Like Pearl and Jade

Chapter 41

There had been many strange things that occurred in the previous dynasty. When Mistress Hu thought of it, she felt unspeakably afraid.

"A few days ago, I went to the palace and met the empress dowager. The empress was full of praise for your daughter." Mistress Hu took a sip of tea. "I joked that the empress dowager wanted your daughter to be her daughter. The empress dowager said to me she really wanted to raise your daughter as her own daughter."

Yang shi's smile faded slightly and then said, "The empress dowager has always taken good care of our daughter. Our entire family is grateful to the empress dowager."

Mistress Hu smiled upon hearing this and said, "It is my daughter's good fortune to marry into your family and have such a considerate mother-in-law. Each time she returns to her paternal home, she praises you. But when a girl marries, she doesn't have to see how well her husband is, but the elders."

"Hu shi is kind, and capable. It is our family's good fortune to have a daughter-in-law like her." Yang shi liked Hu shi very much so she praised with a smile. "In-law, your family has good conduct and taught your child well."

The two praised each other's children and then Mistress Hu said, "Husband and wife in harmony, this is both fate and love. What do you think of having the empress dowager as your daughter's mother-in-law?"

"What does In-law mean?" Yang shi's smile faded and she put the teacup in her hand back onto the table.

Mistress Hu saw this and grew more worried. She directly said, "The imperial family has intentions of marrying your Second Miss Gu as empress. So they had me come to ask your family's opinion."

"This is the empress dowager's intention... or His Majesty's?" Yang shi asked after a moment of silence. "The imperial family is determined to have our daughter?"

"You must know the empress dowager's personality. If not for His Majesty's agreement, would she have spoken?" Mistress Hu said, "Also, in this matter, maybe His Majesty was the one to speak, and so the empress dowager had me come ask. I know that this matter is a surprise to your family, but this is not bad. Do not be too..."

She wanted to say it was a glorious matter for a family to have an empress. This would be written into the history books. But for parents who truly loved their daughters, the imperial palace was not the best home, even as empress. So what if they could be in the history books? When one could not be loved in life until they were grey-haired, so what if they were spoken of through the ages after death?

After death, all was nothing. Even the greatest reputation was just a topic of discussion for later generations.

"In-law, I cannot decide this matter on my own. When my husband returns, I will speak of this matter to him." Yang shi felt extremely complicated, and also as though this finally came. She forced a smile towards Mistress Hu. "I am not afraid of making you smile at this, but our Jiu Jiu was raised like half a son. She is competent in how to ride, write and paint, but as the mother of a country..."

"No one is born as the empress. Even the present empress dowager likely never thought of the day she would be the empress," Mistress Hu said, "Since the imperial family has this thought, think well. Don't..." Don't copy that family back in the founding emperor's time. Because they refused the imperial family's marriage proposal, they caused their entire family to decline.

Yang shi knew that Mistress Hu spoke the truth, but she truly did not bear for her daughter to enter the palace.

The two talked for a while longer. Mistress Hu saw that Yang shi was slightly distracted, and stood to bid farewell after a few consoling words.