Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 21

The Duke Protector’s mansion, though grand in scale, felt somewhat empty due to its history of sacrifice. Zhou Gu’s father and uncles had all perished young on the battlefield, casualties of a family steeped in military service. Prosperity born of military merit always came at a bloody cost. His grandfather, forced into retirement due to severe injuries, had escaped this fate, but Zhou Gu’s father and uncles were not so fortunate. 

Thankfully, all had married before their deaths, leaving descendants to carry on the family line. Zhou Gu’s generation was slightly more numerous, with his three elder brothers all serving in the military but remaining safe and sound thanks to the peaceful era. 

Zhou Gu himself had one full elder brother, Zhou Wei, who was the heir to the family title, and one full elder sister. The rest of his siblings were cousins, children of his uncles. Including Zhou Gu, the grandchildren of the Duke Protector’s household numbered a modest nine. 

By comparison, the Taishou residence in Jiangning was modest, occupying just one-tenth the land of the Duke Protector’s estate. Still, it housed nearly as many people. 

Unlike the stricter gender-segregated customs of the Duke Protector’s household, the Jiangning Taishou residence followed no such rules. Here, men and women dined together without issue, reflecting a more egalitarian atmosphere. 

After everyone exchanged greetings, Zhou Gu was seated beside Lord Su, with Su Rong taking the seat next to him. 

The six concubines and six young daughters of the household couldn’t help but steal a few surprised glances at Zhou Gu. None had expected the young master of the Duke Protector’s family to be so strikingly handsome. 

However, thanks to the Matriarch excellent management of the household, with fairness and discipline as her hallmarks, there was little room for the petty rivalries and dramas that plagued many other homes. After their initial astonishment, the ladies quickly composed themselves and avoided staring, allowing Zhou Gu to feel more at ease. 

Lord Su turned to him with a grin. “Nephew Zhou, how’s your drinking capacity?” 

Zhou Gu replied modestly, “It’s passable.” 

“And what does passable mean?” 

Zhou Gu considered saying, I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, but decided against sounding arrogant. Instead, he said, “A pot of wine is no problem.” 

Lord Su laughed heartily. “If you say a pot, that means you can handle at least a vat!” 

Zhou Gu said nothing. 

Lord Su waved for the wine to be brought over, but Su Rong quickly intervened. “Father, we agreed to go out this afternoon!” 

Her interruption was swift and determined, there was no way she’d let Zhou Gu drink too much and ruin her plans. It had been over half a month since she’d last gone out, and nothing could derail today’s outing. 

Lord Su hesitated, glancing between the two. “You planned an outing this afternoon?” 

Zhou Gu remained silent, while Su Rong nodded firmly. “Yes! He hasn’t seen much of Jiangning since arriving, so I decided to take him to Phoenix Mountain.” 

“Phoenix Mountain? That’s a steep climb,” Lord Su remarked, wary of Su Rong’s pretense. 

The Matriarch coughed lightly. Knowing Su Rong had been restless, she feared the girl might sneak out if not given permission. She offered a compromise. “Why not go boating instead?” 

“That works too!” Su Rong said cheerfully. “Either way, we’re going out. Father, you can’t drink too much, or you’ll ruin our plans. Why not leave the heavy drinking for tonight?” Her tone was gentle, almost coaxing, a stark contrast to her usual blunt manner. 

The concubines and young ladies exchanged looks, marveling at how well she played her part. Normally, Su Rong would flatly declare, No, and that would be the end of the discussion, even with her father or the Matriarch. 

Lord Su, impressed by her soft approach, relented. “Fine! Just two pots then. One for me and one for Nephew Zhou, just enough for a light toast.” 

“Thank you, Father!” Su Rong said sweetly, her smile radiant. 

Lord Su felt gratified by her expression. When the wine was served, he poured Zhou Gu a cup and said, “This is our finest Jiangning Drunken Delight. Nephew Zhou, give it a try, it’s my favorite.” 

Zhou Gu nodded. “Thank you, Uncle.” 

Two pots of wine weren’t much for someone with decent alcohol tolerance, so the meal proceeded without incident. 

After lunch, Su Rong was eager to set off but paused to ask Zhou Gu, “Do you need a nap first?” 

Zhou Gu shook his head. “I don’t have the habit of napping.” 

“Good, neither do I,” Su Rong said happily. “Shall we go then?” 

Zhou Gu hesitated before nodding slightly. 

After saying their goodbyes to Lord Su and the Matriarch, Su Rong and Zhou Gu set off together. 

Once the two had left, the Matriarch sighed. “That girl… Do you think she can keep up this act until her coming-of-age ceremony? What if she gives herself away before the day is out?” 

Lord Su, however, seemed unconcerned. “If she gets exposed, so be it! Zhou Gu is a fine young man, and the Duke Protector’s household is remarkable, but we can’t deceive them into a marriage. Besides, even if we tried, there’s no fooling them forever.” 

The Matriarch shot him a glare. “You seem quite carefree about this.” 

Lord Su chuckled. “I’ve taken a liking to Zhou Gu. He’s a good lad, and it shows the Duke Protector’s household has raised him well. When we forced him to stay here, he was clearly upset but still kept his composure. That level of self-restraint is rare at his age. When I was his age, I didn’t have half his manners, though, to be fair, I never had in-laws as audacious as us.” 

The Matriarch couldn’t help but laugh at the memory of how shamelessly they had schemed to keep Zhou Gu around. “We’re not exactly setting the best example for the younger generation. Let’s just hope Zhou Gu doesn’t spread word of our antics.” 

Lord Su shrugged. “What’s done is done. Let him say what he will! Besides, with the old Duke’s letter hanging over us, I’m not worried.” 

The Matriarch nodded thoughtfully. The old Duke’s letter had explicitly instructed them not to treat Zhou Gu as an outsider, to foster closeness, and to send back good news, he was even looking forward to drinking tea served by his future granddaughter-in-law. If Zhou Gu didn’t stay at their residence, how could they foster that closeness? 

Sighing, she turned to the assembled concubines and young ladies who hadn’t yet left. “Listen carefully. Zhou Gu will be staying here until Su Rong’s coming-of-age ceremony. During this time, none of you are to stir up trouble. Remember, if Su Rong secures this match, it will bring good prospects for everyone. But if her engagement falls through and we offend the Duke Protector’s household, no one in this family will come out unscathed.” 

The women all nodded in unison. 

The Matriarch, still concerned, added sternly, “This marriage, regardless of how Seventh Concubine initially managed to set it up, has clearly gained the old Duke’s attention. That alone means it’s no simple matter. Zhou Gu might seem approachable, but don’t let anyone harbor any foolish ideas about competing with Su Rong. You all know the consequences, don’t you? You’re all literate and have been taught proper conduct. Don’t waste the resources this family has invested in you by acting foolishly.” 

She continued after a pause, her tone softening slightly. “You all did well today, treating him with the respect due to a future son-in-law. Keep it up, and don’t stray from the right path.” 

The concubines expressed their assurances one by one. “Madam, don’t worry. None of us would dare. We’re all hoping to benefit from Su Rong’s good fortune.” 

The young ladies chimed in as well, their expressions sincere. “Mother, we understand. We’ve grown up under your guidance and know better than to act selfishly. We are one family, and we’ll work together.” 

“Indeed, Mother,” said Su Li, the Fifth daughter, who was only two months older than Su Rong. Her tone was serious, but her words carried a hint of humor. “Besides, Su Rong is terrifying. I wouldn’t dare provoke her, even if I wanted to.” 

Her remark drew laughter from the group. 

The fourth daughter added with a chuckle, “Exactly. Who would dare? None of us have dared to compete with her over anything since we were children, let alone over a person.” 

Even the Matriarch, who had been on edge, couldn’t help but smile. “You’re right, I should have more faith in all of you. But Zhou Gu… He’s simply too impressive. That’s what worries me.” 

The Fifth Daughter waved off the concern with a laugh. “If we’re impressed, Su Rong must be even more so. You’ve seen how she’s been putting on a proper act lately. She probably likes him quite a bit.” 

Then, with a resigned tone, she added, “As for me, I’ll pass. I lack Su Rong’s talent for winning hearts. Mother, when the time comes, just find me an ordinary husband. Someone like Zhou Gu would only bring endless trouble. Handsome men like him attract attention wherever they go, and I wouldn’t want to deal with the constant drama.” 

The Matriarch was momentarily speechless. “Have some ambition, will you? Handsome men are a pleasure to look at every day, aren’t they? Besides, aren’t there plenty of plain-looking men who still cause trouble? If you’re going to be stressed either way, wouldn’t you rather be stressed while enjoying the view?” 

The Fifth Daughter reflected on this and admitted sheepishly, “You’re right, Mother. I stand corrected. I’ll leave the matchmaking to you.”