CH 59

“Father, I think Sister doesn’t look right.” Ban Heng whispered to Ban Huai, “It’s like when she broke the vase and said a rat did it.”

She was quite miserable that time. Their gentle mother punished her to kneel for 2 shichens in front of Ban ancestors memorial tablets. Mother later said, one should either not lie, or told a perfect one when one did lie. There were many servants at home, weeds, insects and rats were specially checked everyday, not to say rats, even flies couldn’t enter the inner courtyard. Also, how large was a rat that could smash a vase almost as tall as shoulders?

T/N – 1 shichen = 2 hours

“Furen, our good daughter wouldn’t do shameless things to Count Rong, would she?” Ban Huai worriedly looked at Yin-shi, “It won’t be good.”

“Could it be that Sister has ruined Count Rong’s virtues, so he insists that Sister take responsibility?” It was not clear what’s in Ban Heng’s mind, his face was odd.

“Shut up!” Yin-shi was at the end of her patience, “What nonsense are you talking about? There is no such thing as a girl ruins a man’s virtues. If you two still mess around, roll out of the house.”

Ban Huai and Ban Heng zipped their mouths, stood obediently behind Yin-shi without a squeak.

—

At that moment in the room, Ban Hua hasn’t spoken for a long time. She stared at Rong Xia’s hands, then apologetically looked up to his face, “I am thinking, do you want to reconsider. It’s better to be careful.”

“Is there anything Junzhu not satisfied with zaixia?” Rong Xia’s beautiful eyes fixed on her, Ban Hua almost couldn’t resist reaching out to touch his face.

“Any place I am inadequate in, I am willing to change bit by bit.”

“Count Rong,” Ban Hua’s gaze was deeply thoughtful, “I have given you the chance.”

Rong Xia was a deep thinker, but what she said made him stumble. What did it mean?

Ban Hua tiptoed to pat Rong Xia’s shoulder, she sighed, “Alright, I agree.” Young man, I’ve given you the chance to escape. You don’t take it, don’t blame me later.

She has harmed this man of ultimate beauty. She has sinned, she has sinned. She would make it up by treating him as well as she could.

“Many thanks Junzu!” The smile on Rong Xia’s face was brilliant, “I will definitely treat you well, I won’t let you suffer at all.”

Looking at the man who was smiling rather foolishly in front of her, Ban Hua’s heart was a bit sour. Who knew what would happen in the next five year, would she bring him harm? She suddenly felt rather regretful, she had been self-indulgent her whole life, and she had also been selfish in this matter.

“Count Rong…….”

“You can call me Junpo or Rong Xia.” The smile on Rong Xia’s face couldn’t be curbed no matter what, “Junzhu doesn’t need to be too courteous to me.”

Ban Hua suddenly broke into a smile, she curtseyed to Rong Xia, “Thank you.”

Whatever it would be in the end, at least in this life she had feasted on the best cuisines, dressed in the best attires, cherished like treasure by her parents and brother, and she would lay with the most excellent man on earth. Most people didn’t even dare to hope for these things, let alone getting them?

Rong Xia was spellbound again. He seemed to keep losing his tongue in front of Ban Hua, “It’s me who have to thank Junzhu.”

“You’ve let me call your name, then you must call my name too.” Ban Hua sought for fairness, “Usually my family call me Hua Hua, you can call me that too.”

“Good.” Rong Xia took a step back and bowed deeply, “Hua Hua.”

Some people had seductive voice. Rong Xia’s tender voice made Ban Hua’s heart tingle like scratched by a kitten.

“Keh.” Ban Hua coughed dryly, “I am still in mourning, the formal marriage talk should wait after that.”

“Hua Hua has forgotten?” Rong Xia said, “The Grand Princess had given us this engagement.”

Recalling the day her grandmother passed, the smile on Ban Hua’s face faded. It had been two months, but as soon as she thought of Grandmother, her heart went hollow like a bottomless pit.

“Hua Hua.” A voice as gentle as water called her back to her senses. Ban Hua nodded, she blinked in an attempt to conceal the bitterness in her eyes.

“I will be good to you, don’t be afraid.” He reached out to Ban Hua, arched his back to put himself on her eye level, “Believe me.”

Ban Hua pressed an index finger on Rong Xia’s palm. Her heart was cold, his palm was warm.

She looked up, smiled at him, and withdrew the finger.

Her cute and lovable looks had Rong Xia laughed in a low voice. His soft laugh reminded Ban Hua of the time when she and her brother tried to bury treasures in secret, and the awkward scenes when they were caught by Rong Xia.

Was Rong Xia attracted by her unconventional personality?

She really couldn’t understand what a scholar found amusing.

—

In Count Zhongping’s residence, Xie Wanyu was trying on her wedding dress. The golden winged phoenix embroidery on the dress made her gloomy mood lifted a little.

She was supposed to marry the Second Prince in a couple of days, but unexpectedly the Grand Princess died in an assassination and the wedding was delayed for two months. She had been anxious and only felt relieved when looking at the wedding dress.

“Miss,” Xie Wanyu’s wetnurse walked in, her face flushed of excitement. “Something has happened, you wouldn’t believe it.”

“Mama,” The wetnurse was close to her, Xie Wanyu managed to raise up her spirit a little, “What is it?”

The wetnurse was about to speak when she remembered the relationship of her miss and Second Miss Shi wasn’t bad, she hesitated a moment, “This is related to the Second Miss Shi, it may be inappropriate.”

“What’s not appropriate. Just close the door, no need to tell others.” Xie Wanyu’s tone was quite plain, “Just say it.”

As her miss didn’t seem to mind, the wetnurse continued, “Nubi heard, Shi family has taken a liking to Count Cheng’an, and wanted Count Cheng’an to propose to Second Miss Shi, so Minister of Revenue Yao-daren was asked to go to Rong residence. Do you know what Count Cheng’an said?”

Xie Wanyu’s spirit stirred up, unconsciously she sat up straighter, “What did he say?”

“Said he already had a fiancee.” The wetnurse was filled with emotion, “Didn’t expect Count Cheng’an to have had a fiancee already.”

Xie Wanyu looked at the wetnurse with surprise, “There is no news of this outside, how do you know?”

“Miss, I have a good friend in the service of Yao-daren’s, she’s heard this by accident. We were out for a drink today, she isn’t good at drinking and got dizzy after just two cups, then she told me.” The wetnurse whispered, “This Old Slave dares not tell anyone else. It is only because Miss and Second Miss Shi are often together so telling you.”

Ban Hua’s face appeared in Xie Wanyu’s mind out of nowhere. Thinking she had overthought, she patted her face “Who is Count Cheng’an’s fiancee?”

“This one, I didn’t hear.” The wetnurse didn’t care much, “Must be a miss from a prominent family.”

Xie Wanyu absentmindedly nodded, her mind was filled with the scene of Ban Hua and Rong Xia walking together in the snow at the Palace.

—

It was another day for a major Court session, Ban Huai wasn’t attending as he was still in mourning. Some officials who weren’t fond of Ban Huai looked at his empty seat with distaste. This person’s luck was extremely good, his most powerful mother had gone, but his title was readily upgraded from a marquis to a royal duke.

He did not even lift a finger, but who let his mother made a merit of saving the emperor. The mother couldn’t enjoy it, her descendant got lucky. Ban family’s good luck made everyone speechless.

Xie family was in the most awkward position, due to the incident with the Grand Princess the auspicious date already set by the Board of Astronomy had to be moved back. So what if you were a prince or a royal relative, you still had to obediently observe the mourning. They obviously were the royal family’s official in-laws but the Empress was still biased to Ban family. It was unclear whether the Second Prince’s and Xie family’s faces weren’t big enough, or Ban family’s face was too big.

“Yao-daren, look at Count Cheng’an,” The Minister of Works next to Yao Peiji whispered, “It’s as if he’d found treasure boxes. You’ve known him for many years, do you know what happy thing happened to him?”

Yao Peiji stroke his pride of a beard, said mysteriously, “In human’s life there are 3 great joys.”

Promotion, fortune, and the death of one’s wife? Not right, Count Cheng’an wasn’t married yet, he had no wife who could die.

The Minister for Works was taken aback, “Do you mean Count Cheng’an is getting married?”

Yao Peiji saw Shi Chonghai was standing at the front, he purposely said, “Married or not, I don’t know, but a few months ago Count Cheng’an was already engaged.”

“Eh?” The Minister for Works’ eyes went round of shock, next was a whisper, “Is it Shi family’s miss?”

Yao Peiji shook his head, “No, no.”

The Minister for Works was even more shocked, his daughter said the second miss of Shi family seemed to have fallen for Count Cheng’an. It was very interesting that Count Cheng’an was now engaged but the fiancee wasn’t Miss Shi. Which young lady was so capable to make Count Cheng’an rejected Miss Shi and decided to marry her instead?

“Zhang-daren.” Rong Xia walked to the side of the Minister of Works, offered his salute with a smile.

“Count Rong,” Minister Zhang returned his salute, “Count Rong looks radiant, is something good happening?”

“There is a something good.” Rong Xia didn’t hide, “Zhang-daren has sharp eyes and can see it at once.”

Minister Zhang thought wasn’t it a nonsense, your face is glowing so brightly, who can’t see that you are happy?

This Count Cheng was normally placid and rarely showed his emotion. Openly flaunting his jubilant mood like today was an incredibly rare sight, Count Cheng’an was obviously very satisfied with his fiancee.

—

After the Court session was over, Emperor Yunqing specially called Rong Xia to the Palace to ask about his and Ban Hua’s marriage.

“Ban family has agreed?” Emperor Yunqing’s face was instantly joyous when he heard Rong Xia’s answer. Ban family was mostly nonsensical, but as soon as he mentioned something, they would still give him face.

“Junpo, ah.” Emperor Yunqing was terribly smug, “You have to thank zhen for this. Zhen has spoken a lot for your sake to your future father-in-law.”

“Many thanks Your Majesty,” Rong Xia looked very grateful, “The Duke has also said so. Had it not because Your Majesty was the matchmaker, he said weichen wouldn’t even be allowed to enter their gate.”

“Your father-in-law has always been absurd, but his heart is good, it’s just that he spoiled his daughter a little too much.” Emperor Yunqing smilingly gave an advice, “Don’t take it to the heart, as long as you two are good to each other in the future then everything is fine.”

It was good that Junpo was marrying Hua Hua, Ban family was prominent but without real power. An official with such background was safer to use.

And Ban family was loyal and sincere, he should treat them even better in the future.