Chapter 6: Sisters

The orioles sang, the flowers bloomed, and Luoyang’s city streets vied to outshine one another in beauty.

Since leaving her family home, Lan Yunying had found life in the Duke’s household to be surprisingly peaceful. Using her younger sister’s identity meant she needn’t hold herself to such rigid formality.

That day, she took a carriage back to visit her natal family.

The Duke’s mansion stood in the east of the city, while the Lan estate was in the west—separated by dozens of li.

As luck would have it, they passed a gathering of young gentlemen hosting a poetry meeting in a teahouse, lingering over tea. The delay stretched her journey by some time.

When she finally arrived at the Lan estate, Steward Wu greeted her with a broad smile.

“Fifth Sister!” The seventh young lady was half-crouched in the front courtyard, tending to flowers.

Hearing the commotion, she leapt up at once and, without a thought for the mud on her hands, ran straight toward Lan Yunying.

Lan Yunying tapped her younger cousin’s forehead with a finger, feigning distaste. “At this hour you should be in Huayun Study reading and not here playing in the dirt. If your mother sees this, you’ll be in for a spanking.”

She lifted her sleeve and offered a clean silk handkerchief. “Wipe yourself.”

The seventh young lady was the youngest daughter of the sixth master and, since childhood, had clung to the Lan sisters, chattering and making mischief.

Her temper came as quickly as it went. Lan Leyu raised her messy, dirt-streaked palms and huffed, “If it were Fourth Sister, she wouldn’t mind at all—she’d just wipe them for me.”

Lan Yunying smiled. “You like Fourth Sister because she indulges your whims. I simply don’t spoil you, and that’s not the same as disliking you.”

That said, she called for a maid to bring a basin of water, dampened the handkerchief herself, and bent to wipe Leyu’s hands.

The girl looked down at her fifth sister. Her pout melted into a grin, her face still childishly round, but her words far too grown-up. “Fifth Sister, is Brother-in-law good to you?”

Ever since Fourth Sister had married to Chang’an, it was rare to see Third Aunt with the energy to tend her flowers or sip tea in the courtyard. The season of blooming came and went, but her face grew more sallow by the day.

Her father told her to visit Third Aunt often. Each time, the older woman would hold her close, though she always felt that the embrace was a way of easing the longing for Fourth Sister.

The handkerchief sank into the basin, the mud floating to the surface as the maid carried it away to water the flowers.

Lan Yunying chuckled at the girl’s precociousness. “Since I married him, naturally he must treat me well.”

And indeed, he did. Pei Ye was exactly as the rumors claimed: striking in appearance, cold as jade, obsessed with reading and calligraphy, and without the vices of drink or lust.

But as for how he treated her, she could only say she was forever ill at ease in his presence. His eyes always seemed to hold a quiet scrutiny, as though looking through her to see someone else.

Leyu, being a child, only half understood and gave an “oh” of acknowledgement.

“Fifth Sister, let’s go to Third Aunt’s rooms together. Father says she’s been very picky with food lately, hardly eating at all.”

“When I came home for the wedding visit, Mother looked well enough. Has someone upset her these past few days?”

“No one’s upset her; she just misses Fourth Sister.”

Lan Yunying understood. Never mind her mother’s appetite; she herself had been sleeping poorly in the Duke’s mansion.

Never in her life had she been apart from her sister for so long.

Agreeing to exchange identities had been the one and last rebellious act of her life.

That night her thoughts had been in chaos, and the more she listened to her sister, the more her resolve wavered.

Her sister had said that a woman unable to choose her own husband was already pitiable enough. Now that fate had given them a rare chance to decide for themselves, even if it meant defying and deceiving their parents—who could ever find out?

In the end, Lan Yunying was persuaded.

Two men—Pei Ye or Wei Xiao—what difference did it make?

On her wedding day, she had deliberately gone to knock on her sister’s door. In her mother’s eyes, her sister was stubborn and headstrong; had she sat meekly waiting to wed, it would only have seemed suspicious.

The Duke’s household, as her sister promised, left her in peace.

Pei Ye read during the day, and she rarely had to share a room with him. Her only duties were to greet her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law morning, noon, and night.

The general’s estate, by contrast, would hardly have offered such scholarly serenity.

In truth, if one were to speak of honest preference, Lan Yunying did like the Duke’s household.

…

With a maid attending them, Lan Yunying and Leyu went to Madam Yang’s courtyard, only to learn she had gone to Tinglan Pavilion.

With both daughters married, the pavilion felt especially empty.

Madam Yang sat listlessly on Lan Yunying’s bed, overcome by sorrow.

Ying-niang was reserved, disliking noise. She loved to read; would she get along with her husband in the General’s estate?

Madam Yang took a deep breath.

“Mother.”

Lan Yunying entered, her shoes sounding against the wooden floor.

Madam Yang blinked, as though waking from a nightmare. “Ying-niang!”

“You’ve come home?” Her joy and grief tangled together, her emotions boiling over like water suddenly set to a full flame.

She rose at once, only for her legs to give way, sending her to the floor.

The maid panicked and rushed to help her up.

Madam Yang refused the help, bracing herself with both hands. Then, looking up at the girl in a pale yellow jacket, her gaze dimmed.

It was the color Jin-niang loved to wear.

Seeing her mother’s poor spirits, Lan Yunying sat beside her. “Mother, I’ve counted the days; Sister won’t be able to return to Luoyang for some time. If you miss her, why not write a letter to Chang’an?”

Madam Yang shook her head with a faint smile. “I won’t add to her burdens. It’s hard enough to marry far away; if her mother-in-law were to know, she might mock me for being an old woman who can’t let go of her daughter.”

Lan Yunying’s chest tightened. She thought of speaking but stopped herself.

She couldn’t use her old tone to comfort her mother.

Instead, she leaned into Madam Yang’s arms and said with mock petulance, “Mother, I used to say that you were biased, but you denied it. Today you should admit that you miss your elder sister but not me.”

Her sister had often complained that their mother always favored her elder daughter.

What her sister didn’t know was that Lan Yunying had envied her ability to throw tantrums and act spoiled, forcing their parents to coax her into behaving well.

Since her sister was already the more willful one, she herself had to be the obedient one.

That was why their mother would stroke her hair and say with pride that Ying-niang was the most well-behaved and lovable.

Lan Yunying had never had the chance to act spoiled.

Madam Yang rubbed her cheek and smiled bitterly. “Your sister married far away and can’t come home. Of course I miss her. But I’m also grateful that at least you are here in Luoyang.

“If you weren’t, what would I have left to look forward to?”

The two spoke for an hour; only then did Madam Yang’s color improve somewhat.

Then came the maid’s report.

“Madam, the young master has come to pay his respects and to take his lady home.”

Lan Yunying frowned.

Why was Pei Ye here, instead of reading at home?

Led in by the maid, he entered.

Madam Yang quickly dabbed her face with a handkerchief, unwilling for her son-in-law to see her in such a state.

Lan Leyu stood quietly aside.

She had seen this brother-in-law on Fifth Sister’s wedding day, and just like the books said, he is a gentleman in bearing.

Pei Ye wore a plain white round-collared robe, elegant and restrained. He stopped just behind the screen. “I happened to pass by the estate and meant to pay my respects to Mother and Father-in-law. Seeing my wife’s carriage at the door, I followed Steward Wu here to Tinglan Pavilion.”

Earlier, he had casually asked the maid whose room this was and learned it was Yunying’s.

He kept his gaze straight ahead. The room was steeped in a quiet, antique charm; his hands were folded neatly in his sleeves.

Madam Yang smiled. “Jin-niang came to talk with me today. What a coincidence, you and your wife are of one mind. Unfortunately your father-in-law is away on business.”

Pei Ye did not step forward, answering from behind the screen.

The couple stayed for lunch, then drank tea to settle the stomach before boarding the same carriage home.

Lan Yunying feigned drowsiness, leaning back as though half-asleep.

Pei Ye sat upright, hands on his knees.

Perhaps sensing she was not truly sleepy, he hesitated before asking, “When will your sister return for her wedding visit?”

Lan Yunying found the question odd.

His gaze was far too probing; instinctively, she resisted it.

“I’m not sure,” she replied.

He continued, “At the end of next month, His Majesty will host the Spring Banquet. An invitation has gone to my mother, and she wishes us to attend.”

“General Wei and your sister will be there.” Pei Ye’s gaze didn’t waver. “You are twins. Now that you live apart, you can use the occasion to see each other.”

Surprise lit Lan Yunying’s eyes, and she smiled before she could stop herself.

In Pei Ye’s eyes, the change was minuscule.

The sisters truly were alike. If not for their opposite tempers, he might have mistaken one for the other.

That smile, that small unconscious gesture—there was not the slightest difference.

Or perhaps he had never truly known Yunying at all and thus could not tell.

“Then… shall we set out early?” Lan Yunying asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

Satisfied, she relaxed, thinking how soon she would see her sister again.

Lifting the carriage curtain, she gazed at the puffy white clouds melting into the blue sky.

She wondered if the sky above Chang’an was just the same over her sister’s head.

—-

Spring came to Chang’an in full glory.

That day, His Majesty summoned Wei Xiao to court to report on his merits and also called the Lan Yunjin to the palace to meet the Noble Consort.

The Noble Consort Lan had long known her fourth sister had married into the General’s estate but had never found a reason to bring her into the palace.

Now, with Wei Xiao’s fresh military achievements, including driving back the invading Tubo forces at the border and cutting down the bandits that plagued the roads between Chang’an and Luoyang on the journey home for his wedding. Hence, His Majesty had summoned him to give a detailed account and grant rewards.

The Noble Consort reclined on her couch, smiling. “What? You hadn’t heard of your husband’s heroic deeds until now?”

Lan Yunjin lowered her head. “Your Ladyship, I’ve been in Chang’an for less than three days. My knowledge is pitifully narrow. Only today, in meeting you, have I glimpsed the sky beyond my little head.”

No wonder no bandits had appeared along the road; he had cleared them away himself.

Destroying them was a boon to the common people, freeing them from fear.

But every day she lived meant she had to guard her sister’s identity all the more carefully.

The Noble Consort had been in the palace for over ten years, since before the twins were five.

Her memories were faint: the elder sister gentle and clever, the younger spirited and mischievous.

“Don’t be so stiff; you’re with your own sister here.” The Noble Consort beckoned for fresh tea.

“What a pity Fifth Sister isn’t here today. This must be the first time you’ve been apart.” Her smile turned sly. “But at next month’s Spring Banquet, Fifth Sister and the young master will come to Chang’an. We sisters must share a long talk over a cup or two of lychee wine.”

Lan Yunjin asked, “His Majesty has permitted my sister and her husband to come to Chang’an?”

In Beizhao, even officials could not enter the capital without an imperial decree or a travel pass.

The Noble Consort replied, “His Majesty has been burdened with affairs of state these two years, so his spirits have suffered. The Imperial Physician said that if this goes on, His Majesty may work himself into illness. So this banquet is meant to be lively and cheerful, to ease his mind. And he has long wished to meet the both of you.”