Plan B
Mandarin Ducks 5
On her way back to the residence, Su Xin still found Lin Suhuai’s earlier reaction quite amusing.
“Master Fourteen, help me keep an eye on her. If anyone approaches, you must tell me.”
【Understood.】
Lin Suhuai absolutely, positively could not run into any trouble. If she did, Su Xin’s own plans would become much harder to accomplish. At present, she was her greatest support.
When Su Xin returned, Xiao Qin was waiting for her at the courtyard gate, just like yesterday.
“Miss, you’ve finally returned.”
Xiao Qin opened her mouth, ready to start nagging again, but one look from Su Xin immediately silenced her.
“Lord Xu came looking for you today, but when he found you weren’t in the courtyard, he asked this servant where you had gone. This servant could only report truthfully. However, this servant wasn’t entirely sure where you went, so I could only say that you went out for a walk and didn’t want this servant to follow. The Lord did not seem very pleased and had this servant relay a message that you are to go see him immediately upon your return.”
“I understand.”
“Miss, would you like to have lunch? This servant brought the food to your room, but you hadn’t come back. If you wish to eat now, this servant will go and heat it up for you right away.”
“Go on, then. I’ll go see Father after I’ve eaten.”
“Yes.”
After unhurriedly finishing her lunch in her room, Su Xin leisurely wiped her mouth before heading toward her father’s study.
The Xu family’s rules weren’t particularly strict, and the children had a good deal of freedom to come and go. None of the young ladies were the stereotypical well-bred girls who never step out of the main gate or the inner courtyard1. As long as they didn’t cause trouble, it was fine.
Lord Xu’s views were also relatively open-minded. Although he hoped his family could produce a scholar, neither of the two sons he’d fathered were cut out for studying. Their minds were set on business, and there was nothing he could do but watch them work hard to expand the family enterprise.
Deep down, Lord Xu still dreamed of becoming an official. He couldn’t achieve it himself, and neither could his sons. Among his sons-in-law, however, there was one scholar, who served as an advisor2 under the County Magistrate3.
Liu Yunyi had disregarded their past relationship, climbed a high branch4, and was rising straight into the blue clouds5, ready to turn his face and not recognize a person6. How could Lord Xu not be angry? But being angry was useless.
He hadn’t misjudged the man’s character, but the investment he’d placed in Liu Yunyi was never recouped.
Lord Xu had no intention of asking for any benefits. He thought to himself, They’re imperial relatives. How could I be so tactless? Since Liu Yunyi had become a Prince Consort, he certainly wouldn’t want the princess to know about his past romantic affairs. If she found out, the princess would at most throw a tantrum. Liu Yunyi’s ability to win over the princess proved his skills were not ordinary; he would probably coax her back into a good mood in a couple of days, and then the Xu family would be the ones to suffer.
It wouldn’t be difficult for Liu Yunyi to cause a little trouble for their family, and Lord Xu didn’t dare hope that Liu Yunyi would show them any consideration for old times’ sake. Fortunately, his own daughter hadn’t done anything too audacious yet; she had just wasted three years in vain.
“Dad7.”
Su Xin knocked on the study door.
“Come in.”
Su Xin stood before the desk, her head lowered, waiting for Lord Xu to speak.
“I have a few candidates in mind. I’ll tell you about them, and if you take a liking to any of them, just tell me. In a couple of days, I’ll send a message to their families.”
“Dad, I don’t want to…”
“Are you still unable to forget that man?”
“Dad, I just want some peace and quiet. Can we wait just one more month? After that, your daughter will obediently marry.”
“Nonsense! Don’t you know you’re not young anymore? Your younger sister’s child can already walk, yet you’re still in the maiden’s chamber8!”
Lord Xu slammed his hand on the table, his expression filled with anger.
“Dad, you know full well that my heart already belongs to someone. Everyone here knows it too. If I were to marry just like this, wouldn’t it be a joke?”
“But that man is already married. You just need to behave and get married.”
“Outsiders don’t know, and they won’t know. Rest assured, Dad, I am not so unreasonable. In one month at the latest, your daughter will dress up nicely and let you choose a son-in-law. Whoever you choose, I will marry. After I marry, I guarantee I won’t cause any trouble and will properly assist the husband and teach the children9.”
Su Xin spoke with such genuine emotion, her eyes glistening with tears, that she was just short of pointing to the heavens and swearing an oath.
Lord Xu had a terrible headache. He knew his daughter would definitely be unwilling, and if things escalated, she would first cry, second make a scene, third hang herself10, which would be a disgrace if it got out.
“You promised this. After one month, whether you want to marry or not, you will marry.”
Su Xin nodded, tears already streaming down her face as she dabbed at them with an embroidered handkerchief11.
“Leave, just leave.”
Lord Xu waved his hand dismissively, annoyed.
The moment Su Xin stepped out the door, her tears stopped. She tutted to herself.
She had to cry at the drop of a hat to fit her persona. For the time being, aside from necessary outings, she would have to quietly pretend to be a melancholy maiden suffering from a broken heart. She’d have to be quiet as a chicken12 in the courtyard, and as a matter of course, play the zither and write some poetry to express her sorrowful emotions.
The next day, when Su Xin went out, she told Lin Suhuai about the one-month deadline.
This time, she also brought Lin Suhuai paper and a brush, because Lin Suhuai had said she needed them before Su Xin left yesterday.
For the next few days, Su Xin was responsible for bringing Lin Suhuai medicine and food, meeting with her twice a day.
The two gradually grew familiar with each other.
Su Xin would talk about some things from her past, and Lin Suhuai would share some of her own experiences with Su Xin.
At these times, Su Xin would put her well-honed acting skills to use, feigning a look of longing.
Lin Suhuai felt that Su Xin was an incredibly mysterious person.
Not because of her identity, but because of her temperament.
At their first meeting, she thought Su Xin was just some bold young lady from an unknown family whose compassion had gotten the better of her. Later, she learned that she was a pitiful person who had been betrayed.
But Su Xin rarely mentioned her sadness or grief in front of her, instead trying her best to downplay it. However, from the bits and pieces she let slip, one could still see her resentment toward Liu Yunyi and the sorrow and melancholy of a deep love that had been cast to the eastern-flowing waters.
One might think she was a quiet and gentle girl, the type of young lady who should spend her days playing the zither and admiring flowers, whose ten fingers don’t touch the spring water13, a delicate girl who occasionally reads a few books. But she could also change in an instant, becoming playful and dynamic, seeming full of life.
Lin Suhuai liked her very much. Being with her was a kind of comfort she had never experienced before.
That comfort was almost like the feeling of being with her own parents, like being with family. It was extremely relaxing. Perhaps it was because this person knew her identity, so there was no need for tense pretense. It was also because her affinity was too good, too gentle, making one wish they could just sink into that pair of clear eyes.
The gentle comfort of being with Su Xin was different from the feeling of being with that group of men. They were all rough men, but this was different—a soft, fragrant girl.
Lin Suhuai had a strong constitution, and thanks to Su Xin’s meticulous care, she recovered quickly.
In just seven days, she was already able to get out of bed and walk, her limbs moving freely.
That evening, Su Xin received a message from Fourteen.
Lin Suhuai had left that place.
On the second day, Lin Suhuai had already used a special contact method to communicate with her subordinates. Today, she was probably going to see the emperor.
Su Xin’s guess was indeed correct.
Lin Suhuai used Qinggong14 to travel to the Capital City overnight, meeting with the emperor through a secret passage.
Leaning against her bed, Su Xin watched the broadcast provided by Fourteen and understood what they were planning to do.
Most people at the imperial court still thought Lin Suhuai was at the border; only a select few knew that something had happened to her on her way back.
Lin Suhuai and the emperor planned to turn their own trick against them15 and cast a line to catch a fish16.
So what if they pretended Lin Suhuai had met with a mishap and her whereabouts were unknown? They would see what kind of demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters17 would jump out around the emperor.
Lin Suhuai informed her most trusted friend in the army and also got word to her father, telling them to feign ignorance.
Meanwhile, Lin Suhuai planned to stay on Su Xin’s side, observing from the shadows, and then appear when her enemies revealed themselves to kill them, catching them unprepared18.
Lin Suhuai felt that there was definitely more than one spy by her side, and the emperor certainly had some by his as well.
Su Xin stroked her chin. She wouldn’t interfere in these matters; she couldn’t manage them anyway.
It seemed Lin Suhuai was planning to come and marry her personally, rather than just sending someone to go through the motions.
That was good too. As for whether Lin Suhuai would be willing to acknowledge her identity later, they could talk about that then.
Su Xin felt that, no matter what, she had to hug Lin Suhuai’s thigh19 tightly.
Lin Suhuai was the best candidate. Otherwise, she couldn’t find a second person with a suitable status who could deal with Liu Yunyi.
In short, she had to work hard to gain Lin Suhuai’s trust.
Other methods weren’t impossible, just more roundabout and troublesome, and they would require her to deal with them with false compliance20.
To make Liu Yunyi personally tell Princess Yuyuan about their past, she would have to make him feel that the princess no longer held any threat over him. That would mean the downfall of the Empress Dowager, leaving the princess without her backing.
Alternatively, she could make Liu Yunyi feel that if he didn’t tell Princess Yuyuan about those things, he would die.
This Liu Yunyi was extremely well-versed in coaxing women. Princess Yuyuan was spoiled and willful with a strong jealous streak, yet he could make her tolerate him rolling around in bed with another woman. His skills were truly remarkable.
Although that other woman’s fate was rather tragic, Liu Yunyi didn’t face any resentment from Princess Yuyuan at all. In fact, the princess became even clingier.
Su Xin searched her memory for Liu Yunyi’s appearance. He was indeed handsome—a slender scholar, but fair-skinned and good-looking, with the face of a devoted lover. When he gazed at someone while murmuring sweet nothings, he really did look the part.
Did Liu Yunyi have feelings for Xu Jinyan? He did.
But only a little, not enough to compare to his ambition.
Liu Yunyi’s initial connection with Xu Jinyan was indeed intentional. His family was poor, and although his uncle had taken him in, his uncle also had his own family to feed. Where would he get any extra money for him?
So Liu Yunyi came up with this plan. He was indeed hardworking and ambitious, and he knew his own strengths. He quickly managed to coax the naive young Xu Jinyan into privately pledging their lives to each other21.
Heh, men.
Su Xin pursed her lips, pulled the covers over herself, and went to sleep.
Lin Suhuai was already on her way back and would probably talk to her about marriage tomorrow.
No matter what, she would hug that thigh first. If they couldn’t be husband and wife, being sisters was completely fine.
The author has something to say:
Qing-jiejie: Husband and wife? Totally ojbk22.
Xin-jiejie: compare a heart for you23?
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