Chapter 94: Repaying Debts

The gentle spring breeze rustled, carrying a light, refreshing warmth in mid-February. Spring rain nourished everything, making the air damp and heavy, and clouds often blanketed the sky in a gray haze. Though sunshine was rare, the cold had eased. The southeastern wind felt soft and invigorating, sweeping away the chill that lingered.

Meinang was incredibly busy, handling household affairs, running the Xian Ke Lai restaurant, and managing the pressure surrounding her brother’s upcoming civil service exams. The weight of all this left her struggling to breathe, so she leaned on Ning Rulan, asking her to support the Zi Yun Hall with her full effort. Ning Rulan, always agreeable and never questioning, obliged without complaint.

Ning Rulan herself was in high spirits. Her husband, Xu Jun Ya, had recently been appointed to an official position as a seventh-ranked court officer. This new role meant they could no longer spend as much time together, which only deepened their mutual longing. Each morning, Rulan reluctantly sent him off, eagerly awaiting his return each evening. This separation made their time together feel both wonderful and exciting. Though she wanted to share her happiness with Meinang, she hesitated, knowing things were still tense between Meinang and Xu Jun Ying. Instead, she kept her joy to herself, happily managing the household in Meinang’s stead so that Meinang could take time to visit her son.

After finally repaying the entire 350,000 taels borrowed, Meinang couldn’t resist celebrating. She rewarded all the Xian Ke Lai staff generously, reserved a private room, and had the chefs prepare the restaurant’s signature dishes. With Zhang Jing Yun and Ling Xu Zi joining her uninvited, they drank heartily. Though Meinang, as a woman, could hold her liquor, Zhang Jing Yun and Ling Xu Zi tried to stop her from overdrinking. She refused, downing each toast and leaving her glass empty. Despite her boldness, she maintained enough composure to stop before fully intoxicated. She boasted, “From now on, I, Cen Mei, have real money! Don’t hesitate to come to me if you ever need funds… Heaven made me for a reason, I will spend thousands and gain thousands back!”

Her confident, bold demeanor amused the two men, while Cui Xi and Cui Jian, her maids, stood nearby, bewildered.

Back at the Hou Mansion, she continued celebrating, feasting joyfully like a child. If not for Wang Mama’s insistence, she might have stayed up all night celebrating with the servants.

Their festivities caught the attention of people in the East Courtyard. Xu Jun Ying sent Rui Zhu to see what was going on. Rui Zhu returned, saying, “The maids in the hallway are all drinking, rewarded by the Grand Lady. Today is the young maid Orange’s birthday, and the Grand Lady is celebrating it for her.”

Xu Jun Ying lowered his eyes. “She seems quite free-spirited,” he thought. “I haven’t seen her around much lately.” All he saw was the glow from her room’s windows, imagining her inside, perhaps looking over ledgers or knitting. Orange had mentioned that the Grand Lady was busy day and night managing affairs and chatting with her sisters in law or even learning about gardening from the groundskeepers. Apparently, she envied others’ gardens and now wanted to create her own.

Meanwhile, the old matriarch continued to urge Xu Jun Ying to find news about the Empress Dowager, who was now preoccupied with Prince Qi and often away praying or accompanying the prince on trips to the royal villa. The old lady’s hope was for Xu Jun Ying to mention how much she missed the Empress Dowager in the emperor’s presence, hoping this sentiment would reach the Empress Dowager and result in an invitation to the palace.

Xu Jun Ying felt a slight irritation. The thought of remarrying seemed burdensome and uninspiring. The gentle Zhuang Yu Lan, his cousin, was now spending time with Zheng Mei Yu, and he was surprised to notice a resemblance between the two. On closer inspection, he realized they wore similar hairstyles, accessories, and even had similar taste in clothing colors. He felt inexplicably frustrated.

Roughly seven or eight days earlier, Meinang had met him in the courtyard, inviting him to her sitting room for tea and refreshments. As the matriarch’s appointed manager, she dutifully raised the topic of his upcoming marriage, noting that the old lady had approved of cousin Zheng as his concubine. In a practical tone, she suggested that he marry both women at the same time to save time and resources. She even showed him a layout for the arrangement of rooms after the wedding.

As Meinang explained, Xu Jun Ying watched her animated lips move as she spoke, her clear gaze meeting his without reservation. She exuded the air of an elder sister discussing matters with a younger brother. “Does she really see me as a brother, managing my marriage for me?”

After she finished, Xu Jun Ying asked, “If the bride lives in the main room, where will you stay?”

She handed him a piece of paper, smiling. “This is Jing Courtyard. It’s a bit isolated, but I plan to make it my own, growing flowers and creating a beautiful garden where I can host floral banquets.”

Xu Jun Ying frowned. “The mansion already has gardens. Besides, didn’t you issue a ban against decorations and gatherings? Jing Courtyard is too remote, in fact, there was once a concubine who… hanged herself there.”

Meinang paused, startled, and softly asked, “Why did she do it?”

“She offended the main wife.”

Meinang relaxed and laughed. “I’ll have plenty of people with me. Why should I fear a ghost?”

Xu Jun Ying found her boldness both admirable and exasperating. Although he respected strong-willed women, he found her resilience hard to accept.

He left without agreeing to her plan, instructing her instead to begin renovations on the courtyard rooms but delaying any decision about her living arrangements.