Chapter 243: Human Affection and Trivial Matters
Linhai Town.
In the misty drizzle, on the slightly yellowish sea, a huge sea ship was not far away, and a small boat bobbed with the waves.
On the small boat, the Foreman Liu, wrapped in fox fur, was fishing.
Another small boat that had passed the sea ship approached, and a dark, thin man stepped onto Foreman Liu’s boat, knelt halfway, and reported, “Miss Li departed at the end of the afternoon, using the Young Lord’s four-horse cart. At noon, the Young Lord left Linhai Town, traveling at high speed towards Kunshan County, and returned to Linhai Town in the late afternoon, going directly to the Maritime Tax Bureau.”
Foreman Liu listened intently, grunted, and smiled.
She was so busy, yet she still rushed to see her off. Well, that’s good!
………………………………
On the sixth day, shortly after breakfast, a sturdy and elegant dark blue silk-lined cart stopped at the Hong family’s entrance.
A little girl, about twelve or thirteen years old, jumped down from the cart first and stood by the door. A woman in her fifties placed her hand on the little girl’s shoulder and got down from the cart. She walked a few steps forward and smiled at the doorman who was curiously watching them, saying, “Please inform Second Mistress Li for me: I have come from Pingjiang City, entrusted by her sister, Fourth Mistress Li.”
Upon hearing that she was the Second Mistress’s sister, the doorman quickly bowed repeatedly, “Please wait a moment!”
The sister of their Second Mistress was a distinguished guest whom their Old Master always welcomed with a smile!
After a moment, the doorman hurried out, bowing to the woman, “Our Second Mistress invites you in.”
“Wait here for a moment,” the woman instructed the cart driver, and then, with the little girl, followed the doorman inside.
Li Yin Zhu was sulking with Hong Zhen Ye, “… A Nan said that sitting for too long is not good!”
“Great Aunt!” Hong Zhen Ye said with a pained expression. “No matter how smart A Nan is, or how much she understands, she can’t understand childbirth, can she? Mother has given birth to me and my sister, so Mother definitely understands this matter better, right? We should listen to Mother, right?”
“We country folk, when pregnant, all worked in the fields as usual. My mother gave birth to five of us siblings, and she never sat still!” Li Yin Zhu immediately retorted.
“Oh, Great Aunt, this is different. Someone has arrived. Oh, Great Aunt, please don’t move!” Hong Zhen Ye grabbed Li Yin Zhu, “I’ll go, I’ll go!”
“You must be Third Great Aunt,” the woman said as she entered the small courtyard, meeting Li Yin Zhu’s gaze and smiling as she greeted her.
Li Yin Zhu slapped Hong Zhen Ye’s hand away and quickly stood up, “Who are you?”
The doorman said she was sent by A Nan, but she didn’t recognize this person.
“This humble woman’s surname is Lu. I served in the Prince’s Estate’s medical department for decades. Two years ago, I retired and returned to the Pingjiang Villa. Yesterday, our Young Lord sent word, instructing this humble woman to come and attend to Third Great Aunt’s pregnancy and childbirth matters.”
Nanny Lu spoke clearly. Li Yin Zhu was stunned for a moment, then reacted, “A Nan mentioned you would arrive so soon. Please, have a seat.”
Hong Zhen Ye’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“Since I will be staying by Third Great Aunt’s side for several months, this humble woman has brought some clothes and necessities. They are on the cart outside. Please ask the son-in-law to have a few people carry them in,” Nanny Lu continued with a smile.
“Yes, yes, yes! Please sit, please sit! I’ll go now!” Hong Zhen Ye grabbed the front of his long gown and ran out.
“Hey, slow down!” Li Yin Zhu called out. “Don’t worry, Nanny, let him handle it. Please, Nanny, have a seat.” Li Yin Zhu smiled and made way.
Hong Zhen Ye rushed out, stood at the main entrance, and directed the doorman and a few old women to unload the trunks and luggage. He ordered them to be carried into his courtyard, then hurriedly had a horse brought over. He mounted the horse and galloped off to find his grandfather.
Master Hong and his father, Master Hong, went out to New Year wine every day. Today, Old Master Hong was attending Magistrate Zhu’s New Year wine banquet at Xiangyun Tower.
Hong Zhen Ye ran into Xiangyun Tower.
His grandfather, Old Master Hong, sat next to Magistrate Zhu, and Li Shikuan, Old Master Li, sat next to his grandfather.
Hong Zhen Ye rushed directly to Old Master Hong’s side, “Grandfather!”
“Look at you, child, how can you be so ill-mannered!” Old Master Hong reprimanded him with a stern face.
“There’s an old nanny, who said she came from the Prince’s Estate…”
Upon hearing “Prince’s Estate,” Old Master Hong immediately stood up.
“She’s not looking for you, she’s looking for Yin Zhu, she said it was A Nan…” Hong Zhen Ye quickly explained.
“Did you bully Yin Zhu?” Old Master Hong pointed at Hong Zhen Ye’s nose.
“Huh? Did I bully her? I can’t win an argument with her, and I can’t beat her, so how could I bully her?” Hong Zhen Ye cried out aggrievedly. “Let me finish. She said she’s here to attend to Third Great Aunt’s pregnancy and childbirth matters, and she brought a lot of trunks and luggage.”
Old Master Hong paused for a moment, then turned to Li Shikuan, “In-law?”
“Oh!” Li Shikuan said with a smile. “This matter, before the New Year, my wife mentioned that Yin Zhu was pregnant, and Jin Zhu was very worried. She said she wanted to find some secret recipes used by noble people. On the third day, the Young Lord took A Nan to Linhai Town for some banquet. It’s likely A Nan asked the Young Lord, and the Young Lord has a decisive personality.”
“A Nan also has a decisive personality. Look at this child, he can’t even speak clearly. Go find your father, see if his arrangements are ready, and have him quickly go back to arrange accommodation. Have your mother go back too, be careful, think things through, and then send someone to tell Jin Zhu.” Old Master Hong instructed Hong Zhen Ye.
Hong Zhen Ye agreed and then ran off to find his father.
“A Ye has a blessed appearance since childhood,” said Old Master Zhang from across the way, flattering him with envy.
“He’s a foolish child,” Old Master Hong smiled.
“It’s said that Zhen Ye doesn’t plan to take the imperial examinations this year? Zhen Ye’s scholarship and essays are at their peak; he’s sure to achieve high honors this time,” Magistrate Zhu asked with concern.
“A Ye and Xue Dong’s scholarship and essays are both overseen by A Nan. Yin Zhu said A Nan told them that A Ye and Xue Dong need to focus, meditate, and refine their studies for a few more years, and not rush into the examinations.” Old Master Hong, with a hint of helplessness, turned to Li Shikuan, “Xue Dong said he won’t take the examinations for these next two or three terms?”
“He hasn’t made a firm decision. He said he’ll take the examinations when his essays meet A Nan’s approval,” Li Shikuan said with a smile.
“Before the New Year, I went to Pingjiang City to see Prefect Liu. Prefect Liu mentioned that A Nan advised the Young Lord?” Magistrate Zhu’s question carried a hint of gossip.
Old Master Hong smiled and looked at Li Shikuan, “A Nan’s acquaintance with the Young Lord began with seeking knowledge, right?”
“Seeking knowledge in the investigation of things. A Nan is also a simple girl. She asked the Young Lord to pay her tuition, and the Young Lord really gave her gold nuggets, one gold nugget per lesson. By the time her eldest sister found out, she had already saved quite a few gold nuggets, which terrified her eldest sister. She took the gold nuggets to her eldest uncle.” Li Shikuan said with a helpless smile.
“The Young Lord truly respects talented individuals.”
“Our A Nan is truly a talented woman!”
“A Nan’s scholarship is enough to be recorded in your Li Clan’s family genealogy.”
“Indeed, being able to advise the Young Lord, though not comparable to an imperial tutor, is still remarkable. Even though she’s a daughter, this should be recorded in the family genealogy!”
……
Around them, there was a chorus of flattery.
………………………………
The Li Clan was going to revise the clan rules. Li Jin Zhu felt that every condition to be revised was a major matter. Coupled with the need to discuss the fine cloth business with her eldest aunt, second aunt, and about a dozen other stewards, aunts, and sisters-in-law in the clan, the Li siblings’ return to Pingjiang City was postponed from the sixth day to the sixteenth.
Li Jin Zhu was busy revising the clan rules, Li Xiaonan was discussing the fine cloth business with Li Yuzhu and her eldest aunt, and Li Xue Dong was called by his father-in-law, Mr. Gao, to discuss the expansion of the schoolroom.
A Wu and Yu Ting became idle and went out early and returned late, listening to opera everywhere.
After listening for two consecutive days, on the third day, just as they were about to go out, Mei Jie stopped them. “You two, don’t go out. Stay home.”
“It’s so boring to stay home…”
Before A Wu could finish speaking, Yu Ting slapped him back. “What’s wrong? Did someone say something? Did something happen?” Yu Ting carefully observed Mei Jie’s expression.
Mei Jie’s expression was not good.
“No one said anything, and it’s not really anything, it’s just annoying. A toad jumped onto my foot!” Mei Jie spat in annoyance.
“Who bullied you?” A Wu’s eyebrows shot up.
“You stop talking!” Yu Ting slapped A Wu again. “Who came? Your sister-in-law?”
“My nephews!” Mei Jie spat again. “For two days in a row, after you two left, they came and hovered around me!”
“We’re not going to listen to opera anymore. I didn’t want to go yesterday either, I was tired of standing,” Yu Ting said with a smile.
“Me too, I was so tired of standing. I only went to accompany you. I never liked listening to opera!” A Wu said, hands behind his back. “I’ll go check on our horses. They need a good grooming and a braid.”
“Let’s wrap some zongzi to eat. A Nan mentioned zongzi the other day, and I want to eat them too,” Yu Ting said to Mei Jie with a smile.
“Okay,” Mei Jie sighed in relief.
Yu Ting soaked the rice and dried zongzi leaves, took a small stool, and sat next to Mei Jie, washing clothes and talking together.
“Have you told Eldest Sister about your brother and sister-in-law wanting you to be adopted?” Yu Ting asked.
“I haven’t. My sister-in-law went to see Eldest Sister, and Eldest Sister said it’s my business and she shouldn’t interfere. So my sister-in-law pestered me.”
“You should have let Eldest Sister shield you,” Yu Ting suggested.
“No need. I can handle it myself. I’m afraid if there’s a big scene, people will say I’m bullying them by relying on Eldest Sister’s influence. They can’t do anything to me, I just find them too annoying.”
Mei Jie sighed.
“Besides, back then, when I was sent back, my elder brother and sister-in-law took me in. That was the hardest time for me, and my elder brother and sister-in-law didn’t abandon me. Sigh.”
Mei Jie sighed again.
“Just for not abandoning me, I will help my elder brother’s family with anything I can. But they are too greedy, wanting more than they deserve. I can’t help with that, and I don’t have the ability!”
“It’s only these few days of the year. It will be better once we return to Pingjiang City,” Yu Ting comforted her, then suddenly paused. “Mei Jie, they didn’t follow you to Pingjiang City, did they?”
“They came two or three times, but I didn’t let them in. Sigh!” Mei Jie sighed deeply again.
“Mei Jie,” Yu Ting hesitated for a moment. “Never mind. Although I shouldn’t say this, A Wu and I consider you like our own sister. Even if I shouldn’t say it, I have to.”
“Say it, say it. What can’t we talk about?”
“Mei Jie, you must hold your ground. Don’t retreat an inch. If you retreat one step, it won’t be just one step; it will be a continuous retreat until you drive yourself to a dead end.”
Yu Ting’s expression was serious. She paused, looked around, leaned closer to Mei Jie, and lowered her voice:
“Our A Nan is definitely not simple. Our family will be incredibly wealthy in the future. If you can’t hold your ground here, either they will abandon you, or your brother’s family will gain power and cause trouble. Your Old Master is not a kind person.”
“Second Sister told me the same thing,” Mei Jie also lowered her voice.
“Second Sister knows very well. Second Sister genuinely cares about you,” Yu Ting nudged Mei Jie with her shoulder. “From now on, as long as we are in Li Family Market, I will accompany you and not give them any openings.”
“Okay! I’m not afraid of them, I just find them annoying.” Mei Jie smiled.
