CH 52

“Your Highness,” Chang-momo stood at the Grand Princess Dening’ side with a hesitant expression, “Why didn’t you tell the Marquis?”

“The grudges should stop at my generation.” The Grand Princess looked at the dim candle flame in the room, she took the pill handed by Chang-momo, “I have wronged Fuma. I didn’t teach him to mature, I didn’t teach him literary or martial skills. I shouldn’t teach him hatred either.”

T/N – She meant by ‘him’ here is their son Ban Huai (the current Marquis Jingting). The Fuma is her dead husband (the old Duke Jingting). Fuma means an emperor’s son-in-law.

“Your Highness,” The room was heated so Chang-momo didn’t need a hand-warmer, but her heart was shivering through and through, “The Marquis will understand, he never blames you.”

“He is a good child.” The Grand Princess Dening smiled. At that moment she wasn’t the royal grand princess, she was just an ordinary mother. “Half my life was dedicated to the Imperial Family. The only joy I had was when I was with Fuma, and with my child.”

“Your Highness,” Chang-momo fell on her knees in front of the Grand Princess, her voice trembled, “You have to take good care of your health. The Marquis and the Lady are very filial, Junzhu and the Shizi have grown up, you still have to see them getting married and have children, you…..”

“A’chang.” The Grand Princess interrupted Chang-momo, smilingly asked, “You say, who resembles me the most among the younger generation?”

Chang-momo grabbed the Grand Princess’ hand, the rims of her eyes reddened, “The Lady is beautiful and intelligent, she has some of Your Highness’ spirit.”

T/N – Chang-momo means by the Lady is Yin-shi, the daughter-in-law chosen by the Grand Princess herself.

“No.” The Grand Princess slowly shook her head, “The one who resembles me the most in Ban family is Hua Hua.”

Chang-momo startled, in her opinion Junzhu looked more like Fuma, how could she resemble the Grand Princess?

Cold wind howled outside, but there was not a single breeze inside the room.

“When bengong was young, bengong was the best looking one among Imperial Father’s children. For this reason, Imperial Father was biased towards me.” The Grand Princess smoothed her luxurious robe, “Expensive clothes sumptuous meals, gold silver and jade, incomparable favours. Other gongzhu‘s hated bengong very much, they even resorted to cheap tricks. Bengong enjoyed the most to watch them racking their brains for schemes, but noone was able to touch bengong.”

“The previous emperor was bengong’s brother from the same mother, but he was not very liked by Imperial Father. Imperial Father once said he was chosen to be the Crown Prince because he worried the other princes wouldn’t treat bengong well.” The Grand Princess closed her eyes, reminiscing her youth. “That time, everyone in the Great Ye was courteous to bengong.”

The arrogance of the youths, the noble and the powerful. After marrying her Fuma, she was still the most honoured princess of the dynasty. The protective imperial father had passed away, but the one on the throne was her brother of the same mother.

T/N – The arrogance of the youths 鲜衣怒马,  describes spirited young people at the ages when they run unbridled like wild horses.

Her brother was able to sit securely on the throne due to her Fuma’s military power which had supported him to stabilise the officials. Unfortunately, it was still the good bow is discarded when birds in the sky are shot clean. In the end the brother was like as any other emperors, he killed the donkey after the grinding is done.

It was lucky that he still remembered their brother and sister relationship so the tricks played on the battlefield didn’t take Fuma’s life away.

The brother thought it was spotless, but he forgot that if you don’t wish anyone to know what you’ve done, then don’t do it.

She had sat withered for a whole day in the room when she found the husband who always cared for her was harmed by her brother.

“She is like me in my youth.” The Grand Princess coughed a few times, Chang-momo hurriedly brought a cup of honey water.

“No need.” The Grand Princess pushed the cup away, she said in a plain tone, “Bengong was born in this royal family, bengong will die here too.”

Chang-momo’s hand shook. A few drops of honey water spilled on the back of her hand, they eventually slipped down and vanished in the carpet.

—

Snowstorm fell for a whole night without stopping. When Ban Hua got up in the morning, she saw servants spreading salt in the garden, their faces were red of the freezing cold. Ban Hua told her personal maid, “Ruyi, don’t bother with the snow outside, have it swept after the snowing stopped.”

“Yes.” Ruyi smiled sweetly as she walked out to tell them. The servants were unable to contain their joy, thanked Ruyi repeatedly and said Junzhu was compassionate then gratefully withdrew.

“Nubi knew Junzhu cared for people,” Ruyi and a few other maids were helping Ban Hua dressing, she whispered, “Afraid it will continue snowing.”

“Everyone is raised by mother and father, it is a pity to let them freeze.” After washing her face and hands and cleaned up her teeth, she said, “The snow this year seems to be extra heavy.”

Ruyi looked at the heavy falling snow outside, she nodded, “It does seem to be heavier than previous years.”

—

As the snowing had been heavy, there were not many people on the streets. The basements of wealthier households were full of meat and vegetables but poor households were struggling. Every year the Court issued some money to the local yamens to help poor people in winter, but after many layers of cuts, the amount that finally reached the hands of poor people wasn’t a fraction of the original.

* Yamen = local governmental office in town or region level. They managed local finance and capital works, the judging of civil and criminal cases, and issuing of decrees and policies.

Local officials wouldn’t escalate the problem even when people died of cold and hunger. In the prosperous Capital city, everyone was busy welcoming the new year’s eve in bliss, oblivious of the fact that the money from the Court never reached the poor.

—

“Master Count,” Du Jiu walked into the room, he saw the overly flamboyant umbrella in the corner, casually asked, “The umbrella is not returned?”

Rong Xia raised his eyebrows, not understanding the question.

“Shuxia heard, ‘umbrella’ isn’t auspicious, so a borrowed umbrella should be given back,” Du Jiu saw his master didn’t respond, he immediately added, “Of course this is just ignorant women’s superstition. It doesn’t mean anything, and this umbrella is quite…..”

* shuxia 属下 = This Subordinate (referring to self).  Umbrella 伞 san is homophonic to 散 san which means scattered/broken up, that’s why an umbrella shouldn’t be made a gift.

“Du Jiu.”

“What is the command, Master Count.”

“How about the matter that I asked you to check?” Rong Xia put the letter down, his voice carried some question, “Is the Grand Princess’ health really not good?”

“The people of the Grand Princess’ residence are very careful. Even the dregs of the medicine that the Grand Princess normally takes is handled by closer servants instead of the ordinary ones.” Du Jiu frowned, “The Grand Princess’ daily routine doesn’t change much, but shuxia still feels there is something odd here.”

If there was really no problem, why would they dispose medicine dregs so carefully?

Silence fell in the study, Rong Xia stared at the umbrella with palace ladies print in the corner of the room. After a long time he said, “Send an invitation that I’ll personally write to the Grand Princess. I want to pay my respect to the Grand Princess.”

Du Jiu was startled, he cupped his fist and retreated.

After Du Jiu left, Rong Xia walked into that corner, bent and picked up the umbrella.

“Ka.”

The umbrella was propped open. The woman in the umbrella was luxuriously dressed with peony flowers on her hair, her smile was bright.

If the Grand Princess was sick and died, what would happen to Marquis Jingting’s establishment?

Rong Xia stared at the umbrella for so long, he only recovered when there was sound of footsteps.

“Master Count, the paper and paint you require are ready,” The steward’s voice came from outside, “Are you going to use now?”

“Bring in.” Rong Xia returned to the desk, he put the << Zhong Cheng Lun>> away from the desk top.

The steward had the little page waited outside while he personally brought the things in one by one himself. As he closed the door, he saw the umbrella that had not been put away, he quickly withdrew his eyes, bowed and retreated.

Many people knew Rong Xia’s calligraphy and painting were top notch, and he was proficient in poetry and lyrics. Since he was young, his talents had been renowned far and wide, but many also knew that Rong Xia never drew human. Nature and animals, landscape and sceneries, but not a person.

Some said he wasn’t good at painting human, others said there wasn’t anyone in the world yet who was able to make Rong Xia move his brush. No matter which was the truth, the fact that Rong Xia never drew human was widely known.

Heavy snow, peonies, a person with umbrella, and a palatial hall. Each of these was grand, but depicting them all together in one painting was strange.

Why would a person inside a hall hold an umbrella, how could peonies bloom when it’s snowing heavily. And that woman in the hall, only her back was visible, but merely a woman’s back could lead one’s imagination roamed and completely forgot about the oddities of the whole scenery.

After completed the painting in one breath, Rong Xia selected a brush from brush stand and wrote two lines of poem on the blank space.

Peony is the true colour of the country, bloomed peonies rouse the capital.

Putting down his brush, Rong Xia picked up the umbrella and untied the red gem pendant on it’s handle.

The red gem was in the shape of a teardrop and the colouring was excellent. It was like a woman in her prime with her hair loose, radiated her most beautiful age.

Laughing softly, he put the pendant inside his own robes.

—

“Sis,” Ban Heng knocked, as there was no rejection from inside, he pushed the door and entered, his face was helpless, “Three matchmakers today.”

Ban Hua was lying on a chaise lounge covered with fox fur. She yawned lazily and reached out for the snack on her side. Half of a fair and tender arm was revealed.

Ban Heng pulled her sleeve down. After the arm was covered, he said, “Chen family, Wang family, and …. Yin family.”

“A literary family like Chen family doesn’t look down on me?” Ban Hua wiped the corner of her mouth, frowning in dissatisfaction, “And that Wang family son, he looks like a crooked melon and still wants to join the fun?”

Ban Heng was speechless, “Chen family gongzi isn’t bad looking?”

“That sort of literary families is not fun to marry into. And also…..” Ban Hua’s lips twisted, “……  despite their mouthful talks of benevolence and morality, when we lose power, they would be the ones to change face the fastest.”

Ban Heng considered it carefully, he earnestly said, “Sis, how if we just don’t get married?” Who knew what sort of in-laws they would get, it was better to just stay at home living these five years in comfort, it would not be a wasted five years.

“Yes.” Ban Hua nodded, “Whoever we marry, it won’t be as comfortable as staying at home.”

“Yin family has the nerve to propose,” Yin family was their maternal grandparents family, but Ban Heng had no good impression of them. “That sort of Yin Feng could think himself suitable?”

“Yin family?” Ban Hua laughed mockingly, “Does Mother pay them any attention?”

“How Mother is, you still don’t know?” Ban Heng drily coughed, “The matchmaker sent by Yin family has scuttled back in disgrace.”

Even if Mother had been able to tolerate them, they couldn’t.

Ban Heng thought that certain scholars in the Capital were really interesting. For example that Chen family gongzi, he had previously called his sister over-extravagant and now his family sent a matchmaker to propose, what were they thinking.

So blowing hot and cold wasn’t called inconsistent if it was done by a scholar?

T/N – Ancient Chinese brushed their teeth! Their toothbrush was made from bones and animal hairs (however, toothpaste was first made by the Egyptians). See this link for a picture of ancient toothbrush, here and here for the history of toothbrush.

T/N – Recently I have been reading the amazing new translation of General Above I Am Below (NU link). The cdrama of this Oh My General (2017) was ok, very light, very silly, and not much more. The novel, however, is very good, much better than I expected. Give it a try if you haven’t yet. (BTW, Peter Sheng is very suitable as Xia Yujin, I have him in my mind when reading the novel.)