Chapter 2

Wansong Academy treated its students well. It supplied paper, ink, and even rice cakes.

I'd never tried its rice cakes. Two pieces wasn't much to ask.

No grasshopper, but something sweet to eat would be nice.

My brother had already finished his share. Ji Yunqing still had some. He gave me a few and said he'd save some for me next time if I liked them.

He was clever with his hands too. In just a few movements, he'd woven a lifelike grasshopper.

“Here. Something to play with. It's nothing much.”

I took it.

For the first time, my heart beat that fast.

I didn't know whether it was the rice cakes or the grasshopper.

The student in purple had his servant pack a whole bag for me.

“With such a competitive brother, being an idiot is bad enough. You're greedy too.

“I don't like rice cakes. Take them home and eat them at your leisure, young lady.”

My brother frowned.

“Sixth Prince, royal blood or not, please show my sister some respect.”

The purple-robed student snorted.

“She can't even take a few remarks. She is stupid. If it weren't for Brother Cui, I'd give those cakes to the sparrows before I'd give them to her.”

Young as I was, I had some pride.

I handed the whole bag back.

“I don't want anything from you. If you'd rather feed the sparrows, go ahead.”

He froze.

I ignored him and turned to Ji Yunqing.

“Brother, whenever I bring things for my own brother, I'll bring you a share too. From now on, Yingying will be thinking of you. You won't be lonely studying here anymore.”

Only after several more deliveries did I learn that this gentle young man was called Ji Yunqing.

A name I remembered for years.

Like a mark etched into my mind, impossible to forget.

03

Once we reached home, Ji Yunqing refused to wear a skirt. He insisted on men's clothes.

Xiaotao was puzzled.

“Miss, why do you need men's clothes?”

He deliberately raised his voice, sounding aggrieved.

“What can I do? I'm nine chi tall. Everyone stares when I go out in a skirt. Men's clothes are easier and more convenient.

“Besides, you haven't got a skirt that would fit me.”

Holding back a laugh, I sent Xiaotao to fetch something from my brother's room.

Ji Yunqing and my brother were much the same build. His clothes fit.

Once Ji Yunqing had changed and drunk his ginger soup, I had no excuse to keep him.

He nodded, said farewell, and left.

I'd thought of marrying him. I'd wanted my parents and brother to arrange a match.

But Mother took me in her arms and recounted all the difficulties of raising me.

Ji Yunqing had no mother, she said, only a father with the lowest scholarly degree, who had never remarried.

His family had little money. It wasn't a match for the Cui household.

However good a man he was, he couldn't be my husband.

“Wenying, you're a daughter of the Cui clan of Qinghe. Even if you can't enter the Wang or Xie households of Langya, you're more than qualified to be a prince's consort. Get that into your little head. Don't let a passing attachment cloud your judgment.”

Later, I understood. Great clans commonly intermarried to preserve their prosperity.

If none of their children were of a suitable age, they married into the imperial family.

Failing that, a second-tier noble family.

Rank after rank, a very long way down the list before anyone like Ji Yunqing got a turn.

And how could the world offer such a convenient coincidence?

My own turn happened to lead to a prince.

Mother said becoming his consort would be good. Good for the clan too.

The Cui family had provided for me. I couldn't repay it with ingratitude.

Two days after I returned home, the Empress summoned me herself.

I went. Before I reached Weiyang Palace, I heard a familiar voice wheedling inside.

“Mother, you're unfair! The Crown Prince gets to marry a Xie girl. Why do I get the Cui girl, stupid and greedy and bad-tempered?”

I recognized him at once.

The Sixth Prince who had mocked me.

I'd only returned his rice cakes. Was he still holding a grudge?

What a petty man.

A palace maid announced me. The Empress immediately told her to bring me in.

I entered Weiyang Palace and made the proper obeisance.

The Sixth Prince, Li Yu, stopped talking. He looked me over with barely concealed disdain.

He disliked me. It wasn't as though I necessarily liked him.

After so many stories in which two people fell in love and married, facing a marriage in which neither felt anything for the other left me quietly dejected.

Even the birds chirping outside made it worse.

The Empress sent Li Yu away and personally helped me rise.

She removed a bracelet carved with mandarin ducks from her own wrist and slipped it onto mine.

“Your Majesty, this is...?”

Smiling, she patted my hand.

“I called you here to give you this bracelet. It's an heirloom from our Wang ancestors. The Crown Princess has one. Naturally, this one should be yours.”

I thanked her.

Then she asked what I thought of Li Yu.

I wanted to say he was cruel and sharp-tongued, and I didn't like him.

But he was my betrothed and the Empress's youngest son. Hardly a suitable answer.

Against my true feelings, I said, “The Sixth Prince is very good.”

My furrowed brow and tightly pressed lips seemed to tell her otherwise.

She laughed softly twice and put in a good word for her son.

“Yingying, my youngest has every virtue but one. The more he likes something, the less he knows how to express it. Even His Majesty and I find him hard to read. But I think he has feelings for you.

“He often mentions the Cui girl. Whenever he does, there's a smile on his face.

“I worry about that mouth of his. Sharp as a knife. I'm afraid he'll only drive the person he likes further away.”

Concern showed in her eyes. She took my hand.

“Yingying, I must ask you to be a little more tolerant of him.”

Perhaps all mothers were like that. Always thinking a little more about their children.

Afraid they'd be cold, afraid they'd be hot, afraid someone would bully them, afraid they'd live with regret.

I didn't want to sadden a mother, so I agreed.

But I didn't believe for a moment that Li Yu liked me.

Who likes someone and spends all day finding fault with them?

Spring made me drowsy. Once I left the palace, I grew lazier still.

Sometimes I'd stretch out on the old wicker chair for a whole hour.

Mother worried at the sight of me lounging about.

She told Xiaotao to take me out.

“At least buy a few things you like.”

Mother had spoken. How could a daughter disobey?

Perhaps I should have checked the almanac before going out that day. I'd finally found a set of jewelry I liked and was about to pay when a Xie girl staying at the Eastern Palace took a fancy to it too.

Xie Wuyou was the Crown Princess's younger sister. The Crown Princess was pregnant and homesick, so the Crown Prince had invited Xie Wuyou to keep her company.

I was about to point out that I'd been there first and suggest she choose something else.

Then Li Yu lifted the curtain of a passing carriage.

“Miss Xie has worked hard caring for my sister-in-law. Let her have the jewelry.”

The shopkeeper hesitated, then spoke up for me.

“But this young lady chose it first. Surely first come, first served?”

Li Yu frowned slightly. Clearly, he disapproved of my competing with Xie Wuyou.

“Cui Wenying, you're a Cui. Must you clutch at every nice thing you see? How petty. Once you marry me, you'll have to learn generosity. Let Miss Xie have it.”

Xie Wuyou gave me a smug glance and placed her purse on the counter.

“Thank you for yielding it to me, Miss Cui.”

I'd chosen it first. Why should I yield?

In a fit of pique, I doubled the price and bought it.

Spring thunder cracked. Rain poured down.

As Li Yu's betrothed, I should have been taken home to the Cui residence first.

But he was angry I'd snatched the jewelry. He wouldn't let Xiaotao or me into his carriage.

“Cui Wenying, you're so determined to win. How can I not temper that disposition? Wait in the shop. I'll take Miss Xie to the Eastern Palace, then come back for you.”

I sat on a cushioned chair and watched the carriage disappear into the rain.

Beside me, Xiaotao complained that his behavior was utterly improper.

I didn't answer. I only sat there, miserable.

I wasn't really that determined to win.

It was just that when Li Yu told me to give way to Xie Wuyou, I'd suddenly felt a little afraid.

If even my future husband wouldn't stand by me, and I wouldn't stand up for myself...

What kind of life could I expect?

The Empress had indeed deceived me when she said he liked me.

The rain grew heavier. Cold, damp air crept into the shop.

Worse still, hiring a carriage was difficult now.

The honest shopkeeper brought me a pot of hot tea and returned the extra silver.

“The jewelry was yours by rights. Please take the difference back.”

I held my cup and looked at the curtain of rain.

I would wait a little longer.

The Empress had asked me to be tolerant. If he came back soon, I wouldn't stay angry about his taking Xie Wuyou's side.

Suddenly, a bamboo-green oil-paper umbrella broke through the rain.

I looked up into Ji Yunqing's bright eyes.

“In rain like this, you may struggle to hire a carriage. Let me take you part of the way, Miss Cui.”

Xiaotao spoke before she thought.

“Isn't this our third-place laureate? Why does your figure look so familiar? What brings you here?”

His ears reddened. He glanced at me.

“Just passing. I thought I saw someone familiar looking out from the shop. When I came closer, I realized it was Miss Cui.

“Brother Cui has always treated me well. Taking his sister home is nothing much.”

My eyes settled on the guard around his wrist.

Once, a large dog had gone mad and charged at me. Everyone else scattered in fear. Only Ji Yunqing shielded me.

The dog bit deeply into his left hand.

I hurried to summon a doctor and find medicine, crying and crying with distress.

Yet he comforted me, waving his right hand.

“Don't cry. I'm lucky. My right hand's fine. I can still write poems and practice calligraphy.”

I really, really liked Ji Yunqing.

But however much I liked him, those feelings had to stay buried.

“Thank you, Brother Ji. The Sixth Prince said he'd return for me. I'll wait for him.”

Ji Yunqing folded his umbrella, found another chair, and sat.

“Then I'll wait with you.”

For some reason, my heart pounded, fast and urgent.

I didn't know how long we waited. Rain whitened everything beyond the shop. My steaming tea grew cold.