Chapter 10:
After bidding farewell to Pei Yuqing, Xie Wanning was led onto the carriage, truly speechless at heart.
……She, a young lady, went out on horseback even on such a fine and sunny day today, while her elder brother took a carriage.
As soon as she got on the carriage, Xie Yanyu reached out to her: “Give me the jade pendant.”
“…” Xie Wanning paused silently, then obediently took the jade pendant that wasn’t yet warm from her sleeve and handed it over.
Xie Yanyu examined it over and over for a long time before handing it back: “Young Lord Pei has a noble status and is many years older than you. Since you called him elder brother today, in the future before him, you must not speak without restraint.”
Many years older again—Xie Wanning couldn’t help but ask curiously: “How old is he exactly? He looks about twenty.”
“Over ten years older than you,” Xie Yanyu didn’t hide it from her and said straightforwardly: “If he had obeyed Princess Duanyang and married early, his child would probably be only a few years younger than you by now.”
Xie Wanning silently calculated in her heart—she was sixteen this year, so Young Lord Pei was at least twenty-six or seven?
She parted her lips, thinking to herself that the man took good care of himself.
Unaware of what she was thinking, Xie Yanyu reminded her again: “If you meet him again, you must not be so rude. Be sure to treat him with respect as an elder.”
“Got it,” Xie Wanning nodded obediently, then thought of something and asked: “Is Young Lord Pei’s body really as the rumors say?”
He won’t live past thirty, and he’s already twenty-six or seven now…
Thinking of such a gentle, jade-like person having such a short life, she felt some pity and looked at her elder brother with expectant eyes.
“Young Lord Pei is the only son of Princess Duanyang,” Xie Yanyu said helplessly: “As he gets older, Princess Duanyang can no longer bear to hear others mention it. We can talk about it privately, but outside, you must not ask directly.”
Seeing that his younger sister was truly curious, he paused for a moment before saying: “His body is indeed not very good. He can’t be without pills, and his emotions can’t fluctuate too much—joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure all must be moderate.”
At this point, he glanced at his younger sister, his tone meaningful: “Wanwan, you’d better provoke him less in the future.”
“Where,” Xie Wanning looked utterly innocent: “Where did I provoke him.”
But in her heart, she sighed—someone who looked so healthy was actually so frail.
Such a kind-hearted person, knowing his life was short, refused to marry in his twenties for fear of delaying some other family’s young lady.
……Good people don’t live long, but scourges last a thousand years.
Xie Yanyu was about to say more when the carriage slowly stopped.
Xie Wanning was like receiving a great amnesty; she quickly lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down, making her elder brother behind her both exasperated and amused. He shook his head helplessly and followed her out of the carriage.
The first thing upon returning to the estate was, of course, to pay respects to Mother Madam Zheng.
Although Old Marquis Xie had passed away, the three brothers had good relations and did not divide the household. Apart from Second Uncle being on a local post, the back courtyard of Xuanping Marquis’s Estate now only housed two branches, with no concubines or maids warming beds, no concubine’s sons or daughters—very quiet.
The sun was setting in the west, its lingering rays sprinkling on the glazed tiles. The deep courtyard walls of the marquis’s gate, under the glow of the sunset, appeared somewhat gentle.
Madam Zheng had black hair adorned with vermilion hairpins and was half-reclining on a soft pillow, talking with her aunt. Beside her sat several collateral madams of the Xie clan.
Seeing her children return, she curved her lips into a smile: “How is it that you brother and sister are so coincidental—did you meet at the gate?”
Xie Wanning smiled sweetly, curtsied in greeting, but did not reply.
Xie Yanyu, a man, seeing the room full of womenfolk, didn’t turn and leave only because he hadn’t yet clarified his younger sister’s matter—how could he say more in front of so many people.
The several collateral madams, seeing this, very tactfully rose to take their leave.
Aunt Madam Liu also smiled and said: “Then I’ll head back first. For Ruer’s matter, I’ll trouble Sister-in-law to take more care.”
“Got it. Tomorrow I’ll start sending out invitations,” Madam Zheng fanned herself with a round fan, smiling and waving her hand: “If you’re not at ease, come over early tomorrow to supervise.”
Hearing this, Xie Wanning understood in her heart—this was her cousin’s coming-of-age ceremony approaching.
Compared to Madam Zheng, who was the legitimate daughter of Qu Cheng Marquis’s Estate, the matriarch of the Xie family’s second branch came from the wealthy Liu clan of Fujian merchants.
From a family of great wealth, they certainly lacked no money. Merchants’ status in the current dynasty had risen compared to the previous dynasty. Apart from not being able to buy official positions or titles, and their offspring unable to take the imperial examination, as long as they spent money, they could enjoy gold and silver, fine silks and satins.
But since ancient times, the order of scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant was emphasized, and the notion of merchants as lowly was deeply ingrained.
In the circle of noble ladies in the capital city, Madam Liu did not have much face.
And although Second Uncle Xie Shengshu held the position of libationer at the Imperial Academy, he was not the marquis’s estate’s heir eldest son after all, and his connections were not broad.
For a daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony such a major event, whether invitations were sent in the name of the second branch or by the marquis’s estate made a great difference—this was why Madam Liu urged so.
Xie Wanning thought of her cousin, her eyes flickering slightly.
Who could have thought that Xie Ruyu, who had been at odds with her since childhood, always loved to compare, was sensitive and strong-willed, and spoke in sarcastic tones, would actually stand up for her after learning that Lu Ziyan favored concubines and neglected the wife, with the eldest son coming first from a concubine’s belly.
She specially moved into the Lu family for a time. Seeing Liu Manrou come ostensibly to pay respects but actually to show off, she directly slapped her twice, sending her sprawling to the ground. Disregarding her own reputation as an unmarried young lady, she pointed at Lu Ziyan and cursed him vehemently. If not for her two older male cousins dragging her away, with her sharp tongue, she probably could have cursed for two hours without repeating herself.
In the dream, it seemed everyone treated her extremely well, except Lu Ziyan.
Yet for one Lu Ziyan, she became depressed and short-lived, even spitting blood in rage.
She didn’t know if she died just like that—would she still dream?
……What happened afterward?
This question made Xie Wanning somewhat lost in thought.
It wasn’t until Madam Zheng called her twice in a row that she came back to herself.
“What are you thinking about? I called you so long without a response.” Madam Zheng reproachfully tapped her brow, seeing her daughter’s expression somewhat off, and said: “What’s wrong?”
She looked at her eldest son: “Did you lecture your younger sister again and make her unhappy?”
“…” Xie Yanyu was silent for a breath, then said wordlessly: “Her heart is all tied to Lu Ziyan—how could she fear my lectures? She was probably wronged at the Lu family.”
Xie Wanning also felt bad making her elder brother take the blame, tugged at her mother’s sleeve, and said softly: “Mother, I don’t want to marry Lu Ziyan anymore.”
Madam Zheng was startled, “What happened?”
Her daughter, though somewhat spoiled, never acted on impulse. She valued the Lu family young master greatly. If not for a huge grievance, how could she say such words.
Xie Yanyu also sat up straight, his brows deeply furrowed, like facing a great enemy: “Did Lu Ziyan bully you?”
“It’s not exactly bullying, but I really don’t want to marry him anymore.” In the dream he did bully her, but now Lu Ziyan hadn’t truly bullied her yet.
Xie Wanning lowered her eyes and recounted what Lu Ziyan had said today.
