Chapter 07 – Return

Because they were in a hurry to return to Qingzhou, Wen Bai consulted the old doctor, who assured them that Wen Hui would recover after a few days of rest.

Wen Hui also insisted she could travel. However, she often coughed, making her unable to eat, and appeared weak overall. Seeing her frail state, Wen Bai decided to hire a carriage for her.

After settling the room and medical bills, and bidding farewell to the kind innkeeper couple, Wen Hui obediently sat in the carriage to go home with her brother.

The farther north they traveled, the windier and colder it became. Riding in a carriage should have been more comfortable than riding a horse, at least sheltered from the wind. However, the downside of carriage travel is the jolting. Some people can ride horses or walk without issue but get dizzy, nauseous, or even feel like vomiting when riding in a carriage.

Wen Hui thought she wasn’t one of those people. That was only because she used to ride horses and rarely traveled by carriage. She had never sat in a carriage for such a long time. This long journey in the carriage made her feel awful. Although it was not as serious as some people who would vomit, she did feel chest tightness, dizziness, and difficulty breathing.

She was even more unable to eat.

With their mother’s death order, the siblings did not want to fend for themselves outside. They could only push themselves to get home as quickly as possible. Finally, They managed to return to Qingzhou a day earlier than the appointed time. Wen Hui, already thin from her illness, grew thinner on the bumpy journey. By the time they reached Qingzhou, her chin was so sharp it could pierce, her eye sockets were deep, and her eyes seemed disproportionately large.

However, there was one good thing, her skin, tanned from her trip to Changsha, had become fair again.

Upon hearing that “Yueya’er has returned safely”, Yue Ya’er’s mother grabbed the family whip, ready to “give this unruly girl a good beating”. But when she saw the girl with a sharp chin, big eyes, and pale skin, she exclaimed, “Oh my!” and dropped the whip, rushed forward to embrace Wen Hui, and said with heartache, “How did you become so thin?”

She then turned to scold her oldest son, “I told you to go pick up your sister. Don’t you know how to take care of her?”

Wen Bai felt wronged, “She gets car sick and couldn’t eat. There’s nothing I could do.” Besides, they had to rush home, wasn’t that your death order, Mother?

“Useless thing!” Lady Wen angrily smacked him a couple of times.

Wen Hui hurriedly stopped her, “Don’t blame Big Brother. It’s my fault. When the carriage jolted, my chest felt stuffy…”

“So you know it’s your fault!!” With Wen Hui’s interruption, Mrs. Wen’s anger, suppressed by her heartache, flared up again. She pinched Wen Hui’s arm. “You little brat! You dare to act so recklessly! You …”

Feeling how thin and bony Wen Hui’s arm was. Although she still pinched it, Wen Hui knew very well that her mother had been merciful—it didn’t hurt at all!

But others didn’t know this. Seeing Madam Wen gnashing her teeth in anger, Wen Bai and his wife, Madam Yang, hurried over to pull her back.

One of them said, “Mother! Mother! Yue Ya’er just recovered from an illness!”

Others said, “It’s good she returned safely. Mother, please calm down.”

Madam Wen, finding an excuse to back down, released her daughter but continued to scold, “What illness? She looks perfectly fine to me. Why didn’t she just die out there? I could pretend I never had such an ungrateful child!”

With her son and daughter-in-law continuing to soothe her, and Wen Hui meekly bowing her head in apology, Lady Wen’s anger finally subsided. She then instructed her eldest daughter-in-law, Madam Yang, “Lock her in the courtyard! She’s not to take a single step outside until the Lu family arrives!”

Wen Hui raised her head and wanted to argue, but her sister-in-law pinched her arm and gave her a warning look, saying, “I’ll lock her up immediately! She won’t run off again!” Then dragged Wen Hui away.

Wen Hui didn’t resist and followed her sister-in-law obediently.

Madam Wen was still shouting, “Put the big lock on! The biggest one!”

The servants rolled their eyes.

Their young mistress could climb over walls and trees. So what if the lock was big? Did she run out of the gate this time? She climbed over the wall to escape, okay?!

Madam Wen suddenly thought of this problem and chased after her, then changed her instruction, “Don’t lock the courtyard gate. Lock her room door and windows!”

Madam Yang replied from a distance, “Don’t worry, Mom!”

Madam Yang pulled Wen Hui back to her courtyard. Inside, it was warm and toasty. Although Madam Yang scolded her angrily, she still ordered the maids to light the firepot in preparation for Wen Hui’s return.

Wen Hui hugged Madam Yang’s arm, “Sister-in-law, are the Lu family really coming?”

Madam Yang said, “Don’t worry about that now. Jin Zhen, Yin Xian^[1]Tl random chatter: 金针 (jīnzhēn) and 银线 (yínxiàn), the maids’ name. If translated it becomes Gold Needle and Silver Thread. At first I thought she really asks for needle and thread … Continue reading, where is the water?”

Two sturdy maids answered from outside and led the servants in carrying buckets of hot water, “It’s ready! Oh my, how did Young Miss get so thin? “

Everyone in the house was shocked to see Wen Hui. She had always been plump and rosy-cheeked, full of life. How did turned into a frail, willow-like figure after going on such a long trip?!

The maids were distressed at first, but then they couldn’t help but say, “But you look even prettier now.”

Madam Yang examined Wen Hui for a while and breathed a sigh of relief, saying, “Thankfully, you didn’t get tanned! I was worried you’d be exposed to the wind and sun, returned all sunburnt. How would we present you to the Lu family by then?”

Madam Yang organized the maids, two maids quickly brought in clean towels and fresh clothes.

And other older servants brought in buckets of hot water.

Wen Hui allowed them to surround her and undress her outer coat and thin outer beneath it. She was pushed into the washroom, stripped naked, and pressed into the bathtub.

The home really was comfortable!

Wen Hui let out a long sigh and sank into the hot water, submerging everything but her nose. The steam filled her vision, making her feel utterly relaxed.

Compared to this, the past few months outside were really … hard.

Jin Zhen untied her braids to be washed, while Yin Xian scrubbed her back. Wen Hui asked in a low voice, “Where’s my sister-in-law?”

Madam Yang’s voice came from outside, “Here. Keeping an eye on you. What mischief do you want to do?”

Wen Hui quickly said loudly, “I’m worried Sister-in-law is tired. I want to offer sister-in-law to quickly return to rest.”

Madam Yang snorted, “Hmph.”

Jin Zhen said, “Don’t think about running away again. You nearly gave Master and Madam a heart attack.”

Yin Xian said, “If you run away, we’ll be punished again!”

Wen Hui was shocked, “Did Mother use the family law on you?”

Jin Zhen sighed, “Oh, my Young Miss, we’re not Madam’s children. If you run off, how can we live comfortably?”

Yin Xian said, “We each got five lashes. We couldn’t walk properly for days and couldn’t lie down to sleep because of the pain.”

Wen Hui felt deeply guilty, “I’ve implicated you. I, later I’ll…” She wanted to find a way to compensate them but couldn’t think of anything immediately.

Jin Zhen and Yin Xian grew up with her and knew her the best, They said in unison, “Don’t think about making it up to us. Just behave!”

Jin Zhen pushed her head down, “Lower your head, lower.”

Wen Hui lowered her head for Gold Needle to wash her hair, suddenly smelling a pleasant fragrance. With her eyes closed, she asked in surprise, “Is it Zhuling paste?”

Jin Zhen said, “That’s right, isn’t it fragrant?”

Wen Hui, unable to open her eyes, asked, “What’s the occasion? Did we become rich?”

Zhuling paste was not only fragrant but also more effective for washing hair than soapberry. However, it was expensive. Wen Hui usually bathed and washed her hair with soapberry and bath beans.

Especially in the past two years, her family seemed financially strained, and expenses had been tightly controlled.

She didn’t know before, but now she understood that it was because her family had spent a lot of money on Huo Jue’s matter.

Jin Zhen said, “Madam ordered us to use Zhuling paste to wash your hair before the Lu family arrives.”

Yin Xian added, “She even made new clothes for you!”

Wen Hui finished washing her hair, wiped her face, and raised her head, leaning on the edge of the bathtub. She whispered, “Do you know when the Lu family will arrive?”

The two trusted maids also lowered their voices and said, “We heard they will be here soon. A few days ago, the messenger came to inform us that they were almost here…”

Outside, Madam Yang raised her voice, “Why are you asking them? Hurry up and wash up. I’ll tell you when you come out.”

The three girls stuck out their tongues. The two maids sped up, thoroughly scrubbing Wen Hui. As they scrubbed, they commented, “How did you become even fairer?”

Wen Hui ran away from home on horseback. Everyone thought that she would be tanned.

“I’m not that stupid. I was wearing a bamboo hat on the way.” Wen Hui explained, “But I did get a little tanned. I got sick on the way back and stayed inside the whole time. Big Brother caught up with me and I rode in the carriage the rest of the way, that’s why I getting fairer.”

“It’s good to be fairer, just in time to meet the Lu family,” Jin Zhen said.

Before, they used to mention “Young Master Huo”, but now it’s always “the Lu family.”

Wen Hui sighed inwardly. She was eager to know about the Lu family, so she didn’t soak for long. She came out after finished bathing. Outside, Madam Yang heard the noise and shouted, “Don’t forget to apply the lotion.”

Jin Zhen and Yin Xian took the lotion and applied it to her body. It was smooth and soft. When her skin absorbed it, it became soft and fragrant. This was something the family never used before. Obviously, a luxury to meet the Lu family.

When Wen Hui came out with a large cloth wrapped around her head, Madam Yang sat on the Kang bed eating dried fruits. Seeing her come out, she quickly told the maids, “Quick, dry her hair properly, don’t let her catch a cold. I’m telling you, she can get sick at any time, but these few days, don’t think about it!”

The maids knew the importance, so they pulled the brazier closer and set up a fumigation stove to dry Wen Hui’s hair.

Wen Hui sat on the Kang bed, freshly bathed and warmed by the fumigation stove, Wen Hui’s cheeks regained their rosy color, making her look especially beautiful.

Madam Yang let out a long sigh of relief.

“Sister-in-law ~” Wen Hui acted coquettishly, “Quickly tell me about the Lu family.”

“Hmph.” Madam Yang pretended to be angry and shook off her hand, “You still have the nerve to ask! As soon as you ran away, the Lu family’s letter arrived, saying they were coming to formalize the engagement. Father was jumping anxiously while Mother was so anxious that her mouth was foaming.

It was Scholar Wu who was smart and came up with a plan. Father told the Lu family that he needed to hold a memorial ceremony for an elder and postponed the date.

When Lu family received the letter, they agreed and set a departure date. The agreed day was getting closer, but you and your brother were still nowhere to be seen. Mother was so worried that she couldn’t sleep. Three days ago, the Lu family sent someone to inform us they would be disembarking in Jinan in two days, then rest before traveling to Qingzhou.”

At this crucial point, Wen Hui held her breath.

Madam Yang, however, took a sip of tea— Her throat was dry from the long speech in one breath.

She was the daughter of a military family, and there was also the Wen family’s second son, Wen Song’s fiancée, and Ying Niang, who had just had an engagement ceremony with the Wen family’s youngest son, Wen Shan. They grew up together with the Wen siblings and knew each other very well. Being from a military household, her manner was straightforward and unreserved.

After moistening her throat, she angrily said, “Do you know what happened?! Father and Mother were all smiles in front of the messenger, but as soon as he left, Mother almost fainted on the spot. Fortunately, I was quick enough to catch her!”

Wen Hui wilted, “It’s my fault.”

“Whose fault if not yours? Is it mine?!” Madam Yang angrily poked her head. Her technique was the same as Wen Bai’s, “No one has slept well these days. Mother asked eight hundred times a day ‘Has Yueya’er returned?’. Today, when the servant sent a message that you were back, Mother was originally kneeling in front of the Buddhist shrine, chanting scriptures. She suddenly jumped up.”

Wen Hui thought, ‘She’s reciting scriptures still holding the family whip when she came out. She must have kept it by her side all the time, waiting for me to come back and beat me up.‘

That must have been a lot of anger.

“At least you’re back.” Madam Yang chanted, “Amitabha,” sighing deeply, “We can finally have a good sleep.”

Wen Hui sheepishly said, “I’ve troubled you, sister-in-law. I’ll make a pair of shoes for you and Hu Ge’er later…”

“Good that you have a conscience. I accompany Mother every day, praying for your and your brother’s safe return. If you don’t make ten pairs of shoes for me and your nephew, you will let me down.” Madam Yang teased her.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside and Madam Wen’s voice rang out, “Is that rascal ready yet?”

Yin Xian lifted the curtain in the outer room, “Done. She’s drying her hair now.”

As she spoke, Madam Wen entered. Madam Yang and Wen Hui hurriedly got off the Kang bed and put on their shoes. Seeing Madam Wen, Wen Hui was like a mouse seeing a cat. She was flustered and almost knocked over the incense burner.

Madam Wen was furious and scolded again, “Be more steady! Clumsy as ever! How will you face the Lu family?”