Chapter 277 - 117: Annoying Mrs. Cai
Song Yunzhao couldn’t recall anything. In the book, He Lan Yun was just a supporting character, so there was no reason for her maternal family to be mentioned unless they did something worth writing about in relation to her.
Evidently, the Yue Family in the book had made no such moves, so it wasn’t surprising that they either never appeared or that she simply couldn’t remember them.
"First Aunt, I’m not opposed to a marriage alliance with the Yue Family, but we don’t know much about them. My friendship with the County Princess doesn’t mean I have ties to the Prince Zhenbei Mansion. As long as you understand that, it’s fine. You must still carefully consider the matter of Ms. Xi’s marriage."
The First Lady nodded slightly. Yun Zhao’s words were more or less what she had expected: her friendship with the County Princess was not a means to forge a connection with the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.
In that case, their family wouldn’t have to be overly concerned about a marriage alliance with the Yue Family. If it succeeded, it would be a joyous occasion. If not, she wouldn’t let her daughter be wronged.
"Hearing you say that, Concubine, gives me some reassurance." The First Lady smiled. "Lady Yue invited me to go burn incense at the Buddhist Temple in a few days. I’ll head back and give her a firm answer."
This meant they were agreeing to a formal meeting between the potential couple.
"The Yue Family seems quite enthusiastic about this marriage," Song Yunzhao said with a smile.
"It’s likely related to the County Princess. Thanks to you, Concubine, the County Princess and Ye Xi have grown closer. If the County Princess is fond of Ye Xi, the Yue Family will naturally favor her more."
"We still need to see what Yue Shao himself thinks. It’s not that important whether the County Princess likes Ms. Xi; what matters is Yue Shao’s attitude. If they want to marry Ms. Xi just because of the County Princess’s opinion, then I’d say it’s better to call the whole thing off."
The First Lady was taken aback for a moment, but then she smiled. "You’re right, Concubine. That hadn’t occurred to me."
"First Aunt, you’ve had such a difficult time lately. It’s perfectly normal not to think of everything at once. I’m sure it would have come to you once you had a moment to rest and think it over."
’The First Lady truly had a difficult time.’ Mrs. Cai and Song Qinghan were constantly stirring up drama about their own marriages. On top of that, her son and son-in-law were at the forefront of the academic fraud case, which must have left her worried sick. Now, with Song Yexi’s marriage finally showing some promise, the First Lady was being given no time to catch her breath.
The life of a matriarch of a large family was never easy.
And these were just the major issues. Never mind managing the Song Mansion’s day-to-day trivialities of food, clothing, and household affairs. It made one truly understand why the ancients placed so much importance on matching social status in marriage.
A woman of humble birth might come from a household of only a dozen people. Between domestic chores and visits with in-laws, there wouldn’t be that much to manage throughout the year. But it was a different story for the great clans. The Song Family couldn’t even be considered one of the truly wealthy families, yet its affairs were already so numerous. Imagine those ancient, aristocratic houses, the ones with three or four generations living under a single roof. With hundreds of people to account for, from masters to servants, could an ordinary person possibly navigate the complexities of being a daughter-in-law in such a clan? Could she handle the dynamics with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, manage the servants, and fulfill all the social obligations?
’Of course not.’
In *Dream of the Red Chamber*, when Lin Daiyu first entered the Jia Mansion, who would have known that the first cup of tea served after a meal was for rinsing one’s mouth? If Lin Daiyu had been impetuous and drunk it all in one go, drinking mouthwash as tea would have become a running joke for the rest of her life.
From then on, whenever people rinsed their mouths after a meal, they would be reminded of the Miss Lin who drank mouthwash as tea. For a sensitive young woman, how could she possibly live that down?
Hearing Yun Zhao’s words warmed the First Lady’s heart. She smiled and said, "You certainly know how to put one’s mind at ease, Concubine. It’s not a hardship. Everything I do is for my children." She paused, then smiled again. "The Yue Family is a family of military generals. If we were to truly arrange a marriage with them, would it make people think that you, Concubine, have ulterior motives?"
Song Yunzhao laughed at this. "First Aunt, don’t worry so much. I’m only a minor Concubine at the moment, and our family has no one among the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers at court. Why shouldn’t we be able to form a marriage alliance with the Yue Family? Don’t worry about me. As long as it’s a genuinely good match, you should proceed as you see fit."
The First Lady thought that made sense and smiled. "That’s true. We may not have such a position now, but our family will certainly rise further in the future. When that time comes, we can be your support, Concubine."
Song Yunzhao laughed. "With my eldest cousin winning third place in the imperial examination, I’m already basking in the glory."
Mentioning this made the First Lady very happy as well. She had never dreamed her son would become the third-place scholar. The *third-place scholar*!
Thinking of her son, the First Lady looked at Yun Zhao. "Although your elder cousin has been posted outside the capital, we must start preparing for his marriage. We have a constant stream of matchmakers coming to our door with proposals for him, and I’m a bit unsure of what to do."