Setting the Wedding Date

In the side room-

Master and maid sat across a small table from one another.

"Why didn't you eat dinner?" Jia Heng smiled, then suddenly asked in a gentle voice.

Qingwen lowered her lovely head and twisted her fingers together. "I wasn't hungry. I didn't feel like eating."

Jia Heng fell silent for a moment. "Were you not hungry, or did you not feel like eating?"

Seeing Qingwen's lips move without any answer emerging, Jia Heng considered briefly before asking, "Was it because of those two sisters?"

Qingwen's slender body trembled. She shook her head, then nodded.

Jia Heng said, "You must have heard just now. They came from miserable circumstances too. Working here at least lets them survive."

For a moment, he was puzzled. In the original Dream of the Red Chamber, Qingwen had never seemed particularly hostile toward all the people coming and going in Baoyu's rooms, had she?

Well, her words had certainly been rather harsh. She had mocked Xiren as a spotted dog and made fun of Sheyue. She had even refused to open the door for Daiyu, causing a small misunderstanding between Baoyu and Daiyu.

In short, Qingwen had quite an acid tongue, and her insults were ugly. Just now, for instance, she had pulled a long face at him simply because she was in a bad mood.

"Young master, will you teach those two to read and write too?" While Jia Heng was pondering this, Qingwen suddenly raised her bright, spirited eyes and asked.

"Hmm?" Jia Heng paused. Looking into the girl's shimmering, wavering gaze, he furrowed his brows. "Teaching you alone already leaves me short of time and energy. Where would I find any to spare for someone else? Of course, if you don't want to learn, we can leave it at that. I'd be happy to have the leisure."

Just then, the maid Bi'er's voice came from outside the side room. "Master Heng, the hot water is ready."

As she spoke, she entered with a towel and lifted her delicate, thin little face. "Master Heng, let me attend you while you bathe."

"I'll bathe first. We can talk afterward." Jia Heng went to fetch his clothes, speaking to Qingwen, who stood rooted to the spot.

Only then did Qingwen seem to come to her senses. She hurried toward the side room and said softly, "Young master, I've prepared your clean clothes. The seam under the arm of one robe had come loose, so I mended it today. I'll bring it over for you."

As the girl turned, her cheeks were as red as rouge. Her words came very quickly, with a touch of urgency.

Jia Heng furrowed his brows, glanced at Bi'er, and waved a hand. "Go ask your aunt whether there's any food left in the kitchen. Heat some up and bring it here."

"Yes, Master Heng," Bi'er answered.

The girl who had just left, carrying clothes along the covered walkway, paused in her steps. Her trembling body seemed to grow much steadier.

Jia Heng shook his head lightly and headed toward the West Wing.

The Jia Family's old residence had five main rooms in all: three central rooms and two side rooms, east and west. The West Wing held the bathing tub and was ordinarily used for bathing.

The two maids assigned to rough chores shared a room with Aunt Cai.

By now, Qingwen had laid his clothes over the screen. She lowered her lovely head, her delicate face flushed crimson beneath the dim lamplight, and stared fixedly at the tips of her shoes.

"Young master, let me attend you while you bathe."

Jia Heng said, "I'm used to doing it alone. I don't need anyone attending me. Go outside."

Whether Qingwen intended nothing more than helping him bathe or not, he could hardly let her stay.

Well, it was not really a matter of guarding against lust in one's youth.

Rather, if it involved more than bathing, that would be easy enough-at most, Jia Ziyu would... have his first taste of clouds and rain. But if it really was only a bath, he was a normal man. How awkward would that be?

Still, this was Qingwen, who had teased Sheyue and Baoyu in the original novel for splashing water all over the floor while bathing, and whose relationship with Baoyu remained spotless and bright as the moon even at her death. If she offered to attend him in the bath, she most likely meant nothing else by it.

"You've been drinking, young master." Qingwen raised her pretty, radiant, oval face, her voice already trembling slightly.

"Only a few cups. It won't hurt." Jia Heng urged her, "Go on out. If we wait any longer, the water will get cold."

At his words, Qingwen bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth. In the end, she said nothing more and quietly left the side room. At some point, her heart had begun pounding furiously.

She did not know what had come over her just now. Hearing Bi'er's words, and hearing that the young master had not refused, she had been carried away by a sudden rush of feeling...

"Sister Qingwen, the young master had someone heat up some food for you. It's in your room." Bi'er approached silently from the side as she spoke.

"You little hussy, are you trying to scare someone to death?" Qingwen's willow-leaf brows rose, her almond eyes flashing as she snapped.

Bi'er lowered her head until it was buried against her chest. "Sister Qingwen, I didn't mean to."

Looking at the timid girl, Qingwen lost the inclination to scold her further. She merely said in a low voice, "The young master never lets anyone attend him while he bathes. Stop spending all day dreaming of climbing onto a higher branch. And what's this 'Master Heng'? That's what outsiders call him. From now on, call him 'young master.' Did you hear me?"

"Yes..." the girl answered softly.

Only after pouring out those words in one breath did Qingwen feel somewhat better. Then she returned to her room.

Bathing in the West Wing, Jia Heng's expression stiffened briefly, and he sighed. However softly they spoke, his practice of Internal Fist had sharpened his hearing and sight beyond the ordinary. Naturally, he had heard every word clearly.

Mountains and rivers are easier to change than a person's nature. I'll have to guide her slowly, or with that temper, Qingwen may well clash with Keqing one day.

Jia Heng thought that day was very likely to come. If he wanted a comfortable life, he had to take all these things into account.

Family affairs, affairs of state, affairs of all under heaven...

This was also why, even if the opportunity arose, he would not touch Qingwen before his marriage. He needed to consider Qin Keqing-his fiancée.

Whatever else might be true, Qin Keqing was honoring their marriage agreement. He had to give her at least that basic respect.

After bathing, Jia Heng changed into clean clothes and returned to the east room. Qingwen was already studying paper character cards, clearly preparing for his examination.

"Young master." Qingwen called out when Jia Heng entered. Her earlier resentment and sulking had naturally vanished.

Jia Heng said, "You've eaten, haven't you?"

Qingwen nodded lightly.

Without wasting any time, Jia Heng picked up a stack of character cards and shuffled them. Smiling, he said, "Learning takes study and review. If you only study without reviewing, you'll forget as fast as you learn."

As he spoke, he offered the cards to Qingwen. "Draw one."

At his words, an enchanting blush appeared on Qingwen's pretty face. She closed her eyes, her long lashes trembling, and smiled. "Then I'll draw one."

She gently drew a card.

He had to admit that she truly was the foremost maid of the Red Chamber. Her beauty was indeed alluring and incomparably radiant.

Looking at Qingwen with her eyes closed and her lovely smile, Jia Heng sighed inwardly. No wonder she took pride in her beauty and had such an acid tongue.

The night lay hazy, and before they knew it, it had passed. Dawn broke in the east, bringing another day.

The years did not linger; the seasons flowed like water.

For the next three days, Jia Heng followed the same two-point routine between the Literary Gathering Pavilion at the Imperial College and his home.

Then, on this day, Jia Heng prepared gifts and set out for the Qin Family home.

Weddings at this time followed the Three Letters and Six Rites. Having presented the betrothal gifts previously, Jia Heng was now at the stage of requesting a wedding date.

Once the date was settled, the next step would be personally fetching the bride.

As far as Jia Heng was concerned, the sooner she entered his household, the better, lest a long night breed too many dreams. The Qin Family, however, might still need to divine an auspicious date. Of course, the two families also had to discuss the specific arrangements for fetching the bride.

At the Qin Family home, Qin Ye had already taken leave from the ministry offices for the day. He was waiting at home especially for Jia Heng's visit, so they could settle the wedding date and the arrangements for fetching the bride.

Though theirs was a modest household, they were still marrying their daughter off as a wife. They had to arrange a proper celebration.

Qin Ye intended to invite some colleagues from the Ministry of Works to the wedding feast.

But this Jia Heng... I wonder how he'll arrange things, and whether he'll invite relatives and friends from the Jia family. I only hope... he won't slight my Keqing. Standing beneath the eaves, Qin Ye wore a thoughtful expression on his aged face.