Where the Mask Ends - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Wei Rao accompanied Old Madame Shou’an to plant vegetables for a while; the small plot was finished in half an hour.

Having enjoyed the thrill of farming, Old Madame Shou’an allowed Wei Rao to support her as they walked through the leisure estate. While walking, she said to Wei Rao, "One must have money. Only when you have money is farming just a hobby. When the mood strikes, you till the land and sow seeds. If you aren't in the mood, you can stay in the garden to comfortably admire the flowers and drink tea. You don't have to toil in the fields from dawn till dusk just to secure food for the family."

Wei Rao looked back at the vegetable plot and said with a smile, "That’s true. I only scattered two bowls of seeds, and my waist is already a bit sore. If you asked me to plant several acres, I couldn't bear it."

She was someone who practiced martial arts, yet she still couldn't adapt to bending over for a long period.

"Having money alone is not enough; one must also have power." Old Madame Shou’an looked at this most intelligent granddaughter of hers and lowered her voice. "Today’s incident is a warning. Those people didn't know you had martial arts skills and sent two ordinary assassins. If they had arranged for two masters who came prepared, even if they didn't manage to kill you, they could have cost you half your life."

Wei Rao’s smile vanished.

Old Madame Shou’an’s gaze was already fixed on the row of tender green willow branches at the corner of the wall, as if she were merely admiring the beautiful spring scenery, while she continued softly, "Your uncle died early, and the Zhou family has no male heir to serve as your support. Your eldest paternal uncle has average talent; in this lifetime, he will likely rely on seniority to barely scrape by as a fifth-rank capital official, which won't be of much use. Rao'er, your Cousin Zhen has beauty but no shrewdness, which is why Grandmother never thought of marrying her into a high status. You are different. With your looks, background, and methods, you must find yourself a powerful husband’s family. Whether the man loves you or not is not important; what matters is that outsiders must have fear and hesitation, and because of your husband’s family, they will not dare to touch you easily."

Wei Rao frowned; she had not yet even considered the matter of marriage.

Old Madame Shou’an said, "You are fifteen, it is time to hurry. Grandmother will only say this once. Whether you listen to me or not, you should weigh the matter yourself."

Wei Rao said perfunctorily, "Even if I wanted to cling to the powerful and wealthy, how could such families be so easy to climb into?"

Old Madame Shou’an laughed, "You live in the capital, and your Grandmother has her own arrangements for appearances at various mansions. I am just giving you a reminder so that you have an idea in your heart and will seize the opportunity when it arrives. Your Grandmother has a virtuous name, your father died heroically, and the Emperor is quite fond of you—these are all your bargaining chips."

Wei Rao pursed her lips.

Old Madame Shou’an struck another blow: "After such a big incident, at the end of the month, when your cousin comes to the leisure estate to see me, you should return to the capital with him. Behave yourself for a period, act like a proper young lady of a prominent family, and when your engagement is set, then come see me again. Otherwise, if you do not get engaged, I will not see you; it is no use sneaking over."

Wei Rao panicked: "Grandmother, why are you so heartless?"

She could treat the previous words as wind, but this last condition was too excessive; how could she do such a thing?

Wei Rao pouted and acted like a spoiled child, but it was to no avail; this time, Old Madame Shou’an’s attitude was very firm: "I am doing this for your own good."

Wei Rao left her grandmother and returned to her own small courtyard, feeling sulky.

Old Madame Shou’an returned to Fu'an Hall with a calm mind, served by little maidservants as she washed her hands, and once finished, she rested on the couch by the window. The lower part of the window was made of transparent glass, and the upper wooden shutters were propped up, leaving a layer of gauze to block the dust. The pink peach blossoms in the courtyard could be seen when looking up, and the scent of flowers drifted through the gauze window.

If there were no younger generation members for her to worry about, these days would truly be as happy as an immortal’s.

Old Madame Shou’an closed her eyes and took a nap for a while. When she opened them again, Nanny Liu was sitting on the chair in front of the couch, stitching a shoe sole in her hands.

"You’re back?" Old Madame Shou’an yawned and sat up.

As soon as the mistress woke, Nanny Liu put away her needle and thread basket and handed it to a little maid to take away. She picked up a teacup and poured a bowl of fragrant chrysanthemum tea for the Old Madame.

After Old Madame Shou’an drank the tea, Nanny Liu sighed: "This old servant was momentarily possessed and accompanied the Madam and the eldest young lady in doing a shameful thing."

Old Madame Shou’an squinted and listened as Nanny Liu explained the sequence of events in detail.

"Is that young master really that handsome?" After listening, Old Madame Shou’an asked curiously.

Nanny Liu didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I said so much, and what you care about most is the person who watched us make a fool of ourselves?"

Old Madame Shou’an: "It’s not caring; if he truly looks like an immortal, I will feel somewhat better inside. Otherwise, if a mere mortal man could make them both lose face like that, I would be furious to death."

Nanny Liu hurriedly said: "Don't be angry. That person is truly handsome. To speak disrespectfully, he looks even more appealing to young girls than the Emperor did when he was young. His face is like jade, he is gentle and elegant, and what is more rare is that he has a kind heart that saves people in distress. It is only a pity that we failed him, and he was very angry when he left."

Old Madame Shou’an nodded; indeed, she felt less stifled.

"Old Madame, should I still let the Madam and the others go out tomorrow?" Nanny Liu asked while refilling the tea.

Old Madame Shou’an hummed: "Go out for what? Isn't it embarrassing enough? The mother and daughter have been wandering on the mountain for several days, and they have seen almost all the young masters they should see. From now on, they can wait at home. If a respectable family comes to propose, it will be just as they wish. If not, then there is no need to marry; I will choose a simple man with a decent appearance to marry into the Zhou family."

Nanny Liu was shocked: "Marry into the family?"

The Zhou family had no male heirs, so there should have been a plan to keep one daughter at home to select a husband to marry in. But Nanny Liu had heard Old Madame Shou’an mutter that with the Zhou family’s poor reputation, there was no point in forcing the surname to continue. It would be better to let both girls marry off, and when she died, leave the leisure estate to the imperial grandson, divide the fields and shops among Mrs. Wang and other juniors, and leave nothing for herself.

Old Madame Shou’an glanced out the window and said: "The palm and the back of the hand are both flesh. Zhen'er is my biological granddaughter. I cannot bear to see her suffer grievances in someone else’s house. Placing her under my own eyes, even if she envies high-ranking families in her heart, at least she won't have to endure anyone’s cold looks."

Nanny Liu: "I just fear the eldest young lady won't understand your pains."

Old Madame Shou’an laughed bitterly. Children—where are they ever sensible from a young age? They all have to suffer some setbacks before they understand the intentions of their elders.

Because of the assassins, Wei Rao could no longer go out and wander about. Mrs. Wang and Zhou Huizhen were prohibited from leaving the house by Old Madame Shou’an.

It was only the next day that Wei Rao heard from her little cousin, Zhou Huizhu, about what the mother and daughter had encountered on the mountain.

She was still sulking with her grandmother and had not gone to pay her respects today.

"Eldest sister is absent-minded; she looks even more miserable because of that immortal young master."

Under the peach blossom tree, Zhou Huizhu pinched a piece of peach blossom cake and, while eating, poked at her own elder sister’s wounds.

Wei Rao helped her sister wipe a crumb from the corner of her mouth and said, "You can only say this to me and Linlin; don't go around spreading it."

Zhou Huizhu widened her eyes: "I’m not a fool. Even if others ask me, I won't tell them."

It was nothing for sisters to gossip, but if it spread, it would be the whole Zhou family that lost face.

"What kind of immortal young master? Is he even better looking than my brother?" Huo Lin interjected.

Zhou Huizhu: "I didn't see him, so I can't say for sure."

Wei Rao inexplicably thought of a face that truly deserved the praise of "immortal," and the timing matched.

If it really was Lu Zhuo, then it was no wonder the aunt had gone to such lengths to try and arrange a meeting.

"Sister Rao, why didn't you go to Grandmother’s this morning?" Zhou Huizhu’s interest returned to family matters.

Wei Rao said angrily: "Grandmother told me to hurry up and find a good husband, and she said I am only allowed to stay at the estate until the end of the month. I can only come over again when I am engaged."

At this, both Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin understood why Wei Rao was angry.

"Do not tell Aunt or Cousin," Wei Rao pinched Zhou Huizhu’s ear as a precaution.

Zhou Huizhu laughed: "Even if I don't say anything, if you don't come for so long, my mother will guess it."

Wei Rao hummed and went to stroll in the peach blossom forest.

The leisure estate was large enough, with rockeries, lakes, mountain pavilions, and flower forests—everything one could want. The young ladies who could not go out freely gradually began to play together again.

When playing hide-and-seek, Wei Rao deliberately hid in a tree. Zhou Huizhen searched a circle but couldn't find her and had to admit defeat. When Wei Rao jumped down from the tree, Zhou Huizhen insisted that Wei Rao had cheated.

"Alright, alright, you hide this round, I’ll be the one to catch." Huo Lin came out as a peacemaker, interrupting Zhou Huizhen’s incessant arguing.

Zhou Huizhen glared fiercely at Wei Rao and went to find a place to hide.

Wei Rao did not bother with her. It had been six days since the mother and daughter last went out. After plotting so carefully to encounter so many young masters, yet with no one coming to the leisure estate to propose, it was no wonder Zhou Huizhen was in such a bad mood. She was just taking it out on her.

However, Wei Rao’s own mood was also getting worse and worse.

She was still having a cold war with her grandmother, avoiding her every day to force her to retract those words. Unfortunately, her grandmother was too ruthless; the end of the month was approaching, and she had no intention of making up with her at all. Since she didn't go to Fu'an Hall, her grandmother didn't send anyone to the small courtyard to give her an out either.

The four sisters were troubled, and the game of hide-and-seek ended unhappily.

Zhou Huizhen returned to her room, while Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin fished by the pond. Wei Rao couldn't sit still. Relying on her agility, she secretly slipped to the back wall of Grandmother’s Fu'an Hall, wanting to hear if her grandmother had mentioned her to Nanny Liu.

If her grandmother really wouldn't change her mind, Wei Rao decided to compromise; after all, her grandmother was truly doing it for her own good.

Wei Rao came at a good time. Just as she approached the window, she heard Eunuch Li come to deliver a message, saying that a matchmaker had arrived.

Old Madame Shou’an and Nanny Liu in the room were quite startled, and Wei Rao also pricked up her ears.

A matchmaker—was it to propose to Zhou Huizhen? Had the mother and daughter’s wide-net strategy actually caught a fish?

Old Madame Shou’an took Nanny Liu to the hall to meet the matchmaker and also sent someone to invite Mrs. Wang.

Wei Rao couldn't show her face in such an occasion, so she slipped behind the main hall to eavesdrop. A little maid saw her as she passed, and Wei Rao quickly put her finger to her lips. The maid, who knew the cousin's temperament well, smiled and continued to serve tea to the hall as if nothing had happened.

Wei Rao listened intently.

Matchmakers were all eloquent people; she spoke in flowery terms for a long time, and the summary was that Han Liao, the heir to the Marquis of Xiting, wished to marry Zhou Huizhen as a second wife.

The heir to the Marquis of Xiting’s mansion!

Wei Rao’s mouth fell open!

The Lu family of the Duke of England’s mansion had always been a family of generals deeply trusted by the emperors of this dynasty. Under the fame of the men of the Lu family, other generals appeared dull, and for generations, none had been able to surpass them. However, with three dead and one crippled among the four brothers of Lu Zhuo’s father’s generation, and Lu Zhuo’s generation yet to mature, in the past five years, the father and son of the Marquis of Xiting, the Han family, had shone brilliantly, establishing several military exploits.

There were already rumors among the common people that the Han clan of the Marquis of Xiting might replace the status of the Lu family of the Duke of England’s mansion.

Such a Han family actually wanted to marry a daughter of the scandalous Zhou family?

It wasn't that Wei Rao looked down on her maternal cousin, but she felt that there must be some hidden motive behind the Han family’s proposal.

Mrs. Wang’s heart burned with excitement. Once the matchmaker left, Mrs. Wang couldn't wait to say to Old Madame Shou’an: "Mother, I think this marriage is possible!"

Old Madame Shou’an asked with a smile: "Is that so? Then tell me, what is so good about the Han family?"

Mrs. Wang immediately rattled off a list of the Han family’s glory.

Old Madame Shou’an asked again: "With such a glorious young heir, why would he want to marry Zhen'er? Are the virtuous and talented young ladies of the capital not good enough?"

Only then did Mrs. Wang realize that her mother-in-law’s smile was a fake one; she was not necessarily happy.

Mrs. Wang said sheepishly: "This daughter-in-law is foolish. What is improper about the Han family? I beg Mother to point it out."

Seeing her daughter-in-law’s good attitude, Old Madame Shou’an nodded and began to analyze point by point: "First, Han Liao’s mother, the Marchioness of Xiting, is a famous shrew. She does not allow the Marquis of Xiting to take concubines, but she loves to stuff concubines into her three sons’ homes. Because Han Liao’s original wife was dissatisfied with her mother-in-law and spoke ill of her behind her back, the Marchioness of Xiting cried in front of Han Liao after finding out. Han Liao was furious and slapped his original wife until she spat blood. Since then, the original wife was not favored by Han Liao and was tortured by her mother-in-law every day, which is why she ended up withered and died young."

Mrs. Wang couldn't smile anymore.

Old Madame Shou’an: "Second, Han Liao has a pair of legitimate children—the eldest daughter is fourteen, the eldest son is twelve—and several illegitimate children. If Zhen'er marries over, she will have to be a stepmother to more than ten children. A stepmother is difficult to be; these children alone are enough to give her a headache. If there is the slightest mistake and any one of them goes to complain to Han Liao or the Marchioness of Xiting, how could she, a newly married daughter-in-law, ever be treated well?"

"Third, Han Liao is lecherous and prefers the new over the old. There are at least nine or ten concubines in his house. Even though Zhen'er is beautiful, she is destined to be abandoned by him as time passes. With no man to protect her, Zhen'er will surely be isolated and helpless in the Marquis’s mansion, suffering grievances everywhere."

Mrs. Wang was dumbfounded. After a long time, she asked a question Wei Rao also wanted to know: "Mother, you usually don't go out, so how do you know the affairs of the capital so clearly?" It was as if she were just pulling them out of thin air!

Old Madame Shou’an smiled faintly: "You don't need to worry about these things. In any case, this marriage is not appropriate. In a few days, I will find a suitable excuse to refuse the Han family. You just pretend you don't know and do not leak a word of this to Zhen'er.”