Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 14
Under the strong-willed arrangements of the Matriarch, Su Rong was moved from her small courtyard into the Matriarch’s west wing.
The Matriarch was a formidable figure, transforming the west wing into a replica of the former Warm Fragrance Pavilion within three days.
From the very first day, Su Rong watched as her servants moved the furniture piece by piece. Sitting on the stairs, her chin resting on her hand, Su Rong watched the woman who had always been frugal in preparing dowries for her concubine-born daughters now splurge unabashedly. Clearly, the Matriarch considered this marriage to be immensely important, enough to invest heavily for the first time.
Su Rong’s memories of her biological mother were faint – fragments of a gentle and reserved woman sewing clothes in dim light, her face tinged with a subtle melancholy. On her deathbed, she spoke of a marriage promise that Su Rong was to remember. It was the last thing she said before she died.
In contrast, the Matriarch was nothing like her biological mother. She was far from gentle, always wearing a stern expression. Bold and imposing, she praised Su Rong the first time she fought someone, saying, “Good fight. No concubine-born daughter from our family should tolerate being bullied.”
She also ensured that all the concubines and their daughters coexisted peacefully. Anyone caught belittling another would face the rod.
Yet, Su Rong, born with a mischievous nature, relished causing trouble. She fought outsiders and bullied her own family. To the household, she was like a festering sore. The Matriarch often declared her intent to banish Su Rong, though she never followed through.
If only she truly had. Su Rong often wished to be sent away.
“Even if you’re sunbathing, wear your veil. Your face hasn’t fully healed and mustn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. Why do you keep forgetting?” The Matriarch scolded as she performed her routine inspection of the arrangements.
Sighing, Su Rong retrieved a crumpled veil from her sleeve, unfurled it, and placed it over her face.
Though she was thin and curled up idly by the window, her compliant demeanor gave her an unexpectedly endearing look.
The Matriarch smiled. If she’d known earlier that Su Rong responded to kindness over sternness, she wouldn’t have been so vexed all these years.
After thoroughly inspecting the courtyard and pointing out a few adjustments, the Matriarch beckoned Su Rong, “Come, it’s time to review the ledgers. You’ve had three days to prepare yourself, haven’t you?”
Su Rong: “…”
Managing ledgers was one of those tedious tasks she wished never to prepare for in her lifetime.
She remained seated, trying to reason with the Matriarch. “Mother, Zhou Gu ranks fourth in his family, with three elder brothers, a grandmother, and a mother still alive. Even if I marry into the Zhou household, I won’t need to manage the household. Isn’t this training unnecessary?”
“Unnecessary? Even if you don’t manage the main household, you’ll still oversee your own courtyard. Besides, Zhou Gu has no title to inherit. Do you plan to rely on others your whole life? Eventually, you’ll need to establish your own household. When that happens, you’ll be in charge. Without the skills to manage finances, you’ll squander your wealth. Do you want that?”
Su Rong posed a soul-searching question: “But what if I learn to manage and still can’t stop Zhou Gu from squandering?”
The Matriarch was momentarily speechless.
Su Rong added, “Mother, don’t you think you’re overthinking? Zhou Gu’s notorious for causing a scene over a woman, so much that even we’ve heard about it in Jiangning. Clearly, he’s no better at managing money than I am. Why should I work hard to manage our household only for him to squander the profits?”
The Matriarch: “…”
After a deep breath, the Matriarch said, “A husband and wife can influence each other. Have some confidence that you can keep him in check.”
Su Rong sighed again. “I can’t even keep myself in check. How can I manage someone else?”
The Matriarch’s fleeting warmth evaporated. This was the same exasperating child as always.
Without further debate, the Matriarch declared, “Enough. Skills never go to waste. Whether you use them or not, you’ll learn. If you end up starving, it won’t be because I didn’t teach you.”
Resigned, Su Rong followed her mother. As they walked, her gaze caught Yue Wan, her maid, suppressing laughter.
Immediately, Su Rong said, “Mother, if I have to learn, shouldn’t Yue Wan learn too?”
Yue Wan’s laughter instantly turned to dread.
Su Rong wasn’t about to let her off. “She’s going to marry with me in the future, isn’t she? If I’m managing a household, shouldn’t she help me too?”
“Hmm, true,” the Matriarch nodded. “Yue Wan, come over and learn alongside your mistress.”
Yue Wan: “…”
Face falling, she mumbled a resigned “yes” and reluctantly followed the Matriarch.
The Matriarch felt equal parts exasperation and amusement, this mistress and maid pair were truly two of a kind.
Meanwhile, Zhou Gu, having recently arrived in Jiangning, wasted no time after settling into his accommodations. Following a bath and a change of clothes, he headed straight for the streets.
Jiangning’s nighttime scene was a marvel. The city’s lantern-lit streets were as bright as day, with no curfew in place, and the bustling markets stayed open through the night. Zhou Gu found this remarkable, even the capital city, despite its splendor, imposed curfews except during festivals. The city gates were locked, and markets closed promptly each evening.
“Remarkable,” Zhou Gu mused. “The markets here really don’t close at night.”
Zi Ye nodded. “Just like the travelogues said.”
“There’s so much street food,” Zhou Gu observed. Having skipped dinner, he’d originally planned to dine at a restaurant, but the sheer variety of unfamiliar snacks lining the streets piqued his curiosity.
Zi Ye, equally tempted, pointed ahead. “Young master, that looks delicious. Shall we try two skewers?”
“Sure!”
“Young master, look at that one, and that one! Let’s try them all, shall we?”
“Why not?”
“Young master, over there! The steamed buns stuffed with meat! There’s such a long line. Let’s get in line too?”
“Alright.”
And so, the pair wandered the streets, sampling snacks as they went. The guards trailing behind them paid for everything. By the time they’d reached the end of the street, they were thoroughly stuffed.
Zi Ye clutched his stomach. “Ugh, young master, I can’t eat another bite.”
“Neither can I.” Zhou Gu glanced back at the guards following them. Their expressions mirrored his own, they, too, were full and shook their heads at him.
Looking at the seemingly endless stretch of snack stalls ahead, Zhou Gu suggested nervously, “Shall we take a detour? Try another street?”
Zi Ye hesitated. “Can we come back tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
Satisfied, Zi Ye promptly followed Zhou Gu down a different route, leaving behind the tantalizing aromas. The new street showcased trinkets and small wares, a welcome distraction from the culinary temptation.
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