Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio 

  Far away from the shores of the lake could be heard the sounds of a mahjong game in full swing. Two old men glanced at each other and shook their heads. 

  “Fan Xian’s opinion was correct. The second one didn’t stand a chance, but in this government, many are unable to see it clearly.” King Jing waved his hand and continued speaking, “The son I have is different from me, never aspiring to do what I’ve done. This worries me.” 

  Fan Jing looked at him and said, “Hongcheng and the second prince are getting far too close for comfort.” 

  King Jing began laughing coldly to disparage the conversation and shoo it away. “I think the second prince studied too much for his own good, and it has in turn made him dumb. Screw him! And Wan’er’s mother is a crazy bitch; I can’t believe he is allied with her. There is no possible way to suggest nothing bad will come of this. And as for my son? Pah! He is a complete imbecile, too.” 

  Fan Jing was smiling and said, “the second one’s mother you cannot screw. Shu Gui Fei is a woman of the emperor, but in regards to the crown prince’s mother, feel free to screw her. I won’t stop you.” 

  King Jing snorted as he out loud, and snorted, “Hongcheng’s mother has been dead for several years, though I can only suppose that she is waiting for me in hell. You old man, haha, finally speaking dirty again. Back in the day, you were in and out of a whorehouse everyday, but now you have totally changed.” 

  He lightly tapped the arm of his chair and took a look at the familiar view around him. When he was done, he turned around and said, “Do you remember that house? It was King Cheng’s manor. The three of us practically grew up in that manor when we were young. Your mum looked after me and my big brother despite not being able to take care of you, her own true son, regardless of how dirty you became.” 

  Fan Jing wistfully revisited the memories of his childhood. King Cheng was the birth father of the emperor, but the man himself was not one for authority, and he lacked the drive of ambition. His family was a distant relation to the Fan family, but his mother would come to the manor to look after the children, giving her the identity of someone of a lower class. 

  “No one could have suspected things would turn out this way.” Fan Jing smiled and said, “I think my mother in Danzhou is proud to have raised us to be who we are.” 

  “When we three were arguing, I would always team up with you to go against my big brother, but we’d still always lose.” King Jing spoke coldly now, saying, “Even though it was kid stuff, he hit hard. You should most certainly know that.” 

  Fan Jing did not reply. King Jing had dared to speak ill of his brother, but he knew he would never do the same to the emperor. Fan Jing now just laughed, and said, “back in the day, somehow Cheng Pingping was always aiding the emperor in matters. The emperor was older than you, and Chen Pingping was stronger than me. It is fairly obvious why we were unable to win.” 

  King Jing shook his head and said, “Yes, and that is why I did not want to fight them. I simply wanted peace. Like that time they investigated the second prince, and Fan Xian knew it clearly; it was because the emperor had run out of money. But they had their kids go sort it out, which was a cruel thing to allow.” 

  Fan Jing was the shangshu of the Ministry of Personnel, so being aware of such events in the palace obviously fell under his purview. Bearing a wry smile, he said, “do not blame the emperor. We really are running out of funds. Every department needs that money. The Empress Dowager is still here and the Emperor would not dare treat the eldest princess harshly. Of course Fan Xian was willing to take on such a task, and I earnestly believe that he has what it takes to handle it. Although Chen Pingping’s demeanor is becoming increasingly strange, I know he would not allow any harm to come to Fan Xian. There is no reason for us to concern ourselves with such issues.” 

  King Jing looked at him, and after a while, boorishly responded, “you are just like before! You continue to hide everything and be dishonest right to my face. Even now you won’t tell me the truth.” 

  Fan Jing laughed and did not say anything. 

  King Jing’s birthday feast came to a close, and the Fan family, split into several different carriages, were now returning to their manor. Fan Xian was bringing both his wife and sister into his house, and something plagued his mind to the point of annoyance. “Where has he run off to? You are his sister-in-law, and you are his big sister, couldn’t you two both keep an eye on him?” 

  Lin Wan’er showed her tongue in response. If Fan Xian had wanted her to play mahjong with Fan Sizhe, she may have been willing, but to take care of a child in a normal manner? Never. Despite her age, she still possessed the mind of a child herself. Listening to Fan Xian speak, she began stroking her tummy. As she did, she wondered to herself, it’s been a while; why has nothing happened yet? 

  Ruoruo was two months younger than Wan’er, but her maturity was considerably higher. She had been taking care of Fan Sizhe over the years, mostly by herself. A few months ago, however, the call for a future marriage came from the palace, and her heart began leaping like the nervous frolic of an antelope. Ever since, the only thing that had been on her mind were the preparing to leave home. She knew that Fan Xian was not being polite with his question, and she knew that he was mostly referring to her, and so she muttered, “Understood.” 

  Fan Xian himself knew that he was being a touch unreasonable. It wasn’t fair to insist that a sixteen-year-old girl become a babysitter every single day. In a bid to comfort her, he said, “Don’t be upset; I was just saying.” 

  The three of them entered the house, and the maid quickly offered them tea. Fan Xian selected the white teapot and took a sip before asking in curiosity, “Where is Si Si and Si Qi?” 

  Wan’er laugh and said, “Both of them went with us to King Jing’s manor, so it would be best if we let them rest first.” 

  Fan Xian responded, “Those are some high-class maids; they are treated with greater respect than many mistresses of other families are!” 

  Wan’er, hearing Fan Xian speak, was reminded of something. She asked, “that person is like Si Si?” 

  Fan Xian was given a shock, and tea sprayed from his mouth and hastily replied, “what are you talking about?” 

  Ruoruo frowned her eyebrows and said, “Si Si’s personality is not unlike Qing Wen. She is pretty casual, and everyone seems to like her.” 

  Fan Xian did not say anything in response, but he did remember that he had not yet written the 77 remaining chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber. Qing Wen would not have a good ending. The problems regarding Si Si and Si Qi had been giving him a headache. He thought that he should have recruited Si Si as a maid earlier. He had grown up with her, and so his master-to-servant relationship was considerably deeper than most, but Wan’er wanted to recruit Si Qi as well; if he was to recruit Si Si. It’s what Wan’er had insisted upon. 

  Everytime he thought of this, Fan Xian felt that the entire situation was absurd, but at least it was one that was founded on some remote sense of happiness. 

  Fan Xian and Si Si’s relationship had a firm and long-lasting basis, but with Si Qi, it was slightly more complicated. He had drugged her numerous times, so he found it difficult to imagine what it would be like to share a bed with her. 

  Si Si had grown up now, if she did not make a decision soon, he was afraid that she would never get married. 

  Seeing Wan’er sleepy face, Fan Xian squeezed her cheek. It was so soft and felt remarkable to touch. He gestured to Wan’er, and it was a signal that she understood. She left the room and brought along the maid, leaving Fan Xian and Ruoruo be. ……

  \r \r \r ……

  “Do you know what I admire the most about you?” Fan Xian was pouring the tea for his sister as he asked. 

  Fan Ruoruo tilted her head slightly and used her silky hands to take away the clips in her hair. She ran her fingers through her raven black locks and it descended like a velvet fountain. 

  She wet her fingers inside the teacup and rubbed her forehead with the tea. With a look of annoyance, she pleaded to Fan Xian, “Big Brother, I am going to worry myself to death! Please don’t make fun of me.” 

  Using tea to massage one’s forehead was an effective method to calm down. Fan Xian made use of this trick numerous times, and it looked as if Ruoruo had picked up on it. But Fan Xian tended to use cold, leftover tea, opposed to Ruoruo’s usage of fresh, warm tea. There was no considerable difference, though. 

  “I don’t plan to make fun of you.” Fan Xian sighed and continued, “Sister, you really are quite calm. Like today, when we were in King Jing’s manor discussing the marriage. It was already quite difficult for me to pretend it wasn’t such a big deal, but there you were, at the center of this affair, fully composed; you really are cool.” 

  Ruoruo’s personality was a gentle one, but there was a reason she kept her calm when discussing her future. She looked at her big brother and smiled, saying, “When my big brother isn’t home, I am scared. But when my big brother is, I’m not scared. Everything is all because of my big brother!” 

  Those three “big brother”’s felt like three mountains weighing down Fan Xian’s ears. He looked troubled and said, “The emperor himself arranged this marriage. King Jing was happy about it, and so was our father. Even though the crown prince is a little adulterous, he is quite possibly the smartest man in the capital. To back out of this marriage would be extremely difficult, and your unwavering belief in me adds a crushing weight upon my shoulders.” 

  Ruoruo nibbled away at her lips for a moment, but then said, “well, I will do whatever you say.” 

  Fan Xian thought for a while, but then looked upon her with a serious expression. He asked, “do you remember that woman Si Lili?” 

  Ruoruo looked at her big brother’s face and with surprise, nodded and said, “That woman who wanted to kill you?” 

  Fan Xian smiled and responded, “That’s right. I always thought her to be different from most women. No matter what she did, for better or for worse, she always stuck to her own volition and beliefs. She would do things her way and nobody could change that. It’s an admirable trait. The day we left the northern Qi Kingdom, I asked her why. She said that it was perhaps because when she was young, her family was mostly dead and she had to live alone with nowhere to go and no one to listen to. She went through a lot more than most women could ever endure over the course of their lives.” 

  Fan Ruoruo raised her head and gently said, “You used to say that to travel a thousand miles and study a hundred books, that is what would benefit one’s life.” 

  “That is correct. That is why I was willing to become an ambassador to the northern Qi Kingdom, for on that road, I could study whenever I pleased.” Fan Xian looked into his sister’s gentle eyes and quietly said, “it is a rare thing to do, to travel around the world and take in the many sights that this world can offer. This is especially true for a mistress such as yourself, who has only ever remained within the capital.” 

  Fan Ruoruo began mocking herself by saying, “Except from living in Danzhou for one year during my youth, the furthest place I have gone to in my whole life outside the capital is Cangshan. To see the Wu Du river and the glorious meadows of the northern Qi Kingdom is something that may never come to pass, just like you said.” 

  “Do you want to see such places?” 

  Fan Ruoruo gave a delayed response, but vigorously nodded her head. 

  The way in which Fan Xian had been teaching his sister and developing her maturity was working quite well. The reason she was different from most noble ladies was because every time she heard her brother tells stories, she felt compelled to do as he did. She wanted to visit the places he had been, to meet the people he had met. The women of the Qing Kingdom had the freedom to traverse the capital and elsewhere however they pleased……up until marriage, that is. For as soon as they were taken for marriage, they would be locked up in the manor for the rest of their days. Even if they travelled with their husbands, there would be a great lack of freedom for them on such ventures. To be taken as a wife was not unlike receiving detention for the remainder of their lives. When she thought of how her life may indeed end up wasted in such a manner, her heart was not willing to resign to such a fate. 

  Fan Xian sighed deep in his heart. If he had opened the windows when she was young and allowed her to see the beauty of the world around them more often, he thought things may have turned out differently. And now, for the predicament she was in, Fan Xian felt compelled to find a way for her to escape what faced her. He needed to find another door she could take. 

  “Before you marry the crown prince, I will think of a way for you to be sent away.” Fan Xian squinted, saying, “all is wrapped around my finger, and going according to plan. Seeing my father and King Jing’s reaction, I know I will be able to find a way out for you.” 

  Ruoruo was a talented woman and was quite smart, so she understood exactly what Fan Xian was thinking. She was shocked to learn of what he was planning, and so she said, “Wait…… you want me to become a disciple of Ku He?” 

  Fan Xian lightly tapped her head, and as his fingertips brushed through her soft hair, he said, “Ah, I see you get it now.” 

  Ruoruo’s mouth widened and her face revealed utter shock. She thought it was unbelievable. After a while, she pulled herself together and asked, “How would such a thing possible?” 

  “Well, why would it be impossible?” Fan Xian raised his eyebrows and said, “Ku He is only willing to recruit you, and this is something quite remarkable. And from where you hail is of no concern. Besides, you are a talented woman and would be much welcomed. Taking on another student adds to his prestige; how could he not?” 

  Ruoruo thought this was a joke. She lowered her head, looked down and mumbled, “I don’t know how to fight……” 

  “Every road is entwined.” Fan Xian attempted to boost her morale a little, and provide her some extra courage. “You are a talented woman; you know how write poems. Learning to fight will come quick and easy. Ku He is a grandmaster and of course will understand this reasoning.” 

  Fan Ruoruo quickly lifted her head to look at him with a bubbly expression as she said, “Where did such good luck come from?” 

  Fan Xian laughed and shook his head. “I have and I will deal with all these matters; it comes from me. In a few days, I will take a fish from the kitchen and put some paper inside it.” 

  Fan Ruoruo’s face was still bearing a wide smile and she excitedly spoke, “So everything is prepared then?” 

  Fan Xian froze and after a while, with a wry smile, he said, “I won’t hide it from you, but when I was in the northern Qi Kingdom, I was indeed preparing all this. I thought that if you were willing to marry Hongcheng, then I would not have to continue such preparations. But if you weren’t willing, then I would of course have to continue.” 

  “Northern Qi Kingdom?” Fan Ruoruo smiled, looked at him and said, “It looks like this Hai Tang lady was quite close with you.” 

  Fan Xian knew he could not provide a suitable explanation for this, for if he could indeed convince that legendary grandmaster to take on another student, it would only be due to the strength of his bond with Hai Tang. But Fan Xian had paid a good price for this, for how else could he convince a man who was almost as powerful as an emperor to cooperate with him? Unwilling to burden his sister with worry, he chose not to explain. 

  “Do you want to go study in the northern Qi Kingdom and go travel? Studying abroad is fun.” Fan Xian asked his sister directly. 

  Fan Ruoruo looked down and contemplated it deeply. It was a grand question; she did not give an immediate response.

  Chapter 279: Do You Want a Newly Embroidered Handkerchief? 

  Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio 

  A while later, Ruoruo raised her head, sadly asking, “What about Father?” 

  Fan Xian frowned as he responded. “I’ll still be here in the capital to look after him. You can leave here for at least two years, without worry.” 

  “But…… can we really call off the wedding just like that?” Fan Ruoruo was still a bit hesitant about Fan Xian’s proposal. 

  “Ku He’s power is reaches further than that odd emperor’s of the northern Qi Kingdom.” Fan Xian balked, continuing, “even our own emperor would have great respect for Ku He’s wishes. And besides, you becoming a student is just an excuse to push back this marriage another two years. King Jing’s family is sure to understand.” 

  Fan Ruoruo shook her head and said, “It cannot be that simple, surely.” 

  Fan Xian was starting to get a headache, and so he started to chew on his lip. In regards to the eldest prince and his fight for the throne, he did not desire to tell his sister of this, as she was a person of too much compassion. He thought that if she found out that Fan Xian was in muddied waters and had gotten into trouble in his efforts to cancel the wedding, she would throw herself into the arms of the crown prince. 

  “The key is, you are only sixteen.” Fan Xian was speaking morally. “Sixteen. You haven’t even finished growing, and you are to get married already? This is more like a persecution!” 

  Fan Ruoruo’s face turned from pale to red, feeling slightly embarrassed. Playfully, she threw Fan Xian a gentle punch and said, “How can you say that as a brother?” She took a deep breath to gather her courage and composure, continuing, “Besides, when my sister-in-law married you, she wasn’t even sixteen yet.” 

  Fan Xian rolled his eyes so hard he almost fainted. ……

  “Big brother, if I can truly leave the capital to see the world, I would be ecstatic. I would be overjoyed!” You could tell from a mere glance at Fan Ruoruo’s eyes that she was greatly looking forward to her freedom. “Just…… my thoughts of going to leave you terrifies me, at least a little.” 

  Fan Xian started laughing, and said to her, “You silly child. Everyone should be afraid, the moment they first learn of how to become independent. Just like when we had to learn how to walk when we were young.” 

  Fan Ruoruo held her mouth to prevent laughing and responded, “Really? But the people in Danzhou say that you learnt how to walk much sooner than anyone else. And as soon as you began walking, you started running!” 

  In Fan Xian’s heart, he thought to himself, I must be a freak. Normal people cannot do that. 

  “Okay, but telling you all about this was just me seeking your opinion. If you’re up for it, and are willing to do this, then I will make the necessary arrangements and get it sorted.” Fan Xian stroked his sister’s head caringly and spoke, “You really are the unique sister of Fan Xian. And I am going to make you a woman unique to the entire world.” 

  Fan Ruoruo was touched by what her brother said, but all she did was nod; she made no promises. When she thought about Ku He accepting her as a student, her mind wandered to that Haitang lady and how close she was with her big brother. She thought it was…… a little strange. And maybe there was something going on between them. She giggled, stood up and prepared to leave, but said, “My sister-in-law has something to give you. I will tell her to come see you.” 

  Fan Xian was surprised at her hasty departure, and as she went, he watched his sister’s shadow disappear behind the door. 

  Fan Ruoruo was walking through the empty backyard, and she raised her head to the sky. She watched the thick clouds get blown to the east by the wind, the grey sky obscuring the sun – it didn’t provide much comfort. 

  As she walked through the yard, she extended her hands out to brush the holly trees She thought to herself, As early as next year, I may have the opportunity to go to another country. I’ll be able to escape this suffocating life in the capital and be free from those incessant, frustratingly boring meetings I must attend with all the other noble ladies. I will no longer have to worry about that grim, loveless marriage. She started to feel joy, but a growing sense of emptiness started to take root in her heart as well. 

  Fan Ruoruo’s fingers subconsciously clenched onto a holly leaf, which gave her a cut, and and she could feel the pulsation of pain. As her finger throbbed, she recalled the words of her tutor, who once told her to always take care of her hands. As she thought of this, she pulled her hand back like lightning. In her heart, she then began contemplating whether or not she should wait for her tutor to return, and perhaps he could offer his opinion on whether or not she should go to the north. 

  “What were you and Ruoruo talking about?” Wan’er had seen his little sister walk away, and she was asking out of curiosity. 

  Fan Xian knew to keep it to himself, and so he gave the enigmatic answer: “I can’t tell you.” 

  Wan’er went to sit in front of the dressing table, picking up her comb and beginning to brush her hair. Fan Xian, with a smile, walked up to her and took the comb out of her hands. With it, he began combing her hair for her. The comb slid through his wife’s hair without any trouble, for her hair was smooth and free of tangles. 

  Fan Xian commented, “You and my sister both have lovely hair.” 

  Wan’er was giggling as she responded, “That is because of the soap you made in Danzhou. It makes managing my hair far easier, so it should come as no surprise to learn that I can keep it in such a great condition.” 

  Fan Xian did not believe her, so he lowered his head to smell her hair. A sweet fragrance greeted his inquisitive nose, not the smell of sweat that he had expected. Wan’er pretended to be annoyed and said, “considering what you just told me, it is obvious that you haven’t paid much attention to my presence. You did not even know how nice my hair was!” 

  Fan Xian stood behind her and gazed down at his wife, peeking at what was below her garment’s neck line. He caught sight of her pale skin and his heart jumped, saying, “Getting close to you does not require the love of my heart, for the mere use of my eyes is enough.” 

  Wan’er was aware of what her husband was referring to, and so she tightened and pulled the neckline of her garment higher. She did not wear anything particularly voluptuous at home, but she did not expect her horny husband would be as smart as to look from above in the way he did. 

  Fan Xian pulled his wife into his arms and sniffed her fragrance deeply. He then put his face in front of her chest and repeatedly inhaled. He sounded troubled when he spoke, “Recently, really over the past few days, I feel as if I have always wanted something. But I was not sure of what that something might be.” 

  Wan’er thought that he was talking about something sexual, and so she tried to escape his clutch. This failed, for he held her too tight. Fan Xian started giggling and said, “Don’t be so stubborn. That which is occurring between me and my sister is a secret for now, yes, but I will tell you of it in the near future.” 

  Wan’er had a curious look upon her face and said, “You are being that cautious?” 

  Bitterness formed on Fan Xian’s face, with him saying, “It may very well be the biggest act of deception in history.” He then thought of what his sister said, and so he asked, “Sister said you have something to give me. What is it?” 

  Wan’er was suddenly brought to anger, and so she grinded her teeth, saying, “That little traitor! I was going to see how well you would behave recently before deciding whether to give it to you.” 

  Fan Xian started laughing, and told her, “It would undoubtedly become mine eventually, so please give it to me, princess.” 

  Wan’er’s face wore a scowl and said, “No.” 

  Fan Xian began grinning in an evil manner, as his hands traversed up and down her waist. He began twiddling and rubbing it in an attempt to tickle her. After squealing and shrieking loudly, she finally gave up her resistance. Gasping for breath, she pulled something out of her pocket and threw it at Fan Xian’s face, saying, “There! Now let me go!” 

  A pleasant waft drifted into his nostrils. When it dropped, he noticed it was a handkerchief. He let go of his hands, grabbed it, and then froze. 

  It was a finely embroidered handkerchief, featuring two mandarin ducks floating upon a river. It was composed of a remarkable material, as if it had been given as a tribute from the palace. The material it was made from could only be gathered in Jiangnan. 

  The threading was exquisite, also. It did not matter if the colour was yellow, red or green, you could always take sight of the incredible threadwork. Fan Xian thought it might have been a gift from Suzhou. 

  \r \r \r 

  Just…… ……

  As for the stitchwork, it was terrible! 

  You could see the stitches go up and down unsteadily and make out a number of holes in the fine thread. Whoever made this had committed a terrible amount of mistakes. The lines that composed the image were crooked and twisted, not graciously curved as they should have been. The two ducks upon the cloth were supposed to look calm and harmonious, but its terrible creation had rendered them into hideous monsters. The flowers that dressed the riverbed became a symbol for postmodernism. 

  Fan Xian opened his eyes wide in disbelief at the handkerchief. Even the stitching of the water was just a few flat lines. Those lines were the most accomplished stitches on the entire handkerchief, but Fan Xian asked himself why a yellow thread was chosen for the water. 

  Was the handkerchief supposed to depict irradiated, mutated ducks flowing down a tainted river? 

  Fan Xian looked at it over and over again. Eventually, he failed to contain his laughter, and he began laughing out loud. ……

  The laughing would undoubtedly be heard from every corner of the house. Wan’er knew she had made it poorly, and so she sought to flee and hide in her sister-in-law’s room. But hearing Fan Xian’s hysteria, and how humiliating it felt, she stepped up and mustered her courage. Before she was fully gone, she had turned around and returned to the room. She put one hand on her wrist and with fingers outstretched and pointed with the other at Fan Xian’s nose. “Stop laughing!” 

  Fan Xian saw the anger in his wife’s eyes, but he could not manage to contain his laughter. He raised one hand to cover his mouth and brought another to hold his belly, and on the chair, his suppressed laughs had him rock back and forth like a tumbler. 

  Wan’er was in a flurry of varying emotions. She was annoyed, embarrassed, and had a desire to laugh all at the same time. She stepped forward to try and grab the handkerchief from Fan Xian’s hand. It may have come as no surprise, but Fan Xian was most certainly unwilling to return the gift, and so he quickly stuffed it in his pocket. He had barely brought a pause to his laughing when he took to a deepened voice and told her, “Wan’er, this is the first thing you have ever stitched for me. You gave it to me as a gift, so you cannot request it back.” 

  Wan’er was born noble, and grew up in the palace. She always had her servants and grandmother to take care of her; she had almost never lifted a finger in her whole life. This was her first attempt at stitchwork, as she had never been taught before. Even though the final result of her endeavor was a rough one, Fan Xian could see the heart and hard work she had put into creating this handkerchief for him, and he was touched. 

  He felt sorry holding his wife’s hands, now noticing the amount of red dots that were peppered upon them. He blew upon her snow white fingertips, saying, “Do not do stitchwork anymore. I will do it for you. I once learnt how to stitch over the course of a few days in Danzhou, when I had nothing else to do.” 

  Lin Wan’er saw his caring, heartfelt plea and expression of concern, and it warmed her heart. But hearing what he just told her, she also felt somewhat depressed. In response, she said, “I married a husband who looks better than me and knows how to do stitchwork. You are so attentive……” Her lips flipped upside down and she almost cried out, “Fan Xian, what is the point of me living?” 

  “You’re silly.” Fan Xian rubbed her soft cheek and said, “If you are not going to live, because of this, then I think all the other noble ladies should gather around and commit suicide together to compete with a genius like me. To know that I can fight, be a linguist, rile up the courts and even wind down by stitching quietly…… who am I? The genius of this generation!” 

  Hearing him boast and wax lyrical about himself, complete with a self-loving look, Wan’er started to laugh and stop her crying. She used her finger to poke his forehead and said, “You are so cocky.” 

  Fan Xian raised his eyebrows, conveying obscure look that could not easily be deciphered. He responded, “To marry one such as you requires hubris.” 

  Wan’er froze, but then put her hands out to reach into his chest. 

  Fan Xian tried to protect his handkerchief and nervously said, “Hey, you said you’d give it to me. What are you taking it back for?” 

  Wan’er had a proud look upon her face and she said, “I am not taking mine back. I am taking yours.” 

  Fan Xian was surprised as she pulled out a bandana from his chest. It was the one he stole from Haitang, back when he was in Shangjing. Wan’er was smiling at him as she said, “If you want mine, then I will keep this one then.” 

  Fan Xian’s head was initially buzzing with confusion, but it wasn’t long before he realised that the reason his wife had endured the pain in her fingertips to create the handkerchief was because she was jealous. Even though he did not love and enter a relationship with Haitang, the evidence in her hands was enough for her to believe otherwise. He was taken aback, and was unsure of how he might defend himself, so all he said was, “Wan’er, you misunderstood. I have told you once before than Haitang was nothing special to me; for what possible reasons would I like her?” 

  Wan’er made a “hmph” sound from her nose and said, “Your taste in women has always been strange. Back in the day, you complimented my beauty each and every day. I thought it was weird, and that you were just another guy who spoke sweet words to each and every woman he met. But then I heard from Ruoruo that you genuinely believed me to be beautiful. Therefore, your taste is different from everybody else’s, so who could possibly believe that you did not find her attractive?” 

  Fan Xian pretended to be mad, saying, “Who would dare say my wife wasn’t pretty?” 

  Wan’er copied his often-seen shrug and spoke, “no one has ever thought that I am pretty.” 

  Fan Xian started scratching his head in wonder, and so he asked, “is my taste really that bad?” 

  Wan’er held her mouth to suppress laughter and said, “Do not interrupt me!” 

  She waved Haitang’s bandana in a boisterous manner and in an assertive tone, told Fan Xian, “This is mine. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” 

  Fan Xian wore a bitter face as he muttered, “No.” 

  Wan’er started giggling, and then ran outside the room. When she was through the door frame, she turned around to say, “You either marry that Haitang woman as a second wife or you put an end to this sniveling and don’t miss her at all. You are a man, carrying a bandana of sentimental value in longing for another woman. You are a wimp. Even I feel embarrassed for you.” 

  Fan Xian waved his hand and blew her a kiss. He mockingly told her, “That just means I am more innocent than you.” 

  Wan’er returned Fan Xian’s gesture. 

  Fan Xian all of a sudden thought of a few important things he wanted to ask of her. With a seemingly nervous disposition, he asked, “Wan’er, I recall that you have just had your birthday, so when we got married, you were already sixteen, yes?” 

  Wan’er was curious for why he asked this, but she nodded in response. 

  Fan Xian rubbed his chest, saying, “Good……good.” ……

  The second day outside of Fan manor, in the carriage: 

  “Mister, where are we going?” Shi Chan Li was having a headache when he asked this. His teacher, Fan Xian, wore a curious smile that formed at the corner of his lips. He wondered what he might have been thinking about. For the previous few weeks, the capital hadn’t been all that quiet; was Fan Xian looking to stir up more trouble? 

  Fan Xian was looking at the handkerchief in his hands, observing the creepy, malformed ducks smiling back at him. He then felt pangs of sadness for the absence of Haitang’s bandana; the apparel of a ninth-ranked warrior. He took a big risk to thieve the bandana in the manner he did, and it was taken away by his wife in a matter of seconds. 

  He raised his head, seeing Shi Chan Li and Deng Zi Yue both staring at him in confusion. With quick-thinking, he bit his teeth and madly told them, “Let’s go. Let’s go visit the Bao Yue house. Familial matters have been bothering me, so I want to go there and have some fun. Let’s go where I can trade stitchworking tips with the ladies.”