Ch. 496..500: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 496-500

Chapter 496: Chapter 496: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (3)_1

"Since the Lady has spoken, I will present my modest contribution." Lin Ziyin clapped her hands, "Go, bring the cake."

"Yes, Miss." Hong Ying responded and immediately went to prepare it.

Everyone craned their necks curiously, and in a short while, the men also took their seats behind the screen.

"Oh my."

"Huh?!"

...

From behind the screen, the women’s side intermittently let out bursts of gasps of astonishment, causing the men who couldn’t see what was happening to become puzzled.

"I wonder what good thing they have over there?" Luo Yan asked with a smile.

"We’ll know soon." Someone replied.

"Since there are men from every residence joining us, why not remove the screen and let them take a gander at these curiosities as well?" The Lady’s delighted voice came from behind the screen.

"Yes, my Lady." Mu Family responded and glared at the mountain of pastries on the table, cursing inwardly. Lin Ziyin loved to show off too much, even using the Lady to steal the limelight, which was simply unreasonable.

When the screen was removed, the men also saw why the women would let out such loud cheers.

On a huge serving tray on the table, there were layers of pastries that no one had ever seen before. The tray was stacked layer upon layer, a total of nine layers. But what was even more eye-catching was the decoration on the cakes. The first layer was a feast of longevity peaches, cranes, green pine trees, and everything symbolic of longevity featured on the first large cake.

Today was the Lady’s birthday and all these auspicious symbols naturally filled her with joy. The second layer of cake depicted the Lady’s zodiac sign, the tiger, complete with playful tiger cubs and majestic adult tigers. The third layer was adorned with all kinds of fresh flowers. The decorations on the higher layers were less clear to everyone due to the height.

"Young girl, what kind of pastries are these? I have never seen them before." The Lady asked Lin Ziyin with a beaming smile.

"These are cakes, made from eggs, flour, and milk. The word ’cake’ sounds like ’longevity’ in Chinese. I came up with this idea myself, I hope you like it." Lin Ziyin replied respectfully and politely, without a hint of showing off.

"Very good, you are very thoughtful." The Lady was very pleased and she felt a pang of sadness. She had many children and grandchildren, but who would go to such great lengths for her?

At her age, she no longer sought material things. On the contrary, she cared deeply about the love between her family members. From the cakes, she could clearly see Lin Ziyin’s filial piety towards her.

"My Lady, forgive my imposing. To make this cake, our young mistress got up at dawn." Lun Luo took the opportunity to put in a good word for Lin Ziyin.

"Very good, you have worked hard, young girl." The Lady looked at Lin Ziyin, her eyes filled with amusement.

"Grandmother, there is a tradition associated with eating cake on birthdays." Lin Ziyin stood up with a smile and began to explain.

"What tradition?" Lady Si asked in surprise.

"Before eating the cake, candles are lit on it and while the candles are burning, you close your eyes and make a wish. It is said that the wishes made are especially effective. After the wish is made, everyone blows out the candles together and then shares the cake, allowing everyone to partake in the birthday person’s good fortune." After finishing with a beaming smile, Lin Ziyin snickered inwardly at the enchanted expression on the faces of all the ladies and young ladies around her.

It seems that she had potential to be a swindler, very capable of fooling people!

"My Lady, later on, we should all partake in your good fortune." Lady Wu said to Lady Li with a laugh.

"Yes, we should all." Si Jinyu said loudly, laughing.

Chapter 497: Chapter 497: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (4)_1

Guests echoed in agreement.

"Light the candles," Lin Ziyin instructed Hong Ying.

"Yes, miss," Hong Ying responded, lighting several colored candles from a wooden box, exactly six.

"Madam, quickly close your eyes to make a wish," a group of young ladies and wives urged Lady Li in curiosity, completely forgetting their reserve and social standing.

The scene was very lively for a moment.

Looking at the old lady making her wish with her eyes closed and the six lit candles, Lin Ziyin felt many emotions. So the old lady was only sixty years old, but her life seemed to be almost at its end. No wonder people often say that few people live past seventy.

On the old lady’s journey to the Northern Land, she encountered heavy snowstorms and even overturned her carriage. She narrowly escaped death to reach the Northern Land. She survived but contracted a severe illness in that severe snowstorm. If it weren’t for the tireless efforts of Master Hui Zhen from Ding’an Temple, she might have passed away years ago.

However, Lady Li was unaware that her life was almost over, a secret also unknown to the others in the Marquis Residence.

Seeing that kindly smiling face in the candlelight, Lin Ziyin felt somewhat melancholic.

Chu Suifeng seemed to sense her gloom, as his gaze found hers through the crowd.

Caught by his intense gaze, Lin Ziyin flushed, daring not to look at Chu Suifeng again.

The smile on Chu Suifeng’s face intensified.

"Can we eat now?" Si Jinyu eagerly asked Lin Ziyin.

Lin Ziyin looked over and saw that Lady Li had finished her wish. She quickly signaled everyone to blow out the candles and personally cut the first slice of cake to present it to Lady Li on a small plate.

It was an intricately crafted crane, a symbol of good omen.

Lady Li happily accepted and took her first bite, "Delicious."

"We want some too," chanted some younger ladies and wives.

Thus, Hong Ying and Lun Luo started to serve the cake.

And the top three layers were taken off to be served to the men’s side.

"So they’re stackable, you can freely stack them," Luo Yan realized the secret upon seeing the trays.

"Delicious."

"It’s so sweet and tasty. Lin Miss, can you introduce such delicious pastries in the pastry shop?"

"If you do, we’ll buy them for our grandparents, fathers, and mothers on their birthdays."

"No, even on my own birthday, I want to buy it too."

...

They couldn’t care less about their reserve or that there were men at the next table, women were having a joyous time.

"Making cakes is quite complicated. The eggs and the flour are simple enough, but the hardest part is making this layer of cream. Furthermore, the control of the heat must be very precise, as it can be easily overcooked or undercooked and that’s why we can’t introduce cakes in the shop for now." Lin Ziyin apologized and explained.

Li Yanran watched her coldly, "That’s nonsense. Who would believe that this stuff is hard to make? Definitely Lin Ziyin trying to curry favor with it in front of grandmother," she huffed.

"What a pity," Luo Yan sighed while tasting his slice, "It seems the Princess intends to make this only once and doesn’t plan on making it a second time. Such a pity for this delicacy."

"It’s delicious," commented Mei Hanqing and General Luo who usually didn’t have a sweet tooth, but they fell into liking this dessert after tasting the cake. Mostly because the cake each person received had exquisite flowers and patterns on it, making it almost a shame to take a bite.

Chu Suifeng was in a good mood that day, and his smile never left his face. Whenever an official or a guest came over to toast, he would graciously accept with a smile.

Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (5)_1

The majority of government officials are savvy enough to understand that Chu Suifeng’s good mood was inseparable from Lin Ziyin.

In the women’s quarters, the wives and favored legitimate daughters of each household treated Lin Ziyin as the center of attention. As for Li Yanran, who was so envious that her eyes had turned red, hardly anyone was willing to give her a glance. This stark contrast made Li Yanran feel even more aggrieved, and she despised Lin Ziyin so much she wished she would choke to death on a sip of water.

Lin Ziyin’s display of etiquette at the banquet astonished many wives. Proper manners were something that ladies from prominent families had to learn. In large families, they would typically invite a specialized nanny to teach them when the girls were eight or nine years old.

Yet Lin Ziyin, a mere country girl, seemed to understand these customs. Even if the prince had sent people to tutor her in secret, they wouldn’t have been able to make her as proficient in such a short time.

This banquet was the first time Lin Ziyin demonstrated her adaptability. Any flattery thrown her way, Lin Ziyin gently deflected with a faint smile. She didn’t display arrogance or act inferior, causing many wives to privately praise her. Given Lin Ziyin’s composed confidence, they doubted anyone would believe that she was just a young girl from a small village.

By the time the banquet concluded, it was late in the afternoon. Even though early autumn had arrived, the courtyard was still very hot. In order to entertain their guests, the Marquis Residence set up a stage in the courtyard for a play, even though the shade of the trees did little to cool down the place.

To entertain the dowager lady, they even placed blocks of ice around the tent where the guests were sitting. Even though the ice melted quickly due to the heat, the Marquis Residence didn’t mind the expense. They freely displayed buckets of ice, as if money meant nothing to them.

The script of the play was a bit old-fashioned, and Lin Ziyin, who didn’t take pleasure in the sing-song manner of speak, found it grating. But given her social standing, she had no choice but to stay.

"Do you enjoy it?" The old lady seemed to be quite fond of Lin Ziyin, always smiling and having her sit by her side.

"It’s enjoyable." Lin Ziyin responded with a nod and faint smile.

"My lady, it’s time for your afternoon nap." An old maid reminded her.

"Yes, I am tired. I can’t keep my eyes open without a little rest at noon." she said, looking a bit weary. She then turned to the other ladies and explained with an apologetic smile.

"We feel the same, we also need a bit nap during the day." Mrs. Wu replied with a smile. "If it wasn’t for the excellent performance, we all would have fallen asleep by now."

"My lady, don’t worry about us, have some rest. The play is almost over, we too are about to leave." Mrs. Luo chimed in too.

The lady nodded and looked towards Chu Suifeng’s direction.

Chu Suifeng seemed to sense her gaze, turned his head and walked over from the group of men. "Grandmother, are you tired?"

"Yes, I am tired." The lady responded apologetically, "You should also get going, I am sure we have delayed you from much of your work today?"

"A little delay won’t matter. I will leave with Ziyin once you’ve had a bit of rest." Chu Suifeng always spoke gently in front of the old lady.

"Good." The dowager lady looked at him kindly, then stood up, "Escort me into the house. Please, everyone, continue watching the play."

Upon hearing this, all the guests extended their courtesy.

Lord Li and Li Jiesong were growing anxious, they hadn’t yet found an opportunity to speak privately with Chu Suifeng. At present, many government offices in the Northern Land were understaffed due to Chu Suifeng’s purge of the aristocratic families.

Lord Li did not want to passively retire at home, he hoped he could leverage the old lady’s birthday banquet to foster a stronger relationship between Chu Suifeng and his house. If he could communicate well privately, perhaps Li Jiesong and Li Jieyong might even secure favorable positions.

Chapter 499: Chapter 499: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (6)_1

Li Family’s second master was also a bit anxious. Although he had chosen to go into commerce due to having no other choice originally, and had managed to accumulate some silver, that did not mean he wished for his offspring to follow his footsteps, spending their entire lives in the world of business.

"The show today is lively, it’s quite hard to invite the Hong Family troupe to perform. Mother, don’t you want to stay and listen some more?" He pretended to have the old madam’s best interest at heart.

"Yes, grandmother, today is your birthday, it’s so bustling, are you willing to leave?" The eldest son of the second branch of the family, Li Jierui, also followed his father’s lead.

Chu Suifeng’s face slightly chilled, but he remained silent.

A deeper sigh echoed in the old lady’s heart. If these Li descendants were to truly enter the official circles with such personalities, they would surely ruin themselves sooner or later.

"Uncle, big brother, it’s grandmother’s habit to nap at noon. Interrupting this habit might make her uncomfortable." Though Li Jieyong didn’t want Chu Suifeng to leave the Marquis Residence too early either, he didn’t force the old lady to stay.

Li Jiesong gave him a fierce glare and mentally chastised Li Jieyong. What a useless thing, he didn’t even understand how precious the Prince’s visit to the Marquis Residence was. He himself didn’t seize the opportunity and even wanted to play the good guy and block them. What nonsense!

"I’m tired, I am truly getting old. Let’s watch the opera another time." The old lady stood up smiling, allowing her maids to support her. She then gave her apologies to the guests before leaving.

"May my maternal grandmother live a long and healthy life." Chu Suifeng gently bade farewell. Lin Ziyin, standing by his side, saw his forced restraint and speculated, based on his words, that the old lady must be suffering from some hidden ailment and wouldn’t live much longer.

She watched the old woman’s somewhat infirm footsteps, and felt an added sympathy for this kindly old person.

All of today’s guests who came to the Li Residence were not here to watch the opera, but to wish the old woman a happy birthday. Now that the lead figure, the old lady, had left, many people turned their attention to Chu Suifeng.

As expected, Chu Suifeng didn’t linger at the Li Residence. Despite the Marquis and others becoming increasingly anxious, they never found an opportunity to say more than a few words, and could only watch as Chu Suifeng left with Lin Ziyin.

Li Yanran had been stealthily glaring at Lin Ziyin with hateful eyes all this time. Lin Ziyin could feel it, but didn’t take it to heart. She knew that today, no matter how much Li Yanran hated her, Yanran wouldn’t dare harm her in front of Chu Suifeng. To her, at most, Li Yanran was just a mad dog. Given her current position, Lin Ziyin didn’t fear her.

After Prince Ling and Lin Ziyin left, the guests, who had been restraining themselves, began to make their excuses to leave in pairs. The Marquis, the Mu Family, and others had to hastily stand at the door to send them off.

"Madam, as expected, all the officials left with the Prince. The ones remaining are mostly business acquaintances of the second master, and people from young madam’s maternal family." Back in the courtyard, the old lady returned to her room, but didn’t take her mid-day nap. She sat on the bed wide awake, waiting.

The update from the old maid brought tears to the old lady’s eyes.

Indeed, she had been deliberately testing them earlier. Even without the medicinal monk from Ding’an Temple telling her how serious her illness was, she could feel it herself. After all, it was her own body. Recently, she had been feeling an inexplicable fatigue and vague pain in her chest in the middle of the night. Coupled with Chu Suifeng’s unusual behavior of bringing a woman to see her today, the old lady guessed that her days were numbered.

Knowing that her days were numbered, the old woman naturally needed to plan more for her descendants. Her early retreat to the courtyard was meant to gauge how much affection Prince Ling still had for his uncles and cousins at the Marquis Residence, and how many officials were still willing to get closer to the Marquis Residence. Unfortunately, the results of her probing proved disheartening.

Chapter 500: Chapter 500: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (7)_1

Lady Li never anticipated that, after the passing of her husband the Old Marquis, her son the Young Marquis would provoke so many officials. It appeared that the Li family, without the support of Chu Suifeng, really had no one to rely on anymore.

Within moments, the bustling marquis residence became quiet. Upon seeing the change in their master’s demeanor, the maids and servants promptly commenced cleaning, not daring to even breathe deeply.

"Is there truly no way to save her?" Inside the carriage, Lin Ziyin could not bear to see Chu Suifeng’s sad and lonely expression. Although the man in front of her hadn’t spoken a word, she saw the loneliness and sadness in his eyes. It was the same helpless sorrow she had experienced herself for many years.

In a sense, she and Chu Suifeng were similar, both individuals who once lacked love but desperately desired it.

However, she was luckier to have first found love, while Chu Suifeng was still lost. Perhaps she was the warm, fiery source that Chu Suifeng longed for in his heart.

"The chill has invaded her heart. It was sealed by Master Hui Zhen with silver needles and medicine. But as she aged, her resistance diminished." Chu Suifeng spoke with a tone of sorrow.

For a moment, Lin Ziyin was at a loss about how to comfort him. Used to military frankness, she was unaccustomed to lying, and so she could only extend a comforting hand to pat his.

Chu Suifeng, however, had instantly enveloped her small hand within his own.

This time, Lin Ziyin made no attempt to pull away.

"My grandmother truly cared for me," Chu Suifeng started to recall, "I was sent to Ding’an Temple when I was very young. Every new moon and every full moon, she would take a carriage to the temple to see me and spend the day with me. She would comfort me, watch me practice swordsmanship, and bring delicious food for me."

As he drifted into memories, Lin Ziyin sighed softly. Every person has someone they hold dear in their heart; for Chu Suifeng, his grandmother was a source of warmth and family.

"Perhaps there is still a way," Lin Ziyin awkwardly tried to comfort him.

"If even Master Hui Zhen is unable to help, who on earth could possess such medical skills?" Chu Suifeng replied with a bitter smile, then lifted his eyes to meet Lin Ziyin’s gaze. He spoke earnestly, "Birth, ageing, illness, and death are natural phenomena that no one can escape. I am not saddened because even though I will lose my grandmother, I will still have you by my side."

Suddenly, he pulled Lin Ziyin into his embrace, holding her tightly. The force of his grip almost crushed Lin Ziyin’s waist.

Lin Ziyin gave a soft cry.

"Miss, what happened?" Hong Ying asked worriedly from outside.

Chu Suifeng did not release his grip.

Lin Ziyin had no choice but to respond loudly, "I’m fine, I just banged my head against the carriage wall."

Hong Ying did not ask any further.

"Just let me hold you a little while longer." Chu Suifeng spoke with a hint of exhaustion.

Lin Ziyin nodded.

A moment of quiet fell within the carriage.

"Once we’ve arrived at the residence, if anyone bothers you at night, feel free to pull rank as the princess. Those women are spies sent by officials or your husband’s other ’good brothers.’ There are some I can’t get rid of just yet, but you needn’t worry. You may do as you see fit. I’ve got your back," Chu Suifeng shifted the topic to affairs of the Wang Residence.

"If everything goes as expected, after the nationwide cultivation of rice, corn, and wheat next year, the prince will no longer need to worry about anything," commented Lin Ziyin, who was not a fool, nor the type to nitpick and get jealous all day.

Once Chu Suifeng done speaking, she understood why there were so many beautiful women in the backyard of the Wang Residence.

Chu Suifeng had his own troubles. No matter how competent or efficient the Prince of Ling was, the North was too impoverished. He constantly found himself lacking in grains and silver. Even if he got rid of the first batch of women out of anger, those wishing to keep an eye on the Wang Residence would still find a way to send spies to Feng City. It would be better to keep the spies under his watch.

However, as much as she appreciated this insight, just the thought of facing a group of women who were hostile towards her gave Lin Ziyin a headache.

She was not good at playing the power games within a noble household.

"Don’t worry," Chu Suifeng made her more comfortable in his arms, then continued to explain, "I’ve assigned someone in particular to manage those women in the backyard. You can ignore them if you’re not pleased. But if anyone disrespects you, you can take matters into your own hands. If you can’t stand them, you can kill them!"

Lin Ziyin understood that he was trying to establish her authority in front of the women in the backyard, so she obediently nodded. Then, shook her head, "There’s no need for me to be the villain since you’ve assigned someone to manage them."