Recalling how Situ Sheng had admonished her with a classical allusion, Chu Linlang hastily made her position clear — that she was no power-hungry wife who would dare to reach behind her husband’s curtain and meddle in his official affairs.
Situ Sheng heard this, and his brow furrowed slightly: “Is that what you think I meant?”
He gave a self-deprecating smile and explained: “Those two women were sharp-minded and accomplished, in no way inferior to the men of their era. Though they were women, they stabilized nations and secured the realm — they were nothing like the contemptible figures those sour pedants made them out to be…”
Chu Linlang blinked and ventured cautiously: “Then… is Lord Situ recounting history for his own amusement, or is he… complimenting me?”
Situ Sheng considered this for a moment, then said mildly: “I have a favor to ask of you, so naturally I say pleasing things. Unfortunately, my skill at flattery is still somewhat lacking compared to yours, Madam…”
Chu Linlang let out a long breath and quickly said with a smile: “I read little growing up, so naturally I cannot grasp the profound meanings in your learned allusions. Whatever it is you need my help with, just say it directly.”
What could be so important about those old local records? Why all the flattery? She would certainly send someone to deliver them afterward.
Situ Sheng thanked Madam Chu and turned to leave. But after a few steps, he stopped again, turned his head, deliberated for a moment, and asked: “…Is Lord Zhou treating you well?”
Conversing with this man required having eight hundred eyes open at all times. When he suddenly posed this unexpected question, Chu Linlang was taken aback, but her mouth immediately replied: “He is my husband, of course he treats me well.”
Situ Sheng glanced at Chu Linlang, the corners of his mouth seeming to carry a trace of mockery: “Seeing how Madam works wholeheartedly to support her husband, hoping for his continued advancement — I wonder if you have ever heard the line, ‘I regret urging my husband to seek glory and rank’?”
Chu Linlang had indeed heard it. She recalled that the madwoman who lived next door to her old home used to chant this line every single day. Only later did she learn it was a line from an ancient poem.
Situ Sheng was silent for a moment, then continued: “You should know that all things in this world involve gain and loss. Madam would do well to know when to stop, lest the cost outweigh the gain…”
Having said this, he said no more, and turned to stride away with an air of ease.
This man always spoke in a fog of clouds and mist, and Chu Linlang had never been able to quite catch his pitch.
Left with a head full of confusion, she found herself unconsciously taking a few steps forward to stand at the high point of the mountain temple, watching as Situ Sheng walked along the path he had come by, heading down the mountain in long, swift strides.
Watching the route he had taken, Chu Linlang suddenly understood: could it be… that he had spotted her from the opposite mountain, and had then followed a winding mountain trail all this way over?
If that were the case, he must have also heard what those gossips had been saying.
He had surely heard that Zhou Sui’an was so thoroughly controlled by a domineering wife that he didn’t even dare take a concubine to continue the family line — and that was why Situ Sheng had said what he said?
Was the implication, reading between the lines, that once Zhou Sui’an rose to high office, he would abandon his wife of humble origins? No, that didn’t seem right — Zhou Sui’an had offended him, so he should be laughing at those idle remarks.
After all, what a pathetically useless wretch it would seem — a distinguished prefectural judge, thoroughly at the mercy of a wife at home, not even permitted to take a concubine and continue his line!
She understood now what Situ Sheng had meant beneath his words. That line — “I regret urging my husband to seek glory and rank” — must have been Situ Sheng mocking her: if she was going to be this jealous, she might as well have stayed in this backwater with a hopeless, good-for-nothing husband and lived out her days in peace?
Wasn’t that wasting Zhou Sui’an’s prospects? …”I regret urging my husband to seek glory and rank” did make a certain kind of sense. If she and Zhou Sui’an had simply gone on living in poverty in their hometown, worrying daily about food and warmth, even if she bore him no children, there would be none of this current storm over taking a concubine.
But Zhou Sui’an was not only her husband — he was the man who had saved her life. Feelings may fade, but obligation endures forever!
How could she, out of her own petty desires, ruin her husband’s bright future?
Chu Linlang was not that wife of the book-keeper — even with a bowl of lard-soaked rice in her hands, she could not bring herself to feed it to him out of cruelty…
On the road home that day, Chu Linlang was somewhat distracted, nearly failing to follow along when the Governor’s wife addressed her several times.
When she arrived home, Dongxue quietly reported to her that the old mistress had taken advantage of her absence today and called in several brokers of people.
In the past, Chu Linlang would certainly have nipped this in the bud and left no room for trouble to take root. These moves and counter-moves had become a well-worn routine between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. But Dongxue noticed that this time, after she finished reporting, the First Mistress showed no reaction whatsoever, as though she hadn’t understood what was being said.
Dongxue grew anxious and was about to speak again, but Chu Linlang said as if nothing were the matter: “From now on, whatever Mother does, there is no need to report it to me. She is an elder of this household — it is not my place to interfere.”
Dongxue, finding nothing more to say, could only walk out and quietly ask Xia He: “What has come over the First Mistress?”
Xia He shook her head and simply went to the kitchen to instruct the servants to simmer some fruit broth, which she would let cool outside before bringing it in for the First Mistress.
She vaguely understood how the First Mistress felt. It should be that she was simply tired.
Even the finest garment, worn long enough, was bound to develop holes. But did one simply discard and replace it the moment it tore? That was the way of the wealthy. Those who had grown up in poverty — which of them had not mended and patched their clothes for another ten years?
Xia He thought that marriage was probably something like this for their First Mistress.
This was the finest garment the First Mistress had received in this lifetime — one she would be hard-pressed to find again. How could she simply cast it aside over a slight tear?
The master had now entered officialdom, and the Zhou family’s circumstances had changed — the way husband and wife conducted themselves together would likely need to change as well.
When Zhou Sui’an heard that his father-in-law, Chu Huaisheng, had arrived at the door, he leapt up as though scorched, and hissed in barely concealed alarm toward Chu Linlang: “He… why has he come?”
The way he looked, one might think the prefectural yamen was a salt shop his family ran.
Zhou Sui’an’s manner was generally refined and gentle, with a trace of youthful naivety still in his eyes. Yet what he said carried the full weight of a grown man’s concerns.
What kind of person was Chu Renzhuo — did his own father not know? If he truly landed a lucrative post, it would be like a rat falling into a rice jar — he would not stop until he had gorged himself to bursting!
As for the Sixth Imperial Prince, he had been lingering in Lianzhou for over half a month, and beyond having executed a handful of scoundrels who had attempted to assassinate him, there had been no further developments.
Chu Huaisheng said, somewhat exasperated: “Who told you to arrange such a dangerous post for your brother-in-law? Something idle and quiet would have been perfectly fine!”
Before long, the imperial decree was handed down. Yet from the sound of it, the Emperor seemed to be reprimanding the Sixth Imperial Highness quite harshly, ordering him to return to the capital without delay, while leaving the remaining matters to several officials to handle as a follow-up.
But then he reconsidered — rather than sending someone, it would be better to go and block the door himself, and speak more openly, so that the girl couldn’t find excuses to put things off.
Zhou Sui’an’s heart stirred at this, and he hurriedly looked up at Situ Sheng — yet Situ Sheng only wore a calm and unhurried smile, saying these were words of commendation from the Sixth Imperial Prince.
At the farewell banquet held in honor of the Sixth Imperial Prince’s departure, Zhou Sui’an shared several more cups of wine with Situ Sheng.
For a brief time, the warmth between husband and wife — so rare in recent days — rose like a tide. Zhou Sui’an leaned in and kissed Chu Linlang’s cheek, but before they could draw any closer, an old woman’s voice called out from outside: “Master, the Mistress is asking for you!”
Chu Linlang did not look at her mother-in-law’s tightly knit brows, but instead poured wine for her father while asking: “Father must have heard — the Sixth Imperial Prince this time in Linxian executed a great many corrupt officials and lowly scoundrels, didn’t he? There are quite a few vacancies that have opened up!”
Chu Linlang smiled and listened pleasantly: “Indeed, indeed, my husband is truly far superior to many men in the capital. I am just waiting for the day I receive a court title and wear the phoenix crown with rosy clouds!”
Chu Linlang sighed. She should have anticipated this long ago — Chu Huaisheng, whether in life or in business, always aimed to squeeze out every last advantage. Now that he had come to Lianzhou, how could he possibly leave without even seeing his son-in-law?
When Madam Zhao saw this salt-trading in-law, her head immediately began to throb. She hastily called her son and daughter-in-law over to intercept the troublesome guest in the sitting room.
Xia He let out a sigh, carrying the fruit broth, walking slowly along the snow-covered path — she could only hope the master would remember the First Mistress’s kindness and not let her heart grow cold as well…
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As a father-in-law, there was no proper reason for him to go calling on his in-laws’ household in person — but Chu Huaisheng, relying on his habitual overbearing manner in front of that husband and wife, still dragged along Sun Shi and called on them in person, propriety be damned!
Days were long ahead — Zhou Sui’an would someday enter the capital to serve as an official and bring glory to the Zhou family name!
Zhou Sui’an felt that Chu Linlang was underestimating him. He believed his own learning and talent were no worse than that young academician Situ Sheng’s — he had simply lacked the right opportunities and had not been as fortunate as Situ Sheng in remaining in the capital.
This allowed the new and old officials of Lianzhou to let out a slow, collective breath of relief. They sought no credit — only to avoid mistakes. The sooner this great Buddha was seen off, the better.
Chu Linlang gradually leaned into her husband’s embrace and said with a hint of melancholy: “With these words from you, even if I suffer grievances in the future… it will have been worth it.”
It turned out that after the Sixth Highness departed, Chu Huaisheng had still been unable to get Zhou Sui’an to see him, and in his fury he had stamped about and raged, berated Sun Shi soundly, and then sent someone again to summon Chu Linlang to come see him.
When in-laws came calling, willing or not, a banquet had to be laid out in welcome.
Under normal circumstances, such a lucrative appointment would make anyone’s eyes turn red with envy. But Chu Huaisheng knew that his daughter had not lied to him — all he had heard during his days at the postal relay station were accounts of yet another official losing his head at the Sixth Imperial Prince’s command.
Chu Linlang quickly disentangled herself from Zhou Sui’an’s arms, while Zhou Sui’an said with evident displeasure: “What business does Mother have? If it is not urgent, we will come shortly.”
Zhou Sui’an had not expected Chu Linlang to offer her father such a convenient way out, and he hurriedly used his sleeve as cover to frantically signal her with his eyes.
Zhou Sui’an was a man of lofty personal standards who had always privately disdained the ways of officialdom. Yet this Situ Sheng, though somewhat overstepping in his use of authority, was in manner gracious and in knowledge broad — he was actually quite to Zhou Sui’an’s liking.
He had entirely forgotten — though the Sixth Imperial Prince had left, his father-in-law was a far more formidable force than even the Sixth Highness.
Zhou Sui’an took Chu Linlang’s hand and said very solemnly: “You have endured so much hardship following me, my wife. One day I will bring you boundless glory and make all those who look down on you unable to lift their eyes to meet yours!”
When the conversation turned to the fact that he had no son, and that his mother was busy arranging for him to take a concubine, Situ Sheng glanced at him and said lightly: “Lord Zhou is still young — why be in such a hurry? As I see it, you have yet another step to climb in your career. Too many dependants at home would only hinder you…”
That part aside, when Chu Linlang said that if her brother took the post he might bring ruin upon the whole family and have their property confiscated, Chu Huaisheng immediately became unsettled.
With these encouraging words, Zhou Sui’an returned home beaming, excitedly telling Chu Linlang that the Academician Situ had hinted that he was in line for another promotion.
The two men had exchanged cups and bantered, falling into easy small talk between drinks.
When the table was laden with dishes, Chu Huaisheng stated his purpose without the slightest restraint: he wanted his son-in-law to look into how to secure a position for his eldest son-in-law.
Hearing this, Chu Linlang thought those pleasantries were nothing but castles in the air — if Zhou Sui’an took it too much to heart, disappointment was all but inevitable.
Yet Chu Linlang acted as though she had not seen a thing, and continued in her pleasant manner: “Sui’an heard me mention it and has thoughtfully considered several positions. But what has opened up are posts that touch money and silver. The previous holder could not resist temptation and lost his head. When he brought my brother’s name up to his superior, his superior told him to be cautious — these posts are under close scrutiny from above. The Sixth Imperial Prince’s people have not yet withdrawn, and if another instance of corruption occurs within Lianzhou’s jurisdiction, it is feared the punishment would not merely be losing one’s head — it would mean implication of the entire family, with all property confiscated and the whole household exiled… He came home and told me, and I too found myself at a loss. Father, you know my brother’s temperament — the man cannot move when money is in sight. I only fear he cannot restrain himself, and that his hands will prove unclean, dragging you down with him. Our Chu family’s holdings… if they were all confiscated, that would be quite a sum indeed!”
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