Wen Qiao was carefully choosing his words, wanting to explain clearly about trading the zither for the lantern and having his mother deliver the lantern on his behalf. At the same time, he didn't want Xiao Lin to come across as a petty person in Yuanyuan's eyes, nor did he want Yuanyuan to feel burdened by his feelings for her.
Because he wanted his explanation to be thorough and airtight, he hesitated for a while.
Some old maidservant or maid, overhearing Jiang Xuesui quarreling with Wen Qiao, had someone report it to Old Madam Wen.
Old Madam Wen had just been discussing with her three daughters-in-law how to celebrate Jiang Xuesui's birthday when she learned that the pair were at odds again. She hurried over to mediate.
Lady Sang, Lady Zhu, and Lady Yu came along as well.
Before Old Madam Wen could even ask what the cousins were fighting about, Lady Sang spoke up: "Yuanyuan, you should be more tolerant of A Qiao. He's read himself silly, a real stick-in-the-mud. He's been quiet and withdrawn since childhood, like a gourd, not at all like Xiao Lin, who is considerate, articulate, and knows how to handle people. Just recently, he even went out of his way to bring Yuanyuan two lanterns with twelve zodiac animals that Xincheng made."
Under these circumstances, Wen Qiao couldn't utter the words he had prepared. It would have been right to expose his mother's meddling, but making everyone understand his feelings for Yuanyuan would be embarrassing for her if she rejected him outright. Even worse, if his grandmother and aunts teased her, she might come to resent the "gold and jade" talk as much as she hated the idea of him and her being like "wood and stone." Maintaining the status quo was better than estranging his cousin.
Lady Sang continued: "I guess you're angry that A Qiao gave his 'Golden Sound and Jade Resonance' zither to Princess Shanyang. When young, one adores one's parents; when one knows beauty, one loves the young and lovely. This can't be entirely blamed on A Qiao. His feelings for Princess Shanyang are the same as Xiao Lin's feelings for you."
Old Madam Wen snapped at Lady Sang: "It's fine if they clear things up between them in front of us, but don't you spout nonsense here! Talking about things that have no basis as if they were true!" Turning to Wen Qiao, she asked gently, "A Qiao, Grandmother thinks Princess Shanyang somehow got your 'Golden Sound and Jade Resonance' zither, leading Yuanyuan to misunderstand that you and the princess had a secret exchange. Yuanyuan, concerned for you, tried to advise you, but you were too quick to defend yourself, which led to this quarrel. Isn't that right?"
Old Madam Wen's words favored her granddaughter without hurting her dignity, gave her eldest grandson a way out, and effectively denied any connection between him and Princess Shanyang. In comparison, Lady Sang's words were laced with her own schemes.
Lady Zhu and Lady Yu, however, had already guessed sixty to seventy percent of the truth from Lady Sang's remarks.
Wen Qiao answered "Yes" and then clasped his hands in a bow to Jiang Xuesui. "I have wronged you, cousin. I beg you, for Grandmother and our aunts' sake, forgive me this time."
Jiang Xuesui returned the courtesy with a slight bend of her knees. "I was also too hasty today and disrespectful in my words. Please don't take it to heart, Brother, and don't let this create distance between us."
Old Madam Wen clapped her hands, laughing. "That's right—brother and sister, just like that. It's a pity that a child as precious as A Qiao had such poor eyesight when he was reborn and mistook his mother. He should have been born from my Cheng girl, who was like frost and snow. Then Yuanyuan would have a full brother to dote on her."
Lady Sang was mortified. Wasn't her mother-in-law implying that she was unworthy to be A Qiao's mother?
Lady Zhu smiled. "I think A Qiao's fondness for Yuanyuan is even deeper than that of a full brother."
Lady Yu also chimed in, "Mother, you only dote on A Qiao as your grandson. I, your daughter-in-law, protest! Are our Xi'er and Xiao'er not worthy to be born from Yuanyuan's mother's womb?"
"Xuanhua, Luofu, your children are blessed. You two are both better mothers than my Cheng girl." Old Madam Wen cast a meaningful glance at Lady Sang and pointed at her. "Miaoyi is different from you. Your children enjoy your blessings; Miaoyi enjoys her children's blessings."
Lady Sang was mortified. Pleading discomfort, she asked Wen Qiao to help her back to Fuxi Pavilion.
Old Madam Wen, Lady Zhu, and Lady Yu stayed to have a cup of tea.
Seeing Hailan cleaning up the shredded pieces of the zither bag and fan case, Old Madam Wen picked up a scrap of cloth to examine.
"Yuanyuan, who asked you to do this needlework? It's so hard on your eyes and heart. Before your mother married, I never let her do any sewing. But she was filial: she made me hoods in spring, handkerchiefs in summer, sachets in autumn, and shoes and socks in winter. I think it was this work that exhausted her and took her away from me early."
Tears welled up in Old Madam Wen's eyes at the thought of her daughter, Wen Xincheng.
Jiang Xuesui gently dabbed her grandmother's tears with a silk handkerchief.
"Who would dare ask me? I only wanted to thank Xiao Lin and Brother A Qiao. Over these six months, I embroidered half a zither bag and a fan case. Grandmother, I was rash today and shouldn't have sulked with Brother A Qiao. He held back words he didn't say; I should have understood his difficulties long ago."
Lady Zhu said, "Among the boys in the family, A Qiao indeed has the hardest lot. Eldest Sister-in-law has really held him back."
Lady Yu thought for a moment before adding, "Eldest Sister-in-law mostly ignores A Qiao, but the one she pays the most attention to and cares for most is A Yu, and he is the one most burdened by her. A Yu was robust as a child, but Eldest Sister-in-law insisted on feeding him medicinal tonics, which made him weak and deficient in vital energy and blood. If Eldest Sister-in-law had shown that doting, motherly love to A Qiao, it's a mystery whether he would have grown up at all."
Jiang Xuesui recalled Wen Yu's perpetually pale face and deathly white lips. She realized that being favored by Lady Sang wasn't necessarily a good thing.
She thought Wen Qiao was handsome—the best-looking among all her cousins.
Fortunately, Wen Qiao had not suffered from Lady Sang's medicinal diet.
*
Although Jiang Xuesui was no longer angry with Wen Qiao, there was still a rift. She felt he didn't trust her enough to confide in her.
So for five or six days, she didn't go to Ximo Pavilion to drink the milk tea Wen Qiao brewed.
In the study of Ximo Pavilion, Wen Qiao sat behind his desk, holding a book but utterly distracted, his mind filled with Jiang Xuesui vomiting blood.
Wen Ying came in to change the cold tea. "Young master, you're holding it upside down."
Wen Qiao snapped back to reality. "Has Yuanyuan arrived?"
Wen Ying wanted to laugh but dared not. "I meant the book in your hand is upside down."
Wen Qiao turned the book right side up.
Wen Ying asked, "Young master, if you're so concerned about the young lady, is there any message you'd like me to deliver? Couldn't I just take it to her?"
Wen Qiao lowered his eyes. "I have nothing to say to Yuanyuan."
Wen Ying pressed, "Then if you miss her, why not go to Jiangxue Residence and see her yourself?"
Wen Qiao said indifferently, "I don't want to see Yuanyuan either."
Wen Ying set a trap for him. "I assumed you wanted to focus on studying. Just now, Granny Ren Dong from the old lady's side came to say that Imperial Consort Dowager Sang had come visiting with her little prince. He's quite amusing. The old lady casually invited them to stay for lunch, but the consort dowager had to go to the palace for a banquet. The little prince refused to go with his mother and insisted on staying for lunch. The consort dowager couldn't sway him, so she left behind wet nurses, maids, servants, and a few eunuchs to take good care of him. Ren Dong asked whether you would go to Penglai Study for lunch. I answered on your behalf that you wouldn't."
Wen Qiao's expression turned cold. "Did I say I wouldn't? Such matters should have been reported to me promptly."
Wen Ying's face was all smiles. "You've forgotten, young master. A few days ago, you instructed us to decline all invitations to meals and gatherings, except those from the young lady. I was only following your orders. This time you can't blame me for acting on my own."
Wen Qiao was silent.
Wen Ying stared at him with a mischievous grin. Knowing that he was strict on the surface but soft-hearted and not one to casually scold or beat servants, she stopped teasing him.
"Actually, I didn't refuse Ren Dong on your behalf. You should go change your clothes quickly."
Wen Qiao put down his book and returned to his bedchamber.
Wen Xiao and Wen Xiang brought over a dozen outer robes for him to try on.