two sisters got off, only to see a young lady, blessed with a beautiful face and a graceful figure, dressed plainly, lead a flock of maidservants out to greet them. 

Xie Lanyin shot her older sister a confused look. Who was this? Normally, at the very least, Xie Yao would have sent Nanny Liu over to greet them. 

“You two must be Lanqiao and Lanyin, am I right?” Looking at the two lovely young ladies in front of the doorway, Du Yinger didn’t hide her awe, smiling as she praised, “I have long since heard that the young ladies of the Xie family were all beauties. Now I see with my own eyes, I know they aren’t empty words. Come, come in, and take a seat! Your aunt isn’t feeling well, so she asked me to come receive you in her place. As for me, I am A’Ling’s aunty. If you don’t mind, you can call me Aunty as well.” 

Xie Lanqiao offered her a wry smile. “You don’t look much older than us. Calling you Aunty…is a bit difficult.” 

Du Yinger covered her mouth as she laughed. Her smile quickly disappeared as she thought of something else and sighed, “Alright, I’ll take you two to see your aunt first. We can chat some more after.” She gestured with her hand as an invitation. 

Xie Lanqiao nodded and shot a look at her younger sister. 

Xie Lanyin followed obediently behind her sister. Gazing at Du Yinger’s curvy figure, she couldn’t recall which of Fang Ze’s cousins she was. 

Soon, they arrived at the main courtyard. Hearing Xie Yao was bedridden, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Jiang Huaizhou to go any further, so he waited in the reception area up front. The Xie sisters followed behind Du Yinger. As they neared the inner courtyard, they heard Xie Yao’s hoarse screams, “You want to take her as a concubine!? In your dreams, Fang Ze! Let me tell you, I’d rather divorce you than allow her in!” 

“Then let’s divorce.” The man’s voice was calm, neither high nor low, as it drifted out to them. 

Xie Lanyin came to a halt. 

Wasn’t Xie Yao pregnant? Why did she suddenly demand a divorce? 

1means born of wife. A man can have many concubines but he only has one wedded wife who will be buried with him when they die. 2指桑骂槐 is an idiom that means scolding Person B to indirectly scold at Person A.  3 郡王 (junwang) is a rank below 亲王 (qinwang).