Chapter 302: The First Invitation
The late Emperor had been gravely ill for over a year before his passing, and the current Emperor ascended the throne as the sole heir. This transition of imperial power did not cause significant upheaval. After the new Emperor’s enthronement ceremony, for the subjects of the Empire, this change of reign was merely a matter of ceremonial mourning.
Shortly after the first lunar month, Li Xiaonan received her first invitation to an appreciation of flowers since marrying into the Prince Rui’s Mansion. It was sent from Prime Minister Wang’s residence.
The invitation was naturally delivered to Princess Consort Wei. Holding the invitation, Princess Consort Wei glanced at Li Xiaonan a few times.
Prime Minister Wang hailed from a poor family in Jiangnan and had always been aloof. His household rarely entertained guests. When they did invite people for flower appreciation, it was either to invite esteemed scholars and talented individuals for discussions and literary exchanges, or to invite female guests from Jiangnan to comfort Prime Minister Wang’s wife and alleviate her homesickness.
Our Prince Rui’s Mansion has no connection with scholars, nor any connection with Jiangnan. In previous years, I attended Prime Minister Wang’s birthday celebrations, but I have never attended a flower appreciation event at their residence.
This invitation was directed at me, her nominal daughter-in-law, because she is a talented woman, and from Jiangnan.
But this daughter-in-law of mine…
Sigh!
Let Yan Ge’er explain and instruct the wife he chose for himself. Looking at her irritates me.
As soon as Princess Consort Wei saw Li Xiaonan out, First Great Aunt Gu arrived.
Upon entering, First Great Aunt Gu walked up to Princess Consort Wei and carefully examined her expression.
“What are you looking at? I’m perfectly fine!” Princess Consort Wei replied irritably.
“What’s wrong? Who upset you again? Is it your son or your daughter-in-law?” First Great Aunt Gu sat down next to Princess Consort Wei and, peeking at the invitation on the couch, said with a smile, “I was thinking that the Wang family’s invitations would certainly not bypass our family anymore.”
“What good news is this?” Princess Consort Wei retorted to First Great Aunt Gu.
“We also received one. My aunt asked me to come and chat with you. I heard Prime Minister Zhang is going to retire?” First Great Aunt Gu lowered her voice.
“I don’t know about that. Your father never discusses court matters. We don’t have much to say to the female members of Prime Minister Wang’s household, and your aunt doesn’t have much to say to them either. There’s no need to worry about this,” Princess Consort Wei said.
“That’s what I thought. So, let’s just let this matter pass. Mother, while we may not have much to discuss with the ladies of Prime Minister Wang’s household, we now have someone who can. Prime Minister Wang’s wife is such an astute person. How is your daughter-in-law?” First Great Aunt Gu asked with concern.
“Sigh!” Princess Consort Wei let out a long sigh. “I don’t even know what to say about her. If you say she’s foolish, she’s a renowned talented woman, and her bright, sparkling eyes don’t suggest foolishness. But if you say she’s not foolish, she follows me around every day, just watching. Even when she’s watching, she’s distracted. The way I see her, she’s just trying not to be in the way; she doesn’t care about anything else!”
“Then why don’t you assign her some tasks? Even someone as clumsy as Second Sister, you were able to teach her. This one at least has brighter eyes than Second Sister,” First Great Aunt Gu suggested.
“Are these one or two people who can be assigned tasks? I’m too busy to even manage myself, how can I have the leisure to instruct her? Your brother! If it were Miss Shi, she could start immediately. At a time like this, if she could take over at least half of my responsibilities, I wouldn’t be this exhausted. Your brother…”
“Mother, that’s your precious son,” First Great Aunt Gu retorted softly.
Princess Consort Wei shot First Great Aunt Gu a sideways glance. “Let Yan Ge’er instruct his own wife. I’m so tired I’m getting sick, I don’t have the energy.”
“Mother, if Prime Minister Wang’s wife truly takes your daughter-in-law’s hand and they start chattering away in the Wu dialect, we won’t know what they’re saying. You must arrange for someone from our villa to accompany her,” First Great Aunt Gu reminded her.
Princess Consort Wei frowned.
If she said something wrong, it would be too late to find out upon their return. However, having a maidservant constantly by her side to relay messages would be too improper.
“Your aunt said she can understand the Jiangnan dialect. At that time…”
“Mother,” First Great Aunt Gu interrupted Princess Consort Wei, “you know my aunt. Before the New Year, a new pingtan performer at Dongwazi sang a new opera for her. She listened while holding a lyric sheet, pointing at each line with her finger!”
“When your brother returns, I’ll ask him. Sigh!” Princess Consort Wei sighed again.
It’s so vexing!
……………………
Gu Yan returned very late as usual. Upon entering the room, he saw Li Xiaonan sitting on the kang, her elbows propped on the kang table, her chin resting in her hand, dozing over a book.
“You’re so sleepy but not sleeping, what major event has happened?” Gu Yan reached out and tapped Li Xiaonan on the head.
In their small courtyard, although Li Xiaonan lacked any imposing presence, Gu Yan’s authority had been cultivated since before he could walk. In this Prince’s Estate, Gu Yan’s word carried more weight than that of Prince Rui and Princess Consort Wei.
The rules for Li Xiaonan after her arrival were set by her and announced by Gu Yan. The current rules in this small courtyard were essentially nonexistent. For example, Gu Yan’s return was not announced, and Li Xiaonan never waited for Gu Yan to return before sleeping.
“I received an invitation today.” Li Xiaonan jolted awake.
“I know, the one from Prime Minister Wang’s residence, right? Don’t come closer. You’re in a single layer of clothing, and I’m carrying a lot of cold. I’ll change my clothes, and then we can talk.” Gu Yan took a step back and went towards the washroom.
Gu Yan entered and exited quickly. Li Xiaonan took a comb from a maidservant, gestured for Gu Yan to sit closer, and knelt behind him to comb his hair.
“Tell me what’s wrong first. You don’t want to go to tomorrow’s banquet?” Gu Yan was surprised by Li Xiaonan’s attentiveness.
“Why wouldn’t I go? I see you’re working hard, so I’m fulfilling my duty as a wife.” Li Xiaonan lifted Gu Yan’s hair and sniffed it.
In families like theirs, even washing hair had a fixed schedule. For instance, Gu Yan only washed his hair every three days.
Gu Yan slightly turned his head to look at Li Xiaonan sniffing his hair. “What are you smelling?”
“I want to use this to wash my hair; this smells better than mine.” Li Xiaonan put down his hair and continued combing it.
“Don’t change it, I think the one you use smells better.” Gu Yan leaned back against the cushion and gestured for Li Xiaonan to sit beside him. “Just pretend to fulfill your duty as a wife. Sit here and tell me, what’s on your mind?”
“When that kind of invitation from the Wang family was delivered, Mother was very surprised.” Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan.
Gu Yan nodded with a smile, thinking of something. “Prime Minister Wang is upright and aloof; he doesn’t pay much attention to families like ours.”
“Later, Mother looked at the invitation like this.” Li Xiaonan imitated Princess Consort Wei’s frowning expression.
“Then, Mother looked at me sideways like this. I thought she wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn’t. After a while, Mother told me to go with her to Prime Minister Wang’s residence tomorrow for flower appreciation, and then she sent me away, a full hour earlier than usual.”
Li Xiaonan leaned on Gu Yan’s chest and looked at him.
“That’s all?” Gu Yan asked when Li Xiaonan stopped talking.
“It’s your turn to speak.” Li Xiaonan patted Gu Yan.
“Mother is just worried that you and Prime Minister Wang’s wife will talk in the Jiangnan dialect, which she doesn’t understand. If you say something you shouldn’t, she won’t know. That’s all.”
“Then what should I do? Should I not speak the Pingjiang dialect?” Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan.
“Is that appropriate?” Gu Yan was speechless.
“Why would Prime Minister Wang invite me to appreciate flowers?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“Prime Minister Zhang has already submitted his memorial to retire.” Gu Yan hesitated for a moment before speaking directly.
He believed A Nan could understand and comprehend matters concerning him.
“The enthronement ceremony was the day before yesterday. Was Prime Minister Zhang’s memorial submitted before or after that?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“After.” Gu Yan smiled.
“That’s too hasty. Is your Prime Minister like that?” Li Xiaonan pouted.
“What do you mean ‘your Prime Minister’!” Gu Yan flicked Li Xiaonan’s forehead with his finger.
“Then is their flower appreciation for this Prime Minister? Do you want him to be Prime Minister?” Li Xiaonan batted Gu Yan’s hand away.
“Here.” Gu Yan turned sideways and pointed to his chest.
Li Xiaonan moved closer.
Gu Yan lowered his voice.
“You know the accounts of the Maritime Tax Bureau. Of the silver that leaves the Silk Guild, forty percent is used to support Jiangnan scholars, and forty percent is used to bribe officials, especially clerks. I haven’t dared to touch this part yet.”
Gu Yan paused. He had failed in this very area last time.
Gu Yan whispered into Li Xiaonan’s ear, “The Emperor’s intention is for Prime Minister Wang to handle this matter.”
“Will he agree?”
“We need to find a way to persuade him.” Gu Yan gave a wry smile.
“Does Prime Minister Wang know about the accounts of the Silk Guild?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“He would definitely want to stay far away from such matters. However, although he is aloof, he is not ignorant of worldly affairs and human sentiment. He will surely be able to figure out what he needs to.”
“Our grandfather reformed the Jiangnan Silk Guild, which severely damaged the Jiangnan silk industry. He wrote many articles about this, calling grandfather a tyrannical and corrupt official.”
“Prime Minister Wang was around ten years old at that time,” Li Xiaonan left unsaid. Perhaps Prime Minister Wang’s family was also deeply affected by that reform. Prime Minister Wang must have personally witnessed many families ruined and even lives lost because of it.
“Yes, he strongly opposed my reform of the Jiangnan Silk Guild.”
“He’s worried you’ll be like your grandfather,” Li Xiaonan interjected.
“Yes. Prime Minister Wang specifically asked me about the fine cloth dowry gifts in your trousseau. If Prime Minister Wang’s wife asks, explain it to her properly,” Gu Yan instructed.
“Okay.”
“Nothing else. You’ve been by Mother’s side lately, has she made things difficult for you?” Gu Yan changed the subject.
“No.”
“Didn’t you ask Mother for some tasks to do?” Gu Yan asked again.
“Why would I ask for tasks to do?” Li Xiaonan retorted.
“To learn to manage the household affairs of the Prince’s Estate. You will eventually have to take over this Prince’s Estate from Mother.”
“Mother is only in her early fifties, and she looks at most forty. She’s so young. It’s still a long way off. Let’s talk about it in ten years.”
Li Xiaonan’s words almost choked Gu Yan.
“Then what have you been thinking about all day by Mother’s side?” Gu Yan couldn’t help but ask, as his mother had said she was distracted.
“Thinking about my books! I thought of something this morning and wrote it down when I got back at noon. I thought of something this afternoon and wrote it down tonight. Oh, right, you said you’d take me to talk with those Hanlin scholars of Investigation of Things. When are we going? I need to know how much those Hanlin scholars understand to know how to write so they can comprehend it.” When it came to her books, Li Xiaonan’s spirits lifted.
Gu Yan drew out his “mm-hmm” and suddenly laughed. “Why don’t you tell Prime Minister Wang’s wife about your desire to meet those Hanlin scholars and see if Prime Minister Wang’s wife can help you?”
“What are you plotting?” Li Xiaonan propped herself up.
“If he’s willing to help you, then you can specifically go thank Prime Minister Wang’s wife. For such a big matter, one thank you won’t suffice. With frequent visits, you’ll become familiar. I think you can be of great help; you are my lucky star.”
Gu Yan embraced Li Xiaonan and burst into laughter.
“This is something you promised me. If I find someone else to help, then you’ll owe me one!”
“Deal! And I’ll give you another one for free, so you’ll owe me two!” Gu Yan readily agreed.
“Does Mother know everything you’ve told me?” Li Xiaonan was about to pounce on Gu Yan when she suddenly remembered another important matter, which concerned how she would cooperate with Princess Consort Wei.
“It seems Father never tells Mother about court matters,” Gu Yan thought for a moment.
“Ah? Why doesn’t he tell her? Didn’t you say your mother is very insightful and good at writing policy essays? Didn’t you say your father and mother have a very good relationship?” Li Xiaonan asked, puzzled.
“How would I know that?” Gu Yan was exasperated.
How his father and mother interacted as a couple was not something he should be concerned about.
“Didn’t you ask? Didn’t you inquire?”
“Why would I inquire about that!” Gu Yan was speechless.
“I’m curious, don’t you want to know?” Li Xiaonan asked, puzzled.
“Let’s sleep, let’s sleep. I have morning court tomorrow.” Gu Yan retreated, defeated.
