Chapter 51: Planning This is much more impressive than being a lady of the imperial court
Cheng Xianzhi was promoted to Shangshu, and the Cheng family held a promotion banquet to entertain important officials in the court. Cheng Xianzhi did not like to show off, but Han Zhou said that since he was promoted and won a great victory, he should hold a grand banquet. After all, the eldest lady was in charge of it, and it could also take the opportunity to let the empress dowager's followers in the court know that the only right way in the world is to assist the monarch. Since ancient times, dynasties where foreign relatives interfered in politics would sooner or later face the situation of changing leaders.
Lu Tingwan's injury was almost healed, and going out normally was no problem. On the first day she was able to leave the house, she went to the farm to visit Uncle Zhou and his family.
Although Hua'er was brought home from Chunfeng Tower, it was inevitable that the woman would be exposed to the world of prostitution and the rumors that followed. From then on, she was unwilling to go out, and was depressed all day long and unwilling to see anyone.
Lu Tingwan wiped away Hua'er's tears and comforted her, "I understand how you feel right now. This isn't your fault. You shouldn't hate or resent yourself for it. If walling yourself in addiction makes you feel better right now, you can lock yourself in your room. This is the wall you've built for yourself, but the longer it stays, the harder it will be to cross. Eventually, it will become an iron prison that isolates you from the outside world, trapping you forever."
"But when I go out, people look at me strangely, and I can always hear them whispering in my ears. They seem to be saying that I'm dirty..." The girl hid in the corner, as if only such darkness and dampness could protect her from being peeped by outsiders.
As long as others couldn't see her, she couldn't hear those voices.
But once she fell asleep, she dreamed of countless men pressing towards her. The foul smell and obscene words were like evil spirits from hell, trapping her with iron chains and pulling her into the abyss step by step.
"You're not dirty. It's Gao Heng, those who sent you to Chunfeng Tower, and those worldly views that are dirty. They've already received the punishment they deserved. This isn't your fault. A woman's life shouldn't be constrained by the vague shackles of womanly virtue. Besides maintaining a good reputation, we have many other things worth doing."
"If you don't want to stay here, you can go find a place somewhere else to start a new life. The world is so big and can accommodate countless people. If you are willing, I can send you to Jiangling to learn a craft. After two years, when you have learned enough, you can open a shop of your own, and no one will remember the woman in Chunfeng Tower anymore. Okay?" Lu Tingwan led her step by step to tear away the haze.
The flowers nodded silently, as if listening unconsciously.
"Hmm..." He finally responded silently.
It was dusk when Lu Tingwan left the farm again. She rushed to the Chamber of Commerce building to meet Luo Yunchu before nightfall. After thanking him, she told him the good news that she would soon receive the divorce papers.
The streets outside returned to their former tranquility, the usual bustling crowds lingering faintly into the Chamber of Commerce courtyard. Luo Yunchu's face, however, lacked that elation. To him, Lu Tingwan's divorce letter didn't have much of an impact. Lu Tingwan was Lu Mingqian's daughter. He knew that even if he divorced Cheng Xianzhi, they wouldn't be able to have a future together in Kyoto.
After Lu Tingwan planned the divorce, she asked Feng Xin to temporarily take charge of Zhichunli. She would return to Jiangling before the end of the year. As for the date of return, it would depend on the situation. If Luo Yunchu was willing to go with her, she would arrange a place for him to go. If he was not willing, she would not force him.
Everyone has their own aspirations, and she will not change her original path because of others.
The Cheng family arranged the promotion banquet and sent out all the invitation lists. Everyone in the house was busy, except Lu Tingwan. After tomorrow, she would get the divorce papers and leave the Cheng family, which had nothing to do with her.
The winter greenery had already withered, and Kyoto turned cold early. The few remaining green plants swayed in the cold wind, emitting mist as they spoke.
At noon, the sounds of busyness outside drifted into Yansheng Hall, and a chill seeped into the room. Lu Tingwan huddled under her quilt, unwilling to get up. Gongsun Xue, mindful of her injury, didn't let her worry.
To outsiders, the injury seemed to be caused by Cheng Xianzhi. The emperor personally sent someone to escort him back to the mansion. Later, Cheng Xian asked for mercy from the emperor, and in the name of the emperor, he sent a royal physician to Cheng's mansion every two or three days to check on his pulse, in order to warn everyone that Lu Tingwan should not be touched.
This was when Lu Tingwan resolutely chose to oppose the Queen Mother and help him redress his grievances, so that he could repay her for the protection she had provided him.
Feng Xin brought in hot water. As soon as the door opened, the cold wind blew in. Lu Tingwan curled up in the quilt and only dared to stick out half of her head.
"Second Madam, the mansion is holding a promotion banquet for the Master today. You should get up and get ready. The Master has received the invitation, and Madam and the Eldest Miss will also be there. When word of your injury reached the mansion a few days ago, the Eldest Miss even sent someone to express her regards. You must go and pay your respects, otherwise others will criticize the Lu family for violating etiquette."
Lu Tingwan stretched lazily, his white jade arms exposed from the winter quilt, but was immediately driven back to his warm nest by the cold.
Feng Xin said, "The charcoal provided by the mansion will arrive in the next two days. Once the housekeeper Zhu brings it, Feng Xin will light it for you, and you won't be cold anymore."
Lu Tingwan pouted. Winter in Kyoto came earlier than in Jiangling, and the cold was even more severe. She had lived in the south since she was a child, and this was her first time experiencing winter in the north. The bleak wind was not as moist as in the south. There was only one dead vine left on the grape trellis in the yard, and there was no green at all.
Fortunately, I planted a few red plum trees. When the New Year comes, the winter plum trees are in full bloom, blending with the white snow, creating a completely different scene.
"Feng Xin, I'm cold." She acted like a child, acting coquettishly and wrapped herself in a thick quilt, unwilling to get up.
Feng Xin saw her being lazy and felt sorry for her. "Second Madam, this is your first winter in Kyoto and you can't stand the cold. Feng Xin prepared a green lotus velvet cloak for you. It's enough to keep you warm in the early winter."
Lu Tingwan reluctantly pulled herself up and sat cross-legged on the couch, waiting for Feng Xin to clean her face. After finishing her routine, she changed into a newly tailored green embroidered silk wind-feathered jacket and a bright orange pomegranate skirt. The bold colors complemented the winter scene perfectly, yet they retained a sense of spirit and vitality, like the rising sun, a perfect match for her age.
She did the final touches of her makeup herself. A plum blossom-shaped ornament was painted on her forehead, her eyebrows were slender like willows, her cheeks were crimson like a crescent moon, extending to under her eyelids, her skin was porcelain, her eyes were bright, her lips were crimson, and her lip balm was a color she mixed with fresh flowers. It was not pure red, but more orange-toned.
She could stay put on her makeup for an hour without moving, and even after Feng Xin prepared breakfast, she didn't move.
He had no choice but to go over and whisper, "Second Madam, it's almost time. Do you need Feng Xin's help?"
Lu Tingwan inserted the last peach blossom hairpin and turned around leisurely: "Does it look good?"
The lovely woman in front of me is bright and flamboyant, with a clear mind like a spring in her brows and skin as white as snow. In a trance, I was surprised to find that I was seeing a breathtaking winter snow scene in front of me.
"Good, it looks good..." Feng Xin said in amazement.
Her daughter was naturally pretty and she loved to study beauty techniques, and she was particularly skilled in the art of makeup and hairstyling.
But today seemed to be a celebration for Cheng Xianzhi's promotion, and since she was a concubine, there was no need for her to dress so grandly.
"But... isn't Second Madam's outfit today a little too exaggerated? It's against etiquette to steal the limelight from Master and First Madam..." Feng Xin was a little worried.
Lu Tingwan didn't care about Feng Xin's words. She didn't want to take credit for anyone else's work today. The reason she dressed up was because this day was special.
"Feng Xin, prepare the pen, ink, paper and inkstone for me."
Feng Xin had already calculated the accounts for Zhichunli and had just reviewed them with her yesterday. They had been a little rough before, but now her accounting skills were on par with Lu Tingwan's, if not better. The only difference was that Lu Tingwan was good at mental arithmetic, sometimes calculating figures without abacus. This was something Feng Xin could never achieve, no matter how hard he tried.
"Madam, do you want banknotes to write a letter to someone?" Feng Xin was puzzled, but did as he was told.
Lu Tingwan rolled up his sleeves and paused, regretting that he should have written it before changing clothes.
Feng Xin was perceptive and went over to help her straighten her sleeves. Only then did Lu Tingwan start writing.
On the spread of letter paper, the large characters are particularly eye-catching. The handwriting is neat and beautiful, without losing the strokes.
Feng Xin watched as the three words were written stroke by stroke - Divorce Letter!
"Madam?" Feng Xin said with a hint of panic, "Who are you writing the divorce letter to?"
"Of course it's me." Lu Tingwan agreed, pausing his pen for a moment, thinking for a moment before continuing to write.
Feng Xin was waiting on one side, and the divorce papers were covered with words. There was no discord or resentment within the marriage, only that the paths they took were different, and they wished each other well.
In Feng Xin's opinion, although Cheng Xianzhi had never given Lu Tingwan the proper affection as a couple, he at least had never interfered with her career outside, respected her preferences, and had not been harsh on her. The wives and concubines in the mansion were also quite harmonious.
If things continue like this, Lu Tingwan will have no intention of competing for favor in the harem. It will be fine for him to just close the doors and windows of Yansheng Hall and take care of his own small business.
But she didn't understand that Lu Tingwan had always wanted to do more than just run a business and make a name for herself. In Kyoto, if she could break free from control and run her business as she pleased, she might be willing to stay.
But the people of Jinhua Palace would never allow her to continue living this easy life. One day, Cheng Xianzhi would go to war with the Queen Mother's allies, and her father might once again offer her up for the sake of the family to appease the Queen Mother's wrath. Cheng Xianzhi had already been promoted to the position of Shangshu, and the two of them would no longer have any interests in common. He would not protect a useless pawn.
Instead of letting them decide his stay or departure, life or death, Lu Tingwan would rather take his fate into his own hands.
"Your Excellency has just been promoted to the position of Minister. Even if you are his concubine, you are still his concubine. This time, you have interceded for him before the Emperor. His Majesty is mindful of your understanding of justice, and Your Excellency is grateful for this kindness. Our dynasty has always granted concubines the title of Imperial Concubine. Why would Madam, after helping Your Excellency, give up these hard-earned bargaining chips?"
Lu Tingwan dipped the brush in ink again, raised his arm, and slightly lifted his wrist. The tip of the brush touched Feng Xin's cheek. After three strokes, Lu Tingwan drew whiskers on both sides of her face. "I have no interest in this Cheng Xianzhi's imperial wife. Not to mention imperial wife, even the Duke's wife is not something I would consider. Madam, madam, is nothing more than an appendage attached to a man."
"Shopkeeper Jiang," she put away her pen, twirling it between her fingers. "This name is much more prestigious than Imperial Madam."
"Madam, are you sure the shopkeeper wants to be so majestic?" Feng Xin exposed without hesitation.
Seeing that she refused to listen, Lu Tingwan wanted to hit her with the pen he was holding. Then, seeing the six whiskers on her cheeks, he felt angry and amused at the same time: "The title of Consort was given by others, and they can take it back if they want. But the title of Shopkeeper was earned by himself, how can it be the same?"
"And the wife always comes before her husband, but it's different for the shopkeeper. That's just her own name, not anyone else's."
"Just like now, if I reward you with a hundred taels of silver for no reason, would you feel comfortable with it?" Lu Tingwan said, rummaging through his sleeves for a handkerchief. "Or would you feel more comfortable with it if I let you earn a hundred taels by working as the accountant in Zhichun?"
"Of course, I feel safe using the money I earn as an accountant."
After hearing a satisfactory answer, Lu Tingwan was willing to hand over the handkerchief and wipe the ink off her face. However, the handkerchief couldn't wipe it clean. Lu Tingwan smiled and said softly, "Go wash your face. I'll put on some makeup for you today."
Feng Xin was shy, and Lu Tingwan seemed like a mentor guiding her. They were more like master and apprentice than master and servant. She might not be able to be as clear-minded and decisive as she was, but in this respect, she was similar to Cheng Xianzhi.
When she came back after washing her face and cleaning up, Lu Tingwan had already finished writing the divorce letter. While waiting for the ink to dry, she put some makeup on Feng Xin. After finishing, she carefully folded the letter and stuffed it into the sleeve pocket of her jacket.
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