Wish You All the Best - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

For these past few days, Madam Xin had been so busy she felt as though her head were splitting.

In previous years, the Old Madam had never celebrated her birthday; when the day came, they would merely have a bowl of longevity noodles. This year, being her sixtieth, she had finally nodded in agreement at the requests of her children and grandchildren. Preparing for this grand birthday was naturally Madam Xin’s top priority. Furthermore, she had been waiting for news from the Ministry of Personnel. They had finally received the official notice, and Pei Xiuzhi had secured the position of Commandant of Martial Might of the sub-sixth rank.

Although it was merely an appointment through hereditary privilege and the position was unremarkable—not remotely comparable to the status held when the Duke of Wei was alive—the situation now was different from the early days. The founding heroes and the eight dukes and marquises were now three or four generations deep. Few among their descendants were capable of earning merit through their own merit, and the rest were all dependent on the ancestral (hereditary privilege). Official court posts were limited and governed by strict quotas; with more monks than gruel, it was no easy feat for Pei Xiuzhi to obtain even this vacancy under the Duke of Wei’s current circumstances.

Theoretically, this was good news, something that would add a sense of respectability to the birthday celebration, and it should have been cause for rejoicing. However, the Second Branch was a bit displeased. In the end, it was all due to the issue of money. The Pei family had not yet divided the household. For Pei Xiuzhi to obtain this post, even though the Song family had exerted influence, the money required to grease the wheels was unavoidable. For this, a total of two thousand taels had been spent. Because the Pei family had an old rule that all expenses related to the promotion or schooling of clan descendants must come from the public purse, the Second Branch naturally felt the pinch. Since the Old Madam was still around, they dared not show too much resentment on the surface, but in private, they could not avoid grumbling. When these words reached Madam Xin’s ears, they caused yet another bout of agitation. Furthermore, the Zhen family had arrived in the capital, and the marriage negotiations were imminent; everything required careful calculation. Madam Xin had expended all her energy, running about like a spinning top, and before she could even catch her breath, her grandson Quan-ge’er had suffered that unfortunate mishap two days prior.

Waking up this morning, one side of Madam Xin’s jaw was swollen and inflamed with pain. Yet, knowing today was the paramount event for the Duke of Wei’s mansion and that she, as the First Branch mistress, was being watched not only by the Second Branch but by the entire clan, she could not afford a single mistake. She braced herself and busied herself like a spinning top. After noon, when she heard from servants that Madam Meng had arrived, she shed the haughtiness of their first meeting, hurried out to welcome them, and warmly brought them inside.

Although Madam Meng had only been in the capital for three or four days, after a few visits, she could already feel that the rift between the two branches was even worse than it had been a few years ago. She and the Second Madam had once considered themselves close as sisters, freely sharing household affairs. Ever since the awkwardness regarding their children’s marriage arose, she felt the atmosphere upon this trip to the capital was far inferior to the past. Being an outsider, she pretended to be oblivious, maintaining her usual outward demeanor. Upon arriving, she did her utmost to help manage the miscellaneous tasks. Once busy, Jiafu was led off to the Second Branch. Learning that Pei Quan’s concubine, Rong Fang, had not gone to the front, Jiafu went to find her.

Rong Fang had originally been a maid in the Meng household, having served Jiafu’s mother for several years before coming to work for her aunt. When her aunt married, she became a dowry maid. She was loyal and capable, and her aunt later had her become Pei Quan’s concubine. Now that she was getting older, the servants all called her Concubine Fang. Jiafu had known her since she was a child when she visited the Duke of Wei’s mansion. Because of Madam Meng, Rong Fang was exceptionally good to Jiafu. On an occasion like today, she was naturally expected to help manage affairs, but as luck would have it, she had slipped a few days ago, twisted her ankle, and was walking with difficulty. She could only stay in her room to rest. She was busy doing needlework when she saw Jiafu arrive, and she was overjoyed. She hurriedly had a little maid bring over cloud cakes and sesame candy. She picked one out, brushed off the sugar powder on top, and handed it to Jiafu’s mouth, smiling, "I remember this was your favorite thing to eat when you were little."

Jiafu smiled, "Concubine Fang, your leg is not good, do not move around randomly. I am not a child anymore, no need for you to feed me."

Rong Fang also laughed, "True. The young lady is getting married, so naturally, she is no longer a child."

Jiafu smiled but said nothing. Rong Fang assumed she was shy, so she stopped teasing her. The two chatted and joked while doing needlework, and time passed quickly. A maid from Madam Meng’s side came to call Jiafu to the front, saying a familiar guest had arrived and asking her to come over to pay her respects. Rong Fang urged her to hurry. Jiafu put down her needlework and left with Tanxiang to accompany Madam Meng. After seeing the guests, she returned. While passing through the "hanging flower gate" (an interior gate), she spotted Pei Xiuzhi from afar standing on the path she had just taken. He was alone, constantly peering in her direction. Recalling that he had come to the Zhen residence yesterday and she had avoided seeing him, she suspected he was waiting there specifically for her. Not wanting to run into him alone, she turned around immediately.

Since Pei Xiuzhi was waiting on the return path and she had no idea how long he would stay there, Jiafu turned and headed toward the back garden.

Because everyone was busy at the front, there were few people to be seen in the garden. She wandered aimlessly for a moment and saw a stone bridge ahead; descending from it led into a bamboo forest.

She was naturally no stranger to the paths here. Recalling that there was a path through the bamboo forest—though it was a detour—it would allow her to avoid Pei Xiuzhi on her way back, so she took a turn and walked off the bridge.

It seemed like a place rarely frequented. The bamboo stalks were a mottled mix of green and yellow, moss crawled along the sides of the stone path underfoot, and the ground was covered with fallen leaves; the sight was desolate. Passing in front of the courtyard next to the bamboo forest, she saw two elderly nannies swinging bamboo brooms to sweep the path. As they swept, they talked. Vaguely, she heard them mention her, so she paused for a moment.

"...The Zhen family is about to seal the marriage, marrying their daughter to the Heir," one nanny clicked her tongue, "It’s a real leap to the heavens."

"You’ve only been here a few years, what do you know?" the other nanny replied. "I knew when their girl was still young and they kept bringing her here time after time. I knew sooner or later they would cement the bond by marriage and send her in. I just thought they were aiming for the Third Young Master. Who would have thought they would latch onto the Heir..."

A gust of wind blew, rustling the bamboo branches and masking the nannies’ voices.

Tanxiang was indignant and was about to reveal themselves, but Jiafu shook her head, signaling to take the side path through the bamboo forest. However, the voices of the two nannies drifted over again.

"Look at this place, it’s chilling even in broad daylight; I bet ghosts come out at night. If it weren't for all the work at the front today, and us being run off our feet, I would never have taken this task..."

"The Madam is not having it easy either; she must be worried sick. I’ve been here for years, and every year when this day comes, the Madam has people clean it up. I suppose it’s in case the Eldest Young Master returns to wish the Old Madam a happy birthday. But have we ever seen him? Old Zhao, I heard that the Eldest Young Master was stripped of his position as Heir and kicked out?"

That "Old Zhao" made a shushing sound and lowered her voice. The words drifted along the wind, faint, broken, and intermittent.

"...The Duke’s mourning period wasn't even over... it was truly an ugly business... you can’t tell at all during normal times... that concubine couldn't bear it and hung herself in the middle of the night on the very branch you’re leaning against. I ran over to see it then, her face was purple, her tongue sticking out to her neck. It scared me so much I didn't close my eyes for several nights..."

"My heavens! You should have said so earlier! No wonder it feels chilly!"

The other nanny jumped up, leaping three feet into the air, and hurriedly scrambled far away before turning to bow toward the tree, mumbling incantations.

Jiafu knew this courtyard had formerly been the residence of the First Branch’s eldest son, Pei You'an, and had remained vacant for years, usually kept locked. Passing by and inadvertently hearing these two nannies gossiping, she would have been too lazy to care if they were only gossiping about her. Her grandmother did indeed have those intentions, so she couldn't blame others for discussing it behind her back.

But then, these two nannies started discussing the controversies surrounding Pei You'an. This made Jiafu think of that past event. It was during the chaos of war, and she was trapped and helpless, alone in a desperate and terrified state, when she unexpectedly received help from someone she never thought would assist her. To this day, the feeling of being on the edge of a cliff and having someone stretch out an arm to save her remained vivid. Although she was eventually delivered into the hands of Xiao Yintang, that was a later matter—two different things.

That man had left an exceptionally good impression on her. It wasn't just because he helped her when she was most helpless, but because his demeanor and grace had deeply impressed her.

Later, while Jiafu was in the deep palace, she heard stories about him.

In the power struggle between the imperial brothers, the Prince of Yunzhong became the final victor. After he ascended the throne and changed the reign title, due to the merit Pei You'an had achieved during the Zhaotian Incident and the new Emperor's high regard for him, wealth and glory were a given. He could have easily reached the highest rank a subject could attain, but before long, the Old Madam, Pei, passed away. Not long after the funeral, it happened that the Turks were once again raiding the borders, so he personally requested to leave the capital and served as a Regional Commander (Jiedushi) to guard the borderlands.

Theoretically, at that time, although the Turkish rebellion was ferocious, given his physical condition, the border climate was not suitable for him to live there long-term. He was also not the only capable person before the new Emperor; they could have easily sent someone else. Yet, in the end, it was still he who left the prosperity of the capital to travel far to the frontier city. He served his term as Regional Commander, pacifying the borders and soothing the people, gaining immense popular trust and a reputation that shook the lands beyond the Great Wall until he finally died of illness at his post.

To be honest, Jiafu found it hard to believe that a man like that could have done something so despicable in his youth. Hearing the gossip now felt quite jarring.

She had originally already turned away, but couldn't help stopping her footsteps.

"...I heard it even infuriated the Old Madam back then, and he was beaten and thrown out. Even if that were the case, today is the Old Madam's sixtieth birthday, and even eighth-generation relatives have come, yet we don't see him return. For so many years, not even a single message has arrived, so you can see he still holds a grudge. It isn't our place to gossip, but having done that in his youth, he's ashamed to return now. It's understandable, but it also shows the extent of his filial piety..."

While "Old Zhao" was there prattling on, relying on her seniority, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. She closed her mouth, turned around, and saw Jiafu walking over with a maid. She was startled, hurriedly put down the broom, stepped forward, and offered a sycophantic smile, "It's so lively at the front today, why would the young lady come here?"

Jiafu smiled, "Nanny Zhao, originally it is not my place to gossip. But since I passed by, and it is offensive to the ears, I must say a word. Today is the Old Madam’s sixtieth birthday, and you were sent here to clean the courtyard in preparation for the Eldest Young Master’s return. Instead of doing your work properly, what are you all saying here? Do you assume the Madam is too busy to care about you, so you not only slack off but also wag your tongues about the master of the house? What is all this you are saying? Spreading rumors and hearsay. I do not believe the Duke of Wei’s mansion has no rules, that it would allow you to be so disrespectful to the master!"

Old Zhao and the other nanny’s complexions shifted slightly.

If this were the past, they naturally wouldn't have to fear this Zhen girl—she was just a cousin of the Second Branch. But it was different now. The entire household knew that once the Old Madam’s birthday was over, it would be time for the wedding. Regardless of what was said behind her back, this Zhen young lady would soon marry into the Pei family. At the very least, she was a proper Heir’s wife of the Duke’s mansion. Hearing her speak so sternly, and not knowing how much she had heard, they felt a pang of guilt. They hurriedly lowered their heads to admit their faults: "Yes, yes, what the young lady says is true! It was our mouths that were foul! We will never dare do it again!"

Since she had already stepped forward, she didn't fear offending them. Besides, once the engagement was broken, she would never have any connection to this family again. Every repressed instinct from her previous life seemed to be slowly emerging in this one.

Jiafu glanced at the half-open door. Seeing that although the courtyard had just been swept, it was done half-heartedly as a mere show—the fallen leaves weren't even cleared, let alone the dust—she added, "Today is the Old Madam’s sixtieth birthday, and the Eldest Young Master is bound to return. Instead of having time to gossip and slack off, why don't you sweep the rooms inside and out until they are clean?"

Nanny Zhao was a long-serving servant, and being rebuked so unceremoniously by a young girl suddenly left her feeling resentful—internally criticizing the Zhen girl for trying to throw her weight around before even marrying in. However, she dared not show it on her face. Saying "Right away, right away—," she dragged her broom across the floor, turned, and puffed her cheeks as she went inside. Seeing this, the other nanny hurriedly followed.

Jiafu saw the two nannies shuffling around to sweep the floor again, knowing that once she left, even if they gossiped again, they would only speak ill of her. She turned and continued walking forward.

"Seeing the faces on those two nannies when we left, it was truly satisfying. It’s just that I’m afraid it will attract resentment, and they’ll say you were overstepping, Young Lady."

Tanxiang felt vindicated, but also felt a bit uneasy, whispering beside her.

Jiafu said, "Let them resent me; I don't care. It was simply unbearable to listen to. No matter what happened with the Eldest Cousin, it is not for people like them to run their mouths."

"Young Lady, you said the Eldest Young Master is returning today—is that true?"

Tanxiang recalled her confident tone and was curious.

"I suspect he will."

"How does the Young Lady know?"

"As for me, I dreamt last night that the Eldest Cousin returned to celebrate the Old Madam’s birthday. Do you believe me?"

She joked, turned a corner, and her footsteps came to a dead stop.

Right at the corner of the bamboo forest, only a few steps away, an elderly woman with silver hair, leaning on a cane and supported by a head maid, was standing on the path. She stood motionless, looking as if she had been standing there for quite a while.

This old woman was the Old Pei Madam, the birthday celebrant of the day. Jiafu was naturally no stranger to her, but she had no idea the Old Madam had come around here. There were already many guests at the front, but the Old Madam was still wearing semi-new, ordinary attire, not looking at all like someone about to celebrate a birthday. Taken by surprise, Jiafu was startled.

When Jiafu came to the Duke’s mansion as a child, the Old Pei Madam treated her like an average relative—neither showing disgust nor anything special. Every time she came, she would kowtow to her with her mother and bid her farewell before leaving; that was all. After she married Pei Xiuzhi, she didn't require Jiafu, her granddaughter-in-law, to serve her closely. She often stayed alone in the Buddha hall. Furthermore, not long after, the war broke out, and Jiafu left the Pei family, never seeing her again after that. Her impression of her was distant and thin. Running into her unexpectedly like this, and seeing the old woman standing there, looking at her without a word—her expression showing neither joy nor anger—Jiafu hurriedly stepped back and brought Tanxiang to pay her respects.

The Old Madam remained silent.

Jiafu remembered her own tone just moments ago and couldn't help feeling a bit regretful, so she lowered her eyes, hearing only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo forest. After a moment, she finally heard her speak, asking: "Are you that Zhen girl?"

Jiafu whispered: "Yes. My mother and I arrived a few days ago, but the Old Madam was cultivating herself in the Buddha hall, so I did not go to pay respects."

The old woman remained silent for another moment, then slowly said: "No one has lived here for many years; it is somewhat desolate. You should go back early." Having said this, she turned, and supported by her head maid, slowly walked away.

Jiafu raised her head and watched the slightly hunched back of the old woman gradually grow smaller, finally disappearing at the end of the bamboo forest, and slowly exhaled.