Extra Chapter Six Locks of Fragrant Sandalwood
My family is the famous Youyang Sheng family in Jinling. My great-grandfather was fortunate enough to pass the imperial examination but unfortunately died young. When my great-grandfather Sheng Hong retired, he had already reached the second rank. His three sons were all Jinshi in the two lists and entered the government. Among them, my grandfather Sheng Changbai was a veteran of two dynasties who was named in the Famous Ministers' Pavilion. He entered the cabinet four times, was appointed prime minister three times, and served in six ministries and thirteen provinces. His students and former officials are spread all over the world.
And I am just a little concubine's daughter in this noble family, born to an unfavored son.
My grandfather was very strict in managing the household. He required his four sons to cultivate themselves and manage their families first before governing the country and pacifying the world. However, if they behaved improperly, they would be punished immediately according to the family rules. The first three sons all did as he was told, with my father being the exception.
When my father was young, my grandfather was transferred to the northwest as a frontier official. As usual, my grandmother accompanied him and had to leave the frail young son to be raised by my great-grandmother, Mrs. Wang. The old lady doted on him a little, and by the time my grandparents returned to Beijing, her father had already raised him to be spoiled and indulged in play.
Later, my grandfather tried to discipline my father several times, but my great-grandmother would cry and scream like she was dying. After all, my grandfather was busy with court affairs and could not fight with an old mother and young son every day. So my father lived in this mediocre way until he got married and had children.
What does it mean to be neither up nor down? If you say he is ambitious, he is only a student of the imperial court in the Sheng family, which is known for its rich family. But if you say he is a scum, he would not dare to hang out with the dandies in the capital and cause trouble with concubines, mistresses, or even little actors.
When I was old enough to walk and jump, I could often see my great-grandmother holding my father, who was already grown up, in her arms, and howling at my grandfather, who was in charge of the family law: "...Who says that our Ah Huan is not good? It's hard for ordinary families to produce a Jinshi, but the ancestors of the Sheng family burned incense and had excellent children and grandchildren who were educated, making Ah Huan inferior in every way. What's wrong with taking in a few more maids! I know you don't like me. Seeing that I love Ah Huan a little more, you want to torture him to death. Oh my god, I might as well just hit my head and die first..."
Faced with the grandparents and grandchildren crying together, the grandfather had to give up even though he could do anything; the embarrassed grandmother turned around and comforted her daughter-in-law with a few words, and the matter was over.
My stepmother and my father didn't have much affection for each other. After giving birth to a son and a daughter, the couple basically kept their distance from each other. Their biggest pastime on weekdays was to satirize my father in artistic forms, sometimes writing doggerel, sometimes drawing, and often using my father as a negative example to teach my brother to study hard and cultivate himself.
My father couldn't afford to offend my stepmother, so he had to keep his distance from her. Except for the few days of the month when he was supposed to be there as required by family rules, he usually stayed at Xiaoxing's place. My aunt only had three or four days of her turn every month.
With my father's courage and wisdom, he didn't dare to get to know some extraordinary woman who was "lowly in status but had lofty ambitions", and no one would give him a good concubine, so all his concubines were maids in the mansion.
My aunt was neither up nor down in my father's group. She was not as favored as the later aunt Li, nor as lonely as the prematurely aged aunt Zhao. Her biggest competitor was the aunt Qiu who lived across the street.
They were sold to the Sheng Mansion one after the other, and entered the inner house to become maids of the young master one after the other. My aunt was born two weeks earlier, but my aunt was born three days earlier. They even gave birth to daughters only half a month apart. It can be said that they are in a life-and-death struggle and are evenly matched.
The maids and servants on both sides, and even the cats they keep, never interact with each other, so much so that even the seventh sister born to Concubine Qiu looks at me like a black-eyed chicken - their biggest competition now is to see who can give birth to a son first.
Why bother?
I'm not saying why the two concubines bothered. Giving birth to a son is the biggest proposition and pursuit in a woman's life, so of course she should try her best. I'm saying why the seventh sister bothered.
My eldest cousin, who was born out of wedlock, had already married. At that time, my great uncle was a sixth-rank official, and with the influence of my grandfather, she was betrothed to a scholar from a wealthy family. So, based on this calculation, my father was just a student on government academy scholarship and was not favored by my grandfather. It was estimated that in the future, my seventh sister and I would either become the wives of a scholar or the wives of a gentry, or maybe even the wives of the proprietresses of a merchant family.
It's just a matter of half a catty and eight taels. It depends on whether Seventh Sister prefers knowledge and status, or silver and gold ingots. Anyway, it doesn't matter to me. With our family background and family tradition, we will not use our daughters to curry favor with the powerful, and we will not allow the stepmother to deliberately marry the concubine's daughter to someone too inferior. But due to limited conditions, Dad can basically be considered a commoner. Everything is almost destined. What is there to argue about?
My seventh sister was too stubborn to accept the fact. From appearance to knowledge and education, she tried to surpass me in every aspect and won overwhelmingly.
My aunt was very disappointed with me and kept nagging me about it. I was annoyed by her and couldn't help but teach her a lesson: Why should a concubine's daughter be so outstanding? Competing with the legitimate daughter is just asking for trouble. It's like you concubines, if you behave more virtuous than the main wife, and are more capable, well-known for your talents, and have a deep love with the master who is willing to spend life and death with you - then you are probably not far from death.
My aunt couldn't win the argument with me, so she could only beat her chest and scold me for not making progress: "What kind of devil has possessed you? You are so stubborn and unwilling to make progress."
I said I wouldn't dare, I'm just good at observation.
My grandfather's generation had produced two extremely famous illegitimate great-aunts. One of them, Marquis Gu, not only married into a prestigious family but also dominated her husband to such an extent that the court would tremble with a single stomp of his foot. He was completely devoted to her for his entire life. It was said that from the day my great-aunt married, he refused to ride even a mare. That year, my great-aunt fell ill and was dying. It was said that Marquis Gu, a man of many years of experience, cried as if his father had died—of course, his father had died long ago.
They are already in their sixties or seventies, so what's the big deal?
Such exclusive favor would inevitably cause criticism from the powerful and noble families in the capital, but my great-aunt was a very good person. From the concubines of the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion, the Marquis of Weibei's Mansion, to the Zheng family, the Bo family, the Fu family, the Duan family... many noble families were on good terms with her, and everyone followed her. Which woman with a tendency to talk would dare to say anything? Moreover, facts have proved that my great-aunt was a blessing to her husband and sons. She gave birth to four sons in one breath, and they were all very promising. Their success rate was higher than that of my grandfather.
The youngest uncle of the Gu family, the fourth uncle, neither learned literature nor martial arts, and refused to marry. He traveled extensively throughout the country, completing his "Complete Geography of Jiangshan" at the age of thirty-six. Presented to the emperor, it caused a sensation throughout the land. He catalogued the customs and people of the two capitals and thirteen provinces, along with the breathtaking landscapes of the land. The text was elegant and vivid, bringing the reader to life, making it a highly sought-after book. The illustrations and colors were so breathtakingly detailed and dreamlike, the scale so precise that standing before the painting, four or five people wide, the vast landscape seemed to come alive, leaving the viewer breathless. The chapter on customs and local customs was hung on the inner wall of the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, while the chapter on military affairs was secretly stored in the Ministry of War.
Because his third uncle, who liked to sail east, had gotten there first, his fourth uncle had no choice but to travel west, following the ancient road that Zhang Qian, the Han envoy, had walked on. Along the way, there were yellow sand mountains and the heart-stirring desert sunset. On the barren sand where bones were buried, there grew moving flowers, standing proudly and stubbornly, unchanged for a thousand years. Even I, who have always been heartless, couldn't help crying when I read this.
The latest news about my fourth uncle is that he seems to have charmed the only daughter of a king in the far western regions at the age of forty, and plans to stay there to enjoy the young girl, find a son-in-law and inherit the throne.
Inspired by their third and fourth uncles, ambitious young men all over the world were proud to follow their example and traveled east and west to explore the world.
For the girls of the Sheng family, this great-aunt was their idol, their role model, and their guiding light. Whether they were concubines or legitimate, they all wished they could follow in her footsteps. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened yet.
As the saying goes, a skilled warrior never achieves great feats. This great-aunt's life in the boudoir was ordinary and low-key. She was never particularly distinguished by her talent, reputation, or reputation for kindness. She was said to be extremely filial and deeply devoted to her great-great-grandmother. She repeatedly challenged my grandfather to support her, but was repeatedly repelled, leaving her bitterly defeated. Even when she became a grandmother herself, she still harbored this evil intent. Fortunately, my grandfather, still in good health, fought back and succeeded in keeping my great-great-grandmother here until her death.
——From the rumors, this great-aunt seemed to be completely unknown in the boudoir. How could she learn from her?
What chances can a girl have to stand out? She can only work hard on her studies. The most favored fifth cousin once spent a whole year writing a 60-line poem "Ode to the Plum Blossom" to celebrate her grandfather's 60th birthday. Unexpectedly, she only got a short half sentence from her grandfather: "Ladies in the boudoir should study to cultivate their character and improve their temperament." The fifth cousin's eyes were red at that time.
In fact, the best poet was my fourth cousin. That year, she received a lot of praise for her five-character quatrain at the chrysanthemum viewing banquet held at the Princess Fuyang's mansion. However, after returning home, she was scolded by her grandmother and punished to copy Buddhist scriptures and women's precepts for three months.
"The princess obviously wants her daughter to be in the spotlight, and she specially invited that nerdy third prince to listen so that the cousins can cook. Why is she causing trouble?" - the third cousin who has always been at odds with the fourth cousin said proudly.
My grandfather hated girls reciting poems and painting the most, while my grandmother hated girls showing off in public the most. The reason was that my other equally famous great-aunt was dissatisfied with the marriage arranged by my great-grandfather, so she went out to find a man on her own, and she did not behave herself in public. Although she finally got married, people still occasionally talk about her.
In the end, she didn't end up well, giving birth to five daughters, all of whom married down from lower social status. The reason I know this so well is because my great-aunt from the Liang family searched the world for a son-in-law but couldn't find a good one. She wanted to marry her daughter back to her parents' family. My father, three uncles, and my great-grandfather's three uncles made a scene, and even after the whole family knew about it, they were all rejected.
Only this great-aunt's biological brother and sister-in-law reluctantly accepted one, and he was a bastard. However, I heard that the couple had a good relationship, and now he has gone to his eldest uncle in his hometown to learn business.
Since the daughters of the Sheng family are already so colorful and lively, there is no need for me to join in the fun. I just eat and sleep every day, do little needlework, and don't study very hard. I think that knowing that Li Bai and Li Taibai are the same person, and Li Guang and Li Guangli are two different people is enough.
When I was nine years old, my seventh sister next door was growing taller and more slender. She was very pretty at a young age, with a nice waist and legs. But I was growing fatter and fatter. With a small frame and full of flesh, I looked like a chubby pig.
My aunt looked at me with tears in her eyes, thinking that I had let her beauty down and that I had given up on myself, fallen into depravity and brought about my own destruction. My aunt only knew a few idioms, which she had learned while flirting with my father in the study, and she used them all on me.
I patiently continued to educate her: girls get married in their teens, then serve their parents-in-law, please their sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, take care of their husbands and children, deal with concubines and maids in the back house, watch others eat, stand while others sit, no matter how bitter her heart is, she must smile on her face... She endures this for decades until she becomes a mother-in-law herself, and can finally vent her anger by bullying other people's daughters - but if the mother-in-law is not dead yet, it is not over yet, she has to continue to endure.
The only truly comfortable years for a woman in her life are those when she is a girl. Although I am a concubine's daughter, I am fortunate to have a strict grandmother and a good aunt who manages the household. The servants dare not watch others serve dishes. Even a concubine's daughter does not need to compete for favor for food, clothing and other expenses. In this case, why don't I enjoy this rare life?
Like my seventh sister, who obviously loved eating butter cakes to death, but she resisted the urge to eat them, letting her sad saliva flow back into her stomach. She watched me sip them mouthful by mouthful, her eyes almost spitting fire, her face turned blue, her nostrils flared, and she looked like a big hungry frog.
As I said, why bother? Once you get married, you might not even be able to eat what you want.
My aunt couldn't argue with me, so she said I was talking nonsense, but I still insisted on doing what I wanted. Seeing that I was not willing to learn, my aunt had no choice but to put all her enthusiasm into the great cause of currying favor with my father and giving birth to a son.
When he was ten years old, his grandfather's old friend, Duke Qi, finally ended his more than ten years of exile and was ordered to return to Beijing to serve as a cabinet minister in the six ministries. He and his grandfather had been friends since childhood, classmates, classmates, colleagues, and they were as close as brothers.
During the Lantern Festival that year, because the children, grandchildren and daughters-in-law of the Qi family had not yet returned from other places, the old man came to our house to celebrate the festival with my family. My grandfather then asked all the children and grandchildren in the house to kowtow to the old man and pay their respects to him.
As usual, I wore a festive red jacket, wrapped up like a meat dumpling, with a gold locket on my chest like all my sisters, and two round and plump buns on my head, simply tied with red coral beads - it was not that my aunt didn't want to wear a bun and hairpins for me, but it didn't suit my chubby little face, so she had to give up.
Looking at the seventh sister in her exquisite peach-red waisted long coat sprinkled with gold and embroidered with broken branches of flowers, with a small pearl hairpin hanging gracefully on her temples, as beautiful as a lark, my aunt looked at me again, and she was so annoyed that she almost wanted to cry.
I squeezed in among my brothers and sisters and paid my respects to the Duke of Qi. My grandfather and the old master were talking to a few cousins about academic matters. I began to feel sleepy and slowly and quietly moved to an inconspicuous corner.
"That fat girl in the bright red dress, come here and let me take a look."
The voice was old and clear, like a breeze that blew away the stagnant air in the room. Everyone's eyes turned to me. I shuddered and woke up immediately, and was pushed to the front.
I raised my head timidly, first looking at my grandfather—his expression was complicated, frowning as he glanced at his friend beside him, as if lost in thought. But the old Duke Qi was very kind, patting my fat pig's feet and asking questions about my age, what I was studying, and what I liked to eat. When he found out I was six, the old Duke was especially delighted, saying repeatedly, "Good, six sixes are all going well, good!"
What's good about it? There are many girls in the family, so we didn't give them proper names. We just called them "Wu Niang, Qi Niang" and so on according to their age order. My second cousin who loves to joke sees that I am easy-going and rarely gets angry, so she calls me "Xiao Liuzi" to tease me.
I am a typical bully at home. Except when educating my concubine, I don't talk much outside. I answer every question asked by the old Duke, and I am dull and wooden. But the old master treats me with great patience, and listens to my stammering and silly words with a smile. My fifth cousin standing next to me almost pops her eyes out of her sockets - she is obviously the smartest, most talkative and most likable girl in the mansion!
Before the old Duke left, he took out a palm-sized piece of mutton-fat jade pendant and gave it to me. The jade pendant was crystal clear, clean and warm. Although I didn't know the value of it, judging from the gasp of my third aunt beside me, it must be quite valuable.
After that day, my third cousin was incredibly sarcastic about me, saying things like, "Ugly people are always acting strangely" and "You're so fat and stupid, you're bringing shame to the Sheng family." Even my fourth cousin, who was generally friendly, ignored me. As for my fifth cousin, she deliberately tried to be friendly with my seventh sister, constantly making indirect accusations. I felt so sad. I hadn't done anything wrong—to be more precise, I hadn't done anything at all, yet I was being bullied.
My aunt was very happy and kept saying that Duke Qi had a good eye for talent. Half a day ago, she thought I was a "pig", but now I have become a "pearl". Power and wealth are really good, they can change anything.
My aunt asked me what my husband looked like, and I couldn't answer. At that time, I was just afraid that I would be blamed for being inappropriate and impolite. Later, I thought about it and found that the old Duke of Qi was about the same age as my grandfather, with a white face and a long beard, and he was gaunt but majestic.
But they are not entirely the same. My grandfather has always been serious and his eyes are stern and sharp, but the old Duke has a bit more elegance. When he smiles, his smiling eyes lift up slightly, just like the breeze flowing along the river bank, blowing on my face, refreshing and comfortable.
I never knew that an old person could be so beautiful.
The second uncle of the Gu family is also very handsome, but his temperament is completely like his grandfather. He either doesn't speak, or when he speaks, he always says something bad. It's really a waste of a natural talent. The older he gets, the more powerful he becomes. Many third and fourth rank officials become weak in the knees when they see him, and no one dares to pay attention to his appearance.
Later, I heard from my second cousin who occasionally visited my mother's home that Duke Qi was the most handsome man in the capital at that time, and no one can surpass him to this day. Her tone was very melancholy, as if she regretted that she was born decades too late and could not see the demeanor of this peerless handsome man.
The sisters in the room giggled, which made the second cousin's husband very unhappy. He strode through the screen, grabbed his wife and dragged her home overnight.
After that, we both served as officials in the capital. Duke Qi would come to the mansion from time to time to play chess and comment on poetry with my grandfather. Every time he came, he would see me, and every time he saw me, I would give him a gift - a red rhinoceros horn pen holder from Lingnan, a thumb-sized Hainan pearl, a purple cloud stone inkstone made by Fan Dacheng, and a large Dongzhu from the snowy ridge outside the Great Wall... Even my father rarely saw such good things.
The concubine's eyes widened, the concubine Qiu and her daughter next door turned green with envy, and the most favored concubine Li narrowed her eyes.
"They say the Qi family's wealth is hard to describe, and it's certainly true," Dad said. "The old Duke has no daughters or granddaughters, so he probably treats the sixth girl as his granddaughter."
A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be bullied.
When I was doing the rope jump, I would trip and fall hard. When my third cousin came to help me, her arm would be twisted hard. If I cried out in pain, she would pretend to be surprised and say, "Oh, you fell so hard."
If you walk along the edge of the pond, you will accidentally fall into it. Fortunately, the pond is not deep, but half of your dress is wet. In addition, you catch a cold and stay in bed for six or seven days. Your seventh sister leans against the door opposite, smiling sweetly.
While you are enjoying the cool air in the pavilion, a familiar slingshot will emerge from the bushes. The half-wet mud balls will hurt when they hit your body. The ninth cousin and the fifth cousin are full siblings and have always been good friends.
My fourth cousin sat next to me in the girls' school. Several times I saw my fifth cousin winking at her. My fourth cousin bit her lip, looked at my fifth cousin, then looked at me, raised her hand holding the inkstone, put it down again, sighed softly, lowered her head, and recited her newly written poem.
My second uncle is devoted to learning and his official position is not as high as that of my third uncle. I am very grateful to my fourth cousin.
I secretly packed up the purple stone inkstone and sent it over, but the next day the small package was sent back intact, along with a small bottle of plaster for bruises.
A long time later, my fourth cousin was betrothed to the third prince as a concubine. A few years later, the third prince's sick wife passed away, so he made my fourth cousin, who had given birth to many children, his wife.
very nice.
After rubbing the bruises, I collected the treasures that the old Duke had sent me one by one, locked them up with a big lock, and said to my aunt earnestly, "If I marry poorly in the future and cannot take care of you, you can use these things to exchange for silver to support your retirement."
My aunt's eyes were red and she hugged me and cried for half a day.
No one likes to swallow their anger, but what should be endured must be endured. What's the harm in making a big fuss? The fifth cousin is a legitimate daughter, and some of her brothers are legitimate brothers. The third uncle is valued by the grandfather. The quarrels between sisters can be a big or small matter, so it's better not to make things difficult for yourself.
Only that time, the water in the pond was so clear that you could see your reflection in it. I saw a big bruise on my face caused by the slingshot. I covered my face and hid in the rockery, squatting and crying for a long time. Big tears dripped into the soil, forming a small wet spot - Xiaojiu did it on purpose, his slingshot has always been very accurate.
What should I do? What should I do? I can't hide it now. I can't let my aunt see it. My aunt will go to my father to complain, but my father dare not argue with my third uncle. My great-grandmother has been ill and mentally ill for the past six months. No one will support my aunt and me. Even if my fifth cousin and ninth cousin are punished, my aunt and I will not suffer any good consequences.
I endured the pain and rubbed my face desperately, trying to wipe away the bruises, but my sore eye sockets refused to obey. I felt extremely aggrieved and could only cry and cry... Finally, I could only come up with a stupid idea. I deliberately fell on the rocks again and broke my forehead so that I could deceive my aunt.
"You naughty child, how are you going to get married in the future now that you've hurt your face?" The aunt's scream was as powerful as ever.
However, evil will be punished. A few days later, my grandfather, seeing that Xiaojiu was too naughty all the time, decided to send him to Songshan Academy and ask a friend to raise him. My third aunt cried until her eyes were red and swollen when she saw her most beloved youngest son going on a long journey, but she didn't dare to say a word.
The fifth cousin was probably too sad. After her younger brother left home, she fell seriously ill and could not even go to school. Her grandmother felt sorry for her, so she moved her to her room and took care of her personally. It took her half a year before the fifth cousin recovered.
After her serious illness, my fifth cousin never bullied me again; no matter how my seventh cousin tried to please her, she just ignored her coldly.
Not long after, my great-grandmother passed away and my grandfather began to mourn, and his contact with Mr. Qi became closer. Nine months later, I turned thirteen and my father finished mourning for his grandson. Suddenly, the Qi family came to propose marriage. The old Duke wanted to marry me to his second grandson.
Grandfather agreed calmly.
However, the other people in the mansion were not calm.
This incident was like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone except my grandparents. Everyone looked at me in surprise.
In terms of family background, although the old Duke is not as powerful as his grandfather in the court, he is almost the same. Moreover, he has a hereditary title, so he is even better overall.
In terms of family wealth, the old duke's mother, Princess Pingning, gave almost half of the Marquis of Xiangyang's wealth to her son. The old duke's father worked as a salt official for more than ten years, and the old duke himself served in foreign posts for more than ten years. This does not include the accumulation of several generations of the duke's family.
Although the Sheng family was also wealthy, they could not compare to the others; moreover, the Sheng family had many descendants, and the old Duke had two sons and three grandsons, so there was more than enough money no matter how he divided the property.
In terms of character, the groom is only sixteen years old and already holds the title of scholar. His father is the second son of an old duke and currently holds the rank of a third-rank official. And my father...
There is no need to compare anymore. Only my third uncle's legitimate daughter, my fifth cousin, or my second uncle's legitimate daughter, my fourth cousin, are barely worthy of such a noble young man. Even my eldest uncle's illegitimate daughter, my third cousin, is better than me.
While everyone in the Sheng Mansion was in a daze, the engagement ceremony presided over by my grandmother and my uncle's mother was being prepared in an orderly manner.
My life afterwards became very strange.
I don’t know what my cousins were thinking, but they remained polite and courteous. My aunts were in shock and puzzled, and my grandparents looked mysterious, and no one dared to ask. Everyone pretended to be happy and came together to congratulate my stepmother (fortunately, my eighth sister got engaged early, otherwise I really wouldn’t dare to look at my stepmother’s face).
This is what a smart person does; a dumb person's approach is much more brilliant. Seventh Sister looked at me as if she wanted to eat me alive. If her gaze could be turned into a sharp sword, I would have been riddled with holes.
A month before my official engagement ceremony, the decade-long battle between my aunt and Aunt Qiu finally came to a head. My aunt was completely lost because of my recent engagement, so much so that she wasn't even diligent enough to curry favor with my father, allowing Aunt Qiu to give birth to a son first.
My father is very happy and loves his new brother very much. Aunt Qiu took advantage of my father's happiness and put forward a whimsical suggestion. In order for the youngest son to have someone to rely on in the future, he must find a good marriage for his sister. Since the old Duke Qi does not despise the identity of the sixth girl, he will certainly not despise the seventh girl. It is better to talk to grandfather and give this marriage to the seventh girl.
——I have to say that Aunt Qiu and my aunt are indeed equally powerful. No wonder they have been fighting for more than ten years.
My father was so happy that he actually went to tell my grandfather about it, and then he was so happy that he ended up in tragedy.
Without my great-grandmother to stop him, my grandfather, feeling very relieved, used the family rules to severely punish my father. My father was unable to get out of bed for more than half a month. Even my engagement gift was paid by my great uncle, just as a token of his appreciation.
"Do you think Master Qi is interested in you and is willing to marry your daughter to his grandson?! Don't you even look at yourself? I'm so ashamed for you!"
This is what my grandfather cursed when he beat my father, and actually he also said it to my six uncles and aunts.
This marriage is strange in every way. My three aunts are all smart people, how could they act so rashly? Only my unlucky father and the even more unlucky concubine Qiu are so stupid.
After my great-grandmother passed away, my grandfather was in mourning at home. He was bored and had been thinking about dealing with my father. But my father didn't notice it at all and actually walked into the house to get beaten. Isn't this asking for trouble?
Originally, my grandfather's training for my father was simply to work as a clerk in a remote village, to temper his dandy ways. He didn't expect him to become famous, but at least he wouldn't ruin the family. But after this incident, my grandfather discovered that my father's stupidity far exceeded his expectations, so he upgraded his treatment. As soon as my father recovered from his injuries, he would be sent to a small city in the northwest desert to serve as a part-time teacher.
My father's legs went weak at that moment, and he was escorted into the car crying. Before leaving, my stepmother was in a good mood and gathered a group of my father's women and asked, "The master needs to be away from home for a long time and needs to be taken care of by others. Is there anyone willing to follow him?"
After these words were spoken, all the female relatives were silent for a moment, and then took a step back. Only Aunt Li, who was the father's favorite, was pushed by someone and could not turn around in time, so she stood out from the crowd.
The stepmother clapped her hands and laughed, "Good, good, I knew the master's love for you was not in vain. Come on, pack Aunt Li's bags! Send Tenth Brother to my room. Be careful not to scare the child."
Aunt Li collapsed to the ground, her face full of fear.
A few days after my father left, Aunt Qiu disappeared without a word - my grandfather hated concubines interfering in the marriages of his brothers and sisters the most.
Some said she was sold, others said she drowned. The newly born twelfth brother was also raised by his mother. Thus, his father's three sons, one legitimate and two illegitimate, were all in the care of his mother.
My aunt shivered for a long time and said to me, "Madam is really not a vegetarian."
"Do you still want to have a son?" I asked.
Auntie sighed, "Forget it, take a step back and the world will be wider."
However, the stepmother was not a bad person. When the seventh sister was about to turn twenty years old, the stepmother had indeed prepared three marriage candidates for her: a promising scholar from a poor family, a widowed gentleman from a prominent family, and a very wealthy cloth merchant from Jiangnan.
It is said that the seventh sister finally decided the Jiangnan cloth merchant by rolling the dice.
The year after I came of age, I completely grew taller, all the fat on my body disappeared, and I became a charming and lovely girl - my aunt breathed a sigh of relief. A few months later, my grandfather was reinstated, and the Qi and Sheng families held a low-key wedding.
When I lifted the red veil, I saw my new husband, a handsome and serious young man. After drinking the wedding wine, he sat motionless by the bed. I thought that he might think I was not worthy of him.
Watching Longfengzhu weeping blood-red tears, I felt wronged and wanted to cry. I didn't ask for this marriage. I had already planned to be the wife of a wealthy boss or a scholar. If you don't like me, why did you agree to marry me?
I whispered, "...You, you don't like me..."
My husband twisted his neck stiffly and nodded habitually. I burst into tears immediately. He immediately panicked and shook his head and nodded hurriedly: "No, no, no, I mean I like you, not that I don't like you..."
I burst into laughter through my tears.
Later my husband told me that before the marriage, the old duke had threatened his grandson that he must treat me well, otherwise he would punish him; my husband was so nervous sitting by the bed, thinking hard about how to satisfy the old duke.
That night, he tried very hard to treat me 'well'.
My husband is a dignified and steady man. He doesn't know what constitutes joy in the boudoir, let alone how to please a girl. But I just like to tease him mischievously, and we complement each other. As time goes by, he becomes more and more fond of being serious in front of others and playing with me behind their backs.
My father-in-law may not be very satisfied with this marriage, but he can still treat me with courtesy. My grandmother-in-law has passed away long ago. The only trouble is my mother-in-law. She obviously doesn't like me, but she only has one son and one daughter-in-law. Apart from me, she doesn't like any other daughter-in-law. Besides, she has no other way to deal with me except to follow the rules.
After entering the Qi Mansion, I learned that the old Duke had established a strange rule that the mother-in-law was not allowed to interfere in the affairs of her daughter-in-law. Specifically, she was not allowed to put anyone in her son's room, and taking a concubine was the couple's own business.
Back then, Madam Qi had wanted to give her eldest daughter-in-law, who had just married into the family, a warning, but she was humiliated by the old Duke in front of everyone in the house. My mother-in-law's background was even worse than that of my eldest sister-in-law, so she didn't dare to act rashly.
Under this magical family rule, I successfully gave birth to my eldest son, second son, eldest daughter and third son.
Seeing my children and grandchildren around me and the house becoming more and more lively, no matter how much my mother-in-law disliked me, she had to soften her attitude gradually. She hugged one on her left, one on her right, one sitting in her arms, and one hanging around her neck. She could no longer keep a cold face towards me.
Especially when the eldest family had so few heirs, the number of children I gave birth to alone was worth more than that of my eldest sister-in-law and my third brother's wife combined. When my mother-in-law stood in front of my eldest sister-in-law, Mrs. Qi, she felt more confident and her face was beaming every day.
That year, my mother-in-law caught a cold and was ill for a long time. I slept directly in front of her bed, serving her medicine every day, bathing her, changing her clothes, feeding her, combing her hair, and even helping her go to the toilet. This went on for two months. My mother-in-law recovered, but I lost a lot of weight. Fortunately, I had been strong since I was a child and never got tired.
Even if a person's heart is made of stone, it will warm up if you hold it for a long time. My mother-in-law finally put aside her cold face, took my hand and said, "You are a good child. In the past... I wronged you. I always felt that you were not worthy of my son..."
With red eyes, she continued, "Now it seems that I was reckless. After all, my old master has good taste. You have chosen a very good granddaughter-in-law."
Once I let down my guard, my mother-in-law treated me sincerely and treated me like her own daughter. Even my husband pretended to be jealous when he saw me.
I heard that the two daughters-in-law of the Qi family were chosen by the old Duke himself. Come to think of it, how could such a smart and capable man like the old Duke choose such a vicious-hearted woman as his daughter-in-law?
"My father-in-law has had a rough life." My mother-in-law sighed and pulled me aside to start a conversation.
Handsome men are unlucky in marriage, and this saying is absolutely true for my old man.
The old master had three wives in his life. The first was the Princess of Jiacheng County. She died in the "Shenchen Rebellion" shortly after her marriage. It was said that her death was extremely ignominious. The second was the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, a prominent family in southern Shanxi. Her family had produced many important figures. She once gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, when she accompanied the old master to take up her post in southern Fujian that year, an epidemic broke out and all three of them died. The third was the legitimate granddaughter of Princess Qingning. Soon after their marriage, the couple inherited the title of Duke. The new wife died after giving birth to two sons. She was less than 30 years old.
The following year, Princess Pingning and her husband also passed away. After that, the old master never remarried. He only left two old concubines to take care of his daily life and personally raised his two sons.
"That's why my uncle and the master respect my father-in-law very much and are very filial to him. They never dare to disobey him in the slightest. It's really not easy for my father-in-law. He has to take care of the inside and the outside, and be both a father and a mother." The mother-in-law sighed.
"Actually, I heard back home that when my father-in-law left for his post in southern Fujian, everyone told Mrs. Shen not to go with him. Not to mention the hot and humid miasma there, which northerners wouldn't be able to acclimate to, and the two children were still young... Alas, Mrs. Shen insisted on going with him, refusing to leave my father-in-law even for a moment. Later, tragedy struck, and the Shen family couldn't blame anyone..."
"Oh, maybe it's because you have too deep affection for your grandfather." I'm not interested in gossip, but my mother-in-law is obviously very interested, so I cater to her enthusiastically.
The mother-in-law shook her head mysteriously: "I don't think so."
I am very grateful to my husband. Without his kindness and generosity, I would not have the happy life I have today. I am determined to be filial to him with all my heart, but I don't know how to start.
The old master's daily life is extremely simple and plain. He often likes to fish by the pond and sit there for most of the day. He doesn't care whether he catches any fish or not. When he has nothing to do, he either reads or listens to my little girl reading aloud.
He asked his great-granddaughter to read Xiaoya in the Book of Songs, Peach Blossom Spring, and the travel notes written by my fourth uncle from the Gu family. The little girl sat cross-legged on the kang, shaking her head, and her childish voice was clear and crisp, echoing in the bright and elegant study.
The old man was sitting far away by the window, leaning his head to the side and looking over with his hands, smiling slightly. His expression was kind and gentle, but there was a very faint melancholy in his eyes, as faint as a layer of gauze covered in mist, very far away, yet very close.
He always seemed to have this expression, kind and gentle, treating people like a spring breeze. Even my grandfather had several political enemies, but the old man seemed to be praised by everyone.
Only once did I see his face change.
That year, the third brother who looked most like the old master was due to get married, but trouble arose.
The eldest aunt arranged a marriage for my third brother with a girl from the Han family, but he didn't like her. He liked a girl from the Qiu family. Unfortunately, the Qiu family had an ordinary family background and was of no help to my third brother.
The matter was brought to the old master. "Let him decide for himself," the old man said lightly.
During those days, my aunt kept crying and begging my third brother, and I could basically guess what she was saying.
My uncle is in weak health, and my eldest brother is also not in good health. They have no children yet, so my third brother is the only one in the eldest house who can be relied on.
The father and son of our second branch are not only young and strong, but also have successful careers and many children. If something happens in the future... my old master was also the son of the second branch.
Finally, the third brother was persuaded. He walked up to the old master with a depressed look and said in person, "I am willing to marry the girl from the Han family."
The old master's face remained calm as he smiled and said, "Okay, Grandfather will ask someone to propose marriage for you."
Everyone left one after another, and I was the last one left. I wanted to pick up the little girl who was sleeping soundly in the next room. Before I left, I clearly heard a low, bitter laugh and a very light sigh - "It's like this again... It's still like this..."
I quickly turned my head to look, and saw the old man holding a scroll in one hand in front of the window, his eyes looking at the scenery outside. A sadness suddenly appeared on his usually calm face, as if he had lost something beautiful that could never be recovered.
Many years passed, and even my eldest son was old enough to marry. My four great-aunts, two great-uncles, and grandmother passed away one after another, and my grandfather finally passed away.
The pillar of the Sheng family collapsed. The old man stood in the mourning hall for a long time, his expression lonely but not sad, as if he was not mourning a good friend, but his earliest youth.
Because of his grandfather's outstanding achievements, the emperor ordered the two princes to carry the coffin and attend the funeral, which was truly an honor.
The grand funeral exhausted the whole family's energy. I went back to my parents' home to visit my sick mother, and as usual, we had nothing to talk about.
Just as I was about to say goodbye, my stepmother suddenly spoke, "Do you know? Actually, on the Lantern Festival that year, when Mr. Qi saw you, he wanted to marry you to his grandson. But the old man refused, saying that if the girl was not good, what would happen to her close friend's family? In the following years, the old man kept observing you secretly, and when he felt that you had a kind character, he finally agreed to the marriage."
I was shocked.
On the way home, I gave this question my first serious thought.
Why did my husband like me so much back then? I have a vague understanding of it, but I can't quite wrap my head around it. Forget it, let's not think about it anymore. Overthinking makes it hard to eat.
After his friend passed away, the old man gradually grew old. At the end of the following year, the imperial physician told him frankly: "It's time to prepare for the funeral."
My uncle and father-in-law were both very sad and couldn't help sobbing. No matter how much conflict they had with each other, they truly respected and loved their old father.
"My eldest brother and I have agreed that after father... passes away..." the father-in-law continued with difficulty, and then said to the mother-in-law, "We will separate the family. It's time for our son to go out and gain some experience. I've found him a posting in the capital, and asked my daughter-in-law to go with him. We will raise our grandchildren in the capital."
My mother-in-law was also old and becoming more and more kind. She didn't show any dissatisfaction when she heard this. She smiled gently and said, "That's great. I told my sister-in-law that we should live closer from now on so that we can look after each other."
I understand. My father-in-law and mother-in-law have completely given up, giving up the title of duke in exchange for a happy family and harmonious brotherhood.
My husband took me back to the house and said softly, "You've worked hard these years. There are so many rules and things to do at home. When we get outside, we can go out for an outing and go boating on the lake..."
He put his lips to my ear and said warmly, "We can also add another little monkey."
My face flushed, and I cursed under my breath, "Bad guy."
At the old grandfather's bedside, my uncle and father-in-law told my father their decision together.
The old master understood the meaning and nodded with a weak smile, "...Okay... You two brothers can think it through on your own... Very good..."
The old man's arms slowly drooped down beside the bed. They were once slender and beautiful, but now they were weak and old.
Except for the ancestral property, meritorious fields, and sacrificial fields of the Duke's Mansion, the rest of the family property was divided into two, and the two old concubines were each supported. No one objected throughout the process.
After the funeral, Aunt Ding handed a small box to me with a sad smile: "This is what my old master asked me to give to Second Madam. It's not a valuable thing, just consider it a souvenir."
She paused, and couldn't help but add, tears in her eyes: "The old master gave it away at the beginning, but unfortunately it was returned." After saying this, she knew she had said too much and quickly took her leave.
This is a small wooden box with an old copper lock, exquisite mother-of-pearl inlay, and valuable rosewood. Even after more than sixty years, it still exudes a bright glow and a faint fragrance.
I slowly opened it and found a pair of clay dolls inside.
I am not unfamiliar with this thing. I also had a few of the big Afu clay dolls from Wuxi when I was a child, but they were not as exquisitely made as these two. The clothes and the way they were dressed looked like they were specially made.
A boy and a girl, dressed in festive red, were chubby and adorable. Sadly, their vibrant glaze had faded with age, and their faces and bodies had become blurred, as if they'd been held and gently rubbed often. While playing with them, I turned them over and found faint writing on their bottoms: 'Xiao Liu' was written on the girl's, and 'Xiao Er' on the boy's.
The ink is gray and light, and it must have been written decades ago. You can still vaguely see the clear and beautiful handwriting.
My heart ached as I wondered if the person who had received these two clay dolls had ever seen these four words?
I put the doll back in the box, then quietly walked to the study, hugged my husband from behind, and gently nuzzled the back of his neck with my cheek. My husband put down the file in his hand, held me in his arms, and said with a smile, "What's wrong? You want the little monkey again?"
I stared at him for a long time, then suddenly said, "Hello, Qi Xiaoer."
The husband was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "You are making trouble again."
This was the nickname they had jokingly given each other when they were newly married. He suddenly became playful and poked his wife's upturned nose, "Hey, Sheng Xiaoliu."
I suddenly felt sad and tears welled up in my eyes. I hugged my husband tightly and said "hmm" softly.
Qi Xiaoer and Sheng Xiaoliu will be together forever in this life.
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Conclusion
This story begins with a young lady named Sheng Liu and ends with a young lady named Sheng Liu. In the end, they are both very happy.
All the emotional turmoil began with a young man named Qi who entered the house one afternoon after lifting the curtain, and ended with his death. No one knows whether he was happy in the end.
Our remembrance begins with the rise of a family and ends with the decline of this family.
Flowers bloom and fall, over and over again.
This is true of our country, our blood, and our civilization.
I want to describe a prosperous and flourishing era with wise monarchs, courageous generals, cunning speculators, and strategists with wise plans, with blood, tragedy, and a glorious future.
I want to describe a family that is on the rise, with thoughtful parents, upright men, strong-willed and charming daughters, tears, hurts, and a reunion after hardships.
All the main characters who appeared in the text of "Knowing", whether they cried, laughed, were happy or sad, whether they were strong, humble, kind, vicious, successful or failed, their stories have ended.
After this, I won't write any more stories about them.
Thank you everyone, thank you very much.
This is an unforgettable experience. It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Writing this makes me want to cry.
Four o'clock in the morning.
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