Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Young Master He After leaving the jewelry shop, Yu Lingchun headed straight for the pastry shops. She bought Zhang’s Osmanthus Cake, Li’s candied fruits, and Granny Wang’s sugar-roasted chestnuts, not missing a single thing. She carried a packet of Osmanthus Cake in her left hand, held a skewer of Candied Hawthorn in her right, and was still chewing on a piece of candied fruit. She was so happy she looked ready to take flight. “Third Miss, slow down. Don’t choke…” Baizhi panted as they hurried along behind her. “Baizhi, these Candied Hawthorn are delicious. Try one.” Yu Lingchun held the skewer to Baizhi’s mouth. Baizhi froze for a moment, their face flushing faintly, then opened their mouth and took a small bite. It was sour and sweet, and truly delicious. “Tasty, isn’t it?” Yu Lingchun said with a beaming smile. “We’ll buy two more skewers later and take them home for tonight.” Madam Pei followed behind them, unable to keep from smiling as she watched her daughter skipping along. Why was this child acting like a three-year-old? After strolling around for most of the morning, Yu Lingchun was finally tired. They sat down in a teahouse and ordered a pot of Longjing Tea and several plates of tea snacks. “Mother, what’s that place over there? There are so many people.” Yu Lingchun pointed toward a bustling building across the street. Madam Pei glanced over. “That’s a Wazi. There are stages inside, with opera performances, storytellers, acrobats, and the like. Your Grandfather took you there once when you were little. Don’t you remember?” Yu Lingchun thought about it. In the original body’s memories, there really was such an occasion. Her Grandfather had held her in his arms beneath the stage. The people onstage had sung in drawn-out, lilting voices. She had not understood a word, but she had thought it all very lively. “Mother, let’s go watch the opera.” Madam Pei hesitated. “But… you’re a young lady. Going to a place like that…” “Mother can come with me. It’s not as if I’m going alone.” Yu Lingchun took her hand. “Come on, come on. We’ll only watch for a little while.” Madam Pei let herself be dragged along, muttering, “Your Father will complain again when he finds out,” though her feet were already carrying her forward. The Wazi was indeed lively. The moment they entered, they were greeted by a cacophony of voices, mixed with the sounds of gongs and drums, cries of approval, and a storyteller’s wooden clapper. It was noisy and boisterous, yet somehow it made people feel at ease. Yu Lingchun found a seat near the front. The performance onstage was already halfway through. She did not really understand much of it, but the singing was graceful and melodious, and the flowing sleeves sweeping across the stage gave the performance a certain charm. Baizhi poured her a cup of tea, then peeled several chestnuts and placed them on a small plate. Yu Lingchun drank her tea and watched the opera, so comfortable she nearly sighed. Now this was living. In her previous life, she had not even had time to watch television, let alone attend a live opera. “Mother…” She suddenly remembered something and turned her head. “Have you ever seen that Young Master He?” Madam Pei was drinking tea and choked at the question. It took two coughs before she recovered. “You… Why are you suddenly asking about him?” “I’m curious.” Yu Lingchun bit into a chestnut. “I’m going to marry him eventually, so I should at least know what he looks like.” Madam Pei hesitated, then leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Mother… secretly went to see him.” Yu Lingchun’s eyes lit up. “What was he like?” Madam Pei’s face flushed slightly, as if she had done something shameful. “He’s… quite handsome. Fair and clean-looking, and tall too—nearly six chi.” “Six chi?” Yu Lingchun converted it in her head. That was roughly six feet. “That tall?” “Yes. He’s a whole head taller than your Father.” Madam Pei sighed. “It’s just… his reputation is terrible.” “That’s fine. As long as he’s handsome.” Yu Lingchun sounded completely unconcerned. Madam Pei looked at her with exasperation and amusement. “Child, how can you put it that way?” “I’m serious.” Yu Lingchun counted off the points on her fingers. “He’s tall, handsome, from a wealthy family, and the younger son of an Earl’s household. With qualifications like that, back where we…” She nearly let the words slip, and hurriedly changed course. “In our Bianjing, he’d still be highly sought after.” As for being a fop and all that—so long as he gave her household money after they married, who cared if he caroused outside? What kind of fool used modern standards to judge men from ancient times? Madam Pei was amused by her and began to laugh, but as she laughed, a trace of sorrow crept into her expression. “But that person… he truly isn’t reliable. Mother is just afraid you’ll suffer after marrying him.” “Mother, put your mind at ease.” Yu Lingchun patted her hand. “I’m not the sort of person who lets others walk all over her. If he bullies me, I’ll report him to the Earl and see who ends up suffering.” Madam Pei opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the performance onstage suddenly reached a climax. The gongs and drums thundered, drowning out her words. When the opera ended, someone began performing magic tricks onstage. Yu Lingchun was watching with great interest when she suddenly heard someone at the next table laughing and talking loudly. “Have you heard? Young Master He came to the Wazi today too. He says he’s taking his friends to Cuiyun Pavilion to listen to music.” Yu Lingchun’s ears quietly perked up. “Of course he did. He smashed someone’s head open a few days ago, and now that he’s been quiet for a few days, he’s come out to swagger around again.” “He’s the Young Master of an Earl’s household. Who would dare meddle with him? Didn’t you see? He’s even fawning over the opera performers…” “Tsk, tsk. If his fiancée found out, she’d probably cry herself to death.” The men burst into laughter. Madam Pei’s expression changed at once. She took Yu Lingchun’s hand. “Chun Niang, let’s go.” But Yu Lingchun did not move. Instead, she glanced in the direction of Cuiyun Pavilion. She wanted to see exactly what this legendary Young Master He looked like. Before long, a commotion arose in the corridor. A group of people chattering and laughing made their way upstairs to the second floor of Cuiyun Pavilion. At the head of the group was a young man. He wore a sapphire-blue brocade robe, a white jade belt around his waist, and a gold crown securing his hair. He was impeccably dressed from head to toe. He was indeed tall—nearly six chi—and stood out conspicuously among the others. Yu Lingchun narrowed her eyes and looked over. To be honest, he really was handsome. He had sword-like brows, bright eyes, a high straight nose, clearly defined lips, and a sharp, clean jawline. His skin was fair and clear, nearly glowing among the others. When he smiled, he revealed a row of white teeth. There was a touch of youthful vigor in him, along with a hint of careless, roguish charm. No wonder Madam Pei had said he was handsome. That face truly was something. He Zhaoran was chatting with the people beside him, his voice loud enough to carry across the distance. “I’m telling you, I hate those prim, respectable young ladies the most. They walk as if they’re stepping on ants and speak as if they’re mosquitoes humming. Just looking at them annoys me.” The people beside him began to egg him on. “Oh? Who exactly is Young Master He talking about?” “Who else? You tell me who else!” A trace of displeasure entered He Zhaoran’s voice. “My Father insisted on arranging this engagement for me, and I haven’t even seen her face. Who knows what she looks like? I hear she’s the daughter of a sixth-rank official. Eight or nine times out of ten, she’s just a wooden post.” “Hahaha, a wooden post!” “Exactly.” He Zhaoran spoke without a care in the world. “I’m telling you, I really don’t want this marriage. Bringing home a wooden post as my wife would be worse than not marrying at all.”