Spring Message in the Snow – CH 098

Chapter 98

Madam Song choked, “Establish your own household? This… the elders are still alive; how can you establish your own household?”

The sisters-in-law and other women nearby also murmured, “Just because someone is given the title of Lady of Imperial Decree, does that mean they can be disrespectful to their elders? They do not have to serve the elders at home and are expected to live alone outside. What kind of family rule is this?!”

Mianmian chuckled. She knew perfectly well what they were thinking. Rather than let them suffer in silence, she decided to say it herself. “I come from a merchant family, unlike you all, so proper and well-mannered young ladies. Speaking of filial piety towards elders, did Mother not say she wanted to hire a few more maids? I will pay for it. Whether you buy or hire, a few clever ones will do the same for me.”

Lady Liu immediately uttered a sarcastic remark, “Being granted an imperial title is truly different. I suppose you can even skip the morning and evening greetings. No wonder everyone wants to be a titled lady.”

Mianmian agreed, “With an imperial title, no one dares to be disrespectful to me. I do not even have to kneel before officials. If anyone dares to slander me again, I can have them slapped.” She laughed heartily, feeling quite pleased with herself. “I never imagined being a titled lady would be so good. My elder sister-in-law, my second sister-in-law, and both of my brothers do not hold high official positions; they are only barely at the seventh rank. If you work diligently for another two years and perhaps one day achieve great merit, your two sisters-in-law will be granted official titles in no time.”

Hui’er, feigning ignorance, turned to her mistress and asked, “A Lady of the Second Rank is the second-highest rank among county ladies. If you want your husbands to rise in rank to become county ladies, then your two sons would have to be promoted to at least the fourth or fifth rank, right?” She clicked her tongue. “That’s a bit too much to ask.”

Lady Xiang’s and Lady Liu’s faces immediately darkened, and the two sisters-in-law also looked embarrassed, both disdainful and envious. This Lady Shen had set a precedent for purchasing official titles; just wait and see, in the future, noble ladies in the capital would not be so rare. No matter who they were, as long as they were willing to spend a lot of money, they could rise from the lowest merchant to a noble lady in the blink of an eye.

Unconvinced as they were, they seemed to have no choice but to accept their fate. Who could possibly chase after her for that money that was gone forever?

Lady Xiang and Lady Liu exchanged a knowing glance, then turned their attention to Madam Song, calling out “Mother” as they approached. “Third Sister-in-law said we should adjust the accounts. Did Mother not receive two hundred thousand taels from her before? Even after deducting ours and your own losses, you’d still have eighty thousand taels left.”

Madam Song looked at them as if they were death knells and scoffed, “You two are quite calculating. In that case, from now on, your two households will not receive monthly stipends from the public accounts. Your husbands now hold official positions and receive salaries; supporting you is their responsibility, not ours as parents.” With that, she turned and went to the back courtyard.

This was a serious matter. Their two households had many members—concubines, children, maids, and servants—and their combined monthly stipends amounted to at least sixty or seventy taels. The men’s meager salaries were simply a drop in the ocean. Now that their mother-in-law wanted to wash her hands of the matter, they were so anxious they jumped up and down. They did not care about Lady Shen’s title anymore and hurriedly chased after her, saying, “Mother…Mother, let’s discuss this again…”

Mianmian and her maidservants, left in the front hall, chuckled quietly. They still could not quite believe it; just because of that 120,000 taels of silver, she had become a true titled lady?

Nanny Jiang, however, thought it was justified. “That’s 120,000 taels, Madam! Do you know how much grain a peasant family eats in a year? This is equivalent to the food, clothing, and daily necessities of several generations! Is this a joke?”

Hui’er, however, said it was worth it. “If we had known that spending this money could make you a noblewoman, why did we insist on marrying into the Earl’s family? If we had first donated for the title of County Lady, it would not be those high-ranking families choosing you, but you choosing them!”

Wei’er thought even further ahead. “After Madam has children, she will not have any further connection with merchants. Father is an earl’s son, and Mother is a noblewoman. Good marriages will be ours to choose from. Just thinking about it makes me happy!”

So, such good news could not be kept secret. The news quickly spread throughout the capital. Everyone praised her for her generosity and philanthropy despite her merchant background, and congratulations poured in from various mansions. Mianmian, with her unpretentious nature, hosted a banquet at Pan Tower to thank the noble ladies. Because times had changed, the ladies, who were usually cautious and deliberate, quite appreciated her cheerfulness. Furthermore, her husband, when he entered and bowed in gratitude, smiled more happily than if he himself had become an official. Everyone secretly remarked that such an unusual couple meant the Earl’s son would likely not take any more concubines; for a woman to achieve this was a kind of success.

After the social gatherings ended, Mianmian finally had some free time to return to the Zhang family to pay her respects to the elders. Taking advantage of Jirou’s upcoming marriage, she arranged a tea party with her sisters.

When everyone met at Suihua Garden, her younger sisters offered their congratulations in a roundabout way: “We never expected that our cousin would be the second among us to receive an imperial title! Congratulations!”

Mianmian, without any hesitation, declared loudly, “Because I am rich! From now on, the title of Imperial Lady in the capital will have a market price of 120,000 taels for a single titled lady.”

The Grand Madam chuckled, “This child, still so outspoken! Now that you’ve been granted an imperial title, you should behave with the decorum befitting one. Your words and actions must be proper. If you keep acting so boisterously, you will only become a laughingstock.”

Mianmian grinned mischievously, “I am only like this at home. I am quite elegant when I am out. Grandmother just has not seen it.” She then turned to Zhirou and asked, “You’ve been married for a while now. Is Young Master Su treating you well?”

Zhirou smiled and said it was very good. She was the most fortunate of her sisters in marriage. Su Runqing was a man of noble character, and the Duke and Duchess were extremely kind people. No wonder the wife of the Left Vice Minister dared to guarantee that their young lady would not suffer the slightest grievance in the Duke’s household.

Surou looked at her younger sister and saw that she appeared more composed and dignified than before. The radiance on her face was the result of a life of wealth and privilege. She was secretly very happy for her.

With Jirou’s wedding fast approaching, Wang Pan rushed back from Quanzhou to prepare for the grand ceremony. Everyone helped Jirou with her dowry and asked if she needed anything, and whether she had discussed the arrangements with Young Master Wang after the wedding.

Jirou said, “Because he’s serving in Quanzhou, the court has granted him over a month’s leave. But after deducting travel time, he will only be in the capital for about ten days. I am going to Quanzhou with him afterward; we’ve already discussed it.” She smiled shyly. “Actually, marrying an older man is quite nice. He takes care of me in every way, and I do not have to worry about anything. I heard his mansion in Quanzhou is already renovated, and the servants have been hired. They hired people who can speak the capital dialect, just in case I do not understand the Quanzhou dialect.”

The other sisters were teased. Mianmian said, “We used to complain about his dark complexion, but now we think, what does it matter if his face is dark? As long as his heart is red, that’s enough.”

Jirou muttered, “I do not think he’s that dark…”

Everyone started teasing again, “It seems beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Now all the sisters were happy, except for Qingrou, who had become the biggest problem in the family. While everyone else was laughing and joking, she remained somewhat melancholic. She tried to join in the fun, but joy rarely reached her eyes.

Lady Ling sighed and whispered to the Grand Madam, “What will become of Qingrou? All her sisters are getting married, and she’s all alone. Even if the family can afford to support her, she herself must be feeling terrible. Mother, she’s been divorced from Second Young Master Li for over a month now. We should start looking for someone for her. Since it’s a second marriage, we do not need anything else, as long as the family background is decent and the man is of good character. Even if it’s a second marriage, it will not be a problem.”

The Grand Madam sighed, “That’s true, but it has to be her own willingness. The first time was rushed; the second time, we must carefully consider. If we cannot find someone good, it’s better not to marry at all. No matter how poor our Zhang family is, we can still afford to raise our young lady. There’s no need to rush and send her away to be mistreated. One Second Young Master Li is enough; another one would be the death of her.”

Just then, someone hurried in from the outer courtyard. Upon closer inspection, it was Helian Song.

He entered, bowed to the elders, then turned and cupped his hands in greeting to the sisters. Without approaching the girls, he went to the grandmother and gestured, “Grandmother, I’ve found a good match and am rushing back to inform you and Aunt.”

The elders were surprised. The Grand Madam smiled and said, “Are you playing matchmaker? Who are you arranging a marriage for?” She gestured for him to sit down.

Chengzhi was too young, so it was not for him. That left only Qingrou.

After Helian Song sat down, he carefully reported the information he had gathered to his elders: “There’s a Zhonglang ^{(Commander of the Palace Guards)} in the Lulong Army named Xun Zheng, the third son in his family, twenty-two years old this year, and still unmarried. A while ago, he came to the capital with the commander to report on the army’s provisions and pay. During our conversation, the commander jokingly teased him, so I took note and deliberately inquired about his family situation.”

“He said he came to Youzhou alone from Haizhou to join the army; his parents are back in his hometown, over a thousand miles away. He has not met anyone good in the army every day, so he’s been neglecting his family. Later, I sent someone to Youzhou to inquire, and they said he does not have many hobbies, and his character is also very upright. Although he’s only an eighth-rank official now, promotions in the military are rapid. With a mentor, advancing two ranks in a year or two is not difficult.”

He shifted forward slightly, her eyebrows dancing with excitement. “Actually, in terms of conditions, he’s not that great. There are fifth- and sixth-rank officials who want to remarry, but I feel their complicated family background is not suitable for Third Sister-in-law. His parents are not in Youzhou; that alone makes it worth considering.”

“That’s true. With her in-laws gone, a girl has fewer constraints. At least she does not have to pay her respects every morning and evening. That’s the situation in the Heir Apparent’s residence.”

Hearing this, everyone was somewhat tempted. Lady Ling said, “If there really is such a candidate, that would be excellent.”

Lady Pan agreed, “Although the previous Second Young Master Li had never been married, he had a fiancée he could not forget, so it was not much different from remarrying. This one sounds good; the only drawback is that he’s a military man, and military men are a bit lacking.”

Lady Pan had always been fixated on not marrying a military man, and she had previously criticized Helian Song for the same reason. Helian Song was somewhat embarrassed. “Mother-in-law, even military men can be reliable. The Lulong Army will not be deployed from Youzhou unless there’s a major battle; their main purpose is to protect the capital. Besides, the Zhonglang is essentially a civil official in the army. If even he had to go to the front lines one day, the capital would probably be in grave danger.”

This seemed increasingly feasible. The Grand Madam nodded. “I think it’s a good idea too, but I am afraid Third Mistress will not agree. She’s been bitten once and is now extremely wary. That Second Young Master Li seemed so refined before, but he turned out to be like that.”

Helian Song said, “Military men are straightforward, unlike those pedantic scholars. Besides, Third Master Xun is handsome, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. She will definitely like him.”

The Grand Madam nodded repeatedly. She knew that apart from the affair with his mistress, Helian Song was usually quite reliable. Since he had caught his eye, his character and appearance must be acceptable.

Of course, social standing mattered. The man being arranged for her was not as prestigious as those of her sisters, but in terms of the young man’s personal qualities—he was young, had achieved success in his career, and was no less capable than other suitors—he was not lacking in any way. Given Qingrou’s personality, if her in-laws were critical, she would feel even more helpless and might not even be able to make ends meet. This arrangement was better; she and her husband could live a simple life together, free from the gossip of distant relatives. As long as she felt comfortable, all was well.

In short, this was a rare opportunity that could not be missed, so the Grand Madam immediately decided to have a good talk with Qingrou. It was naturally inconvenient to mention it in front of many people, so after the banquet, she specially kept Qingrou in the main room and carefully explained the situation of that official to her.

Finally, after observing her expression, Grandmother took her hand and said, “Grandmother does not intend to rush you into marriage. The news your second brother-in-law brought back today sounds good, but ultimately it depends on your wishes. There’s no need to rush into marriage now; you can take your time to consider it. If this one is not good, we can always look for someone else. We will not worry about finding someone better later.”

Qingrou lowered her head and thought for a while, then said, “Grandmother, actually, seeing that my sisters have all found their partners, and with my situation, I feel inferior compared to them. Second Young Master Li did make me a little afraid of marriage, but not everyone in the world is like him. I do not believe I will be unlucky forever. Besides… my situation is different from before. Compared to becoming someone’s second wife, being able to marry someone who has never been married before is a blessing.”

Her heartfelt words touched the Grand Madam deeply. She reached out and stroked Qingrou’s hair, saying, “How about this: let’s first assess his character before deciding whether to arrange the engagement. If he’s satisfactory in every way, your grandmother will provide the house and servants, and we will also pay your monthly allowance. You do not need to worry. His family is not in Youzhou, so what’s wrong with us taking in a son-in-law? As long as he’s of good character and treats you well, we will not be concerned about anything else. Besides, your uncle and father are both military officers, and they have influence both above and below. They can both support you and keep him in check.”

The Grand Madam sighed wistfully. “It’s not that I want to outdo the young man; it’s just that the one we met before was too disappointing. Although your grandmother has some selfish motives, it’s all for your sake. As long as you are happy, what do I have to worry about?”

Everything was settled. A few days later was Jirou’s wedding day. On that day, Helian Song brought Xun Zheng to the house. Xun Zheng was a polite man and gave a proper gift, saying that only then could he feel at ease drinking the wedding wine at the mansion.

The remaining important task was to pay respects to Grand Madam Zhang and to Zhang Zhi and his wife. Knowing that a distinguished guest was coming, all the Zhang family members arrived; even Jirou, who had not bothered with her makeup, rushed over to help her third sister make her choice. The sisters sat behind the curtain in the inner room, observing and commenting on the young official, finding him to be a dignified man with the demeanor of a scholarly military man.

Later, Grand Madam Zhang did not shy away from mentioning Qingrou’s previous marriage. Xun Zheng sympathized with her plight but showed no intention of flattery, simply saying, “I am a military officer, not bound by so many rules and regulations, nor do I wish to dwell on past relationships. As long as the young lady is of good character and does not mind my humble rank and humble origins, I am willing to treat her wholeheartedly and never betray her.”

As he spoke, everyone secretly glanced at Qingrou, who listened intently, word by word, even her handkerchief clenched tightly. After he finished speaking, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing her sisters all looking at her, she smiled shyly, “I am not afraid the marriage will not go through; I am just afraid of being slighted and losing face.”

Surou squeezed her hand and said gently, “Jie Ran has carefully considered it; naturally, his character is acceptable, which is why I dared to bring him here.”

At this moment, a maid entered and whispered, “Third Mistress, the Grand Madam invites you to meet a distinguished guest.”

Everyone hurriedly helped her straighten her clothes, then watched eagerly as she went out to the front hall to exchange greetings with Xun Zheng.

Because the weather was gradually warming up, Qingrou wore a jasmine crown today. Her simple attire and fair complexion caused the military officer to blush upon seeing her, his nervous demeanor quite different from his earlier confident manner.

Everyone covered their mouths and chuckled. In truth, whether the two got along or not was obvious at a glance. Thinking back to when Li Shu’an came to the Zhang family to propose marriage, his composure was as seasoned as someone who had seen it all before; now, it seemed like a lifeless stillness. Third Young Master Xun was different. He was slightly flustered, but his shyness was just right, making it clear that Qingrou was truly in his eyes, that she had genuinely won his heart.

For some reason, everyone felt a lump in their throats, relieved that someone was finally seeing Qingrou as a normal wife candidate. If only they had not encountered that detour before and had met Third Young Master Xun from the very beginning!

Jirou wiped away her tears and whispered, “Third Sister, is it finally a success this time? I think this Third Young Master Xun is a million times better than Second Young Master Li.”

Everyone thought it was a good idea. Mianmian seemed to only then notice Jirou, asking curiously, “What are you doing here? Do you not need to do your hair and change clothes?”

Jirou said it was alright, “The wedding ceremony is not until tonight.”

But looking at the sky, it was already late. She probably did not realize how troublesome it was for a bride to get ready.

The group quickly pulled her out through the back corridor and directly into her courtyard. The hairdresser had been waiting at the door. Seeing her appear, she slapped her thigh and said, “My little lady, what time is it? You still have time to stroll around!” She hurriedly pulled her to the dressing table to wash her face and did her makeup.

Wearing the heavy crown, the small agate beads like dogwood on the hairpins contrasted with her dark green wedding dress, creating a beauty that was both conflicting and harmonious.

Once everything was ready, they waited at the front of the procession for the groom to come and fetch his bride. The Zhang sisters had all married in succession, so everyone knew the process by heart. Just as night was falling, Fourth Young Master Wang and his entourage finally entered. Everyone blocked the entrance to the procession, making Fourth Young Master Wang sing the “bridal farewell song” three times before allowing him to enter and fetch his bride.

After seeing off another sister, they watched the wedding procession turn onto the Imperial Street, then returned inside, feeling a pang of loss.

Qingrou had some prior contact with Third Master Xun, and Surou quietly asked her, “What do you think of him?”

Qingrou smiled faintly. “He seems very upright, and his speech is sincere.”

Surou then asked, “Has a date been set for the betrothal ceremony?”

Qingrou replied, “Grandmother’s idea is that we do not need the formalities of marriage. We should get to know each other a few times first, and if things go well, we can set a date directly.”

Surou agreed that it was a good idea. “Spending more time together will reveal his true character.”

On the way back, she inquired with Helian Song, “What does Third Master Xun think of Third Sister?”

Helian Song laughed. “A man who’s never even met a girl—ask him what he’s thinking, and he will already be thinking about what to prepare for the betrothal gifts. I think this marriage is settled. Grandmother and Uncle, considering that his elders are far away in Haizhou, plan to keep everything simple. I also think that as long as the young couple can live a proper life, why be bound by those traditional customs?”

Surou leaned against the carriage railing and sighed, “These past few days have been so busy. Several of my younger sisters have gotten married one after another, and then there was that matter with Qingrou and the Li family. It’s really been a headache.”

But after she finished speaking, she heard no reply from Helian Song. Turning to look at him, she saw him sitting upright, the light streaming through the carved door illuminating his features. He said solemnly, “The Emperor and I have not discussed military matters for a long time. Today, he kept me here to analyze the troop deployment in the Hehuang region and mentioned your cousin’s conferment of an official title. From his words, I gathered that your cousin’s conferment of the title of Lady of Imperial Decree might not be entirely unrelated to you.”

Surou was taken aback. To be honest, it was truly unexpected that a fourth-rank, ninth-grade noblewoman could be obtained for 120,000 taels of silver. But why did the Emperor intentionally bring it up with him? Did he deliberately want to create discord between them? Last time he summoned her, she clearly knew that the news would reach Helian Song’s ears. Now he was doing this again. She really didn’t know what he was trying to do.

“My Lord…” she tugged at his sleeve, “Will you be unhappy?”

Helian Song said, “What’s there to be unhappy about? Let him reward us if he wants. If he can bestow first-class titles upon all the sisters in the family, would we not be making a profit? It’s just…” He frowned, turning to look at her. “I am worried that even if Zhiniang’s child is safely delivered, and he lets me return to Longyou, he might not easily let you come with me.”

Surou fell silent, then, after a long while, said, “If we cannot go together, you should go back alone. Taking over Longyou is the priority.”

He did not speak but reached out and held her hand tightly in his palm. After a long time, so long that she thought he would be torn, she heard his low voice, “If you want to go, we will go together; if you want to stay, we will stay together. I want to see what the Emperor will choose.”