"I won't be fooled by you."
Wen Yuanhuan was silent, her mind in turmoil.
Seeing this, Lady Sang called Jiang Xuesui over.
"Yuanyuan, your aunt knows you're clever. But whether Huan girl wants to marry that Xu Ye or not, she has to. At least she'll get the status of a proper wife."
"That depends on whether Second Sister is willing to take the risk. If she doesn't want to marry a rotten man and is determined never to marry, she could simply spread word that her horoscope is unlucky. Wouldn't the noble ladies take that as a taboo?" Jiang Xuesui said.
Lady Sang understood her niece's meaning and looked at Wen Yuanhuan.
"Huan girl, Yuanyuan's idea is feasible. I just ask if you're willing?"
Wen Yuanhuan sobbed and wiped her tears.
"I'm not willing. To be laughed at for life like that, I'd rather marry Eldest Young Master Xu and live as a living widow."
Jiang Xuesui had pointed out a clear path, but if the other didn't want to take it, she couldn't force her.
Lady Sang breathed a sigh of relief. She always preferred to have fewer troubles rather than more. Now that Huan girl had come to her senses, the dignity of both Duke Xiangguo's Mansion and the Duke of Wei's Mansion was preserved. It was a win-win situation.
"Huan girl, I will add another six thousand taels of silver to your dowry. Don't think it's too little; it's just my small gesture."
Wen Yuanhuan thanked Lady Sang, and the two resumed their usual facade of motherly kindness and filial piety.
Jiang Xuesui felt something was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
* * *
On the day of Wen Yuanhuan's wedding, a major incident occurred.
She ran away. Before leaving, she knocked out her twin sister Wen Yuanle and swapped her wedding dress and golden crown onto Wen Yuanle.
When Duke Xiangguo learned that his second daughter had fled and that there was a ready-made daughter who looked exactly like her, he discussed with Old Madam Wen: why not let Wen Yuanle marry in her sister's place?
Old Madam Wen sneered coldly, "Letting Le girl marry in place of that shameless wretch would only please her. Shi Ning, even if you can harden your heart, think of your other children. If you act like this, they'll all be disheartened. A child of your own flesh and blood should not be treated so."
Duke Xiangguo said anxiously, "In a quarter of an hour, the Duke of Wei's Mansion's wedding procession will be at the gate. We can't exactly tell them the bride ran away. Both mansions will lose face."
"Losing face is better than lying," Old Madam Wen said, sticking to her principles.
* * *
In the main hall of the Penglai Study, Duke Xiangguo and Second Master Wen discussed countermeasures.
Lady Sang sat with Old Madam Wen, keeping her company.
Lady Zhu and Lady Yu were still outside, busy entertaining the noble ladies who had come to witness the ceremony.
The male guests were being attended to by Third Master Wen.
Jiang Xuesui, impatient with socializing, used the excuse of changing clothes and planned to return to Jiangxue Residence to color a painting she had outlined yesterday, "Zhong Kui Marries Off His Sister."
As she passed by Ximo Pavilion, she saw Wen Xiang crouching and looking around as if searching for something.
Jiang Xuesui went over and asked, "Sister Wen Xiang, what are you busy with?"
Wen Xiang curtsied to Jiang Xuesui and said, "The Eldest Young Master said he lost a silver-thread embroidered ruyi-shaped pouch with the five poisons pattern. He asked us to search carefully. Today many ladies are visiting the garden. If one of them picked it up, it would be hard to explain."
Jiang Xuesui smiled. "If Eldest Brother insists it's not his pouch, who can pin it on him?"
Wen Xiang gave a bitter smile. "The items Eldest Young Master uses daily all have his name embroidered on them. Originally, to avoid mixing them up with other young masters in the family. I never thought it would have such a big drawback."
Jiang Xuesui turned and ordered Jinping, Yuming, and the three matrons and six maids who had come with her to join the search for Wen Qiao's lost pouch.
Remembering that she was almost out of a few colors of paint in her study, she decided to borrow some from Wen Qiao.
In the courtyard, only a few young maids who had just started wearing their hair up were feeding the cranes and playing with the birds. Everyone else must have gone to search for the pouch.
"Where is Eldest Brother?" Jiang Xuesui asked.
A little maid in a red dress grinned. "The Eldest Young Master is in the study copying calligraphy. He doesn't want to be disturbed."
Jiang Xuesui went straight to the study, deliberately lightening her steps. Seeing Wen Qiao's back as he searched for a book on the bookshelf, she felt a playful impulse to startle him.
As she was about to approach, Jiang Xuesui rose on tiptoe and slapped his shoulder hard.
The scroll Wen Qiao was holding fell to the floor. The moment he turned and saw her, his displeased expression and furrowed brows instantly turned into his usual cool, indifferent demeanor.
Jiang Xuesui picked up the scroll and glanced at the title.
"Reading the 'Analects' again? Don't tell me you've been converted by my father and believe, like Minister Zhao, that half the Analects can rule the world."
"I should have Wen Xiao and the others put up a sign in front of the study saying, 'No entry for little lady Yuanyuan,'" Wen Qiao reached for the scroll in Jiang Xuesui's hand, but she refused to give it, hiding her hand behind her back.
Wen Qiao tried to move behind her to retrieve the book.
Jiang Xuesui turned agilely, but didn't notice the qin case leaning against the bookshelf. Her elbow hit it, causing her to lose balance and fall.
The qin case also fell, but fared slightly better—Wen Qiao caught it just before it hit the ground.
Jiang Xuesui, however, fell straight to the floor, her tailbone aching terribly.
Wen Qiao set the qin case down and reached out to help Jiang Xuesui up.
She slapped his hand away. "Is it more important to break the qin, or to break the person?"
"This antique qin was a gift from your father."