Chapter 2: Good Heavens

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Madam Sun returned to the main courtyard and explained that this residence was purchased by her second younger brother, Xu Chengping, after he found success. The main courtyard had originally been occupied by Old Madam Weng. After Old Master Weng passed away, the family moved to the rear courtyard, and the main courtyard became the home for the couple.

The second younger brother’s family lived in the west courtyard, but they rarely returned throughout the year, so this house was effectively their main family’s property.

Madam Sun felt it was only natural that since the second brother lived far away, she managed the household, cared for the in-laws, and attended to illnesses alongside her husband. These were all her due responsibilities.

In the courtyard, Xu Anren paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. Seeing Madam Sun return, he hurried forward and asked, “Well? Has the Seventh Lady agreed?”

“What is there to agree or not? She’s an inexperienced young lady; these marriage matters are decided by the elders. Lately, my husband has become more timid—he even fears the young lady,” Madam Sun teased with a smile.

“I’m not afraid of her; I just fear that if she causes a scene, it’ll be difficult to explain to my second brother,” Xu Anren stubbornly denied.

“Your second brother doesn’t even care for his own daughter, abandoning her here to wait for her to die sickly, so as not to tarnish his own reputation,” Madam Sun shook the round fan in her hand, leaning leisurely against the bench. “It’s rare to receive a letter, yet it doesn’t even mention the Seventh Lady. Fathers are all the same. We’ve done our utmost to find her a match.”

“Still, the Seventh Lady is indeed pitiful,” Xu Anren showed a trace of sympathy.

“You always play the good guy. The letter you wrote praised the Yan family’s gentleman as unparalleled in the world—handsome, talented beyond compare. Back then you weren’t soft-hearted. Now speaking well of him makes me seem like a heartless elder lady,” Madam Sun laughed, exposing his pretense.

“Although the Yan family gentleman is imperfect and his background is inferior to the Seventh Lady’s, marrying him high and marrying off daughters lower is not a disgrace to her.”

Yan Sima held a sixth-rank official position, respectable in Xiangzhou, and came from a prominent family, so finding a match was never difficult.

Yet he was still unmarried in his twenties, which said a lot. All these young ladies were pampered and cherished; who would willingly push a girl into such a fire?

When the Yan family heard Madam Sun was arranging the match, their father, a high official in Chang’an, agreed without hesitation.

Madam Sun sneered inwardly—these men were all hypocrites, each one worse than the last.

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Xu Chengyue lay peacefully in bed, breathing in more than out, feeling as if she deserved an Oscar for her performance.

The earlier act had drained much of her energy; she had to rehearse every line in her mind two or three times before speaking.

It was exhausting.

“Qiulu, go to the study tomorrow and bring the books I told you about,” Xu Chengyue instructed the maid massaging her legs.

“Yes, mistress,” Qiulu responded.

Qiulu had listened attentively the whole time and felt deep sympathy for the young lady; the husband was truly heartless.

Only Qiulu and Xia He were by the young lady’s side. Xia He was always careless and unreliable; Qiulu could not allow her to hold the young lady back.

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Xu Chengyue was eager to learn about the outside world and court policies.

Otherwise, if she escaped unprepared, she wouldn’t even know how she died.

“Madam, the books have arrived,” Qiulu returned from the study, anxious, unsure why the young lady wanted to read. Could she really be planning to marry that scoundrel?

“Bring them quickly,” Xu Chengyue said. Most of the books were histories and official gazettes, which would help her learn about the era quickly.

Leaning sideways on the low couch, she found the low tables and seats uncomfortable for reading, causing her back and legs to ache after a while. So she half-reclined to read.

She slowly opened the yellow-brown scroll, revealing inked characters.

The writing was not only in traditional characters but also classical Chinese without punctuation, requiring her to decipher each sentence carefully.

At this moment, Xu Chengyue longed for simplified characters and vernacular language.

Her highest proficiency in language had been in high school, and she had returned many books to her teachers. She didn’t need to read too closely—just enough to grasp the gist.

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The two maids, seeing her focused, worked quietly so as not to disturb her.

She read until the sun dipped westward, when a throbbing headache at her temples prompted Qiulu’s reminder to put away the books.

She exhaled slowly, pressing her temples.

Without reading, one wouldn’t realize that although this was the Tang Dynasty, it was not the one she had imagined. The emperors were different.

Compared to her original world, this seemed like a parallel timeline diverging at some historical point.

Xu Chengyue was familiar with such semi-fictional settings.

While reading the gazette, she noticed frequent mentions of the Empress Dowager and many edicts issued by her, implying the Empress Dowager was ruling behind the scenes.

This was good news; generally, female regency periods were more lenient toward women.

Moreover, this dynasty allowed women to hold household registration independently, meaning she could live alone without relying on anyone.

Most other conditions were similar to the Tang Dynasty.

Xu Chengyue didn’t know if her choice was right or wrong, nor what lay ahead, but she could not endure being manipulated. Leaving was her only option.

She knew nothing of her surroundings, and acting rashly could cause one mistake after another, ending in failure.

In the modern world, she would have countless chances to correct mistakes, but in this feudal society, she had only one chance.

If discovered, the consequences would be unpredictable.

Xu Chengyue planned to scout and familiarize herself with the area first, so she wouldn’t panic and lose her way during the escape.

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“Madam, I have come to pay respects,” Xu Chengyue said as she stepped into Madam Sun’s courtyard for the first time.

“You child, aren’t you still ill? How did you come out?” Madam Sun warmly grasped her hand and invited her to sit.

“I suppose it’s because the doctor you hired is skilled. I’ve felt much better these past few days. I am grateful for your care but haven’t properly thanked you, so I came to pay my respects,” Xu Chengyue spoke slowly, gentle and dignified.

Her words portrayed her as a refined young lady from a noble family, well-educated and well-mannered.

Even the ruthless Madam Sun couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity, thinking the Yan family boy was lucky indeed.

But no matter how good the Seventh Lady was, it wasn’t as important as her oldest son’s bride price.

“Our family doesn’t speak as two households. Seeing you well gives me peace of mind; it’s the least we can do for your father,” Madam Sun said earnestly.

Xu Chengyue took the lead in praising Madam Sun subtly, guiding the conversation so that Madam Sun was delighted and lamented how she wished the Seventh Lady were her own daughter.

…

“Xiangzhou’s eateries are best at Yulouchun. Their roasted lamb is famous, attracting visitors from other regions,” Madam Sun spoke enthusiastically about Xiangzhou’s cuisine.

“If what you say is true, it must be excellent. Unfortunately, I grew up in Chang’an and only visit briefly, never having the chance to see Xiangzhou city with my own eyes,” Xu Chengyue lowered her lashes with a hint of melancholy.

Without a second thought, Madam Sun said, “That’s no problem. One day, I’ll take you there.”

Realizing her words, Madam Sun felt embarrassed but couldn’t take them back as she saw the sudden brightness in Xu Chengyue’s eyes.

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“Come, Seventh Lady, have a seat,” Madam Sun invited.

It was Xu Chengyue’s first time riding an ox cart. She observed it quietly; the design was quite rustic, lacking the lavishness often portrayed in dramas. Perhaps it was because the Xu family was not among the wealthy elite.

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“Madam, why isn’t Eighth Lady with us? Won’t she join us?” Xu Chengyue had heard that Madam Sun had a younger unmarried daughter two years her junior.

“She’s as mischievous as a monkey. If I call her, she’ll make a fuss. Soon it will be time to arrange her marriage. I keep her at home to temper her temperament,” Madam Sun made an excuse, though she actually disliked her daughter socializing with Xu Chengyue.

The ox cart was indeed uncomfortable. Xu Chengyue sat cross-legged on the floor cushion inside the cart. The roads were uneven, and the cart had no shock absorbers, making the ride bumpy.

There were only two small windows in the cart, making it hard to see outside, but she faintly heard voices.

Passing through a street, the noise grew louder and more chaotic; she could imagine the bustling scene outside.

At the entrance to Yulouchun, the ox cart slowed to a stop.

Servants clustered around them to help them down, and Madam Sun and Xu Chengyue donned veils.

Madam Sun, a regular customer, called out upon entering, “Doctor, a private room, please.”

“Right away, ladies, please come in,” the attendant, equivalent to a waiter, greeted warmly.

The roasted lamb was indeed delicious, demonstrating the chef’s skill. However, the lack of various spices common in later eras left a lingering gamey smell, making it greasy after a few bites.

After the meal, everyone prepared to leave.

At the door, a madam called out, “Lady Xu.”

Madam Sun turned, slightly surprised, then quickly approached with a polite bow and smiled, “Lady Yan, what a coincidence to meet you here.”

She then beckoned Xu Chengyue, “Seventh Lady, go greet Lady Yan.”

Hearing the surname, Xu Chengyue knew this was her “future husband’s” family.

She followed suit with a bow, “Lady Yan.”

Lady Yan’s expression was hard to discern behind her veil, but Xu Chengyue knew she was being scrutinized, so she lowered her head and stood respectfully.

The veil was a thin gauze, allowing one to see clothing clearly.

After a moment, Lady Yan nodded with approval upon seeing Xu Chengyue’s simple and modest attire, not flashy or gaudy.

“She’s a well-mannered young lady,” Lady Yan said.

“But it’s best if she goes out less. Even with the veil, it doesn’t look proper to others. People like us must maintain our status,” Lady Yan added.

Madam Sun twitched her lips, thinking, “You’re outside too,” but replied, “Seventh Lady seldom goes out; she often reads at home. I worry she’ll get bored, so I brought her out for a bit. We’ll be heading back soon.”

Lady Yan nodded and asked, “What books is she reading?”

This was an examination. Xu Chengyue wanted to reply with, “The Romance of the Western Chamber, The Pipa, and a hundred Yuan works, all in my collection.”

But constrained by circumstances, she couldn’t speak her mind.

“Not much, just ‘Admonitions for Women’ and ‘Biographies of Exemplary Women,’” Xu Chengyue answered, knowing what Lady Yan wanted to hear.

“That’s enough. Those books are very useful for us women. Reading too much is bad—that’s the husbands’ responsibility,” Lady Yan said.

Lady Yan had initially been displeased with Xu Chengyue, as her family was selective, but with her husband’s approval, she had no choice.

As for her son being unmarried in his twenties, Lady Yan did not blame him.

After some small talk, they parted ways and returned to their respective homes.

This outing left Xu Chengyue exhausted but not without gains.