Chapter 62: Spending money on a man will bring you three years of bad luck...
Pei Yuzhen stormed in, plopped down next to the Grand Madam, and grabbed her arm, shaking it incessantly. "Mother, you're so fickle! Aren't I your most beloved little darling?"
Shen Lingyue & Yan Yi: Hiss...
If Ah-Zhi did this action, they would just think it was cute and adorable.
But if it were Pei Yuzhen...
"Be gentle, you're going to shake my old bones apart."
Even the Dowager Lady couldn't stand it anymore and pushed Pei Yuzhen aside, afraid that she would damage her precious scroll.
But the more she treasured it, the faster Pei Yuzhen would snatch it away, saying, "What good stuff do you have to hide?"
Upon opening it, she paused for a moment, then looked up at Yan Yi, "You drew this?"
Yan Yi nodded.
The old lady got anxious and slapped her hard, saying, "Give it back to me quickly, or you'll break your father."
Pei Yuzhen released her grip, unusually objective and fair for once, "Hmph, it's quite lifelike."
Perhaps it was because she had recently been in love, but the tension she always had about fighting against everything had lessened considerably, and the look in her eyes when she looked at Chen Lingyue and Yan Yi was no longer full of disdain.
However, when facing the Grand Madam, she remained as self-righteous as ever, stretching out her hand: "I've taken a fancy to a new set of jewelry, it suits me perfectly, buy it for me."
"Didn't I just give you a hundred taels of silver a few days ago? You've already spent it all?"
The old lady kept scolding, "All you do is ask me for money all day long. I haven't seen you buy any new clothes or jewelry. I can at least hear the sound of you throwing money on the ground. Where did you spend it all? I'm not trying to be mean, but you should pay more attention to Lan Yi's wedding. And her dowry, how much have you prepared? You can't expect your brother and me to pay for it all, can you?"
Shen Lingyue silently answered for Pei Yuzhen in her heart: Of course she went to keep a gigolo.
Pei Yuzhen, annoyed by the nagging, casually replied, "I'm getting things ready. She's my own daughter, how could I not care about her? I'm just trying to help her find more ways to make money, otherwise I'd rather stay out and gossip with those ladies."
"No matter what way you make money, I don't think buying land or estates is as reliable."
The old lady's financial management philosophy was conservative and simple. "Take those estates I gave you as part of your dowry, for example. Over the years, the land prices have increased seven or eight times. Humph, if I hadn't acted quickly back then, I wouldn't be able to buy such good deals even with all my money now."
Pei Yuzhen's face flashed with an unnatural guilt, and she nodded perfunctorily.
Shen Lingyue cleared her throat.
"Auntie, look how well my sister-in-law can draw my grandfather, whom he's never even met, so lifelike. Would you like her to draw one for you and your husband too?"
Pei Yuzhen glanced at her sideways, "You've already swindled some benefits from the old lady, and now you want to swindle me? Humph, I don't have any big gold bracelets for you."
"How can this be called lying? This is just us being filial to our elders, and our grandmother loves us." Shen Lingyue lied through her teeth.
The old lady was also somewhat tempted by this idea, and nudged Pei Yuzhen, "It's a good idea. Let Yan Yi paint one for you and your son-in-law as well. You don't need to pay for it, I'll pay for it."
“No.” Pei Yuzhen refused outright. “I’ve long forgotten what that short-lived bastard looked like. Who wants to be in a painting with him?”
When Pei Yuzhen mentioned her deceased husband, her tone was full of disgust and resentment, with no trace of nostalgia.
Shen Lingyue feigned curiosity, "Didn't my aunt and uncle have a bad relationship before? I thought you two were in love. Otherwise, why would a noble lady from a marquis's family like you go to suffer with your uncle in a posting? That's too much of a sacrifice."
Pei Yuzhen loved to hear that, and she smugly curled her lips, "Of course, I married down, married down! It's not like you two who got lucky and climbed the social ladder..."
Shen Lingyue sighed: Sure enough, it's still that same aunt; she revealed her true nature in just three sentences.
Pei Yuzhen snorted, "I must have been out of my mind when I was young. I thought I could marry a promising young scholar who had just passed the imperial examination, suffer with him and help him make progress, and that he would even get me an official title when he became successful... Who knew I would be so unlucky and end up choosing a short-lived man after all my searching!"
She still feels frustrated and angry when she thinks about it now. She clenched her fists and muttered to herself, "Summer floods happen every year, but why did it have to be the worst the year he took office? The magistrate upstream was afraid of something happening and taking responsibility, so he foolishly stayed on the dam and refused to leave. He even personally led the river workers to carry sacks... And what was the result? He was swept away by the flood, and they couldn't even retrieve his body. They could only bury him in a cenotaph..."
Pei Yuzhen cried twice and threw herself into the arms of the old lady, "That damned, short-lived man left behind the three of us, mother and daughters. Azhi is only two years old... My daughter's life is so bitter... Mother, please give me another two hundred taels..."
If it weren't for the fact that the old lady felt sorry for her youngest daughter who had become a widow at such a young age, she wouldn't have spoiled her so much over the years. She quickly comforted Pei Yuzhen and told Qian Mama to open her money box again.
Shen Lingyue whispered to Yan Yi, "It's only because the old lady doesn't like to go out that she's so vulnerable to being tricked into buying health supplements."
The old lady then slipped Pei Yuzhen a few more silver notes and wiped away her tears with heartache. "Zhenzhen, don't cry. It's all because your mother didn't arrange a good match for you. I should have consulted a master to predict my son-in-law's lifespan. Who would have thought he would die so young? Take this money and buy him two nice clothes. Don't be sad."
Pei Yuzhen's tears vanished instantly. She happily stuffed the silver notes into her bosom and gave the two of them a defiant look.
—I am still my mother's only little darling, you can't compare to me!
"So my uncle died in the line of duty." Shen Lingyue stretched out her arms and sighed with deep emotion, "But if my aunt and uncle didn't have feelings for each other, why did she wait for him for ten years?"
She asked the Dowager Madam earnestly, "You are not like that ignorant, vicious old lady, the former Marquis of Dongxiang, who loved to torment her daughter-in-law. Why didn't you ever think of persuading your sister-in-law to remarry?"
"Hmph, Tao Minmin doesn't even dare to compare herself to me!"
As expected, the old lady was hit where it hurt and immediately retorted without thinking, "She and I are definitely two different kinds of people. I'm not a wicked mother-in-law."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi looked over at them with a wistful expression: ...Really?
The old lady looked up at the sky, feeling guilty.
Ahem, her first daughter-in-law was Princess Qinghe, a noblewoman of the royal family. Not to mention coming to pay her respects to her mother-in-law morning and evening, even the Grand Madam had to perform the national etiquette before seeing her.
In the years following Princess Qinghe's marriage, the two maintained a close-knit relationship, avoiding contact unless absolutely necessary, such as during holidays or festivals.
Later, his son remarried Meng Wanyin, who came from a humble background...
The old lady's eyes darted around, and after racking her brains, she finally came up with an idea: "...She's been playing with cats in Tanghua Garden every day, and I haven't stopped her from keeping them. Am I not a good mother-in-law?"
The old lady said indignantly, "Anyway, I'm different from Tao Minmin. I'm still pretty good."
That's true; people really do fear comparison.
For the sake of the gold bracelet, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi nodded repeatedly and gave a thumbs up.
“That’s right, that’s why I said Grandmother didn’t persuade Aunt to find someone else.”
As Shen Lingyue spoke, she secretly observed Pei Yuzhen's expression. "I've always thought that my aunt is a person of strong character. Do you also want to earn yourself a reputation for chastity?"
Pei Yuzhen rolled her eyes. "Of course it's not for that stuff. I just feel that getting married is meaningless. Besides, I have two daughters. If I remarry and have new children, I'll inevitably neglect them."
Lan Yi and A Zhi are already pitiful enough to have lost their father at such a young age, do they really have to share a mother with their younger siblings?
Shen Lingyue suddenly shook her head and sighed, expressing her regret, "Aunt, you're so foolish. It's because you think like this that you've ruined the lives of your two cousins."
Pei Yuzhen raised her eyebrows: "What do you mean? I've stayed unmarried for their sake, and you're saying I'm holding them back?"
Shen Lingyue argued vehemently: "To be fair, the reason my cousin's marriage is not going well is simply because she lost her father at a young age. The groom's family feels that marrying such a daughter-in-law will not bring them any support from the bride's family, right?"
Pei Yuzhen snorted heavily, "They're all snobs! They can't see how good our Lanyi is at all."
Shen Lingyue shrugged. "That's just how the world is. There's nothing we can do about it."
"So what? Does that mean that if I get married, Lan Yi will be able to find a good marriage?" Pei Yuzhen deliberately challenged her.
“Yes.” Shen Lingyue nodded. “If you ask me, you should have been more decisive back then. While you were still young and beautiful, and with the powerful Marquis’s family behind you, it wouldn’t have been difficult to find a husband of high status, right? —Although you might have had to be more lenient with the requirements, like being older, not as handsome, or having been widowed before. But who cares? At least your two cousins have a new father.”
A stepfather is still a father.
Moreover, for the man, it's simply a matter of getting two daughters for free, who won't compete with his son for the inheritance in the future. Raising them well, preparing a dowry, and marrying them off in style can also serve as a bond for marriage alliances—a win-win situation.
Pei Yuzhen and the Grand Madam were both stunned by her words and fell into deep thought.
Seeing this, Yan Yi casually added, "My mother was also the Marquis's second wife."
Pei Yuzhen suddenly realized!
"...Meng Wanyin, who came from a humble family, was able to marry such a good man as my brother. I was of a higher status than her back then, so there's no reason why I couldn't find someone better."
Pei Yuzhen really wanted to go back ten years and slap her past self.
Did the flood that drowned her short-lived husband damage her brain too?
Pei Yuzhen angrily questioned the old lady, "Why didn't you insist on persuading me to remarry back then?!"
Honestly, she wasted ten precious years of her youth.
The old lady said weakly, "I tried to persuade you. I even found several for you, but you didn't like any of them..."
He either finds this woman too ugly, or that woman too old, or he's just a bad person who beats women when he's drunk, and his last wife couldn't take it anymore and jumped into a well...
Although the old lady was old, she still had a good memory. She could recall the men she had introduced to Pei Yuzhen back then as if they were old friends. Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi frowned as they listened, wondering what kind of nonsense this was.
Shen Lingyue whispered, "After listening to everyone, the Marquis is the most normal one."
However, this is Pei Yuzhen's own brother.
"Well, it's not too late for you to look now, Auntie," Shen Lingyue said with a smile. "Three-legged beauties are hard to find, but three-legged men are everywhere. You are noble, born of the legitimate wife, a daughter of a marquis. There are plenty of men who want to climb up to you, this golden phoenix."
Pei Yuzhen was clearly tempted, but then, as if remembering something, she waved her hand and said, "Even if I wanted to find Lan Yi a powerful and influential stepfather, it's too late now."
"There's still time, there's still Ah Zhi."
Shen Lingyue deliberately stirred things up, "Does Aunt already have someone she likes? Why don't you bring him back so we can see him?"
Pei Yuzhen's face flushed instantly, and she lowered her head as if embarrassed. "...It's not the right time yet. Let's talk about it later."
Shen Lingyue & Yan Yi: !
Seriously? You and that pretty boy are actually serious? You even want to bring him home to meet your parents?
The old lady was even more shocked. "Yuzhen, when did you start thinking about remarrying? Who is that man? How old is he? Has he ever been married before? How many children does he have?"
"...Why are you asking so many questions? I'm not a teenage girl anymore, do you think I'd be easily fooled?"
Pei Yuzhen interrupted her impatiently, stood up and said, "I have something to do and need to go out. I'll be going now."
He turned back at the door and "warned" the two, "Don't you dare try to fool my mother when I'm not home, or I won't let you off the hook."
The old lady watched Pei Yuzhen's departing figure with deep concern: "What are we going to do with your aunt's temperament? She didn't listen to my and her father's advice back then and chose her own son-in-law. Now she's so stubborn. I really don't know who she took after."
Although it is said that "the first marriage is determined by one's parents, and the second marriage is determined by oneself," even if Pei Yuzhen is eighty years old, as long as her maternal grandmother is still alive, she will always have to worry about her youngest daughter.
Shen Lingyue volunteered: "Since my husband and I are just idling around anyway, why don't we go out and inquire? Maybe we can find out who my sister-in-law has been associating with lately?"
The old lady was about to object, but hesitated and changed her mind, "Alright, then you can go. If you can find out the other party's family background, I will definitely treat you unfairly."
Before the two left, the Dowager called Yan Yi back mysteriously, "Wait, I have something to tell you."
Yan Yi gestured for Shen Lingyue to wait for her outside Songhe Hall, and obediently stayed behind. "What does Grandmother want to say to me?"
The Dowager glanced furtively at the door, as if afraid that Shen Lingyue was eavesdropping, and whispered, "The second son and his wife are both useless. Don't follow their example. Hurry up and have a son with Yunzhao so that you can claim the title of the eldest grandson. Even if I have to risk my old bones to enter the palace, I will get the title of heir for you."
Yan Yi was both amused and exasperated: "...Thank you, Grandmother, I'll remember this."
After leaving, she told Shen Lingyue, who couldn't help but rub her forehead, "Why is that old lady still trying to sow discord? Can't she see that Pei Jinghuai has absolutely no intention of vying for the title?"
"She probably won't be able to rest easy until the position of heir apparent falls into Pei Jingyi's hands."
Yan Yi smiled, then frowned. "It's strange, though. We've been married for several months now, supposedly settled down and established, so why hasn't the Marquis submitted a petition to appoint a son-in-law?"
Shen Lingyue shrugged. "Who knows what he's thinking?"
They didn't usually interact much with Pei Xian. They only knew that after the old Marquis passed away, Pei Xian inherited his official position in the Left Army Commandery. He had worked diligently for many years without making any merits or mistakes. He was a high-level employee who was well-versed in the Doctrine of the Mean (a slacker version).
Taking a break is good; it means safety. As long as Pei Xian isn't so "ambitious" and doesn't rush to side with any particular prince, the Pei family can still enjoy peace and wealth for another fifty years.
...
The next day, Yan Yi went to Tanghua Garden to help her mother-in-law manage the accounts. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw several large boxes piled on the ground. Meng Wanyin was talking to Qian Mama with a strange expression. Then Qian Mama respectfully withdrew.
She stepped forward and asked, "Mother, did Grandmother send these over?"
Meng Wanyin nodded, looking puzzled, and nervously patted her chest, "How strange, this is the first time in all these years since I married into the family that Mother Qian has been so polite to me."
It wasn't even politeness; it was excessive flattery.
Yan Yi suppressed a laugh, "Perhaps Grandmother wanted to prove that she was different from the former Lady of Dongxiang."
If Little Moon saw this, she would definitely praise the old lady for being a woman of action.
"Hey, I know that without her proof," Meng Wanyin waved her hand dismissively. "It's good enough as it was before."
Their sudden enthusiasm is rather unsettling.
Yan Yi entered the room to help her check the accounts. Meng Wanyin paused in her abacus work and asked in surprise, "Why has your aunt recently spent so much money?"
Meng Wanyin asked Qi Mama to bring the account book from last month. After checking it, she discovered that Pei Yuzhen had taken nearly two thousand taels of silver from various places, which was almost half a year's expenses for the Marquis's mansion.
Some of the money was even withdrawn in Pei Xian's name—Pei Xian's daily expenses were very fixed, and Meng Wanyin, who had been a housekeeper for so many years, immediately noticed the trickery.
"Perhaps she's preparing a dowry for her cousin?" Yan Yi guessed. "Grandmother was advising her yesterday to buy more land."
Meng Wanyin shook her head, "No, Lan Yi's dowry was separated from the public funds three years ago. The Marquis and the Grand Madam were both present at the time and witnessed it together."
Pei Xian felt sorry for his two nieces who had lost their father at such a young age. Anyway, he didn't have any daughters, and the Marquis's mansion could afford two dowries.
Yan Yi said, "So, what kind of estate or shop has my aunt recently taken a fancy to? She dotes on my cousin so much, she definitely can't have too much dowry, she wants to save up all the good things for her."
Meng Wanyin shook her head again, "If it's really about preparing a dowry for Lan Yi, she can just come and tell me. Would I really skimp on it for her?"
It felt strange that they were using such various methods to withdraw money from the public treasury.
Yan Yi thought for a moment, then pointed to the eight hundred taels withdrawn in Pei Xian's name, "She probably told the Marquis about it, otherwise the Marquis wouldn't have withdrawn the money for her."
"That makes sense, after all, they are siblings."
Meng Wanyin's tone was unusually sour. She sighed and took Yan Yi's hand. "I've worked so hard managing the household for twenty years. What was it all for? In the end, they're still the Pei family. I've become the villain."
Previously, Pei Yuzhen had been eager to take over the household management, and Meng Wanyin even considered handing the whole responsibility over to her. But what would she do if she couldn't manage it properly, and hundreds of people in the Marquis's mansion couldn't even get a hot meal?
"Forget it, I'll just work hard for a few more years. Once you take over, I'll finally be able to enjoy my retirement."
Meng Wanyin seemed like a working-class person desperately trying to convince herself that she would retire after working for a few more years. Yan Yi, who was taking over the job, felt a mixture of sympathy and schadenfreude, saying, "You don't know the cost of living until you're in charge of the household."
Yan Yi: ...Mother-in-law, please stop smiling. At least put on an act.
She asked helplessly, "Do I need to report the money my aunt withdrew?"
"Who should we report this to? Do you think the Dowager Lady and the Marquis will still ask her to return the money?"
Meng Wanyin waved her hand, "Forget it, anyway, the public funds are enough. At the end of the year, the managers of each estate and shop will send over the profits and dividends. I'll just balance the accounts and that'll be fine."
Pei Yuzhen has lived in the Marquis's mansion for ten years. If Meng Wanyin were to still be petty with her, she would have made herself sick long ago.
Yan Yi nodded in agreement, but still remained cautious.
If the younger sister really intended to use this money for her cousin's dowry, that would be fine. But I'm afraid she'll be bewitched by that pretty boy's sweet words and spend all the money on him.
Little Moon's famous saying: Spending money on a man brings three years of bad luck, while feeling sorry for a man brings a lifetime of bad luck.
"By the way, Mother, I painted portraits of Grandpa and Grandma. Would you and Father like to have one painted as a keepsake?"
Before returning to Jiusi Academy, Yan Yi remembered this incident and asked Meng Wanyin about it.
After all, her mother-in-law had always been good to her, and she had nothing to repay her with, so she might as well give her an ancient version of a "wedding photo".
"Is it the one hanging in your grandmother's room?" Meng Wanyin realized and smiled, "When I went to pay my respects to her last time, she showed it off to me. It is indeed very well painted."
Yan Yi smiled and said, "You can design your own clothes and movements, and I will draw a draft for you to see."
Meng Wanyin thought about it seriously and asked, "Can you not draw me and the Marquis, but only me and Rongtuan'er?"
She was clearly still angry that Pei Xian had secretly withdrawn money for her sister without her knowledge.
Yan Yi: "...Okay."
Meng Wanyin was delighted and added, "Besides the fluffy ball, there's also snow, gold, little wood, peach shortbread... Could you draw one for each of them?"
She looked at Yan Yi with pleading eyes: "You know, these are all my little darlings, I can't show favoritism. Besides, their lifespan is only a little over ten years, they are destined to leave before me, I have to leave them behind as a memento..."
Yan Yixin softened and agreed to everything. At worst, she would just wear a veil and go to the fox den to observe for a few days.
Just as they were about to leave, Pei Xian entered the courtyard and cleared his throat: "I just heard you talking about a portrait?"
Meng Wanyin and Yan Yi quickly stood at attention, "Your Excellency."
Pei Xian hummed in agreement. Seeing that neither of them intended to speak again, he turned to Yan Yi and said in a gentle tone, "You painted that picture in the Grand Madam's room, didn't you? It's very well done."
"Thank you for the compliment, Father. It's just a little trick, and it's only to make Grandmother happy."
Yan Yi said, "Did Father come to see Mother? Then I shall take my leave—"
"Wait a minute." Pei Xian called out to her, speaking in a serious tone, "If you have time, draw one for me and your mother as well."
Yan Yi blinked: "Like the one for my grandparents, will it depict the day of your and my mother's wedding?"
Meng Wanyin secretly rolled her eyes behind Pei Xian's back.
She was a second wife, and her first wife was a princess of the royal family. How could she hold a grand celebration? Although it wasn't as shabby as being carried in by a small sedan chair, it couldn't compare to the grandeur of the princess's wedding. Only a dozen or so tables were set up for close relatives and friends from both families to celebrate.
If she didn't know Yan Yi's character, she would have thought her daughter-in-law was deliberately mocking her.
Pei Xian was clearly taken aback for a moment, but seeing Yan Yi's earnest and inquisitive look, he knew she was completely unaware of the inside story. He cleared his throat and said, "There's no need for such a grand ceremony; an everyday setting will suffice."
He glanced at Meng Wanyin, then beckoned to Yan Yi, signaling her to come over and talk.
Yan Yi followed Pei Xian to a spot a little further away. "Have you decided what you want to paint?"
Pei Xian nodded, hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Just paint this courtyard, with your mother playing with the cat in the yard, and me standing outside the latticed window watching her. Is that okay to paint?"
Yan Yi: …………
She quickly composed herself and nodded in agreement.
Taking advantage of Meng Wanyin's inattention, Yan Yi thought for a moment and then asked quickly in a low voice, "Father, did Aunt ask you for the money to prepare a dowry for my cousin? Did you forget to tell Mother?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Yan Yi: ...Sisters, does anyone know? I think I got a commission from Meng Nan?]
P.S.: I saw some people worried that Yan Yan's sketches might be discovered by the old emperor, but it's safe for now. After all, painting can't overthrow the country [doge][doge]. Besides, our clever Yan Yan will adjust her style appropriately. These portraits will definitely lean towards the style of ancient meticulous brushwork.
Finally, I get a day off today! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers] Just one more day off, otherwise my weak wrists will give up! QAQ
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
