"REMIND ME OF his name again?"
Yunhua sighed. "Your memory needs work, Minxi."
"I am sorry his name is so complicated."
"Shu Jueheng. I see nothing complicated about that name."
"I suppose a zhuangyuan is not all that bad of a choice for Yunxuan."
"He is merely courting her. But yes, I agree." A zhuangyuan was the person who came in first in the imperial exams. And this year, I'd already heard news that it was a rather young man, fresh in his twenties, soft-spoken and polite, but with a cunning mind for politics. And I'd also heard that he was quite handsome, though I had not yet had the pleasure of seeing him for myself.
I was going to do so today, apparently. Because Shangguan An had invited him to Shangguan Manor for dinner. And I was invited as well. Chiqian was meant to go with me, but matters had come up and he'd needed to head elsewhere instead. So instead, Yunhua decided to pick me up from the Prince Duan Manor on her way to Shangguan Manor to meet her potential brother-in-law.
"And his personality?"
"I've not heard all that much either, but my husband says he's quite a sweet man. Not at all what you'd expect for a zhuangyuan."
"I heard the Emperor praised him publicly in court."
"That he did. His imperial examination essay greatly impressed."
"I have not yet read it."
"Neither have I. But my husband says he has a copy that he shall show me tonight."
As women, such documents would not easily flow into our hands, and I had not been aware of such a gentleman or his involvement with our family until a few days prior. And I hadn't particularly been interested in reading his essay either. It was really none of my business. I wasn't allowed to directly participate in court business anyways, so why really bother knowing about it past what I needed to survive?
"Well, tell me if it's actually that good."
"Of course it will be," Yunhua deadpanned. "The Emperor does not praise fools."
That was fair enough.
"All is well with the baby?"
Yunhua's belly still wasn't showing much yet, only a bit more than a month into her pregnancy. She hadn't even told the Crown Prince yet, though he might have noticed the new amount of care being placed into her in the past few weeks. Though he didn't seem like a particularly observant person so far from what I'd noticed. She shrugged. "Not much yet. The doctor says all is stable, but I'll wait and see before announcing everything." In case anyone got any nefarious ideas.
We got off outside the Shangguan Manor, getting off the carriage and heading inside. Servants immediately came out to receive us, leading us towards the sitting room. Our guest had not arrived yet. Yunxuan sat, her lips pursed, in the corner of the room. Uncle conversed with Grandma, who looked better than the last time I'd seen her, but still obviously in rather ill health. She probably would not accompany us for the whole of the dinner. She'd converse with Jueheng and then return to her own chambers for rest, most likely.
A thought crawled into my head. A nasty one, but one I entertained for a moment nonetheless. With Grandmother's ailing health... if Yunxuan wanted to marry, she'd have to do so quickly. Because if Grandmother did die, Yunxuan would have to stay in mourning for three years. She'd be unable to wed until the end of that period.
No one would be willing to wait for three years.
But I couldn't think about it like that. That was just twisted, thinking of things like that. I tore my gaze away from Grandmother, turning to Yunxuan and offering a small smile of encouragement. She returned it, barely. Yunhua led me to the front of the room, and both of us curtsied. Yunhua greeted them. "Father. Grandmother."
Grandmother smiled. "Ah, you are both here. I'm afraid it's just us tonight."
Tianjin was out of the city, learning. Yunjun was at the borderlands. It was not unlike when I'd first arrived in Luoyang again. Just us, sitting together. I nodded politely, settling down beside Yunxuan, who raised one brow at me.
"What?"
"Tell me about Shu Jueheng."
"You will meet him shortly after."
"But I want to hear about him first."
"Is this what Yunjun had to go through with General Feng? Because if it was, then I cannot blame her at all for wanting to escape so badly."
"Are you in love with Shu Jueheng?"
"No," Yunxuan said flatly. But then she paused. "But he might be in love with me. I'm not certain yet."
"It's the best position to be in."
"I don't dislike him. I'm quite undecided, actually. He is a good choice all around."
"So rational."
"I'm always rational." She let out a dramatic sigh. "Only problem is that his future isn't wholly certain. It might be good to wait a bit longer before making any plans."
"So careful."
"You're sounding surprised by that. I'm disappointed."
I raised one brow. "Is he not intimidated by your cool attitude?"
"I think he likes it," she remarked. "Certainly no other reason he'd be there if not for that."
"Perhaps it's your family name."
"He didn't know who I was the first time he met me. And he seemed fairly genuine. I didn't tell him my name until the third time I'd met him, and he was always extremely sweet to me even before that."
"That's adorable."
She shot daggers with her eyes. "I can tell what you're thinking. Shut up."
"You have gotten so rude, Yunxuan."
"Oh, do not tease her." Yunhua sat down beside us, fanning herself carefully. "She is embarrassed, that is all. I, for one, am quite excited to meet this young man. You grow older with each passing day, Yunxuan."
"I am merely seventeen."
"Old enough," I pointed out. "I married at sixteen."
Yunxuan sighed. "I am also the youngest daughter."
"It means nothing," Yunhua snorted. "Yunjun has married, and the next shall be you. Unless you wish to remain an old maid or go to a nunnery. Make your choice, Shangguan Yunxuan. You need to marry eventually, whether you like the idea of it or not."
Flatly, Yunxuan replied, "They're all idiots."
"Shu Jueheng came in first place in the imperial exams."
"He's clever enough. The rest are idiots."
"Excellent. Pick him, then."
"It is not as simple as that," Yunxuan huffed.
"It can be," Yunhua said with a shrug. "Really, you should consider it, Yunxuan."
"No."
"It's a rational decision."
"Rational isn't good enough, this is marriage, this isâ"
"Oh, don't tell me you want love now." Yunhua sounded exasperated, though her voice was hushed. "It's the most rational choice and it's best if you marry sooner than later, Yunxuan. There are eyes on us."
"The eyes will not go away just because I've married."
"But people will stop speculating things."
"They will merely stop speculating after me and start speculating after Tianjin. Who will, I assure you, handle this way worse than I do. He'll pick the closest acceptable young lady and marry her within a week."
"Not necessarily a bad thing," Yunhua muttered.
Yunxuan sent her a murderous look. "You're only saying that to vex me."
"Anyways..." Yunhua sighed. "Have you heard about the dinner Princess Eryang threw two nights ago? I heard it was a rather gauche event."
"I did," Yunxuan snorted. "None of her sister's tact."
"She's not happy, is she?" I asked, raising one brow. "Marrying a mere son of a viscount?"
"She destroyed her reputation herself," Yunhua pointed out. "Honestly, if she'd just done what she needed to do and never bothered with anything else, she'd have at least married the son of a duke or a high ranking official. But no. Of course not. She has to go around destroying her reputation by being a nuisance."
Yunxuan shook her head. "She's the daughter of a concubine. And unlike me she sees that as something to be ashamed of."
"I'm glad you're not like that," Yunhua commented.
All I could say was... Princess Eryang was not necessarily wrong to try and get a better marriage for herself. But she'd also forgotten about the rules of this society. You did not get a husband or a good reputation by putting yourself out there, frolicking around group after group where no one was truly your friend. You did not put on shows in front of people who'd seen shows all their lives, or lived in one. Her strategies and plots were easy to figure out, especially as we grew older, to the point where most people I knew looked down heavily upon her for such. And thus she disassembled her future bit by bit until the son of a viscount, and a sickly one at that, became her best option.
Anyone who had liked her when I'd first arrived at Luoyang now avoided her like the plague. There'd been a few spectacular scandals a few years ago.
I wondered if she was already past Lord Huo? In truth, Huo Murong would not have been an unlikely match for her had her reputation just been a bit better. But she had, in a way, gone ahead and ruined it all for herself. Though it was none of my business now, and Princess Eryang was not someone in my circle. In fact, I even rarely saw Princess Shaoheng these days.
Shu Jueheng's arrival was announced by a servant. Yunxuan was the only person who stood to receive him, and she was the only person who'd have been required to do so. The rest of us were of far higher status. He walked inâa clean, tidy looking young man who could not have been older by much than twenty, pale-faced, a slightly shy demeanour, his voice soft as he greeted us. He wasn't short, but he was nowhere near the stature of Chiqian or the Crown Prince. His face was handsome, but his expressions and actions seemed reserved, as if he was uncomfortable around us.
Which was fair enough. I wouldn't be comfortable around us either. I certainly wasn't when I'd first arrived in Luoyang.
He did not engage in conversation with us, instead preoccupied with chatting with Shangguan An. Our Grandmother retired after meeting Shu Jueheng, which was all she'd come to the main house for anyways.
So we sat by the side and observed. Yunhua made small comments, Yunxuan stayed mostly silent, and I tried to calm Yunhua down while encouraging Yunxuan to talk. It was a tiring duty, since neither wanted to obey or make my job easier.
We moved to the dinner table after a while, where I was finally able to converse with this young gentleman.
"So, what are your plans now that you've excelled so well on the exams?" I asked with a kind smile, picking up a piece of shrimp and putting it in his bowl. "I've heard very good things about you from all around the city."
"Thank you, Shizi Consort. I will certainly be throwing myself into court and my goal is to make it to the role of a minister."
"Much ambition, but I do not think you will find it difficult. Though I will not pretend to know much about the court." Self-deprecation seemed to be the way in conversation with females in upper society, I'd realised in the past few years. I wasn't sure why. The men preferred it when you seemed absolutely clueless about anything except sewing and flowers, and even then you couldn't go too deeply in or too technical about it. Or they'd feel threatened.
Appeasing men's ego seemed to be the easiest way around them, whether you wanted them to do something for you, or simply to get out of your way.
It was slightly irritating sometimes, but it was necessary. Nothing I could do about it. I was not Yunjun to go against the rules dictated by society, so I would simply do the best I could within it. I had neither the power nor the energy to go against the world.
"Oh, it will be very difficult, but I have faith in myself and shall try my best." He offered a little smile. Almost a docile one. He gave the same feeling Yunxuan did when she was outside in front of strangers. Playing the meek role, the obedient child. But surely no one with that personality would be where he was today. It was a role, one that he found advantageous. I was not to be fooled by it.
Uncle seemed fairly pleased with Shu Jueheng. Did he remind him of him when he was younger? The ambitious young man with grand ideas for the country, looking to climb up the roles until he was something, until he was a name to be reckoned with. Uncle was at the peak of his journey. Shu Jueheng had just started his.
Perhaps one day, Shu Jueheng would stand where my uncle stood now.
The baton had to be handed down, of course. And if Shu Jueheng was taken by uncle as a protege, then Yunxuan's marriage to him would almost be confirmed. It would be an excellent way to ensure Shu Jueheng's future loyalty and tie him to the Shangguans.
Yet another ally.
And wouldn't that be so perfect for us? Two royal marriages. One to the future Emperor, no less. And now a marriage to one of the upcoming ministers and court officials. The Shangguan family would do just fine.
Yunxuan mildly said, "Second sister returns soon."
"Very soon," Shangguan An said, showing clear relief on his face, turning to Shu Jueheng. "My second daughter, you may have heard of her."
"The great Shangguan Yunjun, of course I have, sir. A tremendous woman. I was greatly impressed to hear of her feats."
That answer seemed to please Uncle. As if that had been another test. On how he viewed Yunjun disobeying the traditional role of the women, perhaps? Certainly all three Shangguan sisters were unconventional, and for Uncle and Grandmother to allow such things, they had a fairly unique view on the role of women in society as well. Once I'd wondered if all his attention on Yunhua was due to Tianjin being too young, but clearly not so. Even now, he viewed Yunhua with utmost importance, sometimes even exceeding that of Tianjin. Frequently I felt as if the only Shangguan son was overshadowed by his sisters time and time again, rarely getting his own time in the spotlight. It sometimes worried me, if he'd react poorly to it, but so far he hadn't been.
He must have done poorly in academics in comparison to Yunxuan, who was his age but spent hours trying to make everything she did seem effortless. And when he'd gone off to the borderlands with Yunjun, his sister had come back a hero and a legend while he remained nothing but an ordinary soldier. And back in Luoyang, his eldest sister was the darling of society, his youngest sister charmed and dazzled her way into being a bright star and one of the most attractive prospects, and even I'd managed to secure a good match, along with a good reputation.
Meanwhile, there still wasn't much attached to Tianjin's name.
Did it ever make him feel... unbalanced? Jealous? Or was I overthinking things?
As if reading my mind, Shangguan An said, "And Tianjin comes back soon too. Tianjin, my only son."
Politely, Shu Jueheng replied, "I've heard much about him too."
"Are you going to find him a wife soon?" Yunxuan asked bluntly, one brow raised. "Before the ladies of Luoyang find his beastly attitude and personality and all decide to run away from him?"
"Yunxuan!" I scolded, glancing at Shu Jueheng. "Sibling rivalry, I'm afraid, since they're so similar in age. Do not listen to my cousin."
Yunxuan huffed. "All I'm saying is, he's even older than I am."
"By barely a couple months," Yunhua pointed out, unimpressed.
"It is all that matters," Yunxuan replied archly.
Shu Jueheng seemed amused. Uncle shook his head and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Your brother will find a wife when the time comes."
"And when, pray I ask, Father, is the time?"
That was rewarded with a glare. Now Yunxuan was toeing the line between being amusing and irritating in Uncle's eyes, and she knew it. There was taunt in her eyes as she stared at him, trying to provoke her father into some sort of reaction.
If Shu Jueheng noticed the shift in atmosphere, he did not let in on it. He was watching something he ought not be privy to. Something private. He would be analysing, somewhere in his head, what it meant that we let him see this spat.
He would hopefully come to the conclusion that it was because all of us had already agreed he was a good match for Yunxuan, and perhaps needed to see a bit deeper than Yunxuan's surface level perfection. As much as we considered the advantages important in a match, we still wanted Yunxuan to be happy. Trapping her in marriage with a man who did not know the real her and might be repulsed or scared by the real her was not something any of us would ever do.
And I had a feeling Uncle was far more careful now, with Yunjun's miraculous mess of a marriage. Not that we'd seen the wreckage yet, but we all had a feeling we'd be witnessing it soon.