A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 21
by Little PandaThe Flower-Picking Thief, Part Two
A Failed Seduction, and a Lesson Instead
Early that morning, the grievance drum1 outside the Yamen began to sound. The Yamen staff had all caught wind of what happened the night before, and they knew today would not pass peacefully. Sure enough, the Qian family—who had suffered the incident—were waiting at the county office gates before dawn. At the sound of the doors opening, Madam Qian began to wail, while Master Qian, still relatively composed, beat the grievance drum.
“Might… and awe…” The bailiffs drew out the ritual cry in unison, and the rhythmic tapping of their staffs against the floor followed. The main hall, ordinarily unimposing, was suddenly filled with solemn authority.
“Who stands before the bench? What case do you bring?”
The County Magistrate, who usually muddled through his days, now looked remarkably solemn and dignified.
“This humble commoner reports to Your Excellency. This humble commoner is Qian Guangkun, proprietor of the Qian Family Cloth Shop. Beside me is this humble commoner’s wife, Madam Qian. Great lord of justice, a terrible misfortune has befallen our Qian family. You must do justice for this humble commoner.”
Master Qian knelt with sincere reverence, his voice filled with grief and bitter hatred. Beside him, Madam Qian wept uncontrollably, tears and snot streaming down her face.
“Do you have a written petition?”
“Yes… yes…!”
“Someone bring the petition forward,” ordered Advisor Fan from the side.
A bailiff accepted the petition from Master Qian and delivered it to Advisor Fan.
County Magistrate Song and Advisor Fan were old partners. They read the petition together with furrowed brows, both were startled. The flower-picking thief2 who had appeared in several neighboring towns had now reached Qingyuan Town. His first crime here had been committed with such sensational brazenness and appalling cruelty. It was a direct slap in the face to the Qingyuan County Yamen.
“These bruises upon her body, her swollen cheeks, bite marks seeping blood, and the character ‘slave’ branded into her flesh with a hot iron—are these facts true?”
This flower-picking thief was utterly inhuman. The petition described even more atrocious methods, which the advisor could not detail before the crowd. Hearing that the victim herself had written the petition, it would have been better to kill the girl outright and be done with it.
“Your Excellency, every word is true,” Madam Qian said. “Yesterday, my daughter went to the Flower Lantern Festival with a friend. The night was dark and the crowds were thick. The two maidservants following her were separated from her by the crush of people. In the blink of an eye, she was gone. We searched for many rounds but could not find her. That night, during the Hour of the Rat, something wrapped in cloth was thrown back into our courtyard. When we went forward and opened it, it was my abducted daughter. When she regained consciousness, she cried out that she wanted to die. We have only this one daughter. How could we bear to let her hang herself, to have white-haired parents bury black-haired children? After we finally talked her down, thinking that the magistrate would definitely do justice for this humble commoner, we came to the Yamen to file the suit. Only if that beast can be brought to justice can my daughter’s wrong be redressed, and only then can she bear to go on living. I beg the great lord of justice to do justice for this commoner woman’s family.”
Madam Qian, who had just been weeping torrents, now spoke with surprising fluency and clarity for her daughter’s sake, explaining the entire matter with precision.
“The case of the flower-picking thief is a major case that several counties are working together to resolve. Now that this man has come to our Qingyuan County, we must actively pursue this villain. Is the midwife3 present? For the victimized young lady, waive her formal court appearance4. Have the midwife examine her directly in the sedan chair outside.”
The facts of the case were simple enough. The difficulty lay in the fact that this flower-picking thief came and went without a trace. No one had ever seen his true face. When he committed his crimes, he painted his face white with upturned eyes, exactly like an opera performer.
“Thank you for Your Excellency’s leniency.” Master Qian expressed his gratitude, his face heavy with sorrow.
“However, since you have chosen to file a report, you must also wish for the villain to be captured quickly. Bailiffs from the Yamen will visit your manor later to inquire about the details with your daughter. Will that be convenient for her?”
The young lady had been abducted and then returned. Only she would know the specific time, location, and the culprit’s characteristics.
“This commoner woman’s family will cooperate fully. Please rest assured, Your Excellency.” Remembering the hatred in her daughter’s eyes, perhaps capturing the criminal was the only thing that could bring her some peace.
“Very well. Bailiff Shen, tomorrow you will take several men to Qian Manor to understand the specific circumstances. Head Bailiff Li, you will lead the remaining men on patrol through the town. Warn young women and married women not to go out alone recently, and to remain vigilant even at home.”
County Magistrate Song pressed his brows together, the ends of his mustache curling upward as he gave the order. It seemed Qingyuan County would not know peace in the coming days.
“Yes, Your Excellency.” Shen Hetang and Li Baokui replied in unison. The Qingyuan County Yamen staff, who usually looked shambling and unreliable, now showed an unexpected air of solemnity and resolve.
When Shen Hetang returned home that evening, the sweet fragrance reached her before she even entered the door. Through the half-open window, dappled sunlight fell upon the young woman’s face like a sprite that had mistakenly fallen into the mortal world. Two flower branches adorned her lively hair bun. She pushed her sleeve up slightly, revealing wrists like congealed cream and a jade bracelet of emerald green. The sight was utterly captivating. Fingers like spring scallions carefully arranged the food before her, adding an inexplicable sense of quiet peace.
Shen Hetang’s dark, narrow phoenix eyes settled upon the figure in the emerald-colored garment within the room, carrying a warmth she had not noticed herself. The bustle and warmth of human life was something she could only hope to encounter, never demand. Whatever the nature of the bond between them, it was undeniable that Jiang Chenyu’s share in her heart was growing bit by bit, deepening imperceptibly.
Today, on a whim, Jiang Chenyu had made flower pastries5. Some days earlier, the roses in the courtyard had been in full bloom. She had picked some, washed the petals in cool boiled water, and left them to dry. She added white sugar and gently kneaded them, placed them in a porcelain bowl with a little honey, and sealed it for storage. Today she had remembered it, and added sesame seeds and crushed peanuts to the prepared flower jam, then made flaky pastry. One by one, she wrapped the filling, making plump, white dough balls. She pressed each one flat with her hand and stamped a red flower pattern on top. Handed to the kitchen for baking, they were done.
She timed it so that the flower pastries were arranged on a jade-green plate. On the small carved round table were blanched Chinese broccoli, crystal pork hock, sweet lotus root stuffed with sticky rice, stir-fried assorted shrimp, and plum soup chilled in well water.
“Ah Tang, you’re back? Perfect timing for dinner. I made flower pastries today. Hurry and taste them.” She indicated the plate with her eyes, as if to say, “Hurry up and praise me.”
“No wonder the whole place smells so sweet inside and out. Let me try one first.” She picked one up, looked at the flaky flower pastry, and bit into it. It was sweet but not cloying, with a faint floral fragrance. The outer layers were flaky, the filling rich and satisfying.
“How is it?”
“Delicious.”
“Of course. My skill at making pastries comes from my mother. I only resemble her in these matters of food, clothing, and adornment.” As she spoke, she thought of her mother—a soft-tempered woman, yet clever with her hands, who had taught her daughter everything she knew. But whether in appearance or temperament, she took after her birth father’s side, that family which never regarded her as its own flesh and blood.
Seeing Jiang Chenyu’s mood suddenly dip, Shen Hetang spoke up. “I’m hungry. Let’s eat quickly. I have something to tell you afterward.”
On a summer night, the dark canopy hung overhead, the moon like a silver plate and the stars like glowing candles. Apart from the rhythmic chirping of cicadas and the occasional bark of a dog, all was quiet and peaceful.
The heavy curtains around the canopy bed6 had all been changed to light green gauze. With the window open, the night breeze made the thin gauze float gently, stirring the bead curtain at the top, so that the person in bed could hear the slow, crisp, and pleasant sound of jade beads striking together.
The weather had turned hot recently. Daily baths were indispensable, yet she still had to wear long sleeves and trousers to sleep each night. It truly tormented her. Even in the thinnest fabric, she found it hard to grow accustomed. Fortunately, the cuffs and trouser legs were cropped short, and the style was loose.
After washing up, the two sat on the bed without lighting a candle. By the hazy moonlight outside, they could still see each other’s faces. Shen Hetang sat cross-legged casually, a large palm-leaf fan in her right hand, waving it slowly, like a cynical, dissolute rake.
Jiang Chenyu stole a glance at him, then imperceptibly loosened her collar. The gauze garment, already sheer enough to reveal the color of her undergarment, became even more loose and disheveled. So much so that the snowy curves were clearly visible.
“I’m speaking to you of serious matters. Are you listening?” Seeing that she did not seem to be taking it seriously, Shen Hetang asked with a straight face.
“Hmm? What did you say?” Jiang Chenyu’s eyes shifted awkwardly.
“I told you not to go out during the day. Don’t let Chuntao go out either. Lock the main gate. Do not speak with strangers, not even the servants.” She continued her instructions.
“Oh, I know.” She pouted her cherry lips secretly in response.
“How are you wearing those clothes? You might as well take them off!” The moment she lowered her eyes, she saw Jiang Chenyu’s loose, sagging gauze garment draped over her body, the pale pink undergarment embroidered with lotus flowers unable to cover the snowy, smooth skin.
Just as Jiang Chenyu did not know how to respond, she saw Shen Hetang turn and extend slender fingers to lift open her garment. She looked at the profile so close to her face, and for a moment her breath grew ragged, her heart beating wildly.
But then she felt her waist tighten. Shen Hetang straightened her lapels for her and neatly fastened her garments. Jiang Chenyu’s rippling, luminous eyes froze instantly, and the corner of her mouth twisted with anger.
“I want to. I’m hot.” Jiang Chenyu straightened up. Before Shen Hetang’s eyes, she unfastened the gauze garment again and let it slide from her shoulders onto the bed. Then, fuming, she balled up the clothing and threw it forcefully off the bed. The curves of her chest swayed gently with the movement. Then she pretended to be angry, turned her back, and lay down to sleep, leaving only a bare, beautiful back tied with a thin cord, her waist so slender it would not fill a single grasp.
Shen Hetang saw her acting like a cat with its fur standing on end. Helplessly, she placed her fingers over her eyes, stifling a laugh. She did not dare laugh out loud, afraid that Jiang Chenyu would grow angrier if she heard.
But the windows were wide open. If someone passed by outside, with this moonlight flowing like water, wouldn’t they see everything perfectly clearly?
She then got up and lowered the gauze curtains. In a slow voice, she began to recount today’s case.
Jiang Chenyu, who had been pretending to sleep, grew more and more frightened as she listened. The sultry atmosphere suddenly turned chilly. In the end, she hugged her arms and turned back around. Pitifully, she said, “Can I have a hug?”
“You can, but you have to put your bedclothes on first!” she said in a normal voice.
Footnotes
- A drum placed outside government offices (Yamen) in imperial China, which petitioners could strike to bring a grievance directly before the magistrate.
- A caihuā dàdào (literally 'flower-picking thief') is a term for a criminal who targets women, typically a serial rapist in historical contexts.
- A licensed midwife in imperial China who also served as a female forensic examiner, called upon to inspect female victims of assault.
- A legal procedure in imperial China where victims or the accused were brought before the magistrate in open court for formal interrogation.
- A traditional Chinese pastry made by encasing sweetened flower petals, typically rose, in flaky dough.
- A large, elaborate enclosed wooden bed (bábù chuáng) with a stepped platform, often considered a major furniture piece in wealthy households.
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