After the Flower Grove Banquet, indeed several new couples had formed. Only Shanzha had not yet married Yan Jin, because Yan Jin said Shanzha was still young, and he was willing to wait another two years. Hearing this, Shanzha felt all the more delighted.
Spring had come, the earth was covered in fresh green, and the polo field was nearly complete. Jiaoniang’s skill had also advanced by leaps and bounds. Whenever she had free time, she rode and swung the mallet in her front courtyard. Xie Zhang had seen her at it several times when he came by, and when he went back, he urged his daughters and daughters-in-law to learn polo as well.
One day, with the spring breeze gentle, Li Qing’s wife came to visit. As soon as she stepped into the gate, she heard Jiaoniang’s hearty laughter. Looking up, she saw Jiaoniang riding a tall steed, laughing boldly as she swung with several young women. For a moment Li Qing’s wife was stunned, until Jiaoniang rode up and greeted her. Only then did she come back to herself. Looking closely, she saw that Jiaoniang and the girls behind her were all wearing fitted robes with long trousers, and she could not help exclaiming “Amitabha!” She gave a polite bow and said with a smile: “Madam, what kind of clothing is this? I’ve never seen such attire before.”
Qian Jiaoniang leapt down from her horse, wiped the sweat from her brow, and laughed:
“This is riding attire from the Xili region. The Marquis said the young women there ride daily, so they all wear trousers—it’s much more convenient. Indeed it is; without the extra burdens, even walking feels freer.”
Hongjuan came forward with a towel, and Shanzha held cool tea nearby. Qian Jiaoniang wiped her face casually and took a sip of tea. Turning to Chunwu and Yanluo, who were about to dismount, she said: “You two keep playing. I’ll go rest a while.”
Yanluo jumped down. “My bones are aching. I’ll go with Madam.” She could ride a horse, but only just enough to sit on one and trot a few steps. Her madam at the brothel had never let her risk roughening her delicate skin. But Jiaoniang had discovered it and dragged her onto a horse to learn polo.
“You’re sore after just a short run? I think you need more practice. When the polo field is finished, I’m still counting on you to charge in matches,” Jiaoniang said. She had grand ambitions.
Yanluo gave a wry smile. “Let me catch my breath, Madam.”
Qian Jiaoniang laughed, handed her another clean towel, then waved toward Zhao Yaoqian, who was still on horseback not far away.
“Miss Zhao, you go on playing. I’ll take a rest.”
Having come specially after hearing that Jiaoniang was playing polo, Zhao Yaoqian responded with a nod and waved back.
This was Li Qing’s wife’s first time seeing Miss Zhao, but she had heard tidbits from her husband—that this Miss Zhao was a talented lady personally chosen by the Marquis, famed alongside Miss Feng and Madam Hang. Likely she would become his concubine, or perhaps a equal wife. Li Qing’s wife silently gave thanks that her husband was not a high official and had become disabled—otherwise, had he also married three or four women into the household, how heartbroken would she have been?
Indeed, Madam’s heart is so broad, she thought. Glancing at Qian Jiaoniang, who looked utterly unbothered, Li Qing’s wife couldn’t help but feel respect.
“You haven’t come for a long time. What have you been busy with? Is the tavern still running well?” Qian Jiaoniang led Li Qing’s wife into the front hall and asked with a smile.
Li Qing’s wife quickly replied: “I had wished to visit more often, but lately the tavern has been so busy, I couldn’t spare the time.”
Yanluo came with pastries she had made herself earlier, setting one portion before Qian Jiaoniang and another before Li Qing’s wife.
“Being busy is good—that means plenty of customers. Uncle Qian’s cooking is excellent. Seems the tavern is well established now!”
Li Qing’s wife smiled shyly; her happiness was plain to see.
“By the way, once the polo field is complete, the Marquis says he’ll host a banquet. In a few days I’ll have a menu drawn up. See how many dishes your tavern can prepare, mark them out, and the price will be according to the market.”
This was a fat commission! Li Qing’s wife agreed at once, deeply grateful. She knew Qian Jiaoniang was deliberately giving their family a chance to earn money. With so many new servants hired at the Marquis’ estate, holding a banquet would not be a small matter.
Qian Jiaoniang smiled, urging her to eat some pastries, then ate one herself before asking:
“You came specially to find me today—was there something you wanted?”
Li Qing’s wife dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief. “Yes… there is one matter.” She hesitated.
Ever since New Year, when Qian Liniang and her husband visited, Li Qing’s wife had learned that Qian Liniang truly was the Marquis’ wife’s elder sister, and also that the Marquis’ wife had once been sold into the Marquis’ household—thus the tale of a sparrow turning into a phoenix, a farmer’s daughter becoming the wife of a noble. Qian Liniang had been eager to ask Li Qing’s wife to help reconnect with her younger sister. But Li Qing’s wife and her husband had hesitated. After all, it was not a matter of pride. For so many years the Madam had had no ties with her family, who had treated her as water thrown out of the house. She remembered, too, how when the old father once asked Madam about her father’s name, Madam had given no answer—surely a sign of bitterness in her heart. For poor families to sell daughters was not unusual, but for the one who lived it, the pain was real.
Thus Li Qing’s wife, afraid of reopening Jiaoniang’s old wounds, had rejected Qian Liniang’s request again and again. But Qian Liniang kept coming every day, in tears, begging bitterly. Li Qing’s wife was soft-hearted, and when she listened to Liniang recount the sisters’ childhood memories in detail, she was moved. She thought, too, that an elder sister was not the parents; at the time, she had no say. And if the sisters were close once, perhaps Madam still remembered her fondly. So after consulting with her husband, Li Qing’s wife finally came today.
Qian Jiaoniang saw her hesitate and asked with a smile: “What is it?”
Li Qing’s wife’s heart was pounding. She wanted to speak, yet somehow fear rose up, her palms breaking into sweat. She actually stood up to leave, but Qian Jiaoniang caught her hand, spoke gently to put her at ease, and soothed her for quite a while. Only then did Li Qing’s wife clench her fists, grit her teeth, and finally say it: “Madam, in our Old Qian family there’s a relative, her name is Qian Liniang. She says she’s your elder sister, and she wishes to acknowledge kinship with you!”
