Chapter 4: Gradually Becoming Defensive
Cheng's anger had not yet subsided, and her chest was heaving. Xue Yuan hurriedly asked someone to brew a cup of ginseng tea and brought it in. She warmed her hands obediently and then massaged Cheng's forehead.
"Madam, don't be angry."
Xue Yuan rubbed her face and soothed her, saying, "Madame Li is always exaggerating. She'll exaggerate even if it's only 50% or 60%. Don't take it too seriously."
"However, what Madam Li said is not entirely without reason. This past year has been crucial for the young master. No one wants someone to show up unexpectedly and hinder his bright future, right?"
Cheng's expression, which had been slightly relaxed, suddenly tensed. She opened her eyes slightly, pressed down Xue Yuan's hand that was rubbing her forehead, and asked, "Do you also think that the second wife's niece came at a bad time?"
The eldest lady's grip was quite strong. When Xue Yuan was grabbed by her, her heart skipped a beat and she felt weak.
In fact, she had never seen Miss Su, but who would say good things about a newcomer for no reason?
Everyone has their own selfish motives. Li Ma was one of them, and her husband was in charge of the front yard. If she needed to buy needles and thread, she'd ask Li Ma for help. During the New Year holidays, Li Ma often gave her small favors. They were all members of the Madam's household, so how could they bear to see Li Ma punished because of a foreign cousin?
Besides, who in the Du Mansion wasn't eager for the young master to triumph and restore the family's prestige? When the old master was alive, had the gates of the Du Mansion ever been opened to welcome guests as they did now? Back then, the threshold of the Du Mansion was literally trampled by scholars seeking recommendations from Lord Du, the Minister of Rites.
With her mind made up, Xue Yuan naturally withdrew her hand and handed the brewed ginseng tea to Cheng. She then brought a stool, sat down briefly, and placed Cheng's legs on her lap, then began to gently massage her to relax her.
"How can a servant like me interfere with my master's arrangements? I just think it's a good idea to take precautions before they happen."
"What kind of person is our young master? A man of elegant demeanor, a beautiful moon, and a gentle breeze. He'd be one of the best in the capital. Before the last Spring Examination, didn't someone come to inquire about your opinion? That year, the young master won the first place in the first round, and everyone said he would definitely be among the top three the following year! For the past three years, the young master has been in mourning, but he has never neglected his studies. There's not a single day that he hasn't studied hard until late at night."
Xue Yuan's words suddenly brought Cheng back to the time when her husband was still alive.
Yes, the number of people who had intentionally or unintentionally tested her back then was too numerous to count. Back then, she was full of energy and ambition, her son was poised for success, her husband's career was going smoothly, and each one of them, overtly or covertly, asked her if she was willing to arrange Du Heng's marriage before the exam.
Although she wasn't from the Duke's family, she had at least seen the world. She knew her son would have a future of his own, so how could she tie him down prematurely and restrict his future? Therefore, whenever she attended a banquet or someone brought their daughter to visit, her most common phrase was, "My son Heng is still young; it's best for him to focus on his studies."
But who would have known that in just a few months, the world would change, the sun and the moon would turn upside down, and the past bustle would be like yesterday's flowers, gone forever.
Cheng sighed and retracted her legs, but she didn't let Xue Yuan get up. Instead, she asked her to continue sitting on the stool and said, "You are a good person. It's worth my love for you."
Seeing that Cheng agreed with her, Xue Yuan boldly continued, "Second Madam is such a smart person. Whether she will make plans for her niece or not, I have no way of knowing. Madam, don't you agree?"
Xue Yuan's vague words suddenly woke Cheng up. Yes, why didn't she think of it?
Rong was smart and never made mistakes. When her second uncle was alive, the old lady loved her more than herself.
When she was in charge of the household, she lived in fear every day, fearing that the old lady would find fault with her and hand over the housekeeping power. Unfortunately, Rong was unlucky and died before she could conceive. This made her breathe a sigh of relief.
She used to admire Rong. If it were her, she would have lost interest in the side courtyard long ago. But Rong could endure the loneliness. People said that her side courtyard now lived like a mountain village, self-sufficient and full of farming fun.
Xue Yuan's words made her suddenly realize that how could Rong, such an intelligent person, accept his fate so easily and remain silent? Now that she thought about it, her niece came at the wrong time, and it was probably just a move in Rong's hands.
Cheng suddenly became alarmed and regretted his decision.
She felt that she owed the second house a favor, but when she saw Rong's sincere words, her lips softened.
She shouldn't have been so indifferent. When she saw the handwritten explanation in Rong's hand, her hands also became shorter.
Now that people have settled down, they can’t be asked to go back. What should we do?
No, she had to see Rong's niece with her own eyes. She wanted to see her appearance and test her character. No matter what, she had to give her a warning before she could feel at ease.
At the same time, in the side courtyard.
When Rong married and came to the capital, Su Ying was still young. Although she often talked about Su Ying with her mother in correspondence, she couldn't help but burst into tears when she saw her in person.
"When your aunt passed away, you were just a little kid. Who knew that in the blink of an eye, you'd actually grown taller than your aunt!"
When Rong saw the graceful Su Ying in front of him, her almond-shaped eyes were filled with worries, and she didn't know where the future would lead her.
Such was the way things were in the world; a woman's marriage felt like a reincarnation, a cycle of fate, whether good or bad, a fate she had to bear herself. Her elder sister's fate was tragic, leaving little Su Ying behind, a fatherless child, growing up all alone until she was fourteen, when her stepmother treated her like a bargaining chip. It was a pitiful sight. Compared to her elder sister, she had spent a year of peaceful, harmonious life, a life of understanding and harmony. Unfortunately, her husband's frailty led to his early passing. Although she now had a clear mind, she often wondered why fate had taken her heart so young.
She sighed and touched Su Ying's hair distressedly, but her words were filled with unquestionable firmness: "Auntie will not let you suffer any injustice."
The Rong family's daughter wasn't easily manipulated. Though she was a widow, she was still the legitimate Second Lady of the Du family, and her husband had been a highly educated Dean of the Imperial College. Adding to the Rong family's reputation among scholars, she was confident they could find a good home for her niece.
There were some things she couldn't elaborate on right now, lest she add to her worries. Rong then took her for a slow spin around the side courtyard. Every blade of grass and tree in the courtyard had been planted and tended by her own hands over the years. In the corner, she'd cultivated a small vegetable patch, and along the wall, a few chicken coops and rabbit cages lined the grounds, creating a clean and tidy space of its own.
As Su Ying walked among them, she felt as if she had returned to her grandparents' home at the foot of Yandang Mountain, and there was finally a hint of relaxation in the corners of her eyes and brows.
Seeing her expression soften, Rong finally felt relieved. She took her back to the house and said softly, "Rest well today. Tomorrow, your aunt will take you to pay your respects to the old lady."
As if afraid she would worry, he gently reminded her of a few important things: "The Du family is small, so you don't have to be anxious. Just as you respected your grandmother in the past, you should now respect the old lady in the same way. As for the eldest lady, she is the mistress of the Du family. Just respond to whatever she says, and don't take it to heart."
Su Ying knew Rong's good intentions and replied sensibly, "Don't worry, Auntie. My grandmother told me everything before I left. I'm just a guest here. They are the host and I am the guest. I know my place."
Rong Shi looked at Su Ying, who was so young yet so thoughtful. She felt a mixture of pity and love. She hugged her niece tightly and gently comforted her, "Now that you're in the capital, don't worry about the things back home. Auntie will guide you and help you make your journey even better."
After saying this, he seemed to recall something and pulled her up from his arms, his tone becoming more serious. "There's only one man, Brother Heng, you need to stay away from. His full name is Du Heng, the eldest grandson of the Du family's eldest son. He's very knowledgeable. He should have been on the list three years ago, but mourning delayed his chance. Now, everyone in the mansion has high hopes for him, so he dare not slack off even a little."
Rong Shi naturally couldn't tell Su Ying how much effort and pressure she had put into convincing Cheng Shi to take her in. She simply stroked her hand and advised, "For this year, just stay peacefully in the side courtyard. Avoid anything related to Heng'er if you can. Don't get too close to him, and don't talk about him casually. When he passes the imperial examination next year, your aunt will start arranging a suitable family for you and happily marry you off."
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