Where the Mask Ends - Chapter 5
Chapter 5
With a string of Buddhist prayer beads blessed by a master in her possession, Madam Wang’s smile returned, and it was even more radiant than before.
As the saying goes, "He who takes a gift is beholden." Even if Madam Wang had a myriad of grievances against Wei Rao and her mother, for the sake of those prayer beads, she had no face to pick faults with Wei Rao in the near future.
The Idle Villa was exceptionally bustling today. Just before noon, as the banquet was about to begin, the sound of hoofbeats came from outside the villa. It was an imperial envoy sent by Emperor Yuanjia to deliver birthday gifts to Lady Shou’an.
Such imperial favor felt as sacred no matter how many times it was received. Lady Shou’an dared not be the least bit pretentious, nor did she feel she deserved such treatment from the Emperor. She immediately led her family and servants to the second courtyard of the Idle Villa at top speed, kneeling and kowtowing in order of seniority and status to express their gratitude for the imperial grace.
Emperor Yuanjia had sent Eunuch Zheng, the second most trusted servant by his side. The mere appearance of Eunuch Zheng was enough to show the importance the Emperor placed on Lady Shou’an.
"It has been a long time. The Old Madam’s spirit remains vibrant; you look younger with each passing day." After reading the Emperor’s birthday decree, Eunuch Zheng personally helped Lady Shou’an to her feet, his face full of smiles.
Lady Shou’an laughed, "I am sixty years old already; how could I still be young? A heavy snow fell last night—did the Emperor catch a chill?"
Eunuch Zheng replied, "When the snow began to fall last night, the Emperor was still in the Imperial Study reviewing memorials. He added clothing and covers in time, so the Old Madam need not worry."
Lady Shou’an nodded, her eyes lingering on the boxes of birthday gifts being carried by the young eunuchs, unable to hide the longing in her gaze.
She had been serving by Emperor Yuanjia’s side since he was born. She had held him countless times and nursed him countlessly. She had watched him grow from a babbling infant in swaddling clothes into a dashing youth, and witnessed him rise above the other princes to inherit the throne. In Lady Shou’an’s heart, she did not deserve to be called his mother, but her feelings for him surpassed those for her own children.
As for her biological children, the number of times she had seen them and the time she had spent with them were pitifully small. Despite the decade of regrets accumulated, she ultimately had to endure the tragedy of burying her own children in her old age.
"The banquet is about to begin. If the Eunuch could do us the honor, why not stay and eat before leaving?"
After her moment of reflection, Lady Shou’an extended a sincere invitation.
Eunuch Zheng declined, "This servant must return to the palace to report. I shall take my leave now. Old Madam, please take care."
People in the palace were always busy; Lady Shou’an understood this. She personally saw Eunuch Zheng and his entourage out of the Idle Villa. Only when the palace caravan had traveled far away did she lead her family back to the banquet.
"Mother, the Emperor sent a special caravan with such fanfare. The people in the capital and the surrounding areas must have seen it. Even the high-ranking wives of the noble families do not possess such glory." Seeing her mother-in-law held in such high regard by the Emperor, Madam Wang felt a sense of pride. Yet, in the end, she still felt the younger Madam Zhou was the culprit whose behavior had ruined her own daughters’ reputations.
Lady Shou’an gave a faint smile, "I live a free and easy life here at the villa. I do not care to manage or discuss affairs in the city, and from now on, it would be best if you did not mention such things either. It vexes me to hear them."
Madam Wang’s smile stiffened, and she instinctively looked toward the elder Madam Zhou and Huo Jingchang.
The couple continued eating as if nothing had happened and did not look at her.
Feeling that she had lost face, Madam Wang lowered her head. She did not utter another word until the banquet ended.
"Mother, my sister-in-law had no malicious intent. She only said that because she thought you would be happy to hear it."
After the meal, the elder Madam Zhou supported Lady Shou’an to the inner chamber to rest. As Lady Shou’an lay on the bed, the elder Madam Zhou knelt by the bedside, personally massaging her mother’s legs. Having married far away in Taiyuan, the thing she missed most was her mother. Unfortunately, the family business was large and she was busy, making it difficult to find time to return to the capital to show filial piety. Even this time, she and her husband would have to leave after staying for only two nights.
Lady Shou’an looked at her eldest daughter and laughed bitterly, "I know. She is just dull-witted and does not understand what people truly wish to hear."
Her daughter-in-law, Madam Wang, was narrow-minded but not malicious. Otherwise, even if Madam Wang had refused to leave, Lady Shou’an would not have kept a wicked daughter-in-law around to wreak havoc on the family.
After discussing Madam Wang, the elder Madam Zhou lowered her voice and asked, "Mother, what do you think the Emperor’s intentions are? He continues to bestow favors upon you, yet he never mentions bringing my sister and her child back to the capital. I heard that in the past two years, the Emperor has not visited the Western Hill Palace even once? He was the one who insisted on bringing my sister into the palace in the first place, and she bore him a son. Is he really just going to wash his hands of them?"
The elder Madam Zhou felt it was unjust for her sister. Everyone accused her sister of being a seductress, but only the family knew the truth: it was Emperor Yuanjia who had been captivated by her sister’s beauty.
At the mention of this, Lady Shou’an could not even muster a bitter smile.
When Emperor Yuanjia was a child, she could discern his thoughts. As he grew older, his mind became harder to fathom. She couldn't predict him when she was in the palace, and now that she had been out for over twenty years, their meetings were limited to polite exchanges of pleasantries. Lady Shou’an truly had no confidence in knowing the Emperor’s heart toward her younger daughter.
"The favor of the sovereign is as unpredictable as thunder and rain. We must leave it to fate." Since she could not guess his intentions and had no way to intervene, Lady Shou’an decided not to dwell on it, "With your sister’s temperament, she would surely feel constrained living in that tiny space within the palace, especially with the Empress Dowager pressuring her. Moving to the villa with her son might not be a bad thing after all."
Lady Shou’an could not see through Emperor Yuanjia, but she knew the Empress Dowager too well. She genuinely felt it was a blessing for her daughter to be far away from her.
The elder Madam Zhou thought about it and nodded in agreement.
"Jue’er is no longer young. When do you and your husband plan to arrange his marriage?"
Lady Shou’an asked her eldest daughter to sit beside her for a private talk; her legs were fine now and no longer needed massaging.
The elder Madam Zhou’s smile returned as she whispered, "Huizhu is quite lovable. What do you think, Mother?"
Lady Shou’an knew her eldest daughter was hoping to strengthen their ties through marriage, but she rejected the idea outright: "The Huo family has businesses stretching across the land that will eventually fall to Jue’er. Huizhu is innocent and naive, lacking the depth needed to be the mistress of the Huo household. Huizhen is too ambitious and determined to marry into royalty or nobility, so she is not suitable either. As for Rao’er, it goes without saying—Old Madam Wei would never let her marry into a merchant family. Therefore, you should start looking for other suitable girls early on."
The elder Madam Zhou was dumbstruck. So, not one of her two nieces or her nephew-in-law could be her daughter-in-law?
"Listen to me; I am right," Lady Shou’an said as she closed her eyes to nap.
The elder Madam Zhou felt unconvinced. Marriage, after all, depended on whether the children were compatible. Over the next six months, her son would be managing the branch in the capital, so he would inevitably come to the Idle Villa to pay respects to his grandmother. Perhaps a match could be made once the cousins spent more time together? She adored both her niece Huizhu and her nephew-in-law Rao’er.
Wei Rao had been cooped up in the capital all winter. With such beautiful snow, she did not want to miss it.
After her aunt helped her grandmother away, Wei Rao called for her cousin Huo Jue and her cousins Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin to discuss going out to enjoy the snow at the corner of the veranda. Her older cousin, Zhou Huizhen, always conducted herself as a refined lady and never participated in such activities, so Wei Rao did not bother to invite her.
Zhou Huizhu and Wei Rao shared the same interests and were both playful, so they agreed immediately.
Huo Lin looked toward her brother.
Huo Jue looked at Wei Rao and said, "I fear Grandmother will not permit it."
Wei Rao laughed, "Cousin, you worry too much. Grandmother is the least concerned with those stuffy rituals; she only wants us to have fun. If you don't believe me, ask Huizhu. Knowing how playful we are, Grandmother has men’s clothing made for us every year just in case."
Zhou Huizhu nodded repeatedly, grabbing Huo Lin’s hand, "Sister Lin is about the same height as me; you should be able to wear my clothes. Come with me to change into men’s attire."
With that, she didn't even give Huo Lin a chance to refuse, happily pulling her along as they ran off.
Wei Rao turned to Huo Jue, "If you aren't going, Cousin, I will have Eunuch Li select two guards to accompany us."
Eunuch Li and Nanny Liu were the young eunuch and maid who had served by her grandmother’s side when she worked in the palace. When her grandmother left the palace, Emperor Yuanjia had bestowed them upon her as well. Now, Eunuch Li managed the affairs of the outer residence of the Idle Villa, and Nanny Liu managed the inner, assisting her grandmother in keeping the villa in perfect order.
Huo Jue looked at Wei Rao’s delicate, petal-like face and sighed helplessly, "I had better accompany you all."
Wei Rao knew her cousin would never let the three of them go out alone. She told Huo Jue to wait for a moment in the front courtyard, as she also needed to change her clothes.
Huo Jue turned and walked toward the front. He checked the purse at his waist—it contained banknotes and silver coins, which should be sufficient, so there was no need to send a servant to retrieve more.
"Is the young master going out?" Seeing Huo Jue in his blue robes, Eunuch Li came over specifically to ask.
Huo Jue smiled, his expression natural, "The March snow is a rare sight. I am accompanying the young ladies for a stroll."
Eunuch Li understood. As long as the Fourth Miss was at the Idle Villa, whether it was for riding, outings, or hunting, she never stayed quietly in the villa for long.
"The Second Miss and Fourth Miss will certainly want to ride horses. How shall the young master and the young ladies be arranged?" Eunuch Li asked politely.
Huo Jue looked surprised—both cousins knew how to ride?
However, he received his answer from the look on Eunuch Li’s face.
"Prepare horses for all of us," Huo Jue said. His sister, Huo Lin, knew how to ride as well.
Eunuch Li went to make the arrangements. After waiting a moment, Huo Jue saw Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin arrive together. The two young girls had indeed changed into men’s clothing, but a girl was still a girl—the softness and brightness in their eyes and their slender, petite stature could not be hidden. Changing clothes was clearly more for ease of movement.
"What is this? Planning to hunt?" Huo Jue asked, looking at the quivers on the shoulders of the two girls.
Zhou Huizhu laughed, "Of course. The snow is full of rabbit tracks. As long as we follow the tracks, we are sure to catch a rabbit."
As they were speaking, Wei Rao arrived as well.
Huo Jue looked up, and upon seeing her, he found it difficult to tear his gaze away.
Wei Rao had put on a bright red outfit for riding, with a precious sword at her waist and black boots on her feet. A dark belt inlaid with gemstones accentuated a slender waist that could be gripped with two hands. On her head, she wore a black gauze hat with a gold rim, topped with a pearl the size of a lychee that shimmered with a soft luster under the sun.
Such an outfit was already striking, but compared to Wei Rao’s ethereal, jade-like face, it immediately became the green leaves setting off the red flower.
With her dark brows, bright eyes, snow-white skin, and vermilion lips, even dressed in men’s clothing and walking without the slightest trace of a woman's shyness or hesitation, she appeared heroic and elegant. As a man who had heard his fill of praise, facing a Wei Rao who grew more radiant and dazzling as she walked closer, a sense of inexplicable inferiority unexpectedly rose in the depths of Huo Jue’s heart.
"Sister Rao, you look so good like this!"
While Huo Jue was stunned, Huo Lin, who had seen Wei Rao dressed like this for the first time, ran over in amazement, circling Wei Rao to look at her continuously.
Wei Rao teased her, "Who told you to follow the wrong person? If you come back to the room with me, I will have you dressed the same way."
Huo Lin knew her limits—even if she wore the same clothes, she could not achieve Sister Rao’s flair.
"Alright, let us set off. I know a path up the mountain; it is less crowded there, and most of the snow should still be untouched."
Gazing toward Mount Yunwu, Wei Rao said with great excitement.