CH 54

Fujian, Zhao Manor.

Zhao Su sneezed a couple of times and wondered who was talking about him.

He pondered over it and thought that it could only be the Prince of Yu Manor’s Zhu Yijun who was very far away at this moment. But he was the princely heir of the Prince of Yu Manor so naturally he must be surrounded by others enjoying the New Year celebration, Zhu Yijun would not have noticed that he was not present.

He felt an addition of a cloak over his shoulders and he turned around in surprise, it was his mother, Lady Chen who had come over. 

“The wind is heavy at night, so don’t catch a cold. Mother made this cloak during my freetime. I was afraid that it would be too big, but it seems that you’ve grown so much taller, it fits perfectly. When you’re away, I’m always worrying that you’re cold or hungry. Especially now that you are an official, I heard that as soon as officials get busy sometimes you won’t even have time to eat a proper meal.”

She was babbling a load of nonsense but the way that she was looking at Zhao Su was so warm and gentle that Zhao Su did not feel annoyed in the slightest.

People living in this world all need a goal as well as support, which was why Zhao Su was still willing to keep some relationship with the Zhao family for the sake of Lady Chen. And Lady Chen had compromised and never thought about how awful her situation was under any circumstances for the sake of Zhao Su.

Zhao Su smiled and said: “Don’t worry mother, I am not lacking in clothing and I won’t let myself go hungry.” 

“I heard from Zhao Ji that you, Ziyang1 and Chen Zhu gongzi all live together. Three men without even a woman to look after you, plus Zhao Ji’s personality is too mischievous, how could mother not be worried?”

Lady Chen said with some displeasure and then asked after Zhao Nuan: “Why didn’t Zhao Nuan come back with you?”

“He’s very busy with his business and can’t step away. He already wrote home to say that he wouldn’t be able to come back this year for the Lunar New Year festivities. Apparently, when his father heard this, he was utterly enraged, I think he’s afraid of coming home and being made to go and study and take the imperial examinations by his father again.”

Zhao Su laughed lightly, and then helped Lady Chen to go back inside.

Mother and son chatted for a while longer. Their snack shop, Tang Song Ju’s business, was still doing very well. For Lady Chen who had come from a lowly background to achieve such success was already a great achievement, she did not wish to expand it any further. Zhao Su thought that Zhao Nuan had opened up another branch of Tang Song Ju in the Capital anyway, so from now on, they could focus more of their efforts over there, and bring Lady Chen to the Capital to live with him.

Lady Chen shook her head: “I’m old, I’d feel most comfortable at home. I know that my son is doing well and that’s enough. No matter what, you can come back home at any time. Our door will always be open to you.”

Lady Chen pretended to hit him, Zhao Su laughed and evaded her.

The entire room was filled with warmth.

Lady Chen suddenly stopped and then smiled and then sighed before saying: “You are still so playful but mother is indeed old and can’t be by your side forever, you need to have someone by your side to take care of you.”

Here it was, Zhao Su coughed: “Since mother has brought it up, I have a few ideas that I’d like to discuss with you.”

Lady Chen nodded.

He told her about Xu Jie and Chen Yiqin wanting to arrange a marriage for him.

Lady Chen was silent for a while.

To not scare her, Zhao Su did not mention the ranking of the two officials in question. But from the situation, Lady Chen could also guess that these two people were anything but ordinary. Instead of being pleased, she was deeply worried: “From what you’re saying, both da-ren look favorably upon you so if you decide on one, you will end up offending the other one?”

Zhao Su smiled ever so slightly: “So I’d like mother to matchmake me with another family. If it is a marriage arranged by mother, the two da-ren should not be able to comment.”

Lady Chen hesitated: “That…. That doesn’t seem right, these two da-ren proposed first. I am from a lowly background and I don’t even have an official title, how could I go ahead…..”

“Mother!” Zhao Su cut her off, “We were kicked out of that house a long time ago, and cannot be counted as one of them. Plus regarding this, I have thought about it for a long time and I would never make you suffer.”

Seeing that Lady Chen didn’t say a word, Zhao Su whispered: “Mother, I’ve suffered half my life, it’s time for me to have some joy of my own. Before, I didn’t want you to worry about it because I thought that I was still young. But now Xu da-ren and Chen da-ren are both sincerely proposing, and rejecting either side would not be right, why doesn’t mother just do this for me, I don’t wish for a wife from an influential family, just a lady who is kind and gentle is enough.”

Since he put it like that, Lady Chen pondered over it and thought that Zhao Su was right. Since selecting either side would offend the other, so why not go the complete opposite way. Even if her status was low, she could always ask one of the clansmen to go in her place, so she smiled and said: “You’re only looking for a loving wife, aren’t you afraid that mother will choose one you don’t like?”

The third day of the Lunar New Year.

Zhao Jin and Lady Wu were having breakfast when they heard someone come to report that Zhao Xiyi had come to visit, they hurriedly got up to meet him in the front hall.

Zhao Xiyi was Zhao Jin’s paternal uncle5, and because he had just retired from his government post, even the current County Magistrate had to show him some respect, Lady Wu naturally did not dare to put on any airs. She held back all her usual snide remarks and was polite and respectful when bowing before da-bo6, and then exchanged some well-wishes and auspicious words to each other for the Lunar New Year, before going to sit down, asking the servants to serve the tea.

“We just went to da-bo’s home to pay our lunar new year respects, why has da-bo graced us with your presence today?” Lady Wu smiled and said. She was a little surprised.