Chapter 23: The Jade Pendant (1)

When Di Jiang and Sister Li arrived at the ancestral hall, night had already fallen, and the place was deserted. The trail of funeral paper extended up the mountain, and following the traces of burnt offerings and firecrackers, they found their way to Old Pan’s grave.

“Boss, what took you so long? Old Pan’s tomb has already been completed...” Wen Yao immediately approached Di Jiang upon seeing her but suddenly froze mid-sentence. She stared at Sister Li as if seeing a ghost, pointing at her with trembling hands: “Y-you... Are you Sister Li?!”

“It is me,” Sister Li replied coolly, her sharp gaze commanding respect. The twelve jeweled hairpins atop her head gleamed dazzlingly under the flickering candlelight, almost blinding to look at.

“Stay away from me—the scent of your perfume is suffocating!” Wen Yao pinched her nose and shrieked: “Are you dressed like this to audition for the palace? Old Pan’s body isn’t even cold yet!”

Before she could finish her sentence, Di Jiang delivered a sharp punch to Wen Yao’s arm.

“You foul-mouthed fool, go stand over there!” After scolding Wen Yao, Di Jiang turned to Sister Li with a smile: “Go on—Old Pan has waited long enough for you.”

Sister Li gave a slight nod and lifted her skirt to step forward.

Wen Yao rolled her eyes and muttered sarcastically: “Dressing up like this for who? Thinking about finding someone else just after Old Pan’s death?”

“What do you know? Another word out of you, and I’ll sew your mouth shut,” Di Jiang glared fiercely, causing Wen Yao to shrink back in fear.

On the flat ground halfway up the mountain, the villagers had already returned home. Before the half-man-high tomb, only Pan Yuelang remained, kneeling by the gravestone and burning funeral papers.

Di Jiang, Shu Xiang, and Wen Yao stood nearby watching. Above them in the bamboo grove, unnoticed by anyone, Zhong Xu perched on a bamboo stalk, observing everything silently.

Sister Li, dressed in her resplendent attire, had been seen by very few villagers along the way. Thus, Wen Yao’s earlier accusation—that she dressed to attract attention—was entirely unfair. Her entire ensemble was genuinely meant for Pan Xingui alone.

As Di Jiang gazed at Sister Li’s delicate profile, she suddenly recalled what Sister Li had said: On the day she first met Pan Xingui, he was brilliant and striking, outshining all the noble sons around him.

And what about Sister Li?

If she had met Old Pan among those aristocratic circles, her status must have also been noble.

Di Jiang imagined that breathtaking scene: It was the season when apricot blossoms were in full bloom. Sister Li, clad in an exquisite robe and adorned with a beautifully styled hairdo, stood beneath the apricot tree. The rouge on her lips and the red dot on her brow perfectly matched the hues of the blossoms. How could she not have been the most stunning sight in the crowd?

Yet, such a once-magnificent couple ended up in Zhuangyuan Village—one scorned and meeting a tragic end, the other condemned and embroiled in scandal. How could life not evoke sorrow?

Sister Li approached Pan Yuelang and crouched beside him. Her crimson gown did not draw his attention—he remained silent, absorbed in burning the paper offerings. Even when Sister Li tried to take some of the funeral money from him, Pan Yuelang refused to let her touch it.

“Father has me to see him off—it’s enough. Mother, you should return. From now on, the world is wide open. Whoever you wish to marry is entirely your decision,” Pan Yuelang said coldly, without raising his head.

Wen Yao couldn’t help but chuckle softly. She was practically clapping her hands in delight. The boss always accused her of having a venomous tongue, but Pan Yuelang wasn’t any less sharp. This tactic of retreat as advance was truly masterful!

Sister Li’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she said: “Yue’er, how... how can you think this way?”

“What else am I supposed to think? Did you not know Father is being buried today? Yesterday, you promised to come and send him off, yet today you’re this late. And then there’s this fiery red dress of yours—whom are you trying to impress? These villagers? Father may be gone, but you still insist on disgracing him. I never realized how cruel your heart truly is.” Pan Yuelang spoke indifferently, treating Sister Li as if she were a stranger. This distance between them stretched farther than the ends of the earth—it was as if they were strangers.

“The truth isn’t like that. Listen…”

“You don’t need to say anything more. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Sister Li was stunned: “Where to?”

“To Taiping Prefecture. I’ve already passed the provincial exams and will participate in the spring examinations in Taiping Prefecture three years from now, in April.”

After hearing this, Sister Li felt as though a thunderclap had struck her.

“You… You must go?”

“I’m leaving tomorrow.”

“…” Sister Li stared at him for a long while, and seeing that Pan Yuelang wouldn’t meet her gaze, she realized that after the family’s upheaval, her words no longer held any sway over him.

“My son… So talented…” Grief resurfaced on Sister Li’s face—the same deep despair and longing for death that Di Jiang had seen before.

“This Sister Li is so strange. If others heard their son had passed the exams, wouldn’t they celebrate with fireworks? Why does Sister Li look as if she’s been struck by lightning?” Wen Yao dared not bother Di Jiang further and instead whispered to Shu Xiang.

Shu Xiang shrugged, indicating he didn’t know either.

After burning the last stack of paper money, Pan Yuelang turned and left, running quickly down the path. Sister Li, dragging her elaborate gown, chased after him for a short distance but stopped when she saw his resolve. Watching him disappear into the night, she returned to Pan Xingui’s grave.

At this moment, Di Jiang somehow produced another pile of funeral money and quietly placed it by Sister Li’s feet.

“Thank you,” Sister Li smiled faintly.

“You’re welcome.” Di Jiang sat down on a nearby rock. As Sister Li burned the paper money, her eyes reddened as she spoke to Di Jiang. Soon, tears began to fall.

“I didn’t mean to be late today. First, I wanted to appear in proper attire to see Pan Lang. Second, I didn’t want others to see me like this. Everything I’ve done was for Pan Lang’s peace in the afterlife. I’ve been selfish my entire life, knowing I should change my temper, but even now, at the end, I want to indulge one last time.” Sister Li pointed to Pan Xingui’s grave and said: “Pan Lang must be waiting for me below—I’ll join him soon.”

“Old Pan…” Di Jiang hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

“Yes?”

Di Jiang shook her head, deciding not to tell her. Instead, she said: “I envy him.”

“Don’t envy him. He… was bullied by me his entire life, and even his death was because of me.”

“The dead are gone. Pan Yuelang still needs you.”

“It’s precisely because of Yue’er that I must follow Pan Lang.” After saying this, Sister Li refused to speak further. No matter how much Di Jiang pressed her, she only said: “Miss Di, you possess extraordinary abilities. I beg you, please take care of Yue’er in the future and ensure he doesn’t suffer anymore harm.”

“I’ll do what I can, and I won’t refuse.”

“Thank you.”

That night, Sister Li sat by Pan Xingui’s grave for a long time. It wasn’t until early the next morning, when she spotted Pan Yuelang leaving the village with a bundle in hand from halfway up the mountain, that she finally returned home.

Before going back, she visited Di Jiang at the inn. Leading her home, Sister Li implored: “Please, Miss, style my hair one last time.”

Di Jiang naturally did not refuse. After spending the night by the grave, Sister Li’s makeup had smudged, her hair was disheveled, and her ceremonial gown was covered in dirt. After carefully brushing it off, she removed the gown and placed the jeweled hairpins and clothing into a box, adding several heavy stones inside.

“This set of finery was a gift from my father when I came of age. Today, I ask you to throw it into the Zi River, as far away from Zhuangyuan Village as possible.”

“…” Di Jiang was somewhat astonished but still nodded.

“Also, please style my hair into a simple liuxing ji (meteor bun). The floral ornament should still be a red apricot blossom.” After saying this, Sister Li began coughing violently.

Di Jiang patted her back gently, but Sister Li waved her hand dismissively. “It’s nothing—just continue styling me.”

“Alright…”

Di Jiang usually spoke little, but seeing Sister Li like this, she couldn’t help but ask: “Do you regret it?”

“Regret? Why would I regret anything?”

“No one understands you or knows you—not even your child, who resents you.”

Sister Li gave a bitter smile. “Hmph, having chosen this path, I knew long ago it would be thorny and that no one would protect me anymore. If I were afraid, I would have gone home long ago.”

“Are your family members still alive?”

“My parents passed away long ago, and most of my siblings are gone too. But that home… it has always been there.” Li Xingzhi looked out the window at the apricot blossoms and suddenly pointed to a cluster blooming over the wall. Turning to Di Jiang, she said: “Look at those flowers—they’re so vibrant.”

“Yes, I’ve seen many apricot blossoms, but none as beautiful as yours.”

“A single red apricot branch reaching over the wall—doesn’t that describe me perfectly?”

“…” Di Jiang wanted to agree but felt uneasy about doing so.

Li Xingzhi continued on her own: “But alas, no matter how beautiful the flowers bloom, what use is it if there’s no one left to admire them?”

“How can you say that? Aren’t we still here?” Di Jiang picked up some rouge and applied a touch of color to her cheeks, then painted her lips with carmine. Finally, taking a fine brush dipped in light pink pigment, she carefully painted a red apricot blossom on her brow, vivid and breathtakingly beautiful.

“Miss Di, your hands are truly skilled.”

“I merely learned by watching others.” Di Jiang moved behind her, tidying up loose strands of hair, and meticulously styled a liuxing ji.

“At thirteen, graceful and delicate, like apricot blossoms in early February. Along the ten-mile spring breeze road of Yangzhou, no beauty compares when the pearl curtains are rolled up.” Li Xingzhi gazed at her reflection in the mirror, regaining a hint of confident composure. After reciting the poem, she murmured: “Pan Lang’s talent was what I admired most. Though he’s gone, his poetry remains.”

Di Jiang nodded. The poem was absolutely fitting.

After seeing all the women of Yangzhou, none could compare to Sister Li. She carried an innate pride that made her beauty impossible to overlook. Even as her youth faded, she remained more striking than others. Placed in a crowd, she would still stand out immediately.

“I have one more request.” Li Xingzhi coughed twice, her voice hoarse and devoid of its former vitality. She resembled a skeleton stripped bare by the desert winds, ready to crumble and drift away at the slightest touch.

“Speak, Sister Li. I’ll do my best to fulfill your request.”

“You must make sure to carry this out.” As she spoke, Li Xingzhi retrieved a jade pendant from a hidden compartment in her jewelry box and handed it to Di Jiang.

Di Jiang accepted the pendant. It was perfectly round, encased in a thin layer of gold, intricately crafted with exquisite detail. Clearly, it was not something ordinary folk could possess. In the center of the jade was engraved a single character: ‘Wan.’

“I fear Yue’er will suffer because he resembles you. My son refuses to acknowledge me and insists on pursuing an official career. I know I won’t see him again. Should he encounter trouble during the autumn examinations that endangers his life, please give him this jade pendant. If he succeeds through his own abilities and rises to prominence, then never let him know this secret.”

“What exactly is this secret?” Di Jiang was curious.

What kind of secret had ruined Sister Li’s life?

But Sister Li only shook her head faintly and said: “The past is gone—it need not be mentioned. I’ve lived freely, loving Pan Lang my entire life, yet I’ve wronged my son. I only hope to make amends in some small way.”

“… Alright.” After finishing everything, Di Jiang stayed a while longer to talk with Sister Li before leaving.

Before she departed, Sister Li specifically instructed her to take the box and the jade pendant.

As Di Jiang stepped out of the Pan family’s gate, she exhaled deeply. The box and jade pendant in her hands felt unbearably heavy.

Seeing Di Jiang emerge, Wen Yao immediately rushed over: “Boss, why were you inside for so long?”

“This parting is forever—spending more time with her was only right.” Di Jiang’s tone was calm, but Wen Yao was shocked.

“Forever?! Why? She just had her innocence restored! This woman is so strange!”

“Don’t be disrespectful,” Di Jiang scolded sharply, but Wen Yao persisted stubbornly.

Frowning, she said: “When Old Pan was alive, she didn’t treat him well. Now she’s putting on this act of deep love? Why didn’t she just die when she was drowned? Why go through the trouble of us reviving her only for her to die again later? What a waste of effort!”

“Who knows…” Di Jiang sighed deeply, tightening her grip on the Hetian white jade in her hand. The jade was smooth and warm to the touch, exuding an oily luster that only top-tier white jade reserved for royalty possessed. Ordinary people could never obtain such a treasure.

Sister Li was no ordinary young lady of a wealthy household—of that much, Di Jiang was certain…

The trio returned to the inn, packed their belongings, and together with Zhong Xu, departed from Zhuangyuan Village under the villagers’ watchful gazes.

After passing through the southern gate, they saw the shallow river waters rushing past them.

By the riverside, beneath a tree entwined with vines, there was an unnatural lushness that didn’t belong to this season. The verdant glow illuminated a corner of the riverbank. Di Jiang suddenly recalled the scene she had witnessed in the bamboo grove when she first met Li Xingzhi.

Sister Li’s voice had been soft and lilting, singing until it seeped into one’s very bones.

She sang:

Thousands of blossoms on the trees,

Where shall we go tonight?

The beloved turns to look,

A smile misleads a lifetime.