Spring Message in the Snow – CH 021

Chapter 21

Helian Song said, “Alright,” and gestured for her to get into the carriage. The prince’s carriage was far more spacious than the ordinary family carriages, lined with fine mats. A gilded, openwork incense ball hung before the door, its fragrance wafting softly in the breeze—the kind of incense scholars often used for studying by the window.

It was rather strange that nobles did not use gold incense or the imperial court’s fine sandalwood, but instead this invigorating fragrance. As the carriage moved slowly forward, the fragrant breeze carried a scent reminiscent of the subtle, rich aroma emanating from the study of Zishan Hall on a spring day.

Speaking of Zishan Hall, one could not help but recall the Forbidden City. The Princess’s words had been churning in her mind. She did not know if it was just a casual remark or if it held a deeper meaning; she dared not dwell on it, for it only brought her distress. And then there was Helian Song, leading the way on horseback—someone she clearly did not want to see, yet he kept appearing before her, forcing her to be mindful of her status and deal with him. Truly, life was full of troubles.

Helian Song, of course, knew she did not like him. He wanted to turn back, but restrained himself. Looking at the bustling crowd ahead, he called out, “Young lady, there’s no need for such formalities. I was just passing by the Duke’s Mansion and happened to be giving you a ride.”

Yes, being so close, the chances of bumping into each other in the future were likely many more.

Surou knew he wanted to do something for the Zhang family, but such petty displays of intimacy were unnecessary. There was another matter she could not suppress her curiosity about, so she asked him, “Is Your Highness not busy with official duties? I heard you are currently the Commander of the Four Armies; do you not need to be stationed at the military base?”

That was a good question; she probably wanted to find out his schedule so she could avoid him precisely!

The person in front calmly replied, “The world is at peace. Aside from regular drills and shifts, there’s no need to be stationed at the military base all the time.”

No wonder she often unexpectedly ran into him on her way home.

Surou’s thought was that it would be best to keep to herself; if the man did not appear before her, that would be the greatest repayment to his father. However, she could not directly say she did not want to see him; she had to leave some room for courtesy. So she sincerely said, “Your Highness, thank you for seeing me off today. I understand your thoughts, but you should not blame yourself for your youthful negligence for the rest of your life. Your Highness has more important matters to attend to, and the Zhang family is doing very well now…”

Then he suddenly interrupted, “Does Lady Zhang still intend to enter the palace?”

Surou was stunned, exchanging bewildered glances with Quelan. “Why does Your Highness ask such a question?”

The man on horseback remained silent, offering no answer.

Surou looked ahead. The man rode freely, exuding composure. The snow-white collar of his robe outlined the sharp lines of his shoulders and neck. Such a somewhat arrogant person, under normal circumstances, would probably be someone who did not like to meddle in other people’s business! But the current situation was pressing; she needed to understand the whole story and be prepared to make plans.

“Your Highness…” she called again, speaking politely, “Has someone in court mentioned the descendants of the Zhang family and mentioned me? This matter is very important to me; I hope Your Highness will answer truthfully.”

His answer remained ambiguous, and he instead asked her, “If someone requests praise for you, young lady, what will you do?”

He had guessed correctly; the officials were probably indignant and wanted justice for the ten years the daughter of a meritorious official had spent in the palace. However, she did not want any so-called praise. Zheng Xiuyuan had allowed her to leave the palace secretly, without prior authorization, and now even the Empress knew about her—it was certainly not a good thing.

She sighed, “It’s because during the temple entrance ceremony, I carried my father’s spirit tablet and walked in front of everyone, where the officials saw me…”

The person in front finally turned around, saw the dejected look on the woman’s face, glanced at her briefly, then looked away, leisurely cracking his whip, and said, “Young lady, you are indeed clever; you guessed some of it, but not entirely… In short, if you do not want to re-enter the palace, you should be more careful.”

But could such things be avoided simply by being more careful? Seeing her worried expression, Quelan said softly, “Young lady, you still need to think of a way…” She then gave a wink, indicating that she should seek help from Helian Song.

Surou shook her head. “They’ve already done everything they could to remind me. The rest is up to fate; I am afraid no one can help.”

The carriage slowly passed through Washi. A short distance further, it reached Old Caomen Street. Helian Song had dismounted and was about to approach her, but seeing her being helped down from the carriage by a maid, he stepped aside.

Surou thanked him repeatedly, “Thank you so much, Your Highness, for making the trip in this heat.”

Helian Song gave a slight smile. “It was nothing; please do not be so polite, young lady. Please carefully consider what I told you earlier. The promise I made last time still stands. If you need my help, just come to me.”

Surou agreed, intending to take her leave, but feeling it would be impolite, she politely said, “Would Your Highness like to come in for a while? Have some tea before you go?”

She was worried, afraid he would readily agree, leaving her to continue dealing with him. He did not answer immediately, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, his head bowed in thought, making Surou’s heart pound with anxiety.

He must have seen through her feigned composure. He suddenly smiled and said, “No need. I am in a hurry today. I will come to your residence again next time with a formal invitation.”

Surou finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although that smile was quite charming and sophisticated, it did not change her opinion of him at all. She simply nodded politely, turned, and stepped into the mansion with Quelan.

Not far along, Quelan looked back and whispered, “The Heir Apparent has left…”

Surou nodded. The two had just stepped onto the corridor when they encountered Si’er, the coachman. He quickly approached, clasped his hands, and said, “It’s good that Second Young Lady is back. I was just about to go to West Ji’er Lane to check on things.”

Quelan, seeing him, was furious. “Is this how you do your job? The carriage broke down. Did you not know to come back and get a new one? Are you supposed to be nailed to the wheel and unable to move?”

Si’er looked aggrieved and explained, “Second Young Lady, please do not be angry. Sister Quelan, please calm down. Originally, I was going to come back to get a new carriage, but I met the Heir Apparent on the way. He said he had a carriage and could take the Second Young Lady back. I did not dare agree, saying that taking Second Young Lady back was my duty, but the attendant beside him glared, his eyes wide and round, saying, ‘If you dare disobey the Prince, you will get a good beating!'” He then smacked his lips, on the verge of tears, and said, “He is, after all, a prince. I dare not offend him, so I had to go and fix the carriage first. Thankfully, Second Young Lady returned unharmed; otherwise, I would have committed a capital offense and would not have been able to explain myself to the Master.”

“You know you would not be able to explain yourself!” Quelan spat at him. “So many things are ruined because of fools like you! Second Young Lady is safe and sound; you’ve escaped with your life. If anything had happened to her, you would not be far from death!”

“Yes, yes, yes…” Si’er stammered, “I will never dare to do it again. Even if I have to use my head as a wheel, I’d carry Second Young Lady home.”

Surou had no time to pursue the matter, simply saying it was fine, and quickly went to the backyard.

Si’er, still puzzled, scratched the back of her head and muttered, “This axle was just tightened yesterday; how could it fall off so easily…”

Meanwhile, Surou entered Suihua Garden. Xianchun was instructing the maids to move flowerpots under the eaves. Seeing her enter, she quickly curtsied and said, “Second Young Lady is back?” She glanced towards the upper room. “The eldest son is here; he’s inside talking with the old lady.”

Surou hesitated. Since her eldest uncle was discussing matters with her grandmother, it was not appropriate for her to go in. She was about to come back later when she heard Cichun call out from the door, “Second Young Lady, the old lady wants to speak with you.”

She gave an “oh,” a bad feeling creeping into her heart. She guessed that her grandmother probably already knew about this without her having to say anything.

Sure enough, upon entering, she saw her grandmother and eldest uncle talking intimately. Seeing her come in, the grandmother said listlessly, “Surou is back,” and gestured to the armchair beside her, “Sit down.”

Surou saw that her uncle’s expression was also grave, and her heart sank. After bowing, she straightened her skirt and sat down, cautiously saying, “Uncle, you’ve returned earlier than usual today.”

Zhang Ju hummed in acknowledgment, then looked up at her. “Was everything well at the Duke of Wen’s residence?”

Surou said yes, “Everything went smoothly.” She then glanced at the Grand Madam. “Grandmother, what’s wrong? Has something happened?” she asked softly.

The Grand Madam seemed hesitant to speak, pausing briefly before saying, “Your uncle returned with news. This morning, the Grand Counselor advised the Emperor in court that the descendants of meritorious officials should be treated well. He said that your years in the palace as a servant were a mistake, and to demonstrate imperial favor, he requested the Emperor to bestow upon you the title of Lady of the County and rescind his order to release you.”

Although she had been prepared, hearing it with her own ears still left Surou stunned for a long while.

Seeing her silence and paling face, Grand Madam Zhang quickly comforted her, saying gently, “Su’er, do not worry. Things are not settled yet; there might be a chance.”

Zhang Ju also comforted her, saying, “This is the advice of the Imperial Censor. The Emperor can take it or ignore it. Judging from his expression today, he does not seem inclined to grant it. After all, the rules of the Forbidden City are strict and cannot be taken lightly… Besides, it was Zheng Xiuyuan who decided to release her. Zheng Xiuyuan’s grandfather was a veteran of three reigns; her reputation still needs to be considered.”

In truth, Surou understood perfectly well that these were all expressions of pity from her elders. But what could she do? She could not just cry and worry her elders. So she said, “Today at the Princess’s residence, she mentioned returning to the palace to me. At the time, I felt a little confused, but now that I think about it, Consort Zheng released me from the palace behind everyone’s back. If the palace authorities investigate, it’s understandable. Grandmother and Uncle, do not worry about me. For now, it’s just an official’s petition. The final decision rests with the Emperor. I am not in a hurry. Even if I have to go back in the end, it might not be a bad thing for the whole family. Please, Grandmother and Uncle, remain calm.”

Her words made Zhang Ju feel a pang of sadness.

The girls in the family were all incredibly sensible. Shangrou was unhappy in her husband’s family, but she endured it all for the sake of her siblings’ future. Surou was in the same boat. More than ten years of her youth had been wasted in the deep palace. Having finally escaped, she was about to be summoned back. That fleeting, last-ditch joy only made her more heartbroken. This time back in the palace, her rank would certainly be secured, but what would life be like there? The Emperor’s harem was filled with numerous concubines, and the difference in favor between them was vast, not to mention the daily infighting… Just thinking about it, she was hardly any better off than Shangrou. At least Shangrou could return to her parents’ home when she was wronged, while Surou could only gaze at the square sky and lament the injustice of her fate!

He sighed helplessly, stood up, and said, “I will find a way to investigate further. Wait for my news.”

Grand Madam Zhang watched him leave the main room. Outside, the sun blazed fiercely, making the pebbles on the artificial hill gleam white.

Looking away, the Grand Madam felt her eyes stinging. She murmured to herself, “How can such a thing happen? They release you just like that and then take you back just like that? Even buying vegetables at the market does not allow this.” She looked sadly at Surou and said, “If you go back to that cage, how will I, your grandmother, live the rest of my life? I will be worried about you until the day I breathe my last.”

Surou moved closer and embraced the Grand Madam, saying, “Grandmother, do not be sad. The imperial decree has not been issued yet, and you are already fretting. Worrying yourself will only harm your health. Those officials petition the Emperor every day, but not every petition is approved. To recall palace servants who have already been released would be going back on their word. The Emperor is a wise ruler; he would not do such a thing.”

But the Grand Madam shook her head. “The Emperor values ​​his reputation. Since someone has brought it up, he must… I will definitely consider this carefully. I truly hate those meddlesome officials now! If their daughters want to enter the palace, just send them there! Why do they have to bring trouble to others?! I despise those who use the guise of kindness to do evil. They claim to be doing it for your own good, but in reality, they ruin people’s lives. Such people deserve to be beaten to death.”

Seeing the Grand Madam’s righteous indignation, pounding the couch in anger, Surou laughed and joked, “If I entered the palace and became a Palace Lady, it would actually be quite good. At least it would help my brothers and sisters with their marriages. Besides, with my cleverness, I am sure I will gain the Emperor’s favor in the future. Then I will not just be a County Lady, but a Noble Consort! Grandmother, thinking like that, are you not delighted?”

She was always like this; even though she was worried herself, she would first try to comfort others.

Grand Madam Zhang stroked her hair, sighing, “Our family’s girls are all precious. Grandmother wishes you all good marriages so that even when I die, I can face your grandfather with my head held high. But now your eldest sister is suffering in her husband’s family, and your future is uncertain. My heart is filled with anxiety; how can I be at ease! Everyone says the ladies of the palace are glamorous, but no matter how glamorous, they are still just concubines. There’s a saying: better to be a poor man’s wife than a rich man’s concubine. Even though the Emperor is a person of high status, are his concubines not still concubines?”

Grand Madam Zhang spoke increasingly frustrated, and Surou could only whine and shake her, saying, “Is there not the Golden Duck Banquet in a couple of days? What if someone wants to marry me? If not, we can just agree to the Kong family’s proposal. Once the marriage is settled, the officials will have nothing to say.”

Grand Madam Zhang remained silent, gently stroking Surou’s hand for a long while before saying, “Every family has someone serving as an official in court. Even if we agree now, they might not want to marry you.”

This was the most awkward situation: everyone was watching, and those interested in marriage dared not act rashly. It was like a high-stakes gamble, betting on the Emperor’s intentions. If the Emperor did not care, marrying Surou would be a relief for him. But if the Emperor also intended to bring her back to the palace, it would be tantamount to kidnapping her and could easily offend the Emperor.

If you were in their shoes, would you gamble or not?