Chapter 17 Chapter 17 A bold idea
The sky was clear and the Houhu Lake looked like a huge emerald. The breeze blew, ripples appeared on the water surface, and the sunlight began to dance on the water, dragging countless light bands.
Hearing that His Majesty would be in person today, those eager to see his face flocked to the scene. Banners fluttered on the long causeway, and beneath the willow trees, crowds thronged. At a glance, it was nothing but people, seemingly crammed into every nook and cranny.
The Zhang family came out later and got stuck in the crowd. Several carriages bumped along the way and finally squeezed into the control gate. For the safety of the emperor, the Jinyiwei drew a line. Only officials of the fourth rank and above were qualified to set up colorful tents inside to watch the dragon boat race.
The group got off the carriage, verified their identities, and then walked inward along the embankment.
The weather in May was already hot. Although there was a cool breeze carrying moisture blowing from the lake, these ladies never left their homes all day. After walking in the scorching sun for less than a quarter of an hour, except for Zhang Xiaoman, the others were all flushed, panting and sweating profusely.
Fortunately, the Pingyang Marquis' Mansion received the news and sent people to carry a sedan chair to save the ladies' legs and feet that were about to collapse.
This is the difference between a noble family and a child from a humble background! Zhang Junyi lowered his eyes, hiding the complex expression in them.
The father of the Second-Rank Minister of Personnel was undoubtedly a high-ranking official, but his family still had to walk in a respectable manner. Look at the Pingyang Marquis's mansion, where there were four or five sedan chairs, and no one seemed to be holding them back by arguing with the rules.
Unfortunately, all the men in Pingyang Marquis's Mansion are military generals, which she doesn't like.
The Liu family is still the best... Zhang Junyi let out a faint sigh.
The sunlight was shining brightly. In a trance, the man who was as bright as a pearl stood in front of her, smiling gently and extending his hand to her.
Accompanied by bursts of exclamations, countless eyes fell on her. She was reserved, enjoying the envious, jealous or admiring looks of the crowd, and slowly, slowly, she placed her fingers on his hand.
"Fourth sister?" The most annoying voice suddenly sounded. The sedan chair stopped at some point, and Zhang Junyi was surprised to find that he was actually holding Zhang Xiaoman's hand!
Her face turned red instantly, she withdrew her hand, raised her chin, snorted coldly, and walked away without looking back.
"Third sister, what happened to fourth sister?" Zhang Anyi came over cautiously and asked.
Zhang Xiaoman was equally baffled. "I don't know. She smiled and reached out to me, then suddenly got angry. She's really just a bit of a jerk."
In front of us is the colorful tent of the Pingyang Marquis’ Mansion, and the Crown Prince’s wife, Xiao Jiang, has been waiting there long ago.
Mrs. Jiang took a few quick steps and said with a smile, "Your mother-in-law and mother-in-law are both here, and instead of telling me you were waiting inside, you came out to greet me. People will say you're ignorant. It's only a few steps away, how could I possibly get lost? I've been waiting for so long, and look at the sweat on my forehead."
As he spoke, he gently wiped the sweat off his sister's face with a handkerchief.
Little Jiang held her sister's hand and said, "It was the two elder sisters who asked me to welcome you. My eldest sister-in-law didn't come today because she was afraid of the heat. She thinks it's not lively enough! After the Four Seasons Banquet, you didn't come to their house either. They kept complaining about why you didn't come."
When talking about the Four Seasons Banquet, Mrs. Jiang also smiled bitterly. So many things have happened since then, and the family is in a mess. She is so overwhelmed that she can't breathe. How can she have the energy to visit neighbors?
There was another issue: Xiaoman had a past with Chen Ling'an, and there was a chance the Marquis's family might take their anger out on Xiaoman. She naturally wanted to defend Xiaoman, but that would put her sister in the middle, so she rarely came, even having Mother Fang deliver the Dragon Boat Festival gifts.
It would be unreasonable not to meet at this dragon boat event, so she had to bite the bullet and go. To be honest, she was a little worried that the Marquis' Mansion would make things difficult for Xiaoman.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Jiang looked back.
Zhang Xiaoman smiled brightly in response, looking carefree. Mrs. Jiang secretly laughed and scolded her, "Silly girl," but her mood brightened.
"What's wrong with Madam? Why did she suddenly look at you and suddenly smile?" Zhang Anyi asked in a low voice.
Xiaoman raised his eyebrows slightly, "Guess."
Zhang Anyi was stunned, and her face was a little embarrassed. Xiaoman laughed and took her hand, "I don't know either. Anyway, it's always good to smile at everyone. No one likes someone who looks sad all day long."
As they were talking, they had already arrived at the colorful tent of the Marquis' Mansion.
Although it was a temporary shed, only used for a day, the furnishings inside were impeccable. The floor was painted black, the walls were covered with felt, and a carved red sandalwood screen sat in the center, with green gauze covering the left and right sides, creating a bright and airy space. There were also some decorative elements like flowers, trees, and bonsai.
An old lady with silver hair was leaning on a soft couch in front of the screen. She was the Dowager Lady of the Marquisate and the current aunt, Princess Xiaoqin.
Sitting on the left of the eldest princess was the Marquis' wife, Mrs. Xie. She was well-maintained. Although she was nearly sixty years old, she only had a few fine lines at the corners of her eyes.
Mrs. Jiang led her three children forward to greet them, and she deliberately took Zhang Anyi to the front. "My youngest daughter will be fifteen next year. She is gentle and kind, and a very filial child."
Princess Xiaoqin looked him over and said with a smile, "I think he looks a bit like your mother-in-law. Did he grow up with her?"
"The old ancestor has a keen eye. I am usually too busy and inevitably fail to take care of some things. It is all thanks to this child who fulfills my filial duty to my mother-in-law." Mrs. Jiang gently pushed Zhang Anyi, indicating that she should say a few words.
Zhang Anyi, who had seen fewer people and even fewer situations, was so nervous she tugged at the hem of her clothes. She knew this meeting was about her marriage, and she wanted to say something flattering, but the more she tried, the more words faltered. She forgot everything her aunt had taught her, and she stammered until her face flushed red, anxious to the point of tears.
Zhang Junyi, who was standing by, saw this and curled his lips in disdain.
Mrs. Jiang sighed secretly and was about to smooth things over when the Grand Princess asked why Old Lady Bian didn't come. "The last time I saw her was during the New Year's Day court meeting, when I went to the palace to pay homage."
Old Mrs. Bian is a bit of a loner. She won't go unless she has to, such as flower banquets, birthday banquets, wedding banquets... She also leaves all the interactions with relatives and friends to her daughter-in-law.
Mrs. Jiang was reluctant to talk about her mother-in-law, so she just used the excuse of "feeling unwell" to get away with it.
The eldest princess smiled. Perhaps because the Pingyang Marquisate had only bald boys, she was very kind to the girls of the Zhang family. But when she saw Zhang Xiaoman, her face turned stern. "You little monkey, you haven't been here for a long time. What's wrong? Are you afraid that I'll beat you out with a big stick?"
After hearing this, Zhang Anyi was shocked and subconsciously looked at Zhang Xiaoman.
However, Zhang Xiaoman was not as panicked as she had imagined. Instead, he smiled with guilt, "I was really scared. I disrupted the Four Seasons Banquet, offended Aunt Liu, and even went against the Prince's uncle. Looking back, I was too impulsive. I really shouldn't have done that!"
"I wanted to apologize, but I was afraid I wouldn't be allowed in. I was very anxious for a long time. Until I heard that our ancestors would also come to watch the dragon boat race today, I made up a few jokes overnight to apologize to our ancestors."
As she spoke, she stood up from the embroidery cushion and bowed deeply. "Well said, the old ancestor will laugh a few times and forgive Xiaoman's fault."
The Grand Princess smiled upon hearing this and said, "If you speak well, I will reward you."
Xiaoman climbed up the pole and said, "Grandfather, I'll give you a reward!"
A farmer was walking down the street when he saw a fortune teller reading his palm. He said: "A man with cotton-like hands will have plenty of money, and a woman with ginger-like hands will have her warehouses full of treasures." The farmer was overjoyed: "I'm going to get rich! My wife's hands are like ginger!" The fortune teller asked: "How did you know?"
Xiaoman pretended to be a farmer in a gruff voice, and gently stroked his face. "The farmer covered half of his face and said, 'She slapped me yesterday, and it's still burning!'"
There was a burst of laughter in the colorful tent, with the eldest princess laughing the loudest. Mrs. Jiang spit out all the tea in her handkerchief, and little Mrs. Jiang said her cheeks were sore. Even the dignified and proper Mrs. Xie couldn't help but smile.
Zhang Junyi couldn't laugh. She was already disappointed that Liu Jinshu wasn't there, and seeing Xiaoman enjoying herself so well in the Marquis's residence was even more irritating. She raised her eyelids and saw Zhang Anyi clapping his hands and laughing foolishly, which made her even more furious.
She pressed Zhang Anyi's hand down and whispered, "You are a good daughter of the Shangshu Mansion, but you have to follow that bamboo-thin husband and let people laugh at you. Aren't you ashamed?"
Zhang Anyi stopped awkwardly, looked around secretly, and when she saw that no one noticed their actions, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Speaking of being henpecked, I have one in my family too!" The eldest princess pointed at Xiao Jiang and laughed, "Yan'er is a tyrant-like character. He doesn't submit to anyone, not even his father. But he's always subservient to his wife, and doesn't dare to go east or west - he just won't fight her."
Everyone laughed again, and this time it was little Jiang's turn to blush. Mrs. Jiang saw her sister's embarrassment, but it was not easy to speak for her, so she could only laugh along.
Zhang Junyi sneered secretly. The eldest princess was actually blaming the Jiang sisters and Zhang Xiaoman. Due to her status, it was inconvenient for her to argue with a young girl, but she also couldn't embarrass her relatives, so she vented her resentment on her granddaughter-in-law, Xiao Jiang.
She glanced at Zhang Xiaoman: You deserve it! I told you to tell jokes to please me, but now you've shot yourself in the foot.
At this moment, Madam Xie slowly spoke, "In my opinion, someone should take charge of Boyan. He's incredibly lawless. At the Four Seasons Banquet, he even spoke nonsense in front of the Imperial Guards. If Boyan's wife hadn't forced him to intercede with Eunuch Lu, the Grand Chamberlain, and had the impeachment memorial suppressed, he'd probably be spending the Dragon Boat Festival in the Imperial Prison today, just like Lord Zhou and the others."
The eldest princess didn't seem to mind her daughter-in-law's rebuff at all, and even clapped her hands in approval, "This is what they call brine and tofu, one thing conquers another!"
The atmosphere in the colorful tent became lively again. Zhang Anyi was confused and didn't dare to go up to Zhang Xiaoman to ask, so he quietly asked Zhang Junyi, "Fourth sister, what's going on? Was the ancestor scolding the Crown Prince's wife just now, or was he telling a joke?"
Zhang Junyi glared at her, his voice low but stern, "What ancestor? Whose ancestor? Our ancestor is at home!"
Zhang Anyi timidly retracted his neck and suddenly said, "It turns out that Fourth Sister didn't understand it either."
Zhang Junyi was furious, thinking to himself, "How dare you, a fat, ugly, home-born kid, speak to me like that? Do you really think my aunt and I have lost our power?" But this was not the time for such a tantrum, so he had to swallow his anger, his palms already red from pinching.
"I'm not tofu that will rot if you poke it!" Following a rough voice, Qin Boyan, the son of Pingyang Marquis, strode in, followed by Liu Jinshu in official uniform and a fifteen or sixteen-year-old young man in gorgeous clothes. He was Qin Jueping, the youngest son of the Marquis.
The moment Liu Jinshu appeared, Zhang Junyi's eyes lit up, but when she noticed Liu Jinshu's gaze was on Zhang Xiaoman, her eyes immediately turned to resentment. When she looked at Zhang Xiaoman again, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes couldn't help but shed jealousy.
Zhang Xiaoman seemed oblivious to the two gazes simultaneously expressing diametrically opposed emotions. He continued calmly, "I've heard a saying before that perfectly describes my uncle and aunt."
Qin Boyan became interested, "Little girl, tell me about it."
"A tiger sniffs a rose." Xiaoman smiled playfully, "What do you think, uncle?"
"That's right, that's right." Qin Boyan laughed and sat down next to Xiao Jiang. "I am the ferocious tiger, and you are the thorny rose!"
Little Jiang's face, which had just returned to normal, immediately flushed red again. She gently pushed Qin Boyan and said angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about? You are so dishonest. Don't you see that the elders and children are here?"
The laughter suddenly became louder, and Xiaoman keenly noticed that her stepmother beside her was also laughing. In addition to the sincere happiness for her sister, there was also loneliness on her face.
Xiaoman couldn't help but sigh, probably because she was thinking of her husband.
In the six months since she came to the Zhang family, she had never seen the master and the stepmother joke or laugh. They were always arguing, constantly arguing. After a quarrel, the master would go out to relax with his concubines, while the stepmother would grieve alone in the courtyard. The next day, she would pretend nothing had happened, taking care of household chores as usual and managing various relationships in Beijing for the master.
Is such a marriage interesting?
Zhang Xiaoman was still in a daze when he suddenly heard the three words "Chen Ling'an". He pricked up his ears in surprise.
"...It's always been the noble families who have sent dragon boats to compete, but this time the Imperial Guards are even joining the race. How ridiculous! Once they enter the fray, who would dare to compete with them?"
Qin Boyan paced back and forth anxiously. "Holding a dragon boat race in Houhu Lake was against the rules to begin with. It's caused a huge uproar in the court. The officials are speculating and frantically trying to gather information. And now with this incident involving the Imperial Guards, I wonder what the Emperor is thinking!"
Why was it against the rules? Xiaoman didn't quite understand.
But before she could find a chance to consult her stepmother, the eldest princess spoke up, "It's so hard to get out and have some fun, kids, don't be so confined around us. Jue'er, take your Zhang sisters for a walk by the lake—stay away from the water, it's no fun falling in."
Just as she was about to follow Qin Jueping out, Qin Boyan called her again, "Little girl, your phrase 'a tiger sniffing a rose' was very good. Your uncle will give you a reward."
Zhang Xiaoman now had a shiny black whip in his hand.
"Next time you hit Chen Ling'an, don't use stones. You girls don't have enough arm strength and your aim isn't good enough." Qin Boyan winked. "Use a whip. I guarantee you'll beat him till his face is covered in blood."
As soon as the voice fell, several astonished eyes fell on Zhang Xiaoman.
Zhang Xiaoman's ears burned, "I didn't hit him..."
"I heard that you smashed his head at the gate of the Northern Pacification Office. Hey, don't be embarrassed. Your uncle likes girls who are heroic, cheerful and outgoing." Qin Boyan laughed.
Zhang Xiaoman's face flushed and he hurriedly "escaped".
The sun was already high in the sky, and several people were walking slowly under the shade of willows. They were not familiar with each other. Zhang Xiaoman was pondering Qin Boyan's words and had no intention of livening up the atmosphere.
Zhang Anyi finally remembered what the old lady had told her and mustered up the courage to talk to Qin Jueping. However, the other party was cold and didn't even give her a glance.
The atmosphere seemed very depressing for a moment.
Zhang Junyi was thinking about Liu Jinshu all the time. She looked back secretly several times but didn't see his figure chasing her. She couldn't hold back any longer and was ready to suggest going back.
Qin Jueping spoke first, "Cousin, did you really smash Chen Ling'an's head?"
After all, it was an embarrassing incident, so Xiaoman hesitated and didn't want to elaborate. "It was an accident, and it wasn't broken..." As if afraid that he would keep pursuing her, she quickly changed the subject, "Just now, the prince said that the dragon boat race in Houhu Lake was against the rules. Why is that?"
Qin Jueping replied, "The late emperor designated Houhu Lake as the Huangce Library, a forbidden area for the royal family. No one is allowed to enter, let alone hold such a recreational event."
Xiaoman understood, "So it's because I broke the rules set by the previous emperor. No wonder people think so much."
"Save yourself from worrying about this. State affairs are not something you and I can discuss," Zhang Junyi shouted. "You stir up trouble every day, and only know how to flirt with men outside your society. You have no moral integrity, no words, no appearance, and no merit. I'm ashamed to even stand next to you!"
The air froze in an instant.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
