Chapter 5: A Brief Discussion

If one dreams too much, one begins to feel as if one is no longer oneself.

Zhuang Li was like this; sometimes she felt she was herself, and sometimes she felt she was not.

Sometimes she wandered through wild forests and mountains, and other times she seemed to be in bustling, magnificent halls. Sometimes she was alone, and other times she was surrounded by a multitude of people. But whether in solitude or splendor, nothing was ever clear. The world of her dreams was always like this, forever separated by a veil.

What remained the same, however, was that at the end of every dream, her feet and surroundings were covered in blood. There were the dead, severed limbs rolling about, and the screams of the dying, the angry, and the sorrowful filled the air.

"A-Li."

"A-Li."

A woman’s soft call echoed in her ears, distant and lingering. Zhuang Li recognized the voice; it was Madam Zhuang.

Madam Zhuang’s voice gradually grew sorrowful, then turned chaotic, as if everything in heaven and earth had begun to call out, mixed with all sorts of strange sounds.

"Young Mistress—"

When these three words rang out, Zhuang Li opened her eyes abruptly. Before her were embroidered silk bed curtains, with starlight shimmering upon them, making her feel slightly dizzy, as if she were still floating in the void.

It was not starlight, but the light from outside reflecting off the patterns on the curtains.

She was no longer at the Zhuang residence, either.

As she opened her eyes, the emptiness faded, and her surroundings solidified.

"Young Mistress, Young Mistress," a female voice called softly from outside the curtains.

Zhuang Li reached out and pulled back the quilt. "Is it time to rise?"

The curtain was lifted at one corner. Chun Yue looked at the woman sitting up and said softly, "Knowing that you were exhausted from your journey, Mother Xu said the Mistress has excused you from paying your morning respects. However, Mother Xu reminded us that you have yet to meet the Marquis."

Zhuang Li nodded and looked at the maid. "Thank you."

Chun Yue hurriedly bowed. "It is my duty."

Zhuang Li said no more. Chun Yue summoned the other maids to assist with washing and dressing. The clothes had been sent over by the estate’s embroidery room—some vibrant, some elegant—and were laid out for Zhuang Li to choose from.

Zhuang Li scanned them and chose a goose-yellow dress. She styled her hair simply, and as for accessories, since she had arrived with nothing and her mother-in-law had bestowed no gifts upon their first meeting, she remained unadorned.

"Young Mistress, the concubine is here," Xue Liu said, entering with a smile.

That was right; she was a second wife, and there were people in the household who needed to pay their respects to her.

Zhuang Li nodded. "Please, let her in."

Concubine Mei entered with her head bowed, offering a respectful bow. Perhaps because she had been questioned by Xue Liu yesterday, she took the initiative to speak today: "The Young Mistress looks truly beautiful in this color."

Zhuang Li smiled and nodded, not taking the bait, and asked Xue Liu, "Do we dine separately here?"

Xue Liu had not expected her to ask this. Logically, a new bride should be cautious and reserved. This new mistress looked quite poor; shouldn't someone of such a background simply accept whatever arrangements were made, fearing to show ignorance or be looked down upon?

"The Heir has his own kitchen here, but ever since... that happened, the Heir hasn't been home often, so it was shut down," Xue Liu replied hurriedly. "We have been eating with the main kitchen."

Zhuang Li said to her, "Go tell Mother Xu that since there is a kitchen and the Heir will be returning soon, it should be reopened."

This new mistress was certainly not shy. Xue Liu replied, "Yes."

Zhuang Li looked at Concubine Mei again. "You don't need to come here every day. Once every three days is sufficient. If there is anything, I will have someone call for you."

Xue Liu interjected from the side, "How can that be? The concubine is meant to serve the Young Mistress, and you have only just arrived..."

"I have a habit of burning incense, reading, and practicing calligraphy every morning," Zhuang Li interrupted. "I do not wish to be disturbed."

Xue Liu was choked by this, lowered her eyes, and replied, "Yes."

Zhuang Li stood up. "I should go to the Marquis and his wife now."

...

...

The concubine’s quarters were in the westernmost corner; though small, they were decorated elegantly.

Concubine Mei entered her room, closed the door, stretched her limbs, and yawned. "It’s been years since I had to get up early for morning greetings. I thought I’d have to get used to it for a while, but I didn't expect the Young Mistress to excuse me."

The little maid behind her laughed. "So the concubine wanted to be lazy after all."

Concubine Mei smiled and said, "And we can eat food from our own kitchen again, without having to look at the faces of those in the main kitchen. That is why it is good to have a master in the courtyard."

The little maid shushed her and glanced outside. "Don't let Xue Liu hear you say that, Concubine."

A sneer appeared on Concubine Mei’s honest-looking face. "Indeed. The new mistress has arrived, and her dreams are shattered. I wonder how heartbroken she is." With that, she lay down on the bed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "The days ahead will be quite lively."

...

...

When Zhuang Li arrived at the residence of the Marchioness of Dongyang, the sons and daughters of the concubines were all in the side chamber.

"Please come in, Young Mistress," Mother Xu said with a smile. "The Marquis and the Marchioness are currently eating; please wait a moment."

Zhuang Li entered, and the young masters and misses bowed to her. Zhuang Li exchanged some idle pleasantries, asking if they had eaten or if they had much homework.

Seeing that she was not the least bit reserved, the young masters and misses set aside their prying and asked directly, "Sister-in-law, do you also study with Master Zhuang?"

Zhuang Li said, "I mostly studied with Madam Zhuang."

Madam Zhuang? The Ninth Miss made an "oh" sound. "Does Madam Zhuang teach students too?"

The others also looked at Zhuang Li with curiosity.

"Yes, Madam Zhuang is very learned," Zhuang Li said.

How learned could a woman be? A young master nearby couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "What does she know?"

Zhuang Li said, "Everything Master Zhuang knows, she knows. And what Master Zhuang does not know, she also knows."

At this, the young masters and misses all raised their eyebrows, and someone even let out a scoff.

Mother Xu, listening from the side, coughed lightly. "Everyone, keep your voices down. The Marchioness and the Marquis are listening right next door." Just then, the maids outside announced, "The Marquis and Marchioness have finished their meal."

"Everyone, hurry in to pay your respects," Mother Xu said.

Knowing how much the Marchioness of Dongyang cared about etiquette, the young masters and misses suppressed their desire to question their new sister-in-law’s arrogant claims and hurried to the main hall.

The Marquis of Dongyang was forty-five, broad and stout, and was currently having his mouth rinsed by a concubine. Seeing everyone enter, he looked over, his gaze immediately landing on the "stranger" among them.

"This is Jingyun’s wife," the Marchioness of Dongyang said, handing the teacup in her hand to the concubine standing by.

Zhuang Li stepped forward to bow to the Marquis, feeling his gaze scrutinizing her before he quickly looked away.

"Since Jingyun chose you, it is your fate."

His voice was neither warm nor cold. He offered a few words of admonition and then stopped. Both his expression and his words revealed that he was neither opposed to nor particularly concerned about this daughter-in-law. Presumably, Zhou Jingyun had already explained everything his father cared about in his letter.

Zhuang Li listened quietly and replied, "Yes."

"You don't need to come here for morning and evening greetings," the Marchioness of Dongyang added. "Familiarize yourself with the household first, and we shall talk more when Jingyun returns."

Zhuang Li replied, "Yes," once again.

"Xue Liu just told me that the Young Mistress wants to reopen the kitchen on the Heir's side," Mother Xu stepped forward and said with a smile. "Besides that, the Young Mistress also wishes to meet the head maids on the Heir's side. I shall accompany the Young Mistress to meet them."

The Marchioness of Dongyang nodded and glanced at Zhuang Li. "Go ahead. You have plenty to keep you busy on your side."

This was a dismissal. Zhuang Li bowed and withdrew. As she and Mother Xu walked out and the door curtain fell behind them, the Marchioness of Dongyang’s voice, filled with laughter, rang out: "Did the Fifth Young Master pick at his food today?"

Immediately, the sounds of the young masters and misses laughing and the Marquis asking about their studies filled the room, lively and bustling.

Although she had been welcomed into the family, it was for the sake of their son, not for the sake of this daughter-in-law. Saying she didn't need to pay morning and evening greetings was simply a way to keep her out of sight and out of mind. Mother Xu glanced at Zhuang Li’s face from the side; the woman’s expression was calm, as if she hadn't noticed, or perhaps as if she didn't care.

She was quite composed for someone so young.

But then again, for an orphan living under someone else's roof, one gets used to reading expressions.

...

...

Once everyone had left the room, the Marchioness of Dongyang dropped her smile.

"You saw her, just such a person. I cannot understand how Jingyun could have been so bewitched," she said through gritted teeth.

The Marquis said, "Such a person is actually the most suitable. I was wondering what to do, but Jingyun has already solved it himself."

The Marchioness of Dongyang was startled. "What happened?"

The Marquis took a sip of tea. "Some time ago, Censor Zhang, who was inspecting the provinces, arrived at Jingyun’s place."

Hearing that name, the Marchioness of Dongyang couldn't help but stand up. "Zhang Ze! Our family has never had any connection with the Empress's faction."