Chapter 194

Fu Tingjun happily welcomed Zhao Ling back, while Yu Jingxiu, on the other hand, paced back and forth in his study with a grim face and hands clasped behind his back.

It was already past the evening meal time, yet Yu Jingxiu showed no sign of heading out. Mozhuan had peeked at the study door several times, only to retreat quietly back into the inner chamber each time.

Lady Fan could hardly hide her worry, twisting her handkerchief as she murmured, "He was in such high spirits when he arrived home. How is it that after one visit to Mother's room, he comes back with such a long face? What on earth did Mother say to him?" At the thought, a hint of irritation crept into her heart.

Other mothers-in-law wished nothing but the best for their sons and daughters-in-law, but hers seemed to have it out for her, watching her every move and blowing even the most trivial matters out of proportion, leaving no peace for anyone.

The thought made her frown deeply. She lowered her voice and instructed Mozhuan, "Go and find out what happened over there. I'll go persuade the young master to come eat—it's almost time to pay our respects to Father and Mother. Surely he can't go on an empty stomach?"

Mozhuan had been wary of Mama Shu ever since she'd been put in her place by her last time, and the maids closest to Madam Yu were all sharp-witted and quick to shift with the wind—none of them easy to deal with. She'd spent no small amount of silver and offered plenty of smiles before finally befriending two or three of the second- and third-rank maids.

She acknowledged the order in a low voice and withdrew.

Lady Fan went to see Yu Jingxiu.

Yu Jingxiu was already vexed, and his tone came out harsher than intended: "...Father may not even be home yet. As for Mother, it's just a few words—won't take more than a quarter of an hour. What's the hurry?"

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 led Lady Fan to sit with him on the low couch in the study and said gently, "It's just that I'm in a foul mood. Don't take it to heart."

Lady Fan pulled out her handkerchief to dab at her tears and said, choking up, "I thought you were angry with me, and I was so frightened!" She looked as fragile as a willow swaying in the wind, which only deepened Yu Jingxiu's guilt. He hurriedly said, "Nonsense—even if I were angry with anyone, it wouldn't be you." He went on with soothing words for a good while before Lady Fan finally broke into a smile through her tears, and the two of them went chattering and laughing to the dining hall.

Mozhuan's figure flickered past the front of the hall. Lady Fan rose unhurriedly and said to Yu Jingxiu with a playful pout, "Let me brew you a cup of tea as my apology, my lord. You must accept it."

Yu Jingxiu naturally agreed with repeated praise.

Lady Fan went to the adjoining tea room.

Mozhuan was anxious and poured out everything she had learned like beans tumbling from a bamboo tube.

Lady Fan's face went pale in an instant. She grabbed Mozhuan's hand and demanded urgently, "Did the young master really agree to Mother's request?"

Mozhuan nodded, her own expression souring. "It's true. I heard that after the young master left, Madam Yu called in all her first- and second-rank maids, one by one, inspecting them and questioning them! From the look of it, she seems to be choosing a chamber girl for the young master!"

Lady Fan bit her lip hard.

Mozhuan said in a fluster, "Second Miss, what are we to do?" The old form of address slipped out in her panic.

Lady Fan's heart was a jumble of emotions, and she hardly noticed.

The matter had come so suddenly that she was at a loss. With Yu Jingxiu still waiting in the hall for her to join him for the meal, she could only dismiss Mozhuan for now: "Don't breathe a word of this yet. I'll sound out the young master tonight and see what he says."

Mozhuan nodded repeatedly, helped the distracted Lady Fan brew a cup of tea, and watched her carry the teacup back to the hall before sitting down on a small stool in the tea room, lost in thought.

There was still the eldest Miss above Second Miss, and the master had always insisted on treating them equally. Though Second Miss had married into a prominent family, her dowry was the same as the eldest Miss's—besides fine fields, shops, and pewter and porcelain wares, there were four maids and two families of accompanying servants. Such a dowry would have been perfectly respectable in any other household, but once it entered the Yu family, it vanished like a clay ox sinking into the sea, making no impression at all. The accompanying servants were nowhere near enough, let alone able to help Second Miss gather information, curry favor with the stewards, or manage the household staff. Later, Madam Yu had bestowed upon her four maids and four rough-work matrons.

They weren't her own people, after all, and didn't handle things smoothly. But a gift from one's elder could not be refused, so she had to keep them in her quarters. Second Miss had been generous not only with her words and her silver, but had also looked after the families of these servants. It had taken her over a year to finally win them over. Madam Yu had smiled faintly and brought them all to the capital, but left all the servants who had attended them in their quarters behind in Nanjing, allowing Second Miss to bring only her four dowry maids.

But even that came with its own drawbacks.

At least the capital residence was smaller—Second Miss wouldn't need to add more servants, she and the Young Master could speak without guarding against anyone, and there was no fear of intimate matters between husband and wife being witnessed and turned into gossip, or reported to Madam Yu and making her displeased.

If the Young Master's chamber maid was one of Madam Yu's personal maidservants... that would be like placing a pair of eyes and ears in their quarters. Every word and action of Second Miss would likely be impossible to hide from Madam Yu... and Second Miss's dissatisfaction with Madam Yu was growing by the day... If she didn't even have a place to vent, how could Second Miss endure such a life!

The more Mozhuan thought about it, the more anxious she became.

The best choice for the Young Master's chamber maid would be someone from Second Miss's dowry maidservants... but whoever bore a son would be kept for the child while the mother was sent away...

At this thought, she froze.

...

Mama Shu helped Madam Yu change into her sleeping clothes and said softly with a smile, "Are you truly planning to pick one of the maidservants to serve the Young Master intimately?"

"How could that be?" Madam Yu climbed into bed. "My grandson, my eldest grandson—how could he be born of a maidservant? He must come from a daughter of a respectable family with a clean background, surely? I'm only putting on a show to make Depu's wife anxious!" Then she muttered, "What a brainless fool—I don't know how she managed to grow up at all."

This was something Mama Shu could not respond to. She pretended not to hear, smiling as she let down the bed curtains...

...

Crackling firecracker sounds rang out from Shi Family Lane, and after half an incense stick's time, they still hadn't ceased.

Lord Li, who lived in the front on Bensi Lane, had served three years as prefect of Huzhou Prefecture and one year as Left Assistant Administrator of the Jiangzhe Provincial Administration Commission. He had just been promoted to Administration Commissioner and had only returned to the capital to await an audience with the Emperor to express his gratitude. Hearing the unending firecrackers, he asked his attendant beside him, "Which household is celebrating a happy occasion?"

A servant boy immediately ran off to inquire and returned breathless to report: "It's the younger brother of Zhao Huchen, the Xuantong Deputy General—he's passed the county examination."

Lord Li was somewhat taken aback at the news, and his attendant laughed, saying, "To make such a racket over passing the county examination—if he passes the prefectural examination, the academy examination, and then earns the provincial degree and the metropolitan degree, won't they be setting up an endless open feast for anyone to come and eat?"

The servant boy said awkwardly, "That's exactly what the Zhao family steward said."

For a moment, the attendant was also dumbfounded.

Lord Li looked at them with a faint smile and said, "Raise the sedan! I still need to go out to meet friends later!"

The group hurriedly rose and headed toward the entrance of Bensi Lane.

A Sen watched the bright red firecrackers exploding in the air and couldn't help blushing. "No, no need for this—when I pass the tribute examination, you can celebrate then, and not a moment before."

Yang Yucheng, who was just hanging a newly unwrapped string of firecrackers on a bamboo pole, laughed. "That won't do! When you pass the tribute examination, we'll buy even bigger firecrackers to set off."

A Sen pulled a long face. "People will laugh themselves to death."

"We celebrate our own celebrations—why care what others think." Yang Yucheng smiled at A Sen, though the smile was somewhat mischievous. "You need to live up to expectations—you must at least pass the tribute examination."

The moment he finished speaking, Zhao Ling lifted the curtain and stepped out, shouting, "After this string of firecrackers is done, no more! Be careful not to startle Youyou and the child in your sister-in-law's belly."

Yang Yucheng laughed and acknowledged, while A Sen ran back inside.

"Sister-in-law, Brother Yucheng is making fun of me!" he complained to Fu Tingjun with a pitiful look.

"But it's true that our A Sen passed the county examination!" Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "And in seventh place, no less... When it's time to celebrate, we celebrate. What's there to be embarrassed about?"

A Sen thought about it and felt she was right. His easygoing nature immediately returned, and he glanced at Fu Tingjun's belly, saying, "I didn't frighten you, did I?"

"I'm not made of paper that blows over in the wind," Fu Tingjun said with a laugh, asking him, "Have you and your fellow students agreed on when to go thank your teacher? I should make preparations."

"In the next day or two." A Sen smiled and sat down on a small stool nearby. "I've already asked Yanqing to find out what everyone is bringing. When the time comes, I'll just follow the general trend."

Fu Tingjun nodded.

Zhao Ling came in smiling. "Madam Wang has brought her two daughters over—she says she's come to congratulate A Sen on passing the county examination."

Fu Tingjun smiled and got down from the heated brick bed.

Zhao Ling and A Sen immediately moved to support her from either side.

Fu Tingjun laughed. "I'm not made of paper." She declined their help and walked out of the inner room with brisk steps.

Zhao Ling and A Sen looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zhao Ling asked A Sen, "Is your sister-in-law always like this at home?"

A Sen thought for a moment, then said, "She wasn't like this a few months ago. It's only in the last few months that she's started acting like her usual self again."

Zhao Ling then instructed A Sen, "You should keep an eye out as well—if anything comes up, help your sister-in-law run errands."

“Mm!” A Sen responded, though somewhat dejectedly, “Yuanbao has already gotten engaged but still lives at home, and Yucheng also comes by every few days to visit his sister-in-law. Everyone thinks I’m too young and doesn’t call on me when something comes up. Ninth Master, why don’t you have a word with sister-in-law? From now on, if anything comes up, just tell me directly…” As he spoke, as if feeling that this wasn’t convincing enough, he puffed out his chest and said, “I’ve at least passed the county examination now—who knows, in a few years I might even become a xiucai !”

Zhao Ling burst into hearty laughter.

Then he composed himself and said seriously, “I haven’t been home much these past few years. You’re the man of the house now—don’t let your sister-in-law handle everything on her own. You should lend a hand with matters around the household.”

“I understand,” A Sen replied in a clear, crisp voice, “Don’t worry, Ninth Master. I’ll take good care of the nephews, study hard with the tutor, and earn a good name through the examinations.”

Zhao Ling nodded with satisfaction. The two of them stepped out of the inner chamber and saw Fu Tingjun and Madam Wang walking arm in arm toward the main hall, followed by the composed eldest Miss Wang and the lively second Miss Wang.

A Sen couldn’t help but break into a broad smile.