The Great Jin Dynasty’s annual Lantern Festival was on the fourteenth day of the current month, and was eagerly anticipated, especially by the young people. A few days prior, all of the well-known clothes and jewellery shops in the capital became extremely busy, and the cosmetics stores even more so[1]. Early in the morning on the day itself, the capital’s young talents[2] gathered at a wine shop to discuss who had drawn the long straw[3] to compete first in the Ling Long Boat festivities[4].
[1] Gong bu ying qui ( 供不应求 ) – supply does not meet demand.
[2] Xiu cai ( 秀才 ) – could refer to scholars, people with fine talents, or specifically to someone who has passed to county level imperial examination.
[3] Ba tou chou ( 拔头筹 ) – lit. to pull out the first chip/ counter. In this method of drawing lots, which is common in China, a person is presented with a container of sticks made of bamboo, wood, ivory or other materials. Sometimes, the sticks have words on them. Pulling the ‘short stick’ is considered unlucky, similar to ‘the short straw’ in Western idiomatic language. The idiom can be used to refer to how a person is chosen to go first in a competition, and also can describe how someone has placed first in a competition.
[4] Ling long fang ( 玲珑舫 ) – 玲珑 = exquisite, 舫 = boat. The translators are not entirely sure what this refers to, but, from what Jiang Su Su says later in this chapter, it seems the festivities on board include performances (by young ladies?), and there is possibly a competition to see who is regarded as the best performer.
Jiang Ruan was awoken early by Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao. The two of them busied themselves selecting the clothes and jewellery she would wear that day. Lu Zhu, despondent that she would not be able to go with them, said resentfully, “Tonight, Miss will stand out from the crowd because of your looks and charm; what a pity, this servant will not have the opportunity to appreciate such a wonderful sight. I wonder how many young men will be mesmerised by our Miss.”
Lian Qiao heard the sour note in her voice, and laughingly scolded her, “What nonsense are you spouting? Why don’t I let you take my place, and I’ll just stay behind to look after the fu, all right?”
“How can I do that?” Lu Zhu pouted. “I’m not the one in charge of looking after Miss. Besides, the maids who have newly come to the courtyard are not easy to get along with. Since you all are not around today, let me take the opportunity to take them down a peg or two.”
“Miss, Lu Zhu needs to calm down a little,” Bai Zhi teased her in a rare display of humour. “Don’t scare off those cute little ladies.”
“They are all just servants, what do you mean by calling them ‘cute’?” Lu Zhu said with contempt in her eyes. “Moreover, they are all black-hearted. Today, I noticed that girl, Shu Xiang, searching for something in the inner room several times. After she had left, I checked, and do you know what I discovered? That Shu Xiang had pilfered a handkerchief belonging to Miss!”
“What!” In the process of combing Jiang Ruan’s hair, Lian Qiao started, and could not prevent herself from crying out in surprise. She immediately ceased what she was doing. “Why didn’t you stop her?”
Jiang Ruan’s gaze wavered slightly and she looked at Lu Zhu. However, she did not seem to share Lian Qiao’s impatience. Instead, she appeared calm and composed.
Lu Zhu said, “Miss has told us before to keep a close watch on these new servant girls, especially Shu Xiang. Where necessary, we should use our discretion and seize the opportunity to act, knowing that her loyalty lies with Yan Hua Yuan. From a young age, this servant has wandered the Jianghu[5] with human traffickers, and seen a lot. If it were only that Shu Xiang has light-fingered tendencies, that would be all right. The most problematic situation is if she is despicably base and unprincipled. Taking this handkerchief is not a small matter. If it happens to fall into someone else’s hands, it could lead to the ruination of a young lady’s innocence, and unreasonably cause her to be wronged for a lifetime. Miss was sleeping at the time, and if this servant had waited to report back to you, it would have been too late. So, this servant acted on her own initiative.”
[5] Jianghu ( 江湖 ) – lit., rivers and lakes. Commonly it refers a section of society operating independently of mainstream society, out of reach of the law; (in late imperial times) world of traveling merchants, martial artists, itinerant doctors, fortune tellers etc.
Jian Ruan looked steadily at her. “What did you do?”
A gleam of satisfaction appeared in Lu Zhu’s eyes. “When she went out, I took the opportunity to exchange the handkerchief belonging to Miss, which she had hidden under her pillow, with one belonging to Second Miss.”
Bai Zhi was stunned. “How could you do that?”
Lu Zhu held up her head proudly. “If she really wants to harm Miss, we don’t have to worry about anything. If they really try to make a move against Miss, the one who suffers will be Second Miss. This is retribution.”
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly. She said, “You did very well,” and looked at Lu Zhu with new eyes. At the beginning, she had been grateful when this servant girl was bold enough to testify on her behalf while she was residing at the rural residence. Later on, she saw that Lu Zhu had gained much experience as a result of her extensive travels, and would be able to help her in many ways. Thus, after that time, each day Lu Zhu had proven herself adept at gathering information in the fu. Today, she had shown both her quick mind and decisiveness in dealing with Shu Xiang, as well as her personality trait of having very well-defined likes and dislikes.
Lian Qiao let out a long breath. “No one from Yan Hua Yuan has a good heart. Lu Zhu, it seems that we have underestimated you. That you’re able to give this kind of report on the hatred towards us is cause for delight.”
“But, how were you able to procure Second Miss’s handkerchief?” Bai Zhi asked.
“A few days ago, while I was crossing the garden to deliver digestive aids to Miss, I saw, with my own eyes, Second Miss carelessly leave her handkerchief behind. I originally thought of returning it to her when I had free time; who knew that it would come in handy today. This is a prime example of ‘what goes around, comes around’[6].”
[6] Cang tian rao guo shui ( 苍天饶过谁 ) – this is part of a longer quote, ‘不信抬头看苍天饶过谁’, which apparently first appeared in the 1979 film,《人在江湖》(People of the Jianghu). The gist of it is that the heavens won’t allow those who have done evil to others to take pleasure in their evil deeds for long.
Lian Qiao snorted, and Bai Zhi laughed as well. On seeing this, Lu Zhu also joined in. Jiang Ruan had a smile on her face, but she was already turning the situation over in her mind. Xia Yan really wanted to drag her name through the mud, and even the methods she was using were exactly the same as those she had used in Jiang Ruan’s previous lifetime. In this lifetime, she had brought forward her plan involving the Lantern Festival by three years. Was it possible that she once again wanted Jiang Ruan to be totally defeated and experience a complete fall from grace? What would her reaction be, what kind of expression would be on her face when she realised that the person who would suffer such a fall in the end would be Jiang Su Su?
* * *
In Yan Hua Yuan, Jiang Su Su sat at a table, carefully drinking a cup of lotus seed and red date tea. Her posture was dignified and graceful, and the smile on her face radiated purity and innocence, just like an exquisite fairy.
Xia Yan looked with satisfaction at her daughter, her own flesh and blood. “Very soon, you will be a mature young lady, who will become even more charming and desirable. Who knows which outstanding young man will have the blessing of marrying our Su’er.”
Jiang Su Su huffed with displeasure. “Mother, what are you saying? I am still too young, and tonight’s Ling Long Boat competition is not an occasion to be looking at young noblemen. I have been practising the guqin for an entire month, and tonight is the time for me to reap the rewards for my hard work.”
“You play so well. Even if I changed places with you, there’s no guarantee that I would be able to display your level of skill.” With pride in her voice, Xia Yan continued, “When it’s time, recite the poem that I taught you. For sure, no one on the boat will be able to compare with you.”
Jiang Su Su smiled. “That’s wonderful,” she said, then suddenly frowned. “This is Da Jiejie’s first appearance at the Ling Long Boat competition since her return to the capital, and her natural beauty will definitely draw people’s attention.” Even though she did her best to conceal her emotions, her jealousy was still faintly discernible. Xia Yan noticed this and grimly stated, “You don’t have to concern yourself with her. She is nothing more than an inauspicious girl. Given the way your father treats her here in the Jiang fu, there is no way that she will be able to surpass you. Thus, returning to our original topic, tonight, there is no need for you to worry about her stealing the limelight from you. I have already made arrangements.”
“Made arrangements?” Jiang Su Su was momentarily stunned, before she broke into laughter. “I knew that Mother loves me the most.”
Xia Yan touched her forehead briefly. “In this fu, if someone cannot be of assistance to you, then there is absolutely no reason for her to remain, otherwise we may encounter setbacks in future. Jiang Ruan’s appearance is breathtakingly magnificent. I have been observing her these past few days; not only is she not stupid, but she is capable of deep thought. Looking at the way she dealt with Chen Zhao’s family, she is clearly no fool. I don’t know why, but she always makes me feel uneasy. Leaving her be would lead to disaster, so we should just settle her early.”
“Mother wants to kill her?” Jiang Su Su asked.
“What’s the point of killing her? She’s just returned to the capital, so Jiang Ruan can’t do anything too obvious. However, after tonight, she won’t be able to cause any more waves in the capital even if she wanted to.” At this moment, if a casual passerby were to witness Xia Yan’s expression as she spoke, they would surely be cowed by the ruthlessness that clouded her usually gentle and amicable face.
“Mother, tell me your plan,” Jiang Su Su said as she straightened up. “I’ve also always hoped for her to be shamed.” The eyes of this fairy-like young lady gleamed with sheer jealousy.
Xia Yan glanced at her daughter disapprovingly. “I don’t mind telling you the plan, but you have to remember, after today, she will be vilified by everyone in the capital as someone who is inauspicious and unchaste. It will not be worth your while to engage or quibble with her on any matter. To do so would be to lower your social status.”
Jiang Su Su coquettishly agreed. Xia Yan then sent out all the servants in the vicinity, leaving only a few confidants, and proceeded to explain her plan carefully to Jiang Su Su.
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