Chun Ling had already confessed to Lady Zhu how Cheng Si-lang came to visit Desheng Pavilion that day.
It turned out he hadn’t just happened to come – she had invited him.
“You’ve brought harm upon him,” Lady Zhu said urgently.
“I truly had no one else to turn to,” Chun Ling wept. “I was afraid – afraid something would happen to you, afraid you might… do something rash.”
Afraid something would happen to you, afraid you might do something rash…
Lady Zhu’s expression dimmed.
Yes – she had been considering something rash.
Watching the young maid weep until she nearly lost consciousness, Lady Zhu finally let out a soft sigh.
“How could this be your fault?” she said. “If we must place blame… it should fall on me.”
“Sister!” Chun Ling lifted her head, tears streaming like rain as she shook it. “Sister, it’s not your fault – it’s all my doing. I’ll go confess to Young Master Cheng, I’ll go apologize to the Gao family… This disaster happened because I acted on my own–”
“Did you know that this Lady Cheng is Yong Master Cheng’s sister?” Lady Zhu asked.
Chun Ling nodded.
“I knew. Young Master Cheng’s sister is a formidable person – they say she’s a disciple of the immortals. Everyone fears her, no one dares to cross her. That’s… that’s why I…” she wept, bowing again to kowtow.
“So they are family,” Lady Zhu murmured, the earlier scene replaying before her eyes.
The door had swung open, and the girl stepped in – unpainted, plainly dressed, yet instantly commanding the attention of everyone present. Just as she had before – during those few encounters Lady Zhu had witnessed, whether at the Qin residence three years ago or on the street during the solar eclipse three years later.
So it was her all along.
So she is the renowned Lady Cheng.
So she is his her.
“Sister…” Chun Ling’s cries drew Lady Zhu back to the present.
“Chun Ling, since you know such a powerful family, why haven’t you left this place?” Lady Zhu gazed at her with a faint smile. “This is no place to stay.”
“But… you are here,” Chun Ling wept, clutching the sleeve of Lady Zhu’s robe.
Looking at the trembling, distraught young maid, Lady Zhu sighed softly and reached out to stroke her hair.
“Silly child,” she said with a bittersweet smile.
“Let me go and apologize to them. Let them beat me or kill me – I’ll accept any punishment. This disaster is my fault,” Chun Ling cried, gripping her hand tightly as she tried to stand and rush out.
Lady Zhu held her back.
“This isn’t a disaster you brought about,” she said.
Chun Ling shook her head, weeping.
“It’s one I brought upon myself,” Lady Zhu continued. “I forgot my place – grew selective and reluctant when praised and pursued, even acting as though life wasn’t worth living.”
She smiled faintly at this.
“If I had simply accepted my role and welcomed guests gladly, why would you have sought outside help to rescue me? None of today’s troubles would have happened.”
“This isn’t your fault. Why should you endure such humiliation? Why force yourself to suffer?” Chun Ling cried, clutching Lady Zhu’s hand. “I couldn’t bear it – I never wanted this for you.”
“Because this is my fate,” Lady Zhu replied. “When people refuse to accept their lot or obey their destiny, they deserve the suffering that follows.”
“Sister…” Chun Ling could no longer speak through her sobs, clinging desperately to Lady Zhu’s hand.
Lady Zhu shook her off and called for her attendants.
Two young maids immediately entered from outside and helped her change into an elegant gown. The long, flowing robes shimmered brilliantly under the lamplight.
“Sister!” Chun Ling cried out in despair.
Without turning back, Lady Zhu instructed her maid to bring her qin, then stepped forward gracefully.
“Sister…” Chun Ling lay prostrate on the floor, weeping uncontrollably.
The soft rustle of silk gradually faded into the distance. The door closed, shutting out the clamor of the world outside.
Chun Ling sat up, tear tracks still glistening on her cheeks – yet her eyes now held no trace of moisture. She shifted lazily into a more comfortable pose, leaning against an armrest nearby as she turned to gaze into the bronze mirror. A faint smile touched her lips.
See? That was all it took. She was completely in the clear now.
Staring into the mirror, she lifted a hand as though applying rouge to her lips. Though youth still softened her features, the subtle turn of her eyes and brow already mirrored nearly seventy to eighty percent of Lady Zhu’s signature grace.
“You’re wrong,” she murmured to her reflection, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “This really is a wonderful place. How could I ever bear to leave?”
…
“…I’m innocent!”
Madam Mo, who had been dragged fiercely into the private room by Zhou Liu-lang, cried out repeatedly.
“I had no idea who Young Master Cheng was! From the very beginning, I didn’t even know he had asked to meet our courtesan!”
Zhou Liu-lang looked at her with a cold sneer.
“Young master!” Madam Mo frantically raised her hand as if taking an oath. “Had I known this Young Master Cheng was related to Lady Cheng, only a fool would have shown such disrespect! Why would I ever let the two of them clash over a courtesan? I would have tried my utmost to mediate – how could that possibly benefit our Desheng Pavilion?”
“Who knows what benefits there are? Perhaps you know, or perhaps the one who put you up to this knows,” Zhou Liu-lang retorted with a cold sneer.
“Heaven is my witness – this is a true injustice!” Madam Mo beat her chest repeatedly in distress. “I knew it – this time, there’s no way I can clear my name. Now I’m seen as the villain no matter what I do.”
“This has nothing to do with my mother.”
The door slid open, and Lady Zhu stepped inside in full ceremonial attire. Gone was any trace of her earlier disarray – she had fully reclaimed the radiant presence of the star courtesan the world knew.
As she spoke, she performed an elegant, fluid bow.
“This is entirely my doing.”
Madam Mo felt a wave of relief wash over her.
Thank heavens – someone is stepping forward to take responsibility.
“Ah-Heng, quickly explain to Lady Cheng what truly happened,” she urged anxiously.
Lady Zhu performed a bow and knelt gracefully on the floor.
“There is no deeper scheme here, nor was anyone directing me to deliberately provoke conflict between your two families. It was simply that I…” she began, “…was too greedy. I did not wish to entertain the Gao family, yet feared their power and had no means to resist – so I sought refuge in Young Master Cheng’s name.”
“You certainly know how to pick your allies,” Zhou Liu-lang sneered coldly.
“That is because Lady Cheng is worth seeking refuge in,” Lady Zhu replied calmly.
Zhou Liu-lang shot to his feet, enraged.
“But that doesn’t mean you’re worthy of seeking her as a refuge!” he shouted, his hand closing around the dagger hidden beneath his robe.
Madam Mo let out a terrified shriek.
He’s going to kill someone! If it were anyone else, she might not be so afraid – but this Lady Cheng also had a fierce reputation. Hadn’t someone been killed in broad daylight at Tai Ping Residence back then?
If she truly intended to kill, she might very well go through with it!
“Yes, I accept punishment,” Lady Zhu replied calmly, bowing deeply.
“There is no punishment to be had here,” Cheng Jiao-niang stated. “Since my brother was willing, you were entitled to seek his aid.”
Lady Zhu looked up, disbelief in her eyes.
What?
“You may leave,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
What did she mean by that?
Lady Zhu and Madam Mo stood frozen in confusion.
“Lady Cheng, I–” Lady Zhu attempted to speak again.
“Get out!” Zhou Liu-lang cut her off with a glare.
Lady Zhu bit her lower lip, bowed her head in acknowledgment, then rose and retreated. Seeing her withdraw, the madam didn’t dare linger either and hurried out after her.
“…At that time, the young master originally intended to go to the Immortal’s Abode arranged by Ban Qin. But then the maid serving Lady Zhu came to him, weeping and pleading…”
The maid who had escorted Cheng Si-lang had returned, bringing along a visibly trembling young servant. The servant knelt, wiping his tears as he spoke.
Hearing this, another maid nearby quickly added,
“…It seems the young master first became acquainted with Lady Zhu and her maid about three years ago,” she said softly. “It was during that outing with the Wang family’s seventeenth young master.”
She then bowed deeply.
“I am at fault for not intervening sooner to dissuade the young master.”
Zhou Liu-lang, who had been listening nearby, let out a cold laugh.
“How could this be your fault? This is just his romantic nature – do you think you could have stopped him even if you tried?” he said mockingly.
“That’s not true,” the maid quickly explained. “The young master didn’t usually interact with Lady Zhu. They only met initially, and since her maid is from the same hometown as the young master, he, being kind-hearted, showed her a bit more consideration.”
Zhou Liu-lang let out a derisive “Ha!”
“Kind-hearted? Showed consideration? Who does he think he is?” he retorted.
“Kindness has its downsides, and ruthlessness has its merits,” Cheng Jiao-niang interjected calmly. “He doesn’t think he’s anyone special – he simply is who he is. Should we demand that he be kind only to me and ruthless to others? That would be too harsh a demand.”
From beginning to end, she never uttered a single word of complaint – instead, she kept making excuses for him!
“So, you’re actually proud of him?” Zhou Liu-lang said through gritted teeth, turning to glare at Cheng Jiao-niang.
“I simply find joy in who he is,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied. “As long as he is happy, I am happy.”
Zhou Liu-lang’s teeth grated audibly, and the hands resting on his knees clenched until his knuckles cracked.
“Fine! Now you siblings must be overjoyed! You’ve trampled the Gao family’s pride and won the beauty! Truly a cause for celebration!” he shouted, rising to his feet. He grabbed a bottle of wine left earlier by the Gao family in the main hall and raised it high. “Come, come! Such a grand occasion calls for a toast! Let’s drink, let’s drink!”
With that, he upended the bottle and poured the wine down his throat.
The maid looked up at him with a hint of helplessness.
“Young Master Zhou…” she called out softly.
Zhou Liu-lang finished the bottle, smashed it to the ground with a crash, then turned and stormed out.
“Young Master Zhou!”
The maid’s voice called after him once more from behind.
Fool!
Damn fool!
Hateful fool!
Go ahead and celebrate with your kind-hearted brother then!
Zhou Liu-lang gritted his teeth and quickened his pace, finally breaking into a full sprint.
Watching Zhou Liu-lang storm out and slam the door, the young servant in the private room trembled and bowed low, not daring to speak.
The maid sighed, waved the servant away, and then turned her gaze to Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Young Master Zhou… seems like he’s about to be driven to tears again…” she remarked softly.
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled and extended her hand.
“Bring the wine,” she said.
The maid quickly fetched the wine pot, poured a cup, and handed it to her. She watched as Cheng Jiao-niang took a slow sip.
“Miss, please don’t be upset,” the maid whispered.
“I’m not upset,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied. “In this world, one can’t expect everything to go exactly as one wishes.”
She smiled faintly at this.
“Ancestor was right – you can’t always get what you want or have things your way. If you can scheme, others can scheme too. I am who I am, and he is who he is. There’s no ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ about it.”
Ancestor?
The maid frowned slightly.
The ancestor of the Cheng family? Did the Cheng elders even speak to her about their ancestors? On ordinary days, they seemed eager to avoid her.
“This whole affair is truly infuriating. To think we were manipulated by a courtesan and landed in such trouble for no reason,” she said, refilling Cheng Jiao-niang’s cup.
“No need for anger. When soldiers approach, deploy generals to block them; when floodwaters rise, use earth to stem the tide,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied, sipping her wine slowly. “If you can play the game, play. If you can’t, admit defeat. It’s no great matter.”
At this point, let’s just hope that Young Master Gao is willing to play by the rules…
The maid couldn’t help but think to herself.
If he isn’t, then this will no longer be just about money.
