Chu Wang Fei

Yun Qian Meng returned back the letter to Qu Fei Qing, smiling as she send her out of Chu Xiang Fu, then she returned once again to Meng Xin Xiao Zhu. Yet she discovered that Chu Fei Yang had already returned back to the inner room unknowingly, but now he was reclining down on the bed reading the book that she had read earlier.

Waving her hands allowing the servant girls to retreat out of the room, Yun Qian Meng took off her outer clothing then laid down on the bed, yet she tossed and turn sleeplessly, as she could only open wide her eyes and stare at the embroidered canopy in the roof.

“Meng’er, what’s up? You are actually not sleepy at all!” Grabbing her delicate arms, her body was being entirely drawn closer to a warm chest, beside her ears, Chu Fei Yang’s gentle inquiring voice resounded.

Yun Qian Meng only shook her head, didn’t speak anything further.

But both of her small hands spontaneously hugged Chu Fei Yang’s waist, tightly grabbing the white satin inner lining of his clothes refusing to let go.

Seeing everything that happened tonight, Yun Qian Meng knew that Qu Fei Qing had not truly laid down everything, Perhaps she still had to go a period of sadness before she would feel happy again.

Thinking about all these, Yun Qian Meng could not help but sigh. Fortunately Chu Fei Yang and herself were harmonious as a couple or else they would become unhappy.

Being so lucky like this, Yun Qian Meng wanted to cherish this person in front of her even more, and even more refused to share him with any other persons.

Seeing Yun Qian Meng in her childish behavior today, Chu Fei Yang lifted up a smile in the corner of his lips, with one hand he seized her delicate waist and drew her closer to his own arms. His other hand gently patted her back, in a lowered voice he said “Sleep now, for the palace banquet tomorrow, it will be more tiresome.”

Hearing him saying that, Yun Qiang Meng was about to open her mouth to ask, but she a bit uneasy in her heart. She immersed her head in his chest, slowly closed her both eyes. Under her gentle pats, she soon submerged into the dreamland.

Chu Fei Yang her still grabbing him tightly even in her sleep. This immediately brightened his mood. Soon he also closed his eyes.

The next day early in the morning, when Yun Qian Meng opened her both eyes, Chu Fei Yang was already not beside her. Touching the spot beside her, the bedding was already cold. Perhaps before the sky turned bright, Chu Fei Yang had already set forth to attend the imperial court.

Yun Qian Meng called for Mu Chun and the other to attend to her because she had the palace banquet to attend that evening. Yun Qian Meng chose to wear a light orange color winter dress made from the palace satin, and because it was New Year’s Eve the hairpin on her head was replaced by a relatively festive hairpin for good fortune. Her entire outfit was a kind of splendid attire for a strong noble upper-class woman of the capital, yet it had also excellently set off Yun Qian Meng’s distinct personality traits. It seemed to bring out the best of her, causing the few servant girls to stare at her in awe.

“Furen, the xiaojie and second furen has arrived!” And during this time, Mi Mama walked in striding her quick steps, then she reported in a lowered voice.

Hearing this announcement, the servant girls looked at each other, wondering why the second lady master and young lady master would come over here?

After a while they will set off to enter the imperial palace, she really could not understand what matter would really make them come over here during this time From an outsider’s point of view, they actually seemed to be doing something more than what was required.

Yun Qian Meng slightly glanced at the few servant girls. Her eyes showed a teasing smile, then she instructed “Mi Mama, invite them to sit inside Wang Ming Xuan for a short while, I will proceed there instantly.”

“Yes!” Mi Mama was after all an experienced Mama, even though in her heart she did not really like the second furen and Chu Jie, yet she did not show it in her face, so as to avoid stirring up some trouble for her young furen.

When the servant girls saw Yun Qian Meng was about to go out of the room, they immediately draped which was already prepared earlier over her shoulders. They carefully assisted Yun Qian Meng out of Meng Xin Xiao Zhu.

By the time they stepped out of the main room, Yun Qian Meng lifted up her head and glanced at the color of the sky, feeling the sky was a bit gloomy, the temperature outside was very low combined with soft cold wind, perhaps it will snow soon.

“Xiaojie, there’s no need for you to make a trip to meet them. You can just directly ask Mi Mama to invite the two of them here! You might freeze yourself for no reason at all!” Mu Chun combed the overcoat for Yun Qian Meng, not permitting the cold wind to penetrate through that overcoat. But being reminded of Xie Wan Wan and Xie Yuan Yuan, her heart felt a bit uneasy, feeling that the second furen’s attitude was overly enthusiastic towards her xiaojie. It seemed as if she was planning for something to happen.

Seeing Mu Chun being worried like that, Yun Qian Meng simply smile. The dimples in the corner of her mouth was faintly discernible, so beautiful that it made people gasp with admiration.

“You’re becoming more like housewife now!” How could Yun Qian Meng not know anything about Madam Xie’s intention? But because of Madam Xie’s seniority in the family and her connection to her grandfather-in-law, Yun Qian Meng had to attend to her even if she did not want to, for the sake of her yeye. Especially since Chu Pei and his family were living in Chu Wang Fu right now. If she did not give Madam Xie face, it might yeye and Chu Fei Yang that would suffer.

“We will arrive in Wang Ming Xuan in a while. Do not put on intimidating faces or else I will confiscate your red packets for tonight!” Treading on steady steps as they proceeded towards the direction of Wang Ming Xuan, Yun Qian Meng the four servant girls behind her in a lowered voice.

“Ah? It’s not right, xiaojie!” The four servant girls spoke in unison, their voices were pleading and miserable, yet it had brightened up Yun Qian Meng’s mood for a period of time.

Walking for almost a quarter of an hour, the few of them walked inside Wang Ming Xuan, which was located in the southwest area of Chu Xiang Fu, this was not a courtyard that was particularly used for entertaining guests, but it was the nearest spot from Chu Xiang Fu, Yun Qian Meng then assigned Mi Mama to invited Xie and Chu Jie.

“Sorry, I’ve arrived late!” When the servant girl outside lifted open the thick curtain in the door, Yun Qian Meng laughed as she spoke, after which she walked inside the main room of Wang Ming Xuan. Facing Madam Xie she immediately bent her knees. “Please to see you, Er Niang!”

Madam Xie was chatting with Chu Jie. seeing Yun Qian Meng walked inside bearing the cold air, she immediately went ahead and pulled her to sit down. Her warm hands were covering Yun Qian Meng’s, as she said concerningly “We are one family, there’s no need to be too courteous! Today is our fault, originally we planned to directly go to imperial palace, but Jie’er was asking if she could enter the palace together with her sister-in-law, which is why we turned up without being invited, but it had actually caused you to rush about all over the place.”

Hearing her own mother complaining about her, Chu Jie immediately ran beside Madam Xie, grabbing Xie’s body she acted like a spoiled child as she said “What are you talking about, mother, Jie’er really likes sister-in-law!”

Watching the mother and daughter really loved each other deeply, Yun Qian Meng also laughed with them. While Mu Chun was fetching them teacups,she extended out her hand, after which in a tender voice she said “At first I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to invite Er Niang and sister here! I might be bored on the road, having Er Niang and sister to accompany me, that was actually great! But why aren’t the two cousins here?”

Madam Xie took all the trouble to go to Chu Xiang Fu so she could make the journey together with Yun Qian Meng, all so she would be able to make friends with the furen and xiaojie in the capital.

After all, although Chu Pei had Chu Wang as his father and Chu Xiang as his son, but since he had been away from the capital for too many years, the ways of the world had already made a complete transformation. Perhaps if they wanted to blend in with these social circles of noble people inside the capital, without the help of someone, they will be very likely to spend twice the effort to get the half of the result.

“The two of them will stay inside Wang Fu to welcome the New Year!” Seeing Yun Qian Meng had mentioned about Xie Wan Wan sisters, Xie simply responded with this statement. After which she shifted her focus once again at Chu Jie, seeing her being active and moving randomly around, she couldn’t help but furrowed her brows and said “Jie’er, don’t be too impudent! Sit down properly now!”

Having heard what was said, Yun Qian Meng shifted her gaze towards Chu Jie. Seeing her wearing a peach pink winter dress, her hair was adorned with a few eight colored jade hairpin, in contrast with her face it looked more pleasant.

Particularly when she was wearing gorgeous clothes it seemed to make her fine and delicate figure looked more perfect without blemishes, truly having the majestic beauty of a woman during the ancient times.

But in contrast with today’s Madam Xie, she was wearing a set of splendid clothes, as compared to Chu Jie’s dainty behavior, Xie seemed to contain more mature hinted appeal. The gold dangling ornament in her hair slightly trembled along with her movement of turning her head, it indeed added the flavor of an upper-class woman.

Apparently, these two persons had also spent a lot of time and efforts.

“Furen, the time is running late, the horse carriage had been prepared already. Furen, Second Furen, and xiaojie, please get into the carriage now.” This time, Shang Guan Mama who had been busy attending to the matters outside walked in. She announced respectfully, observing proper etiquette while reminding the masters.

Yun Qian Meng nodded her head, afterwhich she stood up together with Madam Xie and Chu Jie, leisurely advancing towards the main gate of Xiang Fu. Because of Madam Xie and Chu Jie, this time Shang Guan Mama had prepared an additional horse carriage allowing all the servant girls to sit inside the horse carriage behind them.

When all of them took their seats inside the horse carriage, the coachman carefully waved his whip…...

“Mother, take a look, within this capital red lanterns also hand around the restaurants and guest houses, they really looked festive!” It will be New Year’s Eve tonight, there were no peddlers or passers-by along the streets, all the people will staying inside their houses to celebrate the New Year with their close relatives. As a result the noise and excitement were not present, but the long road had been arranged with festive decorations, it was still not surprising that Chu Jie felt happy about it.

Yun Qian Meng was able to hear the happy sound of discussion echoed from the horse carriage behind them. Perhaps Mu Chun and the few other servant girls were also feeling very happy.

“Sister, you might have not yet seen the occasion wherein people crammed into each other during the Double-Seventh Day! During that time there were too many people you couldn’t even take a single step out, that was truly amusing!” Watching Chu Jie rejoicing, Yun Qian Meng laughed as she spoke.

Hearing Yun Qian Meng’s words, Chu Jie suddenly became interested, she was no longer looking at the quiet long street outside, her both eyes looked curious as she asked “Sister-in-law, is it really that interesting? When I was in Youzhou, Father and Mother wouldn’t let me step out of the house, staying inside the house the whole day was really boring!”

“When did I ever lie to you? During the night of the Double-Seventh Day there were game such as guessing the answers to the riddles written on the lanterns, sailing across the umber-green river, oh, right, there’s also a competition involving the snatching of hairpins. I can guarantee that you will be dazzled by them, enjoying yourself at your heart’s full content as you return home!” Seeing Chu Jie drooping down her face, Yun Qian Meng laughed as she enumerated the interesting things that happened in the night of the Double-Seventh Day, her face looked immersed in her thoughts.

And hearing what she said, Chu Jie corresponded to Yun Qian Meng’s facial expression, curiosity rising in her heart. She immediately said happily “Oh hey, next year I will certainly come to attend the Double-Seventh Day together with sister-in-law. Youzhou is too boring, brother was busy studying his books, the two cousins were also busy……”

“Jie’er!” This time, Madam Xie suddenly spoke, seeing her face filled with smile as she pulled Chu Jie down to her seat. She carefully straightened out the embroidered pouch suspend in the waist for her, after which she helplessly looked at Yun Qian Meng, seemed to be experiencing a headache as she spoke to Yun Qian Meng “I really have no idea what I should do to her! Being reminded of Wan Wan and Yuan Yuan’s quiet nature, I thought that if she was together with she would become more quiet, but unexpectedly, she has become naughtier and naughtier during these years! Why don’t you think about it, your big brother is doing very well in both literary and military skills, if your second older brother was to become a hedonistic son of rich parents, wouldn’t he just make your big brother lose his face? Wan Wan and Yuan Yuan were naturally gentle and quiet women, during usual days you refused to learn anything about the female arts, would you like to become just like a monkey jumping up and down? Moreover, during next year’s Double-Seventh Day, your sister-in-law would probably have a happy occasion to celebrate, when that moment comes, you will not be allowed to disturb your sister-in-law, or else, Mother will not simply let you off!”

Yun Qian Meng was smiling in the corner of her mouth all along while listening to Madam Xie reproaching Chu Jie, after all she had already obtained the response that she wanted, there was no need for her to say anything further.

“Mother, what happy occasion will my sister-in-law have?” Chu Jie was after all an unmarried woman, how could she understand Madam Xie’s hint, as she directly asked this question.

Yet Madam Xie just pointed her forehead with a finger, then helplessly said “You are shameless, are you able to ask this question? But, during the same period of time, you will be very likely to become an aunt!”

With these words, even if Chu Jie still had not experienced the things between man and woman, she immediately realized what they mean, with both eyes smiling as she looked at Yun Qian Meng, she anxiously asked “Sister-in-law, are you already pregnant?”

In a few words Madam Xie had diverted Chu Jie’s attention. Yun Qian Meng laughed as she shook her head, in a low voice she said “How can it happen so fast? Er Niang, you are too anxious!”

But when she said these words, Madam Xie immediately responded “Not just your Er Niang, your father-in-law is also quite anxious! After all, you are Chu family’s young madam, and Qing Yang is still young, Wang Ye and your father-in-law would naturally have their hopes held up high on you!”

Hearing Madam Xie’s words, Yun Qian Meng laughed grimly.

Speaking about Grandpa Chu Wang being anxious, she naturally believed it!

But talking about Chu Pei being anxiously waiting to hold the grandchild that Chu Fei Yang will give to him, there was definitely a big question mark here.

Besides, Madam Xie had arrived at the capital for just merely three days. She was starting to watch attentively at her own belly, was she giving her the pressure or was she having some other plan, perhaps one of these two aspects was the reason why she said these words right now, this really needed an in-depth investigation.

“It was almost snowing outside!” The curtain of the carriage being lifted up by the wind in a corner, Yun Qian Meng inclined her gaze towards the weather which was becoming increasingly dusky, yet she had actually discovered that the snowflakes had started to sprinkle from the sky unknowingly, watching those specks of light and graceful white snowflakes that seemed like goose feathers slowly floated down. Its beauty was beyond words, causing people unable to shift their gaze.

Madam Xie and Chu Jie was hearing her crying aloud in surprise, they also lifted up the carriage curtain to look. Sure enough it was already snowing, making Chu Jie to feel even happier, she who had grown up in the south and had never seen the snow in her whole life, those sweet big eyes were staring closely at the snowflakes outside, despite of being obstructed by Madam Xie, she still stretched out her right hand to catch and play with the snowflakes.

“Furen, we are almost arriving at the imperial palace!” The coachman announced to remind all the people inside the carriage, Xie immediately pulled Chu Jie’s hand inside, so as to avoid making Chu Wang Fu lose its face when someone saw her.

This time the horse carriage had unhurriedly slowed down, the carriage slightly swayed a bit, then they heard the sound of imperial guards, probably the coachmen had jumped down from the carriage to inform them about the presence of the women of this particular family, without much extra effort he took out the medals of both Chu Xiang Fu and Chu Wang Fu suspended in his waist in order for the imperial guards to inspect them.

After a while, the carriage sank down a bit again, the wheel of the carriage slowly turned, but the horse carriage had started to move forward again towards the direction of the inner palace after the inspection…...

After a series of usual complicated things, they hopped down from the horse carriage, the three of them sat inside three palanquins respectively, proceeding towards the direction of a side palace hall near the imperial garden.

The three of them walked out of the palanquin, under the assistance of the palace maid they entered the side palace hall, and during this time, inside the palace hall were already a lot of women from different families of the officials, everyone was sitting on their seats chatting and laughing with each other, the lively scene was distinctly in contrast with the frozen ground outside.

“Meng’er!” The moment she set foot inside the side palace hall, she heard someone calling out her name in a distant place, following the voice she looked, she saw Ji Shu Yu and Qu Fei Qing were sitting on their seats beside the window smiling at her.

Yun Qian Meng responded with a smile, leading Madam Xie and Chu Jie as they proceeded on.

“Meng’er is pleased to meet you, Aunt! It’s been a long time, how’s your health?” Yun Qian Memg bent her knees towards Ji Shu Yu, as she paid her respect talking sweetly.

“Come and let me take a look at you!” Ji Shu Yu already treated Yun Qian Meng as her own child, now that she was already married, how could she not feel worried? Only because she had really considered Yun Qian Meng as her very own child, that’s why she was concerned about Yun Qian Meng upon seeing her, only for the fear that she might have suffered from any sort of hardships.

“Aunt, Meng’er is feeling great! But how about my maternal grandmother and uncle’s health?” Despite of saying these, Yun Qian Meng still approached in front of Ji Shu Yu, allowing her to carefully look around.

“They are all fine! Your uncle is still in the court right now, Mother was invited to Feng Xiang Gong by the Empress Dowager. These two ladies are?” After answering Yun Qian Meng’s questions one by one, Ji Shu Yu noticed the two persons standing behind Yun Qian Meng, in her heart she had already recognized their identities.

“They are my husband’s Er Niang and my younger sister!” Yun Qian Meng slightly moved aside standing beside Ji Shu Yu, afterwhich she introduced her to Xie and Chu Jie.

“So she was actually Furene Chu, it is a pleasure meeting you!” This time, Ji Shu Yu leading Qu Fei Qing as they stood up, smiling as they welcomed Madam Xie and her daughter.