Chapter 87 - Celebrating the New Year ◇

◎The Father-in-Law's Strange Behavior◎

Pausing for a moment before dipping her brush in ink, Yu Lian looked up at the crescent moon in the sky. She slightly tilted her head and wrote, "The moon above is the most pitiable for its toil. One night it's full, but every night it becomes incomplete. If it could remain as bright as a full moon, I would not hesitate to endure the cold for your warmth. Alas, mortal ties are easily severed. The swallow still flutters, softly stepping on the curtain hooks to whisper. After singing a dirge by his winter grave, my sorrow lingers; amidst the spring blooms, I recognize the butterflies that used to grace our shared home."

With the final stroke of her pen, Yu Lian let out a soft sigh. Her cabinet held several poems mourning her late husband, written initially for the sake of acting and to deeply embed the image of a devoted lover in people's hearts, aiding her position. Today, however, her lament was genuine, a tribute to the antagonist of the original story, her nominal spouse.

If his spirit were watching from above, may he know that there is someone in this world who still thinks of him, loves him, and is willing to care for his family. May he rest assured.

Even if it was a deception, if it could deceive even the dead, it could still be considered an act of kindness.

After finishing the poem, the effects of the wine caught up with her, leaving her head spinning. She closed the window, turned, and retired to her inner chamber, soon falling into a deep slumber.

She didn't even hear the meowing of a cat outside her window.

A gust of wind blew, opening and then closing the window. The paper on the desk disappeared for a while and then reappeared, as if some ghostly mischief had taken place.

Zhu Ying always considered himself a man of simple mind and strong body. Apart from reading and writing, he knew nothing else. He was just an ordinary, uneducated shadow guard.

Initially, he thought protecting Lady Zhu and her family would be an effortless task. However, at this moment, he realized that his knowledge was insufficient. He had to read Lady Zhu's poem several times before grasping its hidden meaning. After understanding it, he wept bitterly, moved by the verses.

Lady Zhu even expressed her feelings for her Master with such subtlety and depth.

The poem spoke of how she cherished the laborious bright moon in the sky, which is whole for only one night each month, leaving the rest as incomplete jade rings. Wasn't she comparing herself to this moon? Without her Master by her side, she was like that perpetually incomplete jade ring, even more pitiful than the moon, which at least has one night of wholeness. Lady Zhu entered the household on the day of her Master's execution, never experiencing a moment of completeness before being separated by life and death. How much more heartbreaking could it be?

In the end, Lady Zhu expressed her desire to fly together with her husband like butterflies in spring. Zhu Ying read it over and over, weeping uncontrollably. Through teary eyes and sniffles, he transcribed the poem, delivered it, and then returned to his own room, continuing to shed tears.

Lady Zhu was truly too pitiful! And her Master was utterly unreasonable! To pretend to be dead, causing Lady Zhu to believe they were worlds apart, forcing her to put on a brave face on New Year's Eve, only to let her true emotions surface when alone, drowning her sorrows in wine, and yearning for her Master.

Lady Zhu was truly, truly suffering!

The more Zhu Ying thought about it, the more he felt that his brilliant and mighty Master was being excessively cruel and despicable! Compared to Lady Zhu, who remained deeply devoted and loyal, the Master was nothing but cold-hearted, selfish, the epitome of a scoundrel!

Influenced by these emotions, after copying down Lady Zhu's poem, Zhu Ying discreetly criticized the Master in his writing, subtly conveying how much Lady Zhu was suffering and longing for him, her heart aching with every passing day. Didn't he feel any guilt or remorse? Didn't his conscience ache?

Then, he dared to ask if the Master could reveal to Lady Zhu that he was still alive.

Fuelled by her empathetic concern for Lady Yu Lian's plight and the urge to criticize her master, Zhu Ying uncommonly wrote only a single page of the letter before summoning a homing pigeon to deliver it promptly.

The poor bird, burdened with a busy schedule on New Year's Eve, had to endure the freezing cold and snowy landscape, fluttering weakly as it embarked on its long journey.

Unbeknownst to Zhu Ying, the exhausted pigeon's struggling flight caused it to fly low enough to be caught by a skilled martial artist who extended his hand from a window.

The following day marked the most significant beginning of the year – Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year.

Well before dawn, the village stirred with activity. Women were up early, bustling about to prepare for the festive season. Children donned new clothes, sewn from fabric cut by their parents, waking up with joy. Thanks to the earnings from Yu Lian's family, every household enjoyed a more prosperous year, ensuring that no child was without new attire; the least fortunate were clad in homespun cotton padded jackets.

Stepmother Mei also rose early. She lit a fire, boiled water, and when the sky began to lighten, she used the hot water mixed with cold to create a comfortable temperature for her family to wash and freshen up.

Today, Yu Lian wore a light blue robe. Initially, she planned to wear the fur cloak sent by her mother, but decided against it, considering it too plain for New Year's Day. However, as her nominal husband was still in the third year of mourning, she also deemed it inappropriate to wear bright red or green. Instead, she opted for a pale pink overcoat, crafted from fabric she had purchased herself and sewn by Mrs. Chen. The collar was made from thick material, forming a high neck, while delicate plum blossom patterns were embroidered along the edges. When Yu Lian adorned it, her already stunning face made her seem even more enchanting than the flowers.

Mrs. Chen, upon seeing her daughter-in-law dressed in this manner, was genuinely delighted. She took the rare initiative to hold Yu Lian's hand, examining her closely and praising her beauty, asserting that no young maiden could compare. Mrs. Chen then gently adjusted Yu Lian's attire, nodding in satisfaction.

In return, Yu Lian complimented her, "Who could surpass you? Aren't you the one?"

Mrs. Chen smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth and gentle wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

Grandmother, Hua Zhan, and Aunt Mei also donned the new clothes prepared by Mrs. Chen. Although they didn't usually pay much attention to such things, they did so for the sake of celebration, and the new attire indeed breathed vitality into them. The three children, dressed in their finest, twirled in front of their mother and sister-in-law, proudly showing off their new outfits.

After the family had finished grooming themselves, Aunt Mei's breakfast was almost ready. In Upper Village, it was customary on the first morning of the New Year to eat dumplings, whether they were meat, vegetable, sweet, or even egg-based, as long as they were round, symbolizing unity and peace.

The children, with their sweet tooth, had begged Aunt Mei days earlier to make sweet dumplings. Reluctantly, she made taro-filled dumplings coated with brown sugar, creating a brown sugar soup dumpling. She added a few slices of fried ginger for an extra warming effect. After consuming a bowl, one would feel warm and invigorated, more resilient against the cold.

Among the adults, Hua Zhan, in particular, disliked sweets. Meat dumplings suited his taste better. With noodles, vegetables, mushrooms in the meatball soup, and topped with pork cracklings, it was a feast for all senses. He devoured three large bowls before finally putting down his chopsticks.

Even so, Mrs. Chen was somewhat surprised. She knew her husband well; since the incident in their family, he rarely smiled, and even when in a good mood, his appetite wasn't substantial. Farmhouse bowls were large, and typically, he would be satisfied with just one, rarely exceeding two. To see him with such a hearty appetite this morning, finishing three large bowls at once, made her wonder if something positive had occurred.

Studying him closely, she noticed that although his face remained stoic as usual, the fine lines around his eyes betrayed a hint of contentment.

Why was that?

Was it because today was New Year's Day?

Mrs. Chen couldn't quite figure it out. Seeing how much her husband had eaten, she reminded him to take a walk later to aid digestion and avoid overeating.

Zhu Ying also polished off three large bowls. Being a young, strong man who always worked hard, he had a healthy appetite, so this was not unexpected. After finishing, he wiped his mouth and praised Aunt Mei sincerely, "Aunt Mei, your dumplings are the best! If my stomach could hold more, I'd keep eating."

Stepmother Mei adored this darkly handsome young man, whose sweet tongue and willingness to help with chores made him impossible not to love. She covered her mouth and giggled. "After you've eaten, take a stroll around the village and see if there's a suitable girl. It's high time you settle down."

Zhu Ying's face flushed red, and he hastily put down his bowl and chopsticks before darting outside.

At that moment, Hua Zhan also left the house, hands clasped behind his back, moving at a leisurely pace. Although he appeared calm and composed, a closer look revealed that his steps were more hurried than usual.

The family was so engrossed in their meal that nobody noticed his departure.

After they finished eating, Yu Lian called the three children over and gave each of them five copper coins. She asked them to go out and play with their village friends, as well as pay respects to the village teacher. She wondered if Widow Zhao had recovered; if not, the young man might not have much of a holiday. No matter how capable he was, what kind of delicious food could a teenage boy prepare?

With the coins from their sister-in-law and some food prepared by Stepmother Mei, the three children set off to visit the village teacher, planning to swing by Uncle Two's later to play with the 'beans.'

Yu Lian strolled around the courtyard to digest her meal, slowly pondering her next move. All the canned goods she had stockpiled before the New Year were sold, and she had received a substantial franchise fee from Lady Li. Adding the seven hundred taels of silver earned before the Laba Festival, she had accumulated quite a sum. What could she do with this money after the celebrations?

Should she continue selling food and expand production, or explore other business opportunities?

As she thought, she saw Zhu Ying and her father-in-law enter the courtyard one after another. Her father-in-law strode in with his hands behind his back, his expression unreadable but with an unusual aura surrounding him, as if he were suppressing some emotion. Yu Lian, with her sharp eyes, noticed the slight redness in his eyes.

Zhu Ying, on the other hand, hung his head, shrugged his shoulders, and shuffled in slowly, looking both guilty and anxious.

Yu Lian called out to her father-in-law, who glanced at her from afar with a complicated expression before forcing a smile and nodding "affectionately."

Yu Lian: "..."

Once her father-in-law had walked away, she stopped Zhu Ying and asked what was wrong.

Zhu Ying froze, barely daring to lift his head to look at the young mistress. He replied softly, "Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sure?"

"Nothing... I just thought of my deceased family. Please, don't worry about me." With that, he hastily retreated.

Yu Lian shook her head helplessly. His voice held a quiver, indicating deep sorrow. It was understandable, given that it was after the New Year, and Zhu Ying was alone. Even living in her household, loneliness could still creep in, especially when remembering his own blood relatives.

Her father-in-law, on the other hand, was peculiar.

The phrase "Hardship most touches the moon in the sky..." is derived from Nalan Xingde's "Butterfly Lovers in Autumn," where the original line reads "Hardship most touches the moon in the sky." The online interpretation shares some overlapping words. The altered line, "After singing by the winter graves, sorrow lingers, recognizing the butterflies in the spring clusters," originally read "After singing by the autumn graves, sorrow lingers, recognizing the butterflies in the spring clusters." The change to 'winter' was made to fit the current context.