Chapter 56 She felt a deep affection for her child, but at this moment, she truly did not wish to think of him…
Xie Shiyi Niang stepped into the embroidery room with curiosity.
In the warm early summer, the embroidery room is bright and clean, with reed curtains rolled up at varying heights. Embroidery frames are arranged in rows and columns, and the embroiderers are busy around them. There are piles of fabric, bundles of embroidery thread, scissors, and needle holders around them, and baskets filled with scraps of fabric are placed at their feet.
The needles rustled as everyone was busy, except for the old embroiderer in the house, who was called to Xie Qi's side. The two stood in front of the beam, seemingly discussing something.
The room was paved with polished blue bricks. Xie Shiyi Niang approached silently and heard her brother lightly place his hand on the waistline of the dress, his ears slightly red, and whisper, "I'm afraid it needs to be reduced by two inches..."
Holding the round silk doll that was just like herself, Shiyi Niang belatedly realized that the clothes were long and narrow, clearly not for her. But among her sisters, she was already the tallest—although she was the eleventh, the Xie family's three branches combined had only eight girls who grew to adulthood.
Apart from her sister Shi Niang, who was a few months older than her, all her other sisters had already gotten married.
The twelfth sister-in-law of the second wife was a year younger than her, the thirteenth sister-in-law of the third wife was two years younger, and even the tenth sister-in-law was much shorter than her, so the clothes weren't made for them. The eleventh sister-in-law didn't have a sister-in-law, and it was even more impossible for her to have aunts or sisters-in-law from other branches of the family made clothes for her. How could a nephew or uncle suddenly have clothes made for his aunt or sister-in-law? That ninth brother would probably get forty-nine beatings from his mother.
Shiyi Niang hid behind a pillar, squinted, and peeked out half her head to secretly observe.
Beside the pillar, a young embroiderer, threading a needle, looked up in confusion, but Shiyi Niang turned her head and shushed her. She had no choice but to suppress her laughter and lower her head to continue embroidering the pattern in her hands.
The young embroiderer thought to herself, of all the young ladies in the household, most were quiet and gentle, but Eleventh Sister was the most gluttonous and mischievous. The other young ladies would alter their clothes at most once every six months, but Eleventh Sister alone had already altered her waist twice in recent days. She had heard that just two days ago, she and her husband had secretly sent food through the back door, and that they stayed up all night, hiding in the pavilion to feast on grilled fish. They even stole the cherry wine that the old lady had buried for years, and the father and daughter ate and drank to their hearts' content, only to be caught red-handed by the eldest mistress, who then angrily struck them several times with her cane.
Now I'm afraid they'll be playing tricks on Ninth Brother again.
Unaware that others were secretly criticizing her, Shiyi Niang peeked at them from behind a pillar for a while, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and touched her chin knowingly.
The fabric of this garment doesn't look like cicada wing gauze or light gauze; it's more like six-zhu gauze or square-mesh gauze... Although the fabric isn't particularly precious, it's remarkable that it's dyed such a lush, tender green with a refreshing color. The fine silver threads are subtly embroidered on it, and when sunlight filters through and casts shadows on it, it's like shimmering waves, creating a serene and beautiful scene reminiscent of a lotus floating on water.
She knew. Could it be that it was prepared as a gift for her eldest cousin, Cui? The Cui family was also coming to the banquet tomorrow, and she heard that her aunt would be bringing several cousins. They were probably already in the suburbs by now.
This morning, Mother sent Zheng Neizhi with several carriages to wait outside the city.
Although her mother hadn't said it explicitly, if Sister Cui came, it wouldn't be impossible for her and her brother to rekindle their romance! Eleven thought optimistically that if she had to choose who she most wanted to be her sister-in-law, she would still choose Sister Cui.
Eleventh Sister quite liked Sister Cui. When she was little, she went to Chenzhou, and Sister Cui not only took her to the mountain village to ride horses and hunt rabbits, but also gave her a small white pony with four snow-white hooves. Unfortunately, after bringing it back to Bianjing, the horse contracted glanders and died. From then on, she never had her own pony again.
Hearing that her elder sister Cui was ill and had to break off her engagement with her brother, she was heartbroken for a long time. She wrote several letters and asked her mother to gather a lot of raw medicine, which she then sent to Chenzhou with the help of servants. She didn't know if her elder sister Cui had received it or not, as she had not received any news from her elder sister Cui to this day.
However, Sister Cui is seriously ill, and I'm afraid she may not be able to write. I hope that after such a long period of recuperation, her health will improve, and it would be wonderful to see her tomorrow.
Eleventh Sister wondered if her brother still loved Sister Cui. The calligraphy and paintings hanging in Madam Shen's shop surprised her... But it was nothing for her brother to give her two pieces on a whim. After all, Madam Shen's skills were so good. If it were her, she would also be unable to resist writing inscriptions for her.
In the past, before his brother broke off the engagement, he always put his sister Cui first in everything. He never went to brothels or theaters to listen to music or read literature with anyone, nor did he pay attention to the maids in the house who had ulterior motives. He didn't even want to talk to Seventh Sister.
There was nothing she could do; the marriage between Xie and Cui was a done deal back then, and Eleventh Sister didn't know how to persuade Seventh Sister, as she herself was living a muddled life. However… Eleventh Sister suddenly remembered that Seventh Sister hadn't come to the Xie family to visit her for a long time, and she wondered what she was busy with.
When she comes tomorrow, I'll have to give her a good interrogation!
"Then let me tighten my waist a little more, Ninth Brother, just wait a moment, it will be done in a quarter of an hour..." The old embroiderer's voice suddenly reached Eleventh Sister's ears as her thoughts drifted away. She snapped back to reality, silently shrank behind the pillar, tiptoed around, and tiptoed back with the silk doll in her arms.
"Alright, I'll come back later to make the little clothes for the silk doll." Eleventh Sister felt she had figured out Ninth Brother's secret, and as she left, she was already thinking about how to extort money from her brother.
***
Meng San led his family's donkey, which refused to carry either people or goods, while his page carried two loads of books beside him. The two of them crossed the long street to return the books to the Xie family.
The Xie family of Chenjun had a rich history spanning hundreds of years, and their vast collection of books was perhaps only comparable to that of the Feng family. Meng San often came to the Xie family to borrow books, borrowing a whole basketful at a time, and returning them all together after reading or copying them.
But today he didn't come on his own initiative; he came after receiving an invitation from Xie Qi, who urged him to return the book.
Meng San found it strange. He had just returned home from the academy after a break, and instead of going out to play, he suddenly became diligent again. How could anyone else live like this! Because Meng San always ranked behind Xie Qi in the examinations, he was given the nickname "Eternal Second Place". Some mischievous people didn't call him Meng San, but Meng Er.
He was furious!
And this donkey! It's driving him crazy. I don't know how his father picked this donkey. It only likes to eat cabbage leaves but does nothing. As soon as someone rides it, it kicks up its hooves and cries pitifully.
Now that we can't sell them, we still have to support these ancestors for nothing.
As Meng San entered the Xie family's residence, he was enveloped by a dense canopy of trees. The Feng family loved bamboo, while the Xie family loved pines and cypresses; the courtyard was filled with lush green canopies and verdant trees. Meng San wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, exhaled a breath of hot air, and finally felt much more comfortable.
The donkey was tied up at the Xie family's side gate, and the Xie family's gatekeeper even fed it a handful of beans. Meng San wanted to remind the gatekeeper not to feed it too much, otherwise the donkey's farts might knock people out!
But before he could say anything, Yan Shu, whom Xie Qi had sent to wait for him at the door, dragged him inside.
He and his page carried the books straight to Xie Qi's courtyard. Yan Shu led the way like a whirlwind. As soon as he entered, he saw a tall cherry tree, lush and green, standing in the corner of the courtyard. There was a stone platform under the tree, where Xie Qi had prepared iced drinks and was waiting. Meng San was so thirsty from rushing that he went over and sat down. The cool stone platform refreshed his body and bones, instantly relieving his summer heat. He let out a long, contented sigh.
"What's wrong? Are you in a real mess? You've chased me into this state!" Meng San fanned himself with his sleeve, slumped on the stone platform like a boneless rag doll, his tone becoming lazy. "The books have arrived, shouldn't you check if any were missed? What's your rush for these books? Don't tell me you're studying hard during your day off..."
"Actually, calling you to return the book was secondary." Xie Qi instructed Yan Shu to hand over a large, neatly folded brocade bundle. "I have something to ask of you."
"What is it? Why are you being so mysterious?" Meng San yawned, got up without any politeness, took a bowl of hawthorn ice from the side, and started slurping it down.
"It's nothing serious. I just wanted to trouble you to go to Yangliu East Lane later and deliver this package of clothes to Chenji Soup and Pancake Shop." Xie Qi pushed the bundle in front of him. "Please give it to Madam Chen."
Meng San stopped shoveling food into his mouth, narrowed his eyes, and slowly grinned wickedly. He pointed at Xie Qi with a small silver spoon: "You still say you don't like widows! Look! I've caught you red-handed."
After a pause, Meng San realized what he meant and thought for a while: "You have hundreds of servants at home, why do you still need to order me around, an outsider? Oh... I see, you're afraid of having to send them back, aren't you?"
Xie Qi remained remarkably composed, letting him joke without changing his expression. He always acted with integrity and therefore disdained concealment. His decision to have Meng San deliver the gifts was actually for the sake of Lady Shen's reputation.
The Xie family sent servants to deliver the clothes, and by tomorrow's banquet, everyone would know. He didn't want Madam Shen to be the subject of gossip, and preparing the clothes for her was out of the same concern. Madam Shen was not a person who cared much about clothing; she was resilient by nature and didn't care about material things, but Xie Qi was aware of the extravagant lifestyle of aristocratic families.
Especially since this time the Xie family is holding a banquet not at the Xie family's main residence, but at the Xie family's private garden "Chunzhuang" in the outer suburbs, Chunzhuang is far from the hustle and bustle of the city and is famous for its beautiful lakes and mountains. He did not want his good intentions in inviting Madam Shen to visit to make her feel upset, which would be his mistake.
Therefore, he not only prepared clothes for Madam Shen, but also for Xiang Jie, Ji Ge, and even Chen Chuan. This way, she could relax and enjoy the day without being bothered by those stares.
Meng San had been looking at Xie Qi with a mischievous grin, but Xie Qi's gaze was unwavering, returning his clear and bright eyes. Meng San slowly suppressed his mockery, turned his head away, relaxed his arms, and slumped onto the stone platform, resting his head on his hands. He looked up at the drifting clouds in the sky and sighed, "Fine, I'll run an errand for you. After all, you also like widows, don't you? But... I really envy you."
When you love someone, you can be so open, calm, and unafraid of your family's opposition.
His family background was far inferior to Xie Qi's, and he dared not reveal his feelings, fearing that he would anger his parents to death if he spoke. Meng San suddenly sat up and asked in a low voice, "Does your mother know about your thoughts?"
Xie Qi shook his head; he didn't know.
"Then how dare you..." Wearing this garment, others might not understand what was going on, but Madam Xie, being such a perceptive and capable person, would know it at a glance. How could she not understand his intentions?
Xie Qi casually handed the bowl of ice on the table to Yan Shu, who was drooling beside him, and replied, "Loving someone is not a shameful thing, so why hide it? I didn't trouble you to run errands to cover it up in front of Mother. If she finds out and asks, I will be honest with her. I just don't want to cause a stir and let strangers judge me. Madam Shen is a good woman, and it's perfectly normal for someone to admire her. Even if it's not me, it would be someone else. I just don't want to hurt her because of me..."
Especially... Lady Shen knew nothing about this.
He wanted to treat her well, so he was willing to be extremely careful.
Meng San was taken aback by his question, but he was still curious, so he leaned closer and sat up straight: "Xie Jiu, don't think I'm being blunt, your brother went to Qinzhou and we don't know when he will return. You are your mother's only son. Does Madam Xie really not care about your feelings? Or have you already thought of some excuse that will surely persuade her?"
"Quickly, tell him, teach him!" Meng San was also very eager.
"No," Xie Qi saw through him. "I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. It's my mother who doesn't care. If it weren't for the marriage agreement with the Cui family before I was born, given her personality, she might not have chosen Cui's elder sister as my wife. You know, our family is in an awkward position in the capital now. Powerful people dare not form marriage alliances with us, and what about other aristocratic families? Just look at how Feng Dalang's wife is only the daughter of a county magistrate. We no longer dare to try to establish connections and relatives; we just want to live out our remaining years in peace. The Xu family was murdered, my aunt committed suicide in the palace, and Empress Guo died in a Taoist temple after being deposed. In these three years, which family hasn't been in a state of mutual dependence and fear..."
Meng San felt a chill run down his spine and was filled with desolation. Not only that, the current emperor deposed Empress Guo, who came from a noble family, on the grounds that she had no son, but instead made Lady Zhang, who was originally a musician in the Xian Shao Department of the palace, the empress, ordering her to take charge of the palace and manage the concubines.
How could this not frighten powerful families?
"Besides, my mother's temperament has always been different from that of his eldest daughter-in-law."
"How is she different?" Meng San asked curiously, snapping out of his reverie. He had only visited Madam Xie two or three times during the New Year holidays with his parents, and had no opportunity to see her on ordinary days. In his memory, she was a witty, kind, upright, and generous person, so he didn't think there was any difference.
"How should I begin? It's always different. For example... when my brother was leaving, to risk his life on that distant, perilous road, my father was already weeping uncontrollably. He wouldn't wipe his tears with his own sleeve, so he grabbed my sleeve and wailed for half an hour. But my mother didn't shed a single tear. She just gave my brother the long walking stick she had brought with her dowry and gave him a poem, saying nothing else. Can you guess what the poem was?"
"What is it? The thread in a loving mother's hand, the clothes on a wandering son's back?"
"Wrong. It's 'Having fought a hundred battles in golden armor, I will not return until Lou Lan is conquered!' Mother meant that you, brother, need not worry about anything, just forge ahead without hesitation." Xie Qi smiled slightly. "Mother said similar things to me before. When I repeatedly failed the imperial examinations due to my unlucky fate, she said that I wasn't taking the exams for her, nor for the Xie family. The Xie family of Chenjun has been around for hundreds of years, and we've experienced all kinds of wealth and glory. There's really no need for us to study for the sake of bringing honor to our family. Use or discard as the times permit, and conduct yourself as you wish. She only hoped that I would be like Su Shi, studying to gain wisdom and guard my heart, living a broad-minded life."
Meng San was filled with longing upon hearing this, and even grabbed Xie Qi's hands with both of them, his voice trembling with excitement, "Xie Jiu, does your mother still need a son? She must be, right? Your third brother has been gone for the past few years, so how about... you take in another sensible adopted son like me to serve you?"
Xie Qi silently pulled his hand away, then pushed Meng San's face away, saying speechlessly, "Stop joking around, hurry up and go, it'll be dark soon." Meng San was pushed up by him, and then heard him repeatedly instruct, "Make sure you deliver it for me!"
Meng San picked up his bundle, turning back every few steps: "Are you really not going to adopt a son?"
What sins did he commit in his past life to have such a terrible friend in this life? Xie Qi gritted his teeth: "...Go quickly! My brother is just going on a long trip, he will be back. Don't take advantage of me and my mother!"
Shen Miao was unaware that because of her, the Xie family almost gained another unreliable third brother. Today, she held another day of fish-collecting and fortune-telling festival, and now all the gifts were gone, marking a perfect end.
At first, she was worried that the event wouldn't be successful, since the price she set at 260 coins per draw wasn't cheap. If no one responded, she would have to find other ways to use up the prize she had spent 1,000 or 2,000 coins on. Unexpectedly, there were quite a few people who responded on the first day, and she gained a better understanding of the wealth of the Song people.
It seems that almost everyone in the inner city has savings. Their purchasing power is quite considerable!
Shen Miao and Aunt Gu carried the table used for drawing lots inside, and then Aunt Gu went home to rest. In the backyard, Xiang Jie was playing a game of tossing beanbags with Lei Ting. She deliberately threw it high, making Lei Ting jump up to catch it. It was quite good; Lei Ting was so fat that he had garlic-clove-like hairs on his neck, and it was time to let him move around a bit.
Zhuifeng lay down beside Chen Chuan's wheelchair, chewing on the wheels and leaving a ring of teeth marks. These past two days, Chen Miao had been too busy to care for it, and it had really run wild, running and crawling everywhere, its fur filthy beyond recognition. A few days ago, for some reason, it had stuck its face into the furnace, and now its face was blackened and incredibly dirty, making Chen Miao constantly tempted to wash it whenever she saw it.
The three chickens were quite fat. The two hens laid two eggs for Chen Miao every day, and the little white rooster had grown a bright red comb and long tail feathers, making him even more majestic. Unfortunately, this guy couldn't crow yet. He only knew to seize the opportunity to ride on the three yellow hens, only to be viciously pecked off by the hens.
Yu Gang had just filled the water vat and was standing by it, holding a carrying pole, looking at it with satisfaction.
Ji Ge'er had just returned from the academy and was still catching up on his studies in his room. This holiday was only one day long, and his teacher had already assigned him the task of copying two chapters of Mencius. It would have been better if he hadn't had the holiday at all.
There were still some hours before the night market opened, and the shops were quiet now that the activities were over. Shen Miao decided to take the children out for a stroll and buy some lanterns to play with.
In a few days it will be the Lotus Viewing Festival, and now lotus lanterns are being sold all over the streets. Yesterday, Liu Douhua brought back a lotus-shaped rabbit lantern with a pull rope and two small wooden wheels. Xiangjie was so envious that she kept looking at it and begged to borrow it to play with. But Liu Douhua treasured it so much that she took it and ran back to the tofu shop, refusing to lend it to anyone.
As soon as it was announced that they were going out to buy lamps, Xiang Jie jumped up like a spring and shouted "Yay!" repeatedly. Shen Miao pushed Chen Chuan forward, called Ji Ge'er, and Xiang Jie pulled You Yu along. The group set off in a grand procession.
Unexpectedly, a young student who looked somewhat familiar but whose name he couldn't quite recall suddenly appeared in the front room. He looked around furtively, and when no one was looking, he quickly stuffed a large bundle into Chen Miao's arms, whispering, "Given by Xie Jiu."
He hurriedly led away a donkey that kept farting.
Shen Miao wanted to ask a few more questions, so she hurriedly chased after him to the shop entrance. But the man was leading a donkey with a pageboy by his side, walking very fast. As he walked, he was pinching his nose and cursing, as if he was scolding the donkey for eating so many beans.
She had no choice but to carry the bundle back to the backyard. When she opened it, she found four sets of clothes, one large and three small, covering all four members of her family. She wore a light blue jacket with silver lotus embroidery and a moon-white pleated skirt; Xiangjie wore a begonia-colored jacket with a short jacket and a two-tone skirt; the other two sets were wide-sleeved robes for boys, both in a light blue color, embroidered with a few clumps of green bamboo or pine branches.
But these materials are all of high quality; they must be good materials.
Although there was not a single word besides the clothes, Shen Miao, who was always more perceptive than others, understood immediately.
This is another kind gesture from Ninth Brother.
She sat under the lamp, examining the clothes, feeling somewhat dazed. She was quite familiar with Ninth Brother and had a good understanding of his character. Shen Miao wasn't stupid; in the past, Ninth Brother's behavior wasn't very obvious, and she might have been able to ignore it. But this large bundle of clothes, carrying his extreme thoughtfulness, came almost overwhelmingly.
He didn't send inkstones or books, nor did he send any brushes or other servants from the Xie family, such as Zhou Da or Zheng Neizhi. Instead, he specially invited an unrelated stranger to deliver the letter. He must have been extremely careful, afraid that she would be gossiped about.
Some people express their feelings rashly and directly, wishing they could get married the day after they meet; others express them restrainedly and quietly, afraid of disturbing others.
Humans are not plants or trees, and even the most turbulent mind is bound to be stirred.
Especially since Ninth Brother is such a good person, not bad-looking, from a wealthy family, and gentle in nature. If she were a woman of this era, and could be so favored and carefully protected by him, she certainly wouldn't be as complicated and hesitant as she is now.
But right now, she really doesn't want to think about romance or marriage. She just feels that there are still so many things she wants to do but hasn't done yet.
She turned her head and looked at the Shen family's courtyard. The lamplight was soft, and a few tendrils of ivy climbed up the sunlit wall on the east side. The small pond was filled with rainwater. A few frogs had moved in without warning a few days ago, and they would croak incessantly with their cheeks puffed out as soon as night fell. But thanks to them, the mosquitoes that used to swarm around the lanterns in the courtyard had almost disappeared.
This is the small courtyard she earned with her own hands.
Xiangjie skipped and hopped in, asking when they were going to buy lamps.
She came with the night wind, which tousled her hair, turning her neat double buns into two frizzy chestnuts. Shen Miao suddenly smiled, retied the bundle, stood up, and took her hand: "Let's go now."
Some things don't need to be worried about, and some things should be discussed in detail after sitting down. Shen Miao quickly stopped worrying. After all, she was a married woman from the streets, and since she had a mouth, there was nothing wrong with speaking her mind.
The family happily went out for a stroll again.
The streets were indeed bustling. Shen Miao even bought two boxes of hawthorn cakes from Wei's pastry shop for everyone to take and eat as they strolled along. When the shopkeeper, Wei, saw her, he was initially taken aback, but quickly acted as if nothing had ever happened, exchanging a few warm greetings with Shen Miao, praising her good business and excellent skills. As expected of a businessman, once there was no conflict of interest, his attitude changed immediately, without any preamble.
Shen Miao also tried the hawthorn cake. The Wei family's pastry shop had been open for so long, which meant their craftsmanship was indeed excellent. The cake was soft and glutinous, not too sour, and not too sweet. The balance of sour and sweet was just right. It was soft and moist, with a texture similar to the sour jujube cake of later generations.
It's great, I'll definitely buy it again.
When she met the lantern seller, she not only bought Xiang Jie a lotus-shaped rabbit lantern just like Liu Douhua's, but also an extra rotating lotus lantern. Xiang Jie was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling as she carried the lantern.
Yu picked out a lotus-shaped lantern with a long handle, which looked like a lollipop and could be held in the hand; it was quite interesting. Ji-ge'er took a fancy to an octagonal palace lantern, which was covered with poems; it was also nice and elegant.
Only Chen Chuan looked at the dim lights with a somewhat melancholy expression.
Shen Miao noticed this, bent down, and softly asked him if he wanted to pick one, but he pretended to be an adult and shook his head, saying no, it wasn't fun.
He was abducted at the Lantern Festival, so he must have been feeling nostalgic. Shen Miao didn't press him, reached out and patted his head, took a small tasseled embroidered ball lantern for herself, and the group hurriedly headed back home.
The next day, Shen Miao opened and tied the bundle again, repeating this three times. Finally, she took out the new clothes inside and put them on. She also changed Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er into new clothes. Only Chen Chuan refused to go, so Shen Miao had to ask Aunt Gu to take care of him.
The three siblings had just finished getting ready, and Shen Miao, along with the paper version of the financing PPT she had hand-drawn all night, boarded the carriage sent by the Xie family and headed towards the Xie family manor on the outskirts of the city, shrouded in the morning mist.
*
Meanwhile, about sixty miles from Bianjing City, on the post road, three dusty donkey carts were parked in front of an old inn.
A rather handsome young scholar was the first to jump down from the carriage. He eagerly lifted the curtain and helped his new wife down. Several servants who had accompanied the carriage also came forward one after another and asked the innkeeper for two superior rooms and one large dormitory room.
Then they went to unload the last car with luggage.
A plump old woman alighted from the slightly narrower and more dilapidated donkey cart in the middle. She had slanted eyes and a disdainful look on her face; she rolled her eyes at her son helping his wife, and secretly spat on the ground.
"If it weren't for needing the Zheng family's influence and wealth to ensure my eldest son's future, I should have been treated like that Shen family member, serving me well by my side long ago!"
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