Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Returning Home

Chapter 5

It was drizzling on the day Jiang Yu returned.

His mother, Mrs. Du, was a slightly plump woman with fair complexion, but her smile was so charming that it warmed people's hearts. She was the youngest daughter in the family and was very much loved. Although Jiang Yu's father was notoriously rigid, he became very considerate when facing his wife.

Mrs. Du was loved by her father and brothers in her natal family, and was taken care of by Jiang's father after getting married. She lived a very comfortable life. Jiang Yu's return home should be the biggest shock in her life.

Jiang Yu looked at the familiar courtyard, with morning glories climbing on the wooden fence, the ground paved with bluestone slabs that had been cleaned, and an old swing tied to the thick locust tree on the left. It was a birthday gift from her father.

Everything was the same as before, as if she had never left.

Mrs. Du was embroidering in the room. When she heard that Jiang Yu had returned with her dowry, she rushed out without even wearing shoes, only wearing silk stockings. When she saw Jiang Yu, she was overwhelmed with grief. She went forward and hugged Jiang Yu's hand, looking her up and down for a long time, and said, "Ayu, what happened?"

"The prince has written me a letter of divorce..."

The old servant Mama Li followed and wiped her tears, saying, "They can't do this to you."

But after a while, her father Jiang Feng, who was in the county government office, also rushed over. He looked at Du, Mama Li and others crying, frowned and said, "Why are you crying? Why don't you let Ayu drink a sip of water? What's the matter with you standing there like this?"

This sentence reminded Mama Du, and she immediately wiped her tears and said distressedly, "It's my mother who is confused. Luzhu, go make tea. Didn't the uncle send Junshan tea a few days ago? That's Ayu's favorite."

She went into the house to welcome Jiang Yu and asked someone to fetch water to wipe her face. Jiang Yu looked calm, but Mama Du was still a little upset. Maybe mothers can't bear to see their children suffer.

Fortunately, Jiang Feng called Jiang Yu to the study room nearby and saved her from her mother Mama Du's tears.

When they got to the study, Jiang Yu told them the whole story. The two looked at each other for a long time. Jiang Feng felt that thousands of words were stuck in his throat and he couldn't say them. Finally, he just said, "Dad hurt you."

Mrs. Du gave birth to two daughters and one son. The eldest daughter married the eldest son of the Xie family in Lin'an and became a clan wife. She was very busy on weekdays. Every time she mentioned this matter, Mrs. Du was full of dissatisfaction and said, "Two daughters, one married into the Zhou Wangfu, and the other is the clan wife of the Xie family. Others think I'm marrying up, saying that I can teach my daughters and envy them. Only I know that I can hardly see him once a year, and I really miss him so much."

Mrs. Du also has a little son studying in the school. He can only come back when he has a rest. So Jiang Yu is the only one at home.

In the evening, they rarely get together to eat. Jiang Yu looked at the table and saw that it was full of her favorite food. This was the first time she had eaten on a chair in three years.

Mrs. Du saw that Jiang Yu was only 20 years old, her face without makeup was as clean and flawless as jade, and her eyebrows and eyes were as delicate as a painting. Even as a mother, she couldn't help but admire her, what a beautiful woman, but such a daughter was driven out.

Mrs. Du felt distressed and couldn't help but redden her eyes.

Jiang Yu looked at her from the side and was not happy. Her mother's eyes were swollen from crying. She said, "Mother, this is the first time in three years that my daughter has sat down to eat." Then she took a bite of squirrel mandarin fish, "The princess only eats shad and doesn't like mandarin fish. In three years, my daughter has not tasted a bite. Well, this is the taste, I really miss it."

Mrs. Du's grievances immediately dissipated a little, "Now that life is good at home, just tell me if you want to eat it."

"Mother, pick out the fish bones for me. I am always careless. No matter how hard I try, there are always some that I miss." Mrs.

Du immediately had something to do. She was busy picking out the fish bones for Jiang Yu, and she forgot her sadness. Jiang Feng beside her also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mom, is the business of that shop okay?"

Mrs. Du picked up half a fish for Jiang Yu, then stopped contentedly. Just when she was about to feel sad, she perked up again after hearing Jiang Yu's words, and said with a beaming face, "To be honest, it's all thanks to you that our family can live a better life. At the beginning, you said that we should take over the three shops on the other side of the Huai River. At that time, many people said that someone had died there and there was a ghost, so no one dared to take it over. But mother still listened to you and took over the shops. In the past few years, the rent alone has brought in a lot of income."

Jiang Yu laughed and said, "Mom, don't you think our lives are getting better and better? Don't worry."

Mrs. Du then knew It was Jiang Yu who was comforting herself, sighing, "Among the three children, your sister is too honest, and your brother has a violent temper, but you are the only one who is calm, intelligent, and outstanding. It was a pity that your father was not a man when he was young."

Jiang Yu smiled, obviously thinking of his childhood, and said, "Dad also said that if he didn't want me to get married, I could go to a position in the Shanggong Bureau, and maybe I could bring honor to my ancestors."

After hearing what Jiang Yu said, Jiang Feng suddenly paused. Du Shi obviously realized the meaning of this sentence. She looked at Jiang Yu carefully, and saw that she was eating fish, so she felt relieved.

Since ancient times, men have been respected, and even worse, women are virtuous if they have no talent. There are few women involved in the court, but there is an exception, which is the Shanggong Bureau. At the beginning, it was just a place in charge of documents in the palace, but later it gradually got involved in the imperial edicts in the palace, and there were many female historians who were as good as men.

The Shanggong Bureau also changed from being in charge of palace affairs to assisting the emperor in handling government affairs.

It was just that although women who entered the Shanggong Bureau could serve as officials like men, become female historians, and enjoy salaries, they were not allowed to marry for life.

That night, Jiang Yu slept well. She no longer had to get up early, guess the mood of the prince Lin Bozhi, worry about the affairs of the palace, or look at the face of Princess Zhou and wait for her to fall asleep. She just took a bath and then sat by the window to read. She went to bed when she was tired. Although it was ordinary, it was a rare quiet time for Jiang Yu.

But Du and Jiang's father couldn't sleep. Du recalled the conversation at night and said worriedly, "Ayu was different from other girls when she was young. Others embroidered, but she liked to read the Historical Records. Other girls spent all day thinking about rouge and powder, but she preferred to grind ink and write. Do you think she really wants to go to the Shanggong Bureau?"

Entering the Shanggong Bureau as a female official seems to have a bright future, and there are many extraordinary women who have left their reputations and recorded in the history books. However, this world is ultimately dominated by men. Most people in the court look down on female officials, and some even hold grudges, thinking that their jobs have been taken away, and they can't get married, which is naturally not a good thing in Du's eyes.

As a mother, watching her daughter get married and have children, surrounded by children and grandchildren, and enjoying incense and offerings after death, she thinks it is a good destination.

"We are still alive now, and she still has a place to belong. What if we are gone? Is it that at her age, she will not enjoy the joy of her children and grandchildren, but will be alone? I feel heartbroken when I think of these things."

Du was full of sorrow.

Jiang Feng fell silent, looking out the window without saying anything.

Mrs. Du was a person without an idea, so she became even more nervous and said, "Master, what should we do?"

Jiang Feng pondered for a moment and said, "Why not send Ayu to my eldest uncle's house? First, to prevent someone from gossiping and making Ayu sad, and to hide from the limelight. Second,... is Haoyu back?"

Du Haoyu is Jiang Yu's cousin. Before Jiang Yu married into the palace, both families wanted Jiang Yu to marry there.

"This child has a miserable life. His wife died of illness just a few months after they got married. I don't know who spread the rumor that he was unlucky in marriage. It's hard to find another one now." Speaking of Du Haoyu, it was also a concern for Mrs. Du. She had the best relationship with her eldest brother Du Wenbing, so she naturally took a fancy to this nephew from her mother's side. Who knew that Du Haoyu's marriage would be so unsuccessful.

Jiang Yu married into the palace, and now she has returned home. Du Haoyu is also unlucky and has become a widower.

Seeing Jiang Feng was silent, Mrs. Du half sat up nervously, "Master, you don't think he is unlucky, do you?"

Jiang Feng said, "I watched Haoyu grow up, how can I believe this? Besides, I have always seen Haoyu as a little unusual, maybe he can do something big."

Mrs. Du was relieved, and said, "I also think Haoyu is a good child. This may be the fate destined by heaven. After going around in circles, everything has come back."

Jiang Feng said, "But, we still have to listen to Ayu about this matter. She has a lot of ideas."

"Look at what you said, of course I have to ask Ayu's opinion. The child has been wronged, and she can't be made uncomfortable again." Mrs. Du wanted to cry when she thought of Jiang Yu.

Jiang Feng sighed, took out a handkerchief and clumsily wiped Mrs. Du's tears.

The couple talked for a while and then went to sleep.

In the morning, Jiang Yu rarely slept in. When he opened his eyes, he saw the morning light shining in from the lake green curtains, shining lazily on his body. If he looked carefully, he could also hear the birds singing, which was very pleasant.

Seeing the movement inside, Cuiping asked outside, "Second Miss, are you awake?"

Jiang Yu was stunned. Since she married into the palace, she was no longer the second lady of the Jiang family, but the prince's consort of the palace. However, she changed her mind and thought that since she was back home, it was reasonable for others to call her like this.

However, this title had some other meanings. Seeing her looking at her, Cuiping shrank her shoulders and said, "It was the madam's order. Since you are back home, you are naturally the second lady of the family."

Jiang Yu subtly noticed her mother's thoughts.

It was already dawn, and her father Jiang Feng had gone to the county government. Her mother was sitting in the hall. When she saw her come in, she waved her hand affectionately and said, "Come in and have dinner with me."

She said she was having dinner with Du, but the table was full of her favorite food.

As she expected, after finishing breakfast and drinking tea, Mrs. Du mentioned her uncle and said, "Your uncle has always loved you. It's time to go visit him. And your cousin has also been back for a while. I heard that he didn't eat well in the past few years and he's very thin."

Jiang Yu took a sip of Junshan tea, which was her favorite tea, but because Princess Zhou loved to drink Pu'er tea, she also drank Pu'er tea. As soon as the tea took a sip, the noble and mellow taste washed over her entire mouth, making her sigh comfortably, and then said, "Mother, are you chasing your daughter away?"

Mrs. Du almost lost her grip on the teacup in her hand and said, "What are you talking about, kid?"

Seeing that Mrs. Du was scared, Jiang Yu moved closer, put her lips to Mrs. Du's face, and said softly, "Mother, I know you are worried about me, but my daughter wants to stay at home now and be filial to you." Mrs.

Du was a person who had no idea, but she felt sorry for Jiang Yu. Seeing that she insisted, she naturally went along with her, thinking that there was a long time to come and there was no need to rush such things.