Chapter 46: Chapter 46 (Two Chapters Combined)

Chapter 46: Two Chapters Combined

Finally finding an opportunity, Yu Shi took She-niang and Li-niang aside for a private chat. Li-niang, whose curiosity had been piqued, immediately asked, "Mother, how on earth did my sister get engaged to the Prince of Qing's household? I remember the Prince of Qing's family being quite arrogant."

Yu Shi smiled. "How would I know what they're thinking? When we went to Xiangyang, the Prince of Qing's son and heir took great care of us along the way. Not long after we returned, your sister also became a study companion at the prince's household. It wasn’t until your brother’s wedding that the Princess Consort of Qing first mentioned it to me."

Li-niang pouted and looked at She-niang. "You didn’t say a word about it. Aren't we family?"

"Let’s not talk about that for now. Did you tell the Old Lady and the others about Dowager Consort Hua?" She-niang turned the question back to her.

Li-niang shook her head. "I didn’t. Why would I bring that up?"

She-niang glanced at Yu Shi and said, "Regarding Dowager Consort Hua, why don’t we just let things take their natural course? She now holds a noble title. We don’t need to actively publicize it, but if anyone in the family finds out, we shouldn’t hide it either."

To be honest, Yu Shi had forgotten about this aspect. From Old Madam Pei’s perspective, she had already driven Dowager Consort Hua away. It was Old Madam Pei who raised Pei Yifang and Pei Yiqing, thus earning their filial piety. There was nothing wrong with Pei Yiqing acknowledging his birth mother, but showing disrespect to his adoptive mother would be an issue. So, as She-niang said, it was best to let things unfold naturally.

If Old Madam Pei found out, they would simply tell the truth. If she chose not to ask, they wouldn’t volunteer the information either.

"She-niang is right. Instead of plotting how to handle this, we should avoid making a mess of things. If the servants eventually let it slip, it would seem like we’re creating chaos out of nothing when all we’re doing is acknowledging our own birth mother," Yu Shi nodded slightly.

Li-niang, clearly uninterested in the matter of Dowager Consort Hua, pressed She-niang again. She-niang spread her hands helplessly. "I really don’t know. It’s just like how I never understood why the Old Lady was so determined to marry you into the Wang family."

Seeing that She-niang genuinely had no answers, Li-niang lost interest in pursuing the topic.

Yu Shi then asked Li-niang, "You’ve been married for a few years now. How are things? Any signs of pregnancy?"

For a married daughter, nothing worried a mother more than the lack of signs of pregnancy.

Li-niang shook her head but added, "Third Young Master treats me very well. Don’t worry."

She-niang glanced around Li-niang’s room, noting the abundance of fine items, which suggested she was living comfortably. However, Li-niang complained, "Their family has strict rules, and the servants are all money-grubbing. Between tips and regular allowances, I never have enough."

Seeing her complain about being short of money, Yu Shi immediately gave her all ten taels of silver from her purse. She-niang, witnessing this, pretended not to see and said nothing.

Yu Shi then wanted to share some advice about having children but felt it inappropriate for She-niang, an unmarried girl, to hear. So, she asked She-niang to go find her sister-in-law first. She-niang, glad to get some air, took her maid and left.

Furong laughed, "Miss, look at that ornamental rock formation ahead. It looks like a person."

"Silly girl, that looks like a lion, not a person," She-niang shook her head.

Furong, confused, said, "I’ve only heard of people placing lions at their gates, like in our residence. Why would it be like this here?"

She-niang explained, "There’s even a place in Suzhou called Lion Grove. These rockeries are made from Taihu rocks, which are famous for being 'thin, wrinkled, leaky, and transparent.' I heard the name comes from the 'Lion Throne' in Buddhism. The Lion Throne is the mount of Manjusri Bodhisattva, who is the embodiment of wisdom. The lion, as the king of beasts, represents courage and fearlessness. The combination of wisdom and fearlessness can break through all attachments and lead to ultimate enlightenment."

She tried to explain it in simple terms to her maids. Furong and the others had never studied Buddhism and didn’t understand these concepts. In her previous life, She-niang had read Buddhist scriptures in her spare time and had some knowledge of them.

As soon as she finished speaking, a woman emerged from around the corner and applauded, "I never expected a young lady to be so knowledgeable."

She-niang saw a woman with a confident and outgoing manner approaching. Though dressed simply, she carried an air of elegance. She-niang hurriedly said, "I was just thinking aloud. I didn’t expect anyone to hear. May I ask who you are?"

Just as the woman was about to introduce herself, Li-niang rushed over and said, "Sister, let’s go. We need to head to the front to listen to the opera. The adults are waiting for you."

She-niang had no choice but to offer an apologetic glance to the woman and follow Li-niang. On the way, she asked, "Who was that woman? Why did we leave without even greeting her?"

She sensed something was off about Li-niang’s mood, which was why she asked. Li-niang stopped walking and said, "She’s in her twenties and still unmarried. Her family doesn’t care, and she often spends time talking with men. Because her father is the headmaster of Qingshan Academy and highly respected, no one dares to say anything."

"Then why is she at your house?" She-niang asked.

Li-niang pouted. "She’s skilled in medicine and is here to treat our Old Lady. What can I say? She’s always surrounded by friends, and my husband even says I worry too much."

Seeing her so flustered, She-niang said, "Since she has no intention of marrying, she can’t possibly threaten your position. But you shouldn’t argue with him about it either. The more you fight, the more he’ll feel relaxed outside."

"Sigh, you’re right," Li-niang looked at her sister and added, "I just don’t know what to do."

She-niang felt it wasn’t her place to give advice on matters between husband and wife. She simply said, "Just focus on stabilizing yourself. Don’t be too anxious about gains and losses. Life is long."

The sisters chatted for a while. Li-niang, seeing that her parents and sister were now in the capital—her father as the Minister of Ceremonies, her sister as the future Princess Consort of Qing, and herself with a support system—felt reassured that her husband wouldn’t dare act recklessly.

After venting her frustrations, Li-niang looked at She-niang and asked, "Which of you will marry first, you or Shun-niang? The Xiao family is in a hurry to have a mistress."

"Normally, I should marry first, then her. But as you said, the Xiao family needs a mistress urgently, so it doesn’t matter if she marries first," She-niang said indifferently.

Li-niang shook her head. "If you were marrying just anyone, you might make way for her. But now, she’ll definitely have to wait until you’re married before she can marry."

The sisters discussed this for a while before arriving at the opera pavilion. She-niang sat through two operas. The Wang family had prepared a lavish banquet, a level of hospitality never extended before. Now, with the Pei family producing two high officials and future princesses and marchionesses, they were more than worthy of such treatment.

After returning that day, Shun-niang seemed somewhat downcast, while She-niang thought about having to visit the Marquis of Xinan’s residence the next day and decided to rest early.

She had been on edge the entire day at the marquis’s residence and asked Shanhu to give her a massage.

As long as she could relax, She-niang could rest well.

Shun-niang, however, complained to Nanny Hong, "Today, my aunt and cousins-in-law all favored Fifth Sister. It’s as if I didn’t exist. Not that I care."

Nanny Hong, knowing her stubborn temper, hurriedly said, "You mustn’t think that way. They’re only doing it out of consideration for Fourth Miss. A provincial prince, stuck out in the provinces, has little influence on people in the capital. Haven’t you noticed how even high-ranking officials are reluctant to visit feudal princes’ residences for official ceremonies?"

Shun-niang felt somewhat mollified and said, "Actually, I don’t have any grudge against Fifth Sister. What I hate is the Marquis of Dingbei’s family for being so judgmental, even though we’re relatives."

"You have zero tolerance for injustice, but that’s just how the world is," Nanny Hong could only offer this consolation.

After a pause, Nanny Hong added, "Although the marriage between the two families is settled, when you visit the Marquis of Xinan’s residence tomorrow, everyone will be watching. You must keep your cool."

Shun-niang nodded.

The next day, before heading to the Marquis of Xinan’s residence, Yu Shi said to She-niang, "I suspect they want to see what Shun-niang is like. We’ll just observe from the sidelines."

"Mother, with Shun-niang’s qualifications, what could they possibly find unsatisfactory?" She-niang felt the Xiao family was being too picky.

Yu Shi smiled. "You might think that, but there are also two children to consider."

"If they’re really worried about the children being mistreated, they shouldn’t marry again. After all, who would turn down the daughter of a future marquis?" She-niang didn’t have a close relationship with Shun-niang but felt Xiao Tang was being somewhat self-deceptive.

Anyone would have their own desires. If Shun-niang had her own children, wouldn’t she want them to become the marquis?

Yu Shi gave her daughter a disapproving look. "Look at you, talking nonsense. Since she’s going to be their mother, she needs to show some kindness. The Old Lady has already agreed to this marriage. If Shun-niang makes a good impression, it will make her life easier in her future in-laws’ home."

She-niang understood her mother’s reasoning perfectly. She often felt her thoughts were at odds with everyone else’s, but she had to master these rules to navigate life smoothly.

Thankfully, she had turned down Xiao Tang. Otherwise, she would be the one under scrutiny today.

She wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about visiting the Marquis of Xinan’s residence either. Fortunately, Shun-niang was in high spirits today, especially when she saw Nian-niang’s son and daughter. Her eyes even showed a hint of motherly kindness.

It was strange to see a young girl trying to act motherly.

Luckily, Nian-niang’s daughter was a very well-behaved little girl who softly called her "auntie," while her son, though somewhat mischievous, was still polite.

She-niang saw Shun-niang relax and took out her own presents for the children. It struck her that they had reached the age where they were giving gifts to the younger generation. She had been back since her rebirth for nearly ten years now.

The children were brought over for a visit. The Marquis of Xinan's residence also arranged for opera performances, and the food and drinks at each household seemed quite similar. She Niang had felt just the day before that she was great at handling banquet food, but today she found she couldn't eat anymore. Upon returning home, she had the kitchen whip up some vegetarian dishes for her.

On the third day, they went to her maternal grandfather's place, the Yu family. Her grandfather had now been promoted to Imperial Lecturer. The old scholar had aged considerably and was currently worried about his grandson's marriage prospects, so he was very excited about Yu Shi's visit.

However, She Niang had not much connection to her grandfather's family, and Yu Shi felt even less. The two of them finished lunch and headed home early.

Since the wedding date had been set, and Yu Shi had already married off one daughter before, she was quite adept at preparing for the wedding. She Niang excels at needlework, so she was tasked with making needlework gifts to present to the elders. The attire for the future Princess Consort was custom-made and would be provided later, so the bride's family didn't need to make the wedding dress. However, all the smaller items had to be made by her herself.

Yu Shi hired two professional embroiderers from outside to work on the wedding canopies, quilts, door hangings, and the bride's new clothes, among other things.

She Niang figured that everything starts with great enthusiasm but tends to wane over time, so she decided to first complete all the clothes, shoes, socks, and pouches for Li Ju.

Fortunately, the Prince of Qing's residence had previously sent over measurements, but she made them slightly larger, considering Li Ju was going through a growth spurt.

Lan Re giggled and said, "Miss, you are so thoughtful. Your fiancé is handsome, and these clothes you’re making will surely make him look even sharper."

"You sure know how to flatter," She Niang replied with a laugh and a shake of her head.

Meanwhile, over at Shun Niang's household, Meng Shi was also preparing the dowry. The private assets of the main branch and Old Madam Pei's additional gifts were undoubtedly substantial. For instance, while She Niang's dowry included a 300-mu (around 50 acres) estate in Hangzhou, Shun Niang received a 500-mu (around 82 acres) hot spring estate in the outskirts of the capital. It was said that her estate was even large enough for horseback riding.

One could say that no matter who Shun Niang ended up marrying, her dowry would last several lifetimes.

But this didn’t affect She Niang. In this life, being able to marry normally and prepare for the wedding was already something she had fought for. Li Niang kept pressing her for reasons, but in truth, there were no specific reasons—such matters simply fizzle out when one party is uninterested, like winking at a blind person.

Li Ju must’ve been into her after all; otherwise, he wouldn’t have made a move.

"No slacking off. Fu Rong and Gui Fang, since you both are skilled at needlework, help me out with the needlework. The rest of you, please pick up the slack elsewhere," She Niang instructed.

Fu Rong, originally a maid from the Princess of Qing's household, was perfect for helping with shoes and socks, while Gui Fang worked on items for the Prince of Qing.

After delegating the tasks, a half-month flew by, by the time she finished her first piece of clothing.

It was now late autumn. She Niang went to visit her younger brother, Pang Geer. Strangely enough, while Pei Ji had failed the county-level exam and remained a Student Scholar, Pei Yiqing noticed that this son of his didn’t seem cut out for scholarly pursuits but showed more interest in military strategy. Thus, he encouraged him to try the military exams.

Pang Geer, however, was different. Though only three or four years old, he displayed remarkable intelligence, almost memorizing things after one glance, exceptionally bright.

This brought yet another joy. She Niang now spent her free time playing with this younger brother. However, since he had begun his lessons, she now brought him annotated books as gifts.

Pang Geer was still young and usually returned home by early afternoon. He was now sitting on a high chair, swinging his chubby little legs. When he saw She Niang enter, he eagerly tried to get down.

She Niang quickly walked over, picked him up, and asked, "Did you miss your sister today?"

"Of course I did! But once I start studying, I just want to finish quickly so I can come out and play with you," Pang Geer replied, sounding quite mature for his age.

Hearing such childish yet earnest words delighted She Niang. She looked at her brother and said, "You need to pay attention when you study. Only by studying hard will you have a good future, understand?"

Pang Geer pleaded, "I want to go play with the spinning top. Will you take me, sister?"

"Alright."

The siblings went to the courtyard to play with the spinning top, thoroughly enjoying themselves...

While Pei Ji had failed the county exam, both younger brothers had begun their studies. Although he was preparing for the military exams, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat disheartened. Fortunately, Li Ju recommended a martial arts instructor to him, which lifted his spirits, and he began studying with renewed vigor.

Pei Yiqing even said to Yu Shi, "Although the young master is of noble descent, he is warm-hearted. It seems he and our daughter are truly a perfect match."

Though She Niang appeared delicate and now spoke with a gentle tone, she wasn’t the warm-hearted type—often preferring to observe coldly from the sidelines. Li Ju, on the other hand, was naturally warm-hearted and even carried a chivalrous air.

In this way, the two complemented each other quite well.

Meanwhile, because Shun Niang was marrying into the Marquis of Xinan's family, the main branch felt this was ultimately due to the influence of the second branch. Thus, the eldest uncle thought of Mo Yun. Although Mo Yun had never passed the higher exams all these years, he was still a licensed scholar, fairly clever, and working as a minor clerk in the Office of Transmission wasn’t beneath him.

After all, officials come and go, but clerks remain forever.

Thus, Mo Yun arrived in the capital in early October with Yue Niang. When She Niang saw Yue Niang again, she almost didn’t recognize her. The once spirited and beautiful girl had become quite bloated, her neck and shoulders seemingly merged together.

"Second sister," She Niang called out.

Yue Niang forced a smile and glanced nervously at Mo Yun beside her. "Let’s go to the guest room first. We still have a lot of things to unpack."

She Niang had wanted to ask about her situation, but seeing her behavior, she ultimately said nothing.

When She Niang returned to her embroidery room, Lan Re remarked, "Second Young Lady is so overly cautious, afraid her husband might exchange even a word with you. Honestly, who would even fancy him?"

"Don’t talk nonsense," She Niang chided. She thought about Mo Yun—he did seem more dashing and younger than before. With a little grooming, he was indeed a handsome man, polite and refined.

If even a young maid like Lan Re could sense Yue Niang’s insecurities, how could She Niang miss it? She just found it utterly absurd. Mo Yun was decent-looking, but Li Ju was exceptionally handsome, and she never worried daily about him.

The Pei family arranged for Yue Niang and her husband to stay in a three-room quarters in the outer compound. This area was primarily for servants but had a separate entrance, making it convenient for them to come and go.

After the couple settled in and saw everything was in order, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Mo Yun said to Yue Niang, "That Fifth Young Lady is the future Princess Consort of Qing. Why didn’t you chat with her? Now that we’re in the capital, we should build good relationships with your family."

"There will be chances to talk later," Yue Niang replied. "I’ve told you before about the grudge between grandmother and Hua Yiniang. My mother said that all these years, the old lady seemed to have let it go, but she never really did. We came to the capital through the eldest uncle’s connections, yet we’re also tied to the sixth branch. How does that look?" After saying this, Yue Niang fell silent.

Her words had a surface meaning, but deep down, she was truly worried others would take a liking to her husband.

Some women had even offered money and valuables just to be with Mo Yun. Mo Yun treated her well, but he was too attractive to women—his charm was almost unbelievable.

After giving birth to a son who tragically passed away, her body showed no signs of conceiving again. She had been taking medicine, which only increased her appetite uncontrollably. She grew plump, her face rounder, losing her former beauty and grace, and she often felt ashamed.

Seeing her fifth sister earlier—with her flower-like beauty, willow-slender figure, and noble bearing, almost celestial—made her feel even more inferior.

This was why she cut short She Niang’s attempt to converse and hurriedly brought her husband back.

However, what she said to Mo Yun wasn’t entirely baseless—her mother wouldn’t lie to her.

Hearing this, Mo Yun thought to himself that while the Pei family’s main branch was respectable, the sixth branch shouldn’t be underestimated either. Old Madam Pei’s perspective was narrow, stuck in wife-concubine conflicts that turned family members against each other like fighting cocks.

If the Mo family had produced more talented individuals, why would he need to rely on his uncle’s family?

Meanwhile, Li Ju was also at his maternal uncle’s Wang family. His grandfather had once served as a general and risen to Vice Minister of War. The old man was still full of energy. Despite his military background, he was also highly learned, truly a scholar-general.

Vice Minister Wang said to his grandson, "Young Master, you must not neglect your martial skills. The royal family of our dynasty is different from previous ones—you will all need to lead troops into battle in the future."

"I know. I haven’t slacked off for a single day," Li Ju replied with a smile.

After sharing drinks, Vice Minister Wang added, "I heard the emperor intends to have all the feudal lords reside in the capital. If that happens, it’s better to return. Whatever you do, don’t get involved in any trouble."

Li Ju was well aware—throughout history, reducing the power of feudal lords was common. By the end, this dynasty would also strengthen the central power while weakening the regional authorities, bringing the feudal lords back to the capital.

From the Wang residence, he rode his horse aimlessly and unexpectedly encountered the heir of the Marquis of Xinan and Pei Ji on the road. Pei Ji smiled and said, "Young Master, I was just inviting Brother-in-law Xiao to our place for drinks. Why don’t you join us? It would bring honor to our humble home."

Li Ju gladly agreed. It had been over half a year since they’d last met, after all.

But he said to Pei Ji, "Let’s keep it casual among ourselves. No need to trouble the elders—that would only complicate things."

Xiao Tang clapped his hands and laughed, "The prince is absolutely right."

Li Ju was well aware that Xiao Tang had once wanted to marry She Niang. Seeing how handsome and capable he was—and having met him during his time in the capital—Li Ju acknowledged he was a real stand-up guy. But as for being a match for She Niang? He still fell short.

Meanwhile, Xiao Tang thought to himself, No wonder the Pei family refused—they were climbing to a higher branch. Looking at Li Ju’s spirited and confident demeanor, his straightforward speech, and the youthful energy he radiated, it was no wonder people said even the goddess Chang’e prefers young men.

Although Li Ju had asked not to make a fuss, Pei Ji couldn’t help but inform his family. He first sent a servant to tell Yu Shi, who then personally spent eighteen taels of silver to arrange a table of fine dishes and premium wine. She said to She Niang, "Look at your brother—suddenly bringing the prince back without warning. I hardly had time to prepare."

"Mother, don’t worry. Since Brother said it was a spontaneous decision and specifically asked not to trouble the household, it means he doesn’t want a big production. Change into your formal robes first. If Prince Qing’s son comes over, you can go greet him then," She Niang replied.

Yu Shi thought it made sense and had Huang Shi take people to tidy up the small hall next to the opera pavilion for receiving guests. She didn’t hide the matter from Old Madam Pei and the others, especially since Xiao Tang was also the son-in-law of the eldest branch.

So when Pei Ji returned with Li Ju and Xiao Tang, they found Nanny Xiang waiting there. She said, "First Young Master, the old madam says she has already arranged food and wine. She asks you to go directly there—our family isn’t one for excessive formalities."

But Li Ju insisted that since Old Madam Pei knew of their arrival, it was only proper to pay their respects. He said to Pei Ji, "Qingyun, let’s first go pay our respects to Old Madam Pei, then we can talk."

Pei Ji was puzzled—he had asked his mother to arrange the food and wine, so why was the old madam involved now?