Chapter 85

Glossary

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

Ruan Zhu lifted her skirt to avoid the noisy crowd and not long after, finally reached the shore and stepped onto the bow of the boat. This shabby vessel was a little over thirty meters long and a little over one meter wide. The boat’s cabin was set with shabby planks and black tarpaulin and packed with people that all wore the clothes of the average commoner.

When those people saw that two ladies from a wealthy family had come aboard their boat, they all crowded over in astonishment to see the bustle.

Ruan Zhu stepped closer and performed the rites to Madam Ruan, neutrally saying: “Zhu’er greets Mother.”

Madam Ruan dazedly looked at her eldest daughter: “I heard you gave birth to twins of mixed sex.”

Ruan Zhu forced a smile: “It was in the beginning of the year. The boy is called Bo Yu, the girl is Bo Ya; they are both very adorable.”

“Was it with Mister Lu?” Madam Ruan looked ashore and followed her eldest daughter’s gaze towards an unspeakably noble and tall figure. She still did not know that Lu Piao Xiang was Tian Chu’s fifth prince. After she had been kicked out of her father’s home, she did not have the face to return and was unclear about anything regarding the Ruan clan.

“They are, Ma.” She looked at the shabbily dressed woman who was her mother in name only. She was merely thirty-some years old, but both of her temples had become slightly white and her skin had also yellowed. Ruan Zhu remembered how her figure at home been so beautiful and moved with such a coquettish attitude, but now that pair of watery eyes had dimmed.

“It seems that Zhu’er and Yu’er have been living happy and blessed lives. That is good, that is good.” Madam Ruan’s nose became sour and tears fell.

“Madam!” A man strode out of the ship’s hold–it was Madam Ruan’s fourth secondary husband, Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu: “Madam should go look at Second Brother Wei; he’s violently coughing and the situation does not look too good. The boat owner keeps on cursing to no end, saying he is too smelly and that other guests have already complained. He would like for us to leave the boat.”

Having finished saying that, Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu walked over to bow before the two sisters: “Eldest Miss, Second Miss.”

From head to toe, it seemed as if Madam Ruan had not heard what Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu had said as she absent-mindedly looked towards the two sisters.

“Ma, come back home with us!” Ruan Yu couldn’t bear it and pulled at her mother’s sleeve: “Stop caring about that man anymore, you don’t owe him anything; it’s him that has always owed you. Yu’er……Yu’er also needs Ma by her side.” Her eyes became red after speaking up to there.

Madam Ruan was stupefied and shook her head.

“Why?” Ruan Yu pulled on her mother’s arm and impatiently said: “Are you possibly still concerned about that man? What’s good about him? What part of him can compare to Papa?”

Distress leaked through on Madam Ruan’s face and she only responded after a long while: “It is not because of Wei Rong. Yu’er, you don’t understand. Ma can no longer return. After I passed through that doorstep, I could no longer return.”

Ruan Yu knew her mother’s temper was stubborn and also one that liked face. Any person who could calmly take a step back at that time would not have led their entire family in leaving. “Ma, as long as you still have us in your heart, it won’t be difficult and Papa will also forgive you.”

Madam Ruan’s dark eyes suddenly brightened as she excitedly grabbed her daughter: “Your Papa forgiving me–has he said something like this before?”

Ruan Yu stammered: “Although Papa has never mentioned it before, I know he has always been thinking of you. He has kept all of the items you’ve used before; on your birthday, he was extremely taciturn and didn’t speak the entire day.”

“It was I who let him down.” Madam Ruan suddenly sobbed out: “What on earth is he thinking of me for? We’ve already said to part without hard feelings. Can’t you just find another young and beautiful one?” The last line was said towards old man Ruan.

After a man of Tian Chu repudiated his wife, he lost the right to wed another, but if he truly did remarry, he could not be given a title and any children birthed between the two of them would be regarded as illegitimate and without the right to inherit any property or assets.

The good impression Ruan Zhu had of Madam Ruan came from the day she had given birth to Zhi Xi when the latter entered the delivery room to help take care of her. It could be regarded that having this kind of mother was still with its benefits. Turning her head towards the docks, she saw Xuanyuan Zong Zhi’s handsomely bright figure was still standing there, and the corner of her mouth couldn’t help but curve into a smile while she lifted her hand to beckon him over.

Xuanyuan Zong Zhi saw his wife’s gesture and headed to the shore with large steps, where he then lightly leapt and came aboard. Gazing at her with eyes full of affection, he asked: “Wife, is something the matter?”

Ruan Zhu shallowly smiled: “Do you have any silver banknotes on you?”

Xuanyuan Zong Zhi fished around his sleeves, his expression awkward: “These past few days have been spent on the ship and there has been no use for banknotes, thus I did not bring any.”

Ruan Zhu pushed him: “Go look on the dock to see if there’s anyone you recognize and go borrow some. We can just return double the amount when we return.” The Prince of Qi’s ship was considered part of the imperial household and could not be docked together with the vessels of the commoners so the distance was relatively far and a round trip was rather inconvenient.

“I will find someone. There is no need to pay them back; it is considered their honor to be able to lend us money.”

What Xuanyuan Zong Zhi said was justified. Those men usually fawned over him and it still depended on whether his mood was good or not.

Reaching the shore in one leap, he saw a fifth-rank official and raised his hand to block the other’s way.

That fifth-rank official was just about to rain curses when he saw that it was the most favored Fifth Prince and immediately jumped with fright and hurriedly paid his respects. Xuanyuan Zong Zhi requested a few silver banknotes from him and then turned around and barred a few other officials to coerce more banknotes.

Madam Ruan saw her son-in-law’s actions and was so surprised her eyes widened. Those officials usually had their eyes stuck on the top of their heads and treated commoners viciously. When one met them on the streets, regular civilians had to keep a far distance, so when did this son-in-law have such large ability?

Xuanyuan Zong Zhi returned to the boat with a stack of silver banknotes in his hands. He didn’t know how many there were total and simply stuffed the whole lot in his wife’s hand: “See if this is enough. If not, I will go ask for more.”

This was precisely the advantage of being someone in power–one could openly rob others at any time and any place.

Ruan Zhu saw that these silver banknotes were marked with either fifty taels or a hundred taels. With this thickness, no matter how one said it, it should still be a few thousand, right!? The most an average commoner could earn in one year of hard, bitter labor was ten taels of silver. Exactly how much of the people’s blood, sweat, and tears have these officials raked? Regardless of the time or the space, anywhere there were officials, there would be **?

“Ai! Three years of a just and honorable magistrate amounts to one hundred thousand snowflakes of silver.[a] Words of wisdom, hmm!” Ruan Zhu sighed in admiration and offered the large stack of banknotes towards Madam Ruan: “Ma, take these to rent a solo boat. Don’t cram in one with so many commoners. You won’t have to take the others’ curses and also won’t feel unhappy.”

“How could Ma so easily take this many banknotes?” Madam Ruan’s fingertips touched the silver banknotes, her expression uneasy and then stubbornly backed away: “Take it back to save for my grandsons, for when they marry. Yu’er has already given Ma so much, Ma does not want it. Take it back.”

“Ma, you also saw it. These banknotes were gathered, and besides, I don’t lack silver.” To her, this money was truly almost the same as picking some up from the ground.

“Zhu’er, I don’t understand. Take it back and save it for the children. Ai, it’s not easy to survive in the world and it’s hard to make money!”

Madam Ruan had a good side in that she was not particularly avaricious. The day she left, she would rather save face and refused to open her mouth to ask old Master Ruan for compensation. Saying she didn’t want it meant she didn’t want it, and she stubbornly shoved the wad of banknotes back into her eldest daughter’s hand.

Yet Ruan Zhu saw her mother turn around and run inside the ship’s cabin while tears streamed down her face as if she was afraid to be discovered by her daughter.

Ruan Zhu gloomily held the stack of banknotes as she stared blankly before her, then saw the standing Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu: “Fourth Father, give these banknotes to Mother so your lives can be a little more comfortable.”

Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu refused to stretch out his hand and heaved a sigh: “Eldest Miss, please forgive me for saying this, but I actually feel your Ma’s current circumstances are much better than before as the previous her was ruined by money. You should just take it back!”

They all said money was destructive, but smart people used it to their benefit; fools had their souls corroded by it.

“Although your Ma has never mentioned it, but it can be seen that she deeply regrets what happened before.” Fourth Concubine-Father Zhu shook his head, his entire face rueful. “The one she cherished abandoned her while the ones she paid no attention to yet sent charcoal in snowy weather.[b]“

“Mother was abandoned by whom?” Ruan Zhu asked. Was it Wei Rong, Wei Jia, or perhaps Ruan Ju?

“After we had been driven out by your maternal grandfather, the entire family, including Ruan Ju’s, moved to a poor alley in the capital. Those men of Ruan Ju’s always stole your mother’s silver and later also took her hair ornaments. During that time, Second Miss came over a few times, so perhaps you have heard her say this before.”

Ruan Zhu nodded. During that time when Maternal Grandfather came to shoot the breeze, she had mentioned it.

“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.