Chapter 313: Stirred Emotions
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“Mother, after this plague has settled, I will be returning to the capital for my debriefing.”
“Why not come with me to the capital?” Zhu Yong He set down the food he had bought in the city and returned to the courtyard.
“East Ling is in turmoil now, but I suppose it will settle for a few years.” Zhu Yong He remarked.
The Old Madam, sitting in the courtyard sewing shoe soles, did not even lift her eyelids.
“Return for what? To be mocked again? A man in his thirties still unmarried—you want to anger me to death!”
“One foot is already in the grave. I have no hope left… I am the sinner of the Zhu family. I have failed our ancestors. The Zhu bloodline is about to end because of me. Sigh, I probably won’t live for many more years. My body grows weaker by the day.” The Old Madam feigned frailty, her spirits abysmally low.
“Mother, why don’t you find me a wife?”
The old woman, who had been lamenting her imminent demise, suddenly sat bolt upright, her eyes blazing with excitement. “A wife?!”
Zhu Yong He gritted his teeth and muttered, “Find me someone skilled in embroidery, someone who can make me a few pairs of socks. No, better yet, an embroidered sachet.”
The Old Madam threw aside the shoe sole in her hands, her face lighting up with unrestrained joy. The sickly frailty was completely gone.
“Good, good, good! I’ll find one! I’ll find one!” With a thud, she knelt before the household shrine. “Bodhisattva bless me!”
Then she turned back, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why the sudden change of heart?”
Zhu Yong He choked.
Was it not all because of that bastard Rong Che?
“Please, Mother, just find me someone. Here is my salary and my savings over the years. The rest, I will entrust to my future wife.” He counted the silver, keeping only a small amount to buy wine.
The Old Madam scoffed. “I won’t touch your savings. I have been saving up all these years since you kept delaying marriage. Once your wife comes through the door, it will be given to her.”
“With this body of mine, I can live another thirty years! I will personally raise your son to adulthood!” Just moments ago, she had been discussing her impending death. Now, her energy had returned, her spirits soaring.
Zhu Yong He was tall, strong, and had a steady disposition. He also bore military achievements.
Many in Desolate City had tried to arrange marriages for him, but he had stubbornly refused for years.
“Why not consider Rong Zhen Zhen?” The Old Madam sighed.
“That girl often keeps this old woman company. When I was sick last time, it was she who nursed me back to health.”
Zhu Yong He stiffened.
“Mother, what nonsense are you speaking! I am thirty-seven, Rong Zhen Zhen is only twenty-three!” She was the daughter of his fallen comrade.
During the night raid on Desolate City by East Ling’s forces, her parents had perished defending the walls. Before their deaths, they entrusted their daughter to him.
Back then, she was only seventeen. She had mourned for three years, and time had dragged on since then.
The Old Madam glanced at him sidelong. “She was seventeen when she came to our home, then she mourned for three years. That made her twenty. Now she is twenty-three and still not married. Who do you think she’s waiting for?”
Zhu Yong He fell silent.
“Do not recklessly arrange marriages! You will ruin her reputation and make it harder for her to find a match in the future!” He waved a hand dismissively.
“Recklessly? You guard the city and often return late. No matter how late, is there not always a light left on at home? A warm meal set on the table? Hot water and fresh clothes prepared?”
The Old Madam rolled her eyes at him, full of disdain. She stood on tiptoe and poked his forehead firmly.
“The mandarin duck sachet I gave you last time—you refused it, saying its fragrance was too strong and unsafe on the battlefield. That sachet was made by Rong Zhen Zhen…”
“When you rejected it, she cried the whole night.”
“I thought, if you were unwilling, I would take her as my goddaughter. But she refused… sigh.” The Old Madam sighed heavily. “My stubborn son does not deserve her.”
“Think carefully! If you are unwilling, I will find her a husband and marry her off with a grand ceremony. Marrying you, a rough brute, would be a waste. I will find her a scholar, a man as bright as the moon, so she can live as a refined lady.” The Old Madam waved him off and began preparing for their journey to the capital.
Zhu Yong He’s mind was in turmoil as he returned to his room.
At some point, his bedding had begun carrying a faint fragrance, and a small bouquet of wildflowers sat near the window, bringing a touch of greenery to the room.
How could he not understand?
The door creaked open.
A woman entered, holding a set of freshly cleaned clothes. She looked up and saw Zhu Yong He standing inside.
A soft blush spread across her face.
Her gaze flickered briefly before she lowered her head.
“Brother Yong, why are you back?” Her attire was simple yet neat, and she walked forward, placing the clothes in the wardrobe.
Zhu Yong He noticed she was holding his underclothes, and his face instantly flushed red.
He stepped forward to snatch them away, but she smiled. “I’ve always washed them.”
The Old Madam was illiterate, thrifty, and hardworking. The household had only a few elderly servants, making life simple yet warm.
Zhu Yong He opened his mouth but hesitated.
“Your father entrusted you to me, not to make you a servant!” His face turned red with frustration.
“Since I agreed to take care of you, I will do so properly! The young man I introduced to you last time—why didn’t you meet him?”
“I asked around. His parents are both alive, and he runs two shops. He owns land and property. He is a scholar and has already passed the provincial exam. I even sought connections to read his essays in secret.”
“He has a high chance of passing the imperial exam and becoming a distinguished scholar. You will be the wife of a great man!” Zhu Yong He did not understand scholars, but he had investigated thoroughly.
“Arranged marriages can be risky; it is better to meet first. Your parents left you in my care, so I must ensure your well-being.”
He had even divided his monthly salary—half for her dowry, the rest for household expenses.
“I don’t want to marry him…” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“To you, am I merely my parents’ burden?” She bit her lip, drawing a hint of blood.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
Zhu Yong He took a sharp step back.
“You… I—I am over thirty, an uneducated brute. You are literate. You should marry a scholar!”
“I have already prepared your dowry and found you a reliable scholar. Only then will you have a good life.” He avoided her gaze.
“Look at me!” She gathered her courage, her voice firm.
Zhu Yong He froze.
She inhaled deeply, then rose onto her toes, cupping his face in her hands.
Her breath carried a delicate scent, her palms warm against his skin. His face turned crimson.
“Look into my eyes. Can you truly not feel my affection? Do you really only see me as a duty?”
“That day, Desolate City nearly fell. My parents died. The Eastern Ling massacred civilians. But you charged forward on horseback, wielding your blade, shielding me beneath you. From that moment, I loved you.” She gazed at him, her words clear and resolute.
Zhu Yong He’s heart pounded like a drum.
His chest felt as though something was about to burst forth.
“You feel gratitude. You are young and confused. You have mistaken gratitude for love…”
“I am twenty-three, not thirteen! Why do you treat me like a fool?”
“I ask only this—do you love me?” Her eyes bore into his.
Zhu Yong He…
But really, who do you think you’re going to marry?
If you go to a matchmaker she’ll probably try to set you up with teenagers ?