Chapter 319 Visit

Chapter 319: The Visit

Meng Wan was surprised and had no idea why Song Tingzhou was so worried about him. Still confused, he let himself be pulled onto the carriage.

When they arrived at Wu Zhaoyuan's home, Wu Zhaoyuan was just about to leave for his post. His father-in-law and mentor had finally made the trip, and he had already requested leave from his superior, only to be lectured by his father-in-law instead. So now he was still going to his post on time.

"You came at just the right time!"

When Wu Zhaoyuan saw the couple bringing their children over, his tense demeanor visibly relaxed, as if he'd seen a lifeline. He urged Meng Wan, "Brother-in-law, please come by these next few days to check on your sister-in-law. She was in much better spirits after coming back from the estate, but these past two days she's..."

Meng Wan could see he was in a hurry and guessed he had important matters to handle at the yamen. "Brother, rest assured. If you have business to attend to, go ahead. I'll look after sister-in-law."

"Go on, take care on the road." Song Tingzhou also stood beside Meng Wan and said to Wu Zhaoyuan.

The two of them standing together was a reassuring sight, and Wu Zhaoyuan didn't hesitate any longer and rode off.

Meng Wan and Song Tingzhou watched Wu Zhaoyuan ride off, then without delay, entered the Wu residence together. A Yan dragged Tong'er, who was shorter than him, by the arm, his face full of pain. It was only a two-courtyard house, yet he managed to make it feel like a thousand-mile trek.

Tong'er didn't want to find a tutor or go to a private school either, but at least he was putting on a braver front than A Yan.

"Brother A Yan, let's walk faster. Don't forget to keep your posture proper later, so Master Zheng doesn't scold you again."

A Yan nodded with difficulty. "I remember."

The cartload of gifts they'd prepared yesterday went unused. Thanks to Song Tingzhou's reminder, Meng Wan had switched up the gifts and now simply carried two bundles of Eight Treasure Tea through the door.

Qiu Ying had gone ahead to announce their arrival and came back out with a grim face, dragging his feet.

Meng Wan saw him hunched over, taking quick little steps, and nearly burst out laughing. Suppressing his laughter, he asked Qiu Ying, "What's wrong with you? Got a stomach ache?"

Qiu Ying first made a respectful bow with his hands clasped, then said with a wry smile, his voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, "Fulang, please don't tease me. I'll go prepare tea outside. You and Lord Song should head in quickly."

Song Tingzhou still had to go to the Shuntian Prefecture after saying hello, so Meng Wan didn't linger and walked into the Wu family's main hall.

He already knew that Wu Zhaoyuan's father-in-law placed great importance on propriety, so his steps and posture followed the court etiquette Nanny Jin had taught him. But no sooner had he entered than he was hit with a remark: "How can a young man of the inner quarters casually meet with outside men? Shishu, take Meng Fulang to the back courtyard."

The elderly man in the hall wore a dark blue cotton robe with a diagonal front, the hem hanging perfectly straight, as if even the folds had been pressed according to ancient book illustrations.

His hands clasped behind his back, a slight frown creased his brow. His aged face was stern and aloof. He didn't even glance in Meng Wan's direction, only greeting Song Tingzhou without much warmth: "Jingxing, bring the two children over here."

Song Tingzhou first looked at his husband. Meng Wan had already expected this when they arrived, so he wasn't particularly surprised. He pointed to Shishu, who was leading the way, indicating he'd go to the back courtyard to see Zheng Shushen first.

For an official to reach Song Tingzhou's position, he'd truly achieved real results that benefited the people. Every ambitious scholar in the land couldn't help but admire him.

Even Zheng Su genuinely admired Song Tingzhou, though his personality made it less obvious.

This was Song Tingzhou's second time meeting Zheng Su. The old gentleman's scholarship was beyond question. Though he was a stickler for tradition, he was just right for teaching A Yan.

He still had to get to the yamen. Ignoring his son's pleading look, he steeled his heart and simply left both him and Tong'er with Zheng Su before taking off.

A Yan: "..." My dear fathers! You're really just going to abandon me like this?

Meng Wan and Shishu walked to the back courtyard. The atmosphere in the main room wasn't exactly warm. Normally, a mother and son reunited after so long would be sitting cozily in the inner room sharing intimate words.

When Meng Wan arrived at Chang Jinhua's room, his first move was to take off his shoes and climb onto the heated brick bed, lounging like a lord as he leaned against Chang Jinhua, waiting to be fed.

But Zheng Shushen and his mother were sitting stiffly and politely in the main hall. The chairs at the octagonal table were hard and cold, yet they didn't seem to mind the discomfort.

"Sister-in-law, this must be Auntie Zheng?" Not knowing Zheng Shushen's mother's surname, Meng Wan addressed her by her husband's surname.

Zheng Shushen's mother had a far gentler face than her husband, Zheng Su. She was short, with the graceful bearing of a Jiangnan woman, her expression kind and soft. But when she spoke, her tone was as distant as Zheng Su's: "Greetings, Meng Fulang."

Meng Wan said with a smile, "We're all family. You're too formal."

Old Madam Zheng smoothed her graying hair at her temples and said softly, "You are an official's wife. It's only proper."

She instructed the elderly maid beside her, "Go fetch the young miss to come meet Meng Fulang."

Meng Wan sat down beside Zheng Shushen and asked with his eyes: There's a young miss? I hadn't heard about this?

Zheng Shushen gave a slight shake of his head, a hint of worry surfacing deep in his eyes.

The Wu residence wasn't large to begin with. After Zheng Su and his wife arrived, they stayed in the east bedroom of the back courtyard, and the side room next door had been prepared for this young miss.

Meng Wan figured she must have been ready well in advance. Not long after the maid left, she returned with a graceful young woman.

She was around seventeen years old, wearing a goose-yellow fine cotton dress embroidered with scattered hibiscus flowers. A cloth belt cinched her willowy waist, and the wide sleeves revealed fair arms when she raised her hands.

Her collar was a standing mandarin style, making her face look smaller and her almond eyes larger. She had a cherry-like mouth, a small delicate nose, and glossy black hair half pinned up with an ornate silver hairpin shaped like an openwork palace lantern. As she walked, it swayed without falling into disarray, like flower branches brushing against her ears—her movements lively and elegant.

"Greetings, Auntie, and Brother Shushen."

Her voice was soft and sweet, the quintessential delicate beauty of the Jiangnan water towns.

A warmth crept into Old Madam Zheng's eyes. "Shiniang, come here. This is the husband of the Shuntian Prefect. Why don't you greet Meng Fulang first?"

With the elder's introduction, Shiniang turned around, intending to steal a quick glance at Meng Wan before looking away. But she unexpectedly met a pair of smiling eyes.

The husband of the Shuntian Prefect? He was this young... and handsome?

Shiniang truly hadn't expected this. She had imagined meeting a middle-aged husband with an air of superiority.

She dipped into a slight bow, quickly recovering her composure. "Meng Fulang, peace and good fortune."

Meng Wan kindly invited her to sit. "Miss is too polite. Please, have a seat."

"Okay." Shiniang lifted her skirt and sat beside Old Madam Zheng.

That position happened to face Meng Wan directly. She couldn't help stealing two more glances at him, then turned her head to smooth her long hair falling over her chest, avoiding his returning gaze.

Meng Wan noticed Zheng Shushen's troubled expression and began to piece things together, but Old Madam Zheng clearly didn't care much for him, so he didn't feel it was his place to say anything.

Sitting around awkwardly was uncomfortable, but Meng Wan seemed completely at ease, his demeanor calm and composed.

"I hear Meng Fulang was doing business in Lingnan before?" Old Madam Zheng suddenly asked.

"That's right. Actually, I had already started trading before I even went to Lingnan." Meng Wan knew why she and Zheng Su had a lukewarm impression of him—they thought it unseemly for a young man of his station to be out in the world all day, lacking in modesty. But Meng Wan had faced far too many critics to be bothered. He admitted it openly and without shame.

Shiniang looked shocked. "How can a young man abandon his domestic duties and consort with those merchants who value profit over righteousness? Wouldn't that tarnish his own pure reputation?"

Zheng Shushen gently chided, "Shiniang, how can you so easily judge another's way of life?"

Old Madam Zheng glanced at her youngest son, the corners of her wrinkled mouth turning downward. "Meng Fulang, I've heard from Zhaoyuan that you and your mother-in-law supported Lord Song's rise to prominence by selling tofu. You are truly an extraordinary person. However, now that Lord Song has reached the third rank in court, if you continue to engage in commerce as a young man of your station, I fear it may invite criticism."

She wasn't mocking Meng Wan but speaking from the position of an elder, offering a well-meaning reminder because her son-in-law was close with Song Tingzhou.

Meng Wan maintained his smile. "It's true that returning to the capital isn't as convenient as Lingnan. I've been a bit troubled by it, but fortunately my mother-in-law and husband have been reassuring."

Shiniang couldn't help asking, "Does your mother-in-law not permit you to have contact with outside men?" That would truly be shocking. Not just a mother-in-law—even one's own mother would scold her daughter for that, wouldn't she? She glanced at Old Madam Zheng, who indeed wore a puzzled expression as well.

"Why not?"

Meng Wan kept his composure, facing such a dismissive inquiry with calm and equanimity. "My mother-in-law is a skilled cook, and she's not the type to sit around like most ladies of the house. She's opened several eateries herself. If she gets the chance to open another in the capital, Madam Zheng, you could bring your niece to show your support."

Madam Zheng's expression stiffened slightly. When Meng Wan had first arrived, he'd addressed her as "Aunt," but she'd been calling him "Master Meng." Now that Meng Wan addressed her as "Madam Zheng," she felt a bit put in her place.

Zheng Shushen stepped in to smooth things over, "I know—Jingxing wrote in his letter that there's rice noodles too, right? We've been dying to try Lingnan flavors."

Meng Wan leisurely took a sip of tea. "Sister-in-law, you came back too soon this time. Next time I'll have you come stay at the estate for a few days."

"Shushen isn't going. Leaving her husband and shirking household duties to go stay at an estate—what would that look like?" Madam Zheng said sternly.

"Madam Zheng, you don't know this, but even in the capital with all its rules, plenty of prominent families go out to the countryside for fresh air. If you're cooped up in the house all day, wouldn't you go crazy even if you weren't sick? Besides, the doctor at my place said getting out and about is good for having kids." Meng Wan had known Zheng Shushen would catch flak from Zheng Su and his wife the moment she got back—that's exactly why he brought it up.

He figured Madam Zheng would be strongly opposed, but to his surprise, she seemed actually tempted and asked Meng Wan, "Is that really a thing?"

Meng Wan was momentarily taken aback, then broke into a smile. "That's indeed what the doctor at home said."

Madam Zheng stared thoughtfully at her son's belly.

At noon, Meng Wan and the two children stayed at the Wu residence for lunch. Zheng Su and his wife knew their manners, and even if they didn't approve of Meng Wan being a merchant, they wouldn't send a guest off on an empty stomach.

Meng Wan stayed for the meal for the sake of Wu Zhaoyuan and Zheng Shushen. He had a thick skin and just ate and drank like normal, while poor A Yan and Tong'er had to sit through dinner getting lectured on manners by Zheng Su.

Zheng Su was getting on in years and had handed his Suzhou academy entirely over to his son. He'd come to the capital partly because he worried about his son and son-in-law, and partly because old friends had written begging him to help teach their grandkids. Plus Wu Zhaoyuan said Song Tingzhou wanted his son to study under the Zheng family. That one thing alone was enough to seal the deal.

Zheng Su wasn't driven by ambition, but genuinely admired Song Tingzhou's approach to governance. These literary types always had a lot of naive, romantic notions. Song Tingzhou's record in Lingnan was exactly what many scholars dreamed an official should be, and even old Zheng Su was no exception.

So when Wu Zhaoyuan wrote to him, Zheng Su settled the academy's affairs and brought his wife to the capital.

He was hard on A Yan because the old man had it in mind to take the boy as a disciple. But to be honest, after meeting A Yan, he was rather disappointed compared to his expectations.

This was the son of Song Tingzhou, who had reached the third rank at just thirty-two. How many scholars across the realm admired Song Tingzhou, even making pilgrimages to his former residence in Changping to compose poems and inscriptions?

Shouldn't his son be equally mature and learned, like a young sage?

How could his temperament be so flighty?

Zheng Su was puzzled and even considered reshaping the boy's character. Thus, even without formal apprenticeship, A Yan faced twice the discipline that Tong'er did.

On the way back, A Yan couldn't stop sighing. At such a young age, he suddenly felt like life was already over.

He'd heard that the Imperial Academy had a class for wayward sons of the wealthy—when could he be old enough to attend?

That was A Yan's strongest desire for growing up at the moment.

After Meng Wan left, Madam Zheng finally pulled Zheng Shushen aside for a private talk.

"What are you thinking?"

Zheng Shushen spoke with resentment, "Mother, since you've already brought Shiniang along, what difference does my opinion make? Does it even matter what I think?"

Madam Zheng's face darkened, "You've only spent a few times with that merchant surnamed Meng, and already you're talking back to your elders. Isn't everything I do for your own good?"

Zheng Shushen's eyes reddened, "I merely spoke the truth—what does it have to do with Brother Wan? It's always the in-laws who push someone into their son's bed. Since you've disregarded my dignity by bringing my cousin to be my husband's concubine, am I not even allowed to question it?"

Madam Zheng slammed the table, her heart aching with bitterness at her son's reproach, "You think I want this? Zhaoyuan is the disciple your father valued most, and he passed the imperial exams with distinction. He's treated you well for years—how could your father and I not be gratified by his gratitude? But you've been married for six years, not just a few months, and you've produced no heir. What will others say about your father?"

She too began to tear up, "Your father's reputation is everything to him—it's the foundation of our Zheng family. We cannot let Zhaoyuan, who has no parents, be deprived of an heir while we stand by and watch!"

The words were too severe. Zheng Shushen's heart skipped a beat, and his face turned deathly pale.

Seeing him like this, Madam Zheng's heart ached. She gripped her son's shoulders and spoke in a trembling, soothing voice, "Shushen, Shiniang is at least your cousin. Her mother passed early, and I've raised her in the Zheng household these past years. She's a grateful, good child. She's also agreed that whatever child she bears first, whether boy or girl, will be brought to the main chamber. The daughters and younger sons she'll raise herself, but if it's a son, he'll definitely be given to you to raise."

Zheng Shushen closed his eyes, tears streaming down from the corners. His voice carried a note of resignation, "I... I..."

The word "agree" weighed like a mountain, pressing heavily on his heart, leaving him dizzy and unable to utter it.