Chapter 426 - Worry (1/2)
“Official Liu is being too polite!” One really needed skills when interacting with officials. How was she going to survive in the future ah! After sending away Minister Liu, Yu Xiaocao stretched her back and put her legs up on another chair. Xichun alertly crouched down beside her and helped her massage her tired calves.
This was the scene that Fang Zizhen saw when he came in. He chuckled and said, “Oh! Who is this lord? You don’t have a very high rank, yet you’re quite haughty. If your godmother sees you, she will definitely nag you for several days!”
When Yu Xiaocao was appointed as an official, Fang Zizhen was very happy for her for a while, but Lady Fang was very worried. As a girl, she wasn’t staying in the inner court and learning how to manage a household, but instead she had to deal with a bunch of men. What would outsiders think about her? Perhaps, many of the people who were on bad terms with the General’s Household had already prepared snacks and were waiting to watch a good show.
Lady Fang had originally planned on having her goddaughter move into the estate when she was around twelve or thirteen. She wanted to fix her temperament, teach her things that a young lady should know, bring her to some flower appreciation gatherings and tea parties, and find a good marriage partner for her.
Now, that Royal Prince Yang, who was rumored to be the cold-faced death god, followed her everywhere without any sense of propriety. This caused her close friends to ask her whether she decided to let her goddaughter be the royal prince’s concubine for the sake of her husband’s future.
Was she that kind of person? She knew very clearly herself how much she cared about Xiaocao. She treated her even better than if she was her biological daughter and wanted to give her all the best things. Especially in terms of marriage, she didn’t want her to be mistreated. Why would the rumors turn her into a shameless person who wanted to send her goddaughter to be a concubine for the sake of her husband’s future? Lady Fang felt very wronged ah!
The emperor also joined in and made things worse. If he wanted Xiaocao to help with matters of farming, he could just privately send an imperial edict or give an oral order. Why did he have to go through all that trouble to summon her to the Imperial Palace and make her a little sixth-ranked official? Wasn’t…wasn’t this just making things hard for people?
Since ancient times, how many women were able to become government officials? Even Shangguan Waner, who served Empress Regnant Wu Zetian, didn’t have a good ending. Which of those officials in the imperial court weren’t proud and arrogant? Which one of them would be willing to let a woman be an official in court? The emperor had sent out an imperial edict, but besides the emperor and Minister Liu, who genuinely cared about the good of the people, how many of them really had a good opinion of her family’s Xiaocao?
How was this being favored by the emperor? This had really destroyed all hopes for her goddaughter marrying a son of an official! Which of those young masters of aristocrat families and scholars who failed the imperial examination would be willing to marry Yu Xiaocao, who constantly worked outside the house and had a government post that people ridiculed? When the imperial edict was announced, Lady Fang was so angry that her chest started to hurt. ‘Your Majesty, you’re seriously so annoying for doing this!’
Yu Xiaocao, who was being teased by her godfather, knew about her godmother’s concern. She giggled and put down her legs. After greeting her godfather, she said, “I won’t occupy Godfather’s study any longer. I’ll go back to my courtyard to change my clothes so that Godmother won’t see me wearing this official’s gown and say that I look out of place and feel angry again.”
When Fang Zizhen recalled what his wife told him last night, he sighed and said, “Your godmother is seriously thinking about your future. Think about it. Many of those young masters of the noble families in the capital don’t even have a position as a sixth-ranked official. Which young man with some reputation would want his wife to be more capable than themselves? Your godmother is worried about your future marriage ah!”
Yu Xiaocao, on the other hand, laughed nonchalantly and said, “I know that Godmother wants the best for me. My father said that he wanted to keep me until I’m eighteen, so isn’t there still six to seven years? A person who sincerely loves and values me won’t be blinded and shackled by those common views. I, your daughter, don’t want someone who thinks too much, is restricted by his concerns, and despises women in his heart! To be able to meet a man who genuinely loves me will be a blessing, but if I don’t, then that’s life! Let’s leave it up to fate! In the future, if I don’t find someone I like, I’m fine with living by myself. With Godfather, Godmother, and Little Linlin around, would you guys just watch me starve and get bullied?”
“Pah pah! What are you saying? Why would my, Fang Zizhen’s, daughter be worried about not being able to get married? Our Xiaocao is so talented. At a young age, you’re an even better cook than the imperial chefs, and you also know how to earn money. Those who look down on us are blind, so they don’t deserve our Xiaocao!! You’re not allowed to talk about being single for the rest of your life anymore. If your godmother heard it, she would probably lie in bed for nearly half a month?” Fang Zizhen glared at the little lass and chided.
Yu Xiaocao wasn’t afraid of her godfather, but she was a little scared of facing her godmother. It wasn’t that her godmother treated her badly, but it was because she treated her too well. Her godmother was always trying to do what’s best for her and strived to turn her into a virtuous noble young lady. Her heart ached when she thought about having to walk, speak, and act in a restrained manner like a monkey controlled by the band-tightening spell.
Yu Xiaocao made a funny face at her godfather, and then walked back to her courtyard with Xichun. As soon as she entered, a round ball-like figure tottered over and hugged her leg. He looked up and called, “Older Sister” in a babyish voice.
“Oh! Little Linlin, why are you at Older Sister’s courtyard? Are you waiting for me to come back?” She bent down to pick up the little fellow, which really required some strength. The little guy was quite heavy ah!