Chapter 9, Affinity and Distance

Under the deliberate comfort of her mother, Madam Ma nodded, and the stern expression on her face gradually faded. Indeed, there is plenty of time ahead; she can afford to wait much longer than that person!

Madam Ma pondered carefully, recalling the news from the Jinxiuge that Chen Lan had become a bookworm after her recovery, and there was nothing particularly striking about it, which made her feel relieved. She then looked sternly at Chen Yan and said, "Although you are not my own child, I see you much like I see Bing'er. You must strive to improve yourself! Although Lan girl is the legitimate daughter of the first branch, without her parents, who would be willing to enter into this marriage? You are also the daughter of the Yangning Marquis; if you conduct yourself with grace, why would the old lady not like you? Although Lan girl is the legitimate daughter of the first branch, without her parents, who would be willing to enter into this marriage? You are also the daughter of the Yangning Marquis; if you conduct yourself with grace, why would the old lady not like you? Go and rest for a while, and think carefully about what I have said."

At this moment, on either side of Zhu's warm couch sat Chen Bing and Chen Lan. Previously, these two seats were either unoccupied or taken by the two sisters of the second branch. Now, with the sudden presence of Chen Lan from the first branch, the household staff naturally had their own speculations. Even Chen Lan herself became increasingly cautious and careful. After all, there is no such thing as unearned favor in this world. Zhu, the grandmother, had always been indifferent towards her, and this sudden attention in recent days must have other underlying reasons.

Chen Lan noticed that Zhu was not the least bit surprised, which led her to believe that the old lady must have known about it for quite some time. After all, in the侯府, with so many people and their gossip, it was difficult for her to escape observation no matter what she did; it was better to be honest. At that moment, she smiled and replied: "No matter how much effort I put into poetry and prose, I cannot compare to my sisters; it would be better not to waste that effort. Can writing good poetry make me a Li or Du? Recently, I have been reading Liu Hedong's 'Eight Records of Yongzhou' and Meng Yuanlao's 'Dreams of the Eastern Capital,' and it feels as if I am there in person. As for those new phrases and records, their meanings are novel; after all, they are historical narratives and quite interesting to read. Please do not laugh at my lack of knowledge, old lady."

Chen Yanren was sitting, but in his heart, he was contemplating that instead of mingling with those uninteresting people during the Lantern Festival, it would be better to find a way to sneak out and see the lanterns, ideally bringing his sister along. It was not until his second brother, Chen Qing, nudged him with his elbow that he dazedly lifted his head, only to realize that Zhu had repeated himself before he came to his senses, and then he shook his head.

Chen Qing and Chen Han were thirteen and fourteen respectively, and neither had a particular enthusiasm for literary matters, so they both readily agreed at this moment. Although the matter of the literary gathering was thus put to rest, the decision regarding the plum appreciation still needed to be made. However, each family had its own established customs; even with many children, it was usually limited to three. Therefore, aside from the four sisters of Chen Lan, the other two daughters from the third branch, though yearning in their hearts, did not dare to show it on their faces. Indeed, Madam Zhu surveyed her granddaughters one by one, pondered for a moment, and then smiled as she said: "Let’s do it this way, each branch will choose one: the first branch will naturally be Lan'er, the second branch will be Bing'er, and the third branch will be Xi'er. It’s settled then." Thus, aside from the four sisters of Chen Lan, the other two daughters from the third branch, though yearning in their hearts, did not dare to show it on their faces. Indeed, Madam Zhu surveyed her granddaughters one by one, pondered for a moment, and then smiled as she said: "Let’s do it this way, each branch will choose one: the first branch will naturally be Lan'er, the second branch will be Bing'er, and the third branch will be Xi'er. It’s settled then."

The previous sentence made Chen Bing's face show a hint of color. Upon hearing the latter sentence, Zhu suddenly asked, "How did you come to think of looking at these?"

In the blink of an eye, it is already the Little New Year on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month. As per tradition, the various villages have sent the annual rent, rice, and an assortment of fruits and vegetables to the Marquis's residence. The shops have also prepared various goods and sundries to present to the masters of each household, and even the maids have donned brand new winter coats. According to the customs of the Marquis's residence, the reward money is typically distributed during the New Year's Eve vigil, so the Little New Year reunion night is merely an occasion for customary food offerings. Any leftover dishes are collected by a group of wives and mothers-in-law, while the younger maids receive various fruits and candied treats.

Mother was taken aback for a moment, furrowing her brows in deep thought. She then shook her head and smiled, saying, "Madam is overthinking this; it is merely an unfortunate coincidence. If the old lady knew that Madam was concerned about the shops belonging to Zhenlong's father, she could have simply refused the second young lady directly, without going through so much trouble. However, that girl Zhenlong is indeed fortunate. I specifically inquired about it and heard that after the princess took her back, she gave Zhenlong a chance, and that very night, she served the Crown Prince."

Compared to the eloquent and lively Chen Bing, Chen Lan spoke little, only occasionally interjecting. At this moment, Zhu was cheerfully recounting how, after the New Year, the Princess of Jin would invite the female relatives and friends of various families to the royal residence to admire the plum blossoms. Chen Bing immediately expressed his delight by clapping his hands and laughing.

At the beginning of this year, the red plum grove in Wangfu was in full bloom, vibrant and stunning. It was bustling with people, lively and cheerful, and I had been looking forward to it for quite some time. Even though the old lady didn't mention it, I was eager to ask to join in the festivities! As she spoke, she cast a sidelong glance at Chen Lan, half-smiling, and said, "Speaking of which, at that time, Third Sister happened to be ill and couldn't go, which was quite a pity. The old lady didn't say anything, but I was still keen to ask to join in the fun!" As she continued, she glanced at Chen Lan again, half-smiling, and added, "By the way, during last year's plum viewing, everyone was composing couplets on the spot, but Third Sister couldn't come up with anything. Now, after two years of diligent study in poetry and literature, I heard she still reads despite being ill, so this time she should truly shine."

"Enough, as long as it is not those harmful novels or stories, you may read whatever you like."

Zhu glanced at his grandchildren below and suddenly asked Chen Yan, "Yan, do you want to go?"

Madam, there is no need to rush. The old lady is quite advanced in age, and this matter has only arisen in the past year or two. When the time comes to divide the family assets, it will ultimately be a matter of your decision.

Chen Bing has always been spoiled by Madam Ma, so at this moment, she hardly cares about her mother's cold demeanor. She stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and sat down beside her on the kang, then said irritably: "Who knows what is going on with the old lady? First, she gave an extra pair of gold hairpins that my cousin had rewarded her, and then she keeps sending this and that... Doesn't she realize that person is a hopeless good-for-nothing? Last time, the princess was almost going to take Hong Luo away, but she had to meddle and ruin her own maid's good fortune. Who knows how much Hong Luo hates her! Don't be fooled by her sweet words today; every time she rewards Mei, she never fails to come up with couplets on the spot. If she can't respond, it would be a huge embarrassment!"

It was settled just like that. Although Madam Ma and Madam Xu each had their own grievances, they could only force a smile and agree. Meanwhile, Chen Yan, sitting below, tightly clutched his handkerchief, barely managing to conceal the disappointment on his face. After a large group of people chatted and laughed for a while, a daughter-in-law came to report the time. Madam Ma and Madam Xu then led the younger generation to see off the Zhu family to rest, before returning to their respective rooms.

You said that when the Princess of Jin came last time, she wanted to take away the Zhenlong. Did the old lady sense something?

In the face of the spirited Chen Bing, Chen Lan's tone remained indifferent: "Even if I study diligently for two years, I cannot become a talented woman. How can I compare to my second sister? At most, I would just be embarrassing myself. Moreover, what I have been reading these days is not poetry, but merely some travel writings and essays left by renowned figures from the past that my fourth brother found. It is just a way to pass the time; how can it be considered serious study?"

However, as for admiring the plum blossoms, Madam Ma and Madam Xu are not particularly enthusiastic about the literary gathering. The second branch has no sons, which is Madam Ma's greatest concern. Fortunately, her husband, Chen Jiu, is still young, and there are quite a few concubines and secondary wives, so this matter can only be sighed over in the middle of the night; the third branch, on the other hand, has three sons, but the legitimate son is so young that Madam Xu is also reluctant to let two illegitimate sons go out to seek glory.

Going there would only serve as a backdrop for those pretentious scholars, so I shall not go

Upon hearing Zhu's words, the expressions of those in the room varied greatly. The presence of so many ladies invited by the princess must surely differ from previous years, as young ladies of similar ages gathered together, and amidst the elders' observations, it is likely that many marriage arrangements would be settled. For the men to gain the favor of Prince Jin is undoubtedly a tremendous opportunity. After all, the position of crown prince is still vacant, and Prince Jin is a strong contender.

Thus, the two sisters-in-law exchanged glances, and Madame Ma, seated in the first armchair at the lower left, respectfully inquired: "Since the old lady has said so, I must also prepare well for her sisters later. However, the young gentlemen are still a bit too young; that literary gathering is intended for those scholars planning to take the imperial examination, and it would be meaningless for them to attend. As for which young ladies will actually go, I would appreciate the old lady's guidance."

Returning to Zining Residence, Madam Ma summoned both of her daughters to the eastern room of the main house, instructing her trusted maid Yuping to keep watch outside. She then turned to Chen Bing and asked, "In the past, no matter the matter, it was always the two of you sisters involved. What on earth is going on these days? Why has the old lady suddenly started to protect Miss Lan in everything?"

Chen Yan lowered her head upon hearing this, not daring to say anything. After bowing, she took her leave. Once she left, the coachman changed to a more amiable expression, repeatedly advising Chen Bing and discussing the attire and jewelry for the occasion before finally allowing her to go and rest. Shortly after, Mama Zhu personally came up to add fuel to the lamp, and she kept the person there.

She is fortunate, but matters here are not going well! Madam Ma snorted coldly, resentfully tapping the kang table beside her. The master has been the Marquis of Yangning for seven or eight years, yet the family business is still not under our control at all. I manage the household, but I cannot intervene in any major matters regarding the farms and shops; everything is tightly held in the hands of the old lady! If Zhenlong serves the master, how could her father not bring out things to curry favor?

After dinner, apart from Chen Jiu, who as usual took his leave early, Madam Ma, Madam Xu, and the grandchildren from various households naturally remained to converse with Madam Zhu. This was also a customary practice before the New Year's Eve. However, compared to the lively young ladies filling the room, the few young masters were notably more silent. While the matriarchs of other noble families favored their grandsons, it was well-known that Madam Zhu had a particular fondness for her granddaughters. As a result, the ladies of the capital often joked that girls born in the Yangning Marquis's household were the most fortunate.

The words made Zhu smile, and Chen Bing could only accompany her with a smile, but took the opportunity to mockingly exchange cold glances with Chen Lan when Zhu was not paying attention. Chen Lan pretended not to see. However, Zhu did not notice the small actions of her two granddaughters behind her, but instead gently coughed and said: "The Wangfu has sent word that this year they are inviting more people than in previous years. Besides your eldest cousin's Korean Duke's residence, our family's close friends include the Dongchang Marquis, Yongping Marquis, and Guangning Earl, among others. I heard that the Jin Prince has also sent invitations to several other noble families. Moreover, this time not only are the female relatives invited, but there will also be a literary gathering at the Jin Prince's residence."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room burst into laughter. Zhu made a couple of jokes at his expense, then looked at Chen Qing and Chen Han and said: "You two brothers are still young; going out to see the world is not a bad thing. However, as Yan Er said, it is meaningless to be mere accessories. In the future, if there is horseback riding and hunting, I will definitely let you go out to gain some experience."