Spring Message in the Snow – CH 061

Chapter 61

On the other side, Nanny Zhu, having seen Surou onto the carriage, was still brooding over the bump from the concubine. Standing before the carriage, she said, “Second Young Lady, you’ve been wronged. Such a precious person, bumped by that young woman. I will naturally report this to the Eldest Mistress and have her punish her.”

Surou, however, said it was fine: “It was just a bump, nothing serious. Even if my elder sister finds out, tell her to keep it to herself and not to mention it to her concubine. Continue to manage the garden affairs as before.”

Nanny Zhu naturally understood Surou’s meaning, bowed her head and nodded in agreement, then stepped forward to lower the curtain on the carriage door. The servant cracked the whip, and the carriage started moving. She stepped back and watched the carriage disappear from the alley, only retreating back inside when it was completely out of sight.

Inside the carriage, Nanny Fu said, “This ‘concubine’ is risking her life today, trying to see the young lady’s reaction and also to probe the eldest young lady’s background.”

Surou smiled slightly. “That’s why I told my elder sister not to take it to heart. If we blame her for something like this, it will only make her more cautious, worried that someone is giving my elder sister advice behind her back, and she will naturally become more careful in her actions.”

Women from brothels were generally skilled in such tactics. Their methods were dirty, and their hearts were greedy. If she felt that her elder sister was not easy to control, she might stir up a lot of trouble. It was good to tolerate her for now, to embolden her and keep her unsatisfied. Her elder sister had already achieved her goal by using her to get rid of Nian’er. As for how to deal with this ‘concubine’… As long as you were ruthless enough, suppressing or getting rid of her was easy.

Quelan felt a certain darkness in people’s hearts, saying, “This young lady has no conscience. The eldest mistress released her, and she showed no gratitude whatsoever. If she were more obedient, she would be a good helper to the eldest mistress. She could do things the eldest mistress would not dare to do, playing good cop and bad cop, and then the Marquis’s Mansion would be in the eldest mistress’s hands.”

Nanny Fu, however, disagreed. “What is her background, and what is our eldest mistress’s background? If she were to associate with her, it would be a disgrace to the eldest mistress.”

Therefore, some things were predictable from the start, and the young lady was well aware of this. Under the main wife, even with a contract of indenture, she was still a lowly concubine. But she was favored and had tasted the feeling of being in charge, so her ambition was bound to be much higher than those who fought for food and drink. As time went on, she lost sight of her place, demanding more and reaching further. Once she crossed the line, she would not be far from courting death.

Anyway, Surou was very patient. She had given her elder sister a lot of advice beforehand: being a bit mediocre was not a problem, as long as she could make a decisive move in a crucial moment.

Looking out the window through the curtains, the festive atmosphere was growing stronger. More lanterns were being made in the streets, some exquisite, some simple, hanging haphazardly along both sides of the Imperial Street. After many years, this was her first Mid-Autumn Festival since returning to the outside world. Back in the palace, the palace servants also made lanterns, but they were overly elaborate, lacking the natural charm. She preferred to be like Qingrou and Jirou last night, carrying a small orange lantern and wandering in the sea of ​​lights. Not needing to stand out, just blending into the crowd, would be the most comfortable experience.

But Quelan, always eager to provoke, craned her neck to peer inside and asked Surou, “Young Lady, do you think the Heir Apparent will come to our residence for the festival? He loves spending time with you so much; he certainly will not miss such a good opportunity, will he?”

Surou paused, realizing she had completely forgotten about him. To be honest, he was quite pitiful. While everyone else was enjoying family reunions, admiring the moon, and eating mooncakes, he was always alone. The grander the festival, the lonelier he felt, because no one would abandon their own families to celebrate with him.

“Let’s go back and ask Grandmother for her approval; see if she will allow him to come to our residence for the festival,” Surou said to her.

Quelan, however, was mischievous, teasing in a low voice, “Young Lady, I feel uneasy with so many women around. I only want to drink and admire the moon with you. How about this: I will host a banquet at the Prince’s Mansion, and you can come to my residence to celebrate the festival. We can drink together under the moon, gazing at each other… more beautiful than lanterns.” She had perfectly imitated Helian Song’s tone.

Surou blushed and playfully slapped Quelan. “Be careful; it will be improper if people find out.”

Quelan crossed her arms and laughed so hard she bent over, repeatedly begging for forgiveness, “I was just talking nonsense, Young Lady; please do not be angry with me.” They bickered and joked all the way back to the Zhang Mansion.

As soon as they entered, the gatekeeper came to report that the Third Young Lady’s betrothed had brought festival gifts and visited that morning.

This was a rare and distinguished guest. In the capital, it was customary to prepare gifts to visit the bride’s family on every festival after the engagement. The Mid-Autumn Festival was just two days away, so Young Master Li had finally arrived. Regardless of the circumstances, his appearance was a good thing.

Surou nodded, went back to change her clothes, and then went to Qingrou’s courtyard. She knew she would not run into him since she was late, but she could still try to gather some information.

Sure enough, as soon as she entered, she saw Zhirou and the others. They surrounded Qingrou, questioning her. Qingrou blushed deeply and stammered, “He was very polite and articulate. He asked me what books I liked to read and what snacks I liked to eat. He said he’d come to pick me up and take me to his residence when I have time, so his servants can prepare something.”

These few words were worth savoring by the sisters. Everyone meticulously analyzed those few words, finally concluding, “He’s probably the kind of virtuous, scholarly man who is not good at charming girls or romantically inclined, but he’s likely very attentive in daily life. He even asked what you liked to eat—how rare!”

Qingrou smiled shyly. She was not a fiery person to begin with, and if the man were too enthusiastic, she’d feel overwhelmed. This gentle, unassuming interaction made them both comfortable. Before, she’d been anxious because he had not come, but now that he had, even this one appearance seemed enough to keep her going until the 28th of the eleventh month.

Everyone was curious about Qingrou’s feelings. Mianmian, resting her chin on her hand, asked, “Third Sister, do you like him?”

Qingrou immediately became flustered, stammering, “We’ve only met twice…like what…”

“Do you like his appearance? Does he look pleasing to your eye?”

Qingrou was so overwhelmed by their questioning that she wanted to disappear into the ground. When Mianmian nudged her, she swayed like a willow branch. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she covered her face and said, “He’s very handsome.”

Everyone smiled knowingly. At least they found each other agreeable, which was a good start.

Thus, the Zhang family’s young ladies’ marriages went relatively smoothly. The next day, the Duke of Fufeng also came to request a wedding date. The groom’s family naturally hoped to bring their daughter-in-law home as soon as possible. They originally planned to hold the wedding before the new year, but since the sisters’ weddings were all in the second half of the year, they had to choose another date, postponing it to the twentieth day of the first lunar month of the following year to welcome Zhirou into their home.

Surou continued teaching as usual, announcing during breaks that everyone did not need to come for the next three days, allowing them to relax and enjoy the holiday. As the afternoon wore on, she felt a growing unease, frequently glancing towards the gate, fearing the Emperor might come uninvited again. Fortunately, everything was normal by evening. Strangely, Helian Song had not appeared for several days, presumably busy with something. She had originally intended to invite him to her home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but finding no one there, she had to give up.

She packed her things and left the garden, momentarily hoping he would be standing outside. But upon stepping over the threshold, she only saw the rustling bamboo leaves by the roadside, her own carriage parked there, and Si’er dusting the carriage with a whisk.

She sighed inwardly, put her arm around Quelan’s shoulder, and boarded the carriage. Her spirits were low throughout the journey; when Quelan spoke to her, she only gave half-hearted responses, finally closing her eyes to rest.

Quelan blinked her big eyes at her, moved a little closer, and said, “Young Lady, why has the Heir Apparent not come to pick you up these past two days? Is he too busy with official duties to attend to you?”

Surou closed her eyes and muttered, “How should I know… Would it not be better if he did not come? It would be peaceful.”

But even in peace, the young lady seemed melancholic.

Quelan grinned. “Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Counting the days, you will be getting married in about twenty days.”

Surou’s heart skipped a beat. She opened her eyes, realizing how quickly time had passed. Before she could even react, the wedding day was almost here.

The heart of a bride-to-be inevitably felt melancholic. She could not explain why. She had always thought she was ready to embrace another chapter of her life, but now, at this crossroads, she was beginning to waver.

Looking back now, her marriage was filled with inexplicable coincidences. It was clearly a matter of following the usual formalities, yet it was different from Zhirou’s. Where did things go wrong…? She could not understand. Things piled up, people pressed on, and it had come to this. However, she had no regrets. Marrying Helian Song was better than entering the palace. Things available in the marketplace were not in the palace. She could wait a little longer; when winter came, the night market at Zhouqiao would start selling braised rabbit and pig offal. Compared to the restricted food in the palace, she truly preferred the rich, flavorful dishes.

The carriage moved slowly. When they reached Old Caomen Street, she was still listless and lacked energy as she disembarked. Nanny Fu stepped forward to lift the curtain and greet her, reporting, “The Heir Apparent was delivering festival gifts this afternoon; he’s with the Grand Madam right now.”

Surou was slightly surprised. She thought he had not come to fetch her; was he preparing to deliver festival gifts to the household? She had previously worried that he would be lonely spending the festival alone and had considered sending someone to his residence to invite him, but he had come himself. Truly, clever people did not need to worry; he was much more thoughtful than she was.

Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense for so long, finally settled. She lifted her skirt and stepped inside, asking Nanny Fu, “When did he arrive?”

Nanny Fu replied, “Around the hour of Shen ^(3-5PM). He’s been here for quite a while, playing mahjong with the Grand Madam and Madam Shen for almost half an hour. The Heir Apparent is not very good at mahjong; one side wins, and the other loses. He’s probably almost lost everything.”

Surou found this amusing. Someone as shrewd as him might intentionally lose to his elders. She did not rush over; instead, she went back to Qiandui Xue Courtyard to wash up and change her clothes, and only after everything was ready did she head to her grandmother’s courtyard.

Before even entering, laughter could be heard from inside. The Grand Madam said, “Alright, alright, let’s call it a day. We will continue tomorrow.”

Surou entered and saw a large pile of silver melon seeds in front of her grandmother and aunt. Helian Song, still holding his mahjong tiles, said to her, “I am no match for others; I lost it all.”

Her aunt laughed. “What, you are complaining just because you lost money? Are you reluctant to part with it?”

Helian Song said no, “This little bit of money is nothing. Tomorrow I will have someone prepare more, and we will play to our hearts’ content.”

A playful mahjong game had strengthened their bond; even her previously indifferent aunt had a smile on her face. It seemed his half-hour of effort had not been in vain.

Surou chimed in with a few words to liven things up, then instructed a maid to clear the mahjong table. She asked Helian Song, “Your Highness, are you not busy with official duties today? Why have you arrived at this hour?”

Helian Song replied, “I went to Youzhou a couple of days ago and have been busy until today. I finished my errands this morning and rushed back to the capital. Since it’s still early, I brought some crabs and fruits for tomorrow…” He glanced at the Grand Madam and said shyly, “I also want to ask Grandmother to allow me to spend the festival here.”

Such a thoughtful grandson-in-law was outstanding even among men of marriageable age. Without waiting for Surou’s reply, the Grand Madam said, “You will be alone in the Prince’s Mansion; it will be too lonely celebrating alone. It’s much more lively with family. Suizhi and Jiezhi will be home tomorrow too, so you young people can play together. After dinner, you are allowed to go out and see the lanterns. It’s a rare treat; the Imperial Street will be incredibly bustling.”

Helian Song, hearing this, quickly replied tenderly, “Grandmother and Aunt, please come along too. I know the lanterns in Pan Tower are exceptionally beautiful every year. Tomorrow, I will escort you and lead the elders out for a stroll.”

What was most important for a young man? Winning the favor of his elders. Sometimes, people did not care about small gains or losses; they just wanted a few comforting words. Hearing them made them feel good, even happier than actually seeing the lanterns.

Grand Madam Zhang and Madam Shen exchanged a smile. Grand Madam Zhang said, “There are so many people outside, all young men and women. It would be ridiculous for someone as old as me to join in. You young people love excitement, so go ahead and do your thing. We will stay home, enjoy the moon, drink some wine, and dream of watching the lanterns when it’s time. It’s the same thing.”

This was the loving consideration of an elder. Grand Madam Zhang had always been an open-minded old lady. In previous years, she had even encouraged Zhang Ju and Zhang Zhi to take their wives out to see the lanterns, not assuming that their wives, having been married for many years, should be confined to the mundane tasks of daily life. And that widowed second daughter-in-law, who was rarely happy, had Jiezhi and Zhirou accompany their mother for a walk, while she sat alone on the veranda, enjoying the moon, with two old women by her side—that was enough.

At this moment, Cichun came to report that dinner was ready, and everyone had moved to the flower hall. Mianmian stayed at Qinxiang Courtyard for dinner because her brother-in-law had come. Only the Grand Madam and Madam Shen ate with them. During the meal, Helian Song recounted some amusing anecdotes from the army, which delighted her grandmother and aunt.

After the meal, they sat for a while longer before leaving Suihua Garden. Surou saw him off at the gate. Walking along the long wooden corridor, she remembered to ask, “I heard the Four Elite Armies are drawing troops to garrison Youzhou. Are you busy with that?”

Helian Song had assumed she did not care about military matters, so he was somewhat surprised to hear her mention it. However, having a fiancée who could discuss serious matters with him, besides romance, was a blessing. He nodded. “It’s precisely because of this that I am so stressed out. I will probably have to keep running around for the rest of the year. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.”

But there was nothing he could do. A position and salary in the court were not obtained for nothing. The long journey was arduous, and Surou, observing his face by the lamplight in the corridor, was relieved to see that he did not look as weary as before. After some thought, she decided to compromise and said, “If you need to handle military affairs in Youzhou for an extended period, it would be good to temporarily set up a residence there. The two places are over a hundred miles apart. Traveling is fine when the weather is pleasant, but how can a person endure the biting cold when it gets chilly?”

This was her thoughtfulness, but he could not easily agree. “Leaving me to eat cold food and cook idly in Youzhou, how miserable I would be! I’d definitely harbor resentment towards the court and become even more dissatisfied with the Emperor, unless my wife comes with me.”

The mention of dissatisfaction with the Emperor reminded her of the lantern incident, and she hesitated about whether to tell him. Then she thought again, since she would not be going to the garden for the next few days anyway, and the wedding would be approaching after the Mid-Autumn Festival, then the die would be cast, and the Emperor would finally give up.

As for going to Youzhou, she was undecided. “What will happen to my girls’ school? Will it have to close down?”

It was not easy for a girl to have a career she was willing to pursue, and he certainly could not let her abandon everything in the capital and move to Youzhou with him for a short while just to be a wife and mother.

“So I will endure the hardship of traveling back and forth. Actually, for people like us, traveling a hundred miles a day is nothing, as long as I can see you when I get home.”

This longing for his newlywed wife was only natural. Surou smiled and did not try to persuade him to stay overnight in Youzhou.

The two strolled along the corridor. Surou, still troubled by a question, finally asked him, “Why would the Emperor entrust you with such an important task, placing the Four Elite Armies under your command?”

The full moon shone brightly. He turned to look at her and said bluntly, “It’s to train me, to familiarize me with military strategy, so that I can serve the court when I return to Longyou. You see the Four Elite Armies commander’s position as a figure of great prestige, but you do not know that the Pengji, Tianwu, Longwei, and Shenwei Armies also have their own commanders. While they normally obey my orders, if you ever want to lead the Four Elite Armies to attack the capital, that will not do. They are the Emperor’s personal troops, not mine.”

Surou was taken aback by his blunt words. She hesitated, glancing around hastily, muttering, “What attack on the capital? Do not talk nonsense!”

He chuckled. “There’s no one else around. Why should I hide anything from you? Besides, it was just an analogy; do not take it seriously. Although the Emperor does not trust me, I am utterly loyal. My only hope is to return to Longyou and make a name for myself on the frontier. The capital is nice, but it’s too peaceful; I cannot fully utilize my abilities.” He looked at her. “I’ve been so focused on military campaigns that I have not considered your feelings. Do you dislike that?”

Surou also considered it seriously. Marrying a military general usually meant experiencing such emotional ups and downs. How many holding real positions could truly settle down at home? His desire to return to Longyou was understandable. As for herself, whether to go with him or stay in the capital, she’d see how things went.

“Just promise me one thing: do not risk your life; just live well,” she said, gazing at the full moon outside the eaves. The bright moon shone with a comforting light. After a long while, she murmured, “To be reunited with family every year is enough for me.”