Spring Message in the Snow – CH 080

Chapter 80

Generally, married daughters had more say than when they were still young. Surou’s words even convinced Lady Yuan, who finally stood firm and said coldly, “My dear in-laws, our second daughter is right. If your household feels that your son is bedridden and your daughter-in-law is superfluous, there’s no need to make such a big fuss. Although our Zhang family does not have a noble title like yours, we can still support our daughter and grandson. Just give the word, Madam, and we will immediately take our people back and never bother you again.”

Seeing that the two sides were about to part ways, Marquis Chen’s two concubines hurriedly tried to mediate. They smiled apologetically. “Your Highness and Madam, please do not be angry. Our Lady is simply upset because of the young master’s accident, and, understandably, she vented her frustrations. Please forgive her. Right now, things are in chaos at home. If the young mistress takes the little young master back to her parents’ home, there will be even more gossip. After all, the young mistress and the young master have been married for many years. Although they have some minor arguments, there is still affection between them. If they really leave now, it will be a case of ‘when disaster strikes, everyone flies away,’ which will not benefit the young mistress’s reputation.”

Meanwhile, the concubine’s mediation left Madam Chen feeling utterly humiliated. She was already upset and wanted to vent her anger on Shangrou, to give her family a hard time, and even to pressure Second Lady Zhang to have the Heir Apparent go to Magistrate Qu. However, she had not expected the Zhang family to suddenly become so assertive, unable to tolerate even the slightest grievance.

Thinking it over, she realized it was all just another case of “when the wall falls, everyone pushes it down.” The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears, turned away, and said, “Enough, enough. It’s all our fault for not cultivating virtue. Now he is seriously injured and bedridden, and not only are outsiders bullying and mocking us, but even our own people are intentionally bullying us.”

Shangrou frowned deeply and said coldly, “My mother and two younger sisters came to see the master today. Mother treated the guests with courtesy. Why are there so many idle words? Now you turn around and blame others for bullying Mother… Who bullied Mother? Mother, you should speak more fairly.”

Then Madam Chen said to Lady Yuan, “Did you hear that, my dear in-law? I had no resentment towards this daughter-in-law before. Knowing that Chengchuan was not up to par and had suffered grievances, I always protected her and never said a bad word about her. But now, if I say one thing, she will talk back three times. Where is the slightest bit of tolerance a daughter-in-law should show? Today, I want my dear in-law and the Princess to see just how chaotic our family has become. My dear in-law, you should not always protect your daughter. If your child has shortcomings, it is also a good way to discipline her. It is also a good way to manage your household.”

Lady Yuan was already very dissatisfied that her daughter’s life had been ruined by this family and that she still had to listen to her mother-in-law’s twisted logic. She was furious. She could only blame herself for being tongue-tied and not knowing how to retort, so she could only look away angrily with a long face.

Surou now understood Shangrou’s dire situation. With a mother-in-law like this, where was there any justice? Since we’ve already gotten this far, she decided to get straight to the point. She said, “Matters of the Marquis’s household are not for me, an outsider, to interfere with. But seeing my elder sister truly wronged, I feel I must offend you, Madam. I have a few words to say, which may be unpleasant to hear, so please forgive me. You have not disciplined your son properly, leaving my elder sister to fill the void. People say it’s never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost; you should be working with my elder sister to guide her husband onto the right path, but unfortunately, you have not. I can also see that my brother-in-law has no familial affection for my elder sister; otherwise, he would not have threatened to report her to the authorities after Pan’er’s death. Go ask around the capital; there’s no case of a concubine being above the principal wife, yet your household is like that.”

“Since that’s the case, why don’t you formally marry the concubine, thus avoiding tarnishing a respectable noblewoman? My brother-in-law’s current situation isn’t my elder sister’s fault; it’s due to his immoral conduct and the excessive pampering by the Marquis and his wife. This incident has not only ruined him but also my elder sister’s life. I reiterate, if you wish to maintain this household, please treat my elder sister well and preserve the Marquis’s dignity. If you intend to destroy this marriage, that’s even simpler: write a letter of divorce on behalf of my brother-in-law, allowing my elder sister to return to her parents’ home. There are plenty of women who envy the Marquis’s prestige and are eager to become your son’s second wife; they don’t care whether your son is alive or dead, they only await the Marquis’s wife’s betrothal.”

The words were already very clear. If Madam Chen was not directly confronted and enlightened, she would continue to make things difficult for Shangrou with her sarcastic remarks. Now that the ugly truth was out in the open, the Zhang family would not buy into her twisted logic, and there was no need to seize every opportunity to complain. The Zhang family knew the truth. In other words, if Shangrou wanted to act with impunity in the Chen family, even the Marquis’s wife would have to tolerate it. If she could not, she could divorce Shangrou on behalf of her son and see whether Shangrou or her useless son would fare better in the future.

Shangrou cast a grateful glance at Surou. Sometimes she was clumsy with words and could not rely on her mother to stand up for her. Many times, she was at a disadvantage in arguments, feeling anxious but unable to express it. Now, with Surou by her side, her strong temper and eloquence in dealing with Madam Chen allowed her to vent all her pent-up frustrations. Now she was just waiting for Madam Chen’s reply. If Madam Chen showed even the slightest sign of not trying to keep her, she would pack her belongings and leave the Chen family with An’er without hesitation. Even if she did not remarry and spent her life with her son, it would be better than enduring the endless humiliation in the Chen family.

Sure enough, Madam Chen was stunned. Words stuck in her throat; she could not spit them out or swallow them down, her face turning a riot of colors.

The venting of anger was ultimately only for momentary gratification. The Zhang family was not to be trifled with and was no longer willing to compromise. Because of Chengchuan’s current state, they were even considering a complete break. If she continued to be relentless, her family would truly be ruined.

Unable to utter words of appeasement, Madam Chen rose and went into the inner chamber to weep for her son again. The two remaining concubines awkwardly said to the Zhang family, “We are still family; disagreements are inevitable. Do not take it to heart…”

Lady Yuan, Surou, and Jirou stood up, offering only a faint smile. “Everything that needed to be said has been said. Everyone understands.”

Shangrou did not return with her family. After seeing them to the door, Surou added as she stepped out, “Elder Sister, just rest assured. If anything changes, send someone to the Prince’s Mansion to deliver a message.”

Shangrou nodded, the deep sorrow hidden in her eyes vanishing, replaced by a vibrant energy of rebirth. She squeezed Surou’s hand and said, “Do not worry, I am no longer a pushover. Your words just now made my mother-in-law understand the Zhang family’s stance, and she will not dare to make things difficult for me anymore.”

Surou smiled and said that it was good. She then turned and entrusted her aunt and Jirou to convey her regards to the elders. She explained that she had been quite busy lately and could not find the time, but she would definitely return to contribute to Mianmian’s dowry in a few days, as preparations for her wedding.

After saying their farewells, they each boarded their carriages and returned to their residences. Upon arriving at West Ji’er Lane, they saw the Duke of Wen’s Mansion preparing the dowry in earnest, and the Prince of Hubei’s Mansion’s wedding was just around the corner. She could not help but sigh at how quickly time had passed.

When the carriages came to a stop, the waiting maids at the gate came to greet them. Entering the garden, they realized it was already lunchtime. Today, Helian Song indeed went out of town on business. Surou had a simple meal by herself, and in the afternoon, she reviewed the accounts in the pavilion, redistributing the duties of the maids and servants in the mansion.

To be honest, there were indeed many shortcomings in the details. She had initially wanted to make sweeping changes, but felt that creating unrest would be undesirable. Having dealt with several servants before, those holding nominal positions had learned from the experience and naturally became more vigilant, knowing to take on more work. Since that was the case, she would observe for a couple more days; if it still did not work out, she could develop new methods later.

Of course, being in charge meant many trivial matters. The weddings and funerals of the prominent families could not be neglected. Two such events were already underway: the Prime Minister Sun Yannian’s family had a grandson, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was getting married the following day. Surou arranged each one herself, without needing to delegate the task to others.

This made Governess Wu, who had been standing by and watching, somewhat uneasy. For the next few days, she had people keep an eye on the main house, thinking that the young lady might have oversights, leaving her room to handle things herself. However, after waiting for a while, everything seemed to be under consideration, and the more this happened, the more powerless and bewildered Governess Wu felt.

People used to being busy tend to overthink when they have a moment of leisure. She heard that the Princess had reprimanded the accountant and that the accountant had emerged drenched in cold sweat, nearly tripping over the threshold, not knowing what mistake had gone wrong.

Since there had been a mistake, she assumed the Princess would send someone to summon her for questioning. She prepared several responses, but strangely, two more days passed, and no one from the main house came. She suddenly felt excluded from the Prince’s Mansion, truly superfluous, with nothing left for her to handle. What could she possibly do in this household?

Sure enough, the old women and servants who had previously worked under her no longer showed her much respect. Whenever she inspected the backyard and gave them instructions, they would laugh and make excuses: “The Master and Princess are showing respect to you, Nanny, and letting you rest. Why are you busy again? We are paid by the manor, so we will do our jobs well. Besides, we’ve served you for so long; it’s not like we just arrived. Do we need you to give us instructions at every turn?”

Governess Wu had never been treated with such disrespect. She retorted angrily, “I’ve been the head of this manor for twelve years, and I hired you all. What? Now that you’ve curried favor with the mistress, you’ve learned to talk back to me like this?”

The old women, busy with their work, still offered perfunctory words: “Governess Wu, what are you saying? Of course, we remember your kindness. You are the Master’s wet nurse; in this household, besides the Master and the Princess, you are the most important person. Even if we had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, we would not dare to challenge you!” Saying this, they picked up their baskets and passed by her, saying, “Nanny, please do not stand here. People are coming and going; we might bump into you. We still have work to do and cannot talk to you. Why not go sit in the back corridor for a while? We will come back to listen to your lecture after we are done, alright?” It was as if she were an old woman, not very bright, who needed to be coaxed to be quiet for even a moment.

Governess Wu turned pale with anger, and Nanny Xia, who had been by her side, could only try to comfort her: “Why bother arguing with them? They are just people who do their jobs for money. To keep their jobs, they will naturally side with the Princess. After all, the Princess is in charge now. Those who cannot stand up straight will follow whoever feeds them; you know that, do you not, Nanny?”

So, the tide had turned, and she was useless now? Governess Wu’s pent-up resentment finally subsided somewhat. She said helplessly, “It’s all because the Young Master sides with the Princess. Those people are like dogs; their noses are incredibly sharp. They sniff out the slightest hint of trouble and rush off to fawn over someone else.”

“That’s right,” Nanny Xia helped her, slowly walking back to her own courtyard, saying as they went, “But the young master still respects you, Nanny. After all, you nursed him. In terms of raising him, you’ve been there longer than the Princess of Longyou. How could the young master not understand that? It’s just that now that he is married, things are different. Every family is like that. Even his own mother has to take a backseat after he has a wife. Nanny, just try to be more understanding.”

Governess Wu glanced at Nanny Xia and sighed, “You only gave birth to daughters, so you do not have to suffer like this. You are lucky.”

Nanny Xia laughed upon hearing this. “Oh dear, are you not slapping me in the face, Nanny? The biggest regret of my life is not having a son, and you’re making fun of me! Daughters are indeed caring, but once they get married, they all go off to live their own lives, leaving only the two of us old folks. It’s so lonely! Now I just hope that during festivals, they can bring their sons back to see us, and the whole family can have a reunion dinner together. That would make me very happy.”

Hearing this, Governess Wu thought of her close relatives far away in Longyou and murmured, “I also have a daughter, three months older than the young master. When the old prince was choosing a wet nurse for the Heir Apparent, he chose me, so I left my husband and child and entered the Prince’s palace.”

In Longyou, the Prince of Wukang was like a god. Unlike in the capital, where those choosing wet nurses were mostly from poor families, the Prince of Wukang’s palace only selected wet nurses from among the Xiongnu nobles. Even if the family was not particularly prominent, the birth had to be noble. At that time, who would not consider it an honor to nurse the Heir Apparent? She poured all her heart and soul into the Heir Apparent. Later, when the Heir Apparent was sent to the capital, the Prince of Wukang and his wife solemnly entrusted him to her care. How could she, with such devotion, have accompanied the Heir Apparent step by step to this day?

But now, she suddenly felt lost. Perhaps she had valued that wet nurse status too much, treating him like her own son, and even after he married, still regarding him as a child—it was all a mistake.

“My daughter is twenty-four this year. She married the most outstanding warrior of the Zhenwu Army two years ago and gave birth to a son this spring. I’ve become a grandmother. It’s a pity I have not spent a single day with my own flesh and blood these past years, and I do not know if they are doing well.”

Nanny Xia said, “Nanny, you’ve worked so hard; the Prince and Princess of Longyou will naturally take care of your descendants.”

Governess Wu smiled and said, “That’s true. I’ve dedicated my life to the Helian clan. When the young master returns to Longyou, the Wuluolan clan will continue to serve him loyally, remaining his right-hand woman for life.” As she spoke, she remembered something that had always troubled her and stopped, looking towards the front courtyard.

Nanny Xia, puzzled, asked, “What are you looking at, Nanny?”

Governess Wu replied, “Today is the first day of the month. There’s a meeting at the yamen, and the young master will not be back until evening.”

Nanny Xia said, “The Princess is going back to the Zhang family later; she’s already ordered the carriage to be prepared.”

Governess Wu hesitated for a moment. “Going back alone? Is something wrong with the Zhang family?”

Nanny Xia said, “I heard from Yun Jin, who serves in the garden, that a cousin of the Zhang family is getting married. It must be because of this!”

Governess Wu did not speak but nodded and slowly walked into the courtyard.

Right now, she was idle all day with nothing to do. Governess Wu did not have the habit of taking afternoon naps, especially as the weather was getting cooler each day. If she took a short nap fully clothed, she would wake up feeling a bit chilly. It was better to move around more. Since the Princess was going out today, she figured the young master would not be home yet, so she could take this opportunity to exchange a few words with him.

So she anxiously awaited sunset, and when the time was almost up, she went to wait at the gate. Finally, she saw a carriage enter the alley and hurried down the steps to greet it.

The person in the carriage lifted the curtain and stepped down. Seeing Governess Wu, he smiled and said, “Nanny, why are you waiting at the gate? Where is the Princess?”

Governess Wu replied, “The Princess went back to the Zhang Mansion on business and has not returned yet.”

Helian Song said, “Oh,” and instructed Zhu Bai to move all the documents into the study. He then quickly went into the inner chamber to change his clothes.

After changing, he came out and saw Governess Wu still standing in the front hall. A little surprised, he straightened his sleeves and asked, “Nanny, what’s wrong? Is there something you want to tell me?”

Governess Wu’s lowered eyelids blinked a few times with difficulty, and she tucked her hands behind her back, saying, “I do have a few words; I’d like to offer some advice to the young master.”

Her words were spoken so seriously that it was clearly not a trivial matter. He pondered for a moment and said, “I have many official duties today. If Nanny has something to say, let’s go to the study.”

Walking along the wooden corridor of the inner courtyard, he came to a quaint, independent courtyard—his home office. He gestured for Governess Wu to enter, pointed to a round-backed chair for her to sit in, and then bent down to busy himself with organizing documents. He took a moment to ask, “Did the Princess say whether she would return for dinner?”

Newlyweds were often deeply in love and attentive to every little detail, which was understandable. Governess Wu replied, “Before leaving, the Princess instructed her maid to prepare dinner, but did not say whether she would return for dinner. She anticipates that the Grand Madam of the Zhang family will try to persuade her to stay, and perhaps she will dine with her grandmother before returning; it’s uncertain.”

Helian Song said, “That’s fine. I am very busy here and cannot find the time to have a meal with her.” He paused, then remembered what had happened and looked up, saying, “What does Nanny want to say? There are no outsiders here, so please speak freely.”

Governess Wu agreed and stepped forward, asking, “Have the Young Master and the Princess been getting along well lately?”

He was slightly taken aback. “Why do you ask this, Nanny?”

Governess Wu said, “I’ve noticed that the Princess Consort has been married for a short time, and she and the Master have had several quarrels. Although they were just minor arguments, we servants felt that the Princess Consort lacked a bit of consideration. I had always hoped that you would get married soon so that you would have someone who cared about your well-being, and I would feel at ease. But I didn’t expect that the Princess Consort’s temperament was not as gentle as I imagined… My boy, you already have a hard time dealing with things outside, and when you come back, you still have to try your best to coax the Princess Consort. You must be exhausted.”

The person behind the desk, hearing this, slowly sighed and forced a smile, saying, “Between husband and wife, some friction is normal. After all, she’s just entered the Prince’s Mansion; we both need time to adjust. Not only should she be understanding of me, but I should be more understanding of her, too.”

His expression made Governess Wu feel even more sorry for him, and she muttered angrily, “This is not marrying a pleasing wife; it’s welcoming back a Bodhisattva! And yet, the man who has to handle important matters has to be understanding of her.”

Helian Song remained noncommittal, his attention still focused on the official documents in his hands. He sat down, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to correct them, saying, “Things will get better in time… The Princess is very strict. If the servants follow her instructions, everything will be fine.”

“Strict rules are not necessarily a bad thing. The servants are paid a monthly stipend, so a stricter rule is understandable. However, I feel a little sorry for the young master. A man like him is hard to find even with a lantern; he should not have to put himself through this.”

Governess Wu calmed herself down, feeling she really should discuss this with him, and changed to a gentler tone, “I noticed that the servants in the main room are all maids brought by the Princess. I’m afraid it’s not very convenient for you to use them. Of the maids around you before, only Yun Jin is reliable. The others, like Shu Jin and Su Ling, are not very perceptive or quick-witted. I’m thinking of buying two more people from outside. Choose those who are good-looking and have good temperaments to serve in the study, so they won’t be involved with the main room. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. As long as you agree, I will talk to the Princess. The Princess is always generous in her use of people, so there’s no reason for her not to agree.”

T/N: What’s wrong with these old women? The Marchioness is so biased! And this Governess Wu is so meddlesome!