Jiaoniang’s voice was light and clear, mingling with the jade flute. With a maiden’s harmony, it was like a wisp of spring breeze brushing the ear, so that even the rainy day no longer felt so cold and dreary.
Xing Muzheng gazed toward the faint silhouette in the windbreak pavilion; his eyes softened. He slowed his pace, and when he reached the pavilion, both song and flute ceased. The women all laughed lightly and clapped their delicate hands.
Qian Jiaoniang laughed brightly. But as she lifted her head, she saw a man in a bamboo hat and rain cloak stooping inside—at first glance no different from a scarecrow. Looking closer, she recognized it was Xing Muzheng.
Other than her, all the women hurried to rise and pay respects. Qian Jiaoniang also stood, unable to help herself from looking him over with amusement. “Why has the Marquis come here?”
Xing Muzheng took off his hat, his dark eyes on her with a light smile. “I came to borrow my wife’s carriage home, never thought I’d find my wife here enjoying herself.”
It turned out that Xing Muzheng had set people to begin truly reclaiming wasteland today, but a sudden heavy rain forced them to stop. Knowing Qian Jiaoniang was at the polo grounds, he had come to fetch her.
Qian Jiaoniang laughed softly. She remembered that in the morning Xing Muzheng had said today would be for opening fields. Seeing the mud clinging to his black boots, she guessed he had just returned from the land. “The Marquis has worked hard. I suppose the fields can’t be opened today?” She offered him a seat. Xing Muzheng removed his rain cloak and unceremoniously sat in her place. Having ridden here, his face and clothes were damp. Suier hurriedly produced a clean kerchief and handed it to Qian Jiaoniang. By rights she should wipe him, for he disliked servant girls coming near, so the task naturally fell to her.
But Qian Jiaoniang was completely without sentiment. She took it, then handed it straight to Xing Muzheng. He did not take it, instead leaning his face toward her. Qian Jiaoniang froze for a moment; she could not very well embarrass him before others, so she pressed the kerchief to his cheek and wiped for him.
“Only a few strokes with the hoe, and it rains. Tomorrow you must check the almanac for me.”
Qian Jiaoniang laughed. “If I could read the almanac, would I still be sitting here today?” She wiped his face clean, then also wiped his neck. Xing Muzheng automatically stretched out his hands, and she had no choice but to wipe those too. Behind them, the young maids glanced at one another, covering their mouths as they giggled.
“I can read the almanac.” Suddenly Qian Liniang spoke up.
Xing Muzheng turned toward the voice and at last noticed Qian Liniang. “So Second Sister is here too.”
Qian Liniang felt somewhat sulky. She was standing right here—how could he not have seen her? Was this just the polite avoidance of great households?
In truth, Xing Muzheng really hadn’t seen her. When he came in, he had eyes only for Qian Jiaoniang, and the rest he overlooked completely.
Hongjuan brought a cup of hot tea. Xing Muzheng politely said, “Let Second Sister drink first.”
Qian Liniang instantly brightened into a smile. “Many thanks, Marquis, but I already have some!”
At first Qian Jiaoniang had worried the Marquis might look down on her relatives and cause Second Sister to be slighted. But seeing how he treated her—not overly warm, yet courteous and deferential as kin, addressing her as ‘Second Sister’ without hesitation—she truly felt relieved.
They conversed for a while. The rain stopped, but the ground was wet and muddy, unfit for polo. Qian Jiaoniang ordered things packed for the return to the residence. Xing Muzheng said: “There’s a lake south of the city with fine scenery. When the weather clears, I’ll take you there. I hear many young ladies love to fly kites there.”
Qian Jiaoniang paused. Qian Liniang laughed: “A lake with such beauty, and I didn’t even know of it.” She had once feared Xing Muzheng, but after his mild manner just now, her earlier dissatisfaction at being ignored was long gone. At this moment her heart was full of delight.
Xing Muzheng said: “It’s just not far past the Earth God Temple.”
Qian Liniang said: “Shameful to say, I don’t even know where that temple is.”
“I don’t know either,” Qian Jiaoniang’s eyes turned. “Second Sister, why don’t you stay at the Marquis’s residence these few days? When the skies clear, we can go to the Earth God Temple together, then to the lake for an outing. What do you think?”
Qian Liniang was startled. “This… would that not be improper?”
“What’s improper in an elder sister staying a few days at her younger sister’s home? You only need say that the two of us have been long separated and reunited. The Sun family surely won’t stop you.”
Qian Liniang still hesitated. Xing Muzheng said: “Shall I send someone to the Sun residence to inform them?”
Did this mean Xing Muzheng also welcomed her to stay at the Marquis’s estate? Qian Liniang felt flattered and quickly waved her hand. “No need, no need. I’ll go back and tell my husband. He’ll certainly be glad I can stay with my younger sister. I only fear I’ll impose, troubling the Marquis and my sister.”
Xing Muzheng said: “Second Sister is family—how could that be a trouble? Jiaoniang will be delighted.” He looked toward Qian Jiaoniang. She smiled back at him. “The Marquis is right—I’ll be very happy.”
Qian Liniang, feeling herself treated with such respect, was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly with a smile.
The carriage was already waiting outside. Ah Da came to invite the masters out. Xing Muzheng leaned close and murmured to Qian Jiaoniang: “Shall I carry you out?”
This out-of-the-blue remark made Qian Jiaoniang blush before she had time to react. She said stiffly: “Why should you carry me out?” In front of so many people—did this Marquis have no sense of shame?
Xing Muzheng pointed at her shoes: “These aren’t old shoes. The ground’s muddy—wouldn’t it be a pity if they got soiled?”
So the marquis was actually being thrifty today. Qian Jiaoniang couldn’t bring herself to dampen his good intention. “It’s fine, I’ll be careful.”
Xing Muzheng nodded. Qian Jiaoniang let out a breath of relief, thinking that luckily the man outside the house wasn’t as shameless as the one inside—who knew, in the blink of an eye, he had already taken hold of her hand.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward them. Qian Jiaoniang’s face grew warm; she tried to pull her hand back and whispered for Xing Muzheng to let go. Xing Muzheng said in all seriousness: “It just rained, the ground is wet and slippery. If you were to take a great tumble, that would be no good.”
How could he talk like that, how could he! Yesterday he said she was thin like a sprite, today he curses her to take a great tumble. Just what on earth is this man thinking!
Xing Muzheng never noticed his wife sulking, and simply pulled her along and walked out. Qian Liniang, staring at their backs, stood dazed in place. She had never seen such… intimacy between husband and wife.
Who would have thought—Xing Muzheng, such a high-ranking official, could treat a woman like this.
