Zhong Zheng Lin nodded his head when he learnt that Mu Xi Yao would enter his estate as shufei. After all, Mu Jin Zhen's official rank rendered higher rank impossible. The shufei title was already the limit.
However, this matter was of no importance. As long as she had produced heirs, raising her rank to cefei would not be an issue. The woman he had fallen for ought to have some prestige in his estate. Since the di son could not be born from her then he would give her the privilege to give birth to the eldest son.
As for the two concubines in his inner yard and the newcomers that will arrive, as long as they behaved before the eldest son was born, he will treat them well.
Mu Xi Yao didn't know about Zhong Zheng Lin's plans yet. If she did, she would be without doubt overjoyed.
Therefore, Mu Xi Yao was still working hard to sort out Zhong Zheng Lin's preferences in order to steadily and firmly hug this golden leg in one go once she enters his estate. Taking into the consideration the inaccuracy of her memories combined with Zhong Zheng Lin's time-traveling signs he displayed during the initial meeting, Mu Xi Yao was convinced that her previous presumptions needed to be changed. If she was able to have more contact with Zhong Zheng Lin before she married him, understand his temper better so she could update her database, it would be for the best.
She took the advantage of these last two months of leisure to experience for once a life of a rice weevil. In the daytime, she would spend most of her time practicing calligraphy, zither playing and stuff like needlework. Naturally, nobody expected her to do all the needlework as there was a seamstress in the estate who was assigned with such tasks. As a result, Mu Xi Yao ended up to be quite free, to which she was very pleased. In the afternoon she would take a stroll in the garden and engage in small talks with her sister and elder cousin and in the evening she would read folk stories and travel notes. The days could not be spent better. This content belongs to thehlifestyle.com, if you see this translation elsewhere, it's been stolen!
The only regret she had after being bestowed with the marriage was that it wasn't convenient for her to visit Shengjin's library every few days anymore. Yet, those books and picture albums were constantly beckoning her, making her heart itch unbearably as if a cat was scratching it relentlessly with its claws.
Soon the news about the Mu sisters entering the prince's estate as shufeis spread all over Qingzhou. The prefect's estate received endless of congratulations. The Mu spouses were astonished at first. Just Mu Xi Ting. She was shu daughter of fifth rank official! How was it possible that she was bestowed to the prince's estate as shufei? Even Mu Xi Yao as di daughter, her family background was inadequate. This.......does not make sense.
The spouses felt both helpless and heartache. According to Mu Xi Yao's family background and appearance, it was not impossible for her to marry an ordinary official as his principal wife. Who would have known that Heaven's family would actually pick her! Now she could only be a concubine. In the future, she will have a principal wife and two cefeis above her, putting a pressure on her. It was still unknown how would such days look like. The more lady Yu thought the more she believed that naive and clueless Mu Xi Yao would suffer. Unconsciously, her tears started to shed.
Mu Xi Yao acted too well before her parents, hence till now, they saw her as a little white flower.
At the moment, sir Mu was patiently comforting lady Yu, telling her that if other people learnt of her grief, they would be accused of disrespecting the imperial family. Hearing this, lady You immediately stopped sobbing and tidied herself up. However, she still couldn't let go of the worry she felt inside her heart. The imperial household had so many rules. Their daughter has been spoiled since childhood. Would she be able to handle them? Moreover, the sixth prince was sixteen years old yet he already had so many women in his harem. In the future, there would certainly be only more of them. Their daughter had never before experienced the intrigues in the inner yard. How was she to survive in such an environment?
Sir Mu sighed when he saw the worry on lady Yu's face. Currently, there were more important matters that needed to be promptly discussed. Since they could not change the fact that she was going to marry the sixth prince, at least they ought to make plans for their daughter so she would be able to build her standing within the inner yard.
Henceforth, the Mu spouses had discussed the whole night in the main house. After one day of rest, lady Yu taking along with her concubine Wu hastily rushed to Shengjing.
The shufei and ranks above were all allowed to take dowry maidservants with themselves once they married into the imperial family. People in Mu Xi Yao's courtyard were not bad. They were all children of household's servants who had signed contracts. She decided to take along with her the ones she was accustomed to. Also, she ought to take one of lady Yu's capable momos. They were more experienced than young girls, after all.
The dowry and bedchamber maidens she had prepared beforehand must be all changed. The dowry should be replaced by the stores they possessed in Shengjing and banknotes while the bedchamber maidens ought to be changed to capable long-serving maidservants. It has to be done as soon as possible to avoid giving some servants the wrong impression and have them deceive their master.
When Mu Xi Yao saw lady Yu, she was joyous. She immediately went to cuddle her. Knowing that lady Yu was worried about her, she chatted with her only about jolly topics like when she marries the imperial prince she will at once give birth to a fat son and make her grandmother, once she's promoted to cefei rank she will immediately buy lady Yu a large mansion in Shengjing. She will also ask his Highness to bestow her brother a good sister-in-law. These kinds of promises easily came out of Mu Xi Yao's mouth once she started to speak. She said it as if entering the imperial prince's estate was like entering treasure house and as if if she did not hurry to bring benefits to her family she would lose her face, making lady Yu and servant girls nearby lose themselves in laughter.
How would lady Yu not know about her daughter's purpose? She only secretly hoped that his sixth Highness would see Mu Xi Yao's goodness and treat her kindly.
After seeing lady Yu, Mu Xi Yao's mood became even better. She started to reckon that since there was no excuse to go to the library she ought to at least think of ways how to go out for a bit of short walk. Otherwise, wouldn't it be mistreating herself? She hasn't yet married but she was already so idle that she almost began to sprout grasses. Not to mention, she had truly found a place to go – the most infamous 'temple not to be seen upon entering but reputation carried ten miles by the sound of wind' Zhaojue Temple at the outskirt of Shengjing.
Thereupon, Mu Xi Yao picked a good day and took with her Mu Xi Ting along with Gui momo, servant girls and guards, who were given to her by lady Yu, and together they went to Zhaojue Temple. Mu Xi Yao expressed earnestly that the purpose of this journey was to thank for Heaven's grace and to pray for blessings.
Looking at the news sent by the secret agents, Zhong Zheng Lin knew that that rabbit's bad habit of inviting troubles has again relapsed. In Shengjing there were countless xiunus more decorous than her, yet she was the only thoughtful enough to go to the temple and thank for the favor?? Let it be. There were not many days left before she entered his estate. Moreover, there was no issue in complying with her wish.
Zhong Zheng Lin just demonstrated a typical example of a different treatment.
His two concubines did nothing, yet he saw them as the irksome existence and had sternly reprimanded them several times to 'behave well'. When it came to Mu Xi Yao, well, it seemed like it was Mu Xi Yao who was being wronged.
Zhong Zheng Lin did not bother himself with thinking about irrelevant people. He was currently pondering about how to arrange his assignments tomorrow so he could rush to Zhaojue Temple and see Mu Xi Yao.
Inside the Zhaojue Temple.
After going through all the formalities at the front she took everyone to the mountain at the back for sightseeing. The surrounding of the mountain was very beautiful and secluded. The millennium-old Buddhist temple made people feel at peace. The faint sound of the bells at the front that echoed in one's ears made one think that any worldly turmoil would promptly go away within a blink of an eye. Just like this ancient Buddhist temple. It saw innumerable people coming and going. In the end, it was accompanied only by the sound of bells, dwelling there peacefully for a millennium year.
Mu Xi Yao sighed. She chose a pavilion at the mountainside to take a rest. She quietly leaned against the railing, enjoying the rare peacefulness.
When Zhong Zheng Lin arrived, he just happened to come upon such a tranquil painting. The beauty inside was brimming with leisure. It was peaceful yet beautiful. The outline of her side face profile was very gentle, the corners of her mouth even carried a tiny smile. Even as he was looking from afar he felt how soft his heart has become. He wanted to wrap his arms around that person and hug her tightly.
Wei Zhen was long accustomed to such strange sights. Since his Highness had that conversation with mister in the study his Highness has become odd.
Apart from being cold and solemn in state affairs and keeping everything well in control as in the past, in private, he has changed altogether. Of course, this change was directed only at one person. Toward everyone else, he was his usual self.
His Highness would check the news about this woman every day. Occasionally he would show a smile. Wei Zhen felt like he has finally found the key trick on how to serve his Highness after the previous confusion. It was truly not an easy task to accomplish.
---***---
[1] Hug a golden leg means to find a protection from powerful influence or power
[2] Rice weevil means fig. lazy person, sponger
[3] Little white flower describes a beautiful woman who seems fragile and delicate