Li Xing didn’t comfort Wu Shijiu Niang. Instead, he handed her a handkerchief. When she stopped crying, he spoke slowly, “Your desire to seek help from relatives and friends isn’t wrong. What’s wrong are your methods and thoughts? You shouldn’t force others. This isn’t a small matter. We each serve our masters now. You can’t take advantage of someone’s good nature and kind heart to deliberately trouble them. As my wife, I have a responsibility to guide you away from making mistakes. Without pushing or rushing, we still have some goodwill. When they can lend a hand, they won’t forget us. But if we push and rush too many times, all goodwill will be lost. Put yourself in their shoes. Wouldn’t you feel the same?”
Wu Shijiu Niang was speechless. After a while, she said, “I just wanted you to achieve merit. If Brother-in-law Jiang could come to our side, wouldn’t that…”
“It’s impossible now. Jiang Changyang and we are on different paths,” Li Xing sighed, considerately ladling half a bowl of chicken soup for her. “Drink this. Since you know their character, don’t bring up such things in the future. It’s better for everyone this way.”
Wu Shijiu Niang leaned against him, tears in her eyes as she sipped the soup. “I’ll be more careful and considerate in the future.” She understood that seeking favors depended on the person and the method.
Li Xing gently stroked her hair and said softly, “I know you’re clever and capable. You’ve helped me a lot since marrying into the family. But I didn’t marry you for the assistance you could provide in my official career. So you needn’t see this as your responsibility or obligation. Just be my wife. Stop crying now. It’s bad for your health to cry so much.”
Two large, glistening tears fell from Wu Shijiu Niang’s eyes. She quickly wiped them away and looked at Li Xing with a sweet smile. “Xingzhi, sometimes I do feel a bit tired. Often, I envy Danniang. But today, I feel I can live very well and easily. No matter what, you won’t let me suffer, will you?”
Li Xing smiled gently, affirming with affection, “That’s right.”
Two or three days passed quickly. One day, as Mudan was studying the desk chrysanthemums Wu Shijiu Niang had sent, wondering if she should grow some famous chrysanthemum varieties in Fang Garden to make autumn less dull, Kuan’er came to report, “A matron from the Fen Wang’s mansion has come to deliver an invitation.”
It was an invitation for Mudan to watch a military play. The matron who delivered the invitation was surnamed Zang. Mudan recognized her as one of the Fen Wang’s wife’s favored attendants. She had seen her speaking privately with Madam Wang before, and the two seemed quite close. Knowing she was an old acquaintance of Madam Wang, Mudan invited Matron Zang for tea, asked after the Fen Wang’s wife, and inquired about who else had been invited.
Matron Zang smiled, “Not many guests, just a few old acquaintances.” She then quietly advised Mudan, “Actually, it’s the Pingyang Duke’s birthday. The Princess doesn’t want too many people to know, but she hopes to make it lively. Madam, you might want to prepare a few rare items. If the Princess brings it up during the banquet, you can present them. If not, just let it be.”
Preparing two rare small gifts in advance to present at the right moment didn’t seem like currying favor, did it? Mudan thanked Matron Zang. However, Matron Zang smiled again and said, “There’s something I’m not sure if I should tell you.”
Mudan asked in surprise, “What is it?” She had a feeling that this might be the real purpose of Matron Zang’s visit.
Matron Zang looked a bit uncomfortable as she smiled, “It’s nothing major, just an unexpected incident. I’m telling you this so you’re aware. Please don’t think anything else of it.”
Mudan’s curiosity was piqued. She urged, “Please tell me, Matron.”
Matron Zang glanced at the people behind Mudan, who quickly signaled for Lin Mama and others to withdraw. Only then did Matron Zang speak in a low voice, “You haven’t been back to the Duke’s mansion recently, have you?”
The Duke’s mansion? What trouble had occurred now? Mudan’s heart sank as she shook her head slightly, “I’ve been unwell lately, so I haven’t gone over. I just send some things every few days to pay my respects. Is there something wrong, Matron?”
Matron Zang then said, “Then you probably don’t know about this incident.”
It turned out that ever since the Pingyang Duke’s fourth son had gone with Madam Chen to Qujiang Pool, he had been constantly wanting to go out, refusing to stay at home. But he was peculiar and wouldn’t allow anyone to follow him closely. Those who followed could only trail at a distance, rushing to pay or apologize when they saw him take things from others. Despite this, he still caused trouble.
At this point, Matron Zang glanced at Mudan. “He snatched something from a young lady by Qujiang Pool and was beaten by her companion. The lady who beat the Duke happened to be from the Duke’s mansion.”
“And then?” Mudan took a deep breath. She knew without asking that the person whose things were snatched must have been Gao Duanshu, and the one who did the beating was Jiang Yunqing. Jiang Yunqing not only refused to marry the fourth son herself but also didn’t want anyone else from the Duke’s mansion to succeed, showing how much she hated the idea. Mudan wondered why the Old Madam, who had been unwilling to let Jiang Yunqing out before, now allowed her and Gao Duanshu to go out. Was this series of events – the two of them encountering the fourth son, him snatching things – a coincidence or deliberately planned? She couldn’t be sure, but one thing was certain: Jiang Yunqing’s daring to hit someone was unexpected by all.
The result was that the fourth son slapped Jiang Yunqing back, making her cry. She then slapped him hard in return. By then, others had reacted and rushed to separate them. The Duke’s mansion’s people protected Jiang Yunqing and got her into a carriage, while the Fen Wang’s people tried to persuade the fourth son. But he wouldn’t give up and followed Jiang Yunqing’s carriage to the Duke’s mansion. Jiang Zhong came out to invite him in and apologize. When he saw Jiang Yunqing apologizing, he raised his hand to hit her. Jiang Yunqing closed her eyes, ready to accept it, but he didn’t strike. Instead, he gently patted her face and then turned and left.
Mudan was at a loss for words. She guessed that the Jiang family must have been equally speechless at the time. Overall, if Jiang Yunqing and Gao Duanshu had deliberately arranged to encounter the fourth son, the Duke’s mansion was truly becoming more and more self-deprecating. In such a situation, Jiang Yunqing’s slap had at least regained some face and self-respect. She wondered what punishment Jiang Yunqing would face this time but believed she wouldn’t resort to a hunger strike again.
Matron Zang looked at Mudan, “So this time, the Princess has also sent invitations to the Duke’s wife and that young lady. It’s actually to apologize to her. After all, this incident was caused by the Duke’s lack of understanding, and that slap was… well, understandable.”
Mudan was surprised. This time, the Fen Wang’s wife had personally invited Jiang Yunqing. The Old Madam would surely go all out to package Jiang Yunqing again, right? But she didn’t know if Jiang Yunqing would go and what methods she might use to resist.
Matron Zang smiled and stood up, “I’ve imposed on you long enough today. I should take my leave.”
Mudan quickly called Lin Mama to see her out, then held her head and lamented. She couldn’t be sure what the Fen Wang’s wife intended. She could only guess that the Princess had probably heard that the fourth son ultimately didn’t hit Jiang Yunqing but gently patted her instead, so she became interested in Jiang Yunqing. Inviting her was likely to test both parties’ reactions – whether the fourth son truly treated Jiang Yunqing differently and what Jiang Yunqing’s real attitude was. After all, the fourth son’s marriage was unusual. Finding someone to continue the family line wasn’t difficult, but finding someone he liked or was interested in wasn’t easy.
The Fen Wang’s wife was manageable and not difficult to deal with, but what about Madam Chen? From what she had seen that day, Madam Chen would do anything for her son. As a mother, how could she like someone who had hit her son? Although she had also invited Madam Du, Madam Du was currently feigning illness and wouldn’t go. In the end, Mudan would have to accompany Jiang Yunqing, making her responsible for whatever happened to Jiang Yunqing at the Fen Wang’s mansion. This was the meaning of “no feast is a good feast.” If she hadn’t guessed wrong, the long-silent Duke’s mansion would soon make a move as well.
Sure enough, by evening, a servant came to relay a message, inviting Mudan to come over the next day to help choose things for Jiang Changyi’s new room. The reason given was that the Old Madam was too old to know what young people liked, Madam Du was claiming illness and not returning, and Jiang Yunqing was too young and didn’t understand, so they needed to ask Mudan to come.
Mudan thought it had been a while since she’d been there, and she couldn’t avoid it anyway. Since Fen Wang’s wife had deliberately sent Matron Zang to tell her about this incident, she probably hoped Mudan wouldn’t remain uninvolved. So she agreed.
That night, when Jiang Changyang returned home, Mudan told him about this matter. Jiang Changyang was silent for a long time. Unlike Mudan, he firmly believed this was planned by the Old Madam, only to be ruthlessly ruined by Jiang Yunqing. Although he felt psychologically distant, he still felt ashamed and embarrassed. Finally, he sighed, “I’ll go with you. I also have something to say to the Duke.” He needed to advise Jiang Zhong properly. If he didn’t listen to reason, it would lead to self-destruction.
Seeing his exhausted face, Mudan quickly stood behind him and gently massaged his shoulders. “What’s wrong? I shouldn’t have told you about this.”
Jiang Changyang reached back to embrace her, resting his head on her chest and nuzzling it slightly, saying softly, “No, you should tell me.”
Mudan felt ticklish from his nuzzling and cupped his face, gently kissing him. Their lips and tongues intertwined for a long while. Jiang Changyang, slightly out of breath, wrapped his hands around Mudan’s waist, exploring downwards, and whispered a few words in her ear as he nibbled on it.
Mudan was startled, then slapped his hand lightly. She blushed, unable to look at him, and nodded slightly. Jiang Changyang chuckled stupidly, planted a firm kiss on her cheek, and sprang up, “I’m going to take a bath.”