Chapter 379: More Bad News

Mrs. Wang, now approaching forty, naturally could not compare to those concubines and maids in terms of youth and beauty. Having given birth to two children in a row, she had gained weight and her skin was no longer as fair and smooth as before. Thus, when Zhang Fu stared at her intently, she felt uneasy.

“Why are you staring at me like that, sir?”

“They say young couples stay together until old age; now I truly understand that.” Although Zhang Fu was still in his prime and not old, years of warfare had left him with various health issues. Yet, after returning after two years and seeing his children, he felt deep gratitude toward his wife. “Madam, you’ve worked hard.”

Only then did Mrs. Wang realize that her husband wasn’t looking at the extra wrinkles on her face. Despite her age, she still blushed, feeling warm inside. Seeing Bi Luo bring over a porcelain cup on a painted tray, she quickly stood up and placed it on the plumwood table beside Zhang Fu.

“When Dr. Feng was treating Yong, I mentioned your chronic rheumatism to him. He said that porridge made from walnut kernels, pine nuts, chestnuts, jujubes, and various beans would be better than medicine. Mulberry wine, consumed daily, would also help. It might not cure it completely, but it would ease the symptoms. Besides, the weather in the north is much drier than in the south, so the attacks might be less frequent, reducing your suffering.”

“Madam, you’ve really gone to such lengths. It’s just an old condition; I’m not that delicate.”

Zhang Fu opened the porcelain cup and saw it filled with dried fruits and beans, emitting a pleasant aroma that stirred his appetite. While he had been training in Xuanfu, no one dared mistreat him as a duke, but he couldn’t bring a chef with him, nor did he want to be picky about food. So his meals were naturally not as refined as those at home. With his large appetite, he finished the entire bowl of bean porridge quickly. Wiping his mouth with a silk handkerchief, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Over these past two years since I left, I’ve reverted to my old habit of eating greedily. In my opinion, one’s environment influences their behavior; if I were to stay in that old place for a long time again, I’d surely fall back into my old ways. Training soldiers requires strict discipline—if I, as their commander, were to be indecisive or lazy, what kind of soldiers would be trained? Moreover, places like Xuanfu are close to the north, where Mongol spies often sneak in, so I can hardly sleep soundly at night. It’s been difficult for me to adjust to sleeping here in the capital after returning from there.”

Though Zhang Fu spoke casually, Lady Wang had married him at the age of fourteen and experienced the tumultuous Jingnan Campaign—how could she not be aware of the risks involved in leading troops into battle? Fortunately, her husband had returned safely, relieving her worries. She immediately ordered her nurse to bring their son and daughter, and the couple played with them for a while before someone came in.

“Master, my lady.”

Although Zhang Fu had been resting in Lady Wang’s room these past few days, Xi Yu still served him daily as usual, being careful even with her clothing, never wearing bright colors like pink or green like other young concubines. Now dressed in a sky-blue gown, she entered carrying several gold-embossed invitations. Seeing Zhang Fu smiling as he held their daughter, she was momentarily stunned before stepping forward to hand him the invitations.

“Although the emperor ordered Master to rest properly, many people have sent invitations since his return. Most of these are related to weddings and funerals of various nobles. Aside from the eldest grandson of Marquis Wu’an, the rest aren’t urgent. Please decide what to do, my lady.”

“If you say they’re not urgent, handle them as you see fit,” Lady Wang replied without even looking at the invitations. “With the emperor’s approval, no one will fault Master even if he doesn’t get involved. But it wouldn’t be good to ignore them all either. Since it’s the marriage of Marquis Wu’an’s eldest grandson, Master can’t disregard the feelings of his comrades.”

Seeing Lady Wang nod at her with a smile, Xi Yu grew happy and quickly placed the tiny Zhang Yong on the kang. Just as she was about to say something auspicious, a voice came from outside: “Master, my lady, the Yangwu Baron has sent his young master over, saying he’s here to visit Master and deliver an invitation.”

Hearing this, Lady Wang quickly ordered him to be brought in, though she was somewhat puzzled. Although her nephews would come to bring gifts and pay respects during festivals, it was usually Zhang Yue who had the most frequent contact. Even when Lady Gu had matters to discuss, she often sent Zhang Yue instead. Why was it Zhang Qi this time? If there really was something urgent with Zhang You’s side, they should have sent the eldest son rather than the second.

Apart from going with the crowd, Zhang Qi rarely came here. After entering and offering his respects, he exchanged a few words as per etiquette, after which he felt somewhat awkward and decided to get straight to the point, handing over an invitation card. It turned out that in half a month, the Dongfang family would be celebrating their birthday—she had recently been promoted to Lady of Yangwu and was also turning forty, so a celebration was necessary. Thus, the Gu family asked Zhang Qi to deliver the invitation. Although Lady Wang and the Dongfang family had only a moderate relationship, out of respect for her aunt, she agreed right away. But once he left, she wondered to herself and said to Zhang Fu, “It should have been Chao Ge who brought the invitation today—why was it his brother instead?”
Zhang Fu didn’t seem to mind. “Perhaps he had something urgent to attend to. Both brothers hold military positions, after all. There are rules for taking leave from the army; they can’t just loaf around like those idle nobles with no responsibilities. Compared to Zhang Bin and Zhang Jin, who are good for nothing, these brothers are quite decent—each of them has potential. By the way, Xiyu, send a message to Zhang Yue and ask him to come see me when he’s free. I happened to get a box of calligraphy scrolls in Xuanfu—by Zhao Mengfu, Huang Tingjian, and Su Zizhan. According to some scholars there, they’re all authentic. He’s on good terms with the Shen brothers, so these will be useful to them. Have him come and pick them up when he has time.”
“Sir really cares about him. Don’t let those youngsters say you’re biased.”
“If those things end up in their hands, they’re no better than toilet paper. Giving them to Zhang Yue won’t waste their value, and it’s appropriate to pass them on. Besides, hasn’t Xiyu already distributed what should be given to each household? They’re used to luxury; they probably wouldn’t even look at my plain silk. I heard they only wear embroidered and gold-trimmed clothes now—their extravagance has even spread outside! The second and third sons complain that their positions are too low and that I’m not supporting their nephews, but they’re not even capable of standing on their own!”
Seeing Zhang Fu growing angry, Lady Wang had to intervene and gave Xiyu a subtle signal. So, Xiyu couldn’t help but make a joke. Yet, contrary to expectations, Zhang Fu’s anger hadn’t subsided when he suddenly remembered another matter.

“By the way, do you know that Ke, the daughter of my second brother, is going to marry Li Maofang, the Marquis of Fuyang?” Seeing Lady Wang nod in surprise, Zhang Fu frowned. “That family background is undoubtedly impeccable, but Li Maofang… The emperor has tried several times to send him to the Imperial Academy to study, but he refuses to go. He’s known for being arrogant and indulgent in beauty. Moreover, Princess Yongping has always been restless. It’s not so much that Ke won’t have a good life there, but rather the troubles that might arise in the future! Don’t you think this marriage is my second brother straying too high?”
“When my second brother’s wife came to see me, she was beaming with joy, saying that my second brother hadn’t paid much attention to Ke before, but this time he’d chosen such a good match. I didn’t think much of it, as it’s after all their family affair.” Hearing Zhang Fu’s words, Lady Wang also grew uneasy. “But I heard it was Princess Yongping who sent someone to my second brother’s house to arrange the marriage. Besides, our Zhang family’s status isn’t diminished by marrying into the Marquis of Fuyang’s family. It can’t really be called straying too high, can it?”
“That’s not how it is…”
Just as Zhang Fu was about to explain the complexities, a commotion came from outside. Xi Yu hurriedly apologized and left. Before long, she returned with a serious expression. She first sent the maids away before kneeling and speaking urgently, “Master, Madam, something has happened at the second master’s house. The second madam suddenly slipped and fell into the pond. Her condition is very serious. It’s in complete chaos over there, so two matrons were sent here. I’ve instructed them not to spread rumors. Please advise whether we should go and take a look.”
Lady Wang had naturally heard of the chaotic affairs in Zhang Fu’s family, such as wives fighting for favor and concubines killing their wives. Now, she was both shocked and angry. “Slipped? How could she slip like that? What’s the use of me going there at such a time? With so many maids in the house, how could they let the mistress fall into the pond in the cold weather?”
Even Zhang Fu, who usually didn’t care about his two brothers’ family affairs, was now truly angry. Though he disliked his weak sister-in-law, Deng, who would wander by the pond in the dead of winter and even slip, it was simply absurd. Thinking of his father’s reputation and his own careful nature, he felt furious that his brothers were so careless. After suppressing his anger, he gave Lady Wang some instructions and asked her to go there with Bi Luo and the two matrons.

Yet Lady Wang was away for a whole day, and it wasn’t until evening that news arrived—Lady Deng had passed away. Hearing such an unexpected news, Zhang Fuxu was stunned for a long time. Only when Xi Yu kept reminding him did he, who never took his anger out on objects, casually pick up a teacup nearby and smash it. It wasn’t until he heard the clear, loud crash that he covered his eyes with his right hand and let out a deep sigh.

It took a good while before the silent maids dared to step forward and carefully tidy up. Xi Yu quietly instructed them to remove the food from the table. After leaving the room, she sent someone to prepare funeral attire and rites, and also sent someone to Lady Yangwu’s residence to announce the death. As she handled all these matters, she felt an increasing sense of chill.

She was after all a legitimate third-rank noblewoman—how could she die so mysteriously? If so, should Zhang Ke’s arranged marriage be postponed for three years, or take place during the mourning period?