Spring Message in the Snow – CH 088

Chapter 88

Nanny Fu examined her face by the lamplight. Seeing her pale complexion, she exclaimed in alarm, “What’s wrong, Madam? Has something happened?”

Surou shook her head. “I feel a little nauseous.”

Turning her head, she saw the other noble ladies arriving gracefully. She had no choice but to rouse herself. After a warm farewell, they each boarded their carriages and returned to their respective residences.

The trouble was that the Imperial Princess was traveling with her, and halfway there, she lifted the curtain and called out to her, smiling, “I saw the Heir Apparent’s congratulatory gift at the Empress’s place. Pearls of this quality are quite rare. I saw Her Majesty liked them very much; I wonder where he found them?”

Surou replied with an “Oh” and “They said they were sent through a friend in the south, and it took quite a bit of effort to get them to the capital. We still have half a box at home, but the size and quality are all inferior. If Your Highness does not mind, I will have someone send them over tomorrow; they can even be used to make a hairpin for the County Princess.”

The Imperial Princess quickly said, “No need, no need. I was just asking casually; how could I let you spend money?”

Surou smiled and said, “Anyway, I do not need them. Why are you being so polite with me, Your Highness?” After exchanging a few more casual words, she lowered the curtain, her face showing impatience, and instructed Si’er to drive slowly so that the Imperial Princess’s carriage could go first.

Quelan, half-embracing her, grew increasingly anxious seeing her slump. She softly asked, “Is something wrong, Madam?”

Surou remained silent, her brows furrowed as she closed her eyes. After walking for a while, she suddenly called for Si’er to stop the car, anxiously leaning out to vomit. This startled both Nanny Fu and Quelan, who rushed over, patting her back and asking urgently, “Why are you vomiting?”

After this ordeal, she grew even weaker. Finally arriving home and settling into bed, they sent for a physician to examine her. Nanny Fu, attending to her at the bedside, pondered for a long time before cautiously rubbing her hands and saying, “Madam, could you be pregnant?”

Surou was startled, thinking to herself, “I’ve used the medicine every time; could it be that the medicine is not working?” If she were to become pregnant at this time, it would be truly a bad thing. Previously, when Helian Song planned to return to Longyou, she was indifferent, but after the Emperor’s outrageous words and actions today, she had never longed to leave the capital as much as she did now. She knew that if she were left alone, it would be like standing on thin ice; a fall would be into an abyss.

Her heart was filled with anxiety. Finally, the physician arrived. She waited anxiously for the result. Soon, the physician reassured her, saying it was just a common stomach cold, caused by the sudden chill in the freezing weather and the Princess’s fatigue from traveling. He said that with careful rest for a couple of days, she would be fine.

Surou finally breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, those around her did not understand her worries; they had their own regrets. In their eyes, Zhiniang was already pregnant, and if her mistress were also pregnant now, she could outshine Zhiniang and shut up that old woman, Governess Wu.

However, the more eager one was to desire something, the less likely things were to go smoothly. It was best not to say anything more. Nanny Fu had the maid see the physician out, then turned back to tuck her mistress in, whispering, “Madam, you are exhausted today. Rest well; you will feel better.”

Surou, listless and dejected, stared at the canopy ceiling and murmured, “When will my husband return…?”

In truth, it had only been two days since he left, yet she already felt an emptiness in her heart. Before his departure, he had arranged for many guards and imperial guards inside and outside the mansion. Although this ensured the safety of the residence, too many unforeseen events were possible. Faced with absolute power, everyone was like an ant, utterly powerless.

That night, she was in a daze, having many strange dreams, constantly hovering between sleep and wakefulness. She woke once at dawn, and when she opened her eyes again, it was already past the hour of Chen (7 AM). She heard short footsteps outside, knowing that breakfast was being prepared.

Beside the screen, Jiao Yue peeked in quietly. Seeing that she was awake, she came in to serve her, unfolding a robe and draping it over her shoulders, saying, “It snowed heavily last night; the courtyard is piled high. Madam, dress warmly and come see the snow.”

Girls all loved this kind of weather. The courtyard was covered in snow; although it was cold, it added a different kind of charm to the otherwise monotonous days.

Surou used to love snow too, especially the heavier the snowfall, but now she felt a vague worry, wondering what the weather was like in Youzhou and whether it was also snowing heavily. Helian Song was in the army, wearing cold armor all day, and could not always stay in his tent. The thought of him walking in the snow and ice made the snow less appealing.

She slipped on soft shoes and moved out of the inner room. Warm stoves were burning at the front and back of the main room, and a copper kettle bobbed on one of the stoves, the steam making a clicking sound as it pushed the lid open. The maidservant quickly prepared water for her to wash up. Once everything was ready, she sat down at the small table and ate a bowl of porridge. Usually, they ate together, and the sudden solitude made her feel a little uneasy.

While eating, she was still thinking, turning to Jie Lu and asking, “It suddenly snowed. Did you pack several thick fur robes for the Heir Apparent?”

Jie Lu replied, “About ten thick robes, plus a few gray squirrel fur cloaks and fox fur capes. Do not worry, Madam; with Zhu Bai attending to him closely, the Heir Apparent will not get cold.”

She nodded, feeling somewhat reassured. After finishing her meal, she got up and went to the eaves, looking at the courtyard covered in snow. The world was quiet; there was not a sound of wind, only the soft rustling of snow falling from the sky.

Just then, someone rushed in through the door, ignoring the old woman pulling at her, and went straight to the main room. With a stern face, she curtsied and said, “Your Highness, please judge this! In this cold weather, only five catties of charcoal were given to Hengfen Courtyard, and not even a new coat was prepared. Lady Yan is so cold that she hides in bed and will not get up. If I had not gone to check on her, she probably would have frozen to death, and no one would have known. I just want to ask Your Highness, is it against all the rules to be pregnant with the Master’s child? The whole household is conspiring to make things difficult for the new concubine. Who gave the order to do this? I’ve thought it through carefully. There are only two heads of the household. The Master is not home, so only Your Highness is in charge. Are those blind, wicked old women just making wild guesses about Your Highness’s intentions, thinking that by mistreating Lady Yan, they can gain favor with Your Highness?”

The old woman who had come with her pulled and tugged at her, her face contorted with bitterness. “Governess Wu,” she said, “why are you doing this? Yesterday, the sudden cold prevented us from attending to the west side. Today, when you came to me, did I not immediately begin preparations? And now you are causing a scene before the Princess? What are you up to?”

Governess Wu shoved the old woman who was weighing the charcoal. “Lady Yan’s servant, Guang Ling, went to ask for it last night. What did you say? ‘We are distributing charcoal to Hengfen Courtyard according to the allotted amount, afraid that over-burning it might harm Lady Yan.’ Bah! Is that something you should be complaining about? If I do not make a scene, you will all seize on this as an excuse. When the Master left, he instructed the Princess to take care of Lady Yan, and the Princess did not say anything. Yet you are all so eager to be loyal dogs, ‘so loyal,’ but someone will throw meat at you later!”

This was not the first time Governess Wu’s words had been loaded with meaning. This time, she deliberately brought the matter to Surou’s attention, perhaps relying on the child in Zhiniang’s womb to wield her power. The maids and servants in the garden, of course, all sided with the Princess. They’d created a concubine out of thin air, and since wives and concubines had always been at odds, they were all determined to ostracize that young woman.

Surou, seeing Governess Wu’s veiled accusations, did not bother with her, simply saying, “If you want charcoal, then get charcoal. Nanny, you’ve been in the mansion for so long; go and say it yourself. Would anyone dare to interfere? Why drag this whole mess into this?”

The servants weighing the charcoal were still pulling at her, but Governess Wu forcefully pulled her hands off, patting her clothes, and said, “I just want the Princess to see what kind of arrogant, domineering wind has swept through this garden. Everything was fine before, but now it’s turned into this.”

She was practically saying that the Princess’s arrival had corrupted the family’s reputation. Quelan, already seething with anger and just looking for an opportunity to vent, was about to retort, her face flushed, when Nanny Fu pulled her back.

Nanny Fu, unafraid to step forward, said with a forced smile, “The Princess Consort returned from the Forbidden City yesterday, and she was not feeling well. As an old nanny in the household and the Heir Apparent’s wet nurse, you should have been concerned for the Princess Consort. Why are you only showing up now, and even then, you are here to interrogate her? What a show of power! You keep saying that Lady Yan was bullied, but with the nanny protecting her in that courtyard, who would dare to make things difficult for her? They’d surely beat her senseless! Why make it sound so aggrieved! I advise you not to rush into this. Lady Yan is pregnant with the Heir Apparent’s child, but it’s still unclear whether it’s a boy or a girl. I do not know why you are in such a hurry. Now that I think about it, you are really a fool. Anyone with common sense knows that hoping for the principal wife to be pregnant is the right thing to do. Unlike you, who puts a concubine’s child above all else. Do you expect that child to take care of you in your old age?”

Governess Wu’s face turned pale with anger. “Watch your mouth! Since that’s the Heir Apparent’s child, what does ‘concubine’s birth and upbringing’ mean? Who are you insulting?”

Nanny Fu said, “I’m not usually one to argue with people. Having served in the Zhang family for many years, I’ve always known that masters and servants are clearly distinguished. But coming to the Prince’s Mansion with our lady has truly opened my eyes. A wet nurse in charge of the household, acting like a goddess, making things difficult for the new bride through veiled insults. Let alone a servant, a lowly wet nurse, or even the proper Princess of Wukang, wouldn’t treat her daughter-in-law this way. Have you been too frivolous in the capital, blinded by greed? Do you still think of yourself as the Princess of Longyou? Trying to act all high and mighty like a mother-in-law, just for show? Let me tell you, my mistress respects you but won’t stoop to teaching you a lesson. I don’t care who you are. Since you’re supported by the household, you’d better live your life properly and behave like a servant. Understand that we’re all servants; no one is more valuable than anyone else. It’s best if we can all live in peace, but if you’re determined to make things difficult for my mistress, I don’t care whose wet nurse you are. If things come to a head, we’ll go to the Heir Apparent and ask him to judge. I simply don’t believe that a wet nurse can be more important than one’s own spouse.”

Nanny Fu, having gained some experience, spoke without reservation, venting all the pent-up frustration of the servants over the past few days.

Governess Wu stared blankly. Having been in the capital for so long, managing the household affairs of the Prince’s Mansion, she had never been so openly insulted. She was so angry she nearly fainted. Pointing at Nanny Fu, she said, “Well, now that the Prince’s Mansion has changed hands, it’s an outsider’s turn to insult me!”

Jiao Yue, standing nearby, coldly said, “Nanny, that’s not right. Who’s the outsider? Our mistress is the head mistress of the Prince’s Mansion. We are her servants. Which one is the outsider? Please point it out, Nanny.”

Their heated exchange terrified the charcoal-weighing woman, who shrank into a tiny, trembling figure. She tugged at Governess Wu’s clothes, saying, “Nanny… did you not want charcoal? Let’s go weigh it now. Why bother making a scene in the main house?”

Governess Wu would not have it, waving her hand dismissively. “This is the wet nurse’s son’s residence. The young master grew up on my milk. Who’s the outsider? Do I need to explain?”

Jie Lu, rarely one to stand out or argue, could not help but mock Governess Wu. “Nanny, calm down. Although you nursed the Heir Apparent, that was twenty years ago. Now the Heir Apparent does not drink your milk anymore. You insist on arguing with the main house. I really do not know what you are up to.”

This time, Governess Wu was completely speechless. She had not expected these lowly servants to dare to talk back to her like this. She wanted to deal with them, but unfortunately, the Princess Consort held power above her. The entire household was now in her hands. She had truly relinquished power and had nothing left. That was why even those lowly servants dared to challenge her.

Surou stood there listening for a while, and seeing that Governess Wu’s momentum had been suppressed, she also became somewhat disheartened. Turning to Quelan, she instructed, “Lady Yan does not have any winter clothes. Send her the two new sets I made first. Once the snow stops, have someone go to Hengfen Courtyard to take her measurements and make them as soon as possible so she can change into clean clothes. As for charcoal, let her use as much as she needs; it’s not worth arguing about such things.”

She then looked at Governess Wu and said calmly, “I think Zhiniang is an honest person; I doubt she has so many complaints. Governess Wu’s fiery temper has really made enemies for her. I know you care about Zhiniang and are afraid she will be mistreated. How about this: you go and look after her from now on. If anyone mistreats her, having you there will allow you to uphold justice for her.”

However, this made Governess Wu feel awkward. After all, Zhiniang was a concubine, and she felt somewhat uncomfortable having a successor prince’s wet nurse serve her in her courtyard. However, her reluctance did not stop her from supporting Zhiniang, so she said, “I was entrusted by the Prince and Princess of Longyou to take care of only the young master. This time, it is because Lady Yan is pregnant with the Heir Apparent’s child that I am taking extra care of her. The Princess does not need to rush to send me away.”

“Since you’ve been entrusted with taking care of my husband, it’s naturally your duty to care for his child as well. When the child is born, we’ll entrust him entirely to Governess Wu. It’s best to have one guest and not trouble two hosts; I think that’s a good idea.” Surou finished speaking slowly, smiling meaningfully. Suddenly realizing she was getting cold standing outside for so long, she stopped arguing and turned back into the house.

The tug-of-war ended just like that. It was hard to say whether Governess Wu won or lost miserably, but she went back fuming afterwards. Although she did not gain the upper hand verbally in the main house, she ensured that Zhiniang’s needs for food, clothing, and other necessities were met to the fullest extent possible.

Jie Lu sighed, hands tucked behind her back. “That Governess Wu steals food and drink for the west courtyard. Even though Lady Yan did not get any credit, she’s the one who benefits in the end. It’s infuriating! Why does Madam have to give her the newly made clothes? Just grab a couple from any maid and send them over. Does she even deserve to wear Madam’s clothes?”

Nanny Fu replied, “If a fuss breaks out, people will spread rumors. Two pieces of clothing are nothing. What’s most important is that Madam earns a reputation for being virtuous and generous.”

Surou smiled calmly. In truth, a reputation for being virtuous and generous was not important to her. Last time, Helian Song returned, saying that her father-in-law in Longyou was in poor health. Longyou had always been a battleground, and people’s hearts had never settled. If they did not return soon, the situation would be unstable. If the foundation collapsed, his position as a hostage in the capital would be precarious.

As for Zhiniang… Her original name probably was not Zhiniang either. Surou did not know her name but felt somewhat sorry for her for making her a concubine. Helian Song had mentioned her background; Zhiniang used to be a sentry and a death squad member. In Longyou, there were such sentries, born to protect their master for generations. These people had to live past forty before they could retire and go home to have children. Zhiniang, having been in the capital for many years, had found love. Without permission, the lovers would have to wait another twenty years to be together. This arrangement was a win-win situation; although she could not openly be with her husband, secretly seeing each other was not difficult.

Furthermore, the three of them would eventually leave the capital. Perhaps many years later, the Emperor would trust Longyou and no longer need to detain hostages. He himself would travel between Longyou and the capital with his child, and at that time, the Prince’s Mansion would no longer exist. Helian Jingwei married a woman from beyond the Great Wall, while Helian Song married a girl from the capital. If the Emperor still harbored suspicions about Longyou ten years from now, even sending his eldest son would be better than Helian Song’s situation, with the Zhang family’s protection.

Sigh, her mind was in turmoil. She had been thinking too much lately; it was exhausting. It was snowing today, a rare opportunity. Thinking for a moment, she turned and picked up a brush from the table. The brush of fluffy sheep’s hair was perfect for sweeping the snow. She instructed Jiao Yue, “Bring me a jade bowl.”

Jiao Yue obediently brought the white jade bowl to her and asked, “What does Madam need this for?”

Surou said it was for making incense. “There’s an incense that requires snow from the first plum blossoms as a primer. It only happens once a year, so we cannot miss the opportunity.”

Jiao Yue suddenly understood, “Spring message in the snow?”

Surou nodded, put on her cloak, and went to the garden.

The Prince’s Garden was truly a peculiar place. Helian Song loved collecting exotic flowers and rare herbs, and the feng shui here seemed to nurture these plants. Even the cactus he used to apologize with thorns on his back grew naturally in the garden; it was a large tree, covered with straw for warmth during the winter, and continued to thrive in the spring. In the southeast corner of the garden, the plum tree was in full bloom, its gnarled branches creating a strange beauty of decay and vibrant color. Standing beneath it, one could smell its delicate fragrance.

Surou, holding a bowl in one hand and a brush in the other, carefully brushed away a small patch of snow from the plum blossom, sighing, “The snow tells of spring’s arrival… Once we get through this long, harsh winter, spring will not be far away.”

The snow, stained with plum blossom pollen, quickly melted into floral dew when placed indoors. Jie Lu and Quelan had already ground the necessary spices into powder. Surou rolled up her sleeves and layered the spices and floral dew in the incense burner. Because the incense sticks dried even faster, she pressed them one by one with a pump and placed them by the stove to bake. The rising aroma gradually diffused as the moisture evaporated, quickly filling the entire room.

After several hours of work, it was already noon. A table was brought from the kitchen, with several dishes laid out. She ate a few bites absentmindedly and then ordered that everything be simpler next time. Just as she finished eating and was about to lie down, a servant came in to announce that the young mistress of the Marquis of Xingyang’s residence had sent word that the Grand Madam of the Zhang family was ill and bedridden and asked if the Princess wished to return to visit her.

Upon hearing this, Surou’s drowsiness vanished instantly. She hurriedly went into her inner chamber to change her clothes and rushed out the door. Fortunately, the two houses were not far apart, but due to the slippery roads caused by the heavy snow, it took her nearly half an hour to reach home. Entering the garden, she went straight to the inner chamber, where she saw her sisters all gathered around the bed, serving the Grand Madam her medicine.

Hearing footsteps, the old lady looked up and saw her enter through the snow. She could not help but laugh. “It’s just a slight cold, yet you’ve all been alarmed. Look, I am perfectly fine, not some kind of terminal illness.”

Seeing that her grandmother’s face showed some signs of illness, but her spirits were not bad, Surou’s heart finally settled. She patted her chest and said, “Grandmother has always been healthy and rarely suffers from minor ailments. How could we not be worried when she suddenly fell ill?” She then asked Zhirou, “Which physician did you call?”

Zhirou replied, “Uncle went to fetch Chief Physician Song. Chief Physician Song said it’s nothing serious, just a sudden change in the weather that caused Grandmother to catch a cold. A couple of doses of medicine to induce sweating will do the trick.”

Surou nodded, about to speak, when suddenly a loud commotion came from outside. The sound of Mianmian’s peacock-feathered cloak rustling was like ice breaking. Before she even reached the inner chamber, sobbing began. She cried out for her grandmother and rushed to the old lady’s bedside.