Chapter 30: The Li Family's Daughter, Named Li Qiong

Inside the Li Residence.

Upon entering through the main gate, one is greeted by the flower garden. Though it was already November, several plants were still in bloom.

As the old matron narrated, only then did Fu Zihou learn that there were three paths leading from the garden: the central path led straight to the front courtyard, where the main hall was situated; to the left, a path bypassed the front courtyard and led directly to the rear courtyard; the path on the far right led to the Li family’s attic.

He had thought the garden itself was vast enough, but when he entered the front courtyard, Fu Zihou and the members of the Fu clan were struck by an even more immediate sense of the Li residence’s grand scale.

In a pavilion connected by a distant corridor, more than a dozen youths—boys and girls—were kneeling behind wooden desks, holding bamboo scrolls and gazing toward the newcomers. Fu Zihou’s eyes were involuntarily drawn to one particular girl.

“Amidst the crowd, her beauty alone draws every gaze; the hues of the world turn to dust before her.”

At the sight of this girl, who seemed to be of his own age, this line surfaced unbidden in Fu Zihou’s mind. For the girl, just as the verse described, even from afar, her appearance and the look in her eyes seemed to render all other women colorless.

Fu Zihou was not the type to be easily swayed by a woman’s beauty, yet in all his years, this was the first time he had laid eyes on such a lovely maiden.

“Go prepare tea, and bring out the master’s treasured leaves!”

The old matron paused, noticing that Fu Lao, her nephew’s wife Zhang, Madam Tao, and the others were all fixedly watching the girl in the distance. Smiling, she instructed a servant to prepare tea, then turned to Fu Lao.

“This unfilial son of mine has spent years at home with his bamboo texts, so I tasked him with teaching the children of the house. Gradually, other families began sending their children to the Li residence as well!”

While she spoke, the matron’s gaze shifted toward Li Jingjie, her smile slowly fading. It ought to have been a matter of pride for any mother, but recalling how Li Jingjie and his wife had always refused to marry their daughter to the Fu family, the matron could not muster any joy as she looked at him.

She turned her gaze from Fu Lao to Fu Zihou, and then to Fu Zhi.

“If Zihou and Zhi’er lack a proper tutor, they should attend lessons here at the Li residence. Though your uncle may not be a renowned scholar, he does have some reputation within a hundred-mile radius!”

Her words were addressed to Fu Zihou and Fu Zhi, intending not only to foster a bond between them and Li Jingjie, but also to consider the brothers’ future prospects.

Her son, for all his rebelliousness, had the bearing of a true gentleman when it came to teaching. Many high-ranking officials and nobles had come to the Li residence, seeking to have their children taught by Erlang.

“This is wonderful!” whispered Chang Shi, who stood among the ladies of the Li residence, her face alight with joy as she turned excitedly to her sister-in-law, Madam Tao. Madam Tao nodded, her eyes brimming with gratitude as she glanced at the matron.

“Mother, rest assured. I shall spare no effort in teaching them! I will see to it that the two sons of the Fu family achieve greatness!” declared Li Jingjie, seizing the rare opportunity to be praised by his mother, and hastening to assure her as he looked at Fu Zihou and Fu Zhi.

He still did not know how his mother would punish his wife for her previous actions, but if there was a chance to ease her anger, Li Jingjie wanted to take it.

On the subject of teaching, Li Jingjie could not help feeling a touch of pride. Within a hundred miles, countless noble families vied to send their children to the Li house, and during festival seasons, the number of visitors paying respects was beyond measure.

Standing beside the matron, Fu Lao naturally noticed the expressions of his daughters-in-law, and smiled with pride before turning to speak to his elder sister-in-law—only to be interrupted by Fu Zihou’s voice.

“Thank you, Granny Li! But I have already taken a master,” said Fu Zihou, raising his hand in salute.

Custom dictated that outsiders address the matron as Madam Li or Old Madam Li, but due to Fu Lao’s relationship to her, Fu Zihou would call her Granny Li, just as her grandchildren called Fu Lao Grandpa Fu, not Old Fu.

“Oh? You already have a master?”

The matron was surprised, as was Li Jingjie.

Zhang, standing a few steps away, was so anxious upon hearing Fu Zihou’s words that she nearly stamped her foot. She wanted nothing more than to step forward and give her nephew a good kick.

She glanced at Madam Tao, who looked equally astonished, as if to say, “What’s gotten into your son? Has he lost his wits upon arriving at the Li residence?”

While others scrambled for connections to have their children taught at the Li house, her nephew, at such a crucial moment, had refused the old lady’s kind offer, claiming he already had a teacher.

What teacher? Only a poor, down-and-out scholar from the village!

“Before coming to Tiao County, Zihou suddenly developed an interest in learning, and so he studied with a certain gentleman for just over a month,” Fu Lao explained awkwardly, still not understanding Zihou’s reasoning.

“A month?” The matron was shocked—not so much by the fact that Zihou had already found a master, but by the clarity and resolve in the young man’s eyes.

She could see that despite his youth, Fu Zihou valued the honor of learning from his first mentor over taking the Li family’s name as his own.

“Is it a renowned scholar?” she asked, glancing at Fu Lao, suspecting he had found someone notable for Fu Zihou.

“Not at all. Just a…” Fu Lao hesitated, embarrassed by his elder sister-in-law’s questioning look, then continued, “…just a destitute scholar who fled to our village—a man by the name of Liu Zhiyuan.”

The smile faded from Fu Lao’s face as he looked at Zihou, clearly dissatisfied with the boy’s decision.

“Liu Zhiyuan?” Li Jingjie had assumed Zihou referred to some esteemed scholar, and had even steeled himself for a comparison. But upon hearing Fu Lao’s answer, he nearly choked with frustration.

So the revered ‘master’ was just a penniless, displaced scholar—hardly a renowned teacher.

Li Jingjie looked at the young Fu Zihou with a mix of resentment and suppressed anger, not knowing how to vent his frustration.

He had never heard of this Liu Zhiyuan, but surely he, Li Jingjie of the Li family, was more qualified than some vagabond scholar.

“Zihou!” The matron grasped Zihou’s hand in her own wrinkled one, looking at him intently. “Do you realize what benefits would come with apprenticing to the Li family?”

She patiently repeated her question. Though she had never heard of Liu Zhiyuan, as the wife of Li Gang and matron of the Li family, she knew full well the advantages attached to their name.

At this moment, not only did Zhang wish she could answer for Zihou, but even Madam Tai, Fu Zhi, and Elder Liu all hoped he would change his mind. After all, the Li family was no ordinary household. Li Lao had once been invited by Emperor Wen of Sui to tutor the crown prince. If, in the future, Zihou could claim to have learned from the Li family, he would be treated with far greater respect wherever he went.

Yet, as everyone watched, and just as Li Jingjie was bracing himself for Zihou to change his mind, Fu Zihou merely nodded at the matron, indicating that he understood, and was aware that he was relinquishing the Li family’s prestige.

Li Jingjie was dumbfounded, suppressing his anger with visible effort, reminding himself not to lose his temper. “He knows nothing of the world,” he told himself. “I mustn’t stoop to quarrel with a shortsighted nephew.”

“Alas…” Even Fu Lao looked at Zihou with disappointment, sighing and shaking his head.

But the matron smiled. “So be it. To remain true from beginning to end—there is merit in this as well.” She nodded, finding herself, for reasons unknown, increasingly fond of the boy. Perhaps, due to the Fu family’s connection, she could not dislike anything he did, or perhaps, at that moment, she saw a reflection of her own husband’s youthful spirit in him—not seeking fame or fortune, but simply following his heart.

In the front courtyard, as the conversation continued, the young men and women who had been reading in the pavilion put aside their bamboo scrolls at the servants’ summons and came forward to greet the Fu family.

The small incident with Zihou was soon forgotten as everyone’s attention was drawn to a strikingly beautiful girl, just Zihou’s age, whose presence was anything but ordinary.

Her beauty was matched by a distinguished air, unlike the delicate charm commonly seen in young ladies.

“Grandmother, Father!” The girl greeted the matron and Li Jingjie, leaving Fu Lao, Zhang, and the others momentarily stunned.

“And this is…?”

Fu Lao looked incredulously at his sister-in-law and asked softly.

The matron smiled, beckoned the girl to her side, and turned to Fu Lao.

“Liyang, this is Li Qiong, daughter of Erlang, who is betrothed to your family. She has been tutored by her father since childhood, mastering the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—to say nothing of her skill with the sword.”

Her pride was evident as she introduced her granddaughter. For a girl to excel at even one art was admirable, but Qiong possessed many talents, both literary and martial.

“Qiong, come greet Grandpa Fu,” she said gently.

With the old matron’s introduction, not only Fu Zihou but all the Fu family finally understood that the striking girl before them was the very one betrothed to Fu Zihou.

At that moment, it became clear to everyone—Fu Zihou, Fu Lao, Zhang, Madam Tao, Fu Zhi, Madam Tai, even Elder Liu—why Li Jingjie had been reluctant to marry his daughter into the Fu family.

She was simply too beautiful and accomplished; suitors would surely flock to her in droves.

“Li Qiong greets Grandpa Fu,” she said gracefully, her composure and fair complexion leaving the old man flustered.

Under the matron’s guidance, Li Qiong then saluted Elder Liu, Zhang, Madam Tao, and the others, addressing each as aunt or uncle with a gentle voice.

“Well done!” Madam Tao nodded, feeling oddly self-conscious before the lovely girl. Zhang fared no better.

“Qiong, this is your fiancé, Fu Zihou. Once the Li and Fu families renew the engagement, you will marry him,” the matron announced, drawing Li Qiong to Zihou.

Li Jingjie, who had remained silent, looked at his daughter in surprise, then sighed in resignation. He knew his mother’s temperament—if she had decided to marry Qiong to the Fu family, any objection might drive her to desperation.

If he were to push his mother to such extremes, he, who had upheld filial piety all his life, would not be able to face the world.

“Li Qiong greets Young Master Fu,” she said, unwilling though she was, but upholding her manners, bowing to Zihou.

“Zihou greets Miss Qiong,” Fu Zihou returned the salute.

After the formalities, neither knew what to say.

Fortunately, the old matron was perceptive; seeing that the betrothed had met, she smiled and invited the Fu family inside to rest.

Fu Zihou turned and caught his aunt Zhang’s encouraging look and his mother’s gentle smile, finding it all a bit much. He was about to help Fu Lao inside when he suddenly heard Li Qiong speak.

“Grandmother, I wish to speak privately with Young Master Fu,” she said.

The matron looked at her granddaughter, frowning slightly. She could tell Li Qiong had something she wished to say, and fearing she might accidentally utter something hurtful to Zihou, the matron was disinclined to agree.

In her mind, it would be better to settle the marriage first, set a date, and then speak privately to her granddaughter.

She was about to refuse sharply when Fu Zihou turned to Fu Lao.

“Grandfather, Mother, please go in with Granny Li. I would like to speak with Miss Qiong here.”

He reassured his elders before looking at the old matron.

Seeing this, the matron and Fu Lao exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. Yet before leading everyone inside, the matron cast a warning look at her granddaughter.

Li Qiong lowered her head at the sight.