She did as instructed, walked to the left side, took off her shoes, wearing only silk stockings, and lifted the beaded curtain on the left to enter. The room on the left had no calligraphy or paintings, but was surrounded by display cabinets filled with antique objects, neatly arranged from top to bottom.
Seeing no one was there, Zhenshu dared not look closely. She noticed a door open at the back, also with a bamboo curtain hanging, so she lifted the curtain and entered. This was another very large room, the walls covered with various small weapons, a sight that sent chills down her spine. Zhenshu saw another door at the back of the room, which she passed through, leading to a corridor. The interior was very dark, as there were no windows on either side. Lantern-carrying figurines were placed in the corners of the walls. Most of these figurines had extremely painful expressions, far from the smiling figurines she usually saw outside, making Zhenshu feel uneasy.
She walked alone along the long path of terracotta figures, a chill running down her spine. She wanted to turn back, but then she mustered her courage and continued forward. When she reached about the center of the main hall, the path turned, seemingly leaving the house and heading towards the back. There were windows on both sides, but they were all covered with thick curtains, and lantern-bearing terracotta figures were still mounted in the corners.
Zhenshu turned around to take a closer look at the terracotta figures and suddenly remembered that the terracotta figures had all been standing, but when they turned the corner they were all kneeling. In this corridor, the terracotta figures gradually knelt lower and lower, almost to the ground, and the lamps were just held high above their heads.
Suddenly, she noticed that there was no light in a corner of the wall. She went over to take a closer look and saw that the terracotta figure in the dim light was completely lying on the ground, seemingly dead. She was greatly alarmed and turned around to see eight ancient wooden carved doors at the end of the corridor.
Zhen Shu knocked lightly on the wooden door three times before saying, "Your Excellency, I am the manager of Song's Mounting Shop."
A strong, deep male voice from inside said, "Push the door open and come in yourself."
Zhenshu looked back at the path she had come from; the lantern-bearing figurines still stood quietly on either side. She turned back, took a deep breath, and pushed open the two central doors. As soon as she stepped inside, she heard the person say again, "Close them."
Zhenshu closed the door as instructed, and turned around to find that this room was much more spacious and empty than the previous rooms. There were lamps everywhere, but not a single piece of furniture. She had only taken two steps when echoes came from all directions. To her left was a dark shadow; Zhenshu remembered that the sound had come from that direction, so she followed the sound into the darkness.
She hadn't walked far when she suddenly saw an empty table to the side with a painting spread out on it. Though she only glanced at it, she immediately recognized it as the one she had sold that day. Just as she was wondering what to do, the man suddenly spoke again: "I heard that you were the one who suggested that Zhang Gui give this painting to me."
Zhenshu then realized that the person hidden in the darkness was indeed the godfather Zhang Gui had mentioned. She bowed from afar and said, "Your Excellency, although it was my suggestion, the painting was actually chosen by Master Zhang himself. He is very filial. My words were just empty words."
Grandpa Zhang Guigan chuckled through his nose and said, "What a fine poem!"
Zhenshu found the place strange and the man's speech odd, so she didn't say anything and just stood there.
The man then asked, "What does this poem mean? Tell me about it."
Zhen Shu said, "This is a poem by Mr. Xin Jiaxuan."
The poem describes a thatched cottage with low, small eaves, and lush green grass growing along the stream. The Wu dialect, tinged with a hint of intoxication, sounds gentle and beautiful. Who are these elderly people with their white hair?
It turned out that his eldest son was weeding the bean field east of the stream, while his second son was busy weaving chicken coops. The most endearing of all was his youngest son, who was lying on the grass by the stream, peeling freshly picked lotus pods.
The poem depicts the simple yet happy life of an ordinary couple from the Wu family, blessed with many children and much happiness.
Grandpa Zhang Guigan chuckled through his nose again and asked, "Do you know what the most vicious curses are usually said?"
Zhen Shu said, "My daughter doesn't know."
Grandpa Zhang Guigan then asked, "What is the opposite of 'many children, many blessings'?"
Zhenshu tentatively asked, "Could it be that we will be childless and have no descendants?"
Grandpa Zhang Guigan said, "That's right."
Zhenshu lowered her head and remained silent. Then she heard footsteps coming from that direction, and someone emerged from the darkness.
In her mind, Zhang Gui was a middle-aged man nearing forty, and her godfather must have been an old man. But the man who came out was about twenty years old, with a slender and upright figure, two long eyebrows of varying thickness that flew high, and lips as red as cinnabar. His features were neither as heroic as a man nor as soft as a woman. He blurred the boundaries between men and women, possessing a kind of beauty that was unforgettable at first glance.
Zhenshu explained, "This was given by Master Zhang to his godfather."
The man nodded: "I know."
Zhenshu was about to speak again when the man said, "I am it."
It seemed rather strange that a man in his thirties would acknowledge a young man just coming of age as his godfather. Zhenshu felt that this matter was probably not as simple as Zhang Gui's claim of a mere meeting. But since she was already there, she could only stand quietly and listen to what he had to say.
The man walked behind the desk, put his hands behind his back, and pointed to the banner on the desk with two slender fingers, saying, "Of course, the best way to congratulate someone is to wish them a long and healthy life, and that their descendants will be blessed."
He raised his eyebrows and sneered, "It's a pity I'm a eunuch. To wish a eunuch many children and good fortune is worse than cursing him to be childless."
Although he spoke slowly, Zhenshu could hear the pain and anger in his voice. For some reason, she felt a strange urge to laugh. This young eunuch had adopted a middle-aged man as his god-grandson, and the god-grandson had gifted him a painting depicting the blessings of many children; the two of them were indeed a well-matched pair.
If Zhenshu had known that Zhang Gui's godfather was a eunuch, she would never have recommended such a poem. She was speechless, and fearing he would see the forced smile on her face, she lowered her head even further.
The eunuch circled the large table, then came over and looked Zhenshu up and down before asking, "Have your family been merchants for generations?"
Zhenshu replied, "No. My grandfather was the chief craftsman in the court, known as Chief Craftsman Song."
The eunuch said "Oh," and after thinking for a while, he said, "He has been gone for some years now."
Zhenshu replied, "It should be seventeen years."
The eunuch wore a pale white embroidered seaside floral cloak over a royal blue round-necked robe. Because of his tall and slender build, he moved with a graceful, flowing gait. Moreover, his shoulders were straight and his back upright, exuding an air of refined elegance. He remained silent and continued into the shadows.
Zhenshu had never seen a eunuch before, only heard descriptions of them in common storybooks, where they were depicted as hunched over and lewd. To think that such a handsome and dashing man was a eunuch made her feel quite sorry for him.
Yu Yichen stood in the shadows, recalling Song Shihong, the Minister of Works. He was a scholar who was skilled in calligraphy and painting, yet he managed the Ministry of Works and water conservancy projects. He worked diligently throughout his life until his death. In addition, Song Jingnian served Emperor Chengfeng in the palace for many years, so they could be considered a family with some background.
Even the illegitimate children of noble families have their day to show their faces in public and seek a living.
He initially thought that those Confucian scholars and officials wanted to deliberately provoke him, to reopen the wounds on his body that had not yet healed, and to humiliate him by using his status as a eunuch. That's why they sent him a painting with the auspicious meaning of "many children and many blessings" in Zhang Gui's name.
Who knew that the shopkeeper was just a young girl, young, bright, and somewhat fearless. Or perhaps she was also full of magnanimity, and despite walking that long road, not a trace of fear could overwhelm her.
Even as he was furious, she was still holding back a smile, her head bowed and lips pursed. He stood in the shadows, gazing at the young girl, her eyes as innocent as a deer's, and suddenly a soft feeling stirred within him. Perhaps she truly believed he was an old man in his seventies, which was why she had chosen such a painting.
"You should leave!" Yu Yichen suddenly said.
Zhenshu curtsied from afar and retreated the same way she came. When she stepped out of the room, she saw that although it was shrouded in a gray haze with snowflakes, the sky was clear and bright, unlike the oppressive atmosphere inside the room. She let out a long sigh of relief before leaving the courtyard.
Zhao He and Zhang Gui were still standing there waiting outside the courtyard. When they saw Zhen Shu come out, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Gui rushed over and asked, "Is my godfather happy?"
Zhenshu turned around and saw his hopeful face. Not wanting to spoil his mood, she nodded and said, "He is very happy."
After leaving the eunuch's residence, Zhenshu refused to ride in Zhang Gui's carriage any longer and insisted on walking back with Zhao He. Zhang Gui had no choice but to drive the carriage away himself.
Zhao He waited until he was out of sight before saying, "While I was waiting for you, I had a servant in the courtyard ask you, do you know whose residence that is?"
Zhenshu only knew he was a eunuch, but didn't know there were different ranks among eunuchs, so she asked, "Who is he?"
Zhao He said, "Yu Yichen, the Grand Eunuch of the Eastern Palace."
Zhen Shu thought to herself that she had heard this person's name somewhere before, and after searching her mind for a long time, she remembered that the little lion dog owned by Liu Zhang, the wealthy landowner in Wen County, was a gift from Yu Yichen. In order to get in touch with Yu Yichen, Liu Zhang said he had spent two million taels of silver. That was an astronomical figure, a huge sum of money that Zhen Shu had never imagined in her life.
Zhao He continued, “These eunuchs are inherently childless, but they love offspring more than ordinary people, so they especially like to take in adopted sons and grandsons. Taking advantage of the emperor’s power, they act like foxes using the tiger’s might, causing trouble for each other with their adopted sons and grandsons, doing all sorts of dirty and despicable things.”
Zhen Shu concealed what Yu Yichen had said and advised Zhao He, "Fortunately, it was just a one-time encounter, and he didn't say anything. Just don't see him again in the future."
Zhao He said, "That is exactly what I meant."
The two walked along the Imperial Street to the East Market. The snow gradually stopped, but the cold wind was biting. Fortunately, they warmed up from walking, but they still felt cold all over. They walked all the way back to the mounting shop in the East Market.
From that day on, business flourished. Not only did Song Shihong's calligraphy and paintings sell out, but Song Anrong's works also sold very well. He had rarely left Huixian for more than ten years, spending his time at home studying calligraphy and painting, and his skills were already very proficient. Furthermore, he was well-read and had developed some independent insights into scholarship.
☆, Chapter 43 Zhong
Although the requirements for the imperial examinations have been relaxed, allowing even sons of concubines to become students, the Zhong family had initially refused to allow them to take the exams, thus abandoning their aspirations for this path. Song Anyuan and Song Angu, lacking in academic talent, also devoted themselves to becoming commoners. Only Song Anrong possessed some literary ability and continued his studies diligently. Moreover, since the purpose of studying was to serve the country, ordinary people attending school had their own set of books for passing the imperial examinations, such as the Four Books and Five Classics, the Analects, and the Great Learning. Since Song Anrong did not pursue the path of the imperial examinations, he devoted himself to reading books of leisure and refinement, gradually developing unique insights into these pursuits.
A person who can write well may not be able to paint well. A person who can paint well may not be able to write well. Such a person may have some skills, but cannot be called a master. Only one who can write well, paint well, and write well, and can combine the three, can be called a master. Song Anrong, who now integrates calligraphy, painting, and writing, can be considered a respected teacher among them.
Therefore, his calligraphy and paintings are in high demand, and many people come to buy them because of his reputation.
When the second branch of the Song family left their home in the capital, their only intention was to make a living by mounting and framing calligraphy and paintings. Little did they know that their efforts would backfire so spectacularly. A single piece of calligraphy or painting could fetch dozens of taels of silver, and a single sale a day was enough to sustain them for several days. By the end of the year, after deducting rent and the cost of goods, they had actually made a net profit of over three thousand taels of silver.
When Madam Su saw that Zhenshu had brought back several large stacks of silver notes, she smiled broadly and said, "It's clear that going to the capital was the right thing to do. Although I accidentally left you in the Wuling Mountains and you suffered a bit, without that suffering, where would we get such a large stack of silver notes now? In that poor village in Huixian, the tenant farmers barely make a few dozen or a hundred taels of rent a year. What good is that?"
Now that she had made some money, Madam Su inquired and rented a small building behind the shop, moving Zhenyuan and Zhenyi to live there. She planned to buy some nice clothes in the spring and then inquire about a good marriage for Zhenyuan.
During the Spring Festival, every household stays up late to welcome the New Year. Like other shops, Song's Mounting Shop also closes for fifteen days, waiting for the Lantern Festival.
They returned to the Song residence as a family, but Zhong had caught a cold due to the cold weather and was now claiming illness to stay home. Only Shen and Song Angu were out entertaining guests. Meanwhile, Su had found a way to earn money and had rented a new small building, living quite comfortably. Upon hearing that Zhong had caught a cold, and remembering her bad temper, she feared Zhong would be forced to attend to her at her bedside if she heard she was there, and her face paled with fear. However, after hearing Shen's cheerful explanation that Zhenxiu was now taking care of everything in the house, her anxiety subsided. She then took Zhenyuan and Zhenshu to Suihe Residence to see Zhong.
Because the room was too big and not warm enough, Madam Zhong had moved to the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove) in the innermost small warm room. She had suffered from a gynecological ailment in her youth, and now it had flared up again, causing her great discomfort. When Madam Su entered with her daughters, she immediately smelled an unpleasant odor. Seeing Madam Zhong half-reclined on the kang with a pillow, she didn't want to show it, so she and her daughters respectfully kowtowed on the floor to wish her well before standing up and smilingly asking Madam Zhong, "Grandmother, does Zhenxiu seem to be serving you well these days?"
Zhong glanced at Zhenxiu, who was massaging her shoulders and back behind her, and said, "I'm afraid I won't die soon."
Having grown accustomed to such cold stares, and with her husband and daughter's shop thriving, Su didn't care about Su's sarcastic remarks. She sat down on the edge of the kang and said, "Their filial piety is first-rate. Zhenxiu is even more filial than the others. It shows how blessed our ancestors are."
Zhong said coldly, "Can I be called lucky?"
Her expression changed abruptly after she finished speaking, and she waved her hand, saying, "What are you all doing here in this mansion all day? Get out of here!"
Although Madam Zhong was known for her bad temper, she had never lost her temper like this before. Madam Su quickly curtsied and said, "Since the matriarch is in a bad mood, I will take the daughters to the outer room."
She led Zhenyuan and the others out of Suihe Residence and went to Madam Shen's place. She told her about what had just happened, and Madam Shen sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with the times these days. Our Consort Rong has been favored and had a smooth life in the palace, but now that she's old, she's been neglected by the Emperor. So it's understandable that the old matriarch has some worries now."
Madam Su hurriedly asked, "Why is that?"
Madam Shen lowered her voice and said, "Don't tell anyone. This is a secret. I only found out after Zhenyu came back and told me. It turns out that last May, around the time of the old ancestor's birthday, Du Yu, the heir of the Du family, escaped from prison, causing quite a stir in the city. After escaping the capital, he somehow encountered Yu Yichen, the chief eunuch serving the Crown Prince, in the Ganzhou area. The two even fought. It is said that they fought because they were both trying to steal some kind of map. Eunuch Yu was acting on the Crown Prince's orders, and although he had the right to do so and outnumbered Du Yu, he was no match for him and managed to steal the treasure map."
"Afterwards, Eunuch Yu returned to the capital and naturally reported the matter to the Crown Prince, who in turn reported it to the Emperor. The Emperor was furious and issued an edict ordering Duke Du to strip Du Yu of his title as heir apparent. The matter should have ended there. However, in October, someone saw him roaming around the now-burnt Hui County area. The news reached the Crown Prince, who sent people to pursue him, all the way to Liangzhou. After arriving in Liangzhou, Eunuch Yu personally went to ask our Prince Ping to release him, but Prince Ping refused."
When Eunuch Yu returned and reported to the Crown Prince and the Emperor, the Emperor was furious and personally issued an imperial edict ordering Prince Ping to send Du Yu back. Prince Ping, usually the most obedient child, had repeatedly disobeyed. Now, the father and son were stubbornly arguing, which had even angered Consort Rong, causing the Emperor to distance himself from her. The Empress Dowager was understandably distressed and anxious.
Madam Su slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Duke Du actually raised such a fine son?"
Madam Shen said, "Who says otherwise? Because he lost his mother's guidance at a young age, Duke Du had long ago requested that he be granted the title of heir apparent, but who knew he was unlucky. Now the title will still go to his younger son born to his stepmother. Duke Du is still the Protectorate General. If he is obedient, what can't he get?"
Madam Su said, "If he harmed Prince Ping and was punished by the emperor, then he would truly deserve to die. Prince Ping had an incurable illness when he was a child, and it was Zhenyuan's father who traveled all the way to the Western Regions to obtain medicine that cured him."
Just then, Zhenxiu lifted the curtain and came in with a smile, saying, "Why don't you sisters come and sit in my Shanshu Academy for a while?"
Zhenyuan said, "You are now inseparable from the Ancestor, how can we disturb you? Go and get busy."
Zhenxiu pulled Zhenyuan and Zhenshu aside and said, "Because you've come, the old ancestor specially gave me half a day off so I could chat with you for a while."
Her gossip always caused trouble, and despite Zhenyuan and Zhenshu's strong reluctance, she finally dragged them to Shanshu Academy. The academy was now only inhabited by Zhenxiu and a little maid named Xiaojiu. Xiaojiu was a young, blond girl whose hair hadn't even fully grown in yet. All she did all day was sneak around, sleep, and ravenously search for food; she had no interest in cleaning the house.
Because Zhenyu's dowry consisted entirely of new items, all the old things in the room were still there, though the place was filthy and chaotic. Zhenxiu, living alone, didn't seem to care at all; her foot bindings were haphazardly draped over her shoulders, her embroidered shoes were scattered everywhere, and the floor looked like it hadn't been wiped for days. Zhenxiu, however, remained unconcerned, grabbing a pile of clothes from the small bed and throwing them far away. She then told Zhenyuan and Zhenxiu to sit down and called to Xiao Jiu, "Damn it, quickly go and pour two cups of tea."
Xiao Jiu scratched his fluffy head and went out half-asleep. Zhen Xiucai said again, "Look how spacious I am now, right?"
Zhen Shu remained silent, while Zhen Yuan said, "It is quite spacious, but it's also a bit too cold."
Zhenxiu pouted and said, "This house should be heated by a dragon, but since charcoal is expensive these days, my ancestors are reluctant to let me use it. Fortunately, I spend all day in Suiyiju, and this is only where I sleep at night."
Several people were sitting when Zhenyi ran in and said, "You didn't even call me."
She had just gone to the inner room to play with the two boys, Changcan and Changgui, when she turned around and saw Zhenxiu dragging the other two away. Zhenyi saw a pile of clothes on the bed and jumped up anxiously, saying, "Sister Zhenyu actually left all these clothes to Fourth Sister?"
Zhenxiu said, "Isn't that right? Now it's all mine."
Zhenyi threw off her coat and picked it up one by one, trying it on herself. Zhenxiu knew she had loved these things since she was a child, so she ignored her. She shook her head and complained, "Now that the old lady has a bad temper, she already has gynecological problems and is in pain. In addition, the heat on the kang is too strong and it has caused her to stagnate. She hasn't been able to relieve herself for many days."
She leaned closer and whispered, "Do you know how I came up with this idea?"
Zhenyuan said, "What method? It must be to have her drink more honey water or something like that."
Jeong-soo stretched out her fingers and bent them, saying, "I picked them all off with my hands."