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Meeting the Family
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Yu Lingxin’s words were just like a ball of fire. Xun Che although didn’t reveal anything on the surface, his heart and body were nevertheless all soaring.
However, the splendidly dressed new bride at this time had already stepped out the door in an appropriately dignified manner with a smile across her face. Outside, Shuangye, Ganlu, Bizhi, and Cuizhu, the four first rank servant girls, deferentially stood in two rows, waiting to head to the main hall with the two of them to greet Xun Nanheng and Ming Huayue.
Xun Che could only quickly adjust his breathing, similarly carrying a slight smile as he calmly went out. Just, he went forward two steps and held Yu Lingxin’s hand, and when the two of them headed forward side by side, he opened his mouth, also saying something that Yu Lingxin completely didn’t expect:
“Does my wife know, this husband’s marriage break this time is ten days?”
“Cough, cough.”
“Cough, cough.”
The servant girls behind them looked to one another in dismay. The two of them didn’t drink any less tea just now, yet how come both just started coughing?
Very soon, Xun Che and Yu Lingxin arrived together at the main hall. Xun Nanheng and Ming Huayue, as well as Xun Ying and Xun Cong were all already present. The embroidered cushions used for offering the tea had long been prepared. The young couple went forward together, kneeling down to offer the tea, “Father, mother, please have some tea.”
The smile on Xun Nanheng’s face had a bit of appreciation, while Ming Huayue was simply just very happy, “Good child.”
After serving the tea, Yu Lingxin offered up with both hands her own needlework that she’d finished in her boudoir. At a glance, one could make out the meticulous fine stitches and exquisite embroidery. Ming Huayue smilingly accepted, also giving a pair of jade bracelets as the greeting gift.
Afterwards, it was just greeting the younger siblings. Xun Cong bowed and called out older sister-in-law, his deferential attitude even more cautious than when facing Xun Che. While Xun Ying, on the other hand, penetrated with joy from the bottom of her heart, “Sister-in-law! In the future, we can be together everyday!”
Before Yu Lingxin could respond, Xun Che just dryly coughed first. Ming Huayue immediately laughed, glancing at Xun Nanheng, “This brat.”
Yu Lingxin’s face couldn’t help but heat up, yet she was too embarrassed to glare at him in front of the whole family, so could only pretend to not understand, quickly having the bifu[1] made for Xun Ying and the belt made for Xun Cong handed over.
The etiquette for meeting the family can be considered completed amongst laughter from the whole family.
Afterwards, it was offering sacrifices to the ancestors. Xun Nanheng and Ming Huayue led Xun Che and Yu Lingxin to the ancestral hall in the back to offer incense and prayers to the ancestors’ memorial tablets.
This path, Yu Lingxin had actually also taken in the last lifetime. Just, at the time, it was much more mournful. Because it was very difficult for Xun Che to move at the time, he was carried along on the soft recliner. And among the memorial tablets in the ancestral hall, there were naturally a few more than the ones now. Aside from the numerous people of the second branch, the most important ones were naturally just Xun Nanheng’s and Xun Ying’s memorial tablet.
Thinking to here, when stepping through the ancestral hall’s doors, Yu Lingxin still couldn’t help but glance at Xun Che next to her.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Xun Che’s breathing was also a bit more unstable than usual. Although the corner of his eyes didn’t turn red, he nevertheless reached out to support Yu Lingxin, their eyes quickly meeting for a second, both understanding each other’s meaning.
The regrets of the past life weren’t just the ‘flowers in the mirror and the moon reflected in the lake[2]‘ of their marriage. There was also their beloved family.
At present, everything all still have a chance, and the two of them have further come together.
Xun Nanheng and Ming Huayue naturally were clueless about the numerous thoughts that went through their son’s and daughter-in-law’s head behind them. When the two of them offered incense and bowed to the ancestors, they were nevertheless very gratified and happy. Especially Ming Huayue, directly praying to her deceased grandmother-in-law, Ningyi Xianzhu, “Grandmother, don’t worry, at present, Che’er has married a good wife. Everything in the marquis manor is all in good order. It’s also your spirit in heaven blessing the descendants.”
Xun Che and Yu Lingxin naturally kowtowed along with their parents, sincerely giving their thanks.
Once the rites were completed, all that was left was just a family banquet. Normally, when the new bride marry in, during this meal after meeting the family, they won’t sit down to eat together, instead needing to wait upon and serve by the mother-in-law’s side, helping to serve the dishes and ladling the soup for the mother-in-law and younger sister-in-law.
Some families treat the daughter-in-law more leniently, and after this meal, they won’t need to serve anymore, just having this meal treated as part of the rites. But, there were also some families that were more harsh, letting the daughter-in-law repeatedly serve for several days in a row based on this example.
However, Ming Huayue was an extremely open-minded and straightforward type. Once the food and drinks for the family banquet were all neatly arranged on the table, she just let Yu Lingxin serve everyone a bit of food before waving her hand, “This is enough. Child, sit down and eat.”
Yu Lingxin was somewhat surprised. In the past life, there naturally wasn’t this process, because at the time, Xun Che needed someone to attend to him at all times, and setting aside Xun Cong who was drunk all day, Xun Nanheng and Xun Ying had already passed away, so it was just Ming Huayue and her having a meal together. As such, what was there to serve? It was merely just the two of them simply eating a little.
But, in this life, since the whole family was together and happy, Yu Lingxin was also willing to serve her mother-in-law once. Moreover, she also figured that based on the Xun family’s principles, it will just be for this meal, merely going through the formalities.
However, Ming Huayue didn’t even need for her to serve for this meal, “This can also be considered our family’s tradition? It’s not like we don’t have servants. Besides, we also have hands, no need to be served. Child, quickly sit down.”
Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but glance at Xun Che. She naturally was close with Ming Huayue, but for better or worse, they were still mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and not really mother and daughter, so should she still be a bit more courteous?
Xun Che slightly fell silent, not daring to respond immediately. On his marriage, he can be considered to have schemed against his parents twice, so towards the etiquettes, he didn’t dare to be too arrogant either.
Xun Nanheng, at this time, dryly coughed, serving Ming Huayue a piece of bamboo shoot, and also shooting Xun Che a glare, “What are you blanking for, also add a bit of something for your wife.”
Xun Che quickly complied, even getting up and shifting Yu Lingxin’s seat. Yu Lingxin could only follow along and sit down. When lowering her head to eat, she saw Xun Ying and Xun Cong both secretly laughing. However, the ones they were secretly laughing at were actually Xun Nanheng and Ming Huayue.
Slightly pondering for a moment, she finally came to realization. That time previously, when Xun Che screwed over his father by saying ‘if switching the person, can the days similarly be good’, there seemingly were still some repercussions that still haven’t thoroughly concluded.
Thus, this meal can also be considered satisfying for the whole family. All the way until after the meal, when Xun Nanheng mentioned going to the Jade Peak Villa in the afternoon to greet the old madam and the second branch, did the atmosphere somewhat congeal for a moment.
However, everyone can also be considered to have a tacit understanding inside, no matter how much they want to divide the family, or let Xun second master leave the capital, still need to wait until the end of the seventh month when the evaluations for the six ministries end. At present, the two branches living separately and not meeting was already separating to the greatest degree. Even on the wedding day, they all didn’t let the old madam and second branch family come to the marquis manor to attend. This already made others raise their eyebrows very much. Right now, as it’s time for the new bride to greet the family, to continue delaying will just be too inappropriate.
Yu Lingxin, as the daughter-in-law, naturally softly complied. Xun Che appeared very calm on the surface, but in the afternoon, after mounting the carriage and setting out, he immediately grasped Yu Lingxin’s hand in the carriage, very much falling silent for a while before gently saying, “The old madam’s body is still very robust. Later, perhaps she will cause trouble again on the spot. Just stand a bit farther away. There’s my parents and I for all things.”
Yu Lingxin pressed his hand, “I know. Actually, what methods can the old madam have? Back and forth, it’s nothing more than just saying a few unpleasant words. At present, what else can she do?”
“Sometimes, unpleasant words can also kill.” Xun Che faintly snorted, “In the past, the changes in Xun Ze’s and Xun Tan’s marriage, you’d also heard, right?”
Yu Lingxin nodded her head. In the past life, after Xun Che passed away, she’d also waited upon her mother-in-law Ming Huayue for five years, all the way until Ming Huayue passed away from illness too. During their time together, they naturally talked about those messy past events in the family. Among them, there was naturally Xun Ze’s and Xun Tan’s marriage affairs.
Xun Ze was the second branch’s eldest di son. Actually, he was still considered hard-working and studious in his studies, also slightly having a bit of talent in poetry, already achieving the second class[3] in the imperial exam at eighteen. Although the ranking was very much near the tail end, he was nevertheless an impressive two board jinshi[4].
Moreover, his stature was tall, his appearance also not bad, so when discussing marriage, he can be considered a good son-in-law candidate, very much having some leeway to choose. Back then, it was mainly considering between Marshal Yan’s niece and Yu Duke Manor’s shu daughter.
In terms of status and family background, Marshal Yan’s niece was actually a better match for Xun Ze, this nephew of Wen’an Marquis. But, in Xun old madam’s heart, she ultimately felt that the second branch all didn’t lose to the first branch, and Xun Ze further didn’t lose to Xun Che, thus insisted on discussing marriage with the Yu Duke Manor.
But, after going through some twists and turns, in the end, the marriage with the Yu Duke Manor didn’t go through, so still settled on Marshal Yan’s niece, also successfully marrying. But, ever since marrying in, although it can’t be considered beating and cursing, Xun old madam still caused trouble all day long, nitpicking and making a fuss here and there, though she didn’t really dare to use the family discipline rod, nor force Yan-shi to kneel as punishment, this kind of physical torment. It was just saying a load full of unpleasant words, criticizing and scolding, easily going on for an entire afternoon.
Xun Ze’s relationship with his wife was actually still pretty good, but his personality was relatively weak. When the old madam was unimpeded in scolding, even he got scolded along with as well. In front of filial piety, while also separated by a generation, even Xun second master was unable to control his own mother, so he could only endure, and at the same time, also let his own wife endure.
Enduring again and again, Yan-shi just fell ill. Afterwards, after finally getting pregnant a year and a half into the marriage, because the old madam wanted to shove Xun Ze a tongfang servant girl, Yan-shi just got angered again. The child managed to reach the fourth month before having a miscarriage. And Yan-shi herself, after the miscarriage, dragged on for another half year before passing away too.
Because of this matter, in the last lifetime, Marshal Yan nearly broke Xun Ze’s legs, also practically becoming hostile with the Xun family.
As for Xun Tan’s marriage, it can probably be considered a tiny bit more fortunate. Because Xun Tan was a shu son, his learning also not as good as Xun Ze, merely a third class equal jinshi[5]. That’s why, his post was just a low sixth rank position. He fell for a colleague’s daughter on his own, Scholar Nie family’s relative, similarly a sixth rank minor military official’s daughter, Nie-shi.
Xun old madam naturally just further looked down in every way. Although she also looked down on Xun Tan, he was still her own grandson. In her eyes, Yu Lingxin’s birth was able to match with Xun Tan, so how could she let Xun Tan marry a sixth rank official’s daughter. Thus, when the person came to visit, she similarly nitpicked and humiliated in every way like with Yu Lingxin. However, the Nie family young lady’s temper was also very firm, directly becoming hostile on the spot, expressing to never meet again until death, let alone discuss marriage. That’s why, in the last lifetime, prior to dying, Xun Tan never married.
“Heard before. The old madam probably just constantly have nefarious flames burning inside, unable to be expelled.” Yu Lingxin laughed, “But, those are all useless towards me, don’t worry.”
Xun Che fell silent, taking her hand and kissing it, not saying more.
The carriages traveled for less than an hour before reaching Jade Peak Villa. When everyone entered, who they encountered first was actually Chang’de Countess and Qi Pei.
[1] Bifu – See below, it’s sort of like a scarf hung around the arms made from a long fabric. The name literally translates to arm support.
[2] An idiom meaning unrealistic rosy view or a beautiful illusion.
[3] Refers to the ranking in the imperial exam, second class is for all the candidates of the fourth place and below. First class is reserved for the top 3 scorers.
[4] Jinshi – This is the title for those who successfully pass the highest level of the imperial exam. The two boards refer to the announcement board that list the passing candidates. It’s two boards because in order to become a jinshi, you have to pass both the metropolitan civil service exam and the palace exam, thus having your name listed on both boards.
[5] Equal jinshi is a title for the low ranking candidates of the imperial exam. The meaning is that they receive a similar treatment to the actual jinshi, however, it’s more like going on a waiting list. I guess it’s like the difference between a full-time employee and an intern.
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Thanks for the chapter!!!!!