Cheng Yujin arranged the pastries on the small table one by one, then smiled at Cheng Yuanjing: "Ninth Uncle has worked hard these days. This niece especially prepared some snacks for you. My hand is clumsy. I hope Ninth Uncle won't dislike."
Cheng Yuanjing narrowed his eyes and stared at Cheng Yujin with an inquiring gaze. The smile on her face was unfazed, and her whole appearance looked gentle and harmless.
What a perfect example of niece's filial piety.
Cheng Yujin kept smiling. She actually has long suspected that Cheng Yuanjing had a prejudice against her.
When her engagement with Huo Changyuan was broken, Cheng Yuanjing happened to witness the scene, and his prejudice seemed to begin here. When Xu Zhixian visited Yichun Marquis manor last time, Cheng Yuanjing sent her back to practice calligraphy whenever he saw her having free time. After she met Lin Qingyuan, he also turned her away whenever she had a conversation with the young man.
If not prejudice, then what?
Being targeted by the crown prince, Cheng Yujin didn't dare to have any objections. However, her path of catching a golden husband couldn't be delayed, even if the stone blocking in the way was the crown prince himself.
Cheng Yujin secretly calculating, planning to take advantage of this period when Cheng Yuanjing nominally has to observe mourning and stayed at home. She changed her tactics and would try to please this great ancestor instead. She didn't ask him to change his opinion about her, but at least wanted him not to hinder her pursuing Lin Qingyuan.
Cheng Yujin contemplated this problem for a long time, and finally guessed that Cheng Yuanjing greatly valued Lin Qingyuan's talent, so he naturally couldn't sit back and watch Lin Qingyuan fell into the hands of a woman with an impure motive. Unfortunately, the so-called 'woman with an impure motive' happened to be herself.
It is a pity that even if Cheng Yujin's self-assertion result was the same, she still refused to give up Lin Qingyuan, this excellent stock. Therefore, she could only make Cheng Yuanjing change his attitude.
Cheng Yujin's smile deepened: "Ninth Uncle, you have been working hard these days. These are the pastries I prepared for you. Unfortunately, I don't know if it suits your preference. Why don't you try a bite?"
Cheng Yuanjing lowered his gaze and looked at the pastries Cheng Yujin brought out. A plate of plum cake, a plate of osmanthus cake, and finally a plate of green tea cake, which was also the most elaborate one. The small green tea cakes were shaped into leaf, and he could faintly smell the refreshing tea fragrance. Their color was elegant green, and it was so detailedly shaped that he could even see thin leaf veins carved on its surface. They looked like small pieces of green jade; fresh and exquisite. Too impressive that people almost held their breath in awe.
Cheng Yuanjing's eyes were on the pastries, while Cheng Yujin looked at him eagerly. Her eyes shone brightly, waiting for him to have a taste. Cheng Yuanjing didn't like eating snacks, but under Cheng Yujin's eager eyes, he casually picked up a piece of green tea cake.
Cheng Yuanjing originally merely wanted to take a bite to give Cheng Yujin some face. Unexpectedly, once he bit into the cake, it actually suited his appetite. Cheng Yuanjing didn't like sweet and greasy food, and preferred lighter taste. Those requirements were hard to found in desserts, but Cheng Yujin did it. For example, this plate of green tea cakes was so exquisitely made, with a hint of tea leaf's fresh fragrance. The sweetness wasn't high, and there was a faint bitterness of green tea. Even people who didn't like sweet dessert wouldn't dislike this taste.
When Cheng Yuanjing tasted the cake, Cheng Yujin kept watching him without blinking and almost rushed to ask for his evaluation. Under such a gaze, it was difficult for anyone to say something negative. Cheng Yuanjing originally wanted to say "Not bad," but when he met with the shining pair of eyes, he inexplicably changed it into "Very good."
A bright light suddenly burst from Cheng Yujin's eyes. The corner of her eyes subconsciously bend. It was as if a starry sky fell into her eyes: bright and dazzling. For a moment, Cheng Yuanjing was stunned. He remembered at the gathering after the last banquet, Cheng Yujin paid special attention to Xu Zhixian's food and beverages. The tea and pastries for Huo Changyuan and the others were prepared in batches. Only Xu Zhixian's portion was clearly made separately and also with greater care. Although Cheng Yuanjing's portion wasn't part of the common batch, he didn't get any special treatment either. This time, he finally tasted the things Cheng Yujin personally prepared according to his preference.
Cheng Yuanjing couldn't describe his current emotion well. But his expression softened visibly, and a slight smile appeared in his eyes. Cheng Yujin personally poured a cup of tea for Cheng Yuanjing and put it next to him. She then stood with a smile: "Ninth Uncle, many things have to be tabooed during the mourning period. Last time, I saw the pouch where you put your official seal is golden colored. Now that we have to mourn for grandfather, it has to be changed into a plainer one. I know that Ninth Uncle is in charge of half of grandfather's funeral arrangements. I think you may not have the time to mind this kind of trivial matter, so I took the liberty to prepare a new seal pouch for you."
Cheng Yujin put a pouch on the table and smiled: "My needlework is still clumsy. I hope Ninth Uncle won't dislike."
Cheng Yuanjing saw Cheng Yujin take out an embroidered pouch, and his eyes moved. He reached out to take the pouch and examined it closely. Although made from white cloth, its edges were embroidered with an auspicious cloud motif using silver thread. The embroideries in the middle were of pale blue and purple floral medallion motif. The embroidery wasn't visible from afar, but looking up close, one could see how the light shone on every stitch. Dark and light intertwined, and each petal was embroidered extremely exquisite. Both sides of the ribbon used to tie the pouch were embedded with white jade, beautiful and elegant.
Cheng Yuanjing touched the pouch's inner side with his fingers, and sure enough, it was a double-sided embroidery. The pouch was decorated in and out with lavish gold and silver thread, but the motif was cleverly toned down, and even the inner side that wasn't visible from the outside was embroidered using a double-sided technique. It was a real luxury.
The real wealthy wouldn't feel the need to show off their wealth. From a distance, it was just a very plain white pouch. Only by looking closely one could see its exquisiteness. Although this pouch was small, its degree of quality wasn't lose to the embroidered screen being presented to the Emperor last time. As soon as he saw the pouch, Cheng Yuanjing liked it.
Cheng Yuanjing didn't have any particular fondness of worldly objects, but beautiful things naturally attracted people's attention, and he wasn't an exclusion. Cheng Yuanjing also liked the double-sided embroidery Cheng Yujin made last time, but it was given away as the Emperor's longevity gift. Now Cheng Yujin gave him another one, and even specially tailored it to his preference.
Cheng Yuanjing glanced at Cheng Yujin. This girl was young but already so capable of currying favor with others. However, Cheng Yuanjing was indeed pleased by this gift.
Cheng Yuanjing put down the pouch and asked, "Gifting this to me, what is your purpose?"
Cheng Yujin smiled, "Ninth Uncle worked hard for grandfather's funeral. As Cheng family's eldest daughter, I cannot share your burden, and is very sorry for it. Although I'm unable to help, I know a little about making pastries and embroidery, so I used my clumsy skill to help Ninth Uncle relax."
Cheng Yujin did not say clearly, but both of them understood the implied meaning. Cheng Yuanxian and Cheng Yuanhan were both low-ranked officials and were careless and sloppy, so the majority of the funeral responsibility fell on Cheng Yuanjing. In fact, he wasn't a real member of Cheng family, and it shouldn't be his duty to take care of Old Master Cheng's funeral.
Cheng Yujin knew this, but she couldn't say it aloud and could only send things to express her gratitude in an implied manner. Cheng Yuanjing didn't care. He said: "This is what I suppose to do. The Marquis had grace on me and had done a lot of things for my sake over the years. Taking care of his funeral is also my duty."
Cheng Yujin understood that this kind of word was nothing to the crown prince. But if Cheng family took it seriously, who knew whether it would be a good or bad thing. Cheng Yujin nodded, praising Cheng Yuanjing again: "Ninth Uncle cherishes relationship and is truly kindhearted. This little girl admires you."
Cheng Yuanjing suddenly guessed what Cheng Yujin was doing. He looked at the girl and suddenly remembered Lin Qingyuan's words. Lin Qingyuan said that only girls who were pampered would have no fear. But Cheng Yujin has always been cautious. She obviously had to stand up by herself and bear the harsh wind and rain since she was very young. Now, had he become a problem that Cheng Yujin needed to solve?
Being regarded as a difficult problem by others, Cheng Yuanjing should feel unhappy. However, when he thought that this person was Cheng Yujin, he really couldn't put on any temper. This girl had not it easy. Cheng Yuanjing secretly sighed and said: "This matter is between the Marquis and me. It has nothing to do with you, a little girl. You should live your life with peace of mind, and don't need to worry about the outside affairs."
Since Cheng Yuanjing has agreed to Old Master Cheng's request, he wouldn't sit idly by and would ensure that Cheng family could enjoy wealth and honor during his lifetime. As for the slight disrespect by Cheng family members, Cheng Yuanjing didn't take it seriously. As a crown prince, he never put such insignificant things into his eyes.
And Cheng Yujin was just a little girl who had nothing to do with outside affairs. Even if the Cheng family angered him, he would never involve her. Cheng Yujin didn't need to take responsibilities that supposed to be bear by the adults upon herself and secretly came to speak on the Cheng family's behalf.
Cheng Yujin nodded obediently. Inwardly however, she thought: if she did nothing and waited for Cheng Yuanxian to finally offend the crown prince, wouldn't she also suffer with them? Besides, who said that she came for Cheng family's sake?
Cheng Yujin put this point forward as tactfully as possible: "Women obey their father, their husband, and finally their son. According to ancestral teaching, this is a natural order. But when one has to listen to father in one time, then to husband in another time, sometimes it's really hard to tell who to follow."
Cheng Yuanjing raised her eyebrows and looked at Cheng Yujin deeply. Listening to her boldness, a smile appeared in his eyes. Cheng Yuanjing slowly tapped the table with his fingers and asked in a leisurely manner: "Then your opinion is?"
"Of course this little girl dare not violate the three obediences and four virtues, but sometimes, this teaching is a bit chaotic. In women's life, there are always times when these three men overlap. Father also can have more than one daughter, and husband does not necessarily have only one wife. A woman has to serve as a role model for the family. But if the father, husband, and son exist at the same time, to whom should she give priority? The relationship between people ultimately isn't dictated by rules and teachings. No matter who the woman chooses, it would chill her relationship with the others. That's why it's better to leave the choice and its subsequent consequences to their own, so as to not souring the relationship between a woman's natal home and her husband's family."
Cheng Yuanjing listened to Cheng Yujin's rhetoric with a smile. After she finished, he chuckled softly. Cheng Yuanjing casually flipped a folding fan into his hand and knocked Cheng Yujin's forehead: "Bold."
The knock wasn't light, but Cheng Yujin didn't dodge. Of course she understood that her words were extremely bold. Since ancient time, women's merits has to be recorded under men's names. Before they married, the merits were given to father and afterward, to husband. Even if the women in the palace bestowing rewards, those were issued under the whole family's name. There was no way it would be given directly to the woman.
This was precisely one of the things Cheng Yujin afraid of. She worked hard and did so much, but she definitely didn't want Cheng Yuanjing to note her efforts and gave the rewards under Cheng family's name. Whether it was Cheng Yuanxian or her own husband's promotion, it has nothing to do with her. Cheng Yuanxian only cared about his own child, and her husband still has to be filial to his parents and elders. What good would it bring her?
So, why should she give her credits to others? No matter what benefits she might get, they should be given to her directly. If her natal or husband's family wanted a share, they should come and ask her.
Cheng Yujin knew that her thoughts were too bold. This was a clear violation of the three obediences and four virtues. Replaced with any man, they would never tolerate this thinking from a woman.
Similarly, Cheng Yujin also would never say these things aloud to another person. For some reason, however, in front of Cheng Yuanjing, Cheng Yujin always had an inexplicable boldness. Other men would be furious when they heard these words, but Cheng Yuanjing would not, even though he obviously had a higher status.
Cheng Yujin couldn't tell why. It was as if Cheng Yuanjing was another her. Their experience growing up was similar to a certain extent, and even Cheng Yujin felt that their personalities were very similar. They were both extremely self-centered, and equally rational and calculating. The only difference was Cheng Yujin showed it out, while Cheng Yuanjing didn't.
Often, Cheng Yujin felt that she could understand Cheng Yuanjing's choice, and in the same way, Cheng Yuanjing could also understand her. For example, although Cheng Yujin's forehead was knocked so hard it was painful, but she knew that Cheng Yuanjing appreciated her opinion.
Cheng Yujin guessed right, so she shed off even more pretense and became bolder: "Ninth Uncle, in the future, if you are in a good mood and wanted to bestow reward randomly, then you should clearly write that it is given to me. Although I have not yet married, my future husband and I are one in thought and mind. Since there is no yours and mine between a married couple, it wouldn't make any difference if the rewards are written under my name."
Cheng Yuanjing glanced at her coldly: "You are a little girl. What kind of nonsense are you talking about?"
Cheng Yujin didn't care: "Isn't it just a matter of time? Since I have to marry sooner or later, having it clearly be explained now will save much trouble in the future."
When Cheng Yujin said 'my future husband,' the words somehow felt piercing in Cheng Yuanjing's ears, especially when she said that she and her future husband was one in thought and mind.
Cheng Yuanjing thought that a woman should be more reserved. She still hasn't been engaged yet, but already speaking so blatantly. No wonder it made him uncomfortable. Cheng Yuanjing glanced at Cheng Yujin coldly and said with a low tone: "Still dare to say more?"
Cheng Yujin quickly shut up. She found that this crown prince was really hard to predict. He was completely amiable just now, but suddenly became angry. She has said so many things that violated the women's principle, and Cheng Yuanjing didn't care. But she only said one or two words about her future marriage, and he instantly turned cold.
So the crown prince was such an old-fashioned person?
Cheng Yujin couldn't understand, but she secretly sighed. A high ranking person was indeed different, and a ruler's mind was truly unpredictable.
(1) Three obediences and four virtues: The most basic set of moral principles and social code of behavior for maidens and married women in East Asian Confucianism, especially in Ancient and Imperial China (source: Wikipedia). Three obediences are: obey one's father before married, obey one's husband after married, and obey one's son after widowed. Four virtues are chastity, modesty in speech, neatness of appearance, and hardworking.