As soon as Yuxi arrived at the Master Courtyard, she immediately saw Han Jianye.
Han Jianye looked burly and had an imposing stature that resembled an angry King Kong. These two attributes were unpopular in the capital, and it was not easy to find a marriage prospect for people with these attributes. However, today it was all about dressing up, and Han Jianye wore a purplish red round-necked gold brocade changpao. On his waist, his belt was decorated with a yupei, and he had neatly combed his black hair into a bun adorned with a pure gold tiger-shaped head zan.
A round neck changpao
Image Credit |Paludan, Ann. (1998). Chronicle of the Chinese Emperors: the Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial China. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd. ISBN 0500050902. Page 115. via Wiki
Image Credit |Paludan, Ann. (1998). Chronicle of the Chinese Emperors: the Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial China. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd. ISBN 0500050902. Page 115. via Wiki
The one with the green arrows is called a yupei
Image Credit | To the rightful owner via China (中国)
Image Credit | To the rightful owner via China (中国)
Yuxi happily said, "Er Ge, you look very nice in this dress. You have to wear something like this in the future!" Han Jianye used to bask in the sun every day on the mountain, and he loved to dress in black, which made him look like a piece of black charcoal. If you prepared clothes in bright colours such as blue or red, he wouldn't wear them. In the end, Qiu Shi had no choice but to make him darker-coloured clothes, such as grey and cyan.
It went without saying that he was already dark, and wearing such dark-coloured clothes would only make him more unsightly. Still, Han Jianye didn't care, plus he had been studying in the mountains with no restraints.
Han Jianye was trying to make a good impression on a girl; otherwise, he wouldn't have worn such a garment! Only those who were sissy would wear red and green. It could only be said that Han Jianye had been misled by a master who did not have any aesthetic ideas.
The group first went to the rouge and jewellery shop for a while. They headed towards the satin shop when they saw it was already a shichen away.
As they arrived at the entrance of the satin shop, Yuxi was just getting out of the carriage when she saw Second Madam Lu and Lu Xiu, who were on their way to enter the shop. Yuxi called out, "Lu Jiejie." After she called her out, she walked to Lu Xiu's side and happily said, "Lu Jiejie, I didn't expect to run into you here. What a coincidence."
Lu Xiu was also happy to see Yuxi. Although she and Yuxi were four years apart in age, the two still got along well together. "Yuxi Meimei, are you here to buy clothes too?" What could be said today was that Lu Xiu didn't know a thing. Second Lady Lu didn't tell her because she was afraid the marriage wouldn't happen, further affecting Lu Xiu's mood.
Qiu Shi looked at Lu Xiu up and down. Lu Xiu was like what Yuxi had told her: Lu Xiu had a big chest and hip. Her body was suitable for bearing children.
After saying a few words with Lu Xiu, Yuxi greeted Second Madam Lu first, then introduced, "Lu Jiejie, this is my Eldest Aunt, and this is my Er Ge."
Han Jianye's eyes lit up at once when he saw Lu Xiu. What Yuxi said was right. With this look and body, there was nothing that he could nitpick! [+]
Lu Xiu noticed Han Jianye when he was in this situation. In her mind, she thought that this person must have been a skirt-chaser. Otherwise, how could he stare intently at her like this?
Yuxi immediately saw something was wrong with Lu Xiu, so she said with a smile, "Lu Jiejie, let's go in! Let's see what good material is in the shop." Once her words ended, she held Lu Xiu's hand and went into the store.
Rather than angry about Han Jianye's performance, Second Lady Lu was happy instead. When Second Master Han looked at her daughter, there was euphoria and excitement in his eyes, and there was nothing unclean in his stare. This reaction showed that Second Master Han was delighted with her daughter.
Once Qiu Shi saw the real person, her heart's last bit of worry finally went away, and she enthusiastically said to Second Lady Lu, "Let's go in too!" After taking two steps, she saw that Han Jianye was going to follow as well, and she said to him, "You just wait outside."
Han Jianye would love to go in and see more of Lu Xiu since she was his future wife! But he didn't dare to disobey Qiu Shi's words, or else he would have a bad reputation as unfilial to the elder in his future mother-in-law's heart. "Then, Mother, take your time looking around. I'll wait outside."
When Second Lady Lu heard this, she smiled.
The people stayed in the satin shop for nearly two-quarters of an hour. When they came out, Qiu Shi, with a full face of a smile, stood at the door while holding Lu Xiu's hand and said, "What a good child."
Lu Xiu was a little embarrassed to hear this praise, but she saw Han Jianye fix his eyes on her before she could say anything. She felt annoyed in her heart and could only smile reluctantly at Qiu Shi as a response.
Yuxi took it all in stride, and a smirk appeared on her face. She knew Er Ge would like Miss Lu once he looked at her.
Lu Xiu got into the carriage as fast as she could.
Looking at Lu Xiu's sullen look, Second Lady Lu asked with a smile, "What's the matter? Are you angry because of Second Master Han?"
Not surprisingly, what came out of Lu Xiu's mouth was, "Mother, why does Yuxi Meimei have such a brother?" He was utterly a skirt-chaser.
"Silly girl," Second Lady Lu laughed, and after she had done laughing, she told Lu Xiu the reasons for their visit to the satin shop today.
Lu Xiu's eyes went wide, but then she remembered Han Jianye's performance, making her reluctant. "Mother, Second Master Han is too...."
Second Lady Lu lovingly touched Lu Xiu's hair and said with a smile, "Silly girl, when Second Master Han looked at you, his eyes were clear. He looked at you because he already regards you like his fiancee."
Lu Xiu opened her mouth, but she couldn't say a word because she didn't know what to say to that.
How could Second Lady Lu not know about Lu Xiu's worry? "Lady Han said she would ask an official matchmaker to come to our house tomorrow to propose the marriage. You don't have to worry either since Second Master Han was handpicked by your father and praised by your San Ge, so it won't be bad." Old Lord Lu was the one who promised marriage to the Ye family. There was a stake involved with the union, so at the time, Second Lord Lu and Second Lady Lu couldn't refute it either. [+]
Lu Xiu's eyes were red as she said, "For my sake, my parents and Gege have been troubled about it." To keep her parents from getting anxious, Lu Xiu tried very hard to act like nothing was wrong. Unfortunately, Lu Xiu didn't know that the more she was like this, the more her family felt sorry for her.
Second Lady Lu smiled, "It is impossible to have smooth sailing all one's life. There will always be many obstacles. At this point in your life, you should treat the obstacle as something in the past."
And on the other hand, Yuxi didn't speak at all after she got into the carriage. Seeing this situation, Qiu Shi curiously asked, "What's wrong?"
Yuxi opened her mouth and asked, "Eldest Aunt, when we ask the matchmaker to go to the Lu family tomorrow to propose, and if our relatives and friends know, will they gossip about it?" They would gossip for sure. No matter which family they were in, they would not let their youngest son marry a girl who had a broken engagement with the eldest daughter-in-law's own younger brother. Those who knew the inside story would say they had interests at stake.
Qiu Shi's face was a bit unnatural as she reluctantly smiled, "We should live our own life. Let others say what they like; we cannot control other people's mouths." Seeing Yuxi's worried face, Qiu Shi felt warm and said, "When your Er Ge marries his wife, I will take off the heavy burden and leave the matter of socialising to your Dasao."
Yuxi shook her head and said, "I'm just afraid my Dasao will have a grudge against Eldest Aunt as well."
It wasn't that Qiu Shi wasn't worried about it, but there was nothing she could do. The Old Lady had made it clear to her the benefits of the relationship, and so did her eldest son. What could she do other than back down? Opposing it till her death would only make things difficult for her son.
Yuxi naturally knew Qiu Shi's dilemma as she said, "Eldest Aunt, I actually have an idea. As long as it is implemented, neither aunt and Dage will be criticised, nor will you have any bad feelings with Dage and Dasao."
Qiu Shu looked surprised, "What idea do you have? Tell me quickly."
Yuxi also noticed Han Jianye staring at Lu Xiu just now. In a flash of light, she had come up with a solution to the gossip. "Eldest Aunt, didn't Er Ge gape at Lu Jiejie just now? We can use this opportunity to do a play."
Qiu didn't quite understand, "Put on a play? What kind of play?"
Yuxi's idea was straightforward; Han Jianye fell in love with Lu Xiu at first sight in the satin shop today, and he wanted to take Lu Xiu as a wife anyway. Qiu Shi and Han Jianming refused, but Han Jianye forced them by saying that he would rather become a monk if he couldn't marry her. In the end, they had no choice but to agree.
Qiu Shi was choked with emotion for a moment. What kind of an idea was this?
Yuxi explained, "Eldest Aunt, there are a lot of sons of nobility in the capital who marry improper wives. Between Miss Lu and Er Ge, there is only the Ye family. When Er Ge marries Lu Jiejie, if outsiders laugh at you, you just say it was not up to you. Even Dasao will not have much to say either."
Qiu Shi thought it was a good idea, but then she would be condemning her youngest son at the same time.
Yuxi smiled, "Eldest Aunt, Er Ge will only be gossiped about at most at that time, but it won't affect his future. When the two get married and live harmoniously in the future, others will, in turn, become very envious of Er Ge. Where will they continue to gossip about Er Ge?" The world was lenient on men, and an affair did not affect a man's fame or future. But women were different. If they had a slightly bad reputation, not to mention their marriage would be of less value than anticipated, they would also have to marry lower rank grooms.
Qiu Shi was silent for a moment, then responded, "Let me think about it first."
Yuxi looked at Qiu Shi's expression and knew her aunt was already tempted. She only had an idea. How to implement it depended on Eldest Aunt and Dage. However, for Yuxi to have this idea was inspired by Han Jianye, who went to great lengths just to marry Qiu Yanfu in her previous life.
As soon as Qiu Shi returned to the state residence, she immediately dragged Han Jianye into the house and told him about it. If her son disagreed, she wouldn't be using this method.
After Han Jianye knew the reason for doing so, he said, "Mother, do what you think is good. I'm okay with that."
Seeing that Han Jianye didn't have a hint of reluctance on his face, Qiu Shi said, "I've wrong you." Making Jianye marry the Lu girl had already aggrieved him enough, and for him to carry such a reputation, Qiu Shi felt both sad and heartache.
Han Jianye laughed and said, "Mother, I don't have any complaints. Miss Lu is quite good." Miss Lu perfectly matched all Han Jianye's fantasies about his wife. How could he feel aggrieved?
After the mother and child talked, Qiu Shi thought for a moment and immediately went to find the Old Lady as she spoke about the matter with her. Qiu Shi also knew her shortcomings and told the Old Lady that she hoped to improve the issue and not leave any flaws.
When the Old Lady heard this, she looked at Qiu Shi, and after being silent for a moment, she asked, "Is this Jianming's idea?" Qiu Shi's mind couldn't turn that fast, so the Old Lady thought there was a good chance Han Jianming's personal aide made the idea. Although the concept was good, it lacked camaraderie.
Qiu Shi shook her head and said, "No, it was Yuxi who came up with the idea. She said that we all will not be pointed out this way, nor will we let Ye Shi's mind create estrangement. It also won't harm Jianye's future and reputation. I have thought about it for a moment, and I think Yuxi's way of stopping the gossip is perfect. I have already asked Jianye, and he agreed." Qiu Shi didn't sell Yuxi on purpose, but she didn't want to hide it from the Old Lady.
The Old Lady's pupils flinched.
Noob Translator's Musing
So, from this chapter, it was clear that Old Lord Lu is Lu Xiu's grandfather, while Second Lord Lu is Lu Xiu's father. The problem is solved!
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi