Spring Message in the Snow – CH 028

Chapter 28

These words caused Surou, sitting in the small pavilion nearby, to frown.

Could there really be such a man in the world, not striving for fame and fortune himself, but only thinking of climbing the ladder of success through a good marriage? With such a mindset, how much sincerity could he possibly have for Sujie? Perhaps his so-called deep affection was merely a stepping stone to his path to success, and even their encounter at Nanshan Temple might have been a calculated move!

However, the girl who had fallen in love seemed oblivious to the discomfort in his words. Instead, she considered things carefully from his perspective. At her current age, it was indeed difficult to guarantee that no high-ranking family would propose marriage before next year’s imperial examinations.

In fact, a few days ago, a noblewoman had already spoken with her mother about her eldest grandson of a distinguished, non-royal Prince family, who had passed the imperial examinations at a young age and entered officialdom at eighteen… But Sujie was soft-hearted and did not want to mention it to Ye Fengshi, fearing that the news would further upset him and cause him to lose his spirit.

The saying “a son-in-law relies on his wife’s family” had been common throughout history, and upon reflection, what he said was not wrong. If there were shortcuts, why bother climbing the ladder step by step? She had actually known his thoughts for a long time and did not see anything wrong with them; it was just that Surou felt the matter of officialdom needed to be discussed with him, so she had followed her advice and given him a small spur.

Ye Fengshi’s reply was clearly unacceptable to those listening. Sujie was caught in a dilemma, not daring to look back at Surou’s expression, and quickly changed the subject to discuss the betrothal gifts.

“I was thinking that waiting until after the results are announced next year to propose marriage is indeed too long. If I were to cause trouble with my family, my father and mother might not object. But in our family, we have very strict formalities; the three letters and six rites are all indispensable. Since you intend to come and propose, everything needs to be prepared…” Sujie glanced at him. “Young master, have you discussed this matter with your elder brother and sister-in-law?”

Ye Fengshi fell silent, remaining quiet for a long time.

For an ordinary family, their daily income depended entirely on the elder brother’s meager salary. The betrothal gifts of wealthy and powerful families, often amounting to tens of thousands of taels, were something they could never accumulate even in a lifetime. The disparity in their backgrounds was simply too great; both official rank and betrothal gifts were enormous obstacles standing between them. However, both families desired the marriage, and the bride’s family wanted the groom. While they could tolerate the first hurdle—official rank and social standing—if they refused the remaining financial betrothal gifts, the marriage would likely be impossible.

Ye Fengshi sighed softly, “Even a hero can be brought down by a penny. Sometimes I really feel I am not a good match for you. You should find a family of equal social standing and live a life of luxury instead of mingling with a poor guy like me and worrying about these trivial matters. As for the formalities you mentioned, while I cannot be as thorough as those from high-ranking families, I will do my best. However, I still need to discuss it with my family after I get back. After all, my brother and sister-in-law raised me with great difficulty, and I’d feel bad if I made things difficult for them.”

In short, his family was struggling financially. If Sujie could understand and her family was willing to compromise, then this marriage could be made possible.

In the small pavilion, Surou felt there was no need to listen any longer. She just stared blankly at the swaying bamboo grove in the distance, not understanding why a dignified county princess would have to put herself through such hardship.

This capital was full of talented men, and Ye Fengshi was not necessarily any more outstanding. Why was she so unable to resist? He said something along the lines of being willing to do his best, which Surou thought was very well said. Regardless of the amount, it was his attitude that mattered, and sometimes attitude was more important than money. Unfortunately, the sentence that followed was disheartening. His brother and sister-in-law had it tough, but who in this world had it easy? Was it easy for the Princess and the Duke of Wen to raise Sujie?

Surou rose and went into the pavilion, poured herself a cup of warm water, and slowly sipped it. The south wind carried their voices in, their whispered conversation unrecognizable, but it did not matter anymore.

A short while later, the two parted ways. Sujie walked dejectedly to Surou’s side, probably feeling sad herself, and hugged Surou’s arm, leaning sadly against her shoulder.

Surou poured her a cup of boiled water. Sujie shook her head and murmured, “Sister, what do you think? I am so conflicted. I feel sorry for him, not being born into a good family, but I also feel our families are truly mismatched. If Father and Mother knew about this, they’d be furious.”

Surou did not harshly point out how unreliable the marriage was, but simply asked, “Do you think a relationship with a young master Ye is more important than the Duke and the Princess?”

Sujie naturally said no. “Father and Mother are the most important people to me. I never think anyone else is more important than them. But… they are in high positions; they have everything…”

“Wealth and status are external things. They only have you as their daughter. If you marry the wrong person, will they not be pitied? Besides, power and influence should not be an excuse for injustice. Bullying the weak often leaves people with no way to express their suffering. You are still young now; you will understand what I mean when you are older.”

Surou patted her hand and said, “I cannot make any decisions for you today since you’ve let me listen in. I just want you to think it over carefully and not make a hasty decision. Do you not yourself feel you are not a good match? The mismatch is not just in family background but also in taste and manners. What if you want to buy flowers, and he wants to buy scallions; you like burning incense, and he likes eating garlic? What will you do then? Soaked clothes sticking to your body are hard to take off. You must think carefully.”

Her words stunned Sujie for a moment. Thinking about it carefully, although they had not spent much time together, there were indeed some slight differences in their ways of dealing with people. Of course, those differences were insignificant; as long as there was affection, nothing was unbearable.

Sujie lowered her head and murmured, “Fortunately, he said he would do his best to raise the betrothal gifts.”

But that still required discussing it with her brother and sister-in-law! And even if they did, what then?

Surou did not want to be too blunt, afraid of truly hurting Sujie’s feelings, so she simply asked, “Did he say when he would give an answer?”

Sujie said, “It will probably take a couple of days; raising the money takes time.”

But these words were truly heartbreaking. A county princess, so precious and noble, was about to marry down, and she still had to wait for him to raise the money. Surou put herself in Sujie’s shoes; she certainly did not have that kind of courage. She admired Sujie; only someone with a truly complex life dared to forge ahead recklessly, risking everything for an uncertain future.

“Then let’s wait a little longer; there’s no rush.” Surou took her hand and stepped out of the pavilion.

Looking up, the clouds surged and billowed; the weather might change by afternoon. Going to the market at this time meant traveling in the shade of the clouds, making the carriage run faster, almost like having a giant umbrella overhead.

How much weight could a young girl carry in her heart? Sujie was born with a silver spoon in her mouth; her life had been free of sorrow. Her ill-timed encounter with Ye Fengshi was already the worst heartbreak of her past decade. As agreed, the two went to the incense and medicine shop to buy various spices and then to the flower shop to buy seasonal flowers, filling the carriage to the brim. Sitting amidst the sea of ​​flowers, eating lactose-flavored snow, they were exceptionally happy.

On their return, the weather had indeed changed. The previous sunny weather had vanished, and the sky was dark and gloomy, like the bottom of a pot over their eyebrows. Surou escorted Sujie back to the Duke’s residence. Sujie, unwilling to let her walk in the rain, insisted, “Summer rain comes and goes quickly. Sister, wait until it’s over before going back! If it rains all day, then sleep with me tonight. I will have someone inform your residence, alright?”

Surou said no, “I must go back today. I have important business tomorrow and cannot come to the Duke’s residence. Do not wait for me.”

Sujie said, “Oh,” and turned to look towards the Prince’s residence. She saw the gates wide open, with people going in and out. Sujie grinned and said, “It would not be bad if Sister really married the Prince. Our two residences are so close; it would be so convenient to visit each other in the future!”

Surou shook her head awkwardly. “Stop joking; let’s go inside. It’s going to rain.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a raindrop hit the steps in front of the door, immediately leaving a dark mark on the gray stone surface. A maidservant hurried forward to hold an umbrella, but Surou waved to Sujie and climbed onto a footstool to get into the carriage.

The curtains were drawn, and the doors were tightly shut. Sitting inside, she listened to the rumbling thunder outside and vaguely felt that the raindrops were the size of pigeon eggs, pelting the carriage canopy densely.

Quelan lifted the bamboo blind at the window to look outside. Tiny raindrops splashed all over her face. She quickly pulled back, wiped her face with her sleeve, and said, “The seedlings I just planted yesterday, with this heavy rain today, are probably all going to drown!”

Surou was not worried about that. She only felt that the summer heat outside had been extinguished by the rain, and she felt a refreshing coolness all over her body.

The carriage stopped in a small alley near the side gate. She stepped off the footstool, and her shoes were soaked through in just one step. The gathered rainwater, like a miniature torrent, flowed mightily towards the main road. The crepe myrtle tree in the courtyard peeked over the wall, occasionally letting a fragrant petal fall into the water. The current propelled the tiny blossoms swiftly forward, reminding her of her time in the palace, when she had inscribed poems on maple leaves and placed them in the water. The stream flowing through the courtyard carried the leaves away from the palace. She had heard that a palace attendant had once found her ideal husband because of this. Now, thinking back, it was truly a pure expression of affection.

She lowered her head, pausing to watch the flowers fade into the distance. Jiao Yue, holding an umbrella, came out from inside the gate, surprised, saying, “Young lady, why are you standing there? Your shoes are wet; do not catch a chill.” She helped her inside.

With the rain falling, the days seemed to slow down, becoming leisurely. Surou did not go to Suihua Garden but stayed in her small courtyard, building a mountain of ashes and burning incense by the fire. A few days ago, Surou sent over last year’s strong plum blossom incense. Today, upon arriving, she lifted the small earthenware jar, and a rich aroma wafted out. Using copper chopsticks, she picked up a small ball and placed it on a silver leaf. The lukewarm charcoal fire slowly heated it, and the honey-like scent faded, leaving only pure sandalwood and frankincense.

She opened a book, lit an oil candle, and read for an hour by lamplight, the afternoon passing leisurely and peacefully. In the evening, she went to the Grand Madam’s for dinner, still carrying a faint fragrance. Mianmian leaned over and sniffed carefully. “What is this fragrance? It smells so good!”

Surou said it was Han Weigong’s strong plum blossom incense, telling her about the spices used to make it. Mianmian was completely confused.

The Grand Madam Zhang, watching Nanny Feng grind almonds, overheard their conversation and instructed Mianmian, “When you have some free time, learn incense making and tea brewing from your sister! Since you plan to marry into an earl’s family, you do not have to be an expert in these refined things, but you should at least know how. Do not let your lack of knowledge become a laughingstock among your mother-in-law and sisters-in-law later.”

Mianmian reluctantly agreed, muttering, “Why do I have to make incense myself? There are ready-made ones outside. And tea brewing, stirring it over and over again, like washing pot water—what’s so good about it?”

She was a person with little zest for life, and her few words made the sisters present cover their mouths and laugh.

Jirou, always at odds with her, mocked her, “Grandmother, do not worry. My cousin has her strengths and weaknesses; she may not know how to make incense and brew tea, but she’s good with the abacus and at bookkeeping. She will definitely be a capable manager of the Earl’s estate and property in the future.”

Mianmian rolled her eyes at her. “Are you mocking me again?”

Jirou said, “How could I dare? My cousin will be marrying into the Earl’s family soon. I am hoping she can help me out in the future.”

Although these words had a slightly sarcastic tone, Mianmian still found them amusing. After all, they were all true; Jirou was jealous of her, which was why she had knocked over the sauerkraut jar.

Grand Madam Zhang, tired of hearing their constant bickering, finally offered a word of advice: “If you are going to argue like this, you will all be family in the future, and you will be seeing each other for life. Can you not be a little more considerate?”

But everyone felt that no matter who faced difficulties in the future, they could support each other, but that did not stop them from arguing now. So none of them intended to back down, and they even shoved and jostled each other as they left, only parting ways angrily in the garden before returning to their respective courtyards.

The rain stopped in the latter half of the night, and the next day, the sky was as clear as if it had been washed clean, the heavens a deep, clear blue.

Surou rose early, dressed, and went to pay her respects to Grand Madam Zhang as usual. All her brothers and sisters were present, even her uncles. Their gazes held a complex mix of emotions, including pity. She paused, then remembered that the Prince of Wukang was coming to propose marriage today—though the feelings were feigned, the ceremony was real. From this day forward, she was considered engaged. Whether the engagement would be broken off in the future was another matter. At least for now, she was the second grandchild to be engaged.

There was not much to explain, just a long procession that created a solemn atmosphere. After everyone had some fruit tea, Zhang Ju said, “I heard they invited Grand Tutor Hang to act as matchmaker; that’s quite a show of respect.”

Lady Ling, puzzled, leaned forward and asked, “Is Grand Tutor Hang not afraid of offending the Emperor?”

Zhang Zhi blew on the floating osmanthus blossoms in his teacup. “Grand Tutor Hang is a just man. He always believes the Emperor should prioritize the nation and even opposed the triennial selection of officials. The other day, when the Grand Chancellor petitioned, his eyes almost rolled back to the top of his head. So, if the Heir Apparent wants to be the first to propose marriage, no one else is suitable; only Grand Tutor Hang is the most appropriate.”

As everyone chatted in the hall, Surou glanced at Lady Pan. She remained as stern as ever, sitting with her eyes downcast. Surou knew what she felt; this stepmother’s dislike for Helian Song was probably no less than her own. After all, a perfectly healthy person had died because of him, and now her stepdaughter was to be engaged to her enemy—even if it was only an emergency, it was enough to make her heartbroken.

Surou had been busy visiting the Duke of Wen’s mansion lately and had neglected to have a deep conversation with her. She rose and moved closer, sitting down beside her and softly calling out, “Mother.”

She turned to look at her, her gaze calm and serene. Surou said, “It’s just a temporary solution; Mother, do not worry.”

Lady Pan nodded. “Whether it’s a blessing or a curse, you will have to bear it yourself.”

Lady Pan never held back in her words, and the more blunt she was, the more reassured Surou felt. “Two or three months will do, at most half a year.”

Lady Pan did not speak again but sighed softly and turned to look towards the door.

Just then, a great commotion arose at the courtyard gate. Hurried footsteps approached, and the old woman responsible for delivering messages stood under the eaves and announced, “The Crown Prince of Wukang and the Grand Tutor have arrived to present their betrothal gifts to Second Young Lady.”

Zhang Ju and Zhang Zhi hurriedly went out to greet them, while Surou and her sisters retreated into the inner chamber.

A golden bamboo curtain hung between the main hall and the inner chamber, allowing light to pass through from the outside and creating a dim interior, enabling a glimpse of the outside. The sisters were seeing the Crown Prince of Wukang for the first time. They had only heard that he came from Longyou, that his ancestors had married women from beyond the Great Wall, and that he carried Western Region blood, immediately assuming him to be a barbarian with bulging, copper-bell-like eyes and a full beard. But now, seeing him in person, he was completely different from their expectations. His features, his figure, his refined demeanor, and his elegant speech quickly overturned their previous stereotypes.

Everyone exchanged glances, looking at Surou. She watched indifferently as the betrothal gifts were carried into the courtyard, and as Helian Song handed the wild goose to his uncle.

Grand Tutor Hang was delighted with this marriage alliance. Stroking his beard, he said, “The Shizhong and I have always had some acquaintance. More than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and our children are all of marriageable age. A few days ago, Jie Ran came to my residence and asked me to act as the matchmaker for our two families. I readily agreed. Jie Ran is my student, and not to boast, but his character and learning are truly impeccable. Our families have a history, and we are well-matched in social standing and age. If the Shizhong could see this today, he would surely be very pleased with this son-in-law. In the future, he can fulfill his filial duties to the Grand Madam on behalf of his father-in-law, thus fulfilling a long-held wish of his.”

Grand Tutor Hang, being a scholar, naturally possessed excellent eloquence. Knowing the inside story, the lady readily agreed, nodding and saying, “Since the Crown Prince is so kind and has invited Lord Hang to act as matchmaker, what more can we say? I also think the two children are a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, a truly perfect couple.”

Helian Song, standing nearby, bowed deeply to Grand Madam Zhang and handed her the nanmu box containing the marriage certificate. The Grand Madam Zhang smiled and passed it to Lady Pan, who unfurled it and read, “Helian Jingwei writes: My eldest son is of marriageable age but unmarried. Chengxian’s eldest daughter is gentle, courteous, virtuous, and compassionate, possessing all four virtues. I wish to marry her. Respectfully, through matchmaker Lord Hang, I humbly request your assistance. If you do not grant my request, I await your kind decision.”

Because Zhang Lu had passed away early, Zhang Ju delivered the marriage certificate on behalf of her father for Surou’s marriage. After receiving the wooden box, Grand Tutor Hang handed it to Helian Song. Helian Song, holding the box, bowed deeply to Grand Madam Zhang and Lady Pan, saying, “Jie Ran will certainly cherish Second Young Lady and will be devoted to her from this day forward, daring not to disobey.”

Grand Madam Zhang smiled and nodded. “Good, good… Today is truly a joyous day. The Second Young Lady’s marriage has always been my greatest concern. Seeing that she has found someone I can entrust her with, I am relieved.”

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats. Grand Tutor Hang, as the matchmaker, was very conscientious. He said to Grand Madam Zhang, “I heard from Jie Ran that the birth dates and times of the two children have been matched. There are no clashes or conflicts; everything is fine. I did not participate in the initial betrothal and auspicious date selections. After today’s betrothal ceremony, we will ask Grand Madam Zhang for the wedding date. The groom’s family has agreed on the sixth day of the ninth month. I wonder what Grand Madam Zhang thinks?”

The sixth day of the ninth month… only three months away. This made everyone in the hall hesitate. The agreed-upon six-month annulment date seemed to be out of sync.

T/N:
FL: This is temporary, just for show.
ML: Of course. (lies blatantly but blushes)
Me: (rolling on the bed gushing)