Qinghe spent several more days on pins and needles, and at last the good news came.
The day chosen was an auspicious one, perfect for a marriage proposal. A message had already reached the Xie house the day before, and Qinghe's maid Xinyu came hurrying over late that night. Smiling, she curtsied and said, "Fourth Miss, our young lady sent me with a message. Tomorrow, please come early. After paying your respects to the Old Madam, wait a little while, and our young lady asks that you keep her company."
Qingyuan was pacing the room reciting her lessons. She set the book down at Xinyu's words. "Oh. So there's good news?"
"There is," Xinyu said. "Tomorrow the prefect's wife is bringing the Earl of Kaiguo's people to propose, and the eldest young master will come with them. Our young lady is too shy to meet them alone, so she asks you to be her guest and give her a little courage."
Of all the Xies, Qinghe was the one with the fewest defenses. When Qingyuan first came back, Qinghe had joined her brothers and sisters in turning against her. Later Qingru and Qingrong turned on Qinghe, and she drew closer to Qingyuan, with warmth that seemed to grow by the day. Qingyuan sometimes sighed over it. She had always been an outsider in the Xie house whom no one acknowledged, and now Qinghe gave her a little comfort.
She nodded. "Take a message back to Elder Sister: tell her I congratulate her in advance. Tomorrow I'll wait for her at Huifang Gate and we'll go into the garden together."
The next day she rose early, washed and dressed, put on a narrow-sleeved jacket with a ruyi cloud pattern, and hurried out.
In the early spring of the south, a thin mist always lingers. As the sun was about to rise and hadn't quite done so, the mist thinned and divided in two. The upper half was clear and bright, while the lower half hung heavy beneath the foundations and among the flowers and grass. Walking through it, one felt almost as if one were climbing into the clouds.
The Xie household was especially strict about morning and evening greetings, and no carelessness was tolerated. Lady Hu and the wives of the separated households of the east and west mansions came out of the Old Madam's rooms and stopped in the outer room to receive greetings from the younger generation.
Qingyuan, as ever the least noticeable, stood in a corner and bowed along with her sisters. Lady Hu and the aunts all kept their eyes on Qinghe.
Second Uncle Xie Xun's wife, Lady Jiang, had a glib tongue. Even with a son who whored and gambled to excess, she could always dig out some reasoning from the odd corners. "The wife he married is useless, always playing the ailing beauty, and a year after the wedding there's still no sign of a child. How can you blame Zhengyuan?" was something she often said. Today, with Qinghe about to be betrothed, she first offered her a few words of congratulation, then earnestly advised her: "Once a girl marries, the first thing is to take care of her health and bear a child or two. Only then is her position in her husband's family secure."
It was far too early to say such a thing, and by rights it showed a lack of respect from an elder. But these were private words spoken behind closed doors in the family, and not worth taking too seriously. Qinghe smiled and answered vaguely.
Third Uncle Xie Min's wife, Lady Pei, hadn't picked up much of the mercenary air. Even at forty, her face still had a girlish shyness. She smiled at Lady Hu and said, "Elder Sister-in-law, you've been so busy lately. Third Master's wedding is next month, and now the eldest girl as well. You'll be worn out for a while."
Lady Hu's face was, as always, a picture of kindness. She looked fondly at Qinghe and said, "Children are their parents' debts. As long as they all find good matches, what else could I want? The two weddings have landed together, but the two concubines are helping, and the Old Madam has been looking after much of it too. I expect we can manage."
Lady Pei was sincere and offered eagerly, "I'm not very busy these days. If there's anything I can lend a hand with, Elder Sister-in-law, just send for me."
Before Lady Hu could answer, Lady Jiang dropped her own load. "Ah, I'd like to help too, but I haven't had a moment to spare lately. The household affairs, the matters at the estates, there's a pile of it, and it's wearing me to death." Resenting that Lady Pei was playing the good person and dragging her in, she deliberately stirred the mud. "Third Sister-in-law has always been kindhearted. Why not come to my place one of these days and help me out?"
Some people are like that: they are best at saying pleasant things, and when someone truly comes to ask for help, they are the first to push it away. She would stand safely on dry ground and not let anyone else step forward, and anyone not in league with her got a dose of her poisoned insinuations. Qingyuan watched from the side with great interest. Great households were full of all kinds of people, and sitting quietly to analyze them was a fascinating pastime.
Lady Pei smiled awkwardly. "Second Sister-in-law is joking. Your household deals in silver coming and going. What could I possibly help with?"
Lady Hu quickly smoothed things over with a smile. "Go and rest, all of you. When the day itself comes, just come and enjoy what's been prepared."
Then the grandchildren of the male line withdrew, and the granddaughters straightened their robes and filed in to pay their respects.
Old Madam Xie sat on her arhat couch and watched the girls curtsy. "You are all growing up. Qinghe is the eldest among the girls, and today the Earl of Kaiguo's family brings the betrothal gifts. Ride on your sister's good fortune and stay to see a bit of the world."
Everyone answered yes and withdrew. Qinghe said nothing, but she wasn't pleased. Qingru and Qingrong made trouble for her at every turn, and on a day like this the Old Madam wanted them to stay. If something happened midway, wouldn't it make her look small too?
She stood off to one side, angrily twisting her handkerchief. Qingyuan went over to comfort her and said quietly, "Don't worry, Elder Sister. They're only against you. They can't be against their own face. With outsiders coming, they still care about appearances."
Hearing this, Qinghe finally calmed down.
For the exchange of gifts between two families, the timing was fixed by custom. As the sun climbed higher, the sound of voices rose noisily from the front courtyard. Everyone sat up straight and looked toward the front. Yuequan came in through the door, smiled, and curtsied to the Old Madam. "Congratulations, Old Madam, congratulations, Eldest Miss. The Earl of Kaiguo's betrothal gifts have been carried in. Madam and the ladies of both mansions and the three masters are seeing to things in front. The prefect's wife has acted as the matchmaker, and she'll bring the Earl's eldest young master in shortly to pay his respects to the Old Madam."
Old Madam Xie said good. Another joyful event had come to the family, and naturally it was cause for happiness. Everyone smiled as the occasion required. The maids waited under the corridor, and when they saw people coming from the front, they respectfully led them to the main hall. The Old Madam led Qinghe and her sisters out to meet them. The prefect's wife saw them from afar and broke into a smile, saying loudly, "Congratulations, Old Madam! I've arranged another great match. How will you ever thank me?"
Old Madam Xie warmly stepped forward and took the prefect's wife's hand. "What is there to say? Tomorrow I'll have them pack two big pork knuckles and send them to your household as thanks for the match."
Qinghe stayed quiet and looked toward the back of the group. At a glance she spotted Li Guanling among the crowd. He was neatly dressed and in good spirits. Meeting Qinghe's gaze, he gave a frank, cheerful smile.
Qinghe blushed. A girl waiting to be married has a thin skin, and as she lowered her head, she was overcome with shyness. Qingyuan stepped up to support her. Suddenly she heard someone call "Fourth Sister." She thought it was one of her elder brothers, but when she looked up, it was the son of the Marquis of Danyang.
Qingyuan was a little surprised. She couldn't see why he had come to the house. Then it occurred to her that he and Li Guanling were close friends, and he had probably come along for the betrothal.
It wasn't the place to strike up a conversation. She smiled politely and bowed to him with her fists clasped. Li Congxin was a man of tender feelings. He quickly raised his hands and returned a long, deep bow.
The people around them saw all of this courtesy between the two. Nothing is more galling in the world than watching people you have always looked down on achieve more than you. Qingru watched with eyes stinging from sour envy, and it sat worse and worse with her. But resentment aside, she had to admit that the Marquis of Danyang's legitimate son was one in ten thousand in talent and looks. He wore a round-collared robe the color of sky-water green, with a white jade belt at his waist. It was a shade that most people couldn't carry off, yet he wore it perfectly. Her own brothers were handsome enough, but next to him they were completely outshone.
Qingru's face turned dark. Zhengze, standing beside her, noticed and said, "Chunzhi, do you know each other?"
Qingyuan had already turned and gone inside. Li Congxin looked after her back and smiled. "We met once at the spring banquet. I never imagined she was a young lady of your house."
Qingru seethed inwardly. What kind of young lady was she? Even a favored maid was better off! Luckily Zhengze's elbow bent the right way, and he remembered to introduce them, one by one. "This is my sister Qingru, and this is my third sister Qingrong."
Qingru and Qingrong quickly composed themselves and curtsied. After exchanging courtesies, they went in. Li Guanling had already paid his respects to Old Madam Xie and taken a seat below her. The carpet had not yet been taken up in the Old Madam's main rooms, and he and Qinghe sat facing each other across the gold-threaded rug. Whenever their eyes met, they gave each other a slow, gentle smile.
On the day she was in the carriage, the Old Madam had told Qingyuan that the Marquis of Danyang's household was not their kind of people, but she was still very courteous to his legitimate son. She said with a smile, "Third Young Master visited us a few years ago, but then I suppose your studies grew heavy and you rarely came."
Li Congxin clasped his hands and bowed. "Last year I went to Youzhou, and I only came back at the start of spring this year. I've long wanted to pay my respects to you, Old Madam, but I never could find a pretext."
Old Madam Xie said, "Third Young Master, you must be joking. Our families are old friends. If anything, I'd worry you didn't want to come. Why would you need a pretext to visit?"
They exchanged pleasantries back and forth in lively fashion, while Qingyuan sat to one side, smiling and listening to their small talk. Li Congxin had deliberately taken the seat opposite her. He said nothing in particular, only toyed with his folding fan and now and then raised his eyes to look at her. But she seemed to lack that nerve in a girl that makes her shy. Even when their eyes met, her expression stayed calm and open.
Young women these days were fashionable about receiving guests and no longer hid in the inner chambers as before, so she was at ease. Or perhaps she was simply too young and had not yet awakened, unable to read a man's expression and gaze. It was a pity that the occasion offered no chance to speak to her. The farther away she was, the harder she was to forget.
In any case, the betrothal ceremony went smoothly, and a lot of silent eye-play went on among the people there. When Qingru came out of Huifang Garden, it was as though she had watched a play that had nothing to do with her, and she grew even more dissatisfied that the Old Madam had made her and the others sit in.
"Elder Sister gets betrothed, and they make us stand there like stakes for what?" she complained to her mother when she got back. "I think Grandmother is getting more muddled. She makes me, the legitimate daughter, serve as a foil to a concubine's child. Isn't she afraid of lowering my standing?"
Lady Hu sat at the table looking over the gift list. She pointed to the tassel necklace on the tray. "If you won't do Qinghe the honor, you can't very well snub the Earl of Kaiguo's household. They've done their gifts thoroughly. They prepared meeting gifts for each of the younger sisters, which shows they mean to raise Qinghe's standing."
Just hearing this made her angry. Qingru said bitterly, "Those women born of concubines are born knowing how to charm men. Never mind the Earl's household. Now even the Marquis of Danyang's household has fallen for it, and he has his heart set on that fourth girl. I thought the Marquis's legitimate son, as a nobleman's son, would have better taste, but his eyes turned out to be so low. That Qingyuan is dull and sluggish. Besides her face, what does she have?"
Lady Hu looked at her and frowned. "You are a legitimate daughter of the Xie house. Instead of keeping your dignity, you go comparing yourself to them? Qinghe's birth isn't high, but her mother was brought into the house with a proper contract. Marrying into the Earl's family is reaching up, but not excessively. As for Qingyuan, never mind what she herself is like. With a mother like that, the Marquis's household wouldn't even consider her as a concubine. What are you worried about?"
Her mother had hit on her real thought, and Qingru's face immediately flushed. She muttered, "What am I worried about..."
"Truly not worried? I heard what your brother said." Lady Hu looked away. "That said, the Marquis of Danyang's legitimate son would indeed be an excellent choice. Good family, good looks, all of it. There is just one problem. Plenty of families are eyeing a son-in-law like that, and he has many noble daughters to choose from. I'm afraid he might not be one to keep his heart in place."
Qingru didn't agree with her mother. "There are faithful men in the world. Pan An stayed with Yang Rongji all his life. Doesn't Mother know that?"
Lady Hu laughed. "A girl really can't be kept at home once she's grown..."
Before she finished, the maid Cailian brought a letter to her. "Someone outside took it and sent it to the gatehouse. It says Madam is to open it herself."
Lady Hu took it, puzzled, assuming it was a letter the master had sent ahead. But after she unfolded and read it, her expression suddenly changed.
Seeing her mother like this, Qingru grew uneasy. "Is it from Father?"
Lady Hu said nothing. She turned the letter face down and slapped it hard on the table.