Qian Liniang was utterly terrified, yet her expression was full of bewilderment. She had willingly offered herself as a concubine—so why did Xing Muzheng react with such fury? Did he not love her kind of beauty? Wasn’t she even lovelier than Jiaoniang? Why would he drive her out? What man didn’t delight in having many wives and concubines in his rear courtyard?
But before she could puzzle it out, guards came in and dragged her out.
The little servant quickly hurried forward to clean the broken shards of porcelain on the ground. He dared not even breathe loudly, only stealing glances at his master’s face. Xing Muzheng sat in silence, inscrutable, not uttering a word for a long while. The servant could not tell in the least whether he was pleased or enraged.
When the floor was finally clean, Xing Muzheng spoke in a low voice: “Go and tell the Madam everything Second Sister Qian said just now—word for word.”
The servant was startled, but he hid his expression well, quickly bowing in assent before withdrawing.
Qian Liniang, expelled from the study, found her nursemaid and maidservant waiting outside. At one look at her disheveled state, they knew something had gone wrong. They rushed forward, chattering questions from left and right. Her face went from red to white, but she said nothing, striding quickly back toward her own courtyard.
Who would have thought that Qian Jiaoniang would be there already, waiting inside with a group of attendants? When she saw her elder sister return, she smiled sweetly and said: “Second Sister, where did you go? I searched all over for you.”
Qian Liniang stammered out a vague excuse, then quickly changed the subject: “Jiaoniang, why have you come to my courtyard?”
Qian Jiaoniang laughed: “The household is making new clothes, so I came to take your measurements, so that I might make a few pieces for you as well. Look—among these fabrics, which ones do you like?”
Qian Liniang made a few refusals, but once she touched the silks the maids brought in, her hands could not let go. She had grown enough in vision to recognize that these were the finest of materials—likely not a single bolt of such fabric could be found in the entire Sun household. Yet here, in the Marquis’s estate, even visiting relatives could use them. What a gulf between the two!
The more she thought, the more unwilling she felt. Her handkerchief twisted tight in her grip. Why was it that even when she offered herself, the Marquis still didn’t want her! She was far more alluring now than when she first seduced Sun Lang. Could it be… he was constrained because of her younger sister? Impossible! In any household, men were as heaven itself—how much more so for a man of such power and prestige as the Dingxi Marquis? How could he possibly fear a wife with no family backing at all?
Unaware of her sister’s inner turmoil, Qian Jiaoniang continued smiling: “Second Sister, if you’ve chosen a fabric, I’ll make you a dress with it.”
Qian Liniang snapped back to herself and quickly forced a smile: “How could that be proper? You’re the Marchioness—how could I dare trouble you to make clothes for me?”
“What’s all this between sisters? It’s simply my thought of kindness. So long as you don’t despise it, Second Sister, I’ll be glad.”
The maid Shanzha chimed in, speaking quickly: “Second Madam, our Madam’s embroidery is exquisite! Back in Yongan City, at the Crown Prince’s residence, she wore a skirt she embroidered herself—every princess and noble lady was amazed by it!”
Qian Jiaoniang had met the Crown Princess? She had even been able to meet such a personage—that future Empress herself? Qian Liniang felt no gratitude at all toward her younger sister’s offer to make her clothes; instead, she could barely restrain the jealousy that boiled up. One misstep led to another, and another—what madness had driven her to feign illness back then?
Just as Qian Jiaoniang was taking her sister’s measurements, the little servant from Xing Muzheng’s study arrived.
The moment Qian Liniang saw him, her eyelid twitched violently—she recognized him at once as the very same servant who had stood behind Xing Muzheng earlier.
“Madam, Master instructed me to come and tell you something.”
“What is it?” Qian Jiaoniang asked casually.
The servant glanced once at Qian Liniang, then immediately turned his gaze back down, head lowered, and said to Jiaoniang: “Master said it must be spoken to Madam alone.”
Something important? Jiaoniang set down her measuring tape.
“Then let’s go to the side room. Second Sister, I’ll be back shortly.”
Qian Liniang’s heart gave a sudden jolt. She hurried to grab Jiaoniang’s hand.
“Jiaoniang, Jiaoniang, I too have something I must tell you!”
Jiaoniang didn’t understand why her elder sister suddenly seemed so urgent. She laughed lightly: “Then wait until I return.”
Qian Liniang said: “No, no, no—I must tell you now. You can hear this servant afterward.”
Jiaoniang studied her sister’s anxious look, then thought for a moment and asked the servant: “Is what the Marquis wishes to say very urgent?”
The servant glanced at Qian Liniang, hesitated, then replied: “Not urgent…”
Qian Jiaoniang said: “Then wait outside for a moment.”
The servant boy could only withdraw with the others. Qian Jiaoniang turned her head to Qian Liniang: “Second Sister, everyone has left. What is it you want to say?”
Qian Liniang bit her lower lip. She wasn’t sure whether that servant had come to accuse her to Qian Jiaoniang, but this matter could not be hidden forever. She could only rush ahead and tell Qian Jiaoniang first. So she weighed her words carefully and recounted how she had gone to the study to seek out Xing Muzheng.
Qian Jiaoniang listened without a word until she had finished, her gaze on her dull and strange.
Qian Liniang tried to justify herself: “Jiaoniang, I know you are doing it for my good. I also wanted to leave the Sun family, but I was afraid of having no one to rely on—terribly afraid! Your elder sister is just such a useless person. Besides, we’ve been apart so long, I missed you very much, I didn’t want to be separated from you again, so I went to beg the Marquis to take me in as a concubine. I knew you wouldn’t want me to be wronged, and surely wouldn’t agree, so I went directly to the Marquis. Don’t misunderstand!”
Qian Jiaoniang slowly smiled.
This was her own blood sister. She wanted her to leave that licentious man and find true affection, yet she had eagerly gone to become her brother-in-law’s concubine? Wasn’t this deliberately striking her face, stabbing at her very heart?
Qian Liniang felt chills all over from the way she was being looked at. “Jiaoniang, what I said is all true, do you not believe me?”
Qian Jiaoniang suddenly stood up and called toward the door: “Someone come!”
Hongjuan and the others quickly came in, while Qian Liniang’s nurse and maid, who had been waiting outside, trailed in nervously.
“Madam, what are your orders?”
“Madam Sun is to return to the Sun residence. Help her pack her things, and prepare a carriage!”
Qian Liniang froze in place.
Shanzha, slow to react, said, “Madam, Second Madam has not yet chosen her fabric. Should she pick first?”
Qian Jiaoniang gave a cold laugh. “No need. Madam Sun does not value the fabrics of the Marquis’s household, nor does she care for me to make clothes for her!”
At those words, even the simple-minded Shanzha understood something was wrong. Suier quickly said: “This servant will go pack at once.”
“And I will fetch the carriage,” added Hongjuan.
Qian Liniang snapped out of her daze, her face flushed red. “Jiaoniang, you mean to drive me away?”
Expressionless, Qian Jiaoniang said: “Madam Sun has been in the Marquis’s residence for many days and should be returning. The Marquis’s household is small, it cannot house such a great Buddha as Madam Sun. In the future, unless it is a matter of life and death, Madam Sun need not come again.”
The maids and nurse of Qian Liniang all stared wide-eyed. Was this the Marquis’s wife truly cutting off ties? So quickly, and with such decisiveness—already she would cast aside her own elder sister!
Qian Liniang had not expected Qian Jiaoniang to send her away without another word. Her heart sank lower and lower, and tears welled up again: “Jiaoniang, won’t you listen to my explanation? I really was only thinking of us sisters being reunited! Dingxi Marquis holds such high office, in time he must surely take concubines. What harm if I am one more? Then we sisters can be together and look after each other! In the future, if I have children, I will place them under your name. Wouldn’t that only secure your position as the principal wife? Jiaoniang, Jiaoniang!”
Qian Jiaoniang walked out without hesitation, not leaving a single word behind. Only Qian Liniang’s shrill cries echoed in the room, growing fainter with distance.
The servant boy from Xing Muzheng’s study followed Qian Jiaoniang out of the courtyard. After she strode quickly for a while, she suddenly stopped and called him forward: “The Marquis sent you, it was about Madam Sun’s matter?”
The servant boy nodded.
“What did the Marquis say?” As she asked, Qian Jiaoniang’s face burned, her back held stiffly straight. She felt acutely humiliated—if Xing Muzheng had agreed to take Qian Liniang as a concubine, she would feel even more humiliated. Whom Xing Muzheng wished to take, she could not interfere—only not her own sister.
The servant boy was quick-witted. He hurriedly said: “In front of Second—of Madam Sun, the Marquis smashed a teacup, and only told this servant to inform Madam, leaving it for Madam to decide.”
Qian Jiaoniang let out the faintest sigh of relief. She turned back to glance at Qian Liniang’s courtyard, a deep, fleeting ripple passing through her eyes.
Two quarters of an hour later, Qian Jiaoniang appeared before Xing Muzheng’s study door. She drew in a deep breath, and after being announced, entered with a smiling face.
Xing Muzheng was still handling official documents. Seeing her enter, he laid down his brush and rose to look at her.
Qian Jiaoniang smiled: “I’ve disturbed the Marquis at work. I only came to ask—since the household is making spring clothes, does the Marquis need new garments as well? If so, I can take your measurements.” She lifted the measuring tape in her hand.
Xing Muzheng gazed straight at her. The servant had already reported; Qian Liniang had been sent away from the Marquis’s residence. He had hesitated whether to leave her alone for a while or go check on her—but she had come herself.
“…Mm. Then take my measurements.”
Qian Jiaoniang nodded and stepped forward. Xing Muzheng cooperated, spreading his arms for her to measure. As she worked, she clicked her tongue: “Oh my, the Marquis’s shoulders are so broad.” “Oh my, the Marquis’s arms so long!” “And such long legs!”
She muttered on and on, much more talkative than usual. Xing Muzheng lowered his head, silently watching her, eyes filled with tender pity.
Qian Jiaoniang suddenly lifted her gaze and met those eyes.
She paused, then looked away. “Marquis, I am finished measuring.”
“Mm.”
“My second sister…has been sent away.”
“Mm.”
Qian Jiaoniang could not tell his mood from the sound. She raised her head and, bracing herself, said: “I am sorry.”
Xing Muzheng said: “She doesn’t owe me an apology.”
