Chapter 61 (1/2)
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Chapter Sixty-One: Paternal Family
Just as Hua Xi Wan finished attiring herself for the day, Yan Jin Qiu walked in from outside. Because of the snow, a small part of his shoes was wet. When Hua Xi Wan saw this, she immediately had the servant girls take out shoes for Yan Jin Qiu to change into. She handed a cup of warm tea to Yan Jin Qiu. ”It is a major court session today—how is it that you came back so early?”
Yan Jin Qiu allowed Mu Tong to change his shoes and then waved the other people out. He then took a sip of hot tea before saying, ”The Emperor fainted in anger because of the case that the Judicial Office is investigating right now.”
With a son like this, it would not be right if he did not faint a few times every year.
While she thought this, Hua Xi Wan said with slight concern on her face, ”What do the imperial doctors say?”
”What can they say? It is just too much anger.” Yan Jin Qiu saw Hua Xi Wan's splendid attire and remembered that Hua Xi Wan was going to visit his in-laws at the marquis fu today. He said, ”The snow has decreased slightly. I will accompany you to visit the parents. Even though today is not the old taitai's significant birthday year, as one of the grandson generation, it is proper to go wish her well. Also, it has been a few days since I have played a match with Mt. Tai.”
”All right,” Hua Xi Wan said with a smile. ”A few days ago, Mother was saying to me that ever since Father played with you, he disdains my two brothers' skills. Once you go today, you can satisfy some of his weiqi yearning.”
Even if they were simple and frugal, the procession of the w.a.n.g ye and w.a.n.g fei still looked ceremonial and n.o.ble in the eyes of other people. Fortunately, the people in Jing were already used to this. In Jing where the Imperial Family members could be found on the streets, and the n.o.bility was as numerous as dogs, they would just exchange gossip between them when they saw a grand procession appear on a snowy day.
”I heard Xian w.a.n.g once gave Xian w.a.n.g Fei a night pearl the size of a fist to curry favor with her. That is a very rare object.”
”What are you saying? I have a distant relative who works in the fu of a certain Imperial Family member, and they heard that Xian w.a.n.g Fei doesn't like night pearls at all. So in the things that they send as gifts to Xian w.a.n.g Fei, they have to avoid things like night pearls.”
”I've also heard this. What night pearl, that is so cheap. Would someone as beautiful as Xian w.a.n.g Fei like something like that?”
The people on the street fantasized about the days that the Imperial Family members lived. In their imagination, people like w.a.n.g Ye and w.a.n.g Fei would definitely live differently from them. Also, Xian w.a.n.g had a good and elegant reputation before. If Xian w.a.n.g Fei was the object of such affection from him, she definitely would not be a woman who only had beauty.
Even though there were warming stoves placed in the large carriage, Hua Xi Wan still felt slightly cold. When she lifted the curtain slightly, she felt the cold wind scurrying into the carriage. She moved towards Yan Jin Qiu and inhaled the cold air. She neatened the sleeve of her palace robe that was trimmed with fox fur and said, ”The days are getting colder.”
”I wonder what the harvest will be like next year.” Yan Jin Qiu's brow furrowed. ”The day is cold and the ground is frozen; I wonder how the poor will manage to pa.s.s the winter.”
”Jing is like this every year when it is winter. Fortunately, some prestigious families will give out rice and porridge in the winter, or give out warm clothing to some of the poor families. Otherwise, it really is difficult to live as one of the common people.” What Hua Xi Wan did not say was that, right at the feet of the Emperor, the people did not need to worry about dying from being frozen or starvation. Those who really endured hards.h.i.+p were the people in remote areas. With the Emperor so far away, no one knew how much of the Imperial Winter Funds that the Ministry of Revenue sent each year would truly land in the hands of those who needed them.
Hua Xi Wan did not say it, but that did not mean that Yan Jin Qiu did not think of it. However, it was not appropriate for people of their station to think of this matter. Right now, the Imperial Clan of the Great Zhao was showing signs of becoming disorderly.
The Emperor had become old and turned from a wise emperor into a paranoid, stubborn and muddle-headed emperor. The inner palace had a hard time producing children, the Crown Prince was unskilled and of poor conduct. If things continued to develop like this, it was undoubted that the Great Zhao Dynasty would turn into chaos. At that time, it would still be the innocent people who would suffer the most.
While the old taitai of the Hua Family lived with the third master of the Hua Family, this birthday was still celebrated and hosted by Hua He Sheng, the di son, at the marquis fu. No matter how the relations.h.i.+p between the three Hua Brothers was, in the eyes of other people, they were brothers of the same blood. If they made a spectacle, that was just providing something for other people to laugh at.
Fortunately, the three could be considered to have a harmonious relations.h.i.+p. While Hua Zhi Xun was born of the second wife, he had some talent in scholarly fields and he was a very rational person. So there was no conflict between him and his two brothers who were born of the first wife. In their eyes, the little matters between the women of the inner compound were so insignificant that they were not worth a mention.
Even though the marquis fu had already stated that, because it was not a major birthday for the old taitai, they would not hold a large celebration, still many people in Jing sent gifts. This gave the Hua Clan enough face.
The families by marriage such as the Zhang, Lu, and Yao Family also came in person to celebrate the birthday of the old taitai. The old taitai's own family, the Luo Family, was a small prestigious family, and naturally would not miss such a chance to curry favor with the Hua Family. So early in the morning, the mistress of the Luo Family, the old taitai's nephew's wife, came to the marquis fu. She accompanied the old taitai, amusing her and causing the old taitai to be very happy.
However, Luo Taitai also knew her own status in addition to the fact the old taitai was just the second wife of the old marquis. The present head of the family was the oldest son of the original wife, so she did not do anything inappropriate using her ident.i.ty as one of the old taitai's paternal family members. Her words were respectful of all three Hua Brothers, and she did not favor one over the others.
The Old Hua Taitai was satisfied with this. She was perceptive, smart, and had a tight mouth. Therefore, of the womenfolk in her paternal family, who she saw the most was this nephew's wife.
”Old Taitai, Xian w.a.n.g and Xian w.a.n.g Fei have arrived,” a young servant girl reported with a happy expression. ”I heard that they have reached the main gates already.”
”Such heavy snow—why did these two children come? Didn't I say that I was not going to hold a banquet? What happens if they get cold?” While the old taitai was stern in words, the smile on her face was visible. Hua Xi Wan really wasn't her true granddaughter, but she gave enough face by coming on a snowy day with Xian w.a.n.g to celebrate her birthday.
”Aunt, you cannot say something like that. Who in Jing doesn't know that Xian w.a.n.g and Xian w.a.n.g Fei are extremely filial people? They have come in such heavy snow to celebrate for you, that is their filial virtue. How can you blame them for their concern—wouldn't this hurt their hearts?” Luo Taitai's words were very skilled. She did not just make Xian w.a.n.g and Xian w.a.n.g Fei into filial people, she also complimented the old taitai for being an elder who was benevolent.
The young master who had been adopted from a branch of the Zhang Family also added a few words. However, his status was awkward, so he was not willing to speak more after saying a few words. His furen was also someone who was not skilled in speech, so the two sat there and seemed slightly transparent.
The second taitai of the Hua Family, Zhang s.h.i.+, was not very warm towards this younger brother who had been adopted and his wife. In fact, she looked down on this adopted brother. If it was not for the face of her paternal family, she probably wouldn't even look at them.