Chapter 49: The Waters of the Xiang River Flow Away, the Clouds of Chu Drift Afar

Shi Xiangyun walked with her head down, alone among the reeds of the Grand View Garden.

It was currently spring, and colorful flowers were blooming in all their brilliance. Frogs crouched in the pond's reed roots, singing their songs. In the past, she would have found the scene lively, but today, it merely felt noisy to her.

Last night, she had slept with the Old Dowry-Mistress. The elderly lady had fallen asleep very late and yet had risen early this morning. No sooner had she woken up than she instructed Yangwan to ask Second Master Lian if he was up, and to summon him to come early.

The Old Mistress had told her a great deal about the inner palace, instructing her in its strict codes and teaching her to watch her words and deeds. The Old Mistress had warned her that the palace was unlike their own home, nor was it like the Jia household; the Emperor was just like a tiger, capable both of protecting one's safety and of devouring one in a single bite. The saying went that serving a monarch was like keeping company with a tiger, and this must never be forgotten.

Throughout the entire night, Shi Xiangyun had spoken very few words, clutching the Old Mistress's hands tightly and weeping several times.

Early this morning, Second Master Lian had come to pay his respects to the Old Mistress, mentioning that he would hand over a letter to Prince Qian's soldiers stationed outside the estate gates, entrusting them to deliver it into the palace.

Among those letters was one bearing her name.

Right at that moment, a messenger from her own family arrived with word that in the capital, only the Jia family had been surrounded.

Her Second Elder Brother had said indignantly, "That Prince Qian truly learned from Leng Zixing that the young ladies in the garden were beauties, and as soon as he entered the city, he sent troops to seize them! He is truly of bandit stock!"

For these words, her Second Elder Brother had been scolded.

Upon learning that only the Jia household had been surrounded, they felt a mixture of joy and anxiety.

As for Shi Xiangyun, her heart was filled with worry and distress.

Before she knew it, she had wandered to the northern part of the Grand View Garden. Through the willow trees by the river not far away, she spotted a graceful, elegant young woman with skin as translucent and moist as jade. It was none other than Xue Baochai, who resided in the Herb-Nurturing Courtyard.

Shi Xiangyun watched her for a moment before walking over, suddenly tapping her on the shoulder and smiling, "Big Sister Bao!"

Xue Baochai turned around and, seeing who it was, let a smile blossom on her peony-like face of wealth and nobility, "So it's little Yun! You quite gave me a start. What brings you to my quarters at this hour?"

Pouting her lips, Shi Xiangyun replied, "I didn't specially come looking for you. I came to find you the other day, but you weren't here; they said you had gone home. How is it that you've moved back today without even telling me a word? You treat me like an outsider."

Her heart was brimming with youthful grievance.

Xue Baochai took her small hand and smiled, "Little sister Yun, do not blame me. The garden is in such chaos right now, and with a crowd of servants blocked inside and unable to leave, I originally wanted to spend a few days at home. Who would have thought that Prince Qian's soldiers were guarding the private alleys as well? Truly, there is no peace to be found anywhere."

Hearing this, Shi Xiangyun's spirits lifted, and she asked with a smile, "Why was Big Sister Bao staring blankly at the willow catkins just now? I almost didn't recognize you; I thought you were Xiangling!"

Xue Baochai bore a twofold resemblance to Xiangling, while Xiangling herself bore a fourfold resemblance to Lady Qin Keqiang, the young mistress of the Eastern Mansion.

Baochai also bore a fourfold resemblance to Qin Keqiang, so mistaking them at first glance was a common occurrence.

"I was watching these willow catkins," Baochai said.

"Watching them for what?" Xiangyun asked again.

"Watching them for amusement."

Baochai extended her fair, translucent palm to catch a drifting willow catkin borne upon the wind. "Look at it. Blown away from the willow tree by a gust of gentle wind, it might be carried into the river, or swept away by the maidservants, or fall somewhere to be ground into spring mud, or perhaps—just perhaps—a sudden breeze will carry it straight up into the azure sky!"

Xiangyun raised her head, but not a single willow catkin was visible in the sky. She chuckled and said, "What if it goes up to the sky? There are no immortals up there holding it with their hands; it must fall down in the end. To my mind, it would be best for it to fly into the mud, take root, and sprout during the spring. That would be the sensible thing to do!"

Both of them burst out laughing.

Xiangling walked over from the Herb-Nurturing Courtyard and, seeing them, smiled as well, "What are the young lady and Sister Yun laughing about?"

"Big Sister Bao is laughing at the willow catkins!" Xiangyun hurriedly replied.

Xiangling shared a laugh before saying to Baochai, "Young Mistress, Miss Qin said she has something to discuss with you and asked me to fetch you. How fortunate that I ran into you right as I stepped out."

Baochai smiled at Xiangyun and said, "I cannot keep you company."

With that, she returned to the Herb-Nurturing Courtyard, and Xiangling departed as well.

Left by herself once more, Shi Xiangyun watched the willow catkins for a moment before continuing on toward the Prospect Peak Lodge. Seeing several servants peeking out through the gaps in the canvas enclosures of the Prospect Peak Lodge, she turned away and headed toward the Crystal Pavilion, where she heard a group of maidservants laughing and frolicking.

"Oh!"

A shuttlecock struck her on the head. Shi Xiangyun clutched her head and looked over, only to see that it was the young theater-actress maids playing shuttlecock. Who knew whose kick had hit her?

"It was Fangguan who kicked it!"

"Fangguan, you've hit the young lady of the Shi family!"

The young actresses broke into laughter and chatter. A maid with delicate eyebrows and eyes ran up to her, took her hand, and smiled, "Good elder sister, it was my fault entirely! Please spare me!"

The little actresses gathered around, giggling.

With their bright and lively youthful expressions, how could they possibly look anything like people whose estate gates were surrounded by Prince Qian's soldiers?

Shi Xiangyun picked up the shuttlecock, and Fangguan hastily pleaded, "Good elder sister, please return it to me!"

Shi Xiangyun held it high. Since she was taller than Fangguan, the other girl could not easily reach it. Xiangyun smiled and said, "Instead of practicing your acting, you run into the garden to play. Aren't you afraid your mistresses will scold you?"

One of the little actresses piped up, "We are only playing for a little while. Right now, our mistresses have no time to mind us."

Shi Xiangyun tossed the shuttlecock upward and gave it a kick with her foot, sending it flying away. Fangguan and a group of youngsters scrambled to catch it.

Only one person remained behind.

Shi Xiangyun glanced at her twice. Seeing her autumn-water brows and slender, delicate waist, she smiled and said, "I remember you. You look very much like Sister Lin!"

On the twenty-first day of the first month, during Big Sister Bao's birthday, Shi Xiangyun had joked about this once before, and Sister Lin had taken offense at it.

"I cannot compare to you young ladies and mistresses," Lingguan retorted with a sharp edge in her voice. Then, realizing her tone was improper, she hurriedly asked, "Young mistress, I wish to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"The estate gates have been surrounded by Prince Qian. Can no one go out?"

"Indeed so."

Shi Xiangyun was full of grievances.

Lingguan asked again, "What about the Eastern Mansion?"

"The Eastern Mansion is the same. Why do you ask?" Xiangyun caught the implication behind her words.

Lingguan fell silent for a moment before asking, "I heard that Prince Qian intends to confiscate the properties and register the Jia family among the lowly classes. Is that true?"

Shi Xiangyun was startled. "Who told you that?"

"It is played out just like that in the dramas!"

Lingguan's eyes shone with intensity. "The Yang family of Yang Guozhong in The Palace of Eternal Life—how glorious was Consort Yang when she was alive, yet later she too had her family's property confiscated by the Emperor! Prince Qian has entered the city, and your family's property will be confiscated too!"

Shi Xiangyun scolded angrily, "What nonsense are you babbling, girl? If this reaches Second Mistress Lian's ears, see if she doesn't punish you!"

Lingguan was momentarily frightened and stood submissively, falling silent.

Not one to make things difficult for a little maid, Shi Xiangyun sighed and said, "If our property is confiscated, so much the better. I shall go join your troupe and act in plays, and I won't have to enter that imperial palace where a tiger crouches in the Hall of Golden Chimes."

Lingguan let out a mocking chuckle and said, "The young lady is truly the noble daughter of a marquise's household; how could you know the hardships of acting? We are of lowly birth, and even if someone treats you well... your fate is never your own, and no one will make decisions for you."

Lowering her voice and dropping her head, she turned and walked away despondently.

Seeing her demeanor, along with her slender, graceful figure that so resembled Sister Lin's, Shi Xiangyun could not help but think of Sister Lin.

Should she forgo sleeping with the Old Mistress tonight and go sleep with Sister Lin instead?

Thinking of it, she acted upon it. Full of enthusiasm, Shi Xiangyun hurried back toward the Xiaoxiang Lodge. Passing by the Greenhouse Hermitage, she happened to see Xing Xiuyan entering the courtyard gates, knowing she had gone to converse with Miaoyu once more.

Shi Xiangyun had exchanged hardly a few words with Miaoyu in all this time, so she dared not enter and headed straight for the Xiaoxiang Lodge instead.

Upon entering, she found Lin Daiyu reclining on the heated brick bed reading a book. Shi Xiangyun went over, took her hand, and smiled, "Good elder sister, guess who I saw?"

"Where has wild girl Yun been running off to play this time?" Daiyu asked with a rare smile.

"Just now, I saw another Sister Lin!"

Shi Xiangyun declared with a smile.

Hearing this, Lin Daiyu knitted her brows in thought for a moment before reaching out to pinch Shi Xiangyun's cheek, "So you saw that acting maid and came back just to make sport of me!"

Shi Xiangyun laughed, pleading for mercy and declaring she would never dare do it again.