Spring Message in the Snow – CH 052

Chapter 52

The Grand Madam was startled. “Young Master Jin? The same Jin Wohu?”

Nanny Feng confirmed, “Yes, he is the Fifth Young Lady’s betrothed.”

The Grand Madam nodded. Since she did not know the severity of the situation and could not immediately make a judgment, and with Helian Song still present, she had to put the matter aside for the time being and focus on entertaining her grandson-in-law.

Surou was still somewhat worried. “It’s just wrestling; how could the injuries be so severe?”

Helian Song explained, “These days, a type of high-platform wrestling is popular. The two fighters compete on a platform two zhang high. If they hold back, the winner can pull them up, at least ensuring they do not fall off the platform. But if they cannot pull them up in time, or if someone intentionally uses dirty tricks, falling from that height, even if it does not damage internal organs, will at least result in broken bones and require ten or eight days of bed rest.”

The Grand Madam frowned. “The worst thing for young people is to be reckless and aggressive. After such an ordeal, it will be too late for regrets.” Having finished speaking, she did not want to elaborate further. Although she was concerned, she could not reveal family matters to the groom. She still warmly invited them to take their seats, busily serving Helian Song food as if he were her own child, saying, “You are alone in the Prince’s Mansion. If you feel lonely, come to our house for a meal. There are many of us in our family; when we are all together, the meal will be more enjoyable.”

Helian Song agreed, saying to her grandmother, “Grandmother’s kindness is truly comforting. I’ve been hesitant to visit before, fearing it would upset Grandmother and the elders in the family. Therefore, I have been quite impolite in many ways; please forgive me, Grandmother.”

This was indeed the truth. The Grand Madam said, “I know your difficulties. The matter is over, so do not dwell on it. After all, your father-in-law’s death cannot be entirely blamed on you. We are not such unreasonable people. Now that we have betrothed our young lady to you, let’s not bring up the past. We only ask that you treat our Second Young Lady well from now on, and that will be worthy of her father’s spirit in heaven.”

Helian Song said, “Please rest assured, Grandmother, I will treat Second Young Lady with more care than my own life. I was just joking earlier… The betrothal was supposed to be to repay a debt of gratitude, but really, it’s not about repaying a debt of gratitude; I’ve come to ask for another favor.”

Surou took the wine pot from Xianchun and poured wine into her grandmother’s and Helian Song’s cups. She lowered her eyes and said, “Grandmother, I only learned today that my leaving the palace was thanks to the Prince’s help.”

The Grand Madam suddenly understood. “No wonder! I was wondering how Consort Zheng could so easily release the ladies-in-waiting in the palace. It turns out Jie Ran played a crucial role.”

Her goodwill towards him naturally deepened. A person who quietly got things done was truly a thoughtful person. The Grand Madam disliked nothing more than making a public announcement before anything was even done. Now, seeing that her grandson-in-law seemed increasingly agreeable, she raised her wine cup and said with a smile, “Grandmother thanks you on behalf of my second mother.”

Helian Song quickly bowed slightly, lowering his wine cup by half an inch, and said humbly, “Grandmother, you flatter me. Such matters are not for outsiders to discuss. If it succeeds, it will be a reward for myself; if it fails, it will be a disservice to my father-in-law.”

The Grand Madam’s approval of him grew even stronger. Such an eloquent young man was universally liked. If old grudges were disregarded, Surou was the most outstanding among all her sisters to have such a suitor. If things went smoothly for her in the future, given Helian Song’s character, he would certainly not mistreat Surou.

However, Grand Madam Zhang still had some concerns, but she could not say them directly, so she said indirectly, “Although Second Young Lady has spent ten years in the Forbidden City, she has always served noble ladies. I am afraid that in the future, when she takes over the household, there will be areas that she cannot properly look after. Perhaps then we will need to find a helper.”

The old lady’s words were very tactful, but her intention to protect her granddaughter was clear. Helian Song understood, looked at Surou gently, and smiled, “We have enough servants at home, and the mansion also has a chief steward in charge. If any difficulties arise, I will take care of them. There’s no need to add more people.”

Surou was a little embarrassed and served Grand Madam Zhang more food. “Grandmother, this pine nut cake is delicious; please eat more.”

Hearing Helian’s statement, Grand Madam Zhang felt relieved and said to Surou, “Do not just think about me; you should also encourage the guest to eat more.”

Surou could only scoop a spoonful of pine nut cake and place it in the silver dish in front of Helian Song.

Aside from the previous banquet at the Grand Tutor’s residence and the dinner of Bo Xia Gong, this was the first time he had a family dinner with her elders. He had been the one taking care of Surou on the previous two occasions, and this time she was extending her hospitality, which made him quite flattered.

He said, “Thank you for your trouble,” bowing slightly in thanks, which made the Grand Madam laugh. “Are you being so formal? You should visit each other more often in the future.”

After a few more words of laughter and conversation, the meal ended in a harmonious atmosphere. For Helian Song, it was a long-awaited moment of welcoming family warmth.

After the meal, as he took his leave, he repeatedly said, “Thank you so much for your hospitality, Grandmother. I’ve been away from my parents for so long, and I have no close relatives at home. This family feast today feels like being back with my dearest family.”

These two sentences touched the grandmother’s heart, and she gently advised him, “Whenever you want to come home, just come. Now that you and your second young lady are engaged, you are like our own child. Do not be shy with your family. Relatives who do not visit each other grow cold; the more you visit, the warmer the relationship becomes.”

Helian Song agreed; his manners in front of her elders were truly impeccable.

Grand Madam Zhang glanced at the blazing sun and politely urged him to stay. “Why do you not sit in the Second Young Lady’s courtyard for a while and wait until the sun is setting? This scorching sun is burning hot; you might get sunburned.”

Helian Song smiled and said, “I will not sit today. I still have some matters to attend to at the yamen. Grandmother, have you forgotten that I am a military officer? Training troops at midday is common for me. I am just a rough man, not so delicate.” He glanced at Surou as he spoke, “It’s hot; Young Lady, there’s no need to see me off. Please rest.”

He was being polite, and it would be impolite not to see him off. Surou said, “Consider it a way to digest.” She then gestured with her hand, “Your Highness, please.”

Since that was the case, he did not object. From the back courtyard to the front courtyard, a considerable distance, the two walked side by side on the wooden corridor, without even a maid or servant by their side. This rare moment of solitude made him feel a little reluctant to leave. He glanced at her furtively, and seeing her looking back, he immediately gave an awkward smile. “I do not know why, but I really want to take you home. I do not want to be apart from you for even a moment longer.”

This was the kind of attachment that engaged couples should have. He was completely invested, but Surou still could not ease up. Having grown accustomed to being alone in the palace, the relaxed relationship with her family was not like this. For men and women of marriageable age, the added element of engagement brought many unspoken and ambiguous feelings; even the simplest glance could cause a flutter of emotions and uncertainty.

She remained silent. He knew she was not quite used to it yet, but inwardly he thought to himself, this unromantic blockhead was beginning to sprout; perhaps soon she would blossom into a beautiful flower. For now, he just needed to be patient.

Reluctantly, at the door, she saw him to the threshold, watching the servant bring the horse over, and said, “It’s hot, Your Highness; please ride faster.”

He agreed, but his feet would not move. For the first time, he had felt a spark for a girl, especially when she treated him kindly. He seized the opportunity and completely surrendered his heart to her.

Actually, he was not young anymore. If he had married earlier, his children would already be starting school. He frequented brothels, and although he had not been a womanizer, he had seen his share of things, but he had never experienced this irresistible feeling before.

He reached out and grasped her hand. “I am leaving.”

Surou blushed and said, “Go ahead.”

He then took the reins, mounted his horse, and swiftly rode off.

A man accustomed to fighting on horseback moved with fluid grace and precision. Surou watched him turn his horse, give her one last, deep look, and finally make a decisive move, galloping off down the long street. She watched him until he was completely out of sight before turning back to Suihua Garden.

Grand Madam Zhang was preoccupied with the matter of the Jin family’s son. When Surou entered, Lady Yuan had already been summoned. Grand Madam Zhang was furious, slamming her hand on the small table with a loud bang. “A military officer has broken his leg! How can this be? Jirou is such a fine girl; is she going to marry a lame man?!”

Lady Yuan was still hesitant. “They only say he broke his leg, but how serious is it? Or maybe it’s just a sprained bone; he will recover with rest.”

Grand Madam Zhang had always known that this daughter-in-law was a difficult person. Shangrou’s marriage had already been ruined by her; if Jirou’s marriage were to follow, the eldest branch of the family would be in complete chaos.

She turned to Nanny Feng and instructed, “Quickly go and tell the general’s wife to come and report back as soon as she gets home.”

Nanny Feng acknowledged and hurried out to deliver the message, leaving the mother and daughter-in-law both shrouded in sorrow. Grand Madam Zhang could only sigh repeatedly.

Surou stepped forward to comfort her. “Grandmother, do not worry. First, ask Second Brother if he saw it with his own eyes. If it’s just hearsay, it might be wrong.”

The Grand Madam pointed to the eaves. “Even if you were prepared, jumping from such a height would still hurt your legs. Being pushed down while wrestling, you might land on all fours like a toad.” She sighed, “Since you are engaged, how can you not take care of yourself? Meeting such a reckless young man is truly distressing.”

After waiting for two cups of tea, she heard a maid calling for the Second Young Master and Young Lady from the corridor. The Grand Madam sat up and looked outside. Seeing someone come in around the screen, she hurriedly asked, “Jiangzhi, what happened to that Jin family young master?”

Jiangzhi frowned and said, “He was thrown off the high platform. One of my lieutenants was present at the time… His leg is practically spinning…” he said, shaking his head. “That leg… I am afraid it’s ruined.”

Upon hearing this, Lady Yuan covered her face and burst into tears. “The engagement was only two or three days ago; how could this happen?! What are we going to do now? With a crippled leg, he might even lose his official position. Why is Jirou’s life so miserable? Did she commit some terrible sin in her past life?!”

The Grand Madam sat down, distraught, muttering, “What to do… what to do!”

At this moment, Jirou entered from outside. Upon hearing her mother’s words, she said with a pale face, “Is that Jin Wohu’s leg crippled? This is terrible…” Turning to the Grand Madam, she said, “Grandmother, let’s break off the engagement!”

Now that things had come to this, there was no other way. If the situation was truly this bad, breaking off the engagement was the only option. However, the other party had just suffered a misfortune; to bring up breaking off the engagement now would be somewhat heartless, and the gossip from outsiders would be detrimental to the Zhang family. After much deliberation, she ordered someone to quickly summon the eldest grandson back. After much discussion, the family decided that Suizhi would visit the Jin family the next day, ostensibly to inquire about Jin Wohu’s injuries, but in reality, to determine the extent of his wounds. Further plans would follow later.

The following day, after leaving his post, Suizhi went to the Jin residence. The gatekeeper ushered him in, and the Jin couple, though pale and ashen-faced, barely managed to greet him before leading him into Jin Wohu’s bedroom.

Upon entering, he saw Jin Wohu lying on the bed, his right leg splinted and tightly wrapped in white cotton cloth. He seemed to have endured considerable pain; his face was ashen, and even his eyes were sunken. Suizhi immediately had a bad feeling but still went forward to inquire about his condition and whether there was anything he could do to help.

Jin Wohu shook his head weakly, still frustrated. He pounded the bedboard, saying he’d miscalculated. “I’ve never lost a wrestling match before, but this time I slipped, giving him an opening.”

His mother wiped away tears beside him. “What kind of talk is this? Still worrying about winning or losing! I told you not to fight, but you would not listen. Now you’ve learned your lesson. Let’s see if you will cause trouble again next time.”

Suizhi and Jiangzhi exchanged glances, then asked, “Did the physician say when you will be fully recovered? I reckon it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone; you will probably have to rest at home for a while.”

At this, the Jin couple’s eyes darted away, while Minister Jin gave a perfunctory reply: “It’s just… yes, he will need to recuperate at home for a while. I’ve already sent someone to inquire about his leave of absence from his post. His treatment is the most important thing; if he recovers well, at least he will not be left with any permanent disability.”

Suizhi nodded. “His work can wait. His recovery is the priority. If there’s anything we brothers can do for him, Uncle, please do not hesitate to send someone to inform us.”

Minister Jin nodded repeatedly. “Truly, we are family. True friendship is revealed in times of trouble. Thank you so much. Please also tell your matriarch and in-laws that it’s nothing serious; he will recover after some rest.”

Suizhi bowed to him, said a few more heartfelt words, and then left the Jin Mansion.

Once outside, Jiangzhi murmured, “From what they’ve said, the injury does not seem serious, but my lieutenant said that when they carried him out, his leg was wobbling.”

Suizhi sighed, “This is just to reassure us. Now that his son is like this, he knows we cannot take advantage of his situation to break off the engagement, so he’s just dragging things out. In my opinion, we should make plans soon. If he keeps his leg bound until the second day of the second lunar month, will Jirou just marry him without any explanation?”

Jiang thought for a moment and said, “Send someone to inquire and see which physician they’ve hired. If it’s an acquaintance, it will be easier to talk to; if it’s a stranger, we can offer a little money to get the information out of them. Once we have a better understanding, we can make our plans.”

Suizhi agreed. The two brothers sat down at a roadside inn and sent their servant out to investigate.

After drinking several cups of tea and filling their bellies with water, the servant finally returned with a report that the physician hired was surnamed Song, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy. Hearing this, the two brothers had a better idea of ​​what was going on and headed straight for Xingguo Ward.

Upon reaching the courtyard, they encountered Chief Physician Song, who had just returned. Chief Physician Song stopped upon seeing them, cupped his hands, and said, “Gentlemen, are you passing by, or have you come specifically to see me?”

Suizhi and Jiangzhi returned the greeting. Suizhi smiled and said, “Forgive our intrusion, but we have come specifically to pay our respects to Chief Physician Song.”

Chief Physician Song glanced at the gate not far ahead and pointed, saying, “Then please, have a seat!”

Jiangzhi said there was no need. “It’s just a matter of a few words; we would not have bothered you. My brother and I wish to inquire about the injuries of Minister Jin’s son, and we hope you will be forthcoming with the truth.”

Chief Physician Song hesitated for a moment, then said, “The condition of a patient’s injuries cannot be casually discussed with outsiders. If you two would like me to take their pulse, I will certainly not refuse, but the Minister’s son’s injuries… I am afraid I cannot disclose that.” He then turned to leave.

Suizhi quickly reached out to stop him, saying kindly, “Chief Physician, you and my father are on good terms. This time, we must ask for your help. I suppose you have not heard, but my younger sister was recently betrothed to the son of Minister Jin. Now, Minister Jin’s son has been seriously injured in a wrestling match, and according to those in the know, his injuries are very severe, and I am afraid his condition will not improve. Chief Physician…” He then cupped his hands and bowed deeply, “Please understand, Chief Physician. The Jin family refuses to tell the truth, and the wedding date is fast approaching. It will ruin the girl’s life. If you reveal even a little bit now, Chief Physician, it would be a virtuous act, and our Zhang family will be forever grateful for your kindness.”

Chief Physician Song was somewhat swayed by their words. Although a physician’s ethics were paramount, a girl’s life was no joke. Moreover, the Zhang family was a meritorious family, naturally a cut above Minister Jin’s family. After much hesitation, Chief Physician Song finally said, “Young Master Jin’s injuries are indeed very serious. If it were just muscle damage, it could be healed by clearing the meridians and unblocking the channels. However, Young Master Jin’s bones are twisted and dislocated. It took a great deal of effort to put his leg bone back in place. Medicines to heal tendons and bones can only reduce swelling and improve blood circulation. Even if the injury manages to heal, he will likely have an uneven leg in the future. Therefore, your family should make plans as soon as possible.”

Suizhi and Jiangzhi were slightly stunned for a moment. After regaining their composure, they hurriedly thanked Chief Physician Song, who returned the bow and took his leave.

The two returned home dejected. They went to Suihua Garden and told the Grand Madam everything. Lady Yuan, standing nearby, burst into tears again, cursing through her handkerchief, “The Jin family is truly wicked! They kept their son’s condition a secret, saying it was nothing serious. Have they lost their hearts? To harm Jirou like this!”

Lady Yuan, faced with this predicament, could only cry. Her crying made the Grand Madam’s head spin. Finally, the Grand Madam snapped at her, “Stop crying! What’s the use of crying all the time? They can use their injuries as an excuse to stay on crutches for a year or two and then come to marry your daughter when the wedding date arrives. How do you plan to deal with that?”

Zhang Ju sat there sighing repeatedly, “If all else fails, I will talk to Minister Jin. If the two children are not meant to be, then we can just break off the engagement. That way, neither of us will be held back.”

Grand Madam Zhang snorted, “If he really becomes lame, he will naturally cling even more tightly to this marriage. In the end, he will threaten to break off the engagement with the Zhang family, leaving us with a reputation for kicking someone when they are down.”

Zhang Ju shrugged, “What can we do then? We cannot ruin Jirou’s life just for the sake of our reputation!”

Grand Madam Zhang sat there, pursing her lips, silent for a long while before saying, “There’s no other way right now. Let’s not make a fuss and wait and see.”

Lady Yuan said, “So Jirou is just going to be delayed like this? After the Golden Duck Banquet, everyone was discussing marriage arrangements. Everyone knows that Zhang’s Fifth Young Lady is betrothed to the son of Minister Jin. With this mess, who knows how many good marriages she will miss out on?”

Her concerns were valid, but what could they do? He only fell yesterday; it would not be proper to propose breaking off the engagement today. They had to wait a while, half a month or a month, to see if the Jin family would take any action. If their family felt indebted to the Zhang family and offered to do so voluntarily, it would be a great blessing for the Zhang family, fulfilling both their obligation and their reputation.