She still has to wear her hair in two buns, so she greatly admires the clothes of older women. Zhenshu lowered her head slightly and patted Zhenyi, who had already reached her shoulder, saying, "Second sister hopes you will never grow up."
Because no one from her maternal family was present, Zhenyu treated the few guests who had come with great importance, personally hosting a banquet at her residence, Fuyun Residence, and occasionally keeping them company. When Zhenshu arrived, both Madam Shen and Madam Lu were already sitting inside. Zhenyao, from the third branch of the family, was now fourteen years old, slender and tall, almost as tall as Zhenshu, though her eyes were slightly smaller, and she, like Madam Lu, had a somewhat simple and honest manner. Zhenyan, the youngest, was still nestled in Madam Lu's arms and refused to come out.
Zhenshu now has money in hand, so her gift is naturally the most generous. Madam Lu chuckled and said, "Look at the Third Miss, her generosity in opening a shop is quite different from ours."
Zhenshu and Zhenyi greeted Madam Lu and Madam Shen together before sitting down at a small table. Zhenyu's room was warm and comfortable with underfloor heating, and not too dry. However, Madam Lu was wearing too many clothes, so she opened her coat and said, "Anyway, there's no one else here, and I'm unbearably hot."
Behind her was a fox fur felt mat, three inches long, which Zhenyu often sat on. She pulled it out and threw it to the maid, saying, "What is this thing? It looks like it can catch fire."
Both Madam Shen and Zhenshu smiled. A moment later, Zhenyu brought her youngest daughter in and handed her to the maid, saying, "My arms are so tired. The baby isn't heavy, but this is too heavy a wrap, and she keeps slipping down."
Madam Lu said, "There are a bunch of old women and wet nurses following behind, why do you insist on carrying it yourself?"
Zhenyu bent down and teased the child, then laughed and said, "How could I bear to let her leave my side even for a moment?"
Zhenshu hadn't even had a proper look before being asked to take the child to see her. Now, she took the child from the maid and held her in her arms. Inside a cotton quilt wrapped in a soft, gold-threaded cloak with a snow-white lining, was a beautifully sculpted little girl. Her eyes were round and bright, the pupils as black as jewels, sparkling with light. Her nose was sharp and upturned, and her small, tender red lips, pouting together, made one want to kiss her. Zhenshu sighed, "She's so beautiful."
Zhenyu sat to the side and smiled contentedly, "Who says otherwise? The old Marquis used to dote on his grandchildren like sheep, and the first time he took them, he complained that they were too much trouble for him. Now he comes to this courtyard three times a day, he's practically worn the threshold down. He loves his little girl like the plague."
When Zhenshu saw the child extend her hand and offer her one finger, she grasped it tightly, as if trying to bring it to her lips. This little girl was so beautiful that no painter could capture her likeness; no wonder even the Marquis of Beishun loved her.
Madam Lu also came over for a look and nodded, saying, "This child looks like her father."
Zhenyu wasn't angry when she heard this; she simply agreed, "As long as you're prettier than me, that's fine."
She had gained some weight after giving birth, and the mustache under her lip was gone, making her look even more beautiful and feminine than before. She patted Zhenshu on the shoulder and asked, "Dou Mingluan and Tao Suyi are sitting in the west room of my backyard. Would you like to come and sit with them?"
Zhen Shu initially didn't want to go, but fearing that if she didn't go after coming twice, Dou Mingluan would have some thoughts, she nodded and said, "Let's go for a bit."
Zhenyu followed her out of the room and then said, "I must have misunderstood Zhenxiu before. My fourth aunt said that when she was sorting through the clothes that our ancestor used to wear, she found a silver note with ten thousand taels of silver in the corner of a quilt. When did our ancestor ever hide money there? It is clear that the maid and the old woman stole the money that was not sent out during the chaos."
Zhenshu nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for having wronged Zhenxiu. Then she heard Zhenyu say, "There's still over 30,000 taels of silver, which was probably taken by that servant. Is Zhenxiu still in the small building and refusing to come down?"
Zhenshu said, "She does come down occasionally, but her feet are too thin to walk properly, so she doesn't like to come down."
Zhenyu sighed, "When I was young, I was a bit arrogant and used to being the only one in charge. Now that I'm in this mansion, I've learned how cold and indifferent people can be. I just hope you don't blame me; after all, we're all sisters."
Seeing that she had been seen to the door, she added, "I still have to go outside and keep an eye on things, otherwise my mother-in-law will scold me again. You go ahead. It would be best if you could be a daughter who can be at ease."
Zhenshu turned around and saw that Zhenyu no longer wore a full set of jewelry. She thought to herself that Zhenyu had grown up, but too quickly.
Tao Suyi and Dou Mingluan were both unmarried, but Tao Suyi was engaged to the son of Minister Xu, an eighteen-year-old young man, talented and handsome, whose father held a high official position. He was a perfect match for Tao Suyi, a daughter of a marquis. Moreover, both were renowned for their talent in the capital; their marriage would surely be harmonious and loving. Nie Shiqiu, though once betrothed to Zhang Ruiyan, ultimately did not marry, and now it was unknown which young master he had chosen. Having learned her lesson, she was now cautious in these matters, keeping everything a secret. Only Dou Mingluan had grown even thinner, her hair half-combed, the lower half dry and dull, her brow furrowed with undisguised bitterness, huddled in a corner, her expression one of utter despair.
There were two other girls present whom Zhenshu did not recognize. Zhenshu smiled and nodded. After asking them a few questions, Dou Mingluan said, "Miss Song, what a rare guest! You are now a celebrity in the capital."
Zhenshu sat down beside them and said, "How dare I?"
Dou Mingluan stretched out her slender feet, which were also wearing a pair of sheepskin boots, somewhat similar to Zhenshu's. However, her boots had some pretty lace patterns on the laces, making them much more delicate than Zhenshu's. Dou Mingluan smiled and said, "Although I suffered a bit, it was all worth it. Now I have enough to wear, and they are warm and comfortable."
Seeing that Zhenshu was also wearing a pair, she thought to herself that the Grand Eunuch Yu Yichen must have been acting strangely, hastily summoning skilled craftsmen from Tibet to the palace to make these boots. There were probably only a handful in the entire capital. Her own pair was a gift from her mother, Lady Zhang, after she flattered the Emperor during her visit to the palace, and the Emperor had heard of the suffering she had endured after unbinding her feet. She wondered where Zhenshu's pair had come from.
Zhenshu tucked her feet under her skirt, when she heard Nie Shiqiu give Dou Mingluan a nudge and say, "Now that you can run away with your feet free, why don't you go to Liangzhou to find your lover?"
Dou Mingluan bit her lip and chuckled, "Is it that easy?"
This matter is no longer news in the capital, and she herself doesn't take the ridicule seriously. Zhenshu also laughed, and Tao Suyi said, "Although he is good, he is far away in Liangzhou. You should look outwards; there are many men who are far better than Du Yu."
Nie Shiqiu said, "For example, the son of Minister Xu..."
Tao Suyi covered her mouth and smiled, then remained silent. Zhenshu had originally met them as maids, and the long talk she had with Dou Mingluan in her boudoir that time was only because Dou Mingluan was in a bad mood. Now that they were still young ladies, while she had to struggle to make a living, she had no mood to talk about such matters of love between young men and women. So she made an excuse to leave and stayed to sit with Madam Lu and Madam Shen.
Zhenyi was probably used to Su Shi's nagging and complaining that the two maids of the third branch were ugly and not presentable since she was a child, so she didn't chat with them. She sat there alone, acting all big and swaying her body. When Zhenshu came, she immediately rushed over and said, "You go and play with them, but you didn't take me with you."
Zhenshu said, "Those are young ladies, you're just a little girl, what's the point of joining in?"
Zhenyi pouted and complained, "I'll be thirteen next year."
Zhen Shu thought to herself: How wonderful it would be if I were still thirteen? If I were still thirteen, in Caijia Temple in Huixian County, the first person I would avoid would be Tong Qisheng.
Madam Shen asked Zhenshu, "Why is the eldest daughter nowhere to be seen?"
Although Zhenxiu and Zhenyu had disagreements, Zhenyuan was a good person.
Zhenshu made up a lie, saying, "The weather changes at the end of the year, and she has caught a cold and is lying down."
Madam Lu shook her head and said, "Except for you, the rest of them have been overheated by your mother. If you ask me, children should be let out to run in the wind. Once they get used to running, they will naturally develop resistance and won't get sick often. If they are kept indoors all day, their sweat pores will be open. As soon as they go out, they will be exposed to the wind."
This third aunt was straightforward and had a loud voice. Although her words were harsh, no one in the entire household disliked her.
Chapter 64 Don't Trust
Zhenshu smiled and agreed, and the group chatted for a while longer.
Today, Madam Lu was going back to the Song residence to stay with Madam Shen. The two women had only sat for a short while at noon before taking their leave. Seeing this, Zhenshu pulled Zhenyi along and followed them out. Because Zhenyu was still entertaining guests outside, they deliberately instructed Mother Miao not to inform her and went straight out of Fuqu Residence. Unexpectedly, they had only reached the gate when they saw Zhenyu chasing after them with An'an and Jichun. Zhenyu grabbed Zhenshu and said, "Third sister, please tell Fourth sister when you get back that she should come here to sit for a while often. I miss her very much."
Zhenshu nodded and said, "Okay, I understand."
Just as she was about to leave, Zhenyu stopped her again, looking around with a smile, and said, "Because the old Marquis dotes on Nannan, I used Nannan's influence to plead for the lady in the palace. The Marquis and his wife went to the palace together to persuade the Empress Dowager to speak well of me to the Emperor. I'm afraid the Dowager Consort will be able to summon me to the palace soon. The Dowager Consort has influence in the palace, so we will have influence outside the palace. When you get married in the future, people will also consider your family background."
Zhenshu nodded silently, her mind drifting to the marriages of Zhenyuan and Zhenxiu, and then to her own own life filled with uncertainty. She realized that her youngest daughter's days were numbered; regardless of whether marriage was on the horizon or not, it was time to be serious. Zhang Rui was definitely not genuinely interested in marrying Zhenyuan; Nie Shiqiu's annulment of the engagement showed this clearly indicated some problems on his side. Furthermore, she had witnessed his sordid behavior with Tong Qisheng at the Drunken World. While men frequenting brothels was common, Zhenshu couldn't have imagined men could be so depraved without witnessing it firsthand.
Back in the East Market, Zhenshu went to the small building in the backyard to talk with Madam Su about what she had encountered in the Marquis's mansion. Madam Su sighed, "With Zhenyu's looks, she can actually thrive in the Marquis's mansion."
Zhenshu said, "She already had a generous dowry, and she is the Empress Dowager's own niece, so the Marquis's mansion must also respect her. Besides, although she appears arrogant, she is still sensible inside."
Madam Su shook her head and sighed, seemingly still unable to accept why Zhenyu had married so well, while Zhenyuan was now hiding in a farm outside the capital. After a long while, she said, "I heard your father say that it is Liu Family Village on the west bank of the canal in the city. The courtyard is like our Huixian, with two courtyards in the front and back, but it is a bit dilapidated."
If she were to talk about these things, she could cry endlessly, only blaming herself for her bad luck and the untimely death of Zhong Shi. Zhen Shu was sitting silently listening when Zhen Xiu pushed open the door and came out, saying, "Sister Zhen Yu, is there anything else you want to say?"
Zhenshu then remembered and laughed, "She said that the silver that was missing from Grandmother's place has now been found in tens of thousands of silver notes, and the rest was probably taken away by those servants. She also asked you to come to the manor for a visit another day, as she is quite bored being cooped up in the Marquis's manor all by herself."
Zhenxiu nodded and said with a faint smile, "It's good that you found her. There's no need to go. Do you want her maid to beat her up again?"
Zhenshu advised, "What's the harm in leaving? You were already in a relationship with her, and her daughter is really beautiful and adorable. If you can make her happy, you can snatch her and hold her more often."
Zhenxiu sneered, "No matter how beautiful she is, she's still her daughter. What would I do if I snatched her away and held her?"
Zhenshu thought she was still resentful that everyone had insisted she had stolen the silver and refused to come back, so she said, "Now the emperor seems to be willing to let the Empress Dowager receive guests. I suppose Liangzhou will also see some improvement in a few days. You should visit her more often. When the Empress Dowager's family prospers, she can give you some gifts when you get married. Your family will be more prestigious."
Zhenxiu's face changed drastically upon hearing this, and she hurriedly ran back into the house.
Zhenshu was completely bewildered by what she was doing, and Su Shi was preoccupied with Zhenyuan's miserable life. The group remained silent for a while before Zhenshu went down to the mounting shop again. With the end of the year approaching, there were more and more people buying and selling calligraphy and paintings to decorate their homes. Song Anrong and Zhao He were busy downstairs when they saw Zhenshu come down. Zhao He quickly waved and said, "Second Miss, come and help. These young men are not good at making calculations."
Zhenshu rushed inside, and she was busy like this until the evening of the 27th of the twelfth lunar month when she finally caught her breath after the door was closed. Because Zhenyuan was staying at a farm outside the capital, it was her second year in the capital. Although the house was bigger and she had more money, it wasn't as lively as the previous year. Although Song Anrong knew that he had spoiled his daughters too much, he had let go of them since they were young, and now that they were older, they were even harder to control. Apart from Zhenshu, who was still taught a few strokes of calligraphy every day, he didn't care about Zhenxiu and Zhenyi at all, and didn't even bother to say a word to them.
As soon as the shop closed, Zhao He would stay in the shop's attic, fiddling with wooden carvings and refusing to come downstairs. Even his meals had to be brought up to him by Wang Ma. On New Year's Eve, after preparing dinner, Wang Ma also went home to celebrate the New Year. Because Zhao He refused to come downstairs for a long time, Zhen Shu brought a large bowl of vegetables and a large bowl of rice to the attic.
Zhenshu had never been to this room before, but it was kept very clean. Everywhere there were lifelike wooden carvings of Buddhas, men and women, and animals. There were also some polished beads, peaches, and other items piled up to the brim.
Because too much sawdust and glue had been used, the air smelled strongly of glue. Zhenshu poked her head out and called out loudly, "Uncle Zhao?"
Zhao He, who had been huddled in a corner fiddling with something, jumped up and ran over upon hearing this. Seeing Zhenshu carrying two bowls, he quickly took them and said, "You could have just asked Wang Ma to bring them. Why did you have to come all the way here yourself?"
Zhenshu smiled and said, "Wang Ma has gone home for the New Year."
She found these things adorable and wanted to go upstairs to take a closer look, but Zhao He didn't seem to want her to come up. Zhen Shu then waved her hand and said, "I'll come back to get more later. Uncle Zhao, you should eat quickly. It's New Year's Eve tonight, so the kitchen needs to be cleaned up first."
Zhao He nodded in agreement, and seeing Zhen Shu backing away, he suddenly asked, "Does the Second Miss have any dealings with that Yu Yichen now?"
Zhenshu's mind went blank for a moment, and her face flushed red. She quickly turned away from Zhao He and gave a soft "hmm." Zhao He continued, "Do you know he's not a good person?"
Zhen Shu recalled that Yu Yichen had said something similar when they were in the Drunken World: "If you say that, then you are also a bad person. And coincidentally, I am also a bad person."
He nodded and said, "I know."
Zhao He said, "It's good that you know. We'll gradually cut off all contact with him from now on."
Zhenshu agreed, and after a while said, "Uncle Zhao, please don't tell my father."
Zhao Heyi replied with an "okay," and left with the food.
While cleaning and tidying the kitchen, Zhenshu thought about Zhao He's words and secretly made a decision: she would never associate with Yu Yichen again. After all, he was a eunuch, and a eccentric one at that. Although she didn't care about her reputation, Zhenyuan and Zhenxiu were already struggling to find suitable marriages; if word got out that she had a falling out with a eunuch, not only Zhenyuan and Zhenxiu, but even Zhenyi would have difficulty getting married.
She cleaned the countertop, picked up the coal tongs, and carefully arranged the coal pieces neatly under the stove. She pondered how to write a letter to Yu Yichen, explaining her situation and urging him to stop bothering her. While sweeping the floor after arranging the coal, she suddenly remembered the time she returned after seeing Zhenyuan off. She had walked a long way, and Yu Yichen was still watching her. A chill ran through her heart, and she didn't know what to do.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, after three whole days of deliberation, Zhenshu had only managed to write one line on a piece of paper: I can no longer come.
She handed the box containing the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions to the gatekeeper of the Yu Mansion, and then returned to the mounting shop in the East Market.
At the same time, in the small building of the Yu residence, Yu Yichen put on a royal blue round-necked robe over his cross-collar inner garment, tied the belt, and then draped a beige cloak over it. Only then did he turn around and ask Mei Xun behind him, "Mei Xun, do you think it looks good?"
Mei Xun nodded without saying a word.
Yu Yichen then asked, "Is everything ready?"
Mei Xuncai then said, "Alright, the food is ready, and the musicians are ready as well."
Yu Yichen nodded slightly upon hearing this, and then asked, "And the flowers, every single one must be the most vibrant, without a single withered petal. Also, the paintings on the walls, although I know some are ridiculous, you must buy the most gaudy ones to put up for me."
Mei Xun nodded with a look of utter despair, then Yu Yichen glanced out the window and said, "Mei Xun, you should go back now. When she arrives, try to speak as little as possible and don't frighten her."
Mei Xun nodded, turned around and went downstairs, pushing open the heavy door and walking inside.
Yu Yichen suddenly realized that it was the Spring Festival and he should change into a brighter colored outfit. Just as he was thinking this, he heard footsteps downstairs. Before he could even think about it, he was overjoyed: she was here.
Sun Yuan bowed and handed over a book box and a folded piece of paper, saying softly, "Miss Song only gave me these things before leaving."
Yu Yichen unfolded the paper and softly read: I can't come anymore.
With her illegible, wildly written handwriting, he could almost picture her angry expression, pouting lips, and the distress in her eyes as she wrote.
He folded the paper again, opened the book box, took out the first volume, and put it inside. Then he closed the box again, placed it on the highest shelf behind the desk, and stared at the shelf for a long time without moving.
Sun Yuan asked, "Father-in-law, should the meal be served again?"
Yu Yichen waved his hand, and after a long while said, "You may leave!"
Sun Yuan left, and a moment later Yu Yichen came out, quickly went downstairs, pushed open two large doors, walked a few steps through the corridor, and then pushed open two more doors. What unfolded before him was an extremely strange world. All the pillars in this spacious hall were decorated with blooming flowers, and the walls were covered with colorful door god New Year pictures. The colors in the whole room were even more lively than the market in the New Year pictures.
Many young eunuchs were still moving about, setting things up. Old musicians sat among the flowers, tuning their instruments and chatting. As soon as Yu Yichen entered, he heard the old man reciting poetry sneer, "People say women are like dogs, following whoever bites them. It's precisely because he's short of meat that he does these ridiculous things. If he were a real man, he would have just gone and taken advantage of her; why bother with such groveling to coax a young woman?"
He also knew that Yu Yichen was doing such a ridiculous thing just to chase after a woman.
☆, Chapter 65 Leaving the City
Yu Yichen's gaze searched and found Mei Xun walking in through the opposite gate. Suddenly, his voice changed to the sharp, tearing tone characteristic of eunuchs, and he pointed at the old man, shouting, "His son hasn't been found yet?"
Mei Xun, with a voice as sharp as a knife, bowed and said, "Found him. He's hanging around the Kaibao Temple area in the capital."
Yu Yichen stared at the old man singing and said, word by word, "Cut off the two ounces of soft flesh from his son's body and bring it here to cook and eat."