Unaware that she had inadvertently offended her husband, Liu Mentang focused solely on recounting her day’s activities to keep him informed.
Cui Xingzhou frowned as he listened to the tale of Miss He’s misplaced affections. He felt compelled to correct Liu Mentang’s misconceptions.
Since he hadn’t committed the errors Mentang described, the Prince of Huaiyang felt inexplicably uncomfortable hearing her misunderstanding. He said, “How could Miss He, a merchant’s daughter, possibly recognize the Prince of Huaiyang? Perhaps some scoundrel deceived her?”
Mentang, who had merely mentioned this in passing to her husband, noticed his serious tone and replied, “Miss He isn’t a sheltered young lady confined to her home. She’s unlikely to mistake someone’s identity. I just don’t know what the Prince of Huaiyang looks like to have captivated He Zhen so thoroughly. In my opinion, she’s simply seen too few good men. If she were to meet a man like you, my husband, she’d realize that Prince is hardly worth mentioning.”
Her words seemed to soften Cui Jiu’s expression. The topic of He Zhen’s refusal to marry was then set aside.
Later, during his monthly visit to the prince’s mansion for a meal, the Prince of Huaiyang took the opportunity to summon Steward Gao for questioning.
Steward Gao pondered for a moment, his eyes rolling upward in thought. He did recall an encounter between the prince and the He family. It happened when the prince’s sister, Cui Fu, was preparing for her wedding. Various shops were presenting samples for her dowry, including the He family’s store.
It was during the most chaotic times in Zhenzhou. The He family encountered bandits on their journey, but fortunately, the prince and his troops happened to be passing by and rescued their carriage.
Steward Gao, known for his excellent memory, recalled that if he wasn’t mistaken, Miss He was also in the carriage at the time, witnessing the young prince’s gallant demeanor.
At this point, the steward cautiously glanced at the prince, unsure why he suddenly inquired about such an old incident.
However, as various merchants often sent gifts to the steward during festivals to curry favor with the prince’s household, Gao naturally knew about the He family’s third daughter’s reluctance to marry.
Hearing the prince’s sudden inquiry, he couldn’t help but wonder if the stars of romance had aligned, drawing a red thread of fate for the lovelorn Miss He.
Recalling that the prince had just ordered him to send nourishing tonics to the residence on North Street in Lingquan Town, Gao speculated that there might be a pregnancy. If so, that woman wouldn’t be able to serve the prince anymore.
Meanwhile, it seemed the prince wasn’t idle, already seeking his next beauty.
The Ninth Lord was indeed following in his father’s footsteps, perhaps even surpassing him in romantic pursuits!
Thinking this, Steward Gao inwardly sighed for Miss Lian in the mansion. Being the principal wife of the prince was no easy task! He wondered if the Ninth Lord could outdo his father and if the mansion’s courtyards could accommodate the future harem of concubines…
On Lian Silan’s side, she too had caught wind of the news.
As the future mistress of the prince’s mansion, she didn’t need to offer bribes; people eagerly curried favor with her, secretly passing along information.
The list of nourishing tonics sent to North Street hadn’t even been delivered before an exact copy found its way into Lian Silan’s hands.
Looking at the list of pregnancy-supporting supplements, Madam Lian Chu became extremely anxious. She slapped the table and said to her daughter, “In other matters, you may be more thoughtful than your mother, but when it comes to handling men, you’re still far behind! Think about it. The prince is in his prime, yet he’s delayed marriage for so long. If you don’t arrange suitable concubines for him, he’ll naturally seek them himself. I wanted to promote Lianxiang to serve the prince, but you refused. Now he’s been bewitched by some vixen, losing his sensibilities. Is… is that woman in the outside residence going to bear a child before you?”
Lian Silan felt a surge of anger but maintained her composure. “Hasn’t that woman on North Street fallen out of favor? A servant boy close to Steward Gao told me that the prince seems more interested in the He family’s third daughter now…”
Hearing this, Madam Lian Chu became even more furious. She immediately wanted to speak to her sister about her nephew’s outrageous behavior.
However, Lian Silan stopped her mother: “Mother, what use is there in telling the Imperial Consort? Cousin doesn’t listen to her at all. You’ll only provoke his anger towards me, achieving nothing…”
Madam Lian Chu knew this was true. She shook her head helplessly and asked, “Then what do you suggest we do?”
Lian Silan pressed her lips tightly and said, “When you wanted to send Lianxiang to a cousin, he didn’t fancy her and didn’t accept. Since that’s the case, whoever he likes, we should help him by bringing her into the mansion first. Firstly, this will prevent the prince from constantly going out. Secondly, the concubine can learn proper etiquette from the Imperial Consort, preventing her from harboring improper thoughts.”
Madam Lian Chu somewhat understood her daughter’s intention but still frowned, “What’s the background of that woman on North Street? How can we bring her in?”
Lian Silan smiled disdainfully, “The one from North Street is too lowly to bring in. That’s why my cousin set up an outside residence for her. However, He Zhen, although from a merchant family, is from a royal supplier with connections to Imperial Consort Xi in the palace. Such a lady, while not worthy of being a noble concubine, shouldn’t be slighted. Mother, don’t you think this is the right approach?”
Madam Lian Chu thought carefully and suddenly understood: her daughter could indeed discern what was important. No matter how favored the woman on North Street was, at most, the prince would allow her to bear some children for his old age. But children born to an outside woman couldn’t even be recorded in the clan’s genealogy. The He family’s daughter was different; she was a proper lady from a respectable background. If she truly gained the prince’s favor, she would be a real threat to her daughter. It was better to take the initiative and win her over first!
Having agreed on this, the mother and daughter decided that Lian Silan would visit the He family’s porcelain shop in Lingquan Town to see what kind of beauty this Miss He was, who had so captivated the prince that he specifically inquired about her to his steward.
Meanwhile, Cui Xingzhou was unaware that his future virtuous wife in the prince’s mansion had already made thorough considerations on his behalf, preparing to welcome a concubine of respectable background to serve him.
He had spent the past two days riding swiftly to the borders of Qingzhou Prefecture, examining the files of several local officials.
This wasn’t on a whim. A few days ago, during a long conversation with the retired Elder Meng, he learned some confidential information about the upheaval in the Eastern Palace years ago from this veteran of three reigns.
According to reports, after the Empress, persecuted by Imperial Consort Xi, was confined to the Cold Palace, the Crown Prince made preparations. Although he was tricked into the palace by Imperial Consort Xi’s false imperial edict and died from poisoned wine, his two legitimate sons were rescued by the Crown Prince’s loyal followers and disappeared without a trace.
Even now, those two escaped children remained a thorn in the side of Imperial Consort Xi, who had become the Holy Mother Empress Dowager.
The methods Imperial Consort Xi used to support the current Emperor’s ascension to the throne were too ruthless. After coming to power, she promoted her faction and persecuted loyal ministers. Many court officials, though angry, dared not speak out, inwardly longing for the virtuous Crown Prince of the past.
Elder Meng, by age, should have been at the prime of his political career. However, he refused to compromise his principles and retired early, citing illness as an excuse.
Cui Xingzhou had been his most promising student, and the mentor-student relationship was quite close. Now it seemed that this student had indeed lived up to expectations, not relying solely on his father’s influence. Therefore, Elder Meng placed his hopes on Cui Xingzhou and shared everything he knew with him.
As the two were about to part after their long, private conversation, Elder Meng earnestly said to him, “This old man may not see things clearly, but the current situation in the imperial court is filled with miasma, with petty men dancing about. This is not a long-term strategy for governing the country. I hope Xingzhou will assess the situation carefully and not be too inflexible. Preserve your strength. When changes occur in the court, loyal ministers will be needed to stem the tide and stabilize the realm…”
Cui Xingzhou bowed, indicating he had taken his mentor’s teachings to heart, and then bid farewell.
Subsequently, he came to Qingzhou to examine the files. This investigation revealed some clues, but several pages from certain officials’ files were missing, torn out by unknown persons.
When he returned to Lingquan Town, the sky was already filled with stars. Upon arriving at the North Street residence, he initially thought of calling for Madam Li to bring him something to eat.
However, Mentang, wrapping herself in clothes, said to him, “Madam Li woke up with a headache this morning, probably from eating too much sweet melon yesterday and catching a chill. The doctor just came to check on her, and she’s taken medicine and gone to sleep. My husband, what would you like to eat? I can make it for you.”
Cui Xingzhou, feeling the night chill outside, worried Mentang might catch a cold going out like this, so he asked, “Where are the two new maids? Let them do it.”
Mentang shook her head helplessly and said, “Fangxie and Bicao seem capable enough, but Madam Li is too strict in training new people. They spent the entire afternoon practicing just pouring water, and the poor girls’ wrists were swollen. Fortunately, Madam Li is ill today, so I thought I’d let them have a good night’s sleep. Madam will assign new tasks tomorrow!”
The Cui family wasn’t considered a large household, but Madam Li had many rules. Those tasks seemed to come from somewhere unknown. Even pouring water had to be done silently, without spilling a single drop, and with proper posture and hand gestures.
To be honest, the female tutor Mentang’s father hired for her before her marriage wasn’t as meticulous as Madam Li. Mentang initially tried to stop Madam Li from being so particular, but seeing how Madam Li looked at the two little maids’ lack of manners, her face as black as ink, with a look that said, “If I don’t speak out, I’ll suffocate,” Mentang finally gave up and let the old woman torment the two young ones. Only then did household harmony prevail, with meals served on time, three dishes, and a soup.
Now that Madam Li was asleep and the two little maids were pitiful, and since her husband disliked the food prepared by the rough maidservants, considering it unclean, it seemed she had no choice but to cook herself.
Cui Xingzhou knew about Mentang’s culinary skills. Only a few specific dishes were presentable, and her everyday cooking wasn’t her forte. Her knife skills were average, and she needed someone to assist her. So, half-reclining on the soft couch, he asked, “What are you going to make for me?”
Mentang remembered there was a basket of river shrimp and said, “How about fried shrimp? I learned it from Madam Li. If I fry them crispy and sprinkle some salt and pepper, they’ll go well with rice.”
Cui Xingzhou was hungry and thought anything cooked would do, so he nodded.
Seeing her husband’s approval, Liu Mentang cheerfully tied up her hair, wrapped it in a cloth, and then led Cui Jiu to sit at the table by the window. She brightened the candles, ground the ink, and asked her husband to write.
Her husband’s calligraphy was particularly beautiful, so she had recently been coaxing him to write a set of copybooks for her to practice in her spare time.
Having arranged for her husband, she tied on an apron and sat on a small stool in the corridor outside the window. With a small copper basin on her lap, she trimmed the shrimp whiskers, occasionally looking up to see her husband’s profile as he wrote by candlelight beneath the bed.
Cui Xingzhou sometimes raised his head and looked out through the wide-open window. Through the pale green window screen, he saw her trim a few times, then rest.
Her wrists lacked strength; such tasks were usually done by the older female servants.
Seeing Mentang put down the scissors several times out of fatigue, Cui Jiu finally set down his pen. He strode out, grabbed a stool, and sat down, taking the scissors from her to trim the shrimp whiskers deftly.
What Mentang loved most about her husband was that he didn’t say much, but his every action showed his care for her. Watching his long fingers, which should have been wielding a brush, doing women’s work made her feel ashamed of her inadequacy, unable to serve her husband a hot meal immediately upon his return home.
After trimming the whiskers and deveining the shrimp, Mentang imitated Madam Li’s method of beating eggs and making batter, then coated the shrimp and fried them in oil.
Fortunately, she had often learned from Madam Li, so even though this was her first attempt, she managed quite well.
The fried river shrimp turned golden, and after sprinkling them with salt and pepper for seasoning, they paired perfectly with steamed rice.
Cui Xingzhou ate two bowls of rice with fried shrimp and two small dishes of pickled vegetables. Mentang’s ambition to become a virtuous wife was greatly satisfied, and she eagerly served her husband rice and shrimp.
When Madam Li, up for a night visit, passed by the inner courtyard and saw the couple’s shadows projected on the window, she suddenly felt they were an exceptionally well-matched pair!
She shook her head, suspecting her upset stomach had made her mind unclear.
As summer passed and the weather gradually cooled, Mentang found it difficult to adapt to the southern winter climate. The chilly indoor air highlighted the benefits of having a man in bed, providing warmth without the need for a hot water bottle.
Mentang hugged her husband’s arm, reluctant to get out of bed.
However, today was an impromptu meeting of the merchant association. The He family had sent a message yesterday, saying every household must send someone to the meeting tomorrow, so she couldn’t delay.
After dawdling until the last moment, Mentang finally gritted her teeth and prepared to get up.
Cui Xingzhou had stayed up late the night before, writing several letters while Mentang slept, and had Mo Ru send them out. So he had slept late and now, still with his eyes closed, he grabbed Mentang’s wrist: “Why are you getting up so early? Stay with me a little longer…”
Mentang didn’t want to part from her husband too soon either, but household duties called—she had to earn money to support the family! She had to coax her husband gently to let go before she could get up to wash and change.
Madam Li felt better today and assigned tasks to the servants. She gave the job of serving the master and mistress in the inner chamber to the young maid Fangxie, while kitchen duties went to Bicao, who was skilled at cooking.
She was still weak and needed to stay in bed for a few more days.
With Madam Li bedridden, the two young maids were relieved of their lessons, much to their relief.
As they were bought with permanent contracts, they naturally worried about their masters’ temperaments.
Fortunately, apart from the difficult old woman, both masters seemed kind. The master needn’t be mentioned—he was indescribably handsome, making it hard for anyone to take their eyes off him. His every move was graceful and refined, clearly a well-educated young gentleman from a good family. He just didn’t talk much and never looked directly at the little maids.
The mistress was an exceptionally beautiful woman. At first, she seemed cold, but once they got to know her, they found her to be gentle and quick to smile, much easier to talk to than Madam Li.
With kind masters and a wealthy household that served meat soup and fish or shrimp at every meal, the two young maids felt fortunate to have been sold to a good family and eagerly went about their work.
Mentang took the warmed tonic from the young maid Fangxie and drank it all at once. These tonics had a faint medicinal fragrance and a sweet taste, not unpleasant to drink, but even the most palatable thing becomes tiresome when consumed daily.
However, her husband said she must drink it regularly to dispel the cold, or else it might be difficult to conceive in the future.
When Mentang heard this, she resolved to swallow even the bitterest medicine for the sake of the Cui family lineage! She took her tonics diligently, without missing a single dose.
The medicinal ingredients looked quite expensive, and she wondered how many games of chess her husband had won recently. Money seemed to flow like water, yet there was still plenty for household expenses, making them appear quite well-off.
Thinking of this, she picked up the newly added jewelry on her dressing table and turned to her husband still behind the bed curtains, “My dear, I have enough jewelry. Please don’t buy me anymore.”
“One can never have too much of those things. You can wear different pieces as you like,” Cui Jiu replied as he got up. His loose inner garments couldn’t hide his broad chest muscles and waistline, clearly showing he practiced martial arts daily.
Fangxie had just finished doing the mistress’s hair and was about to go help the master change, her face reddening. But Liu Mentang beat her to it, approaching her husband first.
Mentang preferred to handle such private tasks as changing clothes herself. It was best to serve her husband personally.
After getting ready, Cui Jiu went to the courtyard to practice his fists and stretch his muscles. Mentang watched her husband practice while sipping lean meat porridge.
Having loved martial arts since childhood, she could tell that her husband practiced different fist techniques every day, though limited by the space, he focused mainly on small grappling techniques.
She thought that when they earned more money, they should move to a larger residence. Then they could build a proper martial arts practice area for her husband to fully demonstrate his skills.
With these plans in mind, Mentang set off for the merchant association meeting.
Upon arriving at the association, Mentang exchanged greetings with the shopkeepers who had arrived earlier. She then learned the reason for this special meeting: Miss Lian, the future Princess of Huaiyang, would personally come to select wedding ceremonial porcelain bowls and other items.
This was a big order. To avoid industry infighting and uneven distribution of profits, the association naturally needed to meet and discuss how to share the money amicably without damaging relationships.
Since the last tea party, Liu Mentang hadn’t seen the He family’s third daughter for a long time.
When they met again this time, He Zhen had adjusted her mood. Even though her loved one’s fiancée was coming to select porcelain, she remained composed and calm.
Mentang, of course, didn’t bring up the topic to mock Miss He and also pretended nothing was amiss, exchanging pleasantries with Miss He as usual.
The final decision was that each family would present two or three outstanding porcelain pieces for the Lian family to choose from. For orders of this size, which required large quantities and often on short notice, no single family could handle it alone, so others needed to help.
Lingquan Town’s success was partly due to these unwritten rules of the merchant association. There was no reason for one family to eat until bursting while others starved.
Mentang carefully noted Mr. He’s words, already planning which items to display.
Next, each shop would clean up and prepare, waiting for the Lian family to arrive.
Mentang didn’t have high expectations for this order. After all, her family had taken a significant share of the recent imperial supply order. If they stood out again this time, it would seem a bit greedy.
So in the end, she ordered her clerks to bring out samples that were merely exquisite tea sets, nothing that could be considered shop treasures. Mr. He also noticed that Mrs. Cui had no intention of stealing the limelight from the He family this time, and his face visibly relaxed, even showing a hint of a smile towards Liu Mentang.
Because the Yusha Porcelain Workshop deliberately held back, the He family naturally stood out. Most of the samples chosen by the Lian family were from the He family’s porcelain shop. Of course, other families got some orders too, but they were small ones.
Because Liu Mentang was considerate, although the Yusha Porcelain Workshop didn’t get the lion’s share this time, they still got a piece of the pie, maintaining harmony within the merchant association.
Mentang felt quite satisfied, but there were some details about the orders she needed to discuss with Miss He.
However, Miss He’s social engagements suddenly increased. Several times when Mentang sent clerks to inquire, they received news that Miss He had accepted invitations from the Lian family and gone to Zhenzhou City to attend tea parties.
This made it impossible to ask about those matters. Mr. He was even busier; apart from occasionally meeting at the merchant association, he was nowhere to be found.
Later, by chance, Liu Mentang’s carriage encountered He Zhen’s on the street. She immediately sent Madam Li to convey a message.
He Zhen poked her head out of the carriage and invited Liu Mentang to join her, saying they could talk in the carriage.
Compared to Miss He’s uncomfortable demeanor from a few days ago, this time she was full of smiles, presumably having made many acquaintances in Zhenzhou’s high-society tea circles.
Mentang asked briefly, and He Zhen couldn’t help but speak with a hint of pride: “Miss Lian is truly approachable. Last time when she came to our He family porcelain shop to select items, we hit it off immediately and had endless topics to discuss. So whenever there’s a tea party in Zhenzhou, she invites me. Today’s tea party is actually at the prince’s mansion!”
Liu Mentang knew the story of He Zhen’s admiration for the Prince of Huaiyang. She couldn’t understand why He Zhen was so happy about becoming close friends with the secret crush of her admired man’s fiancée. Mentang felt her knowledge and experience were inadequate to comprehend this situation.
At that moment, Mentang could only look at He Zhen silently, suspecting she might be forcing a smile.
But He Zhen had many joyful things to share. Since Mrs. Cui was already aware of the situation, she thought she might as well confide in her and get it off her chest.
“Mrs. Cui, to be honest, Miss Lian and I hit it off immediately. She said the prince is usually busy with official matters and lacks someone to serve him closely. In such a noble household, how could the master do without concubines? But Miss Lian had been unable to find someone suitable in both character and appearance, so she asked if I would be interested in entering the prince’s mansion in the future, to keep her company as a sister…”
Liu Mentang didn’t know what to say upon hearing this. She could only think to herself that both Miss Lian and Miss He were extraordinary women indeed! If they couldn’t become sworn sisters, it would truly be a shame!