R:DSAT Chapter 223 – The Scheme before the Grand Wedding

Translated by Uhei and edited by Cyrrene.

“You said mother talks about missing Imperial grandmother?” Long Xuan suddenly said to Long Xiang after he sat and thought of Luo Wei for a bit.

“Yes ah,” Long Xiang said: “In the end it was Shang Xi who replied to her, saying that everything is well with Imperial grandmother now.”

“Did Mother merely mention Imperial grandmother, or did she tell you this intentionally?”

“She said it a few times,” It would be inconceivable if Long Xiang could actually differentiate if it was said intentionally or off-handedly with that personality of his, so he simply said to Long Xuan, “It’s not like I can tell her, ‘not even I can see Imperial Grandmother now’.”

“I have a copybook here,” Long Xuan said, “You can practise your letters here at my place,”

“I still have matters to handle,” As soon as Long Xiang heard that Long Xuan wanted him to practise writing letters, he immediately stood up and said, “I’ll take my leave first ah.”

Long Xuan didn’t try to make Long Xiang stay either. This little brother of his, as long as he was living happily, it was fine even if he went on muddling through life like this; in any case he didn’t mind providing for him for the rest of his life. “There’s something going on in the palace, don’t run around the place,” Long Xuan gave Long Xiang this word of instruction before letting him go.

“I’ll come see you again tomorrow,” Long Xiang made his hasty escape. The type of treatment he’d received in the study, he now had a headache every time he heard anything related to the four arts¹.

Long Xuan only started poring over the words his mother² asked Long Xiang to pass on to him. Long Xuan definitely didn’t believe it when Concubine Liu said she missed the Empress Dowager. Perhaps others would not know, but Long Xuan knew, Concubine Liu had only a superficial respect for the Empress Dowager, but in her heart the Empress Dowager was but a tool in her power struggle. These words were definitely not intended for Luo Zhiyi either, Luo Zhiyi and the Empress Dowager have been on bad terms for a long time. That meant it could only be meant for him, this son of hers, to hear. Could it perhaps be telling him to pay a visit to the Empress Dowager? Long Xuan pondered, Empress Dowager had barely any power on hand to speak of, did he still have a need to see this Imperial Grandmother of his? Or did the Empress Dowager and his mother manage to find a way to correspond with each other while he was out of the palace? The Empress Dowager had something important to tell him?

Fu Yun stepped in light-footedly, lighting the candles in Long Xuan’s study one-by-one.

Long Xuan asked: “What are all the happenings that occurred in the palace during the period I was away?”

Fu Yun was startled by this question from Long Xuan and nearly dropped the torch in his hand. When he saw Long Xuan at Yunguan Pass, he’d already told Long Xuan everything he knew about the things that happened in the palace. Since Long Xuan was asking this, did this mean he did not trust him?

“Speak,” Long Xuan had no interest to think about Fu Yun’s feelings at the moment, and said coldly: “Did anything happen over there at the Empress Dowager’s place?”

Fu Yun said: “Nobody dares to go to her Highness the Empress Dowager’s East Buddha Palace, this servant didn’t hear that anything happened there ah.”

“Is her Highness the Empress Dowager’s health still fine?” Long Xuan asked.

“This servant has also not heard of any imperial physician going to do a consultation for the Empress Dowager ah,” Fu Yun didn’t understand how Long Xuan suddenly thought to ask after the ol’ Empress Dowager. There wasn’t anyone in the palace now who would mention this Empress Dowager.

Long Xuan waved his hand to dismiss Fu Yun. This matter was faintly suspicious, the East Buddha Palace was a place strictly off-limits, if he took the risk to go there, and was discovered by someone, Long Xuan didn’t think he could afford to bear the crime of disregarding an imperial order. But his birth mother wouldn’t harm him for no reason. Prompting him to go, meant there was definitely a reason he absolutely had to go, so what should he do? Long Xuan weighed the costs against the benefits three times for good measure; and in the end he still decided to take the risk and make a trip there. After making this decision, one tricky question remained before Long Xuan, how was he going to visit the Empress Dowager? The outside of the East Buddha Palace was so tightly-guarded, and perhaps his Imperial Father had even secretly arranged for concealed guards, how would he be able to get into the interior of East Buddha Palace? If he was discovered, how was he, Long Xuan, to get away?

In the residence of the Senior Chancellor, Luo Wan who was to become the principal wife of the third prince Long Xing in three days’ time was presently listening to Fu Hua teaching her the ways of managing a family. Her father was the younger clan brother of the Senior Chancellor Luo Zhiqiu, who was stationed as a prefecture magistrate³ in far-off Xinan. And since her birth mother had passed on early, Luo Wan had been living in Youyan City since she was young. Just like her namesake, Luo Wan was dignified and pretty⁴, her temperament gentle and reserved. Luo Zhiqiu had selected this niece in catering to the third prince Long Xing’s preferences.

“You don’t need to be scared,” Fu Hua told Luo Wan comfortingly: “Wives have a place of import even in the imperial family, none of those concubines will be able to compete with you. After you enter the household, the Empress is your aunt, she won’t let you be wronged or bear others’ temper. With looks like yours, I reckon the Third prince will definitely like you, so Wan’er, you don’t need to think too much, just calmly wait for the day that the Third prince arrives in his palanquin to pick you up.”

Luo Wei, who came to greet Fu Hua, stood by the door listening to each word of Fu Hua’s speech, and couldn’t help but shake his head secretly. He’d long been against the selection of a lady from the Luo Clan in marriage to Long Xing. Their clan was already wealthy in the utmost, why was there a need to add to that others’ suspicion and envy? But while he was far-off in Northern Yan, this matter had already been settled. Once he’d returned to Yunguan and heard of this news, the wood had already been made into a boat⁵, there was no longer any possibility of recourse. “Announce me,” Luo Wei said to the servant girl at the door, since he wasn’t hearing any more sounds of talking for the time being.

“Madam, the Third Young Master has come to greet you,” The servant called into the interior of the house.

“Wei’er is here? Quickly, come in,” The sound of Fu Hua’s voice sounded out.

When Luo Wei entered the house, Luo Wan had already retreated into the inner chambers.

Luo Wei looked around this room in Fu Hua’s house, the floor was strewn with the dowry they were giving to Luo Wan, “Why have you taken these out again?” Luo Wei asked.

“Taking another look,” Fu Hua said: “Mother is scared there’s a mistake, and that it would be made a laughingstock.”

A servant girl served up tea to Luo Wei. Luo Wei sat down and said to Fu Hua: “Is this dowry sufficient?”

“It’s enough,” Fu Hua said: “I especially sent someone to find out what dowry the Chang Family is giving. Our family’s will definitely be better than their family’s, we’ll not let your cousin lose out right on the cusp of marrying out.”

At this moment the servant girl outside the door ran back into the house and called out: “Madam, Master Chancellor and Second Elder Master have arrived.”

“Father, Er-ge,” Luo Wei stood up and greeted his father and elder brother.

“So many things ah,” Luo Ze clapped Luo Wei’s shoulder, then looked at the varying sizes of boxes that filled up this large house, saying: “On the day the Third Prince comes to receive the bride, simply the procession carrying these boxes will form a line tens of metres long.”

Luo Zhiqiu said: “Have all the preparations been made?”

“As they should,” Fu Hua said: “I won’t let that lass⁶ Wan suffer any grievances.”

“It’s better to reduce it a bit,” Luo Wei spoke up at this time, “There’s no need for this much.”

“What kind of words are you saying?” Fu Hua was immediately displeased, and said to Luo Wei, “You think you’ll be made poor by your cousin marrying out? A lady only has this once in her life, can’t you stand for her to do it in glory and splendour?”

“Mother,” Luo Ze saw that Fu Hua was going to have it out with Luo Wei again, and quickly called out to Fu Hua, “Just let Xiao Wei finish speaking.”

“These are all my personal possessions,” Fu Hua said, still incensed: “Can’t I even be allowed to personally give lass Wan dowry?”

“Wan’er is also here right?” Luo Zhiqiu had no choice but to speak up as well now, and said to Fu Hua in a low voice: “Talk things out nicely, don’t frighten that child.”

“This is because your family’s little Marquis is giving people trouble,” Fu Hua had always been overtly frank, and now that she was riled up, she was a little reckless with her words, and yelled at Luo Zhiqiu: “Why are you against me now? It’s not right when I do something out of my own goodwill?”

“This imperial family has its rules,” Luo Wei could no longer remain seated, so he stood and said: “Why does Mother need to compare with the Chang family? His Second Highness is the elder brother, what could his Third Highness win against his Second Highness? Does Mother intend to stir up internal conflict between brothers in the imperial family?”

Luo Wei had made such a grave overstatement, Fu Hua was left speechless for a long while.

“Xiao Wei,” Luo Ze pulled Luo Wei to sit down, saying: “You should talk nicely too, don’t frighten Mother.”

“Father is an honest and upright official, who does Mother intend to show off our wealth to? Cousin is marrying into the imperial family, would the imperial family care for this bit of dowry of ours? Or are we to flaunt off our riches to the imperial family?” Luo Wei’s tone was icy, “I heard all of what Mother said to cousin just now. Everyone says that the internal politics of a noble family is as deep as the sea⁷, let alone entering the imperial family? Our family only has Mother as a matron, I think Mother should perhaps find Cousin matrons of other large clans where there are numerous concubines and let them teach Cousin how to be an Imperial Consort.”

Luo Wei had finished saying his piece, and immediately made to leave.

Fu Hua had been greatly embarrassed by Luo Wei, and looked towards Luo Zhiqiu for a long time before she finally said: “Seems like I didn’t do a single thing right ah.”

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T/N: Sigh, Fu Hua… I wonder why Luo Zhiqiu isn’t speaking up about it though. He should know that this wouldn’t be good for their family.

1. Refers to the four arts that a ‘gentleman’ needs to be skilled in; chess, playing the qin, calligraphy and painting. [Return]

2.母妃 – ‘Concubine mother’ [Return]

3.知州 – literally ‘knows the prefecture’. An official in this position was required to manage the internal matters of the prefecture and send in memorials (reports) to the Emperor and the court now and then. [Return]

4.端庄美丽 – not exactly a chengyu. Just a combination of two common descriptors. The first two characters mean ‘dignified’ or ‘composed’, but in a manner that is passive and sedate so I’m not sure you would consider that a compliment out of this context. [Return]

5. 木已成舟 – meaning that plans have already progressed to a point where you can’t turn back on them. [Return]

6.婉丫头 – can be an impolite address unless it’s by one’s parents / close older relatives. [Return]

7. 侯门深似海 [Return]