Chapter 39

Chapter 39

The 15th day of the first lunar month was another bustling affair. Once it passed, the New Year celebrations officially concluded. Students returned to their studies, workers resumed their duties, and the emperor recommenced his official responsibilities.

On the 16th, after the early morning court session, Marquis Yongyi had an "affectionate and amicable" conversation with Duke Cheng'en, as described by an anonymous official who had the fortune of observing from a distance. It was said that Duke Cheng'en was so overjoyed that his face flushed red, and his walk seemed more sprightly than usual.

That very evening, a messenger was sent from Lady Zhang's quarters to convey the news that Duke Cheng'en had flown into a rage, arguing with his wife and severely punishing his favored concubine. Even Li Hui's husband, the beloved child of his old age, did not escape this punishment and was harshly whipped.

As for the concubine's niece and her entire family, they were all dispatched to live on their country estate.

These actions sent shockwaves throughout the entire Duke Cheng'en's residence, making everyone realize that involving outsiders in domestic strife could only lead to their downfall.

Meng Die merely listened to these developments with one ear, for she was now swamped with tasks. After sending off Manager Ding, she was engrossed in reading Zhuang Ming's writings.

February was just around the corner after the New Year, and her cousin Zhuang Ming was about to face the execution ground – no, the examination hall. At this moment, she had to give him a last-minute cram session; if he wasn't studying to death, he would study until he almost did.

Busy days passed swiftly, and before she knew it, the day of the exam arrived.

The examination hall was located in the southeast of the Forbidden City, while the marquis residence was to the east. Initially, Meng Die had invited Zhuang Ming to spend the night at her place, as it was closer to the examination hall, allowing him to get more rest on the day of the test.

Zhuang Ming, after much deliberation, still declined. He was already on edge, and suddenly changing his sleeping place might not result in more sleep; it could mean he wouldn't sleep at all that night.

Meng Die had seen plenty of complaints about such situations on the internet in her other world, so she understood Zhuang Ming's predicament and didn't insist.

Wen Shi arrived with her maid to pay a visit. Upon entering, she saw Meng Die sitting in a chair with lifeless, fixed eyes, as if she were a fool.

Approaching Meng Die stealthily, Wen Shi waved her hand in front of Meng Die's face. Yet Meng Die remained unresponsive, akin to a blind person.

Wen Shi asked the maid, "What's happened to your grandmother?"

"Master Zhuang is taking the imperial examination today, and our lady has been as still as a statue since yesterday," Xing Huang criticized without any mercy.

Wen Shi couldn't help but chuckle.

Hearing the sounds from inside, Meng Die finally regained her senses. "Eh? Eldest Sister, when did you arrive?"

Wen Shi slowly sat down. "It's a good thing we're close, or someone unfamiliar with you might have thought we had an extra fool in the family with the way you were just now. What on earth were you thinking?"

"Oh, just daydreaming! I was so busy all the time, and suddenly, with nothing to do, I feel strangely empty instead of relaxed," Meng Die replied, taking the teacup from the maid and passing it to Wen Shi.

Wen: "In that case, there's something you can attend to. What are you planning to give as a gift for Second Sister Jin's coming-of-age ceremony?"

Meng Die: "What is Eldest Sister planning to give?"

Wen didn't hide her intentions: "I'm thinking of a hair ornament, one that can be worn either in the hair or as a forehead decoration."

Meng Die: "Then I'll present a necklace. Could you show me the design of your hair ornament? That way, when I have mine crafted, I'll ensure it complements yours."

"Very well." Wen sipped her tea. "There's also another matter. We need to start preparing the head ornaments and jewelry for Second Sister Jin's wedding day."

Meng Die paused in surprise. "It's already been arranged? Whose family?"

Wen Shi replied, "The second legitimate grandson of Minister Chen from the Board of Stable Affairs."

Meng Die asked, "The Empress Dowager's family, who is also the Lady De in the palace?"

Wen Shi was taken aback. "You even know that?"

Meng Die explained, "My father used to work in the Hanlin Academy and often drafted imperial edicts for His Majesty. The edict that sealed her as a concubine back then was written by my father."

Wen's family was astonished. "No wonder, my father always said that the Hanlin Academy was different, being the emperor's close advisors. I didn't understand it before, but now I see what he meant."

The Hanlin Academy was essentially the emperor's advisory team. Though their official titles might not seem grand, they had frequent access to the emperor. In this world, not only did pillow talk carry weight, but so did the influence of those close to the emperor.

Meng Die smiled.

Wen's family asked, "Since you're aware, how is their family?"

Meng Die replied, "Empress Dowager De was appointed as a Concubine by the late Emperor when he was still the Crown Prince, during the reign of the Great Ancestor. It's said that she has always been diligent and modest, with an especially close relationship with Empress." Meng Die lowered her voice to share a piece of gossip. "Rumor has it that during the late Emperor's reign, when the Crown Princess was humiliated by the Empress, it was Lady De who stepped forward to take the blame."

Wen Shi nodded in agreement.

Meng Die: "I don't have much knowledge about Minister Chen from the Taiburi Temple, but there's something that doesn't sit well with me."

Wen Shi: "What is it?"

Meng Die: "Minister Chen's current wife isn't his first wife. He has four sons and four daughters in total. His eldest son was born to his first wife, while the second son is a concubine's child. The third and fourth sons were born to his second wife. The eldest daughter, who is Empress Dowager De Fei, was also born to the first wife. The second daughter is from a concubine, as is the third daughter, and I've heard that the fourth daughter might be from a concubine too."

"Wen Father is considering the second-born legitimate son of the elder branch for Jin sister," Wen Shi said with a slight sigh. "You know about Jin sister's marriage prospects. She's the eldest daughter of their generation, and traditionally, the eldest daughter marries the eldest son to become the head of the family. But unfortunately..."

Unfortunately, Li Jin was a concubine-born daughter. No family of equal status would ever consider marrying their son to a concubine's daughter as the head of the family. But if Li Jin were to marry beneath her, how could her older sisters, who came after her, be properly married off?

Nobles and scholarly officials had different perspectives. For scholars, they usually climbed the ranks gradually, so when forming alliances through marriage, they considered their current position. Many younger sons ended up marrying into better families than their older brothers, which was not criticized but envied, as it indicated the man's successful career progression.

But for nobles, it was a different story. Their debut in society was often their peak, and they sought alliances at that height. If they didn't, others would assume their family was on the decline. Thus, the eldest son and daughter of noble families took extra caution when arranging marriages.

Moreover, due to dowry considerations, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate daughters was particularly emphasized. Legitimate daughters could inherit an additional portion of their mother's wealth, while concubine-born daughters did not have this privilege.

"Wife has been worried sick over Sister Jin's marriage," Wen said with a sigh. "There are far too few suitable families in the capital now. Back then, when Aunt's generation was young, there weren't enough eligible bachelors in the city, so marrying outside was quite normal."

Meng Die: "I'm aware of that, and at that time, not long after battles had ended, many military commanders still held deep bonds forged through life and death. Whether it was a lower-ranking woman marrying up or a higher-ranking man marrying down, their camaraderie mattered more than anything else. Outsiders wouldn't dare comment much, and there weren't as many strict rules in place."

Wen Shi: "Indeed, nowadays, there are more rules than ever, and emotions have grown colder. People emphasize matching social status and being from the same city's elite circles."

The most tragic part was that in the tide of such societal changes, an individual's influence was negligible. As the broader environment shifted, one could only adapt, unless they aimed to be a founding emperor like Taizu.

Meng Die pondered her own situation: "Even with a step-grandmother in the family, at least my mother-in-law is my blood relative. If anything were to happen, it wouldn't fall on me, a secondary wife. There's still my mother-in-law and eldest sister-in-law to take charge."

"That's true," agreed the other.

As the two sisters-in-law chatted, they also finalized the design of the headdress ornaments. Li Jin was not only the eldest daughter of their generation in the Marquis's residence but also of the First Branch. As the two elder sisters-in-law, during the addition of dowry items, it was imperative that they not appear stingy, yet they also couldn't be overly ostentatious.