Chapter 3: A Few Matters of the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion

Saying this, he picked up an egg from the table and placed it in Zhang Ge'er's mouth.

After breakfast, the two boys were sent to the family school, while the two girls were taken away by their own old nursemaids to learn needlework and embroidery.

Xu Zaijing, full and satisfied, dozed off in his nursemaid’s arms.

The family’s old nursemaid was handling household affairs in the room when her personal maid, Xiao Ju, entered.

“Madam, the female tutor Master Xu has arranged for has arrived at the mansion.”

“Good, send Pingjie and Anjie to me.”

Not far away, the two girls soon arrived in the room and began to play with their little brother.

Xu Zaijing feigned sleep in his nursemaid’s arms, refusing to acknowledge his two sisters.

“Madam, the female tutor has arrived.”

“Let her in. You two, go sit properly!”

Xu Zaijing opened his eyes and saw his two sisters sitting nervously beside Sun Shi.

Soon, a woman in her early forties entered the room, followed by a young maid of about ten.

Both wore modest but clean, neat clothing; their hairpins were neatly arranged, no strands loose, not styled in courtesan fashion, giving an immediate sense of comfort.

“Fan Shi greets Madam Sun.”

“Madam Fan, welcome. Please sit. These are my two daughters.”

“Anmei greets the tutor.”

“Pingmei greets the tutor.”

Though bothersome at home, the two girls showed no lack of proper manners.

Xiao Zhu placed a steaming cup of tea on Fan Shi’s table.

Through their conversation, Xu Zaijing learned that Madam Fan was the widow of a Beijing official, from a scholarly family; though not a lineage of generations of high officials, she had two jinshi in her family, and all her children—legitimate or not—were well-read in poetry and books, and Madam Fan herself had once studied at the Hai family’s women’s academy.

After some discussion, the lesson schedule was set: Fan Shi had a house in Beijing and would come each morning and leave in the afternoon.

His two sisters now had a teacher, and Sun Shi began daily inspections of their studies.

After several months, the two girls learned to recognize characters and began copying calligraphy models daily.

During this time, the current Yongyi Marquis—Xu Zaijing’s father—departed for the northwest to assume his post.

Before leaving, his beard had scratched Xu Zaijing’s face painfully.

By the time Xu Zaijing heard from his mother that his first birthday was approaching, his two sisters’ lessons were nearly complete.

That day, Sun Shi began her lesson inspection before dinner.

“Ping’er, what are the Four Virtues of Women in the ‘Admonitions for Women’?”

“Women have four virtues: first, moral conduct; second, proper speech; third, graceful bearing; fourth, skill in needlework—this is known as virtue, speech, bearing, and skill,” said nine-year-old Xu Pingmei, looking at her mother.

“Good. In a few days is your brother’s first birthday banquet—don’t disgrace yourselves before the guests.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Inner City

Xingguo Alley

Ningyuan Marquis Mansion.

Gu Hou Gu Yan Kai sat in his main wife Bai Shi’s room, holding a boy with bright eyes and strong limbs—his legitimate second son, Gu Tingye.

Nearby, on the bed in the room, a five- or six-year-old boy frowned at the bowl of medicine before him.

“Mother, Yu’er doesn’t want to drink the medicine—it’s so bitter.”

Hearing this, Gu Yan Kai shot him a stern glance, about to speak, when the boy in his arms tugged his beard.

“Ouch, you little rascal.”

Glancing at her husband, Bai Shi stroked the boy’s head and said gently:

“Yu’er is a boy—don’t be afraid of bitterness.”

Then, lowering her voice to his ear: “Drink it all, and I’ll give you sweet preserves from the south! Don’t tell your father.”

The boy’s eyes lit up, and he smiled sweetly at Bai Shi’s dimples.

Bai Shi came from a wealthy family, raised in luxury; even after bearing a son, her beauty remained radiant.

“Hmph, you spoil him too much.”

“Marquis, Yu’er is frail and young—speak less to him.”

At that moment, a voice came from outside the door.

“Madam, a note has arrived from the Yongyi Marquis Mansion.”

“Madam Chang, bring it in.”

A woman in her thirties entered.

“Marquis, Madam.”

Gu Yan Kai, holding Gu Tingye, asked curiously: “Why did the Xu family send a note?”

“Your Honor, the Xu family’s third legitimate son is turning one in two days, and they’ve invited our Madam.”

“Oh.”

After Gu Yan Kai finished speaking, Bai Shi smiled faintly at Madam Chang and said: “Hand it to me.”

“This is the first note Madam has ever received,” Madam Chang glanced at Gu Yan Kai.

Gu Yan Kai’s expression grew uneasy.

Fortunately, a report came from outside: “Your Honor, Master Qin of the Qin family has arrived and requests your company for wine.”

“Very well, I’m on my way.”

Handing Gu Tingye to Madam Chang, Gu Yan Kai left the courtyard.

Madam Chang held Gu Tingye with tender affection, handed the note to Bai Shi, who did not take it—instead, she picked up a sweet preserve from the table and placed it in Gu Tingyu’s mouth.

“Yu’er, is your mouth still bitter?”

Gu Tingyu, handsome but slightly sallow, shook his head.

Only after this did Bai Shi take the note.

“Madam, I asked the elders at the Marquis Mansion—they say the Yongyi Marquis’s Madam Sun has some kinship with our family?”

“How could the Sun family be related to our Marquis Mansion?”

“Madam, our family’s ancestral home and clan temple are in Qingcheng. Our ancestor, the Virtuous Duke, died protecting the Emperor, leaving behind two sons. These two sons fought for over twenty years in blood and fire, aided the Emperor’s rise, and were granted the titles of Ningyuan Marquis and Xiangyang Marquis.

The Qingcheng Gu family rose to prominence from then on.”

“I know this,” said Bai Shi.

Madam Chang smiled slightly, adjusting Gu Tingye’s clothes.

“Madam, the Virtuous Duke had five uncles of the Yun generation in the Qingcheng Gu clan, one of whom was a concubine-born son.

His bloodline continued, and one of his descendants—a daughter—married into the Sun military family, and now she’s a grandmother.

The Yongyi Marquis’s Madam is this woman’s daughter.

People from our ancestral home in Yangzhou have also heard rumors: the Sun family’s patriarch once saved the Cao family’s third son—a secret few know.”

“Oh? So there’s such a connection? The Cao family—the Empress’s Cao family?”

“Yes. The Cao family has deep roots in the northwest army and does some trade with our household.”

“In Bianjing, most noble families and officials’ wives look down on me for my merchant origins—but the Yongyi Marquis Mansion doesn’t care.”

Madam Chang wiped Gu Tingye’s drool from her face and smiled: “Madam, you may not know—this Yongyi Marquis’s father was adopted. The Yongyi Marquis’s grandfather had only one daughter, who married the Jinshi from Sheng family in Jiyin Alley.”

Still soothing Gu Tingye, Madam Chang continued:

“I heard that a few years ago, the Sheng family’s son passed the imperial exam, and the Yongyi Marquis’s biological mother wanted to marry her concubine-born daughter from Daizhou to him—but the Sheng family’s matriarch, the Yongyi Marquis’s only daughter, refused, causing a scandal.

The elders say most of the Yongyi Marquis Mansion’s wealth went as dowry, and now it’s clearly declining.”

Bai Shi thought for a moment.

“It doesn’t matter. We’ll go that day. Relationships aren’t born from nothing—they must be cultivated. My father’s big merchants in Yangzhou all rose from humble beginnings.”

“Yes, Madam. I’ll prepare the gifts.”

“Prepare them generously and lavishly—I want even the noble families of Bianjing to remember me just for the gifts.”

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Hehehe, muah.

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(End of Chapter)