Chapter 4: The Handsome Man

"Shuwei." Liu Chuyan walked to the small kitchen, and sure enough, Han Shuwei was sitting in front of the little stove, pouring spring water drawn at dawn into a clay pot.

Han Shuwei looked up and saw her, surprised, her eyes wide, then she oddly covered her cheek. "Cousin, what brings you here?"

"I'm almost recovered, and suddenly heard that Great Aunt's headache has returned, so I came to check. I thought the medicine would be ready by now, so I came to see."

"How could it be so fast? The medicine was only just brought in." Han Shuwei glanced at her, pretending she didn’t understand, but her mind was filled with the strikingly handsome image of Duke Xin—his looks like a painting, his bearing extraordinary. Though he furrowed his brow, the corners of his eyes and lips seemed to hold more feeling than indifference. Her face grew hotter still; it was truly embarrassing.

Liu Chuyan noticed something odd and stepped forward. "Shuwei, what's wrong? You're smiling to yourself, ignoring me, and the water is about to overflow."

Han Shuwei quickly looked down. Sure enough, she had poured in too much water, and she answered guiltily with a couple of hums.

"Shuwei..." Liu Chuyan glanced at the door; no one was passing by. "Just now, I saw Second Madam looking around everywhere—she must be searching for you. Why don’t you go see her? I’ll make the medicine."

Han Shuwei pouted and slowly stood up. "It must be because I ran to your room to sleep last night and she found out. Now she’s here early to trouble me."

"Second Madam is your own mother. Whatever she says, it’s for your own good. Go on now." Han Shuwei was an easy girl to persuade; Liu Chuyan smiled and gently pushed her out, closing the door.

Han Shuwei, hiding her own guilty conscience, hurried away in quick little steps, afraid Liu Chuyan might discover her secret.

Liu Chuyan listened carefully outside; no one was near. She picked up the medicine packet and sniffed it—it was exactly as before. She poured half into the clay pot and threw the rest into the fire, where it sizzled, giving off a bitter scent and a peculiar herbal aroma, burning away instantly.

"What are you doing? Planning harm?"

Liu Chuyan's heart tightened; she kept her head lowered. Suddenly, a pair of tall felt boots appeared silently before her eyes, startling her so much she nearly dropped the medicine jar. Her wrist trembled ever so slightly, and she dared not look up. If he saw her eyes, it would surely betray her guilt. The newcomer wore a broad black brocade robe, a white jade belt at his waist, and bright red trousers—signifying a person of high rank, at least a second-rank official.

"This medicine—is it yours?"

"So furtive—what are you up to?"

Liu Chuyan was already uneasy, and his aggressive questioning unsettled her further, her face pale with anxiety. Yet, she thought, she did not know this official. Rather than hiding, she might as well acknowledge it openly. She bowed. "Sir, I am from the Han household. The old Madam is unwell due to the noise from the ritual in the guest hall, and her headache has returned. I am here to prepare her medicine. I’ve handled her medicine for years and know the proper amounts. Just now, I saw there were too many herbs, and some were spoiled. It’s useless to keep them, so I threw them away."

Sir?

Xue Ao saw that she wouldn't even look up and called him "sir." Was he really that old? He bit his lip silently, but her attire suggested she was not a servant, though her words were humble and her demeanor low. He couldn’t quite figure out her identity, so he held out a hand in front of her. "Is this silk handkerchief yours?"

Liu Chuyan was startled. She had told Songling the handkerchief was lost, but in truth, she had only hidden it. She was about to deny it, but saw the handkerchief was embroidered with blooming lotus, butterflies, and birds—her own handiwork. How could this be?

"Is it yours?" Her expression was hesitant and awkward. Xue Ao impatiently raised his voice.

For a woman's handkerchief to fall into a man's hands was never a good thing. Liu Chuyan neither admitted nor denied, holding her breath. Suddenly, she saw a partial gold-embroidered character in the lower right corner and replied, "It’s not mine."

"Cousin, the handkerchief still hasn’t been found. I don’t know where it went. Once we return home, let’s just get a new one, shall we?"

As soon as Liu Chuyan finished speaking, Songling pushed open the door, inwardly frustrated—now it would be impossible to clear her name.

Sure enough, Xue Ao sneered contemptuously, throwing the handkerchief into her arms. "So you’re the Han household’s young lady. A proper lady, acting like a servant, leaving handkerchiefs as tokens—utterly shameless, and a habitual liar."

"Cousin, this..." Songling was already shocked to see a man confronting the young lady, let alone see him insult her so mercilessly.

Both mistress and servant were speechless. Xue Ao assumed their silence was from shame and snorted coldly, flicking his sleeves and striding out. Before leaving, he tossed a remark at Songling, his tone stern. "Watch your young lady. Next time you trouble Duke Xin, you won’t be let off so easily."

Duke Xin? Songling was terrified, but dared not reply, only retreating to clear the way.

Liu Chuyan waited until he was far gone before unfolding the handkerchief—it was the one she had given to Han Shuwei. When had Shuwei met Duke Xin, and given him the handkerchief? She was not supposed to be that kind of girl.

Rumor had it that Duke Xin, Xue Tan, possessed beauty surpassing snow, brows like ink paintings, his face as delicate as peach petals, born with a charm that put countless beauties to shame. Even His Majesty—who was obsessed with carpentry and seldom glanced at the palace beauties—had been awestruck by him, even carving a life-sized wooden figure, painting it, dressing it in silk robes, and admiring it daily.

In short, Duke Xin was a true paragon of beauty, more handsome than Pan An, enough to set any woman’s heart aflame. If Han Shuwei was smitten, her actions were questionable but understandable.

Yet, gold is never pure, and man never perfect. Despite his heavenly appearance, Duke Xin was a chronically ill man, his sickness carried from birth and incurable. He seemed whole, but in truth could barely move; out of three hundred and sixty-five days, he spent three hundred and fifty in a wheelchair, and any day could prove fatal.

Such a person, Han Shuwei ought to know—no matter his rank or beauty, she should not harbor hopes.

Liu Chuyan fell silent, and Songling grew more puzzled. "Cousin, this handkerchief seems like..."

"Quiet. Today’s events are as if you never saw or heard them."

"Yes." Songling quickly bowed her head.

"I’ll stay here to make medicine. You go check on the old Madam. If you see Fourth Miss, tell her to come to me immediately."

"Yes." Songling accepted and departed.

Liu Chuyan sent Songling away and continued making medicine, all the while recalling Han Shuwei’s earlier expression—blushing, lips slightly parted, the very picture of girlish yearning. If so, then it was likely that the Xue family held a ritual for the deceased old Madam, and Shuwei’s curiosity had led her to meet Duke Xin.

As for the man just now, he must have been Xue Ao, the Censor-in-Chief. Arrogant in manner, thoroughly disagreeable.

Now Xue Ao served in court as a second-rank official, but clashed with the powerful eunuch. The hereditary Duke Xin, Xue Tan, kept his favor only because of his beauty and the emperor’s fondness, which protected Xue Ao. But Xue Tan was frail, and his good fortune wouldn’t last. Thus, despite the Xue family’s seemingly glorious status, for a young woman it was no blessing. No family would willingly send their daughter to suffer, nor risk implicating their kin.

As a result, Xue Tan, now twenty-two, had never married, and no one dared propose a match. He would likely linger on, fated to remain alone.

Madam Xue must have come too. Han Shuwei had best not let her see anything amiss. Madam Xue, Liao, was not Xue Tan’s birth mother but his stepmother. As a second wife, her own son Xue Ao was considered legitimate, but her position was awkward. With the Duke Xin title passed to Xue Tan, her son did not meet her expectations, and she had to rely on Xue Tan’s status. In public, she played the benevolent stepmother. If she learned Han Shuwei was interested in Duke Xin, she would spread the word, pressuring the girl to become a Xue family bride.

"Cousin, were you looking for me?"

Liu Chuyan had finished making the medicine and, midway to her destination, met Han Shuwei. "I’ll deliver the medicine to Great Aunt first. Wait outside for me—I have something to say."

"What is it? Can’t you tell me now?" Han Shuwei leaned in, her brows arched, her laughter ringing like silver bells.

Liu Chuyan frowned slightly. "You lost your handkerchief, didn’t you?"

Han Shuwei was stunned, her face frozen in shock.

Liu Chuyan ignored her and continued on, entering Old Madam Han’s courtyard, letting Han Shuwei stew in her worry and learn her lesson.

"Great Aunt, are you feeling better?"

Old Madam Han lay in bed, wearing a dark blue octagonal cap, covered with a quilt of blue-gray cotton, her face looking even paler. Seeing Liu Chuyan, she raised her arm. "Chuyan, let the servants take care of making medicine. You’re not fully recovered yourself—how can you manage?"

"Great Aunt, I’m already well. But you, with your headache returning, must be suffering. Usually I make your medicine; how could I stand by today?"

"Still, the young lady is thoughtful, tending to her aunt with such care despite her own illness. No wonder the old Madam favors you." Madam Hong of the First Household chuckled, her expression odd as she covered her mouth, her words insincere.

The first household had always been like this. Liu Chuyan simply smiled, paying them no mind, and helped the old Madam take her medicine.

"Old Madam, First Lady has sent a small box of candied dates with Hongjian, saying the Lady Marquis of Yongkang gave them when she returned home. She couldn’t bear to eat them, but hearing of your headache and knowing medicine is bitter, she sent them all for you."

"Mm, leave the rest aside." Old Madam Han put one in her mouth as a gesture, then signaled Yunling to put them away. Half her headaches were caused by the Lady Marquis, and she ought to feel guilty. Yet instead of comfort or apology, the Lady Marquis pointed out the dates were a gift from the Yongkang Marquis’s household—a reminder that she was not to be trifled with, and that even such a gift was a mark of favor from the Marquis.

Liu Chuyan saw the old Madam’s unhappy expression and understood. Marrying the Yongkang Marquis’s daughter meant she could neither criticize nor punish her, and troubles abounded. She had never been so miserable in her life. But the Yongkang Marquis outranked the Wukang Earl, and could inherit the title another generation, while the Wukang Earl’s line would end with this one, receiving no further imperial favor.

The Han family's sons lacked ambition; when the earl’s glory faded, how would they manage? Especially the eldest son, Han Zhen, whose father was barely able to keep the ancestral estate, but who had a powerful, arrogant father-in-law. Han Zhen indulged in women and luxury, destined to be trampled by Lady Rong.

"Great Aunt, now that the ritual outside has paused, why don’t you rest for a while?" Liu Chuyan tucked in the quilt and gently advised.

"All right. You can all leave now; Yunling will stay."

Madam Hong and the others bowed and left. Liu Chuyan closed the door, leaving a small crack.

"Cousin..." Han Shuwei saw Liu Chuyan come out and hurriedly clung to her sleeve, uneasy.