【Illustrated Record of Fragrance】【43】【Author: Qingzhu Qiu】

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter 43 Accusations of Intrigue and Schemes Lead to a Prosperous Son Ye Xiong and the Bear It is said that Yun Conglong received an imperial decree to be appointed as the Grand Canal Governor. A day later, the newly appointed Governor of Suzhou arrived, and Conglong relinquished his post. He then packed his bags and headed to the South Canal with his family. He first sent Chen Renshou and his wife back to Nanjing before slowly setting off himself. The welcoming and seeing-off procession is too numerous to mention.
That day, he arrived in Nanjing early and went ashore to pay his respects to Xiaoru, Boqing, and others. Boqing immediately brought up the matter of Zheng Lin, asking him to look after him. Conglong said, "The person you recommended is certainly good, and he has such good qualities in his heart; I should make an exception and grant him a position. Have him come to see me tomorrow so I can assess his abilities." He then asked how Huizhu was doing lately. Boqing said, "Don't mention him again." He then recounted Huizhu's vow to cultivate himself. Conglong shook his head and said, "I didn't expect Wanxiu to change his temperament so drastically. He's usually quite mild-mannered, but he wouldn't suddenly become so resolute. It's possible that Boqing wasn't careful and said something unintentional that chilled his heart." Boqing said, "If I were truly wronged, how could I dare offend him? Besides, Wanxiu and I are close friends. Even if I unintentionally said something wrong, he wouldn't hold a grudge against me. And I didn't say anything wrong. It's difficult to ask him to have a proper talk with me now. I can't fathom his hidden thoughts and feelings, so I can only listen. If you don't believe me, ask Xiaoru in private tomorrow." Seeing Boqing's sorrowful expression, Conglong didn't press further and changed the subject. After talking for a while, he took his leave and returned to his boat.
The next morning, Zheng Lin received the news and hurriedly came to pay his respects. Conglong saw that he was extraordinary and had the air of a hero, and greatly admired him. When asked about his family background, he learned that his ancestors were all military officers with considerable merit, so he was ordered to accompany him and await orders. Zheng Lin bowed and withdrew, leaving Bai to handle the matter without further mention.
Xiao Ru had already discussed with Madam Fang, preparing invitations to invite Cheng Wanrong and Xiao Feng to come and stay, and also inviting Bo Qing's wife, Jiang Suxin, and Xiao Lian to accompany them. They were all old sisters, and upon seeing each other, they were filled with mixed emotions of sorrow and joy, reminiscing about their long separation. Xiao Feng asked about Hui Zhu, and Xiao Lian recounted the whole story. Xiao Feng said, "When I came, I wanted to see him and try to persuade him. But now, after hearing what you said, he is completely unmovable. Even if I went to persuade him, it would be useless and would only annoy him. So I won't go to see him. Fortunately, he has already put aside our past sisterhood, so I don't think he will be angry if I don't go." Xiao Lian said, "I think it's very wise for you not to go, sister. It's not worth it to be ridiculed by him. I remember when I moved here, I went to see him to say goodbye and tried to persuade him with other words. He got angry and said, 'You are blessed people, so you always get good things. I was born with a bad fate and am only fit to recite Buddhist scriptures.'" "I pray for a peaceful next life. From now on, just consider me gone." With that, he walked away. "Sister, think about it. He didn't care about the embarrassment of others and just blurted out those words. If you go to see him, if he says something good, fine; if he says something bad, he'll complain a lot. That's why I advise you not to go." Madam Fang also sighed, "Miss Nie is a very good person. She is beautiful and speaks elegantly. She stayed at my house for a long time the year before last, and she was reluctant to leave. How could she suddenly become so cold and heartless? A person can change in the middle of life." "When the banquet ended in the evening, everyone returned to their residences.
The next day, Jiang Suxin also invited all the ladies to a banquet at her residence for a whole day. Everyone else declined. Conglong went to say goodbye to Xiaoru, Boqing, and others, then packed up and asked Zheng Lin to take his family with him. Wu Guan saw him off for more than ten miles, but Zheng Lin stopped him several times before they finally parted with a few words of farewell."
The group arrived in Huaicheng in a few days. Erlang went out of the city to greet them, and left Conglong and others at the office to entertain them. Xiaodai also invited Cheng Wanrong and Jiang Xiaofeng over. A day later, Conglong bid farewell to Erlang and went to take up his new post. All the civil and military officials under his command had come from afar to welcome him into the official residence. Then an auspicious day was chosen for the official appointment. There is no need to elaborate on the special letters of thanks and all the official business that needed to be done.
Zheng Lin first settled his family and then made arrangements to return to his post and serve at the headquarters. Fortunately, the garrison commander of the central army of the canal was out of service due to the death of a father. Since the affairs of the canal were all under the command of Conglong, Zheng Lin was temporarily appointed to handle the affairs of the two central army battalions. At that time, the civil and military officials of the two canal battalions came to contact Zheng Lin. Seeing that he was a trusted confidant of the canal commander, they were afraid that they would not be able to curry favor with him. However, Zheng Lin was spotless and did everything with utmost impartiality. Conglong favored him and entrusted him with all the best and most desirable tasks. He secretly submitted a memorial in the winter regulations, exempting him from the post of garrison commander and promoting him to the rank of military commander. He was then officially appointed as the commander of the grain transport brigade and in charge of river affairs. Zheng Lin immediately wrote a letter to inform his father-in-law. But that's a story for later, so let's leave it at that.
Now, let's talk about Chen Xiaoru. After Cheng Gong came to the province to receive the seal, he made preparations to set off, taking Renshou and his wife, along with Xiaolian, with him. Boqing and others were also busy seeing him off. Wu Guan wrote a report and asked Xiaoru to deliver it to the Prince of the East Palace, saying nothing more than, "The affairs outside are not yet clear, and I cannot return urgently. Please do not worry, Your Highness." Xiaoru was now being promoted to a high-ranking official in the inner palace, and there were even more people welcoming and seeing him off along the way.
One day, having reached Conglong's territory, they met and discussed leaving Yumei to stay temporarily until Renshou passed the imperial examination. They agreed that Yumei could stay in the capital or be assigned to a post, and then Conglong would come to fetch her family. This was unlike my situation, where I took my family to the provincial examination this morning, only to return to the capital less than two months later. It was exhausting and costly.” Conglong agreed and left Yumei there.
The next day, Xiaoru took his leave and traveled to the capital by land from Wangying, making a special detour through Yanzhou to escort Xiaolian there. Hancha personally went to Xiaoru's apartment to express his gratitude repeatedly. Zhu Qiongzhen was overjoyed to see Xiaolian arrive and quickly prepared a room for her to live in, assigning four maids to serve her and urging her to call him "sister." Xiaolian, seeing Qiongzhen's kindness, served her with even greater respect. Qiongzhen chose an auspicious day to perform the traditional face-opening ceremony for Xiaolian and ordered everyone inside and outside the palace to address her as "Grandma." From then on… Xiao Lian found a place to stay and was quite content.
Xiao Ru stayed in Yanzhou for a day before hurrying to the capital, and the journey was uneventful. Upon arriving in the capital, he first rented a residence to settle his family and servants. Then he prepared for his audience with the Emperor, went to the Ministry of Personnel to assume his post, and visited his fellow graduates and friends in the capital. From then on, he was careful and diligent in his duties.
Now, let's turn to another story. Yun Conglong, in less than two months as the River Supervisor, had reformed and eliminated all the long-standing malpractices and bad practices of the two canal camps. All the mediocre and incompetent officials were dismissed. He frequently summoned Zheng Lin to the palace, instructing him to secretly investigate and act as his eyes and ears. He also ordered strict discipline among the soldiers of the two camps, forbidding them from causing trouble or disturbing the people. Truly, the administration was well-governed and the people were at peace, and the region praised him.
One day, while he was reviewing official documents in the signing room, a servant came to report: "Prefect Feng Bao of Huai'an Prefecture has come to see me and has something important to report." Upon hearing this, Conglong thought to himself, "Chu Qing is not my subordinate, yet he has come to see me today; there must be another reason." He quickly ordered someone to take away the documents and instructed that he be allowed to see him. Erlang entered and greeted Conglong. Conglong briefly inquired about the recent customs of Huaicheng and then asked Erlang the purpose of his visit. Erlang bowed and said, "Please have everyone dismiss their attendants temporarily, as I have a confidential matter to report in person." Conglong stood up and said, "Since it is confidential, and there are spies outside, please come inside and sit down." He then invited Erlang to the inner study and ordered that none of the servants be allowed to enter. He then had Erlang loosen his coat and sit down opposite him.
They were originally very close, but due to their social status, they had to maintain proper decorum in public. However, in private, they still joked and teased each other as they had in the past. Because Erlang spoke so solemnly, Conglong was very uneasy. As soon as they sat down, he asked, "What exactly is going on? Why are you so suspicious? It seems there's been another disturbance in Huaicheng. Tell us quickly so we can all help." Erlang laughed, "No need for your concern. You seem to be cursing me to cause trouble. However, this matter is no ordinary one. Last year, in the case of the grain transport dispute in Shanyang County, it was all because Lu Peng handled things poorly, extorting large sums from the farmers, which angered the gentry of the city. They jointly submitted a petition to my office. I immediately appointed a commissioner to investigate and found the facts to be true. It was you and Xiaoru who impeached him. Upon receiving the letter, Lu Peng rushed to the capital to contact Lu Daotong, who manipulated things internally, resulting in only a light punishment of dismissal with retention of office. If you..." The opinion is that because he protected Tian Wenhai, he made things difficult for Wu Guan, and a formal investigation is needed before further action. I immediately wrote to you saying that people should repent, and now that he has been dismissed, he understands the consequences and is no longer as arrogant as before, and would never dare to repeat his old ways. It would be better to let him off the hook for now and observe his future behavior. If we were to bring him down, his meager future would not be easily obtained. Fortunately, Wu Guan is currently safe and sound and has not been made too difficult. From this perspective, I still seem to have done him a favor. Little did I know that the heart of a petty person is the most treacherous, remembering only the faults, not the good deeds. Even if I were to investigate him thoroughly, it would be for the sake of the official business, and he would have brought it upon himself. If I had not investigated, I would have already taken action. Unexpectedly, in March of this year, he secretly wrote to his old friend, saying that I am the son of Feng Bing, the former magistrate of Wanping County, originally from Changzhou, but currently falsely registered as a magistrate of Daxing County and serving as an official in Jiangsu Province. Lu Daotong, who resented my detailed handling of Lu Peng last year, saw this secret letter and immediately impeached me. Now, by imperial decree, the Governor-General of Liangjiang is ordered to investigate and report back, without any concealment. Yesterday, your father-in-law sent a document, leaving me with only the upper echelons. I think this matter has been stalled by him, and it's quite troublesome. Unfortunately, you've been promoted to Nanhe, and Xiaoru is now working in the inner court; otherwise, he could have taken on some of the burden for me. The day before yesterday, I wrote to Xiaoru, asking him to cover things up. Ultimately, the power lies with those outside, and I haven't been able to serve your father-in-law. "I will certainly report back truthfully. I have lost my official position, but it is nothing. If I am brought down by that man surnamed Lu, not only will I be unable to face others, but I will also become a laughing stock. I hope you will write a sincere report and send it to my father-in-law to ask him to cover it up. Moreover, there is another reason to defend myself: I have a distant relative who shares the same ancestor as my great-grandfather. They have lived in the capital for a long time and have been registered in Daxing County. Only by claiming that they are his direct descendants can I avoid any trouble." Upon hearing this, Conglong clicked his tongue and said, "This matter is quite thorny. If it is handled as a case of father and son having different registrations, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor, and you would be in deep trouble. I don't understand why you suddenly wanted to donate to register in Daxing County. This matter is not your fault. Just say that you donated to become a court official." The department was sent away, but since Boqing and others were all in the capital, we could often gather together. Unexpectedly, it was placed in our own province. You, however, were caught in the middle of this transfer. If you had stated that your original residence was Changzhou, and the transfer could have been changed, there would have been no problem. If you truly have a distant relative from Daxing County, there is still a way to remedy the situation. I will write to my father-in-law, clearly stating your true origin, and you can then submit a detailed report. My father-in-law is a man who values talent, and knowing your close relationship with us, he cannot help but try to help. Once in Nanjing, ask Minister Jiang to put in a good word for you. You are Minister Jiang's student, so he cannot refuse to inquire. Even my father-in-law cannot too much offend Minister Jiang. Besides, there is also a small... "Ru secretly plots within, so there shouldn't be any major problems. It's impossible for him to escape any punishment." Erlang said, "I know I'm bound to make mistakes, but I only hope not to lose face or fall into the hands of the Lu family father and son; that would be a great relief. I'm not the kind of person who's greedy for more. Since you're willing to give me a letter, please write it down so I can return as soon as possible. It would be fine if I just lost this damn seal. But I'm worried about staying in the province for a few more days. I don't know if Lu Peng will act recklessly again after I've dealt with him, and if he causes any more trouble, I really won't be able to bear it. Although he's become much more restrained since the incident with Bai, his inherent nature hasn't changed, and he won't let me off the hook." I'm still constantly on guard against the immortals. Thinking back, where did my bad luck really come from? This trip to the province will cost four or five hundred taels of silver. Even if my father-in-law agrees, the ministry will still have to handle it. Adding it all up, it'll be at least two thousand taels. You know my daily expenses are high, and I'm unwilling to squander money on things that don't have prestige. This position in Zhun'an Prefecture is a mid-level post with meager earnings, barely enough for my own office's expenses. Last year I even had to make a small payment; now this unexpected complication has arisen. How am I supposed to manage such a large sum? I dare not touch a single penny of the treasury. Normally it would be fine, but now that this has happened, I don't even know if I can return to my post. If my successor discovers the embezzlement... "Isn't this adding insult to injury?" Conglong nodded and said, "Your concerns are reasonable. If it's specifically for planning expenses, I can think of a way to tide you over. You can go to Boqing in Nanjing and borrow some money. Just have him cover it for you first, and I'll find a way to settle things when you get back." Erlang was very grateful. Conglong then asked, "How did you know so much about Lu Peng's secret letter to the capital?" Erlang said, "It's quite a coincidence. I have an old servant who lives in Shanyang County. He knows everything Lu Peng does and came to tell me to be careful. At the time, I didn't care much, but who knew that he and his son would get involved." Conglong understood the reason after hearing this. He invited Erlang to stay for a meal and then took the letter with him. He explained the details and intricacies of the letter and showed it to Erlang before sealing the letter. Erlang kept the letter safe and took his leave. The next morning, he packed up and set off.
A few days later, he arrived in the provincial capital. First, he sought out Boqing and explained the situation. Boqing was greatly indignant on Erlang's behalf and readily agreed, saying, "If there's any shortage, just come to me. We're such good friends, please don't hold any grudges." Erlang bid farewell to Boqing and immediately went to see Minister Jiang, explaining the details in person. Minister Jiang naturally agreed as well. He then went to see Minister Cheng, presenting the petition regarding the matter. Just then, Minister Jiang also sent someone to intercede. Minister Cheng knew that Erlang was honest and capable in the palace, and with the letter from his son-in-law and Minister Jiang's favor, he decided to go along with it and be a good person. If he submitted a report, his enemies would certainly find fault, and if the ministry rejected it, it wouldn't affect him. He immediately inquired about the details, then told Erlang to return to his post and await the verdict. After that, Boqing kept Erlang for a few more days. Before leaving, he instructed Boqing, "Find out how Governor Cheng will respond, and always keep your maternal uncle's name in mind. If the reply is of great concern to me, you must let me know first so I can make arrangements. If there is anything I need, please cover it up, and I will repay you in full." Bo Qing laughed and said, "Just go back and do your work with peace of mind. I reckon that with Tian's letter and my maternal uncle's intercession, Governor Cheng will have no choice but to protect you. Besides, Chen Xiaoru is also concerned, so there's no need for any trouble. As for where to use it, since I've already given you my approval, I can't back out halfway. If the report is inconvenient for you, I'll naturally give you a letter first. I understand your feelings. You think you've lost your official position, so you might as well try to salvage it and recoup your losses, isn't that right?" Erlang laughed and said, "You underestimate me too much. If I had valued wealth earlier, I wouldn't be empty-handed all year round. I'm just more comfortable spending money." He then went to bid farewell to Jiang and Cheng before returning to Huaicheng.
Here, Governor Cheng, having already agreed to defend Erlang, reported the matter on his behalf, stating, "His ancestral home is Changzhou, and his branch is registered in Daxing County, which is verifiable. The former magistrate of Wanping County, Feng Bing, is actually surnamed the same as this official, but they are not father and son. The confusion arose because the official's father's name was Yuan Na."
This report reached the capital, where Xiao Ru, having received Erlang's private letter, secretly altered Erlang's resume, knowing that Erlang's three generations of relatives had provided their resumes within the Ministry of Personnel. He also entrusted various departments with this task. Lu Daotong was also aware of Erlang's manipulation, as the Ministry of Personnel was no longer under his control. It turned out that Prime Minister Hu Wenyuan had died, Li Wenjun had been promoted to a high position, and Xiong Guisen had been appointed Governor-General of Zhili. Lu Daotong was then appointed to assist in cabinet affairs. Coincidentally, Chen Xiaoru was transferred to a position within the Ministry of Personnel, filling Lu Daotong's vacancy as Minister of Personnel. Lu Daotong still wanted to investigate the matter thoroughly, determined to get to the bottom of it: firstly, he hadn't yet found any incriminating evidence, relying solely on Lu Peng's letter; secondly, since they had made the arrangements, there must be no flaws. Moreover, Li Wenjun, Chen Xiaoru, and others all had prior ties with Feng Bao, so how could they not be concerned? If the matter couldn't be investigated, it would backfire and become his own problem, which would be extremely inconvenient. "This time, that little beast got off easy; let's find fault with him later!" He had no choice but
to let it go. Several days later, an imperial edict was issued: Feng Bao, the prefect of Huai'an, was originally from Changzhou; on the day of his release, he should have gone to the ministry to explain the situation and request a different appointment. Why was it delayed until his impeachment before he could give a detailed account, clearly indicating an intention to cover it up? Considering his integrity while in office and his outstanding performance in previous recommendations from various provincial governors, he is hereby granted a gracious pardon and promoted to a lower position. The matter of his father, Feng Yuanna, being mistaken for the former magistrate of Wanping County, Feng Bing, is hereby dismissed without further discussion.
Upon receiving the letter, Chen Xiaoru immediately sent a messenger out of the capital that very night, instructing Erlang to quickly inform Bo that "since Lu Daotong is against you, even if you are selected for another province, Lu will not let you go easily. If he finds any faults, it will be difficult to remove you from the position." He also informed Conglong, Boqing, and others, asking them to persuade Erlang, fearing that Erlang's ambition for officialdom might not have been extinguished and that he might remain obstinate.
Now, after receiving the memorial, Cheng Gong first replied to Jiang Xiang, and then sent a commissioner to Huai'an Prefecture to take up the post. He also told his son-in-law about Erlang's demotion and reassignment. Boqing and L received a letter from Xiaoru and hurriedly sent someone to invite Erlang, suggesting that he come to the provincial capital first before preparing to go to the capital to attend to Erlang's arrival. Erlang received the memorial and then arranged for his handover of the new post. They also saw Xiaoru's letter, which advised him to plead for leave. Just then, Boqing's messenger arrived, and Conglong sent someone to invite him as well. Erlang laughed loudly and said, "They are being too cautious. There is no benefit to being an official now, and besides, I have been demoted, which makes it even more boring. Why would I still be attached to this position and go to the Ministry for reassignment?" He then sent a reply and gave it to the messengers from Conglong and Boqing to return. He then hurriedly packed his things, took his family and others, and went to Nanjing. He stayed at the Zhu residence and borrowed the place to first see Cheng Gong, thank him for relaying the memorial, and then mentioned his illness. Cheng Gong agreed.
Erlang then went to Jiang Gong to explain the situation. Jiang Gong also agreed, stroking his beard and sighing, "It's not that I'm speaking ill of others, but those who enter officialdom today are solely focused on flattery and seeking fame; they have no idea about 'loyalty to the emperor and love for the people.' Those in high positions use forming cliques as their eyes and ears, while those in lower positions consider flattery and obsequiousness as their talent. If one or two among them possess even a modicum of conscience, they are immediately seen as out of step with the times and will be ostracized and forced to resign, or even punished and killed—all because of this. Therefore, in today's world, virtuous people leave every day, while petty people come every day. Half of the court is filled with treacherous officials, and the local officials are all greedy and cruel. That's why I resolved to resign last year, ashamed to associate with such people. If you were still in the old days, like Zhe Xiang and others, you wouldn't have been so bad as officials, but unfortunately, you are too arrogant and think too highly of yourselves, and you are constantly..." "My son, even if you are not worthy of the company of petty people, it is hard to guarantee that you will not suffer setbacks in secret. When Han Cha went to take up his post the other day, I had no other instructions for him, except that the first rule of being an official should be that whatever I can do is acceptable, but do not disgrace your grandfather's reputation or forget the teachings of the sages. To be a good official is to be reviled by all. Beware of seeking personal gain and profit, for personal gain inevitably brings harm to the people, and profiting from others' misfortunes is hard to avoid. The ancients said: 'One's heart should be pure and upright, and one's actions should be fair and just.' You officials all lack fairness and justness, which is why you are often resented by pigs. Only I am a few years older than you and have more insight than you, so I fit the same description. Your ability to know when to retreat and not cling to an official position is a good thing." Erlang agreed repeatedly, sat for a while, and then left. He then found a house near the Zhu residence and lived there. From then on, Zhu was free and unrestrained, sometimes going to chat with Boqing, and sometimes inviting Boqing to go out and play. Although he had no official savings over the years, he still managed to get by. He had acquired several dozen acres of land near Nanjing to make a living. He was exceptionally carefree and increasingly unrestrained, living a dissolute life. Lin Xiaodai was accompanied by her mother, Madam Mu, every day, or sometimes invited by Miss Jiang Suxin to stay for a few days. She also visited Huizhu's house twice, but because he was cold and unlike his usual warm manner, Xiaodai became reluctant to go. That day, while she was sitting in her room talking with Madam Mu, a servant came in and reported, "Just now, Master sent someone to invite Madam to the Zhu residence. I heard that the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhu family has given birth to a son. The ladies from all the mansions have gone to offer their congratulations." Upon hearing this, Xiaodai hurriedly dressed, boarded a sedan chair, and headed to the Zhu residence.
It turned out that Miss Mi Suxin, Bai Boqing, had gone to Shandong and was already pregnant. In October, she gave birth to a son. The story of her delivery was quite strange. That morning, Suxin felt unwell, and her abdomen was bloated. Upon hearing the news, Old Madam Zhu rushed to investigate and, knowing the woman was about to give birth, immediately summoned a midwife to attend to her. She also lit incense in various places before the Kitchen God in the ancestral hall and instructed Boqing to perform the rituals. Master Zhu sat alone in the hall, listening quietly to the news inside. Around noon, feeling drowsy, he leaned against the table and dozed off. In his dazed state, he saw a man enter, wearing a black gauze hat, a red robe, a jade belt, and court boots—the attire of ancient times. He appeared to be around thirty years old, with a full moon-like face and lips like painted vermilion, possessing an extraordinary appearance. Entering with a swagger, Master Zhu hurriedly stood to greet him. Just as he was about to inquire about the man's name, the man bowed deeply and said, "I am unworthy to serve in the same official's office and am also from the same village. Today, by order of the Supreme Deity, I have been sent by the planet Venus to reside in your esteemed residence, to settle our karmic ties. I believe you, sir, will naturally not reject me and take me in." Having said this, he strode confidently towards the inner hall. Upon seeing this, Master Zhu was greatly surprised and said, "How presumptuous this person is! I've never met him before, I haven't even asked his name, how could he act so familiar and run into someone's inner chamber? The wife is currently in labor and giving birth, and if a stranger suddenly enters, wouldn't he frighten her and the others? Besides, he's a man, and those inside are only his wife's family, even if they are close relatives, it's inappropriate for him to enter at this time. Could this person be so ignorant of etiquette? He looks quite handsome, but who knows he's actually so foolish?" He hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, intending to reprimand him severely. However, in his focus on stopping the man, he forgot about the threshold, tripped, and fell to the ground, letting out a cry of "Ouch!" and breaking out in a cold sweat. When he quickly opened his eyes, he was still sitting in the chair by the window, realizing it was a dream.
As he pondered the dream's details, wondering what it meant, he suddenly saw maids and servants coming out to announce the good news: the young mistress had given birth to a son at noon. Upon hearing this, Master Zhu secretly marveled, saying, "This child has quite a background. In my dream just now, it was clearly this person who was reincarnated into my family. Since he claims to be born by the will of God, a predestined connection, he will surely be extraordinary. Seeing that the Zhu family line has been established, there's no need to worry about having no descendants." Thinking this, he couldn't help but show his joy and quickly got up to go to the back hall. Old Madam Zhu hurried out of her room to congratulate Master Zhu. Master Zhu smiled and said, "My grandson is your grandson; we are both happy. Is the new mother healthy?" Old Madam Zhu chanted Buddhist prayers, "She's truly a living Bodhisattva; the little one was born in no time, and now my daughter-in-law is talking so much about it." Then, Old Madam Jiang, having received the news, also came over. Master Zhu quickly excused himself and sent messengers to deliver messages to various relatives. After a short while, everyone came to the Zhu residence to offer their congratulations.
Lin Xiaodai greeted the two old ladies, Jiang and Zhu, and then went to Su Xin's room, only saying "Congratulations" from inside. Su Xin bowed slightly, gesturing for Xiao Dai to sit beside the bed. The midwife had already bathed the young master in fragrant water and wrapped him in new cloth. Xiao Dai took the baby, examining him closely; his bone structure was exceptional, and his voice was loud and clear. She stroked him, smiling at Su Xin, "Sister, you are blessed. This child will surely be extraordinary. Even at birth, his potential is already evident." Su Xin laughed, "Oh, it's just a tiny thing; how can you tell good from bad? In my opinion, he's just adding to the burden." Xiao Dai said, "Don't say that. I don't know what people who want sons are thinking. Take me, for example; I have a blood disorder and cannot bear children. So be it. The Feng family married me, making me a respectable woman. If I don't bear them a son or daughter, wouldn't I be a sinner to the Feng family? Even if I have a son born out of wedlock, he'll be a step further than a biological son." As she spoke, her eyes reddened. Su Xin quickly tried to smooth things over.
Speaking of Huizhu, Xiaodai said, "I went to see him the other day, and he was very thin. I heard he's been eating much less these past few days and is constantly sleepy. We called a doctor to examine him, but he couldn't pinpoint the cause. Since he's so determined to cultivate himself, he should naturally be free of all desires and delusions. How could he be so sickly? It's not that he's upset about external things, but he still can't let go of those things that weigh on his mind." Suxin shook her head and said, "Don't wrong him. No one is forcing him to cultivate himself. If he's going to fabricate these stories, who would he upset? My husband, ever since he heard he started cultivating himself, has been anxious day and night and has been sick for quite some time. He often says, 'The most precious thing in life is…'" "If Wanxiu were to suffer any mishap, I would risk the charge of filial impiety to go with him." Now, as time has passed, he has grown distant. Even though it's not mentioned, he still sighs and coughs. It seems that Wanxiu has no other reason to be angry, but there must be more to the story than meets the eye. He can't tell anyone else, so he can only ponder it himself, and it's understandable that he's practicing asceticism out of resentment. Even his dream about someone revealing past causes, which he says shouldn't be ignored, is probably just an excuse. Otherwise, why would he suddenly start practicing asceticism? He'd be afraid people would gossip about him. Xiao Dai agreed repeatedly, and they talked for a long time. Because Xinxin couldn't overexert herself after giving birth, she took her leave.
Old Madam Zhu kept all the women of the family there, and they parted after having dinner. Three days later, the Zhu family held a grand feast of soup and cakes. Zhu Gong named his grandson Meng Geng, because the person in his dream said that it meant the planet Venus was sending him rice.
That evening, Bo Qing also came to the room to see his son. The wet nurse hurriedly brought the little boy over, and Boqing held him gently in his hands, examining him closely by candlelight. He was handsome and refined, with a pair of bright, dark eyes that darted around in the candlelight, seemingly understanding how to play. Boqing was naturally delighted and handed him back to the wet nurse. He then sat back down on the edge of the bed and inquired about Suxin's health. Suxin casually mentioned that Lin Xiaodai had mentioned Wanxiu's illness the other day, and the doctors didn't know the cause. "I find it laughable," she said. "Every illness has a cause. It's clear those doctors are incompetent."
Upon hearing this, Bo Qing hurriedly asked, "Is it true that Wan Xiu is ill?" Su Xin laughed and said, "Who would lie to you? I have no grudge against him, would I just curse him with my own words? You ask me a strange question." Bo Qing immediately got up in a fluster and said, "How come I didn't know anything about it? Besides, Madam Feng said the other day that she had been ill for a few days, not less than half a month. I must go see her tomorrow, that's the only reasonable thing to do. She's already blaming me, and now that she's ill, if I don't go, she'll blame me even more. Actually, if you hadn't mentioned it tonight, I still wouldn't have known." As he spoke, he stamped his foot in resentment and bitterness.
Seeing this, Su Xin was both amused and annoyed, saying, "You're really acting crazy these days. Even if you go to see him tomorrow, it's not too late. As the saying goes, 'If you're determined to pay respects to the New Year, it's not too late for the Cold Food Festival.' It's good that you don't understand, and you don't want to offend him, so why are you in such a hurry, making yourself resentful? If the master hears this, he'll scold you again. Besides, since you've broken off your friendship with him anyway, it's not a big deal if he feels a little indebted to you." Bo Qing lowered his head, silent after Su Xin's words. Su Xin didn't say anything more, and after a while said, "You should go and rest. Go to bed early tonight, and get up early tomorrow to see the patient." Bo Qing didn't reply and went out of the room. Back in his study, he lay down on the couch, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow. I wondered how Huizhu's illness had progressed these past few days; I also feared that if I went to see him, he would remain cold and indifferent, ignoring me. Then I thought, "However he treats me, I will treat him as I always have. Only Heaven knows my heart." Thinking this, I finally fell into a deep sleep.
When I awoke, sunlight filled the window. I quickly got out of bed, exclaiming, "Too late! Too late!" I hurriedly ordered someone to prepare a horse and wait for me to leave. While washing my face and rinsing my mouth with water, I ate a little something, and then, with Lian'er in tow, I quickly mounted my horse and rode straight to Taoye Ferry. I wonder how Huizhu's illness has improved lately, and what Boqing will say when he goes to see him. Let's find out in the next chapter.

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【Illustrated Record of Fragrance】【43】【Author: Qingzhu Qiu】

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