HomeA Cup of LoveYi Ou Chun - Chapter 91

Yi Ou Chun – Chapter 91

Xuexue felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing Qingyuan there but quickly put on a smiling face, stepping forward to curtsy, “On the day of Madam’s wedding, I feared causing trouble and didn’t personally offer congratulations. Today I must make up for that courtesy.”

When it came to maintaining appearances, Xuexue was skilled, but Qingyuan was even more masterful. She warmly pulled Xuexue to sit down, turning to instruct the waiting-maid to bring separate tea for Miss Xuexue.

Xuexue sat slightly sideways in her chair, appearing quite at ease, and said softly, “Madam and Sister are in good spirits, even brewing tea yourselves. Since there’s ready-made tea available, please don’t trouble yourselves.”

Qingyuan said that wouldn’t do. “This is just us sisters-in-law brewing carelessly for fun. You’re a guest – how could we serve you the same tea?” She still gave instructions for the maid to prepare something else.

Xuexue was clever – how could she not understand her meaning? The tea they made by hand was exclusively for themselves; as for outsiders, naturally, they had no right to share in it.

She suppressed her feeling of awkwardness, maintaining an appropriate smile on her face. She had originally thought that no matter how capable this new madam was, being only fifteen or sixteen years old and inexperienced, she couldn’t command respect. But seeing how she handled these subtle matters now, very different from Fangchun, making people retreat at every turn – it was clear that her young marriage to a high official and appointment as an honored madam wasn’t just a matter of good luck.

The maid delivered clear tea to Xuexue’s hands, while Qingyuan herself ladled tea for Fangchun, saying gently, “I haven’t done this myself in a long time, my skills are rusty. I don’t know how well I’ve brewed it – Sister, please try it.”

Fangchun didn’t understand their subtle battle of glances and hints, just focused on tasting her tea. Taking a sip, she smacked her lips and said, “Very fragrant, excellent tea!”

Qingyuan also lowered her head to drink, smiling as she said, “The first bowl of tea is the most elegant. The later ones can’t compare to the first – color, fragrance, and taste diminish in sequence. The final drinker gets mere dregs – who would drink it if not desperate with thirst!” As she spoke, she had people remove the warming stove, keeping only the cup in her hand. For the rest, she instructed Baoxian, “Pour it out by the wall, but be careful of the tea color – don’t stain the wall or water the flowers and grass.”

Baoxian responded, “Better to have someone pour it into the outer ditch, so it won’t spoil the courtyard ground.”

Qingyuan agreed that was good, and the faint smile on her face stung Xuexue’s eyes. Xuexue felt increasingly uncomfortable, and after much restraint, managed to say, “Madam is truly particular about tea. In other households, who doesn’t drink three or four rounds!”

Hearing this, Qingyuan gave a slight smile, “That’s what other households do, but our family doesn’t have such customs. Take the essence, discard the dregs – one cup of good tea is enough. The later cups get increasingly bland; better not to drink them at all.”

This back-and-forth of surging undercurrents left the attending servants clicking their tongues in amazement. Truly, the mistress of the house was the mistress of the house – how could she allow lesser folk to dance before her? Earlier, Nanny Zhou and others had thoughts of taking advantage of her youth, but now they wouldn’t dare even if they borrowed several more lifetimes of courage. Indeed, the master had exceptional judgment – if she had been merely ornamental, she couldn’t have managed the Shen household.

Xuexue understood the meaning in her words, each syllable piercing like steel needles. Only now did she realize such a formidable obstacle had appeared. No wonder there had suddenly been no progress with Fangchun – no doubt due in large part to this elder sister-in-law’s efforts. Unfortunately, she bore an imperial title and couldn’t be easily offended. It was just bad luck today, coincidentally running into her.

With the other side clearly intent on making things difficult, continuing to sit there would only be torment. That fool Fangchun was still trying to mediate, hoping they could all become friends. Xuexue had no choice but to pay lip service, while her heart was entirely unwilling.

Qingyuan noticed her distraction and instead began making casual conversation, “How old are you this year, Miss?”

Xuexue responded, “I’m seventeen this year, two years older than Madam.”

Qingyuan smiled slightly, dimples appearing faintly at the corners of her lips, with girlish innocence, “Seventeen… has your family arranged a marriage for you?”

Xuexue said no, “Earlier when we were in Yunzhong, there was talk of one family, but after inquiring and finding the sisters-in-law there difficult to get along with, it wasn’t mentioned again.”

“Is that so…” Qingyuan responded vaguely, though she understood the circumstances clearly.

What was the Palace Guard Office for? If necessary, they could dig up eighteen generations of ancestors of any official in the capital, large or small. How could she think to brush it off with just a few sentences?

Qingyuan had already had Shen Run investigate – the Yao family favored the rich and scorned the poor. Deputy Magistrate Yao had ten children in his lifetime, nine daughters and one son. With so many girls, they weren’t too particular about marriages. Xuexue had been betrothed since childhood to a wealthy family in Yunzhong. Though that merchant family’s status wasn’t high, they were rich, and as an official’s daughter, the ninth daughter could rely on her background – no one would dare disregard her. Originally they should have married last September, but that family’s business suffered losses, the master suddenly died, and the married brothers were fighting to divide the family property. The Yao family saw no point in continuing, so they simply returned the betrothal gifts and ended the engagement.

For a young lady to have been promised and then have the engagement broken wasn’t the end of the world – finding another suitable family wasn’t difficult. But after entering Youzhou, their horizons had broadened, and casually arranging a marriage with some ordinary minor official couldn’t satisfy their appetite! Fangchun didn’t seem particularly outstanding to them – she had no direction in life, and her father was only an eighth-rank official. Compared to the Yao family, the difference was astronomical. If Shen Che could marry such a wife, then replacing her with a young lady of much higher status wouldn’t, in the Yao family’s view, disgrace the Shen family.

Qingyuan put down her fluted bowl, “In our family’s relations, there is someone about your age, from a well-off family. Though he hasn’t earned an official rank yet, the young man is very ambitious, and his family plans to purchase an official position for him. If you agree, shall I make the connection for you?” She smiled and continued, “Ah, now that I’m married, I can act as a matchmaker. We get along so well, and our conversations flow naturally, but everyone in our family is paired up while you’re still alone. I wish for you to have a good marriage – that way everyone benefits, and only then is it truly good.”

Fangchun, being simple-minded, immediately asked, “Which relatives? From the Xie family’s side, or the Chen family’s?”

Qingyuan sighed inwardly – such an innocent person truly made one’s heart ache with worry. Where would she find such relatives? Even if they existed, she couldn’t arrange Xuexue’s marriage to them. She merely wanted to see Xuexue’s reaction, to gauge how fixated she was on the Shen family. If she was determined, then without using some methods, it would be impossible to drive her away.

“We’ve long lost connection with the Xie family – even if there are relatives, we don’t associate anymore,” Qingyuan said matter-of-factly. “Naturally, it’s from the Chen family’s side. You know, the Chen family was once very wealthy in Hengtang, their circumstances need no explanation. Their only shortcoming is being merchants of lower status, but they’ve purchased official positions generation after generation. Though seventh or eighth rank isn’t prestigious, it’s still a legitimate position. I thought, seeing how diligent Miss Xuexue is, she would surely be excellent at managing a household. If there’s truly a connection, wouldn’t we become even closer relatives!”

Fangchun turned to Xuexue and said, “That sounds quite good, sister, why don’t you consider it?”

Xuexue smiled awkwardly, “My marriage is entirely up to my parents – I can’t answer such things now.” Then she lowered her head and said no more.

A grown woman should marry, but only if the other party’s status meets expectations. Just mentioning wealthy circumstances but no official rank – that point alone disqualified them. Purchased positions generally didn’t count, and they were still merchants at heart – that was fundamentally different from proper official families. Moreover, with the Shen family as such an outstanding example, how could later suitors compare? She had mixed with Fangchun for these few months and seen Shen Che several times. Regarding Shen Che, she truly had developed secret feelings, and not just because of his family circumstances and rank. She liked his good nature, his unrestrained casualness, and his indulgence and gentle words toward Fangchun.

Previously, not understanding the Shen family, she only knew that all court officials feared the brothers, assuming the Shen household must be a den of dragons and tigers – she had even felt sorry for Fangchun. But who knew that with a deeper acquaintance, she discovered it wasn’t at all as she had imagined. Setting aside Shen Run, after all, a second-rank official was used to commanding wind and rain, a man-like tempered steel blade – certainly not someone to provoke. Just speaking of Shen Che, he was an entirely different type from Shen Run – he was easygoing, without such sharp edges, yet somehow seemed unreachable. The more beautiful something was, the more it aroused an urgent desire for intimacy. After longing for so long, thoughts of coveting arose – Fangchun had become a stumbling block in her pursuit of love. Even in dreams, she pondered how to replace her. So now, never mind an ordinary man – even a noble son from a marquis’s mansion couldn’t move her heart. She was surprised at how determined she had become about Shen Che.

Qingyuan heard her disdain and knew this matter would ultimately require drastic measures. To protect this family, to protect Fangchun, she couldn’t be soft with Miss Xuexue. She smiled faintly, “Very well, discuss it with your family. If they find it feasible, we can talk further.”

Looking out the window, snow was falling again in flurries, and she sighed wistfully, “Time passes so quickly – the new year is approaching. Our master says the residence in the capital is ready. I think we should move there after the new year! The capital is even livelier than Youzhou. I hear our residence isn’t far from the imperial city – you can see the palace roof from the courtyard.”

Fangchun remained indifferent, but Xuexue’s heart tightened. After all, while they were in Youzhou, she could visit frequently and work things out slowly. Once they moved to the capital, all her previous efforts would be wasted. Fangchun had a weakness – she would listen to whoever was close to her. Though this lady from the Eastern Residence was young, she wasn’t easy to deal with. As long as she was around, it wouldn’t take long to change Fangchun’s mind. By then, not only would her goal be unattainable, but she might also incur the Shen family’s enmity, which would be very disadvantageous for her father in official circles.

“Going after the new year? It’s still so cold!” She maintained her composure, also looking outside. “Wonder if it will clear up before the new year. The roads are icy and slippery in winter – why not wait until it’s warmer to move?”

Qingyuan replied, “The masters are all in the capital – it’s quite a journey between the two places. Such horse riding back and forth is too exhausting. Rather than spending time on that, it’s better to rest comfortably sitting or lying down.”

Old Woman Cui beside them eagerly agreed, smiling as she said, “Since we’ve decided to move after the new year, we should start preparing early. Our Madam has many possessions – just the ice mirrors alone number five or six. We should send people to transport a cartload to the new residence first. Once spring arrives it gets hot immediately – we don’t want to be scrambling when we need them.”

They had already begun preparing for the move. Xuexue smiled on the surface, but inside she felt an increasing sense of urgency. Whether success or failure, there was only one month left, and now Fangchun wasn’t talking about divorce – there was no opening to apply pressure. She had originally planned to probe her attitude today, to see if yesterday’s persuasion from her mother had any effect, but unfortunately, with the Eastern Residence people here, she couldn’t broach that topic. If Fangchun had been swayed by her mother, it would still come down to her word – the sister-in-law couldn’t forcibly intervene. But if she hadn’t been convinced, then other methods would be needed. After all, judging by her tone, the Eastern Residence lady wanted to play matchmaker and was enthusiastic about making matches – clearly, she hadn’t thought in that direction at all.

How infuriating – even with heaven-reaching abilities, you can’t steady a fence-sitter. Xuexue didn’t stay much longer before making excuses to leave. Watching her retreating figure, Qingyuan smiled, “Miss Xuexue is seventeen, of marriageable age. The match I suggested isn’t an official family, but they want for nothing – why doesn’t it meet her standards? Could it be she has someone in mind, or her family has already found her a good match?”

Fangchun pondered seriously, “The family probably hasn’t decided yet.” Otherwise, her aunt wouldn’t have made such hints. But whether there was someone in her heart, that was uncertain. “Perhaps she has found someone suitable but can’t speak of it due to family restrictions.”

She still viewed her natal family relatives with kindness, and Xuexue didn’t seem so wicked in her eyes. She painted Xuexue as someone with a rich inner life but constrained by circumstances – this truly made Qingyuan feel helpless.

“Once one has seen the ocean, how can they be satisfied with a small stream?” Qingyuan moved to the doorway with her warm sleeves wrapped around her, squinting at the falling snow outside. Some things couldn’t be explained too clearly – going too far would be counterproductive. Someone like Fangchun needed to see reality clearly before she would give up.

“Wonder if Miss Yao understood Madam’s meaning,” Baoxian supported her on the way back, saying, “She might assume Second Madam revealed everything and come to hate Second Madam for it.”

Qingyuan wasn’t concerned, saying slowly, “Whether she hates or not, isn’t it all the same? She never wished Second Madam well anyway.” Walking through the wind and snow along the corridor, they finally returned to her courtyard. Entering, she yawned and said, “These past two days have been too tiring, I need to rest well. In the afternoon, have Nanny Zhou bring the household account books to the main room – the silver allocated to the military needs to be distributed quickly. As for the Lonely Garden in the capital, let the external manager handle it for now, I’ll go look when I have time.”

Baoxian acknowledged each point, helping her remove her cape, saying softly, “From young miss to madam in the blink of an eye – fortunately, you’re so adaptable, able to handle everything.”

Qingyuan patted the couch edge, and Dayuanzi jumped up. She drew the cat into her arms, leisurely stroking its little head while joking, “Because I was born tough.”

Baoxian laughed, “How could a precious young lady be tough! Though the household looks peaceful, there are many troubles underneath – you’ll have plenty to worry about in the future. But no matter how many matters there are, they must be handled one by one. Your health is most important – don’t exhaust yourself.”

Qingyuan closed her eyes and murmured, “I know… once we get through this period, things will gradually get better.” As she spoke, a smile flowed across her lips, “Though it’s hard work, I’m also happy. Though I’m busy, I’m sharing his burdens… Before, their way of living was so muddled and confused. It looks grand from the outside, but inside is a mess of chaotic accounts.”

Fortunately, such trivial matters didn’t take much effort for her. So she took a proper afternoon nap, got up after sufficient sleep to check the accounts, and by the time Shen Run returned, everything was mostly handled.

She still had some final tasks to assign. He changed clothes and sat beside her listening as she gave orderly instructions one by one. The room was lit with lamps, and she sat beneath them, her dignified manner and commanding presence contrasting with her still-childlike face. He wanted to laugh seeing this but held back – he couldn’t undermine her authority while she was exercising power. After she had arranged everything and everyone had received their orders and withdrawn, he finally went over to help her down from the foot warmer, saying, “The wife manages the household so orderly, the servants are convinced – this is very good, very much the manner of a proper mistress of the house.”

Qingyuan was always somewhat shy before him. The side hall was set for dinner, and she led him over to sit down, smiling as she said, “At home, Grandmother taught me to review account books early on, so handling them isn’t difficult. I’ve looked through the accounts from the past few years – there are many oversights, though I won’t investigate them now, but I know who was responsible for what. Previously the Eastern Residence had no manager, and they were all old servants – some losses in public accounts could be overlooked, but I’ve made everything clear just now. From my taking over, if anyone tries to be clever with tricks and I discover it, I’ll settle both new and old accounts together.”

Shen Run nodded, “Household servants embezzling happens in every family, just as when the Emperor governs the realm – water too clear has no fish, the sages understood this principle, and you understand too. Let them have their small gains, as long as they don’t go too far, allowing them some cracks to squeeze through is fine. But if they get too greedy, you needn’t handle it – have someone tell me, and I’ll first strip their tendons, then throw them to the wolves in the mountains. See if they dare after that.”

So having someone with a fearsome reputation backing you was quite convenient. No matter how slick the servants were, they feared their master’s methods and wouldn’t dare let slaves bully their masters.

Qingyuan arranged food in his dish while saying, “Yesterday Madam Yao came to see Fangchun, persuading her to take an Equal Wife for Second Uncle…”

Shen Run made a sound, his tone rising half a pitch, “What?”

Qingyuan knew he was about to curse, quickly soothing him, “Fortunately Fangchun didn’t fall for it this time, she brushed it off vaguely.”

Shen Run said thank heavens, “Otherwise they would have completely ruined our family’s reputation. That Yao family must have lived peaceful days for too long, to dare provoke me.” He snorted a laugh, “Tomorrow I’ll fabricate some crimes and send that whole family far away, done with once and for all.”

Qingyuan didn’t agree, saying calmly, “That method is quickest and most effective, but have you considered – today it’s the Yao family, tomorrow it will be the Wang family, the Li family… Fangchun can’t judge people well, are we just going to keep dealing with others? Moreover, you should gradually temper your sharp edges now. Those harboring ill intentions toward His Majesty have mostly been cleared from court – from now on we should build a reputation for wisdom. Don’t risk yourself because of these malicious people. It’s not that we won’t deal with them, but we must have legitimate grounds.”

Shen Run appreciated her insight into his heart and was very receptive to her advice, sighing, “Wife speaks reason – when I had no family I could be reckless, but now with a household, we should settle down. However, without using official power for inner household matters, I fear the petty people’s schemes will never end. If Fangchun becomes confused…”

Qingyuan spoke quickly, “There will be a resolution before the new year, though we’ll need to trouble Second Uncle once more then.”

Shen Run looked at her suspiciously, “What do you plan to do?”

She just smiled without answering, “Let’s eat.”

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