Chapter 5: Gossip about Madam Jiang's husband and the princess
Li Lianniang's daughter lived with her wet nurse in the side room behind the main courtyard of Yunzhu Garden.
When Zhao Xian arrived, the baby was sleeping soundly.
How is the child?
Because it was premature, the baby was tiny, like a kitten.
The wet nurse curtsied and said, "Xiu'er is very well-behaved. The doctor just came to check on her."
"Sister Xiu?"
"The eldest young master gave the young lady the name Shuxiu." As she spoke, the wet nurse took out a piece of paper with the two characters 'Shuxiu' written on it.
Zhao Xian was somewhat surprised that Jiang Wei had already come to see her daughter and even named her.
The male protagonist in the book, who is often portrayed as having a tragic backstory, seems to have a lukewarm relationship with his daughter, leading one to believe that he doesn't like his own daughter.
The baby was born yesterday, and her face was wrinkled and a little ugly, but it has already smoothed out in just one day.
"Xiu'er is awake." Zhao Xian was only distracted for a moment when the baby in the crib opened her eyes. Her dark pupils were like jewels, and her eyelids were half open as she stared at her.
Zhao Xian moved her body slightly and discovered that those eyes were following her movements.
Before she could try again, the wet nurse had already picked up Jiang Shuxiu and said to Zhao Xian, "Madam, this servant will feed Xiu'er milk first."
After seeing the baby Jiang Shuxiu, Zhao Xian returned to Li Lianniang's room, where Li Lianniang had already taken her medicine and fallen asleep.
The servants worked quickly, and the room was soon tidied up and furnished with the things the original owner used to have.
When she first transmigrated, Zhao Xian felt that the original owner's room was very disjointed, both elegant and vulgar.
Looking at the brightly colored rooms now filled with tacky decorations, it's obvious whose vulgar part it is.
The book seems to mention that the original owner was born a village girl, and her father was the village chief. Based on the principle of being close to the water tower, she took a fancy to Jiang Liangxu, who was good at studying, and married her daughter to him at an early age.
After passing the imperial examination, Jiang Liangxu did not marry the daughter of a wealthy family. Instead, he took the original owner of the body with him and climbed up the ranks step by step.
Even though she was among the wives of officials, she was actually quite restrained in public and was constantly ostracized by the wives of officials throughout the book.
Despite her own painful experiences, she did not empathize with her eldest daughter-in-law.
The eldest son's marriage was arranged when the original owner's husband was sent to a post outside the capital. The original owner's husband was promoted all the way, while Li Lianniang's father was stuck in his position.
Having witnessed the prosperity of the capital and the many talented young ladies, the original owner always looked down on her eldest daughter-in-law, feeling that her family's status was too low and she was not good enough for her wonderful son.
As time went on, she grew increasingly disgusted with her. Ever since Li Lianniang married into the family, she had always used the excuse that Li Lianniang was petty and made fun of her daughter-in-law, setting rules for her.
And he worked hard to stuff people into his eldest son's backyard.
--
In the back garden of a fifth-rank official's residence, today is the birthday of the head of the household, and many colleagues and their families have been invited as guests.
After the banquet, the young ladies and gentlemen went off to have fun, while the ladies of the various families gathered together to chat and drink tea.
The lady of the highest status present was Princess Rongyang, who was surrounded in the center, with the ladies of the various families vying to curry favor with her.
One of the ladies, in an attempt to curry favor with Princess Rongyang, shared some gossip she had heard: "I recently heard an interesting story. It's said that this mother-in-law has moved into her daughter-in-law's room to sleep."
"The mother-in-law is moving into the daughter-in-law's room? What are the young couple supposed to do?"
"My goodness, whose mother-in-law is this?"
Seeing that she had attracted everyone's attention, the lady covered her mouth with a handkerchief and said softly, "I can't say it directly."
"Go ahead and speak, they're all people I know."
"Yes, go ahead and say it."
The lady looked left and right, and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "That one from the Jiang family, the second-place scholar."
The second-place scholar is produced every three years, but since the current emperor ascended the throne, there has only been one second-place scholar with the surname Jiang.
Everyone thought of the same person without prior arrangement.
Someone even secretly glanced at Princess Rongyang.
The story of Lord Jiang, Madam Jiang, and Princess Rongyang is a legendary yet regrettable one.
This story begins seventeen years ago.
Princess Rongyang reached marriageable age, but Prince Duan did not take a liking to the talented and brilliant top scholar, nor to the handsome and dignified third-place scholar.
He just happened to take a fancy to Jiang Bangyan, who was ranked in the middle, whose talent was inferior to the top scholar and whose appearance was inferior to the third-ranked scholar.
Prince Duan was prepared to find a son-in-law from among those listed in the imperial examinations, but unexpectedly, Jiang, the second-ranked scholar, seemed to have foreseen everything. Upon seeing his name on the list, he immediately took out a banner he had made in advance and carried it on his back. The banner had eight characters on it: "I have a virtuous wife and my son is one year old."
This move left those who planned to find a son-in-law through the imperial examination results completely bewildered.
The failure to find a husband through the imperial examination was not widely known except to the Prince Duan's family and others.
Unfortunately, Prince Duan got drunk at the Apricot Grove Banquet and begged the Emperor to grant him a marriage to Jiang Bangyan, claiming that Princess Rongyang and Jiang Bangyan had already secretly pledged their lives to each other and demanding that he divorce his wife.
Startled, Jiang Bangyan hastily accepted his post and was sent away, not daring to return to Jin'an for several years.
Not long after, Princess Rongyang also got married.
The matter was forgotten after a few years, but after Lord Jiang was promoted to Jin'an, his wife, who came from a peasant background, made a fool of herself at a banquet.
Some people felt sorry for Jiang, the second-place scholar, because Jiang's wife was a peasant woman with no talent or background, and was not a good match for him.
Some even recounted the past when Princess Rongyang and Lord Jiang met and fell in love before the imperial examination.
Many people lamented the cruel twist of fate, how such a perfect couple, one married the wrong person and the other married the wrong person, thus missing each other out.
"That eldest daughter-in-law of the Jiang family is really unlucky to have such a mother-in-law."
“I remember that the eldest daughter-in-law of the Jiang family was not from Jin’an. It’s pitiful that she had no family to support her when she was bullied.”
"How could a man like Lord Jiang have encountered such a shrew?"
"No wonder Lord Jiang hasn't dared to take a concubine all these years."
"Tsk tsk..."
Some people covered their mouths and chuckled, some felt sorry, and some were indignant.
When the crowd started talking about Madam Jiang's embarrassing incidents, and in their eagerness to please the princess, their words became rather harsh.
The wife of the Chief of the Privy Council pulled at her face and covered her lips with a handkerchief, but she couldn't laugh because her youngest daughter was discussing marriage with the second son of the Jiang family.
The six rites have been performed up to the second; now it is time to inquire about the name and the compatibility of the birth dates and times to determine good or bad fortune.
Neither family were loud or boisterous, so they didn't publicize it, and not many people knew about it.
Furthermore, without a confirmed engagement, if things change midway, it could easily damage the reputation of both families' younger generations.
As a result, she heard about her daughter's future mother-in-law's shameful deeds.
The wife of the Chief of the Privy Council was getting restless. If this mother-in-law was really so unreasonable, what would happen to her daughter after she married into the family?
On her way home from the banquet, the wife of the Chief Clerk of the Privy Council was restless.
The fact that the Lu family could marry into the Jiang family was a great honor for them. Lord Jiang was already a third-rank official in his thirties, his eldest son was in the Dali Temple, and his second son had joined the city guard. Both sons had bright futures ahead of them.
For the Lu family's daughter to marry into such a family would be the best choice, but unfortunately, she'll end up with such a mother-in-law. How miserable will her life be after marrying into that family?
When she got home, she told her daughter-in-law about it, "...she ran to sleep in her daughter-in-law's room, what kind of behavior is that? It's so embarrassing."
The wife of the Chief of the Privy Council really didn't want her daughter to marry into such a family with a mother-in-law, but she also couldn't bear to part with such a good son-in-law as the second son of the Jiang family.
"Mother-in-law, don't be anxious. Let's send someone to find out what's going on first," Madam Lu's daughter-in-law advised. "Madam Jiang has lived in Jin'an for many years. Even if she made some mistakes when she first came to Jin'an, her reputation has long been restored over the years. Mother-in-law has also met Madam Jiang. Is she the kind of person the rumors say?"
Madam Lu shook her head. "He's a very reasonable person."
The daughter-in-law then asked, "Did Madam Jiang attend the banquet today?"
Lord Jiang's official rank rose again and again, making him a favorite of the Emperor. Among the noble ladies of Jin'an, Lady Jiang had long been the object of everyone's vying to curry favor.
She remembered that today's banquet was held at the residence of a fifth-rank official, and given Madam Jiang's status, the other party should not have been able to invite her.
"No, it was Princess Rongyang who went."
Madam Lu knew that the gossipy lady was trying to curry favor with Princess Rongyang, but the lady's story was so convincing that it made her confused. "Quickly send someone to find out what really happened."
If someone is deliberately smearing her, she can go and inform them.
"Don't let Yingying know about this first."
Unbeknownst to the two, Lu Zhaoying already knew. The maid, who had gone out to buy embroidery thread, heard about it and hurriedly returned to inform her.
"Miss, people outside are laughing at Madam Jiang, talking about her, talking about her..."
The language used to describe a clam nursing its son is so vulgar and offensive.
Her young lady is currently discussing marriage with the second son of the Jiang family. If she marries into the family, Madam Jiang will also come to their room...
The maid dared not think about those days; they were too terrifying.
Lu Zhaoying wasn't as anxious as her mother. She calmly asked, "Have you found out the reason?"
The maid nodded and whispered, "It is said that the eldest young mistress gave birth to a daughter prematurely, and Madam Jiang was dissatisfied, so she deliberately moved there to make things difficult for her daughter-in-law during her postpartum period."
Lu Zhaoying was distracted for a moment, and the needle pricked her fingertip. Blood gushed out instantly, forming a small bead that looked like a cinnabar dot on her pale fingertip.
Lu Zhaoying put her finger in her mouth, looking somewhat puzzled.
She had met Madam Jiang twice. Although they didn't talk much, she remembered that Madam Jiang wasn't the kind of woman who would argue or make trouble.
"The second young master has been at the city guard camp for a few days."
The maid applied the ointment to Lu Zhaoying and teased, "It's been six or seven days, hasn't it? Miss, are you missing your future son-in-law?"
Lu Zhaoying poked the maid's forehead with her finger and gave her a reproachful look.
Jiang Heng only returned home once during his 20th day of rest, so it's still a long way off before he comes back again.
She vaguely remembered that the eldest young mistress of the Jiang family was not yet due to give birth, so how could she suddenly go into premature labor?
It seems we need to have someone investigate further.
--
The Jiang family.
Four days have passed since they moved to Yunzhu Garden. Jiang Wei silently resists his own mother with his taciturn and cold face and attitude.
However, Zhao Xian completely ignored him, her heart was entirely devoted to Li Lianniang, the female protagonist of the tragic novel.
Although she had never given birth herself, she had taken care of women in labor.
The midwife, Wang, was always busy. Jin'an was such a big place, it wouldn't be difficult to find a skilled midwife. The female doctor also took Li Lianniang's pulse and prepared herbal meals every day.
Originally, food had to be fetched from the main kitchen, but Zhao Xian generously had a small kitchen built in Yunzhu Garden, specifically for Li Lianniang.
In ancient times, there was no television or mobile phone, and pregnant women were not advised to read too much.
Zhao Xian then found a literate maid to read a page or two of a book to Li Lianniang every day.
Undeterred by the harsh words, Li Lianniang's complexion improved day by day; even during postpartum confinement, a beauty remains a beauty.
Zhao Xian then noticed that her family's performer bore a resemblance to Li Lianniang, but the difference in demeanor between ancient people greatly diminished the resemblance.
"Madam, the eldest son is outside the door and wants to see you."
Zhao Xian was looking at the account books when Granny He came into the room and whispered.
The ledgers were covered with scraps of paper from Zhao Xian's accounting work. She wasn't very good at using an abacus, and these accounts had piled up after she hadn't looked at them for several days. She wanted to just get by, but then she realized that the original owner of this body had done these things meticulously. To avoid arousing He Mama's suspicion again, she had no choice but to do the accounting herself in private.
Zhao Xian placed her hands on the account book, secretly rubbing her fingers which were a little sore from using the calligraphy brush, and said, "Let him in."
After a few days apart, Jiang Wei was still the same as before, with a cold face, but this time it seemed that there was anger on his face.
"Mother, how long are you going to keep this up?"
A note from the author:
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