Mein erster Ehemann nach der Transmigration

Kapitel 8

Shopkeeper Fu nodded repeatedly, his face beaming with joy. He praised the old lady's kindness, saying it would be rewarded, and that from now on, he would only charge the cost price when the family came to his shop to make medicine. Finally, he put away the order slip, looked closely at Tang's mother, and said, "It's been half a year since I last saw you, and you look even better. I thought about how your family has been supporting our shop's business every year, so I took the liberty of sending you two hundred hawthorn and malt pills. They're good for your stomach and intestines, and with the New Year approaching, they're a good remedy for indigestion if you eat too much."

The old lady laughed and said, "You're quite clever. Sending two hundred pills has swindled me out of a lot of money. Fine, I'll have them all prepared and sent over before the New Year." With that, she had Granny Tian hand over the deposit.

Manager Fu waved his hands repeatedly, declining the money: "You are a regular customer of our household, and the Second Madam's family has a connection with my father. It's the same as paying a deposit when the medicine is delivered." He declined for a long time before finally accepting the silver note, and then left the mansion without mentioning it again.

Inside, He Suchen and the other children sat around a table. He Suchen, not wanting to stay since the room was full of girls, excused herself and went back to her study to read, leaving the four sisters to chat. He Suchen mostly drank tea and pretended to be tired, listening to them talk. She knew that the more she said, the more mistakes she would make, so she simply said less.

First, Yongjiao held the hand warmer and told Yuanrou about the poems she had read the day before. With a face full of longing, she said, "Yesterday I was reading Tang poems and came across one that expressed loyalty to one's wife: 'I will keep my eyes open all night long to repay her for a lifetime of unfulfilled love.' Such plain language, such profound meaning. Just this one line surpasses all the other poems in a thousand."

“That must be Yuan Zhen. I love his poems too, such as ‘Once you’ve seen the ocean, other waters are nothing; once you’ve seen the clouds of Wushan, other clouds are nothing,’ and ‘I’m too lazy to look back at the flowers, half for my spiritual practice, half for you.’ They are full of vicissitudes and pain, and deep love.” Yuan Rou replied with equal enthusiasm.

He Suchen couldn't help but grumble inwardly: Here we go again. Can't you talk about anything other than poetry and literature? And you always bring up romance novels. How old are you? She also saw He Yuanfang frowning, still with that proud look, clearly annoyed as well.

Yongjiao added, "Lord Su's poem is also exquisite: 'Ten years have passed, life and death are separated by a vast distance; I try not to think of you, yet I cannot forget; a lonely grave a thousand miles away, where can I speak of my sorrow? Even if we were to meet again, you would not recognize me, my face covered in dust, my temples white as frost.'"

“Lu You was also very devoted. I was even more moved by Lu You’s poem ‘The Phoenix Hairpin’: ‘A heart full of sorrow, years of separation and regret!’ ‘The vows of love remain, but the letter is hard to send!’” Yuan Rou raised her head and said, but even in her argument, she still looked very delicate and pitiful.

He Suchen was truly impressed by these two. He thought to himself that if modern Chinese literature students were this serious when reciting and discussing classical poems, they would have no trouble finding jobs. Besides, that guy Lu You…

Wait, Lu You?! Wasn't he from the Southern Song Dynasty?! She stared in shock at the two who were engrossed in their discussion and oblivious to everything else. Before she could react, Yuanfang beside her coldly mocked, "What idiots, mistaking bricks for jewels!"

Yuan Rou remained silent, but Yong Jiao angrily exclaimed, "What are you saying, elder sister?!"

"Isn't that right? All those people you're talking about are notorious heartless men," He Yuanfang said with a sneer. She was only fourteen years old, but she spoke with the maturity of an adult. "Yuan Zhen remarried later, and he even let his new wife abuse the children left by his ex-wife to an indescribable degree. Where is the 'repayment for a lifetime of unfulfilled love'? As for Lord Su, although he did my grandfather a great favor, anyone with a bit of knowledge knows that he brought concubines into his house one after another. How could you think he was so devoted?"

She poured herself a cup of tea and said casually, "As for Lu You, he was no better. His mother divorced his cousin on some excuse that 'their relationship was too good and would affect my child and hinder his pursuit of fame and fortune.' Even if filial piety comes first, wouldn't he have tried to stand up for his cousin? I heard that his mother was just taking out her anger on Tang Wan because she had a falling out with Tang Wan's mother when they were young girls. Lu You, on the other hand, was a good-for-nothing! He remarried and had a bunch of sons and daughters. It's just a pity that Tang Wan was depressed and died young."

She glanced sarcastically at Yongjiao and Yuanrou, who were speechless after their argument, and said, "Boring, so stupid. Don't tell anyone you're my sisters." After speaking, she gave He Suchen a malicious look, then whispered in her ear, "I can't believe you're so lucky, little sister. You didn't drown. You were so sick and still survived. You must be so cheap."

He Sucheng was still in a daze, wondering how Lu You had ended up in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was clearly from the Southern Song Dynasty. Suddenly, upon hearing He Yuanfang's words, he didn't know how to respond. Yongjiao was about to rush up and hit He Yuanfang, but Yuanrou quickly pulled her back. Yongjiao angrily said, "How can you be such a sister?! How can you say such awful things?! I'm telling Grandma, you go tell Grandma what you said!!"

He Yuanfang glanced at them with disgust and said, "I've already told you not to say I'm your older sister. I'm still sick. Are you going to hurt me and then let your mother scold you? You're such idiots. What else can you do besides tattle?" After saying that, she smiled contemptuously, raised her head, and called the maid back.

Chapter Fourteen, The Strange

<><A><>The promotional function is now open! What are you waiting for? Join us now!!!</A><> Yongjiao was trembling with anger and was about to rush out to complain when Yuanrou stopped her, saying, "Second sister, don't go. Grandma just got back. Do you want her and your mother to worry about her again? That's just how my sister is. Just ignore her. Can't you do it for my sake?"

Helpless and unable to vent her anger, Yongjiao grabbed the teacup Yuanfang had been drinking from and smashed it on the ground. The little maid guarding the door dared not make a sound and secretly cleaned up the shards. Tang's mother, who was in the outer hall, heard the sound of breaking porcelain and sent someone to ask what had happened. Fortunately, Dongkui intercepted her halfway and said that she had accidentally broken the cup, thus keeping the matter a secret.

Yongjiao said angrily, "I hate your sister the moment I see her! I wish I could pinch her a few times to vent my anger! How can there be such a person?! I... I don't even know how to curse her anymore!! She's a bastard!!"

Yuan Rou held onto her tightly, afraid that if she let go, she would run off to complain. So she said, "Second Sister, don't worry about that for now. Guazi seems to be scared." Yong Jiao turned her head and saw that He Suchen's face was indeed deathly pale, just like Yuan Rou's. She quickly said, "Guazi was frightened by that demon, wasn't she? Don't pay attention to her, she's sick, she's not right in the head!"

He Suchen was still in a daze, her mind a complete blank, unable to think of anything—how could there be a Lu You in this era?! What on earth was going on?! My knowledge of history couldn't be that bad, could it?! Lu You was clearly from the Southern Song Dynasty!! She was so confused that she didn't even realize when Yuan Rou and Yong Jiao were gone, until Dong Kui carried her back to her room, bringing her back to her senses. She hurriedly asked, "What happened? What time is it? Where are my sisters?"

Dongkui was both amused and exasperated: "Miss, were you really scared? It's past noon, and the second and third young ladies have already gone back. They asked you for a long time but you didn't answer. Everyone thought you were frightened and was even going to call a doctor. If I hadn't stopped you, you would be taking Manager Fu's pulse now."

She patted Su Chen on the back and said, "Don't be afraid, young lady. Things won't be the same as before. The old lady is back, so the third branch of the family should behave themselves. The eldest young lady is not a good person, so stay away from her next time. The old lady needs to rest, so she probably won't call you over today. Get some rest."

After returning to her room, He Sucheng ran to the study without saying a word. He Sushi was inside reciting his books. She tiptoed up a stool and carried down a copy of "Records of the Grand Historian", a copy of "Annals of the Song Dynasty", and a copy of "A Brief History of the Former Dynasty". She originally planned to look for more books, but they were too heavy to carry, so she had to give up.

Just as she was about to leave, a voice suddenly rang in her ears, startling her so much that she dared not move. It was He Su Shi standing beside her with a half-smile, watching her carry the books. He said, "Strange, didn't Guazi used to hate reading history books the most? What's gotten into you? You're not looking for any of your favorite poems and lyrics, and you're only picking up history books?" After he finished speaking, he took Su Chen's hand and supported the several thick books for her. He added, "Although you are smart, are you sure you can recognize all the characters? History books are not like the poems and lyrics you used to memorize. Having a bit of memory and a bit of cleverness is not enough to get praise."

He Suchen was startled by his first few words, breaking out in a cold sweat. She thought she had done something suspicious, making him question her identity. After a long pause, she said, "I don't remember. I overheard my second sister and the others talking today, but I didn't know anything. It's embarrassing, so I wanted to find some books to read..." He Suchen was stunned for a moment, then said, "Why bother? Your recovery is the most important thing." Seeing He Suchen staring at her intently, he added, "Silly sister, how can you read if you don't remember anything? Sit here, and ask me if you don't understand anything. Go back to your room and rest if you're tired." He then moved a chair next to the small desk for He Suchen to sit on, and then, standing on tiptoe, pulled out a copy of the *Shuowen Jiezi* (a dictionary of Chinese characters), saying, "If there are any characters you don't recognize, look them up in the book. Do you know how to use them?"

"Probably, I used it in the library before..." She nodded blankly, and He Su Shi patted her head before going to read a book.

It seemed like dusk arrived in no time, and He Su was completely overwhelmed. Traditional Chinese characters were a challenge, and the difficult classical Chinese was an even greater challenge. She didn't even know if her understanding was correct or wrong. Fortunately, these books were strangely marked with punctuation marks (according to her memory, punctuation marks seemed to have only been widely promoted after the May Fourth Movement, but they had been used here for hundreds of years). Otherwise, trying to punctuate the sentences would have exhausted her.

She squinted, feeling an urge to cry. Seeing her slumped over the table, He Su Shi put down his book and tried to carry her back to her room. He Su Chen looked up, pouting, and said shyly, "Brother...it's so hard to understand..."

He Su Shi laughed and said, "Silly boy, these are things that only men our age learn. Why are you studying so hard? Just ask your brother if you want to know anything."

She thought for a moment and said, "I don't understand anything right now, I'm so scared... Brother, you have to let me know some things." He Su Shi's expression changed, and he said with heartache, "You're really stupid. What do you need to know these things for a girl like you? Knowing some family matters and interpersonal relationships is enough. Never mind, I have some notes here, take a look. It should be easier than reading these big books." After saying that, he walked to the large desk and pulled out a small bound booklet from the papers at the bottom.

He Suchen opened the booklet and flipped through it briefly. The contents were somewhat similar to a history review outline and notes. Sure enough, He Suchen said, "These are the reviews I did before the teacher checked the homework. My sister has understood them after reading them once or twice." Seeing his sister's smiling face, he couldn't help but pat her head. "It's only because your brother has such good stuff that everyone in school just memorizes things without understanding them. Aren't you going to thank me?" He put on a serious face.

He Suchen made a face, hugged the booklet, and sat back down at his small table, pretending not to hear him speak. This guy always has to put on an act of being a bit more powerful, a bit more handsome, and a bit more narcissistic in front of me!

Although He Suchen wasn't good at reading classical Chinese and traditional characters, he could still read very quickly, which was probably honed by reading online novels back in the day. Moreover, He Suchen probably used a semi-vernacular writing style for easier memorization, so apart from the slight inconvenience of vertical lines, it was indeed much simpler to read, just as he said.

She finished reading it in no time. He Suchen closed the booklet to digest what she had just read, and couldn't help but feel a deep sense of wonder—what a bizarre world this was!

Chapter Fifteen, Early Brightness

<><A><>The promotional function is now open! What are you waiting for? Join us now!!!</A><> According to He Su's notes, this world is really chaotic. Many historical figures have mysteriously traveled to abnormal time periods and done things that are inconsistent with history.

The simplest example is Lu You, who aroused He Sucheng's suspicion. He was originally from the Southern Song Dynasty, but he went to the end of the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, his experiences were not much different from those of Lu You that He Sucheng knew. Then there is Wu Zetian. This empress not only successfully established the Zhou Dynasty, but also made Princess Taiping her heir. The two women ruled for more than ninety years before being overthrown by Li Longji, who kept a low profile.

There was also the great ethnic integration during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, which not only integrated historical ethnic groups but also strangely mixed in some Westerners and Middle Easterners. Unofficial histories describe their skin color as "either pale or charcoal black, completely unlike ordinary people." Then there was the current Emperor Huizong. He Suchen originally thought that although he was still in power, she would not be able to obtain many records, but the actual situation greatly exceeded her expectations. He Suchen used more than thirty pages to record the events during Emperor Huizong's reign, with the latest major event being last year.

This time traveler's reach was extremely far-reaching. He not only sent envoys to the Western Regions to trade with Southeast Asian countries, but also arranged for a fleet to sail to the Western Ocean. The scale of the fleet was enormous and rarely seen in the world. There were more than a hundred large treasure ships alone, more than 60,000 officials and soldiers, and no less than a thousand merchants who spontaneously accompanied the fleet. He Sucheng's father, He Ziyuan, was also one of the organizers.

Along the way, the fleet sold tea, porcelain, silk, handicrafts, and other goods, and brought back corn, sweet potatoes, spices, jewelry, gold, and other items. However, the fleet suffered continuous losses—not from illness or other causes, but because the countries and regions feared the Song Dynasty would stop sending merchant ships to their territories and strongly demanded that some people be left behind as "hostages" to ensure future merchant ships would arrive. Seeing this, the leading eunuch simply had those left behind establish embassies and appointed them as resident ambassadors.

Emperor Huizong valued both civil and military affairs and favored employing eunuchs. Whether it was designing palaces, managing the imperial treasury, or sending merchant fleets to the Western Ocean, the leaders were always eunuchs. It is said that both civil and military officials questioned him, arguing that this damaged the prestige of the Song Dynasty. Emperor Huizong refuted them with a few resounding words, leaving the two officials red-faced and repeatedly begging for death.

He Su recorded these words as follows: "Who wrote the historian's masterpiece, the lament without rhyme? The eunuch faction! Who invented papermaking, preserving our Chinese civilization? The eunuch faction! Who pacified Youyan and decisively defeated Western Xia? The eunuch faction! Who set sail far and wide, displaying national power thousands of miles away? Still the eunuch faction!! —If you can do even one of these things, what's wrong with me making you my prime minister?"

He Suchen also found a comment on these words, which was suspected to be He Suchen's, in an inconspicuous place: "It seems familiar"—it has been erased, but it can still be barely recognized when viewed in the sunlight.

Given He Suchen's utter ignorance of history, it's safe to say that there are definitely many things in this world that don't conform to history but that she simply can't discover.

She was so engrossed in her book that she didn't notice He Su Shi glancing at her with a probing look every now and then. A little puzzled, she pointed to a passage in the book and asked him, "Brother, the Emperor's new edict is clearly meant to elevate the status of merchants, so why is there an additional tax on the circulation of goods?"

He Sushi raised an eyebrow: "Why not? Is there any conflict?" He Suchen nodded: "If we see the importance of commodity circulation and want to improve the status of merchants, then we should reduce taxes. Moreover, for shrewd merchants, no matter how you look at it, empty fame is not as good as real profit."

He Su put down his pen: "What you said makes some sense, but it's one-sided. Throughout history, among scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants have always been at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Merchants are profit-driven, and when their businesses grow, they earn more money than ordinary people can even dream of. Even small merchants live better than farmers. Under such circumstances, devaluing the status of merchants becomes a feasible way to balance the number of merchants."