Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Sure enough, in the end, the Marquis and Madam brought both young masters into the palace.
When forced to choose between his two sons, the Marquis, without exception, chose to make his daughter give way.
Ye Tingze had always worked under the Crown Prince. As far as I knew, His Highness the Crown Prince had a full-blooded younger sister who was of marriageable age, and rumors had long been circulating that the Second Young Master of the Marquis of Qiyang’s Mansion and the Legitimate Princess had feelings for each other.
I had no idea what the princess herself thought, but a marriage connection with the imperial family was something no one could refuse.
But the Young Master was the eldest son. Since he had yet to take a wife, Ye Tingze could hardly overstep his elder brother.
The Young Master’s marriage should also be arranged by the Old Madam.
It was just that everyone among the noble families of the capital knew the Young Master was sickly. Aristocratic families of equal standing would likely be unwilling to marry their daughters into our household.
If my guess was correct, the future young madam would probably be Second Miss Lu, the Young Master’s cousin.
Yun Qi accompanied the Young Master into the palace. My face was still swollen, so I truly was not fit to attend a banquet.
I did not understand court affairs. Though I did not know what plan the Young Master had in mind, after today, his status should undergo a real change and no longer be limited to an empty title. As long as it was something he wanted, I believed Ye Tingze would not be able to compete with him for it.
While the Young Master was away, I deliberately left the Marquis’s Mansion to buy a few things.
I had no jewelry to speak of, and the clothes I wore were the standard servant garments issued by the household. Although the Young Master had raised my monthly wages, there was no mistress in our courtyard after all, so I rarely received any rewards in daily life.
The only decent hairpin I owned was one the madam of the Lu Family had rewarded me with when she came to visit the Young Master before.
I took ten taels of silver from under my mattress. This was all the savings I had accumulated over the years. I had originally intended to save it until the end to redeem myself, or to settle down after leaving the mansion.
But now I needed money. There were some matters I had to plan for early.
I rarely bought anything for myself, so I had never realized prices in the capital were so expensive. A single ready-made outfit would cost me half my money.
Seeing my hesitation, the shopkeeper kindly recommended another cheaper style.
The pattern was also very pretty, though the material could not compare to the previous one.
The shopkeeper then said, “Miss, how are you with needlework? Our shop has the silk fabric for this style of clothing. It costs half the price, but you would have to sew the garment yourself.”
I counted the days and knew it would be somewhat rushed, but this was the only way. After much coaxing and bargaining, I also got the shopkeeper to throw in some colored silk thread.
With the remaining money, I bought a pair of earrings, a jade bracelet, and a jade pendant.
Why did I buy everything in jade?
With gold and silver jewelry, an ordinary person could tell the quality at a glance. There was a great difference between gilded and solid gold pieces.
Jade was different. Unless someone was truly knowledgeable, ordinary people could not tell what kind of jade it was at all.
But even these few pieces of poor-quality jewelry were more than a servant like me could afford.
Money truly was indispensable.
That evening, when the Young Master returned, his expression was grave. The Marquis’s brows were tightly furrowed as well, while Ye Tingze’s eyes were filled with smugness.
This… was not quite what I had expected. Could I have guessed wrong?
If the Young Master had failed to achieve his goal today, then most of my schemes would likely come to nothing. Thinking of the money I had spent today made my heart ache.
“Zong’er, Father wants to speak with you.”
The Marquis followed the Young Master to Xuyang Pavilion, wanting to say something to him. His attitude was unusually gentle, as though he were eager to explain something.
“There is no need. Father, please go back. I am tired today,” the Young Master said, clearly unwilling to talk. “Xiacao, go fetch some hot water.”
The Marquis could only leave. “Zong’er, everything I do is for the future of the Marquis’s Mansion.”
I had thought the Young Master had failed this time, but then he suddenly told me, “Xiacao, in two months, I will be leaving the capital.”
“Where is the Young Master going?”
“To Shuzhou to pacify the unrest. I secured an official post for myself.”
“Shuzhou?” I frowned. “But that is a wild and barren land.”
Shuzhou was an impoverished, remote place. It had once been inhabited by foreign tribes, and later became a prefecture of our dynasty. But the people there were of mixed origins and difficult to educate or govern.
The unrest in Shuzhou was not a rebellion. It was only that the court had once sent officials there to relieve poverty, leading the people to reclaim land, grow grain, and establish schools, yet they had never achieved results.
The Young Master nodded. “That is right. Today, I used the opportunity to present a strategy for governance to the Emperor. The Emperor was very pleased and considered it a rare and effective plan.”
“But even the best strategy must be put into practice before its results can be proven. If I can resolve the matter of Shuzhou this time, who do you think Father will give the Position of Heir Apparent to?”
Following his lead, I said, “With the Young Master’s talents, no one can compete with you. It is only that Shuzhou is poor and harsh. Can the Young Master’s health endure it?”
The Young Master smiled faintly. “My weak constitution was never fatal to begin with. I have often fallen ill over the years only because I was not properly nursed back to health. The reason I have kept to myself was merely to lower that woman’s guard.”
Indeed, although the Young Master often drank tonics, they were nothing more than medicines prescribed by ordinary physicians. The finances of the Marquis’s Mansion were also controlled by Madam, and she was hardly willing to spend much money on the Young Master.
“Maternal Uncle has had people search for some precious medicinal herbs. As long as I take extra care, there should be no problem.”
I nodded. “That is good.”
The Young Master asked again, “Xiacao, are you willing to go to Shuzhou with me?”
I was slightly startled. To be honest, I was not willing to go.
But if the Young Master was not here, it would likely be inappropriate for me to remain in the mansion. Because of what happened before, Madam held much resentment toward me, and the Fourth Miss had once quarreled with me as well…
In the Marquis’s Mansion, aside from the Young Master, I actually had no one else to rely on.
I looked into the Young Master’s eyes and said softly, “Wherever the Young Master goes, Xiacao will go.”
A smile appeared on his face. “Good.”
Thinking of what had happened tonight, I could not help asking, “Since the Young Master’s wish was fulfilled, why were you unhappy when you returned?”
“Xiacao, do you know just how much Father cares for me?” the Young Master said with a smile. “He told the Emperor that I was frail and sickly, that I had no great talent, and that I was unfit for such an important task. He hoped the matter of Shuzhou could be handled by Ye Tingze instead.”
“But Ye Tingze is currently working under the Crown Prince. He is certainly unwilling to go to Shuzhou.”
The Young Master was right. The matter of Shuzhou was not a good assignment. After all, the local situation had not improved for so many years. Ye Tingze was convinced this matter would not succeed. But if it truly was accomplished, then it would be a great merit that benefited both the nation and the people.
That was also why the Marquis had wholeheartedly recommended Ye Tingze to take on the task. As for the Second Young Master… his vision was still not broad enough.