Spring Message in the Snow – CH 030

Chapter 30

Since Shangrou was brought back to the Marquis’s Mansion, she had not returned to her parents’ home for a long time. Everyone was concerned about her situation at her husband’s home, so upon hearing of her return, the sisters all stood up to greet her.

Standing under the eaves, the sun was high in the sky, having already swept away the chill after the rain. The trees swayed and cast shadows, the world was bright white, and bursts of heat hit them, making their faces burn.

Finally, they saw someone enter through the courtyard gate—it was Shangrou with two maids. Everyone first looked at her expression; seeing no deep resentment, they were relieved and quickly surrounded her, welcoming her inside.

The Grand Madam asked why An’er was not there. Shangrou replied, “It’s too hot. I was afraid he’d catch heatstroke, so I left him at home without bringing him. If Grandmother misses him, I will bring him back to pay his respects before sunrise.”

The Grand Madam agreed, pulling Shangrou to sit beside her. She carefully examined Shangrou’s face, noticing her round cheeks and good spirits, and felt somewhat relieved.

Shangrou looked at Surou and said gently, “Congratulations, Second Sister! I only learned of your engagement today from the nanny who came in to report it. Did you agree to marry him at the Golden Duck Banquet? It’s only been a few days; why are you making such a rush?”

Surou immediately felt embarrassed. “It’s a long story, and I should not have troubled you to make this special trip, Elder Sister.”

“Such a big matter—is it not worth my trip?” Shangrou said with a smile, but seeing the hesitation on her sisters’ faces, she was somewhat puzzled.

Mianmian, ever quick-witted and outspoken, seeing no one else around, cut to the chase: “The Emperor wants Second Sister to enter the palace as a concubine, but she refused. So, before the imperial decree could be issued, she and the Heir Apparent were betrothed.”

Shangrou understood now. After her initial excitement, she became worried. “This is very risky. What if the Emperor finds out… Does Grandmother approve of them doing this?”

In truth, looking back now, the whole thing seemed absurd. Shangrou was a meticulous person, never one for opportunism, so knowing the truth naturally made her very uneasy.

Grand Madam Zhang remained composed. “This is a last resort. It’s not just their idea; your father, your uncle, and I all shared the same thought. We are just gambling on whether the Emperor will grant our request.”

Shangrou hesitated. “Such a gamble… It’s rather frightening.”

Since the matter was already settled, there was no need to dwell on it. Lady Yuan, along with her daughter-in-law Lady Bai, busied themselves again, saying, “Now that you are back, go back later tonight. You talk to your grandmother first, and we will prepare the meal.”

Everyone, each busy with their own affairs, dispersed and agreed to return for lunch at Suihua Garden.

The women settled in the hall, all concerned about Shangrou’s situation at her husband’s home. The Grand Madam asked, “How is Chen Ang doing lately?”

Shangrou replied, “Still the same, but he bought two concubines. It’s better than before; at least we can still find him at home.”

The Grand Madam nodded. “It’s good that he’s at home. It’s not good for him to always be wandering around outside.”

Shangrou said, “Yes, but even though he’s at home, things are in complete chaos. A couple of days ago, the three young women got into a fight over something, and he got caught in the middle trying to break it up, taking a beating. He still has black eyes and bruises today. I actually felt quite relieved watching him.”

Therefore, a properly married wife usually maintained her dignity and, whether happy or angry, could not show her emotions, let alone beat her husband. Now, with many concubines in the garden, it was quite lively. They fought and made a ruckus, venting all the anger she could not let out. Seeing someone beat Chen Ang made Shangrou feel a sense of satisfaction.

Everyone who heard this laughed, easily imagining the scene of three women and one man fighting.

The Grand Madam asked, “What did your mother-in-law say? Did she stand up for justice?”

Shangrou’s face showed a hint of mockery. “Grandmother, I understand now. My mother-in-law is always on par with decent people, but when dealing with unreasonable ones, she’s completely helpless. My husband is torn between his three concubines; he cannot bear to sell any of them, leaving his mother with no choice but to give them a few harsh words before returning to her own courtyard. My newly acquired courtesan, Sheniang, is quite formidable. She’s not only competing with Nian’er and the others but also trying to win over the concubines in my father-in-law’s household, gaining a foothold in the main house as well.”

The Grand Madam listened, considered for a moment, and said, “There’s always someone who can subdue someone else. Let’s see how Young Master Chen fares; is his heart still set on something outside? If you’ve already filled the house with people, and he still seeks to find more outside, then follow Surou’s advice and keep buying more people. If your mother-in-law has anything to say, just act aggrieved and weak, and promise to pay all the concubines’ monthly allowances.”

“If that courtesan is truly clever, she will naturally stand with you, openly defending you. She will do what you cannot do, and she will get rid of what you cannot get rid of—she will be even better at managing the household than you are. It’s like raising a Gu worm; you have to be patient until the end. If the Gu worm listens to you, having one wife and one concubine is not unacceptable; but if she does not listen to you, you have her registration documents in your hands, so dealing with her will not be difficult.”

Everyone listened intently to the Grand Madam’s instructions to Shangrou. This was the first time they’d seen their grandmother so meticulously impart her experience of the power struggles within the inner quarters.

In the court, the winds of change were strong, and the men argued heatedly, often ending with a smile and a reconciliation. The inner quarters, however, were a place where murder happened without bloodshed, far more insidious and terrifying than the imperial court. Earlier, the Grand Madam had allowed Lady Yuan to worry about Shangrou, because as a grandmother, it was unbecoming of her to overstep her mother’s authority and teach her granddaughter to fight concubines. This was how Shangrou ended up in such a predicament. Now that life was almost unbearable, if they continued to be so cautious, this eldest granddaughter would be completely ruined by the Chen family. Could they really expect Shangrou to be left with nothing but ashes?

After speaking, the old lady exhaled a final sigh, her gaze lingering on her granddaughters. Stroking the wrinkles on her knees, she said, “It’s not that I, as your grandmother, am disrespectful or malicious, encouraging my granddaughters to fight amongst themselves in the inner quarters. It’s just that this world is so unfair to women. We must safeguard our own positions to remain unscathed. The scheming and intrigue between people is never easy. If a man truly cares for you, he will not put you in such a vortex. But if he only cares about his own amusement and does not care about your well-being, you must hone yourself into a sword, tempered to be impervious to fire and water, to protect yourself and your children.”

Everyone felt a pang of sadness. The old lady, always kind and gentle, had been forced to reveal her true colors because of her granddaughter’s circumstances. Using others’ strength against them, though seemingly effortless, required considerable restraint. To endure the disgust of living among those petty women was a degrading act indeed!

Shangrou took the Grand Madam’s hand, lowered her head in shame, and said, “Grandmother, it’s all my fault for being useless, causing you so much worry.”

The Grand Madam smiled instead, comforting her, “Smooth marriages are rare. Which mistress of a household has not stumbled and struggled her way up? It might be a little easier for those from humble families, but the young men from high-ranking and wealthy families have both wealth and power. Even if they do not harbor any wicked thoughts, there will always be women with avarice pursuing them. How many years of youth do you have? How long can you guard against such advances? Right now, it’s only because An’er is still young that he’s met so many women. Give one a beating, and when An’er grows up, you can let it go easily.”

Shangrou said, “Grandmother is right. If it were not for An’er, I would have left that den of wolves long ago. There are currently three concubines in the courtyard; let them fight it out for a while. My mother-in-law already has two restless ones in her courtyard; I will find an opportunity to promote them, and that will shut her up.”

Such a comprehensive approach was certainly best, and thankfully, Shangrou no longer had any feelings for Chen Ang, which allowed her to be ruthless in dealing with him.

Anyway, everything was currently under control, and there were no worries. The family gathered together for a meal, enjoying a harmonious atmosphere, talking about Mianmian and Qingrou’s marriage, with laughter filling the air.

In the afternoon, Surou and Shangrou returned to Qiandui Xue Courtyard. The two sisters lay down and talked. Shangrou asked, “Will we break off the engagement again soon? If the Emperor finds out, will it not cause trouble?”

Surou slowly fanned herself with her fan and said, “I think the Emperor will have his concerns. After all, he and the Crown Prince are both friends and ruler-subject. If he recalls me to the palace after breaking off the engagement, the officials will impeach me again. Besides, because Father was enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, I am no longer a member of the palace. If the Emperor wants to punish me, he will have to consider his reputation and will not do it lightly.”

Shangrou nodded in relief and then asked her, “What’s the Crown Prince like in terms of character and appearance? If he’s decent, it would not be bad to make it real.”

Surou could not help but laugh. “Elder sister, have you forgotten? We have a long-standing feud.”

Shangrou turned over, gazing at the gray roof, and murmured, “Husbands and wives are born enemies. I once thought Chen Ang was someone I could entrust my life to, but in the end, it was all for nothing.”

Those whose marriages were unhappy had exhausted all their remaining attachments. In Shangrou’s opinion, as long as she could make her own decisions and had her own feet, it did not matter who she married.

Surou, knowing Shangrou’s distress, turned to her and said, “Elder sister, you should have heeded what Grandmother taught you. I will remind you again: try to win over that servant girl. To cultivate her ambition, you could even return her slave documents.”

Shangrou was taken aback. “Return the documents to her? How will I control her then?”

Surou smiled slightly. “Does Elder Sister really think you can control her with just a document? As long as your husband favors her, even if she’s sold, he can redeem her. Elder Sister still cannot do anything to her. The best course of action now is to make her cleanse your household, to make her believe she can become a noble concubine and replace you. Only then will she spare no effort to squeeze out the other concubines and firmly control Brother-in-law. A man’s feelings don’t last forever. When Brother-in-law gets tired of her in the future, Elder Sister can deal with her, and Brother-in-law will naturally turn a blind eye. So today’s appeasement is for tomorrow’s betrayal.”

However, Shang Rou seemed unable to comprehend what she was saying. “Since it’s all about praising someone to death, why not just praise Nian’er to death instead of going through all that trouble and creating this ‘Sheniang’?”

Surou frowned and smiled: “Nian’er is my brother-in-law’s concubine. My brother-in-law’s affection for her is deeper than his affection for my elder sister. If you deal with Nian’er, my brother-in-law will hate you, and even the Marquis and his wife will blame you for not being tolerant. People have to experience dazzling things before they realize that the world is not so complicated. Rather than letting my brother-in-law bring back one this year and another next year, like a slow, drawn-out process, it’s better to feed him all at once. An’er is growing up year by year. Starting school, taking the imperial examinations, getting married, and having children will all happen in the blink of an eye. To avoid being dragged down by my brother-in-law’s reputation in the future, we have to cut the Gordian knot and push him forward. That way, the rest of his life will be peaceful.”

After listening to her words, Shang Rou slowly sorted out her thoughts and then said with a wry smile, “To be honest, I really don’t have a brain like my second sister. The concubines are always making a racket, and I can only worry about them. I have no idea how to control them. Like you said about returning the contract to Sheniang, what should we do after that? I still have no idea.”

Surou patiently explained, “Repaying her indenture is not something to do right now. We need to wait until she’s rendered meritorious service and repeatedly seeks favor with Elder Sister. After that, you can feign illness and weakness; this is a good opportunity to test people’s hearts and decide whether to keep her or remove her.”

Shangrou, with her gentle and unassuming nature, was not suited to being taught too much at once. Seeing her still confused, Surou reassured her, “Do not be afraid. If you encounter any insurmountable obstacles, just send someone to tell me.”

Reassured by this, Shangrou took a peaceful afternoon nap and leisurely returned to the Marquis’s Mansion after noon.

***

Surou had been busy finding a suitable place to open a girls’ school these past two days, so she had asked the county princess for leave and did not go to the Duke of Wen’s residence.

She had personally inspected the courtyard house she had agreed upon at the residence of the Grand Chancellor. The house was newly renovated, with white walls, gray tiles, and lush flowers and plants, possessing a tranquil and elegant charm amidst the hustle and bustle. After returning home, she discussed it with her grandmother and decided to rent the courtyard. However, to her surprise, when she sent the family steward to place the deposit, the deal fell through immediately; the rent had doubled overnight, catching her completely off guard.

Quelan grumbled indignantly, “These days, people’s words are less valuable than the mud beneath their feet.”

Surou was also helpless, “There must have been competition; the highest bidder wins, that’s to be expected.”

Since they could not rent this one, they had to look elsewhere. But such courtyards were not easy to find; they needed to be quiet but not too secluded. After all, those coming to study were all noble ladies from high-ranking families, and if anything happened to them on their way, the consequences would be dire.

So, since there wasn’t a suitable one available immediately, and there was no rush, she sent her servants out to inquire, and she herself traveled by carriage for two days. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find a perfect solution, so she had to wait a little longer.

A few days later, she went to the Duke of Wen’s Mansion. Upon arriving at the gate, she alighted and immediately saw the Prince’s Mansion with its gates wide open. Surou glanced at it, not daring to linger, and hurriedly entered the mansion.

Today, Sujie seemed listless, arranging flowers half-heartedly. Surou noticed and knew what was wrong without asking. “Has there been any news from Young Master Ye yet?”

Sujie lowered her eyes and shook her head. “Today is the fifth day. What could be so difficult that it takes so long to discuss…”

This was the inevitable disagreement arising from a vast difference in social standing. What seemed easy to Sujie was, for the Ye family, a torturous ordeal.

Surou trimmed the excess branches of the Bauhinia tree and placed them in a vase, asking, “If he cannot raise the betrothal money, should he still propose?”

Sujie grew even more worried. “Even if he does not have ten thousand taels, raising a thousand or eight hundred taels should not be too difficult!”

But a thousand or eight hundred taels was the savings of several generations for an average family. Sujie, born into a noble family, was unaware of the hardships of ordinary people and thought this amount was already her biggest concession. But the Ye family still could not afford it; the amount they could offer would probably shock her.

“Perhaps we should wait a little longer. Maybe they are trying to raise the funds.”

“How long?” Sujie asked, her brows furrowed. “Sister, the Prince of Hubei’s mansion sent someone to our door again yesterday to propose marriage for their eldest grandson. I think Father and Mother are very keen on the marriage, and I am so anxious that I do not know what to do. I do not dare tell them.”

Surou thought for a moment and said, “I suspect Young Master Ye cannot reach an agreement with his family and does not know how to face you, so he’s been vague and cannot give you a definite answer.”

Sujie huffed, “What is this? Are they just going to drag it out like this? They should at least make things clear and give us an explanation.” She paused, then suddenly pleaded with Surou, “Sister, please try to find out for me. I cannot go out, and I am too ashamed to visit their house.”

“It’s right not to visit their house,” Surou said. “What is your status? Even without the title of county princess, there’s no reason for you to go to their door and urge them without a proper reason.” But she was anxious, pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan. Surou had no choice but to say gently, “Do not worry. That Madam Ye must have close friends among the ladies. Common women are willing to run errands for a few coins. I will have my servants find a way to make connections and find out about the Ye family first.”

Sujie agreed, taking her hand and entrusting her with the important task, “It’s all up to you, Sister.”

Surou told her to calm down and roughly inquired which neighborhood the Ye family lived in. She then went back and sent her trusted nanny, Nanny Fu, to handle the matter. Nanny Fu was a capable and clever woman. After a few trips, she quickly made connections with Madam Ye’s acquaintances, who then pretended to be arranging a marriage for Second Young Master Ye and went to the Ye family’s door.

The Ye family was a modest household, but not exactly poor. Whether they were putting on a show or not, they employed two or three maids and a servant boy to attend to their carriages and horses. The woman whom Nanny Fu had befriended was surnamed Jiao, so everyone called her Madam Jiao. Madam Ye was very welcoming to Madam Jiao, quickly inviting her into the house and instructing the maid to serve tea.

Turning her head to size up Nanny Fu, Madam Ye smiled slightly. “This old woman looks unfamiliar. She’s not from our neighborhood, is she?”

Madam Jiao quickly replied, “This is my aunt. She runs a large estate on the outskirts of Youzhou with her husband’s brother and sister-in-law. She thought of visiting me these past few days, which is why she came to the capital. What I told you yesterday about my niece wanting to arrange a marriage was her sister-in-law’s family. Although they are not extremely wealthy, they’ve always had a surplus. They only have this one daughter, whom they cherish dearly. They want to find a learned man so that someone can manage the household accounts and finances.”

Nanny Fu smiled apologetically. “I heard from my sister that your esteemed second son passed the imperial examination at a young age and is also very handsome. When I mentioned proposing marriage to him, she readily agreed to arrange it. Madam, please do not look down on our humble background; practicality is paramount in life. Madam, if they seem compatible, how about letting your second son meet my niece? If they fall in love at first sight, it would be a great deed for you, Madam.”

Madam Ye laughed, saying to Madam Jiao, “You mentioned it yesterday, and I overheard it casually, thinking you were joking. I did not expect it to be true! Others may not know about my family, but Madam Jiao, do you not know? My young man… has high aspirations. He would not even look at an ordinary family. So I advise you two to quickly give up this idea.”