Spring Message in the Snow – CH 025

Chapter 25

That was clear enough, was it not? The Emperor expected her to be shocked, but she remained unmoved, making one wonder if she had not heard him at all.

The Emperor frowned slightly. “Female Official Zhang…” The title seemed somewhat inappropriate. He said, “Oh,” and then added, “Now I should call you Lady Zhang. What are your thoughts on returning to the Forbidden City?”

Surou realized that all her kind words had been in vain. Indeed, when the Emperor was determined, he did not care about the lives of others. Now he was asking for her opinion? Did her opinion even matter? If she said she did not want to, would that exempt her from entering the palace?

She sighed; her humble and subservient approach, an attempt to subtly hint at her unwillingness, was perhaps a mistake from the start. Since this path was blocked, perhaps a more direct way would be better to make the Emperor acknowledge her thoughts.

“Your Majesty,” she looked up; this was the first time she had looked him directly in the eye without being humble or arrogant. She realized that looking at him at this level could reveal a different perspective.

The Emperor’s expression remained unchanged as he met her gaze, even finding it pleasant, allowing him to clearly see her features and the myriad emotions hidden within her eyes.

“I do not wish to return to the Forbidden City,” she stated frankly. “Perhaps this sounds presumptuous, but it truly reflects my feelings. I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness, and I understand that Your Majesty feels I have been buried among palace servants for the past ten years, failing to live up to the expectations of those who served the court. But Your Majesty, I harbor no resentment. On the contrary, I consider those years in the Forbidden City an invaluable experience. Stepping out of the Gongchen Gate has made me even more grateful for my current life and to cherish the days spent with my family. Your Majesty, I find things as they are now quite good. The capital is a chaotic place, certainly not as pure as the Forbidden City, but I enjoy this turbid world and have never resented the injustices I have suffered. Therefore, Your Majesty and the Emperor’s kindness cannot be accepted. If Your Majesty truly wishes to extend grace to the Zhang family descendants, then let me stay at home to serve my elders and keep my brothers and sisters company.”

These words were finally clear and unambiguous. Having explained everything word by word, the heavy burden on her heart was finally lifted.

She had previously hoped the Princess would convey her thoughts, but words spoken by others were far less direct than words spoken by oneself. The anxiety of the past few days now seemed meaningless; the knife was already at her throat, and a short, sharp pain was better than a long, drawn-out one.

She looked earnestly at the Emperor, trying to see some emotion on his face, but an Emperor was an Emperor after all, possessing an unyielding spirit.

He merely glanced at her indifferently, reconsidering her words, “Even if it were my wish, you would not wish to enter the Forbidden City again? Are you afraid of that place?”

Would nodding be too blunt? Surou thought for a moment and said, “It’s not fear, but a sense of awe. The Forbidden City is filled with beauties; I, with my humble appearance, have no virtue or ability to stand within its walls.”

These words were indeed self-deprecating. Before, she always kept her head down, obscuring her face; now, seeing her again, one realized her beauty could rival half the harem. But this beautiful woman showed no interest in accompanying the ruler. The Emperor frowned, scrutinizing her intently. After a long pause, he chuckled, “In all my years on the throne, this is the first time I’ve encountered someone like you. Are you trying to bargain with me because of your father’s high position? The past ten years have indeed been unfair to you. If you wish, you can enter the palace and be granted the same title as Xiuyuan. I will never let you fall behind Consort Zheng.”

Surou immediately felt embarrassed. “Your Majesty misunderstands me. I am not protesting for myself, nor am I intentionally making excuses to gain a higher rank…”

“Then what is it?” the Emperor asked, puzzled. “Does Lady Zhang feel restricted in the palace? Or do you feel there is no suitable match for you in the palace?”

With just a few words, he had cornered her. How could she answer these questions? Should she say that the palace truly made her uncomfortable or that the Emperor had many concubines and she did not want to be one of them? No matter how she responded, it would be wrong; no matter how she explained, she probably would not satisfy the Emperor. Having reached a point of no return, she had no choice but to gamble everything.

So she blurted out, “I have found someone I love and wish to be with him forever. Therefore, I cannot accept Your Majesty’s kindness. Please grant my request.”

As expected, these words caught the other party off guard. A ripple finally appeared on the Emperor’s usually calm face.

“Found someone you love? Lady Zhang has only been out of the palace for half a month, and you’ve already found someone so quickly. Is this just an excuse to avoid returning to the palace?”

Surou said no, “It’s an old acquaintance, but we’ve grown distant after many years. Now that I’ve left the palace, we’ve reconnected.”

The Emperor gave a cold laugh. “Who is this person? Is he an official in the court?”

Surou’s heart trembled. She truly did not want to drag others into this, but the die was cast. In her blank slate of romantic experience, she could not find anyone to use as a scapegoat. The only person she’d ever spoken to was Helian Song.

Now she was in a bind. To speak up would be incredibly disrespectful, but to remain silent might anger the Emperor, making him feel fooled. The Zhang family might not be able to withstand the Emperor’s wrath.

The Emperor was still waiting for her reply. Seeing her hesitation, a hint of doubt gradually surfaced in his eyes.

Helpless, she steeled herself and clenched her fist, saying, “Your Majesty recognizes this person… It’s Helian Song, the Prince of Wukang.”

“Helian Song?” The Emperor was clearly surprised, but the surprise quickly faded. He stood with his hands behind his back, deep in thought. “Helian Song… I remember now. There is indeed some connection between you. Your father met his demise while escorting him to the capital.”

Whether intentional or not, these words filled Surou with immense shame.

Her father died because of that man, and now she was entangled with him. Although she knew the truth, in the Emperor’s eyes, she was utterly unfilial and disrespectful.

She felt utterly ashamed, partly because she had lied and partly because she felt guilty towards her father. She was ultimately a selfish person; to avoid going to the palace, she had lied without hesitation. But one lie was easy to tell; how many more would she need to cover it up? She dared not imagine it; thinking too far ahead, she feared she would be ashamed to face anyone.

However, her uncle’s analysis of the situation at court was quite accurate, and her grandmother had explained Helian Song’s predicament and advantages to her—a gamble that she was not important enough to warrant the Emperor targeting Helian Song. But it was still a risky move. She worried that she might cause trouble for others, and if someone suffered undeserved misfortune, she would regret it for the rest of her life, even if she did not have to go to the palace.

So she looked at the Emperor, trying to soften the blow, and hesitated before saying, “It is indeed because of my father. I suppose the Heir Apparent is trying to make up for what he owed my father…”

“But you’ve fallen for someone; you are in love with him?”

Surou blushed and lowered her head, saying, “I… I could not control my feelings.”

The Emperor, presumably speechless, remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding. “Feelings are indeed difficult to control; I cannot blame you. But your relationship with Helian Song… really surprised me. What do your elders think? Do they approve of this?”

If even the elders approve, then how did the Emperor view his uncles? Surou lowered her head and said, “I have not informed my elders about this matter yet…”

“So, you mean it’s just mutual affection, not yet at the stage of discussing marriage, is that right?”

Surou felt somewhat uneasy, thinking that since things had already come to this point, she should not leave herself any way out, so she said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Heir Apparent will be coming to propose marriage soon.”

The person opposite her finally fell silent. Surou dared not look at his expression and lowered her head even further.

In the end, without saying a word of explanation, the Emperor hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked towards the other end of the corridor.

Surou stared at the ground, watching the figure gradually disappear from her sight, sweat trickling down her cheeks and gathering at the tip of her nose. A sudden gust of wind sent a chill down her spine. Sujie, who had returned sometime earlier, whispered in her ear, “Sister, the Emperor is gone. What were you talking about?”

Surou straightened up, looking at Sujie’s hopeful face, and said with a wry smile, “I could not refuse, so I dragged the Heir Apparent into it, saying I loved him and wanted to get engaged.”

Sujie stared in disbelief, probably surprised by her recklessness. After regaining her composure, she praised her decisiveness: “Tsk, you are truly the most resolute person I’ve ever met!”

Resolute? Clearly, it was a last resort with no other option! Surou sat back down in the pavilion, clutching her head and wailing, “In my haste, I truly acted without considering the consequences. Now I deeply regret it. I do not know if what I did was right or wrong. Will I have angered the Emperor and brought trouble upon the Heir Apparent and the Zhang family?”

Sujie stayed with her for a while, lost in thought, but quickly came to her senses. “A gentleman helps others achieve their goals. I think the Emperor has that much magnanimity. You’ve already said you like the Heir Apparent; would he really be jealous of his friend?”

Surou sadly lifted her face from her hands, exchanging a glance with Sujie. These words sounded utterly heart-wrenching.

Sujie awkwardly comforted her, “Since the words have already been spoken, do not regret them, unless you are truly prepared to enter the palace. But how will you explain this to the Heir Apparent? What if the Emperor mentions it to him, and your stories do not match? Would that not be considered deceiving the Emperor?”

“That’s not a concern,” Surou said. “My uncle mentioned this to him yesterday, and he promised to come and propose marriage in two days. I originally did not agree with this, but today, facing the Emperor, I simply could not evade the issue…”

Sujie understood her feelings. “That’s the Emperor, after all. He can handle the audience of all the officials in court; pressuring you step by step is a piece of cake for him. Anyway, the words have been spoken, and the Emperor has left in anger. Now, let’s leave it to fate.”

Her emotions had fluctuated wildly. Surou stood up and said, “I will go back first and report this to my grandmother. If necessary, I will also have to apologize to the Heir Apparent.”

Sujie agreed and walked with her to the door, watching her get into the carriage.

The carriage hurried back to Old Caomen Street, and she went straight to Suihua Garden. The original plan was to discuss matters with her grandmother, but upon entering, she found two noble ladies seated in the hall, drinking tea and chatting with the Grand Madam.

Perhaps footsteps reached them, for the distinguished guests turned to look. The Grand Madam then beckoned to her, saying, “Surou, come here.” She introduced her to the guest, “This is my second granddaughter; she just returned from the Duke of Wen’s mansion.”

This introduction immediately elicited a knowing “Oh” from the guest. One of the ladies, slightly plump, smiled and said, “I know the Second Young Lady. Last time, when the Shizhong was enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, it was the Second Young Lady who led her younger brother in enshrining the spirit tablet.”

The Grand Madam nodded and then introduced Surou, “This is the wife of the Minister of Ceremonies. The day your father was enshrined in the temple, Minister Liu was the deputy envoy.” She then gestured to another smiling noblewoman, “This is the wife of the Founding Earl of Dengfeng County; she came today to propose marriage to your cousin.”

Upon hearing this, Surou straightened her skirt and bowed to the two distinguished guests. The wife of the Founding Earl, knowing this second young lady’s future was promising, treated her warmly, smiling and saying, “That day at the Golden Duck Banquet, I saw these two young ladies sitting beside the Grand Madam from afar. I immediately thought this must be the second young lady who had just returned from the Forbidden City. Look at their bearing! The Grand Madam has raised such fine granddaughters; each one is more dignified and beautiful than the last.”

The family seeking marriage naturally showered her with praise. Surou politely declined the formalities, but inwardly, she could not help but wonder. The Founding Earl was a fourth-rank official, not the highest among the twelve ranks of nobility, but still a noble family. Such a family especially valued the social standing of their in-laws. If they were seeking marriage with Zhirou or Jirou, it would be understandable, but to seek marriage with Mianmian was truly perplexing.

The Grand Madam, however, did not show much enthusiasm for the marriage. The old lady maintained her usual composed demeanor, and in their conversation, there was absolutely no intention of currying favor or trying to climb the social ladder.

Surou listened for a while before finally understanding that the Countess had come to arrange a marriage for her second son. This young man was nineteen years old and had no official rank; according to the Countess, he was “still taking the imperial examinations,” indicating that his path to success in the examinations was not going smoothly.

It’s never been smooth, which was why she was determined to marry below her station. But the Grand Madam always treated people with respect and said kindly, “There are so many scholars; achieving official rank at thirty is already considered early. Your son is only nineteen; he has plenty of time ahead of him. Why worry about not succeeding?”

The matchmaker, Madam Liu, chimed in, smiling, “A true man should establish a family before building a career. As long as he has a virtuous wife to support him, he will naturally rise through the ranks. Young Lady Shen has always been by the Grand Madam’s side. The Grand Madam is a renowned virtuous person in the capital. She sponsored orphanages and helped the elderly, weak, women, and children; everyone knows her virtue. With the Grand Madam’s guidance, Young Lady Shen will surely be impeccable. Yesterday, the Countess came to my residence, and I immediately knew it was a good match, so today I brought the Countess. The ladies came together, skipping the formalities of matchmakers and intermediaries. It was the Countess herself who spoke frankly with the Grand Madam, showing how much she valued this marriage.”

The Grand Madam nodded repeatedly. “I also see the Countess’s intentions. What could be wrong with such a marriage? In my opinion, it’s excellent. However, the child is, after all, my granddaughter. She is staying here temporarily. She has parents and elders at home; such a significant matter as marriage still needs to be decided by the Shen family.”

Madam Liu and the Countess agreed, “That’s only proper; it’s only right.”

The Grand Madam smiled again. “Then please wait a few more days. I will let you know as soon as I’ve inquired.”

Having settled things, Madam Liu and the Countess sat and drank some fragrant beverages before taking their leave.

The Grand Madam instructed Nanny Feng to see the distinguished guests off. Smiling, she watched them leave the garden. After returning to the hall, she asked Xianchun to summon Mianmian and murmured to Surou, “It makes me uneasy that a noble family like the Earl’s is so eager to propose marriage.”

A short while later, Xianchun led Mianmian into the garden. The Grand Madam asked Mianmian to sit down and sat knee-to-knee with her, saying, “These past two days, two families have come to propose marriage. Besides the Earl of Dengfeng, whom we just saw off, there’s another family—the family of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. The Earl of Dengfeng only moved to the capital last year, so I am not very familiar with them. The other family, however, had some dealings with the Grand Madam in the past. Although the head of the family is only a sixth-rank official, they may not have official positions, but they are a family of scholars for generations, with a good family tradition and a small household. Especially that young master, now serving as Assistant Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, has already achieved official rank at a young age, and his future is limitless.”

The Grand Madam’s words were clearly biased towards the Left Assistant Secretary’s family. However, Mianmian had her own calculations and turned to ask the Grand Madam, “Assistant Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, what rank is that?”

The Grand Madam replied, “Eighth rank.”

But as soon as the eighth rank was mentioned, Surou knew this marriage was impossible. In Mianmian’s eyes, an eighth-rank official was low-ranking, a minor official with no future. If it came down to the prestige of a marriage, the Founding Earl’s family was naturally superior.

Seeing that Mianmian favored the Earl’s family, the Grand Madam did not say anything, only offering a perfunctory response for the time being. “We can send word about these two marriages to your father and mother first. Or we can wait a bit longer; if a better family comes along, we should not miss out.”

However, Mianmian felt that the marriage to the Founding Earl’s family was already a very good opportunity. Missing it due to indecisiveness would inevitably lead to future regret. But she could not be too direct, so she said shyly to the Grand Madam, “My eldest sister married into the Founding Marquis’s family, and the Prince of Wukang will soon be proposing to my second sister. I am not disabled; if I marry haphazardly, it would be a disgrace to my sisters.”

With just these two sentences, the Grand Madam understood her meaning. The girl was growing up; she would have her own opinions on marriage. Although elders had experience, they could not make decisions on their own; otherwise, they would inevitably face resentment later.

“In that case, let’s prioritize the Earl of Dengfeng’s family,” the Grand Madam Zhang smiled wearily. “Pass on the message to your parents, and we will thoroughly investigate the young man’s character and talent. That second young master is the son of the Countess, and the Countess is very keen on marriage. Since titles are no longer hereditary, whether he’s the eldest son or not does not really matter.”