Although Madam Zhong felt neither affection nor hatred towards these illegitimate sons, otherwise she wouldn't have sent them to the countryside to become wealthy landowners. She said calmly, "Although it's a bit too coincidental, it's still fortunate."
She raised her sharp eyes and swept them over Zhenshu. She saw that Zhenshu was still wearing her usual home clothes, with a plain skirt tied around her waist. She stood there gracefully and elegantly. When she noticed her gaze, she gently curtsied in return.
As soon as Zhenxiu arrived in the capital, she told Zhong, Zhenyu, and Shen about Zhenshu's affair with a notorious bandit in the Wuling Mountains. Fortunately, Zhenyu was busy with her marriage proposal and couldn't travel to different households, so the matter was still only being circulated within the Song family.
The maids and servants around Madam Zhong, as well as the servants in Madam Shen's quarters, all made excuses to visit Suihe Residence to catch a glimpse of the humiliated Third Miss when they heard she had come to the mansion. Zhenshu, however, paid no attention to this and stood there properly, neither coy nor ashamed, which shocked the servants of the mansion. They thought to themselves that either she was too thick-skinned or there was really nothing going on, otherwise how could she stand so openly and confidently?
Seeing that Zhenxiu hadn't come out for half a day, Madam Su asked Madam Zhong with a smile, "Grandmother, why is Zhenxiu not here?"
Madam Zhong frowned and snorted, "She got up early this morning saying she was worried that the nourishing soup in the kitchen wasn't cooked properly or that the heat wasn't high enough, so she insisted on personally overseeing it."
Upon hearing this, Madam Su smiled and said, "That is her way of showing filial piety to our ancestor. I hope our ancestor will not find it offensive."
Zhong said, "She can do whatever she wants. Why should I complain? It was Zhenyu who asked her to come. Now that Zhenyu is married, I have always preferred peace and quiet to crowds. Since you have come, you may take her back."
Upon hearing this, Madam Su was terrified and quickly pushed Zhenyi over, crying, "These days, I'm having a hard time. I'm crammed into a bed with several girls. Not only can Zhenxiu not stay there when she goes back, but I also want Zhenyi to stay with our ancestors. She's young, has a sweet tongue, and is very good at making people happy."
Zhong glanced at Zhenyi, noting that she was only twelve or thirteen years old, a spitting image of Su Shi. She wore a light pink half-sleeved robe with a lingzhi pattern, over which was an ivory-colored upper garment, and a red pleated skirt. This outfit was exceptionally elegant and refined, far more beautiful than the old-fashioned clothes Zhenyi had worn on her last visit. Of course, such fine fabric must have been quite expensive, clearly from a workshop in the capital. Zhenyi's hair was styled in two buns, her lips painted bright red, and her eyebrows drawn thick black. She lowered her gaze and peered at Zhong.
Madam Zhong shook her head and said, "Don't try to force these people in for me. I don't like noise around me. Besides, Zhenyu is already married, and this house is practically empty. You can't get anything you want. You might as well go home and live your life properly and open your shop."
Madam Su took a few steps forward and waved her handkerchief, saying, "Mother, what you're saying is just that I want them to be filial to you, because I'm afraid you'll be lonely after Zhenyu leaves."
Zhong's eyes dimmed, but she also gave a cold smile, thinking to herself: How could a few of them replace the loneliness that Zhenyu has left?
A moment later, Zhenxiu tiptoed in carrying a jar of soup. Without even looking at Su Shi and the others, she carried it straight to the dining room, put it down, filled a bowl, and then came out, bowing and saying, "Grandmother, it's time to drink the soup."
Mrs. Zhong frowned and asked, "What kind of soup is it today?"
Zhenxiu smiled and said, "The black chicken, wolfberry, lily bulb, and red date soup was specially made by my granddaughter while tending the stove."
Zhong reached out her hand, and Zhenxiu quickly came over to help her. The two walked into the dining room together. Su, Zhenyuan, and Zhenshu also followed in and continued to stand by to serve.
After Zhong drank a few sips of soup, Zhenxiu bent down and used a handkerchief to wipe Zhong's lips clean. After Zhong finished drinking the soup, Zhenxiu quickly took the bowl away and came over to help Zhong.
After drinking a bowl of medicinal soup, Madam Zhong felt comfortable all over and broke out in a light sweat. She felt quite pleased with herself and nodded slightly, pointing to Zhenxiu and saying to Madam Su, "Of all these granddaughters, only she has some wisdom and is someone who can be guided."
Su laughed from ear to ear, but before she could speak, Zhenxiu said coquettishly, "I am not the ancestor's granddaughter."
Both Madam Zhong and Madam Su's expressions changed slightly, and then Zhenxiu said with a smile, "If you are a Bodhisattva, then I am the maidservant serving you. If you are a Buddha, then I am the mouse with a Buddha's heart under the table. If you are the Queen Mother of the West, then I am willing to hold the fan for you every day."
Zhong Shi, a woman of calm and collected nature, would never have believed in such flattery. But now that Zhenyu was gone, and there was no one to joke, scold, or instruct on the various households with, she felt lonely. She could only pass the time by watching Zhenxiu act coquettishly and foolishly, so she would smile slightly in return. When Su Shi saw Zhong Shi smile, she knew that she had caught Zhong Shi's eye and was overjoyed, saying, "Good child, this is exactly the kind of filial piety that the old matriarch wants."
She then turned to Zhenyuan and the others and said, “Look at your sister, what a filial piety she has. If any of you could compare to her, the old ancestor would have ordered you to serve her regularly.”
At noon, Madam Shen hosted a banquet at Suiyiju for the mother and her daughters.
Madam Su and Madam Shen sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), while their sisters sat on stools below to keep them company. Madam Su, having just finished serving Madam Zhong, was utterly exhausted and asked Madam Shen, "What were the circumstances surrounding Zhenyu's marriage that day? How did Zhenxiu get involved?"
Seeing that the other young ladies were also looking at her expectantly, Madam Shen turned to Madam Su, who said, "It's alright, they're all family, they should know this already."
Chapter 38: Desolate
Madam Shen then said, "Back when the old matriarch's birthday celebration was over, the Marquis of Beishun's mansion sent someone to propose marriage, arranging a betrothal between Zhenyu and the fifth young master of the Marquis's mansion. It was around the time you were fighting bandits in the county, and the Emperor in the palace fell seriously ill in a fit of rage. He looked very ill, and Consort Rong was afraid that if the Emperor were to pass away, Zhenyu would not be able to get married in the short term, so she hurriedly sent word to both mansions to prepare for the wedding. As for the matter of the concubine, it was the two young ladies' own idea, and I had no say in it. The old matriarch couldn't persuade Zhenyu and had to agree. On the day Zhenyu's wedding was over, Zhenxiu was also carried into the family in a sedan chair. She was not yet..." When Zhenxiu reached marriageable age, it was agreed that she wouldn't be publicly humiliated upon marriage, but would first serve outside. However, that very night, the Fifth Young Master went to see Zhenxiu in the side room. Upon entering, he flew into a rage, returning to the main house where he and Zhenyu, still veiled, had a quarrel, causing further unrest in the Marquis's residence. The Marquis's wife, having no other choice, sent Zhenxiu back to our residence early the next morning. Fortunately, they knew they had fallen short of proper etiquette and compensated Zhenxiu with a sum of money. Zhenxiu is still young and doesn't care much about such matters. These past few days, she has been putting a lot of effort into caring for the Old Mistress, seemingly determined to take over Zhenyu's care for her.
Zhenshu turned to look at Zhenyuan and saw her silently shoveling rice into her bowl. They both knew the reason behind it, but naturally they couldn't say it in front of Madam Su and Madam Shen.
Madam Su sighed, “It would be so good if you had two sons. When they grow up, all you have to do is find a virtuous wife and that’s it. But if you have a daughter, you have to worry about her dowry and her social standing. It’s exhausting.”
Zhenyuan and Zhenshu were already grown women, and it was not good for them to listen to such words anymore. So they put down their bowls and sat down in the west room to drink tea. They had only been sitting for a short while when Zhenxiu lifted the curtain and came in, smiling and saying, "It's been a long time. I've missed you both very much."
Zhenyuan agreed and invited her to sit down. Zhenxiu then said, "I heard that you are living in a very cramped place now, and it's on Dongshi Street, so I'm afraid it's noisy and inconvenient."
Zhenyuan hummed in agreement, and Zhenxiu laughed again, "Now I have Zhenyu's big courtyard all to myself, and Grandmother even sent a maid to follow me. I feel incredibly happy and carefree. I no longer have to squeeze in with you all and suffer that nonsense."
Zhenshu knew she was mocking her for kicking her out back then, but she didn't respond. Instead, she held a cup of tea and savored its aroma.
Seeing that the two girls remained silent, Zhenxiu realized she couldn't boast about the benefits she had received. Suddenly, she thought of something and realized they would love to hear it, so she lowered her voice and said, "Do you know why Grandmother has a beard? And why she arranged for Grandfather to take so many concubines into the family?"
Jung-won said, "I don't know, and this is not something we should know."
Zhenxiu shoved her and said, "What are you pretending for? Let me tell you, when Grandmother gave birth to Consort Rong, her uterus was damaged, and her manhood was always hanging out, making intercourse impossible. That's why Grandfather had no choice but to take a concubine. Otherwise, with that tigress-like woman, Grandfather..."
As Zhenshu heard her words becoming increasingly offensive, she put down her teacup, stood up, and said, "Don't drag us into this by talking nonsense."
Seeing that Madam Shen had left the main room, she knew that only Madam Su and Zhenyi were in the room at this time, so she went to Madam Shen's upper room.
Zhenyuan sighed and advised Zhenxiu, "You've always been loose-lipped and prone to making things up. It was one thing in Huixian, we're sisters, we know your temper and wouldn't investigate. But now that you're living in the mansion, you're an outsider. Even though Grandmother is our grandmother, what blood relation do we have? She's willing to raise you, which saves you and Mother so much trouble. If someone complains to Grandmother the moment you finish speaking, you'll probably have to go back to that cramped little house in the East Market with us. I advise you to keep your mouth shut, don't ask about trivial matters, and definitely don't spread rumors, okay?"
Jung-soo pouted and said, "Everything I said is true."
Jung-won replied, "Then why are you spreading rumors that Jung-seo is having an affair? Is that also true?"
Zhenxiu pointed out the window and said, "You really think she doesn't have one?"
Seeing that she couldn't persuade her, Jung-won shook her head and sighed, then got up and went back to the main room.
Zhenxiu followed her in and went up to Su Shi, saying, "Mother, I've missed you so much these past few days."
Seeing that among her daughters, only Zhenxiu was in line with Zhong's temperament, Madam Su was overjoyed. She took Zhenxiu and embraced her, saying, "Among all of us in the house, you are the most promising. Serve the old matriarch well and often speak well of your mother, so that she will always remember you. It would be good if she could come here for a walk when she has nothing to do."
Zhenxiu said, "Since you're new here, you should pay your respects to Sister Zhenyu. She's now a daughter-in-law of the Marquis's household. If we visit her, we might just find a few worthy sons-in-law for Mother."
Su's eyes lit up as she said, "That's right, how come I didn't think of that? How about I send a visiting card another day and bring Zhenyuan and Zhenyi over for a visit?"
Zhenxiu turned around and said, "Mother, please remember to come to this mansion to call me."
Zhenshu couldn't help but remind her, "You just came from that mansion, is it really safe to go back?"
Zhenxiu retorted, "So what? I'm going there now as a relative. Besides, the Lady of the Marquis will feel guilty and might even reward me with more money and jewelry."
Although she said this, how could Madam Su dare to take her along? So, upon returning to the mounting shop in the East Market, she had Zhen write a visiting card, earnestly pleading with Song Anrong to deliver it to the Marquis of Beishun's residence. Since the Marquis of Beishun's residence was also in the east of the city, not far from here, only a few miles away, Madam Su thought Song Anrong would surely agree. Who knew that Song Anrong would throw the visiting card on the large table and say, "I'm not going."
Su said angrily, "Do you think I want to run there willingly? Zhenyuan is almost an old maid, when have you ever cared about her even a little bit?"
Since the mounting shop opened, it had been deserted, with hardly any customers. Unable to sit idly any longer, Song Anrong wrote a few pieces of calligraphy and painting and had Zhao He mount them, at least he had something to do. At that moment, he was laying out paper, ink, and inkstone to write a few fine hanging scrolls and horizontal scrolls when Su Shi disturbed his peace. Su Shi's nagging in his ear made him so agitated that his hands trembled, and without realizing it, a large ink drop landed on the paper.
This Xuan paper is made of the finest cicada shells; Song Anrong only managed to buy one ream of it. Seeing a drop of ink stain a sheet, he angrily threw down his brush and said, "Can't you just stay upstairs for a while? You just got back from the manor yesterday, aren't you tired enough?"
Madam Su said, "Do you think it's nice to stay upstairs? It's stuffy and dark, and the autumn heat is intense. How can I stand it?"
Song Anrong sighed and said, "Back when we were in Huixian for more than ten years, didn't you always want to go back to the capital? Now that the whole family has come to the capital, can't we still grant your wish?"
Su pointed at Song Anrong and said, "If I hadn't insisted on returning to the capital, our whole family would probably be nothing more than a few charred bones in Caijia Temple by now."
The two men faced off angrily, but Zhao He, used to such sights, paid them no mind. He continued to carefully brush the paste onto the back of the calligraphy and painting with a palm brush, and once the paste was evenly applied, he smoothly placed a sheet of Xuan paper on top. He was a man of fine hands, and his work was meticulous yet fluid.
In the end, Song Anrong lost the battle and put down his pen, saying, "Fine, fine, I'll go and deliver the visiting card for you myself."
Madam Su originally intended to send Zhao He over, since Song Anrong was also considered the second master of the family, and it was only natural for the master to deliver a visiting card first when his wife was a guest. However, Zhao He was now the shopkeeper and the only craftsman, so she dared not order him around. She went upstairs with a sullen expression and began preparing clothes for her daughters.
Jung-won said first, "I'm not going."
Zhenshu also said, "I won't go either."
Madam Su threw a mountain of clothes on the bed and said angrily, "I've worried myself sick over your marriage. Now I've finally managed to beg your father to run errands for you and visit the Marquis's mansion, but you're too ashamed to go. It's clear I'm useless and have a miserable life. Heaven is making me suffer like this."
After saying that, she sat down in the pile of clothes and burst into tears.
She bought a lot of clothes when she came to celebrate her birthday last time, and she bought even more clothes after two months of this trip. The house was already small, with only two beds, and four people squeezed together to sleep at night. With all these clothes bundled up and piled in the corner, it felt even more cramped.
Zhenshu, running around downstairs all day, didn't seem to notice, but Zhenyuan and Zhenyi, with their slender feet, were practically going crazy hiding in this room. And with Su Shi's constant hysterical crying and screaming, even Zhenyi, who was usually carefree, gradually became melancholic, sitting blankly on Song Anrong's bed in the outer room.
Zhenshu, having suffered some hardships, though cold-faced, was soft-hearted and couldn't bear to see Su Shi heartbroken. She quickly went over, patting her shoulders and massaging her back, saying, "Since Mother wants us to go, we'll go. Just please stop crying all the time. We run a shop now, though we haven't had any customers yet. Business people believe in harmony bringing wealth; only when everyone is happy will we have customers and make money. If you're like this all the time, the neighbors will just laugh at us. However, Zhenyuan has had a falling out with that Fifth Young Master, so it's best if she doesn't go."
Madam Su wiped away her tears and said, "What's the big deal? Now that his marriage to Zhenyu is settled, he should have given up long ago. Of all of you, Zhenyuan is the one I value the most. If she can't marry into a prestigious family, who among you has any hope?"
Zhenyuan said from the side, "If Mother insists that I go, then I will go. In any case, it will be you who loses face."
After saying that, he slammed the door and came out to sit with Zhenyi.
That evening, Song Anrong sent his visiting card, and the next morning, a servant from the Marquis of Beishun's residence delivered a reply, inviting Zhenyuan, Zhenshu, and Zhenyi to a gathering at the Marquis's residence. Since Madam Su was not invited, she felt awkward about going herself, but as long as she could send her daughters, she wouldn't mind. That day, Madam Su was busy hemming and adjusting Zhenyuan's hem, and rolling up Zhenyi's skirt and adjusting her padded jacket. She was busy for the girls all day, and couldn't sleep until late that night. The next morning, she woke up at dawn to comb their hair, add ornaments, dress them, and fasten their belts. By the time she had finished getting Zhenyuan and Zhenyi ready, it was barely daylight.
When Zhenshu brought over the porridge and cakes, Madam Su exclaimed in surprise, "Zhenshu, there are no clothes for Zhenshu to wear!"
It turned out that because Zhenshu was always busy in the fields, Madam Su hadn't bought her any nice clothes. After arriving in the capital, she was also busy in the shops, and Madam Su completely forgot about her. Only now did she remember, and she waved her handkerchief, saying, "What should we do?"
Zhenshu said, "The clothes that my fourth aunt gave me last time are still here. I can wear them and that will be fine."
Madam Su hurriedly rummaged through the bundles again, and from the bottom, she found Zhenshu's white silk robe and pleated skirt, which she put on her. Since most of the household items were used to adorn Zhenyuan and Zhenyi's heads and bodies, only some dark, unpolished gold-plated hairpins and other items remained, which wouldn't look good on them. Madam Su simply gave her a silver hairpin to adorn her head, and tied her hair up, which made her look tall and elegant with a unique charm.
After they finished dressing and sat down to drink porridge, Madam Su glanced at each other, finding Zhenyuan graceful, Zhenshu capable, and Zhenyi charming and adorable—each more beautiful than the last. Filled with confidence, she sighed, "My life has been unfortunate. My parents died young, my brother is cold-hearted, and I married your father, who is utterly incompetent. My greatest comfort in this life is that all my beautiful daughters can marry into wealthy and powerful families."
Zhao He drove Zhenyuan and her sisters to the gate of the Marquis of Beishun's residence. Seeing that someone was already waiting to greet them, he drove back to his own residence. The person waiting for them was Miao Mama, who had previously served Zhong Shi. Now, she was serving Zhenyu at the Marquis's residence, managing Zhenyu's household affairs. Among them was Ji Chun, Zhenyu's maid. Upon seeing Zhenyuan and the others, she quickly curtsied and said, "Eldest Miss, Third Miss, Sixth Miss, our young lady has been waiting for you for a long time."
Chapter 39 Tiger
Zhenyuan and the others followed Mother Miao and Jichun into the Marquis's mansion. After wandering around for a while, they arrived at a courtyard and saw the words "Floating Cloud Residence" written on the gate. They secretly memorized it.
Although the Bei Shun Marquis's mansion was large, he had many sons. Therefore, Zhenyu's courtyard was not large, just a three-courtyard house with a garden next to it.
Zhenyu lived in the main room of the second courtyard. It was already mid-August, and there was a slight chill in the air outside, but her room was still warm and cozy, with pleasant fragrance. Zhenyu was still dressed in her usual emerald and gold hairpins and floral brocade, and her face looked no different from two months ago. When Zhenyuan and the others entered, she was leaning to one side, directing two beautiful women dressed in gauze to massage her legs.
Seeing Zhenyuan and the others enter, she bowed slightly and said, "Big sister and your younger sisters have arrived? Please have a seat."
As soon as Zhenyuan and the others sat down, Qiaochun brought out tea. Zhenyu smiled and said, "Drink up. This room is too cramped, and I feel stifled all day long."
Zhenyi said, "If it were me, I would have cried tears of joy in such a spacious and bright room. How could I feel cramped?"
Zhenyu said, "The entire back courtyard is filled with my dowry, and it still can't all be piled up. Isn't it cramped?"
It turned out she wanted them to know about her dowry.
She dismissed the two beauties, walked over and sat down with Zhenyuan, saying, "I shouldn't have married before you, elder sister. The ancients often said that if the younger sister marries first, the elder sister might not be able to get married. I think you don't believe in such things."
Jung-won said, "I don't believe it."
Zhenyu said, "That's good. Otherwise, I would always feel guilty and I was afraid that my sister would mind."
Jung-won smiled slightly and did not reply.
Just as they were sitting idly, a maid came in from the outer room and said, "Leng Lu from Miss Mingluan's room has sent word that after we finish chatting here, Miss Song would like to come over and have a chat for a while."
Zhenyu turned to look at Zhenshu and said, "When did you become so fond of her?"
Zhenshu also said in surprise, "I didn't."
Zhenyu waved away the maids before whispering, "You have no idea, she has now become the matriarch of this household."
Neither Zhenyuan nor Zhenshu responded, so Zhenyi tried asking, "Good sister, why?"