Chapter 6 - Willing or Not to Be Husband and Wife
Fu Momo opened the boxes one by one. After opening a few, she suddenly realized something was not quite right.
She glanced at Mingyi, then hastily wrapped up those few boxes and stuffed them into a young maid's hands.
“Quick, take these to the front courtyard to Steward Bao. These must have been delivered by mistake.”
Seeing her flustered expression, Mingyi smiled and asked, “What's wrong?”
Fu Momo couldn't very well lie to her mistress. She replied awkwardly:
“Young Madam, please don't take it to heart. These are all things sent by young ladies from the outside to show off in front of our Master of the house. There are many different tricks every year, and it's impossible to guard against them all...”
Mingyi understood. With Pei Yue's handsome appearance, if not for his status as the Master of the Pei house, he probably would have been snatched up as a son-in-law from the imperial examination list long ago. He was surely extremely popular in the capital.
“It's no matter. I don't mind.”
After speaking, she went into the room.
Seeing her complete lack of concern, Fu Momo became even more worried.
It had been some time since she had married into the family, yet the groom was without affection and the bride without intention. The consummation of their marriage was nowhere in sight.
Early the next morning, Mingyi sent Qinghe out to amuse herself and followed Fu Momo to the main courtyard. Today, Pei Yue's eldest sister, Pei Xuan, was visiting home. Her mother-in-law had instructed her to go over early. Upon reaching the flower hall, she saw the Thirteenth Young Master, Pei Chengxuan, wrapped in a cloak and standing on the steps in utter boredom, feeling the breeze.
“Thirteenth Brother, why don't you wait inside the room.”
The moment Pei Chengxuan saw Mingyi, he immediately perked up. He lifted the curtain to welcome Mingyi inside, sent the momo far away, and hurriedly asked her:
“Sister-in-law, did my elder brother give you a hard time?”
Mingyi gave a wry smile.
“I've received the cold shoulder from him for a few days.”
He hadn't been to the rear courtyard recently.
Guilt immediately welled up in Pei Chengxuan.
“It's my fault for getting Sister-in-law into trouble.”
Mingyi waved her hand. “I was the one who tricked you first. If there's anyone to blame, it should be me.”
Mingyi was never used to pushing responsibility onto others.
“And you? What kind of scolding did you get from your elder brother?”
Pei Chengxuan's smile was bitter. He pointed upwards.
“Tie my hair to a beam and jab my thigh with an awl. He made me copy books for several days.”
Mingyi stared wide-eyed.
A pair of ill-fated in-laws, she thought to herself.
A short while later, the sound of footsteps could be heard from outside, mixed with the laughter of a child. She knew they had arrived.
Lifting the curtain and stepping out, she saw Pei Yue welcoming the couple, Pei Xuan and Qi Junliang, through the decorated inner gate. He was also leading a young child of about three years old by the hand. The child was extremely lively. He must have recognized his youngest uncle, as he shook off Qi Junliang's hand and rushed towards Pei Chengxuan.
“Eldest Sister, Brother-in-law!” Pei Chengxuan bowed from a distance, then immediately bounded down the steps, taking them two at a time. He bent down and picked up the rushing Zhao'ger.
“Good Zhao'er, you've gotten heavier again.”
Pei Yue's gaze lingered on Mingyi and Pei Chengxuan for a moment, then he pointed to Mingyi and introduced her to Pei Xuan and Qi Junliang.
“This is the new wife, Mingyi.”
Pei Xuan lifted her gaze and saw a tall woman dressed in a lake-blue brocade robe, standing serenely on the steps. Her features were born extremely elegant and gentle, her eyes clear and steady. Perhaps sensing that someone was sizing her up, a smile bloomed from the corners of her eyes. The morning sun slanted down from the eaves, lending a touch of brilliant color to this smile.
She was far more outstanding than she had imagined.
Pei Xuan felt relieved. Otherwise, for a precious brother like hers to truly spend his life with a coarse country woman, even she would have felt it was not worth it for him.
“Sister-in-law.”
Pei Xuan walked over gracefully to greet her.
Mingyi had actually seen Pei Xuan in her early years. At that time, the Pei family's Second Young Lady was ardent and bright, standing out in a crowd. However, it was only a single meeting. Now, meeting again, that ardent spirit of hers was gone, but fortunately, she was still bright and dazzling.
“Second Sister, Second Brother-in-law!” Mingyi cupped her hands in her sleeves towards them.
Afterwards, her gaze fell upon Pei Yue.
The husband and wife exchanged a look, then flanked them on the left and right, leading them to Chunjin Hall.
Seeing her daughter, Xun-shi smiled so widely she couldn't close her mouth. Pei Chengxuan then placed the child in her arms, and Xun-shi hugged him, calling him her darling.
“Sit, sit,” Xun-shi instructed.
Pei Xuan and Qi Junliang on the opposite side sat down, but Mingyi and Pei Chengxuan on this side did not rush to sit. Instead, they looked in unison at Pei Yue.
Pei Yue looked at their foolish expressions and felt a headache coming on. He ignored them and continued speaking with Qi Junliang.
Mingyi and Pei Chengxuan understood the signal and obediently sat down.
After drinking her tea, Pei Xuan stood up.
“Mother, I will go pay my respects to the Second Aunt and Third Aunt.”
Today was a family banquet for the First Branch, and they had not intended to disturb the Second and Third Branches. But Pei Xuan had always been proper and knew it would be unjustifiable for her not to pay them a visit while she was home.
By the time she returned at wu shi zheng (high noon), the banquet had already been set out.
Xun-shi said a few polite words, and then the banquet began.
During the banquet, Mingyi paid special attention to Qi Junliang and Pei Xuan.
The couple chatted and laughed, not looking at all like there was any estrangement between them. That Qi Junliang seemed to know Pei Xuan's preferences like the back of his hand, placing food on her plate, pouring tea for her, his eyes revolving around her as if he could not leave her side for a moment.
This was strange.
Could there really be men who hold their wives in their hearts but can still have an affair on the outside with a clear conscience?
Ultimately, it was another family's business. Mingyi could not speculate too much, and after a few brief sighs, she put the matter aside.
But Xun-shi was extremely sharp. Sitting in the main seat, she could see every movement with a single glance. Her daughter-in-law's eyes kept darting towards Qi Junliang and Pei Xuan. Wasn't it obvious that she was envious of their harmonious marital relationship?
Heaven have mercy.
Although Xun-shi had also disdained Mingyi, after spending this period of time with her, she found that while Mingyi seemed unconcerned with trivialities, she was in fact meticulous and sharp-minded. Xun-shi's opinion of her had already changed greatly.
Looking at her son, in contrast—he ate without speaking, sat perfectly upright at the meal, and let alone placing food on Mingyi's plate, the two of them didn't even exchange a single glance during the banquet. It was only after the meal was finished that he symbolically asked a single question.
“Have you eaten well?”
It was clearly a case of too much politeness and not enough intimacy.
Zhao'ger, having been taught by Pei Xuan, ran up to Mingyi and called out “Auntie” in a crisp voice. Mingyi scooped him up with one arm and carried him out to the courtyard. She casually plucked a leaf, wiped it clean, and holding it to her lips, played a tune for him. It was truly a clear and soaring melody, as if a bird were circling in the mountains. Hearing it, Zhao'ger danced for joy, giggling, while Pei Chengxuan cheered and applauded from the side.
Seeing her son so happy, Pei Xuan also put down her teacup and went to look out of curiosity. When Qi Junliang saw her go out the door, he hurriedly excused himself to Xun-shi and chased after her.
Only Xun-shi and Pei Yue were left in the central room.
The mother and son's gazes fell in unison on the scene outside the window, where the daylight was beautiful and filled with chatter and laughter.
“In the blink of an eye, Zhao'ger is already three years old. And now you are married as well. If your father were still alive, how gratified he would be to see this.”
Pei Yue's fingertips rested on his teacup. His gaze fell on Mingyi for a moment, but mostly he looked at Zhao'ger.
As an uncle, he had always doted on his nephew.
“Zhao'ger is three years old; it's time for him to begin his education. I plan to select a private tutor from our residence and dispatch him to the Qi residence to teach Zhao'ger how to practice calligraphy and read.”
Seeing that he still had the mind to care about others, Xun-shi snorted lightly.
“If you like children so much, then why don't you hurry up and have one with Mingyi.”
Pei Yue's handsome face stiffened slightly. He lowered his eyes to look at the tea in his cup and said nothing.
Xun-shi turned to face him and asked worriedly, “How are things going with Mingyi?”
Pei Yue answered truthfully, “We do not see eye to eye.”
Xun-shi sneered, “You're like a block of ice all day. Who could you possibly have anything to say to?”
In her heart, however, she understood her son's difficulty. It would be a wonder if two people as different as heaven and earth could find common ground. But on the surface, she said,
“Could it be that you have a prejudice against her in your heart and are unwilling to speak with her? You should slowly try to understand her.... Look, the matter of the kitchens, she handled that very well...”
Fearing she would nag endlessly, Pei Yue raised his head and interrupted her.
“Mother, I only took half a day's leave. The delegation has already arrived in the suburbs and will enter the city tomorrow. I must return to the palace to review the procedures with the Ministry of Rites.”
After speaking, he stood up and bowed to her.
With the envoys entering the capital, a storm was brewing. Various factions in the imperial court were involved, and the capital was likely to be restless. It was a time of many troubles. Household affairs, court affairs—everything weighed on his mind, and he was too busy every day. How could he possibly have the time to chat idly with people?
Let alone talk of love.
Xun-shi knew he was impatient with her lectures. She stepped down from the dais, reached out to straighten his collar, and advised:
“I don't expect you and Mingyi to be as harmonious as your eldest sister and her husband, but at the very least, give her a child. That will allow her to settle down and also gain a firm foothold in the Pei family.”
This time, Pei Yue's expression grew serious, as if he had taken her words to heart.
He bowed once more. “Your son understands. Mother, do not worry.”
After spending half the day together, Pei Xuan suggested staying at the Pei residence for a few days with her child, and sent Qi Junliang back by himself.
Xun-shi arranged for a momo to prepare a room for Pei Xuan. When she had a free moment, she called Mingyi into her room.
“Today I saw that everyone sent birthday gifts to Yue'er. How is it that I see no gesture from you, his wife?”
Her son was impervious to persuasion, so Xun-shi could only start with her daughter-in-law.
Mingyi complained endlessly in her heart. She had thought all last night but still couldn't come up with anything to give. She had planned to just muddle through it, but who knew she would be caught in the act by her mother-in-law.
“I will think about it.”
Leaving Chunjin Hall, she ran into Pei Chengxuan leading Zhao'ger, taking him to the courtyard where Pei Xuan had lived before she married. Mingyi stopped him and asked,
“For your brother's birthday, what did you give him?”
Hearing this, Pei Chengxuan was also full of bitterness.
“What could I possibly give? With my brother's picky nature, no treasure can catch his eye. After thinking it over and over, I properly copied a chapter of the Lingfei Scripture* for him. When he saw I had made some slight improvement, he was very satisfied.”
[N: The Lingfei Scripture is a famous Taoist text and a masterpiece of Chinese calligraphy, written in an elegant, small regular script (xiaokai) during the Tang Dynasty. ]
Mingyi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
“You took the right approach.”
Pei Chengxuan was even quite proud.
“But of course. For ignorant people like Sister-in-law and me, showing a little bit of improvement is the best birthday gift for my elder brother.”
After speaking, he urged Mingyi, “Why don't you copy a chapter too, Sister-in-law?”
Mingyi wanted to, but she could not. She had previously corresponded with Pei Yue through letters. She could not write, for fear he would see a clue.
Halfway back to Changchun Hall, as she passed the bamboo grove behind the courtyard, she suddenly had an idea.
Late at night, Pei Yue returned to the residence from the imperial palace and, as usual, went first to the study.
He sat down at his desk and had just taken a sip of warm water when he noticed that the several stewards' expressions were off today. Each of them had their head buried very low, as if they had caused a great disaster.
“What's wrong?”
The head steward raised his head hesitantly: “Master of the house, the bamboo grove in the rear courtyard of Changchun Hall has been cut down.”
Pei Yue was taken aback, his face visibly darkening.
The ancients said: “One can live without meat in one's meals, but one cannot live in a place without bamboo.”
Pei Yue also loved bamboo. At the age of ten, he had personally planted a patch. At first, the soil was not suitable, and the bamboo did not grow well. But after several years of cultivation, it finally grew into a lush green grove, which looked like a green cloud from a distance. He was extremely fond of it, and now it had been cut down.
“Who cut it down!”
In truth, there was no need to ask; he had already guessed who had done it. Aside from Li Mingyi, no one would dare to touch his things.
Before the steward could answer, he scolded, “Why didn't you stop her?”
The steward said in a small voice, “You said that seeing the Young Madam is the same as seeing you. We subordinates did not dare to stop her.”
Pei Yue accepted it and shut his mouth.
It had already been cut. It hadn't reached the point of reprimanding her over such a small matter—he was not that ungracious a person. It was just that his heart felt somewhat displeased.
Late at night, after bathing in the study, Pei Yue returned to Changchun Hall. The courtyard was as quiet as if no one was there. Pei Yue subconsciously glanced towards the bamboo grove in the rear courtyard. Sure enough, the once neat and tidy grove was now missing a patch, as if it had gone bald. It looked unsightly. He shook his head and entered the main building with a complex mood.
Mingyi had already gone to sleep. Fu Momo, who had waited a long time for his arrival, presented a bamboo dragonfly left by Mingyi to him as if it were a treasure.
“Young Master, the Young Madam carved a bamboo dragonfly and said it is a birthday gift for you.”
Pei Yue was slightly taken aback. His gaze fell on the dragonfly in her palm. He reached out, took it, and examined it closely. This bamboo dragonfly was about the size of two fingers, its thin wings spread open. Its face had a charmingly naive expression, and its form was lifelike. He then held it under the lamp to look, only to realize that its lines were seamless, with no traces of carving. The craftsmanship was also extremely fine; it could be called a masterpiece.
He had not imagined she possessed such skill.
The bit of displeasure in his heart instantly vanished like smoke.
“Is Madam asleep?”
“Indeed,” Fu Momo lifted the curtain for him, letting him into the inner chamber. Familiar with his temperament, she subtly explained the matter of the bamboo grove to him.
“It took quite a bit of effort, you know. She was busy from shen shi (3-5 PM) in the afternoon until xu shi (7-9 PM) at night.... She had to pick the most flexible part of each bamboo stalk, then there was the cutting of the bamboo and the carving. She was tired out from all the work and has only just fallen asleep not long ago.”
Pei Yue gave a slight nod and entered the inner room, holding the dragonfly.
A faint glazed lamp was left lit in the corner. He placed the little dragonfly on the curio shelf and peered over to look at her. The bed curtain was half-lowered and half-hitched up, like a stage curtain, half-concealing and half-revealing, preventing one from getting a clear view.
Pei Yue washed his hands, blew out the lamp, got into the canopied bed, and slowly lay down, letting down all the curtains.
His mother's words were still ringing in his ears, yet Pei Yue did not know how to take that step.
Mingyi had been married into the family for so long, yet she never tried to get close to him. If he didn't come to the rear courtyard, she never went to the front courtyard to ask for him. Today, on his birthday, she would rather joke around with Thirteenth Brother than say more than half a sentence to him. It was clear she did not have that kind of intention towards him either.
Pei Yue was not sure if she was willing to be husband and wife with him.