Chapter 223: Reunion
"You don’t need to worry about his accommodation," Seventh Sister said with a smile. "He’s arranged to travel to the capital with a few of his classmates. They plan to rent a courtyard together to settle in first. It’s just that the capital is unfamiliar to them, and without anyone they know to look after them, I’m a bit concerned."
Having classmates around would allow them to discuss and inquire about the imperial examinations together. If he stayed with her instead, Zhao Ling, not being a civil official, knew nothing about scholarly pursuits, which wouldn’t be helpful for Brother-in-law Bai.
Fu Tingyun couldn’t insist further and smiled. "Then go back and discuss it with Brother-in-law. If there’s anything I can help with, just send someone to let me know."
Seventh Sister agreed cheerfully.
The mood between the sisters finally settled.
Fu Tingyun instructed Yu Wei to bring Youyou and Xi Ge’er in to greet their Seventh Aunt.
Seventh Sister held the children, examining them with delight, her eyes brimming with joy. "They look just like Ninth Sister..." Like Fifth Sister, she hadn’t prepared gifts in advance, so she took off the pearl hairpins from her hair and the jade pendant from her waist to give to the children as meeting presents. "...Next time, Seventh Aunt will get you gold necklaces." She hugged Youyou affectionately and then asked Fu Tingyun about the children’s birth years and Destiny.
Upon learning that Youyou was born in the year of Yihai and Xi Ge’er in Dingchou, before Seventh Sister could respond, Fifth Sister exclaimed, "Oh! My son was also born in Yihai—in the eighth month. What month was Youyou born in?"
"Fourth month."
"That’s four months older than my son."
As they spoke, they grew excited.
Fu Tingyun asked Fifth Sister how many children she had.
"One son and one daughter," Fifth Sister replied with a smile. "Just like you, the daughter is older, and the son is younger." She added, "My daughter was born in Guiyou, two years older than Youyou."
Fu Tingyun, thinking of the child in her womb, unconsciously rested a hand on her belly with a smile.
Seventh Sister chimed in briskly, "I have one daughter and two sons. The daughter is the eldest, and the two sons are younger. My eldest daughter was born in Jiaxu—her nickname is Ranran, born in the sixth month, a year older than Youyou. My eldest son was born in Jiazi, a year younger than Youyou, nicknamed Changsheng. My second son just turned a month old and hasn’t been named yet. Since he’s the third child, everyone calls him Sansan." She covered her mouth and giggled. "If only you’d returned a few days earlier, Third Sister was here for the full-month celebration and hadn’t left yet. We could have come together." Then she spoke of Third Sister’s situation. "She has two sons. The eldest was born in Renshen. Since he was born in the second month, during the Chunbing season, and Brother-in-law Shen’s previous children hadn’t survived, they consulted a Taoist priest from Jiuxian Temple to determine his Destiny. The priest said a humble name would help him thrive, so they named him ‘Chunbing.’ The younger son was born in the same year as Youyou, but on the Lantern Festival, making him older than both Youyou and Ping’an. Following Chunbing’s name, they called him ‘Yuanxiao.’"
The names of these two children...
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but burst into laughter. "When I left Huayin, Second Aunt was worried because Third Sister hadn’t shown any signs of pregnancy. Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, Third Sister’s eldest son is already seven years old!" By the end of her words, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion.
Hearing this, Fifth Sister sighed softly.Seventh Sister, however, felt that Fu Tingyun had endured much hardship. Deeply moved by her plight, she believed that if they continued to indulge Fu Tingyun’s sorrowful mood, it would only further dampen her spirits. Since the sisters rarely had the chance to gather, they ought to talk about cheerful and inspiring things to lift everyone’s mood. What was the point of wallowing in melancholy?
“Thankfully, we all have children and are doing well,” she said brightly with a laugh. “Third Older Cousin's Husband can resume his official duties once the mourning period is over, and my husband is diligently preparing for the imperial examinations. Things will only get better for all of us!”
Fifth Sister, quick to catch her meaning, realized she had been too much of a downer and hurriedly chimed in with a smile, “Seventh Sister is right. Though my husband is quite scholarly, with Third Older Cousin's Husband’s support, our business has flourished these past few years.” Then she turned to Fu Tingyun and asked, “Since you’re in the capital, do you know of any promising business opportunities?”
Fu Tingyun chuckled. “What? Are you thinking of setting up shop in the capital?”
“We don’t have the capital or connections for that yet,” Fifth Sister replied with a grin. “But I’ve always thought that since the capital is the emperor’s domain, all the finest goods from across the land end up there. Following the capital’s trends can’t be wrong.”
With that, the earlier gloom was swept aside.
Fu Tingyun thought of Shopkeeper Ye San and smiled. “I happen to know a manager at Datong Company. I wonder if he could be of help to you.”
Fifth Sister’s face lit up with delight. “I never imagined you’d have connections to such influential people! When will Lord Zhao return to Xi’an Prefecture? The brothers-in-law ought to meet.”
Fu Tingyun burst into laughter and glanced at Seventh Sister. “See, Sister? The old saying holds true—marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. Back at home, she’d even tip the Housekeeper for fetching a needle. Now, the moment she hears I know someone from Datong Company, she’s already clamoring for my husband to make introductions.”
“Of course!” Fifth Sister declared without a hint of shame. “I’m not like you two—one married to an official, the other to a scholar. My livelihood depends entirely on those few shops at home!”
Seventh Sister laughed so hard she could barely straighten up. “That’s nothing! Last year, Fifth Sister wanted to secure a batch of surplus goods from the Jiangnan textile workshops. She personally rushed to Third Sister’s place and had Third Older Cousin's Husband write a letter to his former classmate. Then she sent a capable steward with Fifth Brother-in-law, traveling day and night to Hangzhou, and somehow managed to close the deal. Now, when people in Xi’an Prefecture mention the Yao family of Lintong, who doesn’t look at them with respect?”
Fu Tingyun was surprised.
From the sound of it, Fifth Brother-in-law was somewhat meek, while Fifth Sister took charge of everything at home…
Fifth Sister flushed and warned Seventh Sister, “Don’t go spreading nonsense!”
“Relax,” Seventh Sister said with a laugh. “There are no outsiders here.”
Fu Tingyun felt reassured.
As long as a couple lived in harmony, who took the lead didn’t matter.
And from Fifth Sister’s tone, it seemed Third Older Cousin's Husband was also someone willing to lend a hand!
Amid the sisters’ laughter and chatter, the sun began to set.
Fu Tingyun invited them to stay the night. “…If nothing else, it’s safe and quiet here.”
Both sisters had traveled from Huayin and headed straight to Willow Lane upon arriving in Xi’an Prefecture, without giving much thought to other arrangements. Only now did they remember their maids and attendants were still waiting outside with the carriages."Look at me, getting carried away with talking," Fifth Sister exclaimed, jumping up and about to call for Yu Wei, but Seventh Sister hesitated, "I'm just worried the place might be too small... Perhaps we should stay at an inn?"
"How could I let you stay at an inn when you're already at my home?" Fu Tingyun replied, understanding Seventh Sister's concerns were not unfounded. "Even if we have the attendants stay at the inn, you two must stay here."
After a brief consideration, Seventh Sister smiled and agreed, "Alright then! Let them stay at the inn. It’ll give us sisters a chance to catch up in private."
Fu Tingyun called Yu Wei in and instructed her to make the arrangements.
Yu Wei, however, was already prepared. She smiled and said, "Since I hadn’t informed Madam, I didn’t dare make decisions on my own. But I’ve already reserved two small courtyards at the inn where the Tengji Guard is staying. The east and west wings are also ready. If Fifth Madam and Seventh Madam wish to keep a few personal attendants, there’s space for them too."
Fifth Sister was startled. "Why are there Tengji Guard members involved?"
Fu Tingyun had initially wanted to keep it quiet, but now she had no choice but to explain to Fifth Sister, "My husband is good friends with Commander Qin of the Tengji Guard. Since I was traveling alone with the children, Commander Qin worried about our safety and discreetly assigned a few men to escort us back to Xi’an. Please don’t mention this to anyone."
Fifth Sister pouted. "Do I look like the type who gossips about every little thing? Why do both of you keep telling me not to say anything?"
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but laugh.
Seventh Sister teased, "See? I’m not the only one who thinks some things need to be said to Fifth Sister in advance."
Fifth Sister pretended to be furious.
Seventh Sister quickly changed the subject. "Ninth Sister, after all these years, your Yu Wei has become even more capable. It seems you’ve become quite skilled at training people."
"Yu Wei is just naturally diligent," Fu Tingyun said modestly, though she was pleased with Yu Wei’s quick thinking.
Fifth Sister grumbled, "Hey, you two, no need to gang up on me like this, right?"
Seventh Sister and Fu Tingyun exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.
Fu Tingyun was reminded of their childhood days when they studied together under the old tutor... Her gaze softened like spring water. "Please stay here without worry, both of you!" She instructed Yu Wei to prepare a feast. "Remember to tell the kitchen to make Fifth Aunt’s favorite steamed fish and Seventh Aunt’s favorite braised pork knuckle."
Yu Wei acknowledged with a smile and left.
Fifth Sister and Seventh Sister exclaimed in unison, "You still remember?"
"We grew up together, sisters bound by blood no matter what. How could I forget?" Fu Tingyun beamed.
Fifth Sister and Seventh Sister fell silent, their eyes glistening with emotion.
The atmosphere grew warm and serene.
By dinnertime, Madam Lu brought over some Jinhua wine, and the mood became lively again.
Fifth Sister poured Fu Tingyun a large cup herself and said with a grin, "Do you remember when we sneaked into Grandmother’s storeroom to steal wine?"
"I didn’t steal anything," Fu Tingyun protested. "Third Sister was the one who stole it. I was just keeping watch outside."
"Well, you drank it anyway," Fifth Sister retorted, raising her cup. "Seventh Sister just had a baby, so she’s excused. But you’re the host—no excuses for you."Seventh Sister quickly stopped Fu Tingyun: "People change over time. Fifth Brother-in-law can't hold his liquor, but Fifth Sister has trained her drinking capacity..."
Fifth Sister glared at Seventh Sister and said, "Even if Ninth Sister is an official's wife now, you don't have to flatter her like this, do you?"
Listening to their banter, Fu Tingyun interjected at the right moment with a smile: "I can't drink. I'm pregnant."
"Ah!" Fifth Sister and Seventh Sister stared wide-eyed. Seventh Sister was the first to react: "Congratulations, Ninth Sister."
Fifth Sister, meanwhile, looked at her belly and clicked her tongue: "How many years have you been married?"
Fu Tingyun's face flushed red, and she quickly asked Madam Lu to accompany them in drinking.
But Fifth Sister wouldn't let her off: "You married the latest among us sisters, yet you're having children one after another. Quickly tell us your secret!"
"What secret could there be?" Fu Tingyun evaded the question while pouring wine for Madam Lu.
Madam Lu promptly stood up to propose a toast, which finally made them rein in a little.
Even so, reunited after life-and-death separations, with Zhao Ling not at home, the sisters behaved much more uninhibitedly than usual. Plus, Madam Lu could also drink a few cups, so they laughed and chatted merrily until the late dinner ended around 9 PM.
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O(∩_∩)O~
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(End of Chapter)
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