12 Snowball

The banquet ended early, yet not a single lady departed. They all gathered around Wei Leshui, ostensibly concerned for her well-being but in truth, all waiting to see who would come to escort her.

The Wei family did not disappoint.

That night, heavy snow fell, accentuating the gallant image of the Northern Town Iron Cavalry, their cloaks dusted with snow as they rode. The ladies were playing cards in the upper chamber when someone whispered, “They’ve arrived.” Everyone turned to see the sound of hooves echoing down the long street, the riders clad in vermilion brocade—none other than the newly appointed Northern Town cavalrymen from the day before.

Leading them was Wei Yushan.

He rode straight through the second gate. Though he was young—only eighteen—the elder ladies, with sons of similar age, did not step aside. Only the young misses hid behind their curtains, sending their maids to observe this little marquis who was known throughout the capital.

Ling Bo was also behind the curtain, her disdain for him barely concealed.

“That wretched Wei Yushan, it’s him again. I remember everything—I’ll settle the score one by one when the time comes.”

Acuo chuckled at her words, recalling the young marquis’s arrogance on the street two nights ago, his thoughts stirred by the memory.

Indeed, as Han Yueqi had said, there was a vast difference between having a lady of rank and not, in what one could achieve and the influence one could wield.

Lu Wenyin was already putting her own schemes into motion.

She had monopolized Wei Leshui all day, waiting for this very moment. Relying on her status as a lady of rank, she personally escorted the housekeeper’s wife and her maid, took Wei Leshui’s hand, and led her to the second gate. “The little marquis has finally arrived. Marquis Cui entrusted Miss Wei to me. I am inexperienced, so I ask you, little marquis, to act as my proxy and apologize to the ladies on my behalf, saying that Madam Chen was negligent in her care. I will personally apologize to the ladies another day.”

Wei Yushan, after all, was a marquis who had faced the emperor. Though sometimes overbearing, he was courteous in official matters. Casting her a glance, seeing a striking woman, he paid no mind and replied coolly, “Madam Chen is too polite. Thank you, young madam, for taking care of my sister. I shall repay your kindness another day.”

As he spoke, he removed his helmet and held it in his arms, bowing gracefully to Lu Wenyin. His face was handsome and elegant, a dashing young gentleman with the aura of a soldier—truly dazzling.

Lu Wenyin watched with growing satisfaction, though his exceptional looks made her doubt he cared much for beauties. She hesitated in her thoughts.

But Wei Leshui had already pulled her hand free and walked toward Wei Yushan. “Brother, let’s go home.”

Wei Yushan had a straightforward personality. Whether his sister was upset or not did not concern him; escorting her was a task assigned by their parents. He showed no interest in Lu Wenyin and simply bowed to Lady He, saying, “Farewell.”

He took his leave, but Wei Leshui’s sedan was slow to prepare. The other ladies’ sedans had all departed, so when hers was finally lifted, it was surrounded by the others’.

Wei Yushan was not bothered and mounted his horse, following slowly alongside his sister’s sedan.

Although Ling Bo cursed him beneath her breath, when it came to seizing opportunities, she refused to give up just because he was a scoundrel. Seeing the young ladies boarding their sedans, she hurried them along as well. Qinglan and Han Yueqi were conversing nearby and beyond her control, so she first urged Yanyan and Acuo into their sedans, pushing their carriages into the crowd of young ladies. She, however, lagged behind, quickly separated and out of reach.

Acuo and Yanyan sat together in the sedan, knowing Yanyan was useless and, with Ling Bo absent, they had to devise their own plans. When Wei Yushan and the others departed, at least ten sedan chairs left together. The narrow alley made it difficult to maneuver, causing a blockage. Acuo suspected someone was about to cause trouble, and sure enough, they heard Lu Wenyin’s voice.

“Oh no!” she cried from inside her sedan just as Lu Wanyang’s sedan bearers stumbled, causing the carriage to swing into the street. Two of the front bearers fell to the ground.

“What happened to the sedan?” Lu Wenyin, relying on her status, pulled up the curtain anxiously. “What’s going on? Is Wanyang alright?”

“Miss is fine, just a little shaken,” called Lu Wanyang’s maid from inside. “But two bearers seem to have twisted their ankles and can’t continue.”

“What shall we do then?” Lu Wenyin played the worried elder sister, drawing the curtain aside and calling out, “Little Marquis Wei, please help us.”

Having spent the entire plum blossom banquet caring for Wei Leshui, Wei Yushan naturally did not refuse and spurred his horse forward.

“Madam Chen, please do not be so formal. If there is anything, just say it,” he replied.

The handsome young man, gallant on horseback, was impressive even without the title of little marquis. Besides, he had placed third in this year’s plum blossom banquet contest; Lu Wenyin was prepared with her schemes, her face anxious as she said, “On such a snowy night, my sister’s sedan bearers have fallen ill. She is filial and worried about our mother’s health at home, eager to return. I wonder if the young marquis could assist…”

The ladies and misses in the surrounding sedans silently gritted their teeth. By sheer coincidence, her sedan bearers had fallen right in front of Wei Yushan?

If he couldn’t solve this, he wouldn’t be considered a top contender at the banquet.

“Number Five, come here,” he immediately called to his subordinate. “Assign two soldiers to replace the bearers for Miss Lu and escort her home.”

“How could we impose!” Lu Wenyin exclaimed with delight, thanking him repeatedly.

Voices came from inside the sedan.

“Xuan, thank the little marquis for me,” Lu Wanyang’s melodious voice called. The maid quickly lifted the curtain, stepped out, and bowed to Wei Yushan. Wei Yushan returned the salute. Glancing briefly inside the sedan where the curtain had been raised, he saw the young lady seated like a delicate orchid—exquisite and beautiful—who nodded slightly to him.

“No need for courtesy,” Wei Yushan said.

Lu Wenyin hurriedly replied, “Not at all! It’s late now, little marquis, please escort Leshui back. I will ensure my sister visits to thank you properly another day, and we may pay respects to the marquis’s lady as well.”

Wei Yushan nodded indifferently, tossing a token to the subordinate named Number Five.

“It’s late; to avoid the night patrol’s fuss, use my token to escort Miss back.”

Lu Wenyin, sensing he already had a favorable impression of Lu Wanyang, smiled faintly and gave no further words, ordering her sedan to move. The other ladies and misses, though regretful, had already lost this round.

Over ten sedans had witnessed this theatrical performance—like a scene from a play where the talented scholar meets the beautiful maiden, the hero rescues the beauty. The ladies could only envy Lu Wenyin’s skill, lamenting their own limitations. Those misses who could not openly converse with men sighed, wishing for a sister like Lu Wanyang’s with such a capable elder sister.

Yet Acuo was unconvinced.

She had long known the Ye family lacked a lady of rank. Today at the plum blossom banquet, Lu Wenyin had used her status to make things difficult, confirming this.

But did being a young lady really mean having no options?

If Ling Bo were here, she would never be as helpless as Acuo, watching the Lu sisters take the lead.

Acuo appeared delicate and shy, but she was perceptive, ambitious, and quick to repay both kindness and enmity. Qinglan’s admonishment of Ling Bo was apt—Ling Bo strove for advancement with mature judgment. Acuo, as a mere fifteen-year-old girl, lacked such discernment. At this age, determination could sometimes lead one into a dead end. Ling Bo perhaps did not expect her to compete at every turn, but her youthful heart flared with passion, unwilling to waste Ling Bo’s efforts. She helped them board their sedans.

Yet it was none other than Lu Wenyin, who had just caused Qinglan embarrassment.

Caught in this pincer movement, Acuo felt a fire ignite within. Listening to Lu Wenyin’s confident chatter outside, watching her weave Wei Yushan wholly into Lu Wanyang’s grasp, her anxiety deepened.

“Want to play?” Yanyan suddenly extended a hand.

Acuo was pondering how to seize opportunities, and Yanyan still had the leisure to play. While Acuo clutched her handkerchief, deep in thought, Yanyan casually picked up snow from the carriage window, making snowballs—not just one but a pile—and even offered one to Acuo.

Acuo glared at her in frustration but thought of Ling Bo and held back, turning her ear to listen outside. Through a gap in the curtain, she saw the foolish Wei Yushan completely ensnared by Lu Wenyin.

She had only caught a brief glance of him two nights ago on the street—a proud, arrogant young marquis hostile to the Ye family, who had been chastised by Cui Jingyu for it. Now she saw only his back, riding a horse with Wei Leshui’s sedan on one side, Lu Wenyin on the other, and Lu Wanyang opposite.

It was a pity for the good position Ling Bo had secured for her and Yanyan; their sedan was close to Wei Yushan, but without a lady of rank to engage him, what use were two young misses trapped inside?

Still, she blamed herself for being too incompetent...

Just as Acuo was scolding herself, she noticed the snowball in Yanyan’s hand and had a sudden idea.

“Yanyan, do you know how to throw a snowball?”

—

Wei Yushan responded to Lu Wenyin’s entreaties with a hint of indifference.

He knew she was trying to win him over, but having cared for Leshui throughout the plum blossom banquet, he felt it only right to thank her. The young madam was efficient and straightforward, not deceitful. Though she hinted at matchmaking him with “Miss Lu,” she was not overly urgent—quite reasonable.

Moreover, the Lu lady inside the sedan was elegant and heavenly beautiful. Wei Yushan was no lecher, but he did not object.

His father had never cared about these matters, and his mother had mentioned that the capital’s plum blossom banquet was a good opportunity to arrange a betrothal between the siblings. Wei Yushan was not convinced and had almost been punished by Cui Jingyu again for dismissing the insincere words of the noble families at the banquet.

So he came to pick them up with a certain pride. After going through the polite exchanges with Lu Wenyin, he was about to leave when suddenly he was hit on the back.

A snowball.

Though wearing light armor beneath his brocade robe, the young general, hardened on the frontier battlefields, was a lean and strong youth with a splendid vermilion robe embroidered with feathers. A single snowball was no trouble.

But one after another came flying, each striking him with precise aim.

Wei Yushan frowned and turned to see who was throwing them—he caught sight of the Ye family’s sedan, and a small hand pulling back the curtain.

“Ye Yanyan!”

He immediately realized who was causing trouble, turned his horse, and approached the Ye sedan, pulling up the curtain.

“Young General,” a follower nearby hurried to stop him. The capital was not like the frontier, and this was the plum blossom banquet with strict rules. The sedan held unmarried young ladies; it would be improper for the little marquis to be rude.

But Wei Yushan ignored these warnings.

He despised the Ye family deeply and was shocked that Ye Yanyan dared to provoke him. He was set on dragging her out for a lesson, never imagining there was someone else inside.

—

The curtain rose, but dusk had fallen, and the snow’s glow was mostly blocked by Wei Yushan’s men and horses. The first face he saw inside the sedan was not the troublesome Ye Yanyan but another.

Within the dim carriage, only a hurriedly held glass lantern illuminated her. The light fell upon her brows and eyes, revealing a beauty like a painted portrait. She appeared about the same age as Leshui, lifting her head in a frightened, panicked manner, like a startled fawn in the woods—fragile as glass. Was she frightened?

“You insolent girl!” the maid snapped angrily, stepping forward to block Wei Yushan’s gaze, snatching the curtain and slamming it back down.

The patterned curtain fell, its intricate Xiangfei bamboo design clear. The fleeting vision disappeared, yet it seemed the heavy snow paused for her. Amid the swirling flakes, Wei Yushan could hear his own heartbeat.

The Ye family’s maid called for the sedan bearers to move quickly, and they hurried away.

That scene felt like a dream.

He could barely recall if Ye Yanyan was inside—perhaps she was—but what she wore or how she looked, he had forgotten.

Only that breathtaking glance remained.

“Brother? Brother?” Leshui’s voice sounded.

Wei Yushan snapped back to reality and saw his sister peeking from the sedan window, looking at him curiously.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Let’s go home quickly; mother is waiting for us.”

“Oh, alright.” Wei Yushan finally remembered his duty, tapped the sedan roof, signaling the bearers to start. As they left the He family’s gate, the long street was silent, and many sedans gave way, though he remained unaware.

Where was her sedan?

Watching the snow-covered street, Wei Yushan pondered this.

“Young General, was that the Ye family’s sedan just now?” Number Five asked.

“What?” Wei Yushan paused, recalling the lantern’s mark, his gaze darkening. “Of course it was.”

“That was the Ye family’s fourth young lady’s sedan,” Wei Leshui said quickly.

“You know them?” Wei Yushan immediately grew wary.

By the time they had entered a narrow alley, Leshui, unbothered by the cold, raised the curtain to speak with her brother. Hearing his question, she dared not answer and lowered the curtain.

She knew well how much her brother despised the Ye family.

The capital’s folk were unaware of the broken engagement, but Wei Yushan understood clearly. At that time, Marshal Wei was not yet a marshal, merely an ordinary general. Cui Jingyu was only a company officer under him but was the most skilled, young, dashing, and exceptional. Wei Yushan, just thirteen or fourteen then, admired no one but Cui Jingyu, much like every young boy idolized their elder brother.

Thus, he bore no goodwill toward the Ye family who had reneged on the engagement. Having grown up alongside Cui Jingyu, he knew how much it had hurt him.

Wei Leshui had also known from a young age that her brother and the Ye family were somewhat at odds.

Sure enough, Wei Yushan rapped on the sedan roof and said, “Do not play with the Ye family, understand?”

Inside the sedan, Leshui did not want to respond but, after two more taps, she said, “I understand.”

Only then did Wei Yushan let it go and began chatting with Number Five about trivial military matters.

Sitting in the carriage, Wei Leshui couldn’t help but smile.

I only said I understand, but I didn’t promise you, she thought cleverly.

After all, Brother was only speaking; she and Yanyan had made a pact, and naturally, such a sworn promise was more binding. That way, she wouldn’t be violating their mother’s teaching about always keeping one’s word.