Chapter 31: Chapter 31 (Two Chapters Combined)

Chapter 31: A Double Chapter

Could Aunt Hua still be alive?

In her previous life, She Niang had no idea her grandmother was still living. Even when she became empress, her father had already passed away, and the family was supported by her brother.

Now that the family had separated, her father could search for his own mother, but finding her was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Everyone had given up hope, so it was shocking to hear she had been found.

When she told Li Niang, Li Niang was also bewildered: "In such a vast world, could it be a deception?"

"Why would you say that? Father would surely chide you if he heard. Who knows how much suffering our grandmother has endured?" She Niang sighed.

But when Li Niang thought of their grandmother, her impression was of Old Madam Pei. As for this birth grandmother, she had little memory and felt a certain trepidation about meeting her.

After the sisters returned home, they went straight to the main house. Two maids hurriedly lifted the curtain: "Young ladies, please come in quickly."

She Niang followed Li Niang inside and was surprised to see a middle-aged woman seated above Yu Shi. She looked about forty years old, wearing a sapphire-blue short jacket woven with gold thread and decorative patterns, with a white polished silk skirt with raised thread patterns and her hair in a bun. Though she appeared travel-worn, she looked like a woman of wealth.

Given her age, she couldn’t be Aunt Hua, who should be at least in her fifties. Then, looking at her father, who had grown a beard during the mourning period and appeared much older, the two seemed almost the same age.

Unexpectedly, Pei Yiqing said to She Niang and her sister, "This is your grandmother. Come quickly and kowtow."

Servants brought cushions, and after She Niang and Li Niang kowtowed, the cushions were taken away. Yu Shi gestured for them to come forward. Li Niang, ever sweet-tongued, immediately smiled and said, "Grandmother looks so young, I hardly dared recognize you."

Grandmother Hua took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, then took each by the hand: "You are both so beautiful, both so lovely."

She Niang wasn’t sure what to say, but then Grandmother Hua took off the gold filigree cat’s eye stone bracelets from her wrists and gave one to each of them.

"Thank you, Grandmother," She Niang said with a smile.

Pei Yiqing also took out a handkerchief to wipe his tears: "Mother, since you’ve returned, why must you leave? Please, you must stay. Let your son and daughter-in-law care for you, and let your grandchildren enjoy your company."

Unexpectedly, Grandmother Hua intended to leave. She Niang heard Yu Shi also trying to persuade her.

Finally, Pei Yiqing said to Li Niang, "Take your sister and go now."

It was clear they were not to listen further, so Li Niang and She Niang returned to their room. She Niang wanted to discuss Grandmother Hua with Li Niang, but Li Niang didn’t seem very interested. Though she had called her "Grandmother" earlier, now she was unconcerned again.

She had to ask Gui Fang, who was on duty in the room: "What happened today? When we went out, we didn’t know someone had come. Now they say my grandmother has returned. Did you see anything?"

Gui Fang shook her head: "I’ve been waiting in the room the whole time. They only said an important guest had come to the main hall, but I didn’t dare ask around."

The person had been found by the chief steward, who told her and her sister, but it was still kept secret from others.

She Niang took off her outer clothes and changed. When Dong Mei tried to remove her bracelet, she stopped her: "Not yet, I’ll keep it on for now."

Back in the main hall, Grandmother Hua was saying: "It’s fortunate you found me through Auntie Huang. Back then, the madam wanted to sell me to a mine in another province, but Auntie Huang didn’t listen to her and took pity on me. Coincidentally, the youngest son of the heir to the Prince of Xiang was looking for a wet nurse, so she recommended me."

What followed was difficult for her to say, but Pei Yiqing, understanding human affairs, said, "Is the Old Prince of Xiang the same as the heir to the Prince of Xiang back then?"

Grandmother Hua nodded: "Yes, the title of Prince of Xiang is hereditary."

At this, Grandmother Hua seemed relieved: "Back then, caring for that child was like caring for you. The Prince of Xiang’s consort was very jealous, and I just focused on being a good wet nurse. Unexpectedly, the consort fell ill and died a year later. With no one to attend to the heir, and since I was also pregnant, I was raised to be his companion. Later, when the heir succeeded as Prince of Xiang, I became his Secondary Consort. The third, sixth, and ninth sons of the Prince of Xiang are all mine."

No wonder Mother wanted to leave. She had remarried and followed the Prince of Xiang to his fief in Huguang. If not for tracking down Auntie Huang and her help, he might never have seen his mother again.

Yu Shi was also wide-eyed: "Then back then, you and the old madam—"

Grandmother Hua was very free-spirited: "It was simply a case of winner takes all. She couldn’t tolerate me, and since I had Fourth Lang and Sixth Lang, I naturally wanted to secure more for them. In the end, I was outmatched, but I hold no grudges. Truthfully, I was also afraid of life as a concubine, but so what? If I cared too much about worldly opinions, I might not have survived till today."

Pei Yiqing was deeply moved. He said to Grandmother Hua, "I know it’s not easy for you to come from the fief. Today, please allow your son to show his filial piety."

The Prince of Xiang had many children and consorts—young concubines, other wives, and palace women. Grandmother Hua had navigated complex harem struggles but still traveled far to come. She had expected her son to blame her, but instead, he was so filial, and her daughter-in-law, from a scholarly family, was gentle and seemingly uncontending, making for a beautiful family.

It was just a pity her grandson Pei Ji was at the academy and couldn’t return immediately.

At dinner, Grandmother Hua sat at the head, with Pei Yiqing and Yu Shi on either side, and Li Niang and She Niang below. The table was set with a roasted lamb leg, made by Xia Mama, who had even prepared knife-cut noodles—all authentic Shanxi dishes, along with Fujian specialties like large yellow croaker with silver threads, seafood in chicken broth, and oyster omelets.

Grandmother Hua directly picked up the lamb leg and started eating. She Niang was stunned; the women she had seen always ate very delicately, rarely like this.

Seeing She Niang’s surprise, Grandmother Hua laughed: "When I was young, I could eat not just a roasted lamb leg but a whole suckling pig. I was full of energy back then, but now I’m old and not as strong."

In She Niang’s imagination, she had thought Grandmother Hua would be someone very refined and elegant. Though over fifty, she looked barely forty, with striking features, but she turned out to be so down-to-earth.

Thinking of Old Madam Pei, who was always stern and aloof, She Niang felt this grandmother was much more approachable.

"Having a good appetite is a great blessing, Grandmother. Eat heartily; later, I’ll make you hawthorn and barley tea to aid digestion and cut the grease. It’s sweet and sour and very tasty." She Niang thought that given her grandmother’s attire, she probably lacked nothing, so she wouldn’t pry but simply do her filial duty.

As a child, she always wanted to get to the bottom of everything, but later she learned the value of sometimes letting things be.

Grandmother Hua had initially found She Niang quiet but very perceptive, tall, and intelligent. She was first surprised, then smiled: "Then I’ll trouble you, Granddaughter."

She then spoke with Yu Shi about family matters. Yu Shi said, "We originally wanted to find a scholarly family for Li Niang, but the old madam directly arranged a marriage with the youngest son of the Marquis of Dingbei. She Niang isn’t betrothed yet. She’s different from other girls—good at writing essays, skilled in needlework and tea brewing. Who knows who will win our daughter in the future?"

After the meal, She Niang brought the digestive tea. Grandmother Hua took a sip and found it had no odd taste but was very refreshing. In the prince’s residence, she had granddaughters, but few were as exceptionally beautiful as Li Niang and She Niang. Moreover, She Niang was knowledgeable and tactful.

"Quanzhou has plenty of lychees now; you must try some," She Niang said with a smile.

Grandmother Hua agreed immediately, without putting on airs like other elders, which relieved She Niang. Then Li Niang asked, "Grandmother, where did you come from?"

"From Xiangyang Prefecture in Huguang," Grandmother Hua didn’t hide it. She started as a wet nurse, then became a concubine, and finally a Secondary Consort. She had always struggled, whereas Pei’s children, with their former husband’s high status, could offer more than she could.

She had also been a girl from a scholarly family. Sons always needed to pursue official careers, and the Hedong Pei family was both a renowned clan and a great imperial examination family. Her sons would have better prospects with the Pei family. Moreover, if Old Madam Pei learned of her situation, she might expose it, and Grandmother Hua could fall out of favor.

So, she could come now because she had firmly established herself, received an official title, and Old Madam Pei was now a widow in her hometown, so she feared nothing.

Seeing she had answered, She Niang asked, "Do you live in Xiangyang now?"

Grandmother Hua nodded: "Yes, I’ve lived there for many years."

"That’s a place of great changes. I never thought you’d come from so far away." She Niang smiled, noticing her clothes were ordinary, but her earrings were of imperial make, likely connected to the palace—either from the Prince of Xiang’s residence or an official’s wife.

After chatting a bit more, Yu Shi saw it was late and arranged for Grandmother Hua to rest in the guest room.

She Niang then saw the servants accompanying Grandmother Hua—their hair impeccably done, all rules followed unlike ordinary official families. Even their bedding was brought from home, not using the Pei family’s things.

So, leaving the guest room, She Niang asked Yu Shi: "Mother, after Grandmother left the Pei family, did she marry into the Prince of Xiang’s residence?"

Yu Shi was startled: "How did you know, child?"

"Just a guess. So it’s true?" She Niang was very surprised.

Yu Shi explained Aunt Hua’s background: "She is now the Secondary Consort of the Old Prince of Xiang, officially recorded in the jade register, and has borne three sons for the Prince of Xiang. I heard before coming, she was fiercely competing with the Prince of Xiang’s current main wife, so she must return early tomorrow morning."

She Niang was astonished: "Is that really so?"

A Secondary Consort to the Prince of Xiang? Truly unbelievable.

She still remembered that after the Prince of Jin became emperor, he summoned all the imperial clans to the capital to pay homage. She had some impression of the Princess of Xiang, but judging by age, the Princess of Xiang should actually be the consort of the heir apparent, as she appeared to be around the same age as herself.

This made her recall her past life when she was chosen to be a concubine. Could it be that her own grandmother had used her influence?

But that seemed unlikely, as the Prince of Jin’s fief was in Shanxi, while the Prince of Xiang’s was in Huguang. It was all rather strange.

Seeing that She Niang seemed deep in thought, Yu Shi, who had just witnessed her respectful behavior toward Hua-shi, asked, "She Niang, what are you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just think Grandmother is even more free-spirited and righteous than most men. If it weren’t for the old lady, she might have become the matriarch of the Pei family by now. But look—she’s still grateful to Grandfather for helping her when she was alone, bringing her into the household. She admitted defeat to the old lady and simply started a new life, without clinging to the past or seeking revenge. Most people wouldn’t have been able to endure it, but she swallowed her pride, bore the humiliation, and eventually carved out a place for herself." She Niang couldn’t help but admire her.

Yu Shi breathed a sigh of relief. "If your grandmother heard your words, she would be very pleased. As for your father—he just met his birth mother, and now they have to part again."

She Niang smiled. "Mother, whether it’s between mother and son or anyone else, in the end, everyone is on their own. Even Du Fu said, 'Drifting, what do I resemble? A lone gull between heaven and earth.'"

"Such words are too disheartening," Yu Shi shook her head.

Suddenly having a mother appear, Yu Shi wasn’t sure how to express her feelings, but she always hoped everyone could gather together happily.

On the same night, while Old Madam Pei was praying, she felt chilly and sneezed. Nanny Xiang quickly brought over a cloak. "Although summer has begun, the nights are still chilly. You must take care, Old Madam."

"When you’re old, your body just can’t handle it anymore. When I was young, I could ride horses for hours with my father and be perfectly fine," Old Madam Pei said with a laugh.

Nanny Xiang brought her a cup of hot tea. "The old lord doted on you the most and always indulged you. Even when he was angry with you, he said, 'Why choose a scholar when you could have had the Duke of Fuguo?'"

Old Madam Pei seemed lost in memories for a moment before saying, "When I was young, I always thought that if I treated others well, they would treat me well in return. Later, I learned that wasn’t the case. The old master never liked me, and honestly, I don’t think he liked Aunt Hua either. What he cared about most was his own interests."

"Exactly! But it was also Aunt Hua’s doing. She had no business stirring up trouble in the inner household and nearly got Third Brother killed." Nanny Xiang still fumed at the mention of Aunt Hua.

She even recalled how, whenever the master and mistress tried to grow closer, Aunt Hua would meddle and secretly acquire private assets. The old lady had considered letting her off, but she was too restless.

Old Madam Pei shook her head. "Back then, I was young and wanted to have her beaten to death. But then I thought—if she really died, what if Fourth and Sixth came seeking revenge? So I considered selling her to a brothel. After all, she was just a woman of ill repute. Back then, she even deceived the old master, pretending she was waiting devotedly. In truth, after her father died, she was ready to marry Scholar Fu during the mourning period—only she looked down on him for being poor and pretended to be lovesick."

Aunt Hua’s character was deeply flawed.

However, Nanny Xiang said, "That Fu fellow is now wealthy. I heard he’s a minor official in the Prince of Xiang’s household. Not long ago, he returned and paid to repair a small road near his home. Everyone praised him for it."

"Serves Aunt Hua right for missing out on such a fate," Old Madam Pei remarked.

After chatting about old times for a while, Old Madam Pei asked, "Has that Ling Rong girl from the western branch been brought back?"

"Yes, she’s back. She’s truly shameless—caught in bed with someone! The Pei family’s reputation is in ruins. Fortunately, the second old master from the western branch was decisive and married her off to another province. Lady Liu is still crying, saying the second old master is heartless."

Old Madam Pei looked disdainful. "Her daughter acted so improperly, and she has the nerve to call others heartless? Official Song may be older, but given her circumstances, what good match could she hope for? Even our family’s girls are suffering the consequences."

Nanny Xiang agreed. "Exactly. The second madam said the other day that it’s a good thing her daughter was married off, and to relatives at that. Otherwise, she’d end up like Third Sister—even a good match would fall through."

"It’s fine. In a couple of years, when Eldest Brother’s official rank is promoted, our family’s girls will have no trouble finding husbands." Old Madam Pei could only hope for that.

Nanny Xiang also worried. "That’s all we can do."

Meanwhile, after bidding her parents goodnight, She Niang returned to her room. Dong Mei, who was on night duty, helped her freshen up. Noticing She Niang’s wide-eyed expression, she chuckled. "What’s on your mind today, Miss?"

"Nothing much. I was just thinking that Sister Guo will be married into the Prince of Zhao’s household this year. It’s only a few days away, but it’s a shame we can’t visit."

"To be honest, with Miss Guo’s looks and character, ordinary families wouldn’t suit her. Noble families are better—they’re like local emperors," Dong Mei said.

She Niang was still concerned. "True, but you know her temperament. My sister may seem careless, but she gives in quickly. Sister Guo, however, would rather break than bend. I’m afraid she might struggle to adapt."

Just like Concubine Hua today—already in her fifties, still worrying about her looks, rushing back for fear of being schemed against. The inner household was truly treacherous.

Thinking of this, She Niang also recalled her past life, which seemed much the same.

Dong Mei had initially thought her mistress was genuinely worried, but then she saw She Niang pick up a book, selecting topics from the literary anthology and flipping through pages, as if she had already put everything else out of her mind.

Pei Yiqing also found it hard to sleep. He had finally met his mother today. Though he had mentally prepared himself, hearing her talk about the past still saddened him deeply.

Yu Shi comforted him, "She is now a prince’s concubine, a second-rank noblewoman. Her life is no worse than our Old Madam’s. We should be happy for her."

"Well, it’s fulfilled a long-held wish of mine. That’s what matters most," Pei Yiqing said, feeling relieved.

The two then discussed She Niang’s marriage. "Our She Niang is already fourteen in nominal age. Next year, she’ll be of coming-of-age. But none of the people in Quanzhou are worthy of our daughter."

Yu Shi felt the same. "Mrs. Lin is very kind—she said we could choose any of her sons. But whether in looks or talent, none of them are a match for our daughter."

This wasn’t Yu Shi being arrogant. She felt that if they married their daughter off carelessly, She Niang would resent them for the rest of her life.

Pei Yiqing agreed. "The Yu family broke their promise. The Lin family—either too short or not fond of studying—none are suitable sons-in-law. Anyway, She Niang is still young. Let’s focus on preparing for Li Niang’s wedding first."

At their age, they could no longer care for the old but only for the young.

The next day, She Niang was glad she usually did needlework besides writing essays, as it came in handy. Knowing that Grandmother Hua would likely leave early, she woke up at dawn and specially brought her sachet over.

It seemed the rules in the prince’s household were strict. When She Niang arrived, she had to announce herself first, wait, and then be escorted in.

"Granddaughter pays respects to Grandmother. I heard you were leaving today, so I made a sachet for you," She Niang said with a smile.

Hua-shi took it and examined it—a dark blue sachet embroidered with peonies, smelling refreshing. "What’s inside?" she asked.

"Lemon, mint, cardamom, rose, green tangerine peel, licorice, and cyperus root. When I traveled by boat, I often felt dizzy and nauseous, but smelling this would help," She Niang explained.

Seeing that Hua-shi seemed at a loss for words, She Niang said, "Now that I’ve delivered this, I’ll take my leave."

Many people thought reunions would involve tearful embraces and endless conversations, but in reality, though everyone might wish for it, decades of separation had made their lifestyles and even their ways of interacting completely different.

She Niang felt she had done her part. After all, they might never meet again.

She didn’t realize how touched Hua-shi was—Hua-shi simply didn’t know what to say. Moreover, with the Old Prince of Xiang unwell, she feared that if she stayed in Quanzhou too long, the old prince might pass away and everything would be taken by others. Yu Shi had someone bring breakfast, and after eating, Hua-shi departed.

Li Niang woke up late and, finding everyone gone, asked She Niang, "Why did she leave so quickly?"

"Well, it’s not strange—Grandmother had matters to attend to," She Niang replied.

...

At the shore, Pei Yiqing waved goodbye to Hua-shi. Yu Shi, standing beside him, wept uncontrollably. Even Hua-shi, who had seen much of life and death, couldn’t hold back her tears.

This son of the Pei family truly expected nothing from her. They had met just once, clarified the past, and asked nothing of her. Instead, they worried that as a concubine, it might be inconvenient for her to visit. Before she left, they gave her many gifts—fine tea, raw silk, local products, and even a sachet made by her granddaughter, who had stayed up late working on it.

"Concubine, the boat is leaving," Nanny Sun reminded her.

Hua-shi snapped back to reality and realized the boat had already sailed far. She said to her trusted maid, "The heir apparent and the consort in our household have never gotten along, and the heir apparent’s consort is always favoring her natal family. The old prince has long been displeased. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could arrange for She Niang to marry our heir apparent’s son?"

Nanny Sun gasped. "But Sixth Master is only a Vice-Prefect. The difference in status is still quite significant, isn’t it?"

"What’s there to fear? She Niang’s grandfather was Minister of Rites, her uncle is an official, and her father is a jinshi degree holder. Besides, her talent, character, and looks are first-rate. I think it’s quite suitable." Hua-shi believed nothing was impossible for those with determination.