Spring Message in the Snow – CH 074

Chapter 74

Surou knew he was a master of taking advantage of her advances. His so-called “examination” ultimately led to his taking liberties with her.

Their lips met, a strange feeling indeed. She felt a mixture of disgust and a strange attraction. It was said that this was how it felt when lovers were deeply in love.

She could hear her own heart pounding and his heavy breathing. He pressed her closer, as if he wanted her to be a pool of water, to meld her into his body. But this man seemed oblivious to the subtleties of the situation. He thought that simply touching lips was enough, demonstrating that his actions were far less sophisticated than his words.

Surou inwardly scoffed, casually tracing the shape of his lips. He froze, then suddenly had a revelation, and began to explore more subtleties and techniques without any instruction.

He was an excellent student, adept at applying knowledge to new situations. The teacher who had initially introduced him to the world later proved no match for him. This small corner of their world suddenly heated up, threatening to ignite at any moment.

He was like a fierce general on the battlefield, wild and unstoppable. The layers of the brocade quilt, piled high like waves, almost engulfed her. He nestled against her neck, murmuring, “And then?”

And then? Surou blushed and pushed him away. “I am not your guiding matron; how would I know what else to do?!” Composing herself, her muddled mind slowly regained some clarity, and she kicked him aside with both hands and feet. “You clearly said you’d sleep on the footstool. Why are you on the bed? And even in bed, you are restless… I am warning you, if you want to sleep, sleep properly, and do not dare do anything else.”

He could not help but feel a little disappointed, half-propping himself up and saying, “Are we not already married? We can consummate our marriage.”

Surou said no, “Consummating our marriage will result in a child. You clearly said it’s not a good time to have a child now. Do you want to leave us, mother and child, as hostages so you can escape back to Longyou?”

That was not impossible; after all, that was exactly what Governess Wu was planning.

In fact, if it were any other reckless man, he would have acted first and thought about the consequences later, but Helian Song was not like that. He cupped his face in his hands, took a deep breath, and finally calmed his agitated heart. He said weakly, “I was confused. In my haste, I did not think of anything.” He beckoned her over.

Unfortunately, she ignored him. He had no choice but to move closer and pull her back down to lie down. After a long silence, just when Surou almost thought he had fallen asleep, he suddenly said, “Actually, if you are careful, we can still try.”

Hearing this, Surou shifted slightly, creating a little distance between them. Having served in the palace for so many years, matters of the bedroom were not exactly a taboo subject for her. So she calmly told him, “There’s no such thing as being careful in these matters. As long as you are intimate, there’s a possibility of pregnancy. This is not like sneaking into the inner chambers; unless you can do that without anyone noticing.”

He was indeed deflated. If he could get away with something like this without her noticing, then as a man, his pride was no longer a concern.

He also found it somewhat amusing; the princess was too upright, oblivious to the principle that there was always a way out. He tightened his grip on her arm, whispering in her ear, “Before the wedding, I sent someone to find the most famous physician in Youzhou. That physician has several ancestral formulas that can cure infertility and allow those who do not wish to conceive to postpone it.”

Surou looked at him in surprise, astonished by his foresight. “I thought you were truly busy with official duties, traveling between the capital and Youzhou. It turns out you are even more shameless than I imagined.”

He protested, “It’s true I was busy with official duties, but finding this elixir would not take up much time. It’s just… I do not know how effective it is, so I dare not use it.”

Of course, he was also conflicted. That afternoon, while she was handling household management in the front hall, he sat in his study, staring blankly at the bottle of medicine.

The small porcelain bottle might hold his newlywed happiness. Given the chance, he’d naturally want to try it, but acting rashly without her consent would mean he’d never get into her bed. They needed to communicate and to take a gradual approach. Fortunately, she was not petty or shy about talking about sex, so he felt he still had a sliver of hope.

Surou, however, remained skeptical of the so-called Youzhou physician. “All the noble ladies in the palace desire children. If that physician’s medicine were truly effective, how many more princes and princesses would the Emperor have! Since it could not grant everyone’s wish, the so-called medicine is obviously unreliable. Besides, if you drink medicine haphazardly, you might not be able to conceive in the future—what will that be like?”

He quickly said, “That medicine is not for drinking; it’s for applying…” It was said to make intimacy more enjoyable, but of course, he did not dare say this aloud, fearing another beating from her.

He turned slightly, moved closer to the bedside, and reached down. After searching for a while, he found the small bottle he had secretly placed in the corner of the footstool. He shyly picked it up and placed it in her hand. “Look, my wife, this is it.”

The container for the elixir resembled a small, elegantly shaped bottle, its mouth sealed with wax. She had no idea what the medicine inside looked like.

She turned to look at him, and in the dim light, she saw his bright, expectant eyes. She said, “You’ve been planning this all along? Is there nothing else on your minds besides ‘sexual relations’?”

He immediately said no, “No matter how important ‘sexual relations’ is, it’s not as important as my wife. I am just being prepared so that if my wife ever wants me, I will have something to offer.”

She rolled her eyes at him. How utterly shameless! She handed the porcelain bottle back to him, saying, “It’s late; go to sleep. We have to go back to see our elders tomorrow.”

His burning passion had to be tempered. After all, the whole family would be there tomorrow, and if anything happened, it would be embarrassing to die in front of them. So he decided to plan for tomorrow night.

But this did not stop him from continuing to pester her. When she turned her back, he caught up, snuggled up to her, and asked, “Are you coming back tomorrow or staying in your old courtyard?”

Surou was truly sleepy. With her eyes closed, she said, “We will talk about it tomorrow. If Grandmother wants us to stay, then we will stay for the night. I am a little homesick.”

Homesick? Home was wherever he was; she did not yet understand this. He did not correct her. His warm body, like a semicircle, pulled her into his embrace. She closed her eyes and said nothing more.

The night deepened, and rain began to patter down in the latter half of the night. When they rose the next morning, the sky was still overcast, with no sunlight. The autumn rain had become somewhat lingering, a soft drizzle, the raindrops gradually carrying a chill.

They went about their usual routine of washing and changing clothes. After breakfast, the gifts to be taken back were loaded into the carriage. Since the gifts were all prepared by the Prince’s Mansion, Nanny Fu had to have them carefully checked. The notoriously stingy Governess Wu, this time, was surprisingly polite. After all, the Heir Apparent was traveling with them, and to avoid embarrassing him, she prepared all the necessary return gifts and even prepared additional gifts for the elders to pay their respects.

Nanny Fu returned and reported, “Everything has been taken care of. Please, Your Highness and Princess Consort, depart.”

The two then went out and boarded the prince’s five-carriage palanquin, escorted by a procession of attendants and servants. They made their way to Old Caomen Street in a grand procession.

In this era, it was common for a wife to rise in status through marriage. The groom’s high position attracted many onlookers. Some noble ladies passing by gave way, sitting in their carriages and watching from behind the curtains, remarking to their nannies, “The Princess Consort used to be our schoolteacher. Now that she’s married into the Heir Apparent’s household, I am afraid the girls’ school will never be able to continue!”

West Ji’er Lane was not far from Old Caomen Street; the journey took about the time it took for two incense sticks to burn. Upon arriving at the gate, servants were already waiting. At the announcement of “The newlyweds paying their respects,” the servants took the reins, and whips were already being set off at the gate. A sudden, earth-shattering crackle sounded, and the ground was instantly covered with tiny red paper scraps. The welcoming maidservants came forward to lift the curtain and help the bride and groom alight from the carriage. The messengers relayed the news through the ranks, and upon reaching the second gate, the entire household came out to greet them.

Grand Madam Zhang, pulling Lady Pan forward, examined the child, smiling and nodding, “Very good…very good…my child, you’ve grown so much.”

Surou and Helian Song solemnly bowed, first to their grandmother, then to their mother and other elders. After the formalities were completed, their sisters surrounded them, smiling and offering their congratulations to the newlyweds.

Lady Yuan and Lady Ling said, “Do not stand there; it’s the same to talk inside the garden.”

Just then, the rain stopped for a moment, allowing them to move. Once inside Suihua Garden, they had barely sat down when it started raining again. Grand Madam Zhang had a maid lower the curtain, and the fine bamboo blinds with gold thread blocked the rain and mist. The men continued their tea and conversation in the adjacent flower hall. A maid served fragrant drinks, and the Grand Madam came to inquire about Surou’s well-being at the Prince’s Mansion these past few days and whether she and her husband were getting along.

After all, the Grand Madam and Surou had agreed not to publicize the scheme he had orchestrated to deceive the Zhang family. Surou naturally would not mention it in front of others, simply smiling and saying, “Everything is fine. We get along well, Grandmother; there’s no need to worry.”

Looking at her expression, the Grand Madam had expected a chaotic scene these past few days, but today, on her return visit, the two seemed perfectly normal. It seemed the young couple had already resolved the matter amicably.

Good. It was best for couples not to hold grudges overnight. Any unhappiness or unpleasantness should be resolved early; that was the key to a long and happy marriage. Knowing her granddaughter’s temperament, the Grand Madam was certain Surou would not suffer any loss; she had surely given the groom a good beating this time, hence her satisfied appearance upon her return.

Relieved, the Grand Madam smiled and said, “Now we are just waiting for Mianmian’s wedding day. It will be easy to prepare while things are still going well.”

Surou turned to Mianmian and said gently, “Cousin, if there’s anything I can do for you, just send someone to let me know.”

Mianmian grinned. “I’ve delegated all the trivial matters to the servants. There’s nothing I need to trouble you with, Second Sister. There’s only one thing: after I get married, you must come visit me often. Second Sister is now the Heir Apparent’s wife; if my in-laws know I have such a distinguished relative, they will think more highly of me.” She spoke with such arrogance, without any pretense.

Everyone laughed. Last year, when Mianmian first arrived in the capital, the sisters were all wary of each other, seeing her as mercenary and not fitting the refined character of their family. Now, having known her for a while, they seemed to have grown accustomed to her unpretentious nature, and everyone gradually became more tolerant, no longer deliberately trying to compete with her.

Grand Madam Zhang, seizing the opportunity, said, “It’s true that your second sister will support you, but you also need to be able to stand on your own two feet and be an upright person in your husband’s family.” She then brought up Jirou’s marriage, telling Surou, “Yesterday, Fourth Young Master Wang returned to the capital. The Grand Madam of the Wang family brought him to visit and meet Jirou. Both sides felt it was a good match; I think it’s a wonderful union.”

Surou quickly smiled and bowed to Jirou. “I also want to congratulate my fifth sister. Have you decided when the betrothal ceremony will be held?”

Jirou said shyly, “Tomorrow. Tomorrow is an even-numbered day; the Grand Madam of the Wang family said it’s auspicious.”

Lady Yuan, standing nearby, also agreed this time, “I think that Fourth Young Master Wang is much more composed than the young master of the Jin family. Having experienced the ways of officialdom, he’s capable of handling things independently, and his demeanor was truly pleasant. Our Jirou had a temper like a firecracker, easily ignited; she needs a young man like this to guide her properly so she can live a peaceful life.”

Shangrou was very happy for Jirou. “The Wang family is on good terms with our family, and they will definitely consider her grandmother’s feelings and will not make things difficult for Jirou in the future.”

Actually, to be honest, Shangrou almost married the second son of the Wang family, but unfortunately, he did not have any official rank at the time, and the Wang family’s social standing was lower than that of the Marquis of Xingyang. Her parents valued Chen Ang, the only capable son in the Marquis’s household, believing the family fortune would ultimately belong to him alone, which was why they married her into the Chen family.

Everything was fate. Just imagine, if she had married into the Wang family, what kind of life would she be living now? A girl really could not afford to make a single wrong step; one wrong step, and her whole life was ruined. She was already in this state, and seeing her sisters find good partners, as long as they were doing better than her, she was happy for them.

She spoke of her sisters’ marriages with obvious joy, but Surou could tell she still had her regrets. Since there were many people present, it was not appropriate to say much; everyone was chatting casually, and the matter was left unresolved for the time being.

After lunch, Surou finally found an opportunity to speak with her alone. The two sisters sat on the back porch, watching the rain patter on the banana leaves, and boiled a pot of water.

Surou asked, “It’s been six or seven days since Sheniang left. Has my brother-in-law inquired about her?”

Shangrou relaxed her brows and said, “I mentioned Sheniang casually at dinner yesterday, and he scolded me a bit, saying I should not have agreed to let the concubine leave. She’s like a kite flown into the sky; we have not heard from her at all. However, they did send a reply from the estate in Chanzhou, saying she’s been detained and will never return to the capital. The estate manager told me not to worry. Today, since you are returning home, I am busy. Tomorrow we can search her room and seal off the courtyard. As for the remaining Yu Bo, I already released her yesterday. The official report elevated her status. From now on, I cannot control Chen Ang’s life outside, but if he brings anyone home again, or tries to find someone among the maids in the manor, if I find out, I will not care about reputation; we will just have a big fight. Anyway, all the sisters in the family are engaged. The youngest, Yingrou, with the help of you capable older sisters, will not have trouble finding a good husband.”

Her thinking this way was actually a way out for herself. She had endured so much after marriage to protect the reputation of her sisters. As for An’er, titles in this dynasty were not inherited. Chen Ang was already such a dissolute man; if An’er wanted to turn his life around, he would have to study hard. Once he had an official title, plus the family fortune, even if he could not marry a daughter from a high-ranking family, marrying a girl from an ordinary official’s family should not be difficult.

As for Chen Ang, it seemed there was no turning back. It was better to give up now; as long as she could make that decision, life would naturally get better and better.

Surou squeezed her hand. “I am very happy for you, Elder Sister, that you’ve made this decision. Now that you’ve cleaned up the mess in the house, just take An’er and live a good life. Anyway, you have your family back; all of us sisters will help you in the future. Just relax.”

Shangrou nodded with a smile. “I think the same way as Mianmian. Seeing how successful you are, I feel more and more confident. Yesterday, when his mother said those two things, I even retorted and made her speechless. It felt so good! I was thinking then: What’s so great about you, a third-rank marquis’s wife? My sister is the Heir Apparent’s wife, a first-rank noblewoman. You have to bow to her. Why are you putting on airs in front of me? If you act like an elder, I’ll respect you as my mother-in-law. But if you don’t act like an elder, Chen Ang isn’t even in my eyes. Who do you think you are then?!”

Shangrou had always been timid and submissive, but hearing these words from her now was strangely satisfying.

The two sisters sat together, laughing and chatting. Now, recalling the times they’d cried and wailed because of her in-laws, they suddenly realized how utterly pointless it all was. Shangrou finally had a truly carefree moment, a moment of confidence, knowing how to act from now on, no longer intending to compromise. As Surou put it, a reputation for weakness was also a form of accumulation; when the whole capital had begun to sympathize with you, whatever you did would be considered right.

Later, the younger sisters came to the back corridor to chat. They were all delighted to learn that their second sister and brother-in-law would be staying overnight; at least they could eat together that evening.

But just as evening approached, a servant from Zhang Zhi’s courtyard came to report that the pregnant concubine’s water had broken and she was in labor; a midwife had already been called.

Now, everyone was restless during their meal. Zhang Zhi and Lady Ling rushed over to check on her, leaving everyone else in Suihua Garden to await news.

The Grand Madam said, “It’s alright. She had another child, Chengzhi, before. This is her second pregnancy; it will not be as difficult as the first.”

However, although she said this, more than ten years had passed since her last childbirth, and she was now older; there were concerns about potential dangers. Everyone waited anxiously for almost an hour, expecting results, but soon Zhang Zhi came in with good news: a boy had been born.

The Grand Madam murmured “Amitabha!” and clapped her hands, saying, “That physician who took the pulse was inaccurate! He immediately insisted it was a girl, but it turned out to be a boy. Well, it’s a good omen. Today, Surou is returning home, and with the addition of a new member to the family, it’s truly double happiness! Our family is destined to prosper.”

At the banquet that evening, everyone congratulated their uncle, making Zhang Zhi quite embarrassed, repeatedly saying he felt ashamed.

After the banquet, Helian Song, holding an umbrella, took Surou’s arm and walked back, saying as they went, “Having a son in their old age, they are still vigorous! What’s there to be ashamed of? If it were me, I’d be overjoyed!”

Surou glanced at him. “Do you think everyone is like you?”

He smiled gently, his eyes softening.

The path leading to the Qiandui Xue Courtyard seemed especially secluded in the rainy night. Surou carried a lantern to light her way. After walking a little further, she reached the familiar courtyard. Red silk was still draped over the gate, and the atmosphere was still festive.