In the grand mansion of Minister Shu, the Minister of Secretary,a vast and beautiful banquet was held in honor of the Old Madam Shu's birthday.
As the esteemed guests of the Shu household settle into their paces, a lady could be seen walking gracefully toward the front seats of the banquet hall.
This lady was none other than Shu Ruo Han, the only daughter of Minister Shu.
Adorned in a flowing blue gown embellished with beautiful patterns, Shu Ruo Han's attire was complemented by elegant accessories in her hair. The delicate pearls accentuated her beauty, drawing attention to her radiant face.
As Shu Ruo Han took a seat, the announcement of Lord Wu Yu He was made.
Soon as he appeared, the joy on Shu Ruo Han's faded to a somber shade.
By his side stood a lady she had never seen before. Who could she be?
With a radiant smile gracing her lips once more, Shu Ruo Han slowly made her way towards Lord Wu Yu He.
"Brother Yu, you came", Shu Ruo Han greeted, her voice soft and welcoming.
Ah Yu responded with a smile, his eyes lighting up as he acknowledged her greeting.
Shu Ruo Han's gaze shifted to the woman by his side," This is?"
The woman,Ziyi, smiled and stepped forward. "Greetings,Miss Shu. My name is Feng Ziyi", she said,linking her arm with Ah Yu's. " I am Ah Yu's fiance. Ah, I almost forgot–congratulations on your grandmother's 68 birthday. I wish her nothing but health and fortune".
At the mention of "fiance", Shu Ruo Han's eyes twitched ever so slightly. She turned to Ah Yu and asked," Is that true, Brother Yu?"
Ah Yu smiled slightly as he nodded. "Yes, we're still getting to know each other"
Ah Xiao,standing beside Ziyi,interrupted," Such a splendid banquet, I'm sure a lot of people will attend. You're quite lucky, Ruo Han".
Shu Ruo Han chuckle softly," I guess you can say that, Ah Xiao"
"We've been holding you long enough, Ruo Han", Ah Fu added.
With a smile, Ruo Han turned to her maid." Li'er, lead Brother Yu and the rest to their seats, will you".
Li'er nodded and did as told.
Upon settling in her seat, Ah Xiao commented," Ruo Han is the same as ever; she sees Brother Yu and no one else. Such an arrogant person, how did she not offend anyone by now".
Ah Fu,with his posture straight, replied," Ah Xiao, there are eyes and ears everywhere. You need to watch your words".
Ah Xiao, annoyed, retorted " Hmph, she's not the only one with power. If she dares do anything, she won't get away with it".
"This is the Shu mansion, Ah Xiao", Ah Fu reminded her.
Ah Xiao glared at Ah Fu before conceding," I know, I'll try to limit my frustrations, alright?".
Ziyi laughed at Ah Xiao's stubbornness.
Ah Xiao replies with a stern face," It's not funny at all, Ziyi. You don't know how evil Ruo Han is. When I first entered the…" Ah Xiao pauses,leaning in closer. "The Imperial Academy, Shu Ruo Han tormented me. But after she found out that Brother Yu was related to me, her whole personality changed. Turns out she's been having an unrequited love for brother Yu for quite some time.Good thing brother Yu has already seen through her facade. Shu Ruo Han has quite the power; if it was someone else, they would not be able to escape from clutches. But luckily it's you–at least we can protect and trust you".
Ziyi smiles,"She can't be that bad."
Ah Xiao shakes her head with a knowing look," You'll see".
Soon, the banquet started.
Minister Shu made his statement, followed by the rest of the elders. The event seems to be going well, with various performances adding to the festivity. All was perfect until Shu Ruo Han entered into the center of the hall.
Shu Ruo Han bowed to her grandmother and announced," Grandmother, I have prepared a dance as a gift for your birthday. Please look forward to it".
Old Madam Shu's eyes twinkled as she smiled and motioned for her to begin.
Shu Ruo Han moved through the hall with a grace that captivated all who watched. Her elegant posture and fluid movements were a sight to behold. Each step was precise,each turn smooth and deliberate, her attire enhancing her every gesture. It seems as though the entire room revolved around her.
As her performance came to an end, the hall erupted in applause, everyone was amazed by her amazing performance.
Shu Ruo Han stopped and bowed before making a suggestion.
"Grandmother, I heard Brother Yu brought a guest with him. To be valued by Brother Yu, she must be very talented. It would be delightful to see her perform, wouldn't it, Miss Feng". Shu Ruo Han glanced pointedly at Ziyi with a smile.
Ah Xiao murmured,"And I thought she was unusually quiet".
Ah Yu leaned toward Ziyi," Just refuse if you can't".
Ziyi met Miss Shu's gaze with a confident smile.
"It's an honor to perform for Old Madam Shu,but instead of a dance, I would like to offer something different".
The old Madam Shu's smile widened with curiosity,"oh,sure, go ahead".
Ziyi gazed at Ah Xiao, her eyes gentle yet earnest. "Ah Xiao, if it's not too much trouble, could you assist me?" she asked softly.
Moments later, the room was filled with the ethereal sound of the guqin.
The melody, smooth and enchanting, quickly enveloped the space, as Ah Xiao's hands danced over the strings with a fluid grace. Her movements, both swift and measured, wove an elegant tapestry of sound that brought smiles to the faces of all who listened.
Beside Ah Xiao stood Ziyi, a brush poised delicately in her hand. Before her lay a blank sheet of paper and an array of inks. With deliberate care, Ziyi began to move her brush, gliding it side to side, up and down, her strokes perfectly synchronized with the rhythm of the music, yet unpredictably creative.
As the melody of the guqin built to its climax, Ziyi's hand quickened its pace. Her movements, though swift, remained unhurried, sweeping across the paper in an intricate dance.
Finally, as the last notes of the guqin faded into silence, Ziyi's brush came to a graceful stop, completing their harmonious performance.
Everyone clapped and eagerly awaited the unveiling of the painting.
As Old Madam Shu's maid presented Ziyi's artwork, hushed whispers filled the air.
"This..." Old Madam Shu exclaimed in astonishment as she gazed at the painting.
It captured Old Madam Shu admiring a serene stream, surrounded by plum blossom trees and two elegant cranes.
Ziyi beamed and recited,
"May your days unfold like a timeless stream,
Flowing with health and a peaceful dream.
Each year a chapter, each step a rhyme,
Etched in the fabric of infinite time.
May peace be the whisper that carries your soul,
As the seasons of life make your spirit whole.
With strength in your heart and light in your eyes,
May your journey be endless, like stars in the skies.
For in health lies the key to joy's embrace,
And in peace, the beauty of life finds its place.
So here's to a future, both bright and long,
Where each moment's a verse in your life's song."
Old Madam Shu laughed joyfully, "This is amazing! The best birthday gift ever! You've found yourself a wonderful friend, Lord Yu."
Ah Yu nodded with a smile.
Before long, the grand banquet came to a close.
As Ziyi stepped through the entrance, Shu Ruo Han hurried over to bid her farewell.
Taking Ziyi's hand in hers, Shu Ruo Han beamed and said, "Your performance today was absolutely stunning! If you have some free time, we should definitely hang out sometime, Miss Feng."
However, Ah Xiao leaned in, interrupting the moment with a playful smirk. "I didn't realize you had so much leisure time. If you're that bored, why not invite your friends over? Oh, wait—are they even your friends? From what I've seen, the people surrounding you seem less like friends and more like your servants."
Ah Fu quickly interjected, "That's enough, Ah Xiao. Ruo Han, please don't take Ah Xiao seriously; she's always been this way."
Despite the clear annoyance on Shu Ruo Han's face, she maintained her composure and replied with a gracious smile, "It's fine."
In a swift motion, Ah Xiao grabbed Ziyi's arm and led her toward the carriage.
Ziyi could feel her back tense and ache from the piercing gaze of Shu Ruo Han. Who would have thought that pretending could be so exhausting?
Once they were inside the carriage, Ziyi finally allowed her defenses to drop.
"Ziyi, why did you pretend to be Brother Yu's fiancée? When did you and brother-?"
Ziyi shook her head vigorously and waved her hands in protest. "Nope, there's nothing going on between us. (sighs) It was our agreement."
Ah Xiao tilted her head in curiosity. "Agreement?"
Ziyi nodded affirmatively. "Yes. Young Master Yu allowed me to accompany you all to the capital, but only under one condition."
"And that condition was to pretend to be his fiancée?" Ah Xiao inquired.
Ziyi confirmed with a nod.
Ah Xiao burst into laughter, playfully wiping away imaginary tears. "My brother finally snapped! I can't believe he asked you to pretend to be his fiance. I can only imagine what Mother will say when she hears about this. And you—of all people—he must really be trying to get under Shu Ruo Han's skin."
"More like he wants to make my life a living nightmare," Ziyi scoffed.
After a little while, Ziyi turned to Ah Xiao and asked, "Ah Xiao, about the South Inspection—"
With a warm smile, Ah Xiao replied, "I've made up my mind to go to the South Inspection with Brother Fu."
Ziyi's expression softened at her words. Deep down, she understood that some things couldn't be changed, and all she could do was hope for the best outcome.
"Are you sure you won't change your mind?" Ziyi inquired with genuine concern.
Ah Xiao smiled reassuringly, "I'm certain. It might seem a bit reckless, but Ziyi, this is truly what I want."
Ziyi returned the smile, saying, "Once you set your mind on something, there's no turning back for you. I guess all I can do is support you from the sidelines."
Ah Xiao smiled back, appreciating her understanding.
Returning to the opulent halls of Minister Shu's Mansion, an ear-piercing scream echoed through the expansive corridors, cutting through the atmosphere of the elegant abode.
Within the confines of Shu Rou Han's chamber, a tense scene unfolded. Li'er, positioned on her knees with her back arched painfully towards the ceiling, groaned in agony, the aftermath of Shu Rou Han's merciless whip striking her.
"Fiancé? How amusing; he has never once acknowledged anyone as his fiancé," Shu Rou Han remarked with a weary sigh, delicately tracing the marks left on her hands by the whip, a testament to her volatile emotions.
Shu San Yue, the elder daughter of Shu Rou Han's uncle, remarked while concentrating on the Go game laid out before her, "I believe Lord Wu is merely biding his time. Given the escalating tensions at the border, he will inevitably have to reach out soon—unless, of course, someone else intervenes."
Seated beside San Yue, Shu Rou Han replied, "Do you really think so? I can't shake the feeling that there's something off about that Feng girl. She's been particularly irksome to me."
With a playful smile, San Yue responded, "Haven't you always excelled at managing the nuisances that hover around him? What makes this one so challenging?"
Shu Rou Han sighed and rolled her eyes, saying, "Ah Xiao seems to have taken a special liking to her. I can't help but think she'll be difficult to deal with... perhaps I'll need to go down there."
San Yue's smile widened as she advised, "Rou Han, as a noble lady, you should remember that it's not your place to chase after them. When the moment is right, your prey will come to you."
Rou Han smirks and remarks, "If only I possessed the same level of patience as you do, San Yue."
San Yue's hand comes to a halt, caught in the moment.
San Yue was fully aware of the subject Rou Han was alluding to; it pertained to her engagement with Lord Yu Chuyuan. Their engagement had lasted for more than six years. Despite his humble origins as a commoner, he had earned considerable respect and wielded significant power. His esteemed position and title placed him in a position of great influence and authority.
San Yue held a certain ambivalence towards him; she didn't harbor particularly warm feelings for him. However, she was fiercely protective of what she considered hers, and the thought of others desiring him irked her. Deep down, she recognized that marrying him represented a unique opportunity that should not be overlooked, for he was an individual of considerable potential and influence. Her instincts had always served her well, and she trusted her judgment implicitly.
As San Yue rises from her seat, she announces, "I will be returning to my chambers now. Try not to be too harsh; Li'er may not be able to withstand your tempee"
In response, Rou Han lets out a dismissive snort, saying, "Whatever."