Chapter 62 Matchmaker
Yanru never regretted it.
That day, as she walked out of the prison of the Ministry of Justice alone, Yanru desperately told herself, "They didn't abandon me. I want to break off my friendship with these two people. Have I been good enough to Zheng Sirui? She had an affair with Lu Zhiling, but she didn't gain anything. She was just a money-loser. I didn't force her to ask Lu Zhiling for the admission notice to Guanyan Academy. It was her own unclear relationship with the man that caused her to be tripped up in the officialdom. Why is she in jail now? It's all my fault. After all, I am her savior. If it weren't for me, she would have died of illness long ago. Now she is still arguing with me about this and that?! Pah! I rushed to this unlucky place of the Ministry of Justice to see her so early in the morning. My kindness was taken for granted!"
Wen Yue is such a jerk. She's usually on good terms with me, but even though I wanted to be her sister-in-law, she wouldn't even say a few good words for me to her mother. Now, for Zheng Sirui's sake, she's constantly claiming she doesn't want to be associated with me? Ugh! You're just looking at Zheng Sirui as an official, and me as glamorous as she is, just a businessman's wife. She's relying on me to curry favor with Zheng Sirui!
It’s all their fault! They’ve let me down!”
Yanru sat in Wen Yue's carriage, cursing the heaven and the earth, and crying with her face covered.
The journey was long. When they returned to Daiyuan, Yanru was weary of crying, her handkerchief caked with tears and snot. She trudged lightly into the courtyard. Xue Jia sat on a stone bench, sipping tea. He ignored Yanru's red, swollen eyes and the sorrow on her face. He pointed his chin towards the main room and said, "My mother just sent over the pawnshop account book, saying you'll have it from now on. My adoptive father also said you're incredibly efficient and decisive, and urged me to give you the key to the warehouse."
Her sorrow vanished into the air as Yanru rushed into the house, where the account book and key lay neatly on the table, waiting for her. Yanru quickly tucked the key into her bosom, carefully picked up the account book, and flipped open a few pages—she knew the characters, but when they were put together, she couldn't make sense of the words "entry, payment, deposit, and payable," or the delivery rate. Only the lines "black lacquer and gold lotus throne-style pen holder," "Ru kiln azure glaze round washbasin," "one hundred taels," and "two hundred taels" made her feel both completely satisfied and faint. She clutched the storeroom key and the pawnshop account book, as if she were claiming all the wealth for herself.
"These are enough for me. Why worry about anything else? With these, there will naturally be people willing to be my friends! Humph, life still depends on money."
From that day on, Yanru shut herself in, clutching the pawnshop's ledger and keys, weaving a fantasy of a femme fatale, lost in it. In this illusion, she became a ruthless, unyielding ruler of a wealthy family, steadfast in her pursuits, enjoying boundless wealth yet unaware of boundless loneliness. As Pei Lan had said, friendship is merely a vulgar sentiment, unnecessarily exploited by women who truly wield power and wealth. Even as the falling snow weighed down the withering chrysanthemums, and the news of Zheng Sirui's safe release from prison reached Daiyuan like crows from the Ministry of Justice's prison, Yanru remained unfazed. She asked Shanjuan to retrieve the moldy, ink-stained arithmetic and business textbook, lit a pot of firewood, and threw it all into the brazier. Watching the red flames licking the dirty paper, and every word turning into ashes, Yanru suddenly felt desolate: her mother was right, even the best of friends will eventually part ways, and she doesn't need friends. But she has to marry alone to the capital, and her husband's mind is more thoughtful than the words he knows, so she always needs a solid and reliable arm to help her.
When the order is in place, brothers are in need. Whenever there are good friends, there is always a sigh. So, Yanru turned her attention to her biological sister, You Yanbao. However, Yanbao was not yet mature and was slow and incompetent in matters of sex. If she waited until she could take the initiative like her sister and seduce her classmates' wealthy and powerful brothers and uncles, who knew how long it would take.
Tsk, Yanru is ready to make a move.
In winter, the capital city was bitterly cold. Daiyuan, after all, lay in the outskirts of the capital, remote and desolate. Even after the snow, entering the city was difficult. The couple, too lazy to even leave the courtyard, huddled in the Chu Cui Zhai, jockeying for the warmest spot before the hot water bottle and charcoal basin. Yanru repeatedly flirted, begging Xue Jia to buy her more furs to keep her warm. Xue Jia always listened, evaded the question, and then acted as if nothing had happened. In the end, nearly two years after their marriage, the winter coat Yanru wore most often was the red fox fur robe Liu Xiang had given her.
Yanru frowned, gnashing her teeth and saying, "You ugly bastard, you found out I'm not from a wealthy family and you treat me like shit. You really don't care about the relationship between husband and wife. Bah, when my sister becomes successful and marries a good man, I'll let you, a piece of shit, take a mountain of fox furs to keep me happy!"
Yanru turned her back, wrapping her red fox fur robe more tightly around her. The doorman said someone in the city had delivered a message, and Xue Jia stood up to check. Yanru, seizing the perfect moment, took her place in front of the charcoal brazier in revenge. Xue Jia returned without arguing with her, saying, "I'll tell you something. Shao Yanei has a new garden. It's not big, only three or four rooms, but he's the one who arranged it himself. Let's go there in seven days."
Yanru said, "For someone like him, buying a small garden is nothing special."
Xue Jia said, "You don't understand. He bought this small garden without telling his wife."
Yanru was bewildered: "What do you mean? Does it mean that his wife is in charge of the accounts, and it's difficult for him to buy a garden now?"
"You still don't understand?" Xue Jia laughed, "What are you planning to do by buying a house without your wife's knowledge? Of course, you're planning to build a beautiful house for her!"
Yanru straightened up from her chair. "Is he planning to take a second wife? Why? He and his wife got married at the beginning of the year, and they were still affectionate when they came to the pawnshop?"
Xue Jia said, "I don't understand the details. I heard that his wife is a good person, but she comes from a wealthy family and is too serious. She serves her mother-in-law and takes care of the housework every day. In her spare time, she likes to paint and arrange flowers. It was fine when they first got married, but as time went on, Shao Yanei felt that she lacked charm and was very boring. She fell ill this autumn and has been a little sick ever since. So Shao Yanei wanted to take a concubine, but he was afraid of the wife... This means he has to get a concubine first. When they have children in the future, he can bring her into the family and make her a regular and respectable person."
Yanru was curious: "Then where is this concubine from? Do we know each other?"
Xue Jia said, "That's what he said, but he hasn't actually decided on anyone yet. He wants to prepare the house first, choose the person, and then formally propose and move in directly."
"Oh..." Yanru was eager to make a move, as if she had stumbled upon a pie in the sky. With a roll of her eyes, she said, "My husband, I haven't seen Yanbao for a long time. I miss her so much. When we go to Shao Yanei's new garden that day, let's take Yanbao with us. Yanbao is almost grown up anyway, so let's let those men see her graceful figure."
Xue Jia's heart raced at the mention of Yan Bao. Hearing Yan Ru's hint, he grumbled something and sneered, "It's not good to see my aunt one day, but I heard Shao Yanei wants to see his concubine. Don't let Shao Yanei take a good look at the man you're talking about?"
Having her thoughts exposed, Yanru made no effort to conceal her feelings and said, "It's good for others to like him, but it's even better for Shao Yanei to like him. Who is Shao Yanei? The Marquis's most beloved youngest son! Even his adoptive father respects him. So, if such a person becomes your brother-in-law, then we are no longer relatives to the Marquis' Mansion."
"Really?! Then we're amazing!" Xue Jia exclaimed, then asked in confusion, "You Yanru, you only have one sister like her, and you're willing to let her be someone else's concubine?"
"Of course, it's absolutely unacceptable to be someone else's concubine, but she's Shao Yanei's concubine—oh, what's the use of concubine or not, that's unpleasant! She's called a second wife hired from outside, and she's different from an ordinary concubine. You also said that his wife is ill now. What if—then our sister would be the legitimate wife of the Marquis's mansion!"
Yanru was filled with emotion, thinking back to four or five years ago, when Ji Mingxiu claimed Qi Fengning was seriously ill and wanted to take her in. Sadly, Qi Fengning was full of life, having come all the way from Handan to Jinling to cause trouble for her. Furthermore, she was young and ignorant, without any status or standing, and without the protection of the clan or the law, so she had to ask for some money to send him away. Shao Yanei, Shao Yanei was different from Ji Mingxiu! First, Shao Yanei was younger than Ji Mingxiu, and second, Shao Yanei was more sincere and reliable than Ji Mingxiu. Ji Mingxiu was a fraud, an unmediated affair, while Shao Yanei was a "betrothal" and protected by the law. He was much more reliable! And Yanru, as a sister with experience, was planning this, so what was there to be afraid of? How could she, You Yanbao, be bullied?
Yanbao possessed her own charm, and Xue Jia was somewhat reluctant to let her go. However, Shao Yanei was an extraordinary person. If he truly became a relative of the Shao family, he would have nothing to worry about and would be able to stand firm in front of his adoptive father. After weighing the pros and cons, he reluctantly gave up and said, "Okay! Then tell my aunt to prepare, and we'll go together when the time comes!"
Yanru agreed charmingly, thinking about how to be the matchmaker. The couple hit it off immediately, happily each dreaming their own way, regardless of reality. It was as if Shao Yanei could really fall in love with Yanbao, letting Yanru control him; as if Yanbao, once the treasure in Xue Jia's hand, was now to be handed over, with both reluctance and anticipation.
In the illusory dream, everything is set in stone.
Seven days later, Yan Bao, adorned with lavish attire, followed her sister and brother-in-law to the gate of a grand mansion in the capital. Before she even entered, she glimpsed a high terrace and thick pavilions, a corner of a flowing pavilion, and exclaimed, "Can this be called a 'small' garden?"
Yanru said, "Isn't it nice? Do you know how this game came about today? It's to find a mistress for this house."
Yanbao opened her eyes wide, with three parts confusion and four parts surprise.
Yan Ru patiently persuaded him: "The master of this house is the legitimate son of a marquis, and he wants to hire a lovely girl to keep him company."
Yanbao was precocious and understood most of it. She didn't get angry at all, but said coldly, "Sister, are you trying to persuade me to become someone else's concubine?"
"Just shut up." Yanru gently slapped Yanbao's mouth and lowered her voice, "What do you mean by first wife and second wife? Can anyone enter the Marquis's Mansion? His first wife is in poor health. If she passes away in the past two years, who can't become the first wife?"
Yan Bao said, "You Yanru, you are so vicious. I invited you to my home for a drink and you cursed my wife to die of illness?"
"I'll beat you to death, you little bastard." Yanru pinched Yanbao's cheek. "A man's happiness is promotion, wealth, and the death of his wife. Maybe he's looking forward to his wife's death more than anyone else. I won't force you. Go in later. If you like him, go up and ask for his advice. If not, just think of yourself as a guest with me and your brother-in-law." After saying this, she added, "You country girl, it's good for you to come and see the world. The things in the Marquis' Mansion are not ordinary. The pheasants they use for barbecue are all raised on cow's milk."
After a moment of silence, Yanbao licked her lips and said, "Go in first. I'm hungry."
Long'er parked the carriage in the back, and the You sisters, Xue Jia and the other two entered the courtyard and headed to the inner hall. The garden had originally had a stage, which Shao Yanei had preserved and decorated with extraordinary elegance. A troupe of southern opera, who had come from nowhere, sang delicately from above. The hall was not crowded, divided by a few jade screens. Guests sat in groups of three or four sipping tea. A man in purple robes sat alone in the middle, his body hidden by the screens. Those around him couldn't see inside, but from their vantage point, they could glimpse the purple-robed dandy, leaning sideways, lazily eating preserved fruit.
Yanru whispered: "The one in purple is Shao Yanei."
Yan Bao was initially disdainful, but as she followed his gaze, she saw Shao Yanei, a man with bright eyes and beautiful eyebrows, a handsome figure. Although he sat in a bohemian manner, he was elegant and not vulgar. Yan Bao always liked beautiful women, especially a woman who commanded servants and was covered in gold and jade. Her heart was stirred, her eyes were infatuated, and she didn't care whether he was married or not.
Little hoof, you were just pretending, aren't you just trying to get ahead? No one knows a sister better than her sister. Yanru saw what Yanbao was holding back and whispered in her ear, "Shall we go say hello to the host?"
Yanbao nodded shyly. Xue Jia and Yanru looked at each other, and they understood each other's feelings. They led their sister directly to Shao Yanei and said, "Yanei, we are here."
"Oh, then find a place to sit." Shao Yanei raised his eyelids and saw a strange little girl following Yanru. He asked curiously, "Who is this?"
Xue Jia said, "Oh, this is my sister-in-law from Jinling, the younger sister from my father-in-law's family—Second Sister. Come and meet Shao Yanei."
Yan Bao stepped forward, not shy at all, and said with a bright smile, "I am the daughter of the You family of Jinling, nice to meet Shao Yanei."
Shao Yanei noticed that she had a hint of heroism in her features, and that she had many flowers pinned in her hair. She was dressed in a very naive manner. Although she was of average appearance, her every move was lively and clever, unlike the usual reserved and reserved ladies from wealthy families. She had her own charm, and he became interested: "Ah, it turns out to be my second sister."
Yan Bao's eyebrows curved as she pointed at the candied bayberries beside Shao Yanei. "Guanyan Academy is far from here, and the carriage was bumpy all the way, making me feel a little dizzy. Could you lend me some of the preserved fruit to help me feel better?"
Shao Yanei glanced at Xue Jia and Yan Ru, understanding the couple's intentions and not refusing. Yan Ru and Xue Jia were tactful and withdrew without making a sound, leaving Yan Bao alone behind the screen.
"I never share my preserved fruits with anyone," Shao Yanei teased, still holding up the small lotus-shaped plate and extending it towards Yanbao, tempting her to grab a piece. Unable to see, Yanbao boldly grasped the corner of the plate, exchanged glances, and pulled out a stool to sit beside Shao Yanei, picking up some bayberries and putting them in her mouth.
"Leaning on the embroidered bed, she is so charming. Chewing the red fur, she smiles and spits at her lover." Shao Yanei recited a few lines of the poem. Yanbao didn't understand the meaning and looked at him with her head tilted. Ignorant women are more adorable. Shao Yanei raised an eyebrow and pointed at the tea set on the table: "Can you make tea?"
Yanbao admitted: "Yes, but not much."
"Miss You, could you light a lamp for me?"
"Okay, but you can't laugh at me. If I do something wrong, you have to teach me."
Shao Yanei agreed, watching with interest as Yanbao fumbled with the tea set, grinding the tea, warming the cup, and mixing the paste. Finally, she finished a cup and carefully picked it up, wanting to personally bring it to his lips. The cup was too hot, and her fingers trembled, spilling tea onto Shao Yanei's clothes.
Yan Bao trembled, afraid of annoying this playboy and ruining all her efforts: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
Shao Yanei said indifferently: "It's a small matter, it's not burned, Miss You don't have to blame yourself, I will go down and change clothes."
Yanru sat in a corner, watching the silk screen reflect the two figures entangled in an ambiguous relationship, feeling relieved and proud. This pride was inevitably tinged with a hint of disappointment: both sisters had hooked up with married men at their prime. She had originally gotten the stingy old man Ji Mingxiu, while Yanbao's ambiguous partner was the high-spirited, rosy-cheeked, and suave young man from the Marquis's mansion. She had sworn to heaven and earth that she would live a good life and marry well, always outdoing her sister, but what was the result? Had she become the matchmaker, personally helping her sister find the best husband? Yanru felt a surge of regret. If her mother knew, she would surely praise Yanbao's ability and then leave for the palace.
But, but, no matter how good Shao Yanei is, he is already married. When Yanbao comes into the family later, she will live a life of luxury, but she is also the second wife. I am different. Xue Jia is more beautiful than him, and I am also the legitimate wife of a wealthy family, the eldest lady! Although my husband's status is not as good, my status in my husband's family is serious!
Yanru started to show off again, and casually pointed at the singing girl who had just come down from the stage holding the pipa, and said, "Come, sing a song for me. I want to listen to "A Bed Full of Huts."
People have three urgent things. The little singing girl wanted to go off the stage and bypass the guests to relieve herself nearby. She was a little anxious in her words and it was difficult to maintain her manners and etiquette: "Sorry, my lady, I don't want to sing."
Yanru was immersed in a sweet dream for a long time, completely thinking of herself as Shao Yanei's future aunt. This house was her territory, rounded up to five, and she said impudently: "Hey, hey, hey, what do you mean? You are a lowly singer, and you dare to talk back? Sing faster."
The little singing girl felt uncomfortable and said, "My lady, I play the pipa. I just can't do it."
Xue Jia interrupted, "Aren't you a singing girl? What can't you do as a comedian? You've been in the troupe for so long, what can you not do? You look down on us, don't you? Sing for me!" His words were vulgar and loud, attracting everyone's attention, but no one dared to speak. A young man on the stage stopped the music, jumped off the stage, walked towards them, and gestured. The young singing girl, realizing he was her savior, quickly fled.
Like Yanru, Xue Jia, who had rounded himself up to the point of being Shao Yanei's brother-in-law, was filled with pride, his eyes set in his crotch, and his belly was even more swollen than before. The man who came down from the stage looked like an actor, so how could he take the proposed marquis' brother-in-law seriously? He must have been strutting his belly, looking down on him with a haughty expression: "Of all the people, even the most lowly of actors, how dare you act like a hero in front of me, your grandfather?"
The man disagreed: "You are a seven-foot-tall man—oh, you may not be that tall—five-foot-tall man, why bother to trouble a little girl? If she doesn't want to sing, then she doesn't have to sing. What do you think of not having heard the song?"
Xue Jia didn't scare him and reached out to grab the man's shoulder: "Okay, you like to be a hero, then if she doesn't sing, you can sing for grandpa."
Yanru chimed in: "Yes, sing it for us!"
The man was not afraid of him. He rolled his eyes and pulled Xue Jia's hand away: "You are a monkey pretending to be a human, forgetting that you have a tail. No matter who you are, if she doesn't sing, I won't sing either. Let go!"
Being in front of everyone, Xue Jia felt very humiliated. He was so angry that he waved his hand and pushed the man hard. The man limped backward and fell onto the table and bench next to him.
Suddenly, three or five burly servants rushed out from all directions. One of them hurriedly checked the man's injuries, while the others surrounded Xue Jia. Yan Bao was waiting behind the screen for Shao Yanei to change his clothes. In her boredom, she heard an unusual noise and looked out. It turned out to be one of her family members causing trouble. Feeling quite embarrassed, she retreated behind the screen, not daring to move forward.
Yanru was frightened and grabbed Xue Jia's arm.
The man stood up, licked his lips, and dismissed the servants: "It would be beneath our dignity to fight with such a man! Go and find out who he is."
Xue Jia showed his timidity, but still held his head high: "Qixian, the owner of the pawnshop, your grandfather Xue will never change his name or surname."
The man scoffed, "Okay, Qixian Pawn Shop, right? Fine."
After saying this, he walked out of the courtyard without looking back, leading a group of strong servants.
[Mumbling]: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was so obsessed with frying pan literature the past two days that I delayed important things.
Rest assured, sisters! Retribution reigns! Evil will never prevail over good! The bad guys will never succeed! But Zheng Sirui is no god after all. A young worker without a backing will inevitably experience growth and hardships in the workplace. However, in this fictional world, bad guys will definitely get their comeuppance!
And, in the next chapter, Xue Jia’s identity and Dai Yuan’s secret will be exposed in front of Zai Yanru!!!
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