Chapter 7 February Ru "I feel scared whenever I think of him"...

Inside the Yue residence, Madam Zhou was selecting a box of South Sea pearls with her daughter, Yue Lingling.

“Look, this big one can be used to set a hairpin, and these few of the same size can be used to make a beaded hairpin.” Madam Zhou picked out a few satisfactory ones and placed them in a small box lined with soft cloth.

Yue Lingling pulled the South Sea Pearl box close to her eyes and began to examine it, comparing each pearl one by one.

There weren't many pearls in the box to begin with, and the rest were either not round enough, had flaws in color, or were of different sizes. Yue Lingling looked at them for a long time but couldn't find any that she liked. She dejectedly fiddled with the South Sea pearls that were placed separately in the box: "I wanted to make a South Sea pearl bracelet, but these few are not enough."

Madam Zhou closed the box and comforted Yue Lingling, saying, "Alright, although these beads are of slightly lower quality, they won't be noticeable when made into jewelry. Even the ones with more flaws can be covered up with gold wire and made into bracelets or necklaces, which will look beautiful. Besides, most of the beads used in South Sea pearl bracelets are flat or long beads, and they need to be matched with crystals. It's not possible to use only large, round South Sea pearls. It's already quite rare to have these beads, and this one large bead alone is enough to be a prized possession."

This box of beads was sent by Yue Shanfeng, the prefect of Rongzhou. Rongzhou is near Lianzhou, which is famous for its South Sea pearls, so Yue Shanfeng had the opportunity to find some beads and send them to his residence.

Madam Zhou was a widow who remarried Marquis Anyuan, Yue Changxing, as his second wife. Her first wife left behind two sons: the eldest son Yue Shanfeng and the third son Yue Shanling. She also had several daughters born to her concubines: the eldest daughter Yue Lianlian, the second son Yue Shanjun, the second daughter Yue Yanyan, the third daughter Yue Yingying, the fourth son Yue Shanzheng, and the fifth son Yue Shane. Madam Zhou only gave birth to one daughter, Yue Lingling.

Being a stepmother is difficult. When Madam Zhou entered the household, the eldest Yue Shanfeng was already approaching adulthood, and Yue Lianlian was about to be married off. Madam Zhou's relationship with these children was not exactly warm.

When Yue Changxing passed away, Yue Shanfeng was demoted and asked to be sent to a post outside the capital. Yue Shanling was stationed on the frontier and there was no news of him at all. Madam Zhou became increasingly unfamiliar with her two stepsons, while she was more familiar and affectionate with her several illegitimate children.

Now, Yue Shanjun manages the family's farmland and shops. The three daughters have all married. The fourth son, Men Yin, went to work in the Imperial Guard, and the fifth son is studying at the Imperial Academy.

The later children were either married off by Madam Zhou or raised by her. Madam Zhou was adept at using her maternal authority in front of them. However, she had almost no interaction with her two legitimate sons except for official business transactions.

The fiefdom granted to Yue Shanfeng was entirely handed over to the public. In addition, the government also received a sum of money and various seasonal gifts every year, with a respectful attitude and meticulous etiquette.

Since leaving home that time, Yue Shanling had never taken a single penny from the manor. Later, when he had more money, he would contribute to the public funds. Madam Zhou knew that he was doing a dangerous job, and that the money he was handling was too hot to handle. So how could she be picky about whether the beads sent were enough to make a bracelet, or whether the fur had arrow holes?

Yue Lingling knew that South Sea pearls were expensive. A single large, perfectly round pearl was enough to buy a mansion in the capital. Few families in the capital could afford a string of large, flawless pearls. However, she was at an age where she loved beauty and wanted to look pretty, so she couldn't help but feel envious and competitive when it came to clothing.

"Madam, Third Master has arrived," someone announced from outside.

Madam Zhou packed up all the boxes and instructed Yue Lingling, "Go play in the tea room next door for a while. I have something to discuss with your brother."

Madam Zhou specifically summoned Yue Shanling back today. Of the five sons in the family, only the fifth son, who is still studying, is unmarried. Yue Shanling is nearing thirty. In previous years, it could be said that he was too busy with the war to get married, but now that he has been transferred back to the capital, Madam Zhou is worried that if she doesn't put marriage on the agenda soon, people will say that she is deliberately delaying her stepson's marriage. Therefore, since she heard that Yue Shanling was going to be transferred back to the capital at the end of last year, she has been looking for families with eligible women in the capital.

"The day after tomorrow, Lady Zheng will be hosting a polo match at Qingyun Terrace. The field will be crowded and chaotic, and there's no guarantee that someone won't bump into something. I'm worried about A-Ling going alone. Both Fourth and Fifth Brothers are busy, and Second Brother has never been good at this. I wonder if Third Brother could accompany A-Ling?"

Yue Shanling has only been granted a nominal official position and has not yet assumed a substantive post. Since he is currently idle, he agreed without much thought.

Seeing that Yue Shanling had agreed, Madam Zhou then hesitantly revealed her true purpose: "Do you know Liu, the registrar of the Imperial Academy?"

A military officer from a family with privileged background, Yue Shanling was sent to guard the border at the age of sixteen and was only officially transferred back to the capital this year. He didn't even know who the doctor who taught his fifth brother was, so how could he know the registrar of the Imperial Academy?

Madam Zhou was also somewhat apprehensive. Firstly, the Liu family was not a prominent clan, and their lineage was not illustrious enough. Secondly, although the Imperial Academy was an official institution of learning, gathering many great scholars, the rank of the registrar was not high. However, Madam Liu had repeatedly urged her to speak, so she had to say this: "Before I married your father, I lived next door to the Liu family, and I was an old acquaintance of the registrar's wife. She has a daughter who is seventeen years old now. I have met her before; she is a well-educated and polite girl. Since there is a polo match, I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet her."

As Madam Zhou worried that Yue Shanling might be unwilling, she explained, "Just consider it an introduction to the son of an old friend. If you find it troublesome, you don't have to see him."

Yue Shanling understood Madam Zhou's meaning. From a dashing young man of the Five Mausoleums to a soldier guarding the border, Yue Shanling's proud temperament had long been worn away by the wind, sand, and bitter cold. He didn't think that the daughter of a seventh-rank official was unworthy of him, and he should indeed consider getting married and having children. If there was a suitable woman, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get to know each other.

After thinking for a moment, Yue Shanling said, "Since she is an old friend of my mother's, there's no harm in meeting her."

Seeing that he showed no unusual expression and agreed readily, Madam Zhou was relieved. She recounted a few stories of how the registrar's wife had managed the household well, and praised the young lady of the Liu family for being literate from a young age and skilled in needlework.

In the past, she rarely met with Yue Shanling, let alone talked about such trivial family matters. Fearing that Yue Shanling would find it annoying, Madam Zhou did not dare to say much. She only mentioned a few important things and then let Yue Shanling leave.

Yue Lingling peeked through the door of the tea room for a long time. When she finally saw Yue Shanling leave, she quickly ran to the main room.

"Oh dear, be careful." Madam Zhou had just picked up her teacup and taken a sip when she saw her precious daughter running over, lifting her skirt. She hurriedly put down her cup and got up to help her.

"Third brother agreed?" Yue Lingling sat down next to Madam Zhou, asking before she could even catch her breath.

Madam Zhou was both amused and exasperated: "Why are you even more anxious than your brother?" Though she said this, Madam Zhou still nodded: "I agree."

Yue Lingling pouted: "I'm not familiar with Liu Shuya, so how can I say anything?"

Madam Zhou embraced Yue Lingling and coaxed her, "Just find a chance for the two of them to meet. If that's not possible, then take Sanlang to pay respects to the Registrar's wife. She will naturally have a solution. Good Lingling, just do your mother a favor."

Ultimately, it concerned her own brother's marriage, so Yue Lingling only complained a little and coaxed Madam Zhou into giving her a pair of new bracelets as "money."

On the day of the polo match, Qingyuntai was indeed bustling with activity.

Qingyuntai not only has a polo field, but also an archery field and a football field. Tall pavilions are built around it so that people can watch the games from inside. Inside the pavilions, there are also entertainers and dancers singing and playing music, as well as quiet and elegant rooms for composing poems, writing calligraphy and painting.

Fu Sui did not plan to participate in the competition today. She wore a plum-colored dress with a high waistline, a nine-section jade pendant on the front, and a beaded chain on each side. She wore a wide-sleeved shirt over it, with silver thread beaded patterns on the lapels and cuffs.

Outside Qingyuntai, carriages flowed and voices filled the air. Fu Sui asked Cheng Liwu to stop the carriage by the roadside, lifted the curtain to look outside, and unexpectedly spotted a familiar figure not far away.

She stared intently at the distinguished-looking, tall, and handsome man. Having met him on the Lantern Festival, she had assumed he was a soldier, but it turned out he was from an official family. Fu Sui shifted his gaze to the woman he was talking to: "Yue Lingling?"

Hearing Fu Sui's slightly puzzled voice, Dai Ling also peeked out: "It's Fourth Sister Yue. Princess, why are you looking at her?"

Fu Sui didn't answer Dai Ling, but instead leaned over and knocked on the carriage door.

"What are your orders, Princess?" Cheng Liwu asked from outside.

"Go and find out who Fourth Sister Yue came with?"

Cheng Liwu was adept at getting close to people and gathering information, and soon he came back to report: "Princess, Fourth Lady Yue came with her third brother. Her brother was just transferred back to the capital after the New Year and was newly appointed as General Yunhui."

Fu Sui found it interesting; not only was he the son of a nobleman, but he also held a high official rank.

Once the crowd in front of Qingyuntai had thinned out a bit, Fu Sui led Dai Ling out of the carriage and into the pavilion. They entered through the main gate of Qingyuntai, passed through the hall, followed the corridor to the polo field, and then went up the stairs on both sides to the upper floor.

As a first-rank official, Fu Sui had a seat reserved for her by Madam Zong in the very center above the stadium, one of the best private rooms in terms of view. If she were to go up the stairs in front, it would be a long and winding journey. Fu Sui simply led Dai Ling around the stadium and entered from the back of the Dengxiao Tower. This way, after climbing the tower, they only needed to walk around the connecting corridor to reach the top.

As Dai Ling walked, she muttered to herself, complaining to the owner of Qingyun Terrace: "This Qingyun Terrace is exquisitely built, but I don't know how many steps it takes to go up and down. If only I could use light-footed skills like the great heroes in the chivalrous legends, I could just fly up there with a touch of the ground."

Just as Fu Sui was about to tease Dai Ling, she heard faint voices coming from a cubicle ahead. She quickly signaled Dai Ling to be quiet and tiptoed over.

"Does my mother only care about power? How could she bear to push me into the fire pit?" a woman whispered sadly. "He is a general on the battlefield, and I don't know how much blood he has on his hands. I feel scared just thinking about it."

The voice was unfamiliar, and Fu Sui couldn't find anyone who matched it. It was probably the daughter of a civil official she didn't know.

The man's voice came out: "If you don't want to, I'll refuse him for you."

“How can I refuse? My mother has made up her mind to marry me off. Do I think I can escape my parents’ wishes? I didn’t want to see him today, but my mother dragged me here anyway. My mother said that the Yue family is a noble family, and he is now a third-rank official. If I marry him, I will live a life of wealth and honor. But he has only been granted the honorary title of General Yunhui. Who knows where he will end up? If he is sent to guard the border, am I supposed to go to such a bitter and cold place as well?”

“You’ve always been frail, how can you go to a place like that?” the man said anxiously.

Among the Yue family and the Yunhui General, there is probably only one person in the entire capital who fits both criteria.

Fu Sui beckoned Dai Ling, who was listening intently to the conversation by the door, to come closer. He then whispered in Dai Ling's ear that he should go find Cheng Liwu and have him investigate whether any of the civil officials' families who had come today had no connection with the Princess's residence and were mother and daughter together.

After taking two reluctant glances at the cubicle door, Dai Ling tiptoed and ran back quickly.

After Dai Ling left, Fu Sui simply pushed the door open a crack and looked inside. Sure enough, there was a man and a woman inside. The woman was sobbing softly, and the man was holding her shoulders and wiping away her tears.

"Shaolang, if it weren't for you, I would have hanged myself with a handkerchief without fear. I've come today to part ways with you, fearing we may never see each other again."

"Ya'er, don't say such things. We are of one mind. How can I watch you suffer in vain? I will come to your mansion tomorrow to propose marriage. I will definitely not let you marry that fierce and evil man."

Fu Sui never expected to stumble upon a pair of lovers through the back door. But seeing the woman crying and threatening suicide in the man's arms, and the man embracing the woman and making a solemn declaration of love, Fu Sui pushed the door open wider and wider, and finally leaned against the door frame to look openly.

The two, who were snuggling together, finally realized that there seemed to be an extra person in this deeply moving scene.

The man shielded the woman behind him and shouted, "Who are you!"

Having witnessed a delightful display of affection between the two, Fu Suibai, not wanting to linger after being discovered, said, "Please go ahead, you two," and turned to leave. The man, however, quickly caught up and blocked Fu Suibai's path.

"My lady, you've been watching me for so long, why don't you tell me your name?" The man originally intended to intimidate her, but after seeing Fu Sui's appearance and clothing, his words changed after he finished speaking.

If these two knew Fu Sui, Fu Sui would consider himself unlucky. Since he didn't recognize them, Fu Sui wouldn't introduce himself: "What does my name have to do with you, sir? You've abandoned your beautiful wife to chat with me. Aren't you afraid that young lady will get jealous?"

"Please keep today's matter a secret, my lady." The man guessed that Fu Sui was probably of extraordinary background, and seeing this, he did not inquire further about Fu Sui's name, only asking Fu Sui for a promise.

Fu Sui was just curious and loved watching the excitement; he didn't have the habit of gossiping. He was pondering whether to agree to his request or tease the young couple a little longer when a voice came from the other side.

"Your eavesdropping is despicable. I imagine your wife doesn't want everyone to know you're a wicked and immoral person!" Seeing that Fu Sui didn't respond immediately, the woman assumed he was unwilling and tried to threaten him with his reputation.

For Fu Sui, the most useless threat was her reputation. She looked at the woman, who slightly raised her chin, her expression cold, but her tense body betrayed her nervousness and fear. Fu Sui tilted her head, pretending to be troubled in thought: "Then why don't you go to the Jingzhao Prefecture and sue me?" With that, she walked past the man blocking her way and left.

The woman realized what was happening and wanted to give chase, but the man stopped her. Considering the many important people in Qingyuntai today, and worried that continuing the chase would disturb others, she had no choice but to give up.

Fu Sui ate half a pastry and drank two cups of tea in the private room. Dai Lingcai arrived late, followed by Kouyun, who helped Cheng Liwu park the car and tie up the horse.

"There are many people here today, so it's probably too late to find out anything in a short time. Xiao Wu said he'll come and inform the princess as soon as he gets any information," Kouyun explained on behalf of Cheng Liwu.

Fu Sui wasn't in a hurry, and called to Dai Ling and Kou Yun, "You've come at the right time, come and see, both teams are already preparing to go on stage."

On each side of the field, there was a group of people, dressed in narrow-sleeved robes, urging their horses to trot.

The first round featured a competition between several sons of military officers and young generals from the Imperial Guards. The young men galloped on horseback, red balls flying high and low, with occasional daring maneuvers involving entanglement with horses and snatching the ball – a series of thrilling moments that drew constant cheers. Fu Sui and Dai Ling Kouyun didn't sit down for this round, standing by the railing, watching intently.

Once the drumbeats subsided and the score was decided, Fu Sui finally had time to sit down. Kou Yun had informed Qingyuntai several days in advance about the princess's dietary restrictions, and Qingyuntai, always meticulous, had prepared everything carefully. The table was laden with various nuts and pastries, and two small stoves sat nearby, one warming milk and the other pear soup. Kou Yun served Fu Sui a bowl of pear soup to soothe her throat. Fu Sui had originally planned to attend the polo match with Qiao Zhenzhen, but Qiao Zhenzhen had caught a cold, and the Princess of Yanshan County, aside from a small family gathering, didn't attend any other banquets or gatherings, so Fu Sui had to come alone. Fu Sui had plenty of money, and Qingyuntai had prepared enough snacks and drinks for four people, so she told Kou Yun and Dai Ling to go and eat and drink as they pleased. The three of them, mistress and servants, each held a bowl of hot drinks and sipped slowly, waiting for the next match to begin.

"Is that Zhu Wei?" Fu Sui spotted someone he recognized among the people preparing for the competition.

Zhu Wei is the son of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and his horsemanship is mediocre. "Last time, he insisted on competing with the Imperial Guards, and he almost lost an eye because he missed the ball. Half a year has passed, so perhaps his horsemanship has improved, because he even dares to play polo."

Dai Ling ran to the railing and leaned half her body out to look around: "It really is Young Master Zhu. Who are the people around him? They look like servants and guards."

"Be careful not to fall." Kouyun pulled Dailing's arm, telling her not to lean on the railing. "Isn't Zhu Langjun engaged to Qin Jiuniang? When I stopped the carriage, I saw the Qin family's carriage."

No wonder he's so arrogant; he has a beautiful woman by his side.

As Fu Sui was thinking, a soft voice called from outside, "Princess."