Chapter 228: Escorting, Perish, Preparing for Winter

“The groom has arrived.”

Hearing this, they clearly sensed Zhou Ying Shuang’s body somewhat stiffening, unconsciously clenching her fist.

Jing Wan consolingly patted her hand, saying with a smile, “Right now, the one that needs to be nervous is the one outside, not you.”

Zhou Ying Shuang shot a glare at her, “When you get married, presumably Jin Qinwang won’t be nervous. After all, there’s no gate he’s unable to break through, so you better nicely think about who will guard the gate for you. If that gate just open as soon as he tries, will you not be embarrassed?”

“What is there to be embarrassed about for me, it’s not like I’m the one guarding the gates. Isn’t it said that married daughters are just splashed out water? So it definitely won’t be me getting gossiped about.” Jing Wan smilingly said.

“Your face being thick to this degree, does your family know?”

Heh, a question that very much possessed a modern sense, just unfortunately, this girl wasn’t a transmigrator. “They know, my third sister-in-law frequently says this.” Jing Wan solemnly nodded her head.

“You really don’t feel any shame at all.” Zhou Ying Shuang pointed at her, her finger slightly shaking, most likely having been angered.

“What’s that? Can it be eaten?” Jing Wan said, even suddenly opening her mouth, appearing to bite her finger.

Zhou Ying Shuang hurriedly retracted her hand, speechlessly looking to Jing Wan. Clearly in front of people she was composed and elegant, yet in private, she was just this shameless.

Yuan Qiao Qiao directly laughed from the side, “Wan Wan, don’t tease Ying Shuang anymore, for better or worse, she’s the bride today.”

Zhou Ying Shuang shot a glare a Yuan Qiao Qiao too, “You two are just joining together to bully me. Wait until you two get married, I rather want to see, whether or you can be not the least bit nervous. When time comes, if I catch you, I’ll certainly return it ten-folds.”

Jing Wan puffed her chest and crossed her arms nodding, “En, I’ll be waiting.”

Jing Wan thought to herself, for ordinary girls to be nervous when marrying, it was nothing more than because one will be going to an unfamiliar place, facing an unfamiliar person, thus would involuntarily feel restless. The one she was going to marry was overbearing and unreasonable, further a hoodlum that didn’t abide by etiquette. Between them, the’ve long overstepped their boundaries, both very familiar with one another, so it would be strange for her to still be nervous. Of course, there was also another kind of situation that might make her nervous, and that was loving into the depths. Jing Wan obviously didn’t belong to this type.

However, getting messed around by Jing Wan like this, Zhou Ying Shuang really wasn’t all that nervous anymore.

The onlookers were actually quite envious of their good relationship. In reality, it’s not that they have never thought about wanting to curry favor with Jing Wan before, but they all ended in failure. Towards them, Jing Wan was magnanimous and proper, appearing very easy to approach, but in reality, this really wasn’t the case. If you, because of unwillingness to resign, continue to approach, then she will also directly turn cold. Her good temper had a limit. Even if one wanted to get close to her through Zhou Ying Shuang, it similarly won’t have any effect. If one doesn’t know when to advance or retreat, one will even offend her.

Speaking of the Head of the Imperial Academy family’s young master, his talent and learning, character and appearance, were all pretty good, and also a successful candidate in the imperial exam this year. Moreover, in the final court examination, he ranked in the top fifty, entering the Hanlin Academy, so should be considered someone with good prospects.

When she’d learned that Zhou Ying Shuang was about to get married, Jing Wan, after hesitating, let Jin Qinwang help investigate that person’s inside information. At his side, there was just one tongfang servant girl, and not the type where they grew up together, having deep feelings, but purely just an ordinary tongfang. As for yiniangs and shu children, those definitely didn’t exist. At the same time, he also didn’t have any bad habits either. However, perhaps because his father on normal days was very strict, his personality was seemingly somewhat soft.

These in Jing Wan’s eyes were all blemishes, but in this present society, he was considered a pretty good husband candidate.

Jing Wan still remembers, when Jin Qinwang had these told to her, his evaluation towards this person. As an assistant, he was still pretty good, but letting him be in charge was somewhat difficult. According to Jin Qinwang’s meaning, if Jing Wan wants, he can let someone promote him, and if one day, she finds him unpleasant to the eyes, he can also effortlessly crush him to death.

Towards a certain someone always being this bloody and violent, Jing Wan was very speechless. However, she also knew, these words, Jin Qinwang weren’t just saying for fun. Then, that just means, Jing Wan in a certain sense, actually controlled the power over Zhou Ying Shuang’s husband’s life and death.

In reality, getting troubled when coming to escort the bride was just putting the groom to the test. Even if unable to pass, still won’t really not let him take the bride away. That one outside, using his scholarly learning to break through, really wasn’t anything difficult. After all, in the Zhou family, there really weren’t anyone that had a better learning than him, and several poems for urging the bride were also passed in.

The people of the Zhou family, as expected, were unable to block, and not long after, just let the groom charge into the courtyard with his people.

At this time, it was naturally the womenfolk’s turn. However, majority of the womenfolk all just extended their hands, demanding a red packet.

The situation outside, the servant girls all passed on in truthfully. Yuan Qiao Qiao got excited from listening, somewhat unable to sit still, tilting her head to look outwards. Jing Wan laughed, “If you want to see the excitement, then just go out. Otherwise, just personally make trouble for the groom.”

Hearing this, Yuan Qiao Qiao really just stood up, “Ying Shuang, I’ll go help you block.”

Zhou Ying Shuang wanted to block her. Unfortunately, Yuan Qiao Qiao left rather quickly, and right now, she also couldn’t get up.

Yuan Qiao Qiao just that boldly parted a bunch of womenfolk and stood before the groom, “Gentleman Lu, did you bring the qin?”

Luo Jing Bo playing a song of ‘Feng Seeks Huang’ to marry Sun Yi Jia, this has nearly become an essential procedure in escorting the bride for the men of the capital. If no one mentions, perhaps some will just pretend to not know. Very few will voluntarily play. After all, in public under numerous eyes, playing decadent music, reciting sentimental lines, also needed courage.

But now, since someone has already mentioned it, he can’t just pretend to not understand. If really let someone completely point out, then the bride will start having thoughts.

“Brought it.” Gentleman Lu slowly nodded his head in reply.

Yuan Qiao Qiao nodded, “Then, we’ll just be waiting to satisfy our ears. However, Gentleman Lu, why must you need to be reminded, why couldn’t you have been more assertive?” As if feeling a bit disappointed, she shook her head.

When facing those blocking outside, this Gentleman Lu was still rather skillful, but when facing Yuan Qiao Qiao, he was instead a bit timid and embarrassed. To put it bluntly, it was just not being skilled in dealing with girls, especially Yuan Qiao Qiao’s kind, the ‘frank and outspoken’ type.

The bunch helping him escort the bride all let out a bit of sympathy towards him.

At the same time, those that haven’t married pondered whether or not in the future they will have the same ‘treatment’, and those that have already married, rejoiced a bit inside, yet seemingly also felt a bit regretful.

Since the new son-in-law wanted to play the qin, the qin table naturally was prepared very quickly.

When Zhou Ying Shuang was still worrying over how her husband will be embarrassed by Yuan Qiao Qiao, she just heard the qin sound. Then, when hearing him rhythmically reciting the verses, her face instantly flushed red, lowering her head, fiddling her fingers.

Towards the giddily smiling Yuan Qiao Qiao that walked in, Jing Wan stuck up her thumb. Yuan Qiao Qiao’s smile became even more obvious.

They quietly finished listening, yet the heat on Zhou Ying Shuang’s face was unable to disperse for a long time.

The good fortune madam and the matron of honor entered. This was for putting on the veil, preparing to go out. “Ying Shuang in the future will be blessed.”

Zhou Ying Shuang kowtowed in farewell to her parents, getting carried onto the marriage sedan by her brother. And Jing Wan and Yuan Qiao Qiao, as the ones sending off the bride, also traveled along with her, visiting the Head of the Imperial Academy’s official residence for the first time.

The Head of the Imperial Academy was an honest official. This bit was also confirmed by Jin Qinwang, and not putting on an act. However, because he had a brother that independently moved out from the household register, becoming a merchant, as such, they didn’t lack money either.

Entering the Lu family gates, one can tell, even if they don’t lack money, the Lu family really isn’t extravagant either.

In reality, Jing Wan had already learned about the Lu family’s situation very clearly from Jin Qinwang’s side. Right now, it was nothing more than wanting to personally verify one more time. However, afterwards, Jing Wan patted her own head, practically crazy! Even if she’s unsatisfied, would she even be able to tear apart this marriage? Have that thought of wanting to investigate thrown aside, if others were to see, it won’t be good.

Coming out from the bridal chamber, she took her seat at the banquet. She probably won’t be able to see Zhou Ying Shuang for a period of time.

As soon as Jing Wan returned home, she learned that the third branch’s Huan Yiniang was giving birth.

Jing Wan thought for a moment, seemingly the months were still a bit short? However, this matter, she has never tried to look into before, and besides, regardless whether the months were sufficient or not, it all had nothing to do with her. If given birth to and lives, it’s nothing more than just an extra mouth to feed in the Luo family. The Luo family wouldn’t go as far as to not be able to raise. If unable to be born, or dies prematurely, then that was also just the will of heaven.

However, Jing Wan didn’t know, Huan Yiniang was ordered by Liu-shi to serve Luo Rong Ping. Just imagine someone that suddenly became paralyzed to the bed, such huge disparity, certainly will have all kinds of negative emotions come out, yet such a person’s basic functions and needs all needed someone to attend to. Especially in such hot summer days, everyday needing to wipe the body several times. How could a pregnant woman bear this kind of burden. Moreover, once Luo Rong Ping starts going crazy, she would even get injured. Huan Yiniang, for the sake of preserving her child, can be said to have entirely exhausted all her energy, always using gentle sentiments and sweet words to coax Luo Rong Ping. Others during pregnancy more or less would all become fatter, but she not only didn’t grow more meat, even lost a terrifying amount of weight. Even if having a pregnant stomach, she most likely was even less than her original weight.

If Jing Wan were to see her now, she would definitely be quite startled.

And for her child to have been able to remain in her stomach to this day, it was practically just a miracle.

Huan Yiniang was having a difficult birth. Her being thin was because she was mentally and physically exhausted. In terms of diet, however, she really wasn’t being treated harshly. In fact, Liu-shi even specifically let someone prepare quite a few supplements for her. It can be seen, it really was malicious intentions. Huan Yiniang also clearly knew, but she had no way of refusing. She also knew that the grudges between her and Liu-shi were impossible to resolve.

Huan Yiniang endured for a whole day and night, yet wasn’t able to give birth to the child. In the end, it was just one corpse, two lives.

Regardless of how strong-willed Huan Yiniang was, and regardless of how skillful in schemes and means, in the end, she still suffered in defeat in Liu-shi’s hands. She and Liu-shi just differed in status. Her honor and disgrace all relied upon Luo Rong Ping. However, this wasn’t the case for Liu-shi.

In the rear courts of an upper class wealthy family, a lowly class[1] yiniang dying simply didn’t cause any ripples. Perhaps because she knew more, after hearing, Jing Wan also just said, ‘Was it worth it?’

The weather has already become cold. This winter there weren’t any troublesome matters, so for the most part, can start preparing to hide for the winter.

And at this time, Jing Wan got ‘shown off to’ again. Jin Qinwang had let someone send over many fur, and moreover, were all very rare and valuable fur. If placed in her past life, they would certainly be able to reach a sky-high price. After all, one was simply unable to find these on the market.

There were white fox fur, red fox fur, and even black fox fur, let alone the other mink fur, weasel fur, and so on. Jing Wan in the end even discovered tiger fur and leopard fur, saying it was for Jing Wan to make a cotton-padded coat with. Every single fur were all smooth and glossy, the color pure. And those that were one singular color, for the most, one was unable to find a single spot. The sensation on the hand was also relatively good.

Jing Wan thought, it was also fortunate that this was in this present era, where there were no animal protection laws, else Jin Qinwang will certainly……….

[1] 贱籍 – Lowly register, the lowest of the class system, their status even lower than slaves. Back in chapter 181 I wrote out an explanation on the class hierarchy and have moved it to the historical notes page, so see that for more details.

T/N: I almost translated the title as cat winter because ‘猫冬’ literally translates to ‘cat winter’, but after double checking, thank goodness I fixed it. That would have been embarrassing. In northeastern chinese dialect, ‘猫(lit. cat)’ actually means ‘to hide from’, so 猫冬 is actually ‘hiding from winter’.