Spring in the Hall of Paintings

Although Cheng Yin didn’t have smallpox, due to his young age, his mother, Madame Jueluo, feared there could be other unforeseen problems. She was especially worried about leaving any lingering health issues, so she didn’t dare leave his side. After a serious illness struck him, even the usually calm Madame Jueluo became anxious, and she became even more attentive in caring for him. The Old Lady understood the bond between mother and child, and as Lady Jueluo only had this one son, who was also the legitimate heir of the Tong family, the Old Lady naturally hoped for Cheng Yin to grow up healthy and successful.

Lady Jueluo needed to focus entirely on caring for the sick Cheng Yin, leaving her no time to manage household matters. However, she wasn’t foolish. Due to the public attention surrounding Rongxuan’s efforts to save the emperor and the crown prince, even if the Tong family tried to remain low-key, it couldn’t stop the visits from relatives and old acquaintances. Lady Jueluo knew well that Cheng Yin was her life’s root and that his care was her most important responsibility. She told the Old Lady her plan to ask the second wife, Lady Fucha, for help, temporarily handing over the authority of the household to her.

Among the three daughters-in-law of the Tong family, Lady Fucha was the wisest. Both Lady Jueluo and the third wife, Lady Guo, were no match for Lady Fucha’s sharp mind. At this moment, it wasn’t strange for Lady Fucha to take over household duties. However, with the recent success of Rongxuan and his anticipated promotion, Lady Fucha’s sudden assumption of authority could raise questions. It might stir up unrest within the Tong family. Lady Fucha, being very astute, would never leave a trace of suspicion. So, in front of the Old Lady, she first expressed her gratitude for Lady Jueluo’s trust, and then gently mentioned that her health wasn’t great and she couldn’t handle too much work. She was fine with assisting, but didn’t feel capable of fully managing the Tong household.

The Old Lady, sensing Lady Guo’s eagerness, glanced at her and said, “The eldest daughter-in-law has to care for Cheng Yin and is unable to manage other matters. The second daughter-in-law looks even thinner than last time, so she should focus on her health. As for the third daughter-in-law…”

The Old Lady paused briefly, then sighed, “She has to prepare for Lan’s selection and deal with her son’s marriage. I’ll have to handle those myself. Here’s the plan: Yang Mama has been instructing both Lan Girl and Wei Girl. Once the emperor returns to the capital, they will have to participate in the selection and get married. They must be able to be responsible for the household management, or else it would be a laughingstock. I can’t let people say I’m incapable of teaching my granddaughters. During this period when the eldest daughter-in-law is taking care of Cheng Yin, the affairs of the household should be handled by the two of them together.”

“Mother, they’re still too young and may not think things through carefully.”

The Old Lady’s lips curled as she responded, “Let me finish. Both girls will be fifteen next year, and besides, don’t we have you all to supervise them? I trust you.”

This was the Old Lady’s way of testing Yun Lan and Yun Wei. Lady Guo had no choice but to accept. Lady Fucha had great respect for the Old Lady. If they followed Yun Lan’s wishes, she would end up as a secondary concubine in the Prince’s residence, with no real power, since only the legitimate consort could make decisions. Yun Lan couldn’t handle that, but the Old Lady wanted to test Yun Wei and Yun Lan, both of whom were legitimate children and therefore the most suitable candidates.

“Lan Girl and Wei Girl, come here and take the tags. If you don’t understand anything, ask your eldest aunt or your mother.”

The Old Lady picked up the tags from the wooden table, each marked with a number, and handed them to Yun Lan and Yun Wei, instructing, “You two must discuss things carefully. Don’t let any quarrels or suspicions arise.”

“Yes, Mamu (Grandmother), I’ll take care of my younger sister.” Yun Lan took the tag. She had worked in administration before and had helped manage the household for Lady Guo. For Yun Lan, this was something she was very familiar with. Yun Wei knelt, speaking softly, “Yes, with Mamu as our support, and with Aunt and Third Aunt looking after us, and Fourth Sister being clever, the Tong family’s matters won’t be chaotic. Mamu, you can rest assured.”

The Old Lady smiled more deeply at the corners of her eyes. This girl was not only smart but also quite lazy, clearly not wanting to overshadow Yun Lan. Yun Wei, realizing that the Old Lady saw through her thoughts, playfully winked. “I prefer to be with you, Mamu, so you can eat well.”

The Old Lady glared at her, “Silly girl! After you marry, can you still take me and your mother with you? Focus on your work, and manage the household properly. Otherwise, you’ll be sorry!”

Yun Wei pouted slightly and gave a barely noticeable nod. The subtle exchange of looks between her and the Old Lady was something only Lady Fucha could perceive, a silent understanding cultivated between them. Others didn’t notice a thing. This was a tacit bond between Yun Wei and the Old Lady. Although Yun Wei had been pampered while growing up and was skilled in being coquettish and clingy, her character had mostly taken after the Old Lady. She was strong-willed, outwardly fragile but firm in her beliefs, willing to admit defeat when necessary. While she might seem forgetful in small matters, she was never confused about important issues. What needed to be upheld, she would never give up. This aspect of her character particularly pleased the Old Lady. The Old Lady had always been too harsh and didn’t understand how to balance firmness with gentleness. This regret and lesson from her own life, she did not want Yun Wei, her most beloved granddaughter, to follow in her footsteps.

Once things were decided, the opinions of others didn’t matter. Jing Yi gave a self-deprecating smile. She wasn’t a daughter of the Tong family, after all, and was still an outsider. The tag in Yun Lan’s hand was particularly eye-catching. There would come a day when she could proudly hold her head high. Jing Yi smiled and said, “Fourth Sister and Sixth Sister are both sensible and considerate, they won’t make our grandmother worry. I’m two years older than you, and I will help however I can.”

“Mother, Jing Yi has also helped me manage household matters.” Madam Rongxian’s words had just finished when the Old Lady spoke up, “I’m tired. You all go rest.”

“Yes.” The three daughters-in-law curtsied and each took their daughters back to their respective courtyards. The Old Lady furrowed her brows and said, “Rongxian, remember, this is the Tong family. You are a married woman now.”

“Mother, I just—” The Old Lady waved her hand, stopping Rongxian’s words and sharply retorted, “How you raise your daughter is your business, but the Tong family does not lack daughters. Jing Yi is from another family. The Tong family can be your and your daughter’s support, but there’s no reason for Jing Yi to interfere in the family matters.”

“Calm down, Mother. Jing Yi meant well,” Rongxian said, handing the Old Lady a teacup with an awkward smile. “Mother, there’s one more thing. Jing Hui isn’t young anymore. I’ve looked at a few girls, but none seem as suitable as Yun Yi. What do you think?”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t think highly of the illegitimate Yun Yi?”

“Isn’t it because I was short-sighted, Mother? To be honest, I respect and fear Second Sister-in-law. Marrying a girl from their family—even if she’s illegitimate—has me worried.”

The Old Lady sighed and shook her head. “If I had the final say back then, it would have been different. Now that Rongxuan’s official career is looking up, can you not see the situation? Are you confused or just pretending? Yun Yi was raised by a concubine, but Rongxuan’s wife treats her well, so Yun Yi won’t be wronged.”

“How could she be wronged? As an aunt, how could I mistreat my niece? Besides, you know, Mother, Jing Hui has a title as well. I’ll have Yun Yi marry as the legitimate wife. How many illegitimate daughters get this chance? When Jing Hui becomes successful, Yun Yi will naturally become a proper lady of the court.”

The Old Lady pondered for a moment and then said lightly, “I can only discuss it with the second daughter-in-law. If she has plans for Yun Yi, this will most likely not work out. I can’t just bypass her and set up Yun Yi’s engagement directly.”

“Mother, you are the matriarch of the Tong family. Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law are filial; they would never go against your wishes.”

Rongxian said all the right things for her daughter’s sake, but the Old Lady remained unmoved. She looked at Rongxian and said, “Let me remind you one last time, ten of you combined are not even as important as the second daughter-in-law. You should give up on this idea.”

“Mother, please help your daughter.” Rongxian knelt, tears in her eyes, and said, “Jing Yi is my treasure. Just like you said, no matter how much you love Jing Yi, she’s not of the Tong family. She is your granddaughter by marriage. I want her to marry into a good family.”

“A good family? What do you mean by a good family? Rongxian, you’ve really disappointed me. The prince’s and the nobleman’s families are good families to you? You’re not trying to help Jing Yi; you’re trying to push her into a fire. Jing Yi has improved, but can she compare to Yun Lan? Even a smart girl like Lan Girl wouldn’t necessarily be able to hold her ground in a noble family. If you truly cared for Jing Yi, you would let her marry into a wealthy and decent family, one that’s honest and stable.”

“Mother… Mother…”

“Enough. Don’t say any more. I will discuss Jing Hui’s marriage with the second daughter-in-law. Whether it works out depends on what she says. As for Jing Yi, if you have the ability, I won’t stop you. But don’t think you can use the Tong family as a stepping stone. Your second brother, Rongxuan, earned his accomplishments with his life on the line. He has never sought glory for his wife and children, nor to shine on the Tong family. How can you expect to use it for Jing Yi? Rongxian, I am not foolish, and I won’t let Rongxuan think I’m partial.”

Rongxian continued to cry, but the Old Lady’s expression darkened. Mama Chen, noticing the situation, gently pulled Rongxian up and whispered, “Madam, you should return for now. The Old Lady needs to rest. If you keep this up, you’ll lose the little hope there is.”

Rongxian suddenly realized, wiped her tears, and left. The Old Lady slapped the table and said, “How did I end up with such a daughter without any tact or backbone? How many times have I told her? Jing Hui should be her support, but she refuses to listen. Jing Yi… sigh, she’s grown more capable and ambitious, but is she still the same Jing Yi as before?”

“Master, anger is harmful to the body.” Mama Chen motioned for a maid to bring in the egg custard, smiling, “This was personally made by Sixth Miss. She knows exactly how you like it, and it’s been a real challenge for the kitchen maids.”

The delicate and tasty egg custard helped ease the Old Lady’s mood. She took a spoon and said, “It’s perfect. No one else can make it like she does.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I know Sixth Miss is your precious one,” Mama Chen replied.

“What’s wrong? Shouldn’t Wei Girl be pampered?” The Old Lady was eating the egg custard when Mama Chen smiled and said, “Of course, of course. Who would dare not pamper Sixth Miss?”

The two of them shared a smile, and Mama Chen added, “Master, you said that Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss should manage the household matters. Sixth Miss still respects Fourth Miss, but I’m afraid she might be led by Fourth Miss and end up disappointing your good intentions.”

“You haven’t seen Yun Wei clearly. That girl is very clever. Yun Lan is overly confident and gifted, but she doesn’t see the strengths in others. Although I favor Yun Wei, I care for Yun Lan as well. No matter if she gets what she wants in the future or not, I want to give her a warning. Let Yun Wei temper Yun Lan’s character. It will be beneficial for her in the future.”

“Master, you’re really thoughtful.” Mama Chen gently patted the Old Lady’s shoulder. The Old Lady half-closed her eyes, sighed, and said, “Has Rongxuan’s injury improved? I can’t rest easy if I don’t see him for a day. Of my three sons, Rongxuan has suffered the most.”

“Second Master has suffered a lot, but he is also the most accomplished.”

Mama Chen tried to comfort the Old Lady for a while, then helped her settle in, and didn’t bring it up again. After leaving the Old Lady’s room, Yun Lan discussed the time and place for the appointment with Yun Wei. Yun Wei smiled sweetly and said, “I’ll listen to Fourth Sister.”

The next day, in the flower hall of the main residence of the Tong family, Yun Lan and Yun Wei sat across from each other at a Huanghuali wood eight-immortals table. The stewardesses stood silently before them, and behind these well-dressed stewards were several prominent maidservants. Just before, Yun Lan had severely dealt with a maid who had disrespected them and was deliberately late, using the situation to set an example. Yun Wei didn’t fully agree with this approach but didn’t speak out against it either. She silently drank her tea and gave the leadership role to Yun Lan, just as Fucha had secretly instructed her to observe Yun Lan’s way of handling things. This would help Yun Wei make up for her lack of experience and complement each other’s strengths.