Chapter 092: Miss Hu Is Not a Suitable Match!

After Peng Deqing was taken away by the Imperial Guard, the officials all dispersed as well. There was naturally no reason for Xue Rui and the others to linger any longer, so they intended to return to the Astronomical Bureau to resume their duties.

“Lord Xue, please wait.”

Before they had gone far, a high-pitched voice called out from behind them.

Looking back, they saw Cheng Jing standing not far away, smiling warmly at him.

Xue Rui hurriedly cupped his hands. “May I ask what the eunuch needs?”

“It is not I who need anything. It is His Highness Prince Cheng who wishes to see you. Come with me.”

Cheng Jing smiled.

“Prince Cheng wishes to see me?”

Xue Rui was a little surprised. Turning his head slightly, he saw that Prince Cheng had already boarded his carriage, which was waiting not far away.

“Come along. His Highness thinks highly of you. When you get there, answer him properly. There will be plenty of benefits for you.” Cheng Jing was a decent man, and afraid that Xue Rui, still young, might not understand the rules, he even offered this reminder.

Xue Rui hastily said, “Thank you for your guidance, sir. I understand.”

“Your Highness, Xue Rui has arrived.”

When they reached the carriage, Cheng Jing leaned by the window and spoke softly.

Then the curtain was lifted, and the face of a young man appeared by the window. It was Prince Cheng, Zhu Qiyu.

“This student, Xue Rui, pays respects to Your Highness Prince Cheng.” Xue Rui bowed without hurry or fluster, and when he looked up, he stole a glance.

Zhu Qiyu was about twenty years old, with sharp brows and bright eyes, fine features, and a distinct air of valor.

“Come closer.”

After studying Xue Rui for a moment, Zhu Qiyu suddenly beckoned for him to move nearer to the carriage.

Xue Rui walked to the window, and heard Zhu Qiyu ask in a low voice, “Are changes in the heavens truly as efficacious as people say?”

“This...” Xue Rui had not expected that question at all, and for a moment did not know how to answer. After some thought, he said, “Since ancient times, every dynasty has had institutions devoted to astronomy. They must have their use. To say nothing of anything else, the earlier movement of the Purple Star did in fact accurately foretell the Battle of Tumu Fortress.”

“In other words, whenever some great event is about to occur, the heavens will show a sign of it?” Zhu Qiyu pressed on.

“Not necessarily. Changes in the heavens are profound and unfathomable, while human effort is limited. For thousands of years, what humanity has grasped of the heavenly patterns amounts to less than one part in a hundred. Only through continual study and analysis can we understand more of the meanings foretold by such phenomena.”

He knew full well that celestial signs could not be trusted, but Xue Rui was in this backward age, and as an astronomer of the Astronomical Bureau, he could not simply declare that heavenly omens were nonsense and that one ought to believe in science. That would be far too rebellious, and likely a path to death.

Hearing this, Zhu Qiyu was clearly somewhat disappointed. He shook his head and said, “You may go back for now. If there are any significant celestial signs in the future, you may come to Prince Cheng’s Residence to see me.”

“This student will remember it.”

After seeing the prince’s carriage depart, Xue Rui muttered inwardly. In less than ten days, you will be ascending the throne as emperor. How am I supposed to come see you then?

When Xue Rui went to see Prince Cheng, most of the astronomers had already returned to the Astronomical Bureau, leaving only Liu Jin and a few other close friends waiting for him.

Seeing him come back, Liu Jin stepped forward and asked with concern, “Did Prince Cheng ask you about anything serious?”

“Nothing serious. He only asked about Peng Deqing’s situation. After I answered, he let me go.”

Prince Cheng had called him closer so he could speak privately, clearly not wanting outsiders to know what had been said. Xue Rui therefore took the initiative to hide the matter.

When they returned to the Astronomical Bureau, chaos had already broken out inside.

Earlier, Xue Rui and the others had left in such a hurry that they had not reported to Xu Dun or the other senior officials. It was not until after they had left the Bureau that Xu Dun received word.

As for arresting Peng Deqing, Xu Dun naturally fully approved. He had not sent anyone to stop them, and had only ordered the clerks in the Bureau to follow and observe. If anything urgent arose, they were to report back at once.

About half an hour earlier, a clerk had returned to say that Xue Rui and the others had captured Peng Deqing and his son, and were escorting them toward Dong’an Gate.

Xu Dun had been waiting for Xue Rui to bring Peng Deqing back to the Astronomical Bureau so that he himself could hand the man over to the court for punishment, which would have been neat and proper from start to finish. Who would have thought Xue Rui and the others would not follow convention, and instead deliver the prisoners directly to Dong’an Gate, ruining all his calculations.

A short while later, Xue Rui and the others returned.

As the supervising officer, Xu Dun inevitably criticized them all for quite some time, and gently reminded them that in the future, any decision must first be approved by the senior officials; they must not act on their own.

Xue Rui naturally agreed again and again, saying he would not repeat the mistake.

Capturing Peng Deqing and his son was a good thing for the entire Bureau, and Xu Dun could hardly say more. He simply dismissed the astronomers one by one.

After his shift ended, Xue Rui returned to the residence together with Hu Zhong.

Upon hearing that Peng Deqing and his son had been taken by Xue Rui’s men, the Xue couple were naturally overjoyed. Lady Liu praised her son endlessly for being promising.

For this reason, Hu Zhong even specially ordered the kitchen to prepare a lavish meal to celebrate the Xue family’s vengeance at last.

After dinner, Xue Rui deliberately stopped Hu Ying'er and told her to send back the woman assigned to grind her teeth at night. Even if no one served him, that was fine; the sound was truly unbearable.

Hu Ying'er rolled her eyes at him, said nothing, and glided away.

He practiced his writing until midnight, and still did not see the teeth-grinding woman come over. Instead, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Rising to stretch, he was just about to fetch water to wash up when he suddenly heard a rustling from outside, as if someone were tidying the bed.

“Hey, didn’t Hu Ying'er tell you not to come tonight? I don’t need anyone serving me. Go back to your old place quickly.”

Xue Rui walked angrily to the doorway and addressed the person by the bed in the outer room.

The figure by the couch froze slightly, then turned around and said mournfully, “Young Master, do you dislike me now? Am I not as nimble as the Hu family’s maids, or not as pretty as they are?”

Seeing clearly who it was, Xue Rui paused in surprise. “Su Su, why are you back?”

“Young Master doesn’t want me back?”

Su Su had misunderstood him, her face full of grievance. She simply sat down on the bed and turned away.

“Oh, how could that be? I was just wishing for you to come back.”

Seeing that she had misunderstood, Xue Rui hurried over, sat beside her, and forcibly turned her around, saying with a smile, “I wasn’t talking about you just now. I was talking about the old woman Hu Ying'er had assigned to serve me. She keeps grinding her teeth at night and disturbing my rest, so I asked Hu Ying'er to replace her. I never expected that it would be you who came back, so of course there was a misunderstanding.”

Only after hearing his explanation did Su Su relax again. Lowering her head, she twisted a lock of hair around her finger and murmured, “I knew Young Master wouldn’t dislike me. If even Young Master didn’t want me anymore, then I truly couldn’t go on living.”

“What nonsense are you talking about? There is no one in this world who cannot live without someone else. If I am gone one day, you must still live well.”

Xue Rui reminded her seriously.

Su Su hurriedly declared, “No, that won’t do. If Young Master is gone, then I can’t live either. My life belongs to Young Master, and my death will be Young Master’s ghost. Anyway, wherever Young Master goes, I will go too.”

Xue Rui stared for a moment, then said helplessly, “You little thing, you’re clinging to me now, are you? Let me tell you, when you grow a bit older, I’ll have Mother arrange for you to marry Old Man Li’s foolish son.”

Old Man Li was the coachman who drove for the Xue household. He was an honest man, but he had produced a foolish son, and the maids and servants often made sport of him. To say they would give one of the maids to him as a wife would truly be a fate worse than death.

Yet Su Su was not afraid at all. She said proudly, “That won’t do. In Stone Alley, the madam already promised me that after Young Master marries, the young mistress will raise me up as a concubine. Young Master cannot fool me.”

“Pfft—”

Xue Rui almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, and glared. “When did my mother ever say that? How could I not know? Are you lying to me?”

“If you don’t believe me, ask the madam yourself. It was the night before the murder case happened. The madam spoke to me privately and said that since I was already sleeping with Young Master, I would belong to Young Master from then on, and that I should stay by your side in the future.”

Su Su had grown up with him, and from childhood she had rarely lied. In a matter as important as her lifelong future, she likely would not dare make things up carelessly.

Xue Rui rubbed his temples and tried to evade it. “My mother may have agreed, but I did not. If you want to be a concubine, you still need my consent!”

“Then wouldn’t it be fine if Young Master agreed?”

“Why should I agree? What’s in it for me?” Xue Rui asked through clenched teeth.

Su Su counted on her fingers and said earnestly, “If I become a concubine, I can serve Young Master forever. When it’s hot, I can fan you. When it’s cold, I can warm your bed. When you study, I can grind your ink. When you wash up, I can pour your water...”

Only when all ten fingers were no longer enough did Su Su stop, then looked at him expectantly. “I am so capable. How could Young Master bear to do without me?”

“Just that...?”

Xue Rui asked cautiously.

“And what else?”

Su Su tilted her head and thought for a moment. Suddenly brightening, she said happily, “I can also make shoes for Young Master. Recently, since the madam has been attending to the master, I have been doing all the sewing work. The new shoes I made for Young Master already have their uppers attached, and they are prettier than the ones sold on the street. Young Master will surely like them.”

“It seems this girl truly does not understand what a concubine is...”

Xue Rui did not know whether to laugh or cry, yet he felt a little moved inside. A woman like Su Su, born into servitude, had no freedom of her own and could only submit to her master’s will. The reason she was determined to follow him was probably because she believed this was the best fate available to her.

“Young Master, why have you gone silent?”

Seeing him quiet, Su Su grew a little anxious and could not help clutching the sleeve of his robe.

“Honestly, my mother is far too outrageous, actually filling your head with such ideas. Think carefully now: if you want to be a concubine, you will inevitably have to endure some flesh-and-blood suffering, and you may even be whipped!” Xue Rui threatened her half-jokingly.

Su Su said seriously, “I heard Miss Hu say that some mistresses are very fierce, and that being a concubine means suffering a lot. Learning the household rules, being scolded, all of that—I can manage. Young Master, rest assured. Even if the young mistress is very strict, I will not defy her. It’s just that... how does Young Master know the young mistress will whip me?”

“I wasn’t talking about being whipped by the young mistress. I meant... wait!”

Xue Rui had been trying to explain, when he suddenly caught that she had mentioned Hu Ying'er, and immediately asked, “Right, when you went to stay at the embroidery house yesterday, what did Hu Ying'er say to you?”

“Miss Hu said many things to me, but she won’t let me tell you...”

Su Su turned her head away, eyes darting about, too afraid to meet Xue Rui’s gaze.

“Fine then. I’ll leave you in the Hu residence to pair up with the boy, and I’ll go ask her myself.”

From her expression, Xue Rui could tell that Hu Ying'er had certainly spoken ill of him, and of course he needed to find out what mischief she was up to behind his back.

Su Su was too timid to withstand a scare, and did not dare anger Xue Rui, so she quickly said, “Young Master, I’ll tell you, all right? Don’t go looking for Miss Hu.”

“Then speak. I want to see what sort of bewitching nonsense she fed you!”

Xue Rui sat back down.

Su Su hesitated for a long while before, under his urging, finally saying, “Miss Hu said that Young Master is a lecher, and that I should keep my distance from you in the future. She also said that if you try to get handsy, I must tell the madam and never let you have your way. She said the madam should arrange a marriage for Young Master and that she must choose a woman with a generous heart, not someone petty and narrow-minded. And she said, she also said...”

“What else did she say?”

“Miss Hu also said that you want to marry her, and that you want the madam to be the matchmaker!”

Su Su said worriedly, “Young Master, I advise you to put that thought away. The madam will not agree to it.”

“I only said that in jest. How could she take it seriously?”

Xue Rui smiled bitterly, then asked curiously, “How do you know my mother would not agree? Hu Ying'er is not ugly, and she is the daughter of an official family. She knows more than I do. If it were not for her, I would not even have passed the examination for an astronomer. If I told Mother I wanted to marry her, surely Mother would not object?”

Su Su sighed and said, “Today I went to see the madam and asked around in circles about Young Master’s marriage. The madam said Young Master is a capable person, and in the future will become a great official. She had already inquired before, and said that several households among the men of the Astronomical Bureau have unmarried young ladies. When the time comes, she will ask someone to broker a match for you and marry you into an official family. That would help with Young Master’s future career.”

“So my mother thinks Hu Ying'er is not good enough?”

Xue Rui felt somewhat puzzled. By rights, Hu Zhong was also an official, and Hu Ying'er’s status was not low. Added to that, the Hu family had shown kindness to their Xue family, and the two of them were both of marriageable age. How could his mother not have considered Hu Ying'er at all?

“Young Master, have you ever heard of the five kinds of women one must not marry?”

Su Su asked in return.

“I’ve heard of it, but I can’t remember.”

Xue Rui thought hard for a moment, then shook his head.

Su Su explained, “Among the five kinds one must not marry, one is a woman who lost her mother in childhood. The madam said that Miss Hu lost her mother young and does not understand proper manners. She is also very forceful with Young Master. Besides, Miss Hu does not know needlework or cooking, so she is not a suitable match.”

“What five kinds? What a pile of feudal trash!”

Xue Rui said angrily, “My mother too—Miss Hu lost her mother when she was little, which is already pitiful enough. Her temper may be fierce, but her heart is still good. Take the matter of the shoes, for example: when she saw my shoes were about to wear through, she had someone buy a pair and found an excuse to send them to me. How thoughtful is that? If anyone can marry her, I don’t know which lucky fellow that will be. Besides, my mother herself knows nothing of cooking or needlework, so how can she still despise Hu Ying'er for it?”

Su Su shook her head. “From what I understood of the madam, she thinks Miss Hu’s temper is too fierce and worries there will be conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Young Master, your temperament is too soft as well, so you would be caught between both sides and made to suffer. The madam also said that because she herself cannot do needlework or cooking, she could neither serve her husband well nor win the favor of her parents-in-law, and that was why she was looked down upon for most of her life. She knows all too well how difficult it is to be a daughter-in-law, so she wants to find a virtuous wife for Young Master, and then all would be well. In short, Young Master may marry anyone, but absolutely not Miss Hu!”

Crash!

Just as Xue Rui was about to speak, there was suddenly the sharp sound of porcelain shattering outside, startling both Xue Rui and Su Su into a jolt.