<h4>Chapter 99: Returning to Ancestral Mansion (1)</h4>
Trantor: Iris
Proofread by DragonRider
This time when Minn returned to ancestral mansion, she was in sombre mood because the whole mansion was oveid with a certain nervousness,pletely different from the joyful atmosphere two years ago. Servants went in and out of the inner mansion cautiously without making any noise, and no one dared tough or frolic.
Minn first visited Sheng Wei and Li shi who were both pale and thin. Li shi looked haggard and worn.
As the old saying goes, there are no dutiful children at the bedside of chronic ill parents.
But First Old Madam Sheng was in no way representative of parents in general. In those years she had gone through all kinds of hardships and brought her young children up. She was indeed the biggest contributor of the prosperity of the Sheng family. As the eldest daughter-inw of the first branch of Sheng family, Li shishould attend upon First Old Madam Sheng heart and soul. After months of looking after her mother-inw, Li shi felt half dead with tiredness.
“Father, Mother, you two have been nursing Grandmother in front of sickbed for a long time. Thank you for your hard work. I am sorry Ie backte.” Changwu cried and fell to his knees at Sheng Wei’s feet. Kang Yun’er also knelt beside him. Lishi hastened to help her son and daughter-inw up, and took Yun’er to sit down on a soft couch. Then she said with concern, “My dear child, you are pregnant now. After the long journey, you must be tired. You can have a break after meeting Old Madam. Our family won’t mind that.”
Kang Yun’er firmly declined Li shi’s suggestion. Sheng Wei urged, “Listen to your mother-inw. It’s what Old Madam hoped you to do.” Li shi turned around, took Minn and Changdong’s hands at the same time and said lovingly, “Good children, you two must be tired too. Come on, follow me.”
She led them to First Old Madam Sheng’s bedroom. After walking in, Minn was acutely aware of the pungent odor of herbal medicines. In the middle of the bedroom, there was a fiveyered lotus-shaped gilding brazier, in which charcoals burned brightly. It was cold outside, but in the room it was warm. Changdong couldn’t help but shiver because of the sudden change in temperature. Minn reached out and gently stroked his back.
Old Madam Sheng, who sat on the edge of the bed with a solemn expression, broke into a faint smile at the sight of her grandson and granddaughter. She just nodded to Minn without saying anything. Changwu walked quickly to the bedside and dropped to his knees, crying sadly, “Grandmother, I’m back.”
Minn came up and saw First Old Madam Sheng lying on the bed with her gray hair neatlybed, her eyes sunken and ck-ringed, the bridge of her nose sunken slightly too, her eyes closed tight. When she heard Changwu’s voice, she struggled to open her mouth slightly but no sound came out because she was too weak. Finally, with the help of an old female servant who was in charge of decocting herbal medicine, she nodded with difficulty. But soon she slipped into aa again.
Wen shi, who was waiting upon beside the bed, gently wiped tears off her face and sobbed, “Grandmother has been unable to speak since a few days ago. She can only swallow some porridge. Today she’s better than thest few days.” Changwu immediately bowed to her and said, “Sister-inw, you must be tired from looking after grandmother. Thank you.”
In order to give First Old Madam Sheng an undisturbed rest, they all walked out of the bedroom and went back to the main room. Changwu, Kang Yun’er, Minn and Changdong greeted Old Madam Sheng by dipping a curtsy or making a bow. Old Madam Sheng asked a few questions about current affairs in the capital. Changwu answered her one by one. Li shi was surprised to see lots of big boxes and bags stacking in the courtyard. Changwu said evasively, “... I have asked for a funeral leave of nine months...”
Li shi’s heart ached for him. Since Changwu had been promoted to Bazong, she enjoyed high prestige in her family and the Sheng family. Now the Sheng family was rich and powerful. Although attending upon First Old Madam Sheng was hard work, she could ovee it as long as she thought that in the future her children and grandchildren would take good care of her as what she was doing to First Old Madam Sheng. She tried to be a filial person, but it didn’t mean that she was willing to sacrifice her son’s official career to filial duty.
Li shi scolded, “How could you make this decision without asking me? In my view, you can stay in the capital and go on working. Your older brother, sister-inw and I will deal with our family matters. There is nothing in the imperialw to suggest that grandsons must be in mourning for their grandparents.” Li shi feared that someone would take Changwu’s official position.
Sheng Wei cast a nce at Old Madam Sheng and said magisterially, “Changwu told me that beforehand. Though there is no formal decree in the imperialw, showing love and devotion to elders won’t go amiss. So, don’t make indiscreet remarks. I know what is best for our son.”
Old Madam Sheng held Minn’s hand and looked her up and down to see whether she got thinner or fatter. When Old Madam Sheng heard their conversation, she smiled andforted Li shi, “Don’t worry. Your uncle has made contact with themander and vicemanders of Zhongwei Guardian Team. They will keep this official position for Changwu. If the imperial court were badly in need of officials in the future, the superiors would call him back to assume his duties before the end of the mourning.”
Sheng Wei and Li shi were overjoyed to hear these words. They immediately asked Changwu and Yun’er to kowtow to Old Madam Sheng. Minn was responsive. She instantly came up to help them up and said considerately, “Sister-inw, you are carrying a baby now. Don’t move violently. Just sit down. Brother Changwu is filial. Everything, whether his official career or your parturition, will go well.”
Li shi was pleased by Minn’s thoughtfulness and ttery. She took two pouches prepared in advance from a maid beside her and thrust them into Minn and Changdong’s hands. Then she took a pair of jade bangles off her wrists and put them on Minn’s wrists.
The jade bangles with a nice dark green were sparkling and transparent without any impurities, warm and smooth to touch. Obviously, they were made of rare top-grade jade. Minn immediately refused to ept this valuable gift. Li shi insisted on giving Minn the bangles, saying with an affectionate look, “Good girl, next year you will reach the age of fifteen. I’m afraid that I can’t attend your hair-do ceremony. Just take the jade bangles as my gift for you in advance. Don’t refuse them.”
Minn turned to Old Madam Sheng who nodded slightly to her, which set her mind at rest. So she epted the jade bangles and expressed her gratitude by curtsying to Li shi respectfully, while thinking to herself, ‘Aunt, in fact, you don’t need to worry about Brother Changwu’s official career. All the men in official circles are shrewd. Though officials don’t have to be in mourning for their grandparents’ death, it is better for Brother Changwu to be in mourning for nine months because it can earn him a good reputation. He is a military officer. Different from civil officials, military officers y an insignificant role in peacetime. And anyway, Sheng Hong and Changbai will help him get back his official position nine monthster. So he asked for a leave without hesitation.’
The adults had something to say, so the children consciously went out of the main room. Changdong had ridden the horse for two hours. In the beginning he had felt it interesting, butter he had suffered because the saddle had kept rubbing his thighs. Now he felt his inner thigh muscles aching and limp. Changwu had asked servants to prepare some ointment for him. So now he was going to apply the ointment.
Minn followed him into the room and wanted to look after him. But Changdong with a straight face drove her out. Minn watched him mming the door shut with a bang and silentlyined, ‘I know you have a penis. It’s no big deal. I’m not an ignorant girl because I have seen some adult movies in my previous life.’
After Minn walked out of the house, Pin who was waiting for her outside, seized Minn’s sleeve at once and said with a fierce look, “Give me the bangles!” The pair of jade bangles were Li shi’s cup of tea and Pin had been trying to get them from her mother for a long time.
Minn snorted querulously, “s! I’m so unlucky these days. A few days ago, I met the pirates. Now I meet another bandit!” In reality, Li shi had already prepared gifts for Mn, Rn and Minn to celebrate their 15th birthdays.
With that, Minn slipped the bangles from her wrists and handed them to Pin. Pin asked with interest, “Second Sister-inw told me what happened on the ship. How were the pirates? Did you see them?” Minn raised her head proudly and answered with a heroic spirit, “Yes. I fought against them like a hero and beat back all the pirates on the ship.”
Pin rolled her eyes at Minn. She took the bangles, held them up to the sun and observed their internal structures. Then she put on the bangles and fiddled with them for a long while before she handed them back to Minn. Minn took one bangle and stuffed the other one into Pin’s hands. “Take it. Now we each have a bangle.”
Although Pin liked the bangle very much, she was embarrassed to ept it and said with hesitation, “My mother gave them to you. How can I...” Minn patted her shoulder and said in a teasing tone, “Just take it. I hear that in circle of bandits you can take half of other people’s treasures as long as you see them. Am I right?” As a result of teasing Pin, Minn was rubbed and pinched hard by Pin.
After dinner, Minn followed Old Madam Sheng to her bedroom for a rest. They finally had a chance to talk privately. Minn held her grandmother’s arm with a grin and was about to say something. But Old Madam Sheng’s face suddenly turned cold as she snapped, “Kneel down!” Minn was stunned. Old Madam Sheng barked the order again, stern-faced with dignity, “Get down on your knees right now!”