Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Spring Feelings Nanny Qiu said that Commandery Princess Rongjia probably wouldn't be so bold. "If the princess dares to do such a thing, the Marquis and Old Madame won't let her off easily." "Then who knows." Cui Lingrong beckoned to Nanny Qiu and whispered a few words to her. Nanny Qiu left to carry out her instructions. Not long after, Caixia announced that Miss He had arrived. "Tell her I'm resting and to come another day." Knowing He Pingping's intentions, Cui Lingrong didn't want to see her. Caixia went out to send He Pingping away. When she returned, she looked at her mistress hesitantly, unsure whether she should mention the matter of Caiyue. Cui Lingrong was perceptive and caught that Caixia had something to say. She asked what was wrong. Caixia shook her head. "Nothing, miss. I was just wondering how Miss He could have taken a liking to Young Master Yu." "I'm curious about that too," Cui Lingrong said. "But Zeyu gave me his word that he has no interest in her." Unless her brother was truly infatuated with He Pingping, Cui Lingrong wouldn't agree. She suddenly realized that Caixia and Caiyue were also getting older—at the age for marriage arrangements. "By the way, Caixia, you and Caiyue are both my senior maids. If either of you has someone in your heart, you must tell me, and I'll make the arrangements for you. When you marry, I'll prepare generous dowries for you." Caixia blushed at the words. "I haven't thought about such things, miss." "You can start thinking about it now. You've served me all this time—I want to see you both married with dignity. Tell Caiyue as well. Keep your thoughts to yourselves for now; no need to make a fuss." After speaking, Cui Lingrong began planning the winter clothing for the household. Caixia withdrew. She found Caiyue and said, "The young mistress has us in her heart. Why don't you go speak with her? If it doesn't work out, no one else will know, and you can put the matter to rest. If it works, I'll help you embroider your wedding gown." They had arrived at Qiushuang Zhai the same year and shared a room—not sisters by blood, but closer than sisters. But Caiyue was afraid. "I... I don't dare." "Then when will you act?" Caixia urged. "You know the young mistress has been looking for a match for Young Master Yu. If she finds one, what chance will you have then?" Caiyue bit her lip and lowered her head. "Don't learn from Miss He's ways. Did you hear what the young mistress said? Unless Young Master Yu is very fond of someone, she won't agree. We're both proper girls. The young mistress has taught us how to conduct ourselves—we should know better." Caixia told Caiyue to think it over and said she wouldn't say more on the matter. Caiyue was torn, unable to reach a decision for a long time. It wasn't until the next day, when Young Master Yu sent over honey tangerines again, that Caiyue found a moment alone and knelt before the young mistress. Cui Lingrong watched Caiyue struggle to speak and grew even more curious. "You're usually so quick to speak—what's the matter with you?" Caiyue's cheeks burned. She felt she might faint. "Speak up. You haven't gotten into trouble with Old Madame, have you? Or beaten someone from the Wutong Courtyard?" If it were either of those, Cui Lingrong could still protect Caiyue—after all, she was someone from her own courtyard. Caiyue shook her head and managed to utter "Young Master Yu" with great difficulty. Cui Lingrong understood immediately. She was taken aback for a moment, then reasoned it out: her brother often came to her quarters and would chat with the maids in the courtyard. It wasn't surprising that he'd caught someone's eye. It was good that Caiyue had come to her first, rather than following He Pingping's example of secret liaisons. Though Caiyue's temperament was a bit flighty, she was still one of her own people. Cui Lingrong agreed. "I'll ask Zeyu what he thinks. I've watched you grow up—I know you inside and out. If you want to serve Zeyu, I'm certainly willing to help." "Young mistress, I..." Caiyue wept, unable to speak. She felt utterly mortified. "Don't cry. The fact that you came to me shows you respect me as your mistress." Cui Lingrong helped Caiyue up. "I'll send someone to fetch Zeyu right away. If he agrees, I'll give you your indenture. But if he doesn't, don't hold a grudge—that would mean he has no eyes. We'll find you another fine young man later." Caiyue didn't dare look at her mistress, only nodded. Cui Lingrong sent someone to fetch her brother. When he arrived, she kept only Nanny Qiu in the room and said that Cui Zeyu was no longer young, and she wanted Caiyue to serve him. "I don't want her!" Cui Zeyu stood up with great agitation. "Sister, why do you keep pushing people on me one after another? You..." He couldn't voice what was in his heart. Sometimes he wished his sister would see it, but he was also afraid. He admitted he was shameless. He cursed himself for being despicable. But there was truly no room in his heart for anyone else. His sister was so wonderful—how could he possibly accept anyone else? "What are you getting so worked up about? I only mentioned it." Cui Lingrong saw her brother get so agitated for the first time. "It's not as if you must accept Caiyue. If you don't want to, then forget it." "I... Am I the one getting worked up?" Cui Zeyu felt wronged. His feelings couldn't be shared with anyone—he could only hide them in his heart. "Then what's the matter with you?" Cui Lingrong asked. Cui Zeyu fell silent again. Cui Lingrong couldn't do anything about her younger brother. She looked at him and sighed helplessly. "Tell me the truth—when you were little, what were your parents like?" She had asked this before, and Cui Zeyu had said his father died early, and his mother died while fleeing famine. But Cui Zeyu could read back then, and any family that could afford to educate their children wouldn't have been too ordinary. "Does Sister suspect me?" Cui Zeyu looked back with a wounded expression. Cui Lingrong said no. "I just want to know—why won't you marry?" The room fell silent. Cui Zeyu opened his mouth, wanting to do what he always did and come up with some excuse to brush it off. But this time, he didn't want to explain. He could barely hold back those words. Every time he looked at his sister, he wanted to confess. Cui Zeyu said he needed to go back. Cui Lingrong didn't get her answer, which only made her more curious. After her brother left, she remarked to Nanny Qiu, "What do you suppose is going on with him?" Nanny Qiu didn't know either. "Young Master Yu is grown now. He must have his own thoughts." "I suppose that's all it can be." Cui Lingrong had no choice but to summon Caiyue and gently convey Cui Zeyu's attitude. Caiyue ran out in embarrassment, and Cui Lingrong quickly sent Caixia to keep an eye on her. Cui Lingrong inwardly thought, what a mess this all is. Then someone came to report that Young Master Yu had been harsh with Miss He. Cui Lingrong sent Nanny Qiu to the second branch. "Go tell Madame Jiang to keep her cousin in check. This is the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, not a brothel or teahouse." Time and again, He Pingping still couldn't see the situation clearly—what was she thinking? Nanny Qiu knew her mistress was angry. She went to the second branch and met with the Second Young Madam, though she softened her words and didn't speak as bluntly. Madame Jiang's face turned green. The moment Nanny Qiu left, she stormed over to He Pingping and demanded, "Have you no shame? I refused to help you, so you went to Cui Zeyu yourself. Do you know what Nanny Qiu said? She told me to keep you in line, to stop you from disgracing both the He and Jiang families!" He Pingping had already cried once. Her face was deathly pale. "Cousin, I..." "Don't call me cousin. If you truly look down on my help, I'll send you back to the He family tomorrow!" Madame Jiang dropped those words and left. He Pingping covered her face and sobbed. Being rejected by Cui Zeyu was already heartbreaking enough. Now her cousin wanted to send her away—she felt even worse. Qing'er stood by anxiously. "Miss, please stop crying. The Second Young Madam is just angry for now. She dotes on you so much—she won't really send you away." "That's not certain. I think Cousin must be truly disappointed in me this time." He Pingping didn't want to return to the He family. Her mother's letters said the He family had fallen on hard times—her mother had to spin and weave to earn money, and her father spent his days drinking. Going back to suffer like that would be worse than death! He Pingping's heart ached. She cried all afternoon, then sent Qing'er away and went alone to the garden. She felt utterly hopeless in life and couldn't help sobbing again. "Who's crying?" He Pingping was startled. She turned and saw her cousin-in-law approaching with flushed cheeks—clearly he'd been drinking. The smell of wine hit her face, and she quickly stepped back a full pace. "Cousin-in-law, it's me." That timid little voice sobered Song Shucheng halfway. He squinted at her. The cousin he usually paid little attention to—today her eyes were red and swollen, and she had a certain charm about her. "So it's Cousin He." Song Shucheng belched and leaned against the railing pillar, staring straight at He Pingping. The moonlight was hazy, so he couldn't really see her face clearly. The moment He Pingping's eyes met Song Shucheng's, she ran off. She was still deeply upset. Today she'd even been confronted by Lady Cui. She truly had no face left to stay in the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion. And this matter wasn't just known to Cui Lingrong and Madame Jiang—word also spread to the Wutong Courtyard. Princess Rongjia was having tea with Concubine Zhao and Huadie. She'd gotten some goat meat today and had invited them over to share roasted mutton. Wang Shanxi's Wife told it as a joke. "Really improper. The He family used to be officials—how did they raise a daughter like this?" Concubine Zhao pursed her lips and smiled. "Miss He has no sense of judgment. A picked-up thing, and a merchant at that—only the people of Qiushuang Zhai elevate him by calling him Young Master Yu. What is he really?" Huadie disagreed. "Actually, Young Master Yu isn't bad. He's handsome and wealthy. With Miss He's circumstances, she couldn't match a good family anyway. If she wants to marry into a high household, she'd only be a concubine." Princess Rongjia glanced at Huadie. After being confined for a few days, she still hadn't learned to be smart—didn't she know the Princess didn't like hearing such things? It was Concubine Zhao who had the good sense. "What's so good about him? Sister Huadie, you wouldn't be taking a fancy to him because he's young, would you?" "What nonsense are you talking about?" Huadie grew flustered. "If I had such intentions, may I be struck by lightning!" "I didn't say anything. But you, getting so worked up—could it be you have a guilty conscience?" Just as the two were about to quarrel, Princess Rongjia finally spoke. "Enough. He's nothing but a mongrel picked up by the roadside—not worth fighting over. We're all sisters serving the Marquis, so we should stay harmonious." She said she was tired and sent Concubine Zhao and the others back. As Concubine Zhao was leaving, she made a point of mentioning, "Roasted mutton is heating in nature. Now that the Commandery Princess is with child, she absolutely must not eat too much of it." She had noticed today that Princess Rongjia had eaten a great deal of it, which was why she added this remark, to show her attentiveness.