Chapter 17: Pride
The old Furen and Yang Shi also felt that there was something wrong with the fact that Shen Yi and the Third Prince had been travelling together for half a month, but they did not know how to deal with it. The conversation among the women was usually nothing more than about their reputations and families plus earnings and gifts and such like, but rarely was there any discussion of dynastic politics.
After dismissing the servants around her, the old Furen said to Yang Shi without concern: "You still have to mention with Yi'er and the others not to get too involved with the Third Prince in public. Who doesn't know that they went out to play together for half a month now? The Imperial Court does not want the Prince to have too much contact with the civil and military officials."
Yang also sighed, "I have also spoken to Yi'er, as the Marquis has previously advised not to have deep friendships with the royal family. But Yi'er said they had played together before and this time they ran into each other on the way, and since the Third Prince had made the request, it was impossible to say anything. This is because the Third Prince also came to our house during the Flower Festival that year. At that time, he was not kicked out, but now that the Grand Prince is about to be crowned as the Crown Prince, it would seem that the Marquis House is too spineless if they refuse him. But I also think that Yi'er and the others feel that the First Prince is inconsiderate, and that joining with the Third Prince is a way of expressing their displeasure."
The old madam shook her head and said, "Children don't know what's important! The First Prince is so concerned about Wen'er's affairs. how can he not take it to heart when Yi'er and the others are doing this? You must find a chance to speak to them properly, and never do this again!"
The Old Madam had just given her word and Yang Shi had not yet found the opportunity to speak properly with Shen Yi in private. Few days later, she received a post from the Fifth Princess saying that she was coming to celebrate Shen Xiang's birthday. Holding this invitation in hand, Yang Shi was like holding fire and immediately went to see the old madam.
"Mother!" Yang Shi didn't mind the Old Madam picking on her now, it was good to have an older member of the family to talk to. Her husband was away, there was no one at her natal's house. The children are either obviously disobedient or ignorant. She has been in charge of the Hou's mansion all these years, but she doesn't have any close girlfriends. Who else can she turn to besides her mother-in-law?
Yang Shi sighed, "This Fifth Princess is coming, the Third Prince will definitely come to send her. Doesn't this allow him to get mixed up with Yi Er and the others again?"
The old Furen took the post and looked at it carefully, and asked in doubt: "How could the Fifth Princess think of coming to celebrate Xiang Er's birthday?"
Yang Shi was a bit embarrassed: "In the early years, I gave birth to Xiang Er, it was hard to hope for a daughter. Didn't we had a big 100th day banquet for Xiang'er in our house?Chen Guifei and my family are somewhat friendly, so I sent her a post just to make the occasion lively. Naturally, she didn't come, but she sent a gift, which was very thoughtful. Over the years, the Fifth Princess has only come to flower parties and so on, and has not had much other dealings. This is the first time she's coming to celebrate Xiang'er's birthday, Maybe because Xiang'er is a complete birthday this year and turns ten years old."
The old Furen frowned for a long time and slowly sighed, "If we talk about avoidance, there is not no way to do it."
Yang Shi hastily asked, "How should I do it?"
The old Furen looked at the window and said softly, "On that day, find something to send Yi Er and the others away, and then let Yi Er and the others come back when the Fifth Princess has left. Otherwise, The day before that day, I suddenly fell ill, so Xiang'er would not be able to celebrate her birthday, or let Xiang'er pretend to be sick and give a message to the Fifth Princess ...... There are many ways to do this."
Yang Shi hesitated, "Then Mother says, which method do we use?"
The old Furen slowly turned her gaze, looked at Yang Shi and said, "You see what you can do."
Yang Shi frowned, "What does Mother mean?"
The old Furen shook her head slightly: "I'm old, I can't think anymore, I don't want to do anything, I just want to live in a dignified manner."
Yang Shi didn't understand, so she excused herself and secretly called Qian Mama, her personal maid and told her what had happened, asking, "Mother gave me an idea, but then said she didn't want to use it and told me to see what I could do, what does that mean?"
Qian mama sighed deeply, "Madam, the old madam is just angry. Do you still remember what the old madam said when that maid Su Wanniang wanted to commit death?"
Yang Shi thought about it and nodded.
Qian Shi continued: " The old madam is so proud. What the Marquis of Zhenbei’s House has become today is the result of the lives of the old Marquis and the soldiers. If our House does not even dare to receive the guests who come to celebrate the young lady's birthday, and has to let its own children avoid going out or the host pretending to be sick, how stifling it would be to live. Were those people died in the early days so that we could live like this today? That's why the old lady said she wanted to live a dignified life, she didn't want to bow down. But we have children in the house, so she's leaving it up to Furen to make up her mind."
Yang Shi's eyes were red and she took Qian Shi's hand and said:" Mama, I also want to live a dignified life. At first my father always said that if a person can live up to his conscience, there is nothing to fear.But how can I not worry? In the first month, Wen'er just had a few words with the Fourth Princess, the Grand Prince, and look at what happened after this, he can be so shameless!"
Qian Shi was so frightened that she covered her mouth and looked around, whispering, "Madam, it's not that you don't know that there are many people mixed in this residence, you dare not say such things!"
Yang Shi said in a low voice: "Since there are many people in this house, we shouldn't do those things like pretending to be sick. If word gets out that our house let the young lady pretend to be sick in order to avoid seeing the Third Prince, and she couldn't even celebrate her birthday, then our house will lose all its face! I will ask Yi'er, if he is willing, let him take Erlang(second ) out with him and leave only Sanlang(third) to receive the Third Prince. Sanlang is only thirteen, so even if he does meet the Third Prince, it shouldn't be considered any kind of bonding."
Qian Shi gave an "ouch":" That Third Prince is only fifteen years in age, he is no more than a year and a half older than the Second Gongzi of our House and the Eldest Gongzi of the Pingyuan Marquis. You can see how well the Third Gongzi gets along with the Second Gongzi and the Zhang Gongzi and how he always plays chess with them, so where does he seem younger? If he really had stayed, he might have played chess with the Third Prince all day and let him stay longer."
Yang Shi said with a frown, "Then it seems that we really have to send them all away. But how can it be justified when all three boys of the Marquis Mansion are away on the birthday of the First Miss?"
Qian Shi sighed:"Isn't this just self-deception, who wouldn't see it? This is to show that the Marquis House doesn't want the Third Prince to make friends with the Gongzi anymore, and also to deliver a peace offering to the Grand Prince, showing that our House and him are together."
Yang Shi was furious: "On what grounds?!"
Qian Shi shushed, "Madam, this is not a trivial matter. The Grand Prince is about to become the Crown Prince, and will be the Emperor in the future. Our House is a subject, how can we not listen to the Emperor?"
Yang Shi said angrily, "But he's not there yet!"
Qian Shi was helpless: "That's what old Madame meant when she said Madame should 'see to it', and it was Madame who ended up having to decide.
Amidst anger, unwillingness, and worry about her children, Yang Shi waver from side to side, Finally it was decided to talk to the eldest son, again trying to convince him to take his younger brothers out of the house and to hear any different suggestions he might have. After all, Shen Yi is a seventeen year old adult and will be getting married next year, so he usually always makes his own decisions.
Shen Yi flatly refused Yang Shi's suggestion to let him go out: "Mother, this matter cannot be allowed. I I took my brothers out of the house on my younger sister's birthday, and the fifth princess happened to be accompanied by the third prince to celebrate her birthday, so who couldn't see what it was about? If the Marquis of Zhenbei's house acts in this way, how can we straighten our backs in front of people in the future?"
Although Yang Shi agreed with this opinion, how could one not bow one's head under the eaves of the palace? She asked against her will, "Can my son think of a way to save the dignity of the Marquis's family and at the same time not make friends with the Third Prince?"
Shen Yi said sullenly, "Mother allow me to think about it again, not yet." But listening to that meaning, he had no intention of thinking at all.
Knowing that the princess was coming, it was necessary for the House to make preparations. Invitations were sent out to several people who were usually on speaking terms, banquets were booked and musicians were hired. In the middle of summer in July, mats and bamboo chairs were set up in the pavilion by the small lake, with a small side room for the girls to change or rest.
By the day of Shen Xiang's birthday, Shen Yi's solution had not been taken out either. And a few days ago, Yang Shi asked Shen Xiang politely if she was not feeling well and that the birthday should not be celebrated this time, which also made Shen Xiang refuse, and also asked Yang Shi one after another what was wrong with her.
As soon as Yang Shi got up in the morning, she felt a tightness in her heart and a feeling that she couldn't catch her breath. But when she thought that she had to go to the hall to meet the children who had come to pay their respects, she had to brace herself and dress up. She could not say that she was not feeling well now, lest everyone in the Marquis House would think that she was pretending to be ill and that everyone would look down on her in future.
On a summer morning, there was already a hint of warmth in the air.
Yang Shi walked into the hall with heavy steps, sweating a little on his back. In the room, several children stood up and saluted her. Wearing a white summer shirt and a light green jade belt tied around his waist, Shen Yi looked upright and handsome and fearless. This was her eldest son that she was so proud of. Yang Shi's nose was sore and she was busy pursuing the corners of her mouth to make a smile, turning her eyes to look at Shen Xiang. On her birthday, Shen Xiang was also dressed in a simple dress, her favourite light red dress and a gold hairpin with a carved lotus flower on her head.
Yang Shi said with a smile:"It's Xiang'er's birthday, so let's all have a good time." Having said that, she was surprised that she couldn't think of anything else to say. Outside the door the old lady walked in and everyone said good morning.
The old Madam looked in high spirits, sat down and said: "I've been waiting for a very lively event. I've heard that the orchestras that have been invited are very good in the capital."
Yang Shi quickly said: "Yes, I gave them the list, and they said they can order it anytime. If there is any song that Mother wants to listen to, just ask someone to tell them."
The old Furen waved her hand and said, "As long as it's festive, it's all good."
Yang Shi said angrily: "The festive ones are all about beating gongs and drums. In this summer, my mother doesn't mind the noise."
The old Furen smiled and said: "I'm old, I can't hear clearly, and I'm arguing with you."
Everyone laughed, Yang Shi made people serve breakfast and ate with the children.
Shen Wen remembered that in her previous life at this time, the Fifth Princess had also come to celebrate Shen Xiang's birthday, while the Third Prince naturally came along and even had a few competitions with some of her brothers in the martial arts training ground. But at that time, she was having trouble with her mother because her birthday was just a month or so away, but her mother said she was still young and no need to celebrate it for herself. At that time, she herself had no idea whether the Marquis Residence had ever sensed a crisis of its own, whether it had deliberately welcomed the Fifth Princess and the Third Prince, but this time she knew for certain that the Old Furen, Yang Shi and Shen Yi had deliberately chosen pride over compromise.
