Chapter 85 (2/2)
“If it was before, then it would be fine, but Ruan Ju secretly deceived Wei Jia in going outside and then sold him to a wealthy family as their bedwarmer. At least she had some conscience and did not sell her blood-related elder brother to those dirty places.”
Ruan Ju had a conscience? Ruan Zhu didn’t think so.
“But then something happened later……Ai, a month after Ruan Ju and her entire family had been driven out, they returned. Taking advantage of your Ma not being home, they kidnapped your Fifth Father Lin and sold him to a whorehouse. Furthermore, his two children were also sold along with him.”
Fifth Father Lin was Madam Ruan’s fifth secondary husband who usually did not like to meddle in things and only asked to live his days well.
Ruan Zhu was greatly alarmed: “How could Ruan Ju be like that? She’s deranged.”
“Luckily I fled fast with my own child at the time or it would have been hard to escape misfortune.” Grief and pain flashed in Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu’s eyes as he remembered: “It was only after your Mother had received a letter that she rushed back from outside. We looked all over for Fifth Father Lin and his sons and searched so many places, and finally after half a month, found the two children in an unlicensed whorehouse. It was one of those illegal places that specialized in letting men have fun. Those pitiful children breathed their last not long after we brought them back. Fifth Father Lin was also rescued from an unlicensed whorehouse and after he saw his children’s corpses, he went mad. Later, when no one was watching, he ran out and drowned himself in a pond.”
Ruan Yu thought about her two deceased younger brothers and tears immediately flowed down her cheeks.
Ruan Zhu didn’t speak for a very long time. Her chest felt heavy, as if it had been blocked. After Ruan Ju had been disfigured by Xuanyuan Min Zhi, she felt he had gone too far, but now, she felt the other rather deserved it. Being sent to Da Jue Mountain would be an even more severe punishment, right?
“Your Ma looked on as those two children died without even a way to save them. She remained silent for several dozen days in a row, not saying a single word; her entire being as if she had lost her soul. She even drove away Wei Jia when he secretly snuck out to visit his father. She bitterly resents Wei Rong’s entire family and also refused to invite a physician when Wei Rong’s illness became more severe. Even up to now, she treats him indifferently.”
Only after experiencing all sorts of ordeals would those who are lost be able to achieve nirvana and find the true meaning of life.
“Wei Rong can also be considered pitiful. I’m afraid he cannot survive for much longer.”
Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu sighed over and over, then greeted the two sisters and took his leave, turning to return to the ship’s cabin.
Ruan Zhu stood on the deck for a long while before following her husband and younger sister in leaving.
………………
“Big Brother Lu, what do you think is the reason people live for?”
“For our loved ones, for our babies that we have raised together. Isn’t that right, my little sweetie Bo Ya?” Xuanyuan Zong Zhi picked up his daughter and coaxed her, leaving his son to go wild on top of the bed. The three-month old had already learned how to turn over and chattered to himself as he flipped over from one to the other side in play.
“Why are you bullying my son?” Ruan Zhu picked up Bo Yu, but surprisingly, this child was one who only wanted to have fun and started crying as soon as he was held. She quickly placed the small toddler back on the bed and Bo Yu once again returned to his happy state atop the bed.
“Look, that is why sons are troublesome and it is still my family’s small county princess that is obedient. Wife, in the future, let’s not have any more sons and only focus on having daughters!”
“Pei! Do you think Songzi Guan Yin[c] is part of your family so that whatever you think will arrive? If it was like this, this world wouldn’t have so many males and so few females, causing so many males to be destined to remain as bachelors for their entire life while a delicate woman like me has to be portioned out like an apple by you smelly men to be eaten.”
Xuanyuan Zong Zhi lowered his head respectfully: “Wife’s words are rational. Apples are indeed very delicious so I would like to eat some more later when we go to sleep.”
Ruan Zhu gave him an annoyed glance: “I am not an apple.”
“Spouse, you want to eat apples?”
The cabin door opened and Yun Shi Wei carried little Zhi Xi inside. The little guy struggled free of Yun Shi Wei’s arms and toddled over to hug Xuanyuan Zong Zhi’s thigh, happily babbling: “Papa, Papa, want ride horsey.”
“Baby, be good. Papa is currently coaxing your little sister to sleep. It’s also no longer early so Pa will take you to ride horses tomorrow.” Xuanyuan Zong Zhi helplessly refused.
“Big Brother Lu, what did you say?” Ruan Zhu seriously stared at him. She had always thought Zhi Xi’s call of ‘Papa’ was because the child was confused but there was actually another reason–It was this bastard that was the culprit.
“What have I said?” Xuanyuan Zong Zhi was at a total loss.
“How could you allow Zhi Xi to call you ‘Papa’? This morning in front of Emperor-Father, you even brought up so self-righteously what so-called ‘rules’ for the Prince of Yong to follow, but have you abided by them?”
“Heh heh……in the beginning, it was Zhi Xi who called me thus and since it has been a while, I grew accustomed to it.” Xuanyuan Zong Zhi gave an embarrassed smile, but hurriedly admitted his wrong after seeing his wife’s grave face: “All right, I vow there will not be a next time.” He hardened his face as his head lowered towards the little person clutching his thigh: “Zhi Xi, call me Third Father. If you do not listen, there will be never by any more riding horses in the future.”
“Third……Father…..ride horsey.” Zhi Xi inarticulately repeated and raised his little face, his eyes full of hope.
“All right, we will go ride horses. Ai, being a third father is also hard, ah!” Xuanyuan Zong Zhi handed Bo Ya to his wife to look after and led Zhi Xi out of the ship’s cabin.
Yun Shi Wei sat at the head of the bed: “I heard from Ruan Yu that you met maternal aunt?”
Ruan Zhu thought of the encounter with Madam Ruan and nodded her head.
Yun Shi Wei saw that she was taciturn and thought she was deeply hurt, thus consoled her: “It can be considered unlucky for your mother to fall into such a plight so don’t feel too upset.” He was not good with words, so if the recipient was changed to Ruan Yu, she would absolutely have rolled her eyes at him.
“I understand.” Ruan Zhu coaxed Bo Ya to sleep, then called for an imperial bodyguard by the entrance to find one of the wet nurses to have her take the child away.
Bo Yu, this little boy, was full of spirits and was still crazily playing around on the bed, so she might as well just let him play to his fill.
Yun Shi Wei was pensive: “Spouse, I heard you are going to accept Xuanyuan Min Zhi as our family’s fourth?”
Ruan Zhu muttered to herself: “It was the Emperor’s decree.”
“That’s also good. Though that guy is annoying, he can also be considered a man.” Yun Shi Wei lowered his head and thought for a moment as if he had made up his mind: “Spouse, I have something I want to discuss with you. You must support me.”
Ruan Zhu was surprised and looked at him: “Second Cousin, what’s wrong with you? Why so serious?”
Yun Shi Wei glanced at Bo Yu who was on top of the bed: “Let’s talk somewhere else, Spouse, I want to embrace you.”
Ruan Zhu felt today’s Yun Shi Wei was very strange, as if he had something on his mind. Calling over the other wet nurse to look over Bo Yu, she followed Yun Shi Wei to the room where he usually retired for the night.
Yun Shi Wei closed the door, hugged his wife, and didn’t speak for a very long time.
“Second Cousin, if there’s something the matter, don’t hesitate to say it. I will support you.”
“Spouse, speak to the Emperor on my behalf to let me fight the rebels at Cang Huang Mountain.”
[a] 三年清知府，十万雪花银, saying translated literally above which means: 1) A clean magistrate in power will only earn 100,000 taels of income after three years; if it was someone greedy, who knows how much money they would pilfer, 2) even a clean government official must pay thousands of silver, let alone a corrupt official
[b] 雪中送炭, idiom meaning provided help in somebody’s time of need
[c] From Wikipedia, Songzi (Niangniang) is a Taoist fertility goddess that literally translates to “Maiden Who Brings Children.” She is often depicted as Guan Yin herself or as the other’s attendant.