Marrying The Imperial Elder Chapter 35

Pei Mingzhu simply went home and ended up getting angry for no reason at all. Zhen Tingyun, however, had spent the day following Zhen Yiyun around among the guests. Although she had spoken very little, everything she saw and heard had sunk deeply into her mind. After giving it some thought, she found herself with a few new ideas.

Once the banquet had ended, Zhen Tingyun got up and went to the main courtyard to speak with Madam Pei and Father Zhen.

After a full day of entertaining guests, both Madam Pei and Father Zhen were exhausted. They had already ordered the servants to prepare water so they could wash up. Husband and wife were now reclining together on the couch, chatting idly with one another between long pauses.

Hearing that their younger daughter had come, Madam Pei and Father Zhen exchanged glances, both puzzled as to why she had come. Nevertheless, they quickly sat up properly and said, “Quick, let her come in.”

A maid lifted the curtain, and Zhen Tingyun entered from outside. She first greeted her parents, who were seated above.

As a father, Father Zhen was rather strict with his son, but he doted on both of his daughters. Zhen Tingyun, in particular, resembled Madam Pei in her youth, and so, by loving the mother, he naturally loved the daughter as well. Moreover, ever since she had returned to the household, he had seen her studying diligently from morning till night, making him think even more highly of her. Thus, he greeted his younger daughter with a warm expression. Seeing her about to bow, he hurriedly helped her up, had her sit beside him and Madam Pei, and then gently asked, “You’ve been busy and tired all day as well. Is there something you came to see us about?”

Zhen Tingyun lowered her head and bowed respectfully before getting to the point. “Father, please allow me to report something. Today, while Elder Sister and I were entertaining the guests, I noticed that ever since the Regent entered the capital, many people here have become extremely curious about Beijiang. As the saying goes, ‘When those above have their preferences, those below pursue them all the more.’ The weather is still cold, so you can’t really tell from what people are wearing yet, but from what I’ve observed, specialties from Beijiang have indeed been gradually becoming fashionable. I was thinking that when Father was serving as an official away from the capital, you were stationed fairly close to Beijiang and spent many years there. Presumably, you still have some local connections. Perhaps we could use those contacts to sell Beijiang specialties in our family’s shops. Furs and horses would also do well. In that way, we could ride the wave created by the Regent’s arrival and make a tidy profit. Even if it’s only to help supplement the family’s expenses, it would still be worthwhile.”

It truly was a promising way to make money.

Father Zhen listened and felt it indeed had considerable potential. It seemed like a profitable business. After pondering it for a moment, he nodded. “That is a good idea.” Then he reminded his daughter, “However, you girls don’t need to concern yourselves too much with matters of business. Your studies are still the most important thing.”

Father Zhen had risen from a humble background. He had achieved his current position through studying and passing the imperial examinations, so he firmly believed that “of all pursuits, only scholarship is truly noble.” Even when it came to his daughters, he hoped above all that they would study hard and become both virtuous and talented. Otherwise, he would never have sighed over Zhen Yiyun’s precocious brilliance by saying that it was a pity she had not been born a boy.

Zhen Tingyun agreed wholeheartedly with that belief; otherwise, she would never have worked so hard herself. Still, because she had endured hardship throughout her childhood, she valued silver and gold immensely. The business idea had simply occurred to her on a whim that day, and she felt it had great profit potential, which was why she had come to discuss it with her parents. Unlike Zhen Yiyun, although she was not especially close to her family, she still understood that prosperity and ruin were shared alike. At the very least, if the Zhen family earned more money, she could spend it without feeling guilty. Hearing her father’s words, she obediently nodded before sweetly saying, “The idea just suddenly came to me, so I thought I’d mention it to Father and Mother. The women’s academy examination is in June, so naturally my heart is still focused on my books.”

Father Zhen smiled and nodded, finding his daughter increasingly sensible.

Madam Pei, however, had always been in charge of the family’s shops and estates, so she valued such matters more than Father Zhen did. After hearing her daughter’s suggestion and thinking it over, she found herself quite fond of the idea. Smiling, she took her daughter’s hand and said, “Don’t listen to your father’s nonsense. Studying is important, but business is important too. Otherwise, where would our family’s food, clothing, and daily expenses come from? Since you have such a natural talent for these things, if you think of any more ideas, just come tell me.”

For a time, the atmosphere in the room became warm and cheerful.

Naturally, Zhen Tingyun then put on the act of a devoted daughter, amusing her parents with affectionate attentiveness by their side until both Father Zhen and Madam Pei burst into laughter again and again.

Just then, Zhen Yiyun had changed into fresh clothes in her own room and was on her way to speak with her parents. But as soon as she reached the entrance to the courtyard, she heard Zhen Tingyun’s voice, along with the sound of her parents laughing. Her footsteps came to an abrupt halt, and unexpectedly, she found herself too hesitant to go any farther.

The moonlight that night was beautiful, its pale glow flowing over the stone steps like cool water. In the spacious courtyard, only an old elm tree swayed gently in the evening breeze, its branches rustling softly. Standing at the courtyard entrance, Zhen Yiyun lowered her eyes slightly. Her expression was incredibly complicated, while her heart was filled with an indescribable mixture of panic and helpless confusion.

She was not truly foolish. She knew perfectly well that constantly competing with Zhen Tingyun only exhausted herself without accomplishing anything. But… she simply could not get over that hurdle in her heart.

She had always told herself that she looked down on the Zhen Tingyun in the novel, the one blessed with good fortune whose life had gone smoothly from beginning to end. She also looked down on this Zhen Tingyun, who had grown up in the countryside until her teens. But if she searched her conscience, did she really look down on Zhen Tingyun?

No.

She was simply insecure.

She knew all too well that Zhen Tingyun was genuinely exceptional. That kind of excellence was like gold, it shone brilliantly no matter where it was placed, effortlessly winning the affection of others. As for herself, she had painstakingly stolen everything from Zhen Tingyun: over a decade of her parents’ love, the affection and closeness of her maternal grandparents’ family, the finest female tutors in the land, and the literary reputation known throughout the capital… She had seized so many things, and only after all that effort had she managed to make herself appear glamorous and successful, convincing herself that she was no worse than anyone else. Yet, just as a thief inevitably feels guilty when confronted by the rightful owner, every time she faced Zhen Tingyun she still felt guilty. She still felt inferior, and even feared that Zhen Tingyun would one day take back everything she had stolen.

Zhen Yiyun bit her lip hard. The hand hidden within her sleeve clenched tighter and tighter, her fingernails digging into her flesh until they nearly drew blood.

Could the heroine’s plot armor really be that powerful? After everything she had done and all the years she had worked so hard, would she truly never be able to surpass Zhen Tingyun?

Zhen Yiyun took a deep breath and looked once more toward the main house. In the end, she still could not bring herself to take another step. She simply turned around and left.

A few days later, while her emotions were still tangled and she had yet to sort them out, Zhen Yiyun ran into Pei Mingzhu.

At heart, Pei Mingzhu was still just a child. Although she had secretly been very angry over Zhen Tingyun, once her temper had cooled, she had mostly forgotten about it. But after unexpectedly running into Zhen Yiyun again a few days later, she could not help complaining. She muttered, “These days my mother and my brother keep forcing me to stay home and study. Every now and then they go on and on about how hardworking Tingyun is, how diligent Tingyun is… It’s driving me absolutely crazy.”

These past few days at home had been miserable for Zhen Yiyun. She had tried her very best to ignore Zhen Tingyun, but the two of them lived in the same courtyard and inevitably saw each other all the time. The fact that they had managed not to quarrel every single day was only because Zhen Yiyun had learned her lesson the hard way and was gritting her teeth to endure it.

Now that Pei Mingzhu had brought it up, Zhen Yiyun felt another headache coming on. Yet she was currently playing the role of the “good elder sister,” so she could hardly badmouth Zhen Tingyun in front of others. She could only reply vaguely, “My second sister has always been like that. Just don’t take it to heart.”

The thought that she actually had to say nice things about Zhen Tingyun in public made Zhen Yiyun feel sick to her stomach.

Pei Mingzhu had only mentioned it in passing. Before long, she changed the subject. “Oh, right. In a few days, the Little County Princess and the others are going to hold a poetry society tea gathering at the Western Hills. She specifically asked me to ask whether you’d like to come too.”

Those who owned villas in the Western Hills were naturally prominent and influential families, and Yan Wang’s residence was no exception. In truth, given the Little County Princess’s status, Pei Mingzhu, as the granddaughter of a Grand Secretary, was qualified to attend her poetry gatherings. Zhen Yiyun’s status, however, was somewhat lacking. Fortunately, the Little County Princess was especially close to the Pei family, so even Zhen Yiyun, as the Pei family’s granddaughter through the maternal line, benefited from that relationship and was occasionally able to join in the fun.

Zhen Yiyun possessed no small amount of ambition, firmly believing in the saying, “With a favorable wind to carry me, I shall soar straight into the blue heavens.” Naturally, she was eager to associate with these noble young ladies. Moreover, after Madam Pei’s advice last time, she had finally come to a realization. Although she could never accept Pei Rusong, the original male lead, the other prominent male supporting characters were still worth considering, especially Yan Wang Shizi.

Zhen Yiyun still remembered that the original story had been a sweet romance novel. As the original heroine of that sweet romance, Zhen Tingyun had been doted upon by her parents from childhood. When she grew older, she apprenticed under Teacher He, entered the women’s academy without any obstacles, and became a celebrated talented lady renowned throughout the capital. Later, because Madam Pei thought so highly of and cared so deeply for her, the two families quickly arranged a marriage. After graduating from the women’s academy, Zhen Tingyun married her eldest cousin, Pei Rusong. From then on, the couple lived in perfect harmony. She rose in status through her husband’s success, eventually becoming the highly envied wife of the Grand Secretary, enjoying favor and honor throughout her lifetime. Naturally, being a sweet romance, the story also featured many admirable male supporting characters, and Yan Wang Shizi was one of the most tragic among them.

In the novel, Yan Wang Shizi was the quintessential devoted second male lead. The author spared no effort describing him: “With deep-set eyes, a high nose, lips as finely carved as if by a blade, and always dressed in purple, from afar he resembled a jade immortal descended from the heavens, appearing cold and emotionless, yet deeply affectionate within.” By chance, Zhen Tingyun once saved his life, and afterward he paid her special attention. However, because he and Pei Rusong had been close friends since childhood, and because Zhen Tingyun had long been betrothed to Pei Rusong, he adhered to the principle that “one must not covet a friend’s wife.” Though he loved her, he never confessed his feelings. Instead, he restrained himself and silently protected her from the shadows.

Because the young emperor had been frail since childhood, and with Empress Dowager Zheng secretly scheming behind the scenes, he somehow died of illness at a young age. Unfortunately, the late emperor had only this one son. The young emperor died before reaching adulthood and left no heirs, leaving the throne without a successor. Fortunately, the Regent stepped forward and selected Yan Wang Shizi from among the imperial clan as the Crown Prince, setting a date for his accession. In the end, Yan Wang Shizi ascended the throne as emperor. Although he accepted the ministers’ advice and selected many consorts for the imperial harem, he never forgot the woman who had first captured his heart.

In Zhen Yiyun’s view, if she was going to choose someone, naturally she would choose the very best. A royal nobleman like Yan Wang Shizi could not possibly be any better. Besides, the young emperor was still on the throne, and Yan Wang’s household was keeping an exceptionally low profile, fearful of attracting the Emperor’s and Empress Dowager’s suspicion. Most people would never have imagined the extraordinary destiny awaiting Yan Wang Shizi. That made the present moment the perfect opportunity.

However, no matter how wonderful her plans were, her current status was simply far too distant from Yan Wang Shizi. After much thought, she concluded there were only two possible avenues: one was through her eldest cousin, Pei Rusong, and the other was through the Little County Princess of Yan Wang’s residence. Since she had already set her sights on Yan Wang Shizi, she naturally could not involve herself with Pei Rusong. Therefore, her only option was to curry favor with the Little County Princess and use that indirect path to achieve her goal.

So when Pei Mingzhu asked, Zhen Yiyun immediately nodded in agreement. Then, probing cautiously, she asked, “Did the County Princess invite only me?”

Pei Mingzhu naturally understood what she meant. She winked at her with a meaningful smile. “Of course.” In any case, she had no desire to bring Zhen Tingyun along, though, to be fair, Zhen Tingyun probably wouldn’t have wanted to come with them anyway.

Because she was going to attend the Little County Princess’s poetry gathering, and because she had plans of her own, Zhen Yiyun naturally paid great attention to the matter. That evening, after accompanying Madam Pei for dinner, she asked her mother to buy her new jewelry and new clothes.

Of course, although she had no intention of bringing Zhen Tingyun along, she still felt obliged to explain herself to Madam Pei. “Ordinarily, something like this should be attended by both sisters together. But this time, it’s the Little County Princess hosting the gathering. Even I only received an invitation thanks to my older and younger cousins. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to shamelessly bring someone else along.”

“I understand.” Madam Pei was also delighted that her daughter had become acquainted with the Little County Princess. She patted her daughter’s hand reassuringly. “Besides, your second sister is busy studying very hard these days anyway, so there’s no need to rush…”

Only then did Zhen Yiyun feel relieved. With her worries eased, she wrapped herself around Madam Pei’s arm, acting both spoiled and affectionate. Mother and daughter chatted intimately for quite some time, enjoying a rare moment of closeness.

Madam Pei was thoroughly charmed by her daughter. Remembering that she would soon be attending the Little County Princess’s poetry gathering, she naturally couldn’t allow her to be delayed. She immediately ordered the servants to begin making the necessary arrangements with her usual decisive efficiency.

Within a few days, Qibao Pavilion, the capital’s famous jewelry shop, delivered a large selection of new ornaments. As was proper, they were first sent to the main courtyard for Madam Pei, the mistress of the household, to inspect.

As it happened, Father Zhen finished work early that day and was nearby. He glanced over the items and noticed several newly crafted dangling hairpins and pairs of earrings. When he learned they had been prepared for Zhen Yiyun, he could not help remarking, “It’s only March. I thought Yiyun already had quite a few new clothes and pieces of jewelry. Why is she getting more already?”

Madam Pei was examining the delicate ornaments with her head lowered. Without even looking up, she replied, “Spring has already arrived. Young girls are always fond of new things, so these little accessories are indispensable. Besides, they’re not particularly expensive… What? As her father, are you really reluctant to spend this much?”

Father Zhen wasn’t unwilling to spend money on his daughters. He was strict with his son, but he had always doted on his daughters. As he often said, a girl should be dressed beautifully. Even if she never goes out, it’s still pleasing for the family to see her looking nice.

Still, no matter how much he spoiled them, this was going a little too far.

Since Father Zhen had noticed it, he couldn’t help but remind Madam Pei, as their mother. “This isn’t about whether we can afford it. The two girls are sisters, yet lately you’ve been giving all your attention to Yiyun while neglecting Tingyun. That doesn’t seem right…”

“Leaving everything else aside, Tingyun came up with that business idea for the family. Even though it hasn’t been put into practice yet, it’s still a potential source of income. Personally, I don’t like the idea of a young lady spending her time thinking about such things, but her idea could bring wealth to the family. As her mother, you ought to reward her. As the saying goes, ‘Rewards must be given to those with merit, and punishment must be given to those at fault.’ If you fail to reward merit and only show favoritism, that’s not right.”

Madam Pei simply smiled and glanced back at her husband. “When did you become so petty?” she teased gently. “Yiyun has already come of age and is about to attend the women’s academy. She’ll be out and about frequently, associating with daughters of noble and wealthy families. Naturally, she can’t afford to appear shabby in front of others, so I bought her a few extra things. As for Tingyun, she spends every day shut up at home studying. What would she need all these ornaments for? Besides, I’ve never been stingy with her brushes, ink, paper, books, food, or daily necessities. All I hope is that she’ll truly devote herself to her studies, pass the women’s academy entrance examination as soon as possible, and secure a bright future. When she comes of age and starts attending social gatherings, I’ll naturally buy her beautiful clothes and jewelry as well.”

“You always have an answer for everything,” Father Zhen huffed, glaring at her.

Laughing, Madam Pei gave him a playful shove. “Oh, so I’m the only biased one? You’re the perfectly fair parent, aren’t you?”

In the end, it was merely another small quarrel between husband and wife. Matters of the inner household weren’t really something Father Zhen felt comfortable interfering in. Still, he couldn’t quite shake his guilty conscience. Although he thought Madam Pei’s reasoning wasn’t entirely without merit, as a father he secretly instructed a servant to deliver a fine Huizhou inkstick to his younger daughter as encouragement to continue studying diligently.

By the time Father Zhen’s gift of ink reached Zhen Tingyun, Zhen Yiyun had also received a box of jewelry sent by Madam Pei.

The Zhen family wasn’t wealthy enough to own truly extravagant jewels. These pieces weren’t especially valuable, they were simply fashionable and delicately crafted, the sort of accessories young girls enjoyed for their novelty.

For that very reason, Yiyun frequently received new ornaments. This time, however, because she had been invited to the Little County Princess’s poetry society tea gathering, Madam Pei considered the occasion particularly important and added an especially precious piece: a kingfisher-feather hairpin inlaid with gold, pearls, and gemstones. It was easily the most expensive item in the entire box.

Given Yiyun’s age, Madam Pei had already begun intentionally accumulating valuable possessions for her, much like the farmland estates and shops she had previously gifted her. Piece by piece, they would eventually become part of Yiyun’s dowry.

After admiring her new jewelry, Zhen Yiyun was in excellent spirits. When she heard that Father Zhen had also sent Zhen Tingyun a gift, her eyes immediately brightened.

She deliberately placed the new jeweled kingfisher hairpin in her hair before smiling and heading over to see her younger sister.

Zhen Tingyun had just finished dinner and was idly passing the time. Seeing Zhen Yiyun unexpectedly appear, she smiled. “What brings you here, Elder Sister?”

Zhen Yiyun gently adjusted her glossy black hair and replied softly, “I heard Father specially sent you a Huizhou inkstick. I wanted to come have a look.”

Zhen Tingyun welcomed her inside and invited her to sit. “You’re joking, Sister. Honestly, my handwriting is terrible, it looks no better than chicken scratch. The only comfort I have is believing that diligence can make up for lack of talent. If I practice every morning and evening, perhaps I’ll improve little by little. As for Father’s inkstick… now that I’ve received it, I don’t even dare use it. I’d only ruin something so fine.”

Although the Zhen household lacked nothing in terms of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, Zhen Tingyun had grown up frugal and was accustomed to using such supplies sparingly.

Hearing this, Zhen Yiyun felt secretly pleased. She reached over, held Zhen Tingyun’s hand, and smiled. “That’s because you’ve worked especially hard. Otherwise Father wouldn’t have gone out of his way to send you such a fine inkstick. I could never hope for something like that…” As she spoke, she pointed toward the jeweled hairpin in her own hair and sighed theatrically. “A worldly person like me could never receive Father’s elegant gift of fine ink. All I get are these worldly trinkets.”

It had to be admitted that the hairpin was truly exquisite.

Its slender gold filigree formed an intricate openwork frame. At the top bloomed five peonies, two on the left and three on the right. Their sepals were crafted from brilliant blue kingfisher feathers, while deep crimson rubies formed the flower centers. The rubies weren’t particularly large, but their rich blood-red color glowed brilliantly. Beneath them were several tiny blossoms with pearl centers. Each pearl was scarcely larger than a grain of rice, yet their soft luster added a touch of elegance and made the entire piece seem even more lively. It was a masterpiece of delicate craftsmanship.

Zhen Tingyun didn’t own anything nearly so beautiful. She couldn’t help feeling jealous. 

Yes, she constantly reminded herself that parents were unreliable and that she shouldn’t expect too much from them. Yet deep down, she still hated being treated differently especially this kind of obvious favoritism where someone else had something she did not.

Still, unhappy as she was, Zhen Tingyun never let it show. She wasn’t the sort of person who would expose her own hurt just to entertain others. So she merely asked casually, “It’s not a holiday or anything. Why did Mother suddenly think of buying you all these things?”

That opened the door to another opportunity for Yiyun to show off.

Her smile grew even brighter. Her dark eyes sparkled as she answered with carefully restrained pride, “Oh, it’s nothing important. The Little County Princess is hosting a poetry society tea gathering tomorrow and invited me.”

She paused, as if suddenly remembering something, then lightly covered her lips. “Second Sister, I truly wanted to bring you with me. But since it’s the Little County Princess’s banquet, it’s not really my place… Once I’m there, I’ll certainly tell the Little County Princess about you. If there’s another opportunity next time, I’ll definitely bring you along.”

As she spoke, Zhen Yiyun couldn’t help feeling rather smug.

What was the point of someone like Zhen Tingyun, who buried herself in books every single day and knew nothing about socializing or cultivating connections?

Perhaps someday she’d marry another absent-minded scholar who eventually passed the imperial examinations, become the wife of some insignificant minor official, and spend the rest of her life bowing and scraping before others.

Thinking this over, Zhen Yiyun finally felt the tight string in her heart loosen considerably. Perhaps there was no need to be so nervous after all? Once she relaxed, she no longer felt like saying much. After exchanging a few more casual words, she returned to her own room.

When she sat before her dressing table, facing the mirror and carefully removing each hairpin and ornament from her hair one by one, a maid came in to report, “Second Miss has gone out. It looks like she’s heading toward the main courtyard.”

Zhen Yiyun raised her eyes toward the bronze mirror with its diamond-patterned frame. The woman reflected within seemed positively radiant, her bright eyes sparkled, the corners of her lips curved upward in an unmistakable smile.

Since she was alone in her own room, Zhen Yiyun made no effort to conceal it. Smiling faintly, she remarked with genuine emotion, “I never realized Second Sister was so impatient…”

It seemed that all the calm composure Zhen Tingyun had displayed in front of her had merely been an act. Otherwise, the moment she left, Zhen Tingyun wouldn’t have gone straight to the main courtyard. Most likely she had gone to ask for something, hadn’t she?

Knowing both Madam Pei’s and Father Zhen’s temperaments well, Zhen Yiyun was actually looking forward to seeing Zhen Tingyun ask for something only to be scolded instead.

Having removed all the ornaments from her hair, she let her long black locks fall loose like glossy silk. She slowly combed them before the mirror. Then she lowered her head, picked up the jeweled kingfisher-feather gold hairpin with her slender fingers, and idly turned it over in her hand.

She appeared perfectly casual, but inwardly her thoughts were already racing. In truth, she had overreacted earlier.

After all, she, the eldest daughter, had remained by Madam Pei’s and Father Zhen’s side all these years. Naturally, their hearts favored her more. By scrambling to compete and hurriedly trying to drive a wedge between them, she had instead fallen into Zhen Tingyun’s trap, only making Father Zhen and Madam Pei feel pity and affection for Zhen Tingyun. She had truly suffered a double loss.

Now that she thought about it, with the advantage she currently held, remaining still was far wiser than making unnecessary moves.

Her parents’ hearts already leaned toward her, their eldest daughter. Any valuable gifts would naturally come to her first. As for Zhen Tingyun, that country girl, she could only trail behind, picking up the trifles that Zhen Yiyun no longer wanted.

Besides, she was already attending the Women’s Academy and was recognized as one of the capital’s most talented young ladies. The people she associated with were noblewomen such as the Little County Princess. If she could one day become connected by marriage to Yan Wang Shizi’s Manor, her future status would be beyond compare. Even if Zhen Tingyun truly managed to distinguish herself and gain admission to the Women’s Academy, she would never be able to surpass her.

The more Zhen Yiyun thought about it, the more convinced she became that she had settled on the right course of action. Greatly reassured, she completely lost any desire to continue competing with Zhen Tingyun. Raising her voice, she instructed the servants to prepare hot water so she could wash up early and retire for the night.

After all, she had to leave early the next morning for Western Hill to meet the Little County Princess of Yan Wang Manor. She needed a good night’s rest to be in high spirits and certainly couldn’t let someone like Zhen Tingyun delay her.

Author’s Note:

Zhen Tingyun: “You’re going to Western Hill too? What a coincidence~ (#^.^#) Hehe.”