While Fu Tingyun was joyfully welcoming Zhao Ling home, Yu Jingxiu was pacing around his study with a gloomy expression, hands clasped behind his back.
The time for the evening meal had already passed, but Yu Jingxiu showed no intention of leaving the room. Mo Zhuan had peeked into the study several times, and each time had quietly retreated to the inner chamber.
Lady Fan couldn’t hide her concern as she twisted her handkerchief and muttered, “He was so happy when he came home. How did he become so worried after visiting his mother? What did his mother say to him?” At this thought, she couldn’t help feeling somewhat indignant.
Most people hope for their sons and daughters-in-law to do well, but her mother-in-law was different. She scrutinized her every day, making mountains out of molehills, turning tiny matters into huge issues, giving people no peace.
As this thought flashed through her mind, she frowned and instructed Mo Zhuan in a low voice: “Go and find out what’s happening. I’ll persuade the eldest young master to come out for dinner—it’s almost time to pay our respects to his parents. Surely he can’t go on an empty stomach?”
Ever since Mo Zhuan had been rebuffed by Shu Mama, she had been somewhat afraid to face her. The personal maids around Madam Yu were also shrewd and opportunistic, none of them easy to deal with. She had spent quite a bit of money and put on many smiles before finally befriending two or three second and third-tier maids.
She acknowledged the order in a deep voice and withdrew.
Lady Fan went to see Yu Jingxiu.
Yu Jingxiu was feeling irritable, so his tone was inevitably harsh: “…Father may not even be home yet, and at mother’s place, it’s just a brief conversation, not taking more than half an hour. What’s the rush?”
Lady Fan had never heard such harsh words from him before, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
Seeing this, Yu Jingxiu’s heart softened. He took Lady Fan’s hand and sat her down on the low couch in the study, saying gently, “I’m just in a bad mood. Don’t take it to heart.”
Lady Fan took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears, choking as she said, “I thought you were angry with me, and I was afraid!” She showed a timid demeanor like a willow swaying in the wind, making Yu Jingxiu feel even more uneasy. He hurriedly said, “How could that be? Even if I were angry with someone, it wouldn’t be you.” After saying kind words for a while, Lady Fan finally broke into a smile through her tears, and the couple went to the dining hall, talking and laughing.
Mo Zhuan’s figure appeared briefly at the entrance of the hall. Lady Fan rose unobtrusively and coquettishly said to Yu Jingxiu, “I’ll go brew a cup of tea for you, as an apology. You must accept it.”
Yu Jingxiu naturally agreed repeatedly.
Lady Fan went to the tea room.
Mo Zhuan, feeling anxious, poured out everything she had learned like beans from a bamboo tube.
Lady Fan’s face instantly turned pale. She grabbed Mo Zhuan’s hand and urgently asked, “Did my husband agree to his mother’s proposal?”
Mo Zhuan nodded, her expression also looking unpleasant: “It’s true. I heard that after the young master left, the mistress called in all her first and second-tier maids, examining each one and questioning them! It looked like she was selecting someone for the young master’s chamber!”
Lady Fan bit her lip hard.
Mo Zhuan asked in panic, “Second Young Miss, what should we do?” She had accidentally used the old form of address.
Lady Fan was too preoccupied with her mixed emotions to notice such details.
The situation had occurred so suddenly that she was at a loss for what to do. Since Yu Jingxiu was waiting for her in the dining hall to have dinner together, she had to dismiss Mo Zhuan first: “Don’t spread this news yet. I’ll try to get my husband to reveal more tonight.”
Mo Zhuan nodded repeatedly, helping the distracted Lady Fan brew a cup of tea. She watched as Lady Fan carried the teacup to the dining hall, then sat thoughtfully on a small stool in the tea room.
The Second Young Miss had an elder sister, and their father adhered to the principle of treating them equally. Although the Second Young Miss had married into a more prestigious family, her dowry was the same as her elder sister’s: some good farmland, shops, tin and porcelain utensils, four maids, and two attendant families. Such a dowry would be quite respectable in other families, but in the Yu family, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—barely noticeable. The few attendants were far from sufficient, let alone helping the Second Young Miss gather information, curry favor with the stewards, and manage the servants upstairs and downstairs. Later, Madam Yu had granted them four maids and four rough-working old women.
They weren’t her people, so they weren’t convenient to use. But one couldn’t decline a superior’s gift, so they had to keep them in the household. The Second Young Miss was not only polite in speech but also generous with money, and she even took care of these servants’ families. After spending over a year, she had finally managed to win them over. Then Madam Yu had smiled faintly and brought them to Beijing, but left all the serving staff in Nanjing, allowing the Second Young Miss to bring only her four attendant maids.
But even this had its advantages.
At least the house in Beijing was smaller, and the Second Young Miss didn’t need additional staff. The Second Young Miss and the young master could speak without having to guard against anyone, and they didn’t have to worry about their private marital matters being seen and becoming the subject of gossip or being reported to Madam Yu, causing her displeasure.
If the young master’s maid was one of Madam Yu’s maids… it would be like having two eyes and two ears installed in their room. The Second Young Miss’s every word and action would likely not escape Madam Yu… and the Second Young Miss was increasingly dissatisfied with Madam Yu… If she had nowhere to vent, how would the Second Young Miss manage?
Mo Zhuan felt anxious just thinking about it.
It would be best if the young master’s chamber woman came from the Second Young Miss’s dowry maids… but whoever gave birth to a son would keep the child and be discarded herself…
Thinking of this, she froze.
…
Shu Mama served Madam Yu as she changed into her night clothes, smiling as she asked in a low voice, “Are you planning to select one of the maids to personally serve the young master?”
“How could that be possible?” Madam Yu got into bed. “My grandson, the eldest grandson, how could he be the son of a servant? At the very least, he should be born to a girl from a respectable family with a clean background. I’m just putting on a show to make De Pu’s wife anxious!” She then muttered, “She has no brains; I don’t know how she grew up to be so foolish.”
Shu Mama couldn’t respond to this comment, so she pretended not to hear it and smiled as she set up the bed curtains for Madam Yu…
…
The sound of firecrackers erupted in Shi Family Alley, not stopping even after half an incense stick’s time.
Lord Li, who lived in the front Bensi Alley, had served as the Prefect of Huzhou Prefecture for three years and as the Left Advisor in the Jiangzhe Provincial Administration Commission for one year. He had just been promoted to Provincial Governor and had returned to Beijing to express his gratitude to the Emperor. Hearing the incessant sound of firecrackers, he asked his attendant, “Who is celebrating?”
A servant immediately ran to inquire and returned breathlessly to report, “It’s the brother of Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhao Huchen of Xuantong who has passed the county examination.”
Lord Li was somewhat taken aback, and his attendant laughed, saying, “If they make such a fuss for passing the county examination, what would they do for passing the academy examination, the prefectural examination, or becoming a juren or jinshi? Would they host a free banquet for all to come and eat?”
The servant awkwardly replied, “I heard the Zhao family’s steward saying exactly that.”
For a moment, even the attendant was dumbfounded.
Lord Li looked at them with a sneer and said, “Ready the sedan chair! I still have to meet friends later!”
The group hurriedly headed toward the entrance of Bensi Alley.
Asen, watching the bright red firecrackers exploding in the air, couldn’t help but blush: “There’s no need for this. You can celebrate when I become a tribute student.”
Yang Yucheng, who was hanging a newly unwrapped string of firecrackers on a bamboo pole, smiled and said, “That won’t do! When you become a tribute student, we’ll buy even bigger firecrackers.”
Asen grimaced: “People will laugh at us.”
“We’re celebrating for ourselves; why should we care about others?” Yang Yucheng smiled at Asen, though his smile was somewhat teasing. “You need to make us proud and at least become a tribute student.”
Just as he finished speaking, Zhao Ling lifted the curtain and came out, shouting, “After this string of firecrackers, no more! Be careful not to frighten Youyou and the child in your sister-in-law’s belly.”
Yang Yucheng laughed and agreed, while Asen ran into the inner chamber.
“Sister-in-law, Brother Yucheng is teasing me!” he complained to Fu Tingyun.
“But our Asen passing the county examination is real!” Fu Tingyun smiled. “And ranking seventh… We should celebrate when it’s time to celebrate. What’s there to be embarrassed about?”
Asen thought about it and realized she was right. He immediately regained his carefree nature, glanced at Fu Tingyun’s belly, and asked, “We didn’t frighten you, did we?”
“I’m not so easily frightened,” Fu Tingyun smiled and asked him, “When have you and your classmates arranged to thank your teacher? I should prepare something.”
“In the next day or two,” Asen smiled as he sat on a small stool nearby. “I’ve asked Yan Qing to find out what everyone else is bringing, so I can just follow the crowd.”
Fu Tingyun nodded.
Zhao Ling came in with a smile: “Madam Wang has brought her two daughters to congratulate Asen on passing the county examination.”
Fu Tingyun smiled and got down from the kang.
Zhao Ling and Asen hurried to support her, one on each side.
Fu Tingyun laughed: “I’m not made of paper.” She gently declined their help and walked nimbly out of the inner chamber.
Zhao Ling and Asen looked at each other in bewilderment.
Zhao Ling then asked Asen, “Has your sister-in-law always been like this at home?”
Asen thought for a moment and said, “She wasn’t like this a few months ago. It’s just in these recent months that she’s started behaving like before.”
Zhao Ling then instructed Asen, “You should be attentive. If there’s anything that needs doing, help your sister-in-law run errands.”
“Yes!” Asen agreed, but then said somewhat dejectedly, “Brother Yuanbao is engaged but still lives at home, and Brother Yucheng comes to see Sister-in-law every few days. Everyone thinks I’m too young, so they don’t call on me when something needs doing. Ninth Brother, why don’t you speak to Sister-in-law and tell her she can directly instruct me for anything…” As if feeling this wasn’t convincing enough, he puffed out his chest and said, “After all, I’ve passed the county examination now. In a few years, I might even be a xiucai!”
Zhao Ling burst into laughter.
Then he composed himself and said seriously, “I’m not often at home these years. You’re the man of the house, so don’t let your sister-in-law handle everything. You should help out with household matters.”
“I understand,” Asen said in a clear voice. “Ninth Brother, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of my nephews, study well with the teacher, and strive to achieve scholarly honors.”
Zhao Ling nodded with satisfaction. The two of them left the inner chamber and saw Fu Tingyun and Madam Wang walking arm in arm toward the main room, followed by the composed eldest daughter of the Wang family and the lively second daughter.
Asen’s face broke into a broad smile.