Lower Yuan
A few days later, it was the Lower Yuan Festival. Bright lights had been lit throughout the streets and alleys of Mujing for three days straight. Government offices also closed for several days so that families could pray for blessings, ward off disasters, and worship their ancestors.
The Bai family was always meticulous and organized in managing their household, so they naturally dared not neglect such a festival. They had been preparing for it for half a month, with servants constantly moving about, sweeping dust, hanging lanterns and decorations, and making preparations in an orderly manner. The courtyards were already filled with colorful lanterns, illuminating the originally quiet moonlit night.
With the yamen under renovation, Dou Yanxun also had a rare opportunity to rest at home. After only half a day of leisure, he spent the evening playing cards with Dou Yanzhou and two colleagues who came to visit him in the main courtyard.
Feng Daizhu was busy receiving Prefect Zhang and Prefect Fang of Mujing, as well as their families who had come with them.
It was the first time Lang Ge'er had seen children of similar age. The little heads lay in their wet nurse's arms, babbling and making noise. The laughter could be heard from far away in the front yard.
Lin Xu stood alone under the corridor, watching the servants' busy figures, but a sense of daze rose in his heart.
Unbeknownst to her, a full moon had quietly climbed to the eaves, its light reflecting off the lamplight. The moonlight was serene, illuminating her eyes, yet carrying a hint of loneliness.
At this time of family happiness and reunion, I wonder what the father is doing right now? Is he also enjoying a happy time with Gao Youyi?
She couldn't help but feel homesick.
Zhu Ling walked out of the courtyard carrying a bamboo basket full of dried fruit. Seeing her standing under the eaves in a daze, she smiled and stepped forward, saying:
“Madam, the old man and the others are having quite a commotion in the front yard right now. Why don’t we go and take a look? It would be better than you enjoying the moon here alone.”
Upon hearing this, she turned around, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said:
"With my eldest sister-in-law handling things over there, and she's always been generous and considerate, she probably won't make any mistakes, so I won't go and join in the fun."
Actually, she didn't want to get into crowds.
The two prefects both belonged to the same government office. According to the old women in the other courtyard, Dou Yanxun's current job in the Ministry of Works was also arranged by Dou Yanzhou through connections and acquaintances. During this festival, the gentlemen gathered together to chat and drink, and Feng Daizhu chatted with the two ladies. It was naturally the time for the eldest son's family to show off.
With her quick wit and sharp mind, she naturally wouldn't spoil the mood. Besides, judging from the bursts of laughter coming from the front yard, Dou Yanxun must have been entertaining his guests very well.
Just then, footsteps approached from afar. Turning around, he saw Fu Lian, Bai Shi's most favored head maid. Because of the festival, Fu Lian was dressed in a pear-colored embroidered jacket. Her handsome face was serious as she steadily walked over and bowed to Lin Xu, saying:
"Second Young Madam, Madam requests your presence. She says she needs to reiterate some arrangements for tonight's ancestral worship ceremony."
Lin Xu nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go right now."
In the Lower Yuan period, every household would hold ancestral worship ceremonies and pray for blessings. Before she got married, she never worried about such things. She only remembered which newly fried pastries were delicious and which vendors sold exquisite sugar flowers. But now she has reached the age where she needs to take care of household chores.
She walked slowly with Fu Lian. As they passed the front courtyard, the lanterns shone even brighter, and the air was filled with the scent of incense—the incense that had been lit early in the mansion for religious ceremonies. The smoke curled and rose into the air, enveloping the entire courtyard. The rising smoke added a touch of warmth compared to usual.
After passing through several corridors, they finally arrived at the main hall where Bai Shi lived. Upon seeing that it was her, a maid who was already guarding the door gently pushed it open for her.
Madam Bai, dressed in an auspicious robe adorned with auspicious patterns, sat regally in the hall. In the center of the hall was an offering table, upon which already rested a double-eared black bronze incense burner and plates of sacrificial offerings. Upon seeing her enter, Madam Bai smiled kindly and said:
"You've arrived. There are many things to do at home today, such as praying for blessings and making offerings. The eldest son's family is busy welcoming guests right now. As the newlywed daughter-in-law, you should also learn from them during the ancestral worship ceremony later."
Lin Xu quickly said softly, "Mother, please give your instructions."
Apart from Madam Bai, most of the matters concerning the ancestral worship were overseen by Feng Daizhu. Since Feng Daizhu had only recently entered the household and was already busy with important festivals, she naturally wouldn't directly take charge of the arrangements. Madam Bai probably called her over now because she was worried that Feng Daizhu might be too busy with social engagements and that things might go wrong at the ancestral hall later, so she wanted Feng Daizhu to keep a close eye on things.
Seeing that she nodded in agreement, Madam Bai continued with a kind expression:
"Although you haven't been in the household for long, you seem to me to be a calm and steady person. The eldest wife is cheerful and outgoing, which complements you perfectly. In the future, you should learn more from the elders in the household about all the big and small affairs. I think the nannies in the other courtyard are all very capable and steady. If you learn from them, you will naturally not make any mistakes."
Lin Xu lowered his eyes and said, "Mother manages everything at home in an orderly manner, and I, Xu'er, will humbly learn from her."
Bai took the hot tea that Fu Lian brought, slowly picked up the teacup, and said:
"You don't need to be too modest. These things are not difficult to learn as long as you are willing to put in the effort. If you do well, there will be many more things for you to manage in the future."
Lin Xu quickly lowered his head and agreed.
Not long after, Bai took a leisurely sip of tea before casually speaking:
"Speaking of which, the second brother has been quite busy these past few days. I think that now that he's in the government office, he finally has something respectable to do, which is much better than his previous business dealings with restaurants and fishing rods. I've heard that he's been having quite a few social engagements lately. Have you seen him?"
Lin Xu paused slightly, then said softly:
“My husband has indeed been very busy these days. Although he rarely stays at home, he has been working hard without ever slacking off. Compared to before, he has certainly made great progress.”
Upon hearing this, Bai smiled and nodded, then sighed softly, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes:
“Yi Huai has been a wild child since he was little, and it’s hard to get him to settle down. Now that you are his lawfully wedded wife, you will probably have to be more tolerant of him in the future.”
After a pause, Madam Bai smiled kindly and said earnestly:
"In any case, now that you've entered the family, and this marriage was bestowed by the palace, our Dou family will certainly not mistreat you. I understand Yi Hui's character best; if he doesn't strive for advancement in the future, then you will be his pillar of support."
Lin Xu felt a slight jolt in his heart.
Bai was not one to ramble on and on; these words were clearly a reminder that Dou Yanxun's usual conduct was beneath her notice. Now that they were husband and wife, they shared both honor and disgrace.
Let bygones be bygones, but if Dou Yanxun continues to misbehave, it will probably be the result of her, as his wife, failing to properly advise him.
She pursed her lips gently, then lowered her eyes and respectfully replied, "I understand perfectly, and I will certainly not fail my mother's expectations."
Bai nodded in satisfaction, a hint of relief appearing in her eyes: "It's good that you understand."
Soon it was time for the formal ancestral worship ceremony.
As dusk settled, the Dou residence was brightly lit inside and out, with wisps of smoke rising, exuding the solemnity of a festival. The residents had gathered in front of the ancestral hall, preparing for the annual grand ceremony.
Lin Xu stood behind the crowd, having changed into a simple outfit. Dou Yanxun stood beside her, wearing a light gray, straight-collared casual suit, which could not conceal his handsome features. Even under the night sky, he still exuded an air of elegance and grace.
I heard that he spent half the day playing cards and lost a lot of money. He looked dazed and his eyes were full of regret.
After seeing off the guests, the eldest son hurriedly changed into his formal attire and went to the ancestral hall. Dou Zhen, unusually at home today, wore a blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with magnolia flowers, looking elegant and graceful. Over it, she wore a brocade fur cloak, the fur on the hood and collar fluttering in the wind against her radiant face.
The two concubines of the household stood side by side not far behind Madam Bai. Concubine Guo, perhaps having caught a cold, was dressed rather bulkily, and was holding the hand of a girl of about eight or nine years old, dressed in a light pink skirt with auspicious patterns. Her eyes were particularly round, and perhaps because she had never seen Lin Xu before, she stared at her with great curiosity.
Looking ahead, the ancestral hall's main gate was half-open, with several solemn-looking maids and servants guarding the entrance. Inside, the hall was brightly lit, and one could vaguely see the ancestral tablets of the Dou family lined up in a row, the candlelight flickering and casting shadows on the tablets, making them appear even more solemn and dignified.
As daughters-in-law of the Dou family, Lin Xu and Feng Daizhu were not allowed to enter the ancestral hall. They could only wait outside and take care of the entire worship process.
But then they saw Dou Yanzhou, Dou Yanxun and his children following the head of the family, slowly entering in order of rank.
Looking through the threshold, one can see rows of memorial tablets standing in the ancestral hall, with incense smoke swirling around the offering table, and the air filled with the aroma of incense.
The sacrificial ceremony and prayers were a complete process. The group followed Dou Huaisheng to kowtow to their ancestors in the ancestral hall, and after completing a series of rituals such as prayers and incense offerings, the offerings were finally finished. The group then took turns kowtowing on the prayer cushions before withdrawing one by one.
Lang Ge'er was still young and it was the first time he had encountered such a big scene. He was held in the arms of the nanny the whole time, so he must have been uncomfortable. Soon he started to cry and kept reaching out his little hands to call for Feng Daizhu.
As everyone emerged one by one, Dou Yanxun walked calmly at the back of the line. Lin Xu noticed him approaching and turned to take a look.
His brows were half-closed, and the sparse stars reflected on his face, revealing no other expression. The cold moonlight shone on him, making him appear even more lonely.
There was no memorial tablet for his mother, Xia, in the ancestral hall. He must have been very depressed.
When Lin Xu first married into the family, she put some thought into observing the people in the villa, and even arranged for Zhu Ling to share a room with the seemingly clever Nong Yu. The little girl was simple-minded, with a clever and sharp appearance, but she was quite timid and hesitant in her actions. Zhu Ling, acting like a caring older sister, quickly gained Nong Yu's trust.
So she used Zhu Ling to find out some details about Dou Yanxun's background from Nong Yu.
By piecing together fragments of information, that long-forgotten past gradually came to light.
It turns out that Xia was a very beautiful woman and the daughter of a wealthy merchant. For some reason, she caught Dou Huaisheng's eye and became a favored concubine after entering his household.
Rumor has it that Xia was beautiful and good at coquettishness, and became pregnant with Dou Yanxun a few months after entering the mansion.
However, at that time, Dou Huaisheng's career was not going smoothly, and he was still working in the Secretariat. So the Dou family found a Taoist priest to tell their fortune. They originally just wanted to know about their career, but the Taoist priest said that there was a newborn child in the family who was destined to be unlucky and have a lonely fate that would bring misfortune to his father and wealth.
To ensure a safe future, the Dou family made the difficult decision to move Dou Yanxun, who had just been born, and Xia Shi, who was still in confinement after giving birth, to a newly built separate residence.
Unexpectedly, the remoteness of the villa did not prevent Dou Huaisheng from visiting. Not long after, Xia became pregnant again. After enduring ten months of pregnancy, she gave birth to another boy.
Rumors spread throughout the mansion that Lady Xia would soon regain favor because of her son. However, just as these rumors were rampant, Lady Xia accidentally fell into the stream while playing and washing clothes with Dou Yanxun on an ordinary day.
The baby who fell into the stream with her was also an infant at the time.
The servants in the manor discovered it too late, and naturally, the two lives could not be saved.
From then on, rumors spread like wildfire throughout the household that Dou Yanxun had caused the deaths of his birth mother and younger brother. Dou Yanzhou, the eldest son of the Dou family, also suddenly fell seriously ill with a persistent high fever overnight. Having no other recourse, Dou Huaisheng could only send Dou Yanxun to his hometown in the northern frontier to live in seclusion.
And this departure lasted for a full five years.
After he was finally brought back, the gloomy boy of the past was nowhere to be found—
The sickly boy who used to be sullen and carried gravel by the roadside years ago has now grown into a dissolute playboy who does nothing but frequent brothels.
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