Widows in the Song Dynasty were easy to marry

Chapter 15

After speaking for a while, Yu Yang stood up and went to a huanghuali wood display cabinet by the south wall. He stroked a jade piece displayed on it, then suddenly turned back with a smile, seemingly casually, and said, “By the way, sister, I just remembered something. My mother’s birthday was before the New Year, and I didn’t know what gift to give her. In the end, I asked Lord Xu to find me a jade carving of a boy on a cloud, worshipping Buddha. It truly touched my mother’s heart. I’ve been thinking of thanking Lord Xu in person, but I haven’t had the chance. Since you’re here today, please convey my gratitude to him on my behalf. Tell him that if there’s an opportunity in the future, I will personally express my thanks to him.”

When Danmei first heard the name "Lord Xu," she didn't immediately connect it to Xu Jinrong. It wasn't until she heard the rest that she understood. A suspicion immediately arose in her heart, but she quickly suppressed it and said with a faint smile, "Since the princess has given such instructions, I will naturally convey the message."

Yu Yang laughed, her eyes sparkling with charm as she turned her head.

When Danmei first overheard the noblewomen gossiping about Yu Yang, she didn't harbor any prejudice against her. Although she found it strange that Yu Yang had invited her over without mentioning anything, she didn't feel any aversion. But now, hearing her speak like this, especially when she deliberately emphasized the words "Lord Xu," a faint sense of annoyance welled up within her, and she even felt impatient to give her polite replies. After sitting for a while longer, she excused herself, saying she had matters to attend to at home, and took her leave.

Yu Yang did not insist on keeping her, but personally escorted her to the door this time before smiling and saying, "My sister and I are destined to meet again in the future."

Danmei smiled, nodded slightly to her, and then lifted her skirt and got into the waiting carriage.

Xu Jinrong went out yesterday, and when he returned today, it was already dark. Danmei had already removed her hairpins and jewelry and was sitting in bed reading, with a cushion behind her back. When she saw him return, she wanted to get out of bed to greet him, but he stopped her, saying, "Sit down. Be careful not to get cold coming out of bed."

Danmei glanced at him and noticed the weariness on his face, likely from his travels. A pang of pity struck her. She then recalled how Princess Yuyang had gone to such lengths to bring her there earlier that day, rambling on and on, the most important part likely being the last part. A sense of unease crept into her heart. She didn't show it, only giving a soft "hmm," before her eyes returned to the book resting on her bent knees.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

A moment later, Xu Jinrong got onto the couch and saw that Danmei's eyes were still fixed on the book. He casually picked it up and threw it onto the table outside with a thud.

"Didn't I tell you before to read less late at night? It's bad for your eyes. And there are no female scholars who have passed the imperial examinations in this dynasty."

Danmei glanced at him and saw that although his face was still serious, his tone of voice made it sound like he was joking with her. If it were before today, she might have responded with a playful reply, but now she had no interest at all and casually said, "What am I supposed to read if I'm alone at night?" After saying that, she lay down. Before she could even close her eyes, he had already picked her up and pulled her into his arms, their eyes meeting.

Xu Jinrong subtly tightened his arms, pressing her increasingly full and rounded breasts tightly against his own. Even through the layer of clothing, he could still feel the soft, boneless texture of her breasts pressed against his chest.

"What you just said was to blame me for not coming home last night, and for coming home so late today, for not spending enough time with you?"

As he said this, he casually brushed back a few strands of hair that had fallen onto her eyebrows, and his hand slipped into the hair that covered her shoulders, kneading it gently.

Danmei saw a slight smile in his eyes, clearly indicating he was teasing her. In such situations, she almost always ended up losing. Normally it was one thing, but today, after her visit to the Prince's mansion, she felt as if she had swallowed a fly. In a fit of anger, she decided to retaliate. Without a word, she gave him a charming smile, resting her pointed chin on his chest. With a fingernail, she lightly scraped open his undergarment, tracing her fingers across his half-exposed chest. Seeing his eyes darken and his Adam's apple bob, she then said with a smile, "My lord, do you know where I've been today?"

Xu Jinrong had already slipped one hand under her clothes, encircling her slender waist, while his other hand pulled her clothes, along with her bodice, off her shoulders. He then lifted her body slightly, revealing her smooth, white breast, which was slightly raised. This breast, with its delicate pink bud standing erect in the center due to the sudden chill, seemed to gleam with an alluring light.

Where did you come from?

After a long pause, he finally responded, but his eyes remained fixed on her neck, and his voice was already somewhat absent-minded.

"Prince Chong's Mansion".

Danmei spoke slowly.

"Hmm, the Prince Chong's residence..."

Xu Jinrong repeated it casually. Suddenly, the arm around Danmei's waist tightened, and his eyes fixed on her face.

“Yes, the Chong Prince’s Mansion.” Danmei smiled slightly, her nails still idly tracing circles on his chest. “It was actually Princess Yuyang from the manor who personally invited me yesterday…”

Danmei stopped drawing circles with her hand, as it was now held firmly in his grasp. She noticed that his brows had furrowed slightly, and his eyes had instantly turned cold.

Danmei paused for a moment, but still smiled slightly and said, "My lord, isn't it strange? I had never met that princess before, yet she specially invited me over. When we met, she called me 'sister' so affectionately. I was curious and asked her what it was about, but she just smiled and didn't say anything until I got up to take my leave. Only then did she say that we were destined to meet again. Just now when you came in, you saw that I had a book spread out in front of me, but you were actually thinking about this strange thing today, and the more you thought about it, the more puzzled you became."

After Danmei finished speaking, she propped one elbow against his chest and looked at him with her cheek on her hand.

Xu Jinrong narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at Danmei as if scrutinizing her. Seeing her propping her cheek up with one hand, tilting her head, and staring wide-eyed in utter confusion, the chill in his eyes slowly dissipated.

"That person is not easy to deal with. Stay as far away from her as possible. If something like this happens again, remember to wait for me to come back first. I will handle it myself. Just make up an excuse to avoid it and ignore it."

Danmei listened to him speak to her in a dry voice. She sneered inwardly, but said "oh" aloud. She slowly climbed off his chest, pulled her clothes back up and straightened them, then lay back down on her pillow.

Xu Jinrong seemed somewhat disheartened by her words. Seeing her lie back down, he didn't stop her, but simply went to blow out the lamp and went back to bed. Neither of them spoke in the darkness.

After a moment of silence, Danmei felt a hand touch her shoulder from behind, trying to turn her around. She twisted slightly and followed his force, turning over to face him.

Xu Jinrong moved the hand that was on her shoulder to her cheek, rubbed it with his thumb, and then pulled her into his arms.

"You still had something on your mind, didn't you?" Xu Jinrong suddenly asked.

Danmei was taken aback, still pondering how to respond, when she heard him give what sounded like a bitter laugh and say, "I have little connection with that princess. I only knew the heir of the Chong Prince's mansion before and visited his residence a few times. Unexpectedly, before the New Year, that princess sent someone to find me, saying that the old princess needed a piece of fine white jade for her birthday celebration and asked me to find one for her. Since she invoked the old princess's name, I naturally couldn't refuse, so I asked her brother to send her a square jade carving as a token of my good wishes for the old princess's long life. Since marrying you, I haven't had any contact with her. Although I don't know what she said to you today, whatever she said, don't take it to heart."

Xu Jinrong's proactive explanation, though undoubtedly containing some untold secrets, sounded surprisingly conciliatory, which surprised Danmei. Upon reflection, could it be that Yu Yang had taken a liking to this person, and he feared being entangled with her, but given her noble family background, he didn't want to openly embarrass the Prince's mansion. When Madam Lu came to act as matchmaker, he readily agreed, seeking a suitable shield? If that were true, then if she and he became husband and wife, sharing a bed like this, Madam Lu would be the primary matchmaker, and Princess Yu Yang would undoubtedly be the secondary matchmaker.

Danmei felt a surge of satisfaction, though her words remained somewhat firm. She said in a low voice, "That princess is of noble birth. If she had taken a liking to you, you should have just gone with the flow. Why bother with a marriage alliance with my family? Although my father is currently the Vice Prime Minister, that position is like an ironclad camp with ever-changing soldiers; it changes hands every few years. Her family, on the other hand, is related to the imperial family and of high social standing. With their support, wouldn't your future be even brighter?"

Xu Jinrong snorted and said, "While family background is important when choosing a wife, someone like her, let alone a princess, would only be admired from afar. Who would dare to be cuckolded?"

Danmei couldn't help but chuckle softly. Before her laughter subsided, she felt Xu Jinrong's hand lift her chin and pinch it, saying, "I think you're just a child at heart. You were tricked by outsiders and now you're just sulking with me. If you do this again, I'll spank you. You can't hide anything from me, just tell me the truth."

Danmei heard his deep voice, but his tone was very gentle, and she couldn't help but retort, "You only know how to criticize me. I think you're the one who's a taciturn person. You keep nine and a half things from me. You want me to speak frankly, but you don't even think about changing yourself."

Upon hearing this, Xu Jinrong paused for a moment and said, "How am I the same as you? I'm a man. How could I nag and fuss over every little thing in front of you?"

Danmei's heart skipped a beat, and she blurted out, "Half a year ago, Mother took our birth dates to the temple to have them calculated, and when she came back, she changed her attitude towards me. Was that something you secretly arranged before you left?"

Xu Jinrong exclaimed in surprise, seemingly quite astonished: "How did you know?"

"Hmph, I'm too clever for my liking. How could your tricks possibly fool me?"

Danmei talked to him for a while, and her mood gradually improved. Her naturally lively nature, which had been deliberately suppressed, came out and she became much more carefree.

Xu Jinrong chuckled and said, "Since you know, I'll admit it. Since ancient times, family harmony has always been the most important thing. You are my wife, and she is my mother. You are both people I will spend my life with. If you two don't get along, how can we live together in the future? Since I married you, I don't want you to be too wronged in front of my mother. That's why, as you said, I played a little trick to make my mother happy, and you are happy too. Isn't that a win-win situation?"

Danmei felt a little grateful, leaned slightly against his shoulder, nuzzled him a couple of times, and then whispered, "Are you really not afraid of my cursed fate?"

Xu Jinrong reached out and pinched her nose, hitting it accurately in the darkness. He gently shook it twice before leaning close to her ear and whispering, "Silly girl, everyone says that reincarnation, cause and effect, good and evil are rewarded and fate is predetermined, but I don't really believe it. When I was young, although I didn't harm the innocent, my hands weren't exactly clean either. If I really had to suffer retribution, I don't know how many times I would have been punished. Why would I need you to be a jinx to my husband?"

Danmei heard the lightness in his tone, tinged with teasing, yet his words carried a hint of ruthlessness. She never imagined she'd married such a thuggish man, and a chill ran down her spine.

As if sensing her sudden stiffness, Xu Jinrong probably realized he had misspoke. He paused, then pulled her into his arms and whispered, "I was just joking with you. Don't take it seriously, and don't be afraid of me. You are my wife. If you continue to be obedient like this, I will treat you well."

He should have kept quiet; saying it only made it seem like he was trying to cover something up. And the last sentence sounded particularly awkward to Danmei, who couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She and her husband not only had a nearly twenty-year age difference, but also a vast intellectual chasm stretching over a thousand years, no shallower than the Mariana Trench.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Princess Yuyang made no further moves after that day, and Danmei was busy welcoming and seeing off guests and preparing boxes of items to take with her, so she gradually forgot about the matter.

Although the matter of Yu Yang had temporarily passed, another worry had arisen in Danmei's heart these past few days. This worry concerned the three concubines in the west courtyard.

Ever since they learned that Xu Jinrong was to be transferred to Huaichu Prefecture in Huainan Circuit, there was nothing initially amiss. However, as the departure date approached, Zhou and the others became restless, frequently taking turns to appear before Danmei under various pretexts. Zhou often even brought Liang Ge along. Although their greetings were merely casual, their eyes flickered with uncertainty. Danmei knew they were concerned about the outcome. Since Xu Jinrong hadn't mentioned it at all, she naturally didn't dare to speak first, pretending ignorance and sending Liang Ge away after giving him some gifts and food. She didn't mention it to Xu Jinrong either. It wasn't that she intended anything, but rather that in the quiet of the night, when the man beside her was fast asleep and she tossed and turned, she had come to a realization. The fate of a concubine was ultimately up to the man to decide. Given her current situation, she couldn't even see what her future held, let alone control her own destiny, much less someone else's.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, there are only seven or eight days left until the end of the month. After the end of the month, they will board the boat to leave the capital and travel along the Bian River into the Grand Canal to Huainan Road. On this day, Xu Jinrong and his steward went to the nearby secondary capital, Yingtian Prefecture, on business and said they would not be able to return for four or five days.

Danmei counted down the days, and one day, she was invited to the residence of a high-ranking official's wife, where she met with Madam Qin. Madam Qin inquired in detail about her travel plans, and eventually the conversation turned to the fate of the Xu family's concubines. Danmei didn't want to dwell on it, so she changed the subject to her dowry, pointing to the kingfisher feather butterfly hairpin that happened to be in her hair again that day, and said, "Mother must have put a lot of effort into preparing my dowry, even these jewelry items are so exquisite. I am an unfilial daughter, I have not repaid her kindness in the slightest, and now I must bid farewell and embark on a long journey."

Qin was also moved and sighed. Seeing that Danmei had just pointed to the butterfly flower hairpin on her head, she carefully examined it and shook her head, saying, "This looks unfamiliar. It's not part of my dowry. It must have been prepared by your son-in-law for you, daughter. Judging from those few gemstones on it, it's not a common item."

When Qin denied it, Danmei recalled seeing a box of hair ornaments on her dressing table when she married into the family; these must have been prepared by the Xu family for their new bride. A few days ago, Miaochun had mentioned that these items were taken from her own dowry box, so it was possible they had been mixed up. Therefore, she didn't think much of it.

When Danmei arrived back at the Xu family residence by carriage, it was well past noon, only dinnertime hadn't arrived yet. Upon entering, the gatekeeper informed her that the master had returned around noon and was currently staying at the mansion. For some reason, a faint sense of joy welled up within her, and she hurried towards her room. Finding no one there, she was told by a maid that he was in the study. Normally, she wouldn't have gone there, but today, in a particularly good mood, she went to the study.

As soon as Danmei entered, she bumped into Xu Jinrong, who was about to come out. They almost collided, but he steadied her by the shoulder. One looked up, the other looked down, and their eyes met.

Danmei, recalling the bitter cold outside and the low-hanging dark clouds that looked like it was about to snow, blurted out, "You're back? If you had been a day later, it might have snowed."

Xu Jinrong looked her up and down and saw that she was dressed beautifully and made up, and she hadn't even taken off the cloak she wore when she went out. It was clear that she had come here to find him as soon as she returned. A warm feeling immediately welled up in his heart, and he smiled and asked, "Where did you go today?"

"The Ministry of Works. It's your boss's wife who invited me, how could I dare to refuse?"

Danmei answered with a smile, while taking off the hood of the cloak that she had been wearing to protect herself from the wind.

Xu Jinrong smiled slightly, his eyes falling on her hair, and suddenly he stared at her intently without moving.

Danmei thought he was looking at her hair. She had specially styled her hair in an elaborate updo today, secured with a gold bridle and adorned with various floral ornaments, so she didn't pay much attention and let him look. But when she noticed his gaze was fixed on her and his expression gradually darkening, she realized something was wrong. She touched her hair, looked up at him hesitantly, and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that, my lord?"

As soon as Danmei finished speaking, Xu Jinrong suddenly turned around and strode to his desk. He bent down, pulled out the bottom drawer, and rummaged through it a few times. When he looked up, his face was extremely ugly.

"I allowed you into my study, how dare you rummage through my drawers and take things without permission?"

Xu Jinrong looked at Danmei and said, his tone already showing some suppressed anger.

Danmei was puzzled. Seeing his sudden change of expression, her joy just now was like being doused with a bucket of ice water. She frowned and said, "What do you mean? When did I rummage through your drawers or take your things? If you don't like me coming into your study, just say so, and I will never set foot in here again."

Xu Jinrong strode up to Danmei, reached out and removed something from her head, holding it in his palm before coldly saying, "This thing was clearly in the bottom drawer of my desk. How did it end up on your head? In my study, only you and the cleaning lady are allowed in. That woman followed me here from Qingmen; how dare she touch my things?"

Danmei then noticed that what he had just taken off was the kingfisher feather butterfly hairpin, which lay in his palm, its jewels still gleaming. She was immediately filled with surprise and disbelief, unable to process what it was, and stared at the object, speechless.

Seeing that she remained silent, Xu Jinrong assumed she had tacitly agreed out of guilt, and his expression became even more unpleasant. He threw the hairpin far away onto the desk with a thud. The hairpin slid about a foot across the gleaming surface before being stopped by an inkstone, making a crisp clanging sound.

"If you are short of jewelry, just tell me. Why act like a foolish woman who has never seen the world, putting whatever she sees on her head?"

Xu Jinrong stared at Danmei, noticing her pale face and a hint of pity in her eyes. Ultimately, however, he couldn't overcome the rising frustration in his heart, and with a snort, he left.

Danmei waited until he was out of sight before snapping out of her reverie. She slowly walked to her desk, pulled herself up in a chair, and sat down, her eyes fixed on the floral hairpin. After a long while, she finally reached out and picked it up, holding it in her palm. When she got up and walked out, her expression was completely calm.

Danmei returned to her room, called Miaochun in, and ordered everyone else to leave. Only then did she sit down in a chair, staring intently at Miaochun with a stern face.

This was probably the first time Miao Chun had seen Dan Mei look at her like this, and she was clearly a little nervous. She stood there for a while, wringing her hands, before carefully raising her eyes and asking, "Does Madam have something to ask me?"

Danmei hummed in agreement, then opened the floral ornament she had been holding in her palm. Several red marks had appeared on her palm from the pressure of the gemstones on the ornament. "Miaochun, do you recognize this?"

Miao Chun glanced at it and quickly said, "Madam, isn't this the flower ornament you wore in your hair today?"

Danmei stared at her and said coldly, "This is clearly not mine. Why did you say it was part of my dowry that day? Fine, it's understandable if you didn't recognize it at first. But what I find strange is that every time you comb my hair these days, why is this flower always included? I remember you used to wear different kinds of flowers every day."

Miao Chun's expression changed slightly, and she immediately knelt down, bowing her head and saying, "This servant doesn't quite understand what Madam means. If this hair ornament wasn't part of Madam's dowry, then it was already there. This servant was careless and misspoke. Please forgive this servant for the sake of my years of dedicated service. I will never speak carelessly again. It looks really beautiful and suits Madam very well, which is why I often put it on Madam's head. I don't know what I did wrong to anger Madam so much. Please, Madam, calm down."

Danmei listened to her fluent and reasonable answers, finding no fault whatsoever. Either she was telling the truth, or she had prepared her response beforehand. She tried to observe her expression closely, but saw her head bowed, looking extremely frightened.

Danmei pondered for a moment, sighed inwardly, leaned back in her chair, placed the hairpin on the table beside her, and then said gently, "Miaochun, I know you've been thinking of becoming Third Master's concubine. But nothing has happened in the past six months. Do you perhaps resent me, feeling that I outwardly agreed to your request but secretly hindered your path?"

Upon hearing this, Miao Chun's expression changed drastically, and she kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Madam has truly wronged this servant. This servant knows that you and Madam have a deep and abiding affection for each other, how could I dare to harbor such thoughts? I only ask to serve Madam well, and that would be the greatest blessing for this servant."

Hearing the thud of her head hitting the ground, Danmei felt a pang of pity. Although she suspected the girl had been manipulated, seeing her like this, she knew she wouldn't get anything out of her even if she questioned her further; after all, the girl wasn't the type to be ruthless in her interrogation. Besides, she had followed her for so long, and there was still some affection between them; she was afraid of truly wronging her. After thinking for a moment, she waved her hand and called her away.

Miao Chun felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She got up from the ground and left, tears of gratitude streaming down her face.

Danmei leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes and thought for a while. Suddenly remembering someone, she opened her eyes and said to the door, "Miaoxia, go and invite Mother Zhou over."

The wet nurse was in the east wing packing up odds and ends to take to Huainan Road in a few days when she suddenly saw Miaoxia coming to find her, saying that the madam wanted to see her. She perked up, dusted off her clothes, and hurried over.

Danmei asked Miaoxia to bring a stool over for the wet nurse. After Miaoxia left, she personally went to bolt the door. When she turned around and saw the wet nurse still standing, she smiled and said, "Please sit down, Mother Zhou." As she spoke, she went to the table and personally poured a cup of tea for her and handed it over.

The wet nurse was flattered and accepted the gift with both hands, repeatedly saying that she was too kind, but she was already sitting down on the stool with a smile on her face.

"Madam summoned me here, surely she has something to ask? Madam, please just tell me what you want to ask. I will not leave out a single word of what I know."

Danmei chuckled softly. This Zhou Mama was indeed shrewd; her eyes seemed to see right through people. After a moment's thought, she sat back down in her chair, picked up the butterfly-shaped hairpin, and smiled, "Does Zhou Mama recognize this?"

Author's Note: An explanation for new readers: Butterfly Flower Victory is related to a woman that Lao Xu liked a few years ago. That's why there's such a strong reaction now.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The wet nurse leaned closer, staring at it for a while, then exclaimed, "Why does it look so familiar? I feel like I've seen it somewhere before..." She frowned, thought for a moment, then suddenly her eyes lit up and she said, "I remember now! It's that thing! But how did it end up with Madam?" Before Danmei could speak, she slapped her forehead and clicked her tongue, "That's it. I saw that the master and madam were very affectionate. It must have been the master who gave it to the madam."

Seeing that her wet nurse was acting strangely and that she was still confused despite all the talk, Danmei felt relieved. She smiled and said, "What's the origin of this thing, Mother Zhou?"

The wet nurse, who had been beaming just moments before, looked somewhat troubled upon hearing Danmei's question. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Seeing that she hesitated, Danmei knew there must be some secret she didn't want her to know, so she smiled and said, "She's going to Huaichu Prefecture in a few days, and naturally, Mama Zhou will be going with her. I know Mama Zhou serves Sister Hui very well, and now she's going to Huainan and leaving her family behind. I was just thinking of giving her a raise when she gets there..."