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Concubine Zhou being written into the clan records was also a great joyous event for Jiang Zhanwei and his siblings. Donghui Courtyard celebrated by closing the door and drinking wine.
Due to the change in the situation with the first wife, when Lu Xin came to pick up Lu Man to return to her maiden home on the second day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Man had an excuse to refuse. Lu Xin had already been waiting for a vacancy, to serve as a county magistrate in a small county in Jiaodong, and he was to take up his post after the New Year.
On this day, Lu Man, along with Jiang Yue and Jiang Zhankui, returned to another maiden home, which was Yuling Courtyard. Jiang Zhanwei had to help the main family with the funeral arrangements and only went there for dinner in the evening.
Since Jiang Zhanwei and his two siblings had already separated and lived on their own, and were distantly related to the main family, they were not considered to be carrying “bad luck” after the death of the first wife, and they could still go out to socialize.
Today, Yuling Courtyard was the same as in previous years, inviting Manager Li and Mama Wang’s family.
Manager Li was dressed from head to toe in clothes given to him by his senior sister. The robe and shoes were made by He Mingzhu herself, while the pants and socks were made by Mrs. Fu on behalf of He Mingzhu.
However, Manager Li’s behavior once again disappointed those who were trying to matchmake him with He Mingzhu, including Lu Man.
He was too shy, only able to smile at He Mingzhu with a red face, calling her “senior sister”, then talking about the weather, and reminiscing about their master, unable to find anything else to say. Whenever He Mingzhu asked a question, he would smile and answer.
He Mingzhu had been back in the capital for nearly two years, and Yuling Courtyard had not invited him to dinner less often. But every time he saw He Mingzhu, he became extremely nervous, quite different from his usual steady and calm demeanor.
Mama Wang and Mrs. Fu were both anxious for him and privately did not hesitate to blame him for being “useless”.
Lu Man felt that perhaps it was because he loved He Mingzhu too much. In his heart, He Mingzhu was the sun, a goddess, the beautiful daughter of the most respected master, and he could only look up to her.
Due to the earnest matchmaking efforts of her children and several people who cared about her, He Mingzhu felt somewhat embarrassed when she saw Li. But seeing her junior brother so shy and reserved, He Mingzhu became much more open and warmly greeted him.
The look in He Mingzhu’s eyes towards Li was warm, but clear and pure, like that of an older sister looking at her younger brother.
Whenever He Mingzhu’s figure appeared within Manager Li’s line of sight, his gaze would follow her movements. But once He Mingzhu was no longer in sight, Manager Li would regain his calm and scholarly demeanor.
He was very gentle, and the children all liked him, even the formidable Jiang Yue was very close to him. He gave each of the Jiang family children, as well as Mama Wang’s two grandsons and Baizhu, a big red envelope. He also bought two little squirrels as gifts for Jiang Jiu and Jiang Yue, delighting the two little girls who wouldn’t let go of the cages holding the squirrels.
In the evening, He Mingzhu set aside a small pot of Li’s favorite braised chicken with chestnuts and packed it in a food container for him to take home.
Manager Li lived far away, so he left first.
He Cheng and Jiang Zhanwei were talking in the main room, and He Mingzhu called Lu Man to another room, saying with a red face, “Manman, I know your Uncle Li is a good man, and I understand his feelings. I’ve tried to get closer to him, to accept him, but I’ve done my best and just can’t do it. In my eyes, he’s like my own brother…”
Lu Man also felt that they didn’t seem to be on the same wavelength. She said, “Mother, you need to think this through. If you really don’t have feelings for him, we should let Uncle Li know so he doesn’t keep waiting in vain. He’s not getting any younger.”
He Mingzhu said, “Then let Mama Wang tell him. You should help him find a suitable match, he deserves a better girl. Once he’s married and has a family, his home will be my maiden home.”
Lu Man continued, “Mother is still young, are you planning to live alone like this? If Lu Fangrong comes to bother you again…”
He Mingzhu’s eyes reddened as she said, “Besides my father, your Uncle Li, Cheng, my son-in-law, oh, and a few others like Mr. Jiang the Fifth Young Master, there are no good men in this world. My heart is dead, and I don’t want to marry. If Lu Fangrong really dares to do something shameless to ruin my reputation, I would rather hang myself than give in to his wishes.”
He Mingzhu’s words were spoken with such finality that it was clear she and Li could not be matched. Forcing them together would not bring happiness to He Mingzhu and would be unfair to Li.
Thinking of the gentle and scholarly Li, Lu Man felt a deep sense of regret. With her own father being so unworthy and Jiang Zhanwei’s temperament being so awkward, Lu Man had a special fondness for men with good temperaments. Having such a gentle stepfather would have been really nice. But fate, that most elusive and inexplicable thing, often has its own plans.
If He Mingzhu had harbored even the slightest bit of romantic feelings for Li, giving him a chance, or if Li had been a bit more open and manly in front of He Mingzhu, then they might very well have been life partners. Unfortunately, He Mingzhu only saw him as a “younger brother”, preferring to live alone rather than marry him…
On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Jiang Zhanwei went to Guangji Temple to invite a high monk to calculate an auspicious day for the relocation of the grave. Lu Man had heard of Guangji Temple by reputation since coming to the Dachun, but she had never visited. She had wanted to take the children there for a visit, but with the recent death of the first madam, it was inappropriate for them to go out as a family for leisure, so she had to suppress that desire.
In the afternoon, Jiang Zhanwei returned and said that the twelfth day of the first lunar month was an auspicious day for the removal of the coffin, and it could be temporarily placed at the nearby Qingzhao Temple. The twenty-second day of the second lunar month was also auspicious, and on that day, the coffin would be buried in the ancestral grave. Therefore, Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Zhankun should set off as early as possible to avoid missing the auspicious day due to any unexpected delays on the road, so they planned to leave on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
Additionally, Jiang Zhanwei assigned several trusted aides, including Liu Xin, to accompany Jiang Zhankui on the journey back.
As for the coffin of the first madam, it would be kept for forty-nine days before being sent back to the ancestral home for burial by Jiang Zhanju and his siblings, so they would not be able to travel together.
Jiang Zhanwei also hired a few monks to perform rituals on the day of the coffin removal.
The Dachun government would reopen on the tenth day of the first lunar month, but due to the busy schedule with Concubine Zhou’s grave relocation, Jiang Zhanwei took a few days off. Jiang Zhanju, on the other hand, submitted a memorial requesting to observe a three-year mourning period for the first madam.
To ensure Concubine Zhou’s smooth burial in the ancestral grave, Princess Changting had previously sent a letter and 2,000 taels of silver notes to the clan leader in their hometown. This time, she also instructed Jiang Zhankun to bring 10,000 taels of silver notes to the clan, and she would agree to help the clan leader and elders with several matters.
Because of Lu Man’s influence and a few words of advice from the Princess, the Second Master did not cause any more trouble, but he remained indifferent to anything concerning Concubine Zhou, not even bothering to look at the significant event of the coffin removal.
On the fourteenth day, the three siblings, Jiang Zhanwei, went to Wannian to see the Second Master, still hoping that he would go to see Concubine Zhou off the next day. After all, Concubine Zhou had given him three children and was his “secondary wife”.
They did not ask Lu Man to go, so she did not. According to Lu Man’s thinking, it didn’t matter if the Second Master didn’t go, his presence would only be an eyesore. But the way people thought in ancient times was different, and Jiang Zhanwei hoped that the Second Master would attend.
As soon as the three siblings entered, they knelt directly in front of the Second Master. Jiang Zhanwei said, “Second Master, my aunt will be ‘leaving’ tomorrow. For the sake of the three children she bore you and for the sake of our sibling bond, I beg you to ‘see’ her off.”
After speaking, the three of them kowtowed to the Second Master.
This was the first time in Jiang Zhanwei’s life that he had ever begged the Second Master, and it was such a humble request.