Long Wind Crossing

Liu Yuru recognised Jiang Rou. Liu Yuru hesitated for a moment before getting up, intending to give her a salute. Jiang Rou held her down and said, “Lie down if you don’t feel well. We don’t have so many rules here. I’ll call for a physician.” 

Liu Yuru was physically fine, but she felt totally numb. She had no desire to hide the truth from Jiang Rou, so she lay there cooperatively on the bed as the physician took her pulse. 

The physician made a detailed diagnosis but did not say what was wrong with her now. All he mentioned were some minor ailments that she had in the past, and that she should nourish her health.

Jiang Rou simply nodded. After the physician left to write a prescription, she ordered the servants to prepare food for Liu Yuru. Then she turned to look at Liu Yuru in silence. 

Seeing this, Jiang Rou’s head maidservant brought the rest of the servants out, leaving mother-in-law and daughter-in-law alone in the room. Jiang Rou studied Liu Yuru intently. Liu Yuru’s current appearance was not good. A night of crying had ruined her makeup, her eyes were swollen, and there was a deathly pallor to her. She did not look like a newlywed bride at all.

Jiang Rou sighed. She adjusted the blankets around Yuru and said slowly, “What happened between you and Jiusi last night?” 

Liu Yuru looked down and said nothing. “Have you heard some nonsense from Jiusi?” Jiang Rou guessed.

Liu Yuru remained silent, yet Jiang Rou smiled at Liu Yuru. “Before I paid a visit to your house to propose marriage, I asked around about you. I was told you’re a rule-abiding young lady. Now that you’ve married into my family, it seems it’s not the case. What gives?”

“Lady Gu,” Liu Yuru finally said evenly. “I didn’t want to marry him.” 

Jiang Rou stared in stunned silence. “But…” Jiang Rou said hesitantly. “But when we asked for your hand, your stepmother said you liked Jiusi.”

Liu Yuru smiled wryly. “Lady Gu, you know what my family’s like. How can you take my stepmother’s words at face value?”

“But your father was right there,” Jiang Rou was a little confused. “Your family…You…”     

She trailed off, speechless. She had known that there was friction between the wives of the Liu family, but Liu Xuan conducted himself rather sensibly in public. According to her intel, although Liu Xuan spoiled Zhang Yue’er to a certain degree, he did not neglect his children. Liu Yuru’s daily necessities were taken care of, at least. She was also taught the requisite arts that a trueborn daughter ought to cultivate. She believed that children are a parent’s treasure. Moreover, Liu Yuru was the legal, eldest daughter—parents often had a stronger emotional bond with their firstborn child. To take herself as an example, she treated Jiusi as the apple of her eye. She could not imagine how Liu Xuan could have done what he did.

How could he have stood by while his concubine spouted nonsense during his daughter’s marriage talks?! 

Anger flared in Jiang Rou. Suppressing her anger so as not to frighten Yuru, she tried her best to say gently, “Answer me then. Were there plans for marriage between your family and the Ye family?”

“Yes, there were.” Liu Yuru answered truthfully, numbly. “Old Madam Ye came in person to bring the matter up. My family agreed. All that’s left was for Young Master Ye to return home from his provincial exams, to officially propose marriage.”

“This is absurd!” Jiang Rou exclaimed angrily despite herself.

Liu Yuru looked up at Jiang Rou. Jiang Rou stood up and paced around the room in circles. 

She spent so much effort on this marriage, but her son’s unwilling while the bride’s unhappy. They even offended the Ye family. 

Jiang Rou closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She understood the reason for Liu Yuru’s current attitude now. She composed herself as she drank a mouthful of water.    

She gradually calmed down after a long time. What’s done was done. Concerned that young Liu Yuru would be more panicked than them, the elders, Jiang Rou glanced at the numb-looking Liu Yuru. She felt pity for her. She hesitated for a moment, went back to Liu Yuru, and considered her words. Silence stretched between them. She looked at Liu Yuru and said slowly, “Miss Liu, it’s our family’s fault for not being thorough enough. We failed to find out about your engagement with the Ye family in time. I apologise. I hope you’ll excuse our folly.”

Liu Yuru didn’t say anything. She was rather surprised, but these emotions were so faint that they didn’t stir any reactions from her. She lowered her eyes and said placidly, “For starters, my family’s private matters are too trivial to be known by outsiders. It would’ve been hard for Your Ladyship to learn of these matters even if you wanted to. My parents concealed the truth. I blame you not, my lady.”   

Looking at Liu Yuru, Jiang Rou could tell that she was a reasonable girl. Though she was angry at Liu Xuan, she could not vent her anger on Liu Yuru.  

She looked at Liu Yuru, sighed, and said, “Now that things have come to this, what are your plans, Miss Liu?”

“What plans can I have?” 

Liu Yuru gave a bitter smile. “I’ve married into the family. I can’t possibly ask Gu Jiusi to divorce me, can I? I’d made up my mind to live a good life with him. What other choice do I have?”

Jiang Rou fell silent. Liu Yuru drew a deep breath and seemed to speak with great difficulty, “But it’s not that I don’t want to, Gu Jiusi’s the one who doesn’t want to!”

“Lady Gu,” Liu Yuru’s eyes reddened. “On our wedding night, he said he wanted to divorce me. And now he has vanished. How am I supposed to carry on?”

“I had accepted my fate of being married to him. I don’t expect much for the rest of this life, but at least let me live my life. Divorcing me would be forcing me to die!”

Jiang Rou listened quietly and considered. 

Young Liu Yuru did not hide her blatant dissatisfaction as she spoke. Jiang Rou could not help but smile wryly. “So, Yuru, do you want me to get Jiusi back?” 

“What’s the point in getting him back?” Liu Yuru said exasperatedly. “If we drag him back, he’ll run off. The cycle will go on and Jiusi and I will just be the butt of jokes in Yangzhou.”

 “What do you plan to do now?” Jiang Rou continued to ask. Liu Yuru shook her head.

She had no idea what to do. 

She didn’t want to think about anything. 

“I’ll let him be,” She said in a hoarse voice. “I accept my fate. This is how he is. He can go wherever he pleases and do whatever he wants. My lady, please let me stay with your family. Take me as an extra mouth to feed, that’s all I ask. I no longer wish to plan or care…”

“I can’t handle this…” She sobbed faintly. “It’s too much for me…” 

Time and again, she’d been made a fool of by fate. Time and again, fate had been capricious. 

A road to a better life was right before her eyes, but a step plunged her into the abyss.

She spent so many years carefully toeing the line, only to end up like this anyway. She did not wish to fight anymore, nor did she dare to.  

Looking at the girl lying on the side of the bed crying, Jiang Rou could not help but sigh. She quietly raised her hand and patted Liu Yuru’s back.

Her wordless gesture comforted Liu Yuru, and the sounds of her crying soon died down. Tears slowly leaked out of her eyes. After a long while, Jiang Rou spoke up. “Miss Liu. Stop when you’ve cried your fill. When you’re done crying, you have to stand up again.”

Liu Yuru said nothing. Jiang Rou helped her to her feet and instructed her servants to hand her a handkerchief. Watching as Liu Yuru mopped her tears, Jiang Rou said slowly, “I know it’s been hard on you, but when we fall, we all have the choice to stand up again or remain on the ground. Standing up is hard, but only by standing up can you move forward again. Lying down is easy, but your life will be over if you allow yourself to stay down.”

“I understand what you’re trying to say, Lady Gu,” Liu Yuru said self-mockingly. “But I see no path ahead of me.”

Jiang Rou fell silent. At length, she said slowly, “I know that you find Jiusi disappointing. You think he’s profligate and good-for-nothing. Compared to Ye Shi’an, he does not appear to have the makings of a good husband.”

“I’m not saying these out of partiality for my son. It’s just that there’s no turning back for you or the Gu family. Life must go on, for all of us. I hope to foster bonds, not hatred through this marriage. If you’re willing to listen, I’ll explain my thoughts.”

“If you please, my lady.” 

“It’s true that my son’s profligate and isn’t as motivated to better himself as Young Master Ye, but he’s kind and has never done anything heinous. His fondness for gambling aside, he exercises restraint in other areas. He’s no womaniser. It’s been widely rumoured that he spent a fortune on a courtesan, but that was for his friend. He is only eighteen, but he has a pure and sincere mindset when it comes to love. He wants a wife who’ll be his partner for life. Unlike many men today, he will do right by his wife, at least in his affections.”

“This pureness and sincerity is honey when directed toward someone he loves, but it’s poison when it’s not. He wants to divorce me precisely because of this ‘pureness and sincerity’,” Liu Yuru smiled bitterly. “If that’s the case, a more inconstant heart would be preferable. At least that’ll leave me a way out.”

“But you can hardly expect love to exist from the very beginning.”

Jiang Rou smiled. “Most marriages are set by parents and matchmakers. I only got to see what Master Gu looked like when I lifted my bridal veil. Couples that knew each other pre-marriage and chose to marry each other either got to do so by chance or by breaching proper etiquette. Most married couples gradually cultivate their affection for each other after they get married.

“Jiusi has never liked a girl in the past. In fact, he has barely talked to a girl. The reason why we thought he fancied you is because you’re the only girl whom he said he liked and wanted to marry. Even if this is a misunderstanding, in terms of relationships, you have a leg up over other girls.”

Liu Yuru looked down. Seeing that she was still unconvinced, Jiang Rou continued, “I’m not saying that you should try to curry his favour. I just don’t want you to make things hard for yourself. First, take a good look at him. You have to acknowledge him as a person and see something in him. That’s how you open up a path for yourself. If you fixate on the idea that he’s hopeless, that you hate and resent him, what are you going to do in the future? Lock yourself in this house for the rest of your life?”

“If you do that, you’ll just be making life miserable for yourself,” Jiang Rou sighed. “If you do that, you’ll suffer indefinitely, and waste the rest of your life.”

Liu Yuru’s tears flowed soundlessly. Jiang Rou was a little exasperated. She went on, “I’m not insisting that you and my son like each other. I can understand your dislike of him. But since you’re here, I hope that you’ll put in some genuine effort to adjust. I will do all I can to help you. Today, Jiusi went to Spring Wind House. This is your first conflict with him. The choices and actions that you take today will decide the trajectory of your married life. Let me know what you plan to do.”

Liu Yuru’s entire being shook when she heard these words. 

Spring Wind House… 

He has some nerve to visit Spring Wind House on the second day of marriage! He has no respect for her—he’s making her the butt of jokes in Yangzhou!

“Lady Gu, you said that you’ll help me. How will you help?” 

“That will depend on what kind of help you would like from me.”

“What if I want your help in getting him back so that I can punish him harshly?”

“Sure,” Jiang Rou said without any hesitation. Liu Yuru’s lips twitched slightly. Jiang Rou raised her eyes to look at her. “Anything else?” 

“Lady Gu,” Liu Yuru said hoarsely. “He is your son. I don’t understand why you’ll go to such lengths to help me.”

“Yuru,“ Jiang Rou tucked in a lock of hair behind her ears. “As I’ve said, I’d like to foster bonds, not hatred. Jiusi’s in the wrong this time. I will not favour him just because he’s my son. You are now Young Mistress Gu. At the end of the day, whether it’s by coincidence or design, you’ve married into my family, so I will do my best to nudge this marriage along in a positive direction. Setbacks are inevitable in life. When we meet them, all we can do is walk the better path.”

“In my honest opinion, you’re far better off marrying into the Gu family than the Ye family, so long as you’re willing to make the best of it. Your father-in-law and I are forgiving and you won’t have to follow a bunch of rules. Should you wish to learn about household management, how to run a business, or even study, I’ll be able to teach you. Given Jiusi’s temperament, he won’t marry another wife so long as he doesn’t divorce you; there’ll be peace in your courtyard. Also, he’s fundamentally good-hearted. He went to the brothel because firstly, he doesn’t know about your situation and thinks that you’ve conspired with his father to trick him. Secondly, he wants to spite his father. He doesn’t yet know of your difficulties. If you explain your troubles to him, he’ll take responsibility and think of solutions for you.”

“Don’t be so quick to give up on this marriage,” Jiang Rou said calmly. “At least try to understand what kind of person Jiusi is.”