Chapter 60: Betrothal
When Mama Tong came to see her the next day, Jinchao said, "Last night, Xue Sixteen and the other guards worked hard to help us. It wasn't easy for them. Please give each of them ten taels of silver from my account."
After a moment's thought, she added, "Now is the time when last year's harvest is running out, and the new one isn't in yet. I heard Xue Sixteen's family in Tongzhou has several brothers who work as farmers. Why don’t you visit them again and bring some grain and cloth? His youngest child just turned one—have a pair of silver bracelets with bells made as a gift. All of this can be taken from my account."
Mama Tong smiled and agreed, then left with two maids to arrange everything.
Jinchao took a sip of tea brewed with Fu Ren leaves, thinking to herself that she ought to treat Xue Sixteen well. If he looked down on her, he wouldn’t serve her wholeheartedly.
After finishing her tea, it was already noon before she realized it. Concerned about her mother’s illness, Jinchao brought the Medicinal Cuisine she had prepared to Xiexiao Courtyard.
Madam Ji was resting against a large pillow with her eyes closed, seemingly unaware of Jinchao’s arrival. Jinchao walked as lightly as possible, carefully approaching her mother to observe her. Mama Xu, seeing the Eldest Miss tiptoeing like a child, couldn’t help but stifle a laugh and turned her face away to hide her amusement.
Jinchao simply wanted to see if her mother was sleeping peacefully. Upon closer inspection, she noticed her mother had grown even thinner, her skin still sallow. Though Madam Ji was only in her thirties, she looked as if she were in her forties, worn and aged.
For a fleeting moment, her mother’s haggard face overlapped with the image of her own sickly self in her past life—strikingly similar, both gaunt and frail.
Jinchao frowned. Why wasn’t her mother improving? She couldn’t figure out the reason.
Suddenly, Madam Ji opened her eyes and, seeing Jinchao so close, startled slightly.
The maids and servants burst into laughter. Mama Xu teased Jinchao, "The Eldest Miss is still like a child, peeking at Madam!"
Madam Ji smiled faintly and pulled Jinchao to sit beside her. She remembered when Jinchao was three years old and she had gone to Tongzhou to visit her. A fair, delicate little girl sat in her grandmother’s lap, quietly nibbling on crab roe buns, hardly speaking. Separated by her eldest aunt, little Jinchao would often lean to the side, peeking at her through the gaps. When Madam Ji tried to catch her gaze, the child would quickly duck back and giggle happily. It took several repetitions before Madam Ji realized she was playing a game.
Even then, her heart ached. Though Jinchao lacked nothing in her maternal grandmother’s household, she must have been terribly lonely.
Unlike Rong Ge’er, whom she had raised herself, or Lan Er, who had a playmate.
She didn’t know how much time she had left. Jinchao had only returned to the Gu family six years ago. Madam Ji always felt she hadn’t compensated her enough. How she wished to live a few more years—not for anything else, just to see her Jinchao married with honor, to a respectable family.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she held Jinchao’s hand. "Mother doesn’t know how much longer I can stay with you..."
Jinchao smiled reassuringly. "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you recover!"
Just another half-month, and Mr. Xiao would arrive.
The Medicinal Cuisine Jinchao brought was still warm. Mama Xu took it directly from the food box and set out bowls and chopsticks to serve the mother and daughter. Madam Ji ate more than usual, prompting Mama Xu to praise Jinchao, "The Eldest Miss’s cooking is truly excellent—Madam has eaten half a bowl more than usual!"Madam Ji smiled bitterly. "The medicinal cuisine is usually so bitter it makes one's mouth pucker... Chaojie's medicinal cuisine is much better, far more palatable."
Mama Xu could only sigh helplessly. "...It seems we'll have to ask the Eldest Miss to send more medicinal cuisine over!"
The maids giggled at this.
Just as the conversation inside was getting lively, Moyu lifted the curtain and entered. After paying her respects, she reported, "Madam, I've just heard from the Affairs Office that Second Miss's personal maid Ziling is getting married. Concubine Song has already arranged a courtyard for her outside, waiting for the Villa's escort party to arrive tomorrow for the wedding."
Madam Ji frowned. "...Without any prior notice, she's being married off in such haste. Did you find out where she's being married to?"
Moyu nodded. "I inquired, and it's said she's being married to the second son of the steward at the Song family's Villa in Shulu County, Baoding Prefecture. She'll be his second wife."
Madam Ji nodded. "That maid has reached marriageable age. Prepare a hundred taels of silver as a wedding gift on my behalf."
Jinchao, listening nearby, found it strange. Gu Lan had always valued this maid highly. In her past life, when Jinchao married into the Marquis of Fuguo's household, Ziling had been one of her dowry maids. Why in this life was Ziling suddenly being married off to Baoding Prefecture? Baoding was so far from Shi'an—she would surely never return.
And to become someone's second wife at that...
After returning to Paulownia Courtyard, Jinchao pondered this at length before summoning Caifu. "...Gu Lan's maid Ziling is getting married tomorrow. Take Baiyun with you to attend the wedding celebration. Give her three hundred taels as a wedding gift... and add several boxes of wedding sweets."
Caifu looked cautious—she'd never seen a mistress give such a generous gift to another's maid.
She asked softly, "Is there something you wish me to investigate?"
Jinchao smiled. "I'm not sure what to investigate either. Just go and observe, then report back to me."
Caifu had always been clever, needing no explicit instructions.
The next day, Caifu prepared carefully, bringing the three hundred taels in silver notes while Baiyun carried the wedding sweets. After inquiring at the Affairs Office about the courtyard's location, the two set off with their gifts.
The courtyard was on Chenhuai Alley, its gray facade rather inconspicuous. A rough servant woman from Concubine Song's quarters stood at the gate. Recognizing the two second-rank maids from the Eldest Miss's household, she beamed. "What an honor to have you two young ladies visit in person!" She ushered them into a side room.
Caifu glanced around the small quadrangle courtyard—no screen wall or festooned gate, just side rooms flanking the main hall with southern-facing rooms opposite. A well and a locust tree stood in the bare courtyard. The only festive touch was the double-happiness character pasted on the main hall's lattice windows.
Two or three young maids from Gu Lan's quarters sat in the side room, but being of lower status, they dared not speak to the visitors.
The side room's furnishings were dusty and worn, carrying a musty dampness.
Caifu stood and discreetly pressed a silver ingot into the servant woman's hand, smiling as she asked, "Where might Ziling be now? We've always been close—I must exchange a few words with her before her wedding."
The woman's eyes crinkled with delight. "Of course! Knowing you two is Ziling's good fortune! She's in the main hall now, being dressed by Chen Pozi. The groom's party will arrive soon."Even among maids, there were hierarchies. Though Ziling was a first-rank maid while Caifu and Baiyun were second-rank, the latter two enjoyed the Eldest Miss's favor, whereas Ziling had lost her mistress's trust and was being sent away. The lowly servant woman knew without thinking which side to curry favor with.
The servant opened the main room door and ushered them in.
Ziling sat on an embroidered stool, staring blankly at the dressing mirror. The servant Chen Pozi, who had been tidying up for her, hurriedly bowed when she saw Caifu and Baiyun enter. Ziling turned her head in surprise at their arrival.
Baiyun stepped forward and handed Chen Pozi a silver ingot. "We'd like to speak with Miss Ziling for a moment, if you please."
Chen Pozi's eyes darted shrewdly as she pocketed the silver and retreated outside, closing the door behind her. Another servant whispered disapprovingly, "You'd risk your neck for money! The Concubine said we're to keep watch over Ziling until she leaves!"
Chen Pozi snorted. "Don't pretend you haven't taken their silver too! She's leaving anyway—how would the Concubine know if we watched her or not?" Seeing the other servant's continued disapproval, she added weakly, "I'll keep watch outside. What trouble could Ziling possibly cause?"
Once the door shut, Ziling turned and said coolly, "Did the Eldest Miss send you to mock me?"
Caifu smiled. "Why would you think that, Miss Ziling? Our Eldest Miss has the kindest heart. Hearing of your upcoming marriage, she sent us with sweets to wish you well. Though we've had our differences, now that you're leaving the Gu household, why would we hold grudges?" She pulled over a stool and took Ziling's hand gently. Ziling bit her lip but didn't pull away.
She had learned of her marriage only days ago. The Second Miss hadn't asked her consent or even described her future husband—only that he was the steward's son at the Song family's Villa, widowed last year... Within days, Mu Jin had taken over all her duties, leaving her with nothing to do. Brought here, she had drifted in confusion before sinking into despair. She didn't understand what wrong she'd committed to deserve this from the Second Miss...
Even Mu Jin, usually so close to her, hadn't come—proof enough of the Second Miss's stance.
She hadn't expected Caifu and Baiyun to visit.
Caifu drew banknotes from her sleeve and pressed them into Ziling's damp palm. "The Eldest Miss sends you three hundred taels. She said you mustn't be without means. For safety, don't put this in your dowry—keep it hidden on your person."
Ziling was bewildered. "But... why?" Three hundred taels was far too much!
Caifu shook her head. "I don't know either, but caution never hurts. The steward's previous daughter-in-law died mysteriously... You must be careful!" She spoke as if genuinely concerned.
Ziling's anxiety deepened. Unconsciously, she gripped Caifu's hand so tightly her nails left marks. "I'm sorry... I..." Her voice trembled on the edge of tears. "I don't know what to do..."Caifu and Baiyun comforted her earnestly, and only then did Ziling finally calm down. A commotion arose outside, and when Baiyun opened the Lattice Window to look, she saw several groomsmen in maroon Chengzi uniforms arriving. They were laughing and talking loudly, filling the courtyard with noise.
Suddenly, Ziling tightly grasped Caifu's hand!
P.S.:
Thanks to Juanzhi, Watson, and Xiaoyudian00 for the pink votes~ And to Juanzhi for the reminder vote~
There will be another update in the afternoon. Please continue to support me with your little pink votes—thank you!
Also recommending a great work by a good friend: Mei Yan Kongkong's "Fragrant Flavors of the Countryside"—a farming story with scumbag revenge!
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