Chapter 6: In the first month of the lunar calendar, marriage is about birth, marriage is about bloodline.
The parking spot for Fu Sui was specially chosen for Wang Lingshu.
Three years ago, Wang Bochang, then serving as the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, was passing by the Princess's residence in his carriage when Fu Sui led his men to kill the horse, dismantle the carriage, drag Wang Bochang out of the carriage, strip him naked, and throw him onto Zhuque Street.
It was late afternoon, a time when people were coming and going, and Wang Bochang, naked, showed off his bird on Zhuque Street. The Wang family and Fu Sui had a long legal battle over this matter before the Emperor, but the servants on both sides gave conflicting accounts, and the gatekeeper of the nearby Princess's residence knew nothing about it. In the end, the matter could only be dropped.
Wang Bochang lost face and was so angry that he almost died. He simply claimed to be ill and refused to attend court.
The emperor had just sent his eunuchs with many gifts to comfort the emperor, but then, without warning, he appointed Gao Zi'ang, who had previously served as an official under the Crown Prince, as the new Vice Minister of the Chancellery, citing the predicament of being busy with state affairs.
Wang Bochang's memorials were repeatedly rejected by the emperor with a dismissive "rest and recuperation are of utmost importance." Rumors spread like wildfire, with many absurd claims circulating about Wang Bochang's unusual physical attributes, indirectly tarnishing his reputation.
Seeing that he could no longer stay in the capital, Wang Bochang reluctantly sought a post outside the capital. Unfortunately, this came suddenly, and the Wang family could not find a suitable candidate. The position of Vice Minister of the Chancellery ultimately fell into the hands of Gao Zi'ang, and the Wang family was completely kicked out of the position of Chancellor.
From then on, no male member of the Wang family ever set foot in Jiuru Lane again, and female members of the Wang family would rather take a detour than pass in front of the Princess's Mansion.
Before they arrived, Fu Sui's carriage was blocking the street on the other side, making it impossible for vehicles to pass. If they wanted to reach the Princess's residence, they could only walk along the road in front of the County Princess's residence. Zheng Zizai and the others all came by carriage from the County Princess's residence, but Song Nizi, unaware of the situation, avoided the County Princess's carriage and walked.
Fu Sui was completely baffled: "Why are you stopping there?"
"I see that Madam Wang and the others are walking." Fu Suichengyi could not be seen from where the car was parked in Yanshan. She saw Wang Lingshu and Han Zhenyi walking into the mansion from afar and thought there was some custom she did not know about, so she temporarily ordered the car to stop and walk.
"That's because they had to avoid the princess's carriage. What makes you think you should avoid it?" Fu Sui pointed to the Feng family carriage that was about to leave. "Even Feng Xiang'er dared not avoid it. In terms of status, can you be inferior to Feng Xiang'er?"
The county magistrate of Yanshan smiled slightly and remained silent.
Although Qiao Zhenzhen was well-read, she did not have the melancholic air of someone who was overly sentimental. Instead, she had a broad forehead and full cheeks, with elegant and dignified features, beautiful without being gaudy. In comparison, Fu Sui was more delicate and pretty but lacked a dignified air.
Princess Yanshan was a completely different person. She was like a lotus in bloom, elegant and beautiful. Every smile and frown revealed her gentle demeanor. No wonder Wang Lingshu and her family chose to bully Princess Yanshan.
"Where is your county princess's carriage? The emperor bestowed it upon you, so use it. You have a rank, why should you have to put up with the attitudes of those people without rank?" Fu Sui spoke up for Yanshan.
Yanshan comforted Fu Sui, saying, "I don't like banquets, and I rarely meet them even once a year. Today you reprimanded her for me, so she probably won't make things difficult for me in the future. My brother and I are in the capital, and it's better to be kind to everyone than to make enemies everywhere. If taking a step back can prevent trouble, what does it matter if I suffer a little grievance?"
Fu Sui felt pity for Yanshan, but knew that Yanshan's situation was beyond saving. He could only sigh inwardly and instructed Dai Ling to bring over the carriage of the county magistrate of Yanshan, and watched Yanshan leave.
After Qiao Zhenzhen saw off the last guest, Fu Sui rushed over, took Qiao Zhenzhen's arm, and happily returned to the Princess's residence. She planned to have dinner before returning home, and now was a good time to see the playbooks that Qiao Zhenzhen's cousin had asked someone to bring back from Jiangnan.
"This legendary novel is truly exquisite. Although the story is nothing new, the illustrations on each page are quite eye-catching, and they are drawn with such detail." Fu Sui clicked his tongue in amazement.
Qiao Zhenzhen was browsing through a bookcase when she glanced back and said, "That's a newly established bookstore called Lianzhushe. This is the book that made them famous, so naturally they put extra effort into it. The illustrations are detailed, and the price is also carefully set. It costs two taels of silver per book, and they only sell three hundred copies in total."
Qin An loved calligraphy and painting, and the Princess's mansion had collected many rare and incomplete books. It also had a complete collection of legends and tales of the strange and supernatural published by any reputable bookstore. However, the Lianzhu Society was far away in Jiangnan, and the person in charge of purchasing books for the Princess's mansion could not keep up with the latest bookstores and new books published in various places. Therefore, this was the first time Fu Sui had heard of the Lianzhu Society.
“I think the stories told in the Southern vernacular novels are not much different from those in the capital, except for the wording and scenery. They are quite interesting to read.” As she spoke, Qiao Zhenzhen took out a book, walked over and sat down opposite Fu Sui, handing the book to him.
"What is this?" Fu Sui took the book and flipped through it curiously.
"It's the collection of essays by the students preparing for the exam that I mentioned to you. There's one named Xue Guangting in it, who should be the Xue Lang that Wang Lingshu mentioned. I've read his essays, and they are indeed quite good."
Fu Sui glanced at Xue Guangting's article and found it to be well-written and dignified.
"He took the imperial examination?"
"Probably," Qiao Zhenzhen said, though she wasn't entirely sure.
Fu Sui closed the book, leaned forward, and whispered to Qiao Zhenzhen, "Wang Lingshu wouldn't happen to have feelings for Xue Guangting, would she?"
Qiao Zhenzhen was taken aback upon hearing this, and after thinking about it carefully, she said, "Wang Lingshu only loves poetry, songs, and beautiful writing. Perhaps she just cherishes talent?"
“Yang Shi’an is talented too, but I haven’t seen her cherish it.” Fu Sui rested her chin on one hand and fiddled with a glass ornament on the table with the other. “Wang Lingshu is sixteen, isn’t she?”
"It's the sixteenth." Wang Lingshu sent Qiao Zhenzhen an invitation for her birthday last year, but Qiao Zhenzhen didn't go, though she did send a birthday gift.
Fu Sui scoffed, "If she really admires Xue Lang's talent, she'd better pray that Xue Lang's family is wealthy. In the Wang family, the highest dowry wins when a daughter is married. A poor scholar probably won't become the son-in-law of the Wang family of Hedong."
Qiao Zhenzhen shook her head, recalling the way Wang Shi married off her daughter, and then asked, "You are also about to come of age, isn't there any word from the palace about your marriage?"
"Either I can choose whomever I fancy, or I can marry whomever the emperor requires." Fu Sui's father was deceased and his mother unknown in the imperial clan records, so there was no question of arranged marriage. "In truth, although we all have different talents and appearances, we are all the same when it comes to marriage."
Qiao Zhenzhen took it as Fu Sui complaining and replied with a smile, "How could that be? Royal blood is different after all."
"Yes, the difference lies in bloodline, not in the person. Do those princes-in-law who married princesses, those sons-in-law of the imperial clan, care whether they married Princess Xuancheng or Princess Yicheng? They married the emperor's favor, they married a bargaining chip in the officialdom. Whether she is stunningly beautiful or exceptionally talented, nothing is more important than bloodline. Wang Lingshu is so proud of her talents, will her future husband care? They will only care about her father, brothers, clan, her background, her dowry. Whether she is called Lingshu or Lingzhen, whether she is the fourth or fifth child in the family, as long as she is surnamed Hedong Prince, that's enough."
The same principle applies to choosing a son-in-law as to choosing a wife. For example, a daughter of the Qian family married a man with no wealth, looks, or official position, simply because he came from the Zheng family of Taiyuan. A scholar had a wife who mistreated his elderly mother, beat and scolded her husband, and was promiscuous, yet he dared not divorce her because of her powerful family. The daughters of noble families, seemingly glamorous on the surface, were nothing more than empty shells draped over their fathers and brothers, their lives a tapestry of treacherous maneuvering.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Zhenzhen sighed softly. Prime Minister Qiao was an extremely enlightened elder, and her parents also loved her dearly. However, Qiao Zhenzhen had to consider the complex relationships in the capital and the Qiao family's reputation when socializing, which did not allow her to do as she pleased. She couldn't help but feel disheartened.
Then she thought of Princess Xi Ti Ruo Li of Yanshan County, who was also a daughter of a prince. Fu Sui had no parents to protect her, no brothers to support her, and had suffered countless hardships all by herself. Suddenly, she was overcome with sorrow. She held Fu Sui's hand and her eyes welled up with tears: "It is hateful that I was unable to help you with your difficulties."
Fu Sui was just complaining casually, but he didn't expect it to make Qiao Zhenzhen sad and cry. He quickly pulled out a handkerchief to comfort Qiao Zhenzhen: "Don't cry, don't cry. I was just teasing you. It's not worth crying about."
Qiao Zhenzhen wiped away her tears, a hint of caution appearing on her face. "I didn't mean to cry, I just acted impulsively." She lowered her voice and said, "As the saying goes, the imperial family is ruthless. That person is very suspicious of the princes, and I'm worried..."
Even though Qiao Zhenzhen didn't say what she was worried about, Fu Sui knew what she was worried about. The royal family had never lacked cases of killing sons and fathers, and fratricide.
The King of Jing failed in his attempt to usurp the throne and committed suicide at Mount Meng. Princess Hejing and her sisters were exiled three thousand li with their mother, and their fate remains unknown. The King of Teng assisted the King of Jing in his rebellion but was riddled with arrows. His family was imprisoned in the palace and has not been heard from since.
Prince Shu was accused of embezzling military funds, and his punishment was a cup of poisoned wine. His wife and children were demoted to commoners. When their home was searched, it was the dead of winter. Princess Shu was dragged out of the palace with her young child, not even allowed to take a fur coat to keep warm. Prince Xu was suspected of possessing weapons, and his entire family was imprisoned at Xianling Mausoleum, heavily guarded.
However, the Prince of Jin had been dead for more than ten years. When the earthquake struck Shenshan, the Prince of Jin rushed to the disaster relief site and was caught in a landslide. He was diligent and tireless, loyal and brave. Emperor Su had already personally concluded the matter of the Prince of Jin's death, so why would the current emperor bring up the past again? Fu Sui was naturally not afraid of being implicated by his father and brother.
"Don't worry, what do I, an orphan girl, have to fear? As long as I don't participate in the rebellion, I can live a stable life as a princess."
Qiao Zhenzhen composed herself, secretly annoyed that she had reminded Fu Sui of such a sad thing as the Prince of Jin, and thought about how to change the topic to something lighter: "Speaking of which, there is an interesting story about my cousin."
Qiao Zhenzhen glanced at Fu Sui and smiled meaningfully: "A few days ago, when my cousin Xu was looking for a theatrical troupe for me, he asked me to tell my mother not to listen to the nonsense spread by the Grand Princess of Linhai. He said that he and you get along well because you are compatible, not because of any romantic feelings. I found it strange at the time, and only after I came back and asked my mother did I learn that the Grand Princess of Linhai wanted to ask my cousin Xu to marry you, and she had come to ask my mother for her opinion."
Upon hearing this, Fu Sui exclaimed, "There is absolutely no possibility between me and that scoundrel Tian Ganyou."
Qiao Zhenzhen was amused by Fu Sui's exaggerated manner and laughed: "Cousin Xu is now twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Among the sons of nobles, there are few who are still unmarried at such an age. I'm afraid the Grand Princess of Linhai is so worried that her hair is about to turn white."
Fu Sui suddenly sensed something was amiss: "Why is my cousin Xu telling you all this about our relationship? He only told you about such a fun thing as the troupe of acrobatics. Why didn't I know any of this? You're my cousin, and I'm my cousin too. Are we supposed to be different?"
Fu Suizai scrutinized Qiao Zhenzhen for a few moments: "Does that guy have some other thoughts about you?"
Qiao Zhenzhen was stunned. Her cousin Xu was extremely kind to his siblings, always willing to help with anything, big or small. He also loved collecting novelties and often made ingenious gadgets to give as gifts. Qiao Zhenzhen genuinely regarded her cousin Xu as a reliable older brother. Even when she mentioned that the Grand Princess of Linhai wanted to strengthen their cousin-sister bond through marriage, she never considered that she and her cousin Xu could also be related through marriage.
She retorted to Fu Sui: "Cousin Xu is much older than us. In his eyes, we are like his own sisters. Where did you get this twisted logic? Stop talking nonsense."
Fu Sui scoffed: "So the Grand Princess of Linhai is allowed to think of me, but Tian Ganyou isn't allowed to have his eye on you? Our Third Madam Qiao is beautiful and eloquent, with both a good family background and refined manners. Which man wouldn't be mad with longing for her? If the Qiao family were to show even a hint that they were looking for a husband for Third Madam Qiao, I'm afraid the gates of the Qiao residence and the princess's residence would be bursting at the seams."
Qiao Zhenzhen blushed deeply and tried to hit Fu Sui. Fu Sui dodged left and right, and the two of them played around in a playful tussle. After a long while, Qiao Zhenzhen finally caught her breath. The two looked at each other, saw their clothes were all messed up, and couldn't help but laugh again.
Qiao Zhenzhen straightened her clothes and then adjusted a crooked beaded flower for Fu Sui before remembering something else: "Has Madam Zong sent you an invitation to the polo match?"
"Hmm." Fu Sui touched her hairpins and rings, feeling that they were not in disarray, and casually said, "It's not even this early in the season, playing polo is a bit too much."
Qiao Zhenzhen actually knew some inside information: "Duke Zheng was transferred to the position of Grand Governor of Yangzhou, and Lady Zong will also be leaving for Yangzhou in mid-February. Traveling by carriage is slow, and Lady Zong was afraid of missing the spring polo match, so she organized this polo match before leaving. I heard that Lady Zong made a big show of it this time, and all the famous people in the capital sent her invitations."
The two chatted about polo and played around for a long time until Princess Pingyang sent someone to urge them to stop.
After dinner, Fu Sui asked Qiao Zhenzhen for the collection of essays by students preparing for the exams, and then walked back home, rubbing his round little belly.
After taking a few steps, she suddenly remembered something, pulled Dai Ling and Kouyun and turned to get into the carriage. But when she reached the carriage, she stopped and instructed the servant: "Go to the mansion and bring an ordinary carriage. Hurry up, I'll wait here."
Upon receiving the order, the servant took off running towards the princess's residence.
Dai Ling asked, puzzled, "What are we trying to do?"
"The Grand Princess's residence has a kind of sweet candy that tastes very good. She said it was bought from a shop on the front street. It's not too late yet, so let's go buy some and take it back for everyone to try."
The alleys around here are inhabited entirely by royalty and nobles; not to mention shops, even peddlers don't go this way. If Fu Sui doesn't take a carriage or horse, it will take him half an hour to see any shops. It would be better to have his servant bring a carriage here now.
It was already completely dark, and there was no reason for the princess to make a trip just for a little food. Kouyun coaxed Fu Sui to go back to the mansion with the attendants, while she and Dai Ling went out to buy this sweet candy.
The curfew was temporarily lifted for five days during the Lantern Festival, and today was the last day without a curfew. Although it was already dusk, the stalls selling crispy candy were still bustling with people. Dai Ling waited in line for a long time before returning with a bag of crispy candy. Kou Yun took the oil paper bag and helped Dai Ling into the carriage.
Upon returning to the mansion, Dai Ling took out oil paper and distributed the shortbread. She made sure Qin An received every single piece, even keeping the largest portion for herself.
“The owner of that shop is a young woman. I heard from the people around that she is a self-combed woman.” Dai Ling said with envy, “She is really amazing. She can run such a successful business by being a self-combed woman.”
Upon hearing Dai Ling's words, Kou Yun greatly admired the female shopkeeper: "It's just that merchants are ultimately considered inferior."
“We’re not from a scholarly family. As long as we have enough to eat, that’s enough. Why care whether we’re merchants or artisans? I think opening a shop is excellent. It’s very profitable. If there’s a suitable business, I can even have my grandparents do it too. It’s much easier than toiling in the fields.” Dai Ling said enthusiastically.
Dai Ling was from the outskirts of Beijing, where her family had toiled in the fields for generations. That year, a locust plague struck, and countless people starved to death. Dai Ling's parents had no choice but to sell her, hoping she would have something to eat.
Dai Ling had personally experienced the hardship and toil of farming, so Fu Sui could understand her emphasis on money: "Okay, let me know when you find a good job, and I'll help you think about it."
Dai Ling glanced at Su Tang, then at Fu Sui, and approached with a beaming smile: "Princess, why don't we open more shops? I think food shops would be a good option."
Fu Sui was used to Dai Ling's unpredictable ideas, and teased, "Why are you even making plans for me? Do I owe you my monthly allowance?"
Kouyun laughed along, "I think it's because Dai Ling'er also wants to be the head manager."
Dai Ling stomped her foot in anger: "I never wanted to be the head manager."
"There are shops in the manor. If you really like them, you can try one out." Fu Sui didn't think there was anything wrong with Dai Ling wanting to be the head manager. After all, the Princess's manor would protect her. If she liked it, she could try it out. If she really couldn't do it, she could give up.
Dai Ling exclaimed, "I don't care about the shops. I just think that my own shops can sell whatever I like and save the best for last. If I had many shops, wouldn't I be able to eat whatever I want without having to queue?"
Dai Ling couldn't stop talking about food, and Kou Yun smiled so much that his eyes narrowed: "It would be best if all the food stalls in the capital belonged to the princess, so you could eat your way from the West Market to the East Market every day."
"Alright, alright, you don't need to manage the shops, you just need to eat there." Fu Sui asked Dai Ling, "If Dai Ling doesn't manage all the pastry shops in the capital, who will?"
"Let Qin Zhongguan manage it. Qin Zhongguan is so smart, he will definitely take care of the shop."
Kouyun reached out and gently tapped Dailing's nose: "Look, our Dailing has even arranged work for Qin Zhongguan."
Fu Sui also pretended to beg for mercy: "Good Dai Ling, quickly stop assigning work to Qin An. Don't worry, as long as I am still a princess, I will not let you go hungry with the princess's fief. Our Dai Ling'er can eat her way from the West Market to the East Market."
If she were no longer a princess, she would surely have fallen out with the Emperor. At that time, not only would she not receive any money, but she wouldn't even be left with a single leaf. As for Qin An, the palace has plenty of ways to torment him. Even the slightest scratch on a doorframe while Qin An walks can leave a bloody mark that takes more than a month to heal; he'll likely find it unbearable in that grueling place.
Fu Sui watched with a smile as Kou Yun and Dai Ling played. The Emperor's heart was unpredictable. She, as the Princess of Yong'an with whom the Emperor shared a "deep brother-sister relationship," was doing a fairly good job. One day, she was bound to have some benefits to discuss with the Emperor.
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