Chapter 44: The Story Scroll ◇

◎ Does it feel like he chased away the one you love? ◎

That very afternoon, the entire Hua family was bustling with activity. The matriarch and Hua Zhan were learning to build a pigsty, while Mrs. Chen followed Second Aunt to learn how to feed chickens, pigs, and geese, leaving them all occupied.

Taking advantage of the lull, Yu Lian pulled aside her mother-in-law, Mrs. Chen, and Mei Concubine, assigning them tasks.

"Mei Concubine, you're quick and nimble. From now on, you'll be in charge of the household chores around here."

Mei Concubine lowered her head for a moment before responding, "Alright..."

She hadn't planned on saying anything, but as Yu Lian turned to leave, she called out to her, asking, "And Lady...?"

Mrs. Chen looked over as well. Yu Lian took her mother-in-law's hand and walked towards the house, explaining, "I've bought some cloth. Mother, your embroidery skills are excellent. Please help me sew some clothing, two sets each for adults and children. One set should be made from fine cotton, and the other from coarse cloth. Use fine cotton for the undergarments, and make an extra set."

Mrs. Chen hastily agreed. Surveying the house and yard, she felt that there was no task suitable for her. Her husband and mother-in-law were busy with their own affairs, the three children were learning how to feed the animals, and Mei Concubine had been given a role. She found herself with nothing to do, feeling unable to contribute anywhere.

She knew nothing about farm work and wasn't sure how to interact with the villagers. The task Yu Lian assigned to her played to her strengths, and she wouldn't have to leave the house to deal with others, greatly alleviating her discomfort in this new environment.

Yu Lian smiled and said, "You don't have to work on it all day. A couple of hours each day will do. Otherwise, it could strain your eyes, and there's no rush to finish the clothes."

Mrs. Chen replied, "Don't worry, Lian'er. I'm used to sewing clothes. Back in the capital, I often made garments for them, your father and Hua'er. Hua'er particularly loved the robes I made for her…" As she spoke, Mrs. Chen's eyes reddened once more.

Lowering her eyebrows slightly, Yu Lian fell silent for a few seconds before taking her mother-in-law's hand and leading her into the house. She retrieved the fabrics for her.

Mrs. Chen felt the fabric, frowning. In her entire life, she had never seen such poor quality material. Even the finest cotton felt rough against her hands, a far cry from the exclusive fabrics available at the grandest cloth merchants in the capital. The coarse cloth beneath was so rough that it would be unsuitable even for curtains.

Could clothes made from these materials be wearable?

Thinking about her family having to wear clothes made from such fabric, her already reddened eyes grew even redder.

After a moment, she asked softly, "What style does Lian'er want? These fabrics seem rather crude, and many intricate patterns won't come out well. Even if they do, they might not look elegant."

Yu Lian replied, "Mother, I'm not very skilled in needlework. Please decide on the design yourself. Just one request: make sure they're simple and comfortable, allowing for ease of movement. Take a look at how the villagers dress and copy their styles."

Mrs. Chen recalled the attire of the villagers and fell silent.

Even the lowest servants in the East Yuan Marquis's household dressed better than they did!

By dusk, the entire family finally paused their labor.

Yu Lian accompanied Aunt Mei to prepare dinner. Little Guo'er, reluctant to part from the piglets drinking water in the makeshift pen her father had constructed, turned around and joined them, eager to assist with the firewood.

For dinner, they prepared cold noodles. The wheat flour was purchased from Second Uncle's house the previous day. While Grandma Two had come to teach them about raising pigs, she also instructed them on kneading dough, making steamed buns, and rolling noodles. Aunt Mei, despite her humble upbringing, had learned some household chores as a child and quickly recalled these skills, adapting swiftly.

Aunt Mei took charge of most of the cooking. She boiled the rolled noodles, drained them, and set them aside to cool. Then, she mixed shredded cucumbers and carrots with sauce and noodles, creating a refreshing bowl of cold noodles.

Considering everyone's hard work that day, Yu Lian decided to make an egg custard as an additional treat.

At the table, due to their hard work today, everyone was ravenously hungry. Ignoring the adults, the three children whined loudly about their hunger, staring eagerly. Their eyes lit up even more when they saw the egg custard.

Yet, the twins grumbled, "We want meat. It's been so long since we've had it. I crave the braised pork knuckle from First Rank Tower in the capital. That's truly delicious."

It was Hua Xing who spoke, but despite receiving a glare from their grandmother, he persisted with a pouting mouth, "Not just that, there's also the roast goose from Spring Phoenix Pavilion, Chef Wang's drunken chicken and drunken spare ribs in our estate, and the desserts from the Imperial Kitchen that Father brings back from the palace..." He couldn't stop listing them, counting on his fingers as he went.

As he spoke, his eyes reddened from the injustice of it all.

Hua Yan also started to cry, and the two brothers cried out together in unison, their voices filled with sorrow, "What kind of life is this?"

Before their father could scold them, the twins wiped their eyes, grabbed their bowls, and started eating noisily, each taking large spoonfuls of egg custard. Once they were full, they left the table and ran towards the yard.

Mrs. Chen called after them, "Where are you going?"

The twins replied in unison, "We're feeding the piglets. When they grow big and we sell them for silver, we can return to the capital!"

Little Guo'er quickly finished her last bite and rushed outside as well. She also wanted to work hard to feed the pigs, sell them for money, and return to the capital so she could find her aunt.

With the children gone, only the adults remained at the table, looking at each other silently, unable to find words.

The matriarch let out a long sigh and said, "Eat, eat. What do children know?"

...

Yu Lian lowered her head to eat, but her mind was preoccupied. She had thought that living peacefully and enjoying her simple life would be enough, but perhaps she was the only one in the family with this mindset. The others, even the three young children, had not fully left their past behind. The task of adjusting them to rural life was a daunting one.

Hua Zhan was the first to set down his chopsticks. He went outside to the yard, standing with his hands behind his back, gazing silently at the sky.

The women in the house finished eating, washed the dishes, and prepared water for the children's bath before each retiring to their own rooms.

Yu Lian boiled water herself and, with great care, wiped her body clean, planning to ask her second uncle tomorrow to find a carpenter to help build some furniture and a bathtub for soaking.

While the Hua family was gradually settling in Upper Village, their tales could still be heard everywhere in the capital.

Despite the East Yuan Marquis's residence being sealed off by the authorities, people would often stroll by, eager for a glimpse of what remained.

Each time they passed the grand gates and the stone lions guarding them, they sighed, lamenting the whims of fate. The once-mighty East Yuan Marquis had lost his son and been forced to return home in disgrace, leaving the vast estate deserted.

Most people were still captivated by the tragic love story between the sixth lady of the State Duke's mansion and the late heir of the East Yuan Marquis. Initially, when Yu Lian moved into the East Yuan Marquis's residence, there were whispers that she would soon regret her decision. But now, with her leaving the capital with her in-laws to endure hardships in the countryside, no one dared to utter such words anymore.

New editions of the storybook about East Yuan Marquis's heir, Hua Ji, and Lady Yu Lian, the sixth daughter, continued to emerge, each more poignant and devoted than the last. Listeners were moved to tears, and even the opera troupes adapted their tale into performances.

Recently, there was another lively topic circulating among those who frequented the East Yuan Marquis's gate. They noticed the commotion next door, where a certain prince's residence was filled with the sounds of hammering and clanging.

Upon inquiry, it was discovered that the prince's mansion had suffered a calamity. Li Xiang, the legitimate youngest son of the Ru Yang Marquis, had vanished for a while and returned, seemingly mad. He rode his horse into the prince's residence, causing chaos and destruction.

"I've heard they had to tear down the wall that bordered the East Yuan Marquis's residence, and now they're hurriedly repairing it."

"Usually, there's no interaction between the old prince and the Ru Yang Marquis's household. Why would he provoke that young tyrant?"

"Moreover, he holds the title of a Duke, and is a member of the royal family. How dare Young Master Li be so audacious as to provoke trouble at his residence?"

Due to the recent commotion in front of the East Yuan Marquis's mansion, with numerous commoners coming to spectate or reminisce about the unfolding stories, vendors seized the opportunity to set up tea stalls, even offering snacks. This turned the area into a bustling scene.

The elderly Duke's household tried to chase people away, but to no avail. The vendors argued that they were only operating in front of the East Yuan Marquis's gates, not obstructing the Duke's property; what was the harm?

On this day, the tea stall was as usual, packed with patrons. They munched on sunflower seeds, sipped their tea, and gossiped about the antics within the old Duke's residence. The clinking sounds from the Duke's estate served as a peculiar background melody, eliciting laughter from the listeners.

A scholar with a silk scarf on his head chuckled and said, "What difference does it make if they're royalty or aristocrats? Young Master Li is also part of the royal family. Nowadays, rank doesn't matter as much as the favor one receives from the Emperor. The Empress Dowager is currently in favor, and the Ru Yang Marquis has been entrusted with important tasks. Rumor has it that he's about to become the prime minister. How much less prestigious is the current Ru Yang Marquis House compared to the former East Yuan Marquis? Besides, that old Duke has no real power aside from his royal lineage. I've heard the Emperor even spared him from attending court due to his old age."

The scholar burst into laughter. "Let alone tearing down one of his walls, he wouldn't dare to so much as fart if we didn't touch his concubine!"

The entire teahouse burst into laughter. When the mirth subsided, someone commented, "I heard that the old Marquis's grandson was also given a sound beating by Mister Li, that little plump fellow. I happened to pass by here that day and heard him crying out in agony. Could it be that the child provoked Mister Li?"

Oh, why bother with such matters? Is there a new tale about Miss Sixth today? Fetch it quickly for me to peruse.

"The script exists... but this time, it's rather unique. Previously, the stories were all about Miss Sixth and Prince Dongyuan. However, in this new version, Prince Dongyuan is portrayed as a deceitful and faithless man who broke Miss Sixth's heart. At her wits' end, she encounters an upright scholar. This scholar comes to Miss Sixth's rescue, and together, they forge a beautiful love story."

"I've brought the latest edition of the storybook, freshly released by June Publishing House this morning. It's been selling like hotcakes, and this is the last copy."

Tea-drinking spectators: "......."

At the residence of the Ru Yang Marquis...

Li Xiang held the storybook, engrossed in the part where the scholar and the sixth young miss finally unite in love, reading it over twenty times without tiring. He had indeed returned home in disgrace and been rejected by his beloved, but no one said he couldn't write storybooks. Now that Lian'er was no longer around, he could write whatever pleased him.

With this thought, he rubbed his hands together, ready to plan the next book. This time, he would still write about Lian'er and himself. What kind of irredeemable villain should he make Hua Ji, the deceased? Perhaps a bald monk consumed with jealousy and unrequited love.

Just as he was about to head to his study to start writing, he heard his father's furious roar from afar, followed by an object flying towards him, narrowly missing his forehead.

"Damn kid, what have you done now? Why did you destroy the Old Marquis's residence and even tear down their wall? Does that wall have a grudge against you? Today, the imperial censor and the Old Marquis filed a complaint to the Emperor, and with the Empress having given birth to a crown prince, the Emperor is preparing to reselect cabinet ministers. You really know how to cause trouble for your father at such a crucial time!"

Li Xiang scrambled away, then, when his father approached, he clung to his arm ingratiatingly. "Who asked him to keep his grandson in check? A mere marquis, eight generations removed from the Emperor, acting all high and mighty every day. I couldn't stand it."

His father sneered. " Couldn't stand it? There are plenty of arrogant people in the capital, yet you don't go picking fights with all of them."

"Was it because he drove away your beloved?"

Li Xiang turned her head to meet her father's meaningful gaze, and with a stiff neck, she admitted frankly, "If he hadn't allowed his plump son to bully Hua Ji's two younger brothers, Lian'er wouldn't have thought of moving away. If she hadn't left the capital, I would still have had a chance. But now that she's gone, I have nothing..."

"Let this matter rest. Don't ever mention it again, nor the East Yuan Marquis' family! The position of Junior Minister in the Supreme Court is vacant. Improve your behavior in the coming days and don't cause trouble. I'll try to secure it for you."

With a mournful expression, Li Xiang thought that the next storybook might be a long time coming.

...

These days, apart from the Ru Yang Marquis' residence, the Wei Duke's manor had experienced the most significant upheaval.