Chapter 217 Women was like vines
Seeing the back of Ming Ri, He Danggui was nervous. Ming Ri’s words were like cold water in the chilly day. What did that mean? There was no man who never cheat on women. None? Had the Lord deceived her? If he did so, what was the lie?
He Danggui comforted herself that she was just a frail woman without family background. The Lord far outstripped her even though she had some aptitudes and good medical skill. She was as mediocre as grit on the beach without the Lord’s appreciation. What advantages did the Lord take of her? Like Prince Xie, Senior Concubine Zhou and Senior Concubine Wan, each one’s clan could provide the Lord with great support. But the Lord had never preferred any of them, which proved that the Lord was an honest man. He was unwilling to obtain his achievement by favoring women.
He Danggui, without sleeping for several days, let out a sign and laughed at herself that she must be out of mind to suspect the Lord. Her husband was the most immaculate man in the world. He was open-minded and heroic. Ming Ri must have frightened her for the drudgery that she arranged him, which kept him awake for days and nights. How could she trust an outsider instead of her husband, her bedmate?
After her self-comforting and self-hypnosis, she went to East Yard.
Because He Danggui had a high status in Lord Ning’s Mansion now, she was treated as a honored guest in the Luo’s Mansion. And she received a lot of entertaining that almost overwhelmed her. Although she was so sleepy that were to fall in no time, she felt the feeling of kinship that she didn’t felt in her childhood. So, she was no longer agog to sleep. She always envied of other imperial concubines who owned the protections from their clans. Actually, even though Luo’s Mansion was inferior to other aristocratic family, it was her clan. The clan, namely, was an impregnable shelter and shield that enabled her to relax her vigilance, and to sleep soundly.
The celebration ceremony lasted for half a day. Not only did the Lord from West Yard came, but even some wives and concubines from Sun’s family, Guan’s family and Wu’s family came. He Danggui struggled to entertain guests for a while. Finally, Madam Luo noticed her peaky look. Madam Luo held He Danggui’s hands quietly and said to her, “Go to sleep. I will help you greet guests.” In fact, everyone could see her weariness. Her bloodshot eyes, dark circles which powder couldn’t cover, white and dry lips and unwittingly trembling fingertips were obvious to anyone with eyes.
However, everyone came to see her on purpose. And how could they miss this chance? Someone wanted to flatter her, the imperial concubine of Lord Ning, and got some profits from her, while others simply came to “see” her.
Those who brought their unmarried daughters along to see her were relating inspiring stories to their daughters. “Look. The woman who dressed in the red satin dress was He Danggui. She is an abandoned girl who was evicted from her father’s house. And she was sent to the countryside to be raised as a child, who remained illiterate and pretty in teens. When Madam Luo asked her to be your brother’s concubine, I thought her virtue was not good. Her mother didn’t have standard virtue, so did the daughter. So, I kindly rejected her. Unexpectedly, this woman was a promising one. She married into Lord Ning’s Mansion, which was surprising enough. What a golden phoenix coming out of underclass!”
He Danggui calmly listened all these words. She was already numb to people’s accusations against her mother. She had changed from blaming her mother to loving her mother now. She really wanted to see the true smile on her mother’s face. However, could He Fu, known for ingrate, make her mother smile truly?
Ming Ri was right. Man was like the towering tree and woman was the vine twining around the tree. The vine could climb as high as the tree grew. But once the vine was separated from the tree, it would be withered. Her mother lived well these years, but basically speaking, she was a twined vine. He Danggui did not realize this point. She also thought that being an elder Lady of Luo’s Family with 30 liang monthly allowance in her mother’s lifetime was the best destiny for her mother.
Nevertheless, seeing the girlish expression and twinkling eyes of Luo Chuanxiong, He Danggui realized that He Fu was Luo Chuanxiong’s tree! Even if he didn’t put all his heart on Luo Chuanxiong and was only willing to give Luo Chuanxiong a scrap of soup out of his bowl, a spoonful soup from him was much tastier than a pot of broth from her daughter in Luo Chuanxiong’s eyes. Couldn’t women free themselves from men? Could they always serve as the vine for the rest of their lives?
Although He Danggui was unconvinced, she couldn’t say anything contradictory. She was the same as her mother, relying on the man all her life. If Lord Ning could spare her a glance among others, her heat would be soaked in sweet. Yet she didn’t know that the sweet was poisonous.
While thinking of this, He Danggui slunk into a tranquil and deluxe room to sleep all day on Madam Luo’s advice. After her woke up, maids stampeded in room to serve her, changing clothes and making up for her. It made her be moved and felt like home.
After breakfast, Madam Luo came here. Madam Luo inquired about He Danggui’s life in Lord Ning’s Mansion and her health. Then Madam Luo squinted at her abdomen, asking if she was pregnant. He Danggui shook her head dejectedly. She was told by doctors that it was difficult for her to be pregnant on account of previous injuries in Shui Shang Temple. Madam Luo shook her head and signed. Then they were in silence for a while. Madam Luo thought if she had known this granddaughter would be successful, she would have treated He Danggui in a distinct way.
He Danggui was worrying about her mother’s affairs, inquiring the stewards from Qingzhou City. He Fu had abandoned Luo Chuanxiong for 6 or 7 years. And why did he change his mind all of a sudden? What conspiracy was in it? Would such a blunt and easy-going person as Luo Chuanxiong be mistreated in strange Qingzhou City? He Fu must take many concubines after he left Luo Chuanxiong. But Luo Chuanxiong didn’t know how to impeach concubines. Since they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, they must have many misunderstandings. Which side would He Fu incline to, petted concubines or his estranged wife?
After He Danggui threw all these questions to Madam Luo, Madam Luo patted He Danggui’s hand and reassured her, “Don’t worry about it. I have asked the people who were out to sea with He Fu. They said that He Fu did rake in money. When He Fu’s family was bankrupt in his early years, one of his aunts was sold to Qingzhou City as a concubine. Nowadays, his shrewd aunt replaced the principal wife and was awarded the Mistress of the Senior Governor. Therefore, He Fu settled in Qingzhou City, aiming to rest on his aunt.”
He Danggui frowned and was discomposed for her mother’s plight. She always felt that He Fu never loved her mother. In former years, he just wanted to take advantage of her mother or covet her mother’s beauty. However, after He Fu knew her mother could not give birth to children again, he turned his nose up at her mother. He Danggui was clear about that as an outsider. He Fu and his families all always cast cold and disdainful eyes on her mother. Although He Fu’s mother and sisters usually smiled and fawned over her mother, they sneered at her mother underneath. Unfortunately, He Danggui was at inferior status when she was 9 years old and not close to her mother, so she could not speak anything.
What made He Danggui worried the most was that her mother raised He Fu’s whole family, and it was a great shame that they should look down upon her mother. With the time slipped by, the beauty faded and even the belly plumped. Luo Chuanxiong was unable to compare with other young gorgeous concubines. Namely, no one in He’s family liked Luo Chuanxiong. Even if Luo Chuanxiong was the legitimate daughter in Luo’s Mansion and took charge of He’s Family, how long would the harmonious representation last? Luo Chuanxiong was pampered, and she didn’t have much experience in sharing her husband with any other women. As Luo Chuanxiong watched He Fu invariably went into the room of other young and charming maids from day to day, how long could Luo Chuanxiong keep the true smile on her face? Was He Fu really Luo Chuanxiong’s beloved?
Madam Luo was not Luo Chuanxiong’s natural mother after all. Thus, although Madam Luo sympathized with Luo Chuanxiong’s bitter experience, Madam Luo wasn’t much considerate of Luo Chuanxiong and didn’t have the telepathy that only occurred between mothers and daughters. Therefore, Madam Luo didn’t even think about these questions that He Danggui inquired. Madam Luo just kept praising He Fu on his capability and conscience, and sighed with emotion that Luo Chuanxiong had gone through all sorts of ordeal. However, Madam Luo never thought whether an elder and sterile woman could adapt the chilly north from the warm south. Just like a transplanted old withered vine, would it sprout and climb that fickle tree named He Fu?
When He Danggui intended to further issue about her mother with Madam Luo and asked for Madam Luo’s advice, Madam Luo suddenly changed the topic and stammered, “The First Lord Luo Chuanbai in Jinan City has been awaiting a Treasury position for half a year with no news; the Second Lord Luo Chuangu in Huai’an City… the Third Lord Luo Chuanpu in Fengyang City… Qian in the capital... Yan, the daughter of Qian, her marriage… Qiong’s husband... Shao’s fiance…”
He Danggui’s ears were humming. The more Madam Luo said, the more eloquent and excited Madam Luo became. It struck He Danggui. The reason why Madam Luo gave her mother the treasure box, which was worth 2,000 liang, was that Madam Luo wanted to ingratiate her. It was not the compensation that her mother was deceived by her Second Uncle. Her mother was seeking for her father, so she had to pay off the bill which was 10 times even 100 times more expensive than that treasure box.
It was reasonable for a daughter to pay off her mother’s debts. So, He Danggui was neither angry nor complain at her mother. However, her heart was like out of her chest and went to Qingzhou City with her mother’s carriage. She was reluctant to see or contemplate anything. She wanted to know whether her dull mother arrived at Qingzhou City, whether Ming Ri was responsible for protecting her mother, and whether her mother met the handsome husband who existed in name only many years ago.
Carrying the bill, He Danggui felt dizzy. She went back to Daning without a stop. After she reported back to Lord Ning, she stayed in her room and was worried about the bill. At the same time, she was waiting Ming Ri’s news anxiously. Time was as slow as a snail.
After He Danggui arranged the accounts of the bill in terms of complexity, Ming Ri finally came back from Qingzhou City. Ming Ri told He Danggui that her mother had been divorced by He’s Family, and he had escorted her mother back to Luo’s Family.
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