Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Rolling over in bed.

She didn’t have much feeling for Empress Jiang.

When Empress Jiang was in power, she was still young and on the border. The capital and the court were too far away for her, and who was in power was not something a child cared about.

She didn’t know if her father was part of Empress Jiang’s faction, but her father had indeed said happily that the border army’s life had become much easier after Empress Jiang came to power.

“This is how wars should be fought, and this is how the border should be defended. This Empress does understand these crude matters.”

Calculating by age, Zhou Jingyun became famous at a young age. He was in the capital at that time and was a nobleman, so he must have seen Empress Jiang.

But the so-called Empress Jiang’s faction, when Empress Jiang was alive, they were all high-ranking officials with great power and prestige. After Empress Jiang died, they were all guilty of heinous crimes, notorious, and deserved to be killed.

Whether Empress Jiang was alive or dead, Marquis Zhou’s Heir, Zhou Jingyun, had nothing to do with these matters.

He was sent to serve as an official in a distant region very early on, rarely returned to the capital, and stayed out of court disputes.

Of course, you can know a person’s face but not their heart. Perhaps he was a hidden chess piece of Empress Jiang.

Since he said he was, it was reasonable to pity the surviving daughter of Empress Jiang’s faction. Master Zhuang no longer refused and agreed to Zhou Jingyun’s proposal.

Madam Zhuang also advised her to go with Zhou Jingyun.

“Even if Master Zhuang is no longer here, as his widow, you will still inevitably be monitored by Zhang Ze. Moreover, when you return to Bozhou, the clan members are unfamiliar and have different intentions. In comparison, although it is the capital, under the Emperor’s feet, the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence is a safe place.”

Then she performed the wedding ceremony with him and came to the capital as the wife of Marquis Zhou’s Heir, hiding in the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence.

So Zhou Jingyun’s previous words, “This danger was brought by me to my family,” were also correct.

Zhuang Li looked at the deep night and closed her eyes.

The morning light was bright, and the maids were coming in and out of the room, some serving her with washing, some bringing food, bustling with activity.

Concubine Mei stood under the corridor, occasionally dodging this one and making way for that one.

Chunhong hurried in from outside, holding two sets of clothes, and saw her with a helpless look.

“Why did Concubine come over?” she said in a low voice. “I told you to come over and pay your respects in the evening. The house is busy today.”

Concubine Mei hurriedly said in a low voice, “I know, I know. Young Madam had someone tell me.” Then she smiled ingratiatingly. “I wanted to see if there was anything I could help with.”

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but glance inside.

Chunhong looked at her with a half-smile. “We wouldn’t dare to trouble Concubine. Young Madam doesn’t lack helping hands here.”

Concubine Mei was previously called Chunmei and was the Marquis’s Heir’s senior maid. It was her duty to serve the Marquis’s Heir, but now she was a Concubine.

Without being summoned, she came early in the morning and blocked the door. She was here to curry favor and cause trouble for the main wife.

Concubine Mei blushed and mumbled something.

Chunhong didn’t want to listen. Chun Yue’s voice could be heard from inside, calling, “Have the Marquis’s Heir’s clothes been brought?”

“It’s not Concubine’s first day here. You know the rules.” She dropped a sentence and replied loudly inside, “They’re here—”

Watching Chunhong go inside, Concubine Mei lowered her head and pouted, standing still. The little maid anxiously tugged at her sleeve. “Let’s go back.”

Concubine Mei glared at her. Go back? Going back and waiting would be foolish.

Others might not know, but she knew in her heart that the Marquis’s Heir never came to her.

Initially, it was to respect the new wife and to show that he didn’t lack people by his side that he refused Young Madam’s offer to give him Xueliu. That’s why he elevated her to Concubine.

Later, when Young Madam died, he stayed true to his deceased wife and had no worldly desires.

Now that he finally had worldly desires again, and the annoying Xueliu had been driven away by the New Young Madam, wasn’t her chance here?

Footsteps came from inside, light and steady. Concubine Mei pricked up her ears. She could recognize the Marquis’s Heir’s footsteps.

Her eyes eagerly looked towards the hall.

Zhou Jingyun wore a brown round-collar robe, slightly spreading his arms as Chun Yue tied his sash. Chunhong held a round mirror for him to look at.

Zhou Jingyun looked at the mirror. The steam from his morning bath had not yet dissipated, swirling around his brows and eyes.

A woman’s face suddenly appeared in the mirror. She had just finished applying her makeup, her skin was fair and smooth, her thin eyebrows extended into her temples, two flower decorations were pasted on her temples, and she was slightly lowering her head to adjust her sash.

It was an unfamiliar face.

Zhou Jingyun looked away and turned to look at Zhuang Li, who was standing behind him.

“Second Uncle and Third Uncle are not in the capital.” he said. “The two aunts also just returned from their posts a few years ago. Some of the children in the family went with their uncles to their posts, and some returned to their hometowns to manage the family business. There are only two or three families in the capital, so there won’t be too many people at today’s family banquet.”

Zhuang Li nodded, looking at the food that had been set up in the hall.

“Marquis’s Heir, let’s eat.” she said.

Zhou Jingyun hummed in agreement and walked over first. “You all go down first.” he said.

Chun Yue immediately led the others out.

The room quieted down, and the sound of women talking came from outside the window. Chun Yue’s voice was somewhat stern, and another female voice was timid.

Zhuang Li recognized it as Concubine Mei’s voice and looked up at Zhou Jingyun, who was opposite her.

Zhou Jingyun was already eating with his bowl and chopsticks, seemingly unaware of the noise outside.

✿✿✿

The courtyard became quiet again.

“Madam Zhuang said she won’t write to you anymore.” Zhou Jingyun said in a low voice. “She wants you not to worry about her.”

Zhuang Li hummed in response, lowering her head and speaking softly. “That’s good for her. Master is gone, she shouldn’t get into any more trouble.”

Zhou Jingyun paused with his chopsticks and said, “Master’s illness was indeed incurable, his lifespan was nearing its end. Don’t…”

Zhuang Li raised her head and looked at him, smiling. “Master and Madam told you that, right? Those were words to comfort you. Actually, the reason why Master’s illness was incurable was because he saved me before.”

Before? Saved her? Zhou Jingyun was stunned.

Master Zhuang was good to all his students, but it was just the kindness of a teacher. He didn’t actually get too close to his students. His words and actions were all based on Confucian teachings.

Even in this matter of life and death, Master Zhuang didn’t say much to him, especially about this woman.

“After I learned that something had happened at home, I was anxious and did something very dangerous. Master exhausted all his efforts to save my life.” Zhuang Li said. “He did die because of me.”

What dangerous thing could she have done at such a young age? Calculating the time, she was by Master Zhuang’s side, thousands of miles away from Shuofang. Was she so anxious that she hurt her body? Zhou Jingyun thought, but he didn’t ask further. He just looked at her and said, “In that case, you should live well, so as not to let Master down.”

Zhuang Li hummed in agreement. “I will.”

The atmosphere in the room was a bit heavy. Zhou Jingyun hesitated for a moment and suddenly asked, “How much silver did you sell yourself for back then?”

Zhuang Li was stunned and didn’t react for a moment.

Zhou Jingyun smiled at her. “Madam Zhuang once said in her letter that she encountered a young girl selling herself. It must have been you, right?”

Selling… Zhuang Li said with a hint of reminiscence, “Master gave a painting and said it was worth a hundred taels of silver.”

Zhou Jingyun laughed and shook his head. “Master’s paintings are actually quite average. You sold yourself short.”

Zhuang Li also laughed. “My father used to say that too. But now he thinks it was worth it, otherwise, I would have died with them.”

Zhou Jingyun’s expression was a bit awkward. He had wanted to change the subject to alleviate her sadness, but he didn’t expect this topic to be even sadder.

The smile on the young girl’s face was fresh and pretty, but it made people’s hearts ache.

He lowered his gaze and nodded. “Yes, it was worth it.”

✿✿✿

✿✿✿

Mama Xu came in with several maids carrying boxes. She first smiled and looked at Zhou Jingyun, nodding in satisfaction. “You didn’t get drunk last night. Madam won’t scold you later when she sees you.”

Zhou Jingyun said with a smile, “Father didn’t let me drink too much.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mama Xu pointed at the maids behind her and glanced at Zhuang Li indifferently.

“Madam has prepared some meeting gifts to be used when Young Madam meets everyone.” she said. “Madam has divided them according to who they should be given to and written labels.”

Zhuang Li curtsied and expressed her thanks.

Zhou Jingyun looked at the boxes carried by the maids and, remembering something, looked at Zhuang Li with a hint of apology. “I was in such a hurry to bring you back before that I forgot to prepare these for you, causing you to be impolite.”

Zhuang Li smiled at him and didn’t say anything.

Mama Xu, who was standing to the side, was a little embarrassed. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Zhou Jingyun and Zhuang Li. The Marquis’s Heir was indeed different towards this Young Madam.

✿✿✿

✿✿✿

“This is Second Aunt.”

“This is Third Aunt.”

Zhou Jingyun said, then bowed to the two aunts first. Zhuang Li followed behind and curtsied. Chun Yue came forward with two sets of shoes and socks.

The two aunts smiled and nodded, and the maids beside them took the shoes and socks, their eyes sweeping over Zhuang Li and then glancing at the shoes and socks.

“Good child.” They said with a smile, each presenting a set of jewelry.

Zhuang Li thanked them again and didn’t stay to talk to the two aunts. Zhou Jingyun led her to meet his cousins, brothers, sisters, and sisters-in-law.

Second Madam Zhou’s gaze followed them, and she smiled sideways at Madam of Dongyang. “You are truly blessed. As soon as Jingyun came back, you didn’t even have to say anything.”

Logically, it should be the mother-in-law who introduces her.

Madam of Dongyang snorted softly. “He found his own wife, let him take care of her himself.”

Although they hadn’t met, the two sisters-in-law knew that Madam of Dongyang was unhappy with Zhou Jingyun’s sudden marriage. This was also human nature. Any mother would be angry if her son married a wife without her knowing.

It was already magnanimous of Madam of Dongyang to allow this daughter-in-law to enter the house.

Now that she had entered the house, family harmony was the most important thing. Third Madam Zhou said some nice words. “I think she’s quite good. She’s a bit young, but she’s gentle, quiet, and well-mannered.”

Gentle? Madam of Dongyang thought to herself, you haven’t seen her when she talks back. With that momentum, she’s the mother-in-law!