Four Delicate Offenders – CH 034

Chapter 34. If You Don’t Speak Of Worldly Affairs With Anyone, Then You Are A Person Without Worldly Affairs.

On the way back, sitting in the carriage, even though it was just the two of them, he did not press her about what the Empress Dowager had instructed her to do.

Yunpan glanced at him discreetly. He had his eyelashes lowered, seemingly lost in thought. He often acted like this, excessively quiet, as if the worldly troubles were irrelevant to him.

He was a seemingly clean and pure person, devoid of any desires. But how could someone in that position be without desires? She simply could not see through him. He would not easily reveal his inner thoughts to others; his joy, anger, love, and hate were all hidden behind that gentle smile. Extremely calm, even somewhat pessimistic, acting with refined elegance while preparing for the worst—this was Yunpan’s understanding of him after spending two days together.

She breathed a soft sigh of relief. If she had not said anything, he probably would not have asked. This was not good; it was truly creating a rift.

So she shifted slightly and asked, “My Lord, would you like to know what the Empress Dowager said to me?”

His gaze was clear and calm. “If the Madam is willing, she will tell me.”

She fell silent, then pondered for a moment before saying, “My Lord must have already foreseen this. With the Emperor in control, he has the means to manage the entire situation. I only have one piece of advice: please mind your own business. After all, you are unaware of the intrigues within the inner quarters. A casual remark might reach the ears of someone’s spouse and be interpreted very differently. If things turn out this way, it would be a case of ‘you fall into the abyss while I rise to the top,’ ruining your reputation. Therefore, being extremely cautious and not conspiring with others is the best way to protect yourself.”

She spoke slowly and deliberately, and his eyes softened at her resolute tone.

He was surprised that a girl sheltered from the world could possess such insight.

He wanted to test her, so he said, “If we outwardly conspire for a major event but secretly leak it to the Imperial Palace, do you think we can eliminate our rivals while the oriole lurks behind?”

Yunpan smiled slightly. “No, the one unaware of the oriole behind us is definitely the one who did not participate. Setting a trap and luring people in, thinking oneself clever, but in reality, one has already gotten one’s hands dirty. The Imperial Palace would rather kill a hundred innocent people than let one guilty person go free; in the end, it will only destroy their own defenses. Therefore, remaining unchanged in the face of all changes is the wise choice. It’s better to keep a low profile than to stand out. If you don’t talk about worldly affairs with anyone, then you are a person without worldly affairs…” She smiled shyly. “I hope you will forgive my humble opinion, Your Grace.”

He slowly shook his head. “You are quite right. Ever since I learned that the Emperor intended to choose from the three of us, I’ve tried to avoid it as much as possible, not wanting to get involved in this mess. But being in the eye of the storm, I often have no choice. I originally thought that my wife probably could not understand this feeling, but now that I hear you say this, I am very happy. I will not have to worry about you making bad friends in the inner quarters, nor will I have to worry about you opening your heart to others and telling outsiders about the affairs of the household.”

Oh, so he had secretly worried about these things when it came to marriage. She must have felt that her father, so muddled and carefree in court, had produced a daughter who was just as unruly and stubborn!

Yunpan turned her face away with a hint of pride. The man opposite her looked at her, smiling quietly. In his eyes, girls should have a little temper; if they were unhappy, they could show it to those close to them. Their worries would not linger for long; once the anger subsided, it would be gone without a trace.

The horses’ hooves clattered on the stone pavement, the bells on their necks jingling, echoing the bustling world. But the weather outside was gradually changing. When they set out in the morning, the sun shone brightly, but on their way back, they saw clouds gathering in the western sky, creating a strange spectacle—half bright, half dark.

Fortunately, the warding-off-evil carriage was in time; no sooner had it entered the mansion than lightning flashed, thunder roared, and a torrential downpour began.

Yunpan’s coat sash was a little slow, and a few drops fell. She raised her sleeve to shield herself, then hid under the eaves, laughing and saying, “That was close! A step slower and my hairpin and ceremonial robe would have been soaked…” As she spoke, she wiped her face, and a pearl stuck to the side of her dress lay in her palm. She exclaimed, “Ah! This one fell too!”

He turned around and tried to stick it back on for her, but failed several times. He sighed and said, “Never mind.”

Yunpan then peeled off the other pearl and carefully handed it to Qin-Dan, instructing, “Give this carefully to Ming-Ke. Do not lose it.”

As for the two round, half-pearls on her cheeks, she forgot to remove them; when she smiled, they looked like two sweet, sugary candies.

The maids escorted them back to the inner courtyard. The Duke’s Mansion had five courtyards; besides Old Lady Hu’s Mao Garden, the others were given four elegant names: Huicun’s was called Bo Xue Garden ^{(Pulling Snow)}, the courtyard where Princess of Liang and Prince of Liang had lived was called Xun Chun ^{(Seeking Spring)}, Yunpan’s courtyard was called Xu Zhou ^{(Continuing the Day)}, and the last one, where the old prince’s two concubines lived, was called Ran Deng ^{(Lighting the Lamp)}.

Nanny Yao was already waiting at the door. Seeing them return, she hurried down the steps and led them into the main room.

The maidservants went to help the young master change his clothes. Ming-Ke and Ruo-Lan came forward to help Yunpan remove her robes and leather belt. Nanny Yao, standing to the side, asked, “Has the Palace made things difficult for you, Madam?”

Yunpan replied, “I am managing everything; Nanny, do not worry.”

Nanny Yao breathed a long sigh of relief. “That’s good. To be honest, Madam, I’ve been worried sick ever since you left. I was afraid you had not experienced anything like that before and might have panicked. The people in the palace are incredibly shrewd; a single wrong word can bring disaster.”

Yunpan smiled and said, “I do not know anything else; just professing loyalty, and I cannot go wrong. The Empress Dowager mentioned my maternal grandparents to me. I thought to myself, it’s a pity they passed away so young. If they were still alive, my mother would surely be alive too. After suffering this humiliation, she could have returned to the Princess’s residence instead of enduring this hardship in the Marquis’s Mansion.”

So, the most bitter thing was losing both parents. For a woman who had lost her maternal family, men could use the “three prohibitions” excuse to avoid divorce. With nowhere to go and no means to establish her own household, the reason her mother endured the disgust of staying in the Jiang family was for her future marriage.

Nanny Yao sighed, “Everything is fate, and nothing is up to us. I watched the County Princess grow up, and I thought she had found someone to rely on for life, but it turned out like this.” Her sorrow turned to relief. “The County Princess’s unfulfilled blessings will be passed on to the lady. Look at the wonderful young man she’s found now—gentle in speech, considerate—a rare find.”

Yunpan did not respond, still holding the same thought: do not have too high expectations; without anticipation, there would be no disappointment.

Ming-Ke brought her a plain, pine-green gauze jacket to wear. She strolled into the inner room, retrieved a stack of paper money certificates, and handed them to Nanny Yao. “I’ve already inquired,” she said. “The spices and silkworm cocoons in the capital are in short supply. Send these certificates to reliable people to find buyers at the certificate market on the south side of Guanxiang Street. Do not place them with the certificate warehouse; you will not get a good price there. I want to cash in and rent a few shops in the South Bridge Market, opening up the storefronts to cater to female customers. It’s inconvenient for the noblewomen of the capital to frequent restaurants and teahouses. With this place, specializing in tea, wine, and handicrafts, they can pass the time, and I can also win over the inner quarters of officials throughout the capital.”

Qin-Dan clapped her hands in delight. “Just like the Flourishing Flower Banquet!”

Yunpan nodded and then instructed Nanny Yao, “Handle this carefully; it’s not a small amount. Once the rain stops, have Nanny Shi send two reliable people to accompany you. I am thinking of collecting the money first. If we really want to open a shop, we will have to ask Grandmother and Mother’s permission before proceeding. Do not announce it for now.”

Nanny Yao agreed and went out to carry out the task.

Outside, the rain continued to pour. After half a month of scorching sun, the sudden downpour had refreshed the entire courtyard, and the blue bricks under the eaves, soaked through, looked smooth and shiny.

Yunpan had wanted to sit idly on the goose-neck chair behind the house and enjoy a fragrant drink, but she could not. The Grand Madam and the Princess Consort were surely waiting for news of her. If she did not report back soon, it would be considered ignorant and would displease the elders.

So she sent Qin-Dan with the rewards from the Forbidden City to Mao Garden. Following the covered walkway to the moon gate, through the rain, she saw Yu-Li, who served the Grand Madam, standing under the eaves. Seeing her reach the gate, Yu-Li quickly opened her umbrella to greet her, saying, “It’s raining so hard; why are you here at this hour, Madam?”

Yunpan replied, “I just returned from the Forbidden City and came to pay my respects to Grandmother.” She then asked, “Is Mother in?”

Yu-Li said yes, “Not only is the Princess Consort there, but the Princess is also here, along with two concubines, playing cards with the Grand Madam.”

That was good; she could see them all at once, saving her from running around to several places.

Lifting her skirt, she climbed the steps, faintly hearing Huicun’s laughter, “Grandmother lost again!”

Yunpan could not help but smile. Huicun was a straightforward person; in her eyes, things were exactly as they were, and no one could take advantage of their age to make her fold, not even her grandmother.

She changed into soft shoes and entered the room, finding them indeed playing cards around a mother-of-pearl inlaid round table. She curtsied and greeted them, “Grandmother, Mother, and my two concubines, I am back.”

Everyone immediately put down their cards. Huicun leaned forward and asked, “Sister-in-law, it’s raining so hard outside; did you get soaked?”

Yunpan said, “No, it only started raining when I got to the door, almost simultaneously.”

The Grand Madam moved to sit on the couch, gesturing for her to sit as well, and asked, “What did the palace say? Did Empress Dowager Zhang give you any trouble?”

The Grand Madam’s expression darkened at the mention of her old adversary. Yunpan only said no, “The Empress Dowager mentioned my maternal grandfather and grandmother and inquired about the well-being of Grandmother and Mother.”

The Grand Madam chuckled, “It’s remarkable she still remembers these people.”

Yunpan agreed, then gestured for Qin-Dan and Ming-Ke to open two brocade boxes and present them to the Grand Madam and the Princess. Inside were some jewelry, sachets, and incense charms. Yunpan said, “Grandmother, look, these are all gifts from the Imperial Palace.”

The Grand Madam glanced at them. At least the Empress Dowager Zhang knew her manners and had not slighted her grandson’s wife, and her displeasure lessened slightly.

Huicun liked those delicate trinkets, so Yunpan picked out a gourd-shaped, gilded incense ball with a peach blossom and bird design and gave it to her, saying in a low voice, “I have Su Xian’s ‘Spring Message in Snow’; I will have someone send it to you later.”

The Princess smiled and said, “Her room is almost overflowing with stuff; why spoil her? You keep it yourself. If she likes it, her future in-laws will give it to her.”

Huicun, however, acted spoiled, twisting her body and saying, “I just love the things my sister-in-law gives me. Her things are exquisite; her boiled water and spices are better than anyone else’s.” She fully displayed his boundless affection for her new sister-in-law.

The two concubines sat with them for a while, then rose to take their leave. Only then did Yunpan cautiously mention the matter of opening a shop to Old Lady Hu.

The Grand Madam and the Princess, both accustomed to rigid rules, seemed quite surprised to hear of her plan. The Dowager said, “How can a family of our status behave like commoners, engaging in such frivolous business? What will people say?”

Even the Princess looked troubled, tucking her hands behind her back, and said, “I’ve never heard of a noblewoman opening a shop… How could you have such an idea?”

Yunpan knew they would definitely not agree, but she was not in a hurry. She said gently, “Grandmother, Mother, today I entered the Forbidden City and heard the Empress Dowager and the Emperor’s thoughts, which led to this idea. This shop is like the Golden Duck Banquet in the capital, but different. The Golden Duck Banquet is held annually, but my shop is open every day. Only noblewomen can attend the Golden Duck Banquet, but my shop is open to the families of officials outside the official ranks.”

This statement startled the two elders present even more. The Grand Madam and the Princess exchanged bewildered glances, while Huicun, stubborn as ever, said, “Anyway, my sister-in-law must have her reasons. I have nothing to say; let’s begin!”

This earned her a glare from the Grand Madam. “Do not be ridiculous!”

“Grandmother, please listen to me,” Yunpan said slowly. “I want to use this shop to broaden our channels of communication. The more people come, the more information we will have. Whether it’s the Flourishing Flower Banquet or the Golden Duck Banquet, there are always barriers. Even if there’s some news within the nobility circle, by the time it reaches us, everyone knows it; there’s nothing new. As for those low-ranking officials, they mostly do their jobs properly, and the information circulating within their inner quarters is faster and more reliable than that of the high-ranking officials.”

The Grand Madam and the Princess were not confused after all. Although she did not spell it out explicitly, they immediately understood her meaning.

What was most precious at this time of year was, of course, information, the movements of all parties. These women, confined to their inner quarters, only exchanged information at banquets; otherwise, they remained oblivious to everything. Rather than waiting for others to host their banquets, they preferred to host their own daily, thus gaining both profit and accurate access to information.

As for the concerns of the Grand Madam and the Princess, Yunpan understood and cautiously replied, “I am a member of the Duke’s household and will not personally oversee the business. I will simply select trusted matrons and maids to manage the shop for me. If there are important guests, I will then accompany them. Otherwise, someone else will handle the affairs, so I do not need to concern myself with them.”

Since she had a sound plan and a well-thought-out management strategy, she can then proceed with confidence! The Princess was also pleased; her newlywed daughter-in-law had already considered things so far ahead—truly, she had followed the example of the Princess Yuyang in this regard.

Looking back now, she was increasingly grateful to Heaven for changing the bride at the last minute. If she had married the socially awkward eldest daughter of the Duke of Shu, let alone managing the affairs outside the home, she probably would not have been able to handle things well even at home.

As for Old Lady Hu, she had initially been very dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager acting as matchmaker, and consequently, she held this granddaughter-in-law in low regard. Now, seeing that she was actually wholeheartedly devoted to avoiding frivolity, her resentment subsided.

The Old Lady Hu declared, “In that case, the money for opening the shop will come from the public funds.”

Yunpan naturally could not insist that the Old Lady Hu should not interfere, so she said, “Thank you, Grandmother. I still have some savings; I can manage for now. If it’s not enough, I will draw from the public account.”

This was the most appropriate approach. A newlywed daughter-in-law, without experiencing three winters and four summers of hardship, might not be trusted. Since she was not particularly close to the family, it was inappropriate to have any financial dealings with her; otherwise, she might gain an excuse for coveting her husband’s family fortune.

Saying she had personal possessions was a way of letting them know she was not living empty-handed. Regardless of her family’s current situation, she was still a daughter of a noble family, with all the proper dowry and gifts. She did not expect them to look down on her, but at least they would not be looked down upon.

The two sides had a pleasant conversation, which was the best possible outcome.

After leaving Mao Garden and returning to her own courtyard, Yunpan selected several exquisite items from the gifts bestowed upon her by the imperial court and ordered them to be sent to each of the courtyards. For example, each of the two concubines received a hairpin, and the Princess received a bolt of begonia-colored silk satin. As for the Grand Madam, she did not care for the Empress Dowager’s gifts, so she prepared some homemade rose-infused incense, carefully placing it in a celadon box—a gesture that suited the Grand Madam’s elegant taste and also expressed her filial piety.

Watching from the side, Qin-Dan felt that her young mistress had it tough. Being a new wife required being clever in every way, unable to be negligent or overstep any boundaries. Even giving gifts had to be carefully considered, lest it be considered impolite. She recalled her days in her chambers; though there were many unpleasantries, at least she did not have to be so cautious. Indeed, life had its hardships; perhaps once this phase was over, things would be more comfortable.

The heavy rain continued, pattering against the banana leaves outside the window. Having finished everything, Yunpan finally had some free time and lay down on the chaise longue to rest.

She liked rainy weather like this; the world was a hazy gray, and everything in the room seemed to be bathed in a heavy, uncolored ink painting. She closed her eyes, the gentle sound of rain flooding her mind. Huddled under her blanket, she dozed off. The downpour dispelled the summer heat, and the cool, barefoot mat brought her a sense of comfort.

She did not know where Li Chenjian had gone; he was probably in his study again. She did not intend to ask. It was fine for them to go about their own business without disturbing each other.

She slowly drifted off to sleep to the sound of the rain. In her dream, she sat under the eaves grinding spices. The stone mill clattered in and out, its sound merging with the vast sky, slowly transforming into a boundless expanse of azure.

T/N:
“Spring Message in the Snow.” Yes, the same incense from the other You Sijie novel we translated earlier. Have you read that one?