Chapter 83: The Warmth and Coldness of My Mother's Family
The carriage drove away from the Yongchang Marquis's residence, the wheels making a rhythmic sound as they rolled over the bluestone pavement. Mingxuan had already fallen into a deep sleep in his wet nurse's arms, his little face still smeared with sugar frosting from the banquet.
Su Wanrou leaned on Gu Yangui's shoulder, gazing at the familiar street scene receding into the distance outside the window, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Today was her homecoming, outwardly a grand affair, but beneath that deliberately maintained liveliness lay a subtle mix of emotions that only she could truly understand.
"Tired?" Gu Yangui's deep voice sounded above her head. He adjusted his position to make her more comfortable.
Su Wanrou gently shook her head, then nodded: "A little. But more than that, I'm... happy, and there's a little bit of something else I can't quite describe."
Gu Yangui didn't press the matter; he simply tightened his grip on her hand, offering silent support. How could he, with his keen perception, fail to see the subtle undercurrents hidden behind the smiles at today's banquet?
Su Wanrou closed her eyes, and the private conversation her mother had with her in the inner room after the luncheon flashed through her mind...
"Jiaojiao, come and try this. It's your favorite osmanthus-steamed chestnut flour cake before you got married." Madam Su pushed a small plate of delicate pastries in front of her daughter, her eyes showing genuine concern after she had let down her guard.
The hustle and bustle of the waterside pavilion had been shut out, leaving only the mother and daughter and their trusted confidante, Granny Qian, in the inner room. Su Wanrou picked up a piece of pastry, took a small bite, and the familiar sweet and glutinous taste melted in her mouth, but it seemed to lack the pure joy she remembered.
"Mother, thank you for your hard work today, Father." Su Wanrou put down the pastries and held her mother's hand. She could see how much effort her parents had put into this homecoming. Their carefulness both pained her and made her feel a little pressured.
"Silly child, what's so hard about this?" Madam Su patted her daughter's hand, her eyes reddening again. "Seeing how sincerely the Duke treats you, I would be willing to work ten times harder." She looked her daughter over carefully and lowered her voice, "Tell me the truth, is everything really alright at the Duke's mansion? Has the Old Madam... and those old people in the mansion, not caused you any trouble?"
“Everything is really good.” Su Wanrou’s tone was firm, with a reassuring smile. “The old matriarch is kind and treats me like her own granddaughter. My husband has also gradually let me manage the affairs of the manor, and the servants now respect me very much. Mingxuan is such a thoughtful child.”
Madam Su breathed a long sigh of relief, as if a great weight had finally been lifted from her heart: "That's good, that's good. You don't know, since you got married, your father and I haven't had a single day without worry. The Duke's family is of such high social standing, and you're still so young; we were always afraid you'd suffer some injustice but dare not speak up..."
"My daughter is really good," Su Wanrou emphasized again, but a pang of sadness welled up in her heart at her mother's words. She knew that her parents' worries were not unfounded, and the feeling of walking on thin ice when she first entered the Duke's mansion still made her feel a little bitter when she thought about it.
"Alright, alright, Mother believes you." Madam Su dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, then suddenly remembered something, her expression becoming somewhat complicated. She gestured for Granny Qian to stand guard outside the door before leaning closer to her daughter, lowering her voice even further, "Jiaojiao, today you also met your uncles, aunts, cousins, and other relatives..."
Su Wanrou understood and quietly waited for her mother to continue.
“You know perfectly well what state our Yongchang Marquis’s mansion is in now,” Madam Su sighed, her brows furrowed with worry. “Your father is a lazy man, and your brother… alas, he’s not very promising either. Now, the entire mansion, both openly and secretly, is counting on you.”
Su Wanrou's heart sank slightly. During the banquet, the overly enthusiastic smiles, the roundabout flattery, and the excessive attention paid to the Duke, Mingxuan, and even the maidservants' attire all became clear at this moment.
“Mother, I understand.” Su Wanrou’s voice was soft, yet carried weight. “I am both a daughter of the Su family and a wife of the Gu family. I will naturally do what I should do. But some things… must be done in accordance with the rules and proceed step by step. My husband… although he treats me well, he also has his principles and bottom line.”
These words were tactful, yet they highlighted the key point. She could offer appropriate assistance to her family, but she couldn't overstep her bounds, much less take advantage of Gu Yangui's favor to make demands.
Madam Su was an extremely astute woman, and she immediately understood her daughter's unspoken meaning. A hint of embarrassment flashed across her face, followed by relief: "Mother understands, Mother didn't mean that. I'm just reminding you that your status is different now, and everyone is watching your every word and action. It's inevitable that some people in the clan will have some inappropriate thoughts. You need to be aware of this and know your limits, and don't let your family's affairs make things difficult for you in the Duke's mansion."
This is a mother who truly cares about her. A warm feeling welled up in Su Wanrou's heart, and she nodded vigorously: "Daughter knows what's important."
"There is one more thing..." Madam Su hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your third uncle's cousin, Su Wenbin, is currently serving in the Imperial Academy and will soon be selected for official positions... Today, he asked your father to deliver a message, hoping that the Duke would have the opportunity to... offer some guidance."
Su Wanrou frowned. This cousin of hers was mediocre in his studies but arrogant in his ambition. She was the last person who wanted to get involved in such matters.
“Mother, my husband dislikes his wives interfering in his affairs, especially his career and the imperial examinations.” Su Wanrou stated her position directly. “If my cousin is truly talented, he will have a proper path to follow. If he is not talented, even if he manages to obtain an official position, it will not be a blessing. I cannot agree to this.”
Upon hearing this, Madam Su was not displeased at all; instead, she breathed a sigh of relief: "You did the right thing. It was your mother who was confused and shouldn't have spread that message. Now that you are handling things more and more steadily, your mother is at ease." Looking at her daughter's calm and beautiful profile, she suddenly felt that her daughter had really grown up and was no longer the little darling who needed her to protect her in every way.
The mother and daughter chatted intimately for a while, mostly about Madam Su's advice on how to take care of her health and how to get along with her sisters-in-law and other close female relatives. They parted reluctantly when the Duke came to invite them to leave.
Aside from whispers with her mother, some details during the banquet, like needles, occasionally pricked Su Wanrou's heart.
For example, when her usually arrogant second aunt praised her as "lucky" and "fortunate" in an unprecedentedly warm tone, her eyes involuntarily drifted to the priceless mutton-fat jade pendant at Gu Yangui's waist.
For example, a cousin who had distanced herself from her before she was married because of her inferior family background now kept pulling her aside to talk about "sisterly affection" and inquired about the interpersonal relationships of the Duke's mansion.
For example, the father's unconscious respect for Gu Yangui during their conversation even carried a hint of barely perceptible flattery...
These subtle "coldnesses," intertwined with the genuine "warmth" she felt from her parents and the silent "warmth" of Gu Yangui's care, created the complex emotions of her homecoming. She clearly realized that from the moment she stepped into the Duke's bridal sedan chair, her identity in her maternal family had changed. She was a daughter of the Su family, and even more so, the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo. Behind this honor lay responsibility, weighing options, and a naivety that could never be recaptured.
"arrive."
Gu Yangui's voice pulled her back from her thoughts.
Su Wanrou opened her eyes and found that the carriage had entered the side gate of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and stopped outside the second gate. Gu Yangui got out of the carriage first, and as before, turned around and reached out to help her.
The night was slightly cool, but his palms were warm and dry. Su Wanrou used his strength to get out of the car, and after she stood up, she didn't let go of his hand immediately, but instead gently squeezed it back.
Gu Yangui looked down at her, the glow of the lanterns under the eaves reflecting on her face, revealing a faint weariness and an imperceptible vulnerability between her brows and eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice particularly deep and gentle in the night.
Su Wanrou looked up into his deep eyes, where she saw concern and understanding, as if he had already seen through all the complicated emotions in her heart. Suddenly, she felt that those mixed feelings of warmth and coldness became less important under his calm gaze.
This is her home now. It has him, it has Mingxuan, and it has a life that she needs to protect and nurture.
She shook her head, then smiled, a smile as sweet and resilient as a jasmine blooming in the night: "It's nothing. I just feel so good to have my husband here."
Gu Yangui gazed at her for a moment, then raised his hand and gently brushed the corner of her eye with his fingertips, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.
"You've had a long day, go home and get some rest." He didn't say much, but those simple actions and words were more comforting than a thousand words.
"Mm." Su Wanrou nodded, the melancholy in her heart caused by the coldness of her family was completely dispelled by this warm current.
She took his arm, and the two walked side by side toward the brightly lit inner courtyard. Behind them, the wet nurse carefully followed, carrying the sleeping Mingxuan.
A night breeze wafted by, carrying the sweet fragrance of flowers and plants from the courtyard. Su Wanrou took a deep breath, a sense of peace and tranquility washing over her.
No matter how the outside world changes, or how cold or warm human relationships may be, as long as this person is by her side, she has the most solid support and the warmest refuge. And she will surely strive to grow into a duke's wife who can stand shoulder to shoulder with him and support him.
The road ahead is long, but she is fearless.
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