My Cold-Hearted Wife Chapter 82

Lady Huang paid a visit to the Yan family and now had a clearer picture. Back home, she first discussed the matter with Master Chen.

“I’m afraid Mother’s idea is difficult to realize,” she said bluntly. “For a female official to enter the palace, there are no exceptions. In any case, it takes five or six years before she can return home and be betrothed. If she catches the eye of someone influential, it could be even harder. Even if she could come out, if we wanted her to marry Er-lang, the Yan family would not agree.”

After a pause, she added, “On the way, I carefully questioned Zi Su. Guess what, Master? Before the New Year, Minister Wang came to propose marriage. Dan-niang nearly married into the Wang family.”

Master Chen was greatly astonished and quickly asked, “Why did it not go through?”

Lady Huang said, “Dan-niang said the match was too unequal and did not dare to accept.”

“What a silly child.” Master Chen was filled with regret. “Since she had such good fortune, why did she refuse?”

Lady Huang’s eyes flickered slightly, and she lowered her voice. “I also think this matter is unreasonable. There was no reason to refuse such a fine marriage. Later, when I thought about it again, could it be that the old madam had said something, and Dan-niang did not dare to agree?”

Master Chen suddenly understood. “What you say makes sense.” He thought it over carefully and truly could not find any reason for Cheng Danruo to refuse, so he accepted his wife’s guess. “I’m afraid Mother did drop a hint but gave no definite word, so she could only say that.”

Having said this, he stamped his foot repeatedly. To have missed the opportunity to form a marriage alliance with Minister Wang made his heart ache.

Lady Huang seized the moment and asked, “Master, what do you say should be done about this matter?”

“The matter with Xiao Ge’er – no one in the household is permitted to mention it again,” Master Chen said decisively. “You restrain the servants and do not let them talk nonsense. As for Mother, I will go and speak to her myself.”

The stone in her heart fell to the ground. Lady Huang’s tone became much lighter, and she smiled. “I will do as you say, Master.”

Master Chen personally explained the situation to Old Madam Chen.

Unexpectedly, Old Madam Chen did not fly into a rage. Her tone was cold and quiet. “I knew that child could endure, but I never thought she could endure to this extent.”

Before leaving the Chen family, she had shown not the slightest hint of joy. She seized the opportunity and immediately climbed to a wealthier and more noble family. Such tactics and temperament were far superior to those of the two legitimate granddaughters at home.

“Now that you want me to keep her, I do not even dare to keep her,” Old Madam Chen said slowly. “Fortunately, our family did not treat her shabbily. With the kindness of these five years, she will surely still acknowledge us.”

Master Chen asked, “What do you mean?”

Old Madam Chen said, “Find a way to make inquiries and have her come see me.”

“I understand.”

Having just arrived in the capital, there were many matters to attend to: reporting to the Ministry of Personnel, visiting his father-in-law. He was busy for about half a month when he suddenly received a summons from the emperor.

Master Chen rose early to prepare, changed into his official robes, and entered the palace to wait.

There were many people in line, and the emperor did not call them in order. He called whoever came to mind. Those who were not called could only drink tea and wait idly.

When a young eunuch served tea, Master Chen stopped him and slipped him money. “I would like to ask whether there is a female official surnamed Cheng in the palace – Cheng as in he-cheng Cheng?”

It so happened that this young eunuch was Li Youyi. Having accepted the silver, he weighed it and asked, “May I ask what she is to you?”

“She is a relative who grew up in my household,” Master Chen said, sensing an opportunity. “I heard she entered the palace, and her family misses her dearly.”

“We in the outer court do not know about matters in the inner palace. I will make inquiries for you later,” Li Youyi said, and slipped the silver into his sleeve.

Master Chen had no choice.

Later, Li Youyi casually found some errand to run and went to the Inner Hall of Peace and Joy to tell Cheng Danruo what Master Chen had asked about.

Cheng Danruo thanked him. She knew that what was meant to come would come eventually, so when the emperor and the consorts left the palace, she asked for a day’s leave.

Director Tao of the Bureau of Food did not make things difficult and approved the leave very quickly.

This was probably the best benefit that Palace Matron Hong had managed to secure -female officials could leave the palace, unlike palace maids, who almost never had occasion to step outside the palace gates.

Walking to the palace gate and having her palace pass checked, Cheng Danruo breathed the air outside after a long time.

Although summer was somewhat hot, it was better than spring and autumn, when there was no dust and sand.

She took the East Glorious Gate. She was most familiar with this side. Past Dong’an Gate was already outside the imperial city, where carriage drivers specially waiting for customers stood. Seeing her come out of the palace, one eagerly stepped forward. “Would you like a carriage?”

Cheng Danruo was just hesitating over whether ancient taxis were safe when someone behind her already called out, “Miss Cheng.”

Turning her head, she saw that it was actually Bai Mu.

“It’s you,” she said in surprise.

Bai Mu said, “I did not expect that you would be leaving the palace today, Miss. Are you going to Master Zizhen’s residence?”

Cheng Danruo nodded.

“If you do not mind, let me escort you there,” Bai Mu said. “You are not familiar with the roads of the capital.”

“Young Master Xie…” She hesitated.

Bai Mu smiled. “There is more than just me serving at the young master’s side. Please wait a moment.”

He ran over and said a few words to the others, then took the initiative to lead the horse over and gave the carriage driver silver. “I’ve rented the carriage. I’ll return it to your carriage company later.”

“Ah, all right.” The driver hurried to harness the carriage.

“Miss Cheng, mind your step.” Bai Mu lowered the carriage step from the shaft for her to step on.

Cheng Danruo got in. The cabin of this kind of public carriage was very small, made of wood, with curtains on three sides and windows on both left and right, so it was not too hot.

“To Swallow Lane.”

At the foot of the imperial city, the carriage moved very slowly, frequently having to yield and wait. Taking advantage of these pauses, Bai Mu spoke to her through the carriage curtain. “The young master usually rides to court on horseback. If he had known earlier that you were on leave today, Miss, he might very well have come by carriage.”

Cheng Danruo did not take his polite words seriously. She smiled, and instead asked curiously, “Is his horse the black one?”

“Yes, that is a fine steed bestowed by His Majesty, named…” Bai Mu caught himself, “rarely seen among common folk.”

Cheng Danruo said, “I thought so too.” One would not ordinarily see such a beautiful horse on the streets.

“With the sun so strong, you specially asked for leave – is there some urgent matter?” Bai Mu asked. “If you are in a hurry, I will go faster.”

Cheng Danruo did not like talking about her own affairs. “It’s nothing. Just go slowly.”

Bai Mu understood the tone of her reply, gave an answering sound, and concentrated on driving.

When they reached Swallow Lane, Cheng Danruo offered him carriage fare, but he absolutely refused to accept it. “If you must return it, return it to my young master.”

Cheng Danruo was speechless. “I won’t even see your young master.”

Bai Mu smiled at her and bowed before withdrawing.

Cheng Danruo had no choice but to attend to proper business first. Unexpectedly, when she asked the gatekeeper, she had come at an unlucky time: Yan Hongzhi had gone out today to visit friends. So she went straight into the rear courtyard to pay her respects to Lady Hong.

Mother and daughter talked for a while, mainly Cheng Danruo recounting her experiences over the several months since entering the palace. Lady Hong could not help giving reminders, but they were the usual familiar admonitions.

The only matter the two truly discussed was the Chen family.

Lady Hong asked, “What do you think?”

“The grace of being raised – I cannot repay it in this life.” Having entered the palace, Cheng Danruo actually felt more at ease. It was simply a matter of muddling through until retirement, or else death. She answered calmly, “Where I am able, I will repay it. What I cannot repay, I will repay in the next life by tying grass and carrying rings.”

In ancient times, no one would think that minors ought to receive support as a matter of course, or that the state should support those whom the family could not. So gratitude was always gratitude, and there was no escaping it.

But how to repay that gratitude also had its finer points.

Lady Hong sighed. “You understand in your heart. There is no need for me to say more.”

“Please rest assured,” Cheng Danruo said.

Lady Hong kept her for lunch. During the meal, she also met with First Madam. The two exchanged a few polite words, and then parted.

After the meal, Cheng Danruo again took Lady Hong’s pulse to confirm that she was in good health, then took her leave to go to the Chen family.

The timing was just right. The Chen family had already finished lunch, and Old Madam Chen had not yet retired to rest.

“Ten thousand blessings to you, Old Madam Chen,” Cheng Danruo said with a curtsy.

Seeing her, Old Madam Chen smiled faintly. “I did not expect that I would still get to see you.”

Cheng Danruo smiled. “How is your health, Old Madam Chen?”

“If I said it was not good,” Old Madam Chen asked slowly, “what would you do?”

There was a sting in these words. How could Cheng Danruo fail to hear it? Neither haughty nor humble, she said, “Let me take your pulse and see.”

She was as obedient as ever, so Old Madam Chen softened her tone. “No need. It is only that I am not accustomed to the climate. A couple of days’ rest will do.”

Cheng Danruo nodded, took the teacup from the maid’s hands, and served tea and water just as before.

The corners of Old Madam Chen’s mouth showed faint smile lines. She said slowly, “You are too honest a child. If you suffered any grievance, you should have endured it. Once your uncle arrived, he would naturally have sought justice for you. There was no need to enter the palace.”

Cheng Danruo showed no change in expression. “You jest, Old Madam. Master Yan is upright, and his wife is kind and loving. What grievance could there be? It is only that, though I am incompetent, I also know that one should be loyal to the ruler and serve the country. When those above give an order, I dare not disobey.”

Old Madam Chen’s eyes flickered, but her expression grew even kinder. “Those are the words of maturity. It is rare that you understand them all.”

Cheng Danruo smiled slightly and asked with concern, “May I ask whether your journey here, Old Madam and Madam, went smoothly?”

Lady Huang, who had been watching from the sidelines all this while, finally spoke, “Other matters were all right. We came by water and did not encounter too many refugees, but the water level was low, so we waited for quite some time.”

She took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, then asked, “Is all well with you in the palace?”

“It is only ordinary duty,” Cheng Danruo replied.

Lady Huang said, “Keep to your duties and guard yourself. Do not stir up trouble.”

Cheng Danruo assented.

“What place do you work in?” Old Madam Chen asked.

“The Inner Hall of Peace and Joy,” Cheng Danruo said truthfully. “I treat the palace people.”

Old Madam Chen asked, “Why did you not go to serve at the side of the noble ones?”

“My medical skills are shallow, and I am unfit for great responsibilities,” she answered. “If I brought disaster, I fear it would implicate my family. I did not dare to presume too much.”

The air fell silent for a moment.

Old Madam Chen closed her eyes and said, “I am tired. Disperse.” She let her maid help her inside to the bedroom to rest.

Lady Huang took Cheng Danruo’s hand and patted it twice soothingly. “Come to my place and talk with Wan-niang. You are cousins, after all. Do not let distance make you strangers.”

Then she said softly, “Old Madam thought of you all along the way and feared you had suffered grievances. Who would have thought that you, child, would enter the palace without a word? How could that not worry us?”

Cheng Danruo immediately said, “It is my fault to have caused Old Madam and you worry.”

It had to be said that although Old Madam Chen and Lady Huang, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, did not get along, they were very much in tacit agreement: one played the red face and the other the white, one testing her and the other soothing her.

And Old Madam Chen’s attitude indirectly proved one thing: she had already given up on the marriage proposal and instead intended to use the grace of having raised her as leverage.

This was a good sign. It proved that she already had value for the Chen family to make use of.

“But this too was a move of necessity.” Cheng Danruo sighed and smiled bitterly. “I am already grown. There is no reason for me to keep imposing on relatives’ hospitality. I must always make my own way. To be able to serve in the palace is my good fortune.”

Lady Huang smiled slightly, certain that the two sides had reached a tacit understanding, and became even warmer. “Do you have days off ordinarily? When you have time, come sit with us often. Old Madam’s anger will dissipate in a few days.”

Cheng Danruo said, “I have no days off ordinarily. It is hard to leave the palace gates at ordinary times. Today, because I learned that Old Madam had arrived, I specially asked someone for help before I could come out.”

Lady Huang looked regretful.

“May I ask how long Uncle will remain in the capital?” Cheng Danruo changed the subject.

Lady Huang said, “There is no definite answer yet.”

“If he can stay in the capital for long, there will always be a chance to see him,” she said with a smile, also leaving herself a way out.

The two returned to the main courtyard, each with their own thoughts, and then called Chen Wan-niang over.

When the two sisters met again, each felt a sense of intimacy.

Lady Huang let them go off to talk and have some lotus seed soup.

The two girls exchanged some information.

Cheng Danruo told Chen Wan-niang that in the social circles of unmarried girls in the capital, Xu Yi-niang was at the head, but now Commandery Princess Jianing was in great prominence, and there was also the daughter of Prince An.

Chen Wan-niang, in turn, said that Scholar Lu’s family was in Songjiang, and Rou-niang had married this spring and had not come to the capital. They would probably not come to the capital together until the spring examination three years later – provided, of course, that Master Chen successfully remained here.

She also said that Lady Huang had already returned to her natal family and had been visiting frequently of late, as if she intended to find a match for Chen Zhixiao.

If they could not stay long, the marriage would have to be settled before they left the capital.

And so on and so forth; there is no need to recount every detail.

Because the palace curfew was early, Cheng Danruo did not stay long and took her leave.

On the way back to the palace, she “happened” to encounter Xie Xuanying on patrol.