Chapter 31 :  I want to live a life that everyone envies

Huo Tan’s obedience was unknown to Cui Yunzhiao, but Cui Yunzhiao knew that Huo Tan had become increasingly brazen.

By the time it was night and they were ready to sleep, Huo Tan seemed to have realized that Cui Yunzhiao was nothing more than a paper tiger. He approached her and said, “My lady, if you get cold at night, just call me, and I’ll come warm you up.”

Cui Yunzhiao ignored him.

Huo Tan wasn’t upset. With a smile, he helped Cui Yunzhiao adjust her covers and said, “Goodnight, My lady.”

Cui Yunzhiao: “……”

Cui Yunzhiao didn’t respond, but she quickly closed her eyes and drifted into a drowsy sleep.

In her dream, it seemed like she was back in her own Furong Hall.

The hall was filled with the scent of newly burned incense, which was so strong it gave her a headache.

She seemed to be dozing lightly on the Imperial couch, while outside the hall, two young maidservants were whispering.

One said, “The mistress has been feeling a bit cold lately. Auntie Ning Zi said we should call the imperial physician to take a look.”

The other sighed and said, “Now that we’re in the Changle Garden, where can we find an imperial doctor? They’ve all been summoned back to Lingxiao Palace. There’s no one left here to attend to the lady.”

These two palace maids spoke in unfamiliar voices, clearly not ones who usually attended her. Cui Yunzhao paid close attention to their words and tried hard to open her eyes.

But the next moment, the familiar scent of pear fragrance surrounded her.

Cui Yunzhao lay in her own bed, looking at the familiar pomegranate vine pattern on the canopy and felt her heart racing.

She wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or recalling details she hadn’t paid attention to in her previous life, but at this moment, she had firmly etched this “dream” into her memory.

If this dream were real, then on the day she was poisoned in her past life, there was not a single imperial doctor in the Changle Garden.

They had all been recalled by Lingxiao Palace.

Cui Yunzhao squinted her eyes, and her previously relaxed heart tightened again.

Did the people who wanted to kill her leave no chance for her?

Even the imperial doctors had been recalled, leaving her with no possibility of being saved.

As Cui Yunzhao thought about this, her mood fluctuated, and she felt somewhat dispirited.

Outside the canopy, perhaps hearing Cui Yunzhao’s movements, Li Qing softly asked, “Miss, are you awake? Do you want to get up?”

Cui Yunzhao closed her eyes and said, “Get up.”

At this moment, she realized that Huo Tan had already left, and her side of the bed was cold.

She reached out and gently touched the quilt, sighing.

After washing up and changing clothes, she sat by the table to begin her breakfast.

Today’s breakfast included her favorite peanut brittle and white fungus lotus seed soup.

There was also a basket of fresh meat shaomai.

The shaomai had thin skin and generous fillings, clearly the signature large shaomai from Zhang’s place.

Cui Yunzhao glanced at it and asked with a smile, “Today, Mrs. Qiao is quite diligent.”

Mrs. Qiao, relying on being a fellow townswoman of the old lady, usually would slack off. Her skills were poor, and she refused to improve, always making Fu Pozi do the work for her.

Typically, in the mornings, she would go to Wang’s bun shop on the main street to buy buns. Zhang’s shaomai was in high demand and required queuing up early to get a chance to buy. Naturally, Mrs. Qiao had never been there.

Upon hearing Cui Yunzhao’s words, Tao Fei and Li Qing exchanged glances and both started to smile.

“Miss, this wasn’t bought by Mrs. Qiao. It was Young Master who went out early this morning to queue up for it. When he returned, his shoulders were all wet.”

Cui Yunzhao felt a bit of joy from this news.

Huo Tan truly knew how to make people feel good. He had caused her trouble yesterday but immediately bought delicious treats to placate her today. No wonder everyone around him was so loyal and devoted.

Cui Yunzhao thought this to herself but said out loud, “It’s not just for me, is it? They must have bought some for the main house as well.”

When Mother Xia came in carrying a basin of daffodils and heard this, she couldn’t help but smile as she looked at Cui Yunzhao.

Seeing the smile in the young lady’s eyes, it was clear she was pleased, so Mother Xia didn’t say much more.

“Miss, do you have any plans for today?” she asked.

Cui Yunzhao thought for a moment and said, “I need to go to the grain shop. Li Qing will go with me. Mother, the books I brought from home, please ask Tao Fei to organize them, especially the medical books. Put them in a separate cabinet so I can find them easily when I return.”

Cui Yunzhao didn’t know which poison had been used to kill her or what kind of incense had been burned that day. With Bau Xiaochuan’s clues being unclear, she needed to investigate thoroughly. She couldn’t just give up her life because of difficulties.

Mother Xia nodded in agreement.

After Cui Yunzhao finished her breakfast, Mother Xia said,”I have already prepared the list of tuition and apprenticeship gifts for Baihe Academy. Miss, remember to show it to Madam when you come back.”

With Mother Xia around, everything was orderly and efficient.

No wonder in her previous life, Second Aunt didn’t want Mother Xia to come along. Cui Yunzhao and Huo Tan’s marriage had already been a laughingstock.

The differences in habits between the two sides were enormous. Bringing along two young maidservants who had no experience only made things worse. But Mother Xia, having been through it all, could advise Cui Yunzhao and quickly get a grasp of the household’s workings, making life much easier for Cui Yunzhao.

Cui Yunzhao couldn’t help but give Mother Xia a hug and whispered, “Mother, you’re truly wonderful.”

Mother Xia smiled and patted her on the back, saying, “Miss, you’re still like a child.”

She helped Cui Yunzhao pick out an outfit of bamboo-purple cotton-padded clothing, a top with butterfly sleeves, a skirt with multiple folds, and a robe embroidered with bamboo patterns. Cui Yunzhao immediately looked more graceful and gentle.

She only applied a light layer of pearl powder on her face, dabbed some lip gloss on her lips, and put on her cloak before heading out.

Leading Li Qing, Cui Yunzhao had just reached the moon gate between the two courtyards when she looked up and saw Gu Yinhong sweeping the yard.

Gu Yinhong was dressed very simply.

She wore a plain blue dress with no embroidery, and the collar and cuffs were reinforced for durability, indicating that the clothes were intended for long-term wear.

In her previous life, Cui Yunzhao hadn’t paid much attention to the Gu family, but seeing Gu Yinhong now, she took a closer look.

It was evident that the Gu family must not be very wealthy.

Gu Yinhong also saw her and, noticing her luxurious attire, pinched her slender fingers.

She lowered her eyes and quickly approached, speaking softly, “Greetings, cousin.”

Cui Yunzhao responded and, seeing the old lady from the main house watching from the window, smiled at Gu Yinhong, saying, “Cousin Gu, there are servants in the house taking care of things. You don’t need to be so busy. Just focus on getting better.”

Gu Yinhong looked up and gave her a shy smile.

Just then, Fu Pozi and Mrs. Qiao came out from the back room and overheard Gu Yinhong’s words.

Gu Yinhong said, “Indeed, there are servants handling the household chores, but as a guest and a junior, it’s not appropriate for me to eat and drink for free.”

“I still need to do some small tasks within my capabilities.”

Cui Yunzhao gave a faint smile.

Was she subtly hinting at something?

Cui Yunzhao wasn’t impressed by Gu Yinhong’s little schemes and instead looked at Mrs. Qiao with interest.

“Mrs. Qiao, our household is different from before. We’re not just an ordinary military family anymore. You should practice your skills otherwise, people might make fun of my husband.”

Mrs. Qiao’s face stiffened, and she gritted her teeth in frustration but could only nod in agreement, “The Lady is right.”

Cui Yunzhao then turned her attention back to Gu Yinhong. “Cousin Gu, I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t keep you.”

As she spoke, her cloak fluttered gracefully in a perfect arc.

The cloak was made of the finest Bian silk, ideal for winter to keep out the wind and provide warmth. Under the sunlight, it shimmered beautifully, both elegant and practical.

The Bian silk cloak was worth at least twenty or thirty taels of silver in Bo Ling, equivalent to the annual livelihood of an ordinary family.

Gu Yinhong stood in the cold wind, watching Cui Yunzhao’s graceful figure, feeling so distressed that her palms were nearly bruised from clenching.

Fu Pozi, being honest and simple-minded, had already gone off to work. However, Mrs. Qiao approached with her beady eyes blinking, eager to stir up trouble.

“Cousin, the household matters are none of our business, but as you can see, the old lady has always wanted you to be her granddaughter-in-law and adores you the most.”

“Now, look at this. I don’t know what Young Master is thinking, marrying such a high-born lady. How can the household remain peaceful?”

“Over time, Young Master might end up growing distant from the family.”

“Cousin, you are closest to the old lady. Please consider her feelings.”

Gu Yinhong seemed not to understand Mrs. Qiao’s words, her face full of panic and turning red with embarrassment.

“Mrs. Qiao, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gu Yinhong said softly, her voice trembling. “Now that my cousin is married, there’s no room for changes. I find my cousin-in-law to be a very kind person.”

Mrs. Qiao snorted and made a face.

“Kind? She complains about my cooking every day. I’ve been here for years, and neither the old lady nor the madam has ever criticized me, but she’s always finding fault.”

Gu Yinhong hurriedly tried to mediate, “Mrs. Qiao, perhaps my cousin-in-law has seen more of the world, so she…”

Mrs. Qiao cut her off with a cold snort, grabbing the broom from Gu Yinhong’s hand and throwing it to the floor.

“No, this household is still under the old lady’s authority. Cousin, let’s go talk to the old lady about this.”

Gu Yinhong was pulled into the main room by her, looking alarmed.

Now, Gu Yinhong also lived in the main house and was familiar with the arrangements. So, she naturally lifted the navy blue curtain for Mrs. Qiao to enter first.

Once inside the main room, they saw the old lady sitting by the bed, eating preserved fruit.

She had grown thin and had a strong preference for sweets. Despite the doctor advising her to eat less, she resisted. Lin Xiu Gu had stopped sweet treats from being brought into the house for her health, which only made the old lady more displeased.

Mrs. Qiao knew how to ingratiate herself and had secretly bought some sweets for her to enjoy in hiding.

Seeing the two of them rushing in, the old lady quickly waved her hand, “Close the door.”

Mrs. Qiao shut the door and went to the old lady’s side, squatting down to massage her legs.

Gu Yinhong stood by the side, looking somewhat at a loss.

The old lady glanced at her and suddenly sighed.

“You are a kind-hearted and filial child, but we’re just not fated to be together.”

Mrs. Qiao narrowed her beady eyes, full of scheming.

“Old lady, how can there be no fate?”

The old lady gave her a sideways glance and sighed deeply, “Oh dear, now that Young Master is married, can’t he just take another wife if things don’t work out? Our family can’t afford to offend the Cui family.”

She continued, banging her chest and stamping her foot, “I don’t know what Young Master is thinking. I’ve told him so many times, both directly and indirectly, but he refuses to listen, insisting on marrying that high-born lady.”

“How can we afford to keep someone like her?”

As the old lady lamented, Mrs. Qiao’s smile grew even more pronounced, “Old lady, actually, this matter can still be resolved. It depends on whether the cousin is willing.”

The old lady opened her eyes a crack, “Oh?”

Mrs. Qiao leaned in and whispered in her ear, “If he can’t take a wife, can’t he take a concubine?”

—

Cui Yunzhao was unaware of the old lady’s scheming. She got into the carriage and headed straight for the grain shop.

It took about a quarter of an hour to reach the water street by carriage, which was farther than the Linquan street. If it wasn’t for the cold, Cui Yunzhao might have walked there herself, but it was so chilly outside that she abandoned the idea of a walk.

Li Qing, accompanying her in the carriage, said, “Miss, last evening, Manager Sun sent someone to inform us about the military rations. As you specifically asked, the young lad said the smallest of the military officers hasn’t come yet.”

Cui Yunzhao nodded, acknowledging the information.

Li Qing, however, was somewhat puzzled.

“Miss, why are you so concerned about that Bai Army Officer?”

Most townsfolk keep their distance from military officers. Even for the most ordinary of tasks, they would address them as ‘Military Officer’ out of respect.

No one would dare to deliberately provoke a military officer, let alone send someone to keep an eye on them.

Having grown up with Cui Yunzhao, Li Qing felt close enough to ask her directly.

If it were someone else, Cui Yunzhao would have avoided giving a clear answer, but since Li Qing would be helping her in the future, she didn’t want to be too vague.

So, Cui Yunzhao explained, “I suspect Bau Xiaochuan might have ulterior motives and might harm my husband, which is why I’m paying special attention to him.”

As she spoke, Cui Yunzhao looked up at Li Qing.

Her eyes were deep and beautiful, with a captivating elegance that drew people in easily.

Even though Li Qing had known her since childhood, she still couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the intensity of her gaze.

Li Qing looked at her in response.

At this point, it seemed that no further explanation from Cui Yunzhao was necessary.

“I understand now, Miss,” Li Qing said immediately. But Cui Yunzhao shook her head. “You don’t fully understand yet.”

Cui Yunzhao sighed softly and turned her gaze back to the scenery outside the carriage window.

It had just snowed that morning.

The snowflakes fell in a flurry, blanketing the entire city of Bo Ling in white.

This ancient, rustic city had survived through the centuries. Despite having seen the ravages of war, it had miraculously survived the current chaotic times.

In all these years of conflict, Bo Ling had remained untouched.

This was also Cui Yunzhao’s hometown.

With its white walls, blue tiles, and flowing streams, it was quintessential Jiangnan scenery.

Pedestrians on the road moved in small groups some with families, some walking alone against the wind. Although the winter was cold, each person’s face radiated hope for the future.

The common people lived through the seasons for the sake of their daily lives, three meals a day and the changing seasons.

They lived for the sake of their relatives within their homes, connected by blood.

Cui Yunzhao let out a long sigh. “Li Qing, now that my husband is a military officer, what about the future?”

Li Qing was momentarily taken aback but quickly came to her senses. “Before the marriage was settled, I had heard people praise Young Master. They said he was exceptionally talented, skilled in martial arts, brave, and resourceful. After joining the army at fifteen, he saved countless people and protected many families.”

Cui Yunzhao nodded. “If it weren’t for that, when General Lu suddenly arranged the marriage for my husband, my second uncle wouldn’t have hesitated and agreed.”

In an era dominated by military generals, as long as one has ability, the future is promising.

With her marriage to Huo Tan, Cui Xu might be criticized for marrying off his niece for political gain, or he might be praised for his keen insight in choosing a future general.

In other words, Cui Xu was also taking a gamble.

He was betting on the future success of Huo Tan.

Cui Yunzhao spoke calmly, “Since I am married to my husband, we are now one family. His future is my future.”

“In recent days, I have observed that my husband is no ordinary man. Though young, he is very thoughtful. I’ve tested him on many matters, and he speaks without missing a beat, completely unlike a rough man who has read little.”

“Given this, I need to prepare early and make thorough plans.”

It seemed as if Cui Yunzhao had matured overnight, this was the deepest impression Li Qing had of her in recent days.

She looked at her mistress with a tenderness that even she hadn’t fully realized.

“Miss, you’re different from before.”

“to take time and effort to achieve.”

Before, when she was at home, the Second Madam never truly taught the young lady and often deliberately provoked her.

Fortunately, with Mother Xia’s constant guidance, the young lady’s character did not go astray.

The early death of her father and mother, during the time when the young lady needed their guidance the most, was a significant blow to her.

Before her marriage, the young lady was always indecisive and had a sort of naïve innocence, as if avoiding thinking about schemes and deceptions would keep her life sunny.

But Li Qing did not think this was a bad thing.

This was typical of young ladies from noble families. Except for the young lady, the Fifth Miss and other young ladies in the family were much the same.

However, later on, when she followed the young lady to her new home, she was quite disheartened.

On the first day at the Huo family, Li Qing’s heart sank.

With such a residence, such a family, such a mother-in-law and siblings, how would the young lady manage?

Given the young lady’s temperament, she would likely spend every day in sadness, tears, and grievances.

Li Qing was very worried at the time.

Without Mother Xia around, and with her and Tao Fei being so young and inexperienced, they had no idea how to handle it. But unexpectedly, after the wedding night, the young lady seemed to have transformed. She was brave, decisive, and spoke her mind without feeling aggrieved.

Even when dealing with the unreasonable old lady of the main house, the young lady could smile and speak sarcastically, completely disregarding her.

When facing her husband, the young lady was even more poised and unpretentious.

Because of this, the young lady’s life in this family improved significantly.

Li Qing could see that her husband was a capable and wise man. He respected and cherished the young lady, and listened attentively to everything she said.

Such a husband was truly rare to find.

Li Qing breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Especially since the young lady had brought Mother Xia over, Li Qing felt even more reassured. But while she felt reassured, she was also very heartbroken for the young lady. If it weren’t for facing an unavoidable predicament, how could anyone mature overnight?

Li Qing was lost in thought.

Noticing Li Qing’s dazed expression, Cui Yunzhao gently tapped her hand.

Li Qing suddenly came to her senses, her face flushed slightly. “Miss.”

Cui Yunzhao squeezed her hand, her tone firm: “I want to live a good life.”

“Li Qing, I want to live a life that everyone envies,” Cui Yunzhao said, “but a good life doesn’t just fall from the sky, it requires effort and perseverance.”

“…and we need to strive for it.”

Li Qing felt a warmth welling up in her eyes, and tears nearly spilled over.

“So, I must be cautious and not let anyone obstruct my path to a good life.”

Cui Yunzhao found a perfect reason for her determination.

But it was not merely a reason, deep down, she truly thought so.

Given a second chance at life, she was determined to live better than in her past life and to ensure that those around her were also happy.

Li Qing, with tears welling up, looked at Cui Yunzhao and nodded vigorously.

“Understood, Miss. I will stay by your side. If there is anything, just let me know.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled.

She reached out and gently wiped the tears from Li Qing’s cheeks. “Silly girl, why are you crying?”

After a brief conversation, the carriage arrived in front of the Fushi Grain Store. Li Qing had already dried her tears and accompanied Cui Yunzhiao out of the carriage.

Since she had visited the day before, the young attendant at the door naturally recognized her and greeted her, “Madam.”

Cui Yunzhiao nodded and quickly entered the grain store, escaping the blustering wind and snow.

Inside, it wasn’t very warm; there was only a charcoal brazier in the center, long since extinguished. This setup prevented the grain from becoming moldy and reduced fire risk.

Manager Sun emerged from behind the counter and approached immediately, “How come Madam has come?”

Cui Yunzhiao smiled, “I discussed it with Manager Xia after returning. I’m concerned that recent grain prices are high, which might cause the city’s people to run out of rice. I wanted to discuss with you whether we could avoid raising the price of rice further.”

Currently, there were five grain stores in the city, including both the old establishments run by noble families and newly opened stores by recent military officers.

The Cui family did not operate a grain store; only Cui Yunzhiao inherited this store from her mother, which had been managed by Mother Xia.

Manager Sun had rarely seen Cui Yunzhiao except during festivals when he visited the Cui family. Seeing her today, he had a new appreciation for her.

It seemed that the Cui family’s young lady was not as aloof and inexperienced as rumored. She appeared quite compassionate.

Manager Sun led Cui Yunzhiao to a room inside and said, “Please have a seat. It’s warmer here.”

Once Cui Yunzhiao was seated, Manager Sun continued, “Your idea is excellent. If the local people learn about it, they will certainly appreciate it. However, other grain stores might be criticized by the public, which could affect our relationships.”

Grain prices in the city were generally stable. One store might sell at eighty, and another might sell at a similar price, with only a small difference.

“In my experience, if the price of old rice remains high, the price of new rice will likely increase. In previous years, when grain prices were high, they reached up to a hundred wen.”

With low prices around sixty wen and high prices reaching a hundred wen, the burden on ordinary people was substantial.

Cui Yunzhiao asked, “What was the value of old rice in previous years?”

Manager Sun replied, “In past years, if there was a lot of old rice, its price was around seventy-five wen. New rice ranged between eighty and ninety wen. Sometimes, old rice might be from two or three years ago and was not very good.”

The price of old rice was neither high nor low. Although it was not very palatable, it could at least address immediate needs and help the people get through the cold winter.

Especially for the city dwellers who had no land of their own and depended on the city’s grain stores to get by, high grain prices could lead to starvation.

Cui Yunzhiao sighed.

“I understand,” she said, her brows furrowed in deep thought, looking calm yet serious.

Manager Sun’s expression also became more solemn. This young lady, who had previously been inexperienced and had never given guidance to the store, was now showing a different side. Especially since she was married to a military family, it was not impossible for her to make her own decisions.

Thinking of Huo Tan’s reputation, Manager Sun became even more cautious.

“Madam, it’s not that I’m greedy for a few taels of silver. It’s just that the relationships between the grain stores in the city are quite complex. If we lower our prices, will the other stores follow suit or not? This could make things difficult for Huo Jiu.”

Cui Yunzhiao was taken aback.

She had not anticipated that her own grain store would involve Huo Tan. Initially, she had only been concerned about allowing people to have enough to eat and had not considered the broader consequences. Hearing this now, it seemed she could not make a unilateral decision.

After thinking for a moment, Cui Yunzhiao said, “I’ll discuss this with my husband and come back to talk with you.”

Manager Sun breathed a sigh of relief. “Madam, if it really doesn’t work out, we could also distribute porridge. Every little bit helps.”

Cui Yunzhiao nodded. “I understand.”

Just as she was about to ask something else, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Manager Sun frowned slightly but still said, “Come in.”

A boy with a round face and a tigerish demeanor peeked into the room. His eyes quickly scanned the room and landed on Cui Yunzhiao.

He then darted in like a monkey, carefully closed the door behind him, and greeted them, “Madam, Manager, the young military officer has arrived.”