Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Sharing a Bed That evening, as Cui Lingrong had expected, Song Shulan came to Qiushuang Zhai. Nanny Qiu had just brought in hot tea when Song Shulan dismissed the servants. Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and the moon hung like a silver platter, its clear light spilling through the window. Cui Lingrong happened to be seated by the windowsill, and Song Shulan couldn't help but take a second look when he saw her. Cui Lingrong was truly beautiful. The years had added a certain charm to her, inviting one to want to know more. "You were wronged today." Song Shulan didn't wait for Cui Lingrong to offer him a way out; he sat down on his own. "The night wind is cold; you should avoid it. If I recall, aren't you sensitive to the cold?" "When my body is cold, my heart doesn't feel as cold." Cui Lingrong continued to gaze out the window. A wave of irritation rolled through Song Shulan's chest. He took a deep breath and explained with patience, "Since my grandfather's generation, our family's title has been reduced again and again. By the time Xuan-ge comes of age, he won't be able to inherit it at all. All these years, I've been struggling in officialdom—not just for the Song family, but for our children too." Seeing that Cui Lingrong remained unmoved, Song Shulan had no choice but to continue, "The Song family has a hundred years of foundation, but in recent years, there hasn't been a single pillar of talent. I have no uncles to support me, no capable brothers. The entire clan relies on me to hold up our name. Lingrong, we've been husband and wife for over a decade—you know how much I want to rise above the rest?" On this point, Cui Lingrong did indeed know. She had even blamed herself for a time, because the Cui family couldn't offer Song Shulan any support and instead relied on his help. "Marrying Commandery Princess Rongjia was unexpected, but if I want to advance further, I must rely entirely on Prince Rong. What happened today, I did out of necessity. If I can't appease the princess, how can I bring glory to our family?" When Song Shulan had married Cui Lingrong, her uncle by marriage was a third-rank Provincial Governor. By then, the Song family had already been on a long decline, and with his entanglements with Princess Rongjia, it was difficult to find a wife of matching status in Bianjing. It happened that Cui Lingrong appeared—virtuous and beautiful—and after much deliberation within the family, they settled on her. After their marriage, Cui Lingrong handled matters steadily and got along well with him. But something was always missing. Song Shulan hadn't realized what it was before, but after marrying Princess Rongjia, it suddenly dawned on him—he and Cui Lingrong lacked passion. They had married in a routine manner. He handled matters outside, Cui Lingrong managed the household, and everything was harmonious throughout the estate. The couple didn't even quarrel. Especially in the bedroom—Cui Lingrong was truly dull and couldn't let herself go. In truth, Cui Lingrong's body was very supple, her skin very fair, and her lips were rosy and inviting. Whenever Song Shulan came to her, he would linger with her for a good while, yet never find full satisfaction. "Lingrong, you are my true wife. Be understanding with me, alright?" Song Shulan walked to Cui Lingrong's side and slowly wrapped his arms around her. That night, Song Shulan stayed. But as soon as they got into bed, Cui Lingrong turned her back to him. She didn't take the initiative, and Song Shulan had been exerting himself for days with Princess Rongjia. Besides, he was past thirty and didn't have the stamina for nightly indulgence. The couple shared a bed but dreamed different dreams until dawn. The next day, after Song Shulan left for court, Cui Lingrong brought her daughter along to study accounting. In previous years, this time was extremely busy for her—during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the household needed to arrange rewards for the servants and send festival gifts to relatives and friends. Old Madame Song loved lively occasions, so the marquis's estate would also hire a theatrical troupe. When hosting guests, one had to be mindful of which families didn't get along, or who liked what. In past years, Cui Lingrong had always managed everything. This year, she had leisure, staying in Qiushuang Zhai with her daughter without even visiting the garden. "Mother is just giving up like that?" Song Yu hadn't been present that day. When she asked about it afterward, she'd assumed her mother wouldn't tell her, but her mother had recounted everything in detail from start to finish. "I heard from Second Aunt that the princess has opened her private treasury, and this year's rewards are double what they were in previous years. Many people in the household are praising the princess for her generosity, saying she's a practical person." Likewise, she had also received two bolts of expensive brocade, but thinking they were Princess Rongjia's things, she had thrown them all into the storeroom. She didn't want anything from Princess Rongjia. Song Yu put down the account book, losing all interest in studying, and propped her chin on her hands with a sigh. Cui Lingrong's voice was gentle. "Throughout the year, there are Mid-Autumn, Dragon Boat, New Year's Eve, and other festivals. The princess can give out rewards for a year or two—but can she do it for five or ten years?" Song Yu: "What if the princess is rich?" "As far as I know, the princess's dowry was forty-eight chests. On the surface, it looks substantial, but in reality, three-tenths of those chests are empty. The princess does have money, but not that much. Buying people's loyalty for a moment can indeed earn a few days of praise. But life must go on year after year—money spent must be earned again, or else one will only eat through their savings." Having said this, Cui Lingrong turned her head. "Nanny Qiu, has Zeyu returned yet?" Before Nanny Qiu could answer, Song Yu widened her eyes curiously. "How do you know that three-tenths of the princess's dowry chests are empty?" Nanny Qiu smiled warmly. "Has Yu-jie forgotten? The Eldest Madam managed the household for over a decade—is there anywhere in the marquis's estate where the Eldest Madam doesn't have her people?" After finishing with Yu-jie, Nanny Qiu then answered her mistress's question. "Before we returned to Bianjing, Young Master Yu had already set out as well. But since he's traveling with a merchant caravan, it's only natural that he's a bit slower." Cui Zeyu was someone Cui Lingrong had taken in. Ten years ago, when she went to the manor, she encountered Cui Zeyu at death's door. Moved by compassion, she brought him to the manor and cared for him for a time. Upon learning that Cui Zeyu had lost both parents and had no relatives to turn to, Cui Lingrong kept him on, treating him as something of a half-brother. Cui Zeyu had attended school for a few years and learned to read well enough. He started his business with a hundred taels of silver borrowed from Cui Lingrong, and now ran a cloth shop with thriving business, giving the marquis household a considerable share of the profits every year. Were it not for Cui Zeyu's business acumen, the marquis household would still be scraping by, and certainly wouldn't enjoy the standing it had now. "When he returns, we should find a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for him. He'll be twenty-two after the New Year—other young men his age have long been betrothed." Cui Lingrong had raised the matter of marriage with Cui Zeyu before, but he said he didn't want to marry so early, always using the cloth shop as an excuse to put it off. This time, no matter what reason Cui Zeyu gave, she was determined to settle his marriage for him. "You're right, Young Master Yu should be married by now." Nanny Qiu had watched Cui Zeyu grow up. The boy was fortunate to have met the Eldest Madam. Fortunately, Young Master Yu knew to repay kindness—over the years, once he'd built up his business, he never forgot her favor and had spared the Eldest Madam many worries. After a moment's thought, Nanny Qiu asked in a low voice, "For this quarter's dividends from the cloth shop, should we still hand them over to the public accounts as before?" She didn't want the Eldest Madam to hand them over. The cloth shop was run by Young Master Yu, and the dividends he gave were always delivered to the Eldest Madam. By rights, this was the Eldest Madam's private property. In the past, the Eldest Madam had been the mistress of the household. Once the Old Madame passed, the marquis household would be under the Eldest Madam's authority. So Nanny Qiu had no objection to the Eldest Madam supporting the household with her private means. But now there was a Princess Rongjia—why should the Eldest Madam still support the entire marquis household? Nanny Qiu feared the Eldest Madam was too kind-hearted. Clenching her teeth with a guilty conscience, she said, "In this old servant's opinion, it would be better not to hand it over. Since Princess Rongjia wants to manage the household, let her fill the marquis household's coffers. The Old Madame and the Marquis both have no small expenses—let's see how much silver she has to throw in." Song Yu also looked at her mother, sharing Nanny Qiu's view. "It's not that your daughter and Nanny Qiu are petty—it's just that they're truly disgusting." Seeing them all watching her with tense expressions, Cui Lingrong couldn't help but laugh. "In your eyes, just how kind-hearted do you think I am? Before, I thought the marquis household all belonged to the eldest branch, so it didn't matter if I contributed a bit. As Nanny Qiu said, since the household now has a new mistress, let her bear that expense." Even the cleverest housewife can't cook without rice. Old Madame Song came from a distinguished family and was particular about appearances in food, clothing, and lodging. Song Shulan's official connections required money at every turn, inside and out—not to mention the second and third branches of the household, all of whom were spendthrifts. Nanny Qiu and Song Yu both let out sighs of relief in unison. Song Yu said indignantly, "I'd like to see what ability this Princess has to manage a household. I certainly don't covet anything of hers!"