Four Seasons Brocade – CH 090

Chapter 90 ☆、

The Longqing Emperor bestowed a residence upon Third Master Rong near the Qinglong Bridge outside Chengtian Gate. This was an extraordinary honor; ordinary officials rarely received such a privilege. Only those favored by the Emperor were granted this treatment, and even then, residences were categorized into different ranks.

The area inside Chengtian Gate was the first rank, considered the inner court, historically inhabited only by treacherous officials. The most prestigious area was the area outside Chengtian Gate, stretching from the Baihu Bridge in the west to the Qinglong Bridge in the east. This area was closest to the Forbidden City, making it the closest place to the court each day.

On winter mornings, officials living far away had to get up at the first cockcrow, shivering from the cold on their way to court. Those living near Qinglong Bridge, however, could get up a little later without enduring much of the cold.

Qinglong Bridge, running south along the main street, led to the Six Ministries and was also close to the Ministry of Rites, the office of Master Rong. It was truly a rare and desirable residential resource for officials.

This area had historically been the Emperor’s private property, reserved for bestowing upon officials.

Of course, that was the advantage.

But Ah Wu believed the disadvantages were also significant.

The residences bestowed by the Emperor were usually only for one generation. If one were demoted, sorry, better move quickly. Demoted in the morning, packing your bags and leaving by the afternoon. If you were lucky, your life would be smooth sailing, but if you died, sorry, your descendants would also have to move quickly. After all, the capital city had so little land. Where would the Emperor find a residence to bestow upon someone for generations?

Therefore, this residence was not your real estate; you only had limited usage rights. What was worse, land here was incredibly valuable. Even a residence bestowed by the Emperor was cramped and narrow. You could not break ground or add bricks; any alterations had to be reported to the Imperial Household Department, because the land was considered the Emperor’s property.

Moreover, you could not simply not live in a residence bestowed by the Emperor.

For example, a wealthy person like Ah Wu, even with her money, who had already prepared a grand, spacious residence with a private garden in the capital, could only leave it unused.

But regardless, a residence bestowed by the Emperor was always a good thing. And someone like Master Rong, with the Emperor’s support for dividing the family property, was truly rare. It was not that the Emperor genuinely favored Master Rong to the point of wanting to share a residence; it was simply that Master Rong had found the opportunity.

Ah Wu was initially surprised that Emperor Longqing had bestowed a residence upon Master Rong; it seemed unusual for her former uncle to do such a thing. But as Ah Wu tapped her fingers on the table, she quickly realized the reason.

The Emperor had just reprimanded the Duke of Anguo for failing to properly discipline his son, allowing him to be wicked and licentious, and stripped him of his title as heir apparent. And now they had separated the person that the Emperor was supposed to promote—was this not blatant defiance of the Emperor?

The Duke of Anguo had long since distanced himself from court and was utterly incompetent, lacking any political acumen, only concerned with immediate small gains, and forgetting the greater good.

Ah Wu thought to herself, “It seems I am still too naive. Even this step, my father probably already calculated. Otherwise, how could such an old fox dare to risk a reputation for filial impiety to take such a gamble?”

As soon as the residence was bestowed by Emperor Longqing, Master Rong, along with Lady Cui and Ah Wu, went to the main room to kowtow to the Duke of Anguo and the Old Madam. The expressions of these people were the most interesting. The Duke of Anguo wore the demeanor of a loving father, and even more remarkably, a single tear welled up in his eye as he rested his hand on his forehead, looking as if he could not bear to part.

The Old Madam stood there, stunned, like a wooden statue of a Bodhisattva.

The First and Second Madams, on the other hand, wanted to both laugh and cry. They wanted to mend relations with the third branch of the family, but could not bring themselves to do it. As the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt; now that the Master Rong had separated from his family and was so favored by the Emperor, their future husbands might still need to rely on his connections to inherit titles.

These two women had a very shrewd plan. They still considered the Master Rong their half-brother, whom they could summon and dismiss at will. They could slap him today and offer him a treat another day. Like their second uncle among the clan elders, once time had passed, he would be willing to help if given some benefits.

In any case, the Master Rong’s family had finally stepped out of the gates of the Duke of Anguo’s mansion.

Along the way, Ah Wu and Lady Cui chattered excitedly, as if the sky had suddenly cleared. In the cramped courtyard of the Duke’s Mansion, even speaking felt oppressive.

Upon arriving at the residence near Qinglong Bridge, Nanny Qu, Lady Cui’s attendant, and Nanny Gong, Ah Wu’s attendant, who had been preparing inside, came out to greet them.

“Master and Madam, everything is ready inside. We are just waiting for Madam to open the storeroom and choose some ornaments,” Nanny Qu said, her face beaming with smiles. She was even happier than Lady Cui. As Lady Cui’s most trusted servant, Nanny Qu’s status in Lady Cui’s powerful inner courtyard was clearly rising.

Master Rong, having received three days’ leave, stroked his proudly long beard and led Lady Cui and Ah Wu inside.

The new house was not large, but it was not small for the area near Qinglong Bridge. It had three courtyards with an additional side courtyard and a long, narrow garden on the right—small but perfectly formed.

Upon entering, there was a courtyard. In the left corner stood a very old plum tree; one wondered what a magnificent sight it would be in winter, a scene of pink blossoms and snow. Further to the upper right corner were several crabapple trees, beneath which sat a vat of water used for firefighting, its surface decorated with a relief of children playing with geese under bamboo—a rather antique and charming sight.

The main hall of the first courtyard was where guests were entertained, and Master Rong’s study was also located here. Servants and guards lived in the side courtyard, which included a kitchen, washing areas, and a well.

Passing through the hall, one entered the second courtyard, the most spacious of the two. The main house was the living quarters of Master Rong and Lady Cui, and there was also a study in the inner courtyard where Master Rong could work. The two adjacent courtyards were prepared for Rong Jie and Rong Yin. Each courtyard also had a small kitchen for making pastries and soups.

Behind Master Rong and Lady Cui’s residence was Ah Wu’s dwelling. Daughters were pampered at home, so Ah Wu had her own courtyard, furnished with her music room, study, and rooms for all the maids. She had more servants than Lady Cui, not out of arrogance, but because Lady Cui wished all the maids in the household could serve Ah Wu alone; she often said, “Daughters should be pampered.”

The group also briefly looked at the narrow garden next door. It had no water, only a small fishpond, a slender, hollow Taihu stone, and a rockery leaning against the wall—quite exquisite.

This was Ah Wu’s new residence, where she and her family would live long-term. It was far better than the courtyard of the third branch of the Duke of Anguo’s mansion, so everyone beamed with joy, including Ah Wu herself. Her standards had indeed lowered considerably; even this small, narrow garden made her extremely happy.

Master Rong, sitting in the main room, sipped his Wuyi rock tea, set down his teacup with satisfaction, and looked around before saying, “This set of rosewood furniture is probably something even a century-old family might not be able to find so complete.”

Ah Wu smiled. “Yes, such a large, solid piece of rosewood is rare. When your daughter saw it in Jiangnan, she bought it without even haggling. Such things are rare and hard to come by; it’s worth any price. Besides, is our family not aiming to become a century-old family?”

Master Rong nodded. Ah Wu’s words struck a chord with him. Having separated from the family, they would now be an independent lineage. Master Rong truly wanted to build a century-old family, passing his lineage down for generations, and the most important thing was to educate his descendants to be successful.

A man’s achievements were the so-called governing of the country, managing the family, and bringing peace to the world; and managing the family was not just about his generation.

Having such a set of rosewood furniture was indeed a good start. A century-old family always needed some fine things to embody its grandeur. As time went by, this new furniture would become old furniture, acquiring a certain depth and character.

Upon acquiring this piece of rosewood, Ah Wu immediately commissioned the most skilled craftsman in Jiangnan, specializing in Northern-style furniture, to draw up designs, cut materials, carve, and assemble it—all for this very day. Initially, these two shipments of furniture did not accompany them to the capital; instead, the carving was completed later and escorted there by the steward. Unexpectedly, it had truly come in handy.

This set of furniture was placed in the rooms of Master Rong and Lady Cui, not in the main reception hall, as that would appear ostentatious.

Ah Wu was also generous to herself. Hearing that the huanghuali wood from the South China Sea was of high quality, and Jiangnan was closer to the South China Sea than the capital, Ah Wu instructed people to keep an eye out. Once the wood was acquired, she painstakingly drew up rough designs and had the carpenters make them.

The moment these two sets of furniture were placed in the house, they immediately enhanced the ambiance of the residence.

Master Rong stroked his beard, inwardly marveling at Ah Wu’s deep-seated cunning; she had begun planning for the future so early, even surpassing the wisdom of men.

“Father, although we cannot renovate this house, we can still inscribe plaques. With your talent as a top scholar, why not lend a hand and write a few?”

Lady Cui looked at Master Rong expectantly.

Master Rong maintained his airs greatly. “It’s not impossible, but we should still send a letter to Jie’er, telling him about our separation and leaving the mansion, so he will not come back to the wrong place. When he returns, we can name the plaques together. Oh, and we should also write to Yin’er; he cannot be away from home all year round.”

Lady Cui nodded quickly upon hearing that the letters were for her two sons.

Master Rong said to Ah Wu, “Come to the study; you write a letter to your brothers.”

Ah Wu nodded.

Master Rong stepped into his study in the front courtyard, looked around, and then opened the window. Behind it stood a clump of verdant bamboo, a sight that soothed his soul.

“Next year, it would be even better to plant a few orchids beside that bamboo,” she said.

Master Rong nodded. Inside the study was a display cabinet for precious objects. In one corner stood a large, blue-and-white plum standing vase, used for displaying scrolls. Behind the cabinet was a simple, black lacquered painting table made of rosewood with curved legs and a king-shaped stretcher. On it rested a blue-and-white brush washer, a brush rest, and other unremarkable items. However, the four treasures of calligraphy—brush, ink, paper, and inkstone—were extremely exquisite.

The brush was a “balance of strength and softness” from Li Ding of Liulichang, made of “seven parts purple and three parts sheep” hair. The purple hair was stiff, while the sheep hair was soft, hence the name. The balance of strength and softness produced characters that were full and rounded, making it the perfect brush for writing memorials.

The ink was from the Cheng family’s Chun Zai Tang workshop. One side bore the characters “Chun Zai Tang,” while the other side had a seal reading “Cheng Shi Ju Zhuang.” The Cheng family was renowned for its ink; their Chun Zai Tang ink was used as tribute. Later, the Cheng family split, and all the disciples made Chun Zai Tang ink, but Ju Zhuang ink was considered the best.

The paper was the corner-patterned stationery from Prince Qi’s residence. If one were to ask what the most expensive and rarest stationery was, it would undoubtedly be the corner-patterned stationery from the residence of the Fourth Prince, Chu Mao, the Prince Qi. Master Rong opened the box; inside was a stack of eight-inch square jade-patterned stationery. The lower left corner deliberately concealed a pink corner pattern, hiding the character “Qi.”

“Yes, corner-patterned stationery from the Prince Qi’s residence. How did you get it?” Master Rong was overjoyed, almost itching to try it.

Ah Wu smiled faintly, saying nothing. “Bought it, of course. A hefty price.”

The inkstone was a Lu inkstone, the kind favored by Master Rong, not the Duan inkstone so highly praised by contemporaries. However, Lu inkstones had been famous for five hundred years. They were rustic and simple, their beauty lying in the natural form of the stone, requiring only minimal carving. The one on the table was made of swallow stone, naturally shaped like a swallow, its simplicity charming.

Although Master Rong had long since honed his ability to conceal his emotions, he was now completely flustered, excitedly saying, “I’ve come to write a letter.”

Martial artists love swords, and scholars love ink and brushes. A martial artist could not resist brandishing a fine sword, and the same was true for scholars.

Ah Wu had thoroughly understood Master Rong’s thoughts; he cared little for brush washers and brush holders but placed great importance on the Four Treasures of the Study.

“Father, no rush. I’ve prepared some Chengxintang paper for you, just waiting for you to pick up your brush and ink, and hang some calligraphy and paintings on the walls of your study.” Ah Wu had been to the study of Master Rong in the Duke of Anguo’s mansion; the walls were covered with his own works. Firstly, he was arrogant, and secondly, he did not have the money to buy genuine pieces.

Treasured works from past dynasties were priceless. Even if Ah Wu had eight brains, she could not collect them all in a short time. She could only spend money on what she could get her hands on, such as the Four Treasures of the Study.

The wealth of a noble family was accumulated over generations. Sometimes, unfilial children could ruin a family that had lasted for a hundred years, but to build a family up would take a hundred years.

Painting and writing letters were naturally not urgent. Master Rong summoned Ah Wu to his study not because he really wanted her to write letters.

“Ah Wu, do you think His Majesty’s favor towards Father is a blessing or a curse?” Master Rong had no advisors, and his two sons were not by his side. Fortunately, his daughter was intelligent and could be consulted, so he disregarded social status and age.

Ah Wu lowered her head, roughly understanding Master Rong’s meaning. Since ancient times, rulers and ministers had complemented each other, yet also contended for power. The ruler emphasized the Emperor’s personal safety and supreme authority, while the minister argued that the people’s rights could be both supported and not capsized, and that the ministers should fight for the rights of the people and the rights of the subject.

Since Master Rong was so highly regarded by the Longqing Emperor, he was inevitably suspected of being a lackey of the Emperor and might be ostracized by the purists. Moreover, in the eyes of the old scholar, if the Emperor wanted the minister to die, the minister had no choice but to die; if the father wanted the son to die, the son had to die quickly. For the father to divide the family property was a grave act of filial impiety. Even with the Emperor’s endorsement, it was unacceptable.

A scholar’s life was all about saving face.

“Whether it’s a blessing or a curse depends on whether Sister Yin can come to our house,” Ah Wu said.

Ah Wu was moving to a new house, and her “like-minded” confidante, Tang Yin, certainly wanted to come. But whether she could even leave the house depended on the will of Madam Tang or Grand Secretary Tang.

If Tang Yin could still associate with Ah Wu, then the accusation of “unfilial piety” against Master Rong would likely be unfounded. After all, Grand Secretary Tang was the head of all officials, the leader of the civil service; his statement represented many people.

“Oh,” Master Rong replied noncommittally.

“But in my opinion, Sister Yin will most likely be able to come. These are turbulent times; everyone’s rushing to choose sides,” Ah Wu said with a smile. If this were when Emperor Longqing had just ascended the throne, the Old Madam might have sabotaged him behind the scenes, and Master Rong would have been in real trouble, with everyone attacking him to make room for her.

Nowadays, those with discernment avoid currying favor with the Emperor, preferring to stay as far away as possible and avoid getting involved in troubled matters, waiting for the dust to settle before returning to seek fame and fortune. At this time of transition, integrity was most easily broken, just as people were most susceptible to illness during seasonal changes—it was the same principle.

Master Rong said with some worry, “Ah Wu, Ah Wu, now even your father does not know who to marry you to, to someone worthy of you?”