Chapter 5
Since leaving the capital with the young marquis on business, Song Yin had been away for many days.
Now he looked at me and hurried forward. “Jiaojiao, are you well?”
I swept him a calm glance and turned away.
He could pester me as though nothing had happened. I did not wish to exchange another word with him.
It was revolting.
“Mistress Xu,” the headmaster called.
He was speaking with a middle-aged man dressed as an inner-palace official. The man was pale and beardless. I recognized him as Chief Steward Lin, who oversaw palace procurement.
Our conversation went smoothly. He told me to report to a junior eunuch surnamed Deng at the palace’s western gate in five days.
I agreed with a smile. When my gaze met the Princess of Qingyang’s, I deliberately arched a brow at her.
The Princess of Qingyang could never tolerate a challenge. She immediately came over.
“What were you and Chief Steward Lin discussing?” she asked.
“Business,” Chief Steward Lin replied.
She pointed at me imperiously. “Come with me. I have something to say to you.”
“His Excellency is still giving me instructions, Your Highness. I will come find you afterward.”
“Weren’t you finished?” The princess frowned and turned on Chief Steward Lin. “Are you finished?”
He gave her a long look, then walked away.
“Come with me.” The princess lifted her chin and led the way.
We stopped beneath a viburnum tree. Stripped of flowers, it had the lonely air of splendor already faded.
The Princess of Qingyang abandoned shame and subtlety alike. She came straight to the point. “I will not share my husband with another woman. For everyone’s dignity, stop clinging to him.
“You want to become an imperial merchant? I can make it happen with a single word.
“But with another word, I can also destroy all thirty-six of your shops overnight.”
She spoke with spoiled arrogance, unrestrained and still somehow naive.
I answered mildly, “Has no one told you? Song Yin and I have ended our engagement.”
“Truly?” She did not seem to believe me.
“He kept it from you. Ask him yourself.”
She froze and looked past me. “Yuying, she says the engagement is over. Is that true?”
Song Yin murmured something to her, then came to me and lowered his voice. “Jiaojiao, give me more time. Wait for me.”
I looked at him in scorn and asked what I was supposed to wait for.
“Three years. In three years, I will bring you into my household.” His voice was barely audible. “I know my own heart. I love you.”
So he wanted me as his concubine.
I cut him off.
“Our engagement is over. Even if you become Chief Grand Secretary someday, I will never be your concubine.”
His eyes reddened at once. He reached urgently for my hand.
But the Princess of Qingyang stepped to his side. “Are you finished? We still have to find my cousin.”
Someone answered her.
“Why is Qingyang looking for me?”
I turned. Chief Steward Lin was approaching with the Crown Prince.
Chief Steward Lin glanced at the princess, then fixed his eyes on my face.
Inner-palace officials held special positions: great authority, but humble rank. They therefore cared deeply about whether others treated them with respect.
For Song Yin’s career, I had often paid dearly for official court gazettes. I did not know every detail of court affairs, but I understood something of them.
Chief Steward Lin never forgot a slight.
The princess’s imperious manner had surely offended him. He had brought the Crown Prince here to expose her ugly behavior.
Or perhaps he had devised some other plan on the spot, intending to turn a small affair against the Marquis of Weiyuan into something larger. That was no concern of mine.
I had achieved my aim. There was no need to press further.
I stepped forward and bowed to the Crown Prince.
The Princess of Qingyang offered a garbled explanation, then used the opportunity to introduce Song Yin.
The Crown Prince merely glanced at Song Yin before telling her, “You are a princess. Your conduct should be dignified and measured. Do not use your power to stir up trouble.”
The princess went rigid, her face paling.
Song Yin lowered his head in despair.
Chief Steward Lin took two steps and, to my surprise, introduced me. “Your Highness, this is Mistress Xu. She organized the academy’s entire anniversary banquet.”
“Though she is a woman, her ability commands admiration.”
The Crown Prince was young, yet his authority was intimidating. His gaze was deep and unreadable.
“Mistress Xu and I have met.” He looked at me intently, then turned with his hands behind his back. He admonished the princess once more. “Come.”
She glared at me, stamped her foot, and followed him.
Song Yin and Chief Steward Lin went after them.
I remained where I was and rubbed my brow. Chief Steward Lin suddenly doubled back to remind me, “Five days from now, at the western gate, precisely at the start of the Dragon Hour.”
“Yes, sir.”
After the banquet, I took leave of the headmaster and returned home. I wanted nothing but sleep.
I had barely washed when Song Yin arrived.
He tried to enter, but I raised a hand to stop him. “It is late. Come with your parents tomorrow morning, and our families will discuss matters properly.”
Song Yin strode inside and seized my hand.
“Jiaojiao, you have always been intelligent. You should understand how difficult this is for me. How could I reject the princess’s favor?”
“But my whole heart belongs to you. I have always been faithful to you.”