Chapter 37: Chapter 37 (Two Chapters Combined)

Chapter 37: Two Chapters Combined

That evening, Yu Shi spent a long time in Li Niang’s room, causing even the usually carefree Li Niang to blush deeply. The entire household was bustling with preparations for Li Niang’s wedding. In the kitchen, Mama Xia was still busy preparing dishes and even managed to sneak away to bring Li Niang a bowl of simmered bird's nest tonic with rock sugar, urging her to drink it and get some rest.

Qiu Shuang, who hailed from Quanzhou, spoke Mandarin with a somewhat unpolished accent. "Mama Xia said we should help you retire early," she conveyed in her halting Mandarin.

"I know. By the way, have the people from the Marquis of Dingbei's household settled into the posthouse?" She Niang inquired.

Qiu Shuang nodded. "Yes, the fourth young master came personally to escort the bride. It’s very lively, and everyone says the fourth young lady is truly blessed."

She Niang smiled. "That’s good. I hope my sister’s wedding goes smoothly."

After finishing the bird's nest tonic, she felt a soreness in her feet. Lately, she had been regularly jumping rope in her courtyard. At nearly fourteen, she had already grown taller than Li Niang, and she attributed this growth to her rope-jumping.

Feeling tired, she went to bed early. Qiu Shuang also rested on the bed in the adjoining room.

The lights in the west wing soon went out.

However, the lights in Li Niang’s east wing remained on. For her, this night would be sleepless. Although Nanny Shen was not her birth nurse, having been by her side for years, they had developed a deep bond. Nanny Shen advised, "Young lady, everything has been packed. The bridal attendant will arrive very early tomorrow. You should rest soon."

"If only I could sleep! Today, Mother handed everything over to me. From now on, I’ll have to manage everything myself." The mere thought gave Li Niang a headache.

She was bringing two households with her, totaling eighteen people: six maids, one nanny, and two rough-serving women.

She held all their indentures, as well as the land deeds. It was said that her mother had previously acquired two small estates in the capital’s suburbs, each with one hundred *mu* of land, managed by a steward and two field workers.

Moreover, her sister had meticulously re-registered all her assets in a ledger, urging her to protect her finances at all costs. The pressure weighed heavily on her—how could she possibly sleep?

Nanny Shen comforted her, "No one is born knowing these things. Didn’t you later manage household affairs quite competently? Now, both your uncle and father hold official positions. Your dowry is substantial, and the Marquis of Dingbei’s family is related to us by marriage. They will surely treat you well."

Chunlan also chimed in, "Yes, this marriage of the fourth young lady—who could possibly match it? It’s only because you are so outstanding that the old madam favors you."

Li Niang thought to herself, "Isn’t this all the old madam’s doing? My sister is too proud and doesn’t get along anywhere. The Prince of Qing’s household dismissed her. If I weren’t already engaged, I might have gone to the Prince of Qing’s household, pleased the Dowager Consort and the Princess of Qing, and perhaps even become the Heir's Wife."

She used to think the old madam was all-powerful, but after seeing Grandmother Hua, who was sold yet became a concubine, she felt that with her looks and family background, she could have had a brighter future if not for the old madam’s deliberate actions.

But these were not things to discuss with servants. She sighed. "Enough. Help me to bed."

Soon, the lights in Li Niang’s room were also extinguished, but she still couldn’t fall asleep.

Early the next morning, when She Niang came to her room, she found Li Niang already bathed and remarked, "Why so early?"

"You don’t understand—I still have to undergo facial threading. Later, someone will help me style my hair and apply makeup. All that will take several hours, and I’m afraid there still won’t be enough time," Li Niang explained.

She Niang said, "Then wait here properly. I’ll go to Mother and see if there’s anything she needs me to do."

In truth, Yu Shi didn’t assign She Niang any tasks, only asking her to look after Pang Geer. Now six months old, little Pang Geer had tiny teeth emerging and would smile at himself when awake. Sometimes when She Niang spoke to him, he would coo in response, which was quite amusing.

He rarely cried during the day, only growing noticeably restless when he needed milk.

"You, little one, crawling everywhere—you’ve messed up sister’s bed." She Niang patted his bottom as he crawled.

Pang Geer turned his head and smiled at her again, melting She Niang’s heart.

She Niang and Pang Geer played for a while until word came that the young ladies from the Chu, Tao, and Yang families had arrived. She Niang changed her clothes and led them to the parlor to chat.

Although She Niang and Yang Zhi had some past friction in the Prince of Qing’s household, after both left, their relationship, while not particularly close, remained cordial. A few days earlier, for her birthday, She Niang had even visited.

As for Miss Chu, she had only been seen from afar before; today was the first time they interacted up close.

To be honest, compared to the Yang sisters, she seemed somewhat unassuming.

She wasn’t as clever or likable as Yang Zhi or Yang Mo. Yang Mo suggested they play *Fei Hua Ling* (flower poetry game), which was very engaging, and even She Niang liked her. Not being one to take charge herself, She Niang appreciated those who did.

After playing for a while, She Niang had someone bring out the backgammon boards. The household had several, perfect for playing together.

Tao Ya took care of everyone, almost acting more like the hostess than She Niang. Looking around at the young ladies, She Niang suddenly realized that everyone had their strengths. Usually at home, she thought herself quite capable, but seeing Yang Mo’s ability to keep the atmosphere lively, Tao Ya’s warmth and attentiveness, and Miss Chu’s kindness, she gained new perspective.

When Pang Geer woke up, Miss Chu even knew to scrape applesauce for him to eat. She Niang felt embarrassed. "Miss Chu, how can we trouble you like this?"

"I’ve taken care of several nephews before. It’s no trouble," Miss Chu replied, unbothered.

Even so, She Niang felt it improper to let her help and quickly called for the nurse to take Pang Geer away.

By afternoon, the groom, Wang Pan, arrived to fetch the bride. Earlier, Pei Ji had already made him compose two bridal-urging poems and had set up targets for him to shoot arrows at. Then, he proceeded toward the bridal chamber.

She Niang noticed Li Niang looked very worried, as if afraid she would pose difficult challenges, which amused her.

In truth, She Niang wasn’t so foolish. She offered two very common couplets, which Wang Pan’s wedding attendants answered correctly, and then she had the maid open the door.

The wedding party crowded in, and as she watched Li Niang being escorted out, she felt inexplicably sad.

If even she, who usually had an average relationship with Li Niang, felt this way, how much more so for Yu Shi? Li Niang was her eldest daughter, and it was hard to let go. But she also knew the saying: a grown daughter cannot be kept at home—keeping her will only breed resentment. Now that Li Niang had a good future, nothing was more important.

As night fell, the previously lively wedding festivities suddenly ended, leaving the family sitting alone. Pei Ji had also gone to accompany the bridal procession, so with two fewer people at home, it felt much quieter.

"They say a married daughter is like spilled water, but that basin of water—I just can’t bring myself to spill it," Yu Shi said, wiping her tears.

In her previous life, Li Niang hadn’t married so soon. Because their father was serving in another province, her dowry had to be prepared by the eldest aunt, who demanded five thousand silver taels, saying that since the Marquis of Dingbei was a noble household, it must be done with dignity.

Such a high dowry was hard on their father, whose salary wasn’t very high. He even contributed an extra thousand silver taels, combining it with the Marquis’ betrothal gift of one thousand silver taels to start preparing a dowry for her, the younger daughter.

However, all that money was taken away by Li Niang. Later, She Niang managed to reclaim twenty-five dowry chests, but together they weren’t worth five hundred silver taels. She only recovered them because she once caught Li Niang and Mo Yun kissing behind the back hill.

Eventually, her already married brother sold several famous paintings left by their grandfather to raise a few hundred silver taels. Because they had a disagreement with the clan elders, the clan naturally didn’t contribute any money.

In the end, their father sent another thousand silver taels, and they barely painstakingly assembled a presentable dowry.

But in this life, her mother gave her sister a dowry of over three thousand silver taels, indicating that such a large sum hadn’t been necessary in the previous life—her eldest aunt had been greatly inflating the requirements.

"She Niang, it’s late. Go back and rest," Yu Shi said.

Seeing the fatigue on her parents’ faces, She Niang didn’t linger. Dragging her heavy steps, she went to bed early that night.

Meanwhile, after attending the wedding banquet, Miss Chu and Yang Mo returned to the Prince of Qing’s household after the Mid-Autumn Festival to resume their roles as Study Companions. However, Miss Chu could clearly sense that the Dowager Consort favored Yang Mo. Although the Princess of Qing hadn’t expressed an opinion, she likely didn’t object.

The Chu family also had designs on this position. Miss Chu had never even met Li Ju, the Prince of Qing’s son, but her family wanted the connection. The Prince of Qing guarded Jiangnan and was the Imperial Clan Superintendent, a position of high prestige. The Chu family was also trying to win allies for the Prince of Jin.

She Niang had already put the matters of the Prince of Qing’s household behind her, because her parents finally took her to the hot spring resort. Yu Shi also needed recuperation after childbirth, and She Niang wanted to learn to swim. Once they found a hot spring, she began her swimming journey.

Qiu Shuang taught her carefully. "When you start swimming, first learn to put your face in the water and paddle, then lift your head to breathe. Don’t go to deep areas; stay where it’s shallowest and stand."

Of course, She Niang didn’t learn it the first time, so she often begged Yu Shi to take her, and Yu Shi almost always accommodated her. The second time, she began learning to float in the water. After about a month, she could swim freely.

"I’ve found that once you learn to stand up in the water and float, swimming isn’t that hard," She Niang shared with Yu Shi.

Yu Shi patted her head. "My daughter is brave and clever. There’s nothing you can’t learn."

Seeing his daughter so eager to learn, Pei Yiqing was thinking of a solution: "It's not ideal to always go to the hot spring villa—it's too far. But I know someone whose residence is vacant. As you know, in the Jiangnan water towns, many homes have ponds. It's not far from here, so our daughter can go there often."

"Father is so kind! Once the weather turns cold, swimming might not be possible. With more practice, I'm sure I can swim even better," She Niang replied. She often felt grateful to her parents; whenever she wanted to do something, they always found ways to help her, unlike some parents who would refuse everything.

As the saying goes, one must reach for the pearl in the dragon's depths. If she could reach that level of skill, she could even retrieve things if they fell into the water.

Moreover, the feeling of being in water was less damaging to the body, especially after her recent growth. Jumping rope always made her chest bounce uncomfortably, making it hard to persist, but in water, there was no such concern.

When the weather grew cold, she had to stop this activity. Yu Shi worried that prolonged exposure to water might cause cold accumulation in the uterus, which was not good for a young woman's health. She Niang decided to rest through the winter. However, November in Hangzhou was not extremely cold. On her birthday, Yu Shi still took her to the hot springs.

She Niang happily swam in the hot spring to show her mother.

But when they returned home, they received two pieces of sad news: the emperor had passed away, as reported in the government gazette, and her eldest sister, Nian Niang, had also died, leaving behind a son and a daughter.

No wonder Xiao Tang and the Prince of Jin had waited a year before considering remarriage or taking concubines. It might not have been out of respect for their late wives but because of the state mourning period, which required at least a year of observance.

She Niang had been secretly selected for the draft for palace selection at fifteen and married at seventeen, just after the nominal twenty-seven months of mourning had passed.

The national mourning did not affect She Niang much; she continued to enjoy good food and drink at home. With a cook with excellent skills, her skin became so tender and radiant.

When Tao Ya visited, she saw She Niang wearing a loose-fitting jacket and no makeup, yet her neck appeared fair and slender, her skin glowing with a natural rosy hue, exuding an untouched beauty that was utterly captivating.

Even as a woman, Tao Ya found herself enchanted.

"Sister Tao," She Niang stood up to greet her.

Tao Ya's father was about to take up a post as Prefect of Guizhou. Previously, he had exposed his superior's wrongdoing, offending many. As a result, he was transferred from a desirable place like Hangzhou to the remote Guizhou. Fortunately, Tao Ya's marriage was settled—not to a wealthy family but to an ordinary scholar.

She Niang could only sigh at the unpredictability of life. With Tao's father leaving, it was uncertain who would fill the vacancy. She thought her father had only been in Hangzhou for a year and a half, so a promotion might not come so soon.

Meanwhile, her uncle was promoted to Provincial Administration Vice Commissioner of Guangxi, a third-rank position.

The jump from fourth to third rank was a significant hurdle. She remembered her uncle eventually retired as a Transmission Commissioner, a third-rank official, and after his death, as the uncle of the empress, he was posthumously awarded the title of Junior Preceptor to the Heir Apparent.

Pei Yiqing was also very pleased. He said, "Back when the proposal to establish the Crown Prince's grandson as heir was made, Father also contributed. Elder Brother has served two terms as prefect. His promotion is truly good news."

Of course, with the position of Hangzhou prefect now vacant, Pei Yiqing, as Vice Prefect, was temporarily acting in that role.

After the meal, She Niang saw that her younger brother, Pang Geer, could already stand by holding onto a chair. His big, dark eyes were utterly melting.

"Sister, hold me! Hold me!" Pang Geer flapped his arms toward her.

She Niang, from her regular exercise, was quite strong and picked him up easily. Pang Geer rested his head on her shoulder and smiled at Pei Yiqing and Yu Shi.

Pei Yiqing remarked, "I think we should just call our son 'Little Laugher'—he laughs all day long."

"Father, by the way, Brother is going to take the civil service examinations soon after the New Year. I wonder how he's doing?" She Niang was concerned.

This life, her brother had studied much harder than before, with proper supervision, making him much better prepared.

Before going to the capital, Pei Yiqing had specifically sought out a former colleague who was known for his scholarly excellence and had Pei Ji study essay writing under him. Additionally, his former teacher, now serving as Vice Minister of Revenue, was also someone his son could rely on. Almost every aspect had been considered.

These were matters for the next year. Although the family was smaller now, Yu Shi still carefully prepared gifts for the New Year.

Unexpectedly, just after sending the gifts to Judicial Commissioner Chu's family, Chu was dismissed for mishandling two cases, and the entire Chu family had to return to their hometown in Henan. Fortunately, Miss Chu's uncle had reentered the Grand Secretariat. For Pei Yiqing, this was actually good news for the Chu family, so he personally visited several times to help with their departure arrangements.

Even Yu Shi visited repeatedly to offer travel funds and comfort Madame Chu and Miss Chu.

However, this also meant Miss Chu's time as a Study Companion came to an end.

Just when they thought the three deaths were enough, in December, news came from the Xiang Prince's household that the old Prince of Xiang had passed away, and the family was to divide the estate.

Pei Yiqing sighed in regret. With the old prince gone, his mother probably wouldn't have much say. The Xiang heir apparent—or rather, the new Prince of Xiang—would likely not honor previous arrangements.

But as he read on, he saw that Auntie Hua said, "The Princess of Xiang doesn't get along with her mother-in-law and often sides with her maternal family. The Prince of Xiang doesn't see it that way. Let's wait for good news."

"Oh, Mother! Why won't she give up?" Pei Yiqing shook his head.

Still, his younger daughter's marriage prospects were not the immediate concern. Having just married off one daughter, he and his wife needed to save up for the younger one's dowry. Moreover, if Ji Geer didn't succeed in the exams, they would also need to arrange a marriage for him.

Due to the national mourning, Pang Geer's first birthday party after the New Year was held only within the family, without any grand festivities. The child walked proudly to the end of the table, holding a book in one hand and an arrow in the other.

After the early spring chill passed, Pei Yiqing took his wife and children on a boat trip on West Lake. With willows swaying on the banks and a gentle breeze blowing, She Niang stood at the bow of the boat, feeling utterly content.

Not far away, several decorated pleasure boats were moored, adorned with dragon and phoenix paintings, clearly belonging to wealthy families.

As luck would have it, these were none other than the family of the Prince of Qing. Observing mourning according to their rank, they avoided banquets and music at home. The dowager consort found it unbearable, so the Prince of Qing arranged a lake outing.

To avoid drawing attention, they did not fly the princely insignia.

The princess, however, was extremely bored. She was flying a kite on the deck when a strong wind blew it into the water. She ordered servants to retrieve it using bamboo poles, but the wind carried it further away.

In their haste, several servants bumped into each other, causing the princess to lose her balance and fall into the water.

Seeing someone fall in with a splash, She Niang didn't hesitate and jumped in to rescue her.

Partly, she wanted to save the person; partly, she wanted to test her swimming skills. Practicing in calm waters wasn't enough—real growth came from performing under pressure.

With her long limbs and regular practice, she quickly swam to the princess and pulled her toward the pleasure boat.

Guards from the boat had also jumped in, but they hesitated, being men, to touch the princess. As She Niang pulled her along, the princess, sputtering water, exclaimed joyfully, "Sister Pei, is that you? Cough, cough..."

"Don't talk! Be careful not to choke," She Niang said. She hadn't known it was the princess; if she had, she might not have jumped in, as many others would have rescued her.

But now, she had actually saved someone.

When she was pulled onto the Prince of Qing's pleasure boat, She Niang was still in a daze.

Nanny Gong recognized her: "Isn't this Miss Pei? To think it was you who saved the princess."

Hearing this, the Princess of Qing, behind a curtain, felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't chosen She Niang as a Study Companion simply because her father's rank was low and easy to dismiss. Now, this girl had saved her daughter.

The Princess of Qing quickly said, "So it's Pei girl. Nanny Gong, quickly fetch a change of clothing for her."

She Niang waved her hands dismissively: "Your Highness, I'm fine. Our boat is nearby. I can just return."

Just then, Yu Shi came aboard with others. Every parent cherishes their own child above all else. The Princess of Qing insisted that the mother and daughter stay, asking Yu Shi to bring She Niang's clothes for her to change and rest on the boat.

With the women present, the men could only wait anxiously outside. The Prince of Qing and his son, Li Ju, were speaking with Pei Yiqing.

Pei Yiqing immediately recognized Li Ju. Previously, Li Ju had claimed to be an Imperial Guard, but he was actually the son of the prince. Pei Yiqing knelt and said, "I did not realize your status earlier and may not have hosted you properly. I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness."

Li Ju laughed: "I couldn't reveal my identity at the time. Marshal Pei entertained me with excellent food and drink—nothing was amiss. In my opinion, it was perfectly fine."

Following the emperor's passing, he had immediately returned to his domain. The old emperor had called them to the capital, but with a new emperor's reign, they had to follow ancestral regulations: princes could not leave their domains without permission.

The Prince of Qing, after learning the circumstances, smiled and said, "Indeed, a tiger father does not beget a worthless daughter. Marshal Pei bravely fought Japanese pirates in his position, and your daughter is equally impressive—a true heroine among women."

Hearing the words "your esteemed daughter," Li Ju got a headache. He thought to himself that although Pei Yiqing had not been considered a famous minister in his previous life, thanks to Old Master Pei’s contributions to the establishment of the heir apparent, he still had some supporters in the officialdom.

While their family was in Hangzhou, he could still keep them in check, but if they were to leave Hangzhou, he would ultimately lose his grip.

What if the Pei family married Prince of Jin again? Wouldn’t the Great Qi dynasty be overturned once more?

Thus, Li Ju couldn’t help but suggest to the Prince of Qing: "In my opinion, Lord Pei is excellent. As the saying goes, the capable should hold positions. With the Hangzhou Prefect position now vacant, why doesn’t Father recommend Lord Pei for it?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Yiqing was extremely grateful, though he modestly replied, "This humble official has shallow qualifications and may not be up to such a heavy responsibility."

Although the Prince of Qing was known for his cutting and harsh remarks, he had only one son, and this son had shown exceptional talent and insight from a young age. Therefore, he did not want to undermine his son’s suggestion and said, "A thousand-mile horse is common, but a Bo Le is not always found. Marshal Pei, please do not decline."

With the Prince of Qing’s connections, such a matter could be easily arranged. However, by this time, Grandmother Hua had already divided the household. She had three sons: the eldest was granted the title of Auxiliary State General, the second was granted the third-rank Title of Fengguo General, while the youngest, born when she was well over forty, was only ten years old and had not yet received any title.

Now that the hundred-day mourning period for the Old Prince of Xiang had passed, she was exactly fifty-nine years old, approaching her sixtieth birthday.

She did not live with any of her sons. These dowager consorts and princess dowagers were temporarily supported by the Prince of Xiang. She maintained a good relationship with the Prince of Xiang—whenever the step-princess and the Prince of Xiang had disagreements, she would mediate and help reconcile them. Therefore, she wanted to propose having She Niang come keep her company.

This was, indeed, a case of "the one closest to the water gets the moon first."

But just as her letter arrived, the Prince of Qing’s household also wanted She Niang to become a Study Companion.

She Niang: …