Chapter 6 — Wedding Hall, No Groom

Those words were a tangled web of truth and falsehood. Some people felt deep pity, while others merely craved the gossip, but every single syllable reached my ears unfiltered. I only smiled faintly, my hand remaining steady as I inscribed the name of the set, Twelve Moon Flower Spirits, onto the most prominent spot on the exhibition list. Public opinion was a fire I had ignited with my own hands, and now it was blazing precisely as I intended. What I needed was precisely this aura of tragic vulnerability. Only when I stood in a place low enough, with a posture humble enough, would the eyes of the entire realm turn their sharp weapons toward the lofty General Manor. And the General Manor… had indeed received the news. The intelligence had been picked up by a maternal cousin of Madam Xiao at a banquet hosted by another family, and she had brought it back, embellishing it with several layers of her own fabrications.

Aunt! You have no idea what is happening out there! The whole city is buzzing with rumors! They say that because Shen Shu Yan was furious with you and Eldest Cousin Huai, she returned the entire betrothal gift, and now she is so destitute she has even been forced to sell her own mother's heirlooms! There is also some set called the Twelve Moon Flower Spirits, or something like that, which people are saying is a priceless family treasure!

Upon hearing this, Madam Xiao froze for a moment, before her face instantly twisted into an expression of utter disdain.

I told you so! She was merely putting on a brave front! A woman whose engagement was broken, who lost the backing of her husband's family—what does it matter if her father is a Grand Tutor? Could he possibly protect her for the rest of her days? Now she is finally tasting the bitterness of poverty! It serves her right!

She was reveling in her own triumph, entirely failing to notice the person beside her—Liu Yun Wei, who was massaging her legs. At the mention of the three words Twelve Moon Flower Spirits, Yun Wei's entire body stiffened, a flash of intense, burning greed igniting deep within her eyes. That tea set! She had once seen it described in the ledger of betrothal gifts—white as jade, thin as a cicada's wing, allowing the light to pass through so clearly that one's shadow could be seen behind it, with every single cup painted with the Flower Spirit of a different month. It was an invaluable masterpiece, an absolute peerless relic from a bygone dynasty. She had dreamed even in her sleep of possessing it. Not merely because of its immense monetary value, but because—it had once belonged to Shen Shu Yan. It was the legacy left behind by her mother. If she could make Xiao Huai purchase it with his own hands and present it to her as a gift—that would be the most resounding slap across the face, the deepest humiliation that Shen Shu Yan could possibly be forced to bear. Throughout that entire day, Liu Yun Wei remained distracted and lost in thought. When evening came, Xiao Huai came to visit her and found her sitting quietly before the window, shedding silent tears beneath the lamplight.

Yun Wei, what is the matter? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?

His voice was laden with exhaustion yet brimming with deep concern. During these past few days when he had been kept under virtual house arrest, visiting her was the only place he could find peace of mind. Liu Yun Wei slowly turned her head, her eyes swimming with tears.

No… I am quite fine, it is simply that I overheard some rumors from outside, and my heart aches so bitterly for Sister Shu Yan…

She hesitated, then spoke in a timid, fragile voice.

I heard it said… that Sister Shu Yan intends to sell her mother's heirlooms, and among them is a set of white porcelain tea ware that I remember you mentioning once—how extraordinarily rare and precious it is. Sister Shu Yan must be in such desperate need of money to have been driven to such a wretched extremity. It is all my fault; if not for me, she would never have been brought to such a pass…

Every single word was like a sharp needle piercing straight into Xiao Huai's heart. He still remembered that tea set with absolute clarity, remembering how he had looked over the betrothal ledger that day and teased that Yun Wei would undoubtedly adore it. Shen Shu Yan had only smiled gently at the time.

That is what my mother left behind; I shall cherish it for the rest of my life.

For the rest of her life… Yet now, she was willing to part with it and sell it away. His heart felt as though it were being mercilessly squeezed in a vise. Seeing his face turn deathly pale, Liu Yun Wei knew the time was ripe. She gently tugged at his sleeve, her voice trembling with a pleading undertone.

Brother Huai… I only thought that such a magnificent treasure, should it fall into the hands of someone incapable of truly cherishing it, would be such a tragic waste. It deserves to be kept by someone who truly understands it…

She did not spell out her desires explicitly, but every single syllable was a heavy implication. Xiao Huai looked at her face, which was laden with such fragile expectation—his heart beating like a war drum in his chest. He knew full well that this was a trap carefully laid by Shen Shu Yan. To go—was to walk straight into humiliation. Not to go—was to harden his heart against Yun Wei's wistful gaze. In the end, as if forcing himself to make a grim resolution, he wearily closed his eyes and gave a slight nod.

I understand. On the day of the Appreciation Gathering, I will come.

The Appreciation Gathering was held in the West Flower Hall of the Grand Tutor's estate. This place was not as vast as the main hall that had once hosted countless grand banquets, but because it lay adjacent to an exquisitely crafted Suzhou-style garden, it possessed an exceptionally refined and elegant air. A few rustic antiques were displayed within the hall, and in the four corners, pure dragon-saliva incense burned, entirely devoid of ostentatious vulgarity. Instead, it only served to heighten the scholarly atmosphere of a prestigious family—noble yet understated. I wore a pale moon-white gown, utterly unadorned, with only a single white jade magnolia hairpin securing my hair. I wore no rouge or powder, yet this only made my skin appear as white as snow, my brows and eyes as delicate as a master's painting. I did not sit in the seat of honor; instead, like an ordinary hostess, I walked among the familiar matrons and young ladies gathered in the hall, personally pouring freshly brewed Junshan Silver Needle tea and offering it to them. My demeanor was serene, even carrying the faint trace of a tranquil smile. Yet this profound composure, in the eyes of the onlookers, transformed into a heartbreaking resilience that filled them with pity.

The young lady of the Shen family truly grows more composed with each passing day.

Indeed, after enduring such devastating trials, she can still remain as calm as usual. If it were anyone else, I fear they would have long since wept themselves to death within the confines of their chambers.

Look at her; she has grown noticeably thinner, and her complexion is so pale. It is truly heartbreaking. That so-called General Xiao must truly have been blind!

Though these whispered exchanges were spoken in low tones, I caught every word clearly, yet not a single ripple disturbed the stillness within my heart. I walked toward the center of the hall, where a superior-grade dark rosewood display stand had been set up, showcasing the precious items that would be transacted today. There were calligraphy works and paintings by renowned masters of previous dynasties, a block of imperial-bestowed raw jade exquisitely carved, as well as several pieces of jewelry that my mother had painstakingly collected during her lifetime. Each item was worth a king's ransom, every single piece leaving the beholders utterly awestruck. Yet in the end, the gaze of everyone present inevitably drifted to the very center—where the most treasured tea set rested. It was placed alone upon a tray lined with black velvet, twelve tiny white porcelain teacups surrounding a pristine jade-white teapot, resembling a cluster of stars revolving around a bright moon. Beneath the afternoon sunlight, each cup was so thin it was nearly translucent, their surfaces adorned with the Twelve Moon Flower Spirits painted with lines so delicate and expressions so lifelike that they seemed ready to transform into immortals and take flight at any moment.

Good heavens, is this truly the legendary Twelve Moon Flower Spirits set? What an extraordinarily rare masterpiece!

Such a priceless treasure—can Lady Shen truly bear to part with it and sell it?

I stepped forward to the side of the tray, gently stroking the cold rim of a cup. My voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly through the entire hall.

When she was still with us, my mother often said: the true beauty of an object lies in its circulation. If we can find a new master for them—someone who truly understands and cherishes them—then that may also be considered fulfilling a destined affinity. Today, I have invited all of you esteemed madams and young ladies here precisely in the hope of forging a new bond for these ancient treasures.