Eight Treasures Trousseau

Chapter Fifty-Five: Heart To Heart

“Awake?” Yan Jin Qiu laughed lowly as he looked at the person in his arms. He glanced at the color of the sky outside the window; it was almost evening. Because of Hou shi, Hua Xi Wan’s mood did not seem good, so Yan Jin Qiu had pulled her onto the bed. After seeing Hua Xi Wan fall asleep, his worries were put to rest.

He had been worried that the matters of Hou shi would affect Hua Xi Wan, as Hou shi and Hua Xi Wan had been decreed marriage into the Imperial Family at the same time, only Hou shi had been earlier and she later. Hou shi was in such terrible circumstances right now, and he was worried that Hua Xi Wan would relate it to herself.

However, she was not Hou shi and he was not Yan Bo Yi.

“En.” Hua Xi Wan put her head on his chest. She did not feel like moving. “I do not want to get up.”

Yan Jin Qiu saw her like this and wrapped his arms around her waist. He said with a smile, “Then don’t get up if you do not want to.” It was rare for him to see Hua Xi Wan like this, and Yan Jin Qiu naturally would not ruin the mood.

Maybe it was because this chest was slightly warm that Hua Xi Wan felt that she did not feel so repelled by Yan Jin Qiu. Or rather than saying that she felt repelled by Yan Jin Qiu, it would be more accurate to say that she was repelled by this marriage that was unequal between the sexes. Because she knew the reality was so, she docilely accepted this marriage, but because of her emotions deep inside, she would not feel true love for Yan Jin Qiu, her husband.

Maybe, even if she could not give her love, she should treat Yan Jin Qiu better as he did not have any concubines right now, and had not done anything wrong to her.

In more common words, he didn’t owe her anything.

“I never thought I would marry into the imperial clan,” Hua Xi Wan said with a sigh. “From childhood, I always felt that I would marry into a normal prestigious family and be a slightly valiant mistress, have normal and lazy days. When I got old, I would play with my grandchildren and be idle.”

Yan Jin Qiu caressed her hair. He did not speak and only listened in silence.

“After the Emperor decreed marriage, I spent a month  in my room, feeling out of sorts. Later, I thought that there isn’t any difference between men in the world. Even if I married into a minor family, a lustful man would still be lustful. The reason why I did not want to marry into the Imperial Family was because I was afraid it would be troublesome.” Hua Xi Wan turned her head towards Yan Jin Qiu and said as she looked at his chin, “We have been married for over half a year,  until now we’ve been probing each other’s bottom lines, and I suddenly feel there is no meaning in that.”

What was done was done, and anything else was useless. She knew this reality already, but she had just been unwilling.

Yan Jin Qiu looked at Hua Xi Wan’s eyes. He had not expected that she would state this openly. This was just as he had been anticipating all this time but felt would never happen. It caused him to feel happy yet not know what to do.

“Actually, from the first day of marriage, I just wanted to ask you one thing.” Hua Xi Wan raised herself up and flipped over to lie on Yan Jin Qiu’s abdomen to stare down at him. She said with a smile, “Can I believe in you?”

Yan Jin Qiu focused on this pair of beautiful eyes. “From now on, even though I cannot tell you some things, I will not lie and fool you. Are… are you willing to walk with me?”

“What you said…?” Putting a hand on his chest to support herself, Hua Xi Wan bent down and kissed the corner of Yan Jin Qiu’s lips. “Why don’t we try?”

The future could not be predicted. They would give each other a chance, and at least, not leave any regrets.

After the sky turned dark, the servants carried the hot water into the room and did not dare to look inside. They left hurriedly, and inside, they thought, Wang Ye and Wang Fei have such a good relationship.

Bai Xia looked with urgency at the tightly closed door. After waiting for a long time outside, she gathered her courage. Walking to the doorway, she said, “Wang Ye, Wang Fei, this servant Bai Xia asks for an audience.”

“Come in.” The one who spoke was Wang Ye. Bai Xia carefully walked in and saw Wang Ye and Wang Fei sitting beside the table. Wang Ye was holding a towel and drying Wang Fei’s hair as she sat lazily. She didn’t seem to want to move a finger. Seeing her come in, she managed to raise her head. “Bai Xia, has something happened?”

Hua Xi Wan understood Bai Xia. If there wasn’t something special happening, she would not be so imperceptive as to appear in the room at this time.

“Wang Fei, Eldest Miss’ nursemaid has asked for an audience this afternoon. She said that Eldest Miss has had a miscarriage. This is a letter that Eldest Miss has written to you.” Bai Xia had heard from the tone of the nursemaid that the miscarriage of Eldest Miss was not an accident, but more like she had been angered by someone. But Second Taitai was not moved by this matter, so Eldest Miss had turned to write a letter to Wang Fei.

Hua Xi Wan’s expression changed. “What happened—didn’t she have a servant come say a few days ago that she just got pregnant? How come it is gone after just a few days?” With Hua Yi Liu’s personality, she would not send someone in the afternoon with a letter. This meant that this mama had tried everything to get out of the Zhou Fu and did not care if it was morning or afternoon.

She took the letter from Bai Xia’s hand, tore the envelope and took out the paper. She found the writing on the paper was rapid and messy. This meant that Eldest Sister’s body was weak when she was writing this, and nervous as though she was afraid someone would find her.

After she read the entire letter, Hua Xi Wan’s expression changed to one of anger. “Eldest Sister has been slighted so heavily, and Second Taitai is not doing anything?”

Bai Xia shook her head. “This servant does not know.” Maybe Second Taitai was doing this for her good son.

“Nonsense!” Hua Xi Wan was so angry she slapped the letter onto the table. If not for the fact that Second Taitai was her elder, she would have started scolding already. Where in the world was there be a mother who did not do anything when her daughter had a miscarriage because she was angered by the son-in-law and the son-in-law’s concubine? Were the people in Jing going to laugh that their Hua Family did not have any people?

The path of an official career should be based on one’s own talents. Doing unorthodox things and sacrificing one’s daughter was something unprofitable. There were more than two hundred advanced graduates every three years in the Great Zhao Dynasty, but how many truly made it?

Good men should fight for their future based on their own skills. Second Taitai was not giving love, but harming her son.

“Send a letter to the marquis fu immediately. I will decide after asking Mother and Father’s opinion.” They had to manage Hua Yi Liu’s matter. Otherwise, this would be a terrible example for the other sons-in-law of the Hua Family.

If they wanted to make an example, then this Master Zhou would be good.

“Is your hand hurting from the blow?” Yan Jin Qiu pulled Hua Xi Wan over and rubbed her hand. Then he said, “It is not very troublesome to resolve this matter—why do you have to make yourself so angry?”

Hua Xi Wan said, “It is naturally easy to get rid of the Zhou Family, but I am worried this will affect Eldest Sister.”

“The Zhou Family does not have good family conduct, favors the concubine and neglects the wife. Not just Young Master Zhou, even Assistant Minister Zhou will be affected. He will not get to be the examiner for the spring examinations next year.” Yan Jin Qiu lightly patted her back. “Since the Zhou Family is so, it is better for you elder sister to divorce and live somewhere else before marrying a few years later. In any case, someone else would be better than the master from the Zhou Family.”

“I cannot decide this matter. If Second Taitai is unwilling, it is useless regardless of what other people say.”

“If she is not willing, there is also your second uncle. Your second uncle is probably in the dark about this matter; you may want to go send someone to ask his opinion.” Yan Jin Qiu saw Hua Xi Wan’s mood had stabilized and said with a smile, “I heard a few things about your second aunt and uncle fighting a few days ago. I heard that it was because Official Hua was not content with the marriage to the Zhou Family.”

“You are right.” Hua Xi Wan gave a smile. “I should send a letter to Second Uncle about this.”