Four Delicate Offenders – CH 027

Chapter 27. It’s Good To Strengthen Family Ties.

With guests arriving, tea and snacks were naturally prepared to entertain them. Liu-niang glanced at the five sesame cakes piled on the plate, then smiled and looked away.

Madam Peng was very hospitable, having a servant bring a cool towel to wipe Liu-niang’s face, and said gently, “It’s so hot today, you must have had a long journey… What brings you here today? Come and sit at my house for a while.”

Liu-niang took the towel, lightly dabbed her cheeks, and handed it back, turning to Madam Peng and asking seriously, “Have you heard about what happened in our family, Second Sister?”

Madam Peng’s husband was serving in the capital, and the upheavals at the Founding Marquis’s residence were common knowledge; naturally, he would mention it to her upon his return.

“It’s always about Si Si,” Madam Peng said. “Originally, I heard the earthquake collapsed the house, burying her inside. But then they said it was not her, that there was a mistake? Now, the Empress Dowager is acting as matchmaker, and she’s betrothed to the Duke of Wei. The wedding will be soon, right?”

These were, of course, the kind of pleasant words spoken. The gossip and slander about that concubine in the Marquis’s household behind her back was simply too much to bear. Madam Peng, out of consideration for Liu-niang’s past kindness, had at least given her face. Her long journey to Guankou today must also be related to Si Si’s matter.

Liu-niang, of course, had to defend herself, swearing to heaven that the maid had stolen the young lady’s clothes while she was away.

“That day, the weather changed; the sky was already gloomy, and I was busy delivering water and rice to the backyard, so I did not pay attention to what was happening in the front courtyard. I saw my young lady off to the Flourishing Flower Banquet early in the morning, and then the earthquake struck. I heard she was trapped under a roof beam, and I was wondering when she came back.” She sighed deeply. “You did not see it; it was raining heavily, and she was completely wrecked. I was terrified; I could only recognize her by her clothes. I did not dare to look closely! But it was this oversight that led to this.”

“So, your brother resents me so much that he does not know what to do. Who can I tell about my grievances? Being a concubine is truly difficult, especially with our young mistress. She’s just like the former County Princess, with the same arrogant and haughty nature. Seizing on this one point, she stormed off to the Duke of Shu’s mansion. I personally went to the Duke’s Mansion, apologizing and admitting my mistakes, and was almost beaten out by the Duke’s wife. I truly suffered for this young mistress and lost all face; I’ve never been so humiliated in my life.”

Madam Peng, upon hearing this, spoke up smoothly, “This child is indeed a bit stubborn. It was not a big deal; it’s been discussed, and it’s all good. Why is it such a fuss within the family? There are all sorts of rumors circulating outside. You know those people; they can exaggerate even the smallest things. They always seem to enjoy watching other people’s drama.” She paused, then asked, “How is Si Si doing now? Has the wedding date been set?”

Perhaps Peng Sheng’s information network was not up to par. After all, how could a minor official of the seventh rank immediately know the movements of a duke or marquis? “It’s set for the sixth day,” said Liu-niang. “It will be in the next few days.”

Madam Peng was somewhat surprised. “Then there are only five or six days left? So soon?”

Liu-niang smiled wryly. “Originally, the engagement with the Duke of Wei was for the eldest daughter of the Duchess of Shu. But that young lady fell ill, so the engagement was called off, and the good fortune fell to our young lady. There’s another matter, which you probably think is crazy: the young lady’s wedding is not in Youzhou but is being held at the Duke of Shu’s residence. Your brother will have to go alone to their house to send his daughter off, without even his three younger children.”

“Is that so?” Madam Peng exclaimed in surprise. “We are relatives of the Jiang family; it would not be appropriate for us to go to their door to give gifts. How are we going to handle this? Should we go or not?”

Liu-niang fell silent, taking a sip of tea before finally speaking, “Now that she’s found a high-ranking position, who in the Jiang family does she even look at? Even her father, she only reluctantly agreed to attend because she was afraid of being called unfilial. As for the Xiang family, I doubt you will be able to go; it’s not worth the trouble. As for Si Si, she’s currently being instigated by the Duchess of Shu, throwing a tantrum to show me how tough she is. Once she marries into the Duke of Wei’s family, I will see if she will completely sever ties with her family.”

Madam Peng thought for a moment and said, “In that case, we will wait until she’s married and in charge of the household herself before her aunt and I give her a gift.”

Liu-niang laughed. “She does not recognize her family, but her aunts treat her like one and are even thinking of giving her extra money.”

Hearing this, Madam Peng chuckled awkwardly. In truth, everyone harbored their own little schemes. Her niece had married into the Duke of Wei’s mansion, a genuine member of the imperial family, and would soon be a duchess. No one in the Jiang family had achieved as much as her.

When she herself was struggling, she could go to the Marquis’s Mansion to beg for some cloth and silver, enough to live comfortably for a while. If the Marquis’s Mansion was already like this, she could not even imagine the wealth and power of the Duke’s Mansion.

Since she herself was not doing well, she naturally hoped her closest relatives would. As the saying goes, “the fatter the meat, the fatter the soup,” and having a powerful connection was always a good thing for her.

But Liu-niang’s words dissuaded her from this idea. “I see our young lady has never been close to you since childhood. She’s the daughter of a county princess, unlike Xuepan and Yupan, who are so affectionate with their aunts. Our young lady is so aloof; she does not associate with ordinary people. She only befriends noble ladies from Youzhou and the capital. Those lavish banquets and grand feasts—not to mention me, even my elder sister and my second sister, as aunts, would not easily enter such places. They are used to the refined and sophisticated; they would not look down on us common folk. If my second sister tries to visit her using her aunt’s name, it will be fine once or twice, but by the third time, she will probably find it annoying and give you the cold shoulder.”

Madam Peng immediately felt embarrassed, realizing she had never truly cared for her young niece; her sudden increase in visits would seem overly ingratiating. If it were someone weaker, the family would not have minded, but Yunpan was different. She had always looked down on her poor relatives and might be as impatient as Liu-niang said.

“But I have an idea,” Liu-niang said with a smile, having perfectly grasped Madam Peng’s thoughts. “We cannot associate with high-class families, so let’s do this once and for all, without worrying about the future. Do you know how much dowry your brother prepared for her?”

Madam Peng shook her head. “It must be quite a lot!”

Liu-niang snorted. “A thousand taels of silver, plus several hundred taels worth of goods.”

Madam Peng was taken aback. “So much? That’s equivalent to twenty years’ worth of grain for an ordinary family.”

Liu-niang, fanning herself with a round fan, the breeze ruffling a stray strand of hair at her temples, leaned against the armrest of her armchair and said, “We are scrimping and saving to fill that hole; it’s like carrying stones uphill. Before the County Princess died, she bequeathed all her property to her, reducing the household income by sixty or seventy percent, all going into her pocket. We are moving to the capital at the end of the year, and we are still two thousand taels short of the funds for the new mansion. Your brother is so desperate that he’s considering selling ancestral property. I think I cannot get into her ducal mansion, but my second sister can use her status as her aunt to say a few words to her, explaining that her father is short of money and asking for some assistance, promising to repay her later.”

Madam Peng hesitated. “I am afraid she will not be willing to part with her share.”

“If she will not, then go to the Duke of Wei. Surely he will not just stand by and do nothing when his father-in-law needs money to build a mansion!”

Seeing Madam Peng’s astonished expression, Liu-niang knew she had frightened her. She chuckled, “Of course, I am not really asking you to go see the Duke of Wei, just to scare her a little. She’s a new bride, and she’s most afraid of discord between the young couple. To avoid alarming her husband, she will do whatever you say.”

But Madam Peng was not stupid. She covered her nose and said, “This is a completely villainous thing to do! How could you possibly want me to do that…?”

“It’s not about being a villain; it’s just borrowing some silver from her for temporary needs.” Liu-niang smiled again. “I was thinking of asking her for three thousand taels. Second Sister has gone to so much trouble for this; she should at least get two hundred taels for her hard work. Now that Weifeng and Weihan are older and need to study, and there are also Yuye and Jinbo, who need money for cosmetics, handkerchiefs, and rabbit-shaped ornaments, two hundred taels will last three to five years. Anyway, it’s just a drop in the ocean for her, so why would you not do it?”

Indeed, opening a shop required money; only after taking charge of the household did one realize its difficulties.

Even as a young woman, Madam Peng was fond of petty gains. Later, after marrying Peng Sheng, she thought the shop would be a good place, but it turned out to be just an empty shell. Living a life of constant financial hardship, she became increasingly mercenary. Two hundred taels of silver was equivalent to Peng Sheng’s salary for over ten years.

Thinking of this, she no longer bothered about anything else. Anyway, the girl was not close to her. If she did this once, then maybe they wouldn’t be related in the future.

***

At the Duke of Shu’s residence, wedding preparations were in full swing. During dinner, Lady Ming joked, “This is our first time organizing a wedding banquet for a junior, so we are still quite inexperienced. There may be some shortcomings. But after this experience, we will know how to handle things next time.” As she spoke, she spooned a dish to the Duke of Shu. “Last time at the banquet at Prime Minister Han’s house, the Prime Minister’s wife mentioned the eldest granddaughter of the Privy Councilor’s family. I found that girl very quiet and refined, with dignified manners, a perfect match for our Xu’er.”

Instantly, all eyes at the table turned to Xiang Xu across the table. Xiang Xu, who had been somewhat lost in thought, was startled when he heard his name mentioned.

The Duke of Shu generally did not get too involved in his children’s marriages, and even when the prospect was described as the eldest daughter of one family member and the eldest granddaughter of another, he was often confused. Anyway, he’d just leave everything to his wife’s wishes, saving him the trouble. So when Lady Ming said it was good, he nodded in agreement, “The daughter of the Ji family, the magistrate? Very good, very good…”

Lady Ming glanced at him. “And Nianzi from the State Counsellor’s family, I like her even more. That girl is beautiful and has a forthright personality.”

“State Counsellor? Yu Fuqing?” Duke of Shu thought for a moment. “Is his family not related to ours by marriage?”

“A marriage between relatives—what’s wrong with that?” Lady Ming said to herself. “Knowing each other’s backgrounds… I just think children from familiar backgrounds are more agreeable.”

Unfortunately, she had initially set her sights on Si Si, but Meifen interfered halfway through. Lady Ming could not say it aloud, but she felt a pang of regret. She looked at Xiang Xu; he had become increasingly quiet lately. He was a gentle person to begin with, unable to express his feelings, but he buried himself even more in his books, oblivious to the world around him.

“Xu’er?” Lady Ming called out to him.

Xiang Xu looked up and replied, “Yes.”

“Do you remember Nianzi?” Lady Ming asked tentatively. “She’s my mother’s cousin’s daughter. You met her twice when you were little.”

Xiang Xu thought for a moment, vaguely recognizing her, but so many years had passed that her face was long gone. Besides, with the beautiful Si Si before him, other girls were unlikely to impress him.

He shook his head. “I cannot remember.”

Once you had set your sights on someone, you tended to be single-minded; no one else could catch your eye. Anyone who had been through this knew this kind of thinking.

Lady Ming was a little troubled, realizing that the conversation could not continue with Xiang Xu, so she called out to Si Si, “Tell your brother what kind of person Nianzi was that day.”

Yunpan liked Nianzi very much, so she put down her chopsticks and said, “That older sister is a very kind person. That day, I went to the banquet with my aunt, and I did not know anyone there before, so I inevitably felt uncomfortable. Later, Sister Nianzi came, and she helped me make new friends, protecting me at every turn, and that’s how I gradually became familiar with everyone.” She smiled, stood up, and gestured above her head, “Sister Nianzi is so tall, slender and graceful, without any of the delicate airs of a young lady from a wealthy family. She’s full of energy, like a little sun; standing next to her, you feel radiant too. Really, I’ve never met such a kind and lovely girl.”

These words contained a bit of praise, because Yunpan knew that her aunt also hoped she would say the same thing.

Because Meifen broke off her engagement, it would inevitably have some impact on Xiang Xu’s marriage. His aunt wanted to strengthen family ties through marriage, as relatives were generally more tolerant of a sister-in-law who refused to marry.

Since the matter was brought up with Xiang Xu today, it meant that her aunt and the State Counsellor’s wife had already had a serious discussion, and at least both families were willing to arrange the marriage. Xiang Xu was a refined man, and he always obeyed his parents’ wishes regarding marriage. Speaking well of Nianzi beforehand would help him form a good impression of her. A good impression was extremely important; it would influence one’s judgment for a considerable period of time.

Hearing her words, Xiang Xu seemed somewhat interested, not in Nianzi, but in the description of Yunpan.

When he looked at Yunpan, his eyes shone with a light; even her slightest movement seemed intriguing to him.

Lady Ming sighed inwardly, relieved that Xiang Xu was a man of principle, at least not capable of doing anything out of line.

He simply smiled slightly, listening to Yunpan describe Nianzi’s personality and appearance, and casually asked, “Were you all together at the banquet?”

Yunpan said yes, she was open and honest, without any ulterior motives, and sincerely told Lady Ming, “If Sister Nianzi could come, that would be wonderful. My sister will not be lonely anymore.”

Meifen had never been averse to girls. Although she felt a little sad about Yunpan’s upcoming marriage, upon hearing that she had another younger sister, she immediately felt a longing. “I’d like to get to know her, too.”

Lady Ming happily agreed, “When Si Si gets married, Nianzi will definitely come. Then you brothers and sisters can get to know each other. We are family, but we have not visited much in recent years, and things have become distant.”

Later, she gave some more instructions, saying that the wedding was just around the corner and that Yunpan should not sleep on the daybed in the cool air, should not drink cold tea, and even during her afternoon nap, she should cover her stomach with a small blanket. She gave her meticulous and earnest instructions, just like her mother had instructed her when she was a child.

Yunpan agreed to everything. After the meal, she and Meifen said their goodbyes and walked out onto the wooden veranda. Looking out, she saw a crescent moon hanging against the backdrop of swirling clouds. She thought to herself, “Time flies so fast; it’s already the first day of the new month.”

“The clouds are moving so fast. I wonder if it will rain tomorrow,” Meifen remarked casually when she saw Yunpan looking at the sky.

Yunpan said, “Perhaps. My aunt had someone check the celestial signs, and they said the sixth day should be a beautiful, sunny day.”

Meifen immediately teased her, “You are about to get married, are you not? You are already thinking about the sixth day.”

Yunpan blushed and muttered, “If it rains during the banquet, it will be so inconvenient for the guests to come and go.”

“The ground will be muddy, and their wedding shoes will get dirty.”

When no one else was around, Meifen was quite lively. The two sisters laughed and playfully pushed each other as they walked. Yunpan, as usual, escorted her back to Zilan Garden, and only after watching her enter the house did she turn and return to her own courtyard.

She had only taken a few steps when she suddenly heard someone call “Si Si” behind her. Turning around, she saw Xiang Xu standing before a wisteria trellis, the lantern on the courtyard gate illuminating half his face. He held out his hand to her and said, “This is for you.”

Yunpan and Qin-Dan exchanged a glance, somewhat puzzled, but did not reach out to take it. They only asked, “Big Brother, what is it?”

Xiang Xu opened the small box. Inside was a piece of eyebrow pencil depicting a green landscape. He said somewhat awkwardly, “Last time I went to that dried flower shop, the attendant really tried to sell me this, saying it was the best eyebrow pencil. You are getting married soon, and I did not have anything else to give you, so I bought it.”

Yunpan chuckled, “Big Brother actually remembers that?”

Xiang Xu fell silent. But she still did not take it, saying softly, “My cousin prepared so much rouge and powder for me, and several pieces of eyebrow pencil too; my makeup box is almost overflowing. Big Brother, keep this one for yourself, and give it to Sister Nianzi when you see her in the future.” With that, she took Qin-Dan’s hand and turned to walk towards Yipengxue.

After walking quite a distance, Xiang Xu was still standing in front of the wisteria trellis, but Yunpan did not look back.

Qin-Dan helped her into the courtyard and then gestured for the maid to close the door.

Actually, some things did not need to be said aloud; what needed to be understood was already understood in the heart. She did not have such abundant emotions, nor did she want to cause unnecessary trouble. Things were fine as they were now, quietly counting down the approaching days until the day she would move from this mansion to another.

Thinking about it, it would all be similar days, living similar lives. The biggest difference would probably be a different identity, with endless possibilities, allowing her to do many things that were inconvenient for a young woman waiting to be married.