Chapter 44: Chapter 44 (Two Chapters Combined)

Chapter 44: Two Chapters Combined

The journey back to Hangzhou from Nanjing was relatively short this time. They had switched to a new boat, whose glass windows, bright and clean, seemed to lift everyone's spirits.

She Niang rarely played the guqin, but in her good mood today, she performed "The Orchid in Secluded Valley" (*Jieshi Diao You Lan*). This piece, passed down by the Liang Dynasty guqin master Qiu Ming, possessed a pure and graceful melody that seemed to touch the heart directly.

Li Ju was utterly captivated by the music. He, too, began to ponder his own impending marriage. He was nearing fifteen, and according to the usual requirements for imperial clansmen, if there was no national mourning, they would have to participate in the selection of brides in their domains. He had never cared whom his family chose for him, as it was always a political alliance.

Moreover, if the current Emperor Yanping remained on the throne in this lifetime, Li Ju believed he would gain important positions through his own merit. His future wife would likely reside in the princely household and need to get along with his mother and the Dowager Consort, so it was best if they approved of her.

Whether it was Yang Mo or the Chu family's daughter, it had made no difference to him.

But today, She Niang's words sparked an idea. Just as she refused to marry above her station and could resist such arrangements, he, too, could do the same. Why couldn't he choose someone he genuinely liked?

Once this thought took root, he found it impossible to suppress.

Although he believed he had acted correctly for the Li imperial clan, in another sense, he had also deprived She Niang of the opportunity for rapid advancement, leaving her only able to become a second wife.

From her demeanor, she didn't seem overly constrained by her family. She had even dismissed the Prince of Xiang's son. Such a strong-willed person made her unpredictable and hard to fathom.

In fact, the biggest variable in his previous life had been Pei She Niang, and it remained so in this life. While in Nanjing, he had already heard rumors that after the emperor's funeral, there would be a nationwide selection of women to join the imperial harem. With Pei She Niang's beauty and talent, even without a prominent family background, she would be among the top candidates. It was even possible she would be immediately appointed as an imperial consort upon entering the palace.

She was also in robust health, skilled in horseback riding and swimming, which might lead to another round of succession conflicts.

The only way to prevent this was for him to offer himself as a solution by marrying her.

Thinking this, he felt a subtle sense of relief.

The boat soon arrived in Hangzhou. When She Niang and her family disembarked, Pei Yiqing had been waiting so long his tea had gone cold, clearly indicating he had been there for a considerable time.

Yu Shi had to maintain a strong front in front of her children, but before her husband, she reverted to a more delicate demeanor: "Why are you here? Don’t you have official duties today?"

"I came specifically to pick up you and our daughter," Pei Yiqing said, clearly worried.

Yu Shi added, "Throughout this journey, the Prince's son took care of us. We must thank him properly."

Pei Yiqing thanked Li Ju profusely, who was very polite and respectful, even to a prefect like him, which made Pei Yiqing feel quite honored.

On the way back, Yu Shi said to her husband, "I think the Prince's son has a particular interest in our daughter."

"What?"

This was something Pei Yiqing hadn't expected.

Yu Shi shared her observations and added, "Although the Prince of Xiang's son spent some time with our She Niang under Dowager Consort Hua's arrangements, the Princess of Xiang treated me with disdain. It seems that even if the Prince of Xiang's household were to marry our daughter, it would likely be similar to Miss Guo's situation. Perhaps she would even have to start as a concubine and later be enfeoffed as a secondary consort. That would be too humiliating for our daughter."

Pei Yiqing agreed: "Yes, if she were to become a secondary consort, why choose the Prince of Xiang's household? She Niang's temperament wouldn't tolerate such humiliation."

"By the way, did you turn down the matter regarding the Marquis of Xinan's son?" Yu Shi asked.

Pei Yiqing nodded: "Don’t worry. Given the timing, the letter has probably reached the capital by now."

Indeed, Pei Ji had already received his father's letter. In it, his father expressed disagreement, saying his sister was too young and unsuitable, etc. Thus, Pei Ji subtly conveyed this to Xiao Tang. Xiao Tang, who had many candidates in mind, had thought She Niang was the most suitable. Now that she had declined, he quickly moved on to the next candidate: Shun Niang.

By the end of the year, it would be the first anniversary of Nian Niang's passing. After the anniversary rites, he planned to marry.

Since they returned close to the twelfth lunar month, She Niang didn’t need to go back to the Prince of Qing's residence. Instead, she stayed home with her family. It was also said that the newly appointed vice prefect's family was very poor. His elderly mother, wife, and daughter had to spin and weave cloth even in the cold weather and refused to accept customary gifts. Thus, Yu Shi and She Niang often secretly provided them with assistance.

Early one morning, Zhang Shuxian brought some rice cakes to She Niang's place, saying, "My mother made these herself. They were steamed wrapped in ruo leaves, giving them a fresh fragrance. My mother asked me to thank you for sending those valuable medicinal materials."

"Sister Zhang, distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors. It was just a small effort. Please try some tea I brought back from Xiangyang. If you like it, take some home with you."

Usually busy spinning and weaving at home, this was a rare opportunity for Zhang Shuxian to go out and enjoy some treats. She smiled and said, "Then I won’t stand on ceremony."

She Niang thought someone like Zhang Shuxian was much better than those who pretended to be aloof. So, she had a few more delicate snacks served and kept her company in conversation.

In fact, Magistrate Zhang was known for his integrity. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have risen from a provincial graduate to the position of vice prefect. Similarly, Sun Biqing's father, also a provincial graduate, had reached the peak of his career as a county magistrate.

Although he wasn’t particularly good to his wife and children, the people under his jurisdiction benefited greatly, which was why Pei Yiqing got along well with him.

Pei Yiqing even helped arrange a marriage for Zhang Shuxian with the Shao family's son. It was said that after passing the provincial exam, Young Master Shao went to the capital for the metropolitan examination but failed, leaving him somewhat dispirited. Pei Yiqing, thinking a match might not be possible, instead introduced him to a good teacher. Recently, after reading Young Shao's essays, the teacher praised his great progress.

He also thought that the Shao family was wealthy and the Zhang family was reputable, making it a good match.

She Niang recalled that, according to the previous life's events, this Zhuangyuan Shao should have been Shun Niang's husband. But in this life, many things were different. Her father held a higher official position, her mother was still alive, and she and her brother didn’t need to be sent back to their hometown. Her father handled matters with ease.

Vice Prefect Zhang worried that marrying into the wealthy Shao family might make people think he was avaricious. But Pei Yiqing laughed and said, "If we were really looking for a wealthy family, there are plenty in Hangzhou. I think this young man truly has talent. Don’t be too pedantic."

With Pei Yiqing acting as a matchmaker, the marriage was settled. This connection brought the Pei and Zhang families closer, which was one of the trivial matters of the time.

After returning, Li Ju first told the Princess of Qing that he had managed to escape trouble thanks to She Niang. He was a man of action and never delayed in anything he did. He also said to her, "Mother, because of my appointment, Miss Pei missed her coming-of-age ceremony. Could you help me send her a coming-of-age gift?"

Saying this, he felt an unexpected sense of satisfaction. In the past, he would never have brought up such matters, as all marriages were arranged by parents and matchmakers, leaving no room for personal opinion.

"You seem quite concerned about the Pei family," the Princess of Qing remarked.

Li Ju didn’t say much more, fearing that too much talk might harm She Niang's reputation.

Naturally, he dared to speak so openly with the Princess of Qing because she genuinely wished him well and wasn’t someone who only sought to assert authority.

Of course, besides the Princess of Qing, Li Ju didn’t remain idle. He spoke truthfully to the Prince of Qing, as his father was not easily fooled and his word carried great weight.

"She disregarded her reputation and safety to help me greatly. I admire the Pei family's daughter and ask for your approval, Father."

If he were just an ordinary Prince's son, he wouldn’t have the right to make requests of his parents. But having recently solved a major case and being a decisive person, the Prince of Qing valued his opinion.

"That Miss Pei previously saved your sister and now has helped you. It seems she has a fateful connection with our family," the Prince of Qing said calmly.

Li Ju added, "Father, I have another thought. Our family is already the most respected among the imperial clans. Choosing someone without a prominent family background might actually put the higher-ups at ease, which would be beneficial."

"True. As long as we can maintain our status, we are already exceedingly noble. Marrying into a highly prominent family might instead raise suspicions. Isn’t the Princess of Wu also just the daughter of an assistant commissioner?" the Prince of Qing said.

Seeing both his father and mother approve, Li Ju breathed a sigh of relief.

She Niang was unaware of all this. She was happily celebrating the New Year at home. Although her wish on the boat had been to sleep soundly for ten days and nights, after actually sleeping for two days at home, she already felt lethargic and unsteady.

Sometimes she stayed up late reading a book and woke up with a headache.

After the New Year, the Shao family personally came to propose to Miss Zhang. The betrothal gifts were very generous. Although the Zhang family was poor, they had pride. These gifts would be given to Miss Zhang as her dowry. They didn’t try to compete with the Shao family's wealth based on their own limited means, providing a dowry commensurate with their means.

This actually appealed to the Shao family. While they often spoke of scholars loving aloofness, they admired the Zhang family's integrity.

Yu Shi complained to Pei Yiqing: "You help others with marriages, but our She Niang is already sixteen (by traditional reckoning). We must think of something."

"Didn’t you say the Prince of Qing's family is interested? If so, let’s wait quietly. But we need to hurry with Ji Ge'er's marriage," Pei Yiqing said.

The family Pei Ji was considering was the daughter of the Director of the Imperial Academy in Nanjing. His wife would not be the same as in the previous life. Pei Ji had to return quickly to get married first.

But unexpectedly, in the third month, the Prince of Qing’s residence still requested her to serve as a study companion.

Speaking of the Prince of Qing’s household, during the New Year festival, the Princess of Qing had given her a pair of filigree gold phoenix hairpins adorned with dangling pearls, saying it was to make up for her coming-of-age ceremony (ji li).

This was truly too extravagant. She Niang initially refused, but only after Yu Shi insisted did she finally accept them.

"Mother, your daughter is about to leave for the Prince of Qing’s residence. I must trouble you to take care of matters at home."

"What is there to trouble about? This is my duty," Yu Shi said with a smile.

Returning to the familiar Zhehua Courtyard, She Niang noticed that the arrangements this time were even more exquisite than before. Both the Princess of Qing and the Dowager Consort treated her more warmly.

She even noticed that when she went to pay respects to the Dowager Consort, the wife of the Duke of Fuguo was also present, and they seemed to be scrutinizing her.

She Niang, being clever, had already deduced part of what was happening from such looks, but she remained as composed as always, not acting haughty like Yang Mo.

The Princess of Qing, seeing her so steady and dignified without revealing any hint, thought to herself that no matter how many suitable candidates there were, nothing mattered more than her son favoring her. She could accept this. Moreover, the Prince of Qing had also told her, "Nowadays, our heir is already attracting much attention due to his close relationship with the Crown Prince. Many in the capital are watching him. If he were to marry someone from an extremely prominent family, it would surely draw even more scrutiny. Besides, the Yang family you previously favored—Provincial Governor Yang has expressed his intention to retire, which shows nothing lasts forever. The Pei family, after all, is a renowned official clan. Pei Yiqing is not yet forty and already holds a fourth-rank position. By the time we finish our mourning period, his term will be nearly over, and he might even be promoted."

Thus, the Princess of Qing grew even more favorable toward She Niang. Not to mention, Princess Jiangdu had always gotten along well with She Niang and listened with great interest to her stories about the scenery of Xiangyang and her travels along the way.

Only the wife of the Duke of Fuguo was upset. Previously, because her son had jumped into the river to save Yang Mo, Yang Mo’s marriage was arranged with her son, and she had thought it was a lucky break. Now, Provincial Governor Yang was preparing to retire, and Yang Mo’s father had only ever been a good-for-nothing noble son. In contrast, her son Li Qiong had once mentioned Pei She Niang to her—a girl whose paternal grandmother was connected to the Prince of Xiang’s household, whose father had become a prefect in his thirties, and whose talent and beauty surpassed Yang Mo’s.

It was truly a case of throwing away a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed.

If She Niang were to comment, she would say that the world is ever-changing, always reminding people not to focus solely on trivial matters right at their feet.

Pei Ji returned home just before the Qingming Festival. Yu Shi showered him with concern and asked, "How is your fourth younger sister? It’s been almost a year, and we’ve been worried about her."

"Fourth younger sister is doing well. I’ve seen her a few times, and each time she’s dressed more luxuriously. Her way of speaking has changed somewhat," Pei Ji replied.

Only then did Yu Shi feel relieved. "I just hope she gives birth to a child soon so she has someone to rely on. Then I’ll feel at ease."

Pei Ji’s marriage proceeded smoothly. Even the Princess of Qing attended the ceremony in person. Yu Shi felt it was somewhat unreal, but eventually, the Princess of Qing took her to an inner room and confirmed the marriage arrangement.

Last time, with Yang Mo, it had only been an unspoken mutual understanding, but this time, the Princess of Qing directly confirmed it and even wanted to start the procedures early. "After the mourning period ends, we’ll set the wedding date."

She Niang also received a letter from Li Ju through Fu Rong. After reading it, she saw that Li Ju had written a ci poem: "Her light steps don't cross the path by Hengtang; / I gaze after her, fragrant dust fading away. / Who will share her splendid years with her? / Moonlit bridge, flower-filled courtyard, latticed window, vermilion door— / Only spring knows where she is now."

This was the first part of He Zhu’s "Green Jade Case: Her Light Steps Don't Cross the Path by Hengtang," expressing longing.

She Niang smiled upon reading it. Sure enough, that evening, Yu Shi told her that the Princess of Qing had personally confirmed the matter.

"Regardless of whether our daughter likes him or not, this is the true attitude of someone seriously pursuing marriage." It wasn’t about the woman chasing after the man; rather, he made the decision to marry, settled matters with his family, and only then wrote her this letter.

If she were truly someone who loved to compete for favor, she might as well marry the Emperor or the Crown Prince—that would be more interesting. In a princely residence, rising from a secondary consort to the principal wife wasn’t something the prince alone could decide; it required approval from above. Competing like that would not be worth the effort.

Yu Shi finally relaxed. "Originally, I thought that if the Prince of Qing’s side showed no interest, we had a few candidates in mind after your brother’s wedding. I didn’t expect the Prince of Qing’s residence to be so straightforward. My child, your mother is happy for you."

The second son of the Judicial Commissioner was an excellent student, and the Judicial Commissioner’s wife was amiable. Then there was the fourth son of the Yan family in Jinling, also from a prestigious clan, whose granduncle had served as Chief Grand Secretary and whose eldest brother had just entered the Grand Secretariat.

These were excellent matches and would not dishonor She Niang.

But obviously, there was now an even better one—the hereditary heir of the Prince of Qing, a step that would settle everything at once.

Li Ju was a thoughtful person. Even though the matter was now out in the open, he wasn’t completely reassured. In his previous life, his family had also settled on Yang Mo, but the court suddenly issued an imperial decree for a marriage arrangement. This time, he couldn’t keep it secret; they had to formalize the engagement quickly so that even if the Emperor issued a decree, they would have a justification.

Now, it seemed he was beginning to become good at refusing and resisting.

Princess Jiangdu said to Li Ju, "Brother, Sister Pei went back for the wedding banquet and hasn’t returned. That day, she said she would make a pleated skirt with me?"

"She hasn’t had time to come these days," Li Ju said, tossing a small tangerine in his hand.

Princess Jiangdu was suspicious. "How do you know whether she has time or not?"

Li Ju simply deflected the question. "In a few days, it’s Third Uncle’s birthday. Although he has lost his title, he’s still family. Remember to remind Mother."

Princess Jiangdu was distracted by Li Ju changing the subject and didn’t realize it until after he left. "What does Third Uncle have to do with any of this?" she grumbled.

The adults had already made everything clear, but due to the mourning period, it wasn’t announced publicly. They only said the engagement would be formalized immediately after the mourning period ended.

Thus, Yu Shi only quietly prepared the dowry and didn’t write to inform relatives and friends. However, Dowager Consort Hua, taking advantage of the Mid-Autumn Festival gifts, sent a letter. Dowager Consort Hua didn’t feel her efforts had been in vain; instead, she laughed and slapped her knee. "Excellent, excellent! This is my worthy granddaughter."

To secure the position of the Prince of Qing’s heir’s principal wife through her own efforts—that was real skill.

Of course, all this was later news to She Niang. After her brother’s wedding, her new sister-in-law, Huang Shi, began performing morning and evening greetings to Yu Shi. As a new bride, she had to follow the one-month etiquette rules for new brides, so she couldn’t say much.

Huang Shi was petite and delicate. Although she came from a military family, her father had ranked in the second class of the imperial examinations. Because she was from the same hometown as the Pei family, she felt closer to them than to others. She was also excellent at making noodles.

She Niang was eating the oil-spiced chili noodles she had made and couldn’t help saying, "Sister-in-law, how is your chili so authentic? The things we brought from our hometown got moldy in just a few days. The weather in the south is too humid."

"This was sent by a relative. The things we brought from Hedong also didn’t keep well," Huang Shi said.

She Niang had heard that this sister-in-law was literate and was indeed a very capable girl. Not to mention her culinary and embroidery skills, she had a natural quick-wittedness in her speech and actions.

Like now, after paying respects to Yu Shi, she walked out with She Niang and proactively initiated conversation by asking, "What do you usually do, younger sister?"

"Nothing much—just reading, playing the zither, passing the time. What about you, sister-in-law?" She Niang asked with a smile.

Huang Shi wasn’t really trying to find out what She Niang did, but as the saying goes, a sister-in-law is like a second mother-in-law, so it was best to maintain a good relationship. Chatting a bit more during daily greetings would naturally make them closer than strangers.

The two parted ways in the middle of the courtyard. She Niang had practiced calligraphy all day yesterday, and her right shoulder and arm ached terribly. Naturally, she had her maid massage them.

Among her maids, Shan Hu had the strongest and most enduring strength. She massaged She Niang until it hurt in a good way.

"Miss, I’ll massage you for half an hour. I guarantee you’ll feel comfortable afterward," Shan Hu said. As one of She Niang’s close attendants, she already knew that She Niang would soon be the mistress of the Prince of Qing’s residence and served with even more dedication.

She Niang was very comfortable at home. After Shan Hu finished massaging her, she continued reading and practicing calligraphy. In the afternoon, she played with Pang Geer. Her calligraphy had improved significantly, and she was glowing with health. She even managed to sleep late every day.

As a sister-in-law, Huang Shi naturally didn’t get involved with her sister-in-law’s affairs. As long as her sister-in-law didn’t cause her trouble, she wouldn't dare to interfere.

However, Pei Ji still had to go to the capital to take the imperial exams. Yu Shi said to him, "If you pass and obtain the title of xiucai, you’ll likely need to continue your studies. If you don’t pass, just come back. There’s no need to stay in the capital for long."

"Understood," Pei Ji said.

Yu Shi added, "The capital is full of gossip. Although our family has an understanding with the Prince of Qing’s residence, I’m afraid someone might try to sabotage it. You must keep quiet about it."

Pei Ji immediately made a gesture of sealing his lips, and he hadn’t even told Li Niang.

Li Niang said to her brother, "It’s really something—She Niang is already so old, and her marriage hasn’t been settled yet. The heir of the Marquis of Xinan is not ideal because he’s marrying again as a widower, but there are others. Really."

But she only said this much. Pei Ji thought to himself that since his fourth younger sister now knew so many influential people, why didn’t she arrange a marriage for She Niang? He had thought she would introduce someone next.

Fortunately, She Niang had excellent prospects. Even if she didn’t marry the Prince of Qing’s heir, with her talent, looks, and family background, she could still secure an excellent match.

However, Pei Ji heard from Li Niang that Shun Niang’s marriage had been settled.

"I wonder which family it is?"

Li Niang shrugged: "Originally, our Old Madam had arranged for the Chu family, specifically the younger brother of Princess of Chu (Princess of Jin). But later, our eldest sister's husband personally made a trip to Hedong, so Shun Niang was betrothed to him instead."

Pei Ji said: "It's true that the eldest master of the Chu family serves as the Chief Grand Secretary in the capital, but wasn't Princess of Chu's own father involved in misconduct and died while in office? From this perspective, the Old Madam’s choice isn’t wrong."

"With this elder uncle around, he can still protect the Chu family. But you’re right too; the heir of the Marquis of Xinan does hold a noble title after all," Li Niang remarked.

Old Madam Pei thought the same way. With no response from the Prince of Xiang's household for a long time, she recalled that the books mentioned the Prince of Jin eventually ascending the throne. If that were the case, the brothers of Princess of Jin would naturally become imperial brothers-in-law in the future.

Especially the third brother of Princess of Chu, who was most favored by the Prince of Jin and even studied in the prince’s residence. However, compared to a title that might come years later, Xiao Tang was already an heir apparent, soon to become a marquis. Moreover, Shun Niang’s parents were very satisfied.

The betrothal was settled smoothly. Shun Niang’s dowry had been prepared early on, amounting to roughly one hundred and twenty trunks, which was considered an exceptionally generous dowry.

But Meng Shi couldn’t help saying: "Shouldn’t we wait until Fifth Girl is married off before Shun Niang weds? I wonder if Fifth Girl is already betrothed?"

Old Madam Pei thought to herself that even Li Niang’s marriage was arranged through her connections. Without her, what good match could that family have secured?

Unexpectedly, by the following March, after the national mourning period ended, the Prince of Qing immediately submitted a petition for his son’s marriage. This time, it was the Prince of Qing himself who took the initiative, unlike in the previous life when they were caught off guard.

Soon, the imperial approval came. The Prince of Qing's residence sent betrothal gifts: fifty taels of gold, ten taels of pearls, four hundred taels of silver, forty bolts of various silk fabrics, two bolts of crimson gauze, two bolts of raw silk, forty bolts of plain silk, one hundred rouge cases, two taels of gold-flake rouge, twenty bags of lead powder weighing ten taels, four sheep from the north, two pigs, twenty geese, eighty bottles of wine, eighty round cakes, ten bags of powdered tea, six boxes of fruits, two piculs of polished rice, forty bags of flour..."

The Prince of Jin's residence, with their network of information, immediately congratulated the Pei family. But when Old Madam Pei heard the news, she felt her hands and feet turn cold. She had gone to great lengths to prevent Li Niang from marrying into the royal family, so how could She Niang end up wedding into the Prince of Qing's residence? And as the Princess Consort of Qing, no less.

Her virtue was far inferior to Shun Niang’s, and her family background was even worse... How could this have happened?