Chapter 33: Good News

[Page 1 of 3]

“Greetings, Eldest Madam.”

The gatekeeper hurried forward the moment he saw Yu Yuanzheng alight from the carriage.

“Uncle Zhao, what has happened?”

The gatekeeper was Zhao Changsheng, the dowry servant brought from Second Madam’s parental home. He was also the husband of Nanny He, who served in Second Madam’s household.

“It’s nothing,” Uncle Zhao replied hesitantly, clearly reluctant to speak.

Seeing his expression, Yu Yuanzheng knew at once that he was embarrassed to say.

She covered the distance in three strides and entered the residence.

Though the house was said to have three courtyards, it was not particularly large. Still, it was more than sufficient for their branch of the family.

After crossing the outer courtyard and entering the main one, she saw her mother standing outside the main hall, preparing to punish a maidservant.

“Second Madam, this servant was wrong. I shall never dare do it again. Please spare me this once. From now on, I will work honestly and never again entertain such improper thoughts.”

A maidservant knelt on the ground, sobbing and pleading.

“Beat her,” Zhao Yuejiao ordered directly, unwilling to say anything more.

Nanny He stepped forward and instructed two matrons to press the girl over a bench. The beating began at once.

Yu Yuanzheng had never seen her mother so furious.

The wooden paddle struck with sharp, resounding smacks.

She did not hurry forward. Instead, she waited until all thirty strokes had been delivered before stepping out from behind the pillar.

“Zheng’er? Why have you returned at this hour?”

The moment Zhao Yuejiao saw her daughter, her face brightened into a smile.

“Mother, I came back because I missed you.”

Yu Yuanzheng crossed the distance in a few steps, helped Zhao Yuejiao into the main hall, and seated her.

“Mother, what happened?” Yu Yuanzheng asked, glancing at the maidservant who still lay sprawled over the bench, unconscious.

She knew the girl, of course. The maidservant had been one of the senior attendants at her mother’s side.

She was also born into the Earl’s household.

The maids who had accompanied her mother as part of her dowry had grown old and married long ago. Those now serving Zhao Yuejiao had all been selected later from among the Earl’s hereditary servants.

“Ah, now that we have separated from the main household, her ambitions have grown. She actually dared to seduce your father, hoping to become his concubine.”

“What?”

Yu Yuanzheng had not expected that to be the reason. No wonder her mother had been so enraged.

“When we were still living in the Earl’s residence, she could at least hope to become a senior maid and had some prospect of advancement, so she managed to restrain her ambitions. But after the separation, there are only eighteen servants in our household. Feeling that she had no future here, she turned her attention to your father.”

Zhao Yuejiao spoke of the disgraceful affair with deep resentment.

“Then sell her off,” Yu Yuanzheng said. She detested women like that most of all.

[Page 2 of 3]

“Ah, considering that she has served me for so long, we’ll have her beaten and send her back to the Earl’s residence. Let her parents discipline her. I doubt your aunt will spare her, either.”

Zhao Yuejiao did not want to take matters too far.

Their branch had only just separated from the main household, and they had so few servants. If she dealt with the girl too harshly, what would the others think? Showing some mercy would make those who remained all the more loyal.

“When you manage your own servants in the future, you must also learn to balance strictness with leniency. That is how you earn their true loyalty, rather than relying on force alone.”

Zhao Yuejiao took the opportunity to teach her daughter.

Back in the Earl’s residence, she had not been the principal mistress of the household. She had lived under the authority of both the Dowager Countess and the Countess, and had often restrained herself simply to make life easier for their branch.

Now that they had established their own household, she was its mistress. Naturally, her way of handling matters had changed.

“Your daughter understands.”

Yu Yuanzheng had not expected her mother to change so much after the separation.

As one would expect from a woman raised in a merchant family, she knew how to manage people.

The six shops that had formed part of Yu Yuanzheng’s dowry were all run in perfect order under her mother’s management. Each turned a profit. The profits were not large, but even that was no small accomplishment.

“Where is Father?”

Her mother had been so furious, yet her father had not appeared.

“He and your younger brother are studying in the library. Your sister went to play at the neighbors’ house. There happens to be a girl there about her age, and the two of them get along very well.”

“Then I’ll go speak with Father first. I’ll be having lunch here today.”

Yu Yuanzheng dealt with the important matter first.

“Very well. I’ll have the kitchen make your favorite flaky pastries.”

Yu Yuanzheng arrived at the study in the outer courtyard. Before she even entered, she called out loudly, “Father! Little Brother! I’m home.”

The father and son, who had been studying intently, immediately set down their books and opened the door.

“Eldest Sister is back!”

The moment Yu Qingsheng saw his elder sister, delight filled his heart.

The past ten days had been wonderfully peaceful. Now that their family had broken away from the main branch, he no longer had to read anyone’s expression.

In the Earl’s residence, he had once been required to pay his respects to the Dowager Countess every day. She always greeted him with a cold face, and even the servants in her courtyard dared to treat him with contempt.

He had long since grown tired of such a life.

Now that he had finally escaped it, he knew it was all thanks to his eldest sister.

In his eyes, she was a hero.

Yu Yuanzheng patted her brother on the shoulder. At fourteen, the boy was already considerably taller than the sixteen-year-old girl.

The three of them entered the room and sat down.

“Father, isn’t the provincial examination being held this autumn?” Yu Yuanzheng asked directly.

“Yes. I intend to register and give it a try. Your younger brother must also take the licentiate examination, so lately neither of us has dared waste a moment. We study at home every day, hoping that we can both pass.”

Though Yu Yunzhi spoke of the matter, not the slightest trace of joy appeared on his face.

It had been many years since he had studied so seriously.

He had always continued reading and learning in his spare time, but because he knew he would never have the opportunity to sit for the civil examinations, he had not pursued his studies in any systematic way.

“Father, how did you perform when you took the licentiate examination?”

[Page 3 of 3]

At the question, Yu Yunzhi fell into memory.

It had happened more than a decade ago.

He had been only sixteen when he passed the licentiate examination. His teacher had praised him as a promising young man and said that, if he continued his studies, passing the metropolitan examination and becoming a successful candidate for the imperial degree would be well within his reach.

Unfortunately, his legal mother had refused to let him continue. She had arranged other work for him at an early age.

His father had even quarreled with her over it, but still could not win him the opportunity.

Later, he had learned with great difficulty that his legal mother had threatened to kill herself. If they continued allowing him to study, she would take her eldest son and die with him.

It was clear how deeply she had hated his birth mother.

For the sake of family harmony, he had given up.

From then on, he became his elder brother’s assistant and managed the household’s miscellaneous affairs.

But he loved books. Whenever he had a little money in hand, he would buy the volumes he liked.

Looking at her father’s distant expression, Yu Yuanzheng knew that he had been reminded of painful memories.

After a long while, Yu Yunzhi finally emerged from the past. His eyes were veined with red, and his nose had begun to sting.

“In those days, I came first.”

His hoarse, bitter voice filled the room with melancholy.

“Father, I came today to bring you both good news.”

Wanting to ease the oppressive atmosphere, Yu Yuanzheng did not beat around the bush. She immediately explained why she had come.

“Oh? What good news?”

Yu Yunzhi looked at her in surprise.

“Master Jin, the former Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy, is willing to examine your learning and my brother’s. If you can pass his scrutiny, he is willing to accept you both as his students.”

Yu Yuanzheng smiled as she spoke.

“What did you say?”

Yu Yunzhi could scarcely believe his ears. Given his status and circumstances, he had no reason to think that Master Jin would take notice of him.

Master Jin did accept students from humble families, but they were the outstanding scholars who had traveled from every region to seek instruction. Nor would taking them on entangle him in a family conflict.

If he accepted Yu Yunzhi, it would mean standing against the current Earl of Yong’an. Everyone among the capital’s great families knew what had happened in their household.

Yet no one cared about the future of a son born to a concubine.

In public and in private, every family suppressed such sons. For the sake of family unity, what father did not simply turn a blind eye?

Yu Yuanzheng nodded firmly.

“But Master Jin is seriously ill. I heard he has consumption. That illness is contagious.”

Yu Yunzhi suddenly remembered another matter and forced down the excitement in his heart.

Quite a few people knew about it. Before the separation, he had heard his elder brother mention it in passing.