Chapter 27

It was high summer in a prosperous age. The sun blazed like fire and the scent of lotus drifted thick on the air.
Shen Qing flicked a thin silk fan idly, wafting a light breeze. The fierce sunlight beat down, making her feel as if the crown of her head were burning; even the ends of her hair felt ready to singe.
Even with gauzy, coloured silks hanging everywhere above the deck, they did little to block the scorching heat.
Fortunately, the pleasure barge finally began to move. The wind raised by its progress brushed across everyone’s faces, bringing a touch of coolness. On both sides of the hull, the ripples of the water spread out, glittering with broken shards of light under the sun.
Shen Qing’s gaze slipped over the top of her fan and into the cabin.
Inside, the singing girls parted red lips, their voices winding and sweet as they sang, the lingering notes seeming to dispel some of summer’s oppression. Noble ladies fanned themselves and spoke in low voices, their laughter clear and tinkling like little silver bells.
Among the young ladies chatting with the various madams was one familiar face, Shen Ling.
As the barge glided deeper, the scenery on both banks grew ever more enchanting. Willows trailed their green fronds into the water; lotus blossoms opened in profusion, the whole scene like a slowly unfolding scroll.
At some point, someone suggested that the dancers perform at the prow. A chorus of agreement followed. To the accompaniment of graceful music, the dancers began to move, sleeves floating and skirts swirling, like immortals descending to the mortal world.
Shen Ling said something that made one of the madams beam from ear to ear; she didn’t even bother watching the dance anymore, her eyes full of satisfaction as she looked at Shen Ling.
This pleasure barge originally belonged solely to Yuanchun Pavilion in the Eastern Market.
Today, however, to celebrate his wife’s birthday, Zhang Ye, Vice Minister of Justice and Hanlin Academician, had spared no expense to hire out one of those luxurious barges.
Yuanchun Pavilion stood beside Huachun Pond, and the Zhang residence’s rear garden also backed onto the pond’s riverbank. The barge lay moored amidst the sea of lotus on Huachun Pond.
The vessel was all carved beams and painted rafters, dazzlingly ornate, like some celestial palace fallen to earth.
Madam Zhang had invited all the high-born ladies and official wives; for a time, the consorts of many powerful ministers at court flocked to the event.
In consideration of Zhang Ye’s past service as Grand Mentor to the Crown Prince, and his distinguished merit and lofty reputation, His Majesty had even sent Princess Wanyi and the Crown Prince themselves to board the barge as a mark of imperial favour.
Within, rare delicacies and fine dishes were set out in abundance, and fragrant wine flowed. The music of pipes and strings never ceased; the dancers’ movements were lithe and alluring.
Hosts and guests alike were full of joy, all gathered to celebrate Madam Zhang’s birthday. It was truly an unprecedented sight, resplendent and glorious.
At this moment, the barge was just leaving Yuanchun Pavilion, heading slowly toward the Zhang residence’s rear garden.
When it first cast off, the hull rocked quite a bit. Shen Qing had felt dizzy the moment she set foot on deck, so a servant had led her out to the open side deck to rest. Once she’d had enough time to recover and the barge had steadied, the bout of vertigo passed.
Just then, someone lightly hooked an arm over Shen Qing’s shoulder, tipping her chin up with the end of a fan in a brazenly familiar gesture.
Shen Qing’s brows knitted at once. “Insolent! Which reckless little wastrel dares be so rude to this young lady?”
As she spoke, she grabbed the fan handle, caught the other person’s wrist, and gave a feinting tug.
Before she could even put any strength into it, the other let out a playful “ah!” and tumbled straight into Shen Qing’s arms.
The girl’s body was all softness and warm fragrance, like an armful of tender jade, sweet with a faint scent of flowers.
Zhang Miaoyin giggled and flipped up the gauze veil over Shen Qing’s face. “On a day this hot, you’re still hiding under a curtain hat, trying to die of heatstroke?”
The newcomer was none other than Zhang Miaoyin, eldest daughter of Minister Zhang and one of Shen Qing’s closest friends.
Shen Qing tapped a fingertip against her forehead and pushed her away, then took off the curtain hat and handed it to Cuilu, who was waiting at her side. Rising from the reclining chair, she said, “Better that than getting sunburned.”
“Shen You’an, are you still dizzy?” Zhang Miaoyin asked.
Shen Qing shook her head. “No. Let’s go back in.” She had only come out to the side deck to ease her discomfort, and now that her body had settled, she naturally intended to return to the cabin.
The air outside was stiflingly hot, and she’d already worked up a fine sheen of sweat. She couldn’t wait to get back inside to escape the heat.
Zhang Miaoyin dragged Shen Qing back inside, and Shen Qing didn’t forget to ask, “Where’s Li Yu?”
“With the Crown Prince on the second floor. She’ll be coming down later.”
The first deck of the barge was reserved for the womenfolk; the second was where the high-ranking male guests gathered.
As a princess, Li Yu naturally had to accompany the Crown Prince upstairs to make an appearance.
By now she was probably about to come down.
The reason Shen Qing was attending this banquet today was also because of Li Yu. Gu Ze was present at this birthday celebration as well; it was his teacher’s wife’s birthday, so of course he had to come.
In her previous life, she had never come aboard the barge and thus didn’t know exactly what had happened back then, but judging from the aftermath, Li Yu had clearly gotten dragged into it.
Zhang Miaoyin pulled Shen Qing over to a noblewoman surrounded by a crowd of flatterers like stars around the moon.
“Mother,” Zhang Miaoyin laughed, “look who’s here.”
At her words the lady lifted her gaze to Shen Qing.
She and Zhang Miaoyin shared the same slender willow eyes, the outer corners slightly upturned. Her hair was piled high like coiled clouds, pinned with a jade dragon hairpin. Not a trace of time’s erosion showed at the corners of her eyes; there was only a mellow charm, rich as aged wine.
Clearly, her days were passing very comfortably.
Madam Zhang brightened at the sight of Shen Qing and smiled. “You’an is here.”
Shen Qing made a proper junior’s curtsey and said sweetly, “Madam, may your years be like the Eastern Sea, your blessings like the Southern Mountain. Today’s birthday feast is sure to be lively beyond compare. You’an offers her congratulations and wishes Madam joy every year and success in all things.”
Madam Zhang smiled until she could hardly close her mouth and hurried to have Shen Qing sit by her side. “You child, your tongue really is made of honey.”
After exchanging a few polite remarks with Madam Zhang, Shen Qing left with Zhang Miaoyin for another table.
As she turned away, she cast a meaningful glance at Shen Ling standing beside Madam Zhang.
Shen Ling caught Shen Qing’s gaze and calmly lowered her eyes, pretending not to have seen it.
Just then Madam Zhang drew Shen Ling closer by the hand and asked, “How many springs has this young lady seen? Who is your honoured father? Are you already betrothed?”
The more Madam Zhang looked at the demure Shen Ling, the more she liked her. This little maiden wore a shy smile, every movement modest and polite, like a gentle young doe that stirred one’s pity at a glance.
Matched with her son Gao’er’s impatient temper, the pairing would be just right.
In her heart she was already faintly thinking of matchmaking the two.
By age, her second son had also reached the time for marriage. One of the reasons Madam Zhang had widely invited the city’s ladies today was precisely to use the opportunity to pick out a wife for her son.
Shen Ling lowered her lashes with a bashful smile. “This humble girl is seventeen. My father is the county magistrate of Wannian. As for marriage…” Her words trailed off. A faint blush spread over her cheeks before she added softly, “I will leave it entirely to Father to decide.”
So, unmarried.
But a county magistrate, in the Zhang family’s eyes, was truly a bit low.
Madam Zhang’s brows dipped, the joy from earlier washing away somewhat.
“Very good. In future your father will surely find you a fine match.” What a pity.
Shen Ling forced a smile and nodded agreement, but when her gaze followed Shen Qing’s departing back, there was more than a little unwillingness in it. Whether in her previous life or this one, no matter how much she won Madam Zhang’s favour, she could never overcome those two characters: family background.
Shen Qing was perfectly aware of what was brewing in Shen Ling’s heart.
In her last life, once Madam Zhang learned of Shen Ling’s origins, she abandoned the idea of making her a daughter-in-law, but she could not withstand her son’s insistence.
Zhang Miaoyin’s younger brother, Second Young Master Zhang, had somehow caught a glimpse of Shen Ling. After the birthday banquet, he clamoured to marry her.
Madam Zhang could not talk her son around and had to agree in the end. Yet just as she was preparing to send people to propose, the magistrate couple ran into misfortune.
With both parents dead overnight, Shen Ling was even less worthy of Zhang Erlang.
Only because her son begged so hard did Madam Zhang have her husband write a recommendation letter and send Shen Ling off to Xuanji Pavilion.
At first, Senior Brother had simply pitied her and brought her back to Xuanji Pavilion for a time so she could recuperate, intending to send her back to the old house in Huaixi once things had settled.
But with Lord Zhang’s recommendation in hand, Shen Ling had naturally become the second female disciple of Xuanji Pavilion.
Xuanji Pavilion had been established personally by the founding emperor of the Li Dynasty as an inner bureau to subdue demons and punish evil; every disciple was a figure of some standing.
The Li Dynasty revered Daoist metaphysics, and the status of Daoist priests had risen accordingly.
For Shen Ling to train there and take on the status of a Daoist nun was tantamount to gilding herself in a fresh layer of gold. In that way, if Zhang Erlang wished to marry her, it would not be quite so hard.
Later, for reasons unknown, Zhang Erlang died of a serious illness, and the marriage vanished into nothing. Only then did Shen Ling set her sights on their senior brother.
Thinking of this, a trace of murderous chill crept between Shen Qing’s brows.
Zhang Miaoyin was startled by the look on her face. “What’s wrong with you now? Why that expression?”
“Just remembering something disgusting,” Shen Qing said.
Zhang Miaoyin tapped her on the forehead. “If it disgusts you, then don’t think about it.”
Not only am I going to think about it, Shen Qing thought, I’m going to think it through very carefully.
If this time around Zhang Erlang didn’t look twice at Shen Ling, without Lord Zhang’s recommendation, what tricks would Shen Ling have left to get into Xuanji Pavilion?
Besides, since she’d been given another life, how could she sit back and watch her own parents die as before?
The thought had barely formed when a fair-skinned youth strolled over.
He looked about seventeen, with a touch of arrogance between his brows that shifted into blatant disdain when his gaze fell on Shen Qing.
He slanted a glance at her and tossed a perfunctory greeting at Zhang Miaoyin. “Elder Sister.”
The moment she saw her brother’s attitude, Zhang Miaoyin’s head began to ache. “Gao’er, hurry and pay your respects to Miss Shen.”
Zhang Gaoze muttered, unwilling, “I’ve seen Miss Shen.” His tone was lazy, his bearing utterly careless.
Shen Qing had no intention of indulging him. She snorted and said to Zhang Miaoyin, “To think you two are actually siblings, it’s rather astonishing, seen today.”
At that, Zhang Gaoze flared up. “What’s that supposed to mean? If my elder sister isn’t my real sister, is she supposed to be someone else’s?”
Shen Qing made an enlightened little “ah” sound. “So there’s been some lapse in your family’s teaching. Otherwise, with such manners, how could Second Young Master Zhang look as though he’s never received even a drop of instruction?”
She was going around the bend to call him ill-bred.
Zhang Gaoze was furious. As a civil official’s son, he couldn’t very well raise his hand against a young lady, so in the end he could only fling his sleeve and spit out, “Elder Sister would do well to have less to do with those charlatans who peddle tricks under the banner of mystic arts!”
And with that, he stalked off.
The reason Zhang Gaoze loathed Shen Qing so much was entirely because she was what people called a Daoist from Xuanji Pavilion.
When he was young, his most beloved grandmother had fallen seriously ill. Medicine was useless and the family was frantic, searching everywhere for doctors and remedies to no avail. In their despair, someone suggested inviting a Daoist to perform rites to expel the illness. In their panic, Lord and Lady Zhang had clutched at this final straw and brought a Daoist in.
The man made a grand show of setting up an altar, chanting under his breath and bustling about. After all the fuss, he vowed with full confidence that Grandmother would surely recover. Yet not only did her illness fail to improve in the slightest, it worsened by the day. Precious time had been wasted on his nonsense; in the end, she passed away.
From then on, Zhang Gaoze hated Daoists to the bone. In his eyes they were all frauds, spouting nonsense and dressing up as gods and ghosts with no real skill at all.
As for demons and monsters,
He’d lived this long and had only ever heard them spoken of in others’ stories; he had never once seen a single one. It was obvious to him that such tales were just rumours spread by Daoists to bluff and swindle people.
So ever since he’d learned Shen Qing was a Daoist nun from Xuanji Pavilion, he had been full of prejudice against her. That prejudice had never faded with time, on the contrary, it only grew deeper.
Unfortunately, his elder sister seemed to have taken leave of her senses, insisting on playing with Shen Qing, which left Zhang Gaoze thoroughly exasperated.