As Zhang Rui spoke, he helped him to the side of the road, then turned back to subtly signal Zhenyuan and Zhenshu to hurry up and leave. Zhenyuan and Zhenshu understood, lifted their skirts, and quickly left the area.
After walking a few steps, Zhenyuan looked back and saw Zhang Rui still holding Dou Keming hostage, waving at her from afar. For some reason, her heart skipped a beat, and she almost fell into the water. Zhenshu caught Zhenyuan and helped her sit down on a stone bench, saying, "Were you frightened just now? That Fifth Young Master Dou spoke frivolously, and you didn't even say a word to him."
Zhenyuan shook her head and said, "Although I am angry, I am too clumsy to speak."
Zhenshu sat down beside her and said, "Although he flirted with you, he didn't really want to marry you. It's just that the other day at the Marquis of Beishun's mansion, Zhenyu promised that if he was willing to marry her, she would take you to be his concubine. He probably already considers you his concubine now, which is why he flirted with you. You must clear your mind and not be fooled by his appearance."
After a long silence, Zhenyuan finally said, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Zhenshu said, "I originally thought it was just a joke between them, but seeing Dou Keming's expression today, I know he must have taken it seriously. As for Zhenyu, you are her elder sister. If you don't agree, how can she easily take you as a concubine as part of her dowry?"
Zhenyuan nodded gently, looked around, and saw that it was a secluded and tranquil place, a winding and secluded spot with willows and misty clouds. At her feet, among the strange rocks, red and white koi carp swam and played in the water, shattering the shadows of pavilions and railings in the water, weaving back and forth among the strange rocks. The two sisters watched the palm-sized koi carp playing in the lake, each with their own worries, but they both sighed at the same time.
The two of them ultimately did not go to see the late-blooming peonies at the Nan'an Marquis's residence. They sat by the water for a while, feeling bored, when a young maid from the Nan'an Marquis's residence came running up, panting, and said, "So it is Miss Song here. Our Lady of the Marquis is hosting a banquet, and Miss Song and Second Miss are waiting for you, Miss Song, in the Xuanze Hall on the east side."
Upon hearing that the Lady of Nan'an Marquis was personally hosting the banquet, Zhenyuan considered it a very high honor for them. She quickly rose, straightened her clothes, and, along with Zhenshu and several young maids, passed through a moon gate, across a water bridge, and over a waterfall. After about fifteen minutes, they came to a winding parapet with a moon gate in the center. Entering the gate, they found themselves in a spacious courtyard with a grand hall. Many maids and servants stood outside, indicating that this must be the banquet being held by the Lady of Nan'an Marquis.
Zhen Shu, being a maid at this time, naturally couldn't enter. Zhen Yuan, alone, ascended the steps, and a maidservant immediately lifted the curtain for her, leading her to a spacious hall on the east side. There were about twenty people in the room, all seated in armchairs, drinking tea and chatting. Zhen Yuan saw that besides the sisters she had met in Tao Suyi's boudoir, there were also seven or eight young gentlemen drinking tea, and Dou Keming and Zhang Rui, whom she had met in the garden earlier, were also among them.
Seated in the head chair was a woman dressed in a wide-sleeved brocade jacket of a light pink color, with a purplish-red pleated skirt. She had a fair complexion and slightly downturned eyes. Although there was a faint smile on her lips, she could not suppress the air of authority in her eyes. Madam Shen sat beside her. Zhenyuan noticed that the woman looked too young and was unsure whether she was the wife of a marquis or the wife of a prince. Just as she was hesitating, Nie Shiqiu quietly and quickly approached, took her arm, and led her to the noblewoman. He curtsied and said, "Aunt, this is the eldest daughter of the Song family. We were so eager to see the peonies that we left her behind on the way. It was my foolishness that I didn't realize I had lost my beloved guest for half a day. It was only when we were heading to the Xuanze Hall for the banquet that I realized I had lost her and hurriedly called a few maids to find her."
After Nie Shiqiu spoke, not to mention the Marquis's wife, Lady Nie, everyone present turned their gaze to Zhenyuan, making her so embarrassed that she had nowhere to hide. After a long while, she blushed and curtsied, saying, "This humble girl greets the Marquis of Nan'an."
Nie Shi gestured to a maid to help Zhenyuan up before smiling and saying, "Our garden is secluded and quiet, so losing a person or two is nothing new, but losing a dear guest is a sign of our negligence. How can we blame you? Please sit down."
Seeing Zhang Quanqi still at the end of the room, Zhenyuan got up and slowly walked over, sitting down at the end. Just as she sat down, she heard Madam Nie say, "Where were we? Du Yu has been out of prison for two days now; has the government found any trace of him?"
Dou Keming bowed and replied, "As soon as the incident happened that day, the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture notified my father. My father and I searched along the escape route in detail, but we only searched the area around the South Gate before losing track of them and there were no more clues. The area around the South Gate has been a bustling market since ancient times, and it is difficult to search it thoroughly. We could only make a token effort to report back."
Marquis Bei Shun still holds the title of the Capital City Security Commissioner. Although Du Yu is in prison, he is still the heir of the Duke of Du's mansion. With such a prestigious title, it is naturally difficult for the lowly constables of Yingtian Prefecture to make a move against him. Therefore, as soon as something happened, Marquis Bei Shun was targeted.
Nie said, "In that case, we don't know whether he is hiding in the city or has fled outside?"
Seeing that the four young ladies were all gazing at him with affectionate eyes, Dou Keming felt a surge of pride. He cleared his throat and said, "I believe that he has been spoiled since childhood in the capital. His arrogance is limited to this small area. Outside the capital, he wouldn't know which way is which. So he must still be in the capital, probably still hanging out with those lowlifes he used to associate with. Those people are cunning and have many escape routes, making it difficult for Yingtian Prefecture to track them down. To catch him, I'm afraid it will be up to my father and me."
Nie nodded without speaking. Dou Mingluan, who was also present, picked up where her brother Dou Keming left off, saying, "Perhaps he's just tired of being in prison and sneaked out for some fresh air. He might go back on his own after he's had some fresh air."
Before anyone else could speak, Zhenyu laughed and said, “Good sister, he’s not as good as you think. Back when I was seven or eight, I once called him by his nickname, Fish Belly, and he dragged me outside and beat me so badly my bottom was swollen. He was at least twelve that year, and I told Duke Du about it. Duke Du beat him so badly he couldn’t get out of bed for half a month. Everyone said that after this lesson, he would surely learn his lesson, but who knew that once he recovered from his injuries and got up, he would still do the same bad things as before. Not only did he not repent, but he became even worse.”
Seeing the argument that had broken out among the guests, Madam Nie sighed and said, "In the end, he is still a poor child who lost his mother at a young age. Without his mother's guidance, it is inevitable that he will act somewhat biasedly. It really makes people worry about him!"
She changed the subject, looked up and smiled, "A banquet has been prepared in the west hall. Today, I'll play with you children and have a couple of cups of fruit wine, how about it?"
The young ladies naturally smiled and agreed. Dou Keming and the young gentlemen were the first to stand up and stand by the door. They waited until each young lady had left before slowly following them.
Marquis Tao Ren of Nan'an was originally from Nanyue, and his conduct reflected the Nanyue style. The west hall of Xuanze Hall was very spacious and bright, with gleaming wooden floors. There were cushions and low tables everywhere, one for each person, who knelt and sat in order. Meals were also served according to their positions. Each female guest was attended by a kneeling maid, while the male guests were served by boys who were about half-grown. Despite the large number of people, everything was in perfect order.
A banquet was underway, and the guests chatted and drank idly. Outside, the maids and servants from various mansions stood under the eaves, awaiting orders. Because the Nan'an Marquis's and Beishun Marquis's mansions were related, the servants knew each other well. While the nobles inside discussed matters, they whispered amongst themselves outside. Beside Zhenshu stood a maid of about fifteen or sixteen, dressed very neatly and cleanly. It was unclear which young lady she served as a first-class maid. Holding a bundle, she whispered to another old woman in her forties beside her, "Mother, do you know why the heir of the Duke of Du committed murder?"
☆, Chapter 12: The Sweetness
The old woman glanced at the maid and said with a sneer, "That's a shameful thing, and the Duke of Du's mansion keeps it a secret. However, I have a close friend who works in the kitchen of that mansion, so she knows some of the details."
She glanced around and lowered her voice, saying, "I heard that he was only seventeen or eighteen years old back then. Because the Duke's second wife, Lady Yang, was beautiful, the young master harbored desires for his stepmother. One day, the Duke was out, and the Duchess happened to be taking a nap. The young master saw her from outside and secretly entered, intending to force himself on his stepmother. Coincidentally, the Duchess's mother was also a guest at the mansion. Just as the young master was about to do his thing, the stepmother saw him and started making a scene. Without hesitation, the young master drew his sword and killed the stepmother, then swaggered back to his room to sleep. When the Duke returned to the mansion and heard about this, he was furious. Since the young master showed no remorse, he sent him to the Yingtian Prefecture prison."
The maid was so shocked that she could have swallowed an egg whole. After a long while, she nodded and said, "So that's the kind of person he is. No wonder."
Zhenshu, who had overheard everything, sneered inwardly: "What utter nonsense! A seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy, let alone a noble family, even in an ordinary one, would have long since separated from his mother. How could he possibly see his stepmother's bed at a glance? Furthermore, the Duchess would be in the inner courtyard, surrounded by several rooms and curtains, and attended to by many maids and servants. How could this Duke's heir possibly enter his stepmother's bedroom so easily? What this old woman said is surely just a fabrication."
Because men and women were kept separate at the banquet, and all the guests were unmarried young men and women, the drinking was minimal, and the banquet ended early, lasting only a short while. Lady Nie, wife of the Marquis of Nan'an, accompanied by Lady Shen, also left early. After rinsing their mouths with tea, the young men and women returned to the east hall to sit and drink tea, chatting in pairs or gathering in small groups. Because of the large number of people, they disregarded the strict rules of gender separation.
After Dou Keming took his seat, he kept glancing at Zhenyuan, but she remained as still as a meditating monk, refusing to respond to his gaze. Dou Keming was so anxious that he felt like he was being torn apart. When the banquet finally ended and they arrived at the East Hall, Zhenyuan stayed close to Nie Shiqiu and refused to say another word to him.
Just then, Zhenyu invited him, so Dou Keming left Xuanze Hall with her. The two strolled along the parapet outside the courtyard, admiring the murals and poems on it. He saw Zhenshu standing in the distance under the eaves, her slender neck and waist gracefully adorned with her hair tied up high, looking very elegant. He pointed at her and asked Zhenyu, "That maid under the eaves, the one who was with you the other day and is with your sister today, is she a servant born into your Song family?"
Zhenyu glared at Zhenshu from afar and snorted coldly, saying, "She's not some kind of servant. She's our third daughter, born to our second wife. Because she willingly lowered herself to be our maid, we didn't want to offend her, so we just let her cause trouble."
Upon hearing that she was not a maid, Dou Keming sighed inwardly: "No wonder, the maids there have such a good demeanor."
However, if she weren't a maid, then the good fortune of having both Yingying and Hongniang taken care of her would be lost. Furthermore, judging from her tone in the back garden just now, she probably didn't want the eldest daughter to become Zhenyu's concubine. In that case, this matter was probably only Zhenyu's side of the story, and I shouldn't be fooled by Zhenyu.
Thinking of this, Dou Keming turned around and intercepted Zhenyu, saying, "Just now I saw your eldest sister in private, and the third young lady was also with her. From what she said, it seemed that she did not want the eldest young lady to be your concubine. Have you not yet discussed the matter of the concubine with the elders of the Song family?"
Zhenyu said, "Do you believe her or me? They're just poor relatives of mine. My grandmother despises them. She only managed to put on a show for them because of the kindness of Consort Rong in the palace. Her father is a son of a concubine. When the family divided, he only received a few acres of meager land in a small village in a neighboring county. As for dowry, he didn't have a single penny. Who in the capital would marry a woman from a concubine's family with no dowry? If you're worried that she won't be a concubine, put your mind at ease and wait. I swear to heaven today that I will make sure that the daughter of the second branch of the family becomes your concubine. What do you say?"
As Zhenyu spoke, she pointed one finger to the sky, as if making a vow. Seeing this, Dou Keming quickly grasped her hand and said, "Why do you need to make a vow? We are not yet in charge of the household, so you should inform your elders about this matter."
Zhenyu said, "My parents passed away long ago, and I only have my grandmother, who dotes on me like the apple of her eye. How could she not grant my request? You can rest assured about this matter. But why haven't you made any move regarding the marriage proposal?"
Dou Keming shook his head without speaking, then turned and continued walking slowly forward. Zhenyu was furious, secretly cursing the entire Beishun Marquis's family, from head to toe, before finally suppressing her anger and saying, "Since you're worried, my sisters and I are going to Guangji Temple in the outskirts of the capital to offer incense in a few days. You'll come with us then..."
Dou Keming took the bait as expected, turning back with a smile and asking, "Why did you come along?"
Zhenyu gritted her teeth, a smile still on her face, and said, "I'll let you taste some sweetness!"
Zhenshu stood under the eaves and saw Dou Keming and Zhenyu standing far away by the parapet, glancing at her from time to time and whispering to each other. She didn't know what they were talking about, but she felt uneasy.
Just after dawn, the young ladies in Xuanze Hall rose to bid farewell and return home. The young ladies of the Song family still rode in the same carriage as Madam Shen, returning to the Song residence together.
Since leaving Xuanze Hall, Zhenyuan had a faint smile on her face, which she maintained even in the carriage. Zhenxiu watched her coldly the whole way back. When they returned to the small west courtyard, she saw that Zhenyuan neither removed her hairpins nor her long gown, but simply sat in front of the bronze mirror, gazing at her own reflection and smiling foolishly. Zhenxiu knew that Zhenyuan was in love.
Earlier in the Xuanze Hall of the Nan'an Marquis's residence, Dou Keming, sitting opposite Zhenyuan at the banquet, kept glancing at her. After they moved to the East Hall, although Dou Keming left, Zhang Rui, wearing a Zhou-style headscarf, replaced him. He was all smooth talk and flattery, making Zhenyuan beam with delight. Zhenxiu, unsure whether she had fallen for Dou Keming or taken a liking to the glib, thin scholar Zhang Rui, retorted sarcastically, "Elder sister, you've managed to win over both sides today. Have you decided who you'd choose as your ideal husband?"
Zhenyuan then realized what was happening, turned around and glared at Zhenxiu, then got up and went to the room where Zhenshu lived to remove her hairpins. Although Zhenshu did not sit in the same carriage as her, the spring-like look on Zhenyuan's face was too obvious at this moment, and even she noticed it, so she teased, "Elder sister, you look more beautiful than flowers today."
Zhenyuan and Zhenshu had always been able to have heart-to-heart talks, so she took out a long hairpin and said, "What do you think of Zhang Rui?"
Zhenshu sat down beside her, resting her hand on her chin as she scrutinized Zhenyuan's features, saying, "He's just a pedantic scholar. Has Sister inquired about his family background?"
Zhenyuan removed the mother-of-pearl ornament from her forehead and said slowly, "He claims to be the cousin of the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Beishun, and also a native of Nanyue. He is only twenty-one years old and has already passed the imperial examination to become a student of the Imperial Academy. He will be able to take the grand imperial examination next year."
Zhenshu asked, "Since he dares not reveal his true family background and only says that he is the cousin of the Crown Prince's wife, I'm afraid he is just a poor relative of the Marquis of Beishun's family, just like us. In my opinion, poor relatives marrying poor relatives is still a good match. Besides, if he is really talented and passes the imperial examination next year, it will be a good thing for you. However, Mother is determined to make you rich and powerful, so I'm afraid it will be difficult for her to get past this hurdle."
Looking at herself in the mirror, Zhenyuan sighed deeply. After a long while, she said, "It's all just talk now. If he really wants to, he'll definitely come to propose marriage."
The two were silent when suddenly the curtain was lifted and Zhenxiu came in with a strange laugh: "I told you you were playing tricks, and it turns out I was right. I'll tell the old lady and Zhenyu and make you all feel really ashamed."
After seeing Zhenyuan off, Zhenshu closed the door and pointed at Zhenxiu's nose, angrily scolding, "Men should marry when they are of age and women should marry when they are of age. What's shameful about that? Besides, this matter is still undecided. If you make a fuss and let others in this mansion know, it won't just be your reputation that's ruined. If your reputation is ruined, how can any good family come to ask about you?"
Zhenxiu tried to seize the opportunity to break out the door, but Zhenshu suddenly grabbed her arm, twisted her behind her back, and shoved her face onto the bed. She then straddled Zhenxiu and slapped her hard on the back of the head several times, saying, "It's one thing for you to cause trouble at Caijia Temple, since we're sisters, and I don't usually make things difficult for you. But now that you're in the capital, it's another thing for you to gossip about me everywhere, since I'm no saint either. But what about my eldest sister? She's always stayed in her secluded chambers, and at twenty-nine she's still unmarried. Today she only received a little bit of favor from others, and you're already making a scene and wanting to go around making a fuss. Do you want to die?"
Zhenxiu was suffocated by her weight, and after being slapped several times on the head, her ears were ringing. She tried to grab Zhenshu by turning her arms, but Zhenshu was pressing down on her waist, and no matter how she turned her hands, she couldn't grab Zhenshu even a little bit.
Back at Caijia Temple, the two had sparred before. Although Zhenxiu was plump, she was not as agile as Zhenshu and always lost, suffering greatly from Zhenshu's superior skills. Feeling like she was about to suffocate, she finally managed to gasp and groan, "Good second sister, please... I promise... I wouldn't dare..."
Uncle Zhen then got up and stared coldly at Zhenxiu, who was lying on the bed pretending to be dead, and said: "I advise you not to use your sisters' reputation to fight for your self-righteous future. I can't punish you because I love you and can't bring myself to do it. But I'm not afraid of you. Not only am I not afraid, but I don't mind beating you every night. If you really have the ability, then you should really cling to Zhenyu's thigh and leave the West Courtyard from now on."
After catching her breath, Zhenxiu gritted her teeth and said, "You really think I can't leave the West Courtyard, can't leave the Second House? Song Zhenshu, don't think that just because you've read a few books about talented scholars and beautiful women, and know a minor scholar, you're any more superior than others. What's the point of being controlled by you at home? One day, I will definitely find a good husband with a good family background and good looks, and then I will leave the Second House, leave Caijia Temple. At that time, you might be desperate and have nowhere to turn in Caijia Temple, and you can come to my door to borrow some firewood and rice..."
Perhaps it was because she had seen some of the world during her trip to the capital and had also gotten close to Zhenyu, that Song Zhenxiu's tone had become increasingly arrogant. She got out of bed, straightened her clothes, and turned back to say coldly, "Don't think that Tao Suyi's glance at you a few more times or her asking you a few more questions is such a great honor. She's nothing but a pretentious woman who flaunts her charms because she's read a few books. As for looks, she can't even compare to me."
Upon hearing this, Zhenshu was so angry that she laughed instead of getting angry. It turned out that Zhenxiu's anger today stemmed from a casual remark by Tao Suyi, which also revealed her narrow-mindedness.
Because they were going to Guangji Temple in the suburbs to offer incense for the Dragon Boat Festival, from that day onwards, the young ladies of the Song family all stayed at home to accompany Madam Zhong. The one who suffered the most, yet was also the happiest, was Madam Su. She saw that her daughters' faces, nourished by the waters of the Wuzhang River in the capital, were much fairer than when they were in Huixian County. Having also visited several noble households, their manners and etiquette were far superior to what they had been in Huixian. Therefore, even though she stood behind Madam Zhong all day, maintaining proper decorum, her legs swollen and shiny, she refused to utter a single complaint.
Sure enough, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, after the entire household finished hanging mugwort and tying colorful ribbons, and everyone ate some "Five Poison Cakes," Madam Shen took two carts and a set of clothes, bringing several young ladies to Guangji Temple. Although Guangji Temple was a male-only temple, it was a royal temple, so the noble ladies from the various noble families of the capital, besides their family temples, most frequently visited this place. Although Guangji Temple was entirely presided over by monks, the dormitories for female guests were all staffed by young novices, so it was common for the ladies of various households to stay at the temple for three to five days.
☆, Chapter 13 Zhang
Shen was planning to stay overnight, and she brought more than twice as many maids and servants as usual.
The group of people traveled for two hours before finally arriving at the gate of Guangji Temple. Because it was the Dragon Boat Festival, the temple was bustling with worshippers. Fortunately, the Marquis of Beishun's residence had booked rooms in advance, so Shen and her companions were not squeezed out of the temple.
After offering incense in the main hall with several young ladies, Madam Shen followed the young novice monk to their quarters. Madam Zhang, the wife of the Marquis of Beishun, and her daughter Dou Mingluan were already waiting there. Having not seen each other for many days, the women were very affectionate. Madam Shen and Madam Zhang chatted idly in one room, while Zhenyu, Zhenxiu, and Zhenyi accompanied Dou Mingluan, and Zhenyuan and Zhenshu huddled together.
Buddhist precepts dictate against eating after noon, and dinner is not prepared in the monks' quarters. As dusk fell, Madam Zhang and Madam Shen, along with several young ladies, had some snacks and tea before retiring early. These young women, rarely able to leave their homes, were still eager to explore the temple grounds. Zhenshu and Zhenyuan were reading scriptures in their quarters when Zhenxiu entered, curtsied, and said, "Elder sister, could you come with me to the outer room for a walk and let me see the scenery around us?"
Zhenyuan stood up and said, "Now that the temple gates are probably closed, we unmarried women probably don't dare to wander around in this remote and desolate place."
Zhenxiu came over and took Zhenyuan's arm, saying, "It's just the outskirts of the capital. There are houses right outside the temple. What kind of desolate place is it? Besides, Sister Zhenyu and Miss Dou are waiting for us outside."
Seeing that she had pulled Zhenyuan away, Zhenshu quickly closed her sutra and placed it on a high place, then chased after her. She vaguely saw the two of them leaving the courtyard in the night light, so she quickly lifted her skirt and ran a few steps to follow them out.
The courtyard of the dormitory was filled with ivy and creeping fig, and there were artificial hills and rocks. Although it was not located by a mountain or water, the abundance of trees and the dense forest made it impossible to see clearly where the two of them had gone, as only the lights were flickering everywhere.
Zhenshu sensed something was wrong and quickened her pace. She looked around the gate of Guangji Temple but found no one there. She then returned to the courtyard outside her quarters and followed another path for a short distance. There, she saw a thick fog obscuring the pine and cypress grove, from which she could faintly hear voices. Though she was uneasy, she lifted her skirt to calm herself and prepared to go inside.
"Isn't this the maid from the Song family?" Suddenly, a woman spoke softly from behind: "Come here, my young lady has something to ask you."
Zhenshu turned around and saw Leng Lü, Dou Mingluan's maid, standing on the road she had come from, carrying a lantern. Behind her, in the darkness, stood a girl with a high bun and long dress. Who else could it be but Dou Mingluan? But if Dou Mingluan was here alone, where was Mingyu? They were supposed to be taking a walk together, so why was Dou Mingluan alone now?
Zhenshu was filled with questions, but she dared not break the rules of etiquette. She took a few steps back, curtsied, and said, "This servant greets Miss Dou."
Dou Mingluan remained silent, but Binghuai spoke up, "Let me ask you, why are none of your young ladies in their quarters? Do you know where they went?"
Zhenshu shook her head and said, "This servant doesn't know either, which is why I came out to look for her."
Dou Mingluan then spoke up, "In that case, let's search together."
She took a few steps ahead, following the cold green lantern into the pine forest. Zhenshu dared not delay and quickly followed, lifting her skirt as well.
They had only walked a short distance along the cobblestone path when they heard faint sounds of tearing and ripping ahead. Zhenshu, filled with suspicion, hurried forward, stepping over the cold greenery. Though the night was dark, she immediately recognized the disheveled woman in front of her, who was frantically trying to escape, as Zhenyuan. Behind Zhenyuan stood a tall man, clearly holding her wrist and trying to prevent her from breaking free.
Enraged, Zhen Shu ran over and kicked the man behind Zhen Yuan, sending him sprawling backward into a thicket of pine needles. Only then did he grab Zhen Yuan's hand and ask, "Where did this lecherous fellow come from? Did he try anything to harass you?"
The man lay sprawled among the pine needles of a tree, perhaps badly pricked, and after a long while groaned, "Ouch! You dog slave!"
Dou Mingluan exclaimed in surprise, "Brother! What are you doing here?"
Zhen Shu thought to herself: Strange, so the good deed that Zhen Yu and Dou Keming conspired to do that day at the Marquis of Nan'an's residence was actually going to happen here.
She immediately took off her usual blue jacket and draped it over Zhenyuan before saying to Dou Mingluan, "Miss Dou, my eldest young lady is unwell. I will take her home first. As for today's events, let's pretend they never happened. After all, it would be shameful for anyone to talk about it. As for Young Master Dou, listen carefully. Although the women of the second branch of the Song family have no status or dowry, they are still respectable and virtuous women, well-mannered and proper. They would never become someone's concubine. Please give up on that idea."
Dou Keming had Binghuai help him up to stand. His attempt to steal a woman had backfired, and he had been kicked in the waist by a weak woman. He was in excruciating pain and, after hearing Zhenshu say so many shameless things, his shame turned into anger. He spat at her from afar and said, "You lowly little slut, I don't even want you. As for your sister, she'll be mine sooner or later. Just you wait and see."
Zhenyuan gently tugged at Zhenshu's hand and said, "Good sister, let's go quickly."
Zhenshu then helped Zhenyuan back to her room in the dark. Once inside, the two looked at each other for a long while before Zhenyuan covered her face and cried, "If it were Zhenyu, it would be one thing, but Zhenxiu was born from the same mother as you and me. Although she is usually a bit sharp-tongued, she has never harmed me. Who knew that today she would be so determined to ruin my integrity and tarnish my reputation..."
How could Zhenshu not be angry? She clenched her fists and stood up, saying, "You wait here. I'm going out to find her. When I find her, I'll beat her half to death."
Zhenyuan grabbed Zhenshu's hand and shook her head, saying, "Forget it. You can guard against anything, but it's hard to guard against a traitor within your own family. Now that such a thing has happened, I only hope that the Marquis's mansion will cover it up for the sake of Dou Keming's reputation. If they do, I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to die to prove my innocence."
Zhenshu retorted angrily, "What kind of talk is that? He bullied you and went unpunished, yet you're swallowing your anger for fear of ruining your reputation."
After careful consideration, I realized that this was indeed the truth. In today's society, the Neo-Confucianism of Zhu Xi and Cheng Yi is a shackle on women. A woman's loss of chastity is considered a grave matter. The world is rife with the evil of men taking liberties with women. People do not blame men for their bestiality, but only blame women for their promiscuous behavior and seduction. If a man takes liberties with a woman's hand, he will cut off her hand to prove her chastity; if he takes liberties with her skin, he will have her skin scraped off to prove her chastity. And those men who have lost all conscience are not only not held accountable, but many people also try to exonerate them.
Such is the state of the world; what can a woman with bound feet do?
The two women sat facing each other, tears streaming down their faces, for an unknown amount of time before the lamp. Suddenly, someone outside called out, "Miss Song, my mistress invites you!"