Chapter 528: Old Friend

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When the couple returned home, Zhou Jia told Li Yu about Chu Yuhao letting

Yangyang go to the palace to study. He looked at her and said, “Yu’er, His Majesty asked me to come back and discuss it with you. What do you think?”

Li Yu looked at Yangyang, who was lying on the bamboo couch and sleeping soundly with the twins. She nodded and said, “I think the Crown Prince’s personality is quite good. He’s not as arrogant and domineering as the children of some noble families. It’s the emperor’s intention for Yang’er to enter the palace to study. It’s not like he can only go home once every ten days or half a month. Let him go!”

Zhou Jia also looked at his three sons. “I think so too. His Majesty doesn’t have many children now. He has two sons and a daughter. The Crown Prince was born by the Empress. The three-year-old prince and the two-year-old princess were both born by Consort Shu. Let’s follow His Majesty’s instructions and not be afraid of falling into a party battle.”

Li Yu nodded. “His Majesty is in his prime. Let’s just listen to the His Majesty’s orders. It’s not like we are pining for high positions. This is already not bad. Don’t be close to those officials who form alliances.”

Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and kissed her temple. He smiled and said, “Yes! I’ll listen to you.”

Li Yu looked at his obsequious expression and smiled. “Yue’er will be as sweet-tongued as you in the future. Sleep with the children for a while. I’ll bring them to brew the wine.”

“We’ll go later!” Zhou Jia hugged Li Yu for a while before letting go of her.

Li Yu came out of the room and saw Zhao Cai getting someone to place the grapes under the eaves of the porch.

Xing Hua said to Li Yu, “Madam, Steward Cai said that you want to brew fruit wine with these grapes, so I’ll leave them here.”

Li Yu nodded. “Carry the grapes to the well and bring out a larger jar.”

“Yes!” Xing Hua agreed crisply and carried the grapes to the well with Aunt Zhang.

Old Madam Liu carried a wine jar to the well and said to Li Yu with a smile, “Madam, the wine steel is here. Are you planning to brew fruit wine?

“There are quite a lot of grapes in the manor. Wash the grapes and dry them.

Then get some crushed rock sugar and call me when the water is dry.”

“Alright, go and rest for a while. When it’s done, we’ll call you again,” Old Madam Liu replied.

Just as Li Yu returned to the main courtyard, Granny Yang entered the courtyard with an invitation. She smiled and said, “Madam, the Duke of Fu has married a second wife and sent a wedding invitation to invite you and Master to a banquet. I heard that the new princess consort of the Duke of Fu is only in her teens. She’s about the same age as the youngest daughter of the Duke of

Li Yu took the invitation and saw that it said 2nd September. She was curious about what kind of family was willing to marry their daughter to an old man.

“Whose daughter is it?” Li Yu asked.

Granny Yang smiled and said, “I heard that she’s the daughter of a concubine of a family with the surname Yu. Her father is a lowly official. During the Dragon Boat Festival, Duke Fu went out on a trip. His horse was frightened by a crazy cow from a farmer’s family. This lowly official saved Duke Fu and somehow became Duke Fu’s father-in-law.”

Li Yu smiled and said, “Alright, it’s only two days away from the second day of the new year. Who sent those wine and pastries?”

“It’s General Shen Wu’s Madam. Madam Wu said that she’s going to visit Maple Leaf Mountain in the east of the city on the ninth day of the new year and asked if you were going. She even sent chrysanthemum wine and Chongyang cake.’

On the ninth day of the new year, it was the Double Ninth Festival. People had to plant dogvvoods, eat Double Ninth Cake, and drink chrysanthemum wine. “Are the Double Ninth Cake and chrysanthemum wine at home ready?

“It’s ready. The gift has been sent out.”

“Alright, we have many elders in our family. On the ninth day of the new year,

I’ll bring them to eat crabs and drink chrysanthemum wine to relax.”

Granny Yang smiled when she heard that. “That’s good. On that day, I’ll bring them to the backyard to drink and admire the chrysanthemums. Madam, are you going to Maple Leaf Mountain?”

Li Yu recalled that Zhou Jia had not gone to the hot spring manor outside the city since he came back. “No, on the ninth day of the new year, we’ll go to the manor outside the city to soak in the hot spring. Reply to Madam Wu. I’ll treat her the next time.”

“Yes, I’ll go and reply Madam Wu now.” Granny Yang bowed and retreated.

After dinner, Old Madam Liu came to ask Li Yu to teach them how to make wine.

Li Yu went to the kitchen and brought a few people to crush the grapes. She placed them in the wine jar with the skin and sprinkled a layer of rock sugar before placing the grapes. After they were done, she sealed the wine jar.

“Let it ferment in the house for a month. When the time comes, you can filter it with thin gauze and let it sit for another month.”

Old Madam Liu smiled and said, “Madam, why don’t you come back in a month?”

Li Yu nodded and returned to the main courtyard. Zhou Jia looked at the invitation from the Fu family and looked at Li Yu. “Yu’er, do you know who the princess consort of the Fu family is?”

“I heard that she’s the daughter of a concubine of a low-ranking official. What’s wrong?” Li Yu asked curiously.

Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu. “She’s the daughter of County Lieutenant Yu’s concubine.”

The news was beyond Li Yu’s expectations. “Ah! Has County Lieutenant Yu been transferred to the capital?”

“County Lieutenant Yu and the county magistrate of Qingchuan were not on good terms. Not long after we left, he abandoned his official position and returned to Qingzhou. I heard that he partnered with someone to open an escort agency. When the escort cart into the capital, he happened to save the Duke of Fu.”

Zhou Jia paused for a moment. “You know, his concubine’s daughter is a restless person. For some reason, she hooked up with Duke Fu. I heard from my colleagues in the government office that Duke Fu dotes on her very much.”

“How do you know this?” Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia in surprise. “You men gossip about this in the government office! Why haven’t you ever told me about it?”

Zhou Jia laughed when he heard that. “I’d listen to them from time to time. If you like it, I’ll tell you when I come back in the future.”

Li Yu smiled and sat beside Zhou Jia. She couldn’t imagine a group of dignified ancient officials gossiping.

“Then what are you all doing at work? Tell me.”

“After the official business is done, after everyone has eaten lunch, they will carry tea and sit in the garden at the back of the government office. They will share things like how someone was punished by his Madam to kneel on the pedal last night. Which family collapsed their grape rack, which family’s concubine fought with Madam. In order to promote the actor, a certain young master took the antiques at home and pawned them…”

Li Yu laughed when she heard that. “I always thought that when you were all in the government office, you were all serious and did your own things. I didn’t expect you to gossip like women.”

“Most of the time, they’re still polite. You know that those people praise the strong and trample on the weak. Many of them just maintain a superficial harmony.”

“Yu’er, County Lieutenant Yu went to the government office to look for me after hooking up with Duke Fu. I felt that he was up to no good, so I ignored him. Later, Duke Fu found him a job in the capital government office.”

From Madam Tang’s encounter, Li Yu knew that County Lieutenant Yu was not a good person. Also, Yu Yan was the same as her mother. If Duke Fu married such a woman, he would not be far from the destroying his family.

“It’s right to ignore such an evil person. His concubine’s daughter isn’t a kind person either. We don’t have any dealings with their family, so let’s pretend not to know them.”

“My wife and I have thought of the same thing.”

Zhou Jia stood up and held Li Yu’s hand. “Let’s tell Yang’er about entering the palace as a study companion..”