Spring Message in the Snow – CH 081

Chapter 81

Helian Song looked up in surprise, a slight smile appearing after the initial shock. He said helplessly, “Nanny, it has not even been a month since the Princess and I got married. Arranging new maids in the study at this time… is not quite appropriate.”

Governess Wu said, “Having more people serve the young master is also easing the Princess’s burdens. What’s inappropriate about that? The young master has always been decisive, never caring about such trivial matters. Now that he’s married, he’s become increasingly meticulous, and it really bothers me.”

She then took two steps forward and said gently, “A teapot should be paired with four teacups. With the young master’s status, what’s inappropriate? The Princess comes from a noble family, with uncles and brothers. Even if she has not experienced it herself, she’s certainly seen and heard about it. Like the young mistress of the Marquis of Xingyang’s mansion, how many people in the capital do not know how magnanimous she is? We are not taking concubines for the young master, just choosing two clever and quick-witted girls, promoting them to first or second-class maids, and placing them by his side. It will not bother the Princess. What reason does the Princess have to object?”

After working on documents for a while, the man looked up again and smiled calmly. “I know you care about me, Nanny, but this is being too hasty. Doing this might invite criticism. I went to great lengths to marry the Princess, and now that my wish is fulfilled, if I turn around and take in a new concubine, would I not become the second young master of the Marquis of Xingyang?” He repeated, “Let’s wait a while, at least two or three months.”

It was this ambiguous statement that restored Governess Wu’s confidence.

When she came to offer her advice, she was prepared for a firm rejection, but she had not expected the young master to be so accommodating. So, women should be more submissive, not too assertive; once they were too assertive, even the most passionate man would be exhausted.

The young master’s resolve wavered. He was only worried about public opinion and being compared to the son of the Marquis of Xingyang, but Governess Wu thought these worries were unnecessary. How could a man known for his womanizing ways compare to a man who waited until he was twenty-four to marry? One could simply go to the capital and inquire. The Heir Apparent had always been virtuous and had never had a bad reputation.

Now that he was married, an adult, and understood the weight of his responsibilities. The title of Prince of Wukang was different from other noble titles; this title was hereditary. Even the princes and princesses of Longyou, thousands of miles away, yearned to hold their grandchildren and for their Heir Apparent to add to the Helian clan’s lineage.

Therefore, Governess Wu felt increasingly justified. “Then let her serve as a maid for the study for now. If the young master finds her agreeable, he can promote her later; if not, then we can choose another.”

Helian Song finally frowned. “Nanny, are you not making things difficult for me? The Princess will definitely be unhappy if she finds out, and she will cause a ruckus, making my life even harder.”

Governess Wu pressed her advantage. “Among all the noblewomen in the capital, none willingly take concubines for their husbands, yet that has not stopped princes and generals from having multiple wives and concubines. They all have to get through that hurdle eventually. Can the princess, who teaches the noblewomen of the capital, not behave with proper etiquette and decorum? Would she not become a laughingstock? Anyway, leave this matter to me; the young master does not need to concern himself with it.”

Governess Wu was about to turn and leave when Helian Song had to stop her, saying helplessly, “Nanny, do not rush. Let me discuss this matter with the Princess first before making a decision. If the Princess does not agree, it’s pointless to send away as many as you bring in. I only wish for peace and less conflict so I can focus on my official duties. As for the concubines and maids, they are unavoidable in the future. When the die is cast, she will have to agree, whether she likes it or not.” He glanced at Governess Wu again. “Actually… I reunited with Zhiniang last month.”

Governess Wu looked blankly. “Zhiniang? Which Zhiniang?”

Helian Song said, “The little girl we rescued on our way from Longyou to the capital—do you not remember, Nanny?”

Governess Wu suddenly realized, “Ah, I remember now, the little girl who followed us all the way from Xizhou to Fengxiang Prefecture.”

Helian Song nodded. “I met her in the market last month before the wedding. She had come to Fengxiang Prefecture to seek refuge with relatives but was sold to a Sogdian merchant caravan. Over the years, she has learned vocal music and dance, traveling all over the country with the caravan, and just came to the capital this year. It was such a coincidence that when I was having a banquet with my colleagues in the Central Market District, she was performing at the restaurant, and she recognized me at a glance… I couldn’t bear to see her wandering and helpless, so I ordered someone to arrange a courtyard for her to stay in Chunming Ward. The Princess does not know about this yet; I am thinking… I will tell her later.”

Even Governess Wu was somewhat stunned. They had reunited before the wedding? This peach blossom either did not bloom at all, or it bloomed in twos—so quietly, yet he had already prepared an outer residence.

“This…” Governess Wu rubbed her hands. This was not just arranging maids; this was genuinely raising someone. She wondered what the Princess would think when she found out.

She hesitated for a long time before saying, “That Zhiniang… although we are old acquaintances, she’s been wandering around for years and is no longer a pure girl…”

The setting sun slanted through the curtain, illuminating his chest, the cloud patterns on his clothes surging, shimmering with a fine silver light. Helian Song pursed his lips, and after a long while, he said, “She’s pitiful. She cried when she saw me. Since I saved her once before, I do not mind saving her again now.”

Governess Wu could not help but feel somewhat hesitant. “This matter… I am afraid it cannot be kept a secret. Perhaps we should just keep her outside. Anyway, with her background, she’s not suitable to be brought into the Prince’s Mansion. Did the young master not say he met her at a banquet with his colleagues? Does that not mean quite a few people already know?”

He nodded dejectedly. “But these days, such things are commonplace; nobody will care.”

That was true. The capital was full of charming and talented men. Stories like this, where a woman was rescued by a stranger in a crowd, were considered beautiful tales, even worthy of being celebrated in poems by literary figures. Probably only the Princess Consort would care.

Governess Wu sighed in relief, glanced at him, and hesitated several times before finally saying, “If you need assistance over there, please let me know, and I will arrange everything.”

Helian Song agreed, then picked up his pen again, his mind in turmoil. “Nanny, you may leave. I have other matters to attend to. I will just have a light meal tonight.”

Governess Wu said yes and left the study. Helian Song watched her exit through the moon gate before closing the official documents in his hand and placing them aside.

A carriage stopped in front of the mansion gate. A lantern hanging from the carriage shaft cast a narrow beam of light. Using that light, Nanny Fu lifted the curtain and helped Surou alight. Surou glanced back at Quelan, who was carrying a food box, and reminded her to be careful not to knock it over. “My husband loves this yellow sparrow stew. I wonder if he’s eaten yet. Quickly take it in to add some food for him.”

Quelan replied with a “Yes” and quickly went inside. Surou and Nanny Fu walked slowly towards the garden gate, where they met Governess Wu.

Governess Wu saw her and bowed, saying, “Your Highness is back? Have you eaten?”

Surou said she had eaten. “My stepmother invited me to stay for a simple meal. On my way back, I passed by Pan Tower and remembered that my husband loves their yellow sparrow stew. I was waiting to have it made fresh, so I was delayed a while.”

Governess Wu nodded. “Your Highness may not know, but compared to the yellow sparrow fish stew, the young master prefers steamed mutton. The mutton is washed with tea water brewed from ten-year-old tea cakes, then steamed. The meat has the rich aroma of tea, is not fatty or greasy, and is very palatable.”

Surou, being a perceptive person, became somewhat suspicious upon hearing her speak so eloquently. “Nanny, you seem to be in such high spirits today, telling me about how to make steamed mutton. Something happy must have happened?”

Governess Wu said no, but her smile widened. Previously, she had been filled with helplessness towards the princess, but now, seeing her somewhat pitiful, she felt more superior. She smiled and said, “It’s kind of Your Highness to bring the young master his favorite dishes after returning from your trip. However, the young master had already had dinner in the study; I wonder if he can still eat. If he cannot, just have it sent to the kitchen. We can steam it again tomorrow; it will not make a difference.” With that, she bowed slightly and went to the back garden.

Surou and Nanny Fu exchanged a glance. Nanny Fu said, “This old woman’s words are loaded with meaning; I wonder what she’s plotting again.”

Surou smiled, and instead of returning to her main room, she went to the study.

Two servants stood outside the study. Seeing her arrive, they hurried to announce her arrival, but she gestured for them to leave. She stood in the corridor for a while, peering through the half-open window at the scene inside.

When Helian Song was busy with official duties, he truly possessed the air of a powerful and noble heir—calm, aloof, and shrewd, knowing exactly how to proceed. When she saw him that night in front of Pan Tower, he had that same unapproachable demeanor. He had transformed himself into someone else solely to marry her, knowing that if he acted aloof, she would be even more aloof, and if both remained reserved, the marriage would be impossible.

The food box that Quelan had brought earlier remained unopened, still lying to the side. He knew she had returned and hurriedly prepared to return to their room.

He glanced up casually and suddenly noticed her standing by the window. His expression softened instantly, a sudden surprise appearing. “What are you doing standing there? Why not come in?”

Surou then gracefully entered, smiling, “I came to see what you were busy with, to see if there was anyone I had not seen before hiding in the study.”

As if she could foresee the future, his smile froze on his lips. “Have you heard something?”

Surou blinked. “Heard what?”

He studied her expression, slowly raising his brows. “Have you not heard anything?”

Surou mimicked his manner, feigning a profound and calculating expression. “I am waiting for you to tell me yourself, My Lord. You know I just returned from outside, right? I know quite a few people in the capital, and I inevitably ran into a few noble ladies on the road, who then heard things from elsewhere…” She smiled. “So, will you tell me, My Lord?”

He conceded defeat. “It seems…it seems I really should…”

His expression was uneasy. Surou had initially only been teasing him, but he could not resist her cajoling, and she was indeed trying to fish him out.

Her smile faded, and she scrutinized him carefully. “My Lord, shall we go back to our room?”

He swallowed hard, then said yes, pointing helplessly to the table. “I’ve finished my official duties, and I was just about to go back.”

Surou fell silent, turning to look around. Seeing Quelan standing at the door, she asked, “You came in before me; did you notice anything unusual?”

Quelan shook her head. “When I came in, the Heir Apparent was busy. There was nothing unusual.”

Helian Song smiled awkwardly. “Is my wife wary of me? This study is full of servants, men serving tea and water, handling writing materials. There’s nothing unusual about it.”

His heart skipped a beat. Had the news leaked out so quickly? Not long ago, Governess Wu had mentioned adding more people to the study, and she already knew? And her expression—suddenly somber—was she deliberately putting on an act in front of the servants? He had hoped she would touch her ear, but she did not. She looked at him with a probing expression. He realized that this time it was not fake; she was genuinely waiting for him to confess.

“Shall we go back to the room? My wife, let’s go back to the room.” He quickly closed the document and said with a forced smile, “You’ve been running around all day; are you tired? Did Grandmother invite you to dinner? I did not go with you; did she ask about me?”

Surou increasingly felt that he was rambling and had something to hide, but she still patiently answered him, “Of course she did ask. I told her you were busy at the yamen and could not find the time, so we’d go back together on the eighth day, after my cousin’s wedding.”

He nodded. “I will make arrangements in advance. I will definitely be free on the eighth.” He took her hand and led her out of the study, asking as they walked, “Why did you go back for today? Is something wrong at home? Or has something happened to your elder sister?”

Surou said, “My cousin is getting married, and I went back to prepare her dowry. I happened to run into my elder sister. She said that the yamen arrested that gang of thugs a few days ago, but after much interrogation, they only convicted them of robbery and kidnapping, without uncovering the real culprit. Now the case is closed, and the Marquis of Xingyang and his wife have resigned themselves to their fate. They’ve found many famous physicians to treat Chen Ang, but unfortunately, they are all helpless.”

The eldest sister was now living a peaceful life, having sent two servants to attend to Chen Ang’s every need, and rarely visited that courtyard. Although Marchioness Chen would complain, she dared not force her, only patiently persuading her to go and see him for An’er’s sake.

Speaking of this, one must say that karma was cyclical, and retribution was swift. Shangrou reluctantly went to that courtyard for a quick look. Chen Ang had been recuperating for over ten days, and his mind was clear, but like his mother, he still dreamt of recovering, repeatedly criticizing Shangrou for not fulfilling her duties as a wife and not taking care of him.

It was lunchtime when a servant brought in a food box. Shangrou, unusually, took it, telling the servant to leave, “I will serve him here.”

The servant agreed and retreated into the courtyard. Shangrou stood before him, bowl in hand, watching him rant and rave. The more he cursed, the more intrigued she became. After a while, she said, “My Lord, your whole body is weak; only your mouth can still be hard. I advise you to be honest; only by being honest will you have food to eat.”

But Chen Ang, consumed by self-pity, became even more irritable, gritting his teeth and saying, “You wretched woman, if I ever recover, I will certainly give you a good beating!”

Shangrou scoffed, “You think you are still fine? Look at yourself; you cannot even lift a spoon. Do not expect to get out of bed.” With that, she dumped all the cheese from the bowl onto the floor in front of him. “Mother’s gone out on errands; she will not be back for a while. You will go hungry today! When she gets back, you can complain that I am mistreating you and not feeding you.”

Seeing his face contorted with anger, she found it increasingly amusing, clutching her stomach and laughing until tears streamed down her face. “My Lord, you’ve finally met your comeuppance! I thought you’d be arrogant your whole life. Too bad; now you are in my hands. How am I supposed to deal with you? Starve you? Forbid anyone from cleaning your mess? You will rot in this house!”

Chen Ang’s face flushed crimson, and he gasped for breath, cursing, “You wicked woman… You poisonous woman…”

Shangrou, prompted by him, suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She leaned down and said, “If you keep nagging, I will poison you until you cannot utter a single word, until you are completely reduced to a pile of rotten flesh. Once your parents are fed up with you, you will be left with no one to turn to.” She paused, her gaze shifting downwards to three inches below his navel, pondering, “You’ve already lost all feeling. If I cut that spot, you probably will not feel any pain! It will just mean more blood loss, which might kill you…”

This completely terrified Chen Ang. He knew that his wife, whom he had previously oppressed, truly possessed the ability and determination for revenge. For a cripple like him, if she ever felt impatient, killing him would be easier than crushing an ant. So he submitted, ceasing his clamor, and even felt a sense of fear whenever Shangrou appeared.

Free from the control of her in-laws or her husband, Shangrou lived a peaceful life with her child. When it came time to settle the monthly accounts, she was surprised to find an extra seventy or eighty taels of silver—thanks to Chen Ang’s two weeks of quiet. As long as she did not have to fill that hole, the surplus would only increase. This comfortable and free life was enough for Shangrou.

She had never been a person with many worldly desires, and these years of wasting time with Chen Ang had exhausted her yearning for romantic love. Things were good as they were now. A few more years, when her in-laws and husband were gone, she could be in charge of her own life, much better than starting over in a new family and living under someone else’s roof again.

After hearing Surou’s account of Shangrou’s situation, Helian Song was genuinely relieved for his sister-in-law. As they walked, he said, “Although this case is closed, we cannot let Prince Dai’s son get away with it. I sent men out to investigate; he’s committed many crimes. Once things have calmed down, we will target him from another angle and eliminate him, clearing a path for An’er.”

As he spoke, he entered the inner chamber and found his personal attendants gone. He quickly turned to look at Surou, who was looking at him with a half-smile, her eyes slightly narrowed. He immediately felt guilty, his hands fidgeting, and quickly confessed about Governess Wu.

Surou laughed, “While I was away, I was already thinking about your food and drink, and you two, while I was not home, were already plotting how to add to the family.”

Helian Song, as if facing a formidable enemy, hurriedly said, “This is Governess Wu’s idea; it has nothing to do with me. My Lady, please do not implicate me.”

But her gaze shifted and landed on his guilty face. “Governess Wu’s suggestions, as long as I do not agree, even if we buy people in, are useless. This is just a small matter, not worth mentioning. Is there anything else you are hiding from me, My Lord?”

She scrutinized him carefully, finding him increasingly suspicious. Since she had already gotten this far, perhaps a little more effort would uncover some secrets she did not know.

He stammered for a while, finally giving up the resistance, and mustered his courage to say, “I know I cannot hide this from you; I will have to confess sooner or later. So I will just tell you today: I am keeping someone on the side, and she’s pregnant. Once the child is born, I plan to bring her back for you to raise.”