Chapter 49 (1/2)

Glossary

儿 | er | (lit. child) diminutive marker used as a form of endearment

This Ruan Ju was only thirteen years old and stirrings of amorous feelings were already starting to sprout. Ruan Zhu turned it over in her mind: It was common for an ancient maiden to marry at the age of twelve or thirteen, but to steal glances at a man this obviously and it was also towards a man that could very possibly become her brother-in-law, what exactly was this silly girl thinking of?

Ruan Ju stealthily continued to stare at Lu Piao Xiang for a while and then came over to salute the Ruan couple. She had always been scared of Ruan Zi Xu but hated leaving the mother that had raised her that was opposite him and walked over to pull at her arm: “Mother, earlier I heard the servants that Elder Sister had brought back say that Mister Lu plays the guqin very well. In any case, we don’t have anything to do right now, so how about we let him play a tune that will put everyone in a cheerful mood?”

“Impudent.” Ruan Zi Xu’s face sank. He could see that Lu Piao Xiang’s bearing was beyond what was normal and that he was certainly not a child of an ordinary household. How could he be treated like an entertainer?

“Father, what did daughter say wrong?” Having said that, Ruan Ju turned towards Madam Ruan with a face full of grievances. Didn’t Mister Lu only have a secondary husband’s status and weren’t those concubines of Mother’s always being bossed around? She was also the Third Miss of the Ruan clan, how could she not even have the privilege to prompt him to play the guqin?

“Ju’er, be good and sit by the side. Mother has prepared a few dolls for you in the room, and later your concubine-father will send them to you.” Madam Ruan straightened Ruan Ju’s lapel and pushed her towards the seat beside her.

Ruan Zhu watched the spectacle with her large eyes, feeling Madam Ruan also had a side of her that was affectionate toward children, but it simply depended on who it was. Turning her gaze away, she saw Ruan Yu tightly clutching her belt. Because her fingers were using too much force, they had turned white and blue.

All children in each household were divided into ones that were pampered and ones that weren’t! Ruan Zhu inwardly sighed and placed her hand on top of Ruan Ju’s, patting it in comfort. Ruan Ju flipped her hand over and gripped it, the two sisters silently transmitting solace to each other.

But Lu Piao Xiang had the intention of entering the Ruan clan, thus he instructed a small child to fetch his guqin from his room. After a moment, the guqin arrived and he played a song in front of everyone. By the time the song ended, it was as if everyone in the room had been drunk from the melody.

Of course, except for those that did not understand music, such as Yun Shi Wei, who yawned. Annoyed, Ruan Zhu pinched his armpit. She really applauded that he could become sleepy in this situation.

Yun Shi Wei jumped up from pain, simultaneously swinging his arm and complaining: “Spouse, why do you pinch in all sorts of places, a pinch here really hurts.”

His actions caused the entire room to laugh. He didn’t care; on the contrary, Ruan Zhu was rather embarrassed.

“It’s not early, everyone can disperse!” Ruan Zi Xu waved his arm and said towards Ruan Zhu: “You must be exhausted after so many days on the road. I’ve had people tidy up your Furong Garden[a] again, you can just take Shi Wei with you and retire for the night!”

The secondary husbands and their sons and daughters walked over to salute and say ‘good night’ and one after the other left Jin Se Hall. Lu Piao Xiang also took his leave.

Yet Ruan Yu pulled at Ruan Zhu’s sleeve, her expression one of not wanting to leave: “Papa, I want to sleep together with Eldest Sister tonight.”

“Another day, all right? Your Eldest Sister has just returned home and is very tired. Her health is also very important right now and cannot look after you.” Ruan Zi Xu saw there were not many people left in the room and indicated for Yun Shi Wei to leave first before saying to Ruan Zhu: “I see that Shi Wei is one that does not know how to look after someone, how about having Nuan Chun and Nuan Qing sleep in your room tonight?”

“Pa, how could you also manage this aspect? I am not used to that many people in the room.”

In this era, before girls were married, they were arranged bedwarmers that usually looked after their daily meals, and in necessary times, could also accompany them in bed. But families tended to pay particular attention to etiquette and ceremony due to the honor they had to give to the bridegroom’s family and for the most part, were not willing for their daughters to have sexual relations with servants before marriage. Thus, bedwarmers were required to wear chastity belts. But after they’ve left the maternal home, there was no need for those things as bedwarmers were precisely the tools for a warm bed.[b]

“Nuan Chun and Nuan Qing have been with you for so long now. How is it you are married with a principal husband yet are not accustomed to them?” Ruan Zi Xu wrinkled his brows, “The number of men by your side is too few. I see that Mister Lu is not bad. He understands the situation, is tactful, and is also very considerate towards others. As your father, let me accept him on your behalf, all right? If he is there to take care of you, this father feels very reassured.”

Were the fathers of Tian Chu all like this or was Ruan Zi Xu just an unusual individual? Why did he even have to manage how many bed companions his child had? Ruan Zhu awkwardly responded: “Mister Lu has not yet agreed. Moreover, how could his parents be willing to let their son become a secondary husband? You oldie shouldn’t do things based on your wishful thinking.”

Ruan Zi Xu nodded his head: “It seems finding a matchmaker would still be best.”

Ruan Zhu was startled: “It’s too early, I am only fifteen years old and am not anxious in accepting more secondary husbands.”

“Does Eldest Sister not like Mister Lu?” Right at that moment, Ruan Ju had walked to the entrance but had turned back around after hearing those words. A pair of large eyes spun as they stared at her: “If Eldest Sister does not like Mister Lu, how about giving him to me?”

Ruan Zhu stared blankly at her. The other person, Lu Piao Xiang, was not merchandise, how could she give him away as she pleased? Though she wasn’t clear about Lu Piao Xiang’s history, it could be inferred from the other’s consistent behavior that he must have an unusual family background. Giving him to others, she did not have that right or power.

“That, I’m afraid is out of the question.” Ruan Zhu insipidly refused.

Faced with Ruan Zhu’s cold rejection, anger ignited in Ruan Ju’s eyes and she shouted: “How about I exchange two of the bedwarmers by my side? They know how to dance and know how to sing little songs and are also very good at looking after others. You’ll definitely like them.”

There were several pretty boys kept in Ruan Ju’s courtyard. Able to dance and sing, they usually made a racket until the middle of the night. Now and then, she even dressed them up as girls and made a game of beautifying them. Madam Ruan had closed an eye to this and believed it was a harmless child’s game.

“My apologies, I cannot agree to that.” Ruan Zhu still declined.

“Why are you so fickle and stubborn?!” Ruan Ju’s expression changed.

I am fickle and stubborn? From where did these words come from! Ruan Zhu almost burst out laughing. This person could truly invert black and white.

Ruan Zi Xu impatiently looked at this spoiled concubine-born daughter. If she fancied something, she would believe it was surely hers and demand for it as if it was something that should be hers by rights, going so far as to not consider the other party’s feelings. This time, she actually had placed her sights on her eldest sister’s secondary husband!

He really wanted to see what sort of reasoning she could come up with, so he silently sat down on a taishi chair on the side and sipped his tea. What a pity his wife had left to relieve herself and could not see what sort of virtues her always proud daughter had.

Ruan Yu nearly blew her top and she coldly addressed Ruan Ju: “I’ve never met someone like you who does not know what shame and humiliation is. I have to go ask Second concubine-Father how exactly he teaches his children. Being absurd in your own courtyard every day is whatever but this time you’ve actually placed your crooked way of thinking on Eldest Sister’s secondary husband. Why bother not respecting your own self and make a fool of yourself for no reason? I think today Third Sister has no need to return to your own courtyard, just stay in Ju Se Hall and carefully listen to Father’s teachings and rules to better understand what is called propriety, justice, integrity, and honor.”