Chapter 15: An An, has the Lu family treated you unfairly…

Chapter 15: An An, has the Lu family treated you unfairly...

During her years in Yizhou, Cheng Yian rarely did needlework, mostly managing accounts, assisting her sister-in-law with household affairs, and handling social interactions. Her skills in these feminine arts had long since deteriorated. Back in her younger days in the Cheng family, she was famous for her excellent craftsmanship. Now, unable to produce anything of quality, she feared arousing suspicion. After half a day, she managed to sketch a design for a forehead band, but her stitching was clumsy. In the end, she had no choice but to call Ru Hui for help.

Ru Hui sat on the brocade stool beside her, threading a needle while expressing concern, "What if they recognize it?" She was also puzzled; wasn't the young lady's needlework supposed to be excellent? Why had she suddenly stopped doing it?

Cheng Yian noticed the doubt in her eyes and coughed lightly, making an excuse, "Lu Xusheng said needlework strains the eyes and told me not to do it."

Cheng Yian felt guilty saying this; Lu Xusheng wasn't that thoughtful.

Ru Hui thought about it and realized that since the young lady's marriage, she indeed hadn't touched needlework. It seemed that even though Lu Xusheng was a bit blind, he was quite considerate. "You used to do needlework for the elder master before. I'm just afraid that the elder master's side might find fault with you..."

Cheng Yian reassured her, "Just go ahead and do it. There are dozens of Cheng family ladies, and every day someone sends handmade items to the elder master. Does the elder master really look at each one? They're just stored away to gather dust."

Ru Hui smiled at this, "That's true. Not just the young ladies, but even the wives inside and outside the family are numerous. The elder master probably has a hard time choosing every day."

With her worries gone, Ru Hui began to work.

Cheng Yian sketched a design for the forehead band, and Ru Hui followed it.

In truth, the needlework of the family's wives and daughters was just a gesture of goodwill. The elder master of the northern mansion probably didn't use them, as the northern mansion had a needlework room with twenty master needlewomen alone, not to mention apprentices and managers. These master needlewomen were mostly selected from Gusu, inheriting famous techniques. The embroidered brocades they produced were truly beautiful, and the elder master's clothes were all exquisitely made.

Besides the needlework room, the Cheng family also had fabric rooms, gold and silver rooms, antique rooms, and carriage rooms, not far from the twenty-four bureaus of the imperial palace.

With centuries of heritage, many of their skills were even more refined than those of the imperial palace. The Cheng family's businesses spanned the four seas, and the annual rents collected amounted to tens of millions. They not only provided for the daily needs of the entire family, which numbered in the thousands, but also distributed dividends at the end of the year. For example, their fourth branch relied entirely on the main branch's year-end dividends.

She remembered the year she came of age; the fourth branch received a dividend of fifteen thousand taels. The Cheng family had more than a dozen branches, some with more sub-branches than the fourth, receiving even more. The total distributed silver was at least two hundred thousand taels, making the Cheng family's main branch incredibly wealthy.

So, her little handicraft was really nothing in their eyes.

With this in mind, Cheng Yian felt less burdened and decided to lie down and rest, letting Ru Hui take care of the work.

On the twenty-eighth day of the ninth month, it was the sixty-third birthday of the elder master of the Cheng family's northern mansion. Cheng Mingyu had announced early that there would be no banquet, but given the elder master's status, the Cheng family's gate was still bustling with activity that day.

Early in the morning, Lu Xusheng ordered the carriage to be prepared and personally escorted Cheng Yian to the carriage, "Are you sure you don't want me to go?"

Cheng Yian smiled, "Would you feel comfortable going?"

Lu Xusheng really didn't mind and had Qiu Qing personally drive the carriage, "If anything happens to the young lady, notify me immediately."

"Rest assured, General."

Qiu Qing was an old comrade from Silver Mountain and wasn't used to calling him Second Master, always referring to him as General.

Lu Xusheng nodded and followed the carriage for a while, parting ways at Zhengyang Gate. Lu Xusheng went to the Military Governor's Office, while Cheng Yian headed to the Cheng family garden. The servants outside the Cheng family alley noticed the Lu family's carriage early and hurried to inform the fourth branch. The elder master guessed that Cheng Yian was reluctant to return to the fourth branch and timed the family's appearance at the gate to coincide with Cheng Yian's return, thus entering the northern mansion together.

The elder master held Cheng Yian's hand tightly the entire time. Cheng Yian remembered that her mother still felt uncomfortable seeing the fourth branch's people, but with everyone watching, she couldn't make a scene. The elder master and the third master were on the left, the elder mistress and the third mistress on the right, with Cheng Mingyou and Miao Shi, along with several young ladies and gentlemen of the mansion, trailing behind.

Cheng Yian listened to the occasional conversation between the elder master and the third master, lost in thought.

The elder master suddenly remembered something and said to Cheng Yian,

"Your grandmother has been losing weight these past few days. If An An has time, she should visit home more often. The elder master doesn't listen to anyone else, but she might listen to a few words from you."

The elder master's voice was as gentle as ever. Cheng Yian could even feel his extremely affectionate gaze, which suddenly gave her goosebumps.

Cheng Yian didn't look at him and nodded uncomfortably.

At this moment, the elder mistress glanced at Cheng Yian, then turned her gaze to the attentive elder master, and finally let out a soft scoff.

The northern mansion is built against the mountain, covering a vast area. Upon entering the south gate, one is greeted by a grand main hall, inscribed with the words "Rongzheng Hall." This plaque was bestowed by the emperor in a year when the Cheng family donated their property to the national treasury for disaster relief. To the left and right of the main hall are two side halls: the "Hall of Loyalty" on the left and the "Hall of Respect for the Virtuous" on the right. The main hall is usually closed, and guests are received in the side halls.

To the left and right of the two side halls are the outer studies of the various lords, sons, and young masters of the mansion. Further to the west lies the Cheng family's ancestral hall in the capital. At the beginning and end of each year, the clan leader, Cheng Mingyu, leads the family in conducting grand ceremonies of worship.

From a narrow path between the east side hall and the main hall, one can reach a three-bay banquet hall. The spotless floor tiles in front of the hall are adorned with six pots of neatly trimmed chrysanthemums. The red chrysanthemums, like rosy clouds, cast a dazzling brilliance over the surroundings.

Behind the banquet hall is a small garden. Following the central axis, one arrives at the Chuihua Gate.

Beyond the Chuihua Gate, the scenery transforms entirely. Looking around, one sees carved dragons and painted beams, soaring towers piercing the sky, and silk-clad figures moving through the woods. Everywhere, winding corridors connect, creating a harmonious and unified aesthetic. Unlike the overt opulence of the Lu residence, the Cheng residence's luxury is more understated. For example, the pebble path leading to the old lady's main courtyard winds in nine curves, seemingly unremarkable at first glance, but it is made of a type of jade from the northwest. It is said that this stone contains a natural mineral that, when walked upon barefoot, has the effect of prolonging life.

At the end of this pebble path, nestled within a bamboo grove, is a small pond planted with late-blooming lotuses. Although the lotus season has long passed, the pond is still adorned with pink and yellow lotuses. This is because a warm spring is channeled from the mountain top, keeping the water warm and the lotuses thriving.

These are ordinary scenes with extraordinary qualities.

Passing through this bamboo grove, one arrives at the small three-bay hall on the east side of the old lady's courtyard. This hall has interconnected eaves and corridors on three sides. The small courtyards on either side are filled with exotic flowers, some with cinnabar-like petals, others with fluttering green ribbons, giving the small three-bay hall a unique and elegant charm.

Today, the sun is bright, and the autumn wind is cool. The small three-bay hall is draped with a wind-blocking gauze curtain, white in color, which does not obstruct the view. Inside the hall, it is filled with members of the Cheng family from various branches, mostly young ladies and married women. The lively chatter suddenly ceased as the fourth branch approached from a distance.

"Oh, isn't that Cheng Yian at the front? How does she have the face to come?"

"The rumors have been spreading these past few days. That Young Master from the Lu family truly has no respect for his elders. He wants to stand up for his wife by challenging Princess Minglan. I admire his courage, but it's wrong of him to bring up his uncle's affairs."

Another chimed in, "But having said that, I really admire Young Master Lu's boldness. Sister Yian is quite fortunate."

"You say that, but perhaps Young Master Lu is resentful that Uncle didn't marry Sister Qiao to him and instead married Cheng Yian. Maybe he's venting his dissatisfaction."

"That's quite possible."

The "Sister Qiao" they referred to is Cheng Mingyu's youngest daughter, Cheng Yiqiao, who is nineteen years old, more than two years older than Cheng Yian. It was Cheng Yiqiao whom the emperor had originally favored.

Just as the group finished speaking, a cold, mocking voice came from the corridor.

"Oh, you all can't get over it yourselves, but don't pin it on me. My fiancé recently passed away, and it's only proper for me to mourn him for a year. What does that have to do with Lu Xusheng? If you're jealous of Cheng Yian, don't drag me into it."

The speaker was none other than Cheng Yiqiao, the eldest granddaughter of the main branch of the Cheng family and Cheng Mingyu's beloved daughter, a true princess, cherished by all.

The young ladies, already intimidated by her status, were even more cowed after being caught. They all murmured apologies in hushed tones.

Cheng Yiqiao lazily glanced at them and impatiently gestured toward the flower hall.

"Enough, don't stand here gossiping. The opera troupe in the flower hall is ready. Go and enjoy yourselves."

The young ladies then followed her.

Shortly after, Cheng Yian's group arrived at the main gate of the old lady's courtyard in the northern mansion.

Inside the courtyard, there was a murmur of voices, but it was not noisy. Upon arriving, Cheng Yian stepped back, allowing the elders to take the lead.

The steward, smiling, led the fourth branch inside. In the center of the main hall was the ancestral portrait of the old master. Bypassing the central hall, there was a spacious warm room, now filled with elders from various branches.

Seated on the northern luohan bed was a figure.

She wore a gold-threaded brocade jacket with floral and auspicious cloud patterns, sitting on a golden velvet cushion adorned with lotus patterns. Her plump earlobes were adorned with a pair of round white jade earrings, and she held a string of mammoth tusk beads in her hand. She had no other ornaments. Her long eyebrows and high ears gave her a dignified appearance, and though her eyes seemed to smile as she listened to the people below, her lips were slightly pursed, radiating an aura of quiet authority.

The matron led the group forward and then retreated.

The fourth branch's old lady led her family in paying respects to the matriarch.

"Today is your birthday, sister-in-law. We should have come earlier, but last night I ate some chilled melon, which made me get up during the night, so we were delayed this morning."

The matriarch of the eldest branch glanced at the crowd and nodded with a smile,

"You're too polite, Sister-in-law. It's good that you came."

She didn't say much more.

The matriarch of the fourth branch then took her seat, leaving the rest of the descendants to kowtow in celebration of her birthday.

After the gentlemen had paid their respects and left, it was the turn of the ladies to lead the unmarried girls in kowtowing. Perhaps they were used to the scene, despite the efforts of each branch to curry favor, the old matriarch showed no particular pleasure.

She disliked the fuss, "I have plenty here; there's no need for you to go to such lengths. I'm happy just to see everyone come together." She then bestowed rewards on each one.

Cheng Yi'an, the only daughter married out from the fourth branch, was the last to do so.

As she kowtowed, the warm hall suddenly fell silent. In the past, no one had taken this motherless eldest daughter seriously, but who would have known that she would quietly become the wife of a duke's heir, earning a peerless title through the unparalleled achievements of Lu Xusheng. From now on, she would be on equal footing with the old matriarch seated above.

Truly, a golden phoenix had emerged from the humblest nest, something no one could have predicted.

Yes, the fourth branch of the Cheng family was rather insignificant within the entire clan, so insignificant that—

Among the dozen or so brothers of the old patriarch's generation, he was a secondary son. Neither studious nor particularly outstanding in character, the matriarch of the fourth branch faced much ridicule and coldness from her sisters-in-law when she married in. The early death of the old patriarch left little wealth behind, and with many sons to marry off and daughters to wed, the fourth branch spent money like water. The family's resources were the thinnest among all the branches of the Cheng family. At the end of each year, during the profit distribution, the fourth branch was always at the bottom. The matriarch, unable to compete with the men, shed countless tears in private, vowing to rise above their circumstances.

And now, they had risen.

With a national duke as a son-in-law.

The status of the fourth branch had risen accordingly.

The matriarch of the eldest branch looked at her deeply and beckoned.

"Child, rise."

Cheng Yian presented her embroidery, "Your great-granddaughter has prepared a headband for you, Grandmother."

She chose to say "prepared" rather than "embroidered."

At that moment, Cheng Yian felt a wave of nervousness. She hadn't known before arriving, but now she understood that her cousin Cheng Yiqing had been preparing for a month, creating a hundred-character longevity embroidery for the old lady. Her younger sister Cheng Yiqian had carved a jade pendant, which contained the longevity blessings she personally sought at Xiangshan Temple for the Grandmother. Even the simple-minded younger sister from the third branch, Cheng Yimei, had painted a picture for the Grandmother.

Compared to them, the headband Cheng Yian had her maid embroider in a day was painfully inadequate.

She noticed that others' gifts were received by the matron beside them. So she naturally handed hers to the matron as well. Unexpectedly, the Grandmother's eyes followed the headband.

"Come, let me see it."

She seemed very interested.

Cheng Yian's heart sank, but she had no choice but to hand it over, awkwardly trying to explain, "The craftsmanship of the headband is rough, I hope the Grandmother will forgive me."

But the Grandmother took it and examined it closely.

"Not at all, the stitches are quite fine, and the design is unique."

Nearby sisters-in-law leaned in for a look, and even the old matron beside her gave it a glance, quietly clicking her tongue.

It couldn't be said to be bad; in an ordinary household, it would be considered quite good craftsmanship. But this was the northern mansion of the Cheng family.

The mansion's embroiderers could effortlessly create headbands far superior to this one.

If you insist on praising me, there's nothing we can do about it.

Cheng Yi'an felt quite embarrassed,

"Niece is truly ashamed."

Naturally, there were those who couldn't bear to see this and had to find fault,

"This doesn't seem like An'an's work; her stitches have always been delicate. This headband is finely stitched, but it lacks the grace and fluidity." Then the person changed the tone, scrutinizing Cheng Yi'an,

"Could it be that you've climbed so high that even your ancestors are no longer in your regard?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the matriarch at the head of the table suddenly turned stern,

"Do you think this is a market where you can pick and choose as you please!"

Cheng Yi'an never expected the matriarch to speak up for her and was momentarily stunned.

The old cousin's face fell, and she stammered as she stood up, utterly humiliated,

"The other day, Lu Xusheng spoke disrespectfully, tarnishing Mingyu's reputation. Today, Cheng Yi'an not only fails to apologize but also tries to deceive you. I simply couldn't stand by and say nothing."

The matriarch frowned,

"Have your eyes grown blind? An'an almost met with disaster, and we were worried sick. Even if Lu Xusheng said some harsh words, what does a little damage to Mingyu's reputation matter compared to An'an's safety?"

The old cousin's face was full of embarrassment. She thought to herself that even the matriarch from the Northern Manor had to show respect to Lu Xusheng and give Cheng Yi'an face. Truly, the world had gone mad. Where was the usual arrogance and condescension?

Of course, she didn't dare voice these thoughts and sat down, feeling foolish.

The old matriarch, however, held the forehead band in her palm,

"I think this forehead band is quite nice; I'll wear it later." She then asked Cheng Yian,

"Has the Lu family treated you unfairly?"

In her past life, the old lady had asked her the same question, and at that time, she was gentle and unwilling to stir up trouble, naturally saying it was fine.

But now, it truly was fine.

"It's quite good; my husband respects and cherishes me."

Hearing this, the old matriarch leaned back against the pillow and laughed, "I can see that."

He even dared to halt Princess Minglan's carriage, threatening to cut off Cheng Mingyu's fingers, which shows how much he treasures Cheng Yian.

Cheng Yian, sensing the teasing, blushed and curtsied,

"He spoke impulsively and misspoke; I hope you and my uncle won't hold it against him."

The old matriarch waved it off with a smile, "In any case, if you face any grievances in the Lu family, come to me; I will surely stand up for you. Our Cheng family's daughters are all precious; we don't endure unnecessary grievances outside."

Looking at the incredibly loving old lady, Cheng Yian felt a surge of emotions. If she had bravely returned to complain in her previous life, the old lady would surely have stood up for her, showing that sometimes one cannot be too honest.

"Thank you, old matriarch."

Then the old lady instructed the maid to hand over a prepared brocade box to Cheng Yian.

The other sisters, regardless of closeness, each received a string of pearl bracelets, but only her gift was boxed.

From the side, this is a display of prestige.

Everyone saw it and remained silent, thinking to themselves that Cheng Yian had married into a higher social standing and was being treated differently.

Cheng Yian knew that inside the box was an extremely rare coral bracelet, with a rich and warm color, as red as ox-blood. In her past life, the matriarch had also given her such an item. At that time, she didn't know its value, but later, when she went to Yizhou and encountered a similar coral bracelet, she realized that this one must have cost at least two to three thousand taels of silver. What made it even more precious was that it came from the sea, a rarity that was hard to come by. In her past life, her attire had caught the matriarch's eye, and she was rewarded with this item, which was somewhat justified. But why was she given it again in this life?

It could only be said that Lu Xusheng's influence was truly significant.

Cheng Yian held the item and stepped aside.

At that moment, a silver bell-like laughter came from behind the screen,

"Grandmother, your granddaughter has been busy setting up the stage and is late. Have I delayed the banquet?"

In this room where everyone spoke softly, only this person's voice was loud and full of energy. She walked in with her skirt fluttering, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness.

Interrupted by her, the old lady set the forehead band aside and shifted her gaze,

"You know you're late, don't you? What time is it? If it weren't for your sister-in-law fetching you, you'd still be lazing around..."

The young girl walked in with a smile, wearing a gold headpiece, a pair of jade bracelets on her wrists, and a string of multicolored tourmaline beads, each as large as a fingernail, hanging from her chest, extremely rare. It was Cheng Yiqiao, who had just silenced the idle chatter.

She went straight to the matriarch's side, sat down, and hugged her arm, acting coquettishly,

"What's the big deal? They are all our elders, the most compassionate and caring. They won't hold it against me, right, aunties?"

The old lady from the sixth branch laughed, "Truly, Qiao has a silver tongue. With what you've said, even if we wanted to blame you, we couldn't."

The matriarch snorted lightly, "We can't say anything to you, we'll just wait for your father to come back and teach you a lesson." Then she added,

"Alright, since you're here, quickly take these sisters to the flower hall to play. Don't stay here and get bored."

The ladies and young girls from various branches all murmured their reluctance,

"It's our fortune to benefit from being in your presence."

Cheng Yiqiao then stepped off the footrest and generously invited,

"Sisters and sisters-in-law, follow me to the flower hall. I've prepared a few good plays for you. Let's enjoy them first, otherwise, after the lunch banquet, there won't be any place for us."

After the lunch banquet would be the old ladies' theater session.

The matriarch, hearing her chatter, chided, "Alright, you're as mischievous as a monkey. If you want to watch after the lunch banquet, how could I not allow it?"

Not long after, the wife of Cheng Yiyan, the mistress of the main branch, also came in and, together with Cheng Yiqiao, welcomed the young wives and ladies out. Cheng Yian was also pulled out by a sister-in-law from the eighth branch.

Only a few elderly ladies and mistresses remained in the room.

The old lady from the sixth branch glanced at Cheng Yian's departing figure and said to the old lady from the fourth branch sitting at the upper left,

"Fourth sister-in-law, I heard that An An returned to the mansion some time ago, demanding her mother's dowry. What's going on? Our Cheng family is the most rule-abiding, never allowing men to covet women's dowries. If this matter were reported to the censorate, our family head would be disgraced."

This old lady from the sixth branch was also a widow, living next to the fourth branch, and often clashed with the old lady from the fourth branch.

Among the sisters-in-law, the old lady from the fourth branch disliked her the most.

The old lady from the fourth branch remained calm and replied without showing any emotion,

"An An's marriage was arranged by Mingyu, and the dowry list was also reviewed by him. If you have any doubts, you can go and ask him."

The old mistress of the sixth branch snorted disdainfully.

As if she didn’t know already, Cheng Mingyu didn’t want to get involved in the power struggle between the emperor and the empress dowager, so he chose Cheng Yian from the side branch to marry off, and privately added a lot of dowry to Cheng Yian. Otherwise, with the financial situation of the fourth branch, could they have come up with 168 dowry chests?

"Don’t be evasive, An An’s dowry is indeed substantial, but that doesn’t mean her mother’s belongings were all given to her. Otherwise, such a well-behaved girl wouldn’t have come home to cause trouble with you. What kind of person An An is, we, her aunts, have all seen it clearly. She is definitely not the kind of ungrateful person." She winked at the sisters-in-law from the other branches, and they all nodded in agreement.

The old mistress of the fourth branch knew they were all jealous of her, trying every way to mock her, but she remained unperturbed, even responding kindly, "She is my granddaughter whom I raised with my own hands, how could I wrong her?"

Hearing this, the family head, holding the forehead band, felt a pang of sadness and suddenly waved her hand impatiently,

"Enough, let’s all stop talking."

Just then, a matron came in, announcing that the family head had passed through the Chuihua Gate.

Everyone knew that Cheng Mingyu had returned from court and couldn’t linger, so they all rose and headed to the banquet hall.

As soon as these people left, steady footsteps were heard outside the screen. The family head, for some reason, suddenly spoke earnestly to the old matron beside her,

"Last night, someone eagerly sent this string of beads. I just saw that An An is fair and clean, and it must look very good on her wrist, so I gave it to her. I wonder if I misunderstood?"

The old matron glanced outside and smiled lightly,

"Your eyesight has always been excellent; you must not be mistaken."