Spring Message in the Snow – CH 059

Chapter 59

There was no need for the young lady to worry about anything. That was good. She didn’t have to ask about anything. She just needed to come and be the ready-made Heir Apparent’s wife on the big day.

Surou turned and smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes. She said coolly, “Indeed, Governess Wu is a very thorough person. The Heir Apparent repeatedly told me to handle everything, but since we are here, everything has been arranged perfectly. There’s no need for me to lift a finger.”

Governess Wu naturally understood the dissatisfaction in her words. However, for over ten years, she had always been the one to arrange everything in this household. Now, for the Heir Apparent’s wedding, she had been even more diligent. Was she wrong? Even though Lady Zhang was the Heir Apparent’s wife, she was new to someone else’s residence, and there were times when she could not fully utilize her abilities. Besides, she was a young woman and a person of high status; there was really no need for her to meddle in these trivial matters.

Of course, she had to speak tactfully. Governess Wu said with a forced smile, “I was thinking that the young lady’s family also needs to make arrangements, and I can handle things here as best I can. It’s nothing difficult, and there’s no need to make a fuss. I know our Heir Apparent’s temperament; like last time, he just wants the young lady to visit the manor more often. Those complicated matters cannot really trouble the young lady.”

However, Nanny Fu disagreed, interjecting quietly, “Our young lady is young and does not know much about marriage matters, but we older women do. The bed-setting is related to the future harmony of the couple, and the ‘golden boy turning the bed’ is related to the continuation of their lineage. These are not trivial matters. I suppose Governess Wu is from Longyou and does not know the customs of the Central Plains. Here, when setting up the bed, we place gold and silver coins at the foot of the bed, put a hundred kinds of fruit on the bed, and before the ‘Golden Boy turning the bed,’ we need to have his birth dates checked, burn incense, bathe, and change clothes. It’s not as simple as just bringing him over and placing him on the bed. After all, the child we’ve invited is too young, and it’s inconvenient to trouble someone else’s child.”

“Actually, you do not know, Nanny, our young master’s son was born in the Year of the Dragon, and his birth date and time are very auspicious. He’s also the eldest grandson of a marquis’s family; his background is far superior to that of ordinary children…” She smiled as she spoke, “For such an important matter, we should prioritize the most auspicious date and time. After all, the Heir Apparent and my young lady are not of ordinary status. Inviting someone we know well will ensure everything goes smoothly and without taboos. If we invite someone else’s child and something goes wrong, we cannot say anything, and it will make us feel awkward. It will not benefit the head of the household’s marriage. What do you say, Nanny?”

Governess Wu was somewhat stunned, carefully examining the old woman before her. Since she had come with Lady Zhang, she would undoubtedly become a maidservant. But for a maidservant to launch into such a long-winded rebuttal the moment she stepped through the door was clearly overstepping her bounds.

Governess Wu was not very pleased. She glanced at her and forced a dry laugh, saying, “Setting up a bed is naturally no small matter. I’ve consulted an expert in bed-setting, and I am following their instructions exactly. As for the young master who will be turning the bed, the young master of Magistrate Cao’s family is quite clever and quick-witted. Although he does not come from a noble family, his father has an official title, and his mother is a noblewoman from the capital. Two families have already asked him to turn their beds this year. This time, he only agreed to come because of the Heir Apparent’s influence.”

Nanny Fu and Quelan exchanged glances. Quelan said, “Our old lady has already spoken with the eldest daughter, asking the young master to turn his aunt’s bed. Now that you’ve asked someone else, what should we do?”

Governess Wu smiled and said, “It’s always easier to talk to family. Unlike entrusting this to outsiders, it would be difficult to refuse them.”

Surou listened for a while without speaking, then frowned slightly and turned around, saying, “Grandmother is an elder, and it’s not easy to go back on her decisions. How about this: the Cao family does not have anything they cannot refuse. Just prepare a few gifts and say that the young master’s horoscope does not match ours. As for the bed arrangements, I will trouble Governess Wu to handle them. I heard that Governess Wu is the Heir Apparent’s wet nurse, and as the Heir Apparent’s most trusted elder, I am sure she will take good care of us.”

This was a way of giving a slap and then a sweet treat. After all, she was Helian Song’s wet nurse, and it would not be good to offend her before even entering the family. Surou’s temperament was like this: if someone treated her sincerely, she would naturally reciprocate wholeheartedly; but if someone harbored selfish motives and intended to monopolize power, then she would be careful and would never let them sideline her.

Hearing this, Governess Wu was hesitant but had no choice but to reluctantly agree, saying, “Then I will go to Magistrate Cao’s house later to thank him.”

Surou smiled. “Please, Nanny, do as you please.” She then looked around the room, approving of Governess Wu’s arrangements, and said gently, “Nanny, you’ve gone to great lengths. Everything is so well-thought-out. Governess Wu has truly been a great help. Since there’s nothing else to ask, I will head back now. If you have any undecided matters, please send someone to the Zhang Mansion to consult me.”

Governess Wu agreed, politely seeing her to the door, and said with a smile, “Young Lady, you will soon be the mistress of the Heir Apparent’s mansion. Please come often to give us instructions on household affairs so that we servants know how to handle them.”

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Surou said, “I still need to visit the County Princess at the Duke’s Mansion. It’s very hot; Nanny, please stay.”

Governess Wu indeed stood at the steps to see her off, not personally escorting her for this short distance.

Surou, accompanied by Quelan and Nanny Fu, slowly made their way towards the Duke of Wen’s residence. Nanny Fu remarked, “This nanny in the Heir Apparent’s mansion has been in charge for too long, and besides the Heir Apparent himself, she’s the most senior. She seems to have lost her sense of hierarchy.”

Surou raised her fan to shield her eyes from the sunlight and murmured, “Last time the Heir Apparent was ill, she invited me to visit him; it was not like this today.”

Nanny Fu smiled and said, “Back then, the Heir Apparent was home. In front of him, she was a kind and gentle wet nurse; of course, she would not intentionally make things difficult for you, Young Lady. But the gatekeeper’s obstruction earlier might have been her doing. After you marry into the family, you should be more careful. The mistress doesn’t need to worry about anything in the household. The governess makes all the decisions. In the end, the mistress is just an empty shell, and the one who actually runs the household is her.”

Surou listened attentively, saying only, “I understand; do not worry, Nanny.”

As they spoke, they arrived at the gate of the Duke’s Mansion. The gatekeeper of the Duke’s Mansion was better than that of the Prince’s Mansion; he recognized her immediately and hurried forward, bowing and greeting, “Lady Zhang has arrived?” He then called out to the messenger maid, “Quickly inform the County Princess that Lady Zhang has arrived.” He then led her inside.

Upon receiving the news, Sujie rushed over and took her hand, saying, “Sister, what brings you here today?”

Surou smiled and said, “I went to the Prince’s Mansion and saw how lively it was. I was worried you were not home.”

Sujie blushed and said, “The Prince of Hubei’s residence came for the betrothal this morning, so many people were coming and going.” As she spoke, she took her arm and led her into the flower hall, inviting her to sit down and personally taking the boiled water brought by a maid and placing it beside her.

Surou, also thirsty, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and turned to ask, “Has the date been set? When?”

Sujie replied, “It’s set for the twelfth day of the eleventh month. The family needs some time to prepare. Sister’s wedding is just around the corner, is it not?”

Surou nodded. “That’s why I came today to see how the preparations at the Prince’s Mansion are going.”

Sujie laughed heartily. “I saw that the Heir Apparent has put a lot of effort into preparing for the wedding. Yesterday, a huge jade screen was brought back from outside. A large group of soldiers was moving it, chanting, and the noise could even be heard in our residence.” She leaned closer, winking and probing, “I heard that the Heir Apparent has been particularly close to Sister lately. Has Sister started liking him?”

Surou paused, then said awkwardly, “What do you mean, ‘like’ or ‘dislike’? Now that we’re engaged, we’ll just live our lives as we are. You’re asking me, but what about you? Do you like the Prince of Hubei’s son?”

When the topic turned to herself, Sujie became a little hesitant, but she did not hide anything from Surou, frankly admitting that she liked him. “If I did not like him, I would not have agreed to his marriage proposal. Sister, you do not know; I always feel like a child in his presence, but he’s only two years older than me. When I am with him, I do not have to think for myself. Last time we went out together, he took me all over the capital. He knows where the best pastries are and where the most beautiful scenery is.”

As Sujie spoke of these things, her eyes shone with an unusual brightness, the kind of light only a happy, soon-to-be-married girl possesses, a light she had never shown during her many entanglements with Ye Fengshi.

Surou was happy for her too. “This means you’ve met the right person. He will not make you worry; you can live freely and happily from now on.”

Sujie nodded. “He’s also a sincere person. He tells me about any doubts he has. Since he’s aiming for marriage, he does not hold back. He talks about his family and their affairs, what kind of people they are, and he worries I might not fit in right away. He tells me not to worry; he will help me.”

“That’s good. It feels like all the hardships have finally paid off,” Surou said. “You are a favored daughter of heaven, destined to live this kind of life. You must be raised amidst wealth and privilege to flourish forever. If you carry too much burden, your heart will be constantly tormented, and wrinkles will appear around your eyes before you even turn twenty-five.”

Sujie quickly raised her hand to smooth her skin, thankfully saying she was fine. She then snuggled close to her sister and asked, “How about you, elder sister? Are you getting along well with the Heir Apparent?”

Surou said she was fine. “I didn’t know before, but he secretly helped the Zhang family a lot, probably because of my father. He always felt guilty towards the Zhang family. I think if I marry him, he will treat me well in the future. It’s just that this person…” She frowned and smiled. “Sometimes he’s hard to understand. You see him as having a clear mind, but he’s not that simple.” She pointed to the pastry box on the table. “Like this pastry, there are layers upon layers. It’s hard to see into his heart.”

Sujie’s thoughts were simple and pure. “Who cares? As long as his heart is true to you, that’s enough.” Then, she changed the subject with a sigh, “I’ve always called you ‘Sister,’ but after you marry the Heir Apparent, I can’t call you that. I will call you ‘Auntie’ now. I was worried I’d call you ‘Aunt-in-law,’ but I realized it was a misunderstanding…”

Surou paused slightly, finding her words odd but unable to pinpoint what was wrong. She hesitated for a moment before smiling and saying, “Even if I entered the palace, I cannot be your ‘Aunt-in-law.’ Your Aunt-in-law is a saint.”

Sujie waved her hand dismissively. “The late Emperor even called the Empress Dowager and my birth mother ‘Big Aunt’ and ‘Little Aunt,’ so it’s not wrong for me to call them ‘Big Aunt-in-law’ and ‘Little Aunt-in-law.'”

Anyway, it was all just casual conversation, easily forgotten with a few laughs.

Looking at the sky, it was already late. Surou said, “My grandmother is waiting for me for dinner, so I will head back now.” She stood up, arm in arm with the princess.

Sujie agreed and escorted her to the door, watching as the maid helped her into the carriage.

She waved through the window, the delicate jade bracelet on her wrist casting a stunning green shadow. Sujie waved her handkerchief in return, said goodbye, and watched the servant drive away.

When Surou arrived home, the Grand Madam asked how the arrangements at the Prince’s Mansion were going. Surou only said everything was in order: “He has a wet nurse who came from Longyou; she’s very diligent. The bridal chamber is almost ready; only the bed needs to be set up.”

The Grand Madam said, “Oh, that’s good. Since everything is almost done, we do not need to worry about it.”

“But…” Surou said helplessly, “That wet nurse seems to be used to managing the household. She said I don’t need to worry about anything. I can’t get involved in anything when I get to the mansion over there.”

The Grand Madam pondered for a moment. “You have not entered the household yet, so it’s only to ease your burdens by allowing them to make some decisions. Be more open-minded. Once you are married, if you do not need to concern yourself with anything, that’s overstepping their bounds. Then you can reclaim your power. You are the mistress of the Heir Apparent’s mansion; no one can climb over your head.”

Surou agreed. Since it was not mealtime yet, her aunt and Mianmian had not arrived from Qinxiang Courtyard. She took the cards from Cichun and played two rounds with her grandmother.

The old lady seemed preoccupied; even her playing cards were tinged with worry. Surou asked in confusion, “Grandmother, what’s wrong? Has there been a change in Jirou’s marriage?”

The setting sun shone through the moon-shaped window, illuminating the eastern half of the room. The rosewood bookshelf shimmered, layered like mountains.

The Grand Madam’s face was solemn. She had no heart for playing cards and closed the deck, saying, “It’s not Jirou. Jirou’s marriage to the Wang family is probably almost certain. What I am worried about is Qingrou.”

Surou was even more confused. “What’s wrong with Qingrou? She’s always been fine.”

The Grand Madam said, “It’s been a month since the engagement, and Young Master Li has not come to see her, nor has he given her a single small gift. It’s as if he does not need any social interaction. In this day and age, where can you find young people like that? I wonder if he has any objections to this marriage. Yesterday, I called your uncle and aunt over to talk to them, but they didn’t take it to heart at all. They said that Young Master Li was originally only interested in studying the classics, and things would get better once they were married and spent every day together. There’s nothing I can do. After all, the third branch of the family isn’t my biological child. I mentioned it once, and whether they listen or not is entirely up to them. I hope I’m just worrying unnecessarily… I’m just worried that with Qingrou’s personality, if she’s not good, it could be a burden for her whole life.”

Surou recalled what Qingrou had told her on the day the Li family set the date. At the time, Qingrou felt that Young Master Li was very cold towards her, and she had even advised her to be understanding, thinking that Li Shu’an was just too shy. But being shy that day was understandable; being shy endlessly was excessive. Having grown accustomed to people like Helian Song, who wanted to be inseparable from their fiancée all the time, Surou found it strange to compare Li Shu’an to him. Could there really be people in the world who were completely uninterested in their fiancées? What was the point of this marriage, then?

However, as Grandmother said, if Uncle and Aunt didn’t care, it was not appropriate for others to interfere. She was lucky to have met a stepmother like Lady Pan. Lady Ling didn’t really care about Qingrou at all. According to her, it was already lucky that Qingrou, who was born of a concubine, could be married into the Vice Magistrate’s family. She only asked that Qingrou get married smoothly and had no other requirements.

Surou sighed softly, “Grandmother, have you asked Third Sister’s opinion?”

The Grand Madam shook her head. “You know she’s always been a pushover. You could hit her, and she would not utter a sound. Even if she’s unhappy, she will not say it.”

This was the most difficult situation. The Li family was not like the Jin family. If there were obvious faults to criticize, that would be one thing; they would not visit or make contact; at most, it would be considered conservative, and being conservative was not a crime. But if the Zhang family brought it up, they would say it was frivolous, unworthy of a scholarly family.

Grand Madam Zhang finally had to let go, saying, “Let’s see.”

She then turned to ask Nanny Feng, “Is dinner ready? Invite them, mother and daughter, to Qinxiang Courtyard for dinner.”

Mianmian, on the other hand, was not in a hurry. Surou asked how Young Master Song treated Mianmian, and Grand Madam Zhang replied, “They are very close. He’s come several times since the engagement ceremony, and he treats Mianmian very well. The only problem is, he’s a bit slick, but you cannot fool a lady without being slick. As long as Mianmian is happy, that’s all that matters.”

Soon, Madam Shen and Mianmian entered the garden. Mother and daughter walked and laughed, sitting down in the flower hall. Madam Shen told Grand Madam Zhang, “Mianmian’s dowry is almost ready. After spending Mid-Autumn Festival with Mother, I will return to Jiangling to finish things there and then come to the capital with her father.”

After all, there were still a few important matters in Jiangling that she had not dealt with, and Grand Madam Zhang understood her meaning and nodded in agreement.

Mianmian sat next to Surou, turning slightly to say, “Second Sister, Mother has ordered a set of jewelry for your dowry. The jewelry shop will deliver it tomorrow; you will see it when you return in the evening.”

Surou, hearing this, blushed and said to Madam Shen, “I am so sorry to have troubled you, Aunt. Thank you so much, Aunt.”

Madam Shen said, “You children in the family are all my precious ones. I’ve prepared a set for each of you. I have not had the chance to look after you all these years. You are getting married in the ninth month, and I am afraid I will not be able to give you a gift. Consider this set of jewelry a token of my affection.” She then looked at the two young faces and sighed. “I still remember the days when I was preparing for my own wedding. Now, in the blink of an eye, you’ve all grown up.”

The Grand Madam said, “Indeed, becoming a grandmother or maternal grandmother is just a fleeting moment. Life is short, like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall. When I first married your father, I thought he was simple-minded and foolish. Now he’s gone, and I am surrounded by children and grandchildren, busy arranging their weddings.”

Surou listened to her grandmother and aunt recount the past. The memories were distant, like yellowed paper, yet imbued with a strong sense of everyday life.

After dinner, everyone sat facing each other, drinking fragrant beverages. Mianmian murmured to Surou about the dowry she had prepared. The most astonishing part was probably the 400,000 taels of silver. Mianmian said, “And that does not include the various certificates of exchange and land properties. My mother also deposited another 200,000 taels for me in Jiangling Prefecture, saying it was a safety net; in case the Earl’s family treats me badly, I can go back to Jiangling.”

Surou said her aunt was very thoughtful. “However, if the Earl’s family is truly committed to their livelihood, they will not treat you badly.” She paused, remembering Helian Song’s earlier mention of the Song family’s declining fortunes, and knowing she could not directly tell Mianmian, she subtly advised her, “After marriage, whether it’s property or cash, cousin, you must keep it all in your own hands. Never let your husband’s family handle it.”

Mianmian replied naturally, “I can be very generous when I want to be and extremely stingy when I do not want to be. Second Sister, do not worry.”

Surou nodded with a smile, then said to her grandmother, “I will go to the Marquis’s Mansion the day after tomorrow to visit my elder sister and An’er. The arrangements for setting up the bed and changing the bedding have all been made. We’re just waiting for the date to be set so that my elder sister can bring An’er over.”