558. Shoujin Coal

The Capital.

It had snowed heavily last night, and when they rose in the morning, the courtyard was draped in silver, with a thin layer of snow covering the flowerbeds and the limestone flagstones.

Auntie’s morning was disturbed by the sound of silver-bell-like laughter.

She instinctively reached out to push her husband next to her, only to find that he had already got up for duty.

Auntie frowned delicately and sat up in the cosy bed, stretching her waist. The brazier in the room was burning briskly. The maid who slept in the chamber would add some shoujin coal every hour.

This kind of charcoal produced no smoke, but instead gave off the fresh scent of pine branches.

This winter was especially cold. The eldest princess, showing concern for the Hanlin Academy’s humble scholar Xu Xinnian, had specially sent thirty pounds of imperial-use shoujin coal from the palace. Princess Lin’an, too, showed concern for the diligent and hardworking scholar Xu Xinnian, and also sent thirty pounds of shoujin coal.

Thus, Auntie was able to use this fine thing that only the royals could enjoy.

Auntie was very pleased and, at breakfast, made a point of praising Xu Erlang. After ten years of diligent study, not only had he gained the appreciation of the Prime Minister, but he was also so highly valued by both princesses.

Second Uncle Xu just laughed and said Auntie was still too young. The princesses’ rewards of imperial-use items always followed the proper protocol—in the Xu family, only the Second Son was presentable.

Erlang was merely a tool for the two princesses to take care of the Xu family.

Of course, Second Uncle Xu would never tell Auntie such things.

“So noisy…”

The beautiful lady, in thin underclothes and with dishevelled black hair, wore a sleepy expression that made her seem rather youthful and charming.

Bang… Auntie pushed open the door and was met with a gust of cold wind. She shivered, and any remnants of sleepiness vanished at once.

However, the scene before her made her forget even the cold.

In the courtyard, two girls, one big and one small, were rolling about, leaving prints all over the snow.

Lina said, “So this is snow. It’s the first time I’ve seen snow in my life.”

Xu Lingyin said, “This is the many-eth time I’ve seen snow in my life.”

Both of them were covered in snowflakes, looking like two little snowmen.

“Xu Lingyin!”

Auntie screamed out.

In such cold weather, anyone who dared to play so recklessly was either a fool or courting death.

Little Pea was startled. She lifted her little head to glance Auntie’s way, and called out loudly:

“Oh no, mum’s found us. Let’s hurry and run off.”

Lina quickly replied, “Alright.”

And the two of them rolled off into the distance.

…

Xu Lingyue had slept until she woke naturally, and had long heard her silly younger sister and her foolish master messing about outside, though she paid them no heed.

Today, she was to visit the Wang Residence and deal with the ladies there, so she needed to dress up properly.

“Miss, what outfit is suitable for today’s visit to the Wang family?” the maid asked, tilting her head in thought.

“Something simple and elegant. The Wang family are used to luxury, if we dress too ostentatiously, they might secretly mock us as small-town upstarts who love to show off.”

Xu Lingyue dressed her hair in front of the mirror. In the bronze mirror, a girl with a melon-seed-shaped face and big eyes, her features both refined and fair, was reflected.

She wore a pale blue jacket, a fluffy gauze skirt, and over that draped a brocade cape trimmed with fur. Her delicate feet were clad in little lambskin boots embroidered with golden cloud patterns.

It did not look overly fancy, but still showcased the bearing of a well-bred young lady.

“Bring my things along.”

“Yes Miss,” answered the maid crisply.

She immediately led the maid out of the room and took breakfast in the inner hall. By that time, Xu Lingyin had already changed into clean clothes and had taken a hot bath.

Little Pea still wore her childish hair buns, looking like two steamed buns, but dressed in a lovely skirt, she did have a touch of a young lady’s look.

Yet, when standing beside her elegant and refined elder sister, ‘cute’ was the very best she could manage.

Auntie glanced at the water clock in the hall and urged,

“It’s time to be off. Erlang, do remember to look after your sisters. Lingyue, don’t always look so timid as if anyone could bully you, now you are representing not only yourself, but the Xu family.

“Lingyin, don’t gorge yourself or misbehave when you get to the Wang residence, understood?”

As today was a day off, Xu Erlang was going to see Prime Minister Wang to discuss matters, and would bring his sisters along.

The three siblings put down their bowls and chopsticks, rinsed their mouths with salt water, left the Xu residence, and climbed into the carriage.

The driver, wary of the slick icy roads, drove slowly and carefully.

It usually took half an hour to get from the Xu family to the Wang family, but because of the slippery roads, it took a full hour.

Xu Erlang jumped out of the carriage, turned and helped Xu Lingyue down, while Xu Lingyin had already hopped down from the other side.

Led by a steward, the three siblings headed straight for the inner courtyards of the Wang residence.

…

In his bedroom, Prime Minister Wang stood by the screen, while Lady Wang led the maids to help him change.

“I remember Simu said that the Xu family’s young lady is not easy to deal with. The elder daughter-in-law is snobbish, the second one is petty. When you see them later, keep an eye on things, don’t let there be any unpleasantness,” the Prime Minister said.

“They’re not that shallow, they know their limits,” Lady Wang smiled, a little surprised that her husband cared about such minor matters.

“My lord, Sir Xu has arrived,” a servant reported from outside the door.

“Show him into the study.”

Prime Minister Wang took a look at himself in the bronze mirror, smoothed the creases on his chest, then asked Lady Wang, “Are the gifts prepared?”

Lady Wang nodded with a smile.

…

In the inner hall, Wang Simu was holding a tea cup, tasting the fragrant tea, while listening to her two sisters-in-law nattering away.

The eldest sister-in-law was Li Xianghan. Her father was a clerk at the Ministry of Revenue, not a big post, but it dealt with money, so she was rather snobbish.

The second sister-in-law was Zhao Yurong. Her own father held an even more minor post, just a registrar at the High Court.

By rights, given such backgrounds, they had no chance to marry into the Wang family, even though the second brother was in business and not highly placed.

There were, in fact, ties of gratitude here. Wang Zhenwen, rising and falling in officialdom, had suffered setbacks before becoming successful, and during one such low point had been framed by political enemies and imprisoned.

At that time, Zhao Yurong’s father served at the High Court and was on good terms with Wang Zhenwen, he had spent money greasing palms and pulling strings, and in the end Wang Zhenwen had pulled through.

Similar favours had been received from Li Xianghan’s father.

So, after Wang Zhenwen’s rise, both women married into the Wang family.

Eldest sister-in-law Li Xianghan said,

“Simu, when you visited the Xu residence last time, did the matron of the Xu family impose any household rules on you?”

Wang Simu shook her head.

Second sister-in-law Zhao Yurong glanced at her and smiled,

“She must have. Didn’t you say the matron of the Xu family was very capable? Simu, don’t be embarrassed to say it, when a new bride enters the door, the mother-in-law always sets the rules.

“When your sister-in-law and I married into this family, were we not put in our place by our mother-in-law? But you are different from us, you are the Wang family’s daughter. When you marry Xu Erlang, you are marrying down.

“Xu Erlang must rely on our Wang family if he is to rise in status. When you get to the Xu family, you will be in a position to call the shots and throw your weight about. So this time, we must also set some rules for the Xu family’s young lady, just to show her the difference between our Wang family and theirs.”

Who sets the rules for whom is by no means certain. Do you two really think you can match wits with that Xu Lingyue… Wang Simu muttered inwardly, but shook her head and said:

“There’s no need for that. Lingyue is very clever and not at all the sort to invite trouble.”

Eldest sister-in-law Li Xianghan, in the tone of someone who’d been through it before, smiled with a strong sense of superiority:

“Simu, you simply lack experience. When the women of both families meet before a marriage, it is partly to build relations, but more importantly it is a kind of mutual testing. Do you think a mother-in-law wouldn’t consider these things?

“Whatever Miss Xu sees and hears here today will be conveyed back to the Xu family matron. If we knock her down a peg or two, it will sound a warning to the Xu family matron, so that she will not dare to bully you in the future.”

Since ancient times, the relationship between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law could be summed up as “open and covert struggles”.

What they fought over was the power to manage the household.

The wealthier the family, the fiercer the battle over financial and domestic authority.

“This… would’t be so good…?”

Wang Simu suppressed the urge to curl up the corners of her mouth and frowned as she spoke.

Her eldest sister-in-law smiled and said, “Don’t worry, we sisters know the proper limits.”

Wang Simu said helplessly, “Very well, since this is the established convention, let’s do as you two wish.”

As she spoke, she picked up her teacup and made a show of drinking tea, hiding the slight upward curve of her lips.

No matter how the bride and groom felt about each other, there was always a “game” between the two families.

The mother-in-law would set rules for the daughter-in-law before she even entered the family, while the bride’s family would display deep foundations, “warning” the groom’s family to treat their daughter well.

All of this was only natural.

Seeing her two sisters-in-law so passionate, Wang Simu was finally at ease.

The last time she visited the Xu family, that troublesome Xu Lingyue caused plenty of mischief, from one move to another, Wang Simu responded accordingly.

Just as they were talking, a pair of sisters appeared outside the hall. The younger sister had yet to reach her elder sister’s waist. She was being led by the hand, and looked like a rather simple-minded little girl.

As for the elder sister, she truly caught the attention of the two sisters-in-law. She wore a brocade cloak edged with fur, sheepskin boots, and her neatly trimmed fringe set off her delicate, charming features.

She gave the impression of a gentle, delicate young lady raised in a noble family.

The instant they saw Xu Lingyue, the two Wang sisters-in-law felt sure they could handle her, such a sheltered and inexperienced young lady would likely panic and lose composure at even the slightest sign of displeasure from them.

A few tricky questions would be enough to make her flush and leave her small hands nowhere to place.

Bullying such a little girl was really quite dull.

As for that simple-minded child, she was naturally ignored by the two sisters-in-law.

“Sister Lingyue, you’re here.”

Wang Simu rose to greet her and introduced, “This is my eldest sister-in-law, and this is my second sister-in-law. Sister Lingyue, you may address them as I do.”

Xu Lingyue spoke softly: “Lingyue greets both sisters-in-law.”

Eldest sister-in-law, Li Xianghan, smiled and said, “What a lovely girl. I wonder which family’s young master will be fortunate enough to marry our Lingyue in the future.”

Xu Lingyue smiled reservedly, lowered her head, and said, “Lingyin, greet the sisters-in-law.”

Xu Lingyin looked up, furrowed her shallow brows, and asked, “Why are they also called sisters-in-law? Are they going to marry second brother too?”

The faces of all four women froze for a moment.

Second sister-in-law, Zhao Yurong, immediately looked at Xu Lingyue. Seeing her face flush and that she forgot to scold her younger sister, she could only give a dry laugh and say, “Children’s words, children’s words.”

Wang Simu glanced at Xu Lingyue and smiled calmly, “Mother should be up by now. Let’s go pay her our respects.”

This meant she was about to take the Xu sisters to meet the old mistress.

So, under Wang Simu’s lead, the group walked deeper into the Wang residence, crossing corridors and courtyards until they reached a large room.

Inside, there were two soft couches covered in thick, warm sheepskin rugs, with small square tables set atop them bearing dried fruit, jerky, preserved fruit, pastries, and other snacks.

On the left couch sat Wang Zhenwen’s first wife, Madam Wang.

Madam Wang was over fifty but had maintained herself well, not too thin or fat, her complexion healthy and ruddy, with fine crow’s feet adding a sense of mature charm.

“Mum!”

“Mother!”

“Mistress!”

The ladies all paid their respects, except Xu Lingyin, who was a little uneasy. She was not used to this sort of atmosphere.

Little Pea had grown up in a free and unrestrained environment, with little confinement by rules.

Lady Wang nodded kindly, her gaze falling upon the Xu sisters.

“These must be the Xu family girls?”

Lady Wang recalled the handsome bearing of Xu Erlang. Looking again at Xu Lingyue’s fresh, exquisite beauty, she mused for a moment and smiled. “Both sisters have their own merits.”

Having said this, she invited them to take their seats.

Eldest sister-in-law, Li Xianghan, sipped her hot tea, sighed, and brought up a topic: “This damned weather. This time last year, if the braziers burned all night, I’d feel suffocated. Now, if you don’t burn them all night, you’ll freeze to death.”

Second sister-in-law, Zhao Yurong, chimed in, “Isn’t it just so.”

At this point, she noticed Little Pea staring in a daze at the waist-high brazier filled with smokeless shoujin coal.

This child had most likely never seen such smokeless coal… The second sister-in-law was struck by an idea and smiled, “That’s why His Majesty gifted our Wang family ten pounds of shoujin coal. There’s no smoke, and it gives off a fresh scent when burned.”

Feeling rather superior, she glanced at Xu Lingyue, only to find her smiling with no particular reaction.

Perhaps she doesn’t know what shoujin coal is… The second sister-in-law added, “It’s used exclusively by the imperial household.”

Xu Lingyin, holding a piece of candied fruit, declared loudly, “We have it at home too.”

…

In the study.

Prime Minister Wang sat behind his desk, cradling a teacup, the lid gently tapping the rim as he listened to his future son-in-law’s report.

“Prime Minister Sir, this winter will be incredibly difficult for the people, especially in areas hit by drought and flood. How are the common folk supposed to survive?”

Xu Xinnian spoke passionately, “I memorialised His Majesty, requesting a thorough check of the granaries and early preparations for disaster relief funds. Why did you withhold my memorial?”

Prime Minister Wang patiently listened, took a sip of tea, and said,

“Cijiu, for an official to achieve great things, he must broaden his vision and see the bigger picture before making plans. You’ve only noticed the hardship the people will face this winter, but not the difficulties facing the court.”

He put down his teacup and pushed a stack of memorials towards Xu Xinnian. “Have a look, the Ministry of Revenue’s memorials.”

Xu Xinnian unfolded the documents, skimming quickly. His face changed dramatically.

Prime Minister Wang sighed. “The court has no more silver.”

Xu Xinnian murmured, “How could this be?”

“The late emperor spent twenty years exhausting the nation. The treasury was already weak beneath the surface glamour, the foundations of the Great Feng long since shaky. Months ago, one hundred and twenty thousand troops supported the fight against the Yao and barbarians, while Wei Yuan led a hundred thousand to take Mount Jing City.

“Though it was a great victory, grain, horses, equipment, all cost silver. With such a weak national strength, sustaining a war on that scale costs far more than you can imagine.”

Prime Minister Wang put both hands near the brazier, warming his cold fingers as he continued,

“We could barely hold out, make it through this year, and with next autumn’s harvest, the big picture could be managed. Who’d have thought that heaven would trump man’s plans? In all my decades, I’ve never seen such a frigid winter.”

With longstanding illness in the court, unending natural disasters, an empty treasury, a mess to clean up… Xu Xinnian felt the weight in his heart and asked, “Is there any solution?”

Prime Minister Wang stared at the brazier for a long while before answering.

“Time,” he said.

After another long silence, Prime Minister Wang added, “Fish will fall apart if overcooked; people will scatter if governed too harshly. If you know how to cook fish, you know how to rule. If there are no external threats, time can heal all.”

Xu Xinnian said quietly, “What if there are external threats?”

If heaven abandons the Great Feng… Prime Minister Wang changed the subject. “Have you heard from him?”

Xu Xinnian knew who he meant and shook his head. “So far, big brother has not sent any word home.”

558. Shoujin Coal

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