Marrying The Imperial Elder Chapter 39

Speaking of this, Madam Pei felt proud and said with a smile, “I originally thought that being valued by the young county princess and going with Mingzhu to the Western Hill banquet was already a blessing for Yiyun. I never expected that the girl would even see the Regent…” 

Zhen Yiyun lowered her head at the right moment, faint blush on her cheeks, looking shy. 

Father Zhen saw this and laughed. “Yes, Yi Jie’er really had good luck this time.” Even he, an official, stood too far away in court due to his low rank, he had only glimpsed the Regent from afar and didn’t dare look too much. Thinking of this, he felt his eldest daughter truly fortunate. 

Madam Pei grew even more pleased, her gaze toward Zhen Yiyun soft enough to drip water. In her mind: a person’s life depends on fate, luck, and circumstances. Her eldest daughter clearly had good fortune, first Teacher He, then the young county princess, and now possibly the Regent… that would be extraordinary. 

People say mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are natural enemies, but this time Old Lady Zhen and Madam Pei were of one mind. Madam Pei marveled at her daughter’s luck, and Old Lady Zhen also clicked her tongue in admiration: “Oh my, that girl really has some luck!” Of course, she still felt regret, why didn’t her little granddaughter have such luck? 

Zhen Tingyun listened silently, only glancing at Zhen Yiyun. 

Zhen Yiyun noticed the glance and assumed it was envy, lowering her lashes to hide her pride while pretending to be shy. At that moment, Zhen Tingyun felt she had so many complaints she couldn’t even voice them: Zhen Yiyun’s lies were too outrageous. 

She merely walked around the Regent’s courtyard, how was that “meeting” him? If that counted, then she herself, who had been in the courtyard and even met Yuanhui, a close attendant of the Regent, should also count as having “met” him. 

She had seen shameless people before, but never someone as shameless as Zhen Yiyun. 

Of course, all of this stayed in her heart. She wasn’t stupid enough to expose Yiyun’s lies. And hearing Madam Pei and Father Zhen talk, she didn’t even want to mention that Yuanhui might be a close attendant of the Regent, saying it might cause trouble. Better to stay quiet. 

For Zhen Tingyun now, the most important thing was the womens’ academy entrance exam in June. The second most important was her birthday in April.

***

Father Zhen and Madam Pei naturally remembered their younger daughter’s birthday. 

Zhen Tingyun’s birthday was on April 12. In past years, Madam Pei always remembered the hardship of giving birth to her, making her feelings complicated and her birthday gifts perfunctory. Now that her daughter was right in front of her, Madam Pei felt rare maternal affection. She called Tingyun over and said gently, “Your birthday is in a few days. I’m thinking we shouldn’t make it big this year. First, our family’s foundation is modest and we’re new to the capital, we should stay low‑key. Second, the womens’ academy exam is in June, and you’ve always been diligent; we shouldn’t distract you. Third, you’ll reach adulthood next year, and I’ll give you a grand coming‑of‑age ceremony then, I won’t let my daughter be wronged. This time, we’ll just have a good meal together as a family. Harmony is better than anything.” 

Zhen Tingyun had no objections. “I’ll listen to Mother.” 

“Good child, I knew you were sensible.” Madam Pei held her hand and asked warmly, “This is your first birthday in the capital. Is there anything you want?” She added, “Don’t be shy. If I have it, you can ask for it.” 

Zhen Tingyun blinked. “Anything?” 

Madam Pei, feeling guilty for not giving her a big celebration, immediately answered, “Anything…” 

Zhen Tingyun looked at her and tested, “Then… that estate we talked about before…” 

She watched Madam Pei’s expression carefully. Seeing her reaction, she knew that an estate or shop was beyond her mother’s limits. She thought: You say ‘anything,’ but you don’t mean anything. Still, she had tested the boundary, large assets were off‑limits. 

Of course, she also understood that with the Zhen family’s finances, asking for an estate for a birthday was unrealistic. So she quickly changed her tone and smiled. “Mother already promised to give me that estate if I pass the womens’ academy exam, so I won’t ask for it now.” 

Madam Pei didn’t believe Tingyun could pass the exam, so hearing this eased her expression. She felt her younger daughter was sensible, at least she knew her limits.

Zhen Tingyun’s eyes rolled as she suddenly remembered something she wanted. “Last time, Elder Sister showed me a gold kingfisher-feather hairpin inlaid with jewels. The kingfisher feathers formed the petals, and the red gemstones looked like the flower’s stamens. It symbolized prosperity and wealth. It was so beautiful and exquisitely made. Especially the rubies, they were such fine quality. I’ve never seen anything like them…”

By this point, Madam Pei’s expression had already become somewhat unnatural.

Putting on an excited face, Zhen Tingyun hugged her mother’s arm and said coquettishly, “Mother, I heard that you personally picked that jeweled hairpin for Elder Sister. You really have excellent taste. Why don’t you choose one like it for me as well?”

Then, acting as though she were easy to please, she smiled. “It doesn’t have to be exactly as good as Elder Sister’s. Something similar will do.”

The implication was obvious. Since Madam Pei had been willing to give her eldest daughter such an expensive jeweled hairpin, now that her younger daughter had brought it up, it would be embarrassing for a mother to give the younger daughter a birthday present that was clearly inferior.

When Madam Pei had bought that hairpin for her eldest daughter, there had been two reasons.

First, her eldest daughter had already reached adulthood, so it was appropriate for her to own more valuable jewelry.

Second, since she would be associating with noble young ladies like the Little County Princess, she needed at least one or two fine accessories so she wouldn’t lose face.

Of course, although Madam Pei had her reasons, she still felt somewhat guilty for buying something only for her eldest daughter while giving nothing to the younger one. She had deliberately kept quiet about it, hoping the younger girl would never find out.

Now that Zhen Tingyun had suddenly exposed the matter, Madam Pei felt rather awkward. After hesitating for a moment, she reluctantly said, “That’s nothing. On your birthday, I’ll definitely prepare an even better hairpin for you.”

“Really? That’s wonderful.” Zhen Tingyun blinked happily. She felt she had truly come out ahead this time, and her smile became especially sweet. “Then I’ll thank you in advance, Mother!”

Madam Pei knew this promise would cost her a considerable amount of money. She sighed inwardly, though she still smiled as she gently stroked her daughter’s head. “It’s only right. Young girls should dress themselves beautifully. I only have you and your elder sister as daughters, so naturally all the finest jewelry is meant for the two of you.”

Having gotten what she wanted, Zhen Tingyun wasn’t satisfied yet. She immediately turned to her father. “Father, what birthday present are you preparing for me? Mother says she’s giving me a beautiful hairpin. You can’t give me something worse than hers!”

Normally, both Zhen Yiyun and Zhen Hengzhe stood somewhat in awe of their father. If they wanted birthday gifts, they would only hint indirectly, they would never dare ask him outright.

Now, with Zhen Tingyun shamelessly asking him face-to-face, Father Zhen unexpectedly felt a sense of closeness and affection. Although he was pleased inside, he still kept a stern face. “Since it’s a birthday gift, naturally you’ll receive it on your birthday. Who asks for it several days in advance like you?”

Zhen Tingyun wasn’t afraid of his serious expression at all. “I’m just reminding you, Father.”

After giving him a playful little bow, she turned and ran off. Her skirt fluttered around her like a butterfly dancing in circles, lively and radiant.

Watching his daughter’s graceful figure disappear, Father Zhen couldn’t help laughing.

Turning to Madam Pei, he said, “Tingyun is such a lively child. She reminds me of what you were like when you were young…”

He truly loved this vibrant energy of his daughter. Whenever he saw her, he couldn’t help remembering his own youth, and remembering what his wife had looked like as a young maiden. Back then, he had been studying under Old Master Pei. During the unbearably hot summer days, he would occasionally open the window for some air and hear the laughter of Madam Pei, then his young junior schoolmate.

Her laughter had been bright and crisp, like little wind chimes stirred by the breeze, bringing with it a cool gust of wind that seemed to blow away all the oppressive summer heat, leaving behind only an indescribable happiness.

…

Madam Pei, however, wasn’t nearly so sentimental. As the mistress who managed the household finances, she was busy calculating how much a fine hairpin for her daughter would cost, and couldn’t help worrying about the expense.

Seeing her expression, Father Zhen sighed softly. He stepped forward and gently took her delicate hand. “Tingyun resembles you. Every time I see her cheerful, lively smile, I’m reminded of you in those days, and it makes me very happy.”

Madam Pei froze. Looking into her husband’s warm, affectionate eyes, she momentarily forgot all her worries. Her eyes grew moist, and she quickly lowered her head to hide it. “Our daughter is already so grown up. I’ve become old too. Yet you’re still saying things like that. Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Father Zhen smiled. “Yuanjun, no matter how many years pass, in my eyes you’re still exactly the same as you were back then.”

Madam Pei lowered her eyes, her cheeks growing warm. She couldn’t say a single word.

Holding her hand, Father Zhen continued softly, “I still remember the first time we met. It was in the back garden of your home. It was the middle of summer, unbearably hot. Even the blue stone paving had become scorching from the sun. You alone had secretly hidden beneath the old jujube tree to enjoy the shade. You were holding a fan and wearing a jade-green dress. Just looking at you made you seem cooler than everyone else.”

Even now, he could vividly remember the girl beneath the tree, hiding half her face behind a fan before accidentally looking up at him.

Sunlight filtered through the branches, falling onto her emerald-green skirt. That rich green looked so vivid it seemed as though water might drip from it. It was even more vibrant than the countless green trees of spring, filling his heart with the freshness of new life.

At the time, he had been nothing more than the son of a poor farming family. His father was gone, leaving only his widowed mother. His learning was ordinary, and he had little worth to speak of. He should never have entertained such impossible hopes.

Yet after seeing her once, he could never forget her. She remained in his thoughts ever afterward. Who could have imagined that the two of them would truly spend their lives together?

From that moment, he had secretly sworn to himself that he would treat her well and never betray her for the rest of his life.

Thinking of this, Father Zhen unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand.

***

When Zhen Tingyun’s birthday finally arrived, she indeed received many presents.

Even Zhen Yiyun, as the elder sister, knew to keep up appearances. She deliberately brought along their younger brother, Zhen Hengzhe, and the two siblings pooled their money to buy Zhen Tingyun a pair of earrings.

The earrings were carved from jade into the shape of tiny peaches of immortality. They were delicate and charming, and especially appropriate as a birthday gift, since peaches symbolize longevity and good fortune in Chinese culture.

Madam Pei had prepared a silver kingfisher-feather hairpin inlaid with a sapphire for Zhen Tingyun.

Compared with the magnificent gold hairpin she had previously given Zhen Yiyun, decorated with jewels and shimmering kingfisher feathers, this one had a silver-white body. Its head was designed as a three-layered lotus.

The first layer formed overlapping lotus petals. The second layer, an upward-facing lotus, held a pearl the size of a thumb. The third layer consisted of several more upward-facing lotus petals supporting an oval sapphire. The sapphire itself was as large as a lotus seed, its brilliance restrained rather than flashy, luxurious without being ostentatious, elegant and dignified.

Faintly, it even surpassed the one Zhen Yiyun owned.

When Zhen Tingyun saw it, she was genuinely startled. She had thought that if Madam Pei found one roughly equal to Zhen Yiyun’s, that alone would have been an extravagant expense. She had never expected her mother to actually buy one that was even better. She knew perfectly well what the family’s finances were like. Madam Pei herself probably didn’t own many hairpins of such quality, yet she had given one to her…

Thinking this, Zhen Tingyun looked at her mother with surprise.

Madam Pei, however, did feel the sting of the expense.

Recently, though, she and Father Zhen had spent much time reminiscing about their younger days, and their marriage had regained some of the sweetness it once had.

She kept remembering what her husband had said: “Tingyun looks just like you. Whenever I see her lively, cheerful smile, I can’t help thinking of how you were when you were young. It makes me so happy.”

For perhaps the first time in many years, the mother in her had become sentimental. The heart that had gradually grown somewhat cold and hardened with time seemed to soften. Then she thought about how her husband had repeatedly comforted her. Their daughter was already this old, yet this was the very first birthday she, as a mother, had truly celebrated for her.

Overcome with both emotion and guilt, she had gone out and found a hairpin even finer than the one she had bought for Zhen Yiyun.

Of course, that decision had been made in the heat of emotion.

Once she had calmed down afterward, she certainly felt the pain of spending so much money.

Now, facing her daughter’s astonished expression, Madam Pei could only smile bitterly.

She realized that there was still some distance between herself and her younger daughter. Reaching up to smooth her hair, she explained softly, “After all, this is the first birthday I’ve truly celebrated for you as your mother. Naturally, I wanted to prepare a proper gift.”

Her voice was warm and gentle, filled with genuine maternal affection. For a moment, Zhen Tingyun didn’t even know how to respond.

The warm atmosphere, however, didn’t last very long.

Mainly because Zhen Yiyun couldn’t stand seeing it. She pouted and complained to her mother, “Mother is so unfair. Such a beautiful thing is only for Little Sister. You’ve completely forgotten about me.”

Unexpectedly, Father Zhen was sitting nearby. Hearing this, he frowned instead and scolded his eldest daughter. “What kind of thing is that to say? Since spring began, you’ve received new clothes and jewelry one after another. Your mother knows young ladies like beautiful new things, and since you’ve already come of age, you’ll naturally be socializing more. Whenever we’ve had something nice, it’s been given to you first. As for your younger sister, she’s never cared much about these things. She’s always been frugal.”

Zhen Yiyun was nearly speechless.

‘What do you mean, “she’s never cared about these things”?’ she thought.

‘If she didn’t care, would she have asked Mother for such an expensive hairpin?’

Madam Pei quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Enough, enough. It’s rare for the whole family to sit down together for a meal. Can’t we just enjoy ourselves?” Then she deliberately changed the subject. “Shouldn’t we go check on Mother? She has helped in the kitchen before, but she’s getting on in years now. What if she tires herself out?”

The moment she mentioned it, Father Zhen immediately forgot about lecturing his eldest daughter and began worrying about his own mother instead.

Today was Zhen Tingyun’s birthday, and Old Lady Zhen had insisted on rolling up her sleeves and making longevity noodles for her granddaughter herself. No one had been able to stop her.

Although Father Zhen knew his mother had cooked all her life, Madam Pei’s words still made him uneasy. His mother was getting old. She didn’t cook as often anymore. Kitchens were full of smoke, grease, and slippery floors. What if she slipped or hurt herself?

Thinking about it, Father Zhen couldn’t help looking toward the kitchen. Fortunately, making a bowl of longevity noodles wasn’t especially difficult, nor was it beyond Old Lady Zhen’s abilities. Before long, they saw her carrying in a huge bowl of noodles.

She hadn’t let any maidservants help her.

She carried the heavy tray herself and entered with a beaming smile. “Perfect! Since today is Second Girl’s birthday, all of you should try my cooking too.”

Seeing that his mother looked energetic and perfectly healthy, Father Zhen finally relaxed. Looking at the enormous bowl of noodles, his appetite immediately awakened. “It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted Mother’s cooking. Today I’m benefiting from Ting Jie’er’s birthday.”

Old Lady Zhen laughed happily at her son’s praise. “Oh, go on with you! When you were little you were such a picky eater. You never even liked these noodles.”

Father Zhen smiled somewhat wistfully. “I was just an ignorant child then. Once I’d eaten them too often, I thought they weren’t anything special. But after leaving home and living elsewhere for so many years, I never tasted this flavor again… I truly missed it. Even now, just smelling it suddenly makes me hungry. No food outside can compare with something made by Mother herself.”

Old Lady Zhen couldn’t withstand hearing her son speak so affectionately. If she could, she’d gladly cook for him for the rest of her life. Without another word, she quickly set down the large bowl and immediately served Father Zhen the first bowl.

From the side, Zhen Tingyun protested, “Grandmother, those are my birthday noodles!”

Old Lady Zhen shot her a glance. “There’s plenty left. Serve yourself.”

Zhen Tingyun was speechless.

It’s my birthday, and I don’t even get the first bowl?!

Even so, for Zhen Tingyun, it was truly a wonderful birthday. Especially after dinner. Father Zhen finally presented his birthday gift. “I heard from your grandmother how difficult it was when you first learned the qin. Even the instrument you practiced on was a second-hand one. Back then I thought that if I ever bought you a qin, it would certainly be a brand-new one.”

In truth, although Father Zhen and Madam Pei had been living away from home, they regularly sent money and gifts back to their hometown. However, Madam Pei had always had some lingering resentment toward her mother-in-law and worried that Old Lady Zhen would find fault with whatever gifts she chose. So, more often than not, she simply had people send money instead.

After all, silver was the hardest thing to criticize, and also what Old Lady Zhen liked best.

Madam Pei didn’t want to waste energy worrying over such matters. She figured that as long as her mother-in-law had money in hand, she could simply buy whatever she liked or whatever she needed herself.

Who would have thought that Old Lady Zhen had been miserly her entire life? Whenever she received money, she simply locked it away in a cabinet and refused to spend it. She wouldn’t even hire a maid.

She always believed she was still healthy enough and didn’t need to waste money living like wealthy landlords. As long as she endured for a few more years until her granddaughter grew up, she’d have someone to help with the housework and wait on her.

Because of this, Zhen Tingyun suffered quite a bit during her childhood.

Only after she grew older and gradually became someone whose opinions Old Lady Zhen would listen to did things improve. Realizing her granddaughter was naturally rather lazy, Old Lady Zhen knew she probably wouldn’t enjoy the blessing of having this granddaughter take care of her. Besides, she herself was getting older.

Only then did she finally spend money to buy a maid and hire an older servant woman. After that, life for the grandmother and granddaughter became much more comfortable.

Even so, when Zhen Tingyun wanted to learn the qin and calligraphy, Old Lady Zhen had initially opposed it.

She believed that for a country girl, it was enough to recognize a few characters and know sewing and cooking. Naturally, she wasn’t willing to spend money on such refined pursuits.

As a result, Zhen Tingyun suffered through that as well.

Now, however, whenever Old Lady Zhen looked back on those days, she regretted it deeply and felt she had wronged her granddaughter. But she had always been someone who valued her pride.

Although she knew she’d been at fault, she couldn’t bring herself to apologize directly to her granddaughter. After much thought, she quietly told her son everything instead, hoping that as the girl’s father, he would understand what hardships his daughter had endured and make up for them somehow.

Ever since Father Zhen learned all this from his mother, he had felt even more guilty toward his daughter.

After thinking it over carefully, he decided to buy her a brand-new qin.

As he spoke, he instructed someone to bring in the newly purchased instrument.

In terms of monetary value, the qin wasn’t actually worth as much as the silver kingfisher-feather sapphire hairpin Madam Pei had given. But compared with Madam Pei’s present, Father Zhen’s gift reflected far more thought and care.

He truly wanted to make up, little by little, for all the years he hadn’t been by his daughter’s side, for everything she had gone without because of his absence.

Looking at the qin, Zhen Tingyun suddenly found herself speechless. Only after quite a while did she quietly say, “I’ve switched to learning the xiao now…”

If this qin had arrived several years earlier, she would certainly have been overjoyed.

She might even have cried from happiness.

But now, looking at something she had once dreamed of owning, Zhen Tingyun instead felt a complicated bitterness.

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