A First Glimpse of Her Thoughts

An image flashed through Shen Lantang's mind: Xie Ying happily playing with a ball, then the stack of papers on Xie Mother's desk, with Xu Mingyan's portrait on top.

"Manager Liao, I need you to do something for me."

Early the next morning, Shen Lantang rose before dawn. After a leisurely breakfast with her mother-in-law, she wandered through the courtyard while the sun had yet to pierce the garden foliage. On the way, she ran into her eldest sister-in-law, who was returning from her second aunt's place.

The second branch of the Xie Family had four children. The eldest, Xie Cheng, had a son and a daughter with his wife, Madam Qian. Xie Cheng was currently serving in a provincial post, and Madam Qian should have been at his side. But their uncle had been transferred back to Zhaojing last year. Since the grandparents had not seen their grandchildren in so long, and Zhaojing offered a better environment than the provinces, Madam Qian had stayed there with the children after the New Year. They would decide what to do in another year or so.

Shen Lantang and Madam Qian were both women who had married into the family, and getting along was their guiding principle. After they chatted pleasantly for a while, Madam Qian brought up the small gathering Shen Lantang had attended with Xie Ying yesterday.

"Yingying invited me too," Madam Qian said, "but the children can't do without me. I've been at home so long that I've made her worry."

"It's sweltering now," Shen Lantang said. "Going out only means baking in the sun all day. Once autumn comes and the weather cools, we women could take the children on an outing beyond the city. That would be lovely in its own way."

"Then I'll look forward to the end of summer."

After a little more conversation with Madam Qian, Shen Lantang returned to her room to read, and the day passed.

Two days later, Shen Lantang was painting in her room. Brush in hand, she swept her arm across the page. Spring seemed to bloom beneath her brush—if spring looked like demons dancing in chaos. The important thing about painting wasn't the picture, but the heart. Painting nurtured the soul, you know?

"My lady."

Baozhu came in through the doorway and said softly, "Manager Liao has sent someone."

Shen Lantang put down her brush.

She had not planned to go out today, so she wore only a short-sleeved jacket over her sleeveless bodice. She had managed to invent short sleeves in ancient times. At the news, she nodded to Lan Xin, who took an embroidered long gauze jacket from the screen. Shen Lantang quickly put it on and swept out an arm.

"Let's go."

In a private room at Jade and Gold House, a plainly dressed middle-aged man kept his head lowered as he reported in a quiet voice.

"I followed the man for three days. Yesterday afternoon, he went out, and I followed him into Peaceful Willow Alley. He entered a courtyard. I asked the neighbors about it, and they said it was rented just over half a year ago. A young woman lives there, and men sometimes come to see her. He didn't leave until sunset. Then he went into Fragrant Pavilion through a side entrance and stayed until late at night."

Fragrant Pavilion was Zhaojing's biggest den of extravagance. He even knew to use the side entrance. At least he had some sense of caution.

Shen Lantang scoffed inwardly.

She had Manager Liao pay the man and send him away. When Manager Liao returned, he looked at her. "My lady, what should we do from now on...?"

"As we've always done," Shen Lantang said evenly. "Whether he has a mistress or not won't stop us from making money."

She had investigated Xu Mingyan purely to be prepared. If the Xie Family took a liking to him, she would have to find a way to scuttle the marriage. If they did not, it was none of her business. She could hardly rush up to his future in-laws and denounce him as a rotten scoundrel hiding behind a handsome face, could she?

She would become the talk of Zhaojing.

With the matter that had been weighing on her mind settled, Shen Lantang relaxed. She spent some time out and returned in the afternoon, just as a carriage approached from the opposite direction.

Shen Lantang lowered the curtain and stepped out of her carriage.

She had only just strolled back to her courtyard when the steward came looking for her. "Young Madam, the madam asks you to come over!"

Her mother-in-law had been summoning her rather often lately.

Was she about to be scolded for going out too frequently? Or had someone discovered that she had nearly blown up the kitchen yesterday?

Curious, Shen Lantang went to Xie Mother's courtyard. The doors to the main hall stood open, and Xie Mother and her second aunt were chatting and laughing. When Xie Mother saw her, she beckoned with a smile. "Lantang, come in."

Shen Lantang straightened her sleeves and entered.

"Mother. Aunt."

Her second aunt could barely contain her delight. "You're back at just the right time, Lantang. We have something to tell you."

Shen Lantang smiled, gentle and attentive. "What is it?"

"The Xu Family sent someone over just now," Xie Mother said. "They've proposed a match for Xu Mingyan, the youngest son of their eldest branch."

Shen Lantang's smile froze.

Quack—

A First Glimpse of Her Thoughts

On hearing that the Xu Family had already sent someone to propose the match, Shen Lantang had only one thought.

Well, look at that. Trying to steal a march on me?

Her mind buzzed with frantic ducklike quacking for a good while before she steadied herself. Her face betrayed nothing as she asked,

"Does Yingying know? Did she agree?"

For a moment, Madam Zhou was dazed. She could have sworn she had heard a duck quack just now, along with something about "stealing a march."

What did that mean? Had a thief broken into the house?

No, where had the voice come from? No one had spoken.

Still bewildered, Madam Zhou answered without thinking. "Yingying agreed too. She seems to like him."

Agreed?

Of course she agreed. Her reaction that day made it obvious she'd fallen for the tricks men used to sweet-talk women. Xie Ying was innocent. She'd grown up in a household where husbands had only one wife, and she'd never heard of a Xie man straying or visiting brothels. Naturally, she wanted to believe the best of him.

That won't do.

That Xu fellow already has a mistress, and he still frequents brothels without a shred of restraint. No. I have to find a way to stop this marriage.

The voice sounded again in Madam Zhou's head. She was staring at Shen Lantang, trying to work out where it came from, when she heard that he "already has a mistress" and "frequents brothels." The revelation struck like a thunderclap. For a moment, she forgot all about the strange voice.