The peerage is hereditary, and the title holders are often given nominal positions. The Shangguan family has always been detached from the worldly strife.
All the unmarried noble ladies in the capital are going crazy over the idea of marrying the heir, Shangguan Yun. Are we really going to compete with them desperately?
Wei Dongling had heard that even several marriageable princesses often shamelessly waited at the entrance of the prince's mansion just to catch a glimpse of Heir Yun.
Little did she know that her young lady had already fallen head - over - heels for him.
Qi Jinxuan had met Shangguan Yun. At the age of thirteen, through her stepmother's connections, she became a disciple of the famous Chinese painting master, Master Kong. Her senior brother was the young and renowned heir, Shangguan Yun. From the moment she laid eyes on him, Qi Jinxuan's eyes lit up, and her heart had no room for other men ever since.
However, she could only catch a distant sight of him once a year when she went to celebrate the master's birthday.
"But," Wei Dongling hesitated, "what if Heir Yun is not willing? After all, so many women are vying for his attention." Maybe he doesn't even know who you are.
"Dongling, I have no other options."
Looking at Qi Jinxuan's tear - streaked face, Wei Dongling finally nodded in agreement.
The scorching sun blazed over the capital in July.
Crape myrtles bloomed all along Zhuque Street. The shops along the way were submerged in this sea of gorgeous purple and red flowers.
After having breakfast, Wei Dongling went to Xu's shop on West Street to buy some peach cakes that her young lady loved, and then prepared to head back home.
The wonton stall by the small bridge was still open. Two men were eating wontons, and their conversation caught Wei Dongling's attention.
"Have you heard? The father - in - law of the emperor has specially invited a storyteller to Lin's Tea House. Listeners don't have to pay a single cent, and they can even enjoy free tea."
"Inviting the common people of the world to drink tea in the largest tea house in the capital. Lord Zhao, the father - in - law of the emperor, is really generous! So, what story is being told this time?"
"I heard it's about how Lord Zhao, the emperor's uncle, chased and killed the court traitors back then. The Su family was executed, and Wei Jiang fled," the man eating wontons lowered his voice. "The Zhao family must be trying to build up momentum and win people's hearts."
Wei Jiang?
Hearing this name, Wei Dongling's heart skipped a beat, and her body trembled involuntarily. A wave of dizziness hit her. It was the emotions of this body surging, and the memories came roaring back.
In her memory, her father, Wei Jiang, was a taciturn rural doctor.
Even when patients came from far and wide for a consultation, he seldom spoke. He would feel the patient's pulse, grab some herbs. If some herbs were not available, he would write a prescription.
After giving a few simple instructions and collecting a meager consultation fee, he would see the patient off.
He would take Wei Dongling up the mountain to catch birds and down the river to catch fish. After they had eaten and rested, he would train her rigorously in running and jumping.
At the age of three or four, with two somewhat uneven braids, Wei Dongling would quickly shuttle through the deep mountains and forests. She often fell and got bruised and swollen, but she would still get up and chase after her father's footsteps. From dawn till dusk, without rest, until she was exhausted and collapsed into her father's arms, falling into a deep sleep.
Until she was eight years old, her father said he had heard some news and was going to the frontier to bring back her uncle. Since she was young and slow, it was inconvenient to take her with him.
So, after a long carriage ride, he brought her to the back door of the general's mansion in the middle of the night and introduced her to Lord Qi.
Wei Dongling, being a well - behaved child, bowed and greeted politely, then tightly grabbed the corner of Wei Jiang's robe and refused to let go.
Wei Jiang hugged her and walked away without looking back.
Wei Dongling panicked and tried to chase after him, but Lord Qi grabbed her arm. She could only watch as her father's figure gradually shrank and finally turned the corner and disappeared. Her nose felt sour, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Dongling, your father will come back," Lord Qi said as he led her and handed her a bunch of candied haws.
It was the first time she had ever eaten candied haws.
They were so delicious, sweet and sour.
But Wei Dongling didn't want the candied haws. She just wanted to follow her father.
Five years passed in a blink of an eye. Wei Dongling was thirteen years old.
She would sit quietly on the big persimmon tree beside the general's mansion every night, waiting for someone to return.
From the tender branches to the fruit - laden tree.
Year after year.
Until an unexpected high - fever came and refused to subside. When she woke up, she was a different person.
The memories came flooding back, stabbing her head so painfully that it felt like it was about to burst. Wei Dongling took a deep breath, patted her chest, and comforted herself, "You've suffered for all these years holding onto this obsession. Don't worry. I'll help you find the person you've been looking for."
Lin's Tea House wasn't far away. With a quick leap, Wei Dongling quietly climbed onto the roof and lay down among the tiles.
Under the eaves, the tea house was crowded and bustling.
The storyteller was an old man in his fifties or sixties with white whiskers. He waved his folding fan on the stage and spouted, "The traitor, Wei Jiang, learned his light - body technique from the Ghost Seven Gate. He was so fast that three hundred imperial guards couldn't catch up with him! Just as everyone was sighing, Young Master Zhao showed his heroic spirit and suddenly charged out. With a magnificent back - thrust of his spear, the tip of the spear hit the traitor Wei right in the heart, catching him off guard! The spear pierced through his heart, and the blood flowed like a river!"
"Bravo!" The audience below applauded enthusiastically. The storyteller looked smug, took the teacup handed by the servant, blew the foam off slowly, and sipped the tea.
Wei Dongling listened with red eyes and gritted her silver teeth. She tightly crushed a tile in her hand, and the fine green ash trickled down from her pale fingers.
Was her father a traitor?
No! It was absolutely impossible!
At noon, the crowd gradually dispersed. The storyteller ended his wonderful performance and was about to go to the toilet downstairs when a girl suddenly emerged from the alley. Without saying a word, she grabbed the storyteller by the throat and pinned him against the wall.
"Who... who are you?" The storyteller was so frightened that he trembled all over as his throat was grabbed. He looked around for help. Unfortunately, the backyard was remote, and few people passed by. He only saw an old, dirty, hunchbacked beggar sitting against the wall in the alley. The beggar seemed to be asleep and didn't even raise his head at the commotion.
"I'll ask you," Wei Dongling growled through gritted teeth. "Is what you just said on the stage true?"
The storyteller looked at the girl in front of him in horror. She was just a beautiful fifteen - or sixteen - year - old girl, but her eyes were cold and sharp, and the strength in her hand was terrifying. If she pressed a little harder, his throat would be crushed. The old storyteller quickly changed his tune and hoarsely shouted, "Miss, I don't know! I'm just a storyteller. I tell the story according to the script given by the employer. How would I know if it's true or not..."
Seeing the old storyteller turning red in the face and rolling his eyes under her grip, Wei Dongling felt a bit pity. She loosened her fingers slightly and asked, "So, is it true that Wei Jiang was killed by Zhao Chuanyi?"
She dared to call Lord Zhao by his name!
Just mentioning that name, she even gritted her teeth in hatred.
The old storyteller was so scared that he trembled all over and kept begging for mercy, "Miss, please spare me. I really don't know!" The old man cried piteously, and tears were about to fall.
Just as Wei Dongling calmed down and was about to let go of the old man, a group of guards suddenly rushed out of the tea house. The leader saw the situation and roared, "Stop! How dare you touch someone from the Zhao Mansion?"