Gu Nanyi stood three feet away, not too near, but close enough for him to extend a hand and touch her.
The entourage stopped together, and they could distinctly hear hurried footfalls rushing within the mansion as the main gate opened. Two rows of servants quickly ran outward, standing at attention in front of the entrance while the Qiu Mansion butler waited at the gate, his face covered with smiles as he bowed deeply to Feng Zhiwei. “Master Wei, our madam asks for the honor of your presence.”
Feng Zhiwei glanced sidelong at the butler. The day that she had been exiled from the mansion, even though there had been a nominal excuse of “lying low until the trouble was over,” everyone here, whether intentionally or otherwise, collectively “forgot” to arrange a sending off or any preparation of food or money. That day she had walked out with nothing but the clothes on her back, and this butler had sat in the gatehouse, legs crossed and picking at his teeth, casually spitting as she walked past, a small piece of meat dislodging from his mouth and landing at her feet.
“Butler Zhang?” Feng Zhiwei smiled and patted his shoulder. “I’ve heard that the Qiu Mansion butler is one of the most capable in all of Dijing, perfectly organizing every matter in the Qiu Mansion all by himself. After seeing you today, I can tell you are surely not a common man.”
Zhang Cheng was greatly flattered, never expecting that this famous young man, the lofty National Scholar, would actually know his name. His yellow face reddened, and he bowed repeatedly. “I do not dare accept Master Wei’s praise… I do not dare.. I do not dare…”
Feng Zhiwei smiled at him, her eyes warm —- you had better take it in as much as possible, because soon enough, you may not be able to hear it anymore.
She turned away from the bowing Zhang Cheng and walked in through the gate, calling out. “The Madam’s invitation? If you can ask the two young masters to the front hall for some tea, I will go to the back hall myself. The Qiu Mansion is the home of my father’s best friend, and it is also my home. Everyone, there is no need to be polite.”
Zhang Cheng paused for a moment before stepping forward to halt her, instinctively concerned by the impropriety, but at this point Gu Nanyi had already swept him by.
His eyes fell and no longer focused on anyone, and suddenly Zhang Cheng felt as if a wall had formed in front of him as he tottered backwards and almost fell into the screen wall in front of the gatehouse.
Feng Zhiwei stared straight ahead, leading Gu Nanyi past the screen wall.
She did not go directly to the madam’s courtyard in the mansion interior, first pausing at a lonely spot in the Clasped Hand Veranda[1] to take off her mask. Behind her mask was her customary drooping-eyebrow and yellow-faced makeup; ever since she had seen the Shao Ning Princess’s real face, she knew that her own face could never be easily revealed.
Mask off, she stepped into a small courtyard in the northwestern corner of the Qiu Mansion.
Just as she turned a corner, she passed by a group of servants carrying trays of tea ware and dessert, clearly bringing the dessert from the kitchen to the main building.
Feng Zhiwei saw the servants and smiled.
This matter was truly fated, and this chance meeting too coincidental. Was this group of servants not those old female maids that had cause the ruckus that day in the kitchen? This one in the lead, was she not the same Old Woman An who had slapped Feng Zhiwei across the face?
Old Woman An saw her as well and stopped, calling out instantly in laughter: “Oh, look who it is, isn’t it our Young Madam Feng?”
Old Woman An was not incautious, and her eyes took in Feng Zhiwei’s robe. She wore a fine and delicate, light blue cambric robe, simply styled but well cut. This fine summer cambric was a new fashion just released in Jiang Huai Providence, and the cloth was breathable and comfortable, and almost glowed with a smooth, watery sheen. The cloth was incredibly difficult to make and costly, and so was always reserved as tribute to the Emperor; this robe that Feng Zhiwei wore had just been granted her by the Tian Sheng Emperor some days ago, and was a robe only available to a select few in Dijing.
Because the fabric was too rare, even a servant from a wealthy and influential family like Old Woman An failed to recognize it, and she assumed the robe was just a normal cambric. From her point of view, Feng Zhiwei’s clothing was not poor, but also was not on the level of nobility, and it was not at all the silken robes of a glorious and honorable homecoming. With this thought, Old Woman An relaxed and continued, her tone twisted. “Young Madam Feng must have made her way! Look at you dressed neither as a woman or a man, with clothing probably gifted from a young master in a brothel somewhere?”
The other female servants tittered, hands over their mouths, eyes full of disdain. Feng Zhiwei turned to look at Old Woman An, a small smile on her face as she spoke: “How have you been lately, auntie? You look like you’ve become more and more healthy.”
“Young Madam does not need to flatter this old woman.” Old Woman An rolled her eyes and sneered. “This madam is very good. This mistress said that she would prepare a pension for my old age, and not too long ago she gave me money to buy a house. This old woman’s life is fated to loyally end out her days at the Qiu Mansion.”
The other servants quickly joined in with flattery, and Old Woman An was like a moon surrounded by a cluster of stars. She peered happily in Feng Zhiwei’s direction and continued: “Young Madam, are you living a good life now and returned to see the Madam? The Mistress is about to host an important guest, later when he leaves, do you want me to beg the Madam to meet with you? You had better not come back to beg for help. Even if the Qiu Family is wealthy and influential, we cannot afford to help an obscene relation.”
Feng Zhiwei smiled, hands clasped behind her back as she stood at the corner of the veranda, examining Old Woman An with interest. The old auntie was gleefully sticking her nose up in the air when she finally noticed Feng Zhiwei’s eyes.
Her eyes were calm and deep, and without happiness or sadness, and without any pain or resentment or anything at all. The eyes were deep like the sky above, as if those of a god living in the clouds, looking down on the petty people milling around after power and profit.
These eyes made Old Woman An think that Feng Zhiwei was not angry, and this lack of anger was because Old Woman An was not deserving of her anger.
The old servant shivered in fear, thinking back to Feng Zhiwei’s eyes that day she had slapped her on the face, remembering very clearly what Feng Zhiwei had said to her as she wore this same soft smile, those words that had given her nightmares many nights in a row.
She was somewhat afraid, but as Feng Zhiwei was not accompanied by any attendants and she thought of how there had never been any news of the young madam, she regained her courage and sneered. “What a cheeky girl, what are you doing blocking the way? Don’t cause us trouble as we present desserts for Madam’s important guest!”
“You’re right, why am I standing here?” Feng Zhiwei smiled and turned to the motionless Gu Nanyi who had been statueing by the side all this time. “Hey, young master, someone here insulted me.”
Gu Nanyi turned in confusion — one has to forgive Young Master Gu, he has never experienced the refined manner of insults by relations of a big family. In his understanding, only spit flying uncontrollably, murderous faces, stabbing fingers, and brandished blades and swords counted as hostility, and only these needed to be dealt with.
Feng Zhiwei tiptoed and placed her mouth by her ear, saying: “They slapped me in the face…”
Before she had finished, Young Master Gu was already moving. His body twisted up into the air, his cyan Qi flashing across the dark purple veranda. Old Woman An and the others only felt their eyes blur with the light blue green and heard a series of slaps as a burn lit their faces in pain.
“Hua lala!”
The cups, bowls, and plates shattered on the ground as seven bloody front teeth fell from mouths. Seven servants, seven teeth, not a single servant exempted.
[1] 抄手游廊:a veranda often seen in a siheyuan. It forms a circle like that formed by a man’s arms, hands and chest as he clasps his hands together. 抄手 means holding hands.