Chapter 29 Like a Dream (Nine) She is not good enough for you.
The last piece of paper money in the brazier burned out, the red light dimmed, leaving only a flickering ember in the ashes.
"Brother, that's a very unreasonable question." Ye Mu's expression was somber, his tone as cold as frost. "Marriage is about uniting two families, concerning your future and the reputation of your entire clan. What does asking me mean?"
Ye Xingjian burned the yellow paper inside, "But I want to hear it."
Inside the mourning hall, the candlelight flickered, casting glimpses of the dark patterns on the white curtains. A soft rustling sound came from behind the screen; the maidservant keeping watch was changing the incense and candles.
A young maidservant quietly entered carrying a tea tray, placed two freshly brewed cups of tea on the table, and then silently retreated to the corridor.
A light rain began to fall outside, the raindrops dripping down the green tiles and splashing on the stone steps. The maids keeping watch under the eaves huddled together. One of the younger ones couldn't help but yawn, and was immediately glared at by the older maid. She quickly covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief.
Suddenly, a candle flame popped, scattering a few sparks. The bright, flickering light jolted Ye Mu awake.
She recalled a cold winter night last year when her grandmother told her that she was most worried about her eldest brother's marriage. "Your eldest brother buries his head in books all day long. He doesn't even look at a girl's face. He's already twenty-three. He doesn't look like he's about to get married at all."
At that time, she nestled on the old lady's lap and said, "Grandmother, don't worry, Aunt will find a suitable match for my brother."
"In the end, it's your eldest brother who will be living this life," the old lady sighed. "Although your aunt is prudent in handling things, sometimes she weighs too many factors and loses sight of her own heart. I think she intends for your eldest brother to marry her cousin."
"Grandmother thinks Su Yao is not good?" Ye Mu was surprised. Su Yao did not visit the mansion very often at that time, only coming frequently after she came of age. She did not know when her grandmother had such an impression.
The old lady shook her head. "In families like ours, besides matching social status, the most important thing when it comes to marriage is character. That girl looks clever, but she's not a truly kind person."
How did Grandmother figure it out?
"That day she came to pay her respects, and a maid accidentally knocked over a teacup, which landed on her skirt. She smiled and said it was nothing, but in private she asked your aunt to dismiss the maid. Such a petty and unforgiving nature is probably not a good match for your brother."
"Does Grandmother have a family she likes?"
"The third daughter of the Yongchang Marquis's family is quite sensible. When I saw her last time, her words and actions were all proper, but I never saw her trying to curry favor." Grandmother smiled and patted Ye Mu's head. "It's just that your eldest brother is a man of his own mind, and what this old woman says doesn't count."
Just then, the candle wick formed a twin flower, and the old woman's face relaxed. "Fourth Sister, look, the candle flame is bursting with joy, a good omen."
Then she added in a gentle voice, "But while candlelight looks exciting, it can burn your hands if you're not careful."
The words still echoed in my ears, but the candle wax had already gone cold.
Ye Mu looked up and suddenly saw a black butterfly flit through the rain and gently land on her grandmother's coffin, its wings still glistening with tiny raindrops. The little maidservant guarding the door pointed at the butterfly in alarm and tried to come in and shoo it away, but was stopped in a low voice by the nanny outside, "Don't make a fuss! This is the old lady's spirit returning!"
There's a folk saying that the deceased will return as butterflies. As she gazed at the butterfly, a thought struck her: perhaps it was her grandmother coming to see her out of concern.
The rain grew heavier, pattering loudly on the eaves of the mourning hall. Ye Mu turned to Ye Xingjian, "Brother, since the engagement was yesterday, does Grandmother know?"
Ye Xingjian nodded, "Mother informed Grandmother, but Grandmother was not entirely in favor. Seeing that Mother was determined, she gave up."
"And what about your brother?"
"I..." Ye Xingjian smiled bitterly, "It was my parents' decision and the matchmaker's words; I had no say in it."
He spoke vaguely, and the sound of the second watch gong came from outside. The maids on night watch in the corridor began to change shifts quietly, with light footsteps and whispers indistinctly in the distance.
Observe people carelessly, and speak without regard for propriety.
Grandmother saw through Su Yao's true nature from subtle details, while Ye Mu had personally experienced the unbearable past of her previous life. She could not forget Su Yao's affair with Jiang Si and her taking advantage of her brother's misfortune after his legs were crippled.
Looking at the butterfly, Ye Mu thought to herself that she had been really foolish just now. How could she have watched her brother repeat the same mistake and marry this venomous woman?
No, even though she is powerless and her voice is weak, and even though the road ahead is difficult, she must stop this marriage.
Ye Mu leaned forward, her slender fingers gently touching his wrist. "Brother, don't marry Su Yao. This marriage is absolutely unacceptable."
"She doesn't deserve you, brother."
Rain pattered against the windowpanes, and the funeral banner fluttered gently.
Ye Mu's fingertips were icy cold, but this slight chill was like ice water falling into boiling oil, suddenly exploding beneath Ye Xingjian's skin, scalding his blood vessels.
He had already given up hope and resigned himself to the arrangement, but this unexpected touch, which came from her, even if it was just concern given in the name of a sister, was enough to stir up a rebellious tide in Ye Xingjian's lifeless heart.
This tiny bit of sweetness was enough to churn and simmer in his heart, making him willing to suffer for the rest of his life.
Ye Xingjian knew he was completely finished. He couldn't bear to part with anything about her, and this moment sealed his lifelong obsession.
Ye Xingjian stood stiffly, not daring to move an inch, greedily praying that this unwarranted tenderness could linger for just a moment longer.
"Mother has already exchanged draft documents with the Su family. Although the formalities of marriage have not been completed, the status of the family has been established."
Ye Xingjian's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty as he looked at her pale pink fingertips. "Fourth Sister, it will be very difficult to break off the engagement."
These words sounded grand and dignified, but in reality, he already had a plan in mind.
There were ways to break off the engagement, but at this moment, he secretly craved her urgent persuasion. Ye Xingjian felt like he was going crazy. Every "don't marry me" from her seemed to be a response to his secret thoughts. This thought made him feel absurd, yet he was also happy to accept it.
The candlelight flickered gently in the night breeze, concealing the turbulent emotions surging in his eyes beneath his drooping eyelashes.
"Don't be afraid, brother. There's still time. I'll figure something out." Ye Mu was completely unaware of his thoughts and instead gripped his hand even tighter. "But right now there's something more important that I need your help with."
Her gaze passed over his shoulder and settled on the black butterfly in front of her grandmother's coffin. "Grandmother's death was shrouded in mystery, and my mother suffered an injustice. Everyone in the Marquis's mansion only wanted a dignified and quick burial, and no one was willing to investigate further. But what about us? Are we just going to watch Grandmother die with resentment, and watch my mother be pointed at and gossiped about for the rest of her life?"
Outside the mourning hall, the wind and rain intensified, causing the white curtains to flutter wildly and the candlelight to flicker, making Ye Mu's profile appear as cold as jade.
Ye Xingjian remained silent, then turned his hand and gathered her slightly cool fingers into his palm. His palm was broad and warm, with thin calluses from practicing calligraphy, and he held her hand firmly. He did not answer immediately, but simply held it like that.
After a long silence, Ye Xingjian finally spoke, "What does Fourth Sister intend to do?"
"Investigate." Ye Mu uttered a single word. "If we can't compete openly, then we'll investigate secretly. Grandmother's medicine residue, the servants who handled it, suspicious people who have been coming and going in the mansion recently... and, Second Aunt."
Ye Xingjian's words to her were actually vague, his mind preoccupied with the soft touch in her palm; he simply responded to her words. Only now did he regain some clarity, "You suspect your second aunt?"
"Yes," Ye Mu said in a low voice, "I ran into Master Wen Kong at the manor. He told me that when he came to visit my grandmother, he smelled something strange about the medicine. He was thinking of having me go back to the manor to write a prescription for him to take a closer look, but who would have thought..."
A flash of pain crossed her eyes, and she paused slightly before speaking, "After sending Mother back to her room to rest this afternoon, I went to the family physician's office to inquire in detail. The physician said that Grandmother's recent prescriptions were all based on those written by Physician Zhang from the Imperial Hospital. He carefully examined the prescriptions and found them to be ordinary prescriptions that mainly focused on regulating qi, calming the mind, and warming and tonifying the body, and there was nothing wrong with them."
However, he said that the medicinal herbs sent by the Imperial Medical Academy no longer needed to be handled by the prefectural physicians; they were all delivered by the Imperial Medical Academy and directly handed over to Granny Li in the kitchen for preparation.
"Old Lady Li?" Ye Xingjian searched his memory for the name. "Is she from the second branch of the family?"
"That's right, it's that old woman who's especially good at making candied fruit. But because she's lame, my second aunt wanted to send her away, but my grandmother took pity on her and specially kept her in the kitchen."
Ye Mu's legs were a little numb from kneeling for so long, so she naturally withdrew her hand, stood up, and stretched her stiff knees. "I originally wanted to go to the kitchen to find some dregs of medicine, but strangely, all the dregs from the past few days have disappeared. The people in the kitchen said that the second branch's nanny came and ordered that the things in front of the old lady be cleaned up. I just don't understand, the person hasn't even been put into the coffin yet, why is she in such a hurry to clean up the dregs of medicine?"
She looked at Ye Xingjian, "And what's even stranger is that Granny Li, who specializes in decocting medicine, has been missing since the afternoon."
“The second branch’s actions are indeed suspicious.” Ye Xingjian also stood up, walked to the altar, picked up three incense sticks, and bowed to his grandmother. “According to the rules of the mansion, the items used by the master in life must be disposed of only after the mourning period is over. Second Aunt has been in charge of the household for many years, how could she not know this rule?”
Ye Xingjian lit incense and placed it in the incense burner. The wisps of smoke blurred his profile. "I understand what my sister means."
“As is customary, Physician Zhang will come to offer his condolences tomorrow. I will ask him for the prescription and inquire about the details,” he said. “Since it is inconvenient for you to go out, I will send someone to inquire about Granny Li’s whereabouts.”
Ye Mu nodded. Her brother understood her; he could understand her meaning without her needing to say more.
Ye Mu pondered for a moment and said, "We must investigate both the main road and the covert road. Although we can't find the dregs of the medicine, we can still find clues by checking the small stove used to boil the medicine, the containers used to hold the medicine, and the place where Granny Li lives in the mansion."
She remembered what happened at the manor, "Brother, can you help me investigate another person, Sister Xia?"
She also told Ye Xingjian about the interrogation of the peddler at the estate, and then frowned slightly, saying, "I always feel that these things are a tangled mess, seemingly connected by spiderwebs, but I just can't grasp the main thread."
"Don't worry, Fourth Sister. The matter has been accomplished in secret. I will investigate Sister Xia in secret." Ye Xingjian comforted her gently. "Besides, how can there be a secret that stays hidden forever? Once you've done something wrong, you're bound to slip up."
With his elder brother by his side, Ye Mu's heavy heart felt a little lighter.
-
At 3:45 AM the next day, before dawn, the candles in the mourning hall had already been changed once.
Ye Mu was kneeling on the prayer mat, trying to stay awake, when he suddenly saw Madam Zhou walking gracefully towards him with two maids. Today, she was dressed in a brand-new plain dress, with only a white velvet flower in her hair, but her face did not show much sorrow.
"Fourth Sister, you must be exhausted after keeping watch all night." Madam Zhou rarely showed her a kind look. "Go back and rest. I'll keep watch here."
After her brother left last night, Ye Mu leaned against the wall and took a short nap. She was indeed feeling dizzy and lightheaded. She was surprised that Madam Zhou was being so kind today. Before she could say anything, Madam Zhou had already signaled to the maid to help her up and take the paper money from her hand.
Such attentiveness was unusual, and Ye Mu became suspicious. Just as she was pondering this, footsteps sounded outside, and the steward hurriedly entered, bowing and reporting, "Second Madam, the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has arrived at the gate."
Zhou's face fell with sorrow. "Please come quickly."
Ye Mu immediately understood; it turned out that this was to put on a virtuous and responsible appearance in front of such distinguished guests as the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
She sneered inwardly, but didn't say anything. She just lowered her head and straightened her wrinkled clothes. "Second Aunt is right. I am indeed not in a good position to receive guests in this state. I'll have to trouble you then."
Ye Mu said no more, left the mourning hall, and walked down the covered corridor to the west wing of the third courtyard.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the autumn dew dampened her skirt. A chill seeped into her bones. She had just walked past a clump of withered chrysanthemums when she saw Jin Yun, the head maidservant of Madam Wang, waiting in front of the moon gate.
"Fourth Miss," Jin Yun curtsied, "Madam invites you to come over and speak with her."
Ye Mu covered her face with her sleeve and yawned slightly. Not knowing why her aunt wanted to see her at this time, she simply nodded slightly and said, "Okay, I'll come after I wash up and change."
After changing into a simple dress, Ye Mu went to the main courtyard. As she passed the men's ceremonial hall, she saw the Marquis and Ye Xingjian waiting at the door, exchanging pleasantries with the Duke of Zhenguo.
She sidestepped into a narrow path shaded by bamboo shadows. The young master beside the Duke of Zhenguo glanced over and caught a glimpse of her white robes flashing at the corner of the corridor.
"Which sister in your household is this?" the young master asked.
Ye Xingjian's eyes flickered slightly, but before he could answer, Second Master Ye strode out of the hall, rushed forward, and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive me. It was our Fourth Miss who is young and doesn't know any better, and she offended our distinguished guest."
The Duke of Zhenguo looked up and saw only swaying bamboo shadows; the person was nowhere to be seen. He stroked his beard and pondered, "I've often heard my wife mention the fourth young lady of the manor. She says that she could read accounts before she was ten years old and started managing the estate at twelve. She's a rare talent for managing a household. Is that true?"
Grandpa Ye nodded slightly, "That's true. Fourth Sister is a bit stubborn, but she's really good at managing household affairs."
Ye Xingjian stood beside his father. He rarely heard his father praise a junior so frankly. Hearing this now, he felt honored and couldn't help but say, "Fourth Sister is intelligent and hardworking. She manages the household affairs very well."
Grandpa Ye glanced at him again.
The Duke of Zhenguo said regretfully, "It's a pity that the old lady has just passed away, and we must observe a year of mourning before we can discuss marriage."
A woman's year is neither long nor short; her prime is easily missed, and she cannot afford to waste it.
“Who says otherwise? Who can predict what the situation will be like a year from now?” Zhou Shi, who was in the women’s quarters, was also talking with the Lady of the State. “Fortunately, our Qing’er had already exchanged betrothal letters with the second young master of the Nan’an Prince’s Mansion two years ago. A young lady’s marriage is something that cannot be delayed.”
Ye Qing sat in the corner with her head down, keeping vigil for her grandmother, her fingertips trembling slightly. She had only seen that young master once from afar at her coming-of-age ceremony, and afterwards he went to serve in the army on the frontier, so she couldn't even remember what he looked like.
She only remembered that its general outline was dark and sturdy, standing under the eaves like a badger that had just broken out of the mountains and fields. She was unwilling, but in the end she could not go against her mother's wishes.
Perhaps her mother had a point. If she didn't have such a rugged appearance and such a high social standing, how could they have even looked at her? Besides, from childhood to adulthood, she had always done whatever her mother said.
Lady Zhenguo looked at the white candle on the table, wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and said, “Alas, who can say otherwise? But how could the old lady have left so suddenly? At the coming-of-age ceremony of the fourth young lady in April, I saw her still able to walk a few steps with the help of her maid. It’s not even the end of the year yet, and she’s gone just like that.”
She had originally planned to propose marriage when the Kitchen God was sent off at the end of the year. She thought the Fourth Miss was good in both character and appearance and liked her. Now she could only swallow her words.
It would take a year before they could discuss marriage, and another year or two before they could get married. By then, Ye Mu would be eighteen or nineteen. If they were to marry her, the ladies of noble families would gossip behind her back, saying that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion couldn't find a suitable young lady and had to hire a woman who was almost twenty.
The more the Duchess of Zhenguo thought about it, the more regretful she felt. Such a good girl, what a cruel twist of fate! She even shed a few tears.
“Who says otherwise?” Zhou thought she was crying for the old lady, so she also raised her sleeve to pretend to cry, acting like a good daughter-in-law. “Yesterday, my third sister-in-law was serving her, and she just collapsed right in front of her. She was quite frightened. It’s strange, though. When I went to pay my respects yesterday morning, the old lady was perfectly fine.”
"Could it be that your Third Madam said something to the Old Madam? Otherwise, how could she have passed away like this..." The Duchess of Zhenguo stopped speaking at the right moment.
Zhou gave a wink, but instead of defending herself, she changed the subject, saying, "A girl can't wait a year, but a boy gets more and more desirable the longer he waits. Our Wen-ge will be twenty-three after the New Year. These years he has focused all his attention on his career and has neglected his marriage."
She asked casually, "I remember the second young lady of the Madam's household should be of marriageable age next year, right?"
It turned out that she was waiting for her here. The Duchess of Zhenguo's mind was racing. Everyone knew that the young master of the second branch of the Marquis's mansion was utterly ignorant. Although he was officially on duty in the Secretariat, he spent his private time either cockfighting, horse racing, or frequenting brothels. The scandals caused by the maids in his room had already spread among the women of all the mansions. [1]
With such character, which respectable young lady would dare to jump into a fire pit?
“The children are still young, so there’s no rush,” the Duchess of Zhenguo politely declined. “We’ve been talking for a while now. I’ll go and offer a few more sticks of incense to the old lady.”
Everyone has their own thoughts and plans.
On the other side, as Ye Mu stepped into the courtyard of the eldest son's house, he saw Wang Shi doing her makeup by the window. Several plain silver hairpins were scattered in front of the bronze mirror, and a maid was carefully applying a cooling ointment to her forehead.
Wang's face was as pale as paper, and even her lips had lost all color, clearly indicating that her headache had flared up again.
"Auntie," Ye Mu called softly.
Wang looked up from the mirror, and the morning light shone through the window lattice, falling perfectly on Ye Mu. The girl stood in the light and shadow, dressed in plain clothes. Although she wore no makeup, she possessed a natural elegance, like plum blossoms covered in the first snow, her beauty indescribable.
She was truly a beauty beyond compare; no wonder even her own brother was captivated by her. Thinking of this, Wang's head throbbed even more.
Today she's going to see who really is responsible for this ill-fated relationship.
Was it that the usually upright and proper Jian Ge'er himself violated human ethics and harbored delusions, or was it that Ye Mu, who seemed so well-behaved, actually had ulterior motives?
"They've arrived." Madam Wang withdrew her gaze and gestured for the maid to leave.
"There are many guests today, and my headache has flared up again, so I have to force myself to handle it." Madam Wang rubbed her temples, her voice weary. "I called you here because there's something I need to ask you."
Ye Mu stepped into the room and stood at his sides. Given the current situation, the fact that he had specially summoned her must mean that this was no ordinary conversation.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you for reading and adding this to your favorites! [Keep it up!]
[1] Secretariat: an ancient central government office, but its functions are very different from the modern "secretary" work. It was mainly responsible for managing the country's books and records, similar to today's National Library, National Archives and central publishing institutions.
This story is fictional and mostly consists of personal interpretations.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com