Chapter 62

That day, the nurse had given Qin Jinxiu an idea, and she was eager to try it.
Had her brother not suddenly taken a stricter hand, confining her in the house and hiring a female instructor to guide her, she would have acted immediately.
The instructor, an experienced court lady, was highly praised among Huaizhou’s noble families.
Whenever Qin Jinxiu slackened, the instructor would use a fine bamboo stick to strike her palms. Wen Xin and Su Wen, obedient to her mother and brother, ensured Qin Jinxiu learned proper decorum.
The instructor reported Qin Jinxiu’s every move to Qin Simiao. He nodded slightly, showing approval.
“Spring flowers are in full bloom. If Miss wants a flower-viewing feast, it’s a perfect opportunity to train her.”
She explained how organizing such a feast, sending invitations, preparing meals, seating female guests, would be instructive.
Qin Simiao tapped the desk lightly.
“Yunu mentioned this before. But judging by her guilty look, I suspect she has some small scheme in mind.”
The instructor smiled, her gray hair betraying years of experience.
“If the eldest young master already knows her little scheme, what is there to worry about?”
Qin Simiao glanced sideways.
“Very well. Leave it to her. I don’t want rumors spreading after the feast.”
“Of course.”
Qin Jinxiu and the nurse schemed to target Jiang Linlang. But inviting her to the house would reveal everything.
Thus, under the pretense of a flower-viewing feast, all the city’s young ladies were invited. That way, no one could find fault.
This time, Qin Jinxiu organized everything properly.
Qin Simiao, despite his busy schedule, checked in a few times. Seeing his sister’s earnest preparation, he was partly reassured.
“Last time Buxun ruined Yunu’s two peonies. You’ve never tended living things before, so I know you were upset. I picked out two new peonies for you. Are you satisfied?”
He ordered the attendants to place the carefully chosen peonies in her courtyard, where the original ones had stood.
Her elder brother’s rare tenderness made Qin Jinxiu uneasy. She fiddled with her handkerchief, head bowed in silence.
A faint sigh came from above, followed by warmth.
Qin Simiao gently stroked her head.
“Previously, I was wrong. I assumed your parents spoiled you and held prejudices before seeing you. From now on, I will assume my responsibility as your brother, guiding and restraining you properly.”
Qin Jinxiu bit her lip, awkward. Years of distant brother-sister relations made conversation difficult.
Back in her chamber, she felt uneasy, removing her white fox fur and leaning into the nurse’s arms.
“Nurse, is the little prince truly a good man?”
“Miss, you no longer like him?”
“No, I just…”
“Nurse, make sure the poisoning is done cleanly. No one must notice.”
She hesitated, but thinking of Jiang Linlang’s haughty, scheming expression, she dismissed any thought of letting her off.
At the Jiang household, Jiang Linlang received the gilded invitation from the prefect and her personal maid worriedly said,
“Miss, Second Miss Qin mocked you several times at the little prince’s cuyu match. Who knows what tricks she has in mind this time?”
“Perhaps due to the little prince, she already harbors jealousy toward you.”
“Second Miss Qin?”
Soon, Jiang Linlang pictured a face both charming and temperamental. Her hands paused on the zither.
“That young lady is frail. Likely pampered at home, thus this temperament. Harmless.”
The sound of zither and flowing water filled the pavilion. The wind stirred the pale curtains, reflecting the hostess’s untroubled mind.
As host of the flower-viewing feast, Qin Jinxiu forced herself to rise early, even before dawn.
Unexpectedly, not only daughters of officials, but merchant daughters and various madams arrived.
Seeing these elder ladies, Qin Jinxiu panicked.
“Nurse, the little prince’s wife, Madam Zhang, Madam Liu, they’ve all arrived…”
Even unaware, she knew she must behave properly.
Flustered, she rearranged the seating. High-ranking madams sat on the left high platform for viewing flowers and tea; young ladies on the right, with pastries, wine, and nearby games like pitch-pot and tea competitions.
She also checked the kitchen, reviewing the meal plans per the instructor’s list, avoiding any dietary offenses for the madams.
“The little prince’s wife is fasting these days; replace the stewed duck’s feet with vegetarian roast goose. And Madam Zhang’s cough is not healed yet…”
After leaving the kitchen, Qin Jinxiu was still a little excited.
“Nurse, all these people came today… usually they wouldn’t even glance at me. Why today?”
“Nurse, I’m afraid I won’t do it properly…”
The two of them reached the threshold by the entrance hall. The nurse steadied her, while the head maid, Chutao, adjusted her purple-gray robe with floral trim and narrow sleeves, and carefully wiped the dust off her skirt from the kitchen.
Holding her gently, she said, “Miss, just relax and do your best. Everyone has a first time. The madams understand, and besides, the eldest young master is here.”
As they passed through the corridor near the kitchen, Qin Jinxiu whispered to the nurse, “Maybe we should just let it go today, let that little minx off.”
The nurse patted her hand. “Don’t worry about it.”
With so many people present, officials’ wives and noble ladies, if something scandalous occurred, it would reflect badly, not on the young lady, but on the entire flower-viewing feast. It could even make people doubt whether she had the qualities to manage a household.
Even organizing a simple feast could go wrong.
While they whispered, Qin Jinxiu spotted her brother at the moon-gate. True to her words, he had been coming to the backyard more often lately.
“Brother.”
“Yunu’s here. How’s the flower-viewing feast?”
“It’s… acceptable…”
She had spoken quietly with the nurse, hopefully not being overheard, and felt a pang of guilt.
“Brother knows that Yunu’s reputation in Huaizhou Prefecture wasn’t good. Since things are as they are, we must take it slowly. Later, when Yunu manages feasts and composes a few good poems, and they’re spread around, by the time she comes of age, she should be famous throughout Huaizhou.”
Qin Jinxiu looked at her brother’s refined face but felt a creeping fear. He seemed gentle, yet carried an unspoken danger.
He was far less easygoing than his calm expression suggested. After a moment, she asked, “Did all these people come only out of respect for you?”
Qin Simiao smiled faintly but said nothing, only urging her, as host, to attend the guests.
Watching his sister’s flowing skirts, he clasped his hands behind his back, half pleased, half amused.
“Yunu has grown, understands things. Previously, she might have scolded me for giving her trouble.”
The attendants chuckled. “Second Miss is your true sister. Naturally, she understands your intentions. Others, you wouldn’t bother with.”
At the feast, the flowers were in full bloom, fragrances mingling with fine silks and jewels, birds chirping and swallows calling, as if waking spring from its winter slumber and dispelling the mansion’s solitude.
Several madams who had previously looked down on the prefect’s daughter began to reconsider.
Even the little prince’s wife frequently spoke to Qin Jinxiu.
“These two peonies are grown beautifully. At my mansion, the boys who tend flowers boast they are unmatched in Huaizhou, but seeing yours today, I must say they’re excellent. They should come see them themselves.”
Qin Jinxiu, pleased by the praise, replied, “Since you like them, I’ll have my household send some to your mansion later. I just wonder which varieties Brother Huaimo favors. His birthday is near; if I knew, I could prepare a gift.”
Mentioning her eldest son with shy hesitation, the little prince’s wife’s eyes flickered with slight annoyance. As a young lady, she should not appear so immodest. Yet with her family in decline, Qin Jinxiu was now the best-born among potential candidates.
Feeling slightly vexed, the little prince’s wife shifted the topic.
“Jinxiu, by your coming-of-age next year, have you considered who will be your main guest and supporters?”
“Not yet. Does Sister A-ling have the leisure?”
A-ling was the little prince’s wife’s youngest daughter; Qin Jinxiu hoped she could be her supporter.
The little prince’s wife didn’t respond immediately, dodging the question and turning to discuss flowers. Qin Jinxiu, unpracticed in courtly manners, was embarrassed, her expression fluctuating.
The female instructor, sensing trouble, hurriedly called Wen Xin and Su Wen to fetch the young lady.
Angry, Qin Jinxiu left the feast. By the lake pavilion, she happened to collide with Jiang Linlang, whose dress had been wet.
“Second Miss Qin.”
Seeing her, Jiang Linlang first bowed, then apologized. “Second Miss, it was my fault at the cuyu match. I didn’t consider your weak constitution, climbing on a horse, swinging the mallet…”
“Think not only of yourself but your household. I see Madam Qin loves you dearly. If anything happened to you, she would be grieved.”
“And who are you? What gives you the right to lecture me?”
Qin Jinxiu scolded outwardly, yet her heart raced. Jiang Linlang’s words mentioning Madam Qin, did she know her true identity and warn her?
Realizing she had meddled, Jiang Linlang shook her head, feeling some envy of Madam Qin’s care, but recognizing that Second Miss Qin was unfortunate in health and decided to leave.
As they passed, Qin Jinxiu didn’t step aside but deliberately bumped Jiang Linlang.
She hadn’t intended to harm her, yet fate intervened. The railing of the corridor, old and fragile, wobbled. Jiang Linlang, trying to grasp something, hesitated thinking of Qin Jinxiu’s frailty and ultimately didn’t pull her down, instead tumbling headfirst over the railing.
Her maid screamed sharply, “Miss!”
Panic surged through Qin Jinxiu. She hadn’t meant to kill her, nor harm her here.
“Go save her!”
“Miss, I… I can’t swim…”
The maids cried in panic. Qin Jinxiu’s eyes hardened. The original girl couldn’t swim, but she could, and didn’t care about the crowd.
She leapt into the water.