Chapter 2, Chapter 2: "She brought her bad habits with her when she married into the family..."
"When I first stepped into Wanfang Courtyard, Madam was walking a step ahead of me. However, I was walking lightly, and she didn't hear me. That's why I suddenly called out to her, which startled her. Fortunately, it was nothing serious, except that I ruined a plate of pastries."
After speaking, Ji Jinghe naturally shifted his gaze to her, asking with a faint smile:
"Madam, am I right?"
Ji Jinghe's smile was extremely faint, with only a slight smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. Even his brows remained as aloof as ever, making people feel distant and indifferent. That smile was like an illusion, as if it would disappear in the blink of an eye.
On their wedding day, when Yu'an saw his expression of neither joy nor sorrow as he lifted her veil, she knew that the road ahead would not be as she had imagined. But now, he was willing to speak up for her... Looking at his handsome and bright eyes, Yu'an's heart couldn't help but be flustered again.
Suppressing her excitement, she nodded and softly hummed in agreement.
He offered his explanation and vouched for her, so Shen Qiulan and Ji Shu stopped talking about it and simply moved on from the matter, focusing all their attention on Ji Jinghe.
In the past, Shen Qiulan never asked Yu'an to stay for a meal, but today she did so because Ji Jinghe had returned.
At the dinner table, Ji Jinghe was the center of attention. Even though she was right next to him, she couldn't get a word in edgewise. She could only listen quietly and nod and smile in agreement.
Even if your face is frozen from smiling, it won't bring you any relief; it's the most agonizing time.
We finally got back to the yard, but the situation wasn't much better.
Ji Jinghe was cold-hearted. Apart from washing up and giving a few instructions to the servants, the two of them had nothing to say to each other, even though they were under the same roof. Apart from the occasional clattering of abacuses from Yu An's men, there was no other sound in the room.
Finally, Ji Jinghe spoke first.
"Have you settled in well at home this past month?" Ji Jinghe asked, sitting at a desk not far away, holding a book.
Yu An looked up and replied softly, "All is well."
Ji Jinghe seemed to be listening but not really, and after turning a page of the book, he said indifferently, "Mother manages all the affairs of the household, and sometimes it is inevitable that she has to take care of everything. Shuer is still young and straightforward, and she speaks without considering others. If you have any troubles in the future, you can speak up and discuss them. There is no need to hide it or use your mind to do other things and ruin the harmony of the family."
Yu An choked, and his hand on the abacus paused, leaving him speechless.
"I'm explaining things to Mother today not for your sake, but simply because I don't want to see any unrest in the family. Do you understand?"
The direct confrontation left Yu'an with nowhere to hide; she had always thought that such matters between husband and wife were not something to be discussed.
She suppressed the disappointment welling up inside her and said, "I understand."
Ji Jinghe looked up in response and saw the stack of account books beside her, before turning his gaze back to the books.
"Now that you have married into the Ji family, you should know your place, be filial to your mother-in-law, treat your siblings well, fulfill your duties as a matriarch of the family, be careful in your words and deeds, correct your own conduct first, and not bring your bad habits from your private quarters into the home. Do you understand?"
The wedding day was too rushed; he left hastily after lifting the veil, without having time to settle in, so I can only tell you about it now.
He thought she would say something, but seeing her obediently agree, Ji Jinghe didn't know what to say.
Although they were husband and wife, they were only more familiar with each other than strangers. This wasn't so bad, though. He hadn't had any expectations for the marriage anyway; his wife was obedient and didn't cause trouble at home, which was enough for him.
The silence in the room lasted all night, with both of them tacitly remaining silent.
Yu-an wanted to ease the tension, but was afraid that speaking rashly would annoy people, so she could only help him when she saw him taking off his clothes before going to bed.
Ji Jinghe's clothes were loose, and to prevent them from falling to the ground, she had to raise her arms to hang them on the hanger. As she lowered her arms, something fell out of her sleeve.
She bent down to pick it up, and only when she held it in her hand did she realize that it was a sandalwood bead adorned with silk ribbons, which did not seem to match Ji Jinghe's preferred style.
"What's wrong?"
Yu An turned around and held up what she was holding in front of him, "Something fell out..."
Before she could react, Ji Jinghe took the beads from her hand.
He held it in his hand and felt it, then placed it on a small table on the couch. As if he had thought of something, he instructed, "There may be important matters such as memorials in the study. If anything happens in the future, just send someone to the study to convey the message."
This was a clear warning to her not to enter without permission, and a demarcation of boundaries between them.
Just as he was about to agree, he added, "I'll be living at home from now on, so you don't need to ask someone in the yamen to persuade me."
Startled by the sound, Yu'an quickly understood.
It must have been her father, Chu Xingjian, who spoke up in front of him, leading him to mistakenly believe that she had instigated it from behind.
A father-in-law and son-in-law, who were subordinates, were promoted to the cabinet after getting engaged. This was a position that most people could only dream of. After the news spread, there were bound to be some rumors. Even she had heard the gossip that Ji Jinghe got into the cabinet because of his father-in-law.
She knew that her father shouldn't get involved in this kind of thing; once he did, things would get messed up.
Yu An said "okay" and then went to tidy up.
After settling in, it was pitch black. Even though they were right in front of each other, they couldn't feel any closeness, and neither of them wanted to break the silence. Even if a blanket was pulled between them, with cold air sneaking in through the gap, they didn't intend to say a word.
*
The following morning, thanks to Ji Jinghe, Shen Qiulan also looked at Yu An with more favor. After asking them a few questions, she let them leave.
Yu An returned to Banmu Courtyard, while Ji Jinghe went straight out of Wanfang Courtyard and went to his study.
Not long after, the manager arrived with the account books to report.
"Young master, the account books you requested have been brought."
The Ji family held official titles for generations, and their land and shops were scattered throughout the capital. The family had numerous expenses and debts.
After Ji Jinghe was dismissed from his official post, he officially became the head of the household and should have checked and reviewed the household accounts on time. However, he was too busy with official duties to spare the energy to manage the affairs of the mansion, so he had been entrusting them to Wanfangyuan.
He had worked at the Ji residence for many years, and this was the first time he had ever seen Ji Jinghe take the initiative to ask to check the accounts.
Ji Jinghe: "Recently, the young mistress has been handling all the accounts?"
The steward said, "The young mistress is new to the household and is not familiar with its affairs. She should only be responsible for checking the accounts. Other matters should be handled by the old lady."
The person sitting at the head of the table gave a faint "hmm," but after a few moments, his expression gradually darkened, and he frowned as he looked at the ledger in his hand.
"There were no festivals or banquets last month, so why were the household expenses so much higher?"
The steward said with embarrassment, "Young Master is away from home and doesn't know that the Madam was worried that the young mistress wouldn't be used to living here, so she had the servants tidy up the courtyard. In addition, the young mistress has been preparing for her birthday banquet recently, so the expenses have increased."
Ji Jinghe casually closed the ledger, and said with a hint of suppressed impatience, "Does the old lady know about the birthday banquet?"
"I only know that the old lady entrusted this matter to the madam, but I have not heard of her inquiring about it. She should be unaware of it."
The monthly expenses and income of the government are all fixed. If there are banquets or sacrifices, that's another matter. But the festivals are always the same every year. What difference could there be? It's clear that they've been used to extravagance and have brought their bad habits over with them.
Ji Jinghe: "As I command, the banquet expenses are to be reduced by half. If anyone disagrees, tell her to come and ask me directly."
The tone of these words could be interpreted as if they were spoken to a servant, and it was precisely because the steward knew who the "she" Ji Jinghe was referring to was that he was taken aback.
The couple's relationship must have been extremely bad, otherwise things wouldn't have turned out this way.
Having understood his master's intentions, he dared not linger, agreed, and left with the account book.
His Majesty was concerned that Ji Jinghe had not returned home for a month since his marriage, so when the workload lessened slightly, he granted him three days off to go home. But for Ji Jinghe, it was simply a matter of bringing official business home to handle.
With so many things to do, even breakfast and lunch could only be eaten in the study. In the afternoon, when Zhang Yanche came to visit, the food on Ji Jinghe's table had just been cleared away.
Ji Jinghe: "How's the investigation of the accounts going?"
This matter should have been discussed long ago, but unfortunately the cabinet was busy for a month straight, so they could only talk about it during their days off. Unlike Ji Jinghe, Zhang Yanche didn't have days off; he, being all alone, had to ask for half a day off to sneak out, still wearing his crimson official robes.
Upon entering, he saw that the couple, who should have been newlyweds, showed no joy on their faces, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Zhang Yanche found a place to sit down, served tea, and said, "A few days ago, I went to the Ministry of Revenue in person, under the pretext of checking local tax deficits. I searched for all the correspondence between officials of the third rank and above in the capital and local officials, and found nothing missing. But the only strange thing is that the documents from Grand Secretary Chu to Chuzhou are missing."
"The strange thing is that the missing part is exactly four years ago."
Four years ago, Chu Xingjian was still the second-in-command, and they were just students who had not yet entered officialdom.
Ji Jinghe paused, immediately becoming alert: "What do you mean, 'disappeared'?"
The number of officials holding the third rank in the imperial court was very small, and their correspondence with officials in various regions was strictly managed. However, documents from the last five years would not have disappeared so easily unless someone had deliberately destroyed or hidden them.
Seeing the coldness in his eyes, Zhang Yanche reassured him, "Don't overthink it. Maybe it's just a coincidence. If it really is lost, I'll check again when I'm on duty tomorrow. Don't rush until the matter is verified."
Three years ago, Xu Yun was imprisoned for embezzlement. His students worked tirelessly to save his life, but he still died of illness during his exile.
This matter had always been a source of anxiety for Ji Jinghe. For hundreds of days, he had been secretly working on it, just to find out the truth and clear Xu Yun's name.
Overturning a case is often difficult, and the officials involved are all high-ranking and powerful, so even after three years, the results were minimal.
Ji Jinghe: "Greedy men pursue wealth, martyrs pursue fame, and those who feign integrity are nothing more than that."
He was well-versed in Confucian classics from a young age, but unfortunately his father died early. Before he could even reach adulthood, he had to shoulder the entire glory of the Ji family.
Xu Yun, considering him to be the son of a friend, took him under his wing, teaching and guiding him, imparting knowledge and resolving his doubts.
For him, the late Xu Yun was both a teacher and a father.
Now that he has also entered the cabinet, whenever he sees the filth and corruption in officialdom, he can't help but think of his teacher who died unjustly.
The most unfair thing about this world is that people who shouldn't die die, while people who should die live perfectly well.
Ji Jinghe picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and a variety of thoughts surged into his mind, causing him to feel a surge of irritability.
His Majesty is old and his health is deteriorating day by day. Among them, the various factions of the princes are secretly eyeing him covetously. Although the confrontation between the "New Party" and the "Old Party" in the court has gradually subsided since Xu Yun's downfall, it is only lurking in the shadows. Who can know how turbulent the situation is?
The change of power is often accompanied by fierce infighting among court officials, both overt and covert. It is considered fortunate to survive peacefully in the court. If a difficult task is added to the mix, one can imagine how difficult life would be.
Zhang Yanche knew perfectly well that he was troubled, and advised, "Since you agreed to this marriage in the first place, you should have thought about the outcome. You can't really hide from it properly, so you might as well be open and honest and accept it generously. That might make things better."
Forget about newly risen court officials or scholars of the Eastern Pavilion; in the treacherous and complex court, where relationships are deeply intertwined, no one is a pushover. To uncover the true culprit from back then, how can one succeed without going to great lengths and uncovering the deepest wounds?
It's unclear whether Ji Jinghe heard what I said; he just looked somber, lost in thought.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Early stage: What bad habits of being extravagant?
Post-production: Don't stop me, I want to give my wife the best.
Don't abandon the story, don't abandon the story [crying] right now...
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