Chapter 38 Suiyang's Fiancé, Prince Shao
Pei Yu spent the entire day setting up defenses at the Yuanlin Horse Ranch. Seven days later, His Majesty was to go hunting there. He entered the Yingfeng Pavilion, where a maid waiting at the door immediately greeted him, saying that Madam Pei invited him over.
"Is Lady Song over there?" Pei Yu asked, unfastening the sleeve dart from his wrist with one hand.
The maid replied, "Madam Song is not here, but the young master and Miss He are both here."
Pei Yu paused in his action of unscrewing the hidden arrow. Huiyin was very clever; after entering the mansion, she began to win over Madam Pei's favor, and she succeeded.
Madam Pei later took a liking to her and would take her with her everywhere she went. She would even ask Huiyin for her opinion on some matters in the mansion. So why did Madam Pei's attitude suddenly turn cold?
He had been traveling all day, his clothes were soaked, and he was covered in bits of grass. Pei Yu turned around and headed towards Huiyin's courtyard, instructing her, "Go and tell the Lady that I will bathe and change before I go."
As soon as Pei Yu stepped inside, he saw Huiyin leaning against the door, staring blankly in the direction of the neighboring courtyard. His heart suddenly skipped a beat.
"Young General." Yan Niang stepped out of the side room and saw Pei Yu standing at the courtyard gate.
Huiyin was brought back to her senses by the voice. She turned her head and saw Pei Yu's figure.
"You're back."
Pei Yu walked towards Huiyin, stopped three steps in front of her, and replied, "I'm back."
Huiyin nodded, lowering her eyes, not daring to look at him. She tucked her hands into her sleeves, clasping them together where they couldn't be seen.
“I’m all sweaty and want to take a shower,” Pei Yu said, looking at her.
Huiyin looked up and noticed the bits of grass stuck to the hem of his clothes. She turned to look for Yanniang and instructed, "Mother Fu, have someone prepare water."
The room was divided by three layers of mica screens. Huiyin sat on a brocade mat, listening to the sound of water outside. To her left was a clean set of blue men's robes.
After taking a bath, Pei Yu entered the inner room wearing his undergarments. His hair was disheveled, dripping water from it.
Huiyin handed over a clean cotton handkerchief from the lacquer tray, but Pei Yu didn't take it. A smile appeared in his eyes: "You wipe it for me."
Pei Yu walked up to Huiyin and sat down cross-legged.
Huiyin exhaled softly, gathered Pei Yu's hair and gently wiped it. The inner room was quiet, with only the soft sound of a cotton handkerchief wiping his hair.
Pei Yu, with his eyes closed, asked, "How are you feeling today? Are you feeling unwell?"
Huiyin's emotions surged because of his words, and her whole body felt as if it had been submerged in warm water, with every pore on her body opening up.
"I'm fine now." She pinched her palm to calm her inner turmoil.
Pei Yu turned around and took the handkerchief from Huiyin's hand. His palm accidentally touched Huiyin's hand, which was as cold as jade, completely different from the burning hot hand of the previous night.
Huiyin felt uneasy as he touched her hot hands. She thought of Pei Yu in her dream and felt a chill run down her spine. She supported herself with her hands and backed away.
Pei Yu noticed a faint blush on Huiyin's fair face and suspected she still had a low-grade fever. He reached out to touch Huiyin's forehead, but before he could even touch it, Huiyin quickly stood up and retreated as if facing a formidable enemy.
His right hand froze in mid-air, the atmosphere awkward and heavy.
Pei Yu withdrew his hand, looked at Huiyin's wary expression not far away, remained silent for a moment, and then explained, "Your face is flushed, I just wanted to see if you still have a low-grade fever."
Huiyin only heard Pei Yu say that she blushed. She panicked and quickly turned her back to the bed, covering herself up by saying, "It's a little hot, I'm really fine."
Pei Yu watched her disappear behind the curtain without saying anything more. He gathered his hair with a handkerchief, casually dried it, tied it up, and put on a clean outer robe.
"I'll go to my mother's first and return later."
He did not hear Huiyin's reply and turned to leave.
Listening to the receding footsteps, Huiyin peeked out cautiously, her expression troubled. Judging from Pei Yu's appearance, he was going to stay with her tonight, but Huiyin had had an embarrassing dream during the day, and she was worried that she would have another dream tonight and lose her composure in front of Pei Yu.
Huiyin thought bitterly, "So you like using drugs, huh? One day, she'll make Guangling taste this bitterness too."
——
Pei Yu stopped outside Madam Pei's door, listening to the lively laughter of the three people inside, and thought of Huiyin, who had been lost in thought alone. He pursed his lips and pushed the door open to go in.
The three people who were chatting stopped at the same time and turned to look at Pei Yu.
Pei Yan exclaimed happily, "Brother, you're back!"
Madam Pei looked at Pei Yan and said longingly, "Yu'er, come here quickly, let your mother take a look."
He Jiaying asked, "Cousin, did you teach Guangling a lesson?"
He stepped forward and casually asked, "Why didn't you call Huiyin over?"
He Jiaying spoke first: "Auntie said Huiyin was frightened and told her to rest well."
"Yes," Madam Pei replied somewhat awkwardly.
Pei Yu knew his mother's temperament all too well; her mind was so simple that it was easy to read her. He stared at Madam Pei, lightly tapping his waist token with his knuckles, and sent He Jiaying and Pei Yan away.
After the courtyard was cleared, Pei Yu knelt before Madam Pei, his gaze sharp and intense.
Madam Pei's heart skipped a beat, and she dared not look up at Pei Yu. As Pei Yu grew up, he became the head of the Pei family, and Madam Pei found her son's thoughts increasingly unfathomable.
She clenched her fists, feigning displeasure, and said, "What do you mean by this? You come back with a cold face. Who offended you?"
Pei Yu picked up a lacquer spoon and poured tea for Madam Pei from the teapot that was sitting quietly beside him. He was calm and composed and smiled, saying, "No one has offended anyone. I just want to know who is gossiping about you."
When Madam Pei saw that Pei Yu knew, she slammed her hand on the table in anger, "I only left her hanging for a little while, and she couldn't help but complain to you!"
“She didn’t say anything, and her son isn’t stupid,” Pei Yu said calmly.
Madam Pei was even angrier, and said bitterly, "Fine, I've raised a son for nothing. He's forgotten his mother now that he has a wife. What, I deliberately ignored her, and you're going to scold your old mother for her sake!"
Pei Yu raised his eyes and said helplessly, "She is your daughter-in-law. It is only right that you dislike her and scold her if she does something wrong. However, our Pei family is not the kind of family that is mean-spirited. Mother is kind-hearted and magnanimous. Who does not like you?"
Madam Pei was flattered by Pei Yu, and her anger vanished instantly. An uncontrollable smile appeared on her lips, and she said rather shyly, "I'm not as good as you say."
After coaxing his mother, Pei Yu tentatively asked, "I wonder what Huiyin did to upset you?"
“She didn’t do anything,” Madam Pei said, taking a sip of tea, her face showing worry. “It’s all because of you. All these years you haven’t wanted to marry, you’ve wanted to stay with that Liu Tan…”
Pei Yu interrupted Madam Pei, saying, "My son has never said such a thing."
Madam Pei said irritably, "You didn't say that, so why did you refuse to marry Liu Tan after I repeatedly brought it up? Also, if you don't care about her, why did you personally go to Qingzhou to put pressure on Liu Tan when the Dong family of Qingzhou demanded that she stay for Dong Wushang for a lifetime, and argue that she only had to stay for three years?"
Pei Yu frowned, unwilling to delve any further into the matter. He asked, "What does this have to do with Huiyin?"
Madam Pei stood up angrily and said, "How can it be unrelated! If Song Huiyin were more ordinary, it would be fine to keep her as a concubine. But she is outstanding in every way, including appearance and talent. Naturally, the Liu family is worried that she will win your heart and hinder Liu Tan's path. That's why Madam Liu came to me and asked me to send her away as soon as possible to avoid future conflicts between your wives and concubines and to prevent unrest in your household!"
Pei Yu scoffed: "When did it become Liu's place to decide the affairs of my Pei family?"
Madam Pei was so angry that her body felt hot. She looked at Pei Yu as if he were a fool and scolded, "If you want to marry her daughter, how can she not interfere? It's all your fault for being so fixated on Liu Tan. She has already abandoned you to marry someone else!"
Pei Yu was scolded by Madam Pei. He propped his head up with one hand and said lazily, "Whether Song Huiyin stays or leaves is entirely up to her own will. No one else can decide for her. Mother, you don't need to pay attention to Madam Liu."
He got up to leave, but Madam Pei chased after him, asking, "Between Huiyin and Liutan, who will you choose!"
Pei Yu turned his back and waved his hand, replying, "I have already told Mother the answer."
Madam Pei paused, recalling every word Pei Yu had just said, but still couldn't figure it out.
She angrily shouted at Pei Yu, "You brat, you're still playing games with your old mother. You don't learn the good things, you only learn the bad things. You've been back for a year and all you do is learn to speak official jargon from those old men."
Madam Pei was furious and fanned herself vigorously with a bamboo fan from the table. Aunt Qiao pushed open the door, took the fan from Madam Pei, and gently waved it, comforting her, "What's wrong, Your Highness? Why are you so angry?"
Madam Pei recounted her conversation with Pei Yu to Aunt Qiao in detail, asking, "Tell me, what exactly did he mean?"
Aunt Qiao laughed and said, "The young general's meaning is very clear. He has already said that Huiyin is your daughter-in-law. Don't you understand?"
Madam Pei came to her senses and asked, puzzled, "What about Liu Tan? Why isn't he marrying her?"
“Who can say for sure when it comes to matters of the heart?” Qiao replied.
Madam Pei thought carefully. She liked Huiyin in every way, and she used to like Liu Tan very much as well. However, the fact that Huiyin had remarried was always a hurdle that Madam Pei could not get over. If Pei Yu had not remained unmarried for many years and only cared about Liu Tan, she would never have agreed to let Liu Tan enter the Pei family.
But if Pei Yu were to fall for Huiyin now, that would be much easier. Huiyin's current status prevents her from being his principal wife. In that case, she could arrange for Pei Yu to marry a virtuous and gentle noblewoman. How wonderful it would be to have a virtuous wife and a beautiful concubine to take care of him!
Madam Pei understood the situation and stopped worrying; a smile returned to her face. She instructed Aunt Qiao, "I've neglected Huiyin these past two days. Tomorrow, pick out some nice things and send them to the west courtyard."
Aunt Qiao nodded with a smile.
——
Pei Yu returned to the west courtyard. The lights in the courtyard were out, and the main room was pitch black. He went forward, pushed open the door, and entered the room by the moonlight. He asked the figure on the bed, "Asleep?"
Huiyin shifted her body, crawled out from under the summer quilt, and lifted the curtain. "Not yet, light the lamp."
A fire lit up the room. Pei Yu sat in the outer room, looking at Huiyin through a curtain. Through the thin veil, he subtly observed Huiyin's eyebrows, nose, and mouth.
Admiring a beauty under the lamplight.
Huiyin listened to the commotion outside and tilted her head slightly. Pei Yu came in and sat down without making a sound. His figure was reflected in the light and shadow on the curtain and swayed gently.
"Aren't you going to sleep?" Huiyin asked, propping herself up as she lay down and looked at Pei Yu's figure, feeling a little tired.
She heard Pei Yu say, "You sleep here; there aren't any extra blankets."
Huiyin looked at the spacious bed beside her and held back her words.
Pei Yu turned off the light, and the room was plunged into darkness again.
Huiyin closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep. After a while, she reluctantly opened her eyes. Perhaps it was because she had slept too much during the day, or perhaps it was because Pei Yu was still there, but she couldn't fall asleep.
She gently turned over, resting her head on her arm and gazing at the dark figure behind the curtain. Her thoughts drifted away; Pei Yu was the most handsome man she had ever seen, even more so than Wang Huan.
The two also had completely different temperaments. Wang Huan was like the moon, gentle and kind, polite and unassuming, and would not offend anyone.
Pei Yu, on the other hand, was completely different. He appeared composed and had a deep mind; he possessed all the qualities one would expect of a young powerful minister. Yet, at times he was also quite naive and wicked, revealing a youthful nature that was unknown to others.
Huiyin is now quite curious about what Pei Yu was like back then.
Pei Yu asked, "Can't sleep?"
Huiyin's thoughts were interrupted by his sudden voice, so she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
She heard Pei Yu chuckle softly, like a feather brushing against her earlobe, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation.
Pei Yu said, "Your breathing is uneven; no matter how much you pretend, I know you're not asleep."
Huiyin sat up, her long hair cascading down her back. She hugged her knees and said sullenly, "I can't sleep with you here."
Pei Yu got up and walked away. Huiyin's gaze followed his figure. She saw Pei Yu take a bronze lamp, light it, and walk in her direction.
All she could see was the radiant Pei Yu.
The orange glow emanating from the bronze lampstand enveloped Pei Yu. He lifted the curtain, walked to Huiyin, placed the bronze lampstand beside the bed, and then sat on the bed, gazing at Huiyin.
"If you can't sleep, I'll keep you company for a while."
He began to speak in a low, hoarse voice.
Pei Yu told Huiyin the whole story of the scheme that Guangling had plotted against at the palace banquet, including how the Prince of Lu was deceived and how the palace maid Pei'er died.
He told Huiyin that all the land Guangling had seized in the west of the city had been taken back. She was furious and wanted to ask His Majesty for help, but Empress Pei took her away and gave her a good scolding under the pretext of palace rules.
Then there's Prince Lu, who, while drunk, spoke disrespectfully to many of the women, which reached His Majesty's ears. His Majesty was furious and punished him by confining him to his quarters for a month. The trip to Ganquan Palace was only three months, yet he was confined for a month and is now desperately seeking intercession on his behalf.
He said a lot, but Huiyin didn't really listen. She looked at the golden-orange halo on Pei Yu's eyelashes and the smile in his eyes, and belatedly realized that he was unusually gentle tonight.
As Huiyin listened to his soft voice, sleepiness washed over her.
Pei Yu noticed that Huiyin was sleepy, her head bobbing intermittently. He reached out and helped Huiyin lie down, gently stroking her eyebrows and eyes, his voice as soft as the wind: "Sleep."
——
The next day, Huiyin looked at Qiao Ao, who was behaving respectfully in the courtyard, and the fine tonics and jewelry she had brought, and was slightly surprised.
She had intended to find an opportunity to talk to Madam Pei and try to persuade her to let go of her resentment. Unexpectedly, Pei Yu had already stepped in to resolve the issue for her. Huiyin gestured for Yan Niang to put her things away.
She rose and smiled at Aunt George, "I should personally thank you, Madam."
Qiao Ao stopped Huiyin, her tone respectful: "The Lady has been invited by Madam Xiao to travel with Miss He. Madam Song, please go to the East Courtyard later."
Huiyin stopped and asked, "Is it about the matchmaking?"
"That's right, Madam Xiao wanted to talk about Miss He and the young master of the Grand Historian's family."
Not long after Qiao left, Suiyang arrived, with the same stern-looking old woman still by her side, standing silently behind her.
Suiyang also brought many fine tonics. She looked ashamed and looked at Huiyin with embarrassment after entering the house, her round eyes full of apology.
“Sister Huiyin, I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t failed to control the maid, you wouldn’t have suffered this misfortune.”
Huiyin pulled her to sit down, placed the cooled mung bean soup in front of her, and said softly, "What does this have to do with you? There's no such thing as being a thief for a thousand days and guarding against thieves for a thousand days."
Suiyang tilted her head, reached out and grasped Huiyin's hand, the dangling beads in her hair swaying gently, "I'm glad that Sister Huiyin doesn't blame me."
Huiyin patted her hand and noticed that she was wearing a bracelet made of jasmine buds. The buds were white and emitted a faint fragrance.
Suiyang raised his hand and said happily, "This was given to me by Zishao; he strung it himself."
Suiyang's fiancé, Wang Xuan, courtesy name Zishao, was also Wang Huan's cousin and a member of the Langya Wang clan.
Three years ago, His Majesty bestowed a marriage upon Suiyang and Wang Huan, binding the royal family and the clan together. This marriage, which was based on self-interest, turned into a happy union because Suiyang and Prince Shao loved each other.
The two were deeply in love and set their wedding date for next spring.
Suiyang said, "I came today not only to visit my elder sister, but also on someone's behalf to inquire about your recent situation."
Huiyin had just learned who had entrusted her with this task. Her gaze was calm: "Please tell him that I am safe and sound and all is well. I will thank him in person next time we meet."
Suiyang silently noted it down, then spoke with some difficulty, "Sister, I shouldn't have asked, but I delivered the letter for Wang Langjun, and I feel guilty towards my cousin. You and Wang Langjun..."
Huiyin knew what she was worried about. "Don't worry, as long as I'm in the Pei family, I won't do anything to betray your cousin."
Sui Yang waved his hands repeatedly, his eyes full of curiosity. "That's not what I meant. I wanted to ask, who is the person in your heart?"
Huiyin chuckled, "Why do you all come to ask me this?"
She got up and went outside. Looking at the blazing sun high in the sky, she sighed, "I am not on the same path as either of them."
Suiyang didn't understand, but she didn't press Huiyin for more information. She got up and walked to Huiyin's side, pointing happily to the east, "Sister Huiyin, there are many young men and women having fun at the Aoshi Stele. Zishao is there too. Shall we go and take a look?"
Huiyin couldn't bear to refuse her kindness, so she changed into an indigo-colored blouse and went out with Suiyang.
A palace eunuch held up a silk parasol to shield the two from the sun, while a maidservant followed behind with her head bowed.
Suiyang linked arms with Huiyin, and it was clear that she was very happy. She talked non-stop about the fun she had had with Prince Shao these past few days.
When the two arrived at the Aoshibei, the place was already bustling with activity. On the vast green meadow, several small huts were scattered about. Young men and women gathered together, laughing and playing games such as pitch-pot, liubo, wrestling, juggling balls, and drinking games.
Before the proud stone tablet, a group of young men in fine clothes stood together, smiling as they watched the two debating in the center.
One of them had a broad face and long eyebrows, with a kind and honest appearance; he was the prime minister's eldest son. The other had delicate features, red lips and white teeth, a slender figure, and a smile as warm as the spring sun, drawing attention wherever he went.
He was Suiyang's fiancé, Wang Xuan, courtesy name Zishao.
Suiyang also saw him, and, holding Huiyin's arm, looked over there with a smile on his face.
"Sister Huiyin, what are they saying?"
Huiyin listened for a moment. The prime minister's eldest son believed in the Huang-Lao philosophy of non-action, while Prince Shao advocated Confucianism. Both were young talents in Chang'an, each holding their own opinions. When they met, they started arguing, determined to determine who was superior. Such things were common in the capital.
Huiyin: "Let's stop arguing about the doctrines. Do you want to go over there?"
Suiyang shook his head. "Let's play pitch-pot after he's done with his work."
She pulled Huiyin along as they squeezed into the crowd. A new game of pitch-pot was just starting, and the host was a young man who held a feather fan and fanned himself lightly, speaking in a clear voice: "The rules for this game are different. Anyone who wants to participate can come up and throw at the same time. Each person throws ten arrows, and the one with the highest score wins."
The young man took a step back, pointed to a carved wooden box behind him, and laughed, "This is the prize. As for what it is, only the winner will know."
The carved wooden box was exquisitely crafted, covered in colorful paintings, and its lock was a fine Luban lock, clearly a rare item. Suiyang became interested; she was very curious about what was inside the box, but unfortunately, her pitch-pot skills were poor, and she always lost when she went to play.
She looked at Huiyin pitifully, her hands clasped in a pleading gesture, "Sister Huiyin, please help me."
Huiyin sighed, "I'm not an expert in this field either, so don't have too high hopes."
Sui Yang nodded hurriedly, and was about to tell Hui Yin that everything was alright when someone gently patted her right shoulder from behind. She turned around but didn't see anyone. Then someone gently patted her left shoulder, and Sui Yang turned to her left, but still didn't see anyone.
She put her hands on her hips and scoffed, "Prince Shao!"
Wang Zishao approached with a grin. The young man had delicate features and was even more handsome than his cousin, Wang Huan.
He first respectfully greeted Huiyin, then leaned closer to Suiyang, patted her head, and asked with a smile, "Yangyang, why didn't you come to see me when you arrived?"
Sui Yang changed to carrying him horizontally with both arms. She turned to look at Wang Zishao, and a thought struck her. She raised her hand and pushed Wang Zishao forward, whispering in his ear, "There's no time to explain. Do you see that carved wooden box over there? I want that. Help me win it back."
Wang Zishao let Sui Yang push him forward. He turned his head to the side, looking at Sui Yang with all his heart, and patted his chest to assure him, "Don't worry, I will definitely win it back for you."
Suiyang smiled and said, "Alright, if you lose, you'll be punished by having to collect morning dew for me every day."
Wang Zishao stopped, turned to face Suiyang, leaned down and flicked her forehead, "I won, and I'll pick them for you every day."
Huiyin watched the two of them playfully bickering, genuinely happy for them. Suiyang's given name was Zhao Yang; in this world, besides His Majesty and the Empress, only Prince Shao could call her Yangyang.
Although Suiyang grew up in the deep palace, she was well protected by Empress Pei. She was simple-minded, kind-hearted, and had a good heart towards everyone.
As for Prince Shao, he was a spirited young man with pure love. Born into a prominent family, he had a talented older cousin. The Wang family would not need him to support them in the future, and he could do what he wanted.
These two were originally brought together by a marriage alliance, but fate intervened and it turned into a happy ending, a blessing from heaven. The little princess will surely have a happy and fulfilling life from now on.
——
When Huiyin returned to Yingfeng Pavilion, Madam Pei and He Jiaying had already returned and were enjoying the cool air in the east courtyard. She went over to Madam Pei to bow and thank her for the tonics, clothes, and jewelry she had sent that morning.
Madam Pei felt a little awkward at first, but when she saw that Huiyin had no qualms and treated her the same way as before, she felt relieved and her smile deepened.
After Huiyin came out of the East Courtyard, He Jiaying followed behind her. She looked pale and listless, and had no energy.
Upon entering the west courtyard, Huiyin instructed Yanniang to prepare some pastries and snacks, and the two sat under the large, leafy tree in the courtyard to cool off.
Huiyin poured a glass of cherry blossom juice and handed it to He Jiaying, asking, "How is the young master of the Grand Historian's family?"
He Jiaying downed the cherry blossom juice in one gulp, as if it were wine, and looked like she had seen it all: "Very good, her family background and character are impeccable."
Huiyin found her expression amusing, poured her another glass of cherry blossom juice, and asked, "If it's so nice, why are you so gloomy?"
“He’s just average-looking,” He Jiaying paused, her face full of worry. “I know that when it comes to marriage, you can’t just look at someone’s appearance; you have to consider their family background, character, and family values. But he really is quite ordinary-looking.”
Huiyin recalled the deeds of the Grand Astrologer's family in her mind. The Grand Astrologer was in charge of astronomy, calendar and historical compilation. The current Grand Astrologer, Guo Tao, had risen to the position step by step on his own. His family was simple, with one wife, one concubine, one son and one daughter.
She had never met her son, Huiyin; she had only met the youngest daughter of the Guo family, a girl from a modest family, who was graceful and poised.
She had a fairly good impression of the Guo family.
Huiyin asked, "Putting aside Guo Langjun's appearance, what do you think of him as a person?"
He Jiaying took a bite of the snow cake and recalled her meeting with Guo Lian today. "He was polite and didn't talk much, but he was very considerate. He also knows how to observe the stars. He told me that recently, seven bright stars will appear in the eastern direction at night. They are shaped like a dipper handle, and those are the Big Dipper!"
Huiyin smiled faintly. This young master Guo was not dull at all; he knew how to please a woman. "So, apart from his ordinary appearance, everything else about him is a virtue."
He Jiaying said awkwardly, "I am quite pretty, so it shouldn't be too much for me to be matched with a handsome young man, right?"
"Hmm." Huiyin sat up straight and looked at He Jiaying's face.
He Jiaying also unconsciously stepped forward.
To be fair, He Jiaying bears a resemblance to Madam Pei to some extent. She has a pretty face, and her big eyes add to her cuteness. She also has a slender figure and is definitely a beauty.
Huiyin affirmed, "She has a very good appearance."
He Jiaying said wistfully, "My aunt is very satisfied with the Guo family, and Madam Guo seems to be quite satisfied with me as well."
Huiyin peeled the freshly picked lotus pods, placing the plump lotus seeds into a bowl. She didn't like other teas, but she loved these tender lotus buds and hearts. After drying them, she brewed them into tea, which carried the fragrance and bitterness of lotus seeds.
"If you are unwilling, just say so. Your life's most important matter must be one that you like yourself."
He Jiaying moved closer to help Huiyin peel lotus seeds, and sighed, "I just don't know what to do. I know in my heart that the Guo family is the best choice for me."
"Huiyin, what do you think I should do?"
Huiyin peeled a tender lotus seed and put it into He Jiaying's mouth, asking, "Is it sweet?"
He Jiaying chewed the lotus seeds, swallowed them, and nodded.
Huiyin handed the peeled lotus seeds to Yanniang, then lazily got up and stretched.
"Life is like this lotus seed; only you know if it's sweet. I can't give you any more advice, but you can try to get to know him and see how it goes after some time."
He Jiaying nodded, seemingly confused. After she left, Yan Niang smiled and asked, "What does Huiyin think of this marriage?"
Huiyin lay comfortably on the low couch under the eaves, closed her eyes, and replied, "From what I know so far, the Guo family is very good, and I even want to marry into it."
The position of Grand Astrologer differs from other officials. While compiling historical records is secondary, the most important role is mastering astronomy and the calendar. Historically, the position of Grand Astrologer has been passed down through families, and Guo Lian is certain to succeed his father as Grand Astrologer, a position with a bright future ahead.
The Guo family is a small family, and Madam Pei must have inquired about them before taking a liking to He Jiaying. The fact that she felt comfortable letting He Jiaying meet with Guo Lian shows that the Guo family is a good family and has nothing scandalous about them.
Moreover, He Jiaying comes from a humble background; it would be too difficult for her to marry into a high-ranking family, and marrying into a lower-ranking family would be too unfair. The Grand Historian's salary is six hundred shi (a unit of grain), which is neither too high nor too low.
With the Pei family as her backer, the Guo family also needs Pei Yu's influence to keep others in check. Even if He Jiaying makes foolish and blunders after marrying into the family, she won't have a bad life.
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