A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 32

The carriages of various households at the East Residence gate departed one after another. Chen Luan, after bidding farewell to his teacher and fellow students, waited outside early.

He stood alone by the carriage, his head slightly lowered in thought, completely unaware that the curtain of a nearby carriage, laden with a rich fragrance, had been drawn back a fraction, revealing a pair of affectionate eyes observing him.

The owner of the eyes was reserved. After only a brief peek, the curtain was dropped, separating the person inside the carriage from the young man outside.

Chen Liangyu and Yan Nian were accompanying He Yunzhou and the Old Princess Dowager to say their farewells. Just as Chen Liangyu stepped out of the East Residence gate, Xianyu, the maidservant of Xun Shuheng, came to invite her.

“General Chen, my lady asks if you would like to ride with her on the return journey?”

Chen Liangyu looked towards the Xun family carriage. Through the gap in the curtain, Xun Shuheng gave her a meaningful glance.

“I’ll go.”

After helping her mother and elder sister-in-law into their carriage, and with Chen Luan quickly following them in, Chen Liangyu followed Xianyu toward Xun Shuheng’s carriage.

The elephant-head, three-legged incense burner was still lit, not yet extinguished. Xianyu had changed the incense once, and as soon as Chen Liangyu entered, the fragrance enveloped her face.

Xun Shuheng seemed a little restless. Her cheeks looked as if a layer of rouge had been applied; they were not as clear as when she arrived, but rather rosy.

“Are you ill?” Chen Liangyu asked.

Xun Shuheng’s face turned even redder. She pressed her hands against her cheeks and lowered her voice, “Liangyu, how could that young master be in your family’s carriage? Do you know him?”

Chen Liangyu peered outside. Her family’s carriage was moving ahead, with the “Marquis of Xuanping Residence” plaque hanging from the roof.

She thought for a moment before realizing that the young master Xun Shuheng was referring to must be Chen Luan. “My second older brother? Of course, I know him. Where else would he be if not in my family’s carriage?”

“Your second older brother? The one who was displaced outside?”

Chen Liangyu nodded.

Xun Shuheng looked troubled for a long time, her intelligent eyebrows furrowed and unable to relax. She lowered her voice even further, “Then, is he engaged?”

“Not yet. My mother intended to look at some young ladies today, and she doesn’t know yet if she found anyone suitable.” Chen Liangyu said, “Whether he’s engaged or not seems irrelevant to you. If you want to marry into my family, how could Prime Minister Xun agree?”

“That’s true. Father and the Marquis are at odds.” Xun Shuheng knitted her brows, appearing extremely worried.

It wasn’t just because of the strained relationship between Xun Xian and Chen Yuanqing.

The higher the noble family, the more they adhered to notions of bloodline and legitimacy versus illegitimacy. Marriages for their children were even more focused on matching social status.

Although Chen Luan had been registered under the name of Madame He, recognized as the second legitimate son of the Marquis’s family, a son born of the legitimate wife and a son merely registered as legitimate were ultimately different. Chen Luan, this second son by adoption, was not recognized by high-ranking families. He was born of an outside woman, and having survived through fleeing and begging, he hadn’t been properly raised by a primary wife since childhood. In the eyes of outsiders, he was considered worse than a legitimate son’s younger brother born of a concubine in other families.

Xun Xian was an extremely rigid old conservative who was also focused on having a Queen emerge from his family to glorify their name. In his eyes, he could only tolerate members of the imperial family. He would be reluctant to marry Xun Shuheng to Chen Linjun, let alone the son with an irregular status like Chen Luan.

Chen Liangyu said, “If you were to marry in, my mother would definitely be pleased.”

At this, Xun Shuheng’s face flushed as if bleeding, and she chided her, “Stop teasing me. What’s all this talk about marrying? Aren’t you ashamed?”

Seeing her face so red that she wished she could burrow into the ground, Chen Liangyu changed the subject and talked about other things.

Back at the residence, He Yunzhou did indeed bring up the matter of Chen Luan’s marriage. After carefully considering several well-educated and sensible young ladies from scholarly families, she still consulted Chen Luan for his own opinion.

Chen Luan merely said, “A child obeys the commands of his parents and the words of the matchmaker. I will listen to Mother.”

For him, the most important thing right now was the upcoming metropolitan examination next year, to obtain an official rank so he could share the burdens of his father and older brother as soon as possible. Marriage and starting a family were not within his scope of consideration.

In high society marriages, marrying a certain young lady seemed only a means of forming a political alliance; selecting a new wife was merely choosing the family behind her.

From this perspective, it seemed that it did not matter who he married.

He appeared to have no choice. When He Yunzhou discussed it with him, he was actually momentarily surprised.

He Yunzhou asked him if he had a young lady he liked. He looked bewildered and said, “The one Mother likes, your son will definitely like as well.”

The Marquis of Xuanping Residence had a family rule, one set by He Niangong when Chen Yuanqing came to ask for He Yunzhou’s hand in marriage many years ago.

“While living, never take concubines; upon death, never remarry. This is what your father promised your maternal grandfather, and it has been written into our family rules. The selection of a new wife should not be hasty. Once chosen, she is the wife who will accompany you for life. How can we not ask for your opinion?”

When Chen Linjun sought to marry Yan Nian from Yan Baizhang, he also made the same commitment as Chen Yuanqing had, and this subsequently became an iron law for the family.

Chen Luan still said, “The new wife Mother chooses, your son will certainly cherish her for life.”

It wasn’t that he was being reserved or shy and unwilling to speak; it was that he truly didn’t know many young ladies. He had been confined to the Hanhong Academy for several years, and his life was practically like a monk striking a bell and chanting scriptures.

When He Yunzhou brought up the idea of finding a wife for him, he couldn’t even search his mind for a template to draw from.

He still believed that marrying anyone was the same, and sharing a life with anyone was no different.

This idea changed during an unintentional moment.

A few days after the birthday banquet at the East Residence, Sheng Yu’an hosted a tea party at Yueyang Tower. Those invited, besides the few people who had come from Hanhong Academy to Yongdu, included students from the Imperial Academy and some literati who were fond of poetry and literature.

Chen Luan arrived a little late, hurrying with a book with a dark blue cover tucked under his arm. He bumped into a waiter serving food, and the book in his arms fell to the ground.

The waiter repeatedly apologized and bent down to pick it up.

It was just then that a door of the adjacent private room opened, and a maidservant stepped out to ask the waiter to prepare a pot of plum wine.

Chen Luan glanced over inadvertently and saw a woman sitting quietly inside the private room, drinking wine silently, as serene as a landscape painting of a beautiful woman.

The bowls and chopsticks in front of her were still neatly arranged, completely untouched.

As if sensing a gaze, Xun Shuheng looked over. The fingertips gripping the wine cup suddenly constricted, and her rosy fingernails instantly turned white.

Xianyu saw Chen Luan looking at her young lady. After instructing the waiter, she quickly entered the room and shut the door with a “bang,” slamming it somewhat urgently, like an angry gesture.

Chen Luan realized his discourtesy. He bowed his hands toward the closed door of the private room in apology before heading to Sheng Yu’an’s gathering.

The general topic of conversation was centered on speculation about whether Chen Liangyu or Xun Shuheng would become the Crown Princess. The majority bet on Xun Shuheng. The reason was simple: Chen Liangyu was known to be close to Prince Shen, Xie Yuan.

This was public knowledge in Yongdu, and Chen Liangyu had previously requested an imperial marriage with him, indicating her own preference. How could the Emperor force her against her will?

Another group did not agree, believing that Emperor Xuanyuan had always favored Chen Liangyu. The matter of requesting an imperial marriage was years ago, and few people remembered it. Whose personal preference could override an imperial decree?

When Chen Luan pushed the door open and entered, the discussion immediately died down.

It was inappropriate to discuss someone’s younger sister right in front of them. Everyone present was very tactful and immediately steered the discussion toward the recently popular Discourse on Women.

The result was that everyone was surprised to find that the conversation still circled back to Chen Liangyu.

She was the only person practicing the precepts of this banned book, though she hadn’t gained her official position through passing the imperial examination.

The largest bookstore in Jinshu Lane, originally called Qinyeguan, was bought out by a mercantile house named Shengchanglong and renamed Fengzhizhai.

Later, the characters “Feng Zhi” were considered inauspicious by scholars, and it was changed again to Fengzhizhai. Although it was less inauspicious, the name did not sound like a bookstore; it sounded like a shop selling dim sum and preserved fruits.

Chen Liangyu walked into Fengzhizhai. The shopkeeper was at the counter overseeing the accountant tallying the books.

“Is your owner here today?”

The shopkeeper asked her surname and then called for someone to pass on the message.

The Shengchanglong mercantile house had only emerged in the last two years. When it first appeared, no one took notice of the small business, but within just over two years, it had gained significant momentum.

Fengzhizhai and Fengyutang, the two large bookstores, were only insignificant assets among Shengchanglong’s many businesses.

Such a sudden rise must have a powerful backer.

All signs pointed to the fact that Shengchanglong was backed by someone in the imperial court. Later, when the son of the Zhang family, Zhang Jialing, repeatedly appeared at Shengchanglong’s various shops, some speculated that the patron behind Shengchanglong was the Right Prime Minister, Zhang Diancheng.

Zhang Diancheng vehemently despised merchants and naturally would not allow his hands to be stained with money. The so-called patron was actually just Zhang Jialing, who was merely using the Prime Minister’s name to exert influence. Various government offices showed respect to the Right Prime Minister, so the issuance of business and travel permits to Shengchanglong was never delayed or used by officials to extort money.

Shen Yan was not at Fengzhizhai but at another bookstore, Fengyutang, which was across the street from Jinshu Lane.

The clerk sent by the shopkeeper did not bring back Shen Yan but brought Zhang Jialing, who started yelling before he even walked through the door, “I say, what airs are you putting on? You come to collect money and then make people come to see you? Come on, get in the carriage.”

“Why is it you?”

“Why can’t it be me? Sister Shen isn’t feeling well today, so I’m inspecting in her place. Is that not allowed?”

With a series of pulls and drags, the carriage drove towards the outskirts of Upper Yong City.

“Sister Shen talks about you all day, more than she talks about me. Chen Liangyu, I’m really annoyed with you,” Zhang Jialing said. “Because of one empty promise from you, Sister Shen has been working tirelessly to earn money.” He clutched his chest, looking pained, “Oh my, it breaks my heart.”

“Is the Right Prime Minister still unwilling to concede on your marriage?”

Zhang Jialing looked melancholy. “The old man’s prejudice against social status is too deep. How can it be easy!”

Helu Town was originally just an ordinary small town, neither prosperous nor distinctive like a water-country town.

Since Zhang Diancheng issued the relocation order, many wealthy merchants have settled here. Now, Helu Town is bustling with carriages and horses, and the sound of drums and music is heard everywhere—an unprecedented spectacle.

The place Zhang Jialing led her to was a two-courtyard compound of simple, ancient style. It was not large. After gathering the wealthy merchants in Helu Town, the court’s control over them became stricter. They were forbidden not only from wearing silk and satin but also from living in magnificent residences.

When Shen Yan learned that Chen Liangyu and Zhang Jialing had returned together, she came out, clutching her abdomen.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come. You’re finally here today.”

Zhang Jialing stepped forward to support her and pushed Shen Yan toward the house, “Go back and rest on the couch. There are no outsiders here; you don’t need to pretend.”

Chen Liangyu felt the same way.

Shen Yan was helped back into the room by Zhang Jialing. She didn’t lie back on the couch but sat on the edge, supporting herself on the edge of the couch with her elbows. She asked someone to bring in two heavy chests.

Then she instructed Zhang Jialing, “Go get it.”

Zhang Jialing understood. After rummaging around in the inner room for a while, he brought out a wooden box and reluctantly handed it to Chen Liangyu, not forgetting to taunt her, “A great salary is taken without debating propriety or righteousness. What does a great salary add to you?”

“A great salary is very useful to me,” Chen Liangyu bowed to Shen Yan. “Thank you, Miss Shen.”

Shen Yan’s face was a little pale. She was dressed in coarse cloth, her hair neatly tied, and she wore only a handmade wooden hairpin. It was obvious that the person who made the hairpin was quite unskilled.

“If it’s truly as General Chen says, that there can be an academy in the world for women to study, I will certainly go and see it when the time comes.”

Zhang Jialing held her hand and said, “You are the head boss. You can see it however you want.”

Chen Liangyu, however, said, “It is best that the matter of the academy has nothing to do with Miss Shen.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jialing jumped up, “Chen Liangyu, are you starting to dismantle the bridge before you’ve even crossed the river? Are you going to butcher the donkey after it grinds the millstone? If it weren’t for the fact that you helped Shengchanglong in its early stages, I wouldn’t even welcome you here.”

Shen Yan pulled him down to sit.

Chen Liangyu continued, “This matter will inevitably escape the eyes of the censors, and it may implicate many people at that time.”

Founding an academy is not an insurmountable task. The crux of the matter lies in the last chapter of Discourse on Women, which encourages women to study, establish businesses, and achieve official rank through examination. Studying and establishing businesses are minor points; the main issue lies in “achieve official rank through examination.”

This statement undoubtedly shakes the foundation of the imperial examination system, concerns the state of the government, and is not a small matter.

Shen Yan said, “Since I’ve done it, why would I be afraid of being implicated? If I were afraid, I wouldn’t have agreed to you in the first place.”

“Miss Shen is truly righteous.”

“I have something to say.” Zhang Jialing seized a pause in their conversation and interjected with a cold dose of reality, “The economic base determines the superstructure. The pillar industries of the small-scale peasant economy are farming and silk reeling. Intellectual professions are only needed in the industrial information age. You might not understand this, but the meaning is that people in your society only need to know how to farm and weave cloth; they don’t need so many scholars. Maybe—I say maybe, possibly, perhaps—is your idea a bit too advanced?”

Chen Liangyu was silent for a while, then said, “I do not wish for everyone in the world to become a scholar. I only wish to provide an alternative way of survival for those who are unwilling to depend on others, and to raise a cry against the injustice faced by women across the land in the face of political decrees and laws.”