Yu Jingxiu was practicing calligraphy in his study when he heard that his mother had come. He hurried out to greet her.
Mrs. Yu smiled as her son escorted her into the study, where she stood by the large writing desk to look at her son’s calligraphy practice. “…you’ve truly improved a great deal!”
She praised her son with a smile.
Yu Jingxiu gently helped his mother sit on the large kang bed by the window, took the tea that Chengxin had brought over, and personally handed it to Mrs. Yu before smiling and saying: “There are many in the Court of State Ceremonial who write well. If I don’t work hard, I’ll embarrass myself.”
“Your father would be pleased to know you have such an attitude,” Mrs. Yu chatted casually with her son for a moment before Madam Fan, who had received the message, came with Precious Sister to pay respects to Mrs. Yu.
Mrs. Yu looked at Precious Sister, who was like a small kitten, and sighed inwardly before stating the purpose of her visit: “…Since Miss Chen from your family doesn’t wish to stay, I won’t force her. But since Miss Fei has remained, I think we should choose an auspicious day to make her a concubine.”
Her tone was not one of consultation but of command, which made Madam Fan very uncomfortable.
Yu Jingxiu’s brow also furrowed, but just as he called out “Mother,” Mrs. Yu had already instructed Mozhuan, who was standing to the side: “I hear you’re very skilled at making almond paste. Today I’d like to taste your handiwork.” Her intention to dismiss people was very obvious.
Mozhuan didn’t dare linger, responded with a smile, and led the servants out of the room.
Mrs. Yu looked at her son and daughter-in-law before speaking plainly: “We haven’t divided the family with your eldest uncle and third uncle. Family affairs are still managed by your eldest uncle and aunt. I sent Miss Chen back because she was not behaving properly and even came to me with gossip. If your third aunt knew the reason I sent her back, she probably wouldn’t tolerate such wildness either. But it has still caused your third aunt to lose face, and she must be feeling uncomfortable about it. She and your eldest aunt have remained in our ancestral home in Nanjing, keeping each other company for decades. Though they are sisters-in-law, they are closer than blood sisters. We must give some explanation regarding Miss Fei. This way, if your third aunt wants to say something to your eldest aunt, she will exercise some restraint.” After saying this, she looked at Madam Fan, “Depu spoke of shouldering responsibility for three households, but in reality, it’s because your father-in-law, eldest uncle, and third uncle are close and don’t want the family property to fall into the hands of outsiders. Otherwise, why would there be such an arrangement? Countless people from the Yu family’s collateral branches want to adopt their sons into your eldest uncle’s and third uncle’s names!”
Madam Fan felt a chill in her heart.
Her mother-in-law was warning her that if she didn’t placate the First Madam and Third Madam, this family would fall apart. And the culprit responsible for the family’s dispersal would be her, the First Young Madam, who couldn’t persuade her husband to branch out from the ancestral temple.
Her smile involuntarily became more bitter, and her gaze turned toward Yu Depu.
Mrs. Yu was telling Yu Jingxiu about what she had just heard from Grand Secretary Yu: “…At that time, Zhao Ling was only a Battalion Commander. Now that he’s been promoted to Regional Commander, his boldness has probably increased even more. You must be careful when going out. If you see strangers, try to avoid them as much as possible. If Zhao Ling goes mad, who knows what he might do? You are porcelain, and he is an earthen pot. We needn’t stoop to his level!”
Yu Jingxiu was stunned and took a long time to recover. After his mother finished speaking, he couldn’t help but find it both laughable and sad: “Mother, you’re overthinking! This is right under the Emperor’s feet. No matter how bold Zhao Ling is, he wouldn’t dare openly harm a court official. Please rest assured.”
Mrs. Yu gave a cold laugh, glancing at Madam Fan, and said: “If not for the cause planted back then, how could there be today’s result? Anyway, I’ve told your father we’re not going to the Censorate. It’s not as if the Court of State Ceremonial doesn’t produce Grand Secretaries. Besides, being an Investigating Censor who inspects the realm means suffering the hardship of traveling everywhere!”
“Mother!” Yu Jingxiu heard this and became somewhat angry, “Such a significant matter, how could you make decisions without consulting me! The Court of State Ceremonial merely drafts memorials and conveys edicts every day. There are many people with more seniority than I. Even if I were to rise through the ranks, I would still need to gain experience in various ministries. Why should I put the cart before the horse and insist on gaining seniority in the Court of State Ceremonial? Outside, doing practical work, it’s easier to make achievements. When I return to the Six Ministries later, promotion will be much easier…”
“Say no more,” Mrs. Yu interrupted her son. “I’ve made up my mind—how can one establish a career without first establishing a family? How can one govern the state without first managing the household? Once you’ve arranged your family affairs properly, then we can discuss other matters.” With that, she stood up, called out “Mama Shu,” and left the hall without even looking at Madam Fan, supported by Mama Shu’s arm.
Yu Jingxiu slammed his fist on the black lacquered square table.
The “thump thump” sound echoed in the spacious hall.
Madam Fan was startled and hurried over to check his fist: “Are you hurt anywhere?”
Yu Jingxiu shook his head in frustration.
Madam Fan’s spirit dimmed as she looked at him. She bit her lip and several times opened her mouth to say something, but swallowed her words each time.
Yu Jingxiu stood up with a gloomy face: “I’m going to the study!”
Madam Fan quickly acknowledged and saw Yu Jingxiu out the door. Turning around, she called for Mozhuan, repeated Mrs. Yu’s words, then hesitantly asked Mozhuan: “What should we do now?”
Mozhuan thought for a moment and said: “Let’s see what the master decides—after all, if the sky falls, there are still tall people to hold it up!”
Madam Fan sighed, nodded somewhat helplessly, then leaned against the large, welcoming pillow on the kang bed, murmuring: “I thought that since my husband is a Number One Scholar, it should be easy. Who knew that even with father-in-law supporting him from behind, it would still be so difficult… No wonder my father resigned from his official position to return home… It’s so exhausting both mentally and physically… I heard that Grand Secretary Chen just turned fifty this year. I wonder how he got promoted?”
Mozhuan could only comfort Madam Fan: “Grand Secretary Chen was previously a county magistrate for many years! Master has simply not yet reached his time of prosperity. When that time comes, he will soar to the sky. Please be patient, madam. Our master is a top scholar after all!”
Madam Fan knew it was pointless to discuss these matters with a young maid, but she couldn’t talk to anyone else either.
She smiled self-mockingly and waved her hand, dismissing Mozhuan. Lying alone on the large, welcoming pillow, her mind easily recalled the whispers she had overheard from several women when she went to the Wu mansion to congratulate the Wu family’s Fourth Miss on her full-month ceremony: “Not yet thirty years old and already promoted to Regional Commander of the Second Rank. In a few more years, what will become of him? Wouldn’t he be another Marquis of Yingchuan? That Mrs. Zhao is truly fortunate—if Master Zhao wins another victory in Guizhou, she should receive an honorary title…”
Madam Fan thought of those women’s faces, filled with both envy and jealousy as they discussed these matters… while she could only follow beside Mrs. Yu, being introduced as “Mrs. Yu’s daughter-in-law.” Then those women would take on the air of elders, looking down with restrained smiles and nodding to her carelessly, while she had to smile brightly, curtsy to them, and respectfully greet them. Even so, some people would still quietly ask those beside them: “This is Mrs. Yu’s daughter-in-law, what’s her surname again?”
The thought flashed through her mind, and she suddenly felt suffocated. She grabbed the large welcoming pillow next to her and threw it at the grand chair not far away…
…
In the study, Yu Jingxiu wrote five or six hundred characters in wild cursive calligraphy before feeling that the anger in his heart had dissipated considerably.
He couldn’t help but carefully consider his mother’s words.
If Madam Fan couldn’t bear a son, he would naturally discuss the matter of taking a concubine with her. But not like now, where regardless of whether he agreed or not, whether he liked the woman or not, a decision was forced upon him, and the person was pushed in front of him.
But simply opposing his mother constantly wouldn’t work either, as it would offend his eldest aunt and third aunt.
Understanding all this, he felt a splitting headache.
After pacing around the study for a while, as if possessed, he went to Miss Fei’s place.
Miss Fei was sitting on the large kang bed doing needlework. Seeing Yu Jingxiu enter, she hurriedly put down her needlework, came forward to curtsy to him, and personally brewed a cup of tea for him.
Yu Jingxiu couldn’t help but examine Miss Fei carefully.
She was of medium build, with features that were merely delicate rather than striking, but her complexion was fair, her demeanor gentle, and her bearing steady. She appeared dignified and graceful, quite like a lady from a prestigious family.
He was somewhat surprised.
To be honest, he harbored resentment and hadn’t given either Miss Fei or Miss Chen more than a cursory glance.
When Miss Fei saw him examining her, she didn’t shy away but gave him a slight smile.
Yu Jingxiu began to feel uncomfortable.
He coughed lightly, lowered his head to drink tea, and from the corner of his eye, glanced at the needlework basket on the kang bed, noticing a lilac satin cloth embroidered with gold.
“You’re doing needlework!” Yu Jingxiu said, searching for conversation.
Hearing this, Miss Fei took out the needlework from the basket and laid it before Yu Jingxiu: “With nothing else to do, I made a padded robe for madam, but I don’t know if she will like it. Since you’re here, master, perhaps you could help me look at it. If there’s anything that doesn’t seem right, please advise me.”
Yu Jingxiu was surprised once again.
But seeing Miss Fei’s natural and composed manner, for some reason, he felt his heart ease. He casually looked at the unfinished padded jacket and nodded: “Not bad.”
“If master says it’s not bad, then surely it isn’t,” Miss Fei responded, seeming very pleased, her smile particularly radiant.
Yu Jingxiu suddenly felt somewhat bored.
Miss Chen had been spirited, daring to go before his mother to ask to leave, while this Miss Fei was deep with schemes, able to endure regardless of how he treated her.
Thinking this, he wanted to leave.
However, Miss Fei, across from him, smiled and said: “When I came, the First Madam repeatedly instructed me to serve you well. She also mentioned that when you were young, you liked Yi Pin duck the most, and she specially told the kitchen women to teach you how to make it. But since you’ve been so busy since I arrived, I haven’t had the chance to properly serve you a meal.”
At the mention of his eldest aunt, Yu Jingxiu had no choice but to sit back down.
Miss Fei smiled and brought over a plate of snacks, asking softly: “Master came here for a reason, didn’t he?”
Yu Jingxiu was surprised.
Miss Fei’s expression turned serious: “I know that the First Madam and Third Madam sending me and Miss Chen here like this made you uncomfortable. That’s why Miss Chen wanted to leave. I’m different from Miss Chen. When Miss Chen returns, she has parents to make decisions for her. My parents died early, and I rely on my uncle to get by. If I were sent back, my uncle would lose face and might drown me with his own hands. So I’ve had to shamelessly stay.”