Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 72 The Daughter of the Shaofu
The weather became increasingly cold after the beginning of winter. Although the four counties in Hexi were mostly dry with less rain and snow, it could still be so cold on sunny days that it would make people shiver, so every household stockpiled charcoal.

That afternoon, the Shentu Mansion suddenly became bustling with activity. All the servants and maids were assigned tasks, cleaning every room and every corner to a spotless finish, even more meticulously than the day the eldest lady arrived. The south wing was especially busy, with freshly washed and air-dried curtains, charcoal stoves, and incense. They also brought in a number of ornamental items from the Second Young Master's courtyard, decorating every detail to perfection.

The old lady personally took care of the etiquette and food, saying that since the distinguished guest was staying temporarily, he must not be neglected.

Lately, Tan Huaike had been busy running the restaurant, keeping him busy for a moment, and Pei'er had been by his side. The two of them were out before dawn, rarely staying home. Because the incident had come so suddenly, they had no idea what was going on at the mansion, so they hadn't had time to tidy up the courtyard. As usual, clothes were hanging out to dry and firewood was piled up, making it look a little messy.

The side courtyard was only a wall away from the main courtyard, and Old Lady Liao, directing the cleaning, naturally wouldn't miss this spot. She had always disliked the independent-minded eldest lady, and had suffered at the hands of Tan Huaike before. She was just thinking of taking the opportunity to embarrass her, but the old lady issued an order, saying that they should not interfere in the side courtyard and just lock the gate. Out of sight, out of mind.

At first, Old Lady Liao was dissatisfied. Everyone in the mansion had to be on high alert, so why should the Madam stay out of it? But then she thought, the Lady's actions were even more ruthless. Locking the side courtyard was a clear break between her and the Madam. A distinguished guest had arrived, and she wasn't even allowed to see him. This was the ultimate humiliation. From now on, the servants in the mansion would no longer take the Madam seriously.

Shentu Zhuo had been leaving early and returning late these days, completely overwhelmed by the year-end sacrifices and the canal diversion project, and hadn't known the mansion was expecting distinguished guests. However, he was often seen "hanging out" outside, missing eight out of ten days, and the old lady didn't care much. After all, he was her closest and most favored son, and she didn't expect him to contribute much. He was enough to help with the decorations for the side rooms.
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In the evening, a black lacquered carriage rolled over the golden sunset and stopped steadily in front of the Shentu Mansion.

The cloud patterns inlaid with gold and silver on the shafts still trembled, and the two black horses with snow-hoofed hooves stood with their heads held high, their gilded bridles glinting off the stone slabs. A corner of the blue silk curtain was lifted by the wind, revealing the darkly embroidered pattern of cranes and deer in spring. The warm charcoal air from the carriage emanated, creating a layer of white smoke, and the satin curtains, smoked with frankincense, rustled softly, startling the servants in the mansion and causing them to hurriedly report—

The daughter of the Shaofu family has arrived.

Old Madam Shentu, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately led everyone to greet them. Two maids were already approaching with rags of step stool in their hands. The curtain of the carriage was suddenly lifted, and a moon-white dress with heavy hems embroidered with silver fell down. A slender hand pressed on the maid's shoulder, revealing the red jade half-hidden by the cuff of her wrist.

Shentu Ji, who was following behind the old lady, was stunned. Is this the young lady from Andu?

Everyone said that the Shentu Mansion had once been prosperous, but she grew up in the borderland and had never seen it with her own eyes. If she had been born in that heyday, would she be as noble and glorious as she was?
She was still in a daze. The old lady came from an aristocratic family and was used to seeing big events. A mere daughter of a young official was not enough to make her feel terrified. Moreover, as an elder, if she couldn't keep her own family in check, she would be looked down upon.

The old lady greeted him cordially but not rudely. "Lord Chi sent word at noon, saying that you, my young lady, have important business to attend to and will need to stay for a while. We've been rushing to pack, but it's still too urgent. If there's anything you're not used to, please let me know. Don't put yourself in a difficult position."

Xu Guanbai smiled softly, without the slightest air of a high-ranking official. After landing firmly on the ground, he bowed respectfully to the old lady. "Madam, please just call me Guanbai. I apologize for being rude. This time, I was traveling west on business and had hoped to stay at the county posthouse without much trouble. However, the county governor refused."

"The posthouse is indeed not suitable." The old lady led her in, took her hand and said, "Guan Bai, you may not know, but the posthouses here are mostly used to accommodate border commanders, interpreters, and envoys. They are rough and simple. It would certainly be inconvenient for you and your family to stay there. So it was Lord Chi who was thoughtful and entrusted you to my house."

"Thank you for your care, Madam. I am sorry to bother you."

"Where is it."

A charcoal basin burned in the main hall, creating a warm atmosphere. Xu Guanbai removed her cloak and sat upright to chat with the old lady. Her cheeks were as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, and her every gesture was elegant and refined, truly pleasing the old lady. Unfortunately, the Shentu family had fallen on hard times. The eldest son, who had served in the army, had died, and the old lady did not want her second son to enter the officialdom. It was likely that Xu Guanbai was out of reach of a noblewoman, otherwise she would have had to call in a matchmaker.

After exchanging pleasantries, the old lady got to the point: "Guan Bai, what brings you west this time? Lord Chi only told me that you were here on errands, but he didn't say what they were. Is there anything we can do to help you?"

Xu Guanbai asked, "Madam, have you heard that Mo He wants to marry into our Daxuan clan?"

"Of course I've heard of it." The old lady suddenly realized, "The wedding is next year, right? It's still early, but since it involves diplomatic relations between the two countries and it's a royal wedding, it seems like it's time to start preparations."

"According to the palace, it's almost too late to arrive," Xu Guanbai said frankly. "A while ago, the Grand Herald received a message from Mo He saying that the princess and the envoys had already departed. This time, I was entrusted by the Empress Dowager to come as a female historian to wait for Princess Mo He to enter the pass."

"I see. The border still hasn't received the news."

"Perhaps the marriage party encountered something and was delayed in the Western Territory. Logically, they shouldn't have set out so late. The Third Prince..." Xu Guanbai paused. "After all, the Third Prince is the Queen's biological son. Seeing that the auspicious date was about to be delayed, the Queen was anxiously waiting, so she sent me to greet him first. It would also be helpful to teach Princess Mohe some Daxuan etiquette on the way back to Andu to avoid any problems when entering the palace for an audience."

"This is a very important assignment," the old lady sighed. "The Queen is willing to entrust you with such an important task. It shows that although you are young, you are also very knowledgeable. You possess all the qualities of virtue, speech, appearance and merit. This is truly rare."

"Your Majesty, thank you for your kind words," Xu Guanbai said humbly. "Both His Majesty and the Empress Dowager attach great importance to this matter. After the princess enters the palace, she will be carefully taught by the venerable Madam Fu before she can marry the Third Prince. I am only a humble female historian, offering my humble assistance."

"Guan Bai, please don't underestimate yourself. Just stay in the mansion for the time being and wait for Princess Mo He to enter the country." The old lady pointed at Shen Tu Ji, who was standing by with his hands and feet tied. "I also have a humble request. Since we are destined to meet, if you have time, I hope you can teach my daughter more about classics, history and etiquette."

"I can't say I'm teaching her, but Madam Ji is about the same age as me, so I'd rather play with her."

Just as they were having a pleasant chat, Shentu Zhuo came back from Yuefu.

He glanced at everyone in the room with a confused look on his face, and his eyes fell on Xu Guanbai. He couldn't help but ask, "Mother, is there a guest at home? Who is this..."

I seemed to have seen this woman somewhere before, but I couldn't remember exactly.

The old lady introduced with a smile: "This is the daughter of the current Shaofu, Xu Guanbai."

Shen Tuzhuo frowned barely perceptibly: "Oh, it's you?"
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　Next chapter: The strange thing is why you are the female historian?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)