Chapter 36. YiMu

YiMu

姨母 (Yi Mu) = maternal aunt, mother's sister
The old residence in Luoyang was the home of Wei Jue during his tenure as an official in Luoyang. At that time, Wei Jue held a relatively low-ranking position, and his residence was just an ordinary courtyard. However, even after he became the Prime Minister, he never abandoned this house and did not acquire a new one.
As for Xu Ji, from what I know, since the capital was moved to Yongzhou, Wei Zhao has been following Wei Jue, and the Wei family has also relocated to the capital. However, why did they leave Wei Zhao's only concubine in Luoyang?
My foot is already fine, there is no major problem, I just don't dare to walk casually. Since arriving in Luoyang, I have been staying indoors, waiting for my foot to fully recover before moving around.
Wei An is a restless person. He is always mindful of my pushcart, and as soon as he settles down, he starts arranging to find wood materials.
"Si Gongzi, is this still a pushcart?" Ah Yuan held the wooden board on which Wei An had drawn a diagram and looked at it for a while, wearing a puzzled expression at the lines and circles on it. "Why does it look different?"
"It is different," Wei An said. "The original one was too low, so I raised it a bit. I also added teeth to the wheels. If the wheelchair needs to stop on a slope, the wheels can be locked in place, preventing it from rolling around uncontrollably."
"Si Gongzi is truly clever," Ah Yuan exclaimed in admiration.
Wei An scratched his head. "Actually, I was also thinking of modifying the raised bed into a two-tiered seating board. The upper level can be used for sitting, while the lower level can have a hole dug out to accommodate a chamber pot. This way, Zhangsao won't have to struggle with her injured foot to go to the bathroom."
Ah Yuan: "......"
"Si Gongzi is truly kind-hearted," her smile turned shy and peculiar as she glanced at me and said, "But Furen is not disabled, so these daily tasks do not pose any hindrance."
"Is that so?" Wei An furrowed his brow, feeling somewhat disappointed.
"It's alright," I said, "Si Shu's idea is excellent. We can still proceed with it. Even if I don't need it immediately, having it at home as a precautionary measure wouldn't hurt. What do you think?"
Wei An's expression brightened before he nodded.
I smiled in response.
As I listened to Wei An's words just now, a great realization dawned upon me. There are various types and degrees of leg injuries in the world. Therefore, pushcarts can also come in different styles. For instance, the one I used earlier was sufficient for mobility. But the kind that Wei An mentioned, which allows for using the bathroom, I wonder how many individuals who are unable to live independently are eagerly hoping for it?
I squinted my eyes, and it seemed like there were jingling sounds echoing in my ears. Ah, that was the sound of coins clinking inside a cloth bag…
****
The rest and recovery have been very effective. Two days later, my injured foot has completely healed, and I can walk without any hindrance.
When I walked out of the covered walkway on my own, I felt a sense of clarity in the world. The sunlight was shining brightly, illuminating everything around me.
The courtyard I stayed in was Wei Tan's former residence, and the items inside were things he had used during his youth. When I opened one of the chests, I discovered several old undershirts and playthings like a slingshot and a wooden sword. I took them out and examined them. These items were well-preserved, with the chest being lined with camphor to prevent pests. One of the slingshots had a crooked and twisted "Tan" character carved on its back.
If it was written any more crookedly, it could be seen as one was illiterate. After looking at it for a while, I made that conclusion in my mind.
Having grown tired of Wei Tan's courtyard, I expressed to Wei An my desire to explore the old residence. He scratched his head, reluctantly put aside the task at hand, and drew a map of the old residence for me. The map indicated the locations, dimensions, and former occupants of each courtyard. After completing the drawing, Wei An tossed it to me and then returned to his focus on tinkering with his pushcart.
So, holding the map, I went around exploring with Ah Yuan. Of course, there wasn't much to see in this kind of house, but since I had moved in, I wanted to at least know what kind of place it was. After going around, everything seemed quite ordinary, but in the backyard, there was a vibrant display of peonies in full bloom, their colors radiant in the sunlight.
However, what caught my attention was a woman amidst the peony bushes. She had a slender figure and wore a sun-shielding straw hat. Though dressed in ordinary clothing, it was clear that she was not a servant.
As if sensing the movement, the woman lifted her head, revealing a delicately beautiful face beneath the brim of her hat.
She looked slightly surprised, but then she set down whatever she was holding and removed her hat, walking towards me.
"Qie, Xu Shi, paying respects to Furen," she greeted me with a graceful bow.
I understood the two characters "许氏" (Xǔ shì) and realized that my guess correct.
"Turns out it's Xu Ji," I smiled and nodded, returning the gesture of respect. "One has heard of your esteemed name for a long time, and I didn't expect to meet you today."
Xu Ji had a humble expression as she spoke, "Qie has been residing in Luoyang, hence did not had the opportunity to meet with Furen before."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, I noticed that Xu Ji spoke with eloquence, indicating that she was not a daughter from an ordinary or low-ranking family.
"Does Ji often enjoy the flowers in the garden?" I asked.
Xu Ji replied, "It's not so much about enjoying the flowers, but rather tending to the pruning and trimming of the branches and leaves."
"Oh?" I looked at the peonies and smiled. "Is Ji good at gardening?"
Lady Xu also smiled and replied, "When it comes to gardening, Qie only has a basic understanding. These peonies were personally planted by ChengXiang in his earlier years. Whenever they bloom, feasts would be held in the mansion to appreciate their beauty. Now that ChengXiang has moved to Yongdu, afraid of these flowers might wither away, Qie personally take care of them."
"I see," I nodded and praised, "Ji is indeed a meticulous person."
Xu Ji lowered her gaze humbly and replied, "Furen has overpraised."
"Is Xu Ji quite idle in Luoyang?" Back in the room, Ah Yuan poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of me, murmuring, "The concubine of Er Gongzi, within this household, holds a certain status. Why bother competing with the gardeners for work?"
I looked at her and smiled, "Ah Yuan, if you were left alone in Luoyang with your husband and relatives only visiting a few times a year, would you not seek something to occupy yourself with?"
Aj Yuan found the point reasonable and nodded.
I gently blew on the teacup and took a sip.
In fact, it wasn't just about finding something to do; there was another layer to it. She kept mentioning Chengxiang at every opportunity, and this Xu Ji made it clear who she was trying to please.
*****
After having not been able to move around freely for a long time, I finally found myself in a safe and lively place. After spending a few days in the house, I decided that it was time to venture outside.
In fact, it was quite simple to go out. Without any Father-in-law nor Husband in the house, I held the highest position, and the servants couldn't really stop me. So, I inquired with the steward about reputable temples in the city and told him that I wanted to pray for the well-being of my uncles and husband.
The steward hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn't object. Guo Furen had a fondness for worshiping deities, and this strategy was almost foolproof.
With the carriage, guards, and the necessary offerings prepared, I embarked on the journey towards the eastern part of the city.
Luoyang, once the Eastern Capital, had grand temples and palaces, although not as magnificent as those in Chang'an. Nonetheless, they were still impressive, with a bustling atmosphere of incense burning. In comparison, Yongdu, despite having the word "capital" in its name, had temples and palaces that were rather shabby and couldn't measure up.
I handed over the offerings to the miaozhu and asked him to arrange them. Then, I went through the zhudao and instructed Ah Yuan to donate incense to the temple.
After the worship ceremony, I walked out of the main hall, contemplating where to go next when suddenly a voice sounded beside me, "NǚJun… Fu NǚJun?"
Surprised, I turned my head and saw an elderly woman, carrying a basket, with her two eyes fixed on me, filled with disbelief.
"You..." I felt like I knew her face but couldn't recall from where.
"NǚJun!" The old woman looked at me, her face filled with excitement as she approached. "NǚJun, Lao Fu is the wet nurse of Qiao Furen. Does NǚJun still remember?"
I recalled the memories. She was the wet nurse of my third YiMu, who used to accompany her on her visits to Chang'an.
"Lǚ Ah Ao," I whispered softly.
Lǚ Ah Ao nodded, looking at me, tears streaming down her face, unable to speak.
*****
Mother had one older brother and two younger sisters, and she was the second in birth order in the family.
Through Lǚ Ah Ao, I learned about the situation of Mother's siblings.
The Fu Clan was executed, and my JiuJiu Qiao Yu lost his position as the Commandant of the Imperial Academy. Both of my YiMus' husbands feared being implicated and severed ties with their in-laws. At that time, my Wai ZuFu had already passed away, but fortunately, he left behind ancestral property. Although my JiuJiu was no longer in an official position, he still belonged to a prominent family in Luoyang. However, within three years, the situation abruptly changed, and the chaos in Chang'an spread to Luoyang. JiuJiu's family fled to Chenzhou and settled there. After they settled down, JiuJiu sought refuge with Dong Kuang, who was in control of Henan at that time. With his noble background, extensive knowledge, and swordsmanship skills, JiuJiu earned Dong Kuang's admiration. Unfortunately, Dong Kuang was incompetent in warfare. While JiuJiu was on the way to conquer Huazhou, he fell into an ambush and was shot in the chest with an arrow, resulting in his untimely death.
My fourth YiMu was the youngest among them siblings, and she married into another prominent family in Luoyang, the Cai family. After the palaces in Luoyang were burned by He Kui, the Cai family felt that it was not safe to stay there and decided to relocate with their entire family. Unfortunately, during the chaotic times when law and order had collapsed, the Cai family was attacked and killed by bandits while traveling south, and none of them survived.
Among Mother's siblings, there are four of them, and the only one who is still alive today is my third YiMu.
Lǚ Ah Ao accompanied her master's family to the temple to pay respects to the gods. Therefore, in the tea-serving chamber of the temple, I met my San YiMu.
When she saw me, her face changed, and her eyes quickly turned red. She embraced me tightly and burst into tears.
"Ah Jin... Ah Jin ah..." She tightly held onto me, pounding her chest and stomping her feet. Her voice became hoarse and changed in tone. "My poor WaiSheng, my poor Ah Zi ah…"
The people around us all bowed their heads, tears streaming down their faces.
Even though I had prepared myself, my clothes were also wet with tears, and I choked up, unable to speak a word.
As the family reunited, there was no joyous atmosphere, only the sound of weeping filling the entire room.
After recognizing each other, others around us began offering words of consolation. San YiMu held me tightly, crying for a while before gradually calming down.
She held my hand, and talked about the experiences since we had been separated, expressing deep emotions and shedding many tears.
"Your JiuJiu heard that you were married and went to Laiyang, intending to visit you, but unfortunately, your Wai Zumu suddenly had a stroke and became bedridden. This delayed his plans. Later on, when Luoyang underwent changes, your JiuJiu went to Chenzhou and never returned."
"I wonder if Wai ZuMu is still alive?" I asked.
San Yimu shook her head. "Before He Kui arrived in Luoyang, she had already passed away. I never informed her about your mother's situation. The day before your Wai Zumu passed away, she kept talking about how your mother never came to visit her..." As she spoke with sadness, she choked up again, lowering her head to wipe away her tears.
Feeling distressed as well, after a while, I asked, "I remember that Jiujiu had a son and a daughter. I wonder where they are?"
San Yimu replied, "After your Jiujiu passed away, your Jiumu[舅母(jiùmu)-wife of maternal uncle/modern_footnote] and her children returned to Luoyang and now reside in the former residence."
I nodded in agreement, finding solace in the fact that Jiujiu still had descendants. It could be considered a small blessing amid the unfortunate circumstances.
San Yimu raised her head and asked, "Ah Jin, You are now married to the Wei family, right?"
I replied, "Indeed." I realized that even Zhao Jun, who was stationed in the Tan camp, knew about Wei Tan's marriage proposal to me, let alone my Yimu in Luoyang.
"How does your husband treat you?" San Yimu asked.
I answered, "My husband treats me very well."
A look of relief finally appeared on San Yimu's face. "That's good to hear. Ah Jin, as long as you are living well, I have no other wishes," she said. Then, in a low voice, she continued, "Please don't blame your Yimu for not coming to find you. When your family encountered difficulties, we, as relatives, were helpless. If it weren't for today's encounter, Yimu wouldn't know how to face you with any dignity…"
I remained silent. It was true that since marrying Wei Tan, I had encountered various acquaintances and relatives. Besides expressing their sorrow for the Fu Family misfortune, the most common sentiment they conveyed was their own struggles and pleas for forgiveness.
Feeling a sense of desolation in my heart, I couldn't ignore the fact that the person shedding tears before me was a close relative. Deep down, I understood the helplessness she faced as a daughter-in-law in another family.
"Yimu..." I gently held her hand and let out a soft sigh.
******
After bidding farewell to my San Yimu, I had no more inclination to wander and boarded the carriage to return to our old residence.
As the days went by, Wei An quickly finished making the new cart, and upon inspecting it from all angles, I found it to be quite impressive.
"It's a pity that Zhangsao won't be able to ride in it," Wei An lamented.
"It doesn't matter. It's a good thing, and we can never have too many good things," I replied. After a moment, I added, "Has Si Shu ever thought about the elderly man living alone in that desolate village from before? Even if he had a cart, there would be no one to push it for him. What could he do?"
Wei An said, "He has a yellow dog. I've tried it, and it can pull the cart on flat ground."
I smiled and said, "But what if he doesn't have a yellow dog? It would be great if the person on the cart could push it by themselves."
Wei An's eyes lit up with understanding.
*****
The end of August arrived quickly, and as the autumn breeze began to stir, news came from the north. Tan Xi had passed away from illness in the army, causing conflicts among his four sons over the succession. Wei Jue marched north and had already captured a large portion of Hebei, with his army approaching Jizhou. Although I had not received a response from Li Shang, unexpectedly, two people came to visit me - my Jiumu, Ding Shi and her daughter, Qiao Ti.